Benton laughs aloud, saying, “Because you did in the alternate timeline, and Raphael knows all about your history. So where is the youngster?”
Kitanna lowers her head as Sanchez somberly answers, “Admiral Meyers died in our first encounter with these new improved T-Challa ships. It was a few months ago General Benton.”
The three stand stunned, as Mohammed somberly says, “We should convene in your ready room Kitanna.”
Kitanna saddened replies, “Yes follow me.” Kitanna leads the three men through the joyous crew, up to her ready room above the Bridge.
As the groups pass through the Bridge, a holoimage of Abe is there, saying, “I have the device mostly repaired, but it will need time to finish regenerating now. I’ll be heading back on the Williams since there is nothing else I can do here.”
Kitanna says, “Abe I’ll need you to shift back as soon as you’re in range. We have heavy damage throughout most of the ship.”
Benton stunned asks, “That’s Jack’s kid Abraham?”
Kitanna smiles, saying, “Yeah, that’s him.”
Benton just stares in total disbelief at Abe for a moment, and shakes his head in disbelief as he moves to the lift and ascends to Kitanna’s ready room.
As the group settles down, Cabral comes over the holocom announcing, “Captain Meyers, Carla is stable but unconscious. She pushed herself far beyond anything she has endured before, and the injuries she’s suffering from are much more serious than what she has endured in our previous battles. I’m sorry Captain, but I had to induce a coma to spare her from the intense pain.”
Benton a little uncomfortable looks around and asks, “This is Carla’s ship we’re on? This is her symbiot?”
Ronin speaks, “Yes General Benton, you are on what was once the Yorktown.”
Benton, feeling very uncomfortable swallows, as he clearly shows his discomfort replying, “Well, no offense there, but last time I was on a ship that you and your master controlled you killed a good friend of mine, and nearly killed me.”
Ronin replies, asking, “I see General. Then you believe that the alternate future that Admiral Ocoda and my creator Paladin have attempted to change will fail. That we will become the evil force you encountered in the altered timeline?”
Benton now annoyed, says, “Well, no, I didn’t say that you oversized talking toaster, but it’s just damn inconvenient memory to have stuck in your head, especially when a very good friend dies…. Ah hell, forget that. What’s your name anyways?”
Ronin replies, “My name is Ronin.”
Benton shakes his head, saying, “Wow, well, that’s just plain spooky. You had the same name as in the alternate timeline.”
Ronin replies, asking, “Well sir, from the knowledge we have of the alternate timeline Carla had already released me. So my name would have been the same, would it not?”
Benton still very uncomfortable, says, “Yeah, I guess so, but it’s still creepy.”
Mohammed asks, “What else has happened since we disappeared, is our family ok?”
Ismail says, “Mother and the family are well father, but much has changed in the years that you have been gone. People have changed. Beliefs changed. Just so much has happened since you disappeared father.”
Kitanna interjects, saying, “The Earth and Paladonian people have been through a lot since our introduction, and now the T-Challa have made great advances over the past decade, and with so much in fighting amongst our own. Well, I’m afraid that we may be returning to a huge internal war at home.”
Raphael confused, asks, “How is that possible? Earth and Paladonian ships cannot fire on each other.”
Sanchez sadly reports, “Just before we became trapped deep within T-Challa space Ambassador Raphael, Carla had to release the blocks from all the ships, both Earth and Paladonian alike.”
Benton stunned asks, “Are you serious! Why would she do that?”
Ronin responds, “There was little option General, sir, the T-Challa had become aware of the shutdown protocols, and they were using them against our ships. The only option was to remove them.”
Benton leans back and lets out a deep breath, saying, “Damn, those Rooke and Tof’s will be at everyone’s throats as soon as they find that out.”
Sanchez curious, asks, “Why would Caleb allow these people to flourish, especially if he knew they are so violent?”
Raphael answers, “Because Caleb believes that good lies in every man.”
Benton laughs, adding, “Except politicians.”
Kitanna asks, “Do you know where Caleb is Gabriel?”
Benton answers, “No darling, he took off during my century’s long sleep, and the damn bastard didn’t even leave me a clue where he went.”
Ismail, having studied Benton's actions since arriving on Ronin asks, “General Benton, why where you staring so at Abraham Jackson?”
Benton smiles, stating, “In the alternate timeline a lot happened, which I’ve been asked to keep to myself. Let’s just say he was indirectly responsible for us returning to the past.”
Sanchez now asks, “General, I heard you say you are eight hundred years old?”
Benton smiles and says, “Nah, more like six or seven hundred something. I don’t really count the time in the stasis chamber as living.”
Kitanna now curious says, “We have known that some of the Paladonian’s don’t seem to age. Just as Jacks, Qui Shi, and even Val, haven’t really aged over the past decade, but they won’t discuss it.”
Raphael smiling says, “They must have been in the Flower Stone Kitty. It extends human life to as much as three times, but Gabriel seems to have even extended beyond that.”
Benton smiles and asks, “Well, that’s another story for another time. Anyways, that big ugly thing still doesn’t let you remember anything does she?”
Raphael confused asks, “What do you mean?”
Benton smiling says, “Well, what you said is partly true kid. There’s a lot more to it than that, but one other thing is that the Stone creates an exact duplicate of you and that duplicate exists in the Stone for all-time. Living in perfect harmony within it for all-time, but you can only enter the Stone one time.”
Kitanna confused asks, “Gabriel what do you mean? Klaus entered the Stone just before he died?”
Gabriel smiles and says, “Then part of him still lives in the Stone, and that means you can see him one more time.”
Kitanna begins to cry as she tries to maintain her composure, she asks, “Is it really him?”
Benton smiles, saying, “Well, yeah, it’s him. Up till the point he entered the Stone, and when you enter Kitty, a part of you will also live on forever in the Stone with him.”
Kitanna is speechless, as Benton finishes, “The reason no one can remember anything is that Caleb cloned a lot of dead alien races back to life. One of those races I strongly disagreed with, but you know our Filipino boy scout. He had to save them all, regardless what I said. Then that big dummy put a certain one in charge of protecting the damn Stone, and that big mean, nasty ugly bitch, has the power to make everyone forget everything.”
Raphael tries to remember and asks, “The Mist right?”
Benton smiles and says, “Sorry kid, I’m not telling you or anyone anything more about what Caleb’s got in there. Anyways, where’s Carla now?”
Kitanna replies, “In the med bay, she’ll be staying there until we can get the ship repaired.”
Benton sighs and, saying, “You have her under heavy protection I hope.”
Ismail feeling slightly insulted answers, “Yes General, she is being protected by my best men.”
Frasier states, “Maybe we should look at abandoning this ship and using the Celesta to get us home. With its phase-shift drive, we can cover greater distances.”
Raphael responds, “Not necessarily Captain, we can make short jumps, multiple times, but for the long distance shifts like the one we just did to deflect that incoming salvo. Those tax the shift drive
to its limits, and because of that last shift we now have to wait for several hours before we can do it again.”
Ronin adds in, “The Celesta cannot contain all the crew on this ship either.”
Sanchez realizing that Ronin is still communicating asks, “Ronin how is it you can talk with us when Carla is in a coma?”
Ronin simply replies, “We are detached on several levels, which I cannot explain.”
Benton smiles and says, “Looks like Caleb was right about that.”
Kitanna confused asks, “Gabriel, what are you talking about?”
Benton curious, asks, “Didn’t Carla receive a portable crystal drive probably a few months ago?”
Ismail reluctantly answers, “Yes, it was training her in the use of her power, but during the initial assault on the Yorktown we lost all power due to the T-Challa’s new weapon. However, the device Caleb gave her still had power, so it instructed me to use it to wake Carla from her coma, and in doing so I may have damaged it beyond even Abe’s ability to repair.”
Benton surprised, asks, “Did you damage the crystal inside it or just the power supply?”
Ismail confused answers, “Just the power supply. Abe cannot get it to power up.”
Benton smiles, saying, “Don’t worry son, Caleb left me six extra power units on my ship. So all you need to do is take the crystal out and put it in one of my extra units.”
Kitanna concerned asks, “Gabe just what is on that crystal and why can’t Abe fix the damn thing? He can fix anything?”
Gabriel laughs aloud, saying, “Abe understands X’ena technology better than anyone. That portable crystal drive is from the alternate timeline, so it’s a little bit beyond his understanding.” Benton grins, as he is fully aware just who really created the device, saying, “For now anyways, as for what’s on that crystal. Well, Caleb spent hundreds of years working on that foolish thing. I really have no idea exactly what he has on it, just that it’s important for Carla to learn from it.”
Mohammed now confused asks, “Brother, how did Caleb know that Carla would have trouble mastering her powers?”
Benton looks over to his friend answering, “In the alternate timeline Carla also had trouble understanding her powers. That gave the Meli its advantage over her, but that trouble in understanding her powers is also how we were able to defeat her, and then escape back into the past. For that reason, Caleb decided to wait until after she had reached her twentieth birthday to have the device teach her how to better control her powers.”
Ismail concerned asks, “Why would he not teach her sooner? At least to ensure she wouldn’t be defeated by the Meli?”
Benton takes a deep breath, saying, “Because Caleb had to be sure the timeline had changed.”
Ismail says, “Then why is it you doubt it has changed? Has your faith in our friend faltered?”
Mohammed turns angrily to his son and says, “Son, that is not your place to question Gabriel.”
Ismail snaps back, “Yes it is father, as it has fallen to me to protect her, even from him.”
Benton smiles and says, “Mohammed your son is a chip off the old block and he’s right, I don’t trust her, and I probably never will, but I would never hurt her son.”
Sanchez attempts to change the subject, saying, “Excuse me, but we have the repair bots making full repairs now, but we’ll need Abe to coordinate repairs on the starboard engine.”
Ronin adds, “The Williams will be leaving the planet in two hours. The ship is fully loaded with supplies. Abraham will be in range to shift in sixteen hours after that.”
Kitanna says, “Gabriel, and Mohammed, please stay, and as for the rest of you, we will convene later in the day.”
The room clears, as both men remain seated. After a few moments Kitanna says, “Gabe, I’m afraid I’m going to need you to take command of both ships. My present condition is starting to make it virtually impossible for me to maintain command.”
Mohammed, very concerned asks, “Kitanna how many months are you now?”
Kitanna tilts her head back, exhausted she replies, “I’m in my sixth month, and the morning sickness is taking a serious toll on me now. Besides, you two are like family. I know I can trust that the two of you will get us home.”
Benton sighs, saying, “Well, I’m more comfortable working from my ship Kitanna, but I’ll get us home. You take it easy and focus on that baby.”
Mohammed asks, “Kitanna what else is it? I know you far too well. What is it you really wanted to talk to us about?”
Kitanna smiles and says, “Mohammed, you are ever so perceptive. Yeah, I am worried about Carla, she’s pushing herself so much, and her body takes such punishment, I’m truly amazed she can take it all. And even with the crew terrified of her, she still pushes herself to save them, so Gabe, with your personal doubts in her, I fear that this will escalate the tension, which is already growing too deep within the ship.”
Benton sits back, shakes his head, and takes a deep breath, saying, “Ok, let’s go see our Little Flower.”
After fifteen minutes, Benton, Mohammed, and Kitanna arrive at med bay. They enter and are immediately greeted by Doctor Cabral, saying, “She’s still unconscious, and I’d much prefer we keep her like that. At least until after we have the ship repairs done.”
Mohammed walks over, seeing Carla bandaged up and bleeding, an image Mohammed had seen dozens of times before on Caleb, and just as her father suffered the damage from his ship Paladin, so too does Carla suffer the same. Her legs are broken, and her body badly burnt. All of these injuries are caused by her symbiotic connection. Alarmed, he says, “She has grown so much, but this looks so agonizing. Even when Cale was taking damage, I never saw his body so twisted and injured as much I see her now.”
Ronin responds, “Caleb had the ability to suppress his pain to a higher level than Mistress Carla can, and as such Doctor Cabral has put her in a medically induced coma. At least until repairs are done. Once those repairs are completed we can power up the dual power cores.”
Gabriel flabbergasted asks, “The power cores are down, how long till you can re-power them?”
Ronin replies, “Once Mistress Carla awakes, it will take some eighteen hours to re-power the engines.”
Kitanna says, “Let’s hope we don’t have any more T-Challa fleets roaming around here.”
Gabriel now overtly concerned says, “Well, I have some bad news Kitty. I detected two fleets heading this way in a hurry. That’s why I was headed here and how I was able to find you.”
Kitanna overtly concerned asks, “How long till they get here?”
Gabriel sighs as he replies, “A week, maybe less.”
Mohammed places his hand on Carla’s head and says, “Then I suggest we assist in damage control, so that our Little Flower will not suffer anymore.”
The day passes quickly, as the entire crew, lend a hand on damage control. Abe finally shifts from the Williams, carrying Ella in his arms. He shifts directly to the hangar bay, where Ismail and Mohammed immediately greet him.
Ella is very disoriented from such a long shift, and collapses unconscious in Abe’s arms. Abe carefully holds her up.
Mohammed is stunned to see the alien, asking, “Who is this?”
Abe smiles as he looks at Ismail, saying, “This is your son’s girlfriend.”
Ismail is not amused. He ignores Abe’s comment, replying, “Carla has named her Ella. She feels somehow indebted to me for saving her life from the T-Challa.”
Mohammed smiles as he walks over to Abe and Ella, saying, “You have become a great man, Abraham, just like your father is, my young Jackson, it is an honor to see you all grown.”
Abe smiles and says as he passes Ella’s unconscious body to Mohammed, “Well, Commander Shi Reis in order to be great like my father I will need to get this ship up and running once again.” He looks over to Ismail and asks, “How many days do I have?”
Ismail reluctantly replies, “We have less than a week and the po
wer cores are still down.”
Abe shakes his head in disbelief and says to Mohammed, “Sorry, no time to get acquainted Commander Shi Reis, I have to get us fixed up again.” Without further hesitation Abe passes Ella to Mohammed and shifts down to engineering.”
Mohammed, now holding Ella turns to Ismail, saying, “She is a very unique looking creature.”
Ella begins to stir. As she begins to awaken, she sees Mohammed holding her. Surprised, she asks, “Master Ismail?”
Ismail laughs aloud, saying, “Ella I’m here, this is my father.”
Ella surprised moves like a cat jumping to her feet and lowering herself to one knee. She bows her head, saying, “Please excuse me, I did not mean to fall asleep.”
Mohammed laughs, saying, “Greetings my pretty little alien. You have no need to apologize. I often pass out from shifting myself.”
Ella lowers her head and says, “Yes, master.”
Mohammed very uncomfortable, says, “Ella, it is not our custom to have the title master before our name, you can call us by our names or our rank if you prefer.”
Ismail sighs, saying, “I’ve tried that father. She’s pretty comfortable in saying master and mistress.”
Mohammed says, smiling, “Then we shall try together. We must help our new friend feel more comfortable with us.”
Three additional days have passed. The Celesta repairs are all but completed. However, its automated systems are beyond the capabilities of the repair bot’s knowledge, and Abe is far too involved in restoring the starboard side engine to working status to enable the dual power core to engage. Therefore, the crew from the Devonshire takes over the manual controls.
Within all X’ena Earth and Paladonian ships, the metal the ships are made from is called ferrous anatanium magnetic alloy. This very precious element can be damaged or even destroyed and it will reintegrate back into its original shape and form. However, it still has to be physically placed back into its original location for it to completely reform. Now with the creation of the repair bots the task is done at an accelerated rate. Almost a hundred times faster, however, with the internal components of the ship, this takes far more time, and Abe is racing against the clock to restore the engines to operating condition.”
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 3 Ronin Page 17
