The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 15 – Into the Lion’s Den

 

The plan for the Legion to capture Kurla Babic was a simple one.

As the Tornado was a regular visitor to Odekka no one would raise an eyebrow when they landed with a Legionnaire strike force on board, nor would they be alarmed when the Stroller drove down the ramp and crossed the field to drive up to the Blue Horizon with a small group of Legionnaires concealed in the back.

Once inside the bar Lyris and Zerrad would establish that Kurla was present and then the two brothers would leave the bar, which would be the Commanders signal to send his men in.

However, these plans were changed slightly, as it was deemed necessary for the Legion to have more eyes in the bar than just the Skeets.

Also, the signal for the go would be given by Zerrad a few moments before Lyris left the bar, and the latter’s action in opening the door to exit would instead ease the strike force entry.

Zerrad’s job was then to stay in the bar and block one of the exits while outside Lyris was tasked, accompanied by two Legionnaires, to secure Kurla’s Spider Hawk Fighter to prevent him from beating a hasty retreat in the unlikely event that he slipped through the Legions net.

 

On the big night Lyris parked the Stroller in the wooded corner of the carpark where the Legionnaire’s could slip out the back doors unnoticed and take up their appointed positions, either to guard the exits, deal with the look outs or cut off any means of escape.

And by the time Lyris and Zerrad reached the front doors of the Blue Horizon the guards had all been subdued and all the Legionnaires were in position.

While their main force was crossing the field on foot under the cover of darkness, securing the landing field on their way to support the primary strike team outside the bar.

Lyris paused to look at his brother and then he took a deep breath and they both walked inside.

 

Lyris and Zerrad walked through the double doors into the large open bar area.

Directly ahead of them was a large horseshoe shaped bar, and surrounding it was the main seating area.

As they walked further into the bar they could see a raised area, to the left, which was surrounded by a chest high ornate panelled wall and the area within was divided into cubicle like booths, which was the eating area.

The first time they visited the Blue Horizon they met one of the locals, a huge monster of a man who the Skeets referred to as “Outhouse” because he was built like one, and he told them, not to stick around there too late because of the rough crowd, and they never had on the visits that had followed as they were normally long gone by then but on that occasion, they were there at the optimum time and they realised that he wasn’t kidding.

Although neither of them recognised anyone amongst the crowd they recognised the type, small fry and petty criminals mainly.

They made their way to the bar and saw the same barman they’d seen last time, he was of medium height and muscular build and he was of rough and un-welcoming appearance, he was heavily tattooed and shaven headed with multiple piercings and the kind of face you would never tire of slapping, and judging by the scars he wore it looked like it had been.

Because of his tattoos the brothers referred to him as “Lydia” in remembrance of their grandfather who used to sing a song about “Lydia the Tattooed Lady”.

However, before he could stir himself to serve them a slutty looking barmaid served them instead.

She was almost wearing a tight low cut cropped top which exposed almost as much of her breasts as it did her stomach.

As Lyris watched her pour their drinks he realized why she was there and it had more to do with selling drinks than serving them.

As it was late into the evening there was a full house and they both thought to themselves that there would be a lot of money changing hands that night.

 

Commander Salmin was very keen to gather up as many miscreants as possible as long as he got his quarry.

So, although Lyris and Zerrad would give the “go” there were two undercover Legionnaire’s, Chuto and Plimmy, already in the bar when the Skeets arrived.

Outside the bar there were three squads, one unit would secure the exit into the beer garden and a second unit would enter the pub through the main entrance. The third was held in reserve to cover the escape routes.

Each squad comprised of twelve Legionnaire’s, including two Lieutenants, Commander Salmin attached himself to the breaching squad.

The remainder of his force held a picket line encircling the whole area, which would advance inwards closing the envelope once the operation commenced.  

Commander Salmin could, and perhaps should, have put one of his Lieutenants in overall charge of the strike, but he felt that as it was Lyris Skeets plan he would let him run with it and it would be his decision when and if the strike was a go.  

 

“Oy, Lydia!” Lyris shouted. “When you’re ready.”

He looked around and walked slowly to where the Skeets were standing.

“What do you want?”

“Refills, Ale” Lyris said and held up two fingers “two” and Lydia begrudgingly obliged.

“Twelve Dinaris” The barman said banging the Ales down on the counter so hard it slopped over the sides just as he did on their first visit.

“It was only nine last time” Lyris said

“Well today it’s twelve” Lydia grunted

Lyris glared at him and dropped a handful of coins above the counter but the muscular barman reached out both hands quickly and caught the coins before they rolled in every direction.

“Well done?” Lyris said “You can keep the change for that.”

He and Zerrad picked up their glasses and both took a mouthful.

They were just about to go and seat themselves at one of the few vacant table’s when Lyris felt a hand on his shoulder, so he put down his drink and when he turned around he expected to find “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” wanting a fight.

What he found instead was the friendly face of “Outhouse” the man-mountain labourer.

“Bloody hell! you frightened the crap out of me” Lyris said and the big man laughed.

The Skeets weren’t small men but they both had to look up at the man who was built like a brick out house.

“I thought you didn’t get in here this late, because of the rough crowd” Zerrad gestured with a sweeping movement of his arm.

“I’m just leaving” Outhouse replied. “I’m running late”

“Do you want another drink before you go” Zerrad asked “I can get you one” 

“No thanks” he said draining his glass “I’m off to work, night shift remember?”

“Oh well maybe next time” Lyris said

 

Zerrad and Lyris had almost finished their second drink and were looking around the bar and as there was no sign of their target they were contemplating whether to have another or not.

And then they spotted the Lakmean trader, AaHannaa, stood by the steps up to the restaurant area, and then a few moments later a man with the familiar Ivory complexion of a Gouveian appeared, it was Kurla Babic.

Having spotted their target Lyris and Zerrad ordered another drink, while the latter sent an electronic signal to the Commander, and then they waited while Kurla got comfortable and during the next half hour the Skeets witnesses an array of wrong doing among the clientele, where a variety of contraband changed hands.

The undercover Legionnaire’s Chuto and Plimmy were both in sight, the former was sitting at the Bar and the latter was playing a gambling machine.

As it appeared that the entire criminal fraternity were present in the bar and the card games were well under way, with a lot of cash on the tables, so Lyris felt there was no reason to wait any longer so he nudged Zerrad and nodded to Chuto and Plimmy in turn and they made their way into the pre-arranged positions as Zerrad sent the go signal.