Pursuit
A large part of this Battle of the Ampere revolves around the theme of pursuit; Michael, Tessa, and Jaime spend a large amount of time trekking through the Peruvian wilderness, trying to avoid being captured or killed by the Elgen or Peruvian military. When they stop the caravan and rescue the others, both the Elgen and the Peruvians try to hunt them down by whatever means necessary.
The Instability of Power
Power changing hands is a major theme of the novel. At the outset, Chairman Schema is in charge of the Elgen board and bringing in Hatch to imprison him in the brig. Hatch, however, uses his resources (the Glows) to take over the ship, deposing Schema and assuming the powerful role of leader for himself.
When the members of the Electroclan are imprisoned by the Peruvian army, they are inhibited by the RESATs, rendering them powerless. When Ostin figures out how to rewire the RESATs, however, they regain their power and suddenly become the most powerful people in the facility. This power struggle goes back and forth for the remainder of the novel, with various variables contributing to the equation of respective power. At the end, when the Electroclan blows up the Ampere, the balance of power has temporarily swung in their favor; Hatch, however, aims to swing it back in his direction with the acquisition of Jade Dragon.
Machiavellian Tactics
Dr. Hatch, when planning his strategy, sounds almost like Niccolo Machiavelli in his aims and verbiage. He proposes advancement by means of acquisition through the violent occupation of territory (Tuvalu) in order to take over the country and turn it into an Elgen base. His words even sound vaguely reminiscent of Machiavelli: "Fate is an excuse for people who are too stupid or too weak to make their own future." (-Hatch, Ch. 14). This sentiment about fate and fortune evokes Machiavelli's famous adage about making one's own future: 'fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous" (The Prince).
