Homecoming (The Starport)

by

RJ Miller

and
John Medkeff

Mikala stepped out of the concourse. To her left she saw a row of taxis. She walked over to the first one.

"Where can I take you?" The cabby asked.

"The Valmar Hotel please."

Zeruah walked up followed by a droid porter with their luggage.

"Of course." He opened the door for her.

"Thank you," Mikala slid into the seat.

The cabby opened the trunk and the droid put their luggage in. Zeruah rounded the cab and joined Mikala in the back seat.

As the cab pulled away from the curb Mikala spoke to the cabby. "Is there a story behind the blaster marks in the main concourse?"

  "There sure is." He answered. "Years ago there was an attempt to assassinate the Imperial Governor, Arricar that was. The attempt failed of course.Arricar ordered them left there to remind everyone that the Empire was invincible."

"Typical Imperial." she snorted.

"Arricar was that. Not like the girl we have now. She rules with a light hand. But she's only an Imperial resident, not a governor."

"I noticed the police seem less intrusive than on most Imperial worlds of this importance." She continued.

"Been that way since Arricar died, must be 25 years ago."

They passed a large factory with the Stellas MicroTechnologies logo on the side.

"There seem to be a lot of Stellases around here," Mikala observed.

"Stellases." The cabby answered. "Yes, they are one of our leading families. Old money, even a title, old Sir Lon is the 22nd baronet."

Mikala nodded. "Ever hear of a Torin Stellas?"

The cab bore left, onto the Loradon Parkway.

"Torin Stellas? Of course, I know about Torin Stellas. Well there's old Sir Torin, but he died ages ago. Sir Lon's grandfather he was. You more likely mean the young Torin Stellas, Sir Lon's nephew. Every one on Torion knows about Torin Stellas. He's the one who shot up the star port."

"Oh? He still around or did the Empire 'take care' of him for that?" she asked casually.

"He's not around here now. The last governor claimed he'd died with his family. But no one here believes that. They say that he and his sister Tarna escaped."

They passed a row of high tech factories. "I can't tell you any more than that."

"Interesting story, would there be anyone who would know more?" Mikala responded, slipping very several large credit chips over the seat to him.

The cabby looked at the money. "Well, Sir Lon might know, but I can't connect you with him. But I do know someone who works in the funeral home where Sir Logan and his family's bodies were taken. He swears that two bodies were missing, one of the boys and the little girl.

She nodded. "There's no one else. No one who works for this Sir Lon who might know?"

Not that I know about, Pera might. That funeral home handles all the high society funerals. I bet he knows some of the servants, or some one who does.

"Do you think you set a meeting with one of those for me?" she

"I could make it well worth your while."

"I will see what I can do." The cabby replied.

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