The Giving-part 1
Missy Dunlap
I do not own Andromeda or any of her characters mentioned in this story. I promise to return them all in satisfactory order although Dylan may be a tad exhausted when I am through.
" Dylan, I am receiving an incoming message from Beka" Andromeda announced.
"Lets hear it," replied Dylan.
"Hey," the image of Andromeda's First Officer spoke. " Just thought you might want to know that the supply run was a success and I will be at the rendezvous point in approximately two hours.
"That is great Beka," Dylan said. " We will see you soon."
Breaking the transmission, Beka sighed and rose from the pilot's chair. She took a moment to stretch the kinks out of her tired muscles before turning to get a drink from the dining area.
I will be so glad to get home", she thought to herself. She paused for a moment and wondered, " Since when did I start thinking of the Andromeda as home?"
Her thoughts of home were cut short as a warning bell sounded.
"Aw crap," she said aloud," Now what?" She returned to the pilot's chair and quickly checked the readouts. According to the computer there was nothing wrong with the Maru.
" What the Hell is going on?" she screamed.
Despite her best efforts the Maru was spiraling out of control. She quickly found a small planet that would support life and headed toward it. With any luck she could set down and figure out what was going on with her ship.
Entering the atmosphere of the planet Beka tried her best to make a
controlled landing.
She had a few brief glimpses of a beautiful green meadow and a clear
blue lake before the image of tall trees blocked her view of all
else. Despite her best efforts the Maru hit the ground hard. As the
Maru came to a stop, a piece of falling debris hit Beka across the
side of her head knocking her unconscious.
The Giving-part 2
Missy Dunlap
Disclaimer in part 1
"Where the Hell is she?" Dylan asked. " She was due here over two hours ago."
" We are doing everything possible to find her Dylan," replied Rommie.
" Then start doing the impossible," He yelled.
"Dylan," Trance spoke up timidly, "yelling at Rommie is not going to help. You need to remain calm."
"I am perfectly calm Trance and just for the record yelling is helping."
"OK," she said turning to her console. " I am sorry."
"No Trance," he sighed. " I am sorry for yelling at you and Rommie. I just don't see how she just disappeared. It isn't possible that she just got lost. Something has happened. Something bad.
Dylan continued to pace the extent of command. The others kept quiet and tried their best to stay out of his way, as he seemed oblivious to anything in his path.
An hour later:
"Dylan, I have detected faint electrical surges from a small planet along Beka's flight path." Andromeda announced.
"What type of surges?" Dylan asked.
"Unknown for now but I am working on it. It is possible they are natural to the planet. It is also possible they are man-made but of a technology unknown to me." Rommie replied. "Either way they are capable of disrupting the operations of a ship the size of the Maru if it came too close to them when they were at their peak.
" Has Harper seen the readings? Dylan questioned.
"He is checking them now."
"Let me know as soon as you know what they are. In the mean time set course for that planet.
"Aye Captain," came the ship's reply.
Beka came awake slowly. At first all that she was aware of was intense pain. Slowly opening her eyes, she expected to see the ruins of her ship. Instead she found herself looking up at the darkening night sky. She was suddenly aware of the fact that she was being carried on a stretcher of some kind and that she was not alone.
The Giving-part 3
See part 1 for disclaimer
She counted four of them. They were all male and dressed very primitively. Unsure if she was among friends or enemies Beka chose to feign sleep until she could figure out where they were taking her.
She had been awake for about an hour before they approached a village. There were large fields with crops. Livestock roamed the fields at will. About three-dozen small cottages lined the single road that ran through the village. Several people came out of the cottages and joined the procession. As the men reached the center of the village square Beka noticed the silhouettes of several large buildings off in the distance. They appeared to be part of a city of quite a large size.
The men placed her down on the ground, jarring her bruised body. She groaned slightly at the impact raising her hand to press against the gash on her forehead.
"So much for pretending to still be unconscious." She thought.
An elderly woman approached Beka and knelt beside her. Reaching out her hand she gently turned Beka's head so that she could examine the cut. She motioned to a young boy who quickly came forward carrying a bag and a basin. The woman took a wet cloth from the basin and began washing the wound on Beka's head. She took some herbs from her bag and applied them to the cut. She then expertly bandaged the wound.
Not knowing if she would be understood since not one person had uttered a word the entire time, Beka spoke anyway.
"Thank you for helping me," she told the old woman.
"You are quite welcome." the woman replied.
"You can talk," Beka was stunned by this turn of events.
"Yes," replied the woman, " As a matter of fact most of the villagers say I should learn to hush up occasionally." A chorus of nervous laughter followed this statement.
"I am sorry. It is just that I have heard no one speak since I woke up and I was a little shocked that I could understand you" Beka said with a smile.
" It would have been considered inappropriate for any of us to speak before you spoke to us.
"Why?" Beka asked.
"It is not right for lowly villagers to speak before the Sky Goddess gives permission." The woman stated.
"The Sky What?" Beka choked out.
Missy Dunlap
I do not own Andromeda or any of her characters mentioned in this story. I promise to return them all in satisfactory order although Dylan may be a tad exhausted when I am through.
" Dylan, I am receiving an incoming message from Beka" Andromeda announced.
"Lets hear it," replied Dylan.
"Hey," the image of Andromeda's First Officer spoke. " Just thought you might want to know that the supply run was a success and I will be at the rendezvous point in approximately two hours.
"That is great Beka," Dylan said. " We will see you soon."
Breaking the transmission, Beka sighed and rose from the pilot's chair. She took a moment to stretch the kinks out of her tired muscles before turning to get a drink from the dining area.
I will be so glad to get home", she thought to herself. She paused for a moment and wondered, " Since when did I start thinking of the Andromeda as home?"
Her thoughts of home were cut short as a warning bell sounded.
"Aw crap," she said aloud," Now what?" She returned to the pilot's chair and quickly checked the readouts. According to the computer there was nothing wrong with the Maru.
" What the Hell is going on?" she screamed.
Despite her best efforts the Maru was spiraling out of control. She quickly found a small planet that would support life and headed toward it. With any luck she could set down and figure out what was going on with her ship.
Entering the atmosphere of the planet Beka tried her best to make a
controlled landing.
She had a few brief glimpses of a beautiful green meadow and a clear
blue lake before the image of tall trees blocked her view of all
else. Despite her best efforts the Maru hit the ground hard. As the
Maru came to a stop, a piece of falling debris hit Beka across the
side of her head knocking her unconscious.
The Giving-part 2
Missy Dunlap
Disclaimer in part 1
"Where the Hell is she?" Dylan asked. " She was due here over two hours ago."
" We are doing everything possible to find her Dylan," replied Rommie.
" Then start doing the impossible," He yelled.
"Dylan," Trance spoke up timidly, "yelling at Rommie is not going to help. You need to remain calm."
"I am perfectly calm Trance and just for the record yelling is helping."
"OK," she said turning to her console. " I am sorry."
"No Trance," he sighed. " I am sorry for yelling at you and Rommie. I just don't see how she just disappeared. It isn't possible that she just got lost. Something has happened. Something bad.
Dylan continued to pace the extent of command. The others kept quiet and tried their best to stay out of his way, as he seemed oblivious to anything in his path.
An hour later:
"Dylan, I have detected faint electrical surges from a small planet along Beka's flight path." Andromeda announced.
"What type of surges?" Dylan asked.
"Unknown for now but I am working on it. It is possible they are natural to the planet. It is also possible they are man-made but of a technology unknown to me." Rommie replied. "Either way they are capable of disrupting the operations of a ship the size of the Maru if it came too close to them when they were at their peak.
" Has Harper seen the readings? Dylan questioned.
"He is checking them now."
"Let me know as soon as you know what they are. In the mean time set course for that planet.
"Aye Captain," came the ship's reply.
Beka came awake slowly. At first all that she was aware of was intense pain. Slowly opening her eyes, she expected to see the ruins of her ship. Instead she found herself looking up at the darkening night sky. She was suddenly aware of the fact that she was being carried on a stretcher of some kind and that she was not alone.
The Giving-part 3
See part 1 for disclaimer
She counted four of them. They were all male and dressed very primitively. Unsure if she was among friends or enemies Beka chose to feign sleep until she could figure out where they were taking her.
She had been awake for about an hour before they approached a village. There were large fields with crops. Livestock roamed the fields at will. About three-dozen small cottages lined the single road that ran through the village. Several people came out of the cottages and joined the procession. As the men reached the center of the village square Beka noticed the silhouettes of several large buildings off in the distance. They appeared to be part of a city of quite a large size.
The men placed her down on the ground, jarring her bruised body. She groaned slightly at the impact raising her hand to press against the gash on her forehead.
"So much for pretending to still be unconscious." She thought.
An elderly woman approached Beka and knelt beside her. Reaching out her hand she gently turned Beka's head so that she could examine the cut. She motioned to a young boy who quickly came forward carrying a bag and a basin. The woman took a wet cloth from the basin and began washing the wound on Beka's head. She took some herbs from her bag and applied them to the cut. She then expertly bandaged the wound.
Not knowing if she would be understood since not one person had uttered a word the entire time, Beka spoke anyway.
"Thank you for helping me," she told the old woman.
"You are quite welcome." the woman replied.
"You can talk," Beka was stunned by this turn of events.
"Yes," replied the woman, " As a matter of fact most of the villagers say I should learn to hush up occasionally." A chorus of nervous laughter followed this statement.
"I am sorry. It is just that I have heard no one speak since I woke up and I was a little shocked that I could understand you" Beka said with a smile.
" It would have been considered inappropriate for any of us to speak before you spoke to us.
"Why?" Beka asked.
"It is not right for lowly villagers to speak before the Sky Goddess gives permission." The woman stated.
"The Sky What?" Beka choked out.