Second Chances
DJ Dubois
June 2004

Rating: PG-13 (some implied adult themes)

Notes Part 1: Andromeda belongs to Tribune and its other copyright holders.

Notes Part 2: This is my first "straight" Andromeda fic. I've crossed the series into my Dubois series before but never taken this approach. It's a Trance-Harper piece that starts as the season finale ends. (Oh and there's another surprise pairing toward the end but I don't want to give that away yet since this is mainly Trance and Harper's piece.) I hope you like it.

Prologue:

Love is a strange thing….
Here today, gone tomorrow.

But even if it's here,
When do you realize that you have it?
And then, can you grasp onto it?

The Old Ones know
That, yes, you can seize it.
If you wish for it and want it badly enough

It will happen….

[The Wayfare Traveler, 8976 CE]

Chapter 1 [End of finale, Command Deck of the Andromeda Ascendant]

Trance looked around the command deck of the damaged ship she had called home for the previous four years.

In the battle to save the peaceful society below, Andromeda had taken many hits from Magog missiles. She had been boarded once by the furry killers. The roving bands decimated the crew before desperate countermeasures had blown them back out into the hungry vacuum, freeing them all for the moment.

When they last met, Trance had told the crew that they would never meet again in their present configuration. As she watched them rush off to battle, she saw Death's hand extending over them all. They're going to die.

Dylan had sought her advice as well just minutes before. She told him to leave for the sake of the continued fight. This is what the prophecy meant. By leaving the fight here, he will leave the Commonwealth to its fate at the Magog's hands. She sighed, feeling a single tear course down her left cheek. His dream's gone. Then she remembered the larger purpose. Not gone. Just on loan.

As she watched the front window, she saw his slip fighter vanish into slipstream. Goodbye, Dylan.

At that moment, Andromeda's AI asked, "Trance, you're the only one left. What do you wish to do?"

The golden skinned alien picked up her cosmic bonsai tree and considered it carefully. On other occasions, she had used it to consider other possible outcomes, pruning its branches to get "do-overs" in crucial times. There will be no do over this time. She communed with the plant, establishing a link between them.

The tree began to glow.

"Trance?" Andromeda reiterated.

"Empty all missile tubes. Clear a path to the World Ship. We're going to bring it light," Trance decided. "Good bye, Andromeda, Rahde, Beka, Harper and Dylan."

"Trance?"

"Fly straight into its heart, Andromeda," Trance stated. As she stated the command, she focused on the tree and let her own shape go.

Instead of the humanoid female, her star avatar flared brightly, consuming the entire deck and working its way through the ship.

As she changed, her senses opened to the wider cosmos. She knew all once again. She sensed the other stars and where her fellow 'beings' waited for her.

[Come to us, Trance Gemini. For too long, you've been gone, a voice told her.]

She looked back at the damaged satellite below. Already she knew that Beka and Rahde had passed to the next plane. She felt nothing except that unique mixed blend of fear and ego from Harper, which made her smile.

For many years, they had served under Beka and Dylan. She was always fond of him yet could never get him to take her seriously. Every time his eye wandered to the next skirt or female garb, she would roll her eyes and say nothing. Still, she had hoped that he would realize that his dream girl was golden and usually stood right next to him. [Seamus, take care. Survive for me.]

Then his death scream echoed through her mind; Rev's descendant tearing him apart. As he passed away, the pieces of his life flashed first through his mind and then hers.

To her surprise, however, the last half focused completely on her. At that moment, she discovered that he did love her as well but never could say it. Sorry I was such a blind jerk, Trance.

With his last bit of life, he cried for denying them both, before the Magog let him collapse onto the deck.

["Harper!" Star-Trance screamed. "No!"]

Then he was silent and she heard no more.

Just as the Andromeda glowed brightly from her light, she extended herself further—beyond Command—beyond the ship and the World Ship—flaring brightly beyond time itself.

[I love you, Harper, she thought with her last bit of consciousness before extinguishing herself in one enormous big bang.]

Chapter 2 [Place beyond time and space]

Trance opened her eyes and stared upward. She saw nothing but white walls. Under her, she felt the softness of a mattress. Over her, a blanket of Tirassian lamb's wool kept her warm. "Where am I?"

"You are home," a voice told her. "But you cannot leave that room."

"Why not?" she asked, sitting up and looking at the ceiling. "What do you mean home?"

"You are home. We pulled you out of the time you were in, Trance," the Voice stated. "But soon, you will need to go out for another mission."

"Another mission?" she inquired, feeling her heart sink. "I want the old one."

"That is over. However, if you accept it, you will get one boon from us. You may bring back one person from your previous mission," the Voice instructed.

"One person huh? Who should it be?" she asked herself. Dylan would be the obvious choice but he saved himself. Rahde has a future left to fulfill but that changed the minute he sacrificed himself. That leaves Beka and Harper. She frowned. Which one? Beka's like a sister but Harper…Harper's….There's no choice. Her heart warmed at that thought.

"Excellent choice even if it is a little strange," the Voice told her.

"I didn't make it yet," she declared.

"Your heart did, Trance. Be well. I'll be back," the Voice concluded before going silent.

Great. She got up and walked around the small room, determining its parameters and if there was a door. To her dismay, she couldn't find one. They've locked me in a side dimension. This is wonderful. She flopped back on the mattress and tried to rest. Eventually she did manage to fall asleep.

****

[Some time later]

A sharp knocking by her bed roused her from her slumber. What now? "Yes?"

Then a rectangle formed on the blank wall and what could have been called a door opened.

"Hello? I must have the wrong place," a familiar voice called.

"Harper?" she asked, sitting up quickly.

"Yeah that's me and…" he started to reply. Then his blond head popped into the room. "Trance?"

"Harper!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

"Trance!" he realized, embracing her tightly. "I don't know what I'm doin' here. One minute I'm dying and thinking of my folks and cousin, the next minute, I'm with you. Speaking of "here," where are we anyhow?"

"This is where I came from. Did you see anybody?" she told him, trying to keep the tears from blurring her vision too much.

"Nah. They avoided me like the Rutsian Plague or something. Don't they realize that I'm the best Earth can give 'em?" he retorted, trying to put up a good front. Then he winced, letting her see the discomfort in his eyes. "I thought I was going to Heaven or something. Then I saw this other light and I woke up down the hall. After that, this voice told me to knock where I did."

"You're here because I wished for you," she declared, smiling at him.

"You what? Trance, we all know you're like all knowing but you can really do that?" he wondered. Seeing her nod and her eyes shining into his, he nodded slowly. "You really did that? For me?"

"For you, Seamus. The Voice offered to let me bring back one of my friends. I chose you," she told him.

He winced, protesting, "Send me back and bring Beka or Dylan instead! I'm not as important as they are."

She shook her head. "Dylan's safe although I don't know where he is. Beka…well, she chose her fate and will be rewarded on the Other Side."

He bowed his head. "Beka, I wish I could have helped her. If only I had gone with her in the first place."

"Then we wouldn't have stopped the Magog. You've helped save us and the Commonwealth so many times," she argued.

"I'm still not Dylan," he rebutted. "Nobody thinks of me like that."

"I do," she told him.

"Trance, you're like my sister. I can't think of you like that," he countered.

She looked herself over and squinted at him in the familiar manner when she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar yet again. "I'm certainly not your sister, Harper. And you're lying."

"I am?" he asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Uh huh," she declared, stepping closer to him. "Your last thoughts before you passed on were of me."

"Wait! Wait a minute! How'd you know that?" he demanded, feeling really weirded out by this whole interchange.

She grinned saucily at him, allowing her eyes to glint star shine for a second. "I felt your thoughts and heard you scream."

His mind whirled, trying to deal with that revelation. "So—uh—that warm feeling I had after the Magog ripped into me. That was you?"

She nodded. "I knew you were a genius."

"And let me guess. I never found Mrs. Harper because she was with me all along?" he asked although he already suspected the answer.

"Right," she affirmed, putting her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

He returned the gesture, letting her energy flow through him. For several minutes, he felt as if he were on fire and his senses could pick up on things beyond normal space.

"Wow," he gasped.

She arched her eyebrow at him. "Now, Seamus, there's another problem we need to deal with. Don't we?"

"Problem?" he asked, feeling very anxious all of a sudden.

She sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her. "Yes…well…your condition. We can't have you like that. Can we?" She smiled suggestively at him.

"Oh that problem," he realized, sitting down on the bed next to her. "You mean…you don't mind?"

"Nope," she assented, kissing him again and pulling the blanket over them. "Let's just relax."

And the lights dimmed on their own accord, allowing them some privacy.

Chapter 3

Some time later, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath. I have to be dreaming. I'm dead. So how could I? Then he felt her back up against his side. "I'm not dead?"

"I told you. You aren't dead," she murmured drowsily, rolling over. "And no, this is no dream." She smiled. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. Trance, I've been a fool, you know? Sorry I ignored you," he apologized.

She shook her head. "Harper, you didn't ignore me. I was your best friend and you didn't want to lose that. I'm touched that you didn't think of me as cheap or a one night stand."

"Exactly," he agreed, kissing her lightly. Then he pulled back. "I wanted to do that. It's all right, isn't it?"

She giggled almost as she had done in her "purple days". "Of course it is! Harper, you're being silly!" She kissed him back.

"And last night. Was that?" he asked hesitantly.

"What do you think, Harper?" she queried playfully, smirking at him.

He considered the experience for a minute. Granted he had lusted after women of all races for a long time but he had never known love and warmth before. Not like that.

And certainly not what he felt from her.

Nor what they shared together during the previous night.

He wiped his eye, feeling embarrassed from all of the mush welling up inside of himself. "Thanks, Trance. Geez, now my image is ruined."

"I've always know that you were sensitive," she told him. "And I love that about you."

"You've…wow…. I don't know what I can do to thank you," he declared.

"Be with me on that next assignment. I want you there. Please, Seamus," she begged.

He nodded. "Like I'd let you go off without me, Trance. No way. No how. Besides, I can't let Mrs. Harper out of my sight. Can I?"

Her eyes lit up as she caught the hint. "Yes! Thank you!"

As if on cue, the Voice announced, "It is settled then. You both will go. Seamus Harper of Earth, there is something you need to do first."

"What's that?" he inquired.

"Last night when you both kissed, you felt a burning sensation and your senses expanding, did you not?" the Voice wondered.

"Yeah I did. Lemme guess, that was so I could be all passionate with Trance, right?" the engineer guessed.

"Exactly. When we brought you here, you were remade into one of us. You are like us now."

"That's right. I hope it's okay," she told him. "That was the only way we could resurrect you."

"And I'm like you now? All omniscient and everything, huh?" he asked, giving her that familiar smirk.

"Right," she agreed.

"Cool," he replied. "So what's on your mind, O' Voice in the Sky Guy?"

"You must complete the process. Are you ready?"

He looked at his golden love and exclaimed, "Absolutely. Let's go!"

"Very good. Trance, step away," the Voice advised.

She nodded, feeling anxious for some reason.

A light shone at him through the ceiling.

He felt hot almost like he was on fire. Looking around, he saw flames but not himself. ["What is this?"]

["You are now the avatar of a star just as Trance is,"] the Voice declared.

["Like me,"] Trance added, dropping her humanoid form.

To his left, he saw another bright light and somehow, he knew it was her. ["Trance?"] he wondered.

["Yes, Seamus, this is what I really am…what we are,"] she explained.

["We really are gods! I knew the Harper was a god!"] he bragged, slipping into his old bravado to hide his nerves.

["Harper, come on. We have work to do,"] she admonished.

Across the space between them, their stars touched flares.

["Thank you for accepting us and yourself, Seamus Harper. May you both be successful in your next assignment,"] the Voice declared, going silent.

Then an explosion of light enveloped the two stars and everything else, consuming all.

Chapter 4

Harper blinked and stared around him. "What the? No! This can't be!" Somehow he was in his bed and old quarters.

"This can't be what, Harper?" Andromeda asked, appearing in front of him.

"Rommie! You were destroyed! How?" he wondered.

"Apparently, I must be part-phoenix, Harper, as your planet's legends suggest," the image postulated. Then she glanced at him—or rather beside him. "Harper, there's something there with you?"

He took a quick glance and grinned at the sight of his love lying there. "Actually, it's a some one and don't disturb her, it was a long night if you get my drift."

Andromeda's eyes bulged as she realized what he was getting at. "Harper, you didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Trance asked, pulling the covers off of her head. "Harper?"

"Yeah, I'm here and take a look at where we are! Woo hoo!" he replied. "This is awesome!"

"Rommie!" she exclaimed happily.

"Trance? You and Harper…are…are…" She was straining her circuits to assess the probability of the event which had obviously happened there.

Trance nodded. "Yes we are and we did. And I asked him to share that experience with me."

"Amazing," the AI declared, rubbing her head and feeling a short circuit occurring in the process. "Collect yourselves and report to Command. They're waiting for you."

"Be right there, Rom-Doll, and it's good to see you too," he agreed. After the image disappeared, he climbed out of bed first and grabbed his robe. Then he brought her brown outfit to her.

"I can't believe we're back," she told him.

"Apparently so. I guess when you want something bad enough, it'll happen," he told her. Then he kissed her. "And that goes for you too."

As he changed into his working clothes, she did the same, allowing herself a smile in the process. "Thanks, Harper."

"The Harper is wonderful," he cheered, stepping out in his old "finery". Seeing her smirk, he added, "But the Trance is awesome."

"Thanks," she accepted. "I appreciate that."

They headed through the passages and up to the Command deck. As the doors slid open, they found a welcoming sight.

Beka was making adjustments on the slipstream console.

Rahde was working on a report at the weapons console.

At the secondary console, a familiar face—Molly Nagouchi—studied her instrument panel.

In front of the area, Dylan and Rommie discussed adjustments to something.

Rahde smirked. "It's about time you showed up, Harper."

"Sorry, Rahde, I guess the Nietzscheans got all of the working alarm clocks these days," Harper countered playfully, embracing his crew member.

"Yeah, yeah, likely excuse," Beka sassed. "It's not like you to be late for an engineering date."

"Unless his mind were on other things maybe?" Rommie asked, looking at him and Trance both.

Beka and Dylan both wheeled and stared at the two late arrivals.

"You're kidding, right?" the first officer asked in disbelief; her jaw hitting the floor.

"What's the big deal?" Molly inquired. "You all know each other."

"Yeah," Dylan interjected. "But this is Harper. I can't see him and Trance…well…"

"Well it happened, Dylan," Trance pointed out frankly while giving Harper a smile.

"And it's the best thing that ever happened to me," Harper declared. "I've discovered true love."

That statement got a rise out of Beka. "Harper, come on!"

"Beka, I'm serious!" he protested.

"Harper, this is you. You wouldn't know true love if it hit you in the rear end!" Beka rebutted.

He frowned, getting angry. "Oh yeah? Well, you want me to prove it?"

"Beka," Dylan interceded. "This isn't the time."

The spacer smirked. "Come on, Dylan, I want to see him do it." She folded her arms across her chest.

"Beka, stop it," Trance implored her.

"Uh uh, Trance, I want to see Lover Boy in action," Beka insisted with an evil gleam in her eye.

"That's okay, Trance," Harper assured her.

"Harper, don't let her rush you," Trance pointed out.

He smirked at all of his crewmates and Dylan. "Who's rushing? I know what I want to do." He got down on one knee. "Remember what you promised me back there?"

She nodded, smiling at him. "I remember."

"Well, when these bozos get us to a respectable planet, I want to make it official," he proposed. "How about it?"

"I think you need a 'Mrs. Harper' to keep you out of trouble," she agreed, letting the words hang in the air for a minute. "And I'm her."

"YES!" he exclaimed, springing up and kissing her. "We'll have to get a ring or a bracelet on our next shore leave."

"Don't worry about that, Harper," Dylan told them. "You're both serious about this?"

"We are," Trance stated.

"Absolutely," the engineer concurred.

"Then it's not a problem," the captain declared. "Let's get underway and then we'll deal with things. Besides, making sure that you two are officially joined at the hip is the Captain's privilege. And that's me."

"Yeah, I guess that would be him," Beka noted; her senses reeling from the proposal. "Wow. Harper getting married and to Trance no less. Whoever would've thunk it?"

"Universe is full of wonders, Beka," Dylan stated. "Oh, I almost forgot. Trance Gemini, Seamus Harper, you both remember Molly Nagouchi? Molly, Trance and Harper."

"It's a pleasure to see you both again and congratulations," Molly expressed to the newly engaged couple.

"Thanks. It's good to see you again too," Harper replied, walking over and shaking her hand. "We usually don't spring things like that."

"Your timing was never the greatest, Harper," Rahde jabbed good-naturedly.

Harper was about to fire a retort when a familiar voice asked, "Surely, happiness overweighs timing, my friends?"

"No!" the engineer gasped. He turned to see a short man in a blue Wayist tunic rush toward him. "Rev!"

"Harper," Rev Bem greeted, embracing him. "It's good that you're both back." Then he examined his golden friend and hugged her as well. "Trance, the same with you." He looked at Harper again and whispered to her, "He's different almost like…"

She nodded and whispered in his ear. "Harper's like me now. You might say the Divine made it so."

"Ah. I see," the priest concurred. "Well, if there's a wedding to be done then I want to be involved, especially where two of my closest friends and crewmates are the ones entering into the compact if that is all right of course."

The engaged couple nodded.

"Excellent!" Rev expressed. "And my thanks to you both for allowing me to be part of it when we get to a proper point." He took his place at the back navigational console near Molly.

"Looks good, everyone," Dylan assessed. "Rommie, shipwide." Hearing the sound telling him he was on speaker, he announced, "Everyone, this is Captain Hunt. We're heading out. Steady as she goes. Oh and if it's all right with the couple up here, I want to announce the engagement of two of our officers, Engineer, Seamus Harper, and Medical Officer, Trance Gemini. I'm sure that you'll join me in congratulating them. Hunt out." He took a deep breath. "Rommie, take us out."

"Aye," the AI agreed.

As they headed out, Dylan shared a brief warm look with Molly before shifting his eyes toward Harper and Trance. He allowed himself a smile. Good for you both. It's about time.

Conclusion [Two Weeks Later]

Harper had finished tweaking the last capacitor two hours earlier before Rommie pulled him back to his quarters. There he changed into his tuxedo and stood in front of the mirror. "I'm really doing this."

"You are. I never thought I'd see the day," the avatar stated.

"Oh come on, Rom-Doll, I'm irresistible, you know that. It just happens that my girl was purple and now…is golden," he replied, giving her a smile.

"For what it's worth, Harper, I do care about you," Rommie told him. "I'm glad that you're doing this. Just promise me something?"

"Sure, Rommie, anything for you. Well, almost anything," he agreed.

"Love Trance. Don't hurt her," Rommie requested.

"I would never do that. You might not believe it but I've seen the light you might say," he assured her.

"That's great, Harper. You'll do just fine," she agreed, ushering him out. "The others are waiting." They headed out down the hall to the ship chapel.

As they entered, the crew watched respectfully.

"Good luck and take care of each other," Rommie concluded before stepping away toward her position.

Harper took a deep breath and found Rev standing at the front of the room beside Dylan.

"Deep breaths, Harper. The Divine wishes this. Trust me; you're in good hands now," the priest assured him.

"Indeed," Dylan agreed. "And speaking of which, here comes the bride now. Rommie, if you would?"

From the ship's speakers, the familiar Tirozzian dirge sounded, serenading Trance down the aisle with Beka at her side.

While she would have normally worn purple, Trance dressed herself in white with a veil in keeping with Earth traditions. She smiled warmly as they joined Harper and Rev in front of Dylan.

"Good luck," Beka wished them both, as she kissed their cheeks and took her place beside them.

Harper felt so nervous he couldn't believe it. Yet he felt happy too. He smiled at her.

She smiled back.

"Thank you, everyone," Dylan started. "Since the first ships, it has been the captain's privilege to conduct ceremonies onboard his or her vessel. Today marks such an occasion. For we have the joining of two special individuals—Seamus Harper and Trance Gemini. As they used to say on Tarren Vedra, marriage is a very unique estate not to be taken lightly. One should only enter into it with the deepest of commitment." As he said those words, he saw Molly looking at him warmly. Then he took a breath and continued, "These two beings have that commitment for each other. I need to ask now. Trance Gemini, do you take this man, Seamus, through all things and events that the Divine can foresee?"

She smiled. "I do."

"And, Seamus Harper, do you take this woman, Trance, through all things and events that the Divine can foresee?"

"You betcha, Boss," he agreed readily.

"Excellent. Rev, the bracelets, please." Taking them from Rev, Dylan handed them to the couple. "You may place them on each other's wrists when you're ready."

Trance held hers out first. "Ready."

Harper put it on her wrist, snapping it shut as gently as he could. Then he held out his wrist. "Your turn."

She nodded and snapped the bracelet onto his wrist, being gentle as well. "There."

"If there are no objections, I would like to ask Rev Bem to bless this union," Dylan requested.

The best man stepped onto the podium and bowed his head to the audience. "My friends, thank you for sharing this joyous occasion with us. Indeed, this event shows just how uniquely the Divine works for intergalactic peace. These two people with us today have been friends for many years. Note—I said friends. Theirs is a relationship built on trust and honor. I would ask the Divine to bless this union and them, bestowing the fruits of joy, long life and eternal light onto them. Join me please."

Everyone bowed their heads, saying a few verses with Rev.

Then Rev continued, "Thank you. Dylan, please, continue."

"Thank you, Rev, for that blessing. Trance, Seamus, it's my honor—the one bestowed to me by the Commonwealth—to declare you husband and wife," Dylan proclaimed.

Harper whispered to Trance. "I thought you wanted partners?"

"Wife is good with me. It's just a label. We're partners anyhow. Earth stuff," she whispered back before kissing him.

Harper took a deep breath, not believing this was happening. "I did it."

"You did indeed, Mr. Harper. You did indeed," Dylan assured him while shaking his hand. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Dylan and Rev. That was a wonderful service," Trance expressed.

"My pleasure," Dylan told her.

"And may you both be happy," Rev declared, embracing them both. "My friends."

They looked over to see Beka standing there. "I get a hug too, right?"

"Absolutely," the couple agreed, embracing their oldest friend as well.

Indeed, it was a very special day for all concerned.

[Next morning]

Harper stretched and looked over at Trance who still dozed next to him. She's beautiful.

She smirked. "Morning, Harper."

"I thought you were still sleeping," he assumed.

"I know when you're looking at me," she informed him.

"Hey, can I help it if you're beautiful and smart?" he asked.

"Seamus, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to butter me up," she teased.

"Why? You got the real thing, Doll," he bragged, putting on his tool belt and striking the old pose. Then he smiled. "And so do I. Thanks, Trance." He kissed her. "Rommie needs me."

"Go on and take care of her. Meet me in the herbarium later?" she asked hopefully.

"That, Mrs. Harper, is a date," he promised, stealing another kiss off of her before heading out.

She considered the bracelet sparkling on her arm and the ship around her. They were so lucky to be given a second chance at their mission and their lives. On another level, to have Rev Bem and Molly back with them would prove an additional blessing especially for Dylan in the time to come. But best of all, she and Harper could be happy at last, doing the things they loved and being with each other.

And that's what counted most of all.

THE END