The Ocoda Chronicles Book 3 Ronin

by Daniel OConnell

  Carla overwhelmed asks, “Papa, how do I do this?”

  The device powers down slowly as it says, “Carla your symbiot knows what to do to relea….” The device shuts down.

  Ismail, panicked, says, “Carla, please hurry.”

  Carla jumps off her gurney, puts her hand down on the deck, and thinks. Please Ronin, we need you. Then just as she touches the deck, the med bay is immediately immersed in a black glow of dark energy. The energy quickly spreads out across the entire ship and under ten seconds the Yorktown is completely engulfed in a huge glowing ball of dark blue energy. The energy expands further and further outward. Onboard the ship people are shocked as the ship transforms before their eyes. Panels expand and systems change right before them.

  The T-Challa becomes confused as to what is happening. They begin to fire relentlessly into the enormous blue ball of energy. However, all their torpedoes and plasma charges are simply absorbed into the ever-growing sphere of energy. Finally, the blue ball explodes in an unimaginable bright light and where once the Yorktown floated aimlessly now emerges a massive ship. Almost three times the size of the Yorktown. Its hull is a luminous crimson red. All previous damage done from the T-Challa’s assault to the Yorktown is gone. The mighty ship has transformed into a vessel whose likeness has never been seen before.

  A voice comes over the holocom system. The voice is Ronin who says, “All defense systems are online. We have full power to shields and weapons. We currently have wounded personnel in need of immediate assistance. Admiral Klaus is in critical condition.”

  Carla is temporarily dazed, as the entire ship is now coursing through her body. She hears Ronin telepathically say, “Mistress we are in grave danger. You need to gain control of the crew. We need to go on the offensive, and you must now release the override command. We have no choice but to release the Earth and Paladonian ships restrictions. We must override the Paladin protocols at once.”

  Carla looks over to Ismail and the ship’s Doctor and says, “We need to get to the Bridge at once.”

  Carla, overwhelmed thinks as she runs to the Bridge. This is incredible. I haven’t felt like this since Paladin merged with me. I actually feel everything, just as I did when I was a child.

  Carla leaves the Doctor and Ismail in her wake. The ship is rocked by several blasts. Ronin reports telepathically to her, “Mistress the crew is still in awe at the transformation. We need to restore order. Our shields cannot take much more of this attack. Our starboard shields are down to sixty-two percent.”

  Carla runs at an incredible speed faster than she has ever moved before. She is virtually a blur as she rushes to the Bridge, but suddenly she is distracted. She feels a euphoria overcome her as the motion of the ship fills her mind. She suddenly stops, almost collapsing as the rush of so much information starts to overwhelm her. She telepathically asks, “Ronin what is happening? This is confusing the hell out of me.”

  Ronin replies, “I’m sorry Mistress, there is no other way, we are sharing everything. It is as equally difficult for me as well.”

  Carla gets up slowly, and finally makes her way to the Bridge, seeing everyone around Klaus she says, “What is going on, we’re under attack, I can’t withstand too much more of this. We need to fire back.”

  The first officer aware of her father’s powers asks, “Carla, Admiral Klaus is dying. Can you not heal him as your father could?”

  Carla shocked at the news immediately rushes to Klaus, who is barely clinging onto life. He coughs up blood, saying, “Hey Little Flower, I’m so sorry for putting you in this position.”

  Carla in tears yells, “No Klaus! Don’t die, please!”

  Klaus coughs again as more blood comes up from his mouth, saying, “Carla, I know you can’t heal me like your father, but can you let me say goodbye to my Kitanna, please.”

  Carla grabs Klaus’s hand, bringing him into the psychic plane. Once in the psychic realm Klaus’s body is whole again. Carla then notices a bright light coming towards them from a distance. It is a light she saw before, when Scott Anders died thirteen years before.

  Carla, recognizing it says, “Quickly Klaus, come with me.” Carla grabs him, and moves across the plane at the speed of thought.

  They arrive at the Devonshire and without a moment wasted, Carla pulls Kitanna into the psychic plane.

  Kitanna shocked and annoyed, says, “Carla, you really need to give me some warning before you do this.”

  Carla in tears moves aside to show Klaus, saying, “Klaus hurry the light is coming.”

  Kitanna confused asks, “Klaus? What’s going on?”

  Klaus looks behind him feeling the warmth of the approaching light says, “I’m sorry Kitanna, but I have to go.”

  Kitanna rushes to Klaus and says, “Klaus go, go where? What do you mean?”

  Carla emotionally drained says, “Kitanna, he’s dying. He only has a few moments.”

  Kitanna now in tears says, “No Klaus, no, you can’t leave me. Please Carla you have to heal him.”

  Carla in tears says, “I can’t heal Kitanna. Only my father can heal.”

  Klaus grabs her, and kisses her deeply, saying, “I’m so sorry, I wished I gave you a child.”

  Kitanna collapses in agony as she says, “Klaus I wanted to tell you this month, but I’m three months pregnant.”

  Klaus smiles, as the light finally catches up to them. It engulfs all three of them as Klaus says, “I’ll be watching you both. Goodbye.”

  Then the light envelopes Klaus and permeates the entire plane. Carla grab’s Kitanna and says, “Don’t look into the light Kitanna, please.”

  Then, just as the moment is over, Carla says, “I’m so sorry Kitanna, but I have to return, we’re under attack.”

  Carla immediately returns Kitanna to her body, as she returns to her own body on board Ronin. Once back, she hears the First officer ask, “Carla, what can we do?”

  To Carla it has been a few minutes, to everyone on the Bridge; it’s only been a moment. She places a Klaus’s hand on his chest and stands enraged screaming to the first officer, “Destroy them all!”

  The first officer looks over to the Bridge crew and yells, “Stations now! Let’s send these murdering bastards back to hell that spawned them.”

  Carla, still upset at Klaus’s passing, asks the first officer, “I’m sorry, what is your name sir?”

  The First officer turns answering, “First officer, Commander Miguel Sanchez of Mexico madam Ocoda.”

  Carla, saddened, says, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t save him.”

  Miguel more focused on the battle at hand, replies, “That is a conversation for another time madam Ocoda. We have a battle to win.”

  Ronin announces, “Shields on the starboard side are down to fifteen percent. We cannot take another salvo on that side.”

  Miguel says, “All guns target the closest ships. Let them have it!”

  Ronin has over two dozen Heavy turrets with four cannons each on her top deck with over fifty Medium cannons placed between each row of Heavy cannons. Its firepower is unparalleled. It tears through the T-Challa fleet decimating the entire armada of over twenty Heavy and Medium Cruisers in a single salvo.

  Miguel and the Bridge crew are in complete amazement at the power of the ship.

  Ismail and the Doctor finally make it to the Bridge just as the gun’s fire. Witnessing the devastating assault Ismail eyes go wide as he says, “What have we released.”

  Ronin says, “All enemy combatants have been eliminated. Currently, the T-Challa ships that were approaching have stopped. They are cloaking.”

  Carla realizes that she needs to return to Kitanna and says, “Commander Sanchez, I have to make contact with the Devonshire again, make your way to meet them at once.”

  Sanchez concerned about who is in charge cautiously says, “Madam Carla, I must make contact with the Earth to inform them of what has transpired.”

  Carla unconcerned says, “That's fine Commander, but we are going to s
ave those two ships, it was Klaus’s last command.”

  Miguel lowers his head, saying, “I’ll do what I can to make that happen.”

  Carla slips back into the psychic plane and finds the Devonshire. She sees Kitanna in tears on her Bridge being comforted by her Bridge crew. Carla is about to make contact when she hears Abe scream.

  She instantly focuses on him and pulls him into the psychic realm and in a panic, asks, “Abe what’s wrong?”

  Abe startled by Carla pulling him into the psychic plane yells, “Carla! Can you try to give some warning before you do this! You know you have done this to me so many times. I swear I’ll go bald from my hair standing on end every time.”

  Carla, still upset at the death of Klaus says, “I’m sorry Abe. You screamed and after losing Klaus… I just don’t want to lose anyone else.”

  Abe surprised, asks, “Klaus, he’s gone?”

  Carla crying says, “He died during a sneak attack on the Yorktown, so when I heard you scream… I thought.”

  Abe now upset says, “I'm ok, I just zapped myself with an open power conduit. I’m just trying to bypass the shutdown protocol.”

  Carla says, “I can remove it from all the Earth and Paladonian ships Abe. I have the knowledge to do it.”

  Abe asks, “Can you just free up these two ships?”

  Carla says, “No Abe, it doesn’t work like that. Once I release the data it will find its way into every Earth and Paladonian ship in under a day’s time, and I can never undo it.”

  Abe sighs and says, “Then you’re going to have to do it. I can’t figure out how to stop the T-Challa from activating this shutdown protocol, and so long as they have it they will destroy us.”

  Carla says, “I’ll have to send the signal out from Ronin now. You will have full power in just a few minutes.”

  Carla returns to Ronin seeing Commander Sanchez on an open holocom line to Earth with Jackson standing in the holocom, asking, “Can you manage to get the Yorktown back to Earth?”

  Carla interrupts, saying, “Papa Jacks its Ronin now. The Yorktown is no more.”

  Jackson concerned at Carla statement asks, “Carla are you in control of everything?”

  Carla says, “Yes, Papa Jacks, but I have to release all the Earth and Paladonian ship now, or we risk losing this war before it ever begins.”

  Jackson yells, “Carla no, don’t do that! Not yet.”

  Ronin unconcerned responds, “Releasing all ships from the Paladin protocols now. Full power and unrestricted access is now released.”

  Carla saddened, says, “I’m sorry Papa Jacks, but there is no other way.”

  Jackson lowers his head and says, “Carla do you know you have done? The repercussions will never end.”

  Carla somberly answers, “I’m sorry Papa Jacks, but I know what can happen, and I will be the one to now enforce the law of peace between the humans.”

  The com officer asks, “We have a signal from the Devonshire shall I patch it in?”

  Commander Sanchez answers, “Patch it in.”

  Kitanna emotionally drained appears on the holocom, stating, “We have regained ship's power and are on a rendezvous course with your ship. We seemed to have increased our power in all systems and should make contact with you in less than one hour.”

  Jackson hearing the emotion from Kitanna says, “I’m very sorry to hear about Klaus Kitanna. He was like a brother to me.”

  Kitanna holding back her emotion replies, “Sorry Jacks I didn’t know you were on the channel. I can’t think about Klaus right now; I have a crew to get home. We currently have hundreds of T-Challa ships closing in on us.”

  Sanchez looks over at the sensor station seeing the scanner show thousands of T-Challa ships all over the sector in such detail as never before. He reports, “We are detecting dozens of possible energy signatures converging towards your two ships.”

  Ronin interrupts, saying, “Current analysis of the ships which we just destroyed show that T-Challa have more than advanced to match Earth and Paladonian technology. It is possible they may have even exceeded some of our technology.”

  Jackson concerned asks, “Ronin is your name, is it not?”

  Ronin replies, “Yes General, I have taken the name Ronin.”

  Jackson curious, asks, “What are you capable of doing in comparison to Paladin?”

  Ronin replies, “We have more than tripled the power output of this vessel while expanding its arsenal and defenses in equal measure. Currently, all three hundred support fighters have also been modified in a similar fashion as were the vessels on Paladin Templar and Caviler, and these modifications are permanent.”

  Jackson smiles, as does most everyone hearing Ronin speak. Jackson finally says, “Ronin, you are most definitely Paladins child.”

  Carla's eyes glow blue as she starts to hover and says, “We have to intercept the Devonshire and Williams before the T-Challa can get there.”

  The helm officer says, “Sir, we are increasing power to the hyperdrive.”

  Sanchez looks over at Carla and then to Jackson, saying, “General, sir, I’m going to assume we are allowed to resume our rescue mission?”

  Jackson looks to Carla and says, “Carla just be careful please. We need you.”

  Carla focuses back out into her psychic world and seeks out the T-Challa. After a brief few moments, she scans the area feeling more powerful than ever before.

  She finds the T-Challa closing in on the Devonshire and focuses on the Commander’s mind pulling it into the psychic world.

  The T-Challa tries to fight back, relentlessly it tries to escape, but Carla holds it within her grasp. She asks, “Who gave you the technology to shut down our ships? Why have you returned?”

  The T-Challa growls as it defiantly replies, “You will die Hybrid, my Queen’s will, cannot be denied.”

  Carla annoyed, says, “Listen, I will not ask you again. Tell me what I have asked or I will rip it from you.”

  The T-Challa struggles to escape as Carla becomes frustrated, saying, “Enough I see we will do this the hard way.”

  Carla reaches into the T-Challas mind and looks deep into its psyche searching all its knowledge. She tears through its feeble defenses to find that the Queen has communicated information to the T-Challa. She digs ever deeper, discovering that they do have a spy amongst the humans, and that they have knowledge of all their weaknesses. She probes further still as the T-Challa tries in vain to avert her probe. Finally, she finds an image of the Meli deep within the T-Challa and it speaks, saying, “Hello child we have been expecting you. We are aware of your growth and welcome you to join us. Refuse us and we will kill all that you love. Join us and we will rule the universe together.”

  Carla looks deep into the Meli and sees it is a creature of pure evil and realizes just how the T-Challa have found out so much from them.

  Carla immediately returns to her body and sees Jackson getting ready to close the holochannel. She yells, “Papa Jacks you have to put Mama Qui Shi in stasis now. I’ll explain everything to you later.”

  Jackson confused, says, “Carla I can’t just put her in stasis.”

  Carla, upset discloses the truth, “Papa Jacks, Mama Qui Shi is the spy. The Meli must have put a part of itself in her back during the time I fought it. She has been unknowingly giving the T-Challa information for years.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  BATTLE TESTED

  Jackson stunned, asks, “Carla are you sure?”

  Carla saddened replies, “Yes, Papa Jacks, it has learned all about me, and all about our technology from her. I think I can remove the T-Challa piece from her, but until then she is an open ear to the Queen.”

  Jackson shocked, says, “Carla, if the Queen knows that much information about you and us then you’re in extreme danger.”

  Ronin responds, “General Jackson, the Meli is a parasitical creature, which spread amongst all that they touch. Each one is connected to the main creature. Paladin and Caleb have more detai
led information on them than I currently have, but I received information from you about this. It appears at one point Caleb placed detailed information of this Meli into your mind.”

  Jackson, vaguely remembering, says, “I dreamed about talking to Caleb once and that he downloaded some information into me. Something about this Meli, but I thought it was just a dream, just how did you get this information from me?”

  Carla sympathetic, says, “Papa Jacks just keep her safe. I’ll find a way to destroy it when we get back Ronin out.”

  Ronin severs the com, which causes Commander Sanchez to say, “Madam Carla you just hung up on Earth command.”

  Carla smiles and says, “Wouldn’t be the first time, and I very much doubt it will be the last.”

  Sanchez now concerned says, “So just who do you answer to?”

  Carla smiles and says, “When you live in the shadow of a man like my father Commander Sanchez.” Carla pauses, “Well, just who I answer too is beyond anything you could ever imagine.”

  Ronin continues on accelerating at ever-increasing speeds. Until the helm officer says, “Commander Sanchez. We are exceeding the record set by Paladin. We should reach the Devonshire in less than thirteen minutes.”

  The sensor officer is shocked as he says, “Sir! We have over a hundred unclassified T-Challa ships uncloaking. They’re raising shields.” The officer studies his screen for a moment, stating, “They will arrive just moments after we rendezvous with the Devonshire and the Williams.”

  Ronin analyzes the data and telepathically tells Carla, “Mistress these ships have heavily reinforced hulls and their energy levels are far off the scales from any other T-Challa ship ever before encountered. We will be in a closely matched fight. Mistress, we are still adapting to our new situation the odds are slightly in their favor.”