Chapter 19

Thomas changed to the scans he’d done on the huge field of debris. “That,” came Thomas’ voice. “Is all that is left of a Meltry battleship that went against her. I am reading no less than a hundred Meltry type torpedoes, high yield. My new shields against her thermic missiles, against these? No chance.”

Esmerelda’s eyes went large, then she nodded that was indeed a hell of a lot more power than she’d seen before. “I have our engineers working on stronger shields, though right now they are barely twice as strong. It appears she’d shred those. I am sending you the new configuration, keep trying to kill her between both of us, we should succeed.”

Esmerelda looked at all the data that her son had sent her. Damnit! How was the little bitch improving everything as fast as she was? At this rate, the fleet wasn’t going to be able to keep up. At the present time, this new weapon made her far more deadly.

A shake of her head, she had better warn the last strong ally that they had. God, she hated talking to that pompous windbag.

“Emperor Piton, I bring you news from the Zetcron colonies or, rather, where they were,” Esmerelda said.

“News? What news?” The emperor asked.

“The defeat of one of your battleships,” Esmerelda said as she showed the emperor the pictures that Thomas had sent.

As she thought, the emperor’s face turned blood red as he started to yell.

“I want the entire fleet on alert, we will destroy this enemy. No one destroys our ships and survives long,” he yelled.

“It was hoped that this information would aid you,” Esmerelda started.

“Your information is of no coincidence, especially from a lesser species,” the king was saying.

Esmerelda cut him off, her own face blood-red, “you should be careful who you insult. Our shields and weapons are equal to yours. If needed, we will let you wallow through this.”

“You are blood-oath pledged to us, you cannot,” the king started again.

“Blood oath? BLOOD-OATH! We are allies nothing more, you helped us and the other five races to destroy the human threat. Now I am afraid that one of them has reached ultimate evolution,” Esmerelda said.

“WHAT!? You and the rest were supposed to eliminate all of them. We just kept the rest from escaping, taking all that we could for navigation and learning centers,” the king said, starting to grow angry.

“Yes,” Esmerelda spit, “we know of your tendency to take prisoners. We also know of your serums, do not think that you are dealing with a kingdom that is beneath you. We have advanced a lot more than you think, she is already heading to eliminate the last of the Zetcrons.”

The king started to yell orders in rapid succession. “It was thought that the loss of two of your battleships might be of interest. I will go and let you deal with the loss,” Esmerelda started to laugh when she clicked off, the king yelling at her.

A moment later, a tech advised her that the king was demanding that she answer. Esmerelda laughed, then told her to send a message. No one demands of the Earth kingdom.

The king almost blew a vein as the answer pissed him off royally.

Wren had Trigon following the ships she’d allowed to escape. Of the three planets that were where they were, one had been ignored. Now, three hours later, they ignored a second.

An almost sadistic smile came to her features as she checked her weapon status. “Alright, we have a pretty good idea where the Zetcron home world is. We need to take the hundred we rescued to Decacon-one,” Wren said.

“Now opening portal,” Trigon said. Wren watched as the portal opened, then changed color and size. They went into it faster than she remembered, then were exiting less than a minute later.

Wren had Trigon stand down all orbital defenses, then they landed. A great number of people came out to meet her.

Wren was almost embarrassed when most of those present bowed to her. “Princess Wren,” a tall stately male said to her. “We thank you for the chance of life again.”

It was then that Wren saw that the twenty or so there helped to get the hundred from her ship. She also noticed that they had tried to start a few new buildings.

Wren spoke to the tall male, then stared at the new housing buildings, a moment later they were completed.

The almost two hundred were still in a partial daze, though many of the second hundred were known by the first.

The tall stately male took Wren aside a moment as she was getting ready to leave. “Princess, we heard rumors that the Zetcrons were granted a minor though important human. Is it possible that another member of the Royal family is being held there?”

Wren’s face, though appearing calm, did not betray the seething anger she was feeling inside. Wait she thought, a minor important human? That could mean her father, was it possible? God, she hoped so, though the anger was still building in her.

The male showed her the few things they had already accomplished in the time she had been gone. Wren was shocked at the weapons and controls they had already built. Then there were the crops that were almost ready, damn in that short of a time.

Wren bid them goodbye opening a portal, they had just moved into it when a thought hit Wren. Holy shit, that was the first earth councilor. No wonder they had organized as well as they had.

“I need status on the new area that we grew Trigon,” Wren said.

“The new area is almost complete. When complete we should have capacity for no less than four hundred,” Trigon reported.

Wren nodded her head then thought of all that the first councilor had discussed with her. Wren shook her head she was expecting more than the four hundred she was expecting.

“I want all the pods working on increasing the inside. I’m afraid that we aren’t going to have enough room. From what I heard, they have to have a lot of brain power,” Wren said.

“I have at least six of the pods ready, master Wren. How much more do you need?” Trigon asked.

“I believe we are going to need enough for, let’s do another two hundred feet. From what I heard, that should be enough, Wren said.

“Compliance,” Trigon said. “All available pods are now commencing assigned duties. All weapons are at the ready, missiles are nearing completion. There are a total of four complete shatter bombs.”

“Very good Trigon time ‘til completion of the extra area?” Wren asked.

“It shouldn’t be more than five hours,” Trigon said.

Wren nodded her head as she thought for a few moments. A moment later, a portal opened in front of her.

“I’ll return as soon as I can, got enough time to release a few more. Keep me abreast of any changes,” Wren said as she stepped through.

Flugrent and her sister were standing there when she appeared. “Sister! “ She heard the high and happy voice of Helene.

“Hey Helene. Everything been alright?” Wren asked, seeing the serious look on her sister’s face.

“Do you think I should train like you did? The masters said I was at level three, might I train?” Helene asked.

Wren thought about it, then looked at Flugrert, getting as usual, nothing from his expression. Releasing a deep sigh, she thought that with her as high as she was, she thought she could read him.

“So, master, what do you think? As the others said, she is at level three,” Wren asked.

“As you know,” Flugret started.

Wren held up a hand, “I know I know, it’s not up to you. You have to ask the others.”

A broad smile dominated Flugret’s features as he nodded. A few moments later, most of the masters were there,

After a few minutes, they all turned toward Wren with serious expressions. “If we agree, we feel that you also should help with her training.”

Wren’s mouth dropped open, her teach. What in the hell were they on about? “I thought that I wasn’t nearly that good at the art to teach.”

The first master turned to the tenth master, who moved and attacked Wren. After a few minutes, they both stopped looking amazed at each other.

“I would say that you’re indeed strong and high enough. You just have to remember that she is a lot lower, and you could hurt her easily,” the first master said.

She nodded as she faced Helene, “I want you to come at me, try to hit me.” She nodded and for the next twenty or so minutes she went as hard as she could.

Wren stopped them as she noticed that Helene was starting to glow. All the masters were also slightly surprised, then started to scan her.

The first master then turned toward Wren, “It appears that she has moved into lower level four. She also appears to not be suffering the ill affects you did.”

Wren nodded, almost expecting something like this, after all, there always seemed to be one that set the way.

“I am proud of you, Helene, at least now you won’t be a victim or easy to take. That helps to put my mind at ease a bit,” she told a proud-looking Helene.

“That helps a lot, sister,” she said.

She then moved past all of them, going to the chrysalis room, though she felt most of them following her. She went directly to the chrysalis, placing a hand on it. A moment later, she and the chrysalis started to glow.

Rena was standing nearby with Helene in case something happened. As usual, spots started to break away from the chrysalis, though this time something was different.

“NO! Wren, you aren’t strong enough!” Rena started to yell.

“What’s going on?” Helene asked.

“Your sister is attempting more than four,” Rena said, fear in her voice.

Helene turned toward Wren as not four, but five spots broke away.

At first all seemed alright, then as they all elongated, Wren started to shake a bit. Rena tried to grab Helene as she charged toward her sister.

She connected with Wren right after two of the shapes started to scream. “Damnit!” Wren was mumbling under her breath, then she felt something collide with her side. The problem was it didn’t bounce off, it actually held there a few moments.