This chapter definitely got away from me. I had to cut it off before I got to a big story part, so if it ends a tad abruptly, sorry. Quick note, I have little clue as to how good the Med Deck is. I don't know if they can heal broken bones quickly, but for the purpose of this story, let's say they can really accelerate the process.

Please leave me a review, with comments, constructive criticism and even any ideas you may have! Please let me know what you think it really encourages me to keep writing!

The Impercipient

Chapter 3: Why thus my soul should be consigned

"What can I do for you Colus?" asked Dylan as he and Beka arrived at the man's given quarters.

"Captain Hunt, I wish to impart the need that I must return to my people," Colus said promptly. He stood rigidly, hands clasped behind his back. He looked tense, and Dylan didn't blame him. "I would take our prisoner and leave."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Dylan took small amusement in seeing perspiration gather on his balding head. "My first officer here, Beka Valentine, found the woman on board your ship. She appeared to be badly injured. I understand that she is a criminal on your world, but we are still tending to her wounds."

When next Colus spoke, they could hear the strain in his voice. "Is she awake?"

"She's still unconscious," answered Beka, eyes narrowing. "Are you all right Colus?"

"Oh yes, yes," replied the man, taking a deep breath. "It's just a little warmer here than what I'm used to." He paused. "Could you take me to see this woman? I merely ask to assure myself that she is indeed here and alive. She still must stand trial before the Taher Nine."

Dylan was prepared. "Of course. She is still unconscious though, so any questioning would be out of the order." They left the room, Colus' silent guard walking behind them.

"We also found two of your men in the ship as well," said Beka, wondering as to his reaction. "They were both dead and will be ready for transport back to your planet."

Colus barely missed a beat. "Oh, yes of course. I must confess I had considered them dead from the moment she took off, she does not typically leave survivors, being the criminal she is. Thank you for preserving their bodies."

Beka nodded. Lying scum, she said to herself. He knew those men were dead long before the ship lifted off. She was wondering what his reaction to seeing the slave would be.

They entered into the Med Deck, Dylan and Beka leading the way. Trance looked up at their arrival. She stared at Colus, only a half smile coming to her lips. She undoubtedly could tell his intentions. She merely nodded to Dylan and continued to work. Rhade only stepped to the side, allowing Colus to see the woman, but not touch her. His bone blades seemed to flare reflexively.

"Here she is," announced Beka. She rounded the table to stand next to Trance and watch Colus' expression. "As you can see she's pretty beaten up. Must be rough on the streets of Taher. She looks all skin and bones to me."

Colus glanced up at Beka briefly. "She may seem weak, but let me assure you she has some extraordinary skills." He stepped closer and Rhade tensed, ready to move the man away as he looked down at the woman.

Everyone's attention however, was drawn to the table as a small moan escaped the woman's lips. She appeared to be waking, much to their surprise. They all leaned closer as she stirred, another moan leaving her.

She slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the light. When her brown eyes focused, they landed on Colus, who leaned over her expectantly. She gave a short cry of alarm and tried to roll away from him, falling right off the table. Beka tried to catch her, slicing her hand open in the process. She slowed the girl's decent, but they both crashed to the floor.

Colus snarled at them, ready to leap over the table. Rhade quickly grabbed the human, slamming him back to the ground, his bone blades pressed against his neck. "Don't even try it," he warned. A security detail apprehended the other Taherian. They took the two men away with strict orders from Rhade not to let them out of their cells. Harper and Rommie edged into the room, watching the men being escorted away.

Harper raised his eyebrows, his hands clasped around some data cards. "Whoa, Boss, what happened?" He turned into the room and stopped at the confusion that was going on. Harper shook his head. "Nobody listens to Harper. I told you it was better to just get rid of the guy!"

Rhade ignored him and returned to the interior of the room in time to see Dylan and Beka lift the frightened and struggling woman onto the table. Once seated, the slave looked around her, eyes wide. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, the skin of her left hand an angry red from recently treated frostbite. "Who are you?" she asked, voice wavering. "Where am I?"

"I am Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant. You are here on my ship and you are perfectly safe here."

She shook her head, trying to back away. "No. You are allies of Colus."

"Allies with that freak show?" exclaimed Harper. "Not a chance. I voted for blowing him up, but nobody seemed to agree with me." Rommie clasped her hand over Harper's mouth, giving him a stern look. She understood the woman was frightened and a loud-mouthed engineer wasn't going to help the situation.

The woman looked at each of them, eyes still wide. "You do not serve him?"

Trance gently shook her head. "No. We know what he has done to you, the hurts he has caused you. We will not allow him to enslave you again."

The woman seemed to slowly relax, though her hands remained tightly clasped as she remained cautious. "Thank you. I am afraid I do not know much kindness." She looked around again and her eyes rested on Rhade. "You stopped Colus from attacking me."

Rhade nodded. "I did."

She gave a weak smile. "I thank you especially. He would have killed me before I could speak to you." With some help from Trance, she swung her legs over the table to sit on the surface and meet everyone's eyes. "I am called Elena."

The rest of the crew were quickly introduced to her. Elena nodded at each name, apparently trying not to shrink away from all the new people. She appeared to trust Trance readily, for some unknown reason. It was most likely she simply gravitated to the calmest being in the room. She also granted Rhade another timid smile, perhaps due to his involvement with Colus, openly showing that he did not like her enemy.

"Why is it that Colus is so intent on your capture?" asked Rhade.

Elena sighed. "I am no simple slave. I am - valuable to him and his government." She reluctantly said, "It is because I am a Healer."

"A Healer?" asked Harper, confused. "Anyone can use Med supplies. Why would that make scum face keep you around?"

Elena shook her head, some dirt falling from her ratty hair. "No, I do not use supplies like that you have here." She sighed and looked to the first officer of the Andromeda and carefully unclasped her hands. "Beka? I believe your hand is injured?"

Beka unfolded her arms and looked at her hands. In the confusion of the moment, she hadn't even noticed she had sliced her palm open. Looking uncertain, Beka allowed Elena to take her right hand, the woman holding it between her own. Elena closed her eyes, breathing deeply. After a few moments, her hands began to tremble and she opened her eyes. She released Beka's hand and clasped her own hands together again, quickly.

The wound on Beka's hand was gone, the only evidence it was once there was a few smears of blood. She stared at her hand, turning it over. "How did you -"

"I have said I am a Healer," answered Elena. "That is why I am valuable to Colus. As his slave, I am always at his call and I need no supplies to work. He is worried I will help his enemy, heal their wounds as opposed to his own."

"He is more worried you will give your life to them," observed Trance quietly, her knowing eyes on Elena. "I know of your kind and the consequences of your healing others. Can I please see your hand?"

The rest of the crew were confused until Elena reluctantly unclasped her hands, showing the palm of her right hand to them.

A cut identical to the one that had been on Beka's hand was now on her own. Beka cut back a gasp and stared at her hand again. The wound had simply been transferred.

Rhade carefully reached forward and took Elena's hand, examining it. "So that is how you heal others. You take their wounds upon yourself." He carefully pressed a bandage to the cut as a temporary solution, releasing her hand afterward he secured it.

Elena nodded. "Yes. I can sustain more injury than a normal human, at times I can survive a wound when they cannot. However, my body must heal at a normal rate. I can only heal so many injuries at a time before I collapse from weakness. Your equipment here has done much to heal me. It is rare that I am not without pain."

"That was why you were as injured as you were," observed Rommie. She paused, internally communicating with her AI. "I have no records that indicate any with your abilities have belonged to the Commonwealth."

Elena shook her head. "No, there would not be. I do not come from the Tri-Galaxies. My people are from the Pegasus Galaxy. I have heard of the Systems Commonwealth before though, mostly talk among the slaves, remembering tales of a just world." She shook her head. "Many of them still hope for liberation."

"But you don't?" asked Dylan.

Elena raised her eyes to him. "I have been a slave for many years now. The Taher that existed during the Commonwealth is gone. It is an outlaw planet, hiding its true origins from those that are just. Slave trade is common on the planet now, as are all manner of disgusting things." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I do not remember hope. I have felt it in others, but never myself."

"You have felt it in others?" asked Beka, raising her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

Elena seemed reluctant to answer. Trance leaned forward, her eyes understanding. "You are safe here. Revealing your secrets will not cause you harm."

Elena nodded at Trance. Turning back to the crew, her eyes landed on Rhade's. "Even Colus is not aware of this." She dropped her eyes to her clasped hands. "When I heal someone, I also receive a flash of their emotions. It is something that I can do, independent of healing. I cannot detect thoughts, only feelings." Her eyes rose to Beka. "In you Beka, there was great distrust as well as anger. I also felt sadness. I can tell you feel these things at the moment, but not what has caused the feelings to occur or who they are directed at."

The crew looked at Beka, who stared at the girl with wide eyes. Beka glanced at the others and tried to shrug nonchalantly. "Okay, lucky guess. Why would it matter if Colus knew? Would he become more of an ass than he already is?"

Elena nodded. "Yes. Deceit is a strong feeling. I could tell when one is lying. Not what they are lying about, but I would know the lie is there. If Colus knew, he would force me to enter into political discussions as well, try to keep him from being tricked. At least healing people I am doing something good. At least when I heal people I - I feel again. I can feel the hope some have. I feel the joy they hold. At times I even feel the love they express. I do not know these things for myself and I am loathe to lose it."

She sighed and stopped speaking. Rhade shook his head. "You don't have to worry about Colus anymore. You won't go back to him."

Dylan glanced at the Nietzschean, but nodded. "We will help you in what way we can."

Rommie asked the question they were all wondering. "You said you are from the Pegasus Galaxy. Are there more of your people there?"

Elena shut her eyes tightly. "No. I believe I am the last of my kind."

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TBC

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Well, there's the end of the chapter. I want to just say, I'm trying to make it my goal to write a story that includes all the characters. I've read stories in different fandoms where the author just considers it to hard to write a character, so they forget about him or something. I'm trying not to do that.

So PLEASE let me know what you think (I'm not above begging here people)!