There's a part coming up at the end that can be a bit confusing-- so just read it slowly and visualize what's happening. You can do it.

Someone offered to help beta this but they haven't gotten back to me yet. So, same old typos.

-Chapter 4-

~*~

"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you."

-Eric Hoffer

~*~

Machello could do nothing but pace around the demoralizing cell he's been placed in. Things had almost gone well. He'd been so close to freedom he could taste it… but these people refused to let him be. They didn't know what he'd been through. They saw him as a potential enemy and nothing more.

He made a turn and headed back towards the other side of the small room, unsure of what was delaying them. They should have been there by now.

Abruptly the doors to the brig began to open and Machello froze his steps. The field keeping him inside the cell disappeared and the High Guard man entered along with the alien girl.

"Thank you for coming," Machello said, nodding in their direction.

"We hope you're enjoying the scenery," the alien greeted, "it's the only view you'll have for the rest of your life."

Machello's eyes narrowed. "Yes, that is why I called you; I thought perhaps I might be able to negotiate for better accommodations."

"We're listening," Hunt affirmed.

"First, let me apologize for the unfortunate transference of your first officer and the Nietzschean."

Hunt raised his voice. "Just get to the point."

Machello nodded towards the flexi in Trance's hand. "The symbols you've no doubt tried to decipher are unique. In form they are similar to my native language, but they're actually an original code I devised in case my work came into enemy hands."

"But we're not your enemy," the golden one said, "if anything we're allies."

"That is why," Machello said, looking again to Dylan, "I will teach you the codes. With my knowledge I guarantee you will not only be able to effectively defend yourself against enemies like the Magog, you will in fact be able to defeat them."

"And our cost for this knowledge?" the female, Trance, asked.

"My freedom, of course."

Dylan frowned. "And Harper?"

Machello shrugged again. "He is not an issue."

"Not an issue?!" Trance felt her anger rise. "We're talking about a friend's life here. How can that not be an issue?"

"Your friend was my solution to hiding my face permanently," Machello intoned. "Consider him a casualty of war. I am offering you the salvation of your galaxy. Is this not worth more than the life of one human engineer?"

For a moment Machello though the tall man before him would strike out. Instead Hunt calmly locked his blue eyes upon Machello's own. "I don't know about the customs on your planet, but on this ship the value of a life is priceless."

As Hunt turned to leave the cell Trance stepped closer to the captive. "I want you to get to know your casualty," she said and waved a hand towards the entrance. "Lets go."

Leading the complacent man towards meddeck, Trance had no idea what was running through Machello's head. Was he angry? Content? Sad? No emotion could be seen on the blank face of the prisoner- the blank face of Harper. Usually it was easy to tell her friend's feelings by just a quick glance. When the human was happy, he showed it. When something was wrong his face chanced just as much as his attitude.

"Inside," she said, prodding the man through the opening doors and towards the occupied bed. "I believe you two have met."

Harper didn't say anything as Trance maneuvered Machello to the empty seat next to his bed. Rommie squeezed his hand and backed away. Harper acknowledged her and then focused his attention on his stolen image, glancing up and down at the familiar, skinny frame. "Well," he finally replied, "from what I can see, you're looking good."

Machello snorted. "What would you have me say? I am sorry? I wish I could undo it? I do not."

"And why's that?" Harper asked quietly.

"Why?" the other mimicked. "Because I earned it, that is why. I earned it because I sacrificed my life for you and your people. The least you could do is compensate me with another."

Harper felt like yelling out but composed himself. From what Trance was saying, it probably wasn't a good idea anyway. His lungs couldn't take the abuse. Instead he glanced calmly at the man across from him. "Who exactly gave you the right to judge the value of my life?"

Machello's blue eyes filled with fury. "I have suffered more than anyone should suffer in a lifetime; for fifty years I fought against my enemies. I was finally betrayed and turned in by my closest friends."

Harper shook his head and laughed lightly. "I've been betrayed by a lot people in my life. And the torture thing? It's not so bad once you get used to it."

"At least you still have a planet and friends," Machello spat. "Two billion of my people died rather than surrender me to the Nietzscheans."

"You've made sacrifices and we owe you… gratitude, but that still doesn't give you the right to take another's life."

Machello sneered. "If you had the technology, you would do the same."

"No, I wouldn't," Seamus answered, his voice becoming hoarse. "If I did I would be no better than the Niets."

"I am nothing like them!"

"The Nietzscheans use slaves because they think they are better than humans, because they believe they deserve it," Harper said, memories of his past flooding back. "You're a Nietzschean, Machello. I'm nothing but a slave to you-- someone you can use and dispose of at will."

"I am not a Nietzschean," Machello replied, his words full of bitterness.

Harper felt his chest tightening. "My planet is still salvageable. There's a chance I could still help save it-- you're stealing that chance."

Machello leaned closer, blue eyes on blue. "Even if you still had this body, you will never be able to save your world. It will always be dominated by the Nietzscheans."

"No," Harper protested, his breath now coming in short gasps. He could feel his heart racing in his chest. "I will help it. I will-"

The scanner monitoring Harper began to shrill.

"His heart's stopped!" Rommie called gravely as Trance ran to his side to read the device.

Grapping an injector from the tray, Trance hit a sequence of buttons on the side and then placed it on Harper's neck. The scanner continued to shriek.

"Come on, come on," she murmured, staring at the monitor. The shrill suddenly turned into a sluggish beep. "Yes… good, Harper, just stay with us." She turned towards Rommie. "He's got a heartbeat, but I don't know for how long."

"Do you see what you've done?" Rommie called angrily, turning around to face Machello. She'd never been so happy for Harper's emotion programming. "You say you've dedicated your life to helping others… but yet you allow this to happen!"

Machello, who had backed away as soon as the scanner had gone off, now stared down at the bed in confusion. He turned away from the unconscious man a moment before finally looked up again at the android.

"If I could trade places with him again, I would, but unfortunately I am the only one who cannot," he finally said, his voice no longer holding its typical arrogance. She would almost swear there was a touch of guilt in his pale eyes.

"Wait a minute," she questioned, "you're the only one who can't?"

"Yes."

Rommie looked down at Harper. "I don't know why I didn't think of this before."

"What is it?" Trance asked.

"I have an idea," Rommie said, "but I need Beka and Tyr."

~*~

As soon as she'd heard Andromeda's message, Beka was out her door and running towards meddeck as fast as Tyr's boots would take her. She wasn't sure what had happened, but a sick feeling was growing inside her stomach-- just enough to make her want to throw up her lunch.

Slamming a palm on the opening mechanism, the veteran pilot threw herself though the doors and right into herself.

"Tyr!" she called as the two collided. She managed to grab Tyr before he toppled backwards.

"Sorry," she amended. "What's going on?"

"I was about to ask that," Tyr said, "but was rudely interrupted."

"I think I may have come up with a solution," Rommie said, stopping the two before they decided to continue arguing.

Beka sighed. "Finally."

"Whatever you're going do, Andromeda," Trance said, "do it fast."

Rommie nodded. "It's a little confusing so I need you to do exactly as I say; we're going to play, as Harper would say, a little game of musical chairs with your bodies. First… Tyr, you and Machello will switch."

Looking unsure but trusting the android, Tyr and Machello moved in front of the device. Both slowly put their hands on the machine and waited for the impending shock.

After a moment, Rommie looked them over. "Tyr?"

Now encased within Harper's much smaller body, Tyr grunted out, "I'm here."

The now female Machello looked at his new hands and up towards Rommie. "The transference was successful, physically we are fine."

"All right, now you two," Rommie said, indicating Beka and the unconscious Harper.

Mentally bidding farewell to Tyr's muscles, Beka placed her hands on the handles and watched as Trance gently placed Harper's aged hands on the other side.

Watching from the side, Dylan held his breath as Tyr's hands let go. "Harper?"

Seamus Harper, now looking very much like a Nietzschean, blinked owlishly. "Whoa, what a dream. What happened?"

"I don't have time to explain right now, Harper, just bare with me," Rommie said.

The engineer nodded.

"Little Professor."

Harper turned quickly around to look at… himself. He felt his jaw open. "Tyr?" he squeaked.


Tyr signaled him over.

By the bed, Machello glanced at Trance and the raven haired android. "I wish I had time to teach you the symbols. In your hands my inventions could go on fighting our enemies."

Rommie nodded quickly. "It's all right, we'll figure it out." She motioned toward the device and the man on the bed. "Please."

For a moment Machello's hands wavered over the handles as if contemplating the choice. He looked around the deck a moment then closed his eyes and nodded. He let his hands drop and electrically filled the air again.

The room was silent until Beka jumped away from the device. "Yes!" she exclaimed triumphantly. Beka studied her arms and hands and let out another whoop of joy.

Rommie looked at the still mismatched Tyr and Harper and waved them over.

"Our turn," Tyr said, pushing the much larger form towards the machine. One by one they placed their hands upon it, waiting for the change.

When they pulled away neither said anything. It was Harper's grin that told everyone in the room things were back to normal. "I'm me again!" he exclaimed proudly. "My hands… my hair… my-- hey where's my tool belt?"

As Harper turned towards Rommie to ask about his wayward belt, Beka moved towards Tyr.

"Take a shower?!" she yelled, raising her hands as if to strangle the taller figure. Even when Beka came within a few centimeters from his throat, Tyr didn't move. Knowing she couldn't really do anything to him, Beka balled one fist and hit him in the shoulder. "Eeezh."

The Nietzschean waited until Beka turned before smirking.

"Machello's conscious again!" Trance called, breaking apart the conversations.

Everyone on the deck paused to look at the old man. Harper cautiously stepped forward and came to the other side, staring at the man who had nearly taken his life… yet hadn't.

Machello gazed back, tears obscuring his vision. "Thank you," he said softly, "for my holiday." As the last word fell from his mouth, the monitor's scanning Machello's heart began to flat line.

Leaning over the body an knowing she could do no more for him, Trance gently closed the man's lifeless eyes and switched off the medical device. As she turned back towards the group, Dylan looked at the crew around him and smiled sadly.

"Welcome back everyone."