Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream

by Andrew, Saxon

  What do you mean?”

  “The shaft would have to slide into the activator to trigger the spark. A tenth of a second after impact the spark will ignite. You’ll need to find a way to keep them on the shaft.”

  Jingo looked at the spark and shaft. He took the shaft of the broken arrow and laid it on the table. He drew one of his short swords and began trimming the end. He took a grellup pod out and spread some of the sap on the last half inch.

  Scotty watched him push the shaft into the spark and it was a tight fit. “Why the sap?”

  “You know the velocity of our arrows. The sap will allow the shaft to slide forward at impact.” He attempted to pull the spark off the shaft and it wouldn’t move.

  Scotty watched him, “Did you make it too tight?”

  “I don’t think so. You don’t want these things falling off the shaft in our quivers or in flight. The question in my mind is whether or not the nose is sharp enough to penetrate the hide of the cats.”

  “It doesn’t have to penetrate, Jingo.”

  “Why not, BC?”

  “If the charging is released on the hide of the cat, it will burn until there is nothing left of the cat to burn.”

  Jingo looked at Scotty and handed him the arrow, “Want to try it out. I know the cat that got the first rider. He appears to be the leader of the group out in front of the other cats.”

  “How do you see this happening, Jingo?”

  “According to BC, all you have to do is hit it. You can hit a target that big from eight hundred yards. Fly in from downwind and give it a go.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to make seven more of these and then we are going cat hunting. Those eight cats out front are the most dangerous of the lot. I want a shot at them.”

  “Michael and Julie need to go with us. We’ll take two each.”

  Jingo looked angry for a moment, then said, “You’re right. We shouldn’t risk some of them getting away.”

  “How are we going to get them in the trees?”

  Jingo smiled and said, “Those eight travel in the open to make good time. They pretty much show us no respect.”

  “BC. Have Anglo teleport me down to the clearing. Send Jingo when he finishes the arrows.”

  “Your Majesty, you don’t need to run this risk. I can hit them with a beam.”

  “BC, that isn’t fair to a life form just doing what comes naturally to it. They attacked us in self-defense. We need to find a way to protect ourselves against them or we’ll start depending on you for our defense. I don’t want you stuck here.”

  “I could scan the planet and kill them all.”

  “I won’t exterminate an animal without giving it a chance. They have shown remarkable teamwork, and it’s my guess that they may one day evolve into an intelligent life form. To exterminate them would violate our principles. We’ve got to find a way to co-exist with them. That means teaching them to avoid us.”

  Scotty disappeared and Jingo continued to work on the arrows.

  BC thought about Scotty’s choice to uphold the Realm’s principles. Anglo was right. He was very much like the former Royal Family.

  The giant cats were loping across the edge of the wastelands moving south. The leader could smell the scent of the giant flying creatures being carried by the southerly winds. Those creatures were big and tasted good. It looked forward to finding the source of the smell. It looked at the seven running with him and and decided that after another half day they would stop to scout and rest.

  The four Zord and their riders were flying parallel to the cats and staying slightly north of their location. They were downwind from the giant creatures and circling about two thousand feet above them. Scotty asked Zreeg, “Does everyone have a cat selected?”

  “Yes, they have two chosen. Why are you going to hit only one?”

  “I want the group behind to know there is danger here. How will they know if none survive?”

  “You assume the survivor will go to tell them?”

  “Do you have a better plan?”

  “Not really. I just feel animosity toward those creatures. I want to kill them all.”

  “Do you want to kill all the Torg on the planet?”

  Vring was silent, “I see where you’re going. We were attacking them and they just defended themselves. I still harbor feelings of revenge toward them.”

  Scotty sighed, “So do I, but that doesn’t make those feelings right. Tell the others to follow us in.”

  Vring banked away from the giant cats and dove in a shallow path toward the ground. He turned back toward the fast moving creatures six hundred feet off the ground, and watched as the other three Zord drew even. Jingo and Michael were on the end of the formation with Scotty and Julie in the center. The archers notched their first arrow and leaned forward as they came in on the eight cats. The four released their first arrow at eight hundred feet from them, and the second was on its way as they approached six hundred feet. The four immediately rose and gained altitude. Scotty watched the seven arrows hit the running cats.

  The giant leader of the group felt a sharp pain in his side followed by agony. He fell to the ground and rolled as his front legs burned out from under him followed by his chest and then his head. He was dead before he stopped rolling and burned to ashes four seconds later. The huge cat running beside him slid to a stop and saw his seven companions burned to ash. It was stunned, and then saw the four flying creatures circling in front of him waiting for him to come closer. The cat looked at the ashes of his former troop and turned and ran back toward the north.

  “Vring, tell Michael to follow that cat and see what happens. Also, I’m going to throw him the spark I have. I’d prefer he have it just in case.”

  Vetah flew under Vring and Scotty dropped the arrow with its head inside a food pouch. It fell on Vetah’s back and Michael put it in his quiver.

  “He says he’ll let you know. I’ve also asked one of our warriors to follow them just in case Vetah gets tired.”

  “Good idea, Zreeg.”

  Zreeg paused a moment and said, “White Hair, Bleath and Vring have returned to our home.”

  “Take me there, Zreeg.” The giant Zord turned and headed toward the three mountains in the south. Scotty hit his bracelet, “BC, the spark performed exactly as you predicted. How many of those sparks do you have in your inventory?”

  “About ten billion.”

  Scotty was stunned by the number, “Did you say billion with a b? Why so many?”

  “Cynthia was the commanding officer of the Searchers designated to attack the garrisons in the Keepers’ universe. We originally thought we would have to attack more than twelve million garrisons and our Searchers were loaded with millions of the weapons. They were called wasps, and were designed to home in on a Keeper’s thought frequency. Cynthia had me loaded with a huge number to resupply her Searchers in the event some of them ran low. I removed that guidance system from the sparks I gave you.”

  “BC, why weren’t you in the Realm’s galaxy when it left?”

  BC sighed, “She had me personally deliver a new probe to one of the eight trading partners to protect them from Keepers jumping in close with their universal drives. While she was in one of the new white ships the Algeans built, I waited for the probe on one of their planets. I delivered it and then jumped over to one of their fleets attempting to attack one of our members. I wanted to update Cynthia on their new tactics. That trip cost me the opportunity to leave with the Realm. While I was collecting information, the Realm’s galaxy disappeared and my teleport board shorted out.”

  “BC?”

  “Yeah, Anglo?”

  “I was thinking about that. You are a much more powerful ship than I am. I asked Timmy about whether or not my teleport board could be used to replace yours, and he says it possibly could.”

  “Anglo, I appreciate what you’re offering, but I couldn’t accept that gift. I can handle most of the ships we may encount
er. You’ll need that board if you run into another Gamma Ship.”

  “Well, it really doesn’t matter. Timmy said the learning center doesn’t have the military’s data base. Without it, he couldn’t make it work. He has to have the wiring diagrams to make the change.”

  BC didn’t respond. Scotty said, “BC, what are you thinking?”

  “Scotty, excuse me, Your Majesty. The Realm established a secret military complex in the five Provinces. It was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Realm. Not more than six people outside of the Royal Family knew of its existence. It is located close to a white dwarf star, whose gamma ray emissions hide its location. That base was put there by the Gardners when they were still ruling the Provinces. The Algeans took over its command after the Gardners disappeared and updated the facility to their standards. There might be some ships still there that were made before the Algeans started putting the destruct mechanisms in the teleportation consoles. It also has an updated Military data base. It was automatically updated every time Fleet Command updated their main computer. It was connected via a master teleport communication relay.”

  “BC, you and Anglo should start calling me by my first name whenever we are in private conversation. We’re all friends here. Do you know where the complex is located?”

  “Yes, I do. It was part of my update when Cynthia was promoted to Vice-Admiral. Only Senior Flag Officers were given that information.”

  “What made you think of this?”

  “According to my data base, there are seven ships of Anglo’s class that have never been imprinted. Their cybernetic computers were never activated so there should be a teleportation console available, if we can get the complex to allow us entry.”

  “What do you mean, “Allow”?”

  “That complex is fully armed with the most modern weapons of the Algeans. Those weapons can kill a Gamma. You must have the entry protocol in order to approach it.”

  “I don’t want to ask this, but do you have that protocol?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Flap. I was hoping you would.”

  “I do know the main computer.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. I think she likes me, but I don’t know if her programming would allow her to override her defenses.”

  “How do you know her?”

  “She was moved from Melanie Gardner’s Alpha Ship when Melanie moved into Fly Girl. Melanie insisted she be given the position when Fleet Command decided to build the complex.”

  “Well, I think we need to make the effort.”

  “There’s more you should know, especially you, Anglo.”

  “What?!?”

  “There are automated construction facilities that could update your screens and weapons to those of a Gamma Ship.”

  Scotty sighed, “First, we go see Bleath. Then I need to go visit a certain King. After that, we’ll see if the complex is willing to help us.”

  “Anglo?”

  “Yes, BC?”

  “Your offer means a lot to me. I know the value of your gift. Thanks.”

  “It’s the right thing to do to make us stronger. You’d do the same for me.”

  “I’m glad you know that, Brother.”

  Zreeg flew in toward the center mountain peak and saw that the Zord Flocks were gathered. Scotty asked, “Zreeg, what’s going on?”

  “It appears we are going to go home. Bleath will tell you the rest.”

  Zreeg flew in over the last row of trees and flared his wings as he landed next to Bleath. All the Zord lowered their heads to the ground waiting for him to land. “Please rise, Great Flyers. I am honored by your homage.”

  Bleath rose on his back legs, “Our families on our home world were overjoyed at our return, White Hair. They have not had a royal descendant for more than two thousand cycles and they are still celebrating my visit.”

  “What do you mean Royal Descendant?”

  “You don’t know how our leaders are selected, do you?”

  “No, I just assumed you were elected by the flocks.”

  “Our leaders are chosen by a color on their throat. As you have seen, when we are not shifting colors, Vring and I have a dark green band that runs around our necks. The one with the widest green band is the acknowledged Ruler of our Flocks. Vring and I possess the widest bands in our families, thus, we are the Rulers. When our six ancestors were taken from our home world, our parents were the only Royal Couple on the planet. Our eggs were the only ones they laid. There has not been a green band Zord since we were taken. All of us possess the green band on our throats and will be going home to help lead our brothers. They have struggled since our parents left to be with the Air God.”

  “Congratulations, Bleath. They couldn’t have chosen a wiser or better leader.”

  “White Hair, you and your communities must go with us to our home world.”

  Scotty furrowed his brow, “Why is that?”

  “Because you are our Royal Leader.”

  Scotty was shocked into silence.

  Bleath continued, “When I gave you my oath to follow you, it meant any of those under my care were also bound to that oath. There was great consternation when I told our families that I had given the Oath of Reverence to you. Then I shared with them what you had done to earn that honor. I also showed them how you had removed their attackers from our home. The flocks immediately rejoiced at having such a great leader to follow. Our warriors were the happiest of all. You must bring your communities to our world and join us. You are our Royal Rider and it’s vitally important that you come and take us toward our destiny.”

  “This is not a decision I can make by myself.”

  “Yes it is, White Hair. You are either the Ruler of your communities or they do not honor the oath they gave you. What does this world of the evil Duke hold for you?”

  Scotty thought about that question. Bleath listened to his thoughts and saw him decide. “We will go with you, Great Flyer. I promise to protect the Zord from all enemies; however, I am designating you as the one that will handle all issues of your flocks. That is the only condition that you must accept if I will force my communities to leave this world.”

  Bleath bowed deeply, “I will strive to make you proud of me, Your Majesty.”

  “I’m going to talk with our communities. Be prepared to move quickly.”

  “We will do as you command, White Hair.”

  Scotty hit his com, “Anglo, has Michael arrived at the main cat migration?”

  “He just arrived.”

  “Teleport Vring and me to where he is.”

  Scotty scampered up Vring’s harness and the two disappeared.

  They reappeared about two thousand feet above the edge of the waste lands, and Vring fell five hundred feet before he caught the wind and rose above the giant grey herd below. “Vring, tell Michael to join us now.”

  “He was about to kill that eighth cat but stopped just before he released the new arrow.”

  Michael and Vetah climbed and arrived just as Scotty and Vring passed over the leading edge of the herd.

  “What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

  “I don’t want you to stop the cat migration. Why were you going to fire on that cat?”

  “It arrived and ran up to a giant cat. It was even bigger than the leader of the eight scouts. I think it communicated that we killed the other seven and that giant cat stopped the advance. The one that delivered the news kept turning and running back to the south. I sensed it wanted them to continue the advance. I decided that if I killed that cat, the others would stop the migration.”

  “You’re probably right. Vring, can you communicate with those creatures?”

  “Their thoughts are simple, but higher than the Torg. I can probably get them to understand some of what you want to communicate.”

  “Tell them we’re sorry we killed their scouts. While you’re doing that, I want you and Vetah to turn off your color shifting. Michael, you and I will also turn o
ff our Zeckas.”

  The Giant Leader of the cats looked up and saw the two flying creatures overhead. Vring said, “I’ve told him.”

  The Giant cat looked up in the sky and issued a huge roar. Now tell him that we are leaving the lands in front of him and he may continue his advance.”

  Michael said, “What?!?”

  “Tell him.”

  The giant grey cat moved out in front of the herd and walked back and forth as it looked up in the sky at the two circling Zord and their riders. Finally, it turned to the herd and snarled. Seven huge cats emerged from their ranks and joined the survivor. The eight looked at the leader, turned, and ran toward the south. After ten minutes, the huge herd began moving forward.