Carla stops the lift and grabs Mohammed in joy, yelling, “I forgot about that, oh thank you Tito.”
Mohammed, feeling her superior strength murmurs, “Carla, please, your Tito is only human.”
Carla shocked quickly releases him, saying, “Sorry Tito.”
Carla returns to the Bridge and says, “Ella, we have a chance to save your sisters.”
Ella upset and confused asks, “How?”
Carla excited answers, “We have at least a few days before the Queen will discover that I have destroyed the little Meli pieces within them. We will be in range of most of the ships within a few days.”
Kitanna, hearing this asks, “Carla, just how are we supposed to free them from the T-Challa?”
Carla, making it sound a lot simpler than it is, answers, “I can identify the ships with the Condara that want to be saved, I can then take over a T-Challa crew, and make them drop shields. This will allow Ismail and his men time to rescue them in a quick shift and grab operation.”
Ismail pauses, as he thinks for a moment. He looks to Carla, saying, “We can make this a lot easier Carla if you guide us right to them. I also prefer we do this in one massive shift, less chance for the T-Challa to adapt.”
Kitanna sighs, and says, “Carla, just wait a moment. You’re suggesting bringing a potential threat onboard the ship. How do you know they won’t try to attack you once they are all together? I’m sorry, but I’ll need more time to think about this first.”
Carla annoyed, says, “Kitanna, I’m supposed to be the most powerful telepath in the universe. I think I can tell if they pose a threat to me better than anyone and besides, I may be able to use them to help me go up against the Queen.”
Kitanna sighs again, saying, “Fine Carla, but they go right into stasis as soon as they arrive. Am I clear on this?”
Sanchez, curious, asks, “How many of Ella’s sisters are we looking at rescuing?”
Ella excited answers, “Twenty-two.”
Carla says, “I will try and make contact with them, and see who is willing to be saved, and who is not.”
A day passes when the crew reconvenes on the Bridge.
Sanchez says, “After reviewing the data of these ships. We have at least three days until we are in range of the majority of them, but if we have any possibility to save all of them. We will need to deploy the Celesta, and four support fighters, at these different coordinates. This will allow us to make successful shifts and retrieve them all in one attempt.” Sanchez then points to the five locations on the tactical holoscreen.
Kitanna sighs, as she grabs her side, saying, “Ok Carla, but be very careful. This is not something I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy about.”
Carla once again allows herself to be absorbed into the ship maximizing her powers. She once more heads out to find the Condara assassins. She immediately finds two speaking to each other. They quickly react putting up their shields as she approaches. Carla approaching cautiously asks, “I have freed you from your master. Do you wish your freedom, or would you prefer to die for that false god? Because once the Queen discovers your freedom, we all know what the end-result will be.”
The first of the two Condara’s speaks, asking, “You are powerful, as we have been told, and you could have easily killed us, yet you didn’t. We don’t understand why you did what you did, or why you are now willing to help us?”
Carla slowly replies, “I am not evil. I believe every one of you has a chance for freedom. So if you will let me, I will save all of you, but you must be willing to submit to my requests first.”
The second Condara is suspicious and asks, “And what request is that?”
Carla says, “When my people come to save you they will inject you with a tranquilizer. You will then be placed in stasis until we can be sure you will pose no threat to us.”
The second Condara snarls as she says, “And we have only your word that you will not harm us.”
Carla simply replies, “Your options are less than favorable. You do realize if I wanted you dead. You’d be dead.”
The first replies, “We will discuss this amongst our sisters, but you should know that the Queen is aware of your human weakness, and this kindness you portray is a weakness well-known to us, and we do not know if we can trust ourselves with you. The Queen has done many things to us, and Hybrid, you need to know that we are just minor disciples within her league of assassins. Others are far more powerful than we are. They may not turn as we may.”
Carla says, “You have three days to decide, and you must allow me full access to your minds to be sure that there is no deception. Once that has been completed, I will free you.”
The first looks to the second, saying, “We have little choice, if we refuse. We will be killed.”
Carla says, “Be ready in three days.”
Carla pulls herself back to Ronin. She then separates herself from the ship. Taking a deep breath, saying, “They will discuss it and let us know in three days. They are aware they have little choice, and they have been told to expect the tranquilizer and stasis.”
Kitanna lowers her head and says, “Carla I feel very uncomfortable about this. So we will attempt this on a volunteer basis only.”
Ismail smiles and says, “I’m sure we will have no problem finding the volunteers Captain.”
Kitanna heads back to her quarters, and activates the holocom to Benton, asking, “Gabe, can you please come over here. I need to discuss something with you please.”
The days move slowly, as Carla spends more and more time in her training programs. She has been able to gain greater control of her power every day. However, Kitanna has been more and more concerned with the plan at hand to save Ella’s sisters.
Finally, the day is upon the rescuers. Carla sets out to contact the Condara’s but to her surprise, finds all twenty-two waiting for her. She asks, “Have you made your choice?”
One stands out and says, “We have no choice. We must submit to your mercy, or face our certain death.”
Carla asks, “I must look into each of you, to see the truth. Will you allow me free access?”
They look at each other and say, “Be quick then.”
Carla swiftly enters their minds, scanning their thoughts. She senses their fears, and doubts, but senses no obvious deception. She pulls back and says, “I need to now see what you all see. I will need to use your eyes, so that I can have access to the ships you’re on, and allow my people to find you, and extract you. This will be quick. Please do not fight us.”
Carla uses the Condara’s to check all the ship’s locations. She sends that information to all of Ismail’s Special Forces. Each of Ismail’s team is fully prepared; they’re cloaked, and carries a specialized hypo-tranquilizer. In addition, each will be carrying a very powerful thermite bomb, which they will leave behind as they exit the T-Challa ships. Currently, the T-Challa fleets are in hyperspace and because of this, the shift has to be exact. Even a millimeter off, and the shifter will shift directly into space and die.
Carla mind is able to do so much. She locks onto over sixty-six minds, as she prepares for the moment. She focuses her concentration, as she extends her mind, even further locking onto all the T-Challa shield operators, and forcing them to lower their shields. The moment she does, she signals Ismail and his team. They shift in with absolute perfection, and immediately inject the Condara’s with the sedative. They instantaneously shift back out. All within a few seconds, but they are able to leave behind a little surprise, a highly explosive thermite bomb.
Carla is focused on so many minds. She struggles to scan as many T-Challa as she can. Just to be sure the rescue is genuine and not a plot of the Queen. Finally, the bombs explode, heavily damaging over twenty-two ships.
Carla stays joined with Ronin, as she is now able to relax for a moment. She breaks contact with everyone’s mind and lets out a huge breath of relief. Carla, now feeling overconfident decides to probe deeper into T-Challa space and after a few
minutes she finally comes across even more powerful psychic creatures, but they all stay clear of Carla. She looks out further, and sees millions upon millions of psychic minds, as she finally reaches the T-Challa home system. There she finally finds the Queen, “Hello child. I have been expecting you.”
Carla quickly feels the power of many psychic minds attempting to surround her, but Carla is not here to fight. She is here to relay a message, “I have killed you before. I will do so again. Know this bitch. I am coming for you.”
Carla, having pushed herself so far quickly returns to Ronin and separates herself from her alter ego. She takes a deep breath and says, “Kitanna she knows we are coming.”
Kitanna, confused asks, “We are months away from her, how could she know we are coming.”
Carla looks up and says, “I told her I was coming and this time she will stay dead.”
Kitanna upset says, “Carla that was very foolish. She could have had a trap ready for you.”
Carla attentive says, “Kitanna I know, but I have to end this. You know that it has to be me who will have to end it.”
Kitanna asks Sanchez, “How long till all our guests are back?”
Sanchez reports, “Captain, all our guests are in stasis, and all our ships should return to us within the hour.”
Kitanna becoming more irritable says, “Carla, I need a report on Earth and the Paladonian’s advance. I need to know the risks we are taking are worth it.”
Carla doesn’t ask, she grabs Kitanna and both are dragged across the galaxy. Where Carla quickly pulls both Gaul, and Mulvey into the psychic plane, Mulvey still unfamiliar with Carla’s psychic realm says, “Ah hell not again.”
Gaul, being more familiar says, “We have been waiting for word from you for over a week now.”
Kitanna concerned reports as she asks, “We are less than two months from the T-Challa system, and we are meeting little to no resistance. How goes the advance into T-Challa controlled space?”
Mulvey, still disoriented answers, “Uhmm Ya, are we’re really in here huh? Wow, this is really different.”
Gaul, smiling says, “We have met with very little, to no resistance whatsoever as well. We have been watching the T-Challa abandon planet after planet, as they pull back quickly.”
Kitanna concerned asks, “Do you feel this is too easy then?”
Gaul answers, “Far too easy. We have both made advances so far into their space that we have had to establish resupply bases, but the T-Challa have not left us much on these worlds. Most of them are desolate worlds.”
Kitanna curious reports, “We captured a Super Dreadnought a few days ago. I’m going to have Carla give you both the information we recovered from it, before we destroyed it. Whatever the T-Challa are doing, I don’t think that it will end well for us.”
Carla approaches both Mulvey and Gaul. Gaul stands back as he is unease by Carla. Carla smiles and says, “Well Gaul, I can just give the information to Earth alone if you want.”
Gaul lowers his head, and says, “Ok, just do it.”
Carla quickly gives both men the data. Then, within a heartbeat, Carla and Kitanna return to Ronin.
Kitanna disoriented says, “Ok, as soon as we have confirmation of our people’s return. I want a command staff meeting.” She pauses as she turns to Carla and says, “Carla, I need you to be very careful, but I want you to scan as much as you can. Until we have our meeting. I don’t know why, but something is up, and it feels like this is a trap.”
Carla looks out to everyone and once again allows herself to be absorbed into Ronin. She scans the sector, trying to figure out just what, if anything is going on.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
FAITH
Carla searches out across the sector. Searching for anything that is going on with the T-Challa, she searches long and far across the sector, as she tries to lock down where the T-Challa are massing their forces.
After an hour of searching in real time, Carla finally finds several large T-Challa fleets moving towards them from multiple directions. They are well hidden and well shielded from detection. She studies their movements, and sees a pattern to their actions as Ronin analyzes the data reporting, “Mistress, it appears they are successfully blocking our escape back to Earth space. It would appear our only access to escape would take us well within the Queens psychic range.”
Carla replies, “At top speed we can outrun most of their forces. Then circle around them here.” Carla pauses as she points out the area she is discussing. She continues, “But you’re right. It will bring us far too close to the T-Challa home system, and trying to fight our way through any part of these approaching fleets would be utter suicide. There must be thousands in each fleet.”
Carla finally returns to Ronin, and as she has done multiple times in the past, she separates herself from her alter ego. After a brief moment, she looks up to Kitanna shaking her head. She says, “They are coming for us.”
Kitanna looks down realizing her hunch was right, saying, “Ok Carla, save it for it the meeting.”
After a few minutes, the command staff assembles in Kitanna’s ready room. Carla using her connection with Ronin activates the tactical holoscreen, and shows all that she had seen while scouting out the T-Challa fleets. She says, “As you can easily see. They have successfully blocked us from any way home, except through their home system. You can also see with the concentration of their ship placement, should we attempt to travel in any direction other than our current course. Well, let’s just say it would be utter suicide. Our only chance is to outrun them too here.” Carla pauses, as she points out her route. She continues, “And circle around them here.” Carla once again points to that location, which clearly shows that they are being herded towards the T-Challa home system. She continues, saying, “The Celesta can easily bypass the T-Challa fleet. Joining up with the Earth and Paladonian fleet in just a few weeks, but it will take us at top speed at least two months to get around them. Cause going through em’ is not an option”
Sanchez concerned asks, “Miss Ocoda what about the fleets currently within the T-Challa system? Surely they pose a greater threat?”
Benton sighs as he says, “If you notice on her tactical holoimage the home system is mainly protected by mostly automated satellite defense system. It only has a minimal fleet of about two hundred ships. Mainly Heavy Cruisers and a few Dreadnoughts, maybe a couple Super’s, but those automated systems are lethal. You’re talking about thousands of self-defense satellites, with a thousand more missiles and plasma cannons. You name it, it’s there, but I have to disagree with ya Carla. The Celesta isn’t going to leave you high and dry.”
Abe, having a mind that can calculate more data than most computers says, “You really don’t have much choice General. Even with your shift drive, you can’t keep up with us, and you would only slow us down. Carla is right, you need to take as many people as you can, and rendezvous with the Earth and Paladonian fleets.”
Mohammed, thinking of an alternative asks, “Carla you can pull yourself from the Yorktown am I correct?”
Carla looks over at Mohammed and answers, “Yes, I can.”
Mohammed suggests, “Then perhaps you can re-power the Celesta. We could abandon the Yorktown, and escape that way.”
Ronin interjects, saying, “We have considered that scenario Commander, and there is not enough space to hold everyone on the Celesta. Even if Carla were able to transform the ship, it still would not be large enough. We currently have over five thousand six hundred and fifty crewmembers from four ships including the Celesta. That course of action would doom over two thousand to die.”
Frasier asks, “Any chance the Celesta can tow us through their shift?”
Abe shocked at the idea replies, “Impossible, if they even attempted it. It would overload the phase-shift drive, and strand us all in null space.”
Kitanna sighs and asks, “And if we attempt to outrun the T-Challa fleets, just how likely is it that the Queen will attac
k you Carla?”
Carla smiles and says, “It is her plan Kitty, and she has hundreds of powerful psychic warriors with her.”
Kitanna sighs again as she realizes just what her options are. She asks, “Can you hold them off while we make our escape?”
Carla smiles, as she tries to hide her doubt. She answers, “I’ve killed her before, and I will do it again.”
Ismail says, “We will need to start working with the twenty-two Condara’s we have in stasis as soon as possible.”
Ronin says, “We have seven weeks till we are in the effective range of the Queens psychic powers, and eight till we’re at the heart of their system.”
Mohammed stands and says to Benton, “Brother, I am staying here.”
Kitanna grabs her side and says, “Well, I’m about to deliver in the next few weeks, and I’d like you to take my child with you Gabriel.”
Ronin states, “The Celesta must jump away within the next week to be able to bypass the T-Challa fleet.”
Ismail realizing what Kitanna is doing says, “I’m sorry Captain Meyers, but I’ve noticed the stress you have been under. I’ll be assuming command per General Jackson orders, and you will be leaving with General Benton.”
Cabral speaks up, saying, “Captain, you would be of no service to us anyways. You need to go with your child.”
Benton sighs and says, “Well, Raphael will be coming with me I guess. I’ll do what I can to speed up our fleets to meet up with you as fast as I can.”
Ronin analyzes the data, saying, “At their best speeds, it will take the Earth’s second fleet, which is under Admiral Mulvey Command and is also the closest of the fleets, approximately eleven weeks to reach the T-Challa homeworld.”
Benton smiles and asks, “You know Paladin lost many a bet with me on what I could do Ronin. Would you care to wager on how long till we arrive?”
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 3 Ronin Page 24
