Part 21
"So what happened?"
"I'm not sure," Beka answered, looking at Dylan and then to Rhade and Doyle. "Harper told me he's in trouble, but it was bad for me to stay."
"You said Lucas was with him?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah, out the back, he didn't seem too pleased to see me," Beka frowned.
"Do you think Lucas is the threat?" Rhade asked. "Makes sense if Harper's done something to make Kalika throw him out, and you said Harper's been beaten lately."
"His face has seen better days," Beka agreed, and looked at Doyle. "What's Harper doing running that damn bar? He's still sick, and you don't get over that illness overnight."
"Three nights ago Harper turned up with his friend, Kalika I assume," Doyle answered. "Sembler kept to his word, couldn't wait to give Harper the keys and then he left."
"So Harper stayed, and just assumed responsibility for it?" Rhade asked, crossing his arms.
"No, Harper left soon after with Kalika, he didn't seem interested, and left me to lock up," Doyle remembered. "But then at closing I found him outside in the cold, he'd been too afraid to come in thinking I wouldn't want him there, and then he proceeded to tell me to find you guys, and that I shouldn't work for him."
"So he fired you?" Rhade asked, slightly amused.
"Harper wanted you to find us, and work with us, why?" Dylan asked with curiosity.
"Said something about I didn't belong there," Doyle shrugged unsure.
"Meaning you belong somewhere else, and with us," Beka picked up, and glanced at Dylan knowingly.
"Let's focus on what we can do to help Harper, starting with finding out what's going on," Dylan decided.
"Can we afford to waste time on this?" Rhade asked. "Things are getting pretty desperate and we can't hang around."
"We need Harper more now than ever," Dylan stressed.
"Only he can work Andromeda's systems to get that power where we need it, we can't expect Doyle to know it all," Beka stressed.
"I will continued my work on rebuilding Rommie, I believe if I can get her up and running she can help, but I fear she needs Harper, so far I can't get her to function correctly," Doyle conceded.
"Are we sure he wants our help this time?" Rhade checked.
"He begged me not to leave without him, and I don't intend to," Beka stated firmly. "We need Harper to fit the final piece of the jigsaw, it was always going to come down to this, we all have a part to play and now it's Harper's turn so we can return home."
Rhade nodded his head, in agreement finally convinced. "Then let's get this over with sooner rather than later."
"I'm going to go along and try and talk to him some more, I'm guessing he can't talk but maybe he can find a way to tell me what's going on," Dylan announced. "The rest of you, stay close just in case but I'm not leaving that bar until I know what's going on and who I need to fight to make it stop."
"Captain, word of advice," Rhade offered. "Don't let Harper get too close, he might use the same tactic he used on Beka," Rhade mocked, as the captain frowned and headed towards the bar, across the street from where they stood.
Harper looked up and saw Dylan enter the bar, and immediately he felt compelled to move away, knowing Beka must have seen him already. As if reading his mind, Dylan spoke up requesting a moment of his time. He hated looking at Dylan as a stranger, or the enemy, a man he had greatly admired and loyally followed. So much had happened, and he did see a stranger almost in Dylan now but Harper knew what he had to do; he knew what was at stake, and that he was still struggling to get past certain feelings.
"Mr Harper," Dylan offered, more to get his attention, as Harper absently wiped down the bar surface. "The longer things go on like this the harder it will be for you to consider coming back with us."
"Back?" Harper caught himself repeating.
"We're not intending to stay in Seefra, Mr Harper, you must realise this, and I'm betting that the situation with the suns hasn't gone unnoticed."
"What's going to happen?" Harper asked casually, leaning on the counter mildly interested, he had heard rumours around the bar but had chosen to ignore them.
"The system is collapsing, we think in a matter of days Seefra Nine will be destroyed by one of the suns," Dylan revealed. "Then each planet from there on in, until it reaches here," he added, and Harper knew Dylan was waiting for his reaction.
Harper pushed himself back from the counter considering the news. "So all this will just be destroyed?"
"Not if we can help it," Dylan returned. "We might not be able to save all of the planets, but there's a chance we can save this one."
"Stopping suns now?" Harper questioned unconvinced, almost mocking his former captain.
"Do you doubt me?" Dylan challenged and Harper just stared at him.
"Why are you here, to ask for my help?"
"Yes."
"You know my answer."
"I know it, but I don't understand it," Dylan countered. "I've had to work hard to win the trust of my crew back, but no matter what we do you remain here."
"I like it here."
"Liar."
"Are you calling me a liar?" Harper questioned defensively.
"Yes, Mr Harper you are the Commonwealths top engineer, not a bar man!" Dylan returned with force. "Why are you wasting your talents in this place, when we need you on the Andromeda?"
"I was the top engineer, now I'm a barman," Harper remained defiant.
"Is this really what you want? Because a part of me suspects that you just seem to want to see me beg," Dylan stated.
"I don't need this," Harper turned away.
"And I do?" Dylan questioned. "Tell me Mr Harper, do you really want me to turn around now and never come back? Is that what you really want, for none of us to ever bother you again so you can run your little bar?"
Harper stopped but didn't turn back to Dylan. "Get out," Harper simply requested.
"What?"
"I said get out and don't come back, and you can tell your friends not to come here too," Harper stressed with his eyes fixed on Dylan, and he could almost feel eyes of the goons on the back of his neck as he spoke, knowing they were watching and he knew they wouldn't be happy.
"Harper," Lucas hastily appeared beside Dylan. "We can't be telling customers to leave, remember that little talk we had?"
Harper glared at Lucas. "OK, he can stay but he has to quit bugging me if he does," Harper stressed.
"I need you, Harper," Dylan stated, desperately searching the younger man's expression for something, some clue as to his state of mind.
"And I need you to buy a drink, if you haven't notice that's what happens here," Harper stressed. "I have work to do," he then finished and swiftly moved away to collect glasses.
"What happened to Sembler and Nat?" Dylan casually asked Lucas, having not got what he wanted from Harper, other than added confusion.
"Semblers travelling, Nat, I don't know, she never turned up for work," Lucas offered, as he wiped down the bar, his movements were anxious and Dylan believed it was due to him being there.
"You seem nervous, Lucas," Dylan observed.
"Me? No, I'm fine," he returned, without looking up at the high guard captain.
Dylan turned on hearing raised voices and saw Harper being shoved by another patron, to Dylan's surprise Harper didn't react and seemed to just back off. The small group of patrons he was with continued to jostle him, seemingly mocking Harper as he attempted to clear their table and Harper was doing nothing to defend himself, as he continued to try and clear the table.
Getting to his feet Dylan moved towards the group of men, now hearing them insulting the human, and it seemed to be directed at the port as Dylan got closer.
"Freak of nature, we don't want you serving us, get that other guy over here," one of the men ordered Harper, before shoving him back.
"Can I get you some more drinks?" Harper asked in a surprisingly polite manner.
"I said," the patron grabbed hold of Harper's shoulder, making the human wince and drop his note pad. "I don't want to be served by the likes of you, freak."
Harper stared at the man, and then glanced over to see Dylan was approaching, before suddenly shoving the man away. His actions immediately set the other four men to action, as they lunged for Harper and easily sent him crashing to the floor as the bar became a place of chaos. Dylan hurried forward, still seeing Harper on the floor taking hits all over and made a grab for him using the bar fight that had now erupted as a shield to drag him outside. Harper had barely managed to find his feet, as Dylan pulled him through the door, and he rapidly sat down just outside on the sandy ground.
Taking some needed breaths, Harper squinted with the bright sun and tried to ignore the pains from the hits he took, before looking at Dylan.
"Hey boss," Harper offered brightly. "Now we can talk in peace," he stated between heavy breaths.
"Harper, did you really have to start a bar fight to get my attention?" Dylan asked wearily.
"I'm in trouble, boss, big time, I'm glad Beka obviously talked to you," he continued to breath heavily. "I feel like shit, the rash is coming back, forgetting things again, and there's two goons out back who are forcing me and Lucas to work, and," Harper squinted his eyes closed as a rush of pain came over him.
"And what, Harper?" Dylan knelt down and prompted the human to continue.
"They have Kalika," Harper finished.
"Who do?"
"The goons."
"Who are they?" Dylan persisted.
"Disbanded tech police with a grudge," Harper sighed. "Somehow they know I'm with you guys, and they are using me to set you up."
"To what means?"
"They want you, Beka, Rhade and even Doyle dead," Harper spoke and then smirked. "Idiots still haven't heard the news about Doyle, they still think she's human," he continued to smile through the pain. "I have to get back inside, if they suspect I've warned you to stay away and to get out of here I'm a dead man, and so is Kalika, so please, just go," Harper feared.
"You're really afraid of these guys," Dylan realised; he'd seen Harper scared before but this time he seemed desperately scared.
"They have Kalika," Harper only offered with a frown. "And Lucas's wife and children, I didn't even know that freak had his own family," he added distractedly.
"What is their plan, what are they trying to get you to do with regards to us?" Dylan asked.
"They want me to make it that you are all in the bar at the same time, so I figured by playing hard to get, you'd turn up in the bar at the same time to talk sense into me," Harper sighed. "Only I couldn't do it when Beka turned up, I wasn't ready and I realised what was truly at stake, that's why I decided to warn Beka and now you," Harper looked down. "I can't do this to my friends, so now I don't know what's going to happen," he stressed and looked at Dylan for answers.
"How is Lucas involved?" Dylan asked calmly.
"They feel Lucas being there as well will ensure I don't muck things up for them," Harper shrugged and wiped his face with his sleeve, a mixture of sweat, tears and blood. "His sister, his wife and his children's lives are at risk because of me, Dylan, I'm tired of being the reason," he stated desperately. "You have to help me, but I don't know how."
"But all you've done since we got here is try to push us away," Dylan was confused. "I'm not sure where we stand with you, Harper," he honestly responded. "Since you've been in this system you have killed, and worked for the enemy of these people, I need to know that deep down after everything you have done, that inside you is still that man I trust to be on my crew."
Harper appeared shocked by Dylan's statement and bewildered, as he looked around hopelessly. "Three years, Dylan, I was left here for three years with nothing but my wits and," Harper paused to catch his breath, and attempted to get to his feet. "You know, forget it," Harper sniped, as he lost his balance before Dylan helped him the rest of the way up. "Dylan, I don't think I've ever asked for much but please, if you don't want to help me, fine, I'm a big boy, I can deal but don't punish Kalika, or Lucas's family, they need your help because my help isn't good enough," Harper paused before continuing. "And don't do it for me if that makes you feel better but I promise, boss, I'll come back and do whatever needs doing on Andromeda without question if you save them."
"Done," Dylan insisted without question. "Are you sure you can hold out here until we find them?"
"Don't sweat about me or pretend to care, I'd hate to become a burden to you, and besides I only have myself to blame, right?" Harper stated angrily.
"Harper, it's not like that," Dylan assured him. "I just needed to know, and you've told me enough for me to know you're still the Seamus Harper I once knew, before all this," Dylan stated firmly.
Harper relaxed and sighed, before looking awkwardly at Dylan. "Don't worry about me, boss, but if you can find time in your schedule to get my butt out of this nightmare, then I'd appreciate it," Harper added, looking unsure as he waited for the captain's response.
Dylan relaxed slightly. "I'll see what I can do, and for the moment just stay alert, and out of trouble, if not for my sake, then Beka's," Dylan requested with a hint of a smirk.
"Sure, no problem," Harper agreed, and then mock frowned. "I mean you're only leaving me to run a bar I don't want with patrons that are either terrified of me or want to deck me for being everything they were brought up to fear and hate, with two goons who will no doubt use me as a punch back a few more times, so I'll be fine."
Dylan had to smirk, it had been a long time since he'd heard the Harper he remembered talking back at him, and suddenly felt a lot better for all of them, as he watched Harper return to the bar amongst the mayhem that still ensued.
"Needle in a freaking haystack," Rhade complained as he used the Maru sensors to sweep the settlements on Seefra one. "Dylan!" he yelled over his shoulder. "How the hell do we expect to find Kalika and the other when we have no idea where they are?"
"Rhade, quit complaining already," Beka grouched from the pilot's seat. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we're out of this system!"
"If we just forgot about this stupid mission, we could get out of this stupid system a hell of a lot quicker!" Rhade returned with venom, and stepped back when Beka jumped out her seat and confronted the uptight Nietzschean.
"So that's your plan?" Beka demanded. "Forget Harper, and 'somehow' get our butts out of this system?" she questioned mockingly. "Sure, great plan, so next question, how the hell do we do that without Harper?"
"We don't even know if Harper can get us out of this system," Rhade calmly returned.
"We don't know that he can't, but we do know that right now we have a piece missing from the puzzle and our best guess is its Harper shaped, so quit your whining and just keep scanning, or I'll find a way to make you quit altogether," Beka gestured to her pistol, and Rhade returned his focus to the scans.
TBC