Amalthean Quests One

by Jeri Dion

  “I have the woman you want, but I want something of you, Empress Tricara you know where she is, don’t you, I will hand you back the woman you want, in exchange for the Empress,” said Robanna giving Tayce a shear look of bribery.

  He had to be joking thought Tayce, there was no way she was prepared to hand over Tricara to the likes of this evil bastard. Lance stepped up behind her as did Donaldo. Lance discretely whispered to Tayce maybe they should play this Robanna along, ask to see Treketa, if he claimed he had her. Tayce agreed, then put forth the idea.

  “I’ll give you the whereabouts of Empress Tricara, but first I want to see my team member.”

  Robanna realised that this Lieutenant Commander was not stupid, he stood in thought, he knew that in order to get what he was after he would have to comply with what Tayce wanted. He agreed, much to Tayces surprise, turning he began off to where Treketa was being held. Tom shoved the kidnapper ahead of him roughly and followed. Tayce with Donaldo and Lance followed on, at a safe distance with their hands on their Slazer weapons, ready to use at a cencrons notice, they did not trust Robanna he could change his mind at a moments notice and they would be prepared.

  Treketa heard footsteps approaching and wondered how she was going to comply with what Robanna wanted without blowing the whereabouts of the Empress. As she had been trying to find the communications device without much luck, she jumped bit by bit, praying she would make it back to the chair, before Robanna burst into the room. She fell on to the chair, righting herself just in time. The suite doors opened behind her. Robanna entered, crossing to her. Treketa began, she couldn’t do what he had asked.

  “I’ve decided that I’m not telling you what you want, so you might as well do what you want to me,” she began angrily.

  “Silence! My plans for you have changed,” he said, putting up his hand to stop her saying any more.

  Much to her great relief in through the double doors walked Tayce, Tom, Lance and Donaldo. Tom smiled reassuringly down at her, silently telling her it was going to be all right.

  “Before I hand over this woman, there is something I want to tell you about your precious Empress, she was a commoner, her Father was the original leader of the planet Tristarcus, he and I were friends, he let Tricara make decisions and because she despised me, she made preparations for a ruling to be put in place that on her Father’s death bed I would never be allowed to return to the planet and take up commanding rule in her Father’s place and take the power of the Tristarcan Crystal, she made her people turn against me, never to trust me, so I went ahead and decided that when the planet was destroyed, I would take back what was rightfully mine,” Robanna explained.

  “You said you’d kill her if she turned up here, why?” asked Tayce, she was not being taken in by Robannas words, she found them fabricating and untrue, she’d known Tricara all her life. But she was prepared to let this Robanea continue incriminating himself.

  “Is that what she told you Lieutenant Commander?” said Robanna laughing.

  “The threats were genuine, I traced them and they came from your men,” spoke up Lance.

  Robanna quickly realised he was losing ground, so reached out and grabbed Treketa, putting his gun to her neck.

  “You give me the Empress, or I’ll do what I set out to do with your crew person here, the choice is yours Lieutenant Commander…” he said coolly, Treketa firmly in his grasp.

  Without warning the doors to the suite burst open and in ran six Trinott security guards. They nearly knocked Tom flying on entering so quickly. Behind them came the Empress herself. Tayce turned surprised to see her.

  “No doubt this lying barbarian has been filling your mind Tayce with lies about me,” she began staring at Robanna coldly.

  “Lies! You know it to be the truth woman, you know that your Father handed command to me when he passed, it was you that poisoned your peoples minds against me, I am the real ruler of Tristarcus and I therefore have right to rule on decisions here,” he said angrily back at Tricara.

  “Your what Tayce here would class as a criminal Robanna and you know it, my Father banished you from Tristarcus because of the laws you tried to force through, one being that our peaceful planet should go to war and become a planet solely for fighting, you wanted the Tristarcan Crystal to use for your powerful advancement in evilness you so craved, these black clad beings that you now class as your assistants have no minds of their own because of what you did to them, they serve only you and what you command, they were once two of Tristarcans most prestigious officers, until you started enticing them with grand ideas and turned them into what they are now,” said Tricara furious.

  “What are your desired orders Empress?” asked the security chief, dressed in a smart green uniform.

  “Make him release the girl, disarm him and take him away to do what you so wish to do with criminals such as him, I will contact you later with evidence to support that this man is a law breaker chief, to put him away for good, you might like to take his men too,” said Tricara.

  “Men do as the Empress here requests,” ordered the security chief.

  The guards surrounded Treketa and Robanna and gently set Treketa free. Robanna and his two assistants were led away under gun watch, their weapons primed ready to shoot, if any of them tried to escape. Once Treketa was free, she ran to the safety of Lance, who quickly put his arm around her and hugged her to him reassuringly. Tom felt somewhat peeved to find that Lance was the first person, she ran to for comfort, instead of him but just brushed it off.

  “Don’t think that you’ve seen the last of me Empress, this unfortunate halt in my plans is only a small blip but we’ll meet again, that you can count on,” said Robanna looking hard at Tricara as he paused on passing her.

  Tricara gave a look of total and utter disgust at him, then looked away. Tayce walked over to her. As she was finishing her discussion with the security chief. Treketa felt glad to be back in the secure comfort of Lances arms. Glad that her ordeal was over.

  “How come you knew where to find us?” asked Tayce curious to Tricara.

  “Firstly you roused security suspicion by the way you ran after Robannas man, I had to explain the situation and the Chief fully understood, he also said, that he was surprised to see me, he thought like others of the seminar organisation team that I had perished along with my people on Tristarcus, as I had not attended the seminars in previous times, I explained what had been happening, he fully understood and wanted to bring Robanna to justice, as we talked I saw where you were in my mind and here I am.”

  “So they wanted you to attend the seminar after all, perhaps if we’d spoken to the person in charge they would have stopped all this unnecessary trouble for you and Treketa,” said Tom stepping up.

  “Yes, I am so sorry for all the trouble that has been caused, especially to Treketa, If I had known what I know now, I would not have let any of this happen, I’m sorry Treketa, that you had to endure this unfortunate treatment at the hands of Robanna,” said Tricara walking over to her.

  Upon Tricara coming to a pause before Treketa, she left Lances side and unexpectedly to everyone present slapped Tricara hard across the face in outright anger. Lance quickly grabbed Treketa back reprimanding her softly, but sternly. Tayce was far from pleased, but realised she would probably feel the same way if she had been through what Treketa had been through. After gaining her composure Tricara, held nothing against Treketa for such an act, she couldn’t blame her. Donaldo moved Treketa away, he could see that she was in shock, because of her ordeal and he didn’t want her stressed any further, than she was. Tayce stood talking with Tricara.

  “How was the seminar, did it work out the way you felt it would?” asked Tayce trying to ignore what had happened, with Treketa and restore normality for Tricara.

  “Tayce don’t concern yourself, what Treketa did was a normal reaction, she’s i
n shock for what she’s endured and I probably would have lashed out the way she did too, being confronted by the person who had caused my unnecessary torture at the hands of that man, as for my seminar, there were lots of students who hold the gift of telepathic abilities, like yourself and I found it rather interesting to talk with them, I spoke to some of their teachers who helped them to adjust and fine tune their abilities and it gave me something to think about as far as projects go, I could help gifted children and students that find it hard to adjust in coming face to face with strange new powers, I was also thinking that I could become a teacher of gifted children and students on Questa, but that’s something to think about in the future,” said Tricara softly.

  “Are we heading back to Amalthea now?” cut in Marc softly.

  “Yes, if Tricara here is ready to leave,” replied Tayce looking to her friend.

  “It’s up to you, wouldn’t any of you like to take in the hospitality of Trinott before we go?” asked Tricara softly wondering.

  “No, they would not, we have a voyage schedule to return to, we only came to Trinott to assist you Tricara and rescue Treketa here, maybe the next time we’re passing through,” said Tayce sounding like the true team leader, that she was, that didn’t want her team going astray, by persuasive young attractive females.

  Tricara nodded understandingly. The Amalthea team plus Empress Tricara, walked from the suite where Robanna had thought he could get away with his unlawful threat against the Empress, in finishing her off once and for all and trying to trade Treketa for Tricara unsuccessfully. Tom slipped a loving arm around Tayces shoulders and guided her on out. Once outside, he let the others walk on and halted Tayce gently, turning her to face him, he figured now that everything was sorted, he owed her an apology for his behaviour he lowered his head and kissed her full and strongly on the lips and drew her to him in a strong passionate way. By this Tayce could pick up he was saying sorry and she liked it, giving in to him. She put her arms around his neck in response. They stayed together in a long lingering embrace for a few minons, just enjoying each other. Quite suddenly and out of nowhere Tayce felt that this intimate moment between them was something that would be somewhat limited, that somehow she was going to lose him, in the foreseeable future. The notion made her stop responding to him and draw away. He looked down at her concerned, not knowing why she’d abruptly stopped.

  “We should go,” said Tayce turning to walk off.

  “What is it?” asked Tom carefully, he could see she had something on her mind.

  “I can’t explain it, just tell me that you’ll always be with me Tom,” she replied looking back at his handsome features taking in the handsome man that she come to love deeply, tears almost welling in her eyes at the sadness she was unexpectedly feeling and for no reason that she could comprehend.

  “Come here, I’m not going anywhere, what makes you feel I would leave you,” he said walking to her.

  Together they continued on up the corridor heading back to the cruiser before it departed leaving them on Trinott. They walked passed people enjoying the somewhat enticing way of life that was Trinott, the Pleasure Queens, making them feel the most amazing kind of alluring pleasure, on the way to their destined suites. Tom smiled to himself, as a male guest and a female Pleasure Queen passed in a lost embracing pleasure. Tayce nudged him, she picked up on his thoughts and they weren’t duty based. As they went Tom found himself bothered by what Tayce had said, in him not leaving her, he would always be there for her. He wondered also if she knew something that he didn’t, owing to the influence of her powers. But he was a great believer in the saying, never worry about tomorron, because tomorron would take care of itself.

  Tayce and Tom arrived back on Amalthea and the doors closed behind them. On Tayces request Midge did a quick team check to make sure that everyone including Empress Tricara was back on board, then put into operation the procedure to depart the Entertainment Colony. As far as Tayce was concerned, it had been another successful Quest, everyone had won through in the end. Empress Tricara had been reinstated as ruler on decisions of her once home world Tristarcus and had been given back the right to share in planetary ideas and projects as once ruler of her home world. Treketa had been successfully found, much to everyone’s relief, after her frightening ordeal unfortunate for her. She would probably remember what had happened for a long time to come. As far as the sudden premonition Tayce had felt back on Trinott, about losing Tom, She would have to wait and find out what the future held. Whether it would come true. She for one, against all odds, didn’t want to think that it would.

  Trouble on Trinott

  After a couple of weekons Amalthea unexpected for the team was heading back to Trinott. It was by request of Lydia Traun, that the team attend a Space Exploration Equipment and Weaponry Exhibition. Tayce could not refuse to return, as her Mother was now her new chief and this returning journey was classed as her next Quest. She wasn’t the only one to feel uneasy about the unplanned return journey to Trinott, Treketa also was feeling apprehensive, considering what she had suffered on the last visit. Tayce though had assured her that the chances of anything like it happening again was a million to one. Empress Tricara was along again for the interest in the exhibition and since her status to vote as once ruler of Tristarcus had been reinstated, she was going back to Trinot to check out a few things, regarding planetary exploration, for her own interest. To see how things had moved on from the dayons as once ruler of her home world.

  “Trinott is in sight Tayce and closing,” announced Midge over the on board announcement system.

  Tayce and Tricara were seated in the on board Leisure Centre, with a cup of Coffeen, in discussion over Tayces abilities and especially the fact she had had the blinding notion the last time they had visited Trinott two weekons ago, she was going to lose Tom. Tricara didn’t know what to say, she began that she had bad news but not regarding Tom. Something that she had not told her the moment she walked aboard. Robanna had escaped his escort to trial and Questa Security who he had been handed over to, were at that moment trying to track him down. Tayce gave Tricara a look of almost horror at the news.

  “You mean he’s back on the lose, why wasn’t I told this, he nearly killed Treketa the last time,” said Tayce furious, standing to her feet.

  “Your Mother wanted you to take this Quest, the council were breathing down her neck in the fact that you hadn’t done this kind of Quest your undertaking now, a councillor by the name of Barkin is making things difficult for your Mother, on the nature of this voyage, she asked me to break the news to you the moment I boarded, I’m sorry Tayce, I feel like you do knowing Robanea is out here somewhere,” said Tricara standing and walking to Tayce.

  “My biggest fear is he’s going to show up at this exhibition and somehow he’s the way I lose Tom, I don’t know how, but I’ve this strong feeling, this is it for Tom,” said Tayce turning to face Tricara calming herself.

  “Don’t concern yourself, the mind has a ways of playing tricks on situations especially for people like you and me, we get stronger feelings than anyone else in our sudden premonitions, Chief Barnfords men are the best in their field for hunting down criminals, you’ve nothing to fear as I see it,” assured Tricara hugging her friend, though she wondered if Tayces premonition over Tom, would happen.

  Marc entered the Leisure Centre, he paused upon seeing Tricara and Tayce in a moment of comfort. He sauntered over asking silently what was the a problem? Upon him reaching them, Tayce turned and quietly explained what Tricara had just divulged, that Robanna had escaped during transit to trial. Marc pulled a face that said it all and sighed impatiently, at the fact. He suggest he leave the matter with him, he would see what he could find out further. Tayce finished the last of her Coffeen, whilst Marc suggested to Tricara she tell him exactly what she knew. He guided her on out of the Leisure Centre. Tayce watched them go she could never understand it, but
she always had seen a kind of deep admiration they had for each other and couldn’t quite understand whether it was just true friendship, or something more meaningful. It was almost like the kind of loving relationship a Mother had with her son. But to her knowledge they were not related. But Tricara was certainly old enough to be Marc’s Mother, if it were proven, somehow. Seeing the looming sight of Trinott approaching through the nearest sight port of the four, along the outside hull of the side of the cruiser, she quickly discarded her beaker in the waste incinerator, heading on out.

  Amalthea went into the final docking procedures on approach to the Colony/World of Trinott once again. Tom was waiting by the Docking Bay doors on Level 2. Tayce headed towards him, still with the feeling she was going to lose him suddenly, ever more stronger than before. She wished she could stop feeling the heart wrenching feeling. Tom explained as she came to a pause that Treketa and Lance had decided to remain on board to take care of the cruiser, it was their turn to take control duty, not that they minded. Tayce nodded understandingly, she knew that Treketa was feeling uneasy to be returning to Trinott so soon. Overhead suddenly Lance informed Tricara that a Questa aide called Daniel Mayford would be waiting to escort her during her visit to the Colony/World. Docking soon completed. The Docking Bay doors opened to reveal the walkway down into the Trinott Central reception area. The warm air and the sound of people and alien travellers down on Trinott came up the walkway in loud jovial noise. The Quest team consisting of Tom, Marc, Donaldo, Tayce, Duncan and Tricara walked forth down the walkway onto Trinott into the reception area. As informed, the moment they exited the walkway, the young Officer Daniel Mayford was waiting and walked forth introducing himself to firstly Marc, who to Tayces surprise because he was wearing a Questa uinform, asked for confirmation of his identification. The young pleasant faced officer, with blonde hair willingly obliged, taking out his ID, passing it to Marc. He nodded and handed it back to him. Daniel explained that he had been especially picked for this duty to Empress Tricara, by the Chief of Questa. He was one of Chief Barnfords special Security Escorts and was trained to take care of any untoward attack on the Empress, with the least of fuss, should it arise. With this Tayce watched as Tricara followed Daniel and left the teams side. She then placed her hand through Tom’s arm, in case one of the Pleasure Queens thought he was available and together the Quest team began towards the Space Exploration and Weaponry Exhibition that was going to show the latest in every aspect of space wares, for space exploration and every dayon living in the present spacial time of 2417. Tayce tried to relax. Tom looked down at her, he was growing concerned that she didn’t seem to be taking in the atmosphere, as if something was on her mind.