Annihilation - Finding Keepers (Annihilation Series (Book Seven}) (34 page)

“On my way,” and he teleported to the meeting. He arrived to find Manny, Joe, Edison, Sprig, and Valerie sitting around the conference table.

Valerie looked up and said, “We have just discovered that the Keepers are building their ship modification facilities in open space and are placing pyramids around their home worlds. We estimate that at the current rate of construction in less than four months more than two million of their ships will be modified. Within nine months, all their home worlds will be protected and the remainder of their ships will be updated within a year. Those facilities are in open space and are millions of light years from the closest star. They cannot be destroyed by a nova.” Valerie looked around the room and shook her head. “I’m reluctant to use stars to destroy their home worlds, but we must do something to slow them down.”

Joe looked at Jake, “I agree. We should begin implementing the plan immediately.”

Jake saw Manny nodding and Edison and Sprig looking at each other with doubt, “If you want to insure our death, then that is exactly what you should do.”

The group grew silent and stared at him.

Valerie looked at Jake and saw he was serious, “Why is that?”

“I have just met with a part of the Keeper’s central intelligence, and it said that if you destroy the Keepers’ home worlds, our universe will be destroyed as well as millions of other universes.”

Sprig thought, “And you believed it?”

Jake told the group about the meeting and the danger of killing the huge populations of the home worlds.

Joe shook his head, “What did you expect it to say? Of course it would try to stop their destruction.”

Jake sat down and pulled up a history of scans from the Keepers’ universe. “I did not want to believe it either. However, I looked at the scans our Searchers have made of the Keepers’ home worlds, and something I saw makes me believe it was being honest. Look at the scans made of their largest planet six months ago and the estimate of Keepers population on that planet.”

The group saw that more than a trillion Keepers were living there.

“Now notice the scan that was taken this week. The population is the same.” Jake waited as everyone compared the two scans. “Their population is being tightly controlled just like the worlds they’ve enslaved. We could not do the same with our populations. I looked at a hundred of their home worlds and they are all the same. Something is happening to control their growth. If this being I spoke with is right, what will happen if we remove that control?”

Junior added, “I also listened to the being, and I believe that it was being completely honest. If we kill the forty thousand home worlds, then millions of their garrisons will explode in population and we will have to fight huge numbers of new home worlds.”

Jake said, “Thanks, Junior.” He turned to Manny and Joe and said, “I know you have difficulty believing what I’m telling you but I could sense that being’s spirit; it was not lying. We must find a way to kill their ships and we must start killing the garrisons. You might also consider that if we destroy the home worlds, their entire fleet would no longer be needed to defend them. I think there are enough facilities currently under construction that the invasion would actually happen sooner. Killing the home worlds will not buy us time.”

Valerie looked at Jake and said, “Show us the conversation you had with this being.”

Jakes shared his thoughts with the group and they saw the discussion with the Keeper being. Valerie said, “He’s right. I can see the being was almost overcome with remorse of what his species has become.” Jake nodded. Valerie looked at Sprig and Edison, “If what it said is true, our only choice is to work in defense of the Realm. How is the frequency generator production progressing?”

Edison said, “We will have enough probes for every member of the Realm in two months. We hope to have enough for the other civilizations within six months.”

Sprig said, “There may be a problem if we teleport planets out of some provinces.”

Valerie looked at Sprig, “You’re thinking Duke Jongo will not cooperate?”

Sprig shrugged, “You know him better than me, however, he asked a lot of questions about our timetable when I notified him of our plan to save the Realm’s planets.”

Joe looked at Valerie and shook his head. Valerie sighed and said, “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Valerie stood, “Get the generators working. We’ll discuss how to attack the garrisons after we get the Realm’s planets ready for teleportation. Plan to meet here in three weeks.”

Jake said, “An attack on their garrisons may pin down large numbers of their ships. We might want to start sooner than later.”

Valerie shook her head, “I don’t want to show them the generator before they attack. I want to limit their time to find a counter.”

Manny looked at Jake, “Do you have any ideas about how we should start?”

Jake nodded, “I do.”

Joe looked at Valerie, “We’re going to continue this discussion. We’ll delay attacking, but if we are going to use large numbers of our military we can’t delay developing a plan. We’ll let you know what we determine and see if it meets with your approval.”

Valerie sighed and nodded. Another delay before she could have Jake all to herself.

Cynthia Dodd was going to attend a meeting at Castle Gardner. “BC, take us to Ross.”

“What’s going on?”

“I have no idea, but it can’t be good. The Admiral and Prince require my presence.”

“Better you than me.”

“What do you mean? Where I go you follow, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Not true. I didn’t go to the Keepers’ universe with you. I stayed here where it’s safe.”

“Yeah, but you hated every minute of it.”

Silence greeted her remark. “Got nothing to say?”

“Just don’t let it happen again.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

“We’re here. I’m going to listen in.”

“Nosey sort, aren’t you?”

“Just like my commander.”

Cynthia teleported to the map room and found Admiral Busigleore, Prince Gardner, and Jake waiting there for her arrival. She saw Jake and said, “Why did I think this had something to do with you? You should have just let me have that machine’s winnings that night.”

“And spoil all the fun we’ve had? Besides, if I had done that you would have missed your promotion.”

“What fun are you talking about? I’ve almost turned grey at the stress….what? Did you say promotion?”

Manny smiled and said, “Commander Dodd, you are promoted to the rank of Colonel and will assume the command of a special brigade we are forming to attack the Keepers’ garrisons. Your command will be chosen from our best warriors, and we are developing a special mix of weapons for them to use.”

Cynthia was stunned and sat down in a chair, “Why me?”

Joe looked at her, “Because Jake showed us the recording of your fight with the Keepers in which the two of you held the entire garrison at bay for an hour before help arrived. You are more experienced than anyone else we could select to lead this effort.”

“Other than Mr. Talant.”

“Yes, but the Queen has made it clear that she won’t allow him to lead this fight.”

Jake smiled, “If you don’t want the command, Cynthia, we can look for someone else.”

“No! You don’t need to look elsewhere. I’m your gal.”

Manny looked at Jake and smiled, “She really does try to hide her love of fighting.”

“She can’t help it. She thinks if she acts like she wants to fight, you won’t let her.”

Cynthia stuck her tongue out at Jake and said, “I’ll make this command the best in the Realm. When do I start?”

“Report to Fleet Command and ask for Major Glen David. He’ll be your second in command. He’s already started the selection process. He was one of the Red Warriors that fought with you against that garrison. I’ve sent the details to your ship so you’d better get a move on, Colonel.”

Cynthia saluted Manny and disappeared in a teleport screen.

Manny handed Jake a five credit note, “You were right. Her ship was listening in.”

Jake accepted the bet and smiled, “Those two are a good unit.”

Joe said, “They’ll need to be.”

Jake could only nod.

J
ake and Valerie were sitting in front of the fireplace in Valerie’s living room. She was snuggled up next to Jake, holding him as she felt her love for the man she missed every moment he was away. Her eyes were closed and Jake was staring into the flames. Something was wrong and he just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. The feeling started during the meeting and had grown over the last two days. What could it be?

Valerie opened her eyes and looked up at Jake and asked, “Why have you not tried to find the Gardners?”

Jake did a double take and said, “I thought you were asleep.”

“No, I’ve just been enjoying the moment. But I still wonder why you’ve not tried to find them.”

Jake stared at the fire and after a few moments said, “Because it’s not time yet.”

Valerie leaned back and furrowed her brow, “Jake, we’re about to be attacked by millions of Keepers’ ships. When would be the right time?”

Jake sighed and looked at her, “What kind of vision do you think would force the Gardners to disappear, Valerie? What would they have to see that would cause them to go wherever they have gone?”

Valerie thought a moment, “It would have to have been something so extreme that they felt there was no other choice.”

“Exactly. If I find them too soon, then I may cause severe repercussions to what they’ve planned. I sense that the Keepers must invade on a massive scale before they can be found. It would have to have been a vision of that invasion that caused their disappearance.”

“Do you think they can help? Your psychic power is higher than theirs.”

“It’s not the magnitude of power, Valerie. It’s the skill of using what power you possess. I’m still stumbling into what I’m capable of doing and there’s no one, other than Junior, that has a clue about helping me develop my skills. I also think they would not have gone if they did not have some idea of how to handle the current crisis.” Jake looked back at the fire, “We are no closer to finding a weapon to stop their ships. I pray that the Gardners will have an answer to that problem.”

“So you think there is going to be a massive loss of life before we can find them.”

Jake lowered his head and nodded.

“Don’t wait too long, Jake.”

“I hope I know when to act, but once the invasion starts I want you on board with Junior and me.”

“Is Ross in danger?”

Jake looked at Valerie and said, “We are all in danger. No place in the Realm will be safe, and I’m pretty certain that the Keepers have scouts in our universe just as we do in theirs. I’m of the belief that they know Ross’s importance and it will be a top priority target for the initial attack. Once our scouts determine the invasion is beginning, I want you with me. You should also make Joe leave the castle and join the fleet. I keep sensing that Ross is in great danger.”

“Then you think the generators won’t work.”

“No, I just believe they will chase Ross wherever we move it. They have scanners that will be tuned to Ross and they will be chasing it no matter where we send it. You won’t be able to function as the ruler of the Realm if you are being constantly forced to run from their fleets.”

“Have you made any plans if what you say is true?”

“Yes. Sprig has set up a schedule of more than ten thousand locations for Ross to go that are preprogrammed into the teleport system. Some of the locations are more than fifty hours from the jump limit. I still think the Keepers will not give up no matter how many times we move it, but it’s the best we can do.”

“What will the Realm think about me not staying with the planet?”

“They’ll never know you’re not there. Once the moves start communications with Ross will be next to impossible. Unfortunately, every planet will be on its own until we find a way to kill their ships. The Spiders and Algeans will be in control of the mayhem that is bound to happen when thousands of planets start teleporting.”

Jake thought a moment and asked, “What did Sprig mean about Duke Jongo?”

Valerie sighed, “He has been making life oppressive for the civilizations in his domain. The military, both Searchers and Red Warriors, under his command have been chosen for their loyalty to him instead of the Realm. If the Keepers were not an issue, we would have eventually been forced to remove him as the ruler of the Kosiev province.”

“Are you saying civil war, Valerie?”

“He has his eye on the Stars Realm throne, Jake. He may use this as an opportunity to seize the crown. He has not given any of his forces to assist in this fight, and we cannot make it an issue while we are facing the Keepers’ invasion.”