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Chapter 13
Crista, Nataya and Terril watched from the Orbiter's observation chamber as the twelve cylindrical Gnarriott ships edged towards them in a long line. From the third of them a shuttle emerged, heading towards the Orbiter's docking bay.
"Here comes our lift," Christa called. "We'd better get our contribution ready."
The three of them herded their captives back to the docking bay. As they left the elevator they saw the two other guards, laughing. Spinning between them, weightless, the ball in a game of human tennis, was one of the two flight attendants from Aries, still half naked, bound and gagged, and wrapped with more tape into a ball. "Oh, for goodness sake you two," smiled Terril. "Stop that and get the rest of this lot sorted. A shuttle's on its way in."
"OK, boss," the taller of the two replied, breaking off her game and leaving the helpless human ball to bounce into the wall of the docking bay. The other stewardess and the paralysed form of Councillor Mayern lay to one side. The fifty four helpless women waited.
For Crista and Nataya it was their first encounter with the Gnarriot when the shuttle docked and two troopers emerged. Most of the other species that they dealt with were at least vaguely humanoid in form so the lobster like Gnarriott presented a frightening aspect. At first Crista had thought they were wearing armour but she soon realized that this was their normal appearance. Their captives, still hooded, were of course, none the wiser.
"Excellent," the leading trooper croaked, "bring them through. Shuttle is ready. You've earned your fee."
Those words were sufficient. Crista, Nataya, Terril and the other Sol5g mercenaries, grinned at each other. The payment was going to allow them to enjoy a life of considerable luxury. It was hardly a great sum for delivering an entire planet but the rancour between Sol3a and those of the outer worlds meant that for all those that had been involved it was well worth it.
The captive women were dragged across the Orbiter's docking bay and into the Gnariott shuttle. The two troopers took a look around the docking bay. One unclipped a package from his harness and left it on the floor of the bay. With a grunt of acknowledgement from the other, the two of them turned their backs on the Orbiter and followed the women onto the shuttle. As the airlock door closed, the outer lock of the Orbiter opened and the shuttle started on the trajectory that returned it to the third cylinder just as it caught up with the Gnarriott freighter.
"Just my luck," thought Garan Duufrig as he sat at the navigation console. "Most of the time the worst we have to worry about is avoiding planets or the odd asteroid. Now I've got 12 tubes trying to collide with me." The docking of the cylinders that had been used to collect the Sol3a women was underway. Having transited from Earth orbit the 12 were aligned in a ring around the Gnarriott freighter, edging closer to it, each aiming for the cradle that would lock them to the freighter for the journey on to the Forgwin system. Each settled into place in turn. As the last set of lights lit up on the console indicating that the last cylinder had connected with the mother ship and locked on, Garan Duufrig breathed a sigh of relief and handed over to his relief who would handle the burn to set them on their way.
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