Chapter 12

Eureka Maru - The Past

Harper awoke to a forgotten sensation, a presence near him and not trying to hurt him.

Even as he pondered this strange feeling and experience, his mind caught up with the memories and why he was unconscious.

In a flash he was out of bed with his back against the infirmary's bulkhead. In his hand a metal scalpel he had grabbed as he rose. He was holding it in front of him as a weapon, ready to attack the Magog he'd seen.

Even as his eyes swept the small space he knew the Magog wasn't there. Instead before him stood a concerned Trance.

"Trance?" he asked as he slowly lowered the scalpel but not entirely putting it down.

"Yes Harper," she said as she slowly approached with her hands out in front of her.

Before she could ask him to put the scalpel down it clattered to the floor and he rushed to her. Even before she could blink he was pulling her shirt up. Thinking he was going to assault her, she began to fight but stopped once he had lifted the shirt above her stomach and began running his hand over its soft skin.

"That tickles," she said as his hand gently moved over her stomach.

As quick as he had approached her he had let her shirt go and stepped away only to lift his own and search his stomach for something. Even as his hand disappeared she found herself missing his touch, something about the contact warmed her like nothing ever had before. Shaking that from her mind she asked the question that was plaguing her.

"Harper, what are you doing?" she asked as she slowly approached him, bending to pickup the scalpel and move it away from him.

"Checking for a Magog infestation. Did Beka kill it?" he asked as he lowered his own shirt with a sigh or relief.

"Why would she do that?" Trance asked in confusion.

"Because it's a Magog, Trance. They're evil; they destroy everything and everyone they come into contact with."

"But Rev Bem seemed nice to me," she said as she thought about his words.

"You mean he's still alive? Beka's in danger, you're in danger," Harper said as he began to search for a weapon in panic.

"Harper," Trance said as she suddenly remembered what Beka had told her about him growing up on Earth. She had to repeat her call as he ignored her in his search.

"Harper!" she said as she turned him to her and pressed her lips against his cheek. Almost instantly his body froze even as his arms rose to her back on their own.

"Wha… what was that for?" he managed to stammer out once she had pulled away from him but remained locked in his arms.

"That," she said with an innocent grin, "was the only way to get your attention. Now will you please listen to me for a moment?"

He could only nod as he openly watched the enigmatic girl in front of him.

"Good, now let me explain about Rev, he is a Magog, but he's a Wayist. He's a monk, Harper. A being of the Divine."

"But he's a monster Trance," he said even as she could see the fight draining from him. She wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his chest in comfort.

"No, he's a good person Harper. He's been on this ship with Beka and I for several months and hasn't tried to eat us."

"But that doesn't mean he won't," he began only to cut himself off as she pulled her head off his chest and looked him in the eyes. Needless to say her look could make a rampaging Nietzschean stop.

"Harper," she began a few moments after staring deep into his eyes. "I know that you've seen horrible things at the hands of the Magog, but please give Rev a chance. He may surprise you, if for no other reason, do it for me."

Harper was struck dumb at her last statement. He had just met this girl and already she was asking him to do this as though they were lovers. After a moments consideration he realized that that was a position he would happily take. But to trust a Magog, he wasn't sure he could do that. Harper knew though, in that instant that his answer could very well decide their relationship for all time. Taking a deep breath he said something that very well may seal his fate.

"Ok Trance, I'll try. For you."

Her response was worth every moment of anguish in his decision. She stood on her toes and flashed him a blinding smile before kissing his cheek again.

"I'm glad," she said as she pulled away from him and took his hand in hers and began to pull him toward the hatch.

"Where are we going?" he asked in confusion, he didn't think she was the type to just jump into the bunk with the first guy she saw, even if it was him. There was something about her that he felt drawn to protect and preserve her innocence. He prayed to the Divine that she wasn't. he was needless to say very grateful when she replied.

"Out into the galley, Beka and Rev will be worried about you."

Harper almost froze on the spot when she mentioned the Magog, but he kept his promise and let her continue to drag him.

Upon reaching the threshold of the galley he stopped, forcing her to as well.

"I don't know if I can do this," he said.

She just smiled as she placed a hand on the side of his face.

"I know you can, I have faith in you."

This truly caught him by surprise. No one in his entire life had told him they had faith in him. The mere fact that this girl he had met not more that a few hours ago could tell him that to his face without breaking out into laughter at his expense, well he would go to the ends of the galaxy for her is she wanted him to. If only to prove that her faith was well placed.

Taking a steadying breath he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze before pulling himself to his full height and making his way to the hatch. Opening it he stepped out into the galley and fate.

"Harper," Beka said with a breath of relief. "Glad to see you up and about."

"Glad to be up boss," he said as he gently pulled Trance behind him, both unaware that their hands were still joined.

Beka decided that she would comment on it later instead she turned to the Magog sitting beside her. she could see Harper physically stiffen as he saw Rev, but with a squeeze from Trance's hand he relaxed. Yet another thing she would have to ask about later.

"Harper, this is Rev Bem." She said as the he rose to greet Harper.

"Reverend Behemial Far Traveler at your service, Master Harper." He said as he bowed. Knowing some of his history he refrained from smiling at the young man.

"While I can't say it's a pleasure to meet you, I can say I'm surprised by you," Harper said even as he unconsciously moved to place himself between Trance and Rev, yet another thing for Beka to mention later.

"In what way?" Rev asked as he folded his claws into his sleeves and stared at the man before him, protecting a girl her hardly knew.

"I have never met a Magog that could speak," Harper said even as he slightly relaxed, even if he wasn't aware of it. Perhaps it could have something to do with Trance's free hand resting on his shoulder even as the other remain safely nestled in his hand.

"Yes," Rev said as he let out a chuckle which caused Harper to tense once again. "My brethren are more interested in eating and proliferation than anything else. But we are all able to speak, Master Harper."

"What's with this 'master Harper' stuff?" Harper asked as his curiosity overtook his fear.

Rev smiled inwardly even as he began to tell about himself.

Hours later, even as Trance and Rev were sleeping in their bunks, Beka found Harper working away on the engines.

"Harper?" she said as she approached him from behind, making as much noise as she could to alert him to her presence.

"Hey boss," he said even as she thought he hadn't heard the herd of elephants she had brought with her. "What are you doing down here?"

"I wanted to apologize to you, I should have warned you about Rev before I introduced you. I forgot you grew up on Earth."

"That's ok Beka, everyone forgets about the mudfoot. It's no big deal."

"Harper," she said even as she was cut off but a dismissive wave from his hand.

"Boss, that's the first thing you learn growing up on Earth, how to be forgettable. If you don't learn that you'll end up as a personally slave to some Uber or worse. Its not a bad thing, it's a survival trait."

"Harper, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Boss," he said as he turned to look her in the eyes. "Its ok, I'd rather be forgotten than in the spotlight. Bad things happen to those in the spotlight, believe me I've seen it happen."

Beka was silent even as he turned away from her and back to his task. He just stared at him for a few minutes before letting a devilish smile creep onto her face.

"So Harper, what do you think of Trance?"

Not aware of the trap setout for him he stumbled right into it.

"She's a great girl boss. I don't know where you found her, but I'm glad you did." He returned with a smile back at her, his hands moving on auto-pilot.

"Glad to hear it, so why were you holding her hand?" almost at once the tool he was working with feel to the floor beneath him. He had just realized the trap he was in and could see the jaws closing shut.

"Err… well, I…"

Beka could only laugh as she began her interrogation on the young engineer, both completely unaware of a smiling Trance hiding in the shadows and listening to their conversation.

Yes, she thought as she listened to Beka tease Harper, this is where I'm supposed to be. These are the ones that will help me to make the perfect possible future. Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to find some happiness as well.

This last though came as she watched Harper blush and lightly swing at Beka who laughed as she ducked. Yes, Trance had found her family, now all she had to do was keep them alive and steer them toward the perfect future she saw.

End: To Be Continued in Chapter 13: The Present