Thanks for all the great reviews even though it's not one of my best stories

Just a snippet for now…

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Niccolo tried to dive to the side but the enraged engineer managed to wrap his fingers around his throat.

Tyr's heart had turned cold when he saw the ship blow up. The remains of the progenitor had been on that ship. Those people had become his friends as well even though he would never admit it. Their survival had been a part of his plan to rebuild his pride. He was just as angered as the boy. That part of his life, that part on his ambitions had now been destroyed. How was Niccolo able to pull of the destruction of such a large war ship?

A thought suddenly flittered across his brain. He paused and laughed a short surprised bark. Everything became clear to him.

The elder Neitzschean gasped for breath under Harper's fingers but the smile never left his face.

Tyr grasped the back of Harper's shirt and tried to forcibly remove him from Niccolo. Harper fought him and swore violently.

"Harper...Harper!! Listen to me!" The boy would not focus on him his thirst for revenge was too strong. Tyr tried again this time shaking him hard and finally managing to wrench his fingers free. Tyr let out a short laugh again this time it was filled with relief. "It's a fake. The images are false."

Harper looked up at Tyr with disbelief and tears in his eyes. "A f-f-fake" The boy stumbled over his words.

"This man lies but filter's his lies with grains of truth. The details of his lies betray him. It's wasn't my mother who helped the slaves it was my aunt. This man was an exile and would have no access to any of the Drago's communications and therefore would not have been able to get any vids... it must be an old image of the Andromeda. He's just a pathetic weak old man looking for a final bit of glory."

"But …but how would he know?"

"That's the real question here isn't it?" Tyr walked up the man who was still sitting in the dry sand. Niccolo now edged away as Tyr menaced over top of him. This man was half Neitzchean but even Harper had managed to over take him. Pathetic indeed. Tyr scowled in disgust. A low growl of rage grew in his throat. "Who do you work for?" The words were low and filled with promised violence.

The man quaked but his voice was defiant. "Yes, I am pathetic Anasazi. Yet I've tricked you!" He let out a short bitter bark of laughter. "Kill me if you want but this whole ruse is a mere distraction. Dead or alive my family will eat well for the next year. All I needed was to get in side. Plant the device inside. Now my family's survival is assured they said they would protect us." The man laughed again. "Who's pathetic now Anasazi? No wonder your tribe was so easily destroyed."

"OH Gawd the Maru! " Groaned Harper and he took off at a dead run across the desert.

Tyr continued to stand over Niccolo. What did you put on our ship? A device that would allow the Drago's access."

Tyr realized then how much they had loss. The Maru had many of the Andromeda's security codes in its files. Along with a lot of other vital information that may be the deciding factor in the battle against the new Commonwealth.

Tyr pulled out his gauss gun. "How will your family fair in your absence? I doubt they will even be able to collect."

Niccolo turned pale but said nothing. A light flashed briefly in the setting sun as Tyr's weapon discharged. He then followed Harper across the desert with out so much as a look back.

Harper stood where the Maru had been not minutes before. The sun had set and the stars twinkled innocently up above. His eyes stared up. Pain, anger, and frustration left him shaking. When he was younger and on earth he would spend hours staring up at them trying to find the shapes that his father had said were up there. He had wanted so badly to go up and be with the stars. Now he knew why.

Once again he was trapped on a barren planet with everyone he had ever cared about most likely dead. Planets were lonely places. Maybe Beka had been right. Planets suck.

When Tyr placed his hand on Harper's shoulder he nearly jumped out of his skin. He had been so wrapped up in his morose thoughts he hadn't heard Tyr's approach.

"It's gone." He whispered trying to control his rapidly beating heart. His eyes never left the stars above.

"Don't worry boy we'll get it back."

"We will." The sarcasm dripped from his mouth. "Explain this to me Tyr! First you rip me away from saving Rommie and then we get sent on this pointless mission. Now everybody's dead!" He was screaming now, no longer able to keep his flood of emotions at bay. "The we follow this guy who says he knows you across the freakin desert! While his buddies steal the Maru!! Tell me how us being together is conducive to anything!" Tears threatened but never triumphed.

Tyr watched seeming indifferent. Harper searched his face for something…anything…. His fury quickly was evaporating in to the night air.

"I can't answer your question other then to say we've been fools. What ever the circumstances have been or will be I will not be made a fool again." Tyr let his own eyes drift upwards towards the stars. "We are very different you and I. Yet, in many ways we are the same. Our families were both destroyed because they were though inferior. " The larger man gave a small shrug. We both have our reason to ensure the well being of the Andromeda. And, we both have more pride then we probably should. For all of those reasons I think we need to stand together. Our chances of achieving our goal will be better if we choose to work together."

Harper stood there for more then a few minutes mulling over Tyr's words. Finally he allowed him self an uneasy laugh. "Yeah, we're so much the same we might as well be twins."

Tyr pretended to threaten the boy with a backhanded strike. Harper laughed again this time a little more freely. "Okay…partner's then. So partner do you have a plan?"

TBC