I do not own Andromeda or any of it's characters. This was so much fun to write and oh my gosh I have never reread my own writing and loved it this much. I really hope you like it, and I thrive on reviews! But I'm pretty sure me and my sister are the only ones still watching this show. Haha oh well! Enjoy!
--
Harper, Trance, Beka, Doyle, Rommie, Dylan, and Rhade all stood bored on the command deck. Harper worked on a sparky panel in the back with Trance as his assistant.
"All right...aw geez...oh gosh ok that's... oh boy, that goes here, ok aaaaand...".
They all turned around to watch Harper mumble to himself as he worked. Clueless little Harper, with his welding mask that was too big for his face. They couldn't help but chuckle at their oblivious engineer.
"Trance I need you and your little hands."
"What can I do?" she asked sweetly.
"Can you reach that little-"
"Yea I see it." she said reaching and tinkering with the mess of wires.
"There you go!" she said smiling modestly.
"You surprise me everyday my dutiful deity. My sunny soulmate. From now on babe, when your glistening, I'm listening." he said with a wink and his thumb pointed toward himself.
"And now, one last touch." he dramatically announced. He kicked the wall with his boot, causing it to miraculously boot up. Harper and Trance laughed in sync and turned to the crew that stared at them in amazement.
He cleared his throat as he turned back to her.
"Thank you, my dear Trance." he said then bringing her hands to his lips.
"And thank you." he joked after he kissed them. Her sincere giggles sent a warm wave through him. He couldn't stop thinking about her when she was around and even when she wasn't. When he was with the other girls, sure he was flirty, but Trance was unique in this way. Something about her made him feel childish and devoid of his usual pessimism that had become apart of him after all the suffering.
She looked at him like he was a goof with his far off look, his silly grin, and his cocked head full of thoughts. He involuntarily whispered a "wow" due to his thoughts running away with him.
"What?" she asked. The fact that she could be so unaware of her beauty, flabbergasted Harper. He snapped out of it and ran to his designated station at the helm.
"Uh, we should be good to go now boss." he nervously blurted. He picked up his half eaten bag of chips and ate as a hopeful distraction. Trance made her way back to her position as well, analyzing their current status.
"Alright Beka, you wanna get us outa here? This solar systems getting a little stuffy." said Dylan.
"Just about cap'n. Trance does everything look good on your end?"
"What, you don't trust me?" Harper questioned. Beka put her hand to her chest, emphasizing her dramatized offense.
"Oh no Harper I trust you! More than anyone on this ship! We go way back, you and me! The fact that you would even imply!-"
"Alright alright. I thought sarcasm was my department. Can you please tell her to go now Trance?" They both turned for her response to see her giggling at their silly banter.
"Sure, go ahead." Not a moment passed after her last word when her smile fell. Her entire face morphed in an instant into something heavy and unreadable. They watched her eyes focus on nothing. Her hands dropped to her sides and her mind almost visibly race.
"Trance, what is it?" asked Rhade. Now they were all staring at her, more like studying her. She opened her mouth uneasily.
"I..." she could barely choke out the words. One could tell that her connection to the unknown cause ran deep.
"I think somethings out there. I don't know I..." Her pauses filled them with bother. She has sensed things before, but never so strong.
"I sense a presence of some sort."
"Is it friendly, I mean, can you tell?" Rhade inquired cautiously. She barely heard him. Her hand shot up to her mouth with a gasp. They prepared themselves for a fight. After a moment of anticipation and drawn forcelances, before them appeared something eerily unfamiliar.
A man with golden skin and deep brown eyes appeared in front of them. Dylan took a step forward with his weapon, making his leadership known. The man was sternly focused on Trance. His eyes met hers naturally. He walked up to her and graced his hand down her arm to find her fingers.
She looked at the ruby ring on his hand with surprise as she realized who he was. He picked her up off of the platform by under her arms, and brought her down to his level. His hands traveled along her waist to her lower back from which he pulled her in. He kissed her slowly. His hand finding it's way behind her hair and caressing her neck. He pulled away but he regretted it. He kissed her again, passionately this time, as if this was their only chance to be together for a lifetime. Harpers mouth fell open causing the mouthful of chips to hit the ground.
His final kiss left her weak. He picked her up again, placing her back at her station. Together they glowed. When he let her go, the shine did not fade. It looked as though light itself held her together.
"I have to go." he softly spoke.
"No.." she whispered desperately.
"Please...". Despite her plea's, he backed away, never breaking eye contact. Her heart felt heavy as he faded away. As he left, behind him fell a ring that looked like his. She bent down and picked it up. She put a hand over mouth in shock as her revelation overwhelmed her.
"Trance. Please tell me you know that guy." Beka said breaking the silence. Trances intense moment left a curious crew impatient for answers.
"We knew each other once.". Her eyes were red due to the tears that threatened escape. She held the ring to her chest and closed her eyes with joy.
"I thought I'd lost this. He said he'd find me someday, but I thought I knew better. I'm so glad I was wrong."
"Dylan, can I go put this in my quarters?" she asked. He gave her a nod being lost for words, like the rest of the stunned crew. Trance found herself twirling around her room as she hunted down her jewelry box. She decided it deserved a more special spot. She had a small drawer that she saved only for things that she held very dear. She opened it to find something missing. A gift she received from a very friendly planet that she had helped once.
They were a collection of letters that they held sacred. The letters spoke of love and what it meant to their people. The most beautiful romances of their history and the significance of them. She held them dear because she loved the hope they gave her and what they represented. She brushed it off, not wanting to break the feelings that fluttered around her. She floated back to the command deck with a rerun of the beautiful moment playing in her mind. She stood smiling like a fool at her station.
"I can't hold it in any longer Trance, I want to know everything." Beka said hopeful.
"Yea me too." Doyle admitted. They all nodded and mumbled in mutual curiosity.
"You are lookin very starry eyed at the moment, pardon the pun." added Harper. Trance shrugged cutely and explained everything. They gathered around like school children, listening with wonder-filled eyes. She told the tale of their love how he made her feel.
Now they sat on the floor of the command deck, just listening to their beloved story teller. They would have sat there for hours if Andromeda's hologram hadn't brought them out of their trance.
"Dylan, do you still want me to prepare for slipstream?" asked the ship. He paused for a moment.
"What do you want to do Trance?"
"Well Dylan, if it's not too much trouble, I have a strong sense that he is on the planet. If we could-"
"To the Maru!" he interrupted with a smile. They all jotted up and took off for another adventure.
Down to the planet they went. For hours they searched. Her locations were narrowed down but unspecific. They split up to cover more ground but found nothing. Beka found a delivery deal on the planet that was too good to pass up and asked for Harper's help.
"Come one Harper, it'll be quick." she convinced him over the com.
"Alright but then we gotta come right back and help."
Dylan and Rhade found themselves in a bad part of town. A couple of touchy locals decided to pick a fight with them, telling Dylan's instincts it was time to go. Rommie and Doyle had gotten distracted shopping and they were eager to drop their load. They all piled into the Maru for a quick trip back to the ship. They all agreed they'd be right back for Trance. She'd never even know they were gone.
"Hey don't forget where we parked," teased Dylan.
A couple hours passed as Trance grew more and more discouraged. She had so many questions as to why he'd leave and not say why or where. Didn't he want to see her? Her insecurities carried her away. Her slumped shoulders were beat down by the rain that now taunted her. She tried calling the guys but the rain had made her communication device glitch. She wandered the cobblestone, praying that her friends would find her.
The gang was scattered around the Andromeda, distracted by their selfish projects. The only one remotely focused on today's actual agenda was the quirky scientist loved by all. Harper could be found in his lab working on the communication. Dylan poked his head in to check on him. He looked up at Dylan with his usual, unintentionally goofy face he makes when he's working.
"I think I know what's goin on here boss. Communication is down for the count and, for those in the audience keepin track, that's the zillionth time this has happened."
"Harper I'm the only one here."
"Whatever ok. The point is that I know the drill so you don't have to worry. We'll be able to call our cosmic chick in no time." An hour later, Trance had finally reached their landing area. But the Maru was no where to be found.
"Great." she uttered to herself. She wanted to cry, where were they? She tapped her com device in hopes of spontaneous recovery.
"Hello? Please. Anyone?" Her futile attempt encouraged her hopelessness. Harper lay asleep in his lab. There he sat, draped over his chair. His mouth open and a tool falling out of his hand, when he was startled awake by a voice.
"Hello? Please. Anyone?" he stood up excitedly.
"Trance!" he said, grabbing his com device as he rubbed his eyes awake.
"Trance, come in, ya there?"
"Harper! I'm so glad your there, where is everyone? I'm lost and the Maru's not here and it's raining! Harper I wanna go home." she poured out with a deep breath afterward. He could hear the tears rising in her throat. Just then, Dylan burst in the room.
"Harper! I told you an hour ago! I need-" to which Harper put a hand up to stop him.
"I'm coming Trance, just hold on." he dropped the com and immediately grabbed a few things and ran out of the room. He sprinted to the Maru, ignoring everyone that he saw on the way there. As he rapidly descented to the planet, he saw his weepy girl being beaten down on by the rain. He quickly landed and ran out of the Maru to where she stood with a blanket in hand. As he ran up to her he slowed his pace, not wanting to frighten her. She stared at her feet as the rain drops trickled down her hair onto her face.
He wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and guided her into the ship with his arms around her. He sat her down near the helm where he knelt down in front of her.
"I'm so sorry Trance. I shoulda been here." he warmly expressed with his hands rubbing her arms over the blanket. She looked up at him with her big, watery, pouty eyes. He pulled out an old handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed her sad face with it.
"Oh babe." he sympathetically muttered.
"Let's get you home."
He quickly took them back to the ship as fast as he could, but the ride could not have been done under 20 minutes. He turned the heat way up and looked around to see his soaked girl fast asleep. He smiled at her cute appearance. He eased into the docking bay, trying not to wake her. His face cringed as they touched ground, knowing she'd wake up. He turned around ready to say something funny like usual, but she was still asleep. He knelt down beside her and watched her for a moment. She must have been really wiped. It was hard not to linger when looking her. He gently lifted her and carried her into Andromeda. He was met by an annoyed crew.
They all stood angrily at the entrance, prepared to give him the rant of his life They stopped in their tracks when they saw the girl in his arms. Their faces went from fury filled to guilty and droopy. This was completely their fault.
"She didn't find him down there I guess and she was walking for hours. The poor thing is exhausted." whispered Harper. The crew stood around speechless as they watched Harper make his way down the hallway to Trances quarters.
Trance slept an entire 24 hours, which was Harper's breaking point. He creaked open her door and peeked in. She lay in her bed in the same wet clothes. He assumed she would have woken up by now and changed them. He walked in to be greeted by a horribly cold wind. His heart fell as he realized he never turned up the heat. "Oh crap", he thought, "I did this all wrong." He ran to her bedside and put the back of his hand on her trembling cheek. Her nose was bright pink and her cold skin gave him remorseful shivers.
He couldn't bring himself to break away. Her eyes slowly peeled open to a very sweet looking Harper. She gave her best smile she could give and tried to contain her shivers.
"Come on doll, let's get you warm." he said casually lifting her up against the bed frame for support. He walked over to her dresser with a mission.
"Sweaters, sweatshirts..?"
"Bottom right drawer." she said with a grateful gaze. He picked out a long sleeved shirt and a sweater to go over. He also grabbed a fresh towel.
He laid her clothes out on her bed and took the towel and rubbed it in her hair to dry it. At first he did it softly but then made her laugh by going crazy with it all over her head. He laughed his mischievous laugh and then turned around to work on the heater. She felt better now that she was changed but her bed was still all wet from her soaked clothes. She moved over to her cozy chair and pulled her sleeves over her hands.
He turned around to look at her after he heard a sneeze. He saw her exposed legs and grabbed a blanket off of her bed. He walked over and tucked her into the chair. When he finished he smiled at his work and she smiled at his act of love. He set down a box of tissues next to her. His action gave them both chuckles. For awhile she watched him work. They began talking and laughing with each other. She brought up the missing letters that had been bothering her ever since.
"Haven't seen em' babe. I'll ask around, but none of us would have messed with em', I don't think."
Harper was long done with the heater but had been fiddling with a broken table leg. When she suggested getting something to eat he offered her his arm and she happily took it. There was that feeling again, he thought. After eating, they headed to command. Since everyone was there, Harper asked if anyone knew of Trances letters. None of them had an answer but they did express their sympathy for her. She only had a few things that she could call her own, and even fewer things she could say she loved.
"So, what are you gonna do about your guy Trance?" inquired Doyle.
"I guess if he wants to find me he will. I better just stay put." A couple minutes later another ship appeared, face to face with Andromeda.
"Woah, where did that come from?" jumped Beka.
"Captain, we've just received a message from the ship." announced Rommie.
"Would you like me to play it?"
"Let a rip." replied Dylan. On the view screen appeared the last person they would expect. The man that Trance had been searching for.
"Speak of the devil." uttered Dylan. He was on a crummy salvage ship. He wore a new uniform and looked completely out of place. In unison, they turned to see Trances reaction, but she remained glued to the screen.
"Hey there Trance. Just wanna say that I loved seeing you again but check it out. I work for this guy that may or may not hold my life in his hands due to a gambling debt or two and anyways he's got this collection of ancient writings and all that boring stuff. He tracked down those letters that you got from the people of that one purply planet, I forget what it's called but whatever. When I told him I knew you, he decided to use me to get to you. Awful right. I didn't wanna do it hon but I kinda got my hands tied here. Anyways, no hard feelings and good luck to you."
As the message vanished all that remained was the empty, hopeless space that matched her mood. The anger on that deck would have been enough to fuel the ship. Anyone of them had enough motive to kill the guy at this point. Once again, they turned to their friend with worry.
"Oh..." said an unconvincingly fine Trance. She focused on the dim stars that replaced the face of her betrayer. She made a face that they were glad was foreign to their glittery girl. They never wanted to see that look again but she could not seem to wipe it from her face. She couldn't take the attention on her now, she needed a distraction.
"You'd think I would have seen that coming."
Dumb struck silence rang in the room.
"Ok well we can leave the solar system now, so that's good. Let's get going." she said with a forced smile.
"Trance." said Rhade in a way that said they weren't buying it.
"I'll be right back." Trance said as she ran out of the room. Immediately after the doors closed they could hear loud weeping. Her loud sobs grew quieter as she ran down the corridor. Cringing faces were all that could be expressed by the crew at this time.
"She must think the walls are thicker than they are." said Harper. Dylan and Rhade simultaneously rubbed their faces with distress and said,
"We gotta do something."
"We gotta do something.".
"Andromeda, where is Trance?" asked Dylan.
"Trance is in her quarters."
"Is she in privacy mode?"
"No Dylan."
"Could you show her to us please?"
The view screen displayed Trance curled up in her bedding, balling like a baby. Their disappointed groans we're result of this last and final straw.
"Ok, it looks like she's there to stay. Shall we?"
"Most definitely."
"Yes."
"Let's do this." they mutually agreed as they made their way to the Maru.
Half an hour later Trance awoke to discover she'd cried herself to sleep. She sprang up and headed to command. She half expected an impatient group but she never expected them to be gone.
"Andromeda, where is everyone?"
"They are currently landing in the docking bay." the ship answered the confused girl. She made her way to the docking bay with sad feet that dragged underneath her for, not only the lost love, but the lost possession that had been so ruthlessly stolen from her. She sneezed the whole way there.
Just before she turned a corner she thought she was losing it when she heard Harper say "bless you!". She peered around the corner only to find her crew walking towards her.
"There you guys are. What's going on?"
They looked at each other with blame filled looks.
"Uh oh, what did you guys do."
"We didn't touch him, don't worry Trance. We just messed with him a little." Harper confessed, scratching his head. He had in his hand the very letters that she was mourning not one minute ago. He held them up to display the teams handy work.
The look on her face was beautiful. They all felt a million times better. Her smile was pure and sincere. "There she goes again." Harper thought, "Hypnotizing me".
"How did you get them? I mean, won't he find them missing?" asked Trance.
"I'm betting on it. We were clever enough to replace them with some of our own notes. A little less love in there though." Rhade's response gave Trance a cute and grateful look. She opened her mouth to speak but she had gone mute. She blushed with the love of her friends in her heart.
"No speech necessary my love. Let's go have dinner and I'll tell you all about how I maneuvered my way onto the slimeballs ship." said Harper, wrapping his arm around her and guiding her and the others down the hall. That day made Trance realize that although her heart was an unnecessary casualty in the battles of love, she gained the affirmation that this was her home and they were her family. She also learned that no matter the doubts that fill you, in time, all will be revealed.
