Keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of the rest of the crew, Beka walked with studied casualness along the drift's promenade. It was soothing in its normalcy, the clattering of different languages, rubbing shoulders with people who considered bathing optional. For nearly thirty years this had been her life joining Dylan had given that life a mission, something to believe and fight for other than her own survival. In the grand scheme of things though her life hadn't changed. She was still the underdog fighting for her corner of the universe that corner had just expanded to include the Andromeda and its interests.

Beka couldn't imagine her life any other way.

Lost in her own thoughts, Beka didn't see the small, red, cat-like male until he plowed her over.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry miss," He rasped his voice barely audible offering a hand to her, "here let me help you up."

Scowling, Beka took his hand finding herself being pulled up with surprising force from such a small man. Stumbling into his slight body the light brush against her torso was almost missed.

Patience at zero and nerves snapping with unfocused temper, Beka grabbed his wrist roughly, she did not want to deal with this now.

"Looking for something?" She demanded.

This was exactly what she needed a man stupid enough to cross her.

The cat man grinned, twisting in a way that would be impossible for a human freeing himself from her grasp. His feet touched lightly on her head as he sprang over her.

Beka watched in disbelief as he stood on the promenade railings waving her communicator at her before flipping backwards.

Rushing over to the railing, Beka stood on the bottom rung and leaned over dangerously, craning her neck at an awkward angle in search of the thief. She soon spotted his bright red hair two levels below heading for the south market slowly she smiled.

Yes, this was exactly what she needed.

Not bothering to try and follow Beka headed for the nearest dive bar.

Asking around always provided good info. That's exactly what she did too. After a good deal of questioning the locals, she finally found her man... and the couple of job offers she received weren't too bad of a bonus either.

As it turned out, Beka was looking for Rhen Vilia, a low-level odd jobs man who mostly hung out around a place called Volta's Tavern.

After a few wrong turns Beka found it. Pursing her lips she surveyed the area definitely not a five star establishment it reeked of sweat, booze and cheap sex.

Inside, Beka scanned the room and with disgust found what she had expected. Business had drug her into places like this before. In some of them, you could actually respect the dancers, it was obvious who held the power, and it was not the audience throwing away money faster than they had earned it. Unfortunately for her, Volta's Tavern was not one of those places. The dancer on stage wore a dead expression and bruises even bad lighting could not hide. Clenching her fists, Beka turned away, pushing through the crowd.

Seating herself at the bar, her back to all the activity, Beka coolly offered a generous tip to the burly barman wiping down the counter top. Before the man could snap it up though, she closed her fist tightly around it.

"I'm looking for Rhen Vilia seen him?" she demanded in a casual tone of voice.

"Who's asking?" He asked gruffly.

"Ambray Pier Point security." Beka lied easily.

"You're a long way from Pier Point." His eyes flickered around the room avoiding her gaze. 'A little nervous' Beka noted, she knew the difference between that and plain cautiousness. Holding out her hands in a pacifying gesture Beka smiled reassuringly.

"I'm not here on business."

"He steal for a from you?"

"Is that any of your business?" She asked sweetly. Dropping his damp cloth he crossed his arms, huge muscles flexing impressively. Still smiling, Beka's hand dropped to her gun in equally obvious and posturing move.

"It's my bar." He said when he saw her movement.

"You must be so proud." Beka sneered, looking around. She hated this place and all others like it. She itched to snatch up all the dancers and set the fire to the place, making sure every one of its patrons were trapped inside.

Something inside Beka gave way, and for a beautiful second everything came into crystal clear clarity, as all of her fear and anger was given an available target.

Pulling him across the bar so their noses were almost touching, Beka snarled.

"Rhen's location now or I call some people who will bring this joint down around your ears."

His plate sized hand engulfed hers squeezing until she gasped involuntarily relaxing her grip on his greasy shirt.

"And who will care?" Through her pain, Beka had to admit he had a point. Most people, AKA those in power, considered that they had clothes, food and a roof over their head they were well off, comparatively. Hell, from her own experience she knew that was how the employees thought about it.

"He's in the lounge." The bartender finally said, shoving her away roughly. Beka held onto the bar to keep her balance. Leaving the money in front of him along with a lovely glare, Beka turned away tuning out everything that was happening around her.

The moment had passed like the tide returning to the sea, and her emotions had returned inward leaving her feeling raw and exposed.

It was a lot darker in the small side bar the owner had, in a fit of obvious delusion, called a lounge. In reality, it was a lot seedier, which Beka could barely believe, than the front. Her itch to burn Volta's down intensified because of it.

Small pinpricks of light danced along the ceiling giving the room its only light, so it took time for Beka's eyes to adjust. Luckily, Rhen's bright red fur made him easier to spot.

Suddenly, a heavy hand clamped down on her shoulder and, action bypassing brain, Beka's elbow connected with a gut. She managed a kick into someone's shin before being grabbed from behind.

Solid muscle lifted her off the ground, legs flaying in the direction of her first assault, Beka tried to head-butt her captor only to find herself lodged firmly under his chin.

A human, his bald head gleaming in the dim lights with a nasty looking fixed grin, loomed into her field of vision.

"I see the perimeter defenses are still in working order, Beka." Something in the familiar way he said her name sparked a memory but it disappeared before Beka could fully grasp a hold.

Resting a hypo spray against her neck, his nasty grin grew. He patted her cheek and, looking directly into her eyes, pressed a button at the end of the instrument. The quiet hiss of the dispensing spray filled her ears making the world grew gray and distant.

Snuggling deeper into the softness of her pillow, Beka's hand glided along the edge of the bed. Working through her sleepiness, Beka blinked several times and stretched, her bones creaking with the effort. She settled herself back under the covers, groaning with contentment. How long had it been since her last good nights sleep?

"Kludges." A mocking feminine voice called out to the universe in general, "Give them a little kindness and they don't care about the cage."

Leaping out of bed Beka searched for the source of the voice taking in the room at a glance, spacious, nothing heavy or sharp to use as a weapon, no windows, no visible escape.

Lounging amongst scattered floor cushions, the only type furniture apart from the large bed, sat a caramel skinned Neitzschean woman, popping grapes daintily into her painted mouth. Fluffing her dark curls, her top lip curled in revolution as she made an obvious assessment of the other woman.

For a second time, Beka was faced with familiarity but without recognition.

"Do I know you?" She asked, finally giving up.

Shrugging, the woman selected another piece of fruit.

"I suppose there isn't a reason you should, but I do find myself insulted none the less." Her voice was clipped and controlled but even from half a room away, Beka could feel the barely suppressed anger. "I am Kendrix out ofMorgana by Hadrian first wife to Tyr Anasazi of Kodiac Pride. I believe you had sex with my husband."