Part 21

Dani considered what Yussuf had told her about Harper's presence at the palace, as she approached the quarters where his gift to her was staying. It felt strange to her to think another human was her gift, but she knew that she didn't want to own him in that sense. The idea of getting to know the strange man had started to appeal, and she already knew that he loved her, after Seamus had told her so quite convincingly.

She briefly wondered about what Seamus had told her, he had said they were good friends previously, and a part of her could believe that now that she was able to consider it without fear. His enthusiasm was so infectious that she was happy now that her duty wouldn't get in the way, or stop her from returning his attentions if she wanted to.

Dani reached the door and heard voices on the other side, so she paused to listen, knowing Seamus was expecting the doctors to check up on his progress after some rest. Her limited medical knowledge couldn't help Seamus, she knew little about how the brain worked, but her natural interest in medicine caught her curiosity so she took the moment to hear them at work.

They were speaking quietly however, and to Dani's frustration she knew she would have to make herself known to them if she was to learn anything, so she activated manual control on the door so she could quietly slip into the room, hopefully without disturbing the doctors whilst they worked. The moment she stepped into the room the three doctors all glared at her, but said nothing, as she bowed her head, knowing they weren't to know she was no longer assigned to Harper as a simple slave, her powers were back she inwardly smiled.

She simply wanted to see them at work, she had forgotten why the previous doctor had left, and she had found it harder to work with these doctors, more so due to Yussuf's bad treatment of her, after she had lost a lot of privileges with her demotion, but she hoped that would change now and things would return to normal for her.

She watched now, as the doctors resumed their work and saw that Harper was relaxed on the bed, his eyes closed. The doctor closest to Seamus, who she knew as Carvenello, was holding his hand close to the human's face, whilst the other two, Raul and Tuplin, observed him.

"You're seeing your past," Carvenello spoke evenly, and with softness. "Take those images and dismiss those thoughts, push them from your mind and forget them."

Dani moved a little way forward, partially horrified by what she thought she had heard and was seeing, but she said nothing as they continued.

"You will not question why you no longer remember your past," Carvenello spoke with calm. "You will accept your life now, you will stay with Dani, you want to be with Dani, amongst the Yussuf Pride, and you will be loyal to Yussuf, you know that you saved his life with good reason."

Dani stared wide eyed at the proceedings, before the doctors moved away and then looked at her.

"What's going on?" Dani asked. "I thought you were medical doctors, checking up on his physical health?" she added.

"Ain't your place to ask, slave," Carvenello returned.

"Brainwashing a human to like me make it's my place," Dani returned sharply, quickly rediscovering her tongue and cheek, and realising how much she had missed it. "Oh and check the news, uber," Dani offered a twisted smirk, one that alone announced her return to Yussuf's fold. "Now tell me before I tell Yussuf you spoke to me in a tone I didn't appreciate."

Carvenello looked at his fellow doctors, and both seemed to indicate uncertainty as Raul checked his communicator that would confirm pretty quickly any new orders from Yussuf.

"She speaks the truth, Dani is back with us," Raul confirmed.

With a frown, Carvenello began to explain, though it was clear he didn't want to. "We're trying a new method of reintegration, call it a trial."

"On this guy?" Dani questioned towards Harper. "Is this why he's been having those fits?" she immediately accused.

"No, totally unrelated," Tuplin now spoke up. "We believe the fits have been caused by the patient having some recent trauma to the brain, but we're unsure exactly what, in addition to that we've determined that the treatment that Doctor Richter performed on his eyes was ill advised, and should never have been started so soon after the trauma to the brain."

"Richter has confirmed to us that he did no preliminary tests before operating on this human, a major oversight in the circumstances," Raul spoke with arrogance, as he walked around Harper's bed. "His brain simply was not prepared for the procedure and is now in conflict with itself over what the treatment has achieved, notably some return of his sight, and it can not always handle the signals," he added, obviously trying to lose Dani with his explanation.

"So you messing with his head, brainwashing him, that isn't a problem either, it won't add to his problems?" Dani asked, with a sarcastic tone evident.

"We're trying to help him," Carvenello stated.

"I have been speaking with Doctor Richter at great length," Raul spoke up again. "The only option we have is to complete the work that he started on restoring his sight in the next day or so, to return balance and help ease the pressure his brain is obviously under, or things will never settle down," he stressed. "With the work we are doing to help the human, we're hoping the two combined treatments will end the fits and make his life better."

Dani tried to keep up, but their words had moved above her understanding now, and she could only nod her head to agree, unable to object. "I see," she offered. "He'll be ok though?" she asked. "I mean you are just brainwashing him right, to forget himself so that he stays, right?"

"It's going to be standard procedure soon enough for all those who come into Yussuf's employ, we needed the first subject, and Yussuf volunteered your friend, as your gift Seamus Harper was the best candidate for the first test," Raul explained with a hidden smile, that seemed to taunt Dani.

"What was the procedure before?" Dani found herself asking.

"We shouldn't discuss our predecessors work," Tuplin was quick to dismiss. "Now we have finished our work here, we should be going, we have work to do," he smiled. "We need to prepare for the next phase of this kludge's treatment," he said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

"His name is Seamus Harper," Dani corrected the doctor quickly.

"As you wish," Tuplin sneered, and Dani didn't respond.

Simply watching, as the three men then left the guest quarters, Dani moved to Harper's side. She stood and observed him for a moment before reaching out and brushing the side of his face as he slept now.

"I wish I could remember what we shared before, because I feel something but I fear its sadness, not joy," Dani spoke sadly, then moved away to allow him to sleep.


"Beka, we need to talk," Dylan spoke up as Beka powered down the Maru, which was now docked at the Zetac drift.

"You're not seeing the files," Beka stressed, as she unbuckled herself from the pilot seat restraints, and stood up.

"I would prefer to know the full situation," Dylan objected.

"My mission Dylan," Beka reminded him, as she brushed past him to walk towards the airlock.

"It was your mission that got Harper into trouble with Yussuf in the first place," Dylan returned sharply, losing patience with Beka's stubbornness in sharing information.

Beka stopped and turned to face Dylan. "You're blaming me?"

"No, Beka, I'm making a point," Dylan stood his ground, as he approached. "Maybe this time you won't go headfirst into your plan without first considering, and discussing it with your fellow officers."

"You're talking crap, just so I will show you those files, no way, Dylan," Beka brushed aside his comments. "Harper trusted me with those files, he only gave me permission to view them, and I'm going to respect his wishes on this."

"We don't even know if he's still alive," Dylan argued.

"Why are you here?" Beka then asked. "Why are you following me chasing a supposed dead guy that you don't even care about?"

Dylan took a deep breath and looked upwards, showing annoyance. "I spent nine months, Beka, nine months looking for you, Rommie and Harper on Seefra, so tell me again about that not caring statement."

"Because you needed us, Dylan, that's why you looked not because you cared," Beka snapped. "You know I'm sick of being treated like I'm an idiot, sure I have some memory loss, but I was knocked unconscious, probably more than once in that one week you were off gallivanting in some universe I've never heard of," she stressed. "And I have the dents in my skull to prove it!" she seethed angrily. "But I know I was not imagining Harper on board this ship, with Doctor Richter switching sides to join Gerentex, knocking me out with god knows what, whilst they were trying to make him talk, pulling his teeth and," Beka was soon interrupted.

"Pull up, Beka, Gerentex was on board, and the Doctor switched sides, why didn't you mention this earlier?" Dylan asked pointedly.

"I thought I had," Beka checked, suddenly unsure.

"You told us Doctor Richter was on board, but nothing about Gerentex," Dylan stated.

"They have Harper," Beka stressed with panic now lacing her words. "They knocked me out, probably rendezvoused with another ship, they must have docked the Maru somehow and that's how they got away, then stolen my supplies and all my power, and then left me adrift, whilst they took Harper, probably claiming the bounty," she spoke in barely a whisper now, the shock of her own conclusion causing her panic to rise rapidly.

"Which means we should not go head first into knocking on Gerentex's door," Dylan pointed out. "We could be endangering Harper's life."

Beka looked sharply up at Dylan, her eyes watering. "Now do you believe me?"

"You're giving me more reason to, just by talking to me," Dylan made his point.

Beka took a deep breath. "Let's form a plan, we need to nail Gerentex."

Dylan offered an arm of support around Beka as he walked her through to where Trance and Rhade were keeping a respectful distance, and they began planning their next move.

TBC