Beka woke up to a surge of electricity surging through her body. The executive officer opened her eyes and saw Calum with his ever present remote. Beka Valentine was tough but knew she was in invincible and was now becoming afraid that she would break.
Calum was ready to give the next shock when there was a knock at the door. Calum reluctantly interrupted his session with Beka and went to the door.
A voice on the other side of the door instructed Calum to blindfold Beka. Calum grunted a reply which Beka missed. The Elteran wrapped the cloth around Beka's eyes and then wrapped another piece of cloth around her eyes.
Calum turned off the overhead light in the room, sending it into darkness. Satisfied that Beka could no longer see anything in the room, Calum called out to his boss. "You can come in now. Ms. Valentine is blindfolded."
Beka heard the door open and the moderately heavy footsteps of the Boss as he entered the room. "I see you are awake again Ms. Valentine. I hope you are enjoying your stay here."
"I can't say much for the company," Beka wheezed out through cracked lips.
"You are really trying my patience Ms. Valentine. It would not be wise to keep this up," The Boss warned.
Beka felt another strong jolt of electricity surge through her and she let out a groan of pain. The blonde remained silent, her strength sapped. It was all she could do to stay awake.
The Boss grabbed a handful of Beka's blonde locks and pulled her head back. "Now will you give up and bring me your little engineer friend?"
"No," was all Beka could answer. Beka was preparing for another jolt of electricity when she heard the door to the room slam open.
Beka heard a few grunts from two men who she guessed were the ones she heard crash into the wall to her left. After a few moments of fighting there was a brief silence before Beka could feel her blindfolds being untied.
"Beka, I'm glad I finally found you," the familiar voice of Telemechus Rhade remarked with relief.
"Glad you finally made it," Beka choked out before slipping into unconsciousness.
The Nietzschean gently got Beka out of her restraints lifted her into his arms. Rhade allowed a primal growl to escape from his lips as he looked down at the Elteran and the Nightsider lying unconscious on the floor.
Rhade carried Beka all of the way back to the Maru, where he carefully placed the blonde on her bunk. Rhade reluctantly left Beka's side and went to the kitchen and grabbed a first aid kit. He returned to Beka's side and began checking her for injuries. The Nietzschean found her broken wrist as well as numerous bruises. He quickly injected nanobots to work on repairing Beka's wrist and decided that the bruises could wait until they reached the Andromeda.
After Beka was settled in Rhade left her and made his way to the cockpit where he took a seat in the pilot's chair. The Nietzschean contacted security and informed them of the Beka's kidnapping and gave the Elteran and Nightsider's location.
"We'll need you to file a report before we are able to investigate the alleged kidnapping," The security guard informed.
"I'll be happy to file a report. Just send it via courier to the Andromeda Ascendant. I'm transmitting her coordinates now," Rhade instructed as he pushed a button which sent the information to the security office. "And you'll find the suspects, an Elteran and a Nightsider at abandoned warehouse at number 4 District Street. They should still lying on the floor unconscious."
"Very well. I will send a team over to that address to arrest anybody fitting the description of a Nightsider and an Elteran," The security officer replied.
Rhade waited a few more minutes before his security clearance was finalized. The Nietzschean started up the Maru's engine and began the preflight test. Once the Maru was ready Rhade guided the Maru away from Saskatchewan Drift.
Rhade opened a slipstream route and engaged the Maru's slipstream drive. Rhade was grateful that piloting the slipstream kept his mind focused, pushing away thoughts of retribution on the men who had kidnapped Beka.
While piloting the slipstream Rhade's keen hearing could make out Beka's physical struggle with Flash withdrawal. Rhade headed the Maru towards the nearest exit out of slipstream. As soon they were safely out of slipstream, Rhade engaged the autopilot and walked towards Beka's quarters.
In her bunk Beka tossed and turned as convulsions over took her body. Her body was now soaked in sweat. "Please Rhade, just leave me alone. I don't need you to keep checking up on me like I'm some invalid," Beka lashed out. She was hurting from Flash withdrawal and didn't want Rhade pitying her.
Rhade wasn't one to give up easily though and sat on the bunk next to the Blonde. "I know you're tough but sometimes even the toughest people need the support of a friend."
"Didn't you hear what I said Rhade? I'm fine. Now get out!" Beka demanded with anger in her icy blue eyes. A moment later, Beka's mind cleared enough it to register that she had lost her temper. Beka calmed herself down. "I didn't mean to lash out at you like that Rhade. I just need my space. Besides, the Maru won't pilot itself through slipstream."
"Alright, I'll leave, but I just want you to know I'm here if you need me."
During the flight to the Andromeda Rhade periodically would exit slipstream long enough to check on Beka. The blonde would wave off any assistance or comfort as she struggled through Flash withdrawal.
During one of these brief checkups, Rhade noticed that Beka had finally fallen asleep. The Nietzschean noticed that the blanket covering Beka had partially fallen away from the blonde. Rhade quietly put the blanket back over Beka and took off her boots.
Rhade returned to the cockpit, pleased that Beka was finally getting a respite from her battle with Flash. The Nietzschean returned his concentration to piloting the slipstream. Now the best way to help Beka was to get her back to the Andromeda as quickly as possible.
Two days later Rhade exited the Maru out of slipstream and saw the Andromeda in front of him. The dark haired Nietzschean opened a communication channel and contacted the Andromeda. "Andromeda this is Rhade. Have a medical team meat me at the hanger deck."
"Rhade, how badly is Beka hurt?" Dylan's voice crackled over the transmission.
"She's beat up pretty badly, but I'm sure she'll recover," Rhade answered.
Dylan breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Good job on bringing Beka back Rhade."
"Thank you Captain," Rhade said, not feeling in the mood for any more talk. The Nietzschean cut off the transmission before preparing to dock the Maru.
Trance and two medical personnel met the Maru and wheeled a gurney up the ship's hatch. Beka was awake but high on Flash when the gurney pulled up beside her bunk.
"Hi gang. I hate to be a bother like this." Beka joked.
Trance smiled at Beka and began giving the blonde pilot the once over. "Beka I'm glad you're back."
Beka returned the golden alien's smile with one of her own. "Thanks Trance. Aside from a broken wrist, which is healing nicely, I feel pretty good."
Once Beka was transferred to a gurney, Trance examined the wrist that the blonde had held out. Trance noticed some minor bruising but was satisfied that the wrist was healing. "I'll examine your wrist further when we get you to Medical." Trance had noticed that Beka's eyes had the telltale signs of Flash use. "Beka did the men who kidnapped you give you Flash?"
Beka paused a moment, concerned that Dylan's and Harper's would overreact. "Let me think. Yeah, I was full of Flash the whole time."
Trance instructed the orderlies to wheel the gurney to Medical. Rhade and Trance walked along side the gurney.
Beka did her best not remain still on the gurney, but sat up when they Reached a medical bed. "I can take it from here. I don't need any more help getting into bed."
"Beka, why don't you let me give the orders in Medical?" Trance said as diplomatically as possible as she put her hands under Beka's shoulders and firmly, but gently helped Beka onto a bed.
Beka conceded authority to Trance for now. "Okay Trance. But I'm really doing much better."
"Hey Beka, if you wanted to keep me company in Medical you're too late," Harper greeted as he entered the room.
A broad grin broke out across Beka's face. "Hiya Shorty. Look who's up and walking around like he never had the Malakan Virus."
Harper did an impromptu soft shoe dance to emphasize the extent of his recovery.
"Yup, I'm good as new. Well, almost. Trance says I should be back to 100 in a couple days."
"That's great. You had me worried there at first," Beka confessed.
"So, I heard you went shopping for a birthday present for yours truly. You didn't need to go to all that trouble you know," Harper replied. "But since you did, I don't suppose you could tell me what it was?"
Trance, Rhade, and Dylan glared at the engineer. Harper noticed the cold looks he was getting and immediately tried to defend himself. "I'm sorry; I'm just dying to know what you got for me. You don't have to give it to me or anything Beka; I just can't stand not knowing what it is."
Beka was grateful for the diversion from her condition took pity on the engineer. "Okay I'll appease your curiosity Harper. I found a CD of old Earth music. It had songs by some group called The Beach Boys."
"Beach Boys huh? Sounds cool, but I can live without the CD," Harper replied. "I'm glad everything turned out okay."
"Me too Shorty," Beka said as she took a cup of medicine handed to her by Trance.
Trance stopped her work and turned to the three visitors. "I think you've talked to Beka long enough. It's time to let her get some rest."
"You're quite right Trance," Dylan agreed. "Come on gentlemen, let's get back to work." With that Dylan ushered Rhade and Harper out of Medical.