The Ocoda Chronicles Book 1 Paladin Read online

  Caleb looks over at Kitanna and Klaus. He smiles, and asks Paladin. "I can’t cure his disease, can I?"

  Paladin responds, "No, but you may be able to reverse the damage it has caused."

  Elsewhere, a few minutes later, Colonel Jackson walks into med-bay, saying, "Hello Qui Shi how are you today.” Come on you big chicken, you’ve wanted to do this for months.

  Qui Shi surprised, answers lowering her head, and smiles, "Very well, Colonel. How may I help you?" Once again, Qui Shi shyly reacts to the Colonel, as she has done every time they are alone.

  Jackson approaches the Doctor and says, "Yes, I’m having a serious problem and I’m sure you’re the only one who can help me." Come on Qui Shi, take the bait. It’s a real old line, but I doubt you’ve heard it before.

  Qui Shi distressed by the Colonel’s statement cries, "Oh, my, Colonel. What’s wrong, please tell me, I will do whatever it takes to help?"

  Jackson smiles and says, "Anything Doc? Well, it’s pretty serious.” Ok, she’s nibbling on the hook.

  Qui Shi getting worried replies, "Please Colonel.” Her reaction is of total panic and concern, her face shows no sign of her fear only her deep concern for the Colonel, and his possible condition.

  Jackson smiles from ear to ear and says, "Well, I need you to join me for dinner tonight.” Gotcha.

  Qui Shi drops her clipboard to the ground. Her mouth hangs open, as she is stunned. She stammers, saying to herself, "What... Did you... just... say?"

  Jackson smiles, "I’ll meet you at your quarters after your shift tonight. Thanks Qui Shi.” Yeah. That’s how we do it in the big leagues, ladies and gentleman. Hell yeah!

  Jackson leaves the stunned Doctor in her office very smug. He smiles, as he heads back to his quarters.

  Qui Shi shakes her head as she says under her breath, "Did I just get played by an old school boy pick up line? Am I that gullible? Oh, what am I, saying, I wanted this too."

  Six days later, the command crew meets in Caleb’s ready room.

  Qui Shi and Jackson smile at each other. Their innocent smile is noticed by Bach, who telepathically asks Caleb, "Qui Shi and the Colonel are involved?"

  Caleb suddenly looks up at both. Jackson takes notice at Caleb’s glance and looks back. Both men smile.

  Caleb answers Bach, "It appears so Bach, but I believe they want it to be private."

  Jackson begins the meeting, "Good morning, we have been following at very close range to this T-Challa fleet for the past month. We have maneuvered our way through their minefield, and we have calculated that they're heading to X’enablanca. From what communications we have been able to intercept and translate, they seem to be amassing a huge assault force there. We’re not sure why the recent increase, but it doesn’t bode well for the X’ena’s."

  Bach then telepathically says to everyone, "It would seem they have found some kind of weakness in the shield, and are looking to exploit it."

  Benton asks, "When are we going to deliver the package Colonel?"

  Jackson answers, "We have plenty of time, Colonel, I’m going to estimate we have seven days at their current speed until we reach their staging area, and the package will only stay hidden for three days."

  Caleb states, "You have only five minutes when they power down and at your best Jackson it takes you, carrying the anti-grav sled, at least eight minutes." Come on Jackson, ask me to help.

  Jackson says, "You have an idea, Caleb?" I’m not gonna ask you to help, you big glory hound.

  Caleb says, "Yes, I will carry the anti-grav sled with the nuke. I can cover the distance in under a minute, and make it back to the ship before you're even half way there.” Stuck up, hard headed, jackass. Why don’t you just ask me?

  Jackson replies, "Too risky Caleb, if you don’t make it back in time we lose the ability to jump into hyperspace with them.” We can do this Cale. You need to let us try to do things without the superhero.

  Caleb replies, "Your objection is noted Colonel, but unless you think you can come up with another way we do it my way.” Moreover, you know you can’t.

  Qui Shi asks, "Colonel, are you sure you and Colonel Benton can sneak the bomb on board, and remain undiscovered for the twelve hours it will take for the ship to stop again?"

  Jackson smiles, and says, "Not a problem Doctor." Come on baby gotta let me be a man.

  Shi Reies asks, "Perhaps Colonel I would be a better candidate for this mission than yourself?"

  Jackson replies jokingly, "No Shi Reies, I’ll be doing this one, besides you’re so big you may overload the cloaking device.” Ain’t no way I’m letting someone take my thunder.

  Benton laughs, "It's ok, I’ll keep Jacks safe from all those nasty T-Challa. They might be looking to make our Colonel here into a human snack."

  The meeting breaks, and over the next five days Caleb practices his time to the T-Challa warship, making the trip carrying an anti-gravity sled back and forth in under a minute each time.

  Benton and Jackson, meanwhile practice in the simulator, and at their best time, they can make it to the T-Challa ship in just four minutes, leaving very little, to no room for error.

  During the off time, Jackson and Qui Shi have been become extremely close, and although as hard as they have tried to hide their relationship, it has been noticed by some.

  With only three days left until the Super Dreadnought and her two remaining Dreadnought escorts are to meet up with the T-Challa fleet at X’enablanca. The three men, Caleb, Colonel Jackson, and Lieutenant Colonel Benton suit up. They set up their personnel cloaking devices, and prepare to make the trip over to the Super Dreadnought.

  Anders and Shi Reies arrive, pushing the anti-grav sled that is carrying the nuclear warhead over to Caleb.

  Val, whom is waiting for the bomb, then hooks up the personnel cloaking devices to the anti-grav sleds power cell.

  Anders says, "Gentlemen, please remember that the bomb has a one hundred and twenty second build up, so you will need to place it deep inside their ship. I’d recommend their engine room, or weapons ordinance room."

  Jackson smiles and says, "Ok Anders, don’t worry, we’ll place it someplace nice so when it goes up you’ll need a new chair, ok.” Damn, I’m so pumped. I’m not sure if I should be scared for my life or not.

  The three men with the bomb enter the airlock. They activate their cloaking fields and wait for the ship to exit hyperspace. While cloaked, they are unseen to all except each other.

  Eleven minutes later Paladin comes over the com, "Power deceleration in five, four, three, two."

  All four ships come out of hyperspace simultaneous, the airlock opens, and Caleb jumps from the airlock holding the anti-grav sled. He pushes off Paladins hull using his enhanced strength and quickly moves to the waste disposal tube. He easily reaches the T-Challa ship in less than thirty seconds. The tube opens up as he approaches releasing its waste. Caleb then pushes the bomb into the waste shaft, pushing off back to Paladin. He passes Benton and Jackson, and smiles saluting. Ha, beat your weak asses.

  Caleb is just entering the airlock when Paladin alerts him, "Caleb! Colonel Jackson’s thruster pack is malfunctioning. He will not be able to reach the waste disposal tube in time."

  Caleb doesn’t think, he just reacts, he exits’ the airlock and sees Jackson falling behind.

  Paladin informs Caleb, "Caleb, you have only ninety seconds."

  Caleb pushes off again. He aims for Colonel Jackson, and in a few seconds, grabs him, pulling him up to the disposal tube where Benton is waiting. Caleb says, "Come on Jackson, move that ass."

  "Caleb," Jackson anxious, says, "You need to get back now.” Damn it, I owe him again.

  Caleb then pushes both men in the tube, and then shoves off back to Paladin.

  Caleb reaches for the deck of Paladin, and races to the airlock. Come on, reach it, reach it.

  Paladin announces, "Caleb they're powering up their hyperdrive."

  Caleb dives for the airlock, closing the hatch just
as Klaus engages the hyperdrive. Made it, but just barely.

  Back on the T-Challa ship, "This slimy crap in this tube is disgusting.” Benton says, "What is this gunk? Food waste or just other kinds of crap, ahhh hell, I’m just glad I don’t have to smell it."

  Jackson replies, "Don’t worry about it Gabe. Just push the bomb up to the top, and see what we need to do to open the other end of this shaft."

  Benton moves the bomb to the top of the shaft, where he sees a basic lever system. He reaches up and moves the lever opening the hatch. He peers out into a dark and empty room, and quickly jumps out, pulling the anti-grav sled with the bomb out of the tube, pushing it all the way up to the ceiling.

  Jackson jumps out, closing the hatch behind him.

  Benton whispers, "Colonel, you all set. Damn, its heavy grav in here, I forgot about that from the last time."

  Jackson looks of his scanner and speaking softly says, "Whoa, yeah, you're right, gravity is up there, the atmosphere is breathable for a short period too, but I wouldn’t want to. You felt this when you boarded the cruiser?"

  Benton smiles, "Yeah, just a walk on a beach carrying an extra hundred and fifty pounds, you remember how to do that don’t yeah Jacks."

  Jackson, sarcastically smiles, saying, "All right Gabriel let’s get this slime off our suits or the stench will get us caught.”

  The two men quickly brush off the loose debris and slime, which collected on their suits from the disposal tube.

  Jackson whispers, "Ok, we use hand signals from now on. We have no idea how sensitive their internal sensors are, so just follow my lead.” Ok Jackson, just remember your training and everything will be ok.

  The two men move to the door. Jackson opens the latch, and then peeks out into the corridor. The corridor is immense in size, as Jackson quickly spots a T-Challa warrior moving down the hall. The creature is massive. It’s the first time Jackson has seen a T-Challa in person. Wow, they are huge ugly looking things.

  Its lower body is similar to a rhino, armored and short legs, while its upper torso is tall, giving it an overall height of ten feet, over four feet wide, and six feet long. Its upper torso is covered in cybernetic implants. One of its arms has been replaced with a mechanical weapon. The other three appear to be insectoid like extremities. Its head is a cross between a reptile and an insect, having scales and huge fangs protruding from a mandible.

  Benton, hearing the heavy footsteps moves to the hatch, he looks out seeing the massive T-Challa walk passed.

  The T-Challa stops suddenly, and looks around, its head moves around almost three hundred and sixty degrees, snapping back. It then goes down the corridor away from the men.

  Benton whispers, as it moves down the corridor, "Big ugly suckers aren‘t they."

  Jackson looks up, frowning at Benton, forgetting his orders to be silent. Damn, I figured I’d forget first. You’re supposed to be better than me at this.

  Jackson signals Benton to wait in the waste room, as he scouts the ship to locate an area to place the bomb. Jackson cautiously moves down the corridor, when he hears a voice in his head.

  "Hello Colonel.” Bach sends a telepathic message that surprises him, "Just think what you want to say, and I will relay that to Lieutenant Colonel Benton and the command crew here on Paladin. I will also guide you as best I can, but you will need to give me permission to see what you are seeing."

  Jackson says in his mind, "Ok Bach, I’ll let you see what I can see, but understand I don’t understand this telepathy stuff."

  Bach then access Jackson’s mind, and says to him, "Ok Colonel, I have linked you and Gabriel, he can now hear you through me. Now let’s see where you are shall we."

  Bach takes a few minutes, as he studies what Jackson is seeing. He then says, "Colonel, you will need to ascend to level forty. There is a gravity shaft somewhere near you. This will take you up to it. I suggest you bring Gabriel and that disgusting weapon with you."

  Jackson asks, "What’s on level forty?"

  Bach answers, "Determining your location, the size of their corridors and the locations of their planetary missile ports, I am making an educated guess that there will be missiles on that deck."

  Jackson answers, "Yeah, that would be a good guess."

  Benton quietly moves the sled out behind Jackson, as the two move through the corridors stealthfully towards the lift. So far, they have seen no other T-Challa since the first one earlier. Finally locating the lift, they cautiously open the lift doors entering. The lift is massive, and there is no ceiling for the lift, as it is open to see the entire shaft. Benton looks up and points to the sled, and then points up again.

  Jackson shakes his head, agreeing, which causes Bach to say, "Colonel Jackson. He wants to use the sled to traverse the shaft to the missile level."

  Jackson says to Bach, "I know Bach, we were using hand signals."

  Bach replies, asking, “Isn’t it easier to just let me translate it to each other?"

  Benton smiles, saying, Yes, it is Bach, but we’re Marines and we have been doing it this way for a very long time, so it takes us a while to get used to a different way."

  The two men strap themselves to the sled and power it upward until Bach says, "Colonel Jackson, you have reached level forty."

  The two stop and move towards the lift door. Benton leans over to the door and uses a micro camera to slide through a small crack under the door. There he sees two huge T-Challa guards, standing at either side of the lift doors.

  Benton says, using Bach, "Colonel, we have two big uglies at either side of the door. This deck must be an important area."

  Jackson replies using Bach, "Ok, you open your side, I’ll open my side, and we’ll use the sled and hover over top of them."

  Benton and Jackson slide the doors open. The T-Challa guards immediately turn looking downward with their cybernetic attached weapons pointing in on the shaft. Jackson and Benton float over the top of the two T-Challa guards using the ceiling to push off down the corridor, far from the confused guards. There they find a room humming with machinery. Jackson looks at Benton, who nods his head, agreeing, they then slide the doors open as they did before.

  Inside there are several T-Challa warriors moving equipment. The room is massive, and there are at least six dozen missile tubes.

  Then a T-Challa warrior approaches the open door to investigate why it has opened. Benton and Jackson stealthfully move pass the T-Challa and deep into the room. They quietly move to an isolated corner, and place the bomb under a large power conduit.

  Jackson then opens the arming panel and asks telepathically to Bach, "How long until we are at the T-Challa fleet?"

  Bach answers, "Sixty-six hours, forty-eight minutes."

  Jackson sets the bomb to detonate in sixty-seven hours.

  Benton and Jackson move back to the door, as both men wait for one of the T-Challa to open the door so as not to create any more attention with the actions. After twenty minutes, a T-Challa leaves the room. Both men follow the massive beast, as it leaves. They shadow it all the way back to the lift where the two guards are. They stop as the T-Challa they are following speaks to the guards. Neither Benton nor Jackson can understand what they are saying.

  Bach, however, does, "They are discussing the doors opening by themselves, and that the T-Challa you are following is going to the stellar-cartography room near the Bridge."

  Caleb tells Bach, "Tell them not to take any risks, they should head back to the waste disposal room, and wait."

  Bach then relays Caleb’s orders, to which Jackson replies through Bach, "Sure, we will head right back, after a few detours."

  Caleb frowns, and says, "Colonel, when you get back we’re going to have a long chat."

  Jackson and Benton follow the T-Challa up to the stellar-cartography room. They enter the room directly behind the T-Challa, and look around. Bach, ever curious as to what the T-Challa are doing tells them to move slower, so that he can study the maps.

  Bach then speaks
to everyone, "This map that Colonel Jackson is looking at shows their entire fleet deployment throughout their empire. They have a massive fleet and a gateway at the edge of the X’ena’s solar system. They also have a refueling supply base there, with over five thousand ships, and at least forty Dreadnoughts at this staging area." Bach pauses, "That is over half of their entire galactic fleet. Colonel, I need you to move closer to the screens, but only if you are able to do so safely. I need to see the planet, and what exactly they have discovered."

  Jackson says, "Ok Bach, I’ll do my best, but there are four of them moving all around in here. I don’t know how close I can get."

  Jackson moves to the screen avoiding the T-Challa, which are walking all around the different screens. This gives Bach a few moments to study the image of his home world. Jackson then moves away from the screen and back to the wall.

  Bach says, "It appears that a disturbance in the protective field was detected almost one year ago. It caused a small rupture in the field, they have continued to focus on that rupture with multiple attacks, and now they have enough power to possibly destroy the field."

  Bach pauses again and glows for a moment, he continues, "It appears that when they banished Enoch sending him through the field it must have damaged the shield. The X’ena’s and all their technology will now end up in the hands of the T-Challa, should they destroy that field."

  Benton, who is standing back against the wall, has been studying a screen that has been ignored while they are in the room. The map has an image that he figures to be Earth. He asks telepathically, "Bach, I’m looking at this map here in front of me. This appears to be Earth, and I’m seeing what appears to be a huge fleet heading towards it?"

  Bach says mentally to everyone, "Yes Benton, you are correct. There are two different fleets heading there. One I cannot determine what it is. It’s at least a year and a half away, and it is moving faster than any T-Challa ship we have knowledge of, it appears to be a singular ship, and it is probably carrying a gateway. The other is a fleet about two and half years away, consisting of some two hundred ships. Seven are possibly Dreadnought class and ten rail gunships."