Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own this show. Dammit.

Summary: Captain Dylan Hunt's daughter tries to put the pieces of her life back together after the ship wakes up from the three hundred year entrapment.

GRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRA

Tessa and D'anara made their way back to her quarters, quickening their pace as they did so.

"I keep telling you that I am fine," D'anara protested, "There is no need to talk to your father about this".

Tessa stopped and looked at him, "He'll find out, either from us or from Rommie," she said.

"Or Beka, or Rev, or Trance..." she listed. She stopped and shook her head, "the point is, he'll find out."

She took his hand and continued.

GRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRA

Tessa and D'anara stood outside her dad's quarters, waiting to let in. Together, they braced themselves as Rommie's holo appeared.

"You can go in now," she said, disappearing as the door opened.

Dylan was sitting on the couch with his legs dangling over the edge. He looked up at the two of them as they entered. Tessa nudged the boy to talk. "Go on," she said.

The boy appeared afraid and didn't talk for a moment. He looked at the ground. Dylan looked at the young boy, really looked at him.

"What is it?" he asked. He got up and walked over to the boy.

D'anara's head came back up and he looked at the older man, showing him the scars on his forearm.

"I'm a slave," he said bitterly. "She hits me whenever I do not do things the way that she wants. I am puppet to her, and I want out," he said. Dylan thought he saw tears in the young alien's eyes.

He fought his own anger, which was beginning to build. He looked at his daughter; "Did you know about this?" he asked calmly, keeping his emotion in check.

"He just told me," she answered. She could feel her own anger beginning to build.

Dylan returned his attention back to the boy in front of him.

"Who did this to you?" he asked.

"Her name is M'yanta, and she's a high level Aranian," D'anara seethed. "She's a bitter old woman who's been around for centuries," he went on. He could fill his own rage beginning to build as the memories came flooding back to him.

He turned and looked away from them, rubbing his arm and breathing hard. When he looked back around, he was fighting back tears.

"It's not just me that she hurts," he breathed. "She also beats the younger children that work for her. They can't fight for themselves," he continued, beginning to break down and sob. He dropped to the ground, shaking as the tears came to him.

Tessa ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Dylan fallowed her less then a moment later, bending down.

"I tried to save them, but she found out and nearly killed me. I was running from her when your ship came into this sector."

Dylan looked at him, "they may not have been able to fight," he said, getting to his feet.

"But we can fight for them," he promised.

Tessa smiled, looking at her father, and then back at D'anara, "See?" she said. "I told you that he would help you."

GRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRAGRA

"I do not think that his master is going to let him go so easily," Tyr said, leaning against a bulkhead in Command.

Dylan and Tessa turned and looked at him. Tyr was nothing if not a realist.

They both knew that he was right, but they weren't about to admit it.

Trance and Beka looked at them, shocked that someone could have been able to perform such an injustice against a group of creatures that couldn't defend themselves.

"They're children," Rev said, shaking his head sadly.

"And they need our help," Trance interjected.

Harper shook his head, "we're a warship," he began, "how can we help them?"

"You just asked and answered your own question Harper," Beka pointed out, her arms crossed.

"Besides," Dylan said, "they're children, and they need our help".

End of Chapter

Please Review!