“Every successful mission requires a clear plan. Tonight, Mrs. Sibanda’s mission was to enjoy some gratification. She would not be denied. Her plan was as clear as oxygen. It involved an expensive perfume, a bottle of wine, and audacious underwear. Yes, for such battles, lingerie was always a critical component of the offensive strategy.”

“It would require careful planning and execution, but Marina always accomplished everything to which she put her mind. She made a lot of spreadsheets.”

“Every enterprise requires commitment to common goals and shared values. Without such commitment there is no enterprise; there is only a mob. The enterprise must have simple, clear, and unifying objectives. The mission of the organization has to be clear enough and big enough to provide common vision. The goals that embody it have to be clear, public, and constantly reaffirmed. Management’s first job is to think through, set, and exemplify those objectives, values, and goals. Management”

“Right. You're Kali. Of course you're planning a rescue mission. Stupid self-sacrifice is kind of your thing.”

“Hope is not a strategy,” said Kira.“It’s not plan A,” said Jayden, “and it shouldn’t be plan B, but it is every plan C that has ever been made.”

“Clearly we're Sorceri." Sabine gestured at her resplendent self. "Ergo, we'd enjoy some Sorceri wine.""Don't got it."Sabine quirked a red brow. "Do you not? Check with Erol, shifter. He'll have an emergency bottle for me--because whenever I arrive, it's an emergency.”