Thanks again for the great reviews :D {{{Starfish}}} LOL! {{{Scaramouche}}} thanks for both fics :D {{{Amanda}}} I wrote this part while I was waiting for it to be time for the season premiere, which ROCKED btw. :D
Teeny tiny spoilers for BOTB and F&L:D
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Swish...Thump. Swish...Thump. Harper started humming a tune to the syncopated beat of his uneven gait, his mangled boot under his arm. He sighed as he reached his quarters. Fumbling with his boot and welder he somehow managed to key the lock on his door. The usual mess of clothes, empty Sparky cans, tools and half-finished projects greeted him. He tossed his boot in the corner and slid off his tool belt. Harper frowned as he examined the damage his welder had caused the belt. It would be hard to repair, maybe one of Rommie's bots could give it a crack and spare him the frustration.
As if reading his thoughts, Andromeda's hologram flickered to life in front of him. She glanced around the room, a disgusted look on her petite features. "Harper, what will it take to get you to clean up this pig-sty?"
Seeing his favorite AI always perked Harper up and, of course, he couldn't resist the huge openings she always gave him. He pasted on his most winning smile and started ticking things off on his fingers, "A bubble bath with your avatar, Virtual Sparky Cola in your VR matrix, Gerentex's head on a platter, unending supply of Newbaren Weisbrau, my own casino drift....um,...oh yeah, and get Tyr to chill out about these "lessons." He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "Yeah, that oughta about do it."
Andromeda merely rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, she'd walked right into that one. She was going to have to pay more attention to how she phrased comments to Harper in the future. She shook her head, dismissing his "list", "Speaking of Tyr, you now have 43 minutes and 23 seconds until your next lesson."
Harper threw up his hands, "Not you too! Why is everyone so concerned all of a sudden about whether or not little Seamus can punch a Neitzschean in the kneecap?" Harper began pacing back and forth waving his arms, one boot on, one boot off.
"Harper, I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this," Andromeda began.
Harper's pacing reached a frenzied peak, he spun to face Andromeda, his unbooted foot landing on an empty Sparky can. The can went one way and he went another. Harper felt himself falling and had time to let out a startled yelp before he hit the floor, his backside taking the brunt of the impact.
Andromeda's virtual mouth fell open in surprise, she quickly closed it to stifle a giggle. Harper glanced up at her as he got to his feet, rubbing the affected area and wincing. "It's *not* funny." He grumbled.
"Now you see why it's important to keep your quarters tidy." She smirked. "41 minutes now, I suggest you get ready."
Harper stopped rubbing his bottom and decided to try a different approach. He put on his most charming smile and batted his eyes, "Andromeda, why would I need to bust these hands up fist-fighting when I have a big beautiful warship like you to protect me?"
Andromeda uncrossed her arms, "Harper flattery will not get you out of this. I say go back and take advantage of Tyr, learn all you can from him. You are a quick study and, with time and practice, I think you could flatten him."
Harper grinned, "Flatten him? Is that a technical term?"
Andromeda tilted her head to the ceiling and raised her hands, palms up as if to say *Why me?* "Harper, I'm serious, you need this. Now change your boots and get your bruised butt back to the gym."
"Yes ma'am." Harper said crisply and mock saluted. Andromeda shook her head and fizzed out.
Harper chuckled as he made his way to his closet. He got down on his knees and began digging, throwing things over his shoulder until he got down to his spare boots. So far the only things he had found that resembled boots were the pair that were half melted from their encounter with the Cetus. Harper shuddered *Why do I even keep these* he thought and tossed them over his shoulder to join the pile of cast out closet crap. "Ah-ha!" He exclaimed but instead of spare boots, he sat back and popped the top of an unopened can of Sparky. "I knew I had one in here *somewhere*" He said to himself.
"38 minutes, Harper." Andromeda's disembodied voice chimed over the com.
"Yeah, yeah." Harper waved his hand in dismissal. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. He crawled over to the bed, slid an arm under and came up with an extra pair of boots. "Rommie? Where's Dylan?" He called as he sat down on the bed and began lacing up his boots.
"Captain Hunt is in Command." Andromeda answered.
"Thanks doll." Harper jumped up, grabbed his tool belt and jogged out the door.
***********************
Harper practically raced into command, Andromeda had been giving him a second by second countdown of the time remaining until his "date" with Tyr. Harper glanced around and finally spied Dylan on his command podium with Rommie, Andromeda's avatar. It looked like they were going over some schematics. Harper bounded over to them. "Hey! How's my favorite Captain today?" He said jovially.
"I heard that." Beka's voice came from near the pilot's station.
"Oops, sorry Beka, didn't see ya there." Harper grinned sheepishly and started again. "Uh, hey Dylan! How's my *second* favorite Captain today?" Beka shook her head and smiled.
"I'm just fine Mister Harper, how are your lessons going?" Dylan said, his eyes never leaving the schematics.
"Um...they're going GREAT! Yeah! Ah, Tyr even gave me a break since I'm doin' so well. And, um, he said I should come up here and see if there's anything you need me to work on. Specifically anything that might take a REALLY long time."
Dylan still didn't look up, "Is that so?" Rommie glared at Harper, she shook her head slightly and raised her eyebrows in Dylan's direction. *What?* Harper mouthed at her.
"She's trying to tell you that I already know that Tyr is expecting you back in the gym in, ah, 35 minutes." Dylan turned his attention away from the schematics just in time to see Harper's face go from shock white to beet red.
"Um...yeah, I was just, I mean, I wanted to..." Harper stammered.
"I wish you could see the look on your face right now, Harper!" Beka called form her position at the helm, laughing hysterically. "Oooh, that's a good idea! Andromeda, is there anyway you could record this moment for posterity? I do believe Seamus Zelazny Harper is speechless." She opened her mouth to tease him some more but instead came three quick sneezes.
"Gazuntite." Harper said sarcastically and stuck his tongue out at Beka. He stopped as the wheels in his mind ground into overdrive. He ran over to Beka, looked into her eyes and reached his hand up to feel her forehead. "Beka? Are you sick?" He asked expectantly.
"What? No! I never get sick, musta been some dust in the air." She sniffed and grabbed a tissue from her pocket.
"You *are* sick! You never carry tissues!" Harper was practically jumping for joy. "Beka," He said seriously, trying to ratchet his enthusiasm down a notch. "I need you to sneeze on me."
"What?" Beka, Rommie and Dylan cried in unison.
"Sneeze on me, cough one me, anything, just give me your germs."
"Why?" Beka asked, extremely suspicious.
"Well, if I'm sick, I can't train with Tyr and then I can actually get my work done and not run around with alternating black eyes every other day." Harper moaned.
"Harper that doesn't make any sense," Beka said, "if you're sick you won't be able to get any work done anyway. And besides, I am *not* sick!" She sniffed again and nodded her head firmly.
"Fine, have it your way." Harper's shoulders sagged dejectedly. He began to move past Beka when he suddenly stopped, grabbed Beka's face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips.
"Harper!" Beka exclaimed as she tore herself free from Harper's grasp. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Harper didn't answer, he was already halfway to the door, he turned and yelled, "You shoulda seen the look on *your* face! Priceless, Beka! Rommie, I'll take two 8x10's and 50 wallet sized!" He smirked at Beka and waved as the doors closed behind him. "Thanks for the cold by the way!"
******************
TBC
Teeny tiny spoilers for BOTB and F&L:D
****************
Swish...Thump. Swish...Thump. Harper started humming a tune to the syncopated beat of his uneven gait, his mangled boot under his arm. He sighed as he reached his quarters. Fumbling with his boot and welder he somehow managed to key the lock on his door. The usual mess of clothes, empty Sparky cans, tools and half-finished projects greeted him. He tossed his boot in the corner and slid off his tool belt. Harper frowned as he examined the damage his welder had caused the belt. It would be hard to repair, maybe one of Rommie's bots could give it a crack and spare him the frustration.
As if reading his thoughts, Andromeda's hologram flickered to life in front of him. She glanced around the room, a disgusted look on her petite features. "Harper, what will it take to get you to clean up this pig-sty?"
Seeing his favorite AI always perked Harper up and, of course, he couldn't resist the huge openings she always gave him. He pasted on his most winning smile and started ticking things off on his fingers, "A bubble bath with your avatar, Virtual Sparky Cola in your VR matrix, Gerentex's head on a platter, unending supply of Newbaren Weisbrau, my own casino drift....um,...oh yeah, and get Tyr to chill out about these "lessons." He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "Yeah, that oughta about do it."
Andromeda merely rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, she'd walked right into that one. She was going to have to pay more attention to how she phrased comments to Harper in the future. She shook her head, dismissing his "list", "Speaking of Tyr, you now have 43 minutes and 23 seconds until your next lesson."
Harper threw up his hands, "Not you too! Why is everyone so concerned all of a sudden about whether or not little Seamus can punch a Neitzschean in the kneecap?" Harper began pacing back and forth waving his arms, one boot on, one boot off.
"Harper, I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this," Andromeda began.
Harper's pacing reached a frenzied peak, he spun to face Andromeda, his unbooted foot landing on an empty Sparky can. The can went one way and he went another. Harper felt himself falling and had time to let out a startled yelp before he hit the floor, his backside taking the brunt of the impact.
Andromeda's virtual mouth fell open in surprise, she quickly closed it to stifle a giggle. Harper glanced up at her as he got to his feet, rubbing the affected area and wincing. "It's *not* funny." He grumbled.
"Now you see why it's important to keep your quarters tidy." She smirked. "41 minutes now, I suggest you get ready."
Harper stopped rubbing his bottom and decided to try a different approach. He put on his most charming smile and batted his eyes, "Andromeda, why would I need to bust these hands up fist-fighting when I have a big beautiful warship like you to protect me?"
Andromeda uncrossed her arms, "Harper flattery will not get you out of this. I say go back and take advantage of Tyr, learn all you can from him. You are a quick study and, with time and practice, I think you could flatten him."
Harper grinned, "Flatten him? Is that a technical term?"
Andromeda tilted her head to the ceiling and raised her hands, palms up as if to say *Why me?* "Harper, I'm serious, you need this. Now change your boots and get your bruised butt back to the gym."
"Yes ma'am." Harper said crisply and mock saluted. Andromeda shook her head and fizzed out.
Harper chuckled as he made his way to his closet. He got down on his knees and began digging, throwing things over his shoulder until he got down to his spare boots. So far the only things he had found that resembled boots were the pair that were half melted from their encounter with the Cetus. Harper shuddered *Why do I even keep these* he thought and tossed them over his shoulder to join the pile of cast out closet crap. "Ah-ha!" He exclaimed but instead of spare boots, he sat back and popped the top of an unopened can of Sparky. "I knew I had one in here *somewhere*" He said to himself.
"38 minutes, Harper." Andromeda's disembodied voice chimed over the com.
"Yeah, yeah." Harper waved his hand in dismissal. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. He crawled over to the bed, slid an arm under and came up with an extra pair of boots. "Rommie? Where's Dylan?" He called as he sat down on the bed and began lacing up his boots.
"Captain Hunt is in Command." Andromeda answered.
"Thanks doll." Harper jumped up, grabbed his tool belt and jogged out the door.
***********************
Harper practically raced into command, Andromeda had been giving him a second by second countdown of the time remaining until his "date" with Tyr. Harper glanced around and finally spied Dylan on his command podium with Rommie, Andromeda's avatar. It looked like they were going over some schematics. Harper bounded over to them. "Hey! How's my favorite Captain today?" He said jovially.
"I heard that." Beka's voice came from near the pilot's station.
"Oops, sorry Beka, didn't see ya there." Harper grinned sheepishly and started again. "Uh, hey Dylan! How's my *second* favorite Captain today?" Beka shook her head and smiled.
"I'm just fine Mister Harper, how are your lessons going?" Dylan said, his eyes never leaving the schematics.
"Um...they're going GREAT! Yeah! Ah, Tyr even gave me a break since I'm doin' so well. And, um, he said I should come up here and see if there's anything you need me to work on. Specifically anything that might take a REALLY long time."
Dylan still didn't look up, "Is that so?" Rommie glared at Harper, she shook her head slightly and raised her eyebrows in Dylan's direction. *What?* Harper mouthed at her.
"She's trying to tell you that I already know that Tyr is expecting you back in the gym in, ah, 35 minutes." Dylan turned his attention away from the schematics just in time to see Harper's face go from shock white to beet red.
"Um...yeah, I was just, I mean, I wanted to..." Harper stammered.
"I wish you could see the look on your face right now, Harper!" Beka called form her position at the helm, laughing hysterically. "Oooh, that's a good idea! Andromeda, is there anyway you could record this moment for posterity? I do believe Seamus Zelazny Harper is speechless." She opened her mouth to tease him some more but instead came three quick sneezes.
"Gazuntite." Harper said sarcastically and stuck his tongue out at Beka. He stopped as the wheels in his mind ground into overdrive. He ran over to Beka, looked into her eyes and reached his hand up to feel her forehead. "Beka? Are you sick?" He asked expectantly.
"What? No! I never get sick, musta been some dust in the air." She sniffed and grabbed a tissue from her pocket.
"You *are* sick! You never carry tissues!" Harper was practically jumping for joy. "Beka," He said seriously, trying to ratchet his enthusiasm down a notch. "I need you to sneeze on me."
"What?" Beka, Rommie and Dylan cried in unison.
"Sneeze on me, cough one me, anything, just give me your germs."
"Why?" Beka asked, extremely suspicious.
"Well, if I'm sick, I can't train with Tyr and then I can actually get my work done and not run around with alternating black eyes every other day." Harper moaned.
"Harper that doesn't make any sense," Beka said, "if you're sick you won't be able to get any work done anyway. And besides, I am *not* sick!" She sniffed again and nodded her head firmly.
"Fine, have it your way." Harper's shoulders sagged dejectedly. He began to move past Beka when he suddenly stopped, grabbed Beka's face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips.
"Harper!" Beka exclaimed as she tore herself free from Harper's grasp. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Harper didn't answer, he was already halfway to the door, he turned and yelled, "You shoulda seen the look on *your* face! Priceless, Beka! Rommie, I'll take two 8x10's and 50 wallet sized!" He smirked at Beka and waved as the doors closed behind him. "Thanks for the cold by the way!"
******************
TBC