(no subject)

[gabriel_tam]

Parliament may not be in session at the moment, nor the Council of Seven in deliberation, but that doesn't mean that there's not work to be done. In fact, it's often the weeks between sessions that make for busier days, Gabriel's found, as it's during those weeks that everyone with a particular issue to press tries for appointments, meetings, or anything that will get them on the schedule.

His staff is good at coordinating, however, and Mark Jiang, Gabriel's executive assistant, is expert at managing both staff and schedule. In addition to everything else, he sees to it that each afternoon has a couple of hours free for Gabriel to use for emergencies, unscheduled visits, or merely catching up on paperwork, communications, and miscellaneous other tasks.

He's in the middle of reviewing a report during one of these quiet hours when Mark comes to the door to announce a special appointment.

Comments

[walk_ins]

The man who comes in behind Mark is of medium height and build, with nondescript features enlivened only slightly by a blandly cheerful smile. He looks entirely out of place in the crisp uniform he's wearing.

[gabriel_tam]

He sets the digital paper face-down on the desk in front of him and raises his eyebrows at Mark.

"Senator, this is Bill Hoffman," Mark explains.

He recognizes the name, even as his assistant continues,

"He was heading up the team on Osiris."

Gabriel stands and moves around the desk to offer his hand to Hoffman.

"Xièxie, Mark. Mr. Hoffman, I'm glad to meet you. Please, have a seat."

[walk_ins]

Hoffman takes the chair with a murmured thanks. As he seats himself, he reaches into his uniform jacket to take out a folder.

"Bringing the final report in person, Senator Tam. Of course, you're already aware that nothing untoward happened, as we would have informed you immediately -- but here's the details of what didn't happen."

[gabriel_tam]

"I greatly appreciate your attention to detail, Mr. Hoffman."

Gabriel resumes his own seat and glances at the folder in the other man's hand, but doesn't reach for it.

"Why don't you summarize that for me, based on your opinion of what's most important?"

It's not exactly a test. Not exactly. Hoffman's security consulting firm had been highly recommended, after all, or Gabriel wouldn't have hired them in the first place.

[walk_ins]

"Well, let's see." Hoffman leans back in the chair slightly, tapping the fingers of his free hand against the edge of the folder. "Most important ... two things. One, the staff at the Da Re Institute are commendably discreet; my men couldn't get anywhere near their patients, or even get their identities confirmed from institute personnel. Good security there." His tone is one of unequivocal approval.

[gabriel_tam]

"Excellent." Gabriel also sounds very pleased to hear this. "That's something to remember, I think."

[walk_ins]

"And two: by what appears to be a genuine coincidence, the Alliance vessel Kelowna docked at the Capital City spaceport on the third of the month. And one of its officers, on shore leave about town, encountered and recognized your son."

Hoffman glances at the folder, but doesn't open it.

"Ensign Edward Chao. The recognition was apparently mutual, and not hostile."

[gabriel_tam]

The Kelowna.

Gabriel Tam is suddenly very still.

"Really?"

It's almost impossibly neutral.

[walk_ins]

"Our surveillance wasn't close to pick up their conversation, but by all appearances it was ... fairly close to friendly. They went to a bar together, and left separately. I detailed a few men to follow Chao and make sure he wasn't being watched by his superiors without his knowledge."

Hoffman's smile slips down a few notches toward sober, and he adds: "I made the call not to move the perimeter inward to listen in when they talked, and I take full responsibility for that."

[gabriel_tam]

"I'm not going to disagree with you about that, Mr. Hoffman," Gabriel informs him. "Your team was the one in the field, and it was your judgement call to make."

He offers a cordial, half-wry smile, adding,

"I'd much rather know of the conversation itself, even without its content, than have your people discovered through getting too close."

A pause.

"I trust that Ensign Chao wasn't being watched?"

[walk_ins]

Cheerful again, "No sir. Nor carrying any kind of an active transmitter. In fact, but for one thing I'd say your son and daughter-in-law's presence on Osiris passed completely unremarked."

[gabriel_tam]

He raises his eyebrows.

"Really? And what thing would that be?"

[walk_ins]

"As of five days ago, there was a small surveillance setup on Ehrmann Square. Put there by a minor news service." Even more cheerful. "Almost a day too late to catch them."

[gabriel_tam]

"How unfortunate," he says, very dryly.

From his expression, Gabriel finds it to be anything but.

"What brought it to their attention, do you know?"

[walk_ins]

"We have a few possible leads, none of them pointing to anything complex. It looks as though someone saw your son, recognized him from the news, and sent a wave to some gossip magazine to find out if it really was him."

Hoffman taps the folder against his hand again. "It's all in the report."

[gabriel_tam]

"I look forward to reviewing it."

Gabriel smiles cordially at him.

"Good work, Mr. Hoffman. You have my thanks."

[walk_ins]

A nod. "You're welcome, Senator Tam. And I hope you'll wave us again should you need our services in the future."

He hands over the folder, and rises to his feet.

[gabriel_tam]

He rises as well, pressing a button on his desk's recessed communications console to signal Mark as he does. Gabriel takes the folder from the other man with a nod of thanks.

"Be assured that I'll do just that."

As the door opens and Mark escorts Hoffman out, Gabriel settles back in his chair and begins to read the security expert's report.

It's far more interesting than what he was working on before.