by Saxon Andrew
Jack spotted the table on a raised dais at the front of the conference room and turned to ask Sprigly what was going on but he had moved to others to direct them to their seats. He shrugged and started walking down the long center aisle wondering about the seating arrangement. He looked to the left and right and saw that all the Fleet Commanders and Senior Ground Officers were sitting toward the front of the room with lower ranks sitting behind them. The Senior Commanders watched him pass them and wondered where this Colonel was going. He arrived at the front and went to the right, he climbed the stairs, found his name at a seat at one end of the table, and sat down. He watched the Senior Officers speaking among themselves and knew they were questioning why he was seated at the Table of Honor. He couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. He finally ignored them and saw Jimmy and Lola sitting on the front row in front of the dais. They smiled and waved at him. What was wrong with this picture? They should have been at the table instead of him! What was going on?
He turned around when he heard a noise behind him and saw a giant Northern Mountain Cat entered the room from a rear door with a huge Zord entering right behind him. They moved behind the table and both settled down on their rear legs. Jack figured they had to be the leaders of their respective species; the Cat had to be Eyes and the Zord was Vring. They looked at Jack as they heard his thoughts and the Zord nodded, “You are right, Colonel Turner. It’s good to see you’re healed from your wounds.”
“Thank you, Majesty.” The Zord nodded and he heard the trumpets begin blaring. Everyone in the room rose to their feet as Emperor Scotty Robbins and Queen Gloria Robbins entered from a door behind the table. They moved to the left center of the table as a Giant Spider joined the Zord and Cat behind the table. Jack knew that particular Spider, it was Destiny, the Spiders Senior Leader.
Jack turned back around and saw Kogo and Dela move up the stairs and take the seats next to him. Before sitting down, Dela wrapped all four arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you for your bravery in saving my Husband.” Kogo reached over and shook Jack’s hand as he said, “You’re only the second being she has ever kissed.” Jack turned bright red as the two-Cainth Warriors took their seats.
He looked out at the assembly and saw Sprigly, Seedel, and Newton rush to the front of the room and take the chairs next to Kogo’s. Jack’s smile was immediate when Jimmy and Lola stood up, came up the stairs, and moved to the dais, where they sat down at the other end of the table. Tgon-Cee came in and sat down next to Lola and Jack saw that three-chairs next to the Glod ruler were empty. He squinted and read the name tags in front of the chairs, Alex, Grace, and Grang. There were speakers in front of the three chairs and it appeared the three-warships were honored attendees. He jerked his head around as he heard a thunderous applause erupt from the giant gathering; Tag and Danielle had entered the room and were moving to their places at the table. Tag held Danielle’s hand and he was wearing a Stars Realms King’s uniform. Danielle was resplendent in a Royal Blue Dress with a Red Sash across her shoulder. He had never seen her wearing a crown, but today, she did. Tag helped her to her chair next to Emperor Robbins and then Tag sat down next to Sprigly. Danielle and Scotty occupied the two-center chairs and once Danielle took her seat, she said, “Please be seated.” Everyone took their seats while Danielle Gazed out at the huge gathering. Jack was amazed at how beautiful Danielle was. Her long blonde hair hung over the shoulder without the red sash and it was hard to believe she was thousands of years old, she looked to be in her late-twenties. She looked at Tag gave him a nod.
Tag stood up and spoke over the intercom, “We’ve been meeting with the Leaders of the forces gathered here today. It has taken some time but we have all come to an agreement on what we are going to do about the invasion of our universe. I’m giving you the bad news first…there is no way, with our current technology, that we can win this fight.” The silence that descended on the room was palatable. Tag waited a moment before he continued to allow his statement to sink in, “Here is the current situation and it’s not all bad news. We’ve confirmed that the Coronado Power Field can kill the Dark Energy Creatures; they will not be able to harm us inside the field around our ships. We also know that our new blasters can destroy the Black Warships. We have the technology that can kill them but we’re unable to use it against them.”
The Warriors in the room began murmuring among themselves and Tag said, “Sprigly.”
Sprigly stood up and pointed a small controller at the giant monitor behind the central table. Images began appearing of Black Warships that were staked out by a DEC. Sprigly thought to the assembly, “Please notice that the Dark Energy Creatures are too fast for the Black Warships to get close enough to fire on them. They remain outside the Black Warship’s blaster range waiting for them to turn off their hull defenses to teleport away. Once that happens, they rush in and kill the occupants of the ship. They’re far too fast to avoid.” Sprigly allowed the recordings to continue for twenty-minutes before continuing, “A stalemate between them is now in place. We have recently discovered that the Black Ships have found a way to escape. They fire all their blasters just before they turn off their hull’s teleportation field and activate their universal drives to escape. But the moment they return to our universe, they are quickly greeted by one of the DEC’s and the stalemate continues.”
Sprigly turned away from the monitor and looked out at the assembly,” Everyone here should understand that none of our vessels can come close to the speed of these Dark Energy Creatures. If you attack them, it will be a waste of time and energy; you will fail. They will escape and stake your ship out in hopes it can be attacked when you lower your defenses. However, we possess the technology to escape them; our universal drives will operate inside the Coronado Field and we can jump away at the time of our choosing but there is no way for us to get close enough to attack them.”
James Carter stood up in the front row and Sprigly pointed to him. James shouted so everyone present could hear, “Then why don’t we go in and remove the Black Fleets?”
“Prince Carter, the presence of the Black Fleets is the only thing preventing millions of the DECs from attacking civilized planets. They’re still attacking some planets because they outnumber the Black Fleets but if we went in and removed all the Black Ships, the loss of life in our space would accelerate at a blinding pace. It would free up millions of the Creatures to join in on their attack of intelligent civilizations. They are currently attacking the advanced civilizations in the Algean Galaxy and we believe the Milky Way will be their next target.”
Carter stared at Sprigly for a moment and then turned to Danielle, “So do we just stand by and do nothing?”
Danielle stood up and Sprigly took his seat. “I know there is something that we’re missing. There is a way to stop these creatures but we’ve just not found it. Starting immediately, we are installing universal drives in every Prime and we’ll be sending them into our universe to draw those creatures away from our space. I know that this will only be a delaying action but we must stall until we find a tool to defeat them. I WILL BE GOING BACK TO RECLAIM THE STARS REALM!! I will no longer sit by and watch it be destroyed! In the interim, we will do all we can to save as much life as possible! We will also start constructing ships that can put a Coronado Field around a planet. It was done in the in the distant past and we’re resurrecting that technology. I realize this will take time but we are starting massive ship construction immediately on all Planets in the Bristone Galaxy. I’m depending on you to buy us the needed time to make this happen. Can I count on you to do your part?”
Everyone in the room jumped to their feet and screamed their answer. Danielle stood there smiling at her warriors as they displayed their determination. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, she raised her arms and, after a few minutes, the room grew silent. She looked out at the assembly and looked at Scotty Robbins before announcing, “I’ve recently learned the danger of losing Tag and myself in this fight. We have no
children and the Royal Succession must be established. Choosing those that would follow us is a critical decision that I’ve discussed with Emperor Robbins and he understands its importance. After a long discussion, we have agreed on how to resolve the issue.”
Tag stood up, walked to Danielle’s chair, and offered his arm. Danielle took it as she stood up and walked around the around the Table with Tag and stopped in front of it. She looked to her right and said, “Jimmy and Lola Pickney, please rise and come forward.” Jimmy’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Lola and she raised her shoulders. They stood up and walked over to Danielle and Tag. Danielle looked out at the assembly, “What all of you don’t know is that Jimmy and Lola’s psychic skills have been developing at an extraordinary speed. They are currently the equal of Tag and me in their psychic skills and I expect that one day they will be stronger. They have been at the frontline of our efforts against the invaders and have acquitted themselves with honor and distinction.” Danielle turned to Jimmy and Lola, “Please kneel.”
Jimmy started shaking his head, “Your Majesty, we aren’t up to this. We aren’t deserving of this.”
Danielle smiled softly, “Jimmy, I said the same thing to the Cainth and Glod Leaders thousands of years ago when they chose me. It is your humility that makes you worthy. Please kneel!” Danielle said firmly.
Jimmy and Lola dropped to a knee and lowered their heads. Tag pulled a long Glod Sword out of a scabbard on his belt along with a Cainth Short Sword. He handed them to Danielle and she raised them in front of her, “James and Lola Pickney, you have been chosen to be the Prince and Princess of the Stars Realm; your last names are changed to Gardner and you will be our successors.” She tapped each of them on the shoulders with both swords and handed them back to Tag. She looked out at the huge gathering and announced, “Rise and greet Jimmy and Lola Pickney Gardner, the chosen successors to the Realm’s throne.”
Everyone at the front table jumped to their feet and cheered. Vring, Destiny, and Eyes joined them as the assembly rose and screamed at the top of their voices. Jimmy and Lola looked out at the cheering thousands and were humbled by what they saw. Danielle felt pride and some relief and saw Tag felt the same. She leaned in to Lola and said softly, “One day, you will wear this crown.” Lola couldn’t stop herself; she rushed forward and hugged Danielle tightly. Danielle returned her hug as Tag hugged Jimmy saying, “Welcome to our family.” The cheering couldn’t get any louder but it did. Danielle smiled and bowed to the assembly.
• • •
After a long moment, Tag raised his arms high. The room was exhausted and silence returned quickly. Tag waited until the room was quiet before he began, “Please be seated. There is one more video we want you to see.”
The assembly sat down and then the giant monitor activated, where they saw a Red Warrior being shot out of a huge emitter. Jack’s face couldn’t hide his shock as the gathered thousands saw what he did to save Tag and Kogo. As the recording showed him leaving the Prime with Tag and Kogo on his shoulders, Danielle said, “The Doctors told me that carrying Tag and Kogo with every muscle torn away from the bones in his arms, legs, and torso was not humanly possible. I challenged them on it but they insisted it was impossible. He knew he had to get them out of the landing bay where the Prime’s fuel was leaking. No one understands how he managed to make it happen.” The crowd watched Jack carry Tag and Kogo through the airlock and then collapse writhing in pain. The next images showed him lying in a cocoon in the hospital. Tag turned to Jack, “Colonel Jack Turner, please come forward.”
Jack started to resist shaking his head and Danielle raised her arm to stop his protest as she said forcefully, “Please follow your King’s command!”
Jack stood up and walked to Tag and Danielle. Tag took the two-swords from Danielle and said, “Kogo, please join Colonel Turner.”
Kogo’s head jerked up in surprise but Dela pushed him up out of his chair. He stood up and joined Jack as Tag said, “Please kneel.” Kogo knelt and pulled Jack down with him. Tag raised the swords over Jack’s head and said, “For bravery above and far beyond any could expect, I knight you and from this day forward you will be Sir Jack Turner and you will join the ranks of the Realm’s Newest Royalty. You will be the Supreme Commander of all our Red Warriors and Ground forces.” Tag tapped him on the shoulders and turned to Kogo, “For saving my Life and for all you’ve done to demonstrate what a Warrior’s spirit truly is, I knight you Kogo-Dorg and you will be the Supreme Commander of all the Realm’s Naval Forces. Now rise and do what’s needed to defend us against all aggressors.”
Jack and Kogo stood as the warriors in the gathering rushed the stage and lifted them on their shoulders. The first to arrive were the Senior Officers. They carried them out into the room with the cheers reaching a deafening level. Dela walked up to Tag with a huge smile. He looked at her, “Is there something you find so amusing?”
Dela snickered, “Think about it, Tag. A Cainth commanding the Navy and a Human commanding ground forces. Isn’t that a little backwards?”
Tag burst out laughing and said, “Indeed it is but the universe is changing.”
Dela laughed with him and watched Kogo being carried on the shoulders of his warriors. Now a wedding was in order. Dela would not accept a further delay.
• • •
Tag put his arm around Danielle heard her ask, “What happens now?”
“We do all we can to delay them and pray we find out what will stop them. The planetary Coronado Fields will be our focus for the immediate future.”
Danielle smiled and nodded, “We’ve found the Realm’s first New Royalty today. There will be others.”
Tag pulled her tighter, “In the end, love does conquer all.” Danielle snuggled in closer and held Tag tighter. She was getting accustomed to wearing crown and Royal Gown along with the role they had to play in the coming war; but this moment was for Jimmy, Lola, Jack and Kogo. They deserved every moment of it.
The End
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Books by Saxon Andrew
The Annihilation Series:
Love Conquers All
The Power of a Queen
A Rose Grows in Weeds
Tommy’s Tale
Searcher
Demon’s Sacrifice
Finding Keepers
(The seven books above are also audio books at Audible.com)
Prequel-Psychic Beginnings
Searching for a Hero
Dahlia’s Deception
Annihilation-The Complete Series Box Set
(books 1-9)
Ashes of the Realm:
Juliette’s Dream
Greyson’s Revenge
Death of an Empire
The Return of the Realm
Lens of Time:
The Pyramid Builders
Planet Predators
Pray for the Prey
The End of Time
Lens of Time - Star Rover:
The Worst of Time
Running Out of Time
Chosen to Die
The Fight for Creation:
Life Warrior
Scout Warrior
Ultimate Warrior
Star Chase:
The Lost Prince
(Also an audio book at Audible.com)
Nowhere to Run
Nowhere to Hide
Probe Predators
Jesse's:
Jesse’s Starship
Mike’s War
Joshua’s Walls
Nemesis:
Revenge is Best Served Hot
The Search for Orion
Trapped in Time:
The Time Takers
Taming a Planet
Extinction
Escape to Earth:
Running From Fate
Fighting for Space
Defending Holy Ground
The Legacy of a Conqueror
Living Legends
Searching for Death Feeders
Discovery Means Death
The Death Prophecies:
The Coming of the Prophet
The Prophet's Eyes
The Unknown Enemy Will Kill You
No Technology is Invincible
Survival is Never Free
The Last Prophecy
Stories from the Filament Universe:
Gregor’s Run
A Pirate’s Tale
Soul of the Swords
The Death Filament
Death Never Leaves a Calling Card
Jimmy's Dreams Stories:
Jimmy’s Dreams
Jimmy’s Dreams II - A Recurring Nightmare
Other:
The War Against Earth
The Book of Life
(a short story)
Coming Soon:
The Annihilation Saga:
The Warrior's Destiny
About Saxon Andrew
Saxon Andrew is a former social worker with a degree in Psychology and Education from Mercer University. He has taught school, managed several sales organizations and owned his own business.
He has devoured science fiction since he first learned to read and his stories are the product of years of personal experience and exposure to the universes created by the genre’s great authors.
He lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife and two dogs who still appreciate his sense of humor after all these years. "Dogs are always ready to smile."
Table of Contents
Annihilation Sage
Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven