such a small part that it had no effect on each being. For the first time in millions of years, the guiding leadership of the Keepers was missing.
Jake felt the power when the Keeper grabbed his arm. The coating that had been applied to his scalp was blown away and Jake could see the entire universe in his mind. His perceptions became crystal clear, and he could hear the thoughts of those gathered around him. Jackson looked at the fifty Keepers that had stopped twitching and said, “What have you done? They will kill us all!”
Jake looked down at the dead Keepers. He saw the psychic blast was too much for them, and that their minds were severely damaged. Jake remembered the young woman and her baby being taken to be killed, and felt no sorrow over the death of the landing party. He also felt Junior trying to teleport him to the ship, but he prevented the field from forming.
Jake looked around the clearing at the gathered community and said, “For thousands of years you have been praying for the return of the Seniors. You call them Seniors because of the SR on the crashed ship. That SR does not stand for Senior.”
Jackson looked hard at Jake and asked, “What does the SR mean?”
“It stands for Stars Realm. Your ancestors came from there.”
“How do you know this?”
Jake saluted the gathering and gripped his two fingers. His Armor appeared instantly and he said in an amplified voice, “Because I am from that Realm.”
The gathered humans saw the metamorphosis as Jake’s armor covered him. The women started crying. No one knew what to think. Jackson was shocked, but then he asked, “Can you save us?”
“I don’t know, Jackson, but I’m willing to die trying.” Jake hit his communicator, “Junior, you can quit trying to teleport me out of here. I am not going to allow it.”
Cynthia saw Jake in his armor on the screen. “What does he mean that he won’t allow it?”
“I have been attempting to teleport him to us and he has somehow blocked my efforts.”
“Take us down there now!”
The Stars Realm ship dropped through the atmosphere; the thousands of Humans saw it as it settled four feet off the ground and remained stationary. Cynthia donned her armor and teleported out of the ship. The gathering saw the large SR on the tail of the ship and the tension in the air was electric. What was happening? Cynthia appeared in the clearing and walked up to Jake and said, “We have to go. Now!”
Jake looked at Cynthia and the coating covering her head disintegrated into nothingness, “We will use telepathy, Cynthia.”
Cynthia flinched, then heard Jake’s thoughts, “Jake, the Keepers will not ignore what happened here. We have to get you back to the Realm. You know how important you are to our survival.”
“Not without these friends.”
“Jake, you know the Keepers from that building are going to be coming. I’m certain that ships are also being sent. We have to go.”
“Junior, are you listening?”
“Yes I am, Jake. I’ve never seen a teleport screen blocked psychically. You must have found your integrator.”
““I did, Junior, it was a Keeper. You will immediately teleport to the Realm and bring three transports back with you. Tell Valerie to set the teleport screens on the transports to only teleport the DNA of the colony it will move. That way the bracelets and all their connections will be left behind.”
“Jake, we don’t have enough time to do that.”
“Junior, there is a ten hour window before the Keepers can get a ship here. I will hold off the ones at the building until you return. I will not leave these people to die. You are wasting time and you know it. What would your parents do in your place?”
Junior actually flinched electronically when Jake asked him. He paused a moment, then said, “They would die to protect these people, Jake.”
“How can you deny me the same right? Now go and bring the ships to save these people.”
Cynthia said, “Jake, we can’t risk losing you. You go with Junior and I’ll hold off the Keepers.”
“Cynthia, when that Keeper touched me my powers were released. You stand no chance against them; I do.”
Cynthia got angry, “It will be easier if I handle the attacks from the air. I am not going to leave you, Jake.”
Jake looked at her and saw her determination, “Junior, you’re wasting time! You need to go now.”
Junior kept trying to teleport Jake, but nothing worked. Junior decided, “I’ll be back.”
The gathered thousands watched as the ship rose and then disappeared.
Jake removed his armor and Cynthia removed hers as well. Jake looked at the thousands and said so all could hear, “I have sent the ship you’ve just seen back to the Realm to bring larger ships to move you from this planet. Everyone must stay here in a group. You may not take anything with you. We are going to transport you into one of our ships and the only thing going will be you. Even your clothes will remain behind. We are forced to do it this way to remove the bracelets and their connections from your bodies. We will provide everything you’ll need when we arrive back in the Realm. Any questions?”
“What if the ships don’t come in time?”
“Then just think of it as being your turn to be taken by the Keepers. My friend and I are going to do all we can to defend you until our ships return.” Jake looked around and said, “Kathea, where are you?”
Kathea stepped out of the crowd and walked over to Jake. “Kathea, that ring will not go with you if we are able to leave. I want to take it with me.”
Kathea thought about it and said, “Jake, if we are able to go back to this Realm you talk about, I don’t want it to go with me. I will get a new ring and start a new and happier history for myself and my children. This ring will only remind me of all the ugliness that happened here. Right now it reminds me of a better place than this. Can you understand that, Jake?”
Cynthia saw the affection Jake had for this young woman, but sensed from his thoughts that he looked at her as a sister he’d never had.
“Kathea, you are wise beyond your years. Please help keep everyone here in the center of the community.”
“I will, where are you going?”
“I have to keep an appointment with some Keepers.”
Jake looked at Cynthia and nodded. They saluted each other and turned on their armor. Jake hit his jets and Cynthia lifted right behind him. The Humans in the square felt the electricity of the moment and wondered what fate held for them. Jackson watched them leave, and knew that this moment was going to be historic for his people. Silence ruled the gathered thousands; then Kathea stepped out of the crowd and said, “I would give up my life for a chance to go with the Seniors.”
Jackson yelled in a loud voice, “We will live free or die! I choose freedom!”
The three-hundred-thousand-plus community raised the voices in cries of “Freedom!” Across the valley, the Glod and Cainth communities heard the sound echo off the hills and wondered what was happening.
Chapter Eleven
As Jake and Cynthia flew toward the Keepers’ garrison, Jake thought to Cynthia, “I need your help making this happen.”
“What is that, Jake?”
“I want you to go to the Glod and Cainth communities and tell them what’s happening now. They must gather in the center of the community so we can lift them quickly.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I am going to wait here at the compound and kill anything that pokes its head out of the ground. If a large number get out I’m going to fight a delaying action to give our ships time to arrive.” Jake saw Cynthia start to argue
