Disclaimer: A quote from Dire Straits once more and the show belongs to Tribune and I just borrowed stuff and it is all being returned, mostly intact.

Okay I know I said two or three more chapters but I won't be here the next while so I've finished it. Thanks again for the reviews, I agree about the dodgy lyrics and quotes I added but I enjoyed writing this and I hope that people enjoyed reading it.


On Andromeda......

"Fire a couple of warning shots at them"

They had caught up with the slave ship on it's way through Drago-Katsov space and were attempting to encourage them to co-operate.

"Try communicating with them again, maybe they'll be more willing to listen now"

Tyr spoke from his station.

"Well they should, we're bigger, more powerful and they must feel very small compared to us"

"They are powering down engines and weapons, and preparing to surrender"

Dylan was surprised, things didn't usually go so easily. So this might be a trap or, maybe he was getting paranoid.

. . .

As the guards at the door entered the room, the ship rocked at the proximity of the weapons fire. The stationers took that opportunity to rush the guards throwing themselves on top of them,

It then became a struggle for weapons, and the guards even with their superior strength were outnumbered and quickly overthrown.

They now had two weapons. And Harper needed another plan.

"Alright, we split up, one group takes the kids and goes back to the rest of the stationers then try and find some other way off this ship. The rest of us will try and take control of the command and turn the ship around."

The group split us, Harper went with the second group to command and Kieran with the first group took Rora and the rest of the children back to the others.

Harper's group quickly ran into problems as they found half of the second original team dead, and littered through one corridor. Apparently they too had run into guards but had faired worse than Harper's group.

But things got better from there. As they reached the command, they found the door open and the other half of the group alive and well and holding a Nietzchean male and a female hostage.

And when Harper checked the sensors and found the Andromeda right there things seemed to be looking up.

As the rest of the group cheered at the victory, Harper checked the long range sensors and wasn't surprise by the approaching Drago-Katsov ships.

He remembered a saying he had heard long ago - "every victory has a taste that's bittersweet"

. . .

Andromeda detected the Drago-Katsov ships before Harper did.

"What are those ships ETA?"

"Approximately 30 minutes, Captain. And we're being hailed by the slave ship."

"Put it on screen, lets see what they say"

Dylan was very surprised to see Harper.

"Hey Boss, I'd love to tell you all about our adventures but there's this really big group of ships coming so.... can we dock in the Hanger bay?"

Everyone on the command smiled with relief at the sight of Harper.

"Permission granted, fast as you can Mr.Harper and nice to have you back."

"Aye, Captain" And Harper gave Dylan a mock salute before cutting the transmission.

In ten minutes they were docked and the Andromeda took off racing to get beyond the border before those ship caught up with them, then they'd head for the nearest slipstream.

. . .

After the escape, and the swift exit from Drago-Katsov space......

They were heading back to Lesonta Station. Apart from the casualties from the second group, the rest of the people were unharmed but a bit shaken. They were all happy to be heading home.

Harper had left Aurora with the other children on the observation deck, because Dylan had wanted him in command.

"Hey Dylan, you called?"

Dylan didn't look happy and Harper began to suspect something was wrong.

"Is something wrong?"

Dylan couldn't bring himself to meet Harper's eyes.

"We have just received a transmission from the station. Harper, Tara's injuries were too great and she suffered a secondary infection. They weren't able to save her, I'm so sorry"

Harper heard the words but they seemed distant and echoing. He saw Beka approach him and felt her hug him but it was all unreal to him.

She couldn't be dead, he had just found her.

"Harper," Dylan was speaking to him again and he struggled to concentrate.

"We sent a message to them telling them we had found the stationers, so Tara knew that Aurora was safe before she died"

It was little consolation too him. Aurora, Rora, how was he going to tell her? How do you tell a child this? How can they understand that people can go away and never come back?

. . .

He took her to hydroponics and they sat down surrounded by plants and flowers. It was peaceful there.

"Rora we need to talk about your Mom."

Rora looked up at him and nodded. He looked just like the man in the picture her Mommy used to show her every night. The picture of her Dad.

"Your Mom was hurt after the attack on the station and the doctors tried to help make her better..." Harper tried to swallow the lump in his throat and hold back the tears.

"....but your Mom was really sick. She held on until she had made sure you were safe but the doctors couldn't help her and, and she died."

Two tears trailed down Harper's face

Rora took all this in quietly and thought of what her mother had said about dying.

"You mean Mommys gone to heaven and she won't be coming back, ever?"

Harper looked at her, than hugged her to him.

"Yes, Moms gone to heaven but she's not really gone. She just, isn't here to do things she used to do like, hug you or say goodnight but I can do those things for her...."

Harper trailed off not really knowing what to say but Rora continued his sentence for him.

"Cos your Daddy, and you'll look after me. But, I wish Mommy was here......"

And Rora sobbed quietly on Harper shoulder as he comforted her.

. . .

Two weeks later........

They were sitting on a beach near Rora's grandparents house on Ashen Pale, a planet in a small system near the Perseid homeworld. It was safe here. Rora loved being here.

Harper had a decision to make. He could leave Rora here with her Grandparents where she'd be safe and happy or he could take her with him on the Andromeda, where she'd be with her only parent and where she'd be equally as happy.

As Rora played in the sand, Harper thought things through. Tara's funeral had been a week ago. He still missed her so much, wishing they'd had more time together.

He watched his daughter play in the sand and put stones and shells on the big sandcastle they had built together a short while ago.

The Andromeda crew and Rora's grandparents would support him, whatever he decided to do as long as there were visits either way. Beka and Trance had been quite taken with Rora, even Dylan and Tyr had.

But the decision was his.

Rora had grown tired of decorating her sandcastles and came to sit by Harper.

"Hi, Daddy" She sat next to him and they watched as the sun began to set turning the sky red. The sunset happened quickly here.

As the sky turned black and the stars came out. Lights shimmered across the sky, so similar to the Northern lights of Earth.

"This used to be Mommys favourite place to be, watching the lights."

Rora sighed softly.

"I miss her"

Harper looked at Rora her face lit by the lights in the sky, two tears trailing down her cheeks.

His decision was made.

He wiped the tears from her cheeks and hugged her close and whispered to the sky

"Tears of the Stars............"

The End.