Alien kidnapping, or was it Chapter 24

Alien kidnapping, or was it
Chapter 24
 
Sam was still smiling when he felt Queen Triada's thoughts. Are you well? We felt a great evil advancing upon the planet. However, you reacted far faster than any triad could.
 
Surprised, Sam replied, I'd have thought you faster with as many of the minds you have made up the triad. Sam replied, still wondering what Triot was up to.
 
Queen Triada shook her head, and we must gather before acting. We had detected Triot approaching and were almost ready when you struck out.
 
Sam nodded that he understood, though again he felt a little foolish, knowing the queen couldn't see him.
 
Sam walked out, heading toward where his parents were. A smile slowly crept to his lips as he could feel their power far higher than he thought it would be.
 
He was about to speak when an older male with black and white hair appeared. Next to him was a slightly younger female with red hair. Shaking his head, he tried to remember the male's name, forget the female, as he'd never seen her before.
 
Slowly approaching the two new people, Sam stopped the male momentarily. "I apologize; I know you, though; I can't recall your name."
 
The male smiled as he shook Sam's hand. "You were out it when we met; I am Rycon, Raydy's father. This gorgeous creature," he said, indicating the red-haired female, "is Natita, my mate."
 
Almost as if called, Raydy appeared, looking at the three of them. "Are you feeling better, mother?" She asked.
 
Natita looked into Raydy's eyes a moment, then smiled. "How could I forget my baby girl?" This led to a lot of hugging and kissing that Sam quietly excused himself from.
 
He'd turned toward his parents again when a soft tap appeared on his shoulder. "I did as you asked. At first, nothing happened, then it felt like something was flowing from me into him."
 
Sam turned with a smile, then nodded to Thantas, "You will have to use it as often as you can when your power comes back up."
 
"I wanted to ask," she started pointing to Rycon, "he is..."
 
"Yes, I saw the damage and the new tissue. You did a good job even with the little you did; you have saved him and gave him more time. I'll finish; you did very well."
 
Thantas could only stare at Sam with her mouth open; could he read minds, too?
 
Sam smiled at her, then walked back to Rycon. "I think that it's time you no longer had the threat of death around your neck." When Rycon put his hand to his neck, Sam had to explain that it was a saying on Earth where he had grown up.
 
"I have heard the others speak of your extraordinary healing abilities. I also heard that it weakens you significantly. I don't want you to be weak if we are attacked again." Rycon said.
 
"I recover far faster than you might believe," Sam said. "Besides, with as much as she managed to do, this will be easier for me.
 
Rycon nodded as Sam placed a hand on his chest; within a short time, Sam removed his hand, bouncing to Rycon. "There, I can no longer detect any more damage."
 
Rycon and his mate could only stare at Sam; Rycon took a deep breath, amazed there was no pain. Triann approached a moment later, running a small black box over Rycon's chest. A huge smile came to her lips as she nodded.
 
"You are clear of all damage; all the tissue is healthy with no ill effects left," Triann said. She then turned to Sam, running the box over him. "It appears that you are nowhere as weak as you were when
 
You healed Tynco. Your body has finally started to adapt; your healing is far more potent than it was.
 
Triann was about to turn when Sam grasped her wrist. Triann's mouth dropped open as she felt several things wrong with her, starting to write them themselves.
 
"I'm sorry, Mother, I wasn't complete with your healing. Perhaps now you feel more like yourself?" Sam said, a small smile on his face.
 
"How? I have never heard of an Osmosis healer being able to achieve this!" Triann said, her eyes wide in surprise. Taking out her small medical apparatus, Triann's mouth opened even further. "All the damage, down to the micro-cellular level, is gone." She turned back to Sam, shock, and surprise on her face.
 
"As I explained to Thantas, I want to help as much as possible. I suppose that my desire for that has helped."  
Sam told her.
 
Sam's father walked up at that point, concerned for Triann. "My dear, are you well?" After she explained to him what Sam had done, a broad smile broke out on his face.
 
"So, you have far more control than you thought," Fino said. Then, he was in shock when he felt a stirring in his body as soon as Sam touched his shoulder.
 
Again, Triann was passing her medical handheld, this time over her mate. Her mouth was still open as she dropped her device, grabbing her mate in a tight hug.
 
"I hadn't thought it possible; all anomalies within us are gone. All the genetic errors I had been trying to correct are as they should be." Triann said. They both turned to stare at Sam for a moment. Their faces held shock, then giant smiles.
 
Well, giant smiles until they start to float slightly off the ground. Fino looked at Triann and then back to Sam.  
 
"So, this was your plan? To accelerate us, we would be ready far faster. Impressive, though, as I told you before, we haven't had a body for a long time; we still need the time to reacquaint."
 
"I realized that when I did this, though you might consider, I did more than just accelerate your bodies," Sam replied.
 
Fino's eyes got even wider when he felt inside. "It's... by the whole of our race! I fell as if I rarely lost my body." Turning back to Sam, Fino nodded his understanding. "Though I know we won't be fully powered, we will be further along than the enemy expects. We may not win at present levels, but we will only go down slowly.  
I commend you, son. You're perfect."
 
Sam nodded in agreement, "So far, I have only advanced you, Mother, and Rycon. Rycon's mate is still recovering, so we will have to wait. I am almost finished with Tynco, though I need to do more to his mate Cyan."
 
Like she'd been called, Cyan appeared with her daughter Mellos. A small smile touched Sam's lips as they approached.
 
"So I take it you are adjusting well?" Sam asked Mellos. Mellos was about to speak with a slight nod when Sam slyly grasped Cyan's hand. "I am glad that I was able to bring back, at least, some of our people."
 
"It is a great day indeed, that plus to have my mate cured of the disorder that was afflicting him. I was."  
Cyan started, and then her mouth dropped open. "What...what is happening? I feel strange." She turned her attention to Sam. Is this your doing?" Sam was nodding as Mellos had to grasp her mother, who was starting to levitate off the ground.
 
"I am afraid that I had to accelerate all of you. I want all of you safe when I am gone; I..." Sam said, then his head snapped to stare at a section of the sky. "Shit," Sam was mumbling under his breath. "I don't know who they are; they feel much stronger than the ones I fought before, no less than two."
 
A movement next to him had him turning to see Thantas rapidly approaching. So, he thought, I'm not the only one to notice, the look of concern on Thantas face apparent.
 
"This isn't good, not good at all. They're still a ways off, though, coming this way fast." Thantas said, the concern growing deeper on her face with each moment that passed.
 
"You know who or what they are?" Sam asked. "They are strong, though not as high as I am now." This he said almost unconcerned.
 
"Yes," Thantas hissed. "They are Tetricon Elite; they have the same power as those that captured me. Though I am far stronger than I was, I am still not as strong as them." Here, Thantas turned her eyes toward Sam, "Nor as well as you."
 
Sam could only nod at Thantas as he was already in deep thought. A moment later, his words hit him. His head snapped toward her. "We could work on that," Sam said as he punched Thantas in the arm, knocking her back a few feet.
 
Thantas mouth was open as she looked at her almost useless arm. "What was that for Sam? I thought."  

Thantas started, then her mouth dropped further open while Sam healed her. Sam stood back, watching Thantas shake her arm, and then her eyes flew open when she felt her power creep up. "I...I don't understand how?"
 
"I learned that each time I have to expend energy to use my abilities, the stronger they tend to return. Getting beaten somewhat also tends to increase them. I'm not sure how getting beaten by one of us Osmosis healers also increases it. I think you got a double dose from me and you." Sam tried to explain.
 
Thantas could only nod in shock as her power was still creeping higher. "I think we need to deal with the present problem." When Sam looked at her, she said, "Triot, that one seems to have lost most of his rational thought."
 
Sam's smirk almost had Thantas laughing, though the whole situation kept her serious. "From most of the shit that I have seen, I'm not sure if that is an improvement or not. He already seemed to be quite a bit unbalanced."
 
Thanatos nodded momentarily, then continued, "Be that as it may, he is the one factor in this that is a total unknown. Let's go after him."
 
"We?" Sam said, "You are still recovering, and not sure if, even with the higher levels, you could do much."
 
Sam was suddenly knocked off his feet when Thantas punched his arm. "You want to restate that?" Thantas said with a sly smile.
 
Sam picked himself up, looking closer at Thantas, "Hmmm, I just might after all. You are almost as strong as any of them, though not yet near my or these elites' level. I am afraid that the seven might overwhelm you; forget about Triot. I'd rather you stay here; watch out for them. They aren't weak; they might not hold up that long."
 
Thantas' eyes narrowed as she stared at Sam. "I don't think you want to try and keep me here. I was a warrior for our people. I am not about to stay here while others do what I was trained for."
 
Sam sighed; he could see that there was no stopping her; this was about a lot more than just pride. "If I let you go." Sam started.
 
Thantas shook her head, "WHEN we go." She interrupted.
 
"OK, when we go, I want you to help only. Don't try to take on Triot alone; he'd easily overwhelm you." Sam told her.
 
Thantas growled slightly, though she did nod her head. "I might surprise you," Thantas said smugly.
 
Sam could only shake his head; this might get him killed in the long run. For some strange reason, he felt he had to protect her at all costs.
 
"I have one more thing to do, and then we can go. We only have a short time to finish this; at their present speed, they should be here in less than two days." Here, Sam looked at the section of the sky he felt the elites in.
 
Walking to Mellos and Cyan, Sam saw that Tynco's eyes were wide as he watched his mate levitate and sit down gently. "I find it astounding that she is as far as she is," Tynco said as Sam grew neared.
 
Sam grasped Tynco's hand to shake it. "I hope that no one is angry; I want all of you to have a chance if some of them come for all of you."
 
Tynco nodded as he shook Sam's hand, then his eyes went wide as he started to levitate. "What. How? I have not had abilities for almost my entire life. I had thought them forever dispatched."
 
"Sam is the strongest Osmosis Healer ever seen," Triann said as she ran her medical hand held over Tynco. "
As with the rest of us, you are healed to the micro-cellular level; we all are."
 
Tynco could only stare at Sam, Triann, and finally, his mate and daughter. "Strange," he said, "I do not feel like I have been a disembodied mind."  

Concentrating, he slowly settled to the ground.
 
"It should grow easier with time; I am unsure how much. Though I don't think she should, Thantas and I are going after Triot." Turning, he addressed his parents, "I will do all in my power for the both of us to return."
 
They both nodded as Sam nodded to Thantas and then they both rocketed skyward.
 
She still has incomplete memories of us and Sam. Triann's thoughts came to Fino.
 
I fear that she may never recover them. She and the children of the project are the only true ones of our race left and return Fino's thoughts.
 
I thank the creator that she regained as much as she did. I hope that the rest of them don't cripple her mentally. Triann's thoughts said.
 
She is far more robust than we give her credit. I hope that when they return to her, it helps strengthen both of them. Fino's thoughts replied.
 
Sam had to go far slower for Thantas to keep up. She was fast though, nowhere the speed he had, though he thought, when did I get this fast? Sam pointed ahead of them, then watched as a portal opened. He looked back to Thantas as he started forward. Nodding, she was close behind him, both vanishing into the portal.
 
Almost half an hour later, they emerged near the extreme edge of the IP home world's system. Sam looked around, then extended his senses out, hunting for Triot. A wry smile came to his lips as he looked at Thantas.  
 
I wish I could talk to her, he thought.
 
I can hear your thoughts, Sam; what's wrong? Came Thantas thoughts.
 
Triot is far more robust than I thought; he will come after you first. You are weaker than he is; try to stay back. Sam's thoughts said.
 
I know how to fight Sam; I was doing it far longer than you, long before you were cre... Oh! What is going on? Strange thoughts and visions! I feel that you are critical of me, Sam. Came Thantas thoughts.
 
To his horror, Sam watched as Thantas curled into a ball, a look of extreme pain on her face. Sam felt him before he appeared, catching Triot with a mighty fist to his face. Triot careened off the hit, heading toward the moon he'd been hiding on.
 
The impact on the moon from Triot's body created a huge crater. Triot shook his head, scowled, and then launched himself off the surface as hard as possible.
 
Sam smirked as he recognized the move Triot was making. Well, he thought he had; Triot vanished, appearing behind Sam. Putting all he had into it, his fist met the back of Sam's head.
 
Sam was stunned as he was propelled toward the surface of the moon Triot had launched from.

The whole time, he could hear Triot's laugh in his mind.
 
You might have beaten me before, but no longer. I was a warrior for my people long before you were around. You have no chance to win a true Warrior of the Tetricons! Triot's thoughts seemed to shout in Sam's mind.
 
Sam's anger rose momentarily, and then he spun around, meeting Triot's face with his fist in seconds. Unfortunately, Triot had thrust his hand out, meeting Sam in the middle of his chest. Both males were stunned that the other had gotten a hand on them.
 
Triot smiled as he watched Sam flying away from him. Starting to spin, an evil smile came to his now bleeding lips. Triot was about to launch himself into Sam when something hit with such force that he could swear that his back broke.
 
Unable to move, he saw an unconscious Thantas floating nearby. Try as he might, he couldn't get his body to respond; what had that bitch done to him? Triot felt a presence near him, sneering at Sam, he thought, so the noble has fallen to our level. You must be proud.
 
You forget I was raised in a primitive world. Unlike the rest of the Clive Stone race, I have no problem destroying you. Came Sam's thoughts.
 
Sam smashed his fist into Triot's scared face as hard as he could, watching Triot's eyes close. Floating to Thantas, Sam put his good hand on her shoulder. Damn it, he thought, she'd used all of her power AND life force to stop him. Sam gave her all he could, feeling her slowly pull back from the abyss.
 
Sam pulled Thantas and Triot's bodies to the moon; sitting between them, he felt his eyes want to close. Fighting it, he feared the IP might investigate as close as they were to the IP system.
 
On the IP home world, the Lord Doctor had indeed been watching. He'd watched as the male Clive Stone and Triot had fought—a thin smile on his lips 'til he saw the spinning drill move that Triot started. Then a shocked, worried look replaced the smile when the female delivered a crippling move to Triot.
 
The Lord Doctor was about to dispatch a section of the IP, then decided against it. As powerful as the two complete Clive Stones appeared to be, they'd decimate the IP. No, it was better to await the arrival of the two elites. He could feel them rapidly approaching; they should be able to destroy the Clive Stones before any more appeared.
 
The Doctor reached to the wall in front of him with two black tentacle-like appendages. A panel slid up in front of him. A screen appeared with an image similar to the Doctor's black arachnoid face.
 
"Working," the image stated.
 
"Given the present strengths of the two Clive Stones that defeated Triot, will the two elites be able to defeat them?" The Doctor asked.
 
"Correlating all data. This will require some time. New parameters added will shorten the time required." The image said.
 
"Get this done; your answer will help lead to their defeat." The Doctor said.
 
"Yes, Lord Doctor, I also did the requested scans. I am detecting ten full Clive Stones within Queen Triada's Triad. After a detailed scan as could be used, it was determined that though they are full Clive Stones, only two have nearly all full power." The image said. "Two others are rapidly approaching seventy-five percent. The rest are at various stages; the only ones that pose any threat are Sam and the female with him."
 
The Doctor again shook his arachnoid-like head. Everything was starting to fall apart in rapid succession.  

Touching another wall section, an image of the melded seven appeared.
 
"The Clive Stones appear to have been weakened by their battle with Triot on the farthest moon of this system. It might be the best time to finish them before they can restrengthen. Also, if you have the chance, destroy that unbalanced Triot. The female appears to have rendered him to a broken, useless state." The Doctor said.
 
"It will be done, Lord Doctor; we will destroy all there." The seven said.
 
"Beware the male. He is not like the others of his race. He is the first Clive Stone I have seen that will act first. He also has no sentiment about causing death and destruction." The Doctor said.
 
A surprised look came to the image, "this is indeed unheard of. The first time we met him, his power was comparable to ours and yours."
 
The doctor nodded as he watched the seven lifts vanish through the ceiling. As bad as they were apart, melded, they were almost tolerable to the Doctor. Turning back to the computer screen, he looked over all the data. Touching several spots on the wall, the Doctor waited.
 
"Now working, Lord Doctor," the image of an arachnoid head said. "Now, do a comparison of the present Triad strength. This will require a few time units." The screen went blank as a slight hum came from the wall.
 
The Doctor nodded as he sat, consuming a nutrient pack.
 
Only twenty units had passed when the image reappeared. "Comparison complete, Lord Doctor. Queen Triada, plus the one in the seventh councilor's region, appears to be at full strength.

Though not at full strength, the other has acquired a substantial amount of gathered minds, more than a quick assault could defeat."
 
The Doctor nodded. Well, he thought it was worth checking.
 
At the extreme edge of the IP system, Sam was still fighting to remain conscious, though it was starting to dissipate rapidly. Sam's head snapped upward as he felt the approach of a substantial amount of power.
 
With a weary sigh, Sam reached inside, finding what power he could; he then stretched his hands skyward.  

All over the sky, a slight shimmering appeared. Hope that's enough for me to recover, Sam thought. Sitting back, he could only wait as he felt it grow closer.
 
 
 
To be continued