TITLE: The Unintended

NOTES: Ta for the compliments, glad you're enjoying it :D

CHAPTER TWENTY Last Man Standing

"It was inevitable. But that didn't make it any easier."

Admiral Trellek Baird

CY 9562

Harper was close to panicking. He couldn't shut down the auto-destruct sequence. The main reason being, he had practically destroyed most of the Command centre, and he everyone who might have the codes to stop the sequence were lying in a bloody mess on the floor.

He closed his eyes and frantically searched the ship with his mind, looking for anyone who was still alive but found no-one. The corridors were empty of life, filled only with bodies. There were also no escape pods left. Harper was about to give up and return from his search when looked in the cargo bay. There was one person left who might be able to help him.

"What's the plan when we get there?" Beka asked as she piloted slipstream. They were minutes away from arriving at the two stationary ships.

"Disable both ships and ask them politely to give up Harper," Dylan replied.

Beka glanced at him. "And you seriously expect them to do that?

"No," he answered. "But at least we can say we tried."

"And what if we're too late? What then?" Tyr asked, not one to sidestep the issues. "As far as I know Trance has no cure yet."

"No, she doesn't. But we don't know how far along the virus is yet. Anything could have gone on since we last saw Harper."

"If you ask me you're being naive."

"Then it's just as well nobody asked you."

"Harper has a weakened immune system, yes? Then it's safe to assume the virus will have progressed quicker than in the crew of The Outset. He may already be gone."

"Will you just hold off condemning him to death until we actually get there?" Beka snapped. Tyr was telling the truth but no-one wanted to hear it and no-one wanted to accept it.

Harper waited until his last shred of hope arrived in Command. He reached her with his mind and told her to come to him. "Do you know how to stop the auto-destruct?" he asked her immediately.

"I am only capable of making medical diagnoses. Please rephrase the question in terms of a medical query."

Harper ran his hands through his hair. The AI was a longshot but he had to try.

"Five minutes to auto-destruct," the ship announced, as if mocking him.

"You must have some way to connect to the ship!"

The AI replied as he feared she would. "I am only capable of making medical diagnoses. Please rephrase the question in terms of a medical query."

Harper looked down at Rylisa's body. She had left him to die, and it was going to work. Just when he thought it was all over, he felt something. A new energy seemed to appear out of nowhere and it was big.

Emotions he thought had died inside him resurfaced when he realised.

"Andromeda."

"There they are," Beka declared, a rush of emotion soaring through her.

"This isn't good. The Nietzschean ship is half destroyed, she's barely holding together," Rommie told the others, checking her readings.

"I'm only reading one lifesign onboard."

The room fell silent. They had been here before and remembered all too well what had happened.

"What about The Barbell?"

"There are a number of lifesigns onboard. There has been no activity. Perhaps they haven't gained control of the ship yet."

Luthor strode to where the escape pods had docked with the ship to meet the surviving crew. He was not happy. "Did you bring the prisoners? Taylor? Rayne?"

"Taylor is here but Rayne..."

Luthor cut him off. "Just get me Taylor, NOW!"

Moments later Taylor was dragged before him, looking terrible. "Luthor. So nice to see you again. What's the matter, things not going quite as you planned?" he said weakly.

"Give me the codes to The Barbell," Luthor ordered simply.

Taylor scoffed. "Why should I do that?"

"Because the Andromeda has just shown up and if you don't tell me the codes to take control of this ship we will be easier to apprehend than a Magog at a beauty pageant."

"What are we going to do?" Beka asked urgently. "How do we know which ship he's on?" She couldn't believe they had come this far only to have to wait some more.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tyr mumbled.

"Wait, Dylan The Barbell is powering up," Andromeda relayed. "They're opening a slip portal."

"What!"

"Should we go after them?"

"What if Harper's not onboard?"

"What if he is? We'll lose him again!"

Their questions were answered for them when Andromeda received a communication from the Nietzschean ship. But they were not prepared for the horrific vision that appeared on the screen. At first they didn't recognise him. He was covered in blood. Only his eyes remained white but even they didn't look like his eyes. They were empty and soulless. Dylan, Tyr and Rommie saw the worst case scenario playing out before them. Beka looked at the man and saw only a stranger.

End of Chapter Twenty