Chapter 4

Six A.M. The Morning After The

Kidnapping

Every world in the galaxy knew of the Queen's kidnapping.

It was the center of every body"s conversation and thoughts.

All were worried. Where was the Queen? Had she been

kidnapped? What other options were there? The whole galaxy

was in a state of turmoil. Nothing seemed safe anymore. What

would happen next? Every soul dreaded that answer.

Of course, as Captain Dem had said, they carried out

there extensive investigations. Also, as he had predicted, it did

them no good. They found some finger prints (which led to the

kidnapped theory) but when studied, they couldn't be

identified. It was as if the owner of the finger prints had never

existed.

Meanwhile, Queen Maelynne, unable to sleep paced the

floor, lay on her bed, paced some more. She was worrying her

dainty brain to pieces. Wondering, 'What really is Mi"cio? Are

the tales true? The Captain seemed nice enough. Just a

show? What is going to be done with me? Can they really be

trusted to do exactly as the Captain had said?' She gave a

bitter laugh. The ominous Mi"cio and she was wondering if

they could be trusted! As those worried thoughts faded away,

thoughts of Captain Dem filled her mind. She could still see

him in her minds eye. Tall with dark hair. It looked like he

had tried to style it neatly. But it simply wouldn't obey him. A

smile touched her pretty lips as she pictured him. His eyes

were, rather nice, she reflected. A gray/green color. Dark

brown hair. He tried to look tough and all leader like, though,

in her opinion, he didn't quite pull it off with his boyish

features. Very nice looking, she decided. 'I should like to draw

him someday.' She stood, pacing again. "Ugh!" she groaned,

Here she was, daydreaming of the commander of the people

who had just kidnapped her! "I am losing my mind!" she said,

the sound of her voice in the nearly empty room made her

jump. She shook her head. 'I am afraid of all the wrong

things.' She thought ironically.

**************************************

"This is insane." One of the investigation team members

complained. "How can a Queen disappear without a trace?"

"Theoretically, its impossible." Another team member agreed.

"Exactly. I wonder if she even was kidnapped." The first

investigator said.

"What do you mean?" The second investigator asked.

"Think about it. She gets married. She is Queen for less then

a month when her husband is mysteriously killed. Then two

years later, the same Queen mysteriously disappears without

a trace, except for a few unidentified finger prints. Doesn't

that sound a little off to you?" the first Investigator asked.

The second investigator hesitated. "Yeah," he whispered, "I

guess so, but I wish you wouldn't talk so."

The first investigator laughed harshly, "Its just a matter of

time until all find out the answers to all these 'mysteries'! You

just wait and see!" he promised.

**************************************

"Captain, has it been long enough? Can we release the name

of the Highness' captors?" The commanding officer asked.

Captain Dem paused thinking. "Yes," he agreed slowly, "Yes, it

is time."

The commanding officer gave the order and the name

Mi"cio was connected to the Queen's disappearance.

**************************************

"Sir? We have just received a message from an unknown

source. It concerns the Queen, Sir."

The commander"s jerked around. "The Queen! Why didn't you

say so in the first place!" he scolded. "Find where it originated.

Quickly!" he ordered. A few moment of impatient silence

followed until...

"Got it!"

"What is it already?" The commander demanded.

"Umm...Mi"cio, Sir."

Silence erupted again.

"Mi"cio?" the commander whispered.

All the old tales and stories flooded back to there minds.

None of them very pleasant. All stood very still considering

this. Nobody seemed sure how to proceed.

Finally, the recovered commander asked hoarsely, "What does

it say?"

The officer quietly read:

" 'Planet Base Mi"cio has captured Queen Maelynne.' It

includes a picture, Sir, in Mi"cio prison."

The commander viewed the picture. "I see." Was all he said.

Silence again.

"Sir? What are we to do?"

The commander stared into the distance. "I'm not sure." He

quietly admitted. Suddenly, the air felt much colder.