"These are some of the finest gravity control jammers available," Tyr pronounced, looking from the disassembled jammers to the five Nietzschean males pressed to Andromeda's decking. "And you used discount battery packs?"
Four of the Nietzscheans managed to turn their heads enough to glare at the fifth one, who ducked his head and muttered. "Gravity control on this stupid bitch of a ship was supposed to be malfunct-" His voice cut off with a grunt as Rommie tripled the column of gravity pinning them down.
"I'm sorry," her avatar caroled sweetly, "I didn't quite catch that."
The pinned Nietzscheans rolled their eyes to Tyr. "I'm not her Captain," he replied with a shrug.
"Apologize to it," one of the other Nietzscheans ground out.
"It?" the warship inquired.
"Her," the youngest of the five gasped.
"Smart boy."
Rommie's hologram flickered to life in front of the still-defiant Nietzschean who had first spoken. "Now, if gravity control were functioning properly," she continued, "I'd be able to deal with you alone. As it is," the nine-inch tall figure shrugged, glancing over at the others.
"I- I may have spoken hastily," the first Nietzschean grated. "I apologize. Ma'am," he added at Rommie's expectant look. The five drew in gasping breaths as she returned the gravity to its former level.
Rommie's hologram vanished as her avatar moved amongst the prisoners, binding their wrists and fastening control collars around their necks, taking care never to come between them and the muzzle of Tyr's gauss rifle. "Now, personally," Rommie commented lightly as she worked, "I think it would be a lot simpler if we just stuffed you in an airlock and opened the outer doors. But my Captain insists," she sighed, moving away from the prisoners and thumbing off the antigrav belt around her waist. She nodded to Tyr, stepping past him to retrieve her sidearm.
"On your feet!" Tyr barked as the column of gravity holding the prisoners dissolved. The five Nietzscheans lurched to their feet and shuffled towards Andromeda's boarding tube at Tyr's peremptory gesture.
A squad in the dark gray of Sanctuary Station Security met them at the base of the gangplank. "Sign here, please, ma'am," the sergeant said, extending a flexi as his squad herded the prisoners into a boxy transport jitney.
Rommie's eyebrows rose as she took the flexi. "Ma'am? I work for a living, Staff."
The staff sergeant snorted at the ancient joke as Rommie returned the signed flexi. "Right, Chief, sorry. Force of habit." He glanced over at the jitney. "We'll get some answers for your Captain, Chief." He nodded to Tyr. "Sir."
"Thanks for the backup, Tyr," Rommie said as they turned and headed back up the boarding tube.
"This may surprise you, Ship, but I have little desire to star in one of the Drago-Kasov Pride's infamous show trials," Tyr responded dryly.
"You think they were Drago-Kasov?"
Tyr shook his head. "No, they were mercenaries, exactly as they seemed. No doubt from some obscure little pride with too many members and little in the way of resources beyond those members."
Rommie nodded. "You're probably right."
"I take it Harper has finally managed to undo the damage done to that system by Commander Rhade and your little sojourn at the event horizon?"
"Not, entirely," Rommie responded. "It seems a great deal of the problem had more to do with my Wipe and Reboot than with either the virus Rhade released or with any subsequent events."
Tyr's eyebrows rose. "The procedure was performed improperly?"
"The procedure was state of the art when it was designed almost six hundred years ago," Rommie answered. "But I'm a bit more complex than the AIs of those days. Instead of completely suppressing my, damaged, personality," she continued, "in favor of my new one, certain, self-destructive impulses, I suppose you could call them, remained in my subconscious."
"Hence the ease with which your security systems have been breached in the past."
"Harper and I are working on that."
Tyr looked over at the android. "And your, situation, with Captain Hunt?"
"Has been dealt with," Rommie snapped. She turned to face Tyr. "Why all the questions?"
Tyr shrugged. "A moment of idle curiosity."
Rommie snorted. "Somehow I doubt you have very many of those, Tyr."
The Nietzschean smiled slightly in response as they came
to a cross-corridor. "Good day, Ship," he said as he turned on his heel
and strode away, leaving Rommie looking after him with a thoughtful expression
on her face.
Part 62
"Oh man, that was classic," Harper sniggered. "And that poor bastard of a customs guy when he realized. The look on his face."
"Harper." Beka placed one hand on her chest, widening her eyes in mock innocence. "Are you seriously suggesting that I am in any way responsible for Officer Krupke's actions that night?"
Harper snorted as he limped forward. "Boss, you played him like Carlos Santana on a Paul Reed Smith."
Beka grinned. "Yeah I did, didn't I?" She shook her head. "You know, if he hadn't been such a greedy bastard that never would've worked."
"Hey, I'm all for helping overworked civil servants supplement their incomes," Harper replied. "But there are limits, you know, and trying to steal money from- Rom-doll? You okay?"
"Wha-?" The android blinked, shaking her head. "Sorry, I was just- Harper, what are you doing out of Medical?"
"Med-ic-al-ly ap-prov-ed phys-i-cal ther-a-py," Harper singsonged. "Don't worry, babe, I've got a minder," he added in a more normal voice. "And you're monitoring me, too. I'm sure you would've told yourself if I was having any problems."
"I should have told myself from the beginning," Rommie grumbled.
"You were dealing with the boarding party," her hologram answered as she appeared. "And with Tyr. There wasn't-"
Harper waved his hand. "Whoa, whoa, back up. What boarding party? Who's after us now?"
"I've already turned them over to station Security," Rommie's avatar replied. "It's over, Harper, don't worry about it."
"Okay, anytime somebody says "don’t worry about it' I start looking for the nearest fan," Harper replied. "Who's after us?"
Beka shrugged. "He has to know sometime."
"Know what?" Harper's eyes darted between Beka and both of Rommie's aspects as he leant on his cane. "Guys, you're starting to scare me here."
"The Drago-Kasov have offered a death bounty of 100,000 thrones for each of you," Rommie's hologram answered.
"Or a capture bounty of 250,000 thrones," her avatar added.
Harper's eyes widened in surprise. "Nice to be wanted."
"They also want Rommie here to the tune of 2 billion thrones," Beka responded. "With, and I quote, 'minimal damage to the property of the Drago-Kasov people'."
Harper whistled. "Are they talking about you? Or Tyr's stiff down in Hold 15?"
Rommie exchanged a glance with herself. "Both, presumably. Drago Museveni's remains for obvious reasons, and me, as a legitimate spoil of war from their defeat of the Commonwealth."
Harper snorted. "Tyr should have started telling everyone the instant he got the damn thing."
"Yeah, well he didn't," Beka replied. "And it's his property, so," Beka shrugged. "Speaking of," she turned to Rommie, "I'm willing to bet it wasn't our uninvited guests that had you staring off into space like that. Spill. Now," she added as Rommie hesitated, her voice sharpening with the unmistakable snap of command.
"It's probably nothing," Rommie's avatar replied. "He was just- He was asking questions. About me, and how the work Harper's done on me has affected me, improved my security measures."
"Ship's security is part of his duties," her hologram pointed out.
"The big guy's not stupid," Harper put in. "He knows he's got a good thing going here, right?"
"The Nietzscheans had a good thing going with the Commonwealth,"
Beka answered. "Didn't stop them when they thought they could do better."
She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Too bad that lie detector
schtick of yours only works when they’re too dumb to know any better. And
whatever else Tyr Anasazi may be, dumb is not even on the menu."
Part 63
"Whoa, you're moving like a man on a serious mission here, sport," Beka laughed as she and Harper entered Andromeda's Hangar Deck. "Where's the fire?"
"Hold on," Harper replied. "Privacy mode please, Rommie."
Rommie materialized. "Harper, I don't think that's a good idea. You're still under medical monitoring and-"
"Damn it, Rommie, would you stop treating me like I'm fucking five years old," Harper snarled.
The hologram recoiled as if struck. "I- I'm not," she stammered. "I mean- I just-"
"Right," Harper snorted in derision and turned away. "Forget it, will you? Do whatever the hell you damn well please."
"Fine," Rommie snapped. "Initiating Privacy mode."
Harper's shoulders slumped as the hologram vanished. "Why do I get the feeling Privacy mode's going to last for a long, long time?"
"Any reason why it shouldn't?" Beka responded evenly. "Mr. Harper?"
Harper winced. "Look, Beka, I'm sorry. I-"
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."
Harper sighed. "I know. I just- I'm not an invalid. Not a total invalid," he corrected himself as Beka's eyes flicked to his cane. "I just- I want things to be the way they were. And I can't do that if they insist on wrapping me in cottonwool."
Beka's eyebrows rose. "They?"
"Um, yeah," Harper flushed. "If I don't get to it first, Trance, cuts up my food for me. I think she'd feed me too if she thought she could get away with it."
"You died, Seamus," Beka said softly. "It's not something any of us wants to repeat anytime soon."
"Believe me, it wasn't a barrel of fun on my end of it either," Harper answered. "And that whole tunnel of white light thing? Complete crock."
"You're going to break Rev's heart."
"You think I'm going to tell him? Especially now?"
Beka smiled. "You've got a point," she admitted. She looked levelly at Harper as her smile faded. "Rommie's a momma bear, Harper, you know that. And Trance, well, there's a reason she's our medic." She smiled again. "And besides, a shameless hedonist like you? I would have thought you'd be reveling in being waited on hand and foot like that."
"Yeah, well, a guy likes to have his dignity, you know," Harper responded as they started walking across the Hangar Deck.
Beka snorted in amusement. "The only time I've ever seen you worried about-" Beka stopped suddenly, grabbing Harper's arm and turning him to face her. Her eyes searched his face. "Harper-?"
Harper gave a small smile. "Yeah. Kind of surprised me too."
"That's great. I always knew the two of you would, oh hell, I don't know which the hell one we're talking about here."
Harper closed his eyes. "Neither do I," he said softly.
Beka stared. "Both of them?" Harper nodded silently in reply, his eyes still closed. "Oh you stupid fuck," Beka breathed, shaking her head.
Harper smiled wanly as he opened his eyes. "On that particular subject, right back at ya, boss."
Beka grimaced and looked away. "Yeah, well-" She cleared her throat. "You wanted to show me something?"
Harper moved over to stand in front of Planetary Warfare Bot Number One. "When, I started working with Rommie, after she, well, her backup," Harper cleared his throat. "I kind of wanted an ace in the hole so to speak, so I kind of told her some of Tweedledee's neural net had been damaged by a lucky shot from one of the swarmships and I couldn't fix it right now and I-" Harper cleared his throat again. "Tweedledee. Activate Harper Two Seven Niner Echo Mike Victor."
Tweedledee's sensors sprang to glowing red life. "Working," he intoned.
Beka's hands flew to her lips, tears springing to her eyes. The voice that had come out of the giant robot was one she had known her entire life, a voice she had thought never to hear again. The voice of the Eureka Maru. "H-how?"
"It's going to take a lot of work to get his matrix in any kind of shape that I can put him back," Harper said softly. "And to be honest, I'm not sure how much he's going to remember. This," he gestured at the robot, "was kind of a last-ditch, emergency-type deal thing, and," Harper shrugged, "I really just wanted some way of holding Rommie off long enough to escape if she, well..." His voice trailed off.
Beka pulled Harper to her in a fierce hug. "Thank you,"
she whispered. "Thank you."
Part 64
"Admiral O'Higgins, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."
O'Higgins gave a slight bow before taking his seat. "My pleasure, Madame Matriarch. May I congratulate you on your re-election?" In truth, the Drago-Kasov Alpha served at the pleasure of the Matriarch, with the advice and consent of the General Assembly. Some Prides had allowed their Alphas to gather more and more power, essentially relegating their Matriarchs to a strictly ceremonial role, but the Drago-Kasov Pride held proudly to the original Nietzschean governmental system as devised by Paul Museveni.
Bradamante Inuit smiled slightly. "Thank you, Admiral. I'm sure you're familiar with Professor Cree's work," she continued, indicating the other man seated before her.
"I am indeed," O'Higgins responded. "I'll admit, I found it quite fascinating. I'd never realized there was that much dissatisfaction with the Commonwealth among the Humans. It some ways it surprises me they supported it at all."
"They supported the Commonwealth because they couldn't see any other option," Herodotus Cree responded. "It many ways it's a pity the Human leadership was so short-sighted. And our own. It would have seemed a natural alliance at the time."
O'Higgins' eyebrows rose. "An alliance? Between Nietzscheans and Humans?"
The historian smiled slightly. "Three hundred years ago, Admiral, the words 'uber' and 'kludge' were the sole province of bigoted fanatics neither race cared to claim. And while a certain rivalry was not uncommon between the races, neither were close friendships. I've often wondered if our ancestors' particular savagery towards the Humans was not in some part motivated by feelings of betrayal."
"As fascinating as this little bit of historical inquiry is, gentlemen," the Matriarch interrupted dryly, "that's not why we're here today." She activated a flexi. "This proposal of yours, Admiral, to use certain Humans as, what was the term you used, Professor?"
"Janissaries, Madame Matriarch," Cree answered.
"Janissaries, yes," Inuit continued. "If this manages to get through the Assembly, what reason would I have not to veto it?"
O'Higgins drew a deep breath. A Matriarchal veto could only be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly, something a proposal as controversial as his would be unlikely to achieve. "The reason we need to spend so much of our military strength on security for the Tributary Worlds is that the Humans have no hope of escaping their enslavement."
"And you propose giving them a method of escape?" Inuit responded calmly. "Explain to me how this would benefit the Drago-Kasov Pride."
"There are places today on certain Tributary Worlds where no sane Nietzschean will set foot without full body armor and several armed companions as backup," O'Higgins answered. "This in spite of the use of hostages, hangings, crucifixions; on Earth we now execute ten Humans for every one of our people killed, and yet Nietzscheans are still dying. There's a good reason our soldiers consider assignment to such worlds to be one of the worst punishments possible." O'Higgins leant back in his chair. "As much as we dislike to admit it, our species was created from Humans, and while the average Nietzschean is far superior to the average Human, there is far more overlap than many of us care to admit. My proposal will draw off this overlapping subset, and allow us to use them for the benefit of the Drago-Kasov Pride."
"As front-line troops."
O'Higgins nodded. "Yes, Madame Matriarch. Under Nietzschean officers, of course."
The Matriarch smiled wryly. "Of course. And in return for their loyalty, if they survive for the full twenty-five years, we grant them, and their families, freedom. Not to mention a sizeable parcel of land on one of the undeveloped planets." She leant back in her own chair as O'Higgins nodded again. "An excellent carrot, Admiral, but where's the stick? What's to stop somebody like the Sons of Liberty or Freedom Now from recruiting these superior Humans for their own cause?"
"Such individuals already belong to those organizations, Madame Matriarch," O'Higgins replied. "We need to lever them away, and to do that, we need to cut them off from the communities that support them, by making the cost of such support completely untenable." O'Higgins took a deep breath. "I need to know that you will be willing to authorize the use of weapons of mass destruction against a civilian population."
Cree shot to his feet. "Drago's Bones, man, are you insane? The rest of the universe already sees us as a bunch of war-mongering barbarians. Do you-"
"Thank you, Professor, that will be all," Inuit's cool soprano broke in.
"But, Madame Matri-"
"Dismissed, Professor."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Tell me, Admiral," Inuit continued evenly after the academic had left, "why I should not have you stripped of your office, your rank, your lands, and your family?"
"We haven't used a WMD against civilians since the Revolution," O'Higgins answered, "and I'm not proposing that we do so now. What I am proposing is that-"
"What you are proposing, Admiral, is that we bluff. That we convince the various Human resistance movements that further attacks will result in the utter annihilation of their homes and families."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Bluffs can be called."
"As the good professor pointed out, we're already intergalactic pariahs as it is. In many ways, we have nothing to lose. And the resistance leaders know this. All I want is to buy us some time. Time to rebuild the Reserve Fleet and give us a fighting chance against that monstrosity coming towards us."
Bradamante Inuit studied her Alpha coolly, her face impassive. "If someone does call this bluff of yours, Admiral," she said quietly, "I will have you publicly crucified at ground zero, and every single one of your children and grandchildren will be sterilized."
Part 65
"Rev?" Dylan said as he entered the darkened Observation Deck. "I just wanted to let you know we'll be docking at Drei Cruces in about an hour or so."
"Thank you, Dylan."
Dylan hesitated. "In some ways," he continued, "this has always been one of my favorite places on board the Andromeda. Just, being here, being able to stand here, and look out there, somehow it's always helped me put things into perspective."
The monk's soft voice finally came just as Dylan's shoulders slumped and he turned away. "I used to believe, once, that my faith was like those stars. Stable, unchanging, a guiding beacon. Even when I would lose my way for a time, I always knew that they were there, even if I couldn't see them."
"The stars still shine, Rev," Dylan answered as he returned. "Even when there are clouds between us and them."
"But from here," the Wayist replied, gesturing at the stars, "those could just as easily be nothing more than holes in a painted sheet. And we would never know the difference."
"True," Dylan settled beside Rev, folding his legs tailor-fashion as the monk had done. "We wouldn't. But there's a- a name, a title really, that I remember from my Comparative Religion courses at the Academy, that, well somehow, it sort of stuck in my head. Father of Lies."
"I have heard of that particular title," Rev said finally. "But Wayism does not require a belief in the existence of such a figure, even as a metaphor."
"But neither, and correct me if I'm wrong on this, but neither does it deny the possible existence of such a figure, even as a metaphor."
"No, no it doesn't. But..." Rev's voice trailed off.
"Yes?" Dylan prompted gently.
"I want- I want to believe," Rev continued, "and yet what I cannot deny, what I know, beyond any shadow of doubt, is that we Magog are the creation of the Abyss. The one power that I believed to be the sole province of the Divine, the power to create, also belongs to that- that-" Rev shook his head.
Dylan scratched his chin. "Well, Rhade, um, Gaheris, he used make, used to create, these beautiful origami figures, out of paper, and, well, my point is, no matter how he folded them, they were still paper." Dylan sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, did the Spirit of the Abyss actually create the Magog, or merely take and twist something that already existed?"
Rev closed his eyes. "Does it matter?"
Dylan shrugged. "Perhaps not. I'm not exactly a theologian."
"No, you're not." Rev smiled slightly as he opened his eyes. "But, perhaps that's all for the best." He nodded. "I thank you for your efforts, Dylan."
"Anytime, Rev," Dylan answered as he stood. "Anytime."
Neither man noticed the slender shadow slipping away from
the Observation Deck companionway and darting silently down the corridor.
Part 66
"The Mahatma has just entered slipstream," Rommie reported. "Godspeed, Rev," she added in a whisper. The others murmured in agreement, all except for Tyr, who stood with his arms folded, silently watching the fading flare of light that marked the Wayist ship's departure from the Drei Cruces system.
"You ready to do a little shopping, sport?" Beka asked as the last sign of light from the flare faded from Andromeda's viewscreen.
Harper shrugged. "Sounds good." His eyes slid over to Dylan. "Maybe between the two of us we can get the parts we need at a discount slightly less than half off three times their usual cost," he added slyly.
Dylan groaned as the others laughed. "The two of you are never going to let me live that down, are you?"
Beka put a finger to her lips, miming deep thought. "Nope," she said finally.
"Wonderful," Dylan muttered.
"Trance-"
"Just take it, Harper," Andromeda's medical officer ordered as one of Rommie's bots held out Harper's cane. "Please. Just in case."
"I don't really need this thing anymore, you know," Harper grumbled as he took the cane, "but if it will make you feel better..."
Trance smiled briefly in reply. "Now if you start feeling even the slightest bit tired or-"
"Yes, Mother."
"Beka, are you sure you guys don't want me to-"
"Rommie, relax," Beka interrupted quietly. "Nothing's going to happen. Drei Cruces Security is one of the best there is at keeping things safe and honest. He has to go out into the big bad universe again some time," she added.
"I know," Rommie sighed.
"You know, what I really need with this thing is a top hat," Harper remarked as he headed for Rommie's main airlock, cane swinging in a jaunty circle by his side. "And tails, of course. You coming, Boss?"
The two of them had been wandering through Drei Cruces' extensive market for several hours when a stocky, red-haired Human male literally plowed into Beka as they rounded one of the pillars supporting the roof of the towering Main Concourse, knocking her to the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry, please, are you all right? I-" He glanced over at Harper, before turning back to Beka and offering her a hand up. "I-"
"She's just peachy," Harper said quickly. "Five by five."
Beka stilled, her hand dropping to her side. "Friend of yours?"
"Of a sort," Harper replied.
"Call me Matt," the stranger responded as Beka accepted his hand and rose to her feet. "The two of us are, ah, old acquaintances," he continued. "From way back."
"We went to school together," Harper added smoothly. "Matt, meet Beka. Beka, Matt."
Beka's eyebrows rose. "Another student of practical engineering?"
"Rhetoric and composition actually, Captain Valentine," Matt answered.
"He's all right too, Boss," Harper put in as Beka stiffened. His eyes turned to Matt. "Or am I wrong about that after all this time?" he added levelly.
"Whoa, Shay." Matt backed up a step, holding his hands in the air. "I've seen the news flexis on you guys, just like everyone else. Maybe we've been following things a bit more closely because we knew you, but that's it, I swear."
"We?" Harper asked.
"Jeff and I."
"Jeff's here? I didn't think he made it out. I told you, it's all right, she knows a little about how things were," Harper added as Matt glanced over at Beka again.
"Actually, you just missed him. He's on a run to El Dorado, Main Pilot for the Donegal Express," Matt said proudly.
"Jeff's working for the FTA now?"
"We both are actually, fine upstanding citizens that we are," Matt answered. "No mud left on our feet," he joked. "Hey, why don't the two of you have dinner with me? I know this great little Chichin place down on Fourth Level."
Beka looked at Harper. "Actually, I was planning on turning in early tonight, but if you want to..."
Harper's eyes flicked to a figure half-hidden behind another pillar. "What about our friend?" he asked softly.
"I'll handle him," Beka replied quietly. "Go on, have fun," she added in a more normal tone as she made little shooing motions with her hands. "I'll tell the girls you'll be back later."
"All right, Boss," Harper laughed as he and Matt walked off.
Beka turned and started to head back up the Main Concourse. She stopped when she had drawn level with the figure hidden behind the pillar. "Tell her the answer is still no, Telaisius."
"But Captain Valentine," the Nightsider whined as he peeked out from behind the pillar. "She's your-"
"She left," Beka responded. "As far as I'm concerned, that ended any relationship between us."
The Nightsider darted around the pillar and grabbed Beka's arm. "Please, Captain Valentine-" He halted as he felt the muzzle of a gauss gun poke into his side.
"I thought Beka warned you the last time, Telaisius," Harper said. "Me, I wouldn't have been so nice."
Telaisius' eyes darted between the three Humans as he pressed back against the pillar. "The Commodore'll kill me," he screeched. "She will. You know how she is."
Beka shrugged. "I don't imagine she's changed much. And no matter how psychotic she may be," Beka smiled as she leant down, "and believe me, Telaisius, I know her far better than you ever will, the bitch isn't here right now," Beka purred. "I am." She straightened and stood aside. "Your choice."
"Nice guy," Matt commented dryly as Telaisius disappeared into the crowd. "Shame he couldn't stick around," he added as he fastened the clip on his holster.
"Thanks for the backup," Harper said. "Do you mind, um-"
"I wanted to check out Kishta's place anyway, see if she's got anything new," Matt replied.
"Thanks," Harper nodded. "Beka, I-"
Beka held up a hand. "I've been dealing with her ever since my dad died, Seamus. Nothing's changed. Go on. Enjoy your reunion."
"If you're sure."
"I'm sure. Go, that's an order," she responded, punctuating her words by making shooing motions with her hands.
"Yes, ma'am," Harper laughed. "Find anything?" he asked Matt.
Matt shook his head as they walked. "Not really. You ready?"
"Sure," Harper replied. "Rom-doll, location only."
Matt's eyes widened. "Is that-"
"I know you've been monitoring me," Harper continued. He winced suddenly, his hand going to his dataport. "That went well," he muttered. "And to answer your question, yes, that was Andromeda," he told Matt.
"Isn't that, I don't know, kind of weird? Having an AI be able to get inside your head like that?"
Harper shrugged. "Comes with the job. And," he smiled, "it has its benefits."
Matt shook his head. "You and your machines."
"Hey, just because you have trouble finding the on button," Harper laughed as they left the Main Concourse.
Harper groaned as he pushed his plate away. "I am stuffed. I never knew Chichin food could be so, so good."
Matt laughed. "Dzeura's a master." He leaned forward. "But don't tell anybody," he whispered loudly. "If too many people find out," he shook his head. "Terrible. Just terrible."
"Would you gentlemen care for an after-dinner drink?" the server asked. "We have a plentiful selection of fine coffees and teas for our Human customers, or if you would prefer we also have-"
"Coffee, please," Matt interrupted. "The house blend. And the check."
"Very good, sir," the server replied, turning to Harper. "And for you, sir?"
"Two, please," Harper answered.
"Very good, gentlesirs." The server bowed slightly and withdrew, returning moments later with two cups and a steaming pot. "I'll be back when you're ready," the server continued after pouring the coffee and laying the check on the table midway between the two men, then once more withdrawing.
Matt waved Harper off as he reached for the check. "You're a guest."
"All right, but I owe you one," Harper replied. He yawned. "Oh man, I didn't realize how late it was. I need to get to bed."
Matt smirked. "You, Mr. Energy himself? Sleep?"
Harper laughed ruefully, eyes going to his cane. "Yeah, well, happens to all of us I guess."
Matt looked down at the coffee cup between his hands. "You know, you don't have to go back to your ship tonight," he said quietly. "The bed in my place's plenty big enough for two. Or you can take the couch," he added hastily. "I mean, I know that just because in the past we-"
"What about Jeff?" Harper interrupted.
"Jeff's gone a lot, so he and I have an, an understanding," Matt replied. "As long as we're reasonably careful about whom we choose..."
Harper smiled gently as he covered one of Matt's hands with his own. "I'm flattered, Matty, truly. I am," he said softly, giving his friend's hand a gentle squeeze. "But I- I guess you could say I don't play on that side of the playground anymore. I'm sorry."
Matt gave a small smile in return as he pulled his hand away. "That's pretty much the side I've always liked," he replied. "Come on, let's let these people close up and go home. My- My place is a lot closer than yours," he added as they stood. "The couch offer still stands, if you want."
Part 67
"I think they're out by the couch."
Harper was on his hands and knees, looking under the bed when he heard Matt's voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he answered as he stood.
Matt shrugged as he donned his robe and stood. "Too used to sleeping lightly to give it up, I guess." He looked around the apartment with a sardonic smile as they walked out into the living room. "No matter how many times the security company assures us they've got this place wired six ways from Sunday."
Harper laughed softly as he stepped into his pants. "I know what you mean. I'm on the biggest, baddest warship around, and yet the only time I sleep more than an hour or two at a stretch is when I'm stuck on Med Deck doped to the gills."
"You want some coffee before you go? It's pretty early."
Harper shook his head. "I'm good, thanks." He looked down at the ground. "So-"
"I envy you, Shay," Matt blurted. "Really, I do."
Harper blinked. "B-but why? I mean," his gesture took in the apartment around them, "looks to me like you're doing pretty good. Nice place, good job-"
Matt shook his head. "But I'm not doing anything, not like you. I mean sure, Jeff and I send money to various liberation groups, and I write letters to the editor about Dragon atrocities back home, but I'm not really doing anything."
"It's not all glamour and deeds of derring-do, Matty. There are times I wonder if we're just fooling ourselves, that maybe the ubers are right, and Might really does make Right. You don't know how many times I've wanted to just say the hell with it and settle down somewhere on some out of the way little drift and just, wait for everything to be over."
Matt shook his head again. "I don't believe that Shay, not you. The rest of us back on Earth, we fought because we had to, because it was either that or the factories. But you, you could have stayed with your uncle after your parents died. It would have been a lot easier on you."
"A lifetime toadying up to the ubers," Harper sneered. "His collaborating didn't help my cousins much when the Magog came, did it? The bastards locked the gates on them and left them to die."
"I know," Matt said softly. "I just..." He spread his hands helplessly.
"Yeah," Harper said. He looked down at the floor again. "Anyway, tell Jeff I said hi, and um, maybe I'll see you guys around sometime."
"Sure," Matt replied as Harper let himself out of the apartment. "Drop by anytime."
Harper walked back to the Andromeda, ignoring the transport jitneys that roamed the Drift looking for fares.
Rommie's hologram stood with folded arms at the head of the gangway as Harper walked up the docking tube. "Good morning, Mr. Harper. Did you and your friend have a nice night?" she snapped.
"Yeah, as a matter of fact we did," Harper shot back. "What, is that against High Guard Regulation number 6023 or something like that?"
"No, but reporting in at a decent hour is," Rommie sniffed. "Or at least having the common courtesy to call."
"Aw, were you worried about me Rom-doll? I'm touched."
The hologram rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Harper. Dylan's called a staff meeting at 0700," she added as she dematerialized.
"Oh whoop-de-do, a staff meeting," Harper muttered as he headed for his quarters.
He pulled off his clothes as he entered his quarters, tossing them in the general direction of the laundry chute as he headed for the shower. He stepped in, and immediately jumped back out as a blast of freezing cold water hit him. "Jesus, Rommie, what the hell happened to the hot water?"
"My sensors indicate the water is at the required temperature," the warship's disembodied voice replied.
"Well, add a little more hot water, will you?" Harper waited as the shower continued to run at the same temperature. "Rom-doll? Please?" Harper sighed with resignation as the warship made no reply, then dashed in for a very quick, and very cold, shower.
Part 68
"Has anybody seen- Mr. Harper, glad you could join us," Dylan remarked as Harper slipped into the conference room. He blinked as he took in what Harper was wearing. "Ah, Harper-"
Harper pushed his sleeves up as he sat down. The original owner of the High Guard uniform he was wearing had obviously been closer to Tyr's size than to Harper's. "It seems somebody decided that my clothes needed to be washed. All of my clothes," he added with a glare at Rommie.
The android returned his glare with a cool look of her own. "If you would just put them in the laundry on a regular basis, instead of allowing them to pile up on the floor, then maybe-"
"We can discuss Harper's laundry habits later," Dylan interrupted. "We've had somebody approach us about joining the Commonwealth," he began.
Harper reached for the plate of donuts in the center of the table, only to have Trance pull them away. "Sorry, Harper," she smirked. "Not medically advisable."
"Since when!" Harper protested.
"You can have a nice rice cake, th-"
Dylan's hand slammed on the table. "Enough. I don't know what the hell's going on with you three." Dylan's eyes slid over to Rommie, who stiffened in her seat. "Yes I said three, Andromeda," he snapped, "and frankly, I would have expected better from you at least." He took a deep breath. "I don't know what's going on, and I don't care. Whatever personal problems you may be having with each other, deal with it on your own time."
"But-" Harper began.
"Don't," Beka snapped. "Not a word."
Dylan and Beka both glared at the chastened trio, who ducked their heads and gave apologetic mutters as Tyr leant back in his chair, his face studiously blank.
"As I was saying, we've been approached by a potential new member of the Commonwealth," Dylan repeated. "Mr. Anasazi, since you were the one who's been dealing with these people, perhaps you could give us the basics?"
Harper opened his mouth, only to jump suddenly and close his mouth again. He scowled at Trance, who answered him with a frown of her own and a slight shake of her head.
Tyr's eyebrows rose slightly at the by-play between the two. "Thank you, Captain Hunt. Sometime ago a representative from the Gashleycrumb System approached me-"
"Wait a minute," Beka interrupted. "Gashleycrumb? Was this so-called representative a weasely little rat-faced Nightsider, name of Telaisius?"
"I believe weasely and rat-faced would describe the entire Nightsider species, Captain Valentine," Tyr replied, "but yes, Telaisius was the name of the Gashleycrumb representative."
"Do you know this Telaisius, Beka?" Dylan asked.
Beka gave a rueful laugh. "Yeah, I know him." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, Dylan, I know this isn't going to be what you want to hear, but Elsa Barrett is a psychotic, manipulative bitch and Gashleycrumb is a nest of the foulest, most murderous scum in the universe. The best thing you can do is take this ship in and reduce every single thing in that system to its component molecules. Believe me, Dylan, I know, I've been dealing with her my entire life."
"Commodore Barrett specifically asked to meet with you, Captain Val-"
"Hell no!" Beka exploded. "That bitch can rot in Hell before I'll do one single damn thing she wants."
"It was her sole requirement before signing the Commonwealth Charter," Tyr responded.
"The Gashleycrumb system is the nexus for no less than five major slipstream routes, Beka," Dylan added. "And while admittedly the current government did start out as a group of, ah, privateers-"
"Try pirates, Dylan," Beka interrupted. "And yes, there is a difference."
"Be that as it may," Dylan responded, "Gashleycrumb is too important, both militarily and economically for us to refuse them. And no matter how they may have started out, they've agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Charter."
Beka looked down at the tabletop in front of her. "It won't matter," she said softly. "She'll sign because it gives her something she wants, and tear it up as soon as she's gotten it."
"And how is that any different from the motives our other noble allies?" Tyr asked evenly.
"Find another way, Dylan," Beka continued. "Please."
"Beka-"
"I can't do it, Dylan. I just can't."
"Uh, Bek," Harper broke in. "Maybe you might want to think about this-"
"I said no, Harper." Beka snapped. "You of all people-" Beka stopped and dropped her head into her hands. "Forget it. Just forget it."
"Elsa Barrett, Elsa Barrett," Trance muttered to herself. "Where have I- Elsa Barr- Beka! Isn't she y- Ow!" Trance jumped and grabbed her leg. "Har-"
"Harper, you little weasel," Beka snarled. "I can't believe you would-"
"I didn't, Boss, I swear," Harper babbled, holding up his hands defensively. "I wouldn't, I swear, I don't know how she-" Harper's eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. "-knew."
"He didn't tell me anything, Beka, really," Trance broke in. "I learned from, ah, other means, and um, I just put everything together just now. Really, he didn't tell me anything."
"Is there something we should know about your relationship with Commodore Barrett, Captain Valentine?" Tyr asked.
"There is no relationship," Beka responded coldly. "Do whatever you want about Gashleycrumb, Dylan," she continued as she stood. "Just don't expect me to be a part of it. Any of it," she concluded as she walked out of the conference room.
Dylan turned back to the others at the table. "Mr. Harper-"
Harper held up his hands. "Hey, if Beka says it's okay, I'll tell you everything. But until then..." Harper spread his hands.
"It's Beka's choice," Trance agreed. "It always has been."
Part 69
"Harper, please, I'm sorry. I really am. I thought-" Trance sighed and turned to look at Rommie. "It's no use."
Rommie patted her arm sympathetically. "He's listening, I promise." She gestured at the maintenance tube they were kneeling in front of. "Just keep talking."
"I mean I was kind of upset when I heard you'd be spending the night with your friend, we both were really, and it was stupid and childish and just- just- and I never expected you'd have a reaction like that in any case, I mean back before I would have but now- It was just supposed to be itching powder. I mean I never meant to have what happened happen and I'm really, really sorry. Harper? Please?"
"She really does feel bad about this, Harper," Rommie said as she materialized inside the maintenance tube. "She's been apologizing to anyone who'll listen for the past three days."
Harper glared at the hologram. "The two of you just aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" he snarled, jamming his tools back into his toolbelt and propelling himself down the tube. "News flash for you, Trance," he said as he emerged from the tube, "just because Rafe's little nanobots managed to restore my immune system while they were putting me back together doesn't mean I'm now immune to everything. I still have allergies to things."
"At least most of the blisters seem to have dried up," Trance replied timidly.
Harper snorted in derision as he stood and stalked off. "You know what really gets me," he said, turning to face the other two. "First off the two of you offer me a couple of goddamn pity fucks just because my little passengers were getting antsy and oh-"
"Harper, no," Rommie protested, one hand reaching out to her engineer.
"-I know what you were thinking, it's Harper and he'll take anything he can get, well I've got a bit of news for you, I do have standards and okay, yeah, it really doesn't matter what some stranger you meet in a bar thinks about you one way or the other but when it's someone you l- Well, anyway," Harper interrupted himself, "what I chose to do in my personal life is really none of your goddamn business, now is it?"
Rommie swallowed heavily. "Harper, I- we-"
"Forget it," Harper interrupted. "Just- just leave me the fuck alone," he said hoarsely as he turned away again. "Please."
"Maybe you're right, Harper, maybe your personal life isn't any of my business, or Rommie's," Trance answered, "but where the hell do you get off saying something like- I have never offered anyone a goddamn pity fuck in my life, not once and yes, that includes you, Seamus Zelazny Harper, maybe I just wanted to offer someone I thought was my friend a little comfort and maybe get a little too, and- and-" Trance's words ended in a hiccupping sob. "Damn it."
"Trance-"
"Oh, just go away if you're going away," Trance sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"Trance, please. Don't cry. You know I hate that. Come on, look I'm sorry, I just- Please don't cry."
"What she said, goes for me as well, Harper," Rommie said as Trance turned away to try and recover her composure. "Pitying you was the last thing on my mind that night."
Harper looked back and forth between the two women. "You- you're serious, aren't you?"
"You're my Engineer, Harper, and my friend," Rommie replied. "You're closer to me than anyone. Anyone, Harper, including Dylan. Do you really think I could have, that either of us could have- Yes, Harper, I'm serious. Believe me."
"Oh." Harper slid down the wall until he was sitting across from Rommie and Trance. "Wow."
Trance gave a small smile."So, now you know." She wiped her eyes again. "And, uh, just so you know, the offer still stands. Well, once the blisters finish drying up and everything."
"What? Oozing sores aren't a turn-on for you, my purple princess of passion?" Harper quipped.
Trance giggled. "Jerk." Her smile died as she looked over at Rommie. "Rommie, I-"
Rommie smiled wanly. "It's all right, Trance. I- I'd better go," she said as she got to her feet. "Leave you two-"
Harper scrambled to his feet. "Rommie, Rom-doll, wait, I-" He looked back and forth between the two women, then whirled, slamming his fist into a bulkhead. "Ow! Jeez that hurt."
"No shit, Harper," Rommie said as she and Trance both grabbed for his hand.
"Can you wiggle your fingers?" Trance asked.
Harper grimaced as he complied. "Yeah."
"I don't think anything's broken," Trance said, "but I still want to run a medical scanner over that hand."
"I agree," Rommie concurred. "Harper, what the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking, I don't want, I've never wanted, to hurt you. Either of you." Harper shook his head helplessly. "I just-"
Rommie smiled as she caressed the side of Harper's face. "As long as you're happy-"
Harper shook his head again. "No-"
"Rommie, you don't have to- I mean we, the three of us- I mean, you're my friend too, Rommie, and, oh-" Trance leaned forward, pressing her lips to Rommie's. "Maybe none of us has to lose," she whispered huskily as she pulled back.
"There could be complications," Rommie's main AI said as she appeared on a viewscreen. "Good order and discipline, the safety of ourselves and our crew-"
"Worse than now?" her hologram asked as she materialized. "There has to be something more. Something beyond just doing our duty and-"
Rommie interrupted herself by leaning forward and returning Trance's kiss. "Maybe not," she said softly.
Trance's smile widened into a grin as her eyes slid over to Harper. "Would you care to do the honors?"
Rommie grinned back as she reached out and slipped a finger under Harper's chin, then leaned forward and kissed him. "I told you the two of us got a lot closer while you were gone, Harper," she murmured as Trance kissed him as well.
"Th- that- that was real?" Harper stammered. "I thought it was just another- well, never mind. I, um, hey, don't I get any say in this?"
Trance and Rommie exchanged a glance. "Well?"
"I suppose if he really objects-" Rommie began.
"No, no," Harper interrupted. "I just- really?"
Trance rolled her eyes. "He is supposed to be a genius, right?" Rommie shrugged in reply.
"Ha, ha, very funny," Harper replied. "I-" He leaned forward and captured Trance's lips with his, evoking a low, throaty moan from her, then moved over to Rommie, who threaded her fingers through his hair as their tongues duelled.
"Do me a favor," Harper breathed. "Don't let me wake up."
"Okay," Trance answered quietly. She swallowed. "Is this really going to work?"
"We'll be emerging in the Gashlycrumb system in about fifteen minutes," Rommie said softly, breaking the silence. "We'd better- we'd better take our duty stations."
Part 70
"We're here," Harper announced as he, Trance, and Rommie entered Command. "Anybody miss us?"
Tyr turned slightly, acknowledging the trio's arrival before turning his attention back to Andromeda's main viewscreen. "No."
"Exiting slipstream in 5...4...3...2...1... Re-entering normal space," Rommie's main AI announced. "Captain, we're being hailed. Also, sensors indicate active limpet mines in all directions except directly ahead and directly astern of us."
"On screen," Dylan ordered, flexing his fingers as he released the handgrips and stepped down from the Pilot's Station.
"Unknown vessel, you have entered a restricted system. State your identification and business here," Gashleycrumb System Traffic Control ordered.
"This is Captain Dylan Hunt, of the Commonwealth Heavy Cruiser Andromeda Ascendant," Dylan reponded. "And our business is with Commodore Barrett."
"Proceed to the following coordinates, Captain," the man in the unfamiliar uniform on Andromeda's viewscreen ordered as a set of coordinates appeared beside him. "A system pilot, along with a contraband interdiction team, will be boarding your vessel and assuming command. You may pay the system entrance fee of 500 thrones to the pilot," he continued. "Do not attempt to interfere with the operations of either the pilot or the contraband interdiction team, or your vessel will be destroyed."
Dylan smiled. "This is a diplomatic mission, Gashleycrumb Control. We're here at the request of your government."
"You're not on the approved list," the controller responded. "Proceed as ordered or you will be destroyed."
"Dylan, a line of limpet mines has just activated between us and the slipstream point," Rommie announced, cutting off audio transmission as she did so. "Other mines are moving into position between us and the slip point as well. System defense platforms have gone to active targeting mode, and three squadrons of Four Freedoms-class destroyers are vectoring towards our position. The first two will be here by the time I can clear the mines."
Dylan signalled Rommie to re-open communications. "Ah, perhaps you misunderstood me, Gashleycrumb Control. We're here at the direct request of Commodore Barrett."
"Your claim will be investigated, Hunt," Gashleycrumb Control sneered. "In the meantime, your vessel has been fined 4500 thrones for failure to comply with System Traffic Control. Proceed to rendezvous point as ordered. Gashleycrumb out."
"Commodore Barrett's stated wishes for an alliance appear to have been merely the bait for this trap," Tyr rumbled. "My apologies, Captain Hunt."
"This was supposed to trap me?" Rommie scoffed.
"Nah," Harper shrugged. "System entrance fee, system exit fee, system transit fee. Standard operating procedure for this place. What we need is Be-"
"Rommie, open a channel," Beka ordered as she strode into Command.
"-ka," Harper finished. "You changed your hair." Beka's normally blonde locks were now coal-black.
"Captain Valentine, nice of you to finally join us," Tyr remarked.
Rommie looked over at Dylan, who nodded slightly. "Channel open."
The Gashleycrumb traffic controller re-appeared on the viewscreen. "Any further delay will result in more fines being levied against your ves-" His face paled as he spotted Beka. "Ma-ma'am, I d-didn't- I mean-"
"Clear a path," Beka ordered. "Now."
"Yes ma'am, as you wish ma'am," the controller babbled, his fingers flying over the console in front of him.
"All mines have been deactivated, platform targeting arrays are off-line, and all three destroyer squadrons are changing course away from us," Rommie reported.
"Please ma'am, I-"
"Inform Commodore Barrett that Captain Valentine wishes to see her," Beka interrupted, changing her hair color back to its normal blonde. "And Sub-Lieutenant?" Beka leaned forward, eyes piercing the junior officer's. "Run. Andromeda out."
Beka turned to the others holding up her hand to forestall any questions. "You want this alliance, Dylan? Then follow my lead." Her eyes shifted to Tyr. "That goes for you as well, Tyr. Pull any of that uber 'me first' crap and you'll get us all killed. Rommie," she continued, turning her attention to Rommie's avatar, "can you obey my orders? Without looking to Dylan for confirmation," she added as the android did just that.
"For the duration of this mission, yes," Rommie answered as Dylan nodded.
"Harper, same deal as last time," Beka continued.
"Got it, boss."
"Fill Trance in on whatever she needs to know." Beka turned back to the others. "Meet me at the Main Boarding Tube. Look lethal." She pivoted on her heel and stalked out of Command.
Harper held up his hands as four pairs of eyes turned to him. "Hey, in this system, the only person who outranks Beka is Barrett herself."