Gaul curious replies, "Jackson, you'll just pass out again."
Jackson says, "Well, I didn’t say I would take you personally. There's another way, but you won’t like it."
Gaul unconcerned answers, "Whatever it is Jacks, I'll do it. Some of those people could be mine."
Jackson replies ordering, "Have your shock troops ready to go in four minutes, because in five minutes we're gone."
After a brief moment Gaul and fifty of his best men, shift directly onto the bridge of the Yorktown.
Gaul smiling asks, "Well are we going or do you still got more makeup to put on that ugly mug of yours."
Jackson smirks replying, "You know Gaul, I'm so glad you're in such a jolly mood, because I need Carla to put the image of where you’re going into your head."
Gaul's face goes blank, as he realizes just what he must do, "Ah Jacks wait a minute. Maybe you can come with us after all."
Jackson smiles, saying, "Well Gaul, I'm sure it will be a life changing experience." Jackson turns and says, "Klaus head the fleet out cloaked, and at full speed."
Gaul and Jackson head down to med bay. Gaul, feeling very uncomfortable says when they are alone, "Jacks, you know what that kid can do?"
Jackson looks over to Gaul and says, "The key word is Kid Gaul, she's a small child."
Jackson walks away, as Gaul stops to say, "Yeah, and so was your worlds, Attila the Hun."
Gaul mumbles to himself, as he jogs to catch up to Jackson, "Damn I hate this crap."
The two finally enter med bay. Qui Shi sternly looks at Jackson, saying, "Andrew, not again."
Jackson replies, "No not again, I just want Carla to put the location of Toth's fleet in Gaul's head."
Carla looks over at Gaul and says, "I can’t Papa Jacks, he's got something that makes it too loud for me to put it in his head."
Jackson looks over at Gaul disappointed, which Gaul replies, "What? I forgot it was on."
Gaul finally shuts the device off, and Carla enters Gaul's mind.
Carla says, "He has it in his head now, Papa Jacks."
Gaul very uncomfortable and slightly disoriented says, "Wow, that's different. She replayed everything you two just did."
Jackson focused on the mission asks, "Can you guide your strike team on to the T-Challa ship and save our people?"
Gaul huffs, as he grabs his com, "All men, prepare to jump on my command. You will lock onto my signal, and follow me."
He turns to Jackson and says, "We'll be back in a few minutes, try and keep the food warm, and the beer cold."
With that, Gaul grabs his com and says, "Strike force, follow my signal, and shift now."
Gaul disappears, a few moments later, Carla shrieks aloud. Qui Shi jumps to her side. Holding her tightly, asking, "What is it Carla? What’s wrong?"
Carla crying says, "Gaul is hurt, I was watching him, and he got hurt."
Jackson starts to ask, "Carla what did..." Just then, Gaul and his men shift back to the Yorktown’s med bay, with several men, and women, mostly wounded.
Gaul falls to a knee grumbling, "They almost had us, it was like they knew we were coming."
Qui Shi grabs the cellular regenerator, and starts to focus it on Gaul's wounds, as her entire staff rushes to aid the rest of the strike team, and rescued pilots."
Jackson quickly asks, one of the former prisoners, "What ship are you from? How were you captured?"
The officer replies, "Sir, I am from the St. Petersburg. I was captured after my fighter was hit. I had no choice but to eject. They used some kind of beam to pull us all into their ships just before they activated that gateway. Sir, can I return to my ship please."
Jackson sighs and replies, "I'm sorry son. The St. Petersburg didn't make it out of their gateway trap."
The pilot stunned lowers his head, and begins to sob.
Qui Shi on the other side of med bay yells at Gaul angrily, "Listen up you big lummox! If you don't sit still, I'm going to give you a shot of my elephant tranquilizer, and you'll have no choice, but to let me fix you!"
Gaul grumbling says to Jackson, asking, "She's just as determined and forceful as they stories said, eh Jacks. So Jacks, any idea how they knew we were coming?"
Jackson confused replies, "No I don't." Jackson looks over at Carla thinking. However, I wonder if Carla can tell how they know, but should I even ask her to try?
Jackson decides its best not to risk exposing Carla further and turns to leave the room, when Carla screams out in pain. Her body glows deep blue for a moment.
Jackson jumps back to Carla's side, as does Qui Shi.
Then a deep guttural voice speaks from Carla, "You risk much General Jackson. This child is much too young to be a threat to me, but I now know of her potential. I will find her and gnaw on her bones."
The light glows stronger, as the Carla screams in agony.
Then Carla starts to cry. Screaming in terror, she clutches Qui Shi so tightly she begins to hurt Qui Shi, who says, "Carla please! Mama Qui Shi is here, be careful Little Flower, I can’t be held so tightly."
Carla sobs deeply as Jackson asks, "Carla what happened?"
Carla sobs replying, "She was waiting for me when I went to look at what happened Papa Jacks, she grabbed me and tried to hurt me, but my thingy saved me."
Qui Shi very upset asks, "Who is she?"
Carla says crying, "She said she was the Queen."
Jackson and Gaul look at each other in shock. Gaul says, "Well, so much for hiding her from the Queen Jacks. I guess that part of Caleb's plan failed miserably."
Jackson looks at Carla confused, asking, "How did she find you? What in heaven’s name were you doing that she was able to find you?"
Carla sobs in deep, and looks up at Jackson, saying, "Papa Jacks, I heard you thinking how you wanted to know how they knew we were coming. So I looked around to see if anyone else was watching us in that big empty place, and she was there."
Gaul confused asks, "You mean that place she took you to find the T-Challa, this thing was in there?"
Jackson says, "Carla is able to access a vast amount of power, and that’s the psychic plane, which she uses to access our minds. Obviously the Queen must use it as well, which means she can see what we are thinking even now."
Gaul reaches down to his psionic scrambler, saying, “Speak for yourself.”
Qui Shi confused points out, "Caleb said it took months for her to contact her brood. Andrew, its true the Queen is very powerful, but her range is very limited. Carla however, is not limited in range. The T-Challa Queen is immediate range is perhaps at best only a quadrant at best. How could she see in our minds so quickly?"
Jackson suddenly realizes what exactly is going on, he quickly grabs his com and yells, "Contact the Yinglong now! All hands prepare for combat!"
Gaul confused asks, "What's up Jacks?"
Jackson quickly replies, “The reason they’ve been able to find us, and know what we’re going to do, is because the T-Challa Queen has to be close by, and there’s only a few places big enough to hold her."
Mulvey replies on the com, "General, we have just successfully navigated away from that active gateway. We are currently closing in on the T-Challa fleet. We estimate our fighters will be in range in just under two minutes. We have the Yinglong on the com."
Captain Sum responds, "General, sir, we have the package onboard the T-Challa base, and are working on their escape."
Jackson overtly concerned asks, "How many men are on the base?"
Sum reluctantly replies, "The jump was so long and difficult for a full assault team sir, so only Raphael White of the Paladonian's and Commander Mohammed made the jump. They are currently stuck on the base, as we try to reacquire their shield modulation, to allow them to escape."
Jackson takes a deep breath and says, "Captain, you need to get them off now, and prepare to escape from your location. We have very good intel that your location may be compromised."
Captain Sum confused asks, "General,
sir? Do we have a traitor amongst us?"
Jackson replies, "No Captain. The T-Challa Queen is psychic, and we just recently gained information that either she is on one of the ships we are currently pursuing, or on the base, you are watching. In either case, our plans are compromised, and Captain, they can now cloak all their newest ships now."
Sum realizing the gravity of the situation yells "Shields up! Battle stations, all sensors on full sweep."
Jackson closes the com, saying, "Good luck Captain, be safe, and bring our people home."
Gaul uncertain asks Jackson, "What do you know of the Queen, Jacks?"
Jackson exhales, saying, "I know the most important thing is that she dies, and the war is over, we win."
Gaul glares and says, "Sorry Jacks, that's only partially true."
Jackson looks at Gaul in confusion, as Gaul continues, "The Queen only lives some four to five hundred years at best, after which it creates a new Queen. That Queen usually takes a year to mature. We have reliable info that just about a year ago she gave birth to the new Queen, so what’s more likely is you maybe hunting the old Queen. Who is now much weaker, and is going to die soon anyways."
Jackson takes a deep breath and asks, "I take it, that the reason you have those psychic scramblers wasn't just to stop Carla from finding you then?"
Gaul replies, "No Jacks, it wasn't."
Jackson, feeling defeated walks out of med bay and heads back to the bridge uncertain of what to do.
Gaul start to follow him, but Qui Shi grabs him, pulling him back. She then pushes him on an anti-grav bed where she holds a syringe in her hand, saying, "I'm warning you Gaul. I have this elephant tranquilizer and I'm not afraid to use it. So shut up, lay down, and don't move."
Gaul's eyes go wide as he says nothing.
CHAPTER TWELVE
DAMAGE
Val calls out to the bridge, via the holocom system, "Captain Sum, I have now determined that since we came out of our cloak, that we have at least sixteen T-Challa ships approaching us. One is a Dreadnought class, and so long as you keep our shields up Captain Sum I will not be able to transport Commander Shi Reis or Ambassador Raphael White from their base."
Sum responds, "Have you found their shield modulation yet Mr. Arao?"
Val coldly states, "Not yet."
A bridge officer calls out, "They will be in weapons range in eight minutes."
Another officer says, "They switched to shields as soon as we did, unfortunately, I can’t confirm if there are any others still cloaked sir."
Sum more focused on the impending battle asks, "Mr. Arao, can you do anything to increase power to our weapons and shields?"
Val glances up at the Captain, and closes the holocom.
Tess says to Captain Sum, "His condition is getting worse each day. He barely recognizes us in conversation anymore. If we have any chance at saving him, we have to get him to the First Ones very soon."
Sum replies, "Well, if we survive this encounter, I'll be more than happy to assist in getting him there."
A bridge officer calls out, "Sir, we have nine Heavy Cruisers, six Medium Cruisers, and one Dreadnought closing fast. Estimate firing range, in six minutes twenty-six seconds."
Another officer calls out, "Captain, we have fluctuations in our shields and weapons systems."
Sum concerned asks, "What do you mean, are they increasing power levels?"
The officer replies, "No sir, they’re dropping."
Another officer hastily yells, "Shields are down! Weapons are off line, sir!"
Sum now panicked calls out over the com, "Mr. Arao! What the hell are you doing?"
Val methodically replies, "Your systems will be up in five minutes twenty-two seconds."
Sum looks stunned, as he turns to Tess, who asks, "How long till they are in firing range of us?"
Another bridge officer replies, "Five minutes thirty-one seconds."
Sum now very stressed looks to Tess, asking, "Do you think he can help, or should we prepare to jump to hyperspace."
Tess calmly asks, "How many support fighters do you have?"
Sum realizing what she is intending, barks out orders, "Load the fighters with nukes, and launch them at once."
The com officer replies, "Captain, sir, we should have six fighters ready to launch with two nukes each, in just under four minutes."
Sum orders, "Have the nukes go live, as soon as they launch!"
Tess concerned asks, "They'll detect the nukes build up, as soon as they launch?"
Sum, overconfidently replies, "I possess the very best pilots my country has to offer."
Tess, dumbfounded by Sum’s confidence replies, "Even still, they're heading into the lions mouth Captain Sum. T-Challa ships are heavily armed."
The Yinglong begins to maneuver slowly, as it prepares its weapons.
A bridge officer calls out, "We're building up power levels now sir, increasing by multiples of eight point four, every minute, but our weapons and shields are still not coming up."
Val comes over the com, "Do not attempt to raise shields or power weapons again, you have cost me valuable time and energy."
Sum overtly concerned asks, "When can we activate the shields? The enemy is closing quickly."
Val coldly replies, "I am aware of their location Captain Sum. Please discontinue bothering me while I work."
Tess turns to Captain Sum, saying, "You know in our history, he was known as the most compassionate caring person. So much so, we named one of our moons after him. Now he's as cold and hard like a machine."
Three minutes pass, as another officer calls out, "Our fighters are launching. Nukes are live sir."
Another officer call’s out, "Enemy closing, one minute twenty-two seconds till in our effective firing range."
Another officer calls out, "Medium Cruisers are leading the charge, followed by the Heavies, and the Dreadnought, is taking up the far rear."
The First officer calls out, "Fighters are closing on target in twenty seconds."
Tess asks the First officer, "Without our shields, aren't we in any risk of collateral damage?"
The first officer looks at his console, and quickly checks over his figures. He quickly turns to the Captain and Tess saying. "We'll be fine."
Sum says, "All fighters engage."
The fighters dive in on the approaching fleet, spread far apart, trying to close in on their attackers. The fighters are bombarded with Light plasma charges, quickly blanketing their approach.
The holocom is filled with pilots screams, as they yell out distances and speed.
The First officer says somberly, "We have lost three fighters sir."
Sum asks, "What's the status of the remaining three?"
Before the First officer can reply multiple explosions blanket the foray of the Yinglong.
An officer yells out, "Sir we lost all three of remaining fighters in the explosion. The T-Challa have lost all but two Medium Cruisers, four Heavy Cruisers, and the Dreadnought, they are still closing at flank speed."
The First officer yells, "They're locking weapons!"
Sum hits the com yelling, "Mr. Arao!"
The bridge officer panicked yells, "They’re firing!"
Sixty heavy plasma charges streak across the battlefield, heading toward the Yinglong, but just as they are poised to impact the Battleship. The Yinglong shields come up within a blink of an eye. The T-Challa’s first salvo strikes the Yinglong dead on. The first officer surprised reports, "Shields are holding, at one hundred thirty-seven percent, but we have no power to weapons."
Val comes over the com, saying, "You have all your torpedoes loaded at maximum yield. However, the plasma cannons cannot power up. Not until I redirect power back to them, and Captain, I can only maintain the shields for another ninety-six seconds."
Sum doesn't wait he yells, "Fire all torpedoes, wide spread."
The torpedo salvo streaks back across the battlefield, striking the two Medium, and the four Heavy Cruisers, an
d the Dreadnought.
The bridge officer calls out, "Multiple strikes sir. The Mediums Cruisers are out of commission. Two Heavy Cruisers suffered heavy damage but are still operational. The other two Heavies shields remained up, but are weakened to less than twenty percent, and the Dreadnought is still at eighty-six percent."
Sum asks, "How long till we can launch another salvo?"
The first officer replies, "We will have ten ready to go in twenty-four seconds."
Another officer yells out, "They’re firing another salvo."
Twenty plasma charges strike the Yinglong, lowering the shields to one hundred and six percent.
Val calls up on the com, "Captain Sum, you have less than one minute before the emitters fail, and you will not have any shields."
Sum frustrated yells, "Power main guns. Return the ship to normal operating procedure."
Val announces, "Captain, your main guns will be overloaded. You must fire them immediately to release the excess energy. You will not have to wait the thirty-one seconds for the first salvo."
Sum looks to his gunnery officer who locks all main guns on the approaching fleet, and fires. The recoil overloads the inertial dampers, throwing the ship off its axis, and into an inverted position.
The plasma charges are so powerful that they damage the main guns, as they were not built to handle such an explosive amount of energy at a single time. However, the resulting damage on the T-Challa is devastating. The remaining Heavy Cruisers are destroyed, as well as the crippled Medium Cruisers, leaving only the Dreadnought left.
The first officer calls out, "We have damaged all our main guns. The inertial dampers are off line, and we have injuries all over the ship."
Sum angry yells, "Set the ship right, and get us moving!"
Sum asks, "How long before we can fire the main guns?"
Before the First officer can answer the bridge officer yells, "Incoming volley."
Ten plasma charges and several torpedoes streak at the Yinglong. The helmsman still righting the ship, and is unable to maneuver out of the way, or allow his Light cannons enough opportunity to counter the incoming salvo.
The Yinglong takes the full barrage of the assault.
The ship is rocked hard by the impact. The First officer yells out, "Shields are down, we have multiple hull breaches."
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 2 Lost Heroes Page 14
