CHAPTER 78

Dempsy had barely managed to gather up everything in his bag when several alarms went off. Running Dempsy made the bridge just as Thomas made contact. "I was sent by the emperor to retrieve newly promoted Lieutenant Dempsy. Ah there he is!" With that Dempsy was suddenly standing in another of those ships.

"Glad to see you could join us, Lieutenant!" Thomas said behind him. Dempsy could only nod as he lovingly ran his hands over several of the panels that were part of Conner.

"It is just as beautiful as I remember it!" Dempsy was whispering. Thomas could only roll his eyes.

Conner appeared a moment later, "I thank you sir, it has been a very long time since someone appreciated my systems. I dare say you are the first since the emperor was here." Again all Dempsy could do was nod as he stared at more and more of what was Conner.

"Thank you," Thomas heard Dempsy whisper.

"You're welcome I think." Thomas said with a wide smile.

Dempsy shook his head then looked at the command seat. "Is that you sir?" he said.

"Cut the sir crap I am just planning for Thomas now. Alright Conner trans-warp!" There was a familiar whine then they were coming up on the other three ships. "Sire, we're back with him." Thomas reported with a smile. "Though I think he is in love with all the systems here."

There was a minute of chuckles then they heard, "Alright Shelby." Dempsy blinked, then again as he looked at Derrick and Hartwell.

Screwing up his face a moment, Dempsy stated, "Look Sire, I appreciate the promotion but I liked where and what I am. I really have to protest..."

Derrick got a suddenly serious face and pointed at Dempsy. "I don't care; I need you as an officer for this mission. Afterward if you want to be busted down, then that can be arranged also. Though you might reconsider after you see the pay raise you get."

Dempsy was shaking his head. He really didn't give a crap about the money; to him it was duty and nothing else. (Then again, he smiled; a hell of a lot of booze helped also.)

"Mission? What can I do that you would need me for? I love tech, but Kimison and Rayburn have always been better at it than me. If you remember, I failed strategy and tactics in officer's school that was why they kicked me out." Dempsy smiled, well that plus the fact that he'd taken a few of the other officers' daughters out. They had all been drinking and ended up semi-nude in one of the girls' apartments.

"I'm not good at commanding both you and the admiral here. I am no pilot like Thomas, what can I possibly offer that you would need?" Dempsy replied, becoming more and more confused.

Derrick smiled, "Shelby robotic sparring partner, level 11, safeties off, set to kill!"

Dempsy looked at Derrick and Hartwell like they had lost their minds, "Let's see if you're as good as I have heard you are." Hartwell said then smiled.

Dempsy was suddenly in a more defensive position. The robot charged with almost blazing speed, then just as suddenly was laying in three pieces at Dempsy's feet. "Damn that was slow!" Dempsy said as he looked at the mess at his feet. Suddenly a moment of clarity lit up his face. "So you wish for me to protect you Sire? It would be an honour!"

Both Derrick and Hartwell were grinning from ear to ear. "Well something like that. How do you feel about teaching?" Derrick said, his smile growing by the second.

A dark, brooding female figure, moved through the shadows as she advanced through the Taiolan sect. Disgusting she thought, moving like a breeze deeper into the complex. In the main room she watched as the new leader gave orders. Waiting her chance she struck with an almost unimagined speed. The leader smiled as he blocked all 105 of the deadly strikes the woman threw at him.

"Ah! Good I see that you have kept up with your skills." The leader's mouth twisted into an evil smile.

A low, almost whispering voice answered, "I told you if you ever contacted me, it had better be worth my time. Either way I may kill you anyway. You are a bastard, I no longer work for nor do I owe the sect anything. My time is far more valuable than yours!"

Sighing, the leader nodded, she had been their best assassin when he was nearing completion of his training. "I take it you have heard of the new emperor?" When the woman only nodded the leader continued. "We have been paid a substantial fortune to rid the galaxy of him. It has been said that the man has plans to remove both assassin sects. He has already seriously hurt several of the pirate clans."

"What do I care if they rid the galaxy of you? You and the other sect often interfere with my plans." The woman's whispering voice drifted through the air.

"You know the new emperor is Derrick O'Toma?" The leader told her another evil smile crossing his lips.

A hiss not unlike nails on a chalkboard issued from her lips. "You have an agreement, for this bastard no fee, this one time only." Moving far swifter than he thought she could, she had a thin blade to his throat. Then the leader felt a pin prick near his genitals. "Remember and never bother me again!" With that she was gone like smoke before a stiff breeze.

The leader smiled then wiped the thin line of blood from his neck. Nodding his head yes, she would kill the bastard she had a blood oath against him as much as the leader did. Thinking of the woman he remembered back to the war, he'd been so close to ending his half brother and his smart ass friend. Then there was that bastard O'Toma, the leader who had almost gotten his revenge when the son of a bitch stepped in.

The day the leader had been arrested his wife had left him spitting in his face. She'd promised to kill him after she had the revenge their dead son deserved. Ah! Sweet memories the leader thought, just seeing his wife again had helped to refuel his hatred of O'Toma that much more.

Dempsy sighed as he stood in the centre of the room, starting his katas. This whole thing smelled fishy as he blocked and flung two bodies to the ground. Really he thought what in the hell did he expect. Dodging a kick and putting another four on the mat. A freaking Lieutenant! Damn the commander to hell! Why couldn't he just be a plain crewman? This time he actually had to stop his Katas. Hmmm, Dempsy thought this one has a lot of potential!

With a loud thud Greeson hit the mat extremely hard. Holy shit! Who was this man? He moved a lot like his teacher. Springing up Greeson prepared to attack again when the man wagged his finger at him then shook his head. A startled look filled Greeson's eyes as his legs started to wobble then he fell to the floor.

Derrick and Hartwell cringed as they watched Dempsy put the man to the mat the first time. Though the second time they both were in pain when Greeson hit the floor. Derrick breathed a sigh of relief when Dempsy pressed a knuckle into Greeson's back. Derrick was thinking about staying down soon, and then shook his head when Greeson fell forward into Dempsy's arms. Sighing, Dempsy moved to the gasping Greeson's back and lightly pressed a knuckle into a spot on the man's back. The man nodded to Dempsy and again tried to regain his feet. Sighing Dempsy just stood there, 'damn this is a tough one,' he thought. Then he nodded as the man fell forward into Dempsy's arms. Well I tried to warn him, Dempsy thought.

Kimison and Rayburn had already started on the ideas that Derrick had given them. With any luck they'd have the micro IMT ready after the emperor left the first noble's place. Kimison felt bad that he and Rayburn had abandoned the project that Mary had wanted them to work on. Though he realised that it was of the utmost importance, they wouldn't be much good if they were both dead.