Raven fidgeted in his seat for a moment, then said:
– I'd like to be very frank with you. So I'll ask you right off the bat. Do you consider us friends?
– You cover our position on the surface. We are extracting raw materials for the Empire. At this point, who we think you are and vice versa is irrelevant. Or do you have a different opinion?
– No, I agree, Mr. Prefect. I completely agree… Then let's get down to business. Business regarding your new acquisitions. The Sappo and Archa sectors.
The prefect didn't blink an eye. No agreement, no inner satisfaction at his own success, no greed, no suspicion. He just sat there with the look of a man who had everything.
Raven continued:
– Right now, Cobra's units are providing cover, as they do here, but he doesn't have enough forces to do so. If a really serious attack were to happen, you, Mr. Prefect, could lose a Sappo or an Arch, simply because there aren't enough forces to cover it. Not to mention the equipment, of which I have far more under my command than Cobra.
The prefect continued to watch calmly, only occasionally rubbing his hand against his arm.
He was clearly not afraid of any possible Maquis attacks, nor of the fact that the chiwi might not have enough strength somewhere. He had enough strength now, and he didn't need this external prikriti, just to keep his own strength up.
Raven was beginning to doubt his own proposal, but he finished anyway:
– Given that we have information about the preparation of a new Maquis attack on the sector "Arha", we propose to replace the perimeter guards with my personal units, and Cobra detachments entirely concentrate on the seven sectors "Donetsk-Makeyevka".
– Will you be leading your units on site in person?
The question was more than surprising. What, in fact, should he care? Does he wish to keep his acquisitions or what? It's clear whose units, and it's clear who's behind them. Why risk his own skin? He wouldn't do it himself… That's why I asked the question. The fox of the dungeons. He knows what he wants. If you refuse, you'll show him it's not that big a deal to lose and gain. And if you say yes, you're no match for him. You must value your life above all else. Otherwise there'll be no one left to rule. That's what he's getting at. And he's made a choice.
– And Cobra's in charge there personally. And to me, it looks stronger than what you're proposing, Mr. Raven. However, if you do decide to go there on your own, I will definitely support you in that.
There was nothing to argue about. He didn't deny anything, he just said that he didn't support the current performance. And with a hint that Cobra himself will decide whether to leave his position or not – "looks stronger". Cobra is really more charismatic than calculating. He will not spare his life if there is a question about his authority, and sometimes such a policy yields results, as it is now.
Standing and looking at his surroundings, Raven decided that he would never be in such a situation again – coming somewhere with offers and being in a position where you could be slapped without an obituary and then tell everyone you weren't even here. He had sort of hoped that Gora would be more vulnerable and weaker after the assassination attempt, fearing for his power and life, but in fact he had only put down stronger roots here, and would only grow stronger, clinging to everything around him.
– It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Prefect," Raven said and left without waiting for a response or any reaction to his movements from the guards watching him, who could easily shoot him if he did. He knew that although he could not do anything, he had to save face – his offer had been rejected, and now he would not offer anything. He would only wait for the time when the offers would come to him. And such times could well be waiting.
***
It was fresh and sunny on the surface. Raven had never thought those two factors would be so important to him. He had spent so much time in bunkers and dugouts of all kinds. He had not seen the sun or the moon for days on end, and it did not seem to him to be some kind of test, just a part of security.
But now, surrounded by his personal guard company near the main administrative building of the Deese sector, he felt like he had climbed out of the underworld, where everything around him was pressing so hard that he wanted to shoot himself just to be free of it. No, this man is definitely very dangerous. A year ago, Hora was only a hint of some role in the Slavic Column, now it looks like it's becoming a force to be reckoned with for the entire Empire.
Koshkina
to
Zhivenko
After the transition, which lasted all night, the entire newly formed Khmelnitsky's unit stopped to camp near the town of Liman, almost 30 kilometers from Severodonetsk. They had to move over quite difficult terrain, and it turned out that not for nothing – scouts sent in different directions reported about the close proximity to them fighting certain units. There was no doubt that these were Hiwis, and that they were gradually slamming the trap created in Severodonetsk.
Khmelnitsky would have done it himself in their place. And he had even said so directly to Zubkov. As much as he did not want to help him, but the detachment-14 that had been gathered for so many years and the goals for which it was gathered were much higher than the importance of the one who would lead it. And yet the calculation was wrong – Zubkov refused to believe that the situation was serious. He said it was too far from the enemy's main supply points, and with winter coming soon, it would be suicidal.
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