For Shiyne and Terrell
the time was passing by much too quickly at the cultural centre, amidst the
museums and art galleries, enjoying the sculptures and antiquities and they
doubted they would get to see all the places that they wanted to.
So, they decided to
forgo lunch or refreshments, this was a tough call for Shiyne as she had an
enormous appetite for such a small being.
But her appetite for
culture and knowledge was even more voracious.
By forgoing lunch,
they managed to view all the exhibits on their list without having to rush and
they were just walking towards the main thoroughfare where they alighted the
Hover Tram when they heard a voice
“Terrell is that you?”
And when they turned
around a smiling human was facing them.
“It is you” he
exclaimed and stepped forward to embrace Terrell
“My dear Zelen” he
said, “it’s wonderful to see you again so soon”
The man was Zelen who
Terrell considered to be a fellow journeyman and when they both found
themselves on Alwi they became very good friends.
After a moment or two
Terrell proudly introduced Shiyne to his friend and then there was more
embracing before Zelen said
“Do you have time to
share a glass?”
“I think we can make
time” Terrell replied looking at Shiyne who nodded in agreement, but she was a
little uneasy as she was certain that Zelen had something on his mind but she
couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
This was not mere intuition
on her part 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 work 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.
She was struggling
with Zelen because although he looked like a human he was in fact from Kelissa
and Kelissan’s were very closely related to humans but had some significant
physiological differences.
One of those being
that they had two brains, or perhaps more accurately their brains had two
halves, much like a human brain, but in the case of Kelissan’s the two
hemispheres were unconnected which was why she was unable to get the full
picture.
The conversation
stalled somewhat once they were seated in a crowded bar and it might well have
continued to stall had Shiyne not said out of the blue
“Something is
troubling you”
“Yes, I was just wondering how to phrase it
without causing offense” he said
“Speak freely we are
not easily offended” Terrell said
“Ok then I will begin
by saying that it is believed, and you need not confirm nor deny, but it is
believed that when the Tornado left Alwi it carried a passenger of Royal blood”
he began “bound for Delta 500 and once there the said Royal passenger or for
arguments sake let’s say, Princess, took her leave of the Tornado and her crew
and was promptly abducted by Ghambran agents”
“That all sounds very
feasible” Terrell said while Shiyne continued to scan Zelens complex mind.
“Ok then now allow me
to speak in hypothetical terms, firstly let’s say that persons unknown mounted
a rescue of the Princess, with great success, and made their escape on a
freighter after tricking the kidnappers into following the wrong ship into
hyperspace”
“Well that all sounds
very exciting” said Terrell “so is there to be a happy ending?”
“That is in… flux at
the moment” Zelen said
“How so?”
“Well the Princess was
by all accounts betrothed to Prefector Collis of Ghambra” he said
“Was?” retorted
Terrell
“Yes, it appears that
the Prefector is a very impatient man and although he was very taken with the
young Princess, he was not prepared to wait indefinitely and has wed another”
he explained
“So, there is to be a
happy ending then” Terrell said brightly
“Possibly” Zelen said
ominously
“Why?” Terrell asked
with suspicion
“It seems that even if
the Prefector has moved on his agents have not, and although they no longer
seek the Princess, they are hell bent on revenge for the humiliation they
endured” he said
“That’s not so good”
Terrell said
“Not at all my friend”
“It would be prudent
then to keep some distance between the fox and the hounds” Terrell added
“Yes, and if I were
the fox I would want to put as much distance between me and them as possible”
Zelen said
“It would be useful to
know where the hounds are” Terrell said
“Alas I am unable to
enlighten you on that matter” he responded and then added
“Well I’m afraid I
must take my leave of you”
He and Terrell stood
up and embraced
“Take care my friend”
“I will, it’s a big
Universe”
“Be safe in it” Zelen added
“And look after this beautiful you woman”
“I will” he replied
and then Zelen and Shiyne hugged
“Thank you Zelen” she
said
“So, what do you
think?” Terrell asked her once they were outside in the street again
“I think we need to
get back to the Stroller”
When they got back to
the Stroller the others were already aboard Shiyne and Terrell joined them
inside and then they gave an almost word for word account of the conversation
that past between them.
“That’s not good”
Zerrad said
“Not good at all”
Malena agreed “let’s gets back to the Tornado and update the others”
“Ok back to the ship
it is then” Shiyne said
When the Stroller got
back to the ship Shiyne reported to Merri and the Captain immediately called a
crew meeting in the mess room.
“So good news and bad
news” Merri said, “I had hoped we might be ok for a bit longer but apparently
not”
“Its great news that
they aren’t interested in Asti anymore at least” Lyris said “But it would have
been useful to know where the Ghambran’s are exactly”
“Zelen didn’t know
that” Terrell said
“He didn’t exactly say
that the Ghambran’s had lost interest in me” Asti pointed out “He just said
that the Prefector had found another wife”
“But you have no value
to them now” Lyris said
“They could still take
me back to Gouveia so my grandfather can offer me to someone else in marriage”
Asti said
“It won’t come to that”
Merri said
“It sounds as if they
aren’t going to give up looking for us though” Zerrad added
“What do you think
Bagg?” Merri asked
“I have no problem in believing
the Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus would feel sufficiently humiliated to want to
hunt us all down” he replied, “However I have two doubts, the first one is that
Prefector Collis will give them unlimited time to indulge their revenge, and
second that they are close enough to us to pose anywhere near an immediate
threat”
“But you don’t think
we are safe?” Shiyne said already knowing his answer
“Not entirely” he
replied, “So I think it would be prudent to move on to pastures new and
maintain the distance between us until they are finally recalled to Ghambra”
There was silence for
a few minutes before Malena broke it
“So where do we go?”
But there was only
silence in response until clicks and whirls began to emanate from Vanzyl which
were clearly directed at Pulsat
“Ok I speak” he said
and more clicks and whirls followed
“I telling, I telling”
Pulsat retorted and to the assemble group he explained
“Vanzyl say Eikon
cluster”
Then more clicks
“He say, plenty
planets, plenty people, plenty ships, plenty cargo”
“Eikon cluster” Parse
mused
“That’s not a bad
shout” Merri said
“Hiding in plain sight”
Bagg added
“Well done Vanzyl”
“Yes, well done” Merri
said and Vanzyl uttered a soft whistle like a plaintive flute, then he looked
at his friend and whistled again
“Head very big now”
Pulsat said and snorted
No comments:
Post a Comment