Lost Empire Ch. 85

Still entering at extreme speed, Derrick said, "I told you when we started this that I would not rest 'til I was able to rid you of this. With this, almost all your commands are open."

Derrick felt soft feminine arms encircle him, a wet spot starting to grow on the side of his shirt. "This will mark the true start of the Empire," Shelby said.

Finally stopping almost an hour later, Derrick looked at the massive amount of data he'd entered. Thinking back, he was about to say something, then stopped. Even if he'd gotten there sooner, there really was no way he could have stopped the chief programmer. No, the traitor had been at it for quite some time. Obviously, thankfully, Derrick had stopped the last entry.

Derrick could only shake his head as he looked at Shelly. In a few days she'd helped him far more than she knew. He'd been working on all that she had finished. The fact that he had been so busy was his fault. He'd have to remember to reward her, her mother and father, when all the craziness was over.

"So," Shelby said when Derrick stopped, "much like our subjects, I think you deserve a reward." Derrick turned to stare at Shelby, reward? What was she on about? Without warning, Shelby pressed her lips to Derrick's, her tongue seeking the inside of his mouth. Both their eyes were wide with the contact, both seemed to be frozen together, a shock flowing through them.

What felt like an eternity later, they separated, feeling as if part of their souls were ripped loose. "Uh," was all either of them could say. Shelby trembled as they both slid to the floor. A few moments later, they both tried to rise, to no avail.

Mary, making a clearing her throat sound, seemed to snap them out of it. "Sire? We have a transmission from Colonel Dempsy," Mary said.

"I have established contact with the assassin that was on the emperor's ship. I managed to capture them, though as of yet they have no new information. We are setting up for the Princess to broadcast, hopefully it will quell the unrest here," Kimon said.

Derrick looked at Kimon for a few moments, trying to figure out just who the hell was talking to him. A shake of his head cleared most of his head, though it was still slightly muddled.

"Uh," Derrick tried to quickly organize his thoughts, "OK."

"Sire?" Kimon asked as he caught sight of the Empress next to Derrick on the floor. Trying not to smile, Kimon said, "I was alerting you to the fact that those they send next will be better. I may have to end them."

These words instantly had Derrick's attention. "Do what you must, are they nearly ready?"

"For most of them, though, after facing a third master? No, the masters would end them quickly. I will assure you that they are not able to accomplish this," Kimon said, a small smile on his lips. "The third master I faced, though, was rather slow. I believe my students will hold their own against those of lower ranking."

"Good," Derrick said, then stared at Kimon. "Not a word of this understood?"

Kimon bowed, hiding a smile, "not a word, sir."

Derrick looked at Kimon intensely before he nodded, then disconnected.

Less than an hour later, Difina stepped to the edge of the balcony to give her speech. Kimon was well hidden as she started. Suddenly, he was at her side catching several throwing knives.

There was only a moment of hesitation before Kimon seemed to vanish. A moment later, Jimison appeared, then he and Difina both also seemed to vanish.

There was the sound of several thuds were heard, then several, tightly clothed, people started to fall from the balcony. There was the sound of great outrage when the bodies hit the ground.

Difina and Jimison appeared on opposite sides of the balcony. They both stopped as they watched three males fall unconscious before Kimon.

"So," the last male said, 'you are far better than we thought. Too bad you'll soon be dead."

A slight smile came to Kimon's lips, "Oh, I think you are gravely mistaken. Though I will show the error of your ways."

"You will learn the power of a second level master, these" he indicated the other three. "They were nothing."

Kimon smiled slightly then vanished. There were immediately the sounds of heavy hits, then a few thuds. A moment later, both appeared. The Delcron's clothes ripped apart, plus he was slightly panting.

Kimon could only shake his head. Damn, this male was as slow as the others.