Lost Empire 43

0001 – Tempro                                             0403 – Johnathon                    
0003 – Conner- Thomas                             0667 – Marco – Brown                 
0097 – Ace – Zimmel                                     0778 – Jan                   
0098 – Lucy                                                   0798 – Celeste
0101 – Shelby (mother ship) – Derrick      0908 – Tara – Mara             
0125 – Lars                                                    0999 – Zan                      
0200 – Ellen                                                  1000 – Sherry –  Lucie (for the moment)                                    
0301 – Rodrick               


Derrick had spent the next few days crawling around the internal spaces of Shelby’s computer systems. At least now she had minimal propulsion and at least a fifty percent light shield. Still he hadn’t been able to get her holo-systems to boot up yet, though as she had informed him she was in the process of the re-gen of it now.
 
Derrick had started to listen to the first emperor’s speeches. The man was brilliant as far as Derrick was concerned. Though Derrick wished he could advise the man he knew to do anything to warn the man would lead to disaster. Sighing he started to replace another ruined circuit panel when he received a shock not paying attention.
 
Shaking his hand to get the feeling back he pushed the circuit into place. A moment later there was a hum then Shelby appeared beside him. “Now that’s more like it!” Derrick said as Shelby smiled.
 
“I’m am so happy you find me to still be as beautiful as the first time we met Derrick!” Shelby giggled.
 
“I have always found you gorgeous Shelby. I just wish we could get you up and running.” Derrick said with a sigh.
 
“The areas you repaired today have enabled my holo system. I am also reading an increase in the re-gen cycle. Ah! Derrick I am finally able to access my hyper space engines. Also I was wrong about the launching of the other ships as I remember there was a problem with Tempro that delayed the launch another two weeks.” Shelby informed Derrick.
 
Nodding Derrick went back to work; they would need everything working when they finally found a way back. Going over all the repairs he’d done so she could take over, Derrick decided it was time he looked at the trans-warp re-gen part of the Matrix. Opening that part of the system he shook his head every part of it was dark and dead.
 
Damn it! Derrick was going to kill that son of a bitch if it was the last thing he did! Yanking out the first of what had to be over a hundred complicated systems Derrick started in on the system.
 
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 Kimison was finally starting to feel better as he pushed his way up to the surface. Opening his eyes he was in the med-bay what the hell? Looking around he had to do a double take when he thought he saw Rayburn sitting at a table nearby.
 
“I thought you were gone for good.” Kimison croaked out as he tried and failed to rise off the med-bay table.
 
“I was then Mary told me that you had collapsed, that there was no one to get to you. She also told me that Tempro couldn’t use the IMT where you are. I figured you were trying to kill yourself, so I came back, temporarily.” Rayburn advised Kimison
 
“Look,” Kimison croaked, “I didn’t want you to go ok? You did that all on your own.”
 
“I felt it was what you wanted after you withdrew from me and the work we were doing. What the hell was I supposed to think?” Rayburn shot back his ire starting to rise a bit.
 
“After what you said what were you expecting?” Kimison tried to yell back though unsuccessfully.
 
Rayburn shook his head he hadn’t come back to fight. “I’m leaving as soon as possible that way you don’t have to put up with me anymore.” Rayburn said in a near whisper.
 
“I don’t freaking think so!” Kimison said a look of fright on his face.
 
“Look it is obvious that…” Kimison started. Then he’d turned to face Kimison seeing the look of fear on the man’s face. “What? Why are you looking so afraid? I thought you’d be happy for me to go!”
 
“No!” Kimison said a look of complete terror on his face. “Please, I can’t go through that again. Please.” Kimison was saying in a pleading whisper.
 
Rayburn’s mouth hung agape as he could only stare at Kimison. “Go through what? Rayburn said a look of shock on his face.
 
“Being alone again, locked away from every living person I know.” Kimison said a vacant look in his eyes. “I can’t go through that again. The loneliness would kill me, it almost did last time. When I heard the commander’s voice I thought I had finally died and was finally out of that hell of a veteran’s center.” Turning Kimison stared straight at Rayburn whispering. “Don’t make me go back there! Please!”
 
Rayburn watched in shock as Kimison broke down in tears. “I would never…” Rayburn started, when they both heard the trans-warp engines wind up on board Tempro. As they both watched they were suddenly with the other ships that were near Duke Risen’s planet.
 
Tempro appeared and bowed to both of them. “I am sorry Corporal, Sergeant but I have imperial orders.” Suddenly they were sitting on the floor beside the command chair empress Shelby was sitting in. A shocked look appeared on her face as they all watched Tempro emit an odd blue beam. Space rippled like water in front of Tempro as he accelerated forward into the waves and vanished!
 
Shelby shook her head, “Temporal displacement, and transference, interesting.” Turning she looked at both of the shocked men at the foot of her command seat.