Mitchell's Revenge
Orlov homestead outside Noo, on Tarasov, the Laika System

Anton Orlov studied the messagejust received from the Captain of the Zond. It had taken him a while to decodeit. Natasha was up to her old tricks and quit the ship at her first opportunity.The message reported that she left the Zond at Topernicus shipyard and fledaboard a pirate vessel called the Guardian Angel.

Captain Volkov didn’t know whethershe actually jumped ship or had been kidnapped by Rufus Yaap and his crew. Healso reported that the Guardian Angel jumped into FTL flight as soon as it leftTopernicus. They’d been unable to get a lock on its destination. Therefore theydidn’t know where Natasha was.

“The name of that ship rings abell,” mused Anton, as he scrolled through streams of data whilst trying to organisehis thoughts.

“There it is!” he exclaimed, as thename Flex McElbing came up on the screen.

“Not that lunatic!” he thought, “OhNatasha, what have you done?”

The ship that McElbing was linkedto was called the Fallen Angel.

“Just enough obfuscation to stayunder the radar,” thought Anton as he began to research the rest of the crew. Hequickly accessed the manifest that had been received by Topernicus ControlCentre.

“Who the hell is Rufus Yaap?” wasAnton’s next thought, and he began another search. The details were sketchy,but he soon had a rough picture of the crew that Natasha was now travellingwith. He was relieved to see that there was at least one other woman on board. Hecould see that the skill set these people had would be invaluable to the IGM. Hemade a few notes on a sheet of paper and stuffed it into the pocket of hisjeans.

Anton made his way along thehomestead hallway to his father’s office. He knocked as he went in and foundhis father standing at the big picture window looking out over Lake Ladogat. Thesteam was not so thick today and he could see the entire surface of the lakeglinting in the sunlight. Yuri turned towards his son.

“What have you learned?” he asked. Antonsmiled at his father. He gave him the hand written notes.

“That Flex McElbing of the FallenAngel is now calling himself Flex McElroy of the Guardian Angel,” he replied.

“Not that lunatic!” exclaimed Yuri.“I hoped I’d never see him again!” Anton laughed.

“The worse news is that Natasha ison board his ship,” he went on. “But the Captain listed in the manifest forthat visit is Rufus Yaap, not Flex.” Yuri shook his head.

“Knowing Natasha, she must have areason for doing that,” Yuri mused aloud.

“I guessed as much,” replied Anton.“I did a bit more research. It looks like the Guardian Angel was at Topernicusfor an FTL drive re-fit. Where would they have got a new FTL drive from do youthink?”

“Stolen, obviously,” replied Yuri. “Ourlast intelligence about Flex suggested that he’d turned into a scavenger, so itcould have come from any damaged or retired ship.”

A light came on in Anton’s mind. Helooked at Yuri.

“What if it was salvaged from Ripley’sRevenge?”

“Then Tatiana is dead for sure,”replied Yuri sadly. He gripped Anton’s arm so hard that it hurt. “Don’t say anything to your mother yet. Waituntil we hear from Natasha, OK? Promise me, son.”

“OK, I promise,” replied Anton. “You’rehurting me Father.” Yuri let go of his son’s arm.

“Could it be that much of a coincidence?” hewondered as Anton left the office to check on the latest incoming coms.
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