Astra Pt. 04

They had to deal with a coup attempt during that time and it was connected. The Pralons sensors, as examined in the future could not pick-up long-range FTL or system engine activity. They could scan it and follow the trails if local. Now the disruption from the spatial charges is another matter. They picked that up which brought them to the area well after we had left. Corridor 3 was impassable by that point.

Once they got to the area, they would have detected the advance engine signatures and trailed them into the system. As soon as I was made aware of who it was and how many ships, I knew this was no ordinary Pralon group.

They travel in groups of 1-6 ships. They eat anyone and steal technology but are horrible at incorporating it. This group had 10 ships with 3 of them being Capital Ships capable of using a weapon that surrounds and disables all ships in an area the size of Saturn in 3 overlapping circles.

We employed some of the strategies from the future into how to get close enough to eliminate this threat. During this fight, the Terran Military Lancers penetrated their defense perimeter and destroyed several of the smaller ships with the assistance of King Arthur my Stingray scout ship. The Excalibur had ranged weapons and coordinated the attack.

While a small strike team of 4 hybrids penetrated one of the ships to try and disable that bastardized weapon they were using. Merlin, the shuttle you have all seen was the assault craft and after we had entered the structure it was destroyed during the fighting. That left us with a need to get to their hangar to commander an escape vehicle.

During this activity, we discovered a Drakor scout ship. Being hybrids we had the DNA to be able to get inside of it. The Drakor monitored hybrid activity since the beginning. I was contacted by one who I will simply call Justice because that was his personality type.

We were alike in that area. I had Drakor technology, more swords on board than I knew what to do with. Who knows what was in weapons and engine technology in front of me. They asked me what I was going to do with it?

I told them to get my crew on board, use the ship to escape and find a way to meet up with them to return their ship to them. I told them humanity was not ready for that kind of technology. Astra, run the video of the Drakor attack on the Praylons after they told us to get our fighters out of the area. Which we did comply with."

Randy watched the video and the sheer firepower from the one massive Capital Ship that the Drakor brought in to exterminate the lot of them within seconds.

Jack looked across at her, "Can you tell me based on human history that that kind of firepower in one or both hands of a conflict would allow humanity to survive? Humanity has a lot of growing up to do to be able to responsibly control the power of that nature.

The test that was supposed to be completed for our hybrids in Tau Ceti in roughly 3 years was completed on Titan following that battle. The enemy that destroyed humanity in 3081 sees us as a worthy species because of our actions.

Five hybrids went down. We returned the sword they gave us. Only 2 of us had them. The metal I had been working on creating called Solid Metallic Hydrogen is what we took with us.

They found it stable and deemed to be an excellent source of material for the creation of our own swords. 5 hybrids returned with new swords and the process for creating more for future hybrids. Now you might think we are being put into a position of power to rule over man.

That is not the case. We individually have to embrace our nature. Our nature has no room for political corruption. We are protectors of humanity. Every sword got a name that describes its wielder. They called me the 'Even Hands of Justice' because of the inscription on my sword. That was because they consider the sword and the hands to be the same.

We consider the hands cannot be even when one is weaker. I deal with aspects of Justice. My sword now has the name 'Dispenser of Justice', I have only one and it looks like a katana for me. Every user's sword is different but we have the same three-blade colors that the Drakor have. Our styles of swords reflect us and the culture we grew up in." He held up his hands, "Ladies swords."

The sword flew into their hands and activated. Randy was shocked to see this and then saw them turn them off and store them away. She looked at him, "Were the swords a threat at humanity?"

He shook his head, "No they were shown to show you the diversity of our sword as compared to the Drakor swords that were loaned to two of us before. The fact we have more swords and more hybrids. Not all my wives chose this route and it was a choice.

Grace is my lawyer and her sword is called 'Lady Justice.' Sprits has the only blue blade so far. Her sword is a Protector of the young; or protector of humanities children. Each person has their own goals, aspirations, and ideologies. The blades do not judge good and evil.

They identify those who are aggressive protectors, Defensive protectors, hard-charging protectors, and protectors of justice as they are a balance of aggressive and defensive. The Drakor seek a balance in life. Justices are rare to Drakor and are a sort of mediator if you will. They help to keep to their society in balance.

They were surprised to see two hybrids as a Justice. One was a shock to their senses because they always felt it could only occur from a mating of two Drakor. But two who came up as justices make our race a curiosity to them. They will be watching us. Not so much for average humans. More the hybrids that have passed their test, to ensure we are not headed into corruption.

That is why we do not seek any political office. We observe and help to course correct. The things I have done since I got here were all about keeping us from becoming the enemy of the Drakor. That task is satisfied but it will be watched over for a long time because we are so different from them."

Randy looked at him, "So the danger is not over?"

Jack sighed, "We live in a much larger universe than you know. I have worked to make our military more prepared in the long run to take on these challenges. The Drakor attack in 3081 because the hybrids never made it to the meeting location. Other humans did.

That triggered the destruction of our species. We now have diplomats if you will who know how to talk with them. Who knows how not to set them off to where they do to us what they did to the Praylons. To what they did to us in an alternate reality if you will. We have to work toward a peaceful co-existence with a lot of races.

Other races may have hybrids. In which case we could aid in smoothing negotiations with them. Some races might be naturally psionic. We can talk to them now. To go into the middle east and show the bottom of your foot, to throw a shoe. Both are considered insults. Wars have started for less and we had to work through these cultural differences.

We are guardians of humanity first and foremost. We had to take steps to remove some systemic corruption from this point in time. Not to bring chaos. To bring us all a better future. I am still planning to build multiple Starbases with docks able to build and service the human fleets. Not just the military.

Commerce, colonists, and a wide range of other interests for people. Our society is creative. We took away the major impediment to that creativity and asked everyone to look at what they want to build. I would like you to contact someone. While we are on the air. I have never spoken to them, but I did get a message from them."

Randy sighed and nodded, "Who and why?"

Jack smiled, "Who is Tracey Whitmore of San Diego California. The why will become apparent."

They placed the call and Jack was happy to see she answered. She had the show on in the background." He nodded to here, "I asked from Astra for the name of the 'biggest rejection regret' to joining us and it was for one simple reason. Tracey, I wanted to let you know you have a bright future ahead of you.

You and your children have advances in technology and some move into politics in the decades and centuries to come. You are a talented inventor. I could not take what you would do for humanity away from humanity. If I were a selfish man you would have been at or near the top of my list for wives. But your known future was worth saving."

Tracey smiled, "I was surprised when I got the rejection message back so fast. I heard you talking about this kind of thing in one of your other interviews. I thank you for letting me know the reason was not anything wrong with me. Just that I have some great future ahead of me."

He nodded, "I wish you well, as one inventor to another. Keep working those ideas and find the ones that work for the betterment of humanity."

She nodded and the call ended. Jack looked across at his interviewer, "I wanted this interview with you. You have teeth and bite into a story. You go after the angles everyone might not be looking at covering. You are an investigative journalist. I told them I wanted their best interviewer and she is asking all the questions some are afraid to ask. Please continue."

She looked at Jack, "Why are you in a hurry to get people off of the planet?" Jack whispered into his hand. Connect in the President."

He looked at her, "I am from the future and there are things I know that I have not advertised to the greater population. The answer though could be best answered by him."

The President appeared on the screen and Randy was in shock. He looked at Randy, "You have a sharp mind, Randy. Jack was aware of this from the future and we just got the reports in and had planned to announce it with the expansion of the space docks around our planet.

Based upon our population growth Terra will not support our population into the next century unless we start moving those people to colonizable worlds. Jack took it a step further. He gave us system surveys and star charts for 5 systems that have the greatest ability to support our people with the smallest amount of effort.

He had filed in patents to generate improved colony ships of all types. Built with these faster drives. Accompanied by the mining rig designs he has been working on to ensure they have the absolute best chance of survival. This does not count his plans for Tau Ceti.

He knows there is a place that works there as well. He plans to be part of the group to lead the colony expedition. To ensure that the colony does not support xenophobia or have issues with AI systems like Astra who has been the keeper of the archives and history. She has proved instrumental in destroying listening devices; some alien, at the Capitol."

Jack commented in the break, "Our ability to predict the future, from the point where we announced our presence and going forward, will diminish. By that I mean we have established a new reality. Our past history in the other timeline will be swayed by what we have done. Natural disasters we will know about.

Astrological anomalies, the nature of other alien races we have a history to work off of. The next Congress, president, or presidential press secretary. None of it we can guarantee anymore. That is why we have set a foundation. Put the goals into humanity's hands to help save itself from a very hard life.

Ensured the defense of our people has improved. Not just for the travesties and stifling innovation of the future. But also, the things that have stifled it in the past. My question to you Randy. Do my actions make more sense to you now?"

She knew Jack had her boxed in and she could find no malice in his intentions. "Yes, they make more sense. As a journalist, I will be watching that they continue to make sense if they come up in the future."

Jack laughed as the President dropped from the call. "Randy, I fully expect you to do just that because it is your choice. It is a part of your nature to protect humanity with the tools you have at hand. The microphone, the camera, the facts, and the revealing of corruption.

We are not that different in that regard but you are more aggressive about it than I am. I thank you for breaking with your schedule to do this impromptu meeting. I would also like to tell everyone.

At no time did Terra News or any of her employees give us a list of questions that would be asked. All people brought in from Tracey to the President did not know they would be appearing today in this interview beforehand.

Astra thank you for your coordination of this for us. She smiled and blinked out. Jack stood as did all his ladies and shook Randy's hand before leaving the studio.

They filed out and ran into Holly's editor Ron who smiled at Jack, "I know you left in a panic when you heard they had been spotted. I saw the destruction the Drakor could unleash with one ship. I believe and support you, Jack. Thank you from us, because Randy could never bring herself to say that."

Jack chuckled, "She is a tenacious interviewer and tried to turn demonstrations of the swords into a threat but I even walked that back from her. Just letting people know we got it right this time."

Ron laughed and nodded, "This was the right forum to address the events. This was more than news it was a revelation about the bullet you have helped humanity to dodge."

Jack sighed, "I probably am up over 10 million messages now."

Astra laughed in his head. "Try over a billion now. We crashed several communication towers in the area. They had to reboot them to get the data to the Excalibur. The local Starbase Manager actually called to have me pass along his thanks for not bringing our ship into port before departing for the interview. They would not have enough security for the crowds. As it is, we have close to a thousand vessels around our ship. Keeping their distance more when I activate the weapon systems. I turned it off when they backed away. Some of the fighters are working on clearing the space lanes. Yes, he is waiting to talk with you when you get back to your shuttle."

Jack shook his head, "Our ship is causing a distraction in space it seems. Also, the President wants to talk with me. Probably about putting him on the spot."

Ron nodded, "Good luck Jack, and ladies. Holly and Sprits. You two are missed around here. But you continue to amaze."

Jack headed to the scout and told all the ladies. "Belts on if you can use them and keep the others in the middle and get them aboard first." They nodded. Astra sent a reply, "The scout is secure currently."

Jack got up to the roof and felt uncomfortable. He looked at the ladies. "Hold back a second." He moved forward alone when a pair of Ravager Black ops in a gunship configuration and using a classified stealth netting on the hulls appeared. They were in front but flanking him from the sides. They went to fire and Jack telekinetically yanked all the guns off the ships as the first shots hit him.

Then held them in place. He systematically stripped both airships to the frame. He put both ship skeletons on the pad next to each other. Then held the 4 men from each craft in a field. He walked toward them and 1 of them fired a handgun at him. Three bullets ricocheted away. He looked at them, "I could have simply crushed both ships with my mind. My family and I are not helpless targets.

We will defend ourselves against whichever order put you up to this. Someone wanted to put on a display and have you killed in front of cameras. Stop being pawns. You were just sacrificed."

The ladies got into the shuttle while he refocused on just his belt.

The ladies had all the point defense weapons facing the 8 men. He looked over at the man running the camera, "You have seen me act in a non-violent manner to acts of violence being committed against my family and myself. This is not the first nor will it be the last time someone tries something like this. I told you and demonstrated that I have telekinetic ability.

I use it a lot in my work for moving equipment and it speeds things along. It is a muscle that I exercise daily." He nodded as the police showed up and their shuttles were in the air. Jack nodded to the officers, "Released to you for interrogation and prosecution. My ship has them covered if they try anything those lasers will tear into them.

I hope you get answers and I want the GBI looking into this along with the Military. All the parts are here to put them back together. The weapon mounts are broken but otherwise unharmed."

The cop looked at it, "I will let you know the next time I am moving someplace new. You could get the truck packed and unpacked on the other end easily."

Jack chuckled at the cop as he walked into the shuttle. The cop asked, "That was some display in telekinetic ability. Are all hybrids like that?"

Jack shook his head, "Some are improving but I use it every day as I said. Grace said the Drakor commented at the rate I was learning these things. It would take decades to do what I had learned in a few months.

I might have had an untapped predisposition for it before they activated it. I do not know. I lifted a couple of fighter aircraft in one of the hangar bays but this was the first time at doing something this complex. It took a lot out of me."

Grace leaned over, "Out of us. The hybrids focused our will into him when those ships appeared. We loaned him the power to keep it from turning deadly.

He is still way more powerful than us but we are practicing. He probably could have done it on his own but then he would have needed help getting him into the ship."

He got inside, "Shields activated. Astra did not pick those up?"

Astra sighed, "Your mechanical eye would have for the air displacement but my sensors were not calibrated for stealth technology."

He sighed, "Astra, we will work to correct that."

They got into the ship as the screen became active in front of Jack as he sat in the co-pilot seat with his wives behind him. The president looked over, "I need you to stop by the Capitol."

Jack sighed, "No shuttle, traveling in our scout which will break all the rules and need half of your pads for us to land. Then there is getting us through security with the new swords."

He nodded, "We will handle that. Get here as soon as you can."

He ended the call and Jack sighed, "I got the stick, Washington tower. This is TAR-2 King Arthur. We are setting a vector for the Capitol as we have just been directed there with the orders of, 'as soon as you can."

Do I have a clear vector at 14,000 meters' attitude to that location?"

The tower responded, "Tower to King Arthur. You are cleared to at heading 090 with assent to 14,000 meters. Nice job on those two Ravagers. We will be going after their licenses to fly as well."

Jack took the heading and punched it out of there and toward the Capitol. He flew in a corridor above normal traffic and away from the towers while still in the thermosphere allowing him to use the 5x system drives to speed things along. He Was still 300 miles away and flying at altitude.

He contacted the tower, "Capitol tower. This is King Arthur TAR-2. This is a scout class ship and we will need multiple adjacent pads in order to land at the presidents' direction. Protocols and security must be set aside for us to land as we have guns on this ship that can fire in every direction and two doors to exit the craft on either side. I would not normally use my scout for a Capitol visit but my shuttle was destroyed. The President insisted."

He heard from them as he lowered altitude and switched over to air breather engines. "This is the Capitol tower. You have clearance to land on pads 1-4. The orders came up seconds before you called. Thank you for letting us know of your ship's armament in advance."

He sighed, "The controllers have gotten friendlier with us."