"Honey, I'm home!" Harper called as he stepped out of the airlock of the Eureka Maru and onto the hangar deck of the Andromeda. Andromeda's drones and bots were already busy at work helping to unload the supplies that had been brought. He addressed one of them directly. "Did you miss me, Rommie? Did ya, huh?" Like Dylan, Harper was a product of his age. But unlike Dylan, this meant that his hair was always somewhat unkempt and his clothes were rarely without a wrinkle. And while Dylan was obviously up tight, Harper prided himself on knowing how to relax.
One of the drones turned and addressing Harper in Andromeda's voice, said, noncommittally, "Welcome back, Harper. I trust your trip went well."
Harper opened his mouth to reply when Beka burst in and interrupted with an energetic, "Well, Harper. Did you get it?"
"Did I get it," Harper grinned, waving a flexi of the inventory list. "Need you ask? Has The Harper ever let you down? When it was important I mean?" He pointed with his thumb to a box lying on the floor that had just been unloaded. "Where's Trance?" asked Harper, missing his usual welcoming committee.
"Oh, you know, Trance. She's off on a project, something or others of hers to help me get ready for tonight's ball," Beka said, as she went to and knelt next to the awaited box, then began fiddling with its locks.
"Ball?" Harper perked up. "What ball?"
Beka paused and glanced up as Rev came out following one of the drones. "Hi, Rev. How was the trip? Enjoy yourself?"
"Very enlightening, Beka," said the Magog, dressed in orange-colored robes. "How goes things with Dylan and his contact with the Monarcheans?"
"Oh, I'll save that for him to tell you about," Beka replied.
"Mr. Harper. Rev Bem," came Dylan's voice over the shipwide communication's system. "Glad to see you made it back, safe and sound."
"Hey, boss," greeted Harper. "No problem. And wait'll you get a load of the goodies I brought back with me. When Harper goes to town, he really--"
"That's good to hear," said Dylan. "I just wanted to inform you that the Monarcheans are having a ball in our honor and all are invited to attend."
"Hey, I'm there, boss," Harper smiled.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline the invitation. There are things neglected during my absence I need to attend to," said Bem, his voice sounded rough despite his peaceful demeanor.
"Understood, Rev," said Dylan. "Is there anything else I should be apprised of?"
Beka was the only one who caught the look that passed between Harper and Rev. Bem inclined his head towards Harper as if there were something to add and Harper shot back a gimme-a-break look. Rev remained silent and Harper piped, "Nothing you need to be concerned about, boss."
"Okay. Dylan out."
"Excuse me, Beka. I will tell you about my experiences later." Rev walked away in the direction of his quarters.
"Sure." Beka decided to let it go as the locks released on her box. She had only gotten a glimpse at the contents when a sound caused her to quickly shut the lid and refasten the locks once again. "Tyr," she said, standing up and knowing even before she turned who was standing there. Tyr Anasazi was known to lurk silently in shadows sometimes with a stealth that was amazing for a person of his size but Beka found she was developing a talent for detecting his unexpected presence.
"Were you planning on attending this ball tonight?" Tyr's voice bellowed. He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, but this at rest position was merely an illusion. Although he sometimes claimed boredom, there was nothing lazy nor restful about Tyr Anasazi.
"Um, yeah," said Harper, always a little bit nervous around Tyr. "In fact, I was going to go and start getting ready for it now."
Tyr simply stared at him. "Don't let me keep you, Little Man," Tyr replied, and he straightened and took a step forward in Harper's direction.
"I said I was going now, didn't I?" shrieked Harper. He picked up his heels and hurried away as fast as he could.
"Oh, would you stop?" said Beka, attempting to scold but not quite succeeding as Harper's fleeing form gave her an uncontrollable desire to laugh. She put one foot on the box and assumed "The Thinker" position while trying to decide if she would be able to lift and move the item without drawing Tyr's attention to it.
Tyr did not smile, but there did seem to be a humorous gleam in his dark eye. "I cannot stop. It is what he expects. Besides, it does him good."
"Being frightened nearly to death does him good?" Beka asked incredulously and raised her eyebrows.
Tyr nodded. "He needs the exercise."
Beka didn't think she felt like getting into an argument with Tyr today, so she changed the subject. "So I take it you're not planning on going to the ball?"
"Someone needs to guard the ship," Tyr shrugged. "You, I assume, are backing Dylan. Do you think it wise for Dylan to expose himself to danger, accepting an invitation from strangers he barely knows?"
"Danger from what?" Beka asked him and her foot slipped off her box back to the floor. "The Monarcheans? You have seen them haven't you? One word for you, Tyr: Butterflies."
Tyr didn't answer for a moment. It was true. Monarcheans did have the thin limbs and colorful wings that reminded one of butterflies. The people did not seem to pose any threat to the Andromeda Ascendant. "Exactly my point. What do these people have to offer?"
"If there's one thing I've learned from Dylan, it isn't about what they have to offer. It's what we have to offer them. He wants to give these people better lives."
"My presence is not required at the ceremony," Tyr said, simply. "They haven't even agreed to sign the charter. I know Dylan insists on taking unnecessary risks and exposing himself at public functions, but I see no reason why I should do the same."
Beka could forgive him for that statement. Tyr hadn't been very thrilled about any public ceremonies of pomp and circumstance ever since that particular function where he'd nearly been framed for the murder of the Castalian president. And, since currently he seemed too wrapped up in his own concerns to be wondering about her box, she bent once more to pick it up by the two handles at the top of it. "It's only for a few hours. Rommie's going too," she said, by way of making conversation. "She'll stick close to Dylan and I'm sure she'll act as a sufficient enough bodyguard--since you don't seem to want the job." Unfortunately, the weight of the box and its contents were more than she expected and upon picking it up, she stumbled a few steps forward.
Tyr reached out a hand and steadied her load.
Before he could offer to help further, Beka redistributed her weight, adjusted her hold, and regained her footing. "I got it," she said, sharply. She turned back towards the Maru. "It's your loss, Tyr," she chided. "You'll miss the joy of seeing me flex my diplomatic muscle." And with these words, Captain Valentine disappeared onto the Eureka Maru.
Tyr looked about for a moment as if deep in thought. Then, he turned and walked towards the command deck.
There wasn't much happening on the command deck at this time of day. Andromeda was in orbit around the planet and thus no organic beings were needed to pilot her into slipstream. The ship was left on to take care of herself. Dylan, who had spent earlier hours on the command deck speaking with the Monarcheans, now had gone to take a well-needed break and then to attend to other pressing business.
Tyr walked into the empty room and leapt into the pilot's chair. "Ship," he said.
"Yes, Tyr?" asked the Andromeda AI, appearing on screen.
"Have you done as I asked and completed the scans of the other ships orbiting the planet?"
"Accessing data," the image of the AI's face was replaced by scrolling words, images and numbers.
Rommie walked into the room and began working one of the consoles. "There doesn't appear to be any hostiles in the area. All ships appear to be here on legitimate business. The communications on open channels are also indicative of the same, but I will continue monitoring them and inform you of any change."
"What about classified channels and encrypted data streams?" questioned Tyr.
"I am monitoring them as well and have the same to report," said Rommie.
The screen now showed the structure of a building and then overlaid it with a blueprint like schematic showing the building's exits and entrances. Rommie, currently linked with her Andromeda mainframe, began to explain them. "Dylan has already asked the Monarcheans to take the necessary precautions against those who may wish to disrupt this evening's events. They are coordinating their efforts with ours and these points--" Several green dots appeared. "--are where they will have guards posted. Weapons will be checked at the door and not allowed inside the complex."
"Be sure ship's sensors monitor the surface for any unusual activity and pay attention to the movements of our crew while on the planet in case of an emergency," Tyr stipulated. "Opponents of the Commonwealth would take this as a grand opportunity to target Dylan and, failing that, would target anyone close to him."
The words that rolled off his tongue were smooth and impassive, but Rommie seemed to catch the importance of them. She too, wanted every measure to taken to ensure the safety of the crew. "As good as done," she agreed.
A short while later, the doors to the Eureka Maru parted and Tyr walked in.
"I know you're there!" Beka's voice called out, echoing as it bounced along the walls of the Maru. "Why is that everyone has my door codes? I don't even know why I bother to lock up when I'm not in here," Beka said to herself and her voice became clear as she came around the bend to view her visitor. Tyr noted that her hands had been held down near her force lance in readiness in case he had been a hostile intruder. He thought that prudent on her part. The Maru did seem to attract those sorts of visitors.
"If I secured the doors, no one would get past the system," Tyr averred.
Beka laughed. "I'm sure they wouldn't. But I don't relish the idea of my ship being blown to Tarn Vedra in so many itty bitty pieces just because someone tried to pick the lock. So uh," Beka gestured with a toss of her hair. "I was kinda busy here, Tyr. What d'ya want?"
Not one to mince words, Tyr said, "That errand you sent the little professor on. Did it have something to do with that box you were guarding so carefully earlier?"
Ugh, so he had noticed the box. "Errand?" Beka attempted to deflect the question. "Harper said I sent him on an errand?"
"He did." Leave it to Harper not know when to keep his mouth shut. "Oh. Well. Nothing important." Beka was glad she had only sent Harper to get the box. Glad that she hadn't told him what was in it. Harper spooked easily and she had to constantly remind him not to talk about secrets which sometimes would, just as he termed it, 'slip out.'
Tyr seemed to assess her answer. "What about the box?"
"What box?" asked Beka as Tyr moved in her direction.
Beka moved out of his way as he walked past her and bent down. He tugged on the edge of a cloth. It slid to the floor, uncovering what it had hidden. Tyr lifted his head and met her eyes. "This box."
Beka jumped by him and sat down on top of the box. "My box. My business," said Beka. "And you knew it was in here all along didn't you, Tyr? Tell me something: If I hadn't been here when you came in here, what were you planning to do? Were you even going to ask me?"
"Well--I," Tyr began.
"Uh, no!" Beka finished for him. She stood up from her box and Tyr took a step back as she began pointing her finger in his face. "And you know why? Because you are always creeping around, getting onto the Maru, doing I don't know what! And do you ever ask me?" As Beka kept up this barrage of words, she advanced forward and, uncomfortable with the proximity, Tyr kept moving backwards now with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Beka was clearly in the grip of strong emotion and he never quite knew how to handle that when it came to her. "It's just plain rude and I'm sick of it. What's mine is mine and we better leave it at that before I do something I might regret!"
The doors of the Eureka Maru closed with finality and Tyr was left standing outside.
On the other side of the doors, Beka was trying to stifle her laughter and congratulating herself. You handled that rather well, Valentine. He'll certainly think twice before trying to find out what's in that box.
