by Saxon Andrew
Gregor turned, walked over to a chair and shook his head. Kaylee followed him and took his hand as he said, “How could they have let this go?”
Kaylee put her hand on his shoulder, “It was early in our history and swords were relatively new, Gregor. He was killed and they couldn’t bear it.”
Ana looked at Leonidas and he raised his hands and shrugged. She looked at Desiree and she shook her head. She turned to the man and woman and Kaylee said, “Give us a few moments, please.”
Shelly sat beside Embree and he whispered to her, “Ana’s sword is important.” Shelly looked at him and turned to watch the two from Bellingham as he said softly, “Very important.”
• • •
Finally, Gregor stood up and blew out a hard breath. He stood up and looked at Gem and Ana. “We went to the Dragon’s planets for the express purpose of killing Leonidas and Desiree because we believed that they were part of the Movement on Earth that attacked Bellingham several years ago to steal our children. We firmly believed that the four swords each of you have been carrying were taken from warriors that died on Bellingham defending our people during that invasion.” Gregor paused, took another breath and exhaled before continuing. “The one named Sam slowed us down long enough to make us see that we were wrong. The final proof that showed us we were making a mistake was when we saw Leonidas and Desiree’s swords. Their swords were ancient and forged at the time the original colonists were abandoned to die on Bellingham. Leonidas’ sword was forged by an ancient member of my clan when they were fighting to survive on an alien planet against impossible odds.” Gregor paused and said, “Over the centuries, the swords that were forged by our ancient ancestors have been lost and very few of them survive. I beseeched Gregor and Desiree to allow me to take their swords back to Bellingham where they can be honored and viewed by my people. I promised to replace their swords with ones that will be forged by our best craftsmen.”
Ana and Gem looked at Leonidas and he nodded, “We agreed to make the swap.”
Ana shook her head, “Why!”
Leonidas lowered his eyes and said, “Because my sword deserves whatever honor Bellingham chooses to bestow on it.”
Gem looked at Gregor, “And you also want us to give you our swords?” Gregor nodded. Gem looked at Ana and saw her shaking her head. He looked back at Gregor and said, “There was something about my wife’s sword that caused you to react. What was it?”
Gregor looked at Ana and said, “Our swords are considered sacred. We believe that a warrior’s sword bonds with their owners and become very much like a brother or sister to them. Some of us believe that the sword will share the soul of its owner.” Gregor continued to stare at Ana and then said, “Your sword does not have a clan mark on it.” Ana stared at him in silence and Gregor continued, “It doesn’t have a clan mark because its owner deliberately left it off. Your sword has the image of a young Bellingham tree on it with the letters D.M. under it. Carved around the top of the tree is the word ‘Hame’.”
Leo tilted his head, “What does that mean?”
Gregor looked at Leonidas, “I’ve learned from our historians that when the ships that brought our ancestors to Bellingham disappeared leaving them stranded, many of the clans argued to use all of their supplies to survive in the belief that the ships would return. The Clans almost came to war over the issue but one of them stood up and convinced them to work together. He made them see that they had to act as if the ships would never return and fight to find a way to survive on an alien planet. He was the first hero of Bellingham.”
Gregor turned to Ana, “His name was Duncan Muir. That’s his initials on your sword and the word Hame means home in ancient Scottish. I believe that you are in possession of his sword.”
Leonidas and Desiree looked at each other and then turned to Ana. They saw by her expression that she was not going to part with it. It was clear that the two from Bellingham knew it as well as Ana returned the sword to its scabbard over her shoulder.
Gem stood up, took the scabbard over his shoulder, walked across the room, and handed it to Gregor, “I see what this means to you and I will also accept another.” Ana watched Gem in silence with her brow furrowed as Gem walked back to sit beside her. The room was silent except for the customers sitting at the bar and dining tables around them. Finally, Gem turned to Ana and said, “You grew up on a world where honor did not exist. You never saw it your entire life until you left and came out here with Leonidas. You have no understanding of what honor is and there is no way for me to teach it to you today. I genuinely wish I could show you what these swords mean to them but through no fault of your own, you can’t see it or understand it.”
“But Gem!”
“Did you not see that man’s expression when he saw your blade? Your sword is priceless to his people. It represents a time in their history that ultimately made them who they are today. I just want you to ask yourself this question.” Ana looked into Gem’s eyes as he said, “Of the two of you, who loves your sword the most?”
Ana stared at Gem and tears started running down her cheeks. She looked at Gregor and, after a very long moment, stood up, walked over to Gregor, took the scabbard over her shoulder, and held it out to him. Gregor put his hands on it but Ana refused to release it. Gregor stared into her eyes and said, “We will care for this sword and give it the honor it so richly deserves.” Ana forced her hands to let go and she rushed back over to Gem and went into his arms where she wept.
Gregor held the scabbard next to his chest and looked at Ana, “If I had any remaining doubts about who you are, your tears have washed them away.” Ana raised her head out of Gem’s chest and looked at Gregor. “My people believe in the Brother and Sisterhood of the Sword. I know that our swords take part of our souls into them and send part of theirs into us. Your sword is one of the most powerful ever forged on Bellingham and I know what effort it took for you to allow us to have it. You have Duncan’s soul in you. My people and I thank you from the bottom of our existence for doing this.”
Ana nodded and put her head back into Gem’s shoulder. Gregor looked at Leonidas, “You will be leaving for the Dragon’s facilities now?”
“We will.” Even Ana raised her head at the exchange.
“When your ships are completed, contact me on my frequency and I will meet you here two days later with your new swords.”
Leo looked at Gem and he nodded. “We’ll be here,” Leo said to Gregor.
Gregor and Kaylee stood up. Gregor held Ana’s sword in both hands in front of him as Kaylee carried Gem’s sword and scabbard. They walked out of M’s and disappeared through the entrance.
Blakely looked at Leonidas, “What’s going on, Leonidas?”
Leo stood up, “The Dragons have agreed to sell us force fields. We need to take our three ships along with Shelly’s ten to have them installed.”
“Where is Sam and Jek?” Shelly asked.
“They’re still hammering out the details of the agreement with the Dragon Queen. They’ll meet us there.” Everyone stood up and Ana wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Desiree looked at everyone and smiled, “The Dragons have also agreed to install high powered blasters on our ships and it was through the influence of those two from Bellingham that the Dragon Queen agreed to do it. Ana, what you did today will also be something that will be part of Bellingham’s history. Thank you for your sacrifice.”
Ana nodded and followed Gem out of the tavern in silence. Shelly lifted her communicator and said, “Captain Nefen, get the ships underway. You are in command until we arrive at our destination. I am going with Captain Leonidas’ vessel to find out what happened at the Dragon’s planet.”
“Yes, Sir. Please send me the coordinates.”
Shelly looked at Embree and he nodded. She lifted her ommunicator, “I’ll send them to you as soon as we get on the way.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Gem listened to Shelly and said, “Leonidas, contact me as soon as we leave orbit.”<
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“Will do, Gem. We need to get this done as quickly as possible.”
• • •
Kaylee sat in her chair in silence and watched Gregor holding Ana’s sword as he stared at the mark on the blade. Gregor sighed, “I just don’t understand how they could have traded this away.”
Kaylee exhaled softly and said, “They didn’t have anything to offer in trade at that time but the swords of fallen warriors. Duncan was dead and I think they traded his sword away to not be reminded of his absence.”
“But…”
“Gregor, the early colonists had several swords. They didn’t really understand the indestructability of them at that time.”
Gregor looked at Kaylee, “I know that but this was the sword that he forged in the spirit of uniting the clans. This one is holy. This is the blade that led to the Bellingham Tree being on all the clan symbols.”
“Gregor, it was hundreds of years later that what Duncan did was understood and appreciated. Most of the colonists thought the ships that left them behind would return and they would be leaving Bellingham. It was only after Bellingham became their home that they fully understood the importance of what he did.”
Gregor shook his head, “I know you’re right and the swords were really all they had to trade for essential items needed for survival.” Gregor looked at the blade, “It’s just…”
Kaylee nodded, “I know, Gregor. But now Duncan’s Blade has found its way back home.” Gregor nodded and remained silent. Kaylee stared at him and her eyes narrowed, “Are you planning what I think you are?” Gregor looked at her and nodded. Kaylee lowered her eyes, “You’ve sworn that you would never do that, Gregor.”
“I know.” Gregor remained silent for a minute and then looked at Kaylee, “Do you think I’m wrong?”
Kaylee smiled, “If you hadn’t come up with the idea, I was going to suggest it.” Gregor pushed the sword into its scabbard and took Kaylee in his arms. She knew him better than he knew himself.
• • •
Gem looked at Leonidas on his wall monitor, “Why do we have to do this now?”
“Gem, I’m certain that Sam is going to start sending his fleets to the Dragon Planet to have force fields and blasters installed. We need to get ours done first so we can get on to other things that need doing.”
“The King has sold six-hundred of our newest warships to Shelly and they will also have to get a force field installed,” Gem interrupted.
“Are they ready now?” Leonidas asked.
“No, their panels and controls have to be modified so other beings can operate them. They’re currently designed to work with the clawed arms of my former species.”
“How long is that going to take?”
“The King said two months but I know he was being overly conservative. They should only take a six or seven weeks.”
Shelly looked up at Gem, “Sam had his ship’s Chief-Engineer look at this ship’s boosters and he is of the opinion that it wouldn’t take a lot of effort to upgrade the current system that’s being used.” Leo and Gem stared at Shelly and she continued, “We learned from the Colony Ship that was slightly faster than the Tronan Warship that putting a plasma expansion chamber in line with the boosters can increase speed tremendously. Our engineer was of the opinion that your ships would not have to be taken apart to move the chamber in and weld it into place. We’d also need to bleed your reactors and use the bretel fuel mixture, I mean Trillium based fuel we use. Perhaps your King might make the modification while he’s working on the panels.”
“Will you share this technology with him?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll contact him and make the offer. I suspect he’ll do it for no charge just for the technology. He will need those chambers you’re talking about quickly.”
“I’ll ask Sam about how to make it happen when we see him.”
Gem looked at Leo, “Did I understand that man from Bellingham to say that he was at the Dragon’s Planet to kill you?”
Leonidas shrugged, “Yes, he was. I’ve got it recorded on my communicator and if you want, I’ll play the recording for you. It’ll help pass the time until we arrive.”
Shelly sat down, “This I want to see as well.”
Leonidas connected his communicator to his console and pressed the play button. He sat back with the bridge crew as they saw the two humans from Bellingham advancing toward them with drawn swords and murder written all over their faces. The speed with which they drew their swords had everyone murmuring and Gem said, “I TOLD YOU THEY WERE FASTER!!”
Ana punched him in the ribs, “We believed you.”
Gem turned to her, “You never told me you did!”
Ana shrugged, “Sometimes we like to tease you because you are very seldom wrong.” Gem rolled his eyes and turned back to the monitor. Desiree watched Ana closely and saw that she was filled with sorrow. Her bright eyes were dark and her laughter was gone with her sword.
Chapter Fifteen
The ten friends sat on the Thermopylae discussing plans on what had to happen next. Their three ships had the force fields and blasters installed and were moved to another facility while Sam’s ten ships were being modified. A Heaven Freighter had arrived with the Green Hills the day before and the engineers that came with it were installing expansion chambers on the three Insectoid Warships. The ships would be completed within another eighteen hours.
Sam looked at the gathering and shook his head, “I have to get back to Heaven and get the crews and ships moving. We have to get the expansion chambers to the Insectoids as quickly as possible. There’s so much to do.”
Carl looked up from his panel, “Sir, I’ve just scanned two ships entering atmosphere above us. They’re moving directly toward us.”
“Do you know who it is?” Leo asked.
“One of them is the ship that brought you to Jester last week.”
“And you saw there are two of them?”
“Yes, Captain. Both of them have brilliant hulls.”
Sam looked at Leo and he shrugged, “Gregor told us to meet him back at Jester when our ships were completed.”
Embree looked up from his console, “It’s Gregor and Kaylee. They’ve asked if they can meet with us.”
Leo looked around the room and said to Embree, “Tell them to come to the Thermopylae and we’ll be waiting for them in the conference room.” Embree nodded and began speaking into his microphone.
“What’s going on?”
Leo looked at Gem, “I really don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.”
• • •
The ten sat in silence in Thermopylae’s conference room watching the Dragons through the Thermopylae’s view ports working on Sam’s ten warships across the giant spaceport. Gem absently said, “I believe these Dragons are just as fast as the Insectoids.”
Desiree nodded, “I was thinking the very same thing.”
Leo shrugged, “Both the Dragon’s and the Insectoids have a very aggressive past. I think the two of you are very much alike in temperament and physical attributes, Gem. Neither of you like working with another species.”
Gem rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but we do it anyway.”
Carl looked up from his panel, “I wonder who would win in a one-on-one fight.”
Leo chuckled, “Now there you go again stirring up trouble again, Carl.”
Embree said from his console, “I’ve wondered the same thing, Captain. Both of their species are pretty intimidating.”
Leo looked at Gem, “Do you have an opinion?”
“It would depend on whether or not either were allowed to use weapons,” Gem replied.
“What do you mean?” Carl asked.
Gem shrugged, “You know that my species’ saliva is pretty poisonous, right?” Everyone nodded. “We also always have a small projectile tube to shoot it further than we could normally spit it. Those Dragons have their fangs and we’ve all seen how virulent their poison is. I’ve not run
into another species in our galaxy that stands any chance against us but that is primarily due to our being so much faster that all of them. We don’t have that advantage against the Dragons.” Gem looked around, “It would probably be a coin-toss and the most likely result would be both would die.”
John looked at Gem, “Does it just kill you to have to admit that?”
Gem looked at John and smiled, “Yeah, it’s not an ego booster.”
“When is your King going to arrive?” Desiree asked.
“He’s coming next week to negotiate with the Queen about acquiring force field and blaster technology. He’s been amazed at what he’s seen and he’s agreed to share our missile technology as well as our targeting systems with the Dragons in exchange,” Gem answered.
Sam slowly shook his head, “I left Heaven to find advanced weapon technology to help us survive and found nothing for more than a year. Now everything is happening so quickly…I’m amazed at how things can change in what feels like a heartbeat.”
Jek nodded and looked at Shelly, “Have you made up your mind?”
Shelly looked at Jek with a surprised expression and then it turned angry. She stood up and sneered to Jek, “Will you just keep your thoughts to yourself, Jek?!”
Jek raised his shoulders, “Now you’re sounding like, Annie.”
Sam looked at Shelly and saw her face turn red with her anger. He turned to Jek, “What’s going on?”
Jek shrugged, pulled out an imaginary key, put it between his lips, and turned it. He then tossed the imaginary key over his shoulder as he said, “Sorry, Sam; she’s told me to keep my mouth shut.”