Ultimate Warrior (The Fight for Creation (Book Three)) (18 page)

“Come unarmed and alone.”

“You do the same. I will guarantee the safety of your commander during the meeting.”

“There will be two of us meeting you but we will both come unarmed.”

“Why do you need two?”

“I’m needed to be a translator.”

“I don’t need a translator. I can hear his thoughts.”

“We’re not going to allow you to see his thoughts. I’ll translate the conversation.”

The leader looked at the Scanner, “Just how are they going to prevent me from seeing their thoughts?”

The Scanner looked puzzled, “I don’t think they can.”

“But what if they can do it.”

The Scanner said, “That is something we need to know.”

“Notify the Nest what’s going on and I expect you to follow my orders. I am the Supremacy here and even the Nest cannot overrule my decisions.”

“Yes Supremacy.”

• • •

Pixie looked up and said, “A small unarmed ship is leaving their largest ship.”

Russell looked at Pixie, “Can you stop it from seeing my thoughts?”

“I can. He will only hear the thoughts you direct to him. I’m sure he was planning to see your mind and take everything he wanted. He won’t be happy.”

“His happiness is the least of my concerns. Come with me and let’s go meet him. Don’t reveal us until we arrive at his location.”

“Yes Sir.”

• • •

The leader arrived on the planet and moved out of his ship toward the line of his dead troops. He moved around one of them and looked at it and saw the huge puncture of its head. He looked left and right and saw the fluid in front of the two dead troops. They were savagely killed with a physical instrument. Suddenly, two beings appeared three feet in front of it and it was shocked. He had not seen them and knew they could have killed him. He thought, “You appear to be more than I thought.”

Russell sat down and looked at the head inside the domed shaped creature, “We know what you are. Your actions here were exactly what we expected.”

The leader saw that he was unable to see the mind of the being. He had at least found out what had killed his troops. “You were rather vicious with my troops.”

Pixie said, “Your beams weren’t exactly a pat on the back.”

“That’s true.” He paused and said, “Why were you attacking the Grey Species?”

“We came to save the local population from being eaten by them.”

“Why would you do that? Do you have plans to conquer the planet?”

Russell shook his head and said, “We do not conquer or enslave any being. We fight to prevent species like you from subjugating or killing intelligent beings.”

“That sounds like a waste of good energy. If you weren’t going to use this planet you should have just left it alone. Incidentally, this planet has been marked as one of our future farms and we will not allow anyone to land on it.”

“If what you mean by a farm is enslaving the inhabitants and forcing them to grow food for you, then you would also be one of those we would seek to destroy.”

“What concern is it of yours who we choose to domesticate?”

“Forcing intelligent beings into slavery is not a valid description of domesticating a species. It’s a total disregard of any other species other than your own. You are blight on creation.”

“We see it as nothing more than using what creation offers for our comfort.”

“And you totally ignore the feelings of those you enslave. Your species is just as bad as the Grey Species.”

“We don’t eat those we domesticate.”

“No, but you force them to exist in a miserable existence and all they’ll ever know is suffering. How would you feel if your species endured what you force on others?”

“I don’t see that ever happening.”

“There are species in creation that could do exactly that to you and there’s nothing you could do to stop it.”

The leader now knew the meeting was worth the risk. “Just how do you know that?”

“The Creator has shown us her enemies.”

“The Creator?”

“The entity that created all that is here. She has allowed us to see the ones that are hurting her.”

The leader was confused, “I don’t have any idea what you mean by a Creator.”

“Of course not and you’ll never be able to hear or see her. You are one of the species that is trying to kill her.”

“We’re not trying to kill anyone.”

“But you do.”

“Sometimes, but for the most part we ignore everyone that’s outside our territory.”

“The billions of beings you’ve enslaved are suffering and the Creator can feel their misery. It is taking a toll on her and she is not well. We are fighting to save her.”

“I’m confused about all this Creator nonsense. We’re a very advanced society and if a so called Creator existed, we would know it.”

Russell stared at the beetle and looked at Pixie, “Let him hear it.”

“He doesn’t deserve it.”

“That is not a request, Captain. Allow it to get through.”

The leader looked at the two and wondered what they were talking about. All at once it heard a melody in its mind that filled his being. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced and for the first time he searched for a term he didn’t know. Russell looked at him and said, “You’re looking for the word beautiful.”

Suddenly the melody stopped. The Creature looked at the strange creatures in front of him and said, “What was that?”

“That is our Creator’s song.”

“Why is it so…so…”

“Sad.”

“Yes, sad?”

“Because species like yours are killing and enslaving the beings she’s created. She cries for their misery. We intend to stop that sorrow.”

The Creature stared at the two creatures and heard the melody in his memory. He said, “I will keep my word and not destroy this planet. We will leave and you are free to leave as well. We will, of course, try to determine your origin but I’m somewhat certain that we will be unable to do so.”

Russell stared at the shoulder high beetle and said, “Why are you doing this?”

“I’m not really sure. I just know I have to do it.”

The beetle turned and moved back toward his shuttle. Pixie and Russell watched him leave. Russell looked at Pixie, “Is there a way for us to escape without them being able to track us?”

Pixie stared at the beetle and felt hatred for it. She tore her attention away and said, “Yes. Mom, are you still watching?”

“I am.”

“I need you to bring a transport to this planet now and take us out of here. You should hide it behind your field.”

“Sam and I are on the way.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Pixie turned and Russell said, “Where are you going?”

“To get Mitch.”

“I’ll help you.”

They walked to Mitch’s body and Pixie looked up at the sky and saw the small shuttle enter the huge blue warship. A few moments later the thousands of blue ships disappeared. Russell and Pixie activated their armor and lifted Mitch’s body and moved him to the cliff wall. Pixie finally gave in to her anguish and cried until her parents took her to Castle Gardner.

• • •

Russell’s command of the survivors of Fourth Battalion was confirmed as a battlefield promotion and he took Mitch’s place as the C.O. of the Battalion. He called Clarke to his office and told him to sit down. Russell stared at Ken and said, “I’m not at all sure that I am going to accept this position.”

“Why not, Sir?”

“Two reasons. First, I’m nowhere near the tactician Major Callaway was and second, I’m nowhere near your skill level at directing the Warriors in combat.”

“Who is as good as Major Callaway?”

“I don’t know anyone who comes close other than you.”

“Sir, I am not a Major Callaway. I see patterns and can determine targets but I am not one who can direct the actions of multiple units. I provide information and allow others to perform that function. The critical decisions should be made by someone who’s able to see the big picture not just the patterns that comprise it. You demonstrated for me that you possess that ability during the last mission.”

“Clarke, I just don’t believe you.”

Ken sighed and said, “I want you to imagine a busy freeway and you are to drive through it at a specified speed and time to arrive at a destination at the same time as six other vehicles. I can tell you the perfect path to get through the traffic but keeping all the other vehicles and their details in mind is not something I can do very well. I would have to see the patterns they were operating in to make a good decision. You see the big picture and arrive at conclusions faster than I would. I can probably do a good job commanding the Battalion but from where I stand, you would be better at it. You made decisions at the end where I would have refused to meet with that creature.”

“Why is that?”

“The pattern seemed to indicate that we would have died anyway. You made decisions that transcended the pattern. I find that amazing, Sir. I saw no way for us to survive and here we are.”

Russell stared at Ken and said, “Alright, we’ll give it a go but I want you to be clear that I am going to depend on you to help me see whatever pattern you detect.”

“I will gladly share it with you.”

“I also want you to make sure every Warrior in the battalion can hear the music.”

“There are some that won’t be able to hear it.”

“Then tell me who they are and I’ll transfer them out. We are not going to be caught short again.”

“Yes Sir.” Ken paused, “Is Captain Mille going to come back?”

Russell slowly shook his head, “I don’t know. You know who she is.” Ken nodded. “I suspect the Duke will have a say in that issue and that is so far above our level that I’ll not worry about it. If I don’t hear anything by the time we get our replacements trained, I’ll request another Scout.”

“She took it pretty hard, Sir.”

Russell looked at Ken and said, “Love is like that.”

• • •

The Supreme Beetle looked at the hundred other Supreme Beetles in attendance and waited as they examined what had happened on the planet. After everything was viewed the spokesman said, “Why did you allow them to escape?”

“I don’t know.”

“You are placing yourself in jeopardy with that statement.”

“After I heard the sounds, I found I couldn’t destroy them.”

“What sounds?”

“I am going to share the conversation I had with those two creatures along with the sounds they gave me.” The Beetles listened and at the end one of them said, “Do you believe what it said about other species that could enslave us?”

The Beetle hesitated for a long moment and thought, “I sensed something about those beings. I knew that they would not tell me something that wasn’t true. They possess a quality called…honor. I do not believe that anyone that hears those sounds would be deceptive.”

The room remained silent for a long time as the Supreme Nest members replayed the sounds over and over. Finally the spokesman said, “What do you suggest we do about this?”

“I desire to hear it again.”

“Do you believe it is coming from the entity they described?”

“Does it matter?”

“If what you sensed about them not being deceptive is accurate?”

“Then we will never hear it again.”

Silence followed the statement and the Supreme Nest considered that thought.

• • •

Russell arrived home and exited his ship at the landing pad. He saw Ana running toward him and she threw herself into his arms. She was weeping and Russell stroked her hair, “Shhhh, it’s alright.”

Ana clung to him and wet his uniform with her tears. “I thought I had lost you.” Russell held her tight and felt his heart come alive. Russ came out of the portal and joined Ana hugging his son. Russell looked up and saw his mother exit the portal and come and join them. He had not seen her in years since she had left his father because of his long absences. Russ put his arm around her and Russell knew that old wounds had been healed. “It’s good to see you, Mom.”

“You have no idea, my love.”

Ana held on tightly and Russell saw his future in her eyes.

P
ixie stood on the spire and looked out at Ross. The huge city sparkled in the sun and she saw the room where Mitch had stayed on his visit. She began crying again and Jixie appeared beside her. She wrapped her arms around Pixie and slowly rocked her from side to side.

“Mom, I don’t know how I can go on.”

“You’ll take it one day at a time, my love.”

“We never had enough time together. We missed so much.”

“I know.”

“What can I do? I’m so lost.”

“You’re not lost. You’re in pain.”

“I don’t know why I’m here anymore.”

“Then you need to look no further than the people you saved from those carnivores. You and I are here to make a difference. I know how you feel. I can’t tell you how many times I almost lost my mind over the possibility of your father being killed during one of his missions. Fear was my daily bread but I knew I had to let him be who he is. I protected him when I could but there is always the possibility of death when you love a Warrior.”

“I will never love again.” Jixie stayed silent. Pixie waited for her to respond and finally said, “Will I?”

“No one will ever take his place in your heart. But time will heal your pain and all you’ll remember will be the sweet moments. In time, you may love again.”

“I just can’t see that happening.”

“You’re too close to the picture.” Pixie leaned back with her brow furrowed. “You’ll have to put some space between where you are now and who you eventually become. You will be a combination of all your life experiences and Mitch will be a large part of the portrait. You learned how to love. There are many that never do.”

“How do I get over this?”

“You don’t. You learn to live with it; staying busy helps.” Jixie paused and said, “I have seen something that I want you to think about.”

“What is that?”

“I thought you didn’t possess many of the talents I have. I think they are in you but you’ve been unable to contact them.”

“I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

Jixie pulled Pixie over to a bench and sat down with her. “I assumed a human’s body when I came here and over time that body became me. It took me a long time to come to terms with how that body worked. You are in the opposite position. You have a human body with a fairy inside you. You have to connect with it and learn how it works. You used your mental skills to block that creature from hearing Russell’s thoughts. You didn’t have that skill when you left here. The moment you needed it most, it came out.”