All Enemies Foreign and Domestic (Kelly Blake series) by Rodney Smith Page A

whenever suited them best.   The Galactic Republic Embassy would await their arrival.   Baron N’Gana said he would call back with at least a two-hour advance notice of the elders’ arrival.
          The ambassador had a long talk with Kelly to convince him to participate in this visit.   “Captain, I know you want to be pursuing leads to help get Candy back here safe and sound. Perhaps this will do more good than browbeating your staff, which is capable of working more efficiently when you aren’t asking for status reports every ten minutes and looking over their shoulders the other nine.   You have good people that know their jobs.   Let them do their work.”
          Kelly saw the logic of the ambassador’s statement and backed off to let his people work.   He knew they wanted Candy back almost as much as he did, and would do anything in their power to return her to Kelly safe and sound.   He prepared to receive the K’Rang Elders.
          What followed was a flurry of activity as Marine guard dress uniforms were assembled and donned, the honor guard was assembled and drilled, and all available embassy staff were dragooned into dusting, mopping, and buffing the halls and main reception room.   By the time Baron N’Gana called back three hours later, the embassy was ready for a state visit.
          Kelly had a bit of a struggle fitting into his dress uniform, requiring some on the spot alterations of ripped seams to fit the trousers around his leg cast.   He looked at himself in the mirror and declared himself all trussed up like a Christmas goose, but presentable.
          The elders arrived in a highly secured motorcade and were allowed entry into the embassy’s fenced compound.   The vehicles were directed into the inner courtyard, where the Marine honor guard stood at attention.   The ambassador stood at curbside next to the color guard, ready to greet the elders.   Kelly sat in his grav chair on the ambassador’s left side.   A slight breeze ruffled the Galactic Republic flag carried by an immaculately dressed Marine guard.
          The K’Rang security detail dismounted from their lead and chase vehicles, formed a perimeter around the elders’ vehicle, faced out, opened the vehicle doors and stood aside.   The two elders were relatively young and healthy K’Rang, needing no assistance to exit the vehicle.
          As the two elders left their vehicle, the Ambassador stepped forward and welcomed them to the Galactic Republic.   A quizzical look on J’Kol’s face was answered by the ambassador’s explanation that under the Treaty diplomatic protocol section, the embassy was considered sovereign Galactic Republic territory, just as the K’Rang embassy in Geneva was K’Rang sovereign territory.
          J’Kol nodded, said, “Of course,” and shook the ambassador’s hand.   G’Tol next shook the ambassador’s hand.   The ambassador asked if they would like to inspect the honor guard, which they declined.   He then led them into the embassy main reception room.   Baron N’Gana, two military aides to the elders, and a protocol aide for N’Gana followed the elders.
          In the main reception room, G’Tol signaled for N’Gana and the aides to wait outside.   The ambassador waved Kelly in, but motioned for the others to stay outside.
          G’Tol noticed the wave off and said, “Good, Ambassador, you have discerned our intent.   This meeting requires both our discretion.
          “Captain Blake, our heartfelt apologies to you and your wife for having been involved in this.   We know who has your wife and why our brother elder was abducted.   We have a plan in motion to retrieve your wife and our fellow elder unharmed and soon.   One of our investigators noticed a pattern of unexplained absences by several key personnel, only to have them re-emerge a day or so later with no memory of where they had been.   All were