Annihilation Series-Searching for a Hero (19 page)

• • • • •

The green blast that went out from them blinded every scanner on every ship for three seconds. It went out into the universe at a speed that was not measured but it filled the universe instantly. All five portals blew apart, leaving only the Invader ships inside the lines and those few thousand that had made it through the lines. The Realm’s defenders fell on the two million ships and blasted them into rubble. The Realm lost four hundred thousand ships in the savage dog fight that followed but at the end of the day, there were no invaders still alive in the Realm’s Universe.

• • • • •

Eric saw the portal blasted apart, stopping any more Black Ships from entering normal space. He received the all free command from Fleet Control and he and Jenny teleported after one of the Black Ships still inside the lines. He started to emerge into normal space and teleported to another location. The Black Ship fired at the emergence as Jenny appeared above it and launched an energy ball into it; she then teleported to another ship that Eric had faked with an emergence and fired again. Both ships were blown into dust which lingered for a moment and disappeared.

Death walked among the stars but Ping and Nicole held on to each other, oblivious to it. They were finally together and nothing could distract them from the moment.

• • • • •

The Young Cat found Rider in open space staring off in the distance, “What are you doing?”

“Looking at the patterns.”

The Young Cat looked up and his mouth fell open, “What does this mean?”

“They have solidified; nothing from another Creation can come here again.”

“Then how are we going to go there?”

“The one who did this will provide a way.”

The Young Cat stared and saw the patterns no longer vibrated but were thick and immoveable. The forces to make that happen were unimaginable.

• • • • •

Two weeks passed after the Invaders were fought off and Ping sat with Sprigly on the bridge of his ship. Nicole had just left to attend a Royal function at Castle Gardner and things had slowed down enough to process what had happened.

“Ping, will you take me to my lab?”

“Sure, what are you working on?”

“I recorded the energy that was released when you and Nicole made contact and I need to see if I can recreate it.”

“Do you think that is where you’ll find a force field?”

“I don’t know; I just need to really take a good look at it and the instruments here aren’t advanced enough to do that.”

Ping teleported to Sprigly’s space lab and Sprigly teleported out. Ping stayed on board and looked out of the viewport at open space. He entered a coordinate and jumped out of the Algean’s Galaxy and entered normal space fifty thousand light years above the plane of the Milky Way. He lowered the armor from the front port and stared at the beauty of the giant galaxy; it was incredible. He thought a moment and knew he was seeing the galaxy as it appeared fifty thousand years in the past. It had taken that long for the light to arrive at his location. That light left about the time man had begun farming. Now, fifty thousand years later, humanity could go places that would take the same light a billion years to reach.

He sighed and slowly shook his head. He pressed his console and said, “Fleet Control, I request a direct teleport.”

“Please confirm your identity.”

“Captain Paul Anderson Kendel.”

“You’re cleared for direct arrival; however, you should update your file.”

Ping’s eyes furrowed, “Pardon me; what update?”

“You are no longer a Captain, Sir.”

What am I?”

“My files say you are now the top ranking Fleet Admiral in the Realm, Sir.”

“Kosiev holds that position.”

“He is at the top of the Fleets Organizational Chart, Sir, but he reports directly to you.”

Ping stared at the Lieutenant on his display and after a moment said, “And who do I report to?”

“The King, Sir.”

Ping took in a shallow breath and blew it out, “Thank you for your help, Lieutenant.”

“It’s been my pleasure, Sir.”

Ping entered the coordinates and his ship teleported directly to Earth. He landed at the space dock and requested a check on his ship’s systems. He went to a locker in the ship’s small storage bay and pulled out a back pack and a four foot long pole. He took off his uniform and put on a pair of shorts and t-shirt. He pulled some chips out of the cabinet and several bottles. He threw them in the back pack and looked around. The engineers had arrived and were on top of his vessel. He shook his head; they must know his new rank. He entered the coordinates into his wrist unit and pressed the activate code. An instant later he was standing on the beach, looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. He lifted the pole and drove it into the sand and twisted a ring on it. The umbrella emerged from the top and the four sand blades shot out of the base locking it into the sand. He pressed a button on his wrist unit and a chair appeared next to him. He pulled it under the umbrella and pulled out a bag of chips. He sat down and stared out at the small waves moving on shore. The sky was deep blue with cumulus clouds building up in the early afternoon to deliver their rain later in the day. The ever present black headed gulls came flying in to see if they could get a hand out. He thought about it but knew if he fed one, a hundred would show up insisting on the same treatment.

He leaned back and put on his sunglasses and remembered the last time he had been here. It was during spring break in his fourth year at the Academy. He had sat in this very spot and watched Mios and Jodie out in the waves. He could see it like it had just happened. Mios lifted Jodie and threw her into a larger than normal swell rushing toward the shore. He had laughed out loud when all he saw was Jodie’s elbows and feet rolling over the swell. She came up sputtering and proceeded to chase Mios for fifteen minutes calling him everything she could think of. Suddenly, Mios had stopped as Jodie came close and wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her. Jodie struggled for a moment and then her anger vanished. Ping felt his eyes start to grow moist and hundreds of other memories surged into his mind. He continued to stare out at the waves as the tears found their release. He lost track of time and was surprised when he heard, “Are you alright, Mister?”

Ping picked up a towel and wiped his eyes and looked to the right of his chair. A young boy stood there, with a ball in his hand. “Yes, I’m OK.”

“If it will make you feel better, I’ll give you my ball.” He held it out to Ping.

“No, I think you should keep it.”

“Ok, but if you change your mind, I’m right over there.”

Ping smiled as the boy turned and Ping saw something on the back of his shirt, “What is that on your shirt?”

The young boy turned around and smiled, “It’s a Space Ship.”

“What kind?”

“It’s the ship our Searchers fly around the universe. One day I’m going to pilot one of them.”

“You sound pretty certain about that.”

“It’s our duty to protect those who are in danger. It’s what we’re born to do.”

Ping slowly shook his head and thought of Mios. He said the same thing when they were this young boy’s age. He reached into his back and took out a fleet marker. He waved the young boy over and said, “Let me see your ball.” Ping took the ball and signed it, Ping Kendel.

“Do you mind if I sign it as well?” Ping turned around and saw Nicole in a bathing suit standing behind him. He smiled and handed the pen to her and she signed, Nicole Gardner.

Ping handed the ball back to the young boy, “I want you to hold on to this ball and one day when you’re ready to go to school to learn how to be a Searcher, you bring this ball with you and show it to the Commanding Officer at the Academy. Will you do that?”

“Do you think he’ll need my ball?”

Ping laughed, “I’m sure he’ll be waiting for it.” The young boy laughed and ran over to a group of adults fifty yards away. Three months later, when the Crown announced the coming wedding of Ping and Nicole, the young boy saw them on the monitor during supper and said, “I know them.”

“Of course you do, Amos. Everyone knows them.”

“No, mom, I know them. I talked with them at the beach.” His parents looked at each other and Amos could see they didn’t believe him. He jumped up and ran to his room and came back with his ball, “They signed my ball and said that when I’m ready to go to the Academy to give this ball to the one in command.”

His parents stared at the ball and saw the two signatures. They looked at Amos and then at the monitor. The following week, Amos’ father called the Academy and asked to speak to the Commanding Officer. The Lieutenant who took the call asked what the call was about and Amos’s father told him about the ball. The Lieutenant pushed a button on his panel and after a moment said, “Your son has received a full scholarship to the Academy after he graduates secondary school. Please bring the ball with him. The Commander has a special place for it. Tell your son we look forward to welcoming him into the ranks of the Realm’s Searchers.”

Amos learned of the gift his senior year of secondary school. He was shocked speechless and the news agencies were all present when he arrived to give the ball to the Academy Commander. The ball was placed in a special place of honor to give homage to one of the two who signed it for giving their life in defense of the Realm.

• • • • •

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“I didn’t know you were coming; I thought you had a function to attend.”

“I bowed out, literally. I could feel your heart and knew I had to be here with you.”

“Thanks, Nicole. I miss them so much.”

“I know.”

“But that little boy just got me to see something.” Nicole’s eyebrows went up, “Mios and Jodie were where they wanted to be. They lived and loved a life’s worth and they were so lucky to find each other so early. We live with the possibility of death because of our chosen profession. I just hope you and I have enough time to love as much as they did.”

Nicole leaned forward and kissed Ping tenderly, “I’ve told Father that he should anticipate a wedding.”

Ping smiled, “You did?”

“I’m hoping I’ll be asked soon.”

“Will you marry me, Nicole?”

“See, I told you it was going to happen soon. Of course I’ll marry you and the sooner the better.”

Ping reached over and pulled her into his chair, “I’m really not worthy of you, my Love.”

“You sound like my father; he’s got it wrong, too. You are what makes my world complete.”

They sat in the chair and later Ping tossed Nicole into the waves. She, like Jodie, forgot her anger when Ping wrapped her in his arms and kissed her deeply.

T
he Giant Beast sat on his chair and stared at the four Rulers of the other major civilizations that had participated in the attack. He hoped he could prevent them from combining against him. He felt the probability wasn’t great that they would; however, they were not happy.

The Chinga Emperor scowled, “You deserve to die for your total incompetence in this failed battle.”

The Master kept his face neutral, “I sent you all of my scouting reports before we went in. It appears that civilization was determined to hide their strength. I believe they would have allowed us to kill one of their planets if it came down to it. I didn’t hear any of you disagree with what I saw there. You could have scouted them any time you chose before the attack.”

The Rageon Ruler stared at the other four and said during a moment of silence, “When are we going to go back and make them pay for what they did?” The four looked at him on their monitors like he was crazy. The Master said in a very neutral voice to the most powerful Ruler of the five, “We have tried to go back and take a look at what happened after the attack and we can no longer get a portal to punch through. Why would we want to go back?”

The Rageon was obviously a species that developed from a bird-of-prey. His hooked beak and his brightly colored feathers made it clear it was not one to hide from anything. It turned its two eyes that were on the front of its head and stared at the Master with contempt, “Tell me what you’d do if that civilization attacked you here in our domain?”

The Master stared at the Rageon and after a moment shook his head, “Surely you don’t think they’ll be coming here?”

“I asked what you would do if roles were reversed?”

The Master lifted his massive shoulders, “I’d go teach them a lesson about coming to my territory.”

“And what makes you think they don’t operate the same way? They’re obviously advanced enough technologically to kill our ships. That means they’re fighters.”

The Chinga leaned forward, “Do you know something we don’t?”

The Rageon stared at the four for a moment then looked away, “One of my ships managed to get a scan of one of the Red Ships we killed. Here is what the pilot looked like.” A picture of a human strapped in a chair appeared on the five’s monitors. All of them were shocked at the image.

The Beast stood up, “How is this possible?”

The Rageon lifted its feathers on top of its head, “It appears that species exists in both places. You know how difficult it was to subdue those beings. If the ones in that other place are even remotely like the ones here…”

The Drund Ruler said, “Oh, they’ll be coming here…if they can.”

The Rageon turned to the Drund, “What do you mean, if they can?”

“Have you tried to open a portal?”

“No.”

“Well, I have and it won’t function. That civilization has somehow managed to prevent portals from being opened to their location. That process may also prevent them from opening a portal to come here.”

The Five Rulers looked at each other and the Beast said, “If that’s true, worrying about it is a wasted effort. We may just have to look elsewhere to expand.”

The Chinga nodded, “We should all keep our sensors out for the appearance of a portal opening into our space. We should inform each other immediately if that happens.”

The Five agreed and the monitor went dark. The Beast sat back down on his chair and was amazed that the conference had happened exactly like the Advisor said it would. He looked across the throne room at the giant beast held in chains and an electric field. The Advisor looked at him, “I told you.”