close to Foley that he hadn’t minded using the woman’s first name in an official meeting—the meeting he’d just spied on. Knowing what he did about protocol, even in closed spaces, a man of Albright’s rank would never do such a thing.
Suspicion grew.
Due to his covert actions, he now had proof of what he believed to be a pirate infiltration of the general’s command staff—Lieutenant. Foley being the main suspect.
As far as anyone else was concerned, the situation with the general’s former inaction seemed happily resolved. All other dignitaries in Allied High Command registered motivation again, presenting their own ideas for attacking the pirate threat.
Some time ago, Albright had been referred to as ‘a warrior’s warrior’ . The man’s tactics for the last twelve months belied that reputation. Indeed, before Lieutenant Foley arrived, there’d been nothing to suggest Albright would ever alter his lackadaisical attitude.
Because nothing had been done to quell the pirating for the entire year, divisiveness had surged among council members. If he was a pirate, that resulting chaos was exactly what he’d welcome.
What did the girl have on Albright? What pirate faction was she working for? Why had she arrived unannounced, only to be given such an important position as advising Earth Embassy’s supreme commander? Did that mean she had high connections on Mythreal that he had yet to discover? Finally, why was Albright listening to every syllable she uttered?
He’d tactfully tried to change rules in lieu of having only a majority of councilmen or women agreeing to any strategic maneuver. But Mythreal’s ancient laws governing concord got in the way, over and over. One diplomat was afraid of offending another. With eighty embassies to please, it’d been long-ago decided that all must share the responsibility of policing the sector, or the strongest among them ended up footing the entire bill. Hence the need and legislation regarding unanimous action.
Not knowing how Foley wangled her way into the general’s affections—thereby changing his attitude—elevated his distrust. No one was above suspicion, not even a seemingly bland little lieutenant. History, in regards to spying activities committed by pirates on Mythreal, was foremost in his mind.
First, a representative for the Kryllian planet had been caught handing over attack strategy to his Pleidian mistress—a pirate spy. Though done in the throes of passion, after much wheedling and alcohol had been applied, those plans had still been compromised. Oh, the man hadn’t meant to discuss the location of Allied Command law enforcement vessels in deep space. And he was extremely apologetic when Mythrealian guards had questioned him on the subject. Still, the girl had pulled that classified information out of him. And in such a way that the poor man had never caught on until it was too late to save his career. He was summarily but quietly dismissed from duties. An excuse had been given to everyone else for the change in Kryllian leadership, thus keeping the rest of that planet’s innocent staff from suffering great embarrassment.
Then there was the incident where household cleaning staff had been hired by the Sagittarian embassy. Though politicians there claimed their employees were all scrupulously vetted, maids and groundskeepers were proven to be pirate spies; men and women who’d been given too much access to sensitive parts of that contingent’s compound. The result—pirate operatives collected computerized memorandums for attack plans.
Several other incidents followed these. The amalgamation made Dillon suspect anyone whose presence was as innocuous as Lieutenant Keira Foley’s. Though the girl advised General Albright in ways that made perfect sense, Albright always presented those new strategies as if they were his . This situation mimicked those spying incidents from the past.
Dillon released a deep sigh of frustration.
If anyone
Suspicion grew.
Due to his covert actions, he now had proof of what he believed to be a pirate infiltration of the general’s command staff—Lieutenant. Foley being the main suspect.
As far as anyone else was concerned, the situation with the general’s former inaction seemed happily resolved. All other dignitaries in Allied High Command registered motivation again, presenting their own ideas for attacking the pirate threat.
Some time ago, Albright had been referred to as ‘a warrior’s warrior’ . The man’s tactics for the last twelve months belied that reputation. Indeed, before Lieutenant Foley arrived, there’d been nothing to suggest Albright would ever alter his lackadaisical attitude.
Because nothing had been done to quell the pirating for the entire year, divisiveness had surged among council members. If he was a pirate, that resulting chaos was exactly what he’d welcome.
What did the girl have on Albright? What pirate faction was she working for? Why had she arrived unannounced, only to be given such an important position as advising Earth Embassy’s supreme commander? Did that mean she had high connections on Mythreal that he had yet to discover? Finally, why was Albright listening to every syllable she uttered?
He’d tactfully tried to change rules in lieu of having only a majority of councilmen or women agreeing to any strategic maneuver. But Mythreal’s ancient laws governing concord got in the way, over and over. One diplomat was afraid of offending another. With eighty embassies to please, it’d been long-ago decided that all must share the responsibility of policing the sector, or the strongest among them ended up footing the entire bill. Hence the need and legislation regarding unanimous action.
Not knowing how Foley wangled her way into the general’s affections—thereby changing his attitude—elevated his distrust. No one was above suspicion, not even a seemingly bland little lieutenant. History, in regards to spying activities committed by pirates on Mythreal, was foremost in his mind.
First, a representative for the Kryllian planet had been caught handing over attack strategy to his Pleidian mistress—a pirate spy. Though done in the throes of passion, after much wheedling and alcohol had been applied, those plans had still been compromised. Oh, the man hadn’t meant to discuss the location of Allied Command law enforcement vessels in deep space. And he was extremely apologetic when Mythrealian guards had questioned him on the subject. Still, the girl had pulled that classified information out of him. And in such a way that the poor man had never caught on until it was too late to save his career. He was summarily but quietly dismissed from duties. An excuse had been given to everyone else for the change in Kryllian leadership, thus keeping the rest of that planet’s innocent staff from suffering great embarrassment.
Then there was the incident where household cleaning staff had been hired by the Sagittarian embassy. Though politicians there claimed their employees were all scrupulously vetted, maids and groundskeepers were proven to be pirate spies; men and women who’d been given too much access to sensitive parts of that contingent’s compound. The result—pirate operatives collected computerized memorandums for attack plans.
Several other incidents followed these. The amalgamation made Dillon suspect anyone whose presence was as innocuous as Lieutenant Keira Foley’s. Though the girl advised General Albright in ways that made perfect sense, Albright always presented those new strategies as if they were his . This situation mimicked those spying incidents from the past.
Dillon released a deep sigh of frustration.
If anyone
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