Part 25
They had walked for nearly half an hour before finally they reached an abandoned cave on the outskirts of the town. Nat stopped and Sembler moved to her side, as she gestured to the opening. "They are in there," she simply motioned.
"Why?" Dylan asked.
Sembler seemed to be struggling for an answer knowing he had let himself down, and could only shrug before finally responding. "They, those who were tech police, they found out about my desire to help Harper, to give him my bar and," he paused. "It all happened so quickly, I thought I'd be stronger but I was given like five minutes and I couldn't do it, I couldn't fight them."
"The tech police?" Beka checked.
"Yeah," Nat answered for Sembler. "Look, we didn't want to be involved in this mess, but after we held the celebrations for the destruction of the tech police in Sembler's bar things got serious," she explained. "We pointed them in Lucas's direction, we knew he was connected to Dylan, and we hoped it would deflect from us but then Harper goes and makes friends with his sister, and then brings her to our bar," she stressed.
"He signed his own troubles by coming to the bar, if he'd of just stayed out of sight we might have got away with it," Sembler stated.
Nat moved forward. "From what I can tell the tech police were following Lucas to see if he contacted you," Nat gestured to Dylan. "Turns out he visits his sister and moments later Harper is seen leaving with her to go to the Oasis, the tech guys lean on Lucas and we're contacted seconds before Harper arrives and ordered to give Harper the bar and then meet at the house."
"But Harper didn't take the bar immediately, he gave it to Doyle to look after," Beka remembered what she had been told.
"We were in the back rooms of the house when Harper showed up at the door with Kalika, we saw through the window how they felt for each other," Sembler sighed and looked troubled. "We were then summoned to take the women and children and hide them till further notice, we never got further notice, it was only today that we figured that maybe things had happened and I find my bars been flattened."
"So Kalika and the others are in there?" Rhade stated.
"Safe and well, we looked after them best we could, let us take you," Nat offered and the group ventured into the cave.
"What was that?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Trance answered.
"I can't get it out of my head," Harper looked blankly ahead, still restrained and unable to move. "So quiet, and yet so noisy," he stressed and then clenched his eyes shut. "I want to think of something else but I can't!" he tried to fight the restraints in a bid to cause a distraction but it was failing to work, and the pain was not longer registering.
Trance looked to one side, satisfied with her work on Harper, but now hearing voices returning. She got to her feet and before she reached the door Beka was there, having run through the ship to check on Harper.
"Is he awake?"
"I'm sorry, the illness has taken hold," Trance offered, and Beka saw the twisted features of her friend lying on the cot, as he fought the restraints.
"Oh no," Beka moved forward and Trance moved back as a stranger appeared, one she didn't recognise.
"How has this happened? The illness shouldn't have returned with such force, just the rash should have returned."
"Help him, Kalika, please," Beka asked with desperation.
"This makes no sense," Kalika fussed and looked at Trance. "How long has he been like this?"
"About twenty minutes or so," Trance offered.
"Trance, can you go and check on Lucas's children, they are traumatised by their ordeal and need a friend," Beka then requested, and left Trance little option but to comply.
"Of course," Trance left them alone.
"Could she have done this to him?" Beka asked in a whisper to Kalika.
"I thought Trance was trusted?" Kalika showed her confusion.
"Trance is, but that's not Trance, Harper has more or less confirmed our fears but we had to leave him alone with her to find you, and we fear what she's capable of if she suspects that we suspect her," Beka stressed.
Kalika returned her attentions to Harper. "He doesn't need to be restrained, we should free him."
"We can't," Beka stopped her with a heavy heart. "We have to play along with that Trance, for now."
"He's injured," Kalika gestured to his shoulder and the purple bruise across his chest. "This is a recent injury," she lightly brushed Harper's chest.
Beka closed her eyes, and composed her feelings. "It will only be for a short while," she stressed. "I hate this as much as you trust me, but I don't want her to do anything more drastic and I think she's more than capable, so just tell me why he isn't responding to us?"
"Harper?" Kalika spoke softly. "Seamus."
Harper stirred and then groaned, but when Beka repeated his name he tensed and fought the restraints once again.
"Seamus, stop, it's safe now we're here, you won't be left alone again," Beka insisted. "We found Kalika, please, respond to us."
Harper continued to struggle, seemingly lost to some torment they couldn't understand.
"The illness was still inside him, but it had been greatly weakened, all he should have suffered with the rash coming back was some mild absent mindedness, not this," Kalika insisted with concern. "This feels different, something else is causing this."
"Can you help him?" Beka asked. "Again?" she added with hope.
"I have the oil, I never let it out of my sight," Kalika retrieved the bottle from her pocket, and rapidly began to apply it to the affected areas on Harper's arm, shoulder and neck. "He's been through the wars since I last seen him," Kalika noted the cuts and bruises that covered Harper.
"He's had a tough few days," Beka supported. "But so have you, must have been awful to be separated like you were, and held hostage."
"I missed him like crazy, and I feared the worse when no one came for us," Kalika admitted heavily.
"Are you two?" Beka ventured.
"No, no," Kalika was quick to dismiss. "At least, not really, maybe, had we not been separated I think things were progressing," Kalika smiled fondly, as she finished up with the oil. "Hopefully that is enough to put the rash into retreat again."
Harper quietly moaned, and then blinked his eyes. "No, no, not again," Harper gasped at unseen images in his mind.
"Harper, it's me Beka, come on, look at me," Beka ordered but Harper rolled his eyes and fell unconscious once again.
"I hope we find your Trance soon, I want to be able to help Harper and being on this ship, like this, is not helping him," Kalika warned, and Beka knew she was speaking some truth, hating how the Maru had recently become a nightmare in its own right for Harper.
The Andromeda felt cold and huge to how Beka remembered it as she walked along the eerily quiet corridors, the ship still was not up to full power. Feeling a little lost, Beka knew she had to stay focused, knowing Dylan and Rhade were on their own mission to find their missing crew mate and she hoped they would find the genuine Trance, so they could finally get rid of whoever was in Trance's place.
"Beka."
Beka jumped as the impostor Trance appeared at the junction just ahead of her. Trying not to show any fear or uncertainly, Beka smiled. "Hey Trance."
"Where have Dylan and Rhade gone?" Trance asked.
"We received a distress call via the Maru's systems, they are responding," Beka offered a pre-planned strategy to keep Trance off the scent.
"Is now a good time for Dylan to play heroics, we're running out of time," Trance offered.
"Dylan is well aware of the risks," Beka simply answered as Trance walked beside her.
"Can we trust Kalika with Harper?" Trance then asked. "She's not qualified."
"She's more than qualified in dealing with the illness," Beka returned. "More so than us."
"They are an item," Trance then offered.
"What?" Beka looked at Trance.
"Harper and Kalika, they are involved," Trance spoke without emotion and Beka grew a little concerned by Trance's interest in this development.
"Kalika didn't give me that impression," Beka answered cautiously, still intrigued by Trance mentioning it.
"She knows your own feelings for Harper," Trance gave Beka a side ways glance.
"What?" Beka questioned. "I love Harper, but not like that." Trance just frowned, but didn't speak. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just pointing out why Kalika may have chosen to remain quiet about their relationship," Trance offered innocently.
"It doesn't matter to me, so long as Harper is happy," Beka stated.
"Kalika is not from our world, and she has family here, Harper has nothing to go back to," Trance idly spoke.
"Harper won't stay in Seefra," Beka returned.
"If he had a reason to," Trance offered. "He chose to stay with Marika when given the choice," she added knowingly.
"Just stop, ok, we don't know so just," Beka paused. "Harper has plenty to return back to, and we can always accommodate Kalika's family on board, they will have very little here if they stay, we can offer them so much more."
"Harper grew up in hell but he never stopped loving that rock he was born on, could never let it go," Trance shrugged.
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me, but trust me, whatever it is it isn't going to happen," Beka stated.
"Good reason for them to keep their affair secret from you," Trance idly remarked. "I would hate for Harper to carry any regrets, suffer more pain or loss than he has done already in his life," she offered without explanation, and before Beka could respond she headed away towards command.
Beka stopped walking, knowing Trance was pushing her buttons but also concerned that maybe there was some truth in her words, maybe a warning, but it made no sense. Shaking her head, to clear her thoughts, Beka proceeded towards Harper's quarters hoping to pass off whatever Trance's game was in that moment.
Harper groaned but took some comfort from the cold water that Kalika brushed across his forehead, and then his face and neck. Since she had started to treat him again, Harper's temperature had been unusually high and continued to rise, but Kalika could find no reason for it.
"Seamus, can you hear me?" Kalika asked, as she soaked the top of his head that was already drenched in sweat.
"Mmmm," Harper murmured sounding in some discomfort from the heat he was feeling around him. "Hot," he gasped.
"I know, your temperature is high," Kalika acknowledged and then reached for the cold glass of water. Reaching for Harper's head she assisted him to drink some of the water. It pained her to see Harper was still being restrained, knowing he didn't have to be and it was simply for Trance's benefit. Kalika felt helpless, it was as if they were making Harper some strange sacrifice in a dangerous game and she wanted nothing more than to release him, and hold him.
Taking the glass of water away, she put it back on the table and felt the heat that radiating from Harper's body, as she lightly touched his forehead. "I don't know what's wrong, Seamus, you don't appear to have a fever."
"Trance," Harper gasped, as he fruitlessly struggled against his restraints, as if checking they were still keeping him there.
"Trance?" Kalika picked up. "What did she do?"
Whatever had been tormenting Harper for the past couple of days returned, as he appeared distracted and troubled, clenching his eyes shut. "I don't know what I'm seeing," he murmured with distress.
"Talk to me, Seamus," Kalika moved closer, edging onto the side of the cot so she was practically lying beside him, moving her head closer to his to listen.
"Trance," Harper managed again.
"What did she do?" Kalika was intrigued and concerned but Harper didn't say any more, almost as if he couldn't. With sadness, Kalika looked with care at Harper, so close but he seemed so far away again. She brushed the side of his face, still feeling how flush his skin was with his raised body temperature. "I will help you," Kalika whispered, and then lightly kissed Harper.
The unseen figure stepped back and out of the room, Beka took a deep breath having walked in on Kalika seemingly snuggled up alongside Harper, and then seeing the affectionate kiss. Composing herself, and trying to forget what Trance had said, Beka moved forward and returned to the room to find Kalika still lying beside Harper.
"Not disturbing anything am I?" Beka innocently asked.
"No," Kalika made no attempt to move from Harper's side, and looking quite comfortable. "His temperature is unusually high, but there's no illness or fever to justify it."
"How high?" Beka asked with concern.
"Twenty points higher than is considered normal for a being of his type," Kalika frowned. "Almost dangerously high, but just off of it so he's not at risk, it's as if it's been purposely raised to be high but not cause harm."
"What are you suggesting?"
"When I mentioned it to Harper, he returned with 'Trance," Kalika lowered her voice, aware that Trance could appear.
"Why would she do this?"
"To keep him ill, to keep him strapped pointlessly to this bed, we have to make a stand sooner rather than later," Kalika stressed.
"I get the feeling that Trance was goading me just now, maybe its time we did change our tactics, throw her games a little," Beka considered, and then moved to the foot of Harper's cot and began to loosen the restraints. "Are you sure he's ok?"
"Other than the high temperature, he doesn't have the illness that he had before, just the rash and that is responding to treatment," Kalika offered.
"Then on your advice, we let him return to work," Beka suggested.
Kalika needed no further cue to untie Harper's hands and rapidly released them, encouraging Harper to sit up as he became more aware of his freedom. "Hot," he wearily spoke, as his head rolled.
"Harper," Beka got his attention. "Go take a cold shower, freshen up and then meet me in Machine Shop nine, two lovely ladies are awaiting your attention," Beka stated.
"Rommie and Doyle?" Harper was quickly alert. "Am I well again?"
"We need you, Harper, and I think those two will be a nice re-introduction to your old job," Beka smiled.
Harper slowly nodded his head, as his focus returned and he responded to the sudden urgency of being called upon. Kalika helped him to his feet, and Beka watched as she took care to escort Harper towards the wash rooms, and the lack of complaint from Harper as she continued to assist him once the doors were closed. With a frown, and some uncertainty, Beka left them to it and decided to check on Trance to ensure she wasn't causing more trouble.
TBC