by Saxon Andrew
“That’s part of making a difference,” Leonidas replied with a chuckle. Leo looked at John, “Why are you going?”
“I love being a Pirate. And the thing I love about it the most is traveling the stars aboard my ship sticking my nose into anything that interests me. I’m tired of ruling Fellowship and being planet bound. I’ve made enough credits to last me a lifetime and now I’m going to do what I like. The High Council can take care of things on Fellowship without my presence. I guess I’m going because I don’t want to miss anything.”
Leo laughed, “That’s pretty much the same reason I have. Are you ready to start this trip?”
“I am. What’s holding us up?”
“Gem is speaking with the Insectoid King. Once that conversation is done, we’ll shove off.”
“See you in orbit.”
Leo nodded and the monitor went dark. Desiree came over and sat down in his lap, “I’m so looking forward to this!”
“That’s the warrior in you talking,” Leo said with a smile.
“Whatever, I’m bored to tears sitting around and doing nothing.”
Leo gave her a hug, “Want a little sword practice before we go.”
Desiree jumped to her feet, “Lead the way!”
Leo looked at Barney, “You have the bridge. Let me know when Gem calls me.”
“Will do, Captain.”
• • •
“I’m curious about this teleport system you had installed in the palace,” the Insectoid King said to Gem.
“What about it, Majesty.”
“You of all do not have to call me Majesty.”
“You are my ruler and deserve it.”
“Then do so around others. You will call me Gold and I will address you as Gem. We are more than just ruler and subject. We’re good friends and you actually deserve the honorific more than me.”
Gem smiled, “I will do as you say, Gold. Now what has you bothered about the teleport box?”
“Why is it so big?”
“I was going to install one just large enough for you to enter it but it dawned on me that there is a possibility that we may encounter some hostile civilizations in our trip. The system is large enough to send us missiles to replace any we might use. It’ll be much easier than having to come back to your planet or you having to send them on ships.”
Gold twisted his triangular shaped head to the right, “That is good planning. Do you have a similar sized box on your ship?”
Gem nodded, “I have one installed on all three ships. They’re located adjacent to the landing bay and you can switch between the ships by pressing one of the three green buttons to send them.”
“Let us hope you don’t need to resupply.”
“That is my hope as well,” Gem said with a smile.
Gold paused, “Have you decided where you’re going first?”
“I looked up Bellingham in the Cartian Map and I thought I would go there first.”
“Don’t waste your time,” Gold responded.
“What?”
“Gem, I wouldn’t really need to send you if I could send a representative directly to that planet to negotiate for that metal. However, it’s not located where the Cartian Map says it is. I’ve already sent ships there and they came up empty handed. It’s not there.”
“Are you serious?”
“As a major blaster beam. The filament that the Cartian Map says leads to Bellingham isn’t there. It doesn’t exist.”
“But…”
“Gem, it’s not there! This is the first time I’ve ever seen an error in the filament map but the filament in the map designated as Bellingham doesn’t exist.”
“How can that be possible?”
“That’s why I’m sending you and the other two ships out. Find out what’s going on and find the actual location of that planet.”
“Have you asked the Cartians about the mistake?”
“I have and they have not responded to my inquiry. I was told to cease further inquiries.”
“That’s odd, even for the Cartians, who are usually forthcoming with responses to questions.” Gem paused and said, “Gold, I know you sent your best scouts to examine that area but I feel compelled to go and see for myself. They might have missed something.”
Gold clacked, “I’d do the same thing. I’m just telling you that if it’s not there. I expect you to find out why or where that planet is actually located.”
“I’ll leave no stone unturned.”
“What?”
“That’s a human expression. It means I’ll make a thorough search.”
“Good luck and your ships have been cleared to launch. Stay in touch!”
“I will.” Gem ended the contact and looked at Ana, “What do you think?”
“My family has been dealing with the Cartians for centuries and I’ve never heard of an error in their filament maps.”
“What are you saying?”
“I have to believe that at some point in time, there was a filament at that location. You know the Cartians; if you look up anal-retentive in the dictionary you’ll see a picture of them staring at a map. They would not allow an error in their maps.”
“Are you saying that filament is there and our scouts missed it?”
“I don’t know. However, if it’s not there…”
“Someone removed it?” Gem suggested.
Ana shook her head, “If that happened, someone represents a clear and present danger to the universe.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because we know that human we observed on Jester had a Bellingham Sword and I suspect he is from that planet. He couldn’t be on Jester if there was no filament leading to Bellingham. That also means that the filament, if it did exist, was removed recently.”
Gem stared at Ana, “You remember the creatures chasing that human that were called Dragons.” Ana nodded. “Could it be they were chasing him because of the missing filament?”
Ana sighed heavily, “We have no way of knowing and anything we come up with will be pure speculation. I do know that you insisted that human was more advanced physically than any of us.”
“Ana, he is. I saw it!”
“Well, if that’s true, I’m glad your King has given us these ships.” Gem stared at her for a long moment. Ana saw him and said, “What are you thinking, Gem?”
“I’ve run tests on the metal used to create our swords and I can say with no doubt that our strongest blasters and missiles will not harm it. If they build warships using that metal for the hull…”
Ana’s eyes widened and she shook her head, “We stand no chance against them,” Ana interrupted him. Gem nodded. “Suddenly, I’m not so sure about this mission, Gem.”
“I’ve had some bad dreams about it. But we have to go and see, Ana.”
“I know. Are you going to tell the others?”
“I’m not sure. I’m going to suggest that I want to purchase more of their swords. But let’s go take a look first.” Ana nodded and hugged him before she left the bridge to check on the twins.
• • •
Leonidas and Desiree were moving lithely and at high speed around the dueling room when they heard over the wall speaker, “Captain, Gem is on your console.”
Leo pressed the button on the speaker and said, “Carl, tell him I’ll call him as soon as I arrive on the bridge.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Leo looked at Desiree, “You’re getting pretty good.”
“What do you mean, pretty good? I touched you six times.”
Leo smiled, “Yeah…but I got ya ten times.” Desiree laughed and followed him out of the room.
• • •
Leo arrived and saw Gem and John on the main wall monitor, “Sorry, Gentlemen, I was practicing with Desiree.”
Gem smiled, “How did you do?”
“She’s all I can handle, Gem. You did an excellent job of training her.”
“I had good material to work with, Leonidas.”<
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“Are we leaving, Gem?” Blakely asked.
“Yes, we’ve been cleared for launch and I’ve sent you the coordinates of our first stop.”
Where are we going?”
“To the Zegar Sector.”
“That’s more than a week at full boost.”
“I know, but that’s where we need to start.”
Blakely smiled, “All right, let’s get this show on the road. I’ve been getting antsy for the last six hours.” The monitor went dark and Leo turned to Barney, “You have the coordinates?”
“Yes, Sir. I’m going to follow Gem’s vessel out of orbit.”
“Sir!”
Leo turned around and looked at Embree, “Yes.”
“I’ve just inserted those coordinates in the Cartian Map Database and the only thing listed is an intersection that leads to a planet named Bellingham.”
Leo’s eyes widened and he activated his communicator. Gem appeared and Leo said, “Are we going to Bellingham?”
Gem looked surprised and then leaned back in his chair, “Embree told you, didn’t he?”
“He did.”
“Boy, that guy works fast. Yes, we’re going to the Bellingham Filament.”
“Do you think that’s wise?”
“I don’t know, Leonidas. I do know that the filament on the Cartian Map for Bellingham is no longer there.”
“WHAT?”
“The King sent scouts there and they say that it is no longer there. I have to go and see for myself that they’re right.”
“How is that possible?”
“I have no idea and if you come up with an explanation, please let me know. We’ll meet before we arrive and put our heads together on this matter.”
Leo nodded and ended the contact. He turned to Embree, “What do you think about this?”
“it’s not possible, Sir. If it’s on the map, it has to be there.”
“And if it’s not?”
Embree focused for a moment and then turned to Leo, “Then I’m not really sure going there is a good idea.”
Leo stared at Embree and was forced to agree with him.
He looked at Desiree and she said with a shrug, “You said you were bored. This should take care of that issue.” Leo laughed and looked at the wall monitor as the Thermopylae II lifted from its landing legs.
• • •
Sam, Jek, and Shelly were sitting in the conference room and Captain Nefen was on the wall monitor. Sam shook his head and said, “We’re wasting time. This map is not helping us at all.”
Nefen shrugged, “Sir, it does tell us where millions of civilizations are located.”
Sam snorted, “Yes it does but it doesn’t tell us which of them are advanced technological civilizations. We’ve been to more than three hundred and fifty civilizations in the last ten months and none of them have more than a few warships and none of them match up with the ones we currently have.”
Shelly looked around and said, “We need to go looking for warships.”
Sam and Jek turned to her, “What?” Sam asked.
“Sir, the commander of a warship will know who his enemies are and we can go and examine them.”
“And just how are we going to find a warship?”
Suddenly the wall speaker activated, “Commander, we have what looks like a commercial freighter that is being attacked by another vessel.”
Jek and Sam looked at Shelly and she shrugged, “I think there are more around than you suspect.”
Sam jumped up and yelled “Mason, sound battle stations! Rangel, move the ship toward that attacker. Notify the other ships to move in with us!”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sam sprinted out of the conference room with Jek and Shelly right behind him. They arrived at their chairs and buckled in. Sam looked at the tactical monitor above the main monitor and saw a white ship moving in on a huge vessel. It fired a bright red beam across the bow of the huge ship and it came to a stop. Shelly looked up from her console, “Sir, I don’t think they’ve been able to see us yet. Our scanners appear to have a much longer range than either of those ships.”
“Thank the Dojuit for that. Rangel, go to full speed and don’t let that attacker escape.”
“Going to full boost.” Delilah’s Dagger accelerated at an incredible speed and, after a minute, Shelly announced, “They see us, Sir. They were moving in to lock on the hull of that large vessel but are now igniting their steering boosters to back away.”
Sam pressed his communicator, “Fen, take your five ships past that white vessel and prevent it from boosting away.”
“We’re passing it now and I’ve ordered the ships to fire across that ship’s bow if it comes toward us.”
“Mason, I want you to barrage that ship with six blaster beams when it clears that large vessel but don’t hit it!”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sam watched the white ship back away from the huge ship it was up against and the freighter immediately accelerated away at high speed. Sam realized that some of the white ship’s crew must have been on board the larger vessel, which slowed them from getting away. They were delayed boosting until the crew could re-board their ship. The white ship moved away as the freighter fled at high speed and six bright beams shot around it.
Shelly lifted her communicator, “You will stop where you are and deactivate your blaster.” Sam looked at her with a furrowed brow.
Jek thought to him, “They only have one blaster on the front of the ship, Sir. It doesn’t appear to be very powerful.”
Sam lifted his communicator and said over multiple frequencies, “I wish to have a dialogue with the commander of the white ship.”
His request was greeted with silence and Sam looked at Chief Weapons Leader Mason, “Fire a little closer.”
A large white blaster beam ripped by the white ship just ten yards above it. The wall monitor activated and Sam saw a male human appear, “I surrender. Please, stop firing.”
Sam stared at the image and said, “I am sending a shuttle to your ship at which time you will board it and come to my vessel. Any resistance by your ship will lead to it being destroyed. Am I clear?!”
The man stared at Sam out of the monitor and then he nodded. Sam looked over his shoulder, “Captain Stevens, order a shuttle to that ship.”
Jek looked at Sam, “Why don’t you just question him from here?”
“I need him under stress. I want you to pay attention to every detail in his thoughts while I’m questioning him.”
“Yes, Sir. What if they attack our shuttle?”
Sam lifted his communicator, “The shuttle crew will have shoulder blasters trained on the port and any attempt to interfere with it will be greeted with a hole in your thrusters. Do as I ask and you will be allowed to leave with your lives.”
Jek focused for a moment and said, “They’re backing off attacking the shuttle. That was a good decision to tell them they will live if they cooperate.”
“Who are they, Jek.”
“They’re what’s called Pirates, Sir.”
“Pirates?”
“It comes for humanity’s home world in ancient times. A pirate is a criminal that goes out and attacks other vessels and steals its cargo.”
“That’s a novel way of making a living.”
Jek shrugged, “Isn’t it? According to what I hear in that ship’s commander’s thoughts, most pirates are executed when they’re caught.”
“I guess that’s why they were planning to attack the shuttle crew. They thought they had nothing to lose.”
“It is. However, they are backing off at the moment.”
Sam pressed a button on his console, “Fen, bring your ships in and surround that vessel.” Sam watched the five warships move in and their charged blasters pointing at the white vessel were clear to everyone onboard the white ship.
• • •
The Pirate Commander looked at his second-in-command and said, “Do not do anything stupid.”
“But, Captain…”
“That man said he would give us our lives if I cooperate. I’ll send you a signal if you need to self-destruct the ship.”
“Yes, Captain. I don’t want to endure the electrocution. Perhaps it’s time we put an end to all of this.”
“None of us want to endure that, Albert. Keep your senses about you!” Albert nodded and the Captain walked off the bridge to the port inside the landing bay. The shuttle arrived and he watched the light above the port turn green. He nodded for the crew to open it and he saw four heavily armed humans pointing heavy shoulder blasters at him. He took a breath and stepped through the port. The crew shut the portal and the shuttle moved away.
“Jek, greet our guest and bring him to my conference room. Make sure he’s not armed.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sam stood up and started walking toward his conference room and saw Shelly sitting on pins and needles. He smiled, “Captain Stevens, please, join me in my conference room.”
Shelly jumped up and said, “Lydia, you have the scanners.” Lydia nodded and Shelly rushed over to join Sam, “Thank you, Sir. I don’t want to miss this.”
Sam continued walking toward the conference room and said, “We are a team now. You’ll be included in every important decision.”
Shelly stared at him and then smiled, “Thank you again, Sir.”
They entered the conference room and Sam said, “I trust your judgement, Shelly; you proved yourself in the battle against the Tronan. Pay attention and tell me what I miss. I’m going to have to focus on the proper questions to ask this pirate.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sam picked up the communicator off the front console and said, “Galley, I want a meal prepared for four people. Bring it to the conference room as soon as you have it ready.”
“Yes, Sir.”
• • •
The shuttle entered the landing bay and the crew pressurized it immediately. The shuttle’s port opened and the Pirate was escorted out of the shuttle with his hands tied behind his back. The Pirate saw an incredibly tall, black colored being standing outside the port. The being smiled and looked at one of the crew, “Remove his bonds.” One of the crewmen moved forward and cut the plastic ties. “Welcome aboard our ship, Captain. If you will follow me, my Commander wishes to speak with you.”
