Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream (28 page)

Scotty started laughing and Jingo said, “What!?”

“That is the least I’ve ever heard you say.”

The three communities roared their laughter. Even Jing smiled. Jingo shook his head, “Frapped if you do, frapped if you don’t. There’s just no winning. Every time I open my mouth someone has something to say. Have they ever considered what I’m saying may be important?!? Noooooo. But are they quick to criticize? Yessssss.”

Scotty looked at Grang and he said, “Your friend talks a lot.”

Vring nearly fell off his back legs laughing, and Julie held on to Scotty to keep from falling.

Scotty smiled at Grang, “You have no idea.”

The cats arrived at the Zord’s lands two days after they left. They discovered the huge Torg herds living close to the forest, and the leader stopped the migration. There would be food for his family for many years.

Four weeks later Scotty, Julie, and Grang sat on Anglo’s bridge watching the main display. The three communities were placed on the sites of the former hunting lodges. The ground had been cleared for a radius of a mile, and each of the three communities were settling in.

The three communities were also growing to like their new home. The native Zord had started arriving and began teaching them which things on the planet were edible and which were not. The communities were thriving, and many stopped carrying their bowguns within the borders of their town. Julie looked at Grang and said, “You have no idea how much I hated you.”

Grang looked at her and said, “Yes, I do. The Zord shared your feelings about me during that initial gathering. You were right to feel that way.”

Julie stared at him and said, “I believe you. Now, I expect you to watch out for my husband.”

“It will be my honor, your Highness.”

Julie smiled and looked at Scotty. “He’s not the same Magrum I knew.”

“And I’m not the same after seeing his thoughts. One must see their crimes from the perspective of the victim to understand their mistakes.”

“Uh oh. You’re planning something?”

“Yes, I am, and you have a role now that you must accept.”

“What is that?”

“You will rule in my absence.”

“Scotty, the communities will never accept that!”

“They will and they have. You’ve not noticed that most will stumble in their haste to do the slightest thing you ask?”

“Well, they do that out of respect to you.”

Grang said, “That’s not true. I’ve listened to them, and they love you. You have earned your place in their hearts, and they trust you with their lives.”

Julie stared at the big Magrum and Scotty said, “I am not going to make a pronouncement. You will assume your role and do what is necessary in my absence. The leaders of each community will support you. I expect you to do what you think is necessary. Will you do that for me?”

Julie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask, my love.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have an issue with the former King of this planet. He hasn’t sent any more ships, but I know he’s planning a welcome for us when we go visiting. He should be confronted by his victims.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow. I’m taking Jingo, Michael, and Grang.”

“That’s all?!?”

“Well, Anglo and BC will also be in attendance.”

“Good. I’m not as worried now.” Julie paused and said, “Whose bowgun is that standing in the corner?”

Grang said, “It is mine, your Highness.”

“Grang, that bowgun is set on a ten power setting. What’s the velocity?”

“Fifty six hundred feet per second.”

Julie looked at Scotty and he said, “He fires it easier that I do mine. He wanted one at fifteen but we aren’t able to make one that strong yet. The chambers keep blowing out. We’re reluctant to keep wasting the compressors.”

Julie looked at Grang in his Zecka and saw how big he was. He was one powerful Magrum. “Have you discussed how you’re going to handle it with Jingo?”

“Yes. He said we should just crash the King’s party and show up unannounced.”

“That’s Jingo’s style.”

“I tend to support the idea. If we let them know we’re coming, there will be huge loss of life. I’m sure we’ll have to destroy their ships. Those ships are more important than the King.”

“Why are you taking Michael?”

“BC says he is also a latent psychic. We should include him in most of our major operations. He’s smart; you even might say brilliant. His bowgun prowess is as good as any of us. He also believes in our core principles. He won’t act rashly. I also sense he should go with us. I’m not sure where that feeling is coming from.”

“Just be careful, Scotty.”

“You know me.”

“That’s why I’m asking you.”

Scotty sighed and Grang smiled. He had decided that his mission to protect Madeline’s son was worthy of his debt. He also found he liked this new Emperor. Maybe he could be killed while defending him. He longed for the peace of death.

King Wesley Varner sat on his throne and checked with his fleet commander, “Anything on your scanners?”

“Nothing, Your Majesty.”

“They should have come by now.”

“I agree. Perhaps they are going to just leave us alone?”

“Would you?”

“No, I wouldn’t. I would have been here weeks ago. I wouldn’t want extra defenses added while I waited.”

“Well, maybe we’re wrong and they’re not coming.”

The King heard a voice, “No, both of you are quite right.”

The King looked around the throne room and didn’t see anyone. He slowly reached for the blaster leaning against his throne and an arrow came out of nowhere and pinned his sleeve to the huge throne. “Now, reaching for a blaster is not a way to make guests feel welcome. A man in a light green uniform appeared ten feet in front of him. A giant Magrum appeared next to his throne, walked forward, and removed the blaster.

Wesley sat back in his chair and saw a Cainth appear to the right holding a drawn bowgun pointed at him. “You might inform your Admiral that you will be indisposed for a while.”

Wesley looked at his display and said, “They are here in the throne room. Do not rush in here. They have some kind of gun pointed at me.”

“A what?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

Scotty’s com beeped, “There’s someone hiding behind the throne.”

Michael still had his Zecka shifting colors and he eased around the throne and saw a young woman holding a blaster. He raised his bowgun and said, “I would never endanger a female; especially one as beautiful as you. However, if you don’t drop that blaster, I am going to be forced to end your life. I beg you not to make me live with that memory.”

The king heard the exchange and quickly turned around in his chair, “Carrie, are you back there? Don’t be stupid. Do as they say.”

Carrie looked around and couldn’t see where the voice was coming from. She couldn’t let them harm her father. She was prepared to die, but then she heard. “I would really hate to kill your King, but I will if you don’t do as we ask.”

Carrie dropped the blaster and it rose in the air. A young man appeared two feet from her and said, “Thank you. The universe would not be as beautiful without you in it.”

She frowned and walked from behind the throne.

Wesley looked at her, “How many times have I told you not to sneak in here? Now you’re trapped and I can’t save you.”

Michael said, “She has nothing to fear from us. She is innocent and we will not harm her, except to defend ourselves.”

Scotty looked at the King and said, “You know why we’re here?”

Wesley replied, “You said something to my Admiral about those beasts being your citizens.”

Carrie saw, out of the corner of her eye, one of the King’s guards sneak in behind the throne from a hidden door. He raised a blaster. She saw the young man that had taken her blaster whip a short sword out of his belt and throw it at the guard. A second blade instantly followed the first. He moved faster than she could see. The first sword cut the blaster down the length of its barrel and the second caught the guards backpack and pinned him to the wall. The backpack was only an inch above the guard’s shoulder and the green clad archer had hit it perfectly. An arrow ripped by her face, and she felt it pass through several strands of her hair. The arrow hit the door the guard had entered on the edge of its opening, and slammed the door shut. She saw the arrow was embedded all the way to the fletching. No one was coming through that door now. She looked and saw a giant yellow-colored creature lower his bowgun. The King saw the shot and knew he was in imminent danger. That shot was impossible. He had never known of a Magrum using a weapon that fired arrows.

Carrie appeared calm but she still felt that arrow flying through her hair. She didn’t know if she lived because the creature had missed or if it had done it intentionally. She walked calmly around the throne and sat down beside her father. Her heart was beating incredibly fast, but she maintained her calm appearance.

Michael watched her and was amazed at the young woman’s composure. If the same shot had been made that close to him, he probably would have needed to change his uniform. He shook his head at her.

Carrie was flabbergasted by the two sword throws. Not only the amazing speed, but the accuracy was impossible. She watched the young man go back and pull his sword from the guard and bring him into the center of the room. “Can we count on you behaving yourself?”

The guard looked at Wesley and nodded. “Yes.”

“Then sit down.” The guard sat on the floor and saw the big yellow creature closely watching him.

Scotty smiled and said, “I’m sorry we were interrupted, but yes, those creatures are our citizens.”

“How can an animal be a citizen?”

“Meaning no disrespect, you are technically an animal yourself.”

Wesley paused and said, “Yes, but I’m intelligent.”

Scotty smiled, “Most of us here aren’t really sure of that. However, you are taking a trip with us to discuss your actions with those you’ve injured.”

Carrie said, “If you take him, I go, too.”

“No! You will stay here.”

“No, I won’t, Father. You promised mother never to leave me.”

“That promise doesn’t apply to this situation.”

“Yes, it does.”

Scotty smiled and tilted his head, “We take promises very seriously. She will go with us, and I give you my promise she will come to no harm.”

Carrie looked at Scotty defiantly and said, “Will you also promise my father his safety?”

Scotty shook his head, “No. His accusers will determine his fate. Anglo?”

The six disappeared from the throne room leaving the guard to contact the admiral.

The group appeared in a clearing where Wesley and Carrie found themselves surrounded by hundreds of the giant flying creatures. They were huge, and Carrie grabbed her father’s arm and held tight.

Scotty looked up and said so the King could hear, “This is the one that sent the hunters to your home.”

The largest flying creature looked at him, and Wesley heard in his mind, “Why have you been killing my family?”

Wesley was stunned. He looked at Scotty and his disbelief was obvious. Scotty said, “I believe you should answer his question.”

Wesley looked up at the Zord and said, “I didn’t.”

“White Hair, I thought you said this was the one that sent the murderers.”

Scotty turned to Wesley and said, “The lodges said you were paid to allow the hunters to come here.”

Wesley’s face turned red. Carrie looked at him and said, “Jimmy?”

Wesley nodded.

Bleath looked at Scotty, “This one did not know about the hunters. He thought they were only tourists visiting. He possesses no knowledge of how many of us have been killed.”

Scotty looked at Wesley, “Then why did you send ships to attack the planet?”

Wesley said, “My stepson told me that some of our tourists were being attacked. I sent the ships to protect them.”

Scotty looked up at Bleath and said, “Show them.”

Bleath showed them the visions of thousands of Zord being systematically hunted and killed. They heard the Zord tell a hunter that they were intelligent, then saw the hunter laugh and kill the messenger. They saw the giant heads mounted on trees outside the lodges and the revelry at every Zord killed. Carrie felt the sorrow of the giant creatures for the loved ones lost and the rage of being unable to stop the killing.

Wesley sat down on the ground. Bleath said, “Return them where you found them. We have no quarrel with them.”