Shadow of Mars and the intelligence risk of a stay-behind officer

In Shadow of Mars, a fleet withdraws to distract an approaching enemy and protect an evacuation convoy carrying thirty million civilians. Its operations officer is left with the prepared stay-behind force even though she knows the construction plans for the new fleet intended to retake the occupied planet. Her capture would therefore expose unusually sensitive information, and her unwillingness to sit idle under occupation adds to the danger. Alex Clarke argues that she is precisely the sort of officer specialized infantry should drag aboard before the evacuation. Glynn Stewart explains that the fleet's urgent departure protected the convoy, but reversed the intended personnel arrangement: the ambassador left while the operations officer stayed.