TITLE: A Past to Outdo

CHAPTER TWENTY Turn Around

"I see the end and it glistens like a star. I am not afraid."

Lucina Thain II

CY 435

Beka was still reeling from the shock of Lane's statement.

"He walked into my bar that night six years ago. Stuck out like a broken bone," Lane continued. It sounded like she had been dying to tell someone for years. Beka still fought Lane's grip but she was getting weaker and weaker.

"He looked rich, so I offered him some of my specialty brand but he threw it back at me, ruined it!" Her eyes grew more and more crazed. "I demanded he pay, but the stupid freak wouldn't, so me and my boys decided to teach him a lesson. I poured what was left of the supply into a bottle of whisky and forced it down his throat." Lane had a chilling glint of pleasure in her eyes as she remembered the incident. "He managed to survive the initial shock and stumbled outside. That's when Seamus chose to mug him. That guy has seriously bad timing."

Beka was now just fighting for a single breath, but she couldn't take one. The panic flooded through her as she struggled. Her vision began to blur, but she could still see Lane's hatred-filled eyes, taking pleasure in Beka's pain while she relayed her story.

"There was no evidence," she laughed. "There was no way anyone could pin it on me. How ironic that it was the wallet Seamus gave me that put me in the frame. And he didn't even know! He thought he killed him, and he framed ME."

The rage inside Beka surged through her body, giving her strength that seemed inhuman. Harper had been through years of torment because of something he wasn't even responsible for. Beka screamed and thrust Lane off her. She was sent hurtling backwards, and crashed against the wall. "It's not called being framed if you actually did it," Beka hissed, getting her breath back. "And by the way, Harper and I have internal coms, which I opened when you started your little story." Now it was Beka's turned to have the evil glint in her eye. "You just confessed."

Harper ran faster than he ever imagined he would have to. The rain weighed his clothes down and made his steps hard work, but he still ran. He heard everything over the com, and so did the Calliopian authorities. They too were on their way to Lane's ship, and attempting to stop her from escaping once again. But Harper wasn't worried about that. He had to get to Beka, and fast. Now Lane knew there was nothing to lose, she would stop at nothing to kill Beka, and anyone else who got in her way.

Lane screamed in anger and drew her dagger from her belt. She threw it at Beka, and it sliced into her thigh. Beka shouted in pain, and dropped to her knees. Lane ran into the next room and closed the door behind her.

Beka pulled the knife from her leg. Thankfully the adrenaline raging through her body helped her suppress the pain - for the time being, anyway. She got to her feet and opened the door to the next room, with her new weapon in hand.

The room appeared empty at first, and the only sound that filled it was Beka's exasperated breaths. She took two cautious steps forward, failing to see Lane waiting behind the door. In a matter of seconds the tables were turned once again. Lane grabbed Beka's arm and she felt something puncture it. An armband.

"Don't go anywhere, will you?" Lane whispered in her ear, before once again swinging the pipe over the back of her head. Beka couldn't fight the darkness, and surrendered to the shadows.

Harper reached the ship, seemingly just in time. But something wasn't right. Surely Lane would have left the surface as soon as Beka told her that she had just confessed? Why was she still there? Harper saw the open door and knew. She was waiting for him.

"Beka...are you okay?" he called into the dark He was still out of breath from running so far. There was no answer.

He warily stepped up the walkway and through the doors into the ship. It was strangely quiet, and every one of his senses was on edge. Then the doors slid shut behind him, and the ship roared into action. The engines started up and it broke free from the docking clamps. Lane was running, and now she had two hostages.

Harper almost lost his balance, but grabbed a wall to steady himself. He didn't want to walk further into the depths of the ship, but knew he had to find Beka. She must have been hurt. The ship left the surface of Calliope. Harper reached the first set of doors and got ready for anything - but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Beka was lying still on the floor, blood trickling from her head, thigh and arm. She had heavy bruising around her throat. For a moment Harper couldn't move. What if she was dead?

A slight twitch of her hand defeated Harper's fear, and he rushed over to her. "Beka!"

She groaned, and slowly opened her eyes. Harper laughed, teary-eyed. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," she replied. "We still where I think we are?"

"'fraid so, boss."

"Guess we better go kill that psycho then."

Harper smiled. "Guess so."

Harper helped the blonde goddess to sit up, and brushed her blood-matted hair from her face. It was only then Harper realised Beka was wearing the armband. That was going to complicate things, since Lane had the key and probably didn't plan on handing it over.

A voice boomed over the com system, but it wasn't Lane's. "Lane Farrow, surrender yourself or we will be forced to destroy your ship."

Harper looked out of the port window and saw a heavily armed Calliopian ship. It was probably one of many.

Lane's voice was the next to echo through the ship. "You heard the man, Seamus. They're gonna destroy this ship, no matter how many hostages I have. If I'm going to back to hell, I'm taking you with me."

End of chapter twenty

Next chapter: Fire and Flames