CHAPTER 36

Derrick sat for a few moments thinking on the problem, "Mary, Shelby, the mind wipe/ blocker can it be adjusted to amplify the strength of the mind? To make it almost impossible to break into the mind without the equipment we have here?"

"Calculating now, confirming with Mary," Shelby stated. "It is possible, though it will take a whole day to take effect." Confirmed Shelby.

"I concur, though I do have a device that can decrease that time by 12 hours," Mary smiled sweetly.

"Wait, wait, wait, you want to do what to me?" Hartwell asked a little afraid.

"Don't worry I've used this numerous times, you'll be safe." Mary told a now shaking Hartwell.

Looking over at Derrick Hartwell wasn't too sure, "It's ok believe me, you are a close friend of mine that puts you in an extremely rare spot to Mary and to me. Just to let you know, you are the first and for now the only person to know who and what I am." Derrick told him.

Joseph Hartwell's chest swelled, his old commander was trusting him with this, then he looked at the small device that appeared on the table next to him. "Alright Commander if you trust it, then I guess I will also."

Sighing Derrick picked up the device feeding into a slot on the console.

"I am sorry if we have panicked you, it's either this or we do a memory wipe and replacement on you and really? I prefer this to anything else, this way I have an ally out there that can help me with later... things." Derrick said as something on a console drew his attention, nodding his head he pulled up a view of a man in an engine room.

Confused only a moment Derrick looked back at Hartwell with a smile.

"I see Dempsy up to no good as usual," Derrick said a huge smile on his face. "You think we can get him without alerting the rest of the wing?

"Hmmmm he appears to be in an access crawl way, I doubt anyone knows he's there, I think it should be safe though," here Hartwell smiled a wide smile. "You might want to warn him before you.... you know."

Laughing a moment Shelby appeared nodding to Derrick, "Alright here goes."

In a distorted voice Derrick said, "Crewman Dempsy that had better not be an illegal alcoholic machine I see you making there in that crawl way!"

Dempsy's mouth opened, what the hell? Looking around he decided someone in the crew was messing with him.

Smiling Derrick opened the channel again, "so Demples you going to ignore me again huh? You want another 5 days off the booze?"

This time Dempsy's eyes narrowed, "I doubt you could do... who is this?"

"Tell you what come to my place and we'll talk about it." Derrick started to grin at the look of confusion on Dempsy's face.

"I don't have..." there was a flash and Dempsy was laying at Hartwell's feet, "... the time ...to come...." Looking around Dempsy jumped to his feet and saluted Hartwell. "I'm sorry sir I didn't know it was you!"

"At ease Dempsy, it wasn't me it was our host here." Hartwell said as Dempsy was staring wide eyed at the crawl space he'd just been in on the view screen.

Dempsy was staring at several of the machines and panels, silent for a moment he whispered, "This is incredible, I've only read about the things I am seeing here. None of this has existed for over 800 years! I have to shake the hand of the one who found this." Turning he hadn't yet noticed Derrick who was watching the medium build red headed man.

"So I take it you like what you see?" Derrick said his voice still disguised.

Dempsy nodded still almost in a trance, then a light seemed to go off in his head. "Hey wait! There were only 3 people that knew about the ignoring and dared to call me Demples. I had good reason to ignore command! One is here, one is on the Galactic rim, the last no one has heard... from...in, Commander?" This last whispered in awe.

Sitting forward Derrick smiled, "long time Dempsy, too long!"

Dempsy was about to start yelling when Shelby appeared, "Derrick I am afraid that the apparatus he was working on is starting to build up pressure. I am afraid explosion is imminent."

"Alright send a pulse and shut it down, vent as much pressure as you can, I believe it uses a tri-switch?" Dempsy could only nod staring at Shelby.

"Shut down commencing, pressure being expelled," Shelby replied then vanished.

"My god was that a three-dimensional image? An encoding of the light field as an interference pattern of seemingly random variations in the opacity, density, or the surface profile of the photographic medium?" Dempsy whispered.

"No it's more of a projection within a self contained system..., Demspy! God I have missed you especially since now I can understand what you are saying." Derrick said with a smile.

Dempsy's mouth dropped open, though he wasn't sure what had him more in shock the hologram, the systems on this ship, or the fact that the commander was back and actually understood what he was talking about! Standing up straight Dempsy snapped off a salute, "Sorry commander as I said before I didn't know it was you. I'm sorry I had heard that you had passed," smiling Dempsy said, "should have known you were too tough to be taken out that easy."

"Oh you haven't heard anything yet Dempsy! Tell him who you are." Hartwell said.

Dempsy looked at Hartwell then Derrick with another confused look on his face.

"Oh nothing that big I am in command of the last of the EIG ships, I have 4 right now, each with their own hologram, plus I am the next emperor. See nothing that big." Derrick said a half smile on his face.

Dempsy was still a little in shock; "4 oh my god you lucky bastard! Oh sorry sir." Dempsy quickly said.

Derrick and Hartwell started to chuckle, leave it to Dempsy to get over excited about technology. They both watched as he tentatively reached out and touched a panel here, a screen there. A moment later he walked up to Derrick and asked, "Commander sir? Anyway I could stay here,... forever?"

Only a half smile on his face Derrick turned back to Hartwell before he answered. "Fraid not Dempsy, the Rangers would start looking for you if you just up and disappeared."

Dempsy turned to look at Hartwell, "I could take an extended leave, then not come back."

Hartwell smirked at Dempsy, "Now you know that the Rangers would start an investigation the moment you were a few minutes late coming back. I don't think you want the entire fleet looking for you, at least not 'til the commander and the Rangers are more established together."

Derrick smiled bigger seeing that Dempsy was about to start whining. "It's alright Dempsy you'll get you chance to play later. Right now I need to adjust both of your brains before I release you."

Dempsy did a double take then started hard at Derrick, "You want to do exactly what to me and my brain?"

"I want to strengthen your cognitive abilities, making it harder to deep scan and withdraw information." Derrick stated after a moment.

"Is that all? I thought you might be wanting to wipe my memory and plant something else... there, why are you staring at me commander?" Dempsy stated.

"Uh," Derrick started, "unfortunately that might still be an option."

Dempsy's mouth dropped open as he started to back away from Derrick and Hartwell, "look my brain is fine like it is."

"I said that MIGHT still be an option knowing your brain you'll love it," Derrick said smiling.

"Well maybe my brain would love it but I wouldn't! I happen to like who I am damn it!" Dempsy said further backing away, causing another round of laughter from Hartwell and Derrick.

Shelby appeared next to Dempsy a wide smile plastered to her face, "sir," she said, "it is completely safe I have used it many times in the past 800 years, besides I have scanned you brain already and found that nothing extra will have to be done. Neither will I have to delete anything from you."

Dempsy breathed a sigh of relief, "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Derrick just shook his head god he really had missed Dempsy.

Half an hour later both men were finished with their procedure, Derrick gave both a communicator to call them later.

After sending Dempsy back Derrick paused a moment, "Let me know the coordinates of Rayburn's place I might pay him a visit soon. If you find out exactly where Thomas is and what company I'd appreciate it, as for Kimison it won't be long before he is out. Get the paperwork done and I'll take care of the rest."

"I will as quickly as I can," Hartwell told Derrick.

On board his ship several yelled as soon as he appeared, "Stand down!" Hartwell yelled.

Turning a distorted voice spoke, "We thank you Rear Admiral Hartwell we will be in touch. Also to the young man at the science station, please stop attempting to scan for us, thank you." With that the screen went blank as several started at it and Hartwell with open mouths. Sitting down Hartwell started in on his report.