Deception

Synopsis: On a Saturday morning near Djibouti, some unknown terrorists attacked an American Navy Fuel Tanker as it passed by in the narrow part of the Red Sea. They fired upon it but were soon defeated by the Navy's superior return fire. 

Because it was a Navy ship that was attacked, there was a strong possibility that it would be seen as an act of war. But when the NSIU was assigned to investigate, and they are a U.S. Navy unit, there would be a very detailed investigation.

The thoughts were that some country was trying to cause an embarrassment to the United States and had been responsible. However, one of the NSIU investigators thought it might have been political within one of the American parties.

The investigation was difficult because there had been a growing divide in the newly expanded United States Fuel Supply Chain between many American politicians and news broadcasters and several foreign governments trying to regain their previous dominance over the world's supply values.

By finding how the terrorists were found, who had directed them, and the resulting actions, the questions grew in many directions. 

If another country directed it, it could be a very dangerous situation, but if it was an American who had arranged it, there could be severe consequences. Either way, it was a dangerous situation. 

The ideas, thoughts, and actions of the various members of the NSIU staff, both personal and professional, were very active and, although different, never in the way of any investigation.

Autobiography: Richard B. Christie, for more than fifty years, had a career where he owned and operated a company that commissioned, validated, and certified commercial and industrial environmental systems, including clean rooms for hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Both domestic and international, it included many years of traveling and working abroad. When at home, he spent many winters and weekends volunteering as an active Certified member of the National Ski Patrol.

Now retired, Christie and his wife Lee reside in Ormond Beach, Florida, with their two little dogs.