Tag was sitting in the library at their castle staring at the map of the Plants Galaxy. Danielle came in and saw her husband looking somber and she knew that the loss of Kosiev had hit him hard. He had been in a depression since the funeral and she knew it was not getting better. She walked in and sat down beside him and he put his arm around her. Danielle looked into his eyes and she saw his pain. She then thought to him, “What Kosiev said has caused you pain.”
Tag remained silent for a moment then thought back at her, “If I had been with him, he would still be alive.”
“No, Tag, he would be dead and you would be floating in Plant space.”
“No, Danielle, you’re wrong. You know how Kosiev often reacted without thinking things thru and that’s exactly what he did this time and it cost him his life. If I had been there, my talent would not have allowed us to go alone. I would have stopped him and called in 20 more megaships to support his effort from Dremel. His reactors ended fifty miles from the target ships when all he had to do was get to within 200 miles and launch penetrators. With that many megaships there would have been twenty times the number of penetrators that he launched. We could have then turned way and used our jump drives to escape when the frequency generating ships were destroyed. The Planet was attacked thirty minutes after the frequency generating ships were destroyed so there was thirty minutes to get the additional ships to assist us. He died because I was not there. My psychic talents would have caused us to come up with a plan that worked.”
Danielle saw in Tag’s mind the plan as he described it and she knew that he was right. She felt his pain and her heart ached for him. “There’s something else.” Danielle leaned back and looked into his eyes. “I may be responsible for his death.”
Danielle sat up straighter and said, “Just how do you see that?”
“Danielle, you know what the Glod say about my talent. You also know that Sung Lea can see visions of the future and that we try to follow the best vision. I think that my talent could see that I was sitting back and letting Kosiev lead the war against the Algeans. Perhaps I knew deep inside that we would lose if we continued on the path we were taking and the only way to get me involved in the war was to remove Alex so I would be forced back into the fray. Remember, the Glod say that I will do things without even being aware I’m doing them and that my enemies will be destroyed. If our talents could bring us together even if the old Alliance had to fall in the process, do you thing losing Kosiev would just be another way to protect us.”
Danielle listened and though she wanted to believe otherwise what he was saying sounded true to her. She now understood why her love had been so depressed. If he had been involved, Kosiev might not have had to die. “So what do you do about it?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Tag, why are you here instead of out there flying at light speed toward the enemy? Kosiev saw that you should be the lead in our attack on the plants. It scares me to have you in danger but Kosiev was right, we’re at our best with you in the lead. I think you are right in what you’ve said and if you are then it should tell you and me that you must take the lead in this war.”
“What about helping you in your duties ruling the Alliance and having to leave Rose?”
“Tag, do you seriously think that the Stars Realm looks to you for direction. You can still go out for walks in public and only get a small mob. I go out and riot police are needed.” He looked at her with a furrowed brow and she immediately said, “I am the one chosen to be the leader and sometimes I grow weary of the task. You are the one chosen to lead our military. You walk into a room of soldiers and they immediately focus on you and later look at me. We have our different callings. As far as you leaving Rose and me, how long would it take you to leave a battle and jump back to Ross?”
Tag thought a moment and said, “Well, with four jumps to different galaxies, forty five minutes.”
“Also consider this; how much real time have you spent actually planning and fighting battles? You could actually choose to jump home each day if you chose.”
Tag looked at his wife and knew she was right. He had taken time away from the conflict to be with his family and Kosievs death had jerked him back to reality. It was time to get his hands back into the fray. “I’ll start in the morning,” he said. “We need to establish our new command structure.”
Danielle looked at him and said, “We’ll have the meeting in the morning. Right now, I need you back with me.” She then put her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
Tag looked in her eyes and for that moment his pain was forgotten.
Upstairs Rose lay in her bed feeling her father’s anguish. Though she was only four, she understood what he had said. She sent a warm feeling of love to her father and decided that she was going to keep her eye on what he was about to undertake. She was not going to let him get hurt if she could prevent it. Then she went to sleep when she felt Tag release his pain.
Tgon-Gee, Terl, Misty, Admirals Dorg, Mikado, and Chen were waiting in Danielle’s outer chamber. They had been summoned by the Queen that morning and had come to Ross as quickly as possible. “I wonder what’s going on,” Admiral Dorg said.
Terl said, “It has to have something to do with the military. Perhaps Kosievs replacement is going to be announced.”
Tgon-Gee looked at Tel and said, “If that were so she would have asked the Stars Realm’s representatives for selections to consider and she has not done that.”
Danielle and Tag walked into the chamber and Danielle said, “Thank you for coming so quickly and if you’ll follow me to the library we’ll begin.” The group stood up and followed Danielle into a room that looked like it was a hundred yards square and had galactic maps covering the walls. Danielle asked, “Admiral Dorg, can you update me on how many megaships we have in our inventory.”
Dorg looked at his com and pressed a button, read the display, and said, “Close to forty thousand, Your Majesty.”
“Have we made any changes to these ships since we lost to the Plants at the Pydres’ planet?”
Everyone looked at each other and Tgon-Gee said, “Unfortunately we have done nothing. We are in a leadership vacuum and everyone is looking at everyone else to move us forward.”
Tag stood up and looked at the assembled leaders and they could see the resolve in his face, “That time is over. Kosiev was right, I should be involved in the fight and from this moment forward I will be. However, we must set up our leadership structure and unfortunately there won’t be a vote on what we’re going to do. As most of you know, I possess some psychic ability and though I can’t explain how it works, I know it does. I have discussed this with my wife, your queen, and she agrees with me.
Danielle stood and said, “I have issued a royal decree concerning the changes being made during this meeting and they will be effective immediately. My first decree is that Tag is the one designated to direct our war against the plants. I am going to insure that all our members are notified of the changes being made immediately. Tag will lead this meeting in my absence.” She then left the room.
Tag looked at Admiral Dorg and said, “You are now the overall commander of all Stars Realm Armed Forces and will report directly to me.”
Dorg started to protest but then remembered what Kosiev had said. “I doubt that I’m qualified for this position, but I will do my best.”
“Kosiev said the exact same thing when he was chosen. It might interest you to know that our SFT group has said that the best possible future for us is with you and me working together. I also agree with them.” Tag then looked at Mikado and Chen and said, “We are dividing our forces into two fleets. Each of you will command one of those fleets and will work with each other such that your two commands can smoothly work together in joint maneuvers. Admiral Mikado is second in command to Admiral Dorg and will have the responsibility of developing fleet strategy prior to any conflict to present to Admiral Dorg. Obviously, Admiral Chen will assist in the preparation of that strategy but Mikado has the accountability of producing the plan. Both of you will call Cade McAllister and discuss the last battle with the intent of developing an answer to the Plant’s new screens, piloted missile, and frequency generating ships. You may leave now and begin that process. I also expect an organization chart of the command structure for each of your fleets of 20,000 ships turned in to Admiral Dorg for his approval within forty eight hours.” The two officers looked at each other then stood, saluted Tag and hurriedly left the room.
“Tgon-Gee, your race has not presented an officer to have a general command position of one of our fleets. I’m concerned that we may be overlooking someone that could help us. Is there a general command officer you would like to suggest to the group?”
Tgon-Gee looked around the room and said, “Unfortunately, my race has always been aggressive and rewarded those commanders that had individual success over group coordination. We are ill prepared to lead large numbers. Our forces will be more successful if commanded by someone that can get groups to work together. However, one of our naval officers has shown an aptitude to have the skills you want.”
“Who is that?” Tag asked.
“He is graduating from the fleet academy in fifteen days. His instructors have ranked him number one in his class even ahead of his human classmates. You actually know him, Mr. Gardner.”
Tag raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side, “When have we met?”
Tgon-Gee said, “He was the warrior that our Queen gave the choice during her challenge on Glod. He chose her to rule our people.”
Tag’s face showed his amazement. “He chose to enter the academy when he was already one of your planet’s greatest hero’s.”
“He is currently our most loved hero and yes, he did. He felt he was not qualified to lead in the new navy. He wanted to prepare himself to offer the most he could to serve our Queen. It appears he tried very hard and was successful. Our people still sing about his action during the challenge and he could have any position he wanted on Glod but he wanted to fight for our Queen and felt the navy was the best way. He was a dreadnaught commander during the conflict with the Alliance but said he knew he was not qualified to fight on an equal footing with humans. He came to the academy to improve his skills.”
“Did he get into any fights during his training?” Dorg asked knowing how the Glod loved a fight.
Tgon-Gee looked at Dorg and after a slight pause said, “Who, other than Mr. Gardner, would take on a Glod Martial Arts Champion? Would you?”
Dorg smiled and said, “Point well taken.”
While Dorg and Tgon-Gee were addressing each other Tag closed his eyes and thought, “Danielle.”
“Yes Dear.” She replied in his mind.
“The Glod that chose you during the challenge on Glod is graduating from the fleet academy in fifteen days. What did you sense about him during the challenge?”
“Really, I’m not surprised. I could see that he was looking for meaning in his life during that conflict. He’s much more than he appears, Tag. His mind is as sharp as his fighting skills.”
“Thanks, Danielle.”
Tag opened his eyes and said, “What is his name?”
Tgon-Gee said, “Ron-Dar.”
“He will report to my flagship immediately after graduation and assume command of my ship. My ship will be ready in twenty two days and she will be called Retribution. Notify Ron-Dar of his new assignment.”
Admiral Dorg looked at Tgon-Gee and they both knew that whoever commanded Retribution would be on a promotion fast track. Tgon-Gee felt his pride grow for the new ships captain coming from his race. “I’ll notify him immediately,” Dorg said.
Terl looked at Tag and said, “I have six officers that I think fleet academy will help to develop the skills they need to be fleet commanders. I think Ron-Dar had a good idea. Perhaps all of our future Admirals should go thru the Academy.”
Tag looked at them and said, “It would certainly cause a lot of our current captains to attend. Are we agreed that any future Admirals will come from academy graduates?” Everyone in the room nodded. “That’s how we will do it from now on and the Queen will make that part of her decrees. We are also stopping the production of Megaships until we can agree on whether or not they can be modified to handle the new plant technology. We also need to train and develop our existing crews to work together. Throwing thousands of ships into fleets just prevents them from learning ship coordination. Our fleets will be built with squadrons that have trained together and know how to work together. We will build ships as we have crews graduating to man them. The production facilities will be used to manufacture the armaments our ships need to fight. Admiral Dorg, our highest priority is to develop new weapons to counteract the plants new ships and missiles. Please plan to meet with me in forty eight hours with your junior officers to plan where we go from here.” Tag stood and everyone stood with him.
Dorg said, “Yes Mr. Gardner, I’ll see you in two rotations.” After Tag had left, Dorg turned to Tgon-Gee and said, “What do you think about all this.”
Tgon-Gee said, “Remember, you always want to be on Death Incarnates side in any struggle. Now he’s back and our future is better for it.” Dorg just stood and wondered what would happen next.
Admirals Mikado and Chen had left Cade McAllister’s office and left instructions as to the need for new weapon development and scheduled a return visit with the top command staff in five days. That was twelve hours earlier and now Cade was viewing videos of the new Algean ships with one of his top engineers, Anita Lea. They watched as the primaries went thru three screens but were stopped short of penetrating the inner two. “They have really strengthened their screens in these new ships,” Cade commented.
“Yes, they have but they are actually at a bigger risk than their old Heavy ships,” Anita responded.
“Why do you think that?”
“They’re not as big and more of their surface is covered in missile and beam ports which require their magazines to be close together on the surface. One hit and the whole thing should go up.”
They both thought in silence and then Cade said, “So we don’t have to have hornets hitting the ship in multiple locations to knock it out of action.”
“It sure looks that way,” Anita said. “One hit on one of those missile ports should do it, especially since they’re anti-matter. The anti-matter missiles are eight times larger than their old ones because of the addition of two more engines and a pilot. They almost qualify to be a ship except for lacking multiple reactors and screens. The majority of the hull space of the smaller new Algean ships surface is covered with their launching ports.”
“Let’s think about this. The focused primary only made it thru three of the five screens at 300 miles. We had to close to 100 miles to make it thru all five, right.” Anita looked at the data and nodded. “We know what the energy of the primary is at 100 miles which made it thru all five screens but even though it is a focused beam, it’s still more than 1,500 feet wide. I wonder what would the energy would be if we condensed a full primary beam to a beam two feet wide.” Cade said. Both of them grabbed their calculators and began punching numbers.
“Two hundred and sixty miles,” they both said simultaneously.
“Ok, Ok, let’s not get excited yet. What good would a two foot beam do?”
Anita thought for a moment and said, “What if it is set to hit and move thirty feet before it ends?”
They both jumped up and went back to the video and stopped one of the ships and began measuring the distance between missile ports. Cade looked at the engineer and said, “Between forty and fifty feet,” Cade said
“Give or take a few feet; how much range would we give up on the beam to be able to move it 70 feet before it played out?” Anita asked.
“Well, we would have to go to a three foot beam to make it cut that far, and the energy would be the same at,” he paused while he calculated, “228 miles.”
Cade thought for a moment and then asked, “How fast is this new missile? It caught our ships when they were 100 miles out.”
Anita looked at the video and measured the velocity of the missile and then said, “It looks like it is faster than our top speed but it runs out of energy after 300 miles. Those three engines have a huge power to weight ratio but they can only sustain that speed for a limited distance due to their limited energy supply; it’s too small to carry multiple reactors. You also have to factor in that the Plants fired their missiles when our ships were 300 miles out and they didn’t start hitting our ships until they were 100 miles out.”
“Are you saying that if we attack them from further out than 200 miles they won’t catch our ships?”
“You’re looking at the same data I am. Some of Admiral Smiths ships were destroyed right at the 300 mile mark but forty% of those missiles had stopped and run out of energy at 280 miles. I think that we have their top speed in these videos so with a 100 mile head start, they won’t catch our fleet.”
Cade looked at the video again and said, “What’s to prevent them from firing their missiles at our ships as soon as they get within 300 miles; that way in order for us to get to 200 miles to attack, their missiles will be less than 100 miles from our ships when they reach firing range? They could also have the missiles flying 100 miles in front of their formations.”
“That’s true but remember that they only have a finite amount of fuel and if they use it flying in front of the main fleet, then they reduce the distance they can fly at full speed to chase our ships. It’s a tradeoff. We also need to look at our penetrators; they are slower than the new missiles.”
Both of them continued to look at the video and then Cade said, “We’re using the wrong type of ship for this new plant fleet.” Anita looked at him and shrugged and Cade continued, “Let’s look at what we know. First, hornets are not needed to destroy the new ships, all we need do is hit its surface on a missile port or beam port. Second, our penetrators are slower than their anti-matter missiles and are not faster than their new ships. Third, we have to use millions of armaments to kill their ships sometimes using 100 for a single ship. And lastly, our screens cannot handle multiple anti-matter hits. Is that about right?”
“Those are the most obvious problems,” she said.
“Cade smiled at her and said, “Well that shouldn’t be too much of a problem,” and they both laughed and called in their team.
After all twenty engineers on Cade’s developmental force arrived; he explained what he thought they should do.
The engineers pondered a moment and one said, “How do we target them and what will we need to do to make the current cells operate with the smaller beam?”
Cade rubbed his forehead and then said, “We make it happen automatically. The cells will use its leakage to sense any ship that doesn’t have a Coronado screen and when it gets inside 228 miles the cells will target it and fire the condensed beam that will then move seventy feet along the target’s surface.”
“Will every cell on the surface of the hull target and fire at the same target?”
“You keep asking me tough questions,” Cade answered.
“What about this,” the Anita said. “We program every cell on the hull with a number designation from one to fifty. All cells designated as number one will fire together after each of them designate a target, then number two will fire and they will be programmed to ignore the targets designated by number one; then three will fire ignoring number two’s target and so forth until it gets back to one; while this is happening all the cells not being fired can be used for the primaries, screens, or sensors.”
“How many cells will be needed to produce the beam you’re talking about?” one of the junior engineers asked.
“Our calculations indicate that fifteen could do it. There are seventy five cells along the length of the mega ships arranged in ten rows around the hull. That would make 50 beams available for firing. They could be fired for up to three seconds and recharged every two seconds.” Cade answered.
Anita looked at the video again and said, “I notice that the missiles do not have a screen to protect them. What is the top speed of our new hornets?”
John Nichlos who had designed the new hornets said, “They are twice as fast as the penetrators.”
Cade and John went to the video and measured the speed of the new plant missiles. Cade said, “It looks like our hornets are slightly faster than the new missile.”
“They can also maneuver faster than the missile because of less mass to change direction,” John said. “They would be effective as an anti-missile weapon. They don’t have long range capability but could protect our ships if the new missile gets closer than a hundred miles.”
Cade looked at the clock and said, “It’s going to be a long night, call the entire team in and let’s get this moving. Dorg’s command team wants an answer is five days and I want to have this on a ship for trial in four days. Get moving, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The Algean Fleet Leader watched his display at the elements of his fleet as they sorted themselves out into their squadrons. An explorer had discovered a high technology planet and had sent its coordinates to fleet command. His fleet had the new ships and missiles and any discovery of a world with advanced technology meant that he was the one chosen to investigate. The explorer had remained at the null band so as not to get trapped inside by one of the stranger’s ships since there were no frequency vessels to prevent them from jumping to attack. So far nothing had happened and the fleet began moving uneventfully toward the planet after setting up the frequency generating ships.
“Fleet Leader, there is a battle going on at the planet.” The sensor tool paused and said, “I do not recognize any of the ship types involved in the conflict.”
“How many ships are there involved?”
‘Sensors indicate more than 50,000. There are also ground installations firing at the ships in orbit. It appears the planetary forces are losing this battle and the attacker’s ships heavily outnumber the other. They appear to be using conventional laser and projectile weapons.”
The Fleet Leader smiled; the planet was lush and green with huge land masses. The Common was suffering due to the loss of the harvested food sources from the planet the strangers had defended and here was a possible replacement for it. Then he had an idea. “The ships that are attacking the planet are to be allowed to escape. Have tracking ships at the null band to follow them back to their source. Maybe we can get two food sources from this.”
The huge Algean fleet moved in quickly toward the Planet feeling its hunger. Five hours out from the planet, the attacking ships stopped firing at the planet and remained in orbit. Ten ships left the planet and accelerated toward the incoming fleet. “Destroy them quickly. I want the others to run home,” The fleet leader commanded. “Also notify all ships that no power missiles are to be used on the planet. Only conventional missiles will be used in this conflict.”
The ten ships arrived at the Algean Fleet and started firing their lasers that didn’t make it thru the first force field of the incoming ships. The Algean ships fired and missiles weren’t needed. All ten ships were blown apart in expanding explosions. The invading ships at the planet turned and flew out toward the null band away from the incoming fleet. The Sensor Leader noticed that they could catch those ships easily but chased them at 1/3 speed to make sure they escaped.
The planets inhabitants saw the attackers of their world flee and began celebrating their rescue by the huge fleet coming their way. The planet had been fighting a war with the invaders for fifty cycles of their sun. They knew that they would have lost had not these new ships arrived and they began broadcasting their welcome and thankfulness to the rescuers for their timely arrival. It was six hours later when the first Algean troop ships began landing on their planet and the giant harvesting ships were seen moving in from the outer system that the inhabitants realized that they had not been rescued but made to face a brand new horror that even the old invaders would have been hard pressed to beat. The inhabitants faced a green horde that consumed all it touched and this time there was no one coming to save them.
The Fleet Leader looked at his Sensor Tool and asked, “Were we able to follow the ones that escaped?”
“Yes, Fleet Leader; they led us to another planet that is a giant food source for the common. I have the coordinates in our data.”
“We will finish here first. We must make sure the Strangers don’t come and try to prevent our harvesting. After we finish, then we will take the other world.”
The Elders on the Home world were faced with a dilemma. They had spread their fleet out to look for the Strangers but here was a bonanza of two food sources found. Do they leave their fleets spread out or do they defend their newly discovered food sources?
‘What are the chances that they will attack while we are harvesting the food source?” one of the middle Elders asked.
“The Eldest replied, “You need only look at when they attacked last time; we were in the middle of our harvest. If we take our new ships to look for the strangers then you have seen what they can do to our old vessels if they attack us while we are harvesting. We could lose our harvest again and the common is running short of food reserves. We have to delay our search until these two are done.”
All of the Elders swayed and could feel the hunger of the masses on their world; all agreed to delay the search for the Strangers. The Algean Fleet settled down around the planet like a lion over a fresh kill to keep it from the hyenas and vultures. The Stars Realm had been given more time but these two worlds were doomed.
Tag was sitting in the main library studying the videos that had been collected from the battles with the Algean fleets. He watched the recording of the new faster anti-matter missiles as they destroyed Admiral Smith’s fleet. “We got too close,” Tag thought. “We had no choice; their screens were too strong further out.” He had talked with McAllister and learned of the new small needles that his group felt would be more effective from twice the range but they would only work on the newest Plant ships. He pulled up a picture of a Plant Soldier to see if there was anything about them physically that could help him understand why they were so voracious. He was staring at the picture when Danielle walked in carrying Rose on her way to bed.
“Say goodnight to Daddy, Rose.” Tag stood up to kiss her goodnight when Rose saw the picture of the Plant Soldier on Tag’s display. She said, “Bad weed is killing people.”
Tag turned and saw what she was looking at and quickly turned off the display. He said, “They’re not killing anyone right now, Darling, you’re safe here with us.”
Rose looked at him with those eyes that seemed to penetrate right to your soul and said, “Yes they are Daddy. They’re killing a world of people right now.”
Tag and Danielle looked at each other and Danielle looked at Rose and said, “Darling, you don’t know that. It’s just your imagination.”
Rose looked at her mother and said, “Can I show you?”
Tag looked at his daughter and said, “Why don’t you show us both, Rose.”
“I’ll have to show you my mind pictures in your mind, is that all right?”
“Yes, Darling, go ahead,” Danielle said.
Suddenly Tag and Danielle were at the planet that the Algeans were attacking and they saw the hundreds of thousands of ships around a planet with flashes of combat on the surface. They saw the huge harvesters moving in toward the planet and they could sense the inhabitants dying by the thousands.”
Tag took her from Danielle and said, “When did you see this?”
She looked at the now blank display and said, “When I saw it on your picture, I could see them attacking those people.”
Tag looked at Danielle and said, “She can see them. Rose, you should quit looking at that planet. It isn’t something that you can understand yet.”
Rose got a very serious look on her face, an expression that Danielle called her big girl expression and said, “I know that they are mean and kill everyone they can. I’ve seen them before when Uncle Kosiev was fighting them. They are the reason he is no longer able to visit me.”
Danielle said, “This is awful, Tag. What can we do to help those people?”
Tag just stood there amazed by his daughter but also confused about anything that they could do to help. There was no clue as to where Rose was seeing her vision. Then Rose said something that shocked them both. “When they finish with that world, they are going after another world right there.” And she pointed at the map of galaxies on the wall.
Tag and Danielle looked at the map and then back at their daughter. Danielle said, “Tag do you remember the mobile over her crib that matched the location of all the planets and moons in Ross’s solar system.” Tag frowned and Danielle followed with, “You remember, we sent it back to Ross to hang in the Fleet Academy. It still follows all the planets accurately.”
Tag said, “Yes, I remember.”
“Tag, she had to be able to see that system in order to make that happen. She can see other stars even as a baby.”
Rose said, “I’m not a baby, Mom.”
Danielle hugged Rose and said, “No you’re not; you’re my big girl.” Rose smiled and hugged her back.
Tag said, “Rose, let me show you how to move around this map and make sections of the map grow larger.” He showed her the control knob and how to move the cursor to where she wanted to look. “Where are the planets you’re talking about, honey?”
Rose said, “That’s too hard, Daddy. Do you care if I do it my way?”
“No, Darling, do it your way.”
Rose walked over to the control table and looked at the maps on the wall. The cursor moved to the Plants galaxy on the map with no one touching the controls. Then an area on the map under the cursor grew larger until a star appeared in the center of the display. Rose said, “That is where they are now.”
Tag took the cursor and locked in the coordinates. Then the cursor moved again and stopped at another star. “That is where they are going next.”
Tag noted the position of the cursor each time and wrote the coordinates down. Tag looked at Danielle and then said, “Rose, it’s past your bed time. Do you want Mommy to fly you up to your room like a space pilot and put you to bed?”
Rose giggled and jumped into her mother’s arms and said, “Yes, pleeeese. I love it when Mommy does that.”
Danielle gave Tag a look that said she would discuss this later and then hugged her little girl as she ran away toward the stairs with Rose laughing all the way.
Tag hit his com and said, “Mikado and Dorg, I need you on Ross immediately and bring your staffs with you.” Dorg and Mikado looked at Tag on his display with questioning expressions. “The Plants are attacking another planet as we speak and are going after another one when they finish the first.” Both Admirals said nothing but nodded and the display went blank. Tag smiled and thought, “Leila had a good idea about direct links to his commanders bypassing normal channels.” Then he sat down and started thinking about his daughter and what he had witnessed. “She’s four and she sees other galaxies.” Tag wasn’t sure just what he felt but he knew the surprises were not over yet. “She’s only four,” he thought again.