Lost in Time Chapter 21

[Ed Man]

Hamadryad
Chapter 21

The supper ship was delivered and the rate of evacuation was now increased from 13,000 a month to 25,000 every two days and the original 13,000 a week made the transfer rate of people go from under 450 a day to over 5000 people a day. The medical staff would have to deal with 230 people every hour around the clock just to fill the ships. While the ground crew raced to increase their Medical Staff and increase the flow of people.
Josh informed Sherpa about the request sent by the Ancients to accept the seat her father held with them.
[Sherpa] “What do you think I should do Josh?” Was the frantic reply as she looked at Josh in the monitor.
[Josh] “Nothing right now Sherpa. Thank about their offer that’s all I just wanted you to know they know your alive. The one that tried to have you killed is a man called Hamadryad and they want me to capture him and return him to the Council so he can be sentenced.”
[Sherpa] “Don’t under estimate him Josh he’s a ruthless man willing to do anything to get what he wants. He made my skin craw whenever I was around him.”
[Josh] “Don’t worry Sherpa I get back with you when the mission is over. I’ll send you a report of the meeting look at it the Ancients are helping us or at least I think they are we’ll talk later.”

Josh returned to the meeting with his team and the agent to devise a plan to capture Hamadryad and remove the Fleets Commander from power.
While Mitchell was delivering the first super ship Josh and his team were moving into position to attack the Capitol ship.
[Crewman] “ Sir the scans show the Fleet Commander and Hamadryad are in the Commanders quarters with two female guest.”
Josh looked over the data and ordered. “The mission is a go open fire.”
A ship uncloaked as it fired two missiles did a 180 turn and opened fire on the power generator. The ships turrets were firing on the fighter before it took out the generator then the turrets went dead and the fighter cloaked. Support fighters were firing into space where the fighter had been hoping they would hit the cloaked ship that had moved to a safe distance away from the disabled ship. As the ship sounded with alarms and warnings over the com sounded they were under attack.

[Josh] “Did we get them?”
“We have the Fleet Commander Sir the main target disappeared when the attack started his marker is still on the ship but he is gone.”
[Josh] “Where is he?! He went somewhere find him!”

The ships raced about the sector scanning but no Hamadryad anywhere.
“Sir we have scanned the sector and stations for anyone close to the targets size he is not in space. He had to have transported to the planet somehow. What are your orders?”
[Josh] “Start scanning the planet for a hidden base or ship he’s down there somewhere and he knows someone is out to get him now so don’t overlook anything.” Josh looked at the Agent. “Do you know where he may have went?”
[Agent] “No but we need to move now without the Fleet Commander backing him he doesn’t stand a chance in his overthrow of the government. I’ll contact the Government leaders and have them issue a warrant for Hamadryad for treason and have a new Commander sent to take control of the Fleet. For now we have to wait he’s on the run and without support he’ll try and leave the sector. Keep your ships and people on the lookout he’ll show up. I’ll contact the Council and tell them what happened.”

After two days in the sector and no sign of Hamadryad the Council sent a message to the Agent.
[Agent] “The Council has sent ships to guard the Gates to keep Hamadryad in the sector but its your job to capture him. He had to have used a advanced transporter of some kind and is hiding on the planet somewhere no know devices can transport to another sector. They state that he is in the sector somewhere and find and capture him.”
[Josh] “So now we play the waiting game.”
[Agent] “Yes but not for long he may be a lot of things but being patience is not one of them. He’s like a mad animal in a cage right now he’ll show up, I give him a week at the most. He’ll be needing cash to survive so he’ll either try and sale something or steal the cash I would bet on the steal if he sales something it could be traced back to him.”
[Josh] “You heard the man any big robbery’s go down on that planet I want to know about it before it happens get some more people on it.”
Four more support ships jump into the sector and start watching the planet for any money transfers or robberies.

As the days turned into a week and when two weeks had passed Josh replied. “Ok it’s been two weeks and the rat is still in hiding I thank we need to change or strategy a little.”
[Agent] “Alright what did you have in mind.”
[Josh] “A reward and make it big at least 25 million for information leading to Hamadryad arrest. Someone knows where he is and that should swing any sense of loyalty his gang still has.”
[Agent] “I’ll have to get that approved with the Council first. I’ll send the request now we’ll know something in a few hours.”

Josh went to his room to contact Sherpa. “How is the evacuation going and have you thought about the offer to take your fathers position.”
[Sherpa] “The evacuation is speeding up over half the people on the planet are on the ship. And yes I have thought about the position. Their’s a lot to consider the council will assign some guards but I need protection of my own and you’re the only one I actually trust to protect me.”
[Josh] “After I capture Hamadryad I’ll help you pick out a protection team if that all your worried about. How many people do you need and what will happen to them?”
[Sherpa] “My personal staff I’ll pick. If I had twenty good people to deal with security I would be alright. They would work a normal shift and would live in my compound with me. The Council will allocate me a territory to control or a planet my staff will receive a place of their own within the compound and land on the outside to do with as they please when they retire or for their family. If they are killed their family gets the land and a settlement for their mate for life. They will be well taken care of, it has always been considered a honor to hold such a position because of the long term benefits and prestige.”
[Josh] “Send your request for applicants into the Fleets Coordinating Committee.”
[Sherpa] “Thanks Josh I will. If I take the position will you come with me?”
[Josh] “You know I can’t but you can come and see me.”
[Sherpa] “Will you give me a support ship and the ship I have now? They will give me ships but I would like to have a ship I know will go when I need it to, if you know what I mean?”
[Josh] “Yes I know what you mean and yes you can have the ships if you wait till after the evacuation is finished I’ll see you get a support ship to go with the fighter. Do you want to do this?”
[Sherpa] “I love you Josh but yes I do. It’s always been a part of my life I wanted to continue with.”
[Josh] “I just want you to be happy Sherpa I hope we will always be friends.”
[Sherpa] “I love you Josh. You saved my life, I’ll always have feelings for you.”

Sarah broke in with a message. “You’re needed in the control room Commander.”
[Josh] “Sherpa I have to go we’ll talk later by.”
Josh closed the link with Sherpa and went into the control room of the ship as the Agent replied. “The Council approved your request for 25 million for information leading to the capture of Hamadryad. Everyone on the planet should know about it in the next few days the news people will be all over the offer and anyone that may have leads.”
[Josh] “Good we need a break he knows we’re after him. He’s laying low hopping we’ll slack off in time so he can make an escape attempt.”

As the dayes turned into weeks yet again the super ships had been delivered and the last one had been filled with people and was about to jump to join up with the fleet. Sherpa had finished evacuating the planet and the last scans of the planet came back with the all clear. Josh released the control of the sector and jumped back to the search.

Sherpa had finished and was ready to rejoin the Ancients and take her fathers place. Sherpa had her ships as Josh promised and already had selected her staff and security force and was waiting on Josh to pick her up in the sector the fleet was assembling in. The fleet was waiting on two things the final two ships to load and leave the sector before the Gate vanished and the capture of Hamadryad. Josh had been negotiating with the Ancients to sent the fleet on to the planet and he would remain with the Judge and Venture along with the team he already had in place looking for Hamadryad.
The final agreement was to be signed by Josh in a privet meeting at the appointment of Shera to her fathers position with the Ancients.

While waiting on the ship transport them to the Ancients Josh called Sherpa ona privet channel. “Sherpa do you have any regrets?”
[Sherpa] “Only one.”
“What?” Josh replied as he looked at her in the monitor concerned at what it could be.
[Sherpa] “You’ll not be going with me Josh.”
[Josh] “You know it would never work you monarch women are hard to live with and you are a little to old for me.”
[Sherpa] “To old if I was there I’d show you to old and hard to live with.”
Josh laughed as he looked at Sherpa and said. “I wish you all the best. Be happy and rule justly and be merciful I hope to see you there but in case I don’t I want you to know I love you to. Good luck Sherpa I enjoyed our time together.”
Josh closed the channel as tears filled the eyes of Sherpa as she said by.
Within minutes the ship appeared and transported the ships onboard and jumped away. This time Josh had Captain Mitchell and a Ambassador of the fleet to witness Josh signing a Accord with the Ancients, concerning the planet they were to colonize. It was nothing unusual accords were signed all the time just like it between worlds. It all could be summed up as one rule. Be peaceful with your neighbors.

Josh and his guest were transported into the conference room where the Ancients delegates were waiting.
‘Welcome Mr. Galen, Captain Mitchell and Ambassador we are ready to sign the Accord. We have decided to grant your request and send the rest of your fleet to the planet as soon as they are ready. We will send a representative along with each ship to make sure of their safe arrival. When all the ships have arrived they will transport onto one of our ships and return back here. It is a safety measure we are sending your fleet through space and time. A probe will remain to keep a lock with us until you and your remaining ships have been transported to the planet.”
[Josh] “And this is this the same time line I was from?”
[Mediator] “Yes we were able to find your time line from the information and your data logs up to a 99.9 percent match. Everyone and everything you knew is the same. The time you have spent here will have past their as well. If you stay three years here you will return three years after you left their. Your time line must stay in tact as well.”
[Josh] “I have one other request can you tell the others that I we will all be leaving with the fleet and I will return in two days to resume the hunt for Hamadryad.”
[Mediator] “Why would you want to deceive the others for.”
[Josh] “Someone is giving Hamadryad inside information. He is always one step ahead of us. Someone is tipping him off if he thanks we’re gone he’ll make his move to get out and off the planet. And if I’m wrong I’ll explain why and apologize to the Council. But if someone is can you tell who it is?”
[Mediator] “We have had our suspicions as well. We have narrowed it down we did have a spy in his enter circle until he was killed. We will work with you on this we would like to know who it is that is collaborate with Hamadryad to undermine our Council. Lets sign the Peace Accord I have a party to attend and you have a Man to catch. Thank you for returning Sherpa to us She’s a good person and we need good people right now.”

After Josh and the Representative signed the Accord they shook hands Josh and his group were transported back to their ship.
[Mitchell] “These are a strange bunch with their cloak and dagger tactics and making you sign that Accord like the own that planet in the first place. They act to me like they thank their gods.”
[Josh] “I think some of them did and it showed the rest how wrong they realy were. The Ancient that my parents had dealings with told them that at some point and time the Ancients were at war with each other. I believe the accord was a safety measure to keep us out of their problems. If we were to target any one Ancients or if one of them attacked us the others would see it as a act of war according to the Accord making the attacker their enemy and we are to remain natural unless we are attacked or they declare war against us.”
[Mitchell] “You’ve had a lot of dealings with government people haven’t you.”
The Fleet Delegate was enjoying the discussion as he sat smiling at the two.
[Mitchell] “What are you smiling at is something funny?”
[Delegate] “No it’s not funny it’s just a little strange for me to see someone else getting questioned instead of me. I’m sorry Captain Mitchell I have been drilled about the same questions all last week. It’s a good agreement for us Captain.”
[Mitchell] “How many times have you said that already?”
[Delegate] “I lost count Captain.”
They all laughed at the remark as Sarah replied. “We are in open space Commander.”
[Josh] “Sarah jump back and rejoin the fleet. Mitchell if we for any reason were to get separated from the fleet and not make it to the planet do this for me.”
Josh handed Mitchell a hand written message. “Honor the Accord and keep the people safe but destroy the probe linking you to the Ancients.”
[Mitchell] “Not a problem Commander.” Mitchell wadded the note up and put it in his pocket.

Josh docked with the Command Ship and placed the document in a safe for the fleet to keep with them then returned to wait for Hamadryad to show up.

As the two remaining ships joined the fleet the Ancients started transporting ships to their new home planet Hagion a name selected by the fleet that means sanctuary.

Josh had the Judge and Venture cloak and move to a secluded sector and wait on orders.
As the last ship transported to Hagion a message was sent to Agent for Josh. “Mr. Galen you have a message from our Director. He states that the Council believes you and your team have left for Hagion. Mr. Galen what is he talking about we’re still here.”
[Josh] “We believe someone on the Council or a member of the Guard is helping Hamadryad.”
[Agent] “We better pray that it’s one of the Guards and not a Council member! Everyone of them are very powerfull and present a great danger for us and the other members of the Council.”
[Josh] “We’re here for Hamadryad let the Council worry about themselves all we need to do is focus on capturing Hamadryad.”

The ships laid in wait each keeping watch as they held their position keeping radio silent until someone seen Hamadryad come out of hiding. After 42 hours a ship entered the sector and headed for the planet nothing was out of the ordinary except this ship belonged to one of the Council members and it was making a unauthorized visit to the planet.
[Josh] “Sarah transport me to my ship and follow me at a safe distance with the support ship I’m going to shadow that ship in it‘s backwash as it enters the atmosphere.”
Josh followed in behind the ship as it closed on the planets surface and leveled off and turned. The ship flew for a few seconds level and then pulled up on a direction for open space. Josh scanned the ship after it pulled up out of transporter range. There he was Hamadryad and Sherpa tied up in a passenger seat.
[Josh] “Sarah did you get the readings Sherpa is onboard? Transport her out when I drop their shields.” Josh uncloaked and opened fire on the ship to take out its jump drive as the ship was blasting away at his fighter each dropping the others shields at a steady rate.
A call came in. “Give up I’ll blow you out of the sky long before you’re close to bringing my ship down!”
[Josh] “I’m pulling back to make room set that ship down and surrender.”
The support ship opened fire on the ship tearing away at it’s shields until the ship headed for the ground the transporter never got a lock on Sherpa or Hamadryad as it made a emergency landing and the occupant ran into a bank.
[Josh] “What’s going on I can’t get a lock on anyone with the transporter.”
[Sarah] “They have some kind of jamming device active.”
Josh cloaked his ship and pulled to a holding possion beside the bank. The scans showed that most of the people had ran out and the rest were being set up in frount of the intruders as two armed guards in full body armor where behind the people guarding the Pilot, Hamadryad and Sherpa.
Josh knew the time to move was before they secured themselves in the vault or back up arrived.
[Josh] “Call the Judge and Venture in incase we need them. How long till they get the vault open?”
[Sarah] “They are working on the override I estimate within the next five minutes.”
[Josh] “Send in two assault drones to take out the guards can we transport the people out of the way first?”
[Sarah] “Yes but no one within 15 feet of the jamming device that is on the Pilot.”
[Josh] “Transport two flash grenades in when the people are being transported out transport the drones in and blow the side door so I can rush in. Transport me into place I got my armor on and am ready when the door blows I’m going in.”
Josh transported in behind a block wall outside the building as the fire from the drones and guards were blasting inside the bank.
The drones and guards were down as the door blew open and a flash grenade exploded and Josh rushed in.
With a pistol in each hand pointing at the Pilot and Hamadryad Josh demanded. “Put your hands on your heads now!”
Hamadryad was holding Sherpa in frount of him as a shield with one hand as he was reaching for the pilot with the other. Josh seen the pilot reaching for a armband like the one that brought him to this time. All he could get out of his mouth was. “STOP!” As the man was reaching for the armband Josh took aim and fired hitting his arm. The pilots arm fell away from Hamadryad as he stumbled back falling into the floor and vanishing.
[Josh shouted] “HANDS ON YOUR HEAD OR YOUR NEXT!”
Hamadryad but his hands on his head saying. “I give up don’t shoot!”
Sherpa stumbled away to a tellers counter and slid down in the floor. Two guards came rushing in behind Josh and took Hamadryad out in cuffs.
[Josh] “Sarah have the Agent contact the Council we have Hamadryad then start scanning for the pilot lets see where he pops up at and transport our drones back onto the support ship.”
[Agent] “Josh you need to transport the guards up ounce their scanned and have a sweeper team look for anything they had and most of all we need to fine that pilot.”

Josh helped Sherpa up and out of the bank as he gave his Officer the orders to carry out the Agents request then Josh and Sherpa transported onto his ship.

[Ed Man]

collins50 I been looking for your next chapter. I'm about to start a new story line after chapter 22 the new series will be called castaway it will make since after chapter 22 enjoy.

[collins50]

Yes I know I'm falling behind, I have been quite bussy but I will try to get one out soon, I did enjoy this one How did Sherpa get captured?

[Ed Man]

It comes out in the next chapter
Give me a few days to get ahead on the next series and I'll post it