Part 32
Dylan and Rhade returned to the house, and their tiredness showed in the expressions they both wore. Frustrated and angered, they remained silent as they seated themselves on the stone ground.
"I wondered where you two had got too," Beka then spoke from the shadows, sounding as though she had just woken up, and a candle was soon alight to illuminate the room. "I thought maybe the Gilads had taken you elsewhere."
"Beka," Dylan sat up quickly, and noticed the slumbering figure resting with their head on her lap. "Is that Harper?"
"Who else," Rhade noted, but his attempt at sarcasm turned into a sneer.
"Don't start, Rhade," Beka warned, and her hand gently rested on Harper's shoulder. "We really need to get off this rock, Dylan, things are bad."
"We heard you'd both been taken for training?" Dylan moved forward slowly.
Beka just sighed, and appeared to be trying to find the words she wanted to say. "Yeah, training," she stressed, and it became clear her emotions were rising and Rhade moved to Beka's side. "I'm ok," she attempted to convince them, but didn't protest when Rhade offered her his shoulder to rest on, whilst she gathered her thoughts with Harper still sleeping beside her.
Dylan waited whilst Beka composed herself some more, and glanced at the sleeping form of Harper. He was resting his head on Beka's lap, and using his arms to support the rest of his upper body, effectively lying on his side with his back leaning forward, and his legs tucked up. He strangely looked comfortable and relaxed, but Dylan soon spotted the inflamed red line across his cheek, not unlike something one would receive from being struck by a stick or worse.
"What did they do to you?" Dylan gravely asked, with his stare still on Harper's face, no other skin exposed due to the clothes Harper was wearing, and the blanket that partially covered him.
"To me?" Beka spoke evenly. "Nothing, no," she sounded bitter now as her words tumbled from her mouth. "They just made me watch as they hurt Harper, and then left me to try and make things better."
"As his carer?" Rhade guessed correctly.
"Yes," Beka simply answered, and looked down at Harper.
"How bad is it?" Dylan ventured unsure of how Beka would respond.
"Surface wounds, plenty," Beka's tone returned to even, but she was finding it hard to speak without emotion. "They made sure they did no lasting damage, they still want him for the Gilads after all."
"What did they do to him?" Dylan persisted, needing to know.
"Chained him to the ceiling," Beka spoke but saw the knowing looks in the two men's faces, only she knew they didn't understand. "By tying a band on material around his stomach and lower back," she revealed bitterly. "Finally lifting him up so he was facing the ceiling, and then was suspended by that support around his lower back, with his arms and legs tightly secured to the ground."
Both men were silent as the description sank in, but Dylan was the first to speak. "How long did they leave him like this?"
Beka took a deep breath before answering. "Ten to twenty minutes at a time," she shrugged.
"Enough so they didn't kill him, any longer and the strain would have been too much on his heart, his circulation would have stopped pumping oxygen to his brain and he'd have seized up," Dylan figured.
"Great, let's send a thank you note to the Gilads for being so considerate," Beka spat, and then saw the flash of hurt across Dylan's face. "Sorry, it's been a long day," she offered quietly.
"You should rest, let us look after Harper," Dylan suggested.
"I don't think I ever want to let go of him, not after what happened," Beka admitted, clearly traumatised by events.
"Beka," Dylan spoke with authority. "You need to rest and you won't do that if you can't let him go, and let us look out for him, we won't let them take him away."
"You can't stop them," Beka returned.
"Beka, have you forgotten who we are?" Dylan smirked, and was pleased when Beka appeared to remember. "We can protect him to, I promise."
Beka seemed to hesitate, until Rhade got to his feet and offered his hand. Beka gently moved Harper's head from her lap and gently rested it back on the blanket beneath him, and waited until he settled into the new position, unawares as he remained in a deep sleep. With Rhade's help, Beka got to her feet and walked with him to the back room, and Rhade stayed with her until she finally settled and closed her eyes without word. Quietly, he moved back to where Dylan remained close to the still sleeping Harper.
"Check that he's ok," Dylan ordered, and Rhade looked at the captain with some confusion. "You're closer," Dylan offered as an explanation.
Rhade shook his head slightly, and then moved next to Harper. Seeing that Harper was in a deep enough sleep to be moved and not woken up, he gently moved Harper onto his back and paused when the human omitting mild groans in protest, but clearly in his sleep. Slowly he unbuttoned Harper's shirt and then on seeing the damage, looked away sharply.
"Bad?" Dylan asked, edging closer to see for himself, and the array of purple, red and black that covering Harper's stomach and chest was enough to make both men look away in disgust.
"We can't let this go," Rhade stated with silent anger, closing Harper's shirt and moving away. "These people have to pay," he stressed seeing Dylan slowly nodding his head to agree, and appearing in deep thought. "Are you ok?" Rhade then asked, catching some strange vibe from the captain.
"Yeah," Dylan was quick to answer, turning back to Rhade. "I just don't know what we can do."
"We can fight," Rhade stated.
"We have no weapons," Dylan reminded the Nietzschean. "And there's a lot more of them, than us."
"Numbers matter not, and you should know that," Rhade returned. "The man who took on the universe with just six people, and won."
"That was different, I had a huge and powerful warship backing me up," Dylan stated with a worried frown.
"This is not an impossible situation," Rhade countered.
"Let me think on this, you're right, but maybe we all need to rest," Dylan suggested and was thankful when Rhade didn't disagree.
"I'll keep watch, for now, and rest later," Rhade stated, as he moved to where Harper was still asleep. "But I can not promise that I will not fight anyone who comes in here for Beka or Harper."
"I won't try to stop you," Dylan confirmed, and settled down to sleep.
The night passed without event and Rhade now slept in the corner of the room, catching up on his rest. Harper was still asleep as Beka attempted to eat one of the ration packs, almost forgetting what food really tasted like, as Dylan observed her.
"We checked Harper's injuries," Dylan softly spoke, and saw the glare that Beka now threw him. "For the first time in a long while, I'm finding myself beginning to doubt if we can do this."
Beka put down her ration pack and just stared at Dylan. "Don't you dare," she simply warned. "Don't give up on us now, Dylan; we need you to stay with us."
Dylan looked down, and a familiar cocky smile returned briefly. "I don't want to, but, I haven't exactly been quick with the plan, the correct plan, have I?"
Beka relaxed her stance and returned to playing with the ration pack in front of her, beginning to miss such simple items such as chairs and tables. "We'll get out of this mess, Dylan, I know we will, we have to," she stressed. "And the girls up there," Beka gestured to the skies, where she knew the Andromeda, with Rommie and Trance aboard would be. "They won't give up on us either."
Dylan nodded his head. "I think this place is slowly getting to all of us," he remarked.
"I have noticed," Beka then spoke, but it sounded out of turn, as Dylan looked at her for a moment. "I know Harper has pre-occupied my thoughts, but that doesn't mean I haven't noticed."
"What?" Dylan asked innocently.
"Your arms, your hands," Beka gestured. "You can hardly move them, can you?"
"I," Dylan began, but the look Beka was giving him now clearly showed she wouldn't buy anything he said. "I didn't want it to affect the mission," he admitted.
"Always the brave little soldier," Beka shook her head. "You know, thinking about it, you and Harper are not all that different, under the surface."
Dylan smirked now, as he looked down. "I can use my hands, it just hurts to do so, and I have no strength in my arms."
"We saw what Kenan did to you," Beka stated.
"I've never known pain like it," Dylan admitted quietly, then glanced at Harper. "How was he, you know, after?"
"Surprisingly upbeat," Beka sighed. "Until his port started playing up again," she frowned and joined Dylan, as they looked over to the sleeping form of Harper. "He's really starting to worry about his port, and these fits."
"With good reason," Dylan offered with a sigh. "I can't help this overwhelming sense of helplessness right now, seeing Harper like that, knowing he needs help with the port, not being fully fit and able, and you," Dylan glanced at Beka. "I know you're finding it tough too, Beka."
"We all are," Beka simply said. "Look at us, we're losing pounds by the day, our moral will soon hit rock bottom, if it hasn't already reached that point and we're just shadows of who we were before we walked through those gates," she frowned. "Yet, you know what?" she questioned.
"What?" Dylan was intrigued by her change in tone, seeing a smile appear.
"Harper was helping me, after he had been tortured and beaten, after all that, he helped me," Beka stressed, and brought her hand to her face, before pushing her hair away and looking up. "Harper is dealing with this better than any of us, and it pains me because I know why."
Dylan slowly nodded his head, and he didn't need any more explanation as he let his head drop and a silence descended between them. Beka got to her feet and stretched, before walking to the open doorway to look outside into the warm sun of Edenia. There was the usual amount of activity and people outside, all looking like all they really needed was a good meal inside of them. Nothing much had changed since they had arrived, and Beka was getting use to that idea. Slowly she turned back into the room and glanced at Harper.
"I should wake him," Beka spoke finally. "I'd rather he wake in his own time, than being forced to should we get any visits," she explained. "I just know he's going to be hurting when he wakes, his muscles will remind him today about what happened yesterday."
"Its probably better he wakes now, as you said, and just in case," Dylan agreed.
Beka took a deep breath before gently shaking Harper's arm, and encouraging him to wake up. After a few attempts, Harper began to stir and almost immediately his face contorted in pain, and he tried to curl up into a ball, and hide his face.
"Harper, come on, wake up," Beka continued to encourage, and she moved him to his back, knowing any position he took up would be painful but she wanted him to be awake.
"I'm awake," Harper offered with a dry throaty voice, with his eyes still tightly shut.
"I have some water, and some rations," Beka enticed him.
Harper eyes snapped open. "What about the green stuff?"
"Harper," Beka wanted to detract him from that substance but he soon cut her off.
"I hurt like hell, and I just need a few gulps, pain relief?" Harper stressed, remaining still as he lay on his back.
Beka watched as Dylan moved to get a bottle, and soon returned. She smiled at the captain, seeing that he had struggled to carry even a bottle of alcohol, but glad that he had at least tried. "You need to sit up, Harper; I'm not having you choke to death, ok?"
With Beka's assistance, Harper managed to painfully sit up and she helped him to lean against the wall. The movement in his stomach muscles caused fresh waves of pain, and Harper needed a few moments to regain his senses. Beka had the bottle ready for him when he regained his composure, and he took the needed gulps, and instantly seemed to perk up. Finally he returned the bottle to Beka, and reached for the water and ration pack.
"So other than immense pain, how are you feeling?" Beka casually asked, trying to mask her genuine concern.
"Better for the drink," Harper offered brightly, his voice now stronger. "Feel as though it was just a herd of elephants that trampled over me now, not a herd of fat head ubers."
"You're lucky Rhade's asleep, with comments like that," Beka teased.
"Like he can make me hurt any more?" Harper returned sarcastically, as he took some bites from the rations, not even tasting them. Harper then seemed to notice Dylan for the first time. "Boss, you ok?"
"Fine, Mr Harper," Dylan returned.
"You don't look too good in the arm department," Harper noted. "Not surprised, I saw what they did to you, dislocation for sure, tendon damage no doubt, it'll be about three weeks before you can feel your arms again, and that's only assuming that they put your arms back in their sockets for you."
"They did, or maybe Rhade did, I forget, it's all a bit hazy," Dylan offered and couldn't help the smile, hearing Harper speak at the speed he was use to. Quickly he realised that Harper was sounding no worse off than before, but his experience in these conditions appeared again, in the form of diagnosing Dylan's condition. A dislocation would be a day or two's inconvenience in his world, but in Harper's, at least his past, with no medical facilities, he would expect it to take longer to heal and right at this moment, it was that experience that was the key.
"Good, glad to hear it," Harper returned. "The ubers, they left them hanging for us to put back, always hated that duty," he stressed, before becoming distracted by finishing the rations. "So, am I still on finding the control centre duty?"
"Harper," Beka jumped in. "You are on getting better duty," she stressed.
"We're not on vacation, Beka," Harper countered. "Tasks still need doing if we're ever going to leave this pit."
"But," Beka began before she realised Harper was right, and she stopped for a moment. "Are you really up to it?"
"I just want to leave this dump," Harper simply answered. "And the sooner we find that centre, the sooner we will, with a touch of the Harper genius of course."
"Harper, I think we found the centre yesterday," Dylan finally spoke up. "Me and Rhade went on the hunt in your absence and found a building that we think meets the general criteria."
"Great!" Harper enthused.
"We're just confused because it was surrounded by Gilads," Dylan continued.
"Gilads?" Harper showed his own confusion.
"It can't be the place then, why would the Gilads be there?" Beka countered.
"It's the best candidate we've found so far, I think it's worth checking out," Dylan insisted. "And seeing as neither Rhade nor I make the grade for the Gilads, we should do it, I don't want you going anywhere near the Gilads if you can help it, Harper."
"For once, no arguments from me," Harper smiled, and made to move to stand up.
"Harper, stay sitting down," Beka complained.
"Muscles ache too much, I need to move about," Harper stressed, showing in brief glimpses the pain he felt as he got to his feet. Absently he held his hands around himself as he moved to the window and looked outside. "Beka, remind me, Zal, good or bad?" Harper then asked.
"Bad," Beka stated flatly.
"He's heading this way," Harper noted and moved away from the window.
Beka and Dylan immediately got to their feet, with Beka moving towards the door to intercept the Edenian. As soon as Zal stepped foot inside the house, Beka grabbed him and pushed him against the wall.
"This is all your fault!" She snapped.
"Hey," Zal only offered before Beka continued.
"What makes you think you're welcome here, that we even want to see you?" Beka stressed with venom. "You got Harper into this mess, and you think we don't know that? We're aliens, not idiots!"
Zal looked over to where Harper was simply watching without comment, his arms crossed and he looked uneasy.
"Give it a rest, Beka," Harper then spoke. "Let him go."
"Harper, Zal is the reason you were suspended from the ceiling yesterday, why you've been beaten up more times than I care to count in the past week," Beka's anger was now reaching critical. "I'm only letting go when he's scrawny ass is heading for the street."
"Beka!" Harper snapped, before Beka could reach the door with Zal in her hold, and she froze, turning back to Harper with surprise and shock, as the room went silent. "Let him go," he stated more calmly.
"Harper, I," Beka began but Harper remained cold in his stare, until she let Zal go.
"Zal, we need to talk," Harper simply said, and walked past Beka making sure Zal followed him out into the street.
"Let them go," Dylan warned, as Beka appeared to be about to follow.
"Am I missing something here?" Beka asked bewildered, looking between the door and Dylan.
"Probably," Dylan agreed. "But I don't think Harper is, and if he wants to talk to Zal, we can't stop him."
Beka took a deep breath, still confused but accepting Dylan's explanation, and not willing to risk upsetting Harper. Finally she moved to the door and looked at Dylan. "I'm not going to interfere, I just want to make sure I'm not blindsided by Buz's men, remember that Zal has tricked Harper more than once; he's Buz's puppet."
"Go, if you need me just yell," Dylan ordered, and Beka nodded her head before leaving, having seen the flash of frustration on Dylan's face as he accepted that with his arms in the state they were, he wouldn't be able to do much even if she did yell for help.
TBC