Imperial FarSpace Service
Special Branch (IFSS-SB)
MJW's Notes
The information gathered by the regular IFSS is not just analyzed by
them. There is a special branch of the Service that is looking
for specific things, not just "things of interest."
It was known by a select few when the IFSS was started that "the
Ancients" was not the whole story. There were too many
inconsistencies and gaps for Grandfather and the Final War to be the
whole truth. The IFSS was founded to solve the puzzle.
The fact that there is a secret is itself a secret. Hence the
double bluff of the "open secret" IFSS -- within which are a small
number of Special Branch agents who use those "hidden" resources for
their own special mission.
The Special Branch is recruited in two ways. Those regular IFSS
personnel who are exceptional are recruited directly without being told
the purpose of the Branch. In fact, not until training and the
first deployment (sometimes the first several) is successfully
completed are the new recruits told anything of the real purpose of
their work.
The other way in is to stumble on the issue, or come up with the idea
independently. Imperial Intelligence will pick up on these
quickly (without suspecting the reason), and the suspects will be taken
into custody and handed over. The suspects are either assimilated
or eliminated.
The IFSS-SB is not aware that INISO has been working on a similar area
-- nor is INISO aware of what exactly it is that they have found.
-cam MW