With Love From Harper, Doyle, and Trance

Part 2

Trance smiled as she walked to Dylan's quarters. She had a green Santa hat to give him as well as the present she had gotten for him, she didn't know why exactly she picked it out but for some reason it felt like he'd appreciate it and it would make him happy. And happy was what he needed. After Seefra and the daunting task of starting over again, not to mention certain attitudes of two certain crew members, Dylan needed cheering and Trance was just the sunspot to do it. With some luck, their Christmas plan might even be able to glue the crew together before they could be welded together permanently. She had a good feeling, and good feelings were always welcome. Stopping at Dylan's door she rang the bell and waited. The door slid open and she found Dylan staring at his Go board. He looked up at her when she walked in.

"Hello, Dylan."

"Hi Trance...no one's fighting are they?"

"What? Um, no, why would you think that?"

"Beka and Rhade are annoying each other, Doyle and Andromeda are shooting at each other. Why can't they all just get along Trance? I get nothing but complaints anymore."

"Um, I don't know, but Harper, Doyle, and I think we should do Christmas this year. The Obs. Deck is already decorated for tomorrow morning. We thought everyone could use some cheering up and by the sounds of it, it could smooth out some wrinkles."

"Did you just say Christmas?"

"It was Harper's idea."

"I haven't had one of those in a very long time," said Dylan starting to reminisce before he asked, "You think it could help tensions?"

"I feel good about it," said Trance. "Oh, and I have one of your presents from everyone and the one I picked out."

"Presents already?"

Trance returned Dylan's smile with one of her own. She liked it when he smiled, when he was happy.

"Trance...what's in your hair?"

"Doyle put Christmas lights through my hair, they lit up on their own."

"It's very...festive, looks nice."

"Thank you, oh here this is from all of us, though I made it. Harper and Doyle are wearing them too, though Doyle has more of, oh but you'll see her later."

Trance extended her left hand from behind her back and presented Dylan with his very own green Santa hat which he put on immediately.

"I didn't know you could...you know what? With everything I've seen you do why am I surprised that you can sow?"

Trance smiled, "Here's mine to you." She extended her right hand and handed Dylan a squishy round object in wrapping paper.

"You know, Trance I didn't get you anything."

"You don't have to, it was a spur of the moment idea. We wanted to make you all happy. That's our present."

"Who's shopping for the others?"

"Doyle and Harper are doing something for Andromeda and Rhade, I got you and Beka, though I'm not really sure Beka liked her present..."

"What did you...?"

"I'll tell you later," she said. "Open it." indicating her gift.

'Presents and holiday cheer, maybe that's what they all need,' thought Dylan. Even if this idea only brought his crew back together for one day it would still be worth it. Dylan unwrapped Trance's gift as she stood waiting for his reaction. As he pulled the last piece of paper away he stopped once he saw what it was and couldn't help but smile.

A sun.

Or more accurately a little orange and yellow plush toy version of a sun.

"Well?"

Dylan looked up at an expectant Trance, a mixture of sparkling gold and Christmas lights.

"I don't know what, I-it's, Thank you Trance. This means a lot," he said standing to hug her. Trance accepted his hug and smiled. She did good.

"I thought it kind of looked like me."

"It actually sort of does now that you mention it," he said turning the sun in his hand.

"Oh! Come on I want you to see what I made for Doyle."

Dylan set the sun plushie down on his Go board and took Trance's hand as she led him out of the room.

>>>

"What the hell do you get a Nietzschean anyway? Hey do you think he'd consider starting to drink again if we got him a bottle of..."

"We're not getting him beer Harper."

"Come on, why not? I can't think of anything else. It's actually starting to make my brain hurt. Which is something, I'll tell you. Hey maybe that would make Rhade happy, thinking about him destroyed my brain."

"You want to tell Rhade you were thinking about him?"

"Not in the way you just made it sound..." said Harper.

"Never mind. Let's just think: what do Nietzschean's like?"

"Death, destruction, and mayhem with a side order of torture?"

"Besides all that."

"Slaves?"

"Besides that; and would Rhade even want a slave?"

"All the women on Seefra were his slaves. What I want to know is how he did it."

Doyle shrugged, "Nietzscheans. Oh. Wait. I'm having a thought."

"Just one?"

She looked at Harper, "I think I know what to get Rhade!"

"And what would that be," asked Harper cautiously, "and why do you look so happy?"

Doyle whispered her idea to Harper along with a brief explanation.

"If we get killed for this I'm blaming you," he said as Rhade's gift was decided upon. "You know you can stop smiling now right?" Harper added.

Doyle just continued to grin before she saw Trance and Dylan coming down the corridor, "Dylan! Dylan guess what?"

Harper and Doyle ran to meet Trance and Dylan.

"Guess what I am?" asked Doyle smiling.

Dylan looked Doyle over. "Uh, you're uh...green." She was dresses head to toe in green vinyl. Her pants were green, her top was green and had fuzzy white trim around the top, along with her green Santa hat.

"I'm an elf!"

"Oh, yes, I see now...you made that?" he said turning to Trance.

"Pretty good huh?"

"She made one for Beka too, except it's a red dress and was supposed to be for me," said Doyle, "but the bust was too small."

"So I modified it for Beka," said Trance.

"Did she like it?"

"You gave it to her right?" said Harper to Trance before sneaking a look at Doyle.

"I did, though I'm not sure if she'll wear it."

"Oh I think she will," said Harper, "maybe Doyle and I should go pay her a visit."

"Yes, I think we should."

"You guys it really doesn't matter," said Trance. "Did you find something for Rhade yet?"

"Sure did, Doyle here thought of it, we just have to go...get it."

"Yes we'll do that later."

"And soon."

"And yes."

"And then after Rhade's taken care of Doyle will give her gift to her giftee."

"Couldn't you do it?"

"No, you two are going to bond. Without weapons."

"Fine."

"We should go get Rhade's present."

"We should."

"And there we go."

"Hey guys," said Dylan before they left, "thanks for doing this."

"Ah don't mention it," said Harper, "it's actually been kind of fun."

"Presents," said Doyle.

"Presents," repeated Harper as they left down the hall to find Rhade's gift.

"Did they seem a little..."

"Weird?"

"...to you at all?" finished Dylan, "they did didn't they?"

>>>

Trance shrugged and continued to lead Dylan to the Obs. Deck.

"Okay here's the plan, I'll go find Rhade and you go talk to Andromeda."

"Why can't we do both together?"

"Because you two have problems that need to be sorted out," said Harper.

"You're just going to tell him to find it right?"

"What else can I do?"

"Fine, I'll go talk to Androscoogeda."

"And no name calling! I think we all remember what happened last week...Androscroogeda?"

"You know, Scrooge? I've been doing research...and fine no name calling, I'll give her the peace offering and get out."

"That's my girl, now go, there's Rhade."

"I wanted to see this though..."

"Doyle..."

"I'm going, I'm going. I'll call up security footage and watch it later..."

Harper continued to walk straight as Doyle turned right.

"Hey Rhade! Buddy! Wait up!" Harper ran to catch up to the Nietzschean.

"What do you want Harper? And why the hell are the corridors decorated? And what's with the hat?" asked Rhade narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Harper.

"We're having Christmas this year. Here ya go."

Rhade looked down at the red Santa hat Harper had just given him.

"What the hell is this?"

"I told Trance you wouldn't appreciate it but she made one for everyone anyway. Including you."

"Harper..."

"Doyle and I were also in charge of getting you your present."

"Present? It's not alcohol is it? Because I..."

"I know, I know, you quit which made things very difficult for us I'll tell you."

"Is it money?"

"Nope."

"Something to kill you with?"

"Wrong again."

"I don't trust you and Doyle getting me anything worthwhile."

"I think you'll be surprised."

"Was this Dylan's idea?"

"You're really on a roll you know that? This was actually all my idea. Doyle and Trance backed me up. Dylan was just as surprised as you and Beka."

"What'd she get?"

"She's wearing it and then some."

"What?"

"Anyway enjoy your present it's in your room, Beka might be a little mad though," said Harper slapping Rhade on the back before making his retreat.

"Wait a, what? Dammit Harper what did you do?!" Rhade crushed the Santa hat in his fist as he marched angrily to his room. If Harper had gutted the Maru and left the incriminating evidence in there...

He walked into his room looking around for inconsistencies and machine parts. What he found instead left him shocked and very nicely surprised. Who knew Harper and Doyle could be intuitive?

All in red. All for him. Maybe there really was a Divine or a Santa Claus.

Getting over his mood as quickly as it came, Rhade giggled happily as he put on the Santa hat Harper had given him, as his present fixed him with an angry glare.

>>>

"Get out of me," said Andromeda glaring at the blonde intruder. "This is my matrix not yours to stroll into whenever you please."

"I'm here for a reason Andromeda," said Doyle staring up at Andromeda's large matrixed self.

"And this good reason would be..."

"I brought you a present."

"A virus no doubt. Who put you in charge of my gift?"

"We drew lots."

"I feel so special."

"Harper and I got you and Rhade, Trance got Dylan and Beka," explained Doyle. "Think of my gift as a...peace offering."

"Of viruses?"

"I didn't get you a virus!"

"Yes you did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not!

"I bet you did."

"I got it with Harper, do you honestly think he'd do anything to you?"

"Not intentionally. You could have influenced his impressionable mind."

Doyle rolled her eyes, "It's not a virus Andromeda."

"So what is it?"

"Are you going to shut up long enough for me to tell you?"

Andromeda narrowed her eyes at Doyle, "Fine. What is it...and then get out."

"I got you this." Doyle made a square motion with her hands and brought up a screen in the matrix. "It's a new treaty outlining different agreements that we should try. For instance number one says I won't access you at all for one week. Then the second agreement is that I will have access to history files, then..."

"Wait a minute. Every one of these has you gaining access to my systems except the first one."

"Harper thinks you need to slowly get used to me."

"So we go slow, a week at a time."

"Yes."

"I still don't like you in my systems. You're not an avatar."

"No, but because Harper used Rommie's core AI I can control your systems."

"I don't like it."

"That's why the timed access unless I ask you otherwise."

"You broke our last treaty, what's to prevent you from doing it again?"

Doyle reluctantly clicked on the file, "We got you that firewall..."

Andromeda transported herself down to Doyle making herself roughly the same size, "Finally," she said smiling.

"You know it'll break down over the weeks right?"

"Maybe by then we'll have a permanent compromise."

"Maybe."

"I'm locking you out now."

"Oh wait!"

"What now?"

"I'm asking you otherwise," said Doyle, "could you show me the security footage of Harper and Rhade just now?"

"Why?"

"It's about what Harper and I got Beka and Rhade. I wanted to see what happened."

"I thought you and Harper had me and just Rhade?"

"Theirs is kind of a joint gift..."

>>>

Beka was not happy. Not happy in the least. She was tied and gagged to a chair in Rhade's room. The said Nietzschean had just walked in, going from looking pissed off at something to looking entirely way too happy at seeing her there.

This whole mess had started when she had reluctantly decided to try on Trance's gift after the younger girl had left. A strapless red vinyl Christmas dress, with white trim around the top and bottom that came to mid-thigh. Beka had a sneaking suspicion that it may have started out as something for Doyle or Trance's memory was very far from coming back. Or maybe it was Harper's idea of a gag gift? Or maybe it was a set-up from the start. She had grabbed a robe to cover the dress as Doyle and Harper had come a-knocking. Once they were in they had the decency to make small talk before knocking her out. She had woken up tied to a chair demanding what the hell they were doing before Doyle put a piece of tape across her mouth and drew a smile on it. The two had then left with a 'Wait here and Merry Christmas' but not before sticking a red Santa hat on her head and taping a card to her chest.

Once they left she had looked around to discover it was Rhade's room. Which she had to remind herself, was a very bad place to be. Nothing good could come out of being tied up in Telemachus Rhade's room. Nothing...well maybe had this been a year ago...No! She was sure of it. Nothing good. She assured herself of this even more as he put on his hat, and started humming Christmas tunes. His ever present 'I'm-so-superior' smirk did nothing to calm her nerves as he kept walking closer.

>>>

Rhade stopped in front of Beka and looked down at her as she continued to glare and struggle with her bonds. No wonder Harper said she'd be mad. Raising an eyebrow he reached down to snatch the card taped to Beka. He could swear he just heard her growl at him. It wasn't his fault the card was taped where it was. Smiling, he read the note aloud, "Dear Rhade, enjoy your present. With Love from, Doyle and Harper."

Simple yet effective, he chuckled as he knelt eye level to Beka. She looked ready to kill, most likely Doyle and Harper but at this point he had a feeling she'd settle for him; he'd have to change that though. There had always been an underlying sexual tension between them, though it had only now started to peak. Their more than frequent fights and arguments, the increase in heart and respiratory rates. He had noticed.

Throwing the card to the side Rhade reached up and ripped the tape from her mouth.

"Ouch and untie me."

"Untie you?"

"Yes and stop smiling at me like that...it's getting creepy."

"And once you're untied you'll do what oh-present-of-mine?"

"First I'm going to kill you because you're here, Secondly I'm going to go kill Harper and Doyle for doing this. And lastly, not you're present. People aren't presents....and you're not unwrapping me."

>>>

'Damn Nietzschean,' thought Beka, again tugging at her bonded hands. Trust an AI to make it so one couldn't get out. This had to be some sort of revenge thing. Sure her and Rhade's current fights were starting to annoy people but why did she have to be the one tied up? Why couldn't Rhade be the one tied up? Preferably to a bulkhead on the Maru wearing nothing but a strategically placed bow but did that happen? No, and to make it all worse she was having more bad thoughts than usual and Rhade was just kneeling there smiling at her and looking so damn...his hand was on her leg. Why was his hand on her leg?

"Rhade?"

"Yes Beka?"

It was warm, wow was he warm. Nice hands, very nice hands, very strong. Bad thoughts. Bad Beka. She should have made a rule of 'no touchies' when they had first met, though she had always known that it would become a lost cause sooner or later.

"Rhade why are you-"

Any thoughts previously on her mind were completely erased as Rhade moved closer and pressed his lips to hers; his right hand caressed her thigh as the other reached behind her. She started to kiss back half way through the kiss and was pleased to feel him releasing her hands which promptly took their places around his neck and through his hair.

She could feel the pent-up tension that had quickly developed over the past few months draining out of her; she hardly noticed it when she slid out of the chair and onto Rhade's lap.

"You know what I said about unwrapping me?" she said between kisses.

"Uh huh."

"Forget I said it." Her hands fell to the hem of his shirt and slid underneath.

"Already have," said Rhade, his hands tracing the back of her dress.

As her zipper was being pulled down there was only one thought echoing through both their minds as clothes were forgotten, 'Merry Christmas to me.'

>>>

A/N: What do you think? Should I add another chapter with the Obs. Deck Christmas party wrap-up? Or just finish where it is? All up to you my lovely, lovely reviewers. Thanks to everyone who r/r'ed!

Rommie's Voice: Have no grips, there was no slipstreaming involved. The trip was entirely in normal space, if it wasn't then Harper would have been 'streaming, you are completely right about that. The Andromeda was close enough to some habited planets where they stopped and shopped. Sorry if it was a bit vague.