Derrick was shocked for a moment, "that besides the honor fight?" Derrick asked.
"Yes sire, I also believe that they will also try to take out the council. I have already provided all of them with a personal shield generator. I believe that there is something else that is going on. At the moment I do not have sufficient data to formulate what," holo Mary said.
In orbit, Hartwell was watching on the other side of the planet. He was expecting an invading fleet, though so far nothing had appeared. The commander had instructed the other five ships to try and complete their stealth generators. The problem was that they were only half finished.
Four ships were indeed a hell of a lot, especially as armed as they were, though there were still holes.
It was almost an hour later when a hell of a lot of enemy alarms were going off. Looking out, he saw that there were no fewer than sixty ships inbound.
"I want the five of you to hold station. I think they are going to try to overwhelm us. I want all the shields to maximum, I want all energy weapons, missiles and rail guns activated. Active targeting up now, alright here they come," Hartwell said. "Weapons free, fire at will."
Hartwell smiled as they caught two thirds of them unaware, literally blowing them out of the sky.
That's when they turned starting to fire on where they had been. On the other side of the planet, it seemed as if twice as many had appeared. They, of course, were giving the five visible ships fits.
It soon became apparent that the battle wasn't going that well. Hartwell and the other three had in fact defeated all their ships.
Racing around the planet, he saw that two of the EIG ships were damaged, a third was dark. Extremely pissed now, Hartwell and the other stealth ships started to lay waste to the rest of the invaders.
Still mad as hell, Hartwell ordered all the ships to keep watch. The two ships still operating were almost finished with their stealth.
Hartwell hit the com button as soon as the last invader was gone. "Commander?" he said. "We had a hundred eighty ships try to get past us, they are gone. Two of the Eigs Jake and Tendra, are damaged, one I am afraid, Rodrick, has gone dark."
"Good work Admiral, the other two ships are completing their stealth now. Might I suggest that one of you haul the dark ship back to the Imperial planet, Shelby or Darry should be able to effect repair growth," Derrick said.
"I am very proud of all of you ships, you did the fleet proud today," Hartwell said.
"I am proud as well, Realla, please take your brother back to the Imperial Planet," Derrick said.
A young dark-haired female holo-gram appeared and bowed to Derrick. "I would be honored Sire," she said, attached a tractor beam, then opened a portal and was gone.
"Jake, Tendra?" Derrick said, then a young dark-haired male and female teen holo-grams appeared next to Hartwell. "I want the both of you to stay out of any conflict, I want you in re-gen starting now."
Both bowed and nodded, then were gone, their ships going partly dark.
"Sir?" Hartwell said suddenly, "I have intruders moving into you area. I don't believe that they are there to welcome you. Shall I bring you aboard?" Hartwell asked, then cursed when he couldn't get a full lock. "They have the signal partly blocked; shall I deploy troops?"
Derrick thought about it then shook his head, "those that are attacking use a completely different type of form. I don't believe in sending troops to their death when I don't have to. Keep working on the IMT get it through, somehow, Derrick out."
Derrick waited, not exactly sure when the invaders would arrive. He and Mary tried to barricade the door, though Derrick knew that, against them, it wouldn't do much.
They didn't have to wait long as the doors were broken down a few moments later. Both Holo Mary and Derrick were in defensive positions when the invaders entered the room.
Derrick surprised several of the males that entered by taking them out with an inhuman speed. This, of course, had the attackers pause, which allowed Derrick to take another five. Now they had backed off slightly.
Mary was back against the wall an energy weapon in her hand. A moment later, she vanished, making the remaining males look at each other.
This pause was their undoing as there was a sudden surge of several members of all the clans of Jitaku. They poured through the door, quickly overpowering those there.
They all turned to Derrick, bowing low to them. Derrick shook his head as there was a shimmering behind him, Mary appeared. Derrick suddenly became Mary while the vision of Mary shimmered into Derrick.
"I am pleased that the clans of Jitaku responded as fast as they did. You have the thanks of the emperor," the real Derrick said, bowing to all there.
This, of course, had all the clans standing taller with great pride. Roughly pushing the prisoners out of the door, followed closely by Mary then Derrick.
We need to go to the central council arena. This honor fight I will see it as it concerns one of my men," Derrick said as half those there diverted, taking him directly to the council.
Upon entering, there was a great commotion, a commotion that didn't go unnoticed by Higon. He looked around the arena, nodding as several men moved to attack the council, then fell.
Higon's mouth dropped open when this happened. He then turned toward Derrick when he whistled. A shimmering around Derrick, then each individual council member, made the smile Derrick had, more annoying.
"So, as you can see, Higon Dempsy. Your attempt to take me, the council and the planet has failed. The hundred eighty ships that attacked they were destroyed. You are the last that is left," here Derrick looked at Kimon. "I think that you won't have a claim after this, Derrick said. Here Derrick smiled, "a good plan though," here Derrick sneered. "Very, very, poorly executed," with that Derrick started to laugh.
This, of course, had Higon practically seething when he took a step towards Derrick. Derrick's shield flared, pushing Higon back a foot. "So, you are as big a coward as I thought. Just as he said!" Higon hissed.
"Oh, you mean Ex-Duke Risen. Yes, well, we have a little surprise for him. The three races that he helped? We are well aware that they are there, so no surprise there. As I said, you are really the last left," Derrick again sneered.
Higon was shocked a moment, then smiled again, "so you think that you are the best, the true ruler. You are so far from it that you are pitiful! Soon all will see that you not only don't deserve the throne, you should be punished," Higon said.
Derrick smirked back at Higon, "perhaps that may be true, though I know that it won't be by you. That," here Derrick looked again at Kimon. "That I know for a fact."
"Ha!" Higon laughed. "Your confidence in your man will be your undoing!"
"No," Derrick said seriously. "It is my confidence in him that has saved him and our team time and time again."
Higon laughed again, then took a step back from Derrick. "We shall see, won't we, Emperor Derrick, shall we not?
With that, Higon turned toward his area, sitting to meditate. It almost seemed as if he dismissed Derrick without a second thought.
Derrick turned to go to Kimon, upon entering his area, Derrick nodded to all there. He sat beside Kimon quiet for a moment.
"Your brother seems to be more confident than I thought that he would. Does he have an advantage over you?" Derrick asked.
Kimon's eyes opened slowly as he looked at his long-time commander and friend. Then he took a deep breath as he formulated his answer.
"He has studied the old and forbidden ways of the art form. I am assuming that he believes that I have absolutely no idea that he does. I am also assuming that he thinks that I have no way to defend against them. I plan to show him that he does not have any idea of what I know and am capable of," Kimon said.
Derrick sighed, "this I feel is all my fault, planning the joining now. Damnit! I thought that for once we could actually get through this with no problems. Shit! Just like always and our luck, everything has gone to shit!" Derrick said, exasperated.
Kimon looked over at Derrick with a small smile, "sire, if it hadn't? Then I would have been suspicious of the whole thing. I remember during the war that everything went wrong. Remember that bitch's son? That was your thinking that saved us. Just like all thirty times something happened. I think, sir, that it's just our fate," Kimon said.
Derrick looked at Kimon with a half-smile, "damn! When in the hell did you get this wise?"
Kimon just smiled as he looked at Derrick, "you just have to look at our commander. One of the smartest men I have ever known."
Derrick smiled, then his face went all serious. "I hope that this time I am right. I feel you are better than him, your art is smoother and quicker. Survive, that's what we need here, you to make sure you survive. I still need you, so survive alright?"
Kimon was shocked a moment, then nodded as he embraced Derrick. "I will endeavor to do this, Sire," Kimon said as he bowed to the floor.
Onai and Akira were standing not far away, both with a look of extreme pride on their faces. Derrick left the area, making his way to the council seats, taking a seat behind them a little higher. A nod to each of them confirmed that each one of them were unharmed.
They all waited another forty-five minutes before Isamu Sakuta stood. "To all gathered, all the clans, the council and our glorious emperor, it is time. This is a Meiyo notatakai (fight of honor) for a clan leader position in the Dempsy clan. Higon Dempsy step forward, Kimon Dempsy step forward. Now, this is to the finish, whether that is defeat or death. Bow, then separate, this contest is started, now.
Both males bowed to each other then started to feel each other out. Kimon had a very serious look on his face, while Higon was smiling the entire time. Five minutes later, they actually started to move faster.
At first, they were slightly still as the males started to actually try to land blows. At ten minutes, they were starting to get faster, twenty minutes into it there was a heavy thud. Kimon was then flying back into th arena wall.