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
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