Chapter 4.

"Dylan- I was thinking- you know- maybe, just maybe give you Beka back once I was done with her- but I want you to want to have her back, I mean really want her back. So, if you can think up a way of proving to me how much she means to you, I may consider letting her go." Dean did a mock salute to the infuriated Captain and the message blinked off. All eyes turned to Dylan, all minds wondering what their Captain Terrific would do next.

"Somehow I don't think a poem will cut it this time." Said Harper, trying desperately to hide the worry he felt for his oldest friend. He wished that for once Beka would meet a nice man. Nothing special- just nice and they could fly off into Trance's setting sun.

He received a dirty look from Dylan; Harper noticed how tired he looked. Dylan's hair was a mess, he hadn't shaved in a few days and he had ever-growing bags under his usually perky eyes. He looked, well he looked 300 years old, Harper realised.

"Andromeda- prep a Slipfighter, I am going to get Beka." Pushing himself off of the control panel, Dylan walked purposefully to the exit of the command deck, rubbing his hand over his face and muttering to himself about how he really would like a nap.

"Mr Harper, you have control. Rommie you're with me."

Rommie followed him like a puppy and turned around to wave at Doyle. They still had not figured out a way to get over the fact that they were both- technically- Andromeda's AI. They both wanted control. Doyle opened her mouth to say something but Trance interrupted her.

"Dylan?" She said in a quiet voice. Trance had taken Beka's capture almost as badly as Dylan had.

"Yes Trance?"

"We need Beka back- I mean, it is vitally important she comes home."

"More riddles Trance?" Dylan tried to be angry at the golden woman standing before him, but the look of terror on Trance's face meant he only felt more unnerved about Beka's 'situation' and also about Dean.

"I would explain- but you have to go now." The corner of Trances lip tried to curve up into a smile but the feeling of dread in her stomach, the feeling that was rising, prevented her from anything but keeping her sparkly mouth downturned.

Rommie smiled encouragingly at Trance and turned sharply on her heels to get ready to leave, dragging poor Dylan behind her.

"Captain? How are we going to get onboard undetected?"

"We're not."

"Oh... Well... Captain? Do you even have a plan?"

"Yes Rommie, I do. Get in, get Beka, get out."

Rommie made a sound in the back of her throat and watched as Dylan stomped off in front of her. He was not having a very good week, no one was.

There was only one thing on Dylan's mind and that was Beka. Actually, there were only two things on Dylan's mind: Beka and also, how much pain he could possibly cause Dean. He didn't like Dean. Personally, he thought Beka could do better, but sadly, she never did.

Meanwhile back on command Doyle was moping. Harper- for once- noticed something to do with the opposite sex, even a member of the opposite sex that he himself had built.

"Doyle? You alright?"

She signed dramatically and smiled coyly at him.

"Beka will be ok, you know that right?"

"I do know that, especially if Dylan has anything to do about it. But no." She paused, thinking of the correct way to continue. "It's not that, it's just some stuff that Beka said before... before you know?"

Harper frowned at her, Beka was hard work sometimes but it was hard to upset his blonde creation, or so he had thought.

"Why? What did Beka say?"

Doyle then reeled off- in Beka's words exactly, what the 'conversation' a few days before. Harper tried desperately to defend what Beka said but even he had to admit it was a little mean.

"But!" Doyle said, trying to brush it off. "She was having a hard time and judging from that mighty bruise she had, I guess that she was just angry with Dean and needed to take her anger out on someone. And that someone happened to be me?"

That seemed rational enough.

Harper nodded his spiky, blonde head in agreement with Doyle and they both lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Their universe was meant to be shiny, their oyster or something else poetically brilliant since they had saved Tarn Vedra, got rid of the Abyss, et al. However, the universe still flung too many bad guys at them; life hadn't seemed to change much for the better at all. In fact, it seemed to be getting progressively worse.

Suddenly breaking the peace, Dylan popped up on screen, seated in a Slipfighter, Rommie staring determinedly ahead. They both looked ready to go.

"Mr Harper, whilst I'm gone- don't break my ship." Dylan said, with a slight smile on his haggard face.

"Will do Boss."

Andromeda's mainframe frowned at him and made a note not to let Harper blow her up this time.

"See you on the flip side." With that, Dylan was gone.

"With Beka." Trance whispered to herself. "Please let it be with Beka."

Are these chapters all really short or is it just me?