by Jeri Dion
“Are you all right, you look far away about something?” he said softly and quietly down at her.
“I’m fine, it’s just coming back to this place, brings back memories of what nearly happened when I thought Robanna was going to kill you in that corridor we were in, when we tracked that creep that ran off,” she whisperingly replied, glancing around at the many mingling interested sightseers, seeing demonstrations of the latest gadgets. Upon everyone entering fully into the Exhibition Area, Tayce suggested they enjoy the many interesting demonstrations, but they were to meet up later for the revealing of the latest weapon that could benefit both Questa and Amalthea. The team all nodded, then walked off to look at what interested them most. Going different ways. Tom and Duncan noticed the new engineering and latest in computer systems. Tayce found herself standing alone and Tom heading away. She glanced around for something to try and occupy her nagging continuous uneasy thoughts of losing Tom it was driving her crazy. Donaldo’s eye was caught by the medical stand and headed on over to see if there was anything he could consider for the cruiser.
“Excuse me, it’s Lieutenant Commander Traun Isn’t it?” said a male voice behind Tayce, so out of the blue it almost made her jump.
“Yes that’s me, how do you know my name?” she asked turning unsure of who the voice belonged to, quickly coming face to face with a handsome man in his late 40’s.
“Your somewhat of a legend in the galaxy, let me introduce myself, I’m the designer of the most up to date Slazer, that will I hope, benefit your team some dayon, I’m Cordec Parglen designer of the Pollomoss, which is the weapon that your seeing unveiled todayon, it’s an honour to meet you,” he said outstretching his hand for Tayce to shake in friendly manner.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, it’s good to see that technology is still being produced considering the cuts that are coming in, in funding on such projects, according to Questa Councillor Barkin, I’ll look forward to hearing all about this Pollomoss weapon,” replied Tayce shaking hands with Cordec.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to prepare for my speech,” he said pleasantly and walked away.
Tayce glancing around noticed there was a strong presence of security. Trinotts own security officers were placed here and there, especially in the vicinity of the Pollomoss weapon. Tayce began to think maybe as there was such a strong presence of Security, had they been asked as more than just guests and that they were expecting trouble, like the Pollomoss to be stolen in some way? Was her notion of losing Tom wrapped up in the middle of this possible trouble, sometimes she hated her powers, especially when they made her see possible scenarios ahead, before anyone else could.
“There seems to be a lot of security here,” said Tom discretely coming to her side.
“Yes I’ve noticed, I’ve just met the creator of the latest in weaponry design, for Questa, Cordec Parglen, he’s the designer of the Pollomoss weapon, it seems that’s why there’s a strong presence of security here, because of the unveiling of the Pollomoss and I think they are expecting trouble.
“Ladies, Gentlemen and honoured Alien Guests, would you all gather next door for the unveiling of the latest in space technology and weaponry design,” came the male voice of an announcer.
The Amalthean Quests team all gathered with the guests and slowly made their way into the next room. Six security officers fell in behind, heading to the outskirts of the room with their eyes on the crowd. Two closed the entrance doors. Tayce felt a sudden stabbing rush of unexpected panic, like she’d never felt before, ever. Something along the lines of sudden claustrophobia. It was obvious that whatever was going to happen to Tom was going to happen in their current surroundings, but even though the feeling was gut wrenching her mind would not let her see the proper picture, of how and who by. She fought to remain calm against the uneasy feeling and glanced around at the present guests focussing their attentions on the designer Cordec Parglen that was taking to the stand. Up on the stage on a white pillar, covered in a satinex white cover was the sleek shiny design of the Pollomoss Handgun. Cordec stopped to a loud and enthusiastic applause.
“Thank you for being here, many of you have come for pure interest, others have come to find out if this weapon the Pollomoss could be included in every dayon duty life, as you can see it’s the normal size of a hand Slazer weapon, she’s slim in design and lightweight, so both female and male members of crew or team can carry this little weapon quite comfortably, this is the prototype the first real model that will be available for Questa and Universal wide use within the next yearon, production is standing by to commence after todayons unveiling,” announced Cordec.
“I bet it packs a mighty shot, small weapons like that, are generally very powerful,” said Marc standing next to Duncan.
“Your right Commander Dayatso, this little weapon can disintegrate, an intense object like a wall, just by using the highest setting and when used as a weapon in battle, will disintegrate whoever it’s aimed at, leaving no trace, they even existed, hence there’s no bodies to clean up after a confrontation or battle,” replied Cordec hearing Marc.
As the presentation continued Tayce glanced around and in the crowd her sight caught a couple of shifty looking guests, looking uneasy trying not to be noticed. They were discretely whispering back and forth and glancing around in a summoning way, around the room, particularly at the Pollomoss, as if they were planing something sinister. Tom taking his eyes from Cordec, looked in the direction to where Tayce was watching something with great interest. The being that she had been watching in particular suddenly looked back at her with unemotional dark eyes, then glanced away. Tom lightly nudged her discretely, asking her what she was glancing at? She informed him that she was interested in two characters acting suspicious. As she looked back, they had gone. The doors were seen closing to the room and security were acting as if there was nothing out of the ordinary occurring, but Tayce senses were telling her otherwise. What was she to do, make a complete fool of herself by telling security that she had suspicions, only to prove it was her mind playing tricks and that the wrongful looking characters were none other than, just travellers passing through and had left innocently. She didn’t know what to do. The doors burst open as she thought the best plan of action, in walked two men. At first Tayce relaxed a bit, seeing that they were obviously designer techs and then were announced as such, by Cordec with him further saying that they had been responsible for putting the design before them together. One designer a thin knowledgeable looking man in his mid forties, the other young, like an assistant to the older one. They walked towards the stage. Tayce cursed silently as once more out of the blue she was feeling the stabbing in her head of the uncanny premonition, she just wished what was going to happen would materialise, so that her mind could leave her alone, before she was driven insane.
“Tom I feel something is wrong, I don’t know what, but something is evolving here in this room,” confided Tayce as Tom glanced to her again.
“Look I’ll meet you outside if it’s getting to much for whatever is bothering you, we can’t just bring it to the attention of security on a whim, we’ll be laughed at without any proof other than you just have some kind of notion something is going to happen,” he whisperingly replied.
“All right, fine!” she replied in return whisper.
She sauntered out of the crowd and discretely walked from the Hall, her heart pounding in her chest, fit to burst. She could feel the blood rushing to her face. The sound of Cordecs designers answering questions from the gathered interested parties continuing behind her. The security guard nearest the entrance smiled a pleasant smile at her and stepped aside, as she walked out the doors into the outer exhibition area. Just as she had exited the Hall there came the unexpected sound of a female scream behind her, followed by the words of a woman in panic.
“That man has got a gun.” Followed by the sound of further shouting and
screaming. A panic situation was unfolding from within.
Tayce turned back towards the entrance doors in shear alarm, upon hearing what was materialising. She glanced around to see if there was another kind of weapon, that she could use to stop what was going on. But as she glanced to the stand where the Pollomoss second display weapon should be, it was missing. Slowly it was beginning to all knit together, the second weapon had to be in the hands of the man the woman had shouted about a few minons ago. This whole scenario was beginning to bring out into the open the lead up to her premonition, she had to do something and fast. She had to warn security somehow. She headed back to the entrance into the Hall where Tom and the others were. A sudden Slazer burst sounded from inside the Hall, as she approached the doors. Tayce flinched realising it had to be the second Pollomoss. She stepped onto the threshold in front of the entrance and as the doors opened, a rough and broad hand reached out and grabbed her inside, roughly. As she looked at the being it belonged to, she saw that it was the one of the pair of men in the audience earlier that had met her gaze, as she studied him and his accomplices, before they left unexpectedly but now had re-entered the Hall for trouble. He hauled her round in front of him, facing the audience of frightened guests now crouching down on the floor. As he raised the weapon, Tayce could see it was the second Pollomoss gun. Tom as Tayce glanced over to him was shielding the Empress in amongst the crouched frightened guests, along with Daniel Mayford on the floor. Marc as he was nearest, tried to reach Tayce. The accomplice of the two men nearest Marc, kicked him in the midriff sending him back onto the floor in winded agony. To the female cries of the female members of the audience
“Get down with the others,” he commanded almost shoving his gun in Marc’s face.
“Join them and don’t look back, go!” said the leader of the two outlaws, pushing Tayce into the crowd.
Marc even though he’d been winded reached out grabbing Tayce to safety down beside him. He could feel that she was shaking from the shock of what happened, as he brought her into his protective hold.
“Who’s in charge here,” said the rough bearded looking leader, of the two scruffy looking obvious outlaws, as he fired off another shot from the Pollomoss in his grasp, for the fun of it, into mid air.
After another outburst of frightened female guests screaming, thinking that their end was not far off because these two gun happy outlaws would end up blowing them all to the next Universe, at the slightest touch of the weapons powerful Pollomoss setting, Cordec Parglen stepped forth.
“I am, this is my presentation and you sir are not welcome,” said Cordec to the point, giving the leader holding his design a cold icy stare.
“Then I guess you’re Cordec Parglen, great weapon sir, I congratulate you, you can now consider your gun tested,” said the leader breaking into a callous laugh.
Without thought the leader turned the Pollomoss on the security guards and open fired taking out every guard to everyone’s horror, with a spray of Slazer fire without a care, or thought of what he was doing. Tayce couldn’t believe what she was witnessing, sure enough in her, one to one old dayon of travels with Midge she’d come across scenes that no lone female should witness, but not where she had seen innocent men doing their jobs, disintegrated from existence where they had stood.
“You can consider your design a success Cordec and it also proves to you what I am capable of, these people will remain here until you hand me the real Pollomoss, oh yes, I am aware that this is a display model, so the real one that is probably in your reach, I don’t care where, I want it in seven hourons from now, otherwise there will be repercussions for all these people here, you can also arrange safe passage, once we have the weapon in question, you have been warned,” stated the leader in a harsh callous tone, then the doors opened behind him and ten more men rushed in causing more chaos for the crowd, carrying weapons.
The Hall fell silent as everyone of the members of the audience wondered just what was about to happen. Cordec began, it was not up to him to just hand over the real Pollomoss, even though he knew that the display model was in fact the first real weapon of it’s kind, he was just the designer of the gun, the rights had been sold to his design leader on Earthon 2. Tom glanced at Tayce in the shelter of Marc’s arm, she felt him looking and looked back uneasy.
“Seven hourons Parglen, if all you people here cooperate during that time, you will be released to your vessels, if you cause any trouble during this time, then the person who is causing it will be dealt with,” said the leader
“You haven’t told us who you are?” said Tayce standing to her feet she didn’t like this situation and she didn’t like being threatened.
“Gardlen, Dayfor Gardlen you are?” he demanded striding forward and walking to where Tayce was.
He paused and looked at her darkly, with mean dark eyes of cruel intent, he could tell she was going to be the one that was going to cause trouble, but he liked the look of her and decided to play with her a while. Tayce looked back at him refusing to be intimidated.
“I’m Lieutenant Commander Traun and what your trying to do here, won’t work, the main reception of this world are no doubt in talks with a security forces to rescue all of us and have a squad on their way right now,” said Tayce plainly.
“Hey Gardlen look who we have over, here it’s Empress Tricara,” called one of Gardlens men, who looked like he hadn’t shaved for a weekon.
Tayce turned to see the Empress in the grip of one of Gardlens men. Gardlen strode away from Tayce, over to where Tricara was. He upon reaching her pushed Tom back out the way, giving him a look that wanted Tom to challenge him, for pushing him. He grabbed Tricara in front of him, saying close to her right ear that Robanna sent his regards. She felt repulsed by his strong close presence and hated being in his hold. Tayce was feeling terrible at the strong onslaught of something happening rising inside of her, to much to bear, once again. To an overwhelming pitch.
“Seven hourons, that’s a long time to waste, I could do with something of a distraction, how a bit of Empress to keep me company,” he said eyeing her sexually interested.
Tricara had to swallow at the mere thought. It made her want to be sick. This barbarian before her made her cringe at the thought of what he had in mind, for seven hourons and she didn’t like the thoughts she was reading. Anger rose inside of Tom, he was finding it impossible to control his patience, especially the way Gardlen seemed to be touching the Empress and what he had in mind for her, he considered him a real bastard. He had to act, do something fast there was no way he could allow Tricara to be Gardlens meat.
“Take your hands off her, she’s not for the likes of you, you piece of space garbage,” retorted Tom, lunging for Gardlen, his face angry and his eyes dark with fury, which Tayce had never seen before.
Gardlen didn’t like the likes of someone trying to play hero. But this move Tom made, was the most stupid move he’d made to date. Gardlen before Tayce could act to stop it with her powers, as the thoughts she had been having all fell into place, put his Pollomoss into Tom’s ribs and fired, without thought. Right before Tayces eyes Tom disappeared gone forever. Killed in the weapon fire of the Pollomoss. She gasped in shear horror her world as she knew it had gone right before her eyes. She felt like she wanted to drop to the floor from the shear shock of what had just happened. She felt her heart almost rip apart from the shear awesome sight she’d remember for the rest of her life and etched on her mind for some time to come. She forgot that she would be putting herself in the same danger as Tom and now that she had lost the man that meant the Universe to her, she sprang at Gardlen without a care and full of angered fury, at what he’d done. Marc quickly grabbed her back in split cencron. He found it near damned impossible to grab hold of her, as she was filled with such violent rage, she wanted to kill Gardlen with her bear hands. Marc tried to calm her, she was hysterical with gut wrenching pain and uncont
rollable tears at losing Tom. Once Tayce was safely in his arms, he through a look that said it all at Gardlen, then tried to bring Tayce under control, soothing her strongly with words of comfort, which seemed to fall on deaf ears, she wanted to get Gardlen and she didn’t care if she was killed in the process.
“Shut her up,” said Gardlen at Marc turning the Pollomoss on Tayce ready to do just this if Marc couldn’t, if there was something he couldn’t stand, it was a hysterical out of control female.
“You’ve just killed her husband, you bastard?” said Marc angry fed up.
Tayce pushed away from Marc looking up at Gardlen with immense hatred in her eyes, she wanted time alone with him and the full use of her abilities she’d make him pay for what he’d done. Why she thought, why had her powers failed her, when she needed them to get rid of this murderer. Her normally beautiful features showed the shock and overwhelming hurt, that she was feeling, tears stained her delicate cheeks. Her whole life had suddenly plunged into the depths of darkened cold loneliness and despair in a split cencron, even though she had people around her trying to offer her support, she felt alone and if time had somehow stopped still right from the moment that Tom had disappeared. She’d lost her coupling partner and best friend who was a good member of team, just by one Slazer shot from. Gardlen. He showed no mercy as he looked back at her, unaffected by what had happened it meant nothing to him that she’d lost Tom, he was just another target. Tayce turned back to Marc’s warm comforting arms, feeling warm and safe. He hugged her like a big brother comforting his sister, in a great time of need
