Disclaimer: Tribune owns the characters of Andromeda. No profit is being
made.
Note to Readers: As always thanks for every comment and review! Please, be patient if a chapter takes a while. I'm starting graduate school this week and will quickly become busy. But, I hope to be able to write Andromeda on weekends and during free moments. I'm full of story ideas! Thanks in advance for your patience :)
** Read and Review - it's a fanfic writer's only payment **
*********************************************************************
Message Home
By Dawn Nyberg
Tyr made his way out of his bedroom in the cabin. Today was the two-month mark of being on Arabus. He planned on going into town and sending out a message to Dylan and the crew of the Andromeda today. He planned on telling Dylan to come to the Byzantine solar system to meet them. It was the system that Arabus was in. He knew the message would take at least a week to reach the Andromeda. He had a signal indicator with him that would let him know when Andromeda was in the system, so, that he and Harper could collect the Maru in town in a holding bay. The Nietzschean had no desire to wait it out in the Maru. He passed by Harper's room - the door was open. The boy was gone. "Harper," he called out to the cabin, but there was no reply. Harper had become difficult after last night when he had told the young man he was going to message the Andromeda and tell Dylan they were ready to return. He glanced outside the window and saw the young man scooting around on the frozen lake. "Crazy child," he muttered. He stalked out onto the porch.
"Harper! Get off that ice!"
Harper glanced over at Tyr and waved him off with irritation. "Boy! Are you deaf?"
"No!" Harper yelled back and purposefully shuffled further out in defiance. "Quit calling me boy!"
Tyr had started down the stairs of the porch and was headed toward the lake. "Why should I quit calling you boy? You're acting like a child. Now, get off the ice!"
"I know what I'm doing," Harper yelled back. "It's safe. Can't a guy have some fun?"
The ice began to make a popping noise and Harper looked down. He could see small cracks begin to branch out, "Crap," he said under his breath.
Tyr's excellent hearing had heard the ice. "Harper, don't move."
"Okay, tell me something I hadn't all ready figured out, oh wise one."
"If you had listened to me to begin with ." Tyr wasn't able to finish. Harper cut him off.
The young man moved suddenly, "Up yours!" The sudden shift in his movement was followed by a loud pop and a hole opened up and Harper went in. Tyr was all ready on the move he had scooted out over the ice on his stomach to help Harper. The kid came up from the water and fought to get out of the hole.
"Easy!" Tyr urged as he helped pull Harper out of the freezing water. When he had pulled the boy across the remainder of the ice to the snow covered shore - that's when he let Harper have it. "You're a damn- crazy fool! Do you know that? You're the dumbest genius I know!" Tyr was furious. It was a rage fueled by adrenalin.
"Do you ever shut up?" Harper said as he sat up and pulled his knees up to his chest for warmth. Tyr remained silent. He stood up and without word hauled Harper to his feet by his wet shirt collar and proceeded to push him in the direction of the cabin. "Hey!" Harper protested, but the Nietzschean's grip was strong and was not letting go. Tyr released Harper and shoved him toward the bedrooms.
"Get out of those wet clothes," was all Tyr had to say. He would continue to simmer while the boy changed into some dry clothing.
Ten minutes later Harper emerged in dry clothes. He started for the kitchen and tried to pass Tyr as he stood up from the couch. "Stop."
"It's getting late," Harper began. "Weren't you going to go into town?" His tone was irritated. The kid's attitude and earlier defiance became clear to the Nietzschean.
"You mean to tell me - you acted like a petulant child out their on the ice because you're mad I'm sending a message to Dylan!" Tyr was trying very hard to remain calm, but he really wanted to just grab Harper and push him around a bit - put some fear into the boy.
"You do what you want!" Harper spat.
"Harper, you're ready to return. I'm sending the message."
"Okay, go ahead and send it - I'm not going."
"I wasn't going to take you to town."
"I'm not talking about going into town. I meant I'm not going back to the Andromeda. I'm staying here on Arabus for a while."
"Look Little man," Tyr said moving quickly and grabbing Harper by the shirt. He pushed the boy against the nearest wall. "You are going back! You cannot hide here forever. There is nothing wrong with you."
"Let go," Harper struggled against Tyr's grip, but the grip was firm.
"You're being a coward! You're afraid to face the music."
"You don't know anything. You don't know me." Harper jerked loose finally and walked toward the fireplace turning his back on Tyr.
"I don't have time for a child's temper tantrum. I'm going to town." Tyr grabbed a warm coat and stormed out of the cabin slamming the door behind him. Harper didn't turn around until he heard the door slam. He turned and watched the Nietzschean leave on horseback through the window.
"Temper tantrum my ass," Harper complained to himself.
** Thirty Minutes Later **
Harper watched large snowflakes fall. They had begun about ten minutes ago and it looked like another winter storm was coming. He figured Tyr was almost to town by now. It was about an hour's ride down the mountain, but with the weather turning bad - he wondered if Tyr would make it back today. He listened to the wind kick up and it began to howl outside. Tree branches scratched alongside the cabin and windows - the noises made Harper nervous. He hadn't been alone up here since he had arrived.
A strange noise echoed from the valley above the cabin. Harper couldn't figure it out, so, he went outside to look. He walked a short distance from the cabin. He heard this noise - a loud whoosh, and a noise that sounded like trees breaking. He looked further up the mountain, "Shit! Avalanche!" He ran.
** Meanwhile **
Tyr made his way into town. He had considered turning back to the cabin because of the weather, but he wanted to get this message out.
** Two hours later **
Tyr had finished sending the message and checked on the Maru in the holding bay he had rented for the ship storage. "Is everything in order, Mr. Anasazi?" The storage facility owner questioned.
"Yes." He answered the man. "Thank you. I should be getting back up the mountain to the cabin." A look crossed the man's face. "What?"
"The cabin you rented was in the Nexum valley, right?"
"Yes, and what of it?"
"Oh dear, Mr. Anasazi -- was your young friend there?"
"What is it?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what? Speak man!"
"There was an avalanche reported in that valley over two hours ago."
"Have they dispatched a rescue?"
"No, of course not. You signed a waiver, Mr. Anasazi. The mountain can be unpredictable this time of year. That is why the cabin was so reasonable. I'm sure you were told."
"Yes." He paused, his mind racing. "I need to go."
"Yes, of course. I do hope the avalanche missed the cabin and your young friend is safe."
Tyr said nothing and left. The snow had thankfully abated and he was making good time back to the cabin. He knew by the time he reached the cabin over three hours would have passed since the avalanche. All he could think about was Harper - buried in freezing snow - maybe dead - maybe slowly dying.
** One Hour Later **
Tyr reached the cabin. He saw the cabin was in one piece. The avalanche had missed the cabin by some twenty feet or so it looked. He left the horse in the livery and bolted for the house. He noticed the front door was wide open. "Harper!" He shouted as he entered the cabin. Silence was his only answer. The Nietzschean made quick work of going through the two separate bedrooms - Harper was gone. He ran out onto the porch, "Harper! Answer me!"
Tyr walked over to where the remnants of the avalanche had pushed down small trees and scrubs. The larger trees had helped to slow it and break it up. The snow was over five feet high and solid. He started digging frantically. He had no idea where to start, but his mind was only focused on the one thought that if Harper wasn't in the cabin he must have come outside and was swept up in the avalanche. Finally, after thirty minutes of digging in various spots - he gave up. If Harper had still been alive when he arrived - he was surely dead by now. Tyr walked back up to the porch and sat down on the stairs. He put his head in his hands as he tried to assimilate the events of the day in his head. "Tyr?" Harper stood a couple of feet from the Nietzschean surveying him. Tyr's head shot up out of his hands. He stared at the young man for a second. Before Harper knew what happened he was in a bear hug that ended as abruptly as it had begun - then Tyr punched him. "What the hell was that for?" Harper asked as he rubbed his jaw and wiped away a small amount of blood from his lip.
"Where were you? I called out your name! I even dug in the snow looking for you."
"I saw the avalanche and ran and didn't stop until I couldn't run anymore. I walked back after I thought it would be all over. Geez!"
Tyr rolled his eyes and sat down on the stairs again with a sigh. " I thought you were swept up in the avalanche."
"Give a guy some credit, Tyr. I may not have any real experience with snow, but I know enough to get the hell out of the way of a wall of snowing coming down a mountain. Thought I bought it, huh?"
"Yes."
"Sorry to disappoint you." Tyr stood up and raised his hand again, but stopped himself from hitting the boy again. He growled and went up into the cabin.
** Later that evening **
Tyr and Harper sat across from one another at the kitchen table with dinner in front of them. Harper stared at his steak and with a fork pushed around his mash potatoes. Tyr sliced his meat and ate. He had glanced up at the boy once. There was a bruise on Harper's jaw where he had hit him earlier and his bottom lip was slightly swollen. "Eat." Tyr finally suggested to Seamus.
"Did you send the message?"
"Yes."
"I meant what I said earlier today - I'm not going back."
"Fine." Tyr answered and went back to his dinner.
"Fine? That's it? You're not going to give me grief over not going? I'm not going to get some speech?"
Tyr looked back up. He put his fork down and looked Harper in the eyes. "Child, I cannot make you return to the Andromeda, but you owe the others an explanation. I will not do your dirty work for you. You claim you are not a child - then act like the man you claim to be. Take responsibility for your decision to stay and you explain things to them. Set things right. Now, eat before your steak gets any colder."
"Beka hates me, okay! I know she does."
"Little Man, if she hates you as much as you think - then why did Trance and Dylan have to practically order her away from your bedside when you were hurt?"
"She stayed with me?"
"Yes."
"But . . ."
"No, but, Harper. She may be mad - even furious about you not telling her about your past, but she still cares."
Tyr and Harper sat and talked things through during dinner. "Okay - as usual you're right." Harper relented. Tyr smiled.
"Good. We have that settled."
"Tyr?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Tyr contemplated.
"All right."
"I told you about my brother. I've never heard you mention any brothers or sisters - did you have any?"
"Of course."
"What were their names? I mean if I'm not out of line asking."
"I had two older brothers and two younger sisters."
"You were the middle kid? Tough break."
"Not really. My father made sure we received equal attention."
"Names?" Harper prodded.
"My brothers were named Taris and Vitrian. My younger sisters were named Solara and Aria."
"Thanks for telling me."
"You're welcome. Did you only have a brother?" Harpers eyes fell.
"No," he answered softly. "When things happened in the camps and if a family member died - you just sort of never spoke about them again. It was easier for my parents. Just like Ian was never spoken of after he left home and defied my father by becoming a freedom fighter."
"You answered 'no'. Did you have other family?"
"Yeah, a little sister, but she died young. She was nine."
"I'm sorry." Tyr offered. "What was her name?"
"Loreena. I called her Reena." Harper stood up with his cleaned plate and walked it to the sink. "I'm really tired Big Guy. I think I'm going to hit the hay."
"All right," Tyr knew the conversation had brought up memories for Harper just as it had brought them up for him.
"See you in the morning."
"Goodnight, Little man. Harper?"
"Yeah?" Harper stopped walking and turned back toward the Nietzschean.
"Sorry about," Tyr motioned to his own jaw. Harper smiled and gently rubbed his bruised jaw.
"No sweat."
Tyr watched Harper walk away. He wondered what other secrets were buried deep inside the boy. He thought to himself, 'I guess we all wear masks - even boys.' He rinsed his plate and placed it into the sink. He wanted to read a short while and then retire for the evening. He hoped the time between now and the Andromeda's arrival would go smoothly.
Note to Readers: As always thanks for every comment and review! Please, be patient if a chapter takes a while. I'm starting graduate school this week and will quickly become busy. But, I hope to be able to write Andromeda on weekends and during free moments. I'm full of story ideas! Thanks in advance for your patience :)
** Read and Review - it's a fanfic writer's only payment **
*********************************************************************
Message Home
By Dawn Nyberg
Tyr made his way out of his bedroom in the cabin. Today was the two-month mark of being on Arabus. He planned on going into town and sending out a message to Dylan and the crew of the Andromeda today. He planned on telling Dylan to come to the Byzantine solar system to meet them. It was the system that Arabus was in. He knew the message would take at least a week to reach the Andromeda. He had a signal indicator with him that would let him know when Andromeda was in the system, so, that he and Harper could collect the Maru in town in a holding bay. The Nietzschean had no desire to wait it out in the Maru. He passed by Harper's room - the door was open. The boy was gone. "Harper," he called out to the cabin, but there was no reply. Harper had become difficult after last night when he had told the young man he was going to message the Andromeda and tell Dylan they were ready to return. He glanced outside the window and saw the young man scooting around on the frozen lake. "Crazy child," he muttered. He stalked out onto the porch.
"Harper! Get off that ice!"
Harper glanced over at Tyr and waved him off with irritation. "Boy! Are you deaf?"
"No!" Harper yelled back and purposefully shuffled further out in defiance. "Quit calling me boy!"
Tyr had started down the stairs of the porch and was headed toward the lake. "Why should I quit calling you boy? You're acting like a child. Now, get off the ice!"
"I know what I'm doing," Harper yelled back. "It's safe. Can't a guy have some fun?"
The ice began to make a popping noise and Harper looked down. He could see small cracks begin to branch out, "Crap," he said under his breath.
Tyr's excellent hearing had heard the ice. "Harper, don't move."
"Okay, tell me something I hadn't all ready figured out, oh wise one."
"If you had listened to me to begin with ." Tyr wasn't able to finish. Harper cut him off.
The young man moved suddenly, "Up yours!" The sudden shift in his movement was followed by a loud pop and a hole opened up and Harper went in. Tyr was all ready on the move he had scooted out over the ice on his stomach to help Harper. The kid came up from the water and fought to get out of the hole.
"Easy!" Tyr urged as he helped pull Harper out of the freezing water. When he had pulled the boy across the remainder of the ice to the snow covered shore - that's when he let Harper have it. "You're a damn- crazy fool! Do you know that? You're the dumbest genius I know!" Tyr was furious. It was a rage fueled by adrenalin.
"Do you ever shut up?" Harper said as he sat up and pulled his knees up to his chest for warmth. Tyr remained silent. He stood up and without word hauled Harper to his feet by his wet shirt collar and proceeded to push him in the direction of the cabin. "Hey!" Harper protested, but the Nietzschean's grip was strong and was not letting go. Tyr released Harper and shoved him toward the bedrooms.
"Get out of those wet clothes," was all Tyr had to say. He would continue to simmer while the boy changed into some dry clothing.
Ten minutes later Harper emerged in dry clothes. He started for the kitchen and tried to pass Tyr as he stood up from the couch. "Stop."
"It's getting late," Harper began. "Weren't you going to go into town?" His tone was irritated. The kid's attitude and earlier defiance became clear to the Nietzschean.
"You mean to tell me - you acted like a petulant child out their on the ice because you're mad I'm sending a message to Dylan!" Tyr was trying very hard to remain calm, but he really wanted to just grab Harper and push him around a bit - put some fear into the boy.
"You do what you want!" Harper spat.
"Harper, you're ready to return. I'm sending the message."
"Okay, go ahead and send it - I'm not going."
"I wasn't going to take you to town."
"I'm not talking about going into town. I meant I'm not going back to the Andromeda. I'm staying here on Arabus for a while."
"Look Little man," Tyr said moving quickly and grabbing Harper by the shirt. He pushed the boy against the nearest wall. "You are going back! You cannot hide here forever. There is nothing wrong with you."
"Let go," Harper struggled against Tyr's grip, but the grip was firm.
"You're being a coward! You're afraid to face the music."
"You don't know anything. You don't know me." Harper jerked loose finally and walked toward the fireplace turning his back on Tyr.
"I don't have time for a child's temper tantrum. I'm going to town." Tyr grabbed a warm coat and stormed out of the cabin slamming the door behind him. Harper didn't turn around until he heard the door slam. He turned and watched the Nietzschean leave on horseback through the window.
"Temper tantrum my ass," Harper complained to himself.
** Thirty Minutes Later **
Harper watched large snowflakes fall. They had begun about ten minutes ago and it looked like another winter storm was coming. He figured Tyr was almost to town by now. It was about an hour's ride down the mountain, but with the weather turning bad - he wondered if Tyr would make it back today. He listened to the wind kick up and it began to howl outside. Tree branches scratched alongside the cabin and windows - the noises made Harper nervous. He hadn't been alone up here since he had arrived.
A strange noise echoed from the valley above the cabin. Harper couldn't figure it out, so, he went outside to look. He walked a short distance from the cabin. He heard this noise - a loud whoosh, and a noise that sounded like trees breaking. He looked further up the mountain, "Shit! Avalanche!" He ran.
** Meanwhile **
Tyr made his way into town. He had considered turning back to the cabin because of the weather, but he wanted to get this message out.
** Two hours later **
Tyr had finished sending the message and checked on the Maru in the holding bay he had rented for the ship storage. "Is everything in order, Mr. Anasazi?" The storage facility owner questioned.
"Yes." He answered the man. "Thank you. I should be getting back up the mountain to the cabin." A look crossed the man's face. "What?"
"The cabin you rented was in the Nexum valley, right?"
"Yes, and what of it?"
"Oh dear, Mr. Anasazi -- was your young friend there?"
"What is it?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what? Speak man!"
"There was an avalanche reported in that valley over two hours ago."
"Have they dispatched a rescue?"
"No, of course not. You signed a waiver, Mr. Anasazi. The mountain can be unpredictable this time of year. That is why the cabin was so reasonable. I'm sure you were told."
"Yes." He paused, his mind racing. "I need to go."
"Yes, of course. I do hope the avalanche missed the cabin and your young friend is safe."
Tyr said nothing and left. The snow had thankfully abated and he was making good time back to the cabin. He knew by the time he reached the cabin over three hours would have passed since the avalanche. All he could think about was Harper - buried in freezing snow - maybe dead - maybe slowly dying.
** One Hour Later **
Tyr reached the cabin. He saw the cabin was in one piece. The avalanche had missed the cabin by some twenty feet or so it looked. He left the horse in the livery and bolted for the house. He noticed the front door was wide open. "Harper!" He shouted as he entered the cabin. Silence was his only answer. The Nietzschean made quick work of going through the two separate bedrooms - Harper was gone. He ran out onto the porch, "Harper! Answer me!"
Tyr walked over to where the remnants of the avalanche had pushed down small trees and scrubs. The larger trees had helped to slow it and break it up. The snow was over five feet high and solid. He started digging frantically. He had no idea where to start, but his mind was only focused on the one thought that if Harper wasn't in the cabin he must have come outside and was swept up in the avalanche. Finally, after thirty minutes of digging in various spots - he gave up. If Harper had still been alive when he arrived - he was surely dead by now. Tyr walked back up to the porch and sat down on the stairs. He put his head in his hands as he tried to assimilate the events of the day in his head. "Tyr?" Harper stood a couple of feet from the Nietzschean surveying him. Tyr's head shot up out of his hands. He stared at the young man for a second. Before Harper knew what happened he was in a bear hug that ended as abruptly as it had begun - then Tyr punched him. "What the hell was that for?" Harper asked as he rubbed his jaw and wiped away a small amount of blood from his lip.
"Where were you? I called out your name! I even dug in the snow looking for you."
"I saw the avalanche and ran and didn't stop until I couldn't run anymore. I walked back after I thought it would be all over. Geez!"
Tyr rolled his eyes and sat down on the stairs again with a sigh. " I thought you were swept up in the avalanche."
"Give a guy some credit, Tyr. I may not have any real experience with snow, but I know enough to get the hell out of the way of a wall of snowing coming down a mountain. Thought I bought it, huh?"
"Yes."
"Sorry to disappoint you." Tyr stood up and raised his hand again, but stopped himself from hitting the boy again. He growled and went up into the cabin.
** Later that evening **
Tyr and Harper sat across from one another at the kitchen table with dinner in front of them. Harper stared at his steak and with a fork pushed around his mash potatoes. Tyr sliced his meat and ate. He had glanced up at the boy once. There was a bruise on Harper's jaw where he had hit him earlier and his bottom lip was slightly swollen. "Eat." Tyr finally suggested to Seamus.
"Did you send the message?"
"Yes."
"I meant what I said earlier today - I'm not going back."
"Fine." Tyr answered and went back to his dinner.
"Fine? That's it? You're not going to give me grief over not going? I'm not going to get some speech?"
Tyr looked back up. He put his fork down and looked Harper in the eyes. "Child, I cannot make you return to the Andromeda, but you owe the others an explanation. I will not do your dirty work for you. You claim you are not a child - then act like the man you claim to be. Take responsibility for your decision to stay and you explain things to them. Set things right. Now, eat before your steak gets any colder."
"Beka hates me, okay! I know she does."
"Little Man, if she hates you as much as you think - then why did Trance and Dylan have to practically order her away from your bedside when you were hurt?"
"She stayed with me?"
"Yes."
"But . . ."
"No, but, Harper. She may be mad - even furious about you not telling her about your past, but she still cares."
Tyr and Harper sat and talked things through during dinner. "Okay - as usual you're right." Harper relented. Tyr smiled.
"Good. We have that settled."
"Tyr?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Tyr contemplated.
"All right."
"I told you about my brother. I've never heard you mention any brothers or sisters - did you have any?"
"Of course."
"What were their names? I mean if I'm not out of line asking."
"I had two older brothers and two younger sisters."
"You were the middle kid? Tough break."
"Not really. My father made sure we received equal attention."
"Names?" Harper prodded.
"My brothers were named Taris and Vitrian. My younger sisters were named Solara and Aria."
"Thanks for telling me."
"You're welcome. Did you only have a brother?" Harpers eyes fell.
"No," he answered softly. "When things happened in the camps and if a family member died - you just sort of never spoke about them again. It was easier for my parents. Just like Ian was never spoken of after he left home and defied my father by becoming a freedom fighter."
"You answered 'no'. Did you have other family?"
"Yeah, a little sister, but she died young. She was nine."
"I'm sorry." Tyr offered. "What was her name?"
"Loreena. I called her Reena." Harper stood up with his cleaned plate and walked it to the sink. "I'm really tired Big Guy. I think I'm going to hit the hay."
"All right," Tyr knew the conversation had brought up memories for Harper just as it had brought them up for him.
"See you in the morning."
"Goodnight, Little man. Harper?"
"Yeah?" Harper stopped walking and turned back toward the Nietzschean.
"Sorry about," Tyr motioned to his own jaw. Harper smiled and gently rubbed his bruised jaw.
"No sweat."
Tyr watched Harper walk away. He wondered what other secrets were buried deep inside the boy. He thought to himself, 'I guess we all wear masks - even boys.' He rinsed his plate and placed it into the sink. He wanted to read a short while and then retire for the evening. He hoped the time between now and the Andromeda's arrival would go smoothly.