The Ballard of Cairo
Part thirty-eight: Religious intolerance.
Whittington spaceport,
Whittington,
Lyran Alliance
Cairo was loading some bags into a VTOL he had hired for a few days when a man in flowing white robs walked up to him. "Lt. Cairo? I am Demi-Precentor Bartholomew Hendrix of the Blake Guards 101st Division. I would like to talk to you about procuring some of the Clan technology you salvaged on Huntress."
Cairo closed the door of the helicopter and looked at Hendrix. "You want the ATMs and the Heavy Lasers, right?" The Demi-Precentor nodded. Cairo shook his head, "I'm not selling."
Cairo walked back to the Wataru's airlock. "Sinead, you ready?"
"Just a minute!" A voice from within the DropShip echoed back.
Hendrix followed Cairo back to the aircraft. "I assure you Lieutenant, Word of Blake is willing to make a more than generous offer for the weapons."
Cairo turned to Hendrix; "I'm going to need those weapons when I reach Solaris. Talk to me afterwards."
O'Brien walked over to the VTOL wearing a blouse and shorts that where enough to make Cairo's heart beat faster. He turned to the Demi-Precentor, "Look, one of my MechWarrior's, Go-cho Robert Dancer, told me about Word of Blake and what he said was not exactly flattering. If I decide to sell the weapons after I have finished with them, you'll have to bid for them like everyone else." He climbed into the transport and closed the door. "Now if you don't mind, we've got a few days before we are due to leave and we want to spend it together. Good day."
As the small aircraft disappeared over the horizon, Hendrix took a small radio from a pocket in his robes and spoke into it. "He is unwilling to sell...proceed with plan B." A thin smile crept to his lips.
Washington forest,
Whittington,
Lyran Alliance
Cairo brought the VTOL in low over the trees, searching for a clearing to put down in for the night. O'Brien had just pointed to a small clearing by a stream when the small radar unit picked up four unidentified airborne contacts. He swung the civilian transport round so O'Brien could get a good look with a pair of binoculars. She gasped with alarm, "Steven, those are Ripper attack VTOLs...they have no markings and are heading right for us!"
Cairo didn't need telling twice. He put the aircraft into a steep dive while pushing the throttle to maximum. He made for the trees as the first of the Rippers opened up with its Medium Lasers...
To Be Continued...