Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream (31 page)

“Yes?”

“Your father had him place an explosive device in your former husband’s ship. He also got your son here to suggest a way for you to get him a kingdom. I just find it, I don’t know, unbelievable at the terrible things your family does to each other. Your son has also heard your father say he was going to kill your youngest sister if she didn’t toughen up.”

Jimmy was hearing the conversation and he started backing away from his mother. She reached over and grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to her. “Did this one know about my first husband’s death?”

Kreej said, “Only after it was done. Your father told him to appreciate what he had done to advance him in the line of succession.”

Maranda looked Jimmy in the eye, “You knew?!?”

Jimmy pushed her hand from him and scuttled ten feet away, “He was always punishing me. He had nothing good to say about me. He constantly ridiculed me among my friends.”

Maranda looked at Jimmy and said, “He loved you more than life itself. He did those things to teach you how to be a man. You’re no better than your grandfather.” Maranda put her head in her hands and wept for what she had become. She looked at Bleath and said, “Please don’t delay. Kill me now.”

The Zord gathered around her looked in her mind. They saw the source of her evil. The father was the one to blame. Bleath looked into Kreej’s mind and saw the guard’s memory. He sent that memory to Maranda. “Here is what happened.”

Maranda saw her husband in his ship getting ready to lead the attack on one of the captured planets. He was sitting in his chair holding a picture of Maranda. He hugged it to his chest and placed it on his console. She heard the Guard say as he left the bridge, “Lift off in ten megrons.” She then saw a bag come into her vision and the guard take out a round, white device and drop it behind the ship’s reactor panel. She watched as the guard exited the ship and hit his com. Her father appeared and the guard said, “It’s done.”

“Good. You will be rewarded.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Maranda came back to the present and felt her heart shatter. He killed Lem! Oh my god, what have I become?”

Bleath listened to her thoughts and then said, “Kreej, why did you show her those things?”

“Great Flyer, I saw a sweet girl in her youth. She was deliberately twisted and broken by her father. She deserved to see what she is before she dies. It will help her accept the death she now feels she so richly deserves. I did it as a blessing.”

Bleath thought about what Kreej said. Perhaps this new generation is becoming something to honor. This young one shows great promise. He looked back at Maranda and felt her misery. He didn’t know whether to be glad she was tormented or not. The White Hair was going to have to answer this issue.

King Talben turned off his communication panel and leaned back on his throne.

“Do you think he’s being honest?”

Talben turned to his most trusted advisor, Petlu, and said, “I think so.”

“What makes you think that?”

“That daughter of his yelling for him not to go; insisting she was already dead. I think he really intends to take his fleet and try to rescue my daughter and grandson. I didn’t think he cared about either of them. Apparently, I was wrong.”

“Are you going to help him?”

Talben leaned to the right in his chair and had a look of disdain, “Do you think I’m crazy? Something in that system killed a Searcher Class ship. I’m not risking my ships.”

“Even to save your daughter?”

Talben shrugged, “We’ll have a state funeral and I’ll accuse Varner of causing her death. Then we’ll take his kingdom.”

Petlu didn’t say anything. Talben looked at him and said, “Spit it out. You have something spinning around in that head of yours.”

“Why wait?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if Varner takes his fleet out of the Capital’s system, he leaves himself wide open to an invasion. If you insist on him providing half the ground forces for his rescue attempt, he’ll have to take them from the capital. He’s leaving tomorrow. There’s not enough time to gather the troops from his other planets. There should be very little to prevent our taking control.”

Talben listened to the proposal and was about to respond when his communicator vibrated. The call was coming in on a top secret frequency. “Hold on just a moment. Let me see what’s going on here.” Talben hit his connect and saw Commodore Ntwer.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Your Majesty, but I need your wisdom.”

“Go ahead, Admiral.”

Ntwer smiled. He had a secret promotion in Talben’s Bluepointe Navy. “The Admiral has given me the assignment of selecting ships to defend the Capital while the King is gone.”

Talben looked at Petlu and asked, “Why did he choose you? Does he suspect you of being one of us?”

“I think the Admiral remembers my defense of the fleet at Gronkin.” Ntwer thought a moment, “If he suspected me, would he leave me in command?”

“How many ships are you going to have?”

“He left it totally up to me. He asked that I not take too many from any one squadron, but to select our best ships.”

“Standby.” Talben placed his console on mute and looked at Petlu, “Is this something to worry about?”

Petlu shook his head, “This is a great gift. We have thirty seven ships in his fleet with loyalty to you. Have him select thirty six of them and send one ship with Varner to keep us informed of what’s happening. If there is anything there than can destroy ships, only his will be destroyed. Those ships left behind will prevent any of Varner’s ships from his colonies from interfering with our take over. Our Ultra’s can carry 30,000 troops to Varner’s capital. He’ll come back to a world controlled by us with our ships in charge of the system. We’ll threaten to destroy his colonies and kill his daughter if he doesn’t turn himself over to us.”

Talben thought about Petlu’s plan. “What if this is a trap? What if they know Ntwer is one of us?”

“Your Majesty, would you leave an enemy behind to defend your family? No, this is an opportunity you’ll not get again.”

Talben put his fingers up to his lips and thought about what Petlu was saying. He glanced at the flashing communication panel and reached over and pressed a button, “Ntwer, you know the ships loyal to us. Select all but one of them to stay with you. Petlu will send you your instructions after the King leaves the system.”

Ntwer bowed his head and disappeared from the panel. “Can you get everything set up fast enough to make this happen?”

“Yes, just make sure Varner takes his troops.”

Talben reached for his communication panel.

Wesley Varner looked away from his console and said, “Talben wants me to provide half of the ground forces needed to make the rescue. He said he was going to send thirty thousand. If I sent that many, I’ll only have six thousand left on the planet.”

Scotty looked at Varner and wished Jingo was here. “Anglo, bring Jingo back.”

Jingo appeared and looked around, “You need to give me some warning.”

“Everything ok back home?”

“Yes. Maranda found out that her father had her first husband killed. She’s asking the Zord to kill her.”

Carrie looked shocked, “She loved her first husband. She still has his picture in her room. Serves her right.”

Michael looked at Carrie and she saw his expression, “She killed my mother.”

“No, her father made that happen. She is what he made her to be. I suspect she was different when she was with her first husband.”

Scotty explained what was going on and what he expected Talben to do. Jingo sat a minute and thought about what could be done. Jingo looked at Wesley, “Have troop transports land and unload their troops into the garrisons at your spaceport. Lock down all communications and search your troops for any communication devices.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Anglo, I need your help.”

“Tell me what you need.”

“King Varner is going to bring fifteen transports with two thousand troops in each. They will disembark and enter the fifteen garrisons next to the space port. As they enter the garrison, I want them teleported back onto the ship that brought them. I want the troops unloaded in the garrison closest to the landing pads to remain overnight.” Jingo turned to Wesley, “Take those transports and park them out in the forests to the west of here. Have them ready to move by midday.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes, Anglo. In the morning, when each ship arrives to take the troops, the ones in the first garrison will embark on the first ship. You will then teleport them to the second garrison. When the second ship lands, you will do the same thing. We will embark those same two thousand troops on every ship. King Varner, have your officers mix them up so the groups look different going on each ship.”

Wesley began shaking his head and reached for his console.

Scotty hit his com, “Jessica?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“I need you to be here in the morning. Bring Kreeg with you, and I need you to fly him around King Varner’s fleet.”

“What are you trying to accomplish?”

“We know the Commodore selected to provide defense of the planet is one of Talben’s lackeys. I need Zreeg to confirm that the ships remaining behind are all Talben’s. I also need to find which ship in the fleet leaving for our world is also one of Talben’s men.”

“Your Majesty, why don’t you just allow me to teleport Talben to the Zord?”

“The idea has merit, Anglo, however, the ten Ultraships would hold worlds hostage against his return. Can you get all ten before any of them could kill a planet?”

“No, I cannot.”

“We’ll take care of him after we insure the safety of King Varner’s citizens.

Wesley looked at Carrie and saw her thoughts. She liked and respected the green-clad archers. She especially liked the one named Michael. There was something about him that was different. He thought about it, and then it came to him. Like his daughter, he was also pure of heart. He also knew he was a dynamic warrior. This young Emperor respected his opinion. That spoke volumes about what kind of man he was. Wesley watched Scotty and the Cainth issue instructions for the next day and felt small. He had a title; that blonde haired warrior had a heart.

Finally, Scotty said, “Jingo, have we missed anything?”

“No, I don’t think so. Anglo, as soon as the fleet leaves for the null band, teleport Jessica back to the communities. Jessica, can you handle all the issues with those ships?”

“Certainly. You and BC are the only ones that would pose a problem.”

Scotty stood and said, “Jingo, I’m going to leave you in charge.” Scotty turned to Wesley and said, “If you desire us to help, you must make sure your officers understand that Jingo’s orders are law. Will there be a problem making that happen?”

“No, I’ll bring them in momentarily and introduce them to him.”

Scotty raised his com and saw Grang walk up to him. He lowered his com and said, “You aren’t going with me.”

Grang said, “Yes, I am.”

Scotty put his hand on Grang’s shoulder and said, “The future of these worlds lies in the hands of that young woman.”

Everyone in the room turned and looked at Carrie, who was confused about what Scotty was saying. Grang looked at her and then back to Scotty, “Brother, I need you to make sure she is not harmed. She is this world’s Madeline. I will be safe with the Zord. You know that. There are those here in the palace that will attempt to harm her. I trust the three of you to make sure she is not harmed.”

Wesley interjected, “How do you know there are traitors here?”

“Your ex-wife has chosen all of the personnel here, has she not?”

Wesley thought about it, and Carrie said, “Yes, she has.”

“She didn’t teleport those ten guards here with her when we returned. They were already present. It will be her they attempt to kill. They do not fear Wesley.”

Wesley hung his head.

Scotty walked over to Wesley and stood in front of him, “Perhaps you’ll handle that situation when this is over.”

Wesley looked up and everyone saw his determination, “I’ll handle that before this situation is resolved. Tell Jessica I’m going to need the names of those in my fleet that are loyal to Talben.”

“Did you hear that, Jess?”

“Yes. If I gather them I expect you to use them.”

Wesley almost had a snarl, “Just give me the names.”

Grang looked at Wesley, and then at Carrie. He looked at Scotty and said, “I am sworn to follow your orders. She will not be harmed.”

Scotty looked up at the huge Magrum and smiled. He looked at Michael and Jingo and said, “You three are the ones that I trust with my life.” He looked at Carrie and said, “You have chosen well.” Scotty hit his com, “Send me, Anglo.”