“Just like Melanie.” Matt looked at his board and said, “Please notify Tag, Danielle, Anglo, Destiny and his children as well as Sprig to meet me in the map room. I am teleporting there now and I appreciate you going with me to see the Reg.”
“I like them, Matt. I’ll go anytime you want.”
“Thanks, Al.” Matt disappeared.
And reappeared in the map room to find Tag and Anglo waiting for him, “That was quick. Were you here waiting on me?”
“No but we knew you were going to see that crystal race and we were waiting to see what you found out.”
Anglo looked at Matt and said, “Before we get started, I want to share a discovery with you.”
Tag and Matt looked at him and Tag said, “What discovery?”
“As you know we are still excavating the old cities on Earth that were destroyed during the third nuclear war.”
“Yeah, so what?”
“A chamber was recently uncovered that obviously belonged to a very wealthy man at the time before the war. He had installed a vault underground that was sealed with a vacuum and inside it we found huge sums of the money they used then but there was also a box of these.” Anglo took a small square box and broke the seal. “These are cigars that were made at that time and they are as fresh as the day that man purchased them.” Anglo handed Tag and Matt a cigar and used the old lighter that was also found in the vault to light them.
The three took a draw and Tag said, “These are absolutely amazing. I’ve never tasted one this good. Want kind are they?”
Anglo took a long puff and said, “They were made by a company named CAO and the cigar is an OSA. I don’t know what those letters mean but they sure knew how to make a cigar in those ancient times.”
Matt shook his head and smiled, “Are these the only examples you have?”
“Unfortunately, they are but I wanted to share these with you.”
“Well put them away and we’ll have another if we can survive this next event. Boy, these are good.”
They sat, smoked, and relaxed. Tag said, “We need to do this more often.”
Matt smiled. “Just be sure to bring the cigars.”
A silver screen appeared and Sprig and the Spiders stepped into the room. Newton smelled the smoke and asked, “What is that?”
Anglo answered, “It’s called a cigar and these were made in ancient times.”
“Do you have any more?”
Tag, Anglo, and Matt looked at each other and all three said simultaneously, “No.” Anglo looked at them and said, “ these are the last ones.”
Newton sighed and said, “They smell wonderful.”
Anglo slid the box under the table and said, “Why don’t we start our meeting.”
Matt filled them in on what the Reg told him and then looked at the spiders. “Is it true that you are working on a psychic drive?”
Edison and Newton looked at Einstein and the small spider said, “I have developed a model that I believe will operate on the wavelength that psychic wave had when it passed our ship. I trialed it and it did not move. I’m not there yet.”
“When this meeting is over, I want you to take it to Cassandra Dodd and let her see it. Perhaps it needs someone with psychic ability to make it work.”
Einstein turned his head to the left, “I didn’t think of that.” He looked at Newton, “You’re right; they are smarter than us.”
Destiny said, “Why do you say that, Einstein?”
Edison and Einstein looked at Newton who looked around and said, “They didn’t think that King Gardner understood that I extended his life span but I told them he did.”
Matt flinched and caught himself before he said anything. Sprig thought, “Uh, when did you extend his lifespan, Newton?”
“You remember; I gave him the device to protect his ship and I told him I wanted him to live to see me grow up.”
Sprig looked at Matt and he understood what he had missed. “Uh, Newton, I forgot to ask how long it was extended.”
“Well, Melanie was on board when you used it the first time so both of you should live about one and a half million years.”
Matt fought to keep his expression neutral. Then he heard Newton tell Edison, “I told you he knew.”
“I agreed, Newton.”
“Well, you didn’t initially.”
Destiny was watching Matt and knew that the human really didn’t know until this moment. He sighed, “Newton is that process you used reversible?”
“Probably, but why would anyone want it reversed?”
“I was just thinking that we might want to use it on others that have a specific idea about how long they want to live.”
The little spider tilted his head and shrugged.
Matt looked at Destiny and shook his head. He sent a private thought, “I’ll discuss this later. I don’t want to put anything in his mind that would take away his focus on the coming task.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Please remember they’re only children.”
Then Matt had a thought break through, “Uh, Newton. Is the process genetic?”
Newton smiled and said, “Absolutely, you pass it on to your children. I’m sure you want to see them grow up, too. Why do you ask?”
Matt looked at Newton, “Most people don’t know but Melanie is expecting a child.”
Everyone started congratulating Matt but something Einstein said to himself caught his immediate attention, “I wondered where that psychic field was coming from.”
Matt said, “Einstein, what did you just say?”
The little spider was looking at a device and he jumped when Matt called his name. “I have a device that can read the strength of psychic fields, which I used in working on the psychic drive. There is one here in the castle that appeared about six months ago and has been growing at a phenomenal rate.”
“Show me what you mean.”
“May I use the display?”
“Go right ahead.”
Einstein plugged his small device into the display and a picture of Castle Gardner’s layout appeared. “I can see any field in the galaxy I’m located but the last few trips here have allowed me to see the strong fields here. The blue circles are the psychic fields in the castle. The one right here is yours, Your Majesty. Notice how it is light blue. Your field is the strongest here, or it was.”
Sprig looked at the display and said, “This must be the former King and Queen.”
“You’re right.”
“This smaller one over here must be Anglo Gardner’s field.”
“Right again.”
Sprig looked at the display, “What is this black circle?”
Einstein shrugged, “That is the one I’ve been having trouble identifying. It must be Melanie’s baby.”
“Why is that circle black?”
“Oh, I needed some way to measure the strength of fields so I used colors. That field is actually violet.”
Sprig looked at the display and said, “Einstein, that circle is black.”
“Not really, let’s look at it this way.” Einstein made an adjustment and all of the fields were placed side by side. “This thinnest circle is Anglo’s.”
The group saw how each circle grew progressively thicker. Matt’s circle was five times thicker than Tag’s and Danielle’s. However, the circle next to Matt’s was five times thicker than his. Everyone in the room stared at that circle. Einstein saw them staring, “See why I was confused about where that field was originating.”
Matt looked at the field and then said, “We will continue this meeting in three hours. Please discuss what I’ve just told you and let’s discuss our next course of action.” He downloaded the information in the display and went to see Melanie. As he turned to leave he said, “Sprig, come with me, please,” then he thought, “Melanie, Tag, Danielle, meet me in our quarters please.”
Matt and Sprig entered and found the rest of the Royal Family waiting. “I need to fill you in on what I have just learne
d. Matt told them everything that had happened at the Reg and then what he had learned from the young spiders. He sent the information from his com to the rooms monitor and everyone saw the psychic circles that Einstein had recorded.
Melanie looked at the display and said, “Oh my ancestors. I thought the voice in my head was just me thinking about what my baby would say if it could talk.”
Matt turned and said, “Sprig, I thought psychic’s children would not have psychic abilities.”
“That is not what I said, Your Majesty; I said that the children of first generation psychics would have higher abilities than their parents but that the children of the second generation would not possess those abilities. You are the first generation, Matt and Melanie does not display abilities. There is a good probability that your child’s children will possess psychic skills at a higher level than it will have, if the display is right, which will be considerable.”
Melanie looked at Matt, “You haven’t said anything about taking a long time to become an old man.”
“I don’t know what I think about that. How do you feel?”
Melanie smiled, “That just means I have longer to love you. How can you not like that?”
Sprig thought, “We live that long naturally so it really won’t seem like a long time. There’s so much to see and learn that the time just slips away.”
Matt scratched his head, “Put like that, how can I disagree. Let’s discuss it after a thousand years.”
“Make it ten thousand for me. I’m starting to get curious about what our children will become.”
Danielle shook her head, “Where is Tgon-Gee when you need him?”
Matt furrowed his brow and Danielle said, “He always saw the strength of a person’s aura. He would have told us as soon as she became pregnant.”
Tag shrugged, “Well, I have to say the first twelve hundred years have flown by. Let’s get back to the issues that confront the Realm.”
“First I need to meet with the spiders and see if my plan is feasible. You may join us if you want.”
Tag yawned, “Nope, you’ll call me if you need me. I’m enjoying retirement and this cigar.”
“Danielle laughed, “He’ll be listening in; he can’t stop himself.”
“Melanie, you better come with me; I need you to help me see the truth.”
“I want to hear what you have in mind. I was going to ask if I could sit in.”
Matt took her hand and left for the map room. Sprig shrugged and teleported. Why these humans walked instead of teleporting was beyond his understanding.
Matt looked around the table and said, “I haven’t mentioned yet that it is my intention to try and save your species and bring them to our universe before it is blocked by the Reg.”
Destiny looked at Matt, “I have no idea about how you might make that happen.”
“Well, I need some help but I think it all starts with the Nest Mother. We have to either eliminate her or get her to see what is going to happen to her by the beings that created her. I know that we are able to teleport objects the size of individuals even if they are in the green substance. Does the Nest Mother wear green armor?”
Destiny shrugged, “No she does not. She is however inside a ship that dwarfs our main ships. It also has a hull a hundred of your miles thick.”
“Do you know the coordinates of her chamber inside the ship?”
“It is in the exact center of the ship.”
“Alright, I want you to come up with a plan. I would prefer to capture her alive but if we can’t make that happen then we will kill her.”
“Why would you want to save her?”
“It is not her fault that she’s made to do the things your species have done. Remember the recording of the Nest Mother before she was placed on the nest; she didn’t show any of the rage until she placed her legs in the receptacles. It is the beings from the dark galaxy that hold the real responsibility for all the killing. I just feel that we have to try. If we fail, then all of your species that have the downloaded compulsions will be killed when the new tool being developed by those in the dark galaxy is released. Something about that just makes me angry and I want to try and do something about it. Duke Gardner, please let me know when you have a plan.”
Sprig bowed, “We will begin immediately, Your Majesty.”
Matt and Melanie walked out of the room and Matt thought, “What do you think?”
“I think it’s the right thing to do, Matt.”
As Matt and Melanie left the room Newton looked at Edison, “Maybe someday we’ll be as smart as the Humans.”
Edison shook his head emulating the Human’s disagreement motion, “I hope so but it will take a very long time.” He paused a moment and continued, “Maybe our children will.”
Newton and Einstein nodded.
Destiny had to leave the room to laugh. Oh what wonderful children.
The Nest Mother examined the data that had been stored in her memory and looked for what was causing her to be unable to control the harvestings. She couldn’t find anything so she stopped and thought. “Maybe one of my predecessors would know.” She started with the Nest Mother she replaced and reviewed her memories. Nothing. She then moved to each of the previous Nest Mothers and finally viewed the memories of the original one that started her species. She traced everything back until she saw the moment where she was given intelligence. She saw the Nest Mother as a small spider that was viciously protecting her egg sac against a huge red being that was about to hit it. She felt the protectiveness of the mother for her offspring and watched as the being stopped and collected the mother into a device. The next thing she saw was the moment the spider was given intelligence. She heard the red being’s thoughts as he told another being, “This one will be a good tool for us. With the right technology it could do all we require.” Then the memories stopped and she saw the Nest Mother being placed on the command bed. She was shocked at the revelation. We are tools for another species. Then she felt the compulsions hit her and she ordered another family to harvest another universe. She felt the fear of those that have no control.
Life was at home visiting his sister on Gresh. The Stars Realm was at peace and for the first time he could remember, he had some free time to go home and relax. He actually wished there was more action for him but the war was over and the Searchers were assigned planets to assist them in assimilating into the Stars Realm. After the fight with the Eight Legs, this was boring. He requested time off and was given a two week furlough. He sat at home and then thought about taking the family’s boat out for a little alone time. He furled the sails on the small craft and headed out into the large bay. Sailing always relieved his stress and he thought about all that had happened since the war with the Eight Trading Partners. Those planets were now close allies of the Gresh and even after all the terrible things that had been done during the Gresh invasions, the populations knew they were saved by his intervention on their behalf with the Stars Realm. Two of the Trading Planets had an Eight Leg Mother Ship moving in on them during the Eight Leg invasion when two of his brothers killed them with a penetrator. The Realm possessed no stronger subjects than these nine planets. The applicants for the Realms Military was huge and they told the story to new worlds just joining the Realm about how they were extremely fortunate to be allowed to become a part of such a generous, glorious, union. Then he started thinking about his new assignment.
“I heard they let you out early for good behavior.”
Life smiled, “If that were the case I would have never been delayed. What are you doing here, Grena?”
“I just made planet; like you I have some free time. I thought I would enjoy it but I must confess that I’m already starting to get bored.”
“I’ve taken the boat out; would you like to join me?”
“I’d love it; anything but this sitting around telling the family war stories.”
Life smiled, “I know; the same story gets old after the eighth telling. H
ere’s my coordinates.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Life stopped the boat and waited for her to teleport.
Grena reclined on the front deck of the small sailboat with her eyes closed. Life had the boat tacking away from land toward the wide mouth of the bay and the ship was skipping lightly across the waves. Grena thought to Life, “I hear you’ve been given a promotion.”
Life flinched, “Where did you hear that?” Life had just learned of it himself.
“I have also been offered a position but I wanted to discuss it with you before I accepted.”
Life held the boat into the wind and then turned and tacked back, “What are you being asked to do, Grena?”
“Before I answer, I need to know if you still feel the same way about me before you were chosen to be our Warleader. I appreciate your inviting me to be your partner at the Gardner’s wedding but we didn’t resolve our issues.”
“How could we? We were swept up in the festivities and I was called to a meeting of the command council. When I finished, you were gone.”
“I, too, was called to a meeting off planet.”
Life remembered back when he was notified by the ruling council that he was to lead their efforts against the trade planets. He and Grena were very much an item but the Warleader is not eligible to take a mate. This practice prevented the strongest Warleader from forcing their children on the planet as successors. He remembered Grena’s sorrow and anger at the decision and her telling him she would never forgive him for accepting. “Grena, you told me it was over. I had to place the welfare of our people ahead of my own desires. Just how do you think I feel?”
“You still love me; you might as well admit it.”
How could she possibly know that?
Grena saw his expression and smiled, “Life, after we joined the Stars Realm and you resigned your position as Warleader; you were approached by every available female on the planet. You ignored them and joined the Realm’s Navy. I knew they held no interest for you. I knew that you still cared for me; I could feel it.”
Life started to tell her she was right but she held up and hand and stopped him, “I had time after joining the Realm’s Navy to reflect on the oath I swore; I came to realize that sometimes duty is more important than one’s own selfish desires. I was wrong to blame you for being strong enough to make a hard decision. I have never stopped loving you and I’m here today to see what you want to do about it.”
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