CHAPTER 54

Pulling a small blue disk from a protector in his pocket Derrick slipped it into a nearby slot. "Mary program rho, epsilon, psi, alpha, iota, rho enact and enable." "Yes Sire I am... Sire? Is this the finish of it?" Mary asked, startled.

"No I am afraid that it will only destroy about another 10% of the program, I estimate that we have eradicated 87% of it now." Derrick told her.

"No Sire I estimate that 86.97% of it is gone now, time to destruction has been delayed another 2 years. The remainder of the program will reach my core in another 10 years. Considering that you came up with another 12 percent in only months, I now believe that you will completely clear me soon." Large tears were falling from Mary's eyes, "Thank you sire, you have given this unit a chance to exist again." Here Mary bowed low to Derrick as did the others in the room. Hartwell was winking at Derrick causing him to shake his head in frustration.

"Mary, is there any way that we can prepare her so that they can't use her again like this? She is a fine officer and I'd hate for the Rangers to lose her." Derrick asked Mary a few moments later as he looked down on the young woman.

"I believe that the program you were working on earlier just might work, though I could go in and strengthen her mind. I am afraid that it will take a few days though." Mary told Derrick as he had started to go over the data they had so far.

"Here Mary," Derrick said as he stepped to the console and started typing at blinding speed again. Those in the room backed up a considerable distance as they all watched Derrick with open mouths. Hartwell just smiled he'd seen this before so really nothing new to him.

A few minutes later Derrick stepped back waiting for Mary to assimilate all that he'd just added. "Yes Sire," came Mary's reply as she started to incorporate all of the new program Derrick had just written. "Going over all scans now, I am picking up anomalous energy readings right before the weapon was pulled. Yes sir I believe I can boost her mind to the point that she can resist them without trying. Though I must caution Sire, they will know that she was aided."

Derrick thought for a moment, he'd not really expected them to tell that she'd been helped but then again how many of their agents were ever caught? Stepping back to the console Derrick started to type for several moments then stepped back. "I think that might help to hide it, not the best but I think it will work. At least 'til it's too late for the soul source and all of what's left is reabsorbed."

Mary was looking over the new data that Derrick had entered, yes it was possible an actual challenge for her. Smiling, she was starting to believe that this man would be the greatest Emperor of all, though he still had to get the rest of the Empire to fall in line.

1st specialist Ensign Callie awoke an hour later with an enormous headache. Trying to rise off the soft cot ... no wait she was in bed?! What in the hell was going on? Groaning she again attempted to sit up, holding her head feeling as if the world was spinning. Looking beside the bed she saw an older looking woman with gray hair watching her.

"Who are you?" Callie asked a moment later.

"I am Mary; I am the palace A.I. or rather a holographic representation of the A.I." Mary smiled at the woman sweetly.

"Ok, am I a prisoner? I remember walking into the throne room then I saw the Emperor. I felt such rage then an almost giddiness at the thought of killing him then nothing 'til I awoke here. What in the hell is going on?" The wide eyed and almost panicked woman said. She'd remembered the execution and was afraid that she was next in line for the same.

"No, you are not a prisoner; you were under the influence of one of the sects. One sect that wishes to remove the Emperor before he can enact laws to rid the galaxy of them." Mary told the now shaking woman.

"What is to become of me? If I am not to be executed, then what punishment will I face?" The shaking woman asked, having backed into a corner truly afraid that she'd never again see the light of day.

"I was instructed... Perhaps I should let the Emperor explain." Mary told the woman.

A moment later a hologram of the same tall, sandy blond hair and dark brown eyed man she'd seen before appeared. "Hello Callie, I am Emperor Derrick O'Toma. If you are willing, we have a mission that I think you would be extremely interested in."

"Me? Why me? I am nothing, nobody." Callie asked, "Oh sorry," she said to Mary. "I forgot that it is..."

"A hologram?" A wide smiling Derrick finished for her, causing her mouth to drop open. "True due to ... uh circumstances and several hundred protocols, I cannot be there at this moment but trust me this is interactive. You see you are a hologram to me also." Callie was only nodding, her wonderment at the hologram grabbing almost all her attention.

"Anyway we have a mission that I feel will send a message to the sects. I will not send you without your consent but they will find you and try to extract what they put in your head. Oh don't worry it is gone we scan you once an hour to ensure it is truly gone. The thing is if there is nothing to take out they will kill you. So young lady are you up for it?" When Callie just shook her head Derrick said, "Ok rest and we'll talk later ok?" Again all Callie could do was nod.

"Are you in need of a meal?" Mary asked, "We have a very fine chef who can make whatever you request to get your strength back."

Callie smiled slyly, she was damn near famished and the hologram DID say that she could have whatever she wanted.

Derrick sat a moment thinking of a way out of here, ah! He thought, "Mary, I am going to the fleet, it is almost time for the next ship's emergence." Mary nodded and sighed it was going to be a full time job watching this one. "Shelby." Derrick said into the com at his wrist, "time to emergence?"

"I'd say that she should be finished within a few hours Derrick," Shelby replied elated that Derrick had called her.

"Alright IMT," within seconds Derrick was on the bridge. All the ship holograms appeared, "I called all of you here because we need to start adding to the fleet. Zan I want you to stand guard over 1000, I know that you will guard her far better than any other."

"I thank you Sir I will do the best I can," Zan told Derrick, bowing low.

"Conner I need you to accompany Shelby and I to the outer rim, I want you to be scanning for the signals I have given you while we are there, alright?" Derrick told Conner who looked at Shelby then smiled.

"Yes, your lordship, it is an honor." Conner replied bowing low.

"Tempro I need you to stay here and provide support for Zan only if it is necessary." Derrick ordered.

"Yes Sire, I will endeavor to help protect them both if necessary." Tempro said proud and bowing.

"Alright we need to go and get this done." Derrick told them, "Shelby, transmit the coordinates to Conner."

"At once Derrick," Shelby told him, then there was the familiar wind up of the engine then they were gone. Sighing Mary tracked them all the way across the galaxy. Shaking her head she knew she was in for a truly epic reign by Derrick O'Toma.