Chapter 6 - See chapter 1 for rating and disclaimers

It was only when I noticed the pain in my hand that I realised I'd been slamming my fist repeatedly against the galley wall. The ungrateful little runt, I might have guessed he'd take the money and run. The part of my brain that was still thinking logically told me that I'd given him that option therefore I shouldn't be surprised that he'd taken me up on it. I still felt betrayed.

I'd called after him to come back, that I hadn't told him the whole story but he ignored me. I handed him the money I owed him and watched him as he walked away from the Maru.

I thought Trance was going to follow him but she changed her mind and came back to stand beside me. Her face was very grave; she seemed to be on the verge of tears. "He's changed it all," she said. "I never thought he would leave, I can't see the end any more."

What the hell did she mean by that? I was getting a little bit fed up with the enigmatic statements and I told her so.

Rev also sought me out. He tried to tell me it was the way of the Divine, I told him that he wasn't helping any and if that was all he had to offer he could buggar off too. His face remained expressionless and I badly wanted to hit him. I immediately felt guilty; the stress of my situation was endangering the solidarity of my crew.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. I had an appointment to keep and I didn't think that I would have to go looking for the Dragans I was certain they would manage to find me without any trouble. I was right; three of them appeared at the Maru. They were as is usual with ubers armed to the teeth with a variety of weapons. What is it with these guys and big guns?

The one who appeared to be in charge asked for Captain Valentine? I answered that I was the Captain, the Maru belonged to me and would they kindly leave their weapons at the door when they boarded my ship. It was too much to expect a laugh from them at my attempt to crack a joke but even a smile would have helped. Their faces remained carved in stone.

The two lesser Dragans took one of my arms each and escorted me off the Maru. I soon realised they were taking me to a ship that was docked fairly near to a large Perseid freighter. I caught sight of Harper as they were taking me on board the Nietzschean vessel. He was walking with a Perseid, chatting away as if they were old friends. He'd bought himself some new clothes and was looking almost tidy. He didn't notice me, for some reason I was pleased about that, I didn't want him to see me when I was so vulnerable.

The Nietzscheans dragged me on to their ship and through several corridors, finally throwing me into a grey room. There was a table and one chair, that was all it contained. The walls were smooth and bare and the door fitted flush without a seam showing. I sat on the chair and waited. I waited and waited; I was beginning to feel thirsty and hungry. I was also beginning to feel pissed.

The door finally opened and the last person I expected to see walked in. He smiled at me. "Hello Beka," he said. "Long time no see."

I wanted to smack his self-satisfied face to wipe the smile off it. I stood up, my fists clenched by my side.

"What the hell do you think you are doing," I hissed at him. "What's going on here, I came half way across the galaxy to help you, I thought your life was at risk? You had better have a good explanation."

He shrugged, "I had an offer I couldn't refuse," he said simply. "Now come on Beka be a good girl and give the nice ubers what they want."

Little did he know that by showing me that he wasn't being kept hostage he'd made me even more determined not to give the ubers what they wanted. They had no hold over me now. I suddenly felt very powerful and in control of the situation, even though I was virtually a prisoner on that ship.

That all changed in the next few minutes, the door opened again and a small, battered human was thrown through it.

"Harper," I said?

He looked up at me, his right eye already closing and bruised. He grinned cockily. "Thought you might need some help Boss."