Starcross

Chapter Two - Part l

Director’s Office

U.S.E.E.T.A.

2 March 2020

      Though it had only been a few days, Ae-yok looked like he had aged many years since Burbank last saw him; the once familiar light that filled his friend’s eyes had faded, leaving a gloomy emptiness in his face. Lines ran deep, like canyons, across his face, his hair wasn’t as neatly combed as it was the last time they met, even his clothes looked crumpled as if he slept in them; but Burbank knew that he didn’t get much, if any, sleep in the past days. Truth be told, he hardly got any sleep himself since he left the White House after that first night.

      As per standard operating procedure after a terror attack, the guards for all government building were doubled and if Richard turned around to face out the window he was sure he could see a number of Embassy Marines standing around at what were supposedly strategic locations. He was told that when Ae-yok’s car first pulled up the guards wouldn’t let him in until Richard’s aid, Christopher, called down to the checkpoint and vetted him and his driver. Though he didn’t approve of them harassing the Druidth emissary, Burbank understood the need for being extra vigilant.

      Holding up a heavily censored document that his boss from the Department of the Interior had sent over, supposedly it came from the CIA but he was skeptical that Lovett would let anyone know what time it was much less share information, with instructions to share the limited information with the Druidth. So much had been cut out of the document that it looked like a sieve and he could easily see the other man sitting across from him through it.

      “This is a report from one of our intelligence agencies,” He started after Ae-yok set down the offered cup of coffee, something he found delectable without any cream or sugar which Richard simply couldn’t drink. “It says that the terrorists that attacked your colonies used Druidth communication equipment.”

      Dead eyes sparking up like someone throwing gasoline on a dying fire, Ae-yok took the paper and read it quickly. Burbank sat back and watched him quietly until he put the cut-up paper on the desk. “This… This is something we can use,” He said in his lightly accented English.

      “How so?” Richard inquired, if it was indeed something they Druidth could use then it was something the Human intelligence agencies could use and, thus, worth reporting.

      “Well, all our communicators bounce signals off of our capital ship. Much like how your cell phones use satellites, but since we don’t yet have any satellites of our own in orbit we just use the ships arrays. All signals that come in are recorded onto the ships hard drive for obvious security reasons.” Ae-yok explained calmly.

      “Fascinating,” Burbank breathed. “But doesn’t that raise privacy issues with your people?”

      The purple-eyed man across from his shook his head slowly, even though he hid it as well as he could, Ae-yok was very saddened. “No, we all understand that the monarchy only has our best interests at heart and will do what it must do to keep us safe. Without citizens to feed it, clean it, and make goods for it the Kingdom will fall apart. It’s common sense.”

      Richard laughed softly at the irony. “Funny, if our government used surveillance to stop a massacre of humans the people would be more upset that they were monitored than about the potential loss of lives.”