Thank you for the wonderful comments you guys rock!!
And always Eljay for the kiss ass beta job (((hugs)))
They had been combing the galaxy for months without a sign or a clue. Dylan leaned on a console in the command centre as he gazed out in to vast dark night. He had nearly lost hope.
"Is everything okay?"
Dylan started slightly. It was Trance; he hadn't heard her come in. "Oh, yes fine Trance. Why do you ask?" He replied with a heavy sigh.
Trance shrugged. "You looked sad."
Dylan gave a wry smile and didn't reply. Two months ago Trance and Rev Bem had saved his life. He nearly died on the world ship. Luckily he hadn't been infested. Still he nearly died and the delay for his recovery had erased all signs of where the Maru had gone. Beka, Harper and Try were all missing.
Trance stood at his side even now. She was always a ray of hope. He felt at this point he was using her strength to carry on. Her belief that everything would be okay gave him the ability to keep searching. He straightened up and grimaced slightly, his creaking body still a reminder that he hadn't finished healing.
Trance laid a soft purple had on his shoulder. "We'll find them," she stated confidently.
"Trance, how can you be so sure. It's been months, we have no leads, we have nothing."
"It's too early yet."
"What?"
"Sooner or later we will find a clue. We just have to be patient."
Dylan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He was tired of games, tired of looking... But, what else could he do. These people, these misfits, stood by his side through thick and thin; how cold he just give up hope? He had to find Beka and Harper...and even Tyr. He had to trust Trance's convictions. Trust seemed to be a scarce commodity lately.
Tyr led Beka up a narrow woodland path.
"You left him here!? In the middle of nowhere!?" Beka continued to rant.
"I left him with his own kind," confirmed Tyr.
Beka felt her blood boil up to her cheeks. "Do you even know these people? I mean are they decent people?"
Tyr gave a soft smile. "Are we?"
Beka quit talking then. She was a an cargo hauler and part-time smuggler. Tyr was a mercenary. Trance a thief... Rev Bem... well was Rev Bem and Dylan; a on a desperate possibly hopeless quest. Beka stopped.
Tyr paused after a beat. "What's wrong?"
"How do we know if we're good people? What if Dylan's right? Divine forgive, what if you are right. Maybe he's better off without us."
Tyr reached forward putting a steady hand on her shoulder. He gripped it slightly drawing her attention. "You care for the boy, yes?"
Beka nodded meekly.
"That's enough." Tyr turned abruptly and continued down the dark path.
The trekked for an hour more before Tyr paused. They stood in a slight opening bathed in moonlight.
It actually would have been a pretty spot Beka surmised if she hadn't been so anxious about Harper. She wanted to see the kid. See his bright blue eyes and hear his soft giggles. She needed to know he was okay. She needed to take him home.
Tyr stood silently listening.
Beka forced herself to stay calm as she too listened to the sounds in the night. She tried to imagine she was on a nice warm ship in a nice hot shower, coffee in the coffee maker waiting... her pleasant thoughts were interrupted by a shrill whistle. Beka scowled. Now what!?
Tyr put his fingers to his lips and copied the whistle in reply.
Beka reached for her forcelance and a small group of strangers entered the clearing. They were humans, two older men and one younger one. The younger one seemed a bit skittish and watched the older ones warily. In the moonlight Beka could see he sported bruises along his neck and the side of his face. He was older then Seamus but in a small way he reminded her of him. Her heart began to bet even harder as the boy's absence suddenly seemed even more acute. She hoped wildly that everything was going to be okay.
Tyr greeted the two older men. "I want to see him."
"You're too late." Growled the older man turning back to glare at the younger man that stood behind him a few feet.
"What do you mean too late!" Tyr demanded.
Beka stepped forward in a fury. "What did you do to him?! Where is he!?" Tyr placed his arm on hers possible saving the other human's life. Beka growled in frustration and stepped away to pace, her anger and nervous energy not allowing her to stand still. This was a hell of a situation. She couldn't believe she allowed this all to happen. She should never have left him alone. Beka swiped at an angry tear. He had been so afraid of the Magog, so afraid of being alone. It was so easy to forget he was a kid sometimes. He was so smart and had been through so much. Beka tried to calm down so she could hear what was happening.
"That kid you left here was nothing but trouble the whole time." The man nearly spit as he spoke.
"What do you mean trouble? That measly little twig of a child I paid you to take care of!? How could he be any trouble at all?"
The man approached Tyr they were face to face. Beka put her hand back on her gauss gun.
"That was no boy. He was trouble. Always building little machines. Never wanting to work in the fields. Always staring off in to space. Always starting fights. Never respecting his betters! If he hadn't took runaway I would have made sure he went away permanently!"
When Tyr growled like an ancient lion, night-birds flew from the trees in a fright.
The man hit the ground suddenly. Beka hadn't even sent the blur of Tyr's backhand. "Tell me which one of you are his better!?"
The man on the ground scrambled backwards, wiping blood from his mouth as he went. "You'll pay for this Uber!"
"I already have you ungrateful piece of trash!"
The other man helped his comrade to his feet. "Let's go."
The headed back to the woods, Beka and Tyr did nothing to stop them, there was no point. The younger man paused though. He opened his mouth a few time looking at the two spacers for a moment nervously. It was like he had something to say but was afraid to.
"NOW WOODY!" screamed one of the men. The young man hung his head and followed his comrades in to the trees.
As soon as they were out of site Beka turned on Tyr. "How could you leave Seamus with these... these..."
"Kludges?" He finished for her.
"I never said that!"
"But you thought it. Beka whether you want to admit it or not, these are his people."
Beka kicked at a clump of dirt in frustration. "Tyr, think about it. Harper has nothing more in common with this people then you do with the Drago-Kazov
Tyr shrugged. "He has no feud with these people. He's a child; he can adapt."
"But, he shouldn't have to! This kid needs stability not the ability to adapt. He's had to do that enough already! It's not fair."
"I never said it was fair. Life very seldom is."
The glared at each other for a few moments before Beka turned on her heels and headed back towards the Maru in disgust. She didn't care if she got lost or eaten by wild creatures. She had had enough of following Tyr's lead.
Beka had nearly a few false turns but eventually she could see the Maru up ahead. The sky was getting lighter and things were getting easier to see. Purple streaks of light reflected off the Maru's hull, reminding Beka that Harper wasn't the only one she had left behind.
She paused looking up towards the sky. Shades of pink and purple ushered in the early morning sun.
Tyr paused behind her. "What are you thinking?"
"What do you care?"
"I care about a great deal of things. I just have priorities."
"One of them is yourself!"
"Of course; being dead doesn't serve my agenda."
Beka sighed. "How are we going to find him Tyr?"
Just then the trees behind them moved. Tyr and Beka turned as one weapons drawn.
"Wild creature?" Beka whispered to Tyr urgently
Tyr sniffed the air lightly. "Of a sort," Tyr replied simply. "Come out slowly," he yelled towards the trees.
Slowly as requested the young man named Woody stepped out in to the open. "I'm sorry, don't shoot!" he sputtered.
"Why shouldn't we?" Beka demanded.
"I-I know where Harper went. He left three days ago...I know where he went" Woody rambled and stuttered.
"Well, then Woody," Beka smiled lowering her weapon, "You're my new best friend"
TBC