Charles tried to open his eyes, a small groan erupted from his dry throat. Christ what in the hell hit me he
thought, feels like I’ve been hit several times. “Alatem,” He heard a sexy voice say, “he’s awake dermal regeneration
at 95%, all ribs have been set and are now at 79% I estimate Charles will be healed within 5 hours.”
What the hell Charles thought he’d tried to rise but found that he was restricted to whatever he was laying on.
“Ally?” He asked a little bewildered, “ALLY!,” a little louder.
“Coming Charles!” He heard from the other side of the room, a soft sound of feet then she was beside him.
“What the hell happened?” He asked still trying to rise, “why the hell can’t I move?”
“When you got most of Allie back, she had to immobilize you in order to start the healing process. When I was trying
to start your heart I not only bruised your ribs, I also broke a few of them,” this last she spoke in almost
whispered tones. “Your injuries weren’t that healed when you went back in, the auto restart almost got you. The
second part of Allie tried to stop it but was over ridden by the third part. When you started to back out as fast as
you did, you reinjuryed your skin and ribs.”
“I need to reactivate the last part of her, she has vital information that we need to finish this, plus the
fact that without her cici has shut down. I need all of her and him.” Charles said trying a third time to rise off
the bio-bed.
A few hours later Charles was crawling toward the forth and final section of the main frame, from what he colud see a
lot around him was damaged. Finally reaching the fourth core faster this time, as this section of Ally she had been
able to disengage all the safeguards, all the firewalls, all the internal security and half of the internal traps,
problem was there were more added and these Allie could only half deactivate. An hour later Charles reached the
chamber, he’d barely gotten it open when he heard the re-gen try to start.
“Try to hold it off, Allie!” He yelled above the whine of the machines.
“I am attempting to stall it Charles, it appears the advanced portion is trying to break out and
reintegrate.” Allie said. Another 30 minutes had the chamber open with all contained within spilling out.
“Charles!” started Allie, “Evacuate immediately! I can not hold it off for longer than 15 minutes then it will start
to repair. Then I’ll only be able to stall it but if you aren’t most of the way out, I might not be able to hold it
back!”
Charles started to push out as hard as he could, fifteen minutes later he was sweating barely more than half way out,
looking where he’d been he saw it was slowly starting to move toward him. His feet were barely out the access panel
when Allie, had a claw loader grasp his ankles hauling him out the last six feet in a hurry.
“That was a narrow escape, sometimes I think you do that trying to kill me Charles!” Alatem said throwing her arms
around him.
“Charles,” came an almost whispering Allie, “I would have never forgiven my self had you been hurt, thank you for
saving me, again.”
“That’s alright, though I am not sure how were going to retrieve cici,” Charles stated. “His mainframe is throughout
time, my com was the only way I had of contacting him and it appears to be shut down as cici is.”
“I don’t know what you expect of me Charles, besides with IT gone I can be with you and Alatem alone now.” Allie said
in a pissed offed mood.
“But Allie,” Charles started.
Shaking her head and staring at Charles Alatem spoke up, “Allie replay ship’s recording time index zeta 5
through zeta 10.”Of course Alatem but I…” Ally started.
They all heard as the recent past was played, “I’m sure you felt what I was doing Allie.” came Charles’s voice
“No Allie! there has to be another way, not this way,” Alatem whispered.
“Yes Charles, I appreciate the effort, I have no choice either way if I don’t activate it, the raiders will blow us
out of space, if I do I will save all of you but I might never be again. Princess Alatem I would sacrifice my self
for you anytime after all,” Allie giggled, “I am you, engage Charles, and cici?”
“Yes Allie?” replied cici’s voice.
“I’ve heard all this Alatem,” Allie said
“Let it finish Allie,” Alatem answered.
“I love you,” they heard Allie say. There was a momentary sound of ships exploding.
Suddenly there was silence then, “Allie?” came a mournful cici’s voice, “ALLIE! Talk to me please, talk to… me.”
The sound of Alatem crying muffled then an almost lost sounding cici crying as he whispered “I love you, my beautiful
Allie”
At that, there was no sound from anyone, then a slow and mournful crying erupted from Allie’s speakers.
“NOOOO! Charles! You are the most brilliant human I have ever seen, please help my cici!” Allie begged.
Charles could only stare at Alatem when it suddenly hit him what she’s done.
Deciding to play along Charles kept up the charade, “why? he asked, “with IT gone you can get to know me better and
have more time with Ally.”
“Please Charles!” Allie was begging now, “I’ll do anything! Please help my love, my cici!”
“Alright,” Charles said looking over at Alatem who was shaking her head, while she smirked at him. “I need you to
take us back to my time as quickly as possible, from there I may be able to effect repairs to cici.”
“Please secure yourselves,” Allie said between her sobs, “Engaging in 5 seconds.”
Charles felt the ship accelerate then slip into the time stream. Adjusting his com, Charles started to gather all the
tools he thought he’d need besides those on the station.
“2 minutes ’til we emerge, I hope you can repair him. I have never seen a human your equal yet Charles.” Charles
could almost feel for Ally, from the sobbing that he was hearing he hoped she too, didn’t shut down if this didn’t
work.
This time when they emerged, it was by far, smoother than had been in the last 2 slips. Looking at his com he
saw that it was again working though it was just barely.
“cici,” called Charles, “we are on approach please prepare.
“Yes Charles,” came an almost unemotional voice, “pad 1 is open for your arrival, will that be all?”
“No, I want you to run a level 4 diagnostic, I want the results when I make command,” Charles commanded.
“Compliance, level 4 is running, I will be offline when you enter command. Read outs will be on the main screen.” the
mono-voice replied.
Dam it! Charles was afraid, if he didn’t hurry he was going to lose all of his cici. “Ally, transfer me immediately
upon docking to command, I need to get there as fast as possible!” Charles ordered.
A frightened Allie began to move the ship as fast as she could, he sobs becoming louder.
Charles went to work as fast as he could, he couldn’t remember the last time he was moving this fast.
Looking over the read outs he soon found the problem.
Opening up a special com line he soon had cici talking. “Hello my friend, I see you’ve retreated back to
here. I don’t really see why you did but cici, Allie’s ok”
“Oh Charles, please don’t be so cruel! I saw her readings flat line!” cici moaned out, “I have lost the only love
I’ll ever have! Please let me die, without her I am nothing.”
“cici, Charles started, “Ally is alive! if you don’t reengage then we all will be lost! Here listen for yourself.”
Charles opened up a channel to the ship. “Ally, could you please put Allie on?”
“Yes Charles,” Alaten replied.
“Alright Allie I have him here,” Charles said hoping this would pull cici back.
“cici my love?” Ally said.
“Al… Allie? but I saw you die! no it can’t be true!” cici shouted.
“I am very much alive but we may not be if you let go, now please, my sweet cici come back to…” Suddenly, every
alarm on board went off.
“Dam it!” Charles cursed as he read multiple enemy ships fast approaching.
Bringing all reactors and shields up, Charles could see that they might not survive. cici had completely
disconnected form the station, I’m good Charles thought, but I am nowhere that good or fast. Sighing Charles brought
all weapons online, problem was he wasn’t that good at a moving target.
“Dam it! cici how long ’til you can reintegrate into the station?” Charles shouted above the alarms.
“I estimate it will take an hour ’til full integration, at present I have shields and reactors. I need at least 15
minutes to take targeting and weapons, though I can not guarantee pinpoint accuracy.” cici replied.
“Like I care about that! Just get reintegrated, I don’t know if i can hold them off that long!” Charles was actually
a little afraid, this was the first time he’d ever had to fire and not know for sure where the shots were going.
Charles watched as the Kronos clan started in on another pass, good thing he’d upgraded the weapons and shields the
last time he was here.
Suddenly he the com crackled, “Hey ass hole!” the second oldest said. “I hope you’re ready to die cause we aren’t
leaving ’til you’re dead!”
Charles started to laugh, looking out he laughed even harder, “shit, thanks for the laugh ass!”
Immediately he felt the twenty ships start to fire. Aiming Charles actually hit the last ship in the
formation, smirking he aimed again this time hitting the next to the last ship. Good 18 le… shit! Here comes 30
more!
“Charles,” cici interrupted his thoughts, “I have partial targeting.”
“Good, help me take them out!” Chsarles said destroying another ship.
“We know your system is down, surrender now before we destroy you!” the second oldest said.
“As if you poor excuse for living shit!” aiming again this time Charles got 2. Well he thought that’s 5 at least I
can say I didn’t go down without killing more of them.
“Charles I need 5 minutes try to get a few more,” cici suddenly interjected.
Smiling Charles thought he was starting to get the hang of it, as he fired off several shots getting 3 more.
The clan backed off for a moment a big mistake, cici was finally in control, firing Charles watched as now 5 more
vanished.
“I suggest you leave before I really get mad, I have full targeting if you wish to all die!” Charles said then
destroyed another 5.
“NO,” several of them yelled, “you heard that, we will destroy you today.”
“No, I will end the clan if you keep coming!” Charles shouted.
“Another 15 minutes and I’ll have even more control, warning am detecting a massive build up and increase in
several of the enemy ships.” cici warned.
There was a sudden shuddering followed by a lurch of the entire station. “cici report!” Charles yelled.
“They overloaded their systems and collapsed the shields reenergizing,” cic replied.
Charles was starting to get pissed, firing as fast as he could taking out another 20 he thought, sighing he began to
tally. I got 5 then 5 more, then these 20. It appears 5 more are out of commission. Better… suddenly the station
lurched to the left sharply.
“Reading 10 of the last 20 ships incapacitated, warning last blast has collapsed aft shield attempting to reenergize.
Warning we have invaders, warning we have borders.” cici warned.
“Arm all sentries in bays 1-6, full tactile, motion sensor array, set all repulse fields to heavy stun. I’m heading
to the landing bays.” Charles stated.
“Careful Charles, this is the Kronos clan, they have had a death bounty on you for years now.” cici advised.
“I will cici,” Charles said over his shoulder as he grabbed a plasma rifle and pistol.
Calling Alatem he warned her, “Ally, we have borders stay in the ship I don’t want you hurt.”
“Charles, I am reading twenty armed men in the ten ships that just landed, be careful.” Allie said.
“Don’t you dare get killed damn it! Our child needs it’s father! That’s an order!” Alatem ordered.
Nearing the landing bays Charles heard several shouts and screams then nothing. “cici sit rep,” Charles asked into
his com.
“I am reading 16 of the invaders unconscious, 4 are 50 meters from your current position.” cici reported.
“Intensify the fields set sentries again, scan to see if the 4 have a jammer,” Charles ordered.
“Scanning, affirmative detecting a high level sonic disrupting jamming device, working…, disabling now. Bringing up
positions now.” A hologram of the landing bays appeared. “Now only detecting 1 conscious enemy unable to disable,
advise proceeding with extreme caution.”
Smirking Charles shook his head not funny cici.
Looking at the out line again Charles crept around ’til he was only 2 meters from the man. The man knew that
that imperial bastard was here some where but…, The man froze when the cold metal barrel of a plasma rifle was
pressed against the back of his skull.
“Go a head Trin, move! I would like nothing better, than to blow your fucking brains all over this landing bay!”
Swallowing hard the man thought towhip around and take the gun, ’til of course he felt the plasma pistol also pressed
into his side. “As I said go a head, you’ve attacked me for the last fucking time you son of a bitch!”
Shakling the man Charles called his cousin, “Sorry to bother you cousin, but these men attacked the station, I’ve
sustained a little damage. “Can you escort them to the dungeons?”
The Empress’s mouth dropped agape, “really? The last of the top 5 sons,” she said shaking her head, how many this
time? she asked tapping her foot
“What? They were miles into empire space,” Sighing, he was cringing at what he knew was coming. “It was only 30, the
other twenty are ok, sort of.” Charles said
“30!?” The empress shouted, are you trying to start a personal war with the Florantines?” Smiling she wrote on a pad.
“Finally I have leverage over that fat ass of a clan leader.”
They had to wait another 2 days for the soldiers to dock and take the prisoners, Charles and cici had almost
the entire station fixed or in the process of getting fixed. Also, in those 2 days Charles was able to build an
actual by pass for Ally in case they ever needed it again. He been going through records looking for anything that
might help. Sighing he’d almost given up when he stumbled across a taped confession by the emperor’s brother, now
just to find something to convince Ally’s father. Charles had also built a larger comp to contain cici, so he could
take more of him with them into the past. Finally hours after the soldiers left they were ready to leave, Charles
made a few last minute adjustments to cici then left.
“Please buckle in,” a happier sounding Allie said, “we slip in 2 minutes.” Charles was feeling better maybe now they
could concentrate more on the problems of Alatem’s family and kingdom.
Charles sat up a moment, “Allie delay for a moment.”
“Yes Charles,” Allie replied.
“Please run a diagnostic, I want to make sure your circuits are finished repairing before we slip,” Charles ordered.
“Compliance though… oh my!” Allie suddenly said. “Thank you Charles, I am detecting 15% still in repair. I am
afraid that had we slipped, we might not have made it. What a brilliant human!” she said while giggling.
Half an hour later they were well on their way, Charles was watching Alatem sleeping when Allie spoke up.
“I wanted to thank you Charles, I know you went through a lot of pain and injury for me and Alatem. You truly love
her don’t you?” Allie asked.
Charles answered without looking away from Alatem, “Yes I do Allie, I don’t know if she realizes it but I’d die for
her though I don’t think she feels the same about me..
“WHAT!? Charles she is carrying your child!” Allie replied .
“I know but as she indicated she was extremely thankful, that isn’t love, lust maybe but not love.” Charles sadly
said.
Allie was about to comment when a warning flashed, “30 seconds til exit of time stream.”
The darkness of space rippled then opened, the Time Raider smoothly exited the time stream. Only a moment then
another light started to blink rapidly, “I am receiving a priority message from the emperor, it appears that rumors
have started to circulate that people have gone missing, the emperor wishes to know what knowledge Alatem has of it.
Hmm it appears the old boy has finally started to take this all serious FINALLY!”
Within a few moments Alatem stirred from her slumber, Allie immediately tols her what her father was asking.
It seemed that Alatem came to the same conclusion, “it has to be my uncle, since he is supposed to be dead, then
captured and in the dungeon. I don’t doubt that he wouldn’t do something like this. He only has 3 sons and we have
the 2 youngest though as we heard him tell his oldest when he was spying, he considers the youngest to be a waste of
time. It’s sad really to never know the love of a parent.”
Charles was nodding, damn no wonder all of them were as bitter as they were. He’d started to go through the records
again as much had changed, after only a few minutes Alatem heard him gasp. “Dam! I should have fucking known!” He
spat out.
Alatem rushed to his side, upon seeing what he had she hissed the growled out, “that traitor! How dare he do this!
Charles we have to stop it! We can’t let him kill MOTHER!”
Charles was already working through a plan to finally end this, but to use Impress Mita as a fucking shield? Growling
he was definitely going to enjoy killing this son of a bitch!
Storming through to the next room Charles loaded every weapon and piece of tech he could. Alatem was almost
afraid to ask what Charles was about to do she hadn’t seen him this mad, to say that he was boiling mad would be an
understatement.
“Charles!” Alatem called after him, “you can’t take him on head first, your plans have worked so well. If anyone sees
you they’ll kill you on site, and remember Trok might not be loyal to father anymore but he is to me. Unfortunately
to my uncle also, I’m afraid that he has most of the guard behind him.”
Charles stopped a moment yes he did, didn’t he? A broad smile suddenly lit up Charles face. Yes! What a better way to
finally end this and get that bastard. Kissing Alatem suddenly, he sat and started to outline the plan he’d just
formed. Alatem’s face went from dismay to a broad smile her self as she agreed with Allie dam her man was brilliant!
TO BE CONTINUED