Author's Note: Back to minimal dialogue, but I hoped you like reading the inter-Andromeda bickering as much as I liked writing it.
Chapter 7: Plan B.
A few hours after that, Rommie summons the crew to Med. Deck. The Maru Crew enters to find the future people already there gathered around Harper's new android body. It is already clothed in a High Guard uniform, and only has skin on its right hand, neck and head, however large pieces of metal rest on the right side of the android's face. Large cables connect these plates to the Brain-Downloading Machine. The past crew is amazed at how the android's face was identical to Captain Harper's except the metal pieces and the lack of a Data Port.
Rommie disagrees with them, she says the metal bits remind her too much of when she was first re-assembled in the Seefra System (after she was blown up by the Magog), went crazy and tried to kill the crew. The Maru Crew is a bit disturbed by the story. "Oh don't be" says Rommie, "there were complications involving Vedran technology and I was missing bits of my core personality." According to the BDM there weren't any unaccounted-for gaps in Harper's downloaded mind. Rommie warns the group that they won't know for sure if they can get Captain Harper back until they download the stored electric signals from the BDM to the android body.
That being said, Rommie prepares to upload Captain Harper's mind. She calls up real time schematics of the android on the medical display, complete with a human-style brainwave display. Everyone holds their breath as Rommie flips a switch on the BDM and begins the download. The connecting cables glow yellow as the electric signals flow into the android. On the BDM display it shows the altered motor control and sensory patterns being integrated into the android, the medical display shows the various systems switching on as they receive the programming.
The BDM finishes this and starts downloading the memories. On the medical display, the modified android VR Matrix sorts and stores the data perfectly. This is done relatively quickly and the BDM starts uploading Harper's personality etc. into the android. On the medical display, the android starts producing basic 'brainwaves', Gold Trance brings up an old record of Harper's brainwaves and compares the two sets. They don't match, Rommie says it's because the download isn't done yet, but she is obviously concerned.
Finally the BDM finishes downloading all the subconscious patterns of thought into the android. All that's left is Captain Harper's consciousness, which has been suspended inside the BDM since the moment his real brain died. Rommie engages the final stage of downloading and watches as the android's brainwaves on the medical display fluctuate worrisomely. Suddenly the signals even out into a regular pattern that matches up to Harper's brainwaves. At the same time, the android's eyes fly open.
"Harper?" says Rommie as the group cluster around the table. Rommie looks down at the android's face, "Harper, say something."
"Weird," says Captain Harper. Everyone is overjoyed that Captain Harper's mind is still alive, especially Past Harper. Future Beka asks Captain Harper how he feels and he says, "weird," (again). Rommie tells Harper that she made the VR Matrix as human as possible, he tells her that she's done a great job. "You even made my lips and tongue move automatically when I talk!" exclaims Captain Harper happily.
Harper holds up his left hand and wiggles his fingers, watching the intricate silvery-black circuitry move his digits as easily as his bones and muscles had done. Rommie mistakes Captain Harper's stares of wonder as stares of discontent. She hastily explains that she didn't want to waste time putting skin on all of Harper's body and she thought he wouldn't mind. "What? I don't mind at all!" says Harper, "I'm just happy you gave me hair!"
"Then why were you staring at your hand?" asks Rommie.
"I was just thinking about how it's not that different from my old one," says Captain Harper nodding towards his past, organic self. "I mean, we're all just machines right? Only, you and I are androids," he says to Rommie. "You guys are organics," says Captain Harper, looking at the Maru Crew and Future Beka. He then turns to the Trances, "and you're suns."
"Actually we're a sun," corrects Gold Trance.
Captain Harper shrugs and slides off the operating table. He takes an unsure step, but to his delight it feels the same as it used to and he strides out of Med. Deck, the others following him to the bridge. Captain Harper remarks on how almost all of his memories are crystal clear, but how all his 'baby memories' were gone. Harper's fine with that, he tells Rommie that they would probably be pretty awkward anyway.
"Speaking of lacking certain parts…" begins Captain Harper, smirking playfully at Rommie. She shoots him a dirty look, but clearly doesn't mean it. Captain Harper chuckles, "it's okay, even if you had hours to build me an android body I wasn't expecting you to make it totally anatomically correct, but you could've at least made me taller!"
-----
We clip to the bridge as the group walks in. Captain Harper steps up into the captain's station and turns to face the group, "so, what've I missed?" Future Beka tells him that both Marus are fully functional and ready for battle. Past Beka adds that her Maru's cargo pod has been switched with the explosive-filled one the crew brought back from the future, although she doesn't know why yet. Captain Harper nods and turns to the Trances, he asks them to share their discoveries concerning the Magog Weapon.
They walk up to the front of the bridge and Andromeda displays the information concerning the Magog Weapon on the center screen. Purple Trance briefly reminds the crew about the unusual patterns of radiation poisoning caused by the Prototype Weapon. Gold Trance then tells them that the radiation from the actual Magog Weapon will target the organ systems in a different order. She tells them that all the 'minor' systems will be shut off immediately, including sensory systems and motor control, however the digestive system would continue functioning with the nervous and cardiovascular systems. This makes the affected people ideal incubators for Magog larva.
Purple Trance explains that although the Prototype Weapon involved a radiation beam for its deployment, the actual weapon would use a wave-like burst of radiation. Unlike the prototype, the actual Magog Weapon could affect an entire fleet of ships in one shot (like their weapon File/D that Harper decommissions in the future). Also, Purple Trance explains that the radiation used by the Magog Weapon doesn't affect Magog. In conclusion, Gold Trance tells the group that if the weapon reaches the hands of the Magog they would be-able to defeat every obstacle in their way as their evil god, the Spirit of the Abyss takes over the Known Worlds.
"Well, we got the Magog Weapon here on Andromeda and there's no way they can get it," says Captain Harper optimistically.
"But what about Dr. Mastiff?" asks Past Beka, "he can just build another." Gold Trance tells the group that Dr. Mastiff is in the Septentrional System awaiting the arrival of the Magog Weapon. She explains that the Maru Crew will have to eliminate him and all his research assistants in their base on an asteroid in the Sept. System so they can't make another weapon.
"How the Hell are we supposed to do that?" demands Past Beka.
Captain Harper is about to explain how when his past self cuts in, "I thought you were planning to kill the mad scientists on your own, and we were just the live bait." Andromeda's screen persona appears on the left screen and explains that she is too damaged to swoop in and kill the scientists when they reveal their position, therefore the Maru Crew must protect themselves and destroy the enemy on their own.
Past Harper asks his future self what they were going to do if the Magog never attacked the Maru and Andromeda was perfectly fine. Rommie says they would have waited for the Abyss Agents to reveal the location of their base to the Maru Crew, she would've relayed the information to Andromeda and they would come into the system and destroy the asteroid. "But I sorta knew that we'd have to resort to plan B," adds Gold Trance.
"Which is?" asks Past Beka, Gold Trance smiles and prepares to explain the plan.
-----
Later, the Maru Crew is sitting around in the Past Maru's bar. Beka is clearly upset about the plan, "I could deal with being live bait, but this plan is way too dangerous!"
"C'mon Boss," says Harper, "The Maru's in almost perfect working order and you are the best pilot in the Known Worlds."
"But I'm a cargo runner not a bombardier," moans Beka.
"You're a cargo runner now, but pretty soon that's all going to change," says Trance, "look at your future self."
"But I'm not her, not yet," says Beka.
Rev puts his hand on her shoulder, "but you will be, and you have the capacity to be like her now."
Harper and Trance both agree with Rev, Beka is still worried, "but when the Magog attacked us last time we were overwhelmed, if it wasn't for Rommie and our future selves we would've been eaten, or worse. And if we have to face another swarm without them backing us up, we're doomed."
"But Boss, Andromeda's not totally wrecked and our future selves are still coming along if we get in big trouble," says Harper, Beka sighs and reluctantly accepts the fact that they have no choice but to go ahead with the plan. "I'm still not sure about this plan, but we need to stop those freaks from making another weapon, the prototype was bad enough," says Beka walking towards the cockpit.
"You're telling me!" calls Harper as he heads towards the engine room.
"Which one?" jokes Beka, smiling for the first time since they were told the plan. Trance is also cheerful as she sits down at her station in the cockpit, Rev takes a seat at his station and Beka sits down in the pilot's chair. She hails Andromeda's bridge where her future self is in that pilot's station. Captain Harper is at the captain's station to Future Beka's right, Rommie is in the fire-control station to her left. Gold Trance is in the sensors and ES (Emergency Systems) station on the back-right area of the bridge (as seen from the front of the room).
Past Beka requests permission to leave Andromeda and Captain Harper lets her. The Past Maru and its explosives-filled cargo pod fly out of the bay and move ahead of Andromeda. The future people wish their past selves and Rev good luck as both groups prepare to enter slipstream simultaneously. As Future Beka prepares to enter slipstream she jokingly says, "as Rommie's not-so-beloved ex-boyfriend Fleet Admiral Dylan Hunt would say, 'let's bring it!'" Harper and Rommie groan at their old captain's tacky catchphrase as the Andromeda and the Maru enter slipstream.