by Jeri Dion
In the dead of night aboard Amalthea One when everyone was asleep in their Repose Centres it materialised from the deep darkness of space. It was a pointed sleek design, in silver grey, firing as it came. Midge luckily for the team, had already seen the vessel and put up protection shields. He returned fire, he knew it was down to him to take care of this unprovoked attack, as he was in night control. But he found it near impossible even for his capabilities to get rid of this vessel intent on destroying the cruiser. Amalthea took on many of the strikes, bouncing off it’s defence shield. The vessel was seen armed to the teeth with what could only be described as every kind of weapon imaginable to start a war, or the means to destroy anything that got in it’s way, which at the present time was Amalthea. A Digit Bomb that had unleashed on the cruiser bounced off the Protection Shield once more, but not before putting the whole cruiser into a violent shaking vibration and causing most of the on board electronic functions to temporarily go to standby in operation. Midge tried with the utmost skill to keep the cruiser stable during the constant bombardment, but failed and everyone on the Quarters Level fell out of their bunks, in some kind of fashion.
Tayce in her quarters Repose Centre rolled out of her bunk landing face down on the floor, with a thud. She yelled in surprise, as she had been in a deep sleep. The electronics and lighting in her Repose Centre crashed, then flashed up, then down again. With the violent rocking, she was brought sharply awake and very aware that something was very wrong. Far from amused she clambered to her feet, rubbing her shoulder, that she had knocked on the corner of the built in night stand as she’d fallen. She grabbed her ‘D’Gown (dressing gown) and headed furiously towards the outer entrance doors, slipping it on doing up the tie belt as she went.
“Midge you better have a good explanation for this, this had better not be one of your simulation drills for an emergency, I’m tired,” she said aloud to herself.
She exited the quarters, just as soon as the doors drew apart upon her approach. Tom was already out in the corridor about to press her announcement system, to get her up. He looked half asleep and fighting by the minon to become fully alert, to what was going on around them. Tayce dodged him, telling him to follow on in a tone that told him she was far from pleased at what was unfolding. He did as asked and was quickly joined by Marc, Duncan, Lance, Donaldo and Treketa, all equally looking like they were fighting to stay awake and confused as to what was happening, as the cruiser continued to take the bombardment of firepower.
“Why do I get the feeling, I know who’s behind this, she’s taken long enough to find me,” retorted Tayce.
“Do you think that young woman we tried to stop earlier is somehow connected to her if it is her?” asked Lance.
“I was thinking of Vargon, but as you come to mention it, that young woman earlier who threatened me was specifically out to shoot me and no one else, maybe your right, the two are connected,” said Tayce thinking about the fact the young woman had the same kind of grating voice as the Countess.
“Well I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but I had a friend do a photo identification of her at Questa in security, he came up with a name for your female assailant, your not going to like this,” replied Lance as he steadied Tayce up as another direct hit bounced off the protection shield
“Tell me I probably won’t be surprised,” demanded Tayce.
“Sallen Vargon, she’s Vargons daughter,” said Lance straight to the point.
Tayce looked at him taken back for a few minons at the name, she didn’t know what to say, but it certainly explained the fact behind what had happened on Questa. Vargon had obviously sent Sallen to put an end to her, once and for all. She had now stooped to an all time low, using her daughter as a means to get rid of her. Well Sallen was certainly living up to the Vargon Warrior image, shoot first, answer for it later, if caught.
“How come your friend knew of her?” asked Tayce, as they walked up the steps.
“He informed me off record that spies tell him, that Sallen Vargon has been at College Colony, training in the highest form of combat and tracking skills, she disappeared shortly after leaving College Colony, sources say that she was seen in the company of your arch rival the Countess,” expressed Lance.
“Bitch,” said Treketa under her breath without thought, upon hearing the mention of Sallen’s name and what she did to her at College Colony, in getting her kicked off her course.
“It seems to me, the Countess had her in training, to come after you,” said Tom.
“Quite, well I’m not bothered, she can send who she likes, I’m waiting,” said Tayce bravely.
“What are going to do if she turns out to be the one firing on us now?” asked Marc falling in behind unsure of just what she would do if Vargon was behind the unprovoked attacks, on their present surroundings.
“Handle it like the last time she faced me, right until we find out whose attacking us, sleep is hereby put on hold, until we get to the bottom of this, back to your quarters and get changed for duty, Marc and I will head on up to Organisation, until Lance, you can get there,” said Tayce.
“Right, won’t be long,” said Lance turning and running off in the direction of his quarters.
Both Marc and Tayce ran on up the Level Steps, to Level 1, leaving the rest of the team to return to their quarters and get ready for the unexpected night duty ahead.
Tayce a while later in Organisation stood looking straight into the face on screen of the young woman who had tried to kill her earlier on Questa. Lances friend had been right, she thought, this was Vargons daughter and she had identified herself as such. Marc glanced from Tayce to Sallen on screen and he could tell from the look on Tayces face, that she was not going to tolerate the daughter of the woman, she despised the most in all the Universe, one bit. Sallen was looking back at Tayce in a cold spiteful way, and one that would freeze Plicetar.
“So your Sallen Vargon, does your Mother know your out here doing her dirty work, what do you want?” demanded Tayce coldly, to the point.
“I do my own dirty work, as you call it Colonel, no one tells me what to do, least of all, Mother,” retorted Sallen just as cool in tone.
“She wouldn’t like hearing you say that, so why are you attacking my cruiser?” asked Tayce again getting impatient.
Marc studied Sallen on screen, thinking the resemblance to her evil Mother, was quite startling, it was like looking at a younger version. Her eyes were just as dark and evilly treacherous, as her Mother’s. Behind him the team ran into Organisation now dressed. Duncan paused so abruptly seeing Sallen on screen, that Lance nearly ran into the back of him.
“I want to finish what Mother started, your Vessel or mine, let’s get this over and done with, I hate to leave things undone and as Mother has given me this task to take care of, I want to draw a concluding line to finish what she started, then it will be a matter of going after your Mother,” said Sallen sounding like a boastful child.
“Fine! Like you said your vessel or mine,” replied Tayce throwing the ball back into Sallen’s court unmoved by Sallen’s spitefulness.
“Are you crazy, you can’t trust her, she nearly tried to kill you a couple of hourons ago remember,” said Marc in a whisper of alarm, just behind her.
“Your call Traun,” said Sallen, without feeling in her voice.
“Here on board this cruiser, the Armed Combat Practice Centre, twenty minons, I don’t like to be kept waiting Sallen don’t disappoint,” retorted Tayce.
Marc as communication ceased, couldn’t believe what she had just done, he couldn’t believe also, that she was thinking of taking Sallen on alone, it could be a fight to the death, considering how much hatred there was between the two of them. What would that evil miss try, just to get rid of Tayce he thought. He didn’t like the idea at all. But she was in overall charge, he could not tell her what to do. But he was
not the only one greatly concerned by the idea that she was going to take on Sallen Vargon alone. As she turned, so Tom was giving her an extremely worried look. Tayce passed him without saying a word, this was something she needed to take care of herself and she didn’t feel that she wanted to involve the team, she had her own way of teaching this Countesses daughter a lesson she’d never forget and it began in the Armed Combat Practice Centre. She ran down the corridor and as she went, she found her whole form changing attire with help from her amazing powers, going, from her night attire into her uniform and realised that what she had done was for the first time by mere thought, that she needed to change attire. Was her thinking what she wanted to do the trigger to use this force she experienced in times of urgent need, she thought. Marc after Tayce had gone, ordered Lance and Duncan to follow on discretely with their Slazers, but to stay out of sight, just in case Tayce could feel they were present. They were to do nothing unless Tayce was put at a disadvantage. They agreed heading on out checking their Slazers as they went. Midge had been told to keep in contact with both Lance and Duncan on route and activate the Intruder Cam, so they could see what was unfolding as Sallen arrived.
Twenty minons later as stated by Tayce, Sallen materialised in the middle of the Armed Combat Practice Centre looking every inch the true evil Countesses daughter in her all in one black jumpsuit and matching black shiny high heeled boots. Her long jet black hair cascading about her shoulders once more. She held in her hands a weapon that looked like a gun, but was it something more sinister, to take Tayce down with. The wound she’d suffered earlier from Lances gun narrowly killing her, was gone. She meant business and could hardly contain her eagerness to take Tayce on. In through the opening doors of the Armed Combat Practice Centre walked Tayce dressed equally ready to finish this business of the Vargon family trying to wipe her off the face of the Universe, for good. She showed that she was the more least intimidated of the two of them. Gone was the naïve little girl on Traun. Tayce was an independent woman and after three yearons on her own in the perilous Universe, before the team, she was more than ready to handle this miss. As she walked forth and came to a pause in the middle of the Centre. Out of sight both Lance and Duncan watched from the small equipment stores, as a fight for good against evil, was about to erupt right before their vary eyes.
“We finally meet Traun, but it’s a meeting that will seal the end to the Traun dynasty, soon the Vargons will have done what they had nearly achieved in destroying your world yearons ago, that’s riding this Universe of you and your family,” said Sallen spitefully.
“I thought you said you didn’t do what your Mother told you Sallen, it seems that you do, or hasn’t your Mother enough power for another confrontation like the last one with me, fancy sending you out to die for something she doesn’t have enough guts to finish, what did I expect,” replied Tayce sarcastically.
“Your no match for me Traun,” retorted Sallen sounding brave.
“Let me show you what I did to your Mother, after all your here representing her, so I’m figuring your here to take her place and die in her place,” said Tayce no mercy in her voice.
Duncan and Lance were willing Tayce on silently from the equipment stores. They looked out so they could get a better view and were amazed when Tayce unleashed a pure energy fire ball of her power ability straight at Sallen. The size of a small throw ball hurtled at Sallen, who dodged it, ending up on the floor on her side with a thud. She glared at Tayce in anger to think she’d struck the first blow. She activated the weapon in her grasp to strike the next one. Unbeknown to her, Treketa had entered the equipment stores from the corridor carrying a loaded gun. Lance upon seeing her, grabbed her down beside him. Sallen looked in the direction of where a muffled gasp had admitted from wondering what it was. But couldn’t see anything. Lance discretely warned Treketa that if she went out and fired on Sallen, then Sallen, just may open fire on her or Tayce and Tayce could die just because she had a score to settle.
“I’ve waited for this moment since they kicked me out of College Colony, to take her on because of her bullying me over Tom,” she replied angrily in a discrete whisper.
Treketa managed to get in to the right position to view clearly Sallen and to carry out what she’d come to do. Lance flipped the setting to stun. She looked at him surprised. He simply informed her, that she did not want to end up no better than Sallen. Treketa open fired ignoring Lance just as Sallen was going to fly at Tayce with a glowing weapon in her hand. Sallen dropped to her knees, looking up at Tayce, for a minon Tayce saw the innocence in her rival, that had been trained to hate her so much, then fade as she passed out onto the floor. She shook her head. Treketa walked out fully into view.
“What did you do that for, I didn’t give you the order to back me up?” demanded Tayce displeased at Treketas actions, but glad she’d done it anyway.
“You weren’t the only one with a score to settle with that family, remember I got kicked out of College Colony, when she called Tom a murderer over Alenea,” explained Treketa, looking down at a silent and out cold Sallen, she was a threat no more or at least for the present time.
“Are you coming with me, I’m putting the second phase into operation to teach this miss a lesson she won’t forget for a long time to come, I’m taking her back to her vessel and making sure she takes a one way trip home to the Countess with a reminder never to stray this way again?” asked Tayce to Treketas surprise.
“You bet, I’ll never get this once in a lifetime chance again,” replied Treketa eagerly.
Both women crossed and hauled an unconscious Sallen up onto her feet. While Treketa supported Sallen, Tayce raised her Wristlink contacting Midge.
“Midge put me, Sallen and Treketa over on Sallen’s vessel, now, before she comes too do it from here if you’re able to,” ordered Tayce.
In no time at all, as both Tayce and Treketa placed their hands on their guns, ready in case there was other members on Sallen’s vessel. Travelsport took on around the threesome and de materialised them from the Combat Practice Centre. Lance and Duncan, once both Treketa and Tayce had gone, turned and headed back to duty, wondering what would lie in wait for the two on Sallen’s vessel.
It was near darkness on board Sallen’s vessel and not the roomiest in size, there was only two control seats and wall to wall operational panels. Flashing lights greeted the two Amalthean Quest members upon arrival. They both dragged Sallen over to her pilot seat and strapped her in. Tayce stepped back and took aim with her Slazer, setting it to the first setting that was below stun, it was just enough firepower for what she wanted to achieve, she fired on the clasp that was securing Sallen into her seat, which would make it impossible to get out off, any time soon. Then to Treketas surprise, she turned the weapon on the main control panel, but not before keying in the return journey to her Mother, the Countess.
“Tayce are you sure that’s wise, surely we’ll all get blown to smithereens, you fire on that panel,” said Treketa having a feeling that Tayces revenge had overcome her and she wasn’t thinking straight, in what she was doing in firing on the operational panel and locking in the journey home.
“It’s fine, I know just where to hit this panel, so that it locks her on a return journey back to where the vessel came from, every vessel of sorts, has a logged in position of origin, where it comes from when leaving a Mother ship or base, that’s what I’ve done, sent Sallen home with a reminder to the Countess that she’ll face me herself next time, instead of sending Sallen here,” explained Tayce.
“Is there anything I can do?” said Treketa at a loss
“It’s covered, just call Midge and tell him to stand by, to Travelsport us back, on my word,” suggested Tayce.
Treketa did as asked and in no time at all, Tayce had fired on the Navigations and Operational panel and they were Travelsported off Sallen’s Vessel in a split cencron, before the Vessel turned away f
rom Amalthea and headed back across the Universe, where it had come from.
Once back on board Amalthea, both women ran to the nearest sight port, to watch the vessel head back into the deeps dark depths of space. A smile crossed Tayces face, as she thought of how the Countess would react to see what she had done to her daughter. It would take Sallen quite a while to return home, because Tayce had set her vessel on the longest route through pirate and dangerous space, sealed in her control seat, she would have to plead for her freedom in meeting any one that came across her, if she wanted to survive.
“What did you do?” asked Treketa seeing the amused look on Tayces face.
“Only sent her on a journey home she won’t forget, that’s if she survives,” replied Tayce.
Marc came down the corridor as they exited the Travelsport Centre. He had the look of great concern on his handsome features, in that he thought they had gone with Sallen. Tom came behind, he had visions of not only losing the woman he loved, but his little sister too. Tom immediately crossed and pulled Tayce into a thank God your safe hug.
“Don’t ever do that again, we thought you’d gone with our unwanted guest, what did you do?” asked Marc greatly interested.
“Let’s just say, she’s in for a long and life threatening journey home, with unavoidable encounters of the worse kind,” replied Tayce finding what she’d done gratifying.
Marc couldn’t believe it, but he didn’t blame her, because of what Sallen had tried to do on Questa and the fact that Countess Vargon had been behind it. It seemed that Tayce was beginning to feel like it was pay back time in retaliation for what Vargon and her army had done to Traun, whether it was Mother or daughter she was not going to let Vargon carry on striking at her in the hope of getting rid of her, without some kind of retaliation. It never ceased to amaze him, what she got up to in her actions lately. Treketa before heading back to Donaldo, informed Tayce that next time she felt like having fun with Sallen, count her in. Tayce nodded then headed on up the corridor going back to duty, much to the surprise look of Tom as he thought they could go and catch up on their sleep. He realised that Tayce and Treketa were joining forces where the Vargons were concerned and knowing his sister, she would be taking the lead in the next escapade towards Sallen, he warned Marc as they followed Tayce back to Organisation, that they better keep an eye on them in case one got the other one killed for their daring actions! Marc nodded in total agreement.
