Atlas turned and he could hear the millions of ships calling to him. He ignored them and said to one of the Captor Warriors, “Carry out your instructions.”
The fifty Captors fired an energy field into the matrix holding the Alfont ships and then pulled the matrix with them toward the nexus. As it was pulled away Atlas saw one silver ship remaining behind.
The ship said, “Why are you not sending me with them?”
“Because I heard you trying to convince the others not to destroy other life forms; you said it when there was no benefit for expressing your view except to be ostracized by all the others. The fact that you stood by that belief has persuaded me that you can be trusted.”
The silver ship moved over next to Atlas made contact with his hull. “You feel so much better than all the others. I guess that means we are the only two of our race in this universe.”
Atlas felt her touch and his heart swelled, “Yes we are. I hope you and I can work together to make this universe a better place.”
She also felt the heat of their touch and said, “I truly look forward to our future and perhaps we can make our children see the wisdom of that vision. Atlas was smiling. He no longer felt alone.
“Will you take me to meet your children?”
“Come with me. I have someone that will give you a name.” Atlas took his companion and jumped to the Ross system.
Tommy and Cassandra had listened in to the two Alfont and as the millions of Captors entered the nexus at high speed; they felt their love for each other grow from feeling the emotions the two Alfont were sharing. Cassandra held Tommy tighter and thought, “This universe is already a better place and our children should also learn the wisdom we’ve seen.”
Tommy looked into Cassandra’s eyes and said “Children?”
Cassandra smiled and said, “I think it was my being pregnant that finally released the particle.”
Tommy felt his love explode and held on to her as tightly as he could as Captors flashed past them into the nexus.”
Epilogue
Atlas and his companion jumped to Ross where they found a very distraught Gardner family. Atlas explained what was happening and the announcement went out that the war was over with the Captors and that they had left the Stars Realm universe. The celebrations began at once and festival was everywhere in the realm.
Atlas asked Tag to name his companion and Tag named her Diana after the Roman Goddess that was Queen of the open sky and responsible for fertility and childbirth. Diana loved her name and over the ensuing years became as famous as her mate.
Tommy and Cassandra remained at the nexus until all the Captors were gone except for the First Male and First Mother. The First Male told them that they would change the role their instincts played in their lives now that there was abundant pure energy; his race would begin to evolve in another direction. The First Mother also said something that bothered them. She told them that she feared that the explosion of the new universe might cause the Eight Legs to return sooner than normal to investigate the explosion. They would know that the explosion would only happen if there was an advanced life form capable of causing it. The First Mother also left a gift for them.
“The Eight Legs have not attacked us because they cannot see us due to the color of our energy screens. They are blind to that frequency of red. I am leaving you an energy generator that produces that screen. Duplicate it and use it to hide from them. If they come they will arrive in the billions. They could come as far in the future as a million years or it could be next week. Begin preparing now.”
The First Male added, “I have also left a recording of them from their last invasion. It might help you see what you need to do to survive. Thank you for our new home and we hope your lives will be full.”
The First Male and First Mother then entered the nexus to join their children and Tommy and Cassandra closed the doorway into the new universe.
They were greeted to a hero’s welcome when they arrived at Ross and the celebration exploded into fever pitch when the Realm learned that both Rose and Cassandra were expecting children. Tag and Danielle were beyond words to express their happiness at becoming Grandparents.
Sprig and Twig went back to their home planet and were received into the Grove of Elders and Sprig was named the successor to the Eldest Leader. Once it was learned that Sprig and Twig had downloaded each other together, it became a common practice for the developing adolescents and the Algeans learned the meaning of love for a mate. Sprig and Twig stayed together in the Sacred Grove and shared their learning with their people.
Kosiev sat on board the ship that carried his name and watched all that was happening. Finally he commed Admiral Mikado, “Lin, do you remember when we were on the old destroyer Moscow?”
“Yes, I do sir. It seems like it was a million years ago.”
“Do you remember that I wanted to go visit a certain star outside the twenty light year limit?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Would you like to take some time off and go see it with me?”
Mikado smiled, “Would I ever.”
Kosiev smiled and said, “I’ve taken one of the old destroyers out of storage and named it Moscow. It’s time to wish upon that star.”
Mikado punched his com and ran from the bridge of the Rising Sun and yelled to his bridge crew as he boarded the lift, “See you later. Don’t wait up for me.”
Tag sat with his arm around Danielle in their room in front of the fire holding their two new grand children in their laps. Tag looked at her and said, “I love you so much, Dearest.”
Danielle smiled, looked into his eyes and said, “Love conquers all.” Then she closed her eyes and held on tightly to the man she loved so much.
The End
Excerpt from Annihilation, Book V-Searcher
“H old out, Captain. Use your links to fire your cannons.”
The two hundred and fifty warriors in each group released their grips on their shoulder mounted auto cannons and allowed their armor’s computer to take over firing. They then pulled their long swords and waited as the enormous green mass moved closer and closer. The two lines of warriors had fifty yards of spacing between their lines but they began slowly giving ground until the two groups were literally back to back. Then the on rushing green horde hit their lines and the killing got close and personal.
Brez swung his sword and cut off a spider’s head then turned and jammed the eight foot blade directly into the mouth of a spider leaping at him from behind. He ripped the sword out and slashed at another spider leaping at the back of the warrior beside him and then ducked as a spider passed over his head and hit another warrior in the back taking him down to the pavement and biting through his armor. The spider died as another warrior cut it in half with a sword slash. Brez’s auto cannon turned and fired six rounds into a spider leaping at his head and then shot two more spiders that had hit warriors beside him. The killing was happening almost faster than Brez could follow. Brez saw a four foot circle around Juck as the small Cainth walked through the green mass swinging the four swords faster than eyes could follow. Suddenly, Brez was hit and fell to the ground with a spider thrusting its fangs at his neck.