Astra Pt. 06

Your hands are growing back faster than their hair did. You have not been paraded, yet!"

He walked around and threw up a screen with a star system in it. "This is the furthest easy to use for human's planet Jack gave us years ago. Easy to integrate humanity out there. With 5x drives it will take 20 years to get there. With the cure in your systems, you might survive the journey.

You might stop at one of these less desirable locations and set up a colony there. It is in the same direction. I would not send you unarmed. I would send 20 battleships and 40 destroyers to be manned by your military sympathizers to guard your journey. You would be escorted out of the system and monitored until you are out of range of our best sensors.

They are estimates of the ships required for this expedition would be almost 50 to 100. Depending on if the families accompany the guilty. The question I have for you Miss Gonzales is would you rather spend your remaining days on the dark side of the moon with 50 destroyers and 25 battleships blocking all entrance.

Food stores being 'airdropped to you facility' or would you rather have your own fiefdom with like-minded criminals as far from here as we can safely put you? Those are your options because I will prosecute every fucking one of you and all of the others that fall out of the woodwork!"

Jack thought, * Astra are there any listening devices here? Track them. *

He heard back, * There are twelve and I have locations. *

He thought, * Send a message to the President with the information on those locations. *

She chuckled, * Sent. *

Jack looked over, "Astra is sending you some time-sensitive information that is related. You might want to step out and take action on it before we continue. I will remain seated."

He looked over and stepped out into the hall and looked at his vid. He walked away and came back 30 minutes later. He continued. "Jack, for your stepping over the line I want you to finance these ships to the toon of 1 trillion TC's."

Jack looked over, "With the stipulation that no new technology I would have introduced is included on the ships. Weapons, shields, engines, communication, sensors, and armor. NONE of it. The modification to the farming ships proved invaluable and as that system has a red dwarf star it would be needed to acclimate any crops you would want to grow.

I would add another 50 farming ships to the list. That can be covered within a 1 trillion TC's I would also not accompany this convoy. They would be responsible for protecting themselves."

Gonzales looked over. "What about the 6x drives that could get us there sooner?"

Jack shook his head, "First they are new tech. So no. Second, those will work with humans in the right configuration. Insects, like bees which you will want. Cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. Do not fair well at those speeds. Their skeletal structures were not a factor in the ID devices we used. All convoys, outgoing to new systems, would have to use 5x drives."

She looked at Jack, "You said new systems. You have a way of getting to an existing system faster?"

Jack shook his head, "I have been working on one. The technology is alien and the person operating it would have to have been to the system."

The President asked, "Tell me the theoretical aspects behind this?"

Jack nodded, "It will not do her group any good."

Gonzales looked over, "Let us be the judge of that."

Jack looked, "Alright to stand?"

The President nodded. Jack got up, "Astra grab the display behind me."

She called out, "I got it."

The President called out, "Astra, follow my instructions."

She laughed and zapped all of the listening devices in the room. Most were in lawyers' bags which caught on fire. One was in someone's suit pocket. He quickly took that off. She shrugged, "Might have been too much power but all of the listening devices have been neutralized."

The President nodded, "My strike teams are on the ground already arresting those on the other end. All of those with those devices are now facing additional charges. Continue Jack."

He looked up, "Display schematic for the satellite."

Gonzales looked at him, "This was not a question for communications it was a question on travel."

Jack nodded. "In this case, they are connected. We see the physical world. We see space. There is another plane if you will. We will call it the astral plane because it is referenced throughout our history. These crystals are attuned by a powerful telepath. Those crystals provide a connection to each other when activated across the astral plane.

The underlying engine is based on the biological output and reproduction of how Meltora fed. It becomes a living breathing synthetic engine that never requires maintenance from an outside source. That engine is then used to power a set of hard shields. Shields that cannot be fired through in either direction. Nothing passes through as far as getting ahold of the device.

If the shields get destroyed the satellite destroys itself. The satellite is anchored into the physical world by creating a micro-wormhole that connects both sides. This is the means we have of opening communication between a distant colony and here."

He sighed, "To do it for travel a ship would have to have the right engine, the right telepath to do it, and enough power to generate a wormhole for the ship to pass through to the other side. My carrier bases are designed as factories to produce things like more ships. They can also be put into the expanded state. Be walled in and house convoy ships inside of it.

Then because we have been to Tau Ceti, the telepath. ME. The telepath is the focus in the astral plane to move the ship through the wormhole it has generated. I told Justice when we found his ship that mankind was not ready for the technology aboard it. I was right. That answer saved mankind from the Drakor.

That technology, the Wormhole Drive is not an exact duplicate of their technology and they have provided no guidance on this. I have done a lot of deductive reasoning about how they can communicate with me anywhere, the satellites proved that aspect. Then their ability to simply move their ships through in a blink of an eye to another location.

Places they have traveled. They send out a lot of scout ships. With their mindset. Once one knows it. They all know it. They can go anywhere that one of them has visited in the blink of an eye."

He heard from Justice, * This is the first you have voiced this theory. I will say while your race, as a whole, is not advanced enough for this form of travel. This is something you could accomplish as you are seeing the pieces. Smaller ships are easier. What you are proposing is extremely risky. *

Jack thought back, * I would not do it alone. I would draw in from the will of all the hybrids aboard the ship. *

He heard back, * Still start with your battleship alone and get a feel for it before trying the large base you are proposing. *

Jack smiled, * You have been a wise guide and mentor and I am no fool. I intend to start there but the goal for the convoy would be the same. *

He heard Justice chuckle, * You are a dreamer and you will succeed eventually if you take the incremental approach and do as you imply about drawing from others. This is not our technology as you are not using our designs. I have seen what you have been doing and am hopeful your designs will work for your people. The control for that is with the hybrids. They are the key. You know this now. You are closer to true graduation. *

Jack came out of it with Grace holding his arm, "Justice again?"

He smiled, "Yes. He was advising an incremental approach, which I had planned to do before we could move something that large. He told me my designs are not Drakor but they are hopeful I could succeed."

He looked at the President, "This only works with hybrids. That is why it will never work for her. Justice just told me my theory behind it is sound. He said I was closer to true graduation. I did not ask what that meant but it is probably a higher level of enlightenment. That level of travel is done willingly by hybrids.

Not slaves, you cannot control a hybrid's mind to work against its own nature. If hybrids went with you then they could travel to that system at will with whatever technology they wished to deploy. That is not a threat. That is how you would perceive it, Ms. Gonzales. The President's approach would be best and with no hybrids going there."

She looked at him, "What is to keep you from traveling there in the future to follow us?"

He looked at her, "I have stated before I want what is best for humanity. Your own actions against children prove you are less than human. You and your neophytes as far removed from humanity is an elegant solution. As the Leader of the Hybrids, if you will, I will sign an accord, with the Terra and Tau Ceti governments.

That no human hybrid will travel into that system. Even if aid is ever asked for in some manner. I can hold that accord for a very long time. There are 6 hybrids at any given time that are 'eternal' meaning they could live forever barring murder or an accident. I am one of them.

Of the human hybrids, I hold the most power across all the disciplines. The Drakor are very curious about me and the rate at which I have advanced my skills. I advance them by using them to make those muscles stronger. I will give 1.5 trillion to build and outfit those ships to survive in space for 30 years on top of what you are asking for. We gave you a system with an easy planet to live upon.

You could stop and try and survive on something along the way. 10 of those ships will be terraformer ships like those you are using on the moon and Mars. Those are all options. You settle somewhere else and the hybrids might accidentally pass through there. We are only staying out of that one system. You use that system and you will never see us again, barring an open conflict with Terra aligned humanity.

I want to take 30 of those terraforming ships back to Tau Ceti. We have 3 moons between the 2 planets we occupy. We could start terraforming those now before they are needed."

He told Astra, "Show the planets and moon in comparison to Terra?"

He let them look at them as they stared in wonder. "We have colonies on both planets. Three moons in the life belt that could be terraformed. This could support humanity into the trillions of people in this one system for several millennia. Terra is still the cradle of humanity."

Gonzales looked at him, "What more can you tell me about the system you showed?"

Jack pointed at the chart and it expanded, "One planet ready 4 times the size of Terra, one moon around it. Three others it would take centuries to terraform but you could get them there. A few gas giants so fuel for your ships. Beyond that. I have nothing. Astra tell her why?"

Astra came on and explained about the extensive damage to the Excalibur and the loss of all the historical archive of events. The loss of parts of the technical archives from the event. She showed them internal views of the server area after the strike and before so they could see the level of damage.

She finished with, "I am on-line because Jack rebuilt my body. He went into that restricted section and located one item he could not make. A replacement head. He had scanned a backup server years ago and kept the design stashed away in his lab. He used it to rebuild my backup server and primary server so we could recover as much data as possible. He built it and I installed it.

He is restricted from that part of the ship but in that case, it was the only way for Jack to save me. So, he did. I am glad he did. I might be a machine and responsible to a degree in him being a hybrid. As he pointed out my core did the work even when I myself was not online and the core is a part of me. The fact is I love the man and what he is doing for humanity.

You can question if an AI can love all you want. But it does not change the way I feel about him. You do not realize the AI's who launched the mission gave him that hidden lab. He found it. My instructions were he could do great things with it or he could destroy humanity with it. Whatever he did. I was not to interfere with what he produced coming out of that lab. He CHOSE to do great things with it.

An AI finds he has honor, The Drakor believes he is honorable. The colonies in Tau Ceti knows he has honor and the sitting President...well, I will leave him to say what he thinks on the matter."

Astra smiled and winked out. Jack looked at them, "Our ability to predict the future is gone. I told the President that after we announced we were here. People would get nicer or more corrupt. People of a like mind who wish to follow you to your new home. That is 2.5 Trillion TC's to cover a lot of people going.

I would ask the President to forget the taxes on the building of these ships and the money could be used to create more room for more people. 1-2 million more people could easily be supported. This was not my idea but it is a fucking elegant solution.

With my factories working in conjunction with our builders we could have those ships built and outfitted in 2 years. 2 years of effective incarceration while your rides are being built. The one thing I would ask. An admission of guilt on your testing facility to find a way to kill hybrids. By experimenting on those who wanted children and used my sperm to get them. By sacrificing my progeny. To the murder charges.

It will get displayed as your research center is torn apart in front of the news cameras. The fact you are now 20% Drakor will be announced one way or the other. I am betting most if not all the defendants in this room are that way now."

Jack sat back down, "I upped your 'proposal' by 250%. I will pay that but I am asking her for that one concession. You can frame it however you like. You feared what I could do and wanted a means to end me. Not the Drakor, me.

Justify it from your mind's eye. But own up to the fact you became the monster that destroyed children. With the same Drakor blooded percentage you now carry in your own body because you stole it from them."

The President looked at her, "Well, we already have it on tape from your meeting and other evidence. Are you going to own that charge or try and deny you were working to keep alien influence at bay?"

Jack thought to Grace, * He would be an outstanding hybrid. Once he is out office. *

Grace thought back to him, * Do his wives for him and they can make the change for him once he is out of office. You could make the offer. *

Gonzales talked with her lawyer and she asked, "What about the other charges?"

Grace looked over, "Plead no contest. Murder is a Capitol crime several times over from what I am hearing. The other charges are just icing on the cake. He is sending you to a penal colony. A new Australia. That is how it started."

The President nodded, "That might reduce the 5-year sentence on me by 1-2 years. I would be agreeable to that. All your cohorts in crime would be allowed to plead no contest to the myriad of charges against them. They will still get shipped off with you. Their spouses can decide if Terra is home or if they standby there significant other."

Jack and Grace got up, "We will step out so all of the lawyers can have a pow-wow about how they are going to defend themselves let alone their clients."

The President called in security and seized the bags and other items that had listening devices in them. He looked at Jack, "Walk with me. They will let my security know when they have reached a decision."

He nodded. They walked out together and to what looked like part of his private quarters. He shook his head, "I was looking forward to getting out of office and then this mess."

His wives walked in and Jack called out, "Astra clear the room of bugs. In fact to the entire compound."

She laughed, "Done, 115 devices including 22 alien ones from 3 races we discussed."

The President looked at Jack, "You got a gold mine with that one."

Jack smiled, "I love her too. She knows it. She feels. She has her role and place. She does an outstanding job of taking care of us all. Even with the reduction in data. She is still indispensable. I wanted to ask your wives a question. Do any of you have any sword experience?"

One raised her hand, "Yes in college I was on the fencing team. Why?"

Jack sighed, "This mess was not of my doing but it is costing you and your family years. I said it before I do not believe hybrids should rule over mankind. I will say we could offer to make you one. You train them both up in the sword and get better at it yourself.

I will teach you how to make your sword and leave you the materials to help others make their swords in time. When he is out of office, you could then do it for your husband. It would not replace the years you lost but it could add centuries to your lives where you could act as a known adviser who dealt with 2 corrupted congresses and a President-elect that had crimes too numerous to mention.

You will be a respected statesman never again planning to hold office. In 10 to 20 years you can let them know the offer was extended to you because you were a man of honor. Also, because we felt it took many good years away from you and your wives. We could take you to the ship, I can get a squadron of my fighters here. You can visit with the crew, to talk with the people from Tau Ceti.

Some who are not my children and not hybrids. Meet Dr. Vee as she plans to return to Terra and relinquish her spot in our group. She wants to talk with her peers on colony life and the lessons learned from Tau Ceti. She is not a hybrid. Right now, there are roughly 180 hybrids. I married 2 more ladies last night and we made them hybrids.

I kind of made that an underlying requirement because of Danyelle. If she had the reflexes of a hybrid, she might have avoided that asteroid that killed her. At the very least it might not have killed her if it just nicked her instead of dead center. She traveled in an EVA suit as a precaution because of micro-meteors, if enough hit they can bring shields down."

She looked at her husband to get his thoughts. Jack had obviously floored them with the offer. The President looked at her, "On this one my love. I will follow your lead."

His other wife Valery smiled and nodded, "The choice is yours."

She looked over, "What is involved?"

Grace explained it to her and that with the dermal regenerator she could be out and walking about in a couple of hours.

In a day she would not need it. She smiled, "Would you also allow us to go to Tau Ceti if we wished instead?"

Jack smiled, "That is your choice to make together. You would be welcomed. Regardless if you choose to become hybrids."

She looked over, "Then I would choose to do it. I want more time with my wife and husband. Our children are grown and have lives of their own. One or two might go but it is a chance at a new simpler life."

The President nodded, "I thank you for that gift of time."

He nodded, "I would recommend that your wives start carrying laser swords in public. You can always say with the threats leveled against your husband it is never too late to learn to defend yourselves.

You can only make 3 hybrids and each one can make three. You must follow the code. Become one with the sword. Embrace your nature. Red, blue or purple. The sword will have a name that best describes you. Keep it in your clutch. Procreate, tubes tied or birth control can be bypassed by a hybrid to make a female pregnant. Last, but not least; work for the betterment of humanity. Know this is a lifetime appointment. Quitting is death.