Fateful Reunion
Beka Valentine sat quietly staring into space from her seat on the Andromeda Ascendant. She had been part of the crew for what now? Thirteen, maybe fourteen months? It was more than a year, anyway. Though she regularly told Dylan otherwise, sarcastically of course, she felt it was the smartest decision that she had ever made. She and her crew were a lot better off for it, and for the first time in a long time she felt like she was actually doing something that mattered.
Unfortunately, the pessimistic thoughts that she'd had from the beginning still swirled in her head. What if Dylan's dream and this entire mission to restore the Commonwealth really was just a wild goose chase like she'd first dismissed it as? Was it really worth risking their lives for something so far fetched?
These were the thoughts that were constantly conflicting in her head. All she really wanted was what was best for her crew. And she'd heard all of them say at one time or another how much better life was on the Andromeda. The crew quarters were much more livable than those on the Eureka Maru. Trance had more room for her plants and a much better medical facility. Rev Bem, who looked for good things in the bad anyway, was visibly more comfortable here. And Harper was certainly never bored with experimenting with Rommie's circuitry.
Beka rolled her eyes as she decided for the millionth time that week that her decision had been best. If nothing else, it was keeping them out of excessive legal trouble.
Beka stood up and rolled her shoulders, stretching out her stiff back muscles. She'd lost track of how long she'd been sitting here as everyone else on the ship slept. It wasn't that she minded; she wasn't going to get any sleep anyway. She would have liked a little company though.
Suddenly, Rommie's image flashed on the screen and called for Beka's attention. "Beka, we are being hailed by an unidentified ship. I am unfamiliar of its origin, but I believe it to be a cargo freighter."
"Put them on screen, Rommie," Beka ordered. It was the first interesting thing that had happened so far.
When the visual changed however, she was more than a little shocked to see the unexpected caller. The girl had dark, stringy hair, roughly pulled back out of her face and she wore a sleeveless black vest over a tight red shirt. She too wore a startled expression.
"Beka?" she gaped. "Well, I wasn't expecting you to be answering calls, that's for damn sure."
"And I wasn't expecting to hear from you any time soon," Beka replied. "But it's good to see you're still alive."
"You too, cuz. But where the hell is the Maru?"
"Don't worry, she's here. I'll explain it all to you in person as soon as you get on board."
*
Beka watched as her cousin carefully landed her ship in the Andromeda's docking bay. She opened the hatch and jumped to the ground and walked with a confident stride toward Beka with open arms.
"Good to see you again, Captain Valentine," the girl winked.
"Likewise, Reese," Beka smiled warmly. "You look good. Did you get everything worked out?"
"Naturally," Reese grinned the same deceivingly charming grin that Beka had grown up to associate with her cousin, as well as her brother, Rafe.
"You better have," Beka warned her.
"Beka, it's me," she did it again.
Beka raised a suspicious eyebrow as the door to the corridor slide open and Trance Gemini entered the docking bay. "Um, hi, Beka? I don't mean to be nosy, but I thought I heard a noise and I just wanted to make sure that everything was-" She caught sight of the girl with Beka and recognized her immediately. "Reese? Reese Valentine! Oh my goodness!" The young creature ran over and embraced her old friend.
"Trance! Hey!" Reese shouted excitedly. "This is great! Are Rev Bem and Harper here too?"
"Yeah, hey! We're all together again!" Trance's smile widened.
"But why are you all here? How the hell could you afford this ship?" Reese still hadn't gotten an answer to her question.
"It isn't ours," Trance shook her head.
"Then why-"
"We'll talk in my quarters," Beka interrupted. "It's kind of a long story."
"I'm coming too," Trance beamed. "I can help tell it."
*
"So, basically, you're all helping some three-hundred year old Highguard officer to restore the Commonwealth to the galaxies?" Reese summed up what she'd been told.
"Well, he doesn't really look three hundred," Trance shook her head. "He was kinda, well, frozen, I guess."
"I still think it's a crazy mission."
"So did I," Beka nodded. "But it's become a cause worth fighting for."
"Am I hearing this right?" Reese scoffed. "My great independent cousin who always said she'd never follow orders from anyone is now doing the bidding of some disillusioned captain?"
"I'm not doing anyone's bidding," Beka corrected her. "We are Dylan's crew and we're helping him in his mission, but he holds no authority over us."
"We don't have to salute him or anything," Trance added.
Reese looked skeptically at them both, then broke a grin. "I don't suppose there's room for one more then?"
Beka smiled and Trance clapped her hands happily. "You're part of my crew. There's room whether Dylan likes it or not. I'll introduce you the moment he gets up."
*
The doors to the bridge slid open as Captain Dylan Hunt entered the room. He glanced around and noted the presence of Tyr Anasazi, Seamus Harper and Rev Bem, as well as Rommie's android body. Harper looked up from Rommie's circuitry where he was making a few adjustments on the ship's navigational equipment. He turned back to his work when he saw it was Dylan.
"Sleep well, Dylan?" Rev Bem asked politely. Tyr rolled his eyes, clearly uncaring about the captain's answer.
"Yes, thank you, Rev," Dylan replied, noting Tyr's reaction with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, that's more than you can say for some of us," Harper grumbled.
"What was that?"
Harper turned around again with a displeased expression on his face. "All I could hear for the longest time was Beka and Trance yapping the night away down the hall. It's times like that when I hate being a light sleeper."
"Where are Beka and Trance, anyway?" Dylan looked once more around the room.
"They are still in Beka's room, Captain," Rommie informed him. "Along with another."
"Another?" Everyone's attention was on Rommie.
"Yes, we were hailed last night by an unknown ship during Beka's watch. She addressed the pilot as-"
"Reese Valentine," Beka finished for Rommie as she, Trance and Reese entered the room. "Navigations officer of the Eureka Maru. And not a bad pilot, either."
"Reese?" Harper and Rev exclaimed in unison at their former crewmate.
"Reese?" Dylan wondered at the name.
"Teresa," Reese relayed her full name in disgust. "But if anyone ever calls me that, I'll rip out their throat. There's a trader stationed on Vayla IV that can vouch for that."
"Well, that takes care of first impressions," Tyr stated bluntly. Reese exchanged a glare with him and Trance spoke up, attempting to break the tension.
"Um, Dylan? Reese wants to join the crew on the Andromeda to help you," she explained in her innocent voice.
"And you're Beka's sister?" Dylan asked.
"Cousin," Reese corrected.
"Ah, and how did you find us?"
"I've been looking for the Maru for a while now, but nobody seemed to know where to find it," Reese informed him. "Until this one guy who would only tell me--for some serious coinage, of course--that to find Beka, I needed to contact the Andromeda. I didn't know why, but I got myself a ship and managed to find you guys, and that wasn't easy, let me tell you. But I hail the ship and there's my big cousin right on the screen."
"I see," Dylan rubbed his chin, wondering what to think. "Could I speak to you alone?"
"Yeah, sure," Reese shrugged and followed him out the door.
"So she just got here last night?" Harper asked Beka as soon as the door closed.
"Yeah, it was weird," Beka nodded. "No warning or anything, she just appeared."
"That's our Reese," Harper grinned.
"She's always been full of surprises," Rev Bem agreed.
"Or in some kind of trouble," Beka added skeptically.
"I'm just so glad she's back!" Trance's smile widened.
"Excuse me?" Tyr interrupted. "Why is she here, exactly?"
"She's a member of our crew," Trance pouted slightly. "She belongs with us."
"But, she deserted you?"
"Hey, Valentines don't desert anybody," Beka defended her cousin and her family name.
"Then where was she all this time?" Tyr was trying his hardest to make the others in his presence uncomfortable. And it was beginning to work.
"Call it 'away on business'," Harper snapped. Beka folded her arms and Trance followed suit, trying to show that she was not affected by Tyr's opinion. The Nietzschean smiled to himself and went back to work on the control panel. Rommie, who had decided to stay out of the argument, raised her eyebrow at everyone in the room, and left quickly before she was asked for an opinion.
*
"I'm going to be straight with you, Reese," Dylan told her upon their arrival to his quarters. "I need to know if you're reliable."
"What do you mean?" Reese wasn't sure if there was hidden meaning behind the question. Did he think she was a spy or something?
"You had your reasons for leaving the Eureka Maru, I'm sure," Dylan explained. "But I need to know whether or not you're just going to take off on me if I make you a part of my crew."
"I left to pay off a debt with an old buddy," Reese informed him. "Now that all loose ends are tied, I came back to continue where I left off. If Beka's loyal to you and the Andromeda, then so am I."
Her answer satisfied Dylan, and he broke a smile. "Welcome aboard, then." He extended a hand to her and she readily accepted it, sealing the deal with a firm handshake.
***
Tyr looked up as Dylan entered the bridge. Harper, Beka, Rev and Trance had left long ago, and he had been alone with his thoughts for a few hours.
"Dylan, do you think it's wise to appoint this girl, whom you know nothing about, as a member of your crew?" Tyr phrased his question carefully, trying not to show that his only concern was that she was just another annoying presence.
"I did the same for all of you, Tyr, so why not for her?" Dylan coolly replied.
"What is it about her that makes you feel she could be a benefit to your ship?"
"Well, she tells me that she knows the star systems like the back of her hand, and, when necessary, she is a skilled fighter."
"She's-" Tyr stopped himself, trying to arrange his thoughts. "Alright, why do you think you can trust her?"
"Beka trusts her, and I trust Beka, just as I would trust you or anyone else on this ship. Is there anything else you need cleared up, Mr. Anasazi?"
Tyr did not reply, merely shook his head, and instead turned his attention back to the control panel. She was from Beka's crew, and he rolled his eyes at the thought of another one of them on board. This new being would probably either try to avoid being around him, like Harper, or be incessantly clingy, like Trance. He did not particularly care for either option.
*
"So where did you go, anyway?"
Trance and Reese were gazing out into space, catching up on old times. Trance was eager to hear about her friend's adventures during her absence.
"A couple different systems," Reese shrugged. "Repaying an old buddy-"
"Taron," Trance nodded. "You told me before you left. What kind of stuff did you do?"
"Just some smuggling, nothing too dangerous."
"You could have gotten into trouble."
"Trance, I wouldn't get called on for these jobs if I got caught easily."
"I know, I know, you're one of the best there are at what you do," Trance nodded. "I'm still allowed to worry, you know."
"You sound like my cousin."
"You mean a lot to her--to all of us."
"I know, Trance. And I understand how you and Beka feel-"
"Harper and Rev too."
"Yeah, them too, but I need the action."
"Is that why you were hooked on flash?" Beka's voice came from behind the two of them. "For the action? Did you get that rush you desire so much?" They slowly turned around to acknowledge her presence.
"That was a long time ago, Beka," Reese protested. "I haven't touched the stuff since you brought me on the Maru. You know that."
Beka shot a look toward her younger cousin that said, "Do I?" all too clearly.
Trance looked from Beka to Reese and back again, sensing that they needed to speak alone. "I'm gonna go see what Harper and Rev are doing," she excused herself and scampered from the room.
"You don't believe me, do you," Reese frowned.
"It's not that," Beka sighed, walking over beside her. "It's...I've been there, Reese. I know what flash does, and I know what it makes you do."
"Bullshit," the girl shook her head disbelievingly. "You've never done any drugs before. You've told me that a zillion times. You can't convince me of this one, cuz."
"It was while you were gone. Ask anyone onboard; it was not my finest hour."
"I don't believe it."
"Well, you're gonna have to, because it's true," Beka sighed. "And I don't ever want to go through that again, or see you go through it again either."
"I can take care of myself."
"You're too impulsive."
"Hey, I've gotten you out of trouble before."
"Yeah, and I've had to get you and Rafe out of a lot more." Reese didn't reply to that and instead looked back out into space. Beka did the same, and spoke what was on her mind. "You're still my second-in-command, you know. If anything happens to me-"
"Shut-up, Beka, nothing'll happen to you."
"You shut-up. If anything ever happens to me, I'm counting on you to take care of the others, okay? Especially Trance. For whatever the reason, she looks up to you."
Reese hated to think of having to do anything without Beka there to help her, but she nodded anyway, knowing that her promise was important to her cousin. "You know I will." Beka put her arm around Reese's shoulders and squeezed. "So, I'm guessing now that we're working for Mr. Do-gooder, I won't get to do much smuggling?" Beka laughed and punched her in the shoulder, and Reese grinned.
"No, I'm guessing that probably wouldn't go over well," Beka smirked.
"Damn, put right out of business."
"So," Beka continued. "I have to ask you something."
"Shoot."
"Where'd you get the ship?"
"Swiped it."
"Reese!"
"You asked."
"Just...don't tell Rev."
Reese nodded. "I have to ask you something, too."
"Really? What?"
The cheesy grin returned again. "What did you mean by 'not a bad pilot'? Beka, I'm a freakin' flying ace!"
Beka punched her again, straightened up and headed toward the door. "Shut up, hotshot. We'll see if you can live up to your legend later, okay?" Reese laughed at that comment. She was just as Beka remembered her: cocky, but damn good at what she did. "Dylan's already assigned you your own quarters," she said. "You can ask the others to show you where it is. I'm going to bed."
"Catch you later," Reese waved.
As the doors opened and Beka left, Harper and Trance entered.
"Reese Valentine, you are lookin' fine," Harper winked at her. "And here I haven't even had the chance to properly welcome you back yet."
"Not a chance, Harper," Reese flashed her trademark grin. "I haven't gotten that desperate since I've been gone."
"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying."
"He never gives up, does he?" Reese directed her question to Trance.
"If he did, he wouldn't be our Harper." Trance smiled.
"All hail the one you all know and love," Harper held his arms open. Reese laughed and hugged him tight. "Now there's the sugar I've been missing."
"So, what have you been doing since I've been gone?" she asked him.
"Well, I've got myself an AI to play with now," Harper nodded. "And did you happen to see her android body? I built that, thank you very much. And did an excellent job, might I add."
"I love it when you're modest, Harper."
"What can I say, babe? I'm a freakin' genius."
"And don't we all know it," Reese smirked at Trance, who giggled. "So, hey, do I get a tour of this thing or what?"
"Ooh, yeah!" Trance agreed, hopping in excitement. "Harper and I will take you!" She happily hurried to the door as Reese and Harper grinned at each other and followed.
*
"Captain, I'm picking up a distress signal from a ship in our vicinity," Rommie's on-screen image informed him.
"Let's see it, Rommie," Dylan told her. She complied, and the image changed to the face of a frightened young man. Sparks showered down all around him and out-of-sight people screamed as the ship lurched back and forth.
"Anybody who can hear us...under attack...please to the Divine help us...deflectors down..." the message cut out and Rommie's image returned.
"How far are we from that ship?" Dylan asked.
"It's very close, Captain."
"Then what are we waiting for? Tyr, get us over there!"
"Immediately," Tyr mumbled.
"All personnel report to the bridge!" Dylan ordered over the communicators.
*
Harper and Trance were showing Reese the hydroponics garden when they heard the command.
"What's up, Boss?" Harper asked.
"Just get down here, Harper, I'll explain then," Dylan's voice replied.
"Sounds important," Trance observed.
"Doesn't feel like we're being shot at," Reese shook her head. "That's the most important thing in my book."
"We'd better hurry, anyway," Trance replied, and the three of them jogged to the bridge. Beka and Rev were already there, as well as Tyr, Dylan and Rommie.
"Sleep well?" Reese grinned at her cousin.
"Oh, shut up, brat," Beka rubbed her eyes. "I can't catch one wink around here without having to dash to the Bridge on an emergency."
"What's goin' on?" Harper asked as Trance ran to her station.
"We have intercepted a distress call," Rommie explained.
"And we're on our way to play 'Hero' yet again," Tyr muttered, eyes on the main viewport.
"Do you have their coordinates?" Reese was already checking one of the vacant control panels.
"We have their location and were about to enter slipstream," Rommie told her.
Reese took one look at the information that the panel spewed out and her fingers raced over the keypad.
"What are you doing?" Dylan sounded suspicious.
"I've replotted your course," Reese replied as she entered the new information. "It's not that much more efficient, but we won't skim so close to an asteroid belt this way."
Dylan exchanged a dumbfounded look with Rommie, then glanced over at Beka, who was wearing the 'I told you so' smirk on her face.
"Uh, alright then," Dylan was at a slight loss of words. He hopped into his chair and ordered, "Engage slipstream."
*
The Andromeda exited slipstream and the crew beheld three, comparatively small Nietzschean fighters attacking a cargo freighter.
"Hired goons," Beka sneered at the fighters. "That cargo must be pretty important."
"I'm more concerned with the crew onboard rather than the cargo," Dylan replied. "Tyr, get the cannons ready!"
"Don't you have any fighters?" Reese asked.
"It is unnecessary to use the slip fighters against so few targets," Rommie folded her arms, her eyes on the screen. "My cannons will suffice."
"Yeah, but how much fun is that?" Reese muttered, and Harper smirked in agreement.
"Rev, hail one of the fighters," Dylan commanded. Rev complied, and the image of a young, muscular Nietzschean appeared on the screen. "This is Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant," he told him authoritatively. "I am warning you to-"
"Mind your own business, human," the Nietzschean snapped.
"It becomes my business when it concerns the lives of innocent people," Dylan retorted. "I am advising you to call off this attack, or you'll be dealing with much more than a cargo freighter."
The Nietzschean's lips curled into a snarl and he cut off the transmission. Less than a second later, the fighters broke off their attack on the freighter, changed formation and sped toward the Andromeda, opening fire upon the Highguard ship.
"You know what to do, Mr. Anasazi," Dylan told Tyr without hesitation.
Two cannon blasts left the ship, and two of the fighters exploded in a white light. The third fighter broke away from the attack, taking evasive action and wasting no time in entering slipstream to escape.
"Should we follow them?" Beka raised an eyebrow. "He'll probably report back to whoever hired him to waste that freighter."
"Let's find out if those people are alright, first," Dylan decided.
*
Dylan, Beka and Harper stood on the cargo freighter, inspecting the damage done by the Nietzschean fighters.
"Why do you think you were attacked?" Dylan asked Warner Gliess, the young man he'd seen on the distress call.
Warner shrugged. "We aren't carrying anything of extreme value, I know that," he replied. "It's just some basic supplies. Nothing the Nietzscheans would want."
"It had nothing to do with what they wanted," Beka told him. "Those were mercenaries. It's someone else who's holding a grudge, possibly against your company. Who are you shipping for?"
"Trans-Galactic," the man nodded.
Beka snorted in recognition of the name and turned away. "Sid," she grumbled. "I know I wouldn't mind seeing your company go down."
"Deflectors are back online, boss," Harper called from where he was working. "Everything looks shipshape, if you don't mind the pun, and I believe that breaks my own record of fastest repair job ever, thank you. Please, hold the applause."
Dylan couldn't help but chuckle at Harper's self-proclaimed greatness. "Well," he turned back to Warner. "I believe you are ready to go."
"Thank you so much for your help, Captain Hunt," Warner attempted a proper salute. "We are in your debt."
"There's no need, just try to avoid any more trouble," Dylan nodded, and prepared to leave.
*
"So, Trance, guess who they were shipping for?"
"I don't know, Beka, I wasn't-oh! Ugh, Trans-Galactic, right?" Trance scrunched up her nose.
"You guessed it."
"Okay, I missed something," Reese raised an eyebrow. "Sam Profit owns Trans-Galactic, right? What did he do? Mess up a shipping order or something? I mean, I know Uncle Ignatius and-"
"Sam Profit is Uncle Sid, squirt," Beka cut her off. "And besides holding Trance and I hostage, torturing me, forcing flash on me and trying to send us both flying straight into a sun, no! There's no hard feelings at all between us."
"I'm just gonna shut up, now," Reese declared.
"The only reason we're alive is because Beka blackmailed him at the last minute," Trance said.
"Yup," Beka nodded sharply. "As long as I'm alive, Sid's illegal activities aren't exposed to the authorities."
"Illegal activities?" Reese sounded suspicious. "You can't turn in someone for smuggling, Beka!"
"Murder."
"O...kay."
"Could we please change the subject?" Trance inquired.
"Sure, how 'bout food?" Reese agreed. "Where can I get something to eat around here?"
"Right this way," Trance smiled. "Coming, Beka?"
"No, I'm going back to bed," Beka shook her head. "See you guys."
*
Dreegan Mako sat in his spacious office, staring thoughtfully out the window. He leaned back in his reclining chair to put his feet up, and placed his scaled hands together in front of his face so his two index fingers were barely touching his lips.
Outside the building, a small Nietzschean fighter descended on his private landing pad. Dreegan rolled his eyes in exasperation. As if he needed to be blatantly connected with the mercenaries. Whatever happened to discrete business agreements these days?
Well, at least the average person wouldn't be able to tell the ship's origin through the cloak of night. Perhaps he wouldn't have to have this ignorant creature executed afterall. What a pity.
"Mr. Mako," a security guard called attention to himself. "The Nietzschean, Braighle is here to see you. He says it is urgent."
Dreegan didn't move save for a flick of his finger, indicating that the guard should show the visitor in. The guard nodded, and disappeared for a moment. Almost immediately, Braighle stomped into the office, seemingly disturbed about something.
"Sir, I-"
"Have come very close to compromising my position, are you aware of that?" Dreegan cut him off. "I was sure that I made it quite clear that there was to be no possible way for the attack on the cargo freighter to be directly traced back to Mako Shipping and Transport."
"You did, but-"
"You are still young, Braighle. It would be a shame if something were to happen to you, would it not?" Dreegan's lips curled into a vicious smile. "Not good for your pride's name, I would expect."
Braighle stood stiff as a board, trying to hide any signs of intimidation. "No, it would not."
Dreegan turned slowly in his chair and made eye contact with the young Nietzschean. "Then it is lucky for you that I still have use for you, provided you do not make any more mistakes. Now, where are the others?"
"Dead."
Dreegan's reptilian eyes narrowed, and his mouth twitched slightly at the unexpected reply. "What did you say?" he asked, teeth clenched, hoping he'd heard wrong.
"We were attacked by another ship," Braighle told him. "The freighter must have sent out a distress call. The other two with me were destroyed."
Dreegan did not reply, and broke eye contact with the Nietzschean. The last thing he needed was a meddler in his affairs, even an uninformed meddler. He stood, and walked to the window and gazed outside, sorting his thoughts. "What was the ship that attacked you?"
"The Andromeda Ascendant."
"That will be all," Dreegan abruptly ended the meeting. There was something he'd heard about that ship, something that he could use, that he needed to confirm, and he wanted to begin right away. "Hide your ship and return here in a few hours. I'll need you for another mission. The pay will be triple what you were making on the last one."
"I'll return later, then," Braighle's eyes twinkled at the thought of that amount of money.
*
"So, he's taking care of you guys then, huh?"
"Yeah, he's a really great captain--not that Beka isn't, of course, I just-"
"I know what you mean, Trance," Reese couldn't help laughing.
"Yeah, I know you do," Trance smiled. "You always do."
It was late, and most of the others were asleep. Tyr was the only one on the bridge, just in case there was an emergency. The two girls had spent the time just chattering about the others and catching up on what they'd missed. There had been, of course, a couple questions from Reese regarding Harper, but she'd quickly steered off topic again.
"So," Trance paused for a moment before continuing. She'd wanted to bring up this question all day. "How did you know there was an asteroid belt so close to our course?"
"What?" Reese raised an eyebrow, regarding the purple alien curiously.
"Oh, you know, just back when we were about to enter slipstream, you changed the course so we wouldn't skim close to an asteroid belt. How'd you know it was there?"
Reese cocked her head to one side and eyed Trance, who avoided eye contact and stared out the window. Then Reese laughed and shook her head. "You figured me out, kid. There was no asteroid belt."
"I knew it!" Trance beamed. "I checked that course twice after you did that and I was sure that it was clear!"
"Why can I never put a scam past you, Trance?"
"I dunno," Trance shrugged. "It's a talent. But, why did you make it up, anyway?"
"Just to impress the Cap," Reese admitted. "You know, a little nudge in the direction of making sure that he believed that he'd made the right decision in making me part of the crew."
"You wouldn't have to prove that."
"Yeah, well, lucky he doesn't believe in double-checking, eh? Or else my scam would have been up a lot sooner than I would have liked. I'm guessing Captain Perfection doesn't go for con games."
"No, not really," Trance giggled. "Well, I better get to bed. I'll see you later, okay?"
"Sweet dreams, kid."
*
Dreegan grinned evilly at the information that was displayed on the flexi before him. He had spies planted all over the galaxies, trying somehow to dig up dirt on his rivals, foremost the shipping company, Trans-Galactic.
Sam Profit would not sell his company to the vast and expanding Mako Shipping and Transport. Dreegan had tried many ways: bargaining, bribery, blackmail, the latest being the fear tactic when he'd arranged to have one of Profit's ships attacked. Profit would know who had done it but would have no way to prove it.
Now, Dreegan's mind raced as his new plan took form. This one would be it, Profit would have no choice but to sell if he could get the information he needed. His eyes settled on one name on the flexi: Rebecca Valentine.
* * *
Beka was the first one up, and she walked onto the bridge, stretching her arms behind her back. "Quiet night, Tyr?" she asked him.
"Quieter than your watch had been, I imagine," Tyr replied.
"Yeah, well, Reese was a welcome surprise," she smiled sleepily.
"She strikes me as very similar to your brother."
"They're two of a kind, I agree."
"As I recall, your brother's original agenda did not involve a favourable outcome for us."
Beka sat down next to Tyr and frowned. "I know where you're going with this, and you're wrong. Reese is an important member of my crew and I trust her completely."
Tyr matched her frown. "You can look me in the eye and tell me that you didn't find her story of how she found us somewhat odd?"
"No, I couldn't," Beka shook her head. "But that's because that's how all of her stories go. Reese is a thief, a smuggler and an accomplished con artist among many other things. Do you honestly think, though, that she would reveal what really happened to a righteous Highguard officer?"
"I suppose not."
"Exactly. Yes, of course she was hiding something; she always is. But of everything Reese is, a traitor she is not," she made the point clear and Tyr nodded understandingly. "And by the way," Beka continued. "Don't pick on Rafe. If you remember, he came through in the end."
"So he did," Tyr allowed a slight grin.
*
"Price! Get in here on the double!"
"Yes, Mr. Mako?" Price entered the office.
"I want you to contact this woman," Dreegan handed his assistant the flexi. "Her last known whereabouts are there, as well as what to do if she refuses to co-operate. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Yessir!" Price accepted the flexi and scanned over the information.
"Good," Dreegan replied. "Summon Braighle and take him with you."
* * *
"First Officer Beka Valentine," Dylan spoke into his comm. "Your presence is requested on the Bridge."
"Ooh, very formal," her voice came back to him through the comm. "I'm guessing we're on our way to another possible Commonwealth sign-up?"
"Very astute," Dylan replied. "Now get down here."
Rommie's holographic image formed beside him. "Has it occurred to you that the circumstances to which we were contacted by the Aakresians were somewhat," she searched for the right word, "odd?"
"It's true that they made first contact, Rommie, but why pass up a chance to add another planet to the charter?" Dylan asked.
"Have you checked into their background? Do you know what they're like?"
"My source is headed here as we speak," he smiled reassuringly.
Rommie frowned. "I am simply considering all possibilities. There have been previous instances that have led me to be more cautious on our missions."
"I appreciate your concern, Rommie, but I'd like to remain optimistic." The doors slid open and Beka, Reese and Harper entered. "Beka," Dylan turned to her. "What can you tell me about the Aakresians?"
"The Aakresians? They're the industry rats of the known universe," Beka shrugged. "You look on the bottom of any gadget or gizmo you can buy or trade, and it's almost guaranteed to have a 'made in Aakresia' stamped on the bottom."
"They're also the base planet for one of the major shipping industries, Mako Shipping and Transport," Reese added.
"So, what would be their reasons for volunteering to sign the Commonwealth Charter?" Dylan asked his next question.
"That could be any number of reasons, Boss, from hopes of keeping their industrial monopoly when the New Commonwealth is organized, to, uh, seeing the sign up as a good business investment for their shipping company," Harper speculated Aakresia's intentions. "The Highguard is gonna need cargo transports."
Dylan scratched his chin, thinking to himself. "What do you think, Rommie?"
"They all seem to be perfectly plausible ideas," she nodded.
"I agree," he decided. "I'll send them a reply. Reese, for your first official act, plot a course for Aakresia. And Beka, get in that pilot's seat."
* * *
"Mr. Price, I'm pleased to welcome you aboard my ship," Dylan extended his hand to the Aakresian ambassador and his two assistants before him.
"The pleasure is all mine," he replied, a polite smile forming on his scaled face. His race was of humanoid build, but covered from head to toe with lizard-like scales. His short, reptilian tail curled upward at the end, and his forked tongue periodically slipped in and out of his mouth. "It is in Aakresia's best interests to support you, Captain Hunt."
"I'm very glad to hear that." Dylan accompanied his guests to the Bridge, with Rommie walking alongside them. The Aakresians had arrived in a small vessel, which was now docked in one of Andromeda's hangars. The ambassador had been sent to learn the exact details of the charter.
"I'd like you and your assistants to feel at home here on the Andromeda, Mr. Price," Dylan said, all smiles. "If there's anything you would specifically like to see, any of my crew can assist you."
"That is very kind of you, Captain Hunt. I assure you that we are quite at home aboard a starship. Our planet builds many of them, afterall."
*
Reese watched as Dylan welcomed the Aakresians. She stood safely out of sight, not wanting the ambassador to recognize her. Dreegan Mako practically ran the planet, so she wasn't surprised that some of his employees had been sent. Her problem ran more along the lines of them wanting their cargo ship back...
The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that she'd been followed. Dylan had mentioned that Aakresia had contacted him, and not the other way around, to sign the Commonwealth Charter. What if they had other, less constructive plans for the Andromeda?
Beka would tell her that she was being paranoid, and that she wouldn't even be recognized. She wasn't willing to believe this yet, however, and felt safer staying hidden from view.
*
"They give me the creeps."
"Oh, Harper, you've got to learn to look for the beauty in all creatures."
"No way, Trance, they're all scaly and slimy and ewww," he shuddered.
"You wouldn't say that if the ambassador was a female."
"Well, now that you mention it..." Trance rolled her eyes as Harper trailed off his sentence, trying to tease her. "No, seriously, Trance, they're gross and absolutely oozing...snake oil."
"Sounds like somebody else I know," she grinned, and he smirked sarcastically in reply.
"I agree with Harper, kiddo," Reese stated as she entered the hydroponics garden. "They're creepy."
"I would have thought you would have a more open mind."
"Normally I would. But I have a bad feeling about those guys."
"Why? What's wrong?" Trance asked as both she and Harper stared at Reese curiously.
"Pfft," Reese scoffed. "Nothing's wrong, kid. They're just those kind of weird things you see in your nightmares when you're little."
"They're not what I saw in my nightmares," Harper frowned.
"Alright, I'll give you that."
"I don't know, I think people shouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions," Trance shook her head. "Everyone deserves a chance to proove themselves."
Reese wasn't so stupid as not to pick up on Trance's reference to her own situation; of course Reese wouldn't be here if Beka hadn't given her a chance to proove herself. It was only that she felt nervous around the Aakresians, but couldn't tell her friends the real reason why, that was her main problem.
* * *
Mr. Price awoke early, at a time he'd figured to be before anyone else on the ship would do so, and sat up in his bed. He'd slept comfortably in the guest quarters of the Andromeda last night, and was prepared to move the plan forward to the next phase. He lifted his scaly hand and tapped the two-way communicator that was cleverly disguised as a pendant of Aakresia's national crest.
"Braighle, are you awake?" he spoke into it, his forked tongue flicking out of his mouth.
"Ready and waiting," the Nietzschean mercenary's voice replied.
"Good. Proceed with phase two. I will take care of everything else."
"No problem."
Price tapped the comm again and it switched off. He stood up, donned his ambassador robes, and left the room.
*
Reese was walking through the corridor, admiring the ship's décor, when a door not far away from her slid open with a whoosh of air. She ducked into a recess in the wall, and watched distrustfully as the Aakresian ambassador emerged from the room. He turned in the opposite direction from her, and, from what she could remember from her unfamiliar mental layout of the ship's interior, he seemed to be headed toward the Bridge.
Interesting, she thought. It's a little early for someone to be out and about so early. She remembered Harper telling her that he was on guard shift last night, and she didn't like the idea of him being alone with one of Mako's goons.
Reese waited until Price turned the corner, and stealthly followed him down the hallway.
*
Braighle sat in the cockpit of the Aakresian ship that had transported him, Price, and his assistants to the Andromeda. He carefully pryed open the panelling on the control board and scanned the interior. Several wires and cables intermingled inside, and Braighle took a moment to locate the one that he desired. He reached his strong, muscular arm into the compartment and disconnected one of the larger cables. This one had fed power to the main engines, thrusters and turbo boosters.
With his task completed, Braighle replaced the panelling as he'd found it. He left the cockpit and made his way to the cargo storage area. Once there, he lifted the lid on a large crate that had been conveniently emptied. He stepped inside and pulled the lid over top of him.
*
Harper jumped slightly as the sound of the bridge door opening snapped him from his catnap in the pilot seat. He could remember conversing with Rommie, or rather, Rommies last night, as both the android and holographic avatars had nothing better to do than shoot the breeze.
His last thoughts however, had been about Reese. He hadn't been able to get his returned friend out of his head, and had sat drifting in and out of daydreams throughout the night. Now that he was fully awake again, he could see that the Rommies were gone, and Price had just entered the room.
"Ah, Mr. Harper, wasn't it?" Price asked, his reptilian eyes shining.
"The one and only," Harper replied, hopping to his feet. "Can I help you with anything?"
"Actually, I was looking for Captain Hunt," Price explained. "Have you seen him?"
*
Reese pressed her ear against the bridge door, trying to hear what was going on. She didn't want to go inside, just in case the Aakresian believed she had been stalking him, which she supposed she had been. But she was prepared to act should any trouble--what sort of trouble she was expecting she wasn't quite sure of yet--happen to occur.
"You know, it works better if you just open the door," a voice came from behind her.
Startled, Reese slipped a little bit and steadied herself against the door as she turned to face Dylan. "Oh, hey, Dylan! I was just...uh...trying to...uh...see if-" Dylan's face sported a half-smirk, and she cut herself off, realising that she wasn't going to get a decent story away after being caught off-guard. "Busted, huh?"
"There's no need to eavesdrop," Dylan chuckled. "You're a member of the crew and that means you're free to go anywhere on the ship whether there's an ambassador present or not. Now let's go, I could use you to help plot our next course."
"Whatever you say, Boss," she replied in a chirpy voice, though her breakfast was doing cartwheels in her stomach.
Dylan tapped the panel on the wall and the door slid open. He and Reese walked through as Harper and Price turned to see who had entered.
"Well, speak of the Devil," Harper grinned. "Here's the man now."
Price nodded in response, but regarded the young female for a moment. She seemed so familiar to him, but he couldn't place where he'd seen her. He gave up trying to figure out the mystery for now, and turned to Dylan.
"Captain Hunt," he began, walking towards the man. "In the name of Aakresia, I thank you for your hospitality."
"Ah, there's no need for that, Mr. Price, but you are certainly very welcome," Dylan assured him. "Now am I correct in assuming you will be leaving today?"
"You are indeed correct, Captain," Price smiled. "There is much that needs to be discussed and decided with Aakresia's leaders."
Harper, bored with the political conversation, hopped over the railing behind the pilot seat and slid up beside Reese. "Good morning, gorgeous," he grinned. "Sleep well?"
She threw an amused smirk in his direction. "Not as well as I could have."
"Well, that's understandable, isn't it? I mean, what female in any galaxy could get a good night's sleep knowing that Yours Truly was staying awake all night, all alone, just down the hallway?" he winked at her.
"I did it for years, Harper, and it never affected my sleep patterns," she replied without missing a beat.
"Ouch, now I'd have to say that I'm hurt," he stated sarcastically.
"Ooh, poor baby."
"Really, though, Reese," he began seriously. "I-it's good that you're back."
"It's good to be back," she agreed, still looking at the display screen.
"Well, yeah, but I mean-"
"Mr. Harper, Ms. Valentine," Dylan called from across the room, interrupting Harper. "Will you two please assist Mr. Price in loading his ship for his trip?"
Harper's face fell slightly, but he caught himself in time. "Sure thing, Boss," he nodded, and he and Reese left the room.
"Thank you again, Captain Hunt," Price was really laying it on thick.
"Just be sure to put in a good word for us in the meetings," Dylan chuckled and shook Price's scaly hand.
*
Harper and Reese had finished aiding the androids and Price's two assistants to load the Aakresian cruiser and had returned to the bridge, where the rest of the crew was now located with the exception of Dylan, who had gone to the hanger to bid Price a final farewell.
The doors slid open and everyone looked up for a moment to see Dylan walk in, then went back to their respective conversations: Rev with Rommie, Harper with Trance, and Beka and Reese with Tyr.
"So when do I get a chance to fly this baby?" Reese asked, eyes shining.
"You don't fly like your young friend, do you?" Tyr asked, slightly worried.
"She's had a bit more experience than Trance, Tyr," Beka smirked.
"Yeah, I used to pilot the Maru on regular shifts with Beka," Reese nodded.
"Well, then it's always a plus to add the expertise of another pilot," Tyr smiled. "We certainly could use it. That would be the only reason that I...attempted to teach Trance to navigate the slipstream." At this, he rolled his eyes.
Reese almost laughed out loud. "Y-you tried to teach Trance to fly?" she asked, not believing what she was hearing. "Jeez, you are brave. I never even had the guts to try that!"
Tyr gave her a sarcastic, "Oh shut up," look that just made Reese laugh harder.
Beka grinned, then looked over her shoulder. Dylan was standing by himself in front of the viewport. "I'll be right back, guys," she stated, and walked over to him. "Hey," she greeted him.
He looked over and smiled. "Hey," he replied.
She looked out the viewport where he was stared and looked back at him. "Whatcha lookin' at?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," Dylan shook his head. "I was just thinking about...life."
"Ooh, heavy topic," Beka scrunched up her nose. "Care to explain?"
Dylan smiled. "Well, everytime a planet signs the Commonwealth charter, I feel that much closer to my goal. It gives me so much encouragement that we could actually pull this off. And then I think about the problems, like keeping those planets harmonized with each other, and the Magog attacks, and the Nietzschean slavers, and that after fifty planets, I'll lose what has probably been the best crew I've ever had."
Beka sighed and smiled warmly. "Dylan, I've said it before and I'll say it again. I wouldn't have missed this adventure for anything, and to tell you the truth, I've got no impending jobs lined up for after this. And if you think you're continuing the adventure alone buddy, you've got another thing coming."
Dylan laughed, showing his relief. He looked expectantly out the front viewport, waiting for the Aakresian ship to appear in space.
"What's taking Price so long?" Beka asked.
"I couldn't say," Dylan sounded a bit worried.
"Excuse me, Dylan?" Tyr called from behind them. "There appears to be an incoming message for you. It is strangely originating from this spot."
"Put it on-screen," Dylan replied, and Price's face appeared on the viewport.
"Captian Hunt," the Aakresian sounded apologetic. "I'm terribly sorry for this inconvenience, but my ship appears to have something wrong with its engines. They aren't receiving enough power. I'm so sorry for this trouble."
"Well, Mr. Price, I could get Mr. Harper to fix it for you, but I'm afraid it could take a while," Dylan said. "I'm not sure if you could make it back to Aakresia in time for your meeting."
"Hold on a minute, Dylan," Beka spoke up. "I could just take them back in the Maru and they could come back later when the ship was fixed."
"Thank you, Beka," Dylan smiled gratefully at her and she grinned back. "Alright Mr. Price, I'll send some of my crew down to help you unload and take your things to the Maru."
"That is very kind of you, Captain Hunt," Price nodded.
*
Price clicked off the video communicator and stood up. He made his way to the cargo storage and knocked on the long crate that sat in one corner.
"Braighle, they're coming now," he said in a low voice. "Is everything ready?"
The lid slid off the box and Braighle sat up, looking indignant. It wasn't his proudest moment hiding in a crate. "I left the disk on the navigations port," he replied. "You're all set."
"Excellent," Price grinned, licking his scaly lips. He made his way back to the cockpit and retrieved the promised disk, slipping it into his pocket as he heard footsteps approaching in the hanger.
*
"Look at this," Harper griped as he lugged a heavy box behind him. "My fall from grace: chief engineer to stockboy."
"Ah, quit whining," Reese smirked at him. "It's good exercise. You could build those muscles you never had."
Harper narrowed his eyes at her. "You know what, Reese? I'm starting to remember why I was so much more relaxed after you left."
Reese laughed. "Yeah, well, it's a good thing I'm back then. You've been too spoiled without me here to harass you."
"Is that the last of it?" Beka asked as Reese and Harper boarded the Maru.
"Yeah, and jeez! I don't remember this heavy sucker when we unloaded the first time!" Harper moaned. "And I don't want a wisecrack about that either, Reese."
"Harper, you hurt me with such accusations," she put her hand over her heart, feining innocense.
"Seriously, you guys, what the heck could he have in here that could be so heavy?" Harper squatted down and picked at the lock on the box.
"Harper, don't snoop," Beka scolded him with a smirk. "Just shove it in the back of the cargo bay with the rest of them."
"Yeah, yeah, fine," Harper rolled his eyes, not getting anywhere with the lock anyway. He dragged the box down the corridor to the cargo bay.
"Beka," Reese began hesitantly.
"Yeah, what's up, kiddo?" Beka replied, checking the gauges on the ship's control panel.
"I...uh...I just wanted to say be careful," Reese managed to spit out.
Beka looked at her younger cousin strangely. "Reese, what's up? It's just a transport gig. Not nearly even half as dangerous as some of the things we've run before. What's the deal?"
"Nothin', cuz, nothin's up," Reese quickly answered. "I just thought that, you know, since it's early you might still be tired and I don't want you flying into any stars, that's all." She regained her arrogant posture.
"I'll be fine, I assure you," Beka raised an eyebrow and shook her head. She wasn't ever sure whether Reese was serious or not. Beka usually found out what was really going on when whoever was chasing the girl caught up to her, and Beka had to pull her out of yet another jam.
"Okay, well, good," Reese replied, running her fingers over parts of the control panel. She was checking certain gauges, like the fuel, oxygen, and internal pressure for oddities, but trying to make it look like she wasn't.
Price and his associates boarded the Maru, and Reese ducked back into the cargo bay to join Harper. Beka watched her go, almost amused but with a touch of concern.
"Are the preparations complete, Miss Valentine?" Price asked Beka politely.
"Yup, we're all ready to go," Beka nodded. "As soon as the two slackers in the cargo bay get their butts out of there, we'll lift off." She said the last part a little louder, indended for Reese and Harper to hear.
The two of them quickly moved out into the cockpit and down the ramp.
"Seeya, Beka!" Harper called as they exited the docking bay.
Beka smiled and hailed the Andromeda, preparing to talk to Dylan.
His image appeared on the screen, and Beka grinned sarcastically. "This is Captain Rebecca Valentine of the Eureka Maru requesting permission to take off."
Dylan nodded. "Permission granted, Maru. See you later, Beka. And I'll hopefully speak to you later, Mr. Price," he added.
Price leaned into view. "I'm certain that there are no worries to be had for that, Captain Hunt."
Dylan smiled, "Andromeda out." His image disappeared.
"Alright, everyone, buckle up," Beka stated as the Eureka Maru's engines roared to life. The bay doors slowly opened, and Beka turned her ship around and maneuvered it out into the black of space.
*
The bridge doors slid open and Harper and Reese entered. Tyr looked up at them with an amused smirk on his face.
"I've never in my life seen two creatures take so much time to shift cargo," he told them. "It was almost pathetic."
"Hey, I didn't see you volunteering to help, you big ape," Harper shot back. "Besides, it's not like the lizard-guys were in a hurry, right Reese?"
She didn't respond. She had gone to the front viewport the moment she'd entered the room, and was watching the Eureka Maru slowly cruise toward the planet of Aakresia.
"Reese?" Harper walked over to her. "Are you okay?"
She snapped back into reality. "I'm fine, Harper, what are you talking about?"
"Well, I was a little worried when you didn't even notice getting insulted," he replied. "Totally not like you, was it, Trance?"
Trance joined them. "It did seem a bit unusual," she admitted.
Reese frowned, not knowing exaclty what to say, and resumed staring out the viewport.
*
Price re-entered the cockpit from his visit to the cargo bay.
"Everything was stacked alright, Mr. Price?" Beka asked, not looking at him. "I told you the crew was reliable. A little odd, I admit, but relia-HEY!" Beka cut her sentence short with a cry of protest as Price's associates grabbed her from behind.
"Just behave, Miss Valentine, and you won't get hurt," Price hissed from behind her.
"I won't, but you will!" she snarled, and wrenched herself free from their grip and scrambled to her feet.
Beka clenched her fist and knocked one of the reptilian henchmen back over the metal railing with a solid punch. The other one ran at her, but she ducked, and sent him sprawling with a sweeping trip. She jumped up to her feet again and reached for her forcelance. Extending it to become a quarterstaff, she whirled it around and fully connected with the side of the first henchman's head as he pushed himself to his feet. She brought it down across the second one's back to ensure that he stayed down as well.
"Now," she turned to Price, forcelance ready, momentarily catching her breath. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but we do things my way on my ship, and you are going to do exactly what I say if you want to continue living."
"I think not," came a deep voice from behind her, and Beka froze as she heard the familiar whistle of a charged blaster next to her ear. "Humans," the voice stated in disgust. "Always dropping their guard."
"Good work, Braighle," Price hissed, and shot an arrogant look at Beka. "I told you to behave."
Beka spit at him in reply, and Price snarled. Braighle grabbed Beka by the throat and slammed her against the ship's steel wall.
Beka's vision was slightly blurred, but she still recognized the Nietzschean. "Y-you were the one leading the attack on that cargo ship," she managed to wheeze out with the little air that was able to traverse her windpipe.
"I'm impressed," Braighle scoffed.
Price walked over to the control panel and withdrew a small disk from his pocket. He carefully inserted it into a slot in the panel, then set to work entering the code for its activation.
"What...are...you...doing?" Beka gasped, beginning to lose consciousness.
"All in good time, my dear, all in good time."
*
"Wh-what happened? Where'd they go?" Reese asked anybody as the image of the Maru flying in space went fuzzy and blinked out.
"A minor system malfunction," Rommie's image appeared instead. "It will only take a moment." She paused, then looked at Dylan. "Captain, we are being hailed by the Eureka Maru."
"Put them on screen," Dylan replied, confused.
The image that followed was one of Price, which continually blinked out. The transmission was choppy, and all they managed to get was, "...help...going to...fuel leak...expl..." The image cut out, and Rommie returned.
"Rommie!" Dylan shouted, now extremely concerned. "Get the Maru on the viewscreen. I want to know what's going on!"
"One moment, Captain," Rommie replied. "My system is having trouble-"
Her form disappeared, and the crew caught a brief glance of the Eureka Maru, just before it ignited into a ball of fire. The Andromeda shuddered slightly from the force of the explosion, and the debris from the ship floated slowly outward into space.
Reese stood, mouth open a crack, eyes glued to the spot where the Maru had been only seconds before. Her lips moved, but she was unable to form any words. She stood, oblivious to everything around her, withdrawn into seeing the explosion over and over in her mind.
Beside her, Trance sniffled, tears streaming down her soft purple cheeks. Harper took her into his arms, and she sobbed into his shoulder.
He turned wet eyes on the girl beside him. "Reese?" he called her name, having not seen or heard a reaction from her. But Reese didn't reply. Nor did she reply when Dylan, or Rev Bem called her name.
She couldn't reply; she couldn't even hear them.
To Be Continued...
