Chapter 5
"Beka?" Dylan asked in surprise. "Shouldn't you be supervising the worker 'bots as they unload the cargo?"
"Um, yeah, yeah," Terla/Beka said. "Just thought I should, ya know, check in, make sure you didn't have anything for me to do."
"No, Beka, that's alright," Dylan replied, looking at her oddly. "You can just take off once the 'bots are done." Beka never comes to me for assignments, he thought, watching as she left the Command Deck. That was different.
In the middle of a corridor Terla/Beka stopped and leaned against the wall. "So, Beka, enjoying this?" she asked knowing Beka would be able to see and hear her over the magic broadcast. Terla/Beka smirked and headed toward the Maru to supervise the worker 'bots.
As Terla/Beka walked away down the corridor, Andromeda's hologram appeared in the hallway, silently watching as Terla/Beka walked toward the Hanger Bay.
Harper was running full speed down the corridor, unaware that Rhade wasn't actually following him. WAM! Harper slammed hard into Terla/Beka.
"Watch where you're going, stupid little twerp!" she snapped, shoving him away.
Harper fell down hard on his butt. "Boss?" he asked in surprise. "What crawled up your ass and bit you?"
"Just watch where you're going," Beka/Terla said, walking away.
Harper just sat there, a hurt expression on his face.
Back on the Maru, Beka would have smiled again. Sure, sometimes she thought Harper was a stupid little twerp, but she never told him. Also she never went to Dylan for an assignment. Terla/Beka had made her second, and third, mistake.
Three strikes and you're out.
Harper stood up and began walking slowly back the way he came. When he saw Rhade still leaning against the wall, he stopped in front of him.
"Another Nietzschean joke?" Telemachus asked flatly, looking at Harper.
"No, Rhade," Harper said seriously. "Beka."
"What about her?" Telemachus asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Has she been acting, you know, like, weird?" Harper asked.
"Now that you mention it," Telemachus said, looking down at Harper. "That's what I was thinking about before, you annoying little man!"
"Hey, there's no call for that!" Harper protested.
Telemachus grunted. "Well, yes, she has been acting rather... strangely."
"Maybe we should ask Trance to find out what's wrong with her," Harper suggested.
"No," Telemachus responded. "She could just be under a lot of stress, and counseling might just make her more angry."
"Whatever you say, big man," Harper said. "But we'll keep an eye on her?"
"Definitely."