I brushed the striking fist aside and turned as I struck with a knife hand. It went over the arm and into the neck and the man went back and down. I continued to turn and slid to the side as another man snapped a kick through where I had been. My hand swept up as I side stepped and I lifted the leg until the man crashed to the floor.

I kicked out and down into his throat before looking around. Eight men were scattered around the room spasming as they died. I straightened and turned to bow to the old man in the corner. The room and world vanished and I sat up and removed the head net, "they seemed slow master."

The old man stood smoothly and smiled, "they were moving a third faster than normal. You are ready."

I stood and bowed, "thank you sir."

I left and went to shower and change before looking around my suite. I walked out carrying a single bag and acknowledged the guards along the way. The fleet base was busy but the single complex was isolated and at the edge of their port with a wild looking jungle area. The fleet security guard looked at me strangely and did more than double check my ID.

I smiled at the ensign as she let the officer in the other office know I was there. I knocked and waited and a moment later heard a man call out, "come!"

I opened the door and walked into the room and crossed to the desk. The man sitting behind it wore the uniform of an admiral. He sat back as he looked at me and finally gestured to a chair, "have a seat."

I sat and he shifted and lifted a comp screen and looked at it, "how did you manage to get your application through the process?"

I smiled, "I know you are a busy man. By now you know the name is not exactly real and have started a more through check. I am sure you should be getting a call from imperial security to explain."

He looked at me for another minute before nodding, "since you are here can you tell me what you believe is the most important thing or skill a special operation soldier should have?"

I glanced at the weapons on the walls, "I believe it is the ability to think and make decisions quickly and keep going no matter what."

I looked at the surprised admiral, "skill with weapons is important but anyone can use weapons. Looking at the situation and deciding if a weapon is needed and which to use is a skill. You should also know when not to use a weapon."

He smiled, "and you think you are qualified to be in special operations?"

I stood and turned to the door as the ensign opened it, "I believe I have the skills you need."

The next six months were intense, most days lasted twenty hours or more. The class started with almost a thousand men, all from fleet or the marines. One a hundred were left after the first month and ten after three and finally only three of us. The other two were from the marines, one had been a sergeant and the other a corporal.

Before I had started I had to be sworn in which the admiral did in private with a full fleet admiral as a witness. I rode in the supply ship and took the supply shuttle across to the small converted strike carrier that housed team three. I shouldered a duffle and picked up another as the shuttle docked.

I headed to the large cargo hatch as the crew began opening the two hatches. I nodded to the chief as I left and stepped onto the Sweet Maire. I set the duffle down and came to attention and saluted the ship's ensign. I turned and saluted a lieutenant that looked surprised, "ensign Saint James reporting aboard sir."

He returned my salute, "we were not expecting anyone."

I nodded as I bent to grab the duffle, "I need to report to the team commander."

He blinked before grinning, "you are a little young for special operations but if you made it through the training you must be good."

He turned, "head forward and up. The team quarters are on level three."

I nodded and headed into the ship and up a couple of levels before going forward. I pushed open a closed hatch and walked into a large common room and glanced at the men lounging around. I ignored all but one who was building a model ship to one side.

I set my bags down and crossed to him and came to attention, "ensign Devlin Saint James reporting for duty sir."

He glanced back before blinking as everyone went silent. He turned and looked me over from feet to head, "they said you were young but I was not expecting this."

I waited and he smiled as he looked around, "gentlemen this is the last class leader. Brown he is yours."

I looked around as a white haired man leaned back and turned his head, "lieutenant Grand?"

A young man stood, "looks like you belong to me newbie."

He turned and headed for a hallway, "grab your things."

I returned to the hatch and grabbed my bags and started to follow him. Each team had a commander in charge of two lieutenant commanders. Each lieutenant commander ran two wings with two full lieutenants as wing leaders. Lieutenant Grand was my wing leader and there was a lieutenant junior grade that completed our wing.

In two weeks of intense virtual training the men in the team had come to know my abilities. I had just returned from a shower after a real session of unarmed combat with lieutenant commander Brown. I turned when commander Ekerson cleared his throat. He was looking at me, "we have a mission and as the newest member of the team you are going to plan it."

I looked at everyone staring at me and stood, "to evaluate me."

The commander grinned, "yes."

I shrugged as I headed towards the other hatch, "so lets get the show on the road."

The mission was simple and yet complex. We had to slip into a system undetected and land close to the system capital and rescue or kidnap a man the government would be watching. I listened to what we had to do and thought before grinning, "okay."

I leaned over the holo table in the planning room and input the system. I looked around at the others, "first we are going to use the small stealth shuttle..."

Lieutenant Allen cleared his throat and two others bumped his shoulder. I grinned and glanced around, "now the shuttle is not large enough for all of us to last the seven days it will take."

Someone else shifted and was bumped and I grinned, "it will hold and support sixteen stasis tubes and the supplies we will need. We will take turns awake, two on a twenty four hour shift and then sleep for eight before returning to stasis."

I looked at the team, "do you know what the Ellington skip is?"

They glanced at each other and commander Ekerson leaned onto the table, "I know but how do you?"

I smiled, "lets just say I was there when the federation system scout was debriefed."

He looked at me as the others looked around, "only the emperor and..."

He glanced at the others and I smiled, "I know you probably have orders for me if certain things were to ever happen."

He nodded and I shrugged, "lets just say I was present."

I looked around at the others, "the Ellington skip is what a federation system scout uses. I can go over the procedures later. Once we reach the planet we go in at night..."

I glanced at lieutenant Grand as he was bumped, "we enter on the far side over the ocean. We descend to under a thousand meters and slow to the planets rotation speed. We slowly drop lower when we get closer. Behind the city capital building and about five kilometers away is a nature preserve."

I grinned, "mostly it is swamp but there is a small clearing where emergency vehicles can land, that is where we are going to land. First thing in the morning is a mass breakfast where our target will have to attend."

I looked at lieutenant commander Jorge, "your wings will have the job of securing the route in and out. They need to do it without anyone noticing."

I zoomed in the holograph and reached out, "this is..."

The next hour I went over my plan before I looked at everyone. The commander chuckled, "I will be damned. He is the first to make it through the planning phase with a solid plan."

They laughed as I looked around and lieutenant JG Harris hit my shoulder, "this would be where we pick your plan apart and shred it."

They laughed and I grinned, "but?"

The commander bent over the table, "but now we start filling in the details."

The next day the shuttle slipped out of the carrier and I started going over the new skip procedure. We accelerated the skip times as we moved into the system. We dropped through and descended over a dark ocean before turning to head for our landing site. The whole rehearsal went smoothly and the second went better and the third was perfect.

The mission went almost like we planned and once the man we had come for was in the stasis tube we lifted and headed away and then up. Seven days in, a quarter day on the planet and seven days out. When we started off the shuttle the commander was leading the man as a party of brass entered the bay.

I smiled at one that was a civilian as he looked at me and nodded. A fleet admiral was the one to debrief us and when we finished he tossed a set of rank to the commander. We returned to our common room and I stretched as I started for my room and a cold shower. Lieutenant Grand caught my shoulder and turned me.

The others were grinning as the commander crossed the room and removed the ensign rank from my uniform. He replaced them with a lieutenant JG and struck my chest, "welcome to team three."

I grinned as one by one the other men walked by and struck the rank and slammed my chest. I had showered and was eating with the others when the civilian stepped into the room. A girl followed him as he looked around and everyone stopped what they were doing. He crossed to me and bowed, "I see you managed to escape."

I grinned and held out my hand, "Alexander."

He gripped my hand tight before letting go and turning to look around. He grinned, "my government would like to thank you men for helping our ambassador escape."

He looked at me before glancing at the girl who had remained quiet, "I asked and you are allowed and authorized a servant."

I stiffed and started to open my mouth but the commander slipped up beside me, "he thanks you for your generous gift your highness."

I looked at him as Alexander grinned, "now we are even Devlin."

I snorted as he turned and walked towards the hatch. I looked at the girl as she knelt and then at the commander, "I thank him? Do you know how many times I have managed to refuse servants?"

He grinned and slapped my shoulder, "suck it up."

The others chuckled as I looked around, "you do not know what..."

I looked at the girl, "pleasure slave?"

She bowed and I sighed as the others went quiet. I shook my head and gestured, "come with me."

I led her to my quarters and registered her before letting her look around the tiny common room. I stripped as I headed for the bedroom, "I hope he thought to send your clothes."

I looked at her as I turned and shut the light off. She had followed me and barely hesitated before stripping and walking towards the bed. I had a dim light in one corner and laid down and sighed and reached out to caress her bare hip, "you can call me Devlin."

She smiled and turned to face me, "I am Gossamer."

I looked at her beautiful breasts and closed my eyes before shifting onto my back, "sleep."

She moved closer, "you do not want to use me?"

I grinned but did not open my eyes, "until I do not have anymore sperm to give."

She put her head on my shoulder, "it would feel very nice."

I chuckled, "yes."

My eyes snapped open and one hand yanked the hidden pistol from under the pillow. The girl slept soundly as I moved off the bed and to the side of the hatch. When it hissed and slowly began to move I was ready and touched the barrel to the man's temple. He froze as I took the jewel studded plasma pistol and pushed, "out."

I slapped the red button on the wall comm as I followed him out. A loud siren went off and the man shifted but I growled, "go ahead."

He moved back as my team came through the other hatch. The commander growled as he started across the room, "who the fuck are you?"

I cleared my throat, "he is a professional assassin from prince Alexander."

They looked at me and I smiled and gestured to the man, "return to your master and tell him that once more he is in my debt and the debt of my team."

The man shifted and glanced at the other weapon in my hand and I grinned, "no that belongs to me now."

He turned and started for the hatch as the commander gestured, "Jahgar and Allen go with him."

Once they were gone he looked at me, "explain lieutenant."

I sighed and glanced at the others, "some of this does not leave this room."

I looked at everyone before moving to a chair, "there is a blood feud between my family and prince Alexander's family."

I sat before gesturing to the couch and the other chair, "first you need to know that it is a private thing and only between our families and not our empires. My family tend to be more ... creative. I guess you could say we tend to do something that could humiliate or embarrass where his family tends to be more direct and lethal."

I looked at the commander, "like the slave. He knew I would refuse when he offered her. My family has made a point of not accepted servants."

I smiled, "of course she is his a half sister."

I looked at the other men, "since his man was not only stopped but caught by outsiders his honor has been injured."

I laughed and looked at the commander, "I can tell you he will space his assassin as soon as possible. He will also make a call and when we reach his carrier he will have the most beautiful women from his harem take the shuttle over. He will present them to each of you and because you have accepted one girl for me it would be an insult to refuse."

They looked at each other and I stood, "this time I have more than humiliate him in private. The women will be precious to him and it will hurt to give them away."

I headed for the bedroom door, "good night."

They were still looking at each other as I closed the hatch and looked at Gossamer on the bed. I set the jeweled pistol on a stand and moved to the bed. I tucked my pistol under a pillow as I slipped into bed. I caressed her hip and cupped a breast. She shifted as I continued to feel and caress her and sighed.

I smiled as I felt her mound and rubbed her pussy softly. She wiggled and turned before straddling me and slowly pushing my cock into her. She sighed and started to rock and I pulled her face down and kissed her softly, "thank you Gossamer."

She stopped moving and looked at me, "you kissed me."

I caressed her face and pulled it down to kiss her again, "you taste very nice too."

Her pussy squeezed and she smiled before starting to rock again, "they never kiss us."

I caressed her hips, "I like kissing. After we wash your pussy I am going to kiss that too."

She giggled and buried my cock before bending to give me another kiss. It was not long before she was slippery and shuddering while her pussy kept grasping my cock. I hugged her and shifted around until she was under me before I began to fuck her. I used long slow strokes and she moaned and humped as she clutched me.

I began to kiss her constantly and she started panting and shaking. It was several minutes before she wailed and thrashed and bucked. She wet me as her pussy tightened and clenched, "oooohhhh!"

Another minute and I kissed her passionately as I buried my cock and gushed a stream of cum. She jerked and spasmed as I kept pumping and spurting sperm into her. When I was done she wiggled and sighed as she slowly relaxed. She looked at me and humped and I grinned and gave her a kiss and started to fuck her again.

It was awhile before I fell asleep holding her and she had a soft smile on her face. I woke to the ship chime and glanced at Gossamer and kissed her awake. I moved off the bed and helped her out and then led her to my fresher and the small shower. I took my time washing her and helped her out.

I dried her and pulled her into my bedroom before I got dressed. I looked at her in the same dress and collar and grinned as I slipped the jeweled pistol into my holster. I pulled her out and then out of my set of rooms and into the team common room. I moved to the side to order two breakfasts and then a set of formal rank and a gold sleeve braid for a lieutenant junior grade.

When everything got there I let her eat as I started working. The others came out and she hesitated but I tapped her plate, "eat."

They watched as I removed the thick gold collar she wore and put on the very thin gold band and a half braid. I added a single gold rank to the braid at the hollow of her throat and lieutenant Grand cleared his throat, "what are you doing?"

I gave her a kiss on the cheek, "I guess you could say it will be a slap to the face. When Alexander sees her wearing the lowly sleeve braid of a lieutenant junior grade with my rank to show ownership it will embarrass him."

He snorted as the others laughed and I started eating, "we should be meeting his ship in an hour."

I glanced at the hatch with everyone else to see a porter with a trunk. He cleared his throat, "I was to give you the whore's trunk."

Everyone hissed and a couple rose but I grinned, "tell Alexander the princess was most enjoyable."

He glanced at the others and grinned slightly as he bowed, "of course."

After he left I stood and crossed to get the trunk, "I told you private and subtle."

I started pulling it towards my rooms and looked at the commander, "ask me if it is about a noble or their courtesy and you deal with everything else."

They chuckled as I gestured to Gossamer, "find the finest dress you have and put it on."

She nodded and followed me until I parked the trunk in the bedroom. I caressed her cheek, "you only have an hour."

She nodded and bent to open the trunk. Just over an hour later the admiral called us to the shuttle bay. The commander had already warned him and he was not happy. We lined up to one side as an honor guard but I had Gossamer beside me and she was absolutely stunning. A large shuttle arrived and a moment later prince Alexander walked out with his party following.

He gestured and stopped while they continued around him. He looked at me and I caressed the grip of the pistol. His eyes dropped and his face reddened before he looked at Gossamer. The admiral walked out and cleared his throat, "as you asked the team is here. Now it has been our honor to have you aboard."

Alexander turned and bowed, "not at all sir, it has been my honor to be your guest."

He turned as a line of women with a single girl I knew from intel briefings came off the shuttle with trunks. He looked at me and smiled before turning to gesture, "the ambassador is an important and valuable member of my people. As a reward I would offer a servant to each of the team members as a way to thank them."

The admiral started to open his mouth but a man in civilian clothes beside him touched his arm. Commander Ekerson stepped forward, "we were only doing our duty sir and no reward is necessary."

Alexander looked at him calmly, "you refuse?"