by Jeri Dion
“If you don’t mind me asking why did you leave it so long before leaving your home world?” asked Donaldo giving Dean his full attention, crossing to his bunk side.
“My Father is someone you don’t escape from so easily especially as you are considered a royal elite member of the highest order of my people, it’s frowned upon for being, dare I say this, difficult!” replied Dean a lot more calmly and politely.
“So you took your chance and ran for it, so to speak?” said Treketa.
“Yes I crept out one night, grabbed my fighter and took off, I just couldn’t go on with Father’s narrow minded singleness approach to the way he wanted to live,” replied Dean thinking about it.
The doors to the Life Ability Centre behind them opened. Tayce walked in, in thought about how she was going to break the news to Dean, what his Father had just told her. Dean studied her on approach, thinking to himself for the leader of a team and Colonel, she was exceptionally beautiful. Too beautiful to be in charge of a crime fighting team. He still couldn’t believe what Treketa had told him how Tayce had come to be where she was. In a way they were a little alike, she’d lost her home world through a war that was not her planets fault, where’s he had lost his home because his Father no longer wanted to know him.
“Captain Addams!” Tayce began.
“Colonel Traun, I know what your going to say, it’s my Father isn’t it, believe me I know he has disowned me and doesn’t want me back on Deltaline 4 I expected nothing else,” began Dean.
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” said Donaldo walking away.
“Your correct, I spoke with your Father and he informed me that he did not have a son, and he did say he disowns you, his exact words were, that he did not have a son and that you had made your choice, care to explain?” said Tayce giving him her full attention.
She listened as Dean explained what he had told Treketa and Donaldo, about his Father wanting to stick to old structure instead of changing to a new way of life, that would benefit every young person on the planet his Father didn’t see the need for change he was sticking to the old structure to do things and it didn’t do him any harm growing up was the words he’d used when he questioned it. He further stated, that it had come to a head that he and his Father no longer agreed on anything. He was for the young people and hearing what they wanted and that was change for the better, but they could no longer agree on anything any more. So he up and left, but had unfortunately fallen into the hands of a raging storm, he wanted to apologise for causing any inconvenience, or rudeness all round, that may have been caused by himself and his Father.
“Believe me, I have experienced people like your Father in my past and what your telling me, in time he will have to change, or the people of your world will change it for him,” replied Tayce.
“Oh I agree Colonel, but I for one will not return to help him, he has made his feelings quite clear to me and therefore he will have to deal with the consequences himself,” replied Dean casually.
Both carried on talking about both his world and Traun. Tayce was trying to make sure she could trust this Captain Dean Addams.
Outside Amalthea was still enduring the wrath of the alarming influences of the interior of the storm. The effects were somewhat violent at times. The lightening strikes becoming more frequent, as they struck home. Suddenly without so much as any kind of warning, the protection shields failed around the cruiser. Amalthea was vulnerable to all the violent influences of the storm, that were being thrown at her, tossing the cruiser about in the force of energy, that seemed to hold the cruiser like a small ball in an air powered tornado like sphere.
On board in Organisation, Tom and Marc were getting explosions all over the deck, as circuits blew under the continued strain. Amalthea was failing by the cencron, they had to think and do something fast, otherwise the cruiser would become a destroyed victim of the storms interior. Tom and Marc both tried to find the break in the circuits, to try and bypass the break long enough to get the protection shields back online, so they could at least make it to the end of the storm, in one piece. Midge cut in announcing that if they could fix the break long enough, then they could hit the Hyper Thrust Turbo control and head off to clear Universe. Amaltheas interior equipment and loose belongings around the cruiser fell off places all over the place, some smashing on impact with the deck floor. In the Life Ability Centre, Treketa and Donaldo were trying to salvage any equipment they could get a hold of before it broke. Dean became anxious, beginning to think that maybe he should have remained in his fighter, as it looked like he was going to die anyway. Tayce helped in trying to hold Dean in his bunk, with one hand on the wall rail and gripping Deans arm with the other one. Amalthea was now spiralling out of control in a storm that was determined to claim the first class cruiser for it’s next victim.
In Organisation Marc was on his back down under the main operations console. He was trying with great determination to get the protection shields back online, but every time he gained a connection sparks and shocks came back at him. Determined he continued, until the connection was achieved and it looked like it would hold until they would be clear of the storms interior. Marc soon sprang to his feet, giving the all clear to hit Hyper Thrust Turbo. Tom did as they proposed and sat back in the seat praying to the Gods of the Universe, that the connection that Marc had achieved, would hold in the next houron of the journey to freedom. Just as Tom had hit the button for Hyper Thrust Turbo the Protection Shields kicked in and climbed to full protection, degree by degree. The first class exploration cruiser shot off like a shot from a Slazer Cannon, heading through the ferocious lightening strikes, which occasionally shook the vast sized cruiser. Tom and Marc were now holding their breath, almost praying with every once of what faith they’d got, that calmness would not be far off ahead.
Calm space. The cruiser had made it through. On board it looked like, from Organisation to the Flight Hanger Bay it had been through a tornado. Broken equipment and personal belongings lay littered around the decks, sections and rooms. Tom and Marc in Organisation sighed a thankful sigh of relief that they had managed to pull off a somewhat tricky and miraculous manoeuvre. Lance put his hand out for Tom and Marc to shake in congratulations, on a near impossible task, well achieved.
“I think that’s what Earth One people use to term, flying by the seat of the pants, right Marc?” said Tom in jovial tone.
“Oh to right, but it’s something I don’t recommend every dayon,” replied Marc shaking Lances hand.
All three men surveyed the strewn mess, that was around the Organisation Deck. Midge announced that Amalthea had gone through the head of the storm, which had been the biggest source of power to strike at the cruiser. The storm was now behind them, heading on to some other unsuspecting victim, that crossed it’s path. Tom stood to his feet and began to tidy up, with Lance, what they could salvage. Marc suggested he head down to the Life Ability Centre to see if the others were okay. Tom agreed leaving Marc to go on ahead. Marc exited the Organisation Deck, running at full pelt on the way down to Level 2, to the Life Ability Centre wondering what he was going to find. Mess that littered the corridor floor from broken circuit panels, felt like rubble under foot, as he went. The Level Steps were the only clear area not littered. Light Panels to show the way down had cracked but not smashed on to the steps, which he was glad of, otherwise it could have proven treacherous, the speed in which he was running down.
In the Life Ability Centre Tayce was rubbing her right arm bringing it back to circulation from aching in hanging on during the storms turbulence. Donaldo fetched the muscle repair treatment called Healentex. A small round unit, hand held and used for treatment of torn or pulled muscles in strain. He was treating Tayce while Treketa was sorting Dean out making him more comfortable in his bunk and that all monitoring discs were back where they should be. The doors opened and Marc entered expecting to find total pandemonium
, but was somewhat surprised to see everything was well in hand. Both Tayce and Treketa laughed, upon seeing Marc’s shocked and somewhat amazed expression.
“Looks like you did better down here, than we did up on Level 1,” said Marc glancing around.
“We just held on, right Tayce?” said Treketa glancing to Tayce.
“Yes, I hope this cruiser is in one piece, did I detect that Hyper Trust Turbo was used?” said Tayce looking at Marc in a somewhat questioning manner.
“You did, the cruiser is in one piece yes, we’ve just got more mess than you upstairs right now,” replied Marc, he had no idea Tayce was being somewhat teasing.
“Really! What have you been doing with my Organisation Deck Marc Dayatso?” said Tayce continuing to tease.
“Would you believe guiding this cruiser with Tom out of the last milons of the storm,” he said catching on what she was up to.
Dean watched the easy happy atmosphere of the relationship between these members of the so called crime fighting Amalthean Quests team and he liked what he saw. Tayce introduced Marc to Dean. Marc crossed. Both men shook hands in greeting. Tayce explained that Dean would be remaining with the cruiser, as a temporary guest. Marc nodded in total understanding. But he wondered whether like Tayce, if Dean could be trusted, he would be keeping an eye on the Commodores son of Deltaline 4. If he stepped out of line in any way whatsoever, he would be feeling the wrath of himself or Tom of that he could count on.
“Thanks Donaldo let’s hope I don’t have to do that again too soon and we encounter any more of those kinds of storms for a while,” said Tayce pulling her sleeve down.
“Your welcome, it was quite an experience, I don’t think any of us want to encounter to soon again,” replied Donaldo returning the Healentex to the stand, from where he’d picked it up from.
“I’ll leave Captain Addams in your care, you can decide when to send him to Guest Quarters,” ordered Tayce beginning back to the entrance with Marc.
The entrance doors opened on approach revealing a corridor of debris. Both Tayce and Marc walked out and immediately began picking up some of the large fragments, that were to big and dangerous to be left lying around. They began to talk in more detail about Dean, as they went. Marc found that what Tayce was saying, quite plausible in the single mindedness of Dean’s Father, he’d heard reports he was not a man to be easily swayed into new policies. Both discussed whether they could ever consider Dean team material or not.
Tom was busy trying to get the cruiser back to full operational power. He was working with Midge in putting new replacement circuits where the others had simply exploded, due to the storms powerful energy force. Lance was running checks when Tom had replaced the new ones, to make sure they were fully operational. Midge kept an eye on the Universe so to speak, he was constantly scanning the on board systems as the new circuits became operative, to make sure that it stayed at a constant operational level as each circuit was replaced, watching the pathway ahead in case there was any unsuspecting nasty surprises arising.
Three hourons later the Amalthean Cruiser looked more like the first class cruiser, it should be and not a reminiscent of tornado alley. Tayce was back in command and had requested everyone gather in the Organisation Deck, Meeting Centre, as her Mother had sent live coverage to them of the trial of Countess Vargon. Tayce had found something very strange about what her Mother had said, in the outcome in that it was quite, quite exceptional and least expected. Tayce because of this, couldn’t wait to see it with the rest of the team. Lance could see she was somewhat enthusiastic to get started though, in a way he couldn’t blame her, as he would feel the same if it had happened to him and he wanted to see Countess Carra Vargon was going to get her comeuppance, because of what she had done to the planet Traun and others. Tayce and her family were good people he thought. Marc entered the Meeting Centre exclaiming he’d spoken with Dean about having another word with his Father personally, he had agreed, but said that he hadn’t much hope of a successful answer. Tom joined Marc and Tayce in deciding what they would do in giving Dean a job on board for the duration that he was with them. They all discussed the best position to place him in temporarily.
Donaldo gave Dean the all clear, as he completed his final check on the points that put him in the Life Ability Centre in the first place, the inhaling of the fumes from the gaseous atmosphere aboard his fighter were gone and his lungs were fine. He ordered Treketa to take him to on board Guest Quarters, then she could join him in the Meeting Centre as Tayce had requested they meet her there. Treketa agreed wholeheartedly then began towards the entrance with Dean in tow. Treketas uniform was very attractive on her. A white knee length skirt. Calf length white high heeled boots, beige tights and a matching white top with a thin navy stripe running down the sleeve from shoulder to cuff. As the doors to the Life Ability Centre opened, Treketa let Dean go first, then followed on explaining that he’d find in his quarters somewhere he could relax and make himself comfortable and make his own. As they went Dean thanked her for being so patient with him, he must have been a real pain in the neck with attitude when he came round and he wanted her to know he truly didn’t mean it. Treketa laughed it off. He studied her wondering if all women outside Deltaline 4 were like Treketa and Tayce, beautiful he hoped so! They soon stepped into the Deck Travel as the doors opened. Treketa waited until the doors closed, then depressed Level 4. Both stood in silence as the Deck Travel took them to the desired level.
When almost everyone had arrived in the Meeting Centre later, Treketa came running in apologising for keeping everyone waiting. She soon found a seat and fitted in.
“Did Captain Addams get to his quarters all right?” asked Tayce curious.
“Yes he’s fine, he said Amalthea was a lovely cruiser and if his Father wasn’t so awkward he could have a fleet of cruisers like it too,” said Treketa.
“Mother and Jonathan Largon have sent us part of the trial that shows the outcome for Vargon, Mother says that the outcome is somewhat unexpected, so I have been told, shall we begin?” said Tayce.
On Tayces command Midge activated the Sight Screen on the main wall of the Centre. Everyone turned their attention to the screen, as the recording began with a shot of none other than Countess Vargon dressed in a brilliant red gown looking more like a well made up Queen, than the evil witch that she had come to be known as. The trial went on asking her probing questions of her attack on various planets, colonies and vessels. Not to anyone’s surprise she denied she had done anything wrong. Tayce shook her head and gave a totally disgusted look, that said it all. Jonathan Largon came on the Vid recording explaining that after the following, he would leave what happened next to the teams imagination. The trial continued and abruptly without warning, a brilliant red aura surrounded Vargon. She gave the following statement then vanished.
“Thought you could all hold me forever, wrong, no one can hold me, not even you,” she retorted pointing her slim finger in the direction of Jonathan Largon.
Tayce now knew what her Mother had said was true, that the outcome was somewhat exceptional. Vargons brilliant red aura became powerful to the extent it was near impossible to look at on the screen, then she vanished into nothing. Gone from the trial leaving everyone in the Meeting Centre and at the trial speechless.
“That’s just like her, she can’t get way with this,” said Tayce angrily jumping to her feet.
“Take it easy Tayce, there’s nothing you can do,” said Tom standing taking hold of her in a soothing way, trying to calm her down, as she was shaking with anger and shock, at what had happened.
Everyone present was just as shocked as Tayce. So Countess Carra Vargon had escaped against all odds of sending her to a sentence befitting for what she stood for, crime of the highest degree. But where had she vanished too and would she make another appearance. Tayce for one hoped she would, deep inside so that next time she could finish h
er once and for all or bring her to justice with much more tighter security.
Amalthea had gained an on board guest team member, it was uncertain whether he would become permanent or not. The team were left in what was somewhat of a stunned silence as to the outcome of the trial in Vargons spectacular disappearance. It was a shame that Vargon had not been stopped. But there was always another dayon to do just that.
Searching for the Greymaren Victims
Part One
Much to everyone’s surprise Lydia was returning to the cruiser, her Launch from Questa was in the final stages of docking alongside. Because of her sudden arrival, Marc had been the one to go and meet her. Tayce had a meeting with Dean to discuss his on board duties, considering he had tried to talk to his Father again without much luck of him returning home under the grounds, that he would stand with the people of Deltaline 4 and change against what his Father was adamant not to change, this could not be allowed. Marc stood waiting at the Docking Bay doors patiently to ask Lydia why she had returned so eagerly? He in his estimation, thought now that Vargon was on the loose she’d want to stay in the safety of Questa. But that was Lydia, she was going to do what she wanted to do. He recalled how sometimes Darius her husband use to despair at the way if she set her mind to do something no matter what he advised, she’d go right ahead and do it regardless. He guessed this was one of those times and she didn’t have Darius to stop her.