Four Mewiis planets had fallen victim to the dread horned squadrons. But because of the heroic efforts of the Mewiis navy as well as Mother at the planet, Myraira, the majority of that one world's population had been successfully evacuated prior to its destruction. Still, the price had been high, and the Mewiis were now demanding more help from the Hrono and Kraaqi.

During these eight weeks every shipyard across the Three Kingdoms had been busy every hour of every day integrating the hybrid weapon into as many ships as possible. Now, on the first day of the a.s.sembly, the work on the last of the cruisers of the Kraaqi fleet had been completed. Across all three fleets, every battleship and every cla.s.s of cruiser now had the hybrid weapon successfully installed and tested.

But as the a.s.sembly began, the Admirals and Captains of the Hrono and Kraaqi clamored for the hybrid weapon to be installed in the frigates as well while the Mewiis Admirals argued back that it was time to take the war to the T'kaan. Emotions were high, and the newly formed alliance was being sorely tried.

It was finally decided by the end of that first day to bring the ships of every fleet together and prepare to strike back at the T'kaan. As orders were quickly relayed to the fleets to begin gathering at the predetermined coordinates, scout ships were also ordered out in large numbers in order to seek out and find the T'kaan Third fleet. The success of all their preparations hinged on striking the T'kaan and destroying their entire fleet in one mighty blow.

But they had to find the elusive T'kaan Third fleet.

The fourth day of the a.s.sembly arrived, and there was still no word from the scout ships.

As the leaders of the Three Kingdoms anxiously awaited word from their deployed scout ships, a new argument arose-an argument that centered upon Kyle, Becky and Jaric.

"We are the last three humans left alive in the universe." The Hrono and Kraaqi froze at Kyle's words. In fact, every eye in the audience now focused on the lone human as he stood before them.

Kyle stared wild-eyed at the gathered leaders and warriors; Hrono allied at last with Kraaqi, and even the diminutive Mewiis armed for war. They were all prepared for victory.

But the unthinkable had also been whispered in small groups-defeat, and to be brought to extinction like the human race. The audience remained silent as this alternative sunk in once again with Kyle's words.

"Even more reason for you not to fight in this battle," Rawlon growled, stroking his chin.

"We will fight," Kyle growled back. "We will not be left out after helping you this far."

Jaric's ebony skin flashed under the harsh lights of a.s.sembly as he stepped onto the stage beside Kyle, and together they faced the gathered Three Kingdoms.

"We cannot be denied." Jaric began. "It is our destiny!"

"There may yet be a way," Jasus said. "Through genetic engineering... maybe..."

His unfinished words spoke louder than the ones he had uttered.

"Today is a day of action." Becky strode to the center of the stage beside Kyle and Jaric. "We must fight through that...before we can think of tomorrow, or the hope of one."

A pervasive silence echoed throughout the great hall, and the thousands shook their heads in wonder.

"You owe us as well," Mother's voice echoed. Though the mighty ship rested on the plain outside the spiral building of Mewasta, her voice emanated through her robot envoy, Guardian. His ma.s.sive seven-foot form walked forward and stood stolidly with the humans, as he had since their childhood.

"We have helped you with our technology and with what we have learned through such hardship from the T'kaan, improving your ships as well as helping you integrate the hybrid weapon. The combined fleets of the Hrono, Kraaqi and Mewiis gathered around this system now have stronger shields and engines.

Your capital ships are now primed with the hybrid weapon to smash the feared horned fleet." Mother's voice paused. "You must let us be there with you."

It was true, Mother reflected silently.Every ship from a light cruiser and larger had installed Mother's fabled weapon, complementing their main armaments. But there had been one failure with its integration in the warships of the Three Kingdoms; whereas Mother could recharge the T'kaan/Human hybrid weapon and use it over and over again ,in their warships no amount of configuration would allow the weapon to fire more than five times before the circuitry overloaded and it became unusable.

"Let the female human stay-it is with her that the future of the human race may lie," Jasus said. "At least let her stay. From her womb may spring the human race again."

Becky's eyes burned into the twin pupils of the Hrono. She and everyone gathered knew how tenuous that hope, that dream, that fleeting wish-really was.

"Iwill fight," she said firmly. "If anyone should stay for the sake of the lost race known has humans...it should be Mother." Minstrel's disembodied voice caused every head to turn upward. Floating just below the huge ceiling above the throngs, Minstrel had watched mainly in silence.

Below, the Mewiis smiled at their well-known friend, but the Kraaqi and Hrono still stared with fresh wonder at this newly acquainted alien ent.i.ty. As the crowds digested her words, Minstrel twinkled with emotion.

"Inside her long-term memories are stored the entire collected knowledge-science, art, music..."

Minstrel paused, its plasma body aglow with different colors. "The entire memory of what the human race once was is carried inside MotherShip," Minstrel said. "It is she who should not fight. So the universe might remember."

"Hear. Hear. Yes!" Shouted the gathered throngs.

The main room filled with the leaders and high warriors of the Three Kingdoms began chanting their approval of Minstrel's words. In the past few months, as the MotherShip and her children had brought them first warning of the coming fleet and then had taken the lead in forging this unimaginable alliance among once sworn enemies, all had come to know and respect them and Minstrel. They had also shared their mourning and their burning desire to destroy those that were now destroying the worlds of the Mewiss.

"I must be there." Mother's voice doubled in volume and caused every head to turn toward Guardian.

"Did Mother just shout?" Becky asked with disbelief.

Jaric and Kyle stared at the speaker on Guardian's chest through which Mother's words had just emanated. Mother continued speaking, her voice now at a normal volume and intensity.

"It was my fighting prowess that bought the last remnants of humanity those precious few weeks to prepare their last stand. Alone, I fought those rear-guard actions time and again to slow down the T'kaan advance against Earth."

The silence returned and filled the hall-a deep hush embraced them as they listened-as if something holy were about to be uttered.

"Against impossible odds, my weapons cut through the advancing squadrons of horned ships and then I withdrew. I made my way in secret to the prearranged rendezvous point and picked up the children,"

Mother said. "My creators, Ron and Rita, had finally seen the futility, had guessed the final outcome, many months before the last stand. They had made preparations to escape and save what they could of their race and the few they could take with them. But war takes unexpected turns."

Mother's processors burned with activity as memories hard and clear came back and were relived. She felt a surge from her primary power source and wondered why she had suddenly armed her weapons, when there was no enemy in sight on this world.

"My creators died on that last planet-died with the last defenders of humanity. Yet, they did something no race before them had done-they took the T'kaan Third down with them, including the Great and mysterious horned ship that each fleet is built around." The silence grew heavy and electric.

"But more T'kaan came. And more ships were built." Mother paused for effect. "With only the three children, I fought my way through the rebuilding fleet. The First and Second were sending replacements as the maggot offspring fed on the battlefield dead. A new Great Horned ship was born. All this time, I fought them, while at the same time teaching the children how to defeat the horned enemy. I protected them. I taught them. I..." Mother's voice processor suddenly cut off.

Mother focused on the implications of the next words she had almost uttered- I loved them.Could she really express that she felt that emotion for the children? She wondered.Could a machine love? A ship designed to destroy, designed for war. Did she really feel love?

The questions of life haunted Mother once again deep inside her electronic mind.

She so wanted to know love-to love, and to be loved. And most of all, she wanted to tell those gathered here that she did indeed love her children, and that she knew what love meant.

One millisecond had almost elapsed when she resumed.

"You will need my prowess when you fight this greatest of enemies. For if the Third is not stopped, there will be no more Kraaqi-no more Mewiis, and no more Hrono," Mother said instead.

Even as these last words fell upon the alien ears, movement began around Rawlon and his entourage. A courier entered the room from an entrance behind him and began whispering excitedly in his ear.

In moments, Rawlon was standing, raising his hand to silence the growing murmuring that filled the great chamber as they watched with rising excitement.

"The T'kaan fleet has been found! Listen to this live message my people are receiving from the Kraaqi scout ship, Hyydea."

Becky almost jumped as static suddenly rattled from the overhead speakers. Every heart in the hall pounded with the sudden rush of adrenaline as the static grew louder.

"...of the Hyydea. We have made contact with the T'kaan main fleet and are being attacked. I repeat, the horned ships do show the markings of the Third Fleet." There was a pause of silence that seemed to stretch for a small eternity.

"Oh, Great Osni! There are so many... Wait...wait. Target that frigate! Helm, hard over!"

Multiple explosions rumbled through the speakers until the hall itself seemed to be under direct attack.

More words, garbled and almost unintelligible, came between the explosions. Amid this terrible cacophony came their last words.

"...there....other ...warn ....listen... you must... "A huge explosion suddenly rattled every speaker in the great chamber as the a.s.sembled ma.s.ses rose as one. Becky raised her hands to her ears as she felt Kyle and Jaric move to her side.A harsh, dead silence filled their hearing, and everyone knew the scout ship had been destroyed. Rawlon's swarthy frame rose between a diminutive male Mewiis and the larger female Mewiis, Admiral Saris. Two chairs down, the scaly form of Tarlog rose as his eyes locked with his once sworn enemy.Rawlon raised his clenched fist and shook it at the sky as his black feather-hair jumped across his shoulders like the mane of a mighty lion. Every muscle in his powerful frame rippled with tension as he readied himself for what must be. He opened his mouth and roared, waving his head and his warrior's horns in battle challenge to the unseen enemy above- to the T'kaan.Every Kraaqi warrior fixed their eyes on Rawlon and roared with him, joining their voices together until the walls shook again with the power of their battle cry.The Hrono warriors, and even the Mewiis, quickly joined with their own screaming cries as the emotional electricity filled the air between them like something alive.The Admiral of the combined Force dropped his clenched fist as the battle cry faded from his lips. The crowded hall slowly became silent as ten thousand faces watched him with rising expectation. As the silence became complete, Rawlon looked out into the crowd."It is time," Rawlon growled.Chapter Thirty-Nine.The Circle Shipof Minstrel was Mother's sole companion as they flew to the gathering of fleets. The manta-ray silhouette of MotherShip drove hard through the blackness of s.p.a.ce, her now fully restored ThunderStar engines straining to be set free at full power.The great Kraaqi warfleet was already gathered along with the majority of the Mewiis and Hrono fleets at the place appointed by the High Command after a final review of the data from the lost scout ship. But Mother had desired a few hours to be alone with her children and Minstrel as they traveled separately from the other ships.Deep inside the circuits that ran throughout her being, Mother felt something she had never felt before. It was a kind of supercharged, electric feeling. Even as she began her diagnostics, knowing it was unnecessary, images began flashing into her near-term memories.Memories of her children, precious memories of when they were young and she was their entire world.Mother's processors burned with super activity."My life is nothing like I dreamed it would be." Becky's eyes filled with tears as the twinkling stars on the viewscreen swept by. Mother's optics focused on Becky's familiar form, blonde hair falling in waves across her shoulders.Jaric's tall form was beside her now, his arm around her waist as he sought to comfort her. Kyle stepped to her other side, close, but standing alone and aloof, as was his way. His arms were crossed across his broad chest in an outward show of defiance to the inner loneliness.The last three humans stared in shared silence as Mother carried them ever closer to the gathering storm."I only remember war. My whole life has been war." Becky said through tear-filled eyes. "Even after we defeat the T'kaan Third...there are two more T'kaan fleets."Jaric felt the huge lump in his throat as he tried to speak. Closing his eyes, he searched to find his voice."I wish I could take you away from this. Somewhere, there has to peace, happiness. Somewhere."Kyle's eyes narrowed as he looked away, unable to speak."What can I do?" Mother asked. "Can I provide something for you? Something to help you?""I don't know what I want," Becky sighed. She wiped her tears, first with the back of her hand, and as more fell, she wiped again with her palms. "I want to be happy," she said with sudden conviction.Mother began processing the word, the emotion, running its meaning through her vast knowledgebase.Seeking an answer.But there was none."None of us wanted this life," Kyle said. "Always fighting. Always retreating." He breathed deeply. "But we make our stand now, and it is a most n.o.ble fight. If we defeat the T'kaan this day, we will save three races from certain extinction.""And for the first time in history, defeat a T'kaan fleet. As well as live to tell the tale." Mother's voice was crisp and animated. "I have tried to care for you the best I could. I have defeated many ships. I have won many battles-all for you."Kyle and Jaric smiled at each other."But I have tried to be more than your protector. And I have tried to be more than simply your teacher.I have attempted through all the knowledge of the human race stored in my memories...to be your parent.To be your Mother.""And you are," Becky said quickly. "You are my mother. Our mother."Mother's sensors picked up a squadron of Hrono ships as they closed upon the rendezvous point in the Mewiis sector. Even as she began to answer Becky a few milliseconds later, she put her twelve main batteries into active mode as their twin barrels emerged from her hull."Like all mothers, I have tried to love you." Silence punctuated her pause. "That is especially hard for me, an AI warship. So hard." Again Mother paused. "I have tried to make you happy. But there is one thing in which I have failed you.""No! You have never failed us," Jaric shouted. Even stoic Kyle eyed the optics in disbelief as he brushed his fingers through his sandy locks."You are the best mother any child could ask for," Kyle whispered, almost too low for the others to hear. But Mother always could."I have failed," Mother's electronic voice answered. "Kyle, my oldest, is now almost twenty-one. Jaric and Becky are a few years younger. Your entire lives should be before you.""That is not your fault," Becky said hoa.r.s.ely."A parent should at the very least a.s.sist their offspring off to a good start in life. To give them skills, support; to prepare them to live out the rest of the years. Parents give life, something a machine such as I cannot do. But I should have at least made your life better." Silence. "I did not do that.""My life is better," Jaric said."And mine," Kyle added."I have only taught you war," Mother whispered.