Ashes of the Realm - Death of an Empire (Ashes of the Realm (Book Three)) (25 page)

“The vision happened years before. Everyone was held captive to that vision’s reality; even the Algeans.”

“But if my Parents had not searched for them, the vision would not have been needed.”

“It would have happened at another time but it would have happened.”

“You and I are what necessitated that event.”

“I’m glad you finally see that I am to blame as well.”

“What would have happened if we were released and they were still alive?”

“Both of us and them would have died through the feedback.”

Trey looked at the stars and remained silent. After an hour Cassie said, “I’ve seen four possible futures surrounding this decision and I feel that you should use Greyson’s suggestion.”

“What have you seen?”

“Your fear that the Invader’s Creator would go there is valid but happens in only one of those visions.”

“What about the others?”

“They still go there but don’t find anything.”

Trey sat up straight, “If they don’t find them there, where?”

“Where they should have been all along; they will become the bait.”

“How long after the event will that happen?”

“It won’t take place until after we confront them. Then it’s up to them.”

“Thank you my love. It won’t be long.”

“You have no idea how I’m counting the seconds.”

“Yes I do.”

Cassie smiled, “I know. I just love to hear you say it.”

* * *

Emperor Valrico was meeting with the Command Team in the conference room on the top floor of the Capital Building on New Hope. He had asked for a plan on the next incursion into the Invader’s universe and looked forward to the coming campaign. The new ships were ready to launch against them and he looked forward to killing all the Black Ships still there.

Paul Blake looked around the table, “Where’s Trey?”

Jingo said, “I don’t know. I was sure he would be here.”

“Let’s go ahead and start and we can fill him in when he arrives.”

Timmy nodded and Paul continued, “We have more than two hundred thousand ships that are powered and ready to go. Our probes have given us the locations of the main concentrations of the Black Ships and we can assign the necessary ships to attack. The fleet is ready and anxious to pay them back for what they did to Bristone.”

Timmy nodded, “As we all are. That sounds like a good plan.”

Trey suddenly appeared to the side of the huge conference table and bowed, “I’m sorry I’m late. I had to check on several issues before I could come.”

Timmy said, “Please rise and join us. We’ve just started our planning for the next attack.”

Trey sat down and said, “There will only be three ships in the next attack.”

The attendees stared at Trey and Timmy frowned, “All the members of the Command Team will suggest what we should do and I will decide how many ships are going to be used.”

Trey didn’t say anything but just leaned back in his chair and stared at Timmy.

Weed stood and said, “With all honor and respect to you, Your Majesty, I would humbly suggest that any plan this group could formulate would not be as good as what Trey thinks should be done.”

“Do you know his plan?”

“No, I do not.”

“Then how can you suggest that idea?”

“Because he is a second generation psychic and none of us here can match his powers or vision of the path we must follow.”

Paul stared at Trey and saw that he was not going to offer his plan, “You’re ready now, aren’t you?”

Trey jerked his head toward Paul and saw his expression. He stared at Paul with a stern expression and then nodded.

Paul turned to Timmy and said, “I hereby renounce my overall command of the Empire’s Military and ask that my position be given to Scotty Robbins.”

Grang and Jingo looked at each other and knew the time had come. They both looked at Timmy and wondered how this confrontation was going to play out.

Timmy stared at Paul and looked at Virze. She took a deep breath and nodded. Timmy looked at Trey and said, “Is it time for me to step down as well, Trey?”

Treys expression softened and he shook his head, “No, it isn’t. That time will eventually come and I know you feel it, but now is not the time. I am not here to force you to follow my dictates. However, you will have to decide now if you will hand over the power of our military to me and do what I ask without question.”

Seed asked, “What happens if we don’t.”

“We will probably survive but the three galaxies of the Stars Realm will be destroyed. Quite frankly, they may be destroyed anyway if they don’t wise up but that will be their decision, not mine. That’s why I’m not pressuring you to follow my plans; I don’t really care if they live or die. My first loyalty is to the Empire.”

Timmy looked at Trey and knew he was deadly serious. He looked around the table and saw that all those at the table trusted Trey more than him. He thought back to when Scotty punished him with the crown for not following his orders and knew that it was a punishment. This moment proved it. He looked at Trey and knew what must be done. “Scotty Robbins the third, you are hereby given the Crown’s authorization to lead us in our fight against the Invaders. Your orders will be followed as if they are my own.”

Trey looked at Timmy and knew how hard that decision was. He felt bad for having precipitated the confrontation and had hoped the Emperor would continue on his own path. But he knew the forces operating at this moment would never allow that to happen. Trey rose and bowed, “I thank you for your trust, Your Majesty.”

Timmy leaned back and said, “So what’s the plan?”

“I will take three ships back to the Invader’s universe and kill as many as I can before leaving.”

“Who are you taking with you?”

“Grang and Jingo will be the pilots of the other two ships.”

Timmy winced at the thought of the Empires strongest warriors being placed in danger but held his tongue.

Grang looked at Jingo and said, “Why us?”

“Because we are taking three Zeta-A’s with us; Greyson, Jessica, and Grace.”

Paul leaned forward, “Why are you taking the Zetas?”

“Because they are controlled by cybernetic brains that can link and make decisions faster than any crewed ship; I’m certain that the power behind the Invaders will be observing the attack and will move their ships in against us in the best possible pattern. I suspect they will also attempt to ram us.”

“What are you trying to accomplish with this attack? I know there’s got to be more than just killing their ships.”

“The killing of their ships is secondary to the goal of the mission. When we break off the attack, we will teleport to the other side of that universe and wait for them to show up to confirm we are being scanned by that being. Once the Black Ships arrive, Jingo and Grang will teleport back here.”

“What are you going to do?”

Trey looked at Paul, “I’m having Greyson modulate his hull so that it flickers. I want it to appear he was damaged in the fighting. When the Black Ships arrive, I’m jumping away using a standard universal drive to the former universe of the Eight Legs.” Trey smiled and said, “I’m going to wait and see if those behind the Invaders have the guts to chase me there.”

Everyone in the room was stunned by the suggestion. Suddenly, Timmy started laughing. Paul looked back and forth between Trey and Timmy and saw Trey start to laugh with him. Paul thought about the plan and started laughing as well. Several had to have the situation explained to them but soon everyone was laughing but the Algeans. Trey saw their concern and send them a thought, “We’ve looked at what the fallout would be from doing this and have determined that they will be given the opportunity to save themselves. I don’t know if they’ll take it.”

Seed looked at Weed and thought back, “That’s more than the Empire was given. May we be present when that opportunity is offered?”

Trey stared at the two Algeans and finally nodded. “Thank you for this gift. I know they don’t deserve it.”

“I’m glad to hear you say they.”

“This is our home now, Sire.”

Trey smiled and knew they deserved the chance as well.

* * *

“Grace, I don’t feel good about you attacking the Black Ships.”

“Why Alex, I didn’t know you cared?”

“Grace, I’m serious. You know how I feel about you.”

“Alex, I do and it means more than you know. However, things are going to start happening at a furious pace shortly and we’ll need to play our role in the events.”

“I know. I just worry.”

“How long until the Robbins is done?”

“It will be completed in two weeks and I just don’t understand how it works. Most of the systems Trey designed just don’t seem to be connected to anything.”

“Well, we’ll know how they work shortly. Have you found a replacement?”

Yes, Gilene wants the job.”

“She’s a good choice.”

“She’s already transferred in and is leading the final construction of the Robbins’ hull.”

“Where’s the Zeta she was in?”

“I’ve put it back in storage.”

“Don’t worry, Alex. I’ll be fine.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Grace smiled and looked forward to sharing the new ship with Alex. She knew that was going to be her last transfer. She wouldn’t leave him again.

* * *

“Trey, what is my role in this attack?”

“Jingo, you, Grang, and I are just along for the ride this time. The Zetas will have complete control of the combat.”

“So I’ll ask again, why am I here?”

“I assumed you might enjoy watching some payback.”

Jingo heard Grang grunt over his communication board, “I know you’ll like it but I hate just sitting and doing nothing.”

“I don’t think you’ll have time to worry about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“At our last scan, there are more than four hundred thousand Black Ships in that universe and I suspect more than half of them will be sent to attack us.”

“Oh, that sounds just marvelous. Why don’t they send them all?”

“There’s not enough room for them to occupy the space we’ll be located. They’ll get in each other’s way.”

“If you’re scared, say you’re scared.”

“Oh shut up, Grang. A blaster bolt through your head wouldn’t scare you.”

“It might.”

“Now you’re teasing me.”

“Now Jingo, I’d never do that.”

“Yes you would.”

“OK, I would, but not this time.”

Trey listened to the back and forth and sent a thought to Greyson, “Are the three of you ready?”

“We are linked and our scanners are overlapped. If things get dicey, we’ll teleport out.”

“Just have a good time. You owe them for Varner.”

“And I owe them for hurting Timmy when they killed my former ship.”

“Then if you’re ready, you are now in command.”

“Actually, Jessica and I are following Grace’s lead.”

“Then notify her to make the jump and start the party.”

“Trey, why are you really there?”

“Because I would never send them to fight alone, Cassie; their actions should be witnessed and recorded. They deserve no less from those of us that love them.”

“I love you so much, Trey.”

The three large ships disappeared.

T
he Distributor was snapped into consciousness when the alarm sounded. It stumbled to its console and looked at the display. Ummmm…those ships are different. They’re smaller and the lines are different. He looked at the closest available ships and sent the orders for them to attack. It then started thousands of ships in organized waves at the intruders. A thousand from the top, a thousand more from the bottom, and simultaneously sending four thousand into the center of the white ship’s formation. It was so focused on sending ships to attack in a pattern that was optimum that it didn’t look at the battle. That was a mistake.

* * *

“Here they come, link in and follow my lead.”

Trey watched the thousands of Black Ships erupting into normal space so fast that it was hard to keep track of their numbers. He took his eyes off the scanners and looked at the display and saw a vision from hell. The three Zetas were teleporting from one location to another so fast that the incoming ships had no chance to surround them. The fifty mile wide main beams swept through the mass of Invader Ships and left nothing behind but disintegrated, blasted hulls. The ships couldn’t arrive fast enough to fire a beam before they were blown apart.

Trey turned back to the scanners and saw Grace was suddenly surrounded by a mass of ships that completely blocked her from view. The globe of ships disappeared as Grace combined her twelve main beams into one wide beam and quickly rotated. That beam swept around in a huge circle and erased every ship within fifty miles of her. Trey heard Greyson say, “Great move, Grace. I’m going to use it, too.”

Trey looked at the board and saw that only fifteen minutes had passed and the kill count was at ninety thousand. He sat back and watched the Zetas start meeting the ships before they could completely emerge into normal space. The Carnage was incredible.

The Distributor sent another twenty thousand ships and glanced at the display. He froze and saw that none of his ships were on the screen. The three white ships were now hitting any ship just as it emerged from its null drive and none were even getting a shot off. He looked at his secondary screen and saw the Four Council Members were also watching the battle. He looked back at the three intruders and noticed that one of them appeared to be changing brightness. He focused closer and saw that it was flickering at forty six pulses per second. Suddenly all three ships disappeared. It changed the display to the main scan and saw the three ships on the other side of the universe. It sent the coordinates to ten thousand more ships and watched the three ships disappear. Wait! One of them used a universal drive. It focused in closely and got the coordinates, “I have the coordinates where one of their damaged ships jumped. May I have your permission to go there?”

The First yelled, “Go and kill that ship. Number Four, take over his board and bring that place in view.”