At the end of Chapter Five, a Merseian spy called Dwyr the Hook, reporting to Abrams' Merseian opposite number, Fodaich Runei, in his base at the bottom of the Kimraig Sea on Starkad:
claims that he penetrated the Terran base but that his objective was too well guarded for him to burgle;
explains that his return was delayed because his vehicle was not where he had left it and must have been found by a Terran patrol and further that blind fire from another patrol damaged him so badly that he was obliged to crawl for the last part of his journey;
thinks that Abrams will accompany the Terran delegate to Merseia and that, if he does so, then he should be kept under a close watch.
Does any of this sound dodgy to you? Did Runei send two spies to burgle buildings in Highport? Abrams cut through a spy's legs and the spy that reported to Runei had had to crawl. Just as John le Carre's George Smiley turned "Karla," Abrams has found a way to turn Dwyr. Because of his injuries, Dwyr has become supernumerary on Starkad but, if he is sent back to Merseia and given the job of watching Abrams and is now working for Abrams, then Abrams is going to have a clear run with some inside help to spy on Merseia.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
If Runei the Wanderer had any reason to doubt the loyalty of Dwyr he might have found his report more difficult to believe. But since the "Hook" had proven an able and loyal agent in the past I don't Runei might have found his story dodgy. I don't want to reveal too much too soon, but the reason why Dwyr the Hook changed allegiances was very convincing to me.
Sean
Sean,
Very.
It is we, not Runei, who have the clues to Dwyr's defection.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
True. I should have remembered we are not told right away why Dwyr defected to the Empire. A skillful writer does not reveal too much too soon.
Sean
Incidentally, this illustrates the reason double agents in your own intelligence service are a nightmare for spymasters.
It not only denies you information, it allows the other side to poison the well -- "disinformation".
Dear Mr. Stirling,
I agree! It can be very difficult to be SURE of the loyalty of all your spies. I think we can be sure of some, like Dominic Flandry. His life long history of RELENTLESS opposition to the ambitions of Merseia and multiple thwarting of her schemes made it plain where his loyalties lay, to the Empire. Would a really deep cover agent working for Merseia REPEATEDLY inflict such crushing on her over so many years? I would have to imagine such an agent to be a TRIPLE agent, loyal to the state to the state he was supposed to be secretly working against.
And we know Flandy did enjoy spinning such complex webs, for the benefit of the Empire.
Sean
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