Free Annihilation - Tommy's Tale (Annihilation Series (Book Four)) by Saxon Andrew

process. You do not have to take part in this Captain. I will find another ship if you do not want to take the risk, however, I feel that we will someday encounter this race of captors and that we, like Atlas’ race, could be exterminated or imprisoned by them. I am not willing to just wait and hope our technology will someday be strong enough to make up the three hundred million year edge they have.”
     
    Cassandra listened to Tommy and felt her excitement grow. She was at heart a warrior and here was a war worth fighting. She looked at the two Algean Adolescents and saw them moving side to side in anticipation of the learning they were about to be given. She said, “Atlas, tell me what you’re thinking now.”
     
    Atlas said, “I’m scared, however, I have been paralyzed too long by my fear. I have to ask myself if this is a risk worth dying to accomplish and I have to say that it is. I am humbled that Tommy is willing to face that fear when I am not. I do think, like our students here, that there is not a better ship than this one for the task at hand.”
     
    Tommy said, “I do not agree; there is another.”
     
    The two Algeans, Captain Dodd, and Atlas all said at the same time, “What!”
     
    Tommy said. “The power of a ship is not the metal of which it is made; it is the crew that directs it. Atlas, that race sensed the Alfont ship that entered their system and they immediately set out to destroy every ship like it in the universe, right?”
     
    “That is exactly what they did.”
     
    They sensed one of your ships and then they could see all the other ships like it. If they somehow sense us, we have to be in a ship that they could not trace back to the Realm. We have to have a ship unlike any other ship in existence.”
     
    Silence ruled the room. Atlas said, “You’re going to resurrect the Kosiev.”
     
    Captain Dodd’s eyes widened and Tommy said, “Yes, I’m going to go see my sister and tell her my plans and ask for the Alexander Kosiev.”
     
    Captain Dodd felt her heart beat faster. She was as excited as freshman finding out she was elected prom queen. Tommy noticed that Captain Dodd’s face had an enormous smile. “She almost looks pretty smiling,” he thought; then he banished the thought from his mind.
     
    Cassandra felt like the destiny she never thought would come, had found her. She stood up and said, “Your quest is one I would be willing to die for and quite honestly, I would be willing to do the same to command the Kosiev. We will however need a larger crew for that ship.”
     
    Tommy smiled and said, “We will be gone for a long time so as not to endanger the Realm. I will have the top graduates from the last three classes join us. Incidentally, one of them is a top notch weapons officer by the name of Linda Kay Johns who will be graduating is two months. I do not usually use my position for personal reasons but if I left for an extended time and 3D was separated from her, well, he deserves having her here with us.”
     
    Cassandra Dodd looked at Tommy Gardner in an entirely new way. Here was royalty with a heart that did not forget his friends. Tommy said, “Sprig, I’m going to tell him that you requested that she join us.”
     
    Sprig’s leaves turned bright green indicating his happiness. “Thank you, Sir. I still have to make up for the nickname.”
     
    Tommy looked around the room and said, “Are we in agreement?” Everyone indicated yes. Tommy said, “You are sworn to secrecy on the information I have just shared with you and it is contingent on me being able to persuade the Queen to agree to our mission. Only she has access to the Kosiev. Twig, Sprig, the military database is loaded into your readers. It is larger than any you have seen so far and I suspect that it is going to take some time to assimilate. Please make that assimilation your next priority.”
     
    They left the room so fast that Captain Dodd and Tommy were surprised at the speed they were