Taming a Planet (Trapped in Time Book 2) (19 page)

Andy looked at her with a small smile, “Harmony gave us a wind. She wanted to go home to be buried.”

Dottie stared at Andy and after a moment nodded. “What now?”

Andy continued to stare at the couples celebrating below and said, “There are fifty six Destroyer ships coming in a month.” He looked at Dottie, “The last thing Harmony said to me was to try and save her sister. She’s coming with those ships.” Dottie stared at Andy in silence and after a few moments he looked at her, “I intend to do what she asked and kill every Destroyer in that fleet.”

Dottie shrugged, “Piece of cake.”

Andy looked at her and for the first time since Harmony died, he laughed.

• • •

John was standing on the main deck when Annelise came out from below deck and walked over. John had called a meeting of the archers to discuss the arrival at the community. John looked at her and she said, “Which one of you is in command?”

The eleven archers looked at each other and Mitchell said, “John is our commander.”

John looked at Mitchell, “Hey, I was chosen to land first. No one put me in command.”

Gerrod chuckled and John looked at him. “John, you’re the best flier here and you’ve proven yourself to be one that we all look to first for instructions. Whether or not you want to believe it, you are our leader. Does anyone see it differently?” The others all voiced their agreement with Gerrod.

John looked at Annelise, “Why do you want to know?”

Annelise smiled, “The one commanding the ship has the authority to marry a couple. Ana and Paul request that you perform the ceremony.”

John looked at Annelise and Derek said, “Perhaps it could be a double marriage.”

Annelise looked at Derek and everyone saw her heart on her face, “Don’t you need more time to be sure?”

“Over the last four weeks, I’ve seen what I want.”

“Wouldn’t you rather wait and do this when we get back to the community?”

Annelise shook her head, “No! I don’t want Derek to find someone else there.”

Derek laughed, “Annie, I’ve lived in the Community my entire life and no one has won my heart. It’s only you that I want.”

“Then there’s no reason to wait.” Annelise looked at John, “Will you do it?”

“Why is it so important to do it here…and now?”

Ana stepped out of the doorway to the hold and said, “Because it was here that he was brought back to me by an angel flying on the wind.”

Annelise said, “And it was here that I fell in love with Derek. Even if we waited to get back, I would want the ceremony on this ship.”

John looked at the other archers and they were nodding. John smiled and said, “Annelise, I’ll do as you ask but when we arrive home, you will take the command of this ship and use it to defend our home. Will you agree to do that?”

The former slaves on the ship that had gathered around them cheered the announcement. Annelise’s face turned red and she nodded, “I will.”

John shrugged, “When do you want to do this?”

“When the moon is overhead tonight. I think having the full moon to witness the ceremony is appropriate. It was under the moon that you came and freed us.”

John smiled and said, “Under the moon it is.”

Gerrod said, “Wait a moment; get Paul up here.”

Everyone looked at Gerrod as he rummaged through the pouch on his glider. Paul came on deck as Gerrod said, “Ah, here they are.” He walked forward and handed Annelise, Ana, and Paul a small packet. Annelise opened the one handed to her and pulled out a small blue uniform. “What is this?”

“Don’t be deceived by its size. One size fits all.” Gerrod pulled his camo shirt open and they saw the same color uniform under it. “This is the uniform that all of our Community’s warriors wear. I think it would be perfect for a wedding.”

The three looked at each other and Paul said, “Thank you. They will be perfect.”

Gerrod looked at John and he nodded. They would have normally had to pass archery training before they would be issued the blue archer’s uniform…but these people were not going to be archers. They were going to be part of the Community’s Navy. They would be training the Community how to sail. Gerrod was right. The uniform was perfect.

• • •

The moon was high over the ship as it rocked slowly in the waves. Paul and Derek stood beside John and waited for the two brides to come from below deck. The lanterns on the masts made the deck glow and the moon shining on the waves was incredibly beautiful. The door opened and all of the women that were now free began walking out and formed a circle around John and the other archers joined them. They took each other’s hands and as Ana and Annelise walked out of the hold to join Paul and Derek they closed the circle. John looked at the men and women holding hands around them and smiled. He looked at Paul and Derek and said, “Take the hand of your bride.”

Derek and Paul were shocked at just how beautiful their brides were in the blue uniform. It fit them like a second skin and they were amazing. Over the month they had been sailing, the crew were able to eat enough to help them gain weight. The women on board were now well nourished and in good health.

John looked at the four people in front of him and said, “Ana, Annelise, do you accept the one coming here asking for your hand in marriage; to be faithful and cling to them and no other for the rest of your life?”

Ana and Annelise said, “I do.”

“Do you promise to cling to them through good times and bad, to honor them and care for them through sickness and health?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to love them and to show them that love every day?”

“I do.”

John looked at Derek and Paul, “Do you accept this woman to be your mate for the rest of your life and to cling to no one but her?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to honor her and to care for her through good times and bad, sickness and health, happiness and sorrow, and to show her your love every day for the rest of your life?”

“I do.”

“Then by the authority given to me I pronounce you mates and wish you all the happiness you richly deserve. You may now kiss your mate.”

The two couples kissed and the attendees rushed in to congratulate them. Gerrod walked up to John and said, “Hey, that was pretty good.”

John shook his head, “I have no idea what I just said. I just hope it was appropriate.” John looked at Gerrod, “Did I make the promise the same thing for both the brides and Archers?”

Gerrod laughed, “No, but I don’t think anyone noticed.”

The women started singing and the two couples danced under the full moon.

• • •

Three days later the ship arrived at the cut in the cliff and anchored. Andy and Dottie came out in a small boat and joined them on board. John told Andy that he had asked Annelise to command the ship for the Community and Andy agreed it was a good decision. Andy went around introducing himself to the sailors and welcoming them to their new home.

Dottie walked up to John and hugged him, “I understand that you performed a wedding ceremony.” John nodded. “Do you want to perform another one?”

“If you’re talking about us, no way. I’m sure I really messed it up. I didn’t remember the words to the ceremony.”

Dottie looked into his eyes and smiled, “The archers tell me your words were moving and they want you to perform their weddings if they ever get married. They loved the simplicity and briefness of the ceremony. I hear you did a wonderful job.”

“Even so; someone else will have to perform the ceremony for us; I’d be speechless staring at you and how beautiful you are.”

Dottie slowly shook her head and put her arms around John. John looked around and whispered, “How’s Andy?”

Dottie sighed, “He appears normal but something is brewing inside him. He’s a very dangerous man and even more so now. I hope he maintains control when we go after the Destroyer fleet that’s coming.”

“He’s decided to take them on.”

Dottie looked up at John, “Hell itself couldn’t stop him from making them pay.”

John looked at Andy talking to one of the women and could see what Dottie was talking about. There was something…but maybe that was a good thing. It was going to take some hard choices to decide how to handle the Destroyers. He knew that many archers had been killed by one of their own guns. Andy was going to have to decide if they had a place in the coming fight.

A
ndy looked around the cave at the Community’s leaders and saw their nervousness. They were wondering about his stability. Andy thought for a moment and realized that they should be worried. He was possessed with a mission and no one was going to stop him from doing it. The former Commander of the Destroyer ship was bound next to the fire and his fear was clear for all to see. Andy looked at Maxius and nodded. Maxius reached over and removed the gag and Andy said, “You will answer my questions. Do you understand?”

The Commander looked around the cave and saw Ophelia sitting against the wall. The look on her face told him all he needed to know if he refused. “What benefit is it to me to answer your questions? You’re going to kill me anyway.”

Everyone in the room looked at Andy wondering what he was going to do with the prisoner. Andy’s eyes never left the Commander’s and he said, “We do not take slaves in our community. However, in your case, I’m going to make an exception. If you answer my questions honestly, you will be allowed to work in our fields. If you refuse, I’m turning you over to the woman you abused for the last year. Now decide.”

Ophelia had a long knife in her hand and her eyes seemed to glow as she stared at the prisoner. He knew his death would be a slow one. “Do I have your promise on this?” Andy stared at him and after a moment nodded. “What do you want to know?”

“Why do you go out and attack every human settlement you can find?”

“To gather slaves.”

Andy looked at Ophelia and said, “You can have him.”

Ophelia stood up and the Commander started jabbering, “It is to gather slaves but we also need to remove every human we can.”

Andy nodded at Ophelia and she sat back down with a loud sigh. “Why do you need to do that?”

“You won’t believe me if I tell you.”

“Give it a try.”

The Commander looked around the room and blew out a loud breath, “There will be beings coming to our world from somewhere else and we have to make sure they come to us.”

Andy was stunned by the Commander’s comment along with everyone else in the room. Andy gathered his wits and said, “How do you know this?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Andy lowered his eyes and said, “Take your time and explain this.”

The Commander looked at Andy and said, “I assume your ancestors were brought back to this time from the future.” Andy nodded. “My leaders have questioned why someone would do that and the only thing we could think of that made sense is that we were brought here to remove a problem that our abductors had. We are of the belief that an enemy of those that captured us will be coming and we are here to eliminate them.”

Andy looked at Harvey and saw him make a slight nod. The Commander saw it as well and said, “You already know this.”

Andy looked at the Commander and nodded, “Yes we do.”

“Then you can see why we’re doing this.”

“No, I don’t.”

“If there are many communities of humans on the planet, how can we be assured that they will come to us instead of someone else?”

“Did it ever dawn on you that they may be coming to every community they can find.”

“We don’t think they’ll do that.”

“Oh, why not?”

“The only possible reason we were brought back is because whatever weapon they use that threatens our abductors probably doesn’t work on humans. They’ll attack one settlement and probably leave.”

“Would that be a bad thing?”

“If that happens, the Abductors will come back and kill us all. We will have failed in the task they’ve given us.”

Andy looked at Harvey and saw he was thinking hard. He waited and Harvey said, “What he’s saying does have merit.”

Andy nodded and looked at the Commander, “Did your people ever have the guns that fire red beams?”

“The first ones to arrive had them but they were exhausted protecting them from the predators. The majority of them were damaged in a flood.”

Harvey said, “It is our belief that it is those guns that will kill the ones that are coming. Bullets won’t harm them.”

The Commander was stunned, “How could you know this?”

“One of our ancestors talked with one of the abductors and there was an invisible shield around his vessel that nothing would go through. If the abductors have that shield, I suspect the ones that are coming also possess it. Your rifles would be useless against them.”

The commander stared at Harvey and then looked at Andy. He saw the truth in their eyes. Andy said, “You have been killing innocent people for hundreds of years and if you succeed, your people will probably be killed.”

“Do you have the guns?”

Andy took the blaster out of his holster and fired it into the ceiling. “I believe that this beam will penetrate their shield and kill any of them on the vessel they come in.”

The Commander’s face was white, “You must allow me to warn my people.”

Annelise sneered, “Just like you warned my village when you attacked and killed seventy percent of our population.”

“We had to do it!”

Andy looked at the Commander and sighed, “Did you ever think about using your ships to move those people to your lands?” The Commander looked at Andy and remained silent. Andy looked at Harvey, “Do you agree with me now?”

Harvey closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. He looked at Mark and Maxius. Maxius said, “Are we going to have to bring everyone we can find here.”

Andy nodded, “Yes, but first we have to resolve the issue with the Destroyers.” Andy looked at the Commander who was shaking. He looked at Ophelia and said, “I am charging you with making sure he stays on good behavior.”

“I’d rather kill him and be done with the problem.”

“I made a promise and I intend for you to keep it. If he tries to escape or harm any of our citizens, then you can have him.” Andy looked at Ophelia and tilted his head, “You told two of my warriors that you know everything he does; is that true?”