Sanchez locks all weapons on their target and fires, but just as they fire so does the Dreadnought.
Sanchez surprised yells, “Oh crap! We have incoming!”
The two volleys exchange as both ships take damage. The Dreadnought takes heavy damage to its engines and starboard weapons. While Ronin takes moderate damage to its superstructure and primary landing, deck Carla feels the impact in the psychic realm, and she reacts yelling in pain, “Damn, Ronin! That hurt. We must have taken damage.”
Ronin replies, “Yes Mistress, It’s not serious. Nevertheless, we can pull out if you wish.”
Carla in pain asks, “Are we having any effect on fighting?”
Ronin responds, “Yes Mistress. We have increased power on the ship by fifty-one percent of your true capacity and by attacking the T-Challa’s psychic avatars. We have stunned many in the real world. This may cause the T-Challa to be unable to respond in the real realm. It is very possible that the damage was so light to us because of your attack on the psychic realm.”
Carla, feeling weak, says, “Then we fight on.”
On the Bridge, Kitanna sees blood running down Carla’s legs and says, “Get Cabral up here, Carla is bleeding.”
Sanchez concerned asks, “Why hasn’t she pulled out of her psychic world.”
Kitanna rushes to her body as it floats in the middle Bridge. She can see her bleeding profusely and says, “Damn it, she's not pulling out. She’s still in there fighting.”
Sanchez says as he prepares for another volley, “Well, only sixty percent of that Dreadnoughts weapons fired so she's having some effect on them.”
Sanchez fires all of Ronin’s weapons in a second volley, blasting deep into the ship and causing massive damage.
Abe calls up on the com yelling, “We are losing power! We need to pull out now.”
Ronin is hit again by both battered Dreadnoughts. Doing more damage and destroying several weapon platforms.
Kitanna yells, “Recall all ships! We’ve done enough damage. Let’s get out of here.”
On the psychic realm, Carla feels the impact of the second strike. She drops one of her weapons, as her hand is broken. She is bleeding worse now, as the T-Challa rally against her. Carla only has a split second to react. She releases a massive amount of energy on the plane decimating the attacking T-Challa, but the amount of energy feedback is too much for her to contain, as she cannot control it and it is forced back into Ronin. Carla is just too badly wounded to stop it. She collapses on the Bridge, returning to her body.
Sanchez yells, “The Dreadnoughts have all stopped! Something happened.”
Abe yells out, “We have a huge power spike! I'm redirecting all power to the engines! Get our fighters back on the flight deck now!”
Frasier notices that Ronin is starting to power up its engine and calls out, “All ship emergency landing now shift now! All ships shift!”
The fighters all shift back and make emergency landings. As Sanchez does all he can to maintain the buildup before finally engaging the hyperdrive.
Abe yells over the com, “We're about to overload! You need to engage the hyperdrive now!”
Frasier calls out, “We’re all onboard! Punch it!”
Sanchez gives the order to the helm, “Activate hyperdrive.” Just as before, the ship is propelled at immense speed through hyperspace, heading at near unimaginable speeds towards the planet. Abe calls out over the com, “We've lost multiple relays, and most of the backup systems I have installed are toast. We'll have to expunge the power through the weapons as well. The buildup is twice as much as before.”
Carla lies in agony on the Bridge floor, she slowly starts to regain conscious as Doctor Cabral works feverishly on her. She feels the power build up in the ship and the pending overload.
Kitanna sees she has regained consciousness and yells, “Carla! You need to get us under control now! Focus the power before we explode.”
Cabral looks up and says, “Captain, she's in serious condition. Her hand is broken. She has six cracked ribs and a mild concussion. She’s in no condition to do anything.”
Kitanna looks over and sternly says, “Yes, she is, she's her father’s daughter, she can do it because she has to do it.”
Carla closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She focuses all her concentration on pulling back the power surge within her. She begins to glow blue as Abe calls out over the com, “We have reduction in most of the systems, but I still have an overload building in the secondary conduit to the power core. I'm going to have to manually override the buffer to allow the energy to divert to the engines.”
Kitanna aware of the risky procedure orders, “No Abe, just let it blow, it’s far too dangerous.”
Abe replies, “Sorry Captain, if I let that blow it could take out half the engine room.”
Carla sweating in pain gets up and says, “I'll take care of it.”
Kitanna shocked to see Carla stand yells, “Carla! What are you doing?”
Cabral alarmed, says, “Young lady! You’re barely fit to stand.”
Carla, ignoring them both races to the lift, sealing the doors as she accesses the controls to take her to the engine room, within a minute, it opens to the engine room. She then races at her best speed to the engine room. Bloodied and sore she finds Abe trying to manually open an overflow valve.
Ronin tells Carla telepathically, “That valve is about to explode.”
Carla moves as fast as she can. Grabbing Abe pulling him away from the valve just as it explodes. The blast knocks both to the ground as shards of metal go flying across the room. Carla in agony focuses all her concentration on the secondary conduit forcing all the energy to divert to the engines and saving the engine room.
Abe jumps up, and sees Carla bleeding. He immediately sees a large piece of metal in her side. He instantaneously puts his hand over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding as Carla finally collapses unconscious. Abe panicked yells, “Carla you crazy fool. Don’t die! Please don’t die.”
Cabral and Ismail arrive to see Carla unconscious in Abe's arms as he weeps for her.
Ismail sees the compassion Abe has for her. He exhales as he says, “Abe I'm not a man of faith like my father. I like most of the people of our world find it hard to believe in a supreme being but if he does exist I would gladly exchange my life for hers.”
Cabral looks over Carla quickly, saying, “She's very lucky. A millimeter more and she'd be dead.”
Ismail grabs her up and says, “I’ll bring her to med bay.” Ismail activates his shifter and immediately reappears in med bay.”
Cabral sees Abe is also wounded and says, “Well, you look pretty banged up too. Come with me. A few hours in the cellular regenerator will do you good.”
Abe gets up and says, “I’ll be ok for now Major. I have to get the rest of the conduits in order, or we could still risk another explosion.”
Cabral aware of the situation reluctantly says, “Ok Abe, you have two hours. Anymore, and I don’t care if we all have to crowd on the Williams, I will rip you out of here personally.”
Abe smiles and says, “Two hours. No problem.”
Back on the Bridge, Sanchez reports, “So far we have covered a distance of a week in under an hour.”
Kitanna concerned asks, “What are the conditions of the engines?”
Sanchez replies, “In rough shape Captain. We have stress cracks that hopefully should reseal once we stop, but whatever the young Miss Ocoda does to create this much power, it would be helpful if she could learn to control it better.”
After an hour, Ronin finally comes out of hyperdrive as it loses all but basic power. Kitanna calls out, “Report, please.”
Sanchez responds, “We have reached the system Captain, but we are running on reserves.”
Kitanna calls down to the engine room, asking, “Abe, what is our status?”
Abe, still feeling sore replies, “We're in pretty rough shape Captain. It’s going to take me at least a week to ge
t us back up and running.”
Sanchez anticipating the Captains next request says, “We are just over two weeks ahead of the second T-Challa fleet. We can easily reach the planet with the Williams in under a day, and Captain all scans show no sign of any T-Challa activity. Just that odd energy signature that young mister Abraham detected earlier.”
Kitanna smiles and says, “Miguel are you starting to read my mind.”
Sanchez smiles and says, “No Captain, I just knew the next course of action in your command structure.”
Kitanna smirks and says, “Ok, get the Williams ready, and send her out.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SQUEEZE
A day later, the Paladonian Destroyer Williams heads out from Ronin’s hangar deck to the planet. In escort over one hundred support fighters, each carrying cargo pods follow as they head to the planet.
Abe fresh from a day in the cellular regenerator begins his work on re-powering Ronin. Repairs on the weapons and superstructure had already been started with the repair bots and damage control crews. However, estimations look as if it will take four full days to complete the majority of repairs.
On board the Williams, Captain Frasier with Ismail and Ella lead the expedition to the planet below. On the Bridge, Frasier sits in his command chair with Ismail looking over the sensor readings. Frasier uncomfortable asks, “Ismail, may I ask you a personal question?”
Ismail doesn’t look up as he focuses on his station replying, “If you are going to try and goad me into an argument again or try to provoke a fight, then the answer is no, but if you have a legitimate question please ask.”
Frasier sighs and says, “Look, Commander, I know we haven't gotten off on a good foot, but I'd like to try and change that if you can allow me a chance to.”
Ismail responds, “My father was a man of deep faith he believed that good lay within all men. I am not my father, nor do I follow in his beliefs, so I have deep reservation on your true motive for any questions you may ask.”
Frasier says, “Ok Ismail I don’t expect us to be friends, and I'm not asking for you to forgive me for anything, I'm just asking a question is that ok?”
Ismail still suspicious replies, “Then ask your question Captain.”
Frasier exasperated asks, “How are you so sure that everything that happened, and is happening isn't because of the Ocoda's? How do you know that her father didn’t arrange for all this to happen so he could get all this power?”
Ismail smiles and says, “Captain, you have access to all the intelligence files same as me. Perhaps even more, and yet you talk as a media starved puppet looking for ratings. Do you really believe the media rather than the true facts that you have access to?”
Frasier answers, “I question everything, and those reports can be manipulated. You more than anyone knows our governments don’t always tell the truth.”
Ismail sighs and says, “Then my opinion is meaningless to you Captain.”
Frasier calmly says, “No, not really, you have been involved with the Ocoda’s from the start and your father was one of the original members of Paladins crew. You have known this Ocoda child most of her entire life.”
Ismail now more than annoyed, says, Yes, Captain I have, but I doubt you would truly believe me. You seem to find those of the weekly world news a more believable source than me.”
Frasier sighs in frustration, saying, “Look, I'm just asking you, Commander Ismail Shi Reis why you believe what you believe, because just as you said before, you no longer believe in your family’s faith, but you believe in this story fed to us from our governments and that from the child.”
Ismail curious, asks, “Captain have you ever had the chance to meet or see Admiral Ocoda?”
Frasier confused replies, “Not directly, no, I have seen him many times in holorecordings, as well as the entire intelligence gathering mission by the Uari secret police. It was mandatory training for all Uari military personnel, so that we could learn who and what was responsible for our people’s existence, and it was because of all that type of intense training that made me and many like me question just who and why this Hybrid did what he did. Most importantly it made us ask just why he created the Paladonian people.”
Ismail reluctantly says, “Captain, I knew Caleb personally. I really don’t care if you believe me or not. Nevertheless, because you asked, I will tell you. Caleb felt so much sorrow in everything that he had to put his crew and friends through that it was very painful for him. When I was just a teenager, I had disgust and loathing in my heart for him, as I blamed him for keeping my father from me for so long, but when I finally met the man, he must have sensed my feelings towards him. He sat down beside me and spoke with me about his childhood. Did you know his father and mother were killed when he was just a small boy? That he was raised by his grandparents and they were so very old that they couldn’t even properly take care of him? In fact, it was actually him, a small child, which was taking care of them, more so than them taking care of him. Caleb Ocoda was the most open man I have ever met. He took every action of those he affected very personally, and if you had the honor of really getting to know him Captain.” Ismail looks directly into Frasier’s eyes, saying, “Well, you wouldn’t need to ask me that question, as you would already know the truth. This is not a question of faith, but one of belief, and when it comes to Carla’s father, I believe in him.”
Frasier sits silent for a long time. He reflects on Ismail's tale. After a long few minutes he says, “Commander, I have lived my life in doubt of everything and everyone. It’s practically hardwired into my DNA to question everything. I have also discovered that seems to be part of your thinking as well, that you also question everything, I have felt from the start that we are very similar in our duties, but with Caleb and his family you have no such questions. Can you honestly say that he did not influence your thinking in any way whatsoever?”
Ismail doesn’t even look up, he says, “Influence me? Captain, I believe you are really asking was I brainwashed. The answer is no. I question everything Captain Frasier even myself, but if you really must know what I think Captain. I think that Caleb is not that kind of man”
Frasier stares intently at Ismail as he takes in all that Ismail has told him.
A few hours later, the Williams finally locates the best area on the planet surface to land and explore. They focus on a section of the planet, which has large amounts of water and vegetation as well as the best area to study the strange energy readings.
They enter the atmosphere of the planet. The support fighter’s land first, being able to shift directly ahead. Their crews quickly secure the area and prepare the landing location for the much larger Uari Destroyer, the Williams.
The Williams lands, as the majority of the crew immediately disembark to quickly load the ships with much needed supplies. Ella is with Ismail as they look over the landscape. Ella senses something and says to Ismail, “Master Ismail, I feel a psychic presence on the planet, but they are hidden.”
Ismail grabs his com and alerts his team, “All hands be prepared for possible hostiles.”
Ismail turns all around surveying the area for anything as Frasier walks up from behind, asking, “What do we have Commander?”
Ismail looks to Ella, asking, “Is it T-Challa?”
Ella humbly answers, “No master Ismail, they are directly ahead of us by two thousand meters, and they are very frightened of us. However, I can sense that they seem to know who we are.”
Frasier cautiously asks, “We haven't picked up any signs of intelligent life whatsoever here, are you sure?”
Ismail looking down at his scanner replies, “I’m picking up nothing, and I mean nothing at all.” He pauses, as he smacks his scanner. He continues, “I should at least be picking up the plant life or something from that area. This is looking more like some kind of cloaking field.”
Ismail calls over his com to Ronin, “Captain Meyers, we need Abe down here as soon as possible. We may
have some sort of cloaking field protecting what appears to be a possible intelligence.”
Kitanna stressed with everything replies, “Commander, I really can’t spare him. Is there any way you can check this out first?”
Ismail replies, “Yes, Captain.” Ismail looks to Ella and says, “Ok Ella lead us to this intelligence please.”
Ella says, “Yes, master Ismail, I will do my best.”
Frasier and a dozen security personnel head out to track down the possible life forms that Ella detected.
The group travels about two kilometers when Ella says, “They are all here, grouped together. They are very frightened of us and they know you are humans. They have met your race before.”
Frasier looks ahead and states, “It’s an empty field. I can’t see anything!”
Ismail looking at his scanner says, “I'm definitely picking up energy signatures from directly in front of us, but something is definitely masking it.”
Ismail slowly moves ahead, as he cautiously moves his hands forward until he strikes an energy field, which instantly repels him backwards stunning him. Frasier pulls out his weapon, as do others.
Ella screams, “No, don’t shoot! They beg you! Don’t shoot!”
Frasier and his men ignore her plea and fire on the energy field. In the span of a single heartbeat, the field drops exposing an endless countryside covered in long protruding ruby red energy crystals.
Frasier and his men are temporarily in awe, but quickly prepare to fire as Ella jumps up in front of them, yelling, “NO! Please don’t fire! They are helpless.”
Ismail gets up dazed. He looks at his scanner and says, “Captain, these crystals are putting off energy that’s way off the scale.”
The group slowly approaches and sees a device damaged and overloaded from the rapid fire of their weapons. Frasier looks at the device and recognizes it, saying, “This looks familiar.”
Ella pleads, “Please masters show mercy. They were hidden by a man called Caleb thousands of your years ago. They are talking to me, pleading with me for you to listen to them.”
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 3 Ronin Page 14
