Charles Ricksome jerked awake, the after effect of the time slip still had
him feeling groggy. Now THAT was a hell of a ride! Traveling through the waves of
time was an experience he had dreamed of years ago, when he had been working on his
own time slip device. Looking at the flame red haired, slender, emerald eyed beauty
lying in his arms, he knew the pain he had endured was well worth it.

Giggling, Ally, the ship’s AI spoke up, “We have departed the time slip Charles,
we should be arriving at the Mioan capital world of Aztre within an hour.”
“Thank you Ally, any news from the royal family chambers? You haven’t informed them
yet have you?” Charles asked a little worried about the reception he might recieve
when the emperor found out the princess was pregnant and HE was the father.
“No Charles, I haven’t, they have picked us up on long range though. In order to carry
out the plan, you will have to be in position when we land, so I can transfer you to
the desired place,” Ally replied.

A small door opened near by Charles, “you uploaded all of cici into this storage
unit, with all the specifications I added?”
“Yes, Charles cici is all there and I have to say you are a genius, to make the
modifications to him that you did in as little time as you have. It was breath taking,”
Ally stated.
“Yes Charles,” came from his wrist com, “I dare say that the amount of data you added
has made me much more efficient.”
“I’m sorry cici, I wasn’t able to attach more than 4 brain cells. There wasn’t enough
time,” Charles said wishing he’d could work on cici more, the way he was now he only
had maybe a fourth of what was needed for full emotions.
“It’s ok,” cici responded, “at present I am 25% faster than I was before, much better.”

“I concur,” Ally spoke up, “at present cici is at a level higher than almost all
AI’s in the empire, I think he’s sexy,” this last spoken almost in hushed tones.
Charles shook his head wow AI love, smiling he looked again at Princess Alatem, he
wondered just how long this sleep phase lasted, “Ally status!”
“We are recieving royal requests to answer as soon as the princess awakens,” Ally replied.
“Ally does the sleep always last this long? I have been up for half an hour,” charles
asked a little worried about the baby and Alatem.
“Yes Charles, this is very normal, you on the other hand are what I would say is a
special case. I have never seen any human recover as fast as you did. It may have
something to do with the amount of energy I had to use to remove you from time,” Ally
said as she started to scan Charles to make sure.

A moment later Alatem stirred opening her eyes she smiled up into the only
man she had ever loved or could stand to be near.
“Hello my love,” she sleepily said, “Again I see you are indeed as special as I knew you
were. Your recovery time could be handy for future missions.”
Charles smiled staring deeply into her eyes, damn if he didn’t see the future and the
past there in those emerald pools of love.
“We’ll be arriving in Aztre in half an hour Alatem,” Ally spoke up
Groaning the princess sat up looking at the readouts, “kill joy,” she said elicting a
giggle from the AI.

“Alright, we are arriving 2 hours after we left, with the information we
acquired from our trip you will be placed in the only spot to save father,” Alatem
said, Charles nodded as the princess explained who they were trying to stop.
A beam of light flashed and a man appeared on the roof opposite and in front of where
the emperor and his family would be. The proclamation of the new laws would bolster
the economy, strengthen the empire putting fear into it’s enemies and maybe give
the emperor more time to spend with his family. Sighing he reread the dispatch he
had just recieved, another death threat. Ever since he had started the empire back
to it’s more powerful standing he seemed to get a new one every day.

Where the hell was Alatem? Damn girl taking off again in the time raider, hell
he hadn’t had a chance to go onboard and she’d already had it out twice now! Sighing
again he knew she was going to raise holy hell when she found out about her betrothal.
Gods, she was a wild one, maybe he shouldn’t have appointed her to the time ship
council. Just yesterday she had been mumbling about an attempt on the entire family’s
life, what an imagination! There was no way anyone could get near them let alone
even try to kill them. The clock sounded the hour and they all stepped out through
the curtains onto the balconey, a huge cheer going up from the multitude there below.

The man on the roof stiffened pulling a strange rifle looking weapon from
behind him. Looking around he smiled and looked through the long range scope. Lining up
on the the emperor, his finger tightened up on the trigger. Thinking he knew he had to
time it just right or he was a dead man. The weapon could fire two homing charges at a
time,with just enough charge to only kill what it hit, by digging into and exploding
killing instantly whom ever was designated the target. Stepping forward the emperor raised
his arms to quiet the crowd.
“Citizens of the empire,” he started while behind him 4 servents hurried to attend to
the royal family. The emperor finally finished with the opening speech, and was about to
start the proclamations when there were 2 soft pops, a scream started through the crowd.

Rushing forward the emperor’s personal guard looked on in disbelief. There behind
the emperor and even closer to his family were 4 dead assassians! The emperor’s mouth
hung open because there he saw his dead brother’s son amongst those killed. A commotion
across the street drew his gaze to the roof top. A lanky brown haired actually plain
looking man saluted him and disappeared through the window. Looking back he felt the
anger swell up in his chest ordering the guards to remove the traitors from his sight.
Charles was running as fast as he could, wouldn’t do to be caught not right now.
“cici, any pursuit yet?” He asked
“Not yet but I wouldn’t count on that for long, we still have a kilometer to go for
the rendezvous,” cic replied a hint of urgency in it’s voice.

An hour later Charles walked into the small meeting hall at the outskirts of the
city. Alatem rushed forward throwing her arms around him kissing him deeply, the few
others in the room gasp and stared wide eyed,
“Princess,” an older man spoke up, “shall we dispatch him? he has touch your royal
personage!”
“NO!” she shouted, “if anyone CAN or does touch him, if you survive, will be flogged
till your bones are bare.”
Shocked the others only stared and backed away while Alatem continued to kiss Charles.
“Did you like how I did it? I had to wait till they were about to strike but I think
it will be enough to convince your father of their intentions,” Charles said.

“I believe he does now, what was that you used? It was so quiet and I have never
seen a configuration like it before,” Alatem asked
“It’s a rifle I designed years ago,” Charles started, “It fires a small charged bullet
that explodes in the body, not very big but enough to cause death instantly.”
The others behind the princess could only stare at Charles, finally the older man spoke
up, “I apologise to you sir, you are obviously someone close to the royal family and
deserve respect. I am Trok the princessess head body guard.”
“No, not the family, just to the princess,’ Charles stated matter of factly.
With that many of the men in the men in the room reached for weapons. Charles pressed
a device on his side and all the men froze, the shocked and pissed off looks on their
faces were priceless.

“Now as the princess said, if you can touch me then you’d have her to deal with,
believe me you’d rather deal with me. I’ve seen her temper and it’s not pretty, OW! shit!”
Charles looked at Alatem holding the side she had just elbowed him in. Though they
couldn’t help it many of the men tried their best to hold back their snickering.
“Alright we have stopped the first attempt on my families lifes. Charles and I have
received information on a second tonight,” Alatem hoped this spurred them into action,
she also hoped it would make her father take her more serious from now on. “Ok Charles,
let them go.” Sighing Charles flicked a switch on the same device, shutting it down.

The men in the room could only glare at Charles, touching of a royal by anyone other
than a royal was the biggest taboo in the empire. The penalty for it was an instant death as
fast and as painful as possible.
“Now then, before we discuss further let me introduce you to the man who saved my family.
This is Charles Ricksome and though you may not believe this he is from the future,”
Alatem paused as the collective gasp from around the room rose.
“How can we take just his word for that?” asked Trok.
“Because I brought him back with me, the mission we discussed last week was a success,”
Alatem replied again drawing a collective gasp, “Charles is a former soldier, turned
inventor suffice it to say I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you.”
“Just how far in the future?” asked Trok trying not to be rude
“Let’s just say that when I was born your family would have many, many, many, more
generations added to it,” Charles snapped back at the man, “to me you were just dust.”

Alatem could see the hostility building and defused it, “We have to return
to the palace, Charles you have the details and the location please be there.”
Filing out many looked at Charles with awe and fear, only the older ones glared at him
before they left. Kissing him deeply again Alatem whispered in his ear before she too
departed. Looking back she mouthed the words to be careful then turned and rejoined her
personel guard.

The emperor was still pissed, it had been a perfect plan, had it not been for the
man on the roof with his strange weapon he and the family would probably be dead now.
No one had suspected his servants having been with the royal family for decades. He
still had a multitude of people looking for the mystery man. He still hadn’t decided on
what reward to grant the man, that is when they found him. Looking over the plans for
tonight he had checked many times to insure this didn’t happen again.
“Ah Trok! I take it this means Alatem is back with us?”
Bowing low Trok replied, “Yes my emperor. and she plans to attend tonight’s ball.”
The emperor’s eyebrow rose at this, “oh really? what has brought on this sudden urge
by her to appear tonight? She usually begs off or has something more important than
family functions to even show her face even a second.”

Trok was hard pressed not to say anything, he wanted desperately to tell
the emperor everything he knew. The princess had sworn him to secrecy as she had
put it, the less who knew, the fewer there were to leak the plans she had in place trying
to protect her family. “I believe it was the near fatal events of today that have
sparked her behavior. She does love you my emperor though she shows it in her own way,”
god he hated lying to the emperor but his punishment was tame compared to what
his daughter could do.
The emperor shook his head, he was glad he had chosen Trok to protect his daughter.
Such fierce loyalty was hard to come by these days especially to one as young as his
daughter. He could clearly see Trok was lying, gaining a new respect for the man he
knew he had chosen well, very well indeed.

Alatem dressed in her best gown descended the long stair case to the ball room.
Taking a huge gulp of air she entered the hall and proceeded to sit near her father.
Looking around the room she hoped Charles was in place, she also knew that like before
his timing would have to be near perfect. After an hour of eating and discussion,
her father asked her dance. At once she felt a little girl again dancing with her father
it was clear he was more than pleased that she was here tonight. Not speaking a word
trying to make the moment last as long as possible, Alatem just smiled and glided across
the floor feeling free almost floating as her father danced her around the room. The
dance ended and they went their seperate ways to sit.

Sighing, she sat happier than she had been at home in a long time. Another hour
had Alatem starting to grow bored and tense, the time was nearing. A few minutes later
several servers proceeded toward the royal family. Alatem’s heart was beating faster,
then just as they reached the table, there were a series of short hiccup like coughs.
Each server fell beside the table several still alive but unable to move. Looking around
the emperor and Alatem look up to the far side of the hall on a balcony. There the same
man from earlier that had saved them carrying an even odder looking rifle saluted them
and again vanished through the open window. Looking at his daughter the emperor saw the
small smile on her face and began to wonder if she might actually know who this man was.
Saving the royal family not once but twice was something that the emperor couldn’t imagine.
He still intended to find out who he was.

The guards were rushing to capture the man but the emperor knew that they wouldn’t
be able to find him, much like earlier today. Rising he looked at each of the men still
alive surprised again to find another of his dead brother’s children among those.
“So, do you wish to talk here before we execute you, or is the torture chamber more to
your liking,” the emporer snarled into the face of his nephew.
Spitting into the emporer’s face the young man snarled back, “go ahead you putrid old fuck!
this empire was once the most feared, the most powerful. Your pathetic excuse for policies
has turned it into an empire of whimpering old women. You deserve to die! You don’t have
the balls to torture me nor the stomach, you’re just a little bitch pretending to rule!”

Enraged Alatem kicked her cousin in the ribs, “see? a bitch he sends his bitch
daughter to entice me!,” spreading his legs Alatem saw his eyes grow large as she stomped
putting her whole weight into it on his balls, smiling the whole time she enjoyed the
sickening crunching sound as she reduced them to bloody pieces of mangled meat. The howls
and screams he let out would be remembered for years by those present. Just before he
passed out Alatem leaned over him, “I might be a bitch but at least I still have all of
my equipment,” laughing in his face he passed out the pain too severe as she walked away.

The emperor enraged by this second attempt upon his family ordered the man taken
to the torture chamber. When the guards hesitated the emperor told them the man had
forfeited all of his rights as a royal and there fore wasn’t anymore. Roughly grabbing him
eliciting a groan they carried him off. Walking after his daughter he was surprised when
he found her waiting for him.
“Father, maybe now you’ll take me serious?” she started
“My dearest Alatem,” his shaky voice echoed in the hall, “I don’t know how you knew but I
will take anything you have to tell me. serious from now on.”
“Good, I have had help,” she started
“The mysterious man, yes he deserves a huge reward, maybe a high post in the court. What
do you think?” the emperor asked.
“No father, he wants nothing like that, in a way he has already been rewarded. I know for
a fact that he has everything he wants,” at this a wry smile crossed her lips alerting
the emperor’s concern.

“I must go change father, I will see you tomarrow,” she tossed over her shoulder
and hurried up the steps out of sight. The lines on his face furrowed deeper as he tried
to think of what his daughter might be into now. Walking into his bed chambers he was
preparing for bed when his wife entered the room. “Ah! my dear there you are, are the
children alright?” she asked
“Yes Mita, but I am concerned about Alatem, I can’t put my finger on it but…”
“It’s obvious my love,” Mita replied.
“It is?” the emperor was confused somthing he wasn’t used to.
“Why yes my love, she has the same look in her eyes that I do when I look at you,” Mita
hesitated, “she’s in love and quite deeply I must say.”

“WHAT!!!??” the emperor shouted not sure to be happy or enraged. Dashing from his
room only half dressed a dozen people following him, he took the stairs 2 at a time.
Throwing open her bedroom door he found that once again she was gone god knows where.
Damnit to hell! She was going to kill him! Returning to his bedroom he laid down already
forming 2 plans to find the mystery man and who his man hating daughter was in love with.
Alaten raced through the alleys to the meeting hall, throwing her self at Charles the
moment she caught sight of him.
“You know your father is trying to find me, right? He asked.
“Yes, but though he would reward you it’s going to take alot more before he doesn’t kill you
on sight,” she said not noticing the small shadow near the door.

Charles held Alatem close and slowly moved her close to the wall. releasing
her he leapt for the door. Outside there was a high pitched scream as Charles pulled a
young girl inside. “Stop!, let me go you can’t touch me!” she screamed holding the
knife closer to her throat she quieted.
“Charles wait!” Alatem yelled, “Don’t hurt her please! she’s my sister!” releasing her
the little girl ran to Alatem crying, “shhh it’s alright he didn’t mean to scare you,
he’s just protecting me.”
The little girl’s eyes got huge, “He’s so fast! no one has ever seen or heard me before!
Sister! he touched me! I don’t want him to die! I like him now!”
Alatem laughed a moment then thought shit now what? her sister couldn’t keep a secret
or her mouth shut! Sighing she knew that Charles and her had their work cut out for them now.

TO BE CONTINUED? WE’LL SEE