Chapter 2p5 – What Kind of a Quest?

Tic chuckled at the dramatic look on Milly's face. "A quest, eh? What kind of a quest? Self-discovery? Exploration? A treasure hunt?"

Milly said, "I'm searching for my parents."

"Why? What happened to them?"

"They disappeared."

"Abandoned you?" said Tic. "Sounds familiar. Mine left when I was six."

Milly's over-expressive face wrinkled up in sympathy. "That's so sad!"

"No big deal," said Tic. "I get enough 'mothering' from Pelly, really."

"But you still won't eat your broccoli!" sighed Pelly.

"Learn to cook and I might," retorted Tic. "Anyways, I know it may sound cynical, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high about a warm and fuzzy reunion, if I were you."

"My parents didn't abandon me," said Milly. "They went missing fifteen years ago while working on an off-planet contract for my grandfather's space-time engineering company."

"Just 'went missing,' eh?" said Tic, dryly. "Who told you that?"

"My grandfather."

"And you think that's more plausible than them running off on you?"

Milly pouted. "Grandfather wouldn't lie to me."

Pelly announced, "We've received clearance to launch."

"Good. Let's get out of here." Tic thumbed the door control for the rear access to the hold and the hatches swung shut. "So, if your parents really 'disappeared,' I assume there was some kind of police investigation."

"There was, but they gave up after six months. Grandfather hired private investigators after that, but they spent all their time coming up with new ways to get their hands on his money."

"Money?" Here was something that piqued Tic's interest.

"I'm going to go strap in for launch," said Milly, heading into her cabin.

"Wait!" said Tic. "Money?"

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