Gambit
Chapter 10
I'm too old for this, Dylan wearily thought as the day was slowly progressing towards noon. Rafe had been right. For hours and hours there was no move, no sound, nothing other than the distant noises of the street and the garden. In spite of the stillness, he did though keep quiet, staying almost immobile in the position he had once adopted. As the hours streched on and on, he tried to flex and relax his muscles and shift his weight about in infinitesimal movements, as he began to feel more and more sore. While he had a farely good view of the house and garden, his hearing was somewhat distracted by the various natural sounds around him. So he didn't dare to change his position too drastically too often, as he wasn't sure that there was really no one nearby. And with superior Nietzschean senses one really never knew.
By noon, however, Dylan decided that he would definitively change position, before becoming too stiff to move at all. But bythen it was too late.
As he was carefully getting to his knees, incredible noise suddently erupted from the house. A loud, ear-piercing siren began to howl through the entire area, starting low with a humming staccato that soon developped into a deafening shriek. It only took seconds before the forged portals to the street were run down by guards barging into the garden and moving towards the house, their guns drawn, an officer barking orders to the left and right. While five of the Nietzscheans entered the house, other four dispersed themselves throughout the garden, each of them guarding one corner of the building, as Dylan suspected, who could see three of them from his hiding place. The captain of the Andromeda Ascendant just froze on the spot.
But a couple of minutes later he noticed the tall, imposing officer, who had entered the house along with the guards, hurrying out of it again, dragging the woman Rafe had been with by her hair behind him. Dylan almost softly cursed under his breath. The girl was screaming and kicking, desperately trying to get away from her Nitzschean tormentor, who didn't even look at her while going down the few steps that separated the housedoor from the gravel way that led to the lane. Goddammit, Dylan, how could you forget about her? the Vedran asked himself desperately, his fingers clutching around his force lance as he helplessly watched the woman being thrown down on the lane.
„Why didn't you call us?" the officer shouted down on the girl, loud enough for Dylan to hear (Hell, loud enough to hear for the entire solar system, Hunt thought upon listening to him), his foot kicking viciously against her hip.
„I... I did..." the girl sobbed between her arms, that were placed around her head, while her body curled up into a foetal position.
„Why didn't you call us sooner?" the Nietzschean insisted, seemingly unimpressed by the sorry sight in front of him.
„I didn't notice... I woke late... and he was gone... I thought he'd be back, but then..." her voice broke and she resumed to crying in silence.
„You are a useless piece of trash," the soldier then concluded, drawing a knife from his belt and proceeding towards her.
Behind his bush, Dylan was just about ready to march right into the scene.
After six years spent in chaos, disorder, harshness and injustice, six years that, to his eyes, had changed beyond recognition the young man born and raised in the security and calmness of a rich, cultivated world at peace, that had educated him for a position of responsibility and care and compassion; after six years of watching an universe throwing everything Dylan believed in into history's garbage can, that young man he once was had just turned around and silently walked away from him. He had been a soldier, an officer, a warrior even before the Fall. But it was different then. Fights then were less about winning wars than about winning peace. The High Guard came, saw and won, and then they started building civilization, offering security and peace and justice and... yes, even comfort. Imperialism, colonialism? Maybe, but also technology and education and quite a lot of freedom to make one's own life happy. It surely wasn't perfect, but it was as perfect as things could get when enormous numbers of individuals with different backgrounds, cultures and traditions were involved. And the things less perfect, they could be worked on slowly. That was what the High Guard was meant to achieve. And while the soldiers securing and promoting this 'harbour of perfection' were all highly efficient,if need be deadly warriors, they mainly appeared as compassionate, considerate protectors, respected, even loved by the peoples of the Commonwealth, yet never too visible to the public eye and firmly controlled by both politics and legislation. In spite of being already in his late thirties when the Fall occured, Dylan Hunt looked back upon the man he was then as if he were some boy, who thought life is a ball. He'd been a beloved child, a popular guy in school, a promising student, a successful officer. A 'good kid', basically. A loving family, a wonderful home, lots of friends... and girl friends, achievements, recognition and finally true love, none of this requiring too much effort to attain. And so he had managed to reach maturity without really ever growing up at all. No need for too much struggle, no need for too much brooding, no need for getting used to uglier sides of life. And then it all had ended. Waking up after 303 years of barbarism, he had to start learning at high speed that life was no fun at all. And the unforgiving universe he had woken up to proved itself a good teacher: civil war declared practically as a good way of living for most systems of the three galaxies, Nietzschean prides hunting down all weaker peoples and at each others' throats, Magog closing in, Kalderans on the warpath, Ogami hired out as bounty hunters for the highest bidder, money the only value left around to govern the universe, equal laws for everyone long gone, as were proper jurisdiction, efficient administration, well-fare and law-enforcement. However, after six years at war with forces of an evil he had been taught to think of as impossible, six years of loss and struggle and despair, Dylan Hunt was surprised to find out that he had still not gotten used to certain aspects of life after the Fall. Watching sentient beings, be they human or not, being treated as objects to be disposed of at will, was certainly one of these aspects.
However, as he already got up and prepared to launch himself at the Nietzscheans, a „consequences-be-damned" look upon his face, he suddently noticed a broad-shouldered, tall frame approaching the two protagonists of the scene he had come to witness. The man was facing the house and had his back turned towards Hunt, yet Dylan thought to recognize something of a familiar air about him.
„Yvain, hold it!" The man's baritone voice was not loud, but firm and rich... and pleasant. He reached down to the woman and placed an arm under her elbow, helping her to her feet. „There is no need to get rough with her, that won't bring Valentine back any sooner!"
The girl scrambled to her feet and watched the newcomer with fearful eyes behind a thick curtain of dark curls that fell over her face.
„Would now be soon enough?" a cheerful voice was heard. The trio was quite startled, as was Dylan himself. From the other side of the lane, a smiling, tranquil Raphael Valentine came into sight, carelessly strolling nearer, while his eyes were throwing casual glances all over the place. „My, my!" he exclaimed. „Must I feel touched? Don't tell me all these guards are here on my account?"
„We've been told, you were missing."
„My dear John, I assumed that I could go whereever I wish, as long as it is on Myrmidon," Rafe replied, his eyebrows up in an quizzical expression, his tone mildly ironical.
„That's right," the man confirmed. „Tabea just thought..."
„Ah, yes, Tabea! Well," Beka's brother approached the girl and cupped her still trembling chin in one of his hands, „my lovely, I thought I told you not to worry if I drop out of sight." His voice sounded lazy, yet there was an unmistakeable coldness beneath it that Dylan didn't miss. „I was out looking for my host. Midmornings he is usually at the central gymnasium on Kutusov Boulevard. I didn't find him, though."
„He will be back tomorrow. He is away on business, on Valparaiso I believe. I thought that you were informed," the human wondered.
„It must have slipped my mind," Rafe excused himself.
„Why were you looking for him?"
„Oh, yes," the woman hastly interrupted. „Master Raphael wanted to ask for some holodramas. I forgot all about it." She turned to Rafe. „I'm sorry, Master!" A thoughtful expression on his face, Valentine regarded her silently, yet pleased. But then he shrugged his shoulders and turned again towards „John". „Now that this whole misunderstanding has been settled... Would you like to join me for a light lunch?"
„No, thank you. Our business talks with Beka have not been concluded. I must return to her," the man refused politely.
„Of course," Rafe conceded. „How is Beka, by the way?" he then asked casually.
„Busy... and a little tired, but quite fine otherwise. I'm sure she'll join you soon. She sends you her regards."
„Oh, really? I thought that you - and consequently Beka - thought thatI was missing?... Ah, never mind. Tabea, come, my dear! John, I'll be seeing you, but right now I'm starving. My compliments to Beka," Raphael nodded curtly and turned towards the house.
The others stood in silence, watching the humans walk away. In a matter of minutes the guards from in and outside the house had gathered on the lane, standing to attention.
„Sir, shall we remain here?" the officer inquired.
„No," the man replied. „I don't think, it's necessary. But have two soldiers patrol the street on a regular basis every hour or so."
The Nietzschean nodded his understanding and led his men away, without further questions.
His head bowed, the tip of his shoe absently playing with a small stone in the grass, the man seemed lost in thought. But then he straightened up and turned towards the street. For the first time Dylan got to see him up front. He was almost as tall as the captain himself, yet slightly more massive, with a handsome, round face, a sensuous mouth and dark brown eyes, that somehow seemed to laugh, contrasting with light brown, short curls that covered his scalp like a cap. He looked pleasant enough, yet behind his bush Dylan broke into a sweat and stared at the walking man with his eyes opened wide. Only after he had disappeared into the street, did Hunt bring a slightly shaking hand up to his forehead, wiping away the sweat.
---
The curtain behind him moved but slightly, yet it was enough to let Raphael raise his head. He sat in an armchair placed nest to a lamp in a spacious, richly adorned living room, studying a flexi .
„What took you so long?" he asked sharply, without even turning his head around.
Not bothering to answer, Dylan Hunt came around the armchair and stood next to him, towering menacingly above the slender man.
„What happened?"
„The city is practically secluded. I couldn't even get near the outskirts."
„Why? Did they find the slipfighter?"
„No, I don't think so. But they know that someone has managed to come through the planetary defense system. All security personnel is on high alert."
„Oh, sh...!" Grinding his teeth, the captain of the Andromeda Ascendant started pacing up and down like some caged animal. Rafe watched him in silence, his eyes dark and somber. He sighed.
„However...," he then started.
„You have an idea?" The look that met his eyes showed Rafe that Dylan was at his witts' ends and rapidly approaching the limits of his patience.
„I think that I've found Beka," Rafe slowly answered him, raising to his feet. It stopped the other man dead in his tracks.
„Where..." his voice was but a whisper. „Where is she? Did you see her?" he then started anew after clearing his throat.
„No, her I didn't see. But four blocks down the street there is another house quite similar to this one. As I went for a walk during the past days, it looked as inconspicuous as all the others. Today though it was guarded..."
„Maybe some high placed clan chef..."
„No, it was heavily guarded. Exactly on the day, when they go beserk because someone broke through their planetary defenses. Some business talks, my ass!" The two men watched each other in mutual understanding.
„Look, Dylan, I might be wrong, of course. But it's our best shot, I believe."
„So, what do you suggest?"
„We try anew tonight. You try to get to Beka and I go for the fighter. I'll take Tabea with me."
„But they are on alert now."
„You can't go into hiding for days on Myrmidon, waiting for things to cool down. The longer you stick around, the more likely is it that you will get caught. They already know that someone came through. How long, do you think, until their spies tell them that the captain of the Andromeda Ascendant is not onboard his ship?"
„They can't know that I'm here," Dylan stubbornly replied, just for the sake of the argument. Rafe merely rolled his eyes.
„They know your XO's here. Do you really believe, they'll think you on vacation?"
„No," the Vedran quietly admitted. He sat down on a sofa, stretching his legs and rubbing his eyes tiredly. „You're right. I'm sorry, Rafe, I was just being obnoxious."
„Yes," Rafe solemnly nodded. „Beka told me about this tendency of yours."
In spite of his worry, Dylan couldn't refrain himself from flashing Rafe a lopsided grin.
„She did, eh?" The smile, however, faded, as he met Valentine's eyes. „This guy..." he began wearily.
„You know him?" Dylan nodded.
„His name is Jonah Draeger. On Seefra he was running the largest cargo and transportation company of the entire system."
„There is that Seefra thing again," Rafe sighed exasperated. Dylan shook his head.
„It's a rather long story. When the Vedrans cut Tarn Vedra off, they created an entire system of nine planets and an artificial sun. When Trance tesseracted us, we ended up all in the system, but she mixed up our... times of arrival. She was there for ten years, Harper ‚but' for three, Rhade nine months and I only a week before we found Beka. She had been adrift for six months on the borders of the system, running out of food, water and fuel, unable to reach one of the planets. Per chance she found the Andromeda, who was dead in space, just like the Maru. Unfortunately, so did Jonah Draeger, who claimed her as salvage. And with Beka being the only one who knew, what to do with Andromeda..." his voice trailed off.
„Were they... I mean... Were they, you know, together?..." Rafe cautiously asked.
„For about a month..." Dylan answered promptly. „Before we found her, that is. I mean, she was starving. He was rich and handsome, and he seemed quite pleasant..."
„Rich, handsome, seeming pleasant, a business tycoon and a jerk at heart... Sounds just like Beka's cup of coffee. You don't have to explain," Rafe sadly concluded.
Dylan shook his head. Raphael Valentine had expressed exactly his own thoughts, when he had first come across Beka onboard the Andromeda. He could vividly remember the hurt and anger he had felt then. The more surprised was he by the urge he felt to defend Beka's actions in front of her brother, who – by the way – didn't sound at all accusing, as he was forced to admit.
„He offered her a partnership. She accepted. When I got onboard they caught me, dragged me along to Draeger. She was with him, I was unconscious, she didn't tell him, who I was. He found out by himself. And then he tried to make her kill me, which didn't work out as he expected. So then he launched a missile to destroy the Andromeda and kill all onboard. And then he forced her to choose between him and us, and Beka stayed, although reluctantly. She didn't trust him, didn't trust us anymore. She resented me... And yet, she stayed and tried to save us. Ultimately, Trance saved us again. She powered Andromeda up enough to enable us to launch a counter-missile, Drager's ship got caught in the explosion, we thought him dead. End of story." Rafe contemplated the silent, tired man thoughtfully.
„She resented you?"
„She thought I had abandoned her, that I had risked all our lives for nothing. She said..." again, his voice seem to dry up. „She said I was making her feel dispensable..."
Raphael Valentine shook his head, suddently understanding.
"She says a lot, when angry. She seldom means it, though."
"Oh, she meant it, all right. And she was right, you know?"
„And this is about showing her, that she is not... dispensable?"
„She never was," Dylan violently protested. „I... I had no choice... On Arkology, there were so many, who needed to be saved, although they didn't want it. Beka thought I was stupid. And she simply left me. I couldn't walk away, not without trying to save them. But when it became clear that we were losing the battle, I listened to Trance... and then I walked away." Dylan's voice was now nothing but a pained whisper. "I left them all to die, Harper, Rommie, Rhade, somehow telling myself that if Beka could do it, then so could I. Why not? You see," he pleaded softly, searching for Rafe's eyes, "she stood by me ever since the day we met, no matter what. I had come to think of her as just... another me, almost." He sighed in a lost manner. "With her gone it was like... I too was gone already. I know, I'm not making sense, but I can't explain it any better."
The other man watched him intently, understanding.
"You took her for granted." It was not a question. He sighed upon seeing Dylan's troubled features. "Dylan, I'm but her brother. I am not her father. You ran, and she deserted..."
"Actually no, she didn't. She came back, held the line, but by then it was too late. I was in a slipfighter and couldn't escape the tidal forces of the Route, Arkology was breaking apart, the Andromeda went for the Worldship..."
Rafe had no idea, what the man in front of him was talking about. It obviously was painful, disturbing, even haunting. But this was not the time and place to sort it out. And I'm not the right person, Beka's brother thought.
"Whatever happened between you, you don't have to justify yourself to me. But if the two of you haven't yet discussed this through, it might be a good idea to tell her what you told me, when we get her back."
"What if we don't?" Dylan's fist came down on a nearby table.
„Easy!" Rafe admonished him. „We're not getting her back by breaking furniture!"
„I'll get her back by all means whatsoever!" the older man forcefully stated and raised to his feet.
Rafe couldn't help but smiling. „That's it! That's the spirit! Do you know how Draeger ended up with the Drago-Khatzov?"
„No, I don't have a clue."
„Never mind. We'll sort it out later." A glance outside showed Rafe that the suns had set.
"Have you eaten something?"
"Power bars and plenty of protein liquids."
„I think it's time, then. You're ready?" Dylan only nodded. Rafe picked up the flexi he had been holding, when Dylan had entered the room. „Here's the map I made. The house is marked, but you'll probably see the guards anyway. Stay safe, Dylan."
„I will." The curtain slightly moved, and then he was gone.
