by DN Farrell
"Chief minister there is a man here to see you and I think you should talk to him." Leer Said.
"Has he a former appointment?"
"Why no sir."
"Has he dealt with any other court officials?"
"No sir."
"Then why do I need to see him, especially during this present crisis." Regis said, his voice rising in angry tones, as he expressed his irritation at been disturbed, while he continued to stare at his screen, as he was writing a press release regarding the mornings upcoming execution.
"Sir he says he knows the whereabouts of the princess!" Exclaimed Leer.
"He what?" Regis shouted, as he quickly turned around to face his aid. "Who is he and how could he possibly say such a thing, everyone knows the princess is dead! Her whereabouts are strewn inside that awful Murcu cave system."
"Well say that to him your lordship, for he is convinced that she is alive and for a fee he will bring you to here." Said the chief ministers aide.
"Is he now and you believe him?" Regis said while standing up to face his aide, with a disbelieving look on his old bearded face.
"I don't know sir, but it's worth talking to the man surely."
"Very well Leer, show him in, but if he is lying, if he is a trickster, I will have him flogged to death!" Exclaimed Regis, who now stood up and motioned for his aide to bring the man in. Regis then walked over to his official desk and sat behind it.
A few seconds later Colonel Henry kell, still dressed in his traders outfit, came before the chief minister and bowed slightly. "Trader Thrall at your service me lord." Kell said and then looked evenly at the chief minister.
"Trader Thrall, well you are clearly not from Artemis 11, where are you from?" Enquired the chief minister.
"I'm from Aarhhus 13 me lord, but I trade all over the Kolatian Quadrant." Kell replied.
"Aarhus 13, where is that Leer?" The Chief Minister enquired dryly.
"Sir it's about two thousand light years from here." His aide retorted instantly, as he had already checked out the location of Aarhus 13, after a long and detailed conversation, which he had earlier with Kell.
"That's a long way from here, why do you hang around and trade in the Kolatian Quadrant?" Asked the chief minister.
"Because of the conflict, prices of goods here are cheap thanks to a lack of traders me lord, for a man willing to take a risk the Kolatian Quadrant, there are good pickings for many kinds of things." Kell replied, while standing there his voice as even as ever, for no chief minister was going to ever intimidate Colonel Henry Kell.
"What do you trade in sir?" Asked the chief minister.
"Why everything and anything from rare gems to Xeron, whenever I get a chance." Kell retorted.
"You appear a little too arrogant to be a trader, how do I know that you're not a Federation spy?" The chief minister asked, while squishing up his face into an intense ball, with just his beady black eyes and his long white beard, jutting out from under his conical hat.
"Do I look Federation?" kell replied curtly.
"No I dare say you don't, a mercenary maybe but certainly not federation calibre. They might be scum, but they are well behaved scum all the same." Regis said and then taking a small dagger, he started rolling it back and forth between his two palms, then looking up at kell and pointing at him with his dagger he said, "Sit down Mister Thrall, please take a seat."
Kell sat down and went straight to business. "Chief minister you have been led to believe that the fair Princess Harahan is dead, but I tell you she is not dead, sir."
"Ha!" Exclaimed Regis, who then leant forward and with a look of anger on his face, he said, "You sir want money from me, I believe you to be a trickster, so let's see how far this goes. I tell you now that unless you make the princess appear, that I shall have you whipped to death!"
"Now now me lord, don't be so hasty in your judgements." Replied Kell, who appeared to be genuinely taken aback by the chief ministers vitriol.
Leaning back into his chair, the chief minister continued with his warning. "If you take me for a fool, then take your leave now. But if you make this an official matter and the princess does not show up alive and well, I will have you executed slowly and painfully, do you hear?"
"I hear loud and clear me lord, but she is alive and I can prove it too you." With that Kell took out a gold bracelet which the princess used to wear around her right wrist. With a look of shock in his face the chief minister reached over and grabbed it and then examined it quietly and intensely for a good minute, noting the kings insignia for it was the genuine article, before responding.
"How much, how much are you looking for your guidance in this matter sir?" Enquired the chief minister, with a weariness showing in his aged features.
"Why a hundred gold coins, is it not a reasonable amount to pay for the release of the princess?" Enquired kell.
"Why have you now kidnapped the princess, for it is a pretty bad business to pay out a ransom twice in one week!" The craggy old chief minister said with a grim look of disdain on his face.
"No sir, you have gotten the wrong end of it entirely." Replied kell." The princess survived the attack and then she approached me for help, she said that you would pay handsomely, for leading the chief minister to her whereabouts."
"How come she has turned to you for guidance, why not she come to me directly then?" The chief minister asked, still certain that he was dealing with a fraud.
"She is fearing for her life me lord." Kell said with the most genuine look he could possible muster, under the circumstances. "Captain Oran ordered his men to kill her."
"But I saw her die, shot down by that Commander Trellon!" Exclaimed the chief minister.
"Sir, if you don't mind me saying so." Kell said, while leaning a little forward in his chair and attempting to speak more slowly, in an effort to calm down the outraged chief minister. "Commander Trellon and Saron, the kings Champion saved the princess. Trellon pulled her out of the carriage and they then ran into the caves to avoid detection by the royal guard."
"But what you say is ridiculous, Captain Oran a traitor, the royal guard turning on the royal family, no never!" Regis exclaimed, convinced of his own rightness.
"But it is true me lord."
"And you say the princess survived the Murcu?"
"Captain, Trellon and Saron both died, but according to the princess she managed to escape and find her way back to the castle dungeons." Kell said, while looking over at an irritated looking Regis.
"That sounds like a tall story Mister Thrall." He said, and then leaning forward in his chair, once again he accused Kell of lying. "I can well believe that Saron and Commander Trellon met their respective deaths, within the Murcu cave system, but the princess escaping, bah, not possible I tell you!"
"Chief minister you don't have to believe me, just follow me and I will show you the princess alive and well."
"For money you will do this Mister Thrall?"
"No for the benefit of the people of Artemis 11 I will do this. If you feel like paying me some money at the end of this, then I will appreciate it all the more, I leave this issue of payments in your hands."
"Then I will send Leer with you. If you show him the princess, he will let me know and we shall arrange payment."
"No chief minister, the princess expressly informed me to bring you along, as no one else could be trusted."
"I see." Said Regis. "Very well then Mister Thrall we shall go with you and bring a troop of royal guards with us."
"I would not recommend that me lord, since it is the royal guard who are in with the conspirators." kell rebuked the Chief Minister.
The chief minister looked a little confused and then suggested. "Very well, I shall bring my closest aids with me and of course my personal bodyguard, he can certainly be trusted!"
Several minutes later the chief minister, his aide Leer, his personal assistant Du Brien, another aide Adnositer and his personal bodyguard, a large man with a squint in his le
ft eye, who went by the name Erskol were ready. Standing in the chief ministers outer office, when everyone was ready, the chief minister waved to Kell, to lead the way and with that they were off and the trap was set.
Chapter Fourteen – Confrontation
Dungeon System – The Kings Castle – Artemis 11
Regis, his bodyguard and three assistants walked in file behind Kell, as he brought them down into the labyrinthine dungeon system. Mostly they remained quiet, but now and again Regis made a scathing comment. Finally they came down a corridor, which lead to a large oak door. Kell stopped and looked back at the four men and then Regis came forward and asked Kell. "Well Mister Thrall have we met journeys end yet?"
"You certainly have me lord." And with that he opened the door into a fifteen by ten foot room, an office of some kind and sitting in a chair at the other end of the room was the Princess Harahan. Instantly Regis lost all his pompousness and running over to her he exclaimed, "Me Lady, it is true you are alive!" He immediately bowed and his face lit up with joy, at finding the princess apparently alive and well.
"Thank you for your concern." Answered Chandrima, careful to speak slowly and with a mellow voice, so as to not give herself away.
Kell stood off to the left-hand side of Chandrima, with his hands under his cloak, one hand ready on his blaster and the other by his left hand-side ready with his dagger. Looking around at the four men, everyone looked delighted, so far so good thought Trellon, who was hidden behind the curtains at the end of the room, while Kell and Chandrima were both expecting trouble.
"Princess, how did you escape the Murcu?" Regis asked, his face ablaze with curiosity.
"I was very lucky chief minister, while Commander Trellon and Saron were busy fighting the Murcu, I managed to skip away and get back to the castle dungeons." She retorted.
"I see, I see." Said Regis and then looking over at Kell, with a beaming look on his face, he apologized for his earlier accusations. "Mister Thrall, you are indeed a good man, I am sorry for the trouble which I put you through, but when you become old like me you become bitter from bad experiences, but I am so happy to see the princess alive and well, I will arrange for payment immediately."
Kell just nodded back at the chief minister, his eyes defocused, in an effort to see if anyone would spring anything on them, and in this he would not be disappointed.
Turning now back to face the princess, the chief minister once again addressed the her. "My princess, then it is true that Captain Oran and the king's guard are traitors?"
"Yes it is true chief minister," Chandrima answered simply, once again trying not to give anything away, in the way that she spoke to him.
Regis nodded and then looking back over at the princess he said. "My princess, we shall get you to the king directly and we shall arrest the conspirators right away." Regis was about to continue to speak to the princess, when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his neck, as his bodyguard Erskol had him in a headlock. No sooner had Erskol placed his head in a headlock then there was a sudden snapping sound as he quickly twisted the chief ministers neck, towards his right hand side, the now dead limp body of the chief minister, then dropped to the floor dead!
"My god he just killed him!" Yelled Adnositer at the top of his lungs, while Leer just stared at the carcass of the chief minister, who had fallen at his feet. Meanwhile Chandrima and kell just froze, waiting to see what would happen next. Surely Regis's bodyguard couldn't be the conspiracy ringleader, could he? But they wouldn't have long to wait, as the bodyguard looked over at Du Brien, who nodded faintly and with that Erskol reached out towards Adnositer and grabbing him with his left arm, he quickly pulled him over towards his right hand side and bringing his body around in a quick swing, towards his right-hand side, he snapped Adnositers neck and then swiftly he dropped his dead body, while reaching forward towards the still shocked Leer, with his right hand moving in a blur and next thing Leer made a coughing sound as Erskol snapped his trachea with his right fist and the unlucky aide keeled over coughing and spluttering blood and then fell over onto the floor gasping his last attempts at breathing!
Regis's bodyguard Erskol was so quick and efficient at killing, that there was nothing that either Chandrima, Kell or Trellon could have done, with the three courtiers meeting their ends within less than twenty seconds, although for poor Leer he would roll around on the floor for another two minutes or so, before finally giving up the ghost.
Looking now over at the princess, Du Brien addressed here. "Sorry princess, but duty calls."
"Duty?" Chandrima questioned him. While Kell held off in the hope that the traitor Du Brien would give his co-conspirators away.
"Why princess the Analusians of course are my true employers and the Vis Yar rebels, old friends to the king, are also in the employ of the Analusians." Du Brien said.
Chandrima just gave him a look of genuine disgust and Du Brien, like most people, immediately went to defend himself. "Why princess, you have been in court long enough to know that its everyman for himself!" He exclaimed.
"There is a difference between ruthless behaviour and murderous behaviour Du Brien." Chandrima said, as she had earlier been debriefed by the princess on the various courtiers that she would likely meet, so she recognized him even though he never announced himself." Today you have crossed that line." She continued.
"Well thanks for the moral lesson princess." He replied nonchalantly and then nodding over towards the bodyguard Erskol, for him to kill Kell, while Du Brien held the princess at gunpoint. Du Brien had just turned his head back towards the princess, when he heard the sound of gargling and looking over towards Erskol, where he could See Kell standing there with his left hand extended and a dagger thrust into Erskol's throat!
"You like killing people with neck injuries so much bud, I thought you might like to go that way yourself!" Exclaimed Kell, with a look of intense rage coming over his face. Pulling the dagger back Erskol fell forward onto the floor making gurgling sounds and holding his throat, as he now joined Leer in the dance of death, as the two men rolled around the floor in their death throws.
Du Brien immediately turned his blaster to face Kell, but then suddenly moved again, once he saw Trellon come from behind the curtains, with his blaster pointing at Du Brien. In his right hand Trellon held his blaster and in his left hand he held his reading tab, with a vivid Hologram of the King, coming out of its screen.
"Live feed Du Brien, the king wants to say hello!" Exclaimed Trellon.
Realizing that he had been caught in a trap, Du Brien started a fit of coughing and as he bent over he dropped a flash grenade towards Trellon. There was an intense blast of white light and smoke and a bang, which disorientated everyone. For a second or two Trellon, Kell and Chandrima were in a state of confusion, then gathering his senses Trellon looked up to see that Du Brien had left and now turning towards the door, more out of instinct than anything else he suddenly ducked, as with a swishing sound, a blaster shot missed his head by inches. As Trellon fell backwards he saw several figures firing at him. Trellon quickly turned and fell back into the room, while Kell started giving him covering fire. It was the royal guard, who had now turned up to give Du Brien support!
Kell, an old hand at providing cover fire had done an excellent job at providing a wide spray of gun fire, towards the general direction of the royal guard, taking out two guards almost instantly. As Trell recovered from his fall, he quickly took up a position on the opposite side of the door, with each man taking turns to provide cover fire.
The royal guard where using their blasters on full charge, but the quint looking room, in which Kell, Trellon and Chandrima were held up, only appeared old style on the outside. Behind the old rock walls was Induranium shielding, which protected the three officers from the royal guards fire. Within seconds the outer part of the room and the oak door had disintegrated, leaving a grey metalish wall of Induranium alloy in its place. Also with the door gone, many blaster shots hit the furniture in the room, dest
roying most of it, and the far wall of the room was damaged, once again revealing the heavy shielding.
With just blasters in hand there wasn't much that Trellon, kell or Chandrima could do, other than simply fire randomly, out of the door, in an effort to scare away the royal guard from entering, but if they wanted to get out of this fix, they needed back up.
While Kell and Trellon were preoccupied with providing cover fire, with each officer taking turns to put their arm close to the door and shoot of some blaster shots, a quick thinking Lieutenant Chandrima contacted the Bryant, looking for marine support. Within about a minute, there was a sudden breeze, which blew through the room, as a dozen space marines suddenly materialised, wearing full biomechanical body armour, blaster rifles, laser rifles and blasters.
Kell looked back briefly at the beefy support, which had just beamed in behind them and shouting over to them he said, "Get your asses out there now!"
