Amalthean Quests One

by Jeri Dion

  Soon Tayce walked into a medium sized room. A room that withheld more station operations. There was a sight pane that showed the Amalthea, in all her white gracefulness. Tayce unexpectedly felt like someone or something was watching her. She spun round to see one of the stations Securidroids hovering in the doorway, looking at her with its blue luminous eyes. She knew that if she moved suddenly, she’d be toast, so she had to think and think fast, to stay alive. There was no telling what it’s memory systems saw her as and she bet it was in the category of disintegration as an intruder. Lance appeared in the doorway just behind it. He saw Tayce was in danger and had to also think fast, he remembered what these giant robots were capable of. He gave a hefty shove to the side of the Securidroid, which sent it to the other side of the doorway, then reached out his left hand and grabbed Tayces right.

  “Come on Tayce, run for it,” said Lance in urgent whisper.

  She didn’t need telling twice, she ran across the room, out into the corridor past the Securidroid that was about to see what had caused him to be shoved aside and was turning to face her, as she passed. Lance pulled her round the next available corner down low out of sight. Here they stayed silent in close to the wall, just slightly peering around the walls edge. Tayces heart pounded in her chest, as the Securidroid exited the room slowly. Lance put his finger to his lips to silence Tayce in case she wanted to say something. The slightest move, would have had the Securidroid heading in their direction.

  “We’ve got to find weaponry stronger than our Slazers, to throw those things off guard,” said Lance close to Tayces right ear in whisper keeping one eye out for the Securidroid.

  Tayce nodded. Just as both had thought the Securidroid had chosen to head down the corridor and it was safe to move off around the corner, came yet another Securidroid. Tayce ducked as did Lance, both running full pelt in the other direction, they didn’t have a clue where they were heading and there was no chance to stop and read the wall signs, it was just a means to get away from the advancing Securidroid. Lance spotted a Weaponry Store. He quickly crossed kicking in the door, with a defence kick, straight at the door. Amazingly it shot from it’s hold.

  He raced inside, Tayce followed in search of a weapon, that was better than her Slazer. It called for some heavy duty firepower against these silver metallic monsters she thought.

  Elsewhere on the station, Treketa and Dean were walking into what had to be the Service Area for the Securidroids and mechanical equipment, that was used around the station. The room was rather like a large Hanger. Equipped with every repairing bench, gadget and electronic crane that was needed for repairs and service. On one bench lay a Securidroid half taken apart and the pieces and equipment left as if the person working on it, would return any minon. Suddenly behind them, as they neared the centre of the vast service area. A Slazer shot just missed Treketa. She screamed. Dean grabbed her and ran with her to nearby crates big enough and tall enough to hide behind, Slazer shots hailed above and passed them, in quick succession. Dean recalled as they thought of a way in which to handle this giant patrolling monster, of an earlier time, when he had visited Greymaren for his Father. He’d arrived in the dead of night hourons and one of these Securidroids had taken an offence to him. He pulled out his Slazer, set it to stun and ordered Treketa to stay put, much to her horror he was an on board guest, what was he hoping to do she thought.

  “Dean what are you going to do, your crazy, your a guest on this team?” she reminded him, flinching every time a Securidroid Slazer shot whizzed past her.

  “Maybe so, but I’d rather be a live guest, than a memory for my Father, God I hate these things,” he replied taking a look over the crate before him.

  “What’s it doing?” asked Treketa in a whisper.

  “It’s no doubt summoning up the crate in a scan mode, trying to find a weak spot, believe me, it knows we’re here somewhere, it’s just a matter of time,” replied Dean.

  As soon as Dean got high enough to aim for a weak spot in the Securidroids outer casing, the Securidroid fired, as did Dean. He dropped down cursing, he’d missed the point where he wanted to aim. Treketa thought he’d been shot and immediately was concerned.

  “It’s all right I’m fine, I just missed where I wanted to aim,” he assured her.

  There was only one thing left to do as Dean saw it, shoot and run. He suggesting they do just this Treketa got behind him, when he gave the word to run into the next room, they’d run like there was no tomorron.

  “Ready? Let’s go, stick close behind me,” he whisperingly told her.

  Both emerged from behind the crate, open firing on the Securidroid as they raced for the entrance and on out into the next adjoining room. Once inside the doors closed and they collapsed against the wall out of breath. But very much relieved, that at least they were away from the advancing Securidroid with death on it’s mind. After getting their breath back Dean suggested they carry on going, there maybe more of the Securidroids advancing on them once they found them on heat scanner. This he was not prepared to stick around and find out if there were. He headed away with Treketa in hot pursuit, on out of the other side of the room checking both ways as they went. Both ran until they felt it was safe to slow to a casual walk and headed back to the Main Operational Hall. He felt they’d had a narrow escape.

  Lance and Tayce now equipped with a much more powerful Slazer weapon, quickly unburdened themselves of the persisting Securidroid. Lance didn’t want to damage someone else’s property, but to stop it, he had to put a Slazer shot right between it’s sight frontal panel. It stalled it’s advance on them, giving off a spectacular small electronic zigzag display from side to side of the corridor, when it didn’t do anything, only stop in the middle, facing in their direction, Lance took aim and sent a further shot into the same position, in the sight region. This brought it to an abrupt stop and total shut down. Tayce walked on into the nearest centre that seemed to look like a resources information room. Books and notes lined the many shelves and some were in preserved clear glassene topped drawers, so that people could admire them. Lance upon entering the room walked to what he considered more up to date material. It was a box marked ‘GREYMAREN CHRONICALS’ Lance opened the box and withdrew a Disc Chip and placed it in the Disc Chip Reader. He and Tayce were about to start studying it to see if there was an up to date entry for the last dayon the Greymaren crew were aboard, when Tayces Wristlink started to play it’s musical notes signifying someone wanted her to answer. Lance continued to transfer the Disc Chip information to the nearby slim screen for reading, while Tayce raised her Wristlink depressing the Commun Button.

  “Tayce here go ahead,” she said waiting to hear what was wrong.

  “It’s Tom, I have something here I think you should come and take a look at,” he said in a tone of urgency.

  “On my way,” she said ceasing communication, and lowering the Wristlink.

  “Don’t tell me, he’s found a Securidroid, what’s new, the place seems to be crawling with them, don’t forget your gun, you may need it,” he suggested in a caring tone.

  “I’ll leave you to carry on studying that, beware of those tin cans they term security,” joked Tayce heading back on out.

  “You to, remember, aim for the sight panel, it brings them to a halt fast, especially after the second shot,” he replied.

  Tayce left Lance to it and stepped cautiously back out into the corridor, she checked both ways to make sure she was not about to be under threat from patrolling Securidroids, then began on the walk back to the Main Operations Hall.

  Tom was on his own. He was lucky to not have been in an encounter with the Securidroids, considering they were patrolling nearly everywhere. A couple had passed the Hall doorway, but none had entered. It hadn’t stopped him putting his Slazer within a minons grasp, if he was suddenly confronted by one. He was now in what was considered Commodore Martin Traverns Off
icette, come work station. He had found a layout of who was in charge of the station, then he’d found Martin Traverns Personal Journal. On Screen, he had found information on Martins daughter Kelly. But as he studied the information, to his sheer surprise there was the mention of none other than their latest on board guest ‘Dean Addams’. At this, Tom frowned something didn’t ring true, especially as Dean had told them he hadn’t ventured off Deltaline 4 for sometime when it appeared Kelly had seen him less than four monthons ago. It stated, it was somewhat of a parting of the ways. Something made Tom stop reading though he wanted to read more. He could hear the sound of approaching footsteps but they didn’t sound like Tayces commanding walk. He cautiously deactivated the desktop light and stood waiting in the shadows to see what or who was going to enter his surroundings, surely it wasn’t Tayce so soon? He waited alertly. He set his Slazer to stun. Slowly he aimed it round the corner, as the footsteps drew nearer by the cencron. Whoever they were, they entered. Tom took the moment and reached out, grabbing whoever it was roughly pushing the person across the room and hard up against the far wall. They struggled in his strong grasp. Suddenly a female cry of mumbled protest rang out.

  “Get off me you idiot, let me go,” she protested.

  “Not till you tell me who you are, and what your business is on this station,” demanded Tom.

  “Tom it’s me, what the hell are you playing at, get off me,” replied Tayce fighting to break free.

  Tom upon hearing it was Tayce, was shocked to the core, he gently loosened his tight grip on her neck and dropped her gently back on her feet. He didn’t know what to say. She looked up at him, angry and ready to lay into him, what the hell was his problem, she decided to let him have it.

  “You jerk, who did you think it was, I told you I was on my way back,” she angrily blurted at him.

  Tom felt the full force of her anger at him what he’d just done was totally unforgivable. She was far from amused. He expected to be thrown in confinement when they returned. He activated the desk light once more trying not to look at her not quite knowing what to say. He eventually glanced at her and could see the cold hurt look, she suddenly looked up at him in. He felt awkward, but it was a pure accident, that anyone could have made. He walked across the room towards her. She backed away, thinking what was he doing, did he think that she was going to let him get away with what he’d done. She pushed him away, but to no avail, he grabbed her into his strong arms and apologised most sincerely. They stayed together for a few minons. Tayce caved to his persuasiveness and looked up at him. He looked down and silently mouthed, he was sorry, then they kissed in a strong sincere way. She calmed in the warmth of his kiss, figuring mistakes were mistakes. They broke away. Tom crossed back to the desk, Tayce followed interested to see what he had found.

  “Our newest temporary recruit lied when he said he hadn’t been to this station in a long time, he was here a couple of monthons ago, seeing the Commodores daughter, for the last time,” explained Tom.

  “What makes you come to this conclusion?” asked Tayce, wondering where he got the information from.

  “According to Martin Traverns Personal Journal, Kelly was in love with Dean,” explained Tom.

  “Sorry Tom, what are you saying?” said Tayce unsure of what point, he was trying to make.

  “There’s more to this than meets the eye,” said Tom.

  “Not necessarily, maybe Dean and Kelly were forced apart by his Father, hence it ended badly, and he doesn’t want to talk about it, would you if it ended badly,” replied Tayce.

  “Okay, ignore the entry in the chronicles, take a look at this,” he said, crossing the room to a grey floor standing cabinet, that had weaponry burn marks in a patten that looked like it had been scorched.

  Tom bent down and rubbed away with his right hand. He pointed out that the burns were recent, he’d asked Midge to run a scan from Amalthea, he confirmed the burns were about three monthons old. Tayce looked him in surprise, what was he trying uncover, that perhaps Kelly had been a remaining member on the station, when the crew mysteriously vanished and Dean had somehow returned in a fit of rejected anger to finished her off. The whole thing seemed stupid or was it? Tom was not going to stop, he continued to explain that the weapon marks were that of a Pirate weapon but Deans finger prints were also on the cabinet. Tayce gave him a look of, do you really expect me to believe what your making out here that Dean was working with Pirates, this was too crazy to be true. But she didn’t dismiss the Pirate fact. Her Wristlink sounded again, she turned away answering it far from pleased at what she figured Tom was driving at. That Dean was somehow connected to Pirates. Lydia’s voice came through, she informed her that there was an urgent call coming in from Jonathan Largon, she was going to patch it through. Tayce waited.

  “General what’s the matter?” asked Tayce giving him her full attention.

  “Tayce I hate to do this, but I need to pull my son off your team for a while, I need him for an important assignment,” stated Jonathan.

  As if by coincidence Lance walked in. He paused upon hearing his Father’s voice, over the Wristlink. Tayce agreed with the request, but insisted that he return when the assignment was through, after all he was a much valued member of the team. Jonathan wholeheartedly agreed.

  “Lance your needed back on Questa that was your Father, he needs you for an important assignment, you have to leave right now,” announced Tayce

  “Sure of course,” replied Lance nodding understandingly as he glanced from her to Dean, noticing she was summoning him up in a suspicious kind of way for some reason.

  Tayce was wondering if what Tom had said earlier about Dean as he and Treketa returned, was true, but something was telling her that Dean didn’t look the kind to be Pirate material, but was there more to this Dean Addams than met the eye, that she knew nothing about, that he was keeping from her. Lance could see that Tayce was in deep thought. Treketa broke the moment by hugging Lance, in a goodbye manner, telling him she’d see him soon. Tayce Wristlinked to Marc on board Amalthea, ordering immediate Travelsport of Lance. A few minons later Lance vanished from the Greymaren Station to return to Amalthea in the oscillating Transport aura. Donaldo appeared to take Lances place on the investigation team. He brought with him, some real substantial evidence that would prove useful. He crossed setting it down on the desk top.

  “This has just come in from Micacer research section, your Mother contacted them and told them of what had happened, could they provide any further information, that would be helpful, it states here, that Kelly Travern is still here somewhere on this station, that numerous passing vessels and cruisers had seen what appeared to be an apparition of Kelly, or the real thing even, there had been numerous Galactic Vision News reports that every time someone came out here, because of it, there was nothing to investigate,” said Donaldo reading the report aloud.

  “Perhaps this place is haunted after all and she was killed when whoever raided this station,” said Treketa.

  “Maybe Treketas right Kelly is a ghost, like the rest of the team gone never to return,” spoke up Dean.

  “Why would you think that?” said Tayce demandingly throwing a suspicious look Dean’s way once more.

  “It’s just an idea that’s all, maybe she was killed by a passing Pirate or someone that boarded”.he replied he had suddenly sounded like his royal self, who could not be questioned because of who he was.

  Tom found his suspicions were now screaming at him, so much so he lost it, pushing past Tayce, he grabbed Dean by the front chest region of his uniform and pushed him up against the computer console behind him.

  Tayce didn’t have time to react to what was happening.

  “I’m beginning to think you do know exactly where Kelly Travern is, considering you only saw her a couple of monthons ago, you see Tayce this proves he lied when he said he hadn’t been to Greymaren in a lo
ng time, you were also in love with her weren’t you,” said Tom angrily, almost throttling the truth out of Dean.

  “Tom that’s enough, release Dean at once, that’s an order,” said Tayce sharply.

  “At least have the decency to tell us what really happened here Dean,” backed up Treketa.

  “All right, I and Kelly, yes, we were in love, not that it’s anyone’s business, but it was a relationship her Father had forbidden from the start, he was so strict, we tried to work it out behind both our parents backs, but it got harder and harder, we just ended up getting into fights verbally finally it ended one night after a blazing argument we swore we never wanted to see each other again, I returned four monthons ago to see if she would change her mind and yes she was alive then, she wouldn’t budge on her decision though so I left her to her own devices going back home,” explained Dean.

  “Was the crew here then?” asked Tayce curious.

  “Hard to say, I came down in the dead of night and the strangest thing was, she wouldn’t have me board the station, she came out to me on my then launch to see me, she told me she didn’t want her Father to find out she was meeting me for the final time,” replied Dean

  Tom apologised to Dean, he could see he was telling the full truth, as what he said made sense, that if there hadn’t been any team then and that Kelly was the only one on board, she was not about to tell Dean she needed help, especially if she was being threatened by the real threatening being that had frightened her into keeping her mouth shut. Suddenly there was the sound of approaching footsteps. Tayce ordered everyone to remain calm and standby. Silence fell in the Officette of Martin Travern. Tayce stood her ground her hand rested on her handgun, ready to open fire if need be. Tom stood just behind her, as back up. In through the entrance to everyone’s utter amazement, walked a very tired and near to death looking Kelly Travern. She had taken enough of the torture and it showed in her pretty doll like features. She was a Petit slim girl with dark brown curly hair, that hadn’t seen a wash for some time, it was dusty and out of style, hanging around her shoulders carelessly in dark oily strands. She looked totally exhausted. She looked around at everyone present, with her doll like brown eyes. Treketa could see what Dean saw in her, she was very attractive to any man even in her current state.