Astra Pt. 06

My term in office is extended 5 years to deal with this problem and new elections will be held. It was not my choice but the laws were on the books as the only short-term workable solution. Now I could move you all into a penal institution on the dark side of the moon to live out your days. I, unfortunately, have such a place as your secret alien research facility that can be retrofitted. I asked about your hands and what they symbolized to someone, not in this room.

The answer she gave me shocked me. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. She reminded me of our history in World War II. Women who were Nazi sympathizers had their hair shaved off and paraded through the streets as being whores who sold out their country. Not all of them were guilty but your video evidence gives enough damaging evidence to know you are nowhere near being an innocent woman in any of this. 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 estimate 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 entrances? Food stores of dry rations being 'airdropped to your facility?' Else, would you rather have a 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 12 and I have locations."

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

Astra 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."

President Grendal looked over and stepped out into the hall and looked at his holovid. He walked away and came back 30 minutes later having forgone military intervention and used his Security Services instead. He sent a message back to Astra, "Await my cue."

President Grendal returned and continued, "Jack, for your stepping over the line I want you to finance these ships to the tune of 1 trillion TCs."

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 1 trillion TCs. 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."

President Grendal 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?"

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

She called out, "I got it."

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

Astra 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."

President Grendal nodded, "My Security Services strike teams are on the ground already arresting those on the other end. All of those with those devices are now facing additional charges. Please continue Jack."

Jack 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. "We will start with the basics so you can wrap your feeble mind around it as in this case, they are connected." Miss Gonzales glared at him and still wanted him dead. "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 was fed.

It becomes a living breathing synthetic perpetual 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 a hold 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. Using a psychic to electronic interface module on both sides. To establish the anchors to form the tunnel in addition to allowing psychic communication through the crystals themselves."

Jack 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 an 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 as we become both anchors. 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 not guided me on this. I have done a lot of deductive reasoning about this.

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 time you have voiced this theory. I will say that your species, 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 willpower 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 or on a smaller ship. The goal for the convoy would remain 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 to doing this and you have discovered that. You know this now. You are closer to true graduation for your species."

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

Jack smiled, "Yes. He offered some advice as this is the first I have openly talked about this concept. 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 with them. We had the key to doing this and those are the hybrids in our society."

Jack looked at President Grendal, "This only works with hybrids. That is why it will never work for her. Justice just told me my theory behind this is sound. He said I was closer to true graduation for our species. I did not ask for details on what that meant or bought us as a species. Probably a higher level of enlightenment. That level of travel is done willingly by hybrids. Not slaves, as you cannot control a hybrid's mind to work against its nature.

If hybrids went with you then they could travel to that system at will. Brining whatever technology they wished to deploy. That is not a threat. That is how you would perceive it, Ms. Gonzales. President Grendal'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?"

Jack looked at her, "I have stated before I want what is best for humanity. Your actions against children proved you are less than human. You and your neophytes are far removed from humanity and this is an elegant solution. As the Leader of the Hybrids, if you will, I will sign an accord with both the Tera and Tau Ceti governments. That no human hybrid will travel into that system. Even if aid is ever asked for by its inhabitants 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 Mr. President. 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 Tera-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."

Jack told Astra, "Show the planets and moon in Tau Ceti compared to Tera?"

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. Tera 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 Tera, one moon around it. With 3 other planets with small moons in the same orbital path. That would take centuries to terraform but you could get them there. Their moons are in and out of the life belt and not suited to terraforming to Earth standards.

The far side of the orbit would cause them to freeze over; you are talking underground facilities at best to do anything with them. Like early Luna efforts if you went that route. A few gas giants so fuel for your ships. Beyond that. I have nothing. Astra, tell her why?"

Astra came on and discussed the attack and the extensive damage to the Excalibur. The loss of all the historical archives from the event. 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 destruction.

Astra finished with, "I am online 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 normally, but in that case, it was the only way for Jack to save me.

So, he did what needed to be done. I am glad he did. I might be a machine and responsible to a degree for him being a hybrid. As he pointed out my core did the work even when I 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 units who launched the mission gave him that hidden lab. Jack 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 which is why they graduated the Tera hybrids.

The colonies in Tau Ceti know he has honor. They selected him to head the Home Guard to save them from the attacks. He did not ask for or seek the position. He was the one with the answers after we were attacked. 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 President Grendal that after we announced we were here. People would get nicer or more corrupt. Ms. Gonzalas proved my point on this as her 'membership' into the xenophobic cult of hers went undiscovered previously. During her 6 years of being a president before she died in office from reoccurring cancer.

Which you have the cure for that in your system from a hybrid. She still affected hampering interspecies relations for over 2 centuries after she died; like GS. She was the GS of politics. Working to stop innovation and learning from her position of power. People of a like mind who wish to follow you to your new home would be able to go. That is 2.5 Trillion TCs to cover a lot of people going.

I would ask President Grendal to forgo 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 research facility to find a way to kill hybrids. By experimenting on those who wanted children and using my sperm to get them. By sacrificing my progeny by kidnapping them. To the mass murder charges. It will get displayed as your research base 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' to 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. Prove yourself the hypocrite."

President Grendal 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 of 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 extend the offer."

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

Grace looked over, "Plead no contest. Murder is a Capital crime, thousands of 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."

President Grendal 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 Tera is home or if they stand by their 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."

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

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

Lucas's wives walked in and Jack thought out, "Astra, clear the room of bugs. Do the entire compound."

They heard the popping sounds from around the room. Astra appeared on a display, "Done, 115 listening devices including 22 alien ones from 3 species we discussed." She then winked out.

President Grendal 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. It was Brenda, "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 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.