Escape to Earth-The Legacy of a Conqueror (29 page)

Chris shook his head, “No.”

“If you don’t, you’ll have to destroy them. Are you up to that?”

“To a point. They would become conquerors if the Legends were removed; they are aggressive by nature. They even tried to deceive the Legends about their capabilities so they could take on the Green Civilization as well as M-86.”

Allison sighed, “I just don’t want to see you suffer anymore.”

Chris smiled, “Suffering comes from wrong intentions. My intentions won’t be wrong in handling them.”

“Are you sure?”

“If I have to destroy every one of their planets, it will be due to their actions. I will not suffer from that decision. Destroying them may be a part of my Legacy the universe will cheer after all is said and done.”

Allison nodded as Chris took the ship back to Earth.

• • •

Eve watched her warriors training on the mock disruptors built in Australia. She watched them as the mock towers would spin at an impossible speed and fire a wide, bright light at them. They still weren’t fast enough. She shook her head and pressed a button, “Nudge, I need a change in the armor’s software.”

“What’s the problem?”

“There are so many disruptors that will have to be avoided that my warriors aren’t able to keep track of them.”

“They do have overlapping fields of fire.”

“Tell me something I don’t know?”

“But they can’t fire through each other.”

“What are you saying?”

“The safest place to be is next to a disruptor. Is that what you’re doing?”

“Not really.”

“There’s so many of them that your warriors can make their initial drop next to the base of one and then go at full speed to the next closest one.”

“What about the ground forces?”

“Are they going to fire at their ground disruptors? Anything powerful enough to penetrate the heavy armor’s force field will probably take out the disruptor as well. Anything less, your warriors can ignore.”

“What about the explosion the disruptors will make going up?”

“That’s what the barrier button is for.”

“I wish we could just run in the barrier to the next target.”

“You know they would run off the planet and into space if they tried.”

Eve sighed and Nudge said, “What I can do is add a subroutine to their scanner system to give them an overlay of the fields of fire from the disruptors around them. That would at least tell them where they would be in the most danger.”

“How long will it take you to write the program?”

“I’ll have it within a week and transmit it to their helmets.”

“Can you do it faster?”

“Hold on.” Eve waited and watched more of her warriors being hit by the wide lights. “Budge will take some time from his project and help me get it done. I’ll have it by tomorrow afternoon.”

“That’s great. I’m ending this exercise until you can send it.” Nudge disappeared from her display and she shook her head. Getting the barrier drive into the armor was a miracle and she had to credit the twins for making it happen. They were so…incredible. Especially Nudge. If this worked, she was going to take him out for a good meal. She smiled and wondered if she would take him out if it didn’t and decided she would.

• • •

Nudge stood up and stretched. He had a lot to do and it was for Eve. He smiled and remembered her face. He took a breath and turned to his computer.

• • •

Eve moved through the field of huge disruptor towers and saw the dark green field on her tactical monitor. She ran around the edges of the green-colored ground and moved in under another tower. She looked at her status square in the top of her visor and saw that she had lost a tenth of the warriors that had been knocked out of the previous exercise and more than fifty percent more towers were knocked out. She took out the disruptor tower and saw the ground around her turned green. She pressed her barrier button and saw four beams flash through the air above the ground she was standing in but she was in the barrier and wasn’t hit. She waited until the ground lost the green coloring and then she sprinted to the next tower.

• • •

Nudge was sitting at his desk working on a program to smooth out the application of the new pod’s force field and he heard a commotion behind him. He turned around and saw Eve walking through the lab directly toward him. He smiled and stood up just as she arrived. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard! “You brilliant man. You have saved so many of my warriors with your program.”

Nudge shook his head, “I take it worked for you?”

Eve kissed him again and then broke the kiss. Nudge turned bright red and quickly said, “I can design something else for you. Just tell me what you need!”

Eve laughed out loud, “I take it you want another kiss.”

Nudge smiled, “Something like that.”

Eve kissed him again and said, “I’ll be back to take you out to dinner this evening. Is seven a good time?” Nudge could only nod. Eve smiled, “I’ll see you then.” Eve turned and left just as fast as she arrived.

Nudge fell into his chair as Budge walked up, put his elbow on Nudge’s shoulder, and watched Eve depart, “Did you tell her I helped?” Nudge put his hand on his lips and nodded. Budge sighed, “Well, so it goes.” Nudge looked up at him. “You need to go and clean up. Don’t embarrass me.” Nudge stared at him for a moment and then stood up and sprinted out of the room. Budge smiled and went back to his computer.

T
he meeting room was full. Jinks tried to remember the last time there were this many in attendance and he gave up. The Welken, Johan, and Myot Rulers were present with their Fleet Leaders. The High Leader of the Goran was there along with the leader of his fleets. The entire Leadership Team was present along with the most senior fighting Admirals. Jinks smiled as he remembered Julie as a college junior commanding one of the Gold Star units. Now she was the Mother of two and an Admiral of fifty thousand Barrier Pods. Of course Chad and Loree were also present. He looked at the wall monitor and saw the view of two Silver Ships in orbit above Eden. Piper was one of them and the other was a ship from his relatives at the Grey Planet.

He looked at the row of chairs along the wall and saw the Droken Ruler. Chris asked him to attend just to keep him updated on what was going on. Jinks suspected it was to also keep him in a high position in the Fellowship. Oh well, he wouldn’t have done it but he knew Chris had a good reason for doing it. He saw many things that Jinks missed. Jinks looked at Lukas. Chris was very much like his father. Michael was there sitting between Stoney and Kathy.

Jinks sighed. Michael had gone through the metamorphosis from being a child to a mind that was incredibly active. He was ten years old but his eyes showed something else. Those children born with the Welken-Human hybrid brains were really a different species. He wondered if Chris was going to allow Michael to change his DNA. Michael looked at him and lowered his eyes as he smiled. Jinks sighed, he was listening to his thoughts. He tipped an imaginary hat to Michael and he smiled and looked away.

Eve was sitting beside Salud and Jinks shook his head. She was so much like both of them; the brilliance of her father and the hardness of her mother. Eve looked at him and he looked up at the ceiling. Eve laughed as Jinks thought, “Can a brother have a silent conversation with himself?” Salud looked at Eve and asked why she laughed. She told her and Salud looked at him and started laughing as well. He rolled his eyes and saw Averel laughing as well. He looked at the floor and turned back to looking around the room. So much had changed. So much. Six people nodded at the table. Jinks tried not to but he started laughing. He heard a noise and turned around. Chris and Allison entered the room and everyone rose to their feet. Chris smiled and said, “Please sit down.” Everyone sat down and Allison joined Chris at the center of the huge round table

“High Leader, I understand one of your scouts has heard the Legends saying they will order an invasion shortly.”

“That is true, Father.”

“Then we will commence our attack when they start forming their formations.”

Kyel looked at Chris, “Why have you waited until they plan to invade?”

Chris smiled, “That’s a good question Uncle. I thought it might be easier to go after them when they were in one large group rather than having to go ferret them out from thousands of planets.”

Kyel looked at Chris and smiled, “You make an excellent point.”

Chris smiled and looked around the table, “This meeting is to make sure all of us know our roles in what’s coming.” Chris looked at the High Leader, “Your forces will go after the Progen ships when they form up outside the edge of M-87.” Chris looked at Vanger, “Are your fleets of Pods ready?”

The short Goran nodded, “They are. They’re armed, provisioned, mobile, hostile, and agile.” Chris laughed and Vanger smiled, “What I’m trying to say is that we’re glad the waiting is almost over.” A number of Amens followed his response.

Chris looked at Kyel, “Your battleships will join Vanger’s pods in their attack. Have the two of you worked out a plan on how to work together?”

Kyel nodded, “Vanger will be in overall command. He will be able to send orders telepathically much faster than I could electronically. I’m thankful for him.” Vanger looked at Kyel and nodded at the compliment.”

“Jinks, you will be in command of the ships watching for the retaliatory forces that Legend Central might send to support those in M-87.”

“Kyel, how many battleships will be sent to me?”

“Half of them?”

“Are you sure you can afford to send that many?”

Vanger said, “If we run into trouble, I’ll call them in.” Jinks nodded.

Chris looked at Jinks, “You are going to have all of the Barrier Pods. If we run into trouble at the Legends’ Planet, I’ll start calling them in by fleet number.” Jinks nodded again. “I’m hoping I don’t have to do it. I’d rather keep them as a surprise to use against the response to our attack. But if they’re needed, I will use them.”

Everyone heard Piper say, “Are you really worried about their ships?”

“Piper, we’ve not seen what those new ships the Super Legend brought in can do. Until we do, I’ll be nervous. It would be good for you to not assume anything as well.” Piper was silent and the Grey Leader said, “Arrogance should be checked at the door.”

Everyone smiled and Chris nodded, “Something like that. I’d suggest not getting too close until you determine what they can do.” Chris looked at Eve, “Have you assigned the targets?”

“I have, Sir. We’re going after all the ground disruptors on the side of the planet where the Legends reside.”

“You have a tough task, Eve. If it gets out of hand, take out enough of them so we can skip in the Barrier pods.”

“I’m checking my arrogance here. I won’t be taking it with me.”

The group laughed and Chris said, “Pat.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’ll be taking you with me.”

“Is that a good idea?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m expendable, you aren’t.”

Piper said, “I happen to agree with him.”

Chris’s eyes narrowed and he began hearing others join them in their protest at his going into danger. “A good leader takes the risks of those he commands.”

Salud said, “Save that mush for someone who believes it.” Chris looked at her and she shook her head, “You and Lukas are so hard headed. Getting you to see your value is just not possible.”

Lukas said, “Wait a min…”

Salud said, “Shut up. You know I’m right. We almost had to hog tie you to take you to Eden.” Lukas closed his mouth. Looked at her, turned to Chris and shrugged. Salud looked around the table, “Is there anyone here that would respect Chris any more than you do if he went into combat?”

The High Leader said, “I’d actually respect him less.”

Chris’s eyes narrowed, “Why is that?”

“Because you are what unites us. If something happened to you, it would all unravel. Putting yourself in a position where that is even a possibility shows a lack of respect for those serving you.”

Chris took a deep breath to voice his opinion and blew it out when Allison said, “You have to know he’s right.” Chris looked at her and she shook her head, “Salud is right. You have no concept of what you mean to those in this room.”

“What about us?”

Allison looked up, “And the two of you as well, Piper.”

Jinks looked at Chris, “So you go dropping on the Legends’ Planet and leave us without overall leadership to coordinate our forces if the other Legends send a huge retaliatory force from the other galaxies.”

Chris looked at Lukas, “I could use a little help here.”

“Sorry, I happen to agree with them and I must say I’m starting to understand the problems I’ve cause in the past.”

Salud muttered, “About time!”

Chris shook his head with his lips pursed and he said, “Piper, you will not take Pat into combat. You keep him safe until the moment he can safely be taken to the planet.”

“Of course. As the Leader of my forces, I understand that I have to be in a position to see the overall picture of what’s going on.”

Chris looked up and rolled his eyes, “Don’t tell me you will stay out that easily?”

“Ok, I won’t tell you.”

Chris laughed and everyone joined him. Chris sighed and said, “All right, I’ll stay in the barrier and move between our forces where I might be needed.” The entire room exploded with applause. “Sarcasm doesn’t become you.”

Eve said, “Yes it does.”

Chris laughed and looked around the room, “I’ve brought a list of questions on what ifs. I’d like to know how you would respond to them.” Chris looked at Vanger, “What if the Legends send some of their fleets to organize with the Progen?”

“That’s when you’ll have Piper send a corresponding number of his ships to join us.”

Chris nodded, “Very good, Vanger!”

• • •

Allison sat in her chair and watched Chris ask his ‘what if’ questions and wondered how she had been so lucky to have ended up with him. She looked at the attendees and saw that the High Leader was right; he was what united them.