The Fight for Creation: Book 02 - Scout Warrior (19 page)

Jason tilted his head and said, “I still don’t understand why you wanted that missile so much.”

Gon said, “Why do you say that?”

Jason pressed a button on a device and the main display went active on the front wall. It showed a small white ship fire a beam into a planet and it blew apart in a massive explosion. Jason said, “We’ve not done this for thousands of years but that is a recording of a Searcher Vessel using its main beam on a planet. It tightened its main beam and increased its power a hundred times normal.” He turned and looked at the group, “Our beams today make the old beams pale in comparison. Why would we ever need that missile is beyond me. All we need to do is get close enough to fire a beam on the planet.”

Sam said, “I believe that it goes against all we stand for to kill a planet and the innocent civilians on it.”

Jason looked at Sam shaking his head, “Then tell me what part of a tumor is innocent? If the civilians are working in the factories that are building Grogat weapons, they’re not innocent, unless they’re slaves being forced to do it. I’m sure the blood that flows through a tumor isn’t guilty of killing the body; but it is what keeps the tumor alive and transports cancerous cells to the rest of the body.”

Sam stared at Jason and raised his eyebrows, “You make a good point, Major.”

Thom listened to Jason and knew who his replacement was going to be. He had always liked his executive officer, but had never realized just how brilliant he was.

Jixie said, “Why only one ship?”

“I’m reasonably certain that the Grogat have optical scanners that will notify them if even one star’s light is blocked by an object moving into the system. Our scanners here operate so that it takes more than one star being blocked before the alarms go off. Their system will operate the same as ours. More than one ship could block multiple stars.”

Robby said, “Why is one star ignored?”

“Because stars will sometimes be blocked by objects out in deep space that move between them and the planet; if the system reacted to every single star that was blocked, they’d have an alarm every hour. Two stars being blocked simultaneously only happens about once a year.”

Jixie said, “There’s more.”

Jason looked at Jixie and nodded, “The bad news is that the size of the ship is also critical to being able to get close without setting off the optical alarms.”

Sam said, “How small must it be to get through?”

“The largest it could be would be one hundred yards.”

Thom said, “Then this need go no further. We don’t have a ship that small that could carry the cloaking device, a main beam, and the reactors to power them.”

“I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.”

Thom and the other attendees looked around. “Who had said that?”

Pride appeared in the conference room and said, “I believe I could absorb everything we need into my armor.”

Jixie looked at the giant cat and smiled, “And then some.”

Pride smiled, “And then some.”

• • •

Three hours later the meeting ended and though there was great debate about it, the plan was finalized. Thom didn’t like it, but knew it was going to happen anyway. He looked at Jason and said, “Remain here a moment.”

“Yes Sir.”

Thom said, “I never realized just how good you are in your analysis. You’ve impressed me and I’m going to promote you to command our planning staff.”

“I want you to wait a moment before you do that, Sir.”

“Why?”

“You may want to change your mind.” Jason pressed his wrist unit and Lyla came through the door and stood beside him. The attendees saw her enter and Sam said, “What is she doing here?”

Jixie touched his arm, “Hush and listen.” Sam looked at Lyla and saw she didn’t look his way once.

Lyla took Jason’s arm and Jason said, “Sir, I respectfully ask permission to marry your daughter.”

Thom was shocked speechless. Twelve weeks ago she wanted to marry Sam. Thom started shaking his head and Lyla knelt down and took her father’s hands in hers, “Dad, I know you doubt that I’ll ever be faithful to anyone. I know what I’ve been and all the terrible things I’ve done that you’ve seen.” Lyla looked up at Jason and said, “Jason has stood by me since primary grades in school and told me how foolish I’ve been acting. He never deserted me and remained my friend no matter what obnoxious things I did. He never gave up on me; he loved me in spite of me. I know that I never knew what love was except in one instance. Dad, you have loved me and have never given up on me either. I love Jason and I’ll never disappoint him again.” Lyla looked into Thom’s eyes and said, “And I’ll never disappoint you again, either.”

Thom’s smile began slow and got bigger. He looked at Lyla and saw a difference in her eyes. He looked at Jason and said, “Do you know what you’re getting in to?”

“I’ve always known, Sir.”

“Well, I’m glad I promoted you before you told me this.”

Jason tilted his head, “Why?”

“You’ll never have to wonder if you merited it. You have my blessings.”

Lyla jumped up and went into Jason’s arms and hugged him.

• • •

Jixie and Sam watched them and Jixie said, “She really does love him, Sam.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“He loved her more and that’s what made the difference. He never gave up on her.”

Sam looked at Jixie and smiled. Dort, Robby, Gon, and Jennifer saw their expressions. Dort said, “How is that going to work?”

Jennifer said, “Look at them. You shouldn’t have to ask.”

Dort continued staring at Sam and sighed. Gon said, “What are you thinking?”

Dort shook his head, “Haines was right during training.”

Robby said, “About what.”

“The best of us will find each other.”

Jennifer looked at Robby and smiled. She knew that truth when it was originally spoken during their first day of armor training. Robby took her hand and nodded.

J
ixie sat on an improvised saddle on Pride’s back. They had teleported in to the edge of the suppression field in the Grogat system and Pride activated the thrusters he had absorbed in his armor. They were eight hours away from Merothe. The cloaking device was operating and they saw the shimmering field around them. They picked up speed and began maneuvering around the ships between them and the planet. Pride said, “It’s unnerving to come this close to their ships.”

“You’ve seen this device in operation. They won’t see us without us doing something to get their attention. Pass their ships as close as possible to avoid blocking a star.”

“Being here is enough to get their attention.”

Jixie looked at the millions of ships in the system and said, “Jason was right. A missile fired at the planet would never make it past the ships in orbit.”

“Will we be able to fire a beam through them?”

“It would take more than fifty million ships to completely cover the planet. There will be plenty of gaps in their coverage. There’s no stopping a beam.”

“You don’t sound very nervous about doing this?”

“Actually, I’m enjoying the moment.”

Pride paused and said, “I’ve not thanked you for helping me see what’s happening to Mother. Thank you.”

“What have you decided?”

“We’re installing our armor as we speak. We will still communicate with Mother for direction, but the rest of us are getting into the fight. Have you been able to determine what’s killing her?”

“I believe it’s heart break.”

“What!?!”

“I went and saw the King’s new born in the hospital. I felt the love Maranda had for her child and I wondered what she would feel if something ever killed it.” Jixie shook her head, “The anguish would be heartbreaking and debilitating. I imagine that is what your mother feels at the deaths of her children happening on such a massive scale. That much sorrow weakens her body. It’s more than she can live with.”

“But we’re going to kill billions if we’re successful.”

“Pride, they don’t hear her song and she can’t hear them. Before she can heal, her song must be restored and those doing the massive killing must be removed.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“No, not really; it’s just a sense I have.”

They moved toward the distant planet in silence until Pride said, “I suspect you’re right.” They moved an hour closer and Pride said, “How sure are you about taking out the field suppressors?”

“Fairly certain, why do you ask?”

“What if they’re shielded?”

“If they put an energy shield around them, the suppression field couldn’t get out. The Cloaking device will work but not a force field.”

“The Warrior’s weapons go through their fields.”

“Actually they’re ejected outside the field. The suppression field is not an energy wave. It’s a set frequency and it would be changed if it went through another field.” Jixie looked ahead and said, “I can see them.”

“Them?”

“I think after the suppression unit was destroyed at the last planet, they’re taking no chances. They have two of them that are active and two more on standby.”

“Can you remove them quickly enough?”

“I think so but do you know what’s going to happen as soon as you fire on the planet?”

“No.”

“Well neither do I. We might be forced to improvise.”

“Can you be killed?”

“Oh yes. I’m just as susceptible to a beam as anyone else.” Jixie looked at the giant transport they were passing and said, “Relax. I’m not at all certain their beams will get through your force field.”

“Their beams penetrate our warship’s force field in every battle we fight with them. What makes you think they won’t get through ours?”

Jixie smiled, “Do you know anything about energy?”

“Of course.”

“Well, you know that an energy pulse weakens with the square of distance from the source.”

“Yes.”

“Well the reverse is also true. A force field is little more than an energy pulse. As the pulse gets closer to the source, it increases with the square of distance.”

“Yeah, what does this have to do with us?”

“The force field you absorbed is used to protect a main battleship that is more than a mile long. If that field is decreased to half its size, how strong will the force field be?”

“Four times stronger.”

“Very good. Now you are about two hundred feet long. How much smaller an area does the force field have to cover versus a full size main battleship?”

“A main battleship is twenty six times larger than I am.”

“So the field around us will be how much more powerful?” Pride was stunned at the revelation. Jixie said, “That’s why the Algean Attack Craft’s force field is so much stronger than our main battleships.”

“They have a smaller area to defend.”

“Exactly; and remember, you have a force field in your armor and I have one as well. So take that number and double it. We should be ok long enough for me to hit the suppressions units so we can make an exit.”

“Are you sure you want to exit to the location in my teleporter?”

“I’m going to be needed there to remove the suppression units as well, Pride. I hope you’ll join me.”

“That’s going to be far too dangerous for a Cat my size.”

“Pride, you’re all this size.”

“Ahhh, you don’t know everything.”

“Who said I did?”

“No one has to; it’s just something everyone starts to assume after spending two minutes with you.”

“Why thank you. That means a lot coming from someone as wise as you.”

“Now you’re stroking my fur.” Jixie started laughing and found it hard to stop. “What’s so funny?”

“And they say Cat’s don’t have a sense of humor.”

“We just can’t show it. You know…spoil the reputation and all.”

“Admit it Pride. You love doing this. You wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“I wouldn’t miss pulling a thorn out of my paw either, but that doesn’t mean I’d look forward to it.”

Jixie howled and they continued toward the planet four hours away.

• • •

“Are the warriors ready?”

“Just waiting for the obvious.”

“It won’t be much longer.”

“Are you worried about Jixie?”

“Of course I am but she has her mission and we have ours. This is something we all have to deal with, Jenn.”

“I really think she’s safer than we are.”

“I can’t say I disagree, but safe is not a word for any part of this.”

“Just try to enjoy this. It shouldn’t take long.”

“That’s the plan. You better go to your warriors.”

“On my way.”

• • •

“Sire, we’ve received reports from our scouts that have us concerned.”

“What reports?”

“The Realm’s fleets have all moved from their current locations.”

“Where have they gone?”

“We have no idea. All of our scouts have not reported seeing any of their ships at the planets they were defending against us.”

“They must have gone somewhere we know about. We have their forces spread out to the breaking point. They know we’ll attack if they leave.”

“Where should we go? They’ve abandoned more than a million planets.”

“HOW MANY!?!”

“A million and the numbers are growing.”

The Supreme Ruler of the Grogat looked at his Fleet Commander and said, “They’re coming here.”

The Fleet Admiral’s expression showed he understood and he reached for his communicator. He only had time to power it. Merothe exploded and the entire Royal Caste died in the fiery blast.

• • •

“Well, it’s show time, Jixie.”

“If you’ll do the honors, I’ll take a shot at the suppression units.” Jixie pulled the bow out of her armor and pulled the string back and let it enter the skin of her armor. “Say when, Pride.”

Pride armed two of the main beams in his armor and watched an opening appear in the ships orbiting Merothe. “NOW!”

Jixie released the bow string and had another shot on the way in less than a tenth of a second. The two active suppression units exploded with the planet and the two other units were hit a second later.

Admiral Garner said, “The Cat has released the Null Drive Suppressor. Begin your attack now.”

• • •