Bad Company: Chapter 3.
***Harper's room***
After a few minutes Harper regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he saw Beka. She sat on the floor at his side. He was lying in Beka's arms. Trance was by his other side.
- How do you feel, Harper? Any better? - asked Beka and stroked his blond hair.
But he was still pale and sweaty. His temperature was high. He had a fever.
- Cold... - murmured Harper painfully.
Beka helped him up and lay him down into his bed. Trance covered him up quickly.
- Better? - asked Beka.
Harper wasn't able to answer because the larvae started to move again. Pain. And pain. Again and again. He curled up on his side but it didn't helped. At that moment he wanted to die. He wanted to leave behind his all life and pains. Leave behind everything. Forever. He hated the pains, and the feeling. The feeling that worms are in his belly.
"Why didn't they kill me, when they attacked us? Magogs...beasts...why didn't they do that? It would be better, that this pitiful life... this isn't life...why didn't kill me? - Harper asked himself every few minutes of the day.
He had asked himself this question a million times. But he didn't know the answer.
- Take your medication! - said Beka, sternly.
- That's not such a good idea...
- Why not?
- I already took my medication and I don't want to fall into a coma again...
- Take your medication again, Harper. Don't worry, I'm here, in case something happens to you. You need the medication, because your immune- system is so weak and you're in a lot of danger..
- Okay.if you say so... - said Harper and took his medication.
A few minutes later Harper's temperature and pulse began to return to normal. He was almost well. He had just sat up in his bed, when Tyr walked in the room.
- We must go. Dylan is waiting for us...
- Oh, yeah, thanks for your concern Tyr, I'm fine... - said Harper sarcastically.
Tyr looked sternly at Harper.
- Did I hear someone talking about me? - Dylan was standing in the door.
- Dylan? - asked Beka confused.
- How are you Harper?
- I'm okay boss, better then before... - said Harper, but it wasn't the truth.
- Didn't Rommie tell you, that I'm waiting for you in the Command Deck?
- She did, we just ... - said Beka and walked toward Dylan.
- I didn't know that my room was the new Command Deck... not the new Command Deck, the new conversational room... - joked Harper.
- I think, we're a bit crowded here...let's go to the Command Deck, now.
Beka followed Dylan and Tyr out of the room.
- You'll be okay Harper, I know you will... - said Trance and walked toward the door.
- Trance!
Trance suddenly stopped.
- Don't think that I've forgotten what you said to me before... - said Harper angrily.
Trance sighted sadly and stepped out of the room. But Harper continued his sentence.
- And Trance...
- Yes?
- Thank you... for everything.
Trance smile slightly at Harper and she disappeared out of view down the corridor.
***Andromeda's corridor***
Harper was walking down the corridors alone, and considering. He wanted to talk with someone, because he had problems. Serious problems. And he knew who this person was. He would talk with Rev. Rev was the only Magog that he loves, like a friend. Harper hated the Magog. Except Rev. Harper couldn't find him anywhere.
- Rommie!- said Harper called to the comm.
- Yes?
- Where is Rev?
- You want to talk with me?
It was Rev. He was behind him. His sudden appearance scared Harper. He moves almost soundlessly.
- Oh, my God! Rev! I've told you a million times, don't do that! I'm scared to death every time you sneak up on me...
Rev smiled. Eventually, after Harper had calmed down, they walked away together.
***On the Command Deck***
- I don't think Harper should come with us. He's sick. His condition is very umpredictable. He could worsen anytime. I don't want that to happen. Dylan, is it necessary for Harper go with us? What if something happens to him? Trance won't be there to help him... - said Beka worriedly.
- Trance? What do you think? - Dylan questioned Trance.
- I agree with Beka. While I don't know the cause of his illness, it would be better if he stayed here... - said Trance.
- Is his medication wrong? - asked Beka.
- I don't know. He's in pain and has very bad headaches...but I don't know why.
- Headaches?
- Yes Beka, headaches...please somebody tell him, that...
- Say what? - Harper stepped in the room.
Everybody was surprised.
- Ah, I already know! Tell me that I must stay here...And what's with the excuses? It isn't important for you?! Ok, I understand everything... - but this time, Harper attacked Trance without cause.
- But...
- You let me know if you find the old Trance, because, the one who is standing in front of me, I don't know her, and I've never known her! - shouted Harper angrily and stepped toward the door.
- Harper. Please, let me to explain this...you don't understand! - Trance tried to explain, but he didn't want to listen.
- Harper please...don't do that. You're really scaring me...
Harper walked toward the door without a word.
- Harper! Stop! Now! - shouted Beka angrily.
Harper stopped and turn toward the crew.
- You're just like Trance! You are underestimating my ability! I'm just an engineer...I already know that. Trance has told me already...But, OK! I can take a hint! I thought that I knew you, but I made a mistake! A very big mistake. Oh, Beka...maybe you've got something to do with this... and now, you ignore me! - said Harper very, very angrily.
He turned back and he started to go toward the door again. Beka was very furious.
- Seamus Zelazny Harper! Stop, now! Don't make me repeat myself! If you don't stop and come back...
- What will you do?
- As your Captain..
- What will you do? You can't use your title the same way Dylan does Beka. You'll fire me? Don't worry about it, I'm leaving!
Trance was suspicious. Harper wasn't himself. He was different, than before. "What's wrong with him?" - asked herself worriedly.
- Rommie. - Dylan turned toward the android. He nodded to her, giving an unspoken order.
Andromeda shot Harper with an electroshock and it paralysed him. He wasn't able to move. Slowly he became unconscious. Beka forgot to be angry and ran to him, worried.
- Why did you do that? It wasn't necessary.
- Sorry Beka, but we needed to stop him...
Beka looked at Dylan and he continued his sentence.
- I have an idea. Trance will come with us and Rommie will stay here... naturally, after Trance does his medical check and if she says so, than Harper can go with us!
- Tyr, could you give me a hand here. - said Trance to Tyr.
Tyr picked him up and went toward the Med Deck.
TO BE CONTINUED...
***Harper's room***
After a few minutes Harper regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he saw Beka. She sat on the floor at his side. He was lying in Beka's arms. Trance was by his other side.
- How do you feel, Harper? Any better? - asked Beka and stroked his blond hair.
But he was still pale and sweaty. His temperature was high. He had a fever.
- Cold... - murmured Harper painfully.
Beka helped him up and lay him down into his bed. Trance covered him up quickly.
- Better? - asked Beka.
Harper wasn't able to answer because the larvae started to move again. Pain. And pain. Again and again. He curled up on his side but it didn't helped. At that moment he wanted to die. He wanted to leave behind his all life and pains. Leave behind everything. Forever. He hated the pains, and the feeling. The feeling that worms are in his belly.
"Why didn't they kill me, when they attacked us? Magogs...beasts...why didn't they do that? It would be better, that this pitiful life... this isn't life...why didn't kill me? - Harper asked himself every few minutes of the day.
He had asked himself this question a million times. But he didn't know the answer.
- Take your medication! - said Beka, sternly.
- That's not such a good idea...
- Why not?
- I already took my medication and I don't want to fall into a coma again...
- Take your medication again, Harper. Don't worry, I'm here, in case something happens to you. You need the medication, because your immune- system is so weak and you're in a lot of danger..
- Okay.if you say so... - said Harper and took his medication.
A few minutes later Harper's temperature and pulse began to return to normal. He was almost well. He had just sat up in his bed, when Tyr walked in the room.
- We must go. Dylan is waiting for us...
- Oh, yeah, thanks for your concern Tyr, I'm fine... - said Harper sarcastically.
Tyr looked sternly at Harper.
- Did I hear someone talking about me? - Dylan was standing in the door.
- Dylan? - asked Beka confused.
- How are you Harper?
- I'm okay boss, better then before... - said Harper, but it wasn't the truth.
- Didn't Rommie tell you, that I'm waiting for you in the Command Deck?
- She did, we just ... - said Beka and walked toward Dylan.
- I didn't know that my room was the new Command Deck... not the new Command Deck, the new conversational room... - joked Harper.
- I think, we're a bit crowded here...let's go to the Command Deck, now.
Beka followed Dylan and Tyr out of the room.
- You'll be okay Harper, I know you will... - said Trance and walked toward the door.
- Trance!
Trance suddenly stopped.
- Don't think that I've forgotten what you said to me before... - said Harper angrily.
Trance sighted sadly and stepped out of the room. But Harper continued his sentence.
- And Trance...
- Yes?
- Thank you... for everything.
Trance smile slightly at Harper and she disappeared out of view down the corridor.
***Andromeda's corridor***
Harper was walking down the corridors alone, and considering. He wanted to talk with someone, because he had problems. Serious problems. And he knew who this person was. He would talk with Rev. Rev was the only Magog that he loves, like a friend. Harper hated the Magog. Except Rev. Harper couldn't find him anywhere.
- Rommie!- said Harper called to the comm.
- Yes?
- Where is Rev?
- You want to talk with me?
It was Rev. He was behind him. His sudden appearance scared Harper. He moves almost soundlessly.
- Oh, my God! Rev! I've told you a million times, don't do that! I'm scared to death every time you sneak up on me...
Rev smiled. Eventually, after Harper had calmed down, they walked away together.
***On the Command Deck***
- I don't think Harper should come with us. He's sick. His condition is very umpredictable. He could worsen anytime. I don't want that to happen. Dylan, is it necessary for Harper go with us? What if something happens to him? Trance won't be there to help him... - said Beka worriedly.
- Trance? What do you think? - Dylan questioned Trance.
- I agree with Beka. While I don't know the cause of his illness, it would be better if he stayed here... - said Trance.
- Is his medication wrong? - asked Beka.
- I don't know. He's in pain and has very bad headaches...but I don't know why.
- Headaches?
- Yes Beka, headaches...please somebody tell him, that...
- Say what? - Harper stepped in the room.
Everybody was surprised.
- Ah, I already know! Tell me that I must stay here...And what's with the excuses? It isn't important for you?! Ok, I understand everything... - but this time, Harper attacked Trance without cause.
- But...
- You let me know if you find the old Trance, because, the one who is standing in front of me, I don't know her, and I've never known her! - shouted Harper angrily and stepped toward the door.
- Harper. Please, let me to explain this...you don't understand! - Trance tried to explain, but he didn't want to listen.
- Harper please...don't do that. You're really scaring me...
Harper walked toward the door without a word.
- Harper! Stop! Now! - shouted Beka angrily.
Harper stopped and turn toward the crew.
- You're just like Trance! You are underestimating my ability! I'm just an engineer...I already know that. Trance has told me already...But, OK! I can take a hint! I thought that I knew you, but I made a mistake! A very big mistake. Oh, Beka...maybe you've got something to do with this... and now, you ignore me! - said Harper very, very angrily.
He turned back and he started to go toward the door again. Beka was very furious.
- Seamus Zelazny Harper! Stop, now! Don't make me repeat myself! If you don't stop and come back...
- What will you do?
- As your Captain..
- What will you do? You can't use your title the same way Dylan does Beka. You'll fire me? Don't worry about it, I'm leaving!
Trance was suspicious. Harper wasn't himself. He was different, than before. "What's wrong with him?" - asked herself worriedly.
- Rommie. - Dylan turned toward the android. He nodded to her, giving an unspoken order.
Andromeda shot Harper with an electroshock and it paralysed him. He wasn't able to move. Slowly he became unconscious. Beka forgot to be angry and ran to him, worried.
- Why did you do that? It wasn't necessary.
- Sorry Beka, but we needed to stop him...
Beka looked at Dylan and he continued his sentence.
- I have an idea. Trance will come with us and Rommie will stay here... naturally, after Trance does his medical check and if she says so, than Harper can go with us!
- Tyr, could you give me a hand here. - said Trance to Tyr.
Tyr picked him up and went toward the Med Deck.
TO BE CONTINUED...