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five-story structure at 437 Uhlen Street. Unlike many government buildings, Yancey House had no signs to identify it, no government flags, and no indications of any kind what the building contained. The stone masonry facade was beautiful and unique for a city dominated by more modern construction. To the casual passerby, this could be a private business, or perhaps an apartment building. It certainly didn’t seem like the supremely secure government facility it actually was.
    He knew he was late and as he spied the lobby clock, he realized he was very late. Entering the lift and ascending one floor, he walked quickly down the hall, as if hastening his pace could make up thirty minutes. At least the security officer watching the hall monitor would get a chuckle. It seemed like he was giving lots of people amusement today.
    Turning left halfway down the hall into an unmarked office, he found himself confronted by a very unhappy face. “James, hello and sorry I’m late,” was met with a stone face and one raised eyebrow.
    “He’s expecting you,” the man said, then added, “thirty-three minutes ago.”
    James tapped a code into the console at his workstation and the door to the inner office slid open. Jason Tolbert was seated at his desk conversing with a young lady. Waving Carr to a vacant chair, the director of the Office of Military Intelligence made no comment regarding the need for punctuality, as it would have been a wasted effort.
    “Sorry I’m late,” Carr said as he sat down. “Had some trouble on the train.”
    “Let me guess—SSB?”
    “Yes, and particularly obnoxious to boot. They tried to bribe me into slipping them team secrets. What’s going on?”
    Tolbert let his right hand absent-mindedly stroke his gray Van Dyke. “It seems the Home Minister’s called in some new personnel from off-world. They’re playing a little rough. Our new SSB colleagues don’t understand how the game is played between us here on the homeworld. I’ll have a word with Minister Siebert about it.
    “Captain Frank Carr, allow me to introduce space force Lieutenant Commander Etta Sanchez.”
    The OMI was a combined intelligence effort of the Sarissan Union Army and the SUSF. While with the agency, operatives were under the command of the agency itself and were in effect on detached service from the military. Each operative served Jason Tolbert and his staff until they were released back to their own branch of the armed forces, if they ever were.
    Carr judged Etta Sanchez to be around thirty. He pegged her to be a native of Quijano, as she had the olive skin, dark eyes, and black hair so common to people of that world. Her pageboy haircut complimented an attractive oval face. A fine looking woman, but he wondered why she was here.
    The Director led the two operatives from his desk to the briefing table at the other end of his office, where he activated a holographic projector and handed each of them a data tablet. “Frank, the Lieutenant Commander is a first rate pilot and you’ll need her skills on this mission.”
    “Director,” Carr began defensively. “I always work alone, you know that. Besides, I can pilot a shuttle, so I don’t really need a taxi driver.” Carr glanced toward the woman. “No offense, um, what was your name again, Lieutenant?”
    “Lieutenant Commander Sanchez. Etta Sanchez.”
    “Really, no offense. Wait. Sanchez? You wouldn’t happen to be related to Admiral Sanchez would you?”
    “There are a lot of people named Sanchez in the Union, Mr. Carr.”
    “That’s very true, Commander, but they’re not all related to the Admiral—are you?”
    “It has nothing to do with my qualifications as a pilot or operative, but yes, the Admiral is my uncle.”
    Tolbert wanted to stop where this was going. “Frank, I can personally vouch for the Commander’s qualifications for this mission. And the vehicle you’ll be using will demand her particular skill set.”
    Carr bit his tongue for a