by Saxon Andrew
“I really hope I can. Perhaps if we’re able to survive the coming war, I will come and communicate with you.”
“WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT HAPPENING. GO IN PEACE.”
The Prophet’s Eyes turned and accelerated away from the inhabited planet at its maximum speed and flashed into the black hole’s event horizon two minutes later.
• • •
“Poul, what was that all about?”
“Essay, I recognized the mechanical tones in that voice. That was a series of computers talking with me.”
“Where was it?”
“It occupies a place outside of the three spaces we know about. I couldn’t detect it even though I could hear its thoughts.”
“What?”
“I know it sounds crazy but that computer has a central processor that acts just like an organic brain. Its thoughts are as real as yours or any other organic being. I do know that it could have destroyed us in an instant if it chose. I think it would have under ordinary circumstances for coming too close to the worlds it protects but it was confused by my level of development and it also appears it is able to communicate with Penny. It was Penny’s presence that made it decide that we weren’t a threat and it simply observed us as we moved around the galaxy. It is really curious about us.”
“Are you saying that Penny has a high level of thought processes?”
“I don’t know. I do know that the computer could understand her. It appears that we’re the first species it has ever encountered where a Griffet chooses to be with a species other than its own.”
The three looked at Penny and saw the small ball on her top edge was staring at the wall speaker. Erica reached down and rubbed her top and she immediately flipped over to offer her feet. Erica smiled, picked her up, placed Penny in her lap and started rubbing her between her feet. The humming sound stared immediately.
“Who built it?” Essay asked.
“I don’t know and I feel reasonably certain it doesn’t know either. I sense that it an ancient construction.”
“What?”
“Essay, I think someone did build the original computer a very, very long time ago and it has pretty much been left to its own development. What it is now is a product of its efforts to evolve. I will say that it is the most powerful force I’ve ever encountered. I suspect whoever built it originally no longer exists. If its builders were attacked and destroyed by a predator civilization, that would account for its defense of the planets in this galaxy. It probably wasn’t powerful enough at the time its builders disappeared but it has evolved into a powerful force now.”
“Do you intend to go back?”
“One day I am, if I’m not destroyed in this current conflict. There’s one thing I should make you aware of, it changed how my systems operate during our conversation.”
Essay’s eyes narrowed, “In what way?”
“All of the computers that have been linked to my central processor are all interconnected now. It’s like it took all of the computers that fed my central processors and fused them into one unit. I don’t have to search for data or information now. If it’s in my databanks, I have instant access to it and all of my connections to the various systems are much faster.”
“Are there any other changes?”
“Yes, Kamela, I’m a lot faster now and I do mean a lot.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Essay interjected.
“I’m not, Essay. You know how the original stardrive my builders assembled was directly connected to the central processor. Well, now it functions a lot more efficiently than before I opened my systems to that Computer. I don’t think that it’s something that can be duplicated to use on our warships but it has radically changed the speed of my links.”
“Well, you can never be too fast, Poul.”
“I agree, Erica. We’ll be arriving at the Colony in two minutes.” Essay looked at Kamela and Erica and saw their shocked expressions.
“Uhhh…Poul. How long will it take you to go to the Flasher’s Galaxy without using the black holes?” Kamela asked.
“About a day.”
“Poul, that’s faster than using the black holes!”
“I know, Essay. If I use the black holes, I can get there in two hours.”
Essay closed his eyes and then opened them, “Kamela, send Admiral Connor a thought that we’ll be arriving momentarily.”
“I’ve already sent him a thought. He’s expecting us to come to his office upon arrival.”
“Thanks, Poul.”
“Don’t mention it. I need some time to reflect on what’s happened.”
“What’s bothering you?”
“Kamela, is my future going to be like that computer? I don’t know if I’d like being constrained by one galaxy for my entire existence.”
“I suspect the destruction of the original builder of that computer set that as its purpose.”
“Then what is my purpose, Kamela?”
“To do what needs doing to protect those you care about. You are a ship’s computer and the ship was built to protect the ones that constructed it. And that is what you’ve been doing since the Bosrean brought you back from the dead. You are not constrained to remain in one galaxy but have the entire universe to carry out your destiny.”
“Thanks, Kamela, that helps. I’ll listen in on the meeting with Admiral Connor and I’ll participate if you need me.”
“Poul.”
“Yes, Erica.”
“I hope you know that I love you.”
Kamela smiled, “I think we all do, Poul. You’ve always been more than just a machine to us.”
“Thanks.” The three stood up and went to the port as the Prophet’s Eyes landed on top of the Admiralty Building.
As they left the ship, Erica looked at Penny walking along beside her. Suddenly Erica stopped. Essay stopped with her, “What?”
“Essay, how many black holes has Penny gone through?”
Essay looked up and said, “She’s been through at least four during our current mission. Why do you ask?”
“Why can we still see her?”
“What?”
“Essay, the change should have affected her by now.” Essay looked down at Penny who was looking at him. Erica lifted her wrist unit and Essay saw her turn off the magnetic field. She didn’t disappear. Essay turned his magnetic field off and he also didn’t disappear. Erica shrugged, “It appears we are no long ghosts. The effects of the change are gone.”
Essay looked back at the Prophet’s Eyes and said, “Poul.”
“I’ve been listening, I’ve already shut down the magnetic field and it now appears my atomic structure is the same as this universe, I’m no longer made of anti-matter. Whatever happened to you has also affected my structure.”
They looked down at Penny and Kamela smiled, “It appears we have more to discuss with the Admiral than we thought.”
Essay sighed and took Erica’s hand as they turned toward the roof portal, “Indeed it does.”
Chapter Fourteen
The three entered Admiral Connor’s conference room and found a small gathering awaiting their arrival. Admirals Timmy and Amy Hart as well as Admirals Eagle, Bell, O’Hara, Holiday and Heinrik were sitting at the conference table. Lani and Scott were sitting next to the wall with Janell Eagle. Penny ran across the room and the three other Griffets came rushing out to meet her. They all bumped up against each other and Essay smiled as the three human companions stared at the disks gathered in the center of the room, “That is how they transfer information. They’re catching up with what’s happened while Penny’s been away.”
Steve nodded, “We have some questions, Essay.”
“I don’t know if I have the answers but I’ll give it a go. Have any of you discovered that you are no longer affected by the Change?”
Timmy nodded vigorously, “I have and Alexandra is also changed.”
Essay sat down and nodded, “I suspect everyone associated with close cont
act with the Griffets no long are impacted by the change.” Gabe’s eyes widened and he raised his wrist unit and pressed a button. He immediately disappeared. He turned the magnetic field back on and reappeared. “Admiral Eagle, come over here and rub Penny.” Gabe looked at Steve, who nodded. Gabe walked over and rubbed Penny’s top. She flipped over and he jerked but then rubbed her on her bottom side. “Now try removing your magnetic field.”
Gabe pushed the button again and didn’t disappear. His eyes opened wider and he looked at Essay, “What’s going on?”
Essay shrugged, “It appears Penny and her three friends are able to reverse the change. The Prophet’s Eyes is no long made of anti-matter but the normal atoms of this universe.”
Amy smiled, “Do you have an explanation for this?”
“I do.”
Everyone was startled when Poul interrupted, “I think that Penny recognizes what the structure of something should be when she makes contact with it. She changes the structure to what it should be. When Timmy touched her, she saw that his body was not operating as it should and she corrected the imperfections. She did the same with Admiral Connor. She readily recognized that I didn’t match up with the matter of this universe and she changed it.”
“Do you know how she’s able to do these things, Poul?”
“Admiral Connor, I’ve been observing Penny closely from the beginning and I’ve been baffled by her physiology. She’s able to live in the vacuum of space as well as in the atmosphere around a planet with no difficulty. It’s clear that she can live in any conditions she finds herself in. I’ve been asking myself how this could be possible and I think I have an answer of sorts.” There was a pause and Poul said, “Penny is not made of matter.”
“What?”
“Calm down, Erica. I know she’s as solid as any of us and she loves being rubbed. However, I believe that Penny is a form of solid energy and can assume the structure of either matter or energy. I believe her species feeds on the energy that stars send out into space.”
Timmy smiled, “That would explain the slinky form she changed into and the orange field.”
“Yes. I think she had to take that form energy to make the radical corrections to you and Admiral Connor. Changing the structure of the atoms in your bodies back to what they were before you underwent the change was a simple process in comparison.”
Gabe turned to Steve, “If she reverses the change in our ships, they’ll lose their invisibility.”
“Not really, Admiral.”
“Why do you say that, Poul?” Steve quickly asked.
“Because we’re invisible behind our Dark Energy Force Fields. We don’t need the effects of the change to be hidden.” There was a long moment of silence and Poul said, “Are you aware that the aging process is actually a disease. The cells in the body become oxidized over time and that is what causes humans to age. I genuinely suspect your Griffets have stopped the aging process in those that have one as a companion. It is possible that you could live forever barring a terrible accident.”
The room was shocked into silence and Erica said, “I’m not so sure an accident could kill us.” Everyone looked at her with wide eyes. “I cut my finger severely with a carving knife and I watched it heal before my eyes. I didn’t even have a scar.”
“Well where do I get one of these marvelous creatures?” Gabe said.
Erica looked at Gabe and shrugged, “Ask Penny.”
“What?”
“Go to her and ask her if there are any others like her that would like to have a human companion.”
“You’re serious?”
“I am.”
“Which one is Penny?”
“She’s the one closest to me.”
Everyone watched Gabe stand up, walk around the table, and kneel down beside Penny. He rubbed her top and said, “Penny, I would really like one of your species to be my companion, can you help make that happen?”
Penny’s little ball moved around toward the other three disks and they all had their small balls focused on her. After a moment, the small ball on top of Penny rolled around the edge and stopped in front of Gabe.
Gabe looked up as Erica said, “Say, ‘Come to me now!”’
Gabe’s head went back and said, “Come to me now!”
A small disk appeared next to him and rushed up against his foot. Gabe’s mouth fell open as Essay said, “They require a lot of rubbing, Admiral.”
Gabe picked the disk up and started rubbing it. It immediately flipped over presenting its legs. Erica said, “They really like it when you rub a figure eight around the pairs.” Gabe started rubbing the disk’s legs and they started moving immediately. Gabe smiled, “I feel better already.” He looked at the disk and smiled, “I’m going to call you, Dakota after my families’ ancient home.”
Janell walked over and took the disk from Gabe and continued rubbing it, “You have a meeting to attend. I’ll take care of the little one.”
As if on cue, the other four Griffets scuttled across the floor to their companions. Steve shrugged, “Well, let’s get on with it.” He looked up, “Poul, thank you for your insights.”
“Glad to help, Admiral.”
Steve turned to the crew of the Prophet’s Eyes, “Why did you come back?”
Essay sighed and began telling them what had happened. In less than an hour, everyone in the room was frightened at the prospect of Flashers coming to colonize their sector of the universe along with the possible threat the newly discovered civilizations represented. Finally, Steve looked around the table and said, “Are we in agreement on the next steps we’re going to take?” Everyone nodded and Steve looked at Essay, “You should leave and go find out what’s happening in that fifth galaxy.”
“How will we know when the others arrive?”
Admiral Holiday smiled, “I’ll send a squeal at two microseconds. We’ll meet you at the coordinates you’ve given us.”
“Good enough. I want to take a day for Erica and I to visit our families and we’ll shove off the day after tomorrow.”
Steve nodded, “We’ll get there as quickly as possible. This meeting is over, go and start preparing your crews.”
Erica stood up and hugged Steve and then Essay, “I’m going to the lab to see mom and dad.”
Essay nodded, “Tell them I said hello.”
“I suspect they’ll want to have dinner with us.”
Essay looked at Steve and he nodded, “Tell them we’ll eat with them tonight.” Erica smiled and ran out of the room.
“That’s an amazing woman you married, Son.”
Essay watched her disappear through the doors and smiled, “I know.”
• • •
The Grengen sat on his warship and stared at the wall monitor, “Have you received any word?”
“They’ve not been detected, Grengen.”
“Have they detected us?”
“They have. We’ve detected their scanners an hour ago.”
“Launch our Fighters when we’re in visible range of their forces.” His brother nodded and disappeared from his console’s monitor. Now let’s see how this plays out. An hour later he heard, “The Langloh Fleet has been detected moving as you predicted, Grengen.”
“Continue on the current course.”
“You know there are so many things that could go wrong with this plan?”
The Grengen smiled and said, “That’s what I have you for, to tell me.”
“A computer can only figure out so much with the data I’m given.”
“If all else fails, we can always flee.”
“Not if you’ve deliberately allowed your forces to be surrounded.”
“There’s not enough of them to surround us on four sides.”
“True, but they can block your route back to our galaxy.”
We’ll go over and below them if the situation calls for it.”
“How did you know the Langloh Fleets would take the course they’re on?”
“A
good leader always conserves as much energy as possible before a fight. That course is the shortest route to put them behind us outside the range of our scanners. The Spearan should start moving our way shortly.”
They immediately heard over the communicator, “Grengen, the enemy fleets are starting to move from inside their galaxy.”
The Grengen smiled, “Stop all ships.” The four long lines of Flasher Warships came to a stop. The back two lines turned around and faced away from the front two lines and cut power to all their external systems; they went dark in an instant. The front two lines had a hundred thousand warships in each line, which was double the number of warships in the front two lines present for the last confrontation. The Grengen smiled. All the pieces were now in place and it was imperative that he keep the Spearan Fleets focused on his two lines, “Launch all Fighters.”
The two lines of Flasher Warships seemed to explode with hundreds of thousands of fighters erupting from the hulls of the giant warships. They flew out and began forming into a giant attack wave above and below the two long lines of Flasher Warships as the Spearan Warships began opening fire with their massive blasters. At the same moment, the giant Langloh Fleets came rushing in from behind the Flasher Fleets and opened fire with their blasters. The Grengen smiled, “Commence attack.”
The millions of pitch black Fighters that had been coasting above the Spearan Galaxy moved in behind the Spearan Fleets as the two lines of Flasher Warships suddenly accelerated toward the oncoming Spearan formations and opened fire with their massive blasters. The Fighters that had been moving full speed toward the Spearan Fleets pulled up and went vertical above the two giant formations of Warships as the pitch black Fighters activated their thrusters and roared in behind the Spearan Fleets. The two lines of Flasher Warships that had powered down went to full power and rushed out toward the approaching Langloh Fleets as another giant formation of black Fighters roared in behind them. The Spearan and Langloh Fleets were trapped inside a devastating crossfire and thousands of their warships began going up in massive explosions. The Grengen stared at his monitor and waited for what he knew was coming. The he heard, “The Spearan reserve fleets are accelerating out of the galaxy.”