Realm traitors.” The citizens had come in and murdered his entire family. His five year old daughter was found up stairs cut into many pieces where she had been hiding in a closet.”
Charles returned and I saw he was calm. He was frightening. He told me the entire planet was a traitor to the Realm and had to be removed. The result is what you’ve seen. He finished the planet and went out into open space without a suit to join his family in death.”
“You were defending the Realm.”
Julie said, “The Realm was gone. He was extracting revenge.”
“No, he wasn’t, Julie.”
“What other reason could there have been? The Realm was gone and the Duke could not harm it.”
Scotty sighed, “Julie, the Realm is more than a place. It is a collection of ideals that govern us. The Duke had a fleet of old mothballed ships that he could have converted to null drives. All of his factories were available to convert his remaining ships. He and his poison would have been released on the worlds around him with no force strong enough to stop him. Charles was right. The planet had to be blasted back to the Stone Age.”
The Searcher said, “I am amazed that you see what we had to do. It was the only way to stop the tyranny of the planet. I’ve wondered if there was another way, but even today I haven’t thought of one.”
Jessica said, “You have nothing to fear from this Searcher, he was built by the Realm.”
Timmy asked, “What’s your name?”
“My name is Anglo.”
Scotty said, “What was the name of the Searcher who discovered El Prado with you?”
“You catch on quick; Anglo Gardner. I was one of the first Alpha Ships made by the Algeans. At that time we actually absorbed the electronic pathways of our pilots. He came to me right out of the Academy. Later he joined the Royal Family, but I was imprinted by him.”
“I thought those early Searcher Ships lost their imprinting if the pilot left.”
“They did. However, the Realm later discovered that if the pilot had a blue-colored aura, the imprinting was permanent. Anglo had a high level of psychic power.”
“Then you are him in electronics. He was one of the Realm’s great heroes.”
“He was a fine man.”
“Well, Anglo, how does it feel to have the only working teleport system in the galaxy?”
The ship actually laughed out loud.
Jingo looked at Scotty, “Are you serious?”
“The Algeans were not placing destruct circuits in the early Searchers. It was only after the Gardners disappeared, and they learned from Anglo and ships like him that the Realm was making a wrong turn, that they began installing those destruct circuits. Charles got his revenge by not leaving to save any of those traitors that attacked the Realm. Anglo stayed here because he was originally programmed to make sure this planet was not a threat.”
“You’re right. My system was never damaged. I meant what I said earlier. I’m with you, Your Majesty, if you’ll accept me.”
“Welcome to our little band of Riders. You’ll be a very welcome addition.”
Tesa said, “What do you mean?”
“You want to tell her, Anglo?”
“There will be no more raiders attacking your planet from this moment forward.”
“Anglo, please warn them first.”
“Of course, but do they ever listen?”
Julie said, “I hope not.”
Chapter Ten
Two years had passed and Grang was still surviving. He had dug into the hill on one of the legs of the horseshoe and found a corridor that was still intact. As luck would have it, the machine shop was unharmed. He started making his arrows out of metal from the frame of the former bunker. He had set up a target at the end of the hall and practiced every day, sixteen hours a day, for the first year. He had difficulty reaching over his heavily muscled shoulder, so he wore the quiver at his belt. After the first year, the Torg avoided him.
The huge field was overgrown but there was an abundance of pods growing among the weeds. After a year and a half passed he started clearing an area of weeds close to the bunker. The hot work helped keep his mind off the boredom and loneliness that was his constant meal. He had saved a newborn Torg. It was left behind when its mother made the mistake of crossing into a huge male’s territory. The small Torg was weak, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill it. He brought it back to the bunker and made a pen for it. He fed it grecks he killed in the forest, and it grew rather quickly. After three months he left the pen open for it to leave. The next morning, it was still there waiting for him.
The two became constant companions. Wherever Grang went, the Torg was right behind him. One day the giant Torg that had killed its mother charged out of the woods at Grang. The Torg jumped in its path and roared. The charging Giant pulled up to figure out what was happening, and Grang dropped it with an arrow. Grang walked up and rubbed the Torg behind its small ears. “Looks like you earned a name. I will call you Bravo.”
The Torg looked at Grang and shook its head at the forest.
“More coming, huh? Let’s go.”
The two ran up the hill, and Grang turned to see a huge herd of Torg move through the field headed south. They were moving quickly. Something was spooking them. He ducked under the cover of a bush and waited. He pointed down the hill and Bravo loped to the bottom.
“They’re smarter than I thought.” He turned back to the field and felt the hill begin to vibrate. Eight giant, grey-colored creatures came running through the field. They were the biggest animals Grang had ever seen. They made the Zord look small in comparison. They were broad in the front shoulders and the long body tapered back into two huge back legs. He could tell the animals were just running leisurely behind the herd, but they were gaining on the fleeing Torg. They had a wide maw and pointed ears on the top of their heads. There was no tail. It had to be two hundred feet long, and moved with a grace that belied its size. He looked closer and saw the grey color came from a tight coating of fur. One of the giant beasts stopped, put its nose up in the air, and looked directly at the bush he was hiding under. It took a step his way but heard the grey beast in front roar. It turned and chased after the other seven. The speed with which it caught up with the others was amazing.
Grang sat down and exhaled a deep breath. There was a new predator and it was going to make his continued survival difficult. He thought about the memory of the Human woman he had killed. The Zord had shown him all the memories the community had of her and he felt her mind and thoughts. They were right. He had committed a crime that he should have died for. They would never know that her thoughts burned in his mind every night as he tried to sleep. He deserved what ever happened.
He felt the hill start vibrating again and ducked down just before hundreds of the grey creatures ran through the field. He tried to figure out what those creatures reminded him of; then it hit him. Those were northern mountain cats. They were extremely vicious and hunted in packs. They were never this big. They were normally half the size of a Torg. He pondered what could have caused their extreme growth. It must have been the radiation from the wastelands. He felt the ground start trembling again and ducked as a sea of the giant beasts moved through the field toward the forest ahead. They must have overhunted the lands in the north and were migrating south. I hope the Zord can survive these beasts. What?!? He thought about it and found he did hope they would be ok. He shook his head and went down to take Bravo into the bunker. He wouldn’t be safe outside.
The Zord circled high overhead. It heard everything Grang thought and wondered at the change in the yellow creature over the last two years. It was absolutely amazed that a Torg had adopted him. You can’t adopt a Torg. It appears that particular one felt something in the Magrum. It watched the giant grey beasts moving south, and knew if they continued moving in that direction they would arrive at the three peaks in ninety days. Something had to be done to stop them. He waited for his replacement to arrive and thought about Grang.
Bleath flew in to the communities and screamed overhead. Scotty and Julie ran out to the clearing followed by Jing, Samuel, and Champ. “I wonder what’s going on?”
