Jeremiah looked at Mallory and said with disgust, It appears you are just as efficient as you father. Mallory just stared at her Uncle and didnt say anything. I suppose you will kill us now.
Why do you say that?
You know weve tried to assassinate your father. We will not give up in trying to remove you from power.
Why is that, Uncle?
You are tyrants who brutalize your subjects and commit horrific acts against innocent worlds. You are blight on this universe.
Do you not think we should bring our Province under control?
Not the way you do it. We should bring others into our Realm by helping them; not forcing them.
Mallory looked at the back of the room, Vring?
Hes being honest. I dont know where he got it but he has seen the true history of the former Realm and knows the lies of the Dukes.
Jeramiah looked around and wondered where the voice in his mind was coming from.
Does he believe in the Realms values?
Yes he does and his children do as well.
Mallory smiled, Uncle, you are so much more than I thought.
What are you talking about?
Mallory smiled and lifted the communicator, Citizens of New Ulmerton, it is now safe to come out of your homes. You may go about your daily tasks and live your lives confidently knowing that your King will protect you and care for you. I am abdicating the crown and Im surrendering the throne to my Uncle, Jeramiah Jongo. He is now the new King of our province and I know he will do an excellent job. Long live the King.
Jeramiah was shocked, What are you doing?
Im placing the welfare of New Ulmerton in your hands. I wasnt sure if you could be trusted but now I know you can.
Jeremiah stared at Mallory not knowing what to say. His son asked What are you going to do?
Im going back to the Emperor that showed me the evil that ruled us. I am too close to my father and our people will trust you more than me. I expect you to move your Kingdom toward the vision you have for it. Will you do that?
Jeramiah nodded still in shock.
You should also be aware that your Kingdom is in danger of invasion from another province that has more than 2,000 Searcher Class Ships. We have plans to delay that invasion but we will need your cooperation to make that happen. While you are getting things in order, we are going to take care of my fathers allies at Crimeron. Will you meet with my Emperor and let him discuss the danger we are all facing?
Alexanders face hardened and said, Yes.
Good.
Nathan looked at Mallory and said, You dont want to be Queen.
Mallory smiled, I still have a window to look out. Remember?
Nathan smiled, Yes, I do.
Chapter Eight
Canton waited for Daulun to return. He had been gone a week and he had not been heard from. What could have happened? The five Searchers went with him. He should have been back days ago. He looked at his communication board and thought about what to do. He was not going out looking for Daulun in an ordinary ship and none of the Searchers had returned. Crimeron, this is Delta Fleet requesting permission to enter orbit.
Canton looked at his display and saw thirty troop carriers approaching the planet, Who are you?
We are the shock and drop troops from Ionia. Were reporting as ordered.
By whos order?
King Daulun commanded us to leave Ionia and come here to support his attack plan.
Then Canton heard, Crimeron, this is Zeta Fleet requesting permission to enter orbit.
Canton began hearing fleet after fleet of Shock and Drop troops requesting permission to enter orbit. What was Daulun doing? Maybe he was discovered attempting to destroy New Ulmerton and now he needed the troops to take the planet back. But that didnt make sense, he could just destroy it. I need to discuss this with Father. You will hold your position in orbit until our King arrives and issues instructions. Canton left the communications center and ran toward the throne room.
Canton rushed into the throne room and found his father looking at a list of military assets. Canton quickly explained what was happening over head in orbit and asked what to do.
It appears the King is not as dumb as I thought.
What do you mean?
I think its clear why hes sending all of his shock troops here. He must have an informer inside our organization to tell him we were going to execute him when he returned. He sent the troops to take the planet from us.
Canton turned pale, Can they do it?
If theyre allowed to land, Im sure theyll overwhelm our forces. Those are his best troops and theyve been battle hardened by years of fighting.
What are we going to do?
Well, the fleet is still here and not far away. Send out orders to destroy those transports. Make sure theyre all here before you begin. If any start toward the surface, have the fleet attack at once.
Canton left for the communications room thankful that he had made sure the ships loyal to him had been brought to Crimeron. He was frightened at the massive number of transports overhead.
Greyson was in stealth mode a hundred thousand miles above the planet. Daulun was sitting in a chair with his arms bound. Kreej was curled up taking up most of the room on the bridge. Daulun looked at the display and said, Why did you bring me here?
Greyson said, Kreej, was the Emperor right?
Im always surprised by his insight. The two on the planet are really frightened. They think that our King here found out they were going to execute him when he returned.
Daulun whipped his head around at the young Zord and yelled, Liar. They are my strongest and most loyal supporters.
Greyson said, Show him.
Daulun saw the throne room as Canton rushed in. He heard the conversation and his face turned deep red. Order the troops down! Send them down!
Greyson said, I think that does it. All of them have arrived and are in orbit. Ive opened a channel. Order them yourself.
Daulun yelled, The Pelos are traitors. Attack the planet and destroy them! They have ordered the fleet to kill you. Put your screens up and attack!
Greyson shut off the channel as the transports turned on their screens and thousands of drop troops fell from the ships toward the ground. Following the drop troops, thousands of small carriers with heavily armored troops dropped toward the castle. The fleet came roaring in and fired on the seven hundred transports. The warships beams were stronger than the troop transports and after a pitched battle that lasted two hours, all seven hundred were destroyed. The fleet lost three hundred ships when the transports started ramming them when they saw no chance of escape.
Daulun watched with a hard smile on his face as the ground troops began landing and fighting their way through the troops on the ground. Thousands were being killed as the battle swarmed around the castle. The remaining five hundred ships overhead attempted to support the ground troops but the fight was too close to the castle and the troops were too mingled to fire. They watched helplessly as the drop troops rushed the walls.
The defenders fell back and every inch of ground gained by the attackers was deadly. Beams and explosions were everywhere and troops were dying by the thousands on both sides until the palace wall was breached. Then the killing accelerated into frenzy. The fleet Admiral watched on his display as the shock troops rushed into the throne room and blasted everyone into dust. Daulun smiled as he saw Canton and his father killed. Then he heard the Admiral say, They will pay for this. The fleet fired a nuke into the castle and the city went up in a blinding flash. Greyson dimmed the scanners and then fired on the ships in the fleet. Every ship was vaporized and nothing remained in orbit over Crimeron.