Ashes of the Realm - Death of an Empire (Ashes of the Realm (Book Three)) (26 page)

The new Distributor pressed a button and he fell into his ship. He thought the coordinates and enabled the drive. The bright Orange Ship disappeared.

The Fourth Council Member arrived at the Distributor’s console, entered the coordinates into the main scanner, and pressed the enable button. The view suddenly appeared and they saw the Orange ship appear….among thousands of planet sized green ships. The Orange ship hung in space for one long moment and disappeared. “Shut it down, shut it down.”

The Fourth killed the power to the entire console and sat there trembling in his chair. The Three Council members were also trembling from fear and couldn’t move or speak. The new Distributor sat on his ship and couldn’t raise his hand to send him up to his console. All of them waited to be killed. The first three Council Members dropped into their ships and jumped to a vacant dimension to hide. Soon Orange Ships were disappearing at an ever increasing rate. As alarms sounded warning of accidental contact with the former family, fear drove a mass exodus that emptied the planet of those that made it their home for a billion years.

* * *

“Well, he didn’t stay long.”

“I suspect he is cleaning up his chair right now.”

“Why do you say that, Greyson?”

“I detected an active scan just before it arrived and it cut off faster than I’ve ever seen.”

“Let’s hang around a little while and see if they show up. Did you get a scan of that Orange Ship?”

“Yes and it matches up with the ships used by the Red Demons. I don’t believe we can stand up to that ship.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“Reflecting energy back at it will do no good. It would just replace energy used. That energy can’t be increased to a higher level so our current reflective weapons systems will be ineffective.”

“While we’re waiting, move over to one of the Green Ships and let’s take a look at it.”

“Trey, have you been listening?”

“Worrying about it won’t change it. These ships are historic and I want to see one up close.”

Greyson sighed and teleported over to one of the giant vessels. This thing was huge. Greyson was amazed by a ship as big as a planet. “Do you want to take a look inside?”

“Absolutely.”

Greyson moved to a huge port in on the top of the ship and flew inside. He forgot his worries as he marveled at the giant ship that had once been a killer of universes. Soon they began seeing millions of dried up carcasses of Eight Legs that had been consumed by their leaders. Trey quietly said, “This is what compulsions lead toward. The Realm saving this species was one of the noblest things they ever did.”

“It makes it even more depressing to see how they lost their way.”

Trey nodded, “There is that.” Trey looked at his display and said, “Let’s go home.”

Greyson exited the ship and teleported out of the ancient, dead, monument to a species that had been forced to slavery.

* * *

“Carter!”

“Yes, Jenna.”

I need you to come home now.”

“Why, what’s going on?”

“Cassie had formally requested a meeting with Mom and has asked us to be present.”

“Did she tell you why?”

“No, and she’s being evasive about answering.”

Carter took a deep breath and Jenna said, “You know something!”

“No, I don’t but I’m afraid we’re about to lose our little girl.”

“What do you mean?”

“She just turned eighteen and I know she has been studying for as long as I can remember to prepare her for becoming an adult. I know she’s told you that before.”

“She had but I didn’t put any weight into that remark.”

“Jenna, when has she ever said something she didn’t mean? She was preparing herself for something and I’ve always wondered what it was. I suspect she is going to tell us today.”

Jenna thought about what Carter was saying and began to see where Cassie was headed, “She’s found something.”

“Or someone.”

“She’s never mentioned being attracted to anyone.”

“Did you when you left to join the Searchers?”

“That’s because there wasn’t anyone at that moment. I met you years later.” Jenna paused, “Do you think this has something to do with her psychic abilities?”

“You know it does.”

“Come home now. The meeting is in two hours and I need you here.”

* * *

Carter was watching the current class of Naval Academy Graduates take one of their final ship trials. He looked over and Maddy and said, “I have to go. I’ll look at the recordings later.”

Maddy nodded as Carter activated his armor and teleported home.

* * *

Queen Ashley Talben sat on her throne and looked over at Glen beside her, “Do you know what this is about?”

“No, I don’t.”

They looked up as Jenna and Carter teleported in and turned off their armor. Ashley stood and rushed forward to hug her daughter, “Welcome home, it’s been too long.”

“I know, Mother. There’s just so much happening.”

“Do you know what this is about?”

“No, I was hoping you did.”

“She didn’t tell me. She formally requested a meeting to discuss her Royal responsibilities. Beyond that, I don’t know anything.”

Before they could say anything else, Cassandra was standing in the Middle of the room. Ashley turned and Cassie bowed. Ashley was going to rush forward to hug her Granddaughter but stopped and returned to the throne and faced the room. Carter and Jenna bowed with Cassie and Ashley said, “Please rise and tell me what brings you here today.”

Cassie looked at her parents and nodded toward some chairs to the right of the throne. Cater took Jenna’s hand and pulled her over and sat down. Jenna remained standing until he reached up and grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her down. Cassie smiled and turned to her Grandmother, “Your Majesty, I am abdicating my place on the list of succession today.”

Jenna jumped up but Carter pulled her back down and whispered, “Sit down and be quiet! Hear her out before you do something outrageous.”

Jenna gave him a stern expression but saw he was more serious than she had ever seen him. She usually got her way but she saw that this was not going to be one of those moments, “And if I don’t?”

“I’ll spank your bottom here in front of the Queen.”

Jenna was shocked and she saw Carter wasn’t smiling. She sat back and fumed.

Cassie watched her Mother and smiled. She turned back to the Queen as Ashley was trying to restrain herself from laughing at Jenna. Ashley looked at Cassie, “Why are you asking for that Princess Cassandra Reese?”

“Because I will never be available to fulfill that obligation, Your Majesty.”

Carter took Jenna’s hand and squeezed it. She looked at him and he shook his head, “Wait.”

“Tell me what is going to happen to prevent you?”

“I am going to be leaving in twelve hours to join my husband in protecting the Empire.”

Ashley glanced at Jenna and Carter and said, “Husband, I didn’t know you were married.”

“I’m not. You’re going to perform the ceremony momentarily.”

Jenna jumped up from her Chair yelling as Carter looked at the ceiling and shook his head. “You are out of your mind! Just who do you think you are coming in here and telling us what we’re going to do?”

Ashley looked at Jenna and said, “That’s what I felt when you did the same thing at age twelve telling me you were going to be a Searcher.”

Jenna looked at her Mother and suddenly knew what she had felt those many years ago. Her fear for Cassie was overwhelming and she looked back and forth between Cassie and her Mother, “Mom, I can’t.”

“Neither could I. Now sit down, behave, and listen.” Ashley turned back to Cassie, “Tell us what’s going on?”

Cassie looked at her Mother and slowly shook her head, “Mom, you’ve known this was coming. Don’t tell me you didn’t know. Look inside and see.” Cassie turned back to the Queen and said, “I am the end product of an evolutionary chain of events. I am a direct Female descendent from Danielle Gardner. Every one of the couples in my family’s history had a daughter and I am the last of the chain. The psychic power has been growing with each generation and it has now reached the absolute maximum level and must be released. I’ve known this day was coming since before I was born. I have been preparing for this moment my entire life and I am so excited and anxious for it to happen.”

“What do you mean by being released?”

““I am going to touch my husband and we will both be released.”

Ashley looked at Glen and said, “Who is the one that will release you?”

“Scotty Robbins.”

Jenna looked at Carter and he nodded, “You knew?”

“I suspected but never knew for certain.”

“Just what does Mr. Robbins have to say about this?”

“He doesn’t know we’re going to be married momentarily but I’ve been communicating with him since the night he became telepathic.”

“When was that?”

“The night his parents died and Bristone was destroyed. We have been in each other’s mind pretty much every moment since then.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because we both knew that we could not come together until this moment. He had to prepare himself and I had to get ready as well. Telling everyone about this would have distracted us from becoming what we needed to be.”

Cassie looked at Jenna and said, “I love him with all my heart and soul, Mother. I always have and he loves me as well. This is an event that was put into motion thousands of years ago when the original Stars Realm was formed. Everything that has happened was for the purpose of Trey and I coming together.”

Cassie looked at her Father and said, “You are also a part of this. You are a third evolutionary chain that is critical for us in this moment.”

Carter slowly shook his head and said, “I wondered about that. I just couldn’t figure out what my destiny was going to be. I’ve always been troubled by being so different from everyone else.”

“You are what we will have to have to be able to control the massive power that is going to be created. Without you present, all of creation could be destroyed. You are the catalyst for the releasing.”

Ashley looked at Jenna and saw that her anger was gone and she was confused. Ashley said, “Cassandra, this all sounds like some kind of mystical hocus pocus.”

Cassie looked at Ashley, bent her arm, and pushed her hand toward the ceiling. A bright blue beam shot out of her hand and blew a ten foot wide hole through the hardened roof hundreds of feet overhead. Cassie never lost eye contact with the Queen while the beam was fired. “Trey is more than a thousand times more powerful than I am at this moment. When we are joined, our power will grow more than seven trillion times the power of that beam.”

Ashley walked up to Cassie and looked up through the hole and saw the moon. Suddenly alarms started blaring and Glen activated his com, “Your Majesty, something has blow a ten foot hole completely through the moon.”

Glen looked at Cassie and said over the com, “Stand down. There’s no danger to our planet. We’ll make an announcement later about what happened.”

Ashley and Jenna were shocked silent and could only stare at Cassie. “I really didn’t want to have to demonstrate my power but I see you’re having difficulty understanding what’s happening. This is a psychic event that all the others were pushing us toward. It cannot be slowed or stopped.”

Ashley moved back to the throne and sighed, “When and where do you want to hold the wedding ceremony.”

“There will be no ceremony. You will marry Trey and I over the communications channel.”

Jenna started shaking her head and Cassie looked at her mother with love in her heart, “If we physically come together in this universe there is a good chance that all life in it will be snuffed out.” Cassie watched the shock on everyone’s faces and said, “We are going to have to go to a dead universe in order for us to complete the release.”

Carter said, “Will the event kill me?”

“No, but you are the only one in creation that wouldn’t be if you’re close to the event.”

“Why can’t you release yourselves and then come and have your wedding?”

Cassie smiled, “Oh don’t think that I don’t want a wedding. I’ve dreamed about it all my life; but I’m old fashioned and I know that when I finally touch Trey there will be no holding me back from loving him completely. We will be married before that happens. The ceremony will take place when we return.”

Ashley smiled, “Where are you going?”

“To have a conversation we should have had long ago.”

Jenna looked at her daughter and saw the beautiful woman she had become. Her long black hair hung to her shoulders framing a face that was almost ablaze with her excitement. Her blue eyes were shining. She stood and walked over and hugged her tightly. Cassie held her Mother as her tears fell, “Thank you so much for my wonderful life.”

Jenna looked at Ashley and nodded. Ashley looked at Glen and he started talking on his com. Cassie, thought to Trey, “You’re about to get a call from my Grandfather. Please take it.”

“What’s going on?”

“You’re going to marry me.”

“Oh, I was worried it was something bad.”

“This is Trey Robbins, why are you trying to reach me?”

“I have been asked by my Granddaughter to marry the two of you. Are you prepared to make the promises?”

“I’ve been ready my entire life, Your Majesty.”

Jenna felt her tears as Ashley stared, “Do you Scotty Robbins the third promise to honor, love, and cling to…..”

Carter looked at his Daughter and felt her power. Now he felt complete. All the questions he always had about his mental ability were answered. He knew his Daughter was marrying the absolute best person for her as he hugged Jenna tightly and felt the hearts of the two most important women in his life. Now he could release his own demons.

* * *

Trey teleported to the HMS Scotty Robbins, “Are the two of you comfortable?”

“I feel quite at home but I’m not certain how all these systems are going to be powered. They don’t appear to have connection to the star that was absorbed into the hull.”

“Alex, I’m sure Trey will explain how it all works.”