Disclaimer: see chapters 2 and 5, I think

A/N: Sorry about the wait, I was originally doing this as one chapter, but decided to make it to for kicks, but the next chapter will come soon, hopefully. Please read and review, hope you enjoy.

Chapter 5: Meeting Old Friends

Four months passed with little excitement or activity, or at least that was how it was for Beka. Dylan kept her on a short leash tied to the Andromeda to keep her out of danger, or at least that was how he rationalized it. For her, it was a prison that she was willing to do just about anything to escape. She hadn't done any real adrenaline pumping piloting, and it was driving her crazy. Dylan was worried that it would be too much stress. It may have kept her stress level down, but her desire to fly was killing her inside.

On the positive side, her morning sickness was over and although she was six-ish months pregnant she didn't look it. Trance said it was due to "her constant need to work out to relieve stress". Her muscles were so tight that they only gave but a tiny bit to the stress of the growing child within her. It was merely a small comfort in her constant struggle with excepting herself.

Part of the crew was sitting on command doing various activities. Harper was tweaking one of the many problems the Andromeda had acquired from their last encounter with the Drago-Kazov, Rhade was looking over the Magog's movements, and Beka was sitting on the pilots platform reading a book.

"We need to get more information," Dylan mumbled to no one in particular as he entered command, flexi in hand.

"Well I have a burn mark in the shape of a dog from where Beka shocked me the other day when 'helping' me fix the slip drive," Harper commented, looking up from his work.

"I didn't mean to," Beka defended, closing the book and standing, with some effort.

"What were you doing by the slip drive?" Rhade asked, worried.

"Bungee jumping," she replied sarcastically. "What do you think, helping Harper, since I can't do much else."

"Well, none of that is what I was talking about, but Beka I would stay away from the slip drive," he suggested. She rolled her eyes at their constant over worrying. "A small team needs to go to Ramada drift and meet an informant there at the "Broken Hammer" bar," he explained.

"Who's going?" Beka asked, hoping she might be included.

"Not sure yet," Dylan said.

"I'll go," Rhade suggested.

"Please let me go," Beka pleaded. She would do just about anything to get off the Andromeda, even go on a mission with over protective cop number one, Rhade.

"No," Rhade answered firmly.

"Sure," Dylan agreed at the same time.

"Really?" Beka asked, not believing Dylan actually said yes.

"Why not, you've been there before, you know your way around. Let you get some energy out of your system before I restrict your activity completely," he said with a smirk.

"We'll talk about the last comment later, but thanks Dylan," she said, leaving command before he could change his mind.

Rhade and Harper's mouths sat ajar at his answer. "You are going to let her go?" Rhade asked.

"I mean come on boss, I know she can take care of herself, and she is seriously restless, but are you sure?" Harper asked.

"She needs some time off this ship before she goes crazy and drives us all mad, and this is the last chance before things get real bad and she gets too far along. Plus, the person you're meeting's with someone she hasn't seen in a few years, and should see. Besides, she'll have you, Rhade," Dylan said with a pat on his back, "you can keep her safe."

"Goodie," he said, knowing that keeping Beka out of trouble would be a job all in itself.

Beka had been to Ramada many times before with her father and brother, but this time she wasn't with them and before she wasn't pregnant. Although in her head she was scared, she refused to let it show, not wanting to be forced to stay. She needed the time away from the ship. Away from the stares and constant bugging. Rhade joined her in the cockpit of the Maru to find her in the pilot's seat.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you," she answered.

"I mean in the pilot's seat," he responded.

"Piloting."

"Can you even reach the controls?"

"I am not that big, and don't start, my ship, I pilot," she said.

"Just don't throw-up coming out of slip stream," he commented.

"Let it go," she said, an edge in her voice. "It happened once."

"Yeah, 'cause Dylan wouldn't let you pilot again," he mumbled.

She spun in the chair giving him a look that could kill. He put his hands up in submission and she relinquished her stare, turning back around. Facing forward once more, she touched her stomach as the child gave her a good kick. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered.

"I don't think you going is a good idea Beka, what if you get hurt?"

"I won't, I'll be fine, she just kicked that's all," Beka protested.

"She?" Beka merely gave him a look that pleaded not to go there. She hadn't told them whether she knew, for the more information they got, the more real it became for them and the tighter that collar and leash combo Dylan had on her became. But he knew that Beka had slipped. She was having a girl.

Ramada drift was like most drifts, beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, a hive for the evil of the universe. Most of its residents were thieves, drug dealers/runners/attics, assassins, smugglers, or the crime lords of the crime rings that operated out of Ramada. The two went to the bar "the Broken Hammer" as Dylan had instructed. This had been Beka's father's favorite spot to meet clients, but she had not been back since his death, until now. The bar was just as Beka had remembered it. Small and dirty, not too busy, but with plenty of light, so few shadows decorated the walls. It was a good place to meet since no one who worked there asked questions or wondered what was truly going on.

The two sat at a booth near the back corner of the bar, hoping to be inconspicuous. The waitress came over to take their, water for Beka and a beer for Rhade. "So, have you thought of any names?" he asked, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

"A few," she answered. She was looking around, but not really at anything. He suspected she was avoiding his gaze. She was doing that a lot lately.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"What's it worth to you?" she asked, allowing herself to be a little playful.

"Just the offer that I won't tell anyone what you let slip on the Maru," he taunted. He knew she wanted no one to know the sex of her child, so he hoped that would prod her to talk.

"Alright, since you already know it's a girl, I was thinking about maybe Gabrielle, Saphiá, or Lesley." She paused, looking for a reaction. Getting none, she continued, "but my favorite is Alisa."

"I like that name best as well," he answered.

"That name for what?" a familiar but long since heard male voice asked from just behind and to the right of Beka.

Rhade quickly jumped up from his seat, pinning the man against the wall with his bone blades. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Rhade I think he's our contact," Beka said, getting up from her seat, and coming over to face the man behind the nietzchean's arm.

"Do you know him?"

"He's my brother," she said, touching Rhade's arm to get him to lower it. "Telemachus Rhade meet Rafael Valentine."

"Thanks Rocket," her brother said, rubbing his neck. "Now like I was asking, a good name for what?"

"My child," she stated.

"Wait, what?"

"I'm pregnant, so I was talking about names," she clarified.

"You're what!" he exclaimed. "Rocket are you screwin' with me?"

"No Rafe, I'm pregnant," she said, getting a little irritated at repeating herself.

"Wow, my little sister, having a baby," he said, as they all retook their seats, Rafe sitting next to his sister. "I can't believe it. So who's the father, anyone I know?"

"No," she lied.

"Where is he, I want to meet him. I see no ring, so that means you aren't marrying the guy," Rafe began rambling.

"He's dead, so marriage really isn't an option," she stated.

"Oh Beck, I'm sorry," he said sounding for once in his life truly sincere. As much as they had had their differences, she was still his little sister and he hated to see her hurt.

"I'm fine," she said.

"So how far are you?"

"Seven months," she said.

"Damn you look good for seven months. I was thinking you were just getting a little fat, but having a baby would explain it," he said, turning in his seat to take a good look at his sister.

"Gee, thanks," Beka thanked sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm trying," Rafe said.

"As touching as this family reunion is, I think we should get down to business, so we can get the hell out of here," Rhade said, finally joining the conversation.

"I agree, why are you even here if you're pregnant? This isn't exactly the safest place for a non-pregnant person," Rafe commented.

"I needed time off that ship," she said. "But like Rhade said, let's get down to business."

"So how did you acquire this information?" Rhade asked taking a sip of his beer.

"I was doing as I had for some years, flying around the galaxies, doing odd jobs." Beka snorted at the way he made conning people sound so innocent. "But about a week or two ago I was in the Tatron system, on the outer edge of the new Commonwealth, just assessing the damage from my last run in with the FTA, they're still not too happy with me." Beka rolled her eyes. "But anyway, so I'm there when all of a sudden this busted up little ship comes out of slipstream within about ten light minutes of my ship. He starts hailing me, begging me to help him out. So I asked what he needed."

"Hoping to find a way to screw the guy over?" Beka asked, not believing a word that her brother was saying.

"No Rocket, I wasn't, do you really think that's all I'm about?"

"As a matter of fact Rafe, I do. I love you, you're my big brother, but all my life you have done nothing to prove that you are in no way trust worthy. So excuse me if I'm a little skeptical about your motives," she answered.

Rafe tried to hide the hurt. His sister didn't trust him in the least. "I'm sorry Rocket," he said. "I know I have screwed you over quite a few times, and I'm sorry about it," he apologized.

"Right, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah the last time you were on the Andromeda and almost got it blown up," she argued.

"I tried to save you," he defended.

"Look Rafe, it's who you are, and I can't change that. Just tell us how you got this information?"

"I really didn't con this guy out of it, he asked me to take it. He said he was unable to take it back to the Commonwealth, due to being infested, with what I don't know. At first I told him no, but he begged, and offered me a bit of money, enough to get my ship fixed. So I agreed, asking him where I needed to take it. When he said the Andromeda Ascendant, I didn't believe him, but when I got a better look at his ship, I realized that it was a slipfighter from the new Commonwealth and I agreed, figuring I would get a chance to see you, Valentine. I just prayed you would still be on that ship after almost four years. He sent all this, I didn't read it, figured it wouldn't make any sense to me." He handed four flexis across the table to Rhade. After looking them over, Rhade handed a credit chip over to Rafe, as Dylan had instructed.

Beka shook her head as Rafe got up to leave. "I know you are mad about the past, but I hope I can at least see my niece when she's born," he said.

"As much as I don't trust you, I don't want you to not see her. I love you Rafe, you're my big brother, I can't hate you," she admitted.

"I love you too Rocket," he said. Beka stood and met her brother for a hug.

"Hey, when you come to see her, how 'bout you find my CD's and return 'um to me," she suggested in his ear.

"Well, I'll try," he said with a smirk, Beka didn't have to see to know was there.

"Now go…and take care of yourself," Beka said, releasing her brother.

"You too," he said, turning and leaving.

Beka returned to her seat, looking at Rhade who was still reviewing the flexis. The baby kicked once again, and she winced, touching her stomach. "You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, she just kicked again," she replied, taking a drink of her water. The cool liquid slid down her throat, quenching her momentary thirst and almost calming her abused stomach.

"You will have to inform me further as to why you don't trust your own brother at a later date," Rhade said, obviously curious but not wanting to be in the bar much longer.

"Well what do they say?"

"A lot. For one they confirm that your brother was not lying. The pilot left a recording on the one flexi and stamped it. This stuff is legit," Rhade said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said. "Feel bad for not trusting him?"

"A little," she replied, "but we should go, before something bad happens."

"I agree," he answered, putting the flexis in his back pocket and going to pay for their drinks. Beka got up and began towards the door when shots suddenly rang out.

"Shit," Beka cursed.

"Beka!" Rhade shouted, lunging for her and grabbing her arm. He quickly turned a table on its side and pulled her down behind it with him.

"Any ideas as to how do get out now?" she asked.

"Not really, but I'm working on it," he answered, stress in his voice. Beka peaked over the top of the table, but quickly ducked back down as someone shot at her. "What 'cha see?"

"The main fight seems to be hand to hand. The big problem is, it's concentrated right in front of the door. Also, there are a few guys around the outside with guns, shooting anyone who tries to escape the mob, or is hiding, like us," she explained as a shot hit the table and another whizzed over head.

"So they eliminate sneaking around or trying to wait it out," he checked as more shots were fire in their general direction. "That leaves going straight in and hoping not to get shot on the way."

"Luckily they are bad shots," she said, "so not only will they most likely miss, but once we are in the fight, they won't shoot, for fear of hitting one of their own."

Rhade jumped up to a crouched position, prompting Beka to follow suit as best she could. "Well, its now or never," Rhade said. "Ready?"

"I guess," Beka answered, fear for herself and her unborn child, welling up inside her. He offered her his hand and she took it. He pulled her up and practically dragged her into the fight, where their hands slipped apart as they headed for the door.

Hope you like it and thanks for your support so far.