Bad Seed

Chapter 23

Wren finally stopped as she turned to her mother. "I'm sorry that I have to go, mother. I am almost finished with this. Most of the last races are gone, I have to eliminate the rest or no race is safe."

"I know, Wren, believe me, I know as I am sure that your father did. Be careful, Thomas, is still out there looking for you. Perhaps you can get him first?" Ophelia said.

They all saw her off as her ship took off. She decided to portal out to where Esmerelda's fleet was. Coming out near where the blasted ship was, she saw that a piece of it was still whole.

Wren sighed she was almost as hard to kill as Thomas was. Entering the portal, she came out a few million miles from the sixth colony world. A wicked smile came to her lips, "stealth Trigon!"

In a line in front of her ship, she saw that the Meltry were starting to get serious. There were five heavy battleships that started to fire as soon as she appeared.

"Fire fifty at each one Trigon," Wren said, then fell as the ship was rocked by a blast from her brother's ship.

"Warning, warning!" Trigon said. Three hundred of the six hundred extra areas of the ship have been damaged beyond repair."

"Jettison it and seal the area before it," Wren said.

"Section is now sealed and repairs to correct that section have started," Trigon said.

"Son of a bitch, fire energy torpedoes!" Wren yelled.

"We're out," Trigon replied.

"Then use the regular missiles." she yelled, she needed to end this.

Thomas smiled a wicked smile. He'd somehow caught that bitch of a step-sister by surprise. She'd been so concentrated on the heavy battleships he'd surprised her.

"What's wrong bitch? Can't seem to get me, but I got you," Thomas said, then laughed.

"Enjoy that ass, it will be the last time!" Wren shouted as she was typing at a speed too fast to see.

She looked up to see that four of the five heavy battleships were dark and drifting. The last was still in the fight though it appeared to be heavily damaged.

"Now assimilating new program and instructions. I have tone Master Wren now firing," Trigon said.

A moment later, four beams lanced out, striking her brother's ship. There was a huge explosion as his ship went partly dark.

"You bitch! You'll pay for that," Thomas screamed.

"No, I don't think so, now Trigon!" Wren yelled.

They heard Thomas and those on his bridge scream, then there was a hum in the storage area. Wren looked at the reception readout, then smiled. Finally, the ass would be out of her hair.

"I want this one isolated from all the others when we get them aboard," Wren said.

"Compliance Master Wren, I am detecting several ships attempting to flee the planet, orders?" Trigon asked.

Take them out as well as any fighters that are near. Start taking out the fleet, then when we're clear get the humans on the planet," Wren said.

Wren watched again with almost sadistic glee as Trigon decimated the Meltry fleet. When they were gone, Wren stared at the number of humans she saw there.

"Trigon, please confirm these readings," Wren said.

"Now checking readings, readings confirmed there are four thousand human life signatures. Since we cleared all the storage areas, we indeed have the room," Trigon said.

"Start transfer, how long? We've never taken this many," Wren said.

"Calculating, it appears it will take almost an hour. I find that I am only able to take a thousand every fifteen minutes," Trigon said,

It was an hour later when Wren saw another ten ships that were trying to escape. Wren was only too happy to erase them from existence.

"Alright, drop all four Trigon, then we can go to the next," Wren said as Trigon was moving away.

Wren sighed as she watched the planet shudder then crack. She had ignored all the radio and visual signals that came from the planet.

"Alright, set course for the seventh colony," Wren said. A portal then opened in front of the ship and before her. "I'll return as soon as possible, continue on to the next stay out of sight. Go to stealth as soon as you exit the readings might confuse the hell out of them," Wren said with a small smile.

"Compliance master Wren," Trigon said as Wren nodded and stepped through.

Flugret turned and bowed to her as soon as she appeared. "Greetings little Wren, are you here to free more?" Flugret asked

"It seems more prudent now than before. When I left, the urgency had declined now? I feel that I need to do this even more," Wren said.

"I know that the others have said that the Chrysalis seems to be losing power. I hadn't thought that it had lost that much. I also know that each you retrieve helps greatly," Flugret said.

"I had thought that also," here Wren sighed. "It appears that the strongest that have left have somehow weakened the system."

Flugret seemed shocked by this, "I am afraid that this was unknown to me. I will help you all that I can, little Wren."

"Thank you master, I am trying to do all that I can. I am still afraid that I am not going to make it. That's why I have pushed as hard as I could," Wren said.

"That is all well and good though, if you expire, then it will be for almost nothing. You should take care while you are doing this," Flugret said.

"I am trying to be as careful as I can, but I feel such urgency that I have to push," Wren said.

Flugret followed her into the Chrysalis room. He again warned her as she laid her hand on the crystaline, Chrysalis. Flugret noticed that this time Wren was glowing far brighter than before.

As before, two round spots of light broke loose from the Chrysalis. Wren took a deep breat5h as the two spots started to divide. Helene had just walked in when the two became six. It was at that moment that Wren's body started to convulse.

"Wren! You can't do that!" Helene shouted as the six became ten. Taking a running start, Helene hit Wren at a full run. Wrapping her arms around Wren, Helene also started to convulse.

Wren felt the current lessen as the ten split again into twelve. Wren's eyes went wide as it spilt again into fourteen. Holy shit she thought, as fatigue started to hit her.

She could already feel Helene at her feet, though she was afraid that she was soon to join her. I have to hold on, she thought, as the fourteen lights started to solidify.

Wren looked at the doorway, seeing Rena and several of the masters and their mates. Rena just shook her head as she waited.

Finally, all fourteen were solid as she felt her strength start to fade.

"OK, this time I didn't try to bring out this many," she said as she looked at the seven males and females. With that her eyes rolled up, her legs letting her slowly sink next her sister.

"We need to get all of them to the infirmary," Rena said. "I hope that she didn't hurt herself this time."

The fourteen were easy to move, as was Helene, Wren was a different story. It took ten masters to just get her off the floor. It was almost the fullest that the infirmary had been.

Rena watched as the newly returned doctor went over each of the Cetians, then Helene. Everything was fine 'til the doctor got to Wren.

The doctor turned to Rena with a surprised look. "According to these readings, she is almost as strong as the tenth master. I haven't seen readings this strong in a very long time. Especially from a non-Cetian," he said.

The doctor's mate moved to him a surprised look on her face. "Are you sure," she asked as she brought out another piece of equipment.

The doctor thanked her then ran it over Wren three times, each time his shock grew. "She is very high indeed, though I can see the adjustments that the masters have made. For now, she is very stable, though she should be watched."

It was almost two hours later that Wren started to groan, what hit me she thought. She had tried to sit up, a mistake as she was still weak. She motioned Rena over, whispering, "I don't want to do that again."

Rena nodded in agreement with Wren. "It would appear that you have nearly exhausted all your energy. I believe that, that course of action would be advisable," Rena said.

"Yes, though there are now ninety-nine out now. Perhaps now, the planet can repair itself," Wren said, then groaned at the weakness that was affecting her.

"Perhaps, though for now, you should concentrate on resting, don't you think?" Rena said.

Again, Wren tried to rise only to fall back feeling slightly weaker. "Yeah, I think so, I haven't felt this weak for a long time."

It was at that moment that Ophelia entered the infirmary. At first, she said nothing as she stared at Wren, shaking her head.

"You're trying to make me old and gray, aren't you?" Ophelia said.

"Sorry mother," Wren said, her head down. "It's not like I really have that much control of it."

"Why do I feel that that is a falsehood? You are a lot higher than me or your sister, plus you've been at it a lot longer," Ophelia said.

"Longer yes though, the control isn't as easy as you think. Though I have noticed that, if I don't think about it, it isn't as hard," Wren said.

Behind her mother, several of the masters were nodding their heads yes.

"So," the first master said. "You are discovering what we have known for a very long time. The harder you attempt, most times, the harder it is to do.

Wren could only stare at him, "could you not have just told me?"

"Would you have learned? You know that the more you attempt it, the sooner you learn it," the first master said.

Wren was about to respond, then shut her mouth, as she thought about it damn, if he wasn't right. She just looked at the first master and nodded her head.

"So, unlike many of the students we have over the years, you are actually learning, this is good," the first master said.

Wren had to agree as she tried to sit up again, this time almost making it, then falling back with a groan.

She looked at the others in the room, realizing it was those that she had brought out. It was another hour before she was strong enough to get out of bed. Though she still didn't have that much energy.

She had watched as her sister Helene was starting to regain her strength. When she was finally strong enough, she was the last to leave. The first master found her as she was leaving.

"Little Wren, we have retested your sister. It appears that she has almost crossed the sixth level. Your mother has just entered the eighth. We wish you luck with the mission and your oath," the first master said.

She was walking toward the Chrysalis with her mother, she stopped looking in a moment. A worried look came to her features as what she felt was almost unchanged from the last time she'd been here.

"We have brought ninety-nine out a fourth and it still feels urgent. Mother, I don't know what is wrong, I need to get them all, but it seems impossible," Wren said.

"Difficult, yes, though, I don't think it is impossible. If you keep increasing like this it shouldn't be that much longer," Ophelia said. "Besides," Ophelia said as she laid a hand on the Chrysalis, two lights coming off it.

Both rapidly solidified as a male and female. "That was fast," Wren said.

"It felt that way, now we have a hundred and one," Ophelia said.

Wren nodded that was four she didn't have to worry about, especially with the count above a hundred.

"Alright mother, I have to go," Wren said as a portal opened and Wren stepped through.

"Welcome back, master Wren, I have the observations ready if you wish to review," Trigon said.

"I've thought it over. I think that we should have an empty system when we go to the next place. I'm having a strange feeling," Wren said.

A moment later, a portal opened in front of the ship as they entered, then were gone. As they came out of trans-warp, five squadrons were there to guide them in.

Upon landing, they started to bring the shocked people out of the storage system. An hour later, Wren had added more buildings to both of the cities. She had assed another eighty ships or four more squadrons.

Wren hoped that ten squadrons would help them protect them more. She had hoped that one of the last councilors were in this batch.

Though she was disappointed, she waited as the four thousand people were unloaded. Wren nodded her head as there were now ten thousand eight hundred and fifty humans now on Decacon-one.

Wren was prepared to leave when the council approached her. "Princess, we have managed to increase the storage capacity to twenty thousand. We were advised that each planet in the Meltry systems have more than double the number of human brains. The home world we have found is far larger than we at first thought."

"I just hope that the ten thousand here now is a good start back to what the earth that was," Wren said.

"The first councilor bowed, "it is indeed. Most of the smartest and most brilliant people have started to be among those that you have rescued. They have started to advance many of the basic systems that you have given us."

Wren nodded, "I am glad that you have at least some protection. I wish you had more than ten squadrons, though those that we had at the battle of the earth performed exceptionally."

"We feel that they will be able to protect us extremely well. We hope for your continued success, princess Wren," the first councilor said.

"I also hope to finish this. I have not really stopped this since I started. I only have four colonies and the home world left. As to how many they have captive I won't know 'til I am actually there," Wren said.

Both of them stopped as a tech ran to the councilor whispering to him. He nodded, then turned to Wren.

"It appears that they will be able to extend your system, ten thousand more," the councilor said.

Wren smiled as she advised Trigon, who was finished within minutes." I thank all of you for your hard work," she said as she turned and entered the ship, leaving a moment later.

As the ship started higher, Wren smiled as she saw that they were trying to begin a third small city.

"Alright Trigon," Wren said as a portal opened, they, appearing within the Ceti-5 shield.

"Ceti control this is pupa one entering system," Wren said.

"Follow the guide Wren," came Flugret's voice. "I will meet you on the pad."

A minute later Wren was watching as the ship cooled, then she stepped out. "Master Flugret, you now have over ten thousand neighbors on Decacon-one."

Flugret nodded, then thought a moment. "Neighbors are good as long as they do not try to interfere in others' concerns. This is, of course, what has started many a war before."

"I am hoping that they are not like this. As I said at the moment, there are only ten thousand. Not really that many to try and start over," Wren said.

"No, though it is more than enough to actually begin, barring accidents and war," Flugret said.

"I hope that we are beyond that," Wren said.

Wren then walked past Flugret to the Chrysalis room. "Remember what happened last time?" Wren's mother's voice said behind her. It took you several hours to recover, and as you said, you need to finish this."

"I didn't try to go as far as I did, it just happened," Wren said as she laid a hand on the Chrysalis. At first Wren tried to concentrate, then to her surprise two huge balls emerged. Wren smiled when they split into four, eight, then sixteen, causing Wren to frown.

It wasn't 'til it hit twenty that she started to worry. There wasn't stress 'til she thought about it. By then, all the lights were starting to solidify. They wer4e almost complete when Wren felt the strain start.

Wren knew she was going to lose a few if she didn't do something. Reaching deeper, she touched her inner strength, a moment later all went solid as Wren nodded, then fell to the floor exhausted.

"OK, that was intense," she said as she felt the darkness take her.

Rena shook her head as more than ten of the masters managed to get her off the floor. It was almost four hours later when Wren opened, finding that she was in bed.

This time the Ceti doctor wouldn't allow her to get up for the rest of the day. Wren actually slept almost ten hours, awakening feeling far better than she had in a long time.

Her mother Ophelia walked into her room a few minutes later. "So you have four more colonies and the home planet. Do you have enough power for this?" her mother asked.

"For the moment, I do, mother, though the home world I am not that sure. I am increasing each time I do something though the masters had to adjust me. They had to, so I wouldn't burn up or out. I know I have enough for now, though the last world I am unsure," Wren said.

"Be careful, we need you and your father alive, not a memory," Ophelia said.

Wren hugged her and her sister then walked out to her ship with them following.

Within two minutes, she was opening a portal. Almost ten minutes later they emerged within sight of the seventh colony world.

Wren smiled as she saw that they were finally taking the threat of her seriously. They now had five heavy battleships, a carrier and at least ten light battleships.

"Has the added data space helped missile and torpedo capacity?" Wren asked.

"It has master Wren. I now have three hundred energy torpedoes and four hundred fifty missiles. We have barely enough to handle our current enemies. I also have a faster recovery system," Trigon said.

Wren's eyebrows rose as she nodded. "Fire twenty-five energy torpedoes at each heavy battleship," Wren said, hoping that the improvements would help.

A moment later four of the five heavy battleships went dark though one still fired at her. One missile exploded not far from the ship, rocking it severely. Wren growled as she had Trigon fire another twenty-five torpedoes at the last one.

Wren watched with satisfaction as the last heavy battleship went dark, then started to break in half. "Fire at least ten at the light battleships," Wren ordered.

Again, Wren smiled as the light battleships started to explode.

"All battleships are now inoperable. I have commenced firing at all the fleet ships. I estimate that the way should be clear in ten to t6wenty minutes," Trigon reported.

"Good, I need a scan of the planet," Wren said, then blinked at the total number that she saw there. "Am I reading this number correctly?" Wren asked.

"Now reassessing," Trigon said, as it was quiet a moment. "I have repassed scan it is correct. There are ten thousand people on the planet. It will take two hours to evacuate all of them, even with the updated system."

"Alright as soon as you can, start getting them out of there," Wren said as she looked over all the readings she was getting from the planet.

Wren continued to scan the area to not have any unexpected guests. Her damn brother-in-law had been enough for two lifetimes.

She noticed that another group of ships were trying to slip away. With an almost sadistic smile, she had Trigon target all of them, then eradicate them.

"Open a channel, Trigon," Wren said. "To the murdering Meltry. Enjoy your last moments. I am delivering the same justice that your race did to the earth. It is fitting that your own weapons are what will destroy you, good-by. Drop all four shatter bombs," Wren said.

Even as they were moving away, the com started to go off with signals from the planet. Then she watched as the planet turned molten then cracked open.

Wren nodded as she opened a portal as they slipped away. Almost ten minutes later, it opened not far from Decacon-one. Wren was about to call them when there were six squadrons around her of the earth ships.

"Hello Princess Wren, please follow the guide in," a pilot's voice said.