by Saxon Andrew
“Yes, Sir. We’ll start moving them now.”
“Amy, I want the remaining Flasher Warships disintegrated. I want none of them left behind that can be used in the future. I don’t want a ship that can harm the Griffets left intact for someone to duplicate.”
“I’ll start moving the line forward, Sir.”
Steve looked up and said, “Essay, you need to contact the Leaders of this galaxy and tell them what we expect of them.”
“Yes, Sir.” Essay said, “Kamela, order the fleet of Carriers to bring their small ships on board and to move out to the assembly coordinates.” Kamela nodded and the thousands of Frigates along with the Carriers activated their stardrives and exited normal space. An hour later, after the remaining Flasher Warships were destroyed, the fifty giant warships accelerated away towing a Flasher Warship to join the fleet.
• • •
“Begrin, I can see beyond the grid now. There’s not much there but a large area filled with wreckage.”
Kamela smiled, “Essay, you should be the one to speak to them. Poul, connect him with their leaders.”
“You’re on, Essay.”
Essay smiled, “We’ve eliminated the ships that came here to attack your galaxy. We do have one final request of you.”
Begrin thought, “What is that.”
“We’ve also removed all the warships the Flashers left in their galaxy so there are no defenses there. We want you to go to that galaxy and make sure that we never have to come back here to fight them again. Do you think you can accomplish that?”
“We not only can do it but look forward to making it happen.”
“We also want you to control those two insane civilizations in the other two galaxies. Try to keep them in line.”
“We will at least contain them if nothing else.”
“You’ll only be putting off the inevitable but do it how you choose. We have no desire to ever come here again and we’re counting on you to make sure of it. That’s why we came and defended you.”
“We will not let you down. Do you have any reason why we shouldn’t remove the Sovereigns from this universe?”
“No, we do not and highly recommend it.”
“That will make it easier. Thank you for saving us. I really can’t express how much I and my species appreciate what you did.”
“You can prove that by making sure we never have to come back and do it again.”
“You can rest assured we will handle it.”
“Good luck and long life.”
“Thank you again.”
“Oh, and Zengar. I do know who you are.”
Begrin shook his head hard, “Now you had to go and spoil a good day.”
“BEGRIN!!! I TOLD YOU SO!!! HEY EVERYBODY, THEY KNOW WHO I AM. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I’M A CELEBRITY!”
Erica and Kamela laughed all the way to the assembly coordinates.
Epilogue
All the War Admirals were sitting in Admiral Connor’s conference room waiting for him to arrive. Amy sighed and looked around the table, “Well, we fought hard enough and now we finally have peace. We’ve sent the Marines to Earth and they are using their Griffets to heal the population.”
“Where is Jolly, Amy?”
Amy smiled, “Our Griffets have gone to Earth to assist with rebuilding the planet and healing the survivors. So many of the survivors were horribly burned or injured in the bombardment. The Griffets are bringing them back to good health. Once they finish that task, they are going home. They’ve done what they came here to do. Their families are now safe from the Flashers.”
“Do you miss, Jolly?” Erica asked.
Amy looked at Erica, “I do. And I’m certain you miss Penny as well.”
Erica sighed, “I’m sure she’ll come if I call her but she deserves some time with her family. We’ll see each other again.” Erica looked around the table and saw everyone was sitting in silence. “Hey, we won! Why all the doom and gloom.”
Admiral Wheatley tilted his head and shook it, “It’s just…just…”
“Boring.”
Ken quickly nodded, “Yeah, that’s it, Timmy. I know I should be loving this peaceful time but I’m just bored stiff.”
“Perhaps we can do something about that.”
Everyone looked up and saw Steve enter the room through the back door and everyone came to attention, “Oh sit down. The war is over and now we have to decide what to do next.”
Amy looked at him, “What do you mean, ‘do next’?”
“You know about the Death Prophecies. The unknown enemy will kill you, never stop developing, knowledge will save you and all the other things. Well we are not going to just sit here and wait for another predator to come and hit us in the face. Have any of you actually taken a good look at the new battleships we’ve modified.”
Timmy nodded, “They’re huge.”
“And the Builders actually live on ships smaller than our battleships and they can go anywhere they choose because they are not bound to a planet. We’re going to be like the Builders.”
“What do you mean, Sir?”
“Well, Amy, what do you have holding you to this planet?”
“A beautiful Grandbaby.”
“And if that beautiful baby came with you, would you leave here to go out and explore the universe?”
Amy’s head went back and Timmy quickly said, “I certainly would.”
Amy’s eyes narrowed, “What are you suggesting, Sir.”
“Soon, I’ll have a hundred new giant battleships that can go out and see if there is anything out there that represents a threat to us. Fifty are ready now and the fifty we brought back will be modified within five years. We can also send our new warships out and seek to find new technology that can improve all of our lives. These new ships can carry enough crew members to make the ship self-sufficient and able to spend years exploring the galaxies out there. They are large enough to have a crew of more than half a million and that’s larger than a lot of former cities on Earth.”
Amy shook her head, “Sir, I think I’ve had enough running around the stars for one lifetime.”
“That’s why I’m leaving you in charge, Ami. Lani and I are going with our Warship and see what we missed while being pinned down behind a desk. I’ll be sending out notices to the colonies asking for volunteers to go out with me for a five year mission.”
“I don’t want your job, Sir.”
“Too bad, Amy, you’re going to take it. You are aware that I’ve been grooming you to take it for years and it’s now your turn to do it.” Steve looked around the table, “Any of you want to take one of the ships and go out?”
Lyla looked at Cam and saw him smiling at her. She glanced at the engagement ring on her hand and smiled as she heard Cam say. “Sir, Lyla and I would like to take one of the ships out.”
“I want one as well.”
“Timmy!” Amy said sternly.
“Relax, Mom. I’ll come back to visit enough so that you’ll get to babysit Johnny more than you want.” Amy sat back in her chair still frowning. Alexandra put Johnny on the floor and the four year old ran over to Amy and jumped on her lap.
Amy smiled at Johnny and said where everyone could hear, “Johnny, you don’t want to leave and miss seeing your new Aunt do you?”
Timmy laughed and then his laughter stopped suddenly. “What did you just say?!”
“I asked Johnny if he wanted to leave and miss seeing his new Aunt.” Timmy and Alexandra’s eyes grew wide and Amy smiled at them, “It appears the Griffets made me younger than I thought. Scott and I will be having a baby in about another six months.”
Timmy’s smile was huge as he jumped out of his chair and ran to Amy, “I’M GOING TO HAVE A SISTER!?” He arrived at Amy’ chair and wrapped his arms around Amy’s neck?
“Yes, you are.”
Timmy looked at Alexandra and she nodded. Timmy turned to Steve, “Well, count me out on going away right now. I want to see my sister.”
> Steve smiled, “We can use you here defending the colonies, Timmy.”
Admiral Wheatley smiled, “I want to take one out.”
Steve smiled, “Done. You deserve one.”
Gabe smiled, “Janell and I will take our family with us and we also want to take one out.”
Heinrik and China both stood up and said, “We want one!”
Steve stood up, “Work out among you who goes and who stays. We’re going to send twenty-five of the fifty modified battleships out to explore distant galaxies and the remaining twenty-five battleships will remain here in the colonies at all times as our first line of defense. Most of them will be busybodies exploring the closest galaxies to the colonies sticking their noses into anything they choose; however, eight of the battleships will always remain in the colonies for defense. After five years, the ones exploring deep space can come back and take a break and another group can go out.” Steve smiled, “If we’ve learned anything since all this started it is that humans belong out among the stars. I think this was the intention of the Prophet when he originally showed up at Earth. It was for us to go out and make a difference. That is what I intend for us to do.”
Amy sighed, “What about the Carand Galaxy, Sir.”
“We’re going to take forty of the modified battleships there in six days to have a head-to-head discussion with them. They now know it is possible to transit a black hole and we’re going to make sure they never attempt it.”
“Do you seriously think we can handle the number of warships they have in that galaxy?”
“Ban went there after we returned from the Flasher Galaxy and he is of the opinion we have no issues handling everything they can throw at us. Remember, the Azura didn’t have Dark Energy Blasters and Missiles. We’re going to let them know that we will not tolerate their sending anything through our black hole and make sure they get the message before we leave.”
Steve looked around the room, “This is an exciting time and now we can go out and enjoy the universe around us without having to constantly worry about being attacked. I’m really looking forward to it.” He knew by the smiles on his admiral’s faces that they felt the same.
• • •
Erica looked around at the Admirals choosing who would stay and who would go and heard Poul say in her mind, “Kamela has sent me for you and Essay to use. She says she has found peace with Jak and her daughter and no longer feels the need to leave Kindred. She had completed her destiny and is now happier than I’ve ever seen her. She does ask that you visit occasionally to share what you find out in the universe.”
Erica’s smile was huge and Essay looked at her wondering what was going on. She told him after the meeting ended and the three of them went out with Poul the next day. Essay and Erica showed their son his first view of a black hole and he would never forget that special trip. For the first time in a very long time, the moment was ruled only by love and fear slinked away to hide in the shadows. It would not come out again for a very long time.
THE END
Copyright © 2016 by Saxon Andrew. All rights reserved. Screen Writers Guild no. VQEA3E380432.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.
First Electronic Edition: June 2016