Benton, as well as the rest of the crew is briefly awestruck as they see their massive ship for the first time. Paladins many cannons, sleek design and overall massive size is breathtaking to see.
The T-Challa are completely surprised. They have no time to react, as all twenty missiles hit their targets dead on.
The Rail Gun ship explodes in a massive detonation, temporarily blinding everyone onboard Paladin. Two of the Medium cruisers are also destroyed. While the last one suffers substantial damage, but is still operational. One of the Heavy cruisers is crippled. Its engines and Bridge are all but destroyed. It hangs inoperable in space. The last Heavy cruiser takes minimal damage and immediately starts turning towards Paladin, powering up its weapons and shields.
Paladin reports the overall effectiveness of their attack, and of the enemy’s movements.
Caleb yells to Klaus, "Move this ship Klaus. Get us out of range!"
Paladin instantly alerts the crew, "We have minor internal damage in the inertial dampers and gravity room. We have four decks without gravity, and inertial dampers are completely off line. We cannot move the ship or fire the Heavy cannons. The shock wave will send us reeling out of control."
Caleb yells out, asking, "How the hell did we take damage?"
Paladin replies, "The blast yield was too high. Minimal damage was taken and it struck the inertial dampers room."
Privately Paladin says, "I’m sorry Caleb, but my mathematical calculations, are ninety-nine point seven percent accurate. Fifty-five percent was the highest amount of energy we should have allowed at this distance."
"Val!” Caleb calls out over the com, "I need damage control on C deck. Inertial dampers are off line and there’s no gravity on that deck either."
Val replies, "Ok brother, I’m on it. We’ll be there in two minutes."
Anders yells out, "We’ll be dead in two minutes!"
Caleb calls out again on the com, "Onatof, go with Val, and assist in any way you can."
Paladin calls out battle information, "Heavy cannons will be powered up in ten seconds. Medium cannons are charged and ready. Light cannons are ready and charged. Four torpedoes are loaded, and ready to fire set for maximum yield. I highly recommend we wait to fire them until the shields are up in twenty-two seconds."
Anders impatiently looks to Caleb. Caleb says, "Fire at will Mr. Anders."
The Medium cannons on the portside fire. The blast sends Paladin reeling backwards and twisting around, as the mighty ship is without its inertial dampers to absorb the incredible kickback of Paladins Medium Plasma weapons.
Nevertheless, Klaus with great effort and amazing skill holds the ship together, keeping Paladin from rolling and twisting out of control.
The port side Medium cannons all hit the Heavy cruiser.
Kitanna Cohen calls out, "The T-Challa Heavy cruiser put up its shields before we could hit them. Their shields are only down twenty-two percent. They're holding at seventy-eight percent."
Klaus maneuvers Paladin as best he can; trying to give a minimal target, but the Heavy cruiser locks on to Paladin and fires eight of her main plasma cannons.
Caleb calls out, "Brace for impact!" This is gonna hurt.
Klaus maneuvers the ship hard to avoid the brunt of the blast. Unfortunately, without inertial dampers crewmembers are tossed across the decks like rag dolls. Only three of the eight plasma charges hit the port side.
Caleb shouts out in pain. Carla screams frightened as Caleb drops to a knee. Damn, I knew it was going to hurt, but geez it feels like I was kicked in the side by a mule. Damn that hurt. Damn it. Ahhh hell, I’m bleeding too. Shi Reies and Benton rush to help Caleb.
Shi Reies confused asks, "What’s wrong, Admiral?"
Caleb grits his teeth as he is helped back up answering, "Well, that healing stuff works both ways Commander, when the ship is damaged. Well, so am I."
Paladin announces, "Moderate damage to port decks E, F, and G. Compartments one hundred forty, through compartments, three hundred one are damaged. We are venting atmosphere on F deck, I’m erecting internal force fields. Four crewmembers are injured. Dr. Qui Shi is being dispatched. No life threatening injuries detected. Internal damage at seven percent, shields will be up in eight seconds."
Kitanna calls out, "The Medium Cruiser is maneuvering into firing position. It has shields up to only half of its capacity. I’m also picking up weapons build up on the other Heavy cruiser. It can’t maneuver yet, but it seems to still have some fight left in it."
Anders calls out, "Firing Medium cannons!" The port side cannons fire once again. The ship is thrown back hard to starboard. Klaus is still able to hold it from rolling over, albeit with extreme effort and even greater skill.
The twelve plasma charges head towards the Heavy cruiser, which maneuvers hard to starboard minimizing Paladins attack, only seven hit.
Kitanna calls out. "That blast took their shield down another sixteen percent. It is holding at sixty-two percent. They’re both preparing to fire again."
Anders pounds his fist, and yells, "SHIELDS!"
Paladin replies, "Shields will be up in just a moment Commander."
Kitanna yells out, "They are both firing!"
The blast comes from both sides as the Medium Cruiser fires at the same moment as the Heavy cruiser. The full volley from both ships hit dead on as Klaus cannot maneuver out of the path of both. Everyone braces for the impact, but the ship only shakes slightly.
Paladin announces, "Shields are up and holding. T-Challa weaponry on these ships are relatively inferior. Shields are at eighty-four percent, and holding."
Caleb regains his footing with help from Benton. Shi Reies holds up Carla, who, wide-eyed stares at the giant in astonishment. She says nothing as Shi Reies smiles, and she smiles back.
Caleb yells over the com, "Val, Onatof I need a status now!"
Val calls back out over the com, "We're almost to the room Cale, but this would be a lot faster if we had gravity."
Anders laughs with excitement, "Firing torpedoes."
Ten torpedoes fire at the Heavy cruiser. Its Light cannons fire at the incoming torpedoes, destroying six of them. The remaining four hit the Heavy cruiser.
Kitanna yells out, "Their shields are down, it’s taken some damage."
Val calls over the com, "Caleb, we made it to the inertial dampers room."
Onatof adds, "I think we can get it fixed momentarily Admiral."
Kitanna yells out, "I’m picking up two incoming ships moving fast, they are registering as friendly." Jackson and White appear out of hyperspace.
Jackson calls out, "Need any help Paladin?"
Cooley overly excited calls out, "Shoot at something!"
Caleb smiles, and says, "Keep your composure Lieutenant."
Cooley embarrassed replies, "Sorry sir."
Jackson and White scramble towards the Medium Cruiser firing wildly, while easily avoiding its return fire.
The Heavy cruiser now damaged begins to maneuver closer towards Paladin, at ever-increasing speeds.
Paladin announces, "Heavy cruiser is on a collision course."
Klaus starts to back the ship up.
Anders yells, "Klaus, hold her steady! I can’t get a lock if you keep moving the ship!"
Val comes over the com, "Inertial dampers are back online."
Anders snaps, "Klaus, now listen, and hold her steady, I’m firing the Heavy cannons."
Anders locks the main guns on the incoming Heavy cruiser. A moment later, he gets a lock with both forward turrets.
All six forward Heavy plasma cannons fire simultaneously. The kick back even with the inertial dampers online shakes, and kicks back Paladin ever so slightly.
The six Heavy plasma beams are massive in size. They move across the battlefield at the charging Heavy cruiser, a second later all six plasma charges hit the Heavy cruiser, ripping through it as if it was paper, another brief moment passes and the Heavy cruiser explodes.
Jackson seeing th
e awesome firepower is briefly distracted when the Medium Cruiser gets a successful hit on Templar. Templar’s shields hold, but are down to thirty percent. The impact also sends Jackson reeling out of control.
White quickly dives in firing on the Medium cruiser's Bridge giving Jackson time to maneuver out of the Medium cruisers firing arc.
Anders circles the starboard Medium guns at the Medium Cruiser and fires. The Medium Cruiser maneuvers downward avoiding half of the charges, the remaining six however rip through its shields and into its hull, exposing its main decks to space.
White and Jackson finish it off easily. It explodes moments later.
Paladin announces, "The final Heavy cruiser is finally able to maneuver itself into a firing solution. Time until it reaches optimum firing range thirty seconds."
Anders yells to Klaus, "Give me a broad firing range Klaus!"
Klaus maneuvers the ship broadside to the slow moving Heavy cruiser. Anders locks all three turrets, with all nine Heavy cannons on the crippled ship.
Paladin states, "Mr. Anders, I think this is a bit excessive."
Anders ignores Paladins observation and fires. The crippled ship hasn’t a chance, as all nine Heavy plasma charges hit dead on.
The Heavy cruiser explodes in a massive blinding flash of energy.
Paladin announces, "No T-Challa warships detected in the system."
Klaus confused, ask, "Does that mean we won?"
Benton, who is holding Caleb up, yells out, "Yeah, we won kid!"
Caleb is still bleeding from his side. The wounds are not healing like his previous wounds.
Benton noticing asks, "Should I call the Doc? Cause I thought you healed instantly."
Caleb says, "No Gabriel, I’ll be fine. I think anyways."
Paladin responds, "Cale your wounds should heal when the ship is repaired, but I’m feeling something wrong with our melding. I will investigate and attempt to discover what is happening."
The crew starts to cheer loudly.
Then Jackson comes over the com, "Returning to Paladin. Cooley, inform the world of our victory."
Cooley, excited looks to Kitanna Cohen and asks, "Who do I send the message too?"
Cohen replies, "The world I think."
Paladin states, "You have the ability to communicate over every form of communication device on the planet, Lieutenant Cooley."
Caleb stops. He looks over the Bridge, and says, "Good job everyone."
He starts to walk back to the lift with help from Benton. Carla runs alongside her father holding his pant leg.
Cooley still confused contacts Jackson, who is landing in the hangar bay, asking, "Colonel, whom do I send the victory message too?"
Jackson stops, thinking for a minute as he lands. The world is demoralized and everyone knows we were attacked. Secrecy although is needed, hope is needed more.
Cooley, asks again "Colonel?"
Jackson replies, "Tell the entire world."
CHAPTER FOUR
CELEBRATION
News reports broadcast the message repeatedly. "This is Lieutenant Cooley of the Earth Defense Battleship Paladin. Both T-Challa fleets have been destroyed. We have won."
News agencies replay the message repeatedly, each trying to determine exactly what this Battleship Paladin is, and what happened.
It is common knowledge an alien aggressor attacked the Earth, but up until this message, no one except government officials knew their name.
Four days have passed. Paladin is repaired, but Caleb’s wounds only partially healed.
Jackson sits in the command chair, looking out of the massive forward view port. He is amazed at the ship he stands on. He now sits looking out over the planet as he thinks to himself. This ship is the most powerful thing on the planet… No, scratch that. The universe, and with it, well, there is nothing we can’t accomplish.
Caleb descends from his quarters. Seeing Jackson, he walks over to him, saying, "Colonel, any idea what we’re going to do next?"
Jackson looks up at Caleb and says, smiling, "Well, if it involves ticker tape parades and getting smashed face drunk. I have all that planned in great detail."
Caleb smiles, and looks out the view port. Yeah, that would be nice. I wish I could talk to him. Confide in him, tell him something’s wrong with me, and that I need to find these X’enas. Damn it, we have a debt to these people too.
Jackson, noticing Caleb distant stares, says, "I have a feeling you know what we’re doing next, and it’s none of what I just said."
Caleb, smiling, replies, "Well Colonel, we have a debt to pay back to the X’ena’s, and I intend on repaying that debt. You and the crew can stay and celebrate, but in seven days, I intend on taking Paladin out of this solar system. I’m going to take this fight back to those that killed my family, and the families of the one hundred million people that died."
Jackson sighs, saying, "You really know how to kill a party mood Cale. All right, I’ll contact the General and inform him of your requests. I’ll see if I can get it approved." He mumbles to himself, "Fat chance they will approve it though."
Caleb nonchalantly replies, "It’s not a request Colonel Jackson, I’m leaving, and I would like this crew to come with me. Nonetheless, whether they choose to come or stay on Earth. I’m leaving in seven days."
Jackson asks, noticing that Caleb’s wound still has not healed, "Why the bandages Cale? I thought you healed instantly on the ship?” Something is wrong with him.
Caleb smiles replying, "Yeah, I thought that too."
Jackson concerned asks, "This going to be a problem Cale?"
Caleb smiles, saying, "I really don’t know.” Nevertheless, it’s my problem.
Jackson annoyed, asks, "Care to elaborate a bit?"
Caleb reluctantly replies, "Well, I feel and suffer the damage to the ship. The damage that I sustain was from that symbiotic connection to this ship. Well, it’s supposed to heal when the ship is repaired."
Jackson now very concerned asks, "Well, the ship is repaired, and you’re still bandaged up?"
Caleb smiles and says, "Yeah, I know."
Jackson eyes go wide as he realizes that Caleb may have a more serious problem ahead of him.
Back on Earth a day later, President Baker and Secretary-General Chan with several other government officials convene in the new United Nations in Washington D.C.
"President Baker!" The British representative calls out, "What is this we hear about the Paladin Battleship is planning on leaving the solar system? Are you completely mad? That ship is our only defense!"
Chan replies, "We agree with the council, but the people that gave us the means to save our world now need our help. We do have an obligation to repay them."
The Venezuelan representative speaks, "We need to reinforce our position first, before we run off to help others. My government requests that we be given the plans to create this ship for ourselves."
Multiple representatives add their voices, yelling the same thing. The room becomes very chaotic.
President Baker stands, and speaks, "Listen to me please. We owe these X’ena’s a great debt. Furthermore, we really don’t have much say in whether Paladin goes or stays. The ship is controlled by a single man."
The Russian representative says, "Why not remove him then, and put our own person in charge?"
Once again, the room goes chaotic as many scream, agreeing with the Russian diplomat.
Then from the back of the room, a man yells out "Because the ship will not operate unless he is on it." It is Colonel Jackson. What a bunch of bureaucratic asses. He thinks to himself
President Baker says, "This is the Commander of the multinational crew of the Paladin Battleship, Colonel Andrew Jackson. He is second in command of the Paladin."
Jackson walks forward continuing his statement, "The man you’re demanding to replace can’t be replaced. First, I’ve seen first-hand what happens if he is taken off the ship. I’m sure the members of the crew from your respective
countries will confirm this."
He pauses, as he stares out over the room. He finishes, saying, "Secondly, the X’ena’s changed him and I have evidence that something is wrong with him. During our combat with the T-Challa, the Paladin ship was damaged and it affected him. I strongly believe that whatever they did to change him wasn’t done correctly and if something happens to him... Well, we would lose Paladin anyways."
Baker extremely concerned asks, "What happened, Colonel?"
Jackson replies, "When the ship took damage this affected Caleb. He became injured, and according to Caleb, he believed the wounds would heal after the ship was repaired. So far the ship has been completely repaired, but his wounds have not fully healed."
The room then erupts into a major debate over what was said, until Chan pounds a gavel on the desk bringing the room to order.
Chan asks, "How long will it take you to get to this?" He pauses and looks for a file in front of him and says, "X’enablanca."
Jackson replies, "Paladin estimates if we traveled cloaked we can reach their world in seven months. Uncloaked, it will take us four months, but we are at risk of attack then."
Chan asks, "And how long will it take the T-Challa to return to Earth?"
Jackson thinking for a moment responds, "If they left immediately after they lost contact with their fleet’s here. Four years at the longest, to three years at the least."
The Russian representative yells out, "We want to see this Paladin. We demand the details of its armaments and defensive capabilities, and after we build a few of these ships we may be able to agree to allow Paladin to go help these X’ena’s."
Jackson replies, "Well, sir, if you want to see Paladin, may I suggest you walk outside." Everyone wants to control the power for themselves.
The assembly storms out of the room, where they look upward and see nothing. The Russian representative angrily yells, "Where is it?"
Jackson then steps out from the doorway, and as he does, Paladin appears from behind its cloak. Hovering about three hundred yards above the assembly. Its massive size frightens the crowd below. People all over the city can easily see the majestic ship. Cars crash into each other, as the drivers are distracted by such a sight.
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 1 Paladin Page 11
