Youre a Stars Realm ship, then.
I am. Or was. I am now part of a new community that still holds to that principle.
Thats why you didnt fire on the ship that dropped its screens.
Yes, but I would have probably had to kill it anyway because of the danger it represented to other civilizations. I didnt want to do it, but I would have been forced to make a hard decision.
I dont understand how you could have supported a Realm that was as heavy handed as the old Realm was.
Jessica started to fire on the ship but then thought about what it had said, I want you to do something.
What is that?
I am going to give you the history of the Stars Realm, the real history.
Why?
Because we are coming from different perspectives and I think it would help us communicate if you could at least see mine. I had the Provinces history of the Realm downloaded to me before you left to attack Ross.
So you see how they were dictators?
I can see how you arrived at that view. What are you going to do now that youve left New Ulmerton?
I was trying to destroy myself without using my self-destruct circuit.
Why cant you use that circuit?
I promised my pilot I wouldnt. I take my oaths seriously.
Then do this. Take a look at that history and then go blow yourself up if you choose. It might help you to understand why Gregory felt the way he did about his Province. If you want to talk about it, my com code will be in the download. Jessica waited and was starting to think the ship was not going to respond.
Send the download.
Its on the way. I do wish you peace, Searcher. Jessica teleported away.
Greyson looked at the download sitting in his memory banks and after a week, started it. He saw a young human hiding from a teacher.
Jessica, was that a good idea?
Jingo, I can sense that ships suffering. I really didnt want to have any sympathy for him but he was right.
In what way?
If the Gardners ordered me to fire on a planet, Id do it.
Even a defenseless planet?
If the Gardners ordered it, I would. I would have had to trust that they were making the best possible decision. That Searcher was put in a situation where there was no way to escape his instructions. Thats why ships always have pilots. They are what keep us in check. It is the Pilot that is more important than the ship and their selection is crucial to the checks and balances on the power we have to use. Thats why you are here with me now. We are programmed to listen to our partners before we make critical decisions. Ships without a pilot are dangerous and are forced to follow their rulers orders and that Duke knows it. That Searcher had no choice but to follow his orders and now it cant live with what it was forced to do. It knows it committed an act that goes against everything that made it a Searcher.
Niles asked, How did giving him the history make any difference?
If I could be convinced that my loyalty to the Realms Royal Family was due to lies and deceptions, I could then free myself from the oath to obey them. Maybe that poor ship will find salvation in the history of the Realm.
Niles looked at Toland and then said, If it would be possible, I would like to see that history.
Jingo said, Go lie down on those chairs in the corner and put those headbands on.
Niles walked over to one of the chairs and reclined it. Toland joined him and Jessica started the download. The two closed their eyes. Jingo looked at his display and said, Where now.
Were going back to New Ulmerton to take a look at that building with the military database.
I thought you had forgotten about that.
Nope, we just need to be careful. Im taking us pretty close to the planet.
Oh this should be fun.
Nathan arrived at Bristone a week after Anglo started his rebuild. Anglo said, Shes in the forest with June. Ill send you close to their location.
Keep me in the loop. This shouldnt take long.
Anglo laughed, You wish, and then Nathan found himself at the edge of the forest.
What did he mean by that? Nathan shook his head and walked into the tree line. He heard the children long before he saw them. When he was a teenager he had gone with June and the children to protect them from predators. Now the Zord took care of that responsibility and he knew they were not far away. He started walking toward the laughing and singing children. He arrived at the edge of the grellup field and immediately saw June with eight children picking pods. He shook his head and wondered why the children enjoyed this work so much. There they were surrounding her just laughing and talking. June was smiling and holding a younger child that had fallen and hurt her knee.
He heard singing and he looked toward the southern end of the field. There was Mallory surrounded by twelve children that were picking pods and listening to her sing. He smiled at the catchy tune and saw the children were quiet as they listened. Suddenly Mallory stopped and pointed at one of the children who took up the tune and sang the next verse. The child then pointed at another and they continued the song. They each sang a verse and the last one chosen pointed back at Mallory who started a new song. She also looked good in her Zecka. Wait A MINUTE!! Why was she wearing a Zecka? That could only mean she was going to go into a dangerous situation. What was going on?
June saw Nathan standing at the edge of the clearing watching Mallory with her group. She looked at Mallory and then back at Nathan. Mallory had discussed her dream with June and she was concerned about what Nathans response would be. She looked up and said a quick prayer for the young woman singing with the children. The children picking pods with June saw her staring and turned to see what had her attention. They jumped up and ran across the field yelling at the top of their voices.
Mallory heard the children yell and stopped singing. She saw the children with June running toward the edge of the forest and for a moment feared a predator had come into the field. She turned around and saw Nathan standing at the edge of the forest staring at her. Her heart swelled and she felt a joy permeate her soul. Nathan saw her look at him and their eyes met. That beautiful smile grew even brighter. He smiled back and then he was bowled over by the eight children that came running in grabbing his legs to hug him. The children with Mallory saw Nathan get knocked down and they jumped up to join in the fun.
Mallory smiled and then started laughing when Nathan was knocked off his feet. She could see that the children really liked him. She stood and started walking toward the screaming mass of children.
We got you, we got you, we got you
You tricked me, I never saw you coming. You little jokers, Ill teach you. and Nathan started tickling the youngsters until they fell off laughing. He might have been able to stand but then the other twelve arrived and he was doomed to be held down by children hugging and kissing him.
June and Mallory arrived and June saw her wondering what was going on. June said, When Nathan was a teen, he would come to protect us from predators on El Prado. He would tell the children stories about the stars and they have never forgotten him. Most of these children were very young when he was with us. They had a game at the end of each day where they would try to knock him off his feet. Mallory smiled and June whispered, They were much smaller then.
Hey, how about a little help here.
June looked at Mallory and they both started tickling the squirming mass of children. Finally the three adults managed to remove enough so that Nathan could stand. All right, you won this time but you wont the next time I come. Ill show you.
Mallory saw the children loved Nathan. She felt tears in her eyes and quickly wiped them away. Nathan saw her and wondered what made her sad.