Cassandra went into the center and saw the place where the particle had broken into the new universe. The entrance was the size of a neutron but they could see the new universe through it as it expanded away from the center of the explosion at the speed of light. Tommy and Cassandra felt at peace and could feel each other’s love. Tommy thought, “I could stay here forever, Cassie. You are such a complete part of me in here.”
“I feel it, too, Tommy. I love you.”
“Better tell Sprig to launch the ball.”
“I will but I don’t want to do anything to the first one. I just want to see what happens.” Cassandra sent a thought to Sprig, “Fire a ball into the center, Sprig. We want to just watch and see what happens to the first one.”
Immediately a Coronado Ball was fired into the center. Tommy and Cassandra watched at it approached the point of the new universe and then it hit and blew apart. “Tommy, I can push the next ball through. We don’t even need to fire it.”
“I know, but the others need confirmation that we can do it.”
Cassandra thought, “Sprig, fire another.”
The ball entered the energy center and approached the entry point. Tommy and Cassandra surrounded the ball with their psychic aura and watched as it went through the point into the new universe.”
“Let’s go back,” Tommy thought.
“I’m with you all the way, my love.”
Sprig watched his instruments as Tommy and Cassandra opened their eyes. “Looks like you did it,” Atlas said.
“Yes we did. We know how to send objects into the new universe. Now we need to see if we can do anything with this skill.” Tommy then looked at Cassandra and said, “Do you feel ok?”
“Yes, Sprig was right. You being there made the difference. I think we need to go back to the meeting and see what we should do with this information.”
Sprig and Twig looked at each other and Twig thought, “We have to get them to see what will happen if they don’t use this process.”
“I know. I know.” Sprig looked at Tommy and Cassandra and said, “I want you to do something before you leave.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “What?”
Sprig lowered himself down to their level and said, “I want you to go and talk with the Captors about our idea.”
Tommy furrowed his brow and said, “Why would we do that without talking with the Realm’s leadership?”
“Because you are probably going to have to open your mind to them and if you don’t know our plans on how we are going to attack them, then you can’t reveal them.”
Tommy looked at Sprig, “You’re not being totally honest, Sprig. That may be a good reason but it’s not the real one.”
Sprig looked at Tommy and then looked at Twig who raised her branches and said, “Tell, him.”
Cassandra looked at Twig and said, “Tell him what?”
Sprig fell silent for a minute, “Tommy, Twig and I have assimilated all of the knowledge in every library in the Stars Realm. When we downloaded into each other we developed totally new perspectives on how all of it related.”
“I’m aware of that, Sprig.”
“What you are not aware of is that if you totally destroy the Captors, the Stars Realm will fall apart and probably have civil war among its members within a hundred years.”
Tommy, Cassandra, and Atlas were stunned by Sprig’s statement. “How did you make that determination,” Atlas asked?
Twig said, “Do you know why my race stopped the war against you?”
Cassandra interjected, “Because Admiral Dorg shared his thoughts with your Eldest leader.”
Sprig leaned back and asked, “What was it about his thoughts that persuaded the Eldest to make that decision.”
Tommy thought for a few minutes and then he saw it. “The Eldest saw that we did not destroy Admiral Dorg’s race even though they had done things to deserve it. If we totally destroy the Captors then the Algeans will know that we do possess the capacity to exterminate an entire species.” Tommy sighed heavily, looked at Cassandra, and continued, “All of our member planets will also know that the Stars Realm leadership can make that kind of decision. Since Earth, Glod, and Cainth hold the most important positions, the other members will begin to fear that, just like the Central Committee in the old Alliance; we can destroy them if they step out of line. If we can do it once, we can do it again.”
Sprig said, “Tommy, unfortunately, once you cross that line, you’re never the same again. Totally exterminating another race changes how you see and feel about yourselves.”
“But, Sprig, they would totally destroy us if they could,” Cassandra said.
Sprig didn’t say anything. Tommy looked at Sprig and Twig and said, “Yes they would, Darling; they would do it because we started this war. We were the aggressors.”
Atlas said, “How do you arrive at that conclusion?”
Sprig looked at Tommy and said, “You see it now, don’t you?”
Tommy nodded his head slowly, “Atlas. What if we had decided to follow your original instructions and not go near the Captors and leave them alone; what would have happened?”
Atlas said, “Nothing, until they came to Earth’s system to inhabit Jupiter and killed everything in it.”
“That’s true, Atlas. But then they would have settled into the system and began building a new hive and only one system would have been destroyed. What we’re facing now is the possible extermination of the Captors or of the entire Stars Realm if we lose the upcoming battle. Our billions of citizens know that we started this fight. If we then exterminate them, our member planets will lose the high regard they now have for our government. They will also begin to fear our government. They will lose faith in us.”
Cassandra said quietly, “Our members love Rose and Danielle.”
Tommy nodded, “Rose and Danielle will not live forever and our members will be quite nervous about who might replace them. As time goes by and our Queens age; that fear will become a reality for them.”
Sprig and Twig straightened up and Twig said, “You see it truly, Tommy. We have to try and save the Captors to save our own souls from what will happen if we destroy them.”
Tommy looked at Cassandra and she looked into his eyes. She hesitated and then lifted her com and said, “Lt. Ortiz, I am sending you some coordinates; once you receive them, bring the Kosiev to that location and wait for me to arrive. Shut down all out going communications until further notice.”
“Yes, Duchess Gardner. We will arrive in ten minutes.”
Atlas asked, “What are you going to do?”
Tommy replied, “We’re going to go and talk with a certain 4,000 mile wide Captor. Let’s hope he listens.”
The Kosiev arrived and Atlas flew into the landing bay where the two Algeans and Humans walked out to go to the bridge of the Kosiev. Tommy looked back at the landing bay and saw that Atlas had not left. “Atlas.”
“I’m going with you.”
“Good, I hoped you would.”
Cassandra looked at Tommy, “I suspect that the Realm’s Leadership might not like us taking these actions without their permission.”
Tommy sighed and thought, “Rose.”
“Yes, Tommy.”
“Cassandra and I along with the Algeans are going to the Captors system and try to open a dialogue with them.”
“I’m sorry, Tommy. I can’t allow that without you being supported by the fleet.”
“Rose, I’m not asking you if I can go; I’m going.”
Rose stopped what she was doing and stood up from her desk. “Tommy, as Queen of the
Stars Realm, I’m ordering you not to go.”
“Rose, do you remember when you told Dad that you were going to go with him to the final battle with the Algeans.” Rose didn’t say anything. “You didn’t ask; you told them you had to go and it was not an option. I have the same situation now and I am going to go. There is a remote chance that we can end this war and we have to take the risk. You can arrest us when, and if, we return. I love you, Rose. We are terminating all communications now.”