CHAPTER 82

Derrick stared at the two men and saw Rayburn blush a bit. "What did you almost materialise inside a wall?" When neither man answered Derrick shook his head. "Damn it you two! I need you both alive or I'd kill you both myself. Start sleeping. I know the both of you, as bad as me when I go off on a tangent. No sleep, no rest, it dulls the hell out of the senses. Let me know when you have a true working model. By the way have you figured a way for directionality?"

Both men looked a little sheepish and replied, "Not as of yet Sire."

Derrick threw up his hands, "So you have a working micro-IMT but you have no way of knowing where you are going when you use it!" His face suddenly serious Derrick said, "I mean it rests, you both are brilliant, rest so what you do is your best not your worst. This one incident should have been enough to convince you of that."

Both men nodded, "Yes Sire, we'll do our best commander."

The hologram of Derrick winked out as the two men stared at each other. "Damn I still wish I knew how in the hell he does that!" Rayburn stated.

Kimison just shook his head, "I'm just glad he wasn't here to smack the shit out of us both!" Kimison said. Rayburn nodded as both men went to rest.

It was about seven hours later when Rayburn jerked awake and roasted Kimison. "Oh my god! The commander was right! Kinison if we were to add a sensor in the front would that work?"

Kimison, still asleep, shook his head, "No, the micro-generator would interfere like it did with the..." Kimison jerked up now fully awake. "Just like with the mobile holographic shield emitters!" Kimison was writing with a furry, and then looked over at Rayburn. "Damn, I think it's possible! We would just have to figure another counter to the micro-generators! Hell, that should be as simple as for the mobile holographic emitters!"

Rayburn was nodding as they were both up working at a furious pace.

It had been an hour since she'd left orbit near the Imperial planet, an almost demented, twisted look on her face as she checked the readings. Good she thought she was almost there! Ten minutes later space slipped back to normal as the small craft entered normal space. Pulling up a reading she saw that she was near the scheduled first stop of the emperor. According to the time table he shouldn't be here for another day, good plenty of time to get things ready to kill that putrid son of a bitch!

Greeson jerked aside as the open hand hit where his head had been. "Up maggot! We don't have time to sleep all day!" Greeson growled and sprung to his feet, dressing in record time. He'd sat in meditation for two hours yesterday thinking as the Lieutenant had told him. It had taken almost the whole time for him to realise that he had reacted without thinking when he caught the Lieutenant. Keeping this in mind Greeson stretched out all his feelings to see if anything was amiss.

Stepping into the hallway all seemed normal at least 'til he opened the training room door. There were suddenly at least five people heading toward him. Remembering yesterday Greeson moved without even thinking as all five hit the mat in record time. Dempsy nodded, so he was finally starting to realise. Holding up his hand, all of the others backed off as Dempsy advanced.

Calming a moment Greeson saw the Lieutenant start toward him, strange he thought why does he appear to be moving differently? Walking right to him, Dempsy suddenly struck, feeling the blow deflected and he sent a second and third even faster. When both were deflected he sent three more the fourth and fifth were deflected the last barely getting through. Coughing a bit Greeson picked himself off the mat, shocked when he saw the Lieutenant's hand offered to him.

"You are the first to counter almost all of the triple, triple, as the master used to call it. That is since he did the same to me. If I remember right he broke two ribs." Looking down at Greeson Dempsy said. "I think you are ready to actually start training." Greeson took the hand offered and bowed to Dempsy.

"Thank you sir, I will do my best." Greeson told Dempsy, and then suddenly realised that he might have a cracked rib or 2!

"I know you will, and then I expect you to do more!" Dempsy told a shocked Greeson.

"Uh... did you even see them move?" Derrick asked Hartwell whose eyes were as big as Derrick's. Hartwell just shrugged looking surprised. He knew Dempsy was fast but holy shit he didn't think he was THAT fast!

The small blonde woman choked then slumped to the floor. Trianas smiled no sense in killing the little bitch when Trianas could use her to take the blame right? Taking the woman to her ship Trianas stripped her and put her in stasis, bad dreams Trianas thought as she got into the serving girls clothes. Then she made her way into the nobles' keep. Looking around she shook her head. This asshole was a real glutton. It was obvious he didn't give much of a shit about the starving people here. Shaking her head again she decided it was none of her business unless she was paid and by the looks of it these filth couldn't afford shit!

Setting up inside she thought she'd just have to wait. Sighing she activated the neural link to the unconscious girl, it was going to be at least a day and a half before she got a chance to end that pompous ass of an emperor!

It was the next day when the fleet arrived, five ships Derrick thought. Derrick hoped it was enough to keep the nobles in check. It was impressive, yes, but it wasn't as intimidating as he wished it could be. A few moments later they received a message from the Duke.

"The Duke wishes to welcome his majesty, we will await your arrival, Sire." A small, almost mousy looking man stared at Derrick. "All has been made ready for you."

Derrick felt disgust as he looked at the richness of the Duke's staff, it had to come from somewhere and Derrick had a pretty damn good idea where. "Very good I will be amongst you soon." Clicking off Derrick sat thinking for a moment. Looking at Mary. "I have an idea but I am afraid to ask you."

"Sire, I am here to protect you in any way possible that includes up to and including my existence," solid Mary told him.

"I really hope it doesn't come to that Mary I truly do." Derrick replied as he touched Mary's arm.