“I’d say the Jerrassians were less shocked than I would have thought to see you alive,” Special Agent Oliveira said as he leaned back in his chair.

“You’re not wrong,” Captain O’Sullivan replied. “They seemed genuinely happy to learn the assassination attempt had failed.”

“Probably because seeing you in perfect health after being shot just a couple of days ago reinforced their belief in our technology. It makes them more confident we have the means to resolve this situation for them,” said Oliveira, as cynical as ever.

“It’s too bad something like this had to happen to create an opening to mend relations between our civilizations,” O’Sullivan remarked.

“I see it as an opportunity we can’t afford to miss,” Special Agent Oliveira said. “I don’t mean to be callous. First and foremost, it’s a matter of saving lives, of course. But if we can both save lives and entice the Jerrassians to change their opinion of us, I’d say that’s a good thing.”

“I don’t disagree,” O’Sullivan replied. “But I’d rather leave the politics out of this one and focus on getting the job done. The sooner we can disarm this bomb, the better.”

“You’re absolutely right, my friend,” the Special Agent said. “But this is United Jerr we’re talking about. Somehow, I doubt they’ll let us leave the politics at the door.”

“Speaking of the door, come in, Lieutenant.” Captain O’Sullivan motioned to Lieutenant Mikhail Johnson, who was waiting in the entrance to the conference room. He was a large man with a well-trained body, his skin pale white, and his short blonde hair neatly trimmed. When he sat down in the chair opposite Captain O’Sullivan and Special Agent Oliveira, his presence naturally dominated the room.

“What can I do for you, ma’am?” he asked cautiously.

“I’d like to commend you for your quick thinking after the assassination attempt. If it weren’t for you, the shooter might have gotten away—or worse, he might have had the opportunity to hurt more people.”

“Just doing my duty, ma’am,” Lieutenant Johnson replied. For some in the military, that phrase was just a reflex response, but Captain O’Sullivan had a feeling the Lieutenant truly meant it.

“If I may ask, how are you, ma’am?” Johnson inquired. He hadn’t seen Captain O’Sullivan since the attack.

“I’m fine, thank you,” she replied. “Just a little sore where the bullet entered.”

She glanced at Special Agent Oliveira, then continued, “We’ve, rather unexpectedly, received a request from the Jerrassians. It seems they’ve lost track of some of their plutonium and need our help to find it.”

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“So they’ve admitted to enriching plutonium now? What can I do to help?” Lieutenant Johnson asked, sensing where this was going.

“I’m going into the city to help the Committee for Jerrassian Security locate the package,” Special Agent Oliveira said. “And I’m considering bringing you with me. We were both impressed with how you handled the Jerrassians after the assassination attempt, in terms of dealing with the crowd, the shooter, and the CJS.”

“We’ve both seen your record,” Captain O’Sullivan stated. “But I’d like to know a little more about you before I consider assigning you to Special Agent Oliveira.” Of course, if the Special Agent ordered her to, she’d have no choice, whether she agreed or not. But he rarely used his authority if he could achieve the same goal through discussion.

“You have martial arts training,” she continued, glancing at his official record. “Certification in Krav Maga and Jiu Jitsu. Traditional or modified?”

“Both modified, ma’am,” the Lieutenant confidently replied. He could hold his own against members of all three races, not just Terrans.

“Do you have any family?”

Lieutenant Johnson smiled broadly and pulled a photograph of a dark-skinned woman with long, flowing black hair from his pocket. “Amanda,” he said proudly. “She’s from Mars. We’re getting married later this year.”

“You’re a lucky man. Congratulations, soldier,” Oliveira said. “Assuming you’re back from Tau Ceti in time for your wedding, of course,” he added with a dry smile.

“Thank you, sir.”

“The situation with the Jerrassians is a little more complicated than the Captain indicated,” the Special Agent continued. “The plutonium isn’t just lost—it’s been stolen by a terrorist group. They’ve fashioned it into a dirty bomb and are threatening to detonate it somewhere in Kerrma-non if the People’s Council doesn’t give in to their demands. It’s a dangerous and volatile situation. Do you feel ready for this?”

“Absolutely, sir!” The Lieutenant’s answer came quickly and with conviction. He thought for a moment, then asked, “How dangerous is this bomb?”

“The computer projections I’ve seen suggest that, given the current weather patterns, between 230,000 and 260,000 people would die if the bomb were set off today. That’s the total number, including predicted future cancer cases directly traced to radiation exposure from the bomb,” O’Sullivan answered solemnly.

“This might be the most important mission of your career, Lieutenant. The stakes are enormous—not just in terms of lives, but also regarding Jerr’s future as a member of the Terran Federation. You should also know I’ve requested that the Jerrassians assign us a liaison team from the Committee for Jerrassian Security. Do you have a problem working directly with their secret police?” Oliveira asked.

“None at all, sir,” Lieutenant Johnson answered. “I think it’s practically necessary if we’re going to investigate on their soil. Without help navigating their society, we’d be lost, sir.”

“Very well,” Special Agent Oliveira concluded. He looked at Captain O’Sullivan. “I think we’ve found our man.”

“And I’ll be sure to recommend you for a promotion after this, Lieutenant,” Captain O’Sullivan added.

“If you survive,” Oliveira joked darkly.

Johnson laughed, then said carefully, “If I may, I don’t hold much interest in rank. The important thing is getting the job done. Whether I’m called Lieutenant or Captain is of less importance—or Special Agent, for that matter,” he said, glancing at Oliveira.

Special Agent Oliveira, holding no formal rank of his own, was impressed with the Lieutenant. This was a man with a future worth keeping an eye on.