Saxon Andrew - Love conquers all

General Dorg didn’t want to like these humans, but he could not help but respect them. “This race is not a danger to us,” he thought. “We’re the danger to them.” He knew that this conflict between his race and the humans was stupid. His brother was paranoid about these humans and he had bought into his fears until this defeat. “We would have killed all the survivors instead of treating them fairly,” he realized. The wounded would have been killed first, but the humans actually were treating them in their medical ships and sending the severely wounded to Earth to receive more extensive treatment. “How could we have gotten so paranoid that we don’t even look to see if a danger really exists?” he wondered. He had a lot to think about, and it looked like he was going to have all the time he needed. He looked at his troops surrounding him in the freighter’s hold and saw the anger they felt over the self-destruction of the dreadnought. He shared the same feelings and felt their fear of possibly never seeing their world or families again. Well. “Maybe we can hope this madness ends peacefully,” he thought. In his heart he knew that the only way it could would be for the humans to win the conflict. “They may have a lot more prisoners to join us before this is over,” he decided. He stood up to talk with his men. “It’s time I take responsibility,” he thought.

Kosiev spoke into his com and asked, “Has all the wreckage been destroyed?”

“Yes, sir,” Captain Mikado answered. “The bigger derelicts were pulled and sent into the sun. All the others were hit with beams and disintegrated.”

“What about the Alliance transports on the ground? “

“They are basically unharmed, sir. We left them there.”

“Okay, have all our ships form-up on Washington and set coordinates to jump back to Earth. We’ll be joining you shortly from the surface. Have the Cleveland jump in system and relieve the Saratoga. I want to see what happens when the main Alliance fleet arrives, and I also want to see the number and type of ships in their fleet. Prepare to have the fleet execute the jump upon our arrival back on board, Lieutenant Kelley.” Thirty minutes later the Earth fleet moved toward the jump limit and six hours later disappeared from the Ross system, leaving only the evidence of a failed Alliance attack on the planet below.

“Admiral Dorg. We have been unable to contact the fleet at the human colony planet. They are not answering our communications.”

Admiral Dorg felt a sick feeling and suddenly felt fear for his brother. He said, “How long until we can jump?”

“All of our ships have just now arrived from the extermination and have to rearm their stores.”

“How long, I said?”

“Two rotations, minimum, sir.”

“Get on it. Send a dreadnought and escorts from Cainth to go look and see what’s happening at the human colony. Have them report to me when they find out. My brother was the leader of the ground forces and I want to know how he is. If there’s trouble when they enter the system, have them record what they can and jump out.”

“Yes sir.”

Admiral Dorg was worried. There were too many unknowns. It could be that the comet disrupted communications and everything was fine. Somehow, he really didn’t think so.

Tag sat in his quarters aboard the Washington facing his view screen, where five men and two women were sitting in a comfortable room back on Earth. The Special Forces team had commed him right after Danielle. Thank the creator he was able to get off the com with her. Even she understood the importance of their call. Her last words were, “Don’t think this is over!”

“Good day, gentlemen. How may I be of service?” Tag asked.

“Mr. Gardner, the Director has sent us some video footage of your run in with an Alliance ground force. We thought we would ask how you were able to accomplish what you did. No shield small enough for a single human would have been able to handle the weapons fired at you. Further, analysis of the weapon you used has come up empty. We as a group think that what you used was of Alfont origin. Nothing else would explain what we saw.”

Tag thought, “Atlas, are you there?”

“Yes, I am,” Atlas replied.

“Do I tell them about you?”

“What are your thoughts?”

“I don’t want anyone to know about you, but these men can be trusted.”

“Then try to avoid answering first and then use your best judgment.”

“By the way, I didn’t know if the screen you gave me would hold up under attack like it did, but thanks for giving it to me.”

“Tag, no one has a weapon that will penetrate your screen. They’re waiting for an answer.”

“Gentlemen, I can’t answer your questions concerning those two issues,” Tag said out loud.

The leader of the group stood up and said, “Why? Do you think we can’t be trusted?”

“Sir, please do one thing before we go any further. Discuss among yourselves what would happen if we had access to Alfont war technology. Primarily look at what it would do to us, not other races. I’ll stand by for your call.”

The seven Special Forces team members looked at each other and the video screen went blank.

“What do you think is going to happen?” Atlas asked.

“I don’t know, but those people are the brightest and smartest on the planet. I hope they see things as I do.”

An hour later, Tag’s screen came on and the Special Forces team appeared back in their cozy room. “We’ve discussed what would happen, and our conclusion is that humans must never come into contact with that kind of technology. They also must never know of its existence. It would ultimately destroy our culture and way of life. There is a better-than-even chance that our society would revert to what it once was during the world wars. We would become the rulers of the galaxies simply by force of arms. That temptation is too high to place in front of us. We are directing all video of your ground encounter be destroyed immediately and all witnesses to it sworn to secrecy. Further, we withdraw our questions and trust you will be more discrete in the future in the use of your psychic skills. That will be our answer for anyone looking to explain what happened. Technology, anyone can use. Psychic skills, only the one born with them may use them. Our choice of you has once again proven to be wise. Contact us if you need us.”

Atlas asked, “What was that all about?”

“Atlas, look in my memories at human history and see what happens when one nation or group of nations became more powerful than their neighbors. We have the capacity in us to become conquerors and destroyers. You represent the ultimate weapon, and we would use your technology to become dominant over all other races. We will lose ourselves if we allow ourselves to depend on knowledge that we don’t earn. I’m not suggesting that you would make your technology available to us, but I am telling you that at our current level of social development that no race could handle being invulnerable, least of all humans.”

“I’ve wondered why you didn’t ask for my help in the previous conflict.”

“Would you have given it?”

“No. I’m still working on issues over my master’s disappearance from the universe. If they could cease to exist with all their advanced technology, I’ll not take action until I have a better understanding of where my actions might lead.”

“Do you want to remove the tools you gave me?” Tag asked.

“No. Our link gives me direct access to the events shaping the future. I wish to protect that link. What did they mean ‘psychic skills?’”

“There were too many witnesses to what I did during the ground battle with the Alliance. Most people know I have a psychic gift, and if what happened can be chalked up to my mental abilities, it would remove the temptation to look for a technological answer. In other words, the ability dies with me.”