Trance looked at Dylan and began to speak as if explaining something so a child.
"Well Dylan, I believe that tensions are really high right now. Slipping from last night's party to all business this morning. And that maybe people are just taking their frustrations out on each other. You on Rhade, And Rhade on you, Beka slightly on you. Hmm. I guess you're an easy target."
"Lucky me."
There was a pause in the conversation, and then Trance spoke. "Dylan?"
"Yes Trance?"
"Umm, is it okay if a friend of mine stays with us for a little while?"
"Sure Trance, just so long as they don't cause too much trouble."
"Oh no Dylan, he won't be a bother at all. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go, he'll be here later today and I really would like to get my room ready as he will be staying with me."
As Trance said this she and Dylan were walking to the door and she finished speaking as they got into the hallway and were about to go in opposite directions. From inside the room, Dylan to the left and Trance to the right.
"Trance?"
"Yes?"
"One last thing, who is this person? Just so I know who's staying on my ship."
Trance smiled cryptically and replied before walking off, "My fiancé."
Dylan, for his part, simply stared wide-eyed mouth open at the departing Trance.
XxXxXxXxXx
"Andromeda, where is Rhade?" asked/growled/hissed a very confused and irate first officer.
"In the gym working out. But I would not recommend going in there", said a hologram of Andromeda.
"And why is that?"
"Because pissed neitzschean males tend to become a bit aggressive to anyone, especially one who might annoy them further. And somehow I doubt you're about to give him a pat on the back for some job well done. And I would like to have a first officer not chopped to bits by bone blades"
At this the first officer stopped her angry march to the gym and grinned.
"Did you just say 'pissed'?"
Andromeda looked around like a child caught opening her Christmas presents the day before. "No."
Still grinning, "Yes you did. You cursed."
"No I did not"
"Yeah you did."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too did too did too did too too too!"
Andromeda, now annoyed at this childish 'conversation' she was having with her first officer, and her slip up of using a curse, felt her temper growing short. Which annoyed her even more. She was, after all, the ship's central AI and was not supposed to have emotions or speak out of regulation. Quite possibly it was only Rommie's systems seeping into hers causes her to use lewd language and hold a useless, juvenile argument that had no relevance to anything important whatsoever. So she simply disappeared to locate Harper to resolve the problem, and left Beka alone in the hallway once again.
XxXxXxXxXx
"Harper, I am not putting it on."
"Aww come on Rom, ya know you wanna."
To which Rommie gave a look that clearly said 'wanna die slowly by magog? Parade around the ship naked? Rip your arms off? Yeah. Cause I'd rather do all three of those then this'.
"Rommie it will spice up our love life. Please." And added his puppy dog eyes for extra measure. He really wanted her to wear the costume, and didn't see what the big deal was. He thought she'd look hot as hell in it. Hell? No. She'd look even hotter. Way hotter. If only he could trick her into it somehow…
"Harper, as cute as you are, and as hard as it is to say no to your puppy dog eyes, I still say NO. And we do not need to spice up anything. We only started our 'something' last night, if it needs spicing up already then maybe it's not worth having."
Harper stared at her his mouth agape that he'd messed it up already.
Rommie pouted and added, "As fun as it is."
Just then a hologram of Andromeda appeared.
"Harper I need to check something for me."
XxXxXxXxXx
Rhade was in the gym lifting weights, growling between every lift.
Thinking about how mad Dylan might be at him later, but mostly about Beka. His Beka.
He let out a long, low, growl.
Hopefully still his Beka, if she ever has.
The weight dropped to the floor as all of Rhade's anger slipped away at this depressing revelation. Beka may never have been his. And she may never want him. She may never claim him.
Last night may have just been something fun for her to do. Or she just may have been beyond drunk and grabbed the first male available. She may not feel for him what he feels for her. It may have been just another of her flings or one nightstands with men.
Rhade slipped onto the floor with an expression of undeniable emotional pain.
He might never hold her, taste her, touch her again. And only one word could describe Rhade at that moment.
Anguish.
