by Jeri Dion
Tristarcus came into view just on the two hourons later. The view to everyone’s surprise was one of almost total destruction, flames, smoke and scorched debris was all that could be seen from the cruiser. Flames were leaping high into the Tristarcan orange sky. The once beautiful buildings that were truly something in architectural splendour that had been admired for many yearons, were in total ruin. Tayce shook her head at the shocking sight, suddenly it sent her back to the night of Trauns destruction once more.
“My God!” said Lance, he was almost speechless, at the sight of devastation.
“My beautiful world, my people… all gone, no…,” said Tricara devastated, so much so, she had to be comforted by Marc.
“Midge put us in a stationary orbit, there maybe some slim chance that Norgan will be on the surface and we can reclaim the Crystal, before he escapes with it,” ordered Tayce in straightforward tone, as she watched the surface of total chaos below.
“Atmosphere on the planet surface would you believe, is still breathable, but it would be advisable to take portable breathing containers, because of the smoke and poisonous gasses that are now slowly releasing into the atmosphere,” said Lance checking out their status to head down to the planet surface.
“Right! Tom, you and Marc come with me to the surface, Lance your in overall charge, whilst we’re down on Tristarcus, if you find a vessel leaving the surface in the form of a Deltaline 4 Fighter, destroy it, let’s just hope we’re not to late to retrieve the Power Crystal, before Norgan escapes to cause untold turmoil with it,” said Tayce leaving her seat, looking down at Tricara understanding her pain and sorrow.
“Don’t worry anything with a Deltaline 4 label won’t get far, if we pick it up,” promised Lance.
“Let’s go,” said Tayce heading over to the entrance.
Marc and Tom followed on in urgency, leaving the Empress in the hands of Lance. He gave her a reassuring smile and informed her, that if anyone could put a stop to Norgan, it was Tayce. Duncan fetched her a drink of Plicetar, as she looked shocked at what she had just witnessed, upon seeing her home world in the throws of total annihilation. Both men were determined to look after Tricara, as she was one special on board guest.
“Stationary orbit has been obtained,” declared Midge.
“Activate the protection shields Midge, maximum status and keep your scanner on alert for any signs of departing Deltaline Fighters,” ordered Lance.
“Activating protection shields now,” confirmed Midge.
Duncan soon returned with the Plicetar carefully handing it to Tricara. He then sat down back at navigations talking with her about Tristarcus, listening to the many things, that happened there, especially its once link to Traun and what Traun was like. Tricara found that after a while, she was becoming much more relaxed. Duncan got the impression this Empress was a truly special person, easy to get along with and understand, not the usual stuck up kind of spacial royalty, that he had encountered in his past.
Down in the Hanger Bay Tayce, Marc and Tom walked briskly to the Quest, carrying the portable breathing containers for the surface and loaded handguns, ready to find Norgan. Marc boarded the Quest taking Tayces hand, he helped her up inside. Tom followed on and the entrance sealed behind him, once aboard. The hatch soon closed and the Quest began going into procedure to leave the Hanger Bay floor and head off in to orbit of Tristarcus. The engines started with a powerful sound, then climbed to a crescendo, which stated that they were at full power. The Hanger Bay doors drew apart before the Quest, revealing the darkness of space and the sight of a burning in battle Tristarcus. Over the Aircom, as Tom lifted the small new Quest Shuttle/fighter off the bay floor and headed out into space, Lance announced that in the last houron scan had returned that Norgan and his men were very much still causing utter chaos on the surface below them.
“I want to be on that planet now Tom, hurry! Before Norgan gets the chance to depart,” ordered Tayce.
Once clear, the Quest under Tom’s expert control headed for the Tristarcan surface, at incredible speed. The protection shield around Amalthea deactivated for the passing through of the Shuttle/fighter, then activated again at full power. As the Quest headed down so it’s protective shield of blue aura, activated, protecting the team members on board.
Back on Amalthea the Empress in Organisation decided she wanted to speak with General Jonathan Largon so Lance set it up for her in the privacy of the Meeting Centre. She soon stood and sauntered on in to the Centre in an elegant regal way. No sooner had she sat on one of the chairs, Lance called out to her that his Father’s Officette was waiting online. Without warning the wall sight screen activated at the same time the clear vision doors to the Meeting Centre closed and Lydia came on screen. Both women were surprised yet overjoyed to see the other, was alive. Lydia couldn’t believe that she was seeing her long lost friend and confidante, it had been almost three yearons since they had spoken and not by choice. It had been a situation beyond their control. Tricara expressed that she was not being rude, but she wanted to talk to Jonathan. Lydia agreed leaving the screen area, letting Jonathan come into view, showing surprise and delight at seeing that she was at least safe, as he’d heard what had been unfolding on Tristarcus, in the last five hourons.
“Jonathan it’s bad, it’s as simple as that, apparently its a criminal by the name of Norgan he’s trying to take control of the blue crystal, you know of him, of old, Tayce Marc and Tom have gone to the planet surface to try and stop him, though I am concerned for their safety, I have to admit,” expressed Tricara.
“Tayce is a good leader and she knows what she’s doing and knows who to take on Quests, I believe for one minon that she’ll recover the crystal, if she can,” assured Jonathan in a reassuring way.
“As soon as Tayce and the others return to the cruiser and have managed to recover the Tristarcan Crystal I intend to be at Questa in a weekon,” replied Tricara.
“I look forward to your arrival, I’ll have a place prepared for you to reside,” promised Jonathan sincerely.
“Thank you, Jonathan, there is just one thing before I go, Tayce should have a much higher rank than she currently holds of Colonel, as part of the Planetary Matters Council, I would like this put forth for discussion as soon as possible,” said Tricara with the sound of powerful command in her voice.
“As you wish, as a member of the Planetary Matters Council you have a certain power of casting such a request, though I must admit, it’s about time that young woman changed her rank, she’s held it since leaving Traun and believes me, she deserves a change, better go, duty calls, see you soon,” said Jonathan signing off.
The screen went blank and Tricara walked back out into Organisation Centre. Tricara felt stronger for talking to Jonathan. She didn’t for some strange reason feel quite so isolated. Tayce and the team had made her feel welcome, they couldn’t have done more since her rescue, but it was nice to talk to long lost friends such as Lydia and Jonathan that understood where she was coming from in her responsibility to her people. Lance smiled as she walked out through the opening doors of the Meeting Centre, he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he had heard via Midge about Tayces possible rank advancement. He told her that he would keep it quiet until it happened. Tricara smiled.
On the surface of Tristarcus Tom brought the Quest down in shaded area, away from the turmoil. All three climbed out with their guns poised ready to open fire on any of Norgans men, that had seen them come in to land. It was an horrific scene of rubble glassene and scorched dead bodies of men women and children. It was everywhere, so much so it almost made Tayce want to heave. She gasped as she came across a young woman dead, scorched with a burnt infant in her arms. There was a look of terror on her once beautiful face. Tayce had to look away but there was just no getting away from the fact the people of Tristarcus hadn’t stood a chance. Tricara had been right thought Tayce, she had always been al
lowed to call her merely by her name instead of who she was in rank, because of the friendship with her parents. The Tristarcans were caught totally unaware of what was about to hit them. Bodies were strewn this way and that, some unrecognisable, guards even of the palatial palace, lay blood stained, limbs missing, in many places. The smell was becoming somewhat nauseating. They all had to swallow hard. Marc glanced around at the once classy buildings, that formed a clean modern world, to be proud of he shook his head as many of those buildings were smashed to smithereens beyond any recognition of what they once stood for. There was no saving this planet, he thought, it was a second Traun all over again. Tayce one hand on her gun, poised looked about through the chaos for some sight of somewhere they could get under cover, enough to judge for themselves where to go from in the search of Norgan.
“Can’t see anything in this smoke, not even Norgan,” said Marc taking in a breath of the air from the portable breathing container, rather like an aerosol can, with built in mask.
Luckily they made it to a sheltered area. It had been horrendous getting to their current destination, but they had made it. Tom looked at Tayce, as she changed the setting on her gun to disintegrate, somehow he had a feeling that what she had witnessed in the people laying around scorched and dead, had hit close to home and she was not prepared to show any mercy towards this Norgan character. Marc watching the area around them, suddenly caught sight of a darkly clad figure and opened fired. A long burst of Slazer fire flew from Marc’s gun. But it was the wrong move on his part, as no sooner had the firing started, so all three of them were engrossed in a total onslaught of pinned down retaliating weapon fire. All three sheltered behind the various pillars, firing back. Norgans troupers were everywhere, it was like they were crawling out of the ruins and firing as they came, but there was no sign of the man himself.
“Well that shot certainly got their attention, well done Marc,” said Tom firing back as weapon fire showered all around them.
“I thought he was one alone, sorry!” replied Marc, above the weapon fire.
“No sign of Norgan, where do you suppose the crystal is, do you think he’s got it and gone?” asked Tayce.
“Well if he hasn’t, it’s generally kept in the Palace, Tricara’s home,” replied Marc.
Tayce had had enough, this was getting them nowhere, these men belonging to Norgan were just as good as herself, Tom and Marc. She raised her Wristlink and contacted Midge. She ordered him to pin point the Palace as all the buildings were partly destroyed and alike. Within a few cencrons Midge came back and explained that the building that was to the left of their current status, about two buildings forward, was what remained of the Palace. Tayce acknowledged signing off. All three of them proceeded cautiously keeping out of shot of Norgans advancing men, which wasn’t easy. The ground was awkward under foot from all the broken rubble and various concretex type rocks, that had been smashed to the ground along with glassene and stealex. Upon reaching what was left of the Palace, they all lined up close to the wall and slowly manoeuvred round into the entrance, Slazers poised ready to shoot. Tayce soon entered what was left of the Grand Hall. It had turned into a far cry from it’s original splendour. Gone was the white gleaming pillars and gold drapes. It was a total sight of a half burnt out shell. Tayce shook her head. Rubble crunched under foot as they walked fully into the Hall.
“My God, he certainly didn’t mess around, when it came to destroying this room,” said Marc glancing around almost speechless at what he was seeing
“Where is the crystal generally kept?” asked Tom, lighting his hand held torch, as it was becoming difficult to see as the planetary twilight was setting in.
“It should be over there, through the archway, there’s a small door,” said Tayce pointing to an archway on the far side of the hall.
“Looking for this little lady by any chance?” said a voice, Tayce recognised behind her.
“Norgan!” said Tayce spinning round to face him disgusted at what he was holding.
He still had the same bearded unkempt appearance, she thought. He was in the company of two of his men that stood either side of him, looking just as vagrant as himself. They held their weapons ready to shoot on their masters words to do so, neither one interested who they were in the company of.
“Hand it over Norgan, it doesn’t belong to you,” said Tayce with total disgust in her voice.
“I don’t believe who I’m seeing, Tayce Traun daughter of the once Commodore Traun, a man who stopped what I was trying to achieve on our old world, I figured you of all your people would be the last to make it off daddies domain, tell me what’s your interest in this, It really doesn’t have any true significance, though hold on, you know Empress Tricara, that’s right, I give you this and you give it back to her, how stupid do you think I am Missy?” said Norgan finding the who thing evilly amusing, giving an amused smirk to match.
“If you think you are stupid, then you must be, do you know what happens to anyone unlawful who tries to possess the power of the blue Tristarcan Crystal, you imagine your worst nightmare Norgan and treble it ten times, that’s what the power does to anyone who holds it for evil purposes,” said Tayce plainly, she could see this was the original Norgan all right, but how had he preserved his age, this was another matter.
Norgans men dropped back they had already pictured their worst fears and nightmares coming true. They began to feel uneasy to say the least, at what Tayce had just said. They had both done things in their lives that they did not want to exaggerate, because of the power, from some crystal, just because their master wanted to possess it for his own gotten gains. Tayce could see the look in Norgans dark eyes, that he too had under estimated what the crystal was capable of in the wrong hands. He probably had figured he could just open its velveteen purple box, take it out and give it a command to do something bad and it would do it, but it had been in the Tristarcan Power Force for centuries and anyone who had dared to use it for bad purposes was rewarded for their evil greed, she certainly didn’t want to be in his boots.
“All right, what would you be willing to sacrifice for this precious crystal?” asked Norgan holding the box in his right hand in mid air.
Tayce was not willing to sacrifice anything, as far as she was concerned it was Norgan who would become the sacrifice in the most horrific kind of way. Unbeknown to Norgan, she began to concentrate with her ability. Marc and Tom exchanged glances that said it all. They knew what she was up to. The velveteen lid of the box began to open and rise up fully exposing the powerful crystal within. It began to glow more powerful by the cencron and if by magic Tayce could feel it communicating with her, on a higher level. Norgan looked at Tayce trying to make out, what she was doing, he began to get nervous at first, then he caught on to what she was attempting, he was both furious and alarmed to think that she was somehow gifted herself. Before Tayce could use the Power Crystal for her own defence, he pulled it from the box holding it tightly in his right hand, giving her a look, much to say I don’t think so.
“Your wasting your time, once in my grasp like this, it is under my request to do whatever I so choose to do with it,” he retorted feeling the thrill of holding a powerful force, he could use to his advantage.
“You haven’t been listening, your men seem to know what I meant when I said about your worst nightmares coming true, look their backing away,” said Tayce standing her ground.
Norgan glanced to see his two men back up towards the entrance, then scarper. He gave a look of anger and impatience, in their direction, they would pay later for deserting him.
“Give it up Norgan before I demonstrate the true power of the blue Tristarcan Power Crystal,” warned Tayce and it came as a final warning.
What happened next amazed both Tom and Marc. In the following moments as Norgan failed to give up what was rightfully property of the Tristarcan Power Force and the Empress, the crystal pu
t forth a brilliant white aura that grew by the cencron. Tayce continued to concentrate and communicate with the crystal via her mind. For the first time she felt the power she possessed as part of her and found that she was bringing it forth like turning on a tap. The power of the crystal, with her power had formed as one, with her inner self and it felt like a soft sereneness, beyond all comprehension. A swirl of powerful light rose around Norgan and travelled up his body to his neck wrapping itself around, forming an noose of pure energy. Norgan found for probably the first time ever in his evil life, that he was vastly becoming scared out of his very existence, of what was going on and what might happen. Marc and Tom watched on in disbelief, as Norgan realised he had bitten off more than he could chew, as the saying went this time around.
“I’m giving you a chance to hand back what does not belong to you, before it’s to late, not like you did to the people of that space cruiser, all those yearons ago that you let perish because of your greediness to possess, some of those people were my friends, you so mercifully let perish at your command and that goes for the people of this world, which is it to be, hand me the crystal, or suffer your own fate for trying to possess something that doesn’t belong to you?” said Tayce for the first time her eyes took on an illuminated sapphire look.
“I refuse to be intimidated by a bitch like you Traun,” he retorted, holding on to any bravery he had left.
“Then your last chance has gone, you leave me no choice, you hereby pay the price for trying to possess what is not yours,” said Tayce continuing on, she was being guided by an inner force to do what she had to do to save the crystal and what it stood for.
