Disclaimer: I still don't Andromeda or Star Trek Voyager.
Chapter 19
Early the next morning Harper and Q2 had a breakfast of one food bar and a protein drink. The two companions took a walk towards the nearest dump. Just outside the dump they found several Nietzscheans standing guard.
Harper remembered an unguarded dump outside the city limits and decided they should try their luck there. One mudfoot who served a lookout was the first person the two encountered.
The mudfoot eyed two newcomers suspiciously, having noticed their clean, well fed appearance. He approached the Harper and Q2 waving a piece of lead pipe in the air. "So where are you two Fancy Dans from?"
"Somewhere else," Harper answered vaguely.
"Yeah, you two look too well fed. I say you're collaborators," The mudfoot announced as he stopped inches in front of Harper.
Harper stood his ground. "I'm not a collaborator. We're just looking to find some stuff here. I'm pretty good at fixing things so I figure to sell whatever I can on the black market."
The mudfoot spat on the ground next to Harper's boot. "This is our dump. We were here first so you just run along and find your own."
"Why should we? We have as much right to the junk here as you or anybody else," Q2 pointed out.
The lookout glanced at Harper and swung his lead pipe at Q2's head. Q2 sidestepped the attack while Harper grabbed the lookout's right arm and kneed the man in the groin. Harper easily pulled the lead pipe from the mudfoot's hand. "We'll only take what we need and leave."
A small crowd had gathered around Harper and Q2. The people that looked upset, not that Harper blamed them.
"Those people don't look too happy," Q2 observed as he struck a defensive posture.
Harper didn't look over at Q2 standing next to him, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the mob. "Yeah, I noticed that. Don't worry kid I'll get us out of this."
The people started walking slowly and deliberately towards Harper and Q. The mudfoot lookout was now smiling at the two intruders. "Get em!"
At the command the three men and two women rushed Q2 and Harper. The women went after Q2 while the men took on Harper.
Harper tightened his grip on the still in his hands and shoved it into the stomach of the closest mudfoot. The mudfoot doubled over and fell to his knees. Harper swung around to his right and kicked one of the other male mudfoots, pushing the attacker into the other mudfoot.
The Q2 swung and kicked at his female attackers, managing to connect a few blows to one of the women. The woman fell to the ground and was grabbed by Harper. The engineer Harper reluctantly punched his attacker, knocking her unconscious.
The other woman jumped Q2 and began biting and scratching at the teenager.
Members of a Nietzschean patrol ran up the street towards the fight. Harper grabbed Q2's jacket and two ran away from the dump. Their attackers split up and ran in separate directions.
Harper and Q2 struggle to keep ahead of the Nietzschean pursuing them. Harper spotted another Uber approaching from 50 feet ahead. The engineer called out the Q2 to follow him down a side street to the right.
Q2 was now wheezing as he tried desperately to suck air into his now human body.
Harper shouted encouragement as the Nietzscheans gained on them. "Come on Simon. We don't have much farther to go. You can make it."
Magog screeches sounded in the distance causing Harper and Q2 to jump to attention. The Nietzscheans stopped their pursuit of Harper and Q2 and listened to the Magog. Moments later the Ubers abandoned their pursuit.
"Looks like the Ubers don't want to play with the Magog," Harper observed. "Let's hustle before we're Magog food."
Captain Dylan Hunt walked up behind Tyr Anasazi as the Nietzschean attempted to repair an AP valve.
"I'm guessing you came to check on my progress," Anasazi remarked without pausing in his work.
Hunt smirked at the back of the Nietzscheans dark head. "I should have known you would have heard me coming. So what's the report?"
Anasazi paused from his work and turned to face the captain. "The repairs are proceeding as expected."
"So how long before you're finished?" Hunt questioned as he looked around.
"Another few hours," Anasazi answered curtly. The Nietzschean easily notices disappointed look on Hunt's face. "And there is no need to tell me Harper would have it finished sooner."
Hunt didn't skip a beat replying, "Fine. I won't mention it. But I will mention that I can appreciate the job you have working on the repairs. And why do you find it so hard to admit that Harper could do the repair faster?"
"Because I am Tyr Anasazi by Barbarosa out of Victoria," Anasazi stated simply as he continued working.
Hunt knew better than to continue further conversation and walked off. "Dylan have you heard anything the Little Professor?" Anasazi asked before Hunt from behind.
"No, nothing yet. I'm hoping Q will turn up to give us a status report," Hunt said, as turned back around to face the Nietzschean.
Anasazi appeared unfazed but Hunt knew better. As much as he tried to hide it, Anasazi had a soft spot for the engineer. Hunt couldn't help wondering how Harper and Q2 were fairing either. "Was there anything else you wanted ask me Tyr?"
"No, and I've taken a long enough break so I should get back to making the repairs," Anasazi replied as he fired up a nanowelder.
Minutes later Valentine appeared in front of Anasazi and she knelt down beside him. The Nietzschean cast her an annoyed look, obviously unhappy at having been interrupted once again. "This is the second time I have been interrupted while trying to complete these repairs. You better have a good reason for delaying my progress."
Valentine ignored the mild rant. "Tyr, Rommie said Dylan was down here. Did he say if he heard any news about Harper?"
"Dylan mentioned that he had heard no news regarding the Professor," Anasazi answered. "Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do."
Valentine frowned at Anasazi. "Aren't you even the least bit concerned about Harper's welfare? I mean the guy did save our bacon a number of times. I would think would make him a part of your survival plans."
Anasazi paused for a second before turning off the nanowelder. "Harper is a big boy and can take care of himself. He survived 20 years on Earth so I see no reason why he couldn't survive a week there now. And you would do well to quit wasting time worrying about something you have no control over and spend that time on something more constructive."
Valentine glared at Anasazi with fire in her blue eyes before turning her back on the Nietzschean and storming off.
Anasazi grunted at the blonde's disappearing back and turned on the nanowelder. Valentine continued to exasperate him to no end. As did the young engineer whose absence was highly noticeable.
Harper and Q2 sneaked back into the dump where they had been the previous day. Harper motioned for the teenager to head to the far side of the dump and away from Nietzschean eyes.
Q2 looked down at his feet and scowled at the unsightly mess he had just stepped in. Harper seemed to ignore the stench that permeated the air and the slime covering the ground. Harper had already become accustomed to the stench having grown up with it.
Q2 hopped onto a rusted hulk of washing machine and started hopping from junk pile to junk pile to escape the sludge on the ground. "What stuff should we look for?" he whispered. Q2 had already figured out that he keep quiet with the Uber guards around.
"Tools, parts or anything else we could use down here," Harper whispered back as he pulled the teenager from his perch.
Q2 pulled away from the engineer with an exasperated look. "What did you pull me down for? I wasn't doing anything."
"No but up there you were easier for an Uber to spot. You have to keep low," Harper explained. Harper kept moving as he continued looking for stuff they could and for the Nietzschean guards. Harper decided they talked enough and whispered in the teen's ear, "No more talking from here on. Use hand signals to communicate."
Q2 nodded his head before kneeling down and picking up a small piece of ?. After an approving nod from Harper Q2 handed it over to the engineer. Harper handed it back with a wink that said, "You found it, so you can keep it."
After finding very little Harper could fix up the two headed back to the sewers. Harper and Q2 managed to avoid the Nietzschean patrols on their way, something for which Q2 was thankful. The teenager didn't know what he would do if an Uber decided to pick on him.
When they came near their lair they were greeted by a silent alarm Harper had rigged before they left. The caused a small credit attached to Harper's belt to blink. Harper stopped in his tracks and turned off the alarm. Q2 started to speak but stopped when Harper placed a finger to lips.
Harper signaled for Q2 to remain where he was while the mudfoot proceeded on towards their cubby hole. Q2 wasn't sure he should stay since Harper might need his help but decided to stay put for the time being.
A minute later Q2 heard what sounded like a scuffle, causing him to duck behind the hollowed out shell of dish washer. As footsteps came near his hiding place Q2 held his breath, thanking whoever thought to drag a beat up dish washer inside the sewer tunnels.
The footsteps stopped in front of the dish washer which caused Q2's heart to skip a beat.
The teenager picked up a piece of concrete and prepared use it.
"Come on out Simon," ordered a familiar voice.
Q2 finally let out his breath and came out from his hiding place. "You had me worried. I thought somebody got you good."
Harper flashed a cocky grin. "Nah, it was just some punk who wanted to take over our space here. Before I could try to reason with the guy he attacked me."
"So what happened to the guy?" Q2 asked impatiently.
"He took off that way," Harper informed, waiving to the tunnel to where the tunnel branched off behind him.
Harper sympathized with the man who had attacked him and decided to let the man go without a pursuit. Harper and Q2 set their meager stash out on the ground and went about taking inventory.
Q2 held a small broken pager in his hand and studied it. "This thing looks ancient. Do you really expect to be able to repair it?"
"Repair it, no but I can salvage a couple useful items from that old dinosaur," Harper replied with bravado.
Q2 was intrigued. He had enjoyed watching Voyager's crew go about their duties. He was especially fascinated by the more mundane chores like cooking and horticulture; stuff his father found boring and degrading to watch.