by Saxon Andrew
A hundred and fifty yards in Dahlia hit the ground and remained still. Dean hit the ground beside her and waited for her to move. She crawled over to a ground crawler and pulled the huge plant on top of her. She held it up and Dean crawled under it just as she lowered it. The Invader skimmers came roaring in from high altitude and began crisscrossing the forest’s edge searching for them. They remained still as the skimmers roared over the tops of the trees and a line of the giant creatures exited their transports and entered the forest moving into it at a brisk pace. Dahlia prayed they would pass their hiding place before the sun rose and allowed them to see the tracks they had made crawling under the crawler. Three of the giant beasts walked within three feet of them but continued deeper into the forest. They remained still and Dahlia grabbed Dean’s hand three times shaking her head. He was going to take a look each time and he wondered how she knew what he was planning. Finally, they heard a loud hum as a troop transport arrived and the line of Invaders left the forest and boarded.
• • • • •
“Did you find them?”
“No, they didn’t have time to move as far as we searched. I suspect they were hit by a beam and vaporized. There were no tracks leaving this area.”
The Commander stared at the forest and almost ordered the search to continue but received a message that other locals were attempting to enter the forest a mile south of their location. He looked around and shouted, “Board the transport.”
The searchers ran to the ship and jumped in as it lifted and flew south at a high rate of speed. Dahlia listened to the sound fade and she kept her hand on Dean’s shoulder. After thirty minutes, two of the giant creatures stood up to the left of them and walked out of the forest. They boarded the skimmer that had been left at the edge of the forest and flew south.
Dean looked at Dahlia and she nodded, “How did you know they were there?”
“My God, Dean, couldn’t you smell them?”
Dean snickered, “No, but we need to get moving. We should be able to make the hole by midday.”
“I suspect Tess is already there.”
“She had a much harder route to get there. She had to make it out of the State Residence and out of the center of the alien’s invasion.”
“Would you like to bet on it?”
“Oh no; I know how talented she is. I’m really surprised we made it this far.”
“Just keep the thermal suit on and don’t move out from the cover of the trees. Are you ready to make time?”
Dean nodded and they jogged into the giant forest. It was after they arrived at the hole that Dean realized that they were up wind from the two invaders. How did Dahlia know?
• • • • •
Just before noon, Dahlia and Dean went over to a huge tree that had been killed by a lightning strike. The huge trunk extended high above the forest with the burned patches still visible on it. Dahlia looked around and activated the mini-scanner and turned a full circle as she held it out in her arms. She closed her eyes and after a moment she moved forward and placed her hand inside a burned out crack in the trunk. She felt the flat place on the left side and she placed her palm on it. A four foot section of the trunk pivoted in and shot up out of view. Dean crouched and ran through the opening. Dahlia removed her hand and followed him into the tree just before the section of the trunk slammed back in place. As soon as the opening closed, lights illuminated and they walked forward and entered a grey colored chamber that was located inside a tube that disappeared into the floor of the small room they were in. Dahlia placed her hand on the ID panel in the wall and the capsule shaped chamber slid the door over the opening and dropped into the floor.
As they fell at a high rate of speed, Dean looked at Dahlia, “I’ve often wondered why our society only allows our females to lead us.”
Dahlia smiled, “There’s no love like a mother’s love. You know our males are predisposed to be warriors first. A mother will make decisions that will protect her children. What do you want to do about this invasion?”
“I want to blast them back into space where they came from.”
“And that might lead to the destruction of our planet. Are you willing to take that risk?”
Dean tilted his head left and smiled, “I guess I am.”
Dahlia shook her head, “Do you have an answer why, now?”
Dean nodded and felt the capsule start to slow. He knew they had fallen more than two thousand feet but there was no sensation of speed. “Dahlia, those two creatures were downwind from us. How did you smell them?”
Dahlia smiled, “I didn’t say I did. I just said they stank.” The capsule opened and Dahlia stepped out before Dean could respond. He took two steps and saw Tess waiting for them. Dahlia went forward and hugged her older sister and Tess returned her hug and stepped forward and hugged Dean, “What took you so long?”
Dean shook his head, “The invaders must have been looking for our planet’s leadership. It was a close thing we got out. Do you have a current situation of what’s happening?”
Tess frowned and motioned them to follow her. “We’ve lost about sixty percent of our warriors trying to prevent their landers from making the surface. The others went into the ground and are situated in holes around the planet.”
“Does the nemite prevent them from seeing our locations underground?”
“It does. Their scanners do not penetrate the layer of nemite so they can’t see any of our facilities.”
Dean frowned, “I’ve often questioned why we’ve kept the existence of these facilities top secret; I guess it was for this exact situation.”
“You can’t reveal what you don’t know.”
“Are you planning to do something about their attack?”
Tess stared at Dean and after a moment, shook her head, “The invasion is being conducted by the Black Ships. Our scouting reports have recordings of them destroying planets that proved to be resistant to them. We need to determine what their intent is before we take any action.”
“Did any of our warships survive?”
Tess looked at Dahlia, “I ordered them to leave and go to the safe base until I order them back. We lost two thirds of our fleet before I ordered the withdrawal. I couldn’t see wasting them to stop something that was inevitable.”
“Why did they invade; I thought two of the major evils were disputing this area.”
“It appears something happened to change the balance of power among them. I’m hoping the Rageon are able to kick them out of here. That’s our best hope of salvation but I’m not sure that’s going to happen.”
Dahlia shrugged, “If the Rageon prevail, we’ll just have a new invader.”
Tess sighed, “And then they will attack our planet to remove them. There is no good solution to this at the moment.”
“What about the ships we’ve been building out of nemite?”
Tess looked at Dean, “They can get in to attack their fleets but we don’t have a weapon that is effective against them. They would be little more than sightseers. We want to avoid exposing the properties of nemite to them.”
Dean stared at Tess and his eyes narrowed, “You’ve got something in mind or you would be acting more decisively.”
Tess laughed, “You know me too well, Brother. On the way out of the city, I killed one of the beasts and took a tissue sample. I’m having our geneticists working on developing a virus that only targets them. I’m hoping we can make them quarantine our planet.”
“If they fear a virus, why wouldn’t they just blast the planet out of existence?”
“That’s what’s making the project difficult. The virus must have a high resistance to heat.”
Dahlia smiled, “They wouldn’t want that virus carried away by objects blown away from the planet.”
“That’s my hope. This is going to take time to develop and in the meantime we have to stay hidden.”
“Are our optical scanners operational?”
“They are.” Tes
s looked at Dahlia, “I need you to go to the other facilities and make sure they understand that they will not do anything without my approval.”
Dahlia nodded and moved back to the capsule, “I’ll get the word out. I’ll come back when I’m done.”
Tess nodded, “Dean, I need you to take command of the scanners and start providing updates on what the Invaders are doing.”
Dean nodded and turned to go to the control facility. He paused and looked back at Tess, “You have no idea how much I want to hurt them.”
Tess’ eyes narrowed, “On that, you are wrong.”
Dean saw his sister’s expression and knew she was right. Her husband and child were killed as the invasion began. Dean knew her grieving would have to wait and he felt bad that he had not given her the respect she deserved for her loss. He nodded and left for the control room.
• • • • •
Dahlia arrived at the hole under the southern continent and saw major activity taking place in the control room. She emerged from the tube and saw the facility commander issuing orders to the communication officers. She shouted, “YOU WILL STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING!”
Angel jerked in surprise and turned toward Dahlia with an angry expression. She saw who it was and immediately bowed, “I’m so happy that you survived, Your Highness.”
“What are you doing?”
“The invaders are rounding up the leaders of our communities on the surface for execution. I was organizing a spoiling raid by our warriors to stop them.”
Dahlia turned to the communication officers, “You will order an immediate stand down of all our forces.” They stared at her not moving and Dahlia pulled a blaster out of her belt holster, “Do I need to make an example of you to get my orders carries out?”
They scrambled around and began issuing orders. Angel turned to Dahlia, “We must stop them from doing this.”
Dahlia looked at her, “I’ll approve this action if you can guarantee that our facilities underground will not be revealed by it.” Angel stared at Dahlia not knowing what to say. Dahlia waited and after a moment went to the control board and pulled up a scouting report on the invaders. Angel watched as three of the giant Black Ships fired three giant missiles into the planet below them. The planet exploded sending giant pieces of the planet’s surface out into space. Angel’s face showed her shock. Dahlia said, “If you reveal we have these facilities,” Dahlia pointed at the monitor, “that is what will happen to us. Are you willing to assume that risk, Angel?”
Angel visibly deflated and lowered her head, “Zak is one of those scheduled to be executed.” Dahlia rushed forward and took Angel in her arms. Angel wept and then began sobbing uncontrollably. Dahlia held her and after ten minutes Angel wiped her tears and said, “Even if..if…we stopped the execution, they would nuke the city.”
“And if you took them down the chutes, our facilities would be exposed.”
“Dahlia, I humbly request you replace me.”
“Angel, you’re here because you are the best one to make sure we don’t do something stupid.”
“But I was going to do just that!”
“That was before you knew what we were facing. Now you know and I wouldn’t trust anyone else to defend our people with the tenaciousness you possess. Our people need you.”
Angel shook her head, “I’m not as strong as you are.”
“Yes you are! Now do what’s demanded of you so we can take our revenge on these murderous creatures.”
Angel’s tears started again but her expression was a mask of rage, “I’ll not allow them to discover our defenses, Princess.” Angel wiped her tears and said, “How is Tess holding up?”
“She’s doing what has to be done. She sent me here.”
“Tell her she is in our prayers and we’re counting on her to lead us through this.”
“She would tell you the same thing, Angel.”
Angel nodded and turned to the staff monitoring the warrior’s status, “Get the warriors back to their quarters and close off the upper tubes. Make sure they are pulled into the layer of nemite.”
The officer in command of the tubes nodded and turned to his staff and began issuing orders. Dahlia hugged Angel and stepped back, “I have to go.” Angel nodded, “I’ll notify Tess before I take any action.” Dahlia nodded and reentered the tube. She went to six other holes and made sure every facility commander knew their orders to stay hidden. She entered the tube to return to the main command bunker and wept for Angel. She knew Angel would watch her son’s execution because he deserved that honor. Her bravery would inspire those under her command to follow her orders. They would know that her loss was greater than any they would face. She knew that the decision to make mothers the commanders of the military was proven again. She always regretted that she had never married and had a family. Now she was thankful that she wouldn’t be forced to see her loved ones murdered. She wondered if Angel was right; the strength Angel had to have to continue to live was more than she possessed. She didn’t know it; but she was wrong.
Dahlia entered the underground tube to return to the main command bunker and closed her eyes. The huge creatures were rounding up the survivors and putting them into holding camps. She listened to one of them inform the prisoners that they were going to be required to build facilities and that failure to perform at a high level would lead to death. Dahlia opened her eyes and then felt something. She closed her eyes again and saw a face.
Chapter Seventeen
Sprigly watched Ping for ten hours as he stared out into space. Finally, Ping said, “I’ve not had the courage to stop this from happening.” Sprigly remained silent and after a moment Ping raised his eyes and looked at Sprigly, “All of those I loved would still be alive if I were willing to do what had to be done.”
“You don’t know that, Ping.”
“Sprigly, you know I’m right.”
Sprigly lowered his branches and his leaves turned from green to brown, “I don’t want to believe that.”
Ping looked at the floor, “What would have happened if I had gone to the Cats as soon as I learned they were searching for me?”
“I don’t know.”
“They would have told me about the coming invasion and I would have started a process to find where the portals would appear when the invasion started. We would have responded to the first attack and Mios and Jodie wouldn’t have been killed.” Sprigly’s leaves turned slightly browner. “And if I had started attacking that other Creation, Nicole would have been with me instead of here. She would still be alive.”
“But then the Royal Family would have been killed.”
Ping began shaking his head, “That asteroid would have been thoroughly inspected if the Realm was in a state of war. It wouldn’t have come close to Ross.” Sprigly didn’t know what to say and he was frightened at Ping’s emotionless voice. “I’ve been very selfish, Sprigly. While I’ve been casually scouting around, billions of beings have been killed by the aggressive civilizations. My personal loss pales in comparison.”
“You can’t blame yourself for this, Ping!”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“I’ve lost my wife and my best friends to get me to see this. You were right when you said that I had to come to terms with my title so I could make the orders that would place millions of our warriors in harm’s way. The loss of Nicole has stripped me of worrying about my survival. I only have one purpose now.”
“What is that?”
“I have to find the one that will lead us against those evil civilizations.”
“And if you find him?”
“Then, I can find peace.”
“Ping, we need you.”
Ping looked at Sprigly with an expression that held great menace, “I intend to do what must be done.” Ping blew out a breath and looked at the floor again, “But first, I have to say goodbye.”
Sprigly saw that Ping was looking for the release death would give him. His heart was
shattered and the only thing that was keeping him alive was making Nicole’s death mean something.
• • • • •
The funeral for Nicole was huge and the monument placed in Dorg’s Park was beautiful. Ping placed a bouquet of Roses on it and stood in front of it with his head lowered. The trillions of citizens watching it were silent as he stood there. For a long moment, the entire Realm was silent. Scott watched Ping and saw his sense of loss. Nicole had chosen her mate well. Ping would always be a member of his family and he loved the young man for the love he had for his daughter. He walked forward with Jessica and Victoria. They bowed to the monument and turned and walked away leaving Ping standing alone in front of the monument. He walked away and the giant crowd turned and followed him out of the park, leaving Ping alone in his grief. The cameras remained on Ping and the Realm watched for ten hours as he stood there alone. Finally, Ping bowed and lowered his head. He stood and backed away from the monument taking four hundred steps; one for each day he had been married to her. He stopped and bowed again…and then he turned away. The Realm saw the expression of a man who was driven. They felt his rage and they knew the ones that did this were going to pay for their actions.
Ping walked to the edge of the beautiful park and found Victoria waiting for him. He looked at her and his eyebrows came together, “I’m not here to make you feel better, Ping.” He continued to stare at her and she said, “I’m here to tell you to make those that killed her pay for this. Nicole loved you more than life and the last thought she had was to worry about you if she didn’t survive.”