Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Spoilers: Star Crossed, All Too Human
Note: I wrote this before Ouroboros aired. I've not seen the episode or the spoiler prior to posting this, so I do not know how far off I may be here. Just FYI.
Archive: Sure, just e-mail me and tell me where.
Harper woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar room. The furnishings were similar enough to tell him that he was still aboard the Andromeda, but it just wasn't his room. Or Rommie's or Trance's or Beka's for that matter. Harper sat up slowly and stretched, looking around for his inhaler.
"It's on the night table on your right," Rommie said. He looked up to see her sitting at a table in his T-shirt.
Harper smiled as everything from the night before came back to him. "Morning. You should wear my shirts more often."
"I was cold. Besides I needed to get some work done and laying in the bed stone still while you sleep seemed awkward." She watched Harper get out of bed and sit down next to her.
"Where?"
"One of the guest quarters. Dylan..." Rommie paused and blushed. "Dylan complained about the noises coming from the crawlspaces last night. We were right above his office, apparently."
"Oops." Harper cringed. "Am I still employed?"
"If he fires you, I'll make his life hell." One of Rommie's droids entered with a change of clothes for the both of them. She smiled at Harper. "Thought we could use a change of clothes."
"Thanks. I think I'll take a shower." Harper leaned over to kiss Rommie briefly and stood. His face changed suddenly and he clutched at his stomach.
"Harper?"
"Ahh..." Harper leaned over against the table. Rommie ran for his inhaler and gave it to him. He took a puff of the medication and sat down to wait.
Nothing. He still felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.
"Trance, meet me in deck nine, guest quarters. It's Harper."
Harper heard Trance tell them she was on her way just before things went black.
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Rev Bem was on the swarm ship, standing over one of the monitors with a satisfied look on his face.
He got up early to work on accessing the medical data records, and had finally managed to do so early this morning.
What he found made him smile. There was an experimental method to use the tesseract technology safely to remove the larvae should the patient's condition become critical. Assuming he wasn't allergic to the medication necessary for the process. Rev Bem thanked the Divine and began to transfer the information to the Andromeda when one of Rommie's droids came in.
"Good morning, Rommie. You will be pleased..."
"Rev? Harper's condition just took a turn."
Rev stood and ran off the swarm ship, leaving the transfer in process.
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Marcus rocked slowly back and forth on the chair next to the bed where Beka lay. He had the Maru put under quarantine once Beka took ill and was working with the computers at the Pheonix Drift in an effort to try and get more information on what was making Beka so ill.
He ran over the medical logs again and shook his head. Apparently there was a virus similar to the old Earth flu running rampant on the station a few months ago. It was similar to but much more potent than the Earth version.
The officials should have warned them.
Assuming that the patient made it through the first three days of fever once the virus took effect, Beka would be all right. However the chances of her dying were high during this time period were high. And Beka Valentine had this fever for the past twelve hours.
Marcus sent a second courier message to his mother, the Andromeda, warning her not to board the station and to keep well away. He was on his own where Beka's condition was concerned.
Beka's fever was at one hundred two degrees and slowly rising despite the medication he'd given her to lower her temperature. Marcus sighed and continued to rock, accessing files on ancient ways to keep a fever down.
Beka moaned and opened her eyes. "Bobby?"
Bobby. Who in the hell was Bobby? Marcus accessed the Maru's personal logs... Oh. Marcus didn't like what he saw about Bobby. He stood and sat by Beka on the bed, pouring her some water.
"Beka, it's ok. Drink this slowly." He brought the water to her lips and helped her take a few sips. Beka spilt some of the water as she drank. Marcus watched the water run down her neck in a small line.
Her gaze tried to focus on Marcus. "Bobby. You came back." She put an arm around Marcus with a small smile and kissed him.
Marcus blinked and forced himself not to react. He should not be finding a kiss from Beka feel this good. The concept seemed to be a really bad idea. "You need to sleep, Beka. Now close your eyes and rest, okay?"
"Hold me, Bobby..." Beka's grip tightened slightly and kissed him a second time.
Marcus had a feeling this was going to be a long three days.
------------------------------
In the end, Rommie picked up Harper and ran with him to the nearest Med Deck. She managed to find Trance along the way.
Trance saw a shaken Rommie carrying Harper in her arms. He was barely conscious and groaning.
"What happened?"
"I... I think they've become resistant to the medication all of a sudden. We've got to help him, please."
"Alright, let's get him to a bed." The two of them reached the Med Deck in a matter of minutes and Rommie very gently laid Harper down on the bed. She frowned when she noticed something moving in his abdomen.
Thank the Divine their son was on the Maru. But if Rommie and the others fail to help Harper now...
Trance prepared something in a vial and injected a small amount of it into Harper. "I've prepared a more potent version of Harper's medicine along with something to keep him stable, but if this doesn't work I don't know what we can do, Rommie."
Rev came in and looked over Harper, saying a silent prayer in Magog. Turning to Rommie, he said, "I think I may have found something. I was transferring it to you when you called me. It's schematics for a tesseract device."
Rommie accessed her databanks and saw the file. Opening it she began to study.
Harper stopped groaning. Trance checked his vitals over. "He's stable, but two of the six larvae are beginning to become active. One of them is near his left kidney and the other one near his small intestine. I can slow down the process for a few days but that's it."
Rev frowned. "Rommie, do you think we have time to update the generator Harper was working on?"
Rommie frowned. "Only if we work quickly."
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Marcus checked Beka's temperature again. One hundred and three point seven. High enough to be dangerous for Beka now, and Marcus could no longer give her any medicine to bring the temperature down.
Marcus searched the archive for any other method of forcing down body temperature and found one. An ancient one involving cold water temperature applied constantly to dissipate heat to bring down the body's temperature. Elementary school physics, really.
If Beka remembered this coming out of her fever, she was going to dismantle him...
Marcus sat Beka up as gently as he could. Unfocused her eyes opened. "Dad. I want to sleep."
Marcus frowned. In her feverish state she called him her father, Rafe, Bobby, Dylan, his dad, and Rev. "Beka, I want you to listen to me, ok?"
"Okay dad."
"I'm going to get you into the shower to cool you off, it's warm in here."
"But I'm cold."
"That's the fever, Beka. You need to get into the shower." Marcus removed Beka's blouse and slacks, leaving her in her underwear. Beka's skin felt hot to his touch and it began to worry him. She struggled slightly but only a little. Picking Beka up, Marcus carried her into the shower stall and turned the cold water on high.
Beka yelped as the water hit her back and tried to pull away.
"Shh... easy." Marcus held her under the flow of the water as her temperature slowly went down and shivered from the cold water temperature.
If Marcus could, he'd be holding his breath right now.
After twenty minutes under the water flow from the shower, Beka slowly opened her eyes and focused. "Marcus? Why are we in shower?"
Marcus smiled, looking relieved. "I can tell you this. It's not due to dad's charm."
Beka gave Marcus an odd look and slumped her head on his shoulder.
-------------------------------------------
Tyr frowned as he compared the flexi specs with the modifications one more time. It wasn't that he couldn't make the modifications as well as Harper. He could but didn't want the others to know this. Just in case he ever had to make special plans for a speedy exit.
Harper. Seeing that the man was, in admittedly one of the most original ways he'd ever heard of, a father to a machine which was now as capable of reproducing as his mother, he couldn't call him boy anymore now could he? However Tyr still did.
The boy had uses. Tyr Anasazi did not want to see the boy die anymore than the ship did, but he wasn't about to show it publicly. It wasn't Nietzschean.
It also wouldn't be Nietzschean to admit that he was somewhat jealous Harper had a child and he didn't.
"We are taking a big risk in doing this, Ship. Harper may not survive and I may not be able to repair any damage to that body in the attempt."
Rommie merely nodded. Tyr activated the generator. Rommie made a fist and threw a punch into the nearest wall.
Her hand seemed to go right through it as if it was her holographic hand instead of solid. Rommie looked as if she was feeling around for something and as she found it, pulled it out. In her hand was a simple screw.
Rommie smiled and looked at Rev. "How long do we have again before the larvae begin to attack Harper?"
"At best, thirty seconds. That is why you have to do it. Only you can move quickly enough if Harper is to come through with no minimal damage."
Rommie closed her eyes. Thirty seconds to save the father of her child... "Trance, what's Harper's status?"
Trance's voice could be heard over the communications systems. "Harper is barely conscious but some of the larvae are becoming active. How is it coming along on your end?"
"I think we're ready. Can you bring him down?"
She could see Trance pause with a worried look at Harper in the Med Deck. "I'll need help."
"I'll send droids for that."
"Alright, we'll be right up."
Rommie may not have been created by the Divine, but she said a prayer anyway.
------------------------------------------
Beka woke to the feel of someone pressing a cup to her lips. Whatever liquid it held it was cold and wet and she needed to drink badly. She opened her eyes and saw the Maru's avatar sitting by her bed, still looking a little worried.
Beka smiled to herself as he helped her drink. This was the first time she had ever really thought of him as the Maru before.
"Hi."
"Hi. What happened to me?"
"Apparently there was a more potent form of the classic Terran flu going around on the station. No one told us when we docked and you caught it."
Beka struggled to remember something in the back of her mind. A vague sensation of having recently seen and touched Bobby. Bobby was dead though as far as she knew, so that didn't make sense. "Was I hallucinating while I was sick?"
"Yes. You thought I was your brother." Marcus blushed slightly, got up and turned around. "I'll go make you some soup, okay? Don't bother getting up."
Beka rubbed her temple and vaguely remembered calling him Rafe. But the sensation that she had seen or kissed Bobby... Beka's eyes suddenly snapped open and she covered her mouth.
What the hell had she done? Beka turned her back to the door and curled into a ball, shaking slightly at the memory forming in her mind. She couldn't...wouldn't have done what she thought she did. Could she?
Beka found a new understanding for why Dylan never pursued Rommie. Sure, Marcus was attractive, but he was just a child. Harper's kid for crying out loud. More than that now, he was the Maru, her ship and home. He was family, she couldn't think of him as anything else.
Wasn't he?
Beka closed her eyes and prayed she didn't do anything beyond that. Things were going to be awkward now. Thinking he was Bobby and kissing him was bad enough.
Should she tell Harper or Rommie? And what would their reactions be if Beka did say something? Harper would probably laugh it off, but Rommie didn't even want her son here on the Maru with her.
The smell of soup alerted her to Marcus reentering the room. She took a deep breath and turned over, sitting up slowly and taking the tray he was holding.
Beka suddenly wasn't very hungry. "How long was I sick?"
"Two days. The doctors at the station said we needed to be quarantined for the next two weeks." He sat down and gave her a somewhat nervous look. Usually Marcus looked curious, or confident.
Two weeks. Two weeks alone with Marcus. Beka bit her lip, suddenly not happy with the situation. She took a spoonful of the soup, not looking at him.
-----------------------------------------------------
Trance, Tyr and Rev didn't complain when Rommie said she needed a minute alone with Harper. They all silently left the room without a word as she approached Harper laid out on one of the workbenches.
She frowned when Harper opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Anyone get the number off that slipfighter?"
"They're active Harper."
"I kinda noticed when they weren't cooperating with my plans for a shower." Harper sat up, wincing and looking scared. "How long do I have?"
"If we don't do something? A week."
"Rommie, kill me. You have my scan, use it... Please?"
Rommie felt like her heart was about to break. "I can't Seamus."
"Why? I'm dying anyway. It would hurt way less..."
Rommie cleared her throat, interrupting him. "We're going to take them out. Rev found a way on the Magog ship to modify the tesseract generator, but I need you to promise me you'll stay still no matter what you see me do and no matter how much it hurts."
Harper nodded and suddenly looked almost childish, like her son. Thank the Divine Marcus wasn't here to see this.
She managed, barely, to suppress her tears.
Harper let a tear fall down his cheek. "Promise, but only because I trust you. Will you hold my hand?"
"I can't. I'll need them both to do this. Trance will do it." Rommie approached the workbench and kissed Harper one last time in case, Divine forbid, she failed, and alerted Tyr, Rev, and Trance to reenter the room.
Once they did she said, "Tyr, start the generator. Rev, monitor his vitals. Trance, could you hold his hand please?"
Trance gave Rommie a reassuring nod and placed one hand on Harper's shoulder, offering him her other hand. Rommie ran her hands over Harper's body one more time, scanning to locate the larvae. They had already done a bit of damage to some of his internal organs, but most of it would be treated or dealt with.
Tyr started the machine and Rommie shifted, digging her hands into Harper's abdomen, and pulling one of the larvae out quickly. The other five began to attack in response and Rommie sped up the pace.
Harper's screams could be heard down the corridors.
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Dylan rubbed his eyes on Command as he exited slipstream and moved the ship at maximum PSL towards the Pheonix drift. Rommie's main AI had intercepted the messages regarding Beka's medical condition just a few hours ago, but at Dylan's request, had not told her avatar that her son may be in trouble.
Rommie had enough to worry about. When she told him that she and Rev had to modify the tesseract generator a few hours earlier to save Harper...
God, and here he was taking them to her stranded son after forcing some compartmentalization on her. He felt like a bastard to them both. He didn't deserve to have Rommie as his friend.
"Andromeda, status?"
"We are now approaching the Pheonix station. All reports indicate that the virus Beka has been exposed to has infected a dozen more citizens."
"That's not what I was asking about. How is Harper?"
The main AI blinked. "Still with us, sir. I've completed the procedure to remove the larvae but there were complications. Trance is performing surgery to repair the damage."
"Will he make it?"
"I believe so, yes."
"How are you doing?"
"I think I'm in shock, sir, but I can't be entirely sure. I'm on the Med Deck if you would like to see me."
Dylan leaned against the railing. "Are you mad I didn't tell you?"
The main AI smiled. "I think I'll get over it. You mean well. And that part of me doesn't need to worry about Marcus right now."
If Dylan were talking to anyone else this conversation would be surreal. He smiled and headed for the Med Deck.
When he got there Rommie was sitting outside in the corridor, looking at a jar with something white inside of it. She had blood on her hands and they looked damaged. The blood must have been Harper's.
Dylan sat down and stared at the jar. He counted six wedge shaped objects, each about the size of a small biscuit. The larvae.
She didn't take her eyes off the jar. "The last two did a lot of damage. They bit both of us on the way out. Trance said he'll lose his left kidney and part of his small intestine, but she may be able to save part of his right lung. He's going to make it, Dylan."
Dylan nodded. "Let's get you cleaned up now. Harper wouldn't want to see you like this." Dylan stood and held out his hand for Rommie, helping her stand up. She was shaking as he helped her into her quarters and then towards the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom, Dylan turned on the tap for the water and took Rommie's hands in his, soaping them up for her and rinsing them off. He took a washcloth and wet it, bringing it to Rommie's face and wiping gently.
"You were brave today."
Rommie blinked, looked at Dylan and broke into sobs. She buried her face in his chest. "I... I thought I failed him..."
This was worse than it was with Gabriel. "You didn't fail Harper. You saved him."
"But he's damaged."
"He can live his entire life with one kidney. My grandfather lived without a spleen for 12 years." Dylan wiped her face again with the cloth. "Besides, I know Marcus won't want to see you this upset."
"Marcus?"
Dylan nodded. "Beka took ill and is confined to the Maru under quarantine, so I slipstreamed us here."
"Beka?"
Rommie's hologram materialized into view. "She made it through the first three days of the fever, and the virus is beginning to run its course. However, they still need to be confined to the Maru for the remaining eleven days, especially considering Harper's condition. By the way, he's awake and asking for you."
Rommie turned to Dylan. "You slipstreamed us into a quarantine zone so I can be with my son?"
"If it were my son, you'd do it for me."
Rommie smiled and headed back to the Med Deck.
---------------------------------------------
Beka unsteadily stood and changed her clothes for the first time in five days. She still felt dizzy but the initial fever was gone and her strength was returning. Looking into the mirror she made a face.
"Well, I'm not going to be kissed looking like this. I look awful." She said to no one in particular.
Marcus' hologram materialized beside her. "I'd kiss you, but I don't have solid lips in this form."
"You're father tried that line on me when I first hired him. It didn't work. I don't think it will work with you either." She ran a brush through her hair.
"You shouldn't be standing, you know. You're still sick."
"Stop acting like my father. I'm old enough to be your mother."
"Luckily you're not." Marcus smiled. But something behind his eyes, a small sadness seemed to be there. Maybe because Beka felt too awkward about that kiss during the fever to talk about it.
Beka didn't want to dwell on the subject. Not while she was still sick anyway. "Think we can play some music? I don't think I can take nine more days of isolation without some music."
Marcus' grin grew wide as some classical music played in the background. Beka groaned and the hologram tilted his head.
"Kill me now, why don't you?"
"Can't kill the captain. It's not in my nature to do so."
"Oh, I feel much better now." Beka held onto the dresser for support as she moved around the room a bit.
Marcus appeared at the door and took her arm, his face serious. He walked over to her and took her arm. "I'll help you into the kitchen. Come on."
Beka didn't want anyone's help, but she was still too sick to refuse his offer to help her move around. Her legs were unsteady but she managed to stay on her feet as he led her to the mess. Marcus' hologram materialized into view again once she was sitting.
"Beka, I'm receiving an incoming transmission from the Andromeda." Marcus gave her a curious expression.
"Patch it through."
Rommie's face appeared on the monitor. She looked tired, even a little worn out.
Beka had a bad feeling about that expression.
"How are you two?"
Beka smiled. "Bored, but I'm getting better. What are you guys doing here?"
Rommie began to tell them.
-- End Ch. 6 --
Spoilers: Star Crossed, All Too Human
Note: I wrote this before Ouroboros aired. I've not seen the episode or the spoiler prior to posting this, so I do not know how far off I may be here. Just FYI.
Archive: Sure, just e-mail me and tell me where.
Harper woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar room. The furnishings were similar enough to tell him that he was still aboard the Andromeda, but it just wasn't his room. Or Rommie's or Trance's or Beka's for that matter. Harper sat up slowly and stretched, looking around for his inhaler.
"It's on the night table on your right," Rommie said. He looked up to see her sitting at a table in his T-shirt.
Harper smiled as everything from the night before came back to him. "Morning. You should wear my shirts more often."
"I was cold. Besides I needed to get some work done and laying in the bed stone still while you sleep seemed awkward." She watched Harper get out of bed and sit down next to her.
"Where?"
"One of the guest quarters. Dylan..." Rommie paused and blushed. "Dylan complained about the noises coming from the crawlspaces last night. We were right above his office, apparently."
"Oops." Harper cringed. "Am I still employed?"
"If he fires you, I'll make his life hell." One of Rommie's droids entered with a change of clothes for the both of them. She smiled at Harper. "Thought we could use a change of clothes."
"Thanks. I think I'll take a shower." Harper leaned over to kiss Rommie briefly and stood. His face changed suddenly and he clutched at his stomach.
"Harper?"
"Ahh..." Harper leaned over against the table. Rommie ran for his inhaler and gave it to him. He took a puff of the medication and sat down to wait.
Nothing. He still felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.
"Trance, meet me in deck nine, guest quarters. It's Harper."
Harper heard Trance tell them she was on her way just before things went black.
--------------------
Rev Bem was on the swarm ship, standing over one of the monitors with a satisfied look on his face.
He got up early to work on accessing the medical data records, and had finally managed to do so early this morning.
What he found made him smile. There was an experimental method to use the tesseract technology safely to remove the larvae should the patient's condition become critical. Assuming he wasn't allergic to the medication necessary for the process. Rev Bem thanked the Divine and began to transfer the information to the Andromeda when one of Rommie's droids came in.
"Good morning, Rommie. You will be pleased..."
"Rev? Harper's condition just took a turn."
Rev stood and ran off the swarm ship, leaving the transfer in process.
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Marcus rocked slowly back and forth on the chair next to the bed where Beka lay. He had the Maru put under quarantine once Beka took ill and was working with the computers at the Pheonix Drift in an effort to try and get more information on what was making Beka so ill.
He ran over the medical logs again and shook his head. Apparently there was a virus similar to the old Earth flu running rampant on the station a few months ago. It was similar to but much more potent than the Earth version.
The officials should have warned them.
Assuming that the patient made it through the first three days of fever once the virus took effect, Beka would be all right. However the chances of her dying were high during this time period were high. And Beka Valentine had this fever for the past twelve hours.
Marcus sent a second courier message to his mother, the Andromeda, warning her not to board the station and to keep well away. He was on his own where Beka's condition was concerned.
Beka's fever was at one hundred two degrees and slowly rising despite the medication he'd given her to lower her temperature. Marcus sighed and continued to rock, accessing files on ancient ways to keep a fever down.
Beka moaned and opened her eyes. "Bobby?"
Bobby. Who in the hell was Bobby? Marcus accessed the Maru's personal logs... Oh. Marcus didn't like what he saw about Bobby. He stood and sat by Beka on the bed, pouring her some water.
"Beka, it's ok. Drink this slowly." He brought the water to her lips and helped her take a few sips. Beka spilt some of the water as she drank. Marcus watched the water run down her neck in a small line.
Her gaze tried to focus on Marcus. "Bobby. You came back." She put an arm around Marcus with a small smile and kissed him.
Marcus blinked and forced himself not to react. He should not be finding a kiss from Beka feel this good. The concept seemed to be a really bad idea. "You need to sleep, Beka. Now close your eyes and rest, okay?"
"Hold me, Bobby..." Beka's grip tightened slightly and kissed him a second time.
Marcus had a feeling this was going to be a long three days.
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In the end, Rommie picked up Harper and ran with him to the nearest Med Deck. She managed to find Trance along the way.
Trance saw a shaken Rommie carrying Harper in her arms. He was barely conscious and groaning.
"What happened?"
"I... I think they've become resistant to the medication all of a sudden. We've got to help him, please."
"Alright, let's get him to a bed." The two of them reached the Med Deck in a matter of minutes and Rommie very gently laid Harper down on the bed. She frowned when she noticed something moving in his abdomen.
Thank the Divine their son was on the Maru. But if Rommie and the others fail to help Harper now...
Trance prepared something in a vial and injected a small amount of it into Harper. "I've prepared a more potent version of Harper's medicine along with something to keep him stable, but if this doesn't work I don't know what we can do, Rommie."
Rev came in and looked over Harper, saying a silent prayer in Magog. Turning to Rommie, he said, "I think I may have found something. I was transferring it to you when you called me. It's schematics for a tesseract device."
Rommie accessed her databanks and saw the file. Opening it she began to study.
Harper stopped groaning. Trance checked his vitals over. "He's stable, but two of the six larvae are beginning to become active. One of them is near his left kidney and the other one near his small intestine. I can slow down the process for a few days but that's it."
Rev frowned. "Rommie, do you think we have time to update the generator Harper was working on?"
Rommie frowned. "Only if we work quickly."
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Marcus checked Beka's temperature again. One hundred and three point seven. High enough to be dangerous for Beka now, and Marcus could no longer give her any medicine to bring the temperature down.
Marcus searched the archive for any other method of forcing down body temperature and found one. An ancient one involving cold water temperature applied constantly to dissipate heat to bring down the body's temperature. Elementary school physics, really.
If Beka remembered this coming out of her fever, she was going to dismantle him...
Marcus sat Beka up as gently as he could. Unfocused her eyes opened. "Dad. I want to sleep."
Marcus frowned. In her feverish state she called him her father, Rafe, Bobby, Dylan, his dad, and Rev. "Beka, I want you to listen to me, ok?"
"Okay dad."
"I'm going to get you into the shower to cool you off, it's warm in here."
"But I'm cold."
"That's the fever, Beka. You need to get into the shower." Marcus removed Beka's blouse and slacks, leaving her in her underwear. Beka's skin felt hot to his touch and it began to worry him. She struggled slightly but only a little. Picking Beka up, Marcus carried her into the shower stall and turned the cold water on high.
Beka yelped as the water hit her back and tried to pull away.
"Shh... easy." Marcus held her under the flow of the water as her temperature slowly went down and shivered from the cold water temperature.
If Marcus could, he'd be holding his breath right now.
After twenty minutes under the water flow from the shower, Beka slowly opened her eyes and focused. "Marcus? Why are we in shower?"
Marcus smiled, looking relieved. "I can tell you this. It's not due to dad's charm."
Beka gave Marcus an odd look and slumped her head on his shoulder.
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Tyr frowned as he compared the flexi specs with the modifications one more time. It wasn't that he couldn't make the modifications as well as Harper. He could but didn't want the others to know this. Just in case he ever had to make special plans for a speedy exit.
Harper. Seeing that the man was, in admittedly one of the most original ways he'd ever heard of, a father to a machine which was now as capable of reproducing as his mother, he couldn't call him boy anymore now could he? However Tyr still did.
The boy had uses. Tyr Anasazi did not want to see the boy die anymore than the ship did, but he wasn't about to show it publicly. It wasn't Nietzschean.
It also wouldn't be Nietzschean to admit that he was somewhat jealous Harper had a child and he didn't.
"We are taking a big risk in doing this, Ship. Harper may not survive and I may not be able to repair any damage to that body in the attempt."
Rommie merely nodded. Tyr activated the generator. Rommie made a fist and threw a punch into the nearest wall.
Her hand seemed to go right through it as if it was her holographic hand instead of solid. Rommie looked as if she was feeling around for something and as she found it, pulled it out. In her hand was a simple screw.
Rommie smiled and looked at Rev. "How long do we have again before the larvae begin to attack Harper?"
"At best, thirty seconds. That is why you have to do it. Only you can move quickly enough if Harper is to come through with no minimal damage."
Rommie closed her eyes. Thirty seconds to save the father of her child... "Trance, what's Harper's status?"
Trance's voice could be heard over the communications systems. "Harper is barely conscious but some of the larvae are becoming active. How is it coming along on your end?"
"I think we're ready. Can you bring him down?"
She could see Trance pause with a worried look at Harper in the Med Deck. "I'll need help."
"I'll send droids for that."
"Alright, we'll be right up."
Rommie may not have been created by the Divine, but she said a prayer anyway.
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Beka woke to the feel of someone pressing a cup to her lips. Whatever liquid it held it was cold and wet and she needed to drink badly. She opened her eyes and saw the Maru's avatar sitting by her bed, still looking a little worried.
Beka smiled to herself as he helped her drink. This was the first time she had ever really thought of him as the Maru before.
"Hi."
"Hi. What happened to me?"
"Apparently there was a more potent form of the classic Terran flu going around on the station. No one told us when we docked and you caught it."
Beka struggled to remember something in the back of her mind. A vague sensation of having recently seen and touched Bobby. Bobby was dead though as far as she knew, so that didn't make sense. "Was I hallucinating while I was sick?"
"Yes. You thought I was your brother." Marcus blushed slightly, got up and turned around. "I'll go make you some soup, okay? Don't bother getting up."
Beka rubbed her temple and vaguely remembered calling him Rafe. But the sensation that she had seen or kissed Bobby... Beka's eyes suddenly snapped open and she covered her mouth.
What the hell had she done? Beka turned her back to the door and curled into a ball, shaking slightly at the memory forming in her mind. She couldn't...wouldn't have done what she thought she did. Could she?
Beka found a new understanding for why Dylan never pursued Rommie. Sure, Marcus was attractive, but he was just a child. Harper's kid for crying out loud. More than that now, he was the Maru, her ship and home. He was family, she couldn't think of him as anything else.
Wasn't he?
Beka closed her eyes and prayed she didn't do anything beyond that. Things were going to be awkward now. Thinking he was Bobby and kissing him was bad enough.
Should she tell Harper or Rommie? And what would their reactions be if Beka did say something? Harper would probably laugh it off, but Rommie didn't even want her son here on the Maru with her.
The smell of soup alerted her to Marcus reentering the room. She took a deep breath and turned over, sitting up slowly and taking the tray he was holding.
Beka suddenly wasn't very hungry. "How long was I sick?"
"Two days. The doctors at the station said we needed to be quarantined for the next two weeks." He sat down and gave her a somewhat nervous look. Usually Marcus looked curious, or confident.
Two weeks. Two weeks alone with Marcus. Beka bit her lip, suddenly not happy with the situation. She took a spoonful of the soup, not looking at him.
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Trance, Tyr and Rev didn't complain when Rommie said she needed a minute alone with Harper. They all silently left the room without a word as she approached Harper laid out on one of the workbenches.
She frowned when Harper opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Anyone get the number off that slipfighter?"
"They're active Harper."
"I kinda noticed when they weren't cooperating with my plans for a shower." Harper sat up, wincing and looking scared. "How long do I have?"
"If we don't do something? A week."
"Rommie, kill me. You have my scan, use it... Please?"
Rommie felt like her heart was about to break. "I can't Seamus."
"Why? I'm dying anyway. It would hurt way less..."
Rommie cleared her throat, interrupting him. "We're going to take them out. Rev found a way on the Magog ship to modify the tesseract generator, but I need you to promise me you'll stay still no matter what you see me do and no matter how much it hurts."
Harper nodded and suddenly looked almost childish, like her son. Thank the Divine Marcus wasn't here to see this.
She managed, barely, to suppress her tears.
Harper let a tear fall down his cheek. "Promise, but only because I trust you. Will you hold my hand?"
"I can't. I'll need them both to do this. Trance will do it." Rommie approached the workbench and kissed Harper one last time in case, Divine forbid, she failed, and alerted Tyr, Rev, and Trance to reenter the room.
Once they did she said, "Tyr, start the generator. Rev, monitor his vitals. Trance, could you hold his hand please?"
Trance gave Rommie a reassuring nod and placed one hand on Harper's shoulder, offering him her other hand. Rommie ran her hands over Harper's body one more time, scanning to locate the larvae. They had already done a bit of damage to some of his internal organs, but most of it would be treated or dealt with.
Tyr started the machine and Rommie shifted, digging her hands into Harper's abdomen, and pulling one of the larvae out quickly. The other five began to attack in response and Rommie sped up the pace.
Harper's screams could be heard down the corridors.
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Dylan rubbed his eyes on Command as he exited slipstream and moved the ship at maximum PSL towards the Pheonix drift. Rommie's main AI had intercepted the messages regarding Beka's medical condition just a few hours ago, but at Dylan's request, had not told her avatar that her son may be in trouble.
Rommie had enough to worry about. When she told him that she and Rev had to modify the tesseract generator a few hours earlier to save Harper...
God, and here he was taking them to her stranded son after forcing some compartmentalization on her. He felt like a bastard to them both. He didn't deserve to have Rommie as his friend.
"Andromeda, status?"
"We are now approaching the Pheonix station. All reports indicate that the virus Beka has been exposed to has infected a dozen more citizens."
"That's not what I was asking about. How is Harper?"
The main AI blinked. "Still with us, sir. I've completed the procedure to remove the larvae but there were complications. Trance is performing surgery to repair the damage."
"Will he make it?"
"I believe so, yes."
"How are you doing?"
"I think I'm in shock, sir, but I can't be entirely sure. I'm on the Med Deck if you would like to see me."
Dylan leaned against the railing. "Are you mad I didn't tell you?"
The main AI smiled. "I think I'll get over it. You mean well. And that part of me doesn't need to worry about Marcus right now."
If Dylan were talking to anyone else this conversation would be surreal. He smiled and headed for the Med Deck.
When he got there Rommie was sitting outside in the corridor, looking at a jar with something white inside of it. She had blood on her hands and they looked damaged. The blood must have been Harper's.
Dylan sat down and stared at the jar. He counted six wedge shaped objects, each about the size of a small biscuit. The larvae.
She didn't take her eyes off the jar. "The last two did a lot of damage. They bit both of us on the way out. Trance said he'll lose his left kidney and part of his small intestine, but she may be able to save part of his right lung. He's going to make it, Dylan."
Dylan nodded. "Let's get you cleaned up now. Harper wouldn't want to see you like this." Dylan stood and held out his hand for Rommie, helping her stand up. She was shaking as he helped her into her quarters and then towards the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom, Dylan turned on the tap for the water and took Rommie's hands in his, soaping them up for her and rinsing them off. He took a washcloth and wet it, bringing it to Rommie's face and wiping gently.
"You were brave today."
Rommie blinked, looked at Dylan and broke into sobs. She buried her face in his chest. "I... I thought I failed him..."
This was worse than it was with Gabriel. "You didn't fail Harper. You saved him."
"But he's damaged."
"He can live his entire life with one kidney. My grandfather lived without a spleen for 12 years." Dylan wiped her face again with the cloth. "Besides, I know Marcus won't want to see you this upset."
"Marcus?"
Dylan nodded. "Beka took ill and is confined to the Maru under quarantine, so I slipstreamed us here."
"Beka?"
Rommie's hologram materialized into view. "She made it through the first three days of the fever, and the virus is beginning to run its course. However, they still need to be confined to the Maru for the remaining eleven days, especially considering Harper's condition. By the way, he's awake and asking for you."
Rommie turned to Dylan. "You slipstreamed us into a quarantine zone so I can be with my son?"
"If it were my son, you'd do it for me."
Rommie smiled and headed back to the Med Deck.
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Beka unsteadily stood and changed her clothes for the first time in five days. She still felt dizzy but the initial fever was gone and her strength was returning. Looking into the mirror she made a face.
"Well, I'm not going to be kissed looking like this. I look awful." She said to no one in particular.
Marcus' hologram materialized beside her. "I'd kiss you, but I don't have solid lips in this form."
"You're father tried that line on me when I first hired him. It didn't work. I don't think it will work with you either." She ran a brush through her hair.
"You shouldn't be standing, you know. You're still sick."
"Stop acting like my father. I'm old enough to be your mother."
"Luckily you're not." Marcus smiled. But something behind his eyes, a small sadness seemed to be there. Maybe because Beka felt too awkward about that kiss during the fever to talk about it.
Beka didn't want to dwell on the subject. Not while she was still sick anyway. "Think we can play some music? I don't think I can take nine more days of isolation without some music."
Marcus' grin grew wide as some classical music played in the background. Beka groaned and the hologram tilted his head.
"Kill me now, why don't you?"
"Can't kill the captain. It's not in my nature to do so."
"Oh, I feel much better now." Beka held onto the dresser for support as she moved around the room a bit.
Marcus appeared at the door and took her arm, his face serious. He walked over to her and took her arm. "I'll help you into the kitchen. Come on."
Beka didn't want anyone's help, but she was still too sick to refuse his offer to help her move around. Her legs were unsteady but she managed to stay on her feet as he led her to the mess. Marcus' hologram materialized into view again once she was sitting.
"Beka, I'm receiving an incoming transmission from the Andromeda." Marcus gave her a curious expression.
"Patch it through."
Rommie's face appeared on the monitor. She looked tired, even a little worn out.
Beka had a bad feeling about that expression.
"How are you two?"
Beka smiled. "Bored, but I'm getting better. What are you guys doing here?"
Rommie began to tell them.
-- End Ch. 6 --