Harper, back at his room, started to think, and figured that he might as
well attempt to get access to the device again, as the prophets did tell
him that he should be working on it and he had yet to have any more
visions. Something told him that it was very important. So, he stored lots
of food, and flexis near his bed, and the next morning at 08:00 hours,
HoloAndromeda appeared.
"Harper, you need to get up to start your engineering shift."
"Good morning to you too" he replied. "Look, I'm on strike, I will lay on this bed, and do no work until Dylan gives me access to my device."
HoloAndromeda jus sighed
"Harper, this is no time…"
"Yeah.. it is. Dylan had no right to take that device away from me"
"Dylan was just concerned…."
"Why must you take Dylan's side every time?"
HoloAndromeda did not respond and blinked out.
A bit later, Harper heard someone come in.
"Andromeda says that you refuse to work" Dylan was annoyed by this development.
"Yeah. Until you let me have access to my device."
"Harper, I can't unless I can feel that you won't overwork yourself to the point of illness, and that is not gonna happen."
Soon, Rommie came in.
"I heard that Harper refuses to work" she remarked to Dylan
"Yes he does."
"Harper, your strike could compromise the safety of the ship an everyone aboard." She said simply and firmly.
"Then, give me access to the device."
"We can't do that" Dylan replied.
Soon, Beka came in. They were all surrounding Harper, who was in his pajamas.
"Andromeda told me of the situation." She remarked. "Harper, what's the matter with you? Going on strike for some silly device"
Then, Harper found that a very annoyed Tyr came in.
"Little man, I will not allow my survival to be endangered just because of you insipid little obsession to appease some beings, who want to exert their wills on the universe"
"Hey! That's not true" Harper protested. "They wanna help people"
Everyone just looked at each other
"I suggest a compromise" Beka said. "Why don't you give Harper limited access to the device? We all can make sure that he doesn't overwork."
Dylan just thought about it for a minute.
"Fine. But I will decide the amount"
"Okay" Harper figured it was better than nothing, and he could fight for more time later.
"Here's the deal, you will get access to the device for no more than 3 hours a day."
"That's too little!" Harper was getting mad at this powerlessness. "Maybe I should extend my stike…"
"and get yourself in the brig" Dylan finished. "Look, if you are reasonable, I will give you more time"
"But you can't put time blocks on a genius!" Harper said. "What you are doing to me is unfair!"
Dylan just sighed.
"Look, Harper, I'm doing this for you own good"
"and our survival" Tyr finished, as Dylan gave him his annoyed look.
"Fine, if you promise to increase the time later on" Harper decided that for now, he'd go along with the many restrictions.
It was 1100 hours and he was working on something, when the vision continued.
"…. Here is where guest come in and sit. I'll expect you two to have this cleaned every two fortnights, unless there is a guest coming, then you must clean it right away. Any questions?" It was that annoying dragon, who enslaved them talking.
"No" they both replied.
So, he left to take a nap, and as they were doing various chores, they found themselves standing in front of a little guy.
"What the…" Harper started to say.
"Greetings I'm Lugmec. I'm here to rescue you"
"Uh.. thanx.." was all Harper, as this nobleman guy could say.
Before they knew it, he had said some mumble jumble, and they were back in the forest.
"Thank you so much!" the young woman said.
"I heard about your trouble from a bird and I thought that I would help ye. Also, I got a note for ya, lass"
"What's it about?"
"Read it" he said as he handed it to her.
She read it, and she and made a worried face.
"What's the prob?" Harper/nobleman asked.
"It's my mother, she became ill. We must go back." As they were about to say something to the old man, he was gone.
So, they walked and walked and walked, until they ran into a dragon. At first, they were weary, but then they figured out that she was a good dragon, who willingly allowed them to ride on her, so that they could go back faster. During one break, they talked about their search for what Harper liked to called the cylinder thing, and the good dragon just listened. Then Harper heard someone say.
"I'm the keeper of that object"
"What?" he thought to himself
"I see that you can read minds. You mustn't tell anyone this secret, even her. Not for at least a thousand years. The right person must find it."
"Who?"
"Someone who will be chosen. Someone who has suffered the worst life has to offer."
"Where is it?" they were communicating telepathically all this time.
"I can't tell you….."
Then, Harper found himself back on the Andromeda.
"Harper, you need to get up to start your engineering shift."
"Good morning to you too" he replied. "Look, I'm on strike, I will lay on this bed, and do no work until Dylan gives me access to my device."
HoloAndromeda jus sighed
"Harper, this is no time…"
"Yeah.. it is. Dylan had no right to take that device away from me"
"Dylan was just concerned…."
"Why must you take Dylan's side every time?"
HoloAndromeda did not respond and blinked out.
A bit later, Harper heard someone come in.
"Andromeda says that you refuse to work" Dylan was annoyed by this development.
"Yeah. Until you let me have access to my device."
"Harper, I can't unless I can feel that you won't overwork yourself to the point of illness, and that is not gonna happen."
Soon, Rommie came in.
"I heard that Harper refuses to work" she remarked to Dylan
"Yes he does."
"Harper, your strike could compromise the safety of the ship an everyone aboard." She said simply and firmly.
"Then, give me access to the device."
"We can't do that" Dylan replied.
Soon, Beka came in. They were all surrounding Harper, who was in his pajamas.
"Andromeda told me of the situation." She remarked. "Harper, what's the matter with you? Going on strike for some silly device"
Then, Harper found that a very annoyed Tyr came in.
"Little man, I will not allow my survival to be endangered just because of you insipid little obsession to appease some beings, who want to exert their wills on the universe"
"Hey! That's not true" Harper protested. "They wanna help people"
Everyone just looked at each other
"I suggest a compromise" Beka said. "Why don't you give Harper limited access to the device? We all can make sure that he doesn't overwork."
Dylan just thought about it for a minute.
"Fine. But I will decide the amount"
"Okay" Harper figured it was better than nothing, and he could fight for more time later.
"Here's the deal, you will get access to the device for no more than 3 hours a day."
"That's too little!" Harper was getting mad at this powerlessness. "Maybe I should extend my stike…"
"and get yourself in the brig" Dylan finished. "Look, if you are reasonable, I will give you more time"
"But you can't put time blocks on a genius!" Harper said. "What you are doing to me is unfair!"
Dylan just sighed.
"Look, Harper, I'm doing this for you own good"
"and our survival" Tyr finished, as Dylan gave him his annoyed look.
"Fine, if you promise to increase the time later on" Harper decided that for now, he'd go along with the many restrictions.
It was 1100 hours and he was working on something, when the vision continued.
"…. Here is where guest come in and sit. I'll expect you two to have this cleaned every two fortnights, unless there is a guest coming, then you must clean it right away. Any questions?" It was that annoying dragon, who enslaved them talking.
"No" they both replied.
So, he left to take a nap, and as they were doing various chores, they found themselves standing in front of a little guy.
"What the…" Harper started to say.
"Greetings I'm Lugmec. I'm here to rescue you"
"Uh.. thanx.." was all Harper, as this nobleman guy could say.
Before they knew it, he had said some mumble jumble, and they were back in the forest.
"Thank you so much!" the young woman said.
"I heard about your trouble from a bird and I thought that I would help ye. Also, I got a note for ya, lass"
"What's it about?"
"Read it" he said as he handed it to her.
She read it, and she and made a worried face.
"What's the prob?" Harper/nobleman asked.
"It's my mother, she became ill. We must go back." As they were about to say something to the old man, he was gone.
So, they walked and walked and walked, until they ran into a dragon. At first, they were weary, but then they figured out that she was a good dragon, who willingly allowed them to ride on her, so that they could go back faster. During one break, they talked about their search for what Harper liked to called the cylinder thing, and the good dragon just listened. Then Harper heard someone say.
"I'm the keeper of that object"
"What?" he thought to himself
"I see that you can read minds. You mustn't tell anyone this secret, even her. Not for at least a thousand years. The right person must find it."
"Who?"
"Someone who will be chosen. Someone who has suffered the worst life has to offer."
"Where is it?" they were communicating telepathically all this time.
"I can't tell you….."
Then, Harper found himself back on the Andromeda.