As the Nietzchean thugs led Harper into their ship the young engineer
looked over the surroundings. There were lots of doors and he tried to
count them, so if he escaped he'd know how to backtrack to the Andromeda.
All the while his mind was whirling as he tried to think of what to do,
what Dylan would do. Or Beka, or Tyr, or Rev, hell, even Trance. But no
genius ideas sprung to mind. He knew his friends would fight their way out
if they were in his position, but Harper was a strong believer in self-
preservation, and although he didn't think they'd kill him since they
needed him to fix the ship, he wasn't sure enough to risk his life without
a plan. As passed a door to his left he noticed light slipping through
under the crack and he could hear muffled voices, familiar voices and his
eyes went wide as a plan concocted itself in his head. He knew exactly what
to do and a smile tugged on his lips.
"You'll never win," Harper said angrily. "I'm gonna kick every single one of your Nietzchean asses!"
Harper gritted his teeth and closed his eyes shut at the blow he knew he was about to receive. Sure enough a fist connected the side of his face, right where he'd been hit earlier. He felt his body fall backwards onto the ground and stars danced before his eyes.
"What'd you say boy?" The biggest Nietzchean growled.
"You heard what I said," Harper spat, hoping he wasn't signing his death warrant. "I'm going beat you. Ya wanna know why? Because I'm better, smarter, superior to you!"
Harper knew exactly how to piss a Nietzchean off and this time the he got it smack in the chest and was sure he felt ribs crack. But he was lying right in front of the door his friends were being held captive in. The plan was working. He struggled to get to his feet. The Nietzchean just stared as the shorter man got up and leaned against the wall for support.
"You? Superior to me? It does not appear that is so."
Harper was almost there, but in order for his plan to work he had to push his attacker so close to the edge the Nietz would become cocky and careless. That also meant Harper would have to portray himself to be weak, while he tried desperately to remain stoic on the inside. Then, when the time was right and the bully was distracted he'd strike.
"You were obviously inferior to the rest of your pride," Harper said. He knew the only Nietzcheans that were mercenaries were Nietzcheans who had been banished from their pride. Tyr used to be mercenary, but his case had been uniquely different.
Harper knew he'd hit a nerve when the brute smashed him against the wall, snarling. As the air was forced from his lungs he felt the back of his head smack something solid and his vision slightly blurred. Harper felt his body crumple to the floor, but immediately pushed himself to his knees. He was not going to, and would not lose.
Inside the confines of the room Dylan, Beka, Tyr, Rommie, Rev and Trance listened to the two distinct voices outside their door. They knew Harper was one of them, but couldn't make out clearly what either was saying. They'd heard the thuds and knew some kind of fight was going on, which was definitely not good for Harper's sake.
"Andromeda can you make out what they're saying?" Rev asked.
"They're having some argument over who's inferior to whom. I think Harper's…I think Harper's losing."
"Well that's a surprise." Tyr said blandly as he sat on a chair, the only one not crowded by the door.
"Tyr can you at least try to be optimistic, for once!" Beka yelled.
"Shhh," Dylan hushed them.
Harper couldn't believe it. The plan was going great. He was right next to the door release, and all he needed was for the stupid Nietzchean to look away for one second and he'd be able to free his friends. He knew exactly how to do that too. Nietzcheans were notorious for boasting, and if he thought he'd defeated Harper the idiot would turn his back to brag to his friends and they'd be distracted as well. It wouldn't be that hard to do, it'd just take one more hit for it to be believable. Harper just had to stay conscious that long.
"Now what do you have to say for yourself?" The Nietzchean asked.
"You sound like my mother," Harper said.
This brought a laugh to the genetically engineered man.
Hit me, Harper thought. Hit me one more time.
"I hate being compared to humans!" The laugh turned evil and Harper braced himself as the Nietzchean punched him square on the side of the head. Harper's knees went out from under him and he slid down the wall. His head was swimming and black haziness took over his vision. He watched the world tip and turn. He watched the Nietzchean he'd been fighting turn around triumphantly to his comrades, saw them laugh together. He felt his hand slide up the wall in slow motion, not even really aware of what he was doing, only aware that it had to be done. He felt his fingers hit the button, the one that made the door next to open with whoosh. And he smiled as the five shocked Nietzcheans turned to see what was going on, surprise evident on their faces.
"You don't have to be stronger," Harper wheezed out as his friends ran out the now open door. "Just…smarter."
Then he succumbed to blissful unconsciousness as the tendrils of blackness around his vision enveloped him. The last thing he heard was blaster fire and the feeling of being lifted.
"You'll never win," Harper said angrily. "I'm gonna kick every single one of your Nietzchean asses!"
Harper gritted his teeth and closed his eyes shut at the blow he knew he was about to receive. Sure enough a fist connected the side of his face, right where he'd been hit earlier. He felt his body fall backwards onto the ground and stars danced before his eyes.
"What'd you say boy?" The biggest Nietzchean growled.
"You heard what I said," Harper spat, hoping he wasn't signing his death warrant. "I'm going beat you. Ya wanna know why? Because I'm better, smarter, superior to you!"
Harper knew exactly how to piss a Nietzchean off and this time the he got it smack in the chest and was sure he felt ribs crack. But he was lying right in front of the door his friends were being held captive in. The plan was working. He struggled to get to his feet. The Nietzchean just stared as the shorter man got up and leaned against the wall for support.
"You? Superior to me? It does not appear that is so."
Harper was almost there, but in order for his plan to work he had to push his attacker so close to the edge the Nietz would become cocky and careless. That also meant Harper would have to portray himself to be weak, while he tried desperately to remain stoic on the inside. Then, when the time was right and the bully was distracted he'd strike.
"You were obviously inferior to the rest of your pride," Harper said. He knew the only Nietzcheans that were mercenaries were Nietzcheans who had been banished from their pride. Tyr used to be mercenary, but his case had been uniquely different.
Harper knew he'd hit a nerve when the brute smashed him against the wall, snarling. As the air was forced from his lungs he felt the back of his head smack something solid and his vision slightly blurred. Harper felt his body crumple to the floor, but immediately pushed himself to his knees. He was not going to, and would not lose.
Inside the confines of the room Dylan, Beka, Tyr, Rommie, Rev and Trance listened to the two distinct voices outside their door. They knew Harper was one of them, but couldn't make out clearly what either was saying. They'd heard the thuds and knew some kind of fight was going on, which was definitely not good for Harper's sake.
"Andromeda can you make out what they're saying?" Rev asked.
"They're having some argument over who's inferior to whom. I think Harper's…I think Harper's losing."
"Well that's a surprise." Tyr said blandly as he sat on a chair, the only one not crowded by the door.
"Tyr can you at least try to be optimistic, for once!" Beka yelled.
"Shhh," Dylan hushed them.
Harper couldn't believe it. The plan was going great. He was right next to the door release, and all he needed was for the stupid Nietzchean to look away for one second and he'd be able to free his friends. He knew exactly how to do that too. Nietzcheans were notorious for boasting, and if he thought he'd defeated Harper the idiot would turn his back to brag to his friends and they'd be distracted as well. It wouldn't be that hard to do, it'd just take one more hit for it to be believable. Harper just had to stay conscious that long.
"Now what do you have to say for yourself?" The Nietzchean asked.
"You sound like my mother," Harper said.
This brought a laugh to the genetically engineered man.
Hit me, Harper thought. Hit me one more time.
"I hate being compared to humans!" The laugh turned evil and Harper braced himself as the Nietzchean punched him square on the side of the head. Harper's knees went out from under him and he slid down the wall. His head was swimming and black haziness took over his vision. He watched the world tip and turn. He watched the Nietzchean he'd been fighting turn around triumphantly to his comrades, saw them laugh together. He felt his hand slide up the wall in slow motion, not even really aware of what he was doing, only aware that it had to be done. He felt his fingers hit the button, the one that made the door next to open with whoosh. And he smiled as the five shocked Nietzcheans turned to see what was going on, surprise evident on their faces.
"You don't have to be stronger," Harper wheezed out as his friends ran out the now open door. "Just…smarter."
Then he succumbed to blissful unconsciousness as the tendrils of blackness around his vision enveloped him. The last thing he heard was blaster fire and the feeling of being lifted.
