My feeling was that it was the same reason Solange was killed in "Casino Royale." Fields was with Bond, had been sent by MI6 to track him down, and Haines or someone else with Quantum was probably aware of that (just as Quantum was able to figure out that Vesper had been assigned to accompany Bond in "Casino Royale"). So Greene and his henchmen tracked her down in the hope of getting Bond. Then, when he wasn't there, she probably got treatment similar to Solange, and when she wouldn't give them what they wanted (Bond), they killed her.OK, since now everyone has commented on style, tradition and so on (or should I say, recited Forster et al), can someone please explain to me, why was Fields killed?
Why the oil? Must be an "in" joke with Quantum, since everyone thought that's what they were after with the Tierra Project.
I appreciate the effort, but then again, I think it is different. Solange did betray Demetrius (and the Organisation) and cheated on her husband. Her death was punishment, revenge and example-making.
I would get it if Quantum wanted to kill Bond, and since he was absent they killed Fields. And that they did it in a ceremonial way in order to let him get the point. But still, Fields was a nobody, and didn't deserve such an end. They didn't even know if Bond had any particular interest in her (I guess he didn't). And at that point, he had no clue about oil or water or whatever (or at least, so they thought).
At the best of cases, the choice is weak. Typical example of style over substance. A kind of writing typical of Purvis and Wade.