Annihilation 08: Searching for a Hero

by Saxon Andrew

  “Sir, you are too important to risk losing. You should be the bait.”

  “And let you have all the fun?”

  “Sir, I’m serious and if you’ll just think about it, you’ll know I’m right. With great responsibility comes great responsibility.”

  Eric stared at her with a scowl and finally he blew out a breath, “You’re right. I’ll be the bait. Just make sure you get in and get out fast.”

  Jenny smiled, “You know I will.”

  Eric nodded at his Executive Officer and hoped she survived. She was on the list for a flag and she was just as important as he was. However, she didn’t have the rank yet and he would set a bad example for her if he chose to be a hammer. She would have to be tied down and ordered to be careful if he failed in tutoring her.

  He looked at his panel and wondered where Kendel was at the moment. That was another one that was going to have to be forced to stay out of harm’s way. Eric heard Admiral Kosiev break in on his frequency, “Attention all ships, the portals have appeared and are drawing power. You will take your units to your assigned portal and prepare to hit anything that comes through it. We expect that will happen within three hours. Get moving.”

  Eric shook his head, Kendel will have to take care of himself; he had more than enough to demand his attention. He lifted his communicator and began issuing orders.

  • • • • •

  Ping saw the five portals appear and start growing in intensity. He teleported his ship to Ross and thought, “Nicole, can you hear me?”

  “Yes, I can Ping; is it time?”

  “Not yet; however, I need your help.”

  “Whatever I can do, I will.”

  “I am going to keep an eye on three of the portals. Are you able to see things out in our universe?”

  “I am; how did you know that?”

  “It just makes sense that you would. I need you to watch the two portals in the Slegan Federation and, if either of them looks like they are going to be overwhelmed, I want you to teleport to my ship immediately.”

  “What if one of yours is going to be overwhelmed?”

  “I’ll contact you immediately and you’ll need to come to me.”

  “I really hope that doesn’t happen, Ping…but I do so want to be with you.”

  “Me too, Nicole.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Eric arrived at the first portal with his fleet and his ships moved into their place in the long line of ships extending from the portal out into open space. There were six lines surrounding the portal and extending directly away from it. They looked like six numbers on a dial extending out perpendicular to the face of the portal. The invading ships would exit the portal, if they did like the Black Scouts had done, and fly through the middle of those six long lines. The ships in those lines would fire their green energy balls at any ship that came through. Every half a second the six lines would teleport simultaneously to half the distance to the next line. Those lines would then continue to rotate clock wise until the lines fell apart or enough enemy ships made it through the gauntlet. At that point, all ships would be released to go after individual enemy warships. They couldn’t hold their positions in the lines if enemy ships could come at them from outside their formations. The Realm’s Commanding Officers hoped the lines could survive long enough to stop the invaders but nothing was certain. All three million ships were going to launch an energy ball at the portal when the first enemy ship emerged from it.

  Eric’s fleet was placed close to the face of the portal and they would have the first shot at ships coming through. He didn’t know if the Black Ships could fire behind them and, if they could, things would get dicey. He continued to stare at the orange energy field as it grew brighter and brighter. It wouldn’t be long.

  • • • • •

  The Giant Master watched his wall monitor as one fifth of his ships organized to go through the portal. They would emerge in five ship groups at high acceleration and, once the train started moving, it would be next to impossible to stop it. That Advisor had better be right about the number of ships they were going to have to face. He saw the countdown and waited for the procession to get underway. The first ships would have more space between them to get up to speed and the space would be closed once all ships achieved their maximum speed. He put his hand on the portal control and listened for the reports from those that exited first. He stood up and paced in front of the monitor and wondered if the countdown would ever end. The first five units sent through the portal were sensor probes designed to send back a picture of what was on the other side. He kept his eyes on the monitor and waited.

  • • • • •

  Eric pressed his panel, “Make sure your initial shot is done automatically with the dimming of the portal. In the two instances so far, the portal dims slightly just before anything emerges. Make sure your sensors are locked on and your blaster coordinated with it. It won’t be long; the portal is approaching its maximum intensity.”

  Suddenly, all of Eric’s ships launched an energy ball out of their blasters and the other ships at the end of the long lines fired at the area in front of the portal. The invaders started coming through at a high velocity and began running into the solid wall of incoming green and blue energy pulses.

  • • • • •

  The five probes came through the portal first and their scanners were overwhelmed by the brilliance of the energy pulses. They ceased to exist in less than a millionth of a second. The line of giant Black Ships following the probes didn’t fare much better but the center of the energy balls was being pushed away from the portal entrance as thousands of Black Ships came roaring through. The energy balls around the center continued to move in and the Realm’s ships fired another volley at the portal. The bulge in front of the portal moved slightly away from the portal and the Black Ships began firing their beams for a short moment before their destruction. Some of them hit Searchers and they exploded but the lines began rotating around the portal. It was difficult to fire on the ships surrounding the portal and hit them before they moved to another location.

  • • • • •

  Ping watched the portals and sent a message to Admiral Kosiev and the Director, “We have five different ship types emerging from the portals. It appears the Black Ships have enlisted the aid of four other civilizations. The Slegan are getting the most powerful of the lot.”

  • • • • •

  Vremel responded, “We’re moving there now with half of our fliers.”

  • • • • •

  Ping wanted to watch the Slegan portals but didn’t dare take his eyes off the three the Realm was fighting to hold.

  Nicole watched the Slegan Ships being hit by giant red beams and they were close to falling apart. She prepared to teleport out but saw two million Zord arrive and fill in their ranks. The lines rotated again and they were holding on…but only barely.

  • • • • •

  The Director saw the Steel Blue Ships coming through the portal at an impossible speed and the bulge in front of the portal was more than two hundred miles long. The ships entering the bulge were able to target and fire at his ships. He knew they were going to break through his lines quickly. He started to order his ships to break away but saw the Zord arrive and the intensity of the energy balls entering the area in front of the portal was staggering. The bulge was wiped out and pushed back to within a mile of the portal but still the giant ships roared through.

  Vremel sent a thought to the Director, “Start rotating every tenth of a second. Do it now!”

  The Director issued the order and the six lines looked like hands on a clock moving at high speed around the face. Fewer ships were being hit but these ships were clearly much more powerful than the original Black Ships that invaded. That was when the other portal was overwhelmed.

  • • • • •

  The Second portal the Slegan were fighting to hold was facing bright Silver Ships that were smaller than the Black Shi
ps and they were holding their lines. Two million Zord arrived and it looked like they were going to hold the front…but…then…the ships coming through dwarfed the first wave. They were gigantic and fired massive white beams. The Lines were going to be swept away in moments but four million Cats arrived in their armor and added their fire to the Slegan and Zord. But still they moved inexorably toward the end of the long lines and freedom from the incoming energy pulses.

  • • • • •

  Ping saw that the Realm’s portals were starting to break apart. Six ships had made it through the lines and were coming around to attack from outside the Realm’s defenses. “Ping, the Slegan are close to being overrun.”

  Suddenly, thousands of the invaders made it out of the lines at all five locations and Ping thought, “Come to me, Nicole.” She appeared and he went forward and wrapped his arms around her.

  • • • • •

  The green blast that went out from them blinded every scanner on every ship for three seconds. It went out into the universe at a speed that was not measured but it filled the universe instantly. All five portals blew apart, leaving only the Invader ships inside the lines and those few thousand that had made it through the lines. The Realm’s defenders fell on the two million ships and blasted them into rubble. The Realm lost four hundred thousand ships in the savage dog fight that followed but at the end of the day, there were no invaders still alive in the Realm’s Universe.

  • • • • •

  Eric saw the portal blasted apart, stopping any more Black Ships from entering normal space. He received the all free command from Fleet Control and he and Jenny teleported after one of the Black Ships still inside the lines. He started to emerge into normal space and teleported to another location. The Black Ship fired at the emergence as Jenny appeared above it and launched an energy ball into it; she then teleported to another ship that Eric had faked with an emergence and fired again. Both ships were blown into dust which lingered for a moment and disappeared.

  Death walked among the stars but Ping and Nicole held on to each other, oblivious to it. They were finally together and nothing could distract them from the moment.

  • • • • •

  The Young Cat found Rider in open space staring off in the distance, “What are you doing?”

  “Looking at the patterns.”

  The Young Cat looked up and his mouth fell open, “What does this mean?”

  “They have solidified; nothing from another Creation can come here again.”

  “Then how are we going to go there?”

  “The one who did this will provide a way.”

  The Young Cat stared and saw the patterns no longer vibrated but were thick and immoveable. The forces to make that happen were unimaginable.

  • • • • •

  Two weeks passed after the Invaders were fought off and Ping sat with Sprigly on the bridge of his ship. Nicole had just left to attend a Royal function at Castle Gardner and things had slowed down enough to process what had happened.

  “Ping, will you take me to my lab?”

  “Sure, what are you working on?”

  “I recorded the energy that was released when you and Nicole made contact and I need to see if I can recreate it.”

  “Do you think that is where you’ll find a force field?”

  “I don’t know; I just need to really take a good look at it and the instruments here aren’t advanced enough to do that.”

  Ping teleported to Sprigly’s space lab and Sprigly teleported out. Ping stayed on board and looked out of the viewport at open space. He entered a coordinate and jumped out of the Algean’s Galaxy and entered normal space fifty thousand light years above the plane of the Milky Way. He lowered the armor from the front port and stared at the beauty of the giant galaxy; it was incredible. He thought a moment and knew he was seeing the galaxy as it appeared fifty thousand years in the past. It had taken that long for the light to arrive at his location. That light left about the time man had begun farming. Now, fifty thousand years later, humanity could go places that would take the same light a billion years to reach.

  He sighed and slowly shook his head. He pressed his console and said, “Fleet Control, I request a direct teleport.”

  “Please confirm your identity.”

  “Captain Paul Anderson Kendel.”

  “You’re cleared for direct arrival; however, you should update your file.”

  Ping’s eyes furrowed, “Pardon me; what update?”

  “You are no longer a Captain, Sir.”

  What am I?”

  “My files say you are now the top ranking Fleet Admiral in the Realm, Sir.”

  “Kosiev holds that position.”

  “He is at the top of the Fleets Organizational Chart, Sir, but he reports directly to you.”

  Ping stared at the Lieutenant on his display and after a moment said, “And who do I report to?”

  “The King, Sir.”

  Ping took in a shallow breath and blew it out, “Thank you for your help, Lieutenant.”

  “It’s been my pleasure, Sir.”

  Ping entered the coordinates and his ship teleported directly to Earth. He landed at the space dock and requested a check on his ship’s systems. He went to a locker in the ship’s small storage bay and pulled out a back pack and a four foot long pole. He took off his uniform and put on a pair of shorts and t-shirt. He pulled some chips out of the cabinet and several bottles. He threw them in the back pack and looked around. The engineers had arrived and were on top of his vessel. He shook his head; they must know his new rank. He entered the coordinates into his wrist unit and pressed the activate code. An instant later he was standing on the beach, looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. He lifted the pole and drove it into the sand and twisted a ring on it. The umbrella emerged from the top and the four sand blades shot out of the base locking it into the sand. He pressed a button on his wrist unit and a chair appeared next to him. He pulled it under the umbrella and pulled out a bag of chips. He sat down and stared out at the small waves moving on shore. The sky was deep blue with cumulus clouds building up in the early afternoon to deliver their rain later in the day. The ever present black headed gulls came flying in to see if they could get a hand out. He thought about it but knew if he fed one, a hundred would show up insisting on the same treatment.

  He leaned back and put on his sunglasses and remembered the last time he had been here. It was during spring break in his fourth year at the Academy. He had sat in this very spot and watched Mios and Jodie out in the waves. He could see it like it had just happened. Mios lifted Jodie and threw her into a larger than normal swell rushing toward the shore. He had laughed out loud when all he saw was Jodie’s elbows and feet rolling over the swell. She came up sputtering and proceeded to chase Mios for fifteen minutes calling him everything she could think of. Suddenly, Mios had stopped as Jodie came close and wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her. Jodie struggled for a moment and then her anger vanished. Ping felt his eyes start to grow moist and hundreds of other memories surged into his mind. He continued to stare out at the waves as the tears found their release. He lost track of time and was surprised when he heard, “Are you alright, Mister?”

  Ping picked up a towel and wiped his eyes and looked to the right of his chair. A young boy stood there, with a ball in his hand. “Yes, I’m OK.”

  “If it will make you feel better, I’ll give you my ball.” He held it out to Ping.

  “No, I think you should keep it.”

  “Ok, but if you change your mind, I’m right over there.”

  Ping smiled as the boy turned and Ping saw something on the back of his shirt, “What is that on your shirt?”

  The young boy turned around and smiled, “It’s a Space Ship.”

  “What kind?”

  “It’s the ship our Searchers fly around the universe. One day I’m going to pilot one of them.”

  “You sound pretty certain about that.”

  �
��It’s our duty to protect those who are in danger. It’s what we’re born to do.”

  Ping slowly shook his head and thought of Mios. He said the same thing when they were this young boy’s age. He reached into his back and took out a fleet marker. He waved the young boy over and said, “Let me see your ball.” Ping took the ball and signed it, Ping Kendel.

  “Do you mind if I sign it as well?” Ping turned around and saw Nicole in a bathing suit standing behind him. He smiled and handed the pen to her and she signed, Nicole Gardner.

  Ping handed the ball back to the young boy, “I want you to hold on to this ball and one day when you’re ready to go to school to learn how to be a Searcher, you bring this ball with you and show it to the Commanding Officer at the Academy. Will you do that?”

  “Do you think he’ll need my ball?”

  Ping laughed, “I’m sure he’ll be waiting for it.” The young boy laughed and ran over to a group of adults fifty yards away. Three months later, when the Crown announced the coming wedding of Ping and Nicole, the young boy saw them on the monitor during supper and said, “I know them.”

  “Of course you do, Amos. Everyone knows them.”

  “No, mom, I know them. I talked with them at the beach.” His parents looked at each other and Amos could see they didn’t believe him. He jumped up and ran to his room and came back with his ball, “They signed my ball and said that when I’m ready to go to the Academy to give this ball to the one in command.”

  His parents stared at the ball and saw the two signatures. They looked at Amos and then at the monitor. The following week, Amos’ father called the Academy and asked to speak to the Commanding Officer. The Lieutenant who took the call asked what the call was about and Amos’s father told him about the ball. The Lieutenant pushed a button on his panel and after a moment said, “Your son has received a full scholarship to the Academy after he graduates secondary school. Please bring the ball with him. The Commander has a special place for it. Tell your son we look forward to welcoming him into the ranks of the Realm’s Searchers.”