beams and the Keepers’ ships were blown in half. The Searchers designated to attack the scouts joined the other twenty thousand that were attacking the Keepers Fleets still in the Realm.
Ethan Tucker teleported in to one end of the line of Keepers’ ships starting to enter the atmosphere of Daggadore. He expanded the cone of his main beam to four miles and accelerated toward the long line of ships. He flew the entire length of the formation in ten seconds, then turned for another pass. He looked at his display and saw nothing to attack. All 100,000 ships had been disintegrated. He checked his scanner and could see that the other two Searchers had also taken out the other two formations attacking the planet. “Three hundred thousand down, many, many, more to go.”
Ethan checked his scanner, and saw a fleet jump in close to another member of the Realm, and designated it as his target. The three-ship team teleported to the Keepers’ location and attacked again. Ethan looked at his display and wondered, “Where did we get this weapon? This is dangerous to have loose in the Realm.” Three hundred thousand Keepers’ ships died. Ethan hit his board, designated another Keepers Fleet, then jumped.
The thirty thousand Searchers left in the Realm targeted the three thousand Keepers Fleets and the destruction happened at a rate that was incredible. The Demon’s white beam blew through the brown ships and left nothing behind. The Keepers couldn’t react fast enough to escape, and none of those being attacked got a warning out to the others. Though they were connected telepathically, none understood what was happening.
The 70,000 Searchers designated to attack the major fleet in the Keepers’ universe had set their beams to a width of three hundred miles. They came out of their jump in a formation with three hundred miles separation between ships, and accelerated toward the giant gathering of Keepers’ ships. The Keepers detected the universal drives breaking into normal space and fired their main beams at the long line of small, white, ships.
The Fleet Director was puzzled that the ships were not being affected by the fleet’s beams. He ordered a higher intensity, then saw the small ships accelerate toward his location. He looked at his display and saw a white beam coming at his ship. He died as his ship disintegrated around him. The huge Keepers Fleet was occupying a space more than forty million miles wide, with the bulk of the fleet in the center. The Searchers flew through the center of the fleet and turned port and starboard to come back around at the survivors. Every ship in the center of the giant fleet was gone. The survivors were stunned and continued firing at the white ships with no effect. Many turned on their jump drives but before they could escape, the Searchers blew through both groups. None survived. The attack lasted only two minutes and where once forty million ships had been gathered, there was nothing left.
Cynthia looked at her board and was amazed. There was no doubt in her mind that the Demons had designed the white ships specifically to handle the Keepers. Their ships disintegrated without slowing the beam down. She checked her sensor display and said, “You have your targets; first the production facilities and then the home worlds. Remember; use our Stars Realm main beam to hit the planets. Once the home worlds are gone, you are released to attack any ships remaining in this universe. You have four more drags before you are due back at Fleet Command. Do not be late. Ready….Execute.”
The Collective saw the destruction of the Major Fleet and knew that his species had finally encountered a foe that could kill its ships. “Why did you not use these ships before?”
Jake said, “We didn’t acquire them until a short time ago. Ordinarily, we would be negotiating with you so that we wouldn’t have to eliminate your race, but it’s like Values said, “your species has no redeeming qualities and represents a danger to all of creation.”“
“When did you speak to Values?”
“Just before we discovered these ships. You killed your heart when you took all of the finer emotions out of your species. Your lust for power, your cruelty, and brutality to those you conquered is unforgivable. You will be receiving what you have delivered to all you encountered. I just wanted to be the one to tell you before you die. I felt I owed it to Values to do this. You will not be back. We will kill every one of your planets and everyone of your species in this universe. You should have listened to your heart.”
The Collective felt the first eight home worlds die. It was stunned, but it said to all the Quadrants that were starting to fall apart, “Values was right. Creation has decided we are to be removed.” The Collective’s last thoughts we bitter. We could have changed our course many times but chose to continue our domination of this universe. Life was better when we were farmers.”
Nine hundred home worlds died, and the Collective was blown apart. This time, it would not recover.
“Jake, are we any better than them if we exterminate them?”
“Junior, I want you to remember that young mother and her newborn baby being taken to be consumed by the Keepers. We may be hardened by this experience, but we would never commit an act like that. They committed acts like that every day with absolutely no remorse.” Jake paused, “The vision of her crying over her child’s imminent death still haunts me. I decided when that happened this species had to be stopped; permanently.”
Junior saw the vision in Jake’s mind and knew he was right. Sometimes, someone had to make hard decisions, and it required a hard person to make them. “What now, Jake?”
“We don’t have long. We need to go to Castle Gardner and talk with the Gardners and Valerie.”
Junior knew that the hardest decisions were yet to be made.
Ales Jongo was watching a Keepers Fleet as it jumped in and accelerated to attack El Prado, one of the three remaining provincial capitals. This particular planet had been a problem for his father and he had just destroyed the probe that protected it, “Using the Keepers to make sure I don’t have succession problems. This was almost too easy.” He smiled in anticipation as the Keepers accelerated toward the atmosphere. The Duke’s Admirals had been ordered to join him in the coming attack on the Realm and the loss of the Duke wouldn’t change their participation. That Duke’s ambition was going to pose a huge problem, especially to his succession of his father. “What the…?!?” he thought.
Three small white ships appeared and swept through the Keepers’ formations. They fired a white beam and wherever than beam hit, nothing remained. The Keepers Fleet was gone in less than thirty seconds. There were hundreds of thousands of Keepers ships attacking, and now they were gone. He hit his com, “This is Ales Jongo, who are you?”
“We are Searchers of the Stars Realm. What are you doing here?”
“My scanners picked up this fleet attacking and I came to see if I could assist the planet. It is my responsibility to protect the planet.”
“Perhaps you’ll explain why you destroyed their probe. We recorded you firing your beam at it just as the Keepers Fleet arrived.”
“Ales hit his teleport panel and jumped away. “Admiral, the Crown has found a way to kill the Keepers. We must act quickly before they have the chance to gather their forces.”
“My forces are ready. We just need a few drags to jump to the staging area.”
“I’ll join you in three drags, Admiral. We must hit Ross before the Brez Division returns.”
“What about the Algeans?”
“Our third fleet will move on them as we begin our attack.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jake and Junior jumped in above Ross and Jake thought, “Valerie, are the Gardners with you?”
“Yes, they are Jake. Where have you been? I’ve been receiving reports that ships are attacking and destroying the Keepers Fleets that have been attacking the Realm.”
“I’ll explain momentarily. Will you meet me in the map room with the Gardners?”
“We’re headed there now.”
“Junior, it might be better if you join Twig.”
“I want to hear what you have to say.”
“OK, but I’ve seen recordings of your mother when she’s angry.”
“I forgot about that.”
‘Forgot about what, you insolent child? Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick about you. Just who do you think you are?”
“Too, late. Good luck, Junior.”
