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Meladi had been attending to Maewena, not that she could do anything as Ark stuck his head round the hatch. M’s worsening condition was nothing to smile about. “I just can’t understand who would want to do that to her!“
“Someone with a grudge! Against the Vendarans?” There wasn’t much Ark could say about that! There would have been a queue of suspects, with a desire, to see the Vendarans’ suffering!
He was not convinced, that things were that simple! Why single Maewena out? Why not go the whole round and deliver a second dose to Meladi or? Nope didn’t make sense!
The Hydrocorvulsis plant had thousands of those needles on it, thus giving whoever wanted to target the Vendarans more than enough to finish them all off! He would try and comfort not brood, attempt to keep Meladi’s spirits up? He moved close to her, hugged her.
“The antidote is on its way!" Fesh had burst in on them. The news! The craft bringing it had entered the outer atmosphere and even now, was descending down to the docking area, at the rear of the main Akademy. "Why couldn't they have sent it to us!" "Something to do with the anti toxin, how its produced."
Heavily armed, the craft was NOT the original zimp, that had been sent. It was a faster, sleeker and more powerful craft?
A Galfrian warbird, escorted by two of the A class Galacia Elite star bursters, as they were known.
Heavily armed and they were now docked with the Satellite waiting the return of the warbird
A hatch slid open, a flat strip about the width of a Ket extended from the base of the hatchway and was now resting on the ground where both Margise and Niere were stood close by.
If they had wondered as to what the heck was going on? Out ran a figure, carrying a box, like object?
The strip gone, the hatch closes, the craft slid back with a distinct hiss, before it rose higher.
From the bottom of it appears the zimp! It flies off to the main storage area for them at the Akademy.
A further louder hiss as the doors that had opened to allow the release of the zimp close. The craft rising at speed, into the atmosphere, vanishing out of sight. Gone. Niere had watched the figure run towards them. She howled, Margise stared wondering what was going on? In front of her a female waved, as Niere nudged Margise.
“Its Imperium Empress Bejay, 3rd inline to the throne of Galfrei! One of last years top Kets! Woo this is soooo cool, to see HER again!” Hugs! A quick scramble, to get to where poor Maewaena was laid up? Taking the box, Bejay opened it and took out a small device, that she placed next to her skin.
Seconds later, they watched fluid from her, fill a small vial. That vial placed into a lance and passed to Margise. "The device separates the anti toxin from my fluids."
"So that, was why they couldn't send it!" "I was near by. The anti toxin, is in my fluids after I, accidentally pricked myself on one of those things. Believe me it was quicker for me to come over to you then it would have been from Galfrei.
The moment I heard, it was one of the Kets from here, that was it. Decision made."
The anti dote was administered, it would be a waiting game, to see how long, before she responded? At least Bejay, was there to reassure them! “It takes time, be patient, for the anti toxin to work. BUT VERY few, die, after they’ve had the anti toxin administered.“
She had omitted the fact that the anti toxin certainly worked on HER people, but the Vendarans? Niere was into asking too many questions! “SO what have you been up to since you left?” Bejay managed to get them to leave Maewaena to Meladi and Ark, as they headed off to a reunion, with others.
“I, now have control of my own exploration team, and two of the best craft in the fleet, to protect me!“ She giggled. “Papa says they need protecting from me!” More giggles, as they took refreshments, chilled out, when suddenly Bejay reached into her tunic to remove a small flat disc, handing it to Niere?
“Almost forgot! With everything going on! Detects the darts! This is a Sentient Chemical monitor! Anyone with the darts can’t hide with this integrated into the scanners! Locate your would be killer. Niere handed the disc to Margise, who ran off towards the main control section, the hatch opening, as she stumbled into the main control area?
Torvan and Sajani were in the room, eyes on Margise, followed by others. She composed herself, the controller moving towards her, took the disc from her. Whispering before he moved towards a control unit, placing the disc against the surface on the console, as it read the disc?
The main arrays flickered as the systems, took data streams off the disc, illuminating a part of the screen, a distinct scanning pattern could be seen emerging. It flared out across the Akademy domiciles, and on and on. To stop with a distinct, bleep, bleep, bleep. Getting louder and louder.
The screen area centred, on where the target was clearly defined. It magnified, the area, the size of it, visibly larger. The exact position of where the assassin, was enroute, to complete his task; all too clear! “Oh my ....“ Margise’s voice tailed off, as they stared at the screen in total horror. But why a priestess? The trace showed SOMEONE, had just entered the temple!
Fesh had stopped to say hi to Meladi and enquired about Maewena, at least comforted by the news, that they had now applied the anti serum? “So what brings you here.” Meladi was sat her eyes watching the screen as Fesh moved to sit down, her hand raised to her head.
”Splitting headache! Rather unusual for me, don’t usually have them, so thought better get the meds to check me over? Seems I’ve got one of my Netrioxes damaged, probably my own silly fault, when I reached up in the domicile, to get the Shelde off the unit.
Caught my head against the ridge on the shelf.” She grins. “You know those things are quite a weapon if you catch em at the wrong angle! I swear..“ She raises her hand to stroke her head. “I’m sure I’ve got a groove here!” A Medisent appears, moves over to her. Seconds pass before it jabs her with a chem.
“Ouch!” She growls. "You can seriously fall out of liking those darn things! Really nothing to compare with a bit of REAL TLC, instead of that sentient impersonal mish mash!” ”How’s Akweis?" “He’s was in for a while earlier, I sent him off to rest! He looked as though he hadn’t slept since the attack.” “So where’s Akweis from?“
"Haleron galaxy, not far I think, from where Taon, comes from?” Fesh nods, thinking it through, not totally sure, whether it was to the left of Taon’s Humana colonies, or to the right? She was about to add. ˜Isn’t that near one of your Vendaran Serfdoms.“ When she thought better of it! Serfdoms were slave worlds, tithes were paid to the Vendarans or else!
“Some of the others have gone over, to the temple, to offer up incense and prayers.” She wasn’t sure, if the Vendarans were religious? “That’s cool!“ Meladi seemed quite pleased at the suggestion that such was on the minds of the Kets not sure who they were, but it sounded good!
True Belanna, Narya and Naipa had gone to the temple. They had visited one of them and were now in the second one. Lighting the incense sticks and dropping some tribute, onto the plate.
About to leave, when the soft swish, of something in front of them, made them look round, to see a priestess appear? They were not disrespecting the protocols of such a gracious visitation. Dropping to their knees, albeit away from the front, by the side, of one rather dominating statue?
“It is pleasing to see Kets, taking time out to spend a few moments in prayer.“ She smiles. “To think of others and wish them well? Even if.“ She glances at Narya. ”The one who is ill is a Vendaran and your people have no love for them! I think your presence gives us all hope for the future Narya.”
She goes to leave them, stops, turns looks at them, about to get up. ”Your friend Maewena will be just fine! I think by the time you get back to her, you will be pleased to see her waking up.” Good news! From the lips, of a priestess, and one who probably could see into the future?
Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone coming in the other side of the temple, out of sight, the statue hiding them.
The priestess looked towards the stranger. A distinct hissing sound. The Kets now standing, could see needle like objects slam into the forehead of the priestess.
She moves her hand to remove the darts, her eyes turn BLACK. What transpires the Kets will never forget. In front of them and one should add the stranger, the attacker, or assassin? (Not visible to them.)
Her face contorts, twists, moving from side to side, until they swear she had TWO faces! Across the foreheads, spotting of BLOOD. What appears to be a thick slime of red oozing from the pores of her skin.
The scream, a loud VERY loud scream, from the attacker? Racked with pain, such terrible, terrible pain, gnawing, tearing at their body, as the screaming gets louder and louder. Other footsteps?
From outside the Esean temple, the guards, are now running towards the sound of the screams? Rushing in, to find the contorted twisted body of the assassin, as the weapon that fired the needles, drops from their hands. The two faces, of the priestess now forming back into one.
The blood, drips off her skin. The toxin out of her. The attacker had not escaped her fury. One wave of her hand and the body disintegrated to dust.
“I think.” The priestess adds. ”You should all leave.“ The Kets turn tail, as one might say. Desiring NOT to outstay their welcome! The Esean guards are not far behind them!
Getting back to Fesh and Meladi, they’re quick to tell them all, about what happened. Realise, just as the priestess had foretold, Maewena is waking up! “I’m sure, the assassin, used the same darts, on the priestess.” Narya mutters.
“Cept it didn’t work! Her bleeding was getting rid of the poison?”
“That blood curdling scream!“ Belanna grabs a drink swigs it down her throat, almost choking herself. “I’ll never forget that!” “Never mind that.“ Adds Naipa. “What about her head, when it seemed to split in two!”
Meladi looked at Fesh. ”Sounds like it beats YOUR splitting head ache!”
Corky had arrived at the temple, as had Coleja and Cxan? Nothing! The scanning of the chemical marker, had mysteriously terminated here? They had left totally unaware of what had been going on?
The Esean guards could have told them. but they did NOT talk to strangers! Their eyes had seen Corky and the others. enter and leave. They also knew WHO the assassin was, NO! Had been!
Their lips were sealed. It would appear given the demise of the one in question, that NO one was likely to find out?
But what about the Esean guards? They had been led away, from the entrance to the temple? Might one wonder, as to WHY?
What was now missing from the temple vaults?
The attack had been a brilliant diversionary tactic. carefully, executed on both counts!
The assassin dead. The stolen item, now in the hands of? The Ket smiled.
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