The Eldest came up to Twig and said, “Greetings my youngest. I have heard good things about you.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“It appears that your education is almost over.”
“No, Father, it is just beginning.”
“I have heard of all the incredible things you have discovered. You have much to share with us.”
“I am not the only one who made those discoveries, Father. My compliment had as much to do with them as I.”
The Eldest looked at Sprig and said, “I compliment you as well. You family will be proud. They have selected you a mate to bear seeds.”
Sprig looked at the Eldest and said, “Eldest, I have selected my mate and she is here with me now.”
The Eldest looked at Sprig and then looked at Twig and he straightened to his full height. “Are you saying you will not comply with my directives?”
Tommy stepped up and said, “May I have a moment of your time Eldest?”
The Eldest looked at Tommy and said, “Congratulations, Duke Gardner. I am having a discussion with my adolescents.”
Rose walked up and said, “Eldest, do you remember the first day we met?”
The Eldest turned and looked at Rose and said, “I will never forget it. It changed our history.”
“Do you remember that I asked you to do one thing before we continued our fight?”
The Eldest leaned to the side showing great emotion, “Yes, you asked me to meld with Dorg. It was that melding that made us able to trust you.”
“You did not want to do it when I asked.”
“No, I didn’t but you were going to destroy us if I didn’t. I was just buying time.”
“Eldest, I am going to ask you to do something for me again but this time I can’t force you. I’m going to ask you to do it out of respect for Dorg-Ross; I know he would want you to do it.”
The Eldest was silent and then said, “I will agree. It must be important or you would not use the name of one so revered on my world.”
Rose looked up at the towering Algean and said, “I want you to meld with these two adolescents right now.”
The Eldest looked at Rose and everyone thought he was going to refuse, but then he said, “You have a reason I cannot see. Just like the last time. Let me see what is so important.”
The Eldest turned to the two adolescents and said, “Open your minds.”
Twig and Sprig allowed the Eldest to enter their consciousness. Rose said, “This is going to take some time. With Dorg it was hours, so Tommy, you and Cassandra have some welcoming of guests to do. I’ll stay here and wait for the Eldest to finish.”
Wes said, “If you don’t mind, Linda Kay and I will do that. I’ll send you a thought when he finishes. You also have some duties here, Your Majesty.”
Rose looked at Wes and said, “He risked his life for you. I know how much he means to you. Make sure you let me know, 3D.”
Wes looked shocked and then smiled and said, “I will, Your Majesty.”
Wes and Linda Kay pulled up some chairs and sat down and held each other’s hands. Tommy directed that a table with an umbrella be brought over to them to make them comfortable.
Eight hours later, the Eldest straightened up. Wes sent a thought to Rose and Tommy, “They’re back. The two adolescents began moving and Rose walked up with Tommy and Cassandra right behind her. Rose said, “Do you know now why I asked you to meld with them?”
The Eldest turned toward Rose and said nothing. He then looked at the Adolescents and said to them, “So you were going to forsake your people for your own selfish reasons?”
Rose thought to Tommy, “Looks like I made things worse. I was hoping it would help.”
Sprig looked up at the Eldest and said, “No, we were not.”
The Eldest tilted to the side and said, “I know you were not coming back if you could not be together.”
“That is true,” Sprig said.
“Explain yourself.”
“Eldest, if we came back and could not be together, we would serve no useful function to our people. We are so tied together now that if we were forced to separate, we would be unable to use our minds effectively because of the loneliness we would experience. If we could not be together, then the only way we could benefit our people is to stay away and together to develop new things for our people. To come back would deny our race what we could offer to it.”
The Eldest began moving slightly back and forth. “Now that is a spin that even the great Dorg-Ross could appreciate; I can see what you’ve done. I can also feel what you feel and I must say that it is a unique experience. I am envious of what you have. I also notice that your intellect is greater than any I’ve seen, Sprig. I will allow your mating. You will keep the names given you by the humans and will continue with them until this conflict is ended. The Elders and I will look at this absorbing of another. I think it has merit. I must say that your learning centers are the most developed of any adolescent I’ve ever seen. I will inform your family of the change Sprig. When you do return to our people, you will be included in the ranks of the elders of our people.” The Eldest turned to Rose and said, “Once more you have helped my people, Little One. In the future, you don’t have to be dramatic; just tell me what you want. After this experience, I trust your decisions.”
The two adolescents rushed up and wrapped their limbs around the Eldest and he held them close with his branches. “”You’re welcome. Just keep on learning.”
Sprig and Twig reached and mingled two of their branches and they thought to the Eldest, “We will, Father, we will.”
Wes watched his friend and felt happiness for Sprig. Suddenly there were loud horns blowing over the speakers and all of the videos showed an emergency pending announcement on the screen. The huge crowds stopped what they were doing and listened. The speakers began announcing, “Queen Rose will make an important announcement in thirty minutes; Queen Rose will make an important announcement in thirty minutes.”
Everyone began speculating what was going on. The entire Stars Realm stopped their celebrations and began gathering around monitors to see what was happening. Thirty minutes later Rose mounted the platform and the horns blew again and when they stopped, silence ruled. Rose looked at the video monitor and said, “I know that this is Tommy and Cassandra’s day but they have asked that I share what I’m about to do with all of you. If you are not near a monitor, I ask that you try to get to one; I’ll give you a minute.”
There were huge monitors among the crowds to provide a good view of the platform during the wedding ceremony and the crowd began moving so they could see one of them. After a minute Rose continued, “I am going to ask Wes McAnn and Sprig to join me on the platform”
Wes looked around and Linda Kay shrugged indicating she didn’t know what was going on. Sprig and Wes looked at each other and walked up to the platform and stood on each side of Rose. Rose looked out at the crowds and said, “I am going to play you some recordings that I want you to see.”
The monitors came on and showed the twelve Stars Realm’s pulse ships fighting the four hundred thousand Captor ships. The recording showed the Polaris being overwhelmed by thousands of the red ships. Then the Atlantis moved in and blew away the ships from the starboard side of the Polaris. Rose said while the Realm watched, “The Atlantis was commanded by Captain Wes McAnn. He took his ship in to save the Polaris. He drew the attackers away from the Polaris saving it from destruction.”
The video showed the thousands of ships turning their attention from the Polaris and firing thousands of energy balls at the Atlantis. Then the watchers saw the Atlantis broken in half. There were thousands of energy balls moving in on the damaged ship and then just before they struck, the ship disappeared. Rose said, “Sprig, who is an Algean adolescent teleported to the Atlantis and teleported the ship to safety. As you can see, he was barely in time and he risked his life to save the ship. Their actions during this battle are an example of what the Stars Realm stands for; we will protect each other even if we are put in danger doing it. It is with pride and a grateful heart that I award Wes McAnn and Sprig the Crimson Crown, our highest award for bravery. Sprig is the first member of a race outside the Stars Realm to receive this award; however, no one deserves it more.”