Free By Other Means by Evan Currie Page A

put that one on the watch list.”
    “This is getting complicated,” Ruger scowled.
    “Sir, what did you think was going to happen?” Sorilla asked, genuinely confused. “We’re trading punches with a giant that clearly hasn’t figured out either his own strength, or ours.  You know this, or I wouldn’t be here. Now this pale fellow, this Sin Fae, I want him on the watch list. I read him as a spook, if ever I saw one. He’s a company man, Sir, I guarantee it.”
    “Do you think he’s the one who’ll try and derail the talks?” Miram asked.
    Sorilla shook her head, “Maybe but I doubt it. No, he’s likely just the intel weenie assigned to the negotiations. Whatever it is, though, if there’s any trouble coming, I’ll bet that he’ll be somewhere nearby. The Lucian, him, he’ll be right in the middle.”
    “And where do you see yourself, Major?” Miram asked, eyes on the other woman in the room.
    “For the moment? Tagging along with the meat shields,” Sorilla shrugged, gaining another glare from Swift. “Oh quit it with the moon eyes, Swift, you’re not my type. I’ll be there, but I’ll let them do their job without tripping over me. No offense, Madame Ambassador, if the mission calls for it I’ll stop a round for you, but if we reach that point I’ll consider my mission a failure no matter how it turns out.”
    She shrugged, “I won’t step on your toes, Swift. Just think of me as part of the Ambassador’s staff, a warm body that doesn’t have priority.”
    “Got that right,” Swift grumbled.
    Ruger rolled his eyes, annoyed at the conversation being derailed but at least the issue was settled for the moment.
    “If we’re all in agreement, then?” He asked, looking around the impromptu round table.
    Receiving no objections, he nodded in satisfaction.
    “Good. Aida, you’ll go on station as part of the Ambassador’s protective detail. Do you have any plans yet?”
    “Mostly this will be just to get the layout, see how things are shaking down,” She said with a shake of her head. “I’m interested in this
merchant
species, but I’m also looking for any representatives of species that have problems with the Alliance. For the immediate future, however, my first priority will have to be intelligence gathering. It’s not what I’m best at, but we have too little of it to make plans right now.”
    “Alright,” Ruger nodded, looking to the Ambassador, “and you, Miram?”
    “You know my priority,” She shrugged, “negotiate a solid truce, try to turn it into a treaty. I’d appreciate it if your military plotting didn’t screw any of that up, but I’m well aware that you’re going to do it anyway.”
    Ruger let that pass, there was nothing he could say to please her anyway, and in all honesty she wasn’t wrong.
    “We have a plan of action then. Aida,” He said, nodding to Sorilla, “Do your job.”
    “Yes Sir.”
    *****
    “What are your impression, Sienal?”
    The Sin Fae rotated his shoulder joints in an elegant motion, indicating a non-committal response, before speaking.
    “It is very hard to tell, the species is very responsive, they have clear body lingual patterns, but we haven’t mapped them all yet.” Sienal answered, “additionally, they are certainly guarded and near to paranoia unless I miss my guess. Not a surprise, given their situation.”
    The Parithalian diplomat nodded, “Understandable, I suppose. You have no opinion yet, then?”
    “I did not say that, Quarr’a. This is the early game, understand,” Sienel responded, “much may change, but for now I believe that they are mostly sincere in the negotiations to come.”
    “Mostly?” Quarr’a asked dryly.
    “They’re hiding something, of course, likely many things.” Sienel said simply, “That is the nature of business at this level. My task is to determine just what those things are, and whether they impact your negotiations, but it is far too early to say either way.”
    “I understand,