A *while* ago, the webmistress of *Andromeda Uncovered* issued a "Sex on the Maru" challenge. I wracked my brain to come up with a plausible story and FINALLY thought up this. It's a follow-on to another fic (http://www.ladymaigrey.com/fanfiction/finalconflict1.html) that is apocryphal in some ways right now, but enjoy.
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"Oh, God, fuck me!" the woman with olive skin, long dark hair, and brown eyes shouted up at her lover.
"LIZZIE!" Harper cried as he came inside her; after their orgasm, he collapsed down onto her ....
..... and noticed Beka Valentine standing under his bunk on the *Eureka Maru.*
She did not look happy. "Have I come at a bad time?"
"Boss -- " Harper stammered. "Uhm -- "
"Lizzie," Beka said quietly, "get down here, get dressed, and get ready to give me some straight answers."
Harper climbed off Captain Elizabeth Loveless and dropped to the deck; she followed behind him and they began to put their clothes on.
"I trust there is a reason for such an ... abrupt interruption?" Lizzie asked haughtily.
"Just get dressed," Beka said.
"Boss?" Harper asked.
"Not now, Seamus."
When Lizzie had her clothes -- all expensive and in various shades of red -- on, she stood up. "So. What did you want to ask me about?"
"This." Beka held up a flexie in Lizzie's face.
"What is it?" Harper asked, tying his shoes.
"Why, it's a listing of my contracts," Lizzie said, smiling.
"They would have been my contracts," Beka said. "Someone found out about the secret negotiations I was having and either underbid them, threatened the other parties, lied to them about me, or all of the above."
"What!?" Harper yelped, standing up. "But Boss, no one but me knew about them, and I didn't tell anyone but -- " Harper broke off and, ashen, turned to Lizzie. "No."
"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag," Lizzie said cooly. "Shame. He was also good in bed. Ah, well."
"But --" Harper cried, tormented. "You loved me. You said!"
"Please," Lizzie said, her smile not faltering.
Harper's jaw dropped, and he sank down onto the bunk next to him, stunned and hurt at the same time.
"Why?" Beka growled.
"Really, Beka," Elizabeth said. "It's a competitive business, and we're competitors. Nothing more than that."
"Get the hell off my ship."
"All right." Lizzie turned and headed for the airlock. "But a word to the wise? You really must learn not to take things so personally. You'll never amount to anything if you let your emotions get in the way."
Beka's chance to reply was lost when the airlock doors
closed behind the other starship captain. Then she sat down next
to Harper.
"Harper -- Seamus -- "
"S-sh-she l-l-loved me, Bek," Harper said, crying. "We had a b-b-b-"
"She used, you Harper! And tricked me. I know how you feel; I liked Lizzie, too, but she's just a cold, heartless, calculating bitch -- "
"NO! We were in love! We were-er-er-er .....
" Harper's tears intensified; he couldn't speak. Beka held
him in her arms until his crying stopped.
**THREE YEARS AND CHANGE LATER**
"You wanted to see me, Captain Valentine?"
Beka turned around in the *Maru's* pilot chair and looked up at the woman standing next to her. Olive skin. Brown eyes. Pouty red lips. Black hair, only cut short, conservatively (in contrast to the uniform's ridiculously low neckline). The face and form of Lizzie Loveless; even the voice was similar.
But it wasn't Lizzie. It wasn't even a real woman. It was an android named Rommie, who personified the starship *Andromeda Ascendant,* the High Guard cruiser which, along with her captain, Beka and her crew had rescued from a black hole only a few weeks before. Before it had become their home and they had agreed to follow said captain, Dylan Hunt, on a quest to restore the Commonwealth.
"Yes," Beka said. "First of all, it's 'Beka.'"
"Sorry, although technically, on your ship, it's proper to address you by your title."
Beka smirked, but it faded fast. "I'm not a big one on formality. Anyway, I was wondering. This new body Harper made for you. Is it 'fully functional'?"
"If in that you mean Harper designed it for sexual intercourse, ye -- " Rommie broke off, frowning; she seemed uncomfortable. "Um .... you wouldn't be ... uh ... "
"What? Oh, no. Not even with a real female. Forget it. But that's not why I asked you here."
"Oh?"
"You know Harper is in love with you."
"I'm aware of his infatuation, yes."
"And?"
"'And' what?"
"What are you doing about it?"
"I don't understand, Cap -- Beka."
"Well, let me explain it to you." Beka stood up
and glared down at the android. "This is one of those situations,
a
he-loves-her-and-she-doesn't-love-him situation, where
'he' can get hurt very badly. I wouldn't want to see that happen
to Harper."
Rommie seemed puzzled by Beka's confrontational manner. "Neither do I. I admit I do not 'love' Harper in a romantic or sexual sense, but I do confess I have grown ..... quite fond of him, in spite of his idiosyncracies. And as a member of my crew, it is my duty to protect him from *all* harm. I promise you, I have no intention of abusing my relationship with him."
"You'd better not, Rommie. It would be very, very, bad for you if something like that happened to him. This ship might need a new AI."
Rommie bristled. "With all due respect, I do not take kindly to threats. Captain."
"I don't make threats, Rommie. I just wanted to be sure we understood each other."
"I think we do. Is there anything else?"
"No. Now get off my ship."
**EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER**
Sweaty and tired, Beka dropped her bag gloves on the counter in the *Maru's* galley and was pouring herself some ice water when Rommie entered.
"Hey!" Beka said, grinning. "What's up?"
Rommie wasn't smiling. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"About what?"
"Loveless. That's why you were so protective of Harper, wasn't it? And why you confronted me."
At first, Beka didn't know what Rommie was talking about; the last few days spent hunting for the Taelon Mother Ship had become a blur. Then she remembered. "Oh, jeez! Rommie, I'm sorry."
"You could have told me, Beka."
"Could have but .... I'm sorry, Rommie, I admit I misjudged you back then. Believe me, I know better now. I really am sorry. I just didn't want Harper to be hurt again."
"Neither do I. And I swear to you, Beka, no one will touch him again. Anyone who goes near Harper will have to go through me."
"That's a dangerous promise to make, Rommie."
Rommie smiled. "That's what Harper said. But you know what? I don't care. I'm sick of seeing the ones I care for hurt or killed. The next one who tries gets what we used to call a five megaton knuckle sandwich."
"'We'?"
"My sisters and I."
"Wow. Those Argosy family reunions musta been a blast."
Rommie winced. "Ooo."
Beka grinned. "You asked for it. Anything else?"
"No." Rommie turned to leave, but she stopped when Beka chuckled. "Beka?"
"Lizzie," Beka said, smiling sardonically. "She told me I wouldn't get anywhere if I was too emotional. Guess I got the last laugh on that."
THE END