Annihilation: The Power of a Queen (31 page)

The Assembly was stunned and then they jumped up and started roaring their shock at Sten. He stood there and listened to it for twenty sems then pressed a button on his console that sounded a tone that penetrated the voices. Slowly, the members quieted and sat down. Sten again looked at them and said, “The Alliance is an institution that is so broken that even should we decide to work together, there’s 2000 years of history that works against us that prevents it from being what we heard yesterday. There are more than 800 worlds that all think they are alone against the rest. Even though we want to become what the Human Queen described yesterday, look around you at your fellow representatives; are you willing to trust them?” Sten saw them look at each other and begin to understand what he was saying.

The Spejk representative then stood up and said, “Then what’s the answer? How do we overcome ourselves and our prejudices?”

“I asked myself that same question last night and finally it dawned on me that the only way to insure that my people would follow that vision was to make the visionary our ruler. We have to give up our independence from everyone and become a part of something bigger than we are. The trouble with how we’ve been ruled is that we have all done as we please except when the Alliance called us to kick the groad out of someone who stepped too far out of line. We are used to that and in our current structure we just won’t be able to resist the call to act in our own self interests to the exclusion of everyone else. Can’t you see it? I saw Cainth, Glod, and Humans willing to die for each other. I want to be a part of that. I want to know the peace of being able to trust my allies to know they are truly committed to my safety. I am asking to become a part of that.”

The Members looked at each other and finally one member stood up and said, “You’re right again State Leader. To become a part of something; independence must yield to becoming dependent. We lack the willingness to trust each other, but I believe all of us can trust the Queen that spoke to us yesterday. By submitting to her, I have no fear of anyone else. She would defend my world. Do any of you doubt that? State Leader, place my worlds name on the request you’ve sent to the new Stars Realm.” Suddenly, many members were asking for inclusion.

Sten sounded the tone again and this time the room became instantly silent. “Here is what I am willing to do and what I think we should all agree on. I am going to petition The Stars Realm for the opportunity to join them as a member race. If the Membership here agrees unanimously to also petition for membership, then each of the eight hundred and twenty members, and the seven races that are not members yet, will bow to the Queen and pledge their world’s allegiance and loyalty. You have five drags to contact your home worlds and get agreement on what we’re doing. That is all the time you’ll be given.”

The members stormed out of the chamber to contact their leaders to see what they wanted to do about this new development. Five drags later all the members were back in their seats. Sten again stood up and said, “What is your wish. I will call each members name and you will declare your intent; Spejk.”

“We declare for the Queen.”

“Felang?”

“We declare for the Queen.”

Sten continued down the list until all members but one was polled. All voted for the Queen. He saved the Vgrig for last. If there was going to be trouble, it would come from this warlike race. “Vgrig?”

The Vgrig representative stood up in his normal warriors dress and looked at Sten. “My race still kills each other in tribal wars. It is a glory to die killing one’s enemy. The best thing in a warrior’s life is his first kill. My world watched the Human Queen’s message and the ones that cried the most after they heard it were the Mothers who have had to watch their children die in needless duels and wars. The mothers of my world that are worshiped by their children have declared that they will no longer send their babies to die. They will kill them first. They also declare that any child of theirs will be killed if the stupidity is not stopped. The Grand Leader of my world declared that he would not give in to a bunch of cowardly mothers. Those cowardly mothers walked into our central chamber and killed him. His own mother struck the killing blow. I tell you this because we declare for the Queen but we will need your patience in changing our ways. We will pledge to defend all of you. We wish to be your brothers.”

The Assembly went wild. The entire floor turned to bedlam. Former enemies embraced each other and for once, everyone knew what it felt like to be part of a bigger vision. Sten watched and then sent his request to Tgon-Gee and Terl. He had not sent one like he told the assembly but had waited to see if they would join him. Now, the Humans had to accept them.”

Tag received a com from Tgon-Gee and was surprised to find Terl on the screen also. “What’s up?” he asked.

Tong-Gee paused and waited, and then Terl said, “We have a development.”

Tag had become proficient at reading their expressions and said, “Nothing serious I hope.”

“State Leader Sten had just communicated with us with a formal request.”

Tag said, “We’re not going to fight their battles for them!”

Tgon-Gee said, “It’s nothing like that. They have notified me that all 829 races that make up the Alliance have voted to end the Alliance today.”

Tag was stunned. “They can’t do that; they’ll all turn on each other without the threat of reprisal.”

Terl said, “They have also voted unanimously to join our Stars Realm and individually pledge their loyalty to Queen Danielle.”

Tag was speechless. He didn’t know what to say. “Darling,” he thought.

Danielle responded immediately, “Yes dear, what is it?”

“You might want to listen in on this conversation. Please com my console immediately.”

Tag said, “I’ve just requested Danielle to join us in this conversation and also requested the Director of our government to also join us. When did you get this request?”

“It was delivered to both of us about twenty dregs ago,” Terl said. “I immediately commed Tgon-Gee to see what he thought we should do about this. This is not a decision we can make on our own.”

Danielle asked, “What decision is that?”

Tgon-Gee and Terl remained silent looking at Tag on their monitors. “It seems the Alliance has voted to end its existence and make all its members independent.”

Danielle immediately showed extreme duress and said, “They can’t do that. They’ll destroy each other. The loss of life will be beyond count. What are they thinking?”

“There’s more, Danielle. They have also voted, again unanimously, to formally ask to join our Stars Realm.” Danielle was speechless. She sat back in her chair and said nothing.

Tgon-Gee said, “State Leader Sten tells us that each of the members will individually swear loyalty and allegiance to our new family and to any leader selected by our three races. He says that after hearing Tgon-Gee’s talk about how you were selected that the members of the Alliance trust that you’re using the right process to select the best leader. He also thought that removing all the other members from that selection process would eliminate reasons for future succession conflicts which shows some pretty remarkable farsightedness on his part. I’m just over whelmed by the whole concept and just can’t grasp what all this would lead us toward.”

Director Nicole interjected, “I have been listening in on the conversation without commenting but I have also patched in our SFT team.”

Tag said, “Tgon-Gee, can you get the 50 Peers to join us on this and Terl, I’m positive the other clan leaders and Admiral Dorg should also be included. We’ll standby while you make that happen.”

Tag waited and thought, “Danielle, are you alright?”

Danielle thought back, “Tag, this is overwhelming. I’m still trying to accept being a ruler of three races. That role frightens me and causes me to worry about making a bad decision. This is several magnitudes beyond that. You know I’m just a medical technician that stumbled into a crime scene. What qualifies me to be a ruler?”

“It’s not a done deal yet. Let’s see what all the others have to say. I think we have some that will not trust the Alliance.”

“You might want to rethink that,” Atlas chimed in.

Tag and Danielle both started and Danielle thought, “Why is that Atlas?”

“Do you remember the recordings from the Galaxy of the plant race?” Danielle said nothing but Atlas and Tag could read the revulsion in her mind. “I see you do. Someday you are going to have to face them and fight for your survival. You must be united to stand any kind of chance against them and it’s my opinion that your three races are not up to the task. I didn’t think about them until I actually saw them destroy a planet. Whatever you decide, I hope you take the long view.”

Tgon-Gee broke their thoughts by announcing, “All of us are on the channel.”

Terl said, “All but one of the Clan Leaders are also on the channel and a representative of the missing Clan leader is listening in.”

Director Nicole said, “We are also all on the channel.”

“I assume all of you have been updated about the recent development in the Alliance. The issue in front of us is, do we accept them into our brotherhood or not. Have you discussed this among yourselves?”

Tgon-Gee said, “The Peers and I would vote no. We just can’t bring ourselves to trust them.”

“Nor can we,” Terl added.

“Misty said, make that three of us. This is too sudden to rush into a decision.”

Danielle spoke up and said, “This is a moment in history that will define us. I am terrified at the prospect of being responsible for so many lives but I know that we must take this burden and make it work. If I am truly your leader in fact and not just in name, then I command you to accept these new races as brothers and embrace them as you have each other.”

Silence ruled the channel. Everyone looked at each other waiting for the others to speak first. Finally, Tgon-Gee said, “It’s easy to look at an aura and say that the one that possesses it must be obeyed. It becomes extremely difficult to do that when they decide something differently from the total consensus of your brothers; however, the Glod will welcome the new members into our group and try our best to embrace them as brothers. We know that when there is a difference, Queen Danielle will make the right decision. We pledged our loyalty and our support of you and we keep our pledges.”

Danielle said, “Tgon-Gee, you are now my Prime Lord and will speak with my voice in all issues. You have earned that trust with your actions today. Leila, will you please put that in a formal document and send it out.”

Leila answered from off screen, “Yes, your majesty.” Danielle looked off screen at Leila and frowned but Leila kept a straight face. Danielle just couldn’t get used to being called Majesty.

Terl looked at his Clan Leaders and said, “We will also do as you say. I can’t say we trust auras like the Glod, but you have not been wrong. How can we believe you are now? We will also follow your lead.”

Director Nicole looked uncomfortable and said, “Danielle, you are one of our own. I just have great difficulty saying yes. These races tried to kill all of my people and I’m responsible for their welfare. Please help me understand why we must do this?”

“First, the Cainth were the main instrument of the Alliance trying to make that happen. Do you trust them now?”

Director Nicole looked uneasy and said, “That’s different. I do trust them now but these others are the head of the beast.”

“Actually, they are not. The Alliance had ten worlds that ruled them. They were the head and the head was insane.” Danielle paused and then said, “Tag, show them the video. They need to know.” Tag looked at her and Danielle could sense his stubbornness rising. She thought at him, “Now I ask you, do you trust me to make the right decision or are you going to assume the total responsibility for what comes from keeping this information secret.”

Everyone on the channel saw the change of emotions on Tags face. They also knew that he was going to refuse but somehow his wife had communicated with him. How had she done that?

“I’m going to share some information with you and I am not going to reveal how I received it. I want you to understand that this is fact and perhaps you might want to consider it while making your decision.” Tag then started the recording Atlas had made in the Plant Races Galaxy. Everyone on the channel watched as the Planets defenders were destroyed and then the planet harvested. “The race you see being attacked here is called the Pydres. They had, like us, fought among themselves which accounts for their weapons but they united against this attack. This attack is taking place in a galaxy beyond the horse head nebula.” Then everyone saw the rape of the planet. They watched the inhabitants eaten alive and herded into camps and then stunned and transported up to the huge fleet. “There are more than 100,000 ships in the attacking fleet,” Tag said. When the huge transports arrived and started receiving all the life on the planet, the revulsion of all could be seen on the display monitors.

“Who are those attackers?” Misty asked.

“Wait, there’s more you should see first.” The onlookers then saw video of world after world stripped bare with only buildings left behind. Hundreds of worlds flashed on the screen. “I’m told that these hundreds you see are but a tiny percent of all the worlds killed by these creatures. I don’t know the name of the race attacking the planet; what I do know is that they are basically plant life, they do not communicate with anyone but themselves and nothing has stood against them and remained alive. For lack of a better name, I’m going to call them Algeans because they resemble algae in their basic composition.”