“Sprig, that universe is hot and will remain that way for hundreds of thousands of years as it expands,” Cassandra said.
“We know that but we don’t know how much heat the Captors can tolerate. They are energy beings that live on energy which leads me to suspect that they would prefer the new universe if they could survive in it.”
“So what’s the problem,” Tommy asked?
“We can’t move anything from our universe into the new one. Everything we’ve sent into the centers has been destroyed.”
Tommy frowned and then said, “You brought Cassandra and I here for a reason. What do you think we can do to change the current situation?”
“Twig said, “You remember that it was you and Cassandra touching each other that originally caused the particle to reach a high temperature. Now that the particle has ignited and exploded, we think that it can still be influenced by the two of you together.” Tommy furrowed his brow and Twig continued, “I know, it’s a wild idea but it’s worth an effort to see.”
Cassandra sighed and said, “What do you want us to do?”
Sprig walked over and put his branches on Tommy’s and Cassandra’s shoulders. “I want you to hold each other and take your minds into the energy center and see if there is any kind of control over what’s happening. If you find something, we will fire a high shielded Coronado ball into the center.”
Tommy looked at Cassandra and said, “I nearly lost you when you went into the center. Is this safe?”
Cassandra raised her eyebrows and said, “I honestly don’t know but if this has the possibility of saving hundreds of thousands of ships, can we refuse to try?”
Tommy looked at her and shook his head. “No, I guess not.”
Sprig said, “Tommy, I think that if you had been with Cassandra when she was drawn into the center, she may not have been affected. I hope that it is the two of you that has the real power in the energy space.”
“Atlas.”
“Yes, Tommy.”
“We will find a way to free your family when they are ready. I promise you we will not forget them.”
“I know; I just haven’t thought things through and you’re right. If you are successful against the Captors, we would still be stuck with that field. If they are successful, they will never remove the field. Either way, the results are the same. Do what you have to do, Tommy.”
“Thanks, Atlas.” Tommy reached and took Cassandra in his arms. “We need to do this more often, Dear.”
Cassandra closed her eyes and felt Tommy come into her mind. Immediately they felt the center where the particle had exploded. “Would you like to enter with me?”
Tommy felt the immense space in the center and said, “It’s beautiful. Let’s go take a look.”
Cassandra went into the center and saw the place where the particle had broken into the new universe. The entrance was the size of a neutron but they could see the new universe through it as it expanded away from the center of the explosion at the speed of light. Tommy and Cassandra felt at peace and could feel each other’s love. Tommy thought, “I could stay here forever, Cassie. You are such a complete part of me in here.”
“I feel it, too, Tommy. I love you.”
“Better tell Sprig to launch the ball.”
“I will but I don’t want to do anything to the first one. I just want to see what happens.” Cassandra sent a thought to Sprig, “Fire a ball into the center, Sprig. We want to just watch and see what happens to the first one.”
Immediately a Coronado Ball was fired into the center. Tommy and Cassandra watched at it approached the point of the new universe and then it hit and blew apart. “Tommy, I can push the next ball through. We don’t even need to fire it.”
“I know, but the others need confirmation that we can do it.”
Cassandra thought, “Sprig, fire another.”
The ball entered the energy center and approached the entry point. Tommy and Cassandra surrounded the ball with their psychic aura and watched as it went through the point into the new universe.”
“Let’s go back,” Tommy thought.
“I’m with you all the way, my love.”
Sprig watched his instruments as Tommy and Cassandra opened their eyes. “Looks like you did it,” Atlas said.
“Yes we did. We know how to send objects into the new universe. Now we need to see if we can do anything with this skill.” Tommy then looked at Cassandra and said, “Do you feel ok?”
“Yes, Sprig was right. You being there made the difference. I think we need to go back to the meeting and see what we should do with this information.”
Sprig and Twig looked at each other and Twig thought, “We have to get them to see what will happen if they don’t use this process.”
“I know. I know.” Sprig looked at Tommy and Cassandra and said, “I want you to do something before you leave.”
Tommy looked at Sprig and said, “What?”
Sprig lowered himself down to their level and said, “I want you to go and talk with the Captors about our idea.”
Tommy furrowed his brow and said, “Why would we do that without talking with the Realm’s leadership?”
“Because you are probably going to have to open your mind to them and if you don’t know our plans on how we are going to attack them, then you can’t reveal them.”
Tommy looked at Sprig, “You’re not being totally honest, Sprig. That may be a good reason but it’s not the real one.”
Sprig looked at Tommy and then looked at Twig who raised her branches and said, “Tell, him.”
Cassandra looked at Twig and said, “Tell him what?”
Sprig fell silent for a minute, “Tommy, Twig and I have assimilated all of the knowledge in every library in the Stars Realm. When we downloaded into each other we developed totally new perspectives on how all of it related.”
“I’m aware of that, Sprig.”
“What you are not aware of is that if you totally destroy the Captors, the Stars Realm will fall apart and probably have civil war among its members within a hundred years.”
Tommy, Cassandra, and Atlas were stunned by Sprig’s statement. “How did you make that determination,” Atlas asked?
Twig said, “Do you know why my race stopped the war against you?”
Cassandra interjected, “Because Admiral Dorg shared his thoughts with your Eldest leader.”
Sprig leaned back and asked, “What was it about his thoughts that persuaded the Eldest to make that decision.”
Tommy thought for a few minutes and then he saw it. “The Eldest saw that we did not destroy Admiral Dorg’s race even though they had done things to deserve it. If we totally destroy the Captors then the Algeans will know that we do possess the capacity to exterminate an entire species.” Tommy sighed heavily, looked at Cassandra, and continued, “All of our member planets will also know that the Stars Realm leadership can make that kind of decision. Since Earth, Glod, and Cainth hold the most important positions, the other members will begin to fear that, just like the Central Committee in the old Alliance; we can destroy them if they step out of line. If we can do it once, we can do it again.”
Sprig said, “Tommy, unfortunately, once you cross that line, you’re never the same again. Totally exterminating another race changes how you see and feel about yourselves.”
“But, Sprig, they would totally destroy us if they could,” Cassandra said.
Sprig didn’t say anything. Tommy looked at Sprig and Twig and said, “Yes they would, Darling; they would do it because we started this war. We were the aggressors.”
Atlas said, “How do you arrive at that conclusion?”
Sprig looked at Tommy and said, “You see it now, don’t you?”
Tommy nodded his head slowly, “Atlas. What if we had decided to follow your original instructions and not go near the Captors and leave them alone; what would have happened?”
Atlas said, “Nothing, until they came to Earth’s system to inhabit Jupiter and killed everything in it.”