Saxon Andrew - A rose grows in weeds

The cylinder moved closer and closer to the jump limit and when they were less than thirty minutes from the Plant fleet, the Algean ships turned, moved outside the jump limit, and jumped away. Dorg was dumbfounded. “Why did they do that?”

Mikado appeared on his communication console. “I guess they thought they didn’t have enough ships.”

Dorg looked at him on the com screen, “What makes you say that?”

“Look at your ship count. The Plants had two and a half million ships in that system and all of their new designed ships. They lost more than two million ships. It’s my guess that they thought we had enough of the new penetrators to kill the fleet that had jumped in. They didn’t know how few we had left.”

Dorg realized Mikado was probably right. “All ships prepare to jump to the Dremels’ system.” As the survivors of the SR Fleet jumped Dorg felt his sadness again, “Oh Tag, how could we lose you?”

Rose opened her eyes and went into her mother’s office. Danielle looked up from the list of issues put before her by the Stars Realm representatives and saw her standing in the doorway. She immediately saw the look on Rose’s face and Danielle felt her heart go into her throat. She dropped the document and said, “No! Rose, tell me he’s ok.”

Rose looked her mother in the eye and said, “His ship was destroyed.”

Danielle immediately thought, “Atlas, Atlas, where are you?”

“I’m inside the system waiting for the ships around Tag to move so I can go in and get him. There are so many that there’s no room for me to get close. He is still alive, Danielle. Just hold on.”

“What if they see him and capture him,” Danielle wailed.

“Danielle, I don’t know exactly what he’s doing but the only way I’ve been able to locate him is because I can read the force field around him. I’m unable to see him and you know how good my systems are.”

Rose thought to them, “He’s using his psychic skills to hide. He’s able to put a field around him that bends light around him. I haven’t seen him do that before and it’s a pretty clever trick.”

Danielle and Rose had walked out of her office and were sitting in the bed room. Danielle looked at Rose and said, “What do you mean?”

Suddenly, right in front of Danielle, Rose disappeared. Danielle jumped up and spun around and started to panic, but then Rose reappeared right where she was before. “I’m sorry, Mom, I just wanted to demonstrate how he was hiding.”

“Rose, is he going to be ok?”

“I think the weeds better hope they don’t find him, remember, he has a pretty effective Alfont hand weapon. Just be patient, Mom, Atlas will get him.”

“Can you see him, Rose?”

Rose closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, “Yes, I can.” Then Rose’s eyes got wide and she said, “He’s not alone. Someone is with him in the force field.”

Danielle said, “Show me Rose, I’ve got to see him. I can’t lose him, he’s my life.”

Rose sent her thoughts to Danielle and she saw him floating in space surrounded by thousands of ships. Tag, are you alright?” she thought at him.

“Mom, your thoughts can’t get through his psychic field. Even Atlas can’t reach him; just be patient.”

Danielle sat down and worried about the love of her life.

Tag floated in space surrounded by the force field Atlas had given him during their first meeting on the moon. Ron-Dar was lying against the force field wall looking out at the thousands of Plant ships surrounding them. He looked at Tag and said, “I’m sure there’s an answer for what’s happening. Would you mind telling me? Are we dead?”

Tag sighed and looked out at the Plant ships around them, “I have been given a gift by a friend that puts a force field around me whenever a projectile or explosion comes at me. I knew that there was room for me and one more. You are too valuable to the Realm to allow you to die. I watched you fight your ship and you are the best ship commander I’ve ever seen, other than Kosiev, and you might be better than he was. I was able to get to you before the ship died.”

Ron-Dar looked out again and said, “Mr. Gardner, no one has this kind of technology.”

“You’re right and I’m afraid before all this is over, you’re going to know more than anyone else about it. I ask that you keep this information to yourself and never reveal it.”

“You have my promise, Mr. Gardner. I’m just sick to my soul at the loss of my ship and crew. I couldn’t save them.”

Tag could feel Ron-Dar’s pain, “Never lose that feeling, Commodore. It’s what keeps us aware of the price we all have to pay in conflicts. If we ever start enjoying it, we’re doomed.”

“What happens now, Mr. Gardner?”

“Well, I thought I could call for help but my communication methods are not working.”

A giant Plant battle ship moved by and brushed against the force field surrounding them and pushed them away. The ship stopped abruptly and Tag could sense the sensors of the ship sweeping around it. “My force field must have tripped their sensors,” Tag thought. The ship remained stationary for an hour scanning space around it and then it moved away.

“Why can’t they see us?” Ron-Dar said.

“I’ve placed a psychic field around us that prevents them seeing us but I think they can detect us if they make contact with the force field.”

Suddenly, the Plant ship that hit them stopped, turned, and moved back at them with five other ships side by side. “Uh oh, it looks like they aren’t going to pass our contact off as a bad sensor.”

“What are we going to do,” Ron-Dar asked as the ships moved closer and closer and it was clear that one of the ships was going to hit them.

Tag knew his time was short and if they hit him again, they would send ships out to find him. He held his hand out and pointed it at the oncoming ship and a hand weapon appeared in his grip. Just as the ship came within ten feet of their position, they were suddenly pulled out of the way of the oncoming ship and pulled inside a small room. Tag though, “You can see me, you can see me,” and the psychic field around him disappeared.

“Welcome aboard, Tag. You do live an exciting life.”

“Atlas, you are a life saver. Thank you for being here.”

Ron-Dar lay on the floor of the Alfont ship looking out at the Plant ships around them and then suddenly the fleet disappeared and they were in empty space with a blue star shining off in the distance. He looked at Tag and said, “What kind of ship is this?”

Tag stared at him for a long moment and then sighed, “We are on board an Alfont ship. The ships name is Atlas and is intelligent.”

Ron-Dar was stunned into silence and then one of the speakers on the wall said, “Welcome aboard Commodore; you did an excellent job during the last battle.”

Ron-Dar and Atlas began communicating and Tag was suddenly barraged by thoughts from Danielle and Rose. “Tag, are you alright, did you get hurt in the blast of the ship, tell me you’re coming home.”

Rose was right beside her mother’s thoughts, “Dad, don’t ever scare me like this again. I was worried sick but I couldn’t show Mom because I was afraid she was going to lose her mind.”

‘Slow down both of you; I’m fine and I was able to save Ron-Dar. It got scary right there at the end but Atlas came thru again and saved us.”

Danielle started crying and couldn’t control her emotions as the fear found outlet in tears. Tag thought to her, “It’s ok, Darling; I’m fine and I’ll be home as soon as I can get a ride.” Rose went over and put her arms around Danielle and held on to her. Give me a few moments to arrange a few details and I’ll talk to you then.”