“Yes, why?”
“The foundling being born today will sense us here and sense our love and protection for it and its parents. I have seen its aura; and I want to make sure the foundling knows that we are willing tools for it to use. Dorg, you have no idea of the power this child will posses. I only pray that its spirit is like its mother’s and not warrior like its father’s or ours.”
Dorg could see the Glod Prince was nervous, “You’re really afraid, aren’t you?”
“Dorg, you would be too if you understood the power being born today. I wanted you here to protect your people just like you protected mine when the Alliance attacked the Humans. The foundling will have a special place for us because we are here. You do not want to miss this moment.”
Dorg looked out the window of the waiting room at a beautiful spring day on Earth and thought about what Tgon-Gee was saying. Dorg and his race were skeptical about psychic powers. Their main claim to fame was being one of the most aggressive warrior races in the galaxy. However, he had seen firsthand how everything that Tgon-Gee had said had been verified by subsequent events during the war with the former Alliance of Worlds. Tgon-Gee said that Tag could not be defeated and Tag had gone out and proven it defeating five Glod martial arts champions bare handed with no weapons. He also knew from first-hand experience that every time his race had challenged the humans they were beaten when this young human led them. He thought about it and it came to him that without Tag and Danielle’s wisdom and forgiveness that his race would probably be extinct now. They had given his people, and him, another chance. He knew in his deepest feelings that he would give his life for the two humans and their race. He also discovered at that moment in the deepest part of his being that he would do the same for their child. He looked at Tgon-Gee and said, “Thank you. I will always value your trust in me to have me here with you today. I will protect this family with everything I have.”
Suddenly both Tgon-Gee and Dorg felt something in their mind that was like a warm glow. Tgon-Gee smiled and said, “The foundling hears you and accepts you.”
Dorg no longer needed to be persuaded about anything psychic. He could feel the child in his mind and he held on to that warm glow as long as he could.
Tag was sitting in the room with Danielle and their new daughter. He could actually see the psychic field that surrounded the two of them and he wondered at what psychic talents their daughter would have. Danielle and the baby were asleep in the bed with the baby lying on her chest. As Tag watched them, Danielle without opening her eyes said, “She’s beautiful isn’t she?”
“Just like her mother,” Tag said tenderly. “She’s got blond hair just like you.”
“But she has your eyes, Tag.” Danielle quit talking and used her thoughts to speak with Tag. “You’re wondering about what we were discussing before the baby started coming?”
“Yes, I am. I think you may glean why we ended up together.”
“This is probably going to sound crazy but it feels right to me.”
“Then it must be right; I’ve never known you to be wrong,” Tag thought softly to his wife.
“Tag, our baby brought us together.”
Tag just looked at her with a stunned look on his face. He didn’t know how to respond to what she said. “Tag, the part of you that is used to produce a child also has psychic powers. Your DNA was looking for a match that would compliment your talents. I also believe that my DNA was doing the same. Just like your body taking control of you when you’re attacked; your genes sought the perfect partner. Somehow, our inner selves saw each other even when we had never met and manipulated events to insure we would come together. All of this was for us to have this child. The defeat of the Alliance was simply a byproduct of the process. You are right; it is not an accident that the two strongest psychics on earth ended up together.” Danielle placed her head tenderly next to her new baby and nuzzled her cheek.
Tag continued to stare at her. “Are you telling me that we had no say in what happened? We had to come together? I find this hard to believe.”
Danielle kept her eyes closed but thought, “Don’t you see, love? We loved each other from the first moment we touched. Our inner selves longed for each other long before that happened. It was what we are that brought us together. The universe has a reason for this and we may not ever know that reason. However, how do you feel now that our daughter is here? Look deep inside yourself and tell me what you feel.”
Tag closed his eyes and looked at his deepest feelings. Danielle waited and watched him as he sat for several minutes. Finally he opened his eyes and said, “I feel at peace. It’s hard to describe, but somehow I feel complete.”
“As do I; we need a name, Tag. Oh, what a hoot; a name tag. I made a funny.”
Tag smiled and said, “I have read a great deal about Earth’s ancient history and I learned that the flower most associated with love was the rose. I would like her name to be Rose.”
“Tag, what a wonderful name; I agree with you. She will be Rose Luanna Gardner.”
“Luanna,” Tag asked?
From my great grandmother who lost her husband and raised her children on her own; she was the strongest willed person in my family. I suspect our daughter will be a lot like her.”
“Rose Luanna Gardner it is. Are you ready to let the two new uncles in to see her?”
Danielle smiled and said, “I look a mess but they deserve to see her after sitting there for hours. Call them in.”
Tgon-Gee and Dorg walked in the room and saw Danielle and the child. Tgon-Gee came to the bed and bowed low to them and Dorg also hit a knee. Danielle said, “Please stand, you’re here with friends. There’s no need to bow.”
Tgon-Gee said, “My Queen, I can see your child’s aura. She will be the future leader of all our races. She deserves my homage and my total loyalty. I can feel her presence.”
Dorg said, “I can’t see anything about an aura, but I, too, feel her. I also give her my total loyalty just as I’ve given it to you, Majesty.”
Tag and Danielle looked at each other both a little unsettled by the admission that the two leaders could feel their baby’s presence. Danielle thought to Tag, “I think that life has taken a major turn here.”
Tag only smiled because like his two friends, he could also feel her and what a great feeling it was.
Chapter 2
Admiral Dorg sat in the fleet command chair on the Stars Realm Megaship Rossville. He had just returned from the birth of the Gardner’s baby two days ago and he was introspective about what that child would mean to the Stars Realm. He could still remember the feeling he had when the baby was born. He glanced at the status display on one of his four consoles that gave a read out on the ships readiness for jump. The Commander of the ship, Tresk, sat just below his chair issuing orders to his crew for departure within three drags. Dorg shook his head and focused on the mission he was about to undertake. He would think about the child and the possible implication of what Tgon-Gee had said later.
He was impressed with his former adjutant’s knowledge of the ship’s systems. Tresk had come a long way from being a staff officer to a warship commander and the ship’s crew was excited about the mission. His communication console beeped and he looked over and saw the two human leaders of the Stars Realm Military, Admiral Kosiev and Prince Thomas Gardner. “Good day Mr. Gardner and Admiral,” he said into his com.
Kosiev smiled at him and said, “We just wanted to check on you to see if everything was on schedule for your departure.”
Dorg was a Cainth Warrior and in the aftermath of his species being defeated by the Humans during the Alliance conflict he had learned to respect and actually like his former enemies. The Cainth looked remarkably like a four armed earth kangaroo. The main differences, other than four arms, was that the Cainth had small ears on the side of their heads instead of the long ears of the earth kangaroo and their two legs were very thick and strong which made them walk somewhat stiffly. They had a light covering of brown fur and very narrow eyes that were totally black. His species was known in the past for being extremely aggressive and territorial usually shooting first and talking later. The defeat at the hands of the humans had forced his race to reevaluate their former viciousness and come to embrace the concept of working with other races to become friends and allies. Now his race and the humans had become Clan Brothers sworn to defend and protect each other. After the defeat of the Alliance by the Humans, Cainth, and Glod, his race attained a high status among the 832 races that now made up the membership of the Stars Realm. He had taken a life oath to make up for the deaths of the human colonists that he had ordered murdered during the attack on the human colony planet Ross. His ship was named for the city on that planet where 20 % of the colonists were executed. He still had nightmares of the humans that had been killed and he drove himself to make up for their deaths with what life he had remaining. Now he was going to try and save a world that was going to be destroyed by the plant creatures that literally destroyed planets and consumed all life.