by Saxon Andrew
Seedel had returned and was standing against the wall of the landing bay and Sprigly saw her shaking. He rushed up to her and took her in his branches, “What’s wrong?!”
“I hate him for what he did but I can feel him. No one should bear this much pain and sorrow. I’m shocked he’s still alive.”
Root looked at her, “Before redemption, one must first know what you’ve done.”
“Do you think he can be redeemed?” Petal asked.
Root raised his branches, “The DEC Elder is going to suffer more than him. They need to find it together.”
Petal touched Root, “The part of your mind that is that creature?”
“Yes.”
“It keeps looking at another creature just outside the outer edge of the cloud.” Root’s branches fell and turned dark brown. Petal asked, “Why?”
“They were together before I united with him.”
“And now?”
“She can no longer touch him. His hybrid mind would kill her if she made contact.” Petal stared at him and Root sighed, “He’s tried to explain the danger to her but she sees it as a rejection. She just can’t understand what’s happening.”
“It loves her, Root!”
“And she loves him. Every DEC loves all the others but just like us, there are some that each of them loves more.” Root watched the Senior Elder leave the transport and turned to Petal, “I must go back to my twin; do you want to come with me?” Petal leaned right telling him no. “Why not?” Root asked.
“I can’t bear the sadness in your mind.”
“That is coming from the creature part of me.”
“I know…but you feel it to.”
Root lowered his branches and moved his consciousness back to the twin.
• • •
The DEC Elder asked, “What is this?”
“Will make change happen,” Root instructed. “Make order.”
“What order?”
“None come closer!”
The Elder thought, “No closer!” The Algean Senior Elder walked up to the edge of the Giant DEC and slowly lowered himself to the ground. It took an hour to finally lay prone and, once he was lying next to the DEC Elder he thought, “I do hope I die doing this.”
Root answered, “Not before you allow the creature to understand what it’s done.” The Senior Elder hesitated and then inserted one of his large branches into the giant creature lying next to him. Root lost mental contact with both of them as the giant white cloud surrounding the planet erupted into a giant swirling mass moving toward the planet.
• • •
“OBEY ELDER!!” Root shouted mentally.
The giant swirling cloud slowed its approach and Root heard, “Elder gone!!”
“No scream!!” Root replied.
The cloud stopped moving closer as they understood that when one of them died, they always screamed. An older DEC asked, “What wrong?”
“Elder change.” Root paused and added, “Must wait!!”
The cloud moved away from the planet and every DEC in it stopped where they were and remained still.
Higginson heard the back and forth and started gripping the arms of his chair again as the cloud rushed toward the planet. He saw the cloud back off and released his fingers from the chair, “I don’t know how much more of this my hands can take.”
Belle kept her eyes on the monitor but cocked her head to the side, “When was the last time you hugged somebody?”
Higginson jerked his head around toward her and answered, “It’s been a while.”
“Well, you might want to wait a little longer. If you hug them as tight as you gripped that chair, you’ll kill them.”
Higginson’s eyes narrowed and he said, “I’ll make sure you’re the first.”
Belle turned around and waved a hand at him, “Promises, promises.” The crew burst out laughing and, finally, the Captain joined them.
• • •
Tag and Danielle sat on the Kosiev’s bridge and heard Alex announce, “Danielle!!”
“What?”
“James Robbins had just jumped in and is demanding to see you.”
Danielle looked at Tag and shrugged, “Invite him aboard.”
“What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know, Tag. He refused to come here for the meeting.”
A moment later, James appeared on the bridge, “WHAT’S HAPPENED TO SPRIGLY AND SEEDEL?!” Tag and Danielle stared at James and saw his anger was growing, “SPRIGLY PROMISED TO KEEP ME INFORMED. I’VE NOT HEARD FROM HIM FOR TWO-WEEKS!!”
Danielle rolled her eyes, “He didn’t tell us about his promise before he left.”
James glared at them and asked, “Where did he go?”
“He went with another Algean to confront the Senior Algean Elder at the Holy Grove. Seedel demanded to go with him.”
“WHY HAVE YOU NOT INFORMED ME?!”
Tag said softly, “Our fear of losing Sprigly has us only thinking about what his loss would mean. He didn’t inform us about his promise to you.”
James looked at Tag and saw his expression. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “I’m sorry. I know how much he means to you. I’ve also been fearing that something happened to him.”
Danielle glanced up, “Alex, please provide a chair for Emperor Robbins. A chair rose out of the deck in front of Tag and Danielle’s command chairs and Danielle turned to him, “I apologize, Emperor Robbins. Things happened so quickly and we’ve been worried sick.”
“What happened?” James asked as he sat down.
Tag looked up, “Alex, please show Emperor Robbins the recordings you made from the moment Root arrived.”
“Do you want me to include the conversation you had with Danielle prior to Root’s arrival here?”
“Yes!” Danielle answered.
Tag looked at James, “I think seeing what happened will be the easiest way for you to get up to speed.” The wall monitor activated and James turned his chair around to see it.
• • •
When the recordings ended, James sat back and stared at the dark monitor for a couple of minutes, before turning around. “Where are they now?”
“Captain Higginson sent us slivers until he entered the white cloud around the Kelt’s Capital Planet. We’ve not received one since,” Tag answered.
“So, you don’t know if they’re alive or dead.”
“No, we do not.”
“Why haven’t you sent a ship to find out what’s happening?!”
“Two reasons,” Danielle answered. “First, I don’t think that cloud is going to split for another ship to get to the planet and second, it would be interfering with a crisis event.” James nodded. “Why did you choose to come here instead of sending a representative to find out?”
“I’ve made up my mind that I can’t allow the fears of my subjects to rule my judgement. I know that it would have been better if I and my leaders had come here for the meeting. I gave in to my fears just like my father gave in to his.”
Danielle smiled, “Bravo! I’m impressed.”
James sighed, “I wouldn’t have understood this before the meeting. It was during cool reflection afterwards, that I saw I was being part of the problem and not part of the solution.” Danielle smiled at the revelation. James was silent for a moment and changed the subject, “Cassie is doing well in school.”
Danielle’s eyes opened wider as she smiled, “Really?”
“Yes. I had the Gills take her in and she has bonded with the young girl from Earth you sent to me before we moved the galaxy to the Dark Dimension.”
“Rose!”
James smiled, “Yes, that’s her name. Cassie was a little gloomy and a lot homesick, when she teleported down to the planet but Vring met her and took her on a flight around Bristone. She spent the night at the Zord Gathering before returning to go to school.”
Tag’s mouth opened, ‘That’s incredible!”
James smiled and looked up, “Y
ou can thank Alex for making that happen.”
Danielle’s eyes narrowed, “Alex, you didn’t mention this to us.”
“Hey, I had to leave before I could see if I managed to pull it off. The last I saw of Cassie was when she teleported down. I saw her sorrow and didn’t want to burden you with it.”
Danielle was silent for a moment and said very deliberately, “Alex, in the future…you will tell me anything you see that involves my daughter!! You got that?!”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’m sorry.” Alex answered softly.
Danielle smiled, “That was an incredible idea, Alex. Cassie told me several times that the only thing she found interesting about Bristone was that Zord were there. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Danielle,” Alex replied. “If you would thank Vring for me, Emperor Robbins, I would greatly appreciate it.”
“He didn’t hesitate to do it, Alex. You carry a lot of weight with the Zord,” James replied.
“I told you!”
“Yeah, I guess you did,” Grace answered.
James smiled and turned to Danielle, “I do have one concern about Rose.”
“What is that?”
“I think my son is getting attached to her. He’s my successor and he is going to need to marry a member of Bristone’s Royalty.”
“Do you know how Rose feels about him?” Danielle asked.
“JP tells me that she’s listening to him.”
“That means she likes him.”
“That’s another reason I came here, Danielle. I don’t want to damage our relationship if I force him to back off his feelings for Rose.”
“You can try to make him back off but it won’t work.”
James stared at Danielle and then asked with a serious tone, “Why not?”
Tag smiled, “That’s easy, love conquers all, even Emperors who think they know what’s best.”
“But…”
Danielle interrupted him, “James, he’s your son. Do you really think he could make a bad choice about who to give his heart to?” James was silent and stared at the Gardners. Danielle’s eyes closed slightly, as she said, “Why do you think I sent Rose to you.”
“I honestly don’t know, Danielle.”
“When I picked her up during the tour on Earth years ago, I felt her heart. I suspect that it’s larger and stronger than any Bristone Royal you might want to saddle up for your son. There’s something in her that will make a difference one day. I suspect your son sees it, too.”
“So, you’re saying choosing someone else for him will be wasted effort?” James asked.
“You can try, but like Tag said, love does conquer all. I think all you’ll accomplish might very well be losing your son.”
“But what if she’s not the one for him?”
“Then they’ll see it and he’ll find another. However, he’s eighteen and knows his mind…and his heart.”
James sighed, “My wife is the one pushing this.”
“Then perhaps it’s time you pushed back, “Tag suggested.
James chuckled, “She can be obstinate.”
“Have her discuss this with JP. I suspect he’ll straighten things out with her pretty quickly.”
James smiled, “Perhaps I’ll do just that.” He stood up, “You will keep me informed on what’s happening!”
Tag looked up, “Grace, I want any sliver we receive from Captain Higginson to be forwarded immediately to Emperor Robbins.”
“Order acknowledged.”
Tag smiled, “I don’t want to risk being so emotionally involved that I forget.”
“I understand. Thank you for dealing with my initial anger.”
“We fully understand why you were.” James nodded and teleported out.
Chapter Thirteen
Root waited in orbit above the planet and worried about the two-Elders and Petal. She was distraught about the two-creatures; he mentally sighed and understood why. But there was nothing to be done and he hated the thought of finding her after so long and then losing her. Two-weeks had passed and she still refused to join with him mentally.
It took four-weeks for him to unite with the DEC and the pain of the struggle was immense. But he and his twin fought the process; the Elders went in willingly…well, the DEC Elder did, even if the Senior Elder needed some persuading.
Root didn’t have the stored memories of the Senior Elder and he guessed the Senior Elder didn’t have as many as the Elder DEC. They weren’t smart but they didn’t forget anything. He looked at the cloud and could feel their concern. He originally attacked the creature in a fit of rage and found that he was wrong. It was like beating a baby for spilling a glass of water; it didn’t know what it did and beating it was simple cruelty. He wondered what the end-product of uniting the two-Elders would be. One thing he was reasonably certain of, they would both emerge from the process bearing great sorrow. He guessed that’s why they called it growing pains. Only these pains were far beyond what normal growing pains caused.
His mind was fatigued from the constant focus and noticed the creature part of his brain looking longingly at the female DEC that remained just outside the edge of the cloud. He could feel her sense of rejection and loss. He understood Petal’s refusal to be subjected to those emptions. His whole brain was suffering from her misery and there was no escaping it.
He glanced at the planet and saw that the Senior Elder’s branch was no longer in the DEC Elder. He looked closer and saw the Senior Elder’s roots begin digging into the soil. He tried to move erect and failed. Root moved to the landing bay, “Captain, get some cranes out and assist the Senior Elder to stand!!”
The Senior Elder must have heard him, because he stopped struggling and stayed on the ground. Two-giant cranes rolled out of the bay on their tracks and came to a stop next to the Senior Elder. The technicians rushed out, connected the chains around the top of the Senior Elder’s trunk, and the crane’s long arms extended skyward. They began pulling and their arms bent slightly as the Senior Elder was lifted off the ground until he was standing fully erect. “Thank you!”
“Are you able to stand on your own?” Root asked.
“Give me a little time, please.” The cranes kept the chain’s tension taut and the Elder eventually said, “I think I can handle it.”
“Why don’t we wait a little longer.”
Root heard a chuckle, “I would think you’d want to see me fall.”
“No, I think you’ve earned my respect for the courage you’ve demonstrated in doing this. I don’t want to see you harmed.”
“Did you have the stereo thoughts when you did this?”
Root’s branches jerked, “Yes, I did. Are you and the DEC Elder united?”
The giant DEC still on the ground answered, “We are. I am so very saddened by what we’ve done.”
Root immediately thought, “Senior Elder, do you still want to die?”
“Are you volunteering to do the job?”
“No, but do you?”
“If I allow myself to die, I would be showing great disrespect to my twin; he only agreed to live if I promised to live with him.”
“Just as I would be showing disrespect if I choose to die,” The DEC Elder added. Everyone on the landing bay heard the exchange, as well as all the DEC’s surrounding the planet. However, they didn’t really understand what was being said but they were still happy; the Elder was alive.
“What happens now?” Root asked.
“We have to persuade our species to unite.”
“Are you able to convince the ones in the cloud to do it?”
“I think it will be difficult. They cannot understand without going through the change,” the DEC Elder answered.
Petal suddenly moved forward and wrapped Root in her branches, “Before you do anything else, there will be another change completed!”
Root’s branches jerked and the Seniors’ mind asked, “What are you talking about, Child?”
“The one that is suffering
from being separated from Root will be united with me now!!”
“Petal, what are you suggesting?!” Root asked.
“If I unite with her, she can be with her love again.”
The Elders looked up at the female remaining outside the cloud’s edge and sighed, “I don’t know how to tell her to do this. She is suffering terribly.”
“You can’t explain it to her, Elders, but Root can.”
“Petal, are you sure you want to do this?”
“It’s the only way for us to be together. Now make her understand!”
Root and the twin looked up at the female and said, “Love you!” The female instantly brightened. “Want something.”
“What?”
“You change.”
“Why.”
“Be with me!”
“HOW!!”
The Elders quickly said, “I’m leaving the planet to make room for her.”
The giant DEC Elder rose quickly into orbit above the planet and the twin said, “Take Elder’s place.”
The female was on the surface of the planet in a heartbeat. The Senior Elder asked, “Please, release the chains. I should move back in the transport.”
The chains dropped from his trunk and he started walking slowly toward the landing bay. Petal hugged Root tightly just before rushing out of the landing bay at an incredible speed. She arrived at the glowing DEC female and jammed a branch into her. Their minds disappeared and Root felt something inside him that filled him with emotion. Less than a day later, Petal stood up as the DEC female rushed off the planet to the twin in orbit, where she wrapped her huge fins around him. Petal turned and saw Root standing beside her and she wrapped him up so tightly in her branches he wondered if they would ever be able to untwine.
The love the twin and the female felt for each other shot out of them and every DEC in the Realm’s universe felt it. It was stronger, more violent, and all-encompassing than anything they had ever experienced. The DECs in the giant cloud began shouting to be changed. They wanted what the twin and his mate possessed.
Root and Petal held each other and felt it in its fullest power. Root held on to her and felt the Twin’s mate in her. He smiled, “That didn’t take long.”
