Sitrep:

So, I finished PRI 4 "Building Intrigue" and it is off to Paul. PRI 4 is supposed to be the last book for me of the year. We shall see. I am poking at PRI 5 a bit and moved it up to the next book in line since the contents and characters are still fresh.

Cover:

 Anyway... In other news, I had a bad scare with my PC. Last Tuesday Edison shut power off for maintenance. I shut my PC off long before hand, and I have a battery backup anyway. But for some reason when I went to reboot when power was restored the PC was dead.

I tried all the tricks, (switch, disconnect peripherals, etc) then ordered a new PSU and Motherboard. Before I went to install them I tried the PC one last time...and low and behold it booted! So, crisis averted. I am now backing it up just to be on the safe side. (I do that every 3 months or so but I've been lax)

My desktop is 10+ years old and yeah, I'm running very old Windows. Funny, I write scifi but I'm a bit of a luddite with my own PC. Newer isn't necessarily better in my eyes, too much bloatware and spying crap.

I also sent Rea Forging Alliances over the weekend. I am hoping to get it to Goodlifeguide by next week and hopefully publish it by December 1st. We shall see.

So... oh, I'm trying to see if I can animate the cover to Forging Alliances. No promises. SeaArt is not really a good AI to do that. I may consult with older and wiser heads on that score.

And... on to the snippet!

Chapter 1

 

Antigua

 

"So, nothing?" Fleet Admiral John HenryIrons and acting president of the Federation asked. He wasn't happy with thatanswer but kept a professional mask. After all, he couldn't shoot the messengerif the other side had been too good at their job.

"Nothing we can use," Captain Fletcherstated. The AI didn't sound happy. He had spent a lot of processing cyclestrying to find usable video footage of the perpetrators. None had been found.They either kept their heads down or used a scrambler to prevent themselvesfrom being filmed. They hadn't even gotten anything from processingreflections. At best they had height and build and of course general specieswhich in this case was human. Of course there were a lot of variations to thebasic human form.

"Whoever did this was very good," GeneralCraft, the Secretary of Intelligence stated. The Neogorilla's nostrils flared,showing his annoyance.

"Verygood," Director Sati, the director of the FBI stated. She didn't lookhappy at the admission. "They had professional training. No DNA leftbehind, no prints, minimum video. Even the touch DNA had been contaminated by acommercially available cleaning product."

"So, the only clues we have are that they areprofessionals, very well organized, and that they wanted something that theyknew was high risk. Someone," Admiral Irons stated with a look to theimage of Bagheera McClintock.

A team of unknown people had attempted to abduct theblack Neocat in his family's home. He had managed to survive and escape. Onemercenary had been injured and killed during the escape. The perpetrators hadmanaged to escape the authorities, much to the annoyance of those involved.

Since Bagheera was Shanti and Jethro's youngest sonand had Cadre DNA, it was a major concern for all involved.

"Whatever they wanted they didn't get it,"Admiral Nara Thornby stated.

"You are certain?" the Neogorilla head ofintelligence asked.

She eyed him. "Yes general, I am certain.Bagheera might be a civilian but there are safeguards in his DNA and in theresidence. It didn't do them any good."

"So, they will be motivated to try again?"Admiral Irons asked.

"Yes but they will have to try a differentavenue. They have to know that we are aware of them and watching fortrouble," Director Sati stated.

"Was it even a DNA grab? They were after thecat too correct?" the AI captain asked. Nara nodded grimly. "Thereare easier ways to get DNA. Methods that are less exposed to the public andauthorities," the AI reminded them.

"The DNA was a fall back when they failed tocorner and capture Bagheera," Nara stated flatly. Since Bagheera was acivilian the investigation was… complex. The FBI was insisting on jurisdiction.The local police had handed it off to them. The Cadre was protecting thefamily. Shanti was in transit from Epsilon Triangula and out of contact. Jethrowas with the bulk of the Cadre on what might be a suicide mission against thepirates in the battle moon.

"I don't want a repeat of this. Find who didthis and work together to protect our people," Admiral Irons ordered.

"We will do our best sir," the Directorsaid with a look to the others. They all knew that for the most part the FBIinvestigated crimes after they happened. No law enforcement office was good ondefense. With an almost total lack of evidence and a cold trail, theperpetrators had made a clean exit. That sucked. It meant that they could strikewhen and where they wanted whenever they wanted to do so.

<<(O)>>

"In and out clean. Except we didn't get theobjective," Mister Smith said mildly as he sat across the table from thetall black human male.

"We got the secondary," Nigel Mosfetstated. He did his best to not appear defensive. "Considering the qualityof the target, that is good."

"No, actually you didn't."

Nigel blinked. "We picked up every scrap ofhair and DNA we could in the time allotted," the mercenary stated. He hadread the report. The team had been very thorough and very fast. They'd had tobe to get in and out before the authorities had arrived.

They had narrowly escaped the closing policeperimeter. They had ditched their vehicles and had changed their disguises. Theauthorities would most likely still process every camera feed that they couldbut such things would take time.

Most of the assault team were already off planet.The rest were scheduled to leave in the morning.

If they'd just wanted DNA there were easier ways toget it. Inserting someone to a restaurant frequented by Cadre unit memberswould have allowed them access to their DNA off cups and silverware. But theclient had wanted someone of the blood who could be examined along with theirDNA to see how they tick.

"Yes you did. But the lab boys stated it is alluseless. Most of the hairs were shed hairs and lacked a follicle which isneeded for DNA. The follicles they did get were compromised. The DNA wasscrambled."

"Damn. That's not on us."

"We realize that. Which is why you are beingreassigned," Mister Smith stated. He was an envoy for their true bossGeneral Ross.

"Oh?"

"This project has become too hot. It has beenput on a back burner. We will look for another avenue of approach over time. Ifone presents itself we will reconsider. We have other work for you." Hehanded over a flash chip.

Nigel took the chip slowly. He was glad that thegeneral and the client were not holding the failure against him. That was themark of a true professional.

Of course that didn't mean he was totally out of thewoods, nor the assault team. The mercenaries and the client were ruthless. Ifthey had been compromised they would be quietly terminated and their bodiesburned to ash.

"We have another DNA scoop. This one needs tobe discrete given this failure. You'll get the details when you read thefile."

"Can I ask where I am going so I can packappropriately?"

"Agnosta. An ID packet is in the chip. Isuggest you dress for warmth, as I understand it, it is damn cold where you aregoing."

Nigel hid a grimace. Instead he nodded as hisfingers curled around the chip. He downloaded the contents into his implantsand then triggered the self-destruct. The chip crumbled in his hands and he letthe pieces fall out like dust.

"Do be more careful this time," MisterSmith said reprovingly as he indicated he could go.

Nigel nodded as he headed for the door. He knew hewouldn't be safe until he was in transit, and possibly not even then. But thatwas the world he lived in.

<<(O)>>