by Saxon Andrew
“They don’t know what to think about all of our ships fleeing. They’re trying to figure it out.”
Delilah’s Sword hung in normal space above Heaven’s Filament. The Toy and Thermopylae were beside it and Jek nodded to Sam, “The Guyton on their ships have shared your conversation with Hefin with them. Sam nodded and looked at Heaven on the monitor. It was just so beautiful! Jek said, “Hefin’s late arrivals will make the filament. The Tronan delaying their launch is the only thing that allowed them to make it to the filament.”
“Thank the Creator for that,” Rangel said as he kept his hands on the stardrive controls and booster handle.
Jek looked at Rangel, “Time to go!” The three brilliantly glowing warships disappeared from normal space in an instant.
• • •
The Tronan Squadron Director lifted his communicator, “Hold your launches until I order it.” He sat back in his chair and his eyes were little more than slits, “Why did they flee? It doesn’t make sense. They had us on the run.” He stared at the fleeing warships for forty minutes and they made no attempt to turn around.
The Second finally said, “They could have finished us with those three polished warships. This doesn’t make sense.” He looked at the Communication Director and said, “Have the ships fan out above the largest cities.” He looked at the Squadron Director and he nodded agreement.
The Director stared at the planet below and then looked at his scanner showing every enemy warship still moving at their maximum speed away from the planet. He turned to his second, “Could they possibly believe that if they run, we might spare their world?”
“If that were the case, Director, I would expect them to at least attempt negotiations. They’ve made no attempt to contact us,” the Second answered. The Second looked at the Scanning Warrior, “Where are they going?”
“They are fleeing to the filament.”
“Weapons Warrior, “What do you think?” the Second asked.
The Warrior shrugged, “The only thing that makes any sense to me is that there might be some sort of weapon on the planet and if they use it against us, it would also destroy their ships.”
The Second’s eyes flew wide open as he turned and looked at the Squadron Director. The Director lifted his communicator and yelled, “LAUNCH YOUR MISSILES!!”
• • •
Sam lifted his communicator and said in a calm voice, “Attention all ships. There is a possibility that the filament may be disrupted momentarily while you are on it. Fly at maximum speed for the intersection and if any are trapped inside Heaven’s system, if the filament fails, we will make plans for your escape. Just be patient.”
Sam looked at Lydia, “Did you place the passive probes?”
Lydia was frightened and she said in a shaky voice, “Yes, Sir. They were placed in layers all the way out to one light year.”
Sam nodded and smiled, “We’re going to make it to the intersection, Captain.”
“But my family…”
Jek looked at her, “Was taken to the colony ship before it lifted.”
Lydia looked at Jek with wide eyes and he nodded, “You know I never say anything that’s not true, Captain. Your family is safe.”
Lydia jumped out of her chair, ran across the bridge, and kissed Jek on the mouth. Kel said, “Hey, HEY, HEY! Back off, he’s mine!”
Lydia hugged Jek, “Thank you, Sir!” Jek looked around the bridge, “All of your families were secretly moved to the colony ship. That’s why I’ve enforced communication silence since it left.” The bridge crew let out a collective breath as Sam stared at the long-range monitor. The blast exceeded even his wildest expectations. The planet went up in an explosion that rivaled a star going nova. The passive probes recorded Heaven’s death as the shockwave moved out close to the speed of light. Lydia looked up from her panel, “The filament appears to be collapsing close to the star and is moving out toward the intersection.”
“Speed, Captain?”
Lydia stared at her monitor and after a minute looked up, “All of our surviving ships should make it to the intersection before it fails.”
“What about Hefin’s group?”
“They’ll barely make it, Sir. Primarily because the Tronan delayed their attack for close to an hour.”
Sam closed his eyes and nodded. He opened them and saw a new star close to Heaven’s Sun. His tears fell as he saw just how beautiful it was. Even in death, Heaven was magnificent.
He looked at Jek and shook his head, “What do we do now?”
Jek spoke his answer where everyone could hear, “We failed this time because we didn’t have enough time to prepare! We wasted a year searching for weapon technology and came up empty until we stumbled on that Pirate Ship. I’ll tell you what we’re going to do! We’re going to build warships powerful enough to take on those evil creatures and we’re going out to meet them as they come our way. We’re going to confront them on the filament they’re traveling and make it a DEATH FILAMENT that none of them survive. We’ll teach them the true meaning of fear to the point where they never come this way again!”
“There is still a question of time to prepare, Jek,” Sam said in a low voice.
“Not if we stop those probes.”
The bridge crew listened to Jek as they stared at the monitor in silence at what was once their home, burning brilliantly on the screen. Finally, Lydia looked at her panel and said, “Sir, I’m getting messages from the other ships asking what we are going to do now?”
Sam sighed and shook his head, “Tell them to standby.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sam took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Then Sam’s wrist communicator beeped. He pressed the connect button on it while staring at the monitor and heard, “Commander, I think it’s time to take your people home.”
Sam jerked his arm up and saw Gregor on the small display. Sam shook his head, “Our home is gone.”
“But ye Clan still lives, Sam.” Sam stared at Gregor and saw him smile, “There’s a clearing calling out for them to come and see their new home.”
“Are you certain we will be welcomed, Gregor?”
“The High Council has already voted for your survivors to be included in, as they say it, ye clan. There will be some rough edges getting everyone settled in but Bellingham awaits your arrival. Your Clan Leader has already chosen a place for your survivors to settle and building is on the way to provide shelter for them.”
“Gregor, we have to go and try to stop the message probes and the Tronan Warship.”
“That can wait for the moment, Sam. Your people need a time to grieve their loss.”
“But if we don’t leave now, we won’t catch them!”
“Sam, they have five months before they arrive at the filament where they changed course. We can get there in less than two weeks.”
Sam’s eyes widened and he saw Jek nod. “We will follow you, Gregor and thank you and your people for giving us a place to go.”
Sam saw the two small Bellingham Warships appear on the tactical monitor approaching on one of the intersection’s filaments and he looked at Lydia, “Send the message out to all ships that we will be following the two approaching ships. Also get a message out to the colony ship and the ships at the Dragon’s planet to meet us.”
The bridge crew stared at Sam as Lydia asked, “Where should I tell them to go?”
Sam sighed, “Give them the coordinates to Bellingham.” Lydia nodded and turned to her console. Sam watched as the thousands of surviving warships formed up behind the two small ships and boosted away. Sam stared at the monitor watching Heaven burn until it fell far behind in the distance. Even then he couldn’t take his eyes off the dark monitor.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The 6,307 surviving ships arrived at Bellingham and were led to the small filament that led to the planet’s star. Gregor contacted Sam and told him that he and Kaylee would remain until all of his ships were at Bellingham. Once the colony ship a
nd the ships from the Dragon’s planet arrived, they were going to remove the filament. Sending that many ships toward the planet might be noticed by the ships still holding position at the main filament intersection. Removing it was a precaution against their finding it.
• • •
The fleet arrived above Bellingham and Sam stood up, “Notify all ships to hold position in orbit. I’m going down to see what’s been planned.” Lydia nodded as Sam looked at Jek, “You and Kel should go with me.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He looked around the bridge and said, “Everyone remain at your posts until I find out what we need to do. Mason, you have the ship.”
“Yes, Sir,” Mason replied as he moved to the command chair.
They boarded a shuttle and twenty minutes later landed in the clearing next to the Trading Community. Sam exited the port and saw Angel and Elena running up the landing ramp at their fastest speed. Sam held out his arms as they rushed up and wrapped their arms around him. Angel was crying and Elena was fighting her tears. Sam closed his eyes and whispered as he held them tightly, “I kept my promise.” Angel nodded with her head on his chest as Sam added, “Heaven knows I didn’t want to do it. I so wanted to die with Heaven”
Angel leaned back and looked into his eyes, “I know. I could see ye didn’t want to live without ye home.”
Sam sighed, “Wherever you are is home, Angel. It was you that gave me the strength to back off and not throw our lives away.”
Ellie MacGregor walked up the ramp, after waiting a few moments for them to have a private moment, and said, “Commander, the High Council is waiting for ye presence.” Sam nodded and put his arms over Angel and Elena’s shoulders. He turned to follow Ellie and said over his shoulder, “Jek, you and Kel come with me.” The two Guytons followed Sam off the ramp and kel reached over and took Jek’s hand in hers. Jek looked at her and squeezed it. Both of them remained silent.
• • •
They arrived at the Council Building and the only one’s present were the five members of the High Council. Angel and Elena stopped just outside the entrance will Ellie. Ellie put her hand on Jek’s arm and shook her head. Jek and Kel waited at the entrance with them and listened carefully to hear what was being said.
Sam walked in front of the large wooden table and lowered his head. Tragor, the Leader of the Council, said in a soft voice, “We are sorry for ye loss, Clan Warrior.”
Sam raised his head and nodded, “Thank, ye, High Leader.”
“I know that this moment is not a time where clear thoughts are possible but we have voted to allow those that survived the destruction of ye home to be accepted into ye Clan. Ye Clan Leader came to us with the request soon after ye left to defend your home and we have accepted the request unanimously. Bellingham is now ye home.”
Sam wondered who the clan leader was and heard Jek in his mind, “Ana is your Clan Leader, Sam.”
Sam nodded to Tragor and said, “What do ye require of us, High Leader?”
“We have 250 clans and most of them have multiple communities within walking distance of each Clan’s central gathering. How many do ye expect to be coming?”
Sam shook his head and heard Jek again, “Two-hundred and twenty-thousand.”
“Two-hundred and twenty-thousand, High Leader.”
Tragor looked to his right and Clint said, “Eight to nine hundred.”
Tragor turned back to Sam, “Ye clan members will send nine-hundred to each of our communities until accommodations can be built on the new site of ye Clan. They will be accepted into the homes of our people and will be taught the ways of the Forest and the social rules that govern our society. This is now ye home and ye will learn to become a part of our way of life.”
Sam nodded and said, “High Leader, many of us are not human.”
“And ye Clan will build the common ground at ye Clan site so they can live together in peace as they did on ye former home.”
Sam stared at the Five Clan Leaders and bowed his head, “I thank ye from the bottom of my heart for taking my people in and giving them a place to live. This means more than I can ever express in words.”
Tragor smiled, “We know what it’s like to be abandoned with no way to go home. Our people share what it means to lose a home with no way to return. The Clans look forward to ye arrival.”
Clint stood up and held a document out to Sam. He stepped forward and took it and saw that it was a map of Bellingham. Clint smiled softly, “I would suggest you try to keep families together and use your…”
He paused and looked at Tragor who said, “The small ships you use for landing.”
Sam smiled slightly, “Shuttles.”
Clint nodded, “Yes, the shuttles to deliver the nine-hundred to each community.”
Sam looked at Tragor, “Soon, most of my people will have to return to their ships to go on an important mission.”
“When will that have to be done, Sam MacAfee?”
Angel shouted from the entrance, “Four months from tomorrow.”
Tragor looked at her, “Are ye certain of the timing, Angel?”
“I am, Clan Leader.”
Sam looked at her and heard Jek, “She’s had another vision, Sam.”
Sam nodded and turned back to Tragor, “I will leave the shuttles at the communities and they will take my warriors to their ships at the appointed time, Great Clan Leader.”
“I expect ye Clan to work hard on learning the ways of Bellingham prior to that time.”
“My people will do whatever ye ask of us. I suspect the most difficult adjustment will be not asking questions of those teaching them.”
Tragor smiled and said, “I’ve informed all the Clans to have patience with them in learning how to properly communicate. Gregor and Kaylee learned quickly and I believe ye people will as well.” Tragor looked at Rod and said, “Have the Clans received our instructions?”
“Yes, High Leader. The Clans are awaiting their arrival and coordinators have been assigned to assist our newest Clan.”
Tragor turned to Sam, “Ye should get ye people down to start their healing.”
Sam nodded, bowed to the Council, then turned and walked out of the building. He looked at Angel and Elena and said, “Would ye like to go to my ship with me?”
Elena’s eyes flew wide open, “REALLY?” Sam nodded. She looked at Angel and she smiled, “Wherever he goes, we will have to be pried off him.” She looked at Sam, “I know that we cannot go with ye on the mission you mentioned.”
“Yes, ye can.”
Angel’s eyes went wide, “REALLY?” Jek and Kel started laughing and Sam joined them, “Really.”
They started walking back to the shuttle and Jek thought to Sam, “How do you want this handled?”
“There are thirty-three different species on our vessels. I want them kept together as much as possible and I want your species divided evenly among them to assist them in making a smooth transition among the Clans. You need to have a clear discussion with our survivors that it is critical that any difficulties be held to an absolute minimum.”
“I’ll make the assignments with Embree.”
Sam smiled, “Make sure Shelly and Embree remain together.”
Jek smiled, “I just look stupid, Sam.”
Sam burst out laughing as he pulled Angel and Elena close as they walked up the boarding ramp. Sorrow would be back to visit for many months to come but, for the moment, he had his wife and daughter with him and he refused to give in to it.
• • •
Two months passed quickly and Sam sat against the log next to the clearing and thought back on all that had happened. Angel was getting bigger and he couldn’t decide who was more excited, Elena or him. He looked up in the sky and saw the Great Comet had disappeared and begun its long outward bound journey away from Bellingham’s star. He didn’t know if there was anything to Angel’s belief in the comet but…well…she believed it.
He looked out at the tall trees in th
e distance and remembered Jeg’s arrival from the Dragon’s Planet. That was one angry Guyton!! He was almost as difficult to deal with as Hefin. Both of them confronted him and it wasn’t pretty. However, Jeg softened up when Jek came running over from the community and hugged him and his mother. Maybe it was seeing everything in his son’s mind that turned him around. Whatever did it, he finally agreed that what happened was unavoidable. There was no possible way to prevent Heaven’s destruction. There just wasn’t enough time to prepare but everything possible had been done to save as many as possible. Jeg refused a leadership position in the Clan and stated that the remainder of his life would be spent with his family. Hefin left the military as well and went back into retirement. Sam realized that, like his father, there would be some that blamed him for what happened. He hoped he could handle that with as much class as his father had done after Shelly’s father died. Like Shelly, his detractors didn’t have all the information.
Family. That was what bound the people of Bellingham together. It didn’t take the survivors of Heaven long to see that they shared a common love for each other along with a mutual respect. The fear he had about the survivors assimilating into Bellingham’s culture was groundless. The refugee’s from Heaven were amazed by the forest world and its inhabitants. Learning how to survive the giant and small predators that populated the wilds had them fully engaged in learning all the dangers of their new home.
Sam smiled, he was right about the difficulty of only speaking in statements and avoiding questions. But they were getting better. He looked up and saw the sun flash off the shuttle coming down from orbit. He stood up and stretched. Hardy and Embree contacted him and hour ago letting him know they were coming back from their exploratory mission. They were early.
He was thankful that Leonidas and Gem decided to make Bellingham their home as well. Ana made Gem’s decision for him. She had no desire to go back to Romania, there were too many dark memories there, and Gem couldn’t go back to his former planet. It was really a moot point.
Leonidas and Desiree were a different matter. Leo told him that neither of them really had a home and though he insisted that he was right at home with his crew on board the Thermopylae, Desiree had asked a question that stopped him in his tracks.