by Saxon Andrew
Pam looked at him, “Why?”
“The explosion caused by your two reactors going critical would have destroyed most of the Traugh Warships close to your position. I’d normally never suggest doing that but this is an extraordinary situation the two of you were in. I’m surprised you managed to escape. Your computer says you were hit by more than six hundred disintegrator beams.”
Pam nodded, “The force field almost failed ten times but managed to recover before we were hit again. It was during one of those moments that a beam hit the hull through the weakened field.”
Essay continued to stare at Andres, “Can you do anything?”
“We can install two more reactors that are dedicated solely to the force field. The original two can be used to strengthen the force field. But you need to understand that if you take that many hits again, they will ultimately fail.”
Sparky looked at him, “Why?”
“I’m sure you saw that you used more than half the power in your reactors to survive making your last escape. You’ll run out of power in less than twenty minutes using your defensive systems at the level you used to escape.”
“That’s more than twice as long as before.”
“Yes, but it may take longer than twenty minutes to move out of their formations. Their fleets will be rushing in at an incredible rate.”
Sparky nodded, “If you’re going to install two more reactors, could you install another battery of disintegrators on the front of the ship?”
“Why would you want that?”
“It will allow us to get closer to their building facilities before we launch our missiles.”
Andres stared at Sparky and looked at his panel, “I also see you want to be able to launch all of your remaining missiles simultaneously. Why do you want to do that?”
Sparky looked at Kam and saw his expression. He looked back to Andres and prayed the alien would not reveal his reason. “If we’re trapped again, we could launch all our missiles at once and follow them out.”
Andres tilted his head and shrugged, “That is a novel idea. If it worked, you’d be out of missiles to use for any other attacks.”
Sparky smiled, “That’s when we’ll come back here to rearm.” He glanced at Kam and saw his frown. He thought furiously, “Don’t tell them!” Kam stared at him and, after a moment, nodded. Essay saw the exchange and wondered what was going on. He saw Kam look at him and shake his head. Essay shrugged and sat back in his chair.
Pam missed the exchange and said, “How long is this going to take?”
“About three months. You can make yourself at home while we’re taking the ship apart.”
Sparky nodded and said, “By the way, how many disintegrators will be added to the ship?”
“How many do you want?”
Sparky laughed, “As many as the new reactors can handle.”
Whitehall said, “Are you limited to installing just two new reactors?”
“Well, sort of.”
“Tell me why?”
“The force field and disintegrators can be shorted out if too much power is used to power them.”
Sparky leaned forward, “Couldn’t you have an automatic relay to switch the systems to another set of reactors when two of them run low on power?”
Andres leaned back and thought about the question. He stared nodding slowly and said, “That could be done but six is the limit.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to assume you want to carry as many missiles as possible. Any more than six and you’ll lose space in the landing bay. You’re also going to need a lot of room to install the arms that will extend out of the landing bay to make the launch of all your remaining missiles. If that’s not important…”
“No, that is important!”
Pam wondered why Sparky wanted the ability to launch so many at one time. Andres shrugged, “Six reactors it is. We’ll contact you when we complete the modifications.”
Whitehall looked at Pam and Sparky, “Is there anywhere the two of you want to go while you’re waiting?”
Sparky looked at Pam and smiled, “The best beach on the planet.”
Whitehall smiled, “We’ll put you up in Tahiti.”
Pam laughed, “Now that sounds really good.” Whitehall led them out of the conference room and Essay looked at Kam, “What’s going on?”
Kam looked at him, “Nothing. I need to make a run out to the Bosrean. I’ll let you know when I return.”
Essay watched him stand and leave the room. He knew that this was the first time the Prophet had lied to him. He wondered what was so important that he did.
• • •
Pam sat in a beach chair and held Sparky’s hand as they watched the setting sun. “I’ll never grow tired of seeing this.” Sparky nodded. Pam looked at him, “Does this make you want to stay here with me?”
Sparky looked at her and she could see the love in his eyes, “Being here is the happiest I’ve ever been. But I’d be happy anywhere with you. It makes me feel good that you have defeated your demons.”
Pam smiled and put her finger on his lips, “Let’s not discuss them. They might hear you.” Sparky nodded and looked back out at the sun as it touched the horizon. The ship was ready. He sighed and continued to stare at the setting sun.
Later that night, when he was certain that Pam was asleep, he quietly got out of bed and carried his clothes out of the room and dressed in the hotel’s hallway. He went to the lobby and met the cab he had ordered a week earlier. It pulled out and drove him to the airport, where one of the new Warships was waiting beside the runway. He walked up the ramp and went to the bridge. The pilot looked at him, “Where is your partner?”
“She’s joining me later. I just want to check out the new systems before she arrives.” The pilot shrugged and lifted the ship. Twenty minutes later, the ship landed in Japan and Sparky saw his gleaming warship on a landing pad. He walked up and an engineer looked at him, “You’re early.”
“I just want to take a look at the simulator program.”
“It’s preinstalled in the computer. You can start it from your control panel.”
“Thanks.” Sparky walked up the ramp to the large ship and pressed the wall control that retracted the ramp and closed the landing bay door. The engineer wondered what was going on and he sent an emergency call to Andres when the ship’s power systems activated. A few moments later, the thrusters ignited and the large ship rose into the night sky.
Chapter Twenty-One
Pam wasn’t sure what made her wake up. It could have been her reaching to touch Sparky in her sleep or another sound that disturbed her. Whatever it was, she suddenly sat up straight and looked around. Sparky was not in the room. She lifted the special device Whitehall had given them to communicate and punched his code. She waited and heard, “The device you’re contacting is no longer in range.”
Pam leapt out of bed and punched Whitehall’s number. He appeared and he said quickly, “Sparky has taken the ship.”
“WHEN!?”
“About an hour ago.”
“You have to get me to him!”
Whitehall shook his head, “We have no idea where he went. I’m sorry.”
Pam ended the contact and thought furiously as her heart hammered in her chest. She looked at the contact list and pressed another code. Essay appeared and she said, “YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!”
“What…what’s…going on?”
“Sparky has taken the ship without me. You must get me to him!”
Essay started shaking his head, “He’s going to kill himself and he’s going to fail if I’m not there with him!!”
“What are you…”
“He’s going to attack the Traugh’s Planet where their Leaders are located. I see what he’s been planning now and he won’t do it without my help.”
Essay shook his head, “Pam, I don’t see how you can stop him. He’s already in Traugh Space.”
“He won’t attack until he
completes the simulator training.” Essay sighed and Pam said in a voice that was scary, “Connor, you owe me. If I’m not there, you can go ahead and shoot me in the head. I will not live without him!” Essay listened to her as she began to wail.
“Where are you?”
“Tahiti at the Hilton.”
“I’ll meet you on the beach.”
“Oh thank you.”
Essay walked out of the cabin toward his ship and saw Kam sitting on the ground outside it. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Essay stared at him, “You knew this was going to happen.”
“I did.”
“Then you are coming with me to make the decision if I should help her.”
“That’s’ why I’m here.”
“Let’s go.” Essay lifted the ship and took off at high speed. He arrived in Tahiti forty minutes later and landed on the beach. Pam sprinted toward the ship as he lowered the ramp. She came on board and saw the Prophet sitting with Essay on the bridge. She looked at him and her face turned ugly, “You knew about this!?” Kam nodded. She turned to Essay, “We can meet him before he launches his attack.”
Kam looked at her, “Just how do you intend to do that?”
“We will go to the course directly above the Traugh Government Planet. That’s the line he’ll use.”
“He doesn’t want you there, Miss Osborn.”
Pam looked at Kam in silence and Essay knew he was listening to her thoughts. Kam said, “You wouldn’t do that!”
Pam continued to stare at Kam and Essay said, “Do what?”
“She says she will do everything in her power to kill me and failing that, she will go after Whitehall, Andres, and you in that order.”
Essay looked at Pam, “Do you believe her?”
Kam tilted his head and blew out a breath, “Sparky didn’t know what he was doing. He wasn’t saving her by leaving her behind. He was giving her a death sentence.” Kam looked at Essay, “Get us to the location.”
Pam rushed over and threw herself into Kam’s arms and wept. He held her and shook his head. Sparky was wrong about her demons. The only thing that held them at bay was him.
Essay lifted the ship and went to full thrusters fifteen miles above the planet’s surface. The ship leapt out of the atmosphere and Essay activated the stardrive. He looked at Kam, “Should we be concerned about the Traugh seeing us?”
Kam lifted his left shoulder and shrugged, “She’s right about us owing her. It’s a risk we have to take.” Essay sighed and pushed the thruster handle forward. The ship exploded forward and they watched the streaks of stars flashing past them as they moved out of the galaxy and entered intergalactic space. Essay pushed the handle fully forward and the shook his head, “I had no idea our ships were this fast.”
Pam shook her head, “I wish they were faster! Please hurry.”
• • •
Sparky finished the simulator tutorial on the new weapons and smiled. This ship was far ahead of what it was. He went to the stardrive and found the location he wanted. He loaded it into the stardrive’s controller and went to his panel. He set the new missile arms to deploy with the push of a button and automatically launch the missiles. That should do it. He went back to the stardrive and put his hand on the button when he heard, “IF YOU DO THIS WITHOUT ME I WILL PERSONALLY GO AND KILL YOUR SISTER!!”
Sparky’s eyebrows came together and he looked at the wall speaker. “I MEAN IT, SPARKY!!?
“You won’t do that. You love me too much.”
Sparky looked at the scanner’s monitor and saw a stardrive moving toward him at an incredible speed. It had the dark blue color of an earth warship and he sighed. “Pam, you shouldn’t be here.”
“And you should have never left me behind!”
“I can’t bear the thought of you being killed.”
“And you think I can live without you! Are you that incredibly stupid!?”
“Pam, I’m still not free of my demons. On Earth all I could think about was coming back and hurting them. I’ll never be free.”
“How do you think I was able to keep mine at bay, Sparky?”
Sparky thought about it and shook his head, “I assumed you had beaten them back.”
“Being with you is the only thing that kept them away. Without you, they came roaring back. If you did this without me, I would do everything in my power to kill the Prophet, Connor, Andres, and Whitehall for allowing you to go without me. They would have to kill me to stop me!”
Sparky heard the Prophet in his mind, “She’s telling the truth, Sparky and that’s why I brought her to you. You left her behind with a death sentence. She will not live without you.”
“You’re also crazy if you think you can do this without me.”
“Pam, the ship can fly on a direct course to the planet and I’ll use the weapons to keep the path clear.”
“And I thought you were so smart. If you fly a straight course, they’ll put every ship they have on that line. You’ll never break through. You have to move the ship toward the smallest concentrations of their ships. You can’t do that and operate the weapons.” Pam paused and said, “Why are you so adamant about doing this now!?”
“The computer intercepted a communication before we left that there is a scheduled meeting of all the Supreme Leaders today.”
Essay looked at Kam and heard, “They’ve started building secret facilities to build their new warships. Their leader has ordered that no communication may be made with their location in it. This is the only way to really slow them down, Pam.”
“Then we should do this together, my love. I will not live without you.”
“Pam, I’m driven by my demon to do this. The pressure has been growing and I’m being consumed by this overwhelming desire to hurt them.”
“That’s why you had me fly through them to see if you could blow a hole through their ranks?”
Sparky sighed, “It is.”
“And that’s why you wanted to launch all the missiles at once; you wanted them to help you get to the Traugh’s Main Planet.”
“Yes.”
“It’s an outstanding plan but it will fail without my getting us through their fleets.”
“But I can’t bear the thought of you dying.”
“Can you bear the thought of dying?”
Sparky tilted his head, “This would make it worth doing.”
Pam said, “I’m putting on a spacesuit. Open the landing bay door, I’m jumping in from this ship.”
Sparky stared at Pam on his monitor and almost pushed the stardrive’s activate button when he suddenly saw Pam’s thoughts in his mind. He jerked his finger back and looked at the Prophet on the monitor. “You should hear what she’s going through, Sparky. You do not do her a service by leaving her behind.”
Sparky felt the immense pain she was enduring and heard her wailing in her mind. He blew out a breath and looked up. He pressed a button on his panel and looked at Pam, “The door is open.” Pam ran off the bridge and he looked at Kam. “Am I right about this being worthy of dying to make happen?”
Kam sighed, “It is. This will throw them into incredible turmoil.”
Sparky smiled, “Thank you.”
Essay looked at Kam, “Should we get out of here?”
Kam shook his head and saw Pam floating into the huge ship’s landing bay. He saw the door close and looked at Sparky on the main monitor. A few moments later, Sparky looked away as Pam flew into his arms and began kissing him all over his face. Kam nodded toward the monitor, “Essay, that is what love looks like.” Essay nodded and took a slow breath and slowly exhaled. Kam pressed the transmit button, “If you intend to do this, I have one request.”
Both of them looked at Kam on their monitor, “What is that?”
“Your message missiles have a delayed record function. Set them up to be ejected from your ship as you make your run. They’ll record until they detect a close by stardrive and boost away.”
Sparky
nodded, “I learned about that in the simulator. We’ll set them up to do it.”
“How long before you do this?”
“I’m going to allow Pam to go through the Simulator Tutorial. Then we’ll take a couple of hours to be together and then we’ll make our attack.”
“We need to go.”
“I know. Thank you for bringing her to me.”
Kam nodded and Essay turned the ship away. A moment later it disappeared. Sparky took Pam in his arms and she stared into his eyes, “Together time first. Tutorial second.” He smiled and carried her off the bridge.
• • •
Sparky looked at Pam, “Are you ready?”
“I am. Thank you for all the happy moments you’ve given me.”
“You’ve also brought joy to my life. You will have the self-destruct control on your panel. I’ll do all I can to buy you enough time to use it.”
Pam nodded and turned to her panel, “I’m going in at full speed. We should encounter the outlying defenders within twenty seconds. I expect the others to pile on around the planet.”
I’m saving the missiles until we’re within thirty seconds.”
“That’s a good idea but don’t wait too long if we are overwhelmed. We don’t have to be close to make our presence felt.”
Sparky nodded, “You are the best thing in my life. I’ll see you after this is over.”
Pam smiled, “Count on it. I’ll be the one with the smile.”
Sparky nodded and activated the ship’s weapons, “Ready. I’ve set the message missiles to eject every minute.”
Pam nodded and knew the entire attack would only take ten minutes. She pushed the thrusters forward and as the ship rushed forward, she activated the stardrive and pushed the thrusters fully forward. The distant speck of light grew larger instantly.
• • •
The Traugh Warships holding station in the outer reaches of the planetary system barely had time to respond to the incoming stardrive. They turned their ships to meet it and more than eighty of them were blasted into atoms by the disintegrators of the ship that blew past them. They turned to pursue and yelled a warning to the forces around the planet. Pam watched the stardrives rushing in ahead of her and took manual control of the ship. She whipped it to the left as Sparky destroyed numerous Traugh Warships rushing in to intercept them. She turned back to the right and straightened out on a course for the planet. Sparky was now totally focused on the Traugh Warships directly in front of them and they were exploding before they could move into range to fire on the speeding ship.