Alternity Chapter 7 -Conversations

Alternity - Chapter 7

Conversations

"And that was it Rev," said Beka. It was shortly after the evening meal, Beka was in Rev Bem's office in the Wayist hospital on Kingfisher. Bekas was sipping on an after dinner coffee while Rev was partaking of a cup of something that Beka really didn't want to inquire about. The two of them had been reminiscing about old times when Rev was part of the Maru's crew, until Rev had steered the conversation to why the medicines were late arriving. "After we dropped off the Regenatrol on Tesla and took care of Harkness and his men we headed here to Kingfisher to deliver the cargo that we were supposed to bring you."

"An interesting story Beka and it's fortunate that you arrived when you did, awkward questions were beginning to be asked, but what happened to Harkness and his men? If you left them on Tesla they would be able to report to that Dr Marentez what happened to the Regenatrol. I refuse to believer that you murdered them while they were unconscious and dumped their bodies somewhere between planets.

"Harper wanted to, but Trance came up with a better idea, one that would put the heat on Harkness and his men rather than us. We kept them under sedation while we made a brief stop at Albuquerque Drift. You remember Albuquerque, don't you?"

"Of course. How did our young Master Harper describe it?" A smile crossed his face as he remembered the conversation. " Ah yes, he described it as 'where the women are hot and the casinos are hotter.' He faired poorly with both the women and the casinos if I remember correctly."

"Well it is difficult to win when the majority of the games are rigged."

"I fear that I don't follow you. What did you need with dishonest gambling casinos?"

"The people of Tesla were appreciative of our efforts to help them. They showed their appreciation in the monetary fashion. It wasn't as much as the Regenatrol would bring on the black market, but it was still a tidy sum."

"And you were taking it to a place known for dishonest casinos; that seems most unwise."

"That's where Harper came in. He rigged one of the rigged roulette wheels so it would come up with our number rather than the casino's. Trance bet the entire sum of our reward on one number, and of course it came up."

"Most ingenious," there was a touch of admiration in Rev's voice. "The casino could not accuse you of cheating better than they cheated. But somehow I imagine it was not as easy as you make it seem."

"It was pretty hairy." She paused to look at her friends hair covered form. "Err no offense meant."

"And none taken, but what did you do with the money? Did you use it to buy off Dr. Marentez?"

"No that would have still left the people on Lykos wanting our hide. Instead we gave it to Harkness and his men."

"I think I am beginning to understand."

"When Harkness and his men recovered from the sedation, they found themselves checked into a luxury suite in one of the drift's hotels and in possession of a substantial amount of money in numbered bank accounts. They also found a flexie telling them that the courier vessel bound for Roanoak was carrying a message informing their boss about their current whereabouts and their new bank accounts. I expect that they realized that their boss, would naturally suspect them of being as dishonest as he was and was mostly likely going to put two and two together and come up with five."

"Very clever. Mistress Gemini has a devious mind. Marentez and his friends on Lykos will undoubtedly be upset with you, but the bulk of their wrath will be directed towards Harkness and his men since they will be seen as traitors as well as thieves. But somehow I suspect that not all of your winnings went to other peoples bank accounts."

Beka laughed. "You know me too well Rev. We were generous but not too generous. I made sure we kept enough to buy some goods we should be able to sell on Sinti and for some repairs to the Maru's navigation systems. Heck we even had enough left over to go out for a fancy dinner." She paused for a minute then continued. "Do you know what the ironic thing about the entire deal is, Rev?"

"No Beka, I don't."

"Since the altered manifest said that we were supposed to deliver the medical supplies to Lykos, we're going to be charged with grand theft even though we delivered them to the people who actually purchased them."

The smile faded from Beka's face, she put down her cup of coffee and her voice became quiet and serious. "What do you think, Rev?" asked Beka. "Did we do the right thing?"

"What do you think, Beka?" Rev asked, empathizing the you. Rev understood Beka well enough to know that this is what she had really wanted to talk to him about. Their conversation so far had just been a lead in to this.

"I don't know. We really didn't save anyone, all we did with the medicine was buy the\ children some time, and I don't even know if we bought time for very many of them."

"But you gave them hope, Beka, and you did save many of them. The time you bought allowed them to live until other relief supplies came in."

And Harper, what about him? I promised him I would take care of him, and by not delivering the Regenatrol to Lykos, I took away his chance of getting cured."

Rev peered at her over his cup. "Does the Divine expect us to look after only our friends' bodies, Beka?"

"What do you mean, Rev?"

"Tell me, Beka, how does Harper feel about leaving his friends and family behind on Earth?"

"I think he feels guilty. He saw an opportunity and took it, but he thinks about those who are still living there and feels guilty. Survivor's guilt, I think they call it."

"And how do you think he would feel if he chose to save himself by letting perhaps hundreds of others die?"

Beka had to think. Just how would her engineer feel knowing he had sacrificed hundreds of strangers to save his own life? Despite his claims to the contrary, Harper had a conscience and cared about other people, especially ones who were in dire straits due to no fault of their own. "Guilty. Eventually he would begin to blame himself for their deaths, like he blames himself for the fate of his friends and family on Earth."

"So then perhaps by your actions you have saved his spirit? A rather worthwhile accomplishment I would think. His body is not yet lost, Beka. The medicines he is taking will hold the virus in check for years. Perhaps by then a cure will be available for him."

"Is that a prediction Rev?" Rev's words had if not cheered her up at least had lifted te load on her spirit.

"No, unlike your environmental systems technician, I make no claims to have visions of the future. But I do trust in the Divine. Perhaps that is something you and Harper should consider as well."

In another room in the hospital Trance and Harper were also having a conversation. The couple were sitting down at the dinner table, the meal eaten, but the dishes still on the table However, unlike the one between Rev and Beka, this conversation was not filled with quiet contemplation.

"Harper," said Trance, "you know how I've been feeling .nauseous so often lately?"

"Umm hmm," muttered Harper his attention focused on the flexie he was holding, that contained the schematics of a piece of diagnostic equipment that he had promised to repair before he left the clinic.

"Well, I had an ultrasound scan today."

"That's nice."

"Harper, I'm going to have a baby." There was a touch of hurt and aggravation mixed in with the excitement in her voice

"That's ni... You're WHAT!?! " There was a clattering sound as the flexie landed on Harpers dinner plate "A baby? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"But how can you be pregnant?"

Trance decided to get a little payback for Harper ignoring her.. "I suppose it could have been that cute purser off the Pride of Farnholme or maybe it was that FTA fighter pilot on Winnipeg Drift You know, the one who said I was... " Seeing the look on her mate's face Trance decided she had gotten her payback and changed her approach slightly. "But if I have the timing right, it was that time we were alone in on the command deck while Beka was in the cargo pod with the Topeka customs team going over the inventory. I was at the environmental systems console when you came up behind me. You slipped your hands under my blouse and..."

"Ok, I get it," Harper interrupted her before she took the story to it's embarrassing conclusion. "But…but I didn't think you and I could…I mean…you know what I mean, Trance."

"I didn't think it was possible either. I thought our species were too different to make babies." She gave him an embarrassed look, "It seems I was wrong."

"You mean I'm going to be a father?"

"That's usually the way it works. If there's a mother, there's usually a father."

"I know that, but …" his voice trailed off. Trance had an odd look on her face, both sad and somehow content at the same time. It seemed out of place considering the occasion.

"What is it, Trance? What are you thinking about?"

"Harper, do you remember when we were discussing if we should deliver the Regenatrol to Lykos? How I told you that I knew that you would never be taken away from me? Now we're going to have a baby."

"I don't follow you, Trance."

"It's your baby, Harper, yours and mine, no matter what happens the baby will be with me and the baby is a part of you. So you will never be truly away from me."

Harper wasn't sure if he agreed, but he saw the comfort the thought was giving Trance so he kept his silence; besides another thought had just occurred to him. "I guess the Harper name will go on for a least one more generation. I was afraid I was going to be the last of the Harper line; it's going to be good to know that whatever happens to me there will still be Harper's, even if they are purple, sparkly, and have tails. Uhh, what will the baby look like?"

"Beautiful, of course."

"Well, with you as the mother, how could any child not be beautiful? Say how do you think Beka is going to take the news?"

"She'll be furious."

Then both of them continued at the same time "But she'll get over it."

Laughing at their timing they arose from the table and left the room hand in hand to tell Beka she was going to be a grandmother.

Chapter 6

Chapter 8