Ashes of the Realm: Book 04 - The Return of the Realm (9 page)

Junior looked across the room and saw Cassandra sitting by herself near the Gardners. He excused himself and went over to her, “Excuse me but you’re Cassandra Gardner, aren’t you?”

Cassandra looked up at the tall young man and nodded.

“I’ve studied the history of the Realm since I was five years old and you and your husband have always been an example of what I’ve always wanted to be when I grew up. I am honored beyond words to have this opportunity to meet you. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I would.”

Cassandra looked puzzled and said, “Thank you. I don’t know that I deserve of that much credit.”

Timmy vigorously shook his head, “You are what saved the Realm during the war with the Captors. You are certainly one of the Realm’s greatest warriors and your warrior’s heart is an inspiration to me and so many of us that know the Realm’s history. You and the Alexander Kosiev are the reason the Realm survived the first Demon War. You are deserving of much more than you think.” Junior reached forward and she shook his hand, which put a huge smile on his face. “I can’t wait to tell my parents and friends I met you. This is just too cool.”

“Who are your parents?”

“The former Emperor and Empress of the Empire.”

Junior turned and ran back to his parents and Cassandra watched him go. He started talking to them and they looked over at her. Was I ever that much alive? She thought back and remembered those battles and she smiled. Yes, I guess I was.

Danielle watched her from across the room and slowly shook her head. Tag saw her and raised his eyebrows. “That’s the first time I’ve seen her smile since she lost Tommy.”

Tag looked at Cassandra with compassion on his face, “I feel so bad for her.”

Danielle nodded and then looked at the young man that had spoken to her. She suddenly felt something. He’s a first generation psychic. She quickly looked back at Cassandra and saw her staring at him. Then the communication panel next to the throne alarmed indicating an incoming communication, “Showtime.”

V
alerie went to the Throne and sat down and looked out at everyone. She took a deep breath and smiled just before she answered, “Twig, it’s so good to see you.”

Twig was startled. She had called the Queen’s personal frequency and expected Danielle to answer, “Uh, hello Valerie. Is Danielle available?”

“She is, but is there something I can help you with?”

“I need to discuss this with the Queen.”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you. Danielle abdicated and I am Queen again. Now, how can I assist you?”

Twig looked at the Spiders and wondered what was going on. She turned back to the communicator and said, “I have some questions I would like to discuss and I would like Danielle and Tag to help us answer them. May we come and have a meeting?”

“No. You may not. Good luck and use our ships wisely.” Valerie ended the call.

Twig looked at Edison and he lowered to the floor as he said, “I told you she would not be willing to help us.”

Destiny said, “Let me try.” He stepped up to the console and placed another call.

Valerie answered again and saw Destiny, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you Destiny. How are you doing?”

“Valerie, we need to talk with you and the Gardners. Will you please grant us a meeting?”

Jake came on the display and he asked, “Destiny, did you know about the destruction of the buoys in our old universe?”

Destiny looked at Edison as he said, “Destruction of what buoys?”

“The Algeans and Spiders had the buoys destroyed that were left in our old universe to keep watch over the civilizations there.”

Destiny and the Nest Mother looked at Edison and Destiny asked, “Is this true?”

Edison nodded.

“Why would you do that?”

Twig said, “It was a mistake. We never should have done it, but we did.”

Jake continued, “Just one more question, Destiny.”

Destiny turned back to the display and Jake said, “Did you know that the Algeans were originally planning to leave the Realm and join you in the Demon dimension, leaving Ross’s Galaxy behind? They were also going to disable every teleportation device in the Realm on their departure.”

Destiny looked at Twig, turned back to the monitor, and said, “I was told that you were going to come with them?”

“I discovered their plan and convinced Ross to leave with them; however, had I not uncovered their plans to leave, they would have left us behind with no warning.”

Destiny said, “I will contact you in a few moments. I need to discuss this with my child.”

“I’ll be standing by.”

Jake looked at Danielle and she nodded.

Trey shouted from the other end of the long table, “Did you know the Spider’s leaders didn’t know about what happened?”

“Not for certain. But I just couldn’t believe that as much as Destiny loved Matt and the Realm that he would have allowed it to happen. The Nest Mother only spends her time raising her children and left the running of their affairs to Edison, Newton, and Einstein.”

Newton thought, “What are you going to do?”

Danielle looked at Newton and smiled, “Your heart has always been true.” She walked over to Newton and Einstein and said, “I am going to save your species and give them a purpose. You have stagnated in your current culture and it’s time you started growing again.”

Einstein turned his head upside down showing his confusion, “How are you going to do that?”

“Just be patient and stand by your oath no matter what happens. Can you do that?”

Newton looked at Einstein and said, “You don’t have to ask Danielle. We would never stray from our commitment.”

The Communicator alarmed and Jake saw Destiny, “May I answer any of your questions.”

Destiny was obviously angry, “Why did you not come to me when this happened?”

“How?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were with your family in a different dimension from our universe. Please explain how I was to come to you with this issue? The Realm had no dimensional drives or communicators.”

Destiny stared at the display and finally said, “You were placed in an untenable position.”

“Yes we were and I made a huge mistake convincing the Realm to leave with the Algeans. However, if we had remained, our Realm would have been shattered with the destruction of our teleport systems.” Jake paused and then said, “While you were being brought up to speed on those events, did either Edison or Twig tell you that every civilized planet in our old universe was burned to ashes by an invader from another dimension? Trillions died and there were no survivors.”

Destiny lowered himself and Jake saw his immense pain, “No, they did not. They just told me the Demons were coming back.”

Danielle appeared on Twig’s display and she said, “You and your Nest Mother may come here and I will tell you what you must do to save your family. Edison will remain behind.”

Twig immediately said, “Danielle, we need your help as well.”

Danielle said, “Jake is the one that will decide who we assist,” and she punched off the display.

Twig was starting to feel desperate, “Your Highness, we need your help.”

Jake said, “Perhaps I should eliminate this frequency from our panel and maybe check in on your galaxy in a few thousand years.”

Twig said, “I didn’t know about the buoys, and I know that if I didn’t know, my people didn’t know either. They are not to blame.”

Jake glared into the display and said, “But you did know about the plan to leave Ross behind?”

Twig lowered her branches and said, “Yes, I did.”

“Your Elders also knew about that plan as well.”

Twig’s leaves began turning brown and she leaned forward showing her acknowledgement of Jakes statement.

“Then you will not help us?”

“You will have to meet our conditions for us to help you and I truly hope you say no; you deserve the Demons.”

Twig looked up at Jake and said, “What are they?”

“Every one of your Elders will leave the Sacred Grove and you will accept Weed and Seed as your Elders.”

Weed and Seed were standing in the Throne Room in misery and were instantly shocked into the moment, “WHAT!!!”

“Those are our conditions.” Jake broke the connection.

Trey stood up and said to Weed, “Now is when you must stand for your convictions. Do you truly stand by the principles that founded the original Stars Realm?” Weed and Seed were too stunned to speak. Trey yelled, “Do you!?!”

Weed gathered himself and said, “We do; but we aren’t qualified to lead.”

Danielle said, “It is only the ones that will stand by those principles that are qualified to lead, Weed. Your people lost their way. They didn’t embrace those principles originally and weren’t strong enough to stand by them to defend the Realm and endanger all of those new worlds that had come to their galaxy. Their fear for those new worlds allowed them to break their oath. Trey is right, you must decide and we will not save the Algeans without you leading them.”

Seed thought where everyone could hear, “We have already decided to leave our people because of their actions. We know the Empire will never forget the ideals that the Realm lost.” Weed turned to Trey and said, “We will do as you ask, but only if you will accept our Galaxy into the Empire. We will swear our total loyalty to the Empire and will never allow anything to come between us and that promise.”

Valerie looked at Seed and asked, “You don’t want to swear allegiance to the Realm?”

Seed turned to Valerie and lowered her branches as she said, “Your Majesty, the Realm died long ago when you deserted your subjects. You turned your backs on those principles just as my people did.”

Valerie stared at Seed and then lowered her head, “You’re right.”

Jake also lowered his head and knew that he was the one that caused it to happen. For the first time since Robby’s death, Jake cried.

Trey watched Jake and saw his mind. He saw what happened to Robby by the cruel Inspector and saw that he was also hardened by what happened to his family. At least his family’s death was quick. Jake was forced to live with Robby’s suffering until Robby killed himself. Cassie took his hand and he looked at her and lowered his head as well. He was willing to let trillions die because of his anger. He was really no better than Jake.

Danielle watched Trey closely and saw that he had seen the lesson. Thank the Creator for that. Now he was ready. She turned to Valerie and said, “Contact Destiny on his private frequency and have him come here immediately. We don’t have much time to make this happen.”

Trey looked up and said, “Make what happen?”

Danielle smiled, “We’re going to make them Eight Legs again.”

Newton and Einstein both said, “Make us what!?!”

“What you were always intended to be.”

• • •

Destiny and the Nest Mother arrived in a dimensional ship and teleported to the throne room. Newton and Einstein rushed forward and embraced their mother’s front legs and she said, “I am so proud of you. You have done the right thing and kept your promises.”

Destiny lowered himself and said, “I am so sorry for what we have done. It seems all my species does is destroy life. I wonder if we will ever find peace. The huge loss of your universe weighs heavy on my soul.”

Danielle came forward and put her hand on the giant spider’s head, “You are going to atone for your actions and balance your debt to Creation.”

Destiny looked up and said, “I don’t understand.”

“Destiny, what was your species created to be?”

“We were designed to destroy universes. We killed all intelligent life.”

“So what would you have to do to make up for that?”

Destiny shook his head, “I really don’t know.”

“If I killed the head of a family because I was forced to do so, what is my responsibility to the members of that family that were left behind?”

“I would be responsible for their wellbeing.”

Danielle turned to Trey, “Show him and the Nest Mother the vision of Creation.” Trey wondered what was going on but Cassie said, “Do it.” He entered the Spider’s minds and shared the vision.

Both of them began rapidly raising and lowering in anger, “That is abominable. Those evil civilizations are despicable.”

“You once killed life, just like they are now. What is your responsibility to those being killed now?”

Destiny looked at Danielle and said, “We must stop them.”

“And in doing so you protect those that you once were forced to kill and assume responsibility for their welfare. You were designed to be the most destructive force in Creation and it is only right you now use that force to defend life. You have it in your power to save more than you ever killed.”

Destiny stared at Danielle and then looked at the Nest Mother, “We must return to our ships.”

“Yes we do and this time we will be fighting to remove evil from Creation. I can feel the rightness of this decision.” She turned to Newton and Einstein, “Is this a quest you can believe in, Children?”

Newton kept the vision of Creation in his mind and said, “It is what we were born to do, Mother. We need to get into the fight.”

Danielle said, “Nest Mother, do you have enough ships to move your family quickly?”

“Yes, we’ll use the ships we brought here when we escaped and take the wreckage of those destroyed at the dimensional doorway to our old universe and build what we need to take up the fight. There are still millions of ships there from those families I absorbed when I was controlled by the compulsions that can be activated to move our populations.”

Newton said, “We will be adding the beams and missiles we’ve worked on for the Realm. Our ship’s attack craft will be even more deadly now. We’ll only land on planets to remove invaders.”

Danielle said, “The Demons will avoid you at all costs because they will be uncertain about whether you are still following the commands of the Red Demons. You will be safe while we attempt to resolve that issue.”

“Can we not help you?”

“Your ships stand no chance against them. You are needed to defend life. You should go and start that quest immediately. We are going to attack the Demon’s fleets that are invading other universes and they will come to the Dark Galaxy soon after that campaign begins. You need to be gone and all of your structures on the planets destroyed.”