Annihilation: Book 05 - Searcher (23 page)

The members of Aladdin watched as the mother ship stopped at the jump limit with all of its ships still outside. “They’re waiting for an attack,” Al said.

They continued to watch and after an hour the ships began entering the huge green ship. “Now we see if they will invade soon.”

“How do you see that?”

“Stem, If they attack another close planet then they are convinced that the three missing warriors were killed. If they leave to a more distant planet then they just don’t have a clue and don’t know what to attribute it.”

The ships were finally all on board and the green ship disappeared. “This just in, they jumped to another galaxy,” Al reported.

“Thanks, Al, it looks like we have been given a reprieve. Please inform General Durk to begin executing his attacks.”

“You don’t think doing it this quickly would make them think about what happened here?”

“No Stem, it would actually make them more convinced that it was not caused by a life form. Distance is the great divider. The fact that something different happened in this new galaxy they enter will convince them the there is no cause for alarm.”

The four ships waited until the green ship moved from the planet it had just destroyed and cleared the jump limit then jumped in and fired their weapons. They then jumped away as thousands of ships erupted from the mother ship.

“Have them followed.”

“Issuing instructions,” the Sensor Male watched the four ships as they jumped away. He followed one through three jumps but lost it when it jumped to a distance galaxy that had several galaxies between them that blocked his vision.

“We have lost them.”

“How?”

“They jumped at least six times to distant galaxies faster than our ship’s systems could follow so we lost the jump track. They jumped to galaxies that had other galaxies between them and our ship which blocked our vision.”

The Ship’s Male wasn’t surprised that they were attacked. It usually happened much earlier. “What did you see in their weapons?”

“The beam weapons were quite strong compared to most of those we’ve encountered; however, nothing significantly different.”

“Well, if we are attacked in the future we will ignore the attackers unless they use some kind of weapon that is different.”

“You do not want us to send ships to give chase?”

“To what end? Those ships are nothing superior to what we’ve seen. If we chase them every time they attack we will have to do what we’re doing right now; wait for our ships to return before we can travel. That will put us behind schedule.”

The Sensor Male raised two legs indicating a shrug. The Ship’s Male was probably right; any measures lost chasing four ships would be better spent consuming the billions on a planet. Besides, we’ve seen it all before; they fire their weapons and run. They would eventually be found and consumed when the family arrived. We better use this time to feed before everything was gone. The last harvest was a disaster. The Ship’s Male was wise to ignore the attacks. The Sensor Male hoped he was as wise when he was given a ship. There was so much left to learn before that happened.

Matt watched the feed and saw eight Searchers jump in and fire on the green ship as it moved to the jump limit after destroying another civilization. The Stars Realm ships had learned that if they timed their jumps right that they could jump in and fire just before the Invader reached the jump limit and jump away before the green ships could give chase. “That was smart of General Durk to hit them before they reached the jump limit. They can’t chase us.”

“Al, tell me you don’t really believe that.”

“Just checking to see if you saw it.”

“They are ignoring us. We could hit them anywhere and they would go about their plans giving us no notice just like the Reg when the Eight Legs invade them. We are insignificant to them.”

“Matt, it’s frustrating. Nothing affects them. We’ve fired everything we can think of and nothing gets through their armor. If there is something that will kill them, it is certainly well hidden.”

“Stem, I am also beginning to sense that the main invasion will happen within the next year. I just know it exists. It’s like a mental block; once we break through it we will wonder why we didn’t see it all along.”

“You’re probably right. I just wish we would find it. Seeing all these planets die is getting to me.”

“You and me both.”

“Matt, General Durk has just requested permission to visit.”

“Send him the ok.”

Matt continued to watch the feed. At least the invaders had not found a member planet or the probe that had been following them. Matt looked up and saw the silver field just as General Durk and another person appeared on Aladdin’s bridge. General Durk and a woman bowed as General Durk said, “Thank you for allowing us to see you, Your Grace.”

“Any time, General; what brings you here?”

“We have selected the person to assume your previous position as Vice Admiral and wanted you to interview her.”

Matt looked at the Searcher Durk had brought with him and was not impressed with what he saw. She was dressed in an engineer’s coveralls that were baggy and wore a floppy hat with a Ross emblem on it. It was clear she had no pride in her appearance. She also didn’t appear to be impressed with where she was. “Why don’t you introduce us, General?”

“Prince Gardner, this is Searcher Melanie Guadalupe Grace. The command team has chosen her to assume command of our forces.”

Matt looked at her and wondered what in the universe possessed the team to choose her. Her uniform was two sizes too big, her hair looked like sprigs of grass hanging out from her hat, and her boots were not shined. “Searcher Grace, were you not given time to prepare for this meeting?”

She raised her eyebrows and said, “Am I going to take a test or something. I thought I was coming to answer your questions.”

Matt immediately felt his temper rise, “Is this the uniform you are supposed to wear for someone in your position?”

“I’m not in it yet and yes this is the uniform I wear to carry out my duties.”

Melanie heard a voice in her mind, “Searcher, you might want to back off a little and assume a little humility.”

“Who are you,” she thought?

“Just call me, Al. I don’t think you understand who you’re dealing with.”

“Nor does he?”

“Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.”

“General Durk, just why have you chosen her for command. She obviously has no respect for the service or the realm she serves.”

General Durk said, “I didn’t select her.”

That’s when Melanie exploded. “Just who are you to stand there and pass judgment on my commitment. I am directly descended from one of the colonists that were disintegrated by the Cainth lasers on Ross. One of my Great Grand Mothers got to watch as her husband and son were vaporized that day. Another of my Great Grand Parents was on Admiral Smith’s ship when he was killed by the Algeans. The Captors killed another on Wes McAnn’s ship. You have no idea of what the word sacrifice means. My family’s history has been written with the sacrifices they’ve made to ensure this Realm survives. You do not have the right to question my loyalty and commitment to the Stars Realm and you obviously have no idea what true loyalty looks like.” She paused and then said, “Your Grace.”

Matt felt his temper rise to a level that felt good; he wanted to straighten this smart mouth Searcher out.

Suddenly a silver field appeared and Sprig, Twig, and Anglo Gardner appeared on the deck. Melanie saw them and suddenly grew nervous. She had thought that this interview to make her the Vice Admiral over the Realm’s fleet was just a joke. Now she didn’t know what to think. Then she heard in her mind, “I told you to back off. Now you have risked your future doing that which you desire most.”

“What is that?”

“Why, protecting the Realm. You’re yelling at the one the King and Queen have decreed that his decisions will be followed without question. He could kick you out of the service and take away your ship.”

Melanie felt terror. She looked at the young man in front of her and suddenly realized that she in was way over her head. “I’ve made a huge mistake, haven’t I?”

“Why did you act like this?”

“I don’t know. I thought that this office they’re supposedly giving was some kind of huge foul up. I’ve never done anything that would justify promoting me to that title. I just didn’t take it seriously. Besides, I am not one that fits in easily.”

“Well you better be considering your next words carefully.”

Mat listened to the young woman’s outrage and started to kick her out of the service until he played back what she said. At that point the other three visitors arrived just as Melanie finished her tirade and he turned his attention to them and away from the angry Searcher. “I wasn’t expecting any more guests.”

“We were watching your interview and we determined that we should be here,” Sprig thought.

Matt looked at the now silent Searcher and then said, “Why did you select Searcher Grace to fill the position as Vice Admiral?”

“Because she is going to be working closely with you for the foreseeable future and in order to be effective she would need that level of rank. She will assist you in getting your orders followed.”

Matt immediately forgot about the Searcher in front of him and said, “I have not decided to work closely with anyone and I believe that no one can make that decision but me. I do not desire nor need anyone to assist me. I consider this issue closed.”

Melanie stood there wishing she could just find a hole and crawl in it. She had angered the prince and she was going to pay for it. If she lost her position in the navy her life would be over. She thought, “Please, can you help me.”

The Prince suddenly turned and said, “Al, are you talking with her?”

“Darn it, you caught me again.”

Melanie said in a shaking voiced, “Who is Al?”

The Prince turned on her and said, “He’s my ships computer.”

Melanie looked like she had been hit with a stunner. “That’s not possible; whoever was talking with me was telepathic.”

“The world is full of surprises, Searcher. You should have listened to me. Ole Al has great wisdom.”

“What did you say to her, Al?”

“I told her to back off.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re so tight that if someone placed a lump of coal in your arm pit you would have a diamond is less than ten minutes.”

Matt had an expression of anger for a moment and then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard it hurt. Al said, “I didn’t think it was that funny.”

Matt said between laughs, “I’m just confused why you said arm pit. Somewhere else would have fit better.”

“Probably, but we have a lady present. Watch your manners.”

Matt pulled himself together and looked at the young woman who was obviously nervous. “Searcher, why did you come to this meeting wearing what you have on?”

“I was told by Central Command that I was scheduled to attend a meeting where I was to be promoted to Vice Admiral over all our military forces. I asked them if they were sure they were contacting the right person and they told me to just get ready. I didn’t take the communication seriously. They had obviously made a mistake and they would contact the one they really wanted to go, so I just continued preparing for the next attack on the mother ship.”

Matt flinched and looked more closely at her, “Searcher, do you command an Alpha?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And you were part of the plan to attack the Eight Leg Mother ship?”

“I’ve already attacked it ten times, Your Grace, for all the good it’s done.”

Matt looked at Melanie for a long moment and then said, “I apologize for questioning your loyalty and commitment to the Stars Realm. I understand your anger and would feel the same if mine was questioned by someone in higher authority. I don’t think I would have said quite what you did because I do like serving in the Navy, however, Al is right; I found myself about to take some of my frustrations out on you and that would not be appropriate. Having said that, Searcher, the next time you show up out of uniform I will drum you right out of that Alpha and have you clean latrines on some of our defender class ships. Is that clear?”

Melanie bowed and said, Yes, Your Grace, but may I humbly request one thing.”

“What is that?”

“I will wear the uniform and follow the protocols set forth for a searcher’s appearance; I only ask that I be allowed to wear my hat.”

Matt looked at the floppy hat with the Ross symbol on it and asked, “What’s so special about that hat?”

“My family’s Grand Father that was killed on Ross by the Cainth was wearing it when he died. We have passed it down from generation to generation and now it is my turn to carry it into the future.”