Amalthean Quests One

by Jeri Dion

  On board Amalthea Lance Largon had problems of his own. He and Treketa had been watching what had happened and the shock had hit Treketa just as bad as it did Tayce, Tom was her brother, she was heartbroken. Lance held her in his arms trying to sooth her, as she broke her heart on his shoulder sobbing uncontrollably. Midge took control of the cruiser, but in his own way felt the pain that both his mistress and Treketa were going through. Tom Stavard had been an extraordinary member of the team and a good man. He recalled a memory of the first dayon, when he had arrived on the team and how he and Tayce had formed a very strong bond between them. He wanted to shoot this criminal Gardlen himself. Treketa broke away from Lance and ran off out of Organisation, she wanted to run and run to escape the pain of being torn apart inside no longer having her loving brother there for her as he always had been. Tears streamed down her face, as she ran. In Organisation Deck Lance knew that she wouldn’t be thinking straight.

  “Midge I’ve got to find her, there’s no telling what she’ll do in this state,” said Lance.

  “You go, I’ll let you know if she attempts anything foolish and where she is on route,” said Midge.

  Lance ran out of Organisation Deck in urgency. He called out to Treketa, as he went, hoping she would hear him and stop. He headed straight for the Level Steps and as luck would have it, caught her up on the second flight down. He reached out and grabbed her arm, to stop her, which she did. She turned looking up into his warm dark brown eyes hurting like nothing else. She could see he understood her pain.

  “Listen to me, you may be hurting right now, I’ve been there, I know what your going through, but think of Tayce, she saw what happened first hand, she’s feeling pretty much like you, probably worse, come here,” he said reaching out and pulling her into his warm reassuring arms.

  “You’re right, it’s awful, I’m sorry,” she replied in between sobs.

  Lance guided her on to her quarters, suggesting she take time out, to reflect, he’d be in Organisation if she needed him. Treketa agreed. No sooner had Lance seen her to her quarters when he Wristlinked to Midge ordering him to watch Treketa, inform him the moment she needed him. Midge agreed. Lance headed back to Organisation thinking about Tom himself, he had always got on well with him and he realised that there was going to be a big gap in all their lives for some time to come. What had happened to Tom had him thinking about the last moments before his Father’s death, he knew the kind of pain that Tayce had to be feeling at that moment. As soon as he reached Organisation, he took up his duty position.

  “How is she Lance?” asked Midge as he sat down.

  “Not good mate, like I said, keep an eye on her, if you know what I mean?” said Lance in thought he still wasn’t sure that Treketa wouldn’t try something foolish.

  “Would you like me to attend to anything?” asked Midge helpfully.

  “Get me Lydia Traun at Questa,” said Lance wondering how he was going to break the news.

  “Of course,” said Midge obligingly.

  Lydia soon appeared on Sight Screen and seeing Lance looking somewhat, as if something was badly wrong braced herself for the worst. And also ready to act to assist in anyway she could.

  “My God Lance what’s happened, what’s the matter?” asked Lydia, growing concerned, that something had happened to Tayce.

  “I’ve some bad news, devastating you could say you better brace yourself and sit down,” said Lance solemnly

  “Is it Tayce, what’s happened, tell me?” replied Lydia softly, beginning to feel she was about to receive the worst on Tayce, as she was impulsive at the best of times with her actions.

  “Its Tom. You know you sent us here to Trinott for the Exhibition, at the audience for the unveiling of the Pollomoss a band of outlaws raided the event and talk by Cordec Parglen, to cut a long story short, the leader of the outlaws, a character named Gardlen wanted to take Tricara for his pleasure time, Tom got in the way to protect Tricara, Gardlen shot him. There’s no easy way to say this, he’s dead Lydia,” said Lance swallowing in saddened thought, of what had happened.

  “No! I don’t know what to say Lance, my God, what of Tayce, she must be devastated, where is she now?” asked Lydia shocked almost speechless, her heart almost stopping too, at hearing the news.

  “Still on Trinott in the event from what I could see earlier, Marc was taking care of her,” recalled Lance.

  Lydia’s mind began racing of what she should do. After a few minons of thought she suggested he leave the matter with her. He enquired what was she going to do? She explained that Jan Barnford and his team would be sent out, this was an urgent situation, before anyone else got killed on Trinott. Lance informed her that as far as he could make out Gardlen had killed all the security guards at the event, claiming he was giving a demonstration of what the Pollomoss could do. Lydia gave a disgusted look and shook her head at the fact, then she ceased communications, the screen going blank. Lance relaxed back in thought.

  Back on Trinot at the Space Exploration and Weaponry Exhibition in the Hall, the chairs had been moved back against the wall and the guests were sitting down under gun watch from Gardlens men. Donaldo was concerned for the current state of Tayce, she looked full of emotional shock and drained in Marc’s arms. Gardlen had pushed Tricara back to a seat near Marc. He no longer wanted her for his pleasure, after all he was there for the Pollomoss and to escape the present surroundings undeterred with the best weapon to carry on his lawbreaking actions, out in the Universe. Glancing at his wrist time illuminated display, he calculated that it was four hourons into the situation and Cordec Parglen had been allowed, to go ahead and arrange for the release of the weapon. He decided to allow thirty of the fifty or so hostages, to leave. The remaining hostages included the Amalthean Quests team which Gardlen had found out he had in his presence, upon checking who remained. He decided that he was going to use them, as his pass to freedom. If the officials did not play ball and allow him the real Pollomoss and safe passage off Trinott.

  “You’ll never get away with this, first murder and stealing the Pollomoss, it will be life for you at one of the prison colonies,” said Tayce coming back to the present.

  “Wasn’t it enough to take out your husband Lieutenant Commander, let me tell you that’s where your wrong by the time any kind of security force arrives, I shall be long gone, into the next realm, so shut up and sit down before I test this weapon out on you and you join your husband,” he angrily retaliated, he figured she was now beginning to bore him.

  The time on the hall square faced clock read 24:45 it was near to midnight hourons, how much longer would they have to endure this fiasco thought Duncan. He then glanced at Tayce concerned. Donaldo felt frustrated he wanted to get Tayce back to Amalthea, she didn’t look right, quite strained and he didn’t know how she was hanging in there, considering what had happened. He discretely leaned towards Duncan.

  “What’s the chance of taking them out,” he put to Duncan, forgetting his medical ethics of taking a life.

  “No chance, to many of them have their guns primed on us, I don’t want to join Tom thanks,” replied Duncan in near whisper.

  The time ebbed away in the seven houron situation, that no one wanted to be in. Tayce felt tired and just wanted to get off their surroundings. Some of the guests that had been left behind, beside the Amaltheans had managed to grab what could only be described as uneasy sleep, waiting for the next outburst from Gardlen and his men. Marc glanced down at Tayce, he found it strange not to hear her and Tom whispering to each other plans that could possibly get them out of the current mess. He had to admit that he missed Tom he and Tom had had their differences, but they had become firm friends and Tom’s sudden demise had left a gaping empty hole for them all. It would remain like it for some foreseeable time and the more he thought about it, he realised that he was now Tayces right hand man, not that he wouldn’t want Tom to come
back, he would. He glanced around the Hall. Women and men from other vessels, that had been at the gathering to hope to put orders in for the Pollomoss remained silent, thoughtful even, the situation was stupid beyond words, he thought. Cordec sat on a seat now on his own, he had done all he could to contact the person in charge of releasing the Pollomoss weapon in Gardlens hands, it was just a case of waiting for the permission to come through on his communications device, rather like a Wristlink. The two designers that had been with Cordec sat on adjacent seats. Marc found that his eyes were getting too heavy to stay awake, he like the others slowly drifted into sleep, not caring what was going to happen in the remaining hourons.

  Next mornet the hostages were woken by the sound of the Pollomoss being fired. Tayce woke thinking that she had been sleeping with her head rested on Tom’s shoulder and she said a soft good mornet to him. Marc’s voice gently broke her sleepy pleasant thoughts, throwing her into a cold heartbreaking realisation Tom was gone. Tears welled into her eyes, she wanted to cry forever, she felt empty beyond words. Marc soothed her in an understanding way. Cordec was in the throes of being pushed towards the communication device in an uncaring way by Gardlen. Tayce felt her anger rise in her like never before and quite suddenly she decided that she’d had enough, she was damned if she was going to let the man that had killed the only man she had ever loved, walk free, even if she had to join Tom in the process, she stood to her feet. Marc was thrown into a blind panic on what Tayce was thinking of doing. He reached out, but missed her as she walked out of the group of hostages under everyone’s questioning gaze. Tricara called to Marc in urgent whisper.

  “What’s she doing, she’s crazy, she’s not thinking straight?” said Tricara in panic.

  “Being an idiot, I can’t reach her, I hope to hell she knows what she’s up to,” replied Marc in whispered alarm.

  “I want to talk with you Gardlen, I want to know how much longer your going to keep us all here in this situation, that you know you won’t escape from, your seven hourons is up, according to my Wristlink time,” said Tayce angrily.

  “Not you again, woman your nothing but trouble,” he replied walking down from the platform.

  “I want answers, as do the rest of these people here, so? “said Tayce giving him a hateful glare.

  Tayce stood her ground unafraid as Gardlen came towards her. He paused before her, trying to make her feel intimidated, but it wasn’t happening, the way she was feeling. Over his shoulder, he ordered Cordec to continue finding out how much longer he had to wait before he could leave with what he’d come for. He then looked back at Tayce studying her with the same evil sexual intentions he used on Tricara. Without warning Tayces Wristlink bleeped. It was Midge informing her that Jan Barnford was on his way with a top security team. Gardlen grabbed Tayces wrist, with the sounding Wristlink and activated it to hear Midge announce that help was on it’s way. This was something he did not want to hear. He gave Tayce a look that said it all He ripped the Wristlink from her wrist and dropped it to the floor stamping on it hard. Turning he ordered his men that trouble was coming, the plan had to be moved up a notch. Tayce glanced to Marc questioningly, he shook his head. Gardlen watched still in front of Tayce, as two of his officers walked to Cordec and bore down on him with their weapons primed. Cordec at this moment received communication that the permission to hand over the Pollomoss was in the final stages.

  “How much longer do I have to wait, maybe I should start to shoot someone, someone of importance to get things moving,” began Gardlen looking around the gathered group of hostages, for that very person.

  “I’d like to see him try,” whispered Marc, under his breath, his patience was now wearing thin.

  Gardlen moved his grip from Tayces wrist, to her upper arm. Why she had no idea, perhaps he thought he was thinking of using her as his first target if things went wrong. She felt no emotion before him, only hatred. She knew that she could not use her powers on him, for reprise, his men would probably take her out or one of her team. She and the team were trapped. She knew though that she would only have to play along with this outlaw and his gang, just a bit longer. She hoped it wasn’t long, because she could see his patience was wearing thin and he could kick off at any minon and start shooting.

  Out in the Universe and fast approaching Trinott was Jan Barnford and his top priority Security Patrol Team of Questa. Lydia Traun had given him orders to head to Trinott and rescue Tayce and the team from an outlaw and his accomplices, trying to steal the Pollomoss and who was holding a lot of hostages in the process. Upon hearing Tayce was in danger, it touched a raw nerve for Jan, he and Tayce had a kind of respect for each other and he thought the Universe of her. He considered her a true gutsy woman and he liked her. He admired how she was trying to clean up the Universe, of criminals in the current crime ridden time that it had become. He stood briefing his team on how important it was to rescue the Amalthean Quests Team and Empress Tricara. To make sure the remaining hostages returned to their vessels safely. As for the outlaws and their leader. He wanted him and his band of accomplices arrested for trial. His men nodded in total agreement. They ferried out of the briefing and off to prepare to head into their mission of importance. He thought about Tayce in the current situation and had heard from Lance on Amalthea, she was doing her best to play Gardlen along, giving him time to get to Trinott. All he hoped was she didn’t put herself in the line of extreme danger. Outlaws had a way of running out of patience and wasting woman like Tayce, just for the fun of it.

  On another part of Trinott it was hard to imagine that the hostage situation was under way, on the west point of the world, everything looked normal, no one was aware as to what was happening, just a short jaunt away, they were laughing and enjoying the Paradise Holiday Resort, for what Trinott was known for.

  The air was silent once more in the Hall. Gardlens men now had their weapons primed on the hostages. Tayce was back seated with Marc, minus her Wristlink. Gardlen was walking about in summoning thought of what move to make next. A sound sounded on the communication device, that Cordec had been using to ask permission to let the Pollomoss go. He answered it. Gardlen glanced motionless towards the designer who had been waiting. Cordec nodded. Gardlen did a triumphant cheer, he could get the hell off Trinott, then he turned asking what of his passage out? Cordec shook his head, this had not been granted. Without further thought he was beaten by the two men, nearest him for failing to get what Gardlen wanted. Tricara shook her head in disgust at the scene of the two rough men, taking turns to beat Cordec to a near unconscious state.

  “Lieutenant Commander as your Amalthean cruiser is in orbit, I have decided to travel in style in leaving here, you wouldn’t mind having us as guests for a while would you, we’re well behaved, I promise,” he said glancing to his men and smirking, then walking over to Tayce.

  “You won’t even get the chance to step one foot on Amalthea, my guidance computer would kill you the moment you tried, he’s programmed to get rid of intruders like you,” replied Tayce.

  “Is that a fact, smart computer, if he’s a good little computer, he will do as I instruct him to do, if he values the life of his crew,” replied Gardlen his eyes turning cold.

  Tayce could see that he had another handgun in his side hip holster and an idea was running through her head. One that she’d try, when she knew that Jan Barnford was coming close to their surroundings, she’d put into practice. There was no way she’d allow the likes of Dayfor Gardlen putting one foot on her cruiser, not if she could stop it. He backed away without suspicion and returned to his men laughing as they did.

  In orbit of Trinott Jan’s Patrol Cruiser had gone into a stationary orbit. Out from underneath came a group of armed fighters, taking up positions around the Departure Area, ready to open fire on the outlaws if they tried to escape with the Pollomoss. On board the Patrol Cruiser, the remaining officers of Jan’s elite team were checking their
handguns and making sure their protective suits were properly placed to avoid personal injury. Jan was dressed in full combat attire, he was taking part in the successful apprehension of these so called thieves and rescuing the hostages, including the Amalthean Quests team.

  “Remember your briefing, apprehend the outlaws and the leader for questioning later and Trial, I don’t want any casualties or deaths, to report on our side,” pointed out Jan in ordering tone.

  “Sir!” came the reply of his men, all at once.

  “Right lets go,” said Jan striding ahead of them, in a determined military way towards the Transpot Centre in urgency.

  This duty ahead of Jans men was all in a dayons work, they had tackled loads of criminals in this kind of tricky situation before. They were considered elite, for their smooth actions in quickly bringing a situation to a successful completion, in quick time. This team were known as S.S.W.A.T (Space Special Weapons and Tactics) team and Jan had only just been granted the status by Earthon 2 chief of the Earthon 2 equivalent to Jan’s team because of a practice session, they had to perform to gain such recognition. They had passed with flying colours. Jan’s pilot gave the all clear to move in. The men took to their positions in the Transpot. It activated and they de-materialised to the surface, into a near vicinity of the place of apprehension.

  Back on Trinott, Gardlen had received word that a S.S.W.A.T. Team from Questa, was in orbit and upon him hearing this he was striding towards Tayce, he wanted his passage off his surroundings and Tayce was the one to give it to him, whether she liked it or not he didn’t care. He grabbed her back onto her feet holding the real Pollomoss now in his grasp. Tayce pretended to struggle, as she had decided the plan she had was a good one. She had confided in near whisper with Marc and even though he thought it was risky, it was quite feasible.