Random thoughts on the eve of my destruction

[Atragon9 0]

::Atragon sits in his lightly guarded quarters on the Belosian invasion flagship::

{My job is almost done here, feeding my new "masters" slightly wrong intel, calculated to keep me seen as a deeply flawed and disgruntled traitor to the Federation, while not actually giving these aliens the upper hand. Thanks to Sovak and I, we have allowed them to mass their fleet this close to the Fed border. Quite a risk, but the Council felt that having the enemy close by and gathered together was better than a long, drawn out offensive. Unfortunately, it forces our hand to make sure the response to the invasion is swift and massive. We had to be sure they crossed the frontier, so they were seen as the transgressors. We also had to insure they came "ashore" far from a lot of inhabited systems, so that was part of my intel to the Big Bad, showing this as the weakest part of the border.}

{Now it's up to Manticore and DS4 to be sure nothing looks amiss all while we lure the Belosians close enough to a point of contact with the Planet Killer. Fleet Science still isn't sure that the station will be enough mass for the PK's matrix, but it's all we have. It just needs to expand to the leading invasion ship and the rest, close by, should fall like dominoes. This won't destroy every enemy vessel, but the Federation fleet is standing by to perform mop up operations for the few that may decide to continue their failed initiative. Meanwhile, the data collected by Sovak will provide us with enough information to prepare for any future attempt by this new enemy. Working directly with them, however, has given me an insight into their perspective on expansion. If I'm right, they will decide we are too much trouble for the benefits they would reap, so they will look elsewhere for more growth.}

{So, while I sit here pretending to continue my advising for their offensive, my only thoughts are how to get off this ship not only before it explodes, but long enough before that to be out of range of the chain reaction. Their minds are different enough from ours that there should be a way to convince them my assistance will be enhanced from a different vantage point - but how do I escape without an escort? How do I simply walk into a shuttle by myself? Maybe this is the one I don't walk away from - heaven knows I've cheated death more times than anyone deserves. It's like I'm the star of an old 21st Century vidrama and I have to be alive to come back each week. If it were only that simple. Maybe I should welcome an escort on my shuttle and then dispose of them in flight. I don't know how to accomplish that, but it will be easier than outrunning a chain reaction of massive molecular disruption. I don't know any more, I'm just so tired... }