Director Axlea made an unhappy face as she swam in circles inside her globe. The White Star, one of the biggest and most expensive luxury liners in the Federation was gone. No distress signal, no debris, nothing. It was like it disappeared from the entire Galaxy.

Not only that but a Federation Councilor was aboard. Yes, it was that shit stain Morgan but still… A senior Federation official was missing.

The public, the police, the fleet, and of course the entire council demanded answers.

And she had one, Sheila fucking Donovan. Oh there was no good way to spin this. She spat bubbles of anger and frustration. A lot of people were going to ask questions not the least of which was “Why did you pull her arrest warrants?” as if the police were going to catch her. Of course they were going to say that they would have as they got the board and knife ready.

They were looking for someone to blame and her scaly ass was about to get filleted. Fuck.

At least that fucker Morgan was dead, almost certainly. Sheila would not let him survive. Hell, he was probably the reason that she took the ship.

The fact that she took the ship was certain. How she did it however… Damn, she thought to herself, What I wouldn’t give to have an ops team like hers.

She shook her head. She couldn’t think about that right now. Her career was in danger. This one could very well do her in. In fact, prison wasn’t out of the question.

Normally she wouldn’t mind all that much. The truth is that she was tired, so very tired. Ever since the fiasco that was the Republic war she was done. She was so done with all of this fucking bullshit. Hell, she would even be willing to cut a deal where she did take the fall. Her “personal notes” should keep her out of any real hot water.

She would except for one reason, Patricia fucking Hu. That bitch was on the move and nobody in the entire galaxy sent shivers down her piscine spine like that monster. That fiend was planning something, more precisely she had been planning something and now she was putting it in motion. Axlea was tired, she was old, she hated her job, she hated the politics, she hated the council, but she loved the Federation. Sure, it wasn’t perfect. It had its flaws, plenty of them, but there were trillions of innocent sapients under its protection and every single one of them was in danger. She just knew it. Nobody else in the Federation, except for the humans, seemed to know or care about that witch, but she knew all too well what that monster was and what sort of pure evil she represented.

She was part of the original diplomatic mission. She saw first hand what… evil... that woman was capable of. She was just a junior intelligence officer back then. What they found… It’s had haunted her ever since. What she did… It was unthinkable.

She couldn’t let whatever that thing had in store for the Federation, for the entire galaxy, happen. She didn’t protect her people from the Republic war. Her failure, her lack of as Patricia would put it, resolve, sent over a billion innocent souls to their deaths.

She wasn’t going to fail her people again.

And to protect them she needed this position. She needed to keep her job. The entire Federation depended on it.

Ice gripped her heart as she chuckled. It was going to take a Patricia to stop one. Might as well be her. It was time to slip out of her comfy little globe and go diving right into the abyss and there was no coming back. She smiled grimly and summoned an agent.

“Director?” the agent said. It was Servalux, one of “her people”.

“Yes, Servalux, I need you to do something for me. Bring me the head of the Federation security council.”

“Yes, director, I will contact his office immed-”

“I didn’t say to get me an appointment. I said bring me his head. Kill him. He has a serious and chronic medical condition. He needs to succumb to it. Now.”

“… Yes director. I will see to it at once.”

***

Doctor Clarkson walked into Director Axlea’s office.

“Director,” he said, “I have completed analysis of the bio-scan that you sent me.”

“Yes,” Axlea said, “And?”

“It’s an amazingly healthy human female, approximately thirty years of age, with signs of healed facial fractures, three broken ribs, and a broken-”

“Back up,” Axlea said blowing bubbles of surprise, “How old?”

“Around thirty,” the doctor replied.

“Impossible,” Axlea said grimly. “Go over the scan again, atom by atom if you have to.”

“Director?”

“That is the bio-scan of Sylvia Salvatore. Ever heard of her?”

“No, Director, should I have?”

“She was a member of the Inquisition of the Chosen… During the Sol Wars.”

“That… That can’t be, director. It’s impossible!”

“Apparently it is. Go over the scan again molecule by molecule.”

“Director, while, due to their obsession with ecological reconstruction, the Republic is years ahead of us when it comes to human and Terran biological science what you suggest is in the realm of pure science fiction, even for them.”

“Well then beam me up because it’s real,” Axlea replied. “Go over the scan again and again and again until you have some fucking answers for me. You have the full support of the entire agency, whatever you need.”

“I’ll try but-”

“I am not exaggerating when I say that the fate of the entire Federation is at stake. Don’t try. Do.”

“Yes, but...”

“Patricia Hu is behind this.”

“… I will get started immediately!”

“And doctor, not a word of this to anyone. You are now part of a task force answering solely to me. If you need personnel be sure you are comfortable with them permanently because once they are brought in they aren’t getting out until the dealing is done.”

“Yes Director.”

***

“Please accept my condolences during this sad time,” Director Axlea said to the new head of the Federation Security Council. “If there is anything I can do to assist you during this difficult transition please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, director,” Councilor Xil said bowing his cranial lobes, “Council Gz-Kal always spoke very highly of you. Despite your frequent clashes he always said that you were perhaps one of the truest servants of the Federation.”

“There is no higher praise,” Director Axlea said bowing her head. “I do regret imposing so soon but I really must meet with you concerning a matter of great urgency and delicacy as soon as you can manage.”

“I would normally do so immediately but there is much to be done. Can it wait until-”

“It involves the disappearance of the White Star and Councilor Morgan. I have information that I must discuss with you before it becomes public. I regret that I must meet with you today. The stability of the Federation, as well as the careers of more than one high ranking official are at stake.”

“I will be there this afternoon, Director.”

“Excellent,” Axlea said blowing bubbles, “I really appreciate it, Councilor.”

The call terminated. Axlea pulled up one of her personal files involving Councilor Xil and pressed play.

“… Now that’s just nasty...” she said smiling to herself.

***

Director Axlea stepped into a conference room. Inside were several dozen agents of a wild variety of species and a good number of humans.

“Agents,” She began, “You have all been selected to serve on a special task force. You have each proven your ability, your dedication, your loyalty, and most importantly your love for the Federation. Gentlebeings, we face a crisis. No. The word 'crisis' is perhaps not sufficient. We face a threat greater than any faced during your entire lives, during my entire life, including the Republic War.”

Murmurs issued from the group. Director Axlea was not prone to histrionics, quite the contrary in fact.

“Please take a moment to review the dossier on the tablets in front of you.”

The murmurs became louder as the group read.

“Before any of you ask. Yes. Everything in that report is verified and one hundred percent true. In fact,” she said, “If you take a moment to look at the list of agents involved in that investigation you will find my name. I was there. I saw it. That woman is the single greatest threat facing the Federation. Until now she has quietly remained behind the scenes playing her little games. Now, she has decided to make a move.”

“Director,” agent [email protected]@ said licking his lips, “And what is that move? What is she planning?”

“That, agents,” the director said, “Is the first thing we need to find out. I sanction anything and I mean anything. Anything fucking goes. Gentlebeings, as of now we are at war.”

***

“Director,” agent [email protected]@ said as he loped into her office, “The observation teams are in place. Any being of any species entering or leaving the Terran embassy will be fully scanned and those scans will be routed to our research team as well as compared against all records regardless of age.”

“Excellent, I can always rely on you can’t I?”

“It gratifies myself to hear you say that, director,” the Xvli said bowing his head respectfully. “Also you were correct about councilor Grailtha. You will find this,” he said as he put a data crystal on her desk, “quite interesting and most certainly of use.”

“Perfect,” the director said. “That’s one more on a leash. Any more interesting humans?”

“Yes, your suspicions were correct. The human known as Crimson was spotted. She’s quite youthful for someone of her years.”

“Keep a close eye on that one. If she farts I want to know what it smelt like. By the way, when it comes time for us to make our move, she is one of the first to go.”

“Yes Director, I shall," [email protected]@ said bowing his head. "I have also reinstated all warrants and bounties for Sheila Donovan and all known associates… and I have also removed them from the blacklist. We are no longer hunting for them. May I ask why?”

“Who knows what data they managed to steal,” the director replied, “We can leak anything we want and pin it on them as long as they are at large. They are also dangerously violent master criminals with a penchant for killing Federation Councilors… If they are capable of that I shudder to think what else ‘they’ might do… If you get my meaning,” the director said wiggling in a wry "smile".

“I see,” the Xvli grinned, “Oh, one more thing. You wanted to know when Ambassador Wintersmith returned. He has. He was just spotted in the vicinity of the starport.”

“Excellent!” Director Axlea said blowing bubbles of happiness. “Let me know the second he is at the embassy.”

“Yes, Director.”

***

Jon stepped out of the taxi carrying a small bag with a smile. Home sweet home the thought with a smile as he approached a clearly astonished and delighted security officer at the main gate.

“Ambassador!” the officer said snapping to attention. “You have no idea how good it is to see you.”

“I might have some idea,” Jon said with a grin. “Don’t worry, daddy’s back!”