Part 6
Most of the terminals were beyond repair, but Harper persisted in taking them all apart to see if there were any salvageable parts. It had taken him the best part of two days to get to this point, and he knew it could be weeks before he could begin reconstruction. It was quiet without Doyle around, and he missed her calming presence. She always made sure that he ate and slept, but now he just collapsed or snacked and he knew his health was beginning to suffer, as he felt the growing congestion in his lungs.
"Harper," Marika's voice announced her arrival. "I have been working on a couple of things but I can't get any power in this, can you look at it?"
Harper immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to her, taking the device from her and looking at it.
"Sure, looks simple enough," Harper stated as he retrieve his tools, and began to poke around before soldering a couple of points. "So what are you working on?" he then enquired, the unit he held was a power source, which surprised him a little but he didn't show it.
"I found a terminal that was almost in tact," Marika simply answered.
"Want me to look at that too?" Harper offered.
"No, its ok I can handle it, you should concentrate on what you can get from this pile of junk," Marika looked around the devastation.
Harper smirked at her remark. "Marika, this is not a pile of junk, this," he gestured wildly. "Is the beginnings of your new dawn."
"Harper, save me the inspiration sermon," Marika returned unimpressed.
Smirking again, Harper shrugged. "I can do stuff with this junk, you'll see," he assured her.
"I don't doubt that for a minute," Marika smiled back.
"Look, I was thinking," Harper ventured, looking a little awkward now as he tried to appear casual. "It's only the two of us here now, we've both been busy and it gets a little lonely, you know," he hesitated but continued when Marika simply listened. "Would you, if you're not busy, would you like to have dinner tonight, with me? That is if you're not busy," Harper finally finished, and his words sounded nothing like how he had imagined or prepared them to sound.
Marika just stared at him, before she finally responded. "Ok, sure," she shrugged and partly smiled.
"Great!" Harper enthused with a beaming smile. "Say at eight?"
"Sure," Marika agreed, and then turned whilst taking in the junk around her and left the room.
"Great," Harper repeated and then took a deep breath once she had left, looking relieved and excited at the same time.
Doyle looked around, and took in her surroundings. Beka Valentine looked on, curious as to Doyle's thoughts.
"So this is the Eureka Maru?" Doyle observed. "I feel I know this place already."
"Harper talked about it a lot?" Beka seemed heartened by this.
"No, not really," Doyle stated. "I can't explain but it just feels familiar."
"He must have mentioned it a bit, it was a major part of his life before he ended up in Seefra," Beka returned, a little put out.
"He seemed to avoid talking about his past," Doyle answered, still distracted by the ship and taking in its every detail. They were in the serving area and Beka was growing a little concerned by Doyle's words.
"Tell me what he did say," Beka asked.
Doyle finally focused on Beka, as she took a seat opposite Beka at the counter. "He said he was originally from a hell hole of a planet he called Earth, and that he was rescued by yourself, had a few adventures, found himself on the Andromeda and to cut a long story short, ended up in Seefra alone again."
"That sounds like how Harper would tell it," Beka had to smile.
"I never pushed, I saw how much it hurt him when he was unable to help his friend," Doyle admitted.
"Rommie?" Beka checked.
"I know your feelings about that," Doyle stated. "I don't wish to revisit them."
"My feelings have changed," Beka frowned. "I was wrong to judge Harper, I was just coming from a bad place myself and I took my anger about my own situation out on Harper, I really need to make it up to him."
"Seriously?" Doyle checked. "You no longer believe he's just a petty thief and murderer?"
Beka grimaced. "I really said that didn't I?" she cringed.
Doyle found a smile and nodded her head. "He actually agreed with you, if it makes you feel any better."
"He said that?" Beka asked.
"I told him I saw you, and he defended you," Doyle remembered.
"Harper is his own worst enemy sometimes," Beka sighed. "It's why he's now convinced that Marika is the one, I imagine."
"She'll hurt him, of that I have no doubt," Doyle warned.
"We'll help him, I promise you that," Beka said with conviction. "I swear one more person hurts him and they'll have me to answer to."
"I feel the same way," Doyle agreed. "It drives me crazy to think anyone would want to hurt him."
"But they always do, and I'm always powerless to stop them," Beka frowned. "I don't know why I care so much, but he's like family to me, my soul mate."
"The same," Doyle rapidly agreed. "I never would have believed a few days ago that I would be agreeing with you, or considering that we may be more alike than we realise."
"So why doesn't Harper realise a good thing when he has it, in me and you?" Beka asked with a friendly smile.
"Because we can only give him friendship and loyalty, when he's looking for more," Doyle considered.
"If that 'more' is pain, I really don't want to know," Beka frowned.
"Love, pain, it's all the same really," Doyle remarked.
"Now you're sounding like him," Beka grinned. "But if we're destined to protect Harper from himself, then I accept the job," she decided.
"Harper needs us, and in a strange way we need Harper," Doyle agreed.
"Do I get to kill Marika?" Beka beamed, finding something to like in Doyle as she nodded her head in agreement. "For Harper," Beka declared defiantly.
Harper looked down at his plate, and saw the food that was cold and only picked at. Opposite he saw the untouched plate, lit by a solitary candle that was nearly burned out. It was nearly eleven and he was all alone, staring at a half eaten plate of cold food.
He felt numb, as he rested his elbows on the table and covered his face with his hands. Rubbing away the threat of emotions, Harper crossed his arms as he leant on the table.
"So, babe, so glad you couldn't come and humiliate me to my face, you're really too kind," Harper now mocked talking to himself, as he took his fourth glass of beer and downed it swiftly. "I just ask for a little compassion, a little leeway and you can't even give me that after I've given you all I have," he slurred.
Harper brought his hand to his face, holding his head. "It's not my fault," he stressed, with his emotions threatening and then abruptly got to his feet with sudden anger. "It's not my fault!" he yelled to the empty room. The silence now hit him, only hearing his breathing as the room fell into darkness, the candle all burnt out with nothing left.
"I love you, Marika," Harper offered and a small laugh escaped. "Love, it's crazy," Harper continued to rant. "Why do I love you?" Harper asked himself and grabbed at his shirt, pulling it off and moving to a half broken mirror so he could look at his back. The red burn marks were slowly fading but still prominent enough for him to see them in low lighting. "Do I love you because you did this to me?"
Staring at his reflection, straining to see his back, Harper appeared to have a revelation. He took a deep breath, and shakily arranged his shirt to put it back on again. "I don't love her," he offered and this time his smile was genuine not mocking. "I don't, what was I thinking?" he chastised himself as he quickly moved to the exit, heading towards her offices where he knew she would be.
His mind was frantic with the realisation that the feelings he'd had for Marika were not real. Seeing his back and the damage she had done, had triggered this response and he was not going to let her get away with messing with his head. On reaching her office and seeing the light was on, he stormed in.
"Just a freaking meal, Marika, not the Earth, I wasn't asking for that much and you know what? You're not worth it!" Harper yelled with fury. "You couldn't even be bothered to make the smallest effort for me after everything I have done for you!"
"Harper?" Marika turned to him with confusion, and then she seemed to remember. "Oh, Harper, the meal," she spoke.
"Don't give me that bullshit that you forgot, you enjoy doing this to me don't you? But save me this crap, if you didn't want to join me you should have said, not play your stupid games because I've had enough!" He raged.
"Harper I lost track of time, and have you been drinking?" Marika asked.
"Have I been drinking?" Harper questioned with mocking tones. "Gee let me think, maybe during the three hours I was waiting for you, I might have had a drink, who knows, the time passed so quickly I lost track to!" he yelled, unable to contain his anger.
"Harper," Marika's voice carried a warning tone. "You need to calm down."
"Don't tell me what to do, don't ever tell me what to do, you don't own me, it's over, you hear me?" Harper stressed only slightly quieter.
"Over? What's over?" Marika asked.
"This, everything, I don't need your crap, or your fascination with torture," Harper stressed. "You think I enjoy this?" Harper demanded and in an act of show he removed his shirt to show her the damage she had done.
Marika used the opportunity, whilst Harper had his back to her to close the distance between them and before Harper could stop her, she touched the skin on his back and he flinched.
"You might not like it, Harper, but I do," Marika responded completely dismissing his rage with her tone, and Harper closed his eyes to her touch. "Your back is like a work of art to me, and you know how much I like it."
"You're sick, you know?" Harper stated, trying to keep control.
"Only in a twisted way," Marika turned him around to face her, and he was immediately caught by her smile, both in attraction and the slight fear it sent through him.
"No," Harper pulled away and quickly tried to arrange his shirt but she closed the gap again. "Please, just leave me the hell alone!" Harper demanded but was now flustered as he tried to put his shirt back on but Marika was too close, and her hands came around him touching the damaged skin on his back and trapping him in her hold. "Get away from me," Harper requested again.
"So you can be mad some place else, what's wrong with being mad to my face?" Marika asked, with a hint of amusement.
"I don't know what I do to attract the psycho's like you but not this time," Harper stressed, and attempted to back away.
"Stay," Marika ordered and as Harper was about to protest she leaned forward and kissed him. The shock slowly wavered and Harper caught up with the developments enough to begin to respond until his senses kicked in and he forced them both apart.
"What was that?" Harper asked, a little breathless.
"Isn't that what you wanted?"
"This is new; you've never kissed me before or shown any desire to, what sick game are you playing now?" Harper asked, but he was still numb from Marika's show of affection.
"No game," Marika offered, and she moved closer still giving Harper all the signs that she wanted him and before he could question her further she was kissing him again. "Is this what you want, or would you prefer to have your moment and storm out cursing my very existence?" Marika asked between gentle kisses.
"Oh, what the hell," Harper dismissed and eagerly returned the passion.
Beka checked the readings and then turned to Doyle who was stood at the rear of the cockpit reading the console. She observed the concentration, and still found it hard to believe that Doyle was still new to the whole concept of tech and space travel.
"So you sure you're a rookie in space, you seem pretty much at home to me," Beka calmly spoke.
"I don't believe I've travelled in the stars before," Doyle answered. "But it does feel familiar, and just lately my dreams have been consumed with images of what I think is a spaceship, and I'm calling for Dylan."
"Dylan?" Beka found a smile. "You're dreaming of Dylan?"
"Not like that," Doyle was quick to assure her. "I'm not sure what the images represent."
"Maybe it's just your subconscious playing games with you, meeting new people does that," Beka suggested. "Things have certainly changed for you lately."
"Yeah, though for the first time since I lost my memories, I feel closer to the truth, I do believe I will start remembering things soon, I just sense it," Doyle stated.
"Good, that's a good thing," Beka declared. "But I hope it doesn't change things, I enjoy having you around, in some ways I feel like I've known you a lot longer than just a week or so," Beka admitted.
"Thank you, that's good to hear," Doyle offered. "The scans I am picking up suggest the tech police are still active around Marika's base, it suggests that they are fully aware that Marika is in fact still alive."
"They do seem to be building up to something, a lot of troops are gathering, this doesn't bode well," Beka frowned. "Tell me, Doyle, how did you escape the attentions of the Tech police, you must have somehow got past them?"
"I just ran, I guess they didn't see me," Doyle remembered. "And hitched a ride to Seefra One, I did consider taking The Romdoll," she added.
"The Romdoll?" Beka questioned.
"Harper's ship, he never really let her go," Doyle partly smiled. "But I didn't want to take what could be his only means of escape, if he ever needed it."
"Always thinking of Harper's best interests," Beka smiled fondly. "You know the two of us could be certifiable because of that man, right?" she joked, as Doyle studied the fresh readouts she was receiving.
"It looks as though they are going to storm the base again," Doyle concluded. "The pattern of their location points looks like they are preparing for that."
"Times like these I wish the Andromeda was fully powered again," Beka sighed. "We can't do anything here but watch, and personally, I don't want to do that, let's head for the Andromeda and see what supplies we can take, there might be a few hundred nova bombs or something that we could throw at them," she mocked.
"The Andromeda?" Doyle questioned.
"Yeah, big ship, Dylan is captain?" Beka prompted.
"I never thought I'd actually visit, Harper always told me it would be bad for me, and I always imagined that if I ever did he'd be by my side," Doyle returned.
"Harper has issues, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind you being on the Andromeda if its to help him, and it is, those tech police are on his case and we have to try and help him any way we can, hopefully we wont be too late, and hopefully they are more concerned with Marika," Beka sighed.
TBC