Nathan said, Scotty and Julie.
Yes, and Michael and Carrie also top the passive readings. I think you should know that Carrie and Michael almost knew the moment they met that they were meant for each other. It happened in just a few hours. Anglo paused and then said, Julie and Scotty had dreams about each other. Julie had hers since she was five years old and she knew Scotty was going to be her lifelong love as soon as she saw him.
Are you saying that the Princess and I are going to be matched?
Yes, and you had better not try to avoid it.
Why not? Im not certain Im ready for any kind of relationship.
Because, if this is a psychic event, you and she will be forced together with terrible consequences if you try to avoid it. If Bristone has to be attacked to make that happen, it will be. There is no force stronger in the universe than psychic power and events will happen to make those dreams become a reality. That princess saw you in her dreams.
Why would there be passive psychics appearing all of a sudden?
Because the children of these couples will possess active psychic powers and judging from the strength of the passive readings, they will be as strong, and maybe stronger, than the Gardners that created the former Realm. The real super psychics will come from the marriage of the children of those couples.
I dont know if I like my destiny being predetermined. I dont like being forced into anything and certainly not my personal life.
That view should depend on how you see the creative force that made everything.
Im not sure I understand what you mean, Anglo.
The creative force is what brought life to an empty void. It has always brought good things into existence. Sometimes evil arises and threatens the balance of creation and thats when the super psychics appear. Its the tools creation uses to restore balance. Now, picture yourself being offered love by the force that originally created it. That love would be more than you could ever hope to create by yourself. Would you turn your back on that gift? Look at Scotty and Julie and observe how they feel about each other. Dont you wish you had what theyve been given? However, thats not the reason you should at least see if the Princess is destined for you.
What other reason is there?
As I said before, those super psychics only appeared when there was going to be a terrible conflict; and now we see them starting to appear. Honestly, I believe our future survival depends on you and the other passives having children that will someday save us. Answer me honestly, were you not attracted to the Princess when you saw her?
Nathan remembered how beautiful she was as she slept. He remembered how she bravely defended her father even in the face of kidnappers that she didnt know. He saw her pain at seeing the brutality being visited on the slaves. He shook his head, I honestly dont know, Anglo. Shes very pretty butI just dont know.
Have you ever been attracted to anyone else?
Nathan sighed heavily, No, not really.
Well, when were finished here, Im dropping you off at Bristone and Im going to assist BC.
Oh no you wont! Not without me.
Nathan, you need to see if there is any truth to what Ive said. That discovery is much more important than handling a few scouts, and if for no other reason than my peace of mind, I need you to go and see. One other thing.
Yes.
I am going to request that Emperor Robbins make you my assigned Partner. You will be my Searcher, Nathan. Ive seen your loyalty to me and though Ive told the emperor that I would never accept another partner, Ive changed my mind. We make a good team.
Nathan smiled, Yes, we do. Im honored that you would accept me as your partner.
First things first; you need to go see a Princess and settle this issue. Will you do that for me?
Youve made me curious about what youre suggesting. I will do it if for no other reason than you think I should.
Good, our next stop is Bristone.
Chapter Three
G ernud was beginning to get bored. He had started his search from the planet that Daulun had destroyed and moved out into his assigned search arc. He had passed through more than two hundred systems and had found nothing. What really annoyed him was that he was told to search every star in his assigned sector not just the G-type suns. The chance of finding intelligent life around a massive star was remote at best and he thought about skipping some of them. However, Fleet Control would read his logs and see his route. It wouldnt be good if he skipped anything.
He jumped into a system with a G-type sun and his communication panel lit up, You are entering restricted space of the Harmony Association. Turn back immediately or you will be destroyed.
He looked at his scanners and saw no life in the system he had just entered. He searched for a probe that could have transmitted the message and saw nothing. He backed out of the system and pushed his com, Fleet Control, I have entered a system and have received a warning about trespassing into some kind of Association.
Stand-by.
Gernud waited and nervously watched his scanners. After five minutes he heard, Proceed into that system.
Fleet Control, my sensors dont show any life in this system. Nor do I detect any kind of probe that could have sent that message.
Follow your orders!
Gernud didnt like the feeling he was getting but he had no choice. He moved forward and again heard, You have been warned, this is your last warning. He had patched Fleet Control into his console and knew they heard the warning but they did not change his instructions. He moved a hundred miles further into the system and his ship blew-up in a huge explosion.
We have lost a scout in sector 878.
Weve just lost another scout in sector 879.
Vector all scouts in on those sectors and send ten warships to each one. Have them hold their positions until the ships arrive to support them.
I hate we had to kill those scouts.
Dont let it bother you too much, Jingo. Theyre the ones that send the Dukes fleets out to conquer innocent civilizations.
Whats the plan now, BC?
Well allow them to move forward and about fifty light years from our current position and well destroy some of their squadrons. Theyre not going to find our worlds following this course.
How are we going to irritate the Duke if were stuck out here?
Oh, I think Jessica can come up with a few ideas. Im teleporting you to her momentarily
Jessica and Jingo were parked outside the jump limit watching a fleet of warships moving away from New Ulmerton to attack another newly discovered civilization. Jess, that fleet can only mean trouble for someone.
I know.
But if we destroy it, will the Duke then go to the planet it was headed toward? Or will he just chalk it up to the ship that attacked earlier. He could possibly do both
Be quiet, Jingo. Im going to attack those ships an hour before they arrive at the jump limit. Attacking here offers no clue as to where we come from.
Is that a good idea? He could send a Searcher to attack the planet this fleet was destined.
Attacking here will keep those Searchers here and anything that occupies that Dukes attention is a good thing.
Hes a King, Jessica.
Like Anglo, I refuse to call him a King. Hes just like his ancestor Duke Ales Jongo. He deserves that title instead.
There are more than a hundred ships in that fleet. Can you handle that many?
I wont know until I try.
Fleet Control, we are approaching the limit; are there any last instructions?
Dont waste time getting control of that planet.
You know we wont.
Suddenly Fleet Control heard over their communication panels, And I wont either. Fleet Control had the fleet on their scanners and watched as the fleet was hit by bright red beams.