Title: End of an Era
Author: ILH, aka Melissa
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Harper learns upsetting news about Earth.
Fandom: Andromeda
Challenge: Write a fic about a similar document about solution to the earth human problem or how to stop the rebellions (whatever you want it to be but it has to have some reference to the killing of "mudfoots") have some character other than Harper find it. Do they understand the full nature of the document and what is their reaction to it???
Disclaimer: Andromeda is property of Tribune.
A bony hand trembled as it scrawled equations and chemical formulas on a large writing board. Dry bloodshot eyes squinted in the almost blinding light of the room, reflected even more brightly off of its silver walls.
"Everything appears to be finished," the malnourished young man mumbled to himself. He skimmed over the writing board to check his work.
The single door to the chamber opened to reveal one of the young man's captors, a tall and well-muscled Nietzschean dressed in completely black. His black cape fell close to his body. "Kludge!"
The young man scrambled to his feet nervously. "Yes?"
"Is your work completed?" the Nietzschean asked, stepping closer to the young man.
The young man nodded, backing away.
The Nietzschean approached the young man until he was backed into a wall. "Your life is the price if there are any errors."
The young man gulped. "I know."
The Nietzschean looked at the board and then nodded with satisfaction. "Come here, kludge."
The young man did not move.
"NOW!" the Nietzschean bellowed.
The young man scampered forward. Before he was aware of what was occurring, another Nietzschean entered the room through a concealed door and slit the young man's throat. His body fell to the floor with a thud.
The Nietzschean wiped his knife on the young man's corpse. "The data is complete and accurate?"
"Yes. We'll experiment on a small sample first, but it should be effective."
"Good."
The Nietzscheans exited the chamber with the writing board as a pool of blood started to form around the neck of the young man.
*****
The revolution was raging strong on Earth. Many armed conflicts were occurring between the humans and Nietzscheans -- and the humans were beginning to win them. A group of revolutionaries and Nietzscheans were engaged in a small battle outside a Nietzschean compound. The groups were equally close to winning, and both humans and Nietzscheans were dying.
A group of humans charged a Nietzschean dressed in black donning a cape.
The Nietzschean was motionless as the humans quickly approached him. At the last possible second, he grabbed a large container very similar to an aerosol can from beneath his cape and released a silver mist onto the attacking humans.
The humans came to a halt immediately and dropped to their knees. They gasped for breath, and their eyes widened. Within three seconds, they were unconscious. In five, they were dead.
The Nietzschean sneered over their corpses and walked nonchalantly back into the compound.
*****
Beka Valentine was heading to the Maru to rest when Tyr Anasazi stepped in front of her.
"Tyr!" Beka said with surprise.
"Beka..." Tyr handed Beka a flexi. "I thought you may find this interesting."
"What is it?" Beka asked, looking at the document.
"A document being spread through the Drago-Kazov pride," Tyr replied.
"Wait a second, Tyr. This is about Earth," Beka started.
"I know," Tyr interrupted. "You can decide if the boy should be informed."
Beka sighed as Tyr walked away. She started skimming the flexi's contents as she walked to the Maru. Her face drained of color as she read. She entered the Maru and plopped down in the slipstream pilot's chair. A while later, she finished reading the document and sighed. "Somebody's gotta tell Harper about this..."
"Somebody's gotta tell Harper about what?" Harper asked, popping out from under the floor with a nanowelder in his hand.
"Nothing," Beka quickly replied, shoving the flexi behind her.
"I saw that," Harper said. He walked around to the slipstream pilot's chair and tried to grab the flexi. "C'mon! I'm not a kid, Bek!"
"Harper," Beka warned as he managed to pull the flexi from her grasp.
"Let's see here..." Harper began reading. "What in the hell? Where did you get this?"
"Tyr gave it to me," Beka admitted.
"Why didn't he give to *me*?!? I'm the mudfoot, not you!" Harper threw the flexi on the ground.
"He wasn't sure you'd be able to-"
"Dammit, Beka! You should have given it to me. I mean Tyr not understanding I get, but you?"
"Harper, I know this isn't about what Tyr and I did..."
"The uber bastards genetically modified a virus to kill us in five seconds! We were starting to win the fight, Beka!"
Beka sighed. "They, Harper. You left Earth years ago..."
"But does that change that they probably wiped out what was left of my family and friends?! They killed a quarter of the population of Boston...I have to go back, Beka. I know I can do something to give us a fighting chance and-"
"Harper, your fight ended when you left Earth. You can't do anything for them now, and I know that it hurts you. I've heard you screaming at night after your nightmares. But you can do something with us on Andromeda. Something just as good..."
Harper took a deep breath and started to calm down. "It isn't the same. That modified virus basically gives them the ability to wipe out the entire freakin' human population on Earth. You know what the Niets are gonna do with that kind of power? I just can't accept there's not a damn thing I can do about it..."
Beka nodded, and let Harper move into her arms. The true end of an era, 20 years of the young engineer's life and a population that numbered in the billions had come.