Scission: Oh Joy.

Harper waited impatiently at Hanger Bay One as the Jaguar skiff made its approach.  He made one final inspection of his appearance.  He patted his hair, high and spiked in a roguish manner, check. He brushed at his shirt, plain black with no machine oil stains and didn't smell like solder fumes, check.  New leather flight pants, gauss pistol, force-lance, knives and nanowelder in place, check.  He was hot there was no doubt about it.

His favourite golden non-human in the known galaxies was standing calm and composed at his side. He still couldn't get used to it.  He kept glancing sideways at her until he caught her eye.

"What," Trance asked not able to suppress a smile.

"You're just too calm.  It's unnerving." He bounced slightly on his toes.  "I want this to be perfect. Remember," he said in his best Dylan voice, "we are all now representatives of the Commonwealth."

"At ease people." Dylan said announcing his presence.

Harper looked up at him.  He gets way too much out of that line.  He wondered briefly what was going to happen now that there was a Commonwealth to crew the Andromeda. Would he have to learn to salute Dylan in order to stay?  He knew the Captain would never force them to leave but, now that the charter was signed he no longer had sole authority over Andromeda.

He shook off these thoughts as the Panthera's skiff pulled to a neat landing before them.  The Andromeda's crew stood and watched the contingent of Nietzscheans disembark.  Harper fought the urge to run as the group, leather and steel clad desperados, prowled across the open deck.  Neither teal shimmer of Charlemagne's long coat nor Validia's warm smile diminished the effect.

What had he been thinking when he had suggested a tour of the Andromeda? Actually, he'd been thinking of a cozy little one-on-one tour not a state occasion, because everyone knew that Seamus Harper and state affairs added up to an explosion of Rosey proportions.  If only Tyr had been with him.  I'm a freakin' idiot!

"Together people."

Harper drew himself to his full height.

"Good day, Archduke Bolivar." Dylan said as Charlemagne drew closer.

"Good day to you too, Captain Hunt or should that be Supreme Commander Hunt?" Bolivar replied indolently.

Dylan ignored this catching the glimmer of amusement in the Jaguar's eyes. "I did not expect such a state occasion.  My Engineer said his original intent was to give a tour to the Engineering team."

"Oh well, I had so much fun on my first tour of the Andromeda I thought I would give it another try." His amusement had now found a smile.  He stepped beside Dylan and faced his own people. "Besides I believe your engineer's invitation was to my Chief alone." The Archduke's knowing smile brought heat to the Engineer's ears. Harper relaxed only after the blond head turned its hawk-eyed assault back on Dylan. "I have been informed that you have already been introduced to my team."

Dylan nodded. "Well, should we begin with Engineering or the main drive room?  Mr. Harper, please lead the way."

Harper couldn't suppress the shudder that worked its way down his spine.  He hated having to perform. And then there's all these ubers on my ass.  With a deep breath he headed off toward the Slipstream drive core, nearly trotting to keep ahead of the long strides of the people behind him.

At one time Harper would have shot any Nietzschean trying to enter any of Andromeda's inner recesses, but the Jaguar and the Sabra already have Dylan right where they want him, bound by the leash of his own honour to treaties and mutual arms pacts of his own making.  Damaging the Andromeda would leave a huge hole in the new Commonwealth's fleet, thereby weakening what stood between themselves and the Magog, Drago-Kazov, Genites and now these extra-dimensional, the XDs.

He led them through the thick doors and up onto the catwalk where they would have a good view of the glowing central column. Harper cleared his throat, "Ok," he began in what he thought was his best tour guide voice, "what's special about the Andromeda's?  Ah … Well … when compared to the TZ-7904 and most Nietzschean military class drives ...."