Ashes of the Realm - Greyson's Revenge

by Andrew, Saxon

  Her heart went into her throat, “Yes, Robby!”

  “It’s time. Mom is coming to see if your mother will allow you to come.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Look at your heart.”

  Dani felt it beating faster and tried to feel the familiar revulsion whenever she thought about Robby. It was gone. “You’re right. Are you as excited as I am?”

  “More, my Love. More.”

  Dani packed a bag and then saw that she could see the space around New Hope. I have some time, Julie hasn’t arrived yet. She hugged the picture to her chest and felt alive. Thirty minutes later she saw BC in orbit. She picked up her bag and walked to her doorway, paused and looked back into the room that had been her prison for six years, then turned and left to go to the throne room.

  Robby said, “Kreej, are you ready?”

  “I am.”

  “Is Dani’s Zord ready?”

  “Neelah is here with me.”

  “Has Bleath approved your union?”

  “It becomes official when we go with you and Dani.”

  Robby felt their love and knew they were as excited as he was. The two Zord had been kept apart until this time arrived. “Call Jessica and have her take you to the Defense Facility. Dani and I will join you there later.”

  Dani entered the throne room as Mallory and Julie were embroiled in a heated exchange. Mallory saw Dani walk in from the door carrying a travel bag. She stopped yelling in midsentence and Julie turned to see what was going on. Mallory said, “You can go put that bag back where you found it.”

  Dani shrugged, “You can also start believing that your dream with Father in it was all false.”

  Mallory said, “You disrespectful child.”

  “Mother, did your dream come true exactly as you dreamed it?”

  Mallory leaned back, “You know it did.”

  “What do you think would have happened if you had not been kidnapped by Father?”

  Mallory thought about it. Dani saw her confusion, “I’ll tell you. Jilico would have invaded to force your father to get you off the planet and you would have ended up on Bristone anyway. There was nothing you could have done to prevent that dream from happening. If you try to stop me now, then something really dramatic will force you to get me off the planet. If that happens, where would you send me?”

  Mallory stared at Dani and then looked at Julie, “I would send you to her if you were in danger here.”

  “Which is exactly where I’m going now. You don’t want to get in the way of a psychic event, Mother. People get hurt when they try. You of all people should know that.”

  Mallory looked at Julie, “Is this a psychic event?”

  Julie nodded.

  “How do you know?”

  Julie looked at Dani, “Because my son and she know it is.”

  “Mother, Robby and I will be married one day. He is the one I’ve been waiting on my entire life. I felt him when I was still in your womb. Our time has come and we are now being pushed together. I don’t want to see New Hope destroyed just to make you see the truth. Now, either order the guards to take me to my room or get out of the way.”

  Mallory stared at Dani and looked at Julie, “I don’t want to let her go.”

  “We feel the same about Robby. Are you willing to have the invaders come here to force you to allow this? We are caught up in powers that we’re forced to follow. She’s right, Mallory. Would you have wanted someone to try and prevent you and Nathan from finding each other?”

  “Danielle, are you sure about this?”

  “I’m as sure as I am about my love for you. You are my heart, Mother. It came from you.”

  Mallory went to Dani and hugged her tightly. “You’re the future ruler of this Kingdom.”

  “So is Jenna in hers but she fights for the Empire. Now it’s my turn.”

  Mallory looked at Julie, “What does Robby say about them marrying?”

  “He said it’s his destiny. He’s more excited about seeing her than I’ve ever seen.” Dani’s face lit up with a smile. Julie looked at her, “Just like that, Mallory.”

  Mallory started crying and wished Nathan was there to help her. Dani said, “He’ll be here in an hour, Mom.” Mallory looked at her and Dani said, “He knows. He’s always known. About his love for you and that I was destined to make a difference in this fight.”

  Dani turned and said, “BC, we’re ready.”

  Julie and Dani disappeared. An hour later Nathan arrived and Mallory asked how Dani knew he was coming.”

  “I didn’t know I was coming until ten minutes ago. Anglo dropped me off when he was told he had guard duty over Bristone for ten days.”

  Mallory looked Nathan in the eyes, “Did you know Dani was leaving?”

  “She was born to leave, my Love. She has a role to fulfill that began before she was born. That’s why you and I were meant for each other.”

  Mallory felt her fear but now knew that she had done the right thing. Her baby was no longer a baby. She decided to contact Ashley Talben and discuss what had just happened.

  Robby waited in the clearing watching the fire. He thought about what was coming but couldn’t see what the outcome would be. Suddenly, Julie and Dani appeared in the circle. Julie saw Robby’s eyes soften as he smiled. Dani was not a skinny little kid anymore. She was beautiful.

  Dani saw Robby and started shaking her head. What a beautiful man he had become. His hair was as white as his father’s, just like she thought. Robby stood and said, “Come and sit with me.”

  Dani walked over and sat down next to him. She sat down three feet away from him. “I see you know.”

  “I do. We can’t touch yet. But we can communicate.”

  Robby thought to her, “Yes, we can. Do you know what we’re going to try to do?”

  “Yes. I like my Zord. She’s nice.”

  “She’s been waiting for you as well. She’s looking forward to meeting you.”

  “And I, her.”

  They looked up at the sky full of stars and Robby said, “You know I love you.”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  “How long until they arrive?”

  “I’m not sure. Are you in a hurry?”

  “Not at all. I’ve been waiting for this my entire life.”

  Robby looked at her, “Me, too.”

  “Well, it looks like they won’t even jump in closer than a light year now.”

  “You’re right, Timmy. It was fun while it lasted. That was a good idea, Carter.”

  “Thanks, Virze.”

  “It seems you have been having too much fun.”

  “Well, Hello, Anglo. What brings you out here?”

  “I’m here to bring Jenna and Carter back to the Empire, Timmy. The Emperor has a task for them.”

  “Anglo, did Jingo visit the Emperor?”

  “Yes he did, Carter. Your analysis is what led to your recall.”

  “What analysis, Carter?”

  “Anglo, I’m going to share it with my team. Do you think the Emperor will mind?”

  “No, just keep it to yourselves until he decides what to do about it.”

  “I’m sending you the download I shared with Jingo. I think it will explain a lot about the Invaders.”

  “Let’s go. The Emperor is waiting.”

  Jenna said, “Give me the download, Gilene.”

  Jenna closed her eyes and felt a cold dread touch her soul. Then she wondered how Carter had seen it. She had watched the same report and missed what he had seen. She opened her eyes, “He is smarter.”

  “Gilene said, “Yep, see if you can learn from him. He’s not an adversary; he’s a resource.”

  “I’m usually playing that role.”

  “You still do, just not with him.”

  “I don’t know if my ego can take it.”

  “You came out here to grow and develop, Jenna. Do you think you’ll make a good Ruler of your Kingdom with a huge ego?”

&nb
sp; “Gilene, are you saying I’m not worthy of the position?”

  “Not yet, Jenna; you’re smart and experienced enough but you heart needs some attention.”

  Jenna took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She thought about the aunt she loved so much. June was also wise. She also had a giving heart. What had gone wrong with hers?

  The Fleet Master looked at his information crewmember, “How many ships have not yet finished a conquest?”

  “Twenty thousand Sire.”

  “What’s the estimated time until planting and completion of subduing the populations?”

  “Less than two cycles if all goes to plan.”

  “How many of our ships have been stopped by those ships?”

  “More than eight thousand have been forced to jump away before they could attack.”

  The Fleet Master thought about it. “Start putting eight ships with each of those that still need a planet. Once they jump in together, they should be left alone. I want this done in no more than two cycles.”

  “I’ll issue the orders, Sire.”

  The Fleet Master leaned back in his chair, “Two more cycles and we can find the home of those abominable ships. I’m looking forward to making them pay.”

  Jenna teleported down to the clearing and arrived in the circle surrounding the nightly fire. She saw many leaning back against the logs and she waited for her eyes to adjust. “We’re over here.”

  Jenna turned toward the voice and saw Robby Robbins, a young girl, and Carter. How had he beaten her here? She walked up and Carter stood to greet her, “We meet at last.”

  Jenna looked up at him. She had no idea he was so tall. She was almost six feet and he was half a head taller. He was so well proportioned that his picture did not give away his size. “Yes, I guess we do.”

  Robby said, “Come sit with us. This is Dani Valrico. She’ll be joining us in our search.”

  “Are you related to Timmy?”

  “He’s my Uncle.”

  Jenna sat down and leaned back against the log, “Search?”

  Robby smiled, “It was Carter’s idea.”

  Jenna looked at Carter sitting next to Robby. He smiled, “We’re going to go find us an Algean.”

  “What!”

  Dani said, “You saw Carter’s analysis of the pods the Invaders are growing?”

  “Yes.”

  “None of our scientists have come up with a way to counteract the effects of that pod. Think about what would happen if an invader ship dumped spores from that plant into a planet’s atmosphere.”

  “They won’t do that.”

  Carter said, “I agree with her.”

  Jenna looked at Carter and wondered if he saw it first.

  Dani asked, “Why not?”

  “It would be like throwing millions of credits away. Those pods must be worth a huge amount in the place the Invaders live. They won’t waste it. It’s cheaper to just conquer a planet the old fashioned way with beams, nukes, and missiles.”

  Dani thought a moment and said, “You’re right.”

  Jenna said, “Just where do you think you’re going to find an Algean?”

  “We don’t know.”

  “What makes you think there’s one in this universe?”

  “Carter did the math. There’s one here somewhere.”

  Jenna looked at Carter, “I don’t see how you arrived at that conclusion.”

  Carter smiled, “Jenna, I would appreciate it if you would take a look at my equations. However, in the Defense Facility’s history files, there is a video of when the Algeans moved their galaxy. Have you seen that?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Did you move the view in close to galaxy’s outer edge?”

  “No, I don’t believe I did.”

  “I did.”

  “What did you see?”

  “Tens of thousands of ships teleporting in to the galaxy at the last moment. Actually, hundreds of thousands.”

  “So.”

  “The Milky way was moved six hours later. Remember that Sprig felt that there was no chance of the Queen agreeing to move her galaxy.”

  “So?”

  “The Algeans also knew that piece of information as well as there were millions of Searchers forming up to attack the Milky Way. They would not go there until after that battle had been fought.”

  “Who?”

  “The ones that missed the bus. Look at that Video; thousands of ships barely made it in time to go when the galaxy was moved. All it would take is for one ship to be a few moments late to miss being moved. What is the chance of one ship; out of let’s say five hundred thousand, being a few moments late?”

  Jenna thought about the probabilities and said, “We’re talking about Algeans here.”

  “Who were assigned very important tasks to complete before the move; that’s why so many ended up cutting it very close.”

  She let the patterns run through her mind and said, “There is at least one that was left behind. There’s probably more but the probability of every one of them making the dead line is a hundred thousand to one.” She looked up at Carter, “Is that what you figured?”

  Carter tilted his head to the left, “Yeah, that’s pretty close.”

  Jenna stared at him, “How close?”

  Carter signed and said, “Now, I could be wrong but I came up with four million to one.”

  Jenna just stared at him, “What did I miss?”

  “Did you factor in that ten planets in the Provinces that did not send ships to attack the Stars Realm were not moved to the Milky Way?”

  “No, why is that significant.”

  “Because all of the other three hundred thousand were.”

  Jenna smiled, shook her head slowly, and turned to Robby, “There are Algeans here somewhere.”

  Robby looked at Carter, “You are obviously better at seeing things than I am at my current level. Why is that fact significant?”

  “Because all of them were in the same small area of the Kosiev Province; fifty in that area were moved. Ten were not. I’m sure the Algeans were given the task of cleaning up all of the loose ends. We know that Jake asked Sprig to move all the loyal planets to the Milky Way to defend them and Sprig agreed to do it. One of them missed the deadline. You know how the Algeans were perfectionists. Whoever was charged with moving those planets would not quit until they were moved. That Algean is still here.”

  Robby looked at Carter and then at Jenna. “Well, we are going to go find him. Dani will go with Jenna and I will go with Carter. Our Zord will be going with us and we are going to search for him, or her, using telepathy. You will command your ships in any situation where combat might be required and we will not interfere with your decisions. However, Dani and I will be in overall command of your ships. Is that clear?”

  “Have you been given that authority by the Emperor?”

  “No, Jenna, would you like to ask my father if I have it?”

  Jenna shook her head. Carter said, “I look forward to it Robby. There’s so much I can learn from you.”

  Jenna looked sharply at Carter and saw he meant it. She looked at Dani and wondered what she had to learn from the teenager. Then she heard in her mind, “You might be surprised.”

  Jenna realized that Dani really was a telepath. She was the first one she had ever encountered. “Are the two of you psychic?”

  Robby smiled, “We will be acquiring our skills over time.”

  Jenna looked at Dani and smiled. Carter was right. Then she looked at Carter who was staring up at the stars and decided that she needed some time with him. She had to know how his mind worked. She didn’t want to be impressed but she was.

  Dani was disappointed that she was taking the weaker of the two Searchers but she saw that Jenna was a work in progress. Perhaps they would both be better for the effort. Robby said, “You’ll be getting your armor in the morning.”

  Jenna and Carter jerked their heads toward Robby. “Right after Dani and I get our
s.”

  Carter smiled, “Alllll right!”

  Jenna felt her heart beat faster; the Realm’s Armor. Was she ready for that much power?

  Carter looked at her and said, “You’ll be even more beautiful in Armor. You’ll look good in red.”

  Jenna didn’t know what to say.

  The stars shined brightly overhead waiting for the power sitting at the fire to come to life. There wasn’t much time remaining.

  Telah sat outside the fire and worried about her first hatched son. She had followed him to the Human Community and secretly watched him leave on Jessica. She loved Kreej so much. She stayed and listened to White Hair’s Son and decided that he was worth her first hatchling. She now had more than fifty babies that were becoming adults but that first one held a special place in her heart. She would always remember the terrible Night of the Torg and the joy of her first children. Kreej was the first one she heard that night crying for her as she circled high overhead. Her son was a warrior and she knew he would someday lead the Flocks. Even the Elders listened to his advice. She prayed that the Son of White Hair would protect him. She knew that Kreej would protect White Hair’s Son even if it meant losing his life in the effort. This new Searcher had a remarkable mind that was unique. She had never encountered anyone with the depth of clarity she saw in his thoughts. The three of them were going to make history. She lifted silently and flew home to Zreeg. She felt her heart grow. She loved her mate so much. She picked up speed to hurry home and show him.

  Alex looked at the two Zord and said, “How does it feel?”

  Kreej spread his wings and looked at the bright red coating, “It feels like my own hide. This head covering is remarkable. How do I learn how to use my armor?”

  “First you need to learn how to take it off. See the silhouette of a Zord in the lower right hand corner of your helmet?”

  “Yes.”

  “Look directly at it and think, ‘Armor off.’”

  Kreej and Neelah saw their armor disappear. “How do we bring it back?”

  “That’s the easy part. Clinch both of your claws and think, “Initiate Armor.’”

  Kreej and Neelah both turned their armor on and immediately off. “That is simple, Alex.”