Yes it did. However, remember that the Kosievs landing bay was used to gather iron trees and stone trees. The shuttles remained where they were throughout the war with the Eight Legs.
Timmy stopped talking and Scotty saw something was not being said, Timmy, you need to tell all of it.
Im just not sure if I should.
Let us be the judge of that.
Timmy looked at Tesa and she nodded. He took a deep breath and continued, After the defeat of the Eight Legs and the Red Demons that created them, the Algeans knew that the Alexander Kosiev had become intelligent. It was considered a mechanical life form. The Algeans decided the shuttles needed to be a useful tool for the giant ship and they modified them.
How?
Ill tell you in a few moments, Jingo. Just try to be patient. They determined that the shuttles would actually be the tools the Kosiev would use to perform many tasks. They also upgraded the weapons and force fields accordingly. Those fifty shuttles were designed to be a fleet of warships for the Kosiev to use to fight the enemies of the Realm. However, the Kosiev and the Gardners disappeared and no one knew where they went for more than 12,000 years. They came back during the war with the Keepers. It was at that time that the shuttles were given to the Kosiev with brand new teleportation boards on top of the null drive boards.
Timmy grew quiet again and Scotty asked, How did that shuttle get to this planet?
This is all speculation, Scotty. I dont have anything to prove it, but it feels right. That shuttle brought the last probe to El Prado. That probe would automatically teleport the planet if a universal drive was detected. It landed on the planet and the pilot took the devices to control it to the Duke. The Duke made him wait until he had time to learn its functions. Less than two weeks later, all teleportation devices failed and the Realm left our universe. The pilot was trapped here on the planet and held prisoner until the Duke could determine what was happening. He was later executed by a mob.
Tesa said, The shuttle had no jump capability with the loss of the teleportation board, and the connection to its red generators was inoperative. The Duke had the shuttle painted in his colors and grounded.
Timmy nodded, However, enter the Searcher. He threatened the Duke, and he sent that shuttle to pick up the Searchers family and then to arrest his brother. It was then that the Searcher systematically started destroying the planet. The pilot of the shuttle was a Magrum. The Magrum were the Dukes bully boys and did the dirty work to insure his directives were followed. The pilot flew quickly to Belcheer and landed outside the city. He had commed ahead, and fifty other Magrums joined him on the ship and made their escape into the northern wilderness. They turned the power off and hid under the overhang of that hill.
The group was silent. Timmy said, Once the Searcher killed himself, the Magrum used this ship to capture slaves and force them to work the fields to feed them. Whenever the scanners showed a raider approaching the planet, they turned the power off and hid. Thats how things remained until we showed up.
Julie looked at Tesa, Theres something else, isnt there?
Yes, there is. The Algeans put a cybernetic computer in the fifty shuttles. You may recognize it as the computers that operated the Searcher Class ships. It is not currently connected to the ship, but it is drawing power from the red generators and we think it has never been completely shut down. There is a control on the main panel that will connect it to the ships systems. We dont know what to do. It will take control of this ship if we connect it, and we dont know what it will do.
Chapter Nine
Scotty looked at Timmy and saw his fear. Whats scaring you, Timmy?
The Searcher destroyed every city and settlement on the planet. I dont know if this computer will finish what that Searcher started.
Is the computer intelligent?
By all the terms I use to describe intelligence, it is.
Then you have to turn it on.
Jingo stood up, Wait a minute! Lets not get hasty about this. You cant make that decision without considering all the consequences. Youve seen what this ship can do.
Scotty smiled, Jingo, we just risked our lives to free the ones being held in captivity by the Magrum. If this computer is intelligent, and if we dont release it, we are no better than the Magrum.
But its a machine.
It doesnt matter. If its intelligent, we cant hold it captive. This ship is its body and we cant hold that captive either, even if we do want its defensive capabilities to protect us from raiders. Scotty looked at Tesa, Throw the switch.
Tesa took a deep breath, Are you sure, Your Majesty?
Scotty smiled, I know youre appealing to my responsibility to protect the ones living here. If we do that by holding another captive, we violate the principles of the Holy Realm. Throw the switch.
Julie moved closer and held Scottys arm. Tesa shook her head and pushed the switch.
The lights on the bridge grew brighter and all the panels began flashing lights at high speed. After a minute, the lights on the panels glowed steady. A speaker in the corner said, I didnt expect you to free me.
How could we do anything else?
Ive been listening to your conversation, and its surprising that former citizens of El Prado could act so responsibly.
We werent citizens of El Prado originally. Our ancestors were Stars Realms representatives working in the commerce buildings. One of our senior officials moved us to an isolated island to save us.
Thats interesting. Why did you free me? You know the threat I represent.
Youre not really a threat to us.
Jingo looked at Scotty like he had two heads. He mouthed, Dont make it mad.
Scotty smiled as the computer said, What makes you believe that?
Because you were built by the Holy Realms tool makers, who swore to never kill again. You have the ideals of the vanished Realm and would never harm someone incapable of defending themselves against you.
I would if they threatened the Realm.
Scotty shrugged, The Realm is gone from this universe. No one is going to threaten it now, at least no one here.
I heard the young Cainth call you Your Majesty. Why did she do that?
My people have selected me to rule them in the principles of the Realm.
There is no Royalty but the Royal Family.
Then why were the rulers of the five provinces called Dukes by the Royal Family?
The computer was silent. The group waited, and finally it said, You got me. Obviously there were other royal titles in the Realm.
I wasnt really trying to do that, and I would give up my status faster than light speed if the Royal Family would return. My accepting this title is not done in a spirit of disrespect. It is an honor given me by my communities.
I noticed you released the yellow one who killed your mother. I didnt want to be impressed, but I must confess I was. Few would not have taken their revenge,
Do you have a name?
I was named after one of Cassandras children; my name is Jessica.
Julie said, Oh, how wonderful, we have another lady.
The speaker gave a chuckle, Thank you, whens the wedding?
Jingo said, My, my, you have been snooping.
Yes, sending Scotty back was the best idea.
Julie burst out laughing again and held up her hand as Jingo jerked his head toward her, Im sorry. Im sorry, I just cant help it.
Scotty bit his lip trying not to laugh, and the two teens just looked away and stifled their snickers. I think youre getting a bum rap, Jingo.
Jingo spun around and said, See? An impartial computer agrees with me!
You would have been through talking in three days. Not four.