by Jeri Dion
“Who you asked for sir, Empress Tricara,” said one of the masked men, wondering why their leader was so cross with them and giving them a look to match.
“You total idiots, I don’t know who she is, but that is not who I sent you after, this is not Empress Tricara you have the wrong woman, put her back where she was, until I can decide what to do with her,” said the leader disgusted at his men
“Hold on, don’t I get a say in this, before you shove me back in that box,” protested Treketa.
“Go on,” said the leader, not really interested to hear her.
“I’m Treketa Stavard from Amalthea One…” said Treketa, but was cut short.
The leader had heard enough, he had nor the time or patience to hear more he wasn’t interested. He waved his hand in a gesture for his men to continue and Treketa was forced back inside her darkened surroundings and the door slammed shut behind her. What was she to do, she thought, as she heard the words of the leader outside discussing her. Would she ever see Tom and the team ever again? She felt lost and suddenly very alone.
Tayce was on Organisation Deck, thinking about Treketas possible whereabouts. Lance briskly entered the deck and headed straight for his Research Console, to start trying to trace any small sign, that something had been along side the cruiser in the last couple of hourons. Empress Tricara walked in also dressed and crossed to try and see if she could try and help Lance. Tom was dragged away by Tayce for a private word in the Meeting Centre. On route she ordered Midge to run a scan trace for anything out of the ordinary no matter how small, that may have been in their orbit in the last several hourons. Lance cut in and simply announced that he had it covered. Midge informed that he would assist Lance where he could. Tayce continued on into the Meeting Centre, letting the doors close behind her, once inside.
“Tom, Tricara feels bad about what happened, what these beings have done is not her fault and she is trying to help find Treketa, believe me it would be the last thing that she would want to see is Treketa hurt, or worse, she’s not like that, it’s totally the idiots fault that boarded and who got their bearings wrong and right now they are no doubt paying for it,” said Tayce.
“So what are you saying?” asked Tom straight taking Tayces anger trying to control his own rising anger.
“I know Treketa means a lot to you, she does to all of us, but being nasty to Tricara, is not going to bring her back,” said Tayce point blankly.
Tom looked away, he was now angry beyond words and figured that Tayce would take Tricara’s side, but until he found Treketa, he was not going forgo the fact that the Empress had caused the whole situation to happen in the first place, if she had just travelled on to Trinott and left them out of the fact that someone was after her, Treketa would still be on board and safe.
“Tom I’m warning you, you may be my partner, but if you don’t treat Tricara with respect and forget this matter happened, I’ll pull rank on you, relieve you of duty and confine you to our quarters for a while to cool off, is that understood?” said Tayce without further word.
“All right, point taken, I’m sorry,” he said realising he’d pushed her to far.
“It’s not me that needs to hear it, it’s Tricara when this is all over,” said Tayce turning her back on him and walking towards the opening doors of the Meeting Centre, far from pleased.
“We’ve got it!” shouted Lance, triumphant from his duty position.
“That was quick, what did you do?” asked Tayce heading on out to Lances position and coming to lean on his high back chair.
“Tricara here gave me the times and dates that she had been receiving a certain communication threat, not to attend the seminar, I tracked through Questas Data Communications Log using my unique family code and traced it back to the source with Midges help and tracked our immediate orbit to find anything minute signal wise matching the message source that had happened in the last hourons and there it was, apparently these kidnappers are from our destination Trinott the threat involves a team of crooks, that Tricara here recognises the leader from, we found minute traces of them being aboard in the last hourons through the new intricate corridor scan,” explained Lance.
“The leader is known by the name Robanna and is linked to your arch enemy Countess Vargon, but in what way, he never divulges, he’s rather like an invisible source, but it is known that he wants Tristarcan rule, he’s been trying for almost three yearons to take my place, when voting comes along, he’s won so far, the only sight I’ve seen of him was a tall thin shape, one night when he managed to break through Palace security and enter my personal chambers, my guards apprehended him, he left with a threat that one dayon, he would make me pay for not wanting to follow and comply with his ruling, my assumption is, he’s attempting that pay back now, before I attend this latest seminar,” explained Tricara.
“So what your saying, he’s the one that has Treketa right now and he thought he had you?” asked Tom.
“Yes!” replied Tricara.
“Why didn’t Questa pick this up Lance?” asked Tayce.
“If I may Lance, I didn’t want to worry Jonathan, so I never reported it and I figured that now Tristarcus has been destroyed, he would leave me alone and the threat would subside,” continued Tricara.
“So right now he’s on Trinott in whatever guise he likes to portray himself as?” asked Tayce.
“Right!” said Lance checking his source again.
“So the destination is Trinott, it would seem that we have a double Quest, protecting you Tricara and find a way to get Treketa back, because if the source is Trinott, that’s where he’ll have Treketa and will try to dump her, when he discovers she’s not you and we’re on his trail,” said Marc thinking about it.
“I agree, let’s get this cruiser to Trinott, like yesteron, time is not to be wasted, Midge forgo ordinary warp put us into Hyper Thrust Turbo speed and get us to Trinott as soon as possible,” ordered Tayce.
“Going to Hyper Thrust Turbo speed now, arrival time just on two hourons,” replied Midge.
Tayce stood looking out into the Universe in thought wondering what possible kind of moves this band of kidnapping criminals would make. Sometimes even though she was on the good side of the Universal law, it helped to put herself in the criminal way of thinking, so that it would help to get a better perspective on what could possibly happen with Treketa.
Treketa listened, She knew they had stopped somewhere, she’d felt the landing as they had touched down. But where? Once again she was hauled out of the cramped conditions and as soon as she stood in the light of the place she’d been dragged out into, she was once more injected with another concoction under protest by the tall thin figure of the evil man she’d come face to face with earlier. The drug hit her system with a blinding and powerful blow, just like it had done before. She crumpled in the hold of the two kidnappers that had taken her on Amalthea. They dragged her off the second class vessel towards a place where music and merriment filled the air. Namely Trinott.
Tayce watched the horizon, sipping her much needed Coffeen. Looking for the first sign of the colony/world of Trinott. Lance and Duncan at their duty positions in the last twenty minons had picked up communication of a vessel matching the same traces that Midge had found earlier, on board and trailing away from Amalthea which happened to be the origination for Tricara’s threats, it was heading now towards the surface of Trinott. The communication consisted of the voice Tricara had heard numerous times before and matched the being who wanted to put an end to her. Tom headed off out of Organisation to go and get changed for the Quest, he wanted to be ready when they arrived. Marc decided to follow, he also could see that Tayce needed a hand in putting Tom right on the way he was treating Tricara and how he needed to treat her with more respect, his attitude was making the atmosphere very uncomfortable, to say the least. He quietly suggested to Tayce to leave Tom to
him, he’d sort the problem, then ran on out of Organisation down the Level 1 corridor, to catch Tom up.
Just on two hourons lapsed. Amalthea came into orbit of the colony/world of Trinott. The team were ready and dressed in smart uniforms. Uniforms that would not raise suspicion, that they were not just attending the seminar with Tricara, the kind that would allow them to slip away and search for Treketa, as Midge had picked up Treketas life signs on the entertainment world, upon their arrival. It was decided that Tom would go with Tayce and Lance to find Treketa and the others would remain with Tricara, to make it look as if they were two separate groups, attending the seminar, for different research reasons. Lance and Duncan had been briefed about the alluring enticement of the Pleasure Queens and what would happen if they were found to be enticed by the shapely alluring beauties, by Tayce. They waited while the cruiser went into final docking clearance with Trinott Docking Port. Tom and Marc sauntered back into Organisation talking casually, Tom looked more happier, agreeing on a matter they had been discussing on the way up. Tom crossed to Tricara and to Tayces surprise apologised, he began that he understood she’d tried to put right what had happened in Treketa being taken instead of herself and he had been wrong in the way he had treated her, he was genuinely sorry. Tricara smiled and gently assured him that she understood the way he felt, Treketa was special to him. Tayce glanced at Marc, who in turn glanced back and winked affectionately. She on this had a feeling that Tom’s sudden change in attitude towards the Empress, had something to do with him helping to put Tom right over Tricara.
“Final moments of docking Tayce,” announced Midge informatively.
“Let’s go, Tricara, you Duncan and Marc leave first, we’ll follow on in fifteen minons, to avoid raising any idea that were together, as one team, I, Tom, Lance and Donaldo will leave after the fifteen minons are up, I don’t want the band of kidnappers that have Treketa to realise, that we’re from the same place as she is, if this was to happen they may try and kill her and we would be letting her down badly, I don’t want that,” expressed Tayce.
Everyone present nodded in total understanding, they then checked their Slazers. They knew that they were forbidden to use them on Trinott. It was a planetary rule, no weapons were to fired unnecessarily, but there wasn’t any rules against wearing a weapon. The first part of the Amalthean Quests team walked on out the Organisation Deck with Tayce and her team following on behind, fifteen minons later. Midge immediately took overall charge of the cruisers functions, until they returned.
Treketa now found herself in an average sized room. It was something along the lines of a short stay living environment. She was all alone, sitting on a hard chair, equivalent of a dining chair. Her ankles were secured together with force field restraints. The doors opened behind her, in walked the same evil man she had encountered earlier. He was now dressed for the seminar in a burgundy all in one suit. He sauntered across and round in front of her, coming to a pause, he looked down at her in an evil uninterested way. Reaching down he put a callous broad hand around her delicate neck and pulled her up in front of him. Treketa felt awful from the drug wearing off. She had lost all hope of the team finding her. She looked frightened up into his cold calculating eyes and tried to fight against his strong grip on her, there was something in his eyes she didn’t like the look off.
“I’ve checked what you’ve told me child, where your from, the leader of your team is a friend of the woman I’m after, Empress Tricara, sources tell me she’s aboard your leaders vessel, now you’ll tell me what I want to know otherwise what you’ve been through, will come to an unfortunate end for you,” he said down at her.
“I’m not telling you anything, your that being that wants to kill the Empress aren’t you, well your not getting anything out of me, so do what you have to,” retorted Treketa she was frightened, but she was not prepared to let this barbarian think he could win.
“I’m Lord Robanna and Tristarcus is under my authorisation to rule, Empress Tricara is no longer the legal owner of the once said planet, when her empire fell, so did her ruling on decisions, she is now no more than useless, though she would like to think otherwise, I want to know her whereabouts, otherwise I will snap your pretty neck,” he said in a near warning whisper down at her.
“I don’t know where she is, so you might as well do what you set out to do,” said Treketa refusing to budge on telling him what he wanted, even if it meant her losing her life.
He unexpectedly for Treketa dropped her back on the seat and bellowed at her, that she had one houron to rethink seriously of cooperating and telling him where the Empress was, otherwise he would turn her into a Pleasure Queen, solely for his undivided pleasure, when he so wished to pass those boring moments in space. He studied her young prettiness, and was suddenly finding her very appealing to the eye. He would also wipe from her mind any past of being a member of the Amalthean Quests team. With this he walked from the room letting the doors slide quietly with sound of gentle compressed air, behind him. Treketa sat silently. She rubbed her neck, why was it she thought, that every time a creep like Robanna grabbed her brutally, they did it around her neck. How much longer could she keep this pretence up to save the Empress, she thought? Where were Tayce and team. Voices could be heard outside the entrance to the room and she heard the word, ‘Trinott’ spoken. It all suddenly clicked in her mind, Trinott was where Empress Tricara was heading to for the seminar.
“I can’t be on Trinott, that’s impossible, what would a creep like Robanna want on a paradise world such as Trinott, other than to be here for the Empress, maybe help is a lot closer than I first thought and Tayce is here already, I have to do something,” she said to herself in whispering thought.
She came to the conclusion, that she had to somehow try and find a way to contact the Amalthea. But how? Her feet were securely tied together with the force field restraints. She began looking around for the rooms communications facility for making contact with whoever in the outside Universe, there had to be one in there somewhere, unless Lord Robanna had already had it removed.
As soon as Tayce walked off the cruiser, she had a sharp premonitory feeling that someone she knew was in the vicinity and was in dire need of help. Where this person was, she couldn’t explain, only that they were present on Trinott and the feeling was so strong, it was almost nauseating. Tricara suddenly flashed into her mind, she was contacting her with the same feeling, together they talked back and forth with their minds in a Telepathic link up.
“Do you think Treketa is here, let me concentrate, I’m more stronger than you, I might be able to clear the signal of the urgent source,” said Tricara sounding helpful.
“Go ahead, this feeling is something I’m not enjoying,” replied Tayce.
“Sorry, it’s still unclear, it’s as if something is blocking me,” replied Tricara after a few cencrons.
“Don’t worry, we’ll start looking, we’ll meet later at the seminar,” replied Tayce breaking communications.
Tayce came back to the present to hear Tom saying if the kidnappers that had taken Treketa, had brought her to Trinott, then maybe they should start in the overstay area, were it would be a good place to hide out with someone. Suddenly the moment Tom said about the overstay area, Tayce had a flash in her mind again only this time it featured Treketa, in capture, in a room. But again she couldn’t pin point where. Lance as they exited fully onto Trinott found his sight was caught by a shady looking character who seemed to be watching all the females arrive. He was wearing hooded cloak type garment. He nudged Donaldo drawing his attention to where his attention, had been grabbed to. The shady character was still present and unbeknown to Lance had been one of the kidnappers that had taken Treketa, he’d been sent to watch for any sign that Empress Tricara was arriving by Lord Robanna, who knew that the Empress was still determined to attend the seminar. Lance decided to get Tayces attention. Tayce looked to where Lance was looki
ng and saw how suspicious the shady character was acting. He glanced in her direction and seeing that he had been rumbled, turned on his heels and began running off at great speed, disappearing from sight. This immediately roused Tayce suspicion, they were on to finding where Treketa was. They quickly hurried after the male in a sprint, heading across the room in the direction of the fleeing suspected kidnapper. They pushed through mingling people arriving, it was near impossible to get a clear indication of which way the kidnapper had taken, then Tom caught sight of him, heading off after him. Tayce followed. Lance and Donaldo went in the opposite direction, hoping to find a way of cutting the kidnapper off. Tom gained on the escaping male and when he was in launching distance, he sprang and brought the kidnapper to the ground with a crash. He scrambled to his feet, bringing the kidnapper up roughly onto his feet, right in front of him, even though he was trying to break free in the process. Just up ahead of Tom was Robanna and he was holding a gun aimed directly at him.
“Release my assistant human, or I won’t hesitate to shoot,” said Robanna.
Tayce as she caught sight of what was unfolding before her, discretely reached for her gun in her side holster. She was aware of the gun rules on Trinott, but when a member of her team and her husband was about to die before her, she didn’t care. Further up the corridor Tom was not releasing the being in his grasp, until he got some answers. Robanna had a feeling that Tom had something to do with the young woman Treketa, that he had in his hold and if he played his cards right, Tom could lead him to Empress Tricara, who he wanted in the first place.
“What is your business with my assistant, your not staff here?” demanded Robanna playing the moment to gain what he wanted.
“The names Lieutenant Commander Traun, you’ve got something that does not belong to you, namely one of my team, a female, I’d like her back,” said Tayce realising that this was none other than Robanna, the man that had been threatening the life of Tricara.
