Star Raiders and the Lost Expidition (10 page)

“
That beef Wellington was delicious your highness,” said Mike trying to make Tygla’s mood better.

Justin added, “Yeah, the dinner was great.”

Then they followed the princess out the door and into the hall. She then turned towards and snapped at Mike with an unpleasing look on her face. She did not like the way Mike was wondering about her brother. She was so mad at her father she took it on her new friends.

“
Look, I know that you’re upset,” Mike said calmly.

“
Upset?!” Tygla snapped, “You have any Idea what you did back there?”

“
Do what?” He replied.

Tygla said arrogantly, “Offered my father your assistance. I told you he wouldn’t help, didn’t I?” Mike was then speechless as she continued down the corridor feeling so mad at him right now. Mike realized that he screwed up and wanted to apologize to her somehow. Once they gotten to Tygla’s room she suddenly snapped at them again, “And if you ever talk to my father like that again, I’ll, I’ll, I don’t know what I’ll do, just…Arrrg!” She then stormed into her room and closed the door.

“
Nice going Casanova,” remarked Justin.

Mike replied, “What did I say?” He sighed awfully and continued, “I better go talk to her.”

Justin nodded, “Good idea, I’ll give Digan a call to see if he got another job, just in case this one doesn’t work out.”

Mike nodded back as Justin when to their room. Mike wanted to find out what he did to upset her. Maybe he can apologize and make her feel better. He pushed a button next to the door and a soft tone rang.

“
Go away,” she cried. She did not want anything to do with Mike anymore. He then realized how much he upset her. Then the door slid open as Mike walked in. He saw her lying on her luxurious lace canopy bed crying in her pink satin pillow. Her room was the same size of Mike’s, but it has a sense of feminine décor only a princess had. “I told you to go away,” she said sobbingly.

Mike said gently, “Listen Tygla, I’m sorry what I said to your father at dinner,” Tygla looked up at him in a confused face. He saw her tears and frowned, “I just wanted him to know what we were doing, so he won’t worry.”

“
Worry?! Michael, he practically sent my brother to his death,” Tygla replied unhappily. “He doesn’t care about us anymore. All he cares about is his kingdom and his people. I don’t know who he is anymore.”

Mike sat next to her and said, “Hey, he’s a father, at least that’s what I saw on the landing pad. He’s also a leader. I bet it was hard for him to decide between the two. Just like my dad did when we got separated. They love us, so don’t say he doesn’t care for you, because he does.”

She just looked at him then hugged him tightly as she cried some more. Mike rubber her back trying to calm her down. She then sniffed her nose trying to stop as she realized he was right, “I suppose you are right. Look, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just mad at my father for what he did, trading my brother’s freedom for my planet. But, I-I suppose it was wise for him. I-I just love him so, you must understand that.”

What they did not know was King Rymu stopped outside her door. He frowned, knowing this hurt her so. If he had the manpower, he would go after the Xatu that kidnapped his son.

“
I know you do,” he said trying to comfort her, “But uh you know, I just realized something,” Mike continued, “We’ve never done a rescue mission before I don’t think.”

“
What?!” Exclaimed Tygla as he looked to him sniffling.

Mike wiped her tears away from her soft face, “Well we’re treasure hunters. Not rescuers.”

“
That’s why you tried to get advice from my father. So why did you take the job?” She asked looking sternly in his eyes.

“
We’re desperate for money and back on Cian you seem desperate for anybody to help you. Therefore, I rather figured we’d help each other out. Hey, it’s first time for anything.”

Smiled a bit and said calmly, “I suppose.” Her expression changed to sadness as she gazed down to the bed sheet, “But what the use now, for all I know, he could be...dead by now.”

“
Don’t say that,” Mike said lifting her chin, “You got to have hope.”

She nodded to him looking into his blue eyes.

“
You know you’re right, my father does love me,” she said as she calmed down, “I’ve just been a selfish cub. Maybe I should apologize to him.”

Rymu smiled and at that remark, at first he did not know what Mike was until now, a caring person. He was a bit surprised that Tygla lied to him, saying that Mike was a personal guard, but he guessed that she had a good reason. Tygla could not pick out a better guard. He decided to leave them alone and went to bed.

Tygla paused for a moment, looked at Mike more obsessively than before, and said softly, “You know, the first time I saw you, something inside me said you were the right one, for me.” She then kissed him tenderly on the lips. A spark ignited between them. Tygla never fell in love with a human before, but Mike was somehow different, “Thanks,” she said softly. “And for some reason, you are right about my brother. I could feel that he still out there and alive, and he needs our help. Meet me in the control room in ten minutes,” Tygla said.

“
Aright,” Mike said.

He was still dazed from the kiss and hesitated for moment before getting up. He wanted to stay longer but he knew she needed her privacy.

Once he left, Tygla just realized what she did. She kissed a human. The law forbade a Felinis to fall in love with one. Ever since Earth probes discovered and colonized Felinorin, a short civil war broke out when Tygla’s great-great aunt fell in love with a human. Her great-great aunt’s father disapproved and declared war on the humans. Their successors did not like this and banned inter racial relationships, but Tygla did not care. That was from the old days, before the Xatu. Mike was not like the other humans or male Felinis. He was different. He was someone that she could express her feelings to without him turning his head away, uncaring about her. She did not want any snobby royal duke or prince like that. She wanted someone who led an exciting life, like Mike. It was a little stupid at first, but Tygla thought that she was falling for him. Even though her father and brother would be furious if they knew that she loved him, she had to keep this her little secret.

She then closed her eyes, feeling a bit scared, but she sighed shaking the feeling away. She looked in her mirror admiring her beauty and wondered if he felt the same as she did. She changed in her pink satin pajamas and met Mike and Justin in the Control Room.

The door opened in the darkened control room. As Tygla hushed them to be quiet, she turned on the lights. Technicians filled the entire room with computers and comport screens.

“
If your father finds out we’re in here, he’ll kill us,” said Justin.

Tygla replied, “Don’t worry, the electrical security devices was damaged in the battle.” She turned on one of the working equipment, an Electric Graph Grid as the two looked around. “Besides, by father wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s gentle as a cub.”

“
Look at all this stuff,” Justin fantasized.

Tygla had better equipment then they did on the
Condor
. He saw an Advanced Weapons Console in the corner, a modified shield generator panel next to it. He also saw a Crylon Crystal Generator controller on the other side.

Tygla replied, “Most of this stuff has been damaged from the battle,” she typed in her password and continued, “Except for this.”

“
Can you get in?” Mike wondered

“
It’s not problem for me,” she replied trying to impress them. Especially Mike, “I have complete access to all the computer networks.”

A holographic screen appeared in front of them showing a menu:

* RECALL

FIND

LIST

SPECIAL

She jogged down to SPECIAL and hit the return key, and then another screen appeared. She typed in HADES and said, “These are stolen structural plans for the star ship Hades. A few weeks ago before the battle we had one of our spies retrieve them for us.” She frowned of what happened, “He didn’t quite make it back from Mars, so he transmitted some of its data. What we got wasn’t enough to find a weakness or anything, but it was enough to find out what we were dealing with.” The screen then changed into a complex map formation. She scrolled around the screen until she found what she was looking for. “Our specialist examined the plans for any outer defense weakness, but they were unsuccessful. My brother should be held here,” Tygla pointed and continued, “At Prison Center #5. My plan was to go through the air ducks and surprise the guards. My only problem is getting into the ship. As far as I know the ship’s impregnable.”

“
That’s where we come in huh?” Mike said.

Tygla replied, “Yes, any ideas?”

“
Hmmm, well this is not the temple on Mota but,” He paused a bit thinking, “The problem is not getting in the ship, but getting near it. I am sure that ship got a long-range scanner. Say Justin, did you ever get that Ghost Shield of yours working yet?” Mike asked.

“
It still has few bugs in it,” he replied, “But I suppose I can work on it before we leave.”

“
Good,” Mike said as he looked back at the screen.

“
Ghost Shield?” Tygla inquired.

“
It’s a new cloaking program that works on scanning systems. Now, what’s that?” Mike asked pointing a small rectangular door at rear of the ship.

Tygla looked and answered, “Why that’s a garbage chute. You’re not thinking of entering through there, are you? That’s crazy, the only time that door is open is when they go into Hyper Flight.”

“
Well then, we got to be quick, don’t we,” Mike replied.

Tygla added, “If we gonna be quick, then we should find a safe place to hide.”

“
Where’s the ship now?” asked Justin.

Tygla exited the program and brought up a space grid map showing Hades moving upward besides a large asteroid field. “It’s a good thing one of our best pilots placed that homing signal on it before it departed. It looks like it’s still in the outer reign of the Deneb System, near a Xatu space station,” she said.

Mike started, “Justin, remember that time we were being chased by Tuskin in that asteroid field in the Solar System a few weeks ago?’

“
Yeah,” Justin replied, “What about it?”

“
Do you remember what happened?” He asked.

Justin answered, “Yeah, we hid in one of the asteroids and waited for him to leave. You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking?”

Mike replied, “Yeah, we’ll just hide and have them come to us.”

“
And when they do,” Tygla added excitedly, “We enter with no one knowing it. Oh Mike, it’s brilliant. Okay,” she turned off the Electronic Graph Grid and continued, “We’ll leave tomorrow morning at o’six hundred hours,” she got up and they left the command room as Tygla turned out the lights she said, “You better get a good night’s sleep, because we a got long day ahead.”

“
Hey? What’s this we stuff?” Mike said, “I thought you were grounded.”

“
I am,” she replied, “You don’t think I actually listen to my father do you?”

“
Well I…I don’t want you to get into any more trouble that’s all.” Mike said awkwardly.

Tygla replied confidently, “Mike, I will be with my private guards, and I am sure my new private guards will protect me from harm?”

“
Of course,” Mike replied.

“
Good,” she said as they looked into each other’s eyes for a moment. “Now goodnight you two.” She trotted off to her room smiling.

“
Sweet dreams my princess,” Mike said dreamily.

Chapter 4

The Rescue

Early that morning, Justin and Mike were already on board the
Golden Condor
and Tygla just walked up the ship’s ramp that led the small area that adjoined two other small rooms, the cargo bay and the lounge. She could not wait to see her brother again. She barely got sleep last night thinking about it and about Mike. She thought how wonderful to go out on a date with him, if he asked. She wondered where they would go and what they would do. Probably something exciting, but her brother must come first. She wondered about Xman, what the Xatu must be doing to him. She thought that they must pay dearly for taking him away from her, just as they did with their mother.