by Saxon Andrew
“You don’t sound very nervous about doing this?”
“Actually, I’m enjoying the moment.”
Pride paused and said, “I’ve not thanked you for helping me see what’s happening to Mother. Thank you.”
“What have you decided?”
“We’re installing our armor as we speak. We will still communicate with Mother for direction, but the rest of us are getting into the fight. Have you been able to determine what’s killing her?”
“I believe it’s heart break.”
“What!?!”
“I went and saw the King’s new born in the hospital. I felt the love Maranda had for her child and I wondered what she would feel if something ever killed it.” Jixie shook her head, “The anguish would be heartbreaking and debilitating. I imagine that is what your mother feels at the deaths of her children happening on such a massive scale. That much sorrow weakens her body. It’s more than she can live with.”
“But we’re going to kill billions if we’re successful.”
“Pride, they don’t hear her song and she can’t hear them. Before she can heal, her song must be restored and those doing the massive killing must be removed.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“No, not really; it’s just a sense I have.”
They moved toward the distant planet in silence until Pride said, “I suspect you’re right.” They moved an hour closer and Pride said, “How sure are you about taking out the field suppressors?”
“Fairly certain, why do you ask?”
“What if they’re shielded?”
“If they put an energy shield around them, the suppression field couldn’t get out. The Cloaking device will work but not a force field.”
“The Warrior’s weapons go through their fields.”
“Actually they’re ejected outside the field. The suppression field is not an energy wave. It’s a set frequency and it would be changed if it went through another field.” Jixie looked ahead and said, “I can see them.”
“Them?”
“I think after the suppression unit was destroyed at the last planet, they’re taking no chances. They have two of them that are active and two more on standby.”
“Can you remove them quickly enough?”
“I think so but do you know what’s going to happen as soon as you fire on the planet?”
“No.”
“Well neither do I. We might be forced to improvise.”
“Can you be killed?”
“Oh yes. I’m just as susceptible to a beam as anyone else.” Jixie looked at the giant transport they were passing and said, “Relax. I’m not at all certain their beams will get through your force field.”
“Their beams penetrate our warship’s force field in every battle we fight with them. What makes you think they won’t get through ours?”
Jixie smiled, “Do you know anything about energy?”
“Of course.”
“Well, you know that an energy pulse weakens with the square of distance from the source.”
“Yes.”
“Well the reverse is also true. A force field is little more than an energy pulse. As the pulse gets closer to the source, it increases with the square of distance.”
“Yeah, what does this have to do with us?”
“The force field you absorbed is used to protect a main battleship that is more than a mile long. If that field is decreased to half its size, how strong will the force field be?”
“Four times stronger.”
“Very good. Now you are about two hundred feet long. How much smaller an area does the force field have to cover versus a full size main battleship?”
“A main battleship is twenty six times larger than I am.”
“So the field around us will be how much more powerful?” Pride was stunned at the revelation. Jixie said, “That’s why the Algean Attack Craft’s force field is so much stronger than our main battleships.”
“They have a smaller area to defend.”
“Exactly; and remember, you have a force field in your armor and I have one as well. So take that number and double it. We should be ok long enough for me to hit the suppressions units so we can make an exit.”
“Are you sure you want to exit to the location in my teleporter?”
“I’m going to be needed there to remove the suppression units as well, Pride. I hope you’ll join me.”
“That’s going to be far too dangerous for a Cat my size.”
“Pride, you’re all this size.”
“Ahhh, you don’t know everything.”
“Who said I did?”
“No one has to; it’s just something everyone starts to assume after spending two minutes with you.”
“Why thank you. That means a lot coming from someone as wise as you.”
“Now you’re stroking my fur.” Jixie started laughing and found it hard to stop. “What’s so funny?”
“And they say Cat’s don’t have a sense of humor.”
“We just can’t show it. You know…spoil the reputation and all.”
“Admit it Pride. You love doing this. You wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I wouldn’t miss pulling a thorn out of my paw either, but that doesn’t mean I’d look forward to it.”
Jixie howled and they continued toward the planet four hours away.
• • •
“Are the warriors ready?”
“Just waiting for the obvious.”
“It won’t be much longer.”
“Are you worried about Jixie?”
“Of course I am but she has her mission and we have ours. This is something we all have to deal with, Jenn.”
“I really think she’s safer than we are.”
“I can’t say I disagree, but safe is not a word for any part of this.”
“Just try to enjoy this. It shouldn’t take long.”
“That’s the plan. You better go to your warriors.”
“On my way.”
• • •
“Sire, we’ve received reports from our scouts that have us concerned.”
“What reports?”
“The Realm’s fleets have all moved from their current locations.”
“Where have they gone?”
“We have no idea. All of our scouts have not reported seeing any of their ships at the planets they were defending against us.”
“They must have gone somewhere we know about. We have their forces spread out to the breaking point. They know we’ll attack if they leave.”
“Where should we go? They’ve abandoned more than a million planets.”
“HOW MANY!?!”
“A million and the numbers are growing.”
The Supreme Ruler of the Grogat looked at his Fleet Commander and said, “They’re coming here.”
The Fleet Admiral’s expression showed he understood and he reached for his communicator. He only had time to power it. Merothe exploded and the entire Royal Caste died in the fiery blast.
• • •
“Well, it’s show time, Jixie.”
“If you’ll do the honors, I’ll take a shot at the suppression units.” Jixie pulled the bow out of her armor and pulled the string back and let it enter the skin of her armor. “Say when, Pride.”
Pride armed two of the main beams in his armor and watched an opening appear in the ships orbiting Merothe. “NOW!”
Jixie released the bow string and had another shot on the way in less than a tenth of a second. The two active suppression units exploded with the planet and the two other units were hit a second later.
Admiral Garner said, “The Cat has released the Null Drive Suppressor. Begin your attack now.”
• • •
Twelve million Bristone Realm Warships teleported into the Merothe system. The first things hit were the ship yards at the fifth planet and they began exploding like a giant string of firecrackers with all the ships inside them. More than eight million
penetrators were fired at the forts, blaster platforms, and missile stations scattered around the planet as the ships teleported in and began firing on Grogat ships and teleporting to their next target. The giant Grogat Fleet was trapped in the system and unable to use their jump drives. Ships that could only move using their thrusters stood no chance against ships that could jump in fire and disappear before they could be targeted. The destruction was on a scale that had never happened in the Realm’s long history.
Sam watched his display and waited. He heard Captain Haines say in the background, “Merothe had been destroyed.” He continued to watch the display and then it happened. The giant fleet around Greshun jumped away. He continued to watch his display. The millions of slaves on the planet were being herded into their holding pens. Haines said, “The suppression field is down.”
Sam yelled, “Go, go, go.”
• • •
Pride and Jixie disappeared from Merothe and used a null drive to arrive above the orbit of Greshun. Jixie pulled her bow and the suppression units exploded. Fifty thousand transports arrived above the planet and more than ten million Realm Warriors teleported down to the planet. Jixie looked at the surface and found Sam’s unit at the main storage facility in the largest city. Pride saw them as well and shed the cloaking device and teleported to the surface.
Greshun was the main weapons storage planet of the Grogat Empire. It was operated by the use of slave labor and millions of laborers were held captive on its surface. When the Grogat fleet notified the planetary forces it was leaving the plane for Merothe, all of the slaves on the planet were rounded up and forced into their holding pens until the fleet returned. The Ten million Realm Warriors teleported to the thousand holding pens and removed the guards. They then dug in to hold off any Grogat coming to take them back.
Sam’s unit was designated to land at the main weapons storage facility and hold off the Grogat inside from killing the five million slaves in the holding pen six hundred yards from the giant structure. The building occupied more than twenty city blocks and was defended by two Grogat regiments. The six companies arrived between the holding pen and the storage building. The ten thousand guards around the holding pen were burned in less than ten seconds. Four thousand slaves died from blasters fired by the Grogat.
The giant teleportation pad brought in and was being unrolled inside the pen to teleport the slaves to a safe location on another planet; but getting it set up was going to take time. The portable field had to be rolled along the ground and getting the slaves to step over the huge roll was not going well. Some of them were too weak to climb over and had to be assisted. A small portable force field was set up between the pen and the building but Sam knew whatever emerged from the giant structure was going to be the heaviest weapons the Grogat had in their arsenal. Suddenly, the entire front wall of the giant structure rolled up and more than a thousand heavy armored vehicles emerged. The six companies began launching hornets at the line of armor. They couldn’t use the mini-penetrators without collapsing the building and possibly have it collapse on the holding pen. Suddenly a giant Cat appeared and ran the length of the line of armor firing three giant beams into the Grogat Ranks. The Cat swatted two of them and sent them flying back into the ranks of Grogat Warriors following their armor out of the building. Sam yelled, “Get moving. Don’t give them a clear shot.”
Jixie appeared beside Sam and fired one of her arrows into the building and a giant explosion blew out from the interior. “Are we having fun yet?”
Sam smiled, “It’s just starting.”
Jixie looked up at the upper floors of the fifty story building and saw blaster ports start opening, “They are if nothing else, consistent. I’ve seen this before.”
Three of Sam’s companies had to go up the walls to remove the threat of the blasters firing on the pen. He knew the remaining three companies were not going to be able to hold off the Grogat emerging from the building. “Branch, you need to get that force field operational!”
“I’m doing this as fast as possible.”
Sam teleported into the fight and knew that this was taking too long. They should have already had the slaves moved. He fired his auto cannon and moved to the right to avoid a heavy force field piercing slug. He looked and saw a massive number of armored vehicles and Grogat Warriors rushing toward his warriors. Suddenly, thousands of Cats were rushing into the entrance and armored vehicles were exploding and flying through the air. The Grogat were stunned at the size of the giant armored animals hitting them at a speed that was impossible. Sam heard something behind him and he turned around and saw something emerging from the giant field next to the slave pen. Jixie teleported to his side and watched as a giant square structure began coming out of the ground. It was protected by a bright force field and the blaster barrel that was emerging was more than six hundred yards in diameter. It was already starting to glow and Sam knew there was no way to save the millions of slaves in the pen.
“PRIDE, GET OUT HERE NOW!!!” Pride teleported out and Jixie said, “Sam get out of here.”
“Not without you.”
Jixie stared at Sam and said, “Get in the pen and be prepared to turn on your force field. Pride go with him and turn yours on as well.”
Pride and Sam teleported to the side of the pen facing the rising building. Jixie stood between them and said, “Turn on your fields on my mark.” Jixie pulled her bow and Pride and Sam watched her fire something out of her armor at a rate that was impossible. Whatever she was firing at the structure hit the same spot every time resulting in huge explosions. Sam remembered her splitting the arrows at Castle Gardner. The spot began to glow and turn white. Suddenly one of the arrows blew a hole in the force field and Jixie yelled, “ALL WARRIORS, TELEPORT AWAY NOW!!!” Jixie fired two more shots at the force field and the second one went through and it hit the center of the blaster barrel. “NOW, SAM, NOW.”
The three of them raised their force fields and Jixie knew she had to use her own personal force field but couldn’t make herself violate the sacred rules of her people. She knew the three force fields were not going to be enough. She turned, closed her eyes, and went into Sam’s arms as the giant building exploded causing a shock wave moving at an unbelievable speed to rush out at them. After a moment, Jixie opened her eyes and saw a bluish white force field over the pen. She looked at it and knew that it wasn’t hers. Jixie heard in her mind, “One of the benefits of being the Leader of our people, Jixie is that I can violate our rules occasionally. After all, I wrote them.”
Jixie smiled, “Thank you, Senior.”
“We still need you Jixie. I can’t let you die just yet. I’m more proud of you than you know that you didn’t violate our rules to save yourself and your friends. That tells me your mother did an excellent job in preparing you for adulthood.”
“She’s the best.”
“Thank you, Jixie.”
Sam looked at the blast as it passed the holding pen and blew the giant city behind them flat. Everything was flattened and on fire. Sam looked at Branch, “Will you please get us out of here!”
Branch’s team finished rolling the large mat and he pressed a button on his wrist unit. The millions of slaves disappeared as the warriors teleported back to their transports.
Captain Haines waited in orbit and saw the final pen disappear. The major weapons facility was gone but there was still hundreds of thousands of minor storage buildings. He looked at his display and saw a Grogat Fleet of a hundred thousand ships arrive at the jump limit and start moving in system. He pushed the weapon lever and six main beams hit the planet. The billions of missiles and blasters on the surface added to the massive explosion that blew the planet apart. The Fourth Sword teleported away as the incoming Grogat fleet watched the destruction of all their spare parts and weapons.
The Fleet Controller realized they had made the mistake of putting all their eggs in one heavily defended basket. The surviving planets were now going to have to rebuild the factories t
o support their fleets. He knew they would not be given time to do it. Seventy percent of their warships had perished with Merothe. The Fleet Controller heard the alarms go off and he jerked his head around toward the display, showing the huge Realm Fleet that had teleported in come roaring in on his fleet. The number of surviving ships was reduced another five percent. None of the hundred thousand ships escaped.
• • •
Jixie’s mother turned and saw everyone in Jixie’s hatching in front of her dwelling. She looked at them and said, “Is there something you want?”
Trex stepped forward, “We understand that the Senior and High Caste are watching Jixie.”
“They are.”
Trex looked at the others in the hatching and said, “We were wondering if you would share with us what she’s doing that has garnered their attention. This has never happened.”
Jixie’s mother smiled, “You must find it hard to understand.”
Jiln said, “It’s just impossible for us to fathom. How can a hatchling possibly generate that kind of interest? We’ve been told that the Senior is only viewing what she’s doing.”
“That is also true.” The huge number of small beings started looking at each other. “It was you that made it happen.”
Trex said, “Us?”
“Yes, you decided not to play anymore and she was forced to find others. If you had not refused, this wouldn’t have happened.” She thought a moment and said, “Well, it might not have happened. She would have probably asked you to go with her to the place of the winged creature.”
Trex slowly shook his head, “We missed a great opportunity to learn, didn’t we?”
“You did.” Jixie’s mother sent them what Jixie was doing and they left to study the information.
A short time later Trex returned and said, “I just wanted to say that I know you’re proud of your daughter. She’s everything I imagined she’d be.” Trex left and she sighed, “You should have waited, Trex.” She knew he knew it as well.
Chapter Thirteen
The Grogat tried to recover from the devastating loss of Merothe and may have been able to pull it off if but the loss of Greshun proved fatal. Their surviving fleets ran out of munitions and ships that were damaged could not be repaired. The Grogat Fleets were found by the Cats and the Realm pursued them without mercy.