Alien Manifesto by T.W. Embry Page A

control over the intelligence ssservice with
AArat at itsss head. And I believe they have their sssights ssset
on getting control of not just the sssenate but the executive
branch azsss well. My contactsss were reluctant to discussss the
affairsss of the executive branch for fear of AArat and hisss
goonsss. It isss my belief that a coup is in the worksss and that
is why AArat isss coming after me. You are all guilty by
assssociation. I don’t have any proof yet but I will sssoon. I only
hope we are in time to prevent the coup. I intend to ssstall for
more time. What I can’t figure out isss why AArat sssent the
asssassssin mech knowing it might fail and reveal his
plansss.”
    “ Perhaps he is hoping that
you have gone soft since your separation from the intelligence
service. He must have thought he might get lucky and eliminate you
without much effort,” I interjected.
    “ Or it might be true
incompetence and you are over estimating his true abilities,” said
the stealth master. “Only a fool would depend on old intelligence,
especially where you are concerned, Snarth.”
    Snarth paused to consider both of
these observations before continuing. “When I knew AArat, he was
ssself-assssured and overconfident of hisss abilitiesss. It nearly
got him killed more than once.”
    “ Now that he has fallen in
with the cult he may be getting careless because he believes he is
on some sort of holy mission,” added the Irishman who had remained
silent through most of the briefing.
    “ That may be,” said Snarth
thinking aloud, “however we will consssider him and hisss
organization azsss a dangerousss threat until we know their true
capabilitiesss.”
    “ What is your plan Snarth?”
asked the canine master.
    “ All I have are a few vague
factsss and that isss not nearly enough to form a plan of attack
from,” said Snarth “Azsss a resssult I have added a new team
member. His name is sSSlice and he isss the best electronic
intelligence tech that money can buy anywhere in the
galaxy.”
    “ Now is not the time to
bring an unknown into the team,” hissed the stealth master, her
tail twitching furiously with her displeasure.
    “ I can assssure you hisss
honor isss impeccable. I have known hisss family for
generationsss,” added Snarth. “He will be operating behind the
ssscenes not on the front linesss. I asssk you to accept him on my
word. Besssidesss he desssigned the intelligence ssservice’s
computer sssystems and wrote mossst of their data sssifting
programsss. I fear we may not prevail without him. We mussst not
fail, or all may be lossst. Chaosss would erupt throughout the
galaxy if the galactic government fallsss and the Cult of Eli
takesss over. I do not want to live in sssuch an uncivilized
sssociety.”
    I was unprepared for the appearance of
SSlice. On Earth huge spiders are denizens of only the worst of
nightmares. Not wanting to be called a primitive again, I tried to
hide my revulsion as best I could. Instead, I concentrated on the
business of forming a workable plan of action and training hard for
it. Much to the amusement of my teammates my skin crawled when
SSlice got too close and they never let me forget it. Fortunately,
after a few days of close proximity, my revulsion passed and SSlice
became just another member of the team.
    Finally, the day came when Snarth
called the team into the briefing room. “I have come up with a plan
to deal with AArat,” he hissed. “It’sss sssimple and
ssstraightforward. sSSlice hasss managed to uncover evidence of
AArat’sss complicity in a sssmuggling operation. We will expossse
AArat’sss activitiesss to the proper authoritiesss, onesss we can
trussst, along with the namesss of ssseveral sssenators who are
guilty of accepting bribesss,” he continued. “Onesss that I know
for sssure are in the conssspiracy of the Cult of Eli. It will be a
huge ssscandal,” Snarth hissed. “I hope it will bring to light the
Cult’s activitiesss. It will also reveal jussst