WARNING:

This is a story of friendship, commitment, love and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, please do not read this story. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright.

Authors' Note:

Let me know if you like the story - you'd be amazed how much that encourages me to continue writing.

Sam Lakes

sam_lakes@yahoo.com

Queststar

By Sam Lakes

Chapter 6

Trender, and then the Commodore, exited the officers' mess and spotted Zaron half-way down the corridor, leaning with his back against the bulkhead gasping for air. Trender turned and ran towards Zaron.

Zaron held up his hand signaling Trender to stop, and cried, “STOP!” Trender came to a dead halt, then started to move forward, but was stopped by the firm hand of the Commodore on his shoulder.

“Wait,” whispered the Commodore to Trender.

Zaron threw his head back, his body began to shake and he let out a wail as he began to cry. Looking at Trender between sobs, he said, “Trender, stay... stay... away... from... him. Don’t let... (gasp) let him near you.”

Trender pulled away from the Commodore and closed the distance between himself and Zaron.

“Stay away from who, Zaron?” asked Trender.

“The steward... he’s bad. Promise me you won’t let him near you. Pleeeze!”

“I promise!”

The Commodore knelt down on the other side of Zaron and asked, “Zaron, why is he bad?”

Zaron began to shake, then grabbed the Commodore’s hand in both his hands. “Because of this!” sobbed Zaron as he transferred the stewards memory to the Commodore.

The Commodore felt nauseated when he watched the steward's memory play in his mind. What he saw was a violent beating and murder of a young boy. The memory was only two days old.

“Cadet Nucomb, I am ordering you to take Cadet Queststar to my quarters. Here is my pass-key. Do not stop or talk to anyone on the way. When you get to my quarters lock the door and let NO ONE IN unless I am present. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir, but what happened?”

“CADET! This is not the time for questions. GO!”

Trender helped his extremely distraught roommate to his feet, and then heaved Zaron across his back and shoulders and rushed away.

The Commodore returned to the officer’s mess and walked straight to Commander Torgas, the Senior Security Officer of the Royal Protectors.

“Commander Torgas, a word.”

Commander Torgas stood up and moved to the Commodore’s side, “Yes, Commodore.”

“I want the steward that served the officer’s table taken into custody and held for questioning. If he asks what it’s about tell him you’re investigating a murder. I have reason to believe he brutally murdered a young boy called Sestan Lyiran on Quad-1 two days ago. Once he’s in custody, come to my quarters and I will share the information with you.”

“Yes sir, I’ll see to it immediately,” said Commander Torgas and proceeded to call two of his men.

The Commodore returned to the Captain’s table, “Captain, my apologies, but my nephew is not feeling well and I must attend to him. Cadet Nucomb has taken him to my quarters.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Commodore. By all means, take your leave.”

“Thank you Captain,” said the Commodore before turning to Commander Nucomb and saying, “George, I think you need to accompany me, as he is one of your cadets.”

Commander Nucomb excused himself and the two left the officers' mess.

“Okay, Jack, what’s this about?”

“Well, there is something you do need to know about Zaron Queststar. He can mind read. Furthermore, he is extremely good at it.”

“Whoa! You’re not kidding me are you?”

“No. Something happened at the dinner when the steward tried to serve him. Did you notice him touch the steward?” asked the Commodore.

“No. He was blushing like my nephew and staring at his plate. He didn’t touch the steward at all, but the steward tapped him on the shoulder, and when he didn’t respond he tapped him on the neck. Then, next thing I saw, Zaron looked like he was in pain and ran from the mess.”

“That explains it,” said the Commodore as he and the Commander hurried along the passage.

“Explains what?”

“Zaron saw an extremely violent murder. He has the ability to pass on another person’s memory or trigger one of your own so that you remember. I saw the murder, Robert. It made me sick. I’ve had Jorgen hold the steward for questioning. I’m going to see if Zaron can pass the memories to Jorgen.”

Trender was sitting at one end of the couch, and Zaron was staring into space at the other end of the couch when Trender let the Commodore into the room.

"Zaron, Commander Targus will be here shortly. I would like you to transfer the steward's memory to him," Commodore Feder said as he knelt in front of Zaron.

Zaron acknowledged the Commodore's request by nodding his head and then seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

Commander Nucomb noticed that his nephew seemed to be lost in his own thoughts too.

"Trender are you ok?" asked the Commander.

Trender nodded, but didn't speak for a minute or so, then said, "I think I'll go to the cadet mess hall and get something to eat."

"That's right, none of us has eaten," said the Commodore, "Perhaps, you could have them send up some sandwiches for us. And Trender speak nothing of this to anyone."

"Yes sir," replied Trender, solemnly.

Zaron watched Trender leave without even glancing at him. It was obvious to Zaron that Trender was upset because he’d told Trender that he read the steward’s mind by accident.

As the door opened for Trender to leave, Commander Targus arrived.

Zaron had met Commander Targus numerous other times, and liked the man, so the memory transfer was over with fairly soon. On his way back to his room, he grabbed a sandwich from the tray that had been sent up to the Commodore.