Free Talosian Chronicles 5: Raptor Squadron by Ben Winston Page A

authorized. We will be taking our worlds back from the Empire, we will free our people," Ian said grinning. "Hyperion just happened to be the first one selected."
    The assembled commanders did ask a few more questions, but the details of the mission would be discussed in the next few days with the individual groups of commanders involved. Finally, Ian sensed that the questions were over. "Okay folks, give your people some down time where you can, but make sure you’re loaded up for battle. We'll assemble at the rally point in eighty hours. Dismissed!"
     
     
    Jenny asked him a question once they were back in his office. "I noticed you didn't say anything about the Raptor team assault on Grimaira?"
    Ian shrugged. "Raptor operations are on a need to know basis and they didn't need to know. I also didn't want word to get back to the Empire and put those people in danger. It's bad enough that I had to tell them about the assault this early; there is a possibility the Empire will learn of it before we even launch, and reverse the tables on us."
    "You think we have a spy here?" Jenny asked.
    "Oh, we probably have more than one. With the number of people our allies are sending us, it would be foolish to believe they're all clean," Ian said. "But, we're doing everything we can to insure our security doesn't get compromised. I'm mainly worried about the Empire getting our location. As soon as they do, we can expect to be attacked with heavy forces. This is the only place in the Alliance where so much research is grouped so closely together. Combine that with the ship yards and other facilities, and we are a prime target the Empire would have to destroy."
    Jenny nodded. "If we know that, then why have we grouped it all together? Why don't we try and spread it all out a bit, make it harder to hit?"
    "Many reasons; harder to hit also means harder to defend. Each facility would have less over all protection making them far easier to destroy individually. It's hard enough protecting everything with it spread over the two systems we currently have. Besides, with everything this close together, it is far easier for them to support each other as well.
    "Researchers and scientists talk to each other. They share ideas much faster and easier when they are close to each other. A good example of that is the weapon that young man designed for Star Dancer ; it was adapted for the Shadow fighters, and within a month it had been adapted for ground support weapons, orbital defense platforms, and a new weapon for the combat drones that are coming out. Doctor Benson's armor is another good example; it's being put on almost everything we build now," Ian finished.
    Jenny nodded, she had known all this, but it was her job to make Ian think about situations like this. "Speaking of those drones, there is a problem with them, and production has been delayed. Colonel Carlson was the original test pilot for them. He has following development of the project and has filed a very promising report on them. He has recommended a possible addition to correct the issues and mentioned some form of large scale tests with production prototypes be held on Atlas as soon as the units can be built and a testing facility be made available."
    "That big drone is a completely new system; what was the issue with it?" Ian asked.
    "Durability during combat maneuvers. The first units were built and sent out, the platoon training on them were told that they should be capable of everything the soldier should be able to do; they couldn't. The first time a soldier dove for cover, it literally broke the back of the drone. This really isn't the designers fault either. They were rushed into production before the drones were completely tested. The designers have taken Colonel Carlson's recommendations to heart and expanded on them. The system is much tougher now, but they do not want to release the units for production until the large scale tests are completed under simulated battle