When one looks at a culture with the eyes of an outsider, one often sees things the members of that culture take so thoroughly for granted that they consider them breathing level obvious, and think about them about as much.
IMHO, that is certainly true of the art of intelligence analysis. Broadly speaking, it consists of Direction, the analyst receiving the task from his advisee, Collection, in which the analyst taps the sources of information at his disposal, casting his net as widely as possible while keeping a wary eye on their reliability, Analysis, in which he draws conclusions from that information, and Dissemination, in which he presents the conclusions he has drawn to his advisee in usable form.
It is known as the intelligence Cycle because the Dissemination phase inevitably spawns more Direction from the advisee.
In the course of writing my novel “Spymaster’s World”, I had occasion to look at the impact of the art and science of intelligence through the eyes of an outsider, a feudal lord from a fallen Galactic civilization which has forgotten the craft of the Spymaster, as she dubs it. I found it instructive.
First of all, of course, there are the military and national intelligence agencies. All but the smallest and poorest of nations have them in at least a rudimentary form. The collective sum of the resources put into them is very substantial. The cost of not having them is much higher, as a great deal of recent history demonstrates.
Science is intelligence analysis directed toward understanding the physical world. The scientific method follows very similar steps, and it is noteworthy that “Publish or perish.” is a byword among scientists of every discipline. The incredibly rapid progress of our civilization, and the enormous capabilities it commands, is unarguably due to the systematic application of the knowledge which science has put at our disposal. Scientists are intelligence analysts, whose target is the universe and whose advisees are anyone who cares enough to pay attention, and make use of the knowledge.
The detective of fact and fiction is also an intelligence analyst. Given his case – by someone else, his superiors if he is a police officer, his client if he is private – he collects evidence from both human and non-human sources, weighs its veracity, constructs his case, and presents the results to the advisee. What action is taken upon his information is not in his control. A police force without detectives is about as common, or as useful, as a car without wheels.
Medicine has also its intelligence analysts. Where a threat to the health of people emerges, the hunt is on to lay bare its secrets and to find a counter. The effort to find a vaccine for COVID-19 is only the latest of many such hunts.
Weather prediction is yet another example. A huge global effort goes on every second of every day to collect a vast ocean of information, analyze it and generate forecasts, disseminate them to everyone so they can plan everything from a picnic to a military operation.
It may credibly be argued, and I do, that the reliance on facts and evidence and impartial analysis of them is the foundation stone of democracy. To the extent that the electorate practices them, democracy and the nation prosper. To the extent they blindly follow a leader or chieftain from emotional attachment, regardless of his sanity and competence, the nation suffers or falls.
Witness, then, the amazement of Avrelius, exiled Dux Avalonis of the Twelve Worlds, who stumbles upon the lost forgotten world of Earth.
“What is that?” Avrelius pointed over Merlin’s shoulder at the image on the screen, the wallpaper on the screen.
“Eta Carinae. It is a star, some 7500 light years away from Earth.” Merlin’s attention remained on what he was doing.
“It is a photograph of a real star, not a painting?” Avrelius persisted.
“Of course.” Merlin said.
“You do not have star travel. How was such an image taken?” Avrelius’ eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Merlin smiled, closed the document, did a search and called the roll of the great telescopes of Earth, from Hubble and James Webb and the other space-based telescopes, to the ground-based ones high on mountain tops and deep in the desert, wherever clear seeing was to be had. He added some of the history. He told of the long struggles to build Palomar and Hubble, the gathering of wealth to build even greater telescopes in space and on Earth.
Avrelius watched in growing astonishment, then understanding crept across her features. “The wealth of nations, the labour of geniuses poured forth without stint. Truly, the Spymasters of Earth brook no secrecy. The living, the dead, the great universe itself shall have their secrets haled forth into the light of day, to be wrung dry by their discoverers.”
Merlin’s face showed inquiry over its usual control. “Normal human curiosity, surely?”
Avrelius gave a low, bitter chuckle. “Normal? For this eldritch branch of the great tree of humanity, it may be. For the rest of the Galaxy, no. The peasantry strive to survive another day, the lords covet power and land and gold and magic. Knowledge? A few monks and scholars, here and there.”
She gave another wry, bitter laugh. “You fear what would befall your world did the Galaxy discover its existence. On the day your folk find the road to the stars, the Galaxy should tremble.”
In the novel, Merlin is full well aware what a powerful tool he takes with him into the Galaxy as Spymaster to the Dux Avalonis, so he lays down the Code of the Spymaster.
Code of the Spymaster
The art and craft of the Spymaster is of vital importance to the state, and the fool who neglects it stumbles down the path to ruin.
The Craft consists of these four steps.
First is Direction. The Spymaster does not practice his craft for his own benefit or pleasure, but only in the service of his advisee.
Then is the Collection of data to deal with the problem. To weigh the veracity and reliability of the sources is an essential part of the Craft.
Next, by Analysis the grain of data must be ground and prepared into the bread of usable intelligence, the best possible answer to the question, taking no heed of the Spymaster’s own bias or what the advisee may or may not wish to hear.
Dissemination is presenting the conclusions thus reached in compact and usable form to the advisee.
Thus, then, these principles:
The Spymaster must always speak the truth to his advisee when speaking in his professional capacity. Where he errs or misjudges, he must speak that truth to his advisee as well.
Not only must the Spymaster speak truth, he must do so with precision, being exact as to his confidence in his conclusion.
A Spymaster may only ever have one advisee, which may be a committee or an organization. Should he change his allegiance, he must so declare to his former advisee, and keep his former advisee’s secrets after leaving his service.
Spymasters are absolutely forbidden to use, order or condone the use of torture. It is wrong, dishonorable, and the information thus gained is poor and highly unreliable.
Spymasters must protect and preserve their sources, most importantly where they be human. A Spymaster must never order or condone the use of force by any source, and rely upon them for information only.
What a source may do in the course of his normal activities is not in the Spymaster’s control and does not stain his honour.
Knowledge of sources and methods must always be the most closely held of secrets, even from the advisee, where in the Spymaster’s sole judgement the advisee does not need to know.
What use the advisee may make of the Spymaster’s counsel is not within the Spymaster’s control and does not stain his honour. Where the Spymaster feels he can no longer give his allegiance, then he must sever that allegiance.
Above all, One who betrays the Code of Spymasters betrays all Spymasters, and shall be hunted down and killed where found.
Customary Addendum. Those whose advisees publish their work widely, such as media organizations, are considered lesser Spymasters. Should they break the Code, they shall be dismissed their post and blacklisted, but not otherwise punished.
Spymaster’s World is my own take on the spy novel, with this Code of Honour as a theme.
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