Thanks for the kind reviews. Now on to the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Andromeda or its characters and I am making no money from this story.

Chapter 12

Beka was trying to find something to occupy her time in Medical when she heard a soft moan come from Harper's location. Beka hopped down from the table and rushed to the Earther's bedside. Beka ran her fingers through the Harper's spiky hair while he tried to regain full consciousness.

Moments later Harper opened his eyes and stared at Beka. Harper's instinctively swatted at the executive officer as he scooted backwards on the bed, away from Beka. "Please stop. It was an accident!"

"Harper I'm sorry. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you again," Beka reassured.

Trance had appeared at Harper's side and moved Beka away. "Beka you better go back to your bed."

Reluctantly Beka complied. She wanted to help Harper and it hurt her that he was afraid of her.

"It's okay Harper, Beka's not going to hurt you," Trance assured, trying to comfort the Earther. "Now just lie down and let me check you over. I hope you haven't undone the work of the nanobots."

Harper was breathing heavily as he lay back on the bed and allowed Trance to run a scan on him. "I didn't mean wig out on you like that," he said between breaths. "I just forgot where I was."

Trance smiled sweetly at the young man. "I know. Beka's going to be staying here in Medical for the night. Are you going to be okay with that?"

The Earther hesitated before slightly nodding his head. "Yeah, Beka didn't know what she was doing. The Flash made her go crazy."

"It looks like you didn't re injure anything so I should be able to release you from Medical tomorrow," Trance happily informed.

Harper managed to flash a relieved smile. "Good. I've seen enough of this place to last me a lifetime already."

Trance left Harper to rest while she went to talk to Beka. "Beka, I think you better stay away from Harper for now. He's been shaken up pretty badly."

Beka "You're right Trance. I didn't mean to upset Harper like that. I heard him waking up and wanted to be there for him. I guess my instincts kicked in and I didn't think."

"Try not to worry too much about it. Harper will come around eventually," trance assured confidently.

"I wish I could be so sure. I've got a long road ahead of me trying to regain Harper's trust," Beka confessed in frustration.

Trance put a reassuring hand on Beka's shoulder. "I'm sure the two of you will overcome this, just as you've overcome everything else. I'm sorry but I think it's best if I move you over the quarantine area to give Harper some peace of mind."

Beka shrugged her shoulders. "That's fine. I suppose I've crept him out enough already."

Trance helped Beka into a wheelchair and wheeled the executive officer to the quarantine room where Beka and Harper had been confined while suffering the Malakan Virus. Beka settled in to her temporary accommodations

The next morning Trance was going over the latest results of her scans on Harper. The engineer was watching the golden medic with anticipation. "Well Trance, am I a free man or not?" Harper questioned as he sat on his bed in medical, buttoning the Hawaiian shirt he had just put on.

"I'm releasing you from Medical, but you need take it easy and let the nanobots finish repairing your ribs," the golden woman advised.

Harper could barely contain his pleasure at being able to get out of Medical. He carefully climbed down from the bed and hugged the golden alien. "Thanks Trance, you're a life saver. I was going out of my mind just lying in bed here."

Trance smiled sweetly at the engineer as he released his grasp on her. "That's understandable. I couldn't help but notice you didn't sleep that well. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No I'm fine," Harper lied.

"Well, I can't force you to talk to me if you don't want to." Trance handed Harper the half dozen flexis the Earther had been reading since he woke up this morning. "Harper I meant it when I said; take it easy. I'm letting Dylan know you can only work half shift and no strenuous physical work. Your ribs aren't completely healed."

Harper scowled at Trance like a little boy. "Half a shift? Aw come on Trance show some mercy on me."

The golden alien was unmoved by the Earther's pleading. "Those are my conditions. You'll have to agree to abide by them if you want me to release you from Medical. It's your choice Harper."

"Fine then, I'll go along with your rules, but only because I'm desperate to get out of here," Harper reluctantly agreed.

"Good. Then you may leave Medical now," Trance informed with a smile. Trance was happy that Harper's physical recovery had gone so well.

As Trance and Harper walked Andromeda's corridors a figure approached them. Harper became visibly agitated when he recognized Beka coming towards them. Beka noticed the pale look on Harper's face and immediately stopped.

"It's okay Harper, I won't come any closer if you don't want me to," Beka assured.

Trance put left hand on Harper's right arm and her right hand on his shoulder. Trance tried to reassure the engineer. "Harper, Beka's not going to hurt you."

"I trusted you," Harper whispered at Beka.

Beka's heart sank as she took in the words. Beka had spent a great deal of time and effort to win Harper's trust. "I know you trusted me Harper. I value that trust and I'm sorry I broke that trust. I'd like to try to earn it back."

"Just leave me alone Beka," Harper pleaded.

"Okay Shorty, I'll leave," Beka said before leaving.

Trance stepped away from Harper once the engineer relaxed. "Come on Harper. I'll walk you to Machine Shop 8. It's close by and I'm sure you're anxious to get working on your projects."

As Harper walked with Trance he felt safer with the golden alien at his side. "Thanks Trance. Would you stay with me for awhile? I really don't feel like being alone right now."

"I'd be happy to keep you company Harper. I'll sit in the machine ship and watch you work. It'll be fun," Trance answered enthusiastically.

Harper was relieved Trance had the time to spend with him. He felt silly asking her to babysit him but right now the engineer wanted some company to get his mind off the attack by Beka. Harper's mood seemed to lighten as he entered Machine Shop 8.

"So my Golden Goddess, which of my projects would you like me to work on now?" Harper asked as he gestured around the room.

Trance looked around the machine shop and spied a silver orb about the size of a small Italian meatball sitting on a workbench. The orb was cradled in a piece of wood shaped like an egg cup. "That metal orb I think."

Harper carefully walked over to the workbench and put on a pair of gloves before gingerly picked up the silver orb. "Interesting choice Trance. This is going to be a really cool weapon."

"It doesn't look very potent, but then not all things are as innocent as they appear," Trance remarked with her usual air of mystery.

"You got that right," Harper agreed as he carefully put the silver orb back in its resting spot. "I suppose you already know what kind of weapon this baby is going to be, even before I do."

Trance offered the engineer a knowing smile. "You know I couldn't say anything if I did know."

"Yeah, I know. It's okay; I don't mind not knowing the future. Sometimes it's better to be in the dark," Harper remarked philosophically.

Beka sat on the bunk in her quarters on the Maru. Her eyes gravitated to the medicine bottle sitting on the nightstand next to her. The executive officer stared at the bottle for several minutes before getting up the nerve to take a dose of the medicine. Beka popped one of the blue pills into her mouth and swallowed.

Moments later the door chimed. "If who is it?"

"It's Rommie. I wanted to talk to you," announced a voice on the other side of the door.

Beka rolled her blue eyes upwards. "If you're here on a social call you're wasting your time."

Rommie remained undaunted. "I just thought you might want to talk. I'm a good listener you know."

"Who says I need or want to talk?" Beka asked.

"I do since I'm your friend and I know you pretty well Beka," AI Rommie reasoned.

Beka sat up and called out to the avatar to enter. AI Rommie entered the quarters and sat down next to Beka on the bunk. There was an awkward few moments of silence as each woman waited for the other to begin speaking.

AI Rommie took the initiative to start the conversation. "Beka I know you well enough to know that you're troubled by Harper's reaction towards you."

Beka laughed sarcastically. "My best friend, who is like a kid brother to me, just got freaked out by my presence. He told me to get away from him. Now why would that trouble me Rommie?"

"Your point is taken. But you can't keep your feelings bottled up. You need to talk to somebody. I'm your friend Beka and I want to help," AI Rommie offered.

Beka sighed and finally gave in. "I hurt Harper and broke his trust. That's something I promised I'd never do but I did it. And now I don't know what to do."

"You could start by going up to Harper and telling him what you just told me," the avatar recommended.

"He won't talk to me Rommie. I don't know what to do," Beka said with frustration.

AI Rommie stood up and folded her arms across her chest. "I'll have a talk with Harper and try to convince him that it's in his best interest to talk to you. I can't guarantee that even if he talks to you that things will be smoothed over, but the both of you need to talk."

Beka nodded her head in agreement. "You're right Rommie. Thank you, I was reluctant to ask you to talk to Harper for me. I hate to make you be a go between."

"I am the avatar of a High Guard warship. I am programmed for diplomacy," AI Rommie gently reminded.

Beka stood up and walked the avatar to the door. "Thank you Rommie. You're right, it did help to talk."

"I'm glad you feel that way Beka. I'll go and start working on Harper," AI Rommie informed before leaving the executive officer alone.