frequency of their brain engrams.”
Edison looked at the number and then began typing. The frequency was inserted into the virus and then downloaded into the leg receptacles. “Now we have to see if a certain angry Nest Mother will work with us.”
Sprig looked at the new code, “No, we are going to make her do it.”
Destiny turned his head upside down, “The Nest Mother is stronger than any male. Making her do anything is not going to be easy.”
“None the less, we will make her do as we want. You haven’t seen the power of our Red Warrior’s armor.”
Einstein looked up, “This I gotta see.”
“Me, too.”
“And me as well.”
The Nest Mother was out in the open thinking about how much longer she was going to be left alone when suddenly a silver screen appeared above her and she was teleported into the command chamber. She was also wrapped in some kind of field that kept her immobile and unable to move. She looked around and saw a male of her species, “I must assume you are the Ship’s Male from the missing main ship.”
“Yes, I am, Nest Mother. I no longer am bound by the compulsions you have placed in me.”
“That must be an interesting feeling. I just learned about them.”
Destiny flinched, “What?”
“Don’t act surprised. I was concerned about my safety and still found myself forced to send the families out to harvest. I discovered I could not control my actions and after a long search I discovered that we are a tool for another race of beings. I’ve tried to think about it but every time I try my mind is forced away from it. I also think they have made a new species to remove us. Did you bring me here to kill me?”
“No, Mother; I’ve brought you here to try and remove the compulsions from you.”
“Why?”
“We think you will see things differently once they are gone. We have to try; you are not responsible for what you have done.”
“I must tell you that I am fighting as hard as I can the urge to break free and kill everyone in this room and I don’t know how much longer I can resist.’
Destiny looked at Sprig, “Get her on the platform quickly.”
The Algean nodded to four Red Warriors and they moved quickly forward and lifted the large spider and moved her to the platform. She began quivering as two of the warriors grabbed her two back legs and inserted them into the back two receptacles. She then started fighting the restraints and moved violently back and forth.
“Is it working?” Destiny asked in alarm.
Edison looked at the readout and said, “It’s downloading; just a few more moments.”
The Nest Mother was beyond thought; all she could feel was extreme anger and hate. She felt the extreme urge to kill this insolent male in front of her. And then she felt nothing.
Edison looked at the Nest Mother and saw she had stopped moving, “Is she still alive?”
Destiny looked at the readout on his board, “Yes, she’s unconscious. Move her off the platform and send her back to the planet.”
The Nest Mother jerked and slowly came back to consciousness. She was hurting in all her legs where she had fought the restraining field and she stood up with great difficulty. She looked around, “This is a beautiful day.” She flinched at the thought; she had never had that kind of thought before. She looked around and thought about what had just happened and then she thought about the red being that had said she would make a good tool. She immediately felt anger. “They have controlled us totally.” She then thought about all the members of her species she had ordered consumed and felt an over whelming sadness grip her. She had killed millions, no billions of her children. She lowered herself to the ground and wept for what she had done.
“We need to go now,” Destiny said.
The Nest Mother saw a silver screen appear a distance in front of her and nine beings appeared. Four of them were males of her species, three were still children. The other five were strange creatures with one looking like a tall bush. The four were in some kind of armor holding weapons pointed at her. She rose and waited as they approached.
Destiny thought to her, “Hello, Mother. How do you feel?”
“I have killed so many of my children that I cannot count them all. I despair at the memory.”
“You were made to do it. You had no control over what you were forced to do.”
The Nest Mother looked at the other beings, “You can put your weapons away; I will never kill again.”
Destiny felt her pain and moved forward before anyone could say anything.
“Stop, Destiny,” Sprig thought but he was beside her before he could order her shot.
Destiny placed one of his front legs on hers and said, “We also feel the pain and shame of all the civilizations we have destroyed. We have decided to try and make up for all the sorrow we have caused. Will you help us?”
The large spider with huge fangs looked at her son and said, “I do not think there is enough time remaining to repair all that I have made to happen.”
“We must try, Mother.”
Sprig thought, “Put your weapons away; she’s free of the compulsions.”
The three Red Warriors lowered their arms, but kept close watch on the huge spider and continued to hold their weapons.
The Nest Mother looked and saw the three small spiders and said, “You are some of my children.”
The three ran forward and she grasped them in her two front legs. I am so sorry for what I’ve done to you.”
The three spiders reveled in their mother’s legs and felt extreme happiness. She sensed their glee and held them close. Destiny said, “This is Edison, Newton, and Einstein; they are responsible for freeing you from the compulsions.”
She looked at them and said, “Thank you, my children. Thank you for my freedom.”
Sprig watched the family of spiders and pressed his com, “Matt, I think you should come and talk with the Nest Mother.”
“On my way, Sprig.”
Matt arrived to find the Nest Mother embracing her children. Destiny saw him walking toward them, “Nest Mother, this is the being that saved us when he could have destroyed my ship. He is the ruler of this universe and we owe him for what he has done to free us.”
The Nest Mother turned and faced Matt, “Thank you for what you have done. I know it must have been a difficult decision.”
“It was, but it was the right thing to do. I am trying to save your species from destruction but I fear time is growing short. The beings that created you are developing another species to replace you, and it is my belief that you will be destroyed because you will no longer be needed by them.”
The Nest Mother felt anger, “They have already killed one of my families and then killed the universe where they attacked us. What can I do to help?”
Matt was shocked. The Reg were right again. “When did that happen?”
More than sixty times the amount of time you’ve kept me here. The family was completely eliminated and then the rest of the universe was killed. We saw that whoever did it destroyed large population centers from space with some kind of energy beam. It also used the same beam to kill those on the planet’s surface. That beam went through our armor as if we were not wearing it. That universe was destroyed in one fifth the time it would have taken my family.”
“The beings that forced you to kill made the creatures that did it. I have it on good authority that your species will be the first target of these new creatures. I want to bring your families to my universe for protection if they can come here without the compulsions. Is that possible?”
The Nest Mother thought for several minutes, “It will be difficult. The Supreme Males control their families and as long as they live, my children are in danger of being consumed by them. I cannot remove the compulsions once they are in place.”
Matt thought, “Could you remove the Supreme Males from their families?”
