“I’m pointing,” I reply.
“Same thing.”
“Not if you’re actually listening,” I say.
He studies me for a second, then turns back to the display.
“We’re not changing anything today,” he says.
“I didn’t ask you to,” I reply.
That pulls his attention back again.
“Then what are you doing,” he asks.
“I’m preparing,” I say.
“For what.”
“For when you realize I’m right,” I reply.
Vihl lets out a low laugh from across the room. “She doesn’t quit, does she,” he says.
“No,” Tyrok replies, his tone flat.
“Good,” Vihl adds. “Would’ve been boring if she did.”
The raid briefingbegins an hour later, and the shift in the room is immediate as personnel gather, voices lowering, attention aligning toward Tyrok as he steps forward.
“This is a collection run,” he says. “Target’s overdue, and resistance is expected.”
The projection expands, outlining the structure, entry points, and expected resistance patterns, all of it clean, direct, and built around a single principle.
Overwhelm.
I watch the flow of the plan as it unfolds, tracking timing, positioning, and response curves, and the flaws become apparent almost immediately.
“You’re going to lose people,” I say.
Tyrok doesn’t turn right away. “Explain,” he says.
“The entry point is wrong,” I reply.
“It’s the fastest route,” one of the crew counters.
“It’s the most obvious route,” I correct. “Which means it’s the most defended.”
“We overwhelm defenses,” another says.
“You absorb losses,” I reply.
“That’s the cost,” someone else adds.
“It doesn’t have to be,” I say.
Now Tyrok turns.
“What are you seeing,” he asks.
