0001 – Tempro
0003 – Conner
0097 – Ace
0101 – Shelby (mother ship)
0125 – Lars
0403 – Johnathon
0667 – Marco
0798 – Celeste
0999 – Zan
1000 – Sherry

To Grow
——–
0200
0778
0301
0908
0097 (Lucy)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Derrick was still about to fall out of his command chair with the look still etched on Hartwell’s face. Looking at the jet black haired young figure, Hartwell cleared his throat. “Uh hum, yes you are right it is a very proud name.”

The young man turned toward Hartwell, “Yes sir, thank you sir. Are you the second for the emperor?”

Hartwell turned toward Derrick with a confused look on his face. “All ships appear a moment please.” A moment later there were 10 holograms beside and behind Derrick. “Please make note and memorize this person. This is as of this moment, Admiral Johnathon Hartwell. I am placing him in command of all the space fleet, now that we have at least 8 functioning ships soon to be 10. I have already cleared this with your high commander and he whole heartily agrees.” Derrick leaned over and whispered to Hartwell, “Told you I was going to pay you back!”

Hartwell could only stare at Derrick with his mouth hanging open. “I… uh… but…how?”

Again like when they were first reunited Derrick told Hartwell, “Little Joey close your mouth.” Nodding almost absently Hartwell closed his mouth though he still seemed to be in shock.

A moment later Shelby appeared, “Admiral sir, according to official records your name is Joseph.”

“Yes and your question?” Hartwell barely managed to get out.

“Well sir, Derrick calls you Johnathon or little Joey. May I inquire as to why?” Shelby asked a sweet smile on her face.

“Short story, my parents thought it a little funny to give me two first names. You have my official name as to the records but in truth my name is Johnathon Joseph Hartwell.” Hartwell said a little bit of a tremor running through his body at the mention of his full real name.

Yes sir,” Shelby said as she looked at all the holograms. They all nodded back with huge smiles on their faces.

A moment later a hologram of Thomas appeared. “Sorry Sire. really hate to break this up but I’d like to get back before the fleet reaches our first stop.” Derrick nodded; Thomas had always been a little impatient, always for action also. “Alright Lars, Johnathon. We are going to snag the both of you and trans-warp you both to the imperial planet. Please inform us as to when you are locked down and prepared.”

A moment late Lars replied “Locked down ready primary sir.” Thomas nodded and awaited word from Johnathon. “Attempting lock down, complete. Sir! I am afraid that allocation of all astral fins is not possible at this time! It appears that one of my port, aft most fins are still somewhat incomplete. I am sorry sir. I will need at least another hour.”

Sighing Thomas grumbled a moment then spoke, “Alright Johnathon effect completion then notify me. We shall continue to shadow the fleet until such time.”

“Yes primary, thank you sir!” Johnathon told Thomas with a happy lilt to his voice.

Derrick could only smile, and then sighed; he was going to miss back when it was he who was making those decisions. Shaking his head, now he was making decisions that would affect the lives of almost everyone. A movement on the view screen in front of him caught his eye.

Greeson had a hard few days against the Lieutenant. They had been going at it almost all day Greeson had gotten through Dempsy’s defense then made the mistake of losing his concentration, then his footing even as he was flying through the air he was figuring what he’d done wrong. Flipping and landing on his feet, Dempsy nodded at the man. Good he had a little more than the basics! Even as Greeson landed Dempsy was moving forward to attack the spot where the man would land.

Wide eyed Greeson saw this and narrowly avoid the attack but not the secondary that followed. Again Greeson grimaced as he flew through the air this time harder toward the wall. Springing off the wall Greeson reversed his direction heading straight for Dempsy or rather he thought he was as he was suddenly smashing into the mats.

“Up maggot!” Dempsy growled at the man. The man did have quite a bit of potential, they had been going for 15 hours, good Dempsy thought now I can test his endurance! Dempsy attacked again watching his opponents every move. Good Dempsy thought he is finally reaching the point where he waits and watches. Dempsy went high also with an attack below, Greeson avoided the first blocked the second almost catching the rapid third that Dempsy threw in.

Hitting the mat with a rather hard thud, Greeson groaned as his eyes closed. Shit! Dempsy thought this is no time to rest! Raising a knuckle Dempsy thrust beside the man’s spinal cord effectively making the man scream as he jumped up.

“Damn it! Are you trying to fucking kill me!” Greeson yelled at Dempsy as the man grabbed Dempsy and flipped him! Dempsy’s face lit up in a smile, so the boy had the ability after all!

Dempsy bowed to a confused Greeson, “Now think.” Was all Dempsy said pushing a finger to Greeson’s forehead, then he walked away.

Huh? Think what in the hell was the Lieutenant on about? Greeson thought as he sat to meditate and cool down.

Both Derrick and Hartwell had astonished looks on their faces when they saw Greeson not only catch Dempsy but toss him also. Nodding his head Derrick spoke up, “I think the boy is coming along fine.”

Hartwell looked at Derrick and smirked, “Fine? Hell he’s seems a hell of a lot better than that. I have never in all my years of knowing him, EVER seen anyone not only get through his defenses but actually lay a hand on him. Yeah he’s a lot better than fine.” Derrick could only nod as they both watched as Dempsy made his way to them.

A door opened next to them as Dempsy walked in. Bowing low he started, “Thank you Sire, I didn’t think I would ever find another worthy of learning. It seems at last I have.” Bowing again Dempsy left without another word.

Within the palace she held her disappointment in check; she was just a cadet touring the palace. Looking around she walked looking at everything, best she not speak allaying further suspicion. Walking out with the group she was with, she went so far starting to fall back ’til she finally disappeared. Stopping where she had left the body she patted the young woman on the head, and then touched a spot on her neck. Picking the woman up the first woman carried her to a spot near the town and left.

Leaving the woman, the tall, slender, blonde woman made her way to the space port. So the emperor was off planet visiting the nobles huh? An evil smile lit up her features, good they would get the blame, and then she’d slip out and kill that bastard husband of hers. Ummmmmm she thought this is starting to shape up to be a thoroughly satisfying month!

At the space port she awaited the lift to the ship. Activating her own ship out past the moon she signaled it to stand by. In the palace Mary detected the extremely short, powerful, high frequency burst. Running her calculations Mary started to try and calculate where it had come from. Half an hour later she had finally found where and started to triangulate within the location.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief when they made orbit. Signaling she then made an excuse to exit the passenger area. Disappearing into the cargo hold she made her way to the cargo hatch. A moment later she got a signal that her ship was docked. Activating a small black box device she smiled when it went green. Opening the hatch she stepped through, pressing another button she heard the hatch lock. Her own hatch closed, she activated her star drive, along with her cloak.

Mary had been hard at work getting closer to the crowd that had been at the star port. Finally she got a close up of the woman who had sent the signal. Notifying the ship a moment later Mary could only hope though she thought it was too late. A moment later as she thought the captain reported that the woman wasn’t on board. Thanking the man, Mary started to run the woman’s face through both data bases she had.

Within a few hours Mary had an answer though she was extremely unhappy at what she found. Calling Kimison she had to make sure. Appearing beside Kimison and Rayburn Mary waited a moment before she clears her throat.

“Hello Mary is he trying to contact us again?” Rayburn asked.

“No, though I may have distressing news.” Mary said with a serious face. Then turning toward Kimison she asked. “Do you remember much about your half-brother Alexander after he left your home?”

Kimison bristled at the mention of his half-brother’s name. “I know that he was married for a few years, met her once a real nasty piece of work though she seemed perfect for him.”

“Why do you ask?” Kimison asked.

“Do you perhaps recall what she looked like?” An almost tentative Mary asked.

“Like I could forget the smug self-important bitch!” Kimison spit out. “She left him when he was arrested, spit in his face said she’d kill him later after she did something.” Mary nodded and flashed a picture of a tall, slender blonde to Kimison who once again bristled and hissed. “Yeah that’s her looks even madder now than she did then.”

“Trianas Macley,” Mary said reading they information.

Kimison nodded, “She went back to her maiden name figures the sadistic bitch.”

“I also have information that she used to work for the Taiolan sect, as an assassin. According to what I have she WAS one of their best.” Mary informed both men.

Kimison nodded then his eyes grew wide, “Rayburn do you remember what she said the day he was arrested?”

Rayburn thought a moment then his eyes also grew wide. “Yeah if I remember right she blamed the commander for the death of her son! Holy shit, we have to warn him. Mary, open up communication!”

Derrick was just starting to relax when Mary appeared. “Sire I am afraid I have troubling information.”

Derrick looked at Mary with concern, “What seems to be the problem?”

Both Rayburn and Kimison both appeared, Commander!” They both yelled, startling Derrick. This must be serious if they BOTH were trying to tell him.

“Sir,” Kimison started, “Mary just showed me a picture of Trianas! You remember Trianas! She was my brother’s wife!”

Derrick’s eyes grew large he did remember her, a truly violent woman the last he’d heard she’d joined the… “Where!?” Derrick was suddenly saying all thoughts of food forgotten.

“She was on a transport leaving the Imperial planet. I checked everywhere she was in the palace, and then rechecked. I am running a third but as of yet have found nothing.” Mary informed Derrick. “I had the officers on the transport check but she was gone. I detected residual energy but never saw a ship. It appears she possess cloaking technology equal to our own.”

“Sir do you remember what she said when Alexander was arrested?” Derrick just shook his head, “She said she was going to kill him after she took her revenge for her son being killed. She has blamed you for his death for years! Sir I suggest you never take the shield emitter off!” Rayburn advised.

Derrick nodded in agreement he seemed to remember the wife of Kimison’s half-brother. Yes, he had to agree that was one crazy bitch. “Thank you both,” turning to Hartwell and the hologram of Thomas, Derrick stated. “As of this moment we are on high alert, anything out of the ordinary, I want to know about. I mean it, if your screen seems to have a glitch, I want to know. Almost anything is an indication she may be here. She is highly trained like Lieutenant Dempsy. She is a highly dangerous and unstable factor.”

All of the holograms nodded though Shelby seemed to be the most worried.

“By the way Sire.” Kimison went on. “After a few uh hum, bad test results we may have a working micro-IMT.”

Derrick stared at the two men and saw Rayburn blush a bit. “What did you do almost materialize 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 rest, 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 rousted Kimison. “Oh my god! The commander was right! Kimison 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 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 haven’t 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 realize 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 realize. 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 different? Walking right to him, Dempsy suddenly struck, feeling the blow deflected 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 his self 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 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 realized 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 chocked 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 stated to 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 a moment. Looking at solid 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 solid Mary’s arm.

An hour later Derrick walked in the front door, with Mary, Hartwell and half of the Rangers that had accompanied them. Mary was searching everywhere as they moved through the great hall. “I’m not liking this Sire it is far too open and easy for an attack,” turning back to him she stated, “or an assassination.” This caused Derrick to nod as they started forward.

They had barely reached the inner chamber doors when several energy beams erupted from the far recess of the wall. Everyone watched in horror as they beams struck the emperor. Derrick fell among a great amount of screaming.

Trianas could only smile not as she had wanted to do but as long as the repulsive asshole was dead she was happy. Making her way down she suddenly encountered a Ranger cadet. Sighing she thought another piss ant to kill. Striking with almost blinding speed she was surprised when the man not only deflected most of the hits but blocked them also.

Looking at the now unconscious man she thought a second, damn it the pup seemed as if he were trained by…

“Hello Trianas, long time you traitorous bitch!” She heard a familiar from her past. A voice that she had hoped was long dead.

“So, you are still alive Dempsy.” She tossed over her shoulder. Dodging several lightening fast attacks then gasping when Dempsy caught her collar bone effectively snapping it. Smiling and grimacing she turned to look at Dempsy. “I will kill him, there is nothing you can do to stop me. Oh and before you try anything else, I think you need to save the boy I’d say he’s got about a minute to live. That is if you really give a shit about him. See you soon.” Bowing in obvious pain she smiled a sick demented smile, and then disappeared.

Turning Greeson over Dempsy struck him in several place on his back. Then with a twist near the man’s neck Dempsy watched Greeson scream then pass out again. Good he’d be ok tomorrow. Damn it the bitch was still alive. He’d really hoped that she’d died he really didn’t needed to be reminded of his failure.

Back in the Chamber room Derrick got off the floor to the amazement of all present. There was a shimmering around him then Mary was standing there. This of course had everyone turning to look at the OTHER Mary who nodded. Another shimmering and Derrick was standing in the second Mary’s place.

Bowing low solid Mary told him, “Thank you Sire for allowing me to protect your life.”

Nodding Derrick touched his ear, “Did you get them Dempsy?”

“No sire, Greeson got to her long enough for me to catch up. It was that bitch sir. I had thought she was dead, actually hoped that she was dead.” Dempsy stated. “Greeson should be alright tomorrow.”

Derrick nodded then thought a moment, “I believe we need to talk don’t we?’

“Yes Sire,” a big sigh came from Dempsy. “You are the only one I can ever tell of my failure. When you wish I will be ready Sire.”

Derrick nodded this had to be really big for Dempsy to admit failure to.

A moment later the Duke burst through the inner chamber door. “My Lord I just heard! I assure you that…”

“Save it you pompous windbag!” Derrick shouted at the man. “You really think that you could hide everything from me? The poverty? The starving in the streets? NO Duke I ASSURE YOU that this stops as of today; or as of tomorrow you will no longer command let alone have a place to live!”

“My Lord the peasants have to be…” the Duke started again.

Derrick turned and had the smaller man by the throat up against the wall his feet at least a foot off the floor. In a low whisper Derrick growled, “I can start right now if you want. I am through with all of you pitiful excuses for nobility!” With an almost wicked smile Derrick told the man. “As I said it stops as this moment, let us just hope that the other nobles are far better ready for me. I am through playing! I have five ships in orbit, I could level this… edifice in a few minutes. Think carefully,” here Derrick moved the man an inch higher. “Very carefully as your next words may be your last!”

Derrick let the man drop to the floor in a heap, the man sobbing and holding his throat. “Yes my Lord it will be as you command!” Quickly the man got to his feet and started to run in terror!

Derrick spoke into his wrist com, “Keep a lock on him Shelby if he tries to escape I want him in front of me. I am past through playing with these idiots.” Derrick looked at Hartwell who had a huge smile on his face. Growling Derrick told him. “Glad you’re so damn happy.”

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