As soon as the Maru was back aboard Andromeda, Harper joined everyone as they rushed Dylan to Medical. There they waited, while Trance examined Dylan, aided by Sari.

Until today Harper had never considered shooting Dylan under any circumstance (not seriously at least). He took this mission hoping to gain some respect from his captain and possibly Andromeda, but somehow he didn't think shooting Dylan would win him any medals or high praise from either of them. It would be more likely for them to leave him on some desolate rock.

Thinking back on everything that he had done to accomplish his mission, Harper began to realize that things wouldn't be the same again… He wouldn't be the same again.

Not only did he revert back into his old life of killing, but those that he considered family witnessed it. He couldn't bear to think what they would think of him now, especially Beka.

Trance interrupted Harper's thoughts to inform everyone of Dylan's condition.

"He's going to be fine." She said. "But it's going to take some time."

As soon as Trance confirmed that Dylan would live, Harper slipped away, unnoticed by the others, and locked himself in his quarters.

"Harper messed him up pretty good when he shot him huh?" Rhade asked.

"Harper shot Dylan!?" Trance asked, this information being new to her.

Rommie explained to Trance what happened down on the planet and the events leading up to Harper shooting Dylan.

"I see." Trance said. "And to answer your question Rhade, No. Harper didn't mess Dylan up. In fact I'm more concerned with Dylan's other injuries."

"Other injuries?" Beka asked. "I thought he was just shot."

"Trance is correct. Dylan suffered only minor bleeding from the gun wound." Sari said. "But according to our tests, the captain has been severely beaten and as a result has been afflicted with serious internal injuries."

"How serious?" Rommie asked.

"Life threatening." Trance replied. "If you had been a few minutes later getting him back to Andromeda,… he would've died."

"Hear that Harper?" Beka asked. "You actually saved Dylan by shooting him!…. Hey! Where is Harper?"

In his quarters, Harper sat on his bed, drinking a can of Sparky Cola, as he pondered his situation.

"Harper." Andromeda's hologram said, as she appeared in front of him.

Startled by her sudden appearance, Harper fell off his bed and spilled his Sparky on the pillow.

"Darn it!" Harper exclaimed. "That was my last can. Do you have to pop in like that? Besides, I kind of want to be alone for a while if you don't care."

"That's the problem Harper." Andromeda said. "I do care, and I'm not going to let you sulk around in here feeling sorry for yourself for no good reason."

"No good reason!?" Harper shouted. "I shot Dylan! I shot your captain! I killed an innumerable amount of people down on that planet, and last but definitely not least, I've been lying to Beka all these years about my past and what I'm truly capable of."

"Harper," Andromeda said. "We all have a dark side. Some are just better able to hide it than others. Do you honestly think that Dylan never had to do something during a mission that he regretted later. Killing is always a possible and probable action for a soldier of the High Guard."

"It's not the same Rommie. This latest mission might come under that category, but what I did years ago didn't happen during war time, neither was it part of some military mission. I assassinated people, sometimes unarmed people, because I hated what they did to my planet, my town, and,… my family. I hated all Ubers, and a part of me still does.

When Trance joined the Maru, something inside me changed. Everyone and everything was sweet and beautiful in her eyes. She always tried to see the best in people. Every time I heard her talk about how precious all life was, I could feel an awful empty feeling in my gut. I felt guilty for what I was doing. That's when I realized that no matter how many Ubers or Magog I killed, it would never be enough to take away my pain. So I stopped, and I promised myself to never again be that person again.

So much for promises."

"Harper," Andromeda said. "My avatar already informed me of everything that happened on the planet. What you did down there, had to be done. The fact that you used skills and abilities that you used in your past, doesn't make you a bad person. It's your bad manners and never-ending sexual innuendos that do that." She added with a grin.

"Ha Ha. Very funny."

"But seriously Harper,… OK, you had to kill to complete your mission. You shouldn't feel ashamed for being good at it."

"You've got it all wrong. I'm not ashamed of the fact that I killed those men down there today…

I'm concerned with the fact that I enjoyed killing them."