Ultimate Warrior (The Fight for Creation (Book Three)) (24 page)

The black colored beetle turned toward the speaker and sunlight reflected a crimson light off its shell, “Part of what we’re learned is that you’re suffering from our invasion is harming the one we want to contact. We have decided that it is no longer appropriate to force you to do our will.”

“I don’t understand.”

The large beetle paused and said, “You are emotional creatures, are you not?”

The delegates looked at each other and the speaker said, “We do have emotions.”

“We don’t possess emotions. All of our decisions are based on logic without any emotional content. It was logical to us to use others to do our work for us. The feelings or thoughts of those we used were not factored in the decision. It was, to us, the logical thing to do. We don’t hate you or love you or feel anything about you. That’s not the way we’re made. However, we have been shown a different perspective and based on what we saw, there are consequences to our behavior that we were not aware of when we conquered your planet. It has become clear that the logical thing to do is to leave.”

The speaker said, “You should know that all of us hate you with a passion we can’t come close to expressing.”

“We know that as well and there was consideration of just destroying the planet and eliminate a possible future enemy.” The large gathering felt fear. Even the speaker knew that these creatures would do it without a second thought. “However, that would be illogical if we were leaving to prevent causing you harm. We decided that we would not harm you further.”

• • •

The speaker took a deep breath and blew it out. “You’re planning to walk away and just leave us here? You destroyed our technology, you made us leave our cities, which are all in decay now, and you destroyed the fleets we used to defend us. You’ll leave and we will be conquered again by the first aggressive species that stumbles on us.”

“Unfortunately, you have a good understanding of what’s happening.” The inhabitants began seeing their future and it wasn’t looking good. At least the Masters had not killed indiscriminately. They hadn’t even blasted the cities. “However, we are willing to make you an offer but I suspect you won’t be willing to take it.”

“What is that?”

“We invaded and made you farm because we don’t like doing it. We now know that we will have to feed ourselves. We are willing to pay for your services.”

“What do you mean pay?”

“If you will continue to grow food for us, we will rebuild your cities and transportation facilities. We will also assist you in rebuilding your fleets and defensive capabilities. We will build a structure for everyone that chooses to work in the fields and pay them based on how much they produce. We will also defend your planet against all aggressors while you are transitioning to independence from us.”

“Why do you say we’ll not accept this offer?”

“Because you said you hate us with a bitterness that is indescribable. We don’t understand emotions but we assume you will want nothing to do with us after we leave. We’re making this offer to try and at least reduce your hatred. We know those emotions are not going to make it easy for us to make contact.”

“Just who is this entity you want to contact?”

“She is the Creator of everything and our actions have harmed her. She has heard your suffering and it weakens her. We never knew she existed but another species allowed us to hear her song. We want to hear it again.”

The speaker looked at those around him and turned to the Supreme Beetle, “Will you give us some time to decide?”

“I will leave one of my subjects here with a shuttle to deliver your answer. We will not come back again without your permission. If we knew what we know now, we would have never bothered you, but we didn’t. This new knowledge forces us to reevaluate and act logically. That is why we have a representative from every community here to hear what we’ve discussed.”

“Will you do one thing before you go?”

“What is that?”

“We have no way to travel between our communities and we need for us to go back and explain what has happened. Will you take us to our communities and bring us back here?”

The Beetle looked up at the sky and after a moment shuttles began arriving and landing on the field outside the gathering. “The one I’m leaving here will teach you how to fly the shuttles. You may keep them and use them for whatever you decide.” The Supreme Beetle turned and reentered the warship. After the ramp was retracted it lifted into the atmosphere and disappeared.

The Speaker watched it go and shouted, “Before we go back to our communities, you are the largest on the planet. Please discuss what you’ve heard and prepare to tell us what you want done before we leave.” The Speaker turned to the lone Beetle and said, “What do we do with our crops?”

“They are yours. Do with them what you choose.”

There was enough to feed the inhabitants. They would have time to discuss what should be done.

• • •

Vremel was behind his psychic field listening to the conversation on the surface. Now this was a development. He teleported away and arrived at El Prado to tell Eyes about the new development. Two hours later the king knew and soon after that Sam was given a recording of the conversation and Jixie laughed. Sam looked at her and she said, “Mitch bought us this opportunity. And bless Russell’s soul for allowing the Blue Creature to hear the song.”

• • •

Ken looked at Pixie and said, “I can see why the Life Warriors will no longer play a role in future actions.”

“Tell me what you see.”

“The remaining species that are the real problems we’ll have to confront don’t invade planets; they destroy them.”

“That’s how I see it as well.”

“I also see the Zord have found thousands of other aggressive species but the Fleet and Warriors can handle them. It’s this last group that is really scary.”

“The one we’ve stumbled on recently are more advanced than our technology. We can kill their ships but it takes multiple hits to kill one of their ships. We’ve lost a large number of ships attempting to stop them from killing civilizations.”

Ken nodded and said, “We didn’t stop them. They sent reinforcements and we were forced to flee. The planets were still destroyed. This doesn’t look good, Pixie.”

“Dad tells me that fleet is planning to give us sixty ships to use in our squadrons. What’s your opinion about how we organize them?”

“I think that we should put them all under my command and that you operate independently.”

Pixie thought about the idea and said, “This is different from ground warfare, Ken.”

“Not really. We need to see how the enemy’s ships are organized and we will then choose an appropriate method to attack. I see that Mitch’s patterns would work against individual enemy ships.”

“How did you come up with that?”

“According to the video recordings, their ships can detect a teleport signature and fire within two tenths of a second after detection. It takes our ships a tenth of a second to emerge and fire. That leaves just one tenth of a second to hit and move. If we develop a pattern where each ship has an arrival point at a specified place and time, we should be able to continuously hit them. I’ve also seen a pattern that seems to indicate that if they fire a beam, it will take it a half second to recharge. Their beams overlap so if we can get two beams located next to each other to fire, we’ll have more time to move back in and fire multiple shots.”

Pixie looked at the recordings in her mind and said, “I missed that recharge time. I think you’re right but this is not going to be easily done with a ship flying at high speed. Arriving at the right time and place will be extremely difficult.”

“Fleet has confirmed that if we can hit their ships with four beams all within two seconds, the fifth will break through. That fifth beam will have to target one of three locations; the reactors, the force field generators, or the missile ports. A hit on any of those will take out the ship. If the force field goes down, the ship is open for a hit anywhere on its hull.”

“I wonder if there’s any way to increase the power of our beams.”

“There is one way.”

“What is that?”

“We fire from less than ten feet from the surface of the force field.”

“Just how are we going to make that happen?”

“I notice that your mother has an invisibility field. Do you also have one?”

“I do.”

“How large is it?”

“It’s grown since the cliffs. I can cover a mile by half a mile.”

“Think about this. It’s going to take three ships to take out one of theirs. If we go into their formations and you cover our squadron and three ships drop out as we pass their ships, you should be able to get twenty ships attacked in a very short period of time. You can jump back to the start and the first ships can go back under your field and you can retrieve the others on a fly back along the line you came in. We’ll then continue the process on the next twenty.”

“Ken, this timing is impossible.”

“Pixie, our pilots will be hearing the music. Once they have trained and learned the patterns until they’re second nature, they can do it without thinking. We’ll hold six ships in reserve to take the place of any that are destroyed and we’ll have a reserve of ships constantly training on the patterns.”

“You expect to lose ships.”

“I hope we don’t. I know one pattern that should always be followed. Hope for the best but plan for the worst.”

“Just how long will it take to drop our ships and retrieve them?”

“If the pattern I see is accurate, you’ll need to drop all of them in less than two seconds to be back at the first ship attacked to retrieve the others.”

“What happens if I’m late?”

“The pilots at the first ship will teleport to the next ship that was destroyed and join that group of three. They’ll continue to move to the next ship until you arrive. If this works there should be at least sixteen ships blowing up for them to get next to. I guess the critical element in making this work is can you fly by twenty ships in less than two seconds?”

Pixie thought about it and said, “Let’s go see.”

“How do you want to do this?”

“We’ll fly through the Realm Fleet above the Ross system and see if I can do it and if they can see me while it’s happening.”

“Are you going to notify them we’re coming?”

“What would be the fun in that?”

“I was afraid you were going to say that. Your ship or mine?”

“Since we’re doing this to check out my abilities, we should take mine.”

“This should prove interesting.”

“If you’re scared, say you’re scared.”

“I’m scared.”

T
he speaker arrived at the Beetle’s location and approached it. “What happens if we agree to continue to grow your crops and find it is not something we want?”

The Beetle raised its head and after a moment said, “Then tell us to leave.”

“And you’ll do it?”

“This place is no longer part of our domain. You control what happens here.”

“I just find it hard to believe it’s that simple.”

“We have seen that those that are afflicted by emotions use falsehoods in their dealings with each other. Deception is not something we do. It’s not logical.”

“We have decided to take you up on your offer to assist us to become independent.”

“I’ll notify my Supremacy and we’ll begin rebuilding momentarily.” The Beetle looked at the sky again and said, “He will arrive tomorrow to determine what you want done first.”

The speaker stared at the Beetle and hated it but began respecting it against his will. He turned and walked out in the field and told the newly elected leaders what was going to happen. Vremel contacted Fleet and they sent the message to Sam.

• • •

“Now that wasn’t so bad.”

“Easy for you to say; you’re accustomed to flying that close to ships that are on alert and don’t know you’re coming.”

“Well, they didn’t see us.”

“There is that. I clocked you at one and a half seconds on your best time and two point four on you worst.”

“Yeah but my worst time was my first. I got better each time.”

Ken nodded and Pixie heard, “Pixie, I need you and Ken to go to a planet tomorrow to meet with one of the Blue Ship Leaders.”

Pixie immediately felt her anger rise, “I am probably not the best one to send, mom. Those creatures killed Mitch.”

“That’s true but you facilitated Russell being able to communicate with them and something profound is taking place. We need to send someone there that can hear the music. Sam and I agree that Ken should be the one to go.”

Pixie remained silent and Jixie said, “Pixie, they’re freeing all the planets they’ve enslaved. It appears that they want to be able to hear the music again.”

Pixie still remained silent and Ken said, “We’ll be there, Your Highness. Please send us the coordinates.”

Pixie looked at Ken with rage on her face and said, “Who gave you the right to speak for me!?”

Ken stared at Pixie and saw a pattern. Pixie saw his expression and her rage vanished. Ken lowered his head and then looked her in the eyes, “If Mitch’s death leads to billions of slaves being freed, he will be remembered as the leader whose unit made it happen. His legacy deserves that recognition. Your own selfish anger at those creatures will prevent history from knowing how important he is in the history of the Realm. Contact your mother, please.”

Jixie said, “I’m still here.”

“I will not go there with Pixie. If you will go with me, I will try to open a dialogue with those creatures.”

“The two of you should work this out.”

“I’ve seen all I need to know, Your Highness. Please do as I request.”

“I’ll come and get you.”

Pixie looked at Ken and said, “What’s wrong?”

Ken turned, walked off the bridge and teleported to his ship. Pixie watched him go and wondered what she had done. “Mom, what did I do?”

“You showed him your true feelings.”

“What do you mean?”

“Who other than him has the right to speak for you? Mitch is not around to do it. You didn’t even trust his judgment as to why he wanted you to go. You demonstrated to him that Mitch’s ghost is more important than he is. I would have walked away too, Pixie.”