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
——————————
The Queen of the Vorlons, shuddered as the last of her first mate’s relatives were butchered. Ah, She thought, the sound of death was so delicious to her.
A slightly worried looked came to her features, she hoped it would be enough to persuade the human. It had been far too long since, they had been in space. Space, where her ruling race deserved to be.
The Queen knew from their past dealings of Risen’s lineage, she would have to wait. The only thing she was worried about was the fact that like his sires, he could react counter productively. Enough she feared, to actually annihilate the planet of all life. She knew the human had the fire power.
It was only a few hours later that her com. went off. “All that you wished has been accomplished. I had all the proceedings recorded for your enjoyment.”
The face of Risen appeared, an almost wicked, evil smile dominating his features.
The Ex-Duke nodded slightly before he spoke. “I will review it before I make a decision on, just what I will release to you and your people.”
“I feel that you think, all my people are like that poor excuse for a Vorlon warrior.” The Queen spoke keeping the hope and almost desperation out of her voice.
Risen smiled, she’d tried to hide it, he’d been well trained in the ways of deception. “I will review the punishment, then and only then will I let you know.” With that Risen clicked off smirking at the Queen. Ah, he thought finally things were starting to go his way.
A steady beeping from his console immediately drew his attention. Risen’s mouth dropped open as he recognized the markings on the ship that was passing the dark planet. What in the hell was an imperial trader doing this far out?
The Ex-Duke hit several switches then gasp as he saw that the imperial network had been extended this way almost a whole system. Shit he thought, he was going to have to accelerate his plans. If the empire was starting to fringe expand, the many colonies that were hidden, were in a hell of a lot of danger.
A look of the dampening field on the planet, showed that the passing freighter hadn’t the power to pierce it. Shaking his head, he knew that the larger ships that the bastard fake to the throne had, wouldn’t be fooled.
Risen started to type out several commands, still watching the freighter it grew smaller as it moved away. Finally satisfied, he typed in another command then there was a roar. He smiled as the slender landing; probe ship that had been on the Cregon colony landed next to him.
“All plans that have been requested, are being replicated. All should be ready within the hour.” Probe X-51 reported to him.
Good the Ex-Duke thought, now how to tell the Queen and leave before they showed up to get everything. Risen thought a few moments then a truly evil, twisted smile came to him.
______________________________________________________________________
Kimison and Rayburn both cursed as the small, slender, sentinel on the table started to tremble, then a thick layer of smoke came from it. They both looked at each other then turned back to the plans on the design table behind them.
“Damnit!” Kimison shouted. “I corrected everything that was wrong last time. Why the hell did it fail now?”
“It lasted far longer this time, almost a full minute before failure in all systems. Tempro? Can you bring up where the failures started then we can go from there.” Rayburn said as he was also feeling the pressure to get this project finished.
“Sirs,” Tempro said as a shimmering revealed the older looking holo-gram. “Almost all problems from before have been eliminated. The servo motors were operating with no problems. It appears that something between the positronic brain, the artificial nervous system and the rest of the body failed. Attempting to isolate the first of the problems now.”
Kimison sighed as he sagged into the seat behind him. They had a working model, though when the brain section was activated, everything started to deteriorate. Kimison shook his head it was almost as if the neural pathways were…
Kimison jumped to his feet as he started to type at a frightening speed on the comp.
Rayburn was at the comp next to Kimison watching what the man was inputting. For a few moments Rayburn could only watch then his eyes opened wide as he started to nod. “I hadn’t thought of that,” Rayburn said when Kimison stopped a moment. Rayburn then started to type with Kimison watching and nodding.
Tempro was also watching the proceedings, nodding his head as the two men started to enter data faster and faster. “I concur on many of the facets that the both of you are correcting. I am predicting a greater amount of success with the direction you are going.”
Both men stopped to stare at Tempro, “that is all well and good. We still have to strip and rebuild the entire nervous system. This is going to set us back quite a bit of time, time we can’t afford to lose. With anyone other than the Commander we would be good, with him I feel we are doomed.”
“Hmmm,” Tempro said as he looked at the sentinel from almost every angle. “It might be possible.”
Kimison and Rayburn turned toward Tempro their eyes narrowing. “What are you on about? What might be possible?” Rayburn asked.
“You both realize that the IMT can accomplish what you both are wanting to do?” A slightly smirking Tempro said.
“SHIT!” Kimison said as he slapped his forehead. “With a bit of fine tuning it could be useful in living surgery!”
Rayburn was shaking his head, “let’s just work on the current problem, before we extend out that far.”
Kimison looked at Rayburn with an almost hurt look. A moment later his expression changed as he smiled then nodded.
“I have to agree especially after the IMT accident.” Kimison said, which had the both of them blushing.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Jimison was pacing his room, he had talked to his master finding that, the man would be delayed. Finally calling Difina he suggested that they train as it had been two days of rest. Jimison found that he and Difina were starting to grow antsy with the inactivity.
They both made their way to the training room together. Neither had noticed anyone in the corridors though, that changed when they moved into the room.
Stretching they both started to loosen up. The whole time Jimison thought of the last words their master had spoken to them. [It has been almost two weeks now, neither of you are even near to where you need to be. There is no hope, of learning the more advanced moves, if you cannot move past where you are.]
Jimison, almost faltered in his stretching as the rest of what his master had said, [the both of you have to think, then forget what your eyes see. Feel what is there, then and only then can you go forward. Go, rest, remember what I have said, reach out feel, discover.]
Again, Jimison almost faltered in his stretching, there was no way it could be that easy, could it? As soon as they were finished, Jimison closed his eyes reaching out with his feelings. Startled a moment he could almost see and feel Difina in front of him.
Opening his eyes, he kept his feelings stretched out. He motioned to Difina as she started to attack. Jimison was amazed when she couldn’t get to him, he also blocked everything she threw at him.
Difina stopped suddenly staring at Jimison. “My mate? Is all well? This is the first time I have not been able to touch you.”
“I believe that, I finally understand what master was talking about. He said to feel what is there, not see. When I used the feeling, not what I saw, I was able to avoid all your hits.” Jimison explained to her.
Difina’s eyes went wide as she nodded then closed her eyes. While her eyes were closed her face suddenly registered shock. “My mate? Is it really that easy?”
“Let’s find out,” Jimison said as he assumed a defensive stance. Difina nodded as they started to move faster, all that were outside the room were wide eyed as the two seemed to vanish. The thing was though, they could still feel them, plus the power they were exuding.
More than a few smiled, ah, when they beat her ‘supposed’ mate, then her, they would be the new hero of the empire. Quite a few though, moved away as the power both were showing was increasing steadily.
__________________________________________________________________
Hartwell was still studying all the readings that Johnathon was getting from Bee and her blood. There was a shimmering next to him as Johnathon appeared. “Prime?”
Hartwell looked up seeing the slightly strained look on the holo-grams face. “I take it my sister is asking for me?” Johnathon opened his mouth to speak then shook his head no. “What’s going on?” Hartwell asked slightly worried.
“Prime, you remember the last time she blanked out?” Johnathon started.
“Shit!” Hartwell said, “IMT me there immediately.” Johnathon nodded then Hartwell was beside the bio-bed Lucie was in.
Lucie was sitting up; her eyes were slightly glazed over as she stared straight ahead. Even now, with her brother there, she was somewhat mumbling to herself. “Yes, I hear all of you, we are attempting to come for you. Yes, at the moment all of your whole brothers and sisters are engaged in an operation. Well, most of them.”
Hartwell, could only stare at his sister helplessly. He knew that almost nothing, could nor would break her concentration. Drawing a deep breath, he sat to await her finishing her conversations.
It was not long after that, Lucie, started to get rather agitated. Hartwell jumped to his feet calling Johnathon.
“I am afraid that there isn’t much that I can do. While I can talk to her on the wavelength, I cannot, to the other ships.” A small pneumatic syringe appeared, injecting briefly, “this I hope will help her to maintain her physical and mental levels.”
Hartwell nodded looking only at his sister, “damnit Lucie, I thought I had lost you once. That had damn near killed all that was me. If I lose you again I might never recover, I love you Luce, we’ve just found each other again. I can’t lose you again.”
There was a low groan from the bio-bed, then Lucie’s eyes slowly opened. In a low almost gravelly voice she said, “really? Here I thought you were happy that I wasn’t a constant pain in your ass.”
“Lucie!” Hartwell shouted in joy, a shout that had Lucie cringing a bit,
“Damnit little Johnnie, hold it down some ok? Feel as if, I have been run over by several heavy vehicles, more than once.” Lucie groaned out.
Hartwell winced a bit, then smiled at Lucie. “Well, you might have been a pain in the ass, you were MY pain in the ass. I am so sorry Lucie, all of this was my fault, I just hope that one day you can forgive me.”
Lucie tried to open her eyes wider then found the exercise far too exhausting. “I think that we should talk after this. I mean really talk alone with Uncle Trent and our brother William. Then, they and I, can decide what if anything you need to be forgiven for.”
Hartwell could only stare at his sister a moment, what she had said gave him more hope for the future than she realized.
Lucie was trying to see her brother clearly. The harder she tried to concentrate, the harder it became to see clear.
“Any chance of getting out of here?” Lucie asked.
Hartwell turned to the holo-gram, “It all depends on what Johnathon says.”
Lucie tried to turn her head, finding that it made the throbbing far worse.
The holo-gram Johnathon turned toward Lucie. “I am afraid that until such time as your brain waves stabilize, I can not release you.”
“Just how long is that?” A slightly aggravated Lucie said.
Johnathon slightly frowned, “I cannot accurately determine that right now. As the human brain and its waves are so unpredictable. I have no set of parameters with which to determine the amount of time.”
Lucie issued a frustrated sigh, “you are as frustrating as the others.”
A slight smile came to the lips of the Johnathon Holo-gram, “I do believe that was a compliment.” Here Johnathon slightly bowed, “I thank you prime.”
Lucie shook her head slightly doing her best eye roll. Turning to her brother, “they seem to be more human sounding with each passing day.”
Hartwell’s head snapped up to stare at his sister harder, damn if he hadn’t thought that himself. Thinking a moment, hadn’t the Commander said something like that not long ago?
“Look Lucie, I, as well as anyone, know how just unmoving the A.I.s can be with regards to the bio-beds.” The sight grimace on his face had Lucie giggling low, this had a smile coming to Bee’s face. It was good to see the lord sir and his sister not arguing.
Bee quickly lowered her eyes as a myriad of thoughts came to mind. Perhaps she thought, she had been going about this the wrong way. Perhaps, she should go about this a lot slower and softer. Another smile came to her lips, yes, the lord sir seemed more receptive to actions like that.
Hartwell caught the last of the smile that had graced Bee’s lips. Oh shit, what was going through that devious female’s mind now?
Even as Hartwell was wondering what she was up to, Bee was busy making plans. Plans that she hoped would bring her and the lord sir far closer than they were at the moment.
______________________________________________________________
Kimon stood at the doorway watching Jimison and Difina as they went through their exercises. His eyebrows were slightly raised at the speed they were moving. So he thought, they had listened after all.
Kimon took a step then he also seemed to vanish. Less than thirty seconds later there were the sounds of two thuds, then Jimison and Difina were flying backwards.
“So,” Kimon said to the both of them after they bounced off the walls. “It appears that the two of you are not as stupid as I first thought. You can hear and learn this is good, for as of now the actual training begins.”
They both looked at each other then Kimon, both bowing they smiled. “Finally, maybe they will learn now.” Jimison said nodding toward the crowd of males that were at the doorway.
Kimon barely glanced toward the crowd outside the doorway. With a slight grunt he raised his voice, “ha! It is hard to teach those that not only don’t listen.” Here Kimon showed a toothy smile. “They also do not seem to have a capacity to learn. At least enough to remain uninjured.”
There was a slight commotion at the door, followed by more than a few growls. All three turned toward the door, surprised when there were no one there.
Difina showed her own toothy smile, “perhaps there is hope for my race after all. It also might be good to practice without an audience.”
Kimon looked at the two of them as he thought. “From all that I have seen from your race so far? I am not as positive about them as you are. We injured nearly a hundred when we were leaving.”
Difina felt anger for a moment, then started to nod her head. “After all this time I had hoped that, that wasn’t true. Then again,” Difina said an almost evil look on her face. “Most of them were males, as I have seen? They can be more thicker headed than they intend to be.” She turned to look at Jimison, a look of love and admiration on her face. “Though, I have seen that there are exceptions to that rule.”
Jimison’s head snapped around to stare into Difina’s eyes, then his own grew wide. Damn if, that look she had mirrored closely to what he was feeling. He hated to admit it but she was most definitely starting to grow on him.
Kimon could only shake his head, not this again. He swore that everyone was starting to lose their minds. Then he thought about, who was he to complain? Damn if he wasn’t starting to feel somewhat like that also.
As shock ran through his body he wondered, when in the hell had that happened to him?
________________________________________________
It was several hours later when Derrick nodded to Mary. Moments later there were several shimmers across the room.
Emperor Kandra along with his top commanders appeared. A few moments later, more shimmers as a good twenty of Kandra’s elite guards appeared.
It was taking all that Derrick had not to chuckle at the looks of astonishment on the Delcrons faces.
Derrick swallowed his amusement quickly, “welcome esteemed guests. I hope that the meal that has been prepared meets your approval.”
An aide of Kandra’s moved forward to taste as many of the dishes as he could. When the aides eyes went wide as he almost moaned out in pleasure at the taste.
Kandra smiled a huge toothy smile as he gestured to all of the Delcron party as they took their seats. He then took a closer look at he food that was before him, his own eyebrows raised in surprise.
“I have to say, this is far more than we expected, truly you do wish us as allies. None of us, have had anything as rich as that you have presented before us.” A slightly shocked Kandra said.
“As I told you, with the same enemies in your galaxy trying to end both our empires, a unite front is necessary.” Derrick said, hoping that telling the truth in this instance, truly united them.
Kandra thought a moment then nodded his head in agreement. “We have noticed that they have become far more aggressive of late. I concur with your plan, lock them on their planet if, we don’t completely annihilate them.”
Derrick looked at Kandra uneasily, “Emperor Kandra, I’d like to think that our empires are beyond that. Totally annihilating another race just because we can.”
Kandra’s face showed surprise a moment then he nodded, “my friend, I meant that if we have no choice we could. Not hesitating, allowing them to strike back, inflicting damage that could have been avoided.”
Derrick’s eyes opened wide then he also nodded. “I believe after what they have done, the lives they have taken, that their destruction wouldn’t case me nor any of my men pause.”
Again Kandra’s face held a wide toothy smile, “it is good to have an ally, a friend that we can depend on. The Delcron empire has not had such an ally for a very long time. Our last was destroyed defending the empire and their home worlds. Then again they had neither the tech nor the strategy, that you do.”
Derrick nodded, “I am hoping that we can trap them on their world. Completely destroying an entire race leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.”
A now serious looking Kandra was about to speak when, his aid ran up to him, whispering. They were at it for a few minutes, Kandra nodding his head a look of anger growing on his face.
A deep sigh came from Kandra, “It appears that we are going to have to end this far sooner than I thought.”
“Problems?” Derrick asked the concern in his voice.
“It appears that we have to return home as soon as possible, I fear that the empire will have fallen by the time we arrive. It appears that certain factions on Kandra, think they can take the throne, as well as the world. I think that it is time that we put down their delusions.” An angry Kandra said.
“How many ships do you wish to take back?” Derrick said surprising Kandra. “As our ally we will help in almost any way that we can.”
Kandra looked at Derrick in surprise, “is it true that you could have us back within an hour of your time? As I said before we have heard that your ships posses incredible speed.”
“Mary?” Derrick said, causing the slightly older looking female holo-gram to appear.
“Sire,” she said as she bowed. “I have done the calculations sire. Where the Delcron empire is I believe that two ships could, carry half their fleet. I am afraid it would take ten minutes to reach the edge of their galaxy. Perhaps another hour to reach their home world. It would also take almost two hours to recharge the trans-warp.”
Derrick, was taking all this in doing a few calculations of his own in his head. “Alright, have all Captains run checks on their ships, I want them to be able to return safely. No more incidents like when all this started. I want a report within the hour.” A moment later the holo-grams of Thomas, Zimmel and Mara appeared.
“Reporting as ordered,” all three said as they saluted.
“I am sorry Mara; at the moment you are needed here. At least ’til you and you intended have this settled.” Derrick told Mara.
“Yes sire,” she said as her holo-gram faded.
Derrick turned back to Kandra, “so you think that half your fleet plus, two of mine would be enough to settle this?”
Again, a large toothy smile appeared on Kandra’s face, “I do believe that it will. As I have said before, two of your ships, should have more than a few losing control of their bodily functions.”
Derrick smiled then turned toward Thomas, “I want the both of you to take half of them back to their planet. As soon as Emperor Kandra is aboard his ship, I want you to go. Mary has uploaded the coordinates to you ships.”
“Yes sir!” Both men said as Derrick nodded to Kandra. A few moments later the room was vacant of the Delcrons.
“Ready to move out sire.” Thomas said.
“Remember Thomas, you are support not a main participant in this. I hear different? You’ll think Hartwell’s punishment tame to what I’ll do to you, got it?” Derrick said sternly
“Yes sir I got it.” A rather flushed Thomas said. Then Derrick clicked off. “Emperor Kandra? I have all the ships that are going, when you are ready sir.”
“Now is as good a time as any.” Kandra said.
A moment later, a disturbance appeared in front of Conner and Ace. A beam came from both ships, half Kandra’s fleet were bathed in it. A moment later the two ships, followed by the half of the fleet, accelerated then vanished.
Ten minutes later they all exited a swirling tunnel at the edge of the Delcron Galaxy. Both ships immediately went to hyper-space carrying the others. Less than an hour the halted in orbit of a blueish gray world.
The only thing wrong was there were great amounts of destroyed ships in orbit. Kandra growled when he saw this. “Can you bring people to me when I contact them?” Kandra asked.
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Thomas said.
A channel was opened as Kandra nodded to Thomas, “what is the meaning of this?” Kandra said.
“So, the,” the voice started then the being appeared in front of Kandra. “What is this?”
“It is over, brother.” Kandra said as several guards placed the Delcron in restraints. The Delcron struggled then saw that it was useless. “We again have allies, as you can see,” Kandra pointed to the two huge ships. “They are far more powerful than we are.”