Wow again thanks for all the reviews!!
And 'Rommies voice' ((hug)) thanks that's quite the compliment!
Here's the next part .it's a bit dreary but I promise to lighten up a bit in the near future.
Enjoy. -parisindy
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The two of them walked towards the cargo hold in silence. Beka couldn't read Harper's body language. Being a cargo hauler most of her life she had always prided herself on being able to read people. There were a lot of scam artists in the cargo business. She needed to be able ascertain people's motives just to keep from going bankrupt. Seamus Harper was an enigma. She crossed her arms as they walked.
The silence and tension was getting to her. "You seemed so sad when we first left Earth. Now you seem almost indifferent. I want to know you Seamus Harper, tell me what you're thinking?" The question dripped with an earnestness she hadn't meant him to hear but the question was asked and she couldn't bring it back.
"That's what I don't understand," He sighed. "Why do you guys care anything about me? I'm nobody, just some kid who got in the way. Raven and Fergus. they just got in the way too. There's nothing I can do to change anything. They are gone and that's that."
Beka paused at the cargo-decks door. "I didn't used to care."
Harper looked up meeting her gaze steadily now.
She continued, "I always just looked after me. Then I met this crew and well. things changed. We started to fight for the 'greater good'. Once you start doing that you can't really go back to being single mined any more. I.I feel responsible for what happened to Raven and Fergus."
Harper looked at her surprised. "Really? Why?"
"Well if we hadn't crashed."
Seamus waved his hand in dismissal. "If you hadn't crashed, winter would have come anyways. We would have starved or the Magog would have ate us for lunch." He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms as if he was hugging himself. "I'm not a kid anymore like you think. But, I'm not an adult either. I didn't know what I was going to do. The Nietzscheans took my parents, and my Aunt. Sometimes when the older folks get taken they come back. But, they have been gone too long. My Da said I should take care of the smaller kids." Seamus swiped at a tear that rolled down his cheek. "I wasn't doing a very good job. Raven kept getting sick and Fergus seemed so sad all the time." Seamus gave a small smile but his eyes still seemed teary and distant. "He was so excited about being on your ship." Seamus' hand went up to his mouth as if to stop the words he spoke from being the truth. He closed his eyes tight. Two large tears rolled down his face. "Gawd, I miss them. I'm so tired of being sad."
Beka pulled him in to a hug. At first he resisted but he soon gave in.
"I don't want you to be sad anymore either but I don't know what I can do to help."
"I want to go home. I need to find my folks. I need to tell them I failed at everything. I need to tell them Raven and Fergus are gone. I need to tell them that saving me was a waste. I need to go home."
Beka pulled back so she could look him in the eyes. "What do you mean saving you was a waste?"
"I got captured by the Nietzscheans earlier this year. I...I stole some stuff." He looked away hurriedly and tried to break the grip she had on his upper arms. When she wouldn't let go he began to talk very fast. "I was just hungry, I wanted to surprise everybody. It was stupid. I don't feel good." He groaned and wrapped his arms around his stomach. Beka let go and he sank to the floor. "They did some bad things. I was tortured for three days." He voice began to break and stutter. Fergus ran and got my Da. It took a while for them to find me but my Da, and some of his old resistance buddies finally found me. Two guys died trying to save me. My Da got shot but he lived. My Da said now I had to be something special. My life had to mean something. But, I'm just a big failure."
Beka crouched down in front of him. He was starting to sweat and she placed her hand on his forehead. "Shhh, she whispered. It's going to be alright." He had developed a fever and was still weak. All the tension and emotions were becoming too much for him. She needed to calm him down. She shouldn't have started this conversation. Great, another thing she could feel guilty about!
He made a short coughing sound. He turned his head quickly and was sick on the floor.
She put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
He turned back towards her wiping his face on his sleeve. "M' sorry." He muttered miserably. "Gawd, how embarrassing! First I blubber like a baby and now I'm barfing. I'm never going to woe Rommie with the old Harper charm this way am I?"
Beka let out a short barking laugh. "Aw, kid she's six hundred years to old for you anyway."
"Six Hundred!"
"Yeah, well we've got a few stories of our own." Beka smiled. "How about we get you cleaned up. We can see them another day."
Harper struggled to his feet. "Please, can I just see them? It'll be quick."
Beka sighed. "How can I say no to those gorgeous blue eyes. But, afterwards straight back to sick bay okay?"
"So you're saying that even when I smell of vomit I still got 'it'!" He gave her a wink.
Beka laughed again. "Well you got something all right I just hope it's not contagious."
Beka turned and pushed the button on the cargo hold door.
She stepped through the door feeling much braver then she had before. Somehow she had found her strength.it had been hidden within a hopeless teenaged boy.
"Beka?"
She turned back towards Harper
He was looking at her sheepishly. "You won't tell Tyr I barfed on the floor will you?"
She shook her head and smiled. "Some secrets remain between friends." She stepped forward and linked her arm with his. They stepped into the cargo hold to face its dark circumstances.as one.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Harper spotted the two stasis-pods in the corner on the left. The stasis pods looked very much like coffins. A blue light from a keypad indicated the pods were activated. Activated to stall decomposition. He told himself in an attempt to remain clinical. He didn't want to embarrass himself any further then had already had.
"Over here," he told Beka. He walked slowly but not hesitantly towards the first pod. He had to stand on his tiptoes to look in to it and then down to see Raven's small form.
"Hey," he whispered to his small cousin.
He turned when he felt a hand on his back. it was Beka's. He smiled in thanks. He didn't think it would make any difference but he was glad he wasn't alone for this.
He turned back to Raven. Her eyes were closed. She looked tiny almost like a baby, she didn't look like the veracious young women she had been growing to be. She didn't look sad or hurt or afraid. He had been worried she might be. "I've come to say good-bye." He watched her for a moment more. She was right there in front of him. Why couldn't she just open her eyes and say hello? "I.I'm sorry I never got to see you grow tall. Taller then me like you always said. I'm sure your tummy doesn't hurt anymore, and now you'll get to play with Siobahn. I know you didn't like playing with boys all the time. I'm also glad we got to see the stars up close before you left. You're right.they're like diamonds in the sky."
He stepped back and closed his eyes for a moment. He let the sorrow wash over and through him.
He took a deep breath and looked for Beka. She held her hand to her mouth and seemed to be fighting tears. He laughed despite himself at the absurdity of the whole situation. "Am I an idiot? I talk to dead people."
Beka didn't laugh back. "You are anything but an idiot."
He took another deep breath and stepped up to the next pod. Once again he stood on his tiptoes but he didn't have to look quite as far down. He placed his hand of the pod door as he leaned forward. It felt warm under his touch. He could see Fergus' red hair. It had always made his head look like it was on fire. Fergus had always lived life like he was going to a fire. He had always been so full of excitement and energy. He was always the one who believed things would work out. One day the Neits and Magog would leave. One day the grownups would come home. One day he would be flying a massive ship through the stars.
"Fergus?"
He waited for an answer he knew would never come.
"I wish you would wake up but I know you can't. Raven said you were with a pretty lady and you had come to get her. I hope that's true. I hope she can take care of you guys better then I did. Watch out for your sister though. She looks up to you more then you know. Hey, do you remember that day we spent trying to build a raft out of those sticks we found on the beach? The sun was shining and the water didn't seem so cold. Your mom kept saying we'd get sick because the water was dirty but we never did. I remember the look on your face as you tried to make the long grass in to rope. You stuck your tongue out between your teeth. I thought you looked so funny, and then you pushed me into the water. We couldn't stop laughing." Harper stopped to wipe the sleeve of his shirt across his face. "You know I think that was the best day of my whole life. You were my best friend and I think I'll miss you most of all."
He stepped back. It was done.
"Beka?" He whispered.
She was at his side in an instance. "I'm here kiddo."
"I don't want to bury them in the ground. I want them to be in the stars forever. I don't want them have to go back."
She wrapped her arms around him from behind and he leaned back in to her, appreciating her warmth. "I'm sure we can arrange something."
"And, flowers. I would like there to be flowers. Raven would like that. There were never many on earth."
"Sure, Trance can get us some.what ever you want."
He felt so tired all of a sudden. Completely drained. "Can I go lie down now?"
"Yeah, it's probably a good idea. Let's go." Beka wrapped her arms around his shoulders and led him towards the door.
"Things will look better in the morning won't they?" He asked as he leaned his head on her shoulder.
"They always do. they always do."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC
Here's the next part .it's a bit dreary but I promise to lighten up a bit in the near future.
Enjoy. -parisindy
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The two of them walked towards the cargo hold in silence. Beka couldn't read Harper's body language. Being a cargo hauler most of her life she had always prided herself on being able to read people. There were a lot of scam artists in the cargo business. She needed to be able ascertain people's motives just to keep from going bankrupt. Seamus Harper was an enigma. She crossed her arms as they walked.
The silence and tension was getting to her. "You seemed so sad when we first left Earth. Now you seem almost indifferent. I want to know you Seamus Harper, tell me what you're thinking?" The question dripped with an earnestness she hadn't meant him to hear but the question was asked and she couldn't bring it back.
"That's what I don't understand," He sighed. "Why do you guys care anything about me? I'm nobody, just some kid who got in the way. Raven and Fergus. they just got in the way too. There's nothing I can do to change anything. They are gone and that's that."
Beka paused at the cargo-decks door. "I didn't used to care."
Harper looked up meeting her gaze steadily now.
She continued, "I always just looked after me. Then I met this crew and well. things changed. We started to fight for the 'greater good'. Once you start doing that you can't really go back to being single mined any more. I.I feel responsible for what happened to Raven and Fergus."
Harper looked at her surprised. "Really? Why?"
"Well if we hadn't crashed."
Seamus waved his hand in dismissal. "If you hadn't crashed, winter would have come anyways. We would have starved or the Magog would have ate us for lunch." He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms as if he was hugging himself. "I'm not a kid anymore like you think. But, I'm not an adult either. I didn't know what I was going to do. The Nietzscheans took my parents, and my Aunt. Sometimes when the older folks get taken they come back. But, they have been gone too long. My Da said I should take care of the smaller kids." Seamus swiped at a tear that rolled down his cheek. "I wasn't doing a very good job. Raven kept getting sick and Fergus seemed so sad all the time." Seamus gave a small smile but his eyes still seemed teary and distant. "He was so excited about being on your ship." Seamus' hand went up to his mouth as if to stop the words he spoke from being the truth. He closed his eyes tight. Two large tears rolled down his face. "Gawd, I miss them. I'm so tired of being sad."
Beka pulled him in to a hug. At first he resisted but he soon gave in.
"I don't want you to be sad anymore either but I don't know what I can do to help."
"I want to go home. I need to find my folks. I need to tell them I failed at everything. I need to tell them Raven and Fergus are gone. I need to tell them that saving me was a waste. I need to go home."
Beka pulled back so she could look him in the eyes. "What do you mean saving you was a waste?"
"I got captured by the Nietzscheans earlier this year. I...I stole some stuff." He looked away hurriedly and tried to break the grip she had on his upper arms. When she wouldn't let go he began to talk very fast. "I was just hungry, I wanted to surprise everybody. It was stupid. I don't feel good." He groaned and wrapped his arms around his stomach. Beka let go and he sank to the floor. "They did some bad things. I was tortured for three days." He voice began to break and stutter. Fergus ran and got my Da. It took a while for them to find me but my Da, and some of his old resistance buddies finally found me. Two guys died trying to save me. My Da got shot but he lived. My Da said now I had to be something special. My life had to mean something. But, I'm just a big failure."
Beka crouched down in front of him. He was starting to sweat and she placed her hand on his forehead. "Shhh, she whispered. It's going to be alright." He had developed a fever and was still weak. All the tension and emotions were becoming too much for him. She needed to calm him down. She shouldn't have started this conversation. Great, another thing she could feel guilty about!
He made a short coughing sound. He turned his head quickly and was sick on the floor.
She put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
He turned back towards her wiping his face on his sleeve. "M' sorry." He muttered miserably. "Gawd, how embarrassing! First I blubber like a baby and now I'm barfing. I'm never going to woe Rommie with the old Harper charm this way am I?"
Beka let out a short barking laugh. "Aw, kid she's six hundred years to old for you anyway."
"Six Hundred!"
"Yeah, well we've got a few stories of our own." Beka smiled. "How about we get you cleaned up. We can see them another day."
Harper struggled to his feet. "Please, can I just see them? It'll be quick."
Beka sighed. "How can I say no to those gorgeous blue eyes. But, afterwards straight back to sick bay okay?"
"So you're saying that even when I smell of vomit I still got 'it'!" He gave her a wink.
Beka laughed again. "Well you got something all right I just hope it's not contagious."
Beka turned and pushed the button on the cargo hold door.
She stepped through the door feeling much braver then she had before. Somehow she had found her strength.it had been hidden within a hopeless teenaged boy.
"Beka?"
She turned back towards Harper
He was looking at her sheepishly. "You won't tell Tyr I barfed on the floor will you?"
She shook her head and smiled. "Some secrets remain between friends." She stepped forward and linked her arm with his. They stepped into the cargo hold to face its dark circumstances.as one.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Harper spotted the two stasis-pods in the corner on the left. The stasis pods looked very much like coffins. A blue light from a keypad indicated the pods were activated. Activated to stall decomposition. He told himself in an attempt to remain clinical. He didn't want to embarrass himself any further then had already had.
"Over here," he told Beka. He walked slowly but not hesitantly towards the first pod. He had to stand on his tiptoes to look in to it and then down to see Raven's small form.
"Hey," he whispered to his small cousin.
He turned when he felt a hand on his back. it was Beka's. He smiled in thanks. He didn't think it would make any difference but he was glad he wasn't alone for this.
He turned back to Raven. Her eyes were closed. She looked tiny almost like a baby, she didn't look like the veracious young women she had been growing to be. She didn't look sad or hurt or afraid. He had been worried she might be. "I've come to say good-bye." He watched her for a moment more. She was right there in front of him. Why couldn't she just open her eyes and say hello? "I.I'm sorry I never got to see you grow tall. Taller then me like you always said. I'm sure your tummy doesn't hurt anymore, and now you'll get to play with Siobahn. I know you didn't like playing with boys all the time. I'm also glad we got to see the stars up close before you left. You're right.they're like diamonds in the sky."
He stepped back and closed his eyes for a moment. He let the sorrow wash over and through him.
He took a deep breath and looked for Beka. She held her hand to her mouth and seemed to be fighting tears. He laughed despite himself at the absurdity of the whole situation. "Am I an idiot? I talk to dead people."
Beka didn't laugh back. "You are anything but an idiot."
He took another deep breath and stepped up to the next pod. Once again he stood on his tiptoes but he didn't have to look quite as far down. He placed his hand of the pod door as he leaned forward. It felt warm under his touch. He could see Fergus' red hair. It had always made his head look like it was on fire. Fergus had always lived life like he was going to a fire. He had always been so full of excitement and energy. He was always the one who believed things would work out. One day the Neits and Magog would leave. One day the grownups would come home. One day he would be flying a massive ship through the stars.
"Fergus?"
He waited for an answer he knew would never come.
"I wish you would wake up but I know you can't. Raven said you were with a pretty lady and you had come to get her. I hope that's true. I hope she can take care of you guys better then I did. Watch out for your sister though. She looks up to you more then you know. Hey, do you remember that day we spent trying to build a raft out of those sticks we found on the beach? The sun was shining and the water didn't seem so cold. Your mom kept saying we'd get sick because the water was dirty but we never did. I remember the look on your face as you tried to make the long grass in to rope. You stuck your tongue out between your teeth. I thought you looked so funny, and then you pushed me into the water. We couldn't stop laughing." Harper stopped to wipe the sleeve of his shirt across his face. "You know I think that was the best day of my whole life. You were my best friend and I think I'll miss you most of all."
He stepped back. It was done.
"Beka?" He whispered.
She was at his side in an instance. "I'm here kiddo."
"I don't want to bury them in the ground. I want them to be in the stars forever. I don't want them have to go back."
She wrapped her arms around him from behind and he leaned back in to her, appreciating her warmth. "I'm sure we can arrange something."
"And, flowers. I would like there to be flowers. Raven would like that. There were never many on earth."
"Sure, Trance can get us some.what ever you want."
He felt so tired all of a sudden. Completely drained. "Can I go lie down now?"
"Yeah, it's probably a good idea. Let's go." Beka wrapped her arms around his shoulders and led him towards the door.
"Things will look better in the morning won't they?" He asked as he leaned his head on her shoulder.
"They always do. they always do."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC