The Ocoda Chronicles Book 4 Present Future Past

by Daniel OConnell

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

  On board the Celesta two weeks have passed, as Cooley Rooke and White are currently on the bridge. They are moving Celesta at her top speed while cloaked, as they try to get to the last known T-Challa gateway

  Cooley, studying the sensors, reports, “Reggie, I’m picking up a major energy spike, coming from that crystal planet, and luv, I do mean major.”

  Celesta reports, “The entire planetary system has been destroyed.”

  White alarmed asks, “Do we know if we destroyed any of the Meli’s fleet?”

  Celesta reports, “Unknown, we are too far away to scan that much detail, but our last report showed a sizeable fleet closing in on the planet.”

  White asks, “Any word from Paladin?”

  Cooley replies, “No luv, they have at least a three-month journey ahead of them, and we have at least five ahead of us. Per Caleb orders, no long-range communication is allowed unless absolutely needed. Noskcaj is still a definite threat.”

  Rooke, studying the navigation charts reporting, “Captain White, Paladin has given us a course that although takes us around Dorsa controlled space. It still, however, places us near two specific sectors that are known hotspots of the Halimag and the Dorsa. I would recommend we remain cloaked.”

  White sighs, as he sits back in his chair pondering the decision. His mind troubled, as he contemplates the lives he has to protect versus the risk to Caleb and Paladin should they have to wait.

  White asks, “How long till we’ll be in range of these zones or any possible patrol?”

  Before Rooke can reply, Cooley again collapses from a sudden huge wave of déjà-vu. However, this time something different happens.

  Cooley completely blacks out on the Bridge, and wakes in a field of pure white. Wherever she looks, she sees only white, no shape, nothing.

  She stands in this void-less wash of white. She looks all around in every direction, until finally she sees an image of a small stone floating off in the distance. Cooley confused, but unafraid yells out, “Hello!”

  The Stone grows to an enormous size, as she is immediately enveloped within it. There she finds an exact duplicate of herself it stands directly before her. Confused, she asks, “What is going on?”

  The duplicate replies, “I have assumed your appearance to make you feel more comfortable in dealing with me. You are now close enough to me, thus allowing me to communicate with you in a manner, which you can understand. We have met once before, although you cannot remember.”

  Rachel feeling uncomfortable looks all around and asks, “Ok, if you say so. What is it you want from me?”

  The duplicate responds, “I need your help, as I am trapped within the time stream. I linked myself to you as you traveled through the time stream in the hopes that you would be able to return and save me.”

  Cooley confused and concerned asks, “You’re the one that has been giving me all these fits with all these bloody visions?”

  The duplicate responds, “I mean you no harm, I do not live through time as you do. I see all time and all the different variations of time as it is, as it was, and as it can be. I have been trapped in this time stream with no means to escape since the beginning, and not until you passed through have I ever encountered a being such as you. You are a race that has so much potential and the first race that could save me without exploiting me. I have tried to communicate with you, but you have been so far away. Fortunately, now, you have come close enough that we are able to communicate in ways best suited to your species.”

  Cooley confused asks, “Who? What are you?”

  The duplicate responds, “My name is not pronounceable by your tongue, but I have accessed your thoughts and found the name Flower to be acceptable.”

  Cooley giggles, as she says, “No offense luvs, but you look more like a stone than a flower.”

  The duplicate unaware of her statement's meaning responds, “Then you may call me the Flower Stone.”

  Cooley feeling more comfortable asks, “You can see the future?”

  The Flower Stone switches its appearance back to that of a small stone, answering, “The future, the present, and the past is all the same to me. I see an infinite number of different timelines, as many diverse things can happen altering what I show you. Most of what I have shared with you will come to pass.”

  Cooley quickly recalls her image of Onatof's dead body and becomes upset, asking, “Onatof, no! Please tell me that will not happen?”

  The Flower Stone replies, “I do not see a timeline where he survives.”

  Cooley upset, asks, “Why am I seeing these images? Why are you making me see this?”

  The Flower Stone unaware of Cooley’s pain responds, “When you passed through the time stream we made contact. We are connected, and that connection bonded us. You now share in my visions, although I have been filtering them from you so as to protect your mind.”

  Cooley, worried that she may always see the future asks, “Can you make it stop?”

  The Flower Stone replies, “Yes, but only when we make physical contact.”

  Cooley relieved, says, “Ok, take it out of me now.”

  The Flower Stone responds, “You are many months away from me, so until then the visions will be more frequent, but less disorienting. I need you and you and your people to succeed, find your way to me and saving me.”

  Cooley, becoming annoyed asks, “If you can see the bloody future, then can’t you see us saving you?”

  The Flower Stone answers, “There are limitless alternate timelines, but only one that shows you saving me. In that timeline, you succeed in saving your people. In all others, you perish. If you do not save me, then you do not live.”

  Cooley cautious that the Flower Stone may be lying asks, “How do I know you are telling me the truth?”

  The Flower Stone floods Cooley with all the multiple timelines. What seems to be forever, actually take but a moment, until she sees the final timeline. There she sees they don’t return when they left, but instead, they travel into the distant past. She sees herself growing old, having children, and building a civilization. She is quickly overwhelmed with images that she can’t even begin to fathom. Cooley’s whole life is shown to her as she sees Reggie, now her husband dying at a very old age, well into his hundreds. She sees herself living for hundreds years, with only her children for companionship. Rachel lives on for almost hundred years past the death of her husband Reg, until the day she herself finally passes. She sees that she is surrounded by all of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on. She sees Caleb, standing over her with Benton beside him, as neither has aged. She smiles one last time, passing.

  The Flower Stone says, “What I have shown you is your life condensed. We are now and forever, connected. You can now see that I can only show the truth, so you must now decide your own fate. However, know this. Exposing too much information may also cause a time paradox. Be careful of what you share.”

  Cooley is completely overwhelmed by all that she has been exposed too, but recalls one very important detail, she asks, “By saving you we miss our exit point in the time stream. We end up two thousand years in our past?”

  The Flower Stone reports, “You have the images of all the other timelines, including all that happens on both ships, Celesta and Paladin, it is now part of your memories. You can see every detail of what is, and what will be. These memories are permanently a part of you. However, I have shielded your mind from most, until they need to be seen. I have chosen to make you a guardian of the timeline, so you can share or hide what the future holds. With this gift, you can see if you and your people exit where you want, you will fail. You now know these images to be true. Save me, and I will in turn, save you and your people.”

  Cooley alarmed with so much information asks, “There is so much. How will I be able to understand it?”

  The Flower Stone replies, “The information I have given you will be able to he
lp you and guide you. It will not control you, as I have placed blocks in your mind to prevent this. Even after you save me, your mind will continue to guide you, protecting you and the timeline.”

  Cooley then awakens to see several people around her. Including Reggie, who is extremely concerned, asking, “Rachel, are you ok?”

  Cooley embarrassed asks, “How long was I out?”

  Rooke replies, “For just a minute.”

  Cooley, feeling very confused, looks to Reggie, saying, “I think I found out why I’m getting these visions luv, and I’m guessing that I’m going to keep getting more of them the closer we get to this gateway.”

  White, now very concerned looks to Rooke, saying, “Take command Michael, I’m going to take Rachel to our quarters.”

  Rooke asks, “Do I travel cloaked or uncloaked?”

  White sighs heavily, saying, “For now we travel cloaked.” White takes Cooley into his arms, and carries her to the lift. Just like Paladin’s bridge, the command quarters, and ready room are directly above.

  Cooley protests, “Reggie, put me down, I can walk luv.”

  White lets her down, but keeps his hand on her side as they ascend the lift to their quarters above the bridge. Once their White immediately asks, “Rachel, what is going on?”

  Rachel’s mind is flooded with thousands of alternate timelines, but she is aware that she cannot share too much of what she knows, for fear that, it could change this timeline, and they will all die. She also loves Reggie unconditionally, so she tells him the only thing she can, “Reggie, if you love me then you have to trust me. I can’t tell you or anyone what I’ve seen unless I’m supposed to, if I did tell you something, and you change your mind because of it than we could all die.”

  White, annoyed sits down, staring at Rachel. He says, “Rachel, I do love you, but can’t you tell me anything?”

  Cooley lowers her head and says, “Reggie, I have seen so many possible future timelines….” Cooley pauses, as she lets out an extended sigh, she continues, “I could never hope to share them all. Hell, I have so many bloody images in my head. It’s so hard to make out what is and what isn’t, and even if I could share them luv, I can’t. You see luv, there is a chance that we will succeed in getting through the time stream. Unfortunately, Reg it may not be what we are hoping for.”

  White takes in a deep breath. He realizes the strain Rachel is under, saying, “Rachel, that’s all I need to know. You tell me what I need to know, when I need to know it. That will be enough for me.”

  Cooley beams, saying, “Reggie, you are the man of my heart, and I will always be with you.” She smiles, with a slight chuckle, saying, “I saw you as you get very old, and luv. You get better with age.”

  White jokingly throws a towel, which is sitting on the chair beside him, yelling, “Damn it Rachel! That’s not funny!”

  Cooley laughs, “You look so sexy bald and wrinkly.”

  White annoyed chuckles, saying, “Let’s go to bed, while we have a chance.”

  Several days pass, as Celesta travels without further incident, until Cooley detects something on long-range sensors. She alerts the crew, “We have distant bogeys.” She pauses, as she looks through the data banks, reporting, “From the database, it appears that it’s a fleet of ships, from what they called the Halimag, and it looks like they are in pursuit of a single vessel, which shows up as a Dorsa light cruiser.”

  Rooke looks over the data, saying, “Looks to be twenty ships in pursuit of the Dorsa vessel.”

  White, studying the scans, turns to Rooke, and asks, “Can’t we shift passed them?”

  Rooke, who was considering the same options replies, “No Captain, their sensors would most certainly detect our shift energy. We could just wait here, till they leave, or try and go around them.”

  White asks Celesta, “Celesta, how much more time would we add, going around them add?”

  Celesta responds, “Well, we have already added two weeks by remaining cloaked, so by adding a course change, we will be more than a month behind Caleb, but that’s only if he reaches the T-Challa home world and find what he needs without any issues or difficulty.”

  White extremely annoyed looks to Rachel, who shakes her head, saying, “Sorry luv I got nothing for you.”

  White asks Rooke, “Michael, what can you tell me about the Halimag, or the Dorsa?”

  Rooke replies, “Captain, the Halimag are a scavenger race, which we know very little about. They live off the carcasses of dead worlds, and they have been looting what's left of the T-Challa Empire for centuries. Their technology is outdated, but what they lack in equipment, they usually make up in numbers. The Dorsa, we have a lot of information on. They are an aquatic life form, and their ships are filled with water. Both races are highly psychic, and are a real threat to the Demon Queen.”

  White, recalling his earlier conversation asks, “Caleb said these creatures where giving the Meli and its forces fits. Why doesn’t the Meli just use her psychic power to bend them to her will?”

  Rooke curious about that himself says, “We don’t know sir, but it was believed that the Halimag mind has some natural shielding from the Queen’s power. We never could confirm this, while we now virtually know nothing about the Halimag. The Dorsa, we possess an infinite amount of information. We know their minds are somehow able to join together. Even over great distances, and they have been able to defeat her.”

  Celesta adds, “One main reason we lack conclusive data on the Halimag is that they have never been captured. They can shape shift to appear like any life force, and they absorb living energy.

  White looking at the data on the ships takes a deep breath and thinks to himself. I’m damned no matter what I do here, but I have one thing on my side. White looks at Rachel and says, “Bald and wrinkly.”

  Rachel grins, as White says to Rooke, “Battlestations Michael. I want you to set us to shift directly into the middle of that Halimag fleet. I want our shields up, and weapons at full power. We fire the second we have lock. May be we can make a friend with the Dorsa.”

  Rooke smirks, as he says, “Yes, sir, but so you know we have at least two shifts and a few hours till we are in range. We will also have two major disadvantages. One, we won’t be able to shift out if things don’t go our way, and second, they could detect our first shift, eliminating any possible hope for a surprise assault.”

  White curious, asks, “What are the chances of us getting to them before they can overtake the Dorsa vessel?”

  Rooke analyzes the data and replies, “They will overtake the Dorsa in less than a day, and we have at least twelve hours till we’re in combat range.”

  Cooley chuckles, asking, “You planning on being the hero of the fish people, luv?”

  White smiles, saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and it doesn’t hurt to make a friend.”

  Rooke smirks, saying, “Captain, just so you know Halimag are extremely, if not impossible to kill. They can even live in the vacuum of space.”

  White says, “Rooke, get us ready to shift. Celesta, pull up all the files on Halimag, and Dorsa, I’ll review them.”

  Celesta continues to move at her top speed, over the next few hours, as Rooke prepares for both shifts. He must perfectly calculate his second shift, which will be directly within weapons range of the Halimag.

  Finally, after fully charging the shift drive Celesta shifts to its maximum distance, continuing towards the Halimag. Celesta remains cloaked, as its shift engines begin to recharge, a task that will take eight hours.

  Cooley, scanning the Halimag reports, “It appears that the Halimag did not detect the shift. They seem too focused on the Dorsa vessel.”

  White, tired from reviewing the files says, “Form the data I’ve read so far the Halimag are more concerned about acquiring technology. No form of communication has ever succeeded, and if you don’t wipe them out, they just keep coming. What's really odd is that even though they are humanoid in appearance. They can live in the va
cuum of space.”

  Celesta corrects White, saying, “Well, they are not humanoid exactly Captain. As I stated earlier, they are a shape-shifting race, so they are actually a shapeless life form. Which takes a humanoid shape in order to use our technology. Regardless of their true form Captain White, we need to be ever vigilant when we approach them. Should they successfully take down our shields for even a moment they can easily pass through the hull, entering the ship, and once on board they are virtually indestructible Captain. They will absorb the life force of any of the crew they encounter, duplicating themselves in the process, until they take control of the entire ship.”

  White rolls his eyes, saying, “Great, so let’s make sure we don’t lose our shields. Michael make sure we’re a safe distance once we exit null space. I want to make sure we can destroy them before they can alert others of our presence.”

  Several more hours pass, as White and the crew of the Celesta ready for the shift. All weapons are at the ready. Shield emitters and their backups are checked and rechecked. The crew readies for its assault against the Halimag fleet.

  Finally, the shift engines are set. Rooke announces, “Captain, we are set. I have plotted our course to appear directly behind the Halimag ships.”

  Celesta reports, “The sensors show these ships are modified conversions of older Earth technology as well as some T-Challa technology. The ships are not truly definable by our standards. They are a mixture of different cruisers and battleships, as well as some dreadnoughts. Parts of the ships are actually exposed to open space and only some parts of the ships have any shields. Their threat assessment is very low as tactical probabilities are assigned. These ships are solely designed for penetrating shields and ramming.”

  Cooley adds her comment, “They’re basically, mutt ships.”

  White now focused on the battle ahead says, “Rooke, we go in guns blazing. I want us in, and out as quickly as we can.”

  Rooke, studying the data reports, “Captain, I think we could have enough energy to power a short shift if it gets hairy, allowing us to get away. Perhaps cloaking, giving the appearance that we have shifted further.”