Past Reflections 5/?

Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.
They had been walking around the marketplace for a few hours with no luck. Tyr had tried his big bad Nietzschean routine while Harper had cowered behind him carrying his bag. It was actually kind of heavy because Tyr made a point of haggling with some of the mercenaries and smugglers they came across. Already he had bought an antigravity bomb and a gamma pistol, both very heavy and both very expensive. Harper followed Tyr around walking behind him and keeping his head down, trying to look scared and helpless. He did such a fine job that no one paid him much attention except when Tyr would grab or shake him for walking to slow. They walked up to a deserted alleyway and started down until Tyr stopped at a hidden entrance, only then Harper realizing that they weren't just walking aimlessly. After knocking once the door was opened and they made their way inside the dimly-lit interior.

Although Harper had no idea where they were going and could barely see two feet in front of him, Tyr seemed to know which way to go instinctively. Upon entering a circular shaped room the door closed behind them, and they were quickly surrounded by three mercenaries. Standing back to back, they both dropped down into fighting positions waiting for the first man to attack.

"What do you want, Nietzschean?" The lumbering giant of a man directly across from Tyr asked.

"I am looking for slaves to help me run my ship." Tyr growled not relaxing his posture at all.

"Let's try that again. It is well known that Kodiak do not take slaves." The second man commented as they continued to circle Tyr and Harper. "Besides the boy doesn't exactly act like a slave."

Looking back at Harper, Tyr wasn't overly surprised to see him sneering at one of their attackers. He definitely didn't look like a broken little mud foot. Before he could more then curse Harper under his breath the three mercenaries had their weapons drawn and pointed at them, which in turn caused Tyr and Harper to draw their own guns. It was an old-fashioned Mexican standoff, no one moving for fear the other would shoot. Before the mercenaries could question them further however, everyone was distracted.

Everyone's attention was so focused that Harper and Tyr were startled by a door, unseen until then, opening behind where they were standing. In the doorway stood a fairly non-descript human with shaggy brown hair, maybe 5'9", wearing black slacks and a long black pullover, which helped to cover his scarred left arm.

"Malick." Harper exhaled taking a step in the mysterious man's direction only to be stopped by a blaster aimed at his face.

"Shay, I thought it was you." The man whispered breaking out into a wide grin. "Put the weapons down gentlemen. He's an old friend."

Without waiting to assure they complied Harper launched himself at Malick, who did much the same thing. They met somewhere in the middle for a bone-crunching hug laughing all the while.

"My god man, you're alive." Malick exclaimed joyously slapping Harper on the back. "I thought for sure the Nietzschean's got you at the Angeles Compound."

"They did capture me, but I didn't stay in custody long. Let's just say that nobody else will ever have to worry about that slave camp. It is now a pile of rubble."

"My god, Shay! There were over one thousand Dragans in that compound." Malick commented, thoroughly amazed at Harper's ingenuity. The only response from Harper was a self-satisfied grin.

"Little Man, we don't have time for reminiscing right now." Tyr reminded Harper softly, although he was grateful that they seemingly wouldn't have to fight their way out of the current situation.

"Care to introduce me to your friend?" Tyr asked stepping into the light so that he could be better seen. Before Harper could make the proper introductions however, Malick had a force-lance, stockpiled from the old commonwealth days, pointed at Tyr's head.

"Malick man, what the hell are you doing?" Harper intervened stepping in between the two.

"Dammit Shay. He's a Nietzschean!" Malick snarled.

"Nobody's perfect, Malick. He's Tyr." Harper grinned trying to defuse the tension. "He's family." Harper said soberly, when it became obvious that Malick wouldn't back down.

"Family?!?" Malick questioned incredulously.

"Yes… Granted he's the scary, surly, intimidating as hell cousin who I never talk to except at family functions but, yeah he's still family." Harper explained seriously. "And he's under my protection so put the force lance down."

"If he starts any trouble…"

"He won't." Harper reassured him, glaring at Tyr. "Will you?"

"I will not start anything." Tyr answered, making it obvious that he would be more than willing however, to finish any conflict.

"Alright Shay, since it's you." Malick agreed putting the force lance in it's side-holster and reopening the door that he entered through. "Follow me."