“Who’s a big head? I don’t have a head.”
“Exactly.”
Anglo laughed and said, “It’s time; let’s go see a pretty lady.”
Matt entered the throne room with Anglo and everyone stood and bowed. He nodded to the room and everyone took their seats. He turned and faced Sprig who was going to lead the ceremony and thought about his parents and how he wished they could see him. He looked up and swore he could sense Angel smiling at him. He sent a quick thought to Al and Fly Girl, “I wish you could be here with me; both of you have played such a huge role in my life.”
“We’re watching, Matt and we’re proud of you and your bride.”
Fly Girl said, “Al, you’re going to make me cry.”
Matt stepped to the side and looked at the gathered dignitaries. He remembered his first day at the academy and wondered at how the universe just surprised him every day. Edison, Newton, and Einstein were in the back checking ID’s to make sure no one without an invitation was allowed entrance. He saw the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen gathering at the back of the room and knew that it was time to begin. He looked over and saw Tommy and Cassandra filling the roles that his parents would have done if they were still alive. He marveled at how much they were alike but different; Tommy with the huge, giving, heart and Cassandra with the warrior’s heart. She and her ship were amazing. Thank the Creator for them. Then he saw Tag and Danielle teleport in and smiled. They were the heart and soul of the Realm. The Glod still worshipped Danielle and tried to emulate Tag in all their actions. Glod, Cainth, and Humans were respected and loved by the millions of planets of the Realm. No one resented their preferred standing in the Royal Family’s service. He saw Destiny in the back and could feel his love. By choosing to communicate instead of destroying his ship, Destiny credited him with saving his family. Matt knew Destiny would willingly lay down his life for him. Matt knew at that moment he would do the same. There was still the unresolved issue of his species but that would have to wait.
He heard the music start as Tag and Danielle began walking down the aisle. Everyone stood and bowed to the former King and Queen of the Realm even though it was not required. Next came Stem and his mate Petal followed by Life and Grena and the rest of the wedding party. Suddenly the music changed and he saw Melanie step into the aisle being led by her father. Matt was stunned by her beauty and lost himself in the vision approaching.
“Al, she’s beautiful.”
“Just like you.”
“I love you so much, Al.”
“And of all the things I’ve ever experienced, that is what humbles me the most, Fly Girl. I couldn’t live without you.”
Melanie walked the traditional walk down the aisle and saw Matt staring at her and his love was clear for all to see. It’s what made her complete and filled her heart with joy. She glanced up and thought, “I’ll love him, Angel, just as you did.” Then she arrived and the ceremony began.
The citizens of the Realm were caught up in the scene on their displays and there was silence in the Realm. Aerial traffic on all the worlds of the Realm was almost nonexistent. Everyone was glued to their monitors. The majesty of the moment enthralled the trillions of citizens and they also felt the emotion of the moment. The ancient yet new words, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together…” began and the Realm felt their new allegiance to the couple tasked with the responsibility of protecting the Realm. The millions of planets in the Realm knew what this couple had done in the fight with the Green Invaders and felt safe with the new king and Queen. The homage being given to this young couple was well deserved.
Finally, Sprig announced, “I present to you King Mathew and Queen Melanie Gardner. Long live the King.”
The ensuing party was unlike any in the Realm’s history. The numbers teleporting around the Realm to celebrate set a new record and brought so many different yet similar species together. The party on Ross was monumental. However, in that moment Matt and Melanie were lost in each other.
A young female spider in the back nudged Edison and thought to him, “Have you made plans for the celebration?”
Edison looked at her and was struck dumb by her beauty. All he could do was stammer, “Uh… no…not..not really.”
“Maybe you would allow me to accompany you.”
Edison shook his head up and down and thought, “By all means. Please join me.”
Einstein and Newton giggled at Edison until two more females approached them. Destiny smiled and watched his children; they were growing up. He looked up at Matt and Melanie and thought, “Thank you for giving us our life. Now we have to make sure you have yours.” He knew the Nest Mother would not rest until this universe was completely harvested.”
Chapter 2
Nine months after the Coronation and Matt’s and Melanie’s wedding, Anglo, Destiny, Sprig, Twig, Newton, Edison, and Einstein sat in the map room at Castle Gardner and Sprig asked, “Why did you want to meet me here?”
Destiny looked at the three young spiders and said to Sprig, “My children asked me a question and it caused me to become concerned.”
“What question, Destiny?”
“Newton wanted to know how our common ancestor became a merciless killer when none of us are that way after the compulsions were removed.”
Sprig thought a moment and said, “It is a rather dramatic change in personality.” The room was silent as Sprig digested the information. Sprig suddenly felt a wave of fear, “Either she was injected with compulsions that made her become what she is or the creature she bit was like that and she absorbed it from the bite. If the compulsions were deliberately placed in her, then another species exists that intentionally destroys intelligent life.”
“That’s what we think. However, it is not genetic or we would also have them built into us, which makes us lean toward another species. Every Nest Mother has acted the same since my species became intelligent. The males have to have the compulsions downloaded into them for them to work; this is an artificial mechanism.”
“How many Nest Mothers have there been since the original?”
“Twenty.”
Sprig thought a moment and said, “If the compulsions are not genetic, then how do the new Nest Mothers receive the compulsions?”
Newton said, “It is our belief that they are put in each new Nest Mother by the species that originally gave us intelligence.”
Sprig was shocked at the implications of the small spider’s statement.
Destiny saw that Sprig understood and said, “We have also discovered something that worries us.”
Edison took the map room’s controller in his front legs and moved the cursor toward the far left end of the map. It finally stopped on a dark galaxy that was as far away from the closest galaxy on the edge of the universe as that galaxy was from the center. Anglo looked at the dark galaxy and asked, “What is that?”
Einstein said, “Whatever it is, it is impossible for it to exist here.”
Sprig looked at the little spider, “Why do you say that?”
Einstein nodded to Edison and Edison pressed the controller. All of the galaxies of the universe began moving quickly together until they all formed one giant ball of light. The far galaxy was now near where the former edge of the universe was located. Sprig immediately understood. “It’s too far away to have been part of the blast that started this universe.” Einstein nodded. “But if nothing existed before that blast, how can that galaxy exist?”
Newton answered, “It can’t; it defies everything we know about celestial mechanics, which leads us to believe that it might be part of a different dimension which overlaps our universe at the edge. We also believe that whoever put the compulsions in our Nest Mothers must be there.” Newton turned from the map and looked at those
