CHAPTER 31

Derrick had gone over everything in his mind when he stopped; there was a little bump or node on the missile that had been overlooked. Opening his eyes he brought up the scans of the missile, son of a bitch! It was a non active motion sensor. Looking closer Derrick could see it was designed for speeds in excess of sub-light. Damn! Running for the command center he had to stop Lucy, the shroud wouldn't stop the device from detonating.

Too late he realized that Lucy was in trans-warp and he couldn't contact her 'til she re-appeared.

Tears falling from his eyes Derrick watched as she emerged between the Galaxies.

"Lucy release and jump NOW!" Derrick was screaming, Lucy released and had turned starting to accelerate, when the missile exploded.

Derrick was yelling for Lucy to trans-warp, "she is unable Derrick; the intense radiation is disrupting the field." Shelby sadly informed him.

"Lucy I am sorry I risked you like this, I have failed you." Derrick said watching as the blast started to overtake Lucy.

"Please do not feel you failed me sire, I was honored to give my life for you, I thank you....." Lucy said then all was quiet as the blast over took the ship.

"Shelby? Do you have anything? Any readings with the new settings I gave you?" Derrick said panic stricken.

"No Derrick," Shelby said tears falling from her eyes, "I am finding no trace of her, though it will be a few days before accurate readings can be taken, it appears the radiation is obscuring everything."

"NO! We have to find her! I will not lose another ship damn it! Not like this, not now, NOT EVER!" Derrick shouted before he turned stomping off to his desk.

Shelby was glad Derrick had gone to his desk as she fell to her knees the tears falling large, unstopping. This was worse than the last time Shelby had lost her, last time there weren't that many emotions, now, she couldn't stop feeling the loss far more than she ever had.

"Shelby!" Derrick was almost screaming, "Take us back with the others! I want that ass! This will be the last time I lose another of you because of a little piss ant like him!"

Shelby could only nod as she plotted a course and jumped. Appearing with the others Derrick called Mary, "I want the entire fleet and the planets that you can reach!" Derrick waited as she connected.

"I am tired of playing; the empire is coming back as of today. I am informing all the nobles that the rightful emperor has stepped forward, as I said I am through playing, I will take every one of you down if need be. I only need a ship for that and at present I have a lot more than one. I ask that the Rangers come to the imperial planet, I wish to swear you all in as security for the empire. I realize that you will need proof of this; all who wish it will have it. I require ALL the nobles to swear allegiance to me or they will be removed, I have controlling interest in everything. I expect these terms to be carried out within the next week. As for the president he will stand trial under imperial law, as you all know all the evidence already has him at the most painful death I can order."

Derrick could hear the president screaming at him, "you can't do this I deserve a trial!"

Derrick looked at the president, "you had one and I'm sure everyone will agree, that you releasing that missile to destroy the imperial planet plus half the galaxy makes you guilty as hell! I am coming for you Maury, death is the only companion you have any longer, though if you wish I could let all the people decide your fate."

Maury's face paled as he thought of the numerous people that wished him dead came to mind.

"You have no authority to..." Maury started.

"NO AUTHORITY!" Roared Derrick, "I am the next in line for the imperial throne, I am well aware of the treachery of many of your ancestors. All nobles be forewarned now, such treachery will be dealt with swiftly and justly. I'll say this once and once only, work with me and you will prosper, betray me and the empire once, you will more than regret it. As I said you ALL have 1 week, then, I shall know whether you are with me or soon to be no more."

Derrick was seething, his anger was starting to get the best of him, he had to calm before he did something he'd later regret. Cutting off the signal he began to pace the corridor outside the control room, the more he paced it seemed the worse it got.

Finally sitting at his desk area he could only shake his head; he should have seen this Lucy should be here with the rest of them. For 2 hours he sat there hundreds of ideas swimming in his head. There had to be something he could do that could speed up the detection of the boxes, everything he had so far led nowhere. Derrick was about to lay down when he happened across a metal detecting method he had worked on years ago but abandoned because of the power restrictions he had at the time.

Looking it over again his eyes got wider as he read on, how in the world had he forgotten about this? Strange the things you forget about that were super important when other things start to take precedence over almost everything else.

"Shelby!" Derrick shouted, "I need you!"

Shocked Shelby appeared next to Derrick he'd never said anything like this before and though she liked the feeling it gave her it still was strange.

"I'm here Derrick," she said almost in a whisper, still feeling the emptiness of the loss of Lucy.

"I came across something I had been working on for years, it was a detection system to better find you guys or rather the metal you are made of. I believe that this will be far better than the present system we are using." Derrick said not looking up from the screen.

Shelby could see how excited Derrick was, this was strange she was starting to feel better, but why? Was this what the humans called hope?

"How can I assist you Derrick?" Shelby asked starting to feel a little excited herself.

"I need you and the others to run all possible scenarios I need to know if this is possible, plus how far is the range since it will be more powerful. From all the readings I took when I was working on it has the potential of detecting the living metal up to 95% better." Derrick looked around at the holograms as they started to run scenarios.

The whole time Derrick was adjusting and trying to improve the conditions of the readings. "Prime as of yet I am seeing at least a 78% increase in detection, this method is far superior to the first you used." Conner advised Derrick.

"I concur," Zan added, "this is far more sensitive than the first you had us using."

"I am hoping it will aid in detecting more of the EIG's, at present we could search for 100 years and not even find half of them. I have to increase this, I have to for Shelby, you guys and..." Here Derrick's words caught in his throat, "for Lucy, for what she did she deserves to be brought back, she sacrificed herself for all of us. I will not let her go, not that easy, I WILL find her again if it takes the rest of my life."

Shelby had tears in her eyes, again she was starting to feel things she'd never felt before, things that hurt and made her feel as if she could do anything at the same time.

"Mary," Derrick called, "I need you to open a channel to what's left of the fleet, this standoff needs to stop right now."

"Yes Sire, opening a channel now, all batteries at full, shields are at full, I am targeting the front two hundred ships and am prepared to open fire on your order." Mary advised.

Nodding Derrick thought a moment before he spoke, "To what's left of the Republic fleet, this standoff needs to cease. Therefore, I am asking for a cessation of hostilities, I do not wish to destroy any more ships or lives. Under imperial law I am allowing you to retreat and be pardoned. This little war of Maury's is getting people killed that shouldn't be. I will not stand down, plus I don't think you can succeed against us, therefore I am asking that you stand down before more lives are needlessly lost." Derrick wasn't much for speeches but he hoped for once that these men valued their lives more than following an idiot any further.

Things were quiet a few moments longer, then the last flag ship's commander could be heard. "I also would like to end hostilities with you. I have never seen in all my years, 5000 ships taken out as fast as they were, I cannot speak for all the men. Give us an hour and I will reconvene with you and let you know our decision, I will also let you know if we wish to remain with the Republic."

Derrick could only smile he was hoping for something like this, from all that Maury had done he was convinced that well over 90% of the Republic's forces would join him. "Zan, Conner I want you to integrate the new detection system into the old one I want full scans as soon as you're done."

"Yes Sire," they both answered, "the changes are already being loaded into our systems as we speak."

"I estimate we should have them up and running in 1 hour 50 seconds." Zan reported.

"Good I want to know as soon as you have contact, this new system should increase the likely hood that we start finding the others." Derrick told them.

"Derrick?" Shelby asked, "What of me? Do you also want me to upgrade my systems? Did I do something wrong?" she said a little hurt looking down.

"I am not punishing you Shelby, you and I are going to be going and retrieving them, I noticed that your bay area is far more conducive to the re-gen process then the others, lately I have developed a few theories as to why but I think that is for another time." Derrick replied.

"I'm not sure what you mean Derrick, yes, it will be a good topic for later." Shelby said not really sure what Derrick had in mind.

"Mary I want you to keep an eye on Maury's ship let me know if you detect any other ships near it. I don't want to even let that idiot think he has a chance to escape." Derrick ordered.

"Yes Sire, I am keeping a lock on the area around the ship to persuade any that get to close to turn away." Mary advised Derrick.

"Good, now I just have to find more of the EIG's so that when we take the empire back, then we can actually hold it." Derrick said as Mary nodded agreement with him though from where she was, things were starting to go their way.