Lost Empire Ch. 13

"We all heard about what had happened, the entire unit was disbanded with all of us separated from the service the next day. They made the mistake of sending the same men after a few of us. I was with Dempsy, and Thomas when they found us, idiots forgot that Dempsy was a martial artist. The first ten went down faster than I've seen in a long time."

Derrick was smiling the first real one he'd felt about the whole situation in a long time. "It would have helped to have Dempsy there, they kicked my ass pretty good, though I didn't go all that quietly," Derrick said.

Hartwell's eyes opened large, "That explains why several of them looked like they had been beat up! After that we weren't bothered again, I started to look for you but no one seemed to know where you had gone. I am sorry Commander, had we known, we all would have been there it would have been a lot different."

Chuckling a moment, Derrick could only imagine the state of the twenty men that had issued his punishment after his men had finished with them.

Looking at a screen a moment Derrick shook his head, "Excuse me a moment Joseph, Conner?" The hologram of the young man appeared, "Target the lead ship, disrupt all engine and weapon functions, sorry Joseph but you're going to need a ride back."

They both watched as a strange yellow beam came from nowhere and struck the lead ship, after shaking a bit, the ship went dark.

"What did you just do?" Hartwell cried to Derrick.

"It's just a nullifier, though as weak as the systems are today, you won't be going anywhere for a while." Derrick told Hartwell.

"Now then about that allegiance you were going to swear." Derrick said with a smile.

Catching himself a moment later Hartwell had to remember to close his mouth. "Uh, yes, I was supposed to deliver this to the man claiming to be the new emperor." Hartwell said reaching to pull a paper from a tube at his side.

"I was chosen to deliver it, since I am the only one to ever talk to the man and come out of it in one piece." Looking down Derrick saw him start to panic when he saw that the tube was empty.

Chuckling Derrick asked, "Where exactly did you leave it for safe keeping?"

"It's in the safe in my quarters," Hartwell stated.

Nodding to the hologram of a slender blonde woman, they waited a moment then a rolled parchment appeared on a table next to Derrick. Shelby disappeared leaving Hartwell staring at the empty spot, his mouth again wide open.

"Joey, close your mouth," Derrick said a smile plastered to his face. Nodding Hartwell closed his mouth but still couldn't take his eyes off the spot where Shelby had been.

Still a little in shock Hartwell turned back to Derrick, "Who in the hell was that gorgeous creature and is she free tonight?"

They both heard a giggle then Shelby reappeared, "I am Shelby but I am afraid I am unable to leave the ship."

Hartwell looked at Derrick, "You are obviously the commanding officer on this ship couldn't you let her go? I mean just for tonight? I'm sorry, that is if you aren't involved with her."

"Oh I am in a way," Derrick started, laughing then smiling, Derrick explained when Hartwell's face showed the confusion he was feeling. "You see the reason she can't leave the ship is because she IS the ship."

Hartwell started to laugh, then he saw that Derrick was dead serious; laughing a little more his shocked face had Shelby giggling. "Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me that, this gorgeous woman IS the ship?! You're serious aren't you?"

Sighing Hartwell should have known it was too good to be true. "Well 'bout my luck always seem to find the perfect one and she isn't real."

Derrick was in shock, there wasn't a Mrs. Hartwell? "What in the universe is wrong with you? I know things didn't affect you as badly as they did me, I'd have thought you'd have tons of women lined up trying to marry you."

Shaking his head Derrick started again, "my god man what did you do join the Rangers as soon as you got out?"

Hartwell turned away for a moment. "Not all of us had family to fall back on; you and the others were my family. Losing you was a major blow to me and the boys." Hartwell said.

"I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch, 'til I got a handle on everything, I wasn't too good company. Thing is I just got a handle on it a few weeks ago." Derrick told him. "Enough about the past, now again, about this allegiance you are to swear?" Derrick asked Hartwell.

"Yes, I am to read this to the man who claims he is the new emperor, so... is he here or do you have to call him? Is he on the other ship I saw?" Hartwell asked anxious to get this over with.

Derrick smiled, this ought to be good, "I'll take it," Derrick said.

"I have to read it to the man himself," Hartwell said.

Smiling even larger Derrick looked at Shelby, then opened his mouth as the same distorted voice Hartwell had heard before came from the speakers. "I said I'll take it." Hartwell could only stare at his friend opened mouth; there was no way that Derrick O'toma was the emperor!