The Admiral Episode Four: The Admiral, #4

By Odette C. Bell

This is it. The fight will consume all.
Lara and Nok have nowhere to run. The Force have consumed almost every timeline. There is now only one place left to fight. They are thrown back to their own time, and there, they must save not just their galaxy, but the universe.

…

The Admiral follows two legendary leaders in the making as they fight the final battle against the Force. If you love your space operas with action, heart, and a splash of romance, grab The Admiral Episode Four today and soar free with an Odette C. Bell series.

The Admiral is the 9th Galactic Coalition Academy series. A sprawling, epic, and exciting sci-fi world where cadets become heroes and hearts are always won, each series can be read separately, so plunge in today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Odette C. Bell
• Release date: Apr 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386988496

Book preview

1

Nok

He hadn’t expected that, but he welcomed it. It might not last – it couldn’t last, considering what they were about to face – but it meant the world and more to him now.

Lara turned her head over her shoulder, clearly listening in to the rest of the Academy grounds. It might have been thankfully silent and still when they’d arrived, but clearly a class had just ended, and the grass was filling with cadets mingling or heading to their next lessons.

Ferris, can you cook up some kind of distraction so nobody comes anywhere near us? Lara tried.

I have a suitable distraction. Alter your armor until it is invisible.

What? Lara blinked obviously. But—

Whatever she’d been about to say died on her lips as a certain kind of smile pressed over them instead. She chuckled. I kinda forgot we’re meant to be here. I’m assuming we’re not currently wanted criminals, though? She looked pointedly at Nok.

Either it was the last vestiges of their kiss, or the amusement behind her gaze, but he let out a wincing laugh that didn’t carry as he patted the back of his head. I think you’ll find everything I did earlier today at the Academy was to save the galaxy.

A good point, but I’m pretty sure that Lieutenant Lai’s still going to be angry about us trashing his office.

I hardly call it trashing, Nok tried.

He could keep this up all day – now they’d finally had emotional release in each other’s arms, their banter was easy and welcome. He doubted there was much out there that could distract him from the looming threat of the Force, but this worked. Lara’s words and her sheer presence were a lifeline.

Ferris, how do you think I would go about making this armor invisible? I mean, it’s only an assumption that— she began.

Light rippled over her armor. Fortunately it wasn’t bright enough that it would illuminate out beyond the girth of the tree.

Her armor flickered once, then twice, then dutifully disappeared.

Nok pressed his lips together and swallowed hard. What did you do?

I did nothing – I just suggested it. You try. She nodded hard his way.

Nok hadn’t lost his psychic connection to his armor. It had become stronger than ever now that the Hendari crystal was lodged in the front.

He still withdrew and half closed his eyes to ensure that his connection was maximally efficient.

Then he thought about turning invisible.

It was childish. That didn’t stop him from putting all his effort into it until finally he felt something flicker across the front of his armor. He looked down in time to see that his armor really had turned invisible. "This armor is insane," he commented under his breath. He needn’t have bothered. His voice somehow didn’t pitch out loud. While his armor couldn’t be seen, it was still doing its job.

Lara noted that too as she waved a hand in front of her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. When it didn’t echo out, she grinned. At least something’s going right. Now—

She went to walk out from the protection of the tree, but she stopped. Both of them were technically still in their Academy uniforms, but their clothes were trashed.

She frowned deeply. Armor, she said in the kind of careful voice you would use on a friend, is there any way you can change the appearance of our— she didn’t have to finish the question. Another blast of light flickered down the front of her uniform. In nothing more than a blink of an eye, she went from wearing a trashed cadet’s uniform, to one that looked as if it was brand-new.

She gave a small twirl on the spot. Right. I guess that solves that. Nok, you change – or at least get your armor to. Ferris, she added without drawing a breath, what’s the first thing we should do?

While you have managed to come back to a time before the Force have invaded the Academy in this timeline, we know that they are on their way. We can conclude that easily considering, only half an hour before in this timeline, you two infiltrated that Force ship. One can only assume that it is currently en route to the Academy, as this would be the greatest target in this area of space.

Lara looked crestfallen. It didn’t last. She shook her head. Okay, now how the hell do we take on the Force and protect the Academy?

Nok found himself looking down at the Hendari crystal. It was constantly glowing, though it wasn’t a violent illumination – if that made any sense. It didn’t look like it could burn through anything like a powerful fire. Yet the strength it had gave you the impression of something so fundamental, it could access levels of reality the current Coalition didn’t even know existed, let alone understood how to interact with. The question was, was this crystal so powerful that, now it was integrated with his armor, it would give him a chance against that Force ship? If Ferris was right – and there was no reason to believe he wasn’t – then that Force ship was on its way to Earth. The only way to save everyone would be to destroy that ship once and for all.

What are you thinking, Nok? Lara asked quickly.

He ran his fingers over his chin. Somehow, his armor hadn’t just become invisible – it was insubstantial. It reminded him of the holographic armor Admiral Forest had worn. There was nothing to stop his nails as they crunched over his stubble. I’m thinking maybe we should take one of these Hendari crystals and re-integrate it with the Academy’s scanners so that we have a better chance of detecting the Force.

It is far smarter to keep the Hendari crystals for more sophisticated technology, Ferris interrupted. And currently the most sophisticated technology you have is your armor. While it does not possess the same integration into Coalition systems as the Academy’s scanners, you’ll find that it will easily be able to detect incoming Force ships anyway.

Fine, what do we do when they get here? There are just the two of us, Lara pointed out the obvious as she lost some of her hope. How the hell do we take on an entire Force ship?

We must not just take on the Force ship, Ferris warned. We cannot forget our primary mission of opening more time gates, taking the Hendari crystals through, and disrupting timelines so that the Force cannot readily win this war. In many ways, that is still our primary mission.

Nok swore viciously. Lara’s right – there are just two of us. How—

She turned and looked at him. Instantly, he could tell from that look what she was thinking.

He shook his head. "No way, Lara – we are not splitting up. We’ve just found each other again," he noted as his voice trembled with fear.

I know. For an apparently cold, emotionless woman, he could feel the effort Lara put in as she smiled.

That smile was just for him. While it warmed the cockles of his heart, it didn’t push away what she was suggesting. He shook his head again. We will have a reduced likelihood of winning if we split up, he tried.

Ferris, is that true? Lara asked.

I am calculating the possibilities. The wrist device paused. The answer is that you will have a higher risk of losing if you stay together. Someone should stay and defend the Academy, and someone else should go through the time gates and deploy the Hendari crystals.

Nok swore like he never had in his life. Considering his career of swearing had really only lasted for the past 13 hours, that didn’t say much. The fear that clenched his gut said it all, though. I’m not going to lose you, Lara, he spat. It was the kind of direct statement you couldn’t hide behind. It was also the kind of direct statement you would only give a loved one.

Lara smiled. It was weak and yet strong. Her lips could barely curl, and yet, there was no mistaking the strength behind it. I don’t want to split up either, Nok, believe me. If there’s one thing I’ve learned today, it’s that I hate being alone, she noted in a tortured tone that had to be telling the truth. But Ferris is right. We just don’t have enough hands. If we concentrate on saving this Academy, it will be for naught. And if someone doesn’t stay here, then this timeline will fall. We need to take the opportunity that Hendari crystal has given us to save our home. But we can’t ignore our primary remit.

He didn’t know what to say. That was just the thing – there was nothing he could say or do to convince Lara otherwise. She had that look in her eye – the one that told him her mind wasn’t just made up – her conclusion was set in diamond.

He closed his eyes. It would’ve looked as if he was holding back tears – but he didn’t care. Fine. But who stays and who goes?

I stay, and you go, she said without even a second thought.

He frowned. Presumably, the task of heading through the time gates and deploying the Hendari crystals will be the most dangerous. He was no longer reluctant to touch his Hendari crystal. He let his fingers brush down it protectively. I’m the best suited for the most dangerous mission.

I have to go, she said in a gentle tone.

Why? he snapped through clenched teeth.

Because of Admiral Forest. Every time I travel through time gates, I get closer to her. We need her, Lara’s voice became quiet but sure, if we’re going to have any chance.

Lara, please.

She shook her head. For the first time, though Lara was giving him an order, it didn’t feel onerous. There was something he hadn’t quite integrated yet. The Lara from the future – or at least, the way the people from the future had treated her, hadn’t just been an admiral. She wasn’t just a woman who handed out orders – she was someone who people followed by choice. And for people to follow, they must see sense, wisdom, and opportunity behind their leader.

For the first time, he felt that now.

He didn’t like the conclusion – he wanted to stay by Lara’s side no matter what – but he had to accept she was right.

This is all very well, he stammered, but how do we even get to another time gate? Presumably the gate is still back where we encountered it the first time around in this timeline?

I can only tell you that since we got here, I have been sensing an increase in temporal particles similar to that which we experienced when we traveled through the time gate, Ferris revealed.

A deep frown dug its way across his lips. What the hell does that mean?

Lara didn’t reprimand him for swearing. She too frowned. Ferris?

We must accept that this experience is different, for we possess eight Hendari crystals that are immune to temporal change, Ferris stated. We must also accept that as the Force close down and redirect more time gates to the First Ages, the characteristics of time flow may be changing.

What are you trying to say? Nok stopped him.

That the time gate in this timeline may be fluctuating. Or perhaps another is being created. Or maybe the Force have found some way to capture the gate and bring it with them, and as they approach, that is why I’m sensing an increase in temporal particles. There are thousands of possible explanations. I cannot tell you which one is the correct explanation. But I can tell you this – from all the data I have managed to gather, both in the nexus and during my travels with you, this precise buildup of temporal particles can only mean that a time gate is opening in this area.

How do we go through it? Lara stammered quickly.

Ferris, you’re wrong, Nok suddenly stated out of the blue.

There was a short pause. You may not agree with my conclusion, however it is based on statistical— the wrist device began.

Nok shook his head. That’s not what you’re wrong about. I need to take one of those Hendari crystals and reintegrate it with the Academy’s scanners, he said conclusively.

And why do you believe that? Ferris challenged.

Nok didn’t answer immediately. Lara, do you still have those armor rings you snatched from the First Age?

I think you mean liberated, she corrected. She shifted a hand to her side and patted her holster. Yeah. I have five left. Why?

Hand one over, he demanded.

Without question, she reached into her holster, plucked one up, and reverentially handed it over. He softened his grip, holding it like you would a newborn. He took a breath and turned his head in the direction of the command building.

I can only ask once more, Cadet Nok, Ferris said, using his title for the first time in a long time as the wrist device gave an order, that there is no reason behind your plan.

Nok chuckled. Yes, there is. Trust me. We’ve already learned that this light armor is completely modular. And we know that Hendari crystals can integrate with any technology from the Milky Way. And I also know you’re brilliant, Nok added with a grin.

You should also know that I’m not following, Ferris chastised.

Nok chuckled. We can integrate one of these modular rings with the current Academy scanner system, use a Hendari crystal, and try to boost the Academy’s scanners. That will give us the best chance of not just detecting the Force, but figuring out why temporal energy is increasing. If a time gate really is about to open – it will also tell us where it is.

Ferris didn’t pause this time. You have come far, Cadet, he commented.

Nok turned a muddled frown into a smile. Why did you say that? I’ve been fighting the Force and winning all day, he said without any hint of braggadocio.

It takes a leader to question – especially when it comes to challenging someone they assume is more capable than them. Since the beginning of this journey, you have accepted my advice. Now you question. And that is good.

Ferris might just be a computational assistance unit, but that didn’t stop an enormous grin from spreading Nok’s lips.

It was one Lara shared. She turned in the direction of the command building. Let’s do this. I doubt we have much time.

You’re right, I’m assuming we have less than 15 minutes, Nok said. Back in the future, he’d given Admiral Nok the deadline of 50 minutes before the Force plowed through enough time gates that the war would end everywhere.

It hadn’t been 50 minutes yet – it’d