Today the Human Government will meet with Bianca. Today she will do her best to convince them it is best to side with Jacob. Today will effect all that is planned and already put into motion. Their government is not as flashy or luxuries as the Terran’s. There was no budget. There was little decoration and symbolism in the auditorium, this was kept in the hallways to avoid distraction. The seats were simple and built into a sloping surface.
A robed woman walks to the podium. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please come to order. The Prime Minister will allow 30 minutes for Bianca Lanner Representing Meeran to speak.”
Bianca steps up the the podium, “Good morning, I come as a representative of Meeran and Lomen for my friend, Olivia and I grew up on Lomen. Lomen has a long history of welcoming all races, even after the human uprisings we commission a colony. Our relationship with the humans helped us both prosper and we became close friends.
“Unfortunately the Adlit did not return our hand of friendship. Instead they took advantage of every opportunity to take more. When they knew they could not take by tricky they used fear. We lived under the threat of terrorism since the civil war, this threat extended to the badlands of Meeran.
“There comes a time when you say enough is enough and you fight back. Unfortunately the Chancellor does his best to make us out to be evil war mongers bent on revenge. We only want peace, our circumstances dictated our actions.
“When we did fight back we found deep dark secrets. We found thousands of cloning chambers for a new horde army and thousands of ships to carry them! They threatened all of us! You once rose up against the inclusion of the Adlit to the Empire, you understood what could happen. Even faced with this evidence the chancellor still spoke ill of us. We do not seek confrontation with Tera Prime or the Empire as a whole, but if they stand in the way of peace we will have no choice.
“We cannot have peace unless we are ready to fight for peace. The Adlit are not the only threat, the Warren have been coming ever so closer. I urge you to unite with us to create a united front to these threats. Thank you for your time.”
Some humans clapped as others sat in their chairs with arms crossed. These issues truly divide the humans. Most recognize the the threat of the Adlit, but many believe this is only an excuse to take power. At any rate the invitation was cast.
Bianca and Olivia made their way to the halls and came face to face with Jeremy Forrest and the Chancellor’s security chief Conner Rain.
Jeremy spoke first, “Bianca,” he smiled, “I was wondering if we can have a word with you.”
Bianca was a bit surprised, “Of course.”
Jeremy motions to a side door and they both go in.
Bianca is ever so conscious of her surrounding and always determined to keep control of her environment. Being a woman should be a help.
She began to walk slowly around Jeremy, “You do look like him, I wonder if everything else is the same?”
“Bianca!” Exclaimed Olivia.
Jeremy kept his composure, he knew this would happen. “What are you up to Bianca? You don’t just go places to have speeches, usually chaos and destruction follows.”
“I think I was insulted,” She begins to walk around Conner putting her hand on his chest. “What do you think Conner?” She knew his name as she always knows the characters in her play.
Conner’s temper rows. “I think you’re a master manipulator, full of deceit.”
Bianca turns her attention back to Jeremy, “I hear you want to meet him, is the date set?”
“Yes,” answered Jeremy, “We will meet on Acedia in ten days.”
“You can’t take him from me...I won’t let you.” She turns around, “Are you done with us?”
“Yes, but be warned, we’re on to your game. Don’t try anything on Frontier or we’ll revoke your diplomatic privilege”
She smiled and walked out the door with Olivia in tow.
Jeremy looks at Conner for a moment, “I don’t like this, we should have just watched her in secret.”
“She knows we’re watching.” Conner remarked. “This was to shake things up a little. It’s one thing when a threat is hidden, yet another to see it in front of you.”
Jeremy grunts and walks out. Conner remains a moment and pulls a package out of his pocket and examined it.
Bianca and Olivia got back to their transport to return to Daddy’s for one last visit. Olivia gave her opinion of the event, “You are so touchy feely. I’m not sure if those guys didn’t like girls or if they used every bit of their willpower to not show it.”
Another transport gets a little too close to them, Bianca yells, “Hey idiot you’re too close!” The other transport opens it’s door and the trader captain is standing in it. He pulls out his gun and rapidly fires on the disabling the their transport causing it to fall from the sky.
“Hold on!” yelled out Bianca.
“What the hell you think I’m doing!?” yelled back Olivia.
The transport hit the ground spinning once, twice, three times while spinning off parts. When it finally came to a stop Bianca slowly pulled her way out and sat up next to the debris. When she looked up she saw the captain waiting for her.
“I survived the crash as did you.” he said. “But you won’t make it off Frontier alive, bitch.” He tries to pull the trigger, but he is the one who is shot. Olivia crawled out of the other side and shot him.
Bianca reached for her communicator and tapped it. “Daddy”
The device beeps and her Dad answers, “Daddy I’ve been in a crash.”
“Hold on baby I'll come get you.”
“...OK”
***
It just turned morning where Gorkey was staying. Since he didn’t wake on his own, Jenny decided to wake him, he’s never had a happier morning. Hot breakfast and hot coffee smells filled the air, but something on the news caught his eye.
“What’s that, turn it up.” asked Gorkey.
The newscaster was standing in front of a crash site explaining the seen, “It is believed that this ship was sabotaged and which caused it to crash on Frontier. The captain survived but was later ironically killed in a skyway accident with the Meeran representative Bianca Lanner and Lomen representative Olivia Lanner. Both of which have been treated and released from the hospital. They’re reportedly staying in the Meeran embassy and refused any requests for information.”
“Jenny,” Gorkey pulled a package out of his pocket, “I have to go...”
“But why?”
“I’m sorry, that’s my boss. I need to find out what happened. After this job I promise I’m coming home, I just have a debt to pay.” he puts the package in her hands, “But if something does happen to me, this will with all you need.”
***
Jeremy and Conner were at the embassy trying to gather further information from Bianca. They don’t believe it was just an accident. “Now Bianca, space tracking showed that you were docked with the trade ship the day before.”
“Yes, we were going to do some trading for emergency food shipments for Lomen, It’s easier to do business in orbit to avoid VAT taxes and tariffs. We were unable to make a deal so we called it off. I had nothing more to do with him.”
“Isn’t it kind of strange he came after you after his ship crashed.”
“He too was mistaken, he should have spent more time on the maintenance of his ship. Plus I may have insulted a family member or two. I’m told I have a sharp tongue.”
Olivia added in, “You got that right, smart ass.”
Bianca stuck her tongue out and laughed.
Jeremy continued, “At any rate, I’m going to have to ask you to stay on Frontier and away from the Reservation until I’m finished with the investigation.” He motions for Conner to follow, “We’ll be talking later.” they both walk out to their transport.
Conner asks, “You believe her?”
“Not for a second,” Jeremy responded, “She caused that explosion to stop something from h
appening or to cover something up. I need you to go through the wreckage again and see if you can find any communications devices, something that has payments or transactions on it. In the meantime, we need the embassy watch 24/7. She’s a slick one, she may try and get away. I’ll contact the spaceport and lock down her ship.”
“Consider it done, what are you going to do?”
“I’ll see what I can find out about our dear captain, maybe his client list can answer something.”
Meanwhile inside Bianca is livid. “How dare they tell me to stay put like a little ‘lap dog’?”
“Well look what you did.” responded Olivia
Bianca, responded with a cold stare, but this did not last long between such close friends. Her communicator chirped. “Gorkey left a message.”
“What’s it say?”
“He has the ship secured, but we need a little diversion.”
Not too long after that Laura and Frank walk in. “Well if we got our own transport we wouldn’t have to exchange so many credits.” Frank said sarcastically.
Bianca smiles and said with a long drawn out voice, “We found our diversion.” she walks out to meet Laura and Frank, “Hey Laura... Frank nice to see you again. Having fun on your anniversary.”
“We would if we had our own transport.” sharply answered Frank.
“Cool it Frank, we don’t need a transport.” responded Laura.
Bianca quickly picked her words and responded to Frank, “I have some pull at the embassy, I can get you the transport I came in on.”
“Oh really, that would be so awesome!” said Laura excitedly, “See Frank it pays to have a level head and be friends with everyone.”
“Grunt.”
“Just let us walk out there with you and we’ll hand you the keys.” They all walk out to the transport in front of the main embassy door. Bianca has the vale’ move the transport into obscure the road a bit. They all walk out together with an umbrella open hiding Frank and Laura but allowing Frontier security to see her and Olivia.
As Frank and Laura get in the car Bianca shifts the umbrella to hide her own face and quickly run inside unseen. Frank takes the controls and lifts the transport into the air and speeds off. Frontier security takes off after them.
“They took the bait.” she said in the drawn out voice again, almost singing. She sends her message back to Gorkey that she’s ready.
Frank and Laura, drive down the city square to see the sites. They were obviously driving like tourists. But something was bothering Frank, “I think we’re being followed.”
“Why would someone want to follow us?” snapped Laura.
“Maybe it’s an Adlit wanting revenge.” He turns around the corner, “He followed us.”
“Oh dear, oh dear. I’m too young to die. Judy told me that trouble followed you, did I listen? Nooo!”
“It wasn’t much trouble being married twenty-five years!”
“Shut up and go faster.” she said looking around, “He’s going faster, he’s going faster!”
“I know dear.” He steers the car into a flip and around another building, “Hang on!”
“Ohhh, I’m going to be so sick. You’re not getting anything from me tonight.”
“I never thought I would...”
Suddenly the transports come under remote control, it slows to a stop and lands. Frank opened the door to peek out, Laura had her purse ready. A half dozen security cars surround them. Jeremy and Conner gets out of their transport, looked at the couple and realize they’ve been duped.
Jeremy looked to Conner and said, “She’s good, we need to get back to the embassy now!”
But it was already too late, Gorkey was hovering Bianca’s ship over the embassy long enough for both Bianca and Olivia to get on board. “I trust you didn’t have any problems?”
“Not since I swapped the ships registration code with some guy called, Conner Rains. We should have smooth sailing”
At first Bianca became concerned, then she just started laughing. The ships communicator started beeping and she clicked answer. Conner’s face popped on and said, “Only the guilty run Bianca. You realize you can never come back again.” Jeremy is sitting silently in the background.
“Oh I’m not so sure about that, I’ll be back before you know it.” she chuckled, “For once you’re doing all the talking and Jeremy is the quiet one.”
Jeremy casually comes to the screen, “Where are you off to now, Bianca?”
“We’ll I can’t tell you, but I’ll just say not far. I hope you and my brother have a good time. But for now...” She kissed her hand and blew it to him.
Chapter 9
Kingdom of Acedia
A lone transport pulls up to an old farmhouse and a man dressed up in a suit stepped out. He looks around and finds little in the way of technology and wonders how anyone could survive. He thought as quiet as this is someone should have heard him coming. He walked to the farmhouse and knocked on the door.
An old man opened the door and asked sharply, “Yeah, what do you want?”
The other man took a step back and responded, “Mr. Williams, I’m Jack Lean, with the school system. I’m here to talk about Izaak.”
“And?”
“Well since he turned 16 he hasn’t been back to school.”
“And?”
“Sir, I understand it may be legal to drop out but the child’s future depends on it.”
“Why? All we need is right here. All he needs to know is how to grow food, we feed the planet mind you.”
“But Sir, there are advancements all the time, your son is still young. Many opportunities...”
“For what? To leave here? Haven’t you heard, the rest of the empire is on the verge of war. We keep to ourselves, you suits want to ‘advance’ our world. But doing that only makes us a target. Every time you bring us something ‘new’ it makes life more difficult. No, it’s not worth the evil it brings.” Then he closes the door.
“Sir?” Jack walks back to his car and turns around, “Some day the rest of the universe will turn up at your doorstep. Whether you like it or not, do your son a favor and make sure he is ready.”
A loud clap of thunder fills the sky, Jack looks up to see a smoke trail. It was a ship dropping in from space at high speed. Aboard it was Jeremy Forrest, the pilot and several security guards.
“Can we go any faster?” Said Jeremy trying to read some documents.
“This is what we call a fast descent sir! It gives me a thrill every time.” responded the pilot.
“I can’t even keep my hands steady. My vision will be blurry for a week... Please patch me a link to Terra Prime, I need to talk to General Travis Parker.” a few moments pass and the Generals face shows up. “General, I’ve been looking over the latest information. Is this true, pirate activity has gone to nothing the last few days?”
“I guess given Meeran’s military movements have them spooked. They did avoid the area for awhile” responded the General.
“But that was a couple weeks ago, why didn’t they stop then? They don’t suspect something is up, they know it. I hope you got those defense satellites working.”
“Up running and they check out. We’re missing a few but that was expected. These sons-of-bitches will knock ‘em out. Even then I’ve been able to pull a few Frontier ships off of patrol duty and back to Terra Prime. I don’t think we’re worthy target anymore.”
“That maybe, but with Bianca touring the empire I’m still worried we’re missing something.”
“Did you find out what she was up to?”
“The usual, chaos, destruction and mayhem. She had a meeting with the human government but she didn’t persuaded them. Also there was an incident with a trader, they had business together and she blew up his ship.”
The General’s eyes went wide, “I shouldn’t bring her home to dinner. I think there’s something more involved with that ship then we know.”
“Agreed, I’m still waiting on the i
nformation from the black box.”
“Well keep me up to date.”
“Will do General, out” the screen goes blank. The Shuttle quickly decelerates and touches down with a clunk. “Well I didn’t need breakfast anyways. What’s your name pilot?”
“Lt. Spickner, but my friends call me Spike! How’d you like riding the dragon?”
“Awesome, Spike, remind me never to ride with you again.” he looks out the window, “We’re at the spaceport but no ones home?” They open the hatch and walk down the ramp. Eventually some people do walk by, but no one pays attention. “Now I know why they call this the kingdom of fear.”
His security guards form a perimeter around him as they walk down the street. Jeremy is watching a 3d map as they are guided to their destination. As they walk most pedestrians show no care, others look on with disgust. They are not welcome on Acedia.
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