With that, Jackson passes Carla to his wife Qui Shi, and quickly leaves the deck. He just makes it to the lift where he seals himself in and collapses. He flashes back two years ago.
CHAPTER TWO
NEW BEGINNINGS
Two years earlier, and just weeks after Paladin’s triumphant return to Earth. On board the Paladin Battleship moored at Andrew’s air force base. Jackson, White, and Caleb are in a very heated debate.
"Caleb please, you have to at least listen to them.” Commander White pleads relentlessly.
Caleb, annoyed responds, "Reggie, I know what they’re going to ask, and the answer is still going to be no, plus if I had my choice I’d feed them all to the T-Challa."
White aggravated asks, "Why do we have to do this over and over again Cale? You know Admiral I feel that I have to pull you across the ship just to go talk to them. Geezus Cale, they’re our world leaders."
Paladin politely interrupts, "Well Commander White, you know he is stubborn to no end, but Caleb in the regard he is right. Giving the human race more advanced technology is just replacing one problem for another."
White confused tries to reason with them, saying, "Paladin, we need to equal the playing field. They out number us a hundred to one, and you can’t kill them. Their Queen just recreates them placing all their thoughts into a new body. This will be an endless war without this advanced tech."
Jackson does as he always does. He sits back listening to everyone talk, and he finally speaks up, "Reggie, it’s Ok, Cale and Paladin have a point too."
Caleb surprised, asks, "About time Jacks. You’re finally going to take my side on this for a change?"
Jackson smiles, saying, "Sorry Cale, but there are no sides, and you know that better than anyone does. It’s us versus the uglies out there, and I’m not talking about the diplomats in the next room. You know you need to give them something to level the playing field. The Cruiser, Destroyer, and Light Carrier classes are wonderful addition to the fleet, but you know we need the big ships to truly level playing field against those Super Dreadnoughts."
Caleb sighs, and says, "Fine, I’ll give a little, I’ll give them the plans to the Super Carrier’s with the dual power cores, but don’t even think of asking for anything more."
Caleb is aggravated, as he hovers up to his quarters located directly above the Bridge.
White confused asks, "Super Carrier, sir?"
Jackson takes in a deep breath and replies, "Reggie, you can call me Jacks if you want, especially when it’s just us. These Super Carriers can hold over three hundred support fighters, and it are so massive that it requires two Paladin power cores to operate the damn thing. It’s basically a powerhouse that can move far faster than any ship we have, save Paladin itself. Unfortunately, because of its massive size, it maneuvers like a brick."
White concerned asks, "Why is he so hell bent on controlling all this technology? The T-Challa aren’t going to respect our resolve to grow responsibly."
Jackson answers, "Who says he’s wrong Reg. After this war is over, who’s going to protect us from ourselves? Let’s not forget Reg, a few years ago, most of the nations of this world were at each other’s throats. What’s going to prevent that from reoccurring, when and if, we defeat the T-Challa."
White confused asks, "Well, isn’t that why Caleb put blocks in the ships systems to prevent that?"
Jackson answers, "And what happens if Caleb is dead, or captured?” Jackson thinks for a moment. What do we do if we lose him? Jackson continues, "Eventually someone is going to unlock those blocks."
White replies, "Well, let’s hope we don’t live that long to see that happen."
Jackson smirks says, "Ok Reg, go tell the diplomats he is going to give us the Super Carrier plans. I’ll go up to his room to calm our resident angry alien man down."
Commander White exits the bridge, as Jackson activates the lift and ascends to Caleb’s quarters. When Jackson reaches the top, he sees Caleb floating in the center of his room in a meditative position. Jackson enters the room as Paladin says, "He’s pissed off at you again Jacks. Nevertheless, I have already sent the plans of the Super Carriers to all the governments as we agreed to do."
Jackson curious, asks, "What the hell did I do to piss him off this time?"
Caleb aggravated answers, "You made me give them more power, more technology, and even more things to worry about."
"Yeah right, like I can make you do anything Cale.” Jackson ignorantly answers.
Paladin asks, "Jacks, have you not learned that he rarely ever denies the request of a friend?"
Jackson smiles, as he attempts to change the subject, asking, "So, does that means you’re going to be the best man at my wedding?"
Caleb drops from his meditative position and replies, "Yeah, we’ll do it Jacks, but you know all the hoopla the media is going to give this, especially when me and Paladin show up? Your bride is not going to be happy about it."
Jackson smiles, saying, "She knows, and completely understands Cale. We all do, it’s just part of the package with you, besides; she would be more hurt if you didn’t attend. Hell man, if not for you, we would never have met."
Caleb uncomfortably asks, "She’s going to be Ok, with a rushed ceremony as well? You know I can’t stay off the ship for too long."
Jackson smiles, saying, "Got that covered too. We’re going to have the reception on the docks, and will even have tables on Paladin so that you can be at the entire event."
Caleb thinks to himself. Damn, why do I have to put everyone through so much just to be close to me?
Paladin interrupts, "Caleb! I have a priority call from Mister Benton."
Caleb says telepathically, "Put it through my friend."
Benton yells over the com, "Cale! We got bad guys behind us. I have one man wounded, and Val is unconscious. I’m not sure what his status is. They stuck him with some kind of dime store poison blow dart."
Caleb doesn’t say a word. He just concentrates briefly as he closes his eyes for just a moment. When they reopen, they are ablaze in deep blue energy. Paladin begins to lift off from its berth.
Jackson panicked yells, "Cale wait! I’ll go with Templar. Cale, come on man, we have diplomats on board!" Ah hell, he is going alien G.I. Joe again.
Caleb’s eyes glow brighter blue, as he takes Paladin straight up. Safety lines are ripped from their moorings, and boarding planks fall to the side, as Paladin lifts off from its berth."
Paladin tells Jackson, "You better go to Anders station to target the Light plasma cannons. We will be in position to fire within a few minutes, but you will need to finalize the tracking settings."
Jackson immediately runs to the lift. He activates it, descending to the main deck. He quickly jumps off the lift and on to the bridge deck as soon as he is close enough. He sprints to Anders gunnery station, and immediately powers up the Light plasma cannons. Portals on the side of the ship all open as hundreds of the Light guns start to appear from Paladins hull.
White rushes in, with a large assembly of diplomats close behind him. He calls out, asking, "Colonel, sir, what is going on?"
Jackson yells back, "Reggie, get to Klaus’s station; try to help steady the ship! Gabe is under attack, someone is trying to kidnap Val!"
The representative from Mexico hearing this asks, "Who would try to do this?"
Jackson snaps back his answer, "Anyone who thinks they can get more power, so sir, to answer your question, any one of the governments currently standing on my bridge."
Paladin pulls up a tactical holoimage of Benton racing ahead of two vans, firing automatic weapons at his military transport.
Paladin locks onto a helo just ahead of Benton, with multiple rockets preparing to fire. Jackson gets all green lights, showing that his weapons are charged. Jackson quickly locks on, targeting more than nine hundred forty miles away.
Jackson hastily confirms his targets on the helo and the two pursuing vans with Light plasma cannons at only ten percent
power, their lowest setting.
The representative from Italy amazed asks, "We are so far away. However can you hit it from here?"
Paladin responds, "We can hit a pebble on the surface of the moon from here."
The diplomats are dumbfounded to hear Paladin speak.
Jackson locks onto multiple targets, and immediately fires. The lights cannons energy travel across hundreds of miles in just a fraction of a second, and vaporize both vans and the helo instantly.
Benton comes over the com, "We need immediate evac now, Val is convulsing."
Jackson looks to White, "Get us there now!"
White responds, "On it sir, but I’m no Klaus. This is a lot more ship to handle then Cavalier."
Caleb finally descends from his quarters, as Paladin quickly closes in on Benton’s location. Caleb glares over at the diplomats in disgust as he exits the bridge. He rushes to the lower section of the ship at incredible blinding speed.
Once there Paladin lowers the gangway, as Caleb rushes across the road to Val, Benton, and his Marines.
Benton surprised at seeing Paladin above him says, "Well, that’s like killing a fly with a rocket launcher if I ever saw it."
Caleb doesn’t respond to Benton's comment. He just focuses on Val, placing his hands on him. Caleb concentrates, as he begins healing, but as he does, the blue glow suddenly begins to dim, as he stops healing Val. Caleb begins gasps for air.
Benton alarmed asks, "Cale? What’s wrong?"
Caleb very weakened slurs, "Get… us back…. to Paladin …now."
Benton and his men lift both men, as Caleb cannot even walk, which makes Benton very concerned, as he asks again, "Cale! What the hell is happening? It was only some cheap dime store blow dart. What’s wrong with ya?"
Caleb is sweating profusely, as he concentrates to keep himself from passing out.
They quickly reach Paladin in just a few seconds. The moment they do Caleb body glows brightly once again. He grabs Val again, and the entire ship is covered in a deep blue glow. Val coughs as he wakes, asking, "Cale? What the hell just happened?"
Caleb exhausted answers, "They used some special poison, which was designed to attack the silica in my system brother. When I tried to heal you, it immediately infected my X’ena half. That poison would have killed me, if Paladin weren’t so near. This was a trap for me, not for you Val."
Then General Haggier who is with the diplomats hearing what Caleb just said asks, "What the hell? Who is stupid enough to try and kill you?"
Caleb solemnly replies, "Just follow the media General. Everyday there’s some talk show trying to blame the attack of the T-Challa on me. People are simply afraid, and they don’t think for themselves. Therefore, they just listen to whoever is talking, and most believe them. The end result is people are afraid of me. They can’t control me, or understand me, so I have to be the bad guy."
Jackson curious asks, "Why did you stop censoring the media Cale? For years you prevented them from even saying your name."
Caleb takes a deep breath and replies, "I can’t prevent people from thinking Jacks. While we were gone, the media just used other means to describe me, or say my name. Just to get around the blocks that Paladin had put in place." Caleb takes a deep breath and finishing, "I just decided it wasn't worth the trouble anymore."
Paladin responds, "I have traced both vans and the helo to a dummy corporation. I have followed it to a several dead-ends, but I have located that the poison is from a South African country of Cameroon and it was purchased by a mercenary called Abigail Carter. She is currently hidden from any of my sensor scans, but I will locate her. She was last seen in Canada two weeks ago. She must obviously be keeping low tech to evade anyway for me to track her."
Benton shakes his head, saying, "Paladin, the blow dart was from a red headed woman. She was in the van you guys vaporized."
Paladin innocently responds, "Oh, I guess that would be a good reason why I can’t locate her."
General Haggier states, "Well, if they have some kind of poison that can kill you Admiral Caleb. I’m sorry Admiral, but you’re going to have to be under the tightest of security. At least until we can track down who is responsible for this."
Caleb smiles and says, "General, do what you want to protect my crew, but there is no one that can protect me better than Paladin. You have my word General. After Jackson’s wedding, I won’t be off this ship ever again."
Haggier states, "Well, I’m not sure we can risk allowing you to attend the wedding Admiral. So long as someone has something like this toxin that can kill you, it’s just too risky."
Caleb shakes his head, saying, "That’s not a choice for you to make General."
General Haggier says, "We’ll see Admiral, when I call the president whose choice it is."
Caleb smiles, as he has Paladin announce, "Per Caleb’s orders, all plans on the new Super Carrier have been removed from all national databases."
Haggier frustrated says, "Fine Caleb, you can have your damn wedding party, but after that you play by my rules."
The diplomats and the General return into the ship. Jackson sits on the gangway with Caleb, Benton, and Val.
Jackson curious asks, "You really didn’t delete all that information did you?"
Caleb smiles, saying, "No Jacks, I didn’t, but I had to show them my resolve in keeping my word."
Val concerned asks, "Cale, what about what just happened? You don’t even seem to even give this a second thought?"
Benton asks as well, "Yeah, if they’re after you through your family, we need to warn Mohammed. He’s watching your kid, and Val’s family at Disney world."
Caleb sighs, pausing. He concentrates for a minute. He then smiles and says to Benton, "Ok, have Reggie take you and your Marines to back up Mohammed and his team, and then pull out our families."
Jackson curious asks, "Didn’t Mohammed bring his family as well?"
Caleb frowns and says, "Yes, they have been there for only two days."
Benton confused asks, "You seem pretty calm regarding their safety?"
Caleb reluctantly answers, "I’m in contact with Carla, and they’re safe for now.” I want to tell them more, but I can’t. The less they know of her abilities the better chance she has of being accepted as just a little kid.
Ten minutes later, Cavalier exits the hangar bay with all due haste, and heads toward Florida. They instantly attain top speed in mere seconds as Benton and his Marines load up with PCD units. Cavalier cloaks, and in just three minutes they are hovering above the massive amusement park.
Cavalier easily locks onto Mohammed’s holocom signal. He scans the area and sees Mohammed’s security forces maintaining a safe distance around the group.
White calls out to Benton, asking, "Gabriel, have you contacted Mohammed yet?"
"Negative," he replies, "These people are organized and well-funded, you can be sure they have our holofrequencies. I am not going to give them any chance to know we’re on to them."
Benton opens the transport pod doors, as Cavalier lowers itself just high enough to allow the men to jump to the ground. Cavalier only uses its anti-grav drive so as not to make any noise, as they descend to just a few feet.
Benton, hidden under the cloaking field of his PCD moves over to Mohammed and whispers, "Don’t panic, we have you surrounded. We need to get you and everyone out of here now."
Mohammed smiles and replies, asking, "Carla told us you were here Gabriel. What’s going on my friend?"
Benton annoyed uncloaks and answers, "Someone has some serious intel on Caleb. They were actually able to poison him. Government is recalling everyone."
Carla upset says, "Can we stay please. I made them all go away."
Mohammed confused squats down beside her, and asks, "Little Flower? You made who leave?"
She reluctantly answers, "A long time ago uncle, there were these men near us, and they we’re thinking so loud, that I couldn’t block them out. So I told them to go away."
Benton very confused asks, "You made who go away? Where did you send them? And how did you make them go away?"
Carla simply answers, "They wanted to hurt people Uncle Gabriel, they we’re being bad, so I told them to go over in the corner, over there."
Carla points over to the far side of the park where they see several men huddled in a corner.
Benton shocked at seeing this asks again, "Carla, how did you make them do this?"
Carla reluctantly replies, "Papa and Paladin are teaching me to do things, but please don’t tell Papa Uncle Gabriel, please. He says I shouldn’t do stuff like this unless I don’t have a choice, and they wanted to hurt my uncle Mohammed, so I had to do it."
Carla, upset, begins to cry.
Mohammed. A little surprised says, "Little Flower its Ok, but you’re Papa should have told us you can do things like that."
Carla looks up and answers. "Papa says I can’t tell anyone about what I can do, even my uncle’s, or auntie’s, but Mama Qui Shi, she knows what I can do."
Benton curious asks, "Carla, can you tell us who sent the bad people?"
While Carla answers, Benton’s Marines uncloak, and with Mohammed’s security forces, they rush over, quickly grab the mercenaries, and restrain them.
Carla says, "Yes, but I told Papa already."
Benton annoyed calls out on his com. "Caleb, please respond!"
Paladin instead responds, "Caleb is currently busy Gabriel, can I assist you."
Benton sarcastically asks, "Busy huh, so Paladin, how about a little intel for the home team next time. Especially before we head out to a situation?"
Paladin nonchalantly responds, "Caleb will debrief you when you return. I am currently locating all the people responsible for this attempt on Caleb and Carla’s life. I have so far tracked down fifty people across the globe, and have alerted the local governments of those countries to their exact locations."
Mohammed curious asks, "Why would anyone want to hurt Carla?"
Paladin replies, "Humanity acts in fear of what it doesn’t understand, it is the act of an infant. What it cannot understand, it acts out in rage and fear. Your race is so very young, and has so much to learn, even now your media and government official’s prey on each other with that fear. They try and use it to gain power over their people."
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 2 Lost Heroes Page 2