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”
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