Mr. Invader watched the ship slowly drift towards the launch of the Raishin, all cigar shaped with little winging things. It looked slightly ridiculous to him. Nothing like the grace of an Urusian Destroyer, with sleek lines and sharp-edged grace. Nothing like the Raishin.
If it wasn't for the fact that this ugly ship contained one of the most reliable men in the Known Galaxy, he wouldn't even think of letting such a jalopy next to his command ship. But Nassur of Vos was a man who'd he rather have on his side, or none at all.
"Sir," The young officer said, "the Renegade has entered the dock, and is currently engaging entry lock."
"I can see that, you imbecile," Invader snarled, making the boy shrink back. "Didn't they teach you not to state the bleedin' obvious at the Naval Academy?" He turned around, to step up onto the hover-mat, and shift his none too esteemed bulk before the meat broiler on the table. "Is the meat ready yet?"
"Marinating nicely, sir."
"The beer? And the other drinks?"
"In the cooler, sir. It's your favourite brand, sir."
"All right, show him in." Invader reached out for the cooler, only for his wife to slap his hand away.
"Very good, sir."
The officer dashed out of the room, as Mrs. Invader tried to start the boiler. Mr. Invader frowned. "Wait until he arrives, dear. The meat won't be until after he comes!"
Mrs. Invader scowled at him as the officer came back into the room. "Nassur of Vos has arrived, sir!" He stepped to the side as a man, young for a Vosian, entered the room, wearing his standard kill-belt. Despite being hidded by long hair and a scraggly beard, his face had a warm expression on it.
"Invader, it's been too long. Is your daughter well?"
"She's... recovering." Invader stated hestiantly.
"You're a bad liar, Invader." Nassur said. "These last few days must've been horrific for her."
You have no idea, Invader almost thought, but then again you just might. "I wished that she wouldn't have, but that idiot Moroboshi pushed everything too far... The Dragons, Nassur! He summoned the Dragons to drive her from Earth!"
"This is inexcusable!" Mrs. Invader added, tears gathering in her eyes. "We have put up time and again with the boy's childish outbursts and careless abuses of her trust! We have put up with his tomfoolery causing convulsions in the Church of Lum! But this time he has gone too far!" The Oni woman's voice raised in pitch to a deafening shriek. "He will pay for driving our daughter to suicide! Him and his damned dragon friends! We'll burn them from the sky with our cannons!"
Invader tried to calm his wife down, taking hold of her shoulder, but found himself trying to restrain her struggling. Nassur looked at the pair with pity. "Your fleets would only be useless against Noukiios, Invader. Your daughter's troubles would be just the excuse for the Noukiites to extract bloody vengeance against her tormentors. They would throw themselves into the face of death by the millions, to see the Oni tribe broken by their hand."
"I know, Nassur, I do know." Invader managed to hold on to her wife as she slumped against his body and cried. "Noukiios will have to wait. We have a different target in mind for you. What do you know of the Church dedicated to my daughter's name?"
The mere insinuation of those words made a chill run up Nassur's spine, and a black expression cross over his face. Invader could tell that he had the Vosian where he wanted him.
"Only what everyone else knows. The Church is the state religion of Phentax Two, dedicated to your daughter. They're considered strong allies of the the Urusians and the Federation, but only as far as your daughter is concerned..."
The man swallowed hard. "And they killed five million Vosians five years ago. Every body knows that."
Invader smiled and nodded. "Of course, the circumstances surrounding the Lecashuto bombing is all covered in hearsay and debate, but I always hear in the back corridors of the planetary capital that President Ougi orchestrated the strike to deliberately target innocent civilians. Of course, the Federation was up in arms about all this, but Ougi was persistent, and the little bastard convinced everyone it was a mistake."
"A mistake that cost the lives of my brothers." Nassur replied.
"So, this is a rare opportunity for you, Nassur." Invader added. "For your loyalty to us, to our daughter, and to the Federation, we can supply you with the means to take the Church of Lum apart. Pray, do you have the people we wanted with you?"
Nassur simply nodded. Seconds later the door burst open, and a squad of troopers led four youths, blindfolded and bound around the arms and chest, into the room. "These are the people you requested, I trust. The four friends that call themselves 'Lum's Stormtroopers'."
The officers pulled the blindfolds off the four, who sat down, terrified out of their wits. "They went without protest onto the Renegade, but they were nervous about the blindfolds and rope." Nassur said. "I couldn't blame them, really. Ataru's raised the stakes somewhat with his thoughtless actions."
"You know Ataru?" Megane asked, his eyes fixing on Nassur. "Where is he? Is he here? Is he listening to us?"
Invader laughed and shook his head. "No boys, Ataru's nowhere around here. Hell, he have no idea where he is, he disappeared without a trace following the incident with the Dragons!" He leaned forward, letting his massive bulk loom over the four boys. "Now, we have a proposition for you. Take it, and you'll have glory, as well as the assured happiness of my daughter, Lum."
Almost immediately, all four pairs of eyes fixed on Invader. Nassur noticed his wife behind him rolling her eyes.
"We drop you down on this alien planet, you see. Everybody there are big fans of you boys, you see." The four nodded at Invader's words, with rapt attention. "You do some rounds, pressing flesh, signing autographs, giving talks while we work out some... kinks down there. You interested?"
"Well, it is a pleasing offer," Megane said carefully, "But we do need to know what this planet exactly is, sir..."
"Don't worry. Nassur here will fill you in on all the details. Do we have a deal?"
Nassur frowned a little. He all but implied that he's holding back vital information until after they signed on... And they're falling for it. Megane was almost about to leap the table and kiss Invader's knuckles when they shook hands. Lum was right when she said these four were gullible when it came to her...
"Well then," Invader crowed in triumph. "Anyone for yakiniku?"
And now...
See other episodes by Depecheion
(Posted Tue, 25 May 2010 09:05)
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