In the Beginning - Chapter 9 - Rating and Disclaimers as before.
Why did I shut my eyes? Perhaps it was a childish reaction, if I can't see him he can't see me. Small children do that all the time. My childhood hide and seek wasn't that innocent though. I felt the gauss round hit me like a hard punch to my upper arm. It knocked me over and although initially it wasn't particularly painful that state of affairs didn't last very long.
When I saw the blood on my fingers I nearly passed out for real. My theory is that my blood should stay where it belongs, inside my body. I will admit that I exaggerated my reaction because I needed to get Beka close to me so that I could talk to her.
She wasn't the most gentle of medics, her fingers probing the wound made me feel very sick and I nearly passed out for real. She needs to take some lessons from Trance in that respect.
I was really looking forward to the Dragans being in receipt of my little surprise, it was a shame that I wouldn't be able to see their faces when they found it.
We managed to make our way back to the Maru. I really didn't like the look that Zeus was giving Beka. Her stupid brother was still giggling. You will realise by now that I hate both the Magog and the Dragan's but that Rafe was something else. What a piece of crap, betraying his own sister by playing on her fears for his safety. I wouldn't mind a few minutes alone with him, I reckon like all bullies he is a coward at heart. If he has a heart that is.
All was very quiet on board the Maru. There was no sign of the Magog or Trance. I wondered if they were still on board or whether they had gone to look for Beka. If they were on board I hoped they were well hidden. The thought of my purple princess in Zeus's hands made me feel very angry.
I wasn't very steady on my feet by this stage. "Could I sit down?" I asked Zeus, not expecting him to allow it but knowing that if I didn't I would fall down.
Rafe sniggered at Beka. "Hey sis I don't think much of your new pet. Not much of a man is he."
I gave him my very best 'Harper is a tough guy look'. "OK you heap of garbage, give me a gauss gun and let me shoot you and we'll see how much of a man you are."
He put his face up close to mine and I spat at him. Big mistake, he back handed me and I hit the deck again. He was wearing an ornate ring on his finger and it must have cut me because I could feel blood running down my face. Well at least I got a chance to sit down. I sneered at him. "Is that the best you can do, I've been hit considerably harder than that by girls." That was true actually, but that is another story.
Rafe was furious, I thought that he might burst a blood vessel his face went purple, nearly the same colour as Trance. On him it didn't look good. He started towards me and I could see Beka about to jump on him. She didn't get the chance. Zeus reached out and grabbed Rafe by the collar; he lifted him off his feet before throwing him against the wall. I really enjoyed that; I almost warmed to Zeus in that moment.
The uber shook his head. "You kludges are like children, I have never seen a more pathetic display." He caught hold of Beka's arm. "Come along Captain Valentine we are not going to waste any more time. Take me to my cargo. Now!" He snapped at her. He looked across at me and motioned to his bodyguards. "Tie it up and lock it in." Nice example of Nietzschean charm. The two lesser ubers - I like that phrase, think they call it an oxymoron - tied me up. They were pretty rough and each managed to kick me a couple of times in the process.
I was left alone in the crew quarters, they didn't even have the decency to put me on one of the bunks. That was OK I needed to be alert to think what I was going to do next. I still wasn't very sure what Beka expected me to do when we reached the Dragan's cargo. Hell I didn't even know what the cargo was or where it was.
I heard a scuffling noise that seemed to come from above me. I looked up and saw just the tip of a purple tail emerging from a ventilation duct in the ceiling. The rest of Trance soon followed it. She had never looked more beautiful than she did that day. She came over to me concern apparent on her face. She put both arms and her tail around me and hugged me. Why does she always do things like that when I can't respond? I settled against her soft warm body, she smelt wonderful and it would have been so easy just to give up and lose myself in her embrace.
The Magog followed her. I suppose I knew that he wouldn't be far behind her. I was still extremely wary of him but I guessed that as he hadn't either eaten or infested Beka and Trance I was probably quite safe.
"Do you have a plan Mister Harper," he asked?
I grinned at him, making sure that Trance got the full effect of the dimples. "Not really," I replied. "I rather hoped that you would have one."
There was a noise from outside and they managed to scramble back into the ship's air conditioning system just in time. It's a good job these ubers were the noisy kind. The two bodyguards came into the room and taking an arm each they lifted me up off the deck.
"What's going on," I had to ask? "Zeus wants you," one of them growled. "He has just had a communication from our ship and he is not very happy about it."
Uh oh I reckon they must have found my little gift.
Why did I shut my eyes? Perhaps it was a childish reaction, if I can't see him he can't see me. Small children do that all the time. My childhood hide and seek wasn't that innocent though. I felt the gauss round hit me like a hard punch to my upper arm. It knocked me over and although initially it wasn't particularly painful that state of affairs didn't last very long.
When I saw the blood on my fingers I nearly passed out for real. My theory is that my blood should stay where it belongs, inside my body. I will admit that I exaggerated my reaction because I needed to get Beka close to me so that I could talk to her.
She wasn't the most gentle of medics, her fingers probing the wound made me feel very sick and I nearly passed out for real. She needs to take some lessons from Trance in that respect.
I was really looking forward to the Dragans being in receipt of my little surprise, it was a shame that I wouldn't be able to see their faces when they found it.
We managed to make our way back to the Maru. I really didn't like the look that Zeus was giving Beka. Her stupid brother was still giggling. You will realise by now that I hate both the Magog and the Dragan's but that Rafe was something else. What a piece of crap, betraying his own sister by playing on her fears for his safety. I wouldn't mind a few minutes alone with him, I reckon like all bullies he is a coward at heart. If he has a heart that is.
All was very quiet on board the Maru. There was no sign of the Magog or Trance. I wondered if they were still on board or whether they had gone to look for Beka. If they were on board I hoped they were well hidden. The thought of my purple princess in Zeus's hands made me feel very angry.
I wasn't very steady on my feet by this stage. "Could I sit down?" I asked Zeus, not expecting him to allow it but knowing that if I didn't I would fall down.
Rafe sniggered at Beka. "Hey sis I don't think much of your new pet. Not much of a man is he."
I gave him my very best 'Harper is a tough guy look'. "OK you heap of garbage, give me a gauss gun and let me shoot you and we'll see how much of a man you are."
He put his face up close to mine and I spat at him. Big mistake, he back handed me and I hit the deck again. He was wearing an ornate ring on his finger and it must have cut me because I could feel blood running down my face. Well at least I got a chance to sit down. I sneered at him. "Is that the best you can do, I've been hit considerably harder than that by girls." That was true actually, but that is another story.
Rafe was furious, I thought that he might burst a blood vessel his face went purple, nearly the same colour as Trance. On him it didn't look good. He started towards me and I could see Beka about to jump on him. She didn't get the chance. Zeus reached out and grabbed Rafe by the collar; he lifted him off his feet before throwing him against the wall. I really enjoyed that; I almost warmed to Zeus in that moment.
The uber shook his head. "You kludges are like children, I have never seen a more pathetic display." He caught hold of Beka's arm. "Come along Captain Valentine we are not going to waste any more time. Take me to my cargo. Now!" He snapped at her. He looked across at me and motioned to his bodyguards. "Tie it up and lock it in." Nice example of Nietzschean charm. The two lesser ubers - I like that phrase, think they call it an oxymoron - tied me up. They were pretty rough and each managed to kick me a couple of times in the process.
I was left alone in the crew quarters, they didn't even have the decency to put me on one of the bunks. That was OK I needed to be alert to think what I was going to do next. I still wasn't very sure what Beka expected me to do when we reached the Dragan's cargo. Hell I didn't even know what the cargo was or where it was.
I heard a scuffling noise that seemed to come from above me. I looked up and saw just the tip of a purple tail emerging from a ventilation duct in the ceiling. The rest of Trance soon followed it. She had never looked more beautiful than she did that day. She came over to me concern apparent on her face. She put both arms and her tail around me and hugged me. Why does she always do things like that when I can't respond? I settled against her soft warm body, she smelt wonderful and it would have been so easy just to give up and lose myself in her embrace.
The Magog followed her. I suppose I knew that he wouldn't be far behind her. I was still extremely wary of him but I guessed that as he hadn't either eaten or infested Beka and Trance I was probably quite safe.
"Do you have a plan Mister Harper," he asked?
I grinned at him, making sure that Trance got the full effect of the dimples. "Not really," I replied. "I rather hoped that you would have one."
There was a noise from outside and they managed to scramble back into the ship's air conditioning system just in time. It's a good job these ubers were the noisy kind. The two bodyguards came into the room and taking an arm each they lifted me up off the deck.
"What's going on," I had to ask? "Zeus wants you," one of them growled. "He has just had a communication from our ship and he is not very happy about it."
Uh oh I reckon they must have found my little gift.
