Operation Chameleon

Editor's note: this story contains scenes of non-consensual or reluctant sex.

*****

Going home for that overdue holiday was with hindsight a bad idea! It was a strained atmosphere in the house.

Little sis had her own life and she was everything I was not. Curvaceous, sexy and vivacious! Men salivated at her passing and girls as well. Nor could I tell her that I was transferring to Directorate 11. It was not the kind of thing you could talk about in any kind of company.

Father and mother would have guests round for the usual dinner parties and drinks. I would be forced into wearing ill fitting outfits and would spend evenings feeling as if I was some prehistoric exhibit from the days of the now dead radioactive toxic slag heap that was the Planet Earth.

My mother would make her usual enquiries about my social life. My father would at least tell her to leave me alone.

They were essentially part of the ruling elite now. Socially charming, politically powerful and my parents were a little scary with it at times. My father though had always been a little protective of me. He was the one who warned me about the dirt bag that was my one and only boyfriend ever. He had been right about him.

Dad seemed to know that something was up but was always diplomatic enough not to ask. I did not even feel I could tell him about my transfer. The Major had been quite specific about not saying anything to anyone. I knew what happened to those with loose tongues in the Republic.

The strain got to be so much at home that I ventured out with the radical idea for me to get blind drunk. I got no more than a little tipsy when I was hit on by a chancer in one of the Party bars. When he found out that I was the daughter of one Major General Ran Griffin his fear won out over his ambition. The walls of my isolation closed in around me again.

I also had the nervous feeling that I was being observed. The constant nagging feeling that eyes were watching my every movement. I came to the conclusion that it had been a bad idea to go out drinking. The events of recent days mixed with the alcohol resulted in me having one of my regular bouts of vomiting. My nightmares, those were worse than ever that night.

The Demon in my dreams mocking me over and over again. Questioning me over and over. Are you a rabbit or a mouse little sister? I hated those walls of the oppressive loneliness that surrounded me but then in a large part they were of my own making. Then again I just wanted to be left alone.

The last day of my holiday my little sis dragged me to the shops. The Party shops which only fuelled the urge to run and hide somewhere. Even my sister's laughter did little to lift the heaviness in my heart. The feeling of trepidation only grew when on returning home I spotted my now former boss shaking hands with my father as he leapt into a luxury security Party car.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had told my father at least about my transfer to military intelligence and Directorate 11. I knew it from the look my father gave me but he didn't say anything. I don't think he was really meant to know. My mother was not let in on the secret.

My suspicions were confirmed when on the last day of my holiday my father pulled me aside and into his study and told me "Watch you back Frances! Trust no one! We live in a galaxy where our friends are often our enemies and our enemies sometimes our friends! Where allegiances change from one day to the next with shifts in a balance of power! Believe nothing you see or hear! Trust to your own instincts! Oh and we never had this conversation ever!

To the outside world Directorate 11 does not exist! Perhaps outside the walls of Directorate 11, less than 50 Party members know of its existence! It is not scrutinised in any way and there is no oversight on it either!

Oh and if you are in very great danger learn the words of the third line in chapter 12 of Song of the Cosmos! Buy the book! Where you will going you will be able to purchase a copy! You are a bright girl you will figure it out! Take with you memories of our picnics by the lake on the Revolution Day! Oh and your sisters birthday! Don't forget that! Or your mothers!"

My father was giving me a code that no one would be able to decipher but me. As if I was not a bundle of nerves already? He might be the only person that I could trust. I felt that weight on my shoulders again and the oppressive ambience of life weighing me down again.

In some way it was actually a relief when I eventually walked in the doors of military intelligence. At the reception I informed them of my name and handed them the info cube with my details. The girl at the desk handed me an ID cube which she said would be needed to operate the elevators in the building. I was to proceed to the seventh underground level and await further orders.

As I proceeded to the elevators no one gave me a second look. I picked up on the cameras that followed my every step. I stepped into the elevator which swished shut behind me before I had time to turn around. In what could have been no more than a second later the doors opened out into an office.

It became instantly clear that I was not underground but several stories up. The office had a view of the cityscape. I was met by the Major who spoke without ceremony "If you will follow me Agent Griffin!"

I was led to the roof where we boarded a transport. The Major spoke gruffly "We can't take the underground transports to Directorate HQ due to sabotage! We will have to travel by air!"

The news sort of shook me. Sabotage of anything was news to me. Suddenly the safe assumptions that I had made about life in this closed environment no longer seemed to apply.

The Major smiled "Oh it is not something that we can go having on the news now! It is the military transport system that has been sabotaged and not the civilian one! In a large city of 50 million even the enemy must use public transport to get around at speed!"

It also became obvious from the flight path that we were heading for the city barriers. I gripped my seat in trepidation at the thought I was leaving the city for the very first time.

The Major laughed "We really will have to do something about your irrational anxiety complexes! There is also a planetary shield! Nothing that we don't want on the planet gets onto the planet! The city shields are but just another level of protection! Nearly every city and planet in the galaxy has the same urban architecture Agent Griffin!

Which reminds me you are no longer Agent Griffin but now hold the military rank of Lieutenant! It is the lowest rank you can hold in any of the Directorates!"

I noted the use of the plural but made no comment. I was too busy trying not to look at the landscape below as it whizzed past me. My head had begun to spin and dizzy and nauseous was how I felt. My stomach lurched several times as the Major roared with laughter.

He quipped "We also have to do something about your travel and motion sickness as well!"

He offered me up a bag as the transport took a sudden lurch with a change of direction; my breakfast went into the bag. I had the urge to return home again. I had come to the conclusion that some sick twisted bastard had it in for me.

It was a relief to once again set my feet on solid ground and since I was still dizzy though and so disorientated I did not have a clue where I was and since the transport had descended into a hole in the ground, there was nothing I could get a fix on.

The complex where I now found myself was equally labyrinthine to my senses. I noted the patrolling Special Forces guards and then I heard the sound of weapons going off.

The Major spoke "You did not see those uniforms here or hear the sounds of battle!"

I tucked away that knowledge as Special Forces were only supposed to be deployed on the frontier worlds or as part of defense fleets on the edges of our Space. It was clear that this was something more than just an act of sabotage. The Military transport system was under attack.

I followed the Major into an underground tube where he informed that the rest of our journey would be underground. Obviously the complex that I had just passed through was a junction in the network. It was under assault?

Several minutes later the tube came to a halt. We got off and several Special Forces troops got on. Others were obviously waiting for the next tube. As I followed the Major through another labyrinth I felt it was in my interests not to ask any questions. I assumed that I would not get a straight answer. It was simple to conclude that the Republics Special Forces were under the direct Command of Directorate 11?

We passed through a space terminal where even more Special Forces troops were disembarking from transports. I watched as manacled prisoners in military uniforms were piled onto outgoing transports. Some tried to escape the Special Forces cordon and were shot down. It was obvious that there was something more going on than just an attack on the Military transport system?

The Major spoke gravely "The official line will be that some rogue Generals under the influence of an alien regime had tried to stage a coup! Not unusual as it was the line taken the last time there was an attempted coup some 25 years before! It will not impact on Operation Chameleon though! That will go on regardless of who the Party Chairman is!"

After walking for what seemed like an eternity we came to a tunnel, the entrance heavily guarded and IDs checked thoroughly. The Major spoke due to the attack on us the route to our Command Centre is somewhat convoluted and time consuming. Every yard of that long tunnel was lined with Special Forces troopers.

At the end of the tunnel we were checked again before being through into what the Major called "This is the Directorate HQ! It will be you home for the next several months! But first there is somebody you should meet! The Commander of Directorate 11!"

When I stepped into the guarded office the sight that met my eyes resulted in me fainting.

When I came to my father was also towering over me looking slightly amused. I remembered his words "Trust no one!"

He looked at me and said "You are not the only one who has been taken by surprise with developments! As of six hours ago I became head of Directorate 11. The previous Commander was shot dead by an assassin early this morning! Your mother does not know and nor will I tell her! Nor does your previous employer and nor will he be told either!

Now I must leave you to go topside and put in an appearance and make a speech to the Media! It is unlikely that we will see each other in the near future as Operation Chameleon will be on a need to know basis! I believe it or not will not need to know ever!"

I wanted the earth to rise up and consume me. He would see me for the pathetic wretch that I was. Another one of my nightmares was turning into reality.

I was not given much time to dwell on events as I was whisked by the Major off to the Directorates medical facilities. For the next two weeks I would be subjected to a barrage of medical tests and psyche evaluations. Some of the psyche evaluations were bizarre to say the least as I subjected to several forms of pornography.

Following those tests and evaluations I was subjected to several medical treatments and even surgery. I had several implants, some what the doctors called structural and physical enhancements. I had an unknown number of vaccinations against things I had never heard of. I had been poked and prodded so much I felt like a pin cushion.

In the process of all this I had my body hair removed in totality. That was including all my pubic hair. I was a skin headed rake when I left the medical facilities. I looked like a prisoner from the worst of the penal colonies. I was even uglier if that was possible than when I had entered the Directorate. I did not see how they could possibly make a field agent out of the available raw material that was me.

A whole month in the Directorate training facility and I had not seen a file or anything else related to Operation Chameleon. I had been presented with various manuals and maps so that I could find my way around once I escaped the Doctors and the Psyches. One immediate difference though was that I had been taken off my cocktail of anxiety suppressants. The nightmares had stopped for the time being. I was also happy to be free of all the electrodes and whatever other stuff they had strapped to me for those two weeks.

I wished more than ever that I had not heard of the bloody Chameleon.

I was standing dithering outside the medical facility wondering what I was going to do next or supposed to do next when a huge 6ft 5 inch hulk of a man approached and saluted and introduced himself "I am Directorate Educator Keth and I will be your instructor, educator and trainer in all and any aspects of your training from this point on!

I will help you operate your implants and aid you in getting used to the enhancements that you now have! If any instruction is needed that is!

In addition you are not to discuss with me any aspects of the Operation that you will be prepared for and briefed for! I really would be shot if you do! I will show you to your quarters!"

I found that I could shut everyone out of my quarters if I wanted to as the doors could only be opened after a retinal scan and also activated by a voice recognition programme. The instructor said that none of my project work was to be taken out of my quarters which had both a living space and a work space.

My office space could only be accessed with a key he had given me and with the hand print sensor reading my palm. It was something more than the cubicle that I had to suffer at my former work place.

My living space was also a surprise in fact it was full of surprises. I had a double bed, not that I would ever need it. As for the kitchen well again it was not really needed as I would be expected to use the mess for some reason not fully explained. I was also told that I could from my room access any Galactic media outlet. I was naturally expected to familiarise myself with the Free Alliance systems and planets. They were the ancient enemy. The enemy that allegedly destroyed the home world of Earth.

An academic work schedule had already been drawn up for me. In fact the next three months of my life was planned down to what I would be doing at any given hour in any given day. I was not to take written notes about anything relating to my work here or my special project. I was not to discuss it with any other trainee.

One day of the week was allocated as an R and R day! My work day schedules began at 6:00 and ended at 22:00. I doubted very much that I would sleep for 8 hours every night as I had been so used to sleeping for 3 or 4 hours since the age of about 10.

I could access my instructor any time of the day or the night by pressing the help button on my work station. I was left to my own devices for the rest of that day. I found that I had limited access to other areas of the facility. In my brief tour I never saw any other individual. Only when I ventured to the mess hall for an evening meal did I see anyone else.

Even then in the huge mess hall everyone kept a distance from each other. The few Special Forces personnel who were there sat of in corner on their own. When I sat down with my meal I looked around more and noted the same war refugee look on others. That applied to both males and females. Very few looked up from their food and those that did looked as if they staring blankly into the distance at something only they could see.

The first night in my new bed I felt very strange. The sheets made from a material that I was unfamiliar with. It was only then that I noted the dim blue light of an aquarium built into the wall of my living space. Before I noticed I had fallen asleep. No nightmares but I had the strangest of dreams, a dream that I could not recall when my morning alarm sounded. I had slept amazingly for the whole night or for what passed as night here. I felt refreshed and relaxed in the morning.

Breakfast, shower, exercise, work out, weapon practice, martial training then diverse academic studies then working on the latest Operation Chameleon updates and intel. In part of my schedule I was required to keep my body clear of pubic hair. I never gave it a second thought.

I had even put on weight the first three months in the directorate. I had broken 80 lbs for the first time. I was still a stick though. My breasts had swollen officially to 32 A! My head hair had started to grow back in but it was so short that it made me look like a male! I laughed inwardly to myself at that thought.

It was my unbroken schedule for the first three months at the directorate till one day the pattern got broken. I went to my morning weapons practice and my instructor announced that there would be no more obligatory sessions. My own weapons practice times would be for me to arrange for myself. He would still be my instructor till otherwise informed by command.

We had he said "Come up against the law of diminishing returns!"

I could now hit a barn door at five yards without causing injury to bystanders. Well according to him I could. Only the social aspects of my training remained and again he would be responsible for that amongst his duties.

I did not quiz him further on that before I was asked over the directorate's public address to report to Major Gars Office immediately. So his name was Gar?

I stepped into his office and he spoke

"At ease Lieutenant! There is an ongoing situation on the planet Chichan Epsilon, our Agent there has tracked and found our foe or so she believes! She is now on visual to us! You will report to Command Ops Immediately to assist if required!

I have cleared your retinal scan with Command Ops! Bear in my mind that there is a lag in communications and that we can't communicate immediately with her! I want your eyes in on this! If anyone can pick this man out of a crowd then it is you!"

I stood in the Ops watching her visuals scan a very seedy club. I watched individuals performing full on sexual acts. I began to squirm and to flush. What was happening to me? I began to feel uncomfortable.

The Major woke me from my self thoughts asking "Do you see our prey at all?"

I shook my head to confirm a No. When suddenly I heard mocking laughter in my head, a laugh that I had not heard for several months.

I quavered "Major something is wrong! It is not we who are the hunters but him! He is tracking her which is why she can't locate him in that crowd! He is watching her right now, possibly behind her or above her! She is in danger!"

The Major ordered protocols broken to communicate with her but it was too late twenty seconds later her visuals went dead. The Major informed a Special Forces under cover group to descend on the club but again too late no trace of the female Agent was found, the prey had become the hunter and he had claimed another meal?

The prey's weakness for certain drugs and for certain forms of entertainment led us to that club but in reality he was also setting a trap. She did not look the type to be in that club. She would have stood out like a sore thumb and then I realised that I would have been at home in such a club, at least in terms of my striking gaunt looks and haunted appearance. I looked like a lot of the weirdoes in that place. I knew why the directorate had recruited me now? I was to be bait.

The Major spoke "We still have two other agents out there in the Free Alliance space since your arrival we dispatched another but I do not hold out any great hopes for either! You will begin working on your cover Lieutenant and on your social interaction training as a matter of urgency!"