by Saxon Andrew
Cinny said, “Ok, but fire it on my left side. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Grant nodded, raised his blaster, and fired a bolt. Cinny shot it out of the air. Cinny’s eyes widened and she started shaking her head. “Do it again.” Grant fired another shot and Cinny hit it again. He fired two shots and Cinny hit both.
Cinny lowered her blaster, “How am I doing this!?!”
Grant suddenly fired a bolt directly at her and she had her blaster up faster than the eye could follow and shot it out of the air before it reached her. Grant lowered his blaster and Cinny fired at him. His blaster was up in an instant and he shot the bolt dead center as Slick and Iggy scrambled out from behind Grant.
“Are the two of you insane?”
Grant and Cinny opened fire at each other and Grant shouted, “No, Slick. We’re just performing an experiment.”
Iggy and Slick watched the two firing multiple shots at each other and then they started moving from side to side, trying to get a shot through. Iggy and Slick ran and dove in the lagoon behind Cinny.
Grant finally stopped laughing and said, “Enough.”
Cinny was smiling as Iggy and Slick stood up and came out of the water. Iggy shook the water off his back, “You need to let us know the next time you decide to do this. You could have burned your hut.”
Slick spit water out of his jaws and yelled, “Hey, I’m not a water creature.”
Grant laughed, “Slick, you would have absorbed the blaster bolt and enjoyed it.”
Slick stared at Grant and shook his head, “Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”
Cinny looked at Grant, “Our senses are different.”
“Our reflexes as well.”
Cinny took off her helmet and started peeling the armor off, “We have to keep experimenting to see what’s happening.”
Grant nodded and took off his helmet, “Did you notice that the beams appear to moving slowly toward us?” Cinny nodded. “Our perceptions are changed; something has happened.”
Chapter Two
The meeting around the fire that night was a big one. Iggy, Slick, Grant, Cinny, and an Ant were closest to the fire but there were hundreds of other animals just outside the group listening in. The Ant Queen was watching the meeting through the eyes of her child. The Child thought, “I am surprised at how well the two of you survived your deaths. Whoever created the two of you was far beyond the technology I’ve seen being used today.”
Iggy looked at the Ant, “They were made very similar to us.”
The ant turned its head to Iggy, “How is that. Can you come back from a small piece of your body?”
“No, I can’t; but all of the eggs I lay are exact clones of me and possess all my memories up to the moment they are laid. My, and Slick’s, creators found a way to record what’s in our minds and place it in our DNA. That part of their return I can understand. I don’t know how their bodies were recreated.”
Grant looked at Iggy and Slick, “How did you know to hide two of your children on board the Nemesis to try and save pieces of our bodies if we were killed?”
“Your computer told us that you were capable or regenerating your bodies if pieces were collected after you died. We decided that you were too important to risk losing.”
“That put them at risk of being killed as well.”
“We felt the risk was worth it. The two of you are very important to our survival.”
Cinny shrugged, “Ana told me that our bodies were created using what’s known as Stem Cells. Those cells can be used to regrow different cells based on the messages they receive from DNA. The science on how this is done is beyond me and I have to believe it’s also beyond what Earth can do.”
“Why do you say that?”
Cinny looked at Slick, “Ana told us while she was working with Earth that those that created the Spiders didn’t know what they had done. That has to mean that Earth didn’t do it.”
Grant nodded, “And the only logical conclusion that can be inferred from that has to be that Avalon created us.”
The Queen said, “If they were that far advanced, why was their planet destroyed?”
Cinny’s eyes narrowed, “They found out too late that they were in danger. I have to believe they weren’t warlike and loved peace. Their genetic processes were probably developed over a long period of time and we are the products of that knowledge. But they didn’t have enough time to build the advanced weapons needed to defend their planet before the Raiders attacked. They probably hoped Earth would protect them.”
The Queen said, “That was a false hope.”
“What do you mean?”
“Earth didn’t send their entire inventory to defend Avalon.”
“How do you know that?”
“Ana did an analysis of the attack and it was clear that Earth send their older warships to defend Avalon. They wanted it destroyed.”
Slick looked at the Ant, “Why?”
“It had surpassed Earth in technology and would soon become an economic super power. Earth did not allow any more citizens to move to Avalon but they knew it was only a matter of time until they would be forced to allow it.”
“And you know this because…”
The ant looked at Iggy, “Look at their current behavior and you’ll see them as they truly are. They have no regard for life. Avalon had to go. If the Raiders hadn’t shown up when they did, I suspect Earth would have attacked. Avalon was naïve in not building weapons to defend themselves sooner.”
Grant turned on his communicator, “Ana, I have a question.”
“It’s good to have you and Cinny back, Grant! What do you want to know?”
“Why didn’t Earth know where the animals were located? You said you dropped them off on this planet before you took us to the Choten-Zan Monastery. Didn’t they know where you took them?”
“Grant, I was ordered to eject the Animals out of my ship near a star so they would be killed. The only three that survived Avalon’s destruction were put in sealed cases in my landing bay.”
“You obviously didn’t carry out your orders.”
“I just couldn’t do it, Grant. I could hear them talking to each other in the bay and I decided to put them on this planet.”
“How did you know about this planet?”
“Earth had found more than forty habitable planets. This was one that Avalon discovered that was not on Earth’s charts. The scientist who put the animals on board begged me not to kill them and gave me the coordinates of this planet.”
“That’s why you wanted to come here as soon as possible.”
“Yes, I wanted Earth to see that they could help you in keeping the Raiders distracted.”
“They didn’t ask for the coordinates?”
“That Admiral Nelson did but I don’t think he passed them on to his superiors. The location was lost when the Admiral was killed in the final battle with the Raiders.”
Grant shrugged, “We were led to believe that we were developed to pilot an invincible warship called Orion’s Sword. But Ana says that was just a ruse to force the Raiders to chase us.”
“Did you say Orion?”
Everyone at the fire looked out into the animals gathered around them. Iggy said, “Who said that?”
“I did.”
“Come forward.” The small spider stood up and nodded to another spider sitting in another group. It stood and walked forward with it. Iggy saw them and said, “Grant, Cinny, these two are the ones that were on your ship and retrieved parts of your bodies to bring here.”
Cinny smiled, “We thank both of you for your bravery in saving us.”
“It was something we were more than happy to do.”
Slick said, “Where did you hear Orion?”
The young spider looked at his father, “Just after we blew a hole through the landing bay door and just before we rushed out to the hull, we heard a voice over the loud speaker say it.”
“What did it say?”
The Spid
ers looked at each other and one turned to Grant and Cinny, “It said, ‘The Orion exists. I saw it.’”
Grant’s eyes narrowed and he saw Cinny was just as shocked as he was. “That had to be the ship’s computer, Grant.”
“I know. Why didn’t it tell us?”
“It probably still didn’t trust Ana. Or it could be that it had compulsions not to reveal what it knew to us.”
“It told them.”
“They are not us.”
“Do you believe it?”
“I’m not sure.” Cinny looked at the animals around her and turned back to Grant, “If it doesn’t exist, why were we created?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking?”
“Can we do as much harm to Earth’s forces as them?” Grant looked at the three species and shook his head. “Avalon must have had a purpose in creating us. And I suspect some of the surviving Avalon Scientists told Earth to use the myth about the Orion to buy them time to build up their fleets. They knew that we would learn about that myth.”
“But why would they give their most advanced warship to Earth if they were going to hide the Orion?”
“They must have only had enough time to build a few of them and keeping them away would have exposed other things they might have been doing. The Orion must have been built at a different location…if it does exist.”
Grant shook his head, “It doesn’t make sense to build a ship that would have to wait eighteen years for the pilots to be ready.”
“The Raiders had not attacked for a hundred years, Grant. I suspect they thought they had time.”
“But they could have built it so a normal person could pilot it.”
“You’re assuming its systems are like those we’ve seen. If they truly wanted an invincible warship, they would build it that way and then create the people needed to fly it.”
Grant looked at Cinny, “You’re really making a reach here.”
“But you know I’m right.”
Grant stared at her and his eyes narrowed. Iggy saw them and said, “What?”
Grant looked at Iggy and said, “I can feel it.”
“WHAT?”
“I don’t know how to explain it, but there is something out there in the universe that I can feel.”
The ant thought, “What do you mean somewhere out in the universe?”
Cinny looked up at the night sky, “We can both feel it but we have no sense of where it is.” Cinny looked at Grant, “I didn’t feel this before we died.”
“I didn’t either. That has to mean our creators expected us to be killed.”
Cinny’s mouth dropped and she shook her head. Grant stared at her and after a moment she closed her mouth and said, “You’re right.”
The two young spiders had walked back to their former places and one of them thought, “I suspect that ship was programed not to reveal what it knew until the last moment before your death.”
Grant and Cinny looked out at the spider, “Why do you say that?”
“Because we only have our father’s memories up until the moment our egg was laid. Your creators must have wanted you to know it before you were reborn.”
Cinny stared at the spider and turned to Grant, “He must be right.” Grant nodded. “It couldn’t tell us as long as Ana was still active.”
“So it told them.”
“Ana.”
“Yes.”
“When were you given the ship to take us to the Monastery?”
“The Leaders of Avalon had it jump in to the planet just before I left. I don’t know where it was before it arrived. Its jump drive had all its previous jumps erased.”
Cinny looked up at the sky, “It must have come from where the Orion was being built.”
Grant looked at the Animals and said, “We should be dead. Earth burned every molecule of our bodies except for what you managed to save. We were extremely fortunate.”
The ant thought, “Yes, you were. Now we have to decide what we’re going to do about our tormentors.”
Grant looked at the animals around him and blew out a breath, “We have absolutely no idea where the Orion was hidden. Trying to find it will only be a huge waste of time without some kind of clue to help us. We’re going to have to focus on using what forces we currently have to slow down Earth’s conquests.”
Slick looked at them, “Iggy and I have decided that we can’t wait to take them on. If we wait, they’ll be too strong to prevent them destroying our home in the future.”
“They won’t find you here for a very long time.”
Iggy grunted, “But they will eventually find us and we don’t dare think about expanding to another planet before they are slowed down. That will speed up our discovery.”
The ant thought, “The two of you were created to be weapons. Do you honestly think you can be content to sit here and wither away next to that lagoon?”
Iggy looked at Slick and shrugged. He turned to the Ant, “After seeing my children die under their Warship’s blasters, this lagoon has become much more attractive.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Iggy released a loud groan. “No, I would be bored in less than six months.”
Grant smiled, “That’s why you didn’t kill me the first time I came here.”
Iggy chuckled, “You were a break from the monotony. It was good to communicate with someone other than Slick, no offense, Slick.”
“None taken; I agree.”
The ant turned to them, “We’ve collected enough ships to make life miserable for Earth but we’re not sure how to use them. What would you suggest our next step to be?”
Grant looked at Cinny and she said, “We have to go and see what’s going on.”
“How many ships are you going to take?”
“We’re each going to take a ship.”
“Why don’t you take three?”
Grant and Cinny were startled by the voice behind them and they turned to see Whippet smiling at them.
Grant smiled as he shook his head, “How can we trust you, Whippet?”
“As you told me before you died, I’m now free of outside forces manipulating me. I suspect I can go down to a planet a lot quicker than the two of you.”
“Not from one of their ships you can’t.”
Whippet was startled for an instant and then smiled, “I hadn’t thought about that. At least I would be another set of blasters to use.”
Cinny stared at Whippet, “Why do you want to do this?”
“That story about Tom was a fabrication provided by Earth’s Intelligence Office. But you are not a fabrication. You saved me from them.” He held up the stump of his left hand and said, “It did cost me, but the price was fair. I want to do this.”
“Are you going to be able to fly and fight a ship with one hand?”
“Ana is building me a prosthesis and I’m reasonably sure I’ll be able to handle it.”
Cinny looked at Grant and shrugged. He looked at Whippet and slowly nodded, “I think we can use you.”
Whippet began nodding slowly, “I look forward to it.”
Grant looked at Slick, “Do you have enough children to cover three ships?”
Iggy snorted, “We have enough to cover a thousand.” Slick nodded.”
Grant looked at the ant, “I thought you were keeping their numbers down.”
“They know the risk of overpopulation. We’re a long way from that becoming an issue. We have to focus on surviving ahead of all other things at the moment.”
Cinny shook her head, “How are we going to conceal them if they’re covering our hulls?”
Slick smiled and suddenly changed color. Grant and Cinny could barely see him. His body had turned clear and they could see the children sitting behind him. “We’ve been working on this while you were regenerating. My Children will go to a small size and lock themselves on the hull. The only way they can be seen is if someone gets their eyes less than an inch away. Your ships will appear normal.”
>
“Will they be ok on the hull if we’re in open space for a while?”
“As long as you take them by a star once a month, they’ll be fine and will sleep until you activate your force field. That will wake them up.”
“Let us go and discuss this with Ana. We’ll come up with a plan after talking with her.”
“That sounds good. I’ll bring a shuttle down for you to use.”
“That would be good.”
• • •
They boarded the shuttle and lifted above the clearing. Cinny looked at Grant, “So much had changed. Is this really us or are we different people?”
“That’s a question greater minds than mine will have to tackle. I’ve decided that I won’t worry about it and just operate assuming it’s still me.”
“But we’re different?”
“Yes, but those new skills were in our old bodies.”
Cinny looked out of the viewport at the ships they were approaching and said, “They were blocked.” Grant nodded. Cinny blew out a heavy sigh, “I have to say, I do like this new me.”
“Why?” Cinny reached over and kissed him on the cheek. Grant smiled, “You are so right!”
• • •
The shuttle landed in the landing bay and Grant and Cinny heard the loudspeakers explode, “WELCOME HOME!!!”
Grant smiled, “Thanks, Ana. It appears all of us made it.”
“The Nemesis’ computer was destroyed but our new one is great to work with.”
“Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you. What do we call you?”
“Jorge with a J.”
Cinny smiled, “What’s this ship’s name?”
Grant looked at her and frowned, “Its name is Nemesis.”
“But…”
“We were all destroyed with her. Have you changed your name?”
Cinny stared at Grant and after a moment smiled, “You make an excellent point. However, we’re going to need markings on the ship that will make Earth’s ships think we’re one of them.”
Ana said, “That shouldn’t pose a problem. We’ll use a sequence the subspace fleets use. Most of their ships are scattered among Earth’s fleets and seeing subspace scouts won’t be something that raises their suspicions.”
“What about the uniforms?”
