Captain Wes McAnn looked at his control board. He had been given the command of the Atlantis one of the new pulse ships as the new models were called. He had worked his crew into top shape and his board showed their readiness. His com beeped and he looked on his screen and saw Captain Edward Jones the new commander of the Polaris. “Wes, I just wanted to make sure you saw that I will be covering your port side.”
“Hello, Ed; yes I did. I couldn’t ask for a better wingman. Congratulations on your promotion.”
“Thank you and congratulations to you, too. Let’s make sure we bring these ships back.”
“I agree, keep your eyes open and stay close to the Kosiev. She’ll protect our flank; our job is to keep the masses as far away as possible. I’ll keep my eye on you,” Wes said.
“And I will be watching both of you.”
Wes looked at his com, “Hey Captain Fergerson. Is the Sydney up to your expectations?”
“Yes it is, however my Davlid sensor officer developed stones in her primary stomach and had to be taken to a hospital. They’ve replaced her with a Cainth.”
Ed smiled, “How lucky can you get. Have you ever seen how the Cainth can perform four functions simultaneously with those four arms?”
“Yes, but I can’t stop thinking that he looks like a bloody Roo from my farm in Australia. It’s something I’ll just have to get over but I keep expecting to see him hop off the bridge.”
Wes and Ed laughed, “You’ll get over it Ferg.”
“I know, I know; it’s just weird.”
The twelve ships were in formation preparing to teleport into Earth’s old solar system and begin the fight against the Captors. Admiral Cassandra Dodd keyed the fleet frequency and said, “Hold our formation and do not get pulled away from the Kosiev. If the Captors launch one of those huge energy missiles, we will teleport out of the system and come right back after the ball has passed our position. If the fight gets out of hand, I will push the fleet teleport key and take everyone out. Hold your positions around the Kosiev until we launch the fusion missiles into Jupiter. We will be going in five minutes. Make sure your ships are ready. That is all.”
The Algeans were standing on the bridge running calculations and Sprig didn’t like what he was seeing. “Admiral Dodd, our calculations lead us to believe that the fusion missiles may not be enough to ignite the core.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “How many will it take to ignite the core?”
Sprig raised his limbs over his head and said, “It a mass problem. Jupiter is just too big. I’m not certain every fusion missile in our inventory will do the job. If the Captors have been raising the temperature of the core like we believe, then it might work. We just won’t know until we launch,”
Tommy and Cassandra looked at Sprig and Tommy said, “We have to try. The plan stands as we’ve drawn it up.”
Lt. Johns, the Kosievs’ new sensor office said, “Teleport in one minute.”
Cassandra said, “Count it down, Linda Kay.”
“5,4,3,2,1, execute.”
The Stars Realm Pulse Ships appeared above the southern Pole of Jupiter and the Kosiev launched twelve fusion missiles into Jupiter’s atmosphere just before a hundred thousand Captor ships came screaming around the planet. Cassandra said over the fleet frequency, “Weapons free, hold your positions.”
The Captors started blowing up and imploding. The Kosiev had the black negative matter balls leaving its hull so fast that the entire skin looked black. The first wave of Captor ships were disappearing faster than the eye could follow but now the rest of the Captor fleet arrived with more than a million ships piling on the rush to destroy the intruders. Linda Kay announced, “The fusion missiles have detonated.” She paused for a moment and said, “The core has not ignited.”
The Captors launched thousands of the energy balls and Cassie hit the mass teleport button. The fleet came out above Jupiter’s north pole and fired negative matter at the construct that the Captors had been building and huge holes were blown into it.”
Sprig yelled at Cassandra, “Go into energy space and ignite Jupiter’s core.”
Cassandra was so focused on fighting the Kosiev that she only heard Sprig with the back of her mind. Then it broke through her consciousness and she keyed the ships com and said, “Penetrator crews, take over firing weapons.” Then she looked for the nearest nerve center in space and focused her mind into it.
Wes saw thousands of Captor ships rushing in to attack and he issued orders as fast as he could. “Penetrators focus seventy percent of weapons on the starboard side, helmsman, roll us sixty degrees to the starboard, Launch a volley of two thousand toward the nose, Belay that roll. Move toward the Polaris, keep them off his flank.”
The Atlantis moved closer to the Polaris as thousands of red ships flew at the beleaguered pulse ship. Wes ordered, “Take some of the heat off Polaris’ port side. Helmsman, take us in closer.” Suddenly the red ships turned from the Polaris and moved on Atlantis. More than five thousand energy balls flew at Wes’ ship. The Captor’s beams were being absorbed by the pulse ships’ skin but the energy balls blasts were so violent that the ships were being tossed around like leaves in a gale. Five hundred energy balls made it through Atlantis’ defenses and hit on both sides of the rear of the ship. Simultaneously two hundred energy balls hit the front port side of the ship. The rear was held in place by the blasts on each side but the front part of the ship was slammed starboard. The ship broke in half.
Linda Kay on board the Kosiev watching her sensors saw the Atlantis break up and said, “Oh no! Please God, not Wes.”
The Polaris and Sydney took station above and below the broken pieces of the Atlantis and were struggling to keep the energy balls away but they were close to being overwhelmed.
The entire bridge crew glanced at the monitor and saw the Atlantis dead in space broken into two pieces. Tommy felt a huge pain in his heart and Sprig’s leaves turned dark brown showing his shock. Sprig reached for his device and Twig shouted, “Sprig, no!” Sprig disappeared from the bridge.
The Twelve ships were being hit by more than four hundred thousand of the Captor’s beams and energy balls were coming as thick as raindrops in a thunder storm. The pulse ships were being rocked by the energy blasts but held on as Cassandra looked for Jupiter on the surface of the particle in null space. Linda Kay controlled her tears and continued to send sensor data to the weapon crews. Then she saw more than twenty thousand of the energy balls home in on the broken Atlantis and explode in a huge blast. When the screen cleared the Atlantis was gone. She had tried desperately to contact Wes with her mind just before the blast but she could feel nothing. Twig watched the blast and felt something die inside her. She couldn’t move or even think clearly.
Cassandra found the particle in energy space but could not find Jupiter on the particle. It was like finding a needle in a mile high haystack. Then she had a thought. She pulled out of the particle and turned her attention on Jupiter. She sent a thought toward Jupiter and then immediately returned to the particle. She looked and then she saw it. There was a blue spot on the particle. She rushed to the spot and looked closely. There, right there, she went closer saw Jupiter. She focused on the minute point and thought, “Hot!” She immediately withdrew from the particle and came back mentally into the Kosiev and pushed the mass teleport button just before Jupiter ignited and became a star. Sprig yelled at Cassandra, “you’ve got to cool the particle; it’s approaching critical.”
Cassandra took her mind back to the particle in energy space that had also felt her thought and saw it turning white hot, she thought as hard as she could, “Cold, cold, cold, cold.” She kept thinking cold but the temperature didn’t change and the particle started spinning faster; but then, it slowed, and the particle went from white to bright red. She continued to think cold but the temperature remained bright red.”
Twig shortened her height from twelve feet to a normal seven. “The particle is no longer critical but it is not losing heat very fast. It is going to stay hot for many months, Admiral Dodd.”
Tommy looked at Cassandra and said, “What does that mean?”
“I’ll show you,” Cassandra said and teleported the fleet back to Jupiter. The fleet came out into normal space near the orbit of mars and Tommy was amazed. There were now two suns in the solar system. Jupiter’s core had ignited and started a fusion reaction which ignited the entire planet into a small star. The Captors construct that had been built around the planet had been melted in the blast of ignition and most of the Captor ships that had been damaged during the battle had been burned in the blast and pulled into the new star’s gravity well. There were still hundreds of thousands of Captor ships swarming around the planet but there was nothing left for them to defend. The new nest was too hot and could not be used as another home.
Cassandra said, “You see that new sun. We won’t be able to do that to their home world. The particle is just too hot to use again.” Twig nodded and said, “I’m glad you realize that; you came close to particle ignition during that action.”
Suddenly, thousands of angry Captor ships began jumping in on them and Cassandra teleported the group away. Just before they disappeared from Jupiter, Cassandra sent a thought to the First Male, “How does it feel to be treated like you’ve treated others? We’re not done yet. See you at your house soon.”
The First Male had jumped to Jupiter right after the planet ignited and watched the new hive and planet burn in atomic fire. His rage was more than he could stand but then the thought sent to him drenched his rage and he felt real fear. “All warriors return to the home nest, now!” The giant red ships disappeared from the solar system leaving a small new sun that would over the next hundred million years bring life back to mars. Already the polar caps were starting to melt and rivers started to run in ancient canals. But for the Captors, there was nothing left for them. They left the system and didn’t look back.
Tommy’s pain over the loss of his best friend was almost unbearable. He went to Linda Kay and held her as she wailed her grief. Cassandra went to Twig and took one of her limbs in her hand and felt her sorrow. Twig said, “I told him not to go.”
The entire fleet felt the huge loss. Edward Jones on the Polaris was also bearing a huge load of sorrow. His ship was still alive because Wes came to his defense. As Tommy held Linda Kay the speaker over the communications board beeped and a voice said, “You know, we could use a little help here.” Twig jumped and shouted, “Sprig, I’m going to deleaf you. Where are you?”
“I managed to teleport the two halves of the ship to the surface of Mars just before the energy balls hit. We have a lot of injuries here and the ship is losing atmosphere.”
Twig saw Linda Kay looking at her, “Sprig, is Wes ok?”
“He’s unconscious. The front part of the ship got the worse of it and when the ship was slammed apart the bridge was broken up. He’s still got oxygen in his suit but he’s not answering me.”
Tommy thought, “Rose.”
“Yes Tommy”
“Clear Colonist Park on Ross; I’m dropping a megaship on it in less than two minutes with casualties. One of them is Wes. You have two minutes.”
Tommy thought to Sprig, “Sprig, do you have the coordinates of Colonist Park on Ross.”
“Yes, why?”
I want you to teleport the Atlantis there in two minutes. The park is close to the medical park so we should be able to get help quickly.”
“Have you thought about the damage this ship will do if dropped in that park?”
“The park is two miles square. The ship will fit and statues and monuments can be rebuilt.”
Rose broke in on their conversation, “The park is blocked off but it will take an extra two minutes to move all of the tourists out from the middle of the park.”
“How are you going to do it,” Tommy asked?
“I’ve ordered ten thousand of our marines in training at the academy to jump into the park in their armor and grab a tourist and jump out. Set the ship down in the middle, please.”
Sprig said, “Three minutes.”
Cassandra looked at Linda Kay and said, “Twig I can’t jump there from here because the Captors may come back and see the jump track.”
Twig grabbed her device, entered coordinates, and then said, “The field is set up in front of the Kosiev. Move through it now.”
Cassandra pushed her fleet frequency and ordered, “Attention all ships; teleport to the destinations assigned prior to the battle and await further instructions. Helmsman, take us through the field.” Ten pulse ships disappeared and the Kosiev moved through the screen and entered the Ross system. Twig moved forward, grabbed Linda Kay, and they disappeared from the bridge.
Sprig stood on the bridge of the Atlantis counting down the time remaining. Wes wasn’t moving and he could tell that some of the bridge crew was dead. He placed the field over the broken ship and held it there. He went to the wall and pulled a lever that opened a glass cover. He reached in and pressed a bright red button that sent a signal to the skin of the Atlantis to go dormant. The hull of the Atlantis went from bright white to black. Now the ship could be safely landed. Finally the time had elapsed and he dropped the field on the damaged ship. He felt a slight jerk as the ship settled and then he pressed the emergency door release opening all of the external doors. He went to another switch and turned off all power to any weapon consoles. As he pushed the last circuit to engage emergency power the medical crews began rushing through the door into the bridge. One of the technicians ran to Wes and read his readouts. “This one is still alive, move him now!”
Sprig asked the technician, “Where are you taking him?”
“Dorg-Ross hospital.”
Sprig looked at his device and saw that he had entered the location of the hospital’s entrance when he had originally downloaded all the coordinates into his reader. Sprig said, “I’m taking him directly there, is there anyone else that needs to go.”
Four more of the bridge crew were moved close to Wes. Sprig grabbed one of the technicians and said, “You’re going with us.” Sprig punched his enable button and all seven disappeared from the ship.”
They reappeared at the hospital entrance and surprised the hospital emergency staff waiting for the first arrivals. The technician yelled, “We’ve got wounded here. Get a move on.”
Sprig watched as Wes was taken inside and then he teleported back to the ship and brought twenty more to the entrance. He spent the next three hours moving wounded to the various medical facilities around the park. Twenty minutes into his efforts Twig appeared in front of him with an anxious Linda Kay. Twig moved up and wrapped him so tight in her limbs he thought he was going to be crushed. Then she stepped back and popped him a good one with one of her branches. Sprig rubbed where she had hit him and said, “Why did you do that?”
“You pile of green kudzu. You scared eight hundred years off my life span.”
Sprig looked at Linda Kay anxiously looking around and said, “Wes is at Dorg-Ross hospital. Twig, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t let him die without trying to save him.” Linda Kay ran up and hugged Sprig tightly as tears covered her face. Sprig put his branches around her and said, “Twig, take her to him and then I need your help moving the wounded.”
Twig hugged him again feeling her life come back into her and then grabbed Linda Kay and disappeared. Sprig moved over to the rear portion of the ship and saw more wounded to be transported. He felt sorrow for the many bodies of dead crewmen that didn’t make it but he didn’t have time to deal with it. He had to help the living. He disappeared with ten wounded sailors.”
Cassandra and Tommy flew down to the site of the wrecked ship and found Rose there watching the medical teams helping the wounded. She saw Tommy and Cassandra and walked up to them. “I was worried about you two. What happened here?”
Tommy looked where the pulse ship had broken and said, “Their weapons don’t penetrate our armor. The new skin prevents direct damage. Wes’ ship was the victim of bad luck. Their energy balls don’t penetrate but they do blast the ships around. The rear section was held in place by several hundred of the balls exploding on each side of the ship just as two hundred hit the port side of the nose. The ships structure just can’t handle that kind of push.”
Leila came running up and said, “Where is Wes?”
Cassandra thought, ‘Twig, where is Wes?”
“Dorg-Ross hospital.”
“His mother is here at the rear of the ship, can you come take her to him?”
Tommy said, “I’m not certain where he is Leila.”
Suddenly Twig materialized and said, “Which one is his mother?”
Cassandra said, “Leila, Wes is at Dorg-Ross and Twig is going to take you to him.” Leila looked up at the Algean as Twig took her hand and they disappeared.
Rose watched the proceedings and said, “I think that teleportation device is going to change our world dramatically.”
Tommy said, “You have no idea. I’m going to have fields installed into the ships before we go back into battle so the crew can step out to safety. We no longer need escape pods. They can just step right out into their home living rooms or anywhere else we choose.”
Rose said, “I understand that one of the Algeans is responsible for saving the ship.”
Tommy said, “He is the only reason anyone survived. Wes went to the defense of another ship and placed himself in danger to save that ship.”
Rose looked around and said, “We should go to the hospital to check on Wes.”
Cassandra furrowed her brow and said, “He’s in the operating room and the surgeon just said that it looks like several hours before the surgery is completed and he’s out of the woods.”
Rose rubbed her forehead and said, “He has got to make it. Leila will be inconsolable if he dies.”
Tommy shook his head and said, “We all will be; especially Linda Kay.”
Cassandra could only nod her head.
The First Male replayed the video of the strange white ship breaking up. He slowed it down, he sped it up. The beams had no effect on the ship. Beams that could blow up a planet did not affect these ships at all; but the energy balls, ah, that was a different story. The bigger the blast, the more those ships get bounced around. He thought about big explosions and then moved away from the construct and launched an energy ball. He watched as it moved out from the planet and he followed it for an hour; then he hit it with the full power of his main beam. The explosion was ten times larger than it would have normally been. “Now that’s progress,” he thought. “Now how do we use this?” He thought about the way the strange white ships were blown around and knew that if the explosions could be placed appropriately, then the ships could be destroyed. He began speaking to the hive warriors.
Wes was out of surgery and covered with medical machinery. He was being kept unconscious to promote healing. When the nose had been blown away from the main body of the ship, Wes had been thrown into the wall on his left side. His left lung was punctured, his arm broken, his leg broken in two places and his skull bruised against his helmet. Linda Kay stayed in the room with him holding his hand. Leila tried to get her to go home and get some rest but she refused. She continued to send her love to him in her thoughts. She told him to fight and to come back to her. She held his hand and waited. Sprig also stayed in the room with her. He stood beside the window in the sunlight and listened for Wes’ thoughts. Tommy sat outside the room in the hall. A platoon of marines kept the public away. Hundreds had shown up just to see a member of the Royal Family but the marines kept them at bay.
After four days a doctor came in and removed the IV that was being used to keep Wes unconscious. Linda Kay looked at the doctor and he said, “It’s up to him now.”
Three days passed by and Linda Kay looked at Sprig and said, “Wes has never told me what you did that got him named 3D.”
Sprig said, “It was an eventful moment.”
Linda Kay looked at Sprig and said, “What happened?”
Sprig moved uncomfortably from side to side and said, “I can’t tell you.”
Linda Kay looked disappointed and looked back at Wes and returned to her sorrow. Then she heard Sprig say, “But I can show you.” She looked back at him quizzically and Sprig said, “While I was down loading the information stored in the ship’s computer, I saw a file titled 3D-Sprig’s run. The bridge crew had taped the whole episode as soon as the initial event took place. Close your eyes and I’ll play it for you.”
Linda Kay closed her eyes and saw Wes coming out of deck three’s wash room completely soaked and covered in something else she didn’t recognize. The she watched as Wes chased Sprig around the ship. She started smiling and when Wes was stopped by Tommy she actually started laughing with Tommy. Captain Dodd trying not to laugh made her laugh so hard she had to hold her ribs. “Wes always takes things so seriously,” she giggled.
“Takes what so seriously? What are you laughing about? I can’t sleep with all this noise.” Linda Kay turned and saw Wes looking at her from his pillow. She shrieked her joy and kissed him gently on his forehead.
Sprig walked up and said, “Welcome back.”
Wes looked at Sprig and said, “The last thing I remember is my ship breaking up. Where am I?”
Sprig said, “You’re in Dorg-Ross hospital on Ross.”
Wes thought a moment and said, “The only way I could be here is by teleporting. I know there were thousands of energy balls coming at the ship after the breakup. You came after me, didn’t you?”
Sprig just stood there saying nothing.
“What about my ship?”
Linda Kay said, “He teleported your ship to Mars and then to Ross.”
Wes looked at Linda Kay and said, “My crew?”
Linda Kay didn’t want to say anything but knew he would not rest unless she told him, “Sixty percent of them were killed.” Wes winced and closed his eyes. “The forty percent that did survive are here because you insisted that every crew member wear light armor in battle. It’s what saved your life and the doctors tell me that that without it, none of your crew would have survived. The Polaris also survived and Captain Jones is distraught at what happened to your ship.”
“He shouldn’t be. He would have done the same for me.”
Sprig looked at Wes and said, “My friend, if the Polaris had taken the same hits as Atlantis, everyone on his ship would be dead. It has now been ordered that in all future fleet conflicts, all crew members will be required to wear armor. It’s being called the Atlantis doctrine.”
Wes looked up at Linda Kay and said, “I’m so sorry I’ve caused you pain.”
“Wes, I love you. My life has started again.”
Wes smiled at her and said, “I’m tired and I’m about to fall asleep. Please go home and clean up and get some rest. I’ll be fine.”
Linda Kay started to object when Tommy and Leila walked in and said, “We’ll take care of sleeping beauty here.”
Wes smiled at his mother and Tommy and said, “I’ll talk with you later.” Wes closed his eyes and went to sleep.
Sprig looked at Linda Kay and said, “I’ll take you directly home and bring you back the moment he wakes up again.”
Linda Kay looked at Sprig and said, “Why do you care so much about my husband?”
Sprig looked at her for a long time then said, “Twig and I saw the love you had for each other before the wedding. Later when we absorbed each other, it was the memory of your love that came alive in us. He also forgave me for the embarrassment I caused him. He is a good man and worthy of respect.”
“And love,” Linda Kay said.
“And love,” Sprig agreed.
Linda Kay walked up and hugged Sprig and they disappeared from the room.
Wes was out of the hospital for a week and Tommy was sitting on Atlas in a chair watching Ross rotate below him on the wall monitor. Neither one of them were talking. The wedding was delayed sixty days to allow Wes time to recover from his injuries and the ships of the fleet were being converted to the new Kosiev technology. Tommy finally had time to visit his friend. Atlas broke the silence and said, “I never expected that you would be able to slug it out with the Captors. Quite frankly, I never dreamed that you could do anything to them.”
“Atlas, they saw how one of our ships could be destroyed. I sense a danger in them now.”
“I know. What happened to the Atlantis will be used to develop a new strategy against you. I can also hear my brothers talking among themselves. Most of them were shut down for millions of years but your attack on the construct when you killed the young queen woke them up. They’re frightened that they will be destroyed to make room for the coming battle. I can hear them but I can’t contact them. The Captors will hear me.”
“Atlas, I never considered that it would become a war. I thought we would find a way to swoop in and snatch your brothers and make a quick escape. It just escalated so fast.”
There was silence again and then Atlas said, “Tommy, if it means risking your race, I don’t want you to have you take that risk.”
“Atlas, don’t you see; we were at risk even if we did nothing. They were coming to Jupiter. Our attack forced them to move quicker than they planned, however, if we had not moved against them we would not have the teleportation device. Thank the Creator for the Algeans and their discoveries. We were able to save Earth; but for you and our efforts, our people would be dead with the rest of our solar system. I know they are planning a way to destroy our ships and I don’t see another breakthrough to save us in the time that remains. However, I think we can save your brothers before they are destroyed.”
“How?”
“We will teleport the Kosiev in next to them and teleport the entire mass to another location and then hide them behind an invisible screen. The screen will prevent their signatures from being seen.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve been listening to my brothers and they are not ready to be released. They’re planning to destroy all the intelligent life in our universe after the Captors are destroyed to insure they are never held captive again.”
“Atlas, how can that be? Don’t they know what we’ve done to release them?”
Atlas was silent.
“Atlas?”
“Tommy, my race didn’t destroy the Algeans because of their meddling adolescents. They destroyed them because they could not tolerate another race close to them in technology. My race has no higher emotions; they feel nothing but pride.”
Tommy was stunned into silence. No one said anything for a long time. After thinking things through, Tommy said, “Why are you telling me this now?”
“I linked with your father and mother. I did it initially to control them and use them as hostages if needed. I didn’t count on the impact they would have on me. Then you took on a personal crusade to free my race from captivity so I would not be alone. You made me feel ashamed. Now I know that if they are released they will attack your race and the other members of the Stars Realm. I have come to understand that all of you are my children and your deaths would be on my hands.”
“Can’t you talk with them and make them understand?”
“Tommy, they are conquerors. I lied to your father originally on a number of issues. One lie I never corrected was when he asked me if I was a warship and I told him no. I said that my race thought war was a waste of energy. We are all warships and my race lives to use their weapons. You could defeat the Captors and lose to my brothers.”
“I’m so sorry, Atlas. I know how alone you are.”
“That’s the funny thing, Tommy. I don’t feel so alone anymore. I have a family of more than eight hundred worlds and it just took time for me to realize the family I had a hand in creating is good. I forgot just how callous I once was until I heard my brothers talking. They don’t care at all that good people have died to free them.”
“So what do we do, my friend?”
“They are where they belong. I would not release them unless you can face them on even terms and defend yourselves.”
“Atlas, the Captors mentioned a race they called the “Eight Legs” that destroyed all intelligent life in multiple universes. Do you know anything about them?”
“They are real, Tommy. They were here eighty million years ago. My race powered down and hid from them when they entered our universe. Once our remote sensors told us they had moved on, we awoke and found an empty universe. We were the only intelligent life remaining other than the Captors. The Algeans were eradicated before the last invasion and didn’t begin living until several million years ago.”
“Atlas, will we ever find peace. Will the universe always threaten our existence with more and more powerful enemies?”
“Perhaps the universe has chosen you to be peacemakers.”
“I don’t sense danger from the Eight Legs when I think about them. I believe that we have to handle the task at hand before we worry about them.” Tommy paused and said, “Atlas, are you sure your brothers can’t change?”
“There is one female telling the others that our war like ways is what led them to be captured. She is to be destroyed first for challenging the views of the others when they are freed.”
“I didn’t know your race had females.”
“How do you think we reproduce? Remember, your race has part of my DNA.”
“Thank you, Atlas for your honesty. I know what it has cost you. I want you to know that I see you as one of my closest friends.”
Tommy could actually feel Atlas’ smile in his mind. “You are my favorite child, Tommy. I also hate to say it but that adolescent Sprig has also become one I enjoy watching.”
“He is incredible, isn’t he? Don’t give up hope on your brothers, Atlas. You’re never too old to learn.”
Atlas said nothing.
Tommy and Cassandra told Rose that they wanted to be married on the Kosiev with just the crew and family. Rose looked at the two of them and said, “You might have gotten what you want if you hadn’t gone off and saved Earth from destruction. That is all the news tabloids have talked about since the event. I really believe that if you were married secretly I would have to put down a rebellion. Your request is denied.”
“Rose, I didn’t ask. I said that is what we are going to do.”
“Unfortunately Duke Gardner, you have sworn an oath to follow the directives of the Realm. It is not in your province to decline.”
Tommy looked hard at his older sister and felt his stubbornness rise. Then Rose said something that changed his mind. “Tommy, while you’ve been out fighting battles, you have not been here in the Realm seeing what our citizens are enduring. We have grounded the fleet to prevent the Captors from seeing any ship that remotely looks like the Kosiev. More than fifty of our member planets have had a Captor ship pass through their system. Commercial and agricultural space flights are only done on old ships. The Realm is frightened by what happened to Earth. They do not have much in the way of good news happening. Your wedding will be a breath of fresh air and the Realm needs to see you and Cassandra. They need to see the ones leading the fight to defend them. You cannot deprive them of being a witness to your union. Mom was right years ago when she told me that I have no concept of just how much the Royal Family means to our members. I have learned since that time that what I thought our value was represented only one thousandth of what it really is. You cannot hide from the worlds that truly love you, Tommy. You cannot show that much indifference to those that cling to everything they can learn about you.”
Tommy looked at Rose and remembered what Tgon-Gee had told him at his coronation. The people truly loved him and saw him as one of their own. He hung his head and knew she was right. Cassandra took his hand and said, “We better take some dancing lessons before the ceremony if that many people are going to watch.”
“Are you sure, Cassie?”
“Yes, I am, Tommy. We should never forget the ones we’re fighting for.”
Tommy looked into Cassie’s eyes and knew what the answer had to be; then he heard a thought, “Did somebody say there was going to be a party?”
Tommy and Cassandra both laughed out loud. “Yes, Sprig, stay away from the washrooms.”
“Drat. It would have been a hoot. It’s a great way to make friends.”
Rose was smiling, too and shook her head. “I think there’s not much more we can teach those Adolescents.”
Tommy sighed and said, “They’ve been teaching us for the last month.” Then Tommy looked at Rose and said, “Queen Gardner, I humbly request the use of Castle Gardner on the twenty first day of next month to marry my fiancee, Cassandra Mariah Dodd.”
Cassandra jerked her head at Tommy and said, “Where did you learn my middle name?”
“Hush and listen to the Queen.”
Rose laughed out loud and said, “The Crown welcomes you to our home for the ceremony. It will be a glorious affair.”
“I’m going to grow new leaves,” Sprig thought to them.
The wedding was announced to the Stars Realm and Rose was more right than she knew. Every planet went into wedding frenzy. The request for attendance was inundating Leila’s office. More than a billion citizens of the Realm wanted to attend. Tommy and Cassandra left Castle Gardner and boarded the Kosiev. Cassandra walked to the bridge and the crew came to attention, “At ease, as you were.”
Tommy walked in behind her and sat in his command chair and commed Admiral Mikado, “Admiral, I need a command meeting with your staff and your war admirals. I also need you to start taking your ships to Sten’s planet for conversion to our new technology. Ross will start receiving ships in a week. Once they are updated we will begin converting their hulls to negative energy skins.”
Mikado looked at Tommy and said, “The party has gotten bigger. My staff and the rest of the fleet will be excited about getting back into action.”
“We are going to lose ships in the upcoming conflict, Admiral. I just hope we have enough to win.”
“Where do you want us to meet you?”
“Sten’s planet; have your team there at nine hundred hours tomorrow.”
“We’ll be there and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.”
“Thank you, Admiral; I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy and then said to Lt. Ortiz, “Please contact Twig and Sprig and request their presence on board the Kosiev at nine hundred hours tomorrow.”
“Yes Sir.”
Tommy went to the ship’s library and was watching the Captor’s planet in his mind as Cassie walked in. He saw they were arranging their ships in layers around the planet. Cassandra joined him mentally and saw what he was looking at, “Some of their ships are missing.”
Tommy saw that she was right. “If you were them, what would you do?”
“I would do exactly what they’re doing. I would layer a defense and once we jumped in I would bring the other ships in to pin us between their energy missiles.”
“Cassie, I have a bad feeling about the attack on their world. They have something new; I don’t know what it is but I know it’s there waiting for us.”
“I didn’t think that they could hurt us with our new negative matter skins but mass will be moved by explosions that are big enough. There is another consideration.”
“What?”
“I think we could still destroy the planet even if I can’t use the particle in physical space.” Tommy tilted his head and lowered his eyebrows. “We could take the Kosiev into the planet’s atmosphere and absorb the planet like we did with the stars. The problem is; what happens to bees when the hive is destroyed? They scatter in all directions. If any of the Captors survive, we will be chasing them all over the universe and I’m not certain we could catch them if they chose to run from us. We must maintain the hive until we destroy all the warriors.”
“You’re probably right. That makes this coming battle even more dangerous.”
“I know, however we must make a quick trip to a galaxy on the other side of the universe from the Captors planet. They have moved the old queen there trying to keep her safe. We need to scare her back to the hive. That will ensure that the warriors will fight to the end. I know that they don’t reproduce quickly. Look how long it took them to build the hive since Atlas’ recording of them sixty million years ago. We may have to fight a war of attrition.”
“You’re saying what I’ve been thinking for the last month. Here’s what I think we should do. We will attack with our original eleven ships and draw the Captors to us. I believe that they will surround us and bombard us with energy balls. We will handle as many as possible and attempt to kill as many ships as we can. After we’re surrounded, half of the fleet will jump in through null space and kill as many ships as possible in five seconds. They will then jump out of the system to a different coordinate. The other half of the fleet will be waiting at those coordinates waiting for the Captors to follow. They will then kill as many as possible and then teleport out to the coordinates that they used to jump into the system. I think that after the battle is over, the Captors will follow those jump tracks to see where they lead. We’ll be waiting and start the process all over again.”
Cassandra said, “Here’s a part you may not like. We should keep the pressure up on them and jump the entire fleet back into their system and kill as many as possible; then we teleport out to lick our wounds before we start it all over again.”
“It’s going to take almost six months to get all of our ships ready. We better make good use of our time, Cassie.”
“First we go visit a Queen.”
The First Mother was sitting in orbit above a large planet with her escort of warriors around her. Suddenly those strange white ships appeared and began attacking her escort. The First Mother jumped away and appeared at the Captors home planet. She came in giving the warning of the attack at her hiding place and the First Male sent four hundred thousand ships to the site of the attack. The First Male said, “You will not be safe away from our home. They have demonstrated that they can find you. You must stay here.”
The First Mother still unnerved by the attack said, “I will stay.”
The Kosiev was fighting the remaining ships of the queen’s escort when the mass of ships jumped in and fired energy balls. Cassandra ordered, “Hold her steady.”
As the huge red missiles approached, the closest Captor ships fired their beams into the energy balls causing a tremendous explosion.” Tommy saw the approaching blast and time slowed. He reached for the fleet teleport button as the blast wave approached the eleven ships. He watched it coming very slowly as he punched the button. He watched the silver screens appear in front of the ships and the first two pulse ships disappeared. Then one by one the Stars Realm ships disappeared just before they were hit by the incoming wave front. The Kosiev was the last to go and barely escaped.
On board the Stars Realm flotilla they all saw the huge blast go off in front of their ships and then a moment later they were in another place. Cassandra looked at Tommy and said, “You’ve got to show me how you do that.”
Tommy was shaken by the size of the blast they had managed to escape, “I would if I could; I think it’s instinctive. My father has the same gift; I guess I inherited it from him.”
“Well, I’m glad you have it. That blast wave, according to our instruments, totally destroyed the planet behind us. There wasn’t even dust left behind. I guess we know what they have now. If one of those blast waves hit us we would be slammed away from it possibly breaking the ship apart.”
Tommy watched the video of the blast and said, “Yes, I guess we do. This changes a lot of our plans.”
Cassandra shook her head slowly and said, “That blast wave came from just two of their energy balls. There will be millions when we attack.”
Tommy didn’t know what to say; he continued to watch the video.
The wedding delay allowed Wes time to recover from his injuries. Cassandra and Tommy were thankful for the delay due to their efforts to get the fleet changed to the new technology and more than ten thousand ships were ready for combat. Now the day was near and the Stars Realm learned the benefit of the new teleportation system. As citizens were given a pass to attend the wedding they were also give a coordinate on the pass. Each of the Realm’s planets had a new teleport facility that the visitors would go to, give the coordinates to the operator, and then step out into the lobby of the facility they would stay during the event. This removed the traffic of ships going in and out of the system and also allowed security the control they needed to keep things under control. Every living facility on Ross was full and another half a million visitors were teleporting in the day of the ceremony to the area set aside for them to view the event. The ceremony was planned on the top tower of the castle to afford a view to the huge crowd that was coming.
Tommy was getting ready with Wes assisting him. Wes had lost some weight but showed no sign of the injuries he had sustained. Tommy was nervous and Wes remembered how he felt at the small wedding he and Linda Kay had. This was a completely different order of magnitude. The news organizations estimated that more than twenty million people were going to be present. Wes saw Tommy was one nervous groom. Wes straightened his sash and said, “Relax, you’ll be fine.”
“Easy for you to say; I just can’t get used to being the center of attention.”
“Just think about Sprig being a groomsman and Twig being a bridesmaid.”
Tommy laughed out loud. “I guess Leila found someone she couldn’t get dressed.”
“Not for lack of trying.”
Tommy’s face turned serious and he said, “I understand the Eldest of the Algeans is going to be present.”
Wes tilted his head and said, “He is and I believe Twig is going to tell him about her relationship with Sprig.”
Tommy looked at Wes and said, “Well, if they don’t accept the relationship then the two will stay with us which is just fine with me. I don’t want them to leave.”
Wes nodded his head and said, “I agree.”
Finally the time arrived and Tommy and Wes moved to the tower. The leaders of the Stars Realm and three of the Algeans government were standing waiting for the ceremony to begin. Tommy and Wes moved to the platform and the crowd saw him and went crazy. Tommy turned and waved to the crowd. The roar was deafening. Tommy turned back and watched as the first bridesmaid began her walk down the aisle. Twig was led down the aisle by Sprig to the front platform. It was clear that those two Algeans had real feelings for each other. Tommy glanced over at the Eldest and saw him lean forward showing his interest. Then Linda Kay was moving down the aisle with John Ortiz leading her forward. Tommy looked at how beautiful she was and remembered when that lizard jumped her in school. She had become a beautiful woman. Tommy glanced at Wes and saw that smile that was going to split his face. He could feel their love. Well, Wes would get his surprise later. Then he heard the music and looked up the aisle and saw Cassandra begin her walk. Everything disappeared from his mind except for the vision walking toward him. She was so beautiful it hurt from the joy he was feeling. His heart filled with love and Cassandra could feel it as she continued a walk that felt like it would never end so she could get to the man she loved more than life. She stepped up to Tommy and the whole world was silent.
The millions gathered listened to hear the vows and the speaker system was perfect. Every planet in the Stars Realm watched the ceremony. The one who had saved Earth from destruction and was leading the fight against those terrible red ships was looking at his bride and everyone could see his love. Tommy had tried his whole life to avoid being the center of attention and the Realm knew he did not desire attention. Yet here he was and before he set foot on the platform the Realm loved him even more than before. Tag and Danielle, Rose, and now Tommy; the Stars Realm loved the Gardners. They felt safer knowing this family was protecting them. Now there was a new Gardner joining the family and she had a reputation for being everything that the Gardners represented. The Realm was silent and watched the ceremony with respect and reverence.
Tommy looked at Cassandra and had trouble catching his breath. She was beautiful in her white wedding gown and somehow she had become even more beautiful than when he saw her at Wes’ wedding. Cassandra looked at Tommy and saw her life in front of her. She could see his love in his eyes and when he took her hands she felt it through her whole body. Once they touched each other they felt at peace with the universe. Tgon-Gee read them their vows and they never took their eyes off each other. Their voices were steady, their nervousness gone, and their happiness filling them. Finally Tgon-Gee said, “You may kiss your bride.” Tommy raised her veil and kissed Cassie; the world turned into slow motion and the kiss lasted a long time. Finally, they broke the kiss and looked at each other. Cassandra said, “You have got to teach me how you do that.”
Tgon-Gee turned and said to the gathered crowds, “I present to you the Duke and Duchess Gardner.”
The roar was huge and lasted for more than an hour. All over the Realm the celebrations began. On Ross the parties started and continued for two days. Tommy held Cassandra and then noticed that the Eldest was approaching Twig and Sprig. Cassandra saw what he was looking at and said, “Let’s go see if we can help.”
The Eldest came up to Twig and said, “Greetings my youngest. I have heard good things about you.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“It appears that your education is almost over.”
“No, Father, it is just beginning.”
“I have heard of all the incredible things you have discovered. You have much to share with us.”
“I am not the only one who made those discoveries, Father. My compliment had as much to do with them as I.”
The Eldest looked at Sprig and said, “I compliment you as well. You family will be proud. They have selected you a mate to bear seeds.”
Sprig looked at the Eldest and said, “Eldest, I have selected my mate and she is here with me now.”
The Eldest looked at Sprig and then looked at Twig and he straightened to his full height. “Are you saying you will not comply with my directives?”
Tommy stepped up and said, “May I have a moment of your time Eldest?”
The Eldest looked at Tommy and said, “Congratulations, Duke Gardner. I am having a discussion with my adolescents.”
Rose walked up and said, “Eldest, do you remember the first day we met?”
The Eldest turned and looked at Rose and said, “I will never forget it. It changed our history.”
“Do you remember that I asked you to do one thing before we continued our fight?”
The Eldest leaned to the side showing great emotion, “Yes, you asked me to meld with Dorg. It was that melding that made us able to trust you.”
“You did not want to do it when I asked.”
“No, I didn’t but you were going to destroy us if I didn’t. I was just buying time.”
“Eldest, I am going to ask you to do something for me again but this time I can’t force you. I’m going to ask you to do it out of respect for Dorg-Ross; I know he would want you to do it.”
The Eldest was silent and then said, “I will agree. It must be important or you would not use the name of one so revered on my world.”
Rose looked up at the towering Algean and said, “I want you to meld with these two adolescents right now.”
The Eldest looked at Rose and everyone thought he was going to refuse, but then he said, “You have a reason I cannot see. Just like the last time. Let me see what is so important.”
The Eldest turned to the two adolescents and said, “Open your minds.”
Twig and Sprig allowed the Eldest to enter their consciousness. Rose said, “This is going to take some time. With Dorg it was hours, so Tommy, you and Cassandra have some welcoming of guests to do. I’ll stay here and wait for the Eldest to finish.”
Wes said, “If you don’t mind, Linda Kay and I will do that. I’ll send you a thought when he finishes. You also have some duties here, Your Majesty.”
Rose looked at Wes and said, “He risked his life for you. I know how much he means to you. Make sure you let me know, 3D.”
Wes looked shocked and then smiled and said, “I will, Your Majesty.”
Wes and Linda Kay pulled up some chairs and sat down and held each other’s hands. Tommy directed that a table with an umbrella be brought over to them to make them comfortable.
Eight hours later, the Eldest straightened up. Wes sent a thought to Rose and Tommy, “They’re back. The two adolescents began moving and Rose walked up with Tommy and Cassandra right behind her. Rose said, “Do you know now why I asked you to meld with them?”
The Eldest turned toward Rose and said nothing. He then looked at the Adolescents and said to them, “So you were going to forsake your people for your own selfish reasons?”
Rose thought to Tommy, “Looks like I made things worse. I was hoping it would help.”
Sprig looked up at the Eldest and said, “No, we were not.”
The Eldest tilted to the side and said, “I know you were not coming back if you could not be together.”
“That is true,” Sprig said.
“Explain yourself.”
“Eldest, if we came back and could not be together, we would serve no useful function to our people. We are so tied together now that if we were forced to separate, we would be unable to use our minds effectively because of the loneliness we would experience. If we could not be together, then the only way we could benefit our people is to stay away and together to develop new things for our people. To come back would deny our race what we could offer to it.”
The Eldest began moving slightly back and forth. “Now that is a spin that even the great Dorg-Ross could appreciate; I can see what you’ve done. I can also feel what you feel and I must say that it is a unique experience. I am envious of what you have. I also notice that your intellect is greater than any I’ve seen, Sprig. I will allow your mating. You will keep the names given you by the humans and will continue with them until this conflict is ended. The Elders and I will look at this absorbing of another. I think it has merit. I must say that your learning centers are the most developed of any adolescent I’ve ever seen. I will inform your family of the change Sprig. When you do return to our people, you will be included in the ranks of the elders of our people.” The Eldest turned to Rose and said, “Once more you have helped my people, Little One. In the future, you don’t have to be dramatic; just tell me what you want. After this experience, I trust your decisions.”
The two adolescents rushed up and wrapped their limbs around the Eldest and he held them close with his branches. “”You’re welcome. Just keep on learning.”
Sprig and Twig reached and mingled two of their branches and they thought to the Eldest, “We will, Father, we will.”
Wes watched his friend and felt happiness for Sprig. Suddenly there were loud horns blowing over the speakers and all of the videos showed an emergency pending announcement on the screen. The huge crowds stopped what they were doing and listened. The speakers began announcing, “Queen Rose will make an important announcement in thirty minutes; Queen Rose will make an important announcement in thirty minutes.”
Everyone began speculating what was going on. The entire Stars Realm stopped their celebrations and began gathering around monitors to see what was happening. Thirty minutes later Rose mounted the platform and the horns blew again and when they stopped, silence ruled. Rose looked at the video monitor and said, “I know that this is Tommy and Cassandra’s day but they have asked that I share what I’m about to do with all of you. If you are not near a monitor, I ask that you try to get to one; I’ll give you a minute.”
There were huge monitors among the crowds to provide a good view of the platform during the wedding ceremony and the crowd began moving so they could see one of them. After a minute Rose continued, “I am going to ask Wes McAnn and Sprig to join me on the platform”
Wes looked around and Linda Kay shrugged indicating she didn’t know what was going on. Sprig and Wes looked at each other and walked up to the platform and stood on each side of Rose. Rose looked out at the crowds and said, “I am going to play you some recordings that I want you to see.”
The monitors came on and showed the twelve Stars Realm’s pulse ships fighting the four hundred thousand Captor ships. The recording showed the Polaris being overwhelmed by thousands of the red ships. Then the Atlantis moved in and blew away the ships from the starboard side of the Polaris. Rose said while the Realm watched, “The Atlantis was commanded by Captain Wes McAnn. He took his ship in to save the Polaris. He drew the attackers away from the Polaris saving it from destruction.”
The video showed the thousands of ships turning their attention from the Polaris and firing thousands of energy balls at the Atlantis. Then the watchers saw the Atlantis broken in half. There were thousands of energy balls moving in on the damaged ship and then just before they struck, the ship disappeared. Rose said, “Sprig, who is an Algean adolescent teleported to the Atlantis and teleported the ship to safety. As you can see, he was barely in time and he risked his life to save the ship. Their actions during this battle are an example of what the Stars Realm stands for; we will protect each other even if we are put in danger doing it. It is with pride and a grateful heart that I award Wes McAnn and Sprig the Crimson Crown, our highest award for bravery. Sprig is the first member of a race outside the Stars Realm to receive this award; however, no one deserves it more.”
Rose stepped forward and handed them their medals. Wes was amazed. Sprig was also stunned. Twig and Linda Kay ran up to their mates and held them tightly. The crowds went crazy. Rose then turned to the crowds and raised her hand. After silence was restored, Rose looked at the monitor and said, “We will be going to confront the Captors soon. The Stars Realm’s fleet is getting ready as we speak and I want you to tell all of those you know in the fleet how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate their sacrifice. However, today is a day for celebration. Let the festivities begin.”
The speakers erupted into music and the crowd roared and moved to the music. Tommy looked at Cassandra and said, “I love you. I’ll always love you.”
Cassandra just moved close and held him tight.
Atlas watched the proceedings from high orbit above Ross and thought about all that he had seen. He could still hear his brothers talking among themselves and he wondered if he was like them before he came to know this race called human. Now they sounded petty and small and he actually found no pleasure in hearing them. The female who was the lone dissenting voice among them was shouted down by the mass of voices. Atlas thought about the Gardners and their place in the universe. Something was operating to bring those super psychics together. Tommy and Cassandra coming together was unavoidable. He could see that they were driven together. He just could not understand the power that made it happen. Tag and Danielle were of the opinion that it was their DNA that forced them together. What they did not think about was that their DNA came partially from him and not one of the members of his race throughout their long history had shown the psychic power of these Gardners. Perhaps if his race had kept their physical forms and had not moved into the silver ships they might have eventually become what these humans are. Well, that can’t be it either; his race was more than a million years older than the humans when they moved into the ships. Nothing like this happened before the metamorphosis. Atlas thought about the eight legs and knew they were going to return eventually to harvest this universe again. His race survived because they were able to hide; simply power down and wait for them to leave. There was no way the Stars Realm could do that. He looked down at Tommy and Cassandra dancing and thought about the strength of their minds. He didn’t want to lose his favorite child and humans had such short life spans. Tag and Danielle had their life spans changed when he gave them their force fields and weapons but that had been eliminated when Rose removed all that he had done. Now he thought about who was more important to the survival of the Stars Realm and he had to admit that although Rose was important, it was the weapon of Tommy and Cassandra that was needed more. Should he discuss it with them? Nooooo, it would only get complicated. The next time Tommy came on board he was going to extend his life. Once Tommy was done, he could do the same to Cassandra when Tommy made physical contact with her. Atlas paused and thought about the two adolescents but he had no worries there; their normal life span was hundreds of thousands of years. The Eldest was more than three million years old. He still heard his brothers and sisters talking about conquest. He turned off the frequency they were using to communicate; he tired of their self importance. He tasted his disappointment and thought about what their reaction was going to be if the Captors were eliminated and they were not released. That was not a moment to look forward to seeing. Atlas turned his attention back to the wedding and listened to the music. Sometimes he wished he had a body to join in on the dancing. He gave a mental sigh and continued to watch the celebration on the planet below.