What Mornings May Bring
There was an annoying beeping sound. Servalan groaned. It was duty calling again. She reached over and pressed the special comm button on the nightstand next to her bed. This immediately connected her to Federation Security.
"What is it?" she asked in an annoyed and barely awake voice.
"Commander, you asked to be informed if there was a problem with the Shadow operation for today."
Servalan was immediately awake and alert.
"What is the problem lieutenant?"
"It seems that the operation has been cancelled."
"Cancelled? By whom?"
"It appears that the orders come straight from the Presidential Office."
Servalan was puzzled. She did not understand why the Presidential Office would want to interfere in a major drug take-down operation. One of the things she liked about the present Administration was their tough stance on crime. They were committed to cleaning up some of the cesspools of crime and corruption in the Federation.
Servalan looked over at the chronometer on her nightstand. It was still the very early hours of the morning. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.
She already had another meeting scheduled early this morning. A man named Kerr Avon was being brought in from the Detention Centre. He was a brilliant analyst who had been caught trying to embezzle money by hacking into the Federation Banking computers. If he had not trusted in the wrong people, he would have succeeded.
From his profile, he seemed a reasonable man. As it was his first offence, she had hoped to give him a break and persuade him put his talents to better use. Central Security was also interested in him. Servalan knew that once CS got their hands on him, there might not be much left of him when they were done. Central Security was well known for its paranoia.
"Very well, lieutenant. I am coming in now. Send for my pilot. Tell the section leaders that I want to see them in my office in one hour."
"Very well, Commander."
Servalan wondered if she should check with some of her political contacts at the Presidential Office.
There was a movement next to her.
"You have to go in?" a masculine voice asked.
"I'm sorry. Did I disturb you?" Servalan asked as she rolled towards the voice.
The man put his arm around her and smiled, "You always disturb me."
"Flatterer."
Servalan contemplated the face of the man next to her.
Don Keller was still as handsome as the first day she saw him at the Federation University on Earth. She was a young and naïve freshman and he was already a brilliant young scientist, working on his doctoral thesis. Servalan had loved him the moment she saw him.
It was Don Keller who had suggested that she go into the Security Forces. Until then she had been directionless. Alphas were expected to use their abilities to serve the Federation. Being a privileged class, more was expected from them.
Don had pointed out her other passion; cleaning up the moral decay of places like Freedom City and Space City. He suggested that she stopped talking about it and actually start doing something about it.
She reached across and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead.
He had sacrificed alot to stay with her, giving up several very promising research grants which would have taken him to the farthest reaches of the Federation outer worlds. It had made her love him even more, if that was possible.
"Do you have to go in right away?" Don asked as he leaned forward to kiss her.
Servalan smiled. Even after all these years, the passion was still as strong.
"The pilot can wait a little while," she said as they embraced.