Places I'd rather forget

Authors note: Thanks for all the reviews and iamari no this is not going to become Harper/Beka romance.

Part 3: A kind of numbness

Rommie could have monitored Harper over sensors still it wasn't the same so her android persona sat watching him, talking to him, wishing for him to wake up, but for all her mighty power as a warship she could do little but watch and wait.

She knew things weren't going well she'd been working on therapy routines with Trance but they had yet to find one that worked and were almost out of options. This morning she asked the Perseid's and every other advanced race for help she was still waiting for the data to filter in; she hoped she'd find some thing of use; she and Harper had promised to fix each other and she had no intention of letting him down.

Harpers thrashing had stopped now but Rommie could tell even in a coma his nightmares continued she held his hand as another overtook him.

The resistance meeting had finished late and it was dark now; he hurried though the streets staying as far away from the shadows as possible the slavers came out after dark and Seamus did not intend on getting caught.

It started to rain and thunder clapped around him; he began to regret telling Brendon that at 11 he was more than old enough to look after him self. He'd have to get home soon his parents would be worried, he'd snuck out as they'd said he was to young to go to meetings; no one seemed to realise he was 11!

As he turned the corner he realised with relief that he was almost home but relief was short lived as a young Neitzchean appeared from no were. He didn't look all that much older than Seamus far to young to be a slaver but Neizcheans that age tended to feel they have something to prove that made them dangerous, very dangerous.

"Its past your curfew kludge" the Neitzchean spat "ill have to teach you a lesson for that" Seamus broke into a run but he was caught easily. The beating seemed to last for ever but he became numb to the pain after a while.

When the blows finally stopped Seamus assumed the play session was over and he would be allowed to leave, he was not, nor was he prepared for what came next. "On your knees kludge" boomed the voice above him; he complied assuming he was to be made to beg for his freedom he realised he was wrong when the Neitzchean dropped his pants; the Neitzchean stared at him "You do know what to do boy don't you?" 11 didn't feel all that old anymore and while he knew what the man wanted he wasn't all that sure he did know how but it seems the Neitzchean was quite happy to explain exactly what he wanted him to do in fact if anything he seemed more pleased than before; Seamus fought the urge to throw up.

When the Neitzchean let out a groan he assumed he had done what he wanted he turned away "Not so fast kludge I haven't finished with you" demanded the voice He found him self pushed to the ground his tormentor then he felt his pants torn off as he was flipped roughly over on to his stomach 'please no' he whispered realising what was coming next.

When in was over he lay whimpering and bleeding on the ground he didn't feel the rain as it continued its torrential down poor he didn't even feel his fathers hands as he lifted his son up and gently carried him home many hours later. He didn't even feel the pain anymore all that remained was a kind of numbness mixed with shame and humiliation.


When Rommie sensed the nightmare was over see went to talk to Trance "Any change?" she asked. "Harper's brain is continuing to swell with the infection and with the raised intercrainal pressure I'm finding it hard to keep his brain well oxygenated" Trance replied "At the moment I'm only treating symptoms I need to treat the cause 'the infection itself' but I've tried every antibiotic we have and he's not responded to any of them, I've never this him so ill before Rommie; I really think we may lose him this time." With the words out Trance began to sob, Rommie had never seen Trance cry before not even when she was purple, she hugged her friend and Trance dissolved into tears on her shoulder and Rommie realised that she too was crying.

The tray of food she was carrying crashed to the floor as Beka stepped though the door to take in the sight of her two friends crying; she rushed over "NO!" she cried convinced he'd died; tears flowing down her own face. Rommie turned away from Trance to comfort her other friend "No, it's ok" she said "its bad but he's not dead" "not yet" she added softly and soon all three girls stood hugging each other and sobbing.

Rommie received an update from her mainframe some data that she requested this morning had come in; it looked promising. She informed the others. "The Perseid's have sent us some data on a new super bug that they've encountered it sounds similar to Harpers problems they've been working on a new antibiotic to treat it but research is incomplete, I have all ready asked for more data." Rommie said she did not add the part of the report where the super bug was responsible for several deaths on Sinti.

The data came back and Rommie and Trance were able to confirm that Harper had indeed somehow caught the super bug but the Perseid's had not finished working on a cure they were close but something was missing. Andromeda set a course for Sinti may be working together they could complete the cure. It wasn't much but it was all they had.

To be continued...

AN: Callie-Cat, Not much less of a cliff hanger I'm afraid but at least it was a quick update :D