by Saxon Andrew
The display went dark and Max smiled. Who knew how long either of them would survive this war; but for the moment, happiness needed to be taken when it was available.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The attacks finally ended and the Senior Grandfather recalled the High Council into session. The room was silent and the Grandfathers waited for the Senior to speak. He was furious at the slow response sending forces to defend his fleet but knew alienating the Council at this point was a good way to be removed from his position. He forced himself to relax and said, “What do we know about the enemy’s initial attack on the fleets organizing to invade?
The Senior Father assigned to the Council stood, “All four fleets were destroyed simultaneously.” There was a sudden breath taken by the Council and he continued, “The enemy has some kind of weapon that produces extreme blasts and radiation at levels we’re never witnessed. As soon as the blasts detonated, the enemy came in with millions of ships and destroyed any ship that survived the blast. There was nothing left of the four Families they attacked.”
A Councilor said, “No ships survived?”
“A few thousand managed to jump away from the three fleets but in the original fleet that attacked, every ship was destroyed. There were no survivors.”
The Senior knew the information but was still shocked by what happened. The subsequent attacks on the remaining four families were devastating. A half a billion ships had been destroyed and every surviving family suffered high losses. He looked around the large table at the empty seats and decided to let the survivors lead the direction they were to take. He just had to make sure they decided to attack that galaxy. “What do you think we should do now?”
The sole opposition Grandfather said, “We should have listened and avoided any further conflict with that galaxy.”
The Senior nodded and after a moment said, “And what do the rest of you think?”
His main supporter had been primed before the meeting and he said, “We still outnumber them.”
The Senior responded as planned, “But if we organize to attack, they’ll detonate one of those weapons again.”
His second supporter stood, “We just have to organize without giving our intentions away.”
The Opposition Grandfather sneered, “And just how do we make that happen?”
The Senior Military Father said, “We don’t leave the galaxies we’re in; we issue the targets to our ships and have them all jump there at the same moment.”
“Why would we do this?”
The Senior looked at the Opposition Grandfather and said, “I tend to agree with you; going after them again would be crazy.” The entire council was stunned by the statement. Then the Senior said something that changed their minds. “If you were in the enemy’s place and we scattered and ran from this sector, what would you do?”
His first supporter said, “I would take all my ships and go after each family one by one until every ship was destroyed.”
The Senior looked at the Grandfathers, “Do you really think they would do that?” Then he leaned back in his chair and waited. He knew what they would have to do given those circumstances. It took several hours but the four surviving leaders of the Families finally agreed that they had to remove the threat. The Senior Grandfather looked at the Senior Father, “Do you have the locations of the civilizations in that galaxy?”
“I do.”
“How long will it take for you to assign our remaining ships to those targets?”
“They will have to be categorized and broken down into individual coordinates for each ship. I estimate it will take about four months for that to be done.”
“I want it done in three. Get the targets out and keep your ships scattered until it is time to attack. If any of the enemy ships appear, jump away and avoid conflict. We will not offer them a big enough target to harm us until we arrive in their galaxy.” He looked around and after a moment said, “Are there any questions?”
“Do we continue to gather planets?”
“What do you think will happen if you gather ships at a planet to invade?”
The Grandfathers looked at each other and knew their stores would have to last until the large galaxy was invaded. The three Grandfathers from the other families stood and went to their Family’s flagships. They would not meet again until after the galaxy was conquered. The Senior Grandfather’s oldest son looked at him after they left, “May I assume our Family will not be sent to the most difficult targets?”
The Senior changed color, showing his humor, “You may.” The Senior looked at the Senior Father assigned to the council and he nodded. He had been promised a seat on the Council once the attack was completed.
***
Moe watched the feeds coming in from the probes in the four galaxies the Invaders currently occupied and saw their ships scattering. He watched them for an hour and said, “Hub, do you see what’s happening in the Invader galaxies?”
“I do.”
“What do you think they’re doing?”
“There are two possibilities.”
“Oh, I only see one.”
“They could be scattering in order to flee their current locations. They are attempting to avoid further attacks from our ships until the new locations could be determined.”
Moe thought about that possibility, “I didn’t see that.”
“Another possibility is that they’re scattering to organize on the fly to attack us simultaneously.”
“That’s what I see happening, Hub.”
“Do you see something I’m missing?”
“Some of my probes are capable of intercepting their transmissions. Coordinates are being sent to every ship individually; those coordinates are in M87.”
“I didn’t have that information. It looks like the end game is approaching. Should we send ships to attack them during this period?”
“No; I believe they’ll not stay and fight. They’ll flee and avoid confrontation until they arrive here.”
“I believe you’re right. It would be wasted effort to attack them there and the benefits wouldn’t justify expending the missiles. What do we do?”
“We determine when they’re ready to attack and disrupt space around the civilized worlds in M87. Then we see if they fall into the trap.” Moe paused, “I’ll keep my sensors on the numbers of coordinates that are sent. I know approximately how many ships they have and when they’re close to getting them all out we’ll start the disruption.”
“It looks like two to three months.”
“I think it’s closer to two. I’ll keep you updated.”
***
The Opposition Grandfather went from anger to fear in equal measure. He knew his family would be getting the most difficult targets and there was nothing he could do about it. He was trapped and there was no way out of the box he was in. “Grandfather, I have a communication from a ship outside our galaxy. They’re asking you to go to their location and speak with them.”
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I don’t recognize the frequency they’re using.”
“Is the ship a Family ship?”
“It is.”
The Grandfather wondered what was going on and he almost contacted the Senior Grandfather but decided to see who was attempting to contact him. He ordered ten ships to go with him and he jumped to the mystery ship’s location. He arrived and a small shuttle left the lone ship and approached his wing. He thought a moment and said, “Open the bay.” The huge landing bay opened and the small shuttle entered. He waited on the bridge for whoever had come on board and was struck speechless when he saw the Father that had been adopted by his former friend. “I need to speak with you.”
“I thought everyone in your new family was dead?”
“I need to know if you love your family.”
The Grandfather’s anger was instant, “How dare you ask me that!”
/> “Do you want to save them?”
The Grandfather stared at the Father and after a moment said, “How?”
The adopted Father began speaking quietly where no one else could hear the exchange and the Grandfather listened. After an hour of questioning he turned to his Son, “You are in command until I return. If I don’t come back, lead our family and do your best to make sure we survive.”
“What’s going on, Grandfather?”
“I’ll let you know. Continue to prepare for the attack.” The Grandfather turned and left with the adopted Father.
***
Drey sat with Dee and stared at his daughter. He knew his heart was hard because of the things the Nebula Dictator had done to him as a child to make him a weapon. But somehow, all he felt when he looked at her was an overwhelming sense of happiness and love. Dee was sitting next to him under his arm and she rested her head on his shoulder. Drey blew out a breath, “She makes the universe look different.”
Dee looked up at him, “How so?”
“She represents why we’re here.” Dee moved Andrea to her left shoulder and nodded. “I’m surprised you wanted to name her after Andi.”
“She was one of the Union’s greatest heroes. She was also loved by your former self. I know what that had to take to make that happen. Andi died too early. Perhaps our daughter will help people remember her. She deserves that.”
“She’s blonde like Andi was. I’m surprised she doesn’t have your hair color.”
Dee shrugged, “She’s a high genetic. You know the complex gene structure your planet has built into you. She does have my eyes.”
Drey smiled, “Of that, there is no doubt.”
“Her eyes are shaped like yours, Drey. I wonder how she’ll look out and perceive the world around her?” Drey shook his head and Dee said, “What?”
“Do you think she might be a little hard headed and stubborn?”
Dee laughed out loud, “If she isn’t, she’ll have missed a great opportunity. Just look at us.”
Drey took Andi in his arms and stared into her face. Dee watched them, feeling love for the two most important people in her life. “Drey.”
Drey looked up and saw her expression. Something was bothering her. “What’s wrong?”
“I know about our hopes that we can trap the Invaders inside disrupted space…but…I still sense they will be attacking the Milky Way within a couple of years.”
“Does that mean we’re going to lose this final battle?”
Dee shook her head and looked at the floor, “I’m not certain…I’m just…I don’t know…I just know they’ll be going to the Milky Way.”
Drey narrowed his eyes, “Are we missing something, Dee?”
Dee sighed, “I think we are but I don’t know what it is.”
Drey felt the baby start squirming and Dee said, “She senses our emotions. She knows something is bothering us.” Drey’s eyebrows went up. “Drey, she’s a product of a high genetic and a telepath. I often wonder what talents she’s going to have.”
“Dee, I’ve not thought about that at all. It’s clear she senses something.”
“We’ll discuss this later.”
Drey made a mental note to contact Ian. The Invader’s numbers had been cut in half. That should have made it more difficult for them to attack two galaxies. But Dee sensed them coming and he knew she had never been wrong in her predictions. What were they missing?”
***
“Violet, how are you and Junior doing?”
“I’ve turned most of the colonization responsibilities over to Cole and Argel. They’ve built the new Obelisk and Capital on their new planet. Albert will be moving the crown there soon. Your son took his first step yesterday. He’s a high achiever.”
Ian shook his head and sighed, “I’m coming home tomorrow. I’m sorry I missed it, my Love. I really wish I was there with you.”
Violet smiled softly, “That’s the price of Royalty. However, I’ve been talking with Dee and she’s of the opinion that the Milky Way is going to be attacked within two years.”
Ian’s expression immediately changed, “I would have thought the chances of an attack there had been reduced.”
“She agrees; it’s just her mind keeps saying it’s going to happen. Perhaps you should get with Drey and see if the two of you can figure this out. Dee tells me he’s at home now.”
Ian smiled, “Then I’ll walk next door when I get home tomorrow and have a conversation with him.”
Violet smiled, “That would be good, dear. I’m looking forward to having you home.” Ian smiled and ended the connection.
***
“Chip, how long have you been hiding these feelings?”
“I guess from the moment I first saw you.”
“Oh get real; love at first sight is a myth.”
“Well, you should remember that you were once my commanding officer and I didn’t see you during that time; except for brief video images. I must say they really don’t do you justice. However, I was impressed with the way you were determined to protect those under your command.”
“You pretty much ignored that initially.”
“Hey, is this pick on Chip day or something?”
“You know it’s true.”
“Actually, I started falling for you when you took on Mikki and Bang in the fleet exercises. You were determined not to lose and your competitive spirit caught my attention. You’re quite a package, Lilly; smart, beautiful, loving heart, and just fun to be around.”
Lilly smiled, “You’re sulky, silent, prone to observe and not respond, and extremely goal driven. You add intensity to the people around you. It can almost be physically felt by those in your presence.”
Chip shook his head and decided sitting down with Lilly to discuss his attraction to her was not a good idea. He stood up and Lilly grabbed his arm and pulled him back down to his chair, “You’re not going anywhere yet, Mister.” Chip’s eyes narrowed; she had obviously forgotten who was in command here. “Don’t look at me with those narrow command eyes of yours; this is about us. I know who you are. I know you’re one of the smartest men I have ever encountered. You take the welfare of your pilots seriously and you feel for their losses. When you smile, it brightens the entire room and you need to do it more often. Every one under your command would give their life for you. They would follow you into hell itself if you chose to go there. You see things everyone else misses. Being around you is an astounding time of ongoing revelations. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but by your side. I just think you could do a lot better than me if you took the time to look around.”
Chip smiled, “Did I add that I really admire your modesty?” Lilly rolled her eyes, shook her head and gave him a small punch on the arm. “Lilly, one thing I know I can count on; you will always tell me the truth. You won’t sugar coat things to save my feelings and you’ll tell me when I’m making a mistake. I really tried to prevent caring for you but have just failed miserably. I didn’t plan to let you see how I felt but I couldn’t lie about why I was going with your fleet.”
“I’ve known for six months you cared for me.”
“WHAT?”
“I could see it in your eyes. I would have thought you’d have preferred Mikki and I just refused to believe what I was sensing was true. That’s why I called you out when you chose to go with my fleet. I guess I needed to see if what I was seeing was real.”
“Mikki and I are too much alike, Lilly; I really respect her but affection is not what I feel for her. Besides, she loves Bang and he refuses to see it.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that.”
“Bang is like you, Lilly; he would never think for a moment that Mikki would ever be interested in him.”
“I’ve thought about getting into that but wartime is not always the best time to start a new relationship.”
Chip tilted his head, “What does that say about us?”
“It’s your fault, you started it.”
/>
Chip started laughing. He shook his head and laughed harder. Lilly stood up and came around the table and sat down in his lap, “I do love your smile.” She leaned forward and kissed Chip hard, stopping his laughter. She leaned back and the smile was still there. He pulled her close and kissed her.
Later, as he was rubbing her back, he said, “We don’t have much time; the Invaders will be coming in less than two months.”
“You’re going to have to do that intensity thing you do and make the time seem much longer.”
Chip rolled over and laughed. He could see his life was going to be full of laughter and he looked forward to it. Lilly for her part just couldn’t believe the man she admired so much really loved her. It took a long time before Chip was able to get her to see that he was the lucky one.
***
Ian looked at Dee and saw her concern. She didn’t want to believe her feelings but could not bring herself to deny them. Soon after Ian arrived, Violet called Cole and Argel to join them. One of Cole’s assistants took the three young children out for a stroll so there would be an opportunity to focus on the problem at hand. Ian felt the silence around him. Drey looked around and shook his head, “Boy! It’s almost too quiet in here without the children.”
Violet and Dee laughed, “It’s like a background noise you don’t notice after a while; when it stops you miss it.”
Ian looked at Dee, “Are you certain about the sense of our home galaxy being attacked?”
“I am, Ian. I know it goes against logic but the feeling has only gotten stronger.”
Ian stared at her for a moment and then looked at Drey, “What are we missing?”
“Ian I’ve thought about that and, so far, I’ve drawn a blank.”
“Moe are you listening in on this?”
“You caught me; of course I am. I’m very curious about this.”
“Do you see anything to help us see what’s going on?”
“No. I just don’t see the Invaders having the forces to take on two targets now that they’ve lost more than half of their ship inventory.”
Violet tilted her head and said, “Alright, let’s think about this for a moment. We all agree that the Invaders only have enough ships to attack one galaxy, right?” Everyone looked around and nodded. “And Dee senses they are going to attack the Milky Way instead of M87.” Violet looked around and everyone nodded again.