"Hello, Tyr," Beka said as she entered the hospital ward, Odo, Rhade and Olma behind her.
Freya sprang to her feet and smiled. "Beka! Believe it or not, I'm glad to see you."
"Nice to meet you," Beka deadpanned.
"Yes, um…." Freya swallowed. "What's the phrase Harper would use? 'Awkwaaarrrrrrrdddd.'"
"Yeah, he would. Mind if I have a talk with Tyr?"
"Of course. Come, Olma, I'll show you around."
The two women left.
Beka turned to Odo and Rhade. "Can we have a minute?"
Odo nodded. "Mr. Rhade can wait outside with my men."
Rhade looked at Beka and Tyr, and recognized the history between them. He nodded. "I'll be close."
After Odo and Rhade had left, Beka turned back to Tyr.
Tyr sat up on his bed. "You're looking well, Beka."
"No thanks to you. Oh, and thanks for turning me over to the Abyss."
"But you're free of it now?"
"Yes."
Tyr shrugged.
"Oh, and your buddy Pish has been a bad boy," Beka went on. "Olma says she had to twist his arm to get him to let her contact us."
"What?! He and I discussed the situation before I left."
"So you didn't know he and Hohne had been friends?"
Tyr winced. "Drago's Bones. No wonder. I should have asked…"
"Yeah, after all you did, we were just going to work with the Collectors?"
Tyr betrayed a little impatience. "Beka, what did you think my 'plan b' was?"
"Us!?"
"Of course. I knew there was a chance Dylan would survive our conflict, and I wanted him to have the best chance of stopping the Abyss."
"How thoughtful of you."
"Beka-"
"Just when I think you can't sink any lower, Tyr, you have to pull something like this. How could you? After all we've been through together. I thought I knew you."
"You did, Beka, you did. But what you didn't realize was how great the stakes were. Dylan and I were imposing our wills on the universe, and I realized early on that there would come a time when I could not achieve my goals and stay on the *Andromeda.* I had to make a choice. But believe it or not, I thought it was for the best."
"I'm having a little trouble seeing that."
"I would be happy to explain."
"Well, we seem to have time." Beka pulled a chair over to the bed and plunked down in it. "Convince me."