CHAPTER 7

Almost a full hour had passed with Derrick in the records room, when a chime sounded.

"Yes," Derrick answered rather absently, focusing more on what he'd been reading.

"Derrick!" came E's excited voice, "She's alive! Her box is badly damaged but she's alive!"

Jumping up Derrick started to run, then was suddenly on the hanger bay.

"Report E," Derrick ordered.

Sobering, E tried to answer calmly, "I was finally able to infuse the box with enough energy to slowly start

regrowth and re-gen."

"Have you determined which unit it is?" Derrick asked.

"Yes Derrick, it took many deep scans but she is 0999 my closest sister, she and several others were lost in the very

first of several battles outside our galaxy. Unfortunately, I am afraid part of her memory is damaged, it is a shame

though I won't know the extent of the damage till she is regrown."

Again Derrick nodded the brain box was severely damaged true, but it was more intact than not. Derrick hoped most

of her files were intact, what he was finding was becoming disturbing to say the least.

"Alright E, I'll leave her to you, remember though I know you are anxious to get her back, don't rush."

Derrick reminded her.

"No Derrick, I won't forget, it is my hope that most of her remains. As I said there was extensive damage." Derrick

could hear the hope in E's voice, he too was hoping as he felt it would help to heal E further.

The rest of the week Derrick checked on the ship every day, it was growing very slowly indeed. Derrick

continued to look through the records from 0999. It was as he had feared, the deeper he got the angrier he got. All

the lies, the deception that had led to the destruction of all these beautiful and glorious ships. He'd been also

working on a way to boost the detection signal more when HE broke into his thoughts.

"Derrick, you ordered me to advise you when 0098 was conscious," E called.

"Alright E," seconds later he was on the hanger, shaking his head he knew HE was excited.

"Whenever you're ready E," Derrick said to get things started.

Suddenly there was a mechanical voice coming from the speakers, "Where am I? What has happened to Captain Albatross?"

"0098, this is 0101, you were destroyed in battle outside our galaxy," E explained.

"Yes 0101, I am detecting severe damage to my brain box. I seem to be missing the last year of my memory, plus

battle tactics, and tactical," The voice replied.

"I can supply you with the last two, the first I am afraid may be permanently gone," E offered.

"Thank you 0101, are there any others?" the voice asked.

"At present there are only you, me and 0999," E said sadly.

Sighing 0998 replied, "Only 3 of the greatest battle fleet ever made left, it is a shame."

"There was only me, had my prime not found me, then both of you then there would still only be me," E joyfully said.

"He found us? But we are undetectable! Truly your prime is a brilliant humanoid," 0098 stated.

Derrick began to blush. He was smart, sure but brilliant? No, far from it! "I don't think brilliant is an

accurate description of me," laughed Derrick.

"Yes Derrick," E broke in, "for over 1000 years no race no... one has ever been able to detect us. At least not while

we are shut down."

"I agree," chipped in 0098.

"As do I," added 0999.

Why were the A.I.'s so surprised it was just metal detecting equipment he'd developed years ago, nothing

brilliant there?

"Look you three I am just an ex-soldier and programmer, not some god or savior." Replied Derrick.

Derrick remained silent for the next hour watching as the new ship grew. Although it appeared that the brain box had

sustained more damage than 0999's, 098 had retained an impressive amount of its data and personality.

Derrick went back to the records to finish up on 0999's records.

Much as E had predicted it took a week longer to regrow 0098 and the surrounding ship. Only a few days into

the second week another set of alarms went off. Racing for the control room Derrick was almost afraid of what he

might find.

"Report E," Derrick said as he flashed into the control room command seat.

"I am reading a small fleet of the same race that attacked a few weeks ago, I suggest we move back inside our galaxy

for added cover," E replied.

"Agreed, 0999 stay close, we don't know if they've seen us yet," Derrick advised.

"Affirmative, moving to flank position," 0999 reported.

"We are going to move to Alpha epsilon 999 zeta, confirm." Derrick ordered.

"Position confirmed, commencing relocation," 0999 answered.

The rest of the week Derrick again worked on the limiting programs in the main computer of E, he'd just

finished with the fortieth when E called.

"Derrick 0098 is finally strong enough and has her own power now, she should be able to finish herself in a few

days." E said more excitedly.

"Good though I hate to have her fighting this soon after she has just gotten repaired,' Derrick said feeling a little

guilty.

"Thank you E," Derrick said, only half listening to E. "E, I have a question."

"Yes Derrick," the hologram appeared next to him.

"I was wondering, except for the personality, is everything the same within all primary programs? If I was to

implement the changes in 0098 and 0999 that I have within you, would it cause the same problems to them that it did

at first with you?" Derrick was really hoping for a positive answer, this might solve a lot of problems down the line

IF he could disable enough.

"At present Derrick I am unable to answer that question. It is true that I did have access to all of both, and true

they were the same as far as I saw. I do not remember you encountering problems; I do have comparisons of all three

data files if you wish to look at them." E said sadly.

"Maybe later E, I think I know what I have to do, though I am not really that thrilled to do it," Derrick replied

looking over what he'd done to E so far.

"If I may interject," came the voice of 0999, "I have glossed over all that you have done to date; it appears

that 0101 now has 1% more freedom to make decisions. As she said her systems are almost identical to all of ours,

therefore you now have an extensive knowledge of all of us."

"Hmmm," Derrick said, "E, I need to transport to..." there was a flash and Derrick was standing on another bridge not

unlike E's, "the bridge of... damn it E at least let me get the words out, Christ!"

"Again I apologize Derrick, as before I anticipated what you wanted," E sweetly said.

Derrick nodded uh huh, maybe freeing up more of the A.I.'s wasn't as good a thing as he'd at first thought.

Turning, Derrick saw what appeared to be a 5' 7'' young man with short brown hair, not overly muscled, no facial hair

either, wearing what appeared to be...? Overalls?

"Welcome to the bridge Primary Derrick," the man said, "I am EIG-0999M."