by Saxon Andrew
It took a little over a minute for Sharon to destroy all the Grang ships attacking the Command Ship. There was a huge area of explosions around the small warship where numerous blasters and missiles were hitting its force field, but nothing broke through to harm the vessel. Cami sat in her command chair with her thumb under her chin and her index finger above her top lip. She caught herself doing it and smiled; Grady did the same thing when he was focused on things.
Robert looked at Cami, “Long range scanners show more than five-hundred Grang Warships moving toward the planet at high speed from the outer system.”
Cami nodded and turned to Sharon, “You should probably start targeting them now.”
Sharon glanced at Linda as she spoke instructions into her targeting computer. This was madness. Why were they doing this alone?
Robert turned to Cami, “You’re only attacking the ships that attack us.” Cami nodded. “Why are you doing that?”
“I learned it from a species that uses that tactic with surprising results.” Robert nodded and turned back to the monitor.
• • •
The five hundred plus Grang Warships flew in at high speed toward the planet and came to a stop twenty miles out from the Command Ship. Cami smiled slightly as Robert said, “I have a communication coming in from the planet.”
“Put it on the wall monitor.”
A large Grang Warrior appeared on the monitor and it was clear by the uniform it was wearing that it was a high-ranking officer. Cami stared at the Grang and it said, “I wondered who you are; you’re human.”
“Yes, I am.”
The Grang said, “I’m going to allow you to leave without being harmed because you did not fire on the city.”
Cami waved a hand at him, “That’s alright.”
The Grang’s expression turned slightly angry, “You don’t seriously think you can survive against my warships?”
“Why don’t you send them in, and we’ll see.”
The Grang glared at Cami and said, “What’s going on?”
Cami sat up straight, “I was wondering when you were going to start asking important questions. You should know that we’re recording what’s happening here and sending it to every electronic device on all of your planets.”
“Why are you doing that?”
“So I don’t have to do it more than once.”
“You’re here to deliver a message?”
Cami nodded, “Yes, I am.”
“What is your message?”
“You understand that you attacked one of our planets and destroyed it, do you not?”
“We were convinced by the civilization in Andromeda to do that.”
“They won’t be convincing you anymore.”
“Why not.”
“Their species is now extinct.” The Grang stared at Cami on the monitor and Cami asked, “What would you do if humans attacked and destroyed one of your planets and you have an opportunity to do something about it?”
“I believe you know the answer to that question.”
“Yes, I do. But I want you to answer it so all of the people on all of your planets can hear.”
“I would destroy your civilization down to the last male, female, and child.”
“So you understand that we have the right to do the same thing to you.”
“Only if you’re capable of doing it.”
“Why don’t you see if I am?”
The Grang Commander stared at Cami and said, “All warships, attack the intruder.”
Cami ended the contact and said to Sharon, “Feel free to use your missiles.”
Sharon was too involved in targeting the huge formation of Grang Warships to reply but Cami sat back and saw huge numbers of Grang Warships being blown up by missiles. She waited and after forty minutes, space above the planet was filled with large clouds of debris and expanding vapor clouds. Linda said, “Sixty-three of their warships are attempting to flee.”
“Pursue and destroy them, Captain,” Cami ordered.
Linda went to full speed and was on the fleeing warships in an instant. Sharon opened fire with long range blaster beams and missiles as the sixty-three survivors tried to spread out and escape. None of them survived. Cami ordered, “Take us back to the planet above the city.”
They arrived in their former position and Cami sat back in her chair. Robert said, “Every officer in the fleet tried to get through to you before the battle to convince you not to do this alone.” Cami looked at him. He shrugged and said, “I told them you were busy.”
Cami smiled, “Most of our ships don’t know the power of our newest warship. They needed to see it in action.”
“I figured as much. What happens now?”
“That will depend on them.”
Robert looked at his console and pressed a button. The large Grang Leader appeared on the wall monitor. Cami waited for him to speak but he remained silent. “If you’d like to send more warships to attack my vessel, please feel free to do so.”
“You’ve come here to make a mockery of my brave warriors and to destroy my civilization.”
Cami shrugged, “Some messages are difficult to understand. However, there is one part of my message I’ve not shared with you yet.”
“What is that?”
“Charlotte, light them up.” Suddenly, more than a thousand small warships appeared above the Grang’s planet. The Grang Commander’s eyes were wide open, and Cami said, “I have just as many warships above every planet in your civilization. You are welcome to attack them.”
Cami heard a voice ask over the frequency, “Commander, what should we do?”
“I don’t think you can do anything. Hold your positions and only attack when they fire on the planets.”
“They wouldn’t make a difference,” Cami remarked.
“No, but you’re going to destroy them anyway and at least they’ll die defending their families.”
“I did not come here to kill your species.” The Commander’s eyes narrowed. “If I came here for that purpose, I would have just done it and foregone this conversation. I came here to offer you a chance to live but only under certain conditions. The only way to get you to accept those conditions was to show you that if you refused to follow them you would all die. Do you understand I have the power to kill every Grang on all your planets?”
“I do.”
“You will be allowed to live but only if you follow my orders.”
“What are they?”
“None of your warships will be allowed to move outside the star system where they are currently located. I’m allowing your ships to survive for the sole purpose of defending your planets against attacks and that is all. If any of them violate this order, I will destroy every warship at every planet.”
“What happens if…”
“Hold your questions until I’m done!” Cami interrupted. The Commander closed his mouth and nodded. “Your days of going out and conquering other planets ends now! Your days of conquest are over. Further, if a starship crosses your borders by accident or for any other reason, you will not attack it unless you confirm that it represents a danger to your planets. Failure to make that determination will result in the destruction of your warships. Your species does not play well with other intelligent civilizations. You will learn how to live peacefully among your neighbors, or you will die. Do you have any questions?”
“How are we supposed to move between our planets?”
“You may move as many unarmed vessels between your planets as you choose. You will also be allowed to use unarmed vessels to open commerce with other civilizations. However, no warship will be allowed to leave each planet’s borders.”
“The DoRen have been attacking us for centuries. We don’t have enough warships at any one planet to hold them off.”
“They won’t pose a problem for you.”
“Why not?”
“My next stop from here is at their capital. They will follow my instructions, or they wi
ll join that civilization in Andromeda in extinction; just like you will if you violate your instructions.”
“We are a warrior society and you are forcing us to live in shame. We will lose our hearts if you prevent us from being who we are.”
“I’ve thought about that issue and I have a suggestion that will allow your warriors to let off some steam.”
“What is that?”
“Hold competitions on every planet to determine the strongest warriors each year. The winners will come to this planet to compete to determine who the Champions are in your society. You can work on what sort of things they’ll do in the competitions, but I suggest any competition not be to the death but that’s entirely up to you.” The Grang Leader stared at her thinking about the idea and Cami added, “And to make it interesting, if the DoRen decide not to die today, you might have your champions meet theirs to see who is the strongest. You can transport them to the site of the competition on unarmed vessels.” Cami shrugged, “I suspect many of your citizens will want to watch so it would help in your economy if you have a venue large enough for it to happen.”
Cami paused and then said firmly, “However, your survival depends on you following the restrictions I’ve placed on you. Do you agree to adhere to them?”
“Why are you not killing us?” Cami stared at the large Grang and blew out a breath. “I…we need to know to understand.”
Cami stared at the Grang Leader and said, “I’ve learned from a recent experience that you never know what a civilization will be like in the distant future. Your civilization is brutal, aggressive and dangerous. But you are also brave, fearless, and committed. I’m hoping that one day your species will become one I can admire. I’m giving you the chance to live to prove me right in doing it.”
The Commander stared at her and finally stated, “We will adhere to your restrictions. I personally thank you for allowing us the opportunity.”
“Make the most of it and please don’t disappoint me.” Cami pressed a button on her console activating the stealth systems and ordered, “All units will now move to their positions in the DoRen civilization. Ships assigned to monitor the Grang will remain behind at their planets.”
Robert looked at Cami and asked, “Why haven’t you talked with me since we came back from Andromeda.”
“Now is not the time, Robert.”
“Cami, there is never a good time.”
Cami saw Linda and Sharon staring at their consoles, but she knew they were listening. Cami sighed and said, “Ok, if you want to do it now, now it is.”
“Before you start, I think that whatever you felt for me died when I tried to fire at that bronze warship.” Cami’s eyes narrowed. “I made a mistake and you’re the one that saved us. I’m not what you need, and I could see it in your eyes then and now that you realized I don’t measure up; you don’t want to hurt my feelings by telling me.”
Cami stared into Robert’s eyes and saw his disappointment. She lowered her eyes and said, “We will always be friends, Robert.”
“That is a blessing I’m counting on. We’ve been through too much to be uncomfortable around each other now.”
Cami held out her hand and Robert shook it, “Friends it is.” Cami looked at Linda and Sharon and asked, “Did you get all that?”
Linda smiled, “Yes Sir.”
Cami started laughing and Robert joined her. By the time they arrived at the DoRen’s capital, Cami was allowing Linda and Sharon to call her by her first name.
Epilogue
Cami turned twenty-one-years-old and sat in her office in the recently completed Fleet Operations Building. The citizens of Britannia were moving out of their underground accommodations to the surface and life was getting brighter for them. Grady and Taffy retired a year earlier to spend their time with their grandchildren and Cami was chosen to take Grady’s place as Planet Leader. She rebelled at the idea, but Taffy managed to persuade her that no one else was capable of leading Britannia forward. Even Britt insisted that the position required a telepath to occupy it and he put forth a convincing argument. She longed for the days of her childhood when she was free to go out and face possible enemies, but that part of her life was over.
Robert and Linda were married two years ago and named their daughter after her. Cami chuckled. Linda decided the day Robert and she decided to just be friends to move in on Robert. Nature abhors a vacuum and Linda filled the one she left behind with Robert.
At least Charlie took RJ’s place when he retired, and he made a huge difference in keeping everything organized. Sweets was Charlie’s Taffy and she kept him focused on doing the right things for the right reasons. Their child was going to be incredible in its telepathic talents.
Cami stood up and went to the window and looked out at the rapidly growing city. Sylvia’s message to the Prime Minister scared the crap out of the Colonies and whatever plans they had for Britannia were forgotten…at least for the moment. The Farmers swarmed and went into Triangulum just as expected. The Triangulum Civilization’s warships immediately left and joined their new planets in the Milky Way. Britannia had a new ally that was sharing Britannia’s new technology and was quickly becoming a formidable force. Earth was given the Dark Matter Technology and Cami doubted the Colonies would ever be a threat to them. Earth had also become a close ally of Britannia.
Taffy had taken her to the cave in the mountains where she had barely escaped being killed by the Core Alien’s attack years ago and where she and Grady found love. Taffy told her that everything that had happened started in that cave. Cami still went there when she needed to be alone.
Justin and Kelli were married. She really thought Justin and Charlotte would end up together, but she was wrong; Charlotte blew it. Justin was promoted to Fleet Commander and he was doing an outstanding job.
Cami stared at the construction taking place on Britannia’s surface and thought about the Grang. They had taken her advice and started competitions. It gave their warriors an outlet for their instinctive aggressive behaviors and out of the competitions, the Grang and DoRen found common ground. Their centuries long adversarial relationship thawed and now they respected each other; they shared a common issue of the restrictions placed on them.
Cami knew that one day in the future the restrictions on them would be removed. They had opened trade with the new Triangulum planets, and it appeared they were living in peace with their new neighbors. She’d make sure they had changed before she removed the restrictions.
She sighed and knew she was late to her birthday party. Everyone was going to be there, but she needed some time to herself. It would be good to see the entire family together. She turned and glanced out at the growing city again. Now Britannia was her responsibility to protect and defend. She stared out the window and swore, “You will never fall again.” She turned and left for the party.
The End
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Books by Saxon Andrew
The Annihilation Series:
Love Conquers All
The Power of a Queen
A Rose Grows in Weeds
Tommy’s Tale
Searcher
Demon’s Sacrifice
Finding Keepers
(The seven books above are also audio books at Audible.com)
Prequel-Psychic Beginnings
Searching for a Hero
Dahlia’s Deception
Annihilation-The Complete Series Box Set
The Annihilation Saga:
Lost Royalty
The Warrior's Destiny
No Way Out
Fight... and They Will Come
Ashes of the Realm:
Juliette’s Dream
Greyson’s Revenge
Death of an Empire
The Return of the Realm
Lens of Time:
The Pyramid Builders
Planet Predators
Pray for the Prey
The End of Time
Lens of Time - Star Rover:
The Worst of Time
Running Out of Time
Chosen to Die
The Fight for Creation:
Life Warrior
Scout Warrior
Ultimate Warrior
Star Chase:
The Lost Prince
(Also an audio book at Audible.com)
Nowhere to Run
Nowhere to Hide
Probe Predators
Jesse's:
Jesse’s Starship
Mike’s War
Joshua’s Walls
Nemesis:
Revenge is Best Served Hot
The Search for Orion
Trapped in Time:
The Time Takers
Taming a Planet
Extinction
Escape to Earth:
Running From Fate
Fighting for Space
Defending Holy Ground
The Legacy of a Conqueror
Living Legends
The Sequel Series to Escape to Earth - Defending Earth:
Searching for Death Feeders
Discovery Means Death
The Death Prophecies:
The Coming of the Prophet
The Prophet's Eyes
The Unknown Enemy Will Kill You
No Technology is Invincible
Survival is Never Free
The Last Prophecy
Stories from the Filament Universe:
Gregor’s Run
A Pirate’s Tale
Soul of the Swords
The Death Filament
Death Never Leaves a Calling Card
Gregor’s Search
Jimmy's Dreams Stories:
Jimmy’s Dreams
Jimmy’s Dreams II - A Recurring Nightmare
The Assassins Guild:
Earth Must be Stopped
Defending the Colonies
Rage of the Brotherhood
The Last Man Standing
Britannia series:
The Fight for Britannia