Distant Hope

CHAPTER 18 - PERIDIMA CITY

Lisa arrived at Peridima city a week later. The city was built in a vast asteroid that was crisscrossed by large domes. The city was home to a million people located in the Wovan Trading Syndicate a group of worlds dedicated to profit and business.

Peridima was the territories heart and was the home of legitimate and illegitimate business for that region of space.

She landed the sapphire blue hull of the Avenger in a reserved hangar bay. Waiting for her was Priette her younger sister a Meon with blue skin, short height and athletic build. 

Priette smiled at her "It is good to see you. I thought you were a gonner on Eden."

Lisa could see that she was relieved "You heard then."

Priette looked to her "So has everyone. Word has spread of you escaping Eden. The words out about the Iquan. The Alliance is throwing its military against them."

Lisa looked to her "I had to keep quiet on my way back from Earth I've been tasked with a mission and I need the crew to meet me."

They both entered Dome One, the largest of nine domes. Lisa noticed many faces looking at her.

Lisa looked to her sister surprised "How do they know?"

Priette looked to her for a moment with her orange Meon eyes "It wasn't just you who got out. Congressman John Smith also got out as well. Its been running for weeks."

Johns name made Lisa smiled "He got out then."

Priette saw her sisters reaction as they walked towards a magtrain that would take them to Lisas apartment located on dome nine "You like him."

Lisa nodded as they both inside a long thing magtrain it whizzed quickly through rock and open starlight from the domes that it passed through "We met."

Her face reddened as she talked of him and was glad he had survived she turned to her sister "I've been purposefully out of contact for a reason keeping a low profile. I went to Earth to raise the alarm about the Iquan and I have been assigned a mission. One that pays well."

Intrigued Priette followed her sister into Lisas apartment which was a small one bedroomed apartment with an open planned kitchen and lounge with a small bedroom and bathroom down the side of a corridor.

Lisa explained to her sister about the mission to rescue the President. Priette nodded and was intrigued "The crew are all here on Peridima and they are eager to meet you."

Lisa nodded as she turned to a news channel intrigued about Johns interview. She listened as John spoke of his encounter with the Iquan, the sacrifice of Senator Nireen and of how Lisa escaped to warn the Alliance.

Lisas image appeared on the screen as the blonde human female talked more of the Alliances war and the ongoing battles with the Iquan.

Priette muted the TV "Who are these Iquan Lisa so many speak of them yet so little is known."

Lisa shook her head "I do not know Priette I've seen them they are not to be messed with they are vicious and their ships are vast."

Priette was defiant "But every alien has a weakness. The Iquan have one, once we find it they will be stopped."

Lisa nodded knowing her sister was right "Maybe but we will lose a lot of people before we find that weakness."

The following day Lisas crew assembled in her apartment and she was pleased to see them. Priette she had already met but she William Jenson a human born on Earth with a Liverpool accent. He was an engineer and Lisas confidant on the ship she embraced him as her other crewman a large Quinon entered.

"Natav" she smiled and they embraced.

Lisa looked to her crew as all three sat near to her "It is good to see you all again."

William looked to her "We are glad you are well. Priette tells us that you have an important mission."

Lisa looked to them both "It is but it is also perhaps our most dangerous. The Earth President is located close to Punan space and he is now the leader of the Alliance. The Alliance has few ships to spare at the moment but they also know the President is key to rally people against the Iquan. Our job is to find him and bring him back to Earth."

Natav turned to Lisa "That will not be easy. The Iquan have setup on the Punan home world. The Presidents location makes this very difficult. The Avenger is a great ship but it does not have the firepower to take on the enemy."

Lisa nodded and she looked to her crew "Let me lay it straight to you. The Alliance has a good chance of losing this war. The military does not have enough ships. Neighbouring territories are reluctant to get involved."

Priette looked to her sister folding her arms "We're a crew a four, with a small freighter. We make money selling goods. This is completely different we are not a rescue service for when things get tough. This is the Alliances battle."

Lisa heard her sisters skepticism and looked to her crew "I know we move freight. But we all have experience of this sort of thing. We have run refugee missions in the past and have been rewarded. Sometimes though things are not about the money. The Iquan are not going to stop with the Alliance at some point they will probably attack Peridima city as we are close to Alliance space and a crossroads to other alien worlds."

William and Natav looked at each other both saying "We're in."

Lisa looked to her sister and nodded "I'm in."

Lisa smiled "Thanks. Now lets get ready. The President will not last long. We need to have the ship ready in twenty four hours."

With that the crew left to prepare the Avenger for her mission.