Lost Empire Ch. 36

"I'm not sure sir," Lucie replied hesitantly, "I keep hearing a voice."

Derrick's eyes went wide as he cocked his head to the side and looked up at the ceiling. Damn he thought she can hear one of the ships but he can't? "Can you understand what it is saying?" Derrick asked.

Lucie's eyes went wide as she looked at Derrick. "Sir? You don't think I am going crazy?"

Derrick smiled widely, it looked like they had just found their fifth Captain. Though the problem was that she wasn't military. Then he thought, did it really matter? So far very few had been able to hear the ships. "No my dear I don't. Actually I can hear all the ships.

Shelby?"

Shelby appeared a moment later in front of Lucie. "Yes Derrick, how can I help?"

"Please scan Lucie here and see if her readings match those of the other four Captains." Derrick told her.

"Yes Derrick," turning Shelby told Lucie, "please don't be afraid I am only going to scan your mind so I can compare your readings to the others."

"As long as it doesn't hurt." Lucie replied.

Shelby smiled warm and friendly, "No my dear it won't hurt."

"If I may ask?" Lucie said. "What exactly are you?"

"I am the living Artificial Intelligence of this ship. What you see before you is a three dimensional representation of my personality." Shelby happily volunteered to the young woman.

"Uh, ok." Lucie said a little uncertain but still nodded her head as Shelby started the scan.

A few moments later Shelby reported, "Derrick, I am detecting almost the same readings as in the others. Oh my!"

"What's wrong is she in danger? Is she a danger to us?" Derrick asked a little worried now.

"Nothing like that Derrick. According to these readings she has a stronger mind for connecting to the ships than the others. I'd say that she is a little stronger than you Derrick. This is astounding!" Shelby said as she finished.

Derrick shook his head the way things were going lately it really didn't surprise him at all. Turning to Lucie he again asked, "So can you understand what the voice is saying?"

Lucie tilted her head to the side as she listened more intently. "The only thing I hear that is clear is someone saying hello every few minutes. Other than that the rest is garbled."

Derrick's eyes went wide, was she really that sensitive to the ships? Hell for that matter far more sensitive than he was? As he'd thought a little while ago nothing would surprise him now. If what he was thinking was true then Johnathon's sister might be far more important than anyone at first thought!

"Though it may piss you off Johnathon, I am going to need your sister to assist me with the ships." When Johnathon picked himself off the floor to a sitting position Derrick expected him to launch into a long tirade.

"Though she is my sister Sire, I do not deserve the right to tell her what to do. I feel that I have been a really crappy brother to her and my family. I came back to help restore mine and my family's honor." Here Johnathon hung his head. "I feel that I failed at both of them. How can you expect me to aid you?"

"Admiral Joseph Johnathon Hartwell! If I ever hear those words out of your mouth again? I'll do a hell of a lot more than incapacitate with shocks!" Derrick started to chuckle when he saw Johnathon's eyes go wide then narrow as he stared at Derrick.

"Ha! As if! You couldn't beat me then and I highly doubt you could now! Besides isn't there a law that could get me executed for beating the shit out of the Emperor?" Johnathon told Derrick.

"In certain cases it is allowed as long as death isn't an issue. Besides I think you've gotten soft!" A stern faced told Johnathon.

"I think that is enough!" Mary 2 and Lucie said as they stepped between the two of them.

Kimison looked over to Rayburn, "You're sure we aren't overtaxing her system? As far as we've gotten I really don't want to start over again!"

"According to all her readings she is at almost eighty percent. Preliminary projections show that she should be within a few months of present time." Rayburn replied.

They were both bent over different consoles when a tone sounded. The beautiful, blonde, green eyed, slender woman's eyes snapped open. Looking around with a strange look she closed her eyes shook her head and reopened them. Two men walked within her range of vision.

"Why am I onboard Tempro?" She asked. "Where is Derrick? Corporal Kimison I recognize you though the man next to you is unfamiliar. It appears that something is wrong with the cybernetic link I can't regain my access of my ship body!"

Rayburn looked at Kimison he'd been afraid that this might happen. "No ma'am, your memories have been eighty percent downloaded into a corporeal body. We are attempting to finish without killing you. This," Kimison said indicating Rayburn, "is Sergeant Rayburn, a colleague of mine. We both served with the commander in the Republic wars."

"I see, when do you estimate completion of the memory download?" The eager woman said.

"Now that you are more cognizant of what is going on, it won't take as long to finish." Rayburn told her with a wide smile.

"Good I am anxious to start helping Derrick." She said as she laid back. "Please continue with all haste!"

"Yes your Majesty!" Both men stated as they began to move at a faster pace.