11
Harper stood with his back to the door defending his quarters.
Tyr lent forward, his face level with the engineer's.
"Come on Harper, what is under your pillow."
Harper sighed. "Okay, okay, it's a freeze dried ape's thingie"
"Boy, do not use euphemisms, it's a p."
Dylan broke in at this point. "We both know what he means. Why, Harper?"
"The trader I got it from said it would guarantee success with women." Harper was unrepentant.
The two humans were unprepared for the sight of Tyr Anasazi roaring with mirth.
"Ask for your money back, boy." He said between guffaws.
12
Beka wiped her eyes. "That's the funniest thing I've seen in a very long time."
Rommie nodded. "I understand why he did not want you to see this. Although I was there I did not view the event in such close proximity." She looked at Beka, perhaps we could run it through again?"
Trance bounced in. "Poor Harper." She giggled. "Nice butt though." She winked at Rommie and Beka. "Don't ever tell him I said so."
She ran the vid through the viewscreen again.
"Andromeda, increase magnification and zoom in!"
The three females and Rommie's siblings settled down to watch.
13
A few days later Harper landed the Maru on Sullivan's Drift. Bliss; time away from the teasing and joking on Andromeda, although Tyr accompanied him. Dylan's parting words were, "keep him out of trouble, Tyr."
Harper cracked the hatch. Outside was chaos. Two groups of people, complete with banners, inhabited the docking bay. The group on the right side had banners proclaiming 'Harper, Love God' and 'Harper is Good.' On Harper's left they said 'Obscene' and 'Down with Harper.
Harper slammed the hatch shut, too late. A roar echoed from the assembled crowd.
"Uh oh." Harper was close to panic.
14
Harper watched the groups of women charge the Maru. He sighed deeply.
"How am I going to go ashore now? They'll tear me limb from limb."
"Yes." Tyr agreed. "And you do not want to imagine what the ones that don't like you will do."
The two men watched the crowd for a while. Harper moodily, Tyr amused.
Then Tyr had an idea. He disappeared for a few minutes and returned with an armful of Beka's clothes.
"I have the solution, boy." He said, with a smirk.
Realisation hit Harper like a blow to the gut.
"No!" He shouted. "Never!"
15
Tyr stood arms folded and looked at Harper. The boy had reluctantly donned the garments. In Tyr's opinion the youngster made a convincing girl. Something was missing though.
"You need. Tyr indicated with his hands.
Harper looked down at the top he was wearing. "Yeah," he sniggered. "I don't have the right equipment."
Tyr found two rolled up pairs of socks and stuffed them down Harper's front. The Nietzschean stood back and considered.
"Better?" He asked.
Harper wriggled, one of his 'additions' fell out.
"How do I keep them in?"
"I believe a brassiere is required or some duct tape."
Harper stood with his back to the door defending his quarters.
Tyr lent forward, his face level with the engineer's.
"Come on Harper, what is under your pillow."
Harper sighed. "Okay, okay, it's a freeze dried ape's thingie"
"Boy, do not use euphemisms, it's a p."
Dylan broke in at this point. "We both know what he means. Why, Harper?"
"The trader I got it from said it would guarantee success with women." Harper was unrepentant.
The two humans were unprepared for the sight of Tyr Anasazi roaring with mirth.
"Ask for your money back, boy." He said between guffaws.
12
Beka wiped her eyes. "That's the funniest thing I've seen in a very long time."
Rommie nodded. "I understand why he did not want you to see this. Although I was there I did not view the event in such close proximity." She looked at Beka, perhaps we could run it through again?"
Trance bounced in. "Poor Harper." She giggled. "Nice butt though." She winked at Rommie and Beka. "Don't ever tell him I said so."
She ran the vid through the viewscreen again.
"Andromeda, increase magnification and zoom in!"
The three females and Rommie's siblings settled down to watch.
13
A few days later Harper landed the Maru on Sullivan's Drift. Bliss; time away from the teasing and joking on Andromeda, although Tyr accompanied him. Dylan's parting words were, "keep him out of trouble, Tyr."
Harper cracked the hatch. Outside was chaos. Two groups of people, complete with banners, inhabited the docking bay. The group on the right side had banners proclaiming 'Harper, Love God' and 'Harper is Good.' On Harper's left they said 'Obscene' and 'Down with Harper.
Harper slammed the hatch shut, too late. A roar echoed from the assembled crowd.
"Uh oh." Harper was close to panic.
14
Harper watched the groups of women charge the Maru. He sighed deeply.
"How am I going to go ashore now? They'll tear me limb from limb."
"Yes." Tyr agreed. "And you do not want to imagine what the ones that don't like you will do."
The two men watched the crowd for a while. Harper moodily, Tyr amused.
Then Tyr had an idea. He disappeared for a few minutes and returned with an armful of Beka's clothes.
"I have the solution, boy." He said, with a smirk.
Realisation hit Harper like a blow to the gut.
"No!" He shouted. "Never!"
15
Tyr stood arms folded and looked at Harper. The boy had reluctantly donned the garments. In Tyr's opinion the youngster made a convincing girl. Something was missing though.
"You need. Tyr indicated with his hands.
Harper looked down at the top he was wearing. "Yeah," he sniggered. "I don't have the right equipment."
Tyr found two rolled up pairs of socks and stuffed them down Harper's front. The Nietzschean stood back and considered.
"Better?" He asked.
Harper wriggled, one of his 'additions' fell out.
"How do I keep them in?"
"I believe a brassiere is required or some duct tape."