The Ocoda Chronicles Book 5 Paladonians

by Daniel OConnell

  The Tof moon is represented by Herschel, a quiet man who rarely speaks, but when he does, he speaks with purpose. He is unlike any previous leader in Tof history, as he is often seen following the teachings of Caleb. It is believed that he is a part of a secret society that grew from the time when Caleb exposed the injustices of the Tof government. These people remain hidden within the Tof society, never exposing their true connection to this rogue group. Herschel has been struggling recently to maintain his leadership, as his people in the government have called for new elections.

  Finally, the Moon of the Rookes, their Council leadership has always been of a direct bloodline to Edgar, and this time their representative is his great granddaughter Cleo. She, much like all her previous descendants is extremely mistrusting of others, and carries much disdain for all the council members.

  Oliver speaks first, stating, “We have recently been alerted by the Flower stone that the timeline is in jeopardy. It would appear that the Rookes have settled a hidden colony near Pi’orel system, which will be destroyed by the T-Challa within the next six years. This colony will more than likely be discovered by the T-Challa, and thus causing the timeline to unravel.”

  Cleo stands up enraged, yelling, “Lies! We have no outer colonies, and besides, if there were a true danger to the timeline Caleb would be here! As always, the First ones speak lies to maintain control of this council.”

  Domino unconcerned, speaks, “I must agree. I would be able to believe this tale if we had proof of the Flower stone vision.”

  Oliver sighs loudly. He slowly begins to collect his things, saying, “We already knew the council would be unwilling to act. This too was foretold by the Flower stone and as such, we have dispatched a ship to retrieve Caleb. Regardless, of your belief in what we say or not, Caleb will return and remove this rogue colony.”

  Augustus scowls, as he stands up, saying, “I will take Celesta to this world, and if I find a Rooke colony, Celesta’s ordnance will obliterate it.”

  Herschel speaks, saying, “That goes against Caleb’s teachings, and I will not condone such an action.”

  Regina smiles as she stands and begins to walk out, saying, “Even if you can find this colony Augustus, Celesta will only fire in self-defense. She will never allow you to fire on defenseless civilians, only Caleb or Gabriel could override that.”

  Cleo screams out in rage, “This council is a joke! I tell you we have no colony of this world!”

  Valentine, who has quietly listened to everyone, looks to Cleo, and says, “Your past speaks volumes to your credibility Cleo. I would suggest you remove that colony before Caleb shuts down your technology for a few dozen years, which he has done to others that have challenged his laws.”

  Cleo growls, storming out of the council chambers as the rest of the council is deadlock in making a vote. Regrettably, even if they could agree, what could they do?

  Two years later, the Salem reaches the outskirts of the Triangulum galaxy and begins a deep, prolonged scan, sending out brief recall signals on short wave holocom frequencies, which are unused by either the X’ena or T-Challa.

  Salem addresses the Bridge crew, announcing, “Commander Callen, the initial data shows no sign of Caleb or Paladin. However, we have detected several other anomalies before us and behind us, which I would consider mentioning as possibly relevant.”

  Salem is an artificial intelligence with minimal human traits. This A.I. was created by Paladin for the Black guard to use in case of emergencies. She is the only ship ever built in this timeline with a both a shift drive and an A.I. The Salem is currently operated by a fifty-four crew, consisting of both human and aliens, including a T-Challa engineering officer named Gruel, as well as Oni, a Condara, she is the ship’s first officer. All the ship’s crew is loyal to a fault to the Black guard code, as many are third and fourth generation Black guard. They have all sworn an oath to maintain the timeline, even at the cost of their own lives.

  Callen, concerned at Salem’s last report, asks, “What details of these anomalies can you give us?”

  Salem reports, “We have two different anomalies on long-range scanners. The first could possibly be a ship following us, but it is so far beyond normal long-range sensors for us to gain any more details other than it is a ship, which appears to be following our energy trail. It is perhaps almost a full month behind us. If not for its own energy readings nearing critical levels I would never have detected it.”

  Oni, extremely curious at Salem’s report, asks, “What do you mean its own energy readings?”

  Salem responds, “The vessel is pushing its engines near critical levels in order to follow us. Its energy spikes are easily detected by my scanners, but it’s just too far to gain any other data.”

  Callen exhales, as she wants a clearer picture of everything asks, “What of the other anomalies before us?”

  Salem reports, “I’m detecting several ships, which would appear to be an early Dorsa design, they are approximately three weeks ahead of us at their travel time, but less than thirty-six hours for us using our shift drive.”

  Callen, surprised at this asks, “Dorsa’s are psychic? Can they pierce, or detect our psionic shields from this distance?”

  Salem responds, “Unknown Commander. Dorsa psionic range is unknown to us, as they are a community of psychics that interlinks with each other, which then increases their overall strength. Therefore, without the knowledge of how many Dorsa are on those ships, and if they are actively searching the psionic plane, we will not know if they can detect us. Nevertheless, Commander Callen, regardless of how many Dorsa minds are present, our psionic shields will hold.”

  Oni sighs, saying, “Our psionic shields create a void in the psychic plane, and should we travel too close they will detect the void. We may as well be waving a flag.”

  Callen curious, asks, “What are they doing out here?”

  Salem reports, “Unknown from this distance.”

  Callen calls down on the ships holocom to Gruel, the ships T-Challa engineer, asking, “Can we shift yet?”

  Gruel grumbles, replying, “The shift drive is taxed far beyond its limit Commander. I strongly suggest that we limit our use of the shift drive unless it’s truly needed Commander.”

  Callen huffs, as she rubs her hands across her face, saying, “Salem, send out the signal to Caleb in the first quadrant now.”

  Salem responds, “Commander Callen, the time in which it will take us to send out these short range signal bursts to each and every quadrant of this galaxy will take us just over eight years. Therefore, Commander Callen, if we do not find him within the next year we may not be able to return before the T-Challa reaches the system.”

  Oni looks over to Callen, and states, “We should consider contacting the Dorsa. It is entirely probable that they may have encountered Paladin.”

  Callen thinks for a moment, and then asks Salem, “Salem what damage or risk is there to the timeline by making contact with the Dorsa?”

  Salem responds, “The Dorsa’s current level of technology is such that it would take them well over two thousand years to reach our galaxy. What history we have of the Dorsa is limited, but if we do not pose as a threat or expose too much information about ourselves, we should be able to enter into a peaceful dialog with them without any risk to our timeline.”

  Oni concerned, asks, “What about their timeline?”

  Salem responds, stating, “Considering the outcome of the previous timeline Caleb decided to do what he could to ensure no parts of that future would ever come to be. It is very likely that he would have tried to reach out to the Dorsa in order to alter that timeline in some manner.”

  Callen takes in a deep breath, as she thinks to herself. We are millions of light-years from home, as we stand on the edge of a Galaxy filled with potential dangers and unknown risks. If I should make one misstep, one miscalculation, I could destroy us all, but if I don’t turn over every stone, check out every avenue to locate Caleb then we are do
omed anyways. She looks to Oni, saying, “Ok, let’s make contact.”

  Salem opens a com signal to the Dorsa, and after a few moments Salem states, “They have received our signal and are requesting visual conference Commander?”

  Callen smirks, as she states, “Open the holocom, but distorted the image as to appear to be a weak signal.”

  The holocom opens, as Callen speaks first, “To the Dorsa commander, I am Commander Callen of the Paladonian ship Salem. I wish you greetings, and to state that we mean you no harm. We are searching for a ship we lost contact with within this area of space.”

  Several moments pass, when the Dorsa commander appears, stating, “We are unable to see you clearly, and we cannot detect your vessel. How is it you know who we are?”

  Callen cautiously replies, “We are very far away from you, and as such our transmission is taxed to its limits just reaching you.”

  The Dorsa obviously concerned, and untrusting of Callen, asks, “You still have not answered how you know about us?”

  Callen, sensing the Dorsa’s apprehensions, replies, “We have been aware of your people for hundreds of years, but we choose not to reveal ourselves to your society for fear that your people may become alarmed of us.”

  Oni turns to Callen, saying, “Even with our psionic shields up I can sense they are searching the psychic plane. They’re indeed very powerful psychics.”

  The Dorsa commander still very distrustful, states, “We have determined your vessel's location, it is true your vessel is very far from us, but you’re still shielded from us.”

  Callen smiles, trying to redirect the conversation back towards the reason of her initial contact, asking, “If you would please tell us if you have come across other ships that possess this type of shielding? It would be highly appreciated by me and my people.”

  The Dorsa is undoubtedly apprehensive of Callen, but replies, “We have detected another vessel that can block our scans, just as your vessel can. It is known to us as a protector of a group of humanoid colonies several months' journey from here.”

  Callen, concerned at the phrase ‘protector’ asks, “What do you mean protector?”

  The Dorsa Commander cautiously replies, “We discovered, and have been studying several humanoid civilizations for many years. These humanoids were placed across many worlds throughout this galaxy. We became intrigued in their culture, as none of these worlds posed any form of interstellar travel. This obviously caught our attention as they seemed to have some degree of sophisticated technology guiding them, but seemed to lack the knowledge to create this technology. We became even more intrigued when we discovered other races, different from the humanoids living amongst them. However, while we were studying these worlds, we became aware that we ourselves were being watched by a vessel, which was hidden from our view, as well as hidden from our psychic scans. This vessel was similarly shielded from us as your vessel is now. This vessel never made itself visible, nor did it make contact with us, it just watched us.”

  Callen lowers her head, and says, “We would appreciate if you would share this location with us.”

  The Dorsa commander reluctantly replies, “The vessel was last located at grid location Alpha, Alpha sixty-one, by Lima six seven, approximately a year’s journey behind us.”

  Callen smiles, stating, “Thank you Commander.”

  Salem immediately reports, “Commander, I’m detecting an energy storm rapidly approaching the Dorsa fleet. It just suddenly appeared, and will be upon them within a few days. This storm is actually traveling between hyperspace and real space and from my latest calculations they will not have enough time to outrun it.”

  Callen openly concerned, asks, “What are our options?”

  Salem responds, “Their vessels will not survive the storm, we however can. Their sensors will be able to detect the energy storm within the next six hours, and as I expect your next question Commander Callen, at our top speed we could intercept their fleet, but we may do so at the cost of our shift drive.”

  Callen, weighing all her options, asks, “How about our shields, can we protect the entire fleet?”

  Salem responds, “I am unable to calculate the true numbers with the current data available, but if we don’t do anything they will most certainly die.”

  Callen turns to the Dorsa commander who is still on the open holocom, stating, “We have a detected an energy storm fast approaching your fleet. From the data we have on your ships, and the strength of the storm you will not survive.”

  The Dorsa commander still suspicious, states, “We have scanned as far as our sensors will allow, and can detect no abnormalities around us. We will have our hyperdrive engines recharged in thirty-eight hours.”

  Callen sighs heavily, as she states, “The storm is moving at incredible velocity and will be upon you well within that thirty-eight-hour window. My ship states that you will detect the storm in the next six hours.”

  The Dorsa commander remains cautious of Callen and her possible motives, asking, “What do you propose?”

  Callen looks to Oni, and states, “We have the ability to reach you before the storm reaches you. Regrettably, we don’t know if we can protect all of you.”

  The Dorsa commander ever still suspicious, asks, “We calculate that you are more than three weeks from us at our best speed, just how is it that you can reach us so quickly?”

  Callen grins, as she replies, “We will be there within the next thirty-six hours, Salem out.”

  Salem cuts their transmission, as Gruel comes over the ships holocom, stating, “Commander, we will be able to shift in four hours. Unfortunately, we will not be able to shift again, at least not until we can get home. The induction coils are virtually ready to melt now.”

  Callen sighs, stating, “Salem, send out a signal to Caleb at the coordinates the Dorsa gave us, and then head us out at our best speed.”

  Salem uncloaks, as its speed is over thirty-five percent faster while uncloaked, as they move across the quadrant at Salem’s top speed. After the four-hour window, Salem reports, “We are ready to shift.”

  Callen, obviously bothered by the loss of her shift drive grudgingly states, “Shift.”

  Salem shifts as far as its drive will allow, extending the shift far further than before, finally reappearing less than twenty hours from the Dorsa fleet. Callen hesitantly asks, “What’s our status?”

  Salem reports, “As expected Commander, the shift drive is destroyed, the unit’s induction coils have all melted. We are currently uncloaked and closing rapidly on the Dorsa fleet. The energy storm has also increased in speed. We will only have a few hours to prepare before the storm reaches them.”

  Callen looks over at Oni, asking, “Any sign of Caleb?”

  Oni turns from the scanners, answering, “Nothing Commander, but Paladin is able to hide from even our scanners.”

  Salem reports, “We have the energy storm directly behind us, moving at an ever-increasing velocity towards the Dorsa. I also have completed a full scan of all the Dorsa vessels and we may not be able to save them all.”

  Callen annoyed, asks, “Why can’t we save them all?”

  Salem responses are impersonal, as the A.I. program lacks human compassion unlike Celesta, which was programmed for human interaction. It answers, “We are now in such a close proximity to the Dorsa vessels that I can scan them in complete detail and I have discovered the vessels are exceptionally large, with over a ten thousand Dorsa’s across nine ships, and each vessel is filled with liquid.”

  Oni, who is studying the storm, adds, “This storm is increasing in strength and size and with each passing hour it seems to be feeding its strength directly from hyperspace.”

  Salem, confirming Oni discovery, reports, “The early Dorsa designed hyperdrive engine was very unstable and could have easily caused ruptures in hyperspace. It is plausible that they may have inadvertently created this storm.”

  Callen slumps in her seat, stating, “Get us to the fish people. W
e’ll figure out what to do when we get there.”

  The Salem travels at top speed, arriving with only four hours to prepare before the energy storm strikes. Callen orders everyone to wear their personal psionic shields at all times, just in case their shields drop, as they all plan on a way to survive this fast approaching energy storm.

  Callen opens the holocom, as she is now clearly visible to the Dorsa, saying, “We will need to place all your ships as close to our ship as you can. If possible you may need to transfer personnel to other ships.”

  The Dorsa commander alarmed by this, replies, “We cannot transfer any of our people to any other ships, our ships ecosystem are specifically designed to sustain each crew as they are. However, we have come up with an alternative plan. If you can maintain your defense shields long enough, we may be able to access hyperspace within the next few hours.”

  Callen looks over to Oni, who shakes her head no. Callen turns back to the Dorsa commander and states, “Not an option Commander. We have determined that your hyperdrive may have actually caused this energy storm and should you attempt to activate your hyperdrive this close to the storm it would only make things far worse.”

  The Dorsa commander, apprehensive, asks, “Why are you willing to sacrifice yourself to save us?”

  Callen somberly replies, “Because in time your people will grow to be a force of power in the universe. Perhaps as strong as we are now, and I think it would be better that we start off understanding each other as friends, rather than enemies.”

  The Dorsa now even more confused asks, “How is it you know so much about us, and our potential?”

  Callen smirks, saying, “I’m not allowed to say, but in time, perhaps we will be able to explain.”