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 Cipple

Brea Cipple

Captain Lovo

Corri Familee