The great convoy had lined up outside of TGFT HQ, ready for transporting everything that could be used for re-building Remley Orbital, including a complete TPG police force. On Ecka's signal the convoy headed out for the jump point and jumped. The combined ships of TGFT, PA and TPG was an amazing sight, the largest collection of Behemoths and Behemoth XC's ever assembled in known space. Hortan was at the very front, just behind Ecka's Centaur III, The Target Practise IV ship being the first cargo vessel in the convoy.
The first half of the combat ships had jumped ahead, almost forty light fighters led by Lambin and Mor Isil. Another forty fighters, light and heavy, were staying with the convoy all the way. The pirate activity was light, and after the few pirate ships had been swept away by the massed firepower, the route was free for the trade ship convoy to jump into the sector that contained Remly Orbital.
Ecka keyed his system comms.
"Attention all Corvus personnel. TPG is now on station to take over security and responsibility. We acknowledge your great help in this matter, but this station is TPG property, and as such TPG territory. All Corvus personnel must board and leave this station immediately. Failure to do so will be interpreted as an act of war. You have thirty minutes."
The first three TPG extra armoured Centaur troop transporters were already docking with Remley, ready to disgorge their cargo of 20 heavily armed marines each. After them six regular troop transport Behemoths contained the new TPG police force, that would ensure that the Corvus personnel only left with what they had brought. No problems were anticipated.
Ferrin Galders conceded defeat, and gave the order to evacuate station. The stuff he had pillaged so far, was safe in Sedina already, but he hated the idea of leaving with his tail between his legs. Maybe he could leave an unpleasant gift to the future owners. He knew precisely what to do. He got up and started to walk out of his room towards the fusion plant that was essential for the station. He opened the door and was surprised by a man standing outside. Dressed in a robe with the hood over is head, he looked very menacing.
"I guess my search has ended," the deep whispering voice came from within the robes.
"What do you mean?" Ferrin asked.
The robed figure slowly raised his bone-like hands to the hood and removed it from his skull-like face. So gaunt that his face was permanently set in a fearsome grin, Death Incarnate fit his name perfectly.
"I mean, I have been looking for you."
"Oh, who are you, and why do you look for me?"Ferrin was starting to feel uneasy. This day was proving to be a crap day so far.
"I am Death, and that is why I have come." Death Incarnate stabbed forwards with his ancient wave-formed Death Cult Keris, hitting Ferris squarely under the ribcage.
The Corvus Spy Master looked down as his life blood was pouring down over the blade, and then up at Death Incarnate again. The blade had been placed perfectly, slicing the heart in half. He was loosing conscience rapidly, and dropped to the floor with a thump. Death re-sheathed the keris, reached for a hidden pocket and took a small incendiary device out. He waited for the fifteen seconds it took for the blood to stop flowing, and then placed it in Ferrin's mouth. He turned and walked down the corridor, pushing the small button on his watch after ten metres and heard the satisfying muffled explosion. Mission accomplished, he would board his Vulture and leave with the Corvus troops.
The sounds coming from the Warthog Mk II were frightening. Any other hog pilot could have hummed while flying with a cheerful effect, but when the pilot was yoda, it was scary. He entered the agreed upon sector and dumped Ardon's suit as he should. The Warthog in SYN colours picked it up almost immediately, and boosted away. Yoda chuckled, Ardon was relieved when yoda had stopped playing with him, but that had turned to horror when he was told whom he had been sold to. That was the best part really. He was now free to focus his attention to his other pet project. Resuming command of CLM. He had already spoken to Red, and she was ok with the idea. Besides, who could face his fabulous charm and not agree? Grey space was going to be a much more dangerous place now.
It took slightly more than thirty minutes to clear the station for the CLM personnel, mostly because of the discovery of the man with no head in the residential area. A man called Ferrin Galders, actually the guy that had suggested that Corvus came here in the first place. Someone had really wanted him dead, and the information he knew destroyed, because the incendiary device placed on his head had burned the head and the upper torso to ashes before the fire fighting equipment had extinguished it. Corvus infighting was the best bet.
The convoy disgorged all the things necessary for Remley to resume normal business, and the TPG police was once more patrolling the corridors. Mission complete, Ecka led his own TGFT contingent together with the PA ships to Dau K-10 for the celebration of a job well done. The party was going to be held in the TGFT mess hall, and all of PA was invited as well. Hortan docked his XC in the cargo handling area, and practically ran to his room. He was going to change into the best outfit ever!
He was not accustomed to wearing these kinds of clothes, and so he was a little bit late when he walked into the hall on six inch stilettos. The mess hall had been humming with small talk, the almost hundred persons inside mingling and chatting. And, Hortan discovered to his horror, all in their dress uniforms, the room a sea of green and light blue. Hortan half-turned to leave as silently as he had arrived, but it was too late. The humming had stopped, the silence in the room was deafeningly loud. Hortan looked over his shoulder and saw the full attention of all of TGFT and PA on his frail frame. He understood why. The banana skirt and the coconut top he was wearing along with the two foot high plateau high heeled shoes were neatly framed by the garishly coloured very large wig on top of his head and the pineapple handbag.
The silence stretched for an eternity, with Hortan making the obvious Ostrich move and freezing completely. Killdog Deathwad turned to Vardonx and grinned, speaking a little too loud on purpose.
"Well, I guess the entertainment has arrived. I have heard about you TGFT guys parties, but this beats everything." The entire room erupted in laughter at Hortan's mishap, and they started talking again. Ecka, John and Vardonx walked over to Hortan and looked at him up and down.
"Very nice Hort, very nice," Vardonx said.
"Stylish even, especially the pineapple bag. What the hell are you dressed as, the fruit salad?" John managed between guffaws.
"The poole be yon there Hortensia," Ecka wiggled his eyebrows and pointed to the place where he had performed some weeks ago. They all started laughing even more loudly.
"I didn't know, Surbius said to dress up, so I thought" Hortan was desperate to leave, but they grabbed him and pulled him towards the bar.
"Weel, ya ken, innocence is no excuse son, so ya better do yer best." Ecka pushed Hortan towards the pole and laughed.
Fortunately for the mental health of Hortan, Chi decided to walk over and rescue him.
"I think he better come with me, ok? Come on, lets go get a drink Hort, it is safer up there."
Hortan was relieved, and followed as inconspicuously as he could, which is hard to do with bells around your ankles. At least the presence of Ms. Chi saved him for further attempts of fun on his behalf. Once more she had rescued him.
After around an hour had passed, Mor Isil rose to the the stage in the rear of the room and asked for attention.
"I know I have been more than unusually inattentive these last few months my friends, but I have a perfectly good explanation. And no Waldoze, contrary to what you are so elegantly insinuating with your shouting, I have not been doing drugs. Only if you see love as a drug. For in that case, I have been drugged well and truly, and I am now deeply dependant on this particular drug. I have found the love of my life, I have found the reason to get up in he morning. I have found the woman to share my days with, and as I have already asked her once, I shall do so again." Mor got to his knee and starred intently towards one person. "Miharu, will you marry me."
Miharu blushed, not because of Mor, but because of the entire crowd that was now starring directly at her awaiting her answer. "Yes Mor, I will."
The entire room erupted in a cheer, and people started moving up to shake Mor's hand and hug Miharu. All the girls admired the gold ring with the emerald, Mor had given her.
Hortan was perfectly happy to stay unnoticed in the bar. He would come around later instead, when he was decently clad. John and Waldoze came over to get a drink, and John turned to Dozer.
"You know what that means, right?"
Dozer gulped down a very large shot of Helio Mists shot and smiled broadly to John and Hortan. "Aye, stag party. And I know the perfect bait." He winked at Hortan and got himself another drink.
Hortan had a feeling that somehow, he was going to be involved in this. He poured himself a drink of Helio Mists, the first in a long time. Oh well, life as an ore miner was still good.
