The Scalian Legacy
Chapter Forty

Rauug had been true to his word. Jack, Robbie and Marcelo were all transported back to The Explorer to receive medical attention. Jack was bandaged up quickly and then went to see his brother. He wanted to be there when he awoke to ease him into what would likely be a quite traumatic realization.

Robbie Felder opened his eyes to see his little brother smiling down on him. He smiled back but was confused. The last he remembered they were in the rain forest looking at that bizarre alien ship that had appeared out of nowhere. “Where are we, Jack?” he said.

“It’s a bit of a long story.” Jack smiled and began to catch his brother up on current events. At first Robbie believed that this was all some elaborate hoax, but then Jack brought in the nurse. She smiled and tried to be as unintimidating as possible. However, when Robbie saw the nearly eight-foot, rhino-hide-covered nurse, he almost fainted on the spot. She then spoke to Robbie, confirming Jack’s story and pointing out Jack’s wounds, as he was still recovering from a couple FPE shots to his right leg and arm.

After Robbie was sufficiently acclimated to his new environment, they went to explain things to Marcelo. This took some more effort as he kept pinching himself to wake himself up. After a while, Robbie and Jack had to stop him to avoid his hurting himself. Eventually, Marcelo looked as if he accepted the situation, but he also appeared ready to wake up from a crazy dream at any moment.

Jack explained what had happened to humanity over the past three thousand years and spoke to them of Pendorans, Drumans and the Scalians that had captured them. He also told them how in the end the Scalians themselves saved humanity. Jack briefly introduced them to Horace, Henry and Dr. Simon. Jack then brought them to the observation deck to show them that they were indeed in space and how impressive the ships surrounding them were.

“I can’t believe you did all of this to go after us,” Robbie said as they stared into the vastness of space.

“You would have done it for me,” Jack replied.

Robbie nodded.

“Talvez ele teria, mas não me!” Marcelo said, indicating he wouldn’t have done it for either of them.

They laughed.

Jack had left Robbie and Marcelo with Dr. Simon to complete their examinations as he went to see the admiral. Jack entered the same conference room that he had become all too familiar with. This time, he was allowed to go there on his own, as he had his own pass to use to get around the ship. He no longer had to be accompanied by guards or anyone else. Jack was now a hero in the eyes of the few that knew of his adventure. As he entered, he once again saw the admiral in his usual spot, and the captain and Rivas in theirs.

Jack figured that this meeting was about getting him, Robbie and Marcelo back home. Jack was looking forward to going back to Boston—and back to work. He no longer saw his future in Brazil. He had a lot of ideas now that he had seen the future, and he wanted to explore them. Jack sat in his usual spot at the left end of the conference table.

“We really need to stop meeting like this,” Jack said as he sat.

“Yes, we do.” The admiral did not look as though he was about to deliver good news.

“What’s wrong, admiral? Are the Scalians going to put up some kind of fight again?”

“No, apparently the Senior Council had already been under attack internally and our invasion has pretty much collapsed their entire power infrastructure. We are now dealing with very reasonable folks, including Captain Rauug himself, in our negotiations. They already know how to adjust the teachings of Nagaran so that this is accepted by their people—in essence eliminating the edicts introduced by the Nagaran visits as false. It looks like all good news on that front—and of course, it’s all thanks to you. This is why the rest of what I have to tell you is so difficult.”

“What is it?” Jack got that nervous feeling again. It seemed as though every time he stepped into this conference room, it was bound to happen. “Am I in trouble?”

“No, you’ve saved us all, and will be revered by history for it,” the admiral replied.

“Then what is it?” Jack was confused and nervous.

“We can’t allow you to go back to your time; to your home,” the admiral said.

“You’re kidding, right?” Jack asked hopefully, although the admiral did not seem like the joking type.

“I wish I was.” The admiral replied.

“Why can’t we go back?”

“Because, it’s too risky,” the admiral said. “If you go back in time, you can change things, even minor things, that can have major repercussions to our present. If the wrong person is born or dies or fails to meet the right mate or fails to get the right job or any of a million other possibilities, it could inadvertently lead to us failing to succeed on a mission that was only successful with seven seconds to spare. Don’t you see? We would be placing all of humanity and possibly Pendorans and Drumans at risk if we allow you and your friends to go back.”

Jack sat back. His heart sank. The admiral wasn’t kidding.

“We’ll be careful.” Jack began. “We can avoid getting married or significantly changing anything. This isn’t our home; we just want to go home.”

The admiral sighed and Captain Malarde jumped in. “Jack, we don’t think that you or your friends will purposefully do anything to jeopardize the future. Still, every person due to their mere presence changes the future. The changes may not impact anything of significance, but they also may cause just enough of a change to be disastrous. Would you really want to risk so much for this?”

Jack began to think through what the captain had just said. He trusted her and her motherly compassion a lot more than the admiral of his cold efficiency. He actually found himself agreeing with her. How could he risk humanity’s future just to be able to live out his life back in his time? He couldn’t even justify it to himself once he thought it through.

“I see what you mean,” Jack said. “Even though the risk may be small, I wouldn’t want to put hundreds of billions of humans over time in jeopardy just to live our lives back in our time.” Jack then decided to look at the brighter side of this outcome. “I guess we will need to settle for being heroes in the future. I can’t wait to see what Earth looks like today.” He smiled a weak smile. Jack was not happy about the situation, but he also didn’t see much choice. He might as well make the best of it.

“Well, about that,” the admiral replied. “For now, we can’t allow you or your friends to go back to Earth.”

“What? Why not?” Any positive feelings Jack had on the subject evaporated immediately.

“We don’t want to advertise to any more people that this wormhole even exists,” the admiral said. “We don’t know how to destroy—or even if there is a way to destroy—it. Thus, we will need to protect it indefinitely. The fewer the people that know about this, the better. If you go back to Earth, well then, there is no hiding what happened here. We can’t simply say that we have extended our truce with the Scalians, can we? Remember, except for a precious few Scalians, most do not know of this wormhole’s existence or true capability. We want to keep it that way. If not, who knows how many Scalians would start trying to go back in time to change what just happened?”

“So, what are we supposed to do?” Jack looked at Rivas, who simply put his head down. Malarde looked away. “Well?”

“You will have free reign on The Explorer and when it leaves you’ll move to some other battlecruiser in this area,” the admiral said. “You can have access to any amenities you would like, and the same goes for you brother and your friend.”

“So, I save humanity and my reward is imprisonment?” Jack was now quite upset at the ridiculous outcome of his actions.

“No, you are not a prisoner. You are a privileged guest onboard any ship in this area.”

“No, I’m a prisoner that happens to have a large prison cell to enjoy!” Jack replied.

“I’m sorry that you feel that way, Jack, but this decision is final,” the admiral said. “I suggest you come to peace with it and accept it. If there is anything that you would like, we can provide it.”

“I’d like to go to Earth,” Jack said simply.

“Sorry, Jack.” The admiral stood. “Now, if you would excuse me. I have a meeting to go to.”

The admiral started towards the door. The captain stood as well and followed the admiral, but sympathetically placed her hand on Jack’s shoulder as she went past. A silent apology in a difficult situation.

Meanwhile Jack remained, fuming in his chair with Rivas next to him. Once they were alone, Jack turned to Rivas. “You agreed with this?”

“No,” Rivas answered shortly. “I fought it, but I couldn’t convince them, Jack. They are very worried about how to protect this crazy wormhole. It’s still a huge risk to humanity and all other species. They want as few folks knowing about it as possible.”

“I understand that, Anterian.” Jack started. “But, as the old saying goes, the ends do not justify the means. This is along the lines of what you were doing to the Scalians. Sure, you can rationalize it to yourself that you are doing the right thing and sacrificing your souls for humanity, but in your heart you know better. You can always feel it.”

Jack stood up and started to walk out. “Where are you going?” Rivas asked.

“Back to my prison cell, where I belong.”

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