The next morning Tyr and Trance were in Dylan's office making their official reports about the last night's celebration when his secretary notified him of a message on the official channel. Dylan keyed in his codes and all three of them watched Beka's farewell message. It stunned them so much that for the longest time none of them did anything; they just sat there, staring. Finally, Trance broke the silence. "What are we going to do?"

"Obviously, nothing", Tyr growled. "She has made her choice." They both looked at Dylan.

He had visibly paled. "Tyr is right. She left of her own free will. If she was that unhappy..." He couldn't finish. "I never chained any of you to me. You were always free to go. Beka just exercised her option, that's all. Well, it's time to get back to work." With that, he dismissed them. After they were gone, Dylan broke down and cried.

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Tyr and Trance walked down the halls to their offices. "What do you make of this, Trance?"

"I don't know. She sounded desperate. This isn't good. And how am I supposed to tell Harper? He's been so happy since his cure and with his job and all. This is just going to tear him apart." She sighed. "I'd better go and tell him now before someone else does.

It won't be long before this gets around and he deserves to hear it from me."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Trance looked at him and did a double take. Tyr had changed a lot since the successful completion of their mission. Of course, he was Neitzschean and Nietzscheans respected success. Still, ever since he and Harper had battled Magog together they had been bonded. It would probably help Harper for Tyr to be there when she told him. "I would like that very much."

Tyr grinned. "Then let us be off."

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Harper was happily involved in repairs on Andromeda. Being the head engineer was nice but, he would always get his hands dirty. And nobody but, nobody was ever going to touch Andromeda but him. He had just finished interfacing when Trance and Tyr came aboard. He didn't like the looks on their faces. He and Rommie waited expectantly. "Hey, what's up?" he asked.

Trance cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this Harper but, Beka's gone."

"Gone! What do you mean-gone?" He was frantic.

"Oh, I'm sorry Harper. I didn't mean it like that. I just wasn't thinking. I'm too upset. I mean she's left us. For good." She stated sobbing and ran out.

Harper stared at Tyr. "Is this true?"

"Yes. Both Trance and I watched her farewell message in Dylan's office this morning. I'm very sorry, Harper."

"But why? Why would she leave?"

"She said something about not fitting in here."

"That's bullshit. Come on, Rommie. Let's go after her."

"Dylan said not to. She asked in the message that we respect her decision and that is what he is doing.

"No! Look everything here is cool now. Everything is stable. The Dragons aren't even a threat anymore since you effectively cut them off at the knees by bridging the gap between the New Commonwealth and the Nietzscheans." That was a great source of pride for Tyr, humbling his enemies. "So, we can go and use the whole fleet to find her. We can do that."

Tyr put his hands on Harper's shoulders. No, we cannot. Beka made her choice. We have to respect it. To go hunting her to bring her back to what she effectively considers a prison would be to violate all the principles we all fought for. Got that?"

"Fine." And he suddenly broke down. And Tyr actually hugged him. He'd been finding human emotions not unappealing anymore.