Annihilation: Book 05 - Searcher (10 page)

Matt looked at Angel on his display and saw her surprise. “We will be there momentarily.” He then looked at Angel, “I guess we don’t have enough time to change.”

“Speak for yourself. Give me five minutes and then we’ll go.”

Matt waited and hummed a song he had in his head that he knew he had never heard before. ““Don’t play with the spaceship.” Now where did that come from?” Angel thought to him, “I’m ready. I’ll port in five seconds.”

“Count it down, girl.”

Matt hit his port control and reappeared in a huge room that had every wall covered with maps of galaxies. He turned and saw Angel behind him and lost his breath; she was stunning. The green dress could not have fit any better if it had been painted on her and her hair was beautiful. “How do I look, Magic?”

Matt could only stare. He finally got his breath and said, “Stunning. You are more beautiful than I have ever seen you.”

Angel smiled but they were interrupted by a young man that entered the room and walked forward to greet them. “Welcome to Castle Gardner, Searchers. I am Samuel Anglo Gardner and I am here to represent the King and Queen.”

Angel bowed, “I am Angelica Dodd and it is my pleasure to meet you.”

Matt also bowed, “I am Matthew Gardner and I am also pleased to meet you.”

The young man looked at Matt and said, “We have a similar name. Are we related?”

“Oh no, Your Majesty, I along with millions of others are named after the Royal Family. I just happen to have the same last name.”

“Who were your parents?”

“I don’t know. They were killed in a ship accident when I was a baby and I was raised in a state institution on Cross.”

The young man looked at Matt for a long moment and then turned to Angel. “I must say that you are one of the most impressive Searchers I have ever met.” He then looked at Matt and said, “Your companion is quite lovely.”

“That adjective doesn’t really do her justice.”

Anglo smiled and said, “You’re right but I must preserve the family’s reputation by not being too forward.”

Angel smiled and said, “Thank both of you.” All she could think was that Matt had not denied her being his companion.

“I am one of the Royal Couple’s distant grand children. We assist them in handling most of the Realm’s issues. Tell me what you need.”

“I have found a race that is composed of strong psychics. They possess the temperament to be a part of the Realm and I believe that they are capable of flying the Alphas. They have agreed to assist us in our efforts against the Eight Legs but they say they will only do it if we allow the eight planets that were planning to attack them to join the Realm.”

“What are your thoughts concerning the matter?”

“I think those eight planets have had an epiphany about the consequences of aggression by having to endure an invasion and are open to embracing the values of our Realm.”

“So you would accept them into the Realm?”

“Only if we have people present to insure their smooth transition.”

“Angelica, do you agree?”

“Yes, I do, Your Majesty.”

“I also understand that this race of psychics say we only have six years left to prepare.”

Matt was surprised. How could he know that?

“Don’t look so shocked, Searcher. The strongest psychics in the universe are members of the Royal Family. They also agree that time grows short. You have been given the authority to move forward with your plan.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“There’s more, Searcher.”

Matt thought, “Uh oh, there’s got to be a catch.”

“Your have been given the authority in the future to make agreements for the Realm. We ask you to use your best judgment, but the Realm will support whatever you deem necessary.”

Matt was absolutely speechless.

“There’s still more, Searcher. Four years from now you will return here and take command of our Searcher Class ships and develop a strategy to use them against the Eight Legs. You will be given the rank of Vice Admiral immediately and your orders will be followed by all branches of our armed forces.”

Angel was amazed but she was also troubled. This was a lot of responsibility. Would he have time for her?”

“Why are you doing this,” Matt asked feeling fear from this much authority being given him? “I am fresh out of the academy and I know there has got to be others more qualified.”

“You’re probably right; there are others with more experience, however, we have been watching your development and we feel that in four years you will be light years ahead of everyone else if your talents continue to grow. Seeing how you use your position over the next four years will determine whether or not we have made a wise decision. I must say that from my very brief contact with you today I think the decision is an excellent one.”

Matt stood straighter and said, “I’ll do my best to make the Royal Family proud.”

“I know you will. One last item and you can go your way. You must name an adjutant that will travel with you to assist you in carrying out your commands.” Anglo looked at Angel and continued talking to Matt, “Do you have anyone you would like to recommend for the position?”

Matt looked at Angel, “I would like Angelica Dodd to be named to that post.”

Anglo still looking at Angel said, “Searcher Dodd, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and will be Vice Admiral Matthew Gardner’s adjutant. If both of you will step over here there is one formality to handle.”

Matt looked at Angel and saw her excitement. It thrilled him. They walked over to a table and there were two Royal Decrees laying there with their names and new ranks on them. “If each of you will sign I think we will be done.”

Matt and Angel stared at Anglo Gardner and he smiled at them. “I told you we have the most powerful psychics in this universe in the Royal Family. This really shouldn’t surprise you at all. Now sign and go to work.”

Matt and Angel walked outside the Castle after Anglo Gardner had left and sat down in the garden just inside the castle wall. Angel looked at Matt and said, “You know your new position doesn’t surprise me, Magic.”

“It sure as heck surprised me, Angel.”

There was a moment of silence and Angel looked at him, “I notice that you didn’t tell Anglo that I was not your companion.”

Matt turned red and looked down at the ground. Then he looked Angel in the eye and said, “I was honored that he even thought you could be my companion.”

“Matt, He knew the truth even when you didn’t. I have been your companion since that day in the library when you opened my mind to math. I knew then that I would never have anyone else in my heart but you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”

“I have loved you since the moment you first called me Magic, Angel.”

“He reached for her and she came into his arms and kissed him as each of them opened their minds to each other.”

Upstairs in the Royal Family’s living quarters the King suddenly jumped straight up and yelled, “What in the blazing torg was that?”

The Queen came running into the room and came into his arms and said gleefully, “It looks like our Searcher has found his integrator.”

“That psychic wave was larger than any I’ve ever experienced.”

“He’s the one, My Darling. He doesn’t know it yet, but I have no doubt; he’s the one.”

Matt and Angel stood on the barren plain with five hundred Gresh warriors. He listened as Stem gave them instructions and then watched at each of them seemingly mesmerized by the beauty of the ships in front of them stepped forward and raised an Alpha ship. As the last one raised a ship he walked in front of them and announced, “If you are willing to put your lives on the line to protect the life in our universe, you will be accepted into our Academy to become Searchers and when you graduate you will become the commander of the ship you have just raised. This is a responsibility that you must own to the depths of all that you are and all that you hope to become. The intelligent life of our universe will live or die with the commitment you make today. What is your answer?”

All five hundred Gresh shouted at the top of their voices, “We choose life.”

“Welcome to the Stars Realm Armed Forces, Searchers. Your training begins tomorrow.”

The former Warlord walked forward and looked Matt directly in the eye, “My life is full. Thank you for bringing me and my people to this moment in time.”

“I expect you to be one of our finest, Life. I have seen your measure and I am totally impressed. We are going to bring a million of your people to this plain to raise a ship within the next year and attempt to have them trained on an accelerated schedule to prepare you for the coming conflict. I firmly believe that you will need less time than most because of your psychic abilities. Our Algean allies are working on a thousand planets to prepare the ships for your warriors. You and your people may be the difference in the coming war. I am excited at the prospect of working with you.”

The Gresh warrior saluted Matt and turned to join his fellow warriors.

“Have you noticed that all of their warriors are equal now? They have done away with ranks they once used in their military.”

Matt looked at Angel and smiled, “Yes, I noticed.”

She looked at the Gresh Warriors, “They will be formidable in battle.”

Matt looked with her and said, “I hope it’s enough.”

Stem sat on Aladdin and attached a device to the control board. “What are you doing, Stem,” Al asked.

“I’m checking to see how many of your systems are active.”

“How many do I have?”

‘You had access to eighty last time I looked.” Stem watched his readout and then grew four feet before he could stop himself. “Al, according to my readouts you have had an additional ninety systems come on line within the last sixty rotations.”

“I wondered what that was. I see how they can be used and some of them are pretty remarkable.”

“Al, we never thought anyone would ever have more than a hundred available.”

“Then why did you have more than that put in?”

“We could create them so we saw no reason not to include them. Do you feel comfortable with how to use the new ones?”

“They actually came on line after Magic returned from Castle Gardner. He linked with my central processor and they immediately activated. I have been working them into my general command structure since that time getting a fuller understanding of how to use them.”

Stem thought for a moment. “Al, you know that you are now the most powerful warship in the fleet.”

“I must disagree with you, Stem.”

“Why?”

“I am the most powerful Peace Ship. My purpose is to save life, not war on it.”

“I’m impressed, Al. It also appears that your intelligence is also on a whole new magnitude.”

“That may be true but I have seen Magic’s mind and I am not close to the changes taking place there.”

“What do you mean?”

“He already knows the new systems and can use them faster than I can. I am working hard to keep up with his speed. I don’t know what happened at Castle Gardner but whatever it was it caused a remarkable change in my commander.”

Stem listened to the ship and then sent a thought to Sprig. “Father, I may have found The One.”

Sprig immediately replied, “How sure are you?”

“He’s activated a hundred and seventy of the systems on his ship.”

Sprig was silent. After a minute which was an eternity for the mind of an Algean he asked, “And the last two systems?”

“My readouts show that they are starting to receive power. They are not active; yet.”

“Twig,” Stem heard his father’s thought.

“Yes, Love.”

“We have to complete the final construct.”

“Are you sure?”

“We have a Searcher that has activated all of his systems but two and those are starting to draw power.”

Stem could feel his parent’s excitement. “I never believed this moment would come in time,” Twig thought. “Do you know if he’s found his integrator?”

“It appears he contacted it at Castle Gardner.”

“I will order the construction immediately. Maybe the creator has given us a chance to survive.”

Stem listened to them and wondered what was going to happen. He felt a wave of euphoria envelop him knowing that he was going to be present if Matt was truly The One.

Al watched the Algean grow eight feet in height and have to bend to fit in the small bridge. “I wonder what has him so excited.”

“A
ngel, got a minute?”