The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 16 – Breaching

 

Having spotted their target in the Blue Horizon, Lyris and Zerrad ordered another drink, while the latter sent an electronic signal to the Commander, and then they waited while Kurla got comfortable and during the next half hour the Skeets witnesses an array of wrong doing among the clientele, where a variety of contraband changed hands.

The undercover Legionnaire’s Chuto and Plimmy were both in sight, the former was sitting at the Bar and the latter was playing a gambling machine.

As it appeared that the entire criminal fraternity were present in the bar and the card games were well under way, with a lot of cash on the tables, so Lyris felt there was no reason to wait any longer so he nudged Zerrad and nodded to Chuto and Plimmy in turn and they made their way into the pre-arranged positions as Zerrad sent the go signal.

Zerrad was by the bar and would jump over the counter and prevent anyone from exiting through the door to the staff area and Plimmy would secure the exit via the kitchen and Chuto would zero in on Kurla.

The moment Zerrad sent the go signal Lyris walked towards the main entrance and the second he opened it to leave, the first squad of Legionnaire’s flooded in through the double doors.

The instant the first soldier appeared Chuto ran up the steps gun in hand and Zerrad slipped over the bar and blocked the doorway leading into the staff area.

“Nobody move” Chuto yelled and two of the card players leapt from the table and headed out the door to the garden only to reappear seconds later followed by twelve black clad Legionnaire’s.

Chuto headed back towards the bar just in time to see the “tattooed lady” climb over the bar but Zerrad shoved him back the way he came.

AaHannaa ran headlong for the kitchen door but Plimmy barred his way at the last moment and he ended up on his back on the floor.

Plimmy held his ground until Lt Nulak, tapped him on the shoulder, and the undercover Legionnaire shaped to throw a punch but pulled it at the last second.

“Sorry Sir!”

“That’s ok, thank you for not hitting me Plimmy”

 

While the Legion soldiers were securing the bar Lyris left the commotion in his wake and quickly made his way to the landing field, accompanied by two Legionnaires, to secure Kurla’s Spider Hawk Fighter to prevent him from beating a hasty retreat in the unlikely event that he slipped through the Legions net.

Lyris thought it unlikely that he would, but he went along with the plan because he wanted the opportunity to fly a Spider Hawk again.

When they got to the area of the field where the smaller craft were parked they soon found the one they were searching for but they also discovered that there were two men guarding it.

Lyris checked his run and was about to give his two escorts the command to deal with them when they both opened fire hitting the guards in the chest with a stun blast.

“Excellent” he said, “Now drag them clear so I don’t cremate them when I take off”

“Yes sir” they chorused

“Then conceal yourselves in case the owner comes looking for his “Bird”” Lyris said as he climbed aboard.

Once inside he was hit with a rush of nostalgia as memories flooded back to his consciousness.

“Hello baby” he said and sat himself at the controls and when he lifted off and hit the thrusters he let out a triumphant yell.

 

Back at the blue Horizon the whole operation lasted less than ten minutes and there were only a few minor injuries on both sides, it took four Soldiers to subdue Kurla Babic and it was only after he was hit with a pulse disruptor that he was finally overcome and arrested.

Of the Blue Horizon’s ninety-eight patrons present at the time of the raid twenty-seven were arrested for crimes committed in Legion territory and a further three who were wanted by the Mehreen Empire.

Among those arrested were “Lydia” and AaHannaa, “Lydia” for resisting arrest and AaHannaa for offences committed in six separate systems.

 

One miscreant caught in the raid, Chane Ritzian, was found in possession of several stolen items and some counterfeit currency.

When the various transports on the field were searched Ritzians was an Aladdin’s cave of contraband, so on the strength of the goods found in his cruiser the Legion searched every rathole and hovel in the system that he was known to frequent and they seized more currency, stolen property and weapons, they also found documents, which would lead them to search property’s all over Legion Space.

 

When Lyris landed the Spider Hawk next to the Tornado after going for a lengthy joyride he found Zerrad and the Commander in conversation next to the cargo ramp.

“Great work tonight Mr Skeet” the commander said slapping him on the back.

“Thanks, did you get Kurla?

“Yes, it all went like clockwork.” He answered rather enthusiastically. 

“Any objections to me keeping the Spider Hawk then?” he asked

“I think that might be arranged” the commander replied smiling wryly “Once it has been searched of course”

 

Lyris slapped his brother on the back, he never thought he had a hope in hell of keeping the fighter in fact he was half joking when he said it, and then Zerrad ran up the ramp and into the arms of a very relieved Malena.

Lyris then went to his quarters and contacted Asti Alegionaris via the Vidlink to reassure her that he was safe.

 

The Spider Hawk was duly searched but a thorough examination produced no significant finds.

Overall the Commander was very pleased with the operation in Odekka, however the most significant prize of that evening’s work had eluded him and his men.

They had Kurla Babic, who was highly prized by the Legion obviously, and AaHannaa who had been a thorn in their side for several years, but they hadn’t recovered what Kurla and his associates had stolen, part of the priceless and irreplaceable Gouveian Crown Jewels.