Tag said, “Two days it is.”
Atlas said, “Sprig, do you mind if I join you?”
“Not at all, I think you can help us. Do you mind if Twig and I teleport on board; we need to make a short trip.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
Kosiev looked at Tag and said, “What did I say?”
Tag began laughing and said, “You’ve always made an impact. You should be used to it by now.”
Kosiev smiled and ate another hand of popcorn.
The conference room was full. The leaders of the Stars Realm were gathered to decide the next action to be taken against the Captors and there was a somber atmosphere that dominated the room. Rose looked around the room and said, “Our last attack exceeded our expectations but I can see that it won’t work again. The Captors are moving at half of light speed in their system so targeting them will be next to impossible. I believe that the next action will be ship against ship and they outnumber us almost eight to one. I’ve also noticed that where ever we jump into their system that we could be overwhelmed in seconds. I hope someone has a plan that has some probability of success.”
The room was silent and then Tommy said, “We have talked about it among ourselves prior to meeting here and unfortunately, we see it the same way you do.”
Rose shook her head and looked at Admiral Kosiev, “Admiral, do you see anything other than taking them on in a fleet action?”
Kosiev took a deep breath and said, “No, I don’t. However, the Algeans have surmised that they will not be able to see us now that the energy particle has ignited so we may have time to produce more ships. Of course we’re talking about years before we could approach manufacturing enough to make a difference.”
Tgon-Gee stood and said, “That also gives them time to go looking for us. They know the galaxy where two of our planets were located so they have narrowed it down as to which galaxy they need to focus their search in. I suspect that they will find us before we are ready to take them on.”
Rose looked around the room and said, “Speaking of the Algeans, where are they? I thought they would be here.”
Tag said, “They had an idea that excited them and they went to see if their idea had any merits.”
“What idea did they have,” Rose asked.
“Something about the problem is that we and the Captors are located in the same universe. They said that both cannot exist together.”
Admiral Mikado said, “Duh, we all know that.”
Suddenly there was a shimmering under the main display and Sprig appeared in the conference room. “I’m sorry to interrupt you but I need Cassandra to come with me.”
Rose frowned and said, “Sprig, this meeting is important and Lady Gardner is important to the proceedings.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty, but what we’re doing will have a direct impact on our next action against the Captors. Is it possible to delay the meeting two more days so that we can see if what we’re working on is feasible?”
“Would you like to share with the group what you’re working on?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty but time is critical and it will take more time than we have to explain it. Please bear with us and give us two days.”
Rose looked at Tommy and Tommy stood and said, “Rose, I’d do as he asks. He has shown remarkable ability at helping us.”
Rose smiled and said, “Lady Gardner, you may go with Sprig. We’ll adjourn until this time two days from now. Before you go Cassandra, I have an announcement that I was going to make at the end of this meeting but it seems the meeting is ending faster than I planned.”
Everyone looked at Rose and she said, “I have just found out yesterday that I am expecting a child.”
The entire room stood and started clapping and yelling. Tommy and Cassandra followed Tag and Danielle to Rose and began hugging her. Rose thought, “I will not lose this war. My child is going to have a safe place to live. The Realm has been at war too long.”
Sprig came over and said, “Congratulations, now Lady Gardner, if you will come with me.” Cassandra furrowed her brow and said, “Can’t this wait a few moments?”
“No, it can’t.”
Cassandra looked at Sprig and could sense the anxiety the young Algean was having. She turned to Rose and said, “I must go. I’m so happy for you and I’ll talk with you when I return.” She said this as Sprig was pulling her by the arm to a space away from the group. Sprig pressed his teleport device and they disappeared from the room.
Tommy looked at Tag and Kosiev and said, “I haven’t seen him that worked up since the day Wes was chasing him.”
Wes shouted from the end of the table, “You really didn’t have to go there.”
Tommy started chuckling and then laughed out loud. “It’s still hilarious, 3D.”
Wes took his head in his hands and said, “I suspect I’ll never outlive that event.”
Tommy looked at Tag and Kosiev again and said, “What are they working on?”
Tag looked at Kosiev and said, “I really don’t know but I suspect it will be something that will surprise us all.”
Tommy stopped laughing and said, “Where are they?”
Kosiev said, “Somewhere with Atlas and Twig.”
Tommy furrowed his brow and said nothing for a moment and then said, “Atlas is involved in what they’re doing?”
Tag put his arm around Tommy’s shoulders and said, “Kinda gets the ole curiosity going doesn’t it?”
Tommy said, “Yes, it does.” Then he thought, “Cassandra, is everything alright?”
Cassandra thought back, “Yes, but Twig is coming to get you. You need to join us.”
Twig suddenly appeared under the display and walked forward and took Tommy’s hand and pulled him away from the group. “Excuse me, I need Duke Gardner to go with me.” Then they disappeared.
Rose looked at Danielle and said, “What was that all about?”
Danielle smiled and said, “He’ll be fine. I just want to sit and think about being a grandmother.”
Rose smiled and said, “If it’s a girl we’re naming her Dannie.”
Danielle jumped up and started hugging her daughter again.
Tag shouted from across the room, “And if it’s a boy.”
Rose smiled and said, “That we’re keeping a secret.”
Tag looked at Kosiev and shook his head, “That figures.”
Kosiev started laughing and said, “You already have a son named after you. Don’t be greedy.”
“Easy for you to say; I want the girl named after me, too.”
Kosiev reached over and took a handful of popcorn out of Tag’s bag. “Hey, get your own.”
Kosiev smiled and said, “I fear I have underestimated the greediness.” Tag started laughing and then went to hold his wife.
Tommy and Twig appeared in Atlas’ control room and saw Cassandra and Sprig in an animated conversation with Atlas. “I don’t care if it’s possible; it still leaves the issue of my brothers in captivity.”
Tommy walked over to Cassandra and said, “What’s going on?”
“Sprig and Twig have a wild idea about sending the Captors into the new universe that was just formed when the spark ignited. Atlas is concerned that if they go, we have no way to release the field holding his brothers and even if we did, they aren’t ready to be released.”
Atlas said, “Tommy, we started this whole adventure to ultimately release my family from captivity. That screen holding them is impossible to penetrate. It could take millions of years to develop the means to get through it.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “Atlas, do you think that the conflict we’re in with the Captors, if it goes to its natural conclusion, will leave any of them alive if we happen to win?”
Atlas was silent. Sprig said, “I just can’t see allowing it to go to total extermination of them, or us. There is a possibility that we might be able to end this conflict without having to destroy each other. However, it’s a moot point if we can’t do what I hoped.”
Tommy said, “Sprig, what do you have in mind?”
“We have the centers where the energy particle just exploded into a new universe and I thought that there might be a doorway into that new universe that the Captors could move through.”