OKAY, WARNING UP FRONT…FORMATTING FOR THIS SITE IS HATING ME RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SEE, BUT IF IT'S COMPLETELY UNREADABLE I'LL TRY TO FIX IT SOONISHLY…
Alright then…wow, sorry for taking so long to update guys, and unfortunately, this chapter won't be all that long. Everything just got very busy these past couple weeks…but I have no intentions of giving this up, so no matter how long I might go without updating(which shouldn't be any longer than two weeks most of the time), I promise there'll always be one coming until this is finished.
Okay, now that that's been said, I also have to say thank you guys SOOOO much for the reviews! They totally make my day and I appreciate that you all take the time to say something, no matter what it is, so thank you to Parisindy, Callie-Cat, Simone, Sparkyone, Starfish, Iorekbyrn, Harley, X3, Ginger and CrashDifferent ~ you guys rule! :D
Okay, now onto the next, chapter…sorry again that it's so short…
"That's it," Rhade gestured to the building just ahead. "That's where we took shelter."
"Well then that's where we start," Beka replied, quickening her pace as they neared the dilapidated structure.
When the crew had arrived planetside once more, Roman Delacroix had been waiting, as promised, with several of his personal guards ready to help with the search. He'd excused himself rather quickly, however, claiming he was quite busy and, regrettably, couldn't stay. Beka had serious doubts over how much the man actually regretted leaving, if his ever-increasing anxiety was any indicator; he looked as though he couldn't wait to be away from them.
Dylan decided it wouldn't be safe to split into anymore than two groups, as he didn't want anyone alone, even with the guards. He and Rommie had started towards the southern part of town, while Beka, Rhade and Trance took the northern part, nearest to where Harper was last seen. Beka didn't care what it took, if they had to go town by town until they'd covered the entire planet, she was getting Harper back. Whoever had him, was going to sorely regret their mistake.
"They were firing at us from over there," Rhade spoke again, explaining the situation from earlier that day. "And Harper and I entered through here," he continued, leading them to the doorway.
They entered the building, followed closely by two of Delacroix's guards, who had yet to even attempt to speak. The men stood indifferently, simply following their employer's orders, but seemingly considering it a waste of time.
"Just down here is where I found his gun," Rhade said quickly, walking a short distance to the right from the entrance. "There were no other signs of a struggle, however. No weapons fired."
"Well signs or not," Beka began, "Harper would've contacted us by now if he could've, and if he'd gone anywhere willingly, his gun would've gone with him…" she paused, her attention drawn a bit further down the hall. "Trance? Find something?" she asked, seeing the gold-skinned alien kneeling near the corner of the passageway.
"This would explain why there are no signs of a struggle," Trance stated solemnly, standing up and turning to face the others. Beka and Rhade drew closer to see the empty metallic injector she held in her outstretched hand.
"Someone wanted him to go quietly," Trance spoke again, looking grimly at the small device.
"And that someone is going to regret the day they were born," Beka seethed angrily, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
"It explains why there aren't many signs of a struggle, yes," Rhade began quickly. "But no signs? It seems unlike Mr. Harper that he wouldn't fire at all."
"Maybe he didn't hear the person coming," Trance suggested.
"Or persons," Beka added and Trance nodded.
"It's possible," Rhade admitted. "There was a lot of gunfire, but it didn't last long after I left Harper's side. As soon as I was prevented from getting back to him, it stopped."
"Well the attacker could've made his move before then," Beka replied.
"He could've," Trance agreed. "But it doesn't seem likely. It sounds more as though whoever was after Harper also wanted to be sure Telemachus wouldn't be able to stop him. They probably would've waited until they were certain the two were separated."
"But then Harper should've heard the person coming," Beka argued.
"So why didn't he fire?" Rhade asked.
"I don't know," came Trance's simple reply.
The three exchanged perplexed glances with one another, before Beka sighed in frustration.
"C'mon," she said quickly. "We should at least check out the rest of this place before moving on."
Trance and Rhade nodded their reply as the small group set off up the hall, followed closely by the silent guards.
********
The comfort of nothingness was slipping slowly away. Harper moaned in pain as he gradually regained consciousness, and immediately wished he hadn't. His whole body felt as if it had been slammed repeatedly into a brick wall, and his head was throbbing in agony. He could feel the softness of a mattress beneath him, glad for the small comfort at least.
Barely willing his eyelids open, he instantly clenched them shut again with a grimace of pain crossing his features as the brightness beyond them stabbed at his vision. It was then that he heard the voice again, followed by the sound of nearing footsteps.
"Harper?" it questioned quietly, with a hint of concern. "Can you hear me?"
Harper tried sluggishly to raise his hands to his head, visibly cringing as he rolled onto his side.
"Stop…" he managed to get out, in a weak, raspy whisper. "Please don't shout…" he trailed off, once again trying to open his eyes. This time he was ready for the ensuing brightness, and squinted against it, but refused to shut it out. After a few seconds, he was able to open them further. The white, sterile room that surrounded him resembled a med bay of sorts.
"You're going to be in pain for a while, I'm afraid," the voice came again, and Harper's gaze moved slowly towards its origin, his eyes widened as they found the voice's owner standing just beside the bed and looking down on him.
"Tyr…" he whispered, shocked into awareness.
"Nanobots have already been injected into your system," Tyr continued, calmly, lowering himself into a nearby chair. "Though it will take some time before you'll feel any of their effects."
Harper barely heard his words, however, still not sure what to make of what he was seeing.
"What are…how did you…I…I thought you were dead…" he stammered, the words catching in his dry throat as he tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it. He brought a hand up to his mouth, as his body was racked by a sudden coughing fit.
"Try to relax, you're not well enough yet," Tyr warned him, his voice remaining even as he reached for a glass of water from a nearby table. He held it to the small engineer's lips, helping him to drink.
As the fit subsided, Harper slumped back against the soft pillows beneath his head, but his now suspicious eyes never left his former crewmate. The events of late had been slowly returning to him since he'd awoken. He remembered the freezing room, then meeting the man who believed himself to be Gaheris Rhade…and worst of all, he remembered the torture from which there had seemed no escape, but after that, he could recall nothing…
"What do you care if I'm well enough for anything?" Harper asked finally, a venomous undertone to his question. "You're working with him, aren't you? That psychopath who thinks he's Gaheris Rhade…"
"I am," Tyr nodded impassively. "Though I did not choose him as a partner, and while he may seem to be…unbalanced, I assure you he is who he says. The man you met is Gaheris Rhade."
"Tyr, that's impossible…" Harper argued. "We both saw the real Rhade…or what was left of him…"
"You yourself just finished saying how you thought me to be dead," Tyr replied. "Yet here I am."
"Yeah but…that's different," Harper said, suddenly uncomfortable with the discussion. The Andromeda crew and their former ally hadn't exactly left things on the best of terms. "I never saw your…your body…after what happened… Plus it hasn't been over 300 years since then…"
"Well you and your brave captain left in such a hurry," Tyr began, his tone somewhat scornful. "How could you have seen anything that happened after…?"
"You didn't give us much of a choice!" Harper shot back angrily, wincing unexpectedly as the sharp pain in his head escalated for a brief moment; but it died down just as quickly, and he continued on with as much strength as he could muster. "You would've killed Beka…you would've let the Abyss have her, right along with the rest of us if you had your way…"
"But instead I was shot by Captain Dylan Hunt off the edge of a cliff."
"Well what do you want from me Tyr, an apology?" Harper asked, scathingly. "Don't hold your breath…you would've done the same to him if you had the chance…"
"What I wanted, was the Route of Ages," Tyr spoke evenly. "But that time is passed. I want something else now…"
"So I've been told," Harper muttered angrily, turning his gaze away and glaring stubbornly up at the ceiling. He wished his head would stop pounding; simply lying there talking seemed to be draining all of his energy.
Tyr looked at the small human for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally speaking again.
"I am not after the Andromeda for the same reasons as Gaheris," he stated quietly. "If I wish to obtain my own goals, however, I must do as our employer asks."
"What?" Harper asked, confused, and suddenly more interested as his blue eyes focused again on the Neitzschean. He vaguely remembered Gaheris mention working for someone as well, but at the time, he'd been too concerned with other matters to pay the comment much attention. "Employer? You're working for someone that wants you to steal Andromeda?"
Tyr simply nodded.
"Well…who is it?" Harper asked, impatiently.
"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Tyr asked with a mixture of amusement and bitterness in his tone. "I should have died when I fell over that cliff's edge. Yet here I am…"
"The Abyss," Harper interrupted, his eyes going wide as realization suddenly dawned on him, and he shuddered involuntarily. "You're working for it…aren't you?"
"I had little choice…it was that or death," Tyr responded emotionlessly.
Harper opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again quickly, having no idea how to even begin a response to that statement. Was he sorry? He hadn't exactly been opposed to Tyr's death ever since the Neitzschean had betrayed them…but being forced to work for the Abyss…Harper wasn't sure he wished that on anyone…
"So it lets you live, and in return you…deliver the Andromeda." Harper said quietly.
"For the time being, that is all, yes," Tyr shrugged with the obvious air of someone who's had experience with those who don't feel the necessity to keep their promises.
"What about Gaheris?" Harper asked, glad for the distraction as the throbbing in his head continued relentlessly. At least someone was actually answering his questions. "Why…how…is he here?"
"You already know how," Tyr replied. "You've used the technology before, granted, it didn't go exactly as planned…"
"You mean the…the tesseract machine? The one that was used to…"
"Remove your magog larvae, yes," Tyr confirmed. "The Abyss, however, has a much better understanding of how to use the technology; to fold time and space. When you were constructing the machine, we merely had glimpses from the past and future, people appearing, but disappearing soon after. They were really there, we just couldn't keep them there."
"Except Trance," Harper interjected. "She stayed…the older, shinier Trance, I mean…"
"Yes, well…I believe she has always understood much more than she ever let on," Tyr stated. "She knew she couldn't stay without switching places with her younger self."
"So then, if the Abyss took Gaheris from the past…" Harper began, "Wouldn't that change things? He wouldn't have been there at Hephestis to-"
"As I understand it, the Abyss cannot use the technology to alter timelines," Tyr interrupted. "I'm not certain what exactly was done when Gaheris was taken, I was not present at the time, so I can think of only two possibilities. Either Gaheris would have to have been taken just seconds before his death, or if he was taken earlier, an exact replica of his being would need to take his place."
"Cloning Gaheris Rhade," Harper mused, clearly disturbed. "Now there's a terrifying thought to keep you awake at ni-" he was cut off abruptly, stifling a small cry as another sharp pain flared up, and it felt for a brief second, as it had when the needle was in his port. He could feel sweat breaking out across his brow as his vision blurred and he shut his eyes tightly, trying to fight off the sick feeling rising in his throat while his stomach flipped slowly.
"Don't fight it," Tyr's voice spoke calmly, "You're going to continue feeling these pains for a few days at least, the only thing you can do is simply relax and let it pass."
"Yeah…easy for…you…to say…" Harper managed to get out through clenched teeth. His whole body was tense with anguish, and his back was involuntarily arched in response to the agony. Simply taking in another breath was difficult and painful, and Harper felt tears from the pain stinging the corners of his eyes…when suddenly the feeling dissipated.
Slumping back weakly against the pillows once more, Harper struggled to get his breathing under control. He was barely able to raise a shaky hand to wipe the moisture from his face, and gratefully took the cloth that Tyr now held out to him.
"You should rest now," he stated evenly. "You'll need your strength for tomorrow."
"My stre…tomorrow…what?" Harper asked, his mind slowly comprehending what the larger man had said. He tensed slightly as realization hit him, and he shook his head. "No, Tyr. I already told your psychotic partner that I wouldn't do it. I meant it, I won't help you take the Andromeda."
"I'm sure you must realize, I don't control him," Tyr said, his voice full of warning. "He would've continued your treatment for much longer had I not intervened, and I will not be able to hold him off for long if you don't do as we ask."
"I don't care," Harper spat, a defiant sneer crossing his features through his exhaustion. "And don't worry yourself about it…I'd never ask you to screw up your chances of achieving more of your power hungry goals by helping me, no no, wouldn't dream of it…"
"Good, because I have no intentions of doing so," Tyr replied, leaning forward slightly as he went on; his eyes narrowing. "Make no mistake boy, I am not your ally. Dylan and the others can't find you, believe me, they have been trying. You can't escape, and you will regret it if you try. I suggest you make this easier on yourself and do what you've been brought here to do."
Harper glared angrily at the Neitzschean, but inside his heart sank. He didn't even know exactly how long he'd been here…how long had his friends had been searching? He wondered also, how long they would continue to do so before they simply gave up. The thought made his stomach twist, as right now, he didn't see any way out of this predicament. He was outnumbered, had no weapons, no knowledge of his surroundings…not to mention he wasn't feeling all that well at the moment…
"Why me, Tyr?" he asked finally, somewhat bitterly, as his intense blue eyes remained locked on the Neitzschean's brown ones. "If you wanted the Andromeda you know her systems well enough, Gaheris probably knows them too…"
"You and I both know that your knowledge of the ship's systems surpasses that of the rest of its crew, both former and present. We needed someone that would be able to knock out specific systems without causing damage; someone that could take control of any and all aspects and reprogram as we see fit. You've also shown in the past that you can hide yourself from the A.I.'s presence, something that will more than likely be useful for what you need to do-"
"It's great how you keep talking about this like I'm actually going to be doing something," Harper interjected loudly, pushing himself up as best he could and resting on his elbows. "Neither of you seem to get it, I don't care what either of you does to me! I know you'll just kill us all once you have control anyway, so I'm not gonna drag my friends down with me!"
Tyr slowly sat back in his chair, as Harper remained utterly still, seemingly waiting for him to strike, but what he saw instead, sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. A sly smile spread across the Neitzschean's face and his eyes gleamed coldly.
"I know you won't," he acknowledged, with a hint of malicious amusement.
Harper tensed further, as the larger man then rose from his seat, but he didn't come closer. Instead, he turned and made his way towards the room's only exit.
"Take my advice and get some rest while you can," Tyr called out offhandedly, without so much as a glance back. "You will need it."
As the lock on the door was clearly heard sliding into place in the silent room, Harper let out a defeated sigh, relaxing somewhat as he once again laid back against the pillows. He wondered briefly, if there were any rooms at all in this place without a lock…
His thoughts shifted quickly to the conversation that had just taken place. Harper found it hard to believe that for several minutes, he and Tyr Anasazi had once again been having a discussion that could be described as civil. He wrestled with the idea that it was only because he wanted to believe that was the case, that he could still trust Tyr…to a point, anyway, but he shook that thought away in the end. He had allowed himself to temporarily forget the fact that he wasn't in this place by choice…a fact that he would not overlook again.
Without warning, another razor-sharp pain seared through him, running straight down his spine. Harper cried out in anguish, arcing his back in involuntary protest, and quickly brought his hands to his head, helpless to do anything other than wait for it to pass. The seconds seemed to tick on endlessly, and flashes of blinding color were going off relentlessly behind his closed eyelids, when at last, it began to fade again.
Harper laid where he was for a long moment, drained, exhausted and breathing heavily, before weakly rolling onto his side as he tried to will the sick feeling in his gut away. His blurry vision wasn't helping matters any, and he shut his eyes tightly against the partial sight, wondering how frequent these little episodes would be.
However, he had little time to think on it, as it wasn't long before his worried thoughts began drifting away, and he could feel the heaviness of sleep take a claim on him. He tried to fight it at first, partly thinking he shouldn't just be lying there, he should be looking for a way out, but the rest of him was having none of that.
Feeling both uneasy and ill, Harper at last surrendered to his losing battle with consciousness, and fell into a deep sleep.
