The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 11 – A to Z

 

Merri entered the atmosphere of Achrem with her piloting and Shiyne in the co-pilot seat and she used the Tornado’s four vertical take-off jumper engines and landed softly on the landing field outside the town of Odekka and there were already several other ships, of all shapes and sizes, parked on the field.

 

When the freighters ramp lowered Zerrad and Malena walked down it holding hands followed by Lyris driving the Tornado’s APMTV, (All Purpose Multi Terrain Vehicle), nicknamed the “Stroller”.

The moment it came to a halt Zerrad kissed Malena and then climbed aboard.

“Behave yourselves” Malena called

“Yes mum” Lyris replied

 

After watching the Stroller drive away Malena sighed and then ran up the ramp, once inside she hit the button and the ramp closed behind her then she opened comms to the flight deck.

“Good to go Captain”

“Ok, stand by” Merri said from the left seat and co-pilot Shiyne monitored the instruments the Tornado’s four vertical take-off jumper engines were engaged and the Tempest Class freighter lifted off.

 

The reason the Tornado took off and left the Skeets behind was that Achrem had a very mountainous terrain and as one of their deliveries was to a remote and ancient mountain monastery housing an order of Algarvian Monks, and because there was nowhere to land the Tornado it could only be reached by road so the delivery had to be made in the Stroller.

 

So, the Tornado left the brothers in Odekka and set off to make the short run to neighbouring Zenden to make their delivery.

By the time they left the atmosphere Shiyne sat in the Navigator’s chair plotting a course for Zenden and when she was done she said

“Course plotted and stored”

“Ok let’s go” Merri said from the left seat and co-pilot Malena engaged the Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines and they headed into space.

They were making good time and were just passing Zenden’s moon Linden when Shiyne said

“I’m picking up something on the scanners”

“What exactly?” Merri asked

“I don’t know, I can’t identify it, we’re being jammed”

“Use your other scanner then” Merri said, which of course meant that Shiyne should use her telepathic gift, because Shiyne was a Vann and all of the Vann were telepaths, by varying degrees, and many of them left their home world at some point to use their gifts to earn a wage.

Those at the zenith of their talents worked as corporate negotiators or in the justice systems of the Legion. 

Shiyne was a Vann with mid-range capabilities and she could read most species to some extent, her skills were limited with the more sophisticated or complex brains, lesser minds were easier for her to explore.

In addition to reading minds she could also implant thoughts and the suggestions would stay in place longer with someone who was more intellectually challenged.

But in this instance, it was her reading skills that were required.

“Roger that” she responded and closed her eyes and it only took her thirty seconds before she added

“Got them”

“Who?” Malena asked fearing an attack

“Legion” she replied, “a squadron of six Firedarts and a Blaze Command Ship”

“What do they want with us?” Merri asked

“They’re searching for someone” she replied

“Parse and Asti?” Merri asked with alarm

“No, but its someone they want really bad” Shiyne said and then a moment later she added “we have an incoming message”

“Put it on speaker” Merri said

“This is Commander Emad Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica, cut your main engines and prepare to be boarded”

“Just in case get Parse and Asti into pod 4” Merri said and then she opened the mic

“Captain Strong responding, message received, cutting engines and standing by”

As Shiyne had determined that Parse Sacrod and Asti Alegionaris were not the targets it was merely precaution to hide them in Cargo Pod 4.

Parse was still technically a Legionnaire of the Royal Guard of Gouveia, but he also knew they were not searching for him and similarly the diminutive Princess Asti was no longer on the wanted list.

But they did know that there were Ghambran agents, bent on revenge, were searching for them and although he no longer wore the Legionnaire’s uniform he was clearly Gouveian and as he was huge in stature, standing 6 feet 8 high, broad and powerfully built, curly burnished steel hair, ivory skin and mercury coloured eyes, he was still a very striking figure.

For her part Asti had forsaken her Princess wardrobe and wore very unprincess like clothes and didn’t look much like a Princess anymore after she cut her platinum hair, her beautiful face with its ivory skin and silver eyes she was still unmistakably Princess Asti especially to a Legion Commander so for safety’s sake they had to hide themselves.

Because with the Ghambran’s searching for them, scouring every eatery and bar for the smallest snippet of information and there was nothing more reliable that a drunken Legionnaire at spreading rumours so they wanted to make sure the Legion didn’t know about them any sooner than was necessary.

The Tornado was flying with four cargo pods but they always kept one pod free 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 and in this case, it was used to hide Parse and Asti.

“Don’t make a sound” Malena said as she closed the compartment then with the help of the heavy-set engineer Pulsat, she rearranged the gear to conceal the door.

Once they had finished, Pulsat closed the pod door and Malena contacted the flight deck.

“Gear stored Captain” 

“Ok Mal, stand by the docking port” Merri replied just as the Legion Firedarts took up station around the Tornado, one to Port, Starboard, Forward, Aft and two stationed above.

There were two docking rings on the Tornado to facilitate transfers to and from the freighter while in space, one in the belly below the loading bay and the other was amidships above the cargo bays which was also the mooring point for shuttles or ancillary craft.

Merri had killed the engines and was using the thrusters to hold the ship steady as the Legion Blaze Command vessel maneuvered into position and locked on to the belly docking ring.

 

When the hatch opened Merri had joined Malena and was waiting to greet their visitor

“Welcome aboard Commander” she said 

“I’m Captain Strong”

“Let’s go to the flight deck” he responded curtly “we’re going to land on Linden where you will be searched and inspected”

“Ok then follow me” she responded

 

As Malena piloted the Tornado to the surface Commander Salmin examined their paperwork.

“Is this it?” he asked

“Yes, we’re new to the Eikon Cluster” she replied

“I see” he muttered and didn’t speak again until they landed

“You and your crew will wait in the mess while the vessel is searched” he said and left the flight deck  

 

In the mess Bagg was performing his familiar role as provider of scones and coffee.

“So, what are they searching for?” Malena asked as she wiped her mouth on her napkin and Bagg refilled her coffee mug.

“They’re searching for someone called Kurla” Shiyne said as she slavered jam onto her fourth scone.

“Why they want?” Pulsat asked

Shiyne closed her eyes for a full five minutes

“It’s no use I can’t get a clear read, but I think he has something they want back, something very precious, and valuable beyond price, but I can’t see what”

She said and then put a piece of scone in her mouth

 

The Tornado was sat on the surface of Linden for two hours when Commander Salmin entered the mess and said

“That smell is amazing”

“There are plenty to go around” Bagg said “Please sit”

“So, you are a Visitor and a cook” he said

“I feed the soul and the body in equal measure” Bagg said and the Commander laughed

“Well Captain I’m pleased to say that the cargo all checks out against the Manifest and everything appears to be in order” he said

“That’s good to know” Merri said

“However,” he said, “You appear to have more quarters than you have crew and those quarters appear to be lived in”

“The rest of the crew are on Achrem in the APMTV making a delivery in the mountains” Merri explained and he nodded sagely as he bit into one of Bagg’s scones

“That is amazing” he said, “What do you call it?”

“Scones” Bagg replied

“Perhaps you would like to take a batch back to your ship”

“I would like that very much” he said and licked jam off his lips

 

After a very satisfied Legion Commander took his leave of them Merri said

“Let’s get this bird back in space soonest”

And ten minutes later Merri sat in the pilot seat and nodded to co-pilot Malena who used the Tornado’s four vertical take-off jumper engines to lift the Tempest class freighter off the surface and a few minutes later they were back in space and on the way to Zenden.