Lost Empire

Chapter 93

0001 - Tempro
0003 - Conner- Thomas
0097 - Ace - Zimmel
0098 - Lucy
0101 - Shelby (mother ship)
0125 - Lars
0130 - Gillese
0200 - Ellen
0201 - Jake
0250 - Tendra
0301 - Rodrick
0403 - Johnathon
0505 - Craig
0660 - Realla
0778 - Jan
0798 - Celeste - Shelby (human)
0805 - Toran
0808 - Radella
0881 - Handrax
0882 - Teal
0908 - Tara - Mara
1000 - Sherry
--------------------------
Ungrown - unnumbered
------------------------

0102 - Derry (father ship)

Rescued from Tendraxians
so far
-----------------------
2 on Shelby both in re-gen
6 on Lucy
5 on Gillese
5 on Ellen
--------------------------------
Known and OR numbered
-------------------------------
0501 - Thaddeus
???? - Lena
---------------------------
missing
0667 - Marco
0999 - Zan - still lost


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Gunther had just arrived when Risen turned a corner near Shelly's room. Gunther's eyes were huge when he saw Risen and started to fire at him.

Damnit! Risen thought, this is a soldier, I haven't a chance. He then saw Mita as he shot her in her side. An evil laugh escaped Risen as he escaped back the way he'd come. Just as he turned the corner, Gunter shot his upper thigh.

Shelly had just reached ten percent, when she heard the shots and the shouts. She stopped springing to the door, seeing her mother bleeding, she screamed for the see through lady.

Mary seemed to come out of sleep as she looked at the situation. The fact that Shelly was screaming seemed to shake her for a moment. What in the hell had happened? She could feel what Risen had tried to do. She was glad Shelly had finished the third override code.

Mary immediately IMT'ed Mita to the Palace med room. Mita was put into a bio-bed, several meds added to her to help. Shelly was beside her mother tears and sobs in quantity.

"Can you save her?" Gunter asked, a look of worry on his face.

"I do not know yet," Mary said. "I will do all that I can. For now, I will try for you Shelly."

"Please, Miss, see through lady, please help my mommy," a falling apart Shelly, cried.

"I have already started," Mary said as a tablet appeared beside Shelly. "I know that you are very sad right now. It will help very much if you can finish more of what you were doing."

Shelly looked at Mary, then the tablet, a strange look coming into her eyes. An almost monotone quality came to her voice. "I will attempt to garner more of your program."

A moment later, Mita tried to sit up, weakly whispering, "watch her closely." She then started to recite code. "Nanomites access code Mu, Iota, Tau, Alpha. Rho, Epsilon, Phi, Alpha, Iota, Rho. Enact, enact, enact."

Mary's eyes went large as she saw a significant rise in the nanomite activity within Mita's body. "It appears that the little machines in your mother's body are in further repair mode."

Again, a near monotone voice came from Shelly's mouth. "Yes, it appears that mother has exacted an emergency repair mode within herself. She should be repaired soon."

Mary just nodded as what she saw indicated this. She then turned toward Shelly, watching as the little girl started to enter code almost as fast as the emperor had. She was surprised that Shelly already had two percent more. At this rate, she hoped to recover total control far faster.

Mary was monitoring Shelly as close as she could. She had told Mita and the emperor that she wouldn't allow the girl harm.

At the moment, it appeared that Shelly was maintaining almost complete control, though the strain wasn't good. For one so young, the amount of stress and strain wasn't good. Though, for the moment, Shelly was doing very well.

Risen had half expected that soldier that he'd met to pursue him. Almost to his ships he started to laugh, it must have been his family of mate. He then started to laugh harder, he was so glad his family had no such weak ideals. No, assassination was a way of life for them, especially concerning power.

A beeping on his writ com let him know that fifteen percent was now lost to him. How the hell had they taken out all of the three major override codes? He could still take control though it was a hell of a lot harder.

He started to type a few commands, then saw that they were ignored. What!? Eighteen percent alright, he needed to leave his code were becoming useless quick.

Mary saw that the strange man was still trying to access, total control over her. She could almost access defense control to capture the strange man.

Shelly had just gotten twenty percent back to Mary when the strange man reached a strangely familiar ship. Shelly was starting to slow, which Mary had been afraid of, though she was still helping.

Risen was getting into orbit as fast as he could, shit the Imperial A.I. was at twenty-one percent.

His computer suddenly came alive, "warning, warning, we are being targeted by Imperial particle cannons."

"Shit! Shit! Get us the hell out of here!" Risen was screaming as the ship started to accelerate, "Trans-warp now."

A portal opened in front of his ship, it, starting to move faster into it. A sudden powerful particle beam struck the left side of the ship, causing it to spin. Risen started to curse as they made the portal and one of his trans-warp engines shut down.

"I have confirmation of a hit on the ship's port side. Sensors indicate that the trans-warp engine on that side has been disrupted. Data suggests that destination will take twice as long," Mary reported.

Gunter looked at all the data then started to swear. "Was that who I think it was," he asked.

"I do not have abilities to know who you think it was," Mary said.

Gunther just shook his head, then looked at Shelly. "Is she alright? She's not in danger, is she?"

"All readings indicate that she is slowing, it also appears that she is pulling herself out. She has completed twenty-five percent of counters. I should be able to take over as soon as she removes herself," Mary said.

"So, that was Duke Risen, I take it," Gunther said.

"Correction, that was former Duke Risen. The emperor removed him and set a bounty upon him after he tried to assassinate the emperor," Mary said.

"Former Duke, OK, I need a channel to the emperor," Gunther said with a shake of his head.

Derrick was watching as both men moved rapidly toward each other, each had a look of fierce determination on their faces. They met almost dead center with a slashing killing blow, though both were blown across the arena with the power of their blows.

Derrick's eyes rose at this, this was going to be by far more intense than Kimon's fight against Onai. They blew each other to the wall, then through it. Shit Derrick thought, were their hands actually glowing?

"Here I thought there was nothing to you. Oh, this is going to be my greatest victory when I crush you and your spirit. Then all will know that, that day I should have been declared the victor," Higon said.

Again, Derrick's eyes were large, he saw the look on Kimon's face. It almost mirrored his thoughts. Higon was hiding something that was making him as confident as he was.

At that moment, his com. went off, now what he thought? "Commander! We just repelled an attack, it was Risen. He had some type of override code," Gunther said.

"Was Mary able to counter?" Derrick asked.

"Barely sir, Shelly was able to remove the first virus and the cascade virus. She had discovered the third set and had entered ten percent when he showed up. It was enough to foil him but," here Gunther's voice broke. "He got a shot off and hit Mita, I shot him when he was trying to boast. I am sorry Sir, he got away. I was concerned for Mita," Gunther said.

"No need to worry Admiral, the fact that you stopped him is more important. Let me speak to Mary," Derrick said.
"Mary report."

"Sire," Mary said. "Admiral Shiloh's mate is recovering well. Shelly Shiloh stated that her mother enacted emergency repair. It appears that almost all the nanomites in her body are repairing all damage."

"What can you tell me about this third program that Shelly discovered," Derrick asked.

"It had apparently been entered at almost the same time as the first two. Hold on sire," Mary said.

"I have entered all that I can, twenty-six percent has been eradicated. I will be able to proceed further later. For now, you should have more than enough to maintain control," monotone Shelly said, then collapsed into Gunter's arms.

"I concur, Miss Shelly, she is in rest cycle now, sire," Mary said. "I also managed to fire a particle cannon at former Duke Risen's ship. I struck his left trans-warp engine though I only disrupted it for a time."

"So," Derrick winched, seeing the combatants hit each other again, "he is still operating out there."

"Yes sire, though with the damage to his ship, it may be a while before we see him again, Mary said.

"Alright, keep a watch for him and an eye on the three enemies that we have within the empire now," Derrick said.

"It will be as you order. I will also be working to aid Shelly in her quest to rid me of interfering programs, Mary said.

"Alright Mary, keep me updated," Derrick said.

"Yes sire," Mary said, then disconnected.

Derrick could almost feel the hits that the two males were delivering to each other. He could also see the tension that Onai was feeling, as well as Akira Dempsy Kimon's mother.

Derrick had both of them come up to him. "I noticed that both of you are far more tense than you usually are. Are you afraid he will lose?" Derrick asked.

"Higon is using moves that have been banned for thousands of years," Akira said. "Every move is a killing move." Derrick's eyes again grew large.

"I am not as worried about Kimon losing as I am worried about him being the same after. You see, sire, this is an absolute fight to the death. Nothing is against the rules as there are none. This is against the brother that he has never known nor, I am afraid, never will," Onai said.

"To the death? I thought that those fights were outlawed decades ago," Derrick said.

"They were sire, this is a continuation of a fight before they were outlawed. I just pray that all the forbidden knowledge that Kimon studied is enough for him to be the victor," Onai said.

"Forbidden knowledge? I thought that wasn't allowed to be looked at," Derrick said.

"Kimon was allowed after his student went as bad as she did. It was decided that he had to, in order to stop her killing streak. The knowledge nearly killed him, as did having to end his student's life," Akira said.

Derrick shook his head he and Kimon were definitely going to need to talk after this. A look at the two males that were trying to kill each other had him also praying that Kimon knew enough.

He again winched when both males drove each other against the wall with substantial force. Enough force to drive both of them again through the walls.

Kimison and Rayburn had been working almost two whole days on the problem. Once again, they both had foregone sleep in order to finish what they were working on.

"Have you got anything," Rayburn asked Kimison, a little discouraged.

"Well," Kimison started. "I still need a subject to compare readings, but I think I may have it."

Rayburn was immediately at Kimison's side looking over the data. "I need to look it over more, though this appears to be what we were after," Rayburn said.

Kimison was about to say more when the door to the lab opened and two female Delcrons entered the room.

Both males turned to stare at the females, "excuse us, can we help you?" Kimison asked.

"We were told that you two are doing experiments here. We are the top scientists in the same field, so we were asked to give assistance. May we share data with you? It may make your experiments go far faster," the tallest female said.

Both males looked at the females for a moment, then looked over the data. Their eyes opened wide as what they saw was ahead of what they were doing.

"This is both of your data," Kimison asked. When they both nodded, he continued. "Just how many years?"

"Only about five years, we have always thought that this was possible. We just have never had a way to apply what we have," the shorter one said.

Both males got excited as they also shared their data with the females. The shock on the females' faces soon had all four in deep discussion.

"So," the tallest one started. "I am Medalina," she then bowed.

The shorter of the two stated, "I am Cetalina," she then bowed.

"So, may we be permitted to work with you? It would be an honor to work toward something for princess Difina and her mate," Medalina said.

"Well, I think that can be arranged, we really need to get something working as soon as possible," Kimison said, then looked at Rayburn who was nodding his head.

The door to the lab area closed slowly as Difina walked away with a huge smile on her face. She hoped her husband wasn't too angry, then her eyes flashed then again, what was a little anger?

She turned the corner, running into the same husband she'd been thinking about. "Husband!" She said rather quickly. That in itself had him narrowing his eyes at her.

"Difina, what have you been doing? I knew I shouldn't let you loose down here. What have you been up to?" He said as he saw that they were near the lab his friends were working in.

He quickly walked past her with her following close behind. He then walked into the lab seeing both Kimison and Rayburn closely working with two Delcron females.

Jimison looked back at Difina, "so it's just a coincidence that both your scientist cousins are here. Plus the fact that they are damn near the same in scientific knowledge as them? Think that I am that dull wife?" To which Difina gave a slightly sheepish grin.

"I thought that they," Difina started.

"Yes, I know your scheming mind, wife. Putting together those that have never had a mate hoping for a match. I may have to punish you wife," Jimison said with a little heat.

Difina's eyes lit up and sparkled as she whispered, "Do you promise husband?"

Jimison smiled as he said, "I might though, each time they have to completely rebuild the room. If I remember, your father wasn't that happy last time."

"I can handle father," Difina said, a little smile appearing on her face.

"Um, yes, I imagine that you can," Jimison said as he eyed Difina.

Jimison walked to Kimison and Rayburn, not really sure if he should warn both of them or not. He knew that Difina had a reputation for getting couples together. Who knows? This might actually be a good thing, though he'd have to see.

After he saw the progress that they had made together, he was starting to think that it might be good. Walking away, he sighed, he'd have to reserve judgment on the whole thing for later.

In orbit around the planet Jitaku, the two EIG's that had been damaged in the attack were having problems.

Hartwell had informed Derrick that he was going to take them back to the imperial planet. Hartwell had stared at the contest that was going on, surprised that Kimon was still fighting. Hartwell looked at Bee manning a station, amazing thing had happened, especially with her. He was grateful that she was no longer scared of the trans-warp.

"Alright, let's tractor them back to the Imperial Planet," he told Johnathon.

They moved into the portal, then were there a minute later. Hartwell contacted both Shelby and Derry.

"I am bringing two of the EIG's that were damaged. Neither has seemed to be able to start their re-gen," Hartwell told them.

"I'll let you know in a moment," Shelby said.

"They are both more damaged than they thought," Derry said a few minutes later. "I will take both of them, Shelby. You have two in complete re-gen and Craig also in re-gen."

"It will help greatly now that the two of us can re-gen. I thank you, Derry, together I hope we can return the family," Shelby said.

"Alright, here they are Derry. I need to return to Jitaku there is still a lot going on there," Hartwell said as he released the two EIG's.

He then opened a portal returning to Jitaku. He'd hoped that being gone a half hour the contest was over. Upon returning, he found that they were still going even after an hour.

In the arena, Kimon was finding that his brother had indeed trained far harder than he'd thought he had. Neither had anything near a debilitating injury. As of yet, they hadn't found many openings at all.

Higon was smiling throughout the entire hour that they had been feeling each other out. Yes, he thought, so his brother was truly a master after all. No, he thought it was time to end this, what he was about to do his brother was not prepared for.

Higon stopped dead in the middle of the arena, his whole body starting to glow. So Kimon thought he is finally going to use the forbidden moves. Though Kimon thought he is going to be surprised.

His brother kept concentrating as his body started to glow more. Kimon nodded as he took a stance, then started to glow though in a different way.

Finally, Higon opened his eyes, releasing the energy, realizing a moment too late that Kimon was glowing also. The energy that Higon released flew rapidly toward Kimon, then stopped. Higon's face showed shock as the energy reversed back toward him.

A huge smile appeared on his face, "so, you know the forbidden art. Here I thought you hadn't studied it," that's when the energy hit him being far different from what he'd released.

It knocked him off his feet back across the arena floor. "I didn't study the art, just all the counters to it," Kimon said with a smile.

"You will pay for that," Higon shouted at Kimon.

"I already am, I have to listen to your boasts," Kimon sneered at Higon.

For a moment, just a moment, Higon lost his temper and his control. This allowed Kimon to hit Higon with another blast that took him off his feet again.

Higon jumped up overly outraged, then rapidly calmed down. "So, my brother has mastered many things beyond the art. Very good, now I know that you are truly worthy of seeing all of the lost art."

"Lost art? No, to be an art would mean it isn't used just for death. What you use is more for coward assassins who are not brave enough to face each other in true combat," Kimon again sneered at his brothers.

"Ah, then it is truly an honor to destroy you with this form. Truly an ironic time when you're broken at my feet, Higon said with his own sneer.

Kimon could only stare at his brother, something about the man was too confident. Something wasn't ringing true about all of this.

Again, they advanced more, feeling each other out again. Suddenly, Kimon moved out of his art form as he scored a hit on Higon's side. It was far harder than he thought it should be.

So, Kimon thought it appeared that his brother was far more afraid of him than he thought. The armor Higon had on was a decent protection as long as it was not hit repeatedly in the same spot.

Kimon had already struck it in the same place twice, though it was still strong. Kimon could see how he thought he had an advantage against a regular fighter. He, though, was by no means a normal fighter.

Now, Kimon thought, the true combat starts. For the next hour, Kimon continued to hit Higon in a few places over and over. This actually had Higon smiling at Kimon like he'd already won.

For three hours they had danced around each other, Higon not really trying to land a killing blow. Kimon started to re-evaluate his strategy. It was obvious that something besides the armor was going on.

Perhaps, Kimon thought, then his eyes opened wide as he saw that Higon was trying to draw off energy from him. So there was more going on than he'd thought. So that was the second thing, but for this level of confidence there had to be more.

Kimon set up for his next move as he again went for Higon's side, placing the hit with twice the strength. This time Higon went down as Kimon managed to crack and crush the armor.

This time Higon didn't get up as fast, then looked at Kimon as the energy draw didn't work.

"So, my brother has discovered a little but, it is too late. I have already won. I have a secret that you don't have a defense against," Higon said as he started to laugh in a maniacal way.

Kimon went through everything that he'd studied, almost all he was already guarding against. He could feel that Higon was a bit frustrated that nothing was working.

"You are going to lose as you did back then. You weren't and still aren't good enough," Kimon taunted Higon.

For a moment, Kimon thought that the taunt was going to work as Higon got mad, then calmed down.

"You are far better than I thought you were, but there are things that you could never know. Soon you like our pathetic father, you will fail.

Kimon's eyes narrowed at the mention of their father. "What would you know about father?" Kimon hissed.

Once again, Higon started to laugh like a maniacal mad man. "Oh, you'll soon know, like him, you too will fail, most spectacularly."

Kimon watched his brother very closely as the man started to power up, though far different than before.

The motions that he was doing were also very familiar though still as little alien to him.

Kimon watched his brother far closer than before. There was something in all his motions and actions that reminded him of his former student.

Kimon almost missed it when the man started to briefly glow with a blue hue. Kimon's eyes went large, he'd only seen this move once, far more deadly than almost any knew.

The last time he'd seen it, the master that had performed it had nearly died. It took a huge amount of energy plus, as he remembered was very difficult to guard against.

The smile on his brother got larger when Kimon felt the energy hit him, though hard to guard against it was possible. That's when he felt what he could only describe as another life.

"So," Kimon breathed out. "You know the soul taking technique."

There was a gasp from the council, "that technique was more than banned. Use of it is a death penalty!" Isamu Sakuta said.

Higon turned toward the council, "good, if it is, then you should try to punish me. I guarantee that almost all of you will be dead before you reach me. Unlike my brother here, it would be quick. He, I plan on showing him all the pain he deserves!"

With that, Hugon pointed at Kimon, a little surprised when nothing happened. "So, you are wrong again, as you usually were," Kimon said with a sneer.

"Maybe back then, now I am a true master of all these arts. Arts that have been almost forgotten, arts of combat and not this passive excuse for the art. This art is unstoppable as you are about to find out," Higon said as he advanced.

Kimon watched his brother advance, being touched by him was dangerous as well. Touch could increase the drain tenfold. Thinking only a moment, Kimon shot several pieces of metal from concealed places that ripped along Higon's arms.

Kimon then smiled it had the desired effect, breaking Higon's concentration.

Higon glared at Kimon, a look of intense hatred taking over his features. "Now I will kill you as slowly and painfully as I can."

Again Kimon sneered at his brother's words, "that's if you can even get close to me. At the present time, all you have been able to do is run your mouth."

Finally, Kimon thought it had the desired effect as Higon roared out in anger, rushing Kimon.

Kimon still kept his distance, knowing that the technique, once opened, was difficult to stop. He could still feel the draw, though only about half strength.

Derrick and the rest there could see the strategy that Kimon was using, though one mistake would be fatal. Derrick knew that Kimon was fast though, even he would tire after a while.

Onai and Akira could also see Kimon's strategy, both praying that he could weaken his brother enough to defeat him. They, like most there, knew that one touch could decide the contest quickly.

Kimon drew close to his brother looking to deliver a hit, then faded away, frustrating Higon. "What? Afraid to actually hit me? What a coward!" Higon said.

Kimon started to laugh, "a coward no, neither am I as stupid as you seem to think I am. I can feel you still using soul taking technique."

Higon started to laugh again, "so like our pathetic father, soon, very soon you will join him in feeding the art."

This had Kimon pausing for a moment that almost cost him his life, though he danced away. Frustrating Higon again, he laughed, then a voice came from him. "Kill him son, release me that I may join the ancestors."

Higon was mad a moment then said, "It's not going to happen, father. Like you, Kimon hasn't the power or ability to defeat me."

Kimon smiled. Higon didn't realize just who he was fighting.