Saxon Andrew - Escape to Earth-The Legacy of a Conqueror

Jinks walked into Lukas’s office and saw him talking with Salud. Lukas turned his head toward him and Jinks held up his hand, “Before you say anything, there’s something I need to say.”

Lukas leaned back in his chair and said, “Go ahead.”

Jinks saw Salud sit down in the chair beside Lukas and he could see she wasn’t happy. As a matter of fact, she looked angry. “I made a mistake calling for Chris to be arrested for treason.” He saw Salud’s expression change. “He only did what I should have done but didn’t see.”

“What do you mean?”

Jinks shook his head and sighed, “I was so caught up in making the Invaders pay for what they did to Earth that I didn’t think straight. We destroyed a million of their warships without losing a single ship. Those green vessels stood no chance against us and I was prepared to destroy all of them. I was lost in a blood lust and failed to see that wasn’t the right thing to do. After the smoke cleared, Budge thanked me for calling off the attack. He pointed out that killing those ships would have been little more than murder.” Jinks shook his head, “He was right. The Green Civilization did not destroy Earth, those Orange Warships did. Chris doesn’t deserve to be in jail for this.”

“I know.”

Jinks stared at Lukas for a long moment and started shaking his head slowly, “You authorized his arrest!”

Lukas pointed at a chair in front of his desk, “Sit down, Jinks.” Jinks sat down and stared at Lukas. “Chris did the right thing but for the wrong reason. He didn’t have the casualty reports when he made his decision.”

“Then why did he call off the attack?”

Lukas pointed a remote at the large wall monitor and Jinks turned around to see what was on it. The monitor illuminated and he saw numerous Grey Warships firing missiles at a civilized planet. There were already numerous mushroom clouds rising from the planet’s surface and as Jinks watched, he saw a huge city blasted by a nuclear missile. “All of those missiles are hitting the planet’s surface sending tons of highly radioactive particles into the planet’s upper atmosphere. Within a few weeks, all life on that planet will be dead.”

“Where is that planet?”

“The leaders in M-87 ordered the Green Civilization to send every ship they had to attack Earth. None were left behind to defend their planets. Those Grey Ships came from M-84 to avenge a civilization that was ordered to be killed by those leaders. The Leader of the Invader Fleet told Chris that all of his civilized planets would be destroyed if he didn’t turn around and go back.”

Jinks continued to stare at the monitor and said, “Would that be a bad thing?”

“Are you willing to live with the deaths of trillions by stopping them?” Jinks turned around and looked at Lukas in silence. Lukas sighed, “I’ve said from the very beginning that our task is to defend Earth against all aggression. I also made it clear that we will not go out as conquerors.”

“But we’re not attacking those planets.”

“No, but standing by and watching another conqueror do it is the same thing if we can do something to stop it. I am genuinely surprised that Chris understood that lesson at the most difficult of times to see it.”

“Then why did you allow him to be arrested?”

“Because no one else saw it.”

“Budge did.”

Lukas smiled, “I suspect his brother did as well. But he didn’t know about the attacks on the Invader’s planets.”

“None of us knew.”

Lukas smiled, “Coming here and telling me you made a mistake reaffirms my belief in you, Jinks.”

“You still haven’t told me why you allowed him to be arrested.”

“Have you had any discussions with Piper?”

Jinks’ head jerked back and he wondered where that question came from, “No, I haven’t.”

His species is of the opinion that heredity has less influence on a being’s behavior than their experiences. I argued with him about that but, in the end, he makes a compelling argument.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“I watched the recording of Chris’s meeting with the Fellowship Representatives.”

“And?”

“They weren’t happy that he was chosen to lead them; they preferred one of their own officers do it.” Lukas leaned forward, “Does that sound like someone that’s turned their backs on their old ways and embraced the concept of peace?”

“I don’t know that I would have felt any different. I honestly wouldn’t want one of them leading the attack.”

Lukas smiled, “You still have some growing to do, Jinks. However, you’ve not spent your entire history attacking other civilizations; they have.”

“But I’ve been a soldier defending the United States since I was eighteen years old.”

“That’s why you still have some growing to do. However, answer this honestly. Do you think any of the Fellowship Civilizations would have called off the attack?”

Jinks stared at Lukas and shook his head, “No, they would have destroyed them all.”

“Even if they knew their planets were under attack?”

“They wouldn’t care. They’re used to planets being under attack.”

“I allowed Chris to be arrested to see what the Fellowship will want done to him.”

“What are you going to do?”

“They are insisting that he be tried for his actions. I’m going to allow them to do it.”

Jinks’ eyes widened, “They’ll demand his execution.”

“We’ll see.”

“You need to tell them he’s your son.”

“Why?”

“That might make them pause.”

“I won’t tell them and you better not allow that information to get out.”

“But…”

“We’re at a critical point and we must know which way to go. This will help us make that determination.”

“I don’t understand.”

Salud looked at Jinks, “You will.”

Jinks looked at her and saw she supported this decision. “When will this happen?”

Lukas said, “I’m sending him in two days. The Welken Royal says he will be tried before all the Fellowship’s representatives. They’ll all be present tomorrow to discuss what happened before the trial starts.”

Jinks shook his head, “I’m glad I won’t be there to see it.”

“But you will.”

“WHAT?!”

“You and Chad will deliver him to them and stand guard over him during the trial.”

“Lukas, you’re asking too much.”

Lukas smiled and told him what he was going to have to do and, after several questions, Jinks smiled.

Audrey was holding Chris’s hands through the bars as she stood outside his cell, “They’re not allowing me to go with you. I hate Lukas.”

Chris shook his head, “Audrey! He’s doing what has to be done. I’m responsible for my actions. We are no longer fighting alone and I have to defend what I did to our allies.”

Audrey started crying, “They’re going to kill you, Chris!”

“But I’m not dead yet. I need you to be strong.”

Audrey wiped her tears on her sleeve and quickly nodded. She heard a noise and looked up the hall. She put one of her hands on her throat and Chris said, “What?”

Two eight-foot tall silver colored beings walked up to the cell. The armor they were wearing glowed in the overhead lights and Chris shook his head, “I didn’t know the new armor has been completed.”

A mechanical voice said, “We’re manufacturing it now. We will be taking you to the Welken’s Royal Planet.”

“Why the armor?”

“You possess considerable physical talents. It was deemed it was necessary.”