Lost Empire

Chapter 16

It had been almost twelve hours and Mary had been following the progress of Rear Admiral Joseph Hartwell. After sending him to Abrir Oculta Providence to retrieve Derrick's family she could only wait. Checking in on Derrick every few minutes there still hadn't been any improvement. Not really one to worry that much Mary was actually hoping that his family would jar his memory. It was far too dangerous to try most of the other remedies that had been prescribed. It appeared that while increasing his intellect and cognitive abilities Derrick's head set process had also loosened his tight grip on the present, hence only a slight knock had rendered him with no memory.

Mary was just hoping that the jar of seeing his family would be sufficient enough to bring him back. Finally she saw that the Rear Admiral had left Abrir Oculta heading toward the imperial planet. Opening a channel Mary needed a progress report, "Rear Admiral," she started slightly startling the bridge crew, "Did you have any problems?"

"Uh no, by the way what do I call you?" Hartwell asked Mary.

"At present my current title is imperial advisor and head law holder. Also I am at an emergency contingency 'til such time as the emperor releases me from it. This means I will do everything within my power to protect the imperial planet and the emperor." Sighing at the confused look on Hartwell's face she said, "Just call me advisor Mary, it's about as close as most will get to my full title."

Hartwell nodded making note of it, "We have both Sherry O'Toma and Milley O'Toma aboard. We should arrive in ten hours."

"Unacceptable. Shelby, please transport the ranger ship here. Shelby should have you here in a minute or so," Mary advised Hartwell.

Looking out a huge, sleek, black skinned ship flashed in directly above them, emitted an eerie beam then they both flashed and were in the vicinity of the imperial planet. Most of the bridge crew was staring opened mouth at the view screen. The science officer walked up to Hartwell with a look of surprise and want on his face, "Sir according to the stellar readings we just crossed over half of the galaxy in five seconds! OMG! I want one of those!"

Hartwell chuckled a moment his self in awe, "You and me both Anders, you and me both." He said almost in a whisper. Suddenly there was a commotion in the passageway connecting the bridge to the rest of the ship.

"I don't care what he said, I want to see that idiot NOW!" Sighing, Hartwell knew the sound of Milley O'Toma's voice anywhere. She might be old but she was still as feisty as she was when she was younger. Pushing her way onto the bridge she stood next to Hartwell's chair with her arms crossed. "So when are we due to get there?" She asked before she looked at the view screen. "Is that the imperial world? I knew that the Rangers had fast ships but this is..." Milley's mouth dropped open when a three mile long ship came into view. "OMG!" She was whispering, falling to her knees, "I thought he was telling stories, they are real then the rest of it has to be true also!"

Hartwell looked at her strange what was she talking about? "Ma'am?" Hartwell asked her, "What are you talking about?"

"That," she whispered in awe, "it is just as my husband described it, I just thought it was one of his wild stories."

"You know what it is?" Hartwell asked her a little shaken now.

"Yes," she said never taking her eyes off the sight before her, "it is an Elite Imperial Guardian, all these years I humored him and he was actually speaking the truth!"

Shelby couldn't resist and appeared on the Ranger ship's bridge, "it is good that someone remembered us!" she said as she smiled at Milley. Then she was gone as the Ranger ship's holograph equipment wasn't that good.