Tyrone was in his cabin exercising as he often did to retain his native strength. I will have to return he thought. I need to go to my home where the air is better and I feel free. None of this thin air. Meeting my brother soldier from Testra on Quellar II was good but it reminded me of home. He continued his exercises.

It hurt that he could never return to his home world, but that was the inevitable result of being dismissed from the Legion. He never dwelt on this due to the accident he caused in training that cost the life of three recruits. Such a tragedy due to his negligence doomed him in the eyes of his native homeland and he was branded a failure and condemned to menial work. Now that he had turned to piracy there was no hope, it was a death sentence. However his people, as he named them, would turn a blind eye to his activities so long as he refrained from attacking any of their interests, they could even be congenial when they met.

Tyrone had found that it helped to exercise while thinking along these lines. While introspection and contemplation were not a major part of the intellectual makeup of the people of Testra, most beings indulged to some extent. Finished with one exercise, he turned to another. Picking up heavy weights and tossing them in the air and catching them was a routine he had added. While seemingly easy, these weights were made of an exceptionally dense metal and few on their ship, or anywhere else, could even move them.

Starting as a patrolman, he had served for a few years on standard gravity worlds, mostly rougher, less developed worlds where his size and strength made finding employment easy. Inhabitants of heavy gravity worlds were in high demand in such places. Possibly, if he had stayed as a patrolman, he may have had a long and useful career, but he had a streak of recklessness in him and this is what lead him to the Legion. And disaster.

“I should have stayed at Piraus VII, I could have been happy there.” He thought aloud.

With a shrug, he dismissed the thought, and moved to yet another exercise, this one designed to strengthen the legs.

After Thurgod had casually mentioned that Devano and Lista were getting involved with each other, he decided to check for himself. While he did not care what carnal activities the pair engaged in, he did care what they talked about and what plans they may have made. He trusted Devano, to an extent, but trusted Lista not at all so if she was working her wiles on Devano, he needed to know. Maybe Extsu or one of the sergeants could be relied on, he mused. Extsu he knew was Thurgod’s man, they went back a long way and they had saved each other’s life on occasion, something rare in the companions.

*********

Extsu was already up. He had observed Tyrone covertly the previous evening and reported to Thurgod. He would keep a watch on Devano now, especially with this mission, hunt, whatever it was coming up. The two sergeants and five troopers he had checked earlier to make sure that they were getting ready for the venture into the tunnel. The most reliable sergeant he had assigned with two men for ships security while the rest went with the party. He assumed that all the bridge crew would come as well but that was uncertain. The two passengers he did not consider, they were Thurgod’s responsibility.

While he was head of security under Tyrone, no one had given him any instructions so he was planning as best as he could. Two of the troopers he had earmarked for the responsibility to guard the mouth of the tunnel. That would leave one sergeant and one trooper to come into the tunnel with him, Devano and Tyrone. Along with Thurgod, Jenna and Lista, that should be enough firepower. He did not include Amard and Fastos in these calculations. The three engine room crew, he assumed would stay with the ship. Thinking over the plans that he had made, he felt that they were the best possible.

Leaving the security teams’ ready room, he went to Tyrone’s cabin. Announcing himself, he waited for Tyrone. The door opened

“Do you want to come in?” The weapons master said without a smile.

Equally impassive, Extsu said no, he did not enjoy the twice normal gravity that Tyrone did. In a few sentences he explained the plans that he had made for the expedition. Tyrone nodded, “Good, I will get approval from Thurgod. I think that leaving Amard Petter behind just in case would also be best. See that Devano knows.”

“Will do.” Extsu turned to go, then, “Powered armour?”

A moment’s consideration. “No, we will just have to discard it I am sure. Distribute standard personal protection.” He thought for a moment. “It will be best if what I hear about the attacks is true.”

“Good.” Extsu left, walked down the corridor and engaged Devano’s door. It slid open and he entered.

“Glad to see that you are alive, I wondered if that wildcat had left anything of you! Need your wounds pasted?” Extsu was enjoying himself.

Devano grunted, giving Extsu a dark look. “You’re in fine fettle this morning Devano.” Extsu continued, “Maybe she should have stayed the night!”

“What Lista and I do is none of your damn business,” Devano snarled, continuing with, “Leave her out of it.”

Extsu stiffened. “If that is what she gives you, then it is all our business. Behaving like that could get us all killed.” Devano spun around ready to fight. “Stop, we have serious business coming up.” Extsu brought his arms up to parry any blow. “Now settle down and listen, I don’t have time to mess around.”

Devano took a breath, waved his hand, “It’s this trip into the tunnels that has got me going, do we really want to go in there?” He rubbed his face with his hands. Extsu was in shock, he had never seen Devano like this. “What do you mean?” He asked.

“All this talk of the Dark Lord, I mean. I don’t know. Lista said, and it got me thinking.”

“Thinking? That’s the worst thing you can do.” Wondering what Lista had said. Extsu couldn’t believe that it wouldn’t be more than a few foul oaths.

Devano waved his hands again. “What if He is still alive and down there?” He sat down. “I mean we all have our stories we heard as kids, I bet that you could recite a few. I am not superstitions, but no other treasure trove we have heard of has had anything like the death toll of this one. Apart from that last person, no one has come out at all and he’s barely alive!” He dropped onto his unkempt bed.

Extsu moved a chair and sitting astride it, considered Devano. Seeing him like this was worrying to the security chief. He took a fraction to think before speaking. “Now listen Devano, yes we have all heard stories and what has happened with the legion is a worry, but we have to hold it together. We have to rely on each other. Are you ready?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“No! Don’t think. We depend on each other and in the tunnels we will be doing it again only more so!”

“Ok, ok! I’ve got it. I will be ok!”

“Good. You better be, if Thurgod gets any ideas about you, you know what his reaction will be!”

A twisted grin crossed the face of Devano. “Yes I know.”

“Good, while I like you, there can be no weak link! You ready?” Extsu was doing his best to pump Devano up.

Devano stood up at the same time as Extsu, they smacked each other on the shoulder. “I’m ready!”

“Good, I am ready too!” Extsu continued to work on the brawny mercenary. “Forget Lista and everything else. Only what we will have to do in the tunnels is important.”

“Got it. She will be waiting for me any way.” He laughed. “Who else is she going to bang? Fastos?” They both laughed. “I’m back!”

Extsu nodded. In a few words, as Devano finished dressing in the single suit that most spacers wore over any underclothes they preferred, he told him about the plans made and the confirmation from Tyrone. “Only need Thurgod’s confirmation now.” He said.

“Sounds good.” Devano said. “Twelve in the party, five topside, plus the three engineers seems good.”

“Tyrone said that Amard might have to stay behind to cover the ship, but why?” With a shrug.

A grunt, Devano had used up all his laughs. “Indeed why.” The only real danger they would have on this planet would be if the Legion turned up. In that case they would all be dead, Devano and Extsu had no illusions.

“Ok I am ready, let’s go.” The pair left for the soldiers’ ready room. I will have to have a word with Thurgod, Extsu thought, but after we get back. Devano was also thinking, and not about Lista. He was thinking about the man beside him and the vulnerabilities that had been shown. Not a weakling, he knew what he would be thinking if the positions were reversed. He would have to be extra careful in the future.

In the ready room they found the mercenaries checking all their equipment and their assigned weapons. They were also checking their personal weapons which each of them were accustomed to carry. In a few words they were briefed on the expected plan and where each were assigned, subject to Thurgod’s approval, of course. There were no questions, if there were any doubts, they kept them to themselves.

“Ok men, let’s hurry up and wait.” The old soldiers saying from Devano brought a few grins to the fore. They all settled down, donned their gear, then, making themselves as comfortable as possible, took their positions in the ready room.