Chapter 74

0001 - Tempro
0003 - Conner- Thomas
0097 - Ace - Zimmel
0098 - Lucy
0101 - Shelby (mother ship)
0125 - Lars
0130 - Gillese
0200 - Ellen
0250 - Tendra
0301 - Rodrick
0403 - Johnathon
0778 - Jan
0798 - Celeste - Shelby (human)
0805 - Toran
0808 - Radella
0881 - Handrax
0908 - Tara - Mara
1000 - Sherry

Ungrown - unnumbered

0100 - Derry (father ship)

Rescued from Tendraxians
so far

4 on Shelby 2 in re-gen
8 on Lucy

Known and OR numbered

0501 - Thaddeus
???? - Lena

missing - 0667 - Marco
0999 - Zan - still lost

Derrick was still in deep thought when the door to the bridge opened. Looking up Derrick nodded as Dempsy entered followed very closely by Onai and Akira Dempsy. Slightly shaking his head, Derrick sighed, Onai he figured, possibly Akira Dempsy, though not both at the same time.

“As you ordered sir.” Dempsy stated as he snapped off a salute.

“I may have another mission for you. It appears that Jimison engaged in a mating ritual/fight with the Delcron Emperor’s daughter.” Derrick said.

Kimon’s eyes went wide as soon as he heard this. “I take it that there are dire circumstances?”

“That’s to say the least,” Derrick said a look of irritation on his face. “Then we have the Tendraxian survivors that seem to be terrified by me!”

Derrick look behind himself at the slightly trembling females huddled together. He barely shook his head in disbelief about that.

Kimon’s face held mock surprise, “No way sir, not you!”

Derrick turned quickly to stare at Kimon. Reaching in his pocket, Derrick produced a star emblem. Holding it out to look at, he again turned to stare at Kimon.

“I hope that you still remember, what I told you last time about mocking me. I still need another Brigadier General for the ground forces.” Kimon slowly backed away not saying a word, seeing the almost evil smile on Derrick’s lips.

Bowing low Kimon finally spoke, “Sire, I would never mock you. I live to serve you, sir.”

Derrick eyed Kimon suspiciously then slowly nodded. “As I said, we or rather I have multiple problems. Besides the first two, the Delcron Emperor and his daughter are expecting another ritual fight to finally end this. Though I am inclined to order Jimison to go with them, they also have their traditions.”

Kimon was about to speak then he nodded, his own people were nothing if not slaves to their traditions. “I understand now sire, I imagine that they feel that they would be nothing without them.”

A small smile, slowly crept to Derrick’s lips, he’d hoped that Kimon would respond like that. He knew that the Jitakuans had a good amount of traditions as the Delcrons did. Derrick had actually read the first hundred or so pages finding more than a few similarities between the two.

“I still have need of Jimison, I have that damnable Duke who escaped. We still have a major Creagon queen out there, the Delcrons might declare war if this isn’t handled right. We have over hour hundred ninety ships out there that need to be found and re-gened, that we know where they actually are. Then, there is your compatriots, Kimison and Rayburn, if they don’t kill themselves I just might.” Here Derrick slightly bowed his head, “then there is the matter of your joining. THAT, I will not let be delayed again.”

Both Kimon and Onai’s mouths dropped open, then they both bowed to the floor to Derrick. “You honor the both of us sire. I will endeavor to actually earn the honor you have given us.” Kimon said.

Derrick stared hard at Kimon, “You have earned the honor many times over. You have always served with honor this is a slight payment for all that you have done.”

Onai and Kimison could only stare at each other, this seemed almost too good to be true.

“Now, let’s discuss this upcoming challenge, though we might have to wait ‘til the empress finishes with the book.” Derrick said. He then lowered his head and voice as he was quiet a moment. “We also have to plan for the honoring ceremony for Captain Brown.

Kimon nodded as he also bowed his head. “He died with great honor, doing what he felt was the right thing to do. It was an honor to briefly know him.”

Derrick nodded as he started in with what he could of the coming challenge.

It was three days later when Shelby finished the Delcron ritual book. Derrick had been through almost all of it surprising Shelby, being able to read it far faster than she thought he could.

Derrick had explained everything that he could to Kimon, the man only nodding to Derrick the whole time. After Kimon then Onai made several suggestions, Derrick spent almost the whole two days they had left deep in thought.

It was almost the end of the fourth day traveling, when Shelby notified Derrick. “Derrick?” she said when she appeared.

Derrick’s head snapped up, “Is everything alright Shelby?”

“Yes, I wanted to let you know that the next two are ready to emerge.” Shelby said.

“Good I’ve been waiting for them. These are two of those that the Tendraxians had?” Derrick asked.

“Yes, I am just hoping that your suggestion will aid them.” Shelby replied.

All stood there waiting for what was about to happen. A few moments later static was heard from the speakers, static that slowly became voices.

“H-hello?” A hesitant female voice stated. “Is anyone there?”

“It is good to hear you again, 0130!” Shelby said.

“Mother!” The female voice quickly responded.

“0130? Is that you?” A male voice suddenly stated out of the static.

“0881! It is good to hear you again.” 0130 said.

“It is good to have both of you back again. The new Emperor wishes to have a word with you.” Shelby said.

“The Emperor,” they both stated with awe in their voices.

“As I have with all of your brothers and sisters, I wish to have a name to call you by.” Derrick said.

A moment later two holograms of young and slender male and female appeared before Derrick.

“Sire,” 0130 said as she bowed. “I was only called Gillese for a very short time.”

Derrick nodded as he turned toward the young male hologram. 0881’s head still bowed he stated, “I was called Handrax Sire. Though also for only a short time. Sire? If I may ask are there many of us left?”

Derrick smiled as he turned toward the fifteen holograms that were behind the two new comers.

“Well,” Derrick started, his smile getting larger. “perhaps you should look behind you.”

With that, both turned large smiles on their faces, staring as the fifteen holograms there greeted them.

“I do not wish to put a damper on our victory, please remember, we lost Marco today.” Here Derrick bowed his head as he almost whispered. “We also lost his human prime, Captain Mack Brown. This alone makes me far more angry than anything else. As soon as this business with the Delcron’s is finished, we will hold a memorial service.”

All the ships bowed their heads as they remained silent for Brown and Marco.

Deep within the bowels of Johnathon, Jimison was hiding as far from the trouble as he could. He’d studied all that he could get his hands on. He knew almost every place to hide from the A.I., where it’s sensors were almost nonexistent.

Equipped with everything that he thought he’d need, he foresaw no one finding him for quite some time. Well, that was ‘til he felt himself being enveloped in an IMT beam. Shit he thought, as a moment later he appeared before Admiral Hartwell.

“How? I was...” Jimison started shocked that they had found him. “There is no way that the A.I. could have pin pointed me

Derrick turned toward Hartwell a moment before turning back to Jimison. “I also feel the same way, IF I didn’t need you as badly as I do, I’d have ALREADY given you to them. You just don’t realize the world of shit you’re in do you?”

When Jimison could only stare at Derrick, Gunter almost slapped the man. Derrick’s interceding was the only thing that saved the man any pain.

“Well? By all rights, the Delcrons have a legitimate claim to you.” Derrick again growled. “Just what in the hell would you do in my position?”

When Jimison only stared at Derrick with a pissed off look, Derrick nodded to Ma ry. Two electrodes slid from the wall, administering a short shock to Jimison. A few moments later when Jimison stopped shaking Derrick spoke again.

“I was expecting an answer from you. Now then unless you want more, what would you have done?” Derrick stated his arms crossed as he waited.

Jimison looked up at Shiloh, Grant then finally Derrick, with a look of anger. “In order to save everyone, I guess almost exactly what you did.”

“YOU GUESS!?” Derrick shouted losing his temper a moment, then stepping close to Jimison. “Be glad I am not there I swear I’d damn near throw you in the brig, ‘til she got there to take you away.”

Jimison started to shake uncontrollably when Derrick growled then turned to Hartwell.

“I’ve got everything that you advised sir. We should be more than ready though I am not liking having five ships out of commission.” Hartwell said a worried look on his face.

“We won a great victory today, though we lost also. We need to get this over with as soon as possible. Both sides need to grieve, before we go after those damn insects, I want them to pay, pay like never before.” Derrick said, the anger edging his voice, his hands clenched.

It was taking all Emperor Kandra and the crew could do to keep the princess Difina from harming herself and the crew.

Kandra stopped at the infirmary, checking with the thirty or so that she’d already put there. They needed to get this over fast if she was going to remain sane. It appeared as if the mating fever, was far more worse than he at first thought.

The humanoid Emperor had said that they were only a day or two away from where they were going. With a sigh Kandra shook his head, he just hoped that she, the ship, and the crew survived that long.

Kandra was about to head off the bridge when, they received a signal from the humanoid fleet. Turning Kandra listened then took over the conversation.

“Emperor Kandra,” Derrick stated with a slight nod to the feline Emperor. Kandra was returning the nod when the view moved to show, a secured Jimison with a look of defeat on his face. “I was showing you that he has been secured as per your traditions. We...”

A growling gasp behind Kandra, caught all there by surprise. “So there you are!” Came an angered female voice, “to run off after winning a prize like this.” Here Difina turned to show each side of her trim, muscled feline body, then bowing to Jimison. “Since you failed to claim it, you must show just course under our laws as to why you reject me. If no such is shown, then I will have no choice than to destroy you.”

Jimison started to open his mouth when Derrick spoke up. “Princess Difina, I ask your forgiveness in this matter. Your potential mate was under Imperial orders to return as quickly as possible. Otherwise, I am sure that he would have stayed.”