The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 18.

RESCUE.

Chapter 5.

INTERSTELLAR NEWS CHANNEL 9. NEWS FLASH.

The Coffee Houses today announced they are expecting a bumper crop of coffee beans. Experimental weather manipulation on a number of the production planets is expected to raise harvest levels by an estimated fifteen per cent. Extra security will be placed at all facilities ready for the immediate transport of the first part of the crop in two weeks. Coffee House scientists also reported a breakthrough in treatment of the addictive aspect of the bean and hope to be rolling out treatment to the Inner Systems over the next few months. Rumours that the Ick have found a cure have been dismissed as desperate propaganda and a last throw of the dice by the crumbling empire. Initial trials of the new treatment are showing positive signs that coffee addiction could be consigned to history. Arabica Medical, a subsidiary of the Coffee House conglomerate who are developing the treatment are the universal leader in medical science. Working with their sister company Cultivar transport who distribute coffee to all areas of the Inner Systems, we should see the treatment rapidly rolled out once it is cleared by Arusha Medical, the Federal standards’ boards of medical research.

Morgan had worked at the estates of General Jee on the planet AV32 for many years and had risen to be deputy commander of the estates’ security. With the sudden departure of the General less than a week before, life for the estate staff was now returning to a more peaceful normality. Or it would have been if Morgan hadn’t just received the message before her. Within two hours a fleet of Fo’c’sle ships would be jumping out of light speed above the planet to rescue the prisoner held in the basement cells of the main house. The identity of the prisoner was top secret and she had only confirmed who it was a few days before and reported her findings to Snoodgrass, her true employer.
State of the art security and defence systems on the estates would be able to slow down the Fo’c’sle long enough for a relief fleet of Federation warships to arrive. The fact that a rescue attempt was even being staged showed how important the prisoner was. For her to be ordered to blow her ten year cover getting close to the General left no doubt how highly the Ick wanted her back. Morgan, codenamed Whiff, was one of Snoodgrass’s highest placed spies and would have her work cut out to disable the security systems and spring the prisoner in time for the Fo’c’sle’s arrival.
She had been recruited into the life of a secret agent by a kindly old monk of the Order of Sung the One-eyed Lama. She had gone to the Temple as a child seeking refuge after her family had been killed in coffee riots on her home world. One of Snoodgrass's biggest secrets was that the religious cult was a front for many of his agents. It had temples on most worlds in the Federation. The monks were famous for their acts of charity, but much less famous for being some of the best spies, information gatherers and recruitment agents within the Federation.
Destroying the message, she walked out of her office and headed for the staff sleeping quarters. When the General wasn’t on the estates a squad of just twenty security personnel remained behind. Half of those would be out patrolling the vast estates and were not expected back for over three days. This left just ten for her to deal with. With half of those off duty and asleep in their quarters she headed to deal with them first to ensure they wouldn’t wake up. Removing a small capsule from her belt, she opened the door to the sleeping quarters, pressed a button on top of the capsule and threw it onto the nearest bed. Quickly closing the door she walked on towards the security office. The gas in the capsule was fast acting and the five guards would be in a coma within a minute. She had spent years with these people and would prefer to keep the death toll by her own hand down, at least, . She very much doubted that those arriving soon would be too interested in keeping casualties down, but it made her feel better.

To be continued.
All images are mine.