Memoirs of an Interstellar Spy - Book 5 of Re-Forge

Trap the Spy

Onboard Titus, Adara pondered a plan to capture Boss, and prevent his escape using his personal teleportation device. She knew Boss would vanish and be gone forever, the instant he sensed a trap.

The 'B' Sharp crystal matrix rose from its home, located in the centre pedestal of the conference table on Titus. Unlike the past, 'B' Sharp was now integrated into its own modified avatar. Adara tailor-made this to house the crystal matrix and give 'B' Sharp autonomy of movement... Something it had never experienced.

On Eden, there was a beautiful latticework crystal perched top of the large conference table that was a perfect replica, just in case Boss believed he could steal it before he left.

Through its comms unit speaker, 'B' Sharp asked: "Adara I agree that attacking Boss psychically, may give him time to teleport, but what if you have your Nanites create a cerebral cortex regulator in his brain while he sleeps?"

Before Adara could reply, it added: "Not one that will kill him if he thinks of espionage against humankind, but one that will block his ability to activate his teleportation system the moment he tries to leave.

Adara paused for thought, then said: "It is just too risky, 'B' Sharp. We can't know what internal traps he has set in his alien brain, and we can't just read him to find out. He is far too powerful and will fight back and I don't want to damage his metal capacity..."

"Anyway, I think I have the solution. I know that he wants to see my Titus project more than anything. If I can get him to come here willingly, then he will trap himself. Boss's greed is currently our greatest weapon and his greatest weakness."

"When he hears about the loss of SP1, I'm hoping he will believe my desperate need to engage his help. I'm certain nothing can penetrate or pass through laminated Neutronium alloy, including him and once trapped, my Nanites will do the rest."

Bosses shift on Eden's bridge starts in an hour; I can give in to his incessant requests for access to my project using the loss of SP1 as my desperate surrender tool."

An hour later, Adara walked onto Eden's Bridge. Boss was seated in the Administrator's chair as was his custom when on shift.

As soon as he saw Adara, he complained: "Why am I the one that does most of these pointless shifts? I have my own important work to do."

Adara said: "Boss, I am not responsible for the rosters or running Eden. My problems run a little deeper than that, and the loss of SP1 has forced me to come to you. Frankly I would not be here now, but I need your help with some of my problems."

Boss asked: "Why should I help? You have excluded me from your project for twenty thousand years. Once you got what you wanted from me to fix Eden and the Multiverse, I was basically cast aside. It's only the fishing that keeps me here since then, as nowhere else is as much fun."

Adara looked down at her feet but said nothing.

As she did not speak, Boss said: "My self-esteem is severely damaged and seeing that we are speaking frankly; your words, not mine... I am over it. I have decided to put you on the spot and give you an ultimatum. Either add me to your need-to-know list, or I will leave Eden and never come back. I mean it."

Then Boss added: "The Level Two Council has become complacent, non-caring and no fun at all. Everyone ignores me and for the life of me, I feel that they have become like lifeless automations. I'm beginning to think they have become the machines that they swapped their human bodies for. Honestly, there is no longer anything here for me."

Adara bit her lower lip as 'B' Sharp sent a thought into her brain: "This may be a trap to see if you will capitulate and allow him access without a debate. If you do, he will be gone with a pop. Play him along."