Escape to Earth-The Legacy of a Conqueror (27 page)

P
iper played the information on the data cube and looked at Jason’s ship hanging in space beside him. “You included that it was one of us that led the attackers against our family.”

“You can remove it if you choose. Our supreme leader insisted that everything be included.”

“I will take this to my Elders and see what they want to do about this.”

“Thank you, Piper. You’ve really been a good friend to us.”

“Not really, Jason. We’ve treated you with suspicion from the beginning. The fact that you shared all of your developments with us is the only thing that kept us from doing something stupid.”

“Well, I know it had to be you who pushed for patience from your leaders. Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome, Jason. I’ll let you know.”

Jason watched Piper disappear and shook his head. He didn’t expect them to help. They had no reason to do it. They were free to go anywhere in the universe and events in one or two galaxies weren’t really an issue for them. He sighed and entered the barrier. His new pilots had to be integrated into his fleet.

• • •

A month later, Piper appeared above the planet with a force field surrounding it. “YOU ARE NOT WANTED HERE! WHY DO WE HAVE TO KEEP TELLING YOU!?”

“I have some information from the species you assisted.”

“Why did they not bring it?”

“Because it is our responsibility to do it.”

“Why would that be the case?”

“I’m transmitting the information and will stand by to answer any questions you may have.”

“You may leave. We won’t have any questions for you and your kind.”

“This time, I think you will.” Piper began the transmission.

Four hours later, he heard, “IT WAS ONE OF YOUR KIND THAT CAUSED US TO BE ATTACKED!!”

“It was.”

“YOU ARE AN ABOMINATION!!”

“Yes we are?”

“WHY WOULD HE DO THIS?”

“Because he missed you too much to live in peace.”

“WHAT!?”

“You don’t understand how much you mean to us. You are our family and we feel empty without you. Being unable to communicate with you is a void in all of us that make our existence longer than it should be. The one who did it was hoping you would call on us to help you. It was a feeble attempt to bring us back together and we’ve punished him for his crime.”

“What did you do to him?”

“We exiled him from communicating with any of us ever again. None of us will ever respond or speak to him.”

“What are you going to do with this information?”

“We are going to gather here and help the others meet the Legends.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because your planet is in this galaxy and we will not allow it to be destroyed.”

“You are being stupid!”

“We do not expect you to understand. This is a choice that all of us agree must be done.”

“I see that you included a design for a Dark Energy beam.”

“It is something developed by the Humans and we believe it will help you if we fail. My Elders asked me to tell you that they are extremely sorry for what one of us did. We wish you a happy existence.”

Piper activated his drive field and he heard, “WAIT!” Piper paused before he skipped out and he heard, “You’re doing this to prevent us from being killed?”

“Yes.”

“After the way we’ve treated you over the eons?”

“You are our family.”

“Your willingness to die for us is not something we would ever expect you to do.”

“We’ve always been willing to do that.”

“Is that why none of the conquering civilizations in past ever found us?”

Piper hesitated and sighed, “It is. I know you told us not to meddle in your affairs but we couldn’t prevent ourselves from stopping them.”

“Is that the reason most of you have remained close to this galaxy?”

“It is.”

“Piper, you are worthy of being one of us. Ask your Elders to come and discuss this with us.”

“Why?”

“There is also a void in us and it is that void that has caused our anger. It’s time we talk about this. Ask your Elders to Come.”

“I will. And thank you for your very kind words.”

“You deserve them.” Piper skipped away and his existence no longer seemed so long.

• • •

Chris sat outside Andromeda staring at the Beach Nebula. Allison was sitting on his lap and she sighed, “This is so beautiful!”

“Not as beautiful as you.”

Allison giggled and kissed him on the cheek, “I love it when you say that.”

“You are so beautiful, Allison. Do you not know that?”

Allison sighed, “I guess I’ve been so stern most of the time that no one felt I was approachable. I guess I look ok.”

“Trust me on this, you are much more than ok.”

She kissed him again, “You’re so sweet.”

“And honest.”

Allison giggled and the display illuminated, “Commander, I’ve received a message from Piper.”

Allison stood up and went to her chair. Chris saw the concern on her face. “What did he say?”

“He says that the Silver Ships have chosen to join us in our effort to meet the Legends.”

“ALLLL RIIIGGGHHHTTTT!”

“There’s more.”

“What?”

“Their brothers on the Grey Planet have agreed to join them in the effort.”

“This is too good to be true!”

“It appears Salud’s video made the difference. What we didn’t know was the Greys have been building ships ever since they activated their force field and they have millions of ships ready to fight with us.”

“Did Piper say how they match up with him?”

“He was as surprised as us. They have been building ships with the silver coating. They are as powerful as any in our fleets.”

“We need to get with them to see how they want to conduct operations.”

“Sir, Piper and the Greys have decided that you will lead our efforts.”

“What?”

“They insist that you have the best information on what we should do and they trust you to lead them.”

“Contact Lukas and tell him the good news.”

“I told him first. He said that now the ball is in your court and that he will wait for your orders.”

“I’ll get back to him shortly. Thank you, Jason.” Jason nodded and the display went dark. Allison jumped up, ran across the small bridge and jumped into his arms. He stood up and swung her around in circles.

“Chris.”

Chris stopped spinning Allison and put her down, “Yes Alley!”

“I’ve been asked by the Gorans to come to their planet.”

“How did they sound?”

“I couldn’t tell. The one that sent the message was very short with me.”

Chris’s smile disappeared and Allison said, “Hey, this is still much more than we expected.”

“I know. Let’s go see what’s been decided.”

• • •

Chris and Allison stood in front of the Goran Elders. The new High Leader stood up and said, “What is it exactly that you want us to do if we decided to participate in your plans?”

“We want your warriors to take our ships and learn how to fly them.”

“What ships?”

“The ones that were sent here to attack you?”

The Leaders all looked at each other and the High Leader’s expression changed, “You would give us ships that powerful?”

“We’ve developed a new ship that is much more powerful but we also want some of your warriors to learn how to fly them as well.”

“You have to know that we could use them against you if we chose?”

“I know.”

“Why would you do this?”

“It’s the only way I can be sure you can defend yourselves.”

“I’ve looked at some of your ancient history and there have been civilizations where if a person caused the untimely death of a family’s provider that the one that caused the death must take the fallen ones family into his own. Is that what you’re doing?”

Chris’s surprise was clear for all to see. “How did you see our history?”

“We can see more than you know. Is that what you’re doing?”

Chris sighed, shook his head, and nodded, “It is.”

“So you look at us as your family.”

“You are just as important to me as my own species after what I did to you.”

Chris grabbed his head and Allison screamed. The Goran Leader thought, “He’s all right!”

“WHAT’S HAPPENING TO HIM!?”

“All of the members of our species are linked in to this conversation. They are deciding what we will do.”

She went to her knees beside Chris and pulled him into her arms. After a few moments, he shook his head and opened his eyes. He looked at Allison with wonder on his face and the High Leader smiled, “It appears our people have accepted him as their father.”

Allison looked at the High Leader, “What?”

“They refused to believe what we showed them. The only way for them to know the truth was for them to see his mind with us. They have felt his pain for what he did and they see his feelings are genuine. We will do what we can to help him defend all of us as well as the others he is defending.”

Chris’s tears fell as Allison held on to him. The Female Leader stood and said, “We have lost much…but so has he. What we lost will bind us.”

The High Leader looked at Chris and said, “You know what has to be done immediately.”

Chris wiped his eyes and lifted his wrist unit, “Admiral Barber.”

“Yes Commander.”

“You will have all your scouts report to the Goran Government Center to pick up one of their Scout Warriors to join the pilots on your ships?”

“Sir?”

“You need to go back out and take another look at the galaxies beyond the Virgo Cluster.”

“Why?”

“I suspect you didn’t get the whole picture. Now get your ships moving!”

“Yes Sir.”

Chris looked at the High Leader, “I will be sending a colony ship here to pick up ten thousand of your warriors to teach them how to pilot our ships on the simulators we’ve built. I’ll send another ship with the things needed to build the simulators here.”

The High Leader nodded, “They will be waiting on the ship’s arrival.”

Chris looked at the Leaders, “Thank you.”

“Your thanks does not belong to us. It belongs to all of us.”

“I will have the Leader of my Species contact you to set up what happens next.”

“Are you not the leader of your species?”

Chris smiled, “I am the leader of all the species taking part in meeting the Legends.”

The High Leader smiled, “It’s good you see it that way.”

Chris nodded, “Yes, it is.” The Goran Leaders left their chairs and came down to talk about what had happened with Chris. The Female Leader carried her child with her and Allison took him in her arms and hugged him tightly. The child whimpered initially but started laughing as Allison spun him around. The Female watched him and, after a moment, laughed with him.

• • •

“WHY ARE YOU NOT READY TO FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS!?!”

“Greatest Legend, did you not order me to modify all of my ships immediately?” The Leader of the Audons waited and said, “I have moved every one of my warships to their planets to be updated to the new technology.”

“WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG!?”

“We are manufacturing the systems to do it but we can only produce one system at a time. Our facilities are overwhelmed producing just one of the needed changes.”

“YOU ARE STUPID DOING THIS WAY!!”

“Greatest, you ordered they all be modified immediately. I’m following your orders exactly. Should I have done it differently!?”

“YOU WILL DO IT FASTER!!”

“I will do so to the best of my ability, Greatest.”

The Leader leaned back in his chair and the Fleet Leader smiled, “That is one unhappy Legend.”

“You think?” They looked at each other and tried not to laugh. The Legend may have still been watching.

The Goran Scout looked at Daphne, “He’s working against them.”

“What?”

“He’s deliberately making the changes at a slow pace. He doesn’t want to help them against your species.”

“Why?”

“Because our Father didn’t destroy his fleets when he could have done it. It’s good to know our Father is consistent in his mercy.”

Daphne Smiled, “Indeed it is. Contact your liaison in Fleet Operations and tell her what’s going on.” The Goran nodded and sent the message.

• • •

Jinks, Stoney, and Lukas looked at the star map. Jinks shook his head, “We missed a lot.”

Lukas nodded, “It appears we did.” The old map showed a triangle of red lights that extended away from the Virgo Cluster. The new map had a wide front of red lights that extended much further than before. The numbers were now in the tens of thousands.

“Are we going to change our plans because of this?”

Lukas slightly shook his head, “That is something Chris will decide.”

“If you were making the decision, what would you do?”

Lukas shrugged and waved his hand at the map, “All of that is superfluous to knowing if we can do anything against them. We have to see before we move to that map. I would move forward and attack the Monster Galaxy to see where we stand.”

Stoney nodded, “Then that is what he’ll do.”

Lukas looked at Jinks, “How long will it be before all of our forces are ready?”

“The Gorans are incredible on the simulators. Willow converted the verbal instructions to thought patterns and they pick it up three times faster than our students. They’ll be joining our crews on the Barrier Pods shortly.”

“Are we that far along in our construction efforts?”

Jinks nodded, “Joey was conservative in his estimates. We’re having about eight thousand of the new pods rolling off every week. The Gorans have taken possession of all of the older models and we’ll need them to help fly the new pods very quickly.”

“And Chris is certain they can be trusted?”

Lukas smiled and looked at Jinks, “Haven’t you listened to Averel?”

Jinks smiled, “You’re right. She’s really remarkable. If all of them are like her, we just might have a chance.”

“To answer your question, I trust them. There is no deception with telepaths. What you see is what you get.”

Jinks nodded, “The numbers we have to use is beyond anything I could control. I just don’t see how they can all be coordinated in an attack.”