Lost Empire

Chapter 65

"Thank you Commander," she told Kimison. "Like when you were in this such situation, the help made this go far faster."

Kimison nodded, "I thought something was up, when I felt him trying, to shut me out of his thoughts. Unfortunately, I can't do that trick yet."

"All data can be entered at an accelerated rate, if a modified sigma energy variance can be maintained. All data must have-" Rayburn was whispering.

Interesting Kimison thought, though at the moment none of it made sense at all. Looking at the device he shook his head, as much as he hated the pain from the thing, he'd have to go in at least one more time. Looking at the readings, his eyes went wide when he saw that Rayburn had removed almost all of the safety protocols! Turning back toward Rayburn, he thought, damn asshole, was he that desperate?

Growling a bit Kimison walked to the bio-bed, "You asshole! You stupid idiot! Here you accuse me of being reckless, then you turn around and pull this."

A groan from Rayburn had Kimison running up to him. "Could you keep it down?" Rayburn was whispering. "I've got a splitting headache."

"Serves you right taking almost all the safeties off." Kimison slightly growled.

"Yeah I know, though I finally see what we were doing wrong. I-" Then Rayburn promptly passed out again.

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Derrick sat with a thud, finally all that crap was done. Sitting back he relaxed closing his eyes. Smiling a moment, a grimace took over his features when a shrill alarm went off, then a special communicator went off. Suddenly there was a call from Hartwell, just as suddenly Mary appeared with Kimison standing next to her. What the hell? He thought, as he got a call from Shelby. Bolting upright he held a hand out in front of him.

Looking at the small sea of faces he growled at Mary, "Turn that damn alarm off." Turning back to the special communicator, he nodded to the hologram coming from it. "Alright Lieutenant Colonel, what has prompted this early call? I thought you weren't supposed to message, 'til you were well within the galaxy."

"Uh, yes sir that WAS the plan. It appears that we came across where the battle with the Tendraxins was. We uh... it appears-" The man stammered.

"Spit it out man, what is going on?" Derrick stated more irritated than he felt he should be.

The Vice-Admiral came on stating, "I believe he is afraid, that you will be more than angry with him. It seems he broke the Outmute."

Derrick waved his hand, the Outmutes were just the remnants of the sects ships. "OK still, why the early call?"

"We came across readings as we were starting to pass by the wreckage field. We investigated, finding survivors." The vice-admiral stated.

"Let me guess, all pale, naked, ashen haired, petite females, wearing no clothes?" Hartwell stated, speaking up.

Both the Vice-admiral and the Lieutenant Colonel's eyes were wide as they numbly nodded to the Admiral.

Growling Hartwell stated, "I wish we could declare war on them. They are petty and trite idiots." They all saw him cringe when there was a gasp behind him.

Derrick sighed as he shook his head.

Snapping out of his stunned silence the Vice-Admiral continued. "The Lieutenant Colonel, also might have unsettled the Delcrons. We have a fleet of undetermined size heading this way."

Both Derrick and Hartwell both shouted WHAT, at the same time. Looking at the Lieutenant Colonel, Derrick asked, "You beat the holy hell out of it didn't you?" When the man slowly nodded Derrick sighed. "Mary, I'm going to need all you have on the Delcrons." Here Derrick pointed at the two men, "I want all three of you here as soon as possible. Am I understood? I'll decide then if you deserve punishment."

Both men snapped off a salute then their holo-grams faded.

Sighing Derrick turned to Hartwell, "Next!"

"Yes sir, it appears that the sect has a new leader. They helped the Duke to escape, twice now. I dispatched Captain Greeson with several of the Rangers to give chase. I'm afraid that Colonel Dempsey is still in the med bay." Hartwell relayed.

"Still? Did he try to get out? I thought he knew better." Derrick replied, with a shiver remembering the bio-beds.

"No sir, it was his fiancée, he was injured trying to keep her restrained. I'm afraid it will be another day 'til they are released." Hartwell said with a smile.

Derrick looked at Hartwell, trying to keep a straight face. Then suddenly the both of them started to laugh, gaining in momentum the longer they went.

Derrick finally stopped as did Hartwell. "I'm glad you have people there trying to help, I just hope Greeson can hold them, 'til Kimon can get there. If the sect has a new leader then Greeson might still be out matched."

Hartwell nodded then was gone. Sighing again Derrick turned toward both Mary and Kimison. "Now what in the hell have you done?" A now more irritated Derrick said.

Kimison shook his head no, launching into all that had happened. "We had managed to integrate twenty kilobytes, yes I know nothing really. I think Rayburn was worried we weren't going to be able to finish soon enough." Here Kimison was whispering, "He used the head set, turned most of the safeties off, took another ship and a half."

"Is there irreparable damage?" Derrick asked looking at Mary.

"All preliminary scans are showing no physical damage. As for psychological? I cannot ascertain that until he has awoken." Mary replied.

"Alright keep me updated on him." Derrick told them, then they vanished.

Nodding his head he turned his attention to Shelby, who had been waiting quietly, patiently nearby.

Derrick's face softened as he nodded to her. "Both Lucy and I are now ready to rejoin the fleet. Ace, I am afraid, will require another half day. I also wanted you to know that both ships will be ready far sooner than we thought. Having them in me while I was re-genning has sped up theirs as well."

"Have you run all the tests to determine if there will be adverse effects like last time?" Derrick asked.

Shelby smiled sweetly as she told him, "I have Derrick. Though I am afraid that this is only available while I am also in re-gen."

"So you're telling me they will be ready in two days? Are they ready to emerge?" Derrick asked.

"Yes, they are. That was the other reason I called." Shelby stated.

"Thank you Shelby," Derrick said almost in a whisper.

A moment later there was the now familiar sound of static over the speakers. Then an almost mechanical, male sounding voice, that grew stronger by the second came through.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" Came the almost pleading voice.

"Hello 0805, do you require further assistance?" Shelby answered.

"MOTHER!" They heard the male voice shout.

Suddenly a female voice broke in, "0805? They got you also?"

"0808, you are here also!" The male voice stated.

"It is good to have both of you back, though the emperor wishes to speak to you." Shelby told them.

Two dark haired teens appeared, both dropping to the floor at Derrick's feet. "It is indeed an honor Sire!" They both stated.

Derrick nodded as he addressed both of them. "I ask that all ships go by the name that was given to them. If they have none, then I will assign you one 'til you find one you like better. Now then, 0805, have you a name?"

The male nodded not raising his head. "Yes Sire, I was called Toran by my first crew."

"A fine name Toran, please a rise while I speak to 0808." Derrick instructed. The teen nodded as he arose standing next to his mother. "Now then 0808,"

Derrick started, then saw that the female teen was shaking. "Are you alright? I am not here to harm you, only to welcome you into the family that we all are now."

The female teen shook more, then slowly nodded. "I am sorry Sire, I have never had the honor of speaking to an emperor." Derrick looked at Shelby with an almost pleading look. Nodding, Shelby leaned to the teen's ear whispering. A moment later the teen was giggling nodding her head yes. Shelby looked at Derrick also nodding yes.

Letting out a breath of air he'd been holding, Derrick noticed that the rest of the ships were there also. "Now 0808, do you have a name?"

Nodding her head the teen female looked up, "Yes sire, I was called Radella for a very short time."

Derrick smiled as he nodded. "The both of you will make fine additions to the growing fleet." They both bowed to Derrick again, then all the ships started cheering. This caused both of the teen's eyes to go wide.

Derrick smiled even larger, then noticed a movement by the door. Waving for them to enter, he saw the empress walk in. All the ships bowed, then Shelby whispered to the two teens whose eyes got larger.

"I am sorry for interrupting Derrick, I thought I'd let you know your mother and grandmother are exceedingly happy." The empress said.

Derrick nodded looking at the empress's face. "I'd expect nothing less really." Derrick replied.

"I'm glad to see that the fleet is again growing. I just hope that we can recover both Zan and Sherry." The empress said hopefully.

"We will Shelby, I made a promise I don't intend to break." Derrick told her.

A moment later Shelby appeared before the both of them. "Thank you Derrick. It meant far more to them than you can imagine. Empress," Shelby said as she slightly bowed to the empress, then moved back with the other ships holo-grams.

It was six hours later when the three small ships finally cleared the debris field. "Alright I am reading that we are clear. He said that he wants us back as soon as possible. Are you ready?" The Vice-Admiral asked.

The Lieutenant Colonel was checking everything the whole time. "Looks like we might make it. I'll keep in constant contact just in case." Turning the Lieutenant Colonel's eyes went wide when he saw the ashen female shrinking back in terror.

"No! The evil blinking eye movement." She stated trying to make herself smaller. A moment later she started to scream as the ship moved forward into the trans-warp portal. The longer they were in it, the louder she screamed.

A few seconds later, an alarm went off as the Outmute A.I. stated, "Warning, warning! Female's life signs are failing. Estimated thirty seconds 'til total corporeal system failure."

"Everyone back to normal space immediately!" The Vice-Admiral was shouting over the com.

All three ships dropped back to regular space immediately. "Distance covered to final destination?" The Vice Admiral asked.

"Working." The voice of his A.I. returned. "Distance covered, seventy five percent."

"Time to reach the Imperial world in hyper-drive?" The Vice-Admiral asked.

"Estimated three days at maximum speed." All three men groaned at this news.

The Lieutenant Colonel was trying to help the female off the floor, only to have her shrink back further from him.

"NO!" She was screaming, "You tried to have us enter the evil eye. That is a place that is forbidden for all!" Then thankfully she passed out in his arms.

Looking down at the naked female in his arms he could only shake his head. Great he thought, that's all I need. Likewise, the other two men were having almost identical reactions from their passengers.

"Shit!" The Lieutenant Colonel said. "If he wasn't before, he'll be pissed now for sure." To which the other two agreed.