I have had a few readers ask how the Tendraxians were able to access the A.I. boxes. I am sorry for the confusion they never really accessed them completely, more a way to fool them with a type of mental warfare. That is why the A.I. boxes were confused at first not believing what they were seeing was real. I hope that this clears up the confusion. Also, many might or might not have noticed that as soon as they interacted with Lucie, that almost all of the A.I.'s gained a great deal of sanity.
Both Kimison and Rayburn were perplexed. They had worked for two days, adding as much data as they could. With the adjustments that Kimison had discovered, they were making far better progress. Though, with them needing no less than two terabytes of the data, adding only ten gigabytes at a time was slow going. Kimison was glad that he had discovered a way to add more than two.
Then there was the fact that they had to wait for over an hour to allow what they had added to stabilize. Still, after two days with only four hundred eighty gigabytes, they felt they would never finish. They didn't even have half a terabyte yet.
Both of the males had tried unsuccessfully to expand what they knew. To add more data in a more stable manner. So far nothing was working, this was what had led to their frustration.
Tempro had been keeping an even closer eye on the two, especially since Kimison had managed to shut Tempro down. He was also keeping as close an eye on the brain enhancer as they called it.
Tempro was still upset that Kimison had managed to get past him so easily. He had been working nonstop to make sure that it didn't happen again.
‘Well,’ Tempro thought, ‘he hoped that Kimison couldn't do that to him again.’ A moment later he was drawn from his thoughts by Kimison.
"Tempro? I know that you don't expect it. I have to say this to get it off my chest." Kimison stated.
"Sir? Would you like me to call the Emperor?" Tempro replied.
"No," Kimison said his head down slightly. "I have to apologize to you, for what I did to you." Kimison held up his hand to quiet Tempro when he tried to speak. "I was feeling desperate, I couldn't get around the problem. Hell, I am almost there now, I feel that I only got around it a small bit. I forgot that you are as alive as I am, I am truly sorry that I hurt you as I did."
Tempro appeared before Kimison his mouth hanging open. The colonel was apologizing to him? "Sir, there is no need to..."
"Yes, there is, you are alive, you deserve to be treated that way. Not like a machine that is only to be used, then left alone. Alone, to only be used when the need arises I have been there Tempro, locked away 'til the next battery of tests." Here Kimison was vigorously shaking his head. "I will never allow that to happen to you again, I remember, so please forgive me."
Tempro couldn't speak, this was by far the most like a living entity he'd ever been treated.
Tempro bowed his head to Kimison, a stray tear falling from his eyes. "Thank you, sir, you and the Emperor are the only ones to ever treat any of us like we are alive."
Kimison nodded, "I will endeavor to remember from now on."
Then just as suddenly, Kimison turned back as a new idea came to his mind. I hope this works. Looking at Rayburn, he nodded as he started to adjust faster and faster while Rayburn added the data. His hands almost a blur, Kimison hoped that he could keep this up. When the data hit twelve gigabytes, Rayburn's eyes went large when he saw that the data stream was stable. He didn't know what Kimison had done, though it appeared to be working.
Lucie returned almost half an hour later with the three females in tow. Upon entering they all rushed to the bio-bed that a fourth Tendraxian female was still unconscious on.
Lucie checked on the readings then called Johnathon. "Johnathon, has her condition improved?"
"No prime Hartwell, though it has stabilized. I am afraid that her physiology, is far more unknown to me. I am attempting to access all databases that I can. I am doing all I can to bring her out of her comatose state. I..." Johnathon suddenly stopped as; a steady beeping grew stronger.
Lucie was staring at the readings, still not quite sure about a lot of them. Unfortunately, this was one of them. "Johnathon? Is she dying?"
"Strange," Johnathon stated as several instruments came out of the bio-bed. "Oh my." Suddenly the beeping became even louder as several of the instruments pointed toward Lucie. "I say prime Hartwell, her life signs are climbing. It appears that this started as soon as you came closer to the bio-bed. Another ten minutes, I'd say she'd be out of danger. Apparently, the energy that allows them to travel in transwarp, is also healing her body."
Lucie could only stand there her mouth hanging. She was the cure? Ok, this was going from weird, to just plain bizarre!
She turned, looked back at her brother who was looking through several files. "Did you know about this?" She asked.
Johnathon could only look at her with astonishment. ‘Damn,’ he thought, ‘he knew that she had spent a hell of a lot of time in transwarp space. Looking at the readings again he shook his head, good god the readings were off the scale!’
"I knew that you being there helped to counteract the energy that prevents them from entering transwarp space. Though, I had no idea that it would also help to cure the malady, of them being poisoned by it. My god Lucie, it's like you filter the energy for them. They are probably the only ones that WON'T die from the ripalon energy." Johnathon revealed.
Lucie looked at the unconscious female then back to her brother. She was about to speak when Bee spoke up. "She will live?" She looked at the other two Tendraxian females next to her. Then almost as one, they all knelt on the floor as they bowed to Johnathon, this elicited a groan from him.
All three were almost chanting, "thank you lord sir for sparing her." The longer this went on, the more uncomfortable he got.
"Please stand I did nothing; it was my sister." Johnathon was saying trying to get the females off the floor.
Bee's head suddenly snapped up as she looked at Johnathon with a confused look. "She is your sister? Lord sir, we have never heard of a male saying that he had a sister. Your people have very different customs. No male on our world would ever admit to such a thing."
Johnathon looked at Lucie shocked a moment, then he felt his ire start to rise.
Lucie recognized this as she walked to Johnathon quickly, "Calm brother. If you lose your temper, it will set back everything I managed to do with them." All this was in a low whisper.
After he took a deep breath, Johnathon released a shuttering a sigh. "Thank you, not sure I want to have to get them to this point again. Now if we could get them to warm up to the commander." Johnathon whispered back.
Lucie shook her head as she said, "Good luck with that. They have been conditioned to fear him. I'm not sure I can break through that, or anyone else for that matter. Then again, the Empress did make an impression on them that's for sure."
"We can only hope Lucie, we can only hope," Johnathon said.
Onboard the Jitaku ship, Onai's brother Riku, was going through the readings again. For all intents and purposes, General Daniel Norman, was where he had wanted to be. When he left Jitaku, all those years ago, he had left explicit instructions.
As he fingered the medal that was under his shirt, a grim smile came to his lips. "I will not fail you my Kyūseishu (savior) I will do as you have asked."
While adjusting several of the wavelength outputs, Riku nodded as he saw the readings start to even out. A moment later there was a humming then the image of Isamu Sakuta appeared.
"Leader," Riku stated as he bowed. "I have further information on Kimon's clan mate."
Isamu nodded, noticing that Riku was touching the medal within his shirt. "Continue Riku."
"Hai rīdā, I have managed to make the mind shield stable. It appears though, that his mind, is starting to overpower it. I therefore request..." Riku started, only to quiet when Isamu nodded again, then held up his hand.
"I considered this after your last request. I, therefore, asked the Dempsy clan to assist with this. It was after all their Nō isha (brain doctor) that administered the mind shield. They should be there soon; I now have to contact his lordship about this." Isamu stated then the room was silent as the hologram disappeared.
Riku was still bowed saying a silent prayer for Daniel Norman.
He looked at the information hoping that he could keep his Kyūseishu stable. With a sigh, he hoped that he was as good as his sister and father thought that he was. He couldn't allow anything to happen to the man.
After adjusting several readings again, he was glad that the Nō isha, was already on the way. The sooner that they got here, the better he would feel.
Derrick was relaxing onboard Shelby; it wasn't that long after both ships had returned. Human Shelby, of course, wasn't about to let Derrick out of her sight.
He'd just managed to get his eyes closed finally feeling the tension easing from his body. A few minutes later there was a chiming signal.
With a sigh, his eyes snapped open. "Yes, Shelby," he asked.
"Derrick I have communication with an Isamu Sakuta. He is asking permission to speak with you." Shelby conveyed.
Derrick sat up immediately.
Derrick straightened his clothes telling Shelby, "Please put him through."
There was a shimmering in the air before Derrick then an older Oriental male's visage appeared.
The male bowed low then stated his eyes still to the floor. "Greetings exalted one, I hope that I have not intruded."
Derrick also bowed slightly shocking the older male. "No Isamu Sakuta, as I stated before your planet has always conducted its self with honor."
The older male seemed to blush at the praise that Derrick was bestowing upon him. Then just as suddenly, the male's tone grew serious.
"I wish to impart information that I feel you should have." The older male stated. When Derrick only nodded the male continued. "As you know, General Norman was a visitor to our world many times."
Derrick listened as the older male went into intricate detail of the incident, Norman's heroics. Then he told of the many times that Norman honored him and the council. He also told of Norman being accepted into the Dempsy clan.
Derrick knew of some of this, though the longer on the older male went, the more Derrick's amazement rose.
"I have told you all of this so that you know that a doctor will arrive there soon. I did not want it to be a surprise to you. Like all great leaders, you should know all of what is going on with your closest men." The older male finally finished.
"Thank you Isamu Sakuta, again you bring great honor upon your people and planet. I will make sure all is ready when this doctor arrives." Derrick replied.
"You are truly a wise leader exalted one. Be well, I hope that one day you will grace us with a visit." The male stated bowing again.
"I will make it a point to get there, though for now, I have an invading force to repel," Derrick told the male then slightly bowed to the older male again.
After the hologram shut off, Derrick had a wide smile on his face. Damn, it was good to know that he had such great men in his command.
"Shelby," Derrick stated.
"I am connecting you to Celeste’s med-bay now," Shelby replied with a sweet smile.
Derrick could only shake his head; he'd forgotten again that Shelby could read many of his thoughts. It was he had to admit, a great time-saver, though it could still get irritating.
A moment later the med-bay appeared before him. "So," Derrick started as he saw that Kimon was still on the bio-bed. "You are healing rapidly. Good, I hope that both of you are ready in the next twelve or so days. I have a mission for you Dempsy." Here Derrick turned toward Onai. " I know that you will not permit him to leave your sight 'til you are joined."
Onai looked at Kimon then back to Derrick. "You are correct your lordship."
Derrick was nodding, "I suspected as much, that is why I said the both of you. When you are out of the bed, I will brief you on the mission."
"Sir," Kimon spoke up. "I have to ask your permission, I told Onai and her brother something you don't want to be known. I told them both that the reason Daniel's mind wasn't strong was that he'd been dead the last few years. That you just recently uh..." Here Kimon paused causing Derrick to drum his fingers.
"Get on with it man, I do have things to attend to, now that I have returned," Derrick told Kimon.
"Yes sire, I told them, that you just recently revived him. I also have to report that Duke Risen escaped." Kimon stated almost afraid to look at Derrick.
Taking a deep breath Derrick sighed. Here he turned toward Onai, "I know that if you swear not to talk you won't. I assume that the same is true of your brother?"
Bowing her head Onai replied, "Yes your lordship, anything said here will stay here."
Derrick nodded as he thought a moment. "I do believe you; you need to work on this obviously," Derrick told Kimon. "I didn't per se revive him, I went back in time and saved him. Any more than that I cannot say."
Onai's eyes were very wide as she took this in. "By all that is holy, you are that powerful. Please forgive us for asking my lord."
Derrick was shaking his head, "As I said Onai I trust you and your brother."
Onai bowed to the floor, "It is a great honor to be in your confidence, oh exalted one."
Derrick could only roll his eyes as he looked at Kimon who had a sheepish smile on his lips.
"Celeste? Estimated time 'til Colonel Dempsy is able to leave the med-bay?" Derrick asked.
"Sire, unlike any other patient, I cannot accurately give you a time. It appears that the Colonel and Miss Onai, heal far faster than I have ever seen before. Already the Colonel is more than half-healed, at present rate I can only estimate. Therefore, I estimate another five hours should be sufficient." Celeste advised Derrick.
Derrick just nodded his head surprising both Kimon and Onai.
Derrick saw there surprise then shrugged, "After talking to your father, I would expect no less." This, of course, brought a smile to his face. "I have to make sure all is ready for the doctor that is coming. I know you will make sure that he isn't harmed, Colonel. As for Risen, Mary has already informed me as to his escape."
"Sir, you never fail to amaze me," Kimon stated.
Onai scoffed as she stared at Kimon, "It is no shock to me. He is after all the exalted ruler of the old empire."
Kimon looked over to Derrick as the both of them rolled their eyes at her words. With a nod from Derrick, his hologram disappeared.
Onai was still on the floor her face pressed to it. Slowly looking up at Kimon she nodded, "Had I not before, I would forgive you all that was against you. We on Jitaku had no inkling of the extent of his power."
Again Kimon rolled his eyes at her words. She was taking her hero worship a little far.
Onai caught Kimon's actions thinking a moment. "I am sorry Mirai no otto, I had forgotten that you were with him for years. To you, these miracles are old hat. Please forgive me, I meant no offense."
Kimon looked into Onai's eyes as soon as he raised her head gently. The love and fear he saw there made his heart melt; any anger forgotten.
"My Mirai no tsuma (future wife). In case you haven't noticed, I love you, therefore, there is really nothing to forgive." Kimon explained to her.
At first, it appeared that the fear was going to swallow her. Then suddenly, as if a switch was turned on, Kimon saw her love overshadow everything.
Kimon watched as the strong woman that he found he'd loved longer than he thought he had, was suddenly shy.
"I...I..." seemed to be all that she could get out, looking at the floor, making Kimon smile.
Kimon leaned close whispering in her ear, "Now that I know that you love me? I can no longer wait to unite with you."
Derrick sighed with a smile as he shut off the feed to the med-bay. Laying back, he started to relax almost falling asleep when another chime from Shelby had him sighing.
"Yes, Shelby?" Derrick asked trying to not appear as irritated as he was.
"Again Derrick, I am sorry to disturb you, they are ready to emerge," Shelby advised him.
Derrick's eyes snapped open as he bolted upright. Now fully awake, Derrick told her, "Alright let's hear them."
Again as always, there was static then a voice came through. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"
"Hello, my daughter, are you in need of further assistance?" Shelby stated.
"MOTHER!" The excited female voice almost shouted.
"0250 I think she can hear you. Mother, is the emperor there with you?" They heard Sherry say.
"Yes my daughter, he is," Shelby replied.
"It is so good to hear you again, Sherry. I am so proud of what you did. I am sorry that you had to go through that, again." Derrick told Sherry.
The young, slender, long brown-haired visage of Sherry appeared kneeling before Derrick. A moment later a light blonde haired female appeared kneeling beside her.
"Arise, Sherry," Derrick said as the other fifteen ship holograms appeared. "I am so proud of all of you, some," here he looked at Lucy and Sherry. "Have made the ultimate sacrifice for the empire and me." Derrick was fighting to hold back the tears. "As have another of your brothers."
Derrick looked at Sherry as he slightly nodded. Sherry's head dropped into her hands as she silently sobbed.
Taking a deep breath, Derrick fought the tears again as he continued. "As I have with all the others," here he looked at 0250. "Do you have a name or do you need one appointed for you?"
"Yes, sire," the slightly shaken female stated. "I was called Tendra not long before my destruction."
"Tendra, A good name, I am sure that you wear it proudly," Derrick told her.
"Sire?" A startled Tendra asked. "You mean that I can keep the name?" When Derrick nodded yes with a smile on his face, he thought Tendra was going to shout in glee.
Turning toward Shelby, Tendra's mouth fell open as her mother confirmed it.
Dropping to a kneeling position again, she opened her mouth to speak. "Thank you so much sire, thank you."
"Arise Tendra, I am only happy to do this," Derrick replied.
Hartwell could only look at the three females as they remained near to the fourth. He'd thought about calling Shiloh and Grant to help with the females then thought better. Now? He'd decided he better after all. The whole situation was getting out of hand.
"Johnathon, I need both Shiloh and Grant here as soon as possible. If they are dressed IMT immediately." Hartwell told his A.I.
Less than a moment later both men were standing before Hartwell, a look of confusion on their faces. Looking at Hartwell they immediately saluted.
Nodding Hartwell pointed toward the three females around an unconscious fourth. Lucie looked over to see her brother with the other two men. Rolling her eyes at her brother she stuck her tongue out at him.
Hartwell released a sigh, then turned back toward Shiloh and Grant. "I find that I cannot handle three let alone four of these females. I, therefore, need both of you to aide with the situation. I am afraid that we can't go back 'til the last one is conscious and cleared."
This time it was Shiloh's turn to roll his eyes. A broad smile came to his lips as he said, "I'm sorry sir. I had forgotten that you never really had time to date or pretty much anything else."
Hartwell was nodding, "I found it distracting. I was far more worried about my family, both of them than I was going out or dating."
Shiloh was nodding also, "That's really a shame sir as it would have greatly improved your knowledge for this situation. Not all that much I can do for you, I can try to teach you though," here Shiloh leaned in whispering. "I really don't have that much time. I want to see my family soon."
A startled look appeared on Hartwell's face as he stared at Shiloh. "Seriously man, it takes that long to learn?" Hartwell asked a look of fear on his face.
"No, it takes far longer. I have been married for a few decades; I am still learning." Shiloh replied.
This time the look of fear got more intense as Hartwell whispered. "Dear God, I'm doomed."
Shiloh chuckled a bit, "we all are sir, we all are."
Not far past the wreckage of the Tendraxian fleet, the Delcrons were steadily advancing. Onboard the lead ship of the second part of the Delcronian fleet the Emperor was poring over records.
So far, all that he had found, was leading him to the conclusion that this was an enemy that had them outgunned. Just like so long ago, to go against them would be suicide. Something he wasn't about to do.
He was already hearing grumbling from many of the fleet, many he'd had to go to the ships to quell. This empire was causing him a bigger headache than he thought it would.
Then there were the readings that his techs had gotten. A few moments before the ships slipped in the warp, they had read massive destructive capabilities from both ships. Capabilities that made it look like they had no shields. He had his techs working on improving this, that was why they were only moving at a quarter speed.
Well, that and he wanted to make sure that his daughter had the necessary time to prepare. They were using an experimental training device. He just hoped that it worked as the techs had said it would. A thin smile crossed his features as he thought about the death threats he'd made.
According to them, the virtual training she did when she slept, implanted all the information in her mind. It was just a matter of her body catching up. Therein laid the difficulty. Though, as much of a warrior his daughter was, it shouldn't take that long.
Then there was the second machine they had developed; it helped her body to catch up far faster than normal. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. This was his only daughter, so he had promised an extremely painful, long death.
On his feet, he stretched out feeling the tightness flee his body. Walking to the practice room he looked in, shocked when he saw his daughter moving so fast he could hardly keep up with her. Then to his further amazement, right after she saw him in the doorway she seemed to disappear.
A huge smile passed over his features, good at this rate she should be far more than ready. Sitting in the room, he could feel her as she went around the room, her energy far stronger than he remembered it. Though the more he thought about it, the more he got worried. If the male was telling the truth, he was good, though there was one who taught him.
Yes he thought, there had to be others that were far better than the male to be able to teach him. He needed to gather as much information as he could.
Tapping his chin he thought for a few moments, then a few more. He had heard that the techs had developed small probes that could cross transwarp space. Though it would require a lot of energy he had to risk it.
"I need to talk to head tech Raun." He called on his comm. A moment later a cat-like face appeared on the screen of his comm. "I wish to use the probes. I know the power constraints; we need the information."
The cat-like face thumped its chest. "Yes Emperor Kandra, I have all three set up. I am afraid though, that this will be a one-way trip. All the experiments we have made have been very successful."
"I want you to release them immediately. " Kandra stated.
Peering out the viewport and at the console in front of him, he smiled. A moment later a very small transwarp portal open with three trails leading into it then it was gone.
‘Good,’ he thought, ‘with these we should be far more ready when the time comes.’ Looking at the telemetry, he saw it was going to take hours to reach the Imperial world. Well, that is if the probes small transwarp engines lasted.
It was several hours later when a very small transwarp portal opened a million miles from the Imperial planet. They immediately started to transmit.
Less than a few moments later, several alarms were going off. Mary had detected the transwarp signatures, seen the portals close. What had set the alarms off was that she had lost whatever had exited the portals.
Onboard his ship, Emperor Kandra's mouth was hanging open. By the power of the feline god! There were fifteen of them encircling the planet!
That's when he noticed another ship twice the size of the others. Shaking his head he realized, there was no way they could ever hope to defeat this empire, not with that amount of firepower.
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