Annihilation: Book 05 - Searcher (11 page)

“Give me about ten minutes. I’m completing the bonding of a pilot and ship at the Gresh graduation. I’m almost finished and he will be bonding shortly.”

“Take your time. I’ll wait until you’re through.”

Two years had flown by getting the Gresh tested, trained, and enrolled in the academy along with getting enough Alpha ships built for them. Angel and Matt had taken the leadership role in making the transition happen quickly and smoothly for the Gresh and the eight trading planets. Now Matt had returned to the galaxy where it had all begun. Matt leaned back in his chair and looked out at the Galaxy that he had originally been assigned to search when he had encountered the Gresh. He looked at the galaxy and thought about how many more planets had intelligent life and had been immediately overwhelmed with a vision. He had Al look at what he was seeing and Al had immediately plotted what he saw in his mind. Matt needed Angel to help him see if what he thought was taking place was actually happening. “Al, what do you think this means?”

“Matt, there is only one way to see.”

“I know, but I don’t want to check it alone. Can you get the coordinates from the map?”

“I’m already working on it. I should have a hundred of them ready for examination in less than two minutes.”

“Matt, what do you need?”

“Angel, I have had a vision and I need you here to help me see if it has any validity.”

“Stand by.”

A minute later Wings appeared next to Aladdin. “What do you mean by a vision?”

“Look in my mind, Angel.”

Angel entered Matt’s mind and asked, “What are all those bright blue lights?”

“Angel, I asked myself how many more planets in this galaxy have intelligent life and suddenly this vision appeared in my mind.”

Angel said nothing for a moment. “Matt, do you think it’s possible?”

“I don’t know. Al has plotted the location of a hundred of those blue lights. I am going to fly through fifty of them and I want you to take the other fifty and give them a scan. Al, download fifty of them to Fly Girl, please.”

“I’ve already given her the entire list; why don’t we take the ones to the left of our location and she can take the others.”

“Angel, let’s just do a quick scan and meet back here when we finish and look at what we’ve found.”

“Porting in two seconds, Admiral.”

“Matt smiled and said, “Oh, getting all formal on me now, huh.”

“Absolutely.” And Fly Girl disappeared.

Immediately Aladdin ported and Matt closed his eyes and looked at the information coming into his sensor systems. Ten seconds later Matt and Angel reappeared where they had started. “Matt, this is scary.”

Matt sat in his chair and looked at the scans of fifty planets that all had intelligent life on them. “Angel, let’s jump to the closest galaxy to this one and take a quick look.”

The two ships appeared just outside another galaxy and Matt thought, “Where is intelligent life?” Suddenly in his mind hundreds of blue lights appeared in the galaxy.

Angel was watching in Matt’s mind what he was seeing and he could feel her amazement.

Stem was on the bridge watching the proceedings and thought, “If what you’re seeing is what I believe it is, you have just made our searches much more effective. I can see other systems but I do not possess the ability to actually see a chosen sight.”

Matt looked at the galaxy thinking about how to use the skill he had just uncovered. Stem thought, “Matt, I want you to try something.”

“What, Stem?”

“I need you and Angel to go with me to Castle Gardner and perform an experiment.”

“When do you want to go?”

“Immediately; I need to make a few contacts first to get permission. I’ll get back to you momentarily.”

“Take your time, Stem.”

Matt and Angel looked out at the huge galaxy and saw all of the bright blue lights. The view was beautiful. “Matt, I love you.”

“Perhaps we can have a little experiment of our own at the Castle.”

“What do you have in mind, Magic?”

“Angel, will you marry me?”

Angel lost her breath. “Absolutely, yes a million times; do you think we can bring my parents?”

Stem thought, “We can go. I’ve entered the coordinates into your displays.”

“I have ordered a searcher to bring your parents to Castle Gardner. They will arrive in six hours,” Al said.

“Why are you bringing them,” Stem asked?

“We hope that a member of the Royal Family will marry us while we’re there, Stem.”

“Wonderful, I love a party, Matt.”

“I hope so; you’re going to be the best man, or plant, which ever you prefer.”

“I would be honored; would you mind if I invited my parents?”

“We would love to have them, Stem,” Angel answered.

Matt thought a moment, “Before we go and make all of these plans, let’s make sure the Royal Family agrees to help us.”

“Suddenly Matt’s and Angel’s displays came on showing Anglo Gardner’s face. “The Royal Family welcomes both of you and the ceremony will take place in three days.” Angel and Matt looked shocked. “You can’t rush a wedding. We have to have a dress for the bride and I’m sure her parents need some time to meet the groom. We’ll make the plans upon your arrival.”

Their displays went blank and the two lovers were lost in each other. Stem broke into their thoughts with, “Make your plans after we finish what I have in mind. Now let’s go; we don’t have any time to waste.”

Matt smiled and announced, “Porting in five seconds.” The two small red ships disappeared together.

They broke into normal space in orbit above Ross and Stem said, “Please teleport to the coordinates on your displays.”

Matt and Angel entered the coordinates and appeared in the Castle’s map room. Matt and Angel immediately recognized the room and turned and came into each other’s arms.

“You can do that stuff later, Searchers,” Stem thought. “Matt come over here a moment.”

Matt reluctantly released Angel and they walked over to where Stem was standing and looked at the wall that the Algean was facing. On the wall were millions of tiny galaxies. “This map is a real representation of all the galaxies in our universe. I can use the control board and focus in on any galaxy on this wall.” Stem turned the control and one of the galaxies grew in size until it covered the entire wall. It was the galaxy that Matt had been originally assigned to search. Stem moved the control and the galaxy shrunk back to its original size and was hidden again.

“What is it you want me to do, Stem?”

“I want you to look at this wall and see if you can see the planets with intelligent life.”

Matt flinched. “Why?”

“Just humor me, please. Give it a try.”

Matt looked at the millions of galaxies on the wall and shrugged and thought, “Where are the planets with intelligent life?”

Everyone looked at the wall and there appeared to be no change. “Looks like your experiment didn’t work,” Matt said quietly.

Stem turned the control and a galaxy that Matt had never seen was brought into focus. As it grew larger Matt, Angel, and Stem immediately saw hundreds of bright blue lights in it. Matt was stunned. Stem began pulling galaxy after galaxy and all of them had the bright blue lights. Then a familiar galaxy appeared. Matt said, “That’s our galaxy, the Milky Way.”

“You’re right; now I am going to go in to some of the blue lights in your galaxy.”

The view rushed larger and a blue light grew quickly. “This is where we are now, Ross.” Another blue light grew, “Cainth.” Then another, “Glod.”

Stem looked at fifty blue lights that were known to have intelligent life; every one of them was blue. Matt thought a moment and then looked at Stem, “Let’s try something else.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“We have more than 70,000 members in the realm now and another 20,000 plus that we have contacted. Let’s see if the maps can differentiate between different types.” Matt faced the maps and thought and said out loud, “Which planets have we not contacted.”

Stem pulled the Milky Way back in for a larger view and immediately saw five or ten red lights sprinkled among the blues. Stem immediately pulled a galaxy that he knew had not been explored by the Realm and there were no blue lights but numerous red lights shining around the map of that galaxy. Stem looked at Matt and said, “You may have just enabled us to contact more civilizations in the short time that remains than we have over the last twelve hundred years. This is remarkable.”

Matt looked at the galaxy on the wall and focused on one of the red lights. Angel entered his mind and watched as the planet he was focused on grew larger like he was approaching it in a ship. Then she saw huge cities with crystal spires climbing into the sky. The civilization had not developed a star drive; all of their ships were designed for space travel within their system. Matt looked closer and thought, “They don’t have military installations. This is a planet where peace is the norm.” Matt then came back to the map room and looked at Stem, “Stem, would it be possible to bring your parents here?”

Stem thought, “Father.”

“Yes.”

“Matthew Gardner has just uncovered every planet in our universe with intelligent life and has pinpointed them on the maps in Castle Gardner’s map room. He asks if you and Mother can come.”

Matt watched Stem for one second and immediately a silver field shimmered briefly and two Large Algeans appeared. “My child tells me that you want to discuss this new development.’

Matt and Angel looked at each other and Matt thought, “That was quick. I was thinking about possibly getting you here within a day or so.”

Sprig leaned forward to show his laughter and answered, “Some things should not be delayed. Show me the maps.”

Stem began pulling in galaxies and explained what the different colored lights represented. Sprig had Stem pull in some galaxies that he knew had intelligent life that the Realm had not contacted and every planet had a red light on the map.

Angel looked at Matt and saw his serious expression. She stepped over and took his hand. “I understand, darling. Our wedding should be delayed until we can organize a new search for all our ships.”

Matt looked at her and squeezed her had gently. “Sprig is right; some things just shouldn’t be delayed. Those planets will die if we don’t contact them. Every minute is precious that we have remaining.”

“I know; and I agree.”

Twig stepped away from the maps leaving Sprig and Stem discussing the possible numbers of undiscovered new civilizations. She walked up to Matt and Angel and extended a branch to them, “This is extraordinary. How did you do this, Searcher?”

Matt took her branch in his hand and shook it. “I don’t know. I just felt I should try it and this is the result.”

Twig looked at Matt for a long moment and then thought, “It’s not surprising seeing your DNA spirals.”

“What do you mean, DNA spirals,” Angel asked?

Twig remained silent and finally Matt said, “I’m a Gardner; aren’t I?”

Angel looked at him and said, “Of course you are, that’s your name.”

Twig thought, “How long have you known about this?”

Angel looked confused and asked, “Known what?”

Matt sighed heavily, “I began suspecting about six months ago.”

Angel looked at him and knew he was troubled.

“What have you been able to see, Searcher,” Twig asked?

“I am an anomaly. I am the product of two different DNA chains.”

Twig leaned to the left and thought, “Yes, you are. You were not expected to happen so soon.”

Stem and Sprig had stopped looking at the maps and had tuned in to Matt and Twig’s conversation. Sprig come over and placed a branch on Matt’s shoulder, “I think that now is the time you should hear your history.”

Matt looked at the Algean, “Do you know it?”

“I’m the one that’s responsible for it. However, I think we should have others in on our discussion. We will talk about this shortly, but first we have to decide what to do with this new information you’ve given us.”

Matt looked down and then smiled, “You’re right.” He looked up at the two leaders of the Algean race and asked, “How many Algeans are available to help in this project?”

“How many do you think we will need,” Sprig responded?

“At least a billion.”

“How about two billion?”

“The more the better.”

“What do you think we should do, Searcher?”

“We start here at the Realm and assign the closest galaxies to an Algean that will be responsible for getting the coordinates of every planet in their assigned galaxy with intelligent life. They will then transmit the coordinates of one planet to one of our Searchers who will then contact that planet. We will work our way out from this part of our universe and expand our search outward.” Matt paused for a moment and then walked back to the Maps. He closed his eyes and then said, “Stem pull up a galaxy we have not explored, please.”