Disclaimer: Tribune Entertainment owns the characters of Andromeda. No
profit is being made.
** NOTE TO READERS ** this is chapter 16 in the "Secrets" series.
**Reviewer Questions answered: 1.) What does Ronin mean? It means a Samurai warrior without a mentor/instructor. 2.) Also, there was mention of a continuity and/or confusing part that concerned Beka and getting Harper off Earth - around the time he drugged Tyr in an earlier chapter. I looked for this problem and the only answer I have is this: The only mention of Beka, Earth and Harper was in "Quid Pro Quo" and it was when Harper was telling Tyr about the year he devoted to hunting down and killing the man who killed his brother. He says, when he came back to Earth that he returned to the camps to try and forget the previous year and then he met Beka and she got him off of Earth. I hope this helps clear up that concern. If you ever have questions you'd prefer address to me directly rather than through the review process - email me at Feretory@aol.com
Read and Review! All comments are welcome.
********************************************************************
Line in the Sand
By Dawn Nyberg *******************
Tyr carefully placed Harper in the slip fighter he had flown down to Tempus earlier to perform security sweeps at Dylan's request. He had and watched Harper - he knew the young man would be asleep for quite sometime. The dart he had used contained the drug Covus. And he expected to Harper to remain unconscious for at least twelve hours or longer. The drug never lasted longer than 24 hours. He knew he had to get the kid off this planet and now he had more to deal with - he had found the vial of Flash on Harper and had tested it to see if it were laced with anything else and had discovered that the Little Professor had refined the Flash to a potency that made regular Flash look like a joke. He knew the boy would have to go through withdraw. He knew his gut had been right when he had the feeling Harper needed to be found after he received the Vid message from him all those months ago. Tyr knew what needed to be done. He covered the boy with a blanket and left him inside the sealed slip fighter.
** Twenty-minutes Later **
Tyr had returned to the place he retrieved Harper. The guard's body had not been discovered yet. Anasazi shook his head - even a mediocre security would have discovered the guard by now, but at least he was able to use this place. The area was situated on a bluff and one wall was a 200ft drop down into the rocky shoreline and ocean that lined the city of Ecola. Tyr knew what he had to do - he spoke into his Com. "Captain Hunt?"
"Yes, Tyr? Did you find something?"
"The threat has been neutralized."
"Where are you?"
"Sector 10."
"I'll be there in a minute."
Soon Dylan, and Beka along with some of the Chancellor's men arrived. Hunt had asked Trance to stay with Gogi until they gave the all clear.
"Where's the hit man?" Beka asked as she casually surveyed the dead guard as men began to remove him.
"He had just killed the guard when I came upon him trying to get in the door. I shot him in the side, but he made it to the wall and he climbed up on it. He said no one would take him alive. I fired at him again as he jumped. I know my hit was fatal, but even if it weren't I saw him hit below. There was no chance of survival."
"Did you see who he was?"
"No, he wore a mask."
"I'll be sure to give the all clear when we return. Good job, Tyr."
Tyr said nothing. Dylan and Beka began to leave and allow the Chancellor's people to manage the area themselves. "Dylan?"
"Yeah," Hunt turned.
"May I have a moment? Alone?" he had added alone so that Beka would take the hint.
"Of course, is something wrong?"
"I need to take some personal time. I have had a personal situation arise that I must address."
"Is this why you've been preoccupied?"
"I've done my duty." Tyr bristled slightly.
"I know you have," Dylan quickly answered. "Are you in trouble?"
"No."
"Fine. Do you know how long you will need?"
"I'll try to send word as often as I can. You needn't worry. I'll take the slip fighter. I can locate the Andromeda once I make contact with you. You don't have to pick me up"
"Make use of the long range transmitter in the fighter. It will decrease the time it will take for a message to reach us."
"I will."
"You're sure there is nothing I can do?"
"No."
"All right then . . . you may have your personal leave."
"Thank you."
Tyr left quickly and headed for the fighter. He got in and Harper was where he had left him. He checked him and his vitals were still strong. He left the Planet Tempus and knew where he was going to take the kid - the Planet Diem. He had considered Arabus, but after what happened there the last time he reconsidered. The Planet Diem was a remote planet, but would be a private place to help Harper and they would have no interruptions.
** The Planet Diem **
Harper slowly became aware of a soft bed beneath him. He was groggy, but his mind still managed to review its last memories quickly and he bolted upright in the bed. Tyr sat in a chair on the wall at the foot of the bed. "Good Morning, Little Man." The drug had lasted an entire day and he had slept through the night.
Harper looked around the room. It was whit and pale creams. The patio doors were open and a sea breeze buffeted the thing gauze type curtains. "Where the Hell am I?"
"That isn't your concern."
"Up yours Tyr." Harper threw of his thin covers and quickly noticed that all he was dressed in was underwear and a pair of loose fitting workout pants and nothing else. "Where are my cloths? I want them."
"You should eat something," Tyr had decided that he would ignore the question. He got up and walked to a small table and brought over a tray and placed it near Harper. "Eat."
The young man eyed the food and as Tyr turned to walk back to his chair Harper threw his sandwich at his back. "Shove it where the sun does not shine!" He yelled. Tyr growled and went for the kid. Tyr grabbed him by the arms and physically hauled him to the bathroom. He easily held the boy as he fought. He thrust him in the large walk-in shower and turned on the four- head shower from the outside with a free hand and put it on full strength with ice-cold water and held Harper under a stream.
"Ah! It's cold!"
"That's the point!" Tyr answered coolly. He shoved the kid against the wall and closed the shower stall door and locked it. There was no corner of the shower that allowed the young man to stay dry.
"You can't leave me in here!"
"Watch me." Tyr turned and left the room. Harper beat on the thick glass, but nothing worked.
"Damn you! Damn you to Hell, Tyr Anasazi!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Tyr had walked outside to the veranda that over looked the Alusian Sea. It was a beautiful day. His mind wasn't on the beauty of this planet, but the young man in the bathroom. How had Harper become so lost? And, using Flash - Tyr had to draw the line in the sand with the kid. He had allowed Harper his time, but all he managed to do with it was to become more lost. He suddenly realized that over thirty minutes had passed and the water in the shower had to be in the 50's when left on cold. He walked into the bathroom and spotted the kid huddled in a far corner with his knees drawn up to his chest and his face hidden in his arms that rested on his knees. He turned the water off and entered the shower. The kid didn't look up.
"Harper?" Tyr's voice was soft. He could see the shivers that ran through the boy's small frame. Tyr knelt down and gently took the young man by his elbows. He could feel the coldness of his skin. "Come on."
"I can do it," Harper answered quietly as he pulled his elbows from Tyr's grasp. They returned back to Harper's room.
"There are some dry clothes for you on your bed." Tyr left him alone.
** Ten Minutes Later **
Tyr unlocked the kid's bedroom door and walked in. Harper sat in the window seat looking out over the vast sea. He glanced over at Tyr. "You can't keep me here. I want to go."
"I'm sorry, Little Man, but that is the one thing that isn't going to happen."
"I want my stuff you took from me."
"You mean you want the Flash."
"Screw you!"
"You purified it Harper. What were you thinking? It's too potent. You're addicted."
"No, I'm not! I've got it under control!"
"Under control?" Tyr inclined his eyes toward Harper's hand tremors. The boy looked down at his hands that trembled slightly.
"I'm fine." Harper cast his eyes away from Tyr. "I just need to take the edge off. I want my stuff."
"It's not going to happen Harper. I'm not letting you put that poison into you."
"Leave me alone!"
"As you wish. But, keep in mind there is no escape. You're welcome to try, but it is useless."
"Go!"
** An Hour Later **
Tyr let himself into the room and found Harper curled up in the middle of the bed. His arms wrapped around his middle. He was sweating and his cheeks were flushed. The young man looked up, "Please, Tyr! Just a little. I need it."
"I know you do and that is why I cannot give it to you." Tyr sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You're killing me." Harper gritted out as a wave of cramps attacked his stomach again. "Please, it hurts."
"I'm sorry, but this has to be done. And, because you modified the Flash, Little Man, I'm afraid your withdraw may last longer than either of us anticipate."
"Tyr," Harper pleaded. "Just a little."
"No."
"I hate you! You're just a damn Nietzschean. Go to Hell you - Uber!" Tyr tried not to let the words enrage him - he knew it was the withdraw from the Flash talking. "God, I think I'm gonna be sick." Harper got up and stumbled toward the bathroom. His legs wouldn't quite get him there and Tyr grabbed him under the arms and helped him to the bathroom. Harper could do nothing to stop the relentless spasms of his stomach. Finally, an hour later he collapsed back against the wall near the toilet.
"Here," Tyr handed the boy a glass of water. "Rinse." Harper was too exhausted to object he did as he was told. Tyr filled the glass again. "Drink this one. You're going to dehydrate if you don't." Tyr helped the boy back to the bed. Harper crawled into the cool sheets and wanted nothing more than to sleep. He felt so bad he wished he were dead.
Tyr sat silently next to the bed. Harper whimpered in his sleep and he had developed a fever. Tyr had become concerned when it reached 104 - now he dipped a cool cloth in ice water and wiped the boy's fevered forehead and cheeks. He wasn't a nursemaid, but he had made this decision for Harper and had pulled him off the Flash, so he would help him get through the withdraw. Secretly, he was beginning to worry that the withdraw could kill the kid. He hoped the fever didn't climb any higher. The boy was barely lucid and when he looked at Tyr he could hardly focus. Harper moaned in his sleep and Tyr could see tear's seeping from the boy's eyes as he slept. Tyr took the cloth and wiped them away, "Shh, Little Man. You will make it through this." He tried to soothe the unconscious youth. The Planets two suns had begun to set and Tyr watched the shadows stretch across the room and could smell the sea salt on the breeze. Harper moved restlessly in his fevered sleep - Tyr knew this was going to be a long night for both of them.
To be continued.
** NOTE TO READERS ** this is chapter 16 in the "Secrets" series.
**Reviewer Questions answered: 1.) What does Ronin mean? It means a Samurai warrior without a mentor/instructor. 2.) Also, there was mention of a continuity and/or confusing part that concerned Beka and getting Harper off Earth - around the time he drugged Tyr in an earlier chapter. I looked for this problem and the only answer I have is this: The only mention of Beka, Earth and Harper was in "Quid Pro Quo" and it was when Harper was telling Tyr about the year he devoted to hunting down and killing the man who killed his brother. He says, when he came back to Earth that he returned to the camps to try and forget the previous year and then he met Beka and she got him off of Earth. I hope this helps clear up that concern. If you ever have questions you'd prefer address to me directly rather than through the review process - email me at Feretory@aol.com
Read and Review! All comments are welcome.
********************************************************************
Line in the Sand
By Dawn Nyberg *******************
Tyr carefully placed Harper in the slip fighter he had flown down to Tempus earlier to perform security sweeps at Dylan's request. He had and watched Harper - he knew the young man would be asleep for quite sometime. The dart he had used contained the drug Covus. And he expected to Harper to remain unconscious for at least twelve hours or longer. The drug never lasted longer than 24 hours. He knew he had to get the kid off this planet and now he had more to deal with - he had found the vial of Flash on Harper and had tested it to see if it were laced with anything else and had discovered that the Little Professor had refined the Flash to a potency that made regular Flash look like a joke. He knew the boy would have to go through withdraw. He knew his gut had been right when he had the feeling Harper needed to be found after he received the Vid message from him all those months ago. Tyr knew what needed to be done. He covered the boy with a blanket and left him inside the sealed slip fighter.
** Twenty-minutes Later **
Tyr had returned to the place he retrieved Harper. The guard's body had not been discovered yet. Anasazi shook his head - even a mediocre security would have discovered the guard by now, but at least he was able to use this place. The area was situated on a bluff and one wall was a 200ft drop down into the rocky shoreline and ocean that lined the city of Ecola. Tyr knew what he had to do - he spoke into his Com. "Captain Hunt?"
"Yes, Tyr? Did you find something?"
"The threat has been neutralized."
"Where are you?"
"Sector 10."
"I'll be there in a minute."
Soon Dylan, and Beka along with some of the Chancellor's men arrived. Hunt had asked Trance to stay with Gogi until they gave the all clear.
"Where's the hit man?" Beka asked as she casually surveyed the dead guard as men began to remove him.
"He had just killed the guard when I came upon him trying to get in the door. I shot him in the side, but he made it to the wall and he climbed up on it. He said no one would take him alive. I fired at him again as he jumped. I know my hit was fatal, but even if it weren't I saw him hit below. There was no chance of survival."
"Did you see who he was?"
"No, he wore a mask."
"I'll be sure to give the all clear when we return. Good job, Tyr."
Tyr said nothing. Dylan and Beka began to leave and allow the Chancellor's people to manage the area themselves. "Dylan?"
"Yeah," Hunt turned.
"May I have a moment? Alone?" he had added alone so that Beka would take the hint.
"Of course, is something wrong?"
"I need to take some personal time. I have had a personal situation arise that I must address."
"Is this why you've been preoccupied?"
"I've done my duty." Tyr bristled slightly.
"I know you have," Dylan quickly answered. "Are you in trouble?"
"No."
"Fine. Do you know how long you will need?"
"I'll try to send word as often as I can. You needn't worry. I'll take the slip fighter. I can locate the Andromeda once I make contact with you. You don't have to pick me up"
"Make use of the long range transmitter in the fighter. It will decrease the time it will take for a message to reach us."
"I will."
"You're sure there is nothing I can do?"
"No."
"All right then . . . you may have your personal leave."
"Thank you."
Tyr left quickly and headed for the fighter. He got in and Harper was where he had left him. He checked him and his vitals were still strong. He left the Planet Tempus and knew where he was going to take the kid - the Planet Diem. He had considered Arabus, but after what happened there the last time he reconsidered. The Planet Diem was a remote planet, but would be a private place to help Harper and they would have no interruptions.
** The Planet Diem **
Harper slowly became aware of a soft bed beneath him. He was groggy, but his mind still managed to review its last memories quickly and he bolted upright in the bed. Tyr sat in a chair on the wall at the foot of the bed. "Good Morning, Little Man." The drug had lasted an entire day and he had slept through the night.
Harper looked around the room. It was whit and pale creams. The patio doors were open and a sea breeze buffeted the thing gauze type curtains. "Where the Hell am I?"
"That isn't your concern."
"Up yours Tyr." Harper threw of his thin covers and quickly noticed that all he was dressed in was underwear and a pair of loose fitting workout pants and nothing else. "Where are my cloths? I want them."
"You should eat something," Tyr had decided that he would ignore the question. He got up and walked to a small table and brought over a tray and placed it near Harper. "Eat."
The young man eyed the food and as Tyr turned to walk back to his chair Harper threw his sandwich at his back. "Shove it where the sun does not shine!" He yelled. Tyr growled and went for the kid. Tyr grabbed him by the arms and physically hauled him to the bathroom. He easily held the boy as he fought. He thrust him in the large walk-in shower and turned on the four- head shower from the outside with a free hand and put it on full strength with ice-cold water and held Harper under a stream.
"Ah! It's cold!"
"That's the point!" Tyr answered coolly. He shoved the kid against the wall and closed the shower stall door and locked it. There was no corner of the shower that allowed the young man to stay dry.
"You can't leave me in here!"
"Watch me." Tyr turned and left the room. Harper beat on the thick glass, but nothing worked.
"Damn you! Damn you to Hell, Tyr Anasazi!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Tyr had walked outside to the veranda that over looked the Alusian Sea. It was a beautiful day. His mind wasn't on the beauty of this planet, but the young man in the bathroom. How had Harper become so lost? And, using Flash - Tyr had to draw the line in the sand with the kid. He had allowed Harper his time, but all he managed to do with it was to become more lost. He suddenly realized that over thirty minutes had passed and the water in the shower had to be in the 50's when left on cold. He walked into the bathroom and spotted the kid huddled in a far corner with his knees drawn up to his chest and his face hidden in his arms that rested on his knees. He turned the water off and entered the shower. The kid didn't look up.
"Harper?" Tyr's voice was soft. He could see the shivers that ran through the boy's small frame. Tyr knelt down and gently took the young man by his elbows. He could feel the coldness of his skin. "Come on."
"I can do it," Harper answered quietly as he pulled his elbows from Tyr's grasp. They returned back to Harper's room.
"There are some dry clothes for you on your bed." Tyr left him alone.
** Ten Minutes Later **
Tyr unlocked the kid's bedroom door and walked in. Harper sat in the window seat looking out over the vast sea. He glanced over at Tyr. "You can't keep me here. I want to go."
"I'm sorry, Little Man, but that is the one thing that isn't going to happen."
"I want my stuff you took from me."
"You mean you want the Flash."
"Screw you!"
"You purified it Harper. What were you thinking? It's too potent. You're addicted."
"No, I'm not! I've got it under control!"
"Under control?" Tyr inclined his eyes toward Harper's hand tremors. The boy looked down at his hands that trembled slightly.
"I'm fine." Harper cast his eyes away from Tyr. "I just need to take the edge off. I want my stuff."
"It's not going to happen Harper. I'm not letting you put that poison into you."
"Leave me alone!"
"As you wish. But, keep in mind there is no escape. You're welcome to try, but it is useless."
"Go!"
** An Hour Later **
Tyr let himself into the room and found Harper curled up in the middle of the bed. His arms wrapped around his middle. He was sweating and his cheeks were flushed. The young man looked up, "Please, Tyr! Just a little. I need it."
"I know you do and that is why I cannot give it to you." Tyr sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You're killing me." Harper gritted out as a wave of cramps attacked his stomach again. "Please, it hurts."
"I'm sorry, but this has to be done. And, because you modified the Flash, Little Man, I'm afraid your withdraw may last longer than either of us anticipate."
"Tyr," Harper pleaded. "Just a little."
"No."
"I hate you! You're just a damn Nietzschean. Go to Hell you - Uber!" Tyr tried not to let the words enrage him - he knew it was the withdraw from the Flash talking. "God, I think I'm gonna be sick." Harper got up and stumbled toward the bathroom. His legs wouldn't quite get him there and Tyr grabbed him under the arms and helped him to the bathroom. Harper could do nothing to stop the relentless spasms of his stomach. Finally, an hour later he collapsed back against the wall near the toilet.
"Here," Tyr handed the boy a glass of water. "Rinse." Harper was too exhausted to object he did as he was told. Tyr filled the glass again. "Drink this one. You're going to dehydrate if you don't." Tyr helped the boy back to the bed. Harper crawled into the cool sheets and wanted nothing more than to sleep. He felt so bad he wished he were dead.
Tyr sat silently next to the bed. Harper whimpered in his sleep and he had developed a fever. Tyr had become concerned when it reached 104 - now he dipped a cool cloth in ice water and wiped the boy's fevered forehead and cheeks. He wasn't a nursemaid, but he had made this decision for Harper and had pulled him off the Flash, so he would help him get through the withdraw. Secretly, he was beginning to worry that the withdraw could kill the kid. He hoped the fever didn't climb any higher. The boy was barely lucid and when he looked at Tyr he could hardly focus. Harper moaned in his sleep and Tyr could see tear's seeping from the boy's eyes as he slept. Tyr took the cloth and wiped them away, "Shh, Little Man. You will make it through this." He tried to soothe the unconscious youth. The Planets two suns had begun to set and Tyr watched the shadows stretch across the room and could smell the sea salt on the breeze. Harper moved restlessly in his fevered sleep - Tyr knew this was going to be a long night for both of them.
To be continued.