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Favours 2000 short story by
Jonathan Hicks Thirty-five years after Episode
IV – A New Hope Just as I
got things the way I wanted them, Bessa thought sourly and fell back into her large
padded chair. She rubbed a hand across her face and groaned softly, her long
dark hair intertwining with her fingers and stretching out outwards. She
screwed up her face and then relaxed as she regarded the four figures in
front of her. “I’m
sorry, I don’t believe I heard you properly. Do you want to tell me that
again?” She smiled sweetly at Captain Lovo of the Recurring Dream as he cleared his throat with a nervous
expression. The two men and the woman standing next to him watched him
expectantly. The new office of Bessa Cipple, a daughter of the
great Glann Cipple who used to rule the greatest criminal empire of the
Setnin Sector, had been built in honour of her father’s old seat of power
with several radical differences. She sat in her chair with her back to a
great window but where Glann’s window had been armoured and shielded against
possible attack from without, she had the great portal open and leading out
onto a huge balcony. At this moment a soft breeze blew in from the bay of
Amagad and caressed the silk curtains that hung in front of the window. The
climate of the planet was still a little chilled whilst the world slowly
regained its ecological balance but she didn’t mind. The cool air kept her
calm. And calm was something she needed right now as she
looked intently at the people in front of her. Lovo, his stature appearing smaller than his usual
tall frame, shrugged almost helplessly. “I’m sorry, Bessa, I really am, but I thought it
best to keep them hidden, especially since the declaration of war between
Ki-Ki and Setnin. I was going to introduce them to you, I promise...” “Lovo,
do you know why I like you so much?” Bessa suddenly interjected with a smile.
Lovo swallowed nervously. Here we go... “I like
you because you act on initiative, you’re smart and you do things right.”
Bessa leaned forward, her expression slowly morphing from a smile to a dark
stare of disgust. “So why in the hell
didn’t you tell me you bought three fugitives from the invasion of Chinngard
into my city four years ago!” The twin bothers Corri and Yedda Familee looked at
each other with wide eyes. The sheer volume of the woman threatened to burst
their eardrums and her anger almost made them wilt. Lovo had warned them that
she was going to get angry. He hadn’t warned them that the sheer passion of
her outburst would take them so unawares. Their sister, the golden haired
woman that stood just off to one side, winced and took Yedda’s arm with
consternation. She was unnaturally beautiful with wide green eyes that
regarded Bessa with apparent fright. “What’s
with her?” Bessa demanded, motioning to the woman. “She’s
just a little scared,” Yedda said defensively, patting the woman’s hand and
glaring at Bessa. Bessa simply shrugged and turned back to Lovo. “So, do
you want to explain to me what you were thinking?” she demanded and interlocked
her fingers, resting her chin on the cradle of her hands. Lovo cleared his throat again. “Well, I
was helping out these three and I kind of got a little too involved. They
were under threat from the one of the orders of the Ki-Ki Sector, called the
‘Minds’, and they’re also the grandchildren of the late Prime Lord of
Ki-Ki...” “Which
makes the new Prime Lord Atheus their uncle,” Bessa interjected. “Erm...
yes, that’s right.” There was a silence for a few moments as Bessa
watched Lovo expectantly so he was compelled to continue. “They’re
the last surviving nobles of House Familee of Chinngard, Bessa. Their family
was wiped out by Janites and they’re in serious trouble. I couldn’t declare
them to you - they’ve already had a close shave once when they were tracked
down and I couldn’t take the risk. So, I thought it would be a good idea if
they hid, here, on Amagad in the heart of the Setnin Sector.” Bessa frowned. “That’s
mighty charitable of you, Lovo. Why did you go out of your way to help them?” “Because
I promised a good friend I would. Sorry, Bessa. I truly am.” Bessa frowned again, this time more darkly. “The
sons and daughter of Chinngard, fugitives from the Ki-Ki Sector, wanted by
the Prime Lord and the Minds, here in my city. Lovo, did you know there was a
war going on between Setnin and Ki-Ki? If they found out I had harboured
these three they’d bomb my butt back into last week!” Bessa had stood, now, and she walked to the
balcony where she had a commanding view of the new city of Amagad. It was not as her father had left it. Under the
control of Glann Cipple the city had been a warren of hideaways and alleys,
dark miserable streets that held the worst kind of scum that Setnin had to
offer. The old buildings, virtually decaying visually as they were watched,
had been wiped away by the impact of the Heed in the waters off the
bay, and then washed away as the resulting tidal wave engulfed the city. This
had been after the place had been bombed to nothing by orbiting warships. Which had given Bessa a clean canvas to work from.
Taking the idea of her father’s city and starting afresh she funded her
rebuilding project by selling off sections of the Amagad surface to
prospective buyers. The initial construction had been almost thwarted as
beings thinking that the old underworld business had restarted - whilst the
city was still nothing but foundations it was difficult to keep the scum out
of the place. Since the city was completed, however, it was easier to manage
and control. And what a city. Tall plastiglass-fronted
skyscrapers with huge open areas around their bases, filled with trees and
parkland, ornamental pools and fountains. Walkways and speeder ways
interlinked the largest buildings and, over the old foundations of the spaceport,
was a tall, multi-storied starship dock. Vessels and speeders flew around the
city in apparent haphazardness but Bessa knew that each and every vessel
followed a pre-determined course. The city was beautiful. But now, she overlaid the image of Ki-Ki battleships
dropping concussion charges all over the place and she shivered. “In a
few days a huge attack force leaves Zelon and heads for Leogard to liberate
the system from the Ki-Ki legions,” Bessa hissed. “These Minds you speak of
have joined with the Janites to strike at both Ki-Ki and Setnin forces to
take advantage of the slugging match. It will be a huge battle for dominance.
You picked a hell of a time to reveal these people to me, Lovo.” “With
all due respect, governor,” Corri said with sudden volume, “it’s not all
captain Lovo’s fault.” Bessa raised an eyebrow and motioned for the man
to talk. “Lovo
rescued us from the Janites on Chinngard, the Minds and the Prime Lord’s men.
He had promised his adopted cousin that he would help us and, to be honest, I
think we were more of a burden than anything else. We had all corners of our
sector wanting us for different reasons. We thought the best idea would be to
disappear and where better than a world under construction?” Yedda took over the story as Corri paused. “We were
on our way to see you when we first landed here, we honestly were, but as we
approached your home we talked Lovo into keeping our presence a secret. We
couldn’t make a formal request for sanctuary - it would have attracted too much
attention and bought you nothing but trouble. So we got accommodation in the
construction town and took jobs.” She was listening intently, almost appearing
sympathetic, but still Bessa shook her head. “I’d
rather you had come to me, gentlebeings. I could have shuttled you off where
no-one could have found you.” There was silence as the conversation died. Bessa still retained her angry visage and turned back to the window. The sun was setting and the sky was purple tinged with orange, the glass buildings reflecting blinding light across the city. Slowly she turned back. “What
are your intentions now?” Bessa inquired as she took her seat again. Yedda coughed and looked over at Corri who nodded.
The woman behind them relaxed and watched Bessa intently. “We
understand that Jomobol Pocock has built several vessels which will be used
as warships in the battle by Setnin Forces, constructed at the Iralini Starship Yards here on
Amagad,” Yedda said. “We know you have a good friend in Pocock and hope it’s
possible that we could get our hands on a vessel so that we can go to
Leogard, also. If there is to be a reckoning, then we should be a part of
it.”
"You'll just get yourselves killed..."
"Governor," Yedda continued, his interruption making Bessa
frown, "the Janites murdered our parents. They destroyed our city. The
Minds turned our own against us and manipulated everything that happened in
the destruction of our bloodline. I'm not going to tell you that we want to
get out there for the sake of our planet. Or the sake of the Setnin
Sector."
"What do you want to tell me?" Bessa said, her voice low and
serious. "Why do you want to go out to the war zone?" Corri shrugged. "We've learned a lot about
the Setnin Way. We knew our father was a great admirer of the sector before
the New Republic came back in. We want to go out there for simple
revenge."
"That's right," Yedda added. "They hurt us. We want to
hurt them back, and we can be a thorn in the Janite and Mind side whilst
Setnin fights Ki-Ki." There was a long moment of silence. Lovo looked
out of the window whilst Bessa stared at her desk. Then a smile spread across
her face.
"Now that I
understand," she said. "And it won't look too bad on my record if I
supply fighters that will help out Setnin." She reached over for her
table comm. "Lawgad?" "Yes, boss?"
"Get in touch with Pocock, and have Cap and his team sent up to
me." "Sure thing, boss." Bessa looked back at her visitors and leaned back
in her chair.
"Now. What is it you want from me?" Favours 2000 short story by
Jonathan Hicks Thirty-five years after Episode
IV – A New Hope Histories – More intrigue from the New Underworld Age. Hidden on Amagad, in
plain sight, Yedda and Corri
Familee finally come back into play,
in the office of Bessa and Brea
Cipple. With the sector poised on the brink of madness and war this
revelation could pose serious threats to the security of the Cipple sisters,
Amagad and the political balance of the entire invasion.
Cast of Characters Bessa CippleBrea Cipple Captain Lovo Corri Familee Yedda Familee |