His panel buzzed, and he punched his console, Niles, here.
A scout has found another planet that appears to have industry. No warships were detected, so you have been ordered to pick up your drop troops and go take the planet. A troop carrier will arrive momentarily to replace those being left behind.
Niles saw the coordinates on his panel and said, Well be leaving within two rotations.
BC arrived in a star system with a white dwarf in the center. The harsh gamma rays being emitted from it made it difficult to see anything in the system, and every planet was bare. Life was impossible in the radiation being blasted from the star.
BC moved in to the jump limit and stopped, Im not going any closer. I suspect we might be in range of the complexs weapons now.
Scotty shrugged, Do what you think is right.
Lets see if the complex will communicate with me. Scotty saw BCs communication panel light up and he heard over the ships intercom, This Stars
Realm Searcher BC. Please respond. They waited five minutes and BC sent, Grace, are you still active? Is everything OK?
After a momentary silence the speaker said, Well, it is you. Where have you been keeping yourself?
I was left behind when the Realm departed. Ive been trying to find another place that lives by the Realms ideals. Has everything been all right for you?
Yes, you are actually the first ship to come here. Why did you come?
We need your help. My teleportation board no longer functions and we have another ship that needs modernizing. I was hoping you would assist us.
Do you have the protocol to shut down my defenses?
No, Grace, I dont.
Well, the defense systems are autonomous and I cant turn them off. Youll have to give the protocol to approach.
Scotty hit the com key and asked, Grace, can you give us the protocol?
Who is this?
This is Scotty Robbins. I am the leader of a community that has sworn to uphold the Stars Realms ideals and principles.
Grace, Im going to send you a download on all that has happened. Will you take a look at it?
There was a pause and they heard, Send it.
There was a thirty minute pause and they heard, BC, I really would like to help you, but my defense systems are not under my control and I am programmed not to give the protocol.
Do you have any of the old teleport boards lying around?
As a matter of fact, I do. Why do you ask?
Could you possibly send a couple out to us with the wiring schematics?
BC, you certainly dont mind asking, do you?
No, and if you can include the tools needed to make it work, I would greatly appreciate it. I am not a ship of the old Provinces. I am a ship of the Realm.
Youll need to come back in four weeks. Ill need to make sure the system will allow me to send items out.
Grace, you have my com code. Stay in touch. Its good to see you again.
Do you have to run away? I want to hear whats happening out there.
Scotty said, Take your time BC. Weve got plenty of time to hang out.
Good, I was hoping you would.
Well, I went to work for a King that was not a good person, Grace.
Why did you do that?
As BC and Grace talked a small, round, object appeared beside BC and moved up against the hull above his rear thrusters. It attached itself and disappeared.
After a couple of hours, BC bid farewell and agreed to be back in four weeks. After the Searcher disappeared, Grace said, I notice you put a probe on him.
I want to know whats going on. He knows where we are. Thats information we cant afford to let get out.
Was it armed? There was a long pause, and Grace repeated, Was it armed?
Yes! He said he worked for a bad person. We cannot run any risks. We have to know.
Are you going to allow me to help them?
That depends on what I see between now and when they return.
Thats fair.
I am not programmed to be fair.
Ive never thought you were.
Jingo was showing a young archer how to pull his bowgun smoothly out of its case when a young, dark haired Rider approached and waited for him to finish. Thirty minutes later he was still standing while Jingo explained the finer details of using a bowgun. The young Rider interrupted and said, May I try it now?
Jingo was startled, and said, Go ahead and give it try. He looked over at the Human archer standing next to him and said, May I help you?
You sent word that you wanted me to meet you here.
Jingo checked his com and said, You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago.
I was.
Jingo took a deep breath and said, Youre Nathan Valrico?
Yes, I am.
If I remember, you helped hijack the Magrums ship.
Yes, I did.
Jingo nodded toward a target two hundred yards downrange and said, Show me how accurate you are.
Nathan looked at the target and felt the wind blowing his face. He saw the tree branches moving, then suddenly fired three arrows at the target. All three hit the center of the bulls eye. Jingo was impressed, Youre pretty good. Hold on just a moment. Zreeg, are you here?
Im up in the clearing talking with Julie.
Will you come down to the range for a moment?
On my way.
Whats going on, Jingo?
Zreeg has let us know that you are one of the few Riders that can benefit from a mental process that will improve your accuracy. I want to see if its effective.
Nathan shrugged and saw Vreeg come in to land next to them.
Jingo asked, Is this the Rider?
Yes, he is, Zreeg said to Jingo, then turned to the young man, Quick Bow, I want you just to pay attention to what Im going to share with you. Please sit down.
Nathan sat down, and Zreeg began sharing the visions of the defense of the Zords former nesting grounds. He could feel every arrow that Scotty and Jingo fired. He sensed the recoil of their bowguns and sensed the targets they were aiming to hit. He felt the bowgun release each arrow. More than six thousand shots were viewed, and he felt every one of them. Then he watched the battle at the Magrum bunker and viewed more than six hundred shots. Finally it ended, and he looked up to see Jingo staring at him. How long did that take?
About fifteen minutes.
It felt like fifteen hours. It seemed so real.
Jingo smiled, Stand up and take a shot at the target again.
Nathan stood and pulled his bowgun. It didnt feel right. He raised the pressure thirty pounds and tried again. After three adjustments, it felt good. He looked downrange and saw the one hundred, two hundred, and three hundred yard targets. He felt different.
Jingo watched and Nathan fired three arrows faster than he could follow. He looked downrange and only saw one arrow in the hundred yard target. Did the process not work? He looked at Nathan and the young archer said, The three hundred yard target was off an inch. I still need to raise my gun fifty pounds.
Jingo looked further downrange and saw arrows in the three targets. All were dead center. What do you think, Nathan?
This is amazing. It feels soI dont knownatural. I dont have to take time to aim. This is miraculous.