Galaxy Spies

by Philip R Benge

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  While Jean had sat waiting within the wooden building set in the area of ground in front of the mine entrance, there slightly above her and to one side of the mine itself, she would have seen had there been a window in the wooden building to see out of, a large cave. It had been fitted with an ultra-modern looking door to make a fair sized secure room within it. Inside of the room built within this large cave Karl Terrier face wore a wide grin, it lasted for at least half a micro second before the pain in his chest made him look down to see the long thin knife that protruded from his blood stained shirt. Ray Connors seemed to grow in height as Karl Terrier`s legs buckled beneath him and then Terrier collapsed to the floor of the stone room, it was over for the gangland boss, for now he was dead.

  Ray went to the dead body of the once powerful gang leader and pulled out his favourite throwing knife from the still body. He then leant over and wiped the blood off of its thin blade upon the dead Karl Terrier`s clothing, this was just before picking up his Phaser pistol that he had dropped to the floor prior to reaching for his knife. Knowing how to throw a knife was a skill the captain of a small freighter needed when frequenting some of the ports that Ray had delivered merchandise to, and today it had come in handy again. Ray walked to the cave door and using the manual inner door handle opened the door and peered outside to see what was happening near the cave. What he saw was Jean being led across the arid ground by a gorilla of a man towards the Lyren ship, here she was handed over to a member of the ship`s crew and taken inside. Quickly Ray looked about the room and soon found the controls to the automatic Phasers that were set into the roof of the cave; a moment later and they were turned off. Now he took out some of the explosive that he had brought with him in his back pack and turned its timer on to explode in five minutes, this would not only hide Terrier`s body but provide him with a diversion that hopefully would allow him to board the Lyren ship.

  Harry meantime was fretting on top of the mountain ridge fearing that Karl Terrier would pull a stroke that would allow him to get the better of Ray. He was constantly searching the area around the cave and the mine with a powerful pair of binoculars, hoping for a sight of either of his friends to show that they were still alive. This was when he caught sight of Jean being led across the hard ground far below him, immediately he realised that they had been deceived by the gangland boss, but still there was no sign from the door of the cave to show just what was happening within its depths. His vigil was rewarded at last when he saw the metal door of the cave opening and there from within it he saw a figure cautiously peering out. That it was Ray, Harry was positive, even though he was so far away, and that he had caught sight of their girl was also obvious as she was right there in front of Ray, but he was puzzled for a moment when Ray disappeared within the cave. This puzzlement turned to fear when the thought that maybe Terrier had allowed Ray to see their girl before ordering him back inside of the cave. Harry was just about to descend down to the ground far below him when a figure appeared in the doorway, it was Ray again and this time he moved quietly down the stone cut steps and along the edge of the mountain`s steep rising walls. From here, he moved across, and behind, whatever cover there was towards the huge starship only to wait under cover of a large rock set slightly to one side but behind the ship. Minutes later Harry heard a loud explosion that came from the cave that Ray had previously exited; this was followed by the heavy metal door flying forward to land with a crash upon the hard ground, and smoke billowing out from the open cave mouth. Harry knew that the large amount of dust and dirt that followed the explosion meant that the roof must have collapsed and buried whatever or whoever was inside. Miners and their bosses all ran towards the door to stop and peer down at it for a moment before rushing en masse to the smoking cave mouth. Lyren crewmembers emerged from the ship and joined the melee allowing Ray to stroll across to the ship and disappear within. Harry now realised that the explosion had been to allow Ray free access to the Lyren ship, and it had worked perfectly, it also meant that Terrier had tried something and so was now dead. Minutes later the Lyren crewmen returned to their ship and its door closed behind them, more minutes elapsed and then the huge starship lifted off taking with it one extra passenger than the crew had planned on. Harry stood looking up at the Lyren ship until it finally disappeared and, as his shuttle could not match the speed of the starship, when he finally got back to the shuttle he headed back to the small moon and the Jeanette that was waiting patiently for Ray`s return.