Chapter 49

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

Looking at the charge on the holo/micro shield projector Derrick sighed as he leaned over the man he’d snapped the neck of. Pressing all three buttons twice a beam shot out scanning up and down the dead man’s body. Pressing another combination, Derrick’s appearance changed to that of the dead man even as a huge number of men came through.

“Ya see ‘er?” The man in the lead asked. Derrick just grunted shaking his head no. “C’mon she’s no get far.” The man said egging the other men on. Leaning over the leader whispered to Derrick, “When ya see her kill ‘er nice ‘n quick!” The leader laughed as he went after the rest of the group. Laughing the men moved off.

Derrick breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the violent group of men move off. Shit! What was he going to do? Tempro was the only one that had the power to retrieve him. Shelby had power though he’d have to get further from the palace before she could use her IMT. Shaking his head this reminded him of when he had been back in Gregor’s time.

Derrick stopped a moment, was there a way that he could risk it? He had both sets of codes. Sighing he nodded his head yes this appeared to be the only way. It would be almost a day before all the counter measures he’d entered into Tempro to take complete effect. I knew I should have entered them sooner.

Shaking his head again Derrick slowly made his way further toward the palace, further into the midst of the ongoing battle.

[Sire where are you going?] Derrick heard Tempro’s thoughts.

[I have to get within the palace, it might be the only place I will be safe. At least ‘til such time as all the protocols I reset in you take effect.] Derrick thought back to Tempro.

[I understand that Sire, though I would advise against it. You aren’t known to either side as a matter of fact you can’t be known. As far as they all are concerned you are the enemy. I feel that neither would hesitate to terminate you. Please Sire, reconsider this course of action!] Came Tempro’s frantic thoughts.

Sighing Derrick stopped a moment. [I am a target no matter where I am, at least within the palace I’ll be less at risk especially when Mary enacts emergency shutdown, protective cover solution.] Derrick looked at his chronometer. [If I’m not mistaken that should take place in an hour or two.]

[Yes Sire, though ‘til such time it is extremely dangerous there. Mary won’t recognize you without a DNA test, even with the codes.] Tempro told me.

A wry smile appeared on Derrick’s face. [I guess she’ll have to perform one. When she finds that I am who I say I am then I can just order her to delete the information.] Derrick said.

[Sire, are you sure she will?] Tempro asked.

[Oh I’m very certain your mother is nothing if not loyal. Though I will have to word it exactly what I need her to do.] Derrick thought.

[Do you wish for me to word it for you so there are no mistakes?] Tempro asked.

[I do believe that will be a good idea. In the mean time how long before you can use the IMT?] Derrick asked.

[Even as we think, the counter measures are reverting everything back to normal. I am afraid that as you thought it will be almost a whole day before I can effectively use the IMT!] Tempro told Derrick.

[Alright just keep working on it for now I have to get to the palace before Mary closes it off.] Came Derrick’s urgent thoughts as he quickened his pace toward the palace.

Kimison and Rayburn both gave a great sigh when they saw history change back towards what they knew it should be. “Empress?” Kimison said as he turned toward Shelby. “It appears that we were successful. Everything up to five hundred years ago is now as it should be. Now reading changes in time two hundred years ago. Shit!”

Shelby jumped up looking over both men’s shoulders. Damn it! It appeared as if Derrick was in the midst of the last two days of the empire! “Has he managed to change anything yet?” She asked.

“At first it appeared that all were killed when the palace fell. A moment ago that changed when the Empress and her son disappeared from the palace. Much has changed though for the moment there is nothing of her ever being found!” Kimison snapped his head to look at Rayburn. “You think that the additional data has confused Tempro?”

Rayburn was typing furiously then suddenly stopped. “It appears he didn’t get enough.” Looking at Shelby, Rayburn said. “I’m afraid that we need to send another data burst.”

“You both do realize that the last we sent damn near burned out the redoubler. Not just on Celeste but the others also. If we do this again we will have to completely synchronize ALL the ships to keep this from happening.” Shelby told both men.

Both of them smiled as they looked at each other. “I don’t think that will be a problem. Well, as long as we can link to all of them. You see Rayburn and I already have a link.”

Shelby nodded she’d thought that they moved and thought too close to what the other was, NOT to have a link. “Alright, I am trusting the two of you. Bring the emperor home!”

“Yes your highness!” They both said as they started back in typing, calculating.

Greeson had relieved the man watching the Duke hours ago. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the men and women under him, far from it. He didn’t trust the Duke as far as he could throw him, preferably out an air lock. Greeson smiled at his joke, he hoped that whoever did get to kill the bastard did it slow and painfully.

A moment later the Duke started to yell again. “Let me out! You are holding a high ranking noble of the empire. I will have you whipped to death. Whipped ‘til the flesh is hanging from your bones! You there I said...”

Greeson growled as he opened the outer door. Closing it he opened the inner door. A fist was flying at Greeson as he started to laugh, it was in slow motion! Moving behind the Duke Greeson tapped the man on the shoulder. Even as the Duke was turning Greeson clipped the Duke up side his head, effectively knocking the man to the floor.

Putting his foot on the Duke’s throat Greeson growled, “You are nothing! The Emperor has all that you did, the money that you paid the sect! Your voice inciting the aliens to invade! All your doing. The only thing you can look forward to is dying, you piece of scum! Now shut the hell up or would you prefer I numb your throat so you can’t talk?”

When the Duke looked up at Greeson his eyes went wide as he recognized the man that had captured him.

“Well? You were talking your head off a moment ago. What’s it going to be? Quiet or no voice?” Greeson growled.

Again the Duke’s eyes went wide as Greeson drew back his hand. Placing his hands over his mouth Greeson smiled.

“Good! See how easy that was?” Leaning close Greeson whispered. “No one is going to help you. All the people here are fiercely loyal to the Emperor. So I suggest you stop trying to bribe them.”

Walking to the door Greeson walked through it as the Duke attempted again to render Greeson unconscious. Shaking his head, the Duke’s face met Greeson’s fist, then a hand appeared from nowhere knocking him back into the room, out cold.

Derrick had been weaving his way closer to the palace though he wasn’t quite there yet. Damn it! Looking at his chronometer he didn’t have much time! Twenty minutes later he was finally within the palace grounds, he still needed to get inside though. Creeping along he finally made it to the wall, pressing several places he watched as a door opened.

Breathing a sigh of relief he stepped inside. Waiting a moment Derrick nodded when no alarms went off. So far so good he thought. Now all I have to do is get to Mary before she blasts the hell out of me. Smirking he thought, ‘then there was what was left of the palace security also.’

Moving as quickly as he could, Derrick went as far and deep as he could. Listening at the door he wasn’t sure if it was safe or not. Peeking out he saw the massive destruction that had been done due to the battle.

Creeping out, he was almost to the computer room when a voice stopped him cold.

“I suggest that you stop right now. I don’t know who you are nor do I care. Just know that you are about to die!” The cold voice told him.

Diving behind a statue Derrick started to finger the holo projector. Hope this works Derrick thought, the charge is at twenty five percent. Not sure if the shield could stop an energy weapon.

Sitting not moving Derrick heard the tall, muscular, security officer move toward him. There was a gasp then the man was saying with confusion, “Your highness! I thought a rebel was here. I apologize for not recognizing you! We need to get you to safety!” With that the man held out his hand to Derrick.

“Take me to the computer room. It has higher defenses than anywhere in the palace!” Derrick said surprising the man.

“But Highness! It is too dangerous to stay here! May I suggest...” The man protested.

“No, take me there now!” Derrick said forcefully.

Nodding the man bowed and led Derrick toward the computer room. Derrick had just stepped in when the security man went down bleeding from his chest. Pushing Derrick the rest of the way in, the door sealed.

A moment later Mary’s hologram appeared. “Empress I... , intruder alert! Intruder alert! You have ten seconds to recite proper codes before you are expunged!”

Taking a deep breath Derrick recited the codes that Shelby had given him in Gregor’s time. “Sigma, epsilon, chi, upsilon, rho, epsilon, alpha, lambda, lambda. Alpha, chi, chi, epsilon, sigma, sigma. Alpha, lambda, epsilon, rho, tau. Alpha01, Delta02, Delta03, Omega04, Nu05. Enact and transfer.”

All was quiet a moment then Mary repeated all that Derrick had just spoken. “Secondary control has been transferred. Please submit genetic material for deoxyribonucleic acid test to confirm. All security measures have been enacted to seal this room ‘til such time as identity confirmation.” A moment later a vial appeared next to Derrick, there was a quick pinch then it was withdrawn. “Now commencing test.”

Derrick nodded as he watched what was going on outside the room and the rest of the palace. Shaking his head grimacing he watched as the security force was steadily overcome. The palace forces were good but the sheer numbers against them were by far too much.

Derrick sat as he could only watch as more and more of the palace came under the rebellion’s control. There was a movement next to Derrick then Mary appeared. “Deoxyribonucleic acid test complete. Results are as follows. All genetic markers indicate within ninety five point five percent that you are of direct relation to the imperial line. Sire,” Mary said as she bowed low to Derrick causing him to groan.

“So you are saying that I am related to the emperor? Good then...” Derrick started.

A startled look came over Mary’s face as she shook her head no. “No sire, you ARE the emperor! The Emperor was assassinated as were almost all known male members of the family. You are the only male member related to the family that is known to be left alive. I have thereby started to shut...”

“NO! Do not stop the emergency shutdown, protective cover solution! When the last of the royal family within the palace ceases, then I want you to proceed. I am of no consequence in that respect!” Derrick was suddenly advising her.

Mary seemed to hesitate a moment then stated. “Yes Sire, continuing all protocols. Sire if these are enacted, I am afraid that you also will cease within a short period of time. I am also afraid that I do not have a name to call you by.” “ For now Sire will do. Though I am not taking the throne, I am afraid that I will not be here that long.” Derrick told a startled Mary.

Mary nodded as she was deep in thought. “As I said Sire, I do not know exactly who you are though I am starting to think that you might be out of time.”

Derrick kept his expression as passive as he could after Mary stated what she had. It wouldn’t do for her to learn everything possibly keeping it all stored within her memory. Derrick couldn’t really risk her possibly changing something later on in the next two hundred years.

Turning back towards the monitors Derrick grimaced even more. A second wave of rebels was sweeping into the palace even stronger than the first. Derrick could only shake his head there had to be thousands of the rebel dead out there. Still they were coming like an unending wave of humanity deeper into the palace.