Dragon of the Elements: I am soooo sorry for having not written sooner. My computer has been having an identity crisis, and I've been really busy getting back to school. EarthDragon has returned, and this idea has been sitting in my head, I just haven't written it down yet. But there's some info you need to know about this chapter to understand why it is, and here it is:
Okay, in this next chapter takes place 5 years after the last one. Yes I know it has been a VERY long time, and I know you people are all dying to know what's been happening on the Andromeda, but that's coming, I promise.
Jason/Harper did not die, though he came pretty close. I'm not going to tell you how exactly that happened now, but it will all be explained. He and Alaya have two children, the 5 year old that was still in Alaya's tummy in chapter 5 is a boy named Hunter, and they have a 3 year old named Rebecca(Hunter and Rebecca...sound familiar?;) ) They also have another child on the way. Jason is the only survivor of the speeder crash, poor MIKELLE is dead(Earth is sobbing in background).
Anyways, in this chapter the valley of Borness has been discovered, so the rebels are currently floating around in an old ship(I will explain that also). Maybe some Commonwealth ship will come pick them up...
And even though I'm leaving a lot of loose ends here, they will all be tied up when Harper/Jason and everybody's favorite crew have a little chat....
Earth: Are you trying to give them a freaking introduction or tell them the rest of the story? Gee. Read and review people, and I had a fabulous time with my boyfriend, in case you were wondering.
Element: They weren't. Shut up.
***An old cruiser, floating around near Damien, full of rebel-gees***
"Daddy, I'm bored. When are we going to go home. I don't like this ship. I wanna see my garden," a three-year old complained. She had blond hair and blue-green eyes. She was also annoyed, and an annoyed three-year old is never a good thing.
"I know you don't like this ship Rebecca, nobody does. But our home is gone, so we have to stay here until someone comes to help us."
"Who's gonta come help us Daddy?"
Good question. And honestly, he had no idea. But hearing that made both of them feel better.
Jason sighed and leaned back. For 2 weeks know around a hundred rebels had been crammed in this old piece of crap, the only thing large enough they could find on such short notice. And those hundred had been the lucky ones.
They couldn't live much longer like this, everyone on board knew. They had dragged the cruiser just far enough away from Damien so that they would hopefully not be located, but it was only a matter of time. And food and water were beginning to disappear. So were tempers. Borness had bene fairly large and comfortable, but not the cruiser. Everyone was all crushed together.
Someone needed to find them, Jason knew. But who? Who out there would care enough, or chance into Damien's system, and would rescue a hundred-odd rebels?
He glanced over at Alaya, and his face immediately softened. She was asleep on her back, her massive belly sticking in the air. She would be due any day now, and it showed. Their oldest child Hunter was sprawled beside her, also fast asleep. The family of four shared a ratty mattress laid on the floor, in the same room as three other families on similar mattresses. But since Jason and Alaya had some status, they actually had a mattress and shared one of the nicer rooms.
"Go to sleep Rebecca, it's night-time."
"But Daddy, it's always nighty-time up here. How do I know when I should be sleeping?"
She was right again, Jason thought. Three, going on a genius.
"Your brother and Mommy seem to be doing okay. And I bet your little sister or brother probably sleeping too. Now go to sleep. Goodnight."
"Night Daddy, I love you."
"I love you too."
Rebecca flashed him a smile, then settled down at the end of the mattress. Jason smiled back, then left. The look of pure adoration and total trust and faith she placed in him never failed to move him. But now, business.
He walked purposefully along the corridors, giving an encouraging smile to those he walked past. Most smiled back, some a little desperately. Jason turned abruptly into the commend deck, and stopped beside a black haired man only a few years older than him.
"Oh, hey Jas. Nothin' new, if that's what you're gonna ask," said the man, Remmy. The two of them had bene good friends since their escape.
"Why I am not surprised? Is our distress signal still on?"
"It's been going twenty-four seven, not that it makes a difference."
"Maybe one day it wi-hey, what's that?" Jason pointed to a red blinking light that had suddenly come on.
Remmy gave him a funny look, as if any sane person should know what is was. Or at least any person with a memory, "It's a respond light, Jas. It lets us know that our distress signal is being answered."
The two of them stood rock-still for a minute, not realizing the light's significance. The red light blinked on patiently. Then it implication of the light hit them both.
"OH MY GOD!!! WE HAVE AN ANSWER!!! WE HAVE AN ANSWER!!!"
The entire command deck leaped into action as if a Nietzchean patrol had come on board. Some ran to tell their families, friends and anyone and everyone else, while the majority busily got a response together.
After a minute they realized it was true. The ship had come into the system and heard their distress signal, and had responded immediately. They said their ship was more than adequate to accommodate a hundred rebels.
The rebels were packed and organized within a matter of minutes. Everyone was practically bouncing off the walls. Two weeks of hell were finally coming to an end!
Jason ran down the halls, practically jumping over the rebels that crowded the halls. Alaya and the kids were awake, and looking rather confused. Hunter was shaking his mom and asking what was going on, though she didn't seem to have an answer.
She saw Jason come bounding excitedly in, and at the look of elation on his face she sighed in relief. "What's going on Jason? The kids and I woke up and everyone was rushing around."
"A ship answered our distress signal. We're being picked up!!"
Three smiles lit simultaneously. "Are we really, Daddy?" asked Hunter, who was now wide awake.
"We really are, Hunter. Now get your stuff ready because we're getting ready to go."
Ten minutes later the old cruiser was safely parked in the docking bay of the rescue ship. Jason had not actually seen the ship that had rescued them, since he had been getting his family ready, but it was apparently huge.
Slowly, to slowly, the rebels were unloaded onto the ship. Finally all one hundred-odd thin, tied hungry, dirty and battered rebels were unloaded. Jason and his family were near the back, because Alaya could not move around easily anymore. So he did not see the crew, but he heard the captain's words quite clearly.
"Welcome, everyone. I hope that we can be of service to you any way we can, and please enjoy the hospitality of my ship. I am Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant."
Earth: Omigod, that was so suspenseful! How could you do this to us, and especially to me, Element? Harper's a dad, and he's finally on the Andromeda after 6 years where they've thought he was dead. How did he survive? What's the crew been up to? Tell me!! (Earth screams and faints).
Element: Good gosh, you're so over-dramatic. But those are good questions. And they'll be answered in the next chapter(promise!!). But you'll have to review and tune in!!