A few days later when they left the system, they had a new crewmate. She took the role of Medical Officer, but as her duties were fairly light, she spent a lot of her time in Engineering helping Harper. Lara fitted in easily and it soon felt like she had always been there.

It was after another of Harper's conferences that things changed. Dylan had gone down to the surface of Arndell to meet Harper after one of the lectures, and had come back looking disturbed. Beka was a little concerned, but he only said it was nothing when she asked if something was wrong. He locked himself in his office and turned on privacy mode. It was Rommie who informed the crew that they had been invited to a ball the following night to celebrate the end of the conference. Nobody saw much of Dylan the next day until it was time for them to leave for the ball. They took the Maru down to the surface. The ball was going well and they were sitting down for dinner when Beka noticed that Dylan was watching one of the young Nietzschean professors. Beka felt there was something familiar about her but couldn't work out what it was.

After the dinner they moved to the ballroom.

"Would you like to dance?"

Beka looked up to see a handsome young man smiling at her. She smiled back, then looked towards Dylan, but he seemed deep in thought and appeared not to have even noticed the exchange.

"That would be lovely" she agreed and he led her to the dancefloor. He was a very good dancer, she felt so light in his arms as they danced the next several dances.

Then, she caught a glimpse of Dylan, deep in conversation with the young professor, and as they sat there with their heads close together, she suddenly realized why she recognized the young girl. She looked exactly like the photo of Sarah in Dylan's quarters. The fact that she was Nietzschean was what had confused Beka before.

She stumbled slightly and her partner moved her to the edge of the crowd.

"Are you OK?" he asked, concerned.

"Fine, just a little tired I think. Dancing can really take it out of you."

"Let me take you outside, some fresh air would probably help."

As they walked out she quickly flashed a look at Dylan, but he still seemed engrossed in his conversation.

"Are we allowed to walk in the grounds? It would nice to get away from the noise and heat just for a little while."

"There is a little folly down near the lake, which would be a good place to relax for a bit."

"OK, sounds good."

They walked arm in arm down the garden. He seemed still a little concerned about her and didn't want to let her go in case she stumbled again. She was grateful for the comfort of a warm body next to her. She felt a little cold now as the reality started sinking in. He was never going to forget Sarah, she was the one he loved, the one he had always loved. She shivered a little and her companion put his coat around her. She looked up at him, grateful for his concern but still lost in her own world of pain.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked "It is not just tiredness, is it?"

She shook her head slightly.

He put his arm around her as they walked into the folly. He made sure she was comfortable then, taking her hands in his, asked "Would you like to talk about it? It might help."

Suddenly it seemed she had to talk.

"I think I have just lost the man I love to a ghost." She looked a little surprised at the confession but then realized it was true. She did love him. And now she knew when it was too late. She grimaced at the pain. "He doesn't know, I didn't know until just now, that I am in love with him. But knowing my luck, this is exactly as it should be, as soon as I find out I love him, I lose him. And there is not a thing I can do about it."

"You said she was a ghost?"

"Well yes, long story, but she is the woman he was going to marry, before circumstances split them up. I am not sure he ever really got over it. Now he is sitting in the ballroom with a woman who looks exactly like her and nobody else exists for him. Whatever happens I have lost him, because his heart still belongs to his fiancée."

"I saw him speaking to Dr Kellen, is she who you mean?"

"Nietzschean, light brown almost blonde shoulder length hair, green eyes, very pretty."

"Yes, that is her."