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powerful, and maybe more so, than even what the T kaan possess.
 You saw the battle cruiser destroyed, right? In a single blow, Jaric added.
 Why did she not destroy the other two ships? Before they escaped? Saris
asked.
 I am not invincible. Neither are my weapons. But, we have also found that the
T kaan are not invincible. The Mewiis looked around skittishly as Mother s
voice emanated from the communicator on
Becky s necklace. Both Kyle and Jaric carried a similar device.
 But we are not as numerous as the human race, as when they faced this T kaan
fleet. We occupy less than fifty worlds.
 Are the Mewiis not part of the Three Kingdoms? Mother asked, prompted by the
knowledge she had obtained from Minstrel.  The Mewiis, the Hrono and the
Kraaqi together can field a fleet equal to the
T kaan Third fleet.
The Mewiis looked at each other in puzzlement. Not a few began to laugh.
 It is true, Krinia said.  As long as there have been Mewiis, we have known
the Hrono. Only in recent centuries have the feared Kraaqi longships become
known to us.
 There were wars, Saris added in a reflective tone.  We fought against the
Hrono in the beginning.
Then there was the Great Peace. The Kraaqi destroyed that when they first
showed up. The many centuries since have been turbulent with only short
periods of peace. The Mewiis have not thrived in this environment, which is
why we have endeavored to find habitable worlds far away from the Three
Kingdoms-for our children.
 Will the Hrono and Kraaqi not join us in this mighty struggle? Jaric asked
in disbelief.  Otherwise the
T kaan will destroy you all-one by one!
The Mewiis grew silent, then Saris again spoke.
 In the Book of Wars, the Mewiis have allied with the Hrono against the Kraaqi
many times. When the
Hrono have acted destructively, when their leadership has been changed and
they have sought dominance, we have even fought with the Kraaqi against the
Hrono.
 But never have the Hrono and Kraaqi fought together, Krinia added
matter-of-factly.
 They are sworn enemies? Kyle thought out loud.
 They are sworn enemies, forever. Saris said with emphasis.
 We seem to have a problem with our proposed alliance, Mother s voice
whispered to her children.
 We must not be dismayed by obstacles, Minstrel s voice whispered a moment
later.
 This is no small obstacle, Kyle whispered into his communicator.
 Sworn enemies. Lifelong enemies, Jaric added.
 Do humans always talk to themselves in this strange fashion, Krinia asked.
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Becky, Kyle and Jaric brought their heads up with a sudden jerk.
 We apologize. We were conferring, Becky said sincerely.
 Who is this Minstrel? Saris added.
 Oops. Minstrel s voice said from nowhere. And everywhere.
 We are not a backward race, Krinia said.  I cannot pinpoint the source of
this Minstrel, though
Mother s communications originate from the large ship of the humans.
 That ship, Jaric said with an edge to his voice.  our Mother.
is
Kyle glared at the Mewiss, deeply insulted.
The Mewiis grew silent as they exchanged furtive glances with each other.
 We know the importance of parents to children. We apologize. Ours, too, is a
society where the parent/child relationship is cherished. But, Krinia added,
 we do not understand your relationship with the MotherShip.
 With our Mother, Becky added with a smile.
Saris and Krinia looked at each other in surprise.  We would hear more of your
Mother. We must also discuss this terrible enemy and what we can do to protect
our children. Please, all of you, come.
The meeting was promptly moved to the Mewiis shuttle for dinner and
entertainment. There Saris, Captain of the Mewiss ship, spoke of the history
of the Mewiis race-of their heritage, and their life.
Females were the leaders of this matriarchal society. It was a society that
sought peace, but seldom found it in this dangerous universe.
Saris explained that the children were the most important segment of Mewiis
society. For they were their future.
Mother listened intently.
After Saris finished speaking, Jaric explained their relationship with Mother;
how Mother had been designed as the ultimate warship to fight the T kaan in
humanity s losing war. He revealed how the age-old dream of creating
artificial intelligence had finally been accomplished and then joined together
in the M Project to create Mother.
But all too late to turn the tide.
Jaric also explained how Mother s creators, Ron and Rita, had come up with a
new plan in the growing desperation of humanity s last days. They had uploaded
the entire knowledge gathered by the human race into Mother s vast long-term
memory storage. This was to become the last bastion of knowledge, the last
memories of the human species.
They had also put together an equally desperate escape plan.
Once again, the T kaan had foiled even this frantic attempt during those
tumultuous last days. In the end, during the climax of the final battle, Rita
had sent the ship outward with only three young occupants-Becky, Kyle and
Jaric-when they had hoped that they and dozens of others on the project might
have escape, with only the MotherShip between them and certain death.
They spoke of their long years of searching while the T kaan young grew on the
desolated human worlds; the years of fruitless searching for any other
possible survivors. Finally, they explained their decision to leave the dead
worlds behind as the T kaan fleet had learned of the existence of Mother and
the children and begun to hunt them down. The T kaan had dedicated themselves
to finish the grisly task of destroying the last of humanity as well as
Mother.
 That is the fate that awaits the Three Kingdoms, Kyle said with a sobering
tone.
 That is the fate that awaits your children, Mother added, again through the
communicator around
Becky s neck.  If you want your children to live, Mother paused, letting the
words sink in,  for your children to have any kind of future, then you must
defeat the T kaan. Or they will destroy all. Only with an allied fleet of
Mewiis, Kraaqi and Hrono can you hope to succeed.
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The Mewiis grew silent, reflecting on the hard words and the hard path before
them.
 The Hrono will fight, they have powerful ships. Krinia began.  And the
Kraaqi will fight, their longships are strong and many. Krinia paused.  But
will they fight together to defeat this dark menace? I myself cannot conceive
such an alliance. It is unthinkable.
 You told us that the Hrono, the most technologically advanced, will be the
most reasonable to deal with, correct? Mother s voice asked.
 Yes. We must go to them first. They will listen. But their strength is also
their weakness. Saris said.
 What do you mean? Becky asked.
 They are obsessed with technology. It is their god. They live for it. They
die for it. Saris smiled.
 Technology and adventure. That is what drives the Hrono.
 Perhaps they will be able to repair Mother s sub-light engines, since they
are so enamored with technology. Kyle looked from Becky to Jaric with a
hopeful expression.
 Yes, they will appreciate her, Saris said enthusiastically.
 Sounds like they might worship her, Becky joked.
 No, but they would be keenly interested in just what makes her work, Krinia
said.
 Have you or the Hrono no dealings whatsoever with the Kraaqi? Minstrel
asked. Minstrel had revealed its presence at the beginning of dinner, due to
the importance of this meeting and the results it would have for three entire [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]