Ain't No Justice

Beka and Harper turned towards the source of the voice. Standing in the entrance way of the warehouse, weapons drawn were four men wearing blue jumpsuits. Harper and Beka both recognized them from 'The Blast Off'. The law had arrived and it did not look pleased.

The duo quickly raised their hands over their heads. Two of the officers searched them removing their pistols and their identification cards. A third bent over to check Nimmsimm who apparently had fallen unconscious. The fourth and the one obviously in charge stood at a distance keeping his weapon trained on them.

The identification cards were handed to the one in charge. He glanced at them and muttered. 'Andromeda. Why am I not surprised? Well your captain isn't going to bail you out of this one. We have you on assaulting a resident of Kasimir, breaking and entering, destruction of private property and illegal possession of firearms."

"There 's some sort of misunderstanding here officer," protested Beka. "Fissniss here', she pointed to the Chichin child, "told us that her father was injured and we came to help. When we got here we found her father lying on the floor like you see him and detected an overloading Ravana reactor. We had just managed to secure it when you arrived."

"It is true-factual," added the Chichin. "Stranger-friends helped-aided father-parent."

"We can sort this all out at the spaceport security headquarters." He nodded to the two men standing near Beka and Harper and they quickly and efficiently handcuffed the two Andromeda crew members. The third helped the now conscious but disoriented Nimmsimm to his feet.


"Dylan, there is an incoming communication from Harper. I think you had better respond."

"What was that Andromeda?" Dylan had just dropped off to sleep after trying, not very successfully, to draft a message explaining why he was requesting additional ship's operating funds.

"I SAID you have an incoming call from Harper." From the tone of her voice Core was still upset over the condition of her avatar.

"Where is he?"

"In the Kasimir spaceport jail."

"Why am I not suprised. Put him on." The image of Andromeda disappeared to be replaced by the image of Harper.

"Boss, am I glad to see you. You need to come down here and get us our of here."

"Harper, I told you to keep Beka out of trouble. Just what sort of mess are you in now?"

"We didn't do anything Boss. It's all nothing but a big misunderstanding. Oh oh they say my time is up." The image of Harper blinked out leaving Dylan staring at a blank viewscreen and wondering how much this was going to cost.

When Dylan arrived at the spaceport security headquarters he was ushered into an interrogation room. There in addition to Harper and Beka was his old acquaintance Officer Stavers and a very agitated looking Peresid.

"Well Harper, do you want to explain?"

"It's like this Boss, we didn't do anything wrong. Actually we thought we were doing something good.

"So why are you in jail?"

"We had to break a few things, to deactivate the reactor Dylan," explained Beka.

"Break a few things," exclaimed the Peresid. "Do you barbarians understand just what it is that you did?"

"What reactor and who are you?," queried Dylan.

"Professor Izekomon Iminotep from the archeological branch of the Sinti IV All Systems University Museum. The things that your bumbling buffoons broke were priceless antiques from the Vedran Empire. They were found on Spica V. Thermo luminescence datinge indicates came before the Vedran's discovered slip drive. Their discovery would have turned the archeological world upside down but it is all destroyed because your incompetent crewmen couldn't open a crate properly. Years of work destroyed in an instant. Because your incompetent crew members didn't know about the safety features built into current Ravana reactors."

"Do you want to explain. Mr Harper," said Dylan still confused as to exactly what had happened and why he was bailing Beka and Harper out of jail.

"It's like this Boss, said Harper. "We found a Ravena reactor that looked as if it was going to go into overload. And you know how bad that would have been. But it turns out that the newest reactors have fail-safe systems built into them. When they trigger the reactor becomes permanently inoperable but there isn't any chance of an overload. We thought we were saving the planet but all we were really doing is saving a Chichin salesman a lot of money."

Officer do your duty," said the Peresid

"What is this," asked Dylan as Stavers handed him a flexie.

"A summons," replied Iminotep. "You are being sued by the Sinti Museum for the cost of the expedition and the estimated value of the antiques."

Dylan took the flexie and activated it. When he read the amount the High Guard in general, and the Andromeda in particular was being sued for he had to read it twice to make sure there wasn't a mistake. He was going to be writing another letter to his superiors and this one promised to be even more interesting than the last one. The amount of money the Sinti Museum was asking for would have purchased a group defense frigate.

He was so stunned by the amount of money the university was asking for that he didn't notice Beka and Harper slip out of the police station.

Dylan arrived back at the Andromeda with just enough time to shower, shave and change into a clean uniform before the daily morning meeting with the Andromeda's officers and senior chief petty officers. From studying the duty roster he knew that Harper and Rommie had the forenoon watch on the command deck and that Beka was conducting an inspection of the enlisted messing and berthing facilities, but he also noticed that Trance was conspicuously absent.

"Lieutenant Tyler, where is our medical officer?"

"She's in sickbay sir." Lieutenant Tyler was the medical department's second in command and normally stood in for Trance when she was treating a patient.

"Oh, is she treating someone?" asked Dylan.

"No sir, but she is in sickbay if you know what I mean."

There were chuckles from the rest of the assembled staff. Apparently Dylan and Tyr's arrival with the intoxicated Rommie and Trance had not been as discreet as they had hoped. Nor did it help that Dylan was sporting a black eye which he had acquired during the brawl at 'The Slipstream'. Tyr of course was completely unmarked. Deciding that a good officer always knew when to conduct a strategic retreat, Dylan adjourned the meeting early and headed to the command deck.

The command deck was almost totally dark, lit only by the emergency lights. Rommie and Harper were both on watch but Harper was standing unusually far away from the ship's avatar.

"Morning Boss," whispered Harper.

"Why are you whispering Mr. Harper," asked Dylan in a normal conversational voice. "And why are the lights so dim?"

"Quiet!" Rommie snarled at Dylan. "Stop shouting."

Harper put a finger over his lips in a 'Shssh' gesture then waved his hand indicating Dylan should join him. Still puzzled Dylan walked over to Harper.

"Why are you standing so far from her," he whispered.

"She was complaining that my heart was beating too loudly. I figure the way she's feeling right now she just might be willing to make it stop."

"I don't suppose you programmed her so that a few aspirin would take care of the hangover did you?"

"She wanted the full effects of drinking Boss," whispered the ship's chief engineer. "A couple of aspirin wouldn't help any normal person with all that she took in last night so it won't help her either. I keep telling her that she need the hair of the dog that bit her but she wont listen"

"You're still shouting," complained Rommie. "And I fail to see how the hair of a canine will improve my condition. Especially since I am suffering from the effects of ethanol poisoning not from an animal bite."

"Harper means you should have another alcoholic drink Rommie. It's an old Earth cure for a hangover."

Some food would help too," suggested Harper. "There is still plenty of bacon and eggs left in the galley. They were too greasy for the crew."

Rommie made a gagging noise, put her hands over her mouth and ran off the command deck.

Andromeda's image appeared in the main viewscreen. "You realize, Harper that when she recovers she is going to come looking for you. Captain, you have a message from the supervisor of Kasimir spaceport"

"Put in on Andromeda."

Dylan read the message. Stripped of all the legal language it stated that the Andromeda was permanently banned from Kasimir, that any High Guard ships visiting the planet in the future would be required to post a security bond, and that an official complaint was going to by lodged concerning the behavior of the officers and crew of the Andromeda Ascendant.

Dylan groaned mentally. It had been over 300 years since his last promotion. After this visit to Kasimir it would probably be another 300 years before he saw his next one.

"Andromeda, are all the crew aboard? It seems that we are no longer welcome here."

"Yes Captain, everyone is aboard."

"Thank you. Pass the word. All hands man their debarkation stations."

"What course should I lay in for the pilot?"

"Anyplace where there are lots of Restorians or Dragans."

"Sir?"

"Now that the crew has had their shore leave it's my turn for a little rest and relaxation. Shore leave is just too strenuous for me.