[Sticks]

Continued from previous post

Kathryn Cooper’s Office
IDEC Headquarters
Washington DC
United States of America

(One Week later)

[img=600x400]http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/Washington_DC_Monument_White_House.jpg[/img]

Kathryn Cooper was sitting at her desk when Samuel entered the room. Kathryn looked up at Samuel, “Welcome back Samuel” she said to him.
Samuel sat down on the chair in front of Kathryn’s desk “It’s good to be back Kathryn” he responded
“Did the O’Docherty twins get back ok?” Kathryn asked
“Yep, the Irish Government picked up the tab for their flight to Shannon Airport” Samuel answered, “And I also told their biological uncle if he ever tried to revoke their adoption order the O’Docherty’s legal defence would be assisted by both the Irish government and ours. I think he got the message”
“Let’s hope so” Kathryn agreed, “Those girls have been through enough trauma already. What about the fates?” she asked
“They returned home yesterday according to Mark” Samuel answered, “Their exile order has been rescinded”
“Speaking of returning home” Kathryn went on, “I understand you took a detour via Florida”
“Yeah” Samuel responded, “I wanted to be there when they arrested the main dirt bag who attacked one of my people”
“She’s one of my people as well Samuel” Kathryn reminded him, “I am so glad they were able to find something, to be honest I didn’t think they would after all that time, especially as the attack took place in a shower block, I think it will help Sue-Lim’s recovery a lot to know that they’ve found evidence to corroborate her account”
“I know Kathryn” Samuel went on, “Did they send you a copy of the forensic report?”
“Not yet Samuel but I was told that they found blood traces from Sue-Lim in the watch band of one of the junior guards who raped her and they found the CCTV footage of when Sue-Lim was released, showing her facial injuries which she did not have when they photographed her when she was initially detained”
“Added to that, the detainee they ordered to stand guard while they attacked her, offered to testify when he was returned to Mexico after he spoke to a priest about it” Samuel continued
“They told me that too Samuel, although I suspect the defence might have a field day with that witness, claiming he is only doing so to gain entry to the US and to avoid conspiracy charges” Kathryn replied
“If you have not heard Kathryn” Samuel went on, “the latest is that the guard who had Sue-Lim’s blood in his watch band is going for a plea bargain against the senior guard as he does not want the hate crime charge added on to the rape and battery charges”
“That will certainly help get a conviction” Kathryn replied “So how did the arrest go?” she asked
“Pretty low key, they arrested him at a local bar” Samuel answered, “He was so stupid that he fessed up and tried to justify what he did by saying how was avenging his brother’s death in Vietnam. I told him that what he had done had dishonoured his brother’s memory and the memory of the others who fought in that war”

Kathryn sighed and then said “There’s something else that might help Sue-Lim’s peace of mind” Kathryn leaned forward and handed Samuel a document, “Commander Johnston managed to get the British counter intelligence service to go through Sir Sidney’s records and the item found in his computer system listed on page thirty six should be of interest”

Samuel leafed through the document to the appropriate page, “They hacked into the IDEC UK and stole Timothy Zachary’s design for the wormhole generator” Samuel said with surprise
“Yes and I have copied that part of the report to the director of the FBI since that completely exonerates Sue-Lim of any blame with regard to it’s use by those terrorists”
“I bet their director was not happy about that” Samuel smirked
“Samuel, let’s just say I got enormous satisfaction in rubbing his nose in it and extracting a written apology from him, which I’ve got Charlene to take to her this afternoon at Bethesda”
“How is Sue-Lim?” Samuel asked
“Well the preliminary medical tests show that she did not get any infections nor did they make her pregnant. However as she did try and commit suicide and has been suffering depression for a while because of the rape, they are still want to keep her in for a while longer. Last time I visited two days ago she was still quite emotional so I suspect her wedding to Pete is on hold.”
“That’s a shame” Samuel remarked, “I was looking forward to that, I understand they’re childhood sweethearts”
“At least we have Jenny and Mark’s to look forward to soon”
“Yeah” Samuel grinned, “I heard about that, “Mark wants the ceremony done before Jenny’s pregnancy is too obvious.” Then Samuel took on a more serious expression, “By the way, how what’s the cover story for their sudden return?”
“Well Samuel we are going with the story that they were out of contact on a long romantic holiday overseas when the Facility in London was bombed and that someone misidentified two of the bodies as theirs. The marriage and Jenny’s pregnancy might lend a bit more credence to that I hope”

Samuel looked at the ceiling, “Well I hope they all buy that one” he mused
“It was either that or give them new identities and order them never to contact their families ever again” Kathryn countered. “Any way” Kathryn went on, “I am putting Jenny on light duties because of her pregnancy. I realise I am being old fashioned, but I want to be seen as looking after my people”

“Oh!” Samuel remarked sarcastically, “Breaking the habit of a lifetime are we Kathryn”
“Samuel that’s unfair” Kathryn retorted, “And I know who you are referring to, so for your information, in that document I refer you to page ninety five”

Samuel began leafing through the document, while he was leafing through to the page Kathryn continued, “Sir Sidney used his contacts from his days in MI5 to get moles in all sorts of intelligence and military organisations”
“Except the IDEC” Samuel muttered as he leafed through the document
“They of course said they did not think they were betraying their country because they thought they were just passing information to a former member of an allied counter intelligence service” Kathryn continued
Samuel just shook his head in disbelief and then he found the page Kathryn referred to. “Oh!” he exclaimed
“You found it then” Kathryn asked
Samuel looked up, “So the prosecutor and two of the judges at Tania McCaskey’s court marshal were on his payroll”

Kathryn nodded, “They were taken into custody two days ago on corruption charges. It seems they had instructions from Sir Sidney to make sure she was prosecuted, convicted and given the maximum sentence. It was part of his plan to embarrass us and render us ineffectual since he had not penetrated us like he had done the other agencies. I have got Matthew Sands to use this as part of an appeal against her conviction”
“There shouldn’t need to be an appeal” Samuel commented angrily, “It should have been the D-O-D moron who lost that laptop on trial for negligence”
“Maybe Samuel, but this is how the army seems to work here” Kathryn responded

“Is that all Kathryn?” Samuel asked, “apart from the obvious news that they have reopened the investigation into the death of your predecessor?”
“Not quite Samuel” Kathryn answered, “As we are down in numbers for special operations, due to Jenny’s transfer, I have been in conversation via G2 with various entities about an IDE as a a replacement”
“Are we getting another leprechaun?” Samuel asked, “I mean they do seem to have a high casualty rate when they work with us, seeing as what happened to Hogan and Rosie”

Kathryn shook her head and pressed the intercom, “Has she arrived Sophie?” she asked
“Er, yes” A hesitant reply came from Sophie, Kathryn’s personal assistant
“Send her in please” Kathryn asked
“Right now?” Sophie asked
“Of course right now, the colonel and I are busy” Kathryn said with irritation. She switched off the intercom and remarked to Samuel, “What has got into Sophie?”

Samuel shrugged his shoulders and then asked, “So who is this IDE”

Just then the door opened and in walked Celeste wearing nothing but a pair of men’s boxer shorts and making no effort to cover her breasts and looking down at the floor. “Reporting for duty as instructed Miss” Celeste said nervously, “My father said you wanted to see me Miss” she then added

“Where are your clothes?” Kathryn asked her with astonishment
“I got rid of them Miss” Celeste replied with her voice cracking with emotion, “I know the Spirit of Death is my father, but they were black which is the colour of death and I don’t want to have anything to do with the taking of life any more. They also came from Sir Sidney, Plus” Celeste went on, “I worked for the wrong side and I don’t deserve to wear any clothes. I only put these on” Celeste then pointed to the boxer shorts, “because the lady out there would not let me in until I had put them on, she said she had got them for her boyfriend, but if you require it I will remove them now”

Celeste then put her thumbs into the elastic waist band and started to remove the boxer shorts

“No!” Kathryn exclaimed
Celeste immediately stopped and pulled them up, “Miss?” Celeste questioned, for some reason it was obvious that Celeste was confused about something
“That won’t be necessary, I want you to keep those on” she told Celeste and then immediately got up from her seat, took her coat from the coat stand and went over and made Celeste put it on and do it up.

“But Miss” Celeste protested and then she explained, “In hafling goblin community I grew up in when I was very young, if someone acted shamefully or caused a nuisance their privilege to wear clothing was revoked and they had to go naked to show their shame and humiliation until it was deemed that they had earned the right to wear clothes again”
Celeste looked down at the floor while Kathryn put her hands on Celeste’s shoulders. Celeste then looked up at Kathryn with tears running down her face, “I worked for a very bad man Miss, I forfeited the right to wear clothing so I should go naked to show my shame and humiliation until I have made amends. Miss I am willing to do so as part of my punishment for what I did”

“Celeste” Samuel interrupted, “You switched sides as soon as you found out about Sir Sidney, plus you risked your life to save countless lives that has to count in your favour.”

“Yes Sir” Celeste sniffed and looked down at the ground, “I need to make amends for what I did, until then I don’t have the right to clothing”
“Celeste” Kathryn interrupted and gently lifted Celeste’s head, “On this world people we don’t make people go about naked, even as a punishment, because others will find it distracting so the rule is you must wear clothing in public and at work. Also Celeste you are not being punished, you were mislead like a lot of people but like the colonel said you switched sides when you found out about Sir Sidney and because you risked your life to save others we think highly of you”
“Yes Miss, Sorry Miss” Celeste replied

Kathryn then went to her intercom and called for Sophie to come in.

As soon as Sophie entered she began apologising, “I’m sorry Miss Cooper but I did not have my coat with me or anything to make sure she was fully covered. I wanted to get someone to bring up a lab coat, but Charlene and Pete are visiting Miss Wang at Bethesda and Simon was on voice mail”
“That’s ok Sophie” Kathryn reassured her, “It was a cultural misunderstanding. Now I want you to use our official credit card and take Celeste here and get her new clothes, including proper underwear.”
“You mean a bra Miss” Celeste then cut in,
“Yes” Kathryn replied, “I’d rather you not go braless like Charlene insists”
“But those are uncomfortable Miss, that’s why I never wear one” she protested
“That’s because you’ve never been fitted properly Celeste” Sophie told her, “I know just the place”
“Yes Miss” Celeste replied to Sophie and then told her, “I don’t want black any more because it’s the colour of death and I want to be for life, not death, in fact I want to cut my hair of because it’s black”
Sophie shook her head, “You don’t need to do that Celeste, I can bleach it for you and then dye it another colour. I think you would make a smashing redhead and you would look good in light brown and pastel green”

“That would be fine Sophie” Kathryn cut in, “But can you discuss this with Celeste outside so can we get on?”
“Oh! Sorry Miss Cooper” Sophie apologised then said to Celeste, “Let’s go shall we” and led Celeste from the room and closed the door

Samuel looked hard at Kathryn, “So you want her on my team”
“Well like you said Samuel, she did switch sides and we can do with her abilities. She’s eager to impress and as for her time with Sir Sidney, let’s just say a she was troubled teenager taken advantage of by an older predatory man”

Samuel was about to answer back, when Kathryn’s direct line rang

“I better go and let you answer that” Samuel suggested
Kathryn gave a brief nod and picked up the phone and answered it.

Samuel was just about to open the door when Kathryn frantically called him to come back
“What is it Kathryn” Samuel asked “You look white as a sheet”

Kathryn put the phone down, “That was the State Department” she explained, “See this on CNN Live” she added picking up a remote control and switching on the office television.

Samuel looked at the screen, and there to his horror was a live news report from Caracus in Venezuela and on it was the Clan Troll Chief of the Manjura in chains showing signs of heavy bruising to his face and looking bewildered and confused. The CNN journalist was assuring the viewers that what they were seeing was real and not a hoax and what they were seeing was an intelligent being from another world.

The journalist then went on how this captured alien had confessed under interrogation that he had been spying for the US government and that the Venezuelan Government were going to put him on trial for espionage, and if convicted he faced the death penalty as a foreign spy.

Kathryn flicked the TV to another twenty four hour news channel.

It too was carrying the same news story, with the journalists saying that there was now proof that even if we were alone in this universe, there was intelligent life in another parallel universe and they had been secretly working with the American government and a top secret organisation called Inter Dimensional Entity Control.

Samuel and Kathryn watched the TV screen in horror, “Oh my G_d!” Samuel swore, “This is not good”

To be continued in Season Nine
Later in the year

Assuming I get to do Season Nine