“They could figure out that we’re doing that but you’re right. Without knowing for certain, that is where they will be forced to go first. They wouldn’t know that we’re listening to their plans.”
“Have they started sending the jump coordinates?”
“Not yet. I’ll leave this in your capable hands and head over to see Grace.”
“Do you want to leave Nathan with me?”
“That’s ok, BC. I’ll stay with Anglo.”
“See you later.”
Julie woke up and found Mallory asleep in the rocking chair. Kreej was coiled up on the ground in front of her house. Julie saw Mallory’s peaceful expression and wondered what had happened. She touched Mallory on the shoulder and she slowly opened her eyes and yawned. She stretched her arms and said, “Good morning, Your Majesty.”
“Good morning, Mallory. Did you find out what you wanted to know last night?”
Mallory smiled and looked at Kreej, “He actually answered every question I threw at him. He’s shown me his species entire history from the time they were kidnapped to El Prado to last night. I was amazed at what your husband and Jingo did on The Night of the Torg. That is a memory I’ll never forget. I’ve learned a lot.”
“What about June. Do you understand now?”
“Yes, I do. I could feel her terrible pain at discovering just how evil her father was and what she had become.” Mallory looked at Julie and said, “The Zord will never have ten elders to execute her sentence, will they?”
Julie smiled, “Just don’t tell June. It’s the only thing that keeps her from focusing on her crimes. She is their Grang.”
Mallory shook her head. “I would have killed him but I can see that would have been a huge mistake.”
“What about your Father?”
Julie saw Mallory frown, “He’s been deceiving me my entire life and I can see what kind of person he is now. I just wonder how he could have ever made me his successor. He’s worse than Canton.”
“He probably wouldn’t have allowed you to succeed him…”
Mallory interrupted, “What do you mean?”
“When were you supposed to marry?”
“Next year.”
I’m taking an educated guess here, but I suspect he is getting you married so you can have a child before he names his successor. That future husband of yours…”
“Canton.”
“Yes, Canton appears to be pretty cold blooded. I suspect your father wants him to be in charge in the event that something was to happen to him.”
“But he’s not in the Royal Family.”
“No, but if you have a child and you were to die in an unfortunate accident….”
Mallory saw it, “Canton will become the Ruler until my child comes of age.” Mallory thought for a moment then angrily said, “And after Canton solidifies his power, the child will also have an unfortunate accident. Everyone is right, my father is evil. He’s disgusting.”
“That’s how I see it. He would never allow someone with a good heart to assume the throne. He picked Canton because of the attacks on him by other members of the Royal Family and he can count on him to make them pay. I suspect he was quite angry about those attacks and would do anything to prevent them from assuming the throne.”
Mallory nodded, “He was incredibly angry. Three months after the last attack, ten of my family members were killed in a hover accident. The runabout lost power and fell to earth.”
Julie just looked at Mallory. She shook her head and said, “I remember he was smiling when he heard about it. He didn’t know I was watching him. I should have learned from that experience that he is not what I thought him to be.”
“Well, do you think he’ll try to find you?”
“He’ll exhaust every means possible. I’m his only child and he knows he’ll lose the throne to another family member if he doesn’t have me around to have a child or he will have to have another. He’ll use all of his resources to find me.”
“Did you know this Canton?”
“I thought I did, but it was all a lie. He pretended to be high and noble by ridding our galaxy of slavers. Now I see he’s one of the biggest slavers in our Realm. He disgusts me as well. He’s the son of my father’s best friend and I know what kind of man he is. He had his oldest daughter executed for treason. She was a good person and would never commit the acts she was accused of committing. Now I suspect it was done to make Canton his successor. I’m almost certain that he and my father came up with the marriage to continue their control. I think that ship was right; I’ve been incredibly naive.”
“Mallory, what do you want us to do with you? We know you’re not an enemy but if we send you back, they could force you to tell them where we are.”
Mallory frowned, “I’m sick to my heart at what I’ve learned. I never want to see my Father again. I’m quite happy to stay here with June and the children. I think it’s ironic that two Princesses are picking pods for the community.” Mallory looked up at the sky and said, “When is Nathan coming back? I want to thank him for treating me with kindness.”
Julie smiled, “He’s with our ships attempting to prevent your father from finding us. However, he should be back within a week. When I see him, I’ll tell him you want to speak with him.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Now I need to go and take the children to the woods. June won’t be back until tomorrow and I know they miss their time in the forest.”
Julie smiled, “Thank you, Mallory, and welcome to our community.”
Nathan sat in a chair wearing a spacesuit. Every port was open to space and Nathan watched as numerous machines moved in and out of the bridge. He saw cables running out of the bridge toward the reactor. The cables they were replacing were one third the size of the new ones. Panels were out of the ceiling and scattered on the floor next to him. Scotty offered to take him back to Bristone but he had refused. He just didn’t want to leave Anglo during the updating. It was like leaving the hospital during a loved one’s surgery. He felt Anglo should have someone present. “Nathan.”
“Yeah, Anglo.”
“You were right about the Duke’s daughter. I’ve just talked with Julie and it appears she was deliberately deceived by her father. She was going to be married to a real cold blooded Baron that would have eventually eliminated her.”
“I thought her emotions were real. You were still angry about Haldale and missed it.”
“She said something that concerns me.”
“What is that?”
“She had dreams about Bristone. She also said you were in her dreams.”
“It could have just been someone that looked like me.”
“Now you’re missing it; she was certain it was you.”
Nathan thought about what he was hearing. “Does that mean anything?”
“Yes it does. I’ve had Jess scan the Princess when she and Scotty arrived home and she has a passive psychic reading that is huge.”
“Where are you going with this Anglo?”
“You do as well Nathan.”
“What!”
“Yours is actually higher than hers. Why do you think you were able to take the bowgun training from the Zord when very few others could? It’s because your mind is different from all the others.”
Nathan thought about the training and remembered everything felt so real. Then Anglo said something that snapped his attention back.
“I believe that this universe is preparing for a huge war that will determine our survival.”
“What do you mean by that!?! How does my having a high passive psychic reading have anything to do with the starting of a war?”
