"Harper, come in. Hello? Dylan? Trance? Come on, someone answer." Harper had to scramble to find the communicator that he had secured in one of his many pockets.

"Whoa whoa, hold on." he mumbled. Rhade looked at him, grimacing slightly as he turned his upper body to do so. "Hey, don't move Rhade." Harper said placing a hand on the man's shoulder to gently hold him down. He finally found the device he was looking for and, after a few fumbled attempts, he was finally able to get it turned on. "Beka? Oh man am I glad to hear your voice."
"Harper, are you all right? How is everybody?" He couldn't get a video feed of her but, he didn't need to, to know that she was currently worrying her head off.
"I'm okay. Had to face a bunch of uglies but Trance went nova before they did any damage."
"What about everyone else?"
"Rommie got shot-"
"What?! Is she okay?"
"Uh, unfortunately, she's sort of scattered on the floor of the engine room. I should be able to build a new avatar, though. She'll be good as new in no time." Harper said so with confidence he didn't completely believe he had. He had to have faith in himself and just go on with the thought that it would be a cakewalk to build another avatar.
"What about everone else?" She asked impatiently. Harper pursed his lips in frustration.
"Well if you would let me get a word in edgewise..."
"Alright, alright."
"Rhade's injured, I don't know how badly." He got up and walked over to another wall. He was aware that Rhade would most likely be able to hear them no matter what but doing this made Harper feel as if Rhade couldn't. It helped make it easier to say what he had to tell Beka. "Boss, Louisa's dead." There was just silence on the line for a moment. He took a peek at the Nietszchean. The one mention had made him turn his face away.
"How?" He couldn't tell whether that was the complete sentence and she was asking how the woman had died or if she hadn't been able to complete the sentence and it had been, 'How is he doing?'.
"She got shot it looks like. He's not taking it all that well, boss."
"Of course he wouldn't would he?" Harper couldn't tell who or what Beka was more frustrated with. Rhade, Louisa, the situation or herself.
"Look boss, we really need the med kit at least, medbay is better. How soon will you be able to get here?"
"Have you seen Arcology lately? The place is in tatters. It'll take me a bit to find a place to land or dock. Half an hour at best."
"Bring the collapsable lifter will ya? I don't think Rhade'll walk out of here." He then paused, looking at the body of the young woman who had given his ship mate a couple of day's worth of happiness. It felt wrong to leave her there, amidst the filthy Magog. "Hey Beka?"
"Yeah."
"Let's also take Louisa with us." He said softly. "Let him say goodbye properly." Beka had to admit that she was impressed by this latest sudden insight by her longtime friend.
"Yeah, we'll find a way. Don't worry."
"Thanks boss." He then shut the com off and went back to Rhade's side.
Sitting beside the man, he put a hand on his chest, wanting to know should he ever stop breathing, heaven forbid.

Together, the two waited.

TBC..

I know it's not much but anything's good right... :)