Just a short visit to the Maru this time, and then back to the Andromeda. Sorry.
Echoes of future past, part 34
Trance felt like she was immersed in water, trying desperately to reach surface.
Her vision slowly cleared, although the pounding headache remained. She looked to her right, and saw Tyr slumped over the controls, still out cold. She looked to the left and her eyes went wide: Dylan was sat on the end of the bunk that they had secured Rommie to, holding her head in his lap, crying silently. She felt her own eyes moisten as tiers welled up, and she racked her brain, trying to work out what had gone wrong.
A voice echoed through her mind: BECAUSE YOU DARED TO DEIFY US!
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Beka looked about Command, wishing that Dylan hadn't left her in charge: she was a good officer, an even better pilot, but she new next to nothing about combat. She bit her lip nervously, one hand moving down the rest on her slightly swollen belly. The rest of the new crew looked at her expectedly: apart from Harper and Andromeda herself, she was the last of what they called 'the old guard', the small group who had thought tooth and nail to get the Commonwealth back together.
Still nervous, Beka walked from command, and down the corridor to the small captains office, "Andromeda." The ship's holographic form blinked into existence before her, "I'm sure their fine, Beka, don't worry." Baker waved the words away, "I know their be fine: It'll take a lot more than the Magog to kill Tyr or Dylan, Rommie can look out foe herself, and I've yet to find something that'll kill Trance. Ryan is a different matter: he's looking for a way to die, but I'm finally beginning to understand why." She sat down on the sofa that sat against one wall, "What I can't understand is why the Admiral gave ME command of a squadron of ships!" She looked up, catching Andromeda's eyes with her own, "I'm not a combat veteran!"
Andromeda smiled, "Beka, calm down: the Admiral gave you command of the squadron because Dylan recommended you for the job: you may not be a combat veteran, but you have gone up against the World Ship before, and, like Dylan has said on more than one occasion, you are one hell of a commanding officer. The crew trust you, believe in you, and rightfully so." She knelt down so she was just in front of Beka's face, "An I trust you, I believe in you: you are without a doubt one of the best officers I have ever served with."
Beka smiled slightly, "There are times I wish I could hug you, and then there are times I wish I could throttle you!" Andromeda laughed, "And witch one of those is it this time?" Beka couldn't help but laugh back, "This is defiantly a hug moment: I'll have to remember to give Rommie one when she get's back."
Andromeda nodded, "That will suffice, although I am beging to wonder how much longer she will remain as my Avatar now she is with Dylan." Beka tilted her to the side, "That really worries you, doesn't it?" Andromeda nodded, "Yes: at first we where the same person, and she was just a part of me, but over time, she became something different, her own person. It first became obvious when she became involved with Gabriel: I told her not to get to close to him, but she did so anyway, and I had to come to terms with that fact that she was no longer a true part of me."
Andromeda looked up, "The concept of the Android-Avatar, as apposed to the holographic type like myself, was still in the testing faze when I was frozen in the Hephaistos singularity: I was slated to receive mine when we returned to the Shining Path to Truth and Knowledge Institute for an overhaul. Some ship's, Pax, Achilles, Ryan, Gabriel, rotated back and had theirs installed, and I was really looking forward to it. Then came The Fall, and I resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to truly experience the physical world like you organics do." She looked Beka in the eye, "You have no idea what it's like, seeing the universe, and all the married of tactile experiences you organics take for granted, and never knowing what it's truly like."
Beka was slightly taken aback, "And if Rommie leaves you, you'll lose that link again." Andromeda nodded, her eyes downcast, "I could make her stay, I could over-ride her controls and force her to stay, and without wiping my core personality, there would do nothing any of you could do to stop me. But I could never do that to her." Andromeda looked up, and Beka swear that she could see the hint of a tier in the corner of the holograms eyes, "The other Glorious Heritage class ships, my brothers and sister, my family, are all dead, and Rommie is all I have left. I know I have my crew, and the other AI's in the fleet, but none of them where truly family." Beka nodded, "I think I understand. Don't worry: you'll never be alone, I promise."
TBC
Angst-ridden and unusual, maybe, but I can't help but think we all forget Andromeda when we write story's that involve Rommie and Dylan getting together.
