The Rise before the Fall
Chapter 14: The Trap is Set
Aisha woke up late that morning. She showered and dressed and performed her regular morning ritual. She went to the kitchen for a late breakfast. The family cook prepared her a cyrisian egg omelet and one of her few Terran favorites, hot coffee. After eating, she went back to her room to start packing. She was at it for an hour, making a mental list of the things she needed to buy other than the twenty or so bikinis she had in mind when there was a knock at her door.
"Come in." She said without stopping.
The door opened and Saysha took a step inside.
"Hi Nana, what is it?"
"There's a gentleman at the door to see you. He says it's official business."
"Oh?" Aisha set the blouse she had in her hands down on her bed and headed towards the door.
The front door was left ajar. She pulled it the rest of the way open. On the other side of the door was the tallest, broad-chested Ctarl Ctarl Aisha had ever seen. This stern looking giant of a man in the plain black suit was easy for Aisha to identify.
'Ctarl Intelligence agent no doubt.' Aisha assumed.
"Can I help you?"
"Aisha Clan Clan?"
"Yes, that's me."
"I'm special agent Viveri with Ctarl Intelligence."
He flashed his identification.
"I was ordered to escort you to Ctarl Intelligence Center."
"Who sent you and why?" Aisha questioned.
"Governor Jiudus sent me, for what reason, I'm sure I do not know."
"Okay, hmm, well give me a minute to change and I'll be right back. Hmm, would you care to step inside?"
"No, thank you ma'am. I'll be by the vehicle." With that he turned and walked to the waiting craft.
"Okay, well I'll be just a minute." She closed the door and ran upstairs.
"So Governor Jiudus wants to see me." Aisha said to herself as she changed into her uniform. "Probably about the 'special mission' the Emperor spoke of. Well, I'll tell him where he can stick his 'special mission' after the way he treated me during the review."
Aisha was putting the final touches to her uniform and checking herself in the mirror.
"Attempting to humiliate me like that. What a jerk! Hmm, okay ready. Let's get this over with."
She went down stairs and headed for the door.
"Nana! I'm going into the city for official business! I'll be back in a few hours!"
She closed the door behind her and walked to the waiting vehicle. Special Agent Viveri was standing next to it. As Aisha approached, he opened the rear door for her. She got in, then he got in the front seat next to the driver and they sped away.
Five minutes into the ride Viveri's communicator rang.
"Yes sir. Yes sir. Very well sir."
He leaned over to the driver and whispered something to him.
Ten minutes later, it became obvious to Aisha that they were not heading into the city any longer.
"Hey, I thought you said you were taking me to the Ctarl Intelligence Center?"
Viveri replied. "Change of plans, the Governor wants to meet you at his personal estate."
"How much longer?"
"About another forty minutes."
"Mmm." Aisha folded her arms across her chest; losing what little patience she had very quickly.
Forty minutes later they pulled up in front of a modest looking estate. Not nearly as large or extravagant as her family's home but it had a certain charm to it. Viveri opened the vehicle door for her and Aisha stepped out letting her eyes adjust to the midday sun, taking in all of the foliage around the estate.
"Go right in. The Governor is expecting you."
She nodded and walked to the door. Opening it and walking in, she immediately noticed that the interior was about 10 degrees warmer than it was outside as well as about 20% more humid. The next thing she noticed was the shear volume of live plants everywhere. It looked and felt like a tropical rainforest inside. She closed the door behind her and walked past the foyer into what she assumed should be the formal living room but it looked anything but formal with plants on every table space there was and plants hanging from the ceiling, even small trees in planters at various places on the floor.
"Governor Jiudus?"
"Lady Aisha, so good of you to come."
Aisha turned around to her left to see Governor Jiudus enter the room from a hallway that lead to the kitchen. He had a big bright smile on his face and a spray bottle in each hand.
"Please, sit. Sit." The Governor insisted as he began spraying water on the plants closest to him.
Aisha looked around. There weren't many places she could sit but she settled on an old wooden chair that wasn't being invaded by plants.
"Beautiful aren't they?" The Governor asked, continuing without waiting for a reply. "Living in the outlying regions most of my life, I've grown accustom to tropical plants. Did you know most of our tropical fruits come from the outlying regions?"
"Umm, no Governor, I did not."
"Copapaha is my favorite. Would you like some? It's just come in season. I have some fresh."
"No thank you Governor. I had some just last night."
"Really? I could eat it everyday if my doctor would allow it."
He turned around and headed back to the hallway entrance, disappearing briefly.
'Who is this guy? He can't be the same man who interrogated me just five days ago. And yet he looks the same with that same gravely voice he had during the review. I don't get it.'
A few moments later the Governor returned with a plate full of sliced copapaha. Grabbing a footstool, the Governor carried it over to where Aisha was sitting and set it down about a meter in front of her. He sat down and extended the plate to her.
"Are you sure you won't have any?"
Seeing the juicy ripe copapaha sitting on the plate was too much for Aisha to resist.
"Well, perhaps one slice." She reached over and took a slice and placed it in her mouth.
The Governor did the same. "Delicious isn't it?"
Aisha nodded. "This is even better than the copapaha I had last night." She admitted.
"This is from my personal garden on Vis Vora Vora. Please have another."
He insisted and Aisha obliged.
"Lady Aisha, first let me start by apologizing for my interrogation of you at the panel review. As unpleasant as it was for you, I assure you it was equally unpleasant for me. But I had to know."
"Know what Governor?"
"Know that you could retrain yourself under extreme conditions. I asked you the questions I did to see if I could cause you to lose you temper. I must say, I was very pleased with your restraint."
"But why would you want to do that to me?"
"Because I need you for a very important mission."
"Is this the mission the Emperor spoke of?"
"Yes, which is also why you were not made commodore at this time."
"I'm listening."
Jiudus scooted a little closer, as his voice grew hushed, focusing all his attention onto Aisha.
"Ctarl Intelligence has come across information about a place the Terran's call the Galactic Leyline."
"The Galactic Leyline?"
"Yes, it is a source of tremendous wealth, a treasure so vast the owner of it could purchase an entire solar system."
"What type of treasure?"
"That we do not know for sure but we suspect it is a treasure trove of dragonite. Enough dragonite to make the Ctarl Ctarl Empire the most wealthy and most powerful Empire in the universe."
"So how does this involve me?"
"I want you to go into Terran space, locate the coordinates of the Galactic Leyline and claim it in the name of the Ctarl Ctarl Empire."
"But how?"
"For this mission I have been authorized to extend to you the title of Ambassador Plenipotentiary and the command of the battle cruiser, Orta Hone Hone. You will carry with you the very authority of the Empire itself. This is necessary because our treaty with the Terrans prohibit us from sending anyone above the rank of captain in a Ctarl Ctarl warship but this does not apply to an Ambassador. Plus the Terrans will have to extend to you every courtesy since as Ambassador Plenipotentiary; you speak for the Emperor himself. But as Ambassador Plenipotentiary, we can't have you losing control and starting a war with the Terrans. This is why I needed to test you and I must say you passed with flying colors."
"Thank you Governor. And this does sound like a wonderful opportunity but I was hoping to take part in the invasion of the Coalition."
"Who said we were invading the Coalition?" The Governor responded.
Taken back by his reply. "Well, I just assumed. I mean it makes sense that we should deliver the final lethal blow to the Coalition now that their fleet is so severely crippled."
"True but this war has taken its toll on us as well. The wealth of the Empire is dwindling quickly. If we don't acquire the treasure of the Galactic Leyline, I don't know how much longer we will be able to sustain our way of life."
"But why me Governor? Surely a real Ambassador would be better suited for the job?"
"For dealing with only entanglements with the Terran Space Forces and the Toward Star Empire perhaps but we are not the only ones in pursuit of this treasure. My agents tell me that as well as the Terran Space Forces, and Space Pirates, there is at least one, perhaps more Outlaws in pursuit of the treasure as well. In the case of an actual conflict, I want the best the Fleet has to offer. That is you Lady Aisha."
Aisha smiled. "Thank you Governor."
"So your mission will be to take the Orta Hone Hone into Terran space. Locate an Outlaw named Hilda and her ship called Horas. It is rumored that this Outlaw has the coordinates of the Galactic Leyline. Obtain those coordinates by any means possible. Go to the Galactic Leyline and claim it in the name of the Ctarl Ctarl Empire and return with as much of the treasure as the Orta Hone Hone can carry. Other ships will be dispatched to your location if you deem it necessary. And upon you triumphant return." Governor Jiudus paused.
"Yes?" Aisha asked enthusiasticly.
"You will be given the permanent rank of Admiral."
"Admiral!" Aisha's eyes glazed over. "Admiral Aisha Clan Clan."
"So you see, a relatively easy mission, compared to doing battle with 5,000 Coalition ships." The Governor smiled.
"Yes but, well, do we know where this Outlaw Hilda is? If she has already found the Galactic Leyline and taken its treasure?"
"We assume she hasn't simply because a treasure that large could not be kept a secret for very long and none of my operatives have reported anything of that nature. As for where to find Hilda, that we do not know. And that is where your new title will assist you in your pursuit of her. What we do know is there is an asteroid colony called Blue Heaven that most Outlaws frequent. That will be your starting point. Go to Blue Heaven, find what information you can about Hilda and her whereabouts, then pursue her."
"Do we have any photographs of Hilda or her ship?"
"Unfortunately no, but you should be able to obtain that information at Blue Heaven. The key to finding the Galactic Leyline is locating the Outlaw Hilda and forcing her to reveal its location. It sounds simple but Terran space is vast, it may take some time to locate her. That is why I wanted someone with your tenacity. I know you will never give up your pursuit no matter how long it takes. Now, of course a mission of this nature must be voluntary. I cannot make you take this mission. Can I count on you Lady Aisha?"
"Governor," Aisha rose to her feet, "you've picked the right person for the job. I will accept this mission and I will succeed. You can be sure of that."
The Governor rose and embraced Aisha.
"Thank you Lady Aisha, I'm sure you will prove to be the savior of Ctarl Ctarl once again."
"When am I scheduled to leave for Terran space?"
"You most leave immediately. It will take you at least three weeks to reach Blue Heaven and we can't afford to wait and allow the Pirates or the Outlaws to reach the Galactic Leyline first."
"Immediately! But I was… I won't have time to assemble a crew." Aisha explained, hiding her true reservations for leaving immediately.
"The crew has already been assembled." The Governor walked over to a desk in the corner and grabbed a document that was sitting on top. He turned around and handed it to Aisha." This contains your crew list, manifest, general information about Blue Heaven and a few other Terran colonies near there. Also, the last page is a form you need to fill out."
"Form?" Aisha looked up from flipping through the document.
"It's a recommendation form for your replacement aboard the Al Tigaro Tigaro. Be sure it gets delivered to Fleet Command Center so your recommendation will receive consideration."
Aisha was busy flipping through the pages when she realized the Governor had finished. She looked up at him. "Very well."
"Good luck Lady Aisha, may the God of Ctarl look down upon you favorably in your execution of this mission."
The Governor saluted and Aisha returned the salute.
"Thank you Governor. I won't let you down."
Aisha turned and walked out of the Governor's estate.
Special Agent Viveri was waiting outside with the vehicle. Seeing Aisha walk out he immediately opened the rear door for her then got in the front seat as before. Aisha flipped threw the pages during the ride home.
'This is too easy. Admiral before the age of 18, I couldn't have dreamed of a better scenario. Outlaw Hilda, ships name Horas, hmm, an interesting prey. Shouldn't be too much of a challenge."