Matt watched as the mass of dead green ships grew. The Kosiev danced out of the way of the ships flying toward it and continued to fire at the same unbelievable rate. The Mega ships moved in and started adding their fire to the Kosievs’ and the area around the entry point was a killing ground for the invaders.
“Nest Mother, none of the ships that have entered that universe are responding. Even the ships that went in the initial wave are not answering.”
The Nest Mother felt immediate shock and said, “Then go and see what is happening. Why are you waiting?”
The Supreme Male knew that something dangerous lay beyond the door but he looked at his Sensor Male and nodded. The Sensor Male powered the universal drive and pushed the activate button just as the mass of green ships in the other universe filled the space against the entry point. The Supreme Male’s ship entered the space between universes and could not go through; the ship behind him entered and both of them occupied the same space simultaneously. The resulting explosion blew out both sides of the door way.
Matt watched as the green ships piled up and finally reached the entry point. Then he heard Cassandra yell over her com, “Teleport away, all ships, teleport away.”
The Kosiev disappeared just as an explosion ripped out of the entry point and disintegrated all of the green ships in front of it for more than a million miles. The ships to the side of the blast were blown away in all directions.
On the other side of the entry point, the blast hit the massed ships waiting in line to enter the door and blasted all but a million of the eight million ships lined up. Those ships were immune to any form of energy but the substance inside the space between universes was unlike any in normal space. Nothing that was created in normal space could survive it. The Nest Mother was watching her display when the blast hit and saw her screen go dark for more than a minute. When it came back on she saw the wreckage of the ships that were going to conduct the harvest. She hit her communication console and yelled, “Someone tell me what just happened.”
One of her scientists came on her screen and said, “The doorway has just exploded. Two ships were in it at the same moment and that blast is the result. The door way has been demolished and no longer exists. There is no way we can enter that universe, Nest Mother.”
The Nest Mother looked at the dead ships on her side of the doorway and felt fear. Perhaps it is a good thing that doorway is closed. Then she looked at the scientist on her display and said, “Find me another way to get in. We must know what happened. Are we able to contact any of our ships that went through?”
“No, Nest Mother, but we are continuing to try.”
On one of the main ships that had come in the initial wave, the Ship’s Male and Sensor Male picked themselves up off the floor and looked at their monitors. The command chamber had been surrounded by a hundred transports that were about to be launched so they survived the energy balls detonation. The Sensor Male said, “The Nest Mother is attempting to contact us.”
The Ship’s Male pressed his board and said, “Nest Mother.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the Ship’s Male, Nest Mother. My ship has been hit by a device that has burned out the interior of my vessel and I am unable to navigate. All of my systems are gone. The only system working is my communication board.”
“How many times were you hit?”
“Once, Nest Mother, my family is floating in zero gravity inside. I have seen some kind of small projectiles that are bouncing around inside that main chamber. I’m not sure what they are but it appears they are picking up speed. My command chamber survived the explosion inside my ship because I was surrounded by transports waiting to launch.”
“Did you see what fired the weapon at you?”
“No, it came from empty space directly above us.”
The Nest Mother watched her display and suddenly saw the Ship’s Male jump and then bounce away from his monitor. “Nest Mother, the Ship’s Male was just hit by one of those small balls.” The Nest Mother then saw the Sensor Male fly away from his console and then saw his armor break apart. What was left inside was unrecognizable. Then the screen went dark.
Destiny sat and watched his display that was being fed to his ship by Sprig. He had sent it through the ships main system so all of his family could watch what was taking place. He felt tremendous sorrow at the massive loss of life and he knew his children were also feeling the great pain at what was taking place. A small spider entered the command chamber waited to be noticed. “What is it child?”
“I am bothered by this killing.”
“We all are, child.”
“I have given thought to what has happened to us and what is happening to the others. I want to try and prevent this happening again.”
Destiny sighed and said, “They will not stop, Child. The only choice of our friends is to kill them.”
“I think there is another way, Father.”
Destiny looked at the child, “How?”
He listened and then he understood.
“Sprig, how many of the planetary repulsion devices have you built?”
Sprig looked at Twig and she answered, “Five hundred, Matt. Why do you ask?”
Destiny has asked for you, Cassandra and me to join him on his ship as quickly as possible. He asked me and I didn’t have an answer as to how many you have manufactured.”
“I’m bringing Twig with me.”
“By all means; I’ll see you there.”
Destiny watched at the four appeared on his bridge, “We don’t have much time but my family is bothered by the loss of life today and we think we can possibly reduce the number that have to be killed moving forward.”
Matt furrowed his brow, “What do you mean?”
I understand that two hundred main ships launched their ships to harvest planets. How many have landed?”
“Al?”
“Three are close to atmosphere. The others are between two and six hours out from the planets.”
“Then those three cannot be saved, however, if we act quickly, we can possibly save the others.”
“Why would we try to save the others, Destiny?”
“Matt, the Supreme Male and all the Ship’s Males have been killed. The compulsions placed in the crews of those small ships will fade if they are given enough time.”
Matt looked at Cassandra and they saw it at the same time. Sprig looked at his device and said, “I need the coordinates of those planets that are being invaded immediately.”
“Sprig, I just downloaded them to your com.”
“Thank you, Al. I’ll get them screened as quickly as possible.”
“What do you think we can do, Destiny,” Cassandra asked?”
“Only the Kosiev can save them, Cassandra. All of the Searchers weapons have the iron balls included. We can’t take them out in the time remaining. If we hit them without the balls, then the crews will just float around inside. Can the Kosiev launch without the iron ball box in the mix?”
Cassandra thought for a moment, “I don’t know. It will be like trying to make a fighter only throw soft punches instead of knock out blows. I can only try, Destiny.”
“You are the only hope they have, Cassandra. In the meantime, I need you to call off the attacks planned by the Searchers on those fleets of incoming small ships, Matt.”
Matt thought, “Melanie, where are you?”
“I’m with Admiral Kosiev at the entry point.”
“I need you here right now.”
Melanie closed her eyes and saw Matt on destiny’s bridge. “Fly Girl, he’s on Destiny’s bridge.”
“On your way.”
Admiral Kosiev was talking with Melanie about the success of the action when she suddenly disappeared. “I wonder what caused that,” Leo thought.”