Chapter 5

"Tyr?"

"Yes little man?" Tyr said with obvious irritation.

"I wouldn't mind hearing a story of yours to kill some time before they kill us." Harper said in a soft defeated voice. I grimaced at the sound of a defeated Harper. His voice was never that of hope and determination.but it usually harbored more sentiment and good faith then that.

"I'd tell a story but I don't want to interrupt Dylan when he finally comes up with a plan of escape" The Venom was dripping from his words as he spoke.

"Well, it seems that captain terrific isn't so.er.terrific today" Harper said getting grunts of agreement for the rest of the crew, even Beka chimed in.

"Well, he's getting old.he needs more time." She wheezed.

"You know.I'm sitting right here." I said feeling the rage rise within.since when did this predicament become my fault?.I guess it's my fault cause I'm the captain and all blame lies on me? Harper scoffed mouse like and huddled next to Trance who openly took him in her arms.

"Do any of you guys actually remember what happened last night?" I said. I looked around thankful that my eyes had adjusted to the point where I could at least see there outlines. I felt comforted in the fact that I could see that my crew was all right.even if they were bashing me. I honestly couldn't remember a thing and I was worried that there was no way to prove our innocents. What i didn't understand was how those weapons in our rooms were recently fired. It seemed like a set up to me.

"I remember sitting around the fire telling stories and then after that everything is fuzzy." Tyr said feeling out of control and lost.

"Same here.I don't remember much either.just flashes." Harper said squeezing the bridge of his nose while trance played with his hair with her tail. It seemed like they couldn't help but be constantly making contact with each other.

"I remember that I got up and woke up Trance.told her my idea.and we were gonna wake up Beka to help us.but she was gone and so was Tyr." Harper said glaring at Tyr and Beka.

"I know what you're thinking and we didn't kill anyone." Beka said sounding stern.

"Can you remember where you went?"

"no."

"Tyr?"

"Well I have nothing to prove.I know I didn't kill anyone.I had no purpose and I'm not one to kill for sport."

"Since when?" Harper said bitterly. I couldn't help but smile.

"Why does it matter now anyway.they have already decided we are guilty." Beka said from her seated position.

"Shouldn't Rom-doll be causing havoc right about now? You know.since her crew is gone." Harper said with irritation. I could never take his irritation seriously which in turn just added to his irritation...it was a never ending cycle.

"Well, there isn't anything she could do.not in these conditions.Even if she found out we were being held captive.she couldn't save us.we're on our own" I said shifting so my back was against the wall. I put my head in my hands and the quiet filled the room once again. I could feel our camraderie slipping away with every passing second. Even in the face of all this danger...I still wanted to know Harper. He still intrigued me to the point where I found myself staring at him and wondering what he was thinking and what defense mechanisms he was usuing. I was in awe of his stature.I didn't know a grown man could be so small, so boyish. Yet he was a grown man nonetheless and should be treated as such.something a lot of the crew members didn't understand namely me. I flashed back to when I tried to adjust his tie. He just had seemed so young and vulnerable. I constantly have this urge to help him and to be there for him. To be the person he can talk to a person that he knows will always listen. I also needed someone I could talk to. Someone not commonwealth...someone who new how to have a good time.

"Tyr if you don't tell a story I'll get tTance to tell one." Harper said getting several gasps and pleads for him to reconsider.

Just then the door opened letting light flood in once again. Tyr jetted up from where he was holding beka in his arms.and flexed menacingly at the newcomer. He was bare-chested.after beka had "spewed" on his he must have taken off his shirt. Harper and Trance had noticed the light but decided not to react, just sitting there soaking in each others company. I wondered if there was a lot more to there relationship then they put on.I wondered if they were a lot more then just best friends. The sexuality that oozed off of them when they were together was enough to set a nietzchens heart a flutter. I heard footsteps and turned back to the situation at hand. Through the door came a tall green thuggish Rollan walking in carrying what looked like would be our last meals. Green unappetizing pellets of condensed vegetables and some foreign thick looking drink resembling milk but 5 times as dense. I could see both Trance and Harper shudder at the sight of the food once they finally decided to look up. Tyr stood by his bars watching the Rollan pass obviously sizing him up and looking for a weak point. Beka looked around sheepishly feeling the mind fuzz you get after being extremely drunk. The fuzz that prevents you from focusing or putting intelligent sentences together.

"Aren't we suppose to be able to choose our last meal?" Harper said frowning even more deeply when the Rollan stopped in front of his cell showed his teeth. Harper was irritable and groggy and I didn't blame him. We had been here for an hour and none of us had come up with a plan of escape. We just sat in silence thinking that maybe, just maybe we wouldn't' get out of this one. And that maybe my idealism had finally gotten us all killed.

"Well, if your taking orders I'd like to have." Trance started up but was cut off.

"Murders will eat what we tell them to!" The mammoth of a Rollan said jerking forward to intimidate Trance who promptly ducked behind Harper and even though Harper was shorter and smaller then trance he still tried to shield her out of sheer habit and sheer love. It was a cute display and showed just how big Harper's heart was. The one he was so afraid to show anyone else but Trance.

"You know..what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty. Are we even going to get a trial or you just gonna give us this slop and then wack us?" Harper said. He had stepped up to the bars challenging the Rollans authority, a glint was in his blue eyes and I could hear an accent sneak into his voice. Like all his energy was being used to fuel his anger and there wasn't enough left to cover his thick boston slurs. I had never heard it before.it was so choppy and broken. The Huge Rollan growled loudly and threw Harpers Tray against the bars spraying the thick white milk sludge all over harper. I was quietly amused at the fact that his first reaction was to check his hair. Trance gasped and rage burned behind Harper's eyes as he tried to scrap the sludge off his face. It was as if something snapped. It was weird to see him like this. Of course Harper gets angry.makes snide remarks or gestures..but he never looked like this. Harper ran for the bars and wildly grabbed at the rollan who had stepped back by this time.

"You shouldn't have come here. None of you should.especially some little inferior kludge with his little purple whore." The rollan said sneering. I didn't know what to think and I could hear Beka, and Tyr's breath catch quietly in our throats like they had seen an instance like this happen where harper completely flipped out. We all knew very well that Harper never liked anyone talking about Trance but I had the feeling from the looks on Tyr and Beka's face that they had witnessed the reprocussions from talking about Trance first hand.

"I swear when I get out of here I'm gonna rip you to shreds. You can call me a kludge if you'd like.Hell that names a lot better then other things I've been called but you don't talk about my girl!" Harper continued to struggle knowing he couldn't reach him but feeling the need to continue to try just in the slim chance that he might actually get him and be able to regain the dignity the Rollan had just stolen from him and his "girl". The big green man laughed, further angering Harper. He knelt before each of our cells and lifted a hatch sliding our trays in ignoring Harper's threats. He turned back to Harper who was still steaming with anger. His teeth were clamped tight and his face was flush red.

"When I kill you I'm gonna make sure you suffer extra long." Harper said giving him the finger. The Rollan just laughed at him again.

"You are nothing but pathetic little human. I will savor the moment when you die knowing that the trash has been taken out." He said in a husky voice then walked out the door as gracefully as he had come in. Both silence and Darkness hung heavily over the room. My eyes adjusted back to just seeing outlines again but I was grateful for that. Trance walked over to Harper and started rubbing his back and I could see the anger slowly melting away.

"I lost my temper" He said stating the obvious.

"Yeah you did.It was kinda scary." Trance said innocently turning Harper around.

"Well, I don't like people talking about you and.We might die in an hour or two so." Harper said looking down at the ground. Trance smiled knowingly. She lifted his chin whispered something in his ear and then kissed him softly immediately following it by a big warm embrace.

"You know that's like incest" Beka said smiling at the two of them. They broke their hug and laughed.

"Harper?"

"Yes your majesty" Harper said seeming to let all his frustrations out on me for some odd reason. It was probably cause I hadn't come up with a plan to save them yet but all that was about to change.

"I've got a plan and I think only you can do it." I said which sparked his interest. I had noticed a long time ago that he liked the feeling of being needed. He became self destructive when he felt worthless. And once again his mood shifted gear in a matter of a second.

"What is it boss.I'll do anything to get out of this rank, vomit smelling hellhole" Harper said looking at Beka who shrugged.

"I couldn't help it" She said looking at Tyr who seemed to get choked up and disgusted every time we brought it up. I laughed at the fact that something like that could traumatize the big neitzchean.

"So what's the plan" Harper said impatiently starting to bounce and get his old Harper groove back.

"I'm thinking since it's been so long since the Rollan people have had visitors from other planets that these cells were built only to keep Rollans in.and since you are very obviously not a Rollan and not.er.built to there specs.." I said

"You think I might be able to slip through the hatch down there huh?" Harper said sizing it up. It would be a tight squeeze but it looked like he'd be able to get through.

"Sorry to interrupt but I don't think Harper will be able to fit through there.I mean just look at the size of his head." Beka said teasingly.

"I didn't know you were looking"

"I meant the one on your shoulders."

"That's what I'm talking about too.what are you talking about?" Harper said with a sly smile playing on his voice. everyone groaned.

"Just squeeze through there so we can get out of here!" Tyr bellowed.

"Alright, alright I'm .squeezing."

"I think removing your clothes would make it easier to get through." Tyr said nonchalantly after about 5 minuets of Harper struggling went by.

"WHAT!?"

"I agree. We promise we won't look." I said finding this situation more then funny. I had to stifle my laughter just imagining the look Harper must have had on his face.

"I will" Trance said raising her hand.

"I don't' think I can do this.what if there are surveillance cameras?" He whispered looking around.

"Since when are you so modest! Get naked and slip through that hatch or I swear." Tyr said obviously ready to launch off into one of his usual speeches of hope and survival followed up by a threat of course.

"You know.you're a little to eager for me to strip. One would think."

"HARPER!!" we all shouted in unison.

"Ok, ok.Turn around!" He shouted loudly and we all scooted and turned our backs to him. I groaned in annoyance as I heard Trance giggle and Harper whisper.

"Trance.this isn't a show.this is serious."

"I know, I know.but wow I didn't know you had a mole right there on."

"TRANCE!"

"Will you hurry already! We don't have time for this childishness." Tyr practically screamed. I could hear Trance pouting which was funny.and I heard a lot of shuffling and scooting.

"I can't fit." Harper said straining. Beka burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry but this conversation is just wrong..I mean.come on there's enough innuendo's here to last Harper a lifetime." She said between chuckles.

"Beka you better not be looking!!" Harper said with horror.

"I'm not I'm not.." She said continuing to laugh.

"Maybe if we oil you up you can slip through" Trance said. I could hear a slight evilness in her voice and Beka burst out laughing again followed by Tyr who's laughter was strange to hear but only seemed to fuel Beka's laughter.

"There is no way I'm gonna "oil" up with that milk shit." Harper said getting a gasp from Trance.

"Harper."

"Watch my language.I know.but we don't even know what that stuff is.it might give me a rash."

"What's more important...you life or your skin care?" I said trying to erase all traces of laughter from my voice but I failed.

"Alright, alright but you guys owe me big time.this is above and beyond the call of duty..You owe me like.medals and dinner and.

"JUST DO IT!" we all shouted.even trance seemed to be getting exasperated

"Hehe.Trance..that tickles" Harper whispered and I rolled my eyes.

"You are officially oiled sir!" Trance yelled.

"YES SIR YES SIR!" Harper yelled back.

"Hey.I'm through.the milk.stuff really worked" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Trance hand me my clothes." Harper said but he could hear Beka snickering.

"BEKA!!!" Harper bellowed.

"Sorry I couldn't help it.but I must say.I'm impressed." Beka said and Harper whimpered angrily.

"I feel dirty.you guys can turn around now I'm decent." He said we all turned around to see Harper standing outside his cell looking a little put out about what he had to do. He stared at Beka with both embarrassment and hate.

"Harper go over to that door and see if you can figure out how to open these cells."

"Right on it boss" He walked over to the door.then followed a cord on the wall walking out of our vision. I looked over at Trance who looked concerned biting her bottom lip.

"Whallah!" Harper said as the cell doors opened a few minuets later.

"Who's the best.oh you're the best.oh stop it ..no really you're the best!" Harper said holding his own dialogue. It was time to get serious. I wondered why we hadn't been serious about this already but realized that that's just how we worked. Tyr was the first out of his cell and to the door.

"What about you shirt Tyr?" Beka said. Tyr froze and his shoulders tightened.and we all had to stifle a laugh.

It was strange how well we worked together even in the face of such impending danger. I watched my crew struggle with the controls for the door. Bickering lightly while Harper tried not to look at beka in the eye. This was gonna be a long day.

"So Dylan.even if we get outside these doors..what do we do then?" Harper said and the room grew quiet. That was a good question.what would we do?