Annihilation Series-Searching for a Hero (12 page)

Ping looked at Eric and slowly shook his head, “I understand that you came in alone to try and save us in the first battle.”

“Actually, I didn’t know it was you.” Ping’s eyes went wide. “I saw two ships being attacked by thousands and what I heard in my head was, ‘If one of us is in need, pain, or danger; then all of us are as well.’ My squadron chose to follow me in and I believe the enemy thought a major fleet had arrived.” Ping just stared at Eric and he looked back out the window, “One of my greatest regrets is that I never thanked Mios for his kindness. He made me see the world differently and I’m better for it. I came here to thank you. I’m not going to live with the regret of never thanking you if something happened to you. Thank you, Ping. I really mean it.” Ping slowly shook his head. “What’s wrong?”

“You’ve just taught me a lesson as well.”

“What is that?”

“You’ve just made me see that it’s by helping others that one finds real joy. I’ve been so focused on my own plans that I’ve ignored everyone around me. I’ve been so blind.”

Eric stood and turned to go but stopped at the door and said, “Well, if it helps, I do have some news that I wanted to tell you before the announcement was made.”

“What is that?”

“I’ve been given a fleet. I’m one of the youngest non-royal officers to ever be promoted to Rear-Admiral. I owe it to you and Mios.”

Ping stood up and went over and gave Eric a bear hug, “Thank you for coming, Eric.”

“Just one more thing.” Ping looked Eric in the eyes, “What do you think Mios and his wife would be telling you to do right now if they were present?” Eric looked around the hospital room and shook his head, “I suspect they’d have something to say about your extended vacation here.” Eric stepped out and closed the door.

Ping was shocked at the remark but after a moment he knew Eric was right. He could just hear what Mios would say and Jodie would say it at twice the volume. He looked at the closet across the room, walked over, and opened the door. He saw his Searcher’s uniform. He took it out and, after staring at it for a minute, he put it on. He had to take care of an issue and he wouldn’t put it off any longer.

• • • • •

“Your Highness, I’m sorry to disturb you but we have someone at the entrance that insists on speaking with you. He refuses to leave until we notify you of his request.”

Nicole looked up from a book and arched her brows, “Who is it?”

“It’s a Searcher Lieutenant with the last name of Kendel.”

Nicole’s expression turned dark, “Tell him to leave and to not come back.”

The staff member turned to go but hesitated and looked back at her, “He said if you refused to see him that I should tell you something.” Nicole didn’t want to ask but she nodded for him to continue. “He said to tell you that Mios and Jodie would want you to do it.”

Nicole’s tears were instant. The staff member was uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do. She sighed and said, “Take him to the spire and tell him to wait for me there.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Nicole wept again for the deaths of her two friends from the Academy. The scum had dared to use their names to manipulate her but she knew he was right. She’d see him out of her love for them; she felt nothing but hatred for him.

• • • • •

Ping leaned on the wall on top of the tallest spire at Castle Gardner. He had been waiting for four hours and he wondered if Nicole was going to come speak with him. He stared out at the huge city that surrounded the Castle for as far as the eye could see. The green gardens and lush landscape that surrounded the castle for more than four miles were beautiful. He started thinking about his life and saw where he had made the mistake. He sighed and wondered if he could have prevented Mios’ and Jodie’s deaths.

“Say what you have to say and leave!”

Ping turned around and saw Nicole standing ten yards behind him. She was wearing a royal blue and crimson jump suit and she was as beautiful as he remembered. “I’m sorry.” Ping walked toward the portal and Nicole screamed, “IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!?! I HATE YOU!”

Ping took a deep breath and slowly looked at her and then looked at the floor, “I don’t blame you, Nicole. You have every right to feel that way and I deserve it. I just wanted to tell you that I know I was selfish and stupid. I was not prepared for what was thrust on me; I made some bad decisions. Thank you for speaking with me.”

Nicole saw Ping’s eyes when he had turned to face her and his agony was clear. It didn’t matter; he was scum. But when he said he wasn’t prepared, her anger gave voice, “What do you mean you weren’t prepared!?! You knew what it meant and you rejected your duty and me along with it!”

Ping stopped and looked at her with those incredible eyes and said, “Nicole, your entire life you’ve been taught that your destiny is to serve the Realm as a member of the Royal Family. You’ve been groomed to do it and have accepted it as a fact of your existence. It’s as natural as breathing to you. I’ve been an only child that was never groomed to do anything but live out my life as a normal citizen of the Realm. Suddenly, I’m faced with the prospect that I will be a major player in the future direction of the Realm and its safety was my responsibility.” Ping shook his head, “I just…just…feared that I didn’t measure up to what was going to be needed. It was too much, too sudden. I couldn’t do it.” Nicole glared at Ping and he looked down, “Now, I’m faced with the realization that my reluctance probably caused the two people I loved more than life to die. I’m left with the hollow existence of knowing it’s my fault they’re no longer with me.”

Nicole sneered, “You’re taking credit for being more than you are. How could it have been your fault? Your ego is amazing.”

Ping looked in Nicole’s eyes and said, “I killed the ships that killed Mios and Jodie.” Ping saw the surprise in Nicole’s eyes at the statement. “Those ships came from another creation and I am a tool that is developed to stop them from destroying the Realm. If I had accepted my destiny, those ships might not have appeared. Make no mistake; I am to blame for their deaths.” Nicole was shocked at Ping’s revelation but she was still ruled by her anger. Then Ping said something that stopped her mind dead in its tracks, “You are going to be faced with a choice, soon. You are going to have to decide whether or not you are going to join me in fighting off those invaders.”

“WHAT!”

“You know who we are; you know what’s required. I don’t want you to think that you have to do it; I might be able to defeat them alone. However, you will be forced to decide whether or not to leave your home and family and go to war against those Black Ships. You will also have to tie your existence to mine. Think about that decision; perhaps you’ll understand why I did what I did.” Ping teleported away, leaving Nicole in shock.

• • • • •

Ping arrived on El Prado in the clearing where he had originally been summoned by the Cats. He saw the giant Cat sunning himself next to the tree line and smiled, “How did you know I was coming?”

“I didn’t know; I just hoped you would see what needed doing.”

“I really don’t know what needs to be done.”

Rider stretched and yawned. He looked at Ping and smiled, “They never do; they just allow events to push them into the roaring current and they go wherever it takes them.”

“Rider, I’m so frightened at the prospect of failing.”

“It’s allowing fear to rule your life; that is the real failure you have to face. It’s moving forward and not giving into your fears that make life worthwhile.”

“What do I do now?”

Rider actually erupted with a laugh that sounded like a cross between a howl and a grunt, “How would I know? You’re the tool created to make the difference.”

Ping took a deep breath and thought about his situation. “I’m going to need some room to maneuver.”

“I’ll handle that. You just follow your heart and it will take you where you need to go.”

Ping nodded and disappeared.

• • • • •

The meeting between the Grey Ship Leaders and the Realm had been delayed four times. Neither side felt comfortable placing their highest leaders at the mercy of an enemy. It was finally decided that each side would arrive at the planet with a hundred thousand warships that would assume formations on opposite sides of the planet. The leaders would leave their fleets in unarmed shuttles and meet in the middle of a teleport and null drive suppression field. The two shuttles would dock together and the leaders would hold their discussions while standing in their own airlocks. The fleets arrived and the two shuttles left for the center of the suppression field

“Your Majesty, I’m not at all comfortable with you being here.”

“Admiral, this is part of the job. To send anyone else would show fear to our enemy and that is not acceptable. You will scan their shuttle to make sure there are no energy weapons on board.”

“We’ve already done that and they have done the same with our shuttle.”

“Well, let’s see what they have to say.”

• • • • •

The Eldest Pack Leader was not happy. He was placing his life in the hands of the Director he hated and wondered if he was being set up. However, the three other Pack Leaders insisted that he should go and he was forced to follow their votes on the issue. “Just what do you expect to happen here, Director?”

“I’m hoping we can come to some sort of agreement on how to face those Black Ships when they return.”

“Are you so certain they are coming back?”

“Pack Leader, I heard that creature’s thoughts; they’re coming back.”

“Are you so certain that we will be one of their targets?”

“They deliberately came to the site of our battle with the Realm. I really believe they will go after the strongest civilizations first and that includes us. We need to do something to defend ourselves and it appears the Realm possesses some sort of weapon that will kill their ships. We must persuade them to share it with us.”

The Pack Leader saw the fear on the Director’s face and knew he was being honest. This was an officer that had once sneered at the four Pack Leaders, daring them to do anything about it. This officer was brave. The fear he saw made him see that perhaps he was right. Something that frightened him this much…

The shuttle bumped and the Pack Leader looked at the Director. “I wonder who the Realm sent to talk with us?”

“We’ll know momentarily.” When the shuttle doors slid open both of them were shocked. The King of the Realm stared at them from across the opening and both of them bowed.

The King smiled at the two creatures and was amazed at the respect that the Crown had among all the civilizations in Creation. Even the Realm’s enemies respected what the Crown represented, “Please rise and let’s talk about what’s going on between our civilizations. This is my Highest Ranking Admiral, Elliott Kosiev, who commands all our military forces.”

The Pack Leader straightened and said, “I am the Eldest on our Ruling Burrow and this is our Elite Director who commands all our military forces.”

“First things first, what do you call yourselves?”

“Our species is called Slegans, Your Majesty.”

The King looked at Kosiev and stepped through the door and joined the two creatures that looked very much like badgers in their landing bay. Kosiev rolled his eyes and followed the King; this was not a good thing. The two Slegans were also shocked that the King would leave his ship and enter theirs. His bravery impressed both of them.

“Why have you been attacking my ships?”

“We are going to start an expansion and we knew you wouldn’t allow it. The only way for us to attack the planets in our sector was to prevent your interference. We’ve been building our forces to do just that.”

“I’m surprised you’re being honest about your intentions.”

“The planets in our sector are somewhat hostile to each other and use predatory economic tactics against us. We are forced to endure their behavior because we don’t have the necessary resources to support our increasing populations.”

Suddenly, Ping appeared in the landing bay and all four leaders were shocked. The four backed away from him and the Pack Leader screamed, “What treachery!”

Ping held up his hand, “Oh shut up. I’m here because you aren’t going to come to any agreements without me being here to answer some of your issues.”

Kosiev smiled at Ping, “Just how did you manage to get around the suppression fields?”

“They won’t stop me. My biological teleportation is immune to any energy field.”

The Director stared at Ping and said, “You’re the one that killed the Black Ships.”

“I am.”

The Director walked forward and bowed to Ping, “Thank you for saving the lives of my crews and me.”

“I actually did it for personal reasons but you’re welcome.”

The Pack Leader stared at the young human and looked at the King, “Did you know he was coming?”

The King smiled, “No, I didn’t. Is there something I should know?”

Ping looked at the King and bowed, “Your Majesty, I’m the one the Cats have been trying to find.”

Scott Gardner did a double take and looked at Kosiev who nodded. “You know about him?”

“I do, Your Majesty. He refused to accept the quest the Cats wanted him to do.”

“In the future, I expect to be informed about things of this magnitude.”

Ping sighed, “You wouldn’t have changed my mind. I would have still refused.”

“Then why are you here?”

“The Black Ships killed two Searchers that I considered to be my family.”

The Pack Leader smiled, “Revenge has a way of changing things.”

Ping looked sharply at the older Badger and smiled, “I like the way you think.”

Scott stared at Ping and knew that if he really was the tool Creation had made to confront the invaders, he needed to be heard, “What do you think we should do?”

Ping looked at the King and then turned to the Slegans, “You are going to ally yourselves to the Realm and fight the Black Ships with us.”

Scott said, “Not so fast; they’ve been killing our ships for several years.”

“They did it to prepare for this moment in time, Your Majesty.”