by Saxon Andrew
Eddie rushed to his chair and Janie activated the two-psychic-blasters. She started firing them and saw a giant mothership turn toward them. The scream grew louder, and Janie shook her head, “If I stop firing, the container will blow!” The Mothership rushed up on them and Janie turned the blasters on it. Eddie’s eyes flew wide open as the mother was blasted into three-sections, as Janie swept the two-psychic-blaster-beams across it. Eddie hit the thrusters and the Nightmare accelerated toward another mothership. Janie opened fire from fifty-miles out and the entire mothership shimmered and disappeared.
• • •
“What was that!!” Tag shouted.
“It was one of the most powerful psychic field I’ve ever registered, “Alex announced.
Suddenly, a loud wail erupted and then quickly turned into a loud scream, “WHAT’S GOING ON, GRACE!” Danielle yelled.
“The psychic energy in the containers have gone up in power more than three-hundred-times. I’m starting to fire our blasters to reduce the pressure.”
Danielle looked at Tag and he shook his head, “This has to be Eddie.”
“What?”
“He found his compliment, Danielle. Alex, move in on one of those motherships and see if the new energy can affect them.”
The Kosiev roared in on a mother ship and opened fire. The mothership was hit by all sixty-psychic-blasters and shimmered just before it disappeared. Tag shouted over the telepathy frequency, “All psychic warships teleport in to the Kosiev. Eddie, where are you?”
“I’m attacking some OA motherships. I don’t know what happened, but our blasters can now take them out.”
“Eddie, we’ve just been hit with a major psychic blast. Have you found your compliment?”
Eddie glanced at Janie and saw her staring at him. Eddie thought, “I have found the one I’m going to be with for the rest of my life.”
“Did you touch her physically?”
“Well…sort of.”
“What does that mean, Eddie?”
“I kissed her.”
“That would do it! Give me your coordinates. I’m teleporting to you and use your psychic field to keep our psychic containers charged.”
Eddie stopped the nightmare and sent the location to the Kosiev. A few minutes later, the surviving one-hundred-ninety surviving psych warships appeared. Tag quickly said to Eddie, “Start here and start moving to every planet we dropped our warriors on. Target the motherships and keep moving.”
Eddie accelerated toward the motherships still above the current planet the Nightmare was located, and they were destroyed in less than a minute. He teleported to the next planet and the psychic warships spread out and the fifteen motherships were destroyed in less than ten-seconds.
Tag found that they didn’t need to stay close to the Nightmare. The psychic warships spread out and began attacking the motherships at every planet. When the containers ran low, they rendezvoused with the Nightmare.
With the destruction of the motherships, the Primes and Red Warships roared in on the surviving OA warships and the carnage exploded out of control. Drew and Lyla were now a smooth-running team and they destroyed OA warships at a rate that was impossible. Soon, there were no more warships to kill.
The destruction took on a speed that was incredible and the last hundred-surviving motherships and every surviving warship jumped away to their home universe. The psychic warships went back to every planet and removed every OA derelict and surviving crews left behind. Once the space was clear around the planets, the psychic warships left for the OA’s home universe. The Nightmare led the way.
Sprigly announced over the general fleet frequency, “All ships will return to your home ports in the realm. The transports will stay at the planets and support the Red Warriors. Great job and I’m so very proud of you.”
• • •
Drew and Lyla arrived at their base on Ross and landed their Primes. They climbed down the ladders from their ships and Drew headed toward Lyla…he never made it to her. Two-armored Red Warriors stepped up and a captain said, “Ensign Baker, you are under arrest for impersonating a fleet officer. Put your hands behind your back!” Drew put his hands behind his back and the two-Red-Warriors shackled them. Lyla come running up. “Drew, I didn’t tell anyone.”
Their Wing Commander arrived behind Lyla and said, “You didn’t have to Ensign. Every communication between our ships is recorded and Ensign Baker incriminated himself. Take him away.”
The two-warriors took one of Drew’s arms and led him away. Lyla looked at her commander, “What’s going to happen to him?”
“Ensign, impersonating a fleet officer is capital crime that the Crown takes seriously. I don’t know what is going to happen. However, you are complicit in his crime. Why didn’t you report him?”
“I chose to live, Sir. What would have happened if he was arrested before we entered the fight?”
“Were you planning to tell us when you came back?”
“Absolutely not, Sir. Take whatever action you need to do. Ensign Baker saved my life a thousand-times during the fight and I will not betray him!”
The Commander stared at her and ordered, “You are confined to your quarters until we decide what to do with you.”
Lyla went to attention, saluted, and walked away.
• • •
A huge Red Warship arrived next to the Kosiev and Tag heard the ship Commander’s thoughts, “We were unable to make a decision about coming here to fight with you against our Original Attackers. We’ve lived in fear of them for thousands of years. We couldn’t overcome our fear.”
“What made you come?”
“The First Controller pointed out that your civilization was fighting to protect us and that we were little more than cowards hiding in a hole. He made the decision and launched every warship we’ve been able to modify.”
“Tell him that we appreciate his support.”
“He’s asked me to see if we could formalize an agreement for mutual defense.”
“We look at your civilization as a friend and we will certainly make it formal if you like. However, if you’re ever forced to fight…we will come to your defense.”
“I’ll let the First Controller know and please contact us after this is over.”
“One of us will contact you once we wrap things up in the OA’s home universe.”
The Commander was quiet and then said, “You’re taking this war to them?”
“We are.”
“Do you need us to support you?”
“No, we have a weapon to destroy their motherships. The OAs will not be a future issue for your civilization to worry about.” Tag replied.
“I’ll let the First know and that will bring an end to the constant fear of them coming back. You have given us a peace we’ve never known.”
Tag ended the contact and heard Jimmy over his link, “We’ve cleaned up all the OA derelicts and crews left behind. Eddie says we should leave now and start our attack in their territory and not allow them time to prepare.”
“We’re ready. Just had to tie up a lose end with the Red Commander. Alex, take us to the Nightmare.”
“Aint we got fun!”
“You need to work on your vocabulary, Alex.”
“Nope! Said it like I meant it. Let’s go remove one of Creations most vicious species.” The Kosiev teleported into the psychic ship formation gathering around the Nightmare.
Eddie thought to Tag, “Do you have any suggestions before we go in?”
“Hit them fast and keep hitting them. If they start trying to escape, chase them down and destroy them. This is going to take some time, so don’t get in a rush and let’s handle this attack in an orderly and professional fashion. The last planet we hit will be the one with their rulers on it.”
“Why are we going to hit that last, Tag?”
“Eddie, they will prevent any of their warships from running away; they’ll demand their planet be defended. If we killed them first, there
could be a wholesale mass escape when this thing gets down to the end. That won’t happen if their leaders are still alive.”
“It sounds like you’ve done this before,” Janie commented.
“At least a hundred-times,” Danielle replied.
Eddie chuckled, “Well, let’s make this a hundred-and-one, shall we.” The large formation activated their universal drives and disappeared.
• • •
Admiral Higginson lifted his communicator and announced over the main frequency, “All transports return to the planet where you dropped your Red Warriors and support their efforts to remove the surviving OAs. You will also assist in getting the civilian populations organized and able to resume a somewhat normal existence. Contact me if you have any issues arise you can’t handle.”
Belle stared at him and knew that they had been given a reprieve. She had put her pilot in for medal and Steve deserved it. It was going to take some time for the planets to recover from the OA invasion. She smiled, that would give her additional time to be with her husband. She really looked forward to that. With the war preparation taking most of their time, he felt like a stranger. But that was about to change. Higginson saw her staring at him with a smile and he winked at her. She laughed; he got her message; he knew her better than anyone else.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Drew sat on his bunk and listened to the small whine being made by the air-handler in the ceiling. He had been in a 10x10 ft. cell for four-weeks and his days were three-meals delivered to his cell and two-hours of exercise on an outside track. He wondered why no one had come to tell him what was going on. He thought about it and decided that in his current predicament, no news was good news! He fell back on the hard mattress and wondered for the thousandth time what happened to Lyla. She told him it was over between them during the battle, but it was his fault if she was sucked up into his crime.
Drew thought about her and decided that she was so incredible. By the end of the battle, she was anticipating his moves and firing her weapons. He smiled; they had really worked a number on the OAs. He looked at the cell door. He could hear footsteps coming down the hall and he saw the two-guards outside his door come to attention. He sat up and went to his feet as two-Fleet-Officers arrived. He went to attention, as the guards opened the cell door and the officers stepped in. Drew kept his eyes to the front but saw that one of the two was a Red Warrior Major and the other was a Fleet Senior Captain. The Captain spoke first;
“Mr. Baker, I’m Captain Daugherty and I have been assigned to be your attorney during your court-martial proceedings. This is Major Collins and he will be the lead prosecutor conducting the case against you. Major Collins has come here to interrogate you, however, I advise you to not answer any of his questions without first discussing your answer with me. Do you understand?”
Drew stared straight ahead and said, “Yes, Sir!”
Major Collins said, “Take a seat, Mr. Baker!”
Eddie sat down in the chair at his small table, as the guards brought in two-chairs and the two-officers sat down across from him. Drew looked at Captain Dougherty and said, “Sir, I understand my rights and I respectfully decline having you represent me. I will answer all of the Major’s questions honestly.”
The Captain lowered his eyes as he stared at Drew, “Mr. Baker, you are charged with a capital crime and if you’re found guilty, you either face execution or could spend the next twenty-years in a room just like this one.”
“I understand, Sir. But I am responsible and accountable for my actions and knew what I was doing.”
Dougherty stared at Drew, turned to Major Collins, and shrugged, “Ask your questions, Major.”
Major Collins took a recorder out of his briefcase, put it on the table between them, and pressed the record button. “Mr. Baker, how old are you?”
“Seventeen, Sir.”
“How old were you when you started impersonating a Fleet Officer?”
“Sixteen, Sir. The officer I impersonated was my older brother.”
“Where was your brother during the time this took place?”
“Sir, he killed himself.”
“Why?”
Drew started telling the officers everything that had happened since he took Russel’s place and covered everything he did to make the masquerade work. The Major interrupted him twice to clarify two-issues, but they mostly remained silent and listened to Drew tell them his story. It took two-hours and finally Drew said, “I was arrested when I landed and brought here.”
They stared at Drew and the Major reached forward and turned off the recorder. He stared at Drew and turned to the Captain, “I have no further questions, Sir.”
Captain Daugherty sighed, “He’s given you all you need.” The Major nodded. “Will you tell the court that he cooperated.”
“Yes, Sir, I will. I am taking the recorders from his Prime to determine what danger he represented to other pilots during his impersonation.”
“I object to you taking the recordings.”
Drew spoke up, “Sir, I ask that he be given everything he wants.”
“Those recordings can get you hanged, Mr. Baker.”
“Please allow him to have them.”
Captain Daugherty looked at the Major, “Let me know if you intend to prosecute for the death penalty?”
“Yes, Sir. I’ll go over the flight recordings and let you know.”
The two-officers stood, and Drew went to attention. They walked out of the cell and after they exited the building, Captain Daugherty looked at the Major and said, “He’s just a kid!”
“I know, Sir. Normally, I have no issue prosecuting the offenders given to me. I hate prosecuting Mr. Baker, especially after all he’s been through, but I have a job to do and my personal feelings have no bearing on doing my duty.”
“At least tell the court that he cooperated and, if you don’t find wrong doing on his flight recorders, allow me to make a pea deal.”
Major Collins shook his head, “You know that we will find where another pilot was endangered by his actions during the battle and that will prevent any deal. I promise to do what I can.”
“Thank you.”
Major Collins went to his transport and flew back to his office. He sat there shaking his head and hated what he was going to have to do. “Might as well get on with it.” He ordered the flight recorder from Drew and Lyla’s Primes. He loaded them into his computer, set it to automatically score the results, sat back, and started it playing. It was a long battle, and this could take a while.
He planned to only watch three-hours but remained at the computer through the night and into the next morning. He stopped the recording and started shaking his head. He looked at the desk communicator and pressed a button. A young Fleet Lieutenant smiled, “Major Collins, how may I assist you?”
“Gale, I’m going to send you some recordings that involve my prosecution of one of the Admiral’s pilots. Will you ask him to take a look at them and get back to me.”
“John, the Admiral is covered up with getting things organized after the fleets have been brought back…”
Collins interrupted her, “Gale, he’s seventeen years old and has been impersonating an officer since he was sixteen. Please ask him to take a look at the material…as a personal request.”
Gale stared at John and lowered her eyes, “There’s something you uncovered that has you concerned?”
“Yes, Gale. The Admiral needs to see it before I start the court-marshal.”
“I’ll tell him, John.”
“Thank you, Gale.”
• • •
Eddie looked at the wall monitor and saw the huge OA defense fleet forming up above the heavily defended planet. The huge satellites turned their giant blasters toward the five-psychic-warships moving in from deep space. The OA’s had more than four-hundred-civilized-planets and this planet was on the outer edge of their empire. Eddie stood up, walked over, and hugged Janie; the psychic-container immediately s
tarted howling. He went back to his chair, as he saw the psychic-fields around the other four-warships began glowing brighter and Eddie thought, “First the warships, then the planet.” The OA defense fleet rushed out and was hit by massive blue-colored beams. In less than an hour, the OA warships were gone. Destroying the planet took twelve-hours but once it was over, there was no OAs still alive in the planetary system. Eddie turned to Janie, “Are you OK with this.”
“They killed my sister, Eddie, along with millions of other universes. What do you think?”
Eddie nodded, “A cancer must be cut out in its entirety. This is the first cut.”
Janie turned back to her console and laid in the course to the next OA planet. This was going to take several months to complete. It was worth taking the time to do it.
• • •
Another month passed while Drew sat in his cell. He used an erasable felt-tip marker to put another mark on the wall and blew out a hard breath. The boredom was getting the best of him and he almost wished the court-marshal would start and allow him to start his punishment…or face his punishment if it were a death sentence. He thought about it and decided that perhaps sitting here might not be so bad. Eddie heard footsteps coming down the hall and saw the Guards go to ramrod attention. Uh-oh! He stood up and saw a guard quickly unlock the door to his cell, as Fleet Admiral Shan stormed into the room. Shan walked up to Drew and his expression was fraught with danger, “I UNDERSTAND YOU MANAGED TO IMPERONATE ONE OF MY OFFICERS!!”
“Yes, Sir!” Drew responded.
The Admiral turned and looked at the black-haired Lieutenant standing behind him. He glared at her and she turned and ordered, bring them in!” Three-sailors entered the room each carrying a box filled with paper. Drew’s eyes narrowed but he snapped them straight ahead as the Admiral whipped around, “MR. BAKER! YOU WILL START WITH THE FIRST BOX AND TAKE THE TESTS IN IT! ONCE YOU COMPLETE THAT BOX, YOU’LL START WITH THE SECOND. YOU WILL THEN COMPLETE THE THIRD BOX; YOU GOT THAT!!”
