Lost Souls & Changing Fate Part One: Lost Souls
Chapter Two: Murder and Confusion
"Trance what the hell are you doing?" Dylan demanded as Trance shoved Rhade away from the weapons console and opened fire on a freighter Andromeda had just tagged for investigation.
Trance didn't answer as she fired another volley at the now crippled freighter.
"Andromeda lock off the weapons console." Dylan growled glaring at his medical officer
"Aye ay Captain, locking console access"
It was too late. By the time Andromeda locked the console, the damage was already done. Beka and Harper rushed into Command just as Dylan was demanding an explanation.
"Captain, we need to board the ship and rescue her before it is too late." Trance said, turning to leave the Command deck.
"Stop. How do you know there is a survivor, let alone that there is only one and she is female?"
"Ask Andromeda. There will be one life sign, female, probably Nietzschean, and it will be in the lower cargo hold."
With this last confusing remark, Trance turned and left.
"Andromeda?" Dylan demanded through clenched teeth
"Trance was correct sir. There is only one life sign, lower cargo hold, and I do believe she is Nietzschean and female." Rommie said with some surprise
"What are the risks of a rescue attempt?"
"There is a large radiation leak coming from one of the other cargo bays. It is a high density chemical leak sir, that is what probably killed the crew who would have survived the weapons attack."
"Rhade?" Dylan looked over at his disgruntled first officer
"Aye sir. I will ready a slipfighter."
As Rhade reached the launch deck Trance came around the corner to meet him.
"Rhade. I am sorry I attacked you in Command. There are things in motion here you can't possibly understand."
"Trance, I really don't care right now. An entire crew of people are dead right now because of you."
"They are slavers Rhade, they take people and sell them to the highest bidder. What kind of people could they possibly be?"
Rhade turned to the waiting slipfighter and Trance tried again to make him understand
"She'll be afraid of you." she blurted without her usual mysteriousness
"Excuse me?"
"She'll recognize you and be afraid, either that or she'll be really angry."
"How could she recognize me? Is she from Tarazad?" Rhade looked suspicious
"Well, maybe not you exactly."
"Gaharis."
"Yes."
"Gaharis has been dead for a very long time. If he did something to her family...she might not recognize me at all you know."
"He murdered her family."
Rhade just shook his head. Trance was obviously trying to make him believe that Gaharis killed this woman's family and that she knew him. That just wasn't possible.