Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Microstory 1982: Accusations

Generated by Google Workspace Labs text-to-image AI software
Flynn: The Director has pulled up. What do you think she wants to talk to us about?
Celandine: She’s looking for the mole. She’ll be interrogating us for information.
Anaïs: Unless she’s a mole too, in which case the whole thing will be a charade. She may even be intending to frame one of us for it, so she stays in the shadows.
Flynn: You don’t really think she’s a traitor, do you?
Anaïs: Sachs is, and she chose him to join our tack team.
Celandine: That’s proof of nothing. Careful where you throw your accusations.
Anaïs: Why, because they’ll come flying back at me?
Celandine: Maybe.
Flynn: Easy, ladies. We’re all on the same side. Now, I don’t know if the Director is dirty, just like I don’t know if I can trust all these new agents around us. I felt so much more comfortable around the freepersons than I ever thought I would. But the one thing I do know is that I’ve been working with you two for months, and you’re definitely clean. Can we all at least just agree on that, and stick together?
Anaïs: I can.
Celandine: I can too. You’re right, Flynn. *sighs* She’s here. Get ready.
Director Washington: *walking up* Agent Robles, please gather the troops. I would like to address the group as a whole. I do not like repeating myself.
Celandine: Apologies, sir, I’m not in charge here.
*Washington looks over at Investigator Blass*
Blass: It’s true, sir. Herzog made a declaration after the others...after the exodus.
Washington: Investigator Blass, always with the politically safe verbiage. Very well. Go find him, and relay the order. In the meantime, Agent Robles, do you have tea?
*later, in the bullpen, with everyone in the department*
Washington: Last week, we unmasked a traitor in our ranks. Sergeant Sachs was a dedicated soldier, a patriot, and a good man. How he lost his way is something that I have assigned a team to figure out. This small group behind me is here to do the same with the rest of you. I’m going to be honest with you, we don’t know if he was working alone. He could have been a lone zealot, or there are others in your ranks. Or there are others, but they’ve been assigned to other departments. We truly do not know. If you are a mole, this may make you feel safe, comfortable. But I assure you that I will use every tool in my box to root out the cancer in the government, be it one of you, or even the National Commander himself. The aliens are here, and the last thing we need is to be fighting amongst ourselves when they make their next moves. We have to be ready, and this department was originally formed to do that. I’m saddened that it has disintegrated so epically quickly. In the next coming days, you will be questioned. Your backgrounds will be rechecked, and rechecked, and then re-rechecked. Your associates will be investigated, and your history will be traced. In the meantime, you will continue your training here, under the leadership of Agent Robles here. Who is Agent Herzog?
Herzog: Right here, sir. I took the initiative when the defectors...defected.
Washington: I heard. You’re fired, and you’ll be the first in the hot seat. No one does anything without my orders. Does everyone else at least understand that?

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