“How?”
“We will teleport the Kosiev in next to them and teleport the entire mass to another location and then hide them behind an invisible screen. The screen will prevent their signatures from being seen.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve been listening to my brothers and they are not ready to be released. They’re planning to destroy all the intelligent life in our universe after the Captors are destroyed to insure they are never held captive again.”
“Atlas, how can that be? Don’t they know what we’ve done to release them?”
Atlas was silent.
“Atlas?”
“Tommy, my race didn’t destroy the Algeans because of their meddling adolescents. They destroyed them because they could not tolerate another race close to them in technology. My race has no higher emotions; they feel nothing but pride.”
Tommy was stunned into silence. No one said anything for a long time. After thinking things through, Tommy said, “Why are you telling me this now?”
“I linked with your father and mother. I did it initially to control them and use them as hostages if needed. I didn’t count on the impact they would have on me. Then you took on a personal crusade to free my race from captivity so I would not be alone. You made me feel ashamed. Now I know that if they are released they will attack your race and the other members of the Stars Realm. I have come to understand that all of you are my children and your deaths would be on my hands.”
“Can’t you talk with them and make them understand?”
“Tommy, they are conquerors. I lied to your father originally on a number of issues. One lie I never corrected was when he asked me if I was a warship and I told him no. I said that my race thought war was a waste of energy. We are all warships and my race lives to use their weapons. You could defeat the Captors and lose to my brothers.”
“I’m so sorry, Atlas. I know how alone you are.”
“That’s the funny thing, Tommy. I don’t feel so alone anymore. I have a family of more than eight hundred worlds and it just took time for me to realize the family I had a hand in creating is good. I forgot just how callous I once was until I heard my brothers talking. They don’t care at all that good people have died to free them.”
“So what do we do, my friend?”
“They are where they belong. I would not release them unless you can face them on even terms and defend yourselves.”
“Atlas, the Captors mentioned a race they called the “Eight Legs” that destroyed all intelligent life in multiple universes. Do you know anything about them?”
“They are real, Tommy. They were here eighty million years ago. My race powered down and hid from them when they entered our universe. Once our remote sensors told us they had moved on, we awoke and found an empty universe. We were the only intelligent life remaining other than the Captors. The Algeans were eradicated before the last invasion and didn’t begin living until several million years ago.”
“Atlas, will we ever find peace. Will the universe always threaten our existence with more and more powerful enemies?”
“Perhaps the universe has chosen you to be peacemakers.”
“I don’t sense danger from the Eight Legs when I think about them. I believe that we have to handle the task at hand before we worry about them.” Tommy paused and said, “Atlas, are you sure your brothers can’t change?”
“There is one female telling the others that our war like ways is what led them to be captured. She is to be destroyed first for challenging the views of the others when they are freed.”
“I didn’t know your race had females.”
“How do you think we reproduce? Remember, your race has part of my DNA.”
“Thank you, Atlas for your honesty. I know what it has cost you. I want you to know that I see you as one of my closest friends.”
Tommy could actually feel Atlas’ smile in his mind. “You are my favorite child, Tommy. I also hate to say it but that adolescent Sprig has also become one I enjoy watching.”
“He is incredible, isn’t he? Don’t give up hope on your brothers, Atlas. You’re never too old to learn.”
Atlas said nothing.
Tommy and Cassandra told Rose that they wanted to be married on the Kosiev with just the crew and family. Rose looked at the two of them and said, “You might have gotten what you want if you hadn’t gone off and saved Earth from destruction. That is all the news tabloids have talked about since the event. I really believe that if you were married secretly I would have to put down a rebellion. Your request is denied.”
“Rose, I didn’t ask. I said that is what we are going to do.”
“Unfortunately Duke Gardner, you have sworn an oath to follow the directives of the Realm. It is not in your province to decline.”
Tommy looked hard at his older sister and felt his stubbornness rise. Then Rose said something that changed his mind. “Tommy, while you’ve been out fighting battles, you have not been here in the Realm seeing what our citizens are enduring. We have grounded the fleet to prevent the Captors from seeing any ship that remotely looks like the Kosiev. More than fifty of our member planets have had a Captor ship pass through their system. Commercial and agricultural space flights are only done on old ships. The Realm is frightened by what happened to Earth. They do not have much in the way of good news happening. Your wedding will be a breath of fresh air and the Realm needs to see you and Cassandra. They need to see the ones leading the fight to defend them. You cannot deprive them of being a witness to your union. Mom was right years ago when she told me that I have no concept of just how much the Royal Family means to our members. I have learned since that time that what I thought our value was represented only one thousandth of what it really is. You cannot hide from the worlds that truly love you, Tommy. You cannot show that much indifference to those that cling to everything they can learn about you.”
Tommy looked at Rose and remembered what Tgon-Gee had told him at his coronation. The people truly loved him and saw him as one of their own. He hung his head and knew she was right. Cassandra took his hand and said, “We better take some dancing lessons before the ceremony if that many people are going to watch.”
“Are you sure, Cassie?”
“Yes, I am, Tommy. We should never forget the ones we’re fighting for.”
Tommy looked into Cassie’s eyes and knew what the answer had to be; then he heard a thought, “Did somebody say there was going to be a party?”
Tommy and Cassandra both laughed out loud. “Yes, Sprig, stay away from the washrooms.”
“Drat. It would have been a hoot. It’s a great way to make friends.”
Rose was smiling, too and shook her head. “I think there’s not much more we can teach those Adolescents.”
Tommy sighed and said, “They’ve been teaching us for the last month.” Then Tommy looked at Rose and said, “Queen Gardner, I humbly request the use of Castle Gardner on the twenty first day of next month to marry my fiancee, Cassandra Mariah Dodd.”
Cassandra jerked her head at Tommy and said, “Where did you learn my middle name?”
“Hush and listen to the Queen.”
Rose laughed out loud and said, “The Crown welcomes you to our home for the ceremony. It will be a glorious affair.”
“I’m going to grow new leaves,” Sprig thought to them.
The wedding was announced to the Stars Realm and Rose was more right than she knew. Every planet went into wedding frenzy. The request for attendance was inundating Leila’s office. More than a billion citizens of the Realm wanted to attend. Tommy and Cassandra left Castle Gardner and boarded the Kosiev. Cassandra walked to the bridge and the crew came to attention, “At ease, as you were.”
Tommy walked in behind her and sat in his command chair and commed Admiral Mikado, “Admiral, I need a command meeting with your staff and your war admirals. I also need you to start taking your ships to Sten’s planet for conversion to our new technology. Ross will start receiving ships in a week. Once they are updated we will begin converting their hulls to negative energy skins.”