“May we stay and observe what happens?”
“Yes; just don’t go near the system,” Jake teleported out.
The Collective separated out into its Quadrants. Two intervals had passed and the entity had looked at the data with the mental capacity of ten trillion Keepers. Their findings were disturbing. Science spoke first, “It appears that universe is more advanced than we thought. The means of moving individuals inside the drive limit is amazing. We need to capture one of the mechanisms that are being used.”
Production added, “Our scanners were not wrong. The population had to be on the planet when our fleet entered the system. Building all the structures of a civilization with no one to live in them is an economic drain that can’t be endured, especially on the scale we’ve seen.”
The Collective asked Military, “How are we going to wage war on planets where the population can leave before we can attack?”
“We will have to destroy every planet in their universe that can sustain life. We cannot leave a place for the population to come escape. We will burn every planet down to the bedrock. There are hundreds of universes for us to conquer and manage; this particular one must be eliminated. There is also the issue of the Green Creatures. We know they are there; their planets should be the first targeted.”
The Collective pondered the direction it was moving his species and remembered what Values had said. He didn’t want to, but he turned his attention to the Quadrant that was not included in their discussion, “I will not harm you. What do you think?”
“What would you do if those creatures came to our universe and killed planets? Would you just sit by and do nothing?” Values paused for the Collective to consider that thought, then said, “You also know that a very powerful being that possesses mental powers greater than any we have ever seen is now there. Have you taken this being into your considerations?”
“You are only asking questions; I want to know what you think.”
“If you continue this path of conquest and destruction, we will be destroyed down to the last worker. Now I will go back to my solitude; your arrogance will convince you that I am wrong.”
The Collective and Quadrants listened to Values and remembered when it was used in formulating their plans so long ago. Now they grew angry at what it said.
Production said, “You should just disrupt it and good riddance.”
“I promised it no harm and you will do as I say.”
Technology asked, “What is our plan?”
The Collective knew a line was being crossed that placed them on a path that could not be stopped. His thoughts were interrupted by Production. “What about the ships currently fighting in that universe? Are we agreed that the invaders were able to damage our ships at the farm?”
The Collective turned its attention away from the Quadrants and contacted the Messenger Ship, “Go back to the fleet and warn them that there is a weakness in the drive systems of their ships. They must not turn off their drives.”
The Messenger locked in the coordinates of the fleet’s last location and jumped.
The Keepers Fleet organized in orbit above the city and launched 100,000 landing craft. They turned the noses of their ships toward the planet to destroy anything that attempted to prevent the collection of food stores, and watched as the small craft entered atmosphere.
Jake watched the Keepers Fleet come to a stop and turn off their drives, “Now, Manny!”
“Keepers’ ship breaking out of universal drive at the star drive limit.”
Jake looked at Junior’s display as the brown ship emerged. He hoped that the Searchers were going to act before the ship could communicate with the stationary fleet.
The fifty thousand Searchers teleported in, hit their firing solutions, and immediately teleported to their second target.
“Fleet Director, I have a message from the Collective.”
“What is it?”
If the messenger had just said, “Turn on your drives now,” the fleet may have had ships survive. That short pause proved disastrous for the Keepers Fleet. These Searchers were locked on their targets and they did not miss. The blast from the fuel lines burned every Keeper in the fleet and the Messenger lost mental contact with every Keeper above the planet. It was only able to hear the ones on the planet collecting stores. It knew those small craft were not protected like the ships in orbit. It started to warn them, but then saw a red beam hit the city and burn everything down to the planet’s bedrock.
Jake watched the Keepers’ ship hang in space at the drive limit. It did not turn off its drives. Jake sighed in relief and commed Manny, “Admiral, teleport in enough Searchers to haul these ships to the star. That ship at the drive limit can’t do anything about it; it would take it seven hours to reach the planet.”
Manny looked at his display and nodded, “They’ll arrive momentarily.”
Six hundred thousand Searchers arrived three minutes later, hooked cables to the Keepers’ ships, and towed them on a path toward the sun. The Messenger stayed and watched as the fleet accelerated into the star’s gravity and were burned into nothingness.
Jake could hear the Keepers’ thought on the lone brown ship and he sent a message to it telepathically, “Tell your leader that if he sends any more ships into our home again, we will bring this war to his door and show him what his actions have done.”
“Do you seriously think you can stop us? We know how you killed our ships and we know how to prevent you from harming us in the future. You will pay for this.”
“Junior, were you armed with that cutting beam that is supposed to be able to penetrate their hull?”
“Yes, but it has not been trialed and we don’t know if it will work. It can only be extended thirty feet, which will not do major damage to a ship 2,800 feet long.”
“I would rather trial it with just one ship instead of a fleet. They can’t see you, so fly by and see if you can cut the rear stabilizer off. The main beam is in the nose, so just make sure you’re moving fast enough to get out of range quickly.”
“Jake, I don’t want to place you at risk; you’re too important.”
“Then fly faster, but we have to see if we have anything to offset their advantage. This is the only chance we have that is to our advantage, so just do it.”
Junior gave a sigh and said, “Buckle up; this should be interesting.”
Junior flew at the Keepers’ ship, extended the cutting beam to its full thirty foot length, and shot by the ship at one-fifth light speed. The rear fin was sheared.
The individual Keepers fired their beams at the rear of their ship but Junior was out of range before they could respond.
The Director of the Messenger felt a huge shock go through his ship, “What happened?”
The Sensor Leader said, “We are now missing one of our rear fins. I suggest we leave.”
“Initiate universal drive.”
Just before the brown ship jumped, the Director heard, “Don’t come back.”
Jake jumped back to the Cainth survivors and said, “I am sorry for your loss; we will enlist you in the Realm’s Navy and train you to use our ships. Are you ready to start that process?”
Mord felt savage joy at the Keepers Fleets destruction, “The sooner the better.”
“The coordinates are on your com. I’ll communicate with you later.”
Mord nodded at Jake and the survivors jumped away.
Chapter Thirteen
The messenger arrived and the Collective immediately made contact. “I did not arrive in time to warn the fleet. All of our ships were destroyed, and my ship was damaged by some sort of beam.”
The Collective and all Quadrants watched the fleet’s destruction and the burning of the craft on the planet. “One of the beings in the other universe sent a message that if you send another ship into their universe they will bring the war to our home.”