The Story

[Goliath]

Ernesto expected nothing less from a busy personality such as Loyola. He slid over the tablet to Loyola. It displayed the current status of Planet Crete, the converted Corsairs' numbers and holdings, and a map of Crete's region of interest. Determined, and with his "Buffoon" cover tossed out the window, Ernesto leaned on the table.

—"Planet Crete is in constant "war". Cretans battle eachother for survival and land. Corruption is very high. This presents us with the option to establish a holdout and just let loose on the overpopulated Planet. We can draw any supplies from conquered cities that can be directed to our case, as well as any captured civilians to serve as cannon fodder once conversion would be complete. "

He said with an unflinched, fixed sight on Loyola.

—"Siphoning the population is something we can take advantage on, and the current situation does let us let loose a bit compared to the stealthy approach we are forced to take in space. There are three problems, though. "

Added the Corsair, before resuming, looking at the tablet for a moment, then back at Loyola.

—For one, I need one's brighter mind to approve this course of action. Yours. For two, these civilians would have to go somewhere. The question is: Where? For three, The type of approach we take now will determine how things will develop in time. There are three ways we can pick. And by we, I mean you. Or, well. Lord Muramasa was supposed to take this decision at some point. But he is away. The tablet contains the choices in detail. This is the first topic of this little discussion.

The tablet's next 2 pages offered a brief description of advantages. Disatvantages, and opportunities with given resources.

"Imperio" was the first option, though the name is just for show. A modest holdout with the intention to siphon at a reduced rate the population of Crete with the focus on militaries, active pilots and some civilians. This would assure high quality in terms of usefulness of those who are to be converted, but the resources to do so would be higher, as cities and other holdouts on Crete to contain these targets would have fairly high defenses to deal with, and the unconverted population of "Imperio" would have to be kept well fed so their motivations and beliefs won't falter. The possibility of detection is somewhere between medium and high, due to the mass "recruiting".

"Nómadas" was the second option. There would be no fixed holdout, or land "Nómadas" would have. As the name implies, the converted Corsairs will roam one place to another in search for loot and human targets which can range from mere civilians to skilled pilots, marines, and so on. This movement would require no "misinformation" tactics at all, as "they can let loose and sow the chaos they were meant to do. Detection risks, however, are medium due to the possibility that the mobile prisons would not be 100% secure to keep hostages in, until the Freighters to pick them up would arrive. On the other hand, plenty of supplies and human targets would get to reach Aoi Iseijin.

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