It was quiet in CLM HQ. Most pilots were out doing whatever they usually did. Mystic was sitting in her new reclining chair with her feet up on the command console, a cup of hot Sedina chocolate in her left hand and the latest status reports in her right. She had slept for twelve hours straight after returning from Itani space, and was feeling sated and a bit like the day after a rough party. She sipped some more chocolate and turned the page. What the h***. She read the docking/launching report again just to make sure. Why had a TGFT member, let alone someone unknown, been allowed to dock here? She started worrying, that name, where had she heard it before. She put her feet down and started searching. She was mildly annoyed, her drowsiness gone completely. Ah, so that was Hortan, it was all over CNN. And he had been escorted by Azumi. And she had, what?
Mystic pushed the call switch and dialled for Azumi's ship computer.
"Yarr," the young woman answered almost immediately. "What is is Myst?"
"Az, that young man, Hortan you escorted in the station some days ago, why and where did you take him?"
"Oh him," she laughed aloud. "He was there to see yoda. Some deal yoda had made, but I don't know the specifics. He is coming today too, in around one hour or so."
"Thanks Az, page me when he arrives, I would like to meet the hero of Dau myself."
"Will do Myst. Trader inbound, I'm out."
What in the name of everything that was holy was yoda up to now? She had asked him if he was on top of the TGFT situation, and whether CLM would benefit. He had said yes, and that had been that. But curiosity got the better of her now. Mystic decided that she would just show up at the meeting with Hortan later, and see what he had to say. Yoda could have told her if he wanted to have secrets. Besides, why should he have all the fun?
Hortan launched his Atlas, and found his place between the two Centaurs. Lambin scouted on ahead, and was boosting as fast as the X-1 could go. The others went at a more rational pace, with Hortan deciding for 160m/s. They received the all clear form Lambin, and jumped for Azek, expecting to arrive at CLM HQ in about 30 minutes. Hortan called ahead to yoda to inform him that they were inbound.
Azumi received a message from yoda. "Hortan on the way. Make ready to escort on station. Bring the cargo crate that he is delivering." She was just about to set off in pursuit of another convoy, but that would have to wait. She turned the Pink Lady around and disengaged from the tempting target. Better make it fast, then she could have changed before he arrived and they wouldn't have to keep yoda waiting. She docked her Corvus Vulturius and jumped out of the ship with her PDA in her hand. She touched the small credit sign in the top, and the daily tally popped up. 1.4 million so far. She interfaced with the CLM mainframe and transferred the money to her account, minus the ten percent to the guild. She paged Mystic to let her know Hortan was inbound, as she had been instructed. She then walked to her room to switch into something less comfortable. Something with latex and leather, and not too much of it. Or that thing with the small skirt and the tight sweater. Choices, choices. She had about half an hour she reckoned, more than enough.
The SF undocked, as the TGFT convoy arrived. LNH and sharingan today, but they didn't even bother to boost out towards the Centaurs, the X-1 and the Atlas. The Atlas moved towards the docking bay, and LNH followed behind the vessel. When Hortan entered the docking bay, LNH fired a stream of neutron fire into the rear of the Atlas.
"For old times sake," he chuckled over the radio.
Hortan docked with only 10% armour left, the rear of the Atlas a smouldering wreck. He immediately opened the canopy in anticipation of Azumi's presence. He looked at the smiling dock hands that were eyeing the damages.
"That is gonna cost ya matey," one of the dockhands, a large man with a tattoo across the left side of his face that disappeared down his neck and under his coverall almost snarled at him.
"I hope you can fix it quickly, I have an appointment," Hortan started, his weak confidence waning further.
"I don't know if me and the boys can fix anything that massive in under, lets say two hours."
Hortan looked desperately at the man.
"Unless we can see a small incentive, if you understand," the large man rubbed his thumb and index indicating money with the second oldest sign known to humanity, the first naturally being used to tell other people that you were mightily annoyed with them.
"How much do you need?"
"Well, you are from TGFT, so you must be rich. I'd reckon about half a mill would do it for us."
"I'll give you half a million kicks in the ass if you don't fix it at standard Corvus prices. Or you can discuss it with yoda." Azumi was standing in the entrance to the bay, her small form perfectly enhanced by the latex lace-up dress she wore with the knee high stiletto healed leather boots. She was playing with a lollypop in bright pink, and looked over it with big eyes at the dockhands. She slowly pulled the lollypop out of her mouth and smiled sweetly at the men. "Is that OK boys?" she asked innocently.
The men stared at the pirate vixen, and the large man nodded. "Certainly, we were only joking. Now, if we can get started, we'll be finished in no time at all." He nodded to Azumi and started giving orders. The men busied themselves to get away from the young woman.
Hortan was standing with a slack expression on his face while he starred at Azumi, his mouth slightly open.
"Cat got your tongue?" She smiled innocently again, this time to Hortan who blushed immensely. To top it off, she popped the lollipop again and twirled her left pigtail. "Do you have the crate for yoda?"
"Mem, ah, shu. I mean, yes m'am. It is right here." He wrestled his gaze away from Azumi and looked at the cargo bay where they were unloading the crate and loaded it onto an small transport wagon.
Azumi led Hortan over to he crate, his eyes very firmly on the girls feet. He was going to get the crate, bring it to where yoda wanted it and run out of here. He dared looking at the calf of Azumi, but blushed immensely from the daring move, and so again starred at the stilettos.
"So, how's the Who?" The female voice came from the corridor that led down to yoda's chambers. Hortan looked and saw a slender woman with dark red hair, dressed in a pair of stretch jeans, a white shirt that was tied beneath the bosom with a red jacket slung on as carelessly as John pre-flight checked his ship. She was wearing an indecently large projectile revolver on her right thigh and a smile on her beautiful face.
Hortan was about to reply when the pheromones hit him. And hit him hard. His otherwise very analytic brain felt like it was turning slowly to mush, his unusually eloquent reply was drowned by the extremely important need to stand very still with his mouth open and stare.
Mystic walked over towards Azumi and Hortan, her smile turning slightly wider. "Still got it it seems." Mystic grinned at Azumi.
"And where is the rest of that dress?" Mystic nodded towards Azumi's skimpy outfit. "Looks like you started well, but forgot to finish. I'd might as well tell you that it doesn't bite on him at all."
Azumi looked confused.
"I don't think yoda has thought about a woman for ages, no matter how scantily clad," Mystic said.
"Oh, this is not for yoda, this is for me" Azumi replied and pointed at Hortan. "Well, and a bit for him as well. Even if it is a bit unfair."
Mystic looked at Hortan, smiled and extended her right index finger, pointed it under Hortan's chin and closed his mouth. "Yes, I see he is easy prey. Just use your head is all I ask."
Azumi nodded.
"So, what's in the box?" Mystic indicated the cargo crate behind Azumi.
