Chapter 4

Terry's Team 1 met in a maximum-security Sensitive Compartmented Intelligence Facility (SCIF), shielded against far more than the usual electronic threats. Harold Angell, the team's British counterintelligence officer, explained the meeting place. "Some politicians, aware of the situation, believe the AIs can see everything and monitor everything. I don't think so. The AIs mentioned that they had used stealthed drones for some recon, which means they have to deploy sensors. I'm also not convinced that they can break right into a well-managed strong encryption system, so they might not know our classified documentation and computer interfaces."

"Harold, I'm glad you set a context, pointing out that there are those that worry about the AIs even more than Earth opposition," Terry said "Our objectives are to try to work out the dynamics, at least in the initial phases, among the Earth command, the Confederacy, and independent Earth organizations. Viola has incredible insights into new societies, but this is a new level -- dealing with nonhumans.

"Anyway, let me speculate a bit. The AIs run the Confederacy, and probably have tried to breed aggression out of all the races. What aggressiveness they have shows in trade, and the Darjee seem to be the greatest trading race. Aggression also limits creativity. They consider individual art and craftsmanship rare and of high value, a place where they encourage us to send them trade items.

"While they have high technology, it very well may be static. My guess is that the AIs will be best at adapting technology, but not creating new areas."

Viola Flores, from the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the Department of State, was widely considered the intelligence community's wise woman about the characteristics of the politics of newly encountered and developing societies. In addition, she had a fine reputation for leading teams doing overall intelligence estimates. She was in her sixties, but attractively so, a one-time near-Olympic gymnast who still stayed in condition. She did like short skirts with fashionable boots. Indeed, without apparent kink, she definitely liked tailored, near military cuts--even very professional leather outfits. Her skin was a wonderful shade of milk chocolate.

Viola said, "It's hard for me to work on this, because their social system seems to reject the idea that older women, and younger infertile ones, are worthless. Breeding is incredibly important to them, although I'm not quite sure, given that they are talking about Earth being attacked within a decade or so, how we could breed fighters. It would seem more practical, for a 10-15 year period, to try to improve the adults we have. We will have to shorten adolescence. Their sleep teachers can make up for the school time, but I'm not sure what effect this will have on emotional maturity. Maybe we need an educational psychologist in this group.

"I may be too conflicted to help. Excuse me. I'll be back when I'm in better self-control." She stood up and left.

Al Kozak, a political analyst from CIA, looked sad. "I'm good at this cross-cultural political field, but Viola taught me. She's better at it than was Ruth Benedict, and I say that as someone with intense respect for Benedict. I too have problems with their approach -- my wife, Connie, and I are partners and she's as competent as I am, in a different area. Maybe we should get someone with a lot of experience working with a male-dominant culture, probably Arab?

"Terry, I'll reflect on some of my reading. The AIs aren't going to have any experience with sexual differentiation, beyond the breeding level. As I understand, the Darjee have at least three genders, and at least look birdlike -- I don't know if they are egg layers.

"In some of my experience with both political analysis and clandestine operations, I was able to develop Arab sources and even undergrounds by convincing people that they'd be stronger if they'd draw on female personalities. Maybe the AIs could accept that." Al looked like just what he was -- a college football All-American who went academic but kept conditioned and even in extreme sports.

Terry could understand that people from a patriarchal culture would accept Al as fully masculine. Would the AIs see him as an authority on Earth gender relations? "Team, I really will need your help. This is turning into politics and social science, not the technical matters where I'm most experienced. Think of me more as a nonspecialist whom you need to convince of your conclusions."

Terry found the Team 1 meetings valuable but exhausting. He knew Viola could have immense insights, and he knew she certainly was no radical feminist. Nevertheless, he was frustrated that her emotions were interfering with her abilities. While he thought of all of the team members as potential recruits for his Confederacy organization, he wondered if Viola would consider it.

It helped him immensely to go out for exceptionally pleasant social evenings with Denise and Dolores. When the three would go out, he found that Dolores tended to act as a Mae West outrageous archetype, far less reflective than her private style. Terry laughed one evening, saying, "Dolores, I'm discovering that you have a wild range of knowledge. Was I wrong to assume you were a ditz when I first knew you? Deep apologies if so and I'll also beat myself for not connecting."

With a throaty laugh, Dolores replied, "Well, back then, I had an internal battle between ditz and intellect. At the time, though, I figured I could get more fucking as a ditz. That was before I learned that nerds think about sex all the time

"After we parted in the early days, I did both get technical knowledge of logistics, and then, just to have more options, got a nursing degree. Nursing doesn't include a huge amount of science, but it did equip me to start talking, in detail, about things Denise did.

"I hope that you'll not crack down on her, but I've been a sounding board for some of her work. I assure you that I keep that totally to myself. In fact, we tend to discuss it only in the computer room in our condo, which, just for the hell of it, we've made secure. Denise wanted to see if her electronics was up to building a shield room, and she did -- even getting an occasional boyfriend to measure if signals were getting out of it. They weren't. Maybe we were being James Bondish, but we also made it a locked room -- the rationale was also to have an inner defense room, since we weren't in a great neighborhood.

Terry glanced at Denise. "Without saying what it is, Denise, and it will go no farther, have you mentioned the current big concern to Dolores?"

"Yes, I have."

Terry was startled, and then thought. He remembered how "Admiral Ginny" assured him that she trusted his judgment about people. "Hmm. Is your computer room big enough to hold a small dining table?"

The two women looked blank. "Yes, I think so -- there's a good sized worktable in it."

"I think our dinners just moved there, so we can talk freely until I can figure a way to bring Dolores to other secure facilities. Don't worry, I can bring dinner."

He knew that Denise had a substantial knowledge of the Sa'arm threat, but had not known she shared a good deal with her mother. Terry simply accepted that she was a fine emotional sounding board for him.

Denise looked at Dolores, and pointed to Terry. Dolores nodded, and the two women gave him thorough kisses.

One evening, when Terry was expected at the Stein condo, Denise laughed at her mother. "You can't tell me that you aren't very deliberately teasing Terry. It amuses me to see your hemlines and heels getting higher than mine. I'll bet you, though, that he couldn't actually say that is what you're doing -- just that he's getting more and more fidgety."

While they started delightful conversation, with humor and insight, Dolores excused herself. Denise remembered she needed to return some books to a friend.

When Dolores came back, her clothing was even more provocative. "Terry my dear. Do you really think I would wear something as short as I wore to dinner, much less this, if I didn't want you to admire my legs? I've known, for years, that they turn you on. They turn on most people, but really, truly, I like your fetish with them – and oh, also, your heel fetish. Yes, I've noticed that. I have one too. Later, I'll show you what I do with them." She gave an evil giggle and grin.

"You did notice that my stocking tops don't reach my hemline? I meant to do that, in the event you want to touch or lick skin. I want you to do that. I have more ideas, and I'm going to torment you, but delightfully. It's ALL RIGHT. Reach out and touch.

"Just touch for now, although you can touch yourself too. I hope this gets us hot enough that I'm going to jill as we play." For all his worldly experience, he blushed deeply -- but reached and touched. She wiggled just a little, over his hand. "No panties either, love. Don't worry -- we will eventually do everything imaginable, but something tells me that I need to lead you along, encouraging as we go. Yeah, my guts tell me you're going to have to get a lot of confidence that I want you as you want me, and that I'm absolutely unshockable.