to use a pod to do it properly.”
“Allllll Riiight!!” Audrey smiled and looked forward to meeting the members of the kindergarten. She knew they would help Chris deal with what just happened.
• • •
Lukas looked at Loree, “Why did you allow those ships to get close to Chris?”
“The Fellowship needed to have a recording of what our small ships can do as well. They should also fear them. If they weren’t involved in the battle, they may not jump high enough if we have to send one of them to enforce our directives.”
Lukas tilted his head and nodded, “That’s good thinking.”
Loree smiled, “Those pods around his ship are really good! They did things that I didn’t know were possible.”
“They are the best we have. You’re seeing the future of our fleets.”
“How is that?”
“All of them are sixteen years old.”
Hawk turned around, “Get out of here!”
Lukas smiled, “Could you have done what they did, Captain?”
Hawk turned around and shook his head, “I intend to learn some of their moves.”
“And you think you can do them with this battleship?”
“We’ll see, Sir.”
Loree looked at Lukas and he saw her nod. This pilot must really be good.
• • •
Lukas and Salud found Chris on the beach. They walked out on the sand and pulled up a chair on each side of him. Salud looked around, “Where’s Audrey?”
“She’s dealing with a case of morning sickness. She won’t be able to go out with me much longer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know what it feels like.”
Chris looked at her and smiled, “I imagine you do.”
Lukas leaned back and said, “You can’t beat yourself up over this.”
“I know.”
“I’m serious, Chris.”
“Do you have an idea of how many died?”
“More than a half a million.” Chris sighed and looked out at the waves. “There’s something you need to know.” Chris turned back to him. “When the attack began, hundreds of Fellowship planets were moving their ships outside the gravity limit to join in the attack. Once they saw what was happening, they called it off.”
Salud said, “Our Probes have also learned from recorded conversations that more than two hundred members of the Fellowship were organizing fleets to go out and attack primitive planets. Half a million died but ten times that number would have died later if it didn’t happen.”
Chris stared at them for a while and then said, “Killing people in this galaxy just doesn’t feel good. My ultimate task is to defend them.”
“Perhaps you won’t have to ever do this again. This had to happen!”
Chris looked at Lukas, “I know. If I had to do it over, I’d do it the same way.”
“Our Allies heard the mental conversation you had with the Droken.” Chris’s eyes narrowed. “Willow was on board my battleship and she played it over the loud speakers on the four ships. They know you tried everything possible to stop it. They also realized afterwards that it had to be done. I think they are now happy that they aren’t having to make those decisions.”
“Did they agree with my decision to defend the Droken from attack?”
“They have contacted the Droken Ruler and have informed the other members of the Fellowship that his planet is now a protected territory of our new Alliance. Anyone that violates his space will be severely dealt with. They have also opened a trade agreement with him. He has notified the Fellowship that he is withdrawing his membership.”
Chris smiled for the first time since the battle, “That makes it worth doing. I learned at the last moment that he isn’t an evil being. He was wise to see that the battle had to happen and he accepted responsibility for it. I actually ended up liking him.”
“Good.”
“I’ve been sitting here thinking about what I’m going to do next.”
“And?”
“I think you’re right about there being a long period of peace before hostilities break out. How long will it be before Loree gets
“Allllll Riiight!!” Audrey smiled and looked forward to meeting the members of the kindergarten. She knew they would help Chris deal with what just happened.
• • •
Lukas looked at Loree, “Why did you allow those ships to get close to Chris?”
“The Fellowship needed to have a recording of what our small ships can do as well. They should also fear them. If they weren’t involved in the battle, they may not jump high enough if we have to send one of them to enforce our directives.”
Lukas tilted his head and nodded, “That’s good thinking.”
Loree smiled, “Those pods around his ship are really good! They did things that I didn’t know were possible.”
“They are the best we have. You’re seeing the future of our fleets.”
“How is that?”
“All of them are sixteen years old.”
Hawk turned around, “Get out of here!”
Lukas smiled, “Could you have done what they did, Captain?”
Hawk turned around and shook his head, “I intend to learn some of their moves.”
“And you think you can do them with this battleship?”
“We’ll see, Sir.”
Loree looked at Lukas and he saw her nod. This pilot must really be good.
• • •
Lukas and Salud found Chris on the beach. They walked out on the sand and pulled up a chair on each side of him. Salud looked around, “Where’s Audrey?”
“She’s dealing with a case of morning sickness. She won’t be able to go out with me much longer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know what it feels like.”
Chris looked at her and smiled, “I imagine you do.”
Lukas leaned back and said, “You can’t beat yourself up over this.”
“I know.”
“I’m serious, Chris.”
“Do you have an idea of how many died?”
“More than a half a million.” Chris sighed and looked out at the waves. “There’s something you need to know.” Chris turned back to him. “When the attack began, hundreds of Fellowship planets were moving their ships outside the gravity limit to join in the attack. Once they saw what was happening, they called it off.”
Salud said, “Our Probes have also learned from recorded conversations that more than two hundred members of the Fellowship were organizing fleets to go out and attack primitive planets. Half a million died but ten times that number would have died later if it didn’t happen.”
Chris stared at them for a while and then said, “Killing people in this galaxy just doesn’t feel good. My ultimate task is to defend them.”
“Perhaps you won’t have to ever do this again. This had to happen!”
Chris looked at Lukas, “I know. If I had to do it over, I’d do it the same way.”
“Our Allies heard the mental conversation you had with the Droken.” Chris’s eyes narrowed. “Willow was on board my battleship and she played it over the loud speakers on the four ships. They know you tried everything possible to stop it. They also realized afterwards that it had to be done. I think they are now happy that they aren’t having to make those decisions.”
“Did they agree with my decision to defend the Droken from attack?”
“They have contacted the Droken Ruler and have informed the other members of the Fellowship that his planet is now a protected territory of our new Alliance. Anyone that violates his space will be severely dealt with. They have also opened a trade agreement with him. He has notified the Fellowship that he is withdrawing his membership.”
Chris smiled for the first time since the battle, “That makes it worth doing. I learned at the last moment that he isn’t an evil being. He was wise to see that the battle had to happen and he accepted responsibility for it. I actually ended up liking him.”
“Good.”
“I’ve been sitting here thinking about what I’m going to do next.”
“And?”
“I think you’re right about there being a long period of peace before hostilities break out. How long will it be before Loree gets
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