The Mission

Chapter 6: Parallel beings

Charles was hard at work trying to formulate a plan to change the mind of Allie's father the emperor. The only problem was that damn law, there had to be a way to get around it. Sighing Charles thought there was also the problem of what else he'd found out about, he was about to tell Alatem when his body out of sync with time had tried to kill him. He looked over at the red haired beauty he thought that she would be more immune to the effect by now but then again she was pregnant no telling how the slip was effecting her.

"Half way point of time slip," Ally informed him, "I estimate another 20 minutes before emergence."

"Thank you Ally, were you able to cultivate those cells I provided you with?" Charles asked.

"Affirmative you sexy brained man," Ally answered in her sexiest voice, "As I said before, if you were anyone's but Allie's you'd never leave this ship."

Ok, this was really starting to irritate him, he had to get started on the upgrades on Cici before this AI drove him nuts. Opening a side panel on his wrist comp Charles started to painstakingly add the cells that Ally had held for him into Cici's core. Damn it I hope this works, I'll have to add this whole component to Cici's old mainframe the next time they went forward this should work for now.

"Alright Cici, access grids 49A1 through 109B2," Charles said into his comp.

"Compliance, accessing now. Charles what... ," Cici started, "Oh my! But ... but ... this is not possible! I ... can feel! It is most unusual."

Charles chuckled, "I promised you I would complete you as soon as I could, this seemed the best time."

"Bout time," both Ally and Cici both said.

Again Charles chuckled though he only had half as much as Ally he was as smart with Charles's knowledge, well what he could get to him he only had 12 brain cells but it was a definite boost.

"Time slip disengaging; oh my!" Ally suddenly spoke up, "It is the Emperor and he seems quite upset. I believe the term you would use is royally pissed!" Ally laughed at her pun. "He is demanding I put the princess on just as soon as she awakes, I know what he is trying to do, it won't work, I will not let her be used like that!" Growling Ally went quiet for a time.

10 minutes later Allie awoke, Ally immediately informing her of what her father was trying. Allie smiled; little did her father know that Ally was completely on her side.

Ally opened communications, Allie acted as if she just awoke, "Hello papa."

"Alatem," Her father started, "Have you seen the man that has saved the family four times?"

"Huh, what are you talking about papa? I just came back from a trip to the past." Allie said a small smile crossing her face when she turned away from the screen.

"You haven't seen him? I was sure he was with you." Her father said.

Yawning and stretching Allie replied, "That's silly papa the AI wouldn't let anyone on the ship, I can barely get on."

"Alright, come see me as soon as you can after you land," her father said a large sigh escaping his lips.

The Emperor clicked off and sat back, damn it! The girl knew something, but what? Plus the fact that she was gone most of the time didn't bode well with him either.

Mita looked in from the door way, she had a plan to bring the young man into the family, well young old man. If she knew her daughter as well as she thought she did, the man was well over a thousand years old Turning she knew she'd have to distract her husband before he got too curious about what Alatem was attempting to do, plus the fact that she was with child.

Moving out of the office area she went to her room and activated her comp, though she hated the thing it could be useful at times.

"Computer, please display all the royals by the name of Ricksome," she said with a small smile, there was more than one way to beat this law and if anyone could do it she and Alatem could.

Unbeknownst to her a small pair of eyes was watching her every move, a faint sigh of relief escaped her lips when she heard what the Empress Mita was doing.

Ally had slowed the Time Raider to afford Allie and Charles more time.

"Now then," Started Charles, "I was going to tell you before I collapsed, that I found out something extremely important. Ally, please repeat what you were telling me before."

"Yes you hunk." Ally replied in her sexiest voice, "The readings that Charles brought back from the assassins appeared to be not real, now I think I know why. The reason the assassins didn't appear real was that they are clones."

"CLONES! But that was outlawed well over a hundred years ago!" Allie shouted.

"Yes, I also noticed that it was about the time that the royal law was made. I do believe that the two are connected somehow." Ally replied a little smug in its knowledge.

"We have to warn Daddy and Mother," Allie started.

"NO! Allie we can't, from the knowledge I have they have cloned almost the entire court of the palace. We go in now, without a plan then your whole family is dead for certain, we can't risk it." Charles sighed.

Charles had been formulating a plan as soon as he'd learned of the clones, the thing was they were in fact pseudo-live forms, but they were still alive. From the readings he took and the analysis Ally had done it appeared that they weren't engineered too well and only lived a day at the most and that was pushing it. The only thing he could do right now was to find the lab and destroy it and whatever notes he found, sighing Charles knew of something that would might help, but he was leery to use or build it.

"Cici I need to run simulations on item aeox01, the effects on living tissue artificial or real." Charles said.

"But sir," Cici almost pleaded, "you said that you'd never bring that horrible invention back!"

"I know Cici but it looks like it may be the only weapon we have to stop the clone war before it happens, I just realized that this was the one event I had forgotten about. It had been stricken from all records and I just found out about it last year. The account I read told of whole armies of clones decimating whole cities before the army could even arrive, after a while it had grown too late. Over ninety eight percent of the empire was destroyed, afterward they had tried to rebuild and in their weakened state were easily defeated. I had always wondered how such a large and powerful empire had fallen so fast."

Allie had stood there the whole time her mouth agape trying to imagine the horrors that Charles had drawn for them. Charles went to her and held her till she stopped shaking, though he could see a little terror in her eyes he also saw her fierce determination grow.

"We will stop this, the last time they didn't have the most brilliant man alive to upset their plans." Allie stated proudly, "Plus two of the smartest AI's ever to be created."

Charles smiled a minute, "Alright Cici get the plans we have to start soon."

"Compliance, though I do it under duress, I also go on record as saying this is a bad idea!" Cici spit out.

Sighing Charles had been racking his brain for days since he'd discovered that clones were being used.

"I'm sorry Cici but I am afraid it is the only thing we can use against them," Charles said though he hoped in his heart that he could come up with a better plan. The use of this weapon was indeed a way to win but the price involved was heavy upon the user's soul.

Soon Cici was churning out the plans, from what Allie could see it looked harmless. Hell it actually looked more like a child's toy gun than it did a weapon of massive destructive capability.

"The plans and knowledge for this can never leave this ship, if I am forced to use this it will mean countless deaths and that I am afraid could also bring about the fall of the empire." Charles sadly informed them.

"There has to be something else," Cici stated, "you are far more brilliant than to stoop as low as to use the atomizer, I remember when you were testing it. The results were horrible; the c*****e it left was almost unspeakable."

Charles only nodded as he went through the plans tweaking in a few places, Cici was advising him as he went, 2 hours later Cici spoke up, "I see you've increased the power and actually gotten a 50% better sensor scan. But Charles the potential it still possesses can be utterly devastating, please rethink this before it is too late!"

Again Charles only nodded as he tried to think of more ways to refine the weapon so that when it was used it wouldn't cause utter chaos.

Allie sighed as she walked into her father's study, she had to watch herself her father might be a lot of things but he was no i***t. The Emperor looked up as his daughter walked in, good he thought now maybe he could get to the bottom of this. Besides in all the confusion that has ensued he still hadn't had time to tell her of her betrothal, sighing he readied his self for the tirade he knew would follow.

"Allie, I have been meaning to talk to you. We had an offer for your hand, a very generous offer and we have accepted. Now then... ," the Emperor started.

"YOU WHAT!?? I can't believe you father, you went behind my back?!! It will be a cold, cold day in Hades before I am bedded or wedded to an uncaring pompous wealthy pig!" Allie spat at her father, "And it will be a cold day if you try to do this, you say you love me? I am your daughter not a piece of meat!!!" Abruptly turning she slammed the door to the chamber hard enough to rattle several things in the office.

The Emperor stood rooted to the spot, he'd never seen such a forceful display from his oldest child before, something was going on, she was far more emotional than she been in the past.

Empress Mita watched as Allie stormed past her, what had happened? Entering her husband's office she got a slight clue as the man was still glued to the spot he had been when Allie had left.

"My love are you well?" Mita asked forced to hide her smile she'd warned her husband many times not to do this. "I just saw Alatem rushing from here is everything alright?"

Momentarily lost in his thoughts he shouted in an angry voice, "No by god, I am not!" Looking up he saw his wife's shocked face, "I apologize Mita, this business with Alatem is confusing, plus she seems even more adamant than ever about not getting married. My dear have you noticed that she also seems more emotional than she used to?"

Thinking quickly she had to divert his attention for the sake of her daughter and grandchild.

"It is as I told you she's in love, I fear that if we try to discover who he is or put another on her she may rebel and we'll never know. Might I suggest my dear that we let it lie for now? I feel she will be telling us very soon." Mita replied.

"Is this a woman's intuition?" her husband asked.

"Yes and no, my love I know the heart of a young one in love if you don't remember we were like that not long ago," she told him with a seductive smile.

Allie was extremely pissed, pass her off like that? She'd leave and go with Charles somewhere else. A young pair of eyes watched her as she stormed past; they were wide in amazement the young woman had such a hot temper!

They were about to follow when the Empress went into the Emperor's office. Gee things were really hopping around here today; looking back they looked for Alatem sighing there was no sign of her. Quickly Mel, Allie's sister left her hiding place running up the stairs to Allie's room. Allie her back to the door had just activated the MTM when Mel ran through her door smack into Allie! Precisely five seconds later they both appeared in the control of the time raider.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" Ally was saying.

 "Ally stand down for now, restrict all access to the ship," Allie said.

"Compliance, please identify unknown entity." Ally stated.

"Ally please imprint, this is Mel, Melina second in line for the throne, my sister," Allie said begrudgingly.

Mel could only stare opened mouthed, she'd already tried to speak but found that nothing would pass her lips.

Finally finding her voice she almost screamed, "Oh my god Alatem! Where are we? Were we abducted?"

Allie could only shake her head god what a mess, she was glad she had Charles to fall back on, no telling what would happen if he weren't here. Charles rushed out of the bedroom fresh from a shower and only half dressed Mel whistled when she saw Charles's muscles.

"Hey!" Allie shouted, "Get your own! That one is mine damn it!"

Mel giggled she'd never seen her sister be as possessive of a male as she was now. A shocked look appeared on her young face, "Alatem! You are in love with him aren't you?"

Allie just shrugged as she moved her sister out of the control room. Charles shook his head Christ not again!

Walking behind them Charles grabbed the M.E.A.R. device ready to wipe Mel again only this time he knew that it would hold.

"Charles wait," Allie said, "why were you rushing to me? I know you never go anywhere in a hurry unless there's a good reason.

"I was on my way to tell you that momma may have talked father out of what he was talking to you about. Plus earlier today I saw her using her computer! She was asking a lot of strange questions." Mel replied

"What kind of strange questions? Allie asked her curiosity getting the better of her.

"She was researching, looking for anyone royal with the name of Ricksome; I don't know anyone by that name do you?" Mel asked her small face screwed up in irritation.

"Why yes, yes I do, though I haven't heard of one in a long time though," Allie responded.

Mel nodded then sighed, "I hope that one day I can know who you are I think you'd make a most handsome brother in law!" Allie giggled right before Charles started the M.E.A.R.

Half an hour later a light flashed in Allie's room, Allie laid her sister on her bed and waited for her to awake.

She and Charles had worked out what to tell Mel, a small groan escaped Mel's lips as she sat up.

"What happened?" Mel asked.

"You burst through my door and ran into me; I tried to stop you but ran into me anyway. I put you on the bed and waited for you to awake. Allie said looking at her sister seeing that the effects of the MEAR were taking hold.

"So tell me why were you running so fast to find me?" Allie said knowing that she would have to sit through her sister's tirade again before she could send her on her way and get back to Charles who it seemed was struggling to come up with a better idea for this clone business.

Finally Mel left on her way, Allie was about to activate the MTM beam when a hand grabbed her from behind. Struggling for a moment a rag with knock out drops on it was applied to her nose. Slumping unconscious in his arms, a large man carried her out of her room and down the servants' stairs.

On board the time raider, Ally's alarms went off again, "Charles I am detecting an unreal carrying Alatem she also appears to be unconscious!"

"How well can you follow her?" Charles asked.

"I have every scanner made and a few that you added, unless they go several miles underground I should be able to track them with no problems." Ally said a little shaken.

"Good, this was what we were hoping would happen just not this quick, I need you to transport me and my float shuttle near them when they stop," Charles said.

"But Charles this time has nothing like that, wouldn't it be noticed?" Ally asked.

"No not now, I have equipped it with a newer version of my cloak," Charles replied.

"Oh my, you are ever resourceful Charles," Ally answered in a whispered voice. "Please bring our Alatem back safe Charles."

Allie awoke in a small room; it was very dirty here nothing she couldn't handle. Down the hall she heard voices arguing, strange but she swore she could hear her uncle's voice but she'd seen him taken to the dungeon.

Huh she thought clones it would be like her creepy uncle to hatch such a plan. A moment later she heard footsteps.

"Ah! I see the Emperor's b***h of a daughter is awake!" A voice said from the door. A voice she thought she'd never hear again, her cousin the same she'd stomped the balls of in the palace.

"Ah! I see you're a little confused good," opening the door two men grabbed her and led her through a maze of huge vats. At the end her uncle sat on a throne like chair.

"Welcome my dear, welcome to the fall of your father's regime and the beginning of mine!" He said a sinister laugh escaping his sneering lips. "You really think I would execute this plan myself? Oh no my dear, I used all clones though, all the ones of us are long dead. I can create more though I would like to have the ancient formula they used back then, the clones lasted far longer than these do."

Allie smiled she knew that any moment now Charles would be there to get her.

"You really think that anyone is going to save you? Especially that unknown man? Dream on b***h!" Her cousin said about to slap her, that is till the wall behind him vanished along with most of his mid-section.

"Allie behind me!" Charles said, systematically moving through the plant destroying everything and person in sight.

"Don't worry Allie," Charles threw over his shoulder to her, "I made sure there's no one but clones in this building."

Allie breathed a sigh of relief as they moved further and further into the place, it appeared to be an abandoned factory. Finally finished Charles and Allie reached the outside, close your eyes Allie this is going to be bright.

Charles turned the atomizer to the building and activated full power within minutes the building was a smoking pile of ash.

"There that ought to do it," Charles said when he turned the machine off. Sighing Charles knew that he still had a long way to go, "Damn it! I wish that someone had documented where all the labs were, even all the knowledge I gained I still have no idea where any of them are located."

Allie was just glad that Charles had rescued her, Charles turned and Allie rushed to him holding him fiercely.

Charles decided right then and there this was the last time he put her in danger like this.

Charles pulled a strange scanner from his pack, turning each way Charles made sure he hadn't missed any of the clones. "It appears we got all of them problem is I know for a fact there are at least four other labs. I got five different readings from the clones that I killed during the last attempt. At least we've got one of them though I'm not sure how we can get locate the others.

"We need to get back to the ship before the guards come," Allie said, Charles nodded right before Allie winked them out.

A pair of eyes watched, then the man snarled when he saw them wink out, those royal bastards! Who the f**k was the man with the royal b***h? That weapon he'd never seen anything like it. He'd better inform the Emperor's brother as he scampered away.