CHAPTER 45

Derrick remembered all the times that he and she had listened to him when he had visited, then when they had all moved into a larger house. Derrick had loved his Grandfather fiercely and had listened to everything that the man had said with rapt attention. Smiling Derrick was glad that he had all the codes that he'd known, all the commands that he knew. Derrick at times could almost swear that his Grandfather had actually been inside the palace.

Suddenly a thought lit up Derrick's mind, "Grams? Did Grandfather ever mention being inside the palace?"

The older woman's face was drawn in concentration for a few moments, "He never said that he was inside the palace but one day 30 or 40 years ago he came home excited about a communication he'd had. Though he never went into it that much he did keep repeating, I finally got through to her, but she said I wasn't right." Derrick's Grandmother could only shake her head at Derrick. "I never did understand what he meant by it."

Derrick was going over everything that he'd just been told, "Mary!" He suddenly shouted.

A hologram of an older, petite slightly graying woman appeared in front of Derrick and the two women. "Yes Sire, I am here."

Derrick's Grandmother and mother's mouths hung open as they both stared at the visage, "Who are you?" Sherry O'Toma asked, suddenly taken aback.

"Mother, Gram, this is Mary, she is the palace A.I., she is the one in control of all the palace systems. Now then Mary, Query." Derrick explained.

"I am ready Sire," Mary replied.

"Possibly 30 to 40 years ago were you contacted briefly by another O'Toma that also claimed to be a descendant of the Imperial line?" Derrick asked.

"Searching records, yes sir I did receive an initial communication with the aforementioned individual. I also tested his Deoxyribonucleic acid to confirm his claim, though he had the proper codes at the time, the analysis only showed a 58.9% chance of him being directly in line for the throne. As per mandates therefore I could not accept his claim his sequences were not of a high enough ratio to merit taking his claim as serious." Mary rattled off.

"I see, thank you; I need you to open up a room in the palace. My family and I will be there tomorrow, for a short time. I am also going to need you to assign permanent guards to both of them, though the reason cannot be known to anyone." Derrick instructed Mary.

"It will be as you command Sire," Mary said bowing to Derrick.

Mary then turned toward his Mother and Grandmother, "It is my honor to also meet the Imperial mother and Imperial Grandmother." Mary said as she also bowed to a now blushing Milley and an embarrassed Sherry O'Toma. Mary then turned her face toward Derrick, "I have had the palace ready awaiting your arrival for over three weeks now Sore. I await your arrival and the chance to welcome you back home." With that Mary's gray hair shook as she bowed to all three of them again and vanished.

"OK," an opened mouthed and slightly shocked Milley said a moment later, "this will definitely take some getting used to. Wow," was her next reaction, "I'm royalty now." She said as a wide smile spread across her face.

Derrick had a smile on his face gauging the reaction of his Grandmother, though the still shocked look on his Mother's face was starting to worry him a bit. "Mother?" He asked, "all you alright? I know it's a lot to take in but..."

"I..." Sherry O'Toma started, "You..." letting out a sigh as she collapsed into a nearby chair, her still young features somewhat strained. Then she lowered her face into her hands sobbing.

Concerned Derrick rushed forward to try and find out what was wrong. "Mother? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Derrick was even more concerned as she started to sob even harder, the tears now coming freely.

"Oh ... oh my god Derrick!" Sherry O'Toma said as she threw her arms around his neck holding him close sobbing into his shoulder. "We almost lost you before and now this! Every nasty, evil, vile underhanded fiend out there will be trying to take your life now! It took me and your Gram a month to heal you! You were so close to dying so many times I can't lose you again like that Derrick! I can't do it Derrick, it almost killed me last time!" Derrick could only look at his Mother with compassion; he'd never heard any of this, after his father had been found dead Sherry O'Toma had devoted her life to her son. Looking over at his Grandmother he could see the tears escaping her eyes also.

Sighing Derrick could see their point of view, truly he could, but he also knew he had to keep going as the throne had been vacant too long, the empire was in chaos and it deserved to return to its former glory. Holding his mother close he tried to reassure her as much as he could telling her that he'd listen to any ideas she and his Gram had to keep him safe. Sniffing Sherry looked up through the tears and saw that Derrick was more determined than she'd ever seen him. Sighing Sherry O'Toma looked closer and saw something in Derrick's eyes she'd never seen before, doing a double take she looked deeper. Not only seeing the love he had for her and his Gram but more much more, her eyes opened wide. This was a look that went deep with a confidence that she'd not seen there before.

Shaking her head affirmative she told him, "If it keeps you safe and alive I will but so many I am thinking of seem unreal. I have heard of many things, many dangerous cults out there that do not wish for the return of the empire. Your father told me of them, I still have all the information he gathered, I still believe to this day it is what got him killed. Please Derrick, if they are true, what he told me of them they will stop at nothing to stop you. Please, my son, be careful." Here Sherry O'Toma held him tighter, her blonde hair falling over his shoulder, her slender body still shaking from her fear. Again Derrick was shocked he'd never heard any of this he would have to go over what his father had gathered to better guard against those opposed to the empire.

Derrick looked at his Gram; she too had a worried look on her face and said, "You realize that once you reveal just who you are, they will come after you. I have seen some of that information, there are assassins out there with technology I have never heard of, though," here Milley looked around the room and then waved her arm around indicating the whole ship. "I see that you also have technology that I have never seen nor heard of, I just hope that yours is far better than theirs."

Derrick looked at the last of the family he had left, the concern that they both were showing for him. Yeah, he had to admit he sure as hell hoped that he was far better also, as dying wasn't something he was prepared to do for quite a while. "I don't know grammar yet. I'll have to see what my father gathered first before I can make a determination of that. I'm looking to stay alive for quite a while, as I said I want your input, you might think it ridiculous but I want to hear it ok?" Derrick looked at both of them, they could see that he was deadly serious. Both were shaking their heads yes, they could see that Derrick meant every word.

Leaving them instructions on what to do in certain conditions Derrick hugged them both before he left for the control room. While he was walking Shelby appeared next to him and walked with him. Stopping a moment Shelby lowered her head, "Derrick? I am so sorry that you were hurt. Can you forgive me?" Shelby's eyes were tear filled as Derrick looked over to her.

"Forgive you?" He asked as he stopped also, "Shelby, there is nothing to forgive you for. It was as much my fault as it was yours."

"No Derrick," she replied, "I am responsible for keeping you safe when you are on me, I ... I failed, I am surprised that you still wish to be partnered with me." Derrick could see that this was tearing Shelby up, though he didn't blame her it was obvious that she blamed herself, nodding he knew how she felt now that he thought about it.

"Shelby," Derrick finally said after thinking of a proper answer, "I feel safer with you than I do with any other; the bond that we have forged is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Please continue to protect me; I will endeavor to do things less dangerous. Will that make you feel better?" Derrick finally said, waiting with trepidation.

"If you can do that, I will do everything I can to ensure you aren't hurt again." Shelby replied though she still had tears in her eyes she was finally smiling making Derrick feel a whole lot better.

Entering the control room Derrick had just sat when the communicator at his side went off. Shaking his head he wondered what was wrong now. Clicking it on he heard Hartwell's voice, "Emperor Sir? Are you there Sire?" A small smile played over Derrick's lips he could hear the hesitation in Hartwell's voice.

"Shelby distortion please," Derrick told her then answered the call. "I am here Rear Admiral, is all well?"

"Yes Sire," came the reply, "I was just wondering are you in need of us to be present at the execution, uh ... for security purposes."

Derrick tried to not laugh, Hartwell just wanted to be there to see the inside of the palace. Derrick couldn't blame him after all; no one had been in there in over 200 years. "I am considering having a few Rangers as security, thank you Rear Admiral. I'll contact you soon with an answer."

"Thank you Sire," Hartwell replied then switched off.