by Saxon Andrew
Jingo observed the destruction of the Heramu fleet and took a deep breath. Something had to be done with the Flyer’s armor. The beam just wasn’t strong enough to break through a ships force field. He knew the fleet was available to use at times like this but it would be nice if a Flyer had the power it needed to handle it alone. Perhaps the group at the Defense Facility would come up with an answer.
“We have another Heramu Fleet at another planet. Their forces are currently landing troops. The defending fleet has been destroyed.”
Jingo sighed, “Send me the coordinates.” The Heramu were bent on killing any civilized planet near their borders and their borders were constantly expanding. I wonder why there are so many aggressive species in this universe. Well, time to go. “Jessica, will you go with us?”
“There are more than three thousand ships in this fleet. We’ll handle the fleet; you take out the troops on the ground.”
“I wonder why they’re landing troops. They usually just destroy the planet from space.”
“That’s the odd thing, Jingo. Their beams and missiles don’t make it into the atmosphere. Something on the planet is stopping them.”
“Then how did their drops ships get through?”
“You’re going to have to answer that when you get there.”
Jingo thought about it and sent a message, “Grang, what’s your status?”
“We just finished stopping a Heramu attack ten hours ago.”
“I’m going to have to stop an invasion of a planet where they have launched troops. Are you able to assist me?”
“I’ve never seen them land troops.”
“That’s why I want you here. Something is going on.”
“My Flyers can use the training on stopping ground attacks. Send me the location.”
“You’ve got it; link in to my net when you arrive.”
“On my way; Scotty would be proud.”
“Of that, I am sure, my Brother.”
Jingo and Cezee teleported in over a small city just as the drop ships arrived and began hitting them with Cezee’s main beam. Jingo hit ten troops that exited the small craft firing blasters at the surrounding buildings. All ten were hit in the head and dropped where they stood.
The troops on the ground looked up but couldn’t see what was killing them. They knew that to stay near their ships was certain death so they ran toward the buildings. Jingo keyed his command circuit, “If they get into the buildings we’ll have to go after them on foot. Stop as many as you can.”
Grang arrived with a Flock and sent them down to stop the mad rush by the drop troops to get into the city. Jingo and he watched as their Flyers picked them off by the hundreds with small two inch blaster beams. “Looks like the training is paying off.”
Jingo nodded, “How I wish I could get in the middle of the fighting.”
“Me, too. But Scotty listened to us when he desperately wanted to go and steal the Military Database and I feel like I would dishonor his memory to act differently.”
Jingo looked at Grang, “I feel the same way.” He turned back to watch the fight on the ground and smiled.
Alex looked at the new probe, “This one should function properly.”
Trey looked at the hull and nodded. Suddenly a probe flew in and entered the Facility’s mainframe. “What was that, Alex?”
“Jingo and Grang are reporting on the fight against the Heramu on a planet.”
“Did you say on a planet?”
“Yes, it seems nothing the Heramu fired at the planet made it into the atmosphere. Jingo reported blue flashes stopping everything.”
Trey jumped up and yelled, “Kreej, get over here! Give me the coordinates of that fight, Alex!!”
“Hey, settle down. They say they’re getting everything under control.”
“Alex sometimes I could take you apart bolt by bolt. Give me those coordinates now!”
Alex sent them to Trey’s armor, “Get us there Kreej.”
Weed and Seed looked at Carter, “What was that all about?”
“I honestly don’t know. However, whatever it is must be huge for Trey to respond like that.”
Kreej arrived at the planet and Trey looked for Jingo and Grang, “I’ve got them.”
Trey looked at his helmet display, “Thanks, Kreej. Take me there.”
Trey teleported in and Jingo was startled, “Trey, what are you doing here?”
“I want you to tell me what you saw when the Heramu fired on the planet.”
“I only saw the very end of their barrage but it appeared their weapons were being stopped by something that flashed blue every time a weapon hit the upper atmosphere.”
“Did you record it?”
“I’ll send it to you.”
Trey watched and followed a nuclear missile as it flew in toward the planet. It arrived at the edge of the atmosphere and disappeared. Trey slowed the recording down and he saw the missile fall apart and disintegrate. He replayed the recording and closed his eyes. He saw the blue field and traced it back to a building in a clearing on a high mountain. It was no longer functioning and whatever had sent it was no longer using it. Kreej watched the vision in Trey’s mind and found the mountain on the maps in his download from Alex. Trey and Kreej teleported away. Jingo looked at Grang, “What’s going on?”
“I…don’t know.” Grang keyed his mic, “Hemk, you’re in command.”
“Steven, you have the Flocks.”
“Yes Sir, switching control in 3, 2, 1…I have the circuit.”
Grang and Jingo teleported after Trey.
Kreej and Trey landed in a clearing next to what was obviously a temple. Trey dismounted and listened in his mind for anyone inside the building. He heard nothing. He closed his eyes and used his psychic ability to see the universe and his vision was blocked at the temple’s walls. “Cassie, are you getting this?”
“I am and no I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“You asked me a while back why I felt pressured to send the Flyers to this universe.”
“I remember.”
“I think this is the reason.”
“But you told me there was something dangerous in that universe?”
“Like I said, this is the reason.”
“Trey, I’m not sure you should go in that building.”
“Do you sense anything?”
“No, and that’s the reason why. My ability to pick the right path is not working. I am blind to what’s in there. I sense that I’ll be blocked if you step inside those walls.”
“You know I’ve got to go in.”
Cassie was in turmoil, “I know.”
“I love you.”
“Just make sure you come out.”
Trey started chuckling and dismounted, “Kreej, wait for me here.”
“I’m nervous about this Trey.”
“Join the club but wait here.”
“You have thirty minutes and then I’m coming after you.”
“Fair enough.”
Trey walked through the door just as Jingo and Grang arrived and the building disappeared.
Chapter Twelve
Trey heard the door slam shut behind him and thought about seeing if he could teleport out but then he heard music. There was a gentle melody filling the air and it grew louder as he walked up the wide hallway. He looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was more than a thousand feet high. He knew that this structure existed outside the normal space/time of a universe and that it was controlled by different laws. He continued walking and the music grew louder. He noticed that each of the giant columns had a large torch burning that cast light in bright circles ahead of him. He knew he should be worried but just couldn’t bring himself to feel it. He stopped, turned off his armor, and continued walking up the long passage. He saw another doorway in the distance that had bright light emanating from it. Time ceased to exist and he had no idea how long it took him to arrive at the door. He stopped, reached down, and took off his shoes. He
stepped through the door and saw a room about fifty yards wide by thirty yards deep. Sitting on some pillows next to the far wall was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She smiled and motioned him forward. Trey walked up to her and sat down on one of the large cushions.
“I see you finally found me.”
“I really didn’t know I was looking for you.”
“You just didn’t allow yourself to see it.”
Trey looked around the room, “Why am I here?”
“Why to find yourself.”
“I didn’t know I was lost.”
The woman smiled and Trey was amazed at her bright green eyes that seemed to stare into his soul, “That is the first step to finding who you are.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m really not a who or a what. This body you see is not real.” She looked at Trey and said, “Did you know that this planet was the first place where life appeared?”
Trey tilted his head, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Life began somewhere and you happen to be where it first appeared.”
Trey suddenly knew who he was communicating with, “How long ago?”
“The number is too big to express in terms you could grasp. It was from here that it spread and became what you know today. This was the first universe. Now life is being threatened and you are the one selected to defend it.”
Trey lowered his head, “Did my parents have to die for me to exist?”
“Why do you think they’re dead?”
Trey looked up suddenly, “They are no longer with me.”
“Neither is Cassandra but you can feel her, even now.”
Trey nodded and thought about what the woman was saying, “Why did you want me here?”
“I want to show you my children and I have a gift.”
“I’m ready.” Suddenly Trey’s mind was filled with a view of all creation. He could see it in its entirety and he saw the evil moving to consume it. He felt the heartbreak of the woman in front of him and he sensed the trillions being killed. He collapsed unconscious.
The woman reached forward and ran her fingers through Trey’s hair and stroked his head. She leaned down, kissed his cheek, sent him a thought, and then she disappeared.
Grang and Jingo saw the building disappear leaving Trey lying in the dirt unconscious. They rushed forward and lifted his head. Cassie immediately felt him and started trying to get him to respond. Kreej felt Trey’s mind and suddenly felt something happen inside him. It felt like he was opening a door into his mind that had been closed. He looked at where the building had stood and bowed. Grang and Jingo’s attention was on Trey and they didn’t see Kreej’s bow. The Empire was going to be turned upside down and at that moment no one knew it but Kreej and an unconscious Trey.
***
Trey awoke and remembered his vision. He felt Cassie calling him and he thought to her, “I’m ok.”
“What happened in there?”
“I can’t show you until we’re released. I hope you’ll trust me on this issue.”
Cassie looked at Trey’s thoughts and saw that she didn’t have access to the memory of what had happened inside the temple, “Just answer this question, is that temple what was pulling you to that universe?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Did it help you?”
“More than you know and you’ll understand when our time comes.”
“You’re different, Trey. Your mind is not like it was the last time I talked with you.”
Trey paused and looked at the spot where the temple had been, “I know.”
“Do you still love me?”
Cassie waited and felt an unimaginable fear that she had lost him; Trey smiled and sent her his emotions. She was overwhelmed and felt her heart burst with happiness, “I love you more now than ever before. You are my heart Cassandra Reese. You will always be my heart.”
Trey looked at Kreej and saw his heart. He walked over and Kreej lowered his head, “I’m going to miss you.”
Kreej slowly shook his head, “You will be our Ruler.”
“I know. It’s just life is going to be different.”
“You know what we are going to be doing and we have no choice but to do it.”
“Gather the Flyers at New Hope and we’ll meet you there.”
Jingo and Grang watched the two communicating telepathically and wondered what was being said. Trey stood and looked at his two adopted Fathers and reached out to pull them close, “Contact your Flocks and have them report to New Hope. I’ll let TK know to be there as well.”
Grang looked at Jingo and said to Trey, “What happened in there? You were only inside that door for less than a second.”
“It was much longer than a second, Father. I have been given something that I’ll never forget as long as I live.”
Jingo shook his head, “I don’t understand.”
“I’ve witnessed the heart of Creation. Everything is connected and we all have a role in the great scheme of things.” Trey looked at them with his eyes bright, “Some of us are expected to make a difference.”
“Are we done in this Universe?”
“The work isn’t done but the workers are going to change.”
Trey mounted Kreej and lifted for their last flight.
Timmy, Virze, and the other members of the Command Team stood on a platform that overlooked the vast field where the thirty five thousand Flyers were gathered in orderly ranks. Timmy wasn’t sure what was going on but Vring had formally requested a meeting with the Flocks and had suggested that it was critical that he come. Carter leaned over and whispered, “Do you know what this is about?”
Timmy shook his head, “I have no idea. The Commander’s of the Flocks also have no idea why this meeting was requested.”
“Does Trey know?”
Timmy looked around and didn’t see Trey, “I suspect he does and this might be something he’s behind.”
The thirty thousand Riders were standing beside their Zord and all of them looked bewildered. Something was going on that was causing a change in their relationship with their partners. Timmy looked at Jingo, “Do you know what’s happening?”
“No, I don’t, Your Majesty. However, whatever it is, it’s related to Trey entering that temple.”
“What temple?”
“He walked through a door into a temple and the building disappeared leaving him unconscious in the dust. Something happened to him and it has also affected the Zord.”
“How do you know the Zord were affected?”
“Kreej was different after the event. Something had changed in his demeanor. I don’t know how to explain it but something happened.” Jingo looked out over the assembled Zord and said, “Can’t you feel it? There’s something different about them.”
Timmy turned and looked at the huge gathering and saw that the Zord were not talking with their Riders. They were all focused on the Reviewing Stand as if they were waiting for something to happen. He looked at Virze and saw she felt it as well. “It looks like we’re waiting on Trey to arrive.”
Trey was high overhead on Vring, “I know how you feel about this, Vring.”
“I feel like I’m being disloyal to White Hair. It pains my heart to know he would be hurt by our decision.”
“You have not gone against your promise to do this.”
“How can you say that? I’m going to break an oath I took.”
“No you’re not; how can you even think that? Your Father promised to defend White Hair and his people until that mountain on El Prado fell to the ground. Are you saying you won’t come to our defense?”
“Well, of course not.”
“Then you have not broken a promise. Take me down to the clearing in front of the Emperor.”
“Trey, White Hair is so proud of you. I know your parents are as well.”
“I know. Let’s go get this over with.”
Vring screamed and everyone looked up to see the huge Zord diving f
or the Clearing. Every Zord on the plain lowered their head and bowed to the incoming Flyer. The Riders saw their mounts bow and bowed as well. Timmy saw their response to Trey’s arrival and wondered if the time had come for Trey to assume the throne.
Vring landed and Trey dismounted and looked up at the leaders of the Empire, “I thank you for coming here today, Your Majesty. There has been a fundamental change in our relationship with our Zord friends and they have asked me to inform you what that means.”
Timmy stood and walked up to the podium and looked down at Trey, “What do you mean a fundamental change?”
Cassie sat in her room and watched Trey. She had not been able to determine what was going on and wondered what he was talking about. She sensed that his mind was now more powerful than hers and his psychic abilities had been tremendously magnified. She closed her eyes and listened to what he was going to say.
Trey turned and used his telepathy to say, “Please rise, Flyers.”
The thirty thousand Zord and Riders stood straight and the Zord stood on their back legs and towered over the assembly. Carter looked out and the view was overwhelming. Something big was about to happen.
Trey faced the Zord and bowed deeply to them. He held that posture until all the attendee’s on the Reviewing Stand and the Riders also bowed. Vring watched and felt his heart fill with respect and admiration for the beings his Flocks had chosen to join so many years ago. He thought, “Please rise.”
Trey stood up and smiled. He looked at Kreej standing next to Vring and felt his love. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and turned to face the Emperor. “Your Majesty, the Zord are going to leave us today.”
The immediate shouting was loud and the loudest were the Riders standing beside their partners. Trey watched as each Zord told their Rider to be quiet and listen. After ten minutes silence ruled the gathering. Paul stood by TK and felt his heart fill with love for his nephew. He took TK’s hand and squeezed it. She turned and saw his feelings. She was shocked at Trey’s announcement but looked in Paul’s mind and saw that he knew this was something wonderful. She relaxed and moved closer to him. He put his arms around her and pulled her close.