Author's Note: This is the sequal to Invictus and takes place a little less than one and a half years after Invictus. Rhade and Beka are together, but they're not married or anything like that. A lot has happened over the past year or so, so please pay careful attention to the first part of the chapter. All is explained. Enjoy and please review.
A Poison Tree
By: Silver Spider
Chapter 1
"I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow."
---
Tristan Valentine Rhade was a little over six years old when Michael Hunt was born. At first having heard that there was going to be another child on board, he was excited. As much as he enjoyed spending time with his parents or Harper, they were adults and the engineer was quickly running out of stories. Therefore the idea of having another child around pleased him. But when he first saw Michael, Tristan was not impressed.
What use, he reasoned, was there for something that was red and wrinkled, slept most of the day, and couldn't even hold up its head when it was awake? As far as Tristan was concerned, Michael Hunt closer resembled a possible pet rather than a playmate. Beka had laughed at this observation and assured Tristan that he was not alone in his disappointment. Both Beka and Susan, Dylan's wife, had poked fun at the captain, who was a bit concerned about being a new father, still not very comfortable around the newborn. Beka said that Dylan had probably been expecting a full-grown High Guard officer rather than the tiny creature that was so dependant on him.
Still, luckily for the older boy, Michael had his own parents and didn't take up any of Beka or Rhade's time, so Tristan supposed it was okay. Not that he was being selfish, but there was a small element of insecurity involved. He was not yet ready to share his parents and was glad he wouldn't have to. Besides maybe when he was a little older, Michael would do more than sleep, cry, and poop. Tristan was still hopeful.
He remembered that Susan came to the Andromeda soon after the Magog attack and Kali's death. Tristan missed the good natured half Nietzschean woman, but Susan was also nice. She had a very calm and passive personality, and his father once said that it was probably why she and the captain made such a good pair. After all the insanity in his life, Dylan needed someone solid to rely on. They married just four months after their meeting. Telemachus Rhade had been Dylan's best man.
---
"And I water'd it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles."
---
"Mister Harper," Dylan stood in the doorway of the machine shop. "Andromeda's upgrades are long overdue. What's your status?"
"Dead in the water," he replied without bothering to look up from the small project he and Tristan had started for fun. It was a remote controlled model of the ancient earth jet, X-1. Tristan stared at the captain from over the edge of the table.
"I said last week that we needed supplies," Harper said.
"That sounded a lot like an I-told-you-so," Dylan raised an eyebrow.
"From me? Never!" Tristan giggled as Harper turned and winked at him. Dylan was also smiling, but his smile said that he was about to tell the engineer something he didn't want to hear.
"Well luckily for you, we're about to pass Mercutio Drift. All the supplies you'll need."
"Aw, boss, do I have to?" the young man sounded remarkably like Dylan's young son when he was cranky. "You know I'll wander off after the first pretty girl and probably get into trouble. You'll have to pawn the Andromeda to bail me out, and then where would we be? Ask Beka. She loves drifts."
"Beka just received a request for private communication that she hasn't had a chance to take yet," Dylan said. "I'll ask Rhade." He turned and left the machine shop.
"Yeah that's right," Harper called after him. "Rhade. Rhade's much more trustworthy than me." He looked down when he felt Tristan tug on his shirt.
"Do you think Dad will let me go with him?"
"Sure, go ask," he said. "And while you're there, see if you can talk your old man into getting us some red paint for our jet."
Tristan nodded and ran out after Dylan to find Telemachus. He quickly caught up with the captain just as Dylan was about to enter command. As soon as the doors slid far enough apart, he squeezed through and before Dylan could enter or utter a single word, he ran to Rhade's station.
"Dad, captain Hunt wants you to go down to the drift and get supplies. Can I come with you? Please!"
---
"And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,"
---
"Do not let him out of your sight for a single second," Beka briskly walked besides Telemachus on their way to the hanger bay. Tristan was running well ahead of them, happy to have the chance to get off the Andromeda. The only chance he had to be off the ship was during their trips to Tarazed.
"You know I won't," Telemachus smiled at her motherly paranoia. "Besides I suspect that he'll stay close voluntarily. Something tells me Tristan will not like the drift."
"I don't care if he likes it," Beka stopped, hands on her hips. "Bring back my son in one piece, Telemachus Rhade, or I swear on the Maru you'll never have any more kids."
"Ah well since it's the Maru, I'll have to take you seriously," he grinned, "however I'm willing to bet you'll regret that decision later tonight."
The first officer tried to look offended but failed. "Okay I gotta take that message," she said, giving him a quick kiss. "See you boys later."
"Bye, Mom!" Tristan called from the other end of the corridor already half way to the hanger bay.
The adults exchanged a look. "He won't leave my side," the Nietzschean repeated and jogged after Tristan. Beka shook her head and headed in the opposite direction to her quarters, slightly wary of the upcoming communication.
The message had come from the planet Misculon and Aleiss. Beka didn't harbor a great deal of ill will towards the princess but she couldn't say she was really fond of her acquaintance. In truth, any message from Aleiss made her apprehensive at best. The first officer sank into her chair and opened a com channel. Instantly the face of Aleiss appeared on the screen. The princess hadn't changed much in the year and a half since Beka last saw her, but her hair was a little longer and though she didn't look out if shape, her frame had thickened a bit.
"Beka, it's good to see you again," she smiled warmly.
"Likewise," it was just a formality. "How are you?"
"Getting tired of politics," the other woman admitted, "but otherwise happily married and expecting our first baby."
"Congratulations," for once, Beka was genuinely happy for her.
"Thank you. And how has life been treating you, captain Valentine?"
"Well," Beka said slowly. "I avoid politics as all costs. I'm not married but in an... unusually steady relationship. And like you, I also have a child. A son."
"Really? All that in under two years. I hope this one will let me keep some of my figure afterwards," Aleiss patted the slight bulge on her lower abdomen. "You look well for a woman who just had a baby."
Beka didn't bother to correct her. "Somehow I don't think you called me to discus the joys of motherhood."
Aleiss visibly hesitated at that. "Maybe not the joys of it," she chose her words carefully, "but motherhood definitely has something to do with it."
Color drained from Beka's face, and she felt her stomach churn. "I hope we're not thinking about the same person," she said very seriously, "because if we are, this conversation is over."
"Beka, listen, I didn't divulge your presence voluntarily," Aleiss replied calmly. "The story of the events that lead to my father's death spread and your name was mentioned along with Dylan, Rhade, and the Andromeda in general. I'm sorry, but Thalia was asking about you."
"No," Beka shook her head, feeling the uneasy sensation in her stomach increase tenfold. "Not after almost thirty years."
"She said she had some sort of information for the entire crew and would contact the Andromeda with a request to come on board," the princess paused. "Beka, Oedekirk is a thriving republic, one who the New Commonwealth has great need of. I know it won't be easy but do try to maintain diplomatic civility."
Beka scowled and her voice turned cold. "Good-bye, Aleiss." Before the princess could object, Beka severed the communication and sank back in her chair with a sigh. She desperately wished that Telemachus and Tristan were still on board or better yet, that she'd gone with them and never received the message.
---
"And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree."