Read Online Rath's Gambit (The Janus Group Book 2) by Piers Platt - Free Book Online
Authors: Piers Platt
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plan – there’s potential to add more, if we see fit.”
She tapped on her keyboard, and the slides advanced again. “Second, I’d like to pilot a program where we roll out additional services to bolster our traditional offering. Specifically, we’ll begin offering a suite of services centered around espionage – corporate, mainly, though we believe there’s a lot of opportunity for inter-government spy work in the Territories. Our contractors are perfectly equipped to deliver against those client needs, though we will likely invest in some retraining efforts to round out their skillset. And those espionage services can also be put to work directly for you, augmenting the limited activities of the official agencies that do that work for the Federacy today. To date, our annual growth rate has been constrained by the limits your committee placed on me. We project these initiatives will lead to a twenty-five percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. We have the capital set aside, it just remains for you to give me the green light to invest it.” She finished, and steepled her hands on the desk.
The silence dragged, and again, the director had the impression they were discussing something offline, keeping her on mute. Then one of the senators spoke.
“Director, thank you. The quarterly results, as always, are strong. Frankly, we need a minute to discuss your expansion proposal, however.”
“Of course,” she said. “I await your decision.” She hung up and sat back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the arm rest.
* * *
“Is she off the line?” Senator Lizelle asked.
“Yes,” Senator Blackwell said. “Just the three of us.”
Senator Mastic started in. “The plan is compelling – and the espionage expansion is particularly interesting, I have to admit,” she observed.
“The Federacy is sorely under-equipped in that capability today,” Blackwell agreed. “The last Security Committee report I read said that the Territories, in aggregate, have more funding and better capabilities for intelligence-gathering.”
“In aggregate,” Lizelle noted. “Lucky for us, they’re not acting in concert against us.”
“Not yet,” Mastic said, pointedly.
“I’m sorry, are you two actually considering this plan?” Lizelle asked. “It’s a clear violation of the principles this committee was founded to uphold! Principles which were set down and have not changed in over two hundred years, I might add.”
“The Group was developed to counter an internal threat, but today, the threat that looms largest is an external one. The galaxy has changed … perhaps our principles should, too,” Mastic mused.
Blackwell cleared his throat. “The Group’s primary purpose should not change: it has been, and always shall remain, a tool for maintaining order. But we’re tackling that goal largely blind. With expanded espionage capabilities, we could likely prevent more conflict.”
“I’m willing to consider retraining the existing force to conduct intelligence-gathering activities,” Lizelle allowed. “But I’m not clear how those spies will be assigned to support Senate needs – my hunch is that ninety percent of the time, they’ll be used for revenue-generating missions, just like the contractors are today. The director is talking about a massive influx of personnel, and notice – she didn’t say she wanted to hire people to just be spies … she said she wanted to hire more contractors. That means more killers, who could potentially double as spies. Potentially. Or they could keep killing, just at a higher rate. We’re chartered to keep the Group in check – let’s not forget it is a criminal organization,” Lizelle argued.
“You have a point,” Blackwell allowed. “An expanded Group could pose as much risk to peace and order in the galaxy as a minimized one. It will increase the number and frequency of murders … which is often destabilizing. I’d recommend she
She tapped on her keyboard, and the slides advanced again. “Second, I’d like to pilot a program where we roll out additional services to bolster our traditional offering. Specifically, we’ll begin offering a suite of services centered around espionage – corporate, mainly, though we believe there’s a lot of opportunity for inter-government spy work in the Territories. Our contractors are perfectly equipped to deliver against those client needs, though we will likely invest in some retraining efforts to round out their skillset. And those espionage services can also be put to work directly for you, augmenting the limited activities of the official agencies that do that work for the Federacy today. To date, our annual growth rate has been constrained by the limits your committee placed on me. We project these initiatives will lead to a twenty-five percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. We have the capital set aside, it just remains for you to give me the green light to invest it.” She finished, and steepled her hands on the desk.
The silence dragged, and again, the director had the impression they were discussing something offline, keeping her on mute. Then one of the senators spoke.
“Director, thank you. The quarterly results, as always, are strong. Frankly, we need a minute to discuss your expansion proposal, however.”
“Of course,” she said. “I await your decision.” She hung up and sat back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the arm rest.
* * *
“Is she off the line?” Senator Lizelle asked.
“Yes,” Senator Blackwell said. “Just the three of us.”
Senator Mastic started in. “The plan is compelling – and the espionage expansion is particularly interesting, I have to admit,” she observed.
“The Federacy is sorely under-equipped in that capability today,” Blackwell agreed. “The last Security Committee report I read said that the Territories, in aggregate, have more funding and better capabilities for intelligence-gathering.”
“In aggregate,” Lizelle noted. “Lucky for us, they’re not acting in concert against us.”
“Not yet,” Mastic said, pointedly.
“I’m sorry, are you two actually considering this plan?” Lizelle asked. “It’s a clear violation of the principles this committee was founded to uphold! Principles which were set down and have not changed in over two hundred years, I might add.”
“The Group was developed to counter an internal threat, but today, the threat that looms largest is an external one. The galaxy has changed … perhaps our principles should, too,” Mastic mused.
Blackwell cleared his throat. “The Group’s primary purpose should not change: it has been, and always shall remain, a tool for maintaining order. But we’re tackling that goal largely blind. With expanded espionage capabilities, we could likely prevent more conflict.”
“I’m willing to consider retraining the existing force to conduct intelligence-gathering activities,” Lizelle allowed. “But I’m not clear how those spies will be assigned to support Senate needs – my hunch is that ninety percent of the time, they’ll be used for revenue-generating missions, just like the contractors are today. The director is talking about a massive influx of personnel, and notice – she didn’t say she wanted to hire people to just be spies … she said she wanted to hire more contractors. That means more killers, who could potentially double as spies. Potentially. Or they could keep killing, just at a higher rate. We’re chartered to keep the Group in check – let’s not forget it is a criminal organization,” Lizelle argued.
“You have a point,” Blackwell allowed. “An expanded Group could pose as much risk to peace and order in the galaxy as a minimized one. It will increase the number and frequency of murders … which is often destabilizing. I’d recommend she
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