SITN23

A/N: Ok, I know it's been a while. Life has conspired to keep me away from the computer. Stupid RL. Admittedly, I was also not in the mood, considering how this season has been going. Thank you to the wonderful people who have pestered me to get back on the horse and write. Big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, sometimes it is your enthusiasm alone that keeps me going.



Dylan froze as the distinctive sound of a forcelance powering up reached his ears. The difference in the lighting between the port and the interior of the ship had left him momentarily unable to see anything but dark shapes. As his eyes adjusted, he realized Tyr had drawn down on him. He raised his hands in surrender, "Easy there Tyr. It's just me."

Tyr gave Hunt a long considering look then let the lance power down. He uncoiled from his combat crouch and holstered his weapon, "After our previous conversation, I had not thought to see you again this evening."

"Yeah well, about that." Dylan paused and rubbed the back of his neck. He was uncertain how to proceed, and more than a little embarrassed by his behavior.

"Yes?" Anasazi was not letting him off the hook. He was due an explanation and an apology. Tyr leaned back against the Maru's bulkhead and crossed his arms, waiting for Dylan to continue.

"I was out of line." Hunt finally said, looking as if he would rather be anywhere but here.

"Yes you were." Tyr agreed calmly, and then raised an eyebrow in silent question.

Dylan, no stranger to Anasazi's looks, replied, "You were right. I do doubt you because you are Nietzschean. Happy now?"

"Not really, but it is a start." Tyr uncrossed his arms and straightened.

"A bigger start than you know. When the Nietzscheans betrayed the Commonwealth I lost my family, my friends, my fiancé.Hell, I lost an entire civilization. The only thing I have left from that time is the Andromeda, and when we met you were trying to take even her away from me." Dylan gave a bitter half-smile, more of a grimace really.

"The Andromeda is not a 'her' Dylan, 'it' is a warship." Tyr felt compelled to point out.

"The A.I. is programmed to appear female. I think I can safely use 'her' as a pronoun when referring to the ship." Hunt riposted.

"Justify your fixation however you will Dylan." Anasazi rolled his eyes. In some ways he wished Harper had never built the ship's avatar, it seemed to further Hunt's tendency to treat Andromeda like a woman.

"Her, it, call Andromeda what you will, but you were trying to take my ship." Dylan's eyes flashed with annoyance.

"Because it was what I was contracted to do, it was strictly business. I must confess I admired and identified with you, even as I did my job. The sheer force of will it takes to go on when your world is lost is considerable. There are not many who possess it. I found my admiration was getting in the way of my work. Well, that and a certain dislike for my employer." Tyr shook his head slightly, remembering Gerentex.

"How did you end up working for him anyway?" Dylan asked, for they had ever seemed an odd pairing to him.

"Money, an obscene amount of money." Tyr clarified.

"Ah." Dylan felt he should have seen that answer coming.

"It certainly wasn't his good looks." Tyr permitted himself a small smile.

"So that's why you agreed to work for me? I was better looking?" Dylan teased.

"It would have been difficult for you to look worse." Anasazi replied in kind.

"Surely, if looks were your criteria, you should have offered to work for Beka. She has me beat hands down in that department." Hunt chuckled.

Tyr, remembering that he had offered to back Captain Valentine after mere days of serving with Dylan, did not laugh.

Hunt correctly interpreted the silence, "Tyr, you didn't?"

"Your behavior was not good for my continued survival. Perhaps you will recall those hours skimming the corona of a sun while an unidentified ship tried to destroy us? Harper dropping from radiation poisoning while you lied and said everything was fine?" Anasazi pointedly did not bring up the fact that the unknown ship had forced them to retreat twice.

"Hey, we got out of that alright." Dylan was mildly affronted.

Tyr was ready to give a scathing reply when the green satchel in his hand beeped. After a moment it beeped again.

The sound drew Dylan's eyes to the bag, which he had not really noticed before. "What is that?"

"Regina's ship link, I would assume." Tyr turned to take it to her as it beeped again, louder this time.

"You mean to tell me that Regina is onboard?" Dylan's voice went up in astonishment.

Tyr ignored him and headed for the berth, the period between beeps decreasing until it was almost a constant summons by the time he reached his destination.

"What is it?" Regina was sitting up in bed, having heard the ship link's distinctive sound long before Tyr had entered the room. The sheets were pooled around her waist, leaving her upper body bare, save where her scarlet tresses fell. Her lips were swollen from his earlier attentions, and the passion marks still glowed against her pale skin.

Tyr paused a moment, admiring the view, before tossing Regina her satchel. "I believe someone from the Boadicca is hailing you."

Regina pulled the bag open and rummaged around inside until she retrieved the device. The moment it was clear of the cloth, she thumbed the button to establish a connection. "This is Chimera, go ahead."

"Chimera, the Huntress has asked me to tell you that Bellepheron is looking for you and that Mercury bears ill tidings." The voice that responded was almost musical.

The message was obviously some kind of code, and the message galvanized Regina. She threw back the covers and stood as she listened. Tyr heard Dylan's footsteps echoing on the deck plates and moved to block him from coming into the room. He did not want Hunt to see Regina unclothed.

"I understand Euphrosine. Chimera out." Regina tossed the link on the bed and began to get dressed.

"Bellepheron and Mercury?" Tyr asked as he held up one hand to signal to Dylan to keep quiet.

"Bellepheron means that I am the primary target, and Mercury refers to a messaging system we use when we do not know if we have communication integrity. I will need to use your ship's comm. I should have a more detailed information packet waiting for me under my secondary account." Regina zipped her jumpsuit and buckled on her weapon belt.

She picked up the larger of the Helix bands and hesitated. Regina looked up at Tyr, "This is hardly the way I imagined I would do this."

"I suspect that our life will be filled with things we never imagined." Tyr smiled understandingly as his hand cradled her face.

"Start as you mean to go on, huh?" Regina smiled back wryly.

"That would be my recommendation." Anasazi's thumb traced her cheek as he spoke.

"So be it, Husband." Regina snapped the Helix closed over Tyr's bicep, and then she picked up hers.

Tyr stroked a hand over his band, as if to make sure it was real. He touched Regina's with the same reverence, "You will not regret choosing me, Wife."

Dylan stood flabbergasted in the entryway, watching his Weapons Officer land them in the middle of what was sure to be a diplomatic incident.