by Jeri Dion
“All right while you two go and get changed, I’ll go and see what Midge has managed to turn up on this storm, Marc I want you to go to the Life Ability Centre, find out if the pilot has some ID on him,” ordered Tayce.
“Yeah sure, if I find anything I let you know later in Organisation,” replied Marc walking away.
Tayce began on the walk back to Organisation, wondering just who their on board guest might be. Tom followed Marc to go get cleansed and changed back into his uniform.
Outside the spectacular storm raged on, now much closer than before and right in front of Amalthea. The immense power strikes bounced off the outer hull and the high energy shields around the cruiser. Lightening shone through the cruisers sight ports like someone shining a flash torch of extreme magnitude and of many colours in intermittent succession of brilliance. Amalthea was now gripped by the force of the immense storm in it’s path. The cruiser travelled through with great difficulty, jolting this way and that, especially as lightening bounced off the shields.
Lance was in Organisation running information research into the storms interior. He was working in unison with Midge in comparing readings, working as a small team. Tayce soon arrived, walking in, she walked to Lances position preparing to hear what research he had so far.
In the Life Ability Centre on the Exam Bunk lay the pilot from the fighter. He had been changed into medical overstay attire. He was young, no more than twenty-eight yearons old in appearance. But was this his real age? He was of slim athletic build and around 1.54 metres tall and of pleasant good looks. A monitor above his head was giving Donaldo the readings, as the portable connected machine rid his lungs of the contaminated air he had breathed in after being caught in the storms interior. The air filtration system aboard his fighter had failed, hence he was rendered unconscious. Treketa noticed as she looked down at the young looking pilot, his mousy coloured short spiky hair. As her hand brushed pass it, so it felt rough to the touch. The doors to the Life Ability Centre opened. Marc entered walking briskly over looking at their on board guest curiously. He paused. He couldn’t believe who he was seeing. He glanced at Donaldo in wide eyed amazement.
“Do you know who your treating here?” asked Marc in surprise at who they had before them.
“According to his ID in his suit, his name is Dean Addams and from somewhere known as Deltaline 4,” replied Donaldo not quite sure of why Marc was near totally shocked, at who this young man was.
“Can I have his ID, Tayce is never going to believe this,” said Marc not letting on who the patient was.
“Hold on Marc, is there something I should know about this Dean Addams?” asked Donaldo directly.
“He shouldn’t even be in this sector, of space, his home is in the 4th sector on from this one, we’re currently in he’s also the son of Commodore Addams of Deltaline 4 a very elite bunch, so treat him with extra special care,” replied Marc taking the ID from Treketa.
Donaldo raised his eyes, this kind of life for him was beginning to look ten times better than where he use to work on the Intergalactic Medical Colony, so far he’d met General Largons son and now he was treating the Commodores son of Deltaline 4. What next he thought, in amazement.
“So what’s his injuries, nothing serious I hope?” asked Marc.
“Tell Tayce I’ll give her a report in an houron, but there’s nothing serious, I’ve already run a scan,” exclaimed Donaldo.
Marc nodded in total understanding. He turned without further word, and began heading on back to the entrance to head back to Organisation, smiling to himself, amused of who they had just rescued. Treketa looked back down at Dean, as the final diagnosis came through. She continued to check and key in the instructions Donaldo gave her, as he read the young pilots injuries. Together they continued on to treat him to restore him to normal health.
Midge as the lightening was so brilliant, put into operation anti glare mode, tinting the sight ports around the whole cruiser, making the glassene slowly change to a darkened shade, like looking through polarised lens which would shield the teams eyes from the constant glare.
Marc returned to Organisation to find Tayce watching the information Lance was getting on the present storm situation. He crossed exclaiming he had what she requested earlier. Tayce not taking her sight from the Visual Slim Display Screen, took it reading the final piece of storm information. Marc waited. Tayce stood up from bending down and crossed to the control seat, opening the beige wallet, as she went. Inside she found the Disc Chip that contained the young pilots personal information. She took it out. Placing it in the Disc Chip Reader, activating it. After a few bypass codes to gain access to the information stored. The screen came to life. But instead of an image of the young pilot, there was a cautionary message that flashed across the centre of the screen which read.
ANY FURTHER ACCESS ATTEMPTED BEYOND THIS POINT WILL BE A GROSS VIALATION OF THE DELTALINE 4 RULES OF PRIVACY, WITHOUT THE AUTHORISED CODES FOR ACCESS.
Tayce figured she had been warned, but this was not going to stop her. She ignored the warning and continued, there was no one to tell her otherwise, other than some printed warning notice especially someone from Deltaline 4. Marc glanced at her as he sat down beside her in the seat adjoining the control seat. Together they found a way to break into what they required from the Disc Chip. Up came all the personnel information with a flash.
“Name Dean Paul Addams, Pilot Elite Fleet, Son of Commodore Addams Deltaline 4,” read Tayce casually it didn’t bother her that this young man was almost royalty.
“You mean to tell me he doesn’t impress you Tayce?”.asked Marc looking at her surprised that she wasn’t.
Marc was going to say more, but was cut short by Midge announcing that Donaldo wanted Tayce down in the Life Ability Centre. Tayce agreed. She stood to her feet, having a feeling it had something to do with their on board guest, maybe he had woken and didn’t feel Amalthea was good enough for him to be on. She headed on out of Organisation knowing if this was so, he was going to be sharply informed that if they hadn’t of rescued him, he would be dead. Marc shook his head, at her lack of interest not realising just who Dean Addams was and in space terms the Addams of Deltaline 4 were considered royalty of the first kind. But maybe Tayce was somewhat similar, considering Traun was the only planet known to have a paradise atmosphere and withheld a very high esteem with it’s people.
Down in the Life Ability Centre Dean Addams was beginning to regain consciousness. He’d been out for more than two hourons. Treketa alerted Donaldo to the fact. He put down the progress report and crossed. Dean was looking far from amused, as his vision cleared. He focussed on his sterile surroundings of the Life Ability Centre. He glanced up at Treketa in an ordinary way. She gave him a reassuring smile. He returned it with a cold unimpressed look, where the hell was he, he thought? But it, didn’t stop him also thinking that she was stunningly attractive for a medical woman. Donaldo checked Deans vital readings on the Counter Medical Disc. He then took his Medical Torch and shone it in Deans eyes, one at a time, checking for reaction in case there was more damage than he, or the diagnostic computer via Midge, had not detected. Dean didn’t care for this bright light being shone in his eyes, who did this man think he was.
“What are you doing, stop that, do you know who I am?” protested Dean annoyed.
“Yes I do Captain Addams, I am Dr Tysonne, I have to check that your eyes are clear,” insisted Donaldo persisting with a calm tone.
“I demand you stop this act at once, it’s a violation of my personal being,” persisted Dean in a royal upper class tone.
“Captain Addams I am aware that you are probably use to different treatment where you come from, but you are a patient on this cruiser and I am trying to treat you to the best of my ability, to get you well, to return you to your people in good health,” said Donaldo becoming firm in his tone.
On th
is Dean said no more, he realised he had met his match, in this medical man. The doors to the Life Ability Centre opened, Tayce entered crossing in a true commanding way. She came to a pause at the foot of the Exam Bunk, she sensed an awkward atmosphere. She looked plainly at Dean. She considered herself to be on level footing with this Commodores son, as she was the only daughter of Commodore Traun.
“Captain Addams, I’m Colonel Traun, your on board Amalthea One, you’ve met my medical staff, I’d like an explanation as to what you thought you were doing putting your fighter in the heart of the storm we are currently experiencing, if it wasn’t for my guidance and operations computer, you would not be here to tell the tale,” said Tayce without any nonsense in her tone.
“I was on a routine flight and then out of nowhere this storm as you say your experiencing, materialised before me, before I knew it and could react and pull out, it was too late, my Father doesn’t know I’m here though, does he?” asked Dean hoping not.
“Why would it bother you if he did?” asked Tayce plainly.
“No, it’s fine,” replied Dean, he figured this Colonel Traun was not going to let him treat her like he treated other people, he came across that were beneath him.
“I would take this time to rest and get well, we will talk again when your up on your feet,” suggested Tayce leaving him to do just this.
Treketa made sure Dean was comfortable, then followed Donaldo into the Officette to talk with him and Tayce on Dean’s injuries and what treatment he would receive, also his duration of stay in the Life Ability Centre.
Lance meantime in Organisation was constantly checking the readings on the progress of the storm in their path. Tom and Marc were working on getting the Amalthea safely through the storm, with Midges help in main guidance operational mode. Midge suddenly announced he was receiving a somewhat distorted call that was coming through from Questa, from Lydia Traun. Between himself and Midge, Marc worked to clean it up so that it could be seen and heard. Finally after a lot of adjusting and blocking of the harmful forces of enduring storm, that was estimated to rage on for hourons. Success was achieved.
“We’ve got you Lydia, go ahead, what’s the problem?”asked Marc ready to listen.
“Vargons trial is having some surprising results, so far some 250 people who have suffered at the evil hands of Carra Vargon, have given evidence against her, to convict her,” explained Lydia informatively.
“You sound half optimistic, but why do I feel you wonder if she will still get away with what’s she done to date?” asked Tom giving her his full listening attention.
“Your right, the trouble is the 250 people who have all given their evidence, it’s not sound enough or serious enough to be classed in the same category as the attack on Traun, so far Traun is the only serious attack, she could still walk free after all she has done,” replied Lydia.
“She’d better not do,” said Tayce hearing the last words of her Mother, as she entered the Organisation Deck.
“Tayce are you all right?” asked Lydia seeing her daughter preoccupied by something important.
“Yes, you’ll never believe who we’ve rescued in the heart of the storm, that we’re currently encountering at the present time, Commodore Addams son. Dean, from Deltaline 4?”
Lydia gave a wide eyed surprise look and was about to say something, but was summoned back to the trial. She quickly ceased communication promising to contact them again when the trial was over. Tayce replied she looked forward to that moment with hoped anticipation, that Vargon was going to get what was coming. She thought to herself, she would have loved to have been present at the trial, to see Vargon receiving the most gruelling and probing questions, she could not escape from. Tom studied her, he knew what it would mean for her if Vargon got her just deserts, but he wondered if she had the feeling that somehow Vargon would evade being sent where she deserved to go.
“I’ve an uneasy feeling about this trial, I feel there isn’t going to be enough people with serious cases to be taken into consideration, some may fear there could be retribution if they testified against her,” said Tayce in thought.
“You can’t worry Tayce, whatever will, be will be,” replied Tom.
“Hows our on board guest doing?” asked Lance looking up from his research position.
“For some strange reason I get the feeling he’s escaped something on Deltaline 4, by the way in which he asked, did his Father know where he was,” said Tayce recalling the fact with suspicion.
Lance raised his eyes in surprise at the fact. The more she thought about it, the more Tayce realised she had to get to the bottom of the reason why Dean was wanting to know if his Father knew where he was. Her next move would surprise even herself. She walked into part of the Organisation Deck, that she never used much, the Meeting Centre, where there was a table large enough to seat about nine members of team around if called for. Tayce crossed to the Telelinkphone. She sat at the far end of the meeting table. Picking up the handset, she ordered Midge to push through the storm and get her connected to Deltaline 4. Midge agreed. After a lot more static that was interference from the storms energy, an official abrupt male voice of extreme authority came online.
“Deltaline 4, this is Commodore Addams, to whom am I addressing?” the voice demanded straight to the point.
“Commodore Addams this is Colonel Traun of the space cruiser Amalthea One, I’m calling you to inform you we have your son here on board, Dean, we rescued him from an energy storm we are currently travelling through, his fighter craft is something that could not be saved, due to being filled with toxic gasses I must point out it was not destroyed by ourselves, I ask you not to be concerned, he is under the expert care of my on board medical man and he is perfectly safe with us,” explained Tayce politely.
“Colonel I do not have a son, you must have the wrong planet, or you have an imposter on your cruiser who claims he is,” he replied coldly uncaring even.
“But Commodore the ID we retrieved states he is Dean Addams and if you’ll pardon me for saying this as you state you do not have a son I have to argue that it clearly states that he, is, your son from your planet so someone here is not getting their facts right and I can assure you sir, it is not us,” insisted Tayce not understanding why the Commodore should want to disown his own son, what was he hiding and what had this Dean done, that his Father did not want to take responsibility for him thought Tayce?
“No need for apologies Colonel, he maybe stating he’s my son… Dean has decided to chose another way of life outside our world, therefore he is no longer classed as my son, I have nothing more to say on the matter, I ask you not to call Deltaline 4 again Colonel,” he replied then abruptly cut communication.
Tayce was literally left speechless, the audacity of the man she thought, first lying then telling her he no longer wanted him. No wonder Dean didn’t want his Father to know where he was. She wondered if the Commodore would have felt the same way if she had contacted him to inform him, that his son was dead. She placed the handset back in thought of wondering what had gone on between Father and son. She stood and walked back out into Organisation. Lance looked up seeing her somewhat shocked and in thought.
“Bad news, you look shocked, what’s the problem?” he asked concerned and ready to listen.
“I just had a conversation with Commodore Addams, he denies all responsibility for being Dean Addams Father and in no certain terms, asked me not to contact Deltaline 4 again,” said Tayce not believing what she had heard and the attitude of the Commodore she was glad her Father wasn’t like it when he was alive.
“Denying it or not it’s definitely him, Midge ran a check and it definitely states royal son and heir of Commodore Addams Deltaline 4, but Dean has a right to not want to know his Father any more, apparently I was once told his Father was a real royal pain the neck Dean wanted different to what his Father wanted for Del
taline 4 and they kind of fell out,” expressed Lance.
“One minon he denied having a son and then said Dean had chosen his life and that was that and now what you’ve just told me about their relationship seems to match what he is saying, he did have a son but didn’t want to know him any more judging by the attitude I just received, Deans got my sympathy, not wanting him to know where he was, I guess that’s what I got for sticking my nose in, I think if Father had been like that, I would have escaped when I could too, I don’t blame Dean, but to throw yourself into a raging storm, that’s another thing,” replied Tayce.
“Who’s going to tell him his Father doesn’t want him back?” asked Lance curious.
“I will, not that he probably doesn’t already know, but there’s no time like the present,” expressed Tayce in true command.
Tayce walked from Organisation leaving Tom and Lance to look on in raised eyed gesture, in the way in which she had made her decision. But Tom had a feeling that the reason Tayce wanted to be the one to tell Dean is she wanted to know exactly just what it was that had made his Father disown him, there was no point in keeping him on board herself, if he was going to cause trouble, she’d have transport sent out from Questa and have him taken back there, she was not prepared to let trouble start on this new team.
Tayce as she went decided that if there was a genuine reason for Dean leaving his home world and he had not caused trouble, she would ask him to become a temporary guest member on the team, until such time he could leave of his own free will. Being a royal member of the Addams family, it would not be permissible for him to become a fully fledged member of her team, because of the crime fighting they had to do at times. He may have fallen out with his Father, but she did not want to get into trouble with his world for getting him killed. There was a lot to be taken into consideration, so he would remain as a guest member.
Dean was talking with Treketa about his home world and how it had become unbearable to stay under his Father’s rule. Treketa listened with summoning interest about Deltaline 4 and the relationship between Dean and his Father, what she could concur, was a serious conflict of interest, between Father and son. Dean was very much for joining the other colonies in the Universe in some kind of shared contract, to enable the people of his world to travel to distant colonies, but his Father wanted to remain a single planet, with single policies and values, which was chocking the young people and people like himself to advance with the universal living. Donaldo found himself listening, also with interest and could understand why Dean had left this home world.
