Part 28
"It's not true!" Colin stormed, and walked faster through the corridors of the Andromeda with Dylan and Beka in pursuit.
"Colin, stop for a moment," Beka requested calmly.
"No!" Colin stressed, spinning round. "Rico was not the creator of the Resistors; I can not believe that, I refuse to believe it was all a sham!"
"We're not saying he was, but he did infiltrate your own group with his people and it's those people who have now broken away, and taken your name to make their mark," Dylan stated. "And they are fooling everyone into thinking they have freed this system when they are just going to bring this system down in the same way Yussuf did," Dylan further explained with care.
Colin finally stopped walking and took some deep breaths, his hands on his hips. "No one will believe this," he simply said.
"The whole system is having a party due to Yussuf's downfall, they are not ready to know the truth," Beka agreed.
"So what do we do?" Colin asked with frustration. "I feel like a freaking fool, a gullible one at that," he sighed. "How did this happen?"
"Rico saw an opportunity and took it," Dylan stated. "When we freed a number of people from those camps, all with a grudge against Yussuf, Rico found likeminded people who wanted something of Yussuf, only he wanted revenge, when you wanted justice," Dylan explained. "That is why you clashed, and that is why the two parties never completely saw eye to eye and they took the first opportunity they could to break away, once they got what they wanted."
"Information on Seamus Harper, and this ship," Colin sighed. "I've been made a fool of, and I don't like that," he stressed. "We have fought so hard to make our voices heard, to let people know Yussuf's games and now we inadvertently have a new player in town as a result."
"Colin, I know you're rediscovering your Nietzschean tendencies but being sensitive about your own pride being bashed isn't a welcome one just now, we need to rise above what happened and deal with how we're going to make this right again," Beka spoke with compassion.
"And how the hell do we begin to make this right?" Colin demanded.
"We need to defeat Rico and his new Resistors," Dylan simply answered.
"We needed to defeat Yussuf and that was a tough ask, and now we have to simply defeat the ones who have defeated Yussuf?" Colin gestured with disbelief.
"Colin," Beka stepped forward with some caution. "Your father, who is he?"
"What?" Colin spoke, completely taken aback.
"You told me your father worked for Yussuf, when we were in the camp, does he still work for Yussuf?" Beka asked.
"I don't care, he's not my father, that man determined that I remained imprisoned for ten years, he means nothing to me!" Colin responded.
"We have to pull on any resources we could have at our disposal," Dylan spoke up.
"We can not rely on my father, he's been Yussuf's flunky for most of his life," Colin almost spat. "Besides, like all of Yussuf's flunkies he's imprisoned now."
"I plan to try and free Yussuf and his men," Dylan then announced.
"What?" Colin couldn't hide his anger. "You can not do that!"
"We take Yussuf away from Rico and they have nothing, we'll take away their advantage," Dylan responded.
"Yussuf will not appreciate his freedom, he'll abuse it and you'll be the ones who pay, as will this whole system," Colin feared.
"Harper saved Yussuf's life, and even though he was an escaped slave, Yussuf didn't kill him, or even pursue him," Dylan offered. "I believe if we rescue Yussuf, he will listen to us, and give us the means by which to lessen the threat of Rico, who would know Rico better than Yussuf?"
Colin considered the plan, and had to admit that it made some sense, but he still didn't like the idea of rescuing the tyrant. "Why do you want to know my father?"
"Because your father agreed to work for Yussuf because of you," Beka softly spoke. "And I suspect if you ask him to support you in this fight, he will, and hopefully he might convince others too, so how close to Yussuf is he?"
Colin looked uncomfortable as he considered answering the question. "He's Yussuf's head chief, nothing important."
"I'd say that's important, and element of trust must exist when it comes to food," Dylan stated.
"He should have poisoned him," Colin bit back.
"But he didn't, because of you," Beka reminded him.
"Colin, I appreciate your feelings here but we need to do this, you must see that, we need to rescue Yussuf and free his people from the siege," Dylan stated firmly. "We need to show Rico that he does not hold all of the cards."
"How will this help Harper, or stop Rico setting his sights on this ship?" Colin asked with confusion.
"I'm not sure yet," Dylan admitted. "But we have to do something, and we have to show some defiance to Rico, and we have to act soon, we depart in an hour so make sure your men are ready."
"They are ready, but I'm not sure they will be happy in a mission to rescue Yussuf," Colin warned.
"This is no longer about Yussuf, Colin, it's about defeating Rico to ensure this system remains free," Dylan stressed. "Yussuf will now know he's no longer untouchable, and his humiliation has been extreme with pictures of his capture being beamed across the sector, and he will no longer have the control he once had."
Colin simply nodded his head, clearly troubled but willing to go along with Dylan's plans as he turned to leave, and headed towards the hanger bay where his men were gathered.
Harper woke up with a start, and sat up. The first thing he heard was the chains, and then felt his wrists secured tightly by heavy metal cuffs, with no give. With panic Harper suddenly realised he was looking at his wrists, his breathing quickened as he made out the detail, the cuffs around his wrists went from his hands half way up his forearm and connected together to secure his arms and his hands were forced into a prayer position almost. He stared at his own hands, flexed them to be sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing, and then finally accepted that his sight had returned.
He took everything in around him, the thin sheets on his bunk, the detail on the walls, that appeared to be metallic and he could hear the low hum of engines now, he was on a ship. Calming down, Harper eased his breathing as he continued to just look at everything in the room, that could be a cell but there were no bars, just a heavy looking door, and he couldn't believe he could see again, his sight was completely in focus for the first time in months.
He looked down at himself, he was cold and saw that he was missing his shirt still and wearing just a pair of cargos. He got to his feet, a little unsteady at first and he attempted to move a few steps forward, needing to check the door but having only gone a short distance Harper lost his footing and fell to his knees, barely managing to break his fall with his secured hands. Something had snagged his ankle and he checked back to see a metallic rope attached to an ankle cuff that was around his right leg, the other end was secured to the wall. The chain from his wrists also connected to the rope, Harper realised, and fear of being contained gripped him.
Sitting up, Harper tested the rope and it wasn't going to move anytime soon, and it gave him a very small area that he could utilise within the already small room. Panic rose inside him, he had no chance of escape whilst he was trapped like this, and then he considered something else, that had only just occurred to him.
"Where the hell am I?" he wondered out loud, sat on the floor as he looked around, still getting use to the return of his sight.
The pains of hunger then made themselves known to him, as he heard his stomach rumble and his throat felt like sandpaper. The room was too quiet, except for the low rumble of the engine, and gave Harper time to consider his situation, that in turn worked against him as his concern grew.
Suddenly the door opened, and the sounds were enough to make Harper back away quickly towards the wall. Finally the door opened, and the cell was flooded with light as someone walked in, and Harper quickly determined it was a woman.
"You're awake finally," the woman spoke as she approached.
"Who are you?" Harper asked, although she looked familiar, he couldn't remember her name.
"Do you remember who you are yet?" the woman countered.
"That depends," Harper answered.
"On what?"
"Your explanation for these," Harper rattled the chains that connected his wrists to the metallic rope.
"For you own protection, when you got here you were hysterical, we didn't know what else to do," the female explained and Harper immediately doubted her.
"Sure, because I'm a seven foot muscle bound lunatic, I'm sure I was a big threat," Harper sneered.
"OK, maybe I just like seeing you tied up, Seamus," the woman now smiled, and moved closer. "And looking helpless."
"I'm not helpless," Harper snapped.
"But you are tied up," the woman smiled. "Do you remember me yet?" she then asked, as she slowly kneeled in front of Harper.
Harper felt his personal space being invaded, and grew a little unsure by her advances towards him. "No," he admitted.
"Does the name Beka Valentine mean anything to you?" the woman asked.
Harper narrowed his eyes, as his mind did a flip, knowing he remembered that name. "Beka?" he spoke softly.
"You remember me?"
"Kinda," Harper spoke as she moved closer still and put her hands either side of him, flat against the wall, and Harper saw her forearms. "I don't remember you being an uber," he glanced nervously at her bone blades.
"A few seconds ago you didn't remember me at all, so I call that progress," the woman responded, and she lightly brushed his lips before kissing him for a few moments, then pulling away when Harper failed to respond. "What's the matter, don't tell me you're suddenly shy."
"I don't remember any of this," Harper admitted shakily.
The woman stayed close, her nose almost touching his as she barely whispered now. "You had your mind wiped, it will come back to you soon, I have you back now, Seamus," she spoke, and her hand hovered around his face without touching. "You have to help me," she then whispered. "To rescue you I had to go undercover for this madman called Rico, he knows me as Darla, and doesn't know about us," she spoke with urgency. "We will escape, when you are better, when your memory returns," she finished.
"Darla?" Harper repeated.
"It's just a cover, I don't expect you to understand with your memory loss, but you know me as Beka Valentine," she stressed.
"I remember the name," Harper spoke, as he tried to remember, and his frustration began to fester.
The woman leaned forward again, and lightly kissed him, and this time Harper found himself responding, he remembered closeness and a need like this. The touch felt familiar, he had wanted this, and needed this. Suddenly a sharp pain cut through his thoughts as his eyes snapped open, with his breath caught in his throat, the kiss was broken and it took Harper a moment to see the smile on the woman's face as she looked back at him, her finger had stroked his face.
Wanting to scream, Harper had felt as though the side of his face was being cut open, but the pain was quickly forgotten as he was once again being kissed, and the pain soon disappeared.
The cell door opened and light once again flooded the room, as a few more people walked in.
"Darla, get the hell off of him, you might catch something!"
Darla pulled away, winking at Harper to suggest he play along. "Rico, I'm just making sure our guest is comfortable."
"He's our prisoner, there's a difference," Rico stated tiredly, as if not surprised by her actions. "Now go and wash your hands, you have no idea where he's been."
"I do," Darla spoke defiantly.
"He was with that kludge Dani; do I have to tell you again?" Rico demanded.
"You are no fun," Darla complained, and reluctantly left the cell, as ordered.
Rico turned his attention to Harper. "Whatever she told you, its lies, that's the only advice I will give you, kludge."
Harper stared blankly at Rico, being able to see again was having its disadvantages, as Harper remembered clearly the man who had taken his sight away, and he backed against the wall some more, fearing the uber before him.
"Looks as though you can see again," Rico observed Harper's eyes, looking directly at him. "So I'm sure you remember who I am, and what I can do to a worthless kludge like you."
Saying nothing, Harper simply concentrated on breathing normally and trying to remain calm. Nothing was making sense, his memories felt scrambled and he had no idea what was going on, it was as if over a period of time everything he knew had been scrambled, and now he was left with nothing but missing pieces of the jigsaw to try and complete the picture.
"Now, do you remember the Andromeda yet?"
"Andromeda?" Harper repeated with only a flicker of recognition.
"We still have some work to do," Rico noted. "Bring me the equipment, it's time to try and help this poor kludge remember."
Harper frowned, looking at the uber and hearing the words he spoke about helping him, neither made sense, and his confusion grew to concerning levels. He was suddenly hauled to his feet by Rico and thrown onto the cot.
"Sit down, kludge," Rico then demanded, leaving Harper little choice but to comply, as the uber kept his hand on his right shoulder and slowly it grew more uncomfortable, almost as if it were burning his skin and Harper began to grimace.
"What's the matter, kludge?" Rico then smiled, keeping his hand on Harper's shoulder, despite Harper's best efforts to try and squirm the hold away.
"Burning," Harper finally winced when he could take it no more.
"Darla told me this was fun," Rico beamed, and then brought a fisted palm down heavily on the top of Harper's shoulder.
"Aw!" Harper screamed with the impact, feeling as though his shoulder had exploded suddenly and he fell back against the cot trying to desperately regain his composure but the pain engulfed him.
By the time Harper had recovered, the cell was filled with equipment, and despite the pain Harper was forced to sit upright again. Rico fixed a band around his forehead that was connected to the machine directly in front of Harper, who feared shocks again, seeing the wires trailing from the band.
"This won't hurt," Rico assured him. "You're going to see a number of images that will stimulate your mind with the help of a few light electrical pulses that you will hardly feel on a physical level."
"Why?" Harper questioned unsure, and with fear evident in his tone.
"It should break the programming, make you remember the Andromeda," Rico stated.
"Why?" Harper asked now, wondering the significance.
"Because you need to help me capture the ship," Rico announced.
"Why?" Harper asked again, needing to know.
"Because it's what we do, we scavenge, it's what we've always done, Seamus," Rico stated.
"You blinded me," Harper then accused, unable to understand why he would help the man who did that. "Why would I help you?"
"Seamus, don't ever believe that I like you," Rico claimed with some authority. "You have a use, you stick around but that doesn't make you above a bit of discipline on my part, I'm an uber, you're a stupid kludge, enough said."
"I'm your prisoner," Harper remembered his original words.
"You do as I say, it's how it's always been," Rico smiled. "I rescued you from Earth, you are grateful to me, you work for me and right now you have the entire schematics of the Andromeda Ascendant in that head of yours."
"I do?" Harper questioned and Rico leaned forward, roughly tapping his data port causing Harper to flinch.
"You do, and it's about time you started earning your keep again, kludge!" Rico stressed angrily, growing tired of the discussion. "So get watching, and remembering who you are, don't waste any more of my time kludge!"
Harper screamed out again, as Rico's swift touch across the back of his shoulders felt like fire and it took Harper a moment to focus again, unsure why he was so sensitive to touch suddenly. He concentrated on the images now being flashed into his mind, and felt the very light pulses of the band, as slowly he began to remember being a scavenger, even Beka Valentine, and eventually he seemed to recall the Andromeda, among other things that caused him initial confusion, but soon became clear to him.
"I remember," he spoke.
"You remember the Andromeda?" Rico asked.
"I know how to disable it," Harper confirmed, and looked at Rico. "But I don't think I work for you."
Harper suddenly felt himself being pushed back against the cot, his face gripped by Rico as his skin burned with the uber's touch. Rico's hands then moved to his throat, and Harper began to gag, unable to breath.
"You will give me the Andromeda, the sooner you do, the more comfortable you'll feel," Rico warned, and held his hands to Harper's throat a few moments longer knowing the pain he was serving Harper with his touch, as well as blocking the human's windpipe.
Finally Rico moved away, and flicked the machine still connected to Harper to work faster, with more urgency. Unable to avoid the images being flashed into his mind, Harper stopped fighting them and relaxed into a numbed slumber as his mind was filled with images to remind him of who he was.
TBC
