"If he's hurt I'm holding you responsible," Beka stated as the Eureka Maru
approached Salko Drift.
"What? I didn't do anything!" Dylan said, clearly confused.
"Exactly. That's why it's your fault."
Dylan blinked and shook his head slightly before asking, "How is this my-"
"Please state your name and business," a voice over the comm unit interrupted.
"This is Dylan Hunt and Beka Valentine on the Eureka Maru, requesting permission to dock. Our business is.official."
"Yeah right," Beka scoffed, "like they're gonna buy that 'official' bull."
There was an extended amount of silence over the communication line before a different voice answered, "Very well Eureka Maru, you're clear to put down in docking bay 105. An escort will be awaiting you there."
"Escort?" Dylan frowned. "Why is there an escort?"
"Good going," Beka said sarcastically. "Way to be official."
Dylan sighed and asked good naturedly, "You're not still blaming me for leaving Harper behind, are you?"
"Of course I am."
"Uh-huh and who's the one that flew the Maru out exactly?"
"You," Beka pointed her finger, feigning anger as she tried to think of a comeback, "shut-up!"
Dylan just smiled; glad Beka wasn't worried out of her mind. His whole crew was important to him and didn't like to see any of them sad or hurt.
Especially Beka, he thought to himself as he the Maru touched down. Why did I just think that?
Shaking his head, he undid his safety harness and followed his first officer out the airlock.
"Beka Valentine," one of five armed men in blacked addressed the occupants of the Maru as they exited their ship, "and Dylan Hunt. Follow us please."
The pair looked around for any other way out but their odds weren't looking too good. They were outnumbered and outgunned. In other words, they did the Nietzschean thing and sat back and waited as their captors directed them to the corridor outside their docking bay.
"If I may ask, what did we do?" Dylan asked the man who had spoken earlier.
"Your presence has been requested. We are only here to escort you."
Dylan nodded curtly, thankful for the interaction.
The group of seven walked in silence until they came to an unmarked docking bay. Keeping their eyes open for a trap, Beka and Dylan entered it upon their escorts' insistence. The private cruiser docked there was magnificent. It was a bright shade of silver and by appearance alone you could tell it was a very sleek ship. Dylan and Beka were taken inside and told to stay and wait in a small living room-like area. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior. There were silk curtains, gems that decorated the upholstery, and many other expensive materials present.
"They didn't lock us in," Beka commented as she took a seat on the couch.
"No.they didn't," Dylan said as he sat down beside her. "I get the feeling we're guests, not captives."
"Well if we're their guests," Beka grumbled and massaged her sore arm; "they weren't very hospitable hosts."
"And for that I personally apologize," a man said as he stepped into the room. "I didn't inform my, uh, colleagues of the situation before hand. They more than likely assumed you were some out of system politicians."
Dylan stood and walked over to the stranger, trying to decide whether or not the well-dressed man was friend or foe.
"I'm John," the king said once he saw Dylan's uncertain gaze. Although he wanted their trust, he didn't want to tell them his true identity yet.
"I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant," Dylan said and motioned to Beka who also stood and walked over. "This is my first officer, Beka Valentine."
"Ah yes," John said as he shook both of their hands, "I believe I may have your engineer."
"Harper?" Beka asked immediately.
"Seamus Harper." John replied.
"Yes, that him. Where is he?"
John raised one of his hands in order to quiet Beka, "He's resting. I called in a favor so this system's top neurosurgeon is working on his port."
"I want to see him."
"You can as soon as the doctor's done. I assure you, he's fine. The concussion was the only thing even close to serious."
Beka didn't seem very convinced but she took her spot on the couch. She was glad he was okay but she still felt guilty for leaving him and wanted to see him with her own eyes.
A few minutes later a tall man with short brown hair walked through the door. It was obvious he was the doctor but Beka eyed him warily, still not trusting John or anyone else on the ship. Dylan, however, stood along with his new host.
"How is he Derrick?" John asked, true concern laced with his words.
"He's going to be fine," Derrick answered. "I performed a rather simple procedure and he can get up in a few days, but be sure the port isn't used for at least two weeks. The anesthesia should wear off in an hour or so."
"Thank-you," Dylan finally spoke.
"You're welcome," the surgeon replied as he turned to leave. "Just remember, bed rest for at least three days and two weeks before he can use his port."
"See Brady on your way out," the king called after Derrick, "and have a safe trip back."
"Now," John asked as he redirected his attention, "do you want to see your friend?"
He didn't wait for their replies before leaving for Harper's room. John was just as eager to see the young man as his crewmates were.
"Sir!" one of John's new recruits yelled as he chased after the king. "Sir, I have those test results you requested."
This brought John to a halt and he noticed he was very close to Harper's quarters.
"Your friend is in room 25," he told Dylan and Beka as he pointed to a room a few meters ahead. "Go on in, I'll be there in a minute."
"Sir," the kid huffed as he came to a stop beside John, "the results."
"Thanks," John replied as he took the flexi and picked his memory for a name to go with the face of his deliverer, ".Toby."
"You're welcome sir," the kid was beaming as he walked away and John heaved a mental sigh. He hated it when he couldn't remember his own people's names, even if they were new.
John stared at the flexi suspiciously before he turned it on. The information from the blood test stared him in the face. There was no denying it.
"What? I didn't do anything!" Dylan said, clearly confused.
"Exactly. That's why it's your fault."
Dylan blinked and shook his head slightly before asking, "How is this my-"
"Please state your name and business," a voice over the comm unit interrupted.
"This is Dylan Hunt and Beka Valentine on the Eureka Maru, requesting permission to dock. Our business is.official."
"Yeah right," Beka scoffed, "like they're gonna buy that 'official' bull."
There was an extended amount of silence over the communication line before a different voice answered, "Very well Eureka Maru, you're clear to put down in docking bay 105. An escort will be awaiting you there."
"Escort?" Dylan frowned. "Why is there an escort?"
"Good going," Beka said sarcastically. "Way to be official."
Dylan sighed and asked good naturedly, "You're not still blaming me for leaving Harper behind, are you?"
"Of course I am."
"Uh-huh and who's the one that flew the Maru out exactly?"
"You," Beka pointed her finger, feigning anger as she tried to think of a comeback, "shut-up!"
Dylan just smiled; glad Beka wasn't worried out of her mind. His whole crew was important to him and didn't like to see any of them sad or hurt.
Especially Beka, he thought to himself as he the Maru touched down. Why did I just think that?
Shaking his head, he undid his safety harness and followed his first officer out the airlock.
"Beka Valentine," one of five armed men in blacked addressed the occupants of the Maru as they exited their ship, "and Dylan Hunt. Follow us please."
The pair looked around for any other way out but their odds weren't looking too good. They were outnumbered and outgunned. In other words, they did the Nietzschean thing and sat back and waited as their captors directed them to the corridor outside their docking bay.
"If I may ask, what did we do?" Dylan asked the man who had spoken earlier.
"Your presence has been requested. We are only here to escort you."
Dylan nodded curtly, thankful for the interaction.
The group of seven walked in silence until they came to an unmarked docking bay. Keeping their eyes open for a trap, Beka and Dylan entered it upon their escorts' insistence. The private cruiser docked there was magnificent. It was a bright shade of silver and by appearance alone you could tell it was a very sleek ship. Dylan and Beka were taken inside and told to stay and wait in a small living room-like area. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior. There were silk curtains, gems that decorated the upholstery, and many other expensive materials present.
"They didn't lock us in," Beka commented as she took a seat on the couch.
"No.they didn't," Dylan said as he sat down beside her. "I get the feeling we're guests, not captives."
"Well if we're their guests," Beka grumbled and massaged her sore arm; "they weren't very hospitable hosts."
"And for that I personally apologize," a man said as he stepped into the room. "I didn't inform my, uh, colleagues of the situation before hand. They more than likely assumed you were some out of system politicians."
Dylan stood and walked over to the stranger, trying to decide whether or not the well-dressed man was friend or foe.
"I'm John," the king said once he saw Dylan's uncertain gaze. Although he wanted their trust, he didn't want to tell them his true identity yet.
"I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant," Dylan said and motioned to Beka who also stood and walked over. "This is my first officer, Beka Valentine."
"Ah yes," John said as he shook both of their hands, "I believe I may have your engineer."
"Harper?" Beka asked immediately.
"Seamus Harper." John replied.
"Yes, that him. Where is he?"
John raised one of his hands in order to quiet Beka, "He's resting. I called in a favor so this system's top neurosurgeon is working on his port."
"I want to see him."
"You can as soon as the doctor's done. I assure you, he's fine. The concussion was the only thing even close to serious."
Beka didn't seem very convinced but she took her spot on the couch. She was glad he was okay but she still felt guilty for leaving him and wanted to see him with her own eyes.
A few minutes later a tall man with short brown hair walked through the door. It was obvious he was the doctor but Beka eyed him warily, still not trusting John or anyone else on the ship. Dylan, however, stood along with his new host.
"How is he Derrick?" John asked, true concern laced with his words.
"He's going to be fine," Derrick answered. "I performed a rather simple procedure and he can get up in a few days, but be sure the port isn't used for at least two weeks. The anesthesia should wear off in an hour or so."
"Thank-you," Dylan finally spoke.
"You're welcome," the surgeon replied as he turned to leave. "Just remember, bed rest for at least three days and two weeks before he can use his port."
"See Brady on your way out," the king called after Derrick, "and have a safe trip back."
"Now," John asked as he redirected his attention, "do you want to see your friend?"
He didn't wait for their replies before leaving for Harper's room. John was just as eager to see the young man as his crewmates were.
"Sir!" one of John's new recruits yelled as he chased after the king. "Sir, I have those test results you requested."
This brought John to a halt and he noticed he was very close to Harper's quarters.
"Your friend is in room 25," he told Dylan and Beka as he pointed to a room a few meters ahead. "Go on in, I'll be there in a minute."
"Sir," the kid huffed as he came to a stop beside John, "the results."
"Thanks," John replied as he took the flexi and picked his memory for a name to go with the face of his deliverer, ".Toby."
"You're welcome sir," the kid was beaming as he walked away and John heaved a mental sigh. He hated it when he couldn't remember his own people's names, even if they were new.
John stared at the flexi suspiciously before he turned it on. The information from the blood test stared him in the face. There was no denying it.