Lost Empire Ch. 50

"You'll be fine in a few minutes Randall. We had to stun you to make your 'death' believable. Tempro we are moving to dock IMT me as soon as we are back. Very good work, for your first time with the equipment Daniel."

"Thank you sir, always been a quick study. Though I have to say these are pretty sophisticated. I'm just glad I was able to help. It's ok Randall, according to what I read you ought to be able to talk in a bit. Hopefully the Commander will be here by then. I'll let him explain, I'm still having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around it all." Daniel told Randall who was still staring at him like he wasn't real.

A moment later Daniel heard, "wha da ell ar ou?"

Daniel sighed he really wished the Commander would hurry up. "Give it a few more minutes Randall then try to speak." Again Randall's eyes searched frantically around the room there had to be a way out there had to be! Then unfortunately his arms and legs started to tingle. With an almost howl Randall started to shake.

"Tempro what in the hell is going on?" Daniel asked afraid that Randall was going to die. A moment later there was a flash then the Commander was standing beside him.

"Tempro administer a mild stimulant to counter the stun drug!" A moment later Randal relaxed a huge smile on his face.

"Hi Commander!" Randall said. "Hey Dan! Hey you know what? You're dead! Yes you are! I saw you on the news floating going out the hatch. Was it fun?" Then Randall started to giggle like a child. "Wow is this all yours? Nice!"

Derrick could only shake his head he'd hoped that the low dose wouldn't have an adverse effect on him. Plus the fact that he was drunk of high or just plain feeling good from a mild sedative. Well live and learn Derrick thought.

"It should all be out of his system in an hour I hope. Not all that sure with Randall as sensitive to drugs as he is." Derrick informed Daniel.

Daniel nodded then was about to comment when several alarms went off.

"Sire I have several patrol ships approaching. As of yet they haven't detected us, though if we move I am afraid they might." Tempro informed Derrick.

Derrick nodded as he stared at the readings of the Ranger ships. "Damn it! Have you picked up anything that indicates an alarm?"

"No Sire, nothing. Wait Sire. I'm picking up a message about the president visiting today. That might explain the extra security. I am afraid we might be here a while." Tempro explained.

"Alright, for now, search ranger records about anything strange happening here on this day. I for one do not wish to destroy Ranger property or personnel." Derrick told Tempro as he vanished to go through the records. Sitting back in the command chair Derrick sighed the closer they got to their time the harder it seemed to get!

It was a little over an hour later when Randall jerked awake. Looking around he shook his head. That had to be the weirdest dream he'd ever had where the hell was he?

"So feeling better?" A voice that he thought to never hear again said behind him.

Whirling he stopped short as behind the Commander was Daniel! "You died almost a year ago!"

"No I was blown out the hatch. I was saved by the Commander, let him explain." Daniel said then sat as Derrick again told the same story he had Daniel.

Another hour had Randall shaking his head. "So almost five and a half years have passed. Like Dan said this really is hard to wrap your head around. So am I last or are there anymore?"

Derrick nodded, "Two years from now Shilo and Grant are killed in a transport accident. The entire ship and crew were lost. Like with the both of you Maury had a hand in theirs and your deaths." Leaning close Derrick said between clenched teeth. "I made that bastard suffer though I wish it had been longer! I..."

"Sire!" Tempro broke in. "I believe I discovered something! In an hour a automated ship will explode not far from here. I believe that it will blind their sensors long enough for us to slip away. Though one more thing Sire, from the way the ship exploded I do believe we destroyed it."

"Alright I want everything ready to go when it gets here." Turning to look at Randall Derrick asked. "So are you in?"

Snapping to attention much like Daniel had Randall shouted. "Hell yes sir!" Then he saluted Derrick.

Derrick rolled his eyes, "Alright both of you smart asses! Get ready!"

An hour later there was a huge explosion in orbit of the planet. Every sensor was blind and offline for almost ninety seconds. "Now Tempro!"

A red wave came from the front of Tempro rippling space in front of it. Accelerating into the ship vanished.

This time Derrick thought they were in it a few minutes then they were suddenly out. Looking out Derrick immediately recognized the abandoned ship yard though three and a half years ago it was part active.

Looking at the chronometer Derrick could see that they didn't have much time though... "Can we go back a bit Tempro?" Derrick asked.

"No Sire, I am detecting high levels of ripalon energy. We will have to leave here if we are to use the temporal displacer." Tempro informed Derrick.

Damn Derrick thought. "Ok we don't have a lot of time, in and out simple retrieval."

Both men smirked as did Derrick, they had never had any mission that was simple.