Read Online Escape to Earth 3: Defending Holy Ground by Saxon Andrew - Free Book Online Page B

after a moment, “You did want one, didn’t you?”
    Jason sighed, “Yes, I guess I did. I was in charge of the weapons on our battleship and I usually want to use them. I thought I was the perfect choice for my position.”
    “You were.”
    “Then why did the Admiral send me out here?”
    “Because that is all you’d ever be good for. You would never rise to a higher station. I sense the Admiral sees more in you than you do.”
    Jason took a breath and shook his head, “Well, if we’re going to be stuck with each other, what do I call you?”
    “Piper.”
    “Is that your real name?”
    “My real name takes about two minutes to say; however, that part is something you can pronounce.”
    “Well, it’s good to meet you, Piper. My name is…”
    “Jason Goddard.”
    “Yes, it is.” Jason paused and looked out of his viewport at the five hundred yard Silver Ship next to his Pod. “That was a real brave thing you did coming in and attacking one of our ships. I didn’t think it was a good idea to place one of you in that sort of danger.”
    “Is that what you think happened?”
    Jason stared at the ship and said, “Isn’t it?”
    “Of course not. We’d never deliberately place one of us in danger.”
    Jason thought and shook his head, “The ship was unmanned.”
    “It was remote controlled.”
    Jason stared out the viewport and after a moment he heard, “You’re wondering how many of us are on this vessel?”
    “I am.”
    “It’s just me.”
    “WHAT?”
    “I am part of this ship and the ship is part of me. We are basically a single organism.”
    “I did hear you tell the Admiral that you don’t live on planets. Does that mean you spend your entire life in space?”
    “We do.”
    “Then why would you object to us living on a planet in your territory?”
    “Where do you think all of the enemies we’ve faced over the centuries came from?”
    Jason sighed, “From planets.”
    “Yes. And with someone as aggressive as you are in command, there was no way we were going to allow you stay.”
    “What changed your minds?”
    “Your Admiral figured out we were telepathic and sent a thought telling us he didn’t want to have to fire on our ship. We were surprised when he communicated instead of you. When his officer fired and deliberately didn’t destroy the drone, that made us start reevaluating who you were.”
    “I am the exception, not the rule among my fellow sailors.”
    “Once we took a look, we saw that. However, we still wanted you gone. It was your Admiral stopping the Sentinel from assisting you and then demanding he not harm the Blue Ship that made us rethink our position. Once we saw the recordings he sent, we couldn’t in good conscience send you away.”
    “How could you know the recordings were real?”
    “One of us went and took a look. It was as your recordings depicted.”
    “You went all the way across my galaxy and returned during your discussion?”
    “I didn’t but one of the others did.”
    “The Admiral was wrong and so was I.”
    “About what?”
    “That remote controlled ship you sent in was not as powerful as you are.”
    Piper laughed, “How did you come to that conclusion?”
    “I’m pretty certain that a civilization will have to arrive at a minimum level of technology before you’ll open communications. That ship was set up for that minimum standard. The Admiral said the Blue Ship was the big stick in this galaxy; he was wrong. You are.”
    “You are much more than I thought, Jason Goddard. No one else has ever seen through our subterfuge.”
    “I can’t help but wonder how your species reproduces. If all of you are part of the ship you live in, how does your species increase in population?”
    “We don’t reproduce like your species.”
    “No?” There was a moment of silence and Jason said, “I’m sorry if I offended you by asking about this.”
    “No, it’s not that. Do you mind if I look in your mind for the right description?”
    “No,