"Madam President."
After the Barghest forces once again assumed combat readiness, the New America commander on the front line contacted Rosalind Myles in Night City, his voice somewhat dry:
"The situation has changed. Target Kurt Hansen has been confirmed dead. The mission is complete; requesting permission to withdraw."
By New America's military hierarchy, he would never have dared speak to Myles in terms that nearly amounted to a "request"—everyone beneath her knew what she was capable of. But today's situation was exceptional.
With the primary target already eliminated, was there any need to continue this occupation of the stadium, an operation that had never been explicitly ordered and had merely been tacitly approved?
This commander had the nerve to take on Kurt Hansen. Not only did he have nerve—he had plenty of it. But when facing KK...
It was not that he lacked the courage to command troops. It was simply a personal, bone-deep chill.
At his current rank, he had come into contact with some classified intelligence—such as certain methods employed by KK.
His troops might be able to fight, but could he himself fight? With KK's abilities, taking his head amid an army might be difficult, but finding a spare moment to deal with him would be more than easy enough.
If he was dead, what use were the troops? More importantly, if the highest-ranking officer died, the entire force would most likely end up like the Barghest troops before them, unable even to continue carrying out basic orders.
Besides, even in terms of manpower, KK was not lacking. Leaving aside the Barghest troops he was currently absorbing, and not counting those rumored to have failed in Arasaka's internal factional struggles and, according to certain reports, defected to KK—there was still the intricate web of connections behind him.