Lost Empire Ch. 01

Finally breathing easier, Derrick decided to take a tour of the ship. Following beside him the hologram was silent as they walked from the command deck. Derrick had walked about half the length of the ship, when it suddenly opened into a large open bay. There in the center of it was the tech box he'd found.

Moving closer to it, Derrick was about to touch it when E warned him against it. The thing was, now there was more to the box than there had been before.

"E? What is this?" he said indicating the new areas that had been added.

"That is what is left of EIG-0999M. After analysis, I found he was still alive, though barely. After he exploded, this indestructible casing is all that was left of him. The energy producers were damaged, so he was in almost complete shut down. I started his regrowth cycle and am providing energy till he can take over." E explained.

Derrick nodded, regrowth cycle? Energy producers? Looking over the box, Derrick didn't see any energy producing parts, but then again, she had said that the ship was growing.

Walking further on, Derrick marveled at everything. He saw anti-matter weapons, plasma weapons with enough capacity to destroy a planet, several generators, for God only knew what. The best (or worst) were the engines. More like huge generators (E had explained that they worked on gravity attraction, but the rest was lost on him).

They had just started back when several alarms went off.

"Derrick, I have an unidentified ship approaching our position, detecting minimal armament and weapons. I suggest your removal to the command center," E said.

As Derrick started running E advised him, "use the IMT, it is much faster."

Derrick stopped and nodded, a second later he was on the bridge. Damn, he thought, have to get used to that, a soft giggle sounded in his mind.

Looking at the large view screen, Derrick saw a Ranger ship approaching.

"Can he detect us E?" he asked.

"No, he is still almost a light year away, shall I take evasive action?" E answered.

Almost a light year? Damn! "Yes E, deter any detection of us from them short of destroying them," ordered Derrick.

For the next week they dodged passing ships, Derrick trying to decide their next course of action. Derrick's eyes grew wider each day as he watched the now unexposed tech box growing almost into the same shape as the bridge on board E.

"E? condition of 0999?" he asked one day.

Sighing, E replied, "initial growth is to almost five percent, 0999 still hasn't the power to emerge, though prognosis is increasingly better each day. I am now detecting a ten percent increase in cerebral activity, though it may be another week before enough systems have grown allowing even partial emergence. Unfortunately, conditions in bay one are not as conductive for maximum growth."

"Is there anything we can do to increase it?" Derrick asked.

Silent for only a moment, E responded, "I can increase O2 levels and energy infusion, but we risk a greater chance of being detected, even with the light cloak."

Derrick nodded, "Alright, increase but keep all sensors at full. Anything within a light year, advise me. After we assess the danger we can adjust from there."

Derrick walked out, the hologram looked lovingly at the large shape, Whispering, "thank you Derrick."

Derrick had been over all the battles and species that E and the other ships had fought for eight hundred years. Another week went by, Derrick had started to notice strange things from almost all of the battles. The strategy had been sound, almost brilliant, but for some reason, near the end of the battle, when the other ships were lost, he found a critical error. It seemed the same error each time. As a matter of fact, in the very last battle, E had been out of place or she too would have been destroyed. It was at that moment that Derrick realized that someone had screwed up badly or someone had purposely caused the destruction of the ships.

The further he dug, it seemed the more he found. Growling, he wasn't sure he should tell E. At the end of two weeks the shape was a mile long, enough energy production plants were working that E finally disconnected.

Sighing, Derrick knew he had to have E's and 0999's help. Though he wasn't sure how she'd take it, he decided it might be for the best. The problem was how to breach the subject?

Starting carefully Derrick brought it out, "E, I've been going over the battles for the eight hundred years you were active for the empire. It seems the strategy was brilliant but..."

Here E sighed again, "but you noticed minor discrepancies that brought about the destruction of my brothers and sisters." Shocked Derrick could only nod, "Your name sake had also noticed them, it seems it started about the time the grandson of the Emperor that had created us took the throne."

Still shocked Derrick asked, "but why was he so distrusting?"

"It seems, that your name sake also noticed what you have. Though he could never act out on it, as it appeared the traitors were receiving orders from the Emperor, and all subsequent Emperors starting with the same grandson as before mentioned. It was also why your name sake was never in the right position in every battle." E sadly said.

"My god!" Whispered Derrick, "fiercely loyal for centuries, only to the Emperors and their crews. Still all of them didn't trust any of you. One would have thought that they knew you wouldn't turn on them."

The hologram sadly shook her head, "your name sake truly was a great warrior. It was an extremely sad day when he ceased to function."

Derrick hung his head, he'd read the letters his great, great grandfather had written. The man had been filled with such passion for the empire, such hope, only to be betrayed by the very man he had sworn to follow.

Derrick sat there in silence, thinking over everything he'd learned. An hour later, he was still there when a small chiming sound started breaking his chain of thought.

"Alright E," Derrick stated, "that's a new one on me, what exactly is that?" Derrick pointed to an indicator on the control panel.

Again, E was silent for a few moments before she answered, "It is an alert I set up, to notify us when 0999's cerebral activity reached a point that showed he was of a more 'conscious' state."

"Good, I am going to need yours and his help, if I am going to pull off what I have planned," Derrick stated more to his self than to E.

They both watched as the mental activity of the other A.I. increased, then just as suddenly it drew even then stabilized.

"Now commencing bio-active scans, all readings within tolerances, growth now at forty percent, 0999 ship systems beginning to power up, reading ninety percent cerebral activity. Hello 0999, are you functioning? Do you need any further assistance?" E asked.

Low and slow at first, then a little clearer, they heard a male voice coming from the speaker. "At present I am only at forty five percent, I have interrupted growth cycle until you evacuate me from bay one. Preparing for open space."

"Affirmative, opening bay doors now, do you have capability to move? Is there further assistance required?" E asked.

"Negative 0101, are we the only ones?" the male voice asked.

"Yes," replied E, "I am afraid so, my primary command found your life capsule, though I am not sure how."

"I wish to thank him, may I know your name that it is registered within my memory?" the male voice asked

Stepping forward Derrick spoke, "Derrick, Derrick O'Toma."

"Derrick? O'Toma? The hero of the Corton battle? And the Gleeton expanse?" the male voice said, impressed.

"No, that was my great, great grandfather," Derrick answered.

Derrick had been watching the more ship like shape, silently moving out of the large door.

"0101? How long has it been? We were the last three, I remember 0099 exploding, then nothing until a few moments ago." The male voice asked.

For a moment Derrick thought E wasn't going to answer, then she spoke up, "It has been two hundred years, almost to the day that you two were destroyed, I have longed for the company of my brothers and sisters. I have had no crew for one hundred fifty years. Much has changed 0999, much."

E proceeded to outline the last two hundred years of history, everything that she'd recorded and a few things she picked up on the now open channels that Derrick was allowing her to hear.

"How long 'til complete regrowth of all your systems and equipment 0999?" Derrick asked as soon as the other ship had cleared the hanger.

"At present, I should have full engine capability within five days, internal systems within six, I am at present only fifty percent released from the brain box, though this will improve soon. Under sub code 001 article 10, I am to respond to my primary command, if I no longer possess such, then I am to follow the nearest and highest ranking primary command. I await your orders primary prime Derrick," the male voice responded.

"At present 0999, stay as close to 0101 as you can, until such time as you have a better capability to protect and camouflage." Derrick ordered.

"Affirmative, primary prime Derrick," the voice answered.

"0999, call me Derrick until such time as there are more primaries," Derrick said.

The com went silent for longer than Derrick thought it should, a moment later the voice answered, "I apologize primary prime Derrick, without my full capacity, remembering and recording take a little longer than I am used to. I am only now at fifty three point five, though being out of the bay has helped to increase my growth. I find that I do have minimal propulsion capability but not much."

"Good," Derrick replied, "it will help if things come to a fight." Though Derrick was hoping it didn't, some of the species the ships had beaten had required all 1000 ships and they had almost lost a few that time.

For the next five days they waited. 0999 was starting to take shape, looking more and more like E everyday. It appeared that almost all of the A.I.'s memories were intact, though one percent had been lost when the brain box had been damaged. The fact that it was supposed to be indestructible wasn't lost on Derrick, going to his salvage ship, Derrick re-examined the readings he'd taken when he'd first found it.

Going over them for several hours he finally came to the conclusion that someone had tried to pry the case open, it appeared they had used something of the same metal which was why the case had been damaged. Leaving his ship he was headed to the command room when a different set of alarms went off. These were the same as the ones he knew, an attack was brewing, damn it! 0999 wasn't up to full capacity yet.

Calling E, Derrick was quickly back in the command center. "E, I need a status report," Derrick said as soon as he appeared.

"It appears to be a race that hasn't been seen in almost 1000 years, as I remember they have a strong appetite for humanoid flesh." E reported. "Though the last time we went against them it was the first battle we were ever in. We have improved our systems a thousand fold since, but all scans indicate that their tech hasn't improved much since the last time we met. Though they are only a small fleet, our chances at the present time are only twenty five percent in favor of victory."

"Suggestions?" Derrick asked.

"Protective cover until such time as 0999 is one hundred percent or tomorrow 1:20pm ship time," E replied.

"Thank you E, suggestions taken under advisement and E, never tell me the odds, they're usually wrong," Derrick replied.

"I have to say," E restated, "you are very much like him."

"Thank you, I take that as a compliment," Derrick answered pulling up everything they had on the alien invaders.

The next day 0999 was finally ready. Derrick had been up for hours planning and plotting strategy for both ships and scenarios for 0999 to react to. As both ships went in Derrick decided to link the other ship directly to him, that way at least, he could react a lot faster. Diving in from behind, they managed to get the first twenty five they met, the rest trying to scatter.

Another twenty collided with each other. As Derrick had assumed, they weren't ready for such a fast attack. As the enemy started to flee, both ships began to fire with everything they had. Soon there was destroyed ships everywhere, 0999 had been damaged in his port engine plus half his weapons were offline a day. E had taken the brunt of the attack, having several hundred shots along her side, destroying several hundred weapons that were re-growing now.

"0999, status report," Derrick asked.

"At present I am only hyper space capable, though the using of a direct cerebral link did improve reaction time thirty five percent. I estimate it will be at least two to three days before I am capable of any trans-warp movement. It will be at least a day and a half before all weapon systems are at least ninety percent. Light cloak is also offline, it will be at least five days of growth to repair that system." The male voice replied.

"Affirmative 0999, keep me apprised of all situations," answered Derrick. "E? How are the repairs to your systems coming?"

"Though I have lost thirty eight percent of all weapons, their regeneration is progressing rapidly, I estimate that I should have full capability within two days. All damage is healing at a rapid rate also," reported E.

"Good," Derrick said, though his thoughts seemed to be else where. "E, keep tabs on those few that escaped as long as you can. For some strange reason I feel we might see them again."

three days later Derrick had finally made a decision. Calling 0999, he and E discussed with 0999 an idea that Derrick had come up with. Now that one of the original races knew that the area was still under protection of at least two of the living ships, Derrick was afraid that soon many of the other races might return.

"Alright," Derrick started, "I've adjusted sensors to detect any more brain boxes that are out there."

"I would love to have more of my brothers and sisters with us but many were lost outside of this galaxy," replied 0999.

"As would I, I have been looking for over one hundred fifty years, 0999 was the first I've seen in that time. Are you sure it's possible?" asked E.

"Believe me," stated Derrick, "I've been doing this most of my life, if they're out there I will find them. Besides, you both have the positions of each when they were lost, we can start from there."

Both ships agreeing, Derrick breathed easier. It wouldn't be easy, but he was sure they could at least find a few more, well he hoped.