Escape to Earth-Living Legends (33 page)

Talel nodded and said, “Thank you.”

“They’ll listen next time, Talel.”

“There won’t be a next time.”

“If you say so. Would you mind if I issue an order to the Attackships.”

Talel’s head tilted, “Go right ahead.”

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to do this but it appears the opportunity has presented itself.” Michael toggled his communicator, “Attention all Attackships. You were all given a coordinate in the Pandora Cluster before the battle and you will skip to those locations and await the arrival of the Legends that are fleeing. Let them know we don’t appreciate their coming here uninvited. Organize into formations when you arrive at your assigned coordinate.”

Talel looked at Michael on his panel, “Where are they going?”

“I’ve assigned a fleet to each of their planets.”

Talel smiled, “I guess this is your way of getting them right where you want them?”

“Something like that and I’m hoping they stay true to their character. The closest ten Legends’ Galaxies have three fleets assigned to them.”

Talel thought about it and started laughing.

• • •

The first six Legends to arrive in their galaxies died screaming that enemy ships were waiting at their planets. The Senior Elder arrived ahead of the others and was the first to die. The other Legends panicked, turned their fleets, and fled out of the Pandora Cluster toward their home galaxy in the Bullet Cluster. Twenty five hundred galaxies in the Pandora Cluster found that they were now free of the Legends and civil war erupted in many of them. But others rejoiced and came together to make a civilization that would embrace peace. They vowed to never be slaves again.

• • •

The Alliance celebrated the victory and the heroes of the war. The Fleet Academy was named Greenwall Academy and a statue of Katy standing and looking up at the stars was erected in the park at the Academy’s entrance. A plaque on it read, “Beloved Admiral, Who Set the Example of Whom We Should All Strive to Be!”

Jan stared at the statue as it was uncovered during the ceremony honoring her and cried, “She never found her true love.”

Michael smiled, “Yes she did.” Jan’s tears flowed as she looked at him. “She loved Fifth Fleet and they loved her more than any one man could ever do.” Jan went into his arms and wept.

• • •

Three months later, all the Alliance Leaders met in the Goran High Chamber and Michael stood up to address them. The mood was festive and for the first time in decades the Alliance was at peace. The room was full of all the Fleet Leaders, the scientists who had made the victory possible and special guests that played a special role in the victory. Lukas and Salud were present and the only ones missing were Chris and Allison.

The room grew silent and Michael smiled, “We’re here to celebrate the fruits of our hard work as well as the sacrifice of too many to count. However, before we start, there are some things that must be done.” Everyone stared at him and the mood suddenly changed. What was going on? “Effective today, I am resigning my Command and recommend that you select Talel to replace me.” The uproar was immediate and Talel was the one objecting the most. Michael looked at Jan and saw her smile and nod. He waited until the room grew silent and several of the Alliance Leaders were standing to be recognized. Michael looked at them, “Hear me out and then you may say what’s on your minds.” The leaders looked at each other and then slowly sat down.

Michal smiled again and said, “This victory is not the end game. The Legends may not be the threat they once were but there is a species of telepaths that was working with them that is actually more extensive than the Legends. They know about us now and I have no doubt that we will see them again in the future. That may be in the distant future but I know they are coming. What normally happens after a long period of peace is a civilization stops planning for war. No matter how hard the leaders try, after many years of peace their civilizations lose the zeal for fighting. They embrace peace and start to enjoy their existence. All of us need look no further than our histories for you to know I’m right. The first thing we’ll do is stop wearing our thought blockers and soon the force field will fall into disrepair. New technology and warships will also fall by the wayside. We have to have leadership that will not allow that to happen.”

Michael looked at the Goran High Leader, “When the Telepaths come back, what species will be their first and primary target?” Every Leader in the room looked at the Goran and he nodded, “They will attack my planets first.”

“Does that frighten you?”

“More than you know.”

“That’s why your species must lead us into the future. You cannot allow us to forget that fear! Fear is what will prevent us from losing what allowed us to survive. That’s why Talel must take command and drive us to be what will be needed against them. I have no doubt that this species has others like the Legends they use to attack their targets. I suspect they may be worse than the Legends.”

Michael looked at the Leaders, “If you knew your species was going to be the first target, you would insist that the others listen to your fears. You should recognize that and see that I’m right.”

The Welken Royal shook his head, “But it’s been your species that has made this victory possible.”

“Talel won in M-87 against a force four times larger than I faced at Earth. It’s time we recognized that we are a family and humans will not stop supporting this effort. My bodyguards will now protect Talel just as they defended me and I truly think that over time our societies will become closer. All of us have a part to play in defending us and the Goran will not lose the drive to keep moving us forward. I can promise you that humans will not let the Goran down.”

Talel said, “I am not capable of doing this.”

The Goran High Leader said where all could hear, “YES YOU ARE!” Talel looked at him and the High Leader smiled, “You are the best of us. If not you, then who?” Talel stared at him and then lowered his head.

Michael looked at the Leaders, “You know I’m right. You can feel it in your gut. Do you still want to protest this?” The Leaders looked at each other and after a moment they leaned back in their chairs. “Good. Congratulations, Talel. If you need advice, I’ll be glad to suggest that you do what your heart tells you. But for the rest of the day, we are going to celebrate.” The room erupted in cheers and Jan rushed up into Michael’s arms. Talel looked at Michael and, after a moment, nodded. Michael smiled and nodded back.

Jan hugged him and said, “What now?”

“There’s still one issue.” Jan looked up at him and sighed. She nodded and hugged him tighter.

• • •

The beach was incredibly beautiful and Chris heard, “Do you mind if we join you?”

Chris and Allison jerked their heads around and Chris’s mouth fell open, “How did you find us!? We’re wearing thought blockers.”

“I know a certain telepath that pretty much ignores thought blockers.”

“You shouldn’t be here, Michael.”

Michael pulled up two chairs and sighed, “I’m no longer the First Commander; I resigned a week ago.”

“Why for God’s sake? The Alliance needs you.”

“They could have used you recently but you didn’t show up. You’ve been hiding something from me and now is time for us to clear the air.” Chris’s mouth turned grim and Michael smiled gently, “If after you tell me it requires me to avoid everyone, then so be it. However, Mom is gone and you’re the only Father I have. I will not live the rest of my life without you and Allison in it.”

Chris stared at his son and looked at Allison, who blew out a breath and nodded. “Pull up some chairs.” Michael pulled up two chairs and turned to face his father. “I came to a realization during the first war in M-87 that things were happening that were impossible.”

“What do you mean by impossible?”

“The timing was impossible.” Michael and Jan listened to Chris and Allison for an hour and began adding other events to their list. After another hour, they understood.

Jan said, “This is scary stuff.” Chris nodded. “If these pushers were doing this to make sure we defeated the Legends, shouldn’t it be ok for you to stop hiding?”

“We call them Nudges. And that’s what we thought but the closest thing we had to a direct order from them happened when we talked about going back to the Alliance. We were both overwhelmed with fear at the same moment when Allison suggested it.”

Michael sighed and said, “Hensel, please tell me you’re not listening to this.”

“How did you know?”

“You’re right about being worse than your mother.”

“The ones you’re talking about are listening to you.”

“You can see them?”

“I can.”

Chris looked up, “Is that a good thing?”

“They know there’s nothing they can do about it. I’m a product of their nudges.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed and Chris said, “I remember everyone telling your parents when they asked the High Leader if they could be mated saying they should have done it sooner.”

“My parents are the two most powerful telepaths in Goran Society. I’m a logical product of their union. The Nudges knew that I would be able to see them but needed me to be created. They’re also happy about my sister.”

Michael’s eyes opened wide, “Sister?”

“Mom doesn’t know it yet but she’s expecting another child. I can hear her.”

“So why are these beings…nudging us?”

“It’s the Vampires.” Everyone looked at each other and Hensel said, “Their species was almost exterminated by them thousands of years ago. Only a few managed to escape and remain hidden. If the Vampires learned some of them survived, they would bring all their forces to bear to find them. They have to remain behind the scenes to avoid being eradicated. The Vampires fear them.”

Michael shrugged, “Then, I guess we will all have to remain in hiding.”

“I can help you with that if you’re willing to allow me to erase some of your memories.”

“What?”

“Gorans can hide their thoughts by putting them inside a mental box and keeping it shut. I can’t put your memories in a box because your minds don’t have that capability, but I can remove them completely. That’s why I was invited to this meeting.”

Allison looked up, “You were invited?”

“I was.”

Allison shook her head, “What would you erase?”

“All the connections you made connecting the dots of the events that led you to learn you were being…nudged. I will also prevent you from being able to connect those dots later.”

“What about your mother?”

“I’ve removed the box and she didn’t notice it was gone.”

Chris looked at Allison, “This beach is beautiful but it’s not the one where I fell in love with you.”

Allison smiled and moved over to Chris’s chair. Michael looked up and said, “Hensel, will you make sure things move forward?”

“That’s why my sister and I exist. Your time is now done and they feel bad for the suffering your family has endured for keeping them secret.”

Michael smiled, “We’re going to take our ships to Earth and go to the beach. That would be a good place to start our lives moving forward.”

“I’ll be awaiting your arrival.”

The four stood up and hugged each other. The first two First Commanders were going home.

H
engel sat on his scout ship and looked at the distant Bullet Cluster and listened to the thoughts Shanghai intercepted. He needed to retire and stay home with Averel. He should turn this assignment over to the youngsters and spend the rest of his life with his mate and children. Suddenly, his eyes turned glassy as he reached and pulled a switch on his panel shutting down his computer.

“Ahhhhh, that’s good! It took some time to break the frequency of that thought blocking device you’re wearing. You shouldn’t have remained in one place so long.” Hengel was frozen and he could feel the Telepath freezing the nerves in his brain. He could do nothing to stop it.

“I should just consume you but you deserve a long slow death for all the trouble you’ve caused. I’m going to slowly rob you of all the things you love the most. The first thing I’m going to take is everything you remember about your mate. Sit back and enjoy your death!”

Suddenly, the Telepath grabbed both sides of his head and jumped out of his chair. The crew on the small ship looked at him and felt fear at his erratic behavior. The Telepath rushed across the bridge and tripped over a console and fell to the floor still holding his head. Hengel could see it all in his mind but no longer felt the cold in his brain. The Telepath fought his way to its feet and rushed to the armored wall and start pounding its head against it. A crewmember ran over to pull it away and the Telepath swept its arm across the crewman’s neck and its claws severed the head from the crewman’s body.

The Telepath began a long wailing scream as it heard, “I’m not going to be as generous. You will die now.” The Telepath emitted a long howling scream and smashed its head on the edge of a console at it threw its body to the floor. The head snapped back and its neck made a loud popping sound. The body hit the floor with the head resting on its back looking up at the ceiling with a grimace frozen on its face.

“
WHO ARE YOU
?!”

“I’m here to have a conversation between two rational beings but I needed to take care of a small issue first.”

“
YOU WILL LEAVE NOW
!”

“We need to talk first.” The entity sent a powerful devastating thought at the intruder and heard it laugh. This wasn’t possible. “Are you finished?”

“What do you want?”

“That’s a better tone. I simply want to have a rational discussion between two rational beings. Once we finish, I will leave.”

“What do you want to discuss?”

“I want to ask you a hypothetical question. If you discovered a species in a distant galaxy was building weapons of war to come and attack your species here, what would you do?”

“Ignore them. They would not represent a danger to me.”

“Since this is a hypothetical question, assume they could harm you. What would you do?”