Triduum
By Dawn Nyberg
Disclaimer: Tribune owns the characters of Andromeda. No Profit is being made.
READ AND REVIEW!
*****************************************************************
"Let's just get this started." Harper eyed Calle with disdain.
"Mr. Harper, is it?" Chancellor De Leon questioned.
"Yeah." Harper answered his tone held the hint of an attitude. The crew of the Andromeda just stared.
"For the record please state the name you were using when the offense Officer Calle is charging you with happened."
"Ronin."
"Ronin, what?"
"Just… Ronin."
"Very well then." An irate Beka Valentine interrupted the Chancellor.
"Harper! Or whatever your name is! Do you want to tell me what the hell is happening here?" Beka jerked Harper around by an arm so he was facing her.
"Leave it alone Beka. This isn't your business." Harper answered her keeping his voice level and devoid of emotion.
"Not my business! You've been apart of my crew for five years, Seamus and apart of the Andromeda for a year. You're right it's not my business … it's ours!" Beka pointed at the rest of the crew.
"Beka" Dylan stepped forward. "This will get sorted out. Calm down."
The Chancellor took the moment of silence that followed Dylan to speak. " I can see your deceptions Mr. Harper have not only affected Brescia law."
Harper said nothing.
"It is my duty Mr. Harper to tell you what you are accused of. Officer Calle has charged you with the murder of his brother Louden Calle six years ago. How do you plead?"
Harper's eyes shifted from the Chancellor's face to Calle and back again. "Well, if pleading guilty means I killed him … then yeah, I'm guilty." His tone was matter of fact.
The Chancellor's eyes held of moment of surprise. She was taken aback by Harper's cold candor over admitting he was guilty of murder. Gavin Calle held his ground and didn't speak, but his eyes burned with hatred for Harper.
"Well, Mr. Harper it is customary to ask you if you have any regrets over the killing of Louden Calle. Do you?"
Harper smiled briefly and answered, "Yeah … I have a regret," he paused.
"What is it?" the Chancellor asked.
"I regret I didn't kill the bastard slower," he yelled and looked directly at Gavin.
There was a slight stifled chuckle from Tyr who couldn't help himself. Dylan cast an angry glare at the Nietzschean and Tyr just raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Harper, you have admitted your guilt. Do you submit to trial? Or do you choose immediate death?"
"Trial." Harper answered as his stare never left Gavin.
"Officer Calle?"
"Yes, Chancellor?"
"It is your right to declare the type of trial."
"Triduum, Chancellor."
"Mr. Harper, do you understand the rules of the Triduum."
Seamus only nodded.
"I don't," Dylan spoke up. Harper turned to Captain Hunt.
"You don't need to."
"I'm not asking your permission Harper. Chancellor what is a Triduum trial?"
"Captain Hunt, it is a series of three trials each a level to be passed. Each level could result in death, but it is the final and third level where Mr. Harper will actually fight Officer Calle to the death … that is of course, if he survives the previous two trials."
"But…" Harper cut off Dylan.
"Leave it alone Dylan! Let's get this started," Harper spat as he turned from Dylan to the Chancellor.
Beka stormed out past Harper. "I want to know what is happening!"
Calle moved forward and grabbed her. "This isn't a concern of yours woman." Harper moved quickly toward Gavin. "Stop, Ronin!" Calle screamed as he pulled a knife and held it at Beka's side.
"The name's Harper or weren't you listening earlier?" He stepped closer to Calle.
"I'm warning you, I'll stick her," his voice threatening.
Harper smiled at Calle. Gavin poked the edge of the knife against Beka's cloths. Harper yawned and made no action that he even cared.
"All bark no bite, eh?" Harper said sarcastically at Calle's lack of making good on his threat. Beka looked at Harper in shock.
"You bastard!" she yelled at Seamus. In that instance, Harper's hand moved swiftly to his chest as he pulled out a small throwing knife that he threw with precision. Calle never even saw it coming, but it hit his arm and he dropped the knife he held against Beka – she broke free of his grip. She walked to Harper, "You're dead to me … you lying bastard." Harper didn't blink, but he felt a little piece of himself die at those words coming from Beka.
Before he could be stopped he walked over to Calle who stood there with the dagger still in his arm. Harper pulled it out and wiped the warm blood from the blade across his sleeve. He reached up and pulled Calle close and whispered for only him to hear, "Don't ever come at me thorough Beka again. You play that card a second time, and I will kill you, understand?" He pushed Calle away from him roughly. He looked at the Chancellor, "When can we get this thing started? I'm bored." Harper's voice was harsh and the light in his eyes seemed to turn out. Tyr saw it and so did Dylan … it was the look they both recognized as … absolute rage. Seamus Harper wasn't living behind those eyes anymore and suddenly Dylan thought to himself … had Harper ever really lived behind those eyes.
"The first trial will begin at daybreak. Until then you will be held in a holding room."
"Yeah – yeah." Harper muttered as he was led away by guards and Gavin was guided away to have his arm looked at.
Dylan, Tyr, Rommie and Trance watched as the young man they thought they knew was led away. Beka wasn't there – she had left in a fury.
Tomorrow was the first of three trials and the future was uncertain …
By Dawn Nyberg
Disclaimer: Tribune owns the characters of Andromeda. No Profit is being made.
READ AND REVIEW!
*****************************************************************
"Let's just get this started." Harper eyed Calle with disdain.
"Mr. Harper, is it?" Chancellor De Leon questioned.
"Yeah." Harper answered his tone held the hint of an attitude. The crew of the Andromeda just stared.
"For the record please state the name you were using when the offense Officer Calle is charging you with happened."
"Ronin."
"Ronin, what?"
"Just… Ronin."
"Very well then." An irate Beka Valentine interrupted the Chancellor.
"Harper! Or whatever your name is! Do you want to tell me what the hell is happening here?" Beka jerked Harper around by an arm so he was facing her.
"Leave it alone Beka. This isn't your business." Harper answered her keeping his voice level and devoid of emotion.
"Not my business! You've been apart of my crew for five years, Seamus and apart of the Andromeda for a year. You're right it's not my business … it's ours!" Beka pointed at the rest of the crew.
"Beka" Dylan stepped forward. "This will get sorted out. Calm down."
The Chancellor took the moment of silence that followed Dylan to speak. " I can see your deceptions Mr. Harper have not only affected Brescia law."
Harper said nothing.
"It is my duty Mr. Harper to tell you what you are accused of. Officer Calle has charged you with the murder of his brother Louden Calle six years ago. How do you plead?"
Harper's eyes shifted from the Chancellor's face to Calle and back again. "Well, if pleading guilty means I killed him … then yeah, I'm guilty." His tone was matter of fact.
The Chancellor's eyes held of moment of surprise. She was taken aback by Harper's cold candor over admitting he was guilty of murder. Gavin Calle held his ground and didn't speak, but his eyes burned with hatred for Harper.
"Well, Mr. Harper it is customary to ask you if you have any regrets over the killing of Louden Calle. Do you?"
Harper smiled briefly and answered, "Yeah … I have a regret," he paused.
"What is it?" the Chancellor asked.
"I regret I didn't kill the bastard slower," he yelled and looked directly at Gavin.
There was a slight stifled chuckle from Tyr who couldn't help himself. Dylan cast an angry glare at the Nietzschean and Tyr just raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Harper, you have admitted your guilt. Do you submit to trial? Or do you choose immediate death?"
"Trial." Harper answered as his stare never left Gavin.
"Officer Calle?"
"Yes, Chancellor?"
"It is your right to declare the type of trial."
"Triduum, Chancellor."
"Mr. Harper, do you understand the rules of the Triduum."
Seamus only nodded.
"I don't," Dylan spoke up. Harper turned to Captain Hunt.
"You don't need to."
"I'm not asking your permission Harper. Chancellor what is a Triduum trial?"
"Captain Hunt, it is a series of three trials each a level to be passed. Each level could result in death, but it is the final and third level where Mr. Harper will actually fight Officer Calle to the death … that is of course, if he survives the previous two trials."
"But…" Harper cut off Dylan.
"Leave it alone Dylan! Let's get this started," Harper spat as he turned from Dylan to the Chancellor.
Beka stormed out past Harper. "I want to know what is happening!"
Calle moved forward and grabbed her. "This isn't a concern of yours woman." Harper moved quickly toward Gavin. "Stop, Ronin!" Calle screamed as he pulled a knife and held it at Beka's side.
"The name's Harper or weren't you listening earlier?" He stepped closer to Calle.
"I'm warning you, I'll stick her," his voice threatening.
Harper smiled at Calle. Gavin poked the edge of the knife against Beka's cloths. Harper yawned and made no action that he even cared.
"All bark no bite, eh?" Harper said sarcastically at Calle's lack of making good on his threat. Beka looked at Harper in shock.
"You bastard!" she yelled at Seamus. In that instance, Harper's hand moved swiftly to his chest as he pulled out a small throwing knife that he threw with precision. Calle never even saw it coming, but it hit his arm and he dropped the knife he held against Beka – she broke free of his grip. She walked to Harper, "You're dead to me … you lying bastard." Harper didn't blink, but he felt a little piece of himself die at those words coming from Beka.
Before he could be stopped he walked over to Calle who stood there with the dagger still in his arm. Harper pulled it out and wiped the warm blood from the blade across his sleeve. He reached up and pulled Calle close and whispered for only him to hear, "Don't ever come at me thorough Beka again. You play that card a second time, and I will kill you, understand?" He pushed Calle away from him roughly. He looked at the Chancellor, "When can we get this thing started? I'm bored." Harper's voice was harsh and the light in his eyes seemed to turn out. Tyr saw it and so did Dylan … it was the look they both recognized as … absolute rage. Seamus Harper wasn't living behind those eyes anymore and suddenly Dylan thought to himself … had Harper ever really lived behind those eyes.
"The first trial will begin at daybreak. Until then you will be held in a holding room."
"Yeah – yeah." Harper muttered as he was led away by guards and Gavin was guided away to have his arm looked at.
Dylan, Tyr, Rommie and Trance watched as the young man they thought they knew was led away. Beka wasn't there – she had left in a fury.
Tomorrow was the first of three trials and the future was uncertain …