A New World - Book One
Chapter Five.

Before they vacated and returned to earth Willow wanted to establish the scientific research and extended an orbital hospital so should there be accidents then there were highly trained doctors on hand to treat them, also she left on a rotating six months shift, five hundred vampire highly trained soldiers to act as security should more raiders appear, and to protect the human miners who would not become vampires unless they chose this life style, and even then Willow wanted to vet them.

Willow was wiser now and understood there were going to be accidental viewing and people would become aware of who was protecting them, but unknown to them the guards could read their thoughts and would know immediately if they were discovered.

Willow wanted to continue with the orbital mining as it was a vitally important part of her ever-growing empire, and this alone brought in disgustingly huge volumes of finance, not even considering the twenty plus other enterprises she had under her ownership and control.

Immediately upon landing back on earth with her ship fully cloaked Willow set about establishing her new base of operations. Simon returned and spoke to john, he was astounded at the sight of him, and Simon offered him the choice of near eternal life.

“John, Willow sends her love and would like you to visit her in her Scottish estate. I have a shuttle waiting outside”. John blinked in shock, “I always wanted to fly in one of those beautiful crafts, I will get my computer and we can go whenever you are ready,” he said.

Simon smiled and led him outside and walked a short distance to a section of private executive parking which was apparently rarely used. As John entered the huge battleship sized shuttle, it auto piloted itself smoothly to Willows Estate in Scotland. What surprised John was he had no sooner sat down and was asked to stand and exit the craft. “Why is something wrong” he enquired and upon exiting he was in shock to see he was in Scotland.

“Dear Lord Simon that never gave me time to even fart” he said laughing, as they exited the huge craft and entered a beautifully fully restored mansion, with over three hundred rooms and two deep wine cellars plus numerous underground storage rooms.

“John it’s so good to see you” said Willow as Simon led John into a huge marble floored room. The mansion was stunning and it looked like something out of time, as it was furnished in precious antiques and held rooms simulating various periods of time. Where they were now talking resembled in very high detail like an emperors palace room from Rome. They greeted and John was stunned at the sheer beauty of Willow and of her grace in movement and speech.

John had no need to be convinced, as both Simon and Willow looked so much younger, invigorated and yet although he knew who was before him, he could not help thinking they looked like new life forms. “Gad Willow yes I want what you have…, please even if it takes me the rest of my life to repay you.” Simon and Willow laughed as they had read his thoughts and knew he would accept their gift.

Willow focused his mind to understand on what she was about to reveal to him. “John you have been a faithful and loyal friend and gave up your practice to allow me to become your sole client.” She paused, “I rewarded you well with commissions and bonuses plus a directorship in my empire, and as such made you stupidly wealthy. Now I am about to offer you a wonderful gift, but it has a price and you need to think before you say yes.”

John listened quietly as they sat and he heard her words in his mind not realising they were not audibly talking, at one stage his heart increased realising in just what was been offered to him, but he soon calmed as Willow gave him time to take in her words. He later accepted and Simon returned to look after the empire while John became a new creation; a few days later he returned to running the business for Willow and was a new man.

Only days after leaving the space colony a fleet of unidentified ships approached the colony, only this time it was not pirates but led by the trader who had initially made this possible for Willow. Immediately contact was established via a high optical link and Willow saw her old trader friend. “Juvistantion how good it is to see you again”.

The alien looked amazed first Willow had always found his name so difficult to pronounce, now she spoke his name perfectly, and secondly, even though he knew it was Willow she looked so much younger.

He blinked his cat like eyes, “Willow what have you done, even though you are not of my race, I would contract you if you graciously permitted to become my wife”. She laughed as she sensed the sincerity in his words, his mind operated slightly differently to that of hers, yet even then she was starting to understand his thought patterns. Until that was he surprised her. “My Queen I bring to you a gift.” There before her stunned eyes stood a human who she recognised instantly.

Her heart fluttered, and she called out Antony Mark.., my beloved you live on.” She was in shock as there before her stood the very husband of the Queen inside of her, and to Willows mind she loved him as her queen loved him. Mark Anthony recognised who was before him, “My Queen I survived, only thanks to Juvistantion as he took me for a space flight so I could acquire the ultra-rare flowers you so love, only as you know they grew on a distant planet.”

He paused as he saw tears of joy coming from his Queen’s eyes, “My queen when we returned our home world no longer existed and we realised that something had impacted and utterly destroyed the planet, you were gone, and my heart was broken. Willow gained control but allowed the queen within her to speak, “Mark my love a race who called themselves Altearirans, demanded our immediate surrender, I refused and before we knew it they destroyed our planet.”

Mark grimaced, “Yes my love we later learnt of this, it appears they are a war like race traversing the stars to steal wealth and further their race on a path of enlightenment, only to them enlightenment is to rule and be masters of all creation.”

Octavia looked in disgust at this knowledge, “We were given no warning other than to surrender, and we were obliterated before we could defend ourselves.” Mark nodded his head in understanding, “Once I became aware of your thoughts, I set out to replace you, only I have not brought good news my Queen, as the Altearirans are heading this way and conquering all in their path”.

Willow broke his thoughts, come to my home it’s in Scotland just follow my mind but keep your crafts fully cloaked as the humans of this wold have only recently learnt of such space travel and are not yet as friendly as our race once was.” No sooner had she finished talking when a fleet of two thousand ship set itself into orbit around planet earth, and Mark Antony materialised inside Willows home.

As they saw each other Willow released her mind over to the Queen and they greeted each other in a tearful reunion, of hugs and kisses. Mark Antony went to one knee and bowed, “My Queen I have brought you a gift.” At that an adult appeared beside him, and he looked at Willow “Mother…, my Queen he said. Willow broke into a torrent of emotional tears, as her planet had been destroyed so quickly she had not thought her child had died like all of her extended family.

“Julius, oh Julius you live” she said as she hugged her now grown son. Yes mother, I had gone with father and was not on world when this invasion happened, we have since declared war upon this race and built our own army.”

She smiled as Mark Antony rose and clipped his head, “Enough son, you are getting carried away, any way it’s my place to report to our Queen, not yours.” He lowered his head, “Yes father I mean Sir, Sorry sir the excitement of seeing my Queen and mother overrode my emotional control forgive me Sir.”

He smiled and hugged his son, he looked like an adult but was acting like a child. “My Queen I had Julius placed into cryogenic sleep and froze his development so he would not suffer, I awoke him immediately upon discovering your mind thoughts. Only as you can see he has started growing into an adult, our bodies must react differently, I feel his mind will follow quickly and soon.”

Willow looked at the love of her life, “How many soldiers do you have.” He smiled, “Alas I have only been able to replace Seven hundred thousand and a few extra, but they are all loyal to me, and now to you my Queen.”

She looked pleased, “The enemy,” Antony grimaced “About thirty Billion and growing, but they are by no means a match in combat to us my Queen, and there only advantage is their ability to destroy worlds.”

He paused. “They are on some kind of quest to filter out all unworthy genes within their developed minds and bodies and have turned themselves into huge ape sized soldiers, with immense strength and speed, and are incredibly difficult to kill, well for other races that is.”

He handed Willow a memory data disk, “My Queen this device should work with the primitive computer systems of your world, and this will inform your generals of what is approaching.”

Willow smiled and mind spoke, “Antony I am Willow who shares your Queens mind, this world is not yet aware of our abilities and if they were, due to the past culture they would fear us, not realising we are a nonviolent race, unless provoked that is.”

He smiled at that comment, “None the less Willow will you please ensure the military rulers of your world receive this it is imperative.” She smiled “I think I can arrange that” she said with a grin on her face.

They remained talking for the next few hours and Mark Antony explained the ships he brought were the latest of their kind and held fighting shuttles, smart munition and gifts from his new home world. Willow arranged for Simon to teleport the prime Minister and the joint Military staff directly into her new home. As they materialised Willow immediately took control of their minds. “Ladies and Gentlemen, be at calm we are not here to harm you, be at peace you have my word you are safe.”

Once she sensed they were calm she gently held their minds only enough to keep them relaxed and passive. Then she proceeded to show them the data disc and its contents with Antony explaining what was happening, “So you see these aliens are a warring faction and are on a direct path to colonise your world, at the earliest we estimate you have just less than a year to prepare yourselves.” He said in his closing speech. Willow could read the sheer shock within their minds and how they were trying to hold down the fear and remain calm.