The emperor was disturbed, four assassination attempts on the royal family was unprecedented! He knew his daughter knew who their savior was, but getting her to talk was the most impossible thing he could think of. Remembering what she'd said the fact that the man wanted no reward, no fame, just to be made a royal, damn it!
Alatem knew he couldn't do that, there were the old laws in place with good reason, the fact that she knew this didn't make matters any easier. Sighing he sat to try and come up with a plan to finally discover who this man was possibly the greatest hero of the empire.
Alatem had awoken alone, getting dressed she had just walked into the command center of the Time Raider, Charles turned to tell her what was going on when he suddenly doubled over in pain. "Ally what's going on? Has he been hit?" Alatem asked.
"No," Ally said after a few minutes, "It appears that we have to travel forward again, though he is removed from time as I stated before, he is important to the past and the future. It appears that at times he must travel back to his time. All the effects that he has set in motion require his presence in his time, almost a correlation of his body in his time. The readings I am receiving indicate that he is an anchor for both, at certain times he must appear there a short time to stabilize time in both periods."
Alatem's mouth gaped open, though she was still having a little difficulty with all the time theories, this one she remembered. "Ally are you telling me that Charles is one of the living focal points of time and space?"
Ally giggled a bit, "Yes, and who knew that he'd be as brilliant as he is? He has the hands of a surgeon," Ally said with a longing sigh.
"Will he have to travel all the time?" Alatem asked a little concerned.
"From what I detect no, only when he affects time in slightly major or major events. This saving of the family the fourth time has extended the empire twenty five years now before it falls. Though I have noticed something strange about the readings he took of the assassins." Ally quipped back.
"Strange? In what way?" Alatem asked a look of concern crossing her face.
"I'm not sure we will have to test further but the assassins don't appear to be real." Ally replied a slight sound of shock in its voice.
Alatem was taken aback not real? Ok, now she really was confused it sounded a lot like something that Charles would dream up. Charles groaned as he rolled into a ball on the floor, croaking out he said, "Ally set cour... ," the pain over taking him again.
"Ally set course for Charles's time we need to get there as soon as possible, I'm afraid if we don't this might kill him," Alatem ordered.
"Compliance," Ally quipped back, "engaging time dilator, please secure your hunk." Ally said with a soft giggle. They were almost there the ship began to shake, alarms started to go off all over the ship.
"Ally report!" Alatem yelled above the noise.
"It appears something is wrong with the dilator!" Ally said in an almost panicked voice.
"WHAT!? Can you compensate?" Alatem said as she looked at the readings that were flashing on the console.
"Attempting to now, we're about to fall out of the time slip!" Ally replied as the ship suddenly lurched, then the speed slowed.
"Assessing all systems," Ally said as they came to a stop.
"Any damage to the ship or systems?" Alatem questioned.
"No apparent damage to the ship, all systems operating within tolerable limits, power is at full. Uh-oh," Ally said suddenly.
Alatem's head snapped up from the readings, "What do you mean uh-oh?"
"From the readings I am getting the dilator isn't functioning, we can't go home!" Ally almost yelled.
"Can you ascertain what the problem is?" Alatem said a look of worry spreading across her face.
"That's the problem, I never had any schematics on it, everything was done mainly by Cici and Charles," Ally said sounding almost a little jealous.
Nodding Alatem looked at the com on Charles's wrist, "Cici can you ascertain what the problem with the dilator is? Also is there any way to repair what is wrong?"
An almost monotone voice with a touch of human emotion came back from the com, "Yes miss Allie, it is just a power conducting circuit in the dilator actually simple to repair, for Charles." At the mention of his name Charles sat up.
"Not right now it isn't, I couldn't lift a sonic welder if I wanted too, we have to determine what it is in my time that I have to do. Like always though it's not going to be easy." Sighing Charles slumped into a nearby chair. "Damn it! Looks like I'm not going to be worth a shit for a while, barely able to sit let alone stand and walk."
A look of worry on her face Alatem rushed to his side, "We have to do something, we don't know what allies and enemies are in this time now." Charles nodded still not able to clear his head.
"I have your station in sight Charles, should we go there?" Ally asked a little too sexy for Charles taste, sighing there wasn't much he could do, the emotions and mannerisms were the same as Allie's after all.
"Yes Ally, we'll be safer there for the time being," Charles replied another bout of pain ripping through his stomach. Damn it! It was like getting punched with a giant fist he'd felt some pain before but this was ridiculous.
Moments later Cici took control of the ship; after they docked Charles made his way to his med lab. Not much was different though the systems were the same; some of the tools were slightly off. Shit he felt bad, not even recognizing some of the things he'd built (well his slightly alternate self). Getting on the bio bed he had Cici do a complete work up on his body.
"Beginning bio scan, initiating thermal imaging," Cici quipped. After about twenty minutes Cici finished and rendered its report. "Analysis complete, initial readings indicate the overabundance of Chroniton particles in your body resulting in you being pulled in both directions toward the past and present."
Charles nodded "Possible suggestions to counteract?
"I postulate two scenarios," Cici replied, "the first is to remain here in this time for approximately five days, ten hours, twenty five minutes and thirty seconds."
"And the second?" Charles asked, though he felt he wasn't going to like the answer.
"The second," Cici replied, "is to undergo the time removal treatment again. Though speculation and data supplied by Ally suggests that your chances of surviving the amount of time you would have to be exposed, are projected at twelve point nine seven five percent. I therefore don't suggest taking option 2."
Charles smirked, just like his own humor Cici was starting to be a damn wise ass. "I think we need to work on your bed side manner Cici, it's not that good right now."
"Charles, you yourself programmed me to always give the facts," Cici replied matter-of-factly.
Charles was about to reply when his proximity alert went off, running as fast as his weak legs could go he clicked on the main screen. Not far off from the station a strange but slightly familiar ship was slowing to just outside the shield.
"Charles I am receiving a message from Julie the supply pilot." Cici said "Put her on," Charles replied.
"Charles! Thank god! I thought you were dead! When you pulled that stunt last time with that band of thugs the Kronos clan elite. I thought that they had hunted you down. I've got your supplies but I can't stay too long, I don't have the firepower your station does. Also I got a response from central about your message. Permission to come aboard?" Julie asked suddenly all sweet Charles was beginning to wonder what she had up her sleeve.
Alatem left for her ship not wanting to affect this time any more than she had to. Charles stood near the hatch when Julie came aboard, walking right up to him she grabbed his member through his pants, rubbing it to affect a reaction.
"Damn it Charles, I'm going to get a rise out of you. I've heard about that monster you've got in your pants, I want it! The boys at central are so small, I need a magnifier to see them properly I want some real meat, not artificial grown penis!"
"I told you before Julie, I'm not interested," Charles snapped back. It didn't matter what parallel time, world or universe they were in, Julie always seemed to be after him. Now it was to the point that it was finally starting to piss him off.
"I don't care what you say, I'm gonna have you one day," Julie smirked back at him. Tugging on his crotch one last time before sighing and releasing him. Charles watched as Julie's men unloaded all the supplies keeping a close eye making sure no one went anywhere near Alatem's ship.
"I was supposed to give you this in private," Julie said when her men were through unloading. "Though seeing as how you aren't that afraid of any one, I'll read it here."
(Attention Charles Ricksome, Technical advisor to Empire central You need to cease your constant bickering and private war with the Kronos clan. Though they are not actually in power they may be at some point, therefore we at central have reached a decision, either stop or we will have to take action against you) Administrative body Empire central supply and war tech support.
The memories already flooding his mind Rick felt they were always that way. If central wasn't too sure about the outcome they always backed off to a position of neutrality, damn those ass wipes!
"I was told to tell you," Julie started, "many are glad that you have been harassing them. They feel that you are the main reason they haven't tried a coup yet. They want you to continue they just can't say out in the open. You do realize that this is strictly off the record right?"
Charles just nodded sifting through the endless stream of mostly useless crap that were the memories for this time. Thanking Julie (and another grope at his crotch) Charles watched them leave, he had to admit he was starting to feel better somewhat but not what he was used to, at least his head was starting to clear.
Contacting Alatem he waited for her to reappear, walking in she could see the intense struggle Charles was having internally.
"Charles what's wrong?" she asked concern apparent on her face.
"I've been going over what happened after the last attempt, things aren't looking much better," Charles sighed wondering how they were going to straighten up the mess this time.
"Remember the attempt before this last one?" Charles said as he watched Alatem nod. "I learned that another empire had defeated the Mioan Empire after only twenty years. It had tried to encompass all of the vast territory but was defeated. The new conquerors split into two factions, a civil war broke out with the Kronos clan ruling half and the other free.
After this last attempt, the invading empire won twenty five years later but paid a heavy price, as did the Kronos clan that this time, sided with the invading empire. Though still weak they have held off the Kronos till this time. From the memories I have, the eldest and smartest son was killed by me invading the free space, so therefore I have a price on my head now, quite substantial I might add."
Alatem couldn't believe what she heard they'd stopped four attempts on the royal family and the empire still fell! What the hell did they have to do? It seemed every time they advanced the empire something far worse took it down a few years later.
Charles had been going over the dilator for twenty minutes now, though he knew it, he still couldn't see how to repair it. Charles wasn't sure a few minutes later of a strange reading he was getting, "Cici, Ally this reading I've been tracking, it appears to be a type of stabilizing energy, scan the whole area, station included try and pinpoint the source of it."
"Compliance," they both answered at the same time.
Sighing Charles knew they were going to need help this time unless they got the dilator repaired they were stuck in his time for good, and he knew though he hadn't told her, that Alatem was extremely important to the past and future of the empire.
"Charles," Cici broke his thoughts fifteen minutes later, "I have tracked down the source of the energy, it appears to be emanating from within the station a little used area that appears to have been locked for years."
Charles had Cici print up a map as he and Alatem followed it to a well locked door.
"According to the memories I have, this room contains something me/my counterpart developed when he learned of the time dilator. Thing is though I don't know exactly what is in this room." Charles said as he started the long process of opening the series of doors that led to the room. After twenty minutes they were at the door of the room where the strange readings were coming from.
Though Ally and Cici hadn't detected any danger to Alatem or the baby, Alatem decided to hang back outside the door just in case. Walking in slowly Charles saw that it was a small round room extremely well shielded, why? Then it hit him ah! Ok. To keep a certain clan from learning of it and the dilator. Searching the memories he saw that it was indeed a stabilizer but why had he no memory of it or what exactly it did?
"Cici access data file b3b3 alpha omega 1," Charles suddenly said.
"Compliance," Cici replied.
Suddenly a recording and image of Charles appeared in front of the round locked container in the center of the room. "Hello Charles, yes I know that I am you and so forth. Inside this vaculock is something I/we worked on for years. After Alatem appeared the first time, though for you, I am sure she hasn't left your side much. I left this message for the end Charles, all the memories of all the Charles's in all the alternate time lines will eventually coalesce in you. You Charles, are as I am sure you have already found out, are the focal point of the past and the present.
Though none of us ever felt it, you/we are one of the most important living being/entities in over ten thousand years. We have all loved Alatem so we know how you feel. Once you open the vaculock capsule use the stabilizer then relock it, it's the only thing that can screen the energy from being detected. That's it, got to go. Oh! One last thing. Allie, take care of Charles, we are such idiots when it comes to things like sleep and health ok? Alright later." Charles could only stare at the empty space that had been the holo recording.
Alatem walked in and nudged Charles who was still standing in the same spot.
"Charles we have to get going we still don't know what can happen here, we need to get back as soon as possible." Alatem urged.
"We don't have to hurry as long as we are a second after we left we'll be fine," Charles replied still staring at the empty space. Charles looked back at Alatem, though she still wasn't showing she would be soon. They were no closer to her father accepting him than they were when they started this adventure. It was at that moment that he absolutely knew that he loved her. More than anything he'd ever known, done or made hell more than anyone for that matter. "Allie? Are you alright?" Charles asked a little afraid that she was in pain.
"No, but I don't wish to be in another time when I go into labor or if I have complications." Alatem replied surprised that Charles was as worried about her as he was, she still had a ways to go so no need to panic.
Charles only nodded though not really convinced he had to let it go for the time being.
Searching through the myriad of memories that he now possessed Charles finally found how to open the lock. Touching five symbols on the surface of it the lock opened to reveal a golden shining rectangular shaped cylindrical container. Reaching out he touched it for only a few moments, twenty seconds at the most. Drawing his hand back he touched the sides of the lock watching as it closed just as fast. A wide smile on his face Charles turned and took Alatem's hand. Reaching to one side outside all the doors he activated three switches as all the doors shut then started to lock.
"I finally know what to do, let's go Allie we've got work to do!" Charles said as they headed back to the control room. Once there Charles asked Ally to make the new circuits with a much higher ohm resistance.
"I think we're ready to go," Charles said after three hours.
"How?" Alatem asked, "I thought you had to remain here five and a half days."
"Before yes," Charles replied not looking up from the part of the dilator he'd been working on. "The cylinder we found in that room contained a device and a metal that many of the 'mes' had worked on for years. It seems that they have been at it for a while. When we came forward they were, you might say, absorbed by me. Like I had been split into many parts that were just starting to come back together. The device balances me, I was out of sync, the device puts my body and mind where it should be"
"So you're going to be different?" Alatem asked, not too happy she loved this Charles, not a stranger that she would never be able to touch.
Smiling a little Charles held her in his arms, "Different but the same, different in that I'll have all the memories. I'm still the same Charles that you met at first that won't change." Alatem breathed a sigh of relief finally a straight answer.
Charles was about to tell Ally to start the time slip when several proximity alarms went off. Running to the control center Ally and Cici notified him that they had a fleet of two hundred ships fast approaching.
"Cici deploy all shields, bring up weapons array to full, charge all plasma cannons to one hundred percent, I'm not playing this time they want to die so be it!" Charles snarled.
The ships took up an overall pattern of attack around the station; Ally informed them that once again her weapons were offline. Charles was adjusting settings by the readings he was getting 'hmm' seems they had improved a little since last time.
Suddenly the speakers crackled to life, "Alright you bastard, now that we've found you it's time for you to die!" A familiar voice said. Charles watched for almost an hour as they tried to once again pierce his shields, not really worried Charles worked on updating Cici's files on all the inventions that he/them had worked on. Once done he sat for a few minutes then decided to end this.
"Alright you've been trying for an hour now, still not ready to give up?" Charles asked pretty sure he knew the answer.
"NEVER" Came the reply.
Sighing Charles targeted twenty ships, adjusting his power settings a moment, pressed four buttons watching as all twenty winked out of existence. "Now then, if I didn't kill you this time the next just might. Do you seriously want to take that chance?"
There was a sudden crackle from the speakers again, "You son of a bitch! You've killed more sons of the Kronos clan! We will never rest till you are dead! We'll..."
Tired of this idiot's tirade Charles targeted all four ships around him and flipped a switch then pressed a button they too were gone in a flash. "Leave NOW! Before I really get mad. You got off easy that was only twenty four ships as you can see I KNEW where you were. It could have as easily been all two hundred hundred of you. If I see you again I won't miss you bragging piece of filth!" Charles shouted as almost all of the ships turned tail.
Charles watched them fleeing knowing that the blow heart leader, had to have one more say once he felt he was safe. Sure enough, what they thought was out of his range they stopped the leader spewing out, "You can't resist the might of the entire clan!"
Sighing Charles activated the plasma cannons, firing only one shot he watched as it destroyed another thirty ships.
"I told you to go, before I wasn't mad you are still well within my range, now I AM starting to get mad." Charles growled out. This time they all turned and ran at full speed. "Ally ativ..."
"Time slip in one minute," Ally Chimed in, "please buckle in."
Shaking his head Charles knew she was starting to be able to predict what he wanted almost as well as Allie, sighing he now had to do something about her father. Charles didn't want Allie to be a fugitive but he didn't want to be away from her. After all he would die for her, he loved her too much not to.