Enemy Myself

by Daniel OConnell

  Abe glares at Syn, stating, “My actions and my mind are mine alone, I am not influenced by anyone to do what I do.”

  Syn responds, “And yet you have on multiple occasions placed yourself needlessly in jeopardy to ensure the safety of your Family. This has always been the way in which Caleb has lived his life, placing the safety of his family above all else including himself. You are, whether you want o hear it or not foolishly placing yourself in risk to protect your Family, just as Caleb has done.”

  Paladin suddenly alerts everyone, “I’m detecting communications from our galaxy. It would appear that a wormhole to our galaxy has just opened approximately two hours from the Meli’s forces but unfortunately it is more than three days from us.”

  Syn races to the sensors and quickly alerts everyone, reporting, “They have also detected the wormhole and are changing course to get there. The two Carriers nearest to us have just shifted back to her fleet. Caleb, they are accelerating in speed, they will be there within the hour.”

  Caleb, alarmed asks, “How long do we have till they can pass through it?”

  Syn turns towards Caleb, answering, “We could have days or hours, there is just no way of knowing how big that worm hole is or how long it will last.”

  Caleb stands up and looks over the area and turns to Carla and Ismail on the holocom stating, “Carla we don’t have time to wait for you, I need to stop them.”

  Rooke aware of what Caleb is going to do reports, “We can make it to them in two shifts.”

  Ismail reacts almost immediately, stating, “Caleb you don’t stand a chance against that many ships alone. All you will be doing is diminishing our chances,”

  Carla looks at her Father in a panic, pleading, “Dad please just wait for us.”

  Abe is studying the enemy fleet as everyone is discussing how to attack. Syn, noticing this asks, “You see something?”

  Abe shakes his head yes, announcing aloud, “We don’t have a choice. If we wait the Meli will reach that wormhole and bring her entire fleet right into our galaxy.”

  Syn sighs as he declares, “That’s only if the wormhole is large enough.”

  Abe looks upward in frustration and states, “Well all a wormhole is a gravitational anomaly that bends space and if she can create enough energy into its event horizon she should be able to make it as large as she needs.”

  Caleb sighs heavily, saying, “We must use the Phace’mal to shift to them at once and attack them.”

  Syn, alarmed at Caleb’s statement rebuts, “To do so will get us there but it will overheat the shift drive, limiting our ability to maneuver. We would be outgunned, surrounded and unable to escape.”

  Abe adds in, “Not to mention you’d be bringing them all the power they would need in the Phace’mal.” Abe looks up towards Carla, “We need Ronin and Carla if we have any chance of success.”

  Caleb sits down as he looks at Abe and shakes his head in agreement, stating, “Very well then, I have an idea.” Caleb pauses as he looks to Carla and smiles, continuing, “Take all the Phace’mal I have on boards and you and Syn shift directly to Ronin. Once your there you should be able to cannibalize a shifter from one of the fighters and use the Phace’mal to shift back to us.”

  Abe huffs, stating, “I haven’t been able to figure a way to adapt a shift drive to Ronin. The calculations to modulate that much power is still an enigma to me.”

  Syn looks to Abe and shakes his head, stating, “I know how to modulate the shifters power core and it would take us only a few minutes to hook it up.”

  Abe, considering the plan states, “The shift drive will get us here but even if you are able to modulate the power distribution it will still burn itself out in getting us there.”

  Carla, listening to this idea, yells, “Who cares as long as it gets us there!”

  Caleb looks to Carla and grins, stating, “Lets get going, we don’t have much time. As soon as you have the Phace’mal you will need to shift directly to Ronin.”

  Syn and Abe race down to the Phace’mal’s room as Paladin telepathically speaks to Caleb, “Cale I know what you are thinking and understand why but perhaps we should evacuate the others as well.”

  Caleb replies in kind, “If I do that now than they will know what I’m going to do. I’m sorry my friend but if we have to risk everyone on board to save everyone else than that is what we must do.” Caleb pauses for a moment, continuing, “If we get the chance maybe the others can use the escape pods as soon as Syn and Abe shift away and then we will shift to the Meli.”

  Paladin states, “Cale, without the Phace’mal we will not be able to shift the entire distance.”

  Caleb looks to his hands as he creates the energy within him to glow. He then looks up at Rooke and smiles, stating, “Yes we can.”

  Several minutes later, Abe appears on the holo screen inside Zeta Seven, announcing, “Caleb I’ve got all the Phace’mal and have attached my shift drive directly to them. Unfortunately, travelling so far will most likely burnout the shifter in Zeta Seven.

  Caleb smiles stating, “Well I’m sure you can build another shift unit for your toy.”

  Abe grumbles aloud, “That’s not the point Caleb. We need everything we have ready to go at a minute’s notice and Zeta Seven is too important to sideline for long.”

  Caleb, acknowledging Abe’s concern asks, “And how long would it take you to replace the shift unit?”

  Abe thinks about it for a moment and answers, “I don’t know.”

  Paladin interrupts, stating, “This is a conversation for another time Abraham as our time runs short.”

  Abe huffs as he locks in his shift point, saying, “Syn and I will be shifting to Ronin now, please alert them to lower the shields.”

  Caleb smiles as he looks to Carla and Ismail who are both are still present on the holocom. Ismail responds, “The shields are down and we have already removed a shift drive from one of the fighters to accelerate this plan.”

  Abe shifts, carrying with him Syn and all the Phace’mal as they make the distance in seconds. And just as predicted by Abraham, Zeta Seven’s shift drive is taxed to its limit and overheats, melting the unit beyond further use. Nevertheless, they successfully arrive at Ronin safely.

  Ismail reports, “Caleb they have arrived. We will prepare to meet up with you as soon as they complete installing the shift drive. Ronin out.” The holocom closes.

  Caleb stands up and looks to Rooke and says, “Rooke I need a favor from you.”

  Rooke lowers his head and sighs, responding, “I already know what your going to ask Caleb and I’m here till the end.”

  Caleb smiles as he orders loud, “All hands abandon ship!”

  Paladin reports a few moments later, “Cale, most of the crew are following your orders but some are staying at there posts.”

  Caleb frowns, asking, “Do you know why?”

  Elise suddenly appears at the entrance at the rear of the Bridge and answers, “Because we know what you are planning and will be coming with you whether you like it or not.”

  Caleb sighs heavily, turning back to Rooke he orders, “Rooke I need one of your longest shifts.”

  Rooke looks over the data for a moment and turns, “Caleb we don’t have the Phace’mal and even with the best of luck we just don’t have enough power to cover the distance.”

  Caleb stands up and says, “I’ll get you the power you just do your best to get us there in one shift.”

  Paladin responds telepathically, “Cale, in order to make this shift you will need to use most of your X’ena life energy and once we get there our remaining energy will be taxed to its limit to fight off all of the remaining carriers and fighters.”

  Caleb replies in kind, “I know my friend but we both know the likelihood of our survival.”

  Caleb looks to Rooke and yells, “Shift!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  END GAME

  Paladin shifts as Caleb feeds the shift drive as much of his own life energy a
s he can.

  Rooke maneuvers Paladin around the time displacements as he closes the distance as the shift will take hours to traverse.

  Caleb remains in deep concentration as he feeds his very life essence to the power core as they travel the distance through null space.

  Rooke reports, “Caleb I know your pushing yourself to get us there but the shift drive is reaching critical levels.”

  Paladin responds, “Michael we will be able to reach the targeted area before our shift drive fails.”

  Rooks returns his focus on the shift, saying aloud, “Yeah I was afraid you would say that.”

  Elsewhere back on Ronin. Abe and Syn work feverishly on constructing a working shift drive for the Ronin Super Carrier.

  Abe looks up at Syn, asking, “I’ve connected this shift drive to the dual core main conduit as well as the Phace’mal but I don’t know how you plan on modulating that much power thorough this shift drive? Hell, just shifting half the distance with Zeta Seven melted mine and the relation of the size and power differential from Ronin and Zeta Seven is already giving me a headache.””

  Syn races at super human speed, connecting the shift drive’s main computer to his arm, answering, “My primary processor can configure the energy through this shift drive while maintaining its integrity but you are correct, this shift drive unit will more than likely melt once we exit null space.”

  Frasier comes over the holocom, yelling, “Gentleman I’m hoping you two have good news because it looks like Caleb decided not to wait for us. Paladin just shifted.”

  Syn unsurprised by this continues connecting the shift drive to his arm replies, “Predictable as always, but doubtful he posses enough energy to reach them before us.”

  Abe shakes his head confused, asking, “Syn you knew he was going to do this?”

  Syn stops for a moment, answering, “I was programmed with detailed files on Caleb. My creator despised Caleb so much so that he obsessed in his death, plotting multiple ways in which to kill him. To kill your enemy, you must know your enemy. Caleb may try and use his own personal X’ena life energy to augment the shift drive but at this point of his life it should not be enough. It is just as I said, he would sacrifice himself in order to save his Family.”

  Carla suddenly appears from the deck plating, angrily she yells, “You wanted my Father to die!”

  Syn glances ever so briefly at Carla, responding, “Mistress Carla if I wanted your Father dead I could have killed him multiple times. I was programmed to know how to kill your Father but given the freewill to choose to do so or not and as I am currently connecting this shift drive to my primary processor, risking my own existence in an attempt to save him you may need to rethink yourself.”

  Abe notices the power levels stabilize as Syn stands up and an energy aura glows all around his body. He looks to Carla and says, “Carla we need to shift now.”

  Carla reacts quickly as she takes control of the ship and forces it into null space.

  Abe monitors Syn as he sees the incredible strain he is under and asks, “Syn can you do this?”

  Syn remains focused on controlling the power, shaking his head affirmatively.

  Abe also monitors the shift drive as he sees the unit begin to melt under the extreme stress it is under.

  On the Bridge, Carla reappears as Ismail, Noah, Frasier and Kalen, look out of the main view screen. Kalen asks, “How are you maneuvering us through null space?”

  Ronin replies, “Syn has connected his main processor to navigation and engineering. He currently has complete control of this ship.”

  Ismail looks alarmed, roaring, “Are you telling me that robot is in complete control? Are you mad!”

  Carla who is more focused on getting to her Father answers, “I don’t have much of a choice now do I Ismail. If I want to save my Father than I need to trust the devil I don’t know.”

  Frasier shakes his head in disbelief and asks, “Just how long are we going to be under his control?”

  Ronin answers, “Considering the distance we must travel and aided by the additional energy of the Phace’mal it would appear to be just under two hours.”

  Kalen looks to Ismail, stating, “Our very lives are in the hands of a machine that could simply destroy us on a whim.”

  Carla looks to everyone as she focuses her power through Syn in the hopes that he is truly a friend.”

  Back on Paladin. Caleb strains himself as he continues to power the shift drive through null space.

  Elise races to the weapons panel and prepares to open fire as soon as the exit null space.

  Rooke reaches the targeted area as he looks back to Caleb to see him sweating profusely. He asks, “Cale how close do you want me to exit from null space?”

  Caleb, exhausted replies, “Right down their throats.”

  Rooke turns to Caleb, saying, “Caleb were exiting null space now.”

  Paladin alerts Caleb telepathically, “Cale you have used over ninety percent of your living energy to make this shift.”

  Caleb stands up weakly as he says to Elise, “As soon as we exit null space target their main ship and prepare to fire everything we have on my command.”

  Elise concerned states, “We will be to close and will take damage as well.”

  Caleb replies, “I know.”

  Paladin completely emerges from null space right in the middle of the Meli’s fleet and directly in front of The Demon Queens’ ship.

  Rooke quickly studies the area, announcing, “We took em by surprise but they are maneuvering into firing formation.”

  Caleb sees the massive flight decks of the Demon Queens Ronin super Carrier in front of him and asks, “Rooke can we maneuver into her flight decks?”

  Rooke hastily looks over the data and replies, “No Caleb its too small, we would have to rip the middle flight deck apart to fit.”

  Caleb smiles, yelling, “Then rip it apart! Fire everything we got into that main deck Elise!”

  Both shake their head in agreement as they look at each other with deep concern.

  Elise fires all of Paladin’s weapons at near point-blank range shattering its forward shields and deep into its flight decks while Rooke activates the thrusters to maximum ramming speed right into Ronin’s flight decks.

  The flight decks are over two hundred meters in height each as they lay on top of each other separated by a single deck, which was nearly ripped apart by Paladins initial volley as Paladin crashes into the remains of the flight deck. Severely damaging both ships

  Caleb yells out, “Now Paladin, detonate the last Psionic bomb!” Paladin acts instantly as the psionic bomb detonates from within its hull and cripples any and all use of psychic power for most of the sector.

  Paladin reports, “Cale we have taken heavy damage to our forward weapons and hull, overall damage to our ship is at forty four percent.”

  Caleb, who is bleeding profusely from his arms and side answers, “Yeah, I kinda of figured that one out by myself.”

  Rooke looks over the situation in shock, reporting, “We seem to have taken them by complete surprise. The other four carriers can’t fire on us without hitting their Ronin. Our supply of maintaince drones are already starting repairs but we are pretty much useless while we are stuck in here.”

  Caleb gets up weakly and says, “Paladin maybe out of the fight for the moment but its far from useless. Michael, I want you to go the armory and set up the antimatter torpedoes to overload in thirty minutes.”

  Rooke looks up at Caleb alarmed, stating, “Caleb there’s no way to launch them, the torpedo launchers are out of commission. Not to mention those things are so powerful you may not be able to escape the blast zone.”

  Caleb smiles as he lowers his head, answering, “I know my friend. Take all the remaining crew members and get on one of our fighters with a transport pod and get out of here as soon as you set the torpedoes to explode.”

  Rooke is momentarily speechless as looks upon Caleb as he sees him grabbing a plasma
rifle and belt of thermite grenades. Rooke salutes him.

  Caleb quickly races to the airlock as his wounded body slows him slightly but he still moves at near break neck speeds, jumping to the deck of Ronin. The moment he leaves Paladin the ship cloaks as Caleb looks all around, seeing multiple people racing everywhere trying to control fires. Suddenly four sentinel assault drones appear from the wreckage, opening fire on Caleb. Caleb jumps towards the closest sentinel as his super human strength is still enough to cover the distance in a single bound. He rips the ominous sentinel apart in a single motion, throwing the fragments at two other sentinels, destroying them. The last Sentinel fires a flurry of Plasma charges as Caleb who instantly dives behind a fighter. Caleb hastily looks for an exit and sees one near by. He races towards it, escaping the hangar bay as he begins sprinting to the Bridge.

  Paladin speaks to Caleb telepathically, “Cale you have more than likely hurt the Meli seriously with this attack and may have evened the playing field by locking out its psionic power but Carla will also be equally limited now and the Meli still possess far more power than we do.”

  Caleb grins, answering in kind, “Only for the moment.”

  Suddenly a forcefield surrounds Caleb, trapping him in the corridor.

  Paladin alerts Caleb telepathically, “Cale theses force walls are projection from emitters in the wall, you will need to destroy them as we proceed.”

  Caleb looks around and asks, “Where is the emitter?”

  Paladin responds, “Regrettably on the other side of this force wall.”

  Caleb hastily looks around for an exit, seeing none he tosses one of his thermite grenades against the ceiling, activating his own personal force shield just as it explodes on contact, ripping the ceiling apart. Caleb’s personal force field collapses from the shockwave as he is also wounded further by the blast.

  Caleb stands weakly as a loud whistling in his ears deafens him from everything else. He looks up, seeing the massive hole in the ceiling as he jumps up and through only to be surrounded by dozens of armed soldiers, all wearing their control devices. They immediately open fire as Caleb has no choice but to act, saving himself while taking their lives.