planet will have to suffer.” Scotty smiled and said, “I’ll be there when the Ambassador arrives.”
Jeramiah smiled and leaned back, “I am changing the name of New Ulmerton to New Hope. I am also changing my title to Baron and I look forward to the time when you accept us into your Empire.”
“Why didn’t you take the title of Duke?”
Jeramiah smiled, “We both know how much evil is attributed to that title. I think that title should never be used again.”
Scotty nodded slowly, “Baron Jongo, my Empire will take you under our protection and do all we can to defend you. I look forward to your acceptance as well.”
Jeramiah stood and kneeled, “Thank you, Your Majesty. We will do all we can to make that happen as quickly as possible.”
Scotty and Julie sat and looked up at the stars after Jeramiah teleported away. “I’m worried about that Province.”
“I am, too.” Scotty watched a shooting star flash across the sky and smiled, “I was just thinking that maybe we shouldn’t wait for them to invade.”
“What?”
“Maybe they need to be preoccupied by issues facing them in their backyard.”
Julie smiled, “It appears Grang and Jingo will avoid boredom again.”
“Yes, it does.”
The three Searchers holding station at the jump limit of Lizella detected a stardrive breaking into normal space. Their scans showed a large shuttle moving toward the planet. “Well, what have we here?”
“The two of you go check it out.”
Two Searchers jumped out and appeared on each side of the shuttle. “You will stop and lower your screen.”
“Hello, I was just traveling home and thought I would stop and see if there were planets here that might be interested in trade. I see that the planet in this system is heavily industrialized. We are primarily an agricultural society and need the tools to build industries. Are you open to the possibility of trade?”
One Searcher snickered, “Are you that stupid. We don’t need agricultural products but we can always use a transport such as the one you’re in. You will lower your screen and disembark or we will destroy you.”
“Surely you know I can do you no harm. I’m just attempting to open trade relations.”
“This is your last warning. Do as we’ve ordered or I will fire on you.”
“Jess, it looks like they mean business.”
“Let’s give them one more opportunity.”
“I thought Searchers didn’t attack those that couldn’t defend themselves?
“You thought wrong. You have ten seconds to comply.”
“Tesa, it looks like you’re right.”
“You should at least warn them.”
“I feel I must tell you that if you fire on me, I will defend myself.”
Both Searchers laughed and one fired at the shuttle. The beam stopped at the shuttle’s screen. The Searcher was surprised but raised the power of his beam and fired again without penetrating the shuttle’s defenses. Both Searchers then opened fire with their main beams and were shocked when the shuttles screen absorbed both beams without any change in color.
“I warned you.”
The Searcher that was still holding station at the planet was stunned by what it was witnessing. Then it saw two beams erupt from the black shuttle and blow through the screens of the two Gamma ships and vaporize them. It watched as the shuttle turned toward it and then it heard, “I guess if you don’t want to trade, I’ll just have to take what I want.”
The Searcher jumped away and gave the alarm to Fleet Headquarters.
“Tesa, I think we can go now.”
“I would really like to see what happens next.”
“Ok, we’ll teleport in to the next planet and hide inside its atmosphere. We should be able to see from there.”
“I wonder how Greyson and Timmy are doing.”
“Greyson just let me know that they had to kill six but now they’re moving to their next assignment.”
“Do we have time to hang around and see?”
“We have an hour. Oh, here they are.”
Three hundred Searchers jumped into Lizella’s system and spread out scanning for the intruder. Tesa and Jessica recorded them and Tesa said, “My, that language is really offensive.”
“You know they’re just a bunch of sailors. What else would you expect? Time to go.” Jessica teleported out to her next target.
The Orange Being was leaning back in his chair when his Sensor Leader said, “I’m hearing reports of multiple ships being killed.”
“What!”
“Yes, it appears that more than forty ships have been killed by ships that are impervious to their weapons.”
“Find out where?”
“The reports are coming in from all over this King’s Realm.”
“We need to find one of those ships.”
“It appears that when reinforcements arrive, they have already left.”
The Ship’s Commander thought about what was happening. If he left, there was a chance his ship would be discovered prematurely. He knew he could handle the ships of the King he had been scouting but these new ships represented an unknown enemy. “Lower our screen and contact our link; then ask for instructions.”
The probe outside the ship saw the force field lower around the giant ship and it took a quick passive scan and moved quickly to the hull where it attached itself.
“We are ordered to remain hidden. This is a war between the local civilizations and we should get a scan of one of those ships during their conflict.”
The Commander showed his disgust and motioned for the field to go back up.
The Sensor Leader saw that variance in the cosmic ray background again but said nothing.
“Grace, I have a scan of that ship.”
“And.”
“It’s worse that I thought. The weapons on that ship can destroy any ship in our universe.”
“Even the ones we’ve updated.”
“Yes.”
“So what do we do?”
“We have to discuss this with your friends and start arming them.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course not but we have no choice. We can only hope what we have will be enough. I’m not certain it will be.”
Grace felt Alex’s fear and began to feel it as well. Where was the Realm when you needed it?
King Jilico Border listened to the reports coming in and felt his anger growing. He looked up as Rehoben entered his personal quarters and stared as his trusted advisor came forward, “I’ve just seen the reports, Your Majesty. We’ve been unable to catch one of these perpetrators.”
“I want them found and eliminated. Ro, I’m holding you personally responsible for their destruction.”
Ro looked at Jilico and started shaking his head, “Your Majesty, you have ordered me to leave in three days to go put pressure on Daulun.”
“Forget Daulun! Send word you’ve been delayed and get on this now. These are the first successful attacks against us and I will not tolerate it. I want those ships found and the ones that sent them destroyed. Do you understand!?!”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, I need you to help guide me. How do I find these ships when they jump away before we can arrive?
