Chapter 11: Battle Damage

“Shall we have a meeting?” Kevin Humphreys asked the hundreds that were gathered.

Jenny had given John a hug just after Dar took the bag of black boxes for Vid and the Russian Space Program, “What are you smiling about?”

“I think the two Presidents may have bonded.” John smiled as he looked in Jenny’s eyes.

“I agree, that’s worth smiling about.” Jenny gave John a kiss.

Reverend Jacob approached John and Jenny, “I’m calling for volunteers to fly home and see how much damage we got. From the first report, not only is the church gone but so is our home. I guess Nancy and I join you downstairs?”

“John looked around, “We will need to make room for a hundred of our Native Americans too.”

“My wife along with Scott the Cameraman have already transported along with Kirk the carpenter and a dozen others.” Said Reverend Bill Jacobs.

At the Shelter in West Seattle

The fifteen people were standing on 8” to 12” of debris in the parking lot, “I haven’t seen anything like this since pictures of tornado damage in the mid-west.” Kirk said as he picked up a busted 2” X4”. Even the trees and bushes were all down and broken.

The rain was falling. This was a storm from the Pacific Ocean with the wind blowing from the Southwest. Temperatures must be in the high forties. This will melt the snow. Nancy thought.

“Or hurricanes along the southwest.” Scott Rhodes added.

“Phil take five guys and see if you can find our door to the shelter. Scott, you also take five guys and find your truck and 2nd camera. See if your truck is still in one piece to broadcast. We need all this damage documented ASAP. I’ll take Kirk and Jeff and see if the back door is available and what is the status of our oil tank.” Nancy had taken charge, and everyone jumped to it. She amazed herself. Before her face was healed and looked normal, she couldn’t have done this. She smiled being very pleased with herself even with rainwater running down her face. She smiled, yes it was time for babies.

The church was simply not there except in broken pieces scattered in all directions. To move around the lot was a major time-consuming struggle. One of the couches from the recreation room was in one piece and in fine shape except for the chunk of plywood sticking through the center of the backrest. They got to the oil tank. It was covered with chunks of the broken building. Nancy with Kirk and Jeff, the two guys pulled stuff away until they could see for sure. No apparent oil leaks and they could see smoke coming out of what was left of the chimney.

Nancy worked her way to the back door and was handing Kirk and Jeff the stuff covering the back door. She found the tool that looked like a big hook. She inserted it in the door frame working it down carefully. The door came open a few inches. The three cleaned up the other things that would be in the way of the door opening. Once opened, Nancy bent down and entered the four-foot opening. The light was off. The generator was running, meaning the power was off to the building, “Let’s see if we got any damage.” Nancy said as she led the way into the shelter.

The emergency lighting was on with one light fixture with four bulbs every forty-eight feet was on. When the four turned right onto the main hallway they were surprised to see twenty of the Indian ladies having lunch and drinking coffee as if everything was fine.

One of the ladies named Susan a fifty-year-old said, “The front door is blocked.”

“We’re working on it.” Nancy chuckled, “Does everything work? Water? Sewer?”

“Yes, Mrs. Jacobs.” Susan said, “Are you hungry?”

“Susan, please call me Nancy. It looks like all of us will be living down here for a while together. We’re fine as far as food goes for now.”

Nancy looked at her two guys and headed for the front door. She looked around as she went, the basement was in good shape. All the utilities were separate from above, the only exception was the water and the fire alarm system. She sent Jeff off to check on the water line that ran up through the floor at the end of one hallway. There were two values together, one for upstairs and the other for the basement.

“Nancy, we turned the valve off for upstairs. Water was dripping.” Susan said as she tagged along.

Jeff was back and smiled at Susan, “Problem already solved.”

“Anybody home?” Phil asked. His team was coming down the main hallway behind him, “Any coffee?”

“Yes. Did we win the war?” Susan asked.

Nancy and Phil smiled big, “I do think we did. The men that did this damage are space dust. Some of us took on over 1,000 ships. They are no more, and we are all fine.” Nancy was giggling. She grabbed some paper towels tearing off a big chuck to help dry her head.

Phil was chuckling as they shared the fact, “Why would somebody do this kind of destruction?”

“I hope we’ll find out tonight,” Nancy said.

Back at Lockheed

“Shall we get started?” Kevin asked. The room quieted.

A man came in the door. He could have been Benjamin Franklin, “May I join your meeting?” His English was similar to what people spoke over two hundred years ago.

Jenny tried to suppress a giggle.

Lord Heat looked to his brother and got the go-ahead, “Men and women of Earth, this is our Director Bible. He is the unofficial Emperor of our Galaxy.”

John and Jenny stood and clapping their hands. Everyone in the room followed suit as they acknowledged the man’s presence. John was pleased to see both Presidents stand giving a head bow to the man.

“Director Bible please have my seat. The device in front of you is a microphone, I will be right behind you if you need anything.” Kevin Humphreys was very excited for having this kind of power present in his building.

“Lord Tersely, what do you make of this man, John Taylor of the House of Taillefer?” Director Bible asked in a strange language.

“Director Bible, please use English. These are my friends and loved ones. On Earth to speak a different language would be considered rude.” John shared, “Please give me a minute. I will correct another communication issue.”

John spoke in Lady Ada’s language, “Lady Ada, if you take the lid off the little black box again and set it near you, it will help you to communicate.” John then repeated in English. Everyone watched as she carefully did that.

Director Bible in English asked, “Lord Tersely, what do you make of this man, John Taylor of the House of Taillefer?”

“As soon as Lord Taylor joined the battle, our losses ceased. My brother Lord Heat was able to release anti-matter enough to make a major difference. The three 555s from Earth protected him to make our combined force on the flank of one light destroyer and as I said the three 555s enough to destroy over 1,000 of the Nanux black jets and four battleships. The Earth’s three 555s then chased down the Nanux Dreadnaught and destroyed that.” Lord Tersely paused, “Was there damage done on Earth?”

“Yes, I am Reverend Jacobs, someone blew my church apart and about 50 homes in a half-mile circle around it.”

“Did Earth respond to the destruction and did anybody see who did it?” Lord Tersely asked.

“I can answer that. Earth is new to space. We have in place some with power that doesn’t realize there is a serious step up in Space weapons and tactics. We did down one of the four Light Destroyers.” President Tripp answered.

“Stand up Lucy.” John told Lucy, “This is the young lady that hit one of the light destroyers from 20 miles.” John got out before it became too loud to hear. Lucy was 15 feet away from John and Jenny and came running to John for a hug. The noise was overwhelming. (When her real parents saw the clip, they said, “That must be a different Lucy.” After all, how could their Lucy be a Space Cadet?)

“How far is twenty miles?” Lord Tersely asked.

“Brother, how long is your foot?” Heaty asked, “Now think how far 5,280 times your foot times 20 is?”

“Their weapon is an advantage for most of the Galaxy.” Lord Tersely said more in thought than in concern.

“Yes, an Empower will need that.” Lord Heat said.

“Director Bible, I am impressed with John Taylor from the House of Taillefer. I would bend a knee if he was Emperor.” Lord Tersely said.

“Thank you, Lord Tersely. Lord Heat, what is your opinion?” Director Bible asked.

“I think I would be dead. As we heard, “He would drop in when I needed him most.” He did that and I am still alive, feeling better than I have in a long time. Together, we eliminated an enemy many hundreds of times our strength. We owe the people of Earth a life. Like my brother, I am impressed with John Taylor from the House of Taillefer.”

“I too believe my men and I owe the men from Earth a life debt.” Said Lord Tersely.

Lady Ada was waving her hand, “Lady Ada, you wish to add?” Director Bible asked.

“Yes, dear Sir. My Lord was injured bad. The ship was dead and Lord John and his Lady with a man healed it. He healed my Lord next. Lady Jenny healed me. When we have babies, one will be named John or Jenny.” Lady Ada got a standing ovation from her simple praise about what is important.

“Director Bible, we believe both the Lord Stensit and Lord Speaking are space dust.” Lord Heat shared.

“Lord John, do you have an adult son to replace you as Lord of Earth?” Director Bible asked.

“Johnny, please stand up. What do you think?” John asked.

“I don’t know.” Johnny looked at his wife.

“I have something to help,” John said as he moved towards his oldest son. A very big and wet sword covered with underwater plants and dirt showed up in John’s hands. It came from the bottom of a lake in England. It had been thrown there over 600 years ago. A towel materialized and John wiped the water, mud and slimy plants from the sword. He handed the sword to Johnny.

Johnny didn’t want the sword, but his spirit and heart-directed his hand to clasp the handle. The energy was enormous. Johnny felt he had connected to a live wire of 110 volts. Instead of dropping the sword he reached out with his second hand to help hold on. He raised the sword and stabbed a hole in the ceiling tiles. This was his Excalibur returned to him once again. The light and energy coming from him were too much for many eyes. Johnny turned to his wife Teresa, “Touch my sword.”

“NO.” Teresa drew back. She had touched God. That was enough for today.

“Touch my sword! My Lady?“ Johnny said again with a smile.

Many around them agreed and said, “Touch his sword, our Lady.”

Teresa looked around, took a deep breath of air and reached out. Her eyes got big as a wave of information rolled through her, “You were King Arthur?” After a minute, she turned to her mother, “Hold it.”

Carol took the sword then said to Teresa, “You’re supposed to do this daughter.” The sword slowly continued around the table.

“Officially I have 43 votes for the Temporary assignment. Lord Tersely, Lord Heat and Lady Ada brings me up to 46. Lord Johnny Taylor of the House of Taillefer, how do you vote on your father becoming Emperor of the Galaxy?”

Johnny stood tall, “Director Bible, I love my father, I have seen his miracles, I agree with anything he wants. I vote yes!”

“And your Lady, Lord Johnny. How does she vote?” Director Bible asked.

Teresa looked at Johnny. He leaned his head as he did when he was looking for agreement. This was important, “Director Bible, I support my husband in this, but more importantly his father John Taylor of the House of Taillefer will serve mankind. I will vote for John Taylor to be Emperor of our Galaxy.”

“Lady Jenny?” Director Bible asked.

“When we entered this building earlier today, My Lord asked me where did I want to live? I told him then, anyplace where he is. I vote for him to be Emperor as long as the family can be with him.” Jenny smiled at John.

“Lord John, do you want to be Emperor of the Galaxy?” Director Bible asked. He then pulled out John’s three books concerning the Thousand Years of Peace.

“Director Bible, do you have spies on Planet Earth?” John asked with a smile.

“I was there when your 32nd Great Grandfather King Charles on Christmas day in the year of our Lord Jesus 800 AD was Crowned Emperor of the Western part of the Roman Empire by Pope Leo III.” Director Amen Bible said. “I have many generations of Family on this Planet Earth. One of them has been in your shelter since early on. We have also watched a particular line of the Taillefer called the Taylor. Your ancestors were of the Warrior Class and fought for the rights and safety of their people. You are also a carpenter following in the footsteps of another. If Jesus had a last name it very likely would have been Carpenter. You have prepared yourself for this role.”

John looked at Director Bible and nodded his acceptance.

“Ladies and gentlemen, with the power of the Galaxy I wish to take a knee to honor Lord Taylor of the House of Taillefer with the temporary rank of Emperor. Our Galactic Lords will convene in 111 planet cycles to review and give a final vote on this matter.” Director Bible scooted his chair back and bent to one knee, “I vow to support you Lord John Taylor of the House of Taillefer with all that I have for the next 111 days or for the rest of my life.”

Lord Tersely repeated in his language for his men.

Everyone went to one knee. Everyone said, “I agree!” Or “Yes!” Then stood and clapped.

“Emperor John!” Was yelled.

John stood, turned to Jenny, she was smiling as she said, “Now we are in a fairy tale.”

“Director Bible, why Earth?” John asked, “Why me?”

“Earth has been at war long before the beginning of recorded history. This is a rarity for the Galaxy. Even you are a Marine and have been to war. Today when you Earthlings saw a fight, you moved towards it and defended your position. When you walk among the Galaxy walk with a swagger, not as the bully, but as freedom-loving people you are, willing to defend your turf and the rights of those around you. Your children are prepared to venture out into Space. My Emperor, you have all the ingredients to make this work. Like your shelter and so many times in your life trust in those around you to help carry the heavy loads.”

“Who wants to go into Space?” John shouted, “Stand up!” Everyone stood and shouted and clapped. When it quieted and people were seated again, “THANK YOU!” John shouted.

“May I have ten to fifteen minutes please?” Kevin Humphreys asked.

John looked over at Rev. Bill Jacob. Bill gave John the “OK” sign along with a big smile.

John mouthed, “Shelter?”

Bill gave John another “OK” sign with another smile. He had gotten a text from his wife, Nancy.

Kevin got agreement and started a video up on the big screen, “I want to thank Scott Rhodes and Tina Harris for putting this together. This ten-minute video came from the three Russian made 555s and Lord Heat’s Light Destroyer. The battle was very well documented by the video. Black Jets would fire then be seen for a few seconds as their cloaking went offline. Lasers would reach out to them punching a hole in them. They would expel all their life-supporting air. They would float by as ghost ships. Many of the ships cloaked, some visible.”