Commissioner Graten stood at the conference room window and looked down at the landing pad. He watched Commissioner Skinner climb out of his hopper just as the Minister for Justice came to stand beside him. ‘I see he’s arrived,’ said the Minister. Graten didn’t reply but silently nodded. ‘I’t a pity he’s going to have to take the fall for all this,’ added the Minister. ‘It has to be,’ Graten replied, ‘he’s what they used to term a boy scout. He would resist the suspension of democratic rule that our proposed state of emergency would entail. As head of the intelligence services, he should have had some form of warning that something like the Englair massacre was in the offing.’ ‘But he’s popular with the public; it could be dangerous to cross him.’ Graten sighed, but didn’t reply. Skinner had to go, and getting rid of him would be easier if he could be blamed for recent terrorist successes. ‘Who’s that waiting for him?’ asked the Minister. ‘Commodore MacDonald,’ Graten replied, ‘Skinners deputy.’ ‘So she will succeed him. Tell me about her.’ Graten turned to look at the Minister. ‘Mac? She’s a very good officer; Highly decorated. She spent the first ten years of her career on deep covert ops. She’s the one who debunked the myth about deep space piracy, much to the annoyance of the insurance industry.’ ‘She could be as bad a risk a Skinner then?’ ‘Not if she’s handled properly. She’s a pragmatist, covert ops people know when the rules need bending to get the proper result. She’s got two kids on the force. In fact she and her youngest, Deborah, cornered an FPA agent at the port yesterday.’ ‘What an FPA terrorist on this planet?’ the Minster squawked in alarm. ‘It does imply a network here, but they can’t have infiltrated very far. However it does add another very good reason to declare a state of emergency.’ *** Mac stopped looking up towards the conference room, she and Dan would be in there soon enough. Poor Dan, he didn’t stand a chance, she couldn’t see a way out for him. He would have to resign as commissioner, but would he blame her? It was partly her fault, but she had no choice, her mission objective was almost within grasp. If a state of emergency was declared then the Farm Provinces would secede from the Federation and she could go home. Credits Characters. Mac Morphs.- Miriam by Stacy Lynn Texture – Sam by mutedbanshee and ARTCollaborations Hair – Madelyne Hair by Neftis Skinner M3 with Highres Maps – By Daz3D Hair – Wedge Cut Hair 2.0 by 3d Universe Costumes V4 Bodysuit by Daz3d Texture – V4 Bodysuit & Expansion Pack Texture Set by Davorama M3 Morphing Clothes by Daz3d Setting The Core by Stonemason Dystopia City Blocks by billy home, Moebius87 and Ajax Skyrider by Stonemason Skyrider Colors by Stonemason