by Jeri Dion
“You remember those dayons,” said Lance amused, as he recalled the many things they got up to.
“Oh yes Lance of course, you’ve grown!” said Lydia in surprise.
“Let me say it’s good to see after all you’ve gone through, your here and just as lovely as ever,” said Lance impressively.
“Thank you Lance, nice of you to say that,” replied Lydia kindly seeing he was still as cheeky as she remembered him.
“Father found out where you were via Midge, he sent me over because he wants me to be part of your new crime fighting team, that’s if it’s okay?” he put to Tayce carefully.
“Sure it is, welcome to the team, shall we proceed?” said Tayce light heartedly.
Lance slung his garment carrier over his shoulder and fell in with the others heading on the walk back aboard the cruiser. It had been a good dayon, Tom was cleared of the unlawful accusation of killing Alenea and now he could go on without the fear of being suspected of such a thing ever again. There was now five members plus Tayce and Lydia on the team. They all walked onto the cruiser as the Docking Bay doors opened. Tom stopped to take one last look at the colony for the last time, glad to be free. He continued on aboard allowing the doors to close. Soon Amalthea One was leaving the docking port, heading on out into the Universe to continue on to whatever lay ahead or in the next sector.
Arrival of the Countess
The Amalthean Quests Team was growing, there were now five members. Tayce wondered how many would be in her team eventually, as she stood looking around the Organisation Deck, at some of them working.
Amalthea was travelling on no fixed course across the Universe, but on alert just the same, considering there was the constant threat of Countess Vargon and her Warrior Army still at large, who wouldn’t hesitate to find the cruiser and finish off their so called business and get rid of Tayce at a cencrons notice. The two team members that had just joined the team, Lance Largon and Treketa Stavard, were settling in well. Treketa surprising as it was to see, had calmed down a bit from when Tayce first met her. They were making their quarters their own personal domain. Lance was fixing up his, the way he personally wanted them to be, considering they were going to be his base for the foreseeable future. Both himself and Treketa had been given their new team titles Lance was Quest’s Research and Information Officer, his duty would entail him to take care of research into the Quest and search for information that was requested to prepare for a visit to different ports of call. Treketa was to work with Donaldo, as his new trainee Nurse and assistant to assist him in the Life Ability Centre and on emergencies or Quest’s, when needed. She was getting to know where everything was in the Life Ability Centre, ready for her new duty. Tayce entered Lance’s quarters to find him standing on a stool, hanging his favourite images on the quarters wall, that he’d downloaded from his Porto Compute. Tayce stood for a moment, looking up at him, until he saw her and jumped down. He began explaining what the images were, in that they were taken on past missions for his Father. Tayce gave an impressive look she found them somewhat appealing, some were space scenes, some were planets from different angles and even one of himself and his Father Jonathan proudly stood together on a vacation.
“That’s a nice one of you and your Father, I wish mine was still alive, there would be so much I’d love to talk to him about over what’s been happening,” confided Tayce.
“Thanks, it was taken last monthon when I was on a break after graduation from training at the Astrono Training Centre, you know they may find your Father one day, whose to say someone didn’t rescue him like they did your Mother,” replied Lance understanding how she felt, and trying to cheer her up.
“I came to ask you a personal question?” asked Tayce.
“This sounds ominous,” replied Lance, light heartedly, he had always been able to kid Tayce.
“I need you to say your age so Midge can put it into your personal record in his memory system,” she replied relaxing in his company.
“Thirty, and not a yearon older he replied cheekily.
“That’s all I need for now officially, when you’ve finished making this place home, I want you up on duty in Organisation understood?” she replied heading back to the entrance.
“Absolutely! I’ll be there in twenty minons,” he said after her.
Tayce walked from the quarters as the doors opened leaving Lance to finish what he was doing. The doors closed after her. She began up the corridor in thought, that things were certainly coming together in her grand plan of a crime fighting team. The cruiser had seemed empty for far to long and a team was just what was needed to make it a first class exploration cruiser that it had been built for. Without warning which made her topple and almost gasp in sheer shock, an image flashed into her mind of the woman that had started it all Countess Vargon, looking at her in all her cold evilness. Tayce found her breathing quicken at the sudden onslaught of the evil bitch. She tried to calm herself, but wondered what it all meant. Had it something to do with the mysterious Wristlink call she’d had just before entering Lance’s quarters, from Tom? He had informed her that a message was coming in from General Largon at Questa. Was this the first criminal orientated assignment they were going to undertake, she wondered. Treketa exited her quarters at Tayces sudden surprise, as she thought she was working with Donaldo.
“Hi, I spilt something on my uniform, and it had to be discarded, so I came back to change and sent the other one to the incinerating system, are you all right, you seem preoccupied by something, if you don’t mind me asking?” asked Treketa in a caring tone.
“You know that feeling when you see something flash in your mind and it makes you wonder if something is about to happen because of it, well I just had an image flash of Countess Vargon do just that,” explained Tayce as she walked beside Treketa.
“God, what an image, Tom told me about her, she sounds like a real Witch,” replied Treketa feeling sorry for Tayce and what she’d gone through.
Both woman were abruptly halted in walking and talking, as Amalthea seemed to rock and shake for no apparent reason. Both reached for the wall chrome rail, that ran the length of the corridor and held on fast. Treketa looked at Tayce, in questioning alarm.
“What’s happening?” she asked loudly, as things seem to fall from the corridor walls, smashing onto the floor.
“I think it must be some kind of spacial turbulence in this particular sector,” replied Tayce unaware of what was really unfolding.
“When is it going to stop, we’ll come apart at this rate,” replied Treketa beginning to get scared.
Tayce raised her Wristlink and contacted Midge demanding to know what the hell was happening, what was causing their present situation. Midge explained he couldn’t find any anything out of the ordinary to cause their sudden motion state but he was currently working on it and would let her know what it was the moment he discovered it, but he had defence safeguards in place in case they had an unscheduled visit from the Countess. Tayce broke communications, not liking the situation at all. She suggested to Treketa they both try and make their way to where they were heading, gripping the rail to get there. Treketa did as ordered and headed on back to the Life Ability Centre whilst Tayce made her way up to Organisation. Tayce soon passed Treketa, going on in urgency, grabbing the rail, heading on up the steps. Half way up Tayce called to Treketa and ordered her to forget heading to the Life Ability Centre, she may be needed in Organisation Treketa agreed and followed on. Both women continued up the Level Steps with determination and difficulty, all the way to Level 1. Once at the top of the Level Steps, they staggered like a pair of out of control drunks towards the Organisation Deck entrance. Once inside the entrance, Treketa crossed to the nearest seat and sat down and held on. Tayce staggered across to the pilot seat. Tom reached out and grabbed her in safely to the seat adjacent to his.
“What’s causing this, t
he Universe looks clear?” said Tayce looking out the sight port.
“We had a message from Jonathan Largon about an houron ago and it was urgent, he was warning us that the Countess is at large again, he wants us to try and apprehend her, I think this is one of her little tricks to provoke you,” he informed her above the intermittent engines and shaking surroundings.
Without warning Midge went into shut down mode. Everything on board crashed offline. Emergency power activated, this was getting out of hand thought Tayce, they were being tossed about like an air filled spheroid. Suddenly there was a blinding flash that filled Organisation and blinded the team on duty. Tom, Treketa and Tayce had vanished in the flash. Midge came back to emergency power and was immediately alerted to the fact that all three were missing, as he did a scan of the whole cruiser he was quickly aware that not only were Tayce Tom and Treketa missing, so were Marc, Lydia, Lance and Donaldo. The cruiser was crew less and he was in total charge. He was unsure as to what to do. Where had his mistress and the others disappeared to? What was he to do? Stay put until further notice, or contact General Largon and ask his advice? He decided to remain in a stationary orbit until orders came from Tayce on what to do next. It was the best thing to do, considering the unusual circumstances he was now in. Silent and on emergency power Midge waited
It was Some kind of chamber, cold and bare. Nothing but walls of solid beige marblex was where the whole team had materialized to. But where were they thought Tom, as he woke from the involuntary sleep they’d all been placed in? He moved slightly falling from the beige stonex slab type seat, that he’d been placed on, hitting the black shiny marblex floor, that was cold to the touch. He quickly staggered to his feet, looking around. He quickly found Tayce waking from her induced unexpected state. He stepped over Lance and went to her side, to check she was all right. Marc woke and quickly went about checking Lydia was also all right. Lance woke up and quickly checked on Treketa.
“Where are we, how did we get here?” asked Marc glancing around at the barren type chamber.
“Oh no not here, anywhere but here, please,” said Lydia realising where they were.
“Where Lydia?” asked Marc, not liking the way in which she said, what she had.
“Yes Mother where?” asked Tayce becoming alarmed at her Mother’s tone.
Out of nowhere came a voice to familiar to Tayce and Lydia. Marc cursed under his breath and lowered his head, thinking to himself, they had just landed via being abducted, in the biggest bitches patch in the whole of the known Universe, this was not going to be easy getting out of this one.
“I’m glad you know where you are Lydia, it saves introductions, welcome to my Lair, for those of you who don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself,” began Countess Vargon in a soft evil feminine tone.
“Please don’t,” cut in Marc under his breath in anger.
“I am Countess Vargon, leader of the Vargon Warrior Army, destroyer of the world of Traun,” she announced sounding boastful, that she had done what she had, in taking Tayces home world as a kind of trophy.
“Why don’t you show yourself Vargon, our meeting is long overdue, over what you did to my people and planet, I’m not afraid of you, make no mistake,” said Tayce in outright hatefulness, to everyone’s surprise even her Mother’s.
The wall drew apart if by magic before them and she walked forth into the chamber. A witch of no mistake. Long black hair, thick, down to her shoulders. Slim in physique, but her curvy figure was not matched by her looks, that were cold with evil darker than dark eyes, that conveyed her true powerfulness. To most she was the most dreaded woman in all the known Universe and hated by people who sort justice. She undermined them left right and centre, they made a move, she would make one better to get what she wanted. Tayce looked at her coldly conveying her cold feelings of all the pent up hurt of what had happened to her friends and people of Traun, still fresh in her mind, like it was yesteron, she wanted to march on her, get the confrontation over with. Marc acted quickly, he could see she was seething ready to attack. He grabbed her back. Tayce struggled protestingly and threw him a displeased look, because of his actions. The Countess ignored Tayces childish looks and anger, as she considered them just that, and walked across to Lydia. She paused looking down her slender nose at her in a cold and uninterested way.
“So you survived, how long for?” she simply asked in a soft spiteful tone.
Lydia looked away, she refused to be intimidated by this evil woman and just pretended that she wasn’t there. The Countess walked over to Tayce, still being held in Marc’s strong hold. She studied Tayce coldly, not moving an inch, trying to make this mere child out as she considered her, make her cave in to her powerfulness but Vargon realised suddenly that there was more to this Tayce Traun than met the eye. She pretended not to see what she was seeing in her eyes. It was a sudden force that made her feel slightly unnerved which was something that she generally didn’t feel.
“You have spirit child, but that is no match for me, you can never defeat me, there have been those who have tried just like you,” she said motionless, looking right into Tayce’s sapphire blue eyes, trying to sear right into her soul with powerful intent looking, past what she could see that was a possible threat to her.
“Easy Tayce, don’t!” said Marc holding his tight restraining grip, he did not want her to be another victim of Vargon.
“I’m not scared by your prowess Countess like the others, because I, know you have a weakness, people like you normally do and it will be just a matter of time to find that weakness and bring you down, for what you did to my people,” retorted Tayce just as emotionless.
Vargon laughed out loud, she found the whole thing funny, the daughter of Darius Traun, threatening her, it was too amusing to contemplate, she turned back to face Tayce.
“Be careful Tayce, your spirited nature will be your downfall,” she warned, in a slow dragging tone.
She turned and walked away with a smug evil look on her face, she glanced in amusement over her shoulder suddenly at Tayce, thinking at last she held her and her Mother captive. When she was safely out of sight Marc released Tayce, who was furious to say the least. She had no intention of letting the likes of Vargon keep her in her current surroundings, and so began looking for a way to escape. Donaldo couldn’t believe what had just happened, the whole occurrence was just bizarre. What a bitch, he thought and said as much under his breath. Treketa glanced at him nodding her head in agreement, at his look of total disbelief.
“Mother are you all right?” asked Tayce crossing over to her, whilst looking for some kind of escape route.
“I’ll say one thing for her, she hasn’t changed, it will take more than her to scare me now though, I’ve been through to much to be intimidated any more,” said Lydia certain of it.
Marc suddenly had an idea, but then squashed it in thought, as they all thought of ways in which to escape out of their present unwanted surroundings. Time was moving on. Suddenly in marched six lime green platex clad guards. Marc wondered if he’d get the chance after all to try out his idea and overpower one of them, but figured there was too many of them, and not enough of Amalthean Quests team.
“You, female Traun, you are to come with us, now!” said the leader of the clad guards pointing to Tayce.
“No chance pal, your not taking her anywhere,” said Marc springing to his feet to protect Tayce.
He nodded to commence attack to Tom, Lance and Donaldo. The lead guard as Tom came forth, struck him with his platex covered fist. Tom sailed off his feet through the air and came into contact with the far wall with a thud, where he dropped like a stone to the floor and stayed there out cold. Marc had no choice but to let Tayce handle the situation. She was grabbed by two guards and pushed forward in a careless action. She glanced back over her shoulder at her Mother, mouthing she would be fine. The wall that had drawn apart closed
behind them, as they passed through. Treketa rushed to her brothers side, there was nothing she or Donaldo could do, they didn’t have their Medic Emergency Kits to check what kind of injuries Tom had sustained, or to treat him. Coming back to consciousness, Donaldo in a caring tone asked if he could sit up? Tom nodded. Both Donaldo and Treketa carefully helped him up into a more comfortable sitting position. When Tom was fully aware of where he was, he looked around for Tayce. He sighed in anger, realising he hadn’t been able to achieve the stopping of her leaving, in the unwanted care of the plaxtex clad creeps. He forgot his pain and was on his feet. He tore across the chamber and grabbed Marc, he turned him round and sternly informed him, that next time he had a brainwave, to think about Tayce and the repercussions it would cause. With that he angrily pushed him away and walked to the other side of the chamber in anger. Lydia tried to calm them both explaining that the Countess would like nothing more than to see they were turning on each other, she would have something else she could use against Tayce by informing her that her team were beginning to turn against her.
“I would suggest the both of you calm down, this is not helping the situation,” pointed out Lydia sternly.
Both looked at each other trying to do what Lydia had suggested. She was right, they would be playing right into Vargons hands if she knew it would be easy to turn them against each other, she would feel she could use it to her advantage and turn them against Tayce.
Elsewhere in the vicinity they were all in. In a large almost empty Grand Chamber with Lime Green neon lighting and shiny black floor, was what could only be described a throne of sorts also in shiny black marblex with four steps in the same material leading up to it. On the throne sat the Countess, looking like a regal Queen, in all her evil glory, waiting for her confrontation with Tayce. She was soon forced into the room and brought before the Countess at the bottom of the steps. The Countess looked down her nose at Tayce plainly and uninterested with dark malicious eyes.
