Pt. 03

This story has been amended with Adult content.

By T Hodge

Chapter 26

Part 3 of 4

Tim wanted to follow up on Tabitha's and Sherald's ships. He asked if Sherald and DarkIce could meet with him. They were to meet in an hour on Tabitha's ship.

Both ships were leaving Tabitha's homeworld to follow Star Gladiator One. The three sat on the bridge and talked about what needed to be done to improve the two vessels.

DarkIce informed Tim about improvements already being made to both vessels. These enhancements are the ones that could be done without being in a dry dock.

Tim needed an individual with the knowledge of fighting and the art of war. He wanted Shanae to be the one in charge when it came to battle. But DarkIce would be the one to command both ships.

Sherald understood and said, "It's fine with me. If anything goes wrong, I don't want to think I killed my friend's."

"DarkIce, you understand why I want Shanae to be in charge during a battle?"

"Yes, she's a good advisor in this area, the two of us will have no problem with her."

"It also means that she will be here for the greater part of the time. Will that cause a problem?"

"No, she has a pleasant personality and is easy to get along with."

The rest of the meeting took an hour, with all things being said. Tim headed back to the Star Gladiator 1.

***

Tim sat in the captain's seat as he looked at the viewscreen and the vast number of stars. He thought, '

there are so many places to go. Where to next

?' His thoughts were interrupted, "Tim, we will be going through a new system. We will be sending out the 50 probes like always.

After that, we will be in the Khecia system. That is where Tabitha's father wanted us to check on some friends, called Undain. Their planet is named Unphea. It is the sixth planet out."

"This new system does it have any life forms. If so, you need to keep us cloaked. Let me know if you need me. I'm going to the fitness room." Tim went there, exercised for two hours, and went to his living quarters.

Tim walked into his unit, and Shanae was sitting on the couch. "Tim, do you mind if we talk?" She just sat there.

Tim moved over to a chair next to her. "What would you like to talk about?"

"I know I am a concubine, and I was meant for one man. But that man has been dead for 500 years. You were the first person I saw, so I figured you were my new owner. All the time I've been with you. You have treated me like a human being, for which I thank you."

"Did l do something wrong?"

"Oh No, just the opposite. I have felt right at home with you. You would treat any woman like she was a Queen."

"Well, tell me the problem, and I will correct it."

"The problem is that I developed feelings for somebody else. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is weird. Because I'm not supposed to have any feelings."

"Do you mind if I ask who this new person is?"

"You're not going to be angry, are you? Because it's DarkIce."

"No, I am pleased for both of you. Does he have an opinion?

"He knows that and understands that I will outlive him."

"Well, if you feel strongly about it, I suggest you go see him."

Shanae got up and gave Tim a hug and kiss on the cheek, and left.

Tim sat there in the chair and thought,

'Am I a fool? That's someone who'll be here as long as me.'

He got up and went to lay down for a while.

***

Sometime later. Tim came back to the bridge to find out how things were going.

"Tim, I need to have a word with you privately," Sarha said.

"Why don't we go to the debriefing room?" Tim entered the debriefing room and sat in his chair. "OK, Sarha, what do I need to hear, that we need privacy?"

"Tim, I have been monitoring all the channels in this system that we are going through. There were reports about the Prince's wife and children being missing. I had one of our probes go closer to that planet. Just to check, to see if there were any other details. It seems that we are going through an area of Deniece's husband's kingdom."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. All the data the probes have gathered with dates and times match. But there's more. It seems that Deniece's husband is a prince. Some of the data coming back gave the impression, he was not liked."

There is even more, and it seems that the old King heard about the attack by the red ants and that Deniece and the children were missing and presumed dead. He declared them dead. The Prince disagreed with that and had the King and Queen killed."

"So now Deniece is a Queen, and the kids are Prince and princess. Is there anything else about Deniece and the children?"

"No, but with him killing the King and Queen, there is a revolution going on."

"Well, we will not get involved in this."

"I understand, but are you going to tell Deniece this information?"

"Yes, would you please ask her to visit me here, alone?"

"I asked her to report to you as soon as possible by herself."

Deniece was with Miss C, inventorying a shipment. "Tell Tim I'll be right there. Miss C, could you watch the kids until I get back?" She then turned and headed to the bridge.

Denice walked onto the bridge and looked for Tim. She saw Sarha pointing to the door of the debriefing room.

Deniece gave Sarha a strange look, as what is all this about? She turned and walked right into the room.

Tim watched the door. He stood when Deniece entered, motioned for her to have a seat. She came over and sat down, "OK, Tim, what's all this mystery about?"

"First, you never did tell us which system you were from and what your husband did. I didn't ask because it was none of my business."

"

Excuse me

, ... I don't know the answer to these questions. They didn't say anything to me. Eat, don't talk, and I did nothing but take care of the children."

"So, did you know anything about your husband? But you said he was dead."

"No, we didn't speak, I was there to look good and do what he called sex."

"We're going through a system. Sarha has discovered that this is the system you came from, and your husband was a prince."

Deniece sat back in the chair. It took a moment, "You are kidding me?" Now she had a shocked look. He is dead, as far as I and the kids are concerned, he's dead. The end of that."

"No, but his father heard about you and the kids and the Red Ants and declared you dead. Your husband then killed his parents and became the King."

"No way, that little creep, now the King. The Red Ants had more brains and sense than he does."

"Well, here is the question I have for you. Will you take the kids and go home and become the queen?"

"No. I won't have my kids live the way he does, and I cannot return to him, queen or no queen. I'm learning what it's like to live."

"The next question. Are you going to tell the kids about this?"

"Someday, they have the right to know. But for now, No."

"Next, we must make this a registered recognition that you and the children are of royal blood."

"For what reason?"

"If and when the children learn about it and want to claim their share. They will be granted official recognition."

"OK, how do we do this without the whole ship finding out?"

"Sarha, can I ask for your help?"

"Yes, Tim."

"If I want everything about Deniece and the kid to stay a secret but can be revealed later, how would that be?"

"I would place everything we know about them in an encrypted file. Access to this file is limited to you, Deniece, David, and Wendy."

Tim turned to see Deniece. "Will that be all right?"

Deniece nodded.

"Now for the last thing. You are no longer a married woman since the King of your world has declared you and the kids dead. That means you and the kids are now free."

Deniece stood and turned on her toes and exclaimed, "I am free. .. Free... now single and free." She stopped and approached Tim and said, "Thanks." And then she gave Tim a big kiss, and it lasted about a minute, and she just ran out.

As Deniece ran from the room, she closed the door and stopped, and she thought, '

I'm free, and the first man I kissed was Tim. But now, I will have to control myself. These crew members will want to know why I am so happy.

' She looked around, and a few were looking in her direction. "I have just been made a bookkeeper." She said as she walked away.

She went back to work now with a fresh perspective on life. She and the children were liberated. She was in great spirits.

"Tim must have shared some great news with you. You look like a new person, and I want to know." Miss C took a break from work to listen to Deniece.

Deniece didn't want to tell Miss C the truth, so she said, "Tim offered me a job on one of the other ships. I would be the bookkeeper over there."

"Well, when do you start?"

"I won't, and I turned it down."

"Why are you so happy then?"

"Because he thought of me for the job."

"Because he thought of you, I don't understand?"

"When I came here, I had no skills. The only thing I ever did was take care of my kids. Now, look, he's asking me. ... Me to do a job." She thought,

'I hope I'm doing a good job of acting

.'

Miss C hugged her. "I feel so proud of you. What would I have done if you weren't here?"

"Well, let's get back to work since I am here to stay now." She thought,

'I really mean that the kids and I are here to make a new home and friends

.'

***

"Tim, we have crossed that system, and I have all the information you wanted and what I needed."

"Keep that information in the encrypted files. Let's head on over to Unphea. As soon as we get into their system, send out the cloaked probes. I want to know about these people before we meet them. So, go in cloaked."

"I will keep you updated."

"Tabatha, I was hoping you could say something to your father. I will require the name of one of the Undain's to do the research." Said Sarha.

"I'll go and speak to him; that way, I can see my mother."

"How is your mother doing?"

"She's fine, but with father constantly taking care of all the world's business, She doesn't get to see him much."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I think I might invite her and King Elbert's mother over for Tea."

"Why?"

"King Elbert says that his mother is depressed at the death of her husband. I thought perhaps if I put them together. They could become friends and look out for each other."

"Tabitha, you are definitely becoming a diplomat."

"Well, thanks for that. I was planning on taking them to the Two Elves restaurant."

"I'm told this is a good place to eat, although I can't eat, I can't drink, I can't even smell anything. There are times when it sucks to be an AI."

"Well, I'll take you at your word and take them there. I should probably get you a name. I'll be back in a minute." Tabitha walked to the lift and to the MTS, and to her father's castle.

Tabitha returned approximately two hours later, "Sarha, the name is Gusha, he is with the sects of Norrisland. This is a highly influential religious group. He stays in a town known as Dogmas."

"Father thinks he is some sort of public official."

"I will start cross-referencing the name and see what I can find. By the way, what did your mother say about King Elbert's mother?"

"She's ready to meet for tea and then see how it goes from there."

"Well, that's a starter. When is it going to take place?"

"Tomorrow, but first, I'll need to go see Elbert's mom."

***

"Tim, this is the Khecia system. We're sending out the probes. We can sit on the edge of the system until the probes come back. If that's what you want?"

It was three hours, and the signals started coming in. "Tim, the probe we sent to Unphea, it's sending back signals of a struggle in progress."

"How big of a struggle is it?"

"The probe reports twenty ships total. At present, it's a stand-off."

"Let's move closer while still being cloaked. We'll see what is going on before we decide."

The Star Gladiator 1 moved within the scanner range of the struggle. "Sarha, is there any way to listen in on their channels to see what is going on?"

"Tim, the communications are on the speakers and translated."

"Give up, you cannot win; we are a stronger sect." said the first ship.

"We will not turn to your side. We are proud Unphea's." The other replied.

Tim looked at Sarha. "So, is this a civil war?"

"Who is the pilot for the third corvette today?"

"That would be Chencai."

"Have her and her crew report to their ship now," Tim replied.

"Tim, they're on their way. The ship will launch in ten minutes."

"I want them out of the firing range at all times."

"Sarha, I want both the camera and mine probes cloaked and ready."

"Tim, shields, and weapons are ready. The corvette's crew are ready to leave the bay."

"Let me know when we are within visual range."

"We will be there in five minutes." Replied Sarha.

"I want a yellow alert, all individuals to their battle stations."

"Tammy, have all your pilots to their ships, encase," Tim said.

"Tim, we have the ships on the screen now."

"Sarha, I need a scan of all ships, information needed, weapons, personal numbers, and shields."

Tim turned to look at the screen and saw the twenty ships. There were ten for each side. The largest is a battleship and nine corvettes.

"Chencai, I want you to take your ship and just move it straight out and hold that position. The bay doors will stay open, so you have a reference point."

"Sarha, once she is out, I need an open channel to all ships."

"Tim, Chencai is in the position now. The channels are open."

"Attention to all ships. This is Captain Tim Bodge of the Star Gladiator 1. Stop firing."

"Who the hell do you think you are to tell us to stop firing?" A reply.

"Yell, Who are you anyway?" the second ship replied.

"I am Tim Bodge, I command the Star Gladiator 1, and I came to see a friend."

"And who is the friend you wish to see?" came the reply from the first ship.

"His name is Gusha."

"Gusha, he is our mayor." Said the second ship.

"But here in space, there is no mayor. So, if you do not mind, please leave." The first ship replied.

"I will leave after I see the mayor if you don't mind." Tim now has Sarha place cloaked mines between the ships.

"Leave now, or I'll blow that small ship of yours up."

"Well, the little ship that you see is not my ship. ... Sarha uncloak ... This is my little ship."

Sarha uncloaks the Star Gladiator 1, "Now, if you would like to continue this discussion, so be it."

"Yes, I and all my ships will still blast you to bits."

"I'll tell you what. Both groups will have one shot from one ship each at this ship. If you hit it, I'll leave. But in return, I get one shot at a ship."

"You said that if we strike your ship, you will depart. What do you mean when you say hit?

It's an easy question. The answer to this question is as follows. Your shot should put a mark somewhere on this ship."

"So, each of us fires a shot at your ship, and if that shot leaves a mark of some kind. Then you leave. And if we don't, you get to fire a shot at our ship?"

"That is correct, let me know when you are ready."

To be continued: