by Saxon Andrew
Twig thought to Tommy where Captain Dodd could hear, “Are you sure you want to discuss this?”
Dodd looked at the Algean and knew that something big was about to happen. Tommy said, “I may not like the Captain, but I admire and trust her professionalism. I have observed her since we’ve been on the ship and I am of the opinion that she can be trusted with the knowledge. If she does not agree to take part, we will go to another ship.” Twig leaned from side to side showing her agreement.
Sprig said, “I do not think you can find a better ship than this one.”
Tommy looked at Captain Dodd and answered, “I agree, but I suspect that what I’m going to ask of you will involve a high degree of danger. This is a decision she will have to make on her own.”
Captain Dodd said, “What decision are you talking about?”
Tommy stood up and walked to the monitor on the wall and said, “Atlas, have you listened on everything said so far?”
The speaker on the monitor said, “I have but I’m not certain what you’re trying to do’”
Captain Dodd furrowed her brow and Tommy said, “I want you to take part in this discussion and we’ll see where it goes.”
Atlas said, “Please continue.”
Tommy looked Dodd and said, “Captain, Atlas is an Alfont.”
Cassie was stunned. She couldn’t find the words to say anything.
“Atlas was found by my father on Earth’s moon when he was trying to escape the directorate. He is an intelligent star ship and millions of years ago his race transferred their physical structure into the structure of their ship. Every member of the Royal Family as well as the leadership of the Algeans knows Atlas. No one else knows of his existence. Sprig and Twig are scheduled to complete their education with Atlas after their initial learning on this ship.”
The monitor on the wall said, “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Captain Dodd.”
Cassandra stammered out, “Thank you, uh, Atlas. It’s nice to meet you, too.”
Tommy said, “There’s more Captain Dodd. Atlas has a million of his fellow Alfonts being held captive by a race in a galaxy a long way from us. They have been captive for more than sixty million years and the captors are as far ahead of Atlas’ technologically as he is from us. Atlas will not even reveal what he knows about them out of fear that they will sense that revelation and attack. It is my chosen path to free his brothers from their captivity during my lifetime. Atlas and I have run into a knowledge barrier that has stopped us from finding the means of making it happen. How am I doing so far, Atlas?”
“I agree with everything so far, Tommy.”
“Good, now for the hard part. I am going to release the military data base and dump it into Twig and Sprig’s storage.” The two adolescents grew two feet immediately showing their surprise. Atlas, you are also going to dump your information center directly into them.”
Atlas said, “Wait a minute! That information contains the very thing I won’t reveal to you. I refuse to do it!”
Captain Dodd could hear fear in the Alfonts’ voice. She was still in a small state of shock over the revelation of a living Alfont; this new revelation was more than she could immediately process.”
“Atlas, you’re not going to do it electronically where the captors can sense it.”
There was a long pause and then Atlas said, “How do propose to do it otherwise.”
“The Algeans are telepathic. You will make the transfer mentally.”
Tommy waited for more than five minutes before Atlas said, “I would feel much safer if we had a means of escaping before I attempt this.”
“Atlas, we’ll go to a galaxy on the opposite end of the universe from the Captors location. We will work on the escape effort before we try but when it comes down to it, we have to risk it. If the transfer is done without interference from the Captors then you should feel safer giving us information mentally. However, we need a technological breakthrough to even start the process of freeing your kin.” Tommy paused and looked at the two adolescents and said, “We have two beings here that are stronger at correlating unrelated information than any computer in existence. We have to give them everything we have.”
Captain Dodd said, “Are you placing the Realm in danger, Duke Gardner?”
Tommy looked at her and said, “Probably, however, we are going to try and minimize the risk by distance. The real danger is that we are going to have to experiment with what our two students come up with. I suspect that like all breakthroughs, something will get broken during the process. You do not have to take part in this Captain. I will find another ship if you do not want to take the risk, however, I feel that we will someday encounter this race of captors and that we, like Atlas’ race, could be exterminated or imprisoned by them. I am not willing to just wait and hope our technology will someday be strong enough to make up the three hundred million year edge they have.”
Cassandra listened to Tommy and felt her excitement grow. She was at heart a warrior and here was a war worth fighting. She looked at the two Algean Adolescents and saw them moving side to side in anticipation of the learning they were about to be given. She said, “Atlas, tell me what you’re thinking now.”
Atlas said, “I’m scared, however, I have been paralyzed too long by my fear. I have to ask myself if this is a risk worth dying to accomplish and I have to say that it is. I am humbled that Tommy is willing to face that fear when I am not. I do think, like our students here, that there is not a better ship than this one for the task at hand.”
Tommy said, “I do not agree; there is another.”
The two Algeans, Captain Dodd, and Atlas all said at the same time, “What!”
Tommy said. “The power of a ship is not the metal of which it is made; it is the crew that directs it. Atlas, that race sensed the Alfont ship that entered their system and they immediately set out to destroy every ship like it in the universe, right?”
“That is exactly what they did.”
They sensed one of your ships and then they could see all the other ships like it. If they somehow sense us, we have to be in a ship that they could not trace back to the Realm. We have to have a ship unlike any other ship in existence.”
Silence ruled the room. Atlas said, “You’re going to resurrect the Kosiev.”
Captain Dodd’s eyes widened and Tommy said, “Yes, I’m going to go see my sister and tell her my plans and ask for the Alexander Kosiev.”
Captain Dodd felt her heart beat faster. She was as excited as freshman finding out she was elected prom queen. Tommy noticed that Captain Dodd’s face had an enormous smile. “She almost looks pretty smiling,” he thought; then he banished the thought from his mind.
Cassandra felt like the destiny she never thought would come, had found her. She stood up and said, “Your quest is one I would be willing to die for and quite honestly, I would be willing to do the same to command the Kosiev. We will however need a larger crew for that ship.”
Tommy smiled and said, “We will be gone for a long time so as not to endanger the Realm. I will have the top graduates from the last three classes join us. Incidentally, one of them is a top notch weapons officer by the name of Linda Kay Johns who will be graduating is two months. I do not usually use my position for personal reasons but if I left for an extended time and 3D was separated from her, well, he deserves having her here with us.”
Cassandra Dodd looked at Tommy Gardner in an entirely new way. Here was royalty with a heart that did not forget his friends. Tommy said, “Sprig, I’m going to tell him that you requested that she join us.”
Sprig’s leaves turned bright green indicating his happiness. “Thank you, Sir. I still have to make up for the nickname.”
Tommy looked around the room and said, “Are we in agreement?” Everyone indicated yes. Tommy said, “You are sworn to secrecy on the information I have just shared with you and it is contingent on me being able to persuade the Queen to agree to our mission. Only she has access to the
Kosiev. Twig, Sprig, the military database is loaded into your readers. It is larger than any you have seen so far and I suspect that it is going to take some time to assimilate. Please make that assimilation your next priority.”
They left the room so fast that Captain Dodd and Tommy were surprised at the speed they were capable. Captain Dodd said, “He didn’t move that fast when Wes was chasing him.”
“Ah, the hunger for knowledge, I remember when my people once had that hunger,” Atlas said.
Tommy laughed and said, “Well for those of us still here, this meeting is adjourned,”
Tommy left the Dorg-Ross on Atlas headed to Ross. Tommy thought, “Rose, do you have some time where I can see you?”
“Tommy, there’s always time for you. When will you arrive?”
“In twenty minutes, however, I would like to stop and see Mom and Dad.”
“I can tell by your mental undertone that this trip is not for pleasure.”
“No, it’s not, Rose. I suspect that we will need some time to discuss what I have in mind.”
“Stop and see our parents first. I’ll set aside some time this evening after we eat. I’m curious why you want the Kosiev.” Tommy was startled. “Oh, Tommy, you know I feel your thoughts like they’re my own. I know it has to do with your quest. I’ll be thinking about it until our meeting.”
“Thanks, Rose. I’ll share everything with you; you know I would never mislead you on anything.”
“I know, Tommy. I’ve missed you.”
“Me, too, Rose.”
“She is incredible,” Atlas said.
Tommy smiled and could still feel his sister’s thoughts, “Yes she is, Atlas.”
Tommy was sitting in his parent’s quarters in Castle Gardner and had spent several hours catching them up on all that had happened. Tag had left a few minutes earlier to go with Eric out to the gunnery range. Danielle was sitting next to Tommy and feeling happy to see her “baby”. Danielle looked at him and said, “Have you found anyone you’re interested in?”
Tommy looked at his mother and said, “Mom, Rose saw Michael when she was around four years old. I have very similar abilities to Rose and I have not sensed anyone. I’m beginning to think there is no one out there for me.”
Danielle looked at her son and said, “I hope that is not the case. There might be another possibility though.” Tommy furrowed his brow. “Tommy, your father never sensed me. I never had a clue he existed. How do you think the two strongest psychics on Earth ended up together?”
“Rose and I have much stronger psychic skills than you and Dad.”
“I don’t know if that’s true, Tommy. Do you think you could take Tag in a fight?”
Tommy thought about it for a moment and immediately his sense of danger turned on. He was shocked by the revelation. “Mom, I don’t think I could. My senses tell me that it would be dangerous to take him on.”
“The reason for that is that his psychic aura is totally warrior. Your aura is more diverse, like Rose. Tag senses me now. He seems to always know where I am and miracle of miracles, we no longer need Atlas’ link to hear each other’s thoughts.”
Tommy thought a moment and said, “Are you saying your power has increased.”
“Absolutely! Do you know that before I met Tag, I had glimpses of the truth and didn’t know what caused them to happen; I knew that they did not happen all the time. After I met your father, my ability to see the truth increased a hundred fold to where the ability was there at all times.”
Tommy looked at his mother and said, “How is that possible?”
“Tommy, when Tag and I first met and I shook his hand I felt a small shock. He said at that time that he could not see an aura around me. The old SFT said that the shock from that first contact may have seemed small to us but that they saw the psychic blast on the other side of the planet.”
Tommy began to see where his mother was going. “After we first started dating, whenever we touched we both felt that small shock. After we were attacked in that park, Tag told me that as he ran away he saw an aura around me. This aura continued to grow until not long after we were married the shocks stopped. I talked with Sung Lea, one of the SFT’s strongest psychics, about it years ago and she proposed that my psychic skills were latent and unrealized. It was the physical contact with the psychic field around Tag that brought mine out.”
“Rose saw Michael because he possessed his aura from birth. Are you saying I don’t see my match because her aura may be locked inside her?”
“It makes sense to me,” Danielle said.
Tommy hugged his mother and said, “I’ll think about this.”
“You’re missing the most important point Tommy.”
Tommy turned and said, “What is that?”
“You still haven’t told me how the two strongest psychics ended up together or why Rose had to wait until she was eighteen to finally meet Michael.”
Tommy stared at his mother and then he saw it. “They were not ready for each other before they met. Things had to happen in their development before they could come together.”
“What if Tag had touched me before my psychic ability had developed enough to handle the explosion of that initial touch?” Danielle smiled and said, “It is our belief that our abilities deliberately kept us apart until we were ready but would not let us get so far away that we couldn’t end up together.”
“What are you saying, Mom?’
I believe she’s out there, Tommy. Close but not ready for you yet.”
Tommy looked down at the floor and said, “Thanks, Mom. I love you. I’m going to consider what you’ve said. At the very least you’re telling me that when the time is right, I’ll have no choice. She will find me.”
Danielle smiled and said, “Be ready to be shocked… literally.”
Tommy laughed and left to see Rose.
Chapter 6
Tommy left Danielle thinking about what she had just said. He wondered why he was starting to be bothered by not having someone to share his life. Perhaps his match would be among the new crew members that would be joining him if Rose allowed him to use the Kosiev. He thought about it and then decided that this was an issue that he was not ready to handle just yet. Somehow, he did feel better though. What his mother had said struck a chord with him that sounded true.
He entered Rose’s quarters and Rose was sitting in front of the fireplace where she had spent many hours sitting with her parents watching the fire. “Hi, Tommy, I love this room. It has so many wonderful memories for me. I used to sit right here between Mom and Dad with all my bunnies lined up along the front of this couch.” She shook her head and then looked at Tommy and said, “Come sit with me and let’s see what’s on your mind.”
Tommy opened his mind to Rose. She looked at all that Tommy had experienced since their last meeting and in three minutes she had it all. Then she burst out laughing. “So he’s called 3D now.”
Tommy chuckled and said, “Rose, I thought I would crack a rib I laughed so hard. Even ole stone face Dodd lost it.”
“Don’t be so hard on her Tommy. She really does regret what happened back then. She really thinks quite highly of you.” Tommy stared at Rose and didn’t say anything. Rose looked at the fire for a long time and Tommy let her digest what he wanted her to do. After an hour Rose thought, “There is the real possibility of the Realm being placed in danger with what you’re planning.”
Tommy thought back, “I know and I truly wish that there was another way.” He paused then continued, “We could just place the captor’s entire galaxy under quarantine, forbidding any contact, but when I think about that my senses warn me that it won’t work.”
Rose gave a heavy sigh and thought, “I sense the same thing; when I move toward forbidding you to follow your plan my sense of danger increases.”
Tommy said, “I thought it was just me.”
They looked at each other and then Rose thought, “Dad, can you come meet with Tommy and me?”
“Dad, it involves the safety of the Realm.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Tommy and Rose sat and watched the fire. Tag entered the room less than fifteen minutes later and sat down between his children. “What has you troubled?”
Danielle walked in a moment after Tag sat down and said, “I feel the need to be here. I don’t know exactly why.”
Tommy looked at Rose and Rose said, “Tommy is going to share what he is planning to do. I want both of you to tell me what you sense when he’s finished.”
Tommy began sharing his thoughts with both of them. When he finished Tag and Danielle sat and said nothing. Everyone just sat and watched the fire. Tommy said, “You know, I miss your bunnies, Rose.” Everyone on the couch smiled and then six little stuffed bunnies walked into the room and sat down at the foot of the couch.”
Danielle said, “Ahh, now this brings back some memories.”
They continued to sit for an hour and then Tag said, “I guess you sense the same thing I do when you lean toward not allowing him to move forward with his plan.”
Danielle said, “You know that being able to sense impending danger is not one of my talents. Tell me what you sense.”
Tag looked at his children, “When I move toward telling Tommy no, my sense of danger increases to a level similar to what it was when I planned to attack the plant fleet when they had more than two million ships ready to trap our fleet. When I begin to say yes, “I still get a danger warning but nowhere near as strong as saying no.”
Rose said, “I get a similar feeling but only when I start to say no. Your talent is much stronger than ours, Dad.”
Danielle said, “Do you think the danger you feel from saying no comes from the possibility that the captors might sense Atlas in our space.”