Mother's Child, Father's Daughter

 

Chapter 1

Mother’s child, father’s daughter
I’m beka valentine.
I’m strong.
I’m resilient.
And I can’t get through this.
Thalia, a senator, and my mother. If you use the term “mother” loosely, that is. She left, abandoned me. I lost my child hood that day. My father started flash. Raif got into trouble, well, more then before anyway. And I had to keep it together. I know my uncle Syd helped, but still, I grew up that day. I’ve been an adult since 7, have not cried since 12, flown since 3, used a gun since 5, a knife since 9, first job pulled alone at 13. I’ve always been in charge, control , confident. But I still don’t know what to do now.
Rhade said I know low and high society, all worlds. I’m many different people. And it is so sooo true. I am. Problem is, I don’t know which of those people to be.
I’m just like my mother. A sweet, caring, helpful, two-sided bitch. Never satisfied. Runs from commitment. Bored easily. Calculating and logical.
I’m just like my father. A demanding addict who just tries to damn hard. Protective and loyal. Ruled by the heart and a rebel always found by trouble.
At least he tried though. He did, he really did. But I think of her, and I see the sad 7 year old me crying in the bathroom. Door locked and water running, so no one will here or find me.
I’m my mother’s child, but my father’s daughter.
The worst of both worlds.
And it’s just killing me, slowly, a little bit at a time

Chapter 2

It’s funny, ya know? They all ask who the message was from. Not if I’m okay, but what politician do I know, my ‘mother’ , that’s who.
She wants to see me. She heard from Aleiss about me and what I do. I got a message from Aleiss too, she said “yeah, uummm, ooops?! Don’t hate me, sorry.” I forgave her before she even said the words. She reminds me of me, of who I used to be. So much hope. God, I miss being unjaded.
As much as I don’t want to go to see my mom, I need the closure. I know it won’t end well. I know I’ll hurt worse then when I go in. I know I’ll be a wreak. I know it will hurt worse then hell, worse then a magog ripping my insides. I know I’ll cry in a locked bathroom, water running.
But I’m still gonna go.
After all, why wait for someone to hang me when I already have the rope myself.

Chapter 3

Trance POV
Everything is changing. I do not know if this is good or bad. I can’t see which way to go, and my bonsai is of no help. I want to save them, but I may end up sacrificing them. Dylan must live. Beka must survive. I can not loose Harper. Rev is safe, for now. I am unsure of Rhade, I can not tell which path he will choose. It concerns me. Tyr is alive in the scientific sense. His compassion died when Beka betrayed him for Dylan. Hopefully he can be saved. It must not end like before, I can not allow that future to occur. So much pain, and suffering, and death. No, I will not lose my friends again. I love them too much, and they are too important for the survival of the universe, all times and universes. I need them. And Rommie. Rommie will have it the hardest. She will have many painful decisions to make; she was never merely a machine. If only those who call her that, an artifact, knew what she will have to do. Rommie will live, even after they are all gone, she and I will live.
(Sigh), if only there was something I could do, I have already interfered so much, and lost so much. That’s the difference between them and me, they give and I lose. I have lost time and innocence. Humans and other life forms used to wonder, awe, worship, and fear me. Now I am an amusement. Something to ponder the creation of, to gawk at, ignore.
Dylan gave up happiness over 400 years ago. He put all his time into the commonwealth. And in doing so he gave up time with loved ones. I think that maybe that’s why he’s so devout to the commonwealth now. He realizes that he wasted his time before, but now if he gives up the commonwealth then what was all that time for? Missed birthdays, anniversaries, parties, and so many other things important to a social life, and being part of a family.
Beka gave up so much. She has no money because what she did not use to pay debts, she used for harper and anyone else she knew who needed help. She sacrifices she much of herself for others. She’s on the brink, I can tell, Tyr was the last straw. If only they knew how much she hurts, and just wants to be loved. If only I did not see a lot of pain to come her way very soon. She does not deserve, she has always been noble. I wish I could protect her.
Harper gave up a lot growing up. He did not have a lot, but what he did, he gave to his cousin and friends. He gave his mind to creating objects that would help save them from neits. And he even passed up a few rides off of earth to stay and help them. Beka and bobby were not the first to offer. Just the first that he accepted.
Divine, please, do not make me choose. I can not go down this path again.
Dylan. Beka. Harper. Rhade. Tyr. Rommie. Rev.
I love them all.
How can I decide which one must die for the sake of all other lives.
(pause)
yes, yes, it will be hard, and we all all hurt, but I have decided.
I am sorry precious one, but you will die.

Chapter 4

Tyr’s POV

Darkness.
Complete and total darkness mixed with flashes of red and fear.
Where am I?
Hate and love all combined as one.
I feel warm and cold all over.
Is this the abyss?
Beka. She left me, betrayed me. Why? I could have given her everything. Her eyes, on the Maru, fear, but mostly pain. I knew she wouldn’t let me kill Dylan. But it would have had to be done. Couldn’t she that?
I hear voices.
Or is it my mind, or the abyss playing games with me.
It is gone.
I feel alone and surrounded at the same time.
Dylan will pay.
It figures he took Beka from me. Probably thought he was saving her. I will get him back. He will suffer. We could have been allies, friends. Powerful males, together we could have ruled the galaxies! A nichean mind in a man who does not use it. Pathetic.
Beka should not have betrayed me.
Where am I?
Limbo?
Come to pay for my mistakes.
What mistakes?
Tamerlane will be taken care of. The matriarch will raise him. I do not entirely trust her. Beka would have done a better job. I need to get back to him. Teach him the ways he must someday rule. But when that day comes, will Dylan be in my way again?
Telechamus Rhade of the Majora Pride.
He will suffer.
How dare the worthless pile of inferior DNA challenge me? Who does he think he is? He and Dylan will pay.
I will get Beka back on my side.
I will get out of here.
I will find my son.
I will fix this.
I, Tyr Anasazizi out of Victoria by Barberosa, have survived worse. Let the abyss do what it wants will me and we shall see who wins.
“(Growls) you hear me, hear me, I will get out of here. I will find the Andromeda. And when I do, I will thank Dylan for everything he has done to me. Slowly and painfully thank him.”
Abyss- (laughter) thinks- I have chosen my pawn well. All right Tyr Anasazizi of the Kodiak pride, you will have your day. One last chance at gaining my favor. I’ll send you back to your little friends. But fail, and not even Gemini will be able to save you from me.

Chapter 5

Rhade's POV

I’m a little moth
I don't get it.
I don't get her.
Infuriating!
She thinks she knows it all.
She thinks she's so hot.
I admit, the mom being a senator thing, beka being of blue blood, threw me. But then again, so did everything else about her.
She wasn't what I expected, not that I expected much. I wanted to work with Dylan Hunt, starship captain. And instead I got stuck with her, a captain of an ugly and beat-up cargo ship. Not that I mind anymore, I like spending time with her. I rather enjoy it actually.
I like the closeness of being next to her. I like her intoxicating scent. The warm feeling I get whenever she’s near me. The way she laughs and smiles, putting her whole self into it. And the nice view when I walk behind her.
She definitely is not what I expected of the famed pilot Rebecca Valentine out of Thalia by Ignatius, she's better.
She's so many admirable qualities. The idea of perfection, inside and out. Compassionate, loyal, brave, kind, passionate, protective, intelligent, logical, blatantly honest, humorous, and so much more. Strong enough to protect herself and those she cares for, but weak enough to have help from those who care for her. If it weren't for the lack of boneblades I would swear she was a Neitzschean.
When we visited that jail, she threw me. I did not expect her to be so easy on the prisoners, nor for one to get past her. But when she revealed that she thought that they had been through enough, I respected her even more. Why kick a dog when it's down?
I did worry when she was with Tyr. Not just for the commonwealth, like everyone probably thought, but for her. I was afraid she would not come back. I would greatly like to get to know her better. Plus, who knows what that vile excuse for a neitzschean, reincarnation of Drago my boneblades, wanted of her. Actually, I think I do know, but I'd rather not picture it. I don't want to think of him having her that way, of her giving herself to him. In any way.
"(Sigh that turns into a growl), Infuriating, she thinks she's soo perfect and sooo hot."
She's better then perfection, she's flaming.
"I want her."
"I need her."
"Like the moth to the flame."
And I think I'm going to get burned.
But suddenly, I don't care.

Chapter 6

Dylan is sitting working at his desk in his room, wearing black pants and a blue shirt. Andromeda is watching him, and sends a hologram of Rommie to talk to him about his first officer. “Dylan,” a hologram of Rommie said, “I think that something may be wrong with Beka. She has not been sleeping lately. And has been acting funny. It just started when she received that letter from the senator, Thalia something, so I do not believe that this is over Tyr. I may be overreacting, but I am concerned for her and her health. She has not been eating regularly and has been receiving stomach pains. If she is not remedied soon, she may not only put herself in danger, but as our pilot, the health and safety of myself, and the rest of the crew as well.”
Dylan looks up from a flexi and studies Rommie for a minute, and then looks away. (Sighs.) Beka. Why haven’t I noticed this? I wonder if anyone else has. We could all go on a vacation, no. I don’t have time; there is too much pressure in the commonwealth. I could give just her a vacation. But she’s likely to get into trouble. Likely, what am I talking about, of course she’ll get into trouble, she’s Beka Valentine, trouble stalks her. “Alright Rommie, have everyone meet me in command. I have a lot of work to do, so I’ll lock myself in my room and get it done. Meanwhile, Rhade can have control of the ship. Beka will go on a vacation whether she likes it or not, I’ll give Harper some project to do. Not only will it help to defeat the magog, but it will keep him busy as well. Trance can do whatever it is that Trance usually does.” Hmm, what does Trance do? “And you can run a full systems check to make sure everything is in order. That should fill us up for what, a few days?” “Yes captain, the crew will meet you in 15 minutes,” states Rommie.“ Very good Rommie” Dylan walks out the door as Rommie searches her systems to find the crew.
Rommie’s android was with Trance in hydronics when she was told of the meeting. Trance was talking to a baby pine tree, Sam. Trance saw Rommie pause, and knew that she was talking to her system. She also knew through her bonsai tree that Dylan wanted them in a meeting. She then knew that it would be in command because she had suggested to him that it would be wise to hold at least some meetings there in case they were fired upon during a meeting. When Rommie looked at her, Trance said, “Does Dylan want us in a meeting on command deck now?” Rommie replied, “Yes, as a matter of fact Trance, he does. In 13 minutes to be precise. But how would you know?” Rommie asked genuinely curious as to how her golden friend would know such a thing. Trance merely smiled and said’ “ I just do.” She then said goodbye to Sam and walked towards command with Rommie right behind her saying “12 minutes.”
“ Owwww, oww, oww, oww, OW!” Rommie’s hologram appeared in machine shop 7 to see her mechanic, Harper, jumping up and down, screaming ‘ow’, and holding his hand. Unfortunately, the jumping caused him to fall over and hurt himself even more. After trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile she said, “Harper are you alright?”
“Oh sure,” answered the young engineer, “ just almost killed myself trying to fix you.” Rommie frowns and says “ I’m not broken.” Harper ignores her and continues talking” but hey, I mean, just Harper, nobody cares, poor little mudfoot Sheamus Zelany Harper. But hey, that’s okay. I mean sure he’s an all around genius and love god but-,” “Harper!” Rommie yells. Her hologram becomes life size as Harper is caught off guard at her little outburst. She takes this moment to talk. “Dylan has called a meeting in command. Now, when he called it you had 15 minutes but since you went on you now have less time. I would allow you to go to med deck and deck your hand looked at and explain why you’re late, but if you’re able to throw a fit, then you can sit threw a meeting. You have 8 minutes, now GO!” and her hologram flicked out as Harper scrambled to make it to command in time.
Rhade is in his room working out, wearing just black pants. He sits up on the bench press, and then walks over to get a towel to wipe his sweat away with. He has a look of deep concentration on his face. It is at this point that a hologram of Andromeda appears.
“Telechamus,” Rhade looks up to see what Andromeda wants, but also a little surprised. No one here ever calls me that, except Dylan. I don’t even think that the rest know I have a first name. “Yes Andromeda.” “Dylan is holding a meeting in 14 minutes. It is in command and you are expected to be there,” Andromeda stated. Rhade replied, “Alright I will be right there.” The hologram flickered out.
14 minutes, not enough time for a shower, even a quick one. Rhade slips on a shirt that is a dark shade of red. Guess that I’ll just have to go as is. He grabs a black leather jacket on the way out and puts it on, just in case Dylan wants him to go on a trip somewhere with Beka.
Ah, Beka, a smile quickly flits across his face and disappears almost as fast as it came. Beka is what I was thinking about before Andromeda interrupted me, he thinks on his way to command. What am I going to do, I mean, I can not pursue this, can I? He ponders that thought and others like it that he crashes into someone.
Beka was lying in bed not wanting to get up tell Dylan that she was leaving to see her mother who abandoned her when she was 7, and then go to see said mother. Plus, she was so tired from not sleeping all night. And she had a killer stomach pain. Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten so much, I mean, there is such thing as too much Chinese food. No matter how much I don’t want to ever admit it.
It was at that beautiful moment that Andromeda’s hologram blinked in.“ Beka, Dylan is holding a meeting in command in 15 minutes.” She then blinked out to give Beka the privacy to change.
Beka slowly got up, sighed, and preceded to get dressed. She stretched and then brushed her hair and put on dark blue jeans. She then looked for a shirt. She decided on a light blue shirt. It was medium blue on her sides, had wide, flowing sleeves. It was not too low or too high cut in the front. She then brushed her teeth, and grabbed a black choker with a dark blue rose on it. She put the choker on so that the rose was on the right side of her neck, and rushed out of her room.
7 minutes before I’m late, better hurry. I hope Dylan will understand that I need time off to do something personal, and not ask how I know Thalia; I really don’t wanna get into it. And it was with that thought that she crashed into someone.
Rhade saw Beka falling down and leaned forward to catch her, unfortunately, he then fell with her. He fell on top of her to be precise. Beka was startled for a moment, and then realized what had happened. Rhade mumbled sorry and then got off of her, helped her up, and the two started walking again.
“Oops, sorry Rhade, guess just I didn’t see ya there, just a lot on my mind, ya know, and I was in complete thought!” Beka looked at him nervously with an apology written all over her face. “Completely my fault, Miss Valentine, I was also in deep thought, but I should have been watching as to where I was going.” Miss Valentine, since when are we so damn formal with each other? They both thought at the same time as they arrived in command.
Trance was standing to the side of the weapons consol, Rommie was standing behind some other consol, and Dylan was at the pilot’s chair. Just after Rhade and Beka came in, Harper rushed in, and then when everyone looked at him, walked casually over to his Rommie. Rhade then went to the weapons consol, Beka to the pilot’s chair to sit down (she was tired), and Dylan to the screen in the front of command deck so he could see everyone.
Dylan started talking. “Alright, I know how these usually go which is why I am starting with this. Do not talk until I am done. Do not ask what this meeting is about because I am about to tell you. Beka, no complaining or yelling. That goes for you to Harper. Also, no questions, whatsoever. I mean it. When I am done if anyone has anything they want to say they can go one at a time. Got it.” Everyone nods. “Good, now, Harper, I need you to work on something to defeat the magog. I don’t know what, I don’t even care what, just so long as it works. Rommie will be running a full diagnostics test while you do this so you don’t have to worry about her and can put all attention into your work and loud earth music. I will be locking myself in my room to get work done, so no interruptions. Trance, you will have charge of the ship. Beka, you are going on a trip, a vacation to be exact. Now before you yell at me, you’ve been through a lot lately, and deserve a break. So go anywhere and do anything, but bring Rhade. I mean it Beka, ditch him and I come after you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you always end up in trouble with someone; Rhade can hopefully keep you out of some of that trouble. Rhade, please try to keep her out of trouble. If that’s even possible. That’s all.”
Beka speaks, “First of all, I’m hurt that you think that I can’t stay out of trouble, it’s possible, it’s been done. Second, I do not need a babysitter. And third, thank you, I was going to ask to go on a trip anyway. Can I leave right now? I have a schedule to make, people, non-dangerous ones, are waiting for me.” Dylan replies “Fine, Rhade, pack a bag, the two of you have two weeks max, and have fun.”
Beka heads for the door and Rhade follows. As Beka is about to leave through the doors Dylan asks “Who are you meeting?” Beka replies “My mother.” As she and Rhade leave a room of shocked people behind.

Chapter 7

Two hours later everyone was doing their separate things on the beautiful warship, Andromeda Ascendant. Trance was locked in her room trying to decide how the crew would deal with Beka’s news when she returned. She hoped that Beka would be all right. And that it wouldn’t stop a relationship between her and Rhade from occurring. It was funny though; at first she believed that Beka and Geharis belonged together. Then Beka and Dylan. And then Beka and Tyr. But now she knew that it did not entirely matter. As long as Beka kept-no, she could not even think like that. Beka had to, she would. Dylan was locked in his room getting some much needed paperwork done. Treaties, bills, yes, even the great starship captain has to pay for things. Rommie was offline while her systems were cleaning themselves. No holograms of Rommie or Andromeda would appear. For the next few hours the ship would have no actual contact with the crew. Beka and Rhade had left almost immediately after they left command. Rhade packed a bag as Beka paced in his doorway. He, of course, found this amusing, said a little quip, and got hit by Beka. Harper, in some various machine shop (how many are there anyways?), was trying to devise something that showed his genius, worked, and didn’t mess up like the tesseract, which was painful for him to remember, literally.
“Hmmm” I wonder what I can do; I mean I’m a fricking genius, not a miracle worker. ‘Just build anything’, geeze Dylan, could you be any less specific? Oh well. A flash of light appears in a teeny crack in the wall. Ah, what’s that, wait, where’d it go? “Get a grip Harper. All right. I can do this. Okay, I got it! Electrocution! Sure, it’s an old trick, but it’s a good one, and, more importantly, it will send those giant, furry, evil teddy bears, also known as magog, back to hell and that freaky man made of fire!”
A loud crash it herd from where Harper saw that flash of light before. He goes over to look and sees tiny slivers of holes in the wall. He knows that there is no room behind the wall because of Rommie’s schematics. So he simply assumes that it’s a secret lab that was not known to Rommie, like the room that they found their ‘ghost’ in last year. Luckily, the ghost turned out to be an android of one of Dylan’s old crew, who helped to kill the slimy, acid-spewing slugs.
Harper gets some tools and pulls down the wall. As soon as it is down he looks inside. The room is filled with tools. And worktables line most of the walls, and a giant rectangle table was in the center of the room. “Well, looks like at least one of Rommies old engineers was a messy as me. Ha! And she says I’m the only one that’s a slob. Doesn’t she know an organized mess is easier to work with, and a sign of creativity?”
Harper gets the feeling he’s not alone, brandishes a wrench (he left his gun on his workbench), and jumps to the other side of the table while he screams “HAH!”
“AAAHHHH!!!!!!”
An unconscious Tyr is lying naked on the floor. He seems unhurt, except for a few scratches and burns.

Chapter 8

Dylan was sitting in his office when he heard the scream. He immediately jumped up, grabbed his forcelance, and started running to where he thought he heard it come from. Trance then came over his communicator and told him to come to med deck right away, it was Harper and, well, he just had to see the other person for himself, she didn’t think that he would believe her.
As he got to med, he saw Trance standing outside waiting for him. Before he could speak though, she started talking.
“Dylan. I got a bad feeling, so I went to check on Harper. I heard him scream as I was halfway across the room to him. So I ran the rest of the way, and saw him passed out on the floor, he must have fainted from the shock. He was next to a table in a hidden room. I knew something was wrong, so luckily I had brought some bots with me and they were able to carry Harper here. Dylan, the abyss was here. They have a plan but I don’t know what, and that uncertainty scares me. Either they are blocking their plan from me, or they are making it up as they go along. Anyway, the reason Harper fainted was,…Tyr. He was lying unconscious on the floor next to the table. Harper must have seen him and passed out from the shock. Dylan, Tyr was minorly cut, burned, some 2nd degree, one 3rd, and naked. The abyss must have transported him there. Either they are done with him and we may have him back, or. Or they have control of him and plan to use him for our destruction. Either, I am worried about what will occur from this. Dylan, Beka will be back and will not need this added stress. Plus, we still don’t know if Tyr is acting of his free will or being controlled by a great evil. Now, you may go in, I’m going to try to track down Rev, I believe that we may soon need his counsel, goodbye.”
Dylan stood confused and blinking for a moment. He then opened his mouth as if to say something, turned to where Trance had disappeared down the hallway, and closed his mouth. Dylan then quickly walked into the room to see what was going on for himself. He took in Tyr on a med table with a white sheet from his waist down, with a gray-blue pillow under his head. Trance had obviously had someone go into his old room because some of the clothes he used to wear around the ship were on an empty exam tray next to him. He looked as if someone had hit him on the left temple with a sharp rock. There was a bandage over the cut, with some blood showing on it. A few scratches, as if he had a run-in with a thorn bush or an annoyed cat, were seen on his chest and arms. A minor burn was on his right cheek. His feet were scratched and also held minor burns. Dylan could see the 3rd degree burn to the left of Tyr’s belly button. And a 2nd degree on his right pec. Also, burns were scattered across his arms, and Dylan assumed, Tyr’s legs as well. Dylan was staring at Tyr trying to figure out how he got there and what to do with him when he heard a moan.
“Dylan”, Rommie’s hologram popped up, “ I have just finished my diagnostics test, everything is running smoothly. I am, however, concerned about something. Am I having technical difficulties and imagining Tyr, or do you see him as well?” Android Rommie walked into the room with a confused look on her face as the hologram finished talking and pooped out
“Haha, no Rommie, he is really here. Tyr, is really here.”
“Captain?”
“Hmm? Oh, right, sorry Rommie, Trance found Tyr, err, actually, Harper found Tyr. And then Trance found Harper and Tyr. Harper passed out from the shock.”
“He ‘fainted’”, Ramie says while smirking.
“ I did not faint’” Harper says groggily as he sits up, “ I just got overloaded from being overworked and the shock of seeing Tyr so I decided to take a quick nap. Ya know, ta reenergize and keep you in tiptop shape. I mean, I love ya Romdoll, but you’re one big-sexy-assed ship, and I’m only one loveable-god like- grease monkey. Now, what do we do with old and restless over there?”
“ Good question Mister Harper, good question.”
And they all look at the unconscious Tyr.

Chapter 9

Beka was in the cockpit of the Maru, trying to figure out how to talk to Thalia without causing a huge scene by yelling, or shooting things. She entered slip stream, leaving the Andromeda behind, and relaxing as the ride took over all unpleasant thoughts. Born in slipstream, Beka always felt at ease in it. Flying through always felt so natural for her. And always allowed Beka to relax, while at the same time getting that little thrill. Knowing that she was the best at this and having all that power of the ship held in her hands. Okay, so maybe she had more power on the Andromeda, but the Maru was hers. And either way, it was like home to her.
Rhade was behind the pilot’s area, at the weapons counsel. They weren’t going into or expecting a fight, but best not to be caught off guard. He was checking the monitors, and when they entered slip stream, stared out the front window and was lost in thought.
Hmmm. Beka is going to go through a, what does Harper call it? Ah yes, ‘emotional roller coaster’. I have to be a friend to her, while not getting in her way. Beka will be very vulnerable, and I can not, under any circumstances, take advantage of that. I must be on Beka’s side; while at the same time try not to put her mother down. If they manage to re-connect, I don’t want to be the one that acted as if he hated her. Not that I do, but how a mother could abandon a child like that is beyond me. Parents are supposed to cherish and protect their children, not leave them behind when they get bored with having a family. No wonder Beka is afraid of commitment; her own mother left her when she was only 7 years old. It was then that they left slip stream and Beka interrupted his thoughts.
“ Ya know Rhade, we aren’t expecting anyone to shoot at us. Then again, that’s never stopped anyone before. And even if we were expecting it, no one’s here. See, stars, a planet, moons, an asteroid or two. No one’s out there! You can relax a little.”
“ Beka, just because you can not see someone, does not mean that they are out there. I intend to be prepared if someone does see us a hostile. Preparation, after all, is a survival tactic.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Better safe then sorry.”
“Exactly.”
“Well then”, Beka says as she gets up and heads to the bunks, “ you can stay here and have some alone time with your pretty weapons counsel, while I go and get some sleep before the escorts to my mo-, Thalia, get here.” Rhade quirked an eyebrow at Beka almost calling Thalia her mother, and may have said something, but Beka had already left the room.

Chapter 10

‘Beka found herself walking through the Maru. It was dark and empty. She shivered, both from cold and fear. She looked down and saw her mother’s big mirror broken on the floor. Her seven-year-old reflection looked back. Beka jumped from a loud bang in the other room and heard yelling. “I can’t take this any more,” yelled her mommy’s voice. “Then don’t. Leave, just leave. I’ll raise them”, shouted the voice of her daddy in return. She heard their angry footsteps coming her way and quickly hid. “Fine, you want me to leave, I’ll leave. I wanted to escape this hell and your crap anyway. I loved you Iggy, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it? You wanted more. You always wanted more.” “Aww shud up”, he replied as he stumbled forward and she backed up, “ you just don’t want a family anymore do you? Well, ya know what, we’ll be fine without you. Fack, we’ll be better off. Get out. Get out of my ship. And never come back. As soon as you step off the Maru, you step out of my life and our children’s lives forever.”
“Fine”, said Beka’s mommy, “ I never wanted children anyway.” Beka saw her mommy stalk off the maru with a bag, and her daddy go behind the bar and fill the empty glass that was in his hand with a bottle from a high shelf. Beka ran out of her hiding place and tried to catch her mommy and beg her not to go, but her daddy caught her and held on to her tight. “She doesn’t want you Becky, never has and never will. I’m sorry Rocket, but it’s not your fault. She’s a bad mother. You’ll be okay, Raif and I will protect you now.” Beka quieted down in her daddy’s arms as the words he said sunk into her infant mind. She didn’t understand why her mommy left her, only that her daddy didn’t. And her mommy left because she didn’t love her anymore.’
She started crying all over again at that thought, and just couldn’t stop, not even when the arms holding her changed from her father’s tan arms and working hands into smooth hands and arms with boneblades.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rhade checked over the screen one more time to make sure that the Maru and its two occupants were safe before he went to sit in the pilot’s chair and look out into space.
He sat there a moment or two and sighed. ‘ Beka. What am I going to do about you? This vacation could be just what I need. I can not ignore that attraction I feel to you. I know. I’ve tried. I can tell you how I’m feeling. Maybe you’ll feel the same. Not that you’ve ever indicated such. Or have you? What if this blows up in my face? What if you yell at me for springing something like that on you when you’re trying to reconnect with your mother?’ (growls)
Staring into space was getting him nowhere. He thought that he heard a noise from Beka’s quarters. He got up and took a step or two toward the bunks before he realized that no one else was on the ship and decided that he was just driving himself so crazy that he was now hallucinating.
He was going to sit down but decided all the stars and empty space were giving him a headache and went to the bar to pour him self a drink.
Rhade grabbed a glass, put some ice cubes in, and grabbed a bottle of scotch and poured some in. he was just about to take a sip and silence his mind when he heard Beka crying. Before he knew it he had run into the room boneblades ready. Rhade quickly looked about the room and saw no one. Beka continued to cry, and that was when he looked down and saw her sleeping, tangled in sheets. He stood unsure what to do, when she suddenly started to cry louder and more fervently, as if some unknown assailant was ripping her heart apart.
He was at her side and in one fluid movement sat on the bed and scooped her up into his arms and held her as her heartbreaking sobs continued. He picked up a change in her breathing and realized that she was awake. But her continued cries confirmed what he believed, she was not yet fully awake, and probably still considered herself to be in whatever horrible dreamland had just trapped her in torture. He continued to hold her and squeezed her body tighter to his as her cries broke his soul.

Chapter 11

Beka’s cries became gradually lighter until she was merely hiccupping and breathing deeply. Beka first realized that she was awake, and then that she still had arms holding her securely, but in a comforting way. Looking through teary eyes she saw that the arms around her body had boneblades and seemed strong-definitely not her dad’s.
The trip to her mother and Rhade accompanying her came rushing back as she tried to stop crying completely. She after all, did not want Telechamus to see her as weak. Beka wanted him to see her as a strong, capable female.
‘Not like I really care what he thinks. I mean, he’s not the most capable. I could probably take him. Hell, Harper could take him, purple trance could take him! Although, with his strong arms, great strength, and sexy ass- whoa. Gee Becky, where the hell did that come from? We’re insulting him here, not commenting on how we want him. Not that I want him. Just his body. Err, I mean, I just want to be someone who knows him. Maybe hangs out sometimes between missions. Acquaintances really. Not like I care him all that much anyway. Although, he is so sweet, even though I can be mean to him. Great to argue with, I love the conversations we have. And did I mention how he looks? Looks. His arms. Boneblades. Can’t forget the boneblades. Must not forget the boneblades. He’s neitzschean Becky, neitzschean. They don’t do human, usually. Arugh. Probably just think I like him because of how good I feel in his arms. Probably should get up now. Probably should unwrap my arms from around him. And probably should stop noticing how good he smells and how much I want see how his kisses taste. But tired, so very tired. I’ll just go to sleep and yell at him later for coming into my room and touching me. Yeah, that’s it, that’s what I’ll do. Later. Yeah, right, later. Who am I fooling? I like an uber, again. Figures.’ And that was Beka’s last coherent thought before she slowly drifted off to sleep again.
Throughout the entire time Rhade held her tightly. By the time that Beka had drifted off to sleep again, her and Rhade were laying down on the bed under Beka’s large plush blanket. Rhade put it over them earlier when Beka began to shiver, whether from cold or fear he did not know. His arms were still around her, and somehow hers had wrapped around him as well. Her head was against his chest, and his was above her head. Rhade was lying on his right side and was closer to the edge of the bed, Beka being in the middle. Shortly after he began to hold her he slid his boots off. Rhade still had his jacket on, unbuttoned. Rhade eventually slid off to sleep still holding Beka, feeling worried for her but also glad in a way that she had been vulnerable in front of him.
He woke up some time later when he felt her stir. The first thing Rhade noticed was how nice it felt to just her. Then that somehow her hand had gotten into his jacket and wrapped around him. He smirked.
“Mmmmmm”, Beka woke up and loosened her grip on Rhade and stretched, as much as she could without fully letting go of his warm body. She then sighed. Beka did not want to get up. But Thalia’s escorts would be here soon.
‘ I’m giving up lying in a bed with one sexy-assed neitzschean to have a shouting match with one woman who abandoned me. Oh, yeah, who’s says life’s not fair?’ She sighed again, this time with annoyance, not sleepiness.
“Guess we should get up.” Beka said as she sat up and looked down at Rhade. “Don’t wanna though. Hey, ya think Thalia will notice if I go to a casino instead of seeing her and don’t show up?”
Rhade looked at her with both expressions of amusement and skeptic written all over his face.
“ Yeah, I thought so. Oh well.” And with that Beka got off of the bed and walked out of the room.
Rhade sat up and slid off of the bed and followed. He found her at the bar, pouring a drink for herself, a very large drink. He sat on a stool at the front; Beka was sitting behind the counter where all of the drinks were.
“Here, Beka, why don’t you have my scotch and I have your tequila. Don’t worry I haven’t had any yet, so you won’t get any boy germs or neitzschean cooties. Swear.”
“(Giggles/laughs). Thanks. Hmmm.”
“Hmmm? Is hmmm good, or is hmmm bad?”
“Hmmm, it’s just that I did picture you as a scotch drinker.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Neither, just is.”
“Good to know.”
“Yep. So, what’s your first name again?”
Rhade then spit’s his drink a little, says ‘what’, gets some napkins to clean the mess, and pretends to be angry and growls as Beka laughs at him.
“I said, what’s your first name again. I mean, I know how to spell it. T-E-L-E-C-H-A-M-U-S. But how do you say it?”
Rhade looks at her and starts laughing. “Is that why no one calls me by my first name? They don’t know how to say it?”
Beka starts laughing as well. “ No, well, yeah, maybe. Hey, I don’t know! Shut up! Look, just tell me how to say it. Please! I’ll be you very best friend! Please! Or else no more tequila for you.” And she moves to take the glass away from him, but he moves it out of her reach.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. But only because you threatened the safety of my drink. Tel-e-cha-mus.”
“Yeah, don’t like it. Still calling you Rhade. Ooh, ooh, ooh! I know! Let’s give you a nickname. But, ooh! Only I can use it!”
“Well that’s not fair.”
“Well, okay. You can make one up for me too, okay?”
“ Alright, seems fair. And what’s your name again? I mean, how do you pronounce it?”
“Ha ha ha. Very funny. All right, let’s see. Tel-e? No, that sounds like a puppet. Mmmmmm. Chad. You know, off the ‘cha’? No? Okay. Oooh, I got it! Tim! It’s short, easy to say, unlike a lot of uber names, and somehow works.”
“ Okay, Tim it is. Now for you. Rebecca. You already have Beka. So that throws out Beck, Bex, and Becky.” He stares at her for a moment. “How about Ree-ree?”
“Tim and Ree-ree. I like it.”
It was then that a beeping noise was heard throughput the ship. Indicating that the escort had arrived. Beka and Rhade looked at each other and Beka said, “fun time’s over,” before heading to the cockpit.

Chapter 12

Home is where the crazy lady lives
“Well miss Valentine, how do you like our little rock so far?” asked one of the pilots as Beka and Rhade got off of the Maru.
“Hasn’t changed much.”
The pilot nodded and he and the rest of the men turned and left. Leaving Beka and Rhade alone once again.
“So you’ve been here before? You never said that.”
“I was here once. Not entirely unpleasant, but I still don’t want to talk about it.”
“Alright, but you know, talking about things that upset us releases our soul from torments.”
“What are you Rev now?”
“What?”
“Mmm, never mind. But, you see I was 15 and Thalia decided that she wanted to ‘bond’ and all that. So she had me stay here for a few months. I mean, it wasn’t a total waste; I made some really cool friends, who I know I can still always go to if I need to. But things got really bad between Thalia and I.”
“Bad how?”
“I wasn’t what she was expecting.”
“What was she expecting?”
“Something like her other daughters.”
“You have sisters? I didn’t know that. I just thought that it was Raif and you.”
“It was. Thalia got remarried when she came back here and had 3 daughters with her new husband. And when she had me come to see them so that we could all be a ‘family’ she assumed that I would be like them.”
“And when you weren’t?”
“She tried to change me.”
The pilot that spoke to Beka walked into a room and saluted a man sitting at a desk staring at a photo frame, who quickly put the frame down and pretended to be working at the sight of the pilot.
“Sir”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Rebecca Valentine has arrived Sir.”
“Thank you, you may leave now.”
The pilot however stays in the doorway with an unsure look on his face. Almost as if worried that the man might be mad at what he is about to say. Just as he is about to leave, the man at the desk looks up.
“What is it now?”
“Well Sir, Miss Valentine has a man with her. A neitzschean male, but still. I just, ah, thought that you might want to know.”
' The man’s lip twitches. “Thank you, you may leave now.”
' “Yes sir.” The pilot salutes and leaves closing the door.
' The man sitting at the desk leans back in his chair and picks up the photo showing a beautiful red head that looked about 15.
“Becky.”
He then puts the photo down and looks out of his window to see Beka and a neitzschean male speaking.
Not liking how close they are as they talk, he turns away from the window and heads down to where they are in a jog, wanting to end their intimacy.
As Beka looked at Rhade with pained eyes, he wanted to hold her and take all the hurt away. But as he was just about to reach out to comfort her, as man came jogging up calling Beka. Rhade glared at the man as Beka turned to him smiling brightly, former anguish forgotten, and started to laugh.
As the man came to a stop, picking up Beka and swinging her around, it took all of Rhade’s strength and will power not to growl at the man out of jealously for taking away the moment.
Beka, on the other hand, was glad. Just as she thought that Rhade was about to hug her, which to her surprise she found she wanted him to do, an old friend came running up. One of the old friends that she had mentioned to Telem-Rhade earlier.
“Beka!”
“Reeco!”
Beka laughed as her old friend twirled her around, and then set her on the ground again, but with his right arm still around her waist (as Rhade glared wondering who this man was).
“Oh, I’m sorry. Tel-”
But Rhade who glared at Reeco, and stuck his hand out in an old Earth handshake fashion cut off Beka.
“Telemachus Rhade”
Reeco glared at Rhade and stuck out his hand as well.
“Fredrik Reeco.”
The two men continued to glare at each other, almost growling, and tightening their grips on each other’s hands. Both feeling possessive of Beka. Rhade because he had recently discovered his feelings for Beka and was not willing to give her up to anyone without a fight. Even if Beka did not know that Reeco did thought of her that way, which it seemed she did not. And Reeco because he had just gotten Beka back to him and was not going to make the same mistake of letting her leave again, no matter what.
Beka for her part had no idea why the two men were acting as if they wanted to kill each other. But when she saw Rhade and Reeco’s knuckles go white she decided to end the glaring contest.
Slipping out of Reeco’s grasp, much to Reeco’s disappointment and Rhade’s pleasure, and clapping her hands together Beka brightly asked.
“So boys, want to go in the building now?”

Chapter 13

Beka lay on a bed in a huge room. It was done in all creams, beiges, and pastels. The bed had white sheets, to match the white couch, to match the white chairs, to match the white curtains. The two chairs and couch were plush. The curtains were almost see threw. And the pastel yellow rug was shag. The bathroom for the room was pastel green, blue and yellow. With a striped shower curtain of all three colors. The tile floor of eggshell white and rugs of pastel green. And a sink of pastel blue. All toothbrushes, hair dryers, toilet paper, and other such were all pastel yellow. Yep, everything in the bathroom matched, except for the gloating neitzschean.
With about half an hour left before dinner with Beka’s family, Rhade was finishing getting ready. He could hear Beka’s steady breathing in the other room. He would wake her up so that she could also get ready but as she was drifting off to sleep before she mumbled something about castration if woken up before it was actually time to leave, and he wasn’t taking any chances.
'He hoped his good luck of the day would continue throughout dinner. Granted, it slipped for a while after Reeco appeared and captivated Beka’s attention for a few hours. But then she started to get annoyed at him after he took the three of them on a hike to places where they used to hide from parents and other authority in the woods. So then Beka was all his again. Just like she should be.
'He knew that Beka didn’t get along well with these people, and hardly considered them family no matter what blood ties. She considered the ‘drom crew her family, and her other various friends family. But Rhade, being neitzschean, still wanted them to like him. In his culture, if the female's family did not like him, then, well, the guy had no chance in hell. So he hoped to make a good impression on them. Of course, Reeco had probably spent the last few hours bad mouthing him and all neitzscheans. But still no matter what, he would be there for Beka. Besides, Beka liked him most, and that’s really all that mattered.
Flashback to earlier that day
“What do you mean they have to share a room?!” screamed an outraged Reeco at the top of his lungs to a servant who looked like he was going to pass out.
Rhade smirked.
“Reeco, calm down. What’s wrong with you? It’s not his fault, and besides, I’ve spent time with Rhade in closer quarters. The Maru’s smaller then this.” Beka then thought to earlier when she and Rhade had fallen asleep together. And then turning to the servant, “Look, it’s no big deal, don’t worry about it. Can you just show us to the room so I can put my stuff down?”
Reeco went off ahead to survey the room that his Beka and that uber would be sharing. Honestly, did the man really think that Beka would fall for a neit when she could have one of her own species? Really, it was preposterous.
Entering the room Reeco’s eyes immediately moved to the bed. A king sized bed against a wall near the bathroom door. The room’s bed. The room’s ONLY bed.
'“ONE BED!”
Beka and Rhade had been walking along in silence when suddenly, “ONE BED!” Beka walked into the room wondering why her childhood friend seemed so distraught over a bed, while Rhade walked in trying not to laugh.
“Well, Mr. Rhodes here will just have to find somewhere else to sleep then.”
“For the last time Reeco, his name is Rhade. And no, he does not. He will stay here with me. Now please, get out, I’m tire from walking all day and just to get some sleep before dinner tonight with the ‘family’.”
“But Beka-”.
“We’ll be fine daddy, no need to baby-sit, now please, get out. I’m sleepy and grumpy and I just want some peace and quiet.”
Rhade pushed Reeco to the door and shoved him out as Beka put her stuff down and lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. Reeco sputtered in the open doorway as Rhade smiled and said “Bye dad” and then promptly closed and locked the door on his face.
End flashbacks
Rhade exited the bathroom buttoning up his shirt and looked at Beka lying on the bed. She was so gorgeous when she slept that it was almost a sin. Turning to look at a mirror on a dresser Rhade fixed his hair so that it wasn’t flying every which way.
“Ya kno-o-o-ow, it looks good all mussed up l-l-like you just woke up.” Yawned Beka as she stretched across the bed, her shirt sliding up slowing Rhade her smooth creamy skin as she flexed and distracted him.
“Y-yes well, this style is more presentable.”
“Mmm-hm. Well, how long do we have before the dinner of doom.”
“About 15 minutes.”
Beka stood, grabbed a bag, and walked into the bathroom leaving Rhade alone in the larger room fixing his black tie and put his jacket on and buttoned it just as Beka came out of the bathroom ready to walk down to the dining area.
While Beka had been in the bathroom she quickly slipped out of her clothes from earlier that day and slipped on a dress. It was a deep crimson red, one that her mother and her creams and beiges would hate. And she looked hot in. so it was a win-win situation, well, for her anyway. It fell down to her ankles, and hugged her body, with a skit going from her right ankle to about mid-thigh. This had two purposes, to look good, and enable her to kick someone if a fight broke out. It didn’t always have the slit, but dining with Dylan Hunt tended to do that to a dress. The neckline curved down in a v shape, and the sleeves her merely scrapes of fabric hanging loosely on her shoulders. She shook her hair a slightly darker shade of blonde for the night to match her dress a little more, put on a simple necklace. It was a simple silver chain and a charm of a rocket ship that looked like a picture from a child’s book. It was a red ship, with blue circle windows, and black filled in the circles. With yellow exhaust fumes trailing behind it with some orange near the end of the ship. Her father had given it to her when she was little, since she was his little rocket. He had been the first one to ever call her Rocket, which was why it had remained her favorite and she only let certain people call her that. She then stepped out of the bathroom to meet Rhade’s appreciative gaze.

Chapter 14 Realizations

"Damn shoes don't match the dress. Where's my necklace? Why can't I find my earrings? Argh, my hair looks horrible like this. This dress color makes me look pale, too pale. Have I always had those wrinkles around my eyes?"
"Love, are you almost ready yet, dinner will start soon?" came her husband's voice from outside of the room.
"Coming Darling, I just have to put on my jewelry."
Talia Kenosha Valentine Clermont was a nervous wreck.
But by some idiot whim she'd invited her son and daughter to come to dinner. And of course, she daughter had brought someone with her.
A man.
A neitzschean nonetheless.
Oh, her husband was going to kill her.
She had no problem, she had seen them through her window, she looked so happy with him, and she had no right to tell her how to live her life, she had given up that right when she had given Rebecca up. But her husband, now HE was another story.
God knows the only reason the man was still in their house was that her husband had no idea. She just hoped he didn't cause a scene over dinner; she last thing she wanted was Rebecca to hate her right off just because her husband kicked her boyfriend out.
And Rafiel, well, thank God he hadn't brought anybody.
Looking in the mirror she brushed her red hair aside and put in her pearl earring.
Sighing, she recalled Beka's blonde hair from earlier. Her and Rebecca had the same hair color. A luscious, deep, dark red, almost a mixture of red and dark brown. It was the exact same shade in the both of them. Rebecca was her only child to have her hair.
Her other three daughters had lighter shades of red. Sophia, a year younger, had a light red, almost orange head of hair. Her next daughter, Victoria, had a light brown head of hair that held a glimmer of red. And her youngest, Amelia, had dark brown hair just like her father.
She always loved that one of her children, her very first baby girl, had her hair. When Rebecca was little she used to want to wear her hair in the fancy twists and curls that her mother did.
It really was amazing how a like they looked. Her other children looked more like her husband then her.
At least that was something Iggy gave her.
Looking at herself in the mirror pearl earrings and matching necklace, she smoothed out her rich chocolate colored dress and sighed.
"Oh Iggy."
'He was so charming when I met him. So fun and full of life, always laughing. Handsome with a quick wit, he could always make me smile.'
Talia's smile slowly changed into a frown.
"Until he always made me cry."
She still had the simple wedding and engagement ring he'd gotten her. The engagement, a fake pearl, she'd always loved pearls. And the wedding ring a simple copper band.
Now she wore real pearls, and her wedding ring was made of gold, actual gold, not simply golden colored.
But somehow she liked the one's Iggy had given her more. Granted, they weren't real and cost much less, but when she compared the two men's faces in her mind, when they gave her the rings, she saw more love in Iggy's eyes.
Her husband now, he could buy her anything.
But Iggy, Iggy would have sold his soul for her. As a husband he would have done anything to make her happy.
Could she really say that about her husband now?
Walking slowly out of her room and into the dining hall, Talia realized something.
She realized why she so desperately wanted Rafiel and Rebecca to like her. She realized why she had kept Iggy's rings all these years.She realized why she kept the Valentine in her name.She realized why she blamed herself for Iggy's death.
She realized that she still loved him, probably always had, and always will
Only now it was to late, he had died of flash, drowning in pain of his love for her.
And it was all her fault.

...to be continued

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