Star Fields

Chapter No.63 New Horizons

Chapter No.63 New Horizons

Who knows what will happen!

Molly, Margaret and I joined Alexa and Marie on the command deck as our ship moved further away from the star system.

"What happened down there?" Marie asked.

"The Scath had planted an antimatter bomb in the form of a statue with the people. They thought it was the statue of a god. We were extremely lucky to have escaped this latest attempt to destroy us."

"Why?" Alexa asked. "Why would they deliberately kill ninety people just to destroy us?"

"Because they realize that humans are like candy and we are like children."

My analogy sunk in.

"This is ridiculous!" Margaret said. "We're only trying to help people and we nearly get destroyed."

"Obviously, the Scath consider us arch enemies because we're aligned with the reptilians," I replied. "We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. If we abandon the reptilians, we will be the enemy of the Galactic Coalition. We have no other choice but to pacify the Scath."

"That's not going to be easy," Molly said. "So far, they have eluded any attempt to locate them."

"Think of it this way," I said. "We are the only ones who can stop this madness. If we don't, our plan to preserve human life will not be achieved."

No one could argue with that.

I turned to Judy. "When the people are squared away in stasis, take us back to Earth."

"I will, Jason."

A few hours later we were on our way back to Earth.

"Get the people prepared to depart for Maui," I told Judy.

She nodded.

"Why did you decide on Maui?" Molly asked.

"The women we've established there need males if they are ever going to have more children. The other colony should be productive with what they have."

No one had an objection to my plan.

After the people we saved were revived and given clothing, the androids assembled them to board shuttles for the trip down to Maui. We landed about ten miles away from the women we had previously established there.

The androids helped in assembling huts and digging holes for septic systems. They also built an aqua system to provide water to each hut. Marie, Margaret and Alexa helped the woman and children by instructing them about how to find fruit and other food sources. They also showed them how to plant crops and handle other daily chores.

Molly and I showed the men how to fish and handle simple sailboats.

I also had something to say to the men. "Here's the deal. There's a group of women not too far from here," I said, pointing. "They have given birth by artificial means but need your help to produce more children. I'm sure that they would welcome your assistance in that goal."

The men laughed.

"All that I ask is that you treat them with respect and care for the children they have already given birth to." I held my hands up, palms out. "Other than that, we will leave you alone."

After a day of work establishing our colony of humans, we retreated to our vessel in orbit.

As usual, we gathered for supper and an after dinner discussion at my quarters.

"I think I know why we haven't been able to find the Scath's home planet," Margaret said. "It's the one place we haven't considered yet."

We all turned to her.

"Where?" I asked.

"The central region of the galaxy."

"That's not a very hospitable place," Molly said. "There's lethal radiation and lots of zombie stars. I doubt anyone could survive there."

"They could," Margaret retorted. "They're androids like us. Radiation would not harm them."

"Yes," I said. "You're right. We hadn't taken that into consideration."

"I'm beginning to think that these Scath are part of the Phoenix Project," Molly said. "They could possibly be androids much like us but with bodies that resemble the reptilians."

"That's a really nutty idea," I said. "It's crazy enough that they created all these androids we have, but to have also created alien androids . . . "

"What better way to harass the reptilians," she retorted. "They made them look like the reptilians but with a more demonic appearance."

"If we do find these Scath androids, what are we going to do with them?" Marie asked.

"That's a good question. I'm assuming by your question that we would have assimilated them."

"We could keep the fact from Fist and his alien buddies," Molly said. "Then we could hold the Scath threat over them. That would keep them in line."

"That's a diabolic idea," I said. "However, it might work."

"First we have to find the Scath," Margaret said.

"Yes, that's right," I said.

We had no idea how we were going to do that, but it was our only hope.