Part 34
Awareness kicked in and the sensation of something covering his mouth caused momentary panic, and Harper tensed up, until a comforting hand was felt on his chest. Harper wearily opened his eyes to see Dani looking back at him, and for a few precious seconds he felt safe. Focusing on his surroundings, it looked like he was back in Dani's quarters, but he vaguely remembered being injured and a medical facility. Harper could feel oxygen being lightly forced into his lungs, and it was a little uncomfortable, so he tried to remove the apparatus that still covered his mouth.
"Leave it, let me get it," Dani offered, and in seconds Harper was able to breath freely on his own again. "How are you feeling?" Dani asked gently.
"I'll get back to you on that," he responded, still disorientated and trying to remember more about his situation, something was eating at him but he couldn't figure what exactly.
Dani's hand brushed the side of his head, and Harper found it a comforting gesture as he sleepily moved his head into her hand. He then remembered the pain he had been feeling when he had woken previously and he realised that he had no feeling in his left hand, and Harper lifted his left arm to see the hand that was heavily bandaged.
"It's ok," Dani assured him.
"I can't feel it," Harper panicked slightly.
"It's healing," Dani stated. "You seriously injured your hand, Shay, but I'm confident that you'll regain movement in it but its too early to say when," she explained calmly.
Harper calmed down only slightly and then looked upwards, his memory replayed the moment he injured his hand and he remembered everything in a flash of memory.
"I saved Yussuf's life," Harper then whispered with horror clear in his voice.
"You did," Dani agreed solemnly. "A real hero now," she added, trying to sound positive but failing.
"But," Harper attempted to speak but Dani was close now, and she made contact with his lips, and they kissed for a moment.
"It'll be ok," Dani then spoke, still close to him. "But you have to trust me."
Harper narrowed his eyes, suddenly suspicious. "What do you mean, what are you going to do now?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Dani asked a little taken aback by Harper's words sounding so accusing, as she moved away from him.
"Yussuf told me how you have this unique sense of humour," Harper explained, a little harshly as he remembered everything in a flood of memories, allowing his frustration to his situation show now. "How the fact I hated you as a slave, and now I'm your slave, it is an ironic situation, for a twisted sense of humour," he stated.
"Shay," Dani spoke with confusion. "I know things have turned badly, but I was just trying to help, please, you have to believe me," Dani pleaded.
Harper used his good arm to push his upper body up to a sitting position, and was surprised by the energy he now had, as he swung his legs over to the side of the bed.
"Is it ok to get up?" Harper then thought to ask, his voice cold.
"If you want to, you've rested for a few hours, but just protect the hand," Dani answered, with an equally cold tone, and there was a tense atmosphere between them for a moment as Harper got to his feet.
Harper looked around and saw that he had been in Dani's bed, and not his own. Ignoring this he found some clothes but already knew, with his hand incapacitated, that getting dressed would be difficult.
"Let me help," Dani softly spoke, as Harper attempted to find a way to get dressed.
"I'm the slave, not you," Harper returned, his back to Dani.
"Seamus," Dani said with an air of sadness. "I just want to help," she added, and Harper sensed her move up behind him.
With reluctance, Harper handed Dani his shirt and she gestured to him to offer his arms so she could help him. The grey shirt was soon over his head, and Dani was close as she adjusted it to fall correctly. Harper was trying to ignore her, but he could see that she was upset, and he realised that she was just trying to help.
Without a word, Dani moved and retrieved the rest of his clothes, and quietly continued to assist him. As she finished, she glanced at him, making eye contact for the first time since his accusation. "Go on, say it," Dani spoke evenly.
"Say what?" Harper asked, a little confused by her words.
"That I make a good slave," she stated, as she lightly brushed his clothes to make sure he was properly attired, keeping close contact. "That I'm obviously experienced, that this is all I'm good for, all I deserve to be, because you seem to suddenly know me so well."
Harper looked down, feeling regret for his words now and as she continued to lightly fuss over him his good hand brushed her chin, causing her to stop.
"Sorry," he offered sadly.
"Forgiven," Dani gave him a smile.
"So quickly?" Harper questioned with surprise, but found a smile to her rapid response.
"Shay, I don't know what I have to do, what I have to say to convince you that you have totally turned my world upside down," Dani said with passion. "Before I met you, I was that person Yussuf told you about, and yeah, had you continued to push me away maybe I would have sought revenge in the manner he thinks I have, but Shay, I am so sorry for everything, I know I've messed up," she stressed.
"No," Harper simply said and made sure that she was facing him again. "I know why you did what you did," he explained slowly, his right hand now stroking her arm as they remained close to each other, and Dani's arms snaked around Harper's waist. "You just confuse me."
"Why?" Dani asked with amusement.
"I've never had this before," he offered. "Usually I just want some action," Harper admitted bluntly. "But with you, I'm happy with just your company, plus more, but then you do stuff, you do something that totally throws me but I find that I still like you, I want to be with you, regardless, and well," Harper shrugged. "The idea of being like that with anyone has always kind of scared me," he offered awkwardly, knowing he wasn't explaining himself very well.
"Do I scare you?" Dani asked.
"No," Harper said with honesty. "But I'm your slave, and I'm the one who's messed things up," he stated now with a touch of anger. "I saved Yussuf's life, and I ruined the chance we may have had to leave this place together."
Dani nodded his head. "Do you think that you could live like this?" she ventured, squeezing him slightly as she spoke. "For the rest of your life?"
"Staying here?" Harper checked. "As a slave to Yussuf?"
"As my slave," Dani corrected, but with care, knowing it was a sensitive question.
Harper clearly had trouble with the question and he took a moment before responding, but all the while he continued to stroke Dani's arm. "Yussuf would never let us be anything else," he reasoned, knowing to make whatever they had more public would be impossible, they'd have to have a strictly behind closed doors relationship if things stayed as they were. "Dani, you know I have issues with slavery," he began, and his voice carried a hollow tone.
"I know," Dani agreed, and she rested her forehead against Harper's chest as he continued to speak.
"When I was a kid, my parents," his voice caught in his throat momentarily before he continued. "They were murdered right in front of me," Harper explained softly, and he brought his arms around Dani for comfort now. "They died because some ubers arrived at our home, and they killed them because they were protecting me."
"Shay," Dani could only speak.
"They were protecting me because the ubers had come for me, to take me away," He stated and held Dani closely now.
"They wanted you for slavery," Dani realised.
"I saw them die, watched as the ubers cut them down where they stood, and I vowed, Dani, I vowed that I'd never let their deaths be in vain," Harper stressed now, and Dani could feel his emotions running high now, as she remained in his hold.
"Shay, what have I done?" Dani returned his embrace, and they held each other for a few minutes without word, both troubled by events that had happened.
"I don't blame you," Harper then spoke, breaking the silence between them.
"But," Dani tried to speak but Harper pulled back, so he could look into her eyes.
"In your own way you were saving me too," Harper offered. "I just want you to know that I understand that, it's taken me a while to understand, but I still trust you," he stated clearly. "What I said early, after what Yussuf told me, I wasn't thinking, Dani," Harper shrugged. "I don't know if I can ever accept this, but I do know that I don't want to lose you," he admitted with a heavy heart, and Dani could only respond in one way and she leaned forward to kiss Seamus.
"I don't want to lose you either, Shay, but now I know what you've just told me, I don't want you to be this anymore," she gestured to him, dressed as a slave of Yussuf.
"What options do we have?" Harper asked.
"Two obvious ones, as far as I can tell," Dani admitted.
"One, we do nothing, and we stay like this with only Yussuf knowing the truth but hopefully turning a blind eye," Harper stated. "But we'll be together, in relative safety," he shrugged.
Dani frowned. "Or two, we betray Yussuf, and we kill him ourselves," she said with hushed tones.
Harper took a deep breath, seeing the pain behind Dani's eyes as she revealed their second option. "That's not an option," Harper dismissed quickly.
"He was supposed to die, Shay," Dani argued. "Everyone but Yussuf it seems knew about this, and it would solve all of our problems."
"I won't let you kill the man you love," Harper returned.
"I love you," Dani stressed.
Harper moved away from Dani now, he needed some space. "Dani, we can't let ourselves think about killing Yussuf, I won't let you," he stated.
"And I won't let you consider remaining a slave," Dani protested.
"Then we have no options, and no choices," Harper decided.
"Yes we do, there is a third option," Dani now revealed. "I spoke to Rhade yesterday," Dani saw the reaction from Harper, and she moved closer to him again. "He's got himself involved in the fight program Yussuf runs for entertainment, he returns tonight to defend his title and he told me that if I really wanted to help you that I would allow him to take you back to the Andromeda, tonight."
"What about you?" Harper was quick to ask.
"He said it would depend, but I don't think I can go," Dani admitted. "You saw the efforts Yussuf went to when I was taken before, it wouldn't be safe."
"I don't want to leave you behind," Harper stressed. "Dani, you can't make me go."
"I can," Dani reminded him, and for a moment there was silence between them as reality once again smacked Harper around the face. Dani frowned, moving closer still. "How I see it, Yussuf will be glad to be shot of you, and so long as you don't give him any trouble, he'll let you stay gone and will not come after you," Dani explained. "He has no idea what to do with you right now, you saved his life and he's grateful for that," she began.
"But I'm a kludge and he doesn't want to be grateful to a kludge, or show thanks to me in any way," Harper already realised with bitterness.
"It's bad enough that I slipped under the net," Dani now smiled. "With you as well, and then what we have together, he doesn't want to hurt me, so you've given him a real headache."
"My heart is breaking for him," Harper sneered, and then grinned. "It would almost be worth remaining a slave just to remain his problem," he added.
"Don't even joke about it," Dani stated. "You have to go with Rhade, tonight."
"No," Harper decided. "I'm not leaving without you, and if things stay like this, is it really all that bad?" Harper asked.
"You just don't realise do you?" Dani spoke with sorrow now, and she turned away.
"What?" Harper asked, moving closer to her now and he turned her to face him again.
"A lot of people were counting on Yussuf's death," she simply said, and she brushed her hand through Harper's short hair.
Harper looked troubled, and it was clear that he did understand the situation he was in. "So staying with Yussuf is probably a good idea, right?" he stated, but saw Dani shaking her head.
"A lot of those people are right here, Shay, within this walls just waiting for their chance to step into his shoes," Dani explained with fear. "Johnson was just stupid enough to make the attempt, had he succeeded that would have been the easy part," she sighed.
"So you're saying I'm not safe here?" Harper seemed amused. "Dani, I'm a freaking slave, I'm not expecting to be safe here, but I don't want to be anywhere away from you."
"Don't say it, Shay," Dani then spoke quickly.
"I don't want to return to the Andromeda if it's without you," Harper spoke before Dani could stop him.
There was silence between them until Harper leaned forward and they both kissed, and soon their worries were melting away as they let go and allowed their passion to take over. As they continued to explore their feelings for each other the sound of the door chime sounded, and Dani broke away.
"I'll get it," Harper resigned himself to his role. "And I'll tell whoever it is that their timing sucks."
"Don't you dare," Dani grinned, as she quickly tidied herself up.
Harper walked from Dani's room through to the main reception area towards the door and on opening it Harper was surprised to not see one uber, but it looked like about ten of them were outside. They all piled in, pushing Harper aside and left him looking a little baffled.
Dani entered the room and looked a little concerned. "What's the occasion?" she asked.
"We haven't celebrated," a voice spoke up.
"Rico," Dani spoke with annoyance. "What are we celebrating?"
Rico dashed forward and he sidled up to Dani. "What are we celebrating?" he repeated her question animatedly. "Why the fact that our lovely dictator is still breathing, that's what," Rico exclaimed.
Dani nervously glanced at Harper, but already the rest of the guests had found their places, either sitting down or standing in groups.
"Hey, slave, we need refreshments, this is a party after all!" Rico declared loudly, and Harper hesitated slightly.
"Is there a problem?" another uber asked, moving next to Harper. "We are having a party kludge, all thanks to you, so get us some damn drinks so we can party!"
Harper was roughly pushed forward but he kept his head down, and walked to the serving area to find something to serve, but Dani wasn't exactly stocked up for a party.
"We're waiting!" Rico declared loudly, and put his arm tightly around Dani.
"I don't have much food in," Dani now protested, and tried to remove herself from Rico's hold.
"Well, send the kludge out to get something!" Rico argued with arrogance.
Dani took a deep breath and managed to free herself from Rico after a slight resistance, and she walked over to where Harper waited, and she knew that he was waiting for her orders, unable to work under his own initiative and she saw the frustration in him.
"Go to the kitchens, get some supplies," Dani ordered without enthusiasm, and Harper briefly nodded his head.
"You call that ordering your slave?" Rico now stepped forward, and as he approached Dani he grabbed hold of Harper, preventing him from leaving.
Harper stumbled with Rico pulling back on his shirt and soon found himself stood before Rico, who promptly back handed him, sending Harper's head sharply to the side.
"It's your job kludge to ensure your master is always prepared for guests, you fail in this simple task," Rico took great joy in announcing. "Now go and get some supplies, and be back in five minutes or face the consequences," Rico ordered loudly, whilst everyone else looked on.
Harper glared at Rico but bit his tongue, as he moved away but soon felt his shirt being pulled back again and before he could react, Rico punched him firmly across the face, sending him painfully to the floor.
"You forgot to acknowledge me, kludge," Rico spat.
Harper protected his injured hand as he rolled over, and was glad in part that he had no feeling in it, as he wiped his mouth with the bandage to clean the blood away. He saw Dani moved a little way forward before thinking better of it, and it was as if she could sense that he was on the edge, and very close to losing it with this guy. But Harper remained silent, he had been told that slaves do not speak to ubers and he wasn't going to play this freaks game.
"Get going already, the sight of you disgusts me," Rico finally dismissed and turned away from Harper, as the human staggered to his feet with difficulty.
Harper glanced at Dani, not liking the idea of leaving her with the ubers, especially with the way Rico was getting so friendly with her but he had little choice in the matter. If Harper needed a reminder as to his role now in life, this was it, and he was being harshly reminded as to why he couldn't stay here, and why Dani was right that he had to leave with Rhade, but he didn't want to leave her behind, she was quickly becoming his weakness.
With urgency he hurried the short distance and reached the kitchens, finding the person in charge, he quickly stated the urgency of his order. Then Harper waited, and became frustrated by the lack of urgency shown by the people present to his situation.
"I need this now," Harper stressed to the main guy, after a couple of minutes had passed.
"I'm going as fast as I can," the man in charge responded calmly, whilst doing nothing more than reading a memo.
"Like hell you are," Harper snapped, allowing his frustration to finally surface.
"Are you questioning me?" the man now asked, he was nothing but an overweight slave, but even he still had authority over Harper for his role in the kitchens and Harper noticeably backed down.
"I'm just making an observation," Harper offered a little more calmly.
"And can I make an observation, runt?" the man asked, as he put his paper down and approached Harper. "You're no hero in my eyes, and you're just a stupid little kludge who deserves what those ubers have in store for you."
"What do you mean?" Harper asked a little apprehensively.
The man then smiled, and it almost made Harper's stomach turn. "Here are your supplies," the man declared and handed Harper four cans of beer.
"What? I need more than that!" Harper stressed.
"That's all I can spare," the man said with far too much amusement in his voice.
Harper picked the cans up. "You know if I go back with just these," Harper began and the man quickly returned his attention back to Harper.
"I'll know you'll deserve what you get," the man simply said. "You ruined months, possibly years of planning."
Harper had had enough, and he slammed the cans down on the table. "You call that a plan?" Harper now demanded, and noticed the kitchen area grow silent around him. "No wonder you're all stuck here as stupid slaves if that's a plan you were counting on," he continued to rage. "Oh I know how to kill Yussuf, let's talk within ear shot of the tyrant and then when he obviously overhears the discussion about killing him, yeah, then we run at him with a knife that even a stupid kludge like me can intercept, yeah great freaking plan guys, good luck with your next one," Harper mocked angrily, and only silence met him now.
The larger man slowly approached Harper, his eyes showing no amusement to Harper's mocking. "The plan was always to attack him on his ship, but we heard that you put paid to that by butting your no good head into the proceedings."
"It was such a fool proof plan that a kludge being ordered to over hear your plans ruins it all so easily?" Harper stood his ground. "I've come across Magog who could have come up with a better plan just out of the stomach!" he bitterly teased now.
It was obvious now that the version of events Harper now spoke off was not the one relayed to these guys.
"The ubers told us," the man began but Harper was on a roll now.
"The ubers told us," Harper mocked in a child like voice. "Well how about a fellow slaves version, that incidentally, for those still able to pay attention, happens to be the truth," Harper snapped.
Harper watched as the man in charge walked slowly to the supplies cupboard and he pulled out three more crates of beer, gesturing to two of his workers to assist in carrying them.
"Thank you," Harper accepted the beer and the help from the two workers. "And for the record, I'm as sick as you that I did what I did, but I did it and I can't change that, it all happened so quick."
"Get out, we've heard enough from you for one day," the man stressed and Harper decided not to argue this time, as he added the first offering of beer to the crate the man now handed to him. Awkwardly, Harper took it all under his arm, with his left hand still not working, and with renewed urgency he hurried back to Dani's quarters.
TBC