Miranda Blaze
Tara Loughead
Miranda Blaze
Tara Loughead
Copyright 2010 Tara Loughead
For James Morgan Walsh
The Karshi Imperative Part 1
A fiery rain of fused molten metal fell on the surface of Miranda, moon of Uranus.
"Nice shooting, Bulays."
"Bullseyeing moon rats, always a pleasure," she told Ghaavn. The remnants of this Karshi singleship would not be being reassembled anytime soon.
"A bit more like moon birds, in this case," he said of the smallish blue aliens.
"Out of targets, it looks like." She hoisted the mobile pulse cannon down from her shoulder mount.
The sound of booted feet on rocks behind their covered position alerted them to new arrivals, coming in at a run. Two figures in the battle armour of the Interplanetary Guard jogged up. The two pairs looked at each other for a few seconds, then recognition dawned.
"Hello Ghaavn, long time. Looks like we're driving them back. What are you doing here?"
"Captain Jack!" Ghaavn cried. The two men embraced, then stepped back.
"Same thing you are, it seems. Trying to stop aliens," said Ghaavn.
"Bulays, this is Jack Sanders. Interplanetary Guardsman who refuses to be promoted out of the field, the old reprobate."
"Never did like politics much. However, I know someone who does." He put his hand on the shoulder of the woman who had arrived with him. " Ghaavn, this is Colonel Jansca Dirka. Somehow, also my wife."
The tall Martian smiled. "What this greying old reprobate means is that someone born into a bloodline of ancient Martian royalty grows up with politics." She reached out to shake hands with Ghaavn and then Bulays. "We don't get to run around shooting at space invaders for fun."
"The Cosmos was actually taking the colonel to one of those not so exciting meetings when we heard, and we were the closest ship at the time," her husband went on. “An unpleasant surprise for out blue friends." Anyway, this sort of thing is a bit out of your cloak and danger line isn't it, Ghaavn? More a Guard problem."
"Actually, we've been investigating this from the beginning," said Ghaavn. He gave the husband and wife team a quick rundown of what they knew, including very abbreviated versions of the events on Hyperion and Mercury.
"Sounds like a problem, indeed," Jansca agreed. "It looks like we have this under control, though. You should get back to doing your thing. See what you can find out, and I will talk to the Guard Command locally. See if there's anything they neglected to tell the Ministry because of one of those inter-Agency squabbles."
"Is the settlement in the Miranda Rift ok?" Ghaavn asked worriedly.
"Yes, we got there in time," Jansca replied.
"They will have a spot of debris to clean up, though," Jack chuckled.
"Not so fast, Captain Jack," interjected Bulays. "I think you might have a Ghaavn story or two for me."
"Sure do, kid," he shot back. "More than happy to tell you some over some Martian Oxcta, after we run out of space invaders, that is." He grinned and waved, as they left. "You're buying!"
"Maybe it is true what they say, all the good ones are taken," Bulays laughed, after the two had departed.
"Could be," replied Ghaavn. "I definitely feel better knowing that Captain Jack is in the loop, though. Come to think of it, I'd _love_ to see what happens if Jansca meets Emar."
"I'm not Emar," came a rich, deep alto voice from behind them. "But will I do?"
The voluptuous woman standing behind them definitely was not the Death Queen of Neptune. There was, however, something familiar about her. In the arch of the brow, the eyes. A very different colour scheme, too. This particular female was way more stacked than the aforementioned, and favoured an outfit far closer to that of the Desert Empress of Deimos. Instead of scarlet, however, she was all gold and brown. Strapless bikini, with rich red-brown hair, and skirt panels draped front and rear from a hip-width belt.
Bulays was immediately suspicious. "Not dressed for alien fighting, really, are you?"
"Well, no, darling," she said, running her hands down her sides, a few centimetres away from her skin. "Why hide this magnificence?" She paused. "However, if you'd like to come play dress-up, I'd be happy to borrow yours." She smirked.
Bulays and Ghaavn looked at each other with a terrifying realisation. "You're her sister, aren't you?" They blurted this out in unison.
"She did say you were quick," she smirked. Then curtsied. "Unar, Flame Princess of Neptune. At your service, action heroes." The curtsy was clearly only being performed should she could draw their attention to her bountiful cleavage. A fact made obvious as she looked up at them with smouldering eyes. She'd give Hannah Kang a run for her money in the breast department, mused Bulays. Although Ghaavn shows no signs of noticing, in this case. I guess ancient supernatural planetary royalty seductresses are more my line, she though, grimacing inwardly. Unar's charisma was considerable, and sexuality formidable. Not to the same degree as her sister's, however.
"As far as alien fighting goes, I thought we might meet in rather more flamboyant circumstances. We had a surprise planned for our little blue not-friends. However, it appears you have jumped in first. Human efficiency, whatever will they think of next?" She paused and rubbed her hands together. "Attack ships burning in the skies does always give one a nice, glowing feeling though."
Bulays and Ghaavn hit on a second scary thought together. The blonde Amazon voiced it. "How many of you are there?"
Unar grinned. "All in good time, babe." Then, more seriously. "What you don't know can't be leaked to anyone working with the Karshi, either."
"You don't trust us?"
"Oh no. We trust the two of you. I'll trust you both with my body, if you like, right now." Arching her back, she reached behind for the clasp of her top. Ghaavn rolled his eyes, holding up his hand. "That's enough, we get the point."
"With two sexy agents in black in front of her, you can't blame a girl's thoughts for trending that way," she replied with cheery lust. "As I was saying, Spies, necromancers, sorcerers, bureaucrats, the military, your space hero colleagues and their chain of command, etc. There may be collaborators anywhere. We'd rather stay your--admittedly bodacious--ace in the hole. Besides, I think it is de rigueur for ancient planetary goddesses to have many, many, mysterious secrets." Her eyes twinkled, as she put her hands on her hips, legs apart in a bracing stance. "Now, both of you approach." She commanded in a regal tone.
Bulays and Ghaavn did so, and a fiery halo began to envelop Unar. She put one arm around Bulays, the other around Ghaavn, and pulled them in to a close embrace. "I do have to show off a little. I'll give you a ride." She then faded out, and the three were gone.
*****
"A big day," said Lady Gerald, concluding their debriefing at the Ministry, passing over the Mercurian whisky glasses she had filled for each of them.
"In more ways than one," said Bulays, sharing a glance with her partner, thoughts of the voluptuous Flame Princess dancing in her head as she drained her glass.
THE END
Artwork by arthurx Titanium
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JEKKARA PRESS
You can find out more about the Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn at the Jekkara Press wordpress website:
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Also by Jekkara press
The Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn currently include:
The warriors Bulays and Ghaavn hunt demons and their master through the dim and dusty streets of Barnes, on Titan
. Can they stop him before he completes a devastating ritual?
Bulays and Ghaavn are called in to investigate why a frontier base on Neptune has gone silent. Ice monsters and an ancient, beautiful evil await.
One of the richest women in the Solar System asks Bulays and Ghaavn for help in stopping a series of thefts. There is a mystery to solve at the most
expensive resort in existence, The Europa. Larceny, magic and dancing await, in an all expenses paid evening.
Bulays and Ghaavn try and stop a underworld shooting war. First they must get past a Martian Shadowcat, employ surprising combat techniques, and try and reason with Ghaavn's criminal mentor.
Bulays and Ghaavn are caught in the middle of a crime family war. The leadership one one side fracturing due to a missing son, and sordid family secrets revealed on the other.
Aliens from outer space are stealing parts of our women. And all of our men. Bulays and Ghaavn
have to go undercover in the notorious brothel Madame Khan's to stop it. With Emar, the Death Queen of Neptune as their Mistress!
Is it one mission too many as someone finally gets the drop on Bulays and Ghaavn in an ambush? Plus, what happens when the Death Queen of Neptune goes to a wedding?
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09 Miranda Blaze: The Karshi Imperative Part 1 – Tara Loughead
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Stark must cross the Seas of Venus to find a missing friend. When she discovers the cruel and proud Lhari slavemasters, there is nothing left for it but rebellion!
The Tree of Life Revisited (Norawest Smith) - Cathan L. Moore : https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18157
Can Norawest Smith save anyone, or even herself from the terrible priest of Thaga, and the time and space warping soulsucking horror of the Tree?
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Joan Carter is back on Mars, and Mars badly needs her. As do Dejar Thoris, who is missing. Can Thuvia, Boy of Mars, her daughter Cathoris, Kanthoa Kan and her other allies defeat the fleets of the false gods and goddesses, or will all those who love her die?
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Coming Soon
The Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn
10 Wolf Woman of Luna – Tara Loughead
The Gender Switch Adventures
A Witch Shall Be Born Once More [Conyn the Barbarian] – Roberta E. Howard
Shadow Kingdoms Fallen [Kell] – Roberta E. Howard
Sargasso of Lost Starships Rehidden – Poula Anderson
