Andrew Saxon - Finding keepers

Cynthia was telepathic, and she was amazed. Then she asked, “How do you do that, Your Highness? I mean, how do you find this initiator?”

“We wait for something to happen that is totally unexpected, then we follow up.”

Jake thought, “What do you mean, unexpected?”

Valerie smiled, “It wouldn’t be unexpected if I knew what it was, but this much I can tell you: it won’t be long.”

The probe teleported into the mainframe at Fleet Control and immediately downloaded its information. A loud siren went off, along with bright flashing red lights. The Spider in command that day pressed a button and announced, “We have the destruction of a Searcher. All command staff report in immediately. The Spider then toggled a switch and said, “It’s starting; both of you come here now.”

A silver screen appeared and two more spiders stepped out. “What’s happened, Newton?”

“We’ve had a Gamma ship destroyed.”

The two spiders were shocked, “How is that possible? Those ships are the most powerful ships we’ve ever created.”

“I don’t know, Edison, but from what I’ve initially seen from the escape probe it wasn’t even able to fire its weapons before it was killed.”

The third spider asked, “Do you think this is what the Royal Family has been sensing?”

“It has to be, Einstein. Any ship that can destroy a Gamma is a real threat. We at least know what universe the ship was located in when it was destroyed.”

Edison sat down at a control board, “Do we know anything about that universe?”

“There’s nothing in the Realm’s data on explored universes.”

“Have you looked at our data?” Einstein asked.

Newton leaned right, indicating he had not, “I was hoping you and I would do that while Einstein assimilates the information the probe brought back and try to get our analysis organized.”

“I’m on it.”

“Have you notified the Royal Family?” Edison asked.

“I just sent a message to the King.”

Edison thought a moment, “We’d better have our information ready quickly. According to the Castle, we are going to be attacked soon.”

Newton looked at Edison’s control panel, “You’d better call in the Algeans to help organize the information from the probe.”

“Already done; they have the data downloaded to them and they are going to work on the information gathered from the planet the Searcher was scanning.”

Newton rose and moved toward the teleport screen, “I’m going to try and determine how those ships were able to see the Gamma through its invisibility screen. I’m going with Einstein to see what we have in our records. “

Edison looked up, “Just got word the Royal Family wants a meeting in two days to see what we know. Get to work, and link the Algeans in to your computer.” Edison was worried; a Gamma had been destroyed.

Valerie got a faraway look and put her cup down on the table. She appeared to be listening to something for a moment, then looked at Jake and Cynthia, “Well, it looks like it’s starting. Cynthia, take us to Ross. We are going to attend a meeting at Castle Gardner that will be held in two days. While we’re waiting, report to fleet command and have them go over your ship’s systems.” Valerie looked at Jake, walked up and gave him a hug, and kissed his cheek. “I know you doubt that you can help us, but I know in my heart that you will make the difference in our survival. I am so thankful I’ve had this time with you. Please don’t forget me.”

Jake was astounded. What did she mean? He was a nobody and this woman child was one day going to rule the Realm. He looked at her and said, “You’re too beautiful to ever forget.”

Valerie smiled and Cynthia felt a pang of jealously. Then she said, “Why am I going to this meeting?”

Valerie looked at Cynthia and said, “Because wherever Jake has to go, you are going to take him.”

“Why?”

“Because his psychic self led him to you. You captured him because you were selected to do so; at least that’s what we think. Either way, the two of you will be traveling partners for the foreseeable future.”

Cynthia didn’t know what to think about that. She just knew that it couldn’t be good.

Einstein entered the command chamber and thought to Newton, “I’ve found that universe in our data banks.”

Newton looked up, “And?”

“The information was suppressed by the Demons. A family was sent to harvest it about twenty million years ago and was destroyed by the creatures there. We sent a follow up family and they were also decimated by those creatures. We never went back. It seems the Demons implemented a compulsion for us to stay away.”

Newton leaned a little lower and said, “Then my belief that we were undefeated until the war with the Realm is not accurate.”

“It appears that way. The records from the survivors of the failed follow up show the creatures using a kind of invisible beam that destroyed anything it hit, including the green substance used on our ships. We don’t know what produces that beam, but it is not energy as we know it.”

“Take what you know to the Algeans and see what they can determine. I’m doing an analysis of their ships. They do not show up on our scans. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Better hurry; we only have forty five hours left to get ready for the meeting.”

“I know; now get out of here so I can concentrate.”

Jake and Valerie teleported down to the castle and Valerie took him to a room on the eighth floor. “This is where you will be staying until the meeting. You might want to visit the library and catch up on the actual facts about the Stars Realm while you’re waiting. The meeting is scheduled for the day after tomorrow.”

“How do I get to the library?”

Valerie smiled, “Right here beside your door is a panel with all of the main rooms in the castle. Simply press where you want to go and walk through your doorway. To come back here, just press the button that says living quarters on any panel in the castle. The system has recorded you and will send you back to this room.”

Jake shook his head, “This is some place you live in.”

Valerie nodded, “It grows on you, and can really spoil you when you travel. See you later, Jake.”

Jake nodded as Valerie pressed a button, walked through the silver screen in the doorway, and disappeared. Jake thought a moment, then pressed the library button, stepped through the silver screen, and emerged into a huge room. He saw that there were headsets on many of the tables and he walked over to one and put it on. He immediately heard a voice, “What would you like to view?”

Jake thought, then said, “The early history of the Stars Realm before Sprig was king.”

The headset responded, “Would you like the information downloaded or simply read?”

Jake wasn’t sure what downloaded was, but he figured it would have to be faster than having it read. “Downloaded.”

“Please sit down in one of the chairs to commence download.”

Jake sat down in a chair at the table. It immediately moved to a reclining position, then his brain came alive with images and information at a rate that was incredible. He lost track of time.

Upstairs the King of the Stars Realm thought to Valerie, “You have removed the protocols on the library?”

“Only for him, Father.”

“That is information that may not be a good thing to have known.”

“He is going to need every advantage we can give him, and he needs to know what he’ll be fighting for in the upcoming confrontation. He needs to know what we are.”

“You still see us being attacked, Daughter?”

“Yes, and it won’t be long before it starts.”