“Mr. Deshik, we’ve combed over the data your daughter provided. And we found the three-second discrepancy. We pulled the audio logs from the shipping drop zone from the air control files. We’ve determined it was a private outside IP tapping into the feed.” One tech from West Gurodine Industries confirmed.

Salor nodded, having skimmed the report only minutes before the meeting. “Were you able to trace it?”

The video male’s ears twitched, and his expression remained confident. “We located a secondary IP link from the original. It was feeding to a loopback system and bouncing out. We think it may be a loci jammer that pushes random IP addresses out. We cannot pinpoint the exact location if we confirm this, which we are still investigating. However, we located the loci, and we specifically traced it back to Arinia City.

Arinia City was just west of the capital and was a huge merchant district full of shopping and tourism. It was not usually a technology-based area. 

“Did you identify the ownership?” Shelly Bosk, one of the head geeks at the Dodgewood Club membership, asked, then sipped her steaming cup of java. The intense scent of cocoa beans pervaded the room as she and three others drank the dark brew.

“We identified the type of IP splitter that was used. It is called a Stijek Damping Device, a highly sophisticated component not made on our planet. The Stigik Damping Device is currently sourced from Mars or Orn manufacturing.

Salor narrowed his eyes.

The technician continued. “We have drafted requests that need to be sent to both ISC and the Orn’s royal administrator, but since this is considered hush-hush, I wanted to ensure that we get clearance for sending them first.”

“Send me the requests. I may have a contact that can keep things quiet.” Shelly waved a paw for him to continue. 

The tech nodded. “Other than this preliminary work, we are actively working on some additional potential leads, and I will provide an update on that next week or sooner if we find anything substantial.” I expect to complete my report by the end of the month.”

“Very good, Timon. I’ll check in on you later. We appreciate the great work.” Shelly offered, as the tech flicked his ears and leaned back from his video feed.  After he disconnected from the room, the actual physical attendees all turned to face each other around the table.

Salor took in the other four and reminded himself he’d had worse to work with on occasions while serving the protectorate ship. At least Shelly and Colter, dressed in business attire, still held down company roles in some official capacity. They were both Canid patriots who served militarily and professionally within the royal government. The other three were professionals at hacking. They dressed casually; they were direct and frank, and they couldn’t give a rat’s ass if they weren’t getting paid as long as they had passion for the project. The entire group professed to enjoy solving the intricate puzzles the Dodgewood Club took part in. Fortunately, they were also the kind that would hack the entire galaxy if it pertained to their royal family. He’d met Jessie, one of the code hackers while serving, and new King Gordian had a fairly close friendship with him. When Salor joined the club and requested to organize a small group of individuals that would aid the effort to track down a traitor, there was no question which members would be involved in any hacking. Jessie was ready and willing, and angry. Almost as angry as Salor. Thankfully, the other two deferred to Jessie as their leader.

“I think Riki and I can do a little back door investigation to see if we can pinpoint the Arinia City location.” Jessie nodded to the female hacker next to him. “At the least, we can get the serial number and flag it for any future activity that would alert us to its use.”

Riki nodded as well.

“Do we know who we aren’t looking for?” Shelly asked with a frown. She shrugged when everyone looked at her. “We need to narrow our prospects.”

Salor scratched his chin and thought about that for a minute. “We know it is someone within the royal palace cabinets, not someone at a local level. If the culprit wants to get canid warriors out of the galactic sphere, they need to have regional pull. Local officials don’t have that much coverage.”

Shelly nodded. “OK. That means no military and no royal aid or affiliates to the crown. That gives us a good sixty official members still suspect.”

“Nobody that’s bonded, either.” Salor eliminated the royal family and the protectorates. 

Shelly tilted her head. “What about familial ties?” 

Salor breathed that in. There were a few cousins and an uncle who held titles that were distantly in line for a seat on the throne, but his instinct told him they were just not capable of doing this type of complex strategy. He shook his head. “Let’s eliminate family. I’ve been working around that lineage for over thirty years and they just don’t have the cutthroat instincts needed to do this.”

Shelly waved a paw at him.

Salor hesitated for a moment but then shared his own insight. “My research shows there are only three individuals pushing the off-planet agenda on the political front. Assemblymember Bryan Masco has been introducing every galactic-wide bill for the last three years and was clearly pushing changes with the legislature and judiciary lists. I don’t think any off-planet report has been routed in from Masco’s assembly followers. Judal Server Horace has integrated four separate planet policies regarding galactic commerce that allowed for trade and communications outside of this world. And last, Politico Francine O’Sini has been increasing our planet’s journalistic expansion to include galactic growth advocacy since she took office. Long before King Nadiue’s coronation. And from what I’ve gathered, she is consistently slanting the news to provide increased positivism toward other species. While this does not indicate stereotypical treason, it is still important to consider. I would focus on these three and their associations. My brother has collected dossiers on them.” He pushed the folders toward each person sitting at the table. 

Inside each folder was a pocket holding a small flash drive and an 8 x 10 picture of each person.  They also included a title sheet offering a quick profile sketch. The hackers regarded the pictures with interest. Shelly put the file into her briefcase and nodded. 

“Let’s all re-gather next week to determine the next steps. And remember, this is not a public endeavor. Keep the muzzle tight.” Shelly regarded everyone. 

Salor did not grin, but his teeth were visible.

****

“You seem really serious lately. Something I can help with, Tanue?” Spirito asked his friend.

Tanue gave him a guarded look. “You mean you don’t already know?” 

Spirito’s brow ridge rose.

Tanue stared at him for a moment, then looked away. “No, I don’t suppose your family gave you any heads up for this.”

Spirito frowned.

Tanue looked down at his sandwich and then sighed and wrapped it back up, dropping it back into his lunch bag.

The gym was in full motion, with a couple of higher-level classes moving about the mats.  Spirito and Tanue sat on some bleachers with two of his bodyguards standing on either end. 

“What is going on? I haven’t been doing much talking with my family, lately.  You know how my schedule is. If I’m not here in class, I’m in private tutor, or at home sleeping. I’ve barely seen my sister and my Da has gone and joined some club. Mom only talks to me about classwork. You know how she avoids anything related to the protectorate role.”

 Tanue leaned back to the seat above him and reclined on his elbows. “Well, you just missed out on a lot.” His voice was grim with anger.

Spirito shot him a look of surprise, but Tanue didn’t meet his eyes.

“I’m not supposed to talk about it.  And honestly, this would be the last place I’d talk.  But I’m sure if you spend some time with your Da or sister, you will be told.  I’m pretty sure you won’t be any happier than I am.” He sat back up suddenly. “Do you remember that kid that came at us near the restaurant last year?” 

“The brute with his two buddies? Yeah, I remember. He had no clue how to fight.  And his breath reeked.”

Tanue nodded. This his face went stone cold. “I’m mad, Spirito. So mad. I’m mad enough to pound that kid into the ground.”

Spirito was confused, but pushed forward with the conversation, even without the details. “Can…can I do anything?”   

Tanue stared at his paws, which were curled into fists. He shrugged.

Spirito tilted his head, considering his friend. Tanue was taut with his emotions. He was a wire too tight and might snap at any second. “Come on. Let’s do what I know how to do when I’m mad.”

Tanue lifted his gaze.

Spirito shrugged. “Let’s spar.”

Tanue hesitated for a moment before releasing a snarl. “Yes. Let’s.”

The two boys practically leaped off the bleachers and moved to an empty mat. Spirito stood at the edge and waited for Tanue to align across on the other.  Once they stood facing each other, he bowed, and as he stood, he pressed his closed paws together, knuckles touching. It was the Tao symbol, meaning solid. He began using it to convey to himself that when he sparred he should make each strike or move the best he could as he fought. Then he stepped onto the mat.

Tanue bowed and raised his right paw high, then across his body, similar to the royal guard, as they saluted the flag. When he stepped on the mat, he gazed at Spirito as if he would tear him apart. 

He charged Spirito with a purpose, and Spirito didn’t deny him.  They met in the center.  Tanue grabbed a wrist and a shoulder and stepped across Spirito to simply leverage his strength and flip his friend. 

Spirito landed on the mat, his outer paw slapping the surface to distribute the weight.

Tanue went to make a knee-dig into the downed form, but Spirito rolled away.

Again, they came together.  Again, Tanue grabbed and rolled Spirito with him.  It was a ground roll that would normally take an opponent off-balance. Tanue threw Spirito to the far side of the mats.  Spirito let out an ‘oomph’ as he rolled to a stop, and the impact knocked the air out of him. But he scrambled up to find Tanue approaching.

Tanue was wild-eyed. Tanue swung to strike Spirito, but his friend blocked his arm.  Still, he swung his other arm and punched hard into Spirito’s side. 

Spirito grunted and lurched sideways, taking the hit.

Tanue grunted and growled. His gaze was unfocused.  He swung an uppercut and Spirito didn’t avoid it, taking the knuckle sandwich, moving just a second too slow. The snap of his head twisted him to the left. 

Tanue swung again and punched his friend’s body. Spirito tensed and grunted. Two more punches and Tanue had tears running from his eyes. He stopped to wipe them.

“They…I…” The second potentate stumbled over his words, his emotions welling outward. 

Spirito slowly straightened, his tongue licking his cut lip even as he reached out to hold Tanue’s shoulder with a supporting paw. He could almost see the pain in Tanue’s heart.

Tanue stood, shoulders hunched, with his back to the rest of the gym, and panted with overwhelming sadness. “I’m sorry. I’m just so angry.”

Spirito shook his head.  “No worries, mate. I’m tougher than I look.”

Tanue eyed his friend and closed his eyes to draw in some deep breaths. “There’s tough and then there’s dumb, Spirito. Don’t let me beat you up for nothing.”

“It wasn’t for nothing. You needed to release your tensions. And I’ll be fine.”

Tanue stared at Spirito and then rubbed over his own head with his paw. “You are feral.” 

Spirito shrugged. “No, you punch like a kitten,” he said, reaching up to wipe away the blood from his lip.

Tanue rolled his eyes and slapped his friend’s shoulder. They walked back to the bleachers. As Spirito stepped to go upward, he grunted. 

Tanue looked over at him, the question of concern in his gaze.

Spirito chuckled and ran his paw down his side tenderly. “OK. A kitten with claws.”

Tanue winced.