by Saxon Andrew
Scotty turned and looked at her.
“I’ve had the same dream since I was five years old.”
“Yes?”
“I am with you on a star ship and we are looking down on a planet; it’s not El Prado.”
“How do you know it’s not El Prado?”
“There are no wastelands anywhere, and there is no evidence of it ever having cities.”
“Is there anyone else there with us?”
“Yes, but they always remain just out of my vision.”
Then how do you know they’re there?”
“Because I hear them say, “The weapons are ready, your Highness”. They were talking to you.”
Scotty shook his head, “Juliette, that dream can’t be real.”
“That’s what I know, but I’ve had it so many times and it seems so real. When I saw your face for the first time on Vring, I knew I have known you my whole life.”
Scotty didn’t know what to say.
Juliette said, “I can always feel my emotions in that dream. I loved you so intensely it hurt. It’s what I’m feeling now, Scotty”
Scotty pulled her close and said, “Let the future be the future. We have each other and this moment is where we live. Each day is a miracle, and to worry about the future is wasted time. Live in the moment; it may be all we ever have.”
Juliette held him tight and said, “I’m amazed at your heart, Scotty. I’ll love you forever.”
They held each other tight as billions of stars overhead waited patiently for the conqueror lying on the hill with his mate.
Jingo saw Scotty and Julie in the forest. Scotty was teaching her to use a bowgun. “How’s the rookie doing?”
Scotty turned and said, “She’s making progress.”
Julie punched him in the ribs, “Hey, I’m doing pretty good.”
Jingo looked at the target a hundred yards away and saw three of the five arrows in the center circle. Did you shoot any of those?”
Julie said, “No, he did not.”
Jingo whistled, “She’s doing better than many of our archers.”
“Her aim is good, but she’s slow on reloading.”
Jingo said, “Show me.”
Julie raised the bowgun and fired it. She pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and fired again. The first arrow hit the center circle. The second was just outside it. She had reloaded the second arrow within two seconds of the first hitting the target. “Scotty, there’s no way she could have learned this so quickly. We have archers that have practiced the bowgun their entire life that aren’t this good.”
Scotty smiled, “She appears to be a natural.”
Julie looked at her bowgun and said, “These are remarkable, Jingo. You just look at your target and the arrow goes where you look.”
“No, it doesn’t, Julie. I can count on half my fingers how many archers can shoot by feel. Two of them are present.”
Julie looked at Jingo and then at Scotty who nodded. “Then how do you explain this?”
Jingo lowered his head and thought about how she could have developed so quickly. “Julie, how much time have you spent talking with Vring?”
“Quite a lot. He’s really interesting, and funny. He knows so much.”
Jingo looked at Scotty and said, “Scotty, he was in our minds during the Night of the Torg. He listened to our thoughts and was also in our minds during the most intense fighting. I think he transferred our thought and physical processes to her during their communication.”
Scotty thought about what Jingo was saying. “Zreeg has also seen me hunt Torg with him. I suspect that Zreeg is the one that shaped her mind for this. He has also seen the Night of the Torg.”
Julie thought about what they were saying, “It was Zreeg.”
Scotty and Jingo looked at her, “I remember him showing me, in great detail, the Night of the Torg. I could actually feel you fire your bowguns. It was so real. Now when I have a bowgun in my hand I get the same feeling as that vision. It feels… I don’t know…right.”
Scotty looked overhead, “Is Zreeg around?”
Julie thought, “Zreeg, will you meet me at the archery range?”
“On my way.”
The three waited in silence until the giant Zord landed. Scotty looked up and said, “Zreeg, have you heard what we were discussing?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to do something for me.”
“What is that?”
“I want you to focus on the thoughts you’ve seen when Jingo and I fire our bowguns. I want you to really get them in your mind and then send those thoughts to Julie.”
Zreeg was silent and Julie looked at Scotty with a questioning look. Julie heard, “Listen closely, Rider.”
Julie felt hundreds of arrows leaving Jingo’s and Scotty’s bowguns. She felt what they experienced, and felt the sense of touch for the arrow and the bowgun. Over and over again she felt the sensation and saw the arrows flying at the target. After twenty minutes they heard Zreeg say, “I’ve given it to her.”
Scotty looked at Julie, pointed at the target, and said, “Give it another go.”
Julie turned and faced the target. She felt different. She reached over her shoulder and pulled an arrow, and it felt as natural as one of her fingers. She smoothly loaded it and fired. Almost faster than Scotty and Jingo could see, she pulled and fired two more arrows before the first hit the target. All three hit the center of the circle with the third splitting the first arrow. She watched and knew that the second was fired just a little quickly or all three would have hit together. Scotty and Jingo were amazed. She was faster than them and they knew it. Scotty looked up at Zreeg and said, “Do the same thing to me.”
Scotty felt the sensations and let them take over his mind. He felt every shot and saw where the arrow was going to hit as he fired it. Zreeg finally said, “You have it all.”
Scotty suddenly turned and fired five arrows at the two hundred yard target and watched as all five were split by the next arrow coming in. Scotty had his bowgun down watching before the first arrow hit. Jingo said, “It’s my turn, Zreeg.”
Julie felt her power with a bowgun. It felt right in her hand. She knew the air pressure had to be raised five pounds to make it really accurate. How she knew was a mystery but she knew it was true.
After Jingo was done Zreeg said, “I hope you know that this process will not work on most of your community.”
“Why not?”
“Because most of their minds are not open enough for me to reach the part that controls this movement. The only one that can benefit is the one called Blake.”
Jingo said, “I’ll go get him.”
Scotty said, “That would be wise.” Scotty looked up at Zreeg, “I can understand why Jingo and I are open. Why is Julie able to use this process? She hasn’t had near the mental contact as Jingo and me.”
Zreeg looked at Julie and said, “She is open naturally.” Zreeg paused and said, “Just as you are, White Hair.”
Scotty thought about what Zreeg said and then remembered, “Zreeg, will you fly over the learning center and see if Timmy and Tesa are there?”
The giant Zord lifted and flew north over the deep woods.
Jingo came back with Michael Blake in tow and said, “Where’s Zreeg?”
“He’ll be right back. I had him go check the learning center for Timmy.”
“I’m glad you thought about that. I’d forgotten.”
Julie looked at them and asked, “Who’s Timmy?”
Jingo laughed, “He’s our resident genius. He lives in the learning center downloading everything that catches his interest.” Jingo looked up and saw Zreeg returning.
“The two are at the learning center.”
“Jingo, I’m taking Julie to go visit the learning center. You help Michael with Zreeg.”
“Pack a lunch. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned to Michael and said, “Go pull those arrows out of the targets. I have a new technique I want to teach you.”
“Trust me, you’ll love it.”
Scotty and Julie smiled as they headed back to the community.
Chapter Eight
Timmy Valrico reclined in a chair with the download headband on his forehead. Tesa was in a chair beside him sharing his download. Timmy opened his eyes and said, “Wow! That was amazing.”
Tesa was shaking her head. “Those Algean ships are huge. There’s no way they should have lost to the Holy Realm.”
“But they did, Tesa. The Realm had the best engineers.”
“Only because the Algeans were stunted in their development. You know who really had the best engineers.”
Timmy shrugged then heard a knock on the door. She looked at Timmy who ran to a display and saw it was Scotty with that new woman. He went up two flights of stairs and released the door. “What brings you to the deep woods?”
“We need to see if you can help us. Hi, Tesa.”
Tesa jumped up and ran and hugged Scotty, “Hi, yourself. It’s good to see you.”
Scotty helped Julie down the narrow steps and said, “Timmy, Tesa, this is Julie. Julie, this is Timmy and Tesa.”
Julie said, “I’ve heard a lot about you two on the way here. I’m impressed with your knowledge.”
The two teenagers smiled and Timmy came forward and shook her hand while Tesa just walked up and hugged Julie. Julie hugged her back and Tesa smiled, “You are as beautiful as everyone says you are.”
Julie blushed, “Thank you very much.”
Timmy turned to Scotty, “What kind of help do you need?”
“We want to know about that ship that was parked at the forest edge in the northern lands.”
Timmy smiled, “I’m way ahead of you on that one. I looked it up the next day, but I don’t think I have anything that will help you.”
“Why not?”
“The Dukes built that particular lander for over fifteen hundred years. They were all changed about every thirty years. There are so many different layouts, for the interior, scanners, weapons, and power generation, that I can’t tell you what you’ll be dealing with. The outside body remained consistent, but the interior was different from model to model. The Dukes were never satisfied with any design and constantly made changes.”
“Timmy, we don’t think the Dukes built that particular shuttle. We think it was manufactured in the Holy Stars Realm.”
Timmy’s eyes grew wide, “Are you sure?”
“Why, would that make a difference?”
“A huge difference. A gigiantic difference. A difference so big you can’t see over it.”
“Timmy, Timmy, Timmy; slow down!”
“What makes you think it was built in the Realm?”
“We know the serial number and the first two letters are SR.”
“Are you certain?”
Scotty looked at Julie and she said, “Yes. I’ve seen it my whole life.”
Timmy grew animated, “You have got to give me a ride if you capture it.”
Julie shook her head, “It doesn’t fly anymore. I think the power reactor is just about exhausted.”
“If it was built in the Realm, the reactor is not exhausted. The emergency reactor probably is, but the main reactor is self-generating.”
Scotty looked at Timmy with obvious confusion on his face. Timmy sat down in front of a display and took out a microphone. He looked at Julie and said, “Do you remember the entire model number?”
Julie said “SR101059.”
“Were there any numbers after that number?”
Julie closed her eyes and said, “There were smaller numbers under those. I think they were 12148.”
Timmy turned to the microphone and said, “Stars Realm Large Shuttle. Model number 101059 dash 12148.”
A picture of a ship appeared on the screen that matched the ship parked near the tree line. Julie looked at it and said, “That looks exactly like it.”
Timmy said, ‘That’s because it’s the same ship. I notice the Dukes painted over the SR on the rear fins, but that is the ship in that field. Hold on a moment and let me see what I can find out.” Timmy went over to the recliner and put the headband on.
A voice said, “Download commencing.”
Sixty seconds later Timmy opened his eyes and looked at Scotty. Tesa saw his expression and said, “Tim, are you sure?”
Timmy looked at Scotty and said, “That ship has a working star drive.”
Scotty looked at Julie and remembered her dream. Julie looked troubled. Scotty turned back to Timmy and said, “Tell me what you know.”
“That ship was built before the Realm converted their ships to teleportation drives. Once teleportation became the primary mode of travel around the universe, it was faster, easier, and safer, most of these shuttles were converted to teleportation consoles.”
‘Ok, but teleportation no longer works.”
“Scotty, the Realm used the most economical and efficient means to convert these shuttles. They took a teleportation console and bolted it down on top of the old null drive console. The button that energized the new teleportation board was connected directly to the power switch for the main reactor on the old console. You press the power button on the teleportation board and it tripped the switch on the old board. Very simple, very efficient. They simply ran the connections from the new board to power lines coming out of the console. When the Realm caused all teleportation devices to fail just before its departure, the connection to the main reactor switch was disabled on the teleport board.”
“What are you saying, Timmy?”
Tesa said, “If you remove the teleportation console, the old null drive console under it will still operate. It is powered by a red generator which was the most powerful reactor ever created.”
Scotty looked at Julie and said, “We’ve got to move our attack up.”
“Why?”
“If the beams stop operating in that ship, the Magrum may take it apart. We can’t take that risk.”
Julie’s heart went in her throat.
“Timmy, I need you to find out how to remove the teleportation console. If you could download the pilot’s manual for that shuttle, it would be a plus.”
“What do you have in mind, Scotty?”
“You and Tesa are going to fly it out of there.”
Timmy and Tesa jumped up and yelled, “Whooo hooo! Let’s get started. Wait til Nathan hears this.”
Julie followed Scotty out of the learning center and said, “Are you serious about taking those two children with us?”
Scotty stopped and thought, “Zreeg, are you up there?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Share with Julie the memory you have of one of your warriors being hit by the beam from that ship next to the field.”
Julie watched the event in her mind, “What are you trying to show me?”
“Zreeg, show her the beam from the weapon carried by the big guard and then the beam from the ship.”
Zreeg switched from one vision to the other several times and Julie saw it, “The beam on the ship is weaker than the guard’s blaster.”
“It won’t last much longer, and if the Yellow Skins decide to explore the electronics of that ship, they’ll start at the control board.”
Julie felt her fear. If that ship had its protective screens operational along with its scanners and weapons, no one on the planet would be safe. Scotty yelled, “Tell Jingo we attack in two days.”
Zreeg flew off at high speed.
“Scotty, how many archers have Zeckas?”
“About four hundred, and that will have to do. If we can’t do anything but steal that ship, then so be it.”
Julie ran through the forest with Scotty fearing for her parents, “Scotty, we have to try and save the prisoners.” Scotty didn’t respond, and Julie worried that it might be because he didn’t want to scare her.
Jingo met them as they came out of the forest and said, “What’s going on?”
Scotty said, “Zreeg, give him what we discovered at the learning center.”
Jingo got a faraway look, and then they saw his fear, “We’ll need the kids.”
“I know. Someone will have to stay behind and bring them in behind us. We need to get them covered with a Zecka. It won’t have to be a warrior’s suit, but we need them to be hidden.”
“Do we still have the old toolbox?”
“Samuel has it. I’m going to see him now.”
Jingo grabbed Scotty’s arm, “If we are going to take the ship, we are going to free the prisoners as well.”
Scotty stopped walking toward Samuel’s house and looked at Jingo, “Can we do both?”
“Now that Julie is an archer, yes. That will make all the difference.”
“Make the plan, Jingo. The main priority is the ship. We’re all lost if we fail there.”
Jingo nodded and yelled for Bleg, “Go to the learning center and tell the kids they have one day to learn what they need. Rush them here by tomorrow night.” Jingo ran to Kess’ home to get her started on two Zeckas for Timmy and Tesa.
Scotty looked up at Zreeg, “You know those that have been fitted with Zeckas. Go and bring their flyers here in two days. Hurry.”
Zreeg disappeared from overhead as he accelerated north.
Scotty looked at Julie and said, “Go explain everything to Jing and ask him to get the millwrights working on arrows.” Julie nodded and ran away. Scotty ran down the hill toward the Human community and remembered Julie’s dream. There was a possibility they were going to have a ship with a working star drive. Now her dream didn’t seem so farfetched. It troubled him, but that was something for later.
The next day the clearing was filled with four hundred and twenty Zord. Their riders were standing in front of them with eight quivers of arrows. As they waited for Scotty and Jingo to arrive, teenage Humans and Cainth were scrambling up the Zord’s harness to attach the quivers. The quivers were not covered with Zeckas but for this campaign, it wasn’t necessary. Bleath was there at Jingo’s request, and he waited as he listened to the thoughts of the riders. He noticed Vring and Zreeg were together talking about their responsibilities and he knew they would do all they could to keep White and Red Hair out of danger. He sighed and knew that was going to be difficult, if not impossible, knowing the courage of White Hair. He knew they would do what they could.