Don't owe them.
Set during 'The World turns All Around Her'
Will you ever dance...?
„Anything on the Maru, Rommie?"
„Nothing yet, Dylan!" Andromeda answered for the umpteenth time, without even bothering to show herself anymore. But then she tought better of it and her hologram materialized next to him.
„I thought that Trance ordered you to bed!"
„I'm on my way, Rommie!"
„No, you're not. You're standing here on Obs Deck, where there is nothing to see, pacing up and down... I have a brain of really huge proportions. I can tell the difference between my Obs Deck and your quarters," the hologram informed him frowning.
The captain of the Andromeda Ascendant tiredly closed his eyes.
„Three days, Rommie, she's been gone for three days now."
„And you haven't slept in two. Go to bed, Dylan!"
„What if she doesn't come back?"
„She will! Go to bed!"
„What if she stays with Tyr?"
„Dylan, go to bed!" his ship admonished him in a final tone. The hologram disappeared.
He sighed heavily, but then shook his head and left the semi-dark hall, directing his steps towards his rooms.
-
The captain's quarters on the Andromeda Ascendant were situated next to the rooms of the first officer. Reaching his deck Dylan Hunt hesitated in front of the doors to Captain Rebekkah Valentine's quarters, before slowly moving on. But then he abruptly came to a halt, turned on his heels and returned in front of the doors to Beka's rooms. Inserting his access code he opened them and entered the darkened chambers, that lit up as soon as the ship noticed his presence there.
„Rommie, engage privacy mode," Dylan quickly ordered before she could ask any further questions.
Aimlessly he let his eyes wander through the deserted, yet obviously lived-in space. It had been some time since he had been here last and Beka had – true to her habits – yet again re-arranged the furniture, displayed her various items, plaids, lamps and paintings all in new spots. Between her and Rommie it was almost a miracle that anybody managed to find their way onboard the warship.
He walked through the room to the large couch and sat down heavily on it, his hand reaching under him and pulling an enormous blue sweater he had never seen on her from under his pants. Dylan gently laid it down next to the low table in front of him, where flexis, books, a glass with some water in it and a handful of CDs were to be found. Beka was not exactly messy, but she cultivated an artistic disorder around her, that always left him with the impression of interrupting something important whenever he entered a room she occupied, be it the Maru, her quarters or even Command.
Dylan absentmindedly turned one of the CDs over in his hands, opened it and took the disk out of its cover. The name displayed on it didn't tell him anything, and so he reached for the player inserted in the bulkhead next to the couch and pushed it in. As the music slowly started to play, he stood up and started to pace around the room, his fingers trailing along the shelves, the tables, following the frame of some object or other.
He forced himself to pay attention to the music, but then shook his head about the singer whining on and on about some her refusing to come back. Didn't this crazy guy have the least bit of self-esteem left? Apparently not...
Dylan stopped in the middle of the room. Well, if Beka were to leave..., he suddenly thought, his mood swaying between amusement and despair. Which technically she had already .
Obviously the singer thought to not be able to dance with anyone but her. Good thing Dylan knew himself quite incapable to dance with anyone at all, so there was at least one shoe that didn't fit. Although...
Right after Samsara the crew had thrown a party in Hydroponics. The entire senior staff attended, and he remembered to have danced with a lot of women. Strangely enough he had though not ended up with Beka until late in the night, after noticing her dancing all by herself in a remote corner. Stranger even, he suddenly had felt the urge to join her. Strangest of all, for the first time that evening he hadn't felt as if born with two left legs and an additional spare one, meant exclusively for stepping on his partner's toes.
He restarted his aimless walk through the room, his memories rolling through his head to the beat of the music. He went on listening to it, feeling a bit sickened by the musician's passive complaints...
Hey, buddy! How about taking some action? Tell her how you feel, not me; she'll listen to you, she'll come back... And then better tell her that this is all you ever hoped for, even if your lack of pride will make you smile about yourself; but since she is the only one you can dance well with, it's probably worth it... And if you two can't find the words, if your eyes betray your anger, even if your excuses may sound shallow, that's not what life is all about... Don't ask her too many questions, there is but one that really matters to you – actually it's the title of your song: 'Will you dance with me again?'
Once more Dylan let himself drop on the couch and laid down, reaching for the sweater and using it as a pillow, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion...
She surely is coming in late this time... There must be a lot she and Tyr have to sort out. But she'll stick to the plan. She'll be back, and she'll be alright. It doesn't really matter, when she gets back... We can always talk later.
I'm gonna tell you about this funny singer, Beka – he sure sounds sad, even sadder than me... The guy must have made a lot of mistakes, too. But she'll have to forgive him, she'll just have to... Because, you see... he dances well with you. Actually he can't dance but with you...
Will you ever dance with me again?