***
Chapter five
***
On the bridge of the Maru, Dylan watched as Harper directed the Marias working on repairing the damage that Andromeda's hull had taken over the last few months. Supervising the repairs from the Maru meant he didn't have to be on the Command deck with Tyr and Beka sniping away at each other like they had been for the last two days.
"All finished, boss," Harper's voice crackled back over the intercom.
Checking the display, Dylan smiled. "A job well done, Harper, almost as good as new."
"You want me to head over to the Maru now?" Harper asked as he watched the Marias drop back into the Andromeda through an airlock.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like the chance to test out those upgrades you made to Andromeda's tracking systems."
"No problem. Headin' over now." Harper turned off his magnetic boots and jumped off Andromeda's hull towards the Maru as it dipped in closer.
Watching Harper drift over and then grab onto the Maru's hull, Dylan was punching some commands into his console when Beka appeared in front of him. Noticing the irritated frown on his first officer's face, Dylan smiled broadly. "I've picked up Harper. Give us a ten minute head start, and then we can begin the practise run."
"Yeah, sure," Beka said flatly before she terminated the comm link.
Dylan was still chuckling to himself as he heard Harper come in. "I was thinking of starting in that asteroid field over there." Dylan pointed to the map of the star system on the main display.
"Sounds good. You want me to power up those new drones I built? I loaded them onboard just in case," Harper said as he slid into a work station and Dylan piloted the Maru away from the Andromeda towards the asteroid field.
"The stealth drones?"
"Yep. The old guy gave me the idea while we were talking about über society and stuff."
"I see." Dylan smirked, piloting the Maru behind a large asteroid. "You two are still talking about...stuff?"
"Well, yeah. He's a nice guy, for an über," Harper said cautiously, looking over at Dylan's head.
Dylan powered down the Maru's engines and looked over at Harper. "And have you two worked anything out about Tyr while talking over Sparkys?"
Harper felt himself blush again. "I'm sorry for that thing with Tyr's quarters. I just thought that if...you know, if we talked about things, then..." Harper ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. "Sorry. I won't do it again."
Dylan raised an eyebrow but kept smiling. "I gathered that you two didn't do much talking while you were in there."
Going an even brighter shade of red, Harper gave Dylan a small smile. "Ah, no. Not a lot."
Dylan turned back to the Maru's main display with an air of disinterest. "Tyr may be a Nietzchean, but they do take same-sex partners sometimes. You should have seen Captain Khalid's partner--he was a fiery heavy-worlder if I ever met one. Micheal was a slipstream cartography expert and explorer with the High Guard's science division." Dylan smiled to himself, and his eyes grew distant. "I still remember being Khalid's best man at their commitment ceremony on Tarn-Vedra. They were together for almost sixteen years, and they had some huge fights in that time, but they always ended up back together again. Khalid would kill me for saying it, but they made a damned cute couple."
"What happened?" Harper asked, his embarrassment forgotten.
Dylan sighed sadly and powered up the Maru's engines. "Micheal was on board the Vedran Empress's barge when the Nietzcheans attacked. There were no survivors."
"Oh." Harper looked back at his workstation.
"Power up those drones of yours Harper, lets see if we can surprise Tyr."
***
Rev looked up from the science station when Tyr spoke. "The Maru has launched four drones. Since when has the Maru had that capability?"
"Since I told Harper he could upgrade the Maru," Beka said angrily as she piloted the Andromeda towards the Maru.
"I wasn't aware of it." Tyr said, also launching drones. "I should have been informed about any improvements to the Maru's military capabilities."
"The Maru's drones are emitting a wide spectrum of radiation and sub-atomic particles that are interfering with our sensors," Rev interjected.
Beka smiled. "Harper thinks he's found a way of cloaking a ship. This must be what he was talking about."
Tyr snorted. "The Maru will be in firing range in twelve seconds. I have a lock. Rev?"
"There is now a large radiation field surrounding the Maru, and it is increasing in both size and intensity."
Screen Rommie appeared on the main display. "Target acquired. The Maru is attempting to slip past our drones."
"Firing." Tyr smiled with feral intensity.
Everyone watched as the dummy missiles carried by the Andromeda's drones flew towards their target and then detonated against its hull.
"That was easy," Beka said, eyebrows rising.
The next thing they knew, the Andromeda shuddered and Holographic Rommie appeared. "Missile impact on the starboard hull. Propulsion reduced by twelve percent."
"Ship, I though we destroyed them."
Before Rommie could respond to Tyr, Rev spoke up. "Sensors detect the Maru 650 kilometers behind us."
As the Andromeda shuddered again Holographic Rommie said, "Missile impact to the keel. Missile tubes one through six have been destroyed."
"Tyr," Beka said shortly as she attempted a tight turn.
"I'm working on it," he snapped, jerking at the drone controls.
An even more violent shudder rocked them. "Missile impact to the port hull, propulsion reduced by a further nine percent."
"I am now detecting three Marus at separate cardinal points, all heading towards us." Rev sounded confused as he tried to get answers from his console.
"They're ghosts," Tyr said angrily, shooting at all three.
Beka jerked in her chair at another collision.
"Missile impact to the Starboard hull. Propulsion reduced by a further eleven percent. Test completed."
Ripping off his goggles, Tyr slammed them onto the console, enraged. "We were supposed to be testing the new tracking systems, not another of the professor's toys."
Dylan's smiling face appeared on the Andromeda's main display. "We were testing both, Tyr. Feel like going another round?"
"I'm glad you're having fun shooting at your own ship," Beka said, smiling back.
"Let's see if you can actually spot us this time."
"Rommie, reset the test parameters," Beka instructed. "The Maru now has five missiles."
"Confirmed. Andromeda Ascendant crew response test will re-initiate in 60 seconds."
***
"Woohoo!" Harper cheered as the fifth dummy missile slammed into the Andromeda.
Piloting the Maru underneath the Andromeda, Dylan smiled. "Don't get too happy, Harper. That's my ship we just destroyed for the second time."
"Yeah, but they still had no idea where we were. Tyr was just firing at random, hoping to get lucky."
"I thought he already had," Dylan said, powering down the Maru's engines.
When he was greeted with nothing but silence, Dylan turned to look at Harper.
Spotting Dylan's questioning look, Harper turned back to his workstation. "Powering down the stealth drones. The radiation field should disperse back to normal background levels in five minutes."
"Harper, if Tyr wasn't interested, he wouldn't be snarling at Beka every time she mentions your name."
"Thanks Dylan."
"I could talk to Tyr, if you want," Dylan offered, getting out of the pilot's chair. "I'm going to have to do something anyway, before those two start drawing guns. Rommie's still a little sensitive about the last time Tyr drew a weapon."
Harper smiled. "No, that's all right, but maybe you could tell me more about Khalid and Micheal, if that's not too painful."
"Did I tell you that they forced me and Sara to go with them on their second honeymoon?" Dylan's eyes grew distant. "Said they didn't want to be the only happy couple on a pleasure cruise through the Milky Way. Wouldn't even let us pay for it. No, Harper, it won't be too painful to remember the good times."
***
Tyr glared at the four black armoured figures barring his way further down the ramp into the lower deck where his future self and his crew were hiding.
Flexing his arm aggressively so his bone spurs were more easily seen, Tyr growled menacingly as he heard footsteps approaching.
"You wanted to talk to me, boy?" old Tyr asked tiredly, walking up the ramp to where Tyr and four of his crew continued to glare daggers at each other.
"Privately," Tyr replied with a meaningful look at their four observers.
"Redeploy evenly at corridor junctions 14-Zeta and 17-Zeta." Old Tyr waited for his crewmembers to walk down and around the corner before he spoke again. "What is it?"
Tyr still had an eyebrow raised at the military precision of his future self 's crew. "They're well trained, your slaves?"
"Warriors sworn to obey me. What do you want?" Old Tyr impatiently stepped closer to his younger self to show on whose turf they stood.
"To talk." Tyr lowered his eyes briefly in apology. Looking back at his older self, Tyr saw that the old man had relaxed his posture and taken a step back as he waited for Tyr to speak. "What did you mean when you said you... I... had lead a life of no meaning?"
Momentarily shocked, old Tyr blinked once. "That for me, the achievement of the ultimate goal of a Nietzchean male left me empty, utterly without joy. It literally meant nothing; it had no meaning."
"What of your children? What about Kodiak Pride?" Tyr asked with a frown.
"I love my children as much as any Nietzchean father." Old Tyr flexed his bone spurs warningly before sighing. "Child, I have lived your life. It is my past." After a long moment of looking at each other, old Tyr half smirked as he said, "You have heard of surrogacy, haven't you, boy?"
When Tyr frowned, old Tyr added, "It was thousands of years old before humans ever joined the Commonwealth, and you know fertile eggs are more easily acquired than a wife." Holding up a hand to stop Tyr from speaking, old Tyr shook his head and turned to leave. "Think about it."
***
Dropping down out of an access hatch, Harper stumbled as he spotted Trance waiting for him.
"Have you thought about what we talked about on Spinel Drift?"
Harper adjusted his tool belt instead of meeting Trance's eyes. "Yeah."
With a raised eyebrow, Trance stood, bouncing slightly, as she waited for Harper to speak.
"I have. What happened with Gerentex and talking to Dylan on the Maru... It's sort of given me a lot to think about."
Her tail started twitching behind her, and Trance tilted her head. "You've been talking to old Tyr again, as well."
"You know you're really freaky when you do that, don't you?"
"Do what?"
"Nothin'." Harper shook his head. "I will tell Dylan, just... Can I sort out what's goin' on or not goin' on between Tyr and me, first?"
Trance's tail started flicking agitatedly. "How are you going to do that? Tyr's avoiding you just as much as you're avoiding him. Isn't that called 'back to square one'?"
Harper sighed. "Yeah, pretty much, but at least we both know there's something more between us than just unbelievably good sex. I just gotta work out how to convince him that we've got a future together."
Trance's smile broadened. "Maybe you shouldn't."
"Huh?"
"Talk to Dylan. He's got lots of experience when it comes to dealing with Nietzchean philosophy."
With that, Trance skipped away, leaving a confused Harper in her wake.
***
Old Tyr walked past two of his crew with a quick nod before he opened the door they were guarding. Inside the small sparse room, old Tyr found the reason for his interrupted sleep kneeling on the floor between two rows of bunk beds.
"I asked you to meet me on the observation deck in an hour, Magog," he said angrily.
"Unfortunately, our latest guest has taken leave to assume it as her quarters during her brief stay with us," Rev said as he remained kneeling. Slowly opening his eyes, Rev looked up at the angry Nietzchean. "I came to relay this to you when I was forcibly restrained by your crew."
"Elssbett Mossadim." Old Tyr said wearily and gestured for Rev to stand. "Get up, Magog, I'm too old to be kneeling, and I refuse to get a crick in my neck." As Rev stood up old Tyr leaned against one of the bunk beds with crossed arms. "My people tend to be distrustful of Magog until they prove otherwise. If I had known you were coming, I would have made arrangements."
"You seem to be well informed. I myself only discovered the identity of our guest just recently," Rev said, folding his clawed hands into the arms of his robe.
Tyr chuckled softly. "You forget, Magog, I've met her before. My meeting with Elssbett Mossadim was quite memorable, I assure you. Although I do offer my apologies for forgetting about her taking over the observation deck. I thought we would have time before her arrival."
Rev bowed slightly. "I understand it was quite some time ago for you."
"Yes, it was." Old Tyr watched Rev with a curious eye.
"From your message I understand you wish to speak with me about something."
Old Tyr nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, I do. Trance hasn't mentioned anything to you about my condition?"
"Not to me. Is that what you wished to talk about?"
"I'm dying, Magog. According to Trance, I will not see out another six months." He watched Rev for any reaction.
Rev looked surprised. "You wish to discuss what will happen to your crew after your death?"
"No. My grandson is the only remaining officer in this time period, so their path is clear. If things go badly, I know that Alexander will attend to my wishes. What I need is impartial advice on how to handle my younger self."
"I see." Rev nodded in understanding.
"Tyr still will not listen to me, and I no longer have the time to be patient with him. I refuse to fail in this, so unless you can offer me an alternative, I will fight him for dominance again."
"Violence is rarely a solution to anything."
"It is to Nietzcheans. If I win dominance, I can force him to listen to me."
"You are certain you will win?"
Tyr sighed deeply and shook his head. "Every day I grow weaker. While I am the more skillful warrior, the gap between our physical strengths increases by the hour."
***
"Tyr, are you paying attention?" Beka demanded, turning in the Andromeda's pilot chair to look at him.
"Yes. Dylan and Elssbett are leaving on the Maru, and we are to decoy the Drago Kasov away from them so they can reach the Jaguar Pride homeworld unmolested," Tyr said as he kept studying a readout on his console.
Screen Rommie appeared on the main display. "The reports Tyr is looking at are of HLA attacks on Drago Kasov installations and merchant ships. They are disputed by both the Than Hegemony and the FTA. According to the data I've acquired, I must question how the HLA managed to acquire the fighters reported to be involved in the attacks myself."
"Tyr why are you looking at that?" Beka asked with a frown. "You're the one who said the Human Liberation Army was nothing but a disorganised rabble looking for death."
"I said that four months ago. They seem to have found a leader and serious financial backing, and I'm trying to determine what happened." He kept his eyes dispassionately trained on his console.
"Why?" Beka was astonished that Tyr cared what the HLA was doing. "Not even Harper talks about them anymore, and he was one of their biggest supporters."
Tyr smiled, "I know."
"The Drago Kasov are accusing the Than Hegemony of supplying the HLA with slipstream fighters and troops; however, their own data clearly shows that only Humans are involved in the attacks. Most other Nietzchean prides are unconvinced of the sincerity of Drago Kasov's claims, thinking it merely an excuse for another war," screen Rommie said from the main display.
Beka snorted disdainfully. "It wouldn't be the first time."
"Actually, it would," Tyr murmured. "The Drago Kasov have never made accusations like this before their attacks, only afterwards to justify it."
"You're taking this seriously." Beka sounded vaguely surprised.
For the first time, Tyr looked up to meet Beka's eyes. "If I'm right about who is behind their sudden re-vitalisation and determination, the HLA is something everyone on the Andromeda should take very seriously."
***
Dylan sighed and cracked his neck as he pulled on his nightclothes. It had been a while since he had last had the chance to just relax. Between negotiating the Sabra-Jaguar Pride alliance and dealing with fanatical Wayists, together with the weirdness of the Hygerians and their so-called Magog protectors, Dylan was exhausted.
"Rommie, unless it's an emergency, count me out," he said wearily, slumping onto his bed.
A small holographic image of Rommie appeared on his desk, looking concerned. "Do you want me to tell Harper to talk to you another time?"
Dylan groaned and scrubbed at his face. "Where and when?"
"You said to meet him in your quarters in seven minutes." She looked upward momentarily. "He just left Machine Shop three and is en-route to your quarters."
"Thanks, Rommie. Can you be here physically, as well?" He got up and started looking for a clean uniform.
"Certainly. Is this about Tyr again?"
Dylan went looking for his missing boot in the washroom. "Bound to be. Rommie, did you see where I put my other boot?"
"Yes, you kicked it under your bed as you were dressing," avatar Rommie said as she walked into the room.
"Thanks." Dylan knelt down to fish it out.
When the door chime sounded, Rommie looked at Dylan and opened the door at his nod.
"Hey, Rommie, what are you doing here?" Harper asked as he came in.
"I asked her to be here, Harper. Rommie's seen a lot of Nietzcheans over her years of service, and I thought you could use a second opinion." Dylan motioned everyone through a door into his small conference room.
Harper took a seat next to Dylan, while Rommie remained standing. "Err, I'm not sure how to say..."
"You want to know why Tyr won't engage in a long term relationship with you."
Blushing, Harper ducked his head. "That obvious," he admitted ruefully.
Dylan smiled. "A lot changed when the Systems Commonwealth fell, Harper. Everyone got a lot harder and more extreme in their views, not just the Nietzcheans."
"From what Tyr and others have said, the Nietzcheans have become far more fanatical about following the writings of Fredrich Nietzsche and certain Nietzchean philosophers than they were in the Systems Commonwealth," Rommie said.
Dylan nodded. "I remember several long conversations with Khalid about the rise of the extremists amongst the Nietzcheans even before Brandenburg Tor. Now don't get me wrong, Nietzcheans were always focused on genetic perfection and survival of the fittest, but they didn't used to have such a narrow interpretation of it."
Harper felt himself nodding. "So Khalid and Micheal weren't just freaky outcasts?"
Rommie raised an eyebrow, and Dylan snorted in amusement. "No. It wasn't common for Nietzcheans to have same sex partners, but it wasn't rare, either," he said. "About the same breakdown as you see in most human populations."
"Nietzchean society was more flexible in the days of the Systems Commonwealth, Harper," Rommie said. "While the pride system did exist, it wasn't uncommon for individual Nietzcheans to live their lives independent of it. Inter-marriages between Nietzcheans and humans, regardless of gender, were also accepted by the respective pride if the non-Nietzchean partner could demonstrate something which would strengthen the pride."
"Like intelligence?" Harper asked hopefully.
Dylan shared an amused look with Rommie. "Like intelligence."
"Nietzcheans in same-sex partnerships even engaged in alternative methods of reproduction with the approval of their pride." Rommie gave Harper a soft smile.
"They did?" Harper looked at Dylan for confirmation.
Dylan nodded. "Occasionally, although it was unusual, even then. The more conservative Nietzcheans didn't approve, despite the fact all Nietzcheans were created in a vat. Khalid always said that the extremists were a bunch of hypocritical megalomaniacs."
Harper nodded thoughtfully. "The old guy said somethin' similar."
"What did he say?" Rommie asked.
"That he knew now how important happiness was, and that Fredrich Nietzsche was only human, with all their failings. I didn't really understand much else, but I think he was trying to tell me that Tyr really does care, he's just hung up about Nietzchean philosophy on survival through reproduction."
Dylan tapped a finger on his desk lightly. "Nietzchean philosophy has become a lot more fanatical in the last three hundred years. This insistence on natural birth from pure-bred Nietzcheans as the only method of reproduction used to be held only by the extremists."
"I have also noticed a substantial amount of rewriting in the published works of leading Nietzchean philosophers prior to the fall, and the complete absence of others," Rommie said.
Dylan shared a long look with her. "I'll have a talk with Tyr tomorrow, Harper. You should go to bed. You look like you haven't slept in two days."
"Closer to three, actually," Harper admitted reluctantly. "I don't know if it's a good idea, you talking to Tyr about us, Dylan."
Dylan smiled as he led Harper out of his rooms. "I'm only going to talk to him about Nietzchean philosophy and recommend some authors I've got the feeling he's never heard of."