Annihilation: Book 05 - Searcher (25 page)

Anglo said, “But we are no closer to finding a way to stop them.”

“No, we’re not; but I believe bringing this Searcher and I together must happen before the means can be uncovered. I don’t really know why that is true but my sense of danger goes down when I look at working with her and goes off the scale when I refuse.” Matt looked at Melanie and said, “We have no choice, Searcher. Either we act selfishly or keep the oath that we swore to uphold. Given that choice, I have no choice but to work with you and after hearing the history of your family I believe that you will also have no option but to accept your role.”

Melanie looked at the floor and was terrified at the responsibility being thrust on her. She heard in her mind, “You do know that you have no other options, don’t you?”

She straightened up and looked at Matt and said, “I am in the service of the Stars Realm and I will do whatever it takes to preserve it against all forces trying to destroy it. I will accept whatever my superiors deem necessary. I am terrified at this responsibility but you’re right, Your Grace, I have no other choice.”

Anglo Gardner stepped forward and placed a piece of paper on the control board, “Then by the power given me by the Royal Family and the First Family of the Realm, you are hereby promoted to the post of Vice Admiral commanding all armed forces of the Realm. You are charged to defend the Realm and those that cannot defend themselves. Do your willingly accept this post and swear to carry out this charge?”

Melanie paused, looked at Matt, and said, “I do, Your Grace.”

“Then sign here and welcome to our Leadership Council, Admiral Grace.”

Melanie signed and Al said, “This calls for a party.”

“In a moment, Al, there is one more thing to take care of before we celebrate.”

Sprig thought, “What is that?”

Matt looked at Melanie and said, “I want you to change ships.”

“Why, what’s wrong with my ship.”

“Do you want to tell her?”

The speaker on the command chair said, “I was hoping that you would explain, however, I think she should at least be given a choice in the matter.”

“Who is that?” Melanie asked.

“It is the computer on Angel’s ship. She needs a new commander and she has requested that you be offered the position,” Matt said.

Melanie’s eyes widened and she said, “Is she like, Al.”

“Of course not, no one can be like me.”

“Oh shut up you pompous wind bag. I am not telepathic like Al in that I was not given all of the advanced systems Al had built into him but I am somewhat similar.”

Sprig thought, “Fly Girl, when we rebuilt you we did include all of the systems and I can sense that they are now all active since your conversation with Prince Gardner. Perhaps telepathy will eventually develop.”

Melanie had a huge smile, “I would love to work with you.”

“Boy have you got your hands full. Try to keep her in line.”

Oh, be quiet, Al.”

“See, I told you she would be a handful.”

Melanie laughed out loud and Matt felt a moment of happiness seeing her laugh. Matt said, “Stem will be joining you on Fly Girl to help you make the links to her systems. He is currently in the Map Room at Castle Gardner but will come as soon as you move into your new ship.”

Melanie bowed to Matt and said, “Having a ship like this makes all of this worth it, Your Grace.”

“Since we will be working together, I want you to use my first name, Melanie; call me Matt.”

Melanie smiled and said, “Thank you, Matt.”

You’re welcome, Melanie. Now go and gather your belongings. Fly Girl, contact Stem when the two of you are ready.”

“I will. Melanie, would you like me to take you to your previous ship?”

“Would you?”

“My bridge coordinates are on your com. Let’s take a trip.” Melanie disappeared from the bridge.

“Matt, I notice you didn’t tell her to call you, Magic.”

“I’m not ready for that, Al.”

“Well, perhaps later.”

“Perhaps.”

Sprig, General Durk, and Anglo heard Twig’s thought, “I think Prince Gardner needs some time alone.”

Anglo said, “Cousin, if you need us just com us.”

Matt gave a half smile and said, “I will.”

The four disappeared from the bridge.

Sprig looked at Twig and thought, “I also wonder why Searcher Grace pays such an important role. Our scans only show moderate psychic skills. What is it about her that is so important?”

“We will find out in due time, my love, and I think the answer will amaze us.”

“We’ll see.”

Six Weeks passed and Matt and Melanie began working to try and uncover what would kill the invaders. Melanie was on board Aladdin watching the display that had just shown another failed attack on the mother ship. Matt was frustrated, nothing penetrated the ships skin. “We’ve fired Coronado Power Cells, nuclear missiles, our hardest penetrator, negative matter, even a piece of the skin from an old megaship, nothing works.”

Melanie shook her head and said, “We’re missing something. I know it’s right in front of us and we’re missing it.”

“I have the same sense but just can’t quite grasp it.”

Al thought, “Have we learned anything from these attacks?”

“No, we haven’t.”

Melanie looked at Matt and lowered her head. “What’s bothering you, Melanie?”

“I’m missing some information but I’m reluctant to ask for it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me how Angel died. I hate to ask but I feel that something about her death is important.”

Matt felt the pain rise but got a grip on his emotions. “Her ship cast a shadow on the moon she was above while observing the Eight Leg’s first invasion. A small Eight Leg ship was on the surface of the moon and saw the shadow. They moved under the shadow and flew up until they hit Angel’s ship. They instantly penetrated the hull and each of them fired one of these at her. They flew through the walls of the ship and hit her.” Matt opened the box next to his chair and took the contents out. Melanie saw a green colored shard and a foot long white colored piece of wood.

“What is that piece of wood?”

“Oh, it’s a magic wand I was given by a friend of mine when I was a child. I performed magic tricks and he said every magician should have a magic wand. However, it was this green shard with two others that hit her. I teleported her ship away from the attack and the three Eight Legs were left behind. We learned the teleportation does not affect them either.”

Melanie looked at the shard and furrowed her brow. “Why weren’t these left behind if teleportation doesn’t affect this substance? It also begs the question that if they could penetrate our hardest substances used to build those walls, why did they stop in her?”

Matt looked at her and was dumbfounded. He thought about her questions and then he saw it, “Al, teleport me an armored hammer from the tool locker.” A white colored hammer appeared on the table in the corner of the bridge. Matt lifted the shard and placed it on the table and then struck it with the armored hammer as hard as he could swing it. The shard didn’t even bounce off the table. “What are you doing, Magic,” Al asked.

“I hope my most important feat of magic ever, Al.” Matt walked back over to his command chair and picked up the magic wand, went back to the table, gripped it, then stabbed it into the shard that instantly broke in half.

Melanie said, “Oh my ancient ancestors; what have you done?”

Matt was crying. He now knew why Angel had to die and he had been blind to it. He turned and embraced Melanie and said, “Thank you, Melanie; now I know why you’re here. Now I understand why I lost my love and I can finally find peace.”

As soon as Matt embraced Melanie, Tag and Danielle jumped straight up out of their chairs in Castle Gardner. “GREAT HOLY GROAD ON A GALLOPING HORSE!” Danielle shouted. “Who did that?”

“I don’t know but we need to find out, like right now,” Tag exclaimed!

“Sprig, what just happened?”

“I don’t know Your Majesty, but every psychic scanner we possess has just overloaded and exploded.”

Tag looked at Danielle and then thought, “Matt!”

Matt released Melanie, “Yes, Tag.”

“What has just happened?”

“I have found a way to kill the Eight Legs.”

Tag and Danielle were stunned and then excited. When did you discover that?”

“About two minutes ago, why?”

“What were you doing less than a minute ago?”

Melanie and Matt turned red and Matt said, “In my excitement at making the discovery I hugged Admiral Grace. Why do you ask?”

“Sprig, what should we do?”

Sprig thought, “Matt, I want you and Admiral Grace to avoid touching each other until I can get there. Do both of you understand?”

“We do, Sprig; what’s going on?”

“Matt, we have just recorded a psychic wave stronger than we’re capable of measuring. We honestly don’t know what it means but until we do we need to make sure it wasn’t the two of you that caused it. Please wait until I can build a new scanner and I’ll arrive right after it’s built.”

“We’ll do as you ask, Sprig.”

“You can tell him that you two caused it, Matt.”

“Why do you say that, Fly Girl?”

Because I am now telepathic and I am just outside your ship; I felt that wave as it went through me.”

Sprig thought, “I heard that. Now it’s even more important that you avoid any contact, even mental.”

“We will do as you ask; Melanie will you please go to Fly Girl?”

“Sprig, when you come, bring the green shards with you, please.”

“I will have them with me.”

Melanie disappeared from the bridge. “I felt it, too, Magic. What happened?”

“I have absolutely no idea, Al.”

“Did you feel anything?”

“Not really,” but Matt did feel something happen when he embraced Melanie.

Melanie appeared on Fly Girl’s bridge and fell into her command chair. “What happened to me? I feel…so….different.” She had entered Matt’s mind as soon as he touched her and she could see everything he was. She was greatly impressed with what she saw. She could sense something was happening to her senses but wasn’t sure what it was.

The Sensor Male jerked on his bed. The Ship’s Male looked at him, “What’s wrong?”

“I have just been hit by some kind of pulse.”

“What kind?”

“My instruments did not measure it. It did not exist in normal space but it passed faster than light speed. It registered for only a micro measure.”

“Could this possibly be evidence of the advanced life form the Nest Mother thinks is here?”

“I have nothing to make that decision. Nothing in our data banks resembles it.”

“Could it have been natural phenomena?”

“I have nothing to say either way, First Fang.”

“Notify me if you sense it agin.”

“I will.” The Sensor Male said, “I am also bothered by the lack of a sensor reading.”

The Ship’s Male said, “What is that?”

“I have been examining the information stored from the last harvest and I saw a planet that should have developed food in abundance.”

“What do you mean?”

“After we finished our harvest of a planet, we left numerous lower life forms that were not far from developing organized thought. I look at that system and I see no sign of a meal. I wonder what could have happened to it.”

“Perhaps the planet had a natural catastrophe?”

“Perhaps, it would have been an excellent meal.”

The Ship’s Male thought about what the Sensor Male said. It would be a waste of time to investigate a system that had no visible meal but he respected the observations of his sensor leader. “Where is our next harvest?”

“Not far from our current location.”

“Dispatch a transport to that world’s location to investigate. Give them the coordinates of our next harvest so they can join us after their investigation.”

“The transport has been notified and will be leaving at the conclusion of our meal.”

“It’s probably nothing,” The Ship’s Male thought, “but this makes three nothings that are out of the ordinary; the disappearance of the children, that odd wave, now this missing intelligent life. Something just doesn’t seem right.” He turned his focus back to the planet below and watched as his children devoured the inhabitants.

The Reg felt the wave pass their planet and one of the three looked at the other. “I see they have found the power unit.”