The whole Riverine is painted a vivid green, with yellow-gold trim—the livery used by most companies in the Telestrian empire, including Nova Vita Cybernetics. The transponder is also ready to identify itself as a Telestrian asset to any radar beam that interrogates it. (The livery and transponder aren’t some kind of scam, at least not at this level. The Riverine—and every other vehicle involved in the assault—is a Telestrian asset, owned by some portion or other of the Telestrian empire. The key issue is which portion ... ) To our right—starboard?—and slightly back, I can see another Riverine just like the one I’m aboard. Assault Team Baker. Beyond our sharply raked bow is the gray water of the Columbia, and maybe a klick-and-a-half ahead, the shore and the dark, blocky outlines of the NVC facility. This is where it’s going to get nasty.