Author's Note: I'm so happy to get such great reviews. As a special treat, here's chapter 7 early.

Chapter 7

Back on the Andromeda, Dylan was less than happy about the new mission to say the least. Tri-Lorn arrived moments earlier to discus the details and was not at all surprised to find the captain in a dark mood.

"We encountered a Vedran a few years ago," Dylan pointed out. "She said that Tarn-Vedra knew of my attempt to restore the Commonwealth, but it was obvious that the Vedrans chose to remain where they were. If they wanted us to rediscover Tarn-Vedra, than they would have rebuilt the old slipstream route or at the very least contacted us."

"I share your concern, captain," Tri-Lorn admitted, "but unfortunately, I was once again outvoted. If it's any conciliation, we just want you to try. Everyone understands that there's no guarantee that this mission will succeed. Off the record, you have my full support to return to Tarazed at the first sign of trouble."

"Thanks," Dylan replied sarcastically, "but last time we tried this, it didn't go well."

"It's out of my hands, Dylan," the other man spread his arms. "I'm sorry, but the public as well as the other Triumvirs demand that you at least try."

Dylan nodded, still incredibly frustrated, but he understood full well that the situation couldn't be helped. "And the senator of Oedekirk?"

"Ah yes, your first officer's mother," Tri-Lorn thought for a moment. "I must confess I didn't know that Talia had any children."

"Yeah it came as quite a surprise up here to," the captain agreed. "Certainly explains Beka's current behavior."

"Well I'm afraid they're going to have to learn to share the space," the Triumvir replied, "because Talia insisted on accompanying you on this mission."

Telemachus was both amazed and concerned by the way Beka handled the situation. No words passed between them as the left Persephone's home and returned with Tristan back to the Andromeda. Tristan also looked very worried about his mother, but somehow knew not to ask what was wrong. They arrived just in time to see Dylan and Tri-Lorn enter the hanger bay where the Triumvir's cruiser was ready to take him back to the capital world.

"Beka, I wanted to talk to you about..." but she didn't even acknowledge the captain's presence, merely brushed past him and out of the hanger bay.

Rhade on the other hand stopped long enough to salute Tri-Lorn and great Dylan. He was about to follow Tristan, who was running ahead when Dylan grabbed his arm.

"You knew about this," it was not an accusation, simply a statement.

"And what would you have done had you known?" the Nietzschean inquired. "Yes, I knew, for almost two years now, and yet I am still incapable of helping the situation."

"I'm sorry," the captain said honestly. "Why don't you go see how she is and if there's anyway to calm her down. Take your time, but remember that there is a mission briefing in the evening."

"I'll see what I can do," he nodded, "but I don't grantee that either of us will be there. With all due respect, captain, I value Beka's well being at a higher price than this mission." He shot a glare at Tri-Lorn, then made his way out of the hanger bay.

Harper was trying his best to concentrate on his work, but his mind wouldn't listen. He kept thinking about Beka and the bombshell that just dropped on all of their heads. For as long as he'd known her, she loved to talk about her late childhood and teen years. He heard plenty of stories about life on the Maru with her dad and brother, about all sorts of shipment and even some smuggling runs. They were best friend who'd seen each other's best and worst moment. However there were certain topics that Harper knew were off limit. He'd always known better than to ask about her earliest days, but up until a few hours go, Harper never knew who.

The engineer looked up when he heard the sounds of small footsteps in the doorway. Tristan quietly walked into the machine shop and jumped up onto one of the benches, his feet dangling half a foot off the ground. The boy's head was bent low and he was silent. Harper fiddled with a gear for another minute, before he decided it was useless.

"Hey, kid, how was the trip?"

"Fine," Tristan replied courtly.

"The paint on the plane's almost dry," Harper tried again.

"That's nice," the child said absently, then fell quiet again. "Mom's really upset," he whispered.

Harper sighed and walked around his work table to sit down on the bench next to Tristan. "Yeah, I kinda figured she would be."

"Harper, did I do something wrong?" he looked up pleadingly, desperate for an explanation.

"No, shorty," the blond human smiled down at him. "You didn't do anything wrong. You're a good kid, and your mom loves you no matter what else is going on around this loony bin."

Tristan's lips curved slightly, then he frowned. "Then does it have something to do with the lady that came here a few days ago?"

"What makes you think that?" Harper asked, though he knew that Tristan was right.

"Because Mom's been a little upset ever since that lady arrived," he explained, then added slightly defensively. "Just because I'm little, doesn't mean I don't notice stuff like this."

Harper had to laugh at this. "Trust me, kid, most of the time you're more on the ball than most of us adults here. So you don't like this lady?"

"It's not like I ever talked to her," Tristan wrinkled his nose in distaste, "but I don't want to either. She looks really mean, but I still don't really understand why Mom would be so upset. It's not like we didn't have worse around here."

They both knew exactly what he was talking about and there was no need to put it into words. Though both had lived through slavery and Magog worldship attack, there was an unspoken agreement between them to never bring the past into the present.

With his enhanced senses, Rhade could hear the water running at full force. He wasn't fooled, though. Amidst the rushing sound coming from the bathroom, Telemachus could just make out the muffled sound of sobs from the same direction.

With a deep sigh, he leaned his head against the cool metal of the Maru's outer hull. He could understand why Beka was acting the way she was. Though being born and raised on Tarazed kept him safe from stereotypical Nietzschean behavior, Rhade was not immune to the effects of deep inborn pride. He too preferred to handle personal situations by himself. He'd been reluctant to talk to anyone after Kali's death, but Beka had forced him to address his feelings, both regarding the tragedy and what he felt for her. Of course neither Kali nor anyone else from his own family had ever created half as much anguish for him, but Telemachus could see Beka's need to feel as if she was in control of her own life without anyone's help. The problem was that the universe was indifferent to her desires.

Deciding it was best to give her some space, Telemachus waited for the water to stop running and didn't enter the Maru until he heard Beka move from the bathroom to the crew quarters. Even then, he was hesitant to confront her, but he knew he had to. Telemachus made his way through the Maru's halls and finally found Beka in the small medical room. She was rummaging through the supplies and every once in a while would drop a vial or two into the box on the table next to her.

"What are you doing?" he frowned looking around the medical facility.

Author's Note: Wow! Daja Vu of It Makes a Lovely Light anyone? But, I'm sure Beka learned from her mistakes the fist time... didn't she?