After dismissing Captain Yllek Admiral Slin poured himself another coconut martini. They weren't as good as the ones his wife, Daysa, made for him at home but they served their purpose well enough. Daysa, how he missed her, he had not spoken to her since the deaths of their daughters Sally and Jenny. He MUST speak with her after the battle was over.

He thought about going back to the vidscreen and watching the battle for awhile. How he loved to lose himself in the carnage. In some ways he would give up his rank for one more shot in the pilot's seat. Squeezing off round after round into an enemy fighter was a feeling almost forgotten. He really missed those days.

Instead of watching the battle he opened up Captain Yllek's files on the enemy. He too was confused about the extra intell he was ordered to gather on the enemy. Why did Prime Minister Athena want information above and beyond what was normally gathered? She didn't directly state it but the Admiral was almost positive that the order came from above Prime Minister Athena. That would mean that it came directly from The Elders themselves. No Selushan had ever even seen The Elders other than the Prime Minister. This was obviously important information.

 When the Admiral and Ensign Clobe were being questioned via vidscreen he was ordered to leave his quarters so that Ensign Clobe could be questioned in private. After Prime Minister Athena was finished with the Ensign the Admiral was ordered to execute him any way he saw fit. Execution was not unheard of amongst the Selushans but when the Admiral questioned the reason for the order he was told, simply, to follow orders without question.

As he was going over the files supplied by Captain Yllek he remembered that all vidscreen communications were recorded and he had sole access to those recordings. He sat the intelligence files off to the side so that he could hit the button that transformed his level desk top into an upright vidscreen and keyboard. A few keystrokes and he was into the recorded communique library. His password was denied. What the fuck?

"Computer...override all protection programs and grant access to ship's communique library."

computer..."Please provide name, rank and serial number."

"Yannm Slin, Admiral, 3139913."

computer..."Voice recognition verified, Yannm Slin, Admiral, 3139913. Acces to all ship's communications library granted."

"Play all incoming communication recordings to my quarters vidscreen within the last twelve hours."

computer..."There are no incoming communication recordings within the last twelve hours Admiral."

"Play ALL incoming communication recordings between Prime Minister Athena and Admiral Yannm Slin."

computer..."There are no communication recordings between Prime Minister Athena and Admiral Yannm Slin."

As he drinks down another coconut martini the Admiral can't help but wonder...'What the fuck is going on here'?

Sci fi Deunan