Chapter 33
The next day Dylan explained the whole situation to Hannah, corpses and all. When he was finished she was silent. Then she said, "I think I'd like to fix my ship, and leave as soon as possible,"
This surprised Dylan, "You're welcome to stay here, with us,"
"I know, but I need to have familiar things around me. Also, this ship is so big, I don't think I'd ever get used to it,"
He understood how she felt. He had felt the same way when he first came onboard the Andromeda.
"Alright. If you can find Harper, I'm sure he would help you fix it up. But don't you think you'd be lonely, on that cargo ship all by yourself? And what about money? How will you manage that?"
"I've watched my father and friends negotiating and bartering my whole life. I'm sure I can find a way," she looked slightly wistful at that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That day the rest of the crew felt relatively normal. They had averted yet another disaster, and come out of it alive. Nothing new about that. They all sat in the mess hall eating breakfast and talking about yesterdays happenings.
"Well I just wish that the Ratface had gotten what he deserved," said Harper, swigging a Sparky Cola,
"He is going to jail, you know," Trance reminded him,
"Yeah, but if I'd been there I'd have made sure he was going to intensive care instead,"
Trance looked hurt, "Harper, he deserves to live just like the rest of us,"
Beka cut in, "You know Trance, for once I agree with Harper. I still haven't forgotten that he stole my ship," she said, gripping her coffee mug.
Trance got up and left, "I have to go finish something,"
Rommie walked in just as Trance left.
"Harper, there are still a few things I need you to fix," she said
"Sure thing Rommie! I'll be right there," she waited for him to finish off his Sparky and then left, with him on her heels, looking adoringly at her.
Beka rolled her eyes. It was just her and Tyr now.
"Yeah, I should probably be going too," she said and got up to leave.
When she reached the hallway outside the mess hall she came face to face with Hannah.
"Have you seen Harper?" Hannah asked shyly, afraid that even though Dylan had forgiven her, perhaps the rest of the crew wouldn't be so understanding.
"Yes, he just went off with Rommie, but I don't know which way, sorry,"
"That's OK. Thanks," and she ran off in the opposite direction that Beka was heading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After looking for Harper for half an hour, Hannah was about to give up, when an explosion came from down the hallway. She ran to see what it was, and was met by the very person she was looking for, backing out of a room. Harper was holding a fire extinguisher and was frantically trying to put out the flames that licked out at him from inside the room. Hannah ran to help, and he looked very sheepish when he saw her. By the time she reached him the extinguisher had done its job.
"What happened??" she asked him.
"Well, see, I had a little accident while trying to fix something... "
Andromeda's voice cut in
"Some trick wiring that Gerentex had rigged to explode. Obviously it worked,"
Harper continued, talking to himself more than anyone, "I should have spotted it. My mind wasn't on my work I guess..." he trailed off, and entered the room. It was full of smoke, but the Andromeda was quickly filtering it away, and replacing it with clean air. The walls and floor were charred and what was left of the furniture was undistinguishable.
"Lucky for us nothing important was in here," said Harper, angry at himself for screwing up.
Dylan and Rommie had heard the explosion and came running down the hall. Rommie reached them first, and had heard his last remark.
"What do you mean nothing important was in there? You were,"
he smiled at her, not sure if she was serious, and hoping she was.
"Are you hurt?" Dylan asked as he ran up.
"Only my pride," he replied, certainly looking like it.
"Good. You can clean up in here later, Harper, I think Hannah wants to ask you something," and he turned back the way he had come, followed by Rommie.
Harper raised his eyebrows and turned to her.
"I was wondering if you would help me fix my ship," she told him.
He lit up. Anything to keep his mind off of his mistake.
"Sure! Just let me get some tools," he ran off, delighted with the prospect of a new project.
Hannah asked the Andromeda which way to her ship, and when she was sure of the way, set off.
The next day Dylan explained the whole situation to Hannah, corpses and all. When he was finished she was silent. Then she said, "I think I'd like to fix my ship, and leave as soon as possible,"
This surprised Dylan, "You're welcome to stay here, with us,"
"I know, but I need to have familiar things around me. Also, this ship is so big, I don't think I'd ever get used to it,"
He understood how she felt. He had felt the same way when he first came onboard the Andromeda.
"Alright. If you can find Harper, I'm sure he would help you fix it up. But don't you think you'd be lonely, on that cargo ship all by yourself? And what about money? How will you manage that?"
"I've watched my father and friends negotiating and bartering my whole life. I'm sure I can find a way," she looked slightly wistful at that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That day the rest of the crew felt relatively normal. They had averted yet another disaster, and come out of it alive. Nothing new about that. They all sat in the mess hall eating breakfast and talking about yesterdays happenings.
"Well I just wish that the Ratface had gotten what he deserved," said Harper, swigging a Sparky Cola,
"He is going to jail, you know," Trance reminded him,
"Yeah, but if I'd been there I'd have made sure he was going to intensive care instead,"
Trance looked hurt, "Harper, he deserves to live just like the rest of us,"
Beka cut in, "You know Trance, for once I agree with Harper. I still haven't forgotten that he stole my ship," she said, gripping her coffee mug.
Trance got up and left, "I have to go finish something,"
Rommie walked in just as Trance left.
"Harper, there are still a few things I need you to fix," she said
"Sure thing Rommie! I'll be right there," she waited for him to finish off his Sparky and then left, with him on her heels, looking adoringly at her.
Beka rolled her eyes. It was just her and Tyr now.
"Yeah, I should probably be going too," she said and got up to leave.
When she reached the hallway outside the mess hall she came face to face with Hannah.
"Have you seen Harper?" Hannah asked shyly, afraid that even though Dylan had forgiven her, perhaps the rest of the crew wouldn't be so understanding.
"Yes, he just went off with Rommie, but I don't know which way, sorry,"
"That's OK. Thanks," and she ran off in the opposite direction that Beka was heading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After looking for Harper for half an hour, Hannah was about to give up, when an explosion came from down the hallway. She ran to see what it was, and was met by the very person she was looking for, backing out of a room. Harper was holding a fire extinguisher and was frantically trying to put out the flames that licked out at him from inside the room. Hannah ran to help, and he looked very sheepish when he saw her. By the time she reached him the extinguisher had done its job.
"What happened??" she asked him.
"Well, see, I had a little accident while trying to fix something... "
Andromeda's voice cut in
"Some trick wiring that Gerentex had rigged to explode. Obviously it worked,"
Harper continued, talking to himself more than anyone, "I should have spotted it. My mind wasn't on my work I guess..." he trailed off, and entered the room. It was full of smoke, but the Andromeda was quickly filtering it away, and replacing it with clean air. The walls and floor were charred and what was left of the furniture was undistinguishable.
"Lucky for us nothing important was in here," said Harper, angry at himself for screwing up.
Dylan and Rommie had heard the explosion and came running down the hall. Rommie reached them first, and had heard his last remark.
"What do you mean nothing important was in there? You were,"
he smiled at her, not sure if she was serious, and hoping she was.
"Are you hurt?" Dylan asked as he ran up.
"Only my pride," he replied, certainly looking like it.
"Good. You can clean up in here later, Harper, I think Hannah wants to ask you something," and he turned back the way he had come, followed by Rommie.
Harper raised his eyebrows and turned to her.
"I was wondering if you would help me fix my ship," she told him.
He lit up. Anything to keep his mind off of his mistake.
"Sure! Just let me get some tools," he ran off, delighted with the prospect of a new project.
Hannah asked the Andromeda which way to her ship, and when she was sure of the way, set off.
