Flashback: how Beka met Dean.

"Valentine!" Beka turned to see a determined Dylan Hunt striding towards her, clutching in his hand a flexi. She groaned inwardly, already knowing what the flexi would be. Another simple errand to Tarn Vedra- help them build their shiny new academy. She needed a holiday.

She forced on a polite smile and waited while Dylan drew ever closer.

"Take this; be back in two days and happy hunting." With that, he walked off, his shoulders hunched, leaving Beka gazing at a supply route to some mucky, dirty and probably distasteful planet. Pick up four thousand tons of shiny rock and get her ass back to the Andromeda in for supper. Well, she thought to herself, it beats staying in.

Beka had been correct, the planet was a total mess, and she was lost in throngs of people. Men clambering for a better look at her, women shooting daggers at her, how dare an outsider enter their place.

She carried on walking, searching desperately for the man who had her loot hopefully she would know him when she saw him, hopefully the mass of people would clear and hopefully Dylan would stop sending her on errands easily done by someone less important.

"Miss Valentine?" A high voice said to her left, she froze, shoot or not to shoot?

"Who's asking?"

"Do you want your supplies or not?"

She turned to see a small, twitchy little creature holding a comm. She nodded her head and followed him. As they drew away from the crowd, the streets getting less populated as they moved.

"This isn't a trap is it?" Beka asked cautiously. The rat-faced man only shook his head.

"Here we are. The supplies are through there. My boss will help you load them onboard your fine looking ship."

"I was not told that the woman coming would be so beautiful."

"Yeah, OK. Can I just have the stuff please? Then I'm out of here." Beka was in a mood, she hated planets, she hated squeaky men and most of all she hated being called beautiful when she hadn't showered since arriving on this stinking planet.

"You sure now how to argue, my dear."

"Go to hell."

"On the contrary, allow me to introduce myself." The man bowed and took Beka's hand to kiss it; he had a charming glint in his eye. "Dean Hatu."

She hadn't been expecting that. Beka took her hand back slowly, surprised at the apparent courteous act she had just witnessed. She smiled at him; maybe this trip would have an upside after all.

"Et tu?"

"Beka Valentine."

"Well, Beka do you want your rocks now?"

She nodded, staring into this guy's dark eyes; she could so easily lose herself right now. Why shouldn't she take some time for herself on this planet? If the invitation arrives, she thought hastily to herself.

"Follow me."

Beka did.

Hours later, she was aware that she was standing in a strange room, watching the man who had helped her load up several hefty crates of "Tarn Vedra's hot, hot future". She was watching him sleep; thinking to herself, that maybe she had chosen better than all the time before, that maybe this one would last, that this one wouldn't try to hurt her.

"Beka. Tell me about the Andromeda. Tarn Vedra. Tell me why you are so set on doing all of this?" Dean pulled her down onto the bed and Beka smiled.

"I don't know why I'm doing this, to help Dylan I guess."

"Ah the revered Captain, I have heard a lot about him." Beka would have been puzzled to see the look that had crossed Dean's face at the mention of Dylan.

"Ah, he's not that great." Beka felt bad after saying that, Dylan was great, she didn't think saying it would be appreciated in front of present company.

"I should like to see your Andromeda."

Beka looked round at him, her hair flinging wildly around her neck. "Why?"

"To see what all the fuss is about, to meet new people and most of all to see you, to be honest I am quite curious to see where this..." He gestured to Beka and with a raise of his eyebrows continued. "Is going to lead. I don't wat this over quite yet. I wanna spend time other than on this forsaken, green globe."

"Then, Mr Hatu, I invite you to spend a week on the Andromeda, with me."

Dean nodded eagerly, watching Beka smile back at him, this woman really was beautiful.

Then he laughed, thinking about how easily he had just manipulated her.