Chapter 47

Derrick felt really bad as upset as Shelby had been. Hell he felt horrible though as Tempro had pointed out there was really nothing that they could have done. Well nothing beyond what they had. Tara’s last message was still ringing in his ears. The amount of courage and bravery she had displayed made him feel worse that he couldn’t save her.

They were finally starting to dock with Tempro when there were several alarms going off. “Intruder!?” Derrick’s head snapped around to stare at Shelby. “What in the hell did you do?”

“I couldn’t let her die like that; I couldn’t Derrick not after what they both did.” Shelby started to explain to Derrick.

“Again I am this time demanding, what in the hell did you do?” Derrick said as calmly as he could.

“I had to do it Derrick I felt I owed it to her I...” Shelby started again.

“WHAT!” Derrick almost shouted. “Did you do?”

The view screen changed showing a tall blonde woman unconscious on the bio-bed. ‘Strange, ‘ Derrick thought ‘why does she look so familiar?’ “I saved her Derrick I had to.” Shelby whispered.

Shaking his head he’d have to confer with Tempro to see just how badly Shelby had screwed up this time now. Sighing Derrick thought of Tempro waiting for the A.I. to appear. “We’ll have to decide what we are going to have to do now.”

Sighing he felt Shelby finish her docking. “Tempro I think we have a problem.” Derrick said a moment later.

Tempro immediately appeared, “I am not detecting anything wrong Sire. As a matter of fact I just felt a missing part of time slide into place. What seems to be the problem? I ... oh dear!” Tempro said as soon as he saw the view screen.

“Yeah I kind of thought that myself when I saw her. You do know who she is I take it?” Derrick said with an exasperated sigh.

“Yes Sire, she is Tara Devonnie, she was reported lost with her ship also named Tara.” Turning toward Shelby, Tempro’s mouth was hanging open. “How did you know?”

“Know? I didn’t know I just had to save her. For all she did, I had to.” Shelby replied.

Tempro could only shake his head suddenly realizing that this was supposed to happen, though it still surprised him when something like this did. “More has shifted to what it should be Sire. I was wondering how we were going to repair the error in time. Here Shelby did it without the knowledge I posses which,” here Tempro shook his head again. “Was somewhat useless this time.”

Derrick was watching the exchange between the two A.I.s with interest. “You can hardly be faulted Tempro. Not every facet of the past can be known. Even for a hero as she obviously is.”

“Yes Sire, she was quite the hero. After this battle she was listed as dead, killed in action with her ship. Years later a woman matching her description appeared in a province near the one you grew up in. I believe it was called Tierra oculta.” Tempro informed Derrick.

Derrick’s head snapped around from the view screen, “Tierra oculta? Hardly near mine, it’s on the other side of the planet. As I remember one of my outfit was from there Daniel Norman, Captain Callie’s father---.” Derrick suddenly stooped in mid sentence a strange look on his face. “My god! Shelby do you have the DNA of Captain Callie still?”

Shelby could only stare at Derrick then a moment later she nodded, “yes Derrick I have all of their DNA. Especially after I took yours that first time, as I remember someone saying it helps to be well prepared.”

“Good I want you to take a sample of Captain Devonnie’s, run a comparison of it with that of Captain Callie’s.” Shelby still unsure of what Derrick was on about nodded and started the test. “I’m afraid it will take a few hours Derrick.”

Derrick could only smile, “it’s not as if we have anywhere to go Shelby. We are after all five hundred years out of time.”

Tempro had been following the conversation between the two with growing interest. “Is there anything that you require of me?” Tempro asked after Derrick had finished speaking.

“Yes, I want you to run a genetic search of all persons in the Tierra oculta. Pay attention especially to all families with the last name Callie, Norman, Devonnie,” here Derrick stopped a moment thinking back to a few of the conversations he’d had with Sergeant Major Norman. Ah! Derrick thought, “also look at families with the last name Griback, Astand I believe the last was hmmmm--- Ah! Tital!.”

Tempro bowed smiling wide, “I am running a search through all the names now.”

Stopping suddenly Derrick added, “You said a woman matching her description appeared in the Tierra oculta province. Do you perhaps know what her name was?”

Tempro look down a moment then smiled, “I never thought of that! Searching now.” A moment later Tempro’s mouth was hanging open. “Sire? I have it she was called Tade, Ara Tade. A very clever play on words I have to say.”

Derrick nodded then sat, ‘shit! All he wanted to do was go home!’ Looking over at Tempro, Derrick could only shake his head. Sighing he was starting to wonder just how many things was he going to have to correct?

“I’m sorry Sire your thoughts are so loud. At present this is the only thing that I am seeing that we have to fix. Everything was fine as we were coming forward then I had to do a shut down as I felt that time had changed. I am afraid that this will happen ‘til we fix everything.” Tempro apologized.

“So you’re telling me that everything is ok with the five hundred years before now?” Derrick asked.

“Yes Sire, I have analyzed both events that we changed. These were extremely high profile events Sire. I am not really seeing anymore for at least three hundred years.” Tempro replied.

Derrick nodded about the time that the empire fell. Suddenly Derrick looked over at Tempro. “I am not about to make sure that the royal family is killed!”

“No Sire! I would never suggest that you do something as horrible as that!” Tempro cried a look of absolute terror on his face.

“That’s the only major event that I can recall three hundred years from now,” Derrick told Tempro.

“No Sire nothing having to do with any of the royal family being killed. Though I have strange readings about the Empress and her son disappearing for a year before they were killed.” Tempro told Derrick.

Why am I thinking that we are going to have to rescue the Empress and her son? Plus the fact that Derrick felt that it was going to be dangerous as hell?

Duke Risen was screaming when the Rangers pulled him from the command center. Greeson could only smile as the man started to threaten then try to bribe each and every man. Struggling, the Duke broke free only to be caught lifted then slammed to the ground by Greeson.

Shaking his head at the now unconscious man he activated his com. “Alright Captain we have him, please inform the Empress.”

On board the now regrown Tara, Mara nodded as she replied. “I will Chief Warrant Greeson. Good job!”

Greeson looked around at several of the Rangers that were smiling at him. Blushing a moment Greeson gathered his wits. “Alright enough of that! Let’s get him in restraints before the ass wakes up, then I’ll have to persuade him to nap again.”

A few yes sirs, then the Duke was trussed up and tied to a pole that they soon lifted. A few moments later they had him secured in a holding area. Greeson looked at the man once more before he moved on.

Moving forward Greeson stopped at the training room when he saw Dempsy within. Stepping in Greeson removed his shoes then turned bowing to Dempsy. A slight smirk on his face Dempsy nodded as he also bowed then took a defensive position. “I take it the pathetic one was no trouble?” He asked.

“No not really, he tried to escape so I had to show an acceptation to it. You might say that we had to carry him aboard afterward.” Greeson said.

Dempsy nodded a slight smile on his lips, “perhaps he thinks his position will protect him?”

“No, all of the Rangers guarding him were handpicked by the emperor. They are above reproach, besides he really has nothing to bribe with anyway.” Greeson said as he rapidly threw attacks and hits at Dempsy.

Smiling Dempsy blocked all of them, good he thought Greeson is finally realizing the true form of the art.

Kimison and Rayburn had been at it all day; they wanted to help but how? With the huge data banks that Tempro had nothing information wise they sent him would matter. The fact that he had Shelby meant he had fire power. Shaking their heads they started to go through everything again there had to be something.

Shelby had Celeste still watching over everything that the two did. The last thing she needed was for the ship to get propelled back in time like Derrick and Shelby had been. Sighing she was going over reports from the Duke’s planet when Greeson called.

“Empress, he has been secured aboard. I made sure that no one watching him could be persuaded to let him go. Are you sure we should just hold him? I’d have thought that you would execute him.” Greeson told her.

Shelby was in thought a moment then looked at the hologram of Greeson. “I was, and then I had a thought. It would do more to cement the power of the emperor if he did. I am only the empress, in his stead I can rule. I am not of royal blood therefore I do not have absolute authority. I can however set many things into motion.”

Motioning for Hartwell he nodded then spoke. “Warrant Officer Greeson for the bravery and decision making that you have shown it was decided with approval of the empress. You are hereby promoted to First Lieutenant effective immediately.”

Many of the men on board Tara started to cheer as did Mara. Quieting them down, Greeson then thanked the empress and Hartwell. Saluting he was suddenly knocked off his feet just as the connection went silent.

Looking up he saw Dempsy smiling from ear to ear. “‘Bout time it happened to someone else besides me!” Putting his hand out for Greeson he grinned even wider when Greeson’s eyes narrowed.

Shaking his head no, Greeson slowly got off the floor keeping a watchful eye on Dempsy the whole time. “That’s alright Colonel.” Greeson said drawing a groan from Dempsy. “One attack I can accept though not a second!”

Smiling larger Dempsy withdrew his hand nodding. “Good then get your ass off the floor, we still have training to do!” All moved back as the two men started again at a blurred speed.

It was several hours later when Tempro alerted Derrick. “Sire?”

Looking up from a design he’d been wanting to work on Derrick stated. “Yes Tempro, what have you discovered?”

“I went through all the names that you gave me. At the present time there are no Normans, Callies, Grisbacks, and Astands in the Tierra oculta province. Also an extensive search of the last five hundred years produced no Devonnie at all. I am reading a family Titals that will be moving there in two years. The rest appear at different times over the next three hundred years.” Tempro informed Derrick

“Derrick?” Shelby stated. “I have the results it is a ninety point eight percent probability that Captain Callie is directly related to Captain Devonnie. Almost all genetic markers are a match.”

Nodding his head Derrick had been going through all the medical records trying to find what he could on memory. They had to do a wipe of Tara, but the thing is, they had to wipe almost all her life. Shaking his head Derrick wasn’t that happy to do that to the woman, then again he wasn’t about to kill her either.