See Prologue for Disclaimer and Ratings.

Well, I was going to wait a bit before posting this, but the monotony of studying for my Ancient City exam is getting to me, which I guess is a bonus for you (or not - that must wait to be determined). So here you go, let me know what you think. Any and all mistakes are mine alone.

PART ONE - Blame Game, Round One

"Sorry boss," Harper could be heard over Andromeda's communications net, his voice lacking its definitive bubbly tone, "We've got nothing, just like we…" he trailed off, realizing what he was about to say. "We've got nothing."

Dylan hung his head and sighed. "Very well, Mr. Harper. We'll meet you two in the Sokorvo system in two days."

Rommie was standing on the bridge of the Maru, behind Harper. "Yes, Captain." The screen abruptly went blank, then switched to show the Andromeda's AI persona.

Dylan turned to Beka at the Andromeda's flight console. "Beka, set in a course. Trance," he turned to the golden alien, "Bring up that map again, let's see if we can--"

"Why bother?"

Dylan and Trance both whipped their heads up to look at the first officer. "What was that?" The captain demanded.

Beka looked up from her display, frustration emanating from her form. "Why bother?" she repeated. "It's been over a month, Dylan. A month. The chances of him being alive are slim enough, what makes you think we're actually gonna be able to find him, huh?"

Captain Hunt took a breath, trying to control his temper. His first officer had been very difficult lately. "We have to have faith, Beka. Would you want us to give up if your roles were reversed?"

She shook her head and scoffed. "Whatever." Shifting her gaze to the main screen, where the AI had been watching from, she commanded, "Andromeda, engage autopilot."

"Autopilot engaged."

With that, First Officer Valentine pushed away form her station and stomped off toward the exit.

"Beka." No answer. "Beka!" Dylan's only response was her back as she left Command. "Perfect," he muttered.

"Dylan, do you want me to--"

"No, Trance," he sighed, "I'll go. Stay here and keep and eye on things."

And so Trance Gemini was left alone on the bridge to contemplate this latest problem.

-o-

He found her on Obs deck, staring off in to space - literally. As he walked further into the room, he waited for her to acknowledge his presence. When no such acknowledgement came, he finally said, in a calm voice, "What the hell was that back there?"

Beka didn't even bother to look at him. "I only said what no one else was willing to say. The truth."

"So that's it? We just give up on him? 'Sorry Telemachus, but your search is becoming too much of a nuisance for Captain Valentine?'"

Beka spun around so she was seated facing him - what he had anticipated. "Don't go pinning this on me."

He stared at her hardened expression for a few moments before saying anything. Then, "What's wrong, Beka?"

She didn't answer him. Instead, she stood up and began to pace. It didn't matter, he was fairly certain he knew the cause. "It's guilt, isn't it?"

Her slight hesitation, mid-stride, was all the answer he needed.

"Oh it is, alright," he muttered, more to himself. To her, he said, "Beka, I don't know what it is you feel guilty about, but you can stop right now." She just stared at him and kept moving. He tried a different tactic. "Okay, so maybe you two never hit it off on the right foot, maybe you always disagreed, but I know you were starting to work out your differences."

He walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to stop in her tracks. "But it's not your fault, it's no one's fault. Rhade was…Rhade is a grown man, responsible for his own choices. And he chose to go off by himself, against the warnings of the Vyshiian. Not you."

"You're wrong." It had been said barely above a whisper.

"What?"

She looked up at him. "You're wrong," she repeated, more forcefully this time. Beka twisted free of his grip and walked back to where she had been when he first found her, her back facing him.

"Rhade was angry," she began, crossing her arms and fixing her gaze on the stars, "That's why he walked off by himself. Because I pissed him off."

Dylan slowly walked up to her, stopping just a few feet behind. "How?"

Sighing in defeat, she explained. "Before he left, I said some things about…well, let's just say I said some things. He got pissed and took off, and I didn't try to stop him." She turned around to face her friend. "Even though I knew what the Ambassador warned us about, I just let him go."

He took a good look at her when she fell silent. She looked tired. No wonder, if she had been blaming herself for her crewmate's disappearance over the last month and a half. "Beka, I repeat: it's not your fault."

She stared at the ground. "There's something else, isn't there?" he prodded. "It has something to do with what you said to him." It wasn't a question.

When the hell did I become an open book? she wondered, a little bitterly. Her expression hardened. "Like I said, he was really angry."

"Oh," he drew out, understanding. "You're afraid you won't be able to apologize."

She gave him an exasperated look that said, stop reading my thoughts. He sighed. "I saw the way you two were acting before he went missing, you were getting along."

"For the benefit of the crew," she tossed out.

"You were becoming friends," he asserted. "We all care, Beka, including you. But you can't give up."

She was silent for several long seconds. When she finally spoke, nothing was given away, except for her fatigue. "I'll go along with what you want, Dylan. But I don't think we'll find him."

With that she walked off, leaving Dylan alone on Obs deck. He shook his head and turned his attention to the stars, his voice no more than a whisper. "That's a start."

To Be Continued...