by Saxon Andrew
Tommy stopped laughing and said, “Where are they?”
Kosiev said, “Somewhere with Atlas and Twig.”
Tommy furrowed his brow and said nothing for a moment and then said, “Atlas is involved in what they’re doing?”
Tag put his arm around Tommy’s shoulders and said, “Kinda gets the ole curiosity going doesn’t it?”
Tommy said, “Yes, it does.” Then he thought, “Cassandra, is everything alright?”
Cassandra thought back, “Yes, but Twig is coming to get you. You need to join us.”
Twig suddenly appeared under the display and walked forward and took Tommy’s hand and pulled him away from the group. “Excuse me, I need Duke Gardner to go with me.” Then they disappeared.
Rose looked at Danielle and said, “What was that all about?”
Danielle smiled and said, “He’ll be fine. I just want to sit and think about being a grandmother.”
Rose smiled and said, “If it’s a girl we’re naming her Dannie.”
Danielle jumped up and started hugging her daughter again.
Tag shouted from across the room, “And if it’s a boy.”
Rose smiled and said, “That we’re keeping a secret.”
Tag looked at Kosiev and shook his head, “That figures.”
Kosiev started laughing and said, “You already have a son named after you. Don’t be greedy.”
“Easy for you to say; I want the girl named after me, too.”
Kosiev reached over and took a handful of popcorn out of Tag’s bag. “Hey, get your own.”
Kosiev smiled and said, “I fear I have underestimated the greediness.” Tag started laughing and then went to hold his wife.
Tommy and Twig appeared in Atlas’ control room and saw Cassandra and Sprig in an animated conversation with Atlas. “I don’t care if it’s possible; it still leaves the issue of my brothers in captivity.”
Tommy walked over to Cassandra and said, “What’s going on?”
“Sprig and Twig have a wild idea about sending the Captors into the new universe that was just formed when the spark ignited. Atlas is concerned that if they go, we have no way to release the field holding his brothers and even if we did, they aren’t ready to be released.”
Atlas said, “Tommy, we started this whole adventure to ultimately release my family from captivity. That screen holding them is impossible to penetrate. It could take millions of years to develop the means to get through it.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “Atlas, do you think that the conflict we’re in with the Captors, if it goes to its natural conclusion, will leave any of them alive if we happen to win?”
Atlas was silent. Sprig said, “I just can’t see allowing it to go to total extermination of them, or us. There is a possibility that we might be able to end this conflict without having to destroy each other. However, it’s a moot point if we can’t do what I hoped.”
Tommy said, “Sprig, what do you have in mind?”
“We have the centers where the energy particle just exploded into a new universe and I thought that there might be a doorway into that new universe that the Captors could move through.”
“Sprig, that universe is hot and will remain that way for hundreds of thousands of years as it expands,” Cassandra said.
“We know that but we don’t know how much heat the Captors can tolerate. They are energy beings that live on energy which leads me to suspect that they would prefer the new universe if they could survive in it.”
“So what’s the problem,” Tommy asked?
“We can’t move anything from our universe into the new one. Everything we’ve sent into the centers has been destroyed.”
Tommy frowned and then said, “You brought Cassandra and I here for a reason. What do you think we can do to change the current situation?”
“Twig said, “You remember that it was you and Cassandra touching each other that originally caused the particle to reach a high temperature. Now that the particle has ignited and exploded, we think that it can still be influenced by the two of you together.” Tommy furrowed his brow and Twig continued, “I know, it’s a wild idea but it’s worth an effort to see.”
Cassandra sighed and said, “What do you want us to do?”
Sprig walked over and put his branches on Tommy’s and Cassandra’s shoulders. “I want you to hold each other and take your minds into the energy center and see if there is any kind of control over what’s happening. If you find something, we will fire a high shielded Coronado ball into the center.”
Tommy looked at Cassandra and said, “I nearly lost you when you went into the center. Is this safe?”
Cassandra raised her eyebrows and said, “I honestly don’t know but if this has the possibility of saving hundreds of thousands of ships, can we refuse to try?”
Tommy looked at her and shook his head. “No, I guess not.”
Sprig said, “Tommy, I think that if you had been with Cassandra when she was drawn into the center, she may not have been affected. I hope that it is the two of you that has the real power in the energy space.”
“Atlas.”
“Yes, Tommy.”
“We will find a way to free your family when they are ready. I promise you we will not forget them.”
“I know; I just haven’t thought things through and you’re right. If you are successful against the Captors, we would still be stuck with that field. If they are successful, they will never remove the field. Either way, the results are the same. Do what you have to do, Tommy.”
“Thanks, Atlas.” Tommy reached and took Cassandra in his arms. “We need to do this more often, Dear.”
Cassandra closed her eyes and felt Tommy come into her mind. Immediately they felt the center where the particle had exploded. “Would you like to enter with me?”
Tommy felt the immense space in the center and said, “It’s beautiful. Let’s go take a look.”
Cassandra went into the center and saw the place where the particle had broken into the new universe. The entrance was the size of a neutron but they could see the new universe through it as it expanded away from the center of the explosion at the speed of light. Tommy and Cassandra felt at peace and could feel each other’s love. Tommy thought, “I could stay here forever, Cassie. You are such a complete part of me in here.”
“I feel it, too, Tommy. I love you.”
“Better tell Sprig to launch the ball.”
“I will but I don’t want to do anything to the first one. I just want to see what happens.” Cassandra sent a thought to Sprig, “Fire a ball into the center, Sprig. We want to just watch and see what happens to the first one.”
Immediately a Coronado Ball was fired into the center. Tommy and Cassandra watched at it approached the point of the new universe and then it hit and blew apart. “Tommy, I can push the next ball through. We don’t even need to fire it.”
“I know, but the others need confirmation that we can do it.”
Cassandra thought, “Sprig, fire another.”
The ball entered the energy center and approached the entry point. Tommy and Cassandra surrounded the ball with their psychic aura and watched as it went through the point into the new universe.”
“Let’s go back,” Tommy thought.
“I’m with you all the way, my love.”
Sprig watched his instruments as Tommy and Cassandra opened their eyes. “Looks like you did it,” Atlas said.
“Yes we did. We know how to send objects into the new universe. Now we need to see if we can do anything with this skill.” Tommy then looked at Cassandra and said, “Do you feel ok?”
“Yes, Sprig was right. You being there made the difference. I think we need to go back to the meeting and see what we should do with this information.”
Sprig and Twig looked at each other and Twig thought, “We have to get them to see what will happen if they don’t use this process.”
“I know. I know.” Sprig looked at Tommy and Cassandr
a and said, “I want you to do something before you leave.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “What?”
Sprig lowered himself down to their level and said, “I want you to go and talk with the Captors about our idea.”
Tommy furrowed his brow and said, “Why would we do that without talking with the Realm’s leadership?”
“Because you are probably going to have to open your mind to them and if you don’t know our plans on how we are going to attack them, then you can’t reveal them.”
Tommy looked at Sprig, “You’re not being totally honest, Sprig. That may be a good reason but it’s not the real one.”
Sprig looked at Tommy and then looked at Twig who raised her branches and said, “Tell, him.”
Cassandra looked at Twig and said, “Tell him what?”
Sprig fell silent for a minute, “Tommy, Twig and I have assimilated all of the knowledge in every library in the Stars Realm. When we downloaded into each other we developed totally new perspectives on how all of it related.”
“I’m aware of that, Sprig.”
“What you are not aware of is that if you totally destroy the Captors, the Stars Realm will fall apart and probably have civil war among its members within a hundred years.”
Tommy, Cassandra, and Atlas were stunned by Sprig’s statement. “How did you make that determination,” Atlas asked?
Twig said, “Do you know why my race stopped the war against you?”
Cassandra interjected, “Because Admiral Dorg shared his thoughts with your Eldest leader.”
Sprig leaned back and asked, “What was it about his thoughts that persuaded the Eldest to make that decision.”
Tommy thought for a few minutes and then he saw it. “The Eldest saw that we did not destroy Admiral Dorg’s race even though they had done things to deserve it. If we totally destroy the Captors then the Algeans will know that we do possess the capacity to exterminate an entire species.” Tommy sighed heavily, looked at Cassandra, and continued, “All of our member planets will also know that the Stars Realm leadership can make that kind of decision. Since Earth, Glod, and Cainth hold the most important positions, the other members will begin to fear that, just like the Central Committee in the old Alliance; we can destroy them if they step out of line. If we can do it once, we can do it again.”
Sprig said, “Tommy, unfortunately, once you cross that line, you’re never the same again. Totally exterminating another race changes how you see and feel about yourselves.”
“But, Sprig, they would totally destroy us if they could,” Cassandra said.
Sprig didn’t say anything. Tommy looked at Sprig and Twig and said, “Yes they would, Darling; they would do it because we started this war. We were the aggressors.”
Atlas said, “How do you arrive at that conclusion?”
Sprig looked at Tommy and said, “You see it now, don’t you?”
Tommy nodded his head slowly, “Atlas. What if we had decided to follow your original instructions and not go near the Captors and leave them alone; what would have happened?”
Atlas said, “Nothing, until they came to Earth’s system to inhabit Jupiter and killed everything in it.”
“That’s true, Atlas. But then they would have settled into the system and began building a new hive and only one system would have been destroyed. What we’re facing now is the possible extermination of the Captors or of the entire Stars Realm if we lose the upcoming battle. Our billions of citizens know that we started this fight. If we then exterminate them, our member planets will lose the high regard they now have for our government. They will also begin to fear our government. They will lose faith in us.”
Cassandra said quietly, “Our members love Rose and Danielle.”
Tommy nodded, “Rose and Danielle will not live forever and our members will be quite nervous about who might replace them. As time goes by and our Queens age; that fear will become a reality for them.”
Sprig and Twig straightened up and Twig said, “You see it truly, Tommy. We have to try and save the Captors to save our own souls from what will happen if we destroy them.”
Tommy looked at Cassandra and she looked into his eyes. She hesitated and then lifted her com and said, “Lt. Ortiz, I am sending you some coordinates; once you receive them, bring the Kosiev to that location and wait for me to arrive. Shut down all out going communications until further notice.”
“Yes, Duchess Gardner. We will arrive in ten minutes.”
Atlas asked, “What are you going to do?”
Tommy replied, “We’re going to go and talk with a certain 4,000 mile wide Captor. Let’s hope he listens.”
The Kosiev arrived and Atlas flew into the landing bay where the two Algeans and Humans walked out to go to the bridge of the Kosiev. Tommy looked back at the landing bay and saw that Atlas had not left. “Atlas.”
“I’m going with you.”
“Good, I hoped you would.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy, “I suspect that the Realm’s Leadership might not like us taking these actions without their permission.”
Tommy sighed and thought, “Rose.”
“Yes, Tommy.”
“Cassandra and I along with the Algeans are going to the Captors system and try to open a dialogue with them.”
“I’m sorry, Tommy. I can’t allow that without you being supported by the fleet.”
“Rose, I’m not asking you if I can go; I’m going.”
Rose stopped what she was doing and stood up from her desk. “Tommy, as Queen of the
Stars Realm, I’m ordering you not to go.”
“Rose, do you remember when you told Dad that you were going to go with him to the final battle with the Algeans.” Rose didn’t say anything. “You didn’t ask; you told them you had to go and it was not an option. I have the same situation now and I am going to go. There is a remote chance that we can end this war and we have to take the risk. You can arrest us when, and if, we return. I love you, Rose. We are terminating all communications now.”
Rose thought, “Wait!” But she could tell that Cassandra had blocked all communications both electronically and psychically. “Mom, Dad, Tommy is going to the Captors home system to attempt to talk with them.”
“Are you serious,” Danielle thought. “They can’t go alone, they could be killed.”
Tag asked, “How long ago did he leave?”
“Just a few minutes ago; I ordered him not to go but he told me he had no choice.”
Danielle started to feel real fear, “What are we going to do?”
Tag could see that Tommy, like Kosiev years before, was going to do it alone. He feared that like before, Tommy would not survive. Tag pressed his com and said, “Alexander, contact Mikado and get the fleet ready for an emergency jump to the Captor’s system.”
Kosiev asked, “Why, what’s going on?”
“Tommy is going there to talk with them. We know that they won’t communicate but will try to destroy who ever attempts to contact them.”
“There is no way we can get the entire fleet ready, however I will see how many ships we can get together quickly. I’ll get Mikado on it immediately.”
Chapter 20
The First Male was jumping around the system making sure he did not present a target for the Stranger’s new missiles. He was talking with the Old Watcher. “Can you see anything in the energy nexus?”
“No, First Male, the particle that once existed in the center of the nexus has exploded and moved into another universe. There is nothing I can use to help us find the location of the Stranger’s home systems.”
“I’m concerned that you are stationary and not moving to avoid the Stranger’s missiles. I don’t want to lose you old friend.”
The Old Watcher paused and then said, “I’m getting too old to waste my energy flying around the system. It also appears that now that I can no longer read the nexus, I don’t really have a function in our society. For the first time in my life, I feel
old, First Male.”
The First Male could feel the melancholy of the old Captor and he said, “Don’t be ridiculous; you’re only a little older than a hundred and fifty million years.”
“Maybe so, but I feel old. Even the stars energy no longer tastes good.”
The First Male thought, “You’re right about that.” The systems star had aged and no longer provided the high yield nourishment it one gave them.
Suddenly the First Male heard a voice. “I would like to talk with you about that, First Male.”
“Who are you,” the First male asked?
“I’m one of the Strangers that you have been fighting.”
The First Male extended his sensors to try and track from where the voice was coming but nothing was there to be traced. “How are you communicating with me?”
“I‘m doing it telepathically; you cannot trace it electronically so you might as well quit wasting your time trying.”
The First Male sent out a message to all of the warriors flying around the system to increase their speed and to change their routes randomly. “You don’t need to worry about us attacking you or your warriors at this time. I want to discuss a possible way for us to exist peacefully and stop all the needless killing.”
“I see no reason for us to communicate. We will find you and we will destroy you.”
“The voice sighed and then said, “I didn’t want to have to resort to heavy handed tactics but you leave me no choice. First Male, we can destroy you anytime we choose.”
Suddenly a white ship appeared beside the First Male and then it disappeared. The First Male felt a surge of fear. That ship was right next to his screen and could have fired on him and he would not have had time to escape. “I am not here to harm you, First Male but I need you to talk with me.”
The First Male was terrified. He knew there was immense danger but he couldn’t bring himself to talk with an enemy of his race. The Old Watcher said, “First Male, perhaps it’s time to think in a different pattern. It won’t hurt to see what he has to say.”
“You can hear him?”
“Yes, I can, First Male. I don’t want to lose one of my oldest friends. I’ve already lost so many during this conflict.”