Caleb gives pause as he stares at the holoscreen and than back to Syn, asking, “Would you care to expand on that information?”
Syn looks up at Caleb and states, “I may not have been one-hundred percent truthful about how the Super Carrier exploded.” Syn lowers his head, continuing, “When I got on board there ship they had hundreds of automated assault sentries everywhere and I was running out of time. I was forced to improvise. I found an access point to a main conduit and used the Phace’mal within me to channel a massive amount of energy back into the power core, causing it to overload.”
Caleb freezes in place as he clenches his fists tighter, staring with all malcontent towards Syn, saying, “You endangered us all and probably injured your Phace’mal all because you had to improvise.”
Syn returns the look, stating, “This from the man that history alleged as always having a back up plan but in reality, was the fact that you mostly improvise everything on the fly. Yes Caleb, I improvised to complete the mission and it was at my Phace’mal request that I use its power to do this, just as your Phace’mal selflessly volunteered their very lives to complete this mission.”
Paladin, considering the ramifications asks, “They must have reviewed the data from the explosion and detected the energy spike was of Phace’mal in origin. This does not necessitate that we have been discovered. Nevertheless, they do appear to be in search of something. Perhaps Syn you could explain why they would be in search of us instead of a possible Noskcaj infiltrator?”
Caleb looks at the cloak that Syn is wearing and notices the Paladin insignia upon it and exhales loudly as he lowers his head into his hands and sits down, stating, “Because in the two thousand years since we last dealt with these people we still seem to have forgotten the basics in stealth.”
Syn sneers as he pulls up the cloak, holding the symbol, stating, “Although I was cloaked when I had to release the energy spike there would have been a momentary glimpse of my silhouette that could have been captured by a holocamera. I had originally believed that I was undetected but my belief has now been proven wrong. The trap is one that will attempt to draw you in and bait you into attacking the two carriers. There are more than likely two additional carriers still in hiding, just waiting for you to attack.”
Caleb sighs heavily as he studies the area. After a few minutes pass he asks, “The Meli must be aware of our location by now.”
Syn looks towards Caleb and asks, “Do you believe that the Meli has finally taken over the Ronin shard left behind by your daughter?”
Caleb looks towards Syn as he contemplates saying to much but after a moment he states, “My Daughter in this time line destroyed that shard.”
Syn looks up at Caleb perplexed as it considers the implications of Caleb’s statement. Finally, Syn states, “This would mean that the Meli will have far less control of her power but what power she does possess will still be far beyond what you or your daughter have any hopes of overcoming. My Father absorbed the entire race of the X’ena life energy and you and your daughters power are but mere droplets in a vast ocean that is the Demon Queens power.” Syn tilts his head and asks, “Just how did you become aware that your Daughter destroyed this Ronin shard from my time line?”
Caleb takes in a deep breath, pausing before answering. After a minute, Caleb replies, “My Daughter was able to communicate with me briefly.”
Syn, aware that Caleb is holding back asks, “Caleb I know you have reservations on trusting me but we need to work together. No secretes.”
Caleb grumbles as he grits his teeth, stating, “My Daughter is nearby and intends on helping me.”
Syn looks back towards the holoscreen for a moment, stating, “The Meli may not be aware of this. Caleb, we need to confirm if the Meli is truly aware of our presence.”
Caleb huffs aloud, stating, “The only way to tell is for me to expose myself into the psychic plane and with her current level of power she could easily destroy me in a moment.”
Syn tilts his head as he stares at Caleb.
Caleb groans as he stands up and walks over to the lift, saying, “Fine, I’ll head up to my quarters but if she is out there we will only have a split-second to put the psychic deflectors up before she kills me.”
Syn unconcerned states, “The Meli would want to feast on your despair Caleb. Your agony and fear are its food. It will not try and kill you at first. Nonetheless, I will personally control the psychic deflectors to ensure our mutual survival.”
Caleb looks over at Rooke and says, “Rooke you’re in charge just incase.”
Syn laughs, stating, “He’ll be in charge for about a minute until we all die. I would not worry Caleb as I do not wish to die needlessly, I will make sure to extended the psychic deflectors in time.”
Caleb shakes his head as he hovers to his quarters rather than take the lift. After a minute, Caleb reaches the highest point of Paladin, his quarters. He closes his eyes as he prepares to enter the psychic plane.
Paladin states, “Cale I do not have a good feeling about this but I am ready to pull back the deflector at your command.”
Caleb takes in a deep breath and says, “Okay let’s do it.”
Caleb hastily pushes himself into the psychic plane where he sees nothing. Caleb’s psychic power is inconsequential in comparison to any other being as he needs to use physical contact to do anything more than communicate. Caleb looks as far as he can and still he sees nothing.
Paladin states telepathically to Caleb, “Cale if she were here she would have made her presence known by now. It would appear that the Meli is still unaware of the Ronin shard’s destruction.”
Caleb quickly pulls back to his body as he releases a huge sigh of relief but just as he is about to call down to Syn he is yanked back into the psychic plane.
The Meli appears above Caleb as it holds Caleb in her hands, laughing she states, “Thank you for making this so much easier for me.”
Caleb feels the crushing weight of the Meli as she slowly clenches her fist around Caleb’s body.
The Meli smiles as Caleb struggles, saying, “Well I should see what you have done to the time line before I destroy you.”
Paladin alarmed announces to Caleb telepathically, “Cale she is holding back the psychic deflector shields.”
The Meli grin becomes ever so wider as she laughs, “Oh am I making your escape difficult.”
Paladin quickly announces to Rooke, “Michael, the Meli has Caleb trapped, we need to get him out of there now.”
Syn quickly looks over the ships system as he sees the psychic shields are not sealing around Caleb’s quarters. With machine like speed Syn activates the holocom system calling out, “Carla if you can hear this your Father is about to die in the psychic plane.”
Back on Ronin the open holocom is heard as Ronin announces, “the voice recognition system shows this to be the voice of Abraham Jackson.”
Carla looks down to everyone as she closes her eyes and tries to enter the plane. Unfortunately, she is unable to pierce the psychic interference.
Abe races to the helm as he pushes the helmsman out of the way and quickly moves the massive ship towards another pocket of space where the psionic interference is far less intense, announcing, “Carla there is a very small pocket like you used before and we’ll be there in thirty seconds, be ready!”
Back on the psychic plane Caleb struggles to breath as the Meli moves her hand to his head and begins to probe his mind and after a moment the Meli eyes go wide as she says, “A cosmic seed. You have a cosmic seed and it is aware of what I am, fearing for its own existence. You are truly a fool Caleb. I may have wanted your daughter before but know I can have the entire universe to feed upon.”
Suddenly a psychic bolt strikes the Meli from out of ground as the Meli releases Caleb who collapses to the ground. Carla floats above him as she extends her shields outward.
The Meli laughs as she states, “Foolish child you are nothing to me.”
The Meli sen
ds out a massive bolt of psychic energy towards Carla’s shield as Carla does all she can to maintain it against the energy of the Meli. Carla yells, “Dad if you can get back to your body do it now, I can’t hold out for long.”
Caleb struggles as he escapes back to his body and the psychic deflector is restored. Caleb’s body instantly heals as gets up and races to the Bridge, jumping from his room to the Bridge below almost forty feet he lands on the Bridge deck, yelling, “Get Ronin on the holocom now!”
The holocom opens as Caleb sees Abraham, Ismail and the Dorsa. He yells, “Get her out of there now!”
Back on the psychic plane Carla moves at the speed of thought, striking out at the Meli again and again but her attacks are all deflected with ease. The powerful Meli launches yet another massive psychic blast back at her, striking her shields.
The Meli laughs, saying, “You are a foolish child to think you can defeat me now. You are but an annoyance that I will consume.”
Carla struggles to maintain her shields as she feels the psychic interference begin once more, pulling her from the psychic plane. She yells back at the Meli, “I have defeated you before, I will do so again.” Carla is unable to maintain her psychic form and is drawn back to Ronin where she sees her Father on the holocom with Rooke and the synthetic being known as Syn.
Caleb releases a huge sigh of relief saying, “Well so much for the sneak in and attack option.”
Carla smiles as she sees her Father before her and states, “Well maybe its time we work together rather than apart. This Meli is far too powerful for us to take on individually, we need to work together.”
Caleb huffs loudly stating, “They will have tracked our locations by now so stealth is no longer relevant but I still have a surprise or two up my sleeve. Regardless Carla, its too dangerous for you to be here you need to return back to Avalon at once.”
Ismail chuckles, stating, “Caleb let me begin by saying it is an honor to finally see you again, now with that said let me state that your daughter has rarely or perhaps its best to say has never listened to anyone about matters of the heart and you are by far one of the most important matters to her heart to date. I feel that it would be a waste of your time trying to convince her otherwise.”
Abe stares at the synthetic being and asks, “That by chance isn’t the infamous Noskcaj I’ve heard so much about?”
Caleb’s eyes go wide in complete surprise as he says, “I’m impressed that you are even aware of Noskcaj, considering I wiped out all records of its existence. Nevertheless, young master Abraham the being you see before you is not the infamous Noskcaj but rather one of his creations, whom we now call Syn and is in all sense and purpose an artificial version of you.”
Abe stares at Syn for moment and quickly redirects his attention back to Caleb, asking, “I may not know everything about what happened to my future self but what I do know tells me that I became as big a monster as the Meli and anything connected to what happened to me should not be trusted.”
Syn steps forward, returning Abe’s gaze, rebutting, “Perhaps your statement rings of truth Master Abraham. I may indeed be the enemy but as I was created to be what you are now, having removed all traces of what the Meli did to us in the future time line then if your statement would be true then you too should be considered the enemy. The enemy myself.”
Rooke, who is standing behind Syn scratches his head, stating, “Man all that double talked just hurt my brain.”
Ismail looks to Abe in confusion, asking, “Could you simplify just what it is you two are talking about.”
Abraham chuckles, saying, “In simplified terms if I consider him a threat because of where he came from then I must also be considered a threat as it would have been me that would eventually created him.”
Carla shakes her head saying aloud, “Ok enough of the chicken or the egg.” Carla turns her attention to her Father, stating, “Dad we’re coming to help you weather you want it or not.”
Caleb scowls, contesting, “Carla you’re her target, you need to get as far away as you can. You know this is something I have to do alone.”
Ronin intercedes, stating, “Your analysis is based on a celestial being’s interpretation of the future time line. A time line that we have altered in so many ways that it is beyond calculation.”
Paladin responds, “It is good to hear from the other half of us as it makes me finally see the potential of what we have become. Ronin my child I need you to listen to our words, I do not want you to become a weapon used to destroy the world that we have created and should you interact with us against the Meli you risk giving that dark future a chance to exist.”
Carla looks to her Father, asking, “Did the Flower stone show you your grandchildren in all of those visions Father?”
Caleb exhales as he lowers his head, answering, “No Carla it did not but it doesn’t change the risk potential.”
Ronin interrupts, stating, “Our two ships are the only vessels that posses the technology to protect our crews against the power of the Meli and Mistress Carla is the only being that has even the slightest chance of fighting the Meli.”
Syn steps forward, stating, “Our odds would exceed thirty percent with there assistance.”
Abe, who is studying the conversation stares at Caleb and suddenly realizes what the real threat is, stating, “Its not Carla who your protecting anymore is it Caleb? You could have done a hundred things to prevent it from getting to Carla. I now understand what it is you are troubled about. If it takes Carla it will discover the existence of the Flower Stone and the Flower Stone is the one that sent you out here to destroy the Meli.”
Syn looks at Caleb in confusion asking, “Flower Stone?”
Abraham smirks, stating, “I see your trust of Syn is measured. Caleb if this Meli can get to the Flower stone it would be able possess it just as it did Carla in the alternate time line. It would have the power to destroy the entire universe and recreate it into a universe of its choosing. Caleb, the Flower Stone prophecy to you is one of self preservation not one of foretelling.”
Caleb sighs heavily, replying, “I am aware of that possibility Abe, nonetheless I must do this alone.”
Syn, who shares Abe’s superior intellect and problem-solving skills is equally able to deduce what Abe is speaking about as it becomes dumbfounded and says, “You have a cosmic seed. That is unbelievable that you would be able to possess such a being. Yet it explains so much. Nevertheless, Abraham Jackson is right, the Cosmic seed’s foresight into your mission is tainted by its own fear.”
Caleb looks towards Syn in disgust as he grumbles under his breath.
Frasier, who has stood quietly finally speaks, “Caleb Ocoda I cannot say it is an honor to meet you as I have often wondered your true motivations for all that you have done. Nevertheless, I have come to know your daughter and have found her to possess a degree of integrity and strength not often seen in many. I cannot and probably will never be able to look at you as a savior of our people as my doubts in you are far too many to list. Regardless of what you want, I know your Daughter far to well and whether you want us to or not, we will be coming to battle this Meli.”
Ismail smiles at Frasier as he turns back towards Caleb, stating, “As Admiral Frasier has just declared we are coming regardless of your wishes Caleb so I suggest you come to terms with this. We are the future heroes you put into play and we will not be held in check because you fear the possibility of defeat. The Caleb I grew up hearing all about was not one that held back from risk, perhaps now it is time for you to accept the future you have recreated and allow us to fulfill our own destiny.”
Abe who has not taken his eyes from Syn states, “We will be coming, I suggest you prepare for our arrival.”
Caleb stares at his Daughter and smiles as he lowers his head, saying, “Your family is as brave as you are my daughter.”
Ronin announces, “We will be in shift range of your signal within three weeks. My long-range scans are unable to detect an
y other potential threats.”
Paladin alarmed reports, “The Super Carriers have all cloaked. They may be heading towards us now.”
Syn stares out at the holoscreen, stating, “The Meli may indeed becoming for us as it wants to capture Carla. Hopefully it has not yet discovered the existence of the Cosmic seed”
Caleb sighs heavily, stating, “It is coming for more information. It wants to know all I know about the Flower stone. It already learned of its existence when it captured me but I was able to shield most of my thoughts before Carla saved me. It knows I possess the key to finding it and it will do what ever it can to find me.”
Carla finally speaks as she closes her eyes and says, “Dad we are coming and it will be far sooner than you think. I’m going to destroy the Meli or die trying.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CONNECTING THREADS
Two days pass as Ronin reaches the limits of the psionic damping field. Syn suddenly appears on Abe’s personal holoscreen as Abe works on works on Zeta Seven in the engine room. Abe sees Syn appear and clearly shows that he is less than surprised at his abrupt appearance, asking, “What do you want?”
Syn perplexed at Abe’s query responds with an inquiry of his own, asking, “Odd that you ask such a question considering that we are in all sense the same being. I would have thought you to be far more surprised at my sudden appearance, having been able to gain access to you personal holoscreen and appear before you as I just did?”
Abe turns his direction back towards his work on Zeta Seven, reluctantly stating, “As you just stated we are in all sense and purpose the same. I’m sure you can figure out my security systems the same as I can figure out yours. What I can’t figure out is why you would have any reason to speak with me.”
Syn stares at Abe for a moment until Abe turns towards him. Syn lowers his head and says, “I am confused and you are the closest being that I could possible call Family. I had originally just want to survive. To exist but now I am confused as to my place within this new timeline.”
Enemy Myself Page 17