The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 09 – Distant Cousins

The planned posh frock and dinner jacket grand dining experience that the Tornados crew were looking forward to, never happened, and was replaced by beer and burgers in the hotel bar where Merri and Dwyn tried to make sense of the doppelgangers in front of them and the rest of the crew watched with fascination as Merri and her carbon copy found out about each other.

 

Dwynwen Strong, like Merri, was born on Earth Secundus in the Overtonis System, but a year later than her cousin, and to Ben Strong’s younger brother Owen, and the reason neither of them knew of the others existence was because the brothers had a falling out when Merri was three years old, which was why Ben Strong left the Overtonis System to work for the Garangon Mining Company, and from that moment on, the Brothers raised their daughters in isolation and with no mention by the fathers regarding the existence of their cousins.

 

At the time the Garangon Mining Company went out of business, after inadvertently destroying the moon they were mining, and Ben Strong kept the Tornado in lieu of payment, Owen Strong was pursuing his own career as an archeologist, and Dwynwen followed in his footsteps, and by the time of Ben Strong’s death, when the Tornado passed to Merri, Dwyn was well respected Archeologist in her own right, while her father Owen had found that his strengths lay in the halls of academe, and was a Professor back on Earth Secundus.

 

Because of her reputation in her field and a recommendation from her father, Dwyn had spent the previous three years aboard the Alexandretta, which was an exploration vessel, searching for all things of mineral, zoological, agricultural and archeological interest, and she had planned to spend a further two years aboard, but something happen and she disembarked at the Aurora 6 space station and took a berth on the first vessel to depart in the opposite direction which was a heavy transport called the Agamemnon, bound for Eikon Major, a journey which took three months.

But she surprised the whole group, including Merri, when she said that her first port of call, after three years away and three months on the Agamemnon, was the Andraxian Embassy in Rendon.

 

Dwynwen explained that the mission brief for the Alexandretta scientists was to ascertain if planets had ever sustained any significant civilizations in their past and gather data by the least invasive means and document their findings, this did involve taking samples, but again these were kept to a minimum, but when evidence pointed to significant sites of a former sophisticated culture, and their locations were identified, Dwynwen and her team were allowed down to the surface to investigate further which ultimately lead to some excavations, and if any artifacts were recovered they were again documented and packed for return to the museum on Andraxis.

However, after three years it came to Dwynwen’s attention after she quite by chance came across a data packet, which contained shipping manifests, but not the ones she had initialed, after completing the loading, but substitutes, detailing that of all the artifacts shipped to the museum, less than half of them completed the trip.

After further discreet investigation she discovered that Captain Bersian of the Alexandretta, two of the Science Directorate aboard, Brenhol and Ocec and the Captain of the freighter Hollander,

Ca Erdd, had all signed off the falsified manifest.

She continued to gather information until the Alexandretta docked at Aurora 6 Space Station to take on supplies which was when she made her move and without telling a soul aboard she gathered up her most precious belongings, and the data tablets, and while everyone else was looking for some fun she was boarding the Agamemnon bound for the Eikon Cluster.

 

“So, what now?” Merri asked

“I have to get to Andraxis and give evidence to the Messengis Science Congress”

“Wasn’t the physical evidence enough?” Asti asked

“No, I have to give a verbal account as well” she explained

“So, until you do, you’re a target” Parse pointed out

“That’s why I have the body guards” she replied and indicated with a nod, the two Andraxian Agents, who couldn’t have looked any more conspicuous if they’d had signs around their necks.

 

The senior agent was Ferro Scanner, tall dark and strikingly handsome, with jet black hair and the typical Andraxian opaque grey green skin which darkened or lightened depending on their mood, he was physically fit, well-toned and could no doubt look after himself and Dwynwen, his second in command was Ambor Etra who was five foot eight with short black hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing eyes and a very decent figure with a pert derriere and disproportionately large breasts and long slender legs.

“How long before you leave?” Merri asked

“I have to report to the Embassy in Rendon tomorrow night, then leave the next morning and later that day we have to Rendezvous with an Andraxian Frigate, which will take me all the way there” she replied

Andraxis was two systems away from the Cluster in the Messengis System and the Andraxian’s were an ancient Culture and considered themselves to be the moral guardians of the known universe.

“So soon?” Merri asked

“I’m afraid so” Dwyn replied

“The universe can be very cruel, one day I discover I have a fully-grown cousin and the next she’s off again” Merri said

“Yes, but I know you exist now and where you are” Dwynwen said and hugged her newly found cousin.

 

After a prolonged hug Merri pulled herself free and discreetly wiped a tear from her eye and said

“Well if you’re off leaving tomorrow we need to make the best of the time we have left so let’s get partying!”

 

In ones and two’s, the rest of the crew called it a night, including Merri’s lover Parse, but Merri and Dwynwen partied long and hard and Merri ended up crashing in Dwyn’s suite.

It was far better accommodation than Merri and the crew could afford, but then Dwyn couldn’t afford it either, the only reason she was there was because it was provided by the Andraxian Embassy where she and her body guards could stay and keep her protected.  

The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 08 – Clarissoss

 

So, once they had made their decision it was left to Malena to make all the arrangements and they spent the following two weeks suppressing their excitement.

 

During their time in the Eikon Cluster They had heard a lot about Clarissoss, but they had never been, in fact the closest they had got was the capital, Rendon.

 

After spending two days on Eirkos at the agrarian settlement of Montrose they said their goodbyes and leaving Pulsat, Vanzyl and Bagg, they boarded the Stroller for the drive back to Cranack.

When they got back Malena remotely opened the ramp on the Tornado.

“Alright everyone, get aboard” Merri said to the crew “next stop Clarissoss”

Once disembarked from the Stroller they all walked up the ramp and then Merri drove up the ramp into the cargo hold.

Ten minutes later the Tornado lifted off and headed towards Eikon Major.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, which was in fact marginally quicker than usual, Merri entered the atmosphere of Eikon Major, with her piloting, and Malena in the co-pilot seat and she used the Tornado’s four vertical take-off jumper engines and landed softly on the apron at the Rendon Space Port.

Once they had shut down all the Tornados systems and secured the ship they left the space port and boarded the shuttle to the resort.

 

Clarissoss was originally a family-oriented leisure resort geared more towards children, but it wasn’t different enough from all the other similar attractions to pull in enough visitors, so the owners closed the traditional loss-making family resort and opened something that targeted adults, and offered a wide range of entertainment, not all of which were entirely legal.

But over the years Clarissoss evolved into the premier resort in the system.

 

The diminutive Princess Asti Alegionaris was beside herself with excitement, and her Ivory skin tingled with delight, and her silver eyes sparkled, when she saw where they were staying.

The Galileo Hotel was located between the Casino district and the Sports complex and adjoined the Spa center which offered, fitness classes, gym, rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool, Reflexology, Raki, facials, scalp massage, hand massage, Manicure and Pedicure, and that was only the tradition array of services that originated on Earth but there was also an extensive catalogue of practices and treatments from other systems including her own home world of Gouveia in the Dania system, and she hadn’t had any of those for a very long time, but she was soon going to rectify that, and then she would have a full range of beauty treatments and put some life back into her platinum hair.

Her huge fellow Gouveian Parse Sacrod, contrasted immensely from Asti, apart from the ivory skin.

He stood 6 foot 8 high, broad and powerfully built, with short curly hair the colour of burnished steel, and mercury coloured eyes, and he had no interest in relaxing or being pampered, so he headed straight for the sports area.

 

Merri, Malena and the Skeets wanted some adrenalin fueled fun, and although Shiyne would also enjoy that, she and Terrell also enjoyed the cultural Center in Rendon, where museums, art galleries, sculptures and antiquities, so they did alternate days.

One day Terrell would join Shiyne and the others for whatever nerve tingling event Merri and the others came up with and the next day they would get the shuttle into Rendon for a day of cultural pursuits.

But at the end of each day they would all go out and eat together and exchange tales about their days, followed by drinking and dancing.

 

In addition to the gambling, pampering, partying, clubling and catering for the sport obsessed, Clarissoss had also become a very popular venue for the sin seekers, but the visitors in pursuit of seedier activities found that they were to be found hidden away from more sensitive eyes, but although the Tornado crew were far from sensitive, they had no interest in that part of the resort.

 

After ten days none of the crew were showing any sign of slowing down but they had begun to tire of the usual restaurants that they had been frequenting so on night ten they were going to a very up market place, which even had a dress code.

So, it was decided that they would dress in posh frocks and dinner suits and would meet downstairs in the bar.

 

Merri was still getting ready when Parse left their room as he had broken a cufflink and needed another set, so he went downstairs to the Hotels Plaza and bought some new ones, he didn’t dress up much since joining the Tornado so when he did he wanted to do it properly.

He quickly chose a set he was happy with and the girl in the shop put them in his cuffs for him and then he ambled slowly across the plaza to the bar where they were all to meet, which was when he caught sight of Merri, but she wasn’t wearing the beautiful green dress she’d had on when he left the room, instead she had on a figure hugging top, leather trousers and knee high boots, and although she still looked gorgeous he was a little disappointed.

He picked up the pace and followed her and caught up with her halfway between the door and the bar.

 

“Hey, why did you change?” he said touching her arm “you looked stunning in that dress”

In response she turned around to face him

“Whoa steady on big fella” she said “No touching”

“Oh” he exclaimed when he looked at the familiar face possessed with someone else’s eyes

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else” he said meekly “you are the spitting image of her”

“Seriously? Is that the best you’ve got, I’m the spitting image of a girl you once went out with?”

“No, you’re the spitting image of the girl I’m going out with now, and she’s… standing over there”

She craned her neck to see this remarkable double but as she was a foot shorter than the big Gouveian she couldn’t see her.

“Of course, she is” she remarked and then he smiled and said

“Very funny Malena, you got me, morphing into Merri”

“Who the hell is Malena?” The doppelganger asked

“I am” she said as she appeared and then Merri joined the group and she did a double take, looking firstly at Mal then at her double and then Mal again before saying

“What the…? You’ve got my face, and my eyes and my hair,

And you dress like me, who the hell are you?”

She demanded

“I like your boots by the way”

“Thanks, I got them on Androsin Prime” she replied

“I’m Dwynwen”

“She’s even got a sing songy name like you Merri” Asti said as she joined the group along with the Skeets, Shiyne and Terrell

“So, what’s your name then?” Dwyn asked

“Merionwen Strong” she replied

“No that’s my name” Dwyn replied

“I thought you said your name was Dwynwen?” Merri asked

“It is, Dwynwen Strong”

There was a full minute of total silence as the two redheads took in the new information and then the pair said in unison

“I need a drink”

The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 07 – Holiday Talk

 

After an enjoyable and surprising Eastertide Festival on Marikya the Tornado returned Bagg’s brother, Trebreh, his wife Xandra, and her brother Ale, along with Duff Tarver and his wife Chani to the peaceful agrarian settlement of Montrose on Eirkos, and then proceeded to Soman to pick up a load for delivery to Eikon Minor.

After delivering the three pods of freight to the Legionnaires Garrison they returned Wisma Berita to the Visitors Rest which was the bar she owned in Gipki, then with all their passengers returned to their homes, the Tornado returned to plying its trade in the Eikon Cluster.

The system was known as the Eikon Cluster due to the high number of M class planets and moons in the Eikon solar system,   they could always rely on an abundance of work with Golbolt Interstellar, based on the moon Soman, and the main reason for that was that the Operations Manager was Oshwin Lemik and he fought against the Legion in the Shaxson War along 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, and in the months that followed their Sojourn to Marikya they delivered their cargo to every planet, moon and asteroid in every corner of the system with barely a moment’s respite.

Until after almost nine months of continuous toil Merri exclaimed

“We need a vacation!”

She was on the flight deck, sitting in the left seat with the huge framed figure of Parse Sacrod stood behind her with a hand on each shoulder, the Tornado’s second in command Malena Endia was in the co-pilots chair and Shiyne was at the nav panel.

They were in a holding pattern on approach to Eikon Major following a Leviathan tanker, which was going painfully slowly, and it was as she looked out through the glass at the arse end of a Leviathan when she made her exclamation.

“We need a vacation!”

“Yes, that would be nice” Shiyne said unenthusiastically, she had made the Vacation statement countless times before and they never got one, so they had no reason to think this time was any different, they had short breaks of course like the one on Marikya, but not a proper holiday.

“I’m serious, we really need a vacation”

“We agree” Malena said “But that doesn’t mean we’ll get one”

“Why not?”

“Because you always say you need one and then another job comes up and then bang goes the vacation” Shiyne replied

“Well we’re having one” Merri said indignantly “Get everyone in the mess room once we’ve unloaded”

“Aye, aye Captain” Malena said and threw a salute

 

The Tornado wasn’t a huge ship as freighters go, especially compared to a Leviathan or a Gargantuan, 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, they had even toyed with the idea of doing away with the “special” pod, but couldn’t bring themselves to do it. 

 

Once on the surface the Tornado dropped their cargo pods, which were driven away, and then the ground crew maneuvered the three loaded pods into position for the return trip.

Once the Pods were in place Merri lowered the Tornado to secure them and then lowered the front ramp, so the remaining smaller freight could be unloaded.

There were only four small pieces for the return so once they were aboard and the manifests had been checked and signed they closed the door and as they had three hours until they could take off again, Merri called the meeting.

 

Lyris was the last to arrive in the mess and Merri said

“Good of you to join us”

“I thought it was just the usual scones and coffee, or is there a special occasion?”

“Yes, there is and that’s because we all need a vacation” she replied, and her remarks were met with a chorus of derision

“Not that old chestnut” Lyris said

“We’ve heard all this before” Asti added

“You always talk about a vacation but that’s as far as it goes” Zerrad chimed in

Even Pulsat and Vanzyl were emanating unsympathetic noises so she asked

“What about you Bagg?” 

“Well we have been here before” he replied “and we probably will be again”

“Oh, is that right, well let me tell you this, I’ve already contacted Oshwin and told him to clear us a fourteen-day window so what do you think of that?” she said, and a happy murmur spread around the room.

“That’s made you change your tune” she said, and they all took it in turns to kiss her and say thanks.

“Well I suggest you all start making plans” she said trying to keep her composure and then added “and now I will have pancakes”

The whole mood aboard had changed, and the mess room was buzzing with excited chatter as they made their plans while Bagg fed them freshly made pancakes.

 

Merri checked the time and after finishing her mouthful she said

“Our departure time is approaching, so it’s time to prepare for take-off, Lyris you’ve got the left seat, Asti co-pilot, and I’ll be up when I’ve had more pancakes”

 

There was a lot of discussion among certain members of the crew as to how exactly they would spend their holiday, but not so much for others, as Bagg would spend it with Wisma and along with the two engineers, Pulsat and Vanzyl, go to the peaceful agrarian settlement of Montrose on Eirkos, where Bagg and Wisma could enjoy two perfect weeks with his family, brother Trebreh, sister in law Xandra, her brother Ale and friends Duff and Chani Tarver.

For the engineers the time would be a little less peaceful but nonetheless enjoyable as they would be run ragged entertaining the village children, or “small humans” as they called them, Pulsat running and chasing them in the meadows and Vanzyl swimming with them in the lake.

For the rest of the crew however, as much as they loved Montrose and the people, had something a little more adventurous in mind, they would obviously spend a day or two enjoying their warm hospitality, but the bulk of their holiday would be spent elsewhere, the problem was where.

Merri, Malena and the Skeets wanted some adrenalin fueled fun, and although Shiyne would also enjoy that, she and Terrell also enjoyed cultural centers, where museums, art galleries, sculptures and antiquities would keep them enthralled, an activity to be made all the more enjoyable as they were doing it with each other.

Asti was looking for luxury and pampering, while Parse Sacrod primarily wanted to play some sports, but they all wanted to spend the vacation together.

So, they looked for common ground and in addition to their first choices, they all liked to dance, they all liked to drink, and they all loved to gamble, so in the end it was an easy choice, The Clarissoss Resort City on Eikon Major.

With Luxury Hotels, casinos, bars, clubs, and restaurants, sporting facilities to suit every taste, located close enough to the wilderness for the adventurous types and only an hour’s shuttle ride away from Eikon Major’s Capital City, Rendon where those of a more cultural bent could indulge themselves to their hearts content.

 

So, once they had made their decision it was left to Malena to make all the arrangements and they spent the following two weeks suppressing their excitement.

 

During their time in the Eikon Cluster, they had heard a lot about Clarissoss, but they had never been, in fact the closest they had got to it was the capital, Rendon.

 

The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 06 – Amota Tricona

Malena Endia was from Obgaron Prime in the Alandis system which was now deep in the heart of the Mehreen Empire, though she, like many of her species, fled into Legion territory after their world was invaded, but many of her kind died after the invasion and she wasn’t sure exactly how many were left because they weren’t easily recognized as they were a race of shape shifters.

The Mehreen were a brutal regime who conquered world after world without warning, either for tactical and strategic reasons or for want of the planet’s resources, but in the case of Obgaron Prime there was no strategic value and it was poor in minerals and Orr, their destruction was for a very different reason altogether, fear.  

The mighty Mehreen Empress feared the Obgaron because of a long-held prophecy that the Empire would been brought down by beings who could transform themselves into Mehreen High Councillor’s and seize power unnoticed, so they thought those beings were shape shifters, so they slaughtered everyone they could lay their hands on without mercy.

 

The Obgaron were a peaceful insular people who had had minimal exposure to the universe outside their own system so the majority of the inhabitants weren’t fearful of an impending invasion. 

Malena however was not among them and fled, stowing away on a deep space exploration vessel with a few of her like-minded people and slipped through the Mehreen net by transforming.

Though she could change form at will she could only transform 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.

But that need to touch a subject in order to shift cost many more lives during the invasion among the Obgaronian’s who had no suitable form to shift into to when the time came, in order to evade the Mehreen hordes.

The form Malena took was that of a 27-year-old human whom she met on a remote mining colony when she first entered Legion space, that was more than 20 years earlier and she still looked exactly the same.

It was on another mining planet 12 months later that she first met Ben Strong and joined his crew aboard the Tornado where she quickly proved herself to be invaluable, firstly as just one of the crew but she soon showed a natural gift for navigating and she also excelled as a nanny to 9-year-old Merri.   

But in all that time she had never once seen or even heard of another Obgaron, which was why when Terrell injected the errant Sister, dispatching her with a jab to the neck so she crumpled to the floor, and she transformed from the Sister dressed in traditional white habit with the face of a human, shimmered and faded to be replaced by a very different Mercurial form of liquid silver glass, she was stunned.

“My God she’s Obgaron” Malena said and sunk to her knees, as did the other sisters, and then rest of the Tornado crew appeared.

“I’ll get the Prefects” Parse said

“No, please, not yet” Malena pleaded “I need to talk to her first”
Never have spoken to or seen another Obgaron in over twenty years she couldn’t hand her over to the Prefects without a word.

 

The Sisters temporarily closed the Chamber and locked the doors leaving the two Obgaron alone inside, the rest of the crew were anxious, no more so the Zerrad Skeet, but Shiyne kept up her own line of communication going. 

“What if the Sister changes into some Dragon thing?” Zerrad asked

“Then Malena will change into a bigger one” Lyris retorted

 

“What’s your name?” Mal asked the Sister who had now returned to her human form

“Sister Tabatha” she replied

“You’re real name”

“That is my Church name” she insisted

“Very well” Malena said and instantly transformed into her natural state and said

“My name is Malena Endia, what’s yours?”

This made Sister Tabatha gasp and prompted her to change as well

“Amota Tricona” she said “I thought I was the only one left”

“Have you never seen another of our kind either?” Malena asked and Amota shook her head

“The Sisters took me in more than twenty years ago and I have stayed with them ever since” she explained “I would have died if not for them”

“And they have you steal for them in return” Malena said

“No, no, they didn’t know” she replied “I did it to repay them for their kindness to me, I told them they were donations, and they didn’t know I wasn’t human”

“Very noble, but it’s still theft” Mal pointed out

“But I only take from the wealthy” Amota said defensively

“I don’t take anything they can’t afford to lose”

“But you have taken precious things, not precious because of their value but of the sentiment attached” Mal explained “Irreplaceable things” 

“I didn’t think of that” Amota said “I’m sorry”

“So where are the things you took today?” Mal asked

“Over here” she replied and led Malena into a dingy corner and opened a cupboard.

“I’m looking for an Androsin Gold bracelet with an intricate design inlaid with platinum and a handcrafted leather bag” she said “Both taken today”

It only took Amota about a minute to locate the two items and hand them over

“What happens now?”

“I don’t know” Mal replied “Under the law you should be handed over to the Prefects, that’s what we intended before I knew you were you, so now I don’t know”

“What will the Prefects do to me?” she asked

“I suppose it depends on the Sisters, and if they will speak in your defense” Malena replied and Amota’s shoulders slumped and when they did Mal closed her eyes and said “done” in her head.

 

Shiyne gave the signal and they all walked towards the door where Visitor Parham had been in deep conversation with the Mother Superior.

“We can go in now” Shiyne said

“Ok, but I need to talk to you all first” Bagg said

 

“We are not going to hand her over to the Prefects” Bagg said

“What?” Parse exclaimed

“The Mother Superior will send Sister Tabatha on their next transport, to one of their closed orders, away from the faithful” Bagg said “That will be punishment enough”

“What about the stealing?” Parse asked

“Stop thinking like a policeman” Bagg said “She wasn’t doing it for personal gain”  

“What about the bracelet?” Lyris asked

“Malena has it, and the old ladies’ bag” Shiyne announced

“I think it’s the best solution” Bagg said “I’m sure Malena will agree”

 

Malena was visibly relieved when Bagg told her what had been decided, Amota would have been little more than a girl when she fled her home world, and she believed she was merely repaying the Sisters for their kindness.

The Sisters didn’t care that she wasn’t human, and she would always be Sister Tabatha to them and Malena knew she would be safe in a closed order.

 

A month later Malena had Zerrad fly her back to Marikya in the Spider Hawk when it was time for Amota to leave so she could say goodbye.

“Do you think we are the only two Obgaron left?” Amota asked

“If I’d been asked that a month ago I would have said I was the only one” she replied “but now I know there are two of us so I suspect if there are two then there are a lot more, we are very good at hiding, but we must stay hidden, because the Mehreen still want to kill us” 

They stood on the landing field at the foot of the loading ramp and embraced

“We will see each other again” Malena said “So stay safe”

“You too”

Zerrad put his arm around Malena and she had mixed emotions

as they watched the transport lift off, she was happy that she was no longer the last of the Obgaron but sad that Amota Tricona had to leave, but as she stood with the comforting arms of her lover around her she felt at peace and she knew for certain sure that she would see her again, even though she didn’t know when. 

 

The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 05 – Sisters of St Agatha

 

Merionwen Strong, Parse Sacrod, Terrel Vorton, Shiyne, and Asti Alegionaris, were sitting in a café across the plaza from where the Sisters of St Agnes were performing the healing, when Visitor Parham (Bagg) walked in and sat down with them.

He had just returned from the enclave where he had left Trebreh, Xandra, Ale and Wisma in safety, he didn’t want them to get mixed up in one of their adventures.

 

“We need an old crock” Merionwen said

“What?” Bagg retorted

“We need an old crock” Merri repeated and Bagg looked at her blankly while everyone else looked grave, with the exception of Shiyne, who knew exactly what Merri was doing, and struggled to suppress a laugh.

“Well we can’t queue up to see the healing Sisters if you haven’t got an ailment, and the more obvious the better” she explained

“Damn” exclaimed Lyris

“There’s one” said Asti excitedly

“Hold on Princess” Parse said “We can’t just grab one at random and kidnap them”

“Trust me” she said and leapt up “We’re not going to use her exactly”

“Oh God we’ll all get done by the prefects for kidnapping” Bagg said and put his head in his hands.

About ten minutes later Asti returned with an old woman and Zerrad Skeet walked in behind them.

“Asti you can’t...” Bagg began

“Don’t worry Bagg its Malena” Asti said and laughed “Merri sent Lyris to get her”

“So, who is manning the Tornado?” he asked

“Pulsat and Vanzyl” she replied

 

Malena Endia was from Obgaron Prime in the Alandis system, which was now deep in the heart of the Mehreen Empire, though she, like many of her species fled into Legion territory after their world was invaded, but many of her kind died after the invasion and she wasn’t sure exactly how many were left because they weren’t easily recognized as they were a race of shape shifters.

She could change shape at will, but she could only transform into a being she had touched, only the briefest moment of contact 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 afternoon for the mission she chose to simulate the old ladies clothes, partly in case she needed to shift, it would have looked very odd indeed if she needed to shapeshift into a man and he was then wearing girls clothes.

The second reason was that she wanted it to appear that she was adorned with jewelry but when the thief tried to steal it she would know instantly and be able to react.

 

The Sisters of St Agatha were not an ancient order but her life predated Christianity.

Agatha was born on Earth, on the Island of Sicily, in 231 BC and belonged to a rich, important family but she dedicated her life to God as a young person, and resisted both marriage and sex, making a vow of virginity.

Young, beautiful and rich she rejected the amorous advances of the low-born Roman prefect, Quintianus, who thought he could force her to turn away from her vow and force her to marry him, but his persistent proposals were consistently spurned by Agatha who lived a life dedicated to God, so Quintianus, knowing she was a Christian during the persecution of her faith by Emperor Decius, had her arrested and brought before him, where he tried to profit by Agatha's sanctity.

He expected her to give in to his demands when she was faced with torture and possible death, but she simply reaffirmed her belief in God by praying:

“Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil”

She prayed for courage with tears falling from her eyes but to force her to change her mind, Quintianus sent Agatha to Aphrodisia, the keeper of a brothel, and had her imprisoned there, but Agatha never lost her confidence in God, even though she suffered a month of rape, assault, and efforts to get her to abandon her vow to God and go against her virtue.

Quintianus sent for her again, argued, and threatened, but once again Agatha refused his advances, so he had her imprisoned and had her tortured

She was stretched on a rack, torn with iron hooks, burned with torches, and whipped and she even had her breasts cut off, then after further dramatic confrontations with Quintianus, Agatha was then sentenced to be burnt at the stake, but an earthquake saved her from that fate; instead, she was sent to prison where St. Peter the Apostle appeared to her and healed her wounds, but later she died in prison aged just twenty and following her martyrdom she was venerated as a Saint.

The Sisters adopted Agatha as their patron Saint as they were already healers, though more akin to nurses, but then like the Visitors they took to the stars and thrived.

 

Terrell Vorton described them as “charlatans”, but they didn’t do what they did for financial gain, they were essentially good, and they accepted no payment for their healing, other than faith.

 

Which was why they were so popular with the pilgrims and why there was a long queue to get in to see them, and in the queue were Malena, disguised as an old frail woman and she was flanked by Bagg and Terrell Vorton.

The former was a tall and disproportionately thin figure, wearing his Visitor regalia, of a full length pale blue robe tied at the waist with a royal blue cord and a full length dark blue leather jerkin over the top, and he carried a simple rough-hewn staff which was undecorated but for a carved cruciform relief a few inches from the top, and the latter was a small stout Sciberran Healer, standing 5 foot 5, though still striking in appearance with chalk white skin, short hair of midnight blue and violet eyes.

 

If they were right about the healers, and it was by no means certain that they were, they had no idea how many of the Sisters were involved in the thefts, which was why Malena had two escorts, Bagg had proved himself to be very handy in a scrap, and Terrell had about his person an assortment of pharmaceutical weapons.

One of the concerns however was communication, as the healing chamber was a huge faraday cage preventing any radio waves entering or leaving.

But the crew of the Tornado didn’t need communicators as they had Shiyne and she was a telepath.

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 work 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, but she was more than a match for a faraday cage, so she positioned herself on the plaza with a good view of the edifice.

There was only one way in and one way out, so the rest of the crew took up station, far enough away to be able to see someone fleeing but close enough to charge the entrance if necessary.    

 

When Malena and escorts reached the front, they waited patiently until the curtain opened and a Sister stepped through.

And after a traditional Christian greeting they were ushered inside St Agatha’s chamber and amazingly the three of them felt immediately at peace, after a few paces Terrell and Bagg were told to stay and one of the Sisters took Malena by the hands and led her further and began chanting, but she could still hear Shiyne’s reassuring voice in her head and then Mal was surrounded by another five sisters who were feverish praying, and then all of a sudden she felt a hand grasping at what the thief believed was a bracelet.

Shiyne was instantly aware and signaled the rest of the crew to be on their guard.

The moment that Malena felt the thief’s touch she grabbed the arm and dragged the errant Sister from the pack towards Terrell who had already reacted and had an injector in his hand and took two steps forward and dispatched her with a jab to the neck and she crumpled to the floor.

Now if what occurred had surprised the Sister then what happened next surprised everyone else because the Sister dressed in traditional white habit with the face of a human, shimmered and faded to be replaced by a very different Mercurial form of liquid silver glass.

“My God she’s Obgaron” Malena said and sunk to her knees, as did the other sisters, and then rest of the Tornado crew appeared.

“I’ll get the Prefects” Parse said

“No, please, not yet” Malena pleaded “I need to talk to her first”

The Tornado Sojourns (4) – Chapter 04 – Crime Wave

 

While Bagg, Wisma, Parse and Merri went to the Prefects office to report the loss of her bracelet the remainder of the group were sitting at a table in a restaurant called the Golgothan Orchid and had finished eating by the time they returned.

“You’ve been a long time” Trebreh said to his brother

“It was very busy” he replied

“Were they any help?” Xandra asked

“None whatsoever” Merri retorted curtly

“Other than pointing out that it was more likely to have been stolen than lost because there have been numerous thefts and robberies” Parse explained “But without knowing where it was taken there isn’t much they can do about it”

 

Pulsat Rad sat very quietly while the others spoke as he had an idea as to where the bracelet may have been stolen, this was unusual as it was normally his friend Vanzyl who had the ideas and Pulsat who relayed them to the others, because he could understand every tone and toot that Vanzyl uttered, as if it were in his own tongue, whereas no one else could.

But he was Prinsloovian and it was common place for his species, and there were very few races he had met on his travels that he couldn’t understand, although he couldn’t speak back to most of them in their language, but he nonetheless understood every word that they spoke, and when he was in crowded places all he could hear was other people’s small talk, which he found quite annoying after a while, but while he had been on Marikya he had noticed a theme and actually tuned in to the chatter when he heard similar tales, and they were all in regard to thefts, but now Wisma had been robbed his eavesdropping had taken on a new significance.

 

Pulsat turned to his friend and spoke quietly to him of what he suspected and Vanzyl responded noisily in clicks, whirls and whistles, and everyone turned towards the engineers in response and fell silent, and Pulsat looked at the expectant faces, and then clicks and whirls began to emanate from Vanzyl which were clearly directed at Pulsat.

“Ok I say it” he said, and more clicks and whirls followed

“I say, I say” Pulsat retorted and to the assemble group he said

“I know where”

“Vanzyl knows where the robbery happened?” Merri asked and more clicks.

“He not know” Pulsat replied and her shoulders slumped then he added

“I know where”

Merri straightened up in response and Pulsat explained, in his stuttering style, and in detail, what he had heard,

 

The Prefects had confirmed that a large number of people had had either their pockets picked, or had valuables stolen while visiting the Holy Town.

But with the snippets of conversation that Pulsat had overheard, he had internally collated certain information, such as the location the theft was discovered, places visited prior to the discovery and the place where they were 100 percent sure they still had the stolen item, and with that information he had managed to isolate the crime to a certain area of the town, and the fact that they had all visited the Sisters of Saint Agatha, who were faith healers.

“That can’t be” Bagg said “it can be nothing more than an anomaly”

“I agree” his brother Trebreh added

“That’s where the evidence points” Merri pointed out

“Well I’ve always thought them to be charlatans” Terrel said “but not thieves”

While they were deliberating the likelihood of their involvement an elderly man and woman entered the restaurant and the latter was in tears.

“Is everything alright?” Xandra asked in a comforting tone as she took hold of the woman’s hand who then stopped crying and then a moment later she smiled.

 

The woman was completely relaxed by Xandra’s empathetic persona and was soon relating the cause of her former distress.

She had decided to visit the Sisters of St Agatha as she had been suffering of late with a touch of arthritis in her wrists.

She had paid her money and taken her turn in the queue and when she entered St Agatha’s chamber she felt immediately at peace.

Then one of the Sisters took her by the hands and began chanting and then she was surrounded by another five who were feverishly praying, and then all of a sudden, she was pain free and she was led out where she was met by her husband and within minutes of leaving the Sisters she noticed her bag was missing.

 

“So, if she wasn’t lying….”  Parse began after the couple had left

“She definitely wasn’t lying” Shiyne said

“Did you scan her then?” Lyris asked

“I did and every word she said was true” she replied “Apart from the arthritis, her aliment is much more severe than that and she hasn’t told her husband”

Bagg was cross with himself for dismissing the Sisters, Pulsat’s analysis had indicated St Agatha’s chamber was significant, but he had hoped it was just an anomaly, but he was wrong.

When he was a boy back on Mars his grandfather used to read old classic stories to him and one of his favourite’s was Conan Doyle, and as he sat in the restaurant he recalled there was an old Sherlock Holmes axiom which went

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth”

But he had allowed himself to be blinded by his inherent faith in human nature. 

“So, it must be one or more of the Sisters” Bagg surmised, and everyone agreed.

“Well it looks like you were right Pulsat” Merri said, and everyone congratulated him.

“Well done Pulsat” Bagg said and Vanzyl uttered a soft whistle like a plaintive flute and patted his friend on the back proudly.

 

“So, what do we do now?” Bagg asked

“We should tell the Prefects all we know” Xandra suggested

“They won’t act on it” Parse Sacrod pointed out “they’re stretched too thin”

“So, it’s down to us then” Asti mused “but what do we do?”

“Planning is Merri’s thing” Lyris said

“Ok then let’s put our heads together and plan another adventurous little diversion” she said

STAR WARS DAY

 

It’s may the 4th

Felicitations to you

Its Star Wars Day

May the fourth be with you