And if a ship isnt close, just how would you be able to move? Danielle asked.
He would just fire the hand weapon to get propulsion. If he kept firing it over a period of several days, he could approach half the speed of light.
Danielle, Atlas and I have discussed it and he will be there to pick me up in the event of my ship being destroyed.
So, youre in to this too you overgrown microwave freezer.
Does she always get this way? Atlas asked Tag.
You shouldnt have said that, Atlas.
Danielle began calling both of them things she was proud she thought of and she called them some things Tag told Atlas he should write down. Finally she ran down.
Danielle. You can come with Atlas to make sure Im ok. This is the best way to save lives; otherwise the Alliance will use their superior numbers to ram our ships. We can avoid a lot of them but at 10,000 plus ships it is going to be too chaotic to keep track of everything. We have to pen them against the planetary defenses and make them come at us from one direction.
Danielle sat there crying. Atlas thought at Tag and said, This is where you have to handle it alone. I feel her pain and your resolve. Open your heart to her, Tag.
Tag sat by Danielle and put his arm around her and just held her. She snuggled into his arms and finally said, I know youre right. Ive lost you once and I dont ever want to go thru that again; Id rather die first.
Danielle, we didnt choose our roles in this conflict. Id still be hiding my talents except for taking Leilas test. And If I hadnt taken the test, I would have never met you. There is a role we have to play and we cant shirk it. If were not willing to risk ourselves, then how can we ask all the brave soldiers and naval crews to risk their lives at our instructions?
Tag, Ill not leave your side while this is happening. If its safe for you, then its safe for me.
Daniellllle!
Thats the only way Ill accept it.
Atlas, talk to her, Tag said.
Atlas said, When the Alliance blows the ship up around you two, make sure you enjoy the moment. Itll give you an appreciation of what the other ships are going thru.
Danielle laughed and said, There, its settled.
No its not.
Danielle looked at Tag and said, If I were going to place myself in harms way, would you stay away? Answer me honestly that you would and I wont push it.
Tag looked at his wife, the love of his life, the one he woke each day to love, and said, Well put a pool table on the ship so I can teach you how to shoot. Danielle ran up and jumped into his arms and he swung her around and around.
Terl and Admiral Dorg were sitting in the Central Clan Chamber facing a communications screen on the wall where Tgon-Gee was looking at them. He had commed them and asked to speak with them. Dorg said, Its good to see you Ambassador.
Tong-Gee smiled, We can dispense with the Ambassador from now on. I know that you know who I am. It was a good charade for both of us because it allowed us to save face in the event something embarrassing happened. Dorg looked at Terl and then nodded to the Crown Prince of the Glod. You said some things that made me take a hard look at the way my society functions. We are a warrior race that prides ourselves on being strong and aggressive almost to the point of being belligerent. I suspect that if you had not stopped us from taking part in the Alliance invasion then our world would have been attacked after we lost our ships. I must honestly say that I cant blame them for doing so. There would have been a rush from at least eighteen races to be the first to destroy us and this is because of the way we have dealt with other races. I suspect that none of them would have given us mercy as the Humans showed you. Now I have to look at where weve been and also where were going. I called a congress of all the tribe leaders and asked them to predict what our future holds if we continue our morays and customs. I then told them about what happened between you and the Humans. I asked each of them what would have happened if we had lost 90% of our ships. They didnt come to it immediately but finally they saw that we would be destroyed by those we have wronged over the years. It took some discussion to finally get them to see that the greater warrior is the one that can destroy you but chooses instead to spare you and become an ally. I then introduced a new concept; the role of our society is being the strongest warriors possible in the defense of those who are defenseless. Our intent is to make sure that we treat others as we would like them to treat us. I then told them that as their ruler that each tribe to be prepared once a year to show all the other tribes how they have fought to make sure justice is done in all our dealings. They were initially resistant because they felt they were losing their right to fight and were not going to be allowed to be warriors. I told them that anyone can fight for no reason or even the wrong reason; the true warrior fights for a reason worth fighting. They have agreed to discuss this concept in their tribal conferences.
Now I see that I also must make a choice about where we are going to go from this point on. I have decided that I would like to discuss this with the Humans. Will you set up a conference in five rotations for us to meet with them and you on your home world?
Terl said, Ill ask them and let you know in half a rotation. I think you will find them an interesting race, your Excellency.
Well see in five rotations. Then Tgon-Gee cut the connection.
Director Nicole had called the meeting to order when Colonel Salerio told her that Terl was on her com and needed to ask her an important question. Misty asked for silence and then punched her com button, Head Clansman Terl, its good to see you; however we are in a planning session for the next phase of our campaign to survive the Alliance. We have a full room here, is your question one I should take in private?
No Director, I have just spoken to the Crown Prince of The Glod Union and he wishes to have a meeting with us five rotations from now. Does your schedule allow for that to happen?
Misty looked around the room and nodded to Danielle, Head Clansman, Danielle asked, what do you think about this meeting. Is it important?
I believe it is Mrs. Danielle. They have had an epiphany about the danger the universe holds for races that think might makes right. He sees that if he had lost all his ships in the last Alliance invasion then there would be races lined up to conquer them. Its like having a close brush with death; you see yourself much clearer afterwards. They are still a very powerful race and they are at a pivotal point in their choice of where they go from here.
Danielle said, We will meet with them. Director Nicole, Tag, Admiral Kosiev, One representative from the SFT, and I will be there in five of your rotations. Danielle had looked at each person as she called their name and they had all nodded.
Good, we look forward to seeing you again.
Director Nicole said, Colonel Salerio please set up the travel plans. Now, I closed the meeting yesterday when Tag had suggested placing himself in great danger trying to deceive the Alliance. Has anyone come up with an alternative plan?
No one said anything for several minutes; then Danielle stood up and said, I remove my objection to his plan.
Misty looked shocked and asked, What caused you to change your mind?
Im going with him.
Oh no youre not, Misty said! We cannot afford to lose both of you.
Danielle looked at The SFT and said to the Director, Why dont you ask Sung Lea about that.
Misty looked at the SFT and Sung Lea stood up and said, Director, we must allow her to go with him. Our vision is clear; we will only survive if she stays by his side throughout this conflict. If he goes alone; we perish.