Okay if I think it's been a long time since I've updated...then it's been a frelling long time
I hope you guys are still interested because I'm working in some of the loose ends...
I can see the end... I'm not there yet but i can see it!!
Thanks once again for all the reviews guys... you make this all worthwhile.
This hasn't been Beta'd yet but it will be...my thanks to Eljay in advance
Trance crept through the dark dank tunnels. Her sparkly purple skin seemed muted and muddy in the low light. Maybe it was a reflection of the soul of the worldship. "This place could suck the light out of anyone." She whispered to herself. She shivered slightly and rubbed her arms to keep warm as she peaked around the corner.
She knew where she was going she just didn't know how to get there. She let her feet lead her. They never seemed to get lost.
She paused for a moment and waited.
A small battalion scurried by where she had hid herself in a side tunnel. They didn't notice her and kept on going. They were in a hurry all of them carried weapons and seemed ready for battle. She often wondered why sentient creatures were in a hurry to go off to war. She would always choose the slower pace of peace if possible. Today would not be a slow day. She knew this deep down in the pit of her stomach. So she commanded her feet to a quick jog and dashed towards the next tunnel.
Again she paused but this time it was to listen. She heard two voices and recognized both.
She stepped with out hesitation in to a large room. Bloodmist, the Magog that had sent the message to the ship, stood in front of the genuflecting Rev Bem. Neither seemed to notice her, as they were engrossed in a serious conversation.
"My Master is your master. You are a Magog there shall be no others." Bloodmist cackled. "We will show them we are not mere animals but a nation to be respected. They are the weaker they are mere food."
"No one is small in the eyes of the Divine, he is the way and the light." rasped Rev Bem. His voice was weak and lacked conviction.
"The Divine?" Bloodmist laughed. "There is nothing more divine then the natural order of things. My nature demands that I feed, that I hunt! You have forgotten who you are Red Plague. It is you that has forgotten the way."
Trance tapped her toes impatiently. This could go on for sometime. She didn't have a lot of time. She needed to hurry. Off to the side she noticed a smaller room. It seemed to be a place to store weapons. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. It smelled funny in there like death. She saw one Gauss gun cast off in the corner. It seemed shiner then the rest. "Oh, pretty."
She grabbed it and turned back to Rev Bem.
"I may have forgotten but I have not lost it. It eats at me everyday. I want to learn, I want to find my path."
The Bloodmist started again. "Then you have come to the right place my Master..."
Trance had had enough and fired the gun cutting Blood mist off in mid sentence.
Bloodmist's body crumpled to the floor lifelessly.
"Better." Smiled Trance.
Rev Bem started at her incomplete and utter shock. "Trance? What have you done? Why are you here?"
Trance rushed forward and took the Reverend's furry-clawed hand. "I was in a hurry. Let's go we have to find Dylan."
She pulled the still stunned Rev Bem back in to the tunnels.
Tyr sat in his slipfighter. He had just spent the last half hour covering the Slipfighter with moss, tree branches and whatever other debris he could find. Satisfied that it was camouflaged well enough he was now rereading the co-ordinates the chip had supplied.
He had to make sure of his actions now. All could be ripped away quickly by Dionysus' pride seeking revenge, or by Sinti's Planet Police or even by some damned Persied Scientific research team. Even with the co-ordinates the bones would not be easy to acquire. There would be climbing, digging and possible even drilling. He would need to do it all with the utmost secrecy.
He needed to focus on the task at hand. But, despite it all his mind kept drifting back to other events. He wondered if the incorrigible Beka Valentine survived and what happed to the dreamer Captain Hunt. He thought of how disappointed the boy looked when he said he was leaving him behind. It couldn't be helped the boy had no place in his agenda or his legacy. He shook his head and focused his attention on a map of the area.
Beka landed the Maru without a jolt on to one of Sinit's landing platforms. The homing device she held in her hand confirmed where the slipfighter was. Once again she wished the devices had longer ranges. Thanks goodness the universe was on her side with this one. Beka knew that Tyr was nowhere near the port but the Maru was too big to land in the trees. She needed to rent a smaller vehicle. Once she got to Tyr it was going to get messy.
Beka walked through the market that seemed to be set up to sell goods to those getting off the ships. Gawd she hated planets. The wind assaulted her hair and she could feel the dust on her skin already. She did her best to ignore it though, this was all about the kid.
Beka ignored the vender's calling out there wares to her as she let her eyes scan the crowd looking for someone with transports. Seemingly out of nowhere one vender bumped right in to her.
"Pretty lady wantssss some beads?"
Beka stepped back in revulsion from the odd looking snake like humanoid. "No, thanks I'm fine"
"It'sssss a good deal. Cheap. They'sss sparkle and match your eyes."
"Really I'm good. Now get lost." She snapped impatiently. The vendor scurried away. Smart choice.
"Is there a problem I may be of assistance with?"
Beka's head snapped around, she seemed to be attracting everyone today. A tall thin Persied stood beside her. She recognized him after a moment. "I think I've got it covered. Thanks though... Rekeeb isn't? You worked with Hohne?"
The Persied nodded his head nervously. "Yes, yes it was a tragic loss. What brings you to our fine planet today. Is there a problem with the Andromeda?"
Beka paused unsure how to answer. Their coms had been down, how did he know Hohne was dead? Suddenly, she thought back to what Harper said when he was hurt and laying on one of the bunks on the Maru. 'Well when Hohne and I were looking at Rommie's back-up system. It shouldn't have gone off like that. It was like someone sabotaged it.'
"No, everything is fine... I was looking to rent a transport."
"Well, smiled Rekeeb. "I'm sure I will be able to assist you then."
As she contemplated what her next move would be she followed Rekeeb through the crowd. "You were supposed to be getting parts." She suddenly burst out.
"Pardon me?" replied Rekeeb giving her a small smile.
Beka grabbed his collar and forced him roughly against a wall of a nearby building. The small shack rained dust down on them from the impact but Beka ignored it. "Who the hell are you!?" She snarled pulling her gauss gun out and holding it against his neck.
The Persied gave her a very devious smile. "I go by many names, but most think of me as being quite mad."
Beka gasped. "You're the Mad Persied!?"
"Mad, yes, yes that's quite right. But not simple-minded."
"What did you do to the Andromeda!? You Bastard!" Beka was fuming.
Three Nietzscheans stepped out of the shadows each carrying a weapon. "I can not allow the past be repeated. You're purple friend chose the wrong path. I had to repair her mistakes."
Beka lowered her gun stepping back to eye her new adversaries. "What does Trance have to do with this?"
"More then you know." Rekeeb laughed nasally.
The time for questions was over. Beka fired at her nearest attacker as she dived for the cover of the building. But their response was immediate and she moved to slow. Damned their enhanced genes! She swore as pain ripped through her shoulder and the world went black.
Trance led the bewildered Rev Bem through the corridors. "Do you know where you're going?" He gravely voice intoned from behind her.
"Yes, no, maybe." She replied with a small smile. "I'll know when we I see it.... And there it is she!!" She bounced of ahead forcing Rev Bem to jog to keep up.
Dylan hung suspended by his arms on a rough stonewall. Trance was by his side in an instant. "We're not to late. I was worried we might be."
"He's alive, then? He looks horrible there's so much blood. Too much blood has been spilt this day"
"There is too much spilt everyday. But I can stop it. I can fix it."
Rev Bem was obviously confused. "Do you mean Dylan, or the bloodshed."
"Yes, now help me get him down. We need to get him back to the Andromeda right away."
Tbc
The next part is all Harper and I hope to have it up ASAP
.... I just need to get a few hours sleep first