“I want the group behind to know there is danger here. How will they know if none survive?”
“You assume the survivor will go to tell them?”
“Do you have a better plan?”
“Not really. I just feel animosity toward those creatures. I want to kill them all.”
“Do you want to kill all the Torg on the planet?”
Vring was silent, “I see where you’re going. We were attacking them and they just defended themselves. I still harbor feelings of revenge toward them.”
Scotty sighed, “So do I, but that doesn’t make those feelings right. Tell the others to follow us in.”
Vring banked away from the giant cats and dove in a shallow path toward the ground. He turned back toward the fast moving creatures six hundred feet off the ground, and watched as the other three Zord drew even. Jingo and Michael were on the end of the formation with Scotty and Julie in the center. The archers notched their first arrow and leaned forward as they came in on the eight cats. The four released their first arrow at eight hundred feet from them, and the second was on its way as they approached six hundred feet. The four immediately rose and gained altitude. Scotty watched the seven arrows hit the running cats.
The giant leader of the group felt a sharp pain in his side followed by agony. He fell to the ground and rolled as his front legs burned out from under him followed by his chest and then his head. He was dead before he stopped rolling and burned to ashes four seconds later. The huge cat running beside him slid to a stop and saw his seven companions burned to ash. It was stunned, and then saw the four flying creatures circling in front of him waiting for him to come closer. The cat looked at the ashes of his former troop and turned and ran back toward the north.
“Vring, tell Michael to follow that cat and see what happens. Also, I’m going to throw him the spark I have. I’d prefer he have it just in case.”
Vetah flew under Vring and Scotty dropped the arrow with its head inside a food pouch. It fell on Vetah’s back and Michael put it in his quiver.
“He says he’ll let you know. I’ve also asked one of our warriors to follow them just in case Vetah gets tired.”
“Good idea, Zreeg.”
Zreeg paused a moment and said, “White Hair, Bleath and Vring have returned to our home.”
“Take me there, Zreeg.” The giant Zord turned and headed toward the three mountains in the south. Scotty hit his bracelet, “BC, the spark performed exactly as you predicted. How many of those sparks do you have in your inventory?”
“About ten billion.”
Scotty was stunned by the number, “Did you say billion with a b? Why so many?”
“Cynthia was the commanding officer of the Searchers designated to attack the garrisons in the Keepers’ universe. We originally thought we would have to attack more than twelve million garrisons and our Searchers were loaded with millions of the weapons. They were called wasps, and were designed to home in on a Keeper’s thought frequency. Cynthia had me loaded with a huge number to resupply her Searchers in the event some of them ran low. I removed that guidance system from the sparks I gave you.”
“BC, why weren’t you in the Realm’s galaxy when it left?”
BC sighed, “She had me personally deliver a new probe to one of the eight trading partners to protect them from Keepers jumping in close with their universal drives. While she was in one of the new white ships the Algeans built, I waited for the probe on one of their planets. I delivered it and then jumped over to one of their fleets attempting to attack one of our members. I wanted to update Cynthia on their new tactics. That trip cost me the opportunity to leave with the Realm. While I was collecting information, the Realm’s galaxy disappeared and my teleport board shorted out.”
“BC?”
“Yeah, Anglo?”
“I was thinking about that. You are a much more powerful ship than I am. I asked Timmy about whether or not my teleport board could be used to replace yours, and he says it possibly could.”
“Anglo, I appreciate what you’re offering, but I couldn’t accept that gift. I can handle most of the ships we may encounter. You’ll need that board if you run into another Gamma Ship.”
“Well, it really doesn’t matter. Timmy said the learning center doesn’t have the military’s data base. Without it, he couldn’t make it work. He has to have the wiring diagrams to make the change.”
BC didn’t respond. Scotty said, “BC, what are you thinking?”
“Scotty, excuse me, Your Majesty. The Realm established a secret military complex in the five Provinces. It was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Realm. Not more than six people outside of the Royal Family knew of its existence. It is located close to a white dwarf star, whose gamma ray emissions hide its location. That base was put there by the Gardners when they were still ruling the Provinces. The Algeans took over its command after the Gardners disappeared and updated the facility to their standards. There might be some ships still there that were made before the Algeans started putting the destruct mechanisms in the teleportation consoles. It also has an updated Military data base. It was automatically updated every time Fleet Command updated their main computer. It was connected via a master teleport communication relay.”
“BC, you and Anglo should start calling me by my first name whenever we are in private conversation. We’re all friends here. Do you know where the complex is located?”
“Yes, I do. It was part of my update when Cynthia was promoted to Vice-Admiral. Only Senior Flag Officers were given that information.”
“What made you think of this?”
“According to my data base, there are seven ships of Anglo’s class that have never been imprinted. Their cybernetic computers were never activated so there should be a teleportation console available, if we can get the complex to allow us entry.”
“What do you mean, “Allow”?”
“That complex is fully armed with the most modern weapons of the Algeans. Those weapons can kill a Gamma. You must have the entry protocol in order to approach it.”
“I don’t want to ask this, but do you have that protocol?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Flap. I was hoping you would.”
“I do know the main computer.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I think she likes me, but I don’t know if her programming would allow her to override her defenses.”
“How do you know her?”
“She was moved from Melanie Gardner’s Alpha Ship when Melanie moved into Fly Girl. Melanie insisted she be given the position when Fleet Command decided to build the complex.”
“Well, I think we need to make the effort.”
“There’s more you should know, especially you, Anglo.”
“What?!?”
“There are automated construction facilities that could update your screens and weapons to those of a Gamma Ship.”
Scotty sighed, “First, we go see Bleath. Then I need to go visit a certain King. After that, we’ll see if the complex is willing to help us.”
“Anglo?”
“Yes, BC?”
“Your offer means a lot to me. I know the value of your gift. Thanks.”
“It’s the right thing to do to make us stronger. You’d do the same for me.”
“I’m glad you know that, Brother.”
Zreeg flew in toward the center mountain peak and saw that the Zord Flocks were gathered. Scotty asked, “Zreeg, what’s going on?”
“It appears we are going to go home. Bleath will tell you the rest.”
Zreeg flew in over the last row of trees and flared his wings as he landed next to Bleath. All the Zord lowered
