by Jeri Dion
“You have your confrontation young woman, we are alone, what do you think of my Lair?” she asked in jubilant tone, gesturing with her right hand around the chamber.
“Quite convincing for a witch like you,” replied Tayce to the point, with a touch of hatefulness in her words.
“You intrigue me Traun, you show no emotion being before me, your Father obviously taught you well when dealing with people of greatness such as me,” she said standing up.
“My Father taught me well enough but when it came to treating people like you with respect, he taught me never to respect you at all, he felt you didn’t deserve it and I know why,” retorted Tayce unaffected by Vargons attitude towards her.
The Countess slowly began down the steps, one at a time, letting her long black satinex gown trail behind her as she came all the way to the bottom. Upon reaching Tayce, she nodded to her two present guards that had brought Tayce in. They each took hold of her on either side in a restraining hold. Tayce struggled in their tight grip.
“Getting someone else to do your dirty work Vargon, can’t you handle me alone?” asked Tayce continuing to try and break free of the guards uncouth grip on her.
The guards made her stop struggling and the Countess put her slim cold slender fingers under Tayces delicate chin and studied her closely, the courageousness, and beauty, that Tayce conveyed.
“Looking at you Tayce, is like looking at your Father, you have his eyes, I can see a lot of him in you,” said Vargon close to Tayces face, in front of her.
“That must bother you, considering what you did to my world, you forget I was there the night you destroyed Traun, leave my Father out of this, he’s gone where you can do him no more harm, but let me inform you what my Father told me, never to let you get away with what you did,” said Tayce calmly and unemotionally.
“You might think of where you are girl, I call the shots here, you will abide by what I wish of you otherwise you’ll see your Father a lot quicker than you thought,” said Vargon becoming agitated by Tayces unemotional attitude and words of threat.
“Get to the point, why have you brought me and my team here, if you want me, let’s get this over and done with, just the two of us without your dogs here to protect you, but first let my team return to Amalthea along with my Mother,” said Tayce suddenly and strangely feeling powerful within herself, though why she couldn’t explain it, it had never happened before.
“In good time, as for your Mother I will decide when she returns to your cruiser, not you,” said Vargon in her true tone of command and not liking being told what to do by a mere Traun.
“What have you done with Amalthea, Midge my guidance computer has orders to stop you taking it he’ll destroy it before you get your hands on it?” informed Tayce.
The Countess let go of Tayces chin and turned, walking away, she still found Tayces behaviour no better than a child, not getting its own way and protesting about it, it was amusing to her, which she was enjoying every cencron, Tayce was before her.
“Amalthea is perfectly safe and in the orbit where you were taken from for the present time,” replied Vargon
Tayce stood feeling really infuriated at Vargon. Why couldn’t she just get to the point? After a few minons, the Countess turned ordering two of her other present guards to fetch the Amalthea Team, immediately!
Now what! thought Tayce? What game was Vargon planing or trying to achieve next. She over heard her orders to the leaving guards of her Mother to be left behind, this told Tayce she had something darn right vicious planned in store for her. But what was she planning? What was going on in that evil mind of hers, thought Tayce. The next orders from the Countess to her men were for the preparation of the Image Visualler. Tayce continued to watch wondering. Behind her, the rest of the team were soon lead in minus her Mother. They all came to a stop just inside the chambers.
“Are you all right Tayce?” asked Marc unafraid of Vargon, looking over to Tayce in the hold of the two guards.
“Oh how touching,” said Vargon coming back towards Tayce, with a sarcastic look on her face.
Without warning Vargon turned towards Marc, raising her right hand palm facing him, a ball of red light emitted from the centre, heading straight at him. Marc was suddenly bathed in a red aura, which made him become under some strange trance, created by Vargon. His features took on a fixed motionless appearance. The Countess laughed evilly amused, thinking she’d rendered the first of the Amalthea team helpless.
“This is so easy, your team are easy to possess Traun,” she coyly announced giving Tayce a prompting look, waiting for a reaction.
“You release him at once, he’s no good to you, it’s me you have a problem with,” ordered Tayce sharply.
“In good time, he amuses me, I might decide to keep him this way, he’s very pleasing to the eye,” she said studying Marc interested for all the wrong reasons.
“Time is something your running out of, because by now General Largon of Questa would have been notified by Midge upon pin pointing where we are and will have a team on their way here,” warned Tayce but as she said this, she wasn’t sure whether Midge would have been able to determine where they were, or not, but she knew that it would frighten the Countess knowing that a large army from Questa would be on their way out and would stop at nothing to destroy her, once and for all, for what she’d done.
“Idol threats are no threat to me, you should know that, considering what I did to your world, your Father made the same mistake,” said Vargon, she’d seen through Tayces lie, regarding the Questa Security on their way out.
But Tayce wondered if she was covering up her own fear, that deep down she was worried that Tayces threat could be true. She turned and walked back up the black marblex steps to her throne, just as slowly as she had walked down earlier.
Midge on board Amalthea was having success in finding his mistress and missing team. He had found a weak signal that seemed to be emanating from what could only be a weak Wristlink signal. He made sure that it wasn’t coming from on board, then scanned the near vicinity of the Universe, pin pointing it finally to a small grey ugly looking planet. He primed what he wanted to do, releasing a Heat Seeking Quick Reaction Digit Bomb, upon discovering who was occupying the planet, but just before he did, he sent a signal to what he pin pointed to be Tayces Wristlink, to the sound of her alarm call, then flashed the words on the Wristlinks display as “MIDGE BOMB COMING” He hoped the bomb would damage the Countesses precious Lair and help in the escape of the team. He hated Vargon just as much as Tayce did. All he hoped was that Tayce saw the message in time.
Back on Vargons Lair in the Grand Chambers, Tayces Wristlink suddenly sounded on her wrist behind her back. One guard let go of her wrist, she pulled it free. Vargon glared down at her, now seated on her throne.
“What was that?” demanded Vargon barking down at Tayce.
“What’s it to you?” replied Tayce, she wasn’t going to let Vargon know it was her Wristlink.
“Don’t hide it from me girl, I want to know what that infernal musical sound is, well?” demanded Vargon.
“It’s an alarm, I must have forgot to deactivate it this mornet, does it bother you, too bad,” retorted Tayce in spiteful tone.
“You man, remove it from her wrist, destroy it at once,” ordered Vargon to the guard on Tayces right.
“No don’t, let me go, ouch! Stop it, let go,” protested Tayce fighting off the guard from taking it.
Treketa glanced at her Wristlink, though why she had no idea, something prompted her to look down. As she did, so the words that Midge had sent to Tayce, were now being displayed on hers, but were flashing on and off “MIDGE BOMB COMING IN MINONS, PREPARE” she nudged Lance next to her, then Tom, glancing in gesture to their wrist’s. They each saw the urgency in Midges message and took their chance, not only did Tom, who was wounded, but ever
yone began to fight for their survival before the bomb struck their very surroundings. Even Donaldo forgot his medical ethics of taking a life in the line of duty began tackling the on coming guards. Tayce broke her grip, by the guard who held her as he was pulling her Wristlink off her right wrist and turned kicking him right between the legs, in combat fashion, sending him sprawling to the floor of the chamber. This was full scale fight back, on the teams behalf, to gain their freedom before they were all blown to smithereens. Kicks and punches flew in all directions, on both sides. Vargons guards against the Amalthean team, only it was difficult to know where to hit them, because of the platex armour they wore. The Countess was coming down the steps to try and make an attempt of escape. Tayce turned just right to see her trying to make a break for it. Now was her chance for that real one on one confrontation. Marc slowly came back to his normal state and as Tayce went for Vargon, Marc went for the guard that was heading for Tayce. She rushed forth finding she was suddenly very powerful once more and again could not explain it, she reached out, grabbing Vargon by the back of her dress.
“Not so fast you bitch, your not going to escape from this so easily,” said Tayce yanking Vargon back sharply making her almost lose her balance.
“Let go of me you pathetic girl, you’re no match for me, don’t think you are,” shouted Vargon in sheer hatred and anger.
Vargon spun round and unleashed her true powers on Tayce. Without warning, Tayce found herself fighting back with an unexpected powerful force of her own, that had suddenly risen within her and one she hadn’t experienced before only this time for some reason more powerful. As the Countess unleashed her pure energy strikes on Tayce, so she blocked them and knocked them aside with little effort, or loss of her own sudden powerfulness. The confrontation between the two women was quite spectacular and explosive to watch in the colourful exchange of pure energy strikes against the other. Marc couldn’t believe what he was witnessing, he was speechless to say the least, at what he was seeing, as he returned to normal. He was surprised to see Tayce was suddenly able to fight back using powers of her own. Tayce finally caught Vargon off guard and delivered what was to be the final blow against her. She took direct hit and dropped to her knees out cold. Tayce calmed down and almost felt like she wanted to pass out, as the sudden and unexpected powerful onslaught that had occurred subsided once more. She stumbled trying to come to terms with what had just unfolded. Marc quickly hurried to her side.
“What happened, what did I just do, where did that energy come from?” asked Tayce in utter sheer disbelief.
“It’s all right, take it easy,” reassured Marc comforting her.
“She’s out cold, unconscious!” said Donaldo checking to see if Tayce had killed Vargon once and for all.
“I would suggest we get her out of here, considering the General wants her apprehended,” said Tom.
Without warning the rest of Vargons Army began converging on the chambers where they were, there could be heard the sound of heavy boots heading the teams way.
“Let’s get Lydia and get the hell out of here,” suggested Marc.
Upon him announcing his words, a Slazer shot rang passed his left ear and he narrowly avoided being shot by the army that was now in view. Tom and Lance hauled the Countess off the floor, still out cold and dragged her out of the chambers through another entrance. At the entrance, Lance glanced back to see the army enter the chambers. A smile crossed his handsome features, as their demise was very instant, in the fact that Midges bomb hit home, sending the roof crashing in on them, killing them instantly. He quickly joined the team and they quickly ran in search of Lydia, as the Lair was falling apart around them. Lydia was by the entrance where they had all once been brought to, at the beginning. She looked coldly at the unconscious Countess, almost wishing she’d remain that way. She was about to ask how had Vargon been halted. Marc quickly explained it was a spectacular showdown, to say the least, then glanced at Tayce who was looking away.
“Tayce contact Midge, tell him to get us out of here at once,” ordered Lydia worried.
“Don’t worry Mother, I’m now about to,” replied Tayce taking stock of the situation.
All stood ready to get off their current surroundings. Tayce in urgency requested via Wristlink to Midge to immediately get them out. Within minons the orange energy glow of the swirling Travelsport surrounded the entire group, plus Vargon and they de-materialized from the falling apart Lair.
The moment the team arrived back on the cruiser, Tayce went with Lance and Marc to get the Countess put where she would remain for the journey to Questa under strong hold. Tayce wanted to make sure Vargon was securely locked up with a very high level of energy security barrier as she didn’t trust the evil witch to find some way of escape when she came back to a conscious state. Meantime Donaldo guided Tom along to the Life Ability Centre to treat him for his cuts and bruises. Lydia went on up to Organisation, to order Midge to get under way. For the next so many hourons things were going to be full on in getting Vargon to Questa.
A while later the Countess came round in the Confinement Cell. She looked furious. Tayce had ordered Midge to watch her and make sure if she tried to escape to give an energy shock to the entrance force field. Vargon stared at Tayce coldly as she had gone to check on her and was now stood before the entrance to her holding cell.
“As you can see Countess, you have a lovely view of the Lair from here and it’s just in the same condition as what you left Traun in, I hope you enjoy it, because in exactly twenty minons you’ll see and feel the way I felt when you destroyed Traun, desolate,” said Tayce, with spiteful meaning in her words, she meant every word of what she said.
“What are you proposing to do with me, I will rise again, Traun, of that you can be sure,” promised Vargon.
“Your going back to Questa to face trial for the murder of my people and not before time, the verdict I should imagine will be instant death, the strongest they can find,” replied Tayce uninterested.
“Your a very brave girl, but you’ll see the error of your ways, make no mistake,” warned Vargon.
“Enjoy the view Vargon, I shall when your world explodes into nothingness, it will be one moment I’ll enjoy because it will be pay back for my people,” replied Tayce spitefully.
Tayce left Vargon to look at what was once her home and walked away, glad she apprehended her at last, after three yearons. She was going to face trial for all the people of Traun, the innocent children who never got a chance to grow up. No sentence would be long enough, or strong enough, for the likes of the evil witch she thought, as she headed on up to Level 1.
An houron later Lydia was in Organisation. Marc walked in still puzzled by what he had witnessed on the Lair, when Tayce was unleashing the pure retaliating balls of energy at Vargon. He decided to talk it through with Lydia. He crossed and began cautiously, but Lydia could see that something was bothering him.
“Can I share something with you, it’s about Tayce,” he began.
“Maybe it’s Tayce you ought to be asking, whatever this is, that’s bothering you,” replied Lydia not sure whether Tayce would want him talking about her behind her back, but she could see it was serious.
“I’d rather discuss it with you, honestly,” he continued.
“All right what is it?” asked Lydia giving him her full attention.
“When we were on Vargons Lair something really extraordinary happened to Tayce, I have never witnessed anything like it before, when she and Vargon were in full fight, Tayce was emitting would you believe pure energy fireballs, throwing them directly at Vargon, I’ve never known Tayce to act so hostile, what do you think it was occurred and should we be worried?” said Marc concerned.
“It looks like it’s skipped a generation, we did wonder if Tayce would be the one to inherit the powerful force, and it looks like she may have, it skipped me and comes from her
Grandfather, he was a powerful man and nothing would stop him from righting wrongs, he was a member of what was termed the Empire of Honitonia. Tayce entered Organisation and both Lydia and Marc parted pretending to talk about something totally different. Tayce walked straight across to the Weapons keypad and typed in a sequence, then pressed the button to activate the Slazer Cannons. As she did she announced.
“Enjoy this view Vargon, it will be the last you see of your precious Lair.”
The Slazer Cannons of Amalthea unleashed twenty rounds of firepower at the Lair that Vargon once called home. The firepower struck the Lair in different directions. Upon this, the small grey looking planet that withheld the Lair burst into a million trillion pieces, giving out a spectacular shower of sparks and debris that spread out for milons Tayce didn’t like destroying planets in the Universe, but she made an exception when it came to Vargon and this target it had been a strike for her people and what Vargon had done to them.
“Target successfully destroyed Tayce,” announced Midge confirming the task to destroy Vargons Lair once and for all was done.
“Are you all right, our people would have been proud of you Tayce and I know your Father would have been, he would have said, a job well done,” said Lydia suddenly and softly beside her.
“You’ve a nasty burn on your arm, Vargons aim wasn’t as good as she thought it was, come and sit down and I’ll get Donaldo up here,” said Marc carefully guiding Tayce over to the nearest seat.
“No Marc, I think she’d better go down to the Life Ability Centre with that burm,” said Lydia taking a look at her daughters right arm.
Tayce stood to her feet walking on out of Organisation. She had felt no pain with her arm, but realised that it must have been during the confrontation with Vargon, like Marc had said, she hadn’t been as good as she thought she was with her aim.
Later Tom was finishing his treatment with Donaldo down in the Life Ability Centre, when Tayce walked in with her arm burn. Tom turned concerned. Tayce crossed as Donaldo, let Treketa take over with the final stage of the healing treatment. He gestured to Tayce, to get up on the Exam Bunk so he could examine the burn properly. Tayce did so without further word, as it was beginning to sting. She laid down on his request, so that he could guide the examination device over the injured area, whilst she relaxed. Treketa soon finished Tom and moved to assist Donaldo watching what he was doing with interest, so that she could learn. Tom walked to Tayces side, coming to a pause beside the bunk. He took hold of her left hand and squeezed it lovingly
