It had not
been an entirely uneventful time aboard the Tempest Class Freighter, Tornado,
on the journey to Delta 500, but not in a bad way, there were no hostile
run-ins with Scav Raiders as they crossed the Cammaratian System, the only
attacks came courtesy of cupids arrows, which well and truly found their marks.
And all
those strikes occurred between the occupants of sickbay, where Zerrad Skeet was
recovering from a Laser wound to the abdomen under the watchful and concerning
gaze of Malena Endia and while Sciberran Healer Terrell Vorton brought Zerrad
back from the brink of death he lost his heart to the Tornado’s Navigator
Shiyne.
The rest of
the freighters occupants were ship’s Captain Merionwen Strong, pilot Lyris
Skeet, Engineers Pulsat Rad and Vanzyl, Visitor Parham known as Bagg and one
passenger Asti who was getting off at their destination.
So with
Merri piloting and Lyris in the co-pilot seat she used the Tornado’s four
vertical take-off jumper engines which were engaged and the Tempest class
freighter landed softly in the space dock.
It wasn’t a
huge ship as freighters go but pound for pound The Tempests had the highest
freight to fuel ratio yield of their class.
The front
section comprised of a sizable pressurized hold for large freight accessed via
a front loading ramp, above which was the flight deck, living and sleeping
quarters, mess facilities and bath rooms, at the rear was the main propulsion
and amidships were the universal pod bays, which allowed for a mixed cargo
option, which allowed for quick inspection and loading, although sometimes pods
were sealed which meant it was either very valuable or very illegal, either way
Merri didn’t mind and transporting sealed cargo paid much much better.
But this
time there was no dodgy cargo so they lowered the three pods ready for
unloading.
The Tornado
always flew with at least one pod but then that was because it was where they
stowed their gear and where the hidden compartments could be found, or not,
which was where they hid the contraband, or even fugitives when necessary.
Terrell
stayed in sickbay with his patient and Malena volunteered to supervise the
unloading so she could stay close by and Pulsat and Vanzyl took advantage of
the engines being offline to do some routine maintenance.
While the
cargo was unloaded Shiyne drove the stroller down the front ramp and everyone
else stood in a group waiting to board.
The moment
the Stroller came to a halt the remainder of the crew plus Asti the passenger
climbed aboard and Merri got in the passenger seat beside Shiyne.
“Drop me at
the commerce wing” Merri said
“You’re not
coming with us?” Bagg asked
“I’m afraid
not, so while you lot get to enjoy yourselves in the Mall I’m going to be sat
in the space port office looking for our next job”
“Can anyone
else hear violins?” Lyris asked
“Very
funny” She said “Drop me up here on the left”
Shiyne
brought the Stroller to a halt and Merri climbed down and before she closed the
door she shouted up
“Pick me up
on the way back and make sure you pick me up some prime steak”
“Will do
Captain” Shiyne said and Merri slammed the door shut.
As Shiyne
drove off again she said
“Remind me
again what a violin is?”
Shiyne
parked the Stroller as close to the Mall as possible and then they all decamped
and walked towards the sound of chattering commerce and they had just entered
the throng when a huge cloaked figure approached
“Princess
Asti!” he called
“Oh God
they’ve found me” Asti exclaimed and backed away to hide behind Lyris
He was
clearly Gouveian as she was but he was huge in stature, stand 6 foot 8 high and
he was broad and powerfully built, his hair was short, curly and the colour of
burnished steel, ivory skin and mercury coloured eyes, an altogether striking
figure.
“Don’t be
afraid Princess?” the man said
“Princess?”
Lyris asked
“Yes
Princess Asti Alegionaris, youngest granddaughter of the Regent of Gouveia” he
replied
“And who
might you be?” Lyris asked
“Parse
Sacrod, Legionnaire of the Royal Guard” he said proudly
“My family
have sent you to find me” Asti said
“Well I’m
not going back”
“Is this
true, you’ve been chasing her?” Shiyne asked
“No, no,
it’s not like that” Parse said
“They
didn’t send me after you to take you back”
“So why are
you here?” Asti asked
“Your
mother asked me to follow to make sure you came to no harm, that’s all” he
explained
“She’s on
your side, she doesn’t want you to marry some old man, which you neither know
nor love”
“He’s
telling the truth” Shiyne said
“Marry?”
Lyris asked
“Yes I’m
betrothed to Prefector Collis of Ghambra” she said
“A very old
and by all accounts very unpleasant man, and I’m not doing it”
Just at
that moment a transit shuttle arrived and disgorged its passengers so Asti took
her chance and ran and although he tried to keep his eyes on her Lyris lost
sight of her in the melee as another shuttle arrived and everyone decanted from
it.
“We must go
after her” Parse said
“You didn’t
just come here protect her from harm did you” Shiyne said
“No I’m
also here to warn her” he admitted
“About
what?” Lyris asked
“The
Prefector is not so understanding is he?” Visitor Parham reflected
“No he is
not” Parse admitted “He wants her and he will stop at nothing to get her”
“How did
you find her so easily?” Lyris asked
“She has a
subdermal tracker” Parse replied
Parse and
Lyris spent the next hour tracking Asti around Delta 500 while Shiyne and Bagg
made the necessary purchases at the Mall,
It wasn’t
an easy task because being so tiny Asti was not easy to keep in sight at all
time, she was also very fleet of foot and they struggled more than once to keep
up with her fortunately they had Parse’s scanner.
But when
they finally got within striking distance of her they were just in time to
witness her abduction.
Two men, one
either side of her, grabbed her and bundled her unceremoniously into a waiting
vehicle, one was tall and heavy set the other shorter and leaner.
“We’re too late” Parse said “They’ve got her”
“Who are
they?”
“Ghambran
agents sent by Prefector Collis, those two are Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus, I
didn’t get a look at the driver” He replied sombrely “I have to rescue her”
“We, have
to rescue her” Lyris corrected him, but for now we need to know where they’ve
taken her”
“Ok, let’s
go” Parse said
“No you
stay here” Lyris corrected him “you stand out too much, I’ll meet you back at
the Stroller”
The giant
Legionnaire had no argument so he just nodded and Lyris set off at a run,
fortunately because of the crowds the vehicle hadn’t got far and was making
slow progress and as there was only one way they could go from there he decided
to press on up the thoroughfare and get ahead of them.
With
regular glances over his should to make sure they didn’t deviate he reached the
Mall exit and secured himself a “Pediscoot” which was a single person two
wheeled ride and waited until the bushwhackers caught up with him and then when
they passed he fell in behind them.
There was
sufficient traffic to ensure he didn’t stand out but not enough to threaten the
success of his surveillance and he was rewarded with the location of their ship
after about fifteen minutes.
The ship
was a Scorpion Cruiser, small fast and well-armed, a popular choice among men
of importance and unlimited funds.
Lyris kept
watch from a safe distance as the two men that snatched Asti manhandled her up
the ships tail ramp.
The driver
followed on and there was a fourth man at the top of the ramp and they were all
laughing as they pushed the tiny figure of Asti inside.
He couldn’t
hear her but he imagined she was giving them all an un-princess like tongue
lashing.
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