Author's Note: Beware the fluff.
Disclaimer: I do not regret the things I have done, but those I did not do. Oh yeah, and nothing in here belongs to me but Reese and the Aakresians. That's getting a tad redundant, eh? ;-)
A Stroke of Luck
Sid Barry listened to the rhythmic drip, drip, drip of the water as it slowly drizzled to the hard cement floor of his cell from the pipe network above. He was thinking over the recent events that had occurred in his life, especially those that had changed it forever.
If Sigma Gamma I officers were looking for him, that meant that they had found out about his murdering and flash smuggling - way back when he and Ignatius Valentine had parted ways. That meant that something had happened to Beka, and since Mako knew so much about it, he had to have had something to do with it. And that meant he had to pay.
Although Beka would never have believed him, Sid did feel bad about the way he had treated her upon her visit to his company. He just hadn't been able to shake the paranoia that she was up to something, and that drove him to do what he had. It had just been business, he'd told himself over and over. Unfortunately, that business had ensured that Beka, still the sweet girl he remembered and loved like his own daughter, would never trust him again. And now, she was gone.
A tear rolled down his cheek, and he growled under his breath. Mako would pay for what he had done. There was nothing he could do to make Sid give him the company. It didn't matter if it was useless to him now; he would not give that slimy creep the satisfaction of winning in every single category. Since Beka was already dead, there was nothing he could even bribe him with.
*
Rafe walked a foot in front of Trance, both staying close to the damp walls. They'd gotten a tad nervous after they realized they'd split with Harper and Reese, but had opted not too turn back and look for them. That would, afterall, defeat the purpose of having run away from the guards in the first place. Besides, this way they could cover more ground.
"Hmm," Rafe mumbled after checking around a corner and seeing that the coast was clear.
"What?"
"I'm just hoping that Harper and Reese will still remember that we are on a mission now that they're alone," he smirked.
Trance smiled. "Oh, getting a little worried about our bet, are we?"
"Not a chance. I meant that I hope they don't kill each other."
"Sure you did."
He cast an amused look in her direction, then looked back around the corner. "We have to find our way to the dungeon cells. They should be right underneath us. That's where they'll be keeping Beka." He started to the right.
"Uh-uh," Trance shook her head. "We should go left."
"Huh?" Rafe turned around. "Why? How do you know?"
"Just a hunch," she shrugged, smiling innocently.
Rafe raised an eyebrow. "Okay, your call," he agreed. "You lead then."
"Okay," Trance nodded, raised her gun, and followed the wall down the corridor to the left.
*
Harper and Reese cautiously navigated the Aakresian tunnels, albeit rather slowly. The serious nature of the situation had - for the most part - sobered Harper up, but Reese was hurting with every little movement her shoulder made. She gripped her hand of the injured right arm on her opposite shoulder, allowing her left arm to move freely, gun in hand.
Harper turned to look at her. "Hey, you doin' okay?"
She clouded her pained expression. "Why wouldn't I be?"
He shrugged and turned away again. "Where would Beka be?"
"In the sublevels. That's where the prisons are."
"You know how to get there?"
"Tch, no. I never ended up there," she rolled her eyes. "But there's gotta be some tunnel that goes down there."
"Yeah, that's true," Harper nodded, then frowned and turned to her again. "Does it seem weird that there aren't any guards around here, minus the ones outside?"
"Weird?"
"Yeah, like, this is a bit too easy?"
"Oh, yeah, easy, I'll go along with that one," she replied sarcastically, wincing as her shoulder brushed the wall.
"I'm serious, Reese. There should at least be a couple patrolmen or something down here, but it's deserted. Seems fishy to me."
She scratched the back of her head with her gun, realizing that he was right. "Well, what do you want to do, Harper? Go and find them and yell at them for not doing their jobs?"
"I don't believe that will be necessary," a deep voice stated from further up the tunnel.
The two slowly turned to face the source, holding their breath. Before them stood a Nietzschean, not quite as tall as Tyr, pointing a fully charged sidearm at them. He looked anything but friendly, and they both snapped their weapons up in defense, and recognized him immediately.
"You were leading the attack on the cargo ship," Reese said.
"Very astute. Now come with me, and I will not have to kill you."
"Whoa, whoa, hold it right there, you big spikey ape," Harper interjected. "We're not going anywhere with you."
"I have no use for you," the Nietzschean sneered. "Just her."
"You'll have to go through me to get to her," Harper tried to make himself look big as he shielded Reese, who looked surprised by that line.
The Nietzschean raised an eyebrow. "If you insist." He spun his sidearm around and used the butt of the gun to deliver a blow to the side of Harper's head.
"Seamus!" Reese exclaimed as he went sprawling to the ground, his gun skittering away. She dropped to his side. "You idiot, are you okay?"
"Feeling overly bright, and I'm going to pass out now," he declared before losing consciousness.
She smiled slightly at the remark, then howled as the Nietzschean lifted her up by her right arm. He looked a little confused by her reaction, but didn't ease up. "You are coming with me."
"You can't just leave him here," her eyes were beginning to water from the pain, and she couldn't hold onto the gun any longer, and it dropped from her grip. "I won't give you any trouble, just don't leave him here alone."
The Nietzschean shrugged. "Alright. It makes no difference to me, and whatever they do to him is on your head. You have chosen his fate."
Reese nodded, in too much pain to speak, and the Nietzschean holstered his sidearm and slung both figures over his broad shoulders, and then silently stalked back down the tunnel by which he had come.
*
The Andromeda Ascendant exited slipstream and saw the expanse of the planet Aakresia through the front viewport for the second time that week. Dylan turned to Rommie's hologram standing nearby.
"Rommie, can you trace any of the nanobots in Trance, Beka or Harper?" he asked.
Rommie's eyes turned skyward as she scanned for nanobot feedback. "Trance's are still offline, and Beka's seem to have been deactivated somehow, possibly by an injection of some kind. I am getting a clear reading from Harper, though. He's definitely down there."
"Good," Dylan turned to his three crew members behind him. "We'll take Price's ship that he left. Tyr, I want you and Rommie to trace that signal and find them. They could already be in trouble. I'll meet with the planet's resident leader, Mr. Dreegan Mako. That should buy you two the time you need to search them out. Rev, unfortunately, you're going to have to stay here. The sight of a Magog may cause a little more mass panic than needed, right now."
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Rev smiled his spike-toothy grin. "In any case, I am most certain that I would prove more useful here. You may require cover fire upon your return. And a quiet moment to ask the Divine to reveal your paths couldn't hurt."
Dylan nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. "No, it definitely couldn't." He, Tyr and Rommie left for the docking bay.
*
Reese sat on the cold floor of the dungeon cell, leaning up against the rough wall, cradling her right arm. Her attention went to Harper, who was lying next to her, as he emitted a soft groan.
"He lives," she smirked.
"You sure about that?" he sat up slowly and looked at her. "If I'm alive, then how come all I can see is an angel?"
"Shut up, Harper."
Harper grinned and leaned back against the wall. "So, what happened back there?"
"Big guy smoked you. You blacked out. Now, we're in the dungeon," she replied. "Too much for you to figure out?"
"No, no, I meant what happened to you?"
She furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"You called me Seamus," he grinned. "You never call me Seamus. Well, not unless you're, uh, severely pissed with me. So, come on, Reese, what's up with that?"
Reese stared at him in disbelief, mouth frozen open in horror, rendered completely speechless. It had just slipped out, and she had hoped he hadn't noticed. But he had, and now she needed a comeback. Again, she was unable to think of one, and the only thing she managed to spit out was, "Tch," accompanied by an eye roll.
"Well said, babe, well said."
"Shut up, Harper." She went to get up, but, forgetting about her shoulder, moved to push off the wall with both hands, and fell back with an agonized cry.
"Whoa, you okay?" Harper was immediately kneeling over her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I probably just pulled a muscle or something," she said through clenched teeth, but this time she did not try to prevent Harper from examining her shoulder.
He frowned, and pressed his thumb on one spot. "Does this h-"
"OW!" she howled, her body tensing.
"Nevermind," he sat back. "Well, babe, if it wasn't separated before, it sure looks like it is now."
"Dammit," she groaned, half under her breath. She inhaled deeply and exhaled in a huff. "Stupid Nietzschean jerk."
Harper laughed. "You don't have to tell me twice."
There was a jingling sound on the other side of the cell door, and it creaked open. The Nietzschean that they now knew all too well stepped inside. "Mako wants to see you," he bluntly told Reese.
"Mr. Harper," her voice was superior-sounding. "Would you please tell the large gentleman that I don't want to see anyone right now?"
"I'm sorry," he turned to the Nietzschean, playing right along. "Captain Valentine is kinda, uh, preoccupied at the moment. Can I take a message?"
"I am not in the mood for games, children. Now, come with me." Both glared at him defiantly. He moved toward them, drew his sidearm, and held it to Harper's head. "Now."
"I dare you," Harper stuck out his chin rebelliously. The gun whistled as it was powered up.
"Cool it, Trigger-Finger, I'll go," Reese interjected. "I could use a scenery change, anyway." She held out her left hand, and the Nietzschean looked at it suspiciously. "Gonna need a little co-operation here, Slick." He pulled her to her feet, and she winced at the sudden movement.
"You'd better not hurt her," Harper warned him.
"That was not in my job description," the Nietzschean shrugged. "I leave that to someone else." He slammed and locked the cell door behind him after moving the girl out.
Harper stood scowling for a moment, then clutched his stomach as his insides lurched. He grabbed for the medicine he'd hidden in his pocket and inhaled. The stabbing pain subsided, but as he checked how much he had left, there were only two doses remaining. He frowned. If they didn't find a way to get out of here, and quick, he could be in big trouble.
*
The Nietzschean steered Reese, at gunpoint, into a small room at the end of the smelly dungeon corridor. Inside was a large uncomfortable-looking wooden chair, around which stood three Aakresians: Dreegan Mako and two of his guards. The corners of Mako's slimy mouth curled into a sadistic smile when she entered.
"Ah, Ms. Valentine-"
"Don't call me that."
"Still as delightful as ever, I see."
"Too bad I can't say the same about you."
The Nietzschean poked her harshly between the shoulderblades with the muzzle of his gun.
"It's alright, Braighle," Mako held up his scaly hand. "She is just furthering the justification for her upcoming fate."
"And what's that?" Reese rolled her eyes. "You gonna make me listen to one of your public speeches?"
Mako scowled, and nodded to Braighle, who struck her upside the head with his sidearm. Reese stumbled forward a couple steps, shaking her head, trying to clear the dazed feeling that had overcome her. She blinked hard, and stood straight again. "Braighle, right?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer before throwing her left elbow hard into his stomach, and trying to bolt around him. Unfortunately, being a Nietzschean, he was barely phased, and grabbed her by the right shoulder as she tried to escape. She screamed.
"Now, then, we can't have any of that," Mako tsk-tsked as Braighle practically threw her into the chair. She curled up in the seat, trying to protect her shoulder from further harm. Unfortunately, her efforts proved futile, for her weak point had been exposed. "After all these years, I finally have the murderous Reese Valentine in my clutches." As he said the last word, he gripped her injured shoulder.
Reese tried not to concentrate on the pain. "I...didn't murder...that...guard," she wheezed through her tightly clamped teeth.
"It doesn't matter whether you did or not," Mako shrugged. "Because the mindless citizens of this planet believe what I tell them to believe, and I told them that you are a murderer. And once you have served your purpose, you will be executed publicly." He lowered his lizard-like face to hers. "Your suffering will be considerably less if you simply co-operate. Where is your partner, Rafe Valentine?" She spit at him, and it splattered in his eye. "Alright," he stood up, roughly wiping the vile fluid away. "We shall do this the hard way."
The two guards in the room grabbed Reese's hands and pulled her to her feet. She wailed as her shoulder was wrenched about, tears of anguish flowing down her cheeks as her wrists were chained to the stone wall above her head, putting unbelievable stress on her injury and preventing her from sitting. As she tried to keep her eyes from rolling back into her head, she could make out through her tear-blurred vision that the guards were pulling spike-studded gloves over their reptilian hands.
Price rushed into the room before they could go any further. His face looked troublesome as he spoke to Mako.
"Mr. Mako, we may have a problem."
"I thought you had everything taken care of."
"Well, you see, Sir, it's the Highguard ambassador, Captain Dylan Hunt? He's returned to our system, and he wants to speak with you personally."
Mako frowned. "Do you think he suspects anything?"
"He stated that he still wishes to discuss the possibility of signing the Commonwealth charter."
"Did he see you?"
"No, Sir. Your secretary, Delilah, took the message."
Mako thought for a moment, then nodded. "I will humour him for a while. I do not want him to think anything is awry." He looked over his shoulder as one guard smashed his fist to the side of Reese's face, leaving a bloody gash. The other dug the spikes into her shoulder, and she cried out - an eerie-sounding howl. Mako looked back to Price. "Carry on down here. You know what to do next."
"Yessir."
*
Beka jolted awake as the sounds of screams reached her ears. The bone-chilling noises echoed off the damp walls from deep in the dungeons, but she could hear them clear enough to know that they were from some pour soul being tortured.
It made her sick to her stomach to think about it, and she struggled against her chains. She was regaining her strength and had formulated a plan over her week here: if she let the chain links lie in the puddles of water that dotted the cell for that length of time, they would begin to rust and therefore weaken. Now, as she exerted all of her strength against the shackles, she felt the links begin to bend, then finally break.
"Thank the Divine," she muttered to herself as she stood and stretched for the first time in seven days. Every joint in her body cracked and popped, and she felt instantly rejuvenated. She bent and picked up the remains of the chains, and pressed herself against the wall beside the door, waiting for Braighle to return with her daily gruel. "Here, Nietzsch-y, Nietzsch-y, Nietzsch-y," she grinned to herself.
*
The door to Sid's cell swung open, and he jumped to his feet, already edgy from the screams from down the corridor. "What do you want, now?" he demanded as Price and two guards walked in. "I've already told you, I won't let you have my company."
"I think we just might have a little something that could change your mind," Price replied.
"I severely doubt that."
"Well, no harm in having a look, is there?" the Aakresian asked, and the guards took hold of Sid's arms and escorted him out of the cell and down the row of cell blocks to the room where they'd beaten him - the room where the screams were coming from. "After you," Price moved to the side, allowing Sid to enter.
Braighle had already left - presumably to collect his bounty - and the two guards that had been in the room moved away from their shackled victim, and Sid's jaw dropped in recognition. "Reese?" he jerked away from the guards and ran to her. "Sweetpea?"
"Oh God," she sputtered through the blood and tears, her body trembling. "Only...one person...ever called me that." She forced her eyes open, squinting through the mixture of bodily fluids that blurred them. "Uncle Sid?"
"It's me." He whirled on the reptilian creatures. "What has she done to deserve this?"
"That wretched creature is a wanted criminal in this galaxy, and many others," Price sneered. "And if that wasn't enough, having connections to you was." He raised a superior eyebrow. "But you can stop this, Profit. You can end her suffering."
"You can't have the company!"
"It really is very refreshing to see how little you care about those you were so close to," the Aakresian smirked. "But perhaps a little time to think things over may be just what you need." He nodded to the guards beside him, and they roughly dragged Sid back to his cell. "Lock her up again, as well," Price pointed to Reese. "No sense in over-exerting yourselves when it isn't necessary." The other guards nodded, and began to carry out their orders as Price left the room.
*
Harper's heart had skipped a beat when the screaming that he knew was Reese's had stopped; he wasn't sure what that could mean. Had they decided to stop whatever they were doing to her? Had she blacked out? Was she-?
He paced the room, shaking that last thought from his head. There was no way that it could be possible. Reese was strong; she would never just give up like that. Besides, it wouldn't be fair! He hadn't had the chance to tell her that...well, it would really suck. A lot.
The door burst open and Harper snapped his head around to see Reese get pushed into the dark cell, and the door slammed behind her. She landed hard on her stomach and he raced over to her. "Reese? Reese, are you okay??" he asked frantically, and tried to help her up.
"Argh," she winced as he touched her, then coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood. "No."
"Uh, yeah, I can see that, now," he commented, rolling her onto her back, and sitting her up against the wall as gently as he could, though he could see that every little movement hurt. He quickly removed his cotton over-shirt and used it to wipe the blood from her face and out of her eyes. "That better?"
"Dunno," she replied. "I hurt too much too tell." She took a long, deep, raspy breath, then looked him in the eyes. "Harper?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm...I'm gonna tell you something I don't think I've ever told anyone before."
"Okay."
"I'm scared," she admitted, not breaking eye contact. "I'm scared outta my mind. I'm scared that now I'm finally in over my head and I really don't know how to get out of this one. And I'm scared that after everything I've been through and all the high-risk flying I've done, I'm gonna end up getting mine at the receiving end of a torture session. And I'm especially scared that I'm gonna get you killed, too." She was trembling now.
Harper bit his lower lip, and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight to stop her from shaking. "That's not gonna happen, Reese," he shook his head. "I won't let it happen."
"Harper, no offense, but how are you gonna stop it?"
"Just trust me on this one, okay?" he was amazed that even in this condition, she still managed to be sarcastic. Well, no, he wasn't amazed, actually. "Look, somebody once told me that 'where there's life, there's hope'. We are gonna get through this if we believe we can, okay? We're in this together, and...I'm not letting them hurt you anymore."
She pressed her face into his T-shirt and smiled, even though his mere touch was pure torture on her bruised and beaten body. His words almost made the hurting go away, if he hadn't been carefully exploring the multiple bloody holes left on her arms from the razor-like spikes. Somehow, at that moment, she just didn't mind.
"Thank you," she said softly, and he smiled.
*
Rafe and Trance crouched deep in the shadows, watching as two Aakresian guards strode by. They had made it to the dungeons on Trance's gut instincts, and now were trying to devise a plan to figure out which cell was holding Beka. They decided that since it really didn't matter which cell it was if they couldn't get inside, they turned their attention to the guard with the key ring dangling from his belt. When he was the only one left in sight, and had his back turned, they went to work.
Rafe ran up behind him, tapped him on the right shoulder, and dashed around him on the left.
"Hey!" the guard exclaimed after untwisting himself from his moment of confusion. "Hold it right there!" he shouted after Rafe, then clutched his throat as his air supply was cut off. He blacked out and dropped to the ground. Trance stood over him and unwrapped her tail from around his neck.
"Easy as cake," she beamed.
Rafe raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He bent and removed the key ring from the guard's body, and began to scan the cell doors. "They aren't even marked, or anything," he noted. "I wonder how they can even tell them apart."
"Maybe they have some special system," she walked along the corridor, looking for clues. She stopped outside one of the doors, and crouched down to the ground.
"Find something?"
"Maybe," she pointed to the floor. "Look at the scuff marks. This door's been opened recently."
Rafe joined her. "Good eye." He selected the right sized key from the ring and slid it into the lock. It clicked, and he pushed the door open carefully. "Beka? Are you-"
He was cut off as he was clubbed over the head with something hard and metallic, and he dropped to the floor.
"Oh my God, Rafe?"
Beka dropped to his side, and helped him sit up. "Hey, sis."
"I'm so sorry! What are you doing here?"
"Well, I thought it was a rescue mission, but the hero doesn't usually get schmucked by the damsel in distress," Rafe retorted.
"First time for everything," Trance came into view.
"Trance!" Beka grinned. "Am I ever glad to see you. Finally, my luck's about to change." She frowned after a moment. "Wait, if you both are here, then you're not alone, are you?"
"No," Trance admitted. "Harper and Reese are here too, somewhere."
"You mean you don't know where they are?"
"Not exactly," Rafe rubbed his head. "We got separated."
Beka huffed. "That means she's probably in trouble."
"Have a little faith, sis. She could break the streak." Beka gave him a look. "Or not."
"Think about where we are and who we're talking about, Rafe."
"You're right, she's in trouble." Rafe nodded. "I shoulda thought of that sooner."
"Well, as Rev would say, don't dwell on the past; learn from it," Beka shrugged, and pulled him to his feet. "We have to find her."
*
Tyr and Rommie had parted ways with Dylan as he was admitted to be shown to Mako's office for a meeting. They were now searching the slums for any sign of their missing crew members. They came across one particular sector where there seemed to have been somewhat of a commotion recently.
"What happened here?" Rommie raised an eyebrow.
"Gall dern hooligans running wild around here, that's what!" one of the shopkeepers commented to her. "Took me a good solid hour setting these displays up again after those kids knocked 'em down! If they don't wanna have to be running from the guards, then don't do anything illegal, that's what I always say."
"Running from the guards?" Tyr picked out that one part.
"Aye, that's right," the bartender was listening from entrance to his establishment. "Couple guards came into my place, here, looking for four criminals. I told them the only odd folks I noticed were the four that just came in, but they didn't seem like criminals. The one lad seemed more lovesick to me - certainly likes his Neubayern Weisbrau."
"Harper," Rommie whispered to Tyr. "Play along. We're looking for the fugitives." Tyr nodded.
"Anyhow, they caught sight of the guards and took off," the bartender shrugged, pointing across the market. "Down that there tunnel. Kinda feel bad for fingering them. Seemed like alright kids to me."
"Thank you for your help, civilian," Tyr nodded. "The fugitives will be apprehended."
"We'll take it from here," Rommie added, giving the bartender an authoritative look. He nodded and went back into his bar. Rommie and Tyr quickly entered the tunnel he had pointed out, and continued their search, following Harper's signal again, deeper and deeper into the tunnels.
*
"Okay, so where did you get separated?" Beka asked as Rafe handed her one of the two guns he had slung on his hips.
"Way back in the ground-level tunnels," Rafe replied.
"So, thinking realistically, they could be anywhere," she frowned. "Trance, any ideas?"
"I don't really know, Beka," Trance shrugged, wishing she could help. "There are just so many tunnels and therefore so many possibilities to where they could have gone, it's really almost impossible to know exactly where they are now."
"Yeah, alright, we'll..." she trailed off and held up her hand to tell Trance and Rafe not to speak. She pointed to the conjoining hallway, indicating that somebody was around the corner. All three readied their weapons, and burst around the corner as the two on the other side did the same.
"Tyr!" Beka's jaw dropped.
"Rommie?" Trance's eyes widened.
"Busted," Rafe's face fell.
"I don't believe it," Tyr was staring.
"Beka," Rommie eyed the scattered cuts on her face. "Are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh, these, yeah I'm fine," she nodded, holstering her weapon. "A little stiff, but hell, I'm alive. Honestly, though, I don't have any clue as to why they were keeping me here, unless they just really wanted the Maru or something. Anyway, how many rescue squads do you need, exactly?"
"We're their rescue squad," Tyr corrected her, almost smirking.
"Hey, we did okay," Rafe protested.
"Without authorization," Rommie quickly added. Rafe and Trance looked away, and Beka looked confused. "I'll explain later. Right now, we've got to find Harper and Reese."
"We already kinda suspected they were in trouble," Beka nodded.
"It's probable," Rommie agreed. "I have a lock on Harper's position, and he hasn't moved from that location in hours. The good thing is, he is in this area."
"And Reese is probably with him," Beka stated. "Lead the way, Rommie."
Rommie walked briskly down the dungeon hall, looking back and forth between cells. She stopped in front of one door, eyeing the blood-speckled ground in front of it. "This is where the signal is coming from," she stated.
"Oh my gosh," Trance bit her lower lip, also noticing the blood.
"I've got the keys," Rafe held them out to the android.
"No need," Rommie replied.
*
Harper could hear muffled voices from the other side of the door, and was ready to protect Reese if the guards decided to make another appearance. She was dozing against his chest, but was jarred painfully awake as he jumped when the cell door was wrenched off of its hinges. Luckily, a familiar figure was silhouetted in the door frame as the huge piece of metal was moved aside.
"Rommie?" his eyes lit up. "Doll, am I glad to see you. I thought that Nietzschean had gone super freaky on the door for a second."
"What Nietzschean?" Tyr moved into view.
"A bounty hunter. Same big gorilla that was leading the attack on the cargo ship last week."
"They called him 'Braighle'," Reese's voice was just above a whisper. Harper relayed the message to Tyr.
"I haven't heard of him, nor did I recognize him then," Tyr frowned.
Beka, Rafe and Trance, meanwhile, had rushed over to Reese. They'd been taken aback by her bloody condition, and Trance observantly noted the pieces of Harper's shirt wrapped around her wounded arms. She nudged Rafe, who shot her a silencing look.
"You are one crazy little freak, you know that? You could have gotten yourself killed!" Beka lectured her younger cousin, and Reese managed a smile. "And you are going to have to tell me a little story about what the hell your deal with this place is when we get back. But for now, let's find the Maru. Tyr?" she turned to him. "We need to borrow your muscles, big guy."
Tyr walked over and scooped her up, holding her with one arm the way one might hold a baby - leaning her up against his shoulder - and gripping his weapon in his other hand. She moaned as she was moved, too weak to protest any further.
Harper winced at the sound, and Rommie noticed. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's nothing my nanobots can't heal," she assured him. He smiled gratefully.
As the group carefully moved out into the hallway, Reese tugged lightly on Tyr's jacket collar, trying to get his attention. "Stop," she protested. "We can't leave yet."
"Why ever not, child?" Tyr sounded impatient. He wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Taking on a planet's army wasn't very good strategy for survival. "Our mission here is complete, unless you are yearning to be back in the torture room?"
"Hey, back off!" Harper and Rafe ordered in unison, and Rafe scowled. It occurred to him that he was getting closer and closer to losing that bet.
"What is it, Squirt?" Beka asked Reese, shooting a look at Tyr.
"Sid," Reese uttered. "Uncle Sid. He's here."
"What, like a prisoner?" Reese nodded, and Beka looked around, then frowned. "Sorry, cuz, that's not generating a whole lotta sympathy from me."
"Beck, we can't just leave him here," Reese pushed her point.
Beka took a moment, then sighed. "Alright. You guys keep watch. Reese, where is he?" Reese paused for a second, remembering which cell she'd seen the guards throw him in when they'd taken her back as well. It had been blurry, but she could recall, and pointed to a door down the row. Beka and Rommie stalked over to it, but before Rommie could liberate it from its hinges, they were interrupted by a deep voice.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
They looked to the source and saw a tall Nietzschean step into view. Tyr sneered. "Braighle, I presume."
"That's right," Braighle replied casually, locking his weapon on Tyr. "And who might you be?"
"I am Tyr Anasazi of the Kodiak Pride." The younger Nietzschean looked taken aback. "You recognize the name."
"I do," Braighle nodded. "You possess the remains of Drago Museveni."
"And you know that whoever holds that holy relic also controls the fate of the Nietzschean people?" Braighle nodded. "Then I suggest you allow us to be on our way. You have collected your bounty on this child already, have you not?"
"I have."
"Then what sense does it make to risk your life against six opponents, five with guns, if you have nothing to gain from it?"
Braighle thought for a moment. "I have decided to ensure my own survival."
Tyr smirked. "A wise choice, boy. It would be wise to leave the planet as well."
Braighle nodded, an amused twinkle in his eye, and left the corridor. Beka grinned at Tyr, thanking him silently, and Rommie went ahead to tear the door from its frame. Beka stomped inside.
"Sid?" she snapped. "Are you here?"
"Beka?" he appeared, a look of shock all over his face.
"Let's go."
"You're-"
"Move it!"
He clamped his mouth shut and quickly joined the others.
"Dylan?" Rommie spoke aloud, transmitting to her Captain. "Mission complete. Reese and Harper are safe. We need the location of the Maru."
*
Dylan looked up as Dreegan Mako entered the office, an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm so very sorry to have kept you waiting so long, Captain Hunt."
"Not at all, Mr. Mako," Dylan faked his smile. He stood and shook the Aakresian's hand. "I'm sure you're a very busy man, especially considering the recent events."
"Yes, indeed, you are correct about that," Mako nodded, and sat down at his desk. "Now, my secretary tells me that you still wish to discuss the possibility of a Commonwealth signup?"
"Yes, that's true. I think that despite the losses we have both suffered, we can still find some way to reach an agreement," Dylan explained. "A resurrected Commonwealth would do nothing but good things for your economy."
Mako kept up his smile while his mind raced. Does he really not suspect a thing? He must be even more stupid than he looks. "I agree completely, Captain. However, there is just far too much business to take care of before I can even think to consider your request. I hope you'll understand."
Dylan heard Rommie's voice through the receptor in his ear. "Dylan? Mission complete. Reese and Harper are safe. We need the location of the Maru."
"Of course I understand, Mr. Mako," Dylan stood up. "But not exactly about what you are referring to."
"I don't quite understand."
"Then let me put it this way. You used and manipulated my trust to get to a member of my crew. You lied and deceived me into thinking she was dead. On top of that, you've endangered two more of my crew."
"But Reese Valentine is a wanted criminal on this planet-"
"Don't talk to me about criminals," Dylan growled. "Now, we're taking Beka back, and there isn't a damn thing you can do to stop us. Am I understood?"
"I don't think you are in a position for threats, Captain Hunt."
Dylan drew his forcelance and aimed it for Mako's head. "Oh, I think I am. Now, tell me where you're hiding Beka's ship, the Eureka Maru."
Mako narrowed his eyes, and his jaw trembled in anger. "Platform thirty-three," he submitted, and waved his scaly hand. "Now get out of my office."
"Don't ever come near my crew again."
Dylan opened the door, still aiming at Mako's head, and backed out of the room. Price entered, eyes wide, staring at his boss. "Why did you let him go?"
"There is plenty of time to devise a way to dispose of him," Mako explained, swiveling his chair to look out the window. "He will be an interesting enemy. Besides, we still have an investment deal to seal."
Price swallowed hard. "I am afraid that isn't so, sir. Hunt's crew has freed Profit."
Mako's eye twitched, but he kept his composition. "I cannot say that I am not disappointed, Price. Luckily, for your life, this is just a minor setback. Mako Shipping and Transport always comes out on top. Mark my words."
He sat quietly thinking for a long time after that, eventually watching the Eureka Maru escape the planet's atmosphere, and he bid it good riddance for the time being.
To Be Continued...
