Past Reflections 9/?
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.
Complications By the Name of Bolivar and Justaice
Exactly one hour and twenty-six minutes later, Harper and Tyr were being led into Malick's office and were brought breakfast while they waited for him to arrive. They were each a third of the way through their meal when Malick entered the room carrying several flexis in his hand. Waiting until they both finished their breakfast, Malick handed a stack of flexi disks to each of them, across his desk.
"It seems that the plan just got a little more complicated, gentlemen. A Nietzschean Alpha hired the Guard to capture Dylan Hunt and his crew, although the exact number of crewmembers were unknown, which explains why you two are not being hunted down. The bad news is that Xatrek is auctioning them off to the highest bidder. It seems Xatrek holds Dylan directly responsible for the rebellion across the Slave Worlds."
"The one thing that Captain Perfect wasn't responsible for in the last year." Harper snorted. "Sheesh some people get all the credit."
"If I may continue?"
"Sorry. Go ahead."
"Since Tyr has already introduced himself as an Alpha to some of the inhabitants, there should be no problem with you joining the auction. Harper will however, need a new identity, although he will still be undercover as your pet. Perhaps we can use nanobots to color your hair black." Malick said thinking through the possible obstacles out loud. "The top flexi is a list of all the other bidders, including their pride affiliation, weaknesses and net worth, as well as the ships they arrived in."
The only sounds heard for the next few minutes was soft breathing as Harper and Tyr read over the list of Nietzscheans attending the auction.
"We have a problem." Harper stated looking slightly ill. "Actually make that two problems."
"Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar will be in attendance." Tyr growled menacingly. "Bolivar has been looking for just such an opportunity. With Dylan captured he will try to renege on the treaty he signed with the Commonwealth to get more power."
"True, but there are ways to gain compliance from the Archduke, Justaice on the other hand could very well get us all killed."
"Justaice?" Tyr questioned.
"An old-" Harper grimaced looking for a word and settled for the inaccurate "acquaintance."
Tyr merely continued to look at him waiting for a more detailed explanation.
"He blames me for the death of his family." Harper explained keeping his face carefully blank and his trembling hands hidden in his pockets. "And rightfully so."
"How are you responsible for the death of this Uber's family?" Malick asked.
"They were in the Angeles Compound when I blew it up." Harper answered. "Justaice is not exactly forgiving."
"Hmm… so little man, I assume you crossed paths again." Try commented asking no questions that the engineer would feel uncomfortable answering in front of others. Sensing the frightened man underneath the nearly impregnable mask Harper was wearing, Tyr was willing to let the questioning go until they were alone. Harper looked remarkable grateful for Tyr's new-found tact.
"Three years ago, I was holed up on this planet waiting to be contacted by a suppliers of Beka's, when Justaice happened upon me. As it turned out he had been looking for me on all the drifts and backwater planets that he came to."
"I assume the meeting didn't go well." Malick commented.
"No it didn't. Needless to say, Justaice will recognize me quite easily, whether I am wearing a disguise or not."
"You will just have to be more convincing that you are in fact my pet. We will merely have to come up with a date and story about how I captured you that will convince him of the validity of my claim." Tyr said giving Harper a long accessing look.
"You'll be able to enter the compound by giving this coin as you enter the establishment." Malick said handing Harper a metal coin with the Drago Katsov crest on it. "What you do once you are inside is up to you. The electronic blueprints are included, and as you can see, the top floor is very lightly guarded. There are also tunnels that run underneath the whole of the compound making a covert escape that much easier."
"When does the auction take place?" Tyr asked.
"Tomorrow night."
"Shit. That doesn't give us much time to prepare." Harper cursed. "Alright thanks, man. The rest of your money will be transferred to you once we all make it back out alive."
"Oh don't give me that pessimistic bull. If I know you Shay you'll walk out of there smelling like daisies." Malick answered smirking. "So I expect my money in a timely manner."
"Ya, Ya." Harper said standing up and giving Malick a tight hug. "I'll see ya on the other side, man."
As the two men walked out of the building and in to the alleyway Tyr kept glancing at Harper out of the corner of his eye as if trying to figure something out. Eventually Harper lost his patience.
"What is it?"
"Did you noticed that your accent changed while you were talking to the mudfoot?" Tyr asked.
"Did it? I hadn't even noticed, but it does make sense, me being from Earth and all." Harper answered pragmatically.
"You have not been living on Earth for over four years." Tyr reminded him.
"What's your point, Tyr?" Harper asked curiously. "At least I assume you have one."
"It seems to me that on Earth you were more mercenary in your outlook."
"I had to be, big guy. That was the only was to survive for twenty years on that hell-hole." Harper explained while waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Perhaps you should use those oft-hidden survival instincts more often. So far you have made an impressive showing of yourself."
"Once I open that particular can of worms, I can't close it again." Harper sighed exasperatedly.
"Explain." Tyr ordered.
"After I started to work for Beka permanently, I didn't need to watch my back constantly. We all looked out for each other. I tried to block out my time spent on Earth as much as possible, less nightmares that way. Now I only have one or two a week, rather then one every night. If I can help it I don't think about Earth at all because once I delve into the memories, things tend to jump out of the woodwork and bite me in the ass." Harper explained stopping as Tyr did right before the end of the alley.
"Simply bite them back harder." Tyr added looking the engineer in the eye, before he began walking again. Tyr meant more than he was willing to say, but Harper didn't have the inclination to analyze it. "That's what I would do."
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.
Complications By the Name of Bolivar and Justaice
Exactly one hour and twenty-six minutes later, Harper and Tyr were being led into Malick's office and were brought breakfast while they waited for him to arrive. They were each a third of the way through their meal when Malick entered the room carrying several flexis in his hand. Waiting until they both finished their breakfast, Malick handed a stack of flexi disks to each of them, across his desk.
"It seems that the plan just got a little more complicated, gentlemen. A Nietzschean Alpha hired the Guard to capture Dylan Hunt and his crew, although the exact number of crewmembers were unknown, which explains why you two are not being hunted down. The bad news is that Xatrek is auctioning them off to the highest bidder. It seems Xatrek holds Dylan directly responsible for the rebellion across the Slave Worlds."
"The one thing that Captain Perfect wasn't responsible for in the last year." Harper snorted. "Sheesh some people get all the credit."
"If I may continue?"
"Sorry. Go ahead."
"Since Tyr has already introduced himself as an Alpha to some of the inhabitants, there should be no problem with you joining the auction. Harper will however, need a new identity, although he will still be undercover as your pet. Perhaps we can use nanobots to color your hair black." Malick said thinking through the possible obstacles out loud. "The top flexi is a list of all the other bidders, including their pride affiliation, weaknesses and net worth, as well as the ships they arrived in."
The only sounds heard for the next few minutes was soft breathing as Harper and Tyr read over the list of Nietzscheans attending the auction.
"We have a problem." Harper stated looking slightly ill. "Actually make that two problems."
"Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar will be in attendance." Tyr growled menacingly. "Bolivar has been looking for just such an opportunity. With Dylan captured he will try to renege on the treaty he signed with the Commonwealth to get more power."
"True, but there are ways to gain compliance from the Archduke, Justaice on the other hand could very well get us all killed."
"Justaice?" Tyr questioned.
"An old-" Harper grimaced looking for a word and settled for the inaccurate "acquaintance."
Tyr merely continued to look at him waiting for a more detailed explanation.
"He blames me for the death of his family." Harper explained keeping his face carefully blank and his trembling hands hidden in his pockets. "And rightfully so."
"How are you responsible for the death of this Uber's family?" Malick asked.
"They were in the Angeles Compound when I blew it up." Harper answered. "Justaice is not exactly forgiving."
"Hmm… so little man, I assume you crossed paths again." Try commented asking no questions that the engineer would feel uncomfortable answering in front of others. Sensing the frightened man underneath the nearly impregnable mask Harper was wearing, Tyr was willing to let the questioning go until they were alone. Harper looked remarkable grateful for Tyr's new-found tact.
"Three years ago, I was holed up on this planet waiting to be contacted by a suppliers of Beka's, when Justaice happened upon me. As it turned out he had been looking for me on all the drifts and backwater planets that he came to."
"I assume the meeting didn't go well." Malick commented.
"No it didn't. Needless to say, Justaice will recognize me quite easily, whether I am wearing a disguise or not."
"You will just have to be more convincing that you are in fact my pet. We will merely have to come up with a date and story about how I captured you that will convince him of the validity of my claim." Tyr said giving Harper a long accessing look.
"You'll be able to enter the compound by giving this coin as you enter the establishment." Malick said handing Harper a metal coin with the Drago Katsov crest on it. "What you do once you are inside is up to you. The electronic blueprints are included, and as you can see, the top floor is very lightly guarded. There are also tunnels that run underneath the whole of the compound making a covert escape that much easier."
"When does the auction take place?" Tyr asked.
"Tomorrow night."
"Shit. That doesn't give us much time to prepare." Harper cursed. "Alright thanks, man. The rest of your money will be transferred to you once we all make it back out alive."
"Oh don't give me that pessimistic bull. If I know you Shay you'll walk out of there smelling like daisies." Malick answered smirking. "So I expect my money in a timely manner."
"Ya, Ya." Harper said standing up and giving Malick a tight hug. "I'll see ya on the other side, man."
As the two men walked out of the building and in to the alleyway Tyr kept glancing at Harper out of the corner of his eye as if trying to figure something out. Eventually Harper lost his patience.
"What is it?"
"Did you noticed that your accent changed while you were talking to the mudfoot?" Tyr asked.
"Did it? I hadn't even noticed, but it does make sense, me being from Earth and all." Harper answered pragmatically.
"You have not been living on Earth for over four years." Tyr reminded him.
"What's your point, Tyr?" Harper asked curiously. "At least I assume you have one."
"It seems to me that on Earth you were more mercenary in your outlook."
"I had to be, big guy. That was the only was to survive for twenty years on that hell-hole." Harper explained while waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Perhaps you should use those oft-hidden survival instincts more often. So far you have made an impressive showing of yourself."
"Once I open that particular can of worms, I can't close it again." Harper sighed exasperatedly.
"Explain." Tyr ordered.
"After I started to work for Beka permanently, I didn't need to watch my back constantly. We all looked out for each other. I tried to block out my time spent on Earth as much as possible, less nightmares that way. Now I only have one or two a week, rather then one every night. If I can help it I don't think about Earth at all because once I delve into the memories, things tend to jump out of the woodwork and bite me in the ass." Harper explained stopping as Tyr did right before the end of the alley.
"Simply bite them back harder." Tyr added looking the engineer in the eye, before he began walking again. Tyr meant more than he was willing to say, but Harper didn't have the inclination to analyze it. "That's what I would do."
