Val apathetic replies, "Actually, it was Jackson that told me to leave no trace of my upgrades. I myself have found nothing wrong by what I have done, but that maybe a result of the knowledge affecting my reason, and conscious."
Tess dejectedly responds, "I'm sorry Val, the stories of your kindness and loyalty to Caleb are amongst some of the greatest stories ever told. I’m sorry."
Tess feeling her guilt leaves the men, returning to the solitude of the cockpit of Cavalier.
Mohammed now curious asks Raphael, "Your sister acts a lot like her great grandmother Cooley. How is she as leader to your people?"
Raphael reluctantly replies, "She and my older brother share control of the council. They do not always agree."
Mohammed, probing further asks, "Does anyone have any idea what became of my old friend Benton, or Caleb?"
Raphael answers, "I’m sorry Mohammed, but history was never one of my strong points, all we know is Caleb and Paladin left about a thousand years ago, and were never heard from again. Benton was the last unified leader of all seven moons, but he too vanished in some phase shift accident."
Mohammed concerned asks, "Phase shift accident?"
Tess returning overhears their conversation and says, "He vanished traveling to the world of the First Ones in his ship the Celesta. They claimed his ship exploded when shifting, but we have always had our suspicions of them."
Mohammed asks, "These First Ones seem to possess a lot of issues for your people, are they a threat?"
Tess cautiously replies, "Not an immediate one, besides no one has seen a First One in over about a thousand years. Their world is shielded from phase shifting and scans. They also control most of the technology from the alternate future. Caleb made it one of his last rules not to interfere in the First Ones internal affairs. We are forbidden to go to their world."
Raphael looks to Tess in disgust, as he clearly disapproves of her last statement.
Val who is working on Cavaliers systems asks, "This moon of the First Ones possess this Flower Stone, which Caleb left for Carla, is this not true?"
Tess surprised at Val’s interest asks, "Val, why are you interested in the device? I thought you don’t have much interest in such things?"
Val replies, "Because the device has something for me in it as well."
Mohammed curious asks, "Val, how do you know this?"
With that, Val activates a holorecording and an image of Caleb appears, saying, "Hello brother, I wish I was able to talk to you directly, but I'm unable to do so. You have obviously discovered the hidden recording that only you would be able to find. Val my brother, many terrible things happened in the future timeline. I have put a lot of plans into motion to prevent that future from ever happening. If you are seeing this, you have obviously met the Paladonians. They are but one part of many things I have placed into action. Val, I have left behind something I discovered in the time stream, it is on the moon of the First Ones, and it is called the Flower Stone. It has incredible gifts, and with its help, I can prevent a lot of pain from happening.
Val, I need you to find it and when Carla is old enough, bring her to it. The Flower Stone will explain everything to you. Val, I know it’s only been a few months for you, but it’s been hundreds of years for me, and I miss you my brother. I hope Jackson survived, and you are with Emily and Domingo. If so, my first set of plans have worked, if not, the Flower Stone will guide you, to correct the errors. Good luck Val."
Val looks over to Tess "I guess I should get to that Flower Stone then."
Raphael speaks up, saying, "The First Ones will never allow you onto their world Val."
Mohammed replies, "These Filipino's don't seem to be concerned on what is, and what is not possible. They make the impossible possible, and Val is an extraordinary Filipino."
Val barely acknowledges Mohammed's compliment, as he continues going through Cavaliers database.
Raphael looks over again in disgust at his sister Tess who turns her head away, however, this time Mohammed notices.
Back on the Yorktown, Kitanna yells out, "We have a confirmed T-Challa ion trail from the Paladonian battle ship Endeavour."
Mulvey asks, "Just one trail Lieutenant?"
Kitanna pauses, as she double checks the data and replies, "Yes sir, just one trail."
Mulvey turns to Jackson, who in turn looks down at his console, Jackson thinks to himself. Something is up. Every time we’ve seen them move these gateways, they have used two Light Cruisers.
Gaul comes over the holocom, "Jackson, we are reviewing the data as I’m sure you are, but doesn’t it take two of these Light Cruisers to move a gateway?"
Jackson suddenly realizes something, "Gaul, I’m thinking we may have a tail following us, and they could be giving our position to the T-Challa. Send your fighters out with ours; let’s see if we can find this tail of ours."
Mulvey confused asks, "Sir?"
Jackson explains, "The T-Challa had our exact location in the last battle, even though we were cloaked. The only way they could know that is if they had a ship hidden amongst our own trailing us, and then reporting our location."
Kitanna baffled by Jackson’s statement asks, "Jacks, they can’t move as fast as we can. How could they keep up with us?"
Jackson thinks for a moment. Unless they are somehow attached to us, I wonder if they could even be on the ship.
Jackson yells out, "Kitanna! I want a complete detailed scan of the ship, inside and out! Mulvey set all ships on general quarters. We may have boarders on the ship!"
Mulvey confused asks, "Sir, what are you saying?"
Jackson impatiently replies, "Captain Mulvey, they can’t keep up with us as Kitanna just reminded us all, and yet they seem to know where we are at all times. We know they can cloak small ships, and have similar technology as we do. So, what do you think Captain?"
Mulvey's eyes go wide as he realizes the situation, saying, "Yes sir.” He turns to the bridge staff announcing, "All hands battle stations! We have boarders! Alert all ships."
The alert is sent out to all ships. Meanwhile in the Yorktown medical bay Qui Shi, her staff, and Carla are preparing for possible casualties, as several Marines set up positions protecting the med bay.
Carla becomes frightened, and says telepathically to Qui Shi "Momma Qui Shi, they're T-Challa near here. They’re looking for Papa Jacks."
Qui Shi surprised whispers, "Tell your Papa Jacks Carla, quickly."
Carla relays the message to Jackson, "Papa Jacks, they're seven T-Challa, hiding on the ship. They are looking for you, and they want to hurt you."
Jackson now accustomed to telepathic communications replies in kind, asking, "Carla can you tell me where they are, or can you make them go to sleep, like you did Tess earlier?"
Carla replies, "I'll try Papa Jacks, but there are so many of them. They all talk together. It’s kinda hard to understand."
Carla concentrates on the T-Challa. She focuses all her strength as she tries to make them go to sleep. She gasps in total fear, saying aloud, "Mama Qui Shi, I'm scared. They are so scary and mean. They sensed me trying to put them to sleep, and they’re looking for me now."
Qui Shi yells out to the Marines at the doorway, "Guards! They’re coming to us. Be careful."
The guards set themselves up in a defensive position.
Qui Shi quickly goes to the holocom, "Andrew! Carla got their attention. Now they’re heading to the med bay."
Jackson immediately reacts, "Mulvey, take command of the search. I'm heading to med bay."
Jackson grabs an assault rifle from one of the Marines, and charges down to the med bay."
Carla becomes very frightened as she begins to cry. Qui Shi goes to pick her up, when she hears loud weapons fire outside the med bay. Seconds later, she hears guttural moans and cries, as the Marines valiantly try to defend their positions. Then Carla screams, as the T-Challa uncloak in the entranceway of med bay. Four of them raise their weapons. Poised and ready, they targ
et Qui Shi and Carla.
Qui Shi tries to cover up, and protect Carla from the deadly attack with her own body as a shield. She says as she tries to cover Carla, “Stay still, I’ll protect you.”
Carla easily senses Qui Shi's fear and concentrates as hard as she can on the four T-Challa.
She refocuses all her power on T-Challa trying to stop them from firing. T-Challa are natural psychics on a very low level and have some natural defense, but Carla is destined to be the most powerful psychic in the known galaxy. She knows if she fails she will lose Qui Shi, and she will not allow that.
Qui Shi looks up, wondering why they haven't fired on them, but she is surprised even more so to see Carla's nose bleeding, as her eyes glow bright blue. She turns around to see the T-Challa frozen still in place.
She immediately grabs Carla, and rushes to the back of the med bay.
Back on the bridge, Mulvey gets a holocommunication from Gaul, "Lower your shields quickly. I will send over my men to assist. We have technology that can locate them."
Mulvey suspicious replies, "We are at general quarters. We cannot lower our shields."
Kitanna turns her head and says, "Captain, we are being attacked from within, our shields are not doing anything."
Gaul annoyed asks, "Mulvey, where is Jackson?"
Mulvey replies, "T-Challa warriors are heading to med bay. He’s gone to protect his wife."
Gaul angrily yells, "Listen you moron! Take down your shields, and we will send over our troops! We are trained and equipped to handle the situation, you’re not!"
Mulvey suspicious replies, "I will have to contact Earth command for approval first."
Klaus, frustrated at Mulvey’s inability to make decisions, stands up. He goes over to the weapons officers post and says, "Shutdown the shields now."
The weapons officer looks up at Klaus and turns to Mulvey who says, "Commander Klaus, return to your post."
Klaus ignores Mulvey's orders. He reaches over and shuts down the shields, he then turns to Mulvey, saying, "Sir, I know you wish to go by the book, but there is no book yet written on how to deal with these kind of situations."
Mulvey angry yells, "Back to your station Commander, we'll discuss this later."
Gaul and his Marines quickly use their phase shift cloaks and board the Yorktown. They are all equipped with special goggles, which help them detect the cloaked T-Challa. They quickly spread out and search the ship.
Gaul himself phases directly in the med lab where he immediately identifies the T-Challa frozen in place, and gets ready to fire. At that exact moment, Jackson rounds the corner to see the same image of the backside of those four T-Challa warriors, all still frozen in place. He raises his weapons also preparing to fire, when he sees a barrage of plasma fire from inside the med lab firing into the T-Challa.
The T-Challa are practically cut in half by Gaul's oversized plasma blaster.
Carla finally stops concentrating, as the last of the T-Challa expires.
Jackson rushes the room yelling, "Qui Shi!"
Gaul smiling replies, "She's fine Jacks."
Jackson enters weapon ready, asking, "Gaul? How the hell did you get on my ship?"
Gaul throws him a pair of odd-looking goggles, saying, "Your second in command finally lowered the shields. I had my marine’s board and start canvassing your ship for the T-Challas.” Gaul catches his breath continuing, “When you announced the situation we we're prepared, Caleb had given us this technology to detect cloaked T-Challa, and so far, only your ship seems to have been compromised."
Jackson puts up the goggles to his head. He looks through and sees in the med bay mirror a cloaked T-Challa entering the room. Jackson immediately reacts. He twists quickly and fires a rapid burst of plasma energy at the entranceway, covering the entrance way with dozens of plasma charges, striking the T-Challa warrior several times. Gaul sees the impact of Jackson's weapons fire and fires his weapon as well.
The T-Challa warrior fires several shots of his own, striking the med bay walls as the creature is finally cut down. Moments later, medical staff arrives and tends to the wounded as they start emergency triage. Jackson goes to Qui Shi, grabs her up in his arms.
Qui Shi begins to shake and cry, saying, "Andrew, I thought we were going to die. Carla, she saved us."
Gaul approaches, saying, "Yeah you’re welcome too. I was just passing by."
Jackson turns relieved that they are all right, saying, "Thank you Gaul. I owe you my life."
Gaul being cocky replies, "Yup you do Jacks. I figure that’s worth at least a beer."
Jackson laughs replies, "Gaul, you sound more and more like your great, great grandfather every time."
Gaul smiles and says, "Well, you may need to add a few more greats in there Jacks, my family tree goes back a thousand years or more."
Carla feebly speaks, "Papa Jacks, the last two T-Challa are heading toward the bridge."
Jackson looks to Gaul, asking, "Can that phase shift thing take us both to the bridge?"
Gaul grits his teeth and says, "Yeah it can, but don't get to frisky with me Jackson, you’re going to have to hold onto me pretty tight when we have to travel through null space. It can get pretty disorienting shifting."
Jackson frowns reluctantly, stating, "Yeah, that's not something I'm looking forward too."
Jackson grabs onto Gaul's waste, as Qui Shi smiles, saying, "Don't get fresh with my husband Mr. Gaul."
Jackson grits his teeth, saying, "Let’s get this over with."
The two shift as they pass through the null space field. Jackson is instantly aware of the ice-cold feeling passing over his body, as he feels the effect of null space rip through him. Then within a second, they are on the bridge.
Jackson immediately collapses on the deck, as both men successfully shift onto the bridge.
Mulvey shocked yells, "Guards!"
Gaul, unconcerned grabs his holocom and calls out, "Marines to my position now."
The room is suddenly filled with Gaul's men, as they secure the bridge. Jackson, finally gets to his feet, feeling disoriented he barks out orders, "Mulvey! Launch fighters now. Search the hull of the Yorktown for any of these cloaked ships, and confine the sensor to a tight local beam."
Mulvey confused asks, "Sir, all these armed men?"
Jackson exhausted replies, "Well Captain, I'm going to have to say you surprised me by letting them on the ship. You actually did the right thing, and probably saved the ship."
Mulvey reluctantly replies looking over at Klaus, saying, "Yes sir."
Then Gaul's Marines begin, setting up position along the corridors leading up to the bridge, waiting for the last two T-Challa to approach.
Mulvey concerned asks, "General, sir, what is going on? Why are we not using our own Marines?"
Gaul annoyed at Mulvey’s constant questions turns and asks, "You’re a poindexter aren't you son?"
Jackson smiles and answers Gaul, "No he's a college boy officer."
Kitanna yells out, "General, sir! I'm picking up a data stream transmission from a T-Challa ship! Its attached to the stern section of the ship, I'm giving its location to our fighters, should I instruct them to fire on the vessel?"
Gaul and Jackson both reply yelling "YES!"
Just then, one of Gaul's men raises his hand and sets his weapon, as the rest of the Marines prepare.
The seconds feel like hours, as the Marines steady themselves for the charge of the last two T-Challa. Suddenly, the Marines open fire, and the last two T-Challa go down.
Kitanna reports that the T-Challa Light Cruiser is destroyed.
Gaul turns to Jackson and says, "Ok Jacks, I'll have that beer now."
Jackson laughs, "Amazing how much like Gabriel you are Gaul."
Gaul smiles and says, "You can keep the compliments, all I want is a nice tall cold one."
CHAPTER TEN
HUNTED AND HAUNTED
Two days later, the search continues, as Jackson’s armada and the Palado
nian fleet continues with their search for the two T-Challa gateways. While elsewhere Tess, Val and Mohammed, and his strike team arrive at the Yinglong, which has remained stationed in observation of the T-Challa base for almost two years. Her Captain is Bo Chi Sum, he greets the strike team in the hangar bay as they land, "Welcome to the Yinglong."
Mohammed the senior ranking officer replies, "Good day Captain Sum."
Sum says, "We have set up quarters for you and your men to prepare for your assault. We have been ordered to assist you in anyway possible, short of giving away our position."
Val walks directly past the men, and proceeds to the forward section of the ship. Captain Sum confused asks, "Mr. Arao, may I help you?"
Val ignores the Captains question, as he continues down the corridor, heading toward the bow of the ship. Mohammed lowers his head shaking slightly as he replies, "I must apologize for him Captain. Val has not been himself as of late."
Sum responds, "I'm aware of his recent gifts Commander Shi Reis, and its unfortunate side effects."
Mohammed stunned looks at the Captain, concerned of his knowledge of Val.
Captain Sum replies, "My contacts go very far up in my government Commander Shi Reis. We have complete updates and files on the original crew of the Paladin. You and your crew are an inspiration to many of my crew."
Captain Sum is interrupted, as he reaches for his earpiece. He replies in his native mandarin, but is astounded, as it is immediately translated from Cavaliers holocom system. Surprised Sum replies to his crew, "Allow him complete access.” He then asks Tess, "I thought only Paladin could translate all languages?"
Tess apologetic replies, "Cavalier has the same programming as Paladin in that area Captain. I apologize for not informing you earlier."
Sum still surprised states, "You are the ancestor of Commander White and Lieutenant Cooley. The one called Tess White, co-leader of the Whitefeather moon of the Paladonian people. Your world is the youngest of the Paladonian people, and the young man behind you is your younger brother Raphael, did I leave anything out?"
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 2 Lost Heroes Page 11
