Michael continued to stare at him and then sighed, “I need to know you’re serious about this, Jay?”
“I never lie or deceive anyone. I’ll do what I can to help you.”
“Can you change our current ships to be like the ones you and your team are using?”
“I can. I’ll have my computer provide a download that will remove the ship’s main computer’s resistance from going into dangerous situations. You’ll have to get your engineers to change the disruptors on the top of the pods.”
“How did you three do it?”
“Manually.”
“That must have been interesting.”
“We did it when everyone was focused on the fleet competitions. We lost out early so we could make the changes while no one was around to see us do it.”
“You sound different.”
“You were right. That message was for me. He did it knowing something like this might happen.” Michael shook his head and Jay smiled, “There was love in that message. Eric was also brilliant and when you asked him about fearing to die, he thought of me and what would happen if he died first. I’ve stared at that recording a hundred times and he’s not looking at you. He was looking at my heart. To ignore what he said would be disrespectful to him and all that he was.”
Michael started nodding and said, “I am going to give you and the other two a special assignment.”
“What is that?”
“The Alliance Leaders have been insisting I have a bodyguard. I’m going to assign the three of you that task.”
“What about the next fleet action?”
“I’ll try to stay far enough away to allow the three of you to go and have fun.”
Jay stuck out his hand, “You’ve got a deal!”
Michael shook his hand and said, “You need to start eating.”
Jay shook his head, “I’ll do what I can.” Jay went to attention and snapped a perfect salute. Michael returned it and Jay dropped his arm and said, “You brought him to life again for me today. I’ll never forget your gift. Thank you, Sir.” Jay did an about face and walked out of the room. Michael raised the door and saw Jan and Josey sitting on a bench directly out from his office and he left the door open as they jumped up, ran across the wide hallway, and hugged Jay. Michael watched them and a word came to mind…family. He smiled and closed the door so their moment would be private. He thought a moment and said, “Averel.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Send the three Lieutenants back to Fifth Fleet and start converting their ships. Have Budge get enough engineers there to make the disruptor conversions.”
“Yes Sir. Should I tell the three where they’re to report?”
“Please.”
“Yes Sir.” Michael thought about an entire fleet signing a petition to return their Admiral. As much as he detested Katy Greenwall, Audrey was right. It would be a terrible error to lose her fleet and her along with it. He was thankful she stopped him from giving in to his anger. Let’s see if she’s learned anything.
Jeeren had his ship in the middle of the giant cluster of galaxies and listened to the Legends issuing orders to their tools. Most of it was standard fare directing them to increase their production of warships. Some of their orders were made just to keep the tools on their toes and aware of who was in charge. He had his eyes closed and letting the thoughts flow through his mind without really focusing on any one thought. Then he sat straight up and opened his eyes. “Is this the first one to be delivered?”
“Yes Elder. The Builder wants you to check it out to see if it meets the Senior Elder’s approval before continuing their construction.” Jeeren focused on the place the thoughts were originating and moved into the barrier. He moved quickly toward the source of the thoughts and arrived above a galaxy that was the furthest from the Virgo Cluster. It had to be one of the first galaxies the Legends invaded in this cluster. The thoughts ended before he could localize them to a planet and he focused on the Legend controlling that galaxy. The Legend wasn’t broadcasting. “Hengel!”
“Yes, Jeeren.”
“I need your help finding the Legend in this galaxy.”
“What’s going on?”
“I believe I heard the thoughts of someone delivering a new ship.”
“Where are you?”
Jeeren waited and thirty minutes later, Hengel arrived. “The Legend quit broadcasting before I could localize the planet it’s on.”
Hengel closed his eyes and let his mind roam searching for a key word. Finally, he found what he was looking for. “I believe the planet is located out in the second spiral arm on the other side of the galaxy.”
“How did you find it? I just can’t get over how much better you are than me.”
“I stopped listening for the Legend and listened for anyone that was thinking about their Master, Lord, or God. It appears the tools call this one their Director.”
“How could they have built a ship this fast?”
Hengel thought about it and began to feel a suspicion arise. “They may be baiting a trap.”
“What?”
“You know they were able to detect our presence in the barrier at the last attack. They may be setting up an ambush if we arrive after their communication.”
“What do we do?”
“We wait!”
“What?”
“If they’re expecting us to hear them, they’ll wait and see if we show up. If we don’t, they’ll communicate again. If they do that, they’re confident they can detect our presence.”
“How are we going to scout them if they can?”
“First things first. Settle in and try to find someone around that Legend so that you can see what they’re doing. We have an idea of where they are, we need to look at the thoughts of their tools and try to see what they see and then we need to move out of the barrier and just leave an antenna.”
“Why? I hate to keep asking that question.”
“If they’ve discovered the barrier, they may have a device in it listening for us. I don’t want to run that risk until we know what’s going on.” Both scouts leaned back in their chairs and closed their eyes.
Twelve hours later, they heard, “This ship is everything we could ask for!”
Hengel smiled, “Got one.”
“Me, too!” The two scouts turned on their thought recorders and listened.
The tool looked at the other scientist, “What have you detected?”
“There is a rhythmic pulse that keeps repeating itself over and over.”
“How far away is it?”
“I have no idea.”
“Why not? Can’t you triangulate and find it?”
“We only have this one ship and the three antennas we have in this place all point in the same direction but are basically a straight line. It’s too far away without having three antennas separated by great distances to get a location.”
“Can we get a ship in the place?”
“We tried and it was kicked out into normal space. Evidently that place is extremely small.”
“How small?”
“I have no way of knowing, Commander, without getting in it and measuring.”
“This must be the way those ships disappeared when the Elder was attacked.”
“If it is, it’s not very large.”
“Their ships aren’t big.”
Hengel thought, “Averel!”
“Yes.”
“The Legends have discovered the barrier. That pulse beacon outside M-87 has to be turned off now!”
“I’m on it.”