Mr. Richards. Let me remind the committee that the decision to fund Article 7 was made by the prior administration. Any claims from tribes not party to the original 1855 treaty would be entirely illegal. 

Ms. Allen. Senator, I don’t think anyone disputes that the original language pertaining to the Salish Confederacy was unambiguous and requires the Federal government to protect them, or enable the tribes to protect themselves.

Mr. Richards. Yes, but treaty making ended in 1871…

Ms. Allen. I’m not finished. The Indian Appropriations Act of 1871 ended treaties between the government and Native tribes. Individual tribes were left to handle their matters with one another without federal involvement.We’ve done that without controversy for decades, and as the Supreme Court cases in both the U.S. and Canada have affirmed on multiple occasions, treaties, agreements, and contracts between tribes and other parties are valid, enforceable, and sovereign. Your party created this, Senator, with the precedents set by the Compact States litigation.

Mr. Richards. You can’t say that! Madam Chair, I move we strike Ms. Allen’s remarks from the record.

Mrs. Washington. Overruled. You asked, she answered.  Move on.

Ms. Allen. Thank you, Madam Chair. – Transcript of Senate committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, regarding mutual aid between Tribal militias; Sonsela Allen, testifying on behalf of the Alliance of First Peoples

Sahar handed Christine a coffee and then sat down across from her, organizing her briefing papers while Christine sipped and read.

“This is good,” Christine murmured. 

Sahar looked up. “The coffee, or the document?” 

Christine smiled. “This is very well written. Good work. So, what are we walking into?”

“As you anticipated, Admiral Gregory is bad mouthing the Air Force management of the breach, which already is making the rounds.”

“So much for opsec.”

Sahar chuckled. “That conversation occurred outside the Joint Chief’s meeting late last night, and of course it immediately got back to General Anderson. The Chair has been doing damage control since. It may erupt in the meeting, because the SecDef is furious.”

Christine knew that Sahar made sure that Admiral Gregory’s comments would get back to his Air Force counterpart. This wasn’t the first time Navy pique about how the Air Force was mishandling their Strategic Command responsibilities caused friction. With the Navy currently heading up StratCom, the personal and professional rivalries in that arena were at a steady boil. General Perez, the former armored commander currently serving as the Chair of the Joint Chiefs had her hands full rebuilding after decades of dysfunction.

“Where is the President on us leading?” Sahar continued.

“The first NSC briefing went better than I expected.”

“Praveena has our backs?”

Christine looked up from the document and twitched a brief smile at Sahar, who grinned mischievously. Sahar’s familiar use of National Security Advisor Bhasin’s first name was the kind of confident presumption that Christine found endearing, both because she knew Sahar knew where the line was, as well as the implied compliment acknowledging Christine’s stature with her superiors.

“He asked a lot of good questions, and she made the case for the recommendation we lead. She assured the President she’d remove as many interagency barriers as possible. He didn’t disagree and said we needed to bring in the Joint Chiefs.” The President was one of a small group of politicians Christine trusted.

“The meeting before the meeting.”

Christine nodded. “You confirmed all your Entity analysis with your colleagues? This is as firm as possible given what we have today?”

Sahar dipped her head once. “I’ve been updating three times a day and am in close contact with my sources.”

Christine pursed her lips skimming the document. Sahar watched intently and waited. Christine finished, made a few notes, then snapped the folder shut.

“Very good. Wait for me here but be ready to come over if the President wants direct analyst input. We’ll coordinate next steps after the meeting as long as there are no surprises. Good job on the prep.”

Sahar left and Christine gathered her belongings and walked from the EOB to the White House. Her subordinate excelled at shaping the landscape leading into important meetings, the meetings before the meetings to manage expectations, set the agenda, and make sure the backstabbing and undermining were pointed in other directions around the room, all to get as quickly as possible to the desired outcome. Christine’s own relationships in the Pentagon, State, and the CIA certainly helped. But as was her habit, she never took her eyes off everyone around her, including Sahar. She knew well how quickly a protégé could turn into something else.

She cleared security, descended to the Situation Room complex, and took her place in the already crowded briefing room. Everyone stood as the President entered and the meeting began. Without preface, he looked directly at Christine.

“Where are we? Let’s start with specifics then zoom out to the bigger picture.”

Christine opened her briefing folder. “The involved missile complex remains secure and there have been no further intrusions. General Anderson will have additional updates on the status of those systems.” She could see the Air Force chief’s clasped hands tighten. “All other intelligence sources still support the conclusion that the breach was not from a foreign actor. Our focus is on domestic groups.”  She paused, glancing around the room, then continued. “Specifically, we believe the Entity is involved in some way.”

“Expand on that.”

“At your direction, we notified both the INOP and the Chinese about the incident. From what we’ve shared, and they’ve shared with us, we have no evidence from signals intelligence that a foreign government or any non-state actors have the capacity to implement this kind of intrusion, and there are no indications of any attempts. They have no evidence of any violations of the Dakar Accords. Our Chinese contacts seemed very invested in assuring us of that.”

“You’re confident they aren’t holding anything back?”

Christine nodded. “They are as concerned as we are. For once, this collaboration appears to be working as intended.”

“What about our surveillance AIs?”

“All quiet.”

“And?”

“The Entity may have the capacity, but our interactions with it so far have been positive, even to the extent of assisting with this investigation. That is helpful, but concerning. The analysts disagree on whether this might be an attempt at misdirection given the sophistication of the Entity’s prior behavior.”

The Director of National Intelligence interrupted. “Although we’ve not detected any alerts from the known and suspected nuclear powers, it may be premature to exclude the possibility this was an attempt to disable our systems in preparation for an attack.”

“I agree,” interjected CIA director Susan Donnelly. “I don’t have confidence that the Chinese are being completely forthright on the nuclear oversight.”

“I’m aware of your concerns,” the President cautioned.

“Mr. President, we still maintain one of the most robust nuclear capabilities on the planet and having to submit our sensitive systems data to groups we may confront on the battlefield…”

The President held up his hand to stop that line of discussion. “As I’ve been very clear about, relitigating the causes of the Fast War is off the table and the foreign policy of this Administration, our strategy, is a return to collaboration with even our potential adversaries. We tried the other way, and look where it got us. But you think it’s them,” he stated, turning back to Christine. Donnelly’s mouth hardened into a tight line.

Christine nodded. “I do. We know from experience it is adept at penetrating and manipulating all manner of systems, including some of our most important research facilities.”

“To include getting past all our surveillance and network defense AIs?”

“We have to assume so.”

Discovering the infiltration of federal and academic research labs was how Sahar established her reputation earlier in her career, under Christine’s tutelage. The disaster at the lab in Idaho where the grendels were created, directed by Dr. Bruno Abrams with the assistance of the Entity, was the first known intrusion. Later, Sahar discovered that the Entity was involved at other research labs, sometimes surreptitiously, sometimes with the knowledge of the researchers. This was yet another embarrassment for the intelligence community and lead directly to the creation of the latest iteration of the Emerging Threats desk, both at Langley and the NSC.

“But your people keep telling me how beneficial the collaborations with the Entity have been, for intelligence and for R&D.  What has changed?” the President asked.

“The Entity’s assistance, for example with reopening clear lanes for our surveillance satellites after the Kessler incident, though not public, is widely known. Of course, there’s also their suspected intervention ending the Fast War. This goes to the fundamental nature of our challenge. If the Entity truly represents a unique lifeform, possessing a different, perhaps vastly more capable intelligence, then by its very nature it constitutes a national security threat, and perhaps a threat to the human species, no matter how useful it may be on a specific issue.”

“Just exactly what do you mean by that?” General Anderson interrupted. As the focus of the most recent breach, he clearly was taking this line of reasoning quite personally.

“Since the problem at the Idaho Research Lab that resulted in the release of the HiMEC subjects and our discovery of the role of the Entity in the project, we’ve been studying them. Our biologists still argue, but there is an emerging consensus that the collective nature of the Entity represents a new stage in human evolution, the emergence of a new species. Just as in our evolutionary past, this may represent an existential threat to our species.”

General Anderson scoffed. “In what way?”

“General, how many Neanderthals do you know?” Christine regretted her impatient retort immediately, but she was reassured by the flicker of a smile cross the President’s face. She quickly continued, looking around the room to divert attention from the embarrassed Air Force officer. “The ascendancy of Homo sapiens resulted from ferocious competition and the relatively rapid extermination of other hominids, as well as most of the extant megafauna. Everything we have today is the consequence of an evolutionary path causing a lot of extinctions, still ongoing. What guarantee is there that the same thing couldn’t happen to us?”

The grim silence around the room prompted her to elaborate, but now she spoke directly to the President. “If they truly represent a new species, what is their relationship to humans? Predator and prey? Parasitic? Symbiotic? They are studying us as much as we are studying them. In fact, my team is confident that every interaction we have, they learn from us far faster than we from them. We are pursuing different surveillance methods and analytic tools aggressively, but so far, we haven’t gotten ahead of them. We’re always reacting.  We’re still not seeing around the corners.”

“Doesn’t their suspected role in containing the Fast War argue against them trying to exterminate humans? Seems like they had a great opportunity then.”

Christine shook her head. “We don’t know that for sure. The launch failures, the back channel communications, the premature detonations, none of that has been adequately explained. Their role in the creation of the International Nuclear Oversight Program does support that theory.”

“So how does this apply to the missile breach?”

“If it was the Entity, what was their motivation? They’ve never shown any aggressive behaviors toward the government. Even during the worst outbursts of violence directed at their members, the responses to hostility have been purely defensive, measured, and typically discreet. For this incident, they may have the means, but we see no motive. If it wasn’t the Entity, who was it?  And can the Entity help us determine that?  So far, it seems very interested in assisting with the investigation. Our concern, my concern, is that we may be giving away more than we get with collaboration. Given the extreme sensitivity of the systems involved, I want to proceed cautiously.” 

The President nodded. “And you are confident in the assessment that there isn’t any local involvement?”

“Yes, sir. The secessionist groups are well-armed and have multiple foreign supporters, but this is well beyond their current capabilities. There is no evidence, so far, of any involvement of their sponsors, either.”

“What do you make of the tribal militia mobilizations?”

“We are monitoring it. The skirmish in Couer d’Alene predated our issue and that seems to be the driver of those movements.” 

Christine was pleased the President didn’t use this as an opportunity to air his well-known misgivings about the policy decisions of his predecessors to arm the tribal militias. Creating a counterbalance to foreign meddling in regional tensions was one of many overreactions to the Russian incursion into Alaska during the Fast War. His longstanding priority of working to have the northern border deconflicted and persuade the Canadians to close the bases housing European Defense Force troops progressed in fits and starts. The Canadians cooperated, but the movement of weapons into the area from sources around the world continued unabated. Those issues, in turn, complicated the President’s efforts to build on the recent agreements that reconstituted the 52 states by reunifying the Pacific Confederation and Atlantic Alliance with the Compact States.

“So, what’s your plan?”

“I suggest establishing the main command center be at the Pentagon in the NMCC, sir. That will give you ready access as the investigation develops.” General Anderson nodded. One potential obstacle out of the way.

“What about the FBI?” asked the DHS secretary. 

Christine didn’t flinch. “We’ll read them in once we have a clear law enforcement angle.” Christine knew the widespread consensus was that the current FBI Director had her hands full cleaning up the mess from the latest purge of compromised agents, the damage from the joint Chinese/Caliphate deep penetration. “As long as we aren’t looking at civilians and the Entity is front and center, we’re in the clear regarding domestic surveillance. The Emerging Threats desk has a wide enough purview that should work. Of course, we will obtain the necessary authorizations as the situation evolves.”

She left unstated the suspicion, and sometimes outright hostility, other agencies had toward the Entity. Though Christine shared many of those concerns, she didn’t want other agendas muddling her approach. Was the Entity an asset to be exploited or were they an adversary to be pursued and destroyed?  All these hypotheses existed and more, working in parallel, often in competition.

“Mr. President, perhaps the Emerging Threats team isn’t the ideal lead on this, given the uncertainties,” Susan Donnelly, the CIA Director, interjected again.

Here we go, Christine thought.

“We’ve already established…” Christine’s boss jumped in.

The President held up a hand and turned to Donnelly and nodded for her to continue.

“The lack of a foreign role would seem to indicate this is primarily a domestic law enforcement concern. I think they should be working jointly with the military Cyber Command, of course, since all indications are that the penetration was through existing systems.”

Christine fully expected this attack, and from this direction. Now, she’d see how well Sahar had prepared the counter arguments. Susan Donnelly was a savvy political appointee, a former Senator from the opposing party. Her appointment was the President’s attempt at maintaining some leverage with a ‘team of rivals’ approach to building his cabinet. In the aftermath of the Batumi mess, Donnelly was one of Christine’s main antagonists when she was hauled in front of the intelligence subcommittees intent on assessing blame and damaging the opposing political party. Christine’s reassignment out of the field back to Langley was one of the gestures meant to placate those looking for scapegoats. Donnelly’s ascendancy to Director was one of the reasons Christine sought the NSC posting, made possible by the lucky timing of the President’s election.

The President looked over his glasses at Donnelly. “Those are certainly valid concerns, but I have to wonder why General Jamison went directly to Ms. Bilyk when the breach was discovered?  Someone in StratCom thought the Entity was involved. EGT certainly has made rapid progress running this to ground.” Christine glanced at her boss who gave her a supportive nod.

“I’m just concerned about lines of authority, who will be making decisions if the situation becomes kinetic,” Donnelly pushed back.

The President turned fully to Donnelly.

“I expect all agencies to cooperate with whatever the Emerging Threats team needs, regardless of existing responsibilities. I’m formally designating this as a National Security Incident, and Ms. Bilyk as the Incident Commander. Ms. Bhasin, direct your staff to comply with any resource or information requests promptly. Anything she needs,” the President said again, staring down the CIA Director.

“But Mr. President…”

“Anything.”

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Christine interjected, forestalling further argument. “We’ll set up a forward operating base at Mountain Home and start there.” The President dipped his head in agreement. Christine turned to General Singh, the Army Chief of Staff. “What’s the status of your Epsilon Teams?” Christine saw the look of surprise on Donnelly’s face at this bold request.

General Singh nodded. “We have one on standby at Liberty. They just came off refurbishment. I can have them in the air in a few hours.”

“Thank you. Let me figure out where to place them if needed. Please put them on alert.”

General Anderson, the Air Force Chief, cleared his throat. “What role will the Epsilon Team play that our Special Ops teams can’t handle? This is an Air Force situation. There’s also an Epsilon team at Fairchild, working with the JPRA. I can have them retasked to support Mountain Home.”

Christine saw the President tapping his pen, one of his subtle tells of frustration. She parried the intrusion. “The HiMEC components may prove essential, but I want to emphasize this is just a contingency. They have separate, independent interfaces with the Entity, and given the other concerns about the stability of our contacts, those will likely be valuable. We’re still very much in intelligence mode. I will coordinate with Fairchild given their proximity and the available assets there.”

From the nods and people gathering their belongings it was clear that her assertion of authority was generally well-received, and the meeting moved to conclusion. Donnelly scowled but remained silent. Reminding the group of the complex three-way relationship between the government agencies, the grendels, and the Entity would help contain further maneuvering for influence. 

“Your team?” the President asked Christine.

“I have several people in mind. I’ll need representation from the Army and Air Force, of course. I’ll draw heavily on the Emerging Threats team at Langley.” Admiral Gregory’s silent acquiescence confirmed Sahar’s prep that the Navy was content to stay on the sidelines while others cleaned up the mess. “At some point, we may need to brief the Canadians.”

The President shook his head. “This needs to stay NOFORN until we absolutely have to. They are jumpy enough as it is. Which reminds me,” the President said turning to the Secretary of State, “where do we stand with the NATO summit? Anything this might complicate?”

The Secretary of State shook his head. “We’re still on track. We’ve successfully gotten past the EDF security concerns and the proposed operational reintegration plans are working well at the staff level. We should have something concrete for you to work with when you meet.”

The President nodded and the meeting concluded. Everyone stood and moved to the door. The President remained standing and looked at Christine.

“Ms. Bilyk?” The President tilted his head to an alcove while the last of the group exited. The President’s detail maintained a discrete distance.  He leaned in close.

“Have you got your arms all the way around this?”

“Yes, sir. We’re making fast progress.”

“Scalpels, Chris. Not hammers.” He arched an eyebrow. “This thing with Canada and the EDF is at a very delicate point. The NATO reintegration may be the key. I don’t want another Alaska mess to spook them. I’ve put too much work into trying to get them back on our side.”

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

“Good. Get this thing under control.”

He nodded, then turned away.

Christine headed back to her office at the EOB. She messaged Sahar as she walked, and Sahar appeared on the screen, grinning ear to ear.

“Well?”

“Want to go to Idaho?”

“Absolutely!”

***

Sahar signed off and opened her secure link, messaging eagerly.

We’re coming!

We have to be careful.

I know, but it’s what we hoped. I can’t wait to see you.

Me too, but we can’t risk exposure.

You know the stakes. For both of us.

But you said they don’t care.

They don’t seem to care.

Who knows what they really think?

But I know your people care. A lot.

I know. We’ll be careful. We can make this work.

I hope so.

I love you.

I love you, too.

NEXT