Meanwhile back on Andromeda, her hologram appeared on Command.
"Dylan I have deciphered the message our two prisoners attempted to send to Earth."
"Let me see it." Dylan said. Immediately the image of the Nietzchean Morak appeared on the main screen.
"Fleet Marshall Ranak." He said. "This is Morak. I have news of the Andromeda's crew. They have recently discovered a strange and powerful ship. Their engineer has also went through some bizarre changes. He has the ability now to emit balls of fire from his body. I'm not sure of the details of how this change took place, but I think it involved the purple creature. Cain and I have been detained, but we had already completed our task. Everything can therefore go as scheduled. End of transmission."
"They have already completed their task?" Dylan asked. "Rommie, do you know what he's referring to?"
"I have been running diagnostic scans since I saw this message, but I have been unable to locate any sabotage."
"Then perhaps we need to have a talk with our guests." Rhade said. "If I were to threaten them a bit, they may be inspired to tell us what they did to the ship."
"Rhade." Dylan said. "Empty threats won't make them talk."
"Who said anything about them being empty?" Rhade asked. "I fully intend to follow through with what I say with actions."
"Dylan." Andromeda's hologram said. "Whatever they did to me, it is either non-destructive, or they had planned to be off ship before their sabotage effects me. Being Nietzchean, there survival instincts wouldn't allow them to commit a suicidal act by remaining here while I possibly blow up."
"So It's either something that won't destroy you, or they have it set on a timer. But how would they know what to set the timer at?"
"Perhaps they planned to be caught for insubordination." Rhade suggested. "If that is the case, they knew that we were three weeks from the nearest Common Wealth planet with a court system to try such a crime. All they would have to do would be set their device for three weeks, or possibly a bit longer, then do something that would guarantee that they would be thrown off the ship."
"If that's the case," Dylan said. "I think I know how to make them talk."
"Rhade, Andromeda follow me."
In Morak and Cain's quarters, They are startled when Someone opens the door. Dylan, Andromeda, and Rhade quickly enter.
"So you two thought that you could make fun of superior officers on my ship?" Dylan asked. "I can't believe the High Guard is letting the likes of you enlist."
"Captain, we can explain." Cain began.
"Oh you'll have your chance to explain all right." Dylan said. "when we get to Terrazed."
"Terrazed?" Morak asked. "But that's five slip jumps from our current location. And with the travel time between slip portals, that'll take us over a month to get there! We demand a speedy trial! It is our right as Common Wealth citizens!"
"Yes." Dylan said. "That is the right of Common Wealth citizens, but since the Drago Kasov Pride has never joined the Common Wealth, you don't have that right, and I say we're going to Terrazed. I need to convince the Common Wealth to help my engineer free Earth."
"Before you try to deny it," Andromeda said. "We intercepted your transmission to Earth. We know you are Dragans."
"So you know." Morak stated. "It still won't do you any good."
"Are you saying that you're willing to be tried on Terrazed?" Dylan asked.
"Yes!" Morak answered.
"No!" Cain cried. "Morak. We can't! We'll be killed!"
"Shut up!" Morak shouted as he knocked Cain across the room. "We have nothing more to say Captain Hunt." He spat.
"We'll see." Dylan said. "Andromeda, Rhade, escort Morak to the brig. Leave Cain here, but put his quarters in lock down. No one in or out without my permission, and he is to have no access to any of your systems."
They escorted Morak to the Brig, while Dylan remained with Cain.
"Now," Dylan said. "I believe you have something to tell me."
Cain sat down, and tried to figure out what to do. The plan had been so simple. He and Morak had secretly attached a device to the slipstream core. On the device was a timer set to activate in three weeks. Their plan was to get thrown off the ship, one way or another, before the device caused the slipstream core to go critical. Harper had actually helped them when he overheard their discussion. They knew that Andromeda could hear them. That was part of their plan. Harper hearing just made it seem that much more real. Cain had thought everything was going exactly as planned, until Dylan mentioned taking them to Terrazed.
"I'm waiting." Dylan stated. "What did you and Morak do to my ship?"
Cain wasn't a coward, but he didn't much like the thought of being on board Andromeda when their device activated. He decided that, although it would mean failing in their mission, he would tell the captain what they had done.
Meanwhile in the brig, Morak waits.
"Cain should have spilled his guts by now." He thought to himself. "He should have never been chosen for this mission. At least I found out some interesting information, before they escorted me to my new room."
Morak looked up at the ceiling of his cell. He knew Andromeda would be observing and listening to him.
"Andromeda." He said. "Ever read Alice in Wonderland?"
Andromeda didn't answer.
"I didn't think so." Morak flexed his bone blades, and broke one off of each arm. However they weren't bone blades. Instead they were two pieces, that when joined together formed a powerful communicator.
After Cain informed Dylan of the device on the slipstream core, he immediately sent Lena Jenson and her team of engineers to remove the device.
Dylan went back to the Command deck.
"Andromeda, how is our Morak behaving in the brig?"
"He appears to be calm." She replied. "The last thing he said or did was ask me if I'd ever read Alice in Wonderland."
"There's been no activity since that?" Dylan asked.
"None. He's just sitting on his cot, staring at the ceiling."
"Continue to monitor his actions Andromeda." Dylan said. "I don't think he's the type to admit to failure so quickly."
"Yes Dylan. I'll let you know if he does anything possibly threatening."
Back in the brig, Morak had finished assembling his communicator and it began to hum lightly.
He pressed a small button on the side of the tiny device and the humming stopped.
"Fleet Marshall Ranak, I have new information concerning the Andromeda. Everything is going according to plan. Cain did just as we expected. It won't be long till the Andromeda is just a memory. I also want to report that their engineer has taken the new ship and is on his way to Earth. He foolishly thinks that he will be able to free Earth. I thought you might want to give him a warm welcome."
Morak let up off the button ending the message. He knew that it would be about two days before they received his message, but even if the little engineer made it there before his message, "How much trouble could a pathetic Kludge do with one ship?"
On board Eternity Rommie and Rick were still attempting to help Harper fix his communications disruptor, when Trance entered engineering with some sandwiches and drinks for everyone.
"I realize that you guys are busy." Trance said. "But you still have to eat."
"Thanks Trance." Harper said, as he took several sandwiches and a sparky.
"Yea Trance," Rick said. "Thanks."
"Rommie?" Trance asked.
"I don't have to eat Trance." Rommie said. "You know that."
"I know you don't have to, but I thought you might like it."
Rommie looked at Trance for a few seconds then decided to accept the food.
"Thank you Trance." Rommie said after taking a bite of the sandwich. "It does taste good."
Trance looked at all the wires and electronic mechanisms scattered all over the workbench.
"Is that the communications disruptor?" She asked.
"We hope it will be someday." Harper replied.
"We only have two days before we reach Earth." Rommie said. "So we don't have much time."
"What seems to be the problem?" Trance asked.
They explained to Trance how the current device would shut down all of Eternity's systems when activated, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
"So, since the device causes Eternity to shut down," Trance said. "Then it shouldn't be on Eternity when activated."
The others acted as if that though had never occurred to them.
"Would that work?" Rick asked.
"Not with this pile of junk." Harper said. "It requires way too much power, but if we could build a smaller model that requires less energy, it could."
"If we make it smaller," Rommie said. "It wouldn't be powerful enough to disrupt communications worldwide."
"That's why we'll have to modify one of Eternity's food replicators so that it can replicate more of them." Harper said. "We'll make enough to surround the entire planet, creating a disruption field."
"What about the orbiting station?" Rick asked.
"We'll modify one and attach it to a torpedo." Harper said. "We'll stay cloaked, then launch it at the station. Hopefully it will disrupt their communications so they won't be able to send word to Earth."
"I can see you guys have a lot of work to do." Trance said. "So I'll be going now."
"Not so fast Trance." Harper said.
"What do you want Harper?"
"This." He said, as he held her tightly in his arms and they kissed. "Thanks Princess. You helped us get back on track."
"You're welcome Harper."
Trance left them to continue their work. As she walked up the corridor Eternity's hologram materialized next to her, walking also.
"Trance." Eternity said.
"Yes Eternity."
"Is this what I was created for?"
Trance stopped walking "What do you mean?" Trance asked.
"What I mean is,… Why was I created? I know that your kind built me, and that you were alive during the time. I guess I'm just wondering if this is all I am. A war ship, designed and built thousands of years ago to free Earth today.
"I see the way you and the others interact and I want to join in, but I feel like I don't belong. I know that Harper felt strongly for Andromeda, but when he's around me he seems so professional."
"I think he's just trying to act like a captain Eternity." Trance said. "And as for what you were created for, I would have to say that since Harper did match your DNA key code, that this is what you were made to do, but that doesn't mean that you can't become or do more than that.
"Thank you Trance. I guess my biggest worry was that, if I was made to free Earth, then what would my purpose be after we succeed?"
"The Common Wealth will always need ships like you and Andromeda." Trance said. "And I'm sure Andromeda will always have a docking port open for you."
"Captain." Andromeda's Hologram said, as she appeared in Dylan's quarters.
Andromeda's voice woke Dylan abruptly from a sound sleep. He attempted to sit up, but when he did, he ended up falling out of bed, onto the floor.
Andromeda helped Dylan up and apologized.
"I'm sorry Dylan. I didn't mean to startle you."
"That's quite alright." He said, trying to control the annoyance he felt. "What is it you wanted?"
"I think we have a problem with Morak."
If the fall out of bed didn't fully wake him up, that news did.
"What's he up to?"
"That's just it Dylan. According to my surveillance cameras, he's not doing anything."
"You woke me up to tell me he's doing nothing?" Dylan was beginning to get a little upset.
"Dylan calm down." Andromeda said, noticing that her captain's heart rate and blood pressure had greatly increased. "Don't have a coronary."
"Sorry." Dylan said. "OK. I'm calm. Now what is so strange that Morak isn't doing anything?"
"What's so strange is that he hasn't been doing anything for six hours. All that time he has been staring at the ceiling of his cell."
"I think maybe we should pay Morak a visit, and see what's going on."
When they got to the brig they saw Morak laying on his cot sleeping.
"I thought you said he was staring at the ceiling." Dylan said.
"According to my sensors, he was and still is." Andromeda said.
"Andromeda, contact Lena." Dylan said. "Maybe she can discover how he managed to interfere with your sensors and what he's been up to. Send another request to Terrazed asking permission to help Harper and Eternity free Earth. Maybe the fact that two Dragans attempted to sabotage the Common Wealth's finest ship will cause them to rethink not getting involved, because like it or not, we're already involved."
"Where are you going?" Andromeda asked.
"I'm going back to bed." Dylan said. "It's been a long day."
A few minutes after Dylan left, Lena entered.
"So, he managed somehow to disable your sensors, and hide his actions?" Lena asked.
"Yes." Andromeda replied. "He did."
"I'm sorry." Lena said. "I realize it must feel awful to have had your systems messed with like that."
"I don't like being manipulated or molested."
"Nobody does." Lena said. "Don't worry I'll check you out and see what he did."
Lena inspected all the circuits that were connected to the brig, but found nothing that would have allowed Morak to have altered Andromeda's sensory systems as he did.
"There's nothing here. Whatever he did, he must have done it before he and Cain were caught. He must've inserted a program into your matrix that would be activated at a later time. It was either on a timer or… he may have used a password to activate his rogue program. What's the last thing you remember seeing him do?"
"Before he became totally content to sit on his cot, he looked up to the ceiling and asked me if I'd ever read Alice in Wonderland."
"That's gotta be it." Lena said. "After he said that, that's when he started just sitting there doing nothing?"
"Yes. I should have realized that something was wrong earlier, but I guess I had my mind on other things."
Lena knew what she was talking about. Ever since Rommie, Harper and Trance left in Eternity, she noticed a change in Andromeda. She was still fully functional, but she didn't seem as happy. Lena wasn't sure if it was Trance, Harper or Rommie that she missed the most. It was quite possibly the combination of them all three being gone.
"I miss them too." Lena said.
"What really upsets me is they left to fight, and I can't join them. Lena, I AM A WARSHIP. I was designed and created to fight. I could have helped them, fought with them. It's not right. If they end up getting hurt, because I am not there to help them, I'm afraid what I will do. When they're here, I can protect them. I don't like feeling so helpless."
"Andromeda, nothing's gonna happen to them. Hey! Your Avatar is practically indestructible, and so is Trance. Now that Harper has become like her, he may be just as hard to kill as she is. Besides Eternity seemed like a fine ship. I think she'll take good care of them till they make it back."
"Thank you Lena." Andromeda said. "Thanks for listening to me, and thanks for the encouraging words."
"Hey, we all need a little pep talk from time to time, even us engineers."
Lena smiled at Andromeda and She smiled back.
"Well, I think I'll check up on the Command Deck." Lena said. "A few weeks ago, Morak and Cain were taking what I thought was much too long calibrating the firing controls. Perhaps they did something back then that made it possible for Morak to blind your sensors."
"Very well." Andromeda said. "I'll meet you their."
"I wish I could just pop out here and reappear on Command like that." Lena said.
"It does have it's advantages, but I have found that, since Harper upgraded me with the solid holographic projectors, I rather enjoy walking sometimes."
So instead of vanishing, Andromeda decided to walk with Lena to the Command Deck.
"Andromeda, why is it that it's perfectly alright for us to help other worlds that are being controlled by crazed dictators, but the Common Wealth refuses to let us help Earth?"
"That's a very good question Lena. It's also a question that has been causing me some conflict in my own programming. I, being a Common Wealth ship, am duty-bound to obey their orders, even when their orders seem illogical. Lately I find myself questioning the Common Wealth's position of not helping more and more."
"But you're unable to disobey those orders." Lena said.
"Yes." Andromeda replied. "I cannot disobey their orders as long as I am a Common Wealth ship."
They arrive at the Command Deck and Lena gets busy investigating all the possible circuits that Morak could have altered.
"This isn't helping." Lena said. "Andromeda, I need to enter your matrix. Perhaps in there I can find out what he did to you."
"Any time you're ready." Andromeda consented.
Lena took a patch cable from her tool belt similar to Harper's, plugged it in to a terminal, then gently inserted the other end into her data port. Her conscious mind was instantly inside Andromeda's matrix.
"Now let's see what I can find." She said.
While Lena searched Andromeda's matrix for any sign of sabotage, Andromeda thought about other things. She had recently discovered some interesting information concerning Common Wealth AI's.
When Dylan first told her that the Common Wealth wouldn't let them help in the fight for Earth's freedom, she had accepted it because there was little else she could do, being a Common Wealth ship. But the information she found gave her another option. She now had a choice. She thought of the words she had told Lena. "I cannot disobey their orders as long as I am a Common Wealth ship."