“I am commanding you to make sure we do not endanger ourselves. That command is to be followed until we return.”
“Julie, I’ll make sure he stays safe.”
Julie hugged Scotty tightly and stepped back. Scotty looked at her and said, “I promise.”
Julie nodded and Scotty stepped through a silver screen.
“BC, how are we going to jump in to that system without being detected?”
“I have a suggestion.”
“What is it, Anglo?”
“There is a large planet outside the jump limit with a thick atmosphere. I’ll teleport you into the backside of that planet inside the atmosphere. If there is a Gamma in that system, I’m reasonably certain they’re inside the jump limit to scan the area around the planet. Even a Gamma can’t scan through a planet. BC can just stay in the upper levels of the planet’s atmosphere and scan from there.”
“BC?”
“That should work. We can jump away if we have to.”
“I’ll be waiting at the coordinates I just sent you. Make numerous jumps if you’re discovered and I’ll teleport us away.”
Scotty sighed and said, “Send us, Anglo.”
The small white ship disappeared.
Julie was crying and Jingo put his arm around her, “BC won’t allow him to be harmed, Julie.”
“You know him, Jingo. Will BC be able to stop him?”
“He will this time.” Julie looked up at Jingo. “He made a promise.”
Greyson sat in space looking down on the planet, marveling at the recovery many worlds had achieved after the civil war. This one had been hit by beams during the war, but had recovered. Cities were thriving, and the population was growing. He listened to the leaders of the planet attempt to contact him, but all ships of the New Realm were forbidden to communicate with any planet not in the Realm. It appears the planet had been threatened with invasion and the leaders were attempting to surrender to him. The ship that had attacked the fleet must have been the one that threatened them. Well, Daulun would sort this out. Greyson worried that Daulun might be heavy handed with the planet, even though it had not been the attacker of the fleet.
“Greyson?”
“Yes; go ahead.”
“We’re on the way. Has anything happened?”
“No, the planet has tried to surrender to me. It appears the ship that attacked our fleet threatened them with invasion. They think I’m the one that made the threat.”
A new voice came on the channel, “So my fleet was attacked so someone else could take this planet?”
“That is what I believe happened, Your Majesty.”
“Stand by.”
Greyson knew something bad was going to happen. Daulun was not happy. He looked at the planet again and remembered the world where he was built. It was radioactive dust now, but it was once a beautiful planet very much like this one. He hoped the planet would continue to look beautiful, but he was beginning to fear for its life.
“Scotty, the Searcher in this system has no pilot on board.”
“How can you tell?”
“The voice is pure electronic. There is no variance in the tone.”
“What do you think that means?”
“The Ruler must not trust any anyone with the power of these ships.”
A small bubble left BC’s tail and disappeared. It reappeared next to the Searcher at the planet and it attached to the ship’s rear fin.
Three Searchers arrived at the jump limit and began moving in-system. Greyson mentally sighed and knew trouble was on the way. After six hours the four ships were together above the planet. “Have you scanned the planet?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. It is beginning to develop, and cities are located on every continent. There isn’t any high technology, and it appears to not have much of a military. As I said earlier, the planet’s President has been offering to surrender to me. He says they are incapable of defending themselves and will follow whatever directions we choose to give them.”
Daulun looked at the data and his eyes narrowed. “Do you think the ship that attacked my fleet is here?”
“I haven’t been able to detect any ships in this system.”
“If it were a Searcher, would you detect it?”
“Probably not, Your Majesty.”
“Destroy the planet.”
“Your Majesty, it would be an easy conquest.”
“I’m not accustomed to repeating myself.”
Greyson knew he had no choice. He powered his main beam and fired at the planet. It exploded and blew apart.
Scotty jumped up out of his chair and yelled, “NO!!”
BC felt rage build, but managed to get it under control. “There’s nothing we can do, Scotty. It’s over.” Then they heard over their speakers, “I don’t know if the ship that attacked my fleet is here, but let this be a warning to you. If you interfere with my ships again, we will destroy any planet you attempt to defend or invade. There will be no exceptions.”
Daulun looked at his display hoping for an attack, but nothing appeared. After five minutes he said, “Take me back to New Ulmerton.”
“Should I stay and see if that ship returns, Your Majesty?”
Daulun thought a moment and said, “No. They’ll see from outside the jump limit that it was destroyed. We have other worlds to conquer. I think they’ll get my message.” The four white ships moved out to the jump limit and jumped away.
Scotty sat in his chair in shock. BC remained silent and waited. After an hour, Scotty looked up and said, “We have to warn the kingdoms about this.”
“Fortunately, I don’t think they learned about the two kingdoms. That man is a demon.”
“He’s what the Provinces would have become if they had won against the Realm. They subjugate and enslave the worlds they conquer.” Scotty paused, “Is there anything we can do?”
“I thought about going to their home world while they were here, but I’m sure the other two Searchers were there. What will we do if they attack another member of the Empire?”
“You saw what will happen if we attempt to defend them. We’ll have to watch them invade.”
“Anglo is going to take this personally.”
“Why?”
“He gave his oath to the Baron that he would be back to free them.”
Scotty was silent and then said, “BC, our only hope is that Grace will help us. I feel helpless for the first time in my life. I just don’t know what we can do.”
BC was silent for ten minutes. “Scotty, if they attack another planet in the Empire they will learn about Bristone.”
“I know. We need to find another planet for the Zord as soon as that happens.”
“And for us as well.”
“I know, BC. I know.”
Epilogue
Scotty, Julie, Grang, Jingo, Nathan, Samuel, Jing, Bleath, and Vring were gathered in the central clearing at
