Annihilation - Tommy's Tale (Annihilation Series (Book Four)) (9 page)

Rose gave a heavy sigh and thought, “I sense the same thing; when I move toward forbidding you to follow your plan my sense of danger increases.”

Tommy said, “I thought it was just me.”

They looked at each other and then Rose thought, “Dad, can you come meet with Tommy and me?”

Tag thought back, “Sure, Eric and I are at the shooting range and I’m kicking his grump. Can it wait?”

“Dad, it involves the safety of the Realm.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Tommy and Rose sat and watched the fire. Tag entered the room less than fifteen minutes later and sat down between his children. “What has you troubled?”

Danielle walked in a moment after Tag sat down and said, “I feel the need to be here. I don’t know exactly why.”

Tommy looked at Rose and Rose said, “Tommy is going to share what he is planning to do. I want both of you to tell me what you sense when he’s finished.”

Tommy began sharing his thoughts with both of them. When he finished Tag and Danielle sat and said nothing. Everyone just sat and watched the fire. Tommy said, “You know, I miss your bunnies, Rose.” Everyone on the couch smiled and then six little stuffed bunnies walked into the room and sat down at the foot of the couch.”

Danielle said, “Ahh, now this brings back some memories.”

They continued to sit for an hour and then Tag said, “I guess you sense the same thing I do when you lean toward not allowing him to move forward with his plan.”

Danielle said, “You know that being able to sense impending danger is not one of my talents. Tell me what you sense.”

Tag looked at his children, “When I move toward telling Tommy no, my sense of danger increases to a level similar to what it was when I planned to attack the plant fleet when they had more than two million ships ready to trap our fleet. When I begin to say yes, “I still get a danger warning but nowhere near as strong as saying no.”

Rose said, “I get a similar feeling but only when I start to say no. Your talent is much stronger than ours, Dad.”

Danielle said, “Do you think the danger you feel from saying no comes from the possibility that the captors might sense Atlas in our space.”

Tag closed his eyes and they could tell he was playing that scenario in his mind. “No, that’s not it. My sense is that they are going to come into contact with us no matter what happens.”

“So there is less of a danger if it’s Tommy’s plan than if we do nothing,” Danielle summarized.

Tag said, “Let’s do this; let’s assume we trust our senses and approve Tommy’s plan. Now how does it feel?”

“Dad, our sense is not near as strong as yours; what does yours say?”

“They are going to find us. I can’t tell when, it may be centuries in the future but I can say that our danger is much greater if we don’t allow Tommy to go.”

Rose went to her brother and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Take Atlas and go get the Kosiev. I have mentally sent it the activation signal. It will be ready in five hours. I’ve imprinted the command code in your mind.” Rose then stepped back and said, “Tommy, whatever you develop to possibly combat these creatures must be shared with the Realm. Stay in contact with me.”

Tommy stood and looked at his family and said, “I felt this plan develop as my sense of danger increased. I will do everything I can to insure the safety of the Realm.” Tommy hugged his family and ran to the roof to take the speeder up to Atlas. “Atlas, take us to the Kosiev, Rose is sending you the coordinates.”

“I’ve just received them, Tommy.”

Tommy hit his com and said, “Admiral Mikado, do you have a moment.”

“Mikado appeared on the com and said, “Mr. Gardner, how can I help you?”

Tommy said, “Admiral, I am invoking my “Safety of the State” power as a member of the Royal family and I need you to jump a transport to the coordinates I’m sending you with a flight crew to take the Dorg-Ross back to port.”

Mikado furrowed his brow and said, “I’ll set it up immediately. When do you need it there?”

“Does one hour give you enough time?”

Mikado said, “I’ll do my best. Is there anything else?”

“Yes, Admiral, there is. I am transferring the crew of the Dorg-Ross to the Alexander Kosiev and I want four hundred crewmen composed of the highest rated students, recent graduates from the Academy, along with the highest rated sailors in our fleet. One of them will be a weapons officer that is scheduled to graduate this term name Linda Kay Johns.”

Mikado looked away from the com for a moment and said, “She would be going anyway; she’s ranked second in her class. When do you want them ready to join your crew?”

I want all the new crew members ready to go now. I want those selected to be moved to a location that Sten will provide you to begin an accelerated training on the Kosiev simulator. I will be taking the crew of the Dorg-Ross to begin their training immediately. Please make good decisions on the new crew member’s selection. I will give you the coordinates where to send a transport to take the ones selected for their training. I am not going to take the Kosiev anywhere near a populated planet. Each person selected for the mission will be sworn to secrecy and the penalty for violating that order will be dishonorable discharge from the service and imprisonment or execution.”

Mikado looked at Tommy and said, “Tommy, is there something you want to tell me?”

Tommy said, “I wish I could, Admiral. I would just recommend that you get the fleet trained to a war footing. I do not think that we will need it for years, but I can’t promise that. I do not want the Realm alarmed. You have to do it quietly.”

Mikado looked at Tommy and knew that trouble lay ahead. “I’ll start with Ron-Dar’s fleet.”

“His fleet probably needs it the least, Admiral.”

“That is true, but if I’m going to promote sailors to replace those selected, I would start with his fleet to find them.”

“You make a good point, Admiral. You now have fifty five minutes to get that transport there.”

Mikado smiled and said, “Yes, your highness. It will be done.”

Tommy smiled and broke the connection. He entered Atlas and they immediately jumped to the coordinates Rose had given him. They arrived to see a star with no planets imploding in on itself. Tommy hit his com and Captain Dodd appeared on the screen. “Captain, I need you to order battle stations and jump to the coordinates I’ve just sent to your screen. Upon arrival, have all your crew members pack all of their personal items and prepare to transfer to the Kosiev. A transport is being sent to pick up the Dorg-Ross and hold it for you in space dock. You can inform your crew whatever you think is appropriate. Please have the two adolescents and their readers moved when you arrive. One more thing, Captain; do not get closer than two hundred thousand miles to the Kosiev until I’ve disarmed her defenses.”

Captain Dodd looked at Tommy on his com and Tommy could see her excitement. “She’s coming alive,” Tommy thought. “Just like the Kosiev.”

Captain Dodd said, “We will arrive momentarily, your highness.” Tommy’s call came in at one AM ship time and most of the crew was sleeping. The night crew were manning their posts and trying to stay alert. Captain Dodd had been wanting to do what she was about to do from the first moment she took command of the Dorg-Ross and she thought before she pushed the bright blue button that her crew had better respond like the professionals she knew they were. She smiled and lifted the cover from the bright blue button and pushed it; things happened fast. The bridge went to low red combat lighting and alarm klaxons all over the megaship started going off along with the ships communications system blaring, “Battle Stations. All hands to battle stations. This is not a drill.”

The bridge crew came out of their reverie and began taking control of their command boards pushing the buttons to arm their systems. Captain Dodd watched her control panel for all of her sections to report ready. She looked at the timer and saw that the screen went to full power and was pulled in to one mile from the hull is less than two seconds after the alarm sounded; the primary beams were charged and on line four seconds later. The penetrators and needle crews were on line within fifteen seconds from the alarm and all sections reported ready in forty four seconds. Captain Dodd was highly impressed. The record according to fleet legend was Admiral Kosievs’ first command, the destroyer Moscow. Her crew had just beaten that record with a ship more than twenty five times larger than the old Moscow. She knew that her ship had all of its crew members quarters located close to their assigned battle stations where as old ships like the Moscow didn’t, but it was still impressive.

She picked up her com and said over the general ship frequency, “We are going to jump into an unknown situation momentarily and I want all sections ready for combat operations.” She looked at her jump officer and saw him ready to push the jump button and she said, “Jumping in 5,4,3,2,1, execute.”

The Dorg-Ross came out of null space more than 400,000 miles from the star in the system. The crew saw on their monitors that the star was decreasing in size visibly. As they watched, the star began shrinking almost too fast to follow; and then the star was gone and what remained stunned the crew of the Dorg-Ross. Everyone on board knew the ship that was on their monitors; the most powerful weapon ever created, the Alexander Kosiev. Silence ruled the ship. Captain Dodd picked up her ships com and said, “Helmsman, maintain this distance.” Captain Dodd watched her monitor trying to see Tommy enter the ship but nothing appeared on her sensors or on her optical scanners. Then she saw the Kosiev slowly turn and start moving their way. Captain Dodd said over her com, “Attention all crew members. All outside communication is now prohibited until further notice. All means of transmitting from this ship are now blocked. Section one through forty will leave their posts and go to their quarters and pack their belongings to move to our new home for the foreseeable future. You have thirty minutes to complete your packing and you will then board our shuttles to transport you to the Kosiev. Section leaders will assign temporary quarters for their members until we can sort out where the permanent assignments will be. Sections forty one through eighty will begin their packing thirty minutes from now.” The bridge crew stared at their captain stunned. Dodd smiled and yelled, “I’m not accustomed to repeating myself, now get moving.”

Half of the bridge crew left so fast that the other half didn’t even see them go as they watched the two mile long behemoth getting closer. The crew began talking among themselves and wondered what was happening. Wes went to his quarters to begin packing, picked up a picture on his desktop, put it safely in his bag, and thought, “Tommy has begun his quest. I’m going to miss Linda Kay.”

Linda Kay was in her field dynamics class when the Academy intercom came on, “All members of the Academy will stop what they are doing and pay attention to the following announcement.” One minute passed to give everyone time to pay attention and then the Academy members heard, “A list of current students and faculty is about to be announced. If your name is on the list, you will go to your quarters, pack your belongings, and report directly to the landing field to board the Transport Alonso Singh. Those selected will be leaving the academy for advanced training and we anticipate they will not be returning for an extended time. All communication is currently prohibited until the selected personnel have been transported. There is a possibility that the assignment will extend for two to five years. You will be informed of the details when you arrive at your destination. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent your accepting this assignment, report to the President of the Academy immediately after hearing your name. Jeremy Allen, Belinda Akers, Jose Gonzalez….”

Linda Kay looked around and saw that everyone was wondering what was happening. She also noticed that the best students in her class were being selected. She didn’t know whether to want to be selected or not. If this assignment lasted five years, she and Wes were not going to be able to see each other. Finally she heard it, “Linda Johns.” She stood and left the room running to her quarters. She arrived and began packing. She picked up a picture, looked at it, and then safely packed it in her bag. “Oh Wes, I’m going to miss you.”

She arrived at the landing field and the transport’s crew was looking at a list and assigning cabins for the arriving students. Everyone asked the transporter’s crew what was going on. The response was always the same, “I don’t have the clearance to know.” Linda Kay approached the crewman and said, “Linda Kay Johns reporting as ordered.”

The crewman looked at his list and said, “Your cabin is number 623; deck six, turn left, sixth one the right. Remain in your cabin until you receive further orders.”

Linda Kay saluted the ensign and walked up the ramp into the transport. She found her cabin and dropped her bag and took Wes’ picture out and felt the realization that he meant more to her than she ever realized. The thought of not seeing him for years terrified her. She continued to stare at his picture and wonder what he was doing at that moment.

Wes sat in his cabin on the Kosiev and stared at Linda Kay’s picture. “Please let me contact her,” he prayed. “I must tell her that I love her. Please, please give me the chance.” He continued to stare at her picture.