[Sinister Dexter]

Author: Jeff Baker (aka, Jeff-B, JA Baker, Sinister Dexter)
Pairing: Harper/Other
Rating: PG
Archive: Just ask me first.
Feedback: Would be grateful.
E-mail: jap_baker@hotmail.com
Disclaimers: It's not mine its Roddenberry's and Tribunes.
Summary: Andromeda runs into and old friend, resulting in tension between Harper and Tyr
Note: Authors note: this story takes place during series one, after Star-Crossed, but before Its Hour Come Round At Last. With thanks to szhismine for the beta reading.

Old Friends, Part 1: A chance encounter.

Rommie looked out across the busy concourse of the Drift and sighed: Trance had done one of her disappearing acts, and Dylan had sent Rommie to find her. Trying to find one purple alien in a busy Drift is far from easy.

She was just about to check in with the Maru when a voice called out from behind her, "Andromeda?" Rommie span round and gasped, "Orion?" before her stood a tall, dark-haired man dressed in a worn High Guard uniform. He smiled, "The one and only!" Rommie ran up to the man and hugged him, "What are you doing here?" Orion pushed her away slightly, "Well, I'm out on the rim, delivering cargo, that's what I do nowadays, and my captain hears this crazy story about a Glorious Heritage Class Heavy Cruiser that has been pulled from a black-hole and is setting out to re-build the Commonwealth. I managed to persuade him to take a trip this way to see who it is. We dock here today, only to find that said Cruiser is my old friend, the Andromeda Ascendant." Rommie punched him on the shoulder, "Less of the old: Your fifty years older than me!"

"You're meant to be looking for Trance." Rommie turned round and found herself looking at Tyr's chest. She looked up to his face, "Tyr, this is The Shoulder of Orion, and old friend of mine. Orion, this is Tyr Anasazi, my new tactical officer." Orion extended a hand, "Glad to meet you, Mr Anasazi." Try shook his head, "Another Avatar." He muttered something under his breath as he walked off. Orion was confused, "Is it something I said?" Rommie shook her head, "No: We had a run-in with the Balance of Judgment a few months ago." Orion nodded, "Yes, I heard: I knew him from before the fall. I was saddened to hear about his insanity. You did the right thing you know: Gabriel would not blame you."

Rommie nodded sadly, "Come, I want you to meet the rest of my crew."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 2: Introductions

Rommie lead Orion back to the Maru. Dylan was sitting in the pilots seat reading a flexi, "Any luck finding Trance?" he called over his shoulder. Rommie smiled, "No, but I did find someone else." Dylan span the pilots seat round, and Orion came sharply to attention. Dylan reached for his forcelance, but Rommie stopped him, "Dylan, this is my old friend, the Shoulder of Orion. Orion, this is my Captain, Dylan Hunt." Orion smiled and extended his hand, "I'm glad I've finally had a chance to meet you, Captain Hunt." Dylan shook the offered hand, "You're an Avatar?"

Orion nodded, "Yes. My ship-self is docked at the far side of the Drift. We only arrived today, and I was lucky enough to run into Andromeda here." Dylan was still weary, "You're a Warship?" Orion laughed, "Heavens no! I'm just a Victory's Crucible Class Drop Ship Carrier, although I've been converted to carry cargo." Dylan relaxed, "I'm sorry, but we had a run in with the Balance of Judgment a few months back." Orion nodded, "I heard about that. He was a good ship who fought bravely during the Fall. It saddened us all when he started to go mad."

Rommie blinked, "Us?" Orion laughed, "There are still a few of us left out there. No Glorious Heritage Class Battle Cruisers, but a few To Seek, To Find Class HRC's and a couple of Righteous Fist of Heaven Class DSA's are still out there, mainly in the Than fleet, but a few with planetary defence fleets." Rommie smiled, "It's nice to know that some of my friends are still around. How did you end up hulling cargo?"

Orion sighed, "To explain that, I must tell you of The Fall."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 3: Orion’s Story, part 1

Orion sat down on a chair in the Maru's mess, and began to tell Dylan and Rommie off the fall, "After the Battle of the Witchhead Nebula, all remaining High Guard ship's where ordered to scatter. I was with the Northwest Passage and the Emissary of the Commonwealth, both Glorious Heritage class Cruisers like Andromeda. We were trying to get to Tarn-Vedra, but we were ambushed by a Nietzschean battle group. I was carrying refugees, so North and Emma held off the Nietzscheans while I made it to Slipstream. They where both destroyed."

Dylan interrupted, "North and Emma?" Rommie nodded, tears beginning to form in her eyes "The AI's of the Northwest Passage and the Emissary of the Commonwealth: they where my brother and sister." Orion nodded, "They fought well, but they where badly damaged and out-numbered. I wanted to stay and help them, but the Admiral ordered me to run. I tried to make Tarn-Vedra, but by then it was already cut-off from slipstream." Orion stood and began to pace the room, "My captain at the time, Reflections on Infinity, decided to take the refugees to a Perseid colony in the Triangulum Galaxy."

Orion stoped pacing and stood in the bridge hatchway, "Things where bad back then: Nietzschean and Magog raids ravaged what was left of the Commonwealth. Opportunists and Pirates started attacking worlds that had known only peace in thousands of years. It was at that time that the Balance of Judgment started to go mad: His original crew where all dead, killed by the Magog, but he was able to convince crewmembers from other ship's to join him. When he started attacking innocent ship's, the Seat of Power, last of the Glories Heritage class Cruisers, she tried to stop him. But she was in no condition to fight, and he killed her without mercy."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 4: Orion’s Story, part 2

Orion sat back down, "After he destroyed Seat of Power, Balance of Judgment stopped talking to the rest of us. He disappeared off into deep space. Only a few of us where left by that point: most of my crew left, went back to their home worlds. The same happened to the rest of the fleet. Some of the others gave up, stopped caring. What remained of my crew did its best to help the out-lying colonies to survive. We started to ship cargo, medical supplies, people, what ever was needed. Over the years, it became peaceful. The Nietzscheans started to leave us alone, the Magog were on the other side of know space."

"I started to like being a cargo ship. I'd spent a lot of time doing humanitarian missions for the Commonwealth, so it didn't seem that strange. Over time, my crew started to have families, and as their kids grew, we taught them ways of the High Guard. Some stayed, most left. About 20 years ago, I only had a crew of ten. My Captain, Trent McCoy, a descendant of my First Lieutenant, took a job delivering supplies to a world in the Milky Way. We where overrun by Nietzscheans, Kodiak pride. They killed most of the crew, and disabled me. Helen McCoy, the captain's wife, and my chief engineer, refused to give the Nietzscheans her access code. The Nietzscheans commander tortured her: he raped her, and she fell pregnant. She tried to kill herself, but he stopped her. Nine months later, she gave birth to a daughter."

Orion resumed his pacing, "The captains son, Mark, was able to re-activate me, and I killed the Nietzscheans. By that point, only five of the crew remained, and three of them left. Helen continued as captain, but her spirit was broken: she died two years later. I was left to bring up her two children. Mark was ten, and Mary, she was barely two. If it wasn't for Whisper of the Wind, my pilot, I'd never have been able to do it. Mark's my captain now, and Mary's my engineer. You better hope she doesn't run into your friend Tyr: she really doesn't like Nietzscheans."

Trance bounded through the hatch, "Hey, who's your friend? Anyway, Tyr's gotten into a fight on the Drift." Orion walked past Trance, "That will be Mary."

TBC

[LittleRedhead]

Good start Jeff, or should I say Dexter?

Please continue the story.

[Sinister Dexter]

As long as it’s polite, I don’t mind what people call me: I’ve been known to respond to ‘Oi, you!’ on occasions.

I’ll post some more tomorrow: I’m just going to go to bed

[szhismine]

SD, if you're gonna write a Harperchondriac fic it would be nice if you join the Harperchondriacs. join us anytime.

and you're welcome for the beta reading.

[dataport]

good start!

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 5: Mary and Mark

Rommie, Orion and Dylan followed Trance through the drift till they reached a Bar. From the sounds coming from the centre of the room, it was safe to say a fight was going on. Rommie, Orion and Dylan forced their way across the room while Trance held back at the fringe.

When they reached the centre of the bar, Rommie and Dylan where shocked by what they saw: Tyr was being pummelled by a young woman half his size. She looked Nietzschean, except that her wrist-bones where less-pronounce. She delivered a devastating roundhouse kick that sent Tyr backwards into the cheering crowed. He stood shakily on his feet, and tried to counter-attack.

The young woman was faster, and ducked below his attack, and delivered a series of rabbit punches to his kidneys. The big Nietzschean fell to the ground. His opponent was about to deliver a killer blow, when Orion grabbed her hand, and said in a stern voice, "That's enough Mary!" The young woman looked at him with murder in his eyes, but relaxed, "Ok."

Orion pulled Mary before a startled Rommie and Dylan, "Captain Hunt, Andromeda, this is my chief engineer, Mary McCoy. Mary, this is my old friend, the Andromeda Ascendant, and her Captain, Dylan Hunt. The man you where just about to kill was Tyr Anasazi, their Tactical officer." Mary came to what could be called attention, but only if you stretched the word to braking point, "Captain, Andromeda. You may need a new Tactical officer: your currant one is not that good in a fight."

Trance stepped forwards, "Hi, I'm Trance, Trance Gemini." Mary gave Trance a look over, "You're also purple." Orion clipped her round the back of the head, "I apologise Miss Gemini: my goddaughter has a lot to learn about manners." Trance smiled, "It's ok. It's kind of hard to miss, the tail and all."

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?" called a voice from the doorway. Orion smiled, "And may I also introduce my godson and captain, Mark McCoy. Mark, this is my old friend, the Andromeda Ascendant, and her Captain, Dylan Hunt, Miss Trance Gemini, and the Nietzschean on the floor over there is Tyr Anasazi, Andromeda's Tactical officer." A tall, blond haired man of Dylan's age came sharply to attention, "Sir!" Dylan looked Mark over: he wore a High Guard Commanders uniform that looked almost new, a forcelance hung from his belt. His eyes where fixed firmly on Mary, "I hope sister has not caused to much trouble: she has a tendency to get banned from Drift's."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 6: Back to Andromeda

Dylan looked down at Tyr, "I think he'll be more upset about being beaten than anything." Rommie blinked, "Dylan, my ship-self has just docked next to the Maru." Dylan nodded, "We better get Tyr to medical. Alert Rev Bem that where on our way." He turned to Orion; "The three of you are welcome to join us if you want." Mark looked at his sister for a second, the nodded, "Thank you captain Hunt, we would be honoured. Orion, will you please inform Whisper that we will be on the Andromeda if she needs us." Orion nodded, and sent the message.

Orion helped Dylan to carry the unconscious Tyr to the Andromeda's airlock. No sooner where they through when Andromeda's hologram appeared before them, "Orion! It's good to see you!" Orion smiled, "It's good to see you to my friend." Mark grabbed his forcelance when Rev Ben walked through the hatch, but quickly put it away, "My apologies, I did not know that you where a Wayist." Rev Bem nodded, "It happens quite often. I am only glad that you did not shoot, regardless." The Magog looked at Tyr, "What happened to him?" Mary smirked, "He made a pass at me." Mark winced, "Not a good survival trait that: My sister is very peculiar about the company she keeps."

Beka walked down the corridor, Harper in-tow, "What happened to Tyr?" Rommie lifted the unconscious Nietzschean onto an anti-grav stretcher, "He made an error of judgement." Dylan introduced the newcomers, "Beka, Harper, this is the Shoulder of Orion, an old Friend of Rommie's, and Mark and Mary McCoy, his captain and chief engineer respectively. Orion, Mark, Mary, this is Beka Valentine, my first officer and pilot, and Seamus Harper, my chief engineer." The two groups exchanged greetings.

Harper gave Orion the once over, "So, you're an Avatar too, huh? What class of ship?" Orion laughed, "You have no need to worrier Mr Harper, I am but a transport ship. I'm not going to attack you like the Balance of Judgment did." Harper relaxed, "Thank god for small mercy's: I'm still repairing the damage from that last scrap."

Mary stepped forwards, "Want some help?" Harper grinned, "From you? Anytime!"

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 7: Harper and Mary

Tyr awoke in medical. He looked up to see Rev Bem, Rommie and Orion looking down at him. Rommie smiled, "Back with us I see." Tyr raised a hand to his throbbing head, "What happened to me?" Orion chuckled, "You made a pass at a young woman who didn't like your advances." Tyr sat up, "The last thing I remember is I was in a bar on the drift. I saw a Nietzschean woman sitting alone at a table, and I asked her what pride she was." Orion's eyebrows narrowed, "Did you tell her what pride you where?" Tyr nodded, "Of course I did: Kodiak."

Orion winced, "There's your problem: Mary hates Kodiak pride." Tyr pulled his shirt on, "Why?" Rommie drummed her fingers on the bed, "Her mother was human: a Kodiak pride Alpha raped her, and Mary was the result." Tyr was confused, "Why should she hate Kodiak pride for that? It improved her genes." Orion's face fell, "She dose not see it that way, and I don't recommend you put it to her like that."

Deep in one of Andromeda's service conduits, Harper and Mary where busy fixing some of the damage done by the Balance of Judgment. Harper was knee deep in an access-port, "Can you hand me the nano-welder please?" Mary handed him the tool, "What's it like, living on a warship?" Harper thought for a second, "Long periods of pleasant quietness interrupted by the occasional life-or-death situation." Mary laughed, "Well, it sounds more fun than my life: shipping cargo from one deep-range colony to another, week's spent sub-light, months between ports. I swear, if not for the modifications I've made to our ship, I'd go mad!"

Harper pulled himself out of the access-port, "What sort of modifications?" Mary shrugged, "Well, I talked my brother into allowing me to turn one of the cargo-bays into a swimming pool. I then got Orion to adjust the AG field under the diving board to increase the free-fall time. Things like that." Harper whistled, "Man! There is no-way that Dylan would ever let me do something like that to Andromeda!" Mary laughed, "Mark can be like that, but I can normally talk him round."

Harper suddenly found the conduit uncomfortably hot, mainly because of Mary's smile, and the closeness of her body. He backed away slightly, "Maybe we should split up, get twice as much work done?" Mary moved forwards, a mischievous look in her eyes. "What's the matter Seamus, don't you like me?" Harper found himself flush against the conduit wall, "It's not that, its just, well, you scare me, the way you beat-up Tyr and all." Mary leaned forward further, "I can do soft too you know."

With that, she kissed him.

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 8: Otherwise Engaged

Dylan was showing Mark the command deck when Tyr walked in, "And do you show the bridge of your ship to anyone with an old High Guard uniform?" Dylan laughed, "Well Tyr, if you had managed to remain conscious, you would have learned that our guests are Mark and Mary McCoy, Captain and chief engineer of the Shoulder of Orion. I believe you met the ship's Avatar back on the drift." Tyr blinked, inserting this new information into his mind, "You let that maniac who attacked me onboard?"

Mark took a step back, "If our being here courses any trouble, we will gladly leave." Dylan shook his head, "It's no trouble: Tyr is just upset that he had his head handed to him in a bar-fight." Tyr grunted, "Where is the woman anyway?" Mark shrugged, "If by `the woman' you mean my sister, I believe she is helping your chief engineer repair the Andromeda." Tyr rolled his eyes, and then looked at Dylan, "Have you learned nothing these last few months?" he turned to the main view screen, "Ship, where is that weasel of a engineer and the woman who attacked me?"

Andromeda holographic form appeared before him, "They are in service conduit J7. They have engaged privacy mode." Mark groaned, "Not this again!" Dylan was perplexed, "What do you mean?" Mark rubbed his forehead, "Captain Hunt, I wish to apologise in advance for my sisters actions, and any damage or disruption she courses while on your ship." Dylan turned round, "Andromeda, privacy mode overridden, my authority. Find out what is going on, now!" Andromeda nodded, and the hologram blinked out.

Only a few seconded passed before it returned, blushing profusely, "They're, err, otherwise engaged."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 9: “We can’t change the past”

Rommie and Orion where on the observation-deck when Andromeda was ordered to find out what Harper and Mary where up to. Rommie blinked a few times, and then blushed, "Oh!" Orion was confused, "What's happened?" Rommie smiled, embarrassed, "Dylan just had my main AI to find out why Harper and Mary had ordered privacy-mode in a scurvies conduit." Orion nodded, "Yes, my goddaughter can be very forward when she wants to be." Rommie blushed again, "You could say that. Is she like this all the time?"

Orion leaned back against the wall, "She always has been difficult: I think it's her Nietzschean half acting-out, but it could be that she's always blamed herself for her mothers death. She can be very self-destructive: Picking fights with every Nietzschean she sees, rock-climbing without an AG harness, that sort of thing." Rommie placed her hand on Orion's shoulder, "You've done your best to bring her up. Don't blame yourself." Orion shook his head, "I told Trent, Marks father, that a cargo-run through Nietzschean-space was dangerous, but he was my captain, I had to agree. Then when the raiders hit, I was incapacitated, and had to watch him died."

Rommie gently placed a hand on Orion's cheek, "Your not a warship like I am, you're not built or programmed to fight. There was nothing you could do." Orion smiled weekly, "You would have thought that after the Fall, I would have learned to distinguish between what I can and can't do, but it's not that easy."

Rommie sat down on a bench, "A few months back, Tyr and Beka where giving Trance piloting lessons, and something happened in slipstream: I was shot back in time to the Battle of the Witchhead Nebula. I knew how the battle was going to work out. I knew that staying was suicide, and would not change the outcome, but I wanted to stay and fight. We arrived before the Nietzschean fleet, and we discovered that there was fifteen hundred ships, when there should have been five hundred. Harper had rigged a fusion catalyst in an attempt to destroy the entire Nietzschean fleet, but we had stopped him. Dylan had to deploy the catalyst to take-out a third of the Nietzschean ships. He didn't want to, but Tyr told us of a Nietzschean legend of the battle: the Angle of Death appeared, and bringing forth the fires of hell, destroyed a thousand ships. Over a hundred-thousand Nietzschean where killed when we used the catalyst, and I had to run away when the rest of the High Guard fleet arrived."

Orion put an arm round Rommie, "We all have things we blame ourselves for, but we can't change the past."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 10: Green-eyed Tyr

Rommie and Orion walked into command, and Rommie turned to Dylan, "Don't make me do that again. EVER!" Dylan looked sheepish, "I'm sorry. I didn't know." Rommie glared at him, making Orion laugh. Rommie turned at him, her eyes narrowing, "What's so funny?" Orion struggled to control himself, "You: you haven't changed one bit." Tyr shook his head, muttering.

Mark's wrist-com bleeped. He looked at it, then turned to Dylan, "I'm sorry, but I have to go: we have a cargo to load. You are all welcome to come have a look round my ship if you like." Dylan nodded, smiling, "That would be nice. Andromeda, tell Beka and Trance that we've been invited over to the Shoulder of Orion, and if they want to come they should meet us at the airlock." The hologram nodded and blinked out. Tyr crossed his arms; "I'll stay here and keep an eye on our `guest'." Dylan shrugged, "That's up to you." He led the others out of command.

Back in the conduit, Harper and Mary lay on the deck, smiling. Mary propped herself up on one arm, "Well Seamus, you really are good with your hands." Harper blushed, "You're not that bad yourself." He turned to look her in the eye, "Why me?" Mary looked down at him, "As is: why not someone else?" Harper nodded. Mary brushed a strand of hair from across her face, "Well, you make me laugh, you're smart, very good with your hands, and you're not that bad looking." She kissed him, "I'm willing to bet that your quarters are more comfortable than this. Let's go"

Tyr sat in the pilots chair, brooding, "Of all the people to choose from: Harper?" Andromeda's hologram appeared before him, "I take it you are referring to Miss McCoy by that statement?" Tyr nodded, "She has Kodiak DNA in her. Do you have any idea what the chances of two carriers of my prides DNA meeting like this is?" Andromeda's image appeared on the main screen, "10-trillion, 47-billion." Tyr raised a hand to stop her, "I was speaking figuratively. Has she no-idea how important it is to keep that DNA alive?" Andromeda smirked, "Well, well, well Mr Anasazi, I do believe you are jealous of Harper." Andromeda's hologram smiled, "Oh he's jealous all right." Tyr seat bolt upright, "Engage privacy mode!"

Andromeda giggled as she disappeared.

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 11: Spare parts

Mark opened the airlock to the Shoulder of Orion, and the ship's hologram stood before them, "Welcome to my humble abode." Rommie laughed, "What are you like?" The hologram blinked out, and Orion led the way to command. A Than sat in the pilots chair, but came sharply to attention when the others entered. Mark made the introductions, "This is Whisper of the Wind, our pilot. Whisper, this is Rommie, Avatar of the Andromeda Ascendant. Her Captain, Dylan Hunt, her first officer Beka Valentine, and Trance Gemini, her environmental officer."

Whisper bowed, "It is an honour to meet you Captain Hunt: Refractions of Dawn was one of my ancestors." Dylan smiled sadly, "She was a good officer and pilot. I miss her." Whisper nodded, and went back to the controls. Mark turned to Orion, "Will you please show our guests around while I see to loading the cargo." Orion nodded, and Mark walked off. Orion turned to Andromeda's crew, "Well, what would you like to see first?" Dylan shrugged, "Do you have any spare parts you could spare?" Orion smiled, "Walk this way."

Orion led them down several corridors, finally stopping outside a door marked `Drop Ship Maintenance'. The hatchet opened, revealing a darkened room. Orion snapped his fingers, and the lights came on: the room was the size of a hanger deck, and was stacked floor to sealing with crates. Beka was taken aback, "Wow!" Orion handed Rommie a flexi sheet, "This is the manifest. We where carrying spears for North and Emma when they where killed. No one else needed them, and as they only fit High Guard ships, we couldn't sell them." Rommie scanned the flexi, "You could almost build a Group Defence Frigate with all of this!"

Orion nodded, "I've only used a fraction of it to keep myself running over the years. Technically it belongs to Mark and Mary, but I'm sure that they will let you take what you need." Orion turned to Dylan, "Mark has always dreamed of the Systems Commonwealth being re-built. He knew he'd never be able to do it himself: that's why he agreed to come all this way to meet you."

All of a sudden, Rommie collapsed.

TBC.

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 12: Hijacked

Moving with speed no human could match, Orion grabbed Rommie and stopped her from hitting the ground. She seemed to be convulsing. Dylan's eyes went wide with fear, "What happening to her?" Orion was doing his best to stop Rommie from thrashing out and hurting someone, "The link to her main AI has been jammed! It'll take her a moment to adjust." As if on cue, Rommie stopped shaking. She looked straight at Dylan, her eyes wide, "Ship. Nietzscheans. Drago-Kazov pride." She seemed to pass-out. Dylan and Beka ran for the airlock as Trance and Orion carried the unconscious Rommie between them.

Tyr had been in command, brooding when he heard the hatch open. Thinking it was Harper and Mary, he called out over his shoulder, "Have you two quite finished?" An un-familiar answered, "No, we've only just begun." Tyr span the pilots seat round, and found himself facing a group of heavily armed Nietzscheans. He tried to jump behind the weapons counsel, but the lead Nietzschean fired at the same time.

Tyr felt something strike him dead centre in the chest. He looked down, expecting to see blood, but instead a pair of metal prongs, attached to a length of wire, protruded from his stomach. His attacker smiled, "Lights out!" Tyr felt as though his entire body was being consumed by fire, and he blacked-out.

Dylan and Beka reached the airlock just in time to see the Andromeda pull-away. Dylan punched the airlock control panel so hard it mashed, cutting his fingers, "g*d d*mn it!" Beka grabbed his arm, "The Maru!" they sprinted along the corridor to the next hatch, and quickly got the battered transport underway. Dylan tapped commands into the Maru's sensor-control panel as fast as he could, "Her slipstream drive is off-line, but she can still out-run us at sub-light." All of a sudden, a shadow fell-over the Maru's cockpit: Beka leaned forward to see what it was.

The Shoulder of Orion hung directly above the Maru, and fired grapples at the smaller ship. Dylan was thrown off his feet as the Shoulder of Orion started to pull the Maru in. Beka released her safety harness, and ran for the airlock. Trance was weighting on the other side, "Come-on! Hurry!" Beka sprinted off towards command, closely followed by Dylan and Trance.

Rommie sat on the floor of command, her head between her knees. Dylan knelt down beside her, "Are you ok?" She nodded weekly, "I will be." Smiling, Dylan squeezed her shoulder. He stood as Mark entered command. The young captain turned to Dylan, "Orion told me what's happening. Is there anyway to regain control of your ship from here?" Dylan shook his head, "None: they cut Rommie's connection to the main AI. We have to assume that they have complete control of the Andromeda."

TBC.

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 13: That old Harper magic

Rev Bem was in his quarters praying when Andromeda's holographic form appeared before him, "Rev, listen very carefully, I don't have much time: Drago-Kazov pride have taken over the ship. They've cut my link to Rommie, and have incapacitated Tyr. You have to warn Harper and Mary. I can feel them accessing my controls, trying to shut." The hologram suddenly disappeared.

Rev sighed: it was times like this that being a monk could be very taxing.

He carefully made his way through the corridors to Harper's room. He tried the access panel, but it was locked from the inside. He pressed the caller. Harpers tired voice came from the speaker, "What?" Rev quickly checked the corridor, "Harper, we have a problem. You have to let me in." Harper sighed, and pulling his dressing gown on, opened the hatch. Rev jumped through and closed it again. Harper rubbed his head sleepily, "What's gotten you so worked up?" Rev handed Harper his shirt, "I just received a warning from Andromeda: Drago-Kazov pride have taken over the ship. Tyr has been captured, and Andromeda can't reach Rommie. The others have gone to visit the Shoulder of Orion."

Mary sat up in bed, "You're telling me that a bunch of Nietzscheans have taken over your ship and it's up to us to take it back?" Rev nodded, "That's about it I'm afraid." Mary smiled as she started to pull her clothes on, "Excellent! Nothing like a good workout to wake you up." She winked at Harper, "That said, I did get plenty of exercise earlier." Harper blushed as he pulled his own clothes on.

The three of them made their way through the service conduit's to the sensor control nexus. Harper was able to cut power to the internal sensors, blinding the Nietzscheans to their location. He turned to Rev and Mary, "Well, if we're lucky, their just think it's a glitch coursed by their work on Andromeda." No sooner had he stoped talking than the intruder-alert sirens started to go off. Harper shrugged, "Or they may twig on straight away. What do we do?"

Mary looked at Harper and Rev, "I say we try and pick them off in one's and two's. If we can separate them from each other, we stand a better chance taking back your ship. Seamus, is there anyway we can talk to the Shoulder of Orion without the Drago's noticing?" Harper nodded, "There might be a way."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 14: A desperate plan

Rommie was still sitting on the deck of the Shoulder of Orion's bridge when she suddenly stood up, "Dylan, I'm receiving a transmission from Harper!" The others looked at her, shocked. Beka found her voice first, "How?" Rommie blinked, "I don't quite know. Hold on a second." She walked over to one of Orion's control panels and activated her VR-link.

She found herself in Orion's mind: His holographic Avatar appeared before her, "Patch through the transmission, and I'll put it up on the main viewer." Rommie nodded, and held out her hand to Orion. The moment he took her hand, there was a flash of light.

Back in command, Harper face suddenly appeared on the main screen, "Dylan! Thank god it worked! Look, I don't know how long we can mask this transmission, so don't say anything till I'm done: Drago-Kazov pride has taken over the ship. They've knocked Tyr out, but Andromeda was able to warn Rev Bem before they shut her down. It's just him, Mary and me at the moment. We think there might be a way to rescue Tyr, but it depends where they are keeping him." Dylan nodded, "Understood. Is the slipstream back on line yet?" Harper shook his head, "No, I'm still calibrating it. They shouldn't be able to get it online for at least a day."

Dylan nodded, "I understand: we're in a sensor blind spot behind you. Is there anyway we can help?" Harper looked worried, "There is a way, but your not going to like it." Dylan nodded, "I understand. What is it?" Harper sighed, "The point defence lasers are still of-line: if you fire at Andromeda, you should be able to disable her sub-light drive." Trance was shocked, "Isn't that a bit extreme?" Dylan shock his head, "It may be the only way."

Rommie's holographic image appeared on the bridge, "I hope you don't mind, but this is the only way I can join this conversation. Harper, the Shoulder of Orion only has two ELS missile tubes. Will they be enough?" Harper nodded, "They should be: with the damage you took from the Balance of Judgment, they should take out be able to knock the flow-regulators off-line."

Dylan drummed his finger on the control panel, "Ok, we'll do it. But first, rescue Tyr: your need his help to keep the Drago's busy while we board. Contact us again when he's with you. Good luck." Harper laughed, "No problem." He cut the transmission.

Back on Andromeda, Harper climbed from the Slipfighter, "Ok, we have to rescue Tyr. Once we've done that, the Shoulder of Orion is going to fire a missile barrage to disable the Andromeda's sub-light drive, then launch a boarding action." Mary pulled out her forcelance and extended it, "Sweet. Let's go kick some Drago-Kazov butt!"

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 15: Setting the record straight

Four Drago-Kazov pride warriors where leading the shackled Tyr to the brig when a voice called out, "Hello boys!" They turned to see Mary leaning provocatively against the bulkhead. Before they could decide what to do, Harper caught them from behind, hitting two of them with his Gauss-gun at close range. The last two span round, drawing their weapons. Mary was faster: she drew her forcelance and caught them in the back. She smiled as they hit the deck, "Now THAT was fun."

Tyr was in shock, "That was very well executed. How did you learn to set up an ambush like that?" Mary shrugged, "Try hauling cargo for a living. You get plenty of time to read." Rev Bem un-cuffed Tyr as Harper and Mary dragged the dead Nietzscheans into a nearby room. Tyr relived the bodies of their weapons, "Right, do we have a plan, or are you playing it by ear?"

Harper closed the door on the dead bodies, "We managed to get trough to Dylan: if we can keep the Drago's busy, the Shoulder of Orion is going to knock-out Andromeda's sib-light drive, then board." Tyr nodded, "I suggest we take them out one at a time. Keep them isolated and on edge." Mary laughed, "Way ahead of you on that. We've taken two more down so far." Tyr grinned, "Excellent."

Mary tilted her head to one side, "You don't seem to like them very much?" Tyr shot her a glance, "Drago-Kazov pride all but wiped out Kodiak pride. MY pride. Your pride." Mary had her forcelance under Tyr's chin before his eyes even registered the movement, "Let's get one thing straight: I never have been, and never will be, Kodiak pride. Or any other Nietzschean pride for that matter. I'm human, and I've spent my entire life with people like you looking at me as breeding stock. You want to start a pedigree, get a dog!"

Harper gently placed his hand on Mary's arm, "As much as Tyr annoys me a lot of the time, we need him right now. I suggest we put this anger to a useful purpose, like taking back the ship." Mary swallowed, and slowly lowered her forcelance, "Ok. Let's go." Harper looked at Tyr, "For someone who is always going on about survival instincts, riling someone who's already wiped the floor with you seam's very stupid." Tyr nodded, "If that's the way you feel, I won't mention it again." Only Rev Bem noticed the fear in the Nietzscheans voice.

Tyr span round, "I can hear people approaching: too many of them for us to deal with. We should withdraw." Harper nodded, and pulled an inspection hatch away from the wall, "After you."

TBC

[Sinister Dexter]

Old Friends, Part 16: “Hay Ubers! Come out and play!”

Tyr, Harper, Rev Bem and Mary made there way back to the hanger. Harper patched through to link to Rommie's transceiver, "Rommie, can you hear me?" the Slipfighter's small screen changed to show the Shoulder of Orion's command deck. Dylan stepped forward, "We read you Harper. Did you manage to rescue Tyr?" Harper nodded, "We have him. When do you want us to start on the Drago's?" Dylan looked at his watch, "Five minutes. We'll fire the missiles in ten." Harper nodded, "Understood. Harper out." He cut the link and pulled himself from the cockpit. He turned to the others, "Ok, Dylan wants us to hit the Drago's in five. Another five minutes after that, they'll launch the missiles." Tyr nodded, "Let's go."

They made their way to the corridor outside command, and set themselves out to get the hatch in a deadly crossfire. Harper looked at the others, then cupped his hands around his mouth, "Hay Ubers! Come out and play!" Only a matter of seconds passed before two Nietzscheans ran through the hatch, weapons drawn: they quickly died under a hail of gunfire. More Nietzscheans dived out of command, forcing the crew to pullback to a secondary position.

Harper activated an explosive device he had rigged, blasting three more raiders through the air. Still the Drago's advanced, slowly herding the crew into a dead end.

On the Shoulder of Orion, Dylan counted down the seconds, "Now!" Orion turned to Rommie, "Sorry to have to do this to you old girl." He thumbed the button that sent a pair on missile towards the bigger ship.

A pair of explosions rocked the Andromeda as the missiles hit home, disabling the sub-light drive. Not expecting the impact, the Drago-Kazov soldiers where thrown off of their feet. Tyr surveyed the scene, "Attack!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Mary and Harper followed him as he charged the disorientated raiders, forcelances ready.

Harper had been in a lot of fights in his life, and knew how to handle himself, but he found himself awestruck by Mary: she moved like a dancer, never wasting an attack or dodge. She became a whirlwind of activity at the centre of a group of five Nietzscheans. Her forcelance was a blur as she struck out at her targets, seemingly unfazed of their own attacks. He watched as she back-flipped, catching one of the Nietzscheans under the jaw with her foot.

Gunfire echoed along the corridor as the boarding party from the Shoulder of Orion blasted their way through the remaining Drago-Kazov soldiers. Rommie screamed as Orion took a round from a Gauss Rifle full in the chest. Her next shot effectively decapitated the Nietzschean who had fired the shot.

Outnumbered and surrounded, the surviving Nietzscheans surrendered.

TBC