After being picked up
from Achrem following a longer than expected stay in Odekka the Tornado spent
the next nine months working regular routes around the Eikon Cluster which took
them back to Achrem on a regular basis as well as allowing them to make return
visits to their favourite place in order to spend their R&R among the
simple folk of Montrose where the whole crew could relax.
They found their safe
haven of respite thanks to the Tornado’s cook, Bagg.
Apart from being
gifted in all things culinary he was first and foremost a Visitor.
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.
The farm in the
village of Montrose was owned by Bagg’s brother Trebreh, who was also a
Visitor, and his wife Xandra and her brother Ale who was Bagg’s boyhood friend.
The crew of the
Tornado were always made very welcome, but none more than the reptilian
engineers Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were monopolized by the village children, to
the delight of both.
Every moment spent in
the peaceful setting of Montrose was precious to them and it was on one such
restful weekend staying in Montrose that something occurred that could lead to
the preservation of the life they valued so much.
It happened as they
sat around the table in the Orchard after a fine dinner, Pulsat and Vanzyl had
been dragged off by the children, Bagg was walking by the Lake with his brother
and Xandra put down a Carafe of Abyssinian Brandy on the table
“This is courtesy of
Lyris”
“There are advantages
to hanging out in a bar run by lowlifes” Lyris said
“They can get anything
you want since Kurla took over the Blue Horizon”
“Did you say Kurla?”
Shiyne asked
“Yes, Kurla Babic” he
replied
“That was who the
Legion Commander was searching for when they boarded the Tornado” Shiyne said
“Why?” Zerrad asked
“I don’t know, but
they wanted him really bad” Shiyne said “and he had something they wanted back
even more”
“Well we have an
opportunity to gain some goodwill from the Legion then” Merri said, “So I think
we should help Commander Salmin find the man he has been searching for”
“How much good will is
it going to buy us?” Lyris asked
“A lot” Shiyne said
Two days later they
landed on Eikon Minor where there was a small Legion Garrison and met with
Commander Salmin, they already knew he was there as they got the information
from their boss Oshwin Lemik on Soman.
“Well this is a
pleasant surprise” he said when Merri and Lyris walked into his office and
presented him with a box of Bagg’s scones.
“But I’m sure you
didn’t come all this way to bring me scones”
“No, you’re right, but
I think you will be pleased that we came”
Merri said
“I know where Kurla
Babic is” Lyris said and the Commanders demeanor changed
“Where?”
Along with the scones
they entered Commander Salmin office with some rolled up plans.
The first was a floor
plan of the Blue Horizon bar, showing entrances, exits and the position of the
bad guys, including the names of the protagonists, where known.
The second plan showed
the local environs of the bar showing places of cover and concealment, the
positions of look outs and surveillance cameras.
The third and final
plan showed the landing field and the roads between the field and the bar.
“As you know Achrem is
a very mountainous planet and as you can see from the map there are very few
places near Odekka where you can land a cruiser, and none at all where you can
do it unnoticed, and the moment a Legion vessel appears the alarm is going to
be raised and your quarry will disappear, and because of the terrain you won’t
be able to land enough Legionnaires to throw a net around the bar in time”
Lyris said at length
“You’re clearly no stranger
to tactics, so what would your solution be?” the Commander asked
“It’s simple really, the
Tornado is a regular visitor to Odekka so no one will raise an eyebrow when we
land with your strike force on board, nor will they be alarmed when the Stroller
drives down the ramp and crosses the field to drive up to the Blue Horizon”
Lyris said
“So, we can make our
regular stop at the bar and once inside we can establish that Kurla is present
and give you the heads up”
“And how do I get my
men to the bar unseen?”
“A small group of Legionnaires
can conceal themselves in the Stroller” Merri contributed
“And in the meantime,
your main force can cross the field on foot under the cover of darkness, and secure
the landing field on their way to the bar” Lyris continued
“And once we have
established Kurla’s presence and we hear everyone is in place my brother Zerrad
and I will leave the bar, and that would be your signal to go in”
“Well I can understand
now why we struggled against the Shaxson rebels”
Commander Salmin said
“When are you due on
Achrem next?”
“Tomorrow” Merri
replied
“Tomorrow it is then”
he said, “Rendezvous on Linden, you know the place”
“I think I can
remember” Merri said
“You won’t need to
rely on memory Captain Strong” the Commander remarked “you will have two of my
officers aboard to tell you where to land”
This did not come as a
surprise to them that the Legion would install someone aboard the Tornado, in
fact it was assumed that the Commander would want someone on the flight deck to
make sure everything was on the level, so as a precaution they left Asti and
Parse in Montrose so they wouldn’t have to be hidden away in the “priest hole”
for the duration of the mission.
So, as they left the
commander with their military escort they were unconcerned.
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