Tyr sat down as Serena prepared supper for all three of them. Harper was still outside but said that he would come in soon. Tyr didn't mind. He needed to interrogate Serena about what she knew...perhaps harshly. It would be far easier to do this without the boy hovering around him like a fly that badly needed to be swatted.

The woman was pouring boiling water into his cracked mug. "Tyr, the Draco-Kazov know you're here. They'll be here in a few hours," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle.

Tyr looked up, blinking. That seemed way to easy. "Do you have weapons?"

Serena nodded. "In the cellar. I'm charging them as we speak. Some of them haven't been used in over a millennia." She dished out streaming food from a pan. "They want you dead, Tyr. More then anything. You've been called a disgrace to the Nietzschean people."

"And you? Do they wish you dead as well?" Tyr asked.

Serena said nothing for a moment, but her lips twitched. "They have their own reasons for keeping me alive," she said angrily.

***********************

Harper leaned against the wall of the hut. He could clearly see the Andromeda in the sky, and many other ships around it. As he watched small, tiny missiles that looked like stars hit the Andromeda. Harper sighed heavily, and looked down.

He had a small chain wrapped a few times in his hands. He carefully opened the locket. For a moment, rosy light lifted the darkness around him.

"Harper," Tyr called softly.

Harper slammed the locket shut.

"Get in here. We're discussing plans," Tyr said shortly.

"Coming," Harper snapped. He stuffed the locket in the pocket of his pants. "Coming."

********************** As Serena continued to prepare the food Tyr stared at her for a long moment, his boots on the table. "I'm sorry," he said.

Serena took in a deep breath. "No. You're not," she replied.

Serena scowled at him and slammed something down in front of him.

Harper leaned over and stared at it for a moment. It looked like it was in the shape of bread, but it was black and tough. Harper sniffed it, and immediately wished he hadn't. "This is worse then Filos rat!"

"Sand worm," Serena snapped at him. "Take it or leave it. Normally I would be roasting things like *you* on an open flame." Harper grumbled and reached for a knife and fork. "I prefer rat," they heard him mutter.

Serena leaned forwards, so much so that Harper could get a pretty full view of her cleavage. "I want the Draco-Kazov pride to end, now and forever."

"A tall order, considering that they are the greatest number among the Nietzschean people," Tyr said.

Serena shook her head, causing the beads in her long hair to twinkle.

"But not for you."

Before Tyr could reply Harper said, "That's a hell of an attitude for a Draco-Kazov princess to have."

Serena sneered at him, and turned to refill her kettle. "I am their princess no longer." She glanced at both of them. "My genes are considered a plague to anyone who touches them. Now my survival and status depends only on my level of pleasure."

At Harper's puzzled look Tyr enlightened him. "The only way a Nietzschean woman outcast can survive among the Draco-Kazov is to be with Nietzschean males in some quite considerable position of power," Tyr said vaguely.

"Most females choose suicide."

"I want revenge upon those who abandoned me." Her eyes narrowed. "And those that enjoy my damnation."

Harper stared at her. "So you've been sleeping around, trying to gain in the ranks? Yesh, talk about 'Nietzschean perfection'-"

Serena's clenched glove struck against Harper's nose. "Kludge!" she sneered. "I am sick of your slave, Anasazi. His tongue moves faster then a Perseid begging for mercy." She took out her gun. "And is twice as annoying."

Harper instantly did the same. "Yeah? Well I'm sick of your ploys to lead us into a trap! I really, really hate Nietzscheans!"

"I despise humans," Serena snarled. "At least *we* try to earn our position in the universe. Each one of us has a debt of life that we own to the Divine." She paused. "I can never hope to repay my debt now. But I think killing you would be a good start!"

Harper hesitated. "Um...Tyr, are you going to try and break this up?"

"Not at all. In fact I find this highly amusing," Tyr said.

"I'm glad that you approve," Serena said, and charged her weapon.

Harper did the same. "Don't make me do it, lady!"

A sudden shrill broke through the air, followed by another. Harper and Serena glanced up, so surprised that they instantly put their weapons aside.

"Draco-Kazov hunting horns," Serena said. "Tyr...they must know where you are!"

"Imagine that," Harper said sarcastically.

"Excuse us," Tyr said, and grabbed Harper by the arm. He led him outside and tossed him against the wall. "They're gathering close. I say that we only have an hour at most."

Harper rubbed his arm. "Which is why we should tie up that...creature back there and make a run for it!"

"That would be the human way," Tyr said. "We still need the files to the Maru back, and we need to find a way to cease the attack on the Andromeda."

He paused. "And we need answers."

"Tyr, this woman is obviously leading us into a trap!" Harper shouted. He really felt like pulling his hair out. "Don't be blinded by what you two did in the other room!"

Tyr turned around and faced him. Slowly. Harper gulped.

Tyr lifted his finger. "Let me tell you something, boy. No one, since

Tyr Anasazi out of Victoria by Barbarossa was born has ever fooled him. No one ever will." He brushed past Harper. "And certainly not a woman."

Harper stared at him. "Right," he said, with a trace of uncertainty.

Tyr heard him and whirled around. "Name one person in this universe that has ever bested me!" he challenged.

The name was out of Harper's mouth before he could stop it. "Dylan."

A long pause, then Tyr's laughter rang through the desert for what seemed like hours.

"Come on, little man," Tyr said, still chuckling. "Let's check and see if the plasma mines are charged. We don't have time for amusing jokes."
TBC