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he turned off all the devices.
    There was nothing wrong with the bugs or his hacking skills. Suspicion turned to certainty. She was a spy and likely had a cohort. Was it Albright? Was the man that stupid?
    Dillon stepped back from the console in his bedroom office, walked to his balcony, and stared out at the noontime gardens two stories below.
    From his gray-stone estate, he had quite a fantastic view. A large garden fountain sparkled in the bright light. Gossamer-winged insects floated from the heads of colorful flowers, all planted for artful display. Everything on this world was at its loveliest now, in very early spring. It’d been a bit warmer than usual, and winter and summer would be grand.
    In the hillsides beyond, dragons flew in the deep blue sky. This time of year, they were breeding and preparing for eggs to hatch in the hot months ahead.
    He caught site of a group of beautiful, white unicorns meandering near the back garden wall. Dimflits —sentient beings described by Earthers as pixies —flew in and out of shrubbery while gathering nectar. Their shimmering colors would have captured his attention on any other day.
    For the rest of Mythreal, including his royal family, everything was peaceful, lovely and in its proper place. This was home. It was known as the jewel of the entire galaxy for its breathtaking scenery, safety, and convivial environment. The responsibility for keeping this garden world safe fell to him . Keeping his family out of the rumor mill was also his job. But the time had come to take action.
    “Who are you, Foley? Who sent you? How did you get so close to Albright and what’s your game?” he whispered.
    He’d have to make an arrest. And soon.
    And he’d have to do it in such a way as to apply the greatest discretion. But how? What was he going to say to his Earth friends; friends of so many years that they may as well be his own kin? He’d fought beside them against pirates in many campaigns. They were drinking comrades and fellow warriors. Now, he’d have to embarrass their embassy and all they stood for. They’d likely be sent away with a change of command. He’d never see them again. They’d never be allowed anywhere near Mythreal even though they’d known nothing about this incident and were innocent of any treachery. Still, they’d all be somewhat implicated or at least trust in them would be too diminished to let them stay. It’d take years to repair the damage if he wasn’t careful.
    For the rest of that day and the next three, he pondered the situation and how to approach it. When no answers came by dawn at week’s end, he sighed heavily and left his home to find his cousin and inform him—as next heir to the throne of Mythreal and as an Allied High Command official—the sad, sad news. Even if his words were gently applied, they would still fall harshly.
    Earth Embassy had been infiltrated by pirate spies.
    Eventually, he’d suffer for his having planted the bug even if it led to the outing of a traitor. But it had to be done.

Chapter Two
    Dillon grimly strode down the hallway of his home. He was headed toward the waiting shuttle in the courtyard. The conveyance would take him to the Mythrealian royal estate. There, he’d inform his family of Earth’s problem. He’d also seal his fate.
    Even if what he’d done revealed an entire nest of the vilest pirates, no one would ever trust him again. He’d broken the law and would have to take the consequences. As the code stated, it was up to each embassy ‘to impose their own security measures, taking such caution as to keep the peaceful population of this sector safe’ . It was not up to one person to encroach on any embassy’s domain or sovereignty. Not even the security chief for the entire planet had that right. As irony would have it, he’d suffer the same likely fate as any spies he’d oust. Indeed, he was just as much a conspirator if one read the rules verbatim.
    He could have taken his suspicions to