part of his brain that collected enough information to tell him that Trip was going to kill him. He had no doubt that without the Queen’s intervention, he would now be dead. However, his conscious mind was in a state of shock and he said, “I don’t know?”
“Then if those Orange Ships are real, how many fleets are out there?”
“I have no idea.”
“So let’s just say for the moment that we follow your isolationist doctrine and we sit back and allow them to fight over M87. Our galaxy’s coordinates were in that probe’s broadcast; so whoever wins comes to our neighborhood and sees what was so interesting about those coordinates and, just as you, we manage to kick their backsides and destroy them all. What happens after that?”
Victor’s analytic portion of his brain finally broke through to his consciousness and he said, “Someone will come and investigate what happened.”
“Now if we managed to stop them in M87, what do you think would happen?”
Victor stared at Angela and said, “Someone would come and investigate there instead.”
“Now, I’m just a simple minded farm girl, but where would you prefer for them to investigate?”
Victor saw it and the pieces of how he had been used and how he had made a huge mistake with M87 became clear. He shook his head and stood up, “Your Majesty, I hereby resign my Royal Title and I will banish myself to my estates and stay out of any future political decisions. I will inform the Royal Council of my decision and tell them I will no longer be a tool for them.”
Angela stared at Victor and said, “You could make a difference now.”
“No, I’ve built my prison; someone else will have to take my place.” Victor looked at Trip, “Thank you for sparing me; I see now I didn’t deserve it.” Trip’s eyes remained slits and he nodded slightly. Victor turned and left the room.
Angela turned to Trip and said, “Drey.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do you remember what we were discussing earlier?” Trip nodded. “I want you to look at the recording of this meeting tonight and get back to me after you watch it.”
Trip’s head tilted he nodded but then said, “My name is Trip, not Drey.”
“Not anymore. Watch the recording and you’ll see why.”
Trip looked at Dee and heard her sigh and then nod.
Angela turned to Dee, “Do you see what a lack of patience can lead to?”
Dee nodded, “I really didn’t anticipate this happening.”
“Perhaps it’s best it did; however, you should practice patience.” Dee bowed her head and Angela said, “Since you brought this discussion to a close, perhaps you’ll now tell all of us why we have to go and defend M87?”
Trip really had no intention of defending anyone that threatened the Union and wondered what Dee could possibly see that would change his mind. Dee stood and looked at the ceiling; she rolled her eyes and said, “What happens when the Orange Ships arrive?” She waited for a moment and said before anyone could respond, “They will commence the destruction of every planet in M87 that could feed the Family. That means they’ll be attacking every civilization in M87 as well as the Family’s Fleets. Do we want to wait until they show up in the Union to make a determination as to whether or not we can stop them? It may be that meeting them there would lead to a discovery that allows us to meet them on an equal footing. The Neutron Missile used in the last war is an example of just such a weapon. However, like our Queen said, if we manage to somehow win there, the follow up would not happen here in the Union.”
Trip said, “But they were going to attack us.”
“They did attack us last time if you care to remember.” Trip thought for a moment and then slowly nodded. “The tactics we used then are just as applicable today.” Dee looked around the table, “Do any of you see it differently?”
The Head Scientist stared at Dee and said, “You are right; those facts make it clear
“Then if those Orange Ships are real, how many fleets are out there?”
“I have no idea.”
“So let’s just say for the moment that we follow your isolationist doctrine and we sit back and allow them to fight over M87. Our galaxy’s coordinates were in that probe’s broadcast; so whoever wins comes to our neighborhood and sees what was so interesting about those coordinates and, just as you, we manage to kick their backsides and destroy them all. What happens after that?”
Victor’s analytic portion of his brain finally broke through to his consciousness and he said, “Someone will come and investigate what happened.”
“Now if we managed to stop them in M87, what do you think would happen?”
Victor stared at Angela and said, “Someone would come and investigate there instead.”
“Now, I’m just a simple minded farm girl, but where would you prefer for them to investigate?”
Victor saw it and the pieces of how he had been used and how he had made a huge mistake with M87 became clear. He shook his head and stood up, “Your Majesty, I hereby resign my Royal Title and I will banish myself to my estates and stay out of any future political decisions. I will inform the Royal Council of my decision and tell them I will no longer be a tool for them.”
Angela stared at Victor and said, “You could make a difference now.”
“No, I’ve built my prison; someone else will have to take my place.” Victor looked at Trip, “Thank you for sparing me; I see now I didn’t deserve it.” Trip’s eyes remained slits and he nodded slightly. Victor turned and left the room.
Angela turned to Trip and said, “Drey.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do you remember what we were discussing earlier?” Trip nodded. “I want you to look at the recording of this meeting tonight and get back to me after you watch it.”
Trip’s head tilted he nodded but then said, “My name is Trip, not Drey.”
“Not anymore. Watch the recording and you’ll see why.”
Trip looked at Dee and heard her sigh and then nod.
Angela turned to Dee, “Do you see what a lack of patience can lead to?”
Dee nodded, “I really didn’t anticipate this happening.”
“Perhaps it’s best it did; however, you should practice patience.” Dee bowed her head and Angela said, “Since you brought this discussion to a close, perhaps you’ll now tell all of us why we have to go and defend M87?”
Trip really had no intention of defending anyone that threatened the Union and wondered what Dee could possibly see that would change his mind. Dee stood and looked at the ceiling; she rolled her eyes and said, “What happens when the Orange Ships arrive?” She waited for a moment and said before anyone could respond, “They will commence the destruction of every planet in M87 that could feed the Family. That means they’ll be attacking every civilization in M87 as well as the Family’s Fleets. Do we want to wait until they show up in the Union to make a determination as to whether or not we can stop them? It may be that meeting them there would lead to a discovery that allows us to meet them on an equal footing. The Neutron Missile used in the last war is an example of just such a weapon. However, like our Queen said, if we manage to somehow win there, the follow up would not happen here in the Union.”
Trip said, “But they were going to attack us.”
“They did attack us last time if you care to remember.” Trip thought for a moment and then slowly nodded. “The tactics we used then are just as applicable today.” Dee looked around the table, “Do any of you see it differently?”
The Head Scientist stared at Dee and said, “You are right; those facts make it clear
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