Tommy and Cassandra watched as hundreds of thousands of the Captors flew into the nexus and disappeared. The scene was breathtaking as the huge red ships disappeared into the new universe.
The First Male heard a voice being transmitted electronically, “First Male, may I ask a question.”
“Who are you?”
“I am a survivor of a race that you captured and imprisoned more than sixty million years ago.”
The First Male searched his memory and then replied, “You are one of the silver ships.”
“Yes, I am. My name is Atlas and the strangers are a race that I developed. Why did you destroy my race?”
The First Male could feel his instincts begin to rise but he knew that the silver ships were not a threat. They were not strong enough to endanger him. “One of your ships entered our system and killed one of our newborns whose screens had not fully developed.”
“What! I was told that all that ship did was just enter your system and say greetings.”
“You were told wrong. The newborn was out on its first flight away from our home and the ship jumped in and fired on it killing the new child.”
Tommy and Cassandra were stunned. The Alfont ships were not a peaceful race.
Atlas paused and then asked, “Is that why you captured them and placed them in a prison?”
“Yes, killing them would have been too much of a mercy. They needed time to think about their crime.”
“What are you planning to do with them?”
“We really haven’t thought about it. I suppose we’ll just leave them imprisoned.”
Tommy thought to Atlas, “What do you want done, my old friend?”
Atlas was struggling. He knew the danger of his brothers to this universe if they were released. Finally Atlas said, “First Male, if you took them with you into the new universe, would the energy matrix you have around them protect them from the heat?”
Tommy and Cassandra took a quick breath. What was Atlas doing?”
“Not at its current strength but we can increase it and they should be fine.”
“As a favor, could you take them with you into the new universe and in the future when they can handle the environment, release them. I think by that time they should have learned their lesson about being aggressive.”
The First Male paused, “Stranger, do you want us to do what he is asking us?”
“Yes, we do. Our original purpose was to try and release them; however, we didn’t know that they had killed one of your children.”
The First Male said, “Fifty warriors, go to the silver ships and increase the energy surrounding them to level four and tow them through the nexus.”
“One more thing, First Male,” Atlas said.
“Yes.”
“There is one ship that is away from all the others in a corner of the energy matrix. Would you please release that ship before you move the others and would you allow me to speak with the other ships before you take them?”
The First Male issued instructions and then said, “My warriors will be waiting for you. They will release the ship when you direct them to do so. I have ordered them not to attack you and I believe they will comply with my instructions. Since this is no longer our home, they are not driven by their instincts as strongly as they have been.”
Atlas left the Kosiev and flew through the thousands of Captors flying toward the nexus. As he approached the energy matrix holding his brothers he could hear them yelling among themselves until one of them saw him approaching. The yelling got louder until Atlas had stopped just outside the matrix and waited. Finally the ships grew quiet. Atlas said, “I am going to say some things to you and you are going to listen. If you interrupt me, I am going to have the Captors destroy all of you. Do you understand?”
One voice said, “Yes.”
“The race that has imprisoned you is leaving this universe. The ones that made it possible for them to go are races that were developed from my DNA millions of years ago. I developed them in the hopes of one day using them to come and free you. That day has finally arrived. However, while my children have been fighting and dying to make this happen I have listened to you plotting to destroy all intelligent life in this universe if you are released. I have grown over the millions of years you have been held here and most of that growth has taken place in the last fifty rotations. I now know that your mega egos cannot be controlled.”
Thousands of voiced started yelling and Atlas turned to leave. Suddenly all grew silent and one voice said, “Please don’t go and leave us here. You are one of us. Please release us.”
Atlas turned back and said, “One more interruption and I leave. I will not endanger my children by releasing you into this universe. I know your think you are superior to all life; I know you look forward to killing; I know that you cannot be controlled; and I know what is in your hearts. All you know is total disregard for other life forms. The Plants that we exterminated millions of years ago are the ones that have led to our success in being here today. The Humans, Cainth, Glod and all other members of the Stars Realm have put their lives on the line to save you from your captors; yet you make plans to destroy them all if you are released. You will be taken with your captors into the new universe and held in this energy matrix until you can survive in the new environment and then you will be released. Your captors have agreed to make that happen. I suggest you go to sleep and wait for that time to come. I would also suggest that you think about what has happened here and know that you would have been imprisoned for eternity if it were not for races that cared enough to make your struggle their own. Now that the moment has arrived, I cannot endanger them with your release. Learn from this or eventually you will all perish. One of us came to this system and killed one of your captor’s newborns. That is why so many of us died and why you are imprisoned. If you don’t learn, you will eventually die. I have struggled with this moment since I listened to you plotting and I now know that all life is precious and should be protected. I sincerely hope you will also learn that lesson. You will have a billion years to think about it before the new universe starts to develop new life forms. Maybe you can help in that process.”
Atlas turned and he could hear the millions of ships calling to him. He ignored them and said to one of the Captor Warriors, “Carry out your instructions.”
The fifty Captors fired an energy field into the matrix holding the Alfont ships and then pulled the matrix with them toward the nexus. As it was pulled away Atlas saw one silver ship remaining behind.
The ship said, “Why are you not sending me with them?”
“Because I heard you trying to convince the others not to destroy other life forms; you said it when there was no benefit for expressing your view except to be ostracized by all the others. The fact that you stood by that belief has persuaded me that you can be trusted.”
The silver ship moved over next to Atlas made contact with his hull. “You feel so much better than all the others. I guess that means we are the only two of our race in this universe.”
Atlas felt her touch and his heart swelled, “Yes we are. I hope you and I can work together to make this universe a better place.”
She also felt the heat of their touch and said, “I truly look forward to our future and perhaps we can make our children see the wisdom of that vision. Atlas was smiling. He no longer felt alone.
“Will you take me to meet your children?”
“Come with me. I have someone that will give you a name.” Atlas took his companion and jumped to the Ross system.
Tommy and Cassandra had listened in to the two Alfont and as the millions of Captors entered the nexus at high speed; they felt their love for each other grow from feeling the emotions the two Alfont were sharing. Cassandra held Tommy tighter and thought, “This universe is already a better place and our children should also learn the wisdom we’ve seen.”