PART 3
Beka, having over heard Dylan's remark to himself began to run down the hallway. Trance looked after her. "Beka!" she yelled. "Where are you going, the main sensers are down this way."
"I have to find Rev," Beka called over her shoulder.
"But why?" Trance called. "What's wrong?" Beka stopped in the hallway.
"Nothing, Trance. Go to the sensors and I'll meet you there soon." Trance nodded reluctantly and headed in the opposite direction. Beka began walking again. "Andromeda!"
"Yes, Beka," the A.I. called over the com.
"Locate Rev Bem." There was a short silence.
"Rev Bem is in the hydropinics bay." As soon as Beka heard those words, she darted as fast as she could go down the corridor toward the hydropinics bay.
***
Dylan sat in his quarters, waiting to hear word from Trance and Beka. He had been waiting for over an hour and he was becoming restless.
He felt exactly as he had when Harper had told him about the fall of the Commonwealth many months ago. He felt...responsible. Asthough because of his ignorance and blindness to the truth, Tyr was gone. How could he let it happen? How had he not seen through the thin guises of the Saratoga crew and especially that of Captain Sandoz? She had seemed a little too nice for Beka's taste and she had warned him that all was not right. Even Harper had done so. So why had he not listened? Why did he had to be so stubborn?
He was startled when the bell to the door of his quarters rang. He sat up fully. "Come in," he called. The door opened and Rev Bem walked in. "Rev," Dylan said. "What can I do for you?"
"Trance and Beka have traced the Saratoga's course. They wanted me to inform you." Dylan stood and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Rev," he said. He was just about to walk past when the Magog took his arm.
"Dylan, I am not only here to inform you of their progress." Dylan stopped and eyed Rev. Rev met his gaze. "Beka sent me here because she told me you were troubled."
Dylan shook his head. "How does she do it?" he asked.
"Beka has a very...unique talent at knowing how most people feel," Rev said. He began to walk closer to Dylan's desk. "She told me that you reguard Tyr's kidnapping as your fault."
Dylan turned to him. "It is my fault, Rev. If I had only seen through Captain Sandoz's kindness and hadn't asked her to help us, none of this would have happened."
"I do not think that is so," Rev said. Dylan crossed his arms, prepared for a lecture. Rev turned to Dylan. "If Tyr had not seen that the Saratoga crew was false, then why should you have done so? He is the best detector of lies on this ship, yet he was fooled. The only mistake you made, Dylan, was that you gave your trust too readily. Just because they were of the Commonwealth, didn't mean that they could not give in to anger and commit aggression." Dylan nodded, but said nothing, knowing that Rev was not finished.
"They captured Tyr because they thought they were doing the right thing. They were too proud to let their men die without vengence. You, as a Commonwealth officer, know that there is always an alternative to achieve what you want, that there is never only one way out. So Dylan, in the confrontation ahead, look for openings, those alternatives to death and, if we do not succeed in our mission to rescue Tyr without sheding blood, do not blame yourself, for no one is to blame."
After Rev was finished there was a short pause. Dylan was amazed. Rev was the best giver of advice that he knew. He knew he would have to thank both Rev and Beka for pulling them though when all this was over. For now he smiled at Rev.
"Thanks for the advice, Rev." Rev smiled as well, showing his sharp Magog teeth.
"It's what I do."
"Come on, let's go and find the Saratoga." Dylan and Rev walked to the Command Center to meet Beka and Trance for the rescue.
***
Todd Curtis was walking toward the Command Center of the Saratoga. He was very happy and full of pride. He had just made the Nietzschean from the Andromeda fall to his knees in pain.
He was wallowing in his glory when Jackson came running up to him. "I saw what you did today," he said. Curtis turned his head to him and smiled.
"Did you like it?" he asked. Jackson didn't answer. Curtis stopped walking and turned fully to Jackson. "Joe, I made the Nietzschean beg for mercy. We're draining his life force and he knows it."
"Curtis, don't you ever feel that, well..."
"Well what?" Curtis asked. "You're not having second thoughts about killing him to avenge our men?" Jackson said nothing. Curtis put his hand on Jackson't shoulder. "We know that our men did not die in vain. It's time everyone else remembered them with the sacrifice of simply one Nietzschean. What will one Nietzschean matter when we lost 1,000 of our people? No one's going to cry over his death."
"Well..." Jackson began but Curtis slapped him on the back.
"I knew you'd come around again," he said. Curtis continued down the hall and Jackson watched him go.
***
Captain Sandoz stood in front of Tyr in the torcher chamber. She held the information pad in her hand. "Are you prepared to scream our for mercy, Tyr?"
Tyr swallowed hard as sweat rolled into his eye. She had already sent the electric shock shooting through his body twice. He felt as though he could not take it anymore. "You'll get no such pleasure from me," he spat in a weak voice. Sandoz smiled.
"If you'll give me no such pleasure," she began, but paused. Tyr stared at her waiting for her conclusion. Suddenly, Sandoz dropped the pad. "You're free to go."
Tyr's eyes sharpened. Mixed thoughts were running through his mind. He would have never anticipated this. If this captain wanted him dead, then why would she be willing to let him go? If this was a trap, why did she believe he would fall right into it? Tyr simply sat and stared at her. She looked at him. "No?" she asked. "You don't believe me, do you?" Tyr diverted his eyes from her gaze. "Why not?" she asked.
"First, you want to kill me, next you want to free me." Tyr looked at her again. "How stupid do you think I am?"
"That's not how a Nietzschean would react to that request." Sandoz said coaxingly.
"Really?" Tyr said.
"The Nietzscheans I know would have broke the shackles and been at my throat right now." She picked up the pad again and held it up. "If you won't take my offer, then die where you are."
She pressed the button on the pad and Tyr felt the shock run through his body. But Tyr found that instead of making him weak, the pulse was giving him internal strength. "Well, Nietzschean, what are you going to do?" Sandoz taunted. She did not see the shackles becoming lose on his wrists and ankles. Tyr pulled on his Nietzschean roots and his strength returned.
The shackles snapped like twigs. He bound toward Sandoz quick as lightning and held her throat in his hand. A surprised look came over her face as she tried to take in air. Tyr stared at her with a crazed look in his eyes. "Now you'll give me the pleasure of killing you." he said. She gave him a quizzical look. "All I have to do is squeeze." He tightened his grip on her throat and her eyes widened.
Tyr was ready to close his fist when he remembered what Dylan had said to him and the crew of the Eurika Maru before they all became shipmates. He had said, "I won't kill a man in cold blood, no matter what he's done to me." Remembering this, Tyr hesitated. He then took his hand away.
Captain Sandoz brought her hand to her throat and took deep breaths. She looked at Tyr sharply, but before she could say anything, Curtis called her over the comlink. "Captain," he said.
"Yes Curtis, what's up?" she asked.
"I think you'd better come up to the Command Center." Curtis was in disbelief. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Sandoz looked up at Tyr, now breathing normally. She pointed a finger at him. "When I get through with you, Nietzschean, Captain Dylan Hunt won't be able to find your bits and pieces." Tyr stood his ground. Sandoz turned around quickly and walked out of the room, leaving Tyr in darkness yet again.
As she left, Tyr was debating with himself on why he didn't kill her. Why didn't I do it? he thought to himself.
***
When Sandoz got to the Command Center, she stopped at the door. She was surprised to see Dylan's face on the communication's screen. Getting over her surprise, Sandoz began to walk to the middle of the room. "Captain," she said. "What an unexpected pleasure."
"You have one of my crew," Dylan said. Sandoz lifted an eye brow and smiled nonchalantly. "We want him back."
"Dylan Hunt, have you gone crazy?" Sandoz said. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Suddenly Trance stepped next to Dylan and Sandoz's expression turned sour.
"I think you do, Captain," Dylan said. Sandoz swallowed hard.
"So what do you intend to do about it?" she asked. Trance moved out of the picture and Dylan stepped forward.
"Either you turn over Tyr right now, or we'll take him back by force. You have ten minutes. Hunt out." The transmission ended.
Sandoz stared at the blank screen. "He's bluffing," she said. Curtis looked at her.
"How can you be sure?" he asked. Sandoz stayed where she was.
"He wouldn't kill his own crew memeber." She turned. "Let alone his own people."
Curtis considered this and nodded uncertainly. "Perhaps, but he's still from a different time period than us." Sandoz turned and walked towards him. "He may be very unpredictable."
Sandoz began to walk toward's the door. "All the same, we're not giving that Nietzschean up if it kills us." She was about to exit when she hesitated and turned back to her engineer. "Better that than having him live." Curtis smiled his agreement.
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
"Monitor them and tell me if Dylan wants to 'talk' again." She opened the door to the Command Center. "I'll be in my quarters." She walked out of the room.
***
Dylan was waiting as the Saratoga's ten minutes were running out. Beka was standing at the first officer's station. She began to shake her head. "I don't think they're going to do it," she said certainly.
"Let's just give them a couple more seconds," Dylan said. Beka shifted her weight as she waited.
Another whole minute passed and Dylan nodded his head. "Beka, get Harper and tell him he's going to get Tyr."
"Why Harper?" Beka asked. "He and Tyr are not exactly the best of friends."
"Just tell him to be ready." Beka nodded and walked out of the Command Center. Dylan turned to Trance. "Trance."
"Yes, sir?" she said turning to him.
"You and Rev get medical ready. Tyr might be hurt pretty badly."
"Yes, sir." Trance pressed the com button on her station. "Rev meet me in medical." She then walked out of the room and Dylan was left alone.
Suddenly, Harper's voice came over the com link. "Hey Dylan, can I ask you something?" he said. Dylan rolled his eyes.
"Go ahead, Harper," he said.
"Uh, I was just thinking, ya know, I'm not saying I don't want to but, why me?" Dylan smiled to himself. "I mean, why not Beka or Trance?"
"Because I need them here," Dylan responded.
"Oh, I get it, so I'm expendable now?" Harper was known as the whiner on the Andromeda for a reason, Dylan thought to himself.
"No Harper, I didn't mean that."
"So why do I have to go?"
"Because I want you to go and I believe that you can get him out of there." Dylan waited for Harper's response.
"Alright, I guess you're right. What am I saying, of course you're right."
"Good." Dylan sat in the pilot's seat. "Beka."
"Yeah Dylan?" Beka called over the com link.
"Get a stealth fighter ready for launch. If he goes in that, he'll be able to take a few hits."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Harper said. "Now there's going to be shooting involved?"
"Yes," Dylan continued. "You're going to have to get in and get out as fast as you can. Get ready."
"Alright, boss," Harper signed off the link and Dylan leaned back in the pilot seat, preparing for the battle ahead.
***
As Harper flew toward the Saratoga his stomach was turning upside down. He had never been on a rescue mission, let alone been the one to carry it out.
He watched the battle going on around him. The Saratoga had been damaged enough, but the Andromeda had also taken some nasty hits. He was almost there.
Dylan's voice came over the com link. "Harper, we've knocked out their sensors, you should be able to dock safely."
"And away we go," he said. "Harper saves the world, take one!" He heard Dylan laugh.
"We'll see about that. Hunt out." The com link was severed.
Harper manually opened the Saratoga's hangar bay doors and landed his shuttle safely. As he opened the hatch he heard an alarm sound.
"Oh crap!" he said to himself. He pulled out his com link again. "Ah Dylan, I've got a little problem over here."
"I know, Harper. We'll try to give you some time." Dylan sounded a little too confident. "Just go in, get Tyr and get out."
"But what if they catch me?"
"Improvise," Dylan answered and he turned off the link.
"Easier said than done," Harper said as he turned off his link. He headed down the hall, looking for any sign of Tyr.
After several minutes, he came across a hallway that split off into two different directions. Harper held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, I give." He grabbed the com link. "I might as well just gamma weald this thing to my hand," he said to himself. "Ah Dylan, two one way streets, different directions. Where do I go?"
"As far as I can tell," Andromeda said over the link. "Go right."
"You always come through for me, Rommie," Harper said. Before she could respond, he severed the link and took the right hallway. Soon he came to the only door. It was black and short, not like the ones on the Andromeda at all. When he tried to go into the room, the door wouldn't open. "Oh, this is good." He began looking for a manual release. Finding one, he forced the door open.
A figure was standing at the ready with a retracted forcelance in his hand. It was ponting directly at Harper. As soon as he entered the room, the figure began to shoot.
"Whoa!" Harper yelled, diving to the floor, gripping his own forcelance and looing for a place to hide at the same time. Just as he got control of himself, the figure stopped shooting.
"Who's there?" he heared Tyr call out of the black. Harper rolled his eyes.
"So first you shoot at me, then you want to know my name?" he called back. Doesn't it usually work the other way around?"
"Oh, it's only you," Tyr said walking into the light. Harper stood up.
"What, I'm not an atequate rescue party?" Harper sounded amazed. Tyr turned toward then door.
"I've had better," he said. He turned down the hallway.
"After you," Harper said, following Tyr. He didn't go very far before he bumped into a stalk-still Tyr. Todd Curtis stood in their path, a forcelance pointing at Tyr. "Uh, excuse me," Harper said calmly. "You're kinda in our way." Curtis smiled.
"You make a better camedion than you do a rescuer, Mr. Harper." Curtis said.
"Hey, it wasn't even..." Harper began, but Curtis trained the gun toward him. Harper held up his in surrender. "Yeah, okay, that's cool." Curtis retrained the gun on Tyr.
"This is good," he said. "Now I'll get the recognition from Kari for killing him and taking you hostiage."
Suddenly he heard a forcelance charge from behind his head. He turned halfway, but was stopped. "I don't think so, Todd," Jackson said. Harper and Tyr eyed Jackson suspiciously, ready for him to turn the gun on them, but he didn't. Instead, he had Curtis lower his own weapon and he moved him out of the way. "You two," he said to Harper and Tyr. "Go before the captain catches you."
"Joe, why are you doing this?" Curtis asked.
"Why should this Nietzschean have to pay for the lives of people he didn't know? We don't have the right to take the law into our own hands." He looked at Harper and Tyr. "You two had better go before I change my mind." So Tyr and Harper ran down the corridor to the shuttle bay.
***
"Awe man, did we make a smooth get-away or what!" Harper exclaimed once he and Tyr were in the shuttle. He glanced at Tyr and his smile faded. Tyr was tense. "What's the matter with you?" he asked.
"It was smooth," Tyr said. Harper knew there was a but coming. "But it was far too easy."
As if on cue, the shuttle craft shot forward toward the Andromeda. The craft came close to colliding with the hull, but stopped dead. At the end of the sudden blast of power, Tyr was calm, but Harper sat as close to his seat back as he could get. "Whoa," he said. "What just happened?" Tyr took one look at his fearful, wide blue eyes and laughed.
"Don't worry boy, I'm sure we're alright." But an alarm sounded and Tyr's smile faded. "Critcal reaction in engine three," the computer said. Harper bolted out of his seat and went to the engineer's station. The alarm continued as Tyr went to the weapon's station.
"What the hell's going on, Mr. Harper?" Tyr yelled.
"Someone injected protons into our reserve AP tanks," Harper said. "That's what gave us that big sudden burst of power. We should be okay, but..."
"But what?" Tyr asked.
"But we've only got about thrity-five seconds to get off the shuttle before it explodes." Tyr and Harper stared at each other for a few silent seconds until Tyr went into action.
"Alright, so we'll fly into the docking bay and then send the ship off with a little tap once we're safely on the Andromeda." Harper was already shaking his head.
"No can do, buddy," he said. "The engines are fried. There's no way we can get this ship closer, let alone get off it." There was another short silence as Harper thought.
"30 seconds 'til core implosion," the computer said. Then Harper got an amazed look on his face. He frantically began pressing buttons. Tyr walked up to him, bemused.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. Harper didn't answer. Finally the computer gave him the answer he wanted.
"Good." He walked down the small corridor of the shuttle, urging Tyr to follow him. "Every Commonwealth ship, no matter how small has escape pods. We can get in the shuttle's and get on the Andromeda from there." Then he got an uncomfortable look on his face. "Only problem is, the shuttle's only got one."
"I'll take it," Tyr said. He opened the hatch to the pod and climbed inside. Then he unexpectedly urged Harper to get in also.
"20 seconds 'til core implosion."
"Okay," Harper said. He climbed in as fast as he could, trying not to step all over Tyr in the process with little success. As soon as they were both inside, Tyr closed the hatch and the escape pod detatched and went scrambling into Andromeda's shuttle bay. From there, Harper and Tyr watched their shuttle explode. Harper took out his com link.
"Dylan," he said. "I've got him."
"Good work, Mr. Harper," Dylan acknowledged. "Tyr, are you hurt?"
"A little battered and bruised, but nothing more." Tyr glared at Harper.
"Why don't you get to medical, and welcome back." Harper turned off the link.
"I believe you know the way to medical," he said to Tyr. He nodded and walked out of the shuttle bay. Harper just stood next the escape pod for a few seconds.
"Woo hoo!" he yelled. "Boom baby!" He began bowing and acknowledging a fake audience. "Thank you, thank you, it was nothing!"
***
Dylan stood in the Commmand Center with Beka. "Well, Harper pulled it off," he said.
"I never doubted him," Beka said. He looked at her. "Well I didn't." He kept his gaze on her. She finally let out a sigh. "Okay, I was scheptical, I'll admit, but I never seriously doubted him." Dylan smiled and turned away. "Dylan," Beka said. "The Saratoga is hailing."
"Put it on screen," he said. Sandoz appeared on the viewing screen.
"Well Captain, I must say, a very cunning rescue. I commend you on your victory." She bowed slightly. "If it hadn't been for crewman Jackson's sudden change of mind, you would have gotten away with it."
"You're still not going to help us, are you?" Dylan said. She smiled.
"You're right, Captain. I think you're wasting your time. You'll never get fiftly worlds to agree to a restored Commonwealth. And I don't think that I need that failiure under my belt. So good-bye, captain. I hope to see you soon." The transmission ended. The Saratoga turned hard 180 and vanished into slipstream.
"They're gone," Beka said.
***
Hours later, Tyr stood on the observation deck of the Andromeda, holding the book he was reading before and clenching his fist. He was staring into a type three nebula: a purple, blue and green cloud of gas, light and stars. As Dylan walked up beside the Nietzschean he didn't quite know what to say. Should he apologize for getting him captured, ask him what had happened or what he thought of Harper's rescue? What do you say to a Nietzschean who has just had his pride almost completely shattered?
"You know," Tyr began. "In the book, Ryan tried to convince the Russians and his own government that he was right about the captain." Tyr turned toward Dylan and leaned against the railing. "And yet the other submarine attacked, and was destroyed."
"And you're point is?" Dylan asked, trying his best not to sound rude.
"My point is, you came after me, even though you might have been destroyed. You, Captain Hunt, were trying to convince your crew that it was the right thing to rescue me..." Dylan was already shaking his head.
"But you see, Tyr, that's where you're wrong." Tyr cocked his head.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Dylan advanced on him.
"I didn't have to convince them of anything. They know we need you as a crewmember to operate correctly. They know you're important to us, and you complete this crew. They're the one's who convinced me to get you back, because I was in doubt."
"But you risked your life and the lives of everyone else simply to save me," Tyr continued.
"You would have done the same for me," Dylan said. Tyr walked up to him and was about to pass and stopped. He leaned towards Dylan's ear.
"Perhaps," he said. "Don't assume too much, Dylan." He shoved the book into Dylan's chest and walked out of the deck. Dylan went to the railing overlooking the nebula. He knew he still had much to learn about this new time, and the people in it.
THE END
Beka, having over heard Dylan's remark to himself began to run down the hallway. Trance looked after her. "Beka!" she yelled. "Where are you going, the main sensers are down this way."
"I have to find Rev," Beka called over her shoulder.
"But why?" Trance called. "What's wrong?" Beka stopped in the hallway.
"Nothing, Trance. Go to the sensors and I'll meet you there soon." Trance nodded reluctantly and headed in the opposite direction. Beka began walking again. "Andromeda!"
"Yes, Beka," the A.I. called over the com.
"Locate Rev Bem." There was a short silence.
"Rev Bem is in the hydropinics bay." As soon as Beka heard those words, she darted as fast as she could go down the corridor toward the hydropinics bay.
***
Dylan sat in his quarters, waiting to hear word from Trance and Beka. He had been waiting for over an hour and he was becoming restless.
He felt exactly as he had when Harper had told him about the fall of the Commonwealth many months ago. He felt...responsible. Asthough because of his ignorance and blindness to the truth, Tyr was gone. How could he let it happen? How had he not seen through the thin guises of the Saratoga crew and especially that of Captain Sandoz? She had seemed a little too nice for Beka's taste and she had warned him that all was not right. Even Harper had done so. So why had he not listened? Why did he had to be so stubborn?
He was startled when the bell to the door of his quarters rang. He sat up fully. "Come in," he called. The door opened and Rev Bem walked in. "Rev," Dylan said. "What can I do for you?"
"Trance and Beka have traced the Saratoga's course. They wanted me to inform you." Dylan stood and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Rev," he said. He was just about to walk past when the Magog took his arm.
"Dylan, I am not only here to inform you of their progress." Dylan stopped and eyed Rev. Rev met his gaze. "Beka sent me here because she told me you were troubled."
Dylan shook his head. "How does she do it?" he asked.
"Beka has a very...unique talent at knowing how most people feel," Rev said. He began to walk closer to Dylan's desk. "She told me that you reguard Tyr's kidnapping as your fault."
Dylan turned to him. "It is my fault, Rev. If I had only seen through Captain Sandoz's kindness and hadn't asked her to help us, none of this would have happened."
"I do not think that is so," Rev said. Dylan crossed his arms, prepared for a lecture. Rev turned to Dylan. "If Tyr had not seen that the Saratoga crew was false, then why should you have done so? He is the best detector of lies on this ship, yet he was fooled. The only mistake you made, Dylan, was that you gave your trust too readily. Just because they were of the Commonwealth, didn't mean that they could not give in to anger and commit aggression." Dylan nodded, but said nothing, knowing that Rev was not finished.
"They captured Tyr because they thought they were doing the right thing. They were too proud to let their men die without vengence. You, as a Commonwealth officer, know that there is always an alternative to achieve what you want, that there is never only one way out. So Dylan, in the confrontation ahead, look for openings, those alternatives to death and, if we do not succeed in our mission to rescue Tyr without sheding blood, do not blame yourself, for no one is to blame."
After Rev was finished there was a short pause. Dylan was amazed. Rev was the best giver of advice that he knew. He knew he would have to thank both Rev and Beka for pulling them though when all this was over. For now he smiled at Rev.
"Thanks for the advice, Rev." Rev smiled as well, showing his sharp Magog teeth.
"It's what I do."
"Come on, let's go and find the Saratoga." Dylan and Rev walked to the Command Center to meet Beka and Trance for the rescue.
***
Todd Curtis was walking toward the Command Center of the Saratoga. He was very happy and full of pride. He had just made the Nietzschean from the Andromeda fall to his knees in pain.
He was wallowing in his glory when Jackson came running up to him. "I saw what you did today," he said. Curtis turned his head to him and smiled.
"Did you like it?" he asked. Jackson didn't answer. Curtis stopped walking and turned fully to Jackson. "Joe, I made the Nietzschean beg for mercy. We're draining his life force and he knows it."
"Curtis, don't you ever feel that, well..."
"Well what?" Curtis asked. "You're not having second thoughts about killing him to avenge our men?" Jackson said nothing. Curtis put his hand on Jackson't shoulder. "We know that our men did not die in vain. It's time everyone else remembered them with the sacrifice of simply one Nietzschean. What will one Nietzschean matter when we lost 1,000 of our people? No one's going to cry over his death."
"Well..." Jackson began but Curtis slapped him on the back.
"I knew you'd come around again," he said. Curtis continued down the hall and Jackson watched him go.
***
Captain Sandoz stood in front of Tyr in the torcher chamber. She held the information pad in her hand. "Are you prepared to scream our for mercy, Tyr?"
Tyr swallowed hard as sweat rolled into his eye. She had already sent the electric shock shooting through his body twice. He felt as though he could not take it anymore. "You'll get no such pleasure from me," he spat in a weak voice. Sandoz smiled.
"If you'll give me no such pleasure," she began, but paused. Tyr stared at her waiting for her conclusion. Suddenly, Sandoz dropped the pad. "You're free to go."
Tyr's eyes sharpened. Mixed thoughts were running through his mind. He would have never anticipated this. If this captain wanted him dead, then why would she be willing to let him go? If this was a trap, why did she believe he would fall right into it? Tyr simply sat and stared at her. She looked at him. "No?" she asked. "You don't believe me, do you?" Tyr diverted his eyes from her gaze. "Why not?" she asked.
"First, you want to kill me, next you want to free me." Tyr looked at her again. "How stupid do you think I am?"
"That's not how a Nietzschean would react to that request." Sandoz said coaxingly.
"Really?" Tyr said.
"The Nietzscheans I know would have broke the shackles and been at my throat right now." She picked up the pad again and held it up. "If you won't take my offer, then die where you are."
She pressed the button on the pad and Tyr felt the shock run through his body. But Tyr found that instead of making him weak, the pulse was giving him internal strength. "Well, Nietzschean, what are you going to do?" Sandoz taunted. She did not see the shackles becoming lose on his wrists and ankles. Tyr pulled on his Nietzschean roots and his strength returned.
The shackles snapped like twigs. He bound toward Sandoz quick as lightning and held her throat in his hand. A surprised look came over her face as she tried to take in air. Tyr stared at her with a crazed look in his eyes. "Now you'll give me the pleasure of killing you." he said. She gave him a quizzical look. "All I have to do is squeeze." He tightened his grip on her throat and her eyes widened.
Tyr was ready to close his fist when he remembered what Dylan had said to him and the crew of the Eurika Maru before they all became shipmates. He had said, "I won't kill a man in cold blood, no matter what he's done to me." Remembering this, Tyr hesitated. He then took his hand away.
Captain Sandoz brought her hand to her throat and took deep breaths. She looked at Tyr sharply, but before she could say anything, Curtis called her over the comlink. "Captain," he said.
"Yes Curtis, what's up?" she asked.
"I think you'd better come up to the Command Center." Curtis was in disbelief. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Sandoz looked up at Tyr, now breathing normally. She pointed a finger at him. "When I get through with you, Nietzschean, Captain Dylan Hunt won't be able to find your bits and pieces." Tyr stood his ground. Sandoz turned around quickly and walked out of the room, leaving Tyr in darkness yet again.
As she left, Tyr was debating with himself on why he didn't kill her. Why didn't I do it? he thought to himself.
***
When Sandoz got to the Command Center, she stopped at the door. She was surprised to see Dylan's face on the communication's screen. Getting over her surprise, Sandoz began to walk to the middle of the room. "Captain," she said. "What an unexpected pleasure."
"You have one of my crew," Dylan said. Sandoz lifted an eye brow and smiled nonchalantly. "We want him back."
"Dylan Hunt, have you gone crazy?" Sandoz said. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Suddenly Trance stepped next to Dylan and Sandoz's expression turned sour.
"I think you do, Captain," Dylan said. Sandoz swallowed hard.
"So what do you intend to do about it?" she asked. Trance moved out of the picture and Dylan stepped forward.
"Either you turn over Tyr right now, or we'll take him back by force. You have ten minutes. Hunt out." The transmission ended.
Sandoz stared at the blank screen. "He's bluffing," she said. Curtis looked at her.
"How can you be sure?" he asked. Sandoz stayed where she was.
"He wouldn't kill his own crew memeber." She turned. "Let alone his own people."
Curtis considered this and nodded uncertainly. "Perhaps, but he's still from a different time period than us." Sandoz turned and walked towards him. "He may be very unpredictable."
Sandoz began to walk toward's the door. "All the same, we're not giving that Nietzschean up if it kills us." She was about to exit when she hesitated and turned back to her engineer. "Better that than having him live." Curtis smiled his agreement.
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
"Monitor them and tell me if Dylan wants to 'talk' again." She opened the door to the Command Center. "I'll be in my quarters." She walked out of the room.
***
Dylan was waiting as the Saratoga's ten minutes were running out. Beka was standing at the first officer's station. She began to shake her head. "I don't think they're going to do it," she said certainly.
"Let's just give them a couple more seconds," Dylan said. Beka shifted her weight as she waited.
Another whole minute passed and Dylan nodded his head. "Beka, get Harper and tell him he's going to get Tyr."
"Why Harper?" Beka asked. "He and Tyr are not exactly the best of friends."
"Just tell him to be ready." Beka nodded and walked out of the Command Center. Dylan turned to Trance. "Trance."
"Yes, sir?" she said turning to him.
"You and Rev get medical ready. Tyr might be hurt pretty badly."
"Yes, sir." Trance pressed the com button on her station. "Rev meet me in medical." She then walked out of the room and Dylan was left alone.
Suddenly, Harper's voice came over the com link. "Hey Dylan, can I ask you something?" he said. Dylan rolled his eyes.
"Go ahead, Harper," he said.
"Uh, I was just thinking, ya know, I'm not saying I don't want to but, why me?" Dylan smiled to himself. "I mean, why not Beka or Trance?"
"Because I need them here," Dylan responded.
"Oh, I get it, so I'm expendable now?" Harper was known as the whiner on the Andromeda for a reason, Dylan thought to himself.
"No Harper, I didn't mean that."
"So why do I have to go?"
"Because I want you to go and I believe that you can get him out of there." Dylan waited for Harper's response.
"Alright, I guess you're right. What am I saying, of course you're right."
"Good." Dylan sat in the pilot's seat. "Beka."
"Yeah Dylan?" Beka called over the com link.
"Get a stealth fighter ready for launch. If he goes in that, he'll be able to take a few hits."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Harper said. "Now there's going to be shooting involved?"
"Yes," Dylan continued. "You're going to have to get in and get out as fast as you can. Get ready."
"Alright, boss," Harper signed off the link and Dylan leaned back in the pilot seat, preparing for the battle ahead.
***
As Harper flew toward the Saratoga his stomach was turning upside down. He had never been on a rescue mission, let alone been the one to carry it out.
He watched the battle going on around him. The Saratoga had been damaged enough, but the Andromeda had also taken some nasty hits. He was almost there.
Dylan's voice came over the com link. "Harper, we've knocked out their sensors, you should be able to dock safely."
"And away we go," he said. "Harper saves the world, take one!" He heard Dylan laugh.
"We'll see about that. Hunt out." The com link was severed.
Harper manually opened the Saratoga's hangar bay doors and landed his shuttle safely. As he opened the hatch he heard an alarm sound.
"Oh crap!" he said to himself. He pulled out his com link again. "Ah Dylan, I've got a little problem over here."
"I know, Harper. We'll try to give you some time." Dylan sounded a little too confident. "Just go in, get Tyr and get out."
"But what if they catch me?"
"Improvise," Dylan answered and he turned off the link.
"Easier said than done," Harper said as he turned off his link. He headed down the hall, looking for any sign of Tyr.
After several minutes, he came across a hallway that split off into two different directions. Harper held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, I give." He grabbed the com link. "I might as well just gamma weald this thing to my hand," he said to himself. "Ah Dylan, two one way streets, different directions. Where do I go?"
"As far as I can tell," Andromeda said over the link. "Go right."
"You always come through for me, Rommie," Harper said. Before she could respond, he severed the link and took the right hallway. Soon he came to the only door. It was black and short, not like the ones on the Andromeda at all. When he tried to go into the room, the door wouldn't open. "Oh, this is good." He began looking for a manual release. Finding one, he forced the door open.
A figure was standing at the ready with a retracted forcelance in his hand. It was ponting directly at Harper. As soon as he entered the room, the figure began to shoot.
"Whoa!" Harper yelled, diving to the floor, gripping his own forcelance and looing for a place to hide at the same time. Just as he got control of himself, the figure stopped shooting.
"Who's there?" he heared Tyr call out of the black. Harper rolled his eyes.
"So first you shoot at me, then you want to know my name?" he called back. Doesn't it usually work the other way around?"
"Oh, it's only you," Tyr said walking into the light. Harper stood up.
"What, I'm not an atequate rescue party?" Harper sounded amazed. Tyr turned toward then door.
"I've had better," he said. He turned down the hallway.
"After you," Harper said, following Tyr. He didn't go very far before he bumped into a stalk-still Tyr. Todd Curtis stood in their path, a forcelance pointing at Tyr. "Uh, excuse me," Harper said calmly. "You're kinda in our way." Curtis smiled.
"You make a better camedion than you do a rescuer, Mr. Harper." Curtis said.
"Hey, it wasn't even..." Harper began, but Curtis trained the gun toward him. Harper held up his in surrender. "Yeah, okay, that's cool." Curtis retrained the gun on Tyr.
"This is good," he said. "Now I'll get the recognition from Kari for killing him and taking you hostiage."
Suddenly he heard a forcelance charge from behind his head. He turned halfway, but was stopped. "I don't think so, Todd," Jackson said. Harper and Tyr eyed Jackson suspiciously, ready for him to turn the gun on them, but he didn't. Instead, he had Curtis lower his own weapon and he moved him out of the way. "You two," he said to Harper and Tyr. "Go before the captain catches you."
"Joe, why are you doing this?" Curtis asked.
"Why should this Nietzschean have to pay for the lives of people he didn't know? We don't have the right to take the law into our own hands." He looked at Harper and Tyr. "You two had better go before I change my mind." So Tyr and Harper ran down the corridor to the shuttle bay.
***
"Awe man, did we make a smooth get-away or what!" Harper exclaimed once he and Tyr were in the shuttle. He glanced at Tyr and his smile faded. Tyr was tense. "What's the matter with you?" he asked.
"It was smooth," Tyr said. Harper knew there was a but coming. "But it was far too easy."
As if on cue, the shuttle craft shot forward toward the Andromeda. The craft came close to colliding with the hull, but stopped dead. At the end of the sudden blast of power, Tyr was calm, but Harper sat as close to his seat back as he could get. "Whoa," he said. "What just happened?" Tyr took one look at his fearful, wide blue eyes and laughed.
"Don't worry boy, I'm sure we're alright." But an alarm sounded and Tyr's smile faded. "Critcal reaction in engine three," the computer said. Harper bolted out of his seat and went to the engineer's station. The alarm continued as Tyr went to the weapon's station.
"What the hell's going on, Mr. Harper?" Tyr yelled.
"Someone injected protons into our reserve AP tanks," Harper said. "That's what gave us that big sudden burst of power. We should be okay, but..."
"But what?" Tyr asked.
"But we've only got about thrity-five seconds to get off the shuttle before it explodes." Tyr and Harper stared at each other for a few silent seconds until Tyr went into action.
"Alright, so we'll fly into the docking bay and then send the ship off with a little tap once we're safely on the Andromeda." Harper was already shaking his head.
"No can do, buddy," he said. "The engines are fried. There's no way we can get this ship closer, let alone get off it." There was another short silence as Harper thought.
"30 seconds 'til core implosion," the computer said. Then Harper got an amazed look on his face. He frantically began pressing buttons. Tyr walked up to him, bemused.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. Harper didn't answer. Finally the computer gave him the answer he wanted.
"Good." He walked down the small corridor of the shuttle, urging Tyr to follow him. "Every Commonwealth ship, no matter how small has escape pods. We can get in the shuttle's and get on the Andromeda from there." Then he got an uncomfortable look on his face. "Only problem is, the shuttle's only got one."
"I'll take it," Tyr said. He opened the hatch to the pod and climbed inside. Then he unexpectedly urged Harper to get in also.
"20 seconds 'til core implosion."
"Okay," Harper said. He climbed in as fast as he could, trying not to step all over Tyr in the process with little success. As soon as they were both inside, Tyr closed the hatch and the escape pod detatched and went scrambling into Andromeda's shuttle bay. From there, Harper and Tyr watched their shuttle explode. Harper took out his com link.
"Dylan," he said. "I've got him."
"Good work, Mr. Harper," Dylan acknowledged. "Tyr, are you hurt?"
"A little battered and bruised, but nothing more." Tyr glared at Harper.
"Why don't you get to medical, and welcome back." Harper turned off the link.
"I believe you know the way to medical," he said to Tyr. He nodded and walked out of the shuttle bay. Harper just stood next the escape pod for a few seconds.
"Woo hoo!" he yelled. "Boom baby!" He began bowing and acknowledging a fake audience. "Thank you, thank you, it was nothing!"
***
Dylan stood in the Commmand Center with Beka. "Well, Harper pulled it off," he said.
"I never doubted him," Beka said. He looked at her. "Well I didn't." He kept his gaze on her. She finally let out a sigh. "Okay, I was scheptical, I'll admit, but I never seriously doubted him." Dylan smiled and turned away. "Dylan," Beka said. "The Saratoga is hailing."
"Put it on screen," he said. Sandoz appeared on the viewing screen.
"Well Captain, I must say, a very cunning rescue. I commend you on your victory." She bowed slightly. "If it hadn't been for crewman Jackson's sudden change of mind, you would have gotten away with it."
"You're still not going to help us, are you?" Dylan said. She smiled.
"You're right, Captain. I think you're wasting your time. You'll never get fiftly worlds to agree to a restored Commonwealth. And I don't think that I need that failiure under my belt. So good-bye, captain. I hope to see you soon." The transmission ended. The Saratoga turned hard 180 and vanished into slipstream.
"They're gone," Beka said.
***
Hours later, Tyr stood on the observation deck of the Andromeda, holding the book he was reading before and clenching his fist. He was staring into a type three nebula: a purple, blue and green cloud of gas, light and stars. As Dylan walked up beside the Nietzschean he didn't quite know what to say. Should he apologize for getting him captured, ask him what had happened or what he thought of Harper's rescue? What do you say to a Nietzschean who has just had his pride almost completely shattered?
"You know," Tyr began. "In the book, Ryan tried to convince the Russians and his own government that he was right about the captain." Tyr turned toward Dylan and leaned against the railing. "And yet the other submarine attacked, and was destroyed."
"And you're point is?" Dylan asked, trying his best not to sound rude.
"My point is, you came after me, even though you might have been destroyed. You, Captain Hunt, were trying to convince your crew that it was the right thing to rescue me..." Dylan was already shaking his head.
"But you see, Tyr, that's where you're wrong." Tyr cocked his head.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Dylan advanced on him.
"I didn't have to convince them of anything. They know we need you as a crewmember to operate correctly. They know you're important to us, and you complete this crew. They're the one's who convinced me to get you back, because I was in doubt."
"But you risked your life and the lives of everyone else simply to save me," Tyr continued.
"You would have done the same for me," Dylan said. Tyr walked up to him and was about to pass and stopped. He leaned towards Dylan's ear.
"Perhaps," he said. "Don't assume too much, Dylan." He shoved the book into Dylan's chest and walked out of the deck. Dylan went to the railing overlooking the nebula. He knew he still had much to learn about this new time, and the people in it.
THE END