TITLE: The Unintended
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Andromeda series, I'm just borrowing.
NOTES: A couple of chapters for you guys, hope you're still enjoying the story :)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Power & Struggle
"There is no drive as powerful as the desire for power itself."
Mai-Rau-Sing
CY 2333
Dylan returned to Command having been to see Trance. Tyr and Rommie were making repairs while they headed the The Dovien system.
"Any word on a cure for Harper yet?" Beka asked as soon as she heard the doors open.
"Not yet, but she's working on it," Dylan replied.
Beka studied his expression. "There's something else isn't there? What is it?"
Dylan hesitated before answering. "The virus...was already in it's final stages by this point in the infection. But only in some of the cases," he added quickly.
"So...Harper could already be insane. Or dead," Beka stated coldly. It didn't sink in until a few moments later. "And we don't even know if we're going in the right direction," she said, more angrily.
Andromeda's image appeared on the screen. "It's important to be positive. Trance said there's just as much chance we'll get there in time."
Beka snapped. "What's the point in getting there in time if she doesn't even have a cure! So we can watch him go nuts and kill himself? You know what, I'd rather not show up at all if that's gonna happen! I can't watch that."
"You won't have to," Dylan assured. "Trance is going to find a cure, we're going to get Harper and everything is going to be fine."
"How do you know?"
Dylan looked determined. "Because that's what we're going to make happen."
"Maslen, why haven't you carried out your orders? Maslen! Maslen, respond!" Rylisa was in Command, trying to get some answers. The situation had spiralled out of control faster than she was ready for it.
"Should we inform Luthor?"
Rylisa shot a glare at the insolent fool who dared make such a suggestion in her presence. "I can handle one pathetic kludge," she spat. But her claims were easier said than done. "Where is he?"
"Moving through corridor C9 on deck 12."
"That's near where Rayne is...was he evacuated?"
"No, he's still in the interrogation room."
Rylisa found a happy thought. "This should be interesting."
Harper walked through the corridor of the abandoned deck, stretching the walls as he went and listening to the creaks of scrunching metal as they echoed through the ship. He knew he couldn't play around too much with the structure of the ship, or it would lose integrity and that would be a bad thing. He wasn't done having fun yet.
Harper came across a closed door with a coded lock on it. He ripped the lock from the wall by simply thinking about it for the briefest moment. The door opened automatically and Harper was standing face to face with someone he didn't care for much at all.
Rayne cradled his hand after popping his thumb back into joint. The skin was deeply wounded where he had pulled it free from his metal restraints, but at least he was out. He picked up his items from the far table and went to leave, knowing the deck was probably empty by now. But before he could attempt to open the sealed door, it opened from the outside. He was face to face with Harper.
"Ah. I was wondering when you would show up."
Harper looked quizzically at his previous captor and thrust him backwards into the room. "You may find it interesting to note that the inhibitor doesn't appear to be working anymore. Now, why do you think that might be?" He caught his breath and pulled himself up from the floor. "I switched it off. Before I was captured."
"Why?" Harper asked, coming into the room.
"You were the only leverage I had," Rayne replied, brushing himself off. "Rylisa didn't know what you could do, and I wanted her to find out the hard way. Oh please tell me you killed her in a long and excruciating manner."
"All in good time. I'd be more worried about what I'm going to do to you right now."
"Now, that wouldn't be in your best interests. Get me out of here and I'll take the inhibitor, and let you get back to the Andromeda, that's what you want isn't it?"
Harper lunged at Rayne. He wanted to kill him with his hands, feel the life draining from him. He grabbed him by the throat. "You and Taylor destroyed Andromeda!"
Rayne laughed despite the fear that crept through him. "Who told you that? Rylisa? And you believed her? The Barbell is no match for the Andromeda, you must know that."
Rayne's words washed over Harper. The hope that his friends might still be alive hardly affected him. He was losing himself. "It doesn't matter. I'm gonna kill her anyway."
"Power's a wonderful thing isn't it? Addictive, like a drug. And certainly useful. You're going to help me get off this ship, and then you're going to help me regain control of The Barbell."
Harper laughed. "And why the hell would I do that?"
"Because I still have this." Rayne pulled out the device from his pocket and activated it. Harper went down like the gravity had suddenly been turned up. He writhed on the floor in utter agony. Rayne knelt down beside him. "I'm surprised you didn't see this in one of your visions. Had anymore of those?"
Of course there was no reply. Harper was clenching his teeth so hard if his tongue had been in the way he would have bitten it off.
"Oh well, no matter." Rayne watched undisturbed in agony before him for a few more moments, then switched the inhibitor off and smiled. "I'm rather fond of power too."
End of Chapter Seventeen