Chapter 2
"Nice job, Harper. Now you've gotten us both left behind!" Beka ranted.
"Take it easy, geez," Harper replied. "It's not as if he left us under bodyguard or anything." Which is promptly when Tyr walked onto the bridge.
"Captain Hunt wished for me to watch over you two while he's planetside for his meeting," Tyr stated. "He knows how mischievous you both can be, and figured the two of you together would be even worse." Harper started to say something, but Beka silenced him.
"Don't say anything else. I might be forced to kill you."
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"You are cleared for Docking Platform 3-2-7," the rigid voice said over the comm.
"Thank you," Dylan said, then flipped off the comm. As he guided the ship towards the docking facility, Rommie walked into the control station.
"So what kind of people are we dealing with?" Rommie asked. "I know the planet is terra-formed, and all the other geographical, political, and militaristic aspects of the planet, but my database is a little rusty. Refresh my memory."
"Well, for starters, they're a scared people," Dylan replied as he gently set the ship down on the platform. "They saw other worlds ravaged and battered when the Commonwealth fell. So they will naturally distrust the idea of the New Commonwealth. Our job isn't going to be easy."
"I see," said Rommie as they started making their way towards the hatch.
Dylan lowered the platform, and he and Rommie walked down into the sunlight.
"Uhh, Tyr?" Harper said timidly as he approached him.
"What?" Tyr responded curtly.
"I, uh, have to go to the bathroom," Harper said hesitantly.
Tyr scowled "Hurry up. I don't want to have to come hunt you down," he said threateningly. "I'm already suspicious of your comrade."
Harper quickly removed himself from the bridge and headed for the machine shop. "Stupid Nietzschean," he muttered. "That's the oldest trick in the book…"
"What book?" a voice said from out of nowhere
"AHH!" Harper jumped, then turned to look at his surprise visitor. "Oh, it's you. Don't do that again, Trance."
"Sorry," came the reply. "But, what book were talking about?"
"Nothing, no book. It's a figure of speech," Harper said quickly, as he started towards the machine shop again.
"Where are you going?" Trance asked, following him.
"To the machine shop," Harper said.
"Can I come along? I'm rather bored," Trance said.
Harper started to answer, but then stopped and thought for a moment. Realizing that having her go near Tyr, and innocently stating that she saw Harper heading for someplace other than a bathroom would probably end with him in a whole lot of trouble, he answered, "Sure!"
"Hello Captain Hunt," a large figure said. "We will be your escort to the Academy."
As they started to walk, Dylan noticed their uniforms.
"Those are some pretty snazzy outfits you two have there," Dylan said. "What rank do you two hold within the Academy?"
"The red cloak and armor show that we are the highest field soldiers commissioned by the Academy. The blue stripe on our right arms signifies that we are the chancellor's bodyguards," one of the escorts replied.
"Interesting."
"Yet, you carry no weapons. How are you able to protect the chancellor?" Rommie asked.
"Martial arts training is standard teaching at the Academy. In order to achieve our rank, you must become quite proficient at it to the point where you are able to kill a being instantly."
"Is that all you study at the Academy, how to fight?"
In the machine shop, Harper was scurrying about, collecting odds and ends, while Trance sat watching him.
"So where exactly are you going?" Trance asked.
"What? Who said I'm going anywhere?" Harper replied.
"You're collecting personal belongings, and packing them. What else could you be doing?" Trance replied
Not caring whether Trance knew or not, Harper said, "I'm going to the planet. I wanted to go, but Dylan 'forbade' me to go. I say 'too bad'. I'm going anyway. He'll never know that I was there."
"He will if I tell him," a voice said behind him
"AHH!" Harper jumped and spun to see his surprise visitor.
"Hello," said Beka.
"You people REALLY need to stop doing that!"
"You want my lips sealed," said Beka, "then you take me with you."
"Absolutely not," Harper said coolly. "You're nothing but trouble."
"Hmm, it seems to me that Tyr would find it interesting that you're down here…"
"All right! All right! You can come! Don't make me pull you out of a bar fight!" Harper exclaimed. He turned to Trance. "Sorry, my dear, but we can't leave you behind. Too much of a security hazard. You understand." Trance gave him a quizzical look. "We're kidnapping you."
"Oh," Trance said. "How exciting!"