Onboard the Eureka Maru, Becca Valentine piloted her ship expertly toward the surface of the planet Maligna, while Rhade monitored for any signs of danger.

With Becca and Rhade preoccupied, Harper went down to the Maru's engine room and opened up a wall panel behind a cluttered workbench. Harper reached in and pulled out what looked like a metallic brief case. Harper opened the case and quickly scanned the contents. Everything seemed to be in place. Dylan had told him to arm himself well, so that's exactly what he intended to do.

Inside the case were two gauss guns with holsters, several forms of explosives, three throwing knives, a cable for his cerebral port, a vial of poison, and half a dozen fake ID's. Harper strapped on the two guns, placed the knives and explosives in various pockets of his cargo pants, and dropped the interface cable in his tool belt. He decided that for this mission he could do without the fake ID and poison.

Having gotten what he needed, he placed the case back in the wall and replaced the wall panel. Unfortunately, unknown to Harper, in replacing the wall panel he accidentally cut the wires for the Maru's communications system.

On Andromeda's Command Deck.
"Rommie." Dylan said. "Try contacting the Maru again."

"I'm sorry Dylan." The Avatar replied. "There's still no response."

"Continue sending an automated message to them every ten minutes instructing them to return immediately."

"Yes Captain."

Trance was also on the Command deck and when she realized that they were unable to contact the Maru her heart sank. Why couldn't she have seen her vision yesterday, or even ten minutes sooner? That would have given her time to have stopped Harper.

"They have to come back." Trance cried.

"Well," Dylan said. "I could contact the ship yard authorities on Maligna and have them contact the Maru's crew when they land."

"No!" Trance shouted, but then quickly calmed herself. "I'm sorry Dylan, but that would be a bad idea."

"Trance you need to tell me what's going on. It's clear that you obviously know more than you're telling."

"They know." Trance said in a whispered voice.

"Who knows?" Dylan asked. "And what exactly do they know?"

"One of the organizations that are after the package that you sent Harper to get, know that the Commonwealth is sending someone to pick it up today. That organization is called P.A.G.A.N. (People Against Genetic Alteration and Nietzcheans)."

Realization dawned on Dylan.
"Trance,… that's the same organization Harper used to work for."

"Yes Dylan." Trance said. "And they weren't happy with Harper for leaving."

"Trance, What am I supposed to do?" Dylan asked. "How can we help Harper?"

"There is a small possibility that Harper will be able to complete this mission unharmed Dylan, without any help from us. There is a slightly greater chance that he completes the mission but suffers terrible physical injuries including permanent physical disabilities. Another probability that I see is Becca and Rhade bringing Harper back, his mind reduced to that of a vegetable. But the strongest and most possible probability is that Harper, Rhade, and Becca all die down on that planet."

After hearing what Trance had told him, Dylan decided that he would take a slip fighter down to the planet and make sure that his friends returned to Andromeda safely, but he was so engrossed by Trance's rare openness about the possible futures that he never noticed that Rommie had left Command.

"Captain." Andromeda's hologram said. "One of my slip fighters has just launched."

"Who's piloting it?" Dylan asked, but as he looked around Command and noticed Rommie missing he knew the answer to his question.

"My avatar is piloting it captain." Andromeda answered. "…Incoming message from the slip fighter."

Rommie's image appeared on the main view screen.
"I'm sorry Dylan." Rommie said. "But I won't stay up here while so many of my crew are in danger. I know you Dylan and the way you think. You were probably about to do the same thing, however you are too important to the New Commonwealth. They can't lose you, and somebody has to stay with the ship in case I'm attacked. Don't worry. I'll bring them back."

As the Maru was about to land, Becca attempted to contact the spaceport but discovered that the communications system was offline.

"Harper!" Becca shouted.

"Yeah Boss." Harper replied, as he entered the Maru's Command Deck.

"Communications are offline!"

"Don't worry Becca." Harper said. "I'll fix it."

Harper opened up a panel near the communication system on the Command deck and began searching for the problem. Unable to locate anything wrong, he began bypassing and rewiring the system in an attempt to get it back online. Finally Harper replaced the panel and got up off the floor.

"I've got good news and bad news Boss." Harper said.

"What's the good news Harper?" Rhade asked.

"The good news is that we can communicate to the spaceport our intentions to land."

"And the bad news?" Becca asked.

"We won't be able to hear their reply." Harper said. "We can transmit but we can't receive any incoming transmissions."

"Oh that's just great!" Becca exclaimed. "How long till you can fix it properly?"

"Fixing it won't take long at all." Harper said. "But first I'll have to locate the faulty wiring. That could take several hours."

"In that case," Becca said, "We'll land first, then you can work on finding and repairing the problem while Rhade and I get the needed supplies."

"What about getting permission to land?" Rhade asked.

"Just let me worry about that." Becca said.

Becca positioned the Maru for landing and activated the Maru's communication system.
"Maligna Spaceport, this is Captain Rebecca Valentine of the Eureka Maru. Our communications systems have malfunctioned and we are unable to receive incoming transmissions. We request permission to land but are unable to hear your reply. We will assume that permission is granted. Captain Valentine out."

"That's your plan?" Rhade asked. "What if they decide to fire on us?"

"Wouldn't be the first time." Harper said. Harper and Becca looked at each other with grins on their faces, remembering the many times they had to leave various planets and drifts while under fire.

"Perhaps not." Rhade said. "But it could very well be the last."