Escape to Earth-The Legacy of a Conqueror (24 page)

“Oh, is that all?”

“No, I’ve also included the field trials of the new Progen Battleship. Share it with your civilizations. That should give them pause.”

The Commander stared at him. Then he said, “If we attacked, would you come to our aid if we were pushed out of the Monster Galaxy.”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“Because we don’t have enough of our new ship to take them on. They are more powerful than our previous model.”

“That’s scary.”

“And it’s also true. You need to develop new technology before you take them on.”

The Commander shook his head, “We’re at our developmental end. The new reactor you gave us is now on our ships.”

Chris sighed, “I included a diagram of a new reactor.”

“WE JUST INSTALLED THE ONE YOU GAVE US BEFORE! WHAT KIND OF REACTOR IS BETTER?”

“It’s a Dark Matter Reactor.”

“Say what?”

“I’ve included a detailed description on how to collect dark matter to power them.”

The Commander stared at Chris and exhaled a huge breath. “That should give me something to slow them down.”

“If it doesn’t, start the civil war early and force them to not go there.”

“WHAT?”

“Trust me on this, fewer lives will be lost than if you choose to invade the Monsters. You are nowhere near being able to match their current technology. Your ships will bear most of the load and you’ll be so weakened, you will lose in the following civil war.”

“You’re serious about this?”

“As a supernova.”

The Commander nodded and said, “I’ll do what I can.”

Chris stood up and smiled, “I know my way.”

The Commander nodded, “Don’t be a stranger. Come back and see me when it’s not an issue of life and death.”

Chris nodded, “I’ll see what I can do.” He turned and left the room.

The Commander sat down and shook his head as his two senior engineers rushed into his conference room, “WHAT DID I JUST SEE IN THE DATABASE?”

The Commander shook his head, “Take a seat and perhaps you can tell me.”

• • •

Chris entered the Pod and said, “Alley, take us back to Earth.” He looked at Allison, “Have you decided who will fly with you.”

“Yes, I’ve decided.”

“Who?”

“Don’t worry about it, Chris. You go and do what your soul calls you to do.”

Chris nodded and the Pod arrived at the space port ten minutes later. He stood up and hugged Allison, “Thank you for all you’ve done. You made the difference in getting things accomplished.” He released her and walked out of the small ship.

“ALLISON!!”

“Be quiet you two! It has to be this way.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“That’s insubordination!”

“Tell it to someone who cares. You’re an idiot!”

Allison watched Chris walk away and shook her head. Idiot wasn’t a strong enough term.

• • •

Two days later, Chris picked up a single Pilot Barrier Pod and moved his backpack on board. He looked around and said, “Computer, what should I call you?”

“How about Willow?”

“WILLOW!!”

“Lukas thinks I should go with you.”

“That is the best news I’ve heard in a very long time. Let’s get out of here.”

“Give me a little time to familiarize myself with the systems. I hope you don’t mind if I fly around a while.”

“Take all the time you need. Time is what I now have in abundance.”

Willow spent an hour learning the systems and then said, “Off to M-84.” Chris smiled and watched the outer edge of the huge elliptical galaxy appear on his display. “Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s go visit the Leaders first. Give me a moment to call Allison and wish her good luck on her new partner.”

“Uhhhh, you might want to delay that call.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Admiral Simmons has resigned her commission.”

“WHAT?”

“She’s no longer in the navy.”

“WHAT?”

“I just told you, she resigned.”

“WHY!!”

“She wouldn’t give Lukas a reason. She turned in her resignation and he told her he wouldn’t accept it. She said he had no choice and he told her that she didn’t have a choice. She told him to arrest her and put her in jail but she was leaving and not coming back. She walked out and Lukas didn’t have her arrested. Now you have the whole story. I’m skipping to the planet where the leaders are located.”

“Take me back to Earth!”

“Will you make up your mind!? We just arrived!”

“Willow, take me back to Earth NOW!!”

“Alright, you don’t have to be so pushy. All you had to do was ask.”

“I did!”

“Boy, you’ve gotten a lot more impatient since the last time I flew with you.”

“I’m sorry, Willow. Forgive my manners but get me back to Earth!”

“Is there anywhere in particular you want to go? I hear the weather in Florida is outstanding and the Emitter team there have a nice community.”

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“It is, what’s going on?”

“You tell me. Why do you think she walked out?”

“I have no idea.”

“Then you’re not as bright as you come advertised.”

“WILLOW!!”

“Why do you think Lukas wouldn’t give me to you?”

“Because the two of you have a close relationship. You’ve been together from the beginning.”

“What would happen if I were destroyed?”

“He, and I, would grieve and then he would have to take another ship.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“He needs a way to go out into space.”

“How could he possibly want to go if I couldn’t take him?”

“Because he needs to be able to go out to know what’s happening. How would he ever get back to Eden? How could he visit the ones he loves there?”

“So you’re saying his life would be less if he didn’t take another ship?”

“Exactly.”

“Think about that and then you tell me why she walked out.” Willow skipped back to Earth in an instant and Chris sat on board in silence. Willow sat on the concrete runway at the spaceport for an hour and Willow left him alone with his silence. Another two hours passed and then Chris sighed. “Willow, take me home.”

The Pod lifted and flew away.

Salud and Lukas sat in chairs next to the huge window in his office and stared at the pod sitting off to itself for the entire three hours. They ordered a meal brought in after the first hour and then continued to stare at the barrier pod sitting on the concrete. Salud held Lukas’ hand and shook her head when the pod lifted. She held her breath expecting it to leap into high atmosphere…but then…it slowly turned and headed toward the officer’s quarters near the beach. She looked at Lukas and he sighed.

Willow landed just outside the officer quarters and Chris stepped out in silence. He went to his quarters and looked around. The place felt empty without Michael. He was with his grandparents and Chris decided to leave him there. He changed clothes and put on a bathing suit. He grabbed a towel and headed toward the beach. He walked down the slope from the dunes and headed toward the beach chairs. He looked hard and saw Allison sitting in a chair. He took a breath and walked down to the chairs and pulled one up next to her. She glanced at him and then turned back to the ocean, “I thought you left.”

“I did.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I want you to tell me why you resigned.”

“That’s really none of your business.”

“Don’t force me to look at your mind.”

Allison looked at him, “YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN’T!”

“Then don’t force me to do it. Talk to me.”

Allison sighed and shook her head. Chris looked out at the Caribbean and waited. After two hours passed, he was glad Allison hadn’t walked off and left him there alone. He said, “I didn’t understand why you said I could never be your brother.” Allison looked at him, “I understand now.”

Allison sighed and looked back out at the ocean. He remained silent and after a while she said, “Did you know before I became your bodyguard that I had a thing for Jake.”

“He’s a great person and has become a great Admiral.”

“He never understood why I lost interest in him.”

“Why did you?”

“I decided that I wanted more.” Chris remained silent. “I watched you and Audrey while I was your bodyguard and I decided that I wanted someone like you in my life. I’ve been searching for that person ever since.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Allison shook her head, “Your heart belonged to another and it always would. What you and Audrey had is a once in a lifetime love.”

“Audrey died.”

“I know. But your love for her never will. I’ve watched you spend hours staring out at the ocean seeing her sailing across the waves.”

“How did you know that?”

“Your smile.”

“I can’t see her anymore.”

Allison looked at him, “Why not?”

“I thought it was because she was ashamed of me for what I did in M-84.”

“She would never be ashamed of you for that.”

“Why?”

“Because she would know you did it because of how much you loved her. Your stopping would have made her very proud.”

Chris stared at the waves for thirty minutes and shook his head, “Now I understand why.”

“What is that?”

“She’s angry.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve stopped my life and I’ve only lived to see her on this beach. She’s furious that I haven’t moved on.”

Allison stared at him and then looked back out at the ocean. After a few moments, she said, “I can’t fly with anyone else.”

“Why?”

“They wouldn’t be you.”

“That’s why you resigned.”

Allison nodded and looked at him shaking her head, “I tried, Chris! I tried really hard but each candidate they brought for me to interview only showed me how much less my life would be without you with me. I just couldn’t do it!”

“You left your only family.”

“They are not my family!”

“I was talking about Alley and Gene.”

Allison’s frown vanished and she shook her head. “They’re furious. They argued for hours telling me to tell you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I stopped you once from getting closure when I stopped you in M-84. I couldn’t stop you from finding redemption.” She paused and said, “I really don’t think I could have stopped you anyway.”

“Why not?”

“Because you chose to leave without discussing it with me.” She looked out at the ocean for a few minutes and said, “Why did you come back? If it’s to convince me to keep my commission, you’re wasting your time.”

Chris looked out at the ocean and said, “Do you know what the first thing I did when I arrived at the edge of M-84?” Allison shook her head. “I told Willow I wanted to contact you to wish you good luck with your new partner.” Allison looked out at the waves again. “He told me you resigned.” Allison lowered her head and looked at her hands. “You’re remembering when I held your hands after my little experiment.”

Her head snapped around to him, “You said you wouldn’t look at my thoughts!”

“I’m not. I have remembered you in my arms weeping pretty much every day since. It is that memory that convinced me to leave.”

Allison looked at him, “I don’t understand.”

Chris sighed, “Allison, you fit too perfectly.” Allison lowered her head and looked at the waves. Chris looked at the waves and sighed again. “It was after I could no longer see Audrey’s sail that the first thing happened that made me realize I loved you.” Allison’s head whipped around and Chris continued to stare at the waves. “It was Michael holding your hand after the two of you built that first fort. However, my mind refused to recognize it. The second fort brought it into focus. Holding you in my arms and holding your hands after your incredible bravery removed anything preventing me from seeing it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You had already told me you would never accept me as a brother. I saw myself as damaged goods and honestly thought you could do a lot better than a broken man with a seven year old son.”

Chris looked at Allison, “I’m not here to persuade you to take your commission back. I’m here with my hat in my hand asking if you will fly with me for the rest of my life.”

Allison was in his arms in a heartbeat and she cried in racking sobs. Chris stroked her head and said, “We’re all right, we’re all right.” He put his head on top of hers and looked out at the ocean. The pink and blue sail was skipping across the waves. He smiled and said, “I love you, Allison.”

She kissed him and he opened his thoughts to her. She lost herself and Chris kissed her harder. When they finally broke the kiss he said, “You are all I could ever want.”

“I’m not Audrey, Chris.”

“That’s what allows me to love you. Michael also loves you. I never promised not to look at his thoughts.”

Allison kissed him again and he held her tight until the moon was high overhead. He walked her to her quarters and said, “I am going to discuss this with Michael in the morning. I’ll come and get you afterwards.’

Allison nodded and kissed him goodnight. She went inside and worried about how Michael would respond and then she would hug her pillow yelling, “He loves me!” It was a long night.

When they showed up the next morning, her heart went into her throat. Michael looked extremely angry. She closed her eyes and Michael said, “My father says he wants you to be my new mother! Do you want to be my mother?” Allison opened her eyes and nodded. Michael turned, looked Chris, and then turned back to Allison, “They why is he leaving so soon! I want you to stay here and be with me for a while!!”

Allison’s eyes opened wide and she bent down and lifted Michael off the ground and hugged him tightly as she swung him around. Michael laughed and said, “See, Dad. She agrees with me.”

Chris smiled and shook his head, “Michael, before she can be your mother, she must first be my wife and she hasn’t agreed to marry me yet.”

Michael looked at Allison and said, “You have to agree. Say yes. Say yes. Say yes!”

“He hasn’t asked me, Michael.”

Michael turned around and looked at Chris with surprise written all over his face. “YOU HAVEN’T ASKED HER?!”