Thank you all for your kind revievs. Here's the next bit.
Chapter 15
Beka looked up from her holo novel and threw it across the room in frustration. "Gah!" She felt a little better for having just vented for having to wait so long for the relay tower to be repaired.
Beka Valentine was not good at waiting and this time was no exception. While Beka had known Trance to be able to take care of herself for the most part but Beka still had bad thoughts about what kind of trouble might befall Trance. There were many undesirable people out in this part of the universe.
The blonde pilot decided to return to the security office to get an update on the repair of the relay tower. It had been a day so Beka hoped the tower had finally been repaired. If not, the security officials there were going to have to deal with an irate Beka Valentine until the tower was working.
The same clerk was manning the desk when Beka arrived at the security office. Beka thought she saw a hint of recognition on the bald officer's face as she approached the counter.
"You're the lady who was in here yesterday aren't you?" the officer asked right away.
"Yeah, that's me. And I'm trying to track a ship so can you tell me if the relay tower was repaired yet?" Beka asked curtly, not caring now if she was polite.
The bald officer rolled his eyes, obviously having heard the same question more than once today. "The tower is still being repaired."
Beka scowled at the officer, "What's taking so long to get a simple relay tower repaired?"
The officer was now becoming irritated with the blond pilot and didn't care if he was being rude. "Look lady, the tower will be fixed when it's repaired and things aren't going to repaired any faster if you keep coming in here asking for an update."
"Look, I'm trying to track a girl that stole a ship, so the longer your guys take before fixing the tower the longer that girl is going to be free of the law," Beka stressed, hoping that Baldy bought her lie.
Baldy was unmoved by the blonde pilot's sense of urgency. "Miss I tried to explain that there's nothing I can do. I can't make the repairs go any faster."
"Fine, then if you can't help I'd like to speak to your boss. Is your boss in?" Beka questioned abruptly. She wasn't giving up just yet.
"My boss has the day off today, you can speak to her tomorrow," Baldy informed in a snide tone.
Beka had to use great self control to keep from grabbing Baldy and tossing him through the wall behind him. "Is there anybody here who is of higher authority than you?"
Baldy nodded his head. "Nope, I'm the only one here right now. My assistant is on a lunch break."
The blonde pilot took a deep breath and counted to ten before responding. "Okay, I'll take your word that your boss isn't here. I'm going to leave my name so I want you to get hold of me on my ship, the Eureka Maru, as soon as that tower is repairs. Understand?"
"Yes ma'm I'll let you know when the tower is fixed; right after the thousand other people I gotta inform," Baldy answered sarcastically.
Beka hated to give in but she wasn't getting anywhere. "Alright, I'll be back later today and believe that tower had better be repaired by then," Beka threatened before storming out of the office. She was now red in the face and knew it wouldn't get her anywhere to lose her temper.
Beka paused on the sidewalk outside the tracking company's office and ran a hand through long hair that the nanobots had turned red. Beka turned to the right and headed straight toward the courier office to see if she had any messages from the Andromeda.
Beka was happy to find out that there was a message waiting for her at the courier office. The redhead took the flexi with the message and walked outside. Beka played the message and began fuming when Dylan's image informed that Harper had gone AWOL.
Dylan ended his message by instructing Beka to make sure Harper understood the implications of his actions if she met up with the engineer.
"Oh he's going to understand the implications all right," she seethed. "Harper you better not get yourself into any trouble out there."
Beka took several deep breaths and began to calm down. If the tower still wasn't fixed by the time Harper arrived then she might just forgive the engineer if he fixed it. The redhead tucked the flexi away in a small pouch she was carrying and began walking back to the Maru to wait.
Harper was in a slipfighter preparing to exit slipstream. He had a feeling he was going to be in trouble when he got back to the Andromeda, but if he could bring back Trance it would be worth spending time in the brig and suffering Beka's wrath.
Harper had come to the conclusion that Trance had left because she felt guilty for him being injured. He couldn't bear the thought of his purple pixie leaving the Andromeda over some crazy notion that he would blame her.
The engineer was brought out of his thoughts by the sight of four Nietzschean fighters approaching. Harper took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves. The engineer knew he was flying near Nietzschean territory but was sure he hadn't crossed over it. Now wasn't the time for him to have to get his first taste of battle in a High Guard slipfighter.
Harper gripped the controls tighter as he attempted a sharp bank to the right. The Nietzschean squad of five fighter ships saw the maneuver and followed the engineer.
Harper decided to try to open a slipstream route and try to lose the Nietzscheans. The engineer knew if he stayed and got into a dogfight he would come out on the losing end. Harper braced himself for the affects of the slipstream and guided the small ship through the route. The Earther looked to his right and saw the Nietzschean fighters out the window trying to cut him off from the slipstream.
Harper tried to outsmart the Nietzscheans but no matter how many tricks he threw at the Ubers they staid on his tail but the engineer kept them from cutting him off from the slipstream route.
Once in the slipstream Harper decided to go for broke and stop thinking so much. The engineer began relying on his old Earther instincts and merely went full out and took the turns as sharply as possible.
The Nietzscheans were still on his tail but Harper had finally managed to put a little distance between them. Harper was now feeling the fatigue of piloting and began to struggle to maintain his concentration. He wasn't used to piloting let alone piloting the slipstream. Harper had to get out of slipstream now or he wouldn't get out at all. The engineer found the nearest exit and made a beeline for it.
The Nietzschean squad followed Harper out of slipstream and began firing on the slipfighter. Harper narrowly avoided becoming space debris as he made the slipfighter perform a barrel roll. The engineer almost regretted the maneuver as the G forces pressed against his body.
When Harper came out of his barrel roll he fired at the squad of Nietzschean fighter ships. The engineer got lucky and hit one of the fighters. The Nietzschean pilot was sent careening into an asteroid
Harper didn't have time to enjoy the victory as one of the other Nietzschean fighters had snuck behind the engineer and began firing. Harper's slipfighter was hit near the back. The slipfighter began to shutter and buck, causing Harper's heart to skip a beat.
The engineer was struggling to with the joystick in his hand as he fought to maintain control. Harper hoped he could keep the slipfighter going until he found a planet to land on. The Earther had turned on the ship's voice recognition system before he encountered the Nietzscheans. Harper ordered the ship to find the location of the nearest planet. Seconds later a map appeared on the monitor in front of Harper. The engineer cursed at his bad luck. The nearest planet was Klondike, some ten minutes away. With Nietzscheans on his tail the planet might as well have been a year away.
Harper struggled to keep the Nietzscheans off his tail until hitting an asteroid field. The engineer took a bold chance by heading his slipfighter directly into the heart of the asteroid field. Harper managed to dodge the asteroids as beads of sweat forming on his forehead. One of the Nietzschean fighters hit an asteroid, exploding into pieces on contact.
"That's one more down. So far so good," Harper thought to himself. The engineer zigged and zagged through the asteroid field, amazed that his slipfighter was still remaining in one piece.
The asteroids had given Harper a shield protecting him from the laser fire of the Nietzschean fighters for the time being. The Nietzschean fighters realized it was a waste to continue firing on the damaged ship in the asteroid field. They were still not giving up, however and continued following
Harper was smart enough to realize the Nietzscheans were merely waiting for his ship to give out. Harper wasn't about to give the Ubers the satisfaction as his hands tightly gripped the joystick, fighting for control of the slipfighter as smoke billowed in back of him. The slipfighter shook violently, bucking Harper around.
With the slipfighter damaged it was nearly impossible for Harper to continue dodging the asteroids. The Earther struggled as he pointed his small ship out of the narrow asteroid field.
As Harper glanced at his monitor, he wasn't surprised to see the two Nietzschean fighters still behind him. As soon Harper exited the asteroid field he could see a planet ahead. Harper's smiled with relief. He had made it to Klondike.
"Woo hoo. Not some bad flying for a mudfoot eh Ubers?" Harper shouted exuberantly. The Earther's joy was short lived as the slipfighter's engine began to sputter and the ship started spinning out of control.