Annihilation: Book 05 - Searcher (17 page)

“Is Cassandra alright?”

“She got to see her child. It was something she never hoped to do but it is what kept her going all these years. She is complete now.”

“I sense her peace. There’s something else there that I’m not quite able to grasp.”

There was a long moment and then Danielle sighed and thought, “She and Tommy have made Atlas change their life spans to normal.”

“What!”

“Darling, the only reason she allowed it in the first place was because she and Tommy wanted to insure this child arrived safely and found his powers. She rightfully feels that as long as she lives, the universe is in jeopardy. She lives with the constant fear of causing destruction. You can’t imagine the pressure that places on her. Living her normal life span has removed that pressure.”

“What does Tommy say about this?”

“He has felt her anguish over the many centuries and he agrees with her. He will not continue without her. I believe that their remaining years will finally be happy.”

Tag sighed, “I don’t want to lose them.”

“I sense your sorrow and I feel the same but your loss is not close to how Atlas feels about their decision. He is wounded deeper than he will ever let them know. He loves them so much.”

“They freed his brothers.” Tag reflected for a long moment. “What about us?”

“I feel no need to make that decision, Darling. The years have added so much love to my life and it has only grown. I was reluctant at first but I did it out of duty to the Realm. Then I was reminded that an Algean lives more than a million years. If I can live that long and see our love grow as it has, I get excited at the prospect. How do you feel, love?”

“It feels like I just met you the day before yesterday and I kissed you for the first time an hour ago. Even if we choose to abdicate our crowns, I’ll love you forever.”

“Remember these words, Darling, “Love is Eternal”.”

T
ime flew as the Realm grew to more than twenty million civilizations. Matt called a meeting of all the Realms leaders and finally met the King and Queen for the first time. The group was sitting in the library of Castle Gardner and everyone stopped talking and bowed as the King and Queen of the Stars Realm entered the room.

“Please rise, and make yourselves comfortable,” Thomas Gardner announced. The Royal Couple moved to their chairs at the head of the table and sat down.

Sprig stood and thought to the group. “We have called this meeting to plan our actions once the invasion begins. I am going to turn this session over to Admiral Gardner; he has some important information for us.”

Matt stood and said, “The invasion will begin with the first Eight Leg vessel arriving exactly six months from today.” The room grew very still. “That first ship is a preliminary scout and the rest of their ships will start arriving two months later. I know the location of where they will enter our universe and it is not close to the Realm but it is a galaxy that has ten of the Realm’s members. I requested this meeting because of some concerns that I’ve developed after watching the recording of their last invasion. I really haven’t focused closely on that recording before but now I sense some things that trouble me.” Matt paused and keyed the display controls. “I have made some excerpts from the recording and I want to show you what I think I’ve seen.” He started the video and the group saw picture after picture of one of the green ships being hit by energy weapons. In every picture the green ship showed no reaction to the hits.

Sprig thought, “Energy will not work against them.”

“That’s what I’m sensing, Sprig, and even our strongest beams will not affect them.”

Tag said, “Surely none of those beams are as strong as ours.”

Sprig thought, “probably not, but notice that Admiral Gardner has shown us pictures where each beam striking those ships was progressively stronger than the previous one. If they could be affected then some kind of difference would be seen. There is no difference in any of those strikes.”

“What about the negative matter,” Danielle asked?

“I sense that no form of energy will affect that substance on their ships.”

“What does that mean to us,” Anglo Gardner asked?

“It means that the majority of our weapon systems will not work against them. I also suspect that they are also immune to any projectile that is fired at them.” Matt paused and then said, “That’s not the worst of it.” The tension in the room could be felt. “I also believe that we will not be able to see them with our sensors. We can only track them visibly.”

Twig leaned to the right, “What makes you say that.”

“I believe that they are invisible to any form of energy. Our sensors use energy to operate.”

Anglo leaned back, “The Captors tracked them.”

“Yes they did, however, we know that the Captors had the use of the energy nexus to see every place in the universe. Those no longer work now that the particle has been exploded.” The room grew very still. “The Captors could also visually see any tracks made through null space because they were energy beings; we are not.”

Tag looked at Matt and everyone could see his concern, “You mean our ships are useless?”

Matt paused and then said, “I’m not sure. They have to have an Achilles heel; we just don’t know what it is. I think that I have come up with a way to track their movements though.”

Sprig thought, “How?”

“They move from universe to universe using a system that we are completely unfamiliar, however, once they enter normal space, they appear to use standard star drives to move through null space. We can read jump tracks so we would know where they are going if we are there to read their jumps.”

Anglo leaned forward, “How would you do that?”

“It appears that all of the Eight Leg ships jump into our universe at the same starting coordinates. If our ships are truly invisible to their sensors, we could read those jumps and send the coordinates to one of our Searchers and it would be their task to follow one of their mother ships where ever it jumps. If one of their jump tracks is going to one of our protected planets, we could offer advance warning to prepare for moving the planet. We cannot attack them and risk showing them the existence of our red screens. We will be forced to watch as they find those civilizations we have not contacted and consume them.”

Danielle’s expression turned hard, “Why can’t we try to draw them away?”

“Because once they see a weapon coming from empty space, they will know they are not seeing something on their sensors and I fear they may find a way to nullify our invisibility. Remember, this race is incredibly old and they are advanced beyond anything we possess now. If they can see our protected planets through their screens, then they will see the substitution take place when we move them. Are you willing to take that risk?” No one spoke. “We are going to attack them,” Matt said.

Danielle flinched, “I thought you said we couldn’t.”

“Not with our screens on. We are going to have to attack without being invisible to them. We have to attempt any method we can think of to try and find what will get around their technology; however, I believe that we will not need a screen to protect us. It’s my firm belief that they would go right through any screen we have. They certainly demonstrated that ability eight million years ago and they’re probably better at it now than then. I think that it won’t put us in harm’s way because nowhere in the recording I viewed did the invaders use an energy or projectile weapon. The small ships are apparently their only weapon. We will find out soon enough if I’m wrong but I think they have no idea that jumping inside the jump limit is possible. With the speed of their craft, they have probably seen no need to use those weapons.”

“Then we can try to draw them away,” Danielle said.

“It won’t work, Your Majesty. Their pattern is to move in system and release more than two million of the small ships to remove any resistance. The mother ship continues right to the planet and releases the real weapons which are those hundred mile long troop carriers. You would have to use more than four million ships to distract them with weapons that have no affect on them. They will ignore us but they are going to wonder where all those ships came. They will not leave our universe until they find out. You only insure our discovery to attack them on that scale. Please, think about doing what you’re suggesting and tell me what you sense.”

Tag, Danielle, and Anglo closed their eyes and Tag immediately said, “He’s right. The danger is higher than I’ve ever sensed.”

Danielle opened her eyes and said, “I can see it, too.”

“I sense them finding us within a year of us using a massive attack without effective weapons. I also believe that they are here early because they know it took a highly advanced life form to explode the particle. They still may not leave until they find a civilization advanced enough to have caused it.”

“Is there anything else, Searcher,” Anglo asked?

Matt looked at Angel and then at Sprig and said, “I’ve wondered why these creatures only attack intelligent life. I worry that by absorbing the brains of their victims that they may be able to see anything that their victim knows.”

Everyone in the room showed the shock they felt at that revelation. Matt continued, “If they consume one member of our navy, they will know everything about us. We cannot allow that to happen. I am requesting a Royal Decree that any member of our armed forces that faces the possibility of capture by these creatures must prevent it at all possible costs.”

“Are you saying they should commit suicide?”

“I’m saying it would be better than what we see in that recording. Our ships have to have a self destruct mechanism.”

Tag and Danielle looked at each other and Tag stood and said, “You have given us a lot to ponder. We should think about what you have said and make some decisions. We will end this meeting now and continue in three days. Everyone is charged with thinking of what we can do against this menace. Matt, what if they capture a planet of the Realm and absorb what the leaders know? Does that mean the planet should be destroyed before the Eight Legs land?”

“I’ve thought about that, Your Majesty. I just didn’t want to be the one to mention it.”

Danielle looked at him and said, “I understand why.”

“Sprig, we need you to help us.”

“What’s the problem?”

“A searcher came by the construction site and was pushed away from the construct.”

“What?”

“The exterior lit up and the searcher was pushed twenty yards back. Only the exterior came active, the control room remained dark.”

Sprig thought for a moment. Are there any other developments?”

“Yes. It appears a second chair has appeared in the control room.”

Sprig thought and then said, “I want every Searcher to be given a coordinate four hundred yards above the moon. Have them start jumping in and see if anything in the control room shows activity.”

“It will be done. However, we are no longer able to mold the material. It seems to have frozen in its current position. It froze the moment the second chair appeared.”

“Then we need to find the occupant needed for the second chair. I believe the ship is waiting. Start with Angel Dodd.”

“We will begin immediately.”

“Matt, are you busy?”

“No, Angel, what do you need.”

“You, of course, but the Algeans have ordered us to jump to a coordinate and jump away. I have been selected to go first. Do you know what’s going on?”

Matt thought a moment, “No. but I’m sure it has something to do with ship development.”

“Ok, as soon as I finish the trip, I’ll come and visit.”

“That would be great, Angel. Remember we have the second meeting in two days.”

“I’ll be ready. See you later.”

“Bye, Love.”

“Do you think it has something to do with the ship the Algeans are building?”

“I don’t know, Al. You must think I’m psychic or something.”

Al started laughing and then Matt joined in. “That always cracks me up.”

“Me, too, Al.”

“Have you had any new visions?”

“No, just the one.”

“Has it cleared up?”

“No, I don’t know when it’s going to happen.”

“That is possibly a good thing.”

“I can’t say I disagree with you. She’ll be here shortly so liven up.”

“Don’t worry; it’s easy to laugh when Angel shows up.”

“Don’t you mean Fly Girl?”

“Same thing, Magic.”

“I know.”

“Leader Twig, we have found the other occupant. The ship is now continuing development.”

“Keep me informed, Elder Engineer.”

“I will do so.”