Title: Holidays

Author: Kitty

Summary: The crew go on holiday and the results are heated.

Chapter One: Dylan

As he sat down to eat his lunch at the edge of the balcony, Dylan looked out across the sands to the bay beyond. It was good for the crew to get away from the confines of the ship for a while. No offence to his beautiful Andromeda, but living all the time on a starship you started to get a bit bored of the seeing same walls repeatedly. Beka and Harper had somehow, Dylan didn't want to know the details, got hold of a small very old earth sailing boat, and the ever-resourceful Harper was now sailing on circles around and around Beka, who was attempting to swim and catch up with the boat. Dylan smiled to himself and wondered where Tyr had disappeared to.

Dylan had spent his morning reading a rather interesting mission report Rommie had sent him after 'accidentally' looking at the Maru's logs. It included an amusing account of Harper's activities on a drift not far from Corzula and Beka's unique views on the males of the drift. The report, filed before Dylan had meet Beka portrayed a very different life style to the one now lived by the crew, Dylan wondered which they preferred. Dylan had strong feelings for his crew, he felt he was their surrogate father, just as Rommie was their mother, and he had always been compelled to protect them.

When he had finished his lunch Dylan started to wander down the slope towards the beach where the rest of the crew now resided. Tyr sat away from everyone else on a large rock staring at Beka in almost predatory style. This worried Dylan; he had noticed a while ago the couple's attraction to each other and feared that any relationship between the two would seriously jeopardise the working relationship the crew all had with one another. Dylan had tried to eliminate any possible situations, but knew that it would be hard to regulate them while they were on shore leave. He just hoped that Beka could stick to her principles and resist.

Trance seemed to be afraid of the water edging closer when the wash was out but recoiling as it came back. Dylan noticed her looking longingly out to where Beka and Harper were dunking each other under the water and took it that she wished she could swim. Dylan didn't notice that her gaze was of hatred towards Beka. Harper and Beka seemed to be enjoying themselves unaware of the scrutiny they were under. The boat, long forgotten was pushed up on the beach and lodged firmly in the sand. Dylan took up a perch on the deck where he had a clear view of the surrounding area. He hoped the holiday was a good idea.

TBC…