by Saxon Andrew
Suddenly, a monument in the middle of a park three blocks away was hit by a brilliant beam vaporizing it in a loud blast. Everyone flinched at the explosion and they heard, “Go ahead and take your best shot at my ship. Do your best to stop me from blasting this world down to the bedrock.”
Hundreds of small warships rushed in and attacked the Rex Hare and all their beams failed to do any damage to the black ship’s hull. Isobel was shocked by the intensity of the beam that struck from space and then she heard, “I think I’ve had enough of your impertinence. The next ship that fires on my vessel will be destroyed.”
Isobel lifted her communicator and heard, “Admiral, nothing we’ve done has affected that ship.”
“Call off the attack.”
Isobel turned to Grady and he smiled, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
An old man came down the steps and Grady turned to him. His eyes widened, and he bowed his head slightly, “Greng Lightner, I thought you were here.”
Greng smiled, “Call off the guards, Isobel. This is one of our own.” Greng walked up to Grady and hugged him, “I’m sorry for the reception, Grady. We just had to be sure.”
Grady looked up the steps and saw another old man moving toward him. His eyes widened, and his tears started. He rushed up the steps and embraced the old man, “I thought you were killed.”
Admiral Kosare returned his embrace, “I flew Isobel and other scientists at the last moment to the colony, Grady. I’ve always suffered from leaving you behind. There just wasn’t enough time to come and get you.”
Kosare looked up at the sky, “Is your wife one of Phillip Boshran’s children?”
“She was his only child, Admiral.”
Kosare turned to the others and said, “Do you need any more confirmation that this is our lost son returning home?” The others gathered around Grady and Isobel asked, “Just where was that ship built, Grady?”
Grady turned to her, “On New Britannia, Isobel.” The gathering was shocked by the answer and Grady said softly, “I have a lot to tell you.”
Kosare smiled, “Then let’s get to it, Grady. I can’t tell you the weight that’s been lifted from my soul at seeing you here.”
They heard, “Grady is everything ok?”
“Yes, Taffy, it is. I’ll leave the communicator turned on.”
“Turn up the volume, Grady.” Grady laughed and turned up the volume.
Chapter Thirteen
It took three days for Grady to bring the Union Leaders up to date on everything that happened since the war with the Coalition. They were surprised that he found Melbourne and managed to save hundreds of thousands of survivors left on Britannia. The computer sent recordings of the various battles that were fought and all of them felt extreme sorrow at the enslavement of America and the destruction of Melbourne. Finally, Grady sat back and said, “That brings you up to date. We left New Britannia to see if we could find your colony.”
“How did you find us?” Kosare asked.
“We were just lucky that we detected your ships,” Grady answered. Taffy blew out a breath as she listened in. Thank heavens he didn’t tell them about the robot.
Admiral Jensen sat forward and asked, “Did you ever resign your commission in the Union Navy?”
“No, I didn’t,” Grady responded.
“Then as your superior officer, I’m ordering you to turn over all of the ships you brought here with you to our government.” Grady’s eyes widened, and Isobel added, “I’m also ordering you to send any other ships you’ve constructed here as quickly as possible.” Grady glared at Isobel and she added, “I’m also ordering you to turn over the blue prints used to construct those ships.” Grady was silent, and Isobel added, “You swore to defend the Union when you were sworn in and you will keep your oath.”
The room was silent, and Grady looked around at the leaders waiting for his answer. After a moment, everyone heard a voice from Grady’s communicator, “Grady, you’re really lucky that woman didn’t show up to assist you in building the Rex Rabbit; she’s a real bitch! However, she’s out of her mind and stupid as well.” Isobel’s expression turned angry and Taffy added, “She has it completely wrong.”
“IS THAT SO, YOU TWIT!?” Isobel snarled.
“Grady took an oath to defend the Union on Britannia; not a new government on a distant planet. He did a lot more than you clowns who turned your back on Britannia to run and hide. Your planet is not the Union and he owes you nothing! You people are incredibly stupid! We come here offering to assist you and you start pushing us around like you have some power over us; you don’t! We could be a very powerful ally, but you clowns don’t appreciate it. Grady, we should just leave them hiding in their hole like the bunch of rats they are!”
Grady saw the shocked expressions on the leader’s faces and he smiled, “My wife has a way of saying things that cuts through all the bull crap being spread around and she’s right. You abandoned the Union and did nothing to help the survivors after the aliens attacked.”
“We couldn’t risk them finding us,” Kosare responded.
“All of you took the same oath I did to defend the Union on Britannia. You didn’t keep your oaths. I’ve been fighting the aliens that destroyed Britannia since they attacked. I’ve personally destroyed hundreds of their warships and I intend to destroy all of them one day. You are not what I thought you were. I’m leaving, and you should remain hidden until this war is resolved one way or another.”
Isobel pulled a hand blaster and said, “I haven’t dismissed you, Colonel.”
“Sorry, honey. Grady was promoted to Supreme Fleet Admiral of the Union Navy, he outranks you.”
Isobel’s head went back slightly, “By whose authority were you promoted?”
Grady smiled, “My own. I was the senior surviving officer after the aliens attacked and as such, I inducted people into the navy and made promotions where needed.”
Isobel looked at Admiral Kosare, “Did he have the authority to do that?”
“Yes, Isobel he did.” Kosare turned to Grady, “Why did you take the rank of Supreme Admiral?”
“I had to make sure the officers in Melbourne’s Navy followed my orders,” Grady replied. “However, I can see that you aren’t the people I’d choose to work with and we’re going to leave you in peace to find your own way in this universe.”
Isobel raised her blaster, “You will not leave.”
The voice from the communicator said in an angry tone, “You will release him immediately or I’m going to start destroying all of your warships. If that doesn’t get you to do it, I will go and lead an alien fleet to your planets. It’s your choice, but if you harm one hair on his head, I’ll leave this planet a burned-out husk with nothing left alive on it!”
Grady smiled, “I might say something that I don’t really mean but my wife will do exactly what she says, and I can tell you that she can do everything she just stated. Would you like a demonstration, Admiral?”
“What sort of demonstration, Grady?” Kosare asked.
“I’ll melt a moat a mile deep around this building in less than ten seconds, Admiral. And all of your warships couldn’t stand up to just one of the thousand warships I currently have above your planet!” Taffy replied over the communicator.
Kosare turned to Isobel, “Admiral, put your blaster away.” Isobel glared at him and Kosare stood up, “Guards, if Admiral Jenson doesn’t follow her orders, vaporize her!” Isobel saw the guards raise their blasters and she holstered her blaster. Kosare turned to Grady, “Perhaps we need to start over, Grady.”
“I don’t think so, Sir. None of you spoke up to stop Isobel and that tells me volumes about who you are. I’m remembering what it was like in the Union before the Coalition attacked and no one would make a hard decision. If you had imprisoned the traitors feeding our technology to the Coalition, then you could have built up our forces and removed the Dictator.”
“But we had laws in our constitution, Grady, that prohibite
d it!” Kosare responded.
“You had the power to change those laws, but no one had the guts to do it!” Grady replied. “If you had taken control of the Coalition, the aliens would have delayed their attack and you could have moved millions of Union citizens to this colony. Instead, you snuck away and left Britannia to the tender mercies of the Dictator and aliens. I don’t believe the aliens will be able to find your world, their scanners aren’t good enough.” Grady turned and walked out of the room.
Kosare stood up and rushed out behind Grady, “Please, wait!” Grady turned around and Kosare raised his hands, “Grady, I stayed on Britannia until the last moment. All of us are affected by what happened to Britannia.”
Grady shook his head, “Admiral, you left when the Coalition attacked the Union. You weren’t there as I watched the aliens burn my parent’s city into a molten river. I saw all the cities burned to the ground and I will always carry that image with me for the rest of my life. You really don’t know what real horror is, Admiral. And you haven’t learned from it!”
Grady turned and walked to his shuttle. He boarded, lifted off the ground, and disappeared into the sky. He landed in the Rex Hare’s landing bay and exited the shuttle after the bay pressurized. Taffy ran and threw herself into his arms as Candy wrapped her arms around their legs. Grady held her tightly and Taffy said softly, “I’m so sorry, Grady.” Grady sighed and pulled her closer. After a moment, he stepped back, picked up Candy, and hugged her. “Are you ok, Grady?”
“Yes. But I have one more thing to do before we leave.”
“What is that?”
“I’m giving them the plans for our warship.”
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?”
“Taffy, I don’t expect you to understand but I was given a mission by Admiral Kosare to deliver the hull of the Rex Rabbit to them. I spent several years building that ship and I was unable to complete my mission. I need to give them the plans including how our hulls are built. I want to finish my mission.” Taffy stared at him and then put her arm around his waist as they walked to the bridge. She remained silent as he ordered the computer to send all the construction plans for the King Hare Warship to the planet and then he said over the communicator, “All ships, it’s time to go home.” The thousand warships turned and accelerated away from the small, dim, star.
• • •
Kosare sat down and an officer entered the room, “Sir, we’re receiving the building plans for a remarkable warship.” Kosare nodded and put his head in his hands. He had let Grady down again. Isobel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “I acted inappropriately.”
Kosare looked up, “Yes, you did! You are relieved of your command, Admiral. As of now you are retired; go and spend your time with your family!”
Isobel took the star off her collar, tossed it on the table, and walked out of the room.
• • •
Grady was silent until the fleet moved out of the Coma Arm and then he said, “You don’t agree with what I did, do you?”
“Grady, if giving them the plans brings you some peace, then I say do it. I know how you’ve felt you let the Union down and if this removes that guilt, then I’m happy you did it.”
Grady turned to her, “I feel better, Taffy.”
“Then good! It will be interesting to see what grows out of the seed you just planted. It’s time to send Candy to school. We need to go home.”
Grady nodded, reached across, and took Taffy’s hand. After a moment he said, “A moat a mile deep?” Taffy turned to him and giggled. Grady started laughing and Taffy knew he was back.
• • •
Wade Alexander looked at his monitor and saw the giant ships moving toward New Britannia. He communicated a warning and two-thousand Super Rabbits launched from New Britannia and accelerated at maximum speed toward the edge of New Britannia’s star system. Rory heard the alarms going off as he rushed from Abby’s arms to his shuttle. He lifted his communicator, “Status of defense fleet?!”
“Sir, the fleet has launched and is holding position just inside our star system.”
“How long until they arrive?”
“Four hours, Sir. They’re moving in slowly.”
“Have they launched their Garrions?”
“Yes, Sir. They have forty-thousand Garrions surrounding the two carriers.”
Rory flew in to the Roo Hare’s landing bay and rushed to the bridge where he saw Captain Molly Singletary waiting at her weapons panel, “Molly, give me a course to the fleet!” Molly entered the course into the guidance system and Rory pushed the thruster handle forward. The Roo Hare accelerated at high speed toward the gathering fleets at the edge of New Britannia’s system. He looked at Molly and smiled, “This is the first time I’ve ever gone on a mission without Abby.”
Molly shrugged, “It’s the first time I’ve flown with anyone with a higher rank than Captain, Sir. I find it somewhat intimidating.”
“Relax, Molly. I’m sure we’ll be fine working together.” Rory looked up at the tactical monitor as the Colony warships appeared on it. Rory tapped his communicator, “Abby, order fleets five and six to launch and meet the defense fleet.”
“Sending the orders now, Rory. Be careful.”
“I will. I’ll send you a feed on everything taking place.”
“That would be good, Rory.” Rory looked up and saw the star disappear behind his ship and three minutes later, he arrived at the Defense Fleet.
• • •
The two New Britannia fleets arrived twenty minutes later, and Rory ordered them to spread out in front of the course the Colony fleet was taking. When the warships were an hour out from New Britannia’s star system, Rory contacted Wade Alexander, “Commander, make contact with them and ask them to turn around.”
“Sir, you should be the one doing that?”
Rory shook his head, “I want to keep my presence on New Britannia a secret. Make the contact, Wade.”
• • •
Maranda was sitting on her command chair with Drew sitting beside her staring at the tactical monitor. Approximately three-thousand Super Rabbits were gathered at the edge of the New Britannia star system and she wondered how New Britannia has so many of the old ships. Admiral Syl Tyers turned to Maranda and said, “I have a communication coming in, Sir.”
Maranda’s head tilted slightly, “How do they know we’re here? We’re supposed to be undetectable?”
“I don’t know, Sir. But the message is to the Commander of this fleet.”
“Put it on the monitor, Admiral.” Syl looked at her communication officer and nodded.
“The two colony carriers and forty-thousand Garrion Warships will stop and return to the colonies immediately. You have not been invited here and we will prevent your entering our space if necessary.”
Maranda looked at the monitor and saw the one delivering the message wasn’t on it. She was only receiving a verbal communication. She hesitated and then her head went back slightly, “Wade? Is that you?”
Wade looked up and rolled his eyes. He took a breath, pressed the video button on his console, and replied, “Yes, it is, Admiral Connor.”
“What are you doing in New Britannia? We assumed your ship was destroyed when you didn’t report back from Fagan space.”
“Sir, I watched the mob burn the Prime Minister’s house to the ground and I, along with many of the Rabbit pilots, decided that we no longer wanted to be a part of a society that would commit that sacrilege. We asked for asylum in New Britannia and they happily accepted us. However, I am warning you to stay outside of New Britannia’s star system.”
Maranda was shocked by Wade’s statement and she knew that the pilots flying the Super Rabbits were the ones that fought defending Melbourne. “Wade, your Super Rabbits represent no threat to my ships and I absolutely have no desire to harm any of the brave pilots flying them.”
“Then you should turn around and go home, Admiral.”
“Wade, how are you able to see my fle
et?”
Wade smiled, “That is something that will remain a secret, Admiral. However, you are not able to see the warships we have arrayed ahead of you. Turn around, Maranda. Don’t do this.”
Maranda sighed, “I’m sorry, Wade. I can’t do that.”
Rory listened to the exchange and said, “The hell with this!” He activated his communicator and said, “Wade, I’ll handle this.” Rory looked at Maranda on his monitor and saw her shock, “That’s right, Maranda, I’m not dead.” Maranda’s entire bridge crew were stunned by Rory’s image on the huge wall monitor.
“Rory! I was told you and Abby died…”
“When the mob attacked our house and burned it down!” Rory interrupted. “We managed to escape on the Roo Rabbit and we came to the only safe place for us in the galaxy. Grady and Taffy welcomed us. We renounced our Melbourne citizenship and swore our allegiance to New Britannia. Now I’m going to tell you this one time because we love you, Maranda. If you violate New Britannia’s sovereign space, I will destroy every ship you’ve brought here. I will try to just disable your carrier, but I can’t promise I won’t destroy it. You know how war is.”
Maranda fought her tears and after a long moment managed to say, “Rory, do you honestly think you can do that?”
“Maranda, have I ever lied or been dishonest with you?” Maranda stared at him and then shook her head. “All of your Garrions along with your two carriers can be destroyed in less than a minute if you don’t turn around.”
Maranda glanced at Drew and he raised his shoulders, “If he says he can do it, I for one believe him. He can see us, Maranda, and we are not detecting any ships other than the Super Rabbits.”
Maranda turned back to the Monitor and Rory said firmly, “I’d listen to Drew, Maranda.”
Maranda sighed and said, “Rory, I’ve been requested to go to New Britannia and see how far along you’ve come in building up your fleets.”
Rory’s mouth tightened, “Don’t you mean you were ordered to come here!”
“That sounds much harsher than a request.”
“Maranda, if it’s a request, you can turn around and leave.”