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On Helionia, Captain Lysenko heard belatedly from his officer who was keeping watch on the starship Dagger. He told Lysenko how he had been taken by surprise and knocked unconscious, only to come round three hours later to see that the starship Dagger had already taken off, with Ares Fortuna and an old crone going aboard minutes before he had been attacked, Lysenko decided that late or not he would contact the Ray and Jean Connors.
“Ray, are you there? Please answer if you can hear me, for I have some news for you, belated though it is.” Luckily, the damage done to the Dagger had also stopped the radio interference, so Ray Connors was able to receive the call from Captain Lysenko.
“I`m here Captain, what news do you have for me?”
“Three hours ago the starship Dagger took off for destinations unknown, on board were Ares Fortuna and the old mystic, unfortunately my agent was knocked unconscious and has only just reported in.” Captain Lysenko reported.
“They appeared here about one hour ago, they fired upon us after we warned them away Captain, we sent them running for home with their tail between their legs, although had I known that those two were aboard I might have finished them off.”
“Well done Ray, I was worried that you might have been killed if you went up against the Dagger, obviously I worried unnecessarily.” Captain Lysenko said happily.
“I don`t suppose Fortuna will give in so easily though Captain.” Jean said hoping for a rebuttal of her statement.
“I`m afraid that you may well be right Jean, he is the general in charge of a large part of our space fleet, and who knows how he will react to your defiant action against him.”
Trial by Ordeal Page 29