Union historians told the story of Earth’s sacrifice and over the centuries the Union wished that mankind would one day return to the galaxy of its birth. They never did. The huge black beings called Matadors did return on holy pilgrimages to thank and mourn for the ones that had given them back their lives. They would never forget the gift they were given.
Chapter Twenty
“What are we going to do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“The Union has survived.”
“Yes, but Earth didn’t.”
“Are you willing to jeopardize the outcome?”
“We don’t know if we can. I’m not going to tie myself up in knots trying to figure that one out.”
“So you’re going to do it?”
He looked at her and smiled, “Yes, I am. I would hope that you agree with my choice.”
“I do.”
• • •
Kune slowly shook his head and said, “Admiral Arvolo, build something special here. I can see you’re on the right path to make it happen.” He turned to Dizzy, “Make me proud.”
Dizzy fought hard to prevent her tears but her eyes were moist, “You know I will, Sir.”
Kune walked toward the door and Angel said “Attennnshun!” The three officers stood and saluted. Kune returned their salute and left for his Rover in the landing bay.
Dizzy sat down and sighed, “I hated every moment.”
Angel put her hand on Dizzy’s shoulder, “It’s the only way to show him, Commodore. Plan to meet with the entire Senior Staff in three hours.” Angel turned to Bret, “Leave immediately for Fleet Headquarters and get Commodore Banks copies of the personnel folders on the ships in her command.” Angel looked at the helmsman, “Plan to move the ship back to our formation as soon as Commodore Young jumps away and clears the area.”
“Yes Sir.”
Angel left the room and Dizzy looked at Bret, “I can see why you love her.” Bret’s eyes went wide. “Yes it’s obvious. You made an excellent choice, Bret.”
“Thanks Dizzy. I also made a good choice picking you.” Bret left the room for a Rover and it took Dizzy a few moments to see that he was talking about her being selected to join Angel’s team. Dizzy smiled; Angel came out pretty good as well. Bret was a keeper.
• • •
Dizzy saw the Rover leave the Wellington’s landing bay and looked at the helmsman to jump the Wellington back to the fleet. She saw he was staring at his panel as he pressed a button, “Admiral, I’m picking up something on the scanners that’s unusual.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, Sir. There is some kind of green energy field that is forming about ten miles out.”
“Go to battle stations; I’ll be right there.”
Dizzy looked at the wall monitor and saw a hazy green energy field forming in open space. Angel rushed on the bridge and sat down in her command chair. She stared at the field and looked at the Sensor Officer, “What is it?”
“I don’t know, Sir. I don’t have anything in my databanks that matches up to it.” Suddenly a large white ship came through the green field. The Sensor Officer said, “It appears to be a Jukebox, Sir. However, it doesn’t match any of the ships in our fleet.”
“What’s its name?”
“Europe is written on the bow, Sir.”
The wall speaker activated and they heard, “Admiral, Arvolo. I need to have a short meeting with you. Will you please come to my ship?”
Angel stared at the speaker and pressed her communicator, “Identify yourself.”
There was a pause and they heard, “You know who I am. Please trust yourself and come here now.”
Angel stared at the ship on the monitor and turned to Dizzy, “You are in command until I return.”
“Sir, is this wise?”
Angel smiled, “He’s right. I don’t know what’s going on but I do know who he is.” Angel rushed off the bridge and Dizzy sat down in the command chair. She looked at the Sensor Officer who could only shrug.
• • •
Angel arrived in the landing bay and boarded a shuttle. She went through the landing bay’s protective force field and turned the Rover toward the Jukebox. As she moved closer she saw that the thrusters on the ship were different from any she had seen. It appeared the thrusters running the length of the ship were as large as the rear thrusters. She saw the landing bay door opening and she flew the Rover inside. She landed and stepped out to find an Officer wearing the uniform of a Jukebox Captain waiting for her. He smiled, “Please follow me.” She entered the high speed chute and arrived just outside the bridge where the Captain took her to the ship’s conference room. He nodded and she entered the door. She saw Bret standing at the viewport staring at the Wellington.
She shook her head, “How did you get on this ship so quickly?”
Bret turned around and Angel’s eyes narrowed. He looked different. “Angel, the Bret you sent to gather fleet personnel records is still on Earth.” Angel stared at Bret and her confusion was obvious. Bret walked over and pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. She heard him whisper, “Thank God; for one last time.”
She leaned back and said, “Bret, what’s going on?”
“Angel, I’ve just come here from the future. I don’t have much time so I need you to lay down on this transfer table and allow me to transfer information on all that has happened. Once you have it, I’ll answer your questions.” Angel started shaking her head and Bret said, “The Earth is a blasted rock and you along with everyone in your family is dead. I’m here to try and stop that from happening. Now lay down on the couch and help me.”
Angel saw his anguish and she sat down on the couch. He lifted the transfer cap and put it on her head. She started to question him again but he started the transfer and her eyes closed. He caught her and laid her gently on the couch. He looked at his wrist unit and saw the high speed transfer would be over shortly. He sat beside her and gently rubber her cheek. He was unable to stop his tears.
• • •
The Sensor Operator looked at Dizzy, “Should we contact fleet?”
Dizzy stared at the ship on the monitor and shook her head, “No. We’ll give her some time.”
• • •
Angel’s eyes opened and she looked up at Bret. She quickly sat up and pulled him into her arms, “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s alright. You did what you had to do.”
Angel leaned back, “But I was wrong to do it.” Bret looked in her eyes and then nodded. “You watched me die?”
“I did. I should have been there with you.” Bret stood and walked over to the conference table and picked up two high speed transfer chips, “Take these along with the one you just absorbed and make the transfer with me. You need to act quickly.”
Angel took the chips and shook her head, “Bret, do you love me?”
Bret’s smile was soft, “That’s why I’m here.”
Angel reached up and kissed him and then left the room. Bret hung his head and fought to control his emotions. He walked out of the conference room and entered the bridge. He saw Patterson staring at the Wellington. Bret sighed, “I know what you’re feeling but we can’t stay here.”
“Why not?”
“Are you going to take the place of the one here?” Patterson looked at Bret and then shook his head. Bret saw the Rover leave and head toward the Wellington, “Take us back through, Captain.”
“Yes Sir.”
• • •
Dizzy saw the Rover leave the strange ship, watched as it started moving and then disappear through the green energy field, which immediately vanished.
• • •
Angel arrived on the Wellington’s bridge and she lifted her wrist unit, “Bret, where are you?”
“I’ve just arrived at Fleet personnel.”
“Get back to your Rover and join me immediately.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Just follow your orders
!”
“Yes Sir, on my way.”
Angel entered another frequency, “Grest.”
“Yes Angel.”
“I am leaving you in command until I can return.”
“Where are you going?”
“Bret and I have an issue to resolve. I should be back shortly.”
“Yes Sir.”
Angel put on her combat helmet and pulled up the computer’s database. She found the last hour’s recordings and erased them. She saw Dizzy watching her, “Commodore Banks, you will stay with the Wellington until your Flagship arrives. You will command the ship during that time.”
“Yes Sir.” Angel turned and ran off the bridge.
• • •
Bret jumped away from Earth and arrived at the Wellington. He lined up on the giant landing bay and was once again amazed at the flight activity taking place. Rovers, shuttles, repair ships, and couriers were constantly coming and going when the Wellington stopped and held a position in space.
He lined up the route he had been assigned and wondered why Angel hadn’t taken her flagship back to the fleet. She usually answered his questions; but not this time. Something was going on. He brought the Rover in to a Military landing pad and heard, “Open the port, Bret.” He looked at his external monitor and saw Angel waiting beside the ship. He activated the port and Angel rushed in to the small bridge. “Slide over!” Bret moved out of the command chair and went to the co-pilot’s position. “What’s going on, Angel?”
“I’ll fill you in when I get time. Hang on.”
Bret’s heart went into his throat as Angel whipped the Rover around and flashed out of the landing bay violating every fleet regulation dealing with ship safety. Bret closed his eyes as Angel flew the ship under a repair tender and over another Rover. Once clear of the Wellington, Angel skipped the Rover away.
• • •
Dizzy watched Angel exit the ship and she stood up and left the bridge. She went to the ship’s library and began asking the computer questions. It took her more than a day to find the answers to her inquires. She struggled with what to do next. After eight hours she decided that she would have to trust the young woman she chose to follow. She went back to the bridge and sat in the command chair. It wasn’t going to be much longer.
• • •
Bret remained silent as the Rover skipped in to a planetary system with a red dwarf at the center. The star had gone through its old age and blasted all of the inner planets as it went nova. The Dwarf was a shadow of its former glory. Bret watched as Angel jumped the ship in to the fourth planet and moved directly toward the outer moon. He started to ask what she was doing but the Rover’s alarms went off at full blast and the wall speaker blared, “YOU ARE ENTERING QUARANTIED SPACE…YOU WILL BE FIRED ON IF YOU CONTINUE!!”
Bret looked at the Rover’s monitor and saw massive blasters rising up from the moon’s surface and start swiveling toward them. What in the hell was going on!?! Angel punched in a series of entries into the computer’s panel and pressed the send button. A moment later, the alarms stopped and the blasters began disappearing into the surface of the moon. He looked at Angel and saw her concentrating as she brought the view of the moon’s surface closer on the monitor. He wanted to ask, no demand, what she was doing but he was reluctant to break her train of thought.
“Ah ha!” Angel took the Rover down at high speed into a deep crater on the moon’s surface and entered another series of numbers into the computer. She pressed the send button and just as she slowed down in front of a tall crater wall, Bret saw a huge section of the wall rising. Lights were coming on inside the opening and he could see the low power force field covering the entrance that kept the atmosphere inside the cave from escaping.
Angel moved the Rover slowly into the opening and Bret turned and looked at Angel, “What is this place!?!” Angel brought the Rover down to the floor of the giant facility, looked at Bret, and nodded toward the viewport. Bret turned and looked out of the front port and his mouth fell open. Sitting on the floor of the cave directly in front of the Rover was a black ship resting on its landing legs. On the bow of the ship Bret could see the word NINJA.
He turned and looked at Angel who said, “The creation of Chris and Jillian Connor thousands of years ago.”
Bret managed to stammer, “Th..the original Ninja wa..was..a….time ship.”
Angel looked at Bret and said, “This is the original, Bret…and you and I are going back in time.”
Bret tore his gaze away from the ancient ship and looked Angel in the eyes, “To do what?”
Angel’s eyes narrowed and she said, “To commit a murder.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Angel sat up from the couch as the transfer completed. She stared at Bret on the couch next to her; he had to absorb two chips; his transfer was going to take longer. She worried about what he would feel once he awoke. She sighed heavily and hoped he’d understand.
She stood up and looked around the Ninja’s bridge and understood how all the systems operated. The future Bret and Jillian had done an excellent job of deciphering all of the ship’s functions. It had taken the better part of a year to unravel the systems. The transfer chip reduced the learning time to less than twenty minutes. They had also taken the time out and found the coordinates of where they had to go to receive the light needed to make the trip.
She remembered the future Bret whispering when he hugged her, “Thank God for one last time.” She saw the agony in his face and felt his love in his embrace. He was thankful for being able to hold her one more time. That showed her how he felt about her; she didn’t realize the depth of his feelings and she knew she had sent him away in the other Bret’s future. The chip Bret was currently absorbing was going to reveal what she did. She worried again that she would lose him because of it.
• • •
Bret opened his eyes and saw Angel sitting next to him with a worried expression. He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at her and said, “What did I say to you when I came back.”
Angel lowered her head, “Thank God for one last time.”
“You don’t need to worry, Angel.”
Angel looked up, “I don’t?”
“You sent that Bret away. Are you going to do the same with me?”
Angel rushed over and wrapped her arms around Bret’s neck, “Never! I’ll never let you go!”
Bret smiled, “Even after you did; I still loved you. That should tell you something.” Angel held on to Bret and felt her tears. He held her tight and they remained in that position for a while. Finally, Bret said, “Why didn’t they go and do this themselves?”
“You saw what the original Admiral Arvolo speculated about time travel?” Bret nodded. “Well, my father feared that if the change was made from a point in the future, a parallel universe would be created at the exact moment the Ninja left and the original universe would continue without change.”
Bret nodded, “So one Universe would exist with Earth destroyed and the other would have whatever change happens as a result of our actions.”
“Exactly. However, if we do it now, Earth has not been destroyed and both universes would have a living Earth if a parallel universe happens.”
“That causes a problem, Angel.”
“What is that?”
“If our current universe continues, we will have to face the events that led to Earth’s destruction. If the change we cause is minor, then a parallel universe won’t form. The End result could be the same.” Bret sighed and said, “However, what we’re planning is major! I don’t see how causing a parallel universe could be avoided.”
Angel shook her head, “I don’t know if it will work. Trying to figure it out will drive both of us crazy. We have to do it.”
“How do you want to do it?”
“You will maintain the field and I’ll take the Rover through.”
Bret nodded and said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” Angel took a deep breath and n
odded. Bret sighed, “I’ll power up the reactors; you should move the Rover into the landing bay.” Angel started to leave and Bret said, “I do have one question.” Angel stopped and looked at him. “According to the Union’s history, the Ninja was lost with a Jenze named Zack.”
“It was. However, another was already built and it replaced the one that was lost. After the war with the Red Civilization ended, this technology was outlawed by the Union and Colonies.”
“Then why wasn’t this ship destroyed?”
Angel smiled, “When peace is declared, you should always have a gun put away in safe keeping.”
Bret smiled and nodded, “Against a day like this one.”
“Exactly right.” Angel turned and left the bridge to move the Rover on board. Bret went to the command chair and started flipping switches. He smiled and thought, “It looks like people in the past were infatuated with toggles.” A deep vibration started that he could feel in the console. After ten minutes it disappeared along with the humming sound that permeated the bridge. He smiled again at the old technology and Angel said, “What’s so funny?”
He turned and saw her entering the bridge and said, “When people say we don’t build them like we used to.”
“Yes.”
“I always thought they meant they built them better in the past.”
“So?”
“I was wrong.” Angel laughed and went to the chair beside Bret and buckled in. Bret pressed the only button on his primary panel and the door to the cave began rising. The Ninja’s gravity compensators whined and the ship rose and moved out of the entrance. Bret looked at Angel, “This one won’t handle like a Jukebox.”
Star Rover-Chosen to Die (Lens of Time) Page 27
