The Ocoda Chronicles Book 1 Paladin

by Daniel OConnell

  Jackson yells, "Caleb, if you die then we all die! You need to stop!"

  Caleb holds on for a moment longer when the Marine he is healing pushes Caleb back and away from him.

  Caleb extremely weakened collapses. Qui Shi hastily scans him as she sees the wounds begin to heal slowly on Caleb’s body.

  Benton picks up Caleb, and puts him on an anti-grav stretcher, as the wounded are then rolled off to med-bay.

  Jackson looks over to Benton, angry he yells, "Colonel, I gave you a direct order to stop him from doing that."

  Benton looks up and says, "I know, sir, but I couldn’t stop him."

  Jackson says, "Couldn’t or wouldn’t Marine. All you had to do was stand in his way, because once he starts to heal, we don’t know if we can stop him, you however, you could have stopped him, so if Caleb dies Colonel we all die and that includes your Marine.” Dumb ass.

  Jackson storms off, throwing his flight helmet on the hangar deck. He hastily heads off to med-bay with Qui Shi and her staff as they push Caleb on the anti-grav stretcher.

  Shi Reies walks over to Benton and says, "Don’t let it get to you my friend. Caleb is a gift from Allah, it is his will."

  Benton looks down, and walks away.

  Back in med-bay, Qui Shi focuses on stabilizing Caleb. His vitals are extremely weak.

  Paladin finally speaks, "Dr. Qui Shi, he is stabilizing at a very slow rate. He will not die, but he will need your aid to get better from this point on."

  Qui Shi concerned asks, "Paladin, did his healing of that Marine accelerate the D.N.A. rejection?"

  Paladin responds, "No, Doctor, but the damage to his body is very difficult to heal at this point. He is healing much slower than before, and he will heal, but it will take several days. Despite the consequences Doctor, I have determined that we have less than a few weeks remaining."

  Jackson, who has been sitting at the door asks, "Paladin, how long until we reach Bach."

  Paladin responds, "If I can maintain my present power level and current speed, nine days, sixteen hours and forty-one minutes."

  Jackson asks Qui Shi, "Do you have his daughter with you still?"

  Qui Shi answers, "Yes, she is in my quarters with one of my nurse ‘s."

  Jackson walks off to the Bridge. Too much risk in this, but it has to be done. We pushed ourselves further than anyone would have ever believed.

  CHAPTER SIX

  BACH

  Ten days later, the night shift, Colonel Jackson is recording his log entry, "This is Colonel Jackson reporting, log entry eight, twelve, two thousand seventy-nine. Currently Caleb is still able to hold Paladin together, although he is so badly wounded, he cannot stand without bleeding all over med-bay. Doctor Qui Shi has him on total bed rest.

  We are just under thirty-six hours from the planetary system that may have this X’ena scientist called Bach, the creator of Paladin. We are however only a few hours ahead of the T-Challa fleet, and we seem to be losing power in key systems. We are dealing with other system breakdowns all over the ship. Our chief engineer, Valentine Arao and his staff have been doing an exceptional job keeping up with these shipwide system failures. Regrettably, they continue to grow more numerous and increasingly more difficult, and no one has heard a word from Paladin in over twenty-four hours. Tensions are very high."

  Qui Shi appears on the Bridge, and walks to Jackson, as he finishes his log, saying, "Colonel, sir."

  Jackson looks up and says, "Doc, please call me Andrew, or Jacks, either or, please.” Damn, if I’m going to die, I definitely need to get to know the Doctor a little better before I do.

  Qui Shi smiles, she tilts her head down, as she is visibly shy around the unabashed Colonel. She replies, "Well, Andrew, I have been studying Caleb, as he has never allowed me to do so before and I have been noticing that his cells are breaking apart like a coordinated occurrence on his system."

  Jackson looks puzzled over to Qui Shi, saying, "Ah yeah… What does that mean Qui Shi? I’m not really up on medical lingo, but it sounds to me like you’re saying he’s under attack?"

  Qui Shi explains, "Well, yes, in a way that is right. This breakdown isn’t random, it’s always the same every hour, as so many cells are breaking down every hour, and it’s always the exact same amount every hour, no more, no less."

  Jackson concerned asks, "I take it shouldn’t be doing this?"

  Qui Shi replies, "No Col…. Excuse me, Andrew. No, it should not. My concern is that this separation of Caleb and Paladin is intentional, something that was possibly planned from the onset of their merging."

  Jackson stands from the command chair and calls out, "Paladin respond now!"

  Jackson waits for a few moments, and angrily yells out, shocking the Bridge crew, “PALADIN! ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!"

  Paladin finally responds, "Colonel, systems failing... Difficult to maintain interface."

  Jackson asks, "We just found evidence that Caleb’s cellular breakdown was planned from the start. Did you know about it?"

  Paladin replies, "No, Colonel… I was reprogrammed from Bach’s original design. I have no reference of what they changed on Bach’s original design of me. I believed it was the plans to better interface with the current human physiology, and military understanding."

  Jackson pauses and says, "Could the original design have been changed to cause the cellular breakdown after a certain time had passed?"

  Paladin responds, "X’ena scientist could have done this... Yes. However, if they did… They wouldn’t tell me… I would not have merged with Caleb, knowing that the end result would be his death."

  Jackson annoyed, asks, "Can this Bach person fix you, and undo what the other X’ena’s did to Caleb?"

  Paladin replies, "He was the lead designer on project one hundred fifty-two…. He should be able to, if he is still alive."

  Down below decks in med-bay, Carla and Shi Reies are in med-bay with Caleb, when a sullen Benton enters. He approaches his head hung low, saying, "Admiral, sir, I want to thank you for saving my friend. If ever you need anything from me. Anything at all, just say the word."

  Caleb sits up weakly and says, "Colonel, do me favor and stand tall like a Marine. You look like the little school boy that stole the teacher’s apple off her desk and got caught.” Damn I hate this. I have never felt so dependent on others.

  Shi Reies laughs, "Yeah, and you owe me and my men one hell of a meal. We got our stuff first, and we made it out first."

  Benton stands straight and says, "Well, you had it easy Shi Reies, we took care of your part of the T-Challa, and Admiral, I never stole the apple from the teacher’s desk. I usually stole the entire desk. The apple was just collateral." The men all laugh.

  While in Onatof’s lab, Lieutenant Cooley and Onatof go through the T-Challa communication device.

  "Professor," Cooley asks, "Are you sure this thing will work?"

  Onatof replies, "Well, I have figured out how they work together. It seems that it has three different settings, one requires minimal power needs, I’m thinking for close combat communications about twelve billion kilometers, relatively the distance of a solar system. Then there are two more settings, and both require extreme amounts of power. I believe they use hyperspace."

  Cooley, confused asks, "So why am I here?"

  Onatof smiling replies, "Well, you are our communication officer. Do you have any ideas on how we can jam their communications once I power this up?”

  Cooley grins, saying, "If you can power it up, I can jam it."

  Thirty-five hours later, Paladin finally reaches the outer moon, as Caleb condition is rapidly deteriorating

  "Kitanna!” Jackson calls out, "Anything yet?"

  Kitanna frustrated replies, "Sorry, no sir, I can only get this terminal to work just briefly at best, and then it turns into a blank screen or static."

  Jackson calls over the com, "Commander White, report to the hangar. Ready Cavalier, and load her with a transport pod.” Let’s hope he’s there.
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br />   Jackson then looks to Shi Reies, and says, "Shi Reies, I want you and Benton to take Caleb, Dr. Qui Shi, Onatof, and a dozen Marines with you down to the surface."

  Shi Reies asks, "Colonel, sir, what about the little girl? She is terrified of being away from her father, especially since his injuries. Dr. Qui Shi says she shouldn’t be left alone without him. Should we not bring her with us?"

  Jackson sighs, as he clasps his hands over his face, saying, "She stays with Qui Shi and Onatof in the pod until you clear the area."

  Jackson thinks to himself. Kids always mess things up. I cannot believe I am sending a small child into a possible dangerous situation. Then again, this whole mission is a dangerous situation, ah hell with it.

  Jackson then announces, "Attention! Paladin will be going on emergency standby for the next hour. Make all preparations for the temporary shutdown. We will be maneuvering behind the moon, and cloaking."

  Fifteen minutes later, Cavalier flies low across the moon's surface, trying to locate anything. Then the computer scrambles out, "Detecting cloaked entrance way, approximately fourteen hundred kilometers ahead. The entrance is large enough for a landing to be attempted."

  White then slows down as he approaches the field. He cautiously maneuvers Cavalier through the field, and sees a huge landing pad. It is covered in centuries of dirt and disrepair.

  White gingerly lands Cavalier on the pad, after he touches down, he begins to power down the engines. Just then, the landing pad descends from the surface to a huge underground complex below. The complex is in complete disarray, walls have fallen, and part of the inner ridge has collapsed.

  White checks his scans and picks up several faint energy signatures.

  "Onatof!”

  White calls out over the com, "I’m picking up several power sources throughout the complex. I’m going to link my sensor readings to the pods holoterminal."

  After a few minutes, Onatof has gone through most of the readings. He responds, "Commander, I’m detecting a breathable atmosphere filling this complex, that is one of the power sources. It seems to have activated when we landed, another is powering the shield, which is protecting the complex from the environment above, and yet another seems to be powering the cloaking field. Finally, there is one other, which I cannot tell what it is powering, but it is in the deepest part of the complex."

  Benton is carrying two helmets, he passes one to Onatof, saying, "Well, Professor, that’s what me and my men will find out. You can see what we see through the holoviewer. Place it on your head and you will see what I see. Don’t be shy to tell me if you see something important."

  Benton and Shi Reies leave the transport pod leading ten Marines into the complex, leaving two behind to guard the pod.

  Shi Reies asks, "How are you feeling Gabriel?"

  Benton annoyed, replies, "I’m fine Shi Reies, you don’t need to hold my hand kid.” Benton moves ahead, distancing himself from the group.

  As they walk through the strangely shaped corridors. Lights turn on, guiding them through the complex. They find no stairs anywhere. All the floors are rounded, not shaped for walking. There are dozens of vertical tubes, with no lifts to travel up or down on. Moreover, throughout the entire complex gravity is minimal, so ascending the tubes is easy, getting back up however may prove to be challenging.

  Benton finds the shaft where the energy readings emanate from, and looks down, seeing nothing but darkness, he asks, "Onatof, can you tell me how deep this shaft goes? I only have about forty meters of rope."

  Onatof replies, "Colonel that should be more than enough, the power source, which I can’t determine is only twenty meters below you."

  The Marines then tie off their ropes, repelling to the bottom. Once on the bottom the lights turn on, illuminating the entire room. They immediately see in the center of the room a huge circular chamber. It glows with a faint blue aura.

  "Colonel.” Onatof says, "Please approach the device, and try to move your head slowly so that I can study the device properly."

  "Sure Professor, just tell me when to stop.” Benton continues to talk himself, saying, “Damn E.T. stuff all is all over the place."

  Benton goes over the device in a grid pattern. Studying each section to allow Onatof time to figure out what the device is, just then he sees the source of the blue glow emanating from a view portal on the device. He jumps ahead, looking into the device.

  He yells, asking, "Whoa! What the hell is that?"

  "Colonel!” Onatof yells, "What are you doing?"

  Benton is in awe replying, "Professor, can you see this? It’s like a big giant floating blue beach ball in here."

  Onatof excited answers, "It’s an X’ena! That is an X’ena! My goodness we have a chance now."

  Caleb, barely conscience now starts speaking in gibberish. Qui Shi tries to check his vitals, but he is showing no signs of any lucid reaction.

  She says, "His condition has worsened since we left the ship, he’s fading fast."

  White then calls out to Jackson on the com, "Colonel, sir, we have a confirmed X’ena on the base. We are currently trying to determine its status."

  Jackson impatiently replies, "Reg were dead up here, we have just minimal power. You’ll need to do something quickly. We can’t see the enemy fleet, so whatever it is you’re going to do. Do it quickly."

  Onatof says, "It seems to be some kind of stasis chamber. The X’ena must be using it to keep himself in some form of suspended animation."

  Shi Reies curious, asks, "Why would it do this Professor? Don’t these X’ena live for some ten thousand years?"

  Onatof replies, "I’m sure this complex doesn’t have enough supplies to sustain any living creature for so many centuries, of course I’m only guessing Commander Shi Reies, but I would say it is waiting for a rescue."

  White calls over the com, "Ok everyone, we are going down there. Bring everyone, Paladin is a sitting duck, we need to start taking a few risks."

  They exit Cavalier bringing Caleb, on an anti-grav stretcher.

  They move quickly down to the vertical shaft where Benton, Shi Reies, and the Marines descended.

  White takes Carla and straps her to his chest, repelling down with her to the lowest level.

  The two Marines use their ropes to lower Caleb, down on the anti-grav stretcher, where White and the Marines secure him, placing him near the X’ena chamber.

  Finally, the last two Marines repel down with both Professor Onatof, and Dr. Qui Shi strapped to them. They descend to the bottom. Professor Onatof immediately approaches the chamber. He goes over to the device studying it for almost ten minutes, when Benton says, "You haven’t a clue do you Professor? Smart talking Professor ain’t got nothing."

  Onatof ignorant at Benton's ranting replies, "Well, yes, I know it is a stasis chamber. I just can’t locate any way to interface with the device. Why wouldn’t there be any to interface with?"

  Benton annoyed, asks, "Why not let Caleb touch it? He’s part alien. Maybe it’s set to work only for them, just like in all those alien movies."

  Onatof stops, thinking to himself for a moment. He then looks at Dr. Qui Shi, and then Caleb. He raises his eyebrow, saying, "Well, that might work, it makes sense that this device would only work for an X’ena."

  White walks over to Caleb, saying, "Admiral, sir, if you can understand me, I need you to try and touch the chamber."

  Caleb replies in some sort of gibberish throwing his hand towards the device. White moves the stretcher closer to the chamber. Caleb swings his arm again, striking the chamber.

  The chamber begins to hum, and lights begin to turn on all over the chamber. The chamber begins to rumble, as inside the chamber begins to fill up with smoke, blocking their sight from the view portal.

  The Marines ready their weapons, as Benton and Shi Reies grab Caleb pulling him back from the chamber. White quickly grabs Onatof and Qui Shi, pulling them back as well.

  White comments aloud, "What is it with you brainy people?
Flashing lights and smoke means step back, not stand next to the strange alien device."

  The top of the chamber begins to open up slowly. Smoke billows outward and floods the room with a fine mist. The smell is a sweet and sickly combination, then a blue light begins to radiate through the room. Just then, out levitates a large glowing blue orb, it hovers above the chamber, the blue orb has no appendages, or any form of facial characteristics. It just hovers above the group.

  The Marines have their weapons at the ready, but keep them lowered so as not to appear threatening to the X’ena.

  The X’ena lowers itself down slowly, approaching Caleb. Shi Reies then stands in between the X’ena and Caleb.

  "What are you going to do?” Shi Reies asks, as he holds his position in defense of Caleb.

  The X’ena stops, and hovers directly in front of Shi Reies. Then Shi Reies hears his own voice inside his head. Repeating over and over his question, "What are you going to do?” The words get louder in his head.

  Then the X’ena creates a human like arm out of the blue light like energy, which appears from its body. Slowly it reaches outward, its hand open.

  The Marines quickly jump forward with their weapons up, and ready to fire. White quickly jumps in between them yelling, "Put those weapons down now!"

  The X’ena shocked at the violent emotion, quickly pulls back, moving away.

  Then Shi Reies says, "Wait, please." Shi Reies puts out his hand, and lowers his head.

  Slowly the X’ena approaches Shi Reies again, as it once again creates a human like arm, with an open hand. It slowly reaches out to hold Shi Reies’s hand.

  They connect, and in a split second, the room lights up. Everyone in the room can hear the X’ena speak inside their head.

  "I am Bach.” He tells them telepathically, "Please don’t harm me. I am aware of all your thoughts and emotions. Please don’t fear me, I will not hurt you."

  White asks, "If you know our thoughts, then you know why we are here, can you save Caleb?"

  Bach turns towards Qui Shi, and says telepathically to all, "You have detected some form of programmed rejection, and you wonder if I did this?" Bach pauses, then continues, "No, the creature you call Paladin was never designed to meld with a human, someone on X’enablanca must have changed its original design. Please know that my people would never intentionally hurt another. If you will allow me a moment to exam Caleb, I will try and help."