It had not been an entirely uneventful time aboard the Tempest Class
Freighter, Tornado, on the journey to Delta 500, but not in a bad way, there
were no hostile run-ins with Scav Raiders as they crossed the Cammaratian
System, the only attacks came courtesy of cupids arrows, which well and truly
found their marks.
And all those strikes occurred between the occupants of sickbay, where
Zerrad Skeet was recovering from a Laser wound to the abdomen under the
watchful and concerning gaze of Malena Endia and while Sciberran Healer Terrell
Vorton brought Zerrad back from the brink of death he lost his heart to the
Tornado’s Navigator Shiyne.
The rest of the freighters occupants were ship’s Captain Merionwen
Strong, pilot Lyris Skeet, Engineers Pulsat Rad and Vanzyl, Visitor Parham
known as Bagg and one passenger Asti who was getting off at their destination.
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.
Terrell stayed in sickbay with his patient and Malena volunteered to
supervise the unloading so she could stay close by and Pulsat and Vanzyl took
advantage of the engines being offline to do some routine maintenance.
While the cargo was unloaded Shiyne drove the stroller down the front
ramp and everyone else stood in a group waiting to board.
The moment the Stroller came to a halt the remainder of the crew plus
Asti the passenger climbed aboard and Merri got in the passenger seat beside
Shiyne.
“Drop me at the commerce wing” Merri said
“You’re not coming with us?” Bagg asked
“I’m afraid not, so while you lot get to enjoy yourselves in the Mall
I’m going to be sat in the space port office looking for our next job”
“Can anyone else hear violins?” Lyris asked
“Very funny” She said “Drop me up here on the left”
Shiyne brought the Stroller to a halt and Merri climbed down and
before she closed the door she shouted up
“Pick me up on the way back and make sure you pick me up some prime
steak”
“Will do Captain” Shiyne said and Merri slammed the door shut.
As Shiyne drove off again she said
“Remind me again what a violin is?”
Shiyne parked the Stroller as close to the Mall as possible and then they
all decamped and walked towards the sound of chattering commerce and they had
just entered the throng when a huge cloaked figure approached
“Princess Asti!” he called
“Oh God they’ve found me” Asti exclaimed and backed away to hide
behind Lyris
He was clearly Gouveian as she was but he 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, an
altogether striking figure.
“Don’t be afraid Princess?” the man said
“Princess?” Lyris asked
“Yes Princess Asti Alegionaris, youngest granddaughter of the Regent
of Gouveia” he replied
“And who might you be?” Lyris asked
“Parse Sacrod, Legionnaire of the Royal Guard” he said proudly
“My family have sent you to find me” Asti said
“Well I’m not going back”
“Is this true, you’ve been chasing her?” Shiyne asked
“No, no, it’s not like that” Parse said
“They didn’t send me after you to take you back”
“So why are you here?” Asti asked
“Your mother asked me to follow to make sure you came to no harm,
that’s all” he explained
“She’s on your side, she doesn’t want you to marry some old man, which
you neither know nor love”
“He’s telling the truth” Shiyne said
“Marry?” Lyris asked
“Yes I’m betrothed to Prefector Collis of Ghambra” she said
“A very old and by all accounts very unpleasant man, and I’m not doing
it”
Just at that moment a transit shuttle arrived and disgorged its
passengers so Asti took her chance and ran and although he tried to keep his
eyes on her Lyris lost sight of her in the melee as another shuttle arrived and
everyone decanted from it.
“We must go after her” Parse said
“You didn’t just come here protect her from harm did you” Shiyne said
“No I’m also here to warn her” he admitted
“About what?” Lyris asked
“The Prefector is not so understanding is he?” Visitor Parham
reflected
“No he is not” Parse admitted “He wants her and he will stop at
nothing to get her”
“How did you find her so easily?” Lyris asked
“She has a subdermal tracker” Parse replied
Parse and Lyris spent the next hour tracking Asti around Delta 500
while Shiyne and Bagg made the necessary purchases at the Mall,
It wasn’t an easy task because being so tiny Asti was not easy to keep
in sight at all time, she was also very fleet of foot and they struggled more
than once to keep up with her fortunately they had Parse’s scanner.
But when they finally got within striking distance of her they were
just in time to witness her abduction.
Two men, one either side of her, grabbed her and bundled her
unceremoniously into a waiting vehicle, one was tall and heavy set the other
shorter and leaner.
“We’re too late” Parse said “They’ve got her”
“Who are they?”
“Ghambran agents sent by Prefector Collis, those two are Maxil Weltz
and Vint Reganus, I didn’t get a look at the driver” He replied sombrely “I
have to rescue her”
“We, have to rescue her” Lyris corrected him, but for now we need to
know where they’ve taken her”
“Ok, let’s go” Parse said
“No you stay here” Lyris corrected him “you stand out too much, I’ll
meet you back at the Stroller”
The giant Legionnaire had no argument so he just nodded and Lyris set
off at a run, fortunately because of the crowds the vehicle hadn’t got far and
was making slow progress and as there was only one way they could go from there
he decided to press on up the thoroughfare and get ahead of them.
With regular glances over his should to make sure they didn’t deviate
he reached the Mall exit and secured himself a “Pediscoot” which was a single
person two wheeled ride and waited until the bushwhackers caught up with him and
then when they passed he fell in behind them.
There was sufficient traffic to ensure he didn’t stand out but not
enough to threaten the success of his surveillance and he was rewarded with the
location of their ship after about fifteen minutes.
The ship was a Scorpion Cruiser, small fast and well-armed, a popular
choice among men of importance and unlimited funds.
Lyris kept watch from a safe distance as the two men that snatched Asti
manhandled her up the ships tail ramp.
The driver followed on and there was a fourth man at the top of the
ramp and they were all laughing as they pushed the tiny figure of Asti inside.
He couldn’t hear her but he imagined she was giving them all an un-princess
like tongue lashing.
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