The Tornado Sojourns (3) – Chapter 04 – Protection

 

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. 

 

It was eight months after Bagg and landlady of the Visitors Rest, Wisma Berita, had been an item, and was more than a month since the Tornado had last touched down on Eikon Minor, so Bagg was eager to see her. 

 

It was the rainy season and it was falling in torrents, so because of the weather it was a quiet night in the “Rest” even for a Tuesday, week nights were normally quieter as the Legionnaire’s from the nearby Garrison were only allowed off base on the weekends, but that night it was quieter than usual and the time hung heavy for Wisma as she knew the Tornado was due, well overdue to be precise, and as they approached closing time there was only Wisma and barmaid Zydia plus a handful of regulars.

 

Due to the bad weather it took longer than usual to get clearance to land and get unloaded so Bagg was late leaving the landing field, very late in fact, everyone was ready to turn in but he persuaded Parse to drive him to the bar so he could see Wisma.

As they drove slowly through the filthy weather and were about three hundred yards from the “Rest” when something in the road caught their attention, a man was running blindly in their direction, which given the rain was not particularly noteworthy, but this individual didn’t look like he was running to get out of the rain, and as he got nearer they realized that they knew the rain soaked man, it was one of the regular customers from the “Rest”, Rowyn.

Parse brought the Stroller to a halt and jumped down and Bagg followed.

It was more of a step down for Parse as the Gouveian 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, and the altogether striking figure soon had the wet man’s complete attention.

“Hey Rowyn, what’s wrong?” Parse asked

“There’s trouble at the bar, bad trouble, they’re smashing the place up” he spurted out.

“Alright, leave it to us” the big Gouveian said

They got back in the Stroller and Parse started the engine while Bagg contacted the Tornado and the Skeet brothers said they would be right behind them.

 

The Stroller pulled up sharp outside the bar and the two men decamped and ran in and the scene that confronted them was one of devastation, tables and chairs had been turned over and there was broken glass everywhere.

Bagg had eyes only for Wisma and found her in the back-consoling Zydia.

Parse mean while perused the damage and a few minutes later the Skeets came through the door weapons in hand and after surveying the scene Lyris said

“Holy war”

“Nothing holy about this mess” Parse said just as Bagg reappeared

“Everyone ok?” he asked, and Bagg gave a reassuring nod and said

“Zydia’s a bit shaken up but Wisma’s fine”

Bagg looked around

“I’ll call the Prefects” Parse said,   

“Wisma doesn’t want to report it” Bagg replied

“Why?”

“Firstly there isn’t much point, they’ve long gone anyway and the girls said they didn’t go anywhere a customer couldn’t go, so there’s no evidence to be had” Bagg said “but mainly she doesn’t want any record of an incident that could cause the Legion to make the bar “off limits””

Parse nodded his understanding, and knew they would have to take matters into their own hands, then he said

“Have you got a recorder on you Lyris?”

“Yes” he replied

“Ok get images of everything and you and Zerrad can speak to everyone that was in the bar, and old Rowyn, he’s the one that alerted us” Parse said and they both nodded

 

When they had finished Zerrad took Zydia home and when he returned he found Wisma, Bagg and his brother Lyris had made significant inroads in clearing the mess, so Zerrad slipped off his coat and joined them, and when everything was shipshape they all sat down and had coffee.

“So, what happened?” Parse asked, “What set them off?”

“Four men against two women and a handful of old soaks, not very brave were they?” Bagg mused

“They wanted protection money” Wisma said “and I said no”

The four of them were visibly shocked, and the Parse asked

“They demanded money? Out of the blue?”

“Not really, two of them came in last week, but I thought they were just chancing their arms because I was a woman” she said.

“So, I thought no more about it”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Bagg asked

“I really didn’t think they were going to do anything, if I had I would have told you, I’m not a fool” she replied and Bagg held her hand

“Attempting to get protection money from a bar frequented by Legionnaires is very bold” Lyris said

“Or very stupid” Zerrad pointed out

“Unlikely to be locals” Bagg said

“They must be “off worlder’s” trying their luck”

“That seems most likely” Parse agreed

“They smashed up the place, so I would know they were serious, they’ve given me two days” Wisma said

“They’ll be in for the money after closing on Thursday night”

“Well we’d better make them welcome then” Parse said

“Indeed, we will” the Skeets added

“What are you going to do?” Wisma asked

“Well first of all we need to get to the Tornado and speak to Merionwen, because if anyone can come up with a fool proof plan she can” Bagg said

“I don’t want anyone getting hurt on my account” Wisma said

“No one will get hurt” he reassured her “Merri is good at this stuff”

The Tornado Sojourns (3) – Chapter 03 – Picnic

It was a bright summer morning as the Tornado’s APMTV, (All Purpose Multi Terrain Vehicle) turned off the main road onto a quiet lane lined with age-old trees that formed a canopy above them.

It was like driving through a tunnel, the foliage was so thick, and the leaves defused the sunlight and dappled the road surface with spots of golden light.

The APMTV was nicknamed the “Stroller” which was an ironic name because when Shiyne or Merri were behind the wheel it did anything but stroll, but on that morning the former was under strict instructions to drive sensibly, at least while Wisma Berita was aboard.

All of the crew were aboard, with the exception of Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were already engrossed in the repair to one of the Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines, the damage to which was what had facilitated their extended stay on Eikon Minor, as they going on to the Baringita plains, about an hour beyond the lake, to test drive their recently acquired Hover Dirt Craft, which was a two seater, tandem recreation vehicle.

Apart from being a mad driver Shiyne was a Vann Telepath and was stunningly beautiful despite being completely bald, with cerise coloured skin and purple eyes, but she didn’t need her telepathic gift to detect the strong feelings between Bagg and Wisma.

Nor did she need Wisma to verbalize her direction as she could read her very clearly, but Wisma didn’t know that.

“The turning is just ahead” Wisma said “there’s the sign”

Wisma was navigating as she knew the area very well as visiting the lake had been a large part of her childhood.

High above sunbeams burst through the canopy and illuminated the sign which read “Lake Tranquil”, so Shiyne turned left into a small, deserted pot-holed clearing, which obviously served as a vehicle park.

“We have arrived” Wisma said and smiled at Bagg who returned her smile with interest.

The moment the Stroller came to a halt Bagg climbed down and then took Wisma’s hand as he helped her down, and after Parse had handed him the picnic basket, he said goodbye and closed the door, then paused to look at his companion with pride, before taking her hand again and heading along the path that lead away from the clearing.

After five minutes they emerged from the wood and Bagg caught his first look at the lake, and he was instantly struck by its beauty.

He couldn’t believe he had never been there before in all the times the Tornado had been visiting Gipki.

It was not of course the first time that Wisma had viewed it, but it was however the first time she had seen it while holding the hand of a man she loved.

“The best picnic spots are on the other side” she said and he nodded and they walked towards the head of the Lake where it was fed by a stream.

Breathing fresh air, feeling the sun on his face and the breeze off the water were all the things he missed when he was aboard ship.

When they reached the stream there was a stone bridge that crossed it, Bagg paused briefly before crossing and turned to look across the lake and was again struck by the beauty of the natural scene, it was very pleasing to the eye, then he turned and looked at Wisma and thought that she too was pleasing to the eye and then still holding her hand they continued across the bridge.

 

It appeared that they had the lake to themselves so Bagg allowed Wisma to guide him and choose a suitable spot where he then laid out a plaid picnic blanket

“Milady may now be seated”

“Why thank you sir” she said and sat down gracefully

Bagg opened the basket and produced a bottle of wine, which he took down to the water’s edge, and after tying a piece of string to the neck he lowered it into the water and tied the string to a low branch, before joining Wisma on the blanket.

 

After about ninety minutes of amiable conversation, while taking in the lakeside scenery Bagg said

“I think that wine will be ready to drink”

“Oh good, I’m parched” she said and began unpacking the basket while Bagg got the wine.

 

They spent all day by the lake and couldn’t believe the time when Shiyne contacted Bagg on the comms to say they were already waiting for them in the clearing.

“My goodness” she said “Where did the time go?”

“I don’t know” he said “But losing all that time was very pleasant”

“Yes it was” she agreed and then they quickly packed everything away and walked back the way they came, holding hands again.

 

When they got back aboard the Stroller they found the crew in a boisterous mood, covered in dirt, dust and even a bit of blood and doubtless beneath the grime there was also to be some considerable bruising, and were all eager to regale them with tales of their exploits on the Hover Dirt Craft, which was apparently also dirty battered and bruised.

 

Bagg and Wisma thought their first date, which was how the crew described it, was a great success, so they made plans for a second and a third.

Whenever the Tornado was on Eikon Minor the two of them were virtually inseparable and both of them were amazed by that and the fact that she had found love again and he for the first time.

Over the months, that love deepened, possibly because of the periods of time they were apart, but they tried not to analyze it, but they did have discussions on the matter of how the relationship might develope.

In particular whether he should give up his nomadic existence to spend more time with her or should she give up the bar to travel with him, although for the time being they concluded they should just maintain the status quo. 

The Tornado Sojourns (3) – Chapter 02 – The Visitors Rest

 

Visitors were a Christian sect who took to the stars with the first migrants to visit new worlds, spreading the word while seeking enlightenment, and they had established Visitor enclaves in every corner of the known universe, they even thrived in Mehreen space and they were the least spiritual beings to ever draw breath.

The difference between Visitors and the established Christian Church on earth was its spontaneity, they didn’t wait until Sunday to worship, they did it wherever and whenever it was desired, and it didn’t need to happen in a church, Visitors worshipped everywhere.

Visitor Parham felt blessed, and thanked God for placing him on Alwi at the moment of Merionwen Strong’s great need, and for facilitating his enrolment on the crew of the Tornado.

Which had given him new purpose in life at the time he was floundering, he felt needed on the freighter, admittedly more for his cooking than his ministering, but it felt good for him to be part of something.

Bagg, as he liked to be known, left his home world, Mars, as a young man and set off into the stars to spread the word, and he had never returned, and was still travelling thirty years later, and he had a lot to be thankful for, being part of the Tornado family for one and being reacquainted with his brother Trebreh and his family for another.

 

When you were a Visitor, meeting family was one of the rarest of occasions, when there were two Visitors in one family they were almost impossible.

Apart from his brother Trebreh, who he hadn’t seen for twelve years, and his wife Xandra there was her brother Ale, who was his boyhood friend and a host of nephews and nieces whom he had not met before, in the agrarian settlement of Montrose on Eirkos, where he and the crew were regular visitors.

But after being reunited with his family he found himself, for the first time in his life, regretting not having a wife and children of his own, thought his regret was short lived as he had enough blessings in his life to count, he did though occasionally feel lonely, especially on a ship full of couples, rare though those times were, but he always found cooking a batch of scones helped.

 

On the Tornado crew’s first visit to Eikon Minor they went into town of Gipki, they all went off in different directions, with different needs to fill and as he often did, Bagg headed for the market place and went in search of the herbs, spices, dried and desiccated fruits that he needed to replenish his cupboards.

He loved markets, even if he didn’t need many provisions he would never give up an opportunity to stroll around among the abundance of food stuffs on offer and allow him to indulge his passion for the exotic foods, and his vocation in one fell swoop and when he had completed his task he headed for the rendezvous point, which was a bar and restaurant.

He grew a couple more inches when he saw that the hostelry was named The Visitors Rest, and it quickly became a regular spot for him and the crew.

But the Visitors Rest didn’t take on its true significance for him until the day he met the new owner Wisma Berita, because that was the day he fell in love for the first time.

 

Wisma Berita was a mature woman a year or two younger than him and the first time he saw her he was smitten, she was certainly not in the first flush of youth, and she was a widow who had bought the pub from her brother in law, the previous owner, who had retired after a health scare.

Wisma was no stranger to hospitality, she had been doing it since she was a girl and that was where she had met her husband, and they had run a place together until he died and then she had run a bar on her own as well since, though not anywhere near the size of the Rest.

She could quite easily have lived a comfortable life with her inheritance, but chose to work instead, and she chose Gipki because that was where she had been born and raised.

 

Bagg was beyond fifty in years with long white hair and a short trimmed beard, tall and disproportionately thin, but cut an impressive figure in his full length pale blue robe, tied at the waist with a royal blue cord and this was beneath a full length dark blue leather jerkin, and he carried a simple roughhewn staff which was undecorated but for a carved cruciform relief a few inches from the top.

Wisma was still a very attractive woman, 5ft 6 inches tall with nice legs and a trim figure, and kaleidoscopic hair, which could appear, red, blonde, brown, blue, or black depending upon which angle you were seeing it from.

They hit it off immediately, maybe it was because they shared a similar sense of humour, the same faith and a love of cooking, but in truth their mutual attraction was due to more than them having a lot in common.

When they were on Eikon Minor he found himself spending more and more time in the “Rest” and Wisma spent the time he wasn’t in there wishing that he was, and it went on that way for several months until one day when he was in the bar for lunch, after neglecting to walk the market again.

He was sat at a table with the Skeet brothers, Lyris and Zerrad and the latter had noticed the way Bagg and Wisma were together and couldn’t understand why neither of them had taken the next step.

The crew aboard the Tornado were not averse to a bit of match making and had tried to find Bagg a good woman but to no avail, because he hadn’t been interested, in fact, Wisma was the first woman Bagg had been even remotely interested in since he’d been aboard the Tornado.

But it was difficult as he and the crew lived such a nomadic lifestyle so Bagg thought there seemed little chance for them.

However, on that occasion it was not a flying visit to the planet, as due to a coming together between the Tornado and some space junk one of the Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines sustained some damage which resulted in the Tornado having to stay on Eikon Minor for three days longer than usual.

Which was why, as they were waiting for the food to arrive, Zerrad steered the conversation towards the weather.

“It’s beautiful out there today” he said

“Yes” Bagg agreed “It is”

“It should be good for the next couple of days too” Lyris said

“Yes” he agreed again

“I know what I’d be doing if we didn’t have repairs to make”

“What’s that then?” Bagg asked

“I’d take Malena on a picnic”

“A picnic” said Bagg thoughtfully just as Wisma brought over the condiments and the cutlery.

Zerrad was watching Bagg and he appeared to open his mouth as if to speak and then he closed it again, it was pitiful to behold, so Lyris decided he had to act.

“Bagg was just saying that it’s perfect weather for a picnic”

“Oh, I agree it is perfect” Wisma said, “I do love a picnic”

“How about tomorrow?” Bagg said croakily “just the two of us”

“Yes, that would be lovely” said Wisma and the Skeets suddenly felt like a couple of gooseberries.

The Tornado Sojourns (3) – Chapter 01 – Cruising the Cluster

The Tempest Class Freighter was powered by 4 Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines, which allowed for a very quick turn of speed once airborne, and four vertical take-off jumper engines, whose purpose is self-explanatory, they could also be used independently to provide auxiliary power on board while they were on the surface for periods when the solar converters were inadequate.

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.

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, but not so much in recent years. 

 

It had been almost three years since the Tornado, reached the Eikon Cluster with a full complement aboard, funds in the coffers and three pods of Thermalium mineral ore for delivery to Eikon Major, and two years since they finally shook off their Ghambran pursuers once and for all, thanks to the Gouveian Crown Jewels, Commander Emad Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica, and some cunning in planting the stolen jewels aboard the Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser.

 

They should have felt guilty after effectively framing the Ghambran’s for a crime they knew full well they didn’t commit, but they didn’t.

They may indeed have been innocent of the criminal, subversive and treasonable acts that landed them in court, but they were not innocent, they had committed many and varied crimes and had always gotten away with them because they were under the banner of Prefector Collis’s protection.

But the charges that they faced, they had to face alone, because Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus were disowned by Prefector Collis, who chose to distance himself from his former employees fearing he might otherwise find himself in the dock for treason.

In reward for finding the Crown Jewels, Commander Salmin was made Supreme Commander for the whole of the Eikon Cluster and those aboard the Tornado, and their friends and allies felt the weight of his gratitude.

As a result of their action to preserve the life they loved in the Cluster they actually Malena Endia and Shiyne had their lovers, Zerrad Skeet and Terrell Vorton with them, Zerrad’s brother Lyris had been tamed by the member of the Gouveian Royal family among their number, Asti Alegionaris.

While engineers Pulsat Rad and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical had also found love, a love for the children of Montrose, who loved them in equal measure.

Even Visitor Parham, who tended their spiritual needs, while his alter ego Bagg fortified them with his culinary prowess, had also found love in the form of his family on Montrose.

So, everything for the Tempest Class Freighter Tornado was set fare, and Captain Merionwen Strong knew that apart from a good crew, good food and a liberal quantity of love, that on the Tornado’s Sojourns around the Eikon Cluster they were bound to have more adventure, and she was not wrong.

 

Merionwen Strong was 32 years old and was best described as statuesque, she was tall, straight backed, proud and was blessed with an abundance of red hair that trailed behind her like a mane and penetrating green eyes to stare you down with, and overall she cut a striking figure and along with her appearance went her forthright, volatile and feisty personality.

She was owner and Captain of the Tornado, and her love interest was Parse Sacrod, whom she called Beefy, a former Legionnaire of the Royal Guard of Gouveia who she met after Princess Asti Alegionaris was abducted at the space port by the Ghambran’s.

He was huge in stature, standing 6 feet 8 high and he was broad and powerfully built, his hair was short, curly and the colour of burnished steel, and with the characteristic ivory skin of the Gouveian race, and with his mercury coloured eyes he was as arresting a figure as Merri and they had become inseparable, and always spent the long watches on the flight deck together.

 

Technically the ship belonged to the Garangon mining company, but as they went out of business when they inadvertently destroyed the moon they were mining, Merionwen’s father Ben kept the Tornado in lieu of payment and it passed to her on his death.

Apart from Merri the only other survivors from her father’s crew were her co-pilot and navigator, Malena Endia and Shiyne, the latter being that rare commodity in any crew, someone who could and would perform any task required of them without question, but her real strength was in the role of negotiator and as an eternal optimist.

The rest of the crew arrived in dribs and drabs mainly as a result of being stranded on the stranded on the surface of Alwi, the fourth moon of the seventh planet Aragon, in the Cammaratian System.

The first to arrive was Visitor Parham, a Christian minister who it turned out set a chain of events in motion, firstly he brought with him two first rate engineers, Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical and the next day they lifted off and went for a spin among the stars.

It was during that test flight that they had to go to the rescue of the Skeet brothers whose ship, the Phoenix, was attacked by Skav Raiders, and the attack was so severe that they had to eject in a life pod which nearly cost them their lives anyway, but they were saved in the nick of time, and when they recovered from their injuries they joined the crew, and it was the Skeets injuries that brought Sciberran Healer Terrell Vorton aboard the Tornado where two significant things happened, firstly he saved Zerrad Skeet’s life, which was crucial in reconciling the unresolved love between him and Malena, and secondly it brought him into the close orbit of Shiyne where they also fell for each other.

When the Tornado left Alwi bound for Delta 500 they had a passenger aboard and that was Princess Asti Alegionaris, youngest granddaughter of the Regent of Gouveia, who was subsequently abducted and rescued, which introduced Parse to the captain.

Visitor Parham’s role aboard was to tend to their spiritual needs, but his alter ego Bagg, fortified them with his culinary prowess.

 

Once they arrived in the Eikon Cluster, so called due to the high number of M class planets and moons in the Eikon solar system, they quickly found an abundance of work with Golbolt Interstellar, based on the moon Somar.

The main reason for that was that the Operations Manager was Oshwin Lemik and he fought against the Legion in the Shaxon War with the Skeet brothers, they as pilots and Oshwin as Logistics Commander.

From the moment they were reacquainted, the Tornado got as much work as they wanted and regularly ran between Eikon Major and Minor, Eirkos and its moons, Soman, Rekar and Marikya, and neighbouring planet’s, Achrem and Zenden as well as Zenden’s moon, Linden, plus a host of other smaller moons and asteroids.

In the time they had been in the Eikon Cluster they had familiarized themselves with the planets and moons they visited and had cultivated great friendships along the way, so whatever part of the system they were in they always knew where to go where they would be welcomed, and they could relax and enjoy their down time.

Although Merri would have been just as happy to stay aboard with Parse and enjoy a bit of “alone” time. 

Similarly, the diminutive Princess Asti with her short platinum hair, ivory skin and silver eyes, would have preferred to keep her six-foot-tall, broad and muscular, black haired, dark eyed boyfriend, Lyris Skeet, all to herself.

Shiyne and Terrell just wanted to be wherever the other was, such was the depth of their love, though they were an odd couple.

They were both the same height but that was the only thing they had in common, he was older than her by 6 years and was stoutly built, while she was slim, his skin was of chalk white and hers was cerise, his eyes were violet, Shiyne’s were purple and Terrell’s hair was midnight blue and she was bald, the other difference was that he was very quiet and she would often chatter incessantly.

 

Physically Zerrad and his brother were very similar and only blonde hair and grey eyes differed from his older dark-haired brother, and his lover Malena was a tall slim brunette, with olive skin and hazel eyes, at least that was how she appeared, her true form was more mercurial, but Zerrad loved her in any form.

Pulsat Rad, Vanzyl and Bagg had no significant others, but the latter would have indulged his love of baking in the Galley while the other two would have happily played with their engines.

 

So for differing reasons they would all have been equally happy staying aboard, but Merri insisted they should all spend time away from the ship, which was why they had so many places, recreational bolt holes, but their favourite would always be the agrarian settlement of Montrose on Eirkos where Bagg’s brother and his family lived, but there was one other location that held particular significance for him, and that was the Gipki on Eikon Minor where there was a small Legion Aeronautica Garrison, and a hostelry called the Visitors rest, and more particularly its proprietor Wisma Berita. 

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 22 – The Strike

 

When they had landed on Linden the Commander addressed the five members of the Scorpions crew, who were all restrained.

“You will now be taken outside where you will wait under guard while your vessel is thoroughly searched”

“And when you find nothing I will have you lick my boots as an apology before I have you thrown out of your precious Legion Aeronautica” Maxil shouted

 

Prior to the arrival on a rocky plain on Linden of the Scorpion and its Legion escorts, Lyris landed the Spider Hawk on top of a cliff overlooking the plain from where Merri, Lyris, Malena, Shiyne and Parse watched the scene unfold below them through binoculars. 

They would have liked to have been there in person to witness the capture of the Ghambran’s, but they knew that as enjoyable as it might undoubtedly have been to witness at close hand the humbling of Maxil and Vint, it would not have been the wisest course of action because if it were known that they had been responsible for the Ghambran’s arrest and the subsequent shame inflicted on Prefector Collis and Ghambra as a whole, they would merely have disposed of one set of pursuers only to have them replaced by an infinite number of new ones, so they preserved their anonymity and watched from a safe distance via a lens, although they couldn’t get a clear look at the Ghambran’s from their vantage point as the Scorpion was between the watchers and the prisoners.

They did however record the images that they got, to show the rest of the crew when they returned to the Tornado.

 

They continued to watch as a procession of Legion personnel streamed inside the Scorpion while Commander Salmin paced up and down and after more than half an hour they were getting a little impatient.

“What on earth is taking so long?” Merri asked

“How well did you hide it Malena?”

“Not that well” Malena replied

“Perhaps we should just call the Commander and tell him were you hid it” Lyris said

“You could give him a long-range hint Shiyne” Merri suggested

“I can try” she replied, “But he’s a bit far away and he’s an intelligent man so it won’t be easy”

But she closed her eyes and tried to seek out the Commander with her mind but only moments later Merri interrupted her

“Somethings happening”

So, they all resumed their spying positions.

The Commander, who had never desisted in his pacing, had been brought to a halt by the presence of Lt Nulak who first saluted and then handed him the leather bundle.

The Commander looked at it and then asked the Lt a question, who nodded a response followed by another salute.

The commander was visibly relieved to have the prize in his hand and slapped his thigh when he thought no one was looking.

A few moments later Maxil Weltz and the other Ghambran’s appeared and were directed to where the Commander was standing.

They couldn’t hear what was said but they could get the gist.

The Commander was obviously confronting them with the evidence found aboard the Scorpion and his captives acted angrily to that evidence and it was clear that Weltz and Reganus were using some very uncomplimentary language and the former was raging and his eyes were bulging and his face changed colour.

“I think he must have a little Vann DNA in him” Lyris said “his complexion has definitely taken on a shade of cerise”

“Oh dear, he’s going to have a heart attack if he carries on” Merri added

“I think he’s safe, after all you need a heart first” Malena said

The five of them continued watching and were enjoying the view as the angry Ghambran’s were marched aboard the Legion Command ship.

 

After watching the Legion fleet and the Scorpion leave the surface of Linden Merri said

“Come on let’s go home”

And everyone knew what she meant because that was precisely what each and every one of them thought the Tornado was, home.

And when the Spider Hawk docked with the Tornado and they climbed down through the hatch the greeting they received from the rest of the crew was more one of relief than triumph.

But they all went to the mess room and shared one of Bagg’s excellent meals in what felt to them all like a family occasion rather than a celebration.

They saved the celebration meal for when they returned to Montrose although they did have a drink or two with Oshwin Lemik on Soman.

 

They should have felt guilty after effectively framing the Ghambran’s for a crime they knew full well they didn’t commit but they didn’t.

They may indeed have been innocent of the criminal, subversive and treasonable acts that landed them in court but they were not innocent, they had committed many and varied crimes and had always gotten away with them because they were under the banner of Prefector Collis’s protection.

But the charges that they faced, they had to face alone because Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus were disowned by Prefector Collis, who chose to distance himself from his former employees fearing he might otherwise find himself in the dock for treason.

Because of the sensitive nature of the crime the trials were held “in camera” so no one on Gouveia knew how close the house of Alegionaris came to disaster.

 

In reward for finding the Crown Jewels Commander Salmin was made Supreme Commander for the whole of the Eikon Cluster and those aboard the Tornado, and their friends and allies felt the weight of his gratitude.

So as a result of their action to preserve the life they loved in the Cluster they actually enhanced it greatly.

And apart from no longer being pursued by hostiles, and with perpetually full cargo pods, the full complement aboard also enjoyed an abundance of love, Merri had her hunky Legionnaire Parse by her side, her best friends, Malena and Shiyne had their lovers, Zerrad and Terrell with them, Zerrad’s brother Lyris had been tamed by the member of the Gouveian Royal family among their number, Asti.

While engineers Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical had also found love, a love for the children of Montrose, who loved them in equal measure.

Even Visitor Parham, who tended their spiritual needs while his alter ego Bagg fortified them with his culinary prowess, had also found love in the form of his family on Montrose.

So, everything for the Tempest Class Freighter Tornado was set fare, and Captain Merionwen Strong knew that apart from a good crew, good food and a liberal quantity of love that on the Tornado’s Sojourns around the Eikon Cluster they were bound to have more adventure.

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 21 – The Lure

The four Tornado crew members reversed and retraced their earlier route after successfully secreting the Gouveian Crown Jewels aboard the Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser and as soon as they got back aboard the Spider Hawk Merri announced

“Phase one complete”

“Excellent” Lyris said “I’ll let Oshwin know and he can initiate phase two”

 

The Tornado was still heading slowly in the direction of Zenden with Zerrad in the left seat and a pensive Asti Alegionaris beside him when Bagg joined them

“I bring coffee and cake” he announced

“Not for me Bagg” Asti said

“I’ll take some coffee” Zerrad said

“I’ll leave the cake anyway” Bagg said “In case you change your minds”

Eliciting no further response, he turned to go and he was just leaving the flight deck when the comms burst into life and Oshwin Lemiks voice said

“Golbolt Interstellar Soman calling Tempest Freighter”

And Asti was immediately on her feet

“Go ahead Golbolt” Zerrad responded

“Delivery complete, phase two initiated” Oshwin added and Asti squeezed Zerrad shoulder and then turned and hugged Bagg

“Message received Soman, will contact hounds”

“Tally ho” Oshwin said and then the comms went quiet.

“I’ll have that cake now” Asti said

 

While Asti was chomping her way through a plateful of cake, Bagg spread the good news around the remainder of the crew and Zerrad sent a coded message to Commander Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica, tipping him off about the whereabouts of the Gouveian Crown Jewels.

He sat in the pilot’s seat on the flight deck sipping his coffee and had barely taken two mouthfuls before he got a response asking for further details and coordinates, Zerrad responded with the requested information and then smiled to himself before draining his mug, then he reached for a piece of cake and found that the plate was empty. 

 

Oshwin watched the three men as they approached, Maxil Weltz was a tall heavy-set man while Vint Reganus was shorter and leaner and the third man was nondescript and almost anonymous.

The first two where Ghambran agents and the third was one of their henchmen.

In the gloom the group looked quite innocuous but in truth they were anything but.

 

“Ah still here then?” Oshwin said as the men got closer

“Apparently so” Weltz retorted curtly and walked past without making eye contact.

Oshwin ignored the snub but paused before he asked

“Do I understand from your lack of cordiality that you have still had no luck in finding the Tornado?”

Maxil bristled at Oshwins words but didn’t break stride until he added

“It would appear that I have had more good fortune than you have then”

He knew that that would get their attention and he was right as it stopped Maxil and Vint in their tracks and walked briskly towards him.

“You know where it is? Weltz barked

“I do” Oshwin replied

“Where?” Reganus demanded

“Within easy reach” Oshwin retorted

“Where exactly?” Maxil asked through gritted feet

“Well that information is going to cost, so let’s negotiate”

“Well negotiate with this” Maxil said drawing his sidearm and put the pulsar weapon to his head and then six of Oshwin’s men stepped out from the shadows and aimed their disruptors at the Ghambran’s

“It would appear that my negotiators out number yours” Oshwin said and laughed as Maxil lowered his weapon

“How much?” the heavy set Ghambran asked

“Well I’m not a greedy man, but I know you want them really bad, and I have a lot of negotiators to pay, so let’s say a twenty thousand Dinaris”

“Twenty thousand” Reganus snapped with real venom “That’s outrageous”

“If you don’t want the location, it’s of no consequence” Oshwin said “But when you change your mind the price will have doubled”

It took less than a minute for Maxil to cave.

“Ok, agreed, we will pay you when we have the location”

“Nice try” Oshwin said “you’ll get the location when I get the money”

Then he handed the smaller of the two men, Vint Reganus, a small data tablet

“Transfer the twenty thousand to the account detailed on this” he said, “When I have the money I will send you the location where you can intercept the Tornado”

Reganus snatched the tablet from Oshwin’s hand and the three Ghambran’s walked away

“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you” Oshwin said

 

Once the transaction had been completed Oshwin contacted Lyris from the comfort of his office

“It’s done”

“Did they pay up?” Lyris asked

“Oh yes, they want you so badly I think they would have paid treble” Oshwin said

“Well done boss” Lyris responded

“I think they will be leaving imminently” Oshwin added

“We’re ready to go” Merri said

“Ok but be careful” he warned

“We will” the Captain said

 

Oshwin was correct, the Ghambran’s wasted no time at all getting under way, so the Spider Hawk waited until the Scorpion Cruiser had lifted off, and then they followed at a safe distance. 

 

The Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser was a fast ship in its class but it wasn’t fast enough to outrun a Tempest Class Freighter with its powerful Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines so they knew that as long as the Tornado kept going they would continue to increase the distance between them, but now Maxil Weltz knew where they were going to be and so he would be there first and would hit them hard before they knew what was happening.

 

The Spider Hawk maintained its pursuit of the Ghambran’s and were beginning to get a little anxious as the Scorpion were getting very close to intercepting the Tornado, because although the Tornado could easily outrun the Scorpion it could not outgun it, and they were just passing Zenden’s moon Linden when Shiyne said

“I’m picking up something”

“What exactly?” Merri asked as she turned to look at her as she sat with her eyes closed as she used her telepathic gift.

“I’m not sure yet” she replied and a moment later a broad grin spread across her cerise coloured face “its them”

 

Asti had also picked up the Legion’s presence on the Tornados scanners but Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus had not, as their thoughts of revenge on the crew of the Tornado had given them tunnel vision, so the first they knew that they were not alone was when they were hailed.

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

“This vessel is under the protection of Prefector Collis of Ghambra” Maxil Weltz protested “You have no jurisdiction here”

“I repeat, prepare to be boarded” the commander said again

“Negative, you have no right to board us” Weltz shouted and in response they received two low energy pulsar strikes on the hull.

“Prepare to be boarded or next time it will be the pulsar cannon” the commander threatened

“Message received, cutting engines and standing by” Weltz grudgingly said

Once they had complied the Commanders Firedart escort took up station around the Scorpion, one to Port, Starboard, Forward, Aft and two stationed above.

There were two docking rings on the Scorpion to facilitate transfers to and from the Cruiser while in space, one in the belly below the loading bay and the other was topside behind the flight deck which was also the mooring point for shuttles or ancillary craft.

Vint Reganus 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 Maxil was waiting to greet their visitor

“This is an outrage, you have no right, this is a gross abuse of power” he said 

“When Prefector Collis gets to hear about it you’ll be lucky to get command of a backwater shuttle”

“There is no abuse, I’m am empowered to board any vessel I suspect of, criminal, subversive or treasonable acts” the Commander stated, “Now take us to the flight deck, we will be landing on Linden where you will be searched and inspected”

“This is preposterous, we are on urgent business for our government and time is of the essence” he exploded

“Are you going to comply?” Commander Salmin asked

“I am not” he retorted

“Very well” Salmin said “Lt Nulak have this man restrained”

 

Once on the flight deck they found Vint Reganus equally outraged and uncooperative so he too was restrained and Lt Nulak piloted the Scorpion to the surface as Commander Salmin silently prayed that he really hadn’t overstepped the mark.

 

When they had landed on Linden the Commander addressed the five members of the Scorpions crew, who were all restrained.

“You will now be taken outside where you will wait under guard while your vessel is thoroughly searched”

“And when you find nothing I will have you lick my boots as an apology before I have you thrown out of your precious Legion Aeronautica” Maxil shouted

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 20 – Baiting the Hook

Lyris Skeet released the mooring clamps and the Spider Hawk and the Tornado parted company.

“We have separation” Lyris said

“Let’s get it done then” Merri said and Lyris employed the thrusters and they raced towards Soman, while and the Tornado continued slowly on its original heading in the opposite direction towards Zenden with Zerrad in the left seat and a pensive Asti Alegionaris beside him.

No one aboard were comfortable with their thoughts after their comrades went their separate ways, the Sciberran Healer Terrell Vorton busied himself in the sick bay preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

Engineers Pulsat Rad and Vanzyl exorcised their tension by working on the ship and Visitor Parham did the two things that he did best, as a man of God he prayed and as Bagg the cook he baked.

 

Lyris had got to know Soman very well and in particular Golbolt Interstellar Freight Distributors, and their Operations Manager, Oshwin Lemik, who was a former comrade in arms of the Skeet Brothers during the Shaxson rebellion.

 

Oshwin had reserved a landing space for the Spider Hawk that was adjacent to where the Ghambran’s Scorpion was parked and Oshwin had was also made sure both craft were in a very poorly lit area.

Lyris landed softly in the space provided and immediately killed the engines and the lights.

 

It was 3am when they disembarked from the fighter and stepped onto Soman.

There were still a few people milling around despite the lateness of the hour so Merri and the crew crept stealthily through the darkness until they had a good view of the Ghambran’s Scorpion and they concealed themselves in the shadows so as not to draw attention to themselves and waited.

This was not the first occasion that they had prepared to board that particular ship.

The last time was on Delta 500 where they boarded the ship to rescue Princess Asti Alegionaris whom the Ghambran’s had abducted.

Staying in the shadows Merri whispered to Shiyne

“How many are aboard?”

Shiyne closed her eyes and tuned her mind in and scanned the ship and after a few moments she replied

“Three”

“Are Weltz or Reganus among them?” Merri asked and she closed her eyes again, it only took her seconds to scan them and reply

“No”

Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus where the Ghambran agents who abducted the Princess on behalf of Prefector Collis.

“Right does everyone know what they have to do?” Merri asked and they all murmured a response

“Remember we have to get on and off without them knowing we were there so definitely no gun play”

The last time on Delta 500 she was shot in the thigh as they made their escape, and she winced at the memory of it and rubbed the site of the wound.

She had been looking directly at Lyris when she mentioned gun play and he retorted

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me, I didn’t shoot you”

Merri smiled at his reaction but in truth she would have been more than happy to have him at her side on any action, but his job on this mission was to stay at the controls of the Spider Hawk and be prepared for a quick getaway if necessary.

“Be safe” he said simply and slipped back to the ship

“Ok beefy” she said to Parse “I’m counting on you to save me if it goes wrong”

And before he had chance to object she kissed him and added

“Ok let’s go”

Parse remained hidden from view and was tasked with covering their retreat should they be discovered and watched Merri, Shiyne and Malena creeping from shadow to shadow.

Once they were as close to the Scorpion as they could get without breaking cover, they could see that there was one visible guard by the ramp but they knew there were others on board.

Merri whispered to Shiyne

“Go and do your thing”

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.

The Vann telepath closed her eyes and tuned her mind in and invaded the mind of the guard 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.

“You are very tired, you must sleep now” Shiyne quietly said to the guard

“Here on the floor”

Without showing any emotion, the guard lay down on the floor and curled up in the foetal position and immediately began to snore.

The second guard was just inside the ship so she stepped onto the ramp and Shiyne immediate took control of his mind and dealt with him in the same manner as his compatriot.

“You are very tired, you must sleep now” Shiyne quietly said

“Sit down and sleep”

With the first two guards safely dealt with she set about dispatching the third as she stood with her eyes closed and brow furrowed.

It was taking too long so Merri withdrew her sidearm thinking the worst.

“I can’t get him, he’s not as dumb as the other two” Shiyne said

“Where is he?” Merri asked

“Beyond the main cabin, in a sleeping berth” Shiyne replied

“Ok then Malena it’s your turn” Merri instructed and Malena touched the arm of the guard sleeping on the floor 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 whenever 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 mission she chose to simulate her clothes in case she needed to shift, it would have looked very odd indeed if the Ghambran guard was wearing girls clothes.

The necessity for her to shape shift was so she could get into the bowels of the vessel without raising the alarm and secrete the leather bundle containing the Crown Jewels somewhere out of sight for the Legion Commander to find later.

Once she had shape shifted she proceeded alone deeper inside the Scorpion and moved in the direction of the main cabin with Shiyne close behind her.

She had been in there before and she had in her mind’s eye the perfect place to conceal the bundle.

Shiyne scanned the room and tapped Malena on the shoulder and then she quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

As Shiyne had indicated the room was empty and Malena wasted no time in seeking out the place she had selected.

When she had encountered him in the main cabin on the last occasion she was there, Maxil Weltz was seated in his chair looking very self-important so she thought that his throne would be enhanced by the addition of some Crown Jewels, so she quickly crossed the room while Shiyne looked on from the door way.

Once she had reached Maxil’s chair she knelt before it and using her shape shifting skill she was able to flatten her hand and forearm and inserted it between the seat pad and back rest and secreted the bundle well out of sight.

Just as she was getting to her feet she suddenly heard a door open and close, followed by footsteps.

“Let’s get out of here” Malena whispered as she tiptoed out of the room and quietly closed the door, then she and Shiyne headed for the ramp where Merri was waiting with weapon drawn.

“Done?” she asked

“Done” Malena replied

“Let’s get moving then” Merri said and the three of them ran down the ramp and then crossed the open ground much less stealthily than before and re-joined Parse in the shadows.

While an adrenalin high Merri kissed a very relieved Parse, Shiyne closed her eyes and undid her handiwork on the guards and then opened her eyes again to see them wake up and stretch before they sheepishly returned to their guard duty.  

“Nice job you two” Merri said hugging her two friends “Now back to the ship”

 

The four Tornado crew members reversed and retraced their earlier route and as soon as they got back aboard the Spider Hawk Merri announced

“Phase one complete”

“Excellent” Lyris said “I’ll let Oshwin know and he can initiate phase two”

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 19 – The Spider Hawk Mission

 

It was the early hours of the morning after the crew of the Tornado discovered that Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus, Ghambran agents in the employ of Prefector Collis, had arrived on Soman asking about the Tornado’s whereabouts.

They had a score to settle with them and the very reason that had made them move to the Eikon Cluster was to evade the Ghambran’s, but they were unanimous in their resolve not to move on again, they had found their Shangri-La and were not going to give it up without a fight and Merri had come up with a plan to rid them of their tormentors once and for all.

 

The plan was a simple one, which involved using the recently acquired Spider Hawk Fighter, in which Merri, Lyris, Parse, Shiyne and Malena would fly to Soman and land a safe distance away from the Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser, the Ghambran’s wouldn’t think twice if they saw the Spider Hawk, so once on Soman they would stealthily board the target vessel and secrete the stolen Gouveian Crown Jewels aboard the Scorpion, then they would depart with equal stealth and take off again.

Once they were back in space they would signal the Tornado and they in turn would contact, first Commander Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica informing him that they knew the whereabouts of the jewels and secondly Oshwin Lemik on Soman so that he could inform the Ghambran’s of the Tornados position, then acting as the bait the Tornado would lead the Scorpion into the warm embrace of the Legion.

 

It was fitting that the Spider Hawk Fighter that Lyris Skeet had acquired as the spoils of victory in a Legion sting against a ruthless villain, be used to deliver the stolen booty, which engineers Pulsat and Vanzyl had found hidden aboard, and the coup de grâce against the Ghambran agents.

 

Although on the outside it still looked the same as the Spider Hawk Fighters that Lyris flew against the Legion in the Shaxson rebellion it was a different story inside.

As it was no longer a war machine it was now very lightly armed so the pulsar rocket launcher which formally occupied a large proportion of the hold was now redundant so the cabin space had been extended so it could carry more than the two-man flight crew of its operational days.    

But it still meant they could only take a small party with them.

Lyris as pilot, Parse as he was the only real soldier among them, Shiyne for her telepathic skills, Malena the shapeshifter and Merri because she was the Captain and it was her plan.

 

Shortly before departure, Malena was in her quarters 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 she got shot the last time you tangled with the Ghambran’s” he pointed out

“Well that’s not going to happen this time” she reassured him “Now give me a kiss”

So Zerrad complied with her demand and then watched her leave with a heavy heart.

 

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, and it was the latter where the Spider Hawk was moored.

 

Lyris Skeet was already in the corridor beneath the hatch, pacing up and down, as he was very anxious, which wasn’t normal for him, in fact it was not normal behaviour for him in any way shape or form.

His anxiety was on several levels, firstly it involved his piloting skills, it had been many years since his hot shot piloting days and he needed to be on the top of his game to land the Spider Hawk unnoticed, as close to the Scorpion as possible. 

His second concern revolved around the mission and more specifically the Gouveian Crown Jewels and a persistent nagging at the back of his mind that they may be just handing them over to the enemy.

But the crux of his apprehension was the fear that he would disappoint the beautiful, classy, well educated, feisty, funny and wicked smart, Princess Asti Alegionaris who he had fallen in love with and she with him.

So, the reformed smuggler paced up and down until his Princess appeared and strode towards him carrying the leather bundle that he knew contained the jewels.

“Don’t look so worried” she said and he instantly relaxed and felt at peace and Asti stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

“You’re my knight in shining armour remember”

When the kiss was over she handed the bundle him.

“I’ll make sure they get back to Gouveia” he said, kissed her forehead and then climbed up through the hatch and into the fighter. 

The moment Lyris disappeared through the hatch a tearful Princess Asti rushed down the corridor and out of sight a few seconds before the rest of the party arrived.

Merri was in the Vanguard, her penetrating green eyes looking straight ahead, with her head held high and the abundance of red hair trailing behind her like a mane, and immediately behind the striking figure of the proud Captain was the huge former Legionnaire Parse Sacrod, almost as broad as the corridor itself and standing 6 foot 8 high, brushing the curly burnished steel coloured hair off the ivory skin of his brow while his mercury coloured eyes could see only the figure of his Captain and lover.

Beyond them were Shiyne and Malena who were enjoying a final embrace with their respective partners, Sciberran Healer Terrell and Zerrad Skeet.

The small cerise skinned Vann telepath gave Vorton a final hug and he kissed the top of her bald head and when she turned away and headed towards the hatch her purple eyes had tears welling up in them. 

And finally, there was Malena, tall, slim, brunette hair, olive skin and hazel eyes, at least that was how she appeared but of course in reality, she was an Obgaron shape shifter, but Zerrad would have loved her in whatever form she adopted.

“I will be careful” she said, “I promise”

Then she kissed him one last time and joined the rest of the party in the Spider Hawk and closed the hatch behind her as Zerrad closed the one on the Tornado.

 

A few minutes later Lyris released the mooring clamps and the Spider Hawk and the Tornado parted company.

“We have separation” Lyris said

“Let’s get it done then” Merri said  

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 18 – The Hounds Return

 

After leaving Eirkos they returned to base on Soman and prepared for a prolonged run around the system although it turned out they had a three day wait before departure.

And as there wasn’t too much in the way of leisure activities they got to work on some basic maintenance, cleaning and restocking.

Pulsat and Vanzyl kept the mechanical and engineering side in top shape as a matter of course so they decided to use their time on servicing the Spider Hawk Fighter that Lyris had acquired after the Achrem mission, and they soon made a startling discovery.

They had just removed the main access panel beneath the flight controls and tucked in the corner was a leather bundle that looked like it might be a tool roll and Vanzyl uttered a string of whirls whistles and clicks.

“I not know” Pulsat replied to his Kesslerian friend as he picked up the bundle.

On retrieving it he turned stiffly to address his companion, who was uttering another string of whirls whistles and clicks.

“I do it, I do it” Pulsat said to his Kesslerian friend, who was a more slender and sleek form, and he had the hint of a smile about his pursed lips and Vanzyl whistled and clicked again and Pulsat snorted.

He untied the tapes that held the bundle together and then unrolled it and when its contents were revealed Vanzyl uttered a soft whistle like a plaintive flute, then he looked at his friend and whistled again.

“We show Captain” Pulsat said and rerolled the bundle before putting it inside his jacket.

 

When the engineers got back aboard the Tornado they reported straight to Merri and after seeing the contents of the bundle the Captain immediately called a crew meeting in the mess room.

“So, some interesting news” Merri said “Pulsat and Vanzyl were working on Lyris’s new toy when they found something”

“Found what?” Lyris asked

“Go on Pulsat show everyone what you’ve found” the Captain said and Pulsat untied the tapes that held the bundle together and then unrolled it and there were audible gasps on seeing the array of jewels.

“My God” Zerrad said “Where did they come from?”

“Who knows” Merri said

“I do” Asti interjected

“You do?” Lyris asked

“Yes, they’re from Gouveia” Asti explained

“They can’t be” Parse said, “We would have heard, wouldn’t we?”

“You’d have heard what?” Bagg asked

“That the Gouveian Crown Jewels had been stolen” Asti said

“The Crown Jewels?” Merri exclaimed

“So that was what the Commander was so desperate to find, that’s why he was searching for Kurla, because he must have perpetrated the theft” Shiyne said

“But why?” Terrell asked, “He couldn’t possibly hope to sell them”

“Maybe that wasn’t the intention” Malena mused

“Oh God we must return them immediately” Asti said, “Before they are missed”

“What do you mean, before they are missed?” Merri asked

“The Jewels go on public display for one month every 10 years   starting on the anniversary of Legion Foundation Day” Parse said, “That’s in three months’ time”

“But there must be copies” Bagg suggested

“There are” Asti said, “But Millions of people queue up to view the Jewels, if it becomes known that the real jewels are not there it could cause a scandal that might bring down the house of Alegionaris” 

“He must have been acting on behalf of a rival House then” Shiyne suggested

“That seems the most likely answer” Asti agreed

“I’m no fan of the Legion” Lyris said “but we have no choice but to get them to Commander Salmin as soon as possible”

“Agreed” Merri said, “Does everyone agree?”

“Agreed” the crew echoed

“Ok then, Shiyne stash the jewels in the Priest Hole, Malena set course for Eikon Minor” Merri said “Pulsat, Vanzyl get the Spider Hawk ready to fly we leave within the hour”

 

So, with everything hurriedly stowed away the Tornado lifted off for the two-day round trip to the small Legion Garrison on Eikon Minor where they would meet with the Commander and hopefully make his day.

 

However, they only got half way when the Tornado had a communication from their employer on Soman.

“Oshwin Lemik calling Captain Strong”

“Strong here, what can I do for you boss” Merri responded

“Hi Merri, I thought you might like to know someone has been asking questions about you” Oshwin said “And they’re spending money while they do it”Soman calling Captain Strong on the Tornado

 

“Who’s asking?” Merri asked

“A couple of Ghambran’s” he replied, “Are they friends of yours?”

“Did they arrive in a Scorpion?” she asked

“Yes, they did”

“Then no they are most definitely not friends” she said

“OK, so I assume you won’t be looking for a reunion” Oshwin surmised

“That’s for sure” she replied

“What would you like me to do?” He asked

“Just give them the run around for now” Merri said

“Will do”

“Thanks boss” she said, “I’ll be in touch”

 

As soon as she signed off Merri immediately called another crew meeting in the mess room.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news” Merri said “the Ghambran’s are back”

“So soon?” Lyris asked

“I’m afraid so, they’re on Soman now” the Captain said

“So, what do we do?” Malena asked

“Good question” Lyris asked “Do we Move on or tackle the threat?”

“The Ghambran’s have arrived in the system much sooner than we anticipated so we have another choice to make” Merri said.

They went around the room in turn and everyone expressed a different reason for staying in the Eikon cluster, nobody wanted to leave and then Vanzyl began to click and whirl which were clearly directed at Pulsat

“Ok I speak” he said and more clicks and whirls followed

“I tell, I tell” Pulsat retorted and then explained

“We very much like Montrose”

Then more whistles and clicks

“We very much like small humans” Pulsat said “We stay”

“Well if we want to stay here then we need to get rid of the Ghambran’s once and for all?” Merri said

“Do you mean kill them?” Bagg asked

“No of course not” she replied

“Good because I couldn’t be a party to that” the Visitor said

“Don’t worry Brother what I have in mind for them is far worse than death” Merri said enigmatically

“So, what’s the plan?” Lyris asked

“Subtlety as usual” Merri said, “With a liberal helping of cunning”

“Let’s hear it then” Malena said

“We use the Legion to get rid of the Ghambran’s for us, once and for all” Merri said and when she had their undivided attention she gave them her plan in detail.

The plan was a simple one, which involved using the recently acquired Spider Hawk Fighter, in which Merri, Lyris, Parse, Shiyne and Malena would fly to Soman and land a safe distance away from the Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser, the Ghambran’s wouldn’t think twice if they saw the Spider Hawk, so once on Soman they would stealthily board the target vessel and secrete the stolen Gouveian Crown Jewels aboard the Scorpion, then they would depart with equal stealth and take off again.

Once they were back in space they would signal the Tornado and they in turn would contact, first Commander Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica informing him that they knew the whereabouts of the jewels and secondly Oshwin Lemik on Soman so that he could inform the Ghambran’s of the Tornados position, then acting as the bait the Tornado would lead the Scorpion into the warm embrace of the Legion.