Prin69: the next 2 chapters are for you. enjoy!

Chapter 8

"It's not a date," Beka told herself as she lead Telemachus down from the 'civilized' areas of Pierpont to the places that the tourists never saw in the holo-brochures. "I will not start a relationship with another Nietzschean. It's just two crew members stopping at a bar." That's what she kept telling herself. The long walk from the Maru to the bar was giving her time to think. That's what she kept telling herself, that is. She couldn't stop thinking about him. Alright, Beka. Let's start with character, she thought. She frowned as the first thoughts came into her head. Honorable, loyal, unselfish... those would not describe a typical Nietzschean, but she knew it was true. And he doesn't lose any points in looks, either, she added to the mental tally. Sure, when he was all straight-laced and military in his High Guard uniform he didn't look as beefy as Tyr, but when you put him in a tight sleeveless shirt with just as tight leather pants... well, that's a whole 'nother story. Telemachus seemed more relaxed out of his uniform, less, well... academy pinhead.

Every time Beka tried to think of a bad point describing Telemachus Rhade, she kept drawing blanks. So far the only bad point was that he was Nietzschean like Tyr. Tyr, who had betrayed her and Dylan's trust more than once and gotten away with it. He would never betray Dylan, she thought. Not of his own free will. Telemachus- she stopped walking suddenly in horror. I used his first name, she thought, quickly starting to walk again so Telemachus wouldn't ask why she had stopped.

Thankfully interrupting her thoughts, Beka found the place she had been looking for. It wasn't very impressive; a small, squat square building from which loud music ensued. "This is the place," she said.

Telemachus nodded, moving to walk up next to her. "Nice place," he remarked dryly.

"Hey, I lived in places like this before I joined the Andromeda," Beka told him.

Telemachus smirked as he looked at a wall. He pointed it out to Beka. "I'm worth more than you," he teased.

Beka turned and saw a wall covered in wanted holos. Prominent in the middle was Dylan, with other posters of the rest of the crew surrounding his. Below hers was a price of 800,000 thrones. Below Telemachus's was a price of 850,000 thrones.

"Yeah, but they spelled your name wrong," Beka pointed out. "Telekatemus Raday."

Telemachus laughed, then his demeanor turned serious. "Beka, we're being followed," he announced softly. "Three humans, four Nietzscheans, a Than, and two Nightsiders."

"Shit!" Beka snarled. "Follow me." She grabbed his arm and dragged him past the bar into the dark alley between it and the building to the right.

"Do you think they know who we are?" Telemachus asked.

"I don't plan on sticking around to find out," Beka responded, turning a corner. "Damn, dead end." She hit her palm against the wall.

"They're running now," Telemachus said, listening hard. There were quite a few advantages to being a Nietzschean.

Beka cursed again. "You're sure they're following us?" she drew her pistol.

"Mm-hm," Telemachus nodded, drawing his Gauss gun. "What do we do? There's ten of them and two of us."

Beka didn't need Rommie to run her the odds; she knew that five-to-one odds were very, very bad. "Time for Plan B," she said, holstering her pistol.

Telemachus looked at her like she was crazy. "Why are you lowering your guard?" he demanded, keeping his pistol trained on the entry.

Beka didn't answer, motioning for Telemachus to put his weapon away.

Telemachus growled, a purely Nietzschean sound. Against his better judgement he holstered his gun. "This Plan B better work," he grumbled.

Beka nodded absently. "Mm-hm. Are they still coming?"

"Yes," Telemachus growled, looking uncomfortably at the entry to the alley.

"I want you to completely ignore the bounty hunters, got it?" Beka said.

"Telemachus frowned. "Wh-"

With that out of the way, Beka threw herself against him, forcing Telemachus up against the alley wall. She felt a brief surge of nervousness as her lips brushed his.

Telemachus's eyes widened. Damn, he liked this Plan B! Okay, this is probably the only time I'll get an opportunity like this with her, he thought. He kissed her back, finally having an outlet to vent all the passion and love he had felt for Beka, forcing his tongue through her lips as he heard the bounty hunters approach. He wrapped his arms around her so she couldn't come to her senses and break away.

Beka's knees melted, and the only thing holding her up were Telemachus's strong arms. This was why she loved Nietzscheans! They held nothing back, and Beka found she like the fires of passion Nietzscheans instilled in her.

The bounty hunters stopped, staring at the human and Nietzschean making out alone in the alley. One of the humans shrugged, then muttered something to his companions. They turned heel and walked away without giving them another look.

Beka broke off quickly, backing away. "That will never happen again," she told him, peering around the corner before walking out of the alley and down the crowded street.

Telemachus stayed against the wall, trying to recapture the dream he had just been living. "That will never happen again," he repeated sadly. That line always signaled the end of his relationships. Even a human didn't want to be in a relationship with him. He sighed as a familiar pilot's term came to mind: crash and burn. Telemachus shook his head and walked out of the alley, turning to the left, entering the bar.

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Beka strode off, back toward the Maru. She was angry, more at herself than Telemachus. "He's a motherfucking Uber, goddammit!" she whispered to herself. She sucked her lower lip, remembering how wonderful it had been. She broke into a dead run, suddenly wanting the security of the Maru to make her feel safe.

Once there, Beka collapsed onto her bunk, throwing her arm over her eyes. Why do you hate Rhade? she asked herself. Why? Is it his attitude and personality, or is it because he is a Nietzschean? She groaned, knowing the answer. Beka remembered something Rev had told Dylan once, not long after they had first met Rhade. "Then, in each species, no matter how horrible: there is room for improvement." Rhade's voice rang through her head. "You cannot judge all Nietzscheans based solely on your experiences with Tyr."

Why was she making such a big fuss about this? she wondered. She'd kissed Dylan dozens of times as a Plan B (sometimes even a Plan A), and she'd never had to question herself like this.

Beka froze. "Oh my God." Do I love Rhade?!? She had only felt this way about two people: Bobby and Tyr, both of which had betrayed her then tried to kill her. But somehow, Rhade seemed... different, more honest and open.

"I'll give him a chance," Beka whispered. "He'll be back by morning; I'll talk to him then." Satisfied, she rolled over to get some sleep.