In the
early hours of the morning after Asti was abducted Malena was in the sickbay
reassuring Zerrad that she would be perfectly safe
“I don’t
like it” he said
“There’s
nothing to worry about” she said
“I know
Lyris remember” he pointed out “he’s reckless, that’s why I’m worried”
“You also
know Merri and she’s not reckless” Malena said “And the Doc is coming too and
he is the epitome of cautious good sense, ok? Now give me a kiss”
So Zerrad
complied with her demand and then watched her leave with a heavy heart.
Already
outside, pacing up and down, was Lyris Skeet, who didn’t normally get involved
in other people’s problems but since Merion and her crew had put themselves in
danger to save him and his brother he had changed his philosophy, so he would
have helped Asti even if he hadn’t fancied the pants off her.
It was not
normal behaviour for him to become infatuated in such a short space of time and
based on only a handful of very short meetings, but he had done with her.
Not that he
stood a chance because she was beautiful, classy, well educated, feisty, funny
and wicked smart.
He was
after all little more than a reformed smuggler, and she was a Princess, so he
would never have made an advance towards her in fear of being shot down in
flames but now he had a chance to be her knight in shining armour.
All though
it was 3am there were still as many people milling around as there had been
earlier in the day, in space, with no night and day, the conventional clock
didn’t really mean much in terms of waking and sleeping hours.
With the
exception of Zerrad, who was still confined to his sick bed, and Pulsat and
Vanzyl who were preparing the ship for departure everyone gathered on the deck
beside the Stroller and Merri addressed Bagg
“We won’t
be needing the services of a Visitor this morning”
“There is
always a need for man of God” he retorted
“We’re not
looking for convert’s Brother” she said
“Nonetheless
I’m coming” he insisted
“Alright”
Merri said “But don’t get in the way”
So they
boarded the stroller and drove to hanger 34 and parked up as close to the
Ghambran’s Scorpion as they could without drawing attention to themselves.
“Right does
everyone know what they have to do?” Merri asked and they all murmured a
response
“I want no
gun play unless absolutely necessary” she added looking directly at Lyris
“Why are
you looking at me?” he retorted
“I wonder,
Cowboy” she said “And Beefy, no attracting unwanted attention”
Before
Parse had chance to object she added
“Ok let’s
go”
Once
outside they stayed in the shadows and Merri whispered to Shiyne
“Is she
still aboard?”
Shiyne
closed her eyes and tuned her mind in and scanned the ship and after a few
moments she smiled.
“Well?”
Lyris asked
“Yes she’s
there and she’s as mad as a hornet” she replied and they all laughed
“Ok settle
down now” Merri said as she looked over at the ship.
There was
one guard by the ramp but they knew there were others on board
“Go and do
your thing Shiyne”
The Vann
telepath invaded the guards mind and when she had control of him she stealthily
crossed the open ground and stood to one side of the ramp, then under her
control he stepped towards her.
“Are you
sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Parse asked
“No just
stay here and pretend to be a soldier” Merri retorted
“I am a
soldier” he pointed out
“Good you
can guard Brother Bagg, Ok Doc we’re on” Merri said and she Malena, Terrell and
Lyris quickly joined Shiyne by the ramp, but out of sight of the door
Once they
were concealed Shiyne quietly said to the guard
“There is a
problem with the port engine, call you friend, then go to the engine”
Without
showing any emotion he turned and called up the ramp in his native tongue and
then walked slowly towards the engine but after three paces Terrell dispatched
him with an injection to the neck and he crumpled to the floor.
A minute
later the other guard emerged onto the ramp and Shiyne immediate took control
of his mind and lead him to the same fate as his compatriot.
With the
two guards safely unconscious Merri withdrew her sidearm and gestured for them
to follow and Parse and Bagg watched as they disappeared from view.
Once inside
the Scorpion they proceed quietly into the bowels of the vessel.
“Where is
she?” Merri asked
“Beyond the
main cabin, in a sleeping berth, she’s bound and gagged” Shiyne replied
As they
pressed forward they suddenly heard footsteps above their heads which then
proceeded down the stairs and the owner of those footfalls was Vint Reganus the
smaller of the two abductors and the moment he set foot on the deck Malena put
a gun in his face and gestured with her finger for silence.
“Where’s
the other one?” Merri asked adding her own gun to his already nervous field of
vision and he nodded in the direction of the main cabin.
Shiyne
nodded her agreement so Merri gestured to Terrell who struck with his needle
again.
But before
Vint hit the floor Malena touched his arm and she instantly transformed into
the Ghambran and she was an exact copy down to every blemish and flaw, pulled thread
and tarnished button.
As an
Obgaronian shape shifter she could transform at will but she could only shift
into a being she had touched.
Only the
briefest moment was required and then it was in her memory banks and could be
recalled when required.
She could
also manipulate that memory and add or subtract from it for example in her
everyday life she chose to take the form of a 27 year old human whom she met on
a remote mining colony when she first entered Legion space, but she chose to be
the human girl and wear clothes on that form but it wasn’t necessary and that
night for the rescue mission she chose to simulate her clothes in case she
needed to shift, it would have looked very odd indeed if Vint Reganus was
wearing girls clothes.
The
necessity for her to shape shift was so she could get into the main cabin
without raising the alarm and distract Maxil just long enough for Shiyne to
paralyze him.
He was cut
from different cloth to Vint and wouldn’t be so susceptible to suggestion so
she was going to paralyze his voice box and the nerve endings in his neck so he
couldn’t move.
But she had
to be in close proximity to the target for that to work hence the need for
Malena to shape shift.
Malena
opened the door and stepped inside without speaking and took two steps forward
before Shiyne stepped out from her shadow and although Maxil opened his mouth
to speak, no sound came out, and then Lyris, Merri and Terrell rushed in behind
them.
“Where
now?” Merri asked
“This way”
Shiyne said and lead the way
“Terrell, if
he makes a move stick him with the needle” Merri said
“Pleasure”
he retorted
Shiyne
opened the cabin door and as she foretold, Asti was lying on the bed with her
hands tied behind her back and a gag in her mouth, then Lyris pushed past her
and took out his knife.
“Let’s get
these bonds off” he said gently as the blade severed the ropes, then he
sheathed the knife and untied her gag.
“Are you
ok?” he asked as she sat up and rubbed her wrists
“I am now”
she replied and wrapped her arms around his neck
“Ok cowboy
put her down and let’s get out of here” Merri said
First they
returned to the main cabin where Terrell was still standing with a needle to
Maxil’s neck under the watchful gaze of Malena who had shifted back to her
former self.
Merri lead
the way back the way they entered, followed by Malena and then Asti who
suddenly stopped and yelled
“You
bastard” and spun round and delivered a roundhouse kick to Maxil’s head and
rendered him unconscious
“Sweet”
Lyris said “Now let’s get out of here”
Outside on
the deck Parse and Bagg were waiting anxiously for the raiding party to return
when another Ghambran guard approached and when he saw his two countrymen lying
unconscious beside the ship he drew his weapon and started up the ramp.
“Shit”
Parse exclaimed “Start praying Brother Bagg”
For a huge
man Parse was incredibly light on his feet and he closed the distance between
himself and the Ghambran very quickly but not before he had opened fire on the
boarding party.
But the
moment he reached him he knocked the gun from his hand and grabbed him around
the neck and in a matter of moments he had the man by the throat and was
holding him two feet off the floor, but what he couldn’t see was a fourth guard
who was approaching him on his blind side with a large curved knife in his hand
which he was going to thrust it in Parse’s back until Bagg hit him soundly on
the head with his staff rendering him unconscious and bloody.
“Way to go
Bagg” Merri said as Malena helped her down the ramp”
“You can
put him down now Beefy, and pick me up instead”
She had a
Pulsar strike on the thigh and couldn’t support her own weight
“Ok” he
said and dropped the guard unceremoniously on the desk “And scooped her up in
his arms and carried her to the Stroller and Bagg and Asti followed in their
wake while Lyris, Malena and Terrell dragged the unconscious bodies inside the
Scorpion.
When
everyone was aboard the stroller Terrell began attending to the wound on
Merri’s thigh.
“Ok let’s
move it” she said through gritted teeth and held Parse’s hand and winced with
pain as Terrell cut the fabric away.
“How is
it?” Malena asked
“Not good”
Terrell said “So straight to sickbay when we get aboard”
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