larger the blue wave that follows release.”
“Are you saying that an individual had its powers released here on this planet?”
“It is the only thing that accounts for what we’ve recorded.”
“Where did this individual originate? Certainly not in the farm population?”
“It appears that they came after the ship was destroyed.” Science paused a moment and looked in the Military Quadrant and analyzed new data, “It also appears that the invaders are now able to hide their thoughts from our scanners.”
The Collective looked at Military’s data with Science and begrudgingly agreed. “You said that someone who also possessed mental powers would be needed to release this wave. None of our food could have possessed that kind of power.”
“You’re right. However, it was not one of the food that released this individual; we did it.”
The Collective looked again in Military’s information with Science and watched as the Warrior scanned and then touched one of the foods just before the first disruption hit. “How could we release this invader?”
“It was our combined connection with all of our Species that made it happen. The connection with trillions of us is extremely strong. The second blast was done by another invader that arrived when the combat started. They planned the final release just as our fleet arrived at the planet. It was that release that killed all of our warriors on and around the planet.”
Military asked, “Are we in danger of this wave being using against us?”
Science analyzed the data and responded, “Only if there is another individual with that magnitude of mental power and we are dumb enough to touch them. I don’t see how they could be released with anything but our combined mental connection. The being that was released here cannot cause that wave again.”
“Put that information into a form for all Quadrants to examine, and plan to discuss it next interval. Now; where is our fleet?” Silence greeted the question. “We can assume the crews were killed by that blue wave, but what happened to the ships?”
Science responded, “Perhaps we need to ask that question another way.”
“Such as?”
“If our crews were dead, we know no one could enter the ships from outside. That means they had to have been moved or disintegrated. The Question should be; what could destroy our ships?”
“Enough heat would do it,” Production answered. “We use high temperatures to mold the hulls.”
The Collective and all Quadrants looked at the star in the system. “Ship Director, make a detailed scan from the planet toward the system’s star.”
Two ships moved away from the planet and picked up speed as they broke out of orbit. “We have a reading of fuel across a wide band.”
“Fuel?”
“Yes. It’s very small, but is in a very wide band between the planet and the star.”
Science asked, “Is the fuel raw or burned?”
“Some of both.”
Military said, “They moved our ships into the star. They must have towed them.”
The Collective felt immediate nervousness, “How many ships did we send here?”
Military said, “We sent 400,000.”
“How long after the ships stopped reporting did we arrive in this system?”
“Six intervals.”
“Explain how our fleet could have been towed to the star and the ships used to move them could then get out of this system before we arrived? It’s ten intervals to the drive band from the planet, and they had to go another five intervals in-system to move our fleet. It also suggests that at least the number of our ships was used to move them. What does this tell us?”
Science answered, “They are not bound by the star drive limitation.”
The Collective and every Quadrant pondered that threat.
Military suddenly said, “What about our ships in the invader’s universe? We must warn them.”
“Do we have a ship outside the star drive band to send?”
“No; you told me to work on it later.”
The Collective ordered, “Send a ship from a system that has a small drive band.”
“It will still take five intervals.”
“Then get them moving; they must be warned.”
Values remained silent and knew trouble was not far away. It was becoming more difficult to hide the fear it felt.
Valerie and Jake arrived back in the Stars Realm and immediately received a com from Joe Gardner, “Your Majesty, the Keepers Fleet is now entering the Brayent System. The Cainth Colonists have launched ships to meet them coming in-system but have done no damage to the Keepers Fleet. What should we do?”
Valerie looked at Jake and said to Joe, “How many planets have they now attacked since our absence?”
“They destroyed the Gilmer System and immediately jumped to Brayent.”
“Give me a moment, Joe.”
Valerie looked at Jake, and he could tell something was wrong, “Jake, the first planet the Keepers Fleet attacked was Gambia.”
Jake stared at her struck silent by her revelation. After several moments he asked, “What happened?”
“They killed everyone with those beams and took two million from the largest city for consumption. No one survived.”
Jake thought about all the friends he had left behind and slowly started shaking his head. Valerie could hear his thoughts and worried about what this would do to him. Jake looked up at her and said, “Life there for most of the population was worse than living under the Keepers. For the millions suffering starvation and disease, quick death was a blessing. For the rich that preyed on the population, they couldn’t die slow enough to suit me.” Jake paused and then hit his com, “Joe, this is Jake Talant. How many Searchers do you have that are thought blocked?”
“Fifty thousand.”
“Get them together to attack this fleet.”
“How are we going to make that happen?”
Jake thought a moment, “Is there any time that the fleet stops and has its drives turned off?”
“That normally happens just before it goes to the planet’s surface to start their attack. They also reorganize their lines into formation after they leave the planet, and send craft down to collect inhabitants for their food stores.”
“Have they started their attack at Brayent?”
“No, but we can’t organize fast enough to get there before they do. They’re only an hour out from the planet.”
“Then it will have to be after the attack. Assign two Keepers’ ships to each Searcher and have them fire penetrators into their drive tubes. Each Searcher must make it happen quickly before the ships not hit first have time to react. It will kill their ships if we can do it before they turn on their drives.”
Joe looked at his display, “Manny, have you been listening in?”
“I have, Your Majesty. I’ve sent the message to Fleet Command and the ships are gathering in Earth’s system assigning targets from the probe’s scan. They will have the feed sent to their ships and will all jump simultaneously at the best moment to make this happen.”
Valerie looked at Jake, “We can’t save the planet?”
“Not and kill that fleet. If we jump in they will not turn off their drives. I wish there was something we could do, but I just don’t see any way to hit them and make a difference. Look at the feed from the planet: the Cainth there have modern ships that only lack teleportation capability. They are jumping in close to attack the Keepers’ ships and are having no effect on them. I’ve just watched six of their ships ram a Keepers’ ship and nothing happened, except the ships are disintegrated immediately after they strike the hull by a Keepers’ beam. Evidently the Keepers inside the ship can fire their individual beams through the hull.”
Jake looked at Valerie and hugged her tightly, “Junior and I are going to that battle. I need you to go to a safe place.”
