Chapter 6

Dylan is sitting working at his desk in his room, wearing black pants and a blue shirt. Andromeda is watching him, and sends a hologram of Rommie to talk to him about his first officer.

"Dylan," a hologram of Rommie said, "I think that something may be wrong with Beka. She has not been sleeping lately. And has been acting funny. It just started when she received that letter from the senator, Talia something, so I do not believe that this is over Tyr. I may be overreacting, but I am concerned for her and her health. She has not been eating regularly and has been receiving stomach pains. If she is not remedied soon, she may not only put herself in danger, but as our pilot, the health and safety of myself, and the rest of the crew as well."

Dylan looks up from a flexi and studies Rommie for a minute, and then looks away as he sighs. Beka. Why haven't I noticed this? I wonder if anyone else has. We could all go on a vacation, no. I don't have time; there is too much pressure in the commonwealth. I could give just her a vacation. But she's likely to get into trouble. Likely, what am I talking about, of course she'll get into trouble, she's Beka Valentine, trouble stalks her.

"Alright Rommie, have everyone meet me in command. I have a lot of work to do, so I'll lock myself in my room and get it done. Meanwhile, Rhade can have control of the ship. Beka will go on a vacation whether she likes it or not, I'll give Harper some project to do. Not only will it help to defeat the magog, but it will keep him busy as well. Trance can do whatever it is that Trance usually does." Hmm, what does Trance do? "And you can run a full systems check to make sure everything is in order. That should fill us up for what, a few days?"

"Yes captain, the crew will meet you in 15 minutes," states Rommie.

"Very good Rommie" Dylan walks out the door as Rommie searches her systems to find the crew.

XxXxXx

Rommie's android was with Trance in hydronics when she was told of the meeting. Trance was talking to a baby pine tree, Sam. Trance saw Rommie pause, and knew that she was talking to her system. She also knew through her bonsai tree that Dylan wanted them in a meeting. She then knew that it would be in command because she had suggested to him that it would be wise to hold at least some meetings there in case they were fired upon during a meeting.

When Rommie looked at her, Trance said, "Does Dylan want us in a meeting on command deck now?"

Rommie replied, "Yes, as a matter of fact Trance, he does. In 13 minutes to be precise. But how would you know?" Rommie asked genuinely curious as to how her golden friend would know such a thing.

Trance merely smiled and said' " I just do."

She then said goodbye to Sam and walked towards command with Rommie right behind her saying "12 minutes."

XxXxXxXx

" Owwww, oww, oww, oww, OW!" Rommie's hologram appeared in machine shop 7 to see her mechanic, Harper, jumping up and down, screaming 'ow', and holding his hand. Unfortunately, the jumping caused him to fall over and hurt himself even more. After trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile she said, "Harper are you alright?"

"Oh sure," answered the young engineer, " just almost killed myself trying to fix you."

Rommie frowns and says, " I'm not broken."

Harper ignores her and continues talking, "but hey, I mean, just Harper, nobody cares, poor little mudfoot Sheamus Zelasny Harper. But hey, that's okay. I mean sure he's an all around genius and love god but-,"

"Harper!" Rommie yells. Her hologram becomes life size as Harper is caught off guard at her little outburst. She takes this moment to talk. "Dylan has called a meeting in command. Now, when he called it you had 15 minutes but since you went on you now have less time. I would allow you to go to med deck and deck your hand looked at and explain why you're late, but if you're able to throw a fit, then you can sit threw a meeting. You have 8 minutes, now GO!"

Her hologram flicked out as Harper scrambled to make it to command in time.

XxXxXxXx

Rhade is in his room working out, wearing just black pants. He sits up on the bench press, and then walks over to get a towel to wipe his sweat away with. He has a look of deep concentration on his face. It is at this point that a hologram of Andromeda appears.

"Telemachus," Rhade looks up to see what Andromeda wants, but also a little surprised. No one here ever calls me that, except Dylan. I don't even think that the rest know I have a first name.

"Yes Andromeda."

"Dylan is holding a meeting in 14 minutes. It is in command and you are expected to be there," Andromeda stated.

Rhade replied, "Alright I will be right there." The hologram flickered out.

14 minutes, not enough time for a shower, even a quick one. Rhade slips on a shirt that is a dark shade of red. Guess that I'll just have to go as is. He grabs a black leather jacket on the way out and puts it on, just in case Dylan wants him to go on a trip somewhere with Beka.

Ah, Beka, a smile quickly flits across his face and disappears almost as fast as it came. Beka is what I was thinking about before Andromeda interrupted me, he thinks on his way to command. What am I going to do, I mean, I can not pursue this, can I?

He ponders that thought and others like it that he crashes into someone.

XxXxXxXx

Beka was lying in bed not wanting to get up tell Dylan that she was leaving to see her mother who abandoned her when she was 7, and then go to see said mother. Plus, she was so tired from not sleeping all night. And she had a killer stomach pain.

Maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much, I mean, there is such thing as too much Chinese food. No matter how much I don't want to ever admit it.

It was at that beautiful moment that Andromeda's hologram blinked in." Beka, Dylan is holding a meeting in command in 15 minutes." She then blinked out to give Beka the privacy to change.

Beka slowly got up, sighed, and preceded to get dressed. She stretched and then brushed her hair and put on dark blue jeans. She then looked for a shirt. She decided on a light blue shirt. It was medium blue on her sides, had wide, flowing sleeves. It was not too low or too high cut in the front. She then brushed her teeth, and grabbed a black choker with a dark blue rose on it. She put the choker on so that the rose was on the right side of her neck, and rushed out of her room.

7 minutes before I'm late, better hurry. I hope Dylan will understand that I need time off to do something personal, and not ask how I know Talia; I really don't wanna get into it.

And it was with that thought that she crashed into someone.

XxXxXxXx

Rhade saw Beka falling down and leaned forward to catch her, unfortunately, he then fell with her. He fell on top of her to be precise. Beka was startled for a moment, and then realized what had happened. Rhade mumbled sorry and then got off of her, helped her up, and the two started walking again.

"Oops, sorry Rhade, guess just I didn't see ya there, just a lot on my mind, ya know, and I was in complete thought!" Beka looked at him nervously with an apology written all over her face.

"Completely my fault, Miss Valentine, I was also in deep thought, but I should have been watching as to where I was going."

Miss Valentine, since when are we so damn formal with each other? They both thought at the same time as they arrived in command.

XxXxXxXx

Trance was standing to the side of the weapons consol, Rommie was standing behind some other consol, and Dylan was at the pilot's chair. Just after Rhade and Beka came in, Harper rushed in, and then when everyone looked at him, walked casually over to his Rommie. Rhade then went to the weapons consol, Beka to the pilot's chair to sit down (she was tired), and Dylan to the screen in the front of command deck so he could see everyone.

Dylan started talking. "Alright, I know how these usually go which is why I am starting with this. Do not talk until I am done. Do not ask what this meeting is about because I am about to tell you. Beka, no complaining or yelling. That goes for you to Harper. Also, no questions, whatsoever. I mean it. When I am done if anyone has anything they want to say they can go one at a time. Got it."

Everyone nods.

"Good, now, Harper, I need you to work on something to defeat the magog. I don't know what, I don't even care what, just so long as it works. Rommie will be running a full diagnostics test while you do this so you don't have to worry about her and can put all attention into your work and loud earth music. I will be locking myself in my room to get work done, so no interruptions. Trance, you will have charge of the ship. Beka, you are going on a trip, a vacation to be exact. Now before you yell at me, you've been through a lot lately, and deserve a break. So go anywhere and do anything, but bring Rhade. I mean it Beka, ditch him and I come after you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you always end up in trouble with someone; Rhade can hopefully keep you out of some of that trouble. Rhade, please try to keep her out of trouble. If that's even possible. That's all."

Beka speaks, "First of all, I'm hurt that you think that I can't stay out of trouble, it's possible, it's been done. Second, I do not need a babysitter. And third, thank you, I was going to ask to go on a trip anyway. Can I leave right now? I have a schedule to make, people, non-dangerous ones, are waiting for me."

Dylan replies "Fine, Rhade, pack a bag, the two of you have two weeks max, and have fun."

Beka heads for the door and Rhade follows.

As Beka is about to leave through the doors Dylan asks "Who are you meeting?"

Beka replies "My mother."

As she and Rhade leave a room of shocked people behind.