Ello y'all! Hmm... seems that people actually like this Fic... although I
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that you all enjoy the Fic! Bye Bye!!
-
Trance's Opinion
-
"Trance?"
"Yes Rommie?"
"Could you talk to Harper?"
"What's wrong?"
"Well, Dylan and Tyr are busy playing basket ball, and Beka recommended that you talk to him."
"Strange, I thought that Beka would jump at the chance to speak with him..."
"Yes well, I could tell you what went wrong, but Harper cut my sensors from watching his room. I did however overhear an argument that they continued in the corridor."
"Really? Could you play it on the screen?"
"Sure."
The nearest screen was filled with the picture of Harper running down the corridor to Beka.
"Beka wait! I can explain!"
"Oh, I bet you can! I know you Harper! You've been hitting on Trance for ages! Why would it make a difference to you?"
Beka stopped on her way down the corridor and turned to talk to him.
"It perfectly well would! Because I don't feel anything for Trance like I do for you!"
"So, that just means that you love Trance, and think I'll like every other friend of yours then? Save it Harper! Like I said, I know you. You're pathetic."
Beka turned around and walked away; the screen went blank.
"Now will you talk to Harper?"
"Where is he?"
"He's been fixing various things on the ship since this fight, and he has scrambled my sensors so I don't know where he is."
"Okay, where is Beka then?"
"Command."
"Thank you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper?"
"Yeah Rom-Doll?"
"Where are you?"
"In your Mainframe."
"Where is your physical form?"
"Can't tell, it's a secret."
"Please Harper, you haven't cheeked out that infection yet, and when I scanned it last time, it was infected. Think about how bad it is now!"
"It doesn't matter Babe. As long as I fix you up..."
"You can't fix me up if you're sick!"
"Yeah I can. I can just jack into your Mainframe again and fix you from the inside, like I'm doing now. No harm done."
"What if you have to make a physical repair?"
"Then I'll go to it in my body, and fix it. No harm done."
"You just don't get it, do you Harper? The infection could kill you if it gets bad enough!"
"You just don't get it, do you Rommie? I can fix you faster if I don't have any distractions or delays! That means no going to the Med Deck, and no talking. So, say bye bye!"
"What are you talking abou-"
"Yeah, bye bye Rommie. You may be able to hear me, but as long as I'm in your system, every one of your voices is muted."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Your shot Dylan."
"Alright Tyr. Here it goes! Yes! Oh, hello Rommie."
Pause.
"Is it just me, or has you ship gone mute?"
"Yeah, I think she has. What would like Rommie?"
Pause.
"I don't think she's going to answer."
"Me neither. It's your turn Tyr."
"Indeed it is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"So Rom-Doll, I'm finished up here. I only have about, say, 15 various major things to fix on the ship, and then I'll go concentrate on the minor things and maybe some upgrades. Well, now that you know, I have to get going. Say hello to your voice, because here I go!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Yes! Another poin-"
"Dylan, you need to find Harper, now."
"Rommie, now you decide to speak?"
"You need to find Harper, now."
"Why the urgency ship?"
"Because, if he doesn't get to the Med Deck the infection he got in his left hand will get worse and he might die."
"Alright, where is he?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I mean I don't know. He scrambled my sensors and I can't detect him."
"Wouldn't that harm everything on the ship?"
"Actually Tyr, Harper is extremely smart. He has it so my sensors can't detect him. Everything else is how it should be."
"So why didn't you tell us before ship?"
"Because he did something that mutes me whenever he is in my mainframe."
"But why would that affect your avatar Rommie?"
"Because it completely mutes me, not just my main AI."
"So, why don't you just trap him in you mainframe?"
"Two reasons. One, he could easily get out. Two, even if by some chance, he couldn't get out, it would put great strain on his mind and that could cause the infection to grow even more."
"So, we have to go throughout the ship, trying to find him?"
"Basically, yes."
Sigh.
"Great, just great..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka?"
"What do you want Trance."
"Could you go and speak to Harper?"
"The only thing I want to do to him right now is beat his skull in."
"That's not true, and you know it."
"So what? I can still kill him, right?"
"Well, if the infection doesn't kill him, yes."
"What? What infection?"
"The infection I told you to get Harper to go down to the Med Deck for."
"What are you talking about Andromeda?"
"I'm talking about this."
The main screen was filled with the picture of Harper running down the hall to Beka like it had down in Hydroponics.
"Beka wait!" and she paused it.
"There."
A circle formed around Harper's outstretched hand, only to see the tightly wound bandage.
"So what? It's not like he didn't treat it."
The picture zoomed in on Harper's bandaged hand, and close up, you could make out the blood that was still there.
"Your right, he didn't."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper? Where are you boy!?!"
"Tyr?"
"What?"
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to tell you?"
"Essentially, no."
"Good, neither do I. But since your looking SO hard, I'll give you a clue. It's in a place that you would hate to be. Well, I gotta go now! Bye!"
Pause.
BANG!
"Damn you boy!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"We have to tell Dylan about Tyr."
"You mean Harper actually replying to him?"
"Yes."
"Alright, but we also have to send a droid to fix the dent in the wall."
Pause
"I have a plan that might work...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Rommie, any clue on where he is?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"A place where Tyr would hate to be."
Pause.
"Where did you get that information?"
"Tyr was calling for him, so he answered him over the intercom, giving him a clue."
Pause.
"Rommie, I think I have a plan... inform the others when you figure it out, will you?"
"Of course."
"Good... HARPER!!! Where are you!?!"
"Not going to work boss. I over heard that little chat you had with Rommie, and no, I'm not going to give you a clue because you're not trying hard enough. Well, happy camping! Bye!!"
Pause.
"I don't think your plan is going to work."
"Me neither, but tell Trance anyways, will you."
"Of course."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka, please?"
"No, I'm not going to help you."
"For the last time, he doesn't love me!"
"Alright then, he doesn't love you. That's even more reason for me not to listen."
"Alright, what did he say?"
"It doesn't matter, okay? It's over with, and I was a fool for thinking that he could ever feel like that for me."
"But Beka-"
"Trance?"
"What is it Rommie?"
"Dylan wanted me to tell you about a plan to find Harper that failed. I'm guessing that he thinks you can try it and succeed."
"What is it Rommie?"
"I didn't know you care about Harper, Beka."
"He's my engineer, I half to make sure he's in good health."
"Keep telling yourself that, and you might start to believe it."
"And what does that mean?"
"Will the two of you stop? Why are you fighting? Rommie, you're a warship! And Beka, just a few minutes ago you didn't care about him, and now you do?"
"Like I said, he's my engineer. I saved his but from Earth and have gone through a lot with him; I'm not going to let him die of some stupid infection."
"And he's my engineer as well; actually, he's more then that. He created my avatar, and I feel responsible for him."
"Like a mother would a child."
"Stop smiling Trance. Rommie, tell us this plan, maybe Trance can use it to her advantage."
Blink.
"Alright, Tyr called out to him, asking him where he was. He answered over the intercom. Of course, he didn't say where he was, but he did give us a clue to where he was."
"Really? Where?"
"A place that Tyr would hate to be. Anyway, Dylan tried to do the same thing, but he replied that Dylan wasn't trying to find him hard enough. That is all."
Pause.
"Beka?"
"No Trance."
"You have to!"
"I'm not helping you!"
"But he's your engineer!"
"He's Andromeda's engineer."
"Beka, either you help me, or not."
"How about, not? Because I really do-"
"Thank you! Thank you! Follow me please!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Hmm... need that stupid nanowelder... damn, I had to leave it in the Machine Shop, didn't I? Oh well... just have to go back and get it....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"What took you so long?"
"It's not my fault that they were fighting over trying to find him or not. Now, lets get this over with; where do I have to hide?"
"In that conduct."
Pause.
CLANG.
Sigh.
Pause.
"How does Harper stand being in here?"
"Be quite, you don't know when he might come!"
"Fine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Just call out and ask where he is!"
"He's not going to listen to me. Maybe to you, but not to me."
"Yes, he will! Trust me!"
"No, you trust me; he's not going to answer! He doesn't love me!"
Pause.
Sigh.
"That went well."
"Indeed......... any other clue as to where he is?"
"No, but you'll be the first one to know if my plan works."
"What plan?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because, you never know if he's listening or not."
"Please Rommie! I might be able to help!"
"I'll tell you if it works or not Trance. Until then, there shall be no word to anyone. Understood?"
Sigh.
"Understood."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper! Where are you?!"
Nothing.
"Come on! We're only trying to help you!"
Nothing.
"Okay, okay; I'll get you a years worth of sparky cola!"
Still nothing.
"Two years?!"
Yet again; nothing.
"Harper! Are you even listening to me!?!"
"He could be ignoring the intercom."
"Rommie!! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"I'm sorry Dylan. Could you please go talk to Beka?"
"Why?"
"Because I have reason to believe that she's the reason that Harper is avoiding us all."
"Yes, me too."
"Trance?"
"Trance, I'm not telling you, so don't even try."
"Try what exactly?"
"Nothing Dylan, don't worry."
"Tell me, why am I worrying?"
"Because we told you not to worry?"
"I see... Where's Beka?"
"The Maru."
"Right; Trance, go find Tyr and help him, alright?"
"Alright."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka?"
"Go away!"
"Tell me what's wrong first."
"You wouldn't understand!"
"Try me."
"Okay, fine. Harper doesn't love me..."
Pause.
Laugh.
"Is this what this is all about?"
"What's so funny?"
"Beka, who do you think that he loves?"
"Trance."
"You really can be clueless..."
"What does that mean?"
Sigh.
"He doesn't love Trance."
"And how would you know?"
"I know because, well... I could tell you that I love Trance, but that would sound too much like a soap opera..."
"Yes, now tell me how you know."
"Okay, Trance, well, Trance is Trance. And Harper... Harper has been looking goo-goo eyes at you all this time, and whenever you leave him at command, he always whines; whether its to me, Andromeda, Tyr, of Trance."
"And your trying to say?"
"That is he loves anyone on this ship, it's you."
Pause.
"God, Trance was right..."
-
Trance's Opinion
-
"Trance?"
"Yes Rommie?"
"Could you talk to Harper?"
"What's wrong?"
"Well, Dylan and Tyr are busy playing basket ball, and Beka recommended that you talk to him."
"Strange, I thought that Beka would jump at the chance to speak with him..."
"Yes well, I could tell you what went wrong, but Harper cut my sensors from watching his room. I did however overhear an argument that they continued in the corridor."
"Really? Could you play it on the screen?"
"Sure."
The nearest screen was filled with the picture of Harper running down the corridor to Beka.
"Beka wait! I can explain!"
"Oh, I bet you can! I know you Harper! You've been hitting on Trance for ages! Why would it make a difference to you?"
Beka stopped on her way down the corridor and turned to talk to him.
"It perfectly well would! Because I don't feel anything for Trance like I do for you!"
"So, that just means that you love Trance, and think I'll like every other friend of yours then? Save it Harper! Like I said, I know you. You're pathetic."
Beka turned around and walked away; the screen went blank.
"Now will you talk to Harper?"
"Where is he?"
"He's been fixing various things on the ship since this fight, and he has scrambled my sensors so I don't know where he is."
"Okay, where is Beka then?"
"Command."
"Thank you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper?"
"Yeah Rom-Doll?"
"Where are you?"
"In your Mainframe."
"Where is your physical form?"
"Can't tell, it's a secret."
"Please Harper, you haven't cheeked out that infection yet, and when I scanned it last time, it was infected. Think about how bad it is now!"
"It doesn't matter Babe. As long as I fix you up..."
"You can't fix me up if you're sick!"
"Yeah I can. I can just jack into your Mainframe again and fix you from the inside, like I'm doing now. No harm done."
"What if you have to make a physical repair?"
"Then I'll go to it in my body, and fix it. No harm done."
"You just don't get it, do you Harper? The infection could kill you if it gets bad enough!"
"You just don't get it, do you Rommie? I can fix you faster if I don't have any distractions or delays! That means no going to the Med Deck, and no talking. So, say bye bye!"
"What are you talking abou-"
"Yeah, bye bye Rommie. You may be able to hear me, but as long as I'm in your system, every one of your voices is muted."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Your shot Dylan."
"Alright Tyr. Here it goes! Yes! Oh, hello Rommie."
Pause.
"Is it just me, or has you ship gone mute?"
"Yeah, I think she has. What would like Rommie?"
Pause.
"I don't think she's going to answer."
"Me neither. It's your turn Tyr."
"Indeed it is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"So Rom-Doll, I'm finished up here. I only have about, say, 15 various major things to fix on the ship, and then I'll go concentrate on the minor things and maybe some upgrades. Well, now that you know, I have to get going. Say hello to your voice, because here I go!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Yes! Another poin-"
"Dylan, you need to find Harper, now."
"Rommie, now you decide to speak?"
"You need to find Harper, now."
"Why the urgency ship?"
"Because, if he doesn't get to the Med Deck the infection he got in his left hand will get worse and he might die."
"Alright, where is he?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I mean I don't know. He scrambled my sensors and I can't detect him."
"Wouldn't that harm everything on the ship?"
"Actually Tyr, Harper is extremely smart. He has it so my sensors can't detect him. Everything else is how it should be."
"So why didn't you tell us before ship?"
"Because he did something that mutes me whenever he is in my mainframe."
"But why would that affect your avatar Rommie?"
"Because it completely mutes me, not just my main AI."
"So, why don't you just trap him in you mainframe?"
"Two reasons. One, he could easily get out. Two, even if by some chance, he couldn't get out, it would put great strain on his mind and that could cause the infection to grow even more."
"So, we have to go throughout the ship, trying to find him?"
"Basically, yes."
Sigh.
"Great, just great..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka?"
"What do you want Trance."
"Could you go and speak to Harper?"
"The only thing I want to do to him right now is beat his skull in."
"That's not true, and you know it."
"So what? I can still kill him, right?"
"Well, if the infection doesn't kill him, yes."
"What? What infection?"
"The infection I told you to get Harper to go down to the Med Deck for."
"What are you talking about Andromeda?"
"I'm talking about this."
The main screen was filled with the picture of Harper running down the hall to Beka like it had down in Hydroponics.
"Beka wait!" and she paused it.
"There."
A circle formed around Harper's outstretched hand, only to see the tightly wound bandage.
"So what? It's not like he didn't treat it."
The picture zoomed in on Harper's bandaged hand, and close up, you could make out the blood that was still there.
"Your right, he didn't."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper? Where are you boy!?!"
"Tyr?"
"What?"
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to tell you?"
"Essentially, no."
"Good, neither do I. But since your looking SO hard, I'll give you a clue. It's in a place that you would hate to be. Well, I gotta go now! Bye!"
Pause.
BANG!
"Damn you boy!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"We have to tell Dylan about Tyr."
"You mean Harper actually replying to him?"
"Yes."
"Alright, but we also have to send a droid to fix the dent in the wall."
Pause
"I have a plan that might work...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Rommie, any clue on where he is?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"A place where Tyr would hate to be."
Pause.
"Where did you get that information?"
"Tyr was calling for him, so he answered him over the intercom, giving him a clue."
Pause.
"Rommie, I think I have a plan... inform the others when you figure it out, will you?"
"Of course."
"Good... HARPER!!! Where are you!?!"
"Not going to work boss. I over heard that little chat you had with Rommie, and no, I'm not going to give you a clue because you're not trying hard enough. Well, happy camping! Bye!!"
Pause.
"I don't think your plan is going to work."
"Me neither, but tell Trance anyways, will you."
"Of course."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka, please?"
"No, I'm not going to help you."
"For the last time, he doesn't love me!"
"Alright then, he doesn't love you. That's even more reason for me not to listen."
"Alright, what did he say?"
"It doesn't matter, okay? It's over with, and I was a fool for thinking that he could ever feel like that for me."
"But Beka-"
"Trance?"
"What is it Rommie?"
"Dylan wanted me to tell you about a plan to find Harper that failed. I'm guessing that he thinks you can try it and succeed."
"What is it Rommie?"
"I didn't know you care about Harper, Beka."
"He's my engineer, I half to make sure he's in good health."
"Keep telling yourself that, and you might start to believe it."
"And what does that mean?"
"Will the two of you stop? Why are you fighting? Rommie, you're a warship! And Beka, just a few minutes ago you didn't care about him, and now you do?"
"Like I said, he's my engineer. I saved his but from Earth and have gone through a lot with him; I'm not going to let him die of some stupid infection."
"And he's my engineer as well; actually, he's more then that. He created my avatar, and I feel responsible for him."
"Like a mother would a child."
"Stop smiling Trance. Rommie, tell us this plan, maybe Trance can use it to her advantage."
Blink.
"Alright, Tyr called out to him, asking him where he was. He answered over the intercom. Of course, he didn't say where he was, but he did give us a clue to where he was."
"Really? Where?"
"A place that Tyr would hate to be. Anyway, Dylan tried to do the same thing, but he replied that Dylan wasn't trying to find him hard enough. That is all."
Pause.
"Beka?"
"No Trance."
"You have to!"
"I'm not helping you!"
"But he's your engineer!"
"He's Andromeda's engineer."
"Beka, either you help me, or not."
"How about, not? Because I really do-"
"Thank you! Thank you! Follow me please!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Hmm... need that stupid nanowelder... damn, I had to leave it in the Machine Shop, didn't I? Oh well... just have to go back and get it....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"What took you so long?"
"It's not my fault that they were fighting over trying to find him or not. Now, lets get this over with; where do I have to hide?"
"In that conduct."
Pause.
CLANG.
Sigh.
Pause.
"How does Harper stand being in here?"
"Be quite, you don't know when he might come!"
"Fine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Just call out and ask where he is!"
"He's not going to listen to me. Maybe to you, but not to me."
"Yes, he will! Trust me!"
"No, you trust me; he's not going to answer! He doesn't love me!"
Pause.
Sigh.
"That went well."
"Indeed......... any other clue as to where he is?"
"No, but you'll be the first one to know if my plan works."
"What plan?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because, you never know if he's listening or not."
"Please Rommie! I might be able to help!"
"I'll tell you if it works or not Trance. Until then, there shall be no word to anyone. Understood?"
Sigh.
"Understood."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Harper! Where are you?!"
Nothing.
"Come on! We're only trying to help you!"
Nothing.
"Okay, okay; I'll get you a years worth of sparky cola!"
Still nothing.
"Two years?!"
Yet again; nothing.
"Harper! Are you even listening to me!?!"
"He could be ignoring the intercom."
"Rommie!! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"I'm sorry Dylan. Could you please go talk to Beka?"
"Why?"
"Because I have reason to believe that she's the reason that Harper is avoiding us all."
"Yes, me too."
"Trance?"
"Trance, I'm not telling you, so don't even try."
"Try what exactly?"
"Nothing Dylan, don't worry."
"Tell me, why am I worrying?"
"Because we told you not to worry?"
"I see... Where's Beka?"
"The Maru."
"Right; Trance, go find Tyr and help him, alright?"
"Alright."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Beka?"
"Go away!"
"Tell me what's wrong first."
"You wouldn't understand!"
"Try me."
"Okay, fine. Harper doesn't love me..."
Pause.
Laugh.
"Is this what this is all about?"
"What's so funny?"
"Beka, who do you think that he loves?"
"Trance."
"You really can be clueless..."
"What does that mean?"
Sigh.
"He doesn't love Trance."
"And how would you know?"
"I know because, well... I could tell you that I love Trance, but that would sound too much like a soap opera..."
"Yes, now tell me how you know."
"Okay, Trance, well, Trance is Trance. And Harper... Harper has been looking goo-goo eyes at you all this time, and whenever you leave him at command, he always whines; whether its to me, Andromeda, Tyr, of Trance."
"And your trying to say?"
"That is he loves anyone on this ship, it's you."
Pause.
"God, Trance was right..."