by Saxon Andrew
Suddenly the music started and the door opened at the back of the room and Cassandra Dodd stepped forward and began the walk to the front of the room. The entire room was stunned and Tommy was absolutely amazed at what he saw. No one could remember ever seeing Captain Dodd in anything but a Stars Realm uniform wearing her hair in that trademark tight bun but here she came walking down the aisle in an emerald green dress that fit her perfectly. Her auburn hair hung down to her shoulders and her green eyes looked like they were on fire. She was absolutely beautiful. Her form was perfect, her smile was perfect, her hair was perfect, and her walk was done elegantly. Tommy could not believe his eyes. How could this vision be the terror he endured at the academy? Tommy and Wes were so struck by the change in Dodd’s appearance that they did not notice Tgon-Gee’s expression when he saw her. Tgon-Gee was also shocked but for a different reason. “I must talk with the Queen immediately,” he thought. But then he decided to wait until after the ceremony.
Everyone stood as Linda Kay came through the door. She was breathtaking. The white gown that Rose had brought her was beautiful but not as beautiful as the young woman that wore it. Her blue eyes were moist from her happiness and her long black hair was done in curls. She was graceful and she only had eyes for Wes. Tommy could sense the love his lifetime friend felt for his new bride and in his heart envied him. Then she was there and the ceremony began. Tommy couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t take his eyes off Cassandra Dodd and remarkably she was also staring at him. Neither one of them felt the always present tension when they were in the same room. Tommy wondered what was happening to him. Then Wes kissed his bride and the roar from the assembled crowd broke through his attention.
Tgon-Gee went to Rose immediately after the ceremony and said, “Your Majesty, we have an issue.”
Rose looked at the Glod Crown Prince and said, “What’s wrong?”
Tgon-Gee spoke to her for five minutes and Rose turned to stare at Captain Dodd. She thought to Tommy, “Tommy, I need you, Captain Dodd, Mom, Dad, and Tgon-Gee to meet me in the conference room in three minutes.”
“What’s wrong, Rose?”
“We’ll discuss it in the conference room, Tommy.”
Tommy saw Tgon-Gee walking out of the room with his parents and Rose leaving the stage so he went to Captain Dodd and said, “Captain, I’ve been ordered to report to the conference room and to bring you with me.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy in puzzlement and Tommy said, “I don’t know what this is about but we should go now.”
Cassandra wondered what she had done wrong. She had tried her best to look appropriate for the wedding but she just knew she had failed miserably. She was not accustomed to wearing a dress and heels. Then Tommy said, “Captain, I never knew you were so beautiful. You should dress up more often.”
Cassandra turned bright red and looked at Tommy and saw that he meant what he was saying. “Thank you, Duke Gardner. Thank you very much.” She followed him to the conference room wondering what was going on.
Tommy and Cassandra entered the conference room and found everyone in a semicircle of chairs with a chair directly in front. There was an empty chair next to Rose so Tommy sat down. Tgon-Gee motioned for Captain Dodd to sit in the chair in front of the group.
Tgon-Gee looked at Captain Dodd and said, “How long have you known about your aura?”
Cassandra looked puzzled and said, “My what?”
Tgon-Gee said, “Captain Dodd, I was present at your graduation from the academy and you did not possess an aura. I see you today and you have one. How did you hide it from me then and we need to know your intentions.”
Cassandra was totally confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What do you mean by aura? Am I under some kind of suspicion here?”
Rose looked at Cassandra and said, “Captain, you posses a high level of psychic ability. We are curious why you’ve hidden it from us until now.”
The group could see that Cassandra was totally confused and Rose could tell that her feelings were genuine. “Captain, have you noticed anything unusual about yourself that seems out of the ordinary?”
Cassandra’s face turned red. The group saw that she knew something. Tommy was totally confused. What was happening here? Then Cassandra spoke, “I have always had a knack for how machinery operated. I could repair most mechanical things and knew what was wrong with them almost instinctively.” She took a deep breath and said, “The moment I saw the Kosiev, I could see in my mind the entire layout of the ship. The ship felt like a friend, but that was all I could see until after Duke Gardner shocked me yesterday.” Danielle sat up straight in her chair and looked at Tag. He looked back and then they both looked at Cassandra Dodd.
Rose said, “What do you mean shocked you?”
Cassandra looked at Tommy and said, “I don’t know what he did but he touched me with something yesterday when I was talking with Wes and Linda Kay that almost knocked me out. After I went to my quarters last night I sensed that I can operate the Kosiev simply with my mind. I don’t really believe it, but the feeling has not left me. I can see every part of this ship in my mind and I know how it all works. As far as having psychic skills, I’ve never felt anything psychic until my first view of the Kosiev.” Cassandra looked at Tgon-Gee and said, “How can you tell I have psychic ability?”
Tgon-Gee said, “Psychics are surrounded by an aura. If someone is just slightly psychic then their aura is a light white color. The color of a psychic that has strong psychic skills is in the light blue to lavender range. The strongest psychics’ aura is violet. Captain your aura is so violet that it appears to be almost black. Looking around this room, your aura is stronger than anyone present.”
Cassandra was stunned. “That just isn’t possible,” she said. “Until yesterday I’ve never been psychic about anything.”
Danielle stood up and said, “She’s telling the truth.”
Everyone turned to Danielle and Rose said, “What’s going on here, Mom?”
Danielle looked at Tommy for a long moment and then looked at Cassandra. “I’m so sorry. I wish that there was an easier way to break this to you especially in light of all that has happened between you and Tommy.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy and then looked at Danielle, “What do you mean?”
Danielle looked at Rose and said, “Her psychic ability was caused by Tommy.”
Tommy stood up and said, “What?”
Danielle said, “Tommy, and I’m going to call you Cassandra instead of Captain Dodd, you will sit and say nothing until I finish. Is that clear?”
Tommy looked at his mother and slowly sat down and nodded. Cassandra said, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Danielle looked at Tag and said, “Cassandra is Tommy’s perfect match and is going to be his partner for life.” Both Tommy and Cassandra both jumped up at that and Danielle held up her hand and said firmly, “Sit Down!” They slowly returned to their chairs. Danielle continued, “Tommy did not touch you with anything but his hand Cassandra.” Cassandra looked at Tommy and he nodded. “When I first met my husband, I shook his hand and felt a small shock. Until that time, I would occasionally get glimpses of truth in the various situations I found myself in. Once I touched Tag, that talent started growing quickly. By the time Tag went into hiding, he could see my aura where there wasn’t one before. By the time we were married the shocks had stopped when we touched and my talent is what it is today. What I want everyone in this room to understand is that I had no aura until Tag touched me. My talents were locked up waiting for the key to unlock them. I believe that there was only one key and that was my husband’s touch.” Danielle looked at Rose and said, “You saw Michael at a very early age but I believe that the reason you saw him was because Michael was not latent but had a strong aura from birth.”
Rose looked at Danielle and said, “I could feel him and know that he was the one.”
Danielle looked at Rose and said, “Yet you told me you had to wait until you we
re eighteen before you could meet him; why was that Rose.”
Rose furrowed her brow and said, “I can’t explain it in words. Our inner selves knew that to come together before then was prohibited. Matter of fact, we knew it would be dangerous for us to meet.”
“So you deliberately chose to wait for the right moment, right?”
Rose nodded.
“Rose what do you think would have happened if the two of you were forced together before that time?”
Rose thought a moment and said, “We would have fought against it.”
Danielle looked at Cassandra and said, “You wonder why you attacked and treated Tommy so badly at the Academy don’t you?”
Cassandra lowered her head and nodded.
“You had no other choice. You were forced to do it against your will.”
Tommy said, “What do you mean?” Cassandra was also confused.
“Your inner selves knew that if the two of you came together before you were ready, then one of you, possibly both could severely damage the other from that contact. You were forced to do things to insure that you would not make contact before your time. Cassandra, you had to make him avoid you at all costs. Tommy you had to hate her so much that you would not go near her if you could avoid it. Neither one of you consciously did it, your psychic self made it happen.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy and said, “Duke Gardner, I’ve never understood why I did the things I did to you. It just wasn’t like me but I couldn’t stop myself. I have lived a lifetime of self blame for doing those things to the wonderful man I now know you to be. I am so sorry.”
The room was absolutely silent. Then Danielle said, “Now for the thing that both of you might not be willing to believe. You have now made contact with each other and you will not find contentment or peace of mind until you love each other.”
Tommy looked at his mother for a long moment then looked at Cassandra with her head down sitting in the chair in front of him. He looked inside himself and wondered what had just happened. He said to Cassandra, “What do you think about this story my Mother has just told you.”
Cassandra did not lift her head but Tommy saw her take a deep breath and say, “I started caring about you the moment you decided to leave what happened in the past in the past. It’s only grown since then. I know that I’m undeserving of someone like you. Since that shock yesterday, I can’t get you out of my mind. I saw during that touch what a wonderful person you are. I’m so ashamed of how I treated you.”
Tommy stood and walked around the table to the chair and knelt in front of Cassandra. She lifted her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes. She said, “I’m so sorry.”
He reached forward and everyone saw them jerk when he took her hand, “We need to touch each other more often so that these shocks will stop.” Then he leaned forward and kissed her; she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried. Tommy said, “Now I feel whole. Cassie, there is nothing to forgive.”
Cassandra held on and cried for a long time; first for forgiveness and then from happiness.
Rose looked at her mother and father and knew that there was going to be another Gardner soon. She could see Cassie’s aura was even darker than her father’s. She wondered what power this couple possessed. Even Tommy’s aura was darker than before. “I need to watch them,” she thought. “They could be dangerous if they don’t learn to control her talents.
Tag stood up and said, “I believe that there is a party waiting for us. Let’s go have some fun.”
Everyone stood up and left the conference room. Danielle came to Cassandra and gave her a hug. “If you need me, I’ve done what you’re going through, don’t hesitate to call me. The best part of your life is beginning at this moment.”
Cassie wiped her tears and said, “I will and thank you.” Danielle nodded and left to attend the wedding party.
Tommy looked at Cassie and said, “You are beautiful. I meant what I said earlier. You are absolutely gorgeous. Will you dance with me?”
Cassie stood and took his hand, felt the shock of their contact, and walked out into the auditorium that had been cleared for the party. As they walked out on the dance floor, everyone was speechless. Tommy was right; Cassandra was beautiful and she had a smile that no one had seen before. Wes and Linda Kay watched Tommy hold Cassie tight as they danced and noticed that they only had eyes for each other. Linda Kay could see Wes’ confusion as well as his happiness for his friend; she whispered softly in his ear, “You can stop worrying about him now. She will take care of him.” Wes looked at Linda Kay and she said, “Just like us.” Wes danced with his bride and held here close looking forward to the rest of his life.
Tgon-Gee stood on the stage and watched as Tommy and Cassie entered. He immediately saw their auras and grew alarmed. Tgon-Gee’s only psychic talent was that he could see psychic auras. He raised his com to call the leader of the Guidance Peers on Glod and had the leader ask him mentally, “Are you trying to contact me?”
Tgon-Gee lowered his com and said, “I was just going to com you.”
The Leader said, “I heard you in my mind. How did you accomplish that?”
Tgon-Gee thought back, “I didn’t. I don’t know what you mean.”
“Tgon-Gee, I’m hearing your thoughts without having to enter your mind. That means you have to be broadcasting to me psychically.”
Tgon-Gee looked down and saw an aura surrounding him that was red in color. He walked three steps to the right and the aura stayed around him. The Leader of the Peers saw what Tgon-Gee was seeing and immediately contacted the other forty nine Peers and brought them in to what was happening. Tgon-Gee looked up and thought, “Leader, I’ve never possessed an aura, at least one that could be seen.”
The Leader of the peers asked, “Why were you trying to contact me?”
Tgon-Gee answered, I want you to see this and tell me what it means.” Tgon-Gee looked out at the dance floor and watched Tommy and Cassandra dance. The Guidance Peers on Glod drew a collective breath; what they saw shocked them. The aura around Tommy and Cassandra was as black as space and was twisting, rolling, boiling like a gathering storm; it was also growing. The Peers and Tgon-Gee knew that a psychic aura only extended a few inches from the body of one that possessed it. This aura was growing and had already extended beyond the walls of the auditorium. Tgon-Gee walked over to one of the view ports in the wall and looked out. The aura had grown to more than a mile from the learning facility and was still moving away. Tgon-Gee then looked at the other Gardners in the room and saw that their auras had grown tremendously; the auras were now extending more than six feet from them and were getting darker as he watched. Tgon-Gee waited but the Peers were too shocked to respond. After a moment of thought, Tgon-Gee got up and walked over to Rose who was talking with Leila. Rose smiled but then saw the huge Glod’s expression and said, “Excuse me a moment, Leila.” Leila looked at Tgon-Gee, nodded, and backed away. Tgon-Gee said, “I need you to look in my mind and see what I’m seeing, Your Majesty.” Rose hesitated but saw real fear on the Glod’s face. She entered his mind and her eyes grew wide.
“Oh my God,” she thought. Then she saw herself in Tgon-Gee’s eyes and saw her aura boiling. She also immediately noticed that it was larger; she watched Tgon-Gee look at each of the Gardners and recognized that all of their auras were expanded.
Tgon-Gee thought to Rose, “What does this mean?”
Rose shook her head and said, “I have no idea. This is beyond me.”
The First Male watched on his sensors as the warriors swarmed throughout their galaxy. Suddenly, the old watcher accelerated away from the nexus point at his fastest speed. “What’s wrong,” the First Male asked?
“The nexus point is releasing heat into normal space,” the old watcher replied. “The nexus is now approaching the temperature it was at the time of the original explosion that started this universe and the temperature has not stopped rising.” One of the young warriors that was only twelve hundred miles wi
de, turned and attacked the nexus to protect the old watcher. Before the First Male could stop him he entered the area in space that held the nexus and fired his energy beam into the nexus. A black field erupted out of the nexus and followed the energy beam back to the attacking warrior. There wasn’t time for the warrior to scream. The huge ship’s bright red screen collapsed and the entire vessel shrank so fast that as the black field seemed to suck the attacking ship into the nexus, the young warrior disappeared from view. The Old Watcher called over and over for the warrior but there was no response. The First Male ordered, “All warriors, come no closer than five thousand miles from any nexus until ordered otherwise. What is happening,” he wondered and began to experience an emotion he had no words to define, fear.