I’VE ALWAYS BEEN AN AVID READER # 2

I’ve always been an avid reader

I like books about distant Galaxies

I can’t put down the current one

It’s a great book about antigravity

The Tornado Sojourns (3) – Chapter 01 – Cruising the Cluster

The Tempest Class Freighter was powered by 4 Plasma Turbine Pyroclast Engines, which allowed for a very quick turn of speed once airborne, and four vertical take-off jumper engines, whose purpose is self-explanatory, they could also be used independently to provide auxiliary power on board while they were on the surface for periods when the solar converters were inadequate.

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.

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, but not so much in recent years. 

 

It had been almost three years since the Tornado, reached the Eikon Cluster with a full complement aboard, funds in the coffers and three pods of Thermalium mineral ore for delivery to Eikon Major, and two years since they finally shook off their Ghambran pursuers once and for all, thanks to the Gouveian Crown Jewels, Commander Emad Salmin of the Legion Aeronautica, and some cunning in planting the stolen jewels aboard the Ghambran’s Scorpion Cruiser.

 

They should have felt guilty after effectively framing the Ghambran’s for a crime they knew full well they didn’t commit, but they didn’t.

They may indeed have been innocent of the criminal, subversive and treasonable acts that landed them in court, but they were not innocent, they had committed many and varied crimes and had always gotten away with them because they were under the banner of Prefector Collis’s protection.

But the charges that they faced, they had to face alone, because Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus were disowned by Prefector Collis, who chose to distance himself from his former employees fearing he might otherwise find himself in the dock for treason.

In reward for finding the Crown Jewels, Commander Salmin was made Supreme Commander for the whole of the Eikon Cluster and those aboard the Tornado, and their friends and allies felt the weight of his gratitude.

As a result of their action to preserve the life they loved in the Cluster they actually Malena Endia and Shiyne had their lovers, Zerrad Skeet and Terrell Vorton with them, Zerrad’s brother Lyris had been tamed by the member of the Gouveian Royal family among their number, Asti Alegionaris.

While engineers Pulsat Rad and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical had also found love, a love for the children of Montrose, who loved them in equal measure.

Even Visitor Parham, who tended their spiritual needs, while his alter ego Bagg fortified them with his culinary prowess, had also found love in the form of his family on Montrose.

So, everything for the Tempest Class Freighter Tornado was set fare, and Captain Merionwen Strong knew that apart from a good crew, good food and a liberal quantity of love, that on the Tornado’s Sojourns around the Eikon Cluster they were bound to have more adventure, and she was not wrong.

 

Merionwen Strong was 32 years old and was best described as statuesque, she was tall, straight backed, proud and was blessed with an abundance of red hair that trailed behind her like a mane and penetrating green eyes to stare you down with, and overall she cut a striking figure and along with her appearance went her forthright, volatile and feisty personality.

She was owner and Captain of the Tornado, and her love interest was Parse Sacrod, whom she called Beefy, a former Legionnaire of the Royal Guard of Gouveia who she met after Princess Asti Alegionaris was abducted at the space port by the Ghambran’s.

He was huge in stature, standing 6 feet 8 high and he was broad and powerfully built, his hair was short, curly and the colour of burnished steel, and with the characteristic ivory skin of the Gouveian race, and with his mercury coloured eyes he was as arresting a figure as Merri and they had become inseparable, and always spent the long watches on the flight deck together.

 

Technically the ship belonged to the Garangon mining company, but as they went out of business when they inadvertently destroyed the moon they were mining, Merionwen’s father Ben kept the Tornado in lieu of payment and it passed to her on his death.

Apart from Merri the only other survivors from her father’s crew were her co-pilot and navigator, Malena Endia and Shiyne, the latter being that rare commodity in any crew, someone who could and would perform any task required of them without question, but her real strength was in the role of negotiator and as an eternal optimist.

The rest of the crew arrived in dribs and drabs mainly as a result of being stranded on the stranded on the surface of Alwi, the fourth moon of the seventh planet Aragon, in the Cammaratian System.

The first to arrive was Visitor Parham, a Christian minister who it turned out set a chain of events in motion, firstly he brought with him two first rate engineers, Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical and the next day they lifted off and went for a spin among the stars.

It was during that test flight that they had to go to the rescue of the Skeet brothers whose ship, the Phoenix, was attacked by Skav Raiders, and the attack was so severe that they had to eject in a life pod which nearly cost them their lives anyway, but they were saved in the nick of time, and when they recovered from their injuries they joined the crew, and it was the Skeets injuries that brought Sciberran Healer Terrell Vorton aboard the Tornado where two significant things happened, firstly he saved Zerrad Skeet’s life, which was crucial in reconciling the unresolved love between him and Malena, and secondly it brought him into the close orbit of Shiyne where they also fell for each other.

When the Tornado left Alwi bound for Delta 500 they had a passenger aboard and that was Princess Asti Alegionaris, youngest granddaughter of the Regent of Gouveia, who was subsequently abducted and rescued, which introduced Parse to the captain.

Visitor Parham’s role aboard was to tend to their spiritual needs, but his alter ego Bagg, fortified them with his culinary prowess.

 

Once they arrived in the Eikon Cluster, so called due to the high number of M class planets and moons in the Eikon solar system, they quickly found an abundance of work with Golbolt Interstellar, based on the moon Somar.

The main reason for that was that the Operations Manager was Oshwin Lemik and he fought against the Legion in the Shaxon War with the Skeet brothers, they as pilots and Oshwin as Logistics Commander.

From the moment they were reacquainted, the Tornado got as much work as they wanted and regularly ran between Eikon Major and Minor, Eirkos and its moons, Soman, Rekar and Marikya, and neighbouring planet’s, Achrem and Zenden as well as Zenden’s moon, Linden, plus a host of other smaller moons and asteroids.

In the time they had been in the Eikon Cluster they had familiarized themselves with the planets and moons they visited and had cultivated great friendships along the way, so whatever part of the system they were in they always knew where to go where they would be welcomed, and they could relax and enjoy their down time.

Although Merri would have been just as happy to stay aboard with Parse and enjoy a bit of “alone” time. 

Similarly, the diminutive Princess Asti with her short platinum hair, ivory skin and silver eyes, would have preferred to keep her six-foot-tall, broad and muscular, black haired, dark eyed boyfriend, Lyris Skeet, all to herself.

Shiyne and Terrell just wanted to be wherever the other was, such was the depth of their love, though they were an odd couple.

They were both the same height but that was the only thing they had in common, he was older than her by 6 years and was stoutly built, while she was slim, his skin was of chalk white and hers was cerise, his eyes were violet, Shiyne’s were purple and Terrell’s hair was midnight blue and she was bald, the other difference was that he was very quiet and she would often chatter incessantly.

 

Physically Zerrad and his brother were very similar and only blonde hair and grey eyes differed from his older dark-haired brother, and his lover Malena was a tall slim brunette, with olive skin and hazel eyes, at least that was how she appeared, her true form was more mercurial, but Zerrad loved her in any form.

Pulsat Rad, Vanzyl and Bagg had no significant others, but the latter would have indulged his love of baking in the Galley while the other two would have happily played with their engines.

 

So for differing reasons they would all have been equally happy staying aboard, but Merri insisted they should all spend time away from the ship, which was why they had so many places, recreational bolt holes, but their favourite would always be the agrarian settlement of Montrose on Eirkos where Bagg’s brother and his family lived, but there was one other location that held particular significance for him, and that was the Gipki on Eikon Minor where there was a small Legion Aeronautica Garrison, and a hostelry called the Visitors rest, and more particularly its proprietor Wisma Berita.

OH HOW THEY ALL CRUELLY SCOFFED

 

Oh how they all cruelly scoffed

When I said that I would one day

Learn the secret of invisibility

If they could only see me now, eh

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 22 – The Strike

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

 

Prior to the arrival on a rocky plain on Linden of the Scorpion and its Legion escorts, Lyris landed the Spider Hawk on top of a cliff overlooking the plain from where Merri, Lyris, Malena, Shiyne and Parse watched the scene unfold below them through binoculars. 

They would have liked to have been there in person to witness the capture of the Ghambran’s, but they knew that as enjoyable as it might undoubtedly have been to witness at close hand the humbling of Maxil and Vint, it would not have been the wisest course of action because if it were known that they had been responsible for the Ghambran’s arrest and the subsequent shame inflicted on Prefector Collis and Ghambra as a whole, they would merely have disposed of one set of pursuers only to have them replaced by an infinite number of new ones, so they preserved their anonymity and watched from a safe distance via a lens, although they couldn’t get a clear look at the Ghambran’s from their vantage point as the Scorpion was between the watchers and the prisoners.

They did however record the images that they got, to show the rest of the crew when they returned to the Tornado.

 

They continued to watch as a procession of Legion personnel streamed inside the Scorpion while Commander Salmin paced up and down and after more than half an hour they were getting a little impatient.

“What on earth is taking so long?” Merri asked

“How well did you hide it Malena?”

“Not that well” Malena replied

“Perhaps we should just call the Commander and tell him were you hid it” Lyris said

“You could give him a long-range hint Shiyne” Merri suggested

“I can try” she replied, “But he’s a bit far away and he’s an intelligent man so it won’t be easy”

But she closed her eyes and tried to seek out the Commander with her mind but only moments later Merri interrupted her

“Somethings happening”

So, they all resumed their spying positions.

The Commander, who had never desisted in his pacing, had been brought to a halt by the presence of Lt Nulak who first saluted and then handed him the leather bundle.

The Commander looked at it and then asked the Lt a question, who nodded a response followed by another salute.

The commander was visibly relieved to have the prize in his hand and slapped his thigh when he thought no one was looking.

A few moments later Maxil Weltz and the other Ghambran’s appeared and were directed to where the Commander was standing.

They couldn’t hear what was said but they could get the gist.

The Commander was obviously confronting them with the evidence found aboard the Scorpion and his captives acted angrily to that evidence and it was clear that Weltz and Reganus were using some very uncomplimentary language and the former was raging and his eyes were bulging and his face changed colour.

“I think he must have a little Vann DNA in him” Lyris said “his complexion has definitely taken on a shade of cerise”

“Oh dear, he’s going to have a heart attack if he carries on” Merri added

“I think he’s safe, after all you need a heart first” Malena said

The five of them continued watching and were enjoying the view as the angry Ghambran’s were marched aboard the Legion Command ship.

 

After watching the Legion fleet and the Scorpion leave the surface of Linden Merri said

“Come on let’s go home”

And everyone knew what she meant because that was precisely what each and every one of them thought the Tornado was, home.

And when the Spider Hawk docked with the Tornado and they climbed down through the hatch the greeting they received from the rest of the crew was more one of relief than triumph.

But they all went to the mess room and shared one of Bagg’s excellent meals in what felt to them all like a family occasion rather than a celebration.

They saved the celebration meal for when they returned to Montrose although they did have a drink or two with Oshwin Lemik on Soman.

 

They should have felt guilty after effectively framing the Ghambran’s for a crime they knew full well they didn’t commit but they didn’t.

They may indeed have been innocent of the criminal, subversive and treasonable acts that landed them in court but they were not innocent, they had committed many and varied crimes and had always gotten away with them because they were under the banner of Prefector Collis’s protection.

But the charges that they faced, they had to face alone because Maxil Weltz and Vint Reganus were disowned by Prefector Collis, who chose to distance himself from his former employees fearing he might otherwise find himself in the dock for treason.

Because of the sensitive nature of the crime the trials were held “in camera” so no one on Gouveia knew how close the house of Alegionaris came to disaster.

 

In reward for finding the Crown Jewels Commander Salmin was made Supreme Commander for the whole of the Eikon Cluster and those aboard the Tornado, and their friends and allies felt the weight of his gratitude.

So as a result of their action to preserve the life they loved in the Cluster they actually enhanced it greatly.

And apart from no longer being pursued by hostiles, and with perpetually full cargo pods, the full complement aboard also enjoyed an abundance of love, Merri had her hunky Legionnaire Parse by her side, her best friends, Malena and Shiyne had their lovers, Zerrad and Terrell with them, Zerrad’s brother Lyris had been tamed by the member of the Gouveian Royal family among their number, Asti.

While engineers Pulsat and Vanzyl, who were magicians with all things mechanical had also found love, a love for the children of Montrose, who loved them in equal measure.

Even Visitor Parham, who tended their spiritual needs while his alter ego Bagg fortified them with his culinary prowess, had also found love in the form of his family on Montrose.

So, everything for the Tempest Class Freighter Tornado was set fare, and Captain Merionwen Strong knew that apart from a good crew, good food and a liberal quantity of love that on the Tornado’s Sojourns around the Eikon Cluster they were bound to have more adventure. 

THE SMOKING OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

 

The smoking of electronic cigarettes

Should only be done if you are a robot

And even then it should only happen

When it has just had sex with another robot

The Tornado Sojourns (2) – Chapter 21 – The Lure

 

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

HEAVENLY BODIES

 

The sun gifts us

With warmth and light

Endowing and sustaining

The green earth with life

Then when day is done

After the setting of the sun

The Moons silvery disk appears

Boldly bright through its phases

And stars are liberally sprinkled

Across the curtain of night

These gifts from God

Make our days complete