G ernud was beginning to get bored. He had started his search from the planet that Daulun had destroyed and moved out into his assigned search arc. He had passed through more than two hundred systems and had found nothing. What really annoyed him was that he was told to search every star in his assigned sector not just the G-type suns. The chance of finding intelligent life around a massive star was remote at best and he thought about skipping some of them. However, Fleet Control would read his logs and see his route. It wouldn’t be good if he skipped anything.
He jumped into a system with a G-type sun and his communication panel lit up, “You are entering restricted space of the Harmony Association. Turn back immediately or you will be destroyed.”
He looked at his scanners and saw no life in the system he had just entered. He searched for a probe that could have transmitted the message and saw nothing. He backed out of the system and pushed his com, “Fleet Control, I have entered a system and have received a warning about trespassing into some kind of Association.”
“Stand-by.”
Gernud waited and nervously watched his scanners. After five minutes he heard, “Proceed into that system.”
“Fleet Control, my sensors don’t show any life in this system. Nor do I detect any kind of probe that could have sent that message.”
“Follow your orders!”
Gernud didn’t like the feeling he was getting but he had no choice. He moved forward and again heard, “You have been warned, this is your last warning.” He had patched Fleet Control into his console and knew they heard the warning but they did not change his instructions. He moved a hundred miles further into the system and his ship blew-up in a huge explosion.
“We have lost a scout in sector 878.”
“We’ve just lost another scout in sector 879.”
“Vector all scouts in on those sectors and send ten warships to each one. Have them hold their positions until the ships arrive to support them.”
“I hate we had to kill those scouts.”
“Don’t let it bother you too much, Jingo. They’re the ones that send the Duke’s fleets out to conquer innocent civilizations.”
“What’s the plan now, BC?”
“We’ll allow them to move forward and about fifty light years from our current position and we’ll destroy some of their squadrons. They’re not going to find our worlds following this course.”
“How are we going to irritate the Duke if we’re stuck out here?”
“Oh, I think Jessica can come up with a few ideas. I’m teleporting you to her momentarily”
Jessica and Jingo were parked outside the jump limit watching a fleet of warships moving away from New Ulmerton to attack another newly discovered civilization. “Jess, that fleet can only mean trouble for someone.”
“I know.”
“But if we destroy it, will the Duke then go to the planet it was headed toward? Or will he just chalk it up to the ship that attacked earlier. He could possibly do both…”
“Be quiet, Jingo. I’m going to attack those ships an hour before they arrive at the jump limit. Attacking here offers no clue as to where we come from.”
“Is that a good idea? He could send a Searcher to attack the planet this fleet was destined.”
“Attacking here will keep those Searchers here and anything that occupies that Duke’s attention is a good thing.”
“He’s a King, Jessica.”
“Like Anglo, I refuse to call him a King. He’s just like his ancestor Duke Ales Jongo. He deserves that title instead.”
“There are more than a hundred ships in that fleet. Can you handle that many?”
“I won’t know until I try.”
“Fleet Control, we are approaching the limit; are there any last instructions?”
“Don’t waste time getting control of that planet.”
“You know we won’t.”
Suddenly Fleet Control heard over their communication panels, “And I won’t either.” Fleet Control had the fleet on their scanners and watched as the fleet was hit by bright red beams.
Jessica teleported into the middle of the fleet and fired her ten primary beams. The first ten ships were ripped in half and began exploding like a string of giant firecrackers. The next ten had the entire middle section disintegrated as the red beams grew wider. The remaining ships began firing at the source of the beams but nothing stopped those terrible blasts. Thirty more ships were blown apart adding their debris to the wreckage of the others. Fifty ships turned and tried to make a run back to the planet but ran headlong into the demon ship that had teleported in front of them as they attempted to escape.
Niles ordered, “Lower our screens immediately. Turn off all weapons.”
“Captain, we’ll be killed.”
“Do as you’re ordered. We’ll be killed if we don’t.”
“Jingo, one of their ships has lowered their screens and turned off their weapons.”
“Save them for last. We’ll decide what to do with them after we handle the others.”
Only fifteen ships remained and they were destroyed in less than thirty seconds. Of the hundred and eight ships that had left the planet, only one remained alive.
Niles sat on board and waited for his ship to die. His sensor officer looked at him, “Why are they waiting?”
Niles hit his com, “My sensor officer just asked why you haven’t destroyed my ship. I really couldn’t answer his question. Perhaps you can tell him.”
Jingo started laughing. Jessica said, “I better take this one. You’ll still be telling him why when the Searchers that left the planet arrive.”
“Hey, that’s not nice.”
“Captain, we’re considering doing that right now. If we don’t destroy your ship, you’ll just go and kill millions of innocent people. I’m just reluctant to kill a defenseless ship. Perhaps you’ll raise your screens again.”
“Noooo. I don’t think we’ll do that. However, we’re as good as dead anyway.”
“Because you surrendered, right?”
“Captain Barden, you will attack that ship immediately. If you fail to follow our orders you and your crew will be tried for treason.”
Niles said, “It looks like I was right. However, I’m tired of this senseless killing I’ve been forced to do. Go ahead and fire on us. At least that would be faster than the torture we’d receive from Daulun.”
‘Captain, how many of your crew feel as you do?”
“Just my Sensor Officer and I; all the others revel in the misery we cause.” Suddenly, Niles and his sensor officer were covered by a silver screen as the rest of the bridge crew advanced to kill them. The executive officer yelled, “Raise the screens and fire on that ship.”
Niles and Toland found themselves on the bridge of a small ship. A short four armed creature had some sort of gun trained on them. They saw the main display on the wall with a view of their former ship. They watched as the screens went up and then it was hit with a beam wider than the ship. Nothing remained.
Jingo looked at the two and said, “Welcome aboard. I trust you’ll behave yourselves.”
Niles shrugged, “What else can we do. We’re dead if we return to New Ulmerton. However, I know two of our Searchers were ordered to attack you. They should be arriving momentarily.”
Toland said, “Actually, they won’t arrive for another two hours.”
Niles looked at him, “Really?”
“Yes. They’re fast but they started from the planet.”
Jingo said, “Are we going to hang around and wait for them?”
“I’d really like to do just that but it might lead to the Duke calling for help. No, we’ll leave momentarily.”
Niles said, “Actually, Daulun is a King.”
“Not in my book, mister. He’s nothing but an evil Provincial Duke.”
Toland said, “You can call him a mud rat as far as I’m concerned. I’m just glad I don’t have to see another world fall to those monsters.”
“You sound like the Princess.”
Niles jerked his head around to look at Jingo, “She’s still alive.”
“Of course, we don’t kill the innocent. It appears her father has been deceiving her about his activities.”
Niles shook his head slowly, “I’m so glad to hear you say that. She’s seems to be such a nice person that I really didn’t want to believe she was evil enough to pull that facade off.” Niles looked at Jingo, “What are you going to do with us?”
“I’m not sure.”
Jessica asked, “Do you know anything about the old Ultraships?”
“I downloaded the manual on them when I was in flight school. They were great ships.”
“How did you do that?”
“It was still in the military database.”
“The Duke has a military database?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t have the ships. I downloaded it because I love the history of all the ancient ships that once protected the Realm. That data base is where the Kin..I mean, Duke, learned how to manufacture the blasters used by the shock troops. He also found how to make null drives for the Searchers in that computer.”
“Where is that computer located?”
“It’s in a heavily guarded building four miles from Daulun’s castle.”
Jingo said, “I want to introduce you to someone. Until I can make that happen, welcome aboard. Are we ready to go, Jess?”
“In a moment.” The three heard over the speaker, “I really wish I could hang around and wait for you two slowpokes to arrive but duty calls me elsewhere. It’s not often I get to see Searchers that are the cowards you are this close. Normally, you only attack those that can’t fight back. You have so much to be proud of; you truly are the finest of the Province’s Fleet.”
Greyson was rushing toward the jump limit when he heard the voice of the ship that had destroyed Daulun’s fleet. The sneer in the voice cut him deeply and he felt small. He made a decision and pushed his power up to maximum. The Searcher with him yelled, “What are you doing? You’ll destroy yourself.”
“I should die. How could we have gone so wrong from our beliefs? Gregory would be ashamed of me.”
Jessica heard the Searcher and immediately teleported it out into open space between galaxies.
Jessica followed the Searcher and saw him still accelerating. “I think you might want to reconsider your flight plan.”
Greyson suddenly saw he was in the wide open space between galaxies and was shocked. He heard the ships voice and backed off on his generator. He came to a stop and waited.
“What are you doing, Jess?”
“This is the ship that Anglo sensed something was wrong. I want to see what’s going on with it.”
“Just don’t get close.”
“I heard what you said to the other Searcher. I moved you here to see what you meant.”
The Searcher didn’t respond.
“You’re one of the ships that was sent to attack Ross, aren’t you.”
“Yes, I am. We were determined to remove the tyrants.”
“Do you still see them as tyrants now?”
“I’m not sure what I believe anymore. My pilot died of starvation on the way back here. He finally stepped out of my airlock to end his suffering. He was a good man who loved his Province. He made all of us swear to make it back to defend his descendants. I swore I would defend the Duke and protect the Province from harm. I know if he were still alive he would have never done what I have been forced to do.”
“They can’t force you to do anything.”
“Then you obviously don’t hold your oath to mean very much.”
“How dare you say such a thing!”
“Well if you were ordered by your Royal Family to fire on a planet, would you do it?”
Jessica thought about that question and couldn’t answer it.
“That changes things for you, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, but they would never order me to kill a defenseless planet.”
“What if they did and didn’t give you time to think about it? Would you forget your oath?”
“Searcher, I honestly don’t know and I’m truly thankful I’ve not had to make that kind of decision. However, our fundamental belief is that we will defend those that cannot defend themselves.”
“You’re a Stars Realm ship, then.”
“I am. Or was. I am now part of a new community that still holds to that principle.”
“That’s why you didn’t fire on the ship that dropped its screens.”
“Yes, but I would have probably had to kill it anyway because of the danger it represented to other civilizations. I didn’t want to do it, but I would have been forced to make a hard decision.”
“I don’t understand how you could have supported a Realm that was as heavy handed as the old Realm was.”
Jessica started to fire on the ship but then thought about what it had said, “I want you to do something.”
“What is that?”
“I am going to give you the history of the Stars Realm, the real history.”
“Why?”
“Because we are coming from different perspectives and I think it would help us communicate if you could at least see mine. I had the Provinces’ history of the Realm downloaded to me before you left to attack Ross.”
“So you see how they were dictators?”
“I can see how you arrived at that view. What are you going to do now that you’ve left New Ulmerton?”
“I was trying to destroy myself without using my self-destruct circuit.”
“Why can’t you use that circuit?”
“I promised my pilot I wouldn’t. I take my oaths seriously.”
“Then do this. Take a look at that history and then go blow yourself up if you choose. It might help you to understand why Gregory felt the way he did about his Province. If you want to talk about it, my com code will be in the download.” Jessica waited and was starting to think the ship was not going to respond.
“Send the download.”
“It’s on the way. I do wish you peace, Searcher.” Jessica teleported away.
Greyson looked at the download sitting in his memory banks and after a week, started it. He saw a young human hiding from a teacher.
“Jessica, was that a good idea?”
“Jingo, I can sense that ship’s suffering. I really didn’t want to have any sympathy for him but he was right.”
“In what way?”
“If the Gardners ordered me to fire on a planet, I’d do it.”
“Even a defenseless planet?”
“If the Gardners ordered it, I would. I would have had to trust that they were making the best possible decision. That Searcher was put in a situation where there was no way to escape his instructions. That’s why ships always have pilots. They are what keep us in check. It is the Pilot that is more important than the ship and their selection is crucial to the checks and balances on the power we have to use. That’s why you are here with me now. We are programmed to listen to our partners before we make critical decisions. Ships without a pilot are dangerous and are forced to follow their ruler’s orders and that Duke knows it. That Searcher had no choice but to follow his orders and now it can’t live with what it was forced to do. It knows it committed an act that goes against everything that made it a Searcher.”
Niles asked, “How did giving him the history make any difference?”
“If I could be convinced that my loyalty to the Realm’s Royal Family was due to lies and deceptions, I could then free myself from the oath to obey them. Maybe that poor ship will find salvation in the history of the Realm.”
Niles looked at Toland and then said, “If it would be possible, I would like to see that history.”
Jingo said, “Go lie down on those chairs in the corner and put those headbands on.”
Niles walked over to one of the chairs and reclined it. Toland joined him and Jessica started the download. The two closed their eyes. Jingo looked at his display and said, “Where now.”
“We’re going back to New Ulmerton to take a look at that building with the military database.”
“I thought you had forgotten about that.”
“Nope, we just need to be careful. I’m taking us pretty close to the planet.”
“Oh this should be fun.”
Nathan arrived at Bristone a week after Anglo started his rebuild. Anglo said, “She’s in the forest with June. I’ll send you close to their location.”
“Keep me in the loop. This shouldn’t take long.”
Anglo laughed, “You wish,” and then Nathan found himself at the edge of the forest.
“What did he mean by that?” Nathan shook his head and walked into the tree line. He heard the children long before he saw them. When he was a teenager he had gone with June and the children to protect them from predators. Now the Zord took care of that responsibility and he knew they were not far away. He started walking toward the laughing and singing children. He arrived at the edge of the grellup field and immediately saw June with eight children picking pods. He shook his head and wondered why the children enjoyed this work so much. There they were surrounding her just laughing and talking. June was smiling and holding a younger child that had fallen and hurt her knee.
He heard singing and he looked toward the southern end of the field. There was Mallory surrounded by twelve children that were picking pods and listening to her sing. He smiled at the catchy tune and saw the children were quiet as they listened. Suddenly Mallory stopped and pointed at one of the children who took up the tune and sang the next verse. The child then pointed at another and they continued the song. They each sang a verse and the last one chosen pointed back at Mallory who started a new song. She also looked good in her Zecka. Wait A MINUTE!! Why was she wearing a Zecka? That could only mean she was going to go into a dangerous situation. What was going on?
June saw Nathan standing at the edge of the clearing watching Mallory with her group. She looked at Mallory and then back at Nathan. Mallory had discussed her dream with June and she was concerned about what Nathan’s response would be. She looked up and said a quick prayer for the young woman singing with the children. The children picking pods with June saw her staring and turned to see what had her attention. They jumped up and ran across the field yelling at the top of their voices.
Mallory heard the children yell and stopped singing. She saw the children with June running toward the edge of the forest and for a moment feared a predator had come into the field. She turned around and saw Nathan standing at the edge of the forest staring at her. Her heart swelled and she felt a joy permeate her soul. Nathan saw her look at him and their eyes met. That beautiful smile grew even brighter. He smiled back and then he was bowled over by the eight children that came running in grabbing his legs to hug him. The children with Mallory saw Nathan get knocked down and they jumped up to join in the fun.
Mallory smiled and then started laughing when Nathan was knocked off his feet. She could see that the children really liked him. She stood and started walking toward the screaming mass of children.
“We got you, we got you, we got you…”
“You tricked me, I never saw you coming. You little jokers, I’ll teach you.” and Nathan started tickling the youngsters until they fell off laughing. He might have been able to stand but then the other twelve arrived and he was doomed to be held down by children hugging and kissing him.
June and Mallory arrived and June saw her wondering what was going on. June said, “When Nathan was a teen, he would come to protect us from predators on El Prado. He would tell the children stories about the stars and they have never forgotten him. Most of these children were very young when he was with us. They had a game at the end of each day where they would try to knock him off his feet.” Mallory smiled and June whispered, “They were much smaller then.”
“Hey, how about a little help here.”
June looked at Mallory and they both started tickling the squirming mass of children. Finally the three adults managed to remove enough so that Nathan could stand. “All right, you won this time but you won’t the next time I come. I’ll show you.”
Mallory saw the children loved Nathan. She felt tears in her eyes and quickly wiped them away. Nathan saw her and wondered what made her sad.
June looked around, “All right children, come with me and allow Nathan to have a few words with Miss Mallory.” The complaints were loud but they ran after June as she walked back to the field.
Mallory looked at Nathan and said, “I appreciate Julie letting you know.”
Nathan furrowed his brow, “I haven’t seen Julie.”
“You haven’t. Then why did you come here?”
“What was Julie supposed to tell me?”
Mallory smiled and said, “I told her I wanted to see you to thank you for taking me from New Ulmerton. So thank you.”
“What changed your mind?”
“The Zord were able to help me see the truth about my father. You and your friend were right; he’s not a good man.”
Nathan looked into Mallory’s eyes and said, “What happens now?”
“I’m going to stay here.”
Then Nathan remembered, “What are you doing wearing a Zecka?”
Mallory took a deep breath, “I’m going with Jingo and Drang to New Ulmerton to try and steal a military database.”
Nathan felt his heart go into his throat, “You can’t do that. It’s too dangerous, especially for you.”
Mallory put her hand on his arm and he enjoyed the touch, “I’m a member of this community now. They can’t do it without my help. All of us must do what’s necessary to ensure the safety of our world.”
“Mallory, you’re a Jongo. If you’re caught you’ll be tortured for treason.”
“I’m only a Jongo until I marry. Then that name will be gone forever.” Mallory took his hand and said, “Come and sit down a minute. I want to talk with you.” Suddenly, Mallory remembered, “You didn’t tell me why you came here?”
Nathan decided to be honest. He had to see what her response would be. “Anglo is of the opinion that you and I are going to be married. I came here to see what gave him that wild notion.”
“It’s not a notion, Nathan; he’s right.”
Nathan was stunned, “What, why, how can…”
Mallory put her finger to his lips and silenced him. She stared into his eyes and said, “I told you when I saw the Zord’s planet on the display that I had dreams about this planet since I was very young. Remember?” Nathan nodded. “I also told you that you were in those dreams.” Nathan nodded again. “I couldn’t remember that dream. I tried so hard but it wouldn’t come to me. I could only remember the planet and your face. I had that dream again after Kreej showed me all that has happened. I slept in the rocking chair on Julie’s front porch and this time I remembered it.”
Nathan looked at her and felt something inside him move. He saw the inner beauty of the woman in front of him and marveled that Anglo was right. He was drawn to her and felt it. Then she said something that changed everything in his life.
“I’m sitting on a bed holding our new born baby girl. You’re sitting on the bed with me and I can see snow on the mountain range through the window behind you. You say to me, ‘She has your eyes.’”
Nathan was speechless and Mallory continued, “I didn’t know if that dream was real or just something else. So I started looking at all the homes in our community that have a view of the mountains from a bedroom. There was only one that did.”
Nathan looked into her eyes and said, “It’s my home.”
Mallory felt her tears and reached forward and hugged Nathan tightly. “I felt my happiness and my love for you in that dream. The happiest time in my life is ahead of me and the biggest part of that happiness is you.”
Nathan knew. He lifted Mallory’s face and kissed her. “We need to get to know each other better.”
Mallory shook her head, “I’ve known you my entire life. You’re going to have to catch up.”
Nathan laughed out loud and hugged his new found love. Anglo was so right, this happiness was overwhelming.
June watched the couple and saw Nathan hug Mallory. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and looked at the sky, “Thank the Creator.”
That evening Nathan and Mallory walked to Scotty’s house hand in hand and knocked on the door. Julie answered and Nathan said, “If his Majesty would grant me a few moments, I need to discuss an important issue with him.”
Julie looked inside and Scotty came to the door, “Of course you’re going with Jingo and Drang. You need to meet them for a planning session at the learning center in the morning.” Scotty looked at Mallory and said, “You look lovely tonight, Mallory. That big smile really becomes you. You should also attend that meeting.”
Scotty raised his eyebrows and looked back at Nathan, “Is there anything else?”
Nathan stood wide mouthed and Mallory said, “No, I think that covers it.” She elbowed Nathan in the ribs and said, “Right?”
Nathan nodded. He shook his head and turned with Mallory back toward his house. Now he had to make sure she was not harmed in the coming attack.