“I do,” Ozo said, “Still fly it. It is sitting on the pad.”
Kira was beside Leah. Bota saw her, went to one knee. “My Queen.”
“Bota, rise,” Kira said. “My life I have heard the name, now I meet the Great one. I’m not sure how you’re here. Tell us Bota, what brings the Great one from the city? For many hundreds of years, you have been gone.”
Bota said, “I am to assist you in this war to come. Ira and Kayla said no. Maoke said for the love Kira and Omega has for the people, he would allow it. Ject also said he approved it. We must train hard for the events to come. You must send for Fax; he too must be here.” Bota told us Fax’s planet would not be attacked.
Bota looked at me. “Dorn, your son will come to you; he will show you things. I was resting in the city; Maoke came to me.
“Bota,” he said, “Go to the palace, see what you can do. Stay with them until Zin returns. Bota, you must return to the city to stay forever if you want. Maoke did not tell me what was to happen when Zin returns.”
28
The next several weeks proved to be hard for some. Tressa’s powers seemed to grow ten times over. The girl’s power had gotten stronger, even Kira.
My thought kept going back to the night my son came to me. A voice woke me. “Father, come to me.” I felt myself come to life. I was on top of the world looking down. A mist of clouds I saw my son standing to my right. Looking at him, almost as tall as I, just as dashing when I was at his age.
“Son,” I said, “I have missed your childhood. Today is the day you were born. Today, you’re seventeen, my son.”
Zin said, “Father, the things I have been taught by all in the city, I could have never learned in the palace.”
I asked my son, “What is this place?”
Replying, “Mother didn’t tell you about this place. This is the Great wall of life beyond the Marder-to-go’s. Father, below the mist is the city of the ancient, where life begins and ends.”
I asked my son, “What does that mean?”
“It’s our final place after ascension,” Zin said. “Father, the humans are part of our race. Some were taken to Earth thousands of years ago. I suppose that’s why they’re fighters. On the walls of the caves, they painted the pictures of the spirits. It was their archives, as our archives, where our history is. The archives, father, is where you should read and write about your journeys you have been on. It’s all there, the answers to all your question. Father, this war is useless. It will happen; we cannot stop it.”
I looked at my son. “Everything we have worked for will be gone.”
Zin said, “No lives would be taken in the city or palace, father. I’m going to show you something.” Taking me by the hand, lifted me up, carried me away to a place on the planet.
Zin said, “This is where they will come by land.” I opened my eyes to see a beautiful valley. I told my son this place is as beautiful as the Valley of the Unicorn.
Zin said, “Maybe someday, father, when we settle this, we will build another village. Maoke loved the idea. Maybe Mekon will build a machine to clear the land. Father, this is where we will place the ground troops. Fax has the technology for the weapons. He also has thousands of troops. He can place them here.”
Zin showed me a parchment of paper. He marked the place where the troops should be placed. “Bring them here in shuttles with the weapons from his planet. It must be done quickly, they’re not much time left.”
“When you awake father, you must go to the palace, tell Fax what must be done, tell Kira and Omega. Father, Bota will be of great help. Please don’t say anything, Bota will not be coming back to the city. He will go to Earth one more time. The ones that go with him will never return to Boldlygo.”
I asked my son, “Why?”
Zin told me he could not say. “I will say this when you think all is lost, there is another surprise. Father, please tell Tressa to stay close to the city with the others. Tell my mother I love her and my sister. Tell the girls they will need all their power to hold back the ships that come pass the others. We will win, I assure you. One last thing,” Zin stood in silence. “Father, tell Tressa I’ve waited for her. Tell her I love her.”
Suddenly, I was awakened. I sit up all sweaty. Leah sit up. “What is wrong, Dorn?”
I told her I was sorry. “I guess I was dreaming; I was with Zin.”
She said, “You think you were dreaming?” I told Leah I was sure of it.
Leah said, “Well, I guess Shasta and I don’t get our embrace.”
I said, “Well, I guess it wasn’t a dream.” I told Leah of all the thing Zin said.
Leah asked, “What else did my son say?” I told her the rest would be brought out in council. I walked to the front of the house, it was a beautiful morning. I gazed out the door.
I said a human thing, “I’ll be damn.”
Leah laughed out loud. She asked me, “What is it?”
I told her, “I saw a hummingbird.”
She asked, “Which one, the blue or the red one?”
I said to her, “Both.”
Leah ran to me. “Dorn, one bird is good luck, two birds are really good luck. Do you feel lucky?” She placed her arms around me, mine around her. Leah leaned backward, her long black hair almost touched the floor, her blue eyes sparkled as I stood with my wife in my arms. Then it came to me, she wanted to have sex. Well, hell, I did too.
I picked her up, carried her to the bed. She took my arms, pulled me on the bed beside her. My body touched the bed. She was all over me kissing, touching me. Leah was so splendor in my arms. She was a lover, a lover I never wanted to be without. We made love so hard, so full, for over an hour. She fell asleep. I left her that way, I went to the palace.
The Xonians cruiser landed as I walked to the palace. I stood by the staging area as the captain brought his troop off the ship.
“Greeting,” He said. I gave him mine.
He asked, “Where would we go, Dorn?” I told him to stay here for now. I went to the chambers where Aries was addressing the council. Aries was pleading to the council to be placed on the ship with Mi. Mi had asked for him.
Kira said, “Aries, you will be needed at the palace.”
Aries turned to his mother. “I’m not a child, mother. I choose my own destiny. I will go with Mi, I have talked to Candance about this. Candance said everyone needed to be somewhere doing their part.”
Fax said, “Morning, Dorn.”
I told him his troops had arrived. “If it’s ok with you, I’ll show them where to go. We are nearing the time they come.”
Fax asked, “May I come along?” I saw Leah walking to the courtyard. She looked at me with a smile as big as the galaxy. She knew what I had to do. Seeing that smile, well, let’s say, it’s history.
Fax and I took the troops to the far side of the planet where in my dream my son showed me they would come. Cruising along, a call came in, the pilot said it was for me. I took the call, it was from Wald.
Wald said, “Dorn, a ship, several of them. Dorn, I mean several of them, one day out.” I told him to go to full alert, stay cloaked, when they come from hyperspace, take them out. I showed the troops to their landing zone. I told them as they went ashore, we know they’re coming.
“Please be prepared for anything.”
I said, “Remember, they’re here for a reason. Let no one leave.”
“As you wish, sir.”
Fax and I returned to the lab. Bota was talking to Mekon telling him of his father. Bota told him his father was in the city of life.
Bota told Mekon, “He sees the work and the good you do.” Their talk went on.
Bota asked Mekon, “The ships you constructed, do they go underwater?”
Mekon looked skeptical at Bota. “Underwater, Bota?” Mekon asked.
Bota said, “Yes, underwat
er.”
Mekon answered, “No, I think not. Why do you ask?”
Bota said, “The first ship I made, the very one Ozo has, will go underwater as well as in space. The oceans off the coast of Earth, I would spend time when I went to Earth. When Mya was born, she and Ject were with me for a while; Mya loved it. In the vast regions of the oceans, I found signs of where cities were at one time. How? I’m not sure, yet the city is there.” Mekon looked up to see me when I entered the lab.
Bota asked me, “Dorn, did you hear our talk?”
“I did,” I said.
Bota asked, “What do you think of it?” I told Bota of my studies of Earth. I told him of the time I took the transfer, time with George Washington. I told him I have read several books on Earth’s history.
Bota asked, “Do you think this city could have been an island that was destroyed then sank to the bottom?” I told Bota of the story of the Greeks, a city called Atlantis. Of course, it is said to be a myth.
Bota looked at me. “A myth, Dorn? Trust me, I’ve seen this city. I wanted to build a city under the ocean, it could be done.”
Mekon asked, “How would you breath?”
Bota replied, “I’m sure as intelligent as we are, we could do this.”
Mekon said, “Then someday, the humans would find it and destroy it.”
Bota said, “Yes Mekon, I suppose you’re right. Humans are like that, they destroy things they don’t understand. It would have taken them several hundred years to find.”
Mekon said, “You know Bota, the humans have evolved over the years. They have really changed since you were there, even when I was there.”
Bota touched his chin, “I still remembered the first humans I brought here. I received them from the Palatonians; Me and the Unicorn. I knew then as Maoke did, it was a mistake. Time went on, we realized it was the only way to save our race. It is my belief someday the whole planet will be humans, so does Maoke. Maoke wanted me to find a way to mate with the humans. I was looking at something else.”
Bota talked about several things he went on to say after he built the ship. Taking his first ride, “Of course,” he said, “I’m sure you have heard the stories. Ira and Ren would tell the stories.”
“Yet there were so many,” I told him.
I said, “Life was simple then, I suppose.”
Bota said, “Not so much, Dorn. We had our problems, just not as you have today.” Bota told us the story of Maoke’s first mate in the palace. She was so evil. Maoke wrote her out of the archives.
I told Bota, “I like the one where you and Cam were on a planet in the Earth’s galaxy.”
Bota said, “Ah, yes! the time I was to be robed.” We were sitting in the courtyard. Leah and the others had come up. We listened to Bota as he told the story. I suppose it kind of took the edge of what was to happen. Leah left with the girls. She had gone to the city to bring everyone to the archives. It was the largest building, it was underground. Leah told everyone to go there when the attack started.
One native asked, “Why is this happening? We are supposed to be a peaceful race.” She told them time changes things for some people.
In the courtyard, Bota was telling the story of the trip where Ject was with him. He told of the time they went under the sea; it was a great story.
I had sat for over an hour listening to Bota. Somewhere, I lost time. My mind drifted to the troops to the west. I knew I placed them in a good place. The girls, I had no doubt they could shield the city. In my mind, I knew they could not shield the whole planet. Leah touched me, brought me back. Bota had finished his story.
Bota said, “It’s the first time I have ever got to finish it.” He said to everyone it was very relaxing. I excused myself. I wanted to check on the troops. A quick ride out and back. Landing the craft, the chief justice met me. I could see he knew what he was doing. I could not see anyone, they were concealed very well. I told him we would try to help all that we could.
He replied, “Dorn, don’t worry about us, we’ll take care of this. You worry about what comes from the air.”
From the window of our home, Leah and I watched the two moons set as the suns were coming up. The morning was coming alive. Movement from the city told me people were going to the archives. Looking toward the palace, I could see Omega looking across the Valley of the Unicorn. I walked up the path to the palace. It wasn’t like Omega to be up this early. Ira would say we don’t require a lot of sleep yet when you sleep, sleep well. Omega turned to see me.
“Dorn, what has happened to us? What is happening to our world?” Omega asked.
I said to him, “Omega, I suppose it’s my doing long ago when I bought the Centaurians here.”
Omega said to me, “It was just a matter of time before we were discovered.”
I caught a shiver. “I’m going to the lab, you want to come along?” Walking from the stoop to the courtyard when the alarm sounded. It brought humans and natives from all over. People were looking in the air.
Mea screamed, “Dorn, they’re almost here.” A voice called to me, it was Mi.
“Dorn, we’re being held,” I told Mi not to answer, thinking the girls were outside. Walking back inside, I made the call.
“This is Dorn, chief commander of Boldlygo. UFO, you’re in our airspace.”
Mi called again, “Dorn, they’re in formation, full stop.” I told Mi to bring the ships around and match them.
Mi replied, “There’s a lot of ships, at least twenty.”
I said, “Have the ships from the moon come around from the port side. Tell them to stay in stealth.” The voice called again.
“Dorn,” the voice said, “King Ba here, are you the one that placed a raid on Plano?” That was not me I told him. “If it was me, I would have destroyed you and the planet.”
Ba said, “Yes, I suppose you would. You are a warrior, aren’t you?”
I said, “Ba, if you come closer to my planet, I will destroy you. Turn now and be gone.”
“Dorn, Dorn, Dorn, don’t be foolish. We have so many ships and ground troops. Oh, I’m afraid it’s all over for you.”
In a whisper, Ba said, “I am determined to have this planet. Dorn, when I have you, I will take your woman. I do have plans for her. I have several planets with me. The Centurian is here for revenge for killing their people, me for my brother.” There was a moment of silence. My mind went back in the time of long ago when Baltz, Carla, Tara, their ship I destroyed above Earth. Suddenly, I snapped back. There was another call.
“Dorn, do you surrender?” I called to Mi.
“Dorn, we are eight ships in front of them, six from the moon.” I told Mi to come from cloak, blow them out of space. Mi did as I ask. There were explosions in space. The fight seemed to last only a few seconds.
Mi called, “Dorn, we have taken eight ships, others are damaged. They’re leaving.”
“Fight Mi, fight. Go after them,” I said. The ships that ran turned, started toward the planet. Everyone was running. The girls stood with their minds strong. This is what they had practiced all this time. Tressa came from the palace looking skyward.
Tressa spoke, “Come to me girls.” there was something happening I could not believe. I saw this with my own eyes. A glow of different colors come from them, as the color of the falls at the Marder-to-go’s. The glow becomes a shield; the ships could not penetrate. I stepped to the hanger. Off to the west, there were fighting. I just hope they could hold on.
Mi called; they had taken eight more ships. He would fire then cloak, then fire again. Just as I taught him in training. The battle went on, we had only lost one ship. It was hit and forced to land.
Mi called, “The other ships had gone to hyperspace.” I knew they would be back.
Kikki called, “One of their ships had called, they were coming here, took out another ship. That would le
ave them three ships.”
Mi took the George Washington to the west to help the ground troops. They were licking their wounds. The Valorians had lost twenty men. The chief justice told Mi they fought and died bravely.
Chief looked at Mi. “We were victorious in the first wave.”
Mi replied, “The first wave.”
He said, “Yes, the first wave.” The chief told me the same.
I asked, “How? They have no ships! You and the troops killed all that were here.”
The chief said, “They will find a way, you will see.” Walking back to the lab, Henery was talking to Mea.
Henery said, “Dorn, I feel helpless. In New Mexico, I could at least arrest someone. I wish I could help.” Mea smiled, something I’ve never seen her do.
“You’re here, that’s enough.”
Mea asked, “Is it over?” I told her the chief justice and Fax said there would be two more waves.
Ba gathered his few ships together, sitting in space, with thoughts in his mind. Where did that other ship come from? No one saw it until it was too late. Whoever it was, they suddenly appeared, took out a ship, then went to hyperspace. The ship was so fast, we could not get a fix on it. Ba called to the ships as he remembered the ground troops.
Ba told them to go home. “I will join you later.” Ba returned before entering the airspace of Boldlygo, Ba called to the surface. There was no response.
Moments later there’s a reply. “Ba, if you’re in our airspace, you will be destroyed.”
Ba said, “Dorn, I just want to claim my dead,”
I told him they would be buried and forgotten. “I suggest you do the same.”
Ba asked, “One more time, Dorn. Do you surrender? You will give to me all that is on your planet; you are doomed.”
I told him to leave. “Go back to Veron before I have the ships that surround you blow you out of space.”
Ba laughed. “What ships? What a joke!” I gave Mi the order to come from cloak with the others; Ba went to hyperspace.
Returning to his planet, he told his shipwright to build more ships. He has three ships left from the raid. The shipwright told him there were six in the yard.
The Staff of Ira Page 32
