The young dreamers to be quickly transcended what was petty and useless. They did not tolerate irrational behavior.
Not only could they compare ideas, but cultures as well, however different. Translation of spoken language was slightly behind, but catching up. Young dreamers half way across the galaxy could now link with each other through tight beam transmissions and holovids.
Then the Spacer Mystics gave the program permission to use the secret mind crystals. The program began to make further leaps and bounds after that.
Numbers of participants expanded from under a few hundred to tens of thousands across two Quadrants within so many standard days.
The initial goals were cooperation, expansion of enlightenment, and forming positive, constructive working relationships.
Each participant or cadet had something to share, and so much more to learn.
They feasted on enlightenment like gluttons.
Those who demonstrated the best elements were unanimously made candidates for quickening, to increase and expand their already existing gifts and talents even further.
Those few with developmental or behavior issues and who became a risk to themselves or others could also gain counseling and assistance.
There would always be a few who could become a danger to themselves or others, if left unchecked.
Nor could any of these younglings be left unprotected, lest the enemy find, twist, and make use of them as yet a few more mind slaves or Cosmic batteries for the corrupt Darkforce generators.
No one desired to become the further shock troops for the Great Adversary. Naero produced all of the reps that were needed for Shetanna body guards.
All of these many issues had to be considered and dealt with on the run, and that rapidly became a tall order.
For the time being, the rapidly expanding Alliance Academies remained the best and only answer and hope for a brighter future. Naero and many others within the Alliance worked extremely hard to turn those fledgling programs into realities.
Spacer children, including many from Clan Maeris and the other Clans would still be among the first to take part, and help lead the way.
Within a century, who could say what the promise of those academies would look like?
11
Naero, Khai, Baeven, and the Alliance Champions responded to yet another enemy suicide attack against Naero and Baeven’s family.
These grim attacks grew far too regular.
Despite the heaviest defenses, the most lethal assault troops stationed on board the Spacer hospital ship, The Star Angel, the relentless enemy attacks continued. Whenever they switched over their sister ship, The Angel Wing, the attacks only followed them.
On both vessels, Naero had units of her most powerful reps, Alliance Marines, using the most powerful Alliance species, Shai bodyguards, and energy beings to defend her and Khai’s children.
But the enemy only increased its efforts at trying to slaughter five Spacer children.
With Shetharra included among the other four, Naero and Khai were not entirely concerned, in secret. But as parents, neither of them wanted to take any chances.
All the enemy had to do was strike at the right time and get lucky.
To accomplish that, all they needed to do was to keep trying.
And that was exactly what they did.
In truth, the two parents certainly did have an important ace up their sleeve. Any hapless creature or creatures plural that were insane enough to try to harm Shetharra’s little brothers and sisters with her around had a major death wish.
Yet once she turned ten, and the time was right, Shetharra would go off to the Spacer Mystic Homeworlds in secret, to begin her own Mystic training.
As the GSA’s number one Dreamer prodigy, many unique Cosmic tests were being prepared in advance, just for her alone. Shetharra by far surpassed all of the other younglings. No one even came close to her astounding levels of ability and prowess.
It was going to be a major feat merely to test her and her powers.
That also meant that their extra-added protection for Naero and Khai’s other kids would be gone, for the next standard year while Shetharra completed her extra special training.
The two concerned parents had to come up with a completely different solution.
“This latest attack demonstrated the usual rudimentary enemy ingenuity and cunning,” Naero noted. “The Great Adversary is nothing if not inventive and relentless. Haisha, that’s a big part of the problem.”
Khai also studied the initial reports. “They used various dangerous mutants, warped from their many races of shock troop slaves, controlled by G’lothc mind control wraiths. They always use the latest enemy tek and weapons. Micro-atomics and suicide bombers are difficult to defend against. Our fixers must be very quick to neutralize them, my heart.”
Naero sighed and shook her head in sadness. “This attack killed several defenders, including three of my most powerful reps, who had already become separate individuals and personalities in their own right.”
All of the casualties would be mourned and missed. All of the wounded would be cared for as best as possible.
Naero visited the dozen or so injured and thanked them profusely for their courageous service and sacrifice.
Every one of them asked to go back to doing their duty.
Every one of them wanted to know if her children were all right.
Naero wept. She embraced and thanked them.
This particular collection of enemy assassins had blasted their way into the outer family compound before being cut down.
In this instance, the kids were never in any real danger, but they did feel the explosions rock the starship before being shuffled into the core defensive Ultrium bunker with Shetharra and their guards.
Their children asked other questions thereafter, as to why the enemy wanted to kill them so badly.
Naero and Khai tried to explain things as best they could, without alarming them further. That became difficult.
Even the younger kids noted that these attacks were taking place more often. None of their kids were stupid.
Once again, GSA and Spacer Intel and the Mystics debriefed Naero, Khai, and the defenders on the situation, after the fact. A thorough investigation took place.
Khai and Naero both asked the same question.
How would all of that stop anything?
What could be done?
Some of the attacks were thought to be mere probes of the defenses, tests of this tek or that strategy.
The patterns showed that some of the attacks were quite limited, while others went all out, combined with major naval battles to keep the defenders occupied or distracted in some way.
It proved to Naero and Khai once again that the enemy would stop at nothing to kill anyone they wanted to kill.
It was always hard for any parent to accept that their beloved babes were marked for death by an implacable foe.
They and many others spoke with Spacer Intel, trying to come up with some kind of new overall strategy to avoid such a horrible outcome.
They needed to do something more than merely waiting, reacting, and constantly enduring and absorbing assault after assault.
Reducing the defenders to constantly reacting and responding to such attacks was a long term strategy in itself. By regularly luring Naero and Khai from the battlefront, their vital explorations, and other duties, the enemy was in a way, neutralizing them.
Naero and Khai were in part, kept so busy defending their kids and worrying about further attacks that they could not be present at other places where they were needed much more to help decide the outcomes of major conflicts.
The two parents had many other duties and obligations that they could not attend to because of these threats.
The important scare with Elazethrek had also been a wakeup call.
What if others of Six G’lothc Champions were given vessels and resurrected? Everyone guessed that the enemy worked toward suc
h goals nonstop.
What defense would there be then for anyone against such monsters?
Currently, the answer was none.
If the Alliance Champions could not even defend themselves against such potential threats, how would Naero’s children survive under constant attack?
That made their current situation completely unacceptable.
Naero and Khai often looked in on their kids while they slept in their podbeds. Bright Shetharra, their little star with her glowing hair dreamed in peace with her Seven. Who knew where she went with them as her guides, to what amazing realms in her bold and fearless dreams?
The twins always slept together, for now—spunky Daeyen and curious little Kathron. Allantar was so deep and imaginative. Selendil was so sweet.
Naero and Khai knew full well that Sharrah was carrying their next set of twins, two girls this time.
They had yet to agree upon the names.
It was a hard thing for any parent to imagine any harm coming to any of their precious children.
Naero and Khai had to figure out something before it was all too late.
12
One person or even a small team of people could never fully research the near limitless KDM. That much became obvious to all concerned.
Such a task would take billions of mortal life times.
For months, Naero had been attempting to replicate or copy the KDM into her most advanced replicants.
She kept failing, even with Om’s constant, wonderful assistance.
The KDM itself resisted her. She sensed that.
Then while conversing with Shetharra, she learned that her oldest daughter already had a fully functioning copy of the KDM at work inside of her.
At least now, Naero’s copy was not the only one.
“I was born of everything that you are, Mom. I am all that you and Dad are, and more. Of course the KDM is within me. It is a part of me, just as it is a part of you.”
When Naero requested that she access this or that information, the child would always laugh, just as she did about the secrets of the Songs of Making.
“It doesn’t work that way, Mom. You just have to keep striving for any of it to mean anything. I can’t make it any easier for you, outside of a few hints here and there. My Seven-”
“Your Seven?” Naero asked with a smile. “You’ve been saying that for a while now. They belong to you, do they?”
Shetharra giggled. “They are my spirit guides, Mom. They became the secret Seven Dragons of the Eternal Fire on their own long ago, and they go where and do what they will. They have chosen to love and guide me, just as you and Dad do, but in ways that you can’t. They have shown me so many wonderful things. Haisha, I can’t even begin describe them.”
Shetharra bent her shining head and began laughing and crying for joy. “You should see them all in their true forms, Momma. They are so beautiful and magnificent that it makes my heart ache. When I sleep and dream, it’s almost like I can’t wait to be among them. We sing together and all of these amazing places open up before us like…like magic. But do you want to know what the best thing of all is?”
Naero smiled at her darling child, who suddenly seemed to shine all the brighter. “What’s the best thing, sweetie?”
“It’s a rare treat; we have to get special permission. But they take me to secret places that exist where we can catch glimpses of the Great Mystery. Haisha! How can I even begin to tell you what all of that is like, Momma?” Shetharra broke down and completely sobbed, unable to speak.
Naero herself felt her own knees grow weak.
The Great Mystery.
What she would not give for a peek herself.
“What is it like, my duck?”
Shetharra shook her head, speaking in awe, “How can I begin? Where do I start? The light is so bright that even I can barely make anything out, Mom. We go forward, into the light, my Seven and I singing together for joy. And…and…oh, how can I tell you so that you could know the truth of it all? Haisha! It’s as if there are suddenly new and wonderful colors and songs all around us all at once. Songs that you never even thought were possible, full of wonderful and lovely things that you can barely imagine and understand.
“Then suddenly, those songs are not just around you, but they are within you, filling you to the brim in ways like you have never been filled up before. But it’s not liquid—it’s light, and music, and the secret fire itself. And there we’re all singing together, and we begin to understand some of the secret words the Great Mystery is trying to write in our hearts and souls, and the light and the music all continue to grow. You think at some point that you’ll just pass out from the wonder of it all, but you don’t want to miss anything!”
Shetharra suddenly began to sing. She became so radiant that a blinding flash emanated out from her in all directions.
Naero felt that fantastic Cosmic power pass through her, supercharging her to the point where she was forced to shunt waves of Cosmic energy back into the nearest stars. It was star tapping in reverse.
Concerned inquiries came from the bridge and the nursery, worried about the Cosmic power spike.
Naero merely told them that it came from Shetharra. Everyone sighed and went back to their duties. Shetharra always surprised those around her, but her various spikes and energy waves never did any damage.
Usually it was just the opposite. Because they were on a hospital ship, gravely injured patients would suddenly heal and regenerate fully. Mystics on board would quicken, their abilities growing stronger. At other times, the Ultrium hull of the vessel and many of its devices would actually shift their chemical composition and become stronger, or capable of sustaining more energy or function at higher levels.
Naero embraced her daughter and kissed her shining hair and head.
“I tried to see his face, Momma…” Shetharra whispered.
“What did you say, my duck?”
“The Great Mystery, Mom. I tried to see his face, even though my Seven warned me not to look. They said I wasn’t ready yet.”
“Honey, is the Great Mystery even a him or a her? How is that poss-”
“I know, Mom. Those are just our limitations. I understand that much. We can only see and experience what is possible for us to see and experience. I know that there is so much more that I can’t perceive—yet. Sometimes the Great Mystery is like a wise, loving father, so it helps to be able to refer to it as ‘he.’ Other times, it’s like a gentle, loving mother, so at those times, it helps me to call it ‘she.’ But most of the time it defies everyone’s attempts to limit, describe, or contain it all in just words or concepts. Like I said, if I can limit it in a way that I can comprehend the Great Mystery, then I can interact with it and listen to it on my own level of existence. But I’m still only capable of engaging part of it, not all.”
“I see,” Naero said. “So, what does the Great Mystery say to you, honey?”
“It sings to us, with us, and through us, Mom. I just can’t say what that is like. Better than anything you could ever hope for. The Great Mystery loves us best when we at least try to sing in harmony with it. My Seven say that I have been granted a very high honor. The Great Mystery has heard my voice, and that I have found favor with him or her. He likes to sing with me, with my Seven and I. They have been known to her for a little while. Twice before they have sung together, but now we all sing together in my deepest dreams, whenever we can. Most of it I can’t make out yet, but there are a few things.”
“Like what?”
“I think he’s telling me to be wise, or strong, or kind, or perhaps all three. But I know she wants me to brave. I’ve figured out that much. I’m trying, Momma. I’m trying so hard, every day to be brave.”
Naero pulled her daughter close, allowing her tears to slip from her eyes and fall upon Shetharra’s shining head. “I know you are, my duck. You are so very brave. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you, my heart.”
“That’s just the thing, Mom. W
hen I think about what it is to have courage, I always think of you and Dad. You two are the bravest people I have ever known. The two of you aren’t afraid of anything. I try my best to be like the two of you, but I just can’t!”
Naero sighed and shook her head.
If only that were true.
“That’s not quite right, sweetie. Being brave doesn’t mean that you’re never afraid. Only the mad do not know fear. Having courage means that you still go forward, no matter what and do your best–even if you are afraid. You do what needs to be done, in spite of your fears.”
Shetharra blinked in amazement. “What do you and Dad fear?”
“Well, we fear losing you or your brothers and sisters, just like we fear losing any of the people we love.”
Shetharra gasped. “Really? That scares me too, Mom. Haisha, I thought I was the only one. It scares me to think that you or Dad might get killed in the war. The bad things out there are so powerful. They want to do awful things to us and kill us all. I don’t like to think about that, but I have to. I have to protect my brothers and sisters.”
“It’s all right, my duck. We won’t let that happen. We’ll all get stronger and continue to protect each other, just like you protect your brothers and sisters when your dad and I are away.”
The light around Shetharra flared once more, and a fierce radiance awoke in her bright eyes. “Nothing is going to hurt my family if I can help it, Mom. I’ll get stronger, too, just like you said. The bad things won’t hurt us. They’ll have to get past me, first. They’ll have to kill me, and just like my mom and dad, I’m getting harder to kill every day.”
Naero hugged her again. “That’s my brave little duck. But hey, I still want you to be a young girl for a little while. Lots of other strong people love and protect you, sweetie. I know you’re brave, and strong, but let’s save that fighting stuff as a last resort.”
“I know, I know. My Seven are always saying the same thing. They want me to be careful.”
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