The Lotus Eaters

Federated States Airborne Command and Control Ship (ACCS), 210 miles east of Santander, Terra Nova

The radar officer tapped his screen to point at the various elements of the unfolding drama. "Sir, both groups, the one from the mainland and the one by the submarine are moving out again. Ah, we've lost the mainland group, I'd guess they flying nap of the earth. And we've got . . . one, two, four, call it seven more birds leaving the island, middlin' fast. Oops, there goes the, uh, sub, I suppose . . . it's disappeared, sir. We've also got two more pairs of helicopters, holding station off the west coast."

Unseen now by the ACCS, S.S. Porfirio Porras (Atzlan registry), hidden under its nets and its refueling mission completed, set sail for Balboa.

"And, sir . . . I've got something odd on screen. It's a recon skimmer, I think, coming from the Earthpig fleet."

The colonel smiled. "They think they can fuck with us, do they? Weapons!?"

"Here, sir."

"Warm up the defensive laser. Wait for my command; but when that thing gets close we're going to burn it out of the sky."