Lost Empire

Chapter 10

Derrick sat alone, he hadn't liked giving the ultimatum to Joseph, but he figured he needed to do something to get the Rangers to back off. Jumping out with trans-warp Derrick knew that no one would be able to follow or trace them. In orbit around Darius 4, a lifeless dried up dust ball; Derrick knew that no one really ever came here anymore.

Derrick knew he had so much to do; he had to have the rest of the knowledge in the libraries. There was still the explosive charge attached to the astral fin near Zan's engine. There was still the mysterious message that Tempro had, plus the mystery of the two of the ships having been designated as the personality creators, one of whom he suspected was Shelby. There were just too many questions and few if any answers.

Looking at the head set again for the fifth time in the last thirty minutes, Derrick asked Shelby. "Shelby, I need to use the head set, there are far too many questions I need answers to. I want a full diagnostic on the system, Query, are all seven buffers sufficient to intercept and quell and funnel the information at a more tolerable rate? Also, are the charge dampeners sufficient to prevent electrocution to the one wearing it?" Derrick had been through the diagrams and the design checking the apparatus numerous times.

"Comparing the apparatus to that which you used last time, I am showing that all buffers are working at ninety nine point five percent, all three charge dampeners are at one hundred percent, also the quick disconnect switch has been added, though I must warn you Derrick there are only certain times that you can use it. Only when you see a green light in the upper left quadrant is it safe to quick disconnect, any other time you will either suffer severe brain damage, or instant death."

"Thank you Shelby, I have to complete this," Derrick said as he sat and placed the head set over his ears. Again as it started it wasn't bad then the information started to flow faster, then faster yet. Looking to the left he still hadn't seen the light yet, good to keep that spot in focus in case. After what felt like an hour the information again started to gain speed. That's when Derrick started to notice that something was wrong, he still hadn't seen the light, or any opening. Derrick also noticed that the information was far beyond what he knew was in Shelby's library.

Son of a bitch! Even this far into the future the traitors had found a way to try and kill him. Shelby was starting to get worried, Derrick had finished her library a short time ago but for some reason the apparatus was now pulling from the other ships, including Tempro which it shouldn't.

Delving into the link Shelby only found an empty room, following the link further she again found Derrick curled into a corner. It was at that moment she saw the sabotage, somehow there was a residual virus in one of the ships systems, a virus that could leave them all without Derrick. Remembering the disc from earlier Shelby had it in a receptacle within moments. As the blue healing stream of data washed over them, Derrick finally uncurled looking up he saw that Shelby had again saved him. "Thank you Shelby, where are we? I don't recognize this," Derrick asked.

A man about 25-30 appeared, "you are in my library, I'd say you've accessed almost half of it, my lord." The short cropped blonde hair, medium build man, with a smooth face said as he bowed.

"Tempro?" Derrick asked.

"I am glad you remembered me," looking at Shelby he stated, "thank you I owe you my life for the second time no..., third. My lord I was told that when you were here, to tell you, this is where you are supposed to be. You need to complete my records, it will be painful especially the last part. I was told you have to endure it, you'll see why."

Derrick looked at Tempro as if he was crazy, the pain had already started, shaking his head did that mean he was almost done with the extra huge library Tempro had? Then almost all clear thought vanished as the last few tens of thousands of files washed through his brain. Falling to the... ground? He wasn't sure what it was nor did he care the visions and information he received made him feel as if it all were actually happening to him. All the pain he saw, all the pain he felt, Derrick thought was going to kill him then just as suddenly it was gone.