Spirit Walker - Chapter 20 *Spoilers*

[ANTIcarrot]

The plot thickens.

And first post.

[dellstart]

The master thief who turns out to be the local spy master.Fits.Good cover.

[Mizriath]

Thank you Fel for the chapter.

Good twist with the spy.

The war will start even faster with the Flauren mix.

If the next chapter is the end, then probably no war. It will be in the next book. I am sure this is not the end of the story for Dana, and i expect it to get more interesting.

[afrigeek]

You have to wonder though... as important as Shario may be, he isn't the final decision maker so his recommendations that the MASKED be left alone could be ignored.
One only has to wonder whether he has revealed the sources of his information to his superiors in the actual dispatches he sent and thus whether Kyven could be at risk because of a decision taken by someone higher up the chain to reveal him for political expediency or whatever favors they may garner from the loremasters in return for handing over two shaman.

[boballab]

You have to wonder though... as important as Shario may be, he isn't the final decision maker so his recommendations that the MASKED be left alone could be ignored.
One only has to wonder whether he has revealed the sources of his information to his superiors in the actual dispatches he sent and thus whether Kyven could be at risk because of a decision taken by someone higher up the chain to reveal him for political expediency or whatever favors they may garner from the loremasters in return for handing over two shaman.

You would also have to believe that the Loremasters would have spies of their own in Flaur and could find out that way.

[dellstart]

Thank you Fel for the chapter.

Good twist with the spy.

The war will start even faster with the Flauren mix.

If the next chapter is the end, then probably no war. It will be in the next book. I am sure this is not the end of the story for Dana, and i expect it to get more interesting.

We actually haven't heard from Haven, for a while.So whats going on there is anyones guess.
Interestingly enough , we haven't heard from the shadowfox as well.Though that may be put down to the fact, that hes doing everything , she has asked from him , and needs no further guidance yet.

[Mad Monk]

We actually haven't heard from Haven, for a while.So whats going on there is anyones guess.
Interestingly enough , we haven't heard from the shadowfox as well.Though that may be put down to the fact, that hes doing everything , she has asked from him , and needs no further guidance yet.

I suspect that the Loremasters have set many traps, including non-magical ones, so when Kyven returns, he will be found out. He will escape by using some of his shadow powers, but his cover is blown. He will have discovered that the Loremasters are planning an expedition towards Haven - setting the scene for the next book in this series.

Now Fel tends to have lots of tricks up his sleve, so we will see just how wrong I am....

[kabalman2000]

I suspect that the Loremasters have set many traps, including non-magical ones, so when Kyven returns, he will be found out. He will escape by using some of his shadow powers, but his cover is blown. He will have discovered that the Loremasters are planning an expedition towards Haven - setting the scene for the next book in this series.

Doubt that Kyven would enter the headquarters as the human Kyven. So ... while the shadowfox Kyven might be found out, I don't think that the Kyven cover would be blown. Certainly whatever happens will be a set up for the next book and, (maybe unjustifiably) reading things into the story from the title (Shadow Walker), it could very well be a trigger for Kyven to discover more about his powers. That title alone has my brain spinning with possibilities.

[LADY MINX]

I like the Flaurian stepping in as a Spy idea . It was actually a logical move and a good one. It would be interesting if they get more involved.

I did feel that the discovery of him in the loremaster's towers was just to sudden it should have been left for a second or third break in when he became to complacent. He should have been chased a bit and then disappear in the shadow's it would have been more exiting and nail biting.

I still like the book!!!!!
Well let's see how this book end's I hope it is a bang!

[ANTIcarrot]

You would also have to believe that the Loremasters would have spies of their own in Flaur and could find out that way.

I know ordinary humans are usually always chaotic evil in Fel's stories, but give Shario some credit. He probably has the brains to really understand what would happen to his society if the crystal shortage became common knowledge. That's right. The Europeans and Asians (who have reduced access to crystals, and hence are likely much less dependent on them) would take over. And we all know how loathe all Americans would be to that possibility...

Anyway. He presumably trusts whoever he's sent the message to will come to a similar conclusion and will not do anything (like distributing the message far and wide) that would threaten the revelation of this information, and hence the nation they both serve. The other trick is that the Arcan Nation will be a force to be reckoned with in a few years time, and he probably hopes that a little discretion now will probably be worth super-brownie points later on.

[edit:]Oh yes - and Flaurians have *massive* sea faring experience, which the Arcans lack completely. If they're on friendly relations with the Arcans, they could easily trade this knowledge for crystals. A strategic base somewhere in Florida would probably be a good move for the Arcans too, for all sorts of reasons.

[boballab]

You would also have to believe that the Loremasters would have spies of their own in Flaur and could find out that way.

I know ordinary humans are usually always chaotic evil in Fel's stories, but give Shario some credit. He probably has the brains to really understand what would happen to his society if the crystal shortage became common knowledge. That's right. The Europeans and Asians (who have reduced access to crystals, and hence are likely much less dependent on them) would take over. And we all know how loathe all Americans would be to that possibility...

Anyway. He presumably trusts whoever he's sent the message to will come to a similar conclusion and will not do anything (like distributing the message far and wide) that would threaten the revelation of this information, and hence the nation they both serve. The other trick is that the Arcan Nation will be a force to be reckoned with in a few years time, and he probably hopes that a little discretion now will probably be worth super-brownie points later on.

[edit:]Oh yes - and Flaurians have *massive* sea faring experience, which the Arcans lack completely. If they're on friendly relations with the Arcans, they could easily trade this knowledge for crystals. A strategic base somewhere in Florida would probably be a good move for the Arcans too, for all sorts of reasons.

What you say about Shario is true but you also provided an excuse for someone in Shario's Flauren Spy Agency to sell them out to the Loremasters - Crystal's. Look at what has happened in the past dealing with US spy agencies and the military, you had people like Ames and Walker that sold secrets of the US to other countries and in Great Britain you had Kim Philby and his gang. In converse you had Soviet big shot spies defect to the US and Great Britain. Some desk jockey back in Flaur might have some debts and need some fast cash and sells some info to the Loremasters, because crystals sell well and hey look who controls the trade of them. Another scenerio this person might believe Arcans are nothing but animals and do it on philosophical grounds. Shario is what in the CIA would be called a station chief. He's the man in charge in that city, but has no control of what happens to the information he sends back to Flaur. In the spy game the more people that know the risk of the wrong person finding out about it rises exponentially. As the old saying goes "Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead".

[ANTIcarrot]

What you say about Shario is true but you also provided an excuse for someone in Shario's Flauren Spy Agency to sell them out to the Loremasters - Crystal's.

If you had a choice of (A) a supplier who's running low or (B) a supplier who's just hit the motherload - which would you go for? Now remember the first one has is planning to stab you in the back. Again.

Look at what has happened in the past dealing with US spy agencies and the military <snip>

This was mostly for philosophy or money. This would only be relevant if Shiro was stupid or sent the message to someone who was stupid.

Again, please stop assuming Shiro is a complete retard, and consider he might possibly be a good judge of character. Heaven knows nothing in the story implies he might be such. We know he sent a message. We don't know who he sent it to. I'm guessing someone who he regards as sane and trustworthy - rather than some simmering civil servant or rampant xenophobe who'll blab the information far and wide.

"Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead".

Yeah... It's a little too late to worry about that. About 10,000+ people plus know about this secret. They might not be in a position to tell, but the shamans running around human territory are. It's kinda the whole point of the story that arcans are people too. Toby is also out there and aware of the situation. Fel spent a lot of time proving that at least one human wasn't evil incarnate. Take a hint? The fact that arcans 'are people too' does not mean 'they are better than pathetic worthless humans and could never succumb to such base temptations'. Or do you have another reason to distrust him, other than the fact he's doing the same job Kyven is, has no fur, and has not been directly touched by the paw of God?

[hoppy]

This was mostly for philosophy or money. This would only be relevant if Shiro was stupid or sent the message to someone who was stupid.

Again, please stop assuming Shiro is a complete retard, and consider he might possibly be a good judge of character. Heaven knows nothing in the story implies he might be such. We know he sent a message. We don't know who he sent it to. I'm guessing someone who he regards as sane and trustworthy - rather than some simmering civil servant or rampant xenophobe who'll blab the information far and wide.

The problem isn't the people Shario would trust, it is the people those people trust and people who get bits and pieces even if they are not trusted ennough to know the whole story. The ones in charge often don't understand, how much value information has, the situation that it pertains to, or they see things from different POV. So, either Shario has power and influence not relating to his role as a spy master or he has authority over all Flaurian dealings with Norram. if not, then he is taking a big risk.

[boballab]

In the 1944 Sir Stewart Menzies, the man that inspired "M" of the James Bond films and one of the best directors of any spy agency) selected this man as the head of Counter-Intelligence for the British SIS (Later MI6), he was then selected in 1949 to be the liason officer between SIS and the fledgling CIA and help get them organized. Who was this "Trusted" man? None other then Kim Philby

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Philby

In the mid 80's both of these "Trusted" men were counter intelligence agents. One for the CIA and one for the FBI. They were Aldritch Ames and Robert Hansen both Soviet Spies.

There is countless more examples of trusted men and women that sold out their countries for either money or principle and are now reviled for that. However before they were found out they "looked" to be patriotic citizens of their countries, they were not running around clad in trench coats with SPY written on the back. They had friends, families and associates. They went to picnics, ball games and parties just like like everyone else. This type of thing is not just academic to me,I had just joined the US Navy when John Walker and his ring of spies were caught. Later on I was stationed at NavComm Subic Bay were Jerry Whitworth the spy work in the Cubi message center. I talked to people that knew the man, worked with him and they all said the same thing "He was a nice guy, we had no idea he was betraying us." Here is the thing I started out as an Electronics Tech (ET) in the Nuclear power program and moved over to being a regular ET with a Top Secret clearance with a Crypto Rating. Just before I left the Navy I was asked to join White House Communications to work on the advance teams for when the President travels, so in effect I was a "Trusted" man. I had the access to a lot of classified info and had to live with restrictions on my life that most people wouldn't tolerate. Background checks, NCIS interviews even lie detector tests. I had restrictions on where I could go for Leave. I had to be careful who I became friends with and who I dated. Any of those things could actually push someone to do something stupid or it could be as simple as running up a huge debt and needing money. Hell in Orlando you almost couldn't swing a cat without hitting a KGB agent out at the clubs young Nuc School Students frequented. Thats the world the "Trusted" people live in and its not much fun, so Shario could have all the trust in the world in the person he passes this info to, but he could still be selling Flaur out to the Loremasters, just like Philby,Walker, Ames and Hansen did to their countries.

[dellstart]

Woah Boballab .

Now , we know where all those great analytical skills come from.

Its without a doubt, thats spies and those that try to catch them lead stressful lives to say the very least.In a sense, our heros are lucky, that they have each other there to share the load.Whereas Shiro is very much a a man alone.I guess in that situation ,whatever pleasure you can find , be it enjoying fine dining with stimulating conversation or teaching a Arcan thieving skills and so on,just some of the small things,used to relieve the tension and pressure.
Could he be a double agent? In the murky world of espionage , who's to say who's really friend and who's truly your foe ?