Screen Rommie appeared on the main display of the Andromeda's command deck. "I am detecting the remains of several ships in orbit of the second planet."
As Dylan looked up at the main display curiously he heard Avatar Rommie say, "Magog swarm ships. I estimate about five to six hundred."
"Beka slow us down. Rommie, how long ago were they destroyed?" Dylan asked, bringing up scanner logs on his console.
Stepping up beside the pilot's chair where Beka sat, Rev looked at the display. "The radioactive isotopes from their reactor cores would indicate some two hundred years ago, Dylan."
Shifting his weight to his left leg Dylan frowned and looked up. "Why would the Magog attack a Pyrian outpost? They've never done that before, and we thought their physiology was too alien for the Magog to consume or use..."
"My people can survive in the temperatures the Pyrians live in for several hours before we suffer death from hyperpyrexia," Rev said, looking back at Dylan briefly before he turned to the main display. "Otherwise, I would agree with you. My people have little use for the Pyrians."
"The High Guard resupply depot's automated defences are still intact, and I cannot detect any Magog swarm ship debris in that asteroid field from our current location," Avatar Rommie told them.
"So we got ourselves a mystery," Beka said as she brought the Andromeda to a dead stop. "Do we keep heading to the depot or not?"
Dylan chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip for a moment before he nodded. "Resume course and speed for the resupply depot, Beka. Rommie, keep scanning. Try and work out who destroyed those swarm ships."
***
Tyr crawled out of the life pod, suppressing a strong desire to throttle his bouncing and overly excited travelling companion. Standing up in a surprisingly well lit and clean metal corridor, he heard Harper speak from his left.
"Welcome to the Husvana orbital, in the glorious intellectual chin-head paradise of Sinti. Boring dissertations on the wave function of the universe, first floor. Analogous annotations on chin-head reproduction, second flo..."
With the simple expedient of slapping a hand over Harper's mouth, Tyr growled, "Since you're finished speaking, boy, maybe you could show me how we're going to get to Infinity Atoll." When Harper tried to shake himself free, Tyr tightened his grip. "No, don't talk. You'll live longer that way." He then dragged Harper down the corridor with him to a nearby information booth and said, "Just show me."
With an angry look in his eye, Harper typed some commands into the computer and glared silently at Tyr. A Perseid appeared on the screen, saying, "Welcome to the Husvana orbital transit centre, transit hub for the entire Sinti Star System. Your request has been processed, and I am pleased to inform you that the vessel... MYRON FREIGHT SERVICES, TRANS GALATIC SHIP REGISTRATION 4467-ALPHA-7755208... will be docking at the... GREEN TRANSIT ZONE... on... DOCKING LEVEL THREE... in... FIVE STANARD SECONDARY TIME UNITS... it will be my pleasure to assi..."
Tyr cut off the annoying computer and pulled a struggling Harper away. "Five days. What are we supposed to do for five days?"
***
The Andromeda swung past an asteroid, and the supply depot came into view on the Andromeda's main display as a series of metal bubbles scattered over the surface of a large asteroid. Surrounding the supply depot were several large, box-like shapes and small spheres drifting in several clumps.
Beka slowed the Andromeda to a stop. "How do you want to do this?"
"The supply depot's automated defences have been taken off line, and the depot's AI is not responding to my signal," Screen Rommie said from the main display.
Dylan typed commands into his console and looked over the scans of the supply depot. "Main power is offline--the depot is completely shut down. We'll have to take the Maru over and then space walk to one of the emergency airlocks."
"Rommie has a preliminary report on what destroyed the swarm ships around the second planet, Dylan," Rev said calmly from the science station.
Dylan turned around to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Spectro heliographic and photometric analysis of the Magog swarm ship debris indicate the use of high energy pulsar weapons, which Rommie identifies with Pyrian weapons technology."
"Great. Thanks, Rev," Dylan said. "Beka, I'll take Rommie and..."
Stepping away from the pilot's chair, Beka crossed her arms aggressively. "And me. I'm going with you."
Dylan smiled at the defensive posture of his first officer and nodded. "Rev, are you all right with monitoring things from here with Rommie while we go over to the depot?"
"Certainly." Rev said, trying to smile encouragingly.
With a nod to Rev, Dylan headed to the doors off the command deck. "Beka, Rommie, let's do this."
***
"I hope you're joking," Tyr said, arms crossed as he glared at Harper, who was smiling at him.
"Nope." Harper grinned and gestured back at the display panel in the small room they'd gotten. "Beka told me how you're a fantastic chef, and it just so happens they need one in the kitchen of the Mesphisto Lounge."
Tyr fixed a piercing glare at Harper. "And what are you going to be doing while I earn the money we need?"
Harper's grin turned rueful, and he scratched the back of his neck. "I'll find somethin'. They're always looking for new techs in these places," he murmured.
Tyr uncrossed his arms and walked up to Harper, pointing to the display. "They also seem to be needing a new scullery boy at this Mesphisto Lounge."
Blinking, Harper looked blankly at Tyr for a moment before he asked cautiously, "So?"
"So it pays three thrones an hour, with shifts being negotiable. Ideally suited for you, wouldn't you say?"
"I'm a friggin' genius, and you want me to do what?" Harper demanded once he realised Tyr was serious.
"Carry trays around, wipe down benches, and clean up spills. Oh, and the occasional bit of menial dishwashing," Tyr replied with a small grin. "Something even a... 'friggin genius' like you should be able to handle."
***
Beka piloted the Maru over towards the dark shape of the supply depot, saying over her shoulder, "Why don't we just dock the Maru to one of those emergency air locks you were talking about?"
Dylan looked down at her and shook his head. "Pressure sensors in the outer door of the airlock. The High Guard designed them so they couldn't be opened by a ship docking to them; it's a security measure against enemy troopships trying to invade the depot."
Entering commands into the console next to her, Beka nodded distractedly as she brought the Maru close to one of the airlocks. With a smile, she unbuckled herself. "Well, let's get over there, then. I can't wait to find out what the High Guard's got stockpiled in there."
"Why am I not surprised about that?" Dylan chuckled as he followed Beka and Rommie towards the Maru's airlock.
Struggling into her space suit, Beka smiled back at Dylan as Rommie opened the inner door of the airlock and said, "The controls inside the airlock should allow us to engage the emergency batteries, but they are unlikely to have sufficient power for the depot's AG fields."
"So we're going to need magnetic boots even after we get inside. Is that what you're saying, Rommie?" Beka asked, sealing up her space suite and grabbing a helmet.
Rommie waited till everyone was ready before she closed the inner door of the airlock and just raised an eyebrow at Beka as she opened the outer door. Dylan led the jump from inside the Maru's airlock over to click their magnetic boots--and in Rommie's case, magnetised feet--to the metal skin of the depot. Dylan spotted a nearby airlock and waved the others towards it while he plodded over himself. He knelt down to open the brightly painted emergency door release. With a puff of sparkling atmosphere, the doors slowly opened, revealing a dark, narrow pit into the side of the depot. Still leading, Dylan turned up the wattage of his headlamp to spot the computer panel near the door at the bottom of the airlock, and he carefully crawled and then walked inside. By connecting the panel to his suit, Dylan powered up the panel and typed in some commands with the now brightly glowing orange buttons.
As the outer door cycled close on the now well-lit white interior of the airlock, Beka asked over her suit's comm, "What's the atmosphere like inside?"
Dylan checked the display. "The emergency batteries are down to half charge, but we have enough to power the interior lights and the atmosphere cyclers. We'll have a breathable atmosphere in about half an hour."
Rommie looked at the other two, her voice coming over the speakers in their helmets, "The closest command terminal to this airlock should be about fifty meters straight down the corridor from the inner door."
Opening the inner door, Dylan stepped through it carefully. "We stay together until we've got main power back online and we make contact with the depot's AI. I don't want us separated if we run into any surprises."
***
Tyr smiled as he quickly chopped up a variety of vegetables. Amongst the clamouring of pots and pans, hastily shouted instructions and orders, the sound of large knifes efficiently slicing and dicing, and the bustle of too many people in too small a space, Tyr was in his element. Pushing his way through with a tray of vegetables Harper came up to Tyr and yelled to be heard over the noise of the kitchen, "I'm glad you're having fun, Tyr."
Tyr kept working. "Our shift is over in five minutes, boy, so try not to drop anything."
Harper busied himself with arranging various vegetables from his tray on one side of Tyr's cutting board. "I really hate it when you call me that, you know."
Making a show of examining the vegetables, Tyr leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Would you prefer pet?"
Almost dropping the tray, Harper quickly looked around to make sure no one was paying any attention. "That's not funny, Tyr," he said lowly.
Spotting the head waiter coming up behind Harper, Tyr smiled and patted Harper's ass, saying loudly, "As soon as the shift's over, I promise."
Frowning, Harper was about to ask him what the hell he was doing when he heard a familiar throat clearing behind him.
"If you don't get back to work, human, you'll have to get your trade on the docking levels because this will be your last shift," the Chichin head waiter hissed at Harper.
Harper glanced at Tyr's smirking face before he hoisted the tray on his shoulder with downcast eyes and silent promises of retribution. "Sorry. I won't do it again," he murmured.
"Human whore," the Chichin sneered, watching Harper push his way through towards the storeroom.
Before he could turn away, he felt Tyr grab him by his collar and lift him in the air, poking a large knife under his chin. Tyr twisted the Chichin's collar tight enough to start strangling him as he whispered hotly, "Call him that again, and I'll cut out your filthy tongue."
With bulging eyes the Chichin choked out, "My sincerest apologies. I never..."
Tyr threw the Chichin away from him in the suddenly silent kitchen without bothering to hear the rest. He pointed his knife, saying, "Just remember. If he tells me anyone's harassing him... I'll be the last thing you ever see."
Then Tyr turned away without a second glance at the grovelling Chichin, throwing his apron onto the cutting board, and went looking for Harper.
***
As they strode into the supply depot's command centre, Dylan saw a flickering holographic representation of the depot's AI appear just inside the door. The command centre was a large circular room with seven work stations circling a large holographic projector in the exact centre of the room, two heavy doors besides the ones they had come in through, and walls covered in displays and consoles.
The hologram, a male human, wore a typical High Guard uniform and appeared to be smiling as it saluted. "Hello, Captain Hunt, First Officer Valentine, and Ship's Avatar Andromeda Ascendant. I am Alex, AI for the High Guard Resupply Depot Alexander Prospectus. How may I be of assistance?"
Dylan returned the salute as he watched Beka and Rommie head for separate workstations. "We need to resupply the Andromeda Ascendant, Alex. Could you give my first officer a complete inventory at her station while Rommie runs a systems check?"
Holographic Alex nodded before he flickered out. Just moments later, he reappeared standing in the centre of the room, frowning. "I am receiving no response from my defence platforms or anti-ship drones, Captain."
"They're powering themselves up, but they aren't responding to any of Alex's commands," Rommie said, looking at Dylan as he stepped up beside her. "I can't find any malfunctions in the resupply depot's systems. Everything is working according to specifications."
"Um, guys, we've got bigger problems," Beka said worriedly, looking over at them. "This supply depot has no supplies. It's been completely cleaned out."
Dylan looked with growing horror at the exterior view on the display in front of him. He watched the depot's defences start to turn towards where they'd left the Andromeda and shouted, "Beka, take the Maru, and get back to the Andromeda now!"
***
Tyr stormed out the door into the service corridor and quickly spotted Harper just a few metres away, sitting on an empty crate and staring blankly up at the ceiling.
As Tyr started slowly walking towards him, Harper closed his eyes. "What am I doing, Tyr?" he asked softly.
"Sitting on an empty packing crate, waiting for me to finish my shift."
With a small smile, Harper turned his head towards Tyr and opened his eyes. "Yeah, I guess I am."
Now that he was closer, Tyr saw that Harper was holding something in his hands, and Harper wordlessly handed him the flex. "Are you ready to go?"
Tyr glanced at the flex as Harper stood, seeing the news headline "Chrome lives!" on an article about an HLA raid led personally by Chrome against a Drago Kasov shipyard two days ago.
"The Myron gets here tomorrow," Harper said as they walked down the service corridor towards one of the orbital's main corridors.
"You purchased our passage without difficulty?"
"Yeah before my shift started." Harper stopped and looked up at Tyr. "The local dock workers guild are supporters, and Fei had it all set up like she promised."
Unsure as to what he should do, Tyr let his knuckles graze Harper's cheek. "Your friend is a strong woman. You agreed with her that this was what had to be done."
Harper stood stiffly for a disturbing amount of time before he wrapped his arms around Tyr. "It was that or watch her kill you..." he whispered against Tyr's chest.
With narrowing eyes, Tyr growled menacingly, but before he could find out just what Harper had meant by that, the service entrance to the Mephisto Lounge slammed open. Four Chichins came out, talking loudly with each other and walking towards where Harper and Tyr were standing.
Harper tugged on Tyr's arm. "Let's get out of here; we have to get ready to leave."
***
Dylan stood at a work station console, watching the tactical hologram in the centre of the room showing the Maru racing back towards the Andromeda with seven drones in hot pursuit. "Rommie, have you worked out what's wrong with Alex's automated defences yet?"
Rommie looked over from her position near a wall console. "Not yet. Alex is trying to force them to respond, but they're still refusing to acknowledge his commands."
In the centre hologram, Alex appeared. "Captain, my primary defence platforms have completed powering up and appear to be preparing to fire."
"This just keeps getting better and better," Dylan muttered, closing his eyes briefly in frustration.
"Dylan, I think I may have found out what happened," Rommie said as the centre hologram showed the anti-ship drones firing on the Maru.
Dylan turned around and walked towards Rommie. "Can you regain control of the defences?"
"Not without risking being infected by the virus program that's controlling the automated defences."
Turning back around to face the centre hologram, now showing both the Andromeda and the Maru under fire, Dylan barked, "Alex. Do you still have control over the depot's secondary defences?"
"Yes. Only my primary defence platforms and orbiting drones have been infected."
"This is High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt, commanding officer of the Heavy Cruiser Andromeda Ascendant. Emergency override code, Argosy 6654 starburst omega slash strike slash."
Alex paused briefly before he said, "Confirmed."
With a hard glint in his eye, Dylan said angrily, "Alex, target those defence platforms, and fire."
***
The inside of the small cabin Tyr shared with Harper was eerily silent as Tyr sat on a chair, staring blankly at the wall while Harper threw himself on their bed with a sigh. It wasn't until the ship went into slipstream that Harper heard Tyr say in that soft, calm voice, "What don't I know about this deal you made with that woman?"
Harper rolled over onto his stomach and looked at Tyr. "You mean Fei?" He almost cringed at the look Tyr gave him then.
"Yes."
"She wanted me gone so she could gain control of the HLA's military wing, maybe even control of the entire organisation," Harper said, resting his chin on his crossed arms. "With me out of the picture, she can make the legend of Chrome do whatever she wants."
Tyr leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and stared at Harper. "And how did I fit into this little plan of hers?"
A long moment passed silently as they stared at each other, then Harper drew his knees up and rolled to a sitting position as he sighed. "If I didn't go along with it, then you..." Unable to say it, he looked away and started fidgeting with the bed covers nervously.
Tyr stood angrily and walked to the bed in three quick strides, reaching out to gently pull Harper's head around to face him. "She wouldn't have been quick enough."
"Didn't have to be. Her private cabin was filled with nanobots and wall-mounted guns," Harper said. He leant into Tyr's hand, which was now stroking his face.
Tyr stroked Harper's cheek and lightly ran his thumb over his lips. "I thought she was your ally," he said quietly.
Harper pulled his head out of Tyr's grasp. "She was, until she heard I was your lover," he snapped. Getting out of the bed, he pressed a button that caused a mini bar to slide out of the wall, and poured a shot of some dark liquid into a glass. "She left a message for me in the Perelli's computer..." Gulping down the shot, Harper slammed the glass back down on the small bench and poured another. "A Nietzchean's whore is better off dead."
***
The Andromeda bucked wildly under the combined forces of missile impacts and Trance's piloting as Beka stumbled onto the Command Deck, shouting, "Trance, get to Dylan's station."
Scrambling to get out of the pilot's chair so that Beka could take it, Trance fell to her knees when the Andromeda bucked again under multiple impacts.
Holographic Rommie flickered in, standing in front of the main display. "The depot's defence platforms are fixed defences with a firing range of 30 LS. The anti-ship drones are targeting my slipstream capabilities, and I have sustained heavy damage to my hull."
"Read my mind, Rommie," Beka said, smiling as she rolled the Andromeda suddenly to avoid the latest wave of kinetic missiles heading for them.
Holographic Rommie raised an eyebrow back at Beka. "The resupply depot is firing on its own defence platforms."
Beka nodded and piloted the Andromeda away from the depot. "That's our cue to lead those drones out of range of the depot's defences and destroy them."
***
Dylan stood at his work station in the depot's command centre, watching one of the defence platforms explode under heavy fire from the depot.
Flickering inside the centre holographic display, Alex said, "Captain Hunt, four of my defence platforms are rotating to a new firing position and have established a weapons lock on me."
Dylan nodded. "What the Andromeda's position, Rommie?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Moving away from the depot with all of the anti-ship drones in pursuit," Rommie said as she continued to try and hack her way into the depot's primary defence platforms command codes.
After pressing some commands into the console in front of him, Dylan said, "Alex, I want you to continue concentrating your fire on individual platforms. Either destroy or disable them one at a time."
"Confirmed, Captain," Alex said before flickering out again.
***
Inside the darkened cabin, Tyr looked up at the shadows on the ceiling as he absently stroked Harper's head, which was resting on his shoulder. Thinking about that duplicitous creature and what she had called Harper...
Tyr didn't realise that he'd started growling until Harper moved against him and said jokingly, "I can't believe you're still good to go after the ride you gave me. Twice."
Glancing down, Tyr saw Harper's twinkling eyes looking back at him. "How long until we arrive at Infinity Atoll?"
"Next jump should be the last. About six hours or so," Harper replied, rubbing himself along Tyr's side.
With a quick roll, Tyr placed himself on top of Harper, and Harper wrapped his legs around Tyr's waist.
Tyr nuzzled against the side of Harper's neck, murmuring huskily, "Plenty of time."
Tyr continues his slow exploration of Harper's neck, gently nipping his throat, his shoulders. When Harper reaches between them, his fingers gentle as he explores Tyr's erection, Tyr thrusts himself into the circle of Harper's hand.
Harper tightens his hand and Tyr pulls away, sliding down, taking Harper into his mouth.
"Oh... Tyr!" Harper exclaims, his body trembling as Tyr puts his hands on Harper's hipbones and starts sucking him gently.
The length and feel of Harper's cock filled Tyr's mouth and overwhelmed with the sensation and the unexpected emotion this slower exploration of his lover was evoking, Tyr realised that he too was shaking. Harper moves his hips restlessly, sliding his cock in and out of Tyr's mouth. Tyr closed his eyes, lost in the wonder of Harper's taste and smell.
"I want you," Harper moaned, his voice harsh. "I want you..."
Tyr let Harper slip from his lips reluctantly and looked up at him.
Harper panted. "I want you inside me. Now."
Tyr moved up in the bed to lie next to him, touching him, running his hands across every part of Harper he could reach. Tyr cups Harper's face in his hands, slowly lowering his down to capture another kiss. Tyr can feel his erection throbbing against Harper's thigh, and can do nothing but imagine impaling Harper, taking him again and again, giving him as much pleasure as they could both stand.
Tyr moved between Harper's legs with a final nip on Harper's throat, moving his lips across to kiss him again as his erection slid easily under Harper's balls through the slickness of their previous love making. Tyr slowly pushed himself against the entrance to Harper's body through the slight resistance it still gave. Rubbing one of Harper's thighs wrapped around him, Tyr gasped as Harper suddenly relaxed and he slipped inside. With a moan Harper arched his back and bit lightly into Tyr's bottom lip with his teeth while Tyr thrust inside hard.
"Tyr." Harper whimpered releasing Tyr's lip staring at him, wild-eyed.
"I love you," Tyr gasped, gripping Harper's hips as he sought that perfect angle.
"I love you," Harper groaned, leaning up to kiss him, rocking his hips as Tyr slammed into his prostate.
Thrusting deep into the tight slick heat of Harper's body Tyr moaned. "Feels so good..."
"Oh yeah."
Harper's hands stroke Tyr's chest, his tongue licks the corner of Tyr's mouth, his body clenches tightly around Tyr's cock.
Eventually, the pleasure is far more than even Tyr can bear, and he gasps, "Harper... Seamus..."
"Do it Tyr, harder, faster, oh yeah," Harper mutters, never stopping his relentless rocking rhythm.
Speeding up his thrusts Tyr groaned into Harper mouth, "Want you..."
"Always wanted you." Harper gasps as he stiffens and his orgasm overtakes him.
As Harper's cum splatters between them, all over them
both, Tyr moaned as he thrust one last time, cuming deep inside Harper.
Mouths slack with pleasure. They stared at each other, both of them shaking
and smiling at the intensity of feeling they both had. Then Tyr carefully
pulled out of Harper and rolled them both on their sides. Still holding
Harper tightly to him. Their skins sliding together, slick from their
latest session of love making.
Tyr let himself drift, happiness and love warming him for what seems to him the first time in far too long. When Harper snuggled closer Tyr smiled and gently ran his hand through Harper's hair, Tyr thought to himself that he could easily get used to this.
***
In a flash of sparks, the wall console Rommie had been standing next to exploded, throwing her across the control chamber as Dylan yelled, "Alex, redirect fire to defence platform 71 alpha." Dylan was so busy controlling the depot's counter measures that he didn't notice at first when Alex didn't reply. Looking up, frowning, Dylan called out again. "Alex, I said redirect fire to defence platform 71 alpha."
When the entire depot rocked as another massive explosion tore through it, Rommie pulled herself to a work station. "That last explosion took out the main computer. Transferring control of the depot's secondary defences to my station."
"Great," Dylan muttered as he saw the centre hologram flicker and then disappear completely.
Rommie smiled encouragingly. "Defence platform 71 alpha destroyed."
Dylan returned Rommie's smile and nodded. "Transfer weapons control to my station, Rommie. I need you to try and hold this depot together until the Andromeda gets back here."
"Transferring." She linked into what was left of the depot's computer system by placing a hand on her console.
Any hope Dylan had of destroying all four of the remaining defence platforms was lost when he saw the warning symbol appear on missile battery six, telling him only five missiles remained. Rapidly typing in commands at his console Dylan asked anxiously, "Rommie, tell me I've got an error in the reloading mechanism on missile battery six."
Rommie had a distant look on her face as her voice came in over the command centre's intercom. "Negative. The automated reloading mechanisms on all missile batteries are operating according to specifications."
As Dylan destroyed another defence platform, warning symbols appeared next to another three missile batteries. "Just great. Can it get any better..."
The depot rocked from another explosion as Rommie's voice reverberated over the depot's intercom. "Reactor core coolant system destroyed. The reactor will go critical in fifteen minutes; all crew begin emergency evacuation procedures immediately."
"I had to ask."
TBC