The Last Starship Read Online Free Page A

that is, to me, putting the Earth at risk.” His eyes tightened on he Emperor. “I was given the task of protecting this world from space, and I’m going to do that job, even if you don’t want me to.”
    “Of course, I want you to. The last thing I want is for our world to be taken over by the aliens, but I need you here.”
    “Give me one good reason to stay.” The Emperor hesitated. “And where did you get that new hand from?” The Emperor looked down at his hand and then back at Jake.
    “I think, although I can’t be certain, there’s a chance you’re working with the aliens because that’s the only explanation that makes sense. Why else would you have kept us here for this long when you know we’re needed?”
    The Emperor stood. “I won’t listen to these accusations.”
    Jake wasn’t scared. “Why have we been kept here, Your Eminence? You and I both know I should’ve never left orbit, but you called me down here, where I was ambushed by aliens, and now you have a new hand. Have you started working with the aliens?”
    “Enough.” The Emperor was angry. Of course, he was. “Leave this room now and I might not take your ship away from you. You’ll stay here for as long as I want you to, Captain because I’m the Emperor.”
    “No, you won’t. You obviously don’t remember your own laws. As I said before, I have every right to walk out of this room, because I believe you’re putting this world at risk, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” He made a gesture behind his back, and his crew started moving. “Tell me the truth.”
    “I have told you the truth, Captain. I’m not working with the aliens.” Smiling, the Emperor clenched his new hand. “They’re my people. I’m working on their behalf, to make certain they have a safe world to live on, and I‘ve told them they can share the Earth with us.”
    “You believe they want to share it?” Jake laughed. “Have you not read our history? They’ve been trying to take over our world for the twenty years. You…” He shook his head. His crew was still moving, going back to the ship, and he was going to stay there until he got the full story from the Emperor, who believed he was working on behalf of the aliens. “Okay, let’s, for a minute, assume the aliens are telling you the truth.” That was impossible, but the Emperor apparently didn’t think it was. “They’ve chosen you to be their Emperor as well as ours?”
    The Emperor looked at both Jake and Joanne and bowed his head. “The alien I’ve been working with is Sagin. He’s told me so much about his world, and his people, and I want to do what I can to help them. How could I not when I found out their world was dying?”
    “Our world is already overcrowded.”
    “The aliens have said they can help with that. They’re going to help us build new homes, so we have more space for everyone.”
    “Where is Sagin?”
    “I’m not entirely sure. He said he had something to do about half an hour ago. He’ll be back soon enough, and then you can hear his words for yourself. I know, when you do, you’ll understand why I made the choice I did.”
    Jake looked at Joanne. She raised an eyebrow. The only reason the Emperor would have chosen to share his world with anyone was if he’d been convinced there was something in it for him. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Jake turned back to the Emperor. “How did you get your hand back?”
    “It’s a DNA technology the aliens they have.” The Emperor looked down at his hand. “They can regrow lost limbs. I thought it was a technology we could use here.”
    “Sagin told you that?”
    “He showed me it, Captain. Sagin gave me my hand back, which was something none of our doctors can do, and I want other people to be able to have their limbs back. I didn’t know what it was like to have both my hands. It’s amazing.”
    “What else can the aliens do?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “Yes, it does. What are they going to do