Hortan was chaperoned into his Atlas by the energetic young woman. He had tried to make some small talk with her on the way to the bay. He figured that if she knew him better, she would not be as prone to shoot him, and besides small talk was soothing for his nerves. When they finally came to the launch bay, he was surprised to find himself sad to leave. Even though he would rather be anywhere else than in CLM HQ, well, SYN HQ would be just as bad, but that was about it, he really didn't want to leave the present company. She was in her own way a very interesting young woman with some fascinating stories. Not that she had told any, but he was certain of it. Alas, they had reached the open canopy, and he climbed wearily into the seat of his cockpit.
"Guess I'll be seeing you again soon. Take care, and safe flight." She extended her hand, and he stared at it. "You are supposed to shake it," she whispered amused. He cursed himself silently and took the offered hand in his own. So small, and yet so strong. He shook it quickly to disguise his nervousness, which off course showed exactly that. She smiled her predatory look at him and jumped down from the footrests, and swaggered behind the blast safes. He watched her all the way, only shaking out of his trance when she left his vision.
"...going to launch or what?" The dock master had been trying to contact Hortan for some time now, and he was getting mightily annoyed.
"Oh, sorry, I had some hardware problems" he blurted in reply, once more cursing himself, this time for the fantastically bad reply.
"Sure son, we can all get those from time to time" the dock master called back. Hortan was certain that he was right now the laughing stock of the entire launch bay.
He launched and joined the three waiting TGFT fighters where they had waited, the dark shadows of CLM fighters trailing them. They were escorted out of the sector and jumped for Dau K-10, TGFT HQ.
Once safely docked back at the station, Hortan went to the OPS room, directly to Surbius.
"I have something that is yours or Ecka's eyes only," he said to Surb.
"Ok, give it to me and I'll make sure we see it right away."
"No, first you have to make a promise." Surbius looked puzzled, he was not in habit of giving promises.
"I have this information from yoda, and he wants something for it. He wants the persons that he names. He wants him when we have captured him. And I promised him to ensure that."
Surbius though abut it for a second or two. When they apprehended the person, the maximum penalty they could give him in UIT space was a full memory wipe, just like the person Hortan had arrested in the pancake bakery was going to receive. The erasure of the person was considered a humane way of eliminating the ones that could not be expected to redeem themselves in any way, or that had done truly horrible things. The body was then used for a memory implant from a terminally sick person. He was certain that other rules were present in grey space.
"Sure, he can have him, but we want to be able to display him when he is captured."
Hortan gave the mem crystal to Surbius and turned and left. His work had been done, his first ever diplomatic mission. He checked his PDA, almost two hours to the meeting with the shrink. Maybe a load of pancakes would help fill the time. He texted Ms Chi and asked her to join him. Hopeful, he went to the pancake shop.
Surbius called Ecka immediately, and together they watched the data unfold. Yoda had dug very deep, but then again, for an ex member of the notorious BLAK, he had the contacts and the knowledge to find just about everyone. The secret UIT account had been used to pay off a set of warthogs on Latos B-2, and as far as yoda could trace it, a person named Fadhe had used it. When Surbius entered the name into his database, it came up flagged as a known contact of one person that was interesting. Ferrin Galders of Corvus Inteligence Service. The Sun Flare that had been used in the attack on the convoy showed up as having been purchased at Sedina L-2, at Daltas Hold. And the now familiar number of the Corvus credstick had been used for the purchase.
It turned out that the person that used the stick was named Paeko Leta, who yoda had discovered somehow, in reality was Ardon Rala, a person that showed up on the wanted list. Surbius tried a check list for Paeko Leta and came up with a location. Daltas Hold again. He looked at Ecka who merely nodded at Surbius, and went to alert people. This was their chance to snatch him before he went under again with another alias, and TGFT was not going to sit on their hands and let that happen.
Hortan was in luck. Not only did Ms. Chi join him, but John, Lambin, Vardonx and Rowan were already at Soggy's Pancakes and Waffles munching away. They made room around the table, and Hortan dug right in.
"Training today Chi?" John asked. "You can join in Hort, looks like you know some tricks yourself."
Ms. Chi almost choked on her waffle.
"I really shouldn't John, I have an appointment with Dr Wyman this afternoon."
"Your loss I guess, but if you feel up to it, come and join us later, ok?"
Hortan nodded and munched some more pancake. It wasn't a lie at all, maybe he didn't tell everything, but he hadn't lied. Ms. Chi looked at him over her cup and smiled behind it. Her secret smile, just for him. He blushed madly.
"Thinking about that pierat wench again are you?" Lambin was merciless
"Noes" Hortan replied, thought of her and blushed even more.
"Now you are" Vardonx laughed.
The laughs stopped when four PDA's started ringing. They looked at it, and John looked up at Ms. Chi.
"Going to have to postpone the training today Chi. Guild business and stuff. Cya Hort, say hi to the Doc for me, k?" He spun Hortans propeller before leaving, for good luck as he usually did
Chi's PDA started ringing too, and with a slight smile to Hortan, she had to leave as well, leaving Hortan alone. Not that he minded, because none of them had eaten all their pancakes. More for him.
The OPS room was full, almost all of TGFT was present. Two liaison from PA were there as well, Ms. Chi, and Mick. Ecka stood in front of the large holoprojector in full combat gear and waited until all were seated.
"Welcome all. The guild is about to undertake a mission that is quite unlike any mission we have ever done. We are about to cross from the realm of trade guild that only concerns itself with the members of the guild, into the realms normally inhabited by the armed forces of known space. We, as a non-national entity, can go where we please, and as such we can do justice where it was otherwise impossible. Pilots, we are going to find the person responsible for the station attacks, the convoy attack, and the attempted murder on my person. We are going to make a snatch attack on Daltas Hold and apprehend Ardon Rala, aka Paeko Lata and bring him to justice. Any pilot that is adhering to a code of non-violence, you stay here with Surbius and Toha for coordination. The rest of you, come with me for specific orders."
With that, Ecka walked to the pre launch briefing room, with the most of the active pilots in tow.
