SquidgeWorld Archive

Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
Abraham Lincoln
Old Earth President, (1809 - 1865)

~*~*~

Beka sat in the Maru, her feet up on the console in front of her, staring out of the window into the hangar bay of the Andromeda. She absentmindedly drummed her fingers on the console to her immediate right, seemingly deep in thought.

"Computer, search the security tapes of the Midden run; specifically, the audio of the conversation in the cargo hold. Reference - - Magog, Wayist."

Searching...

Beka waited, less than patiently as the computer hummed nearly silently in the background.

No references to the word Magog found in the Midden tapes.

"Okay," Beka murmured. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, visibly relaxing into the pilot's chair.

Multiple references to the word Wayist found.

She sat up straighter again and ran her hands through her hair. "Computer, play back all references to the word Wayist in the Midden tapes - - chronologically, please."

Aye, Captain...

An unrecognized male voice sounded in the quiet of the cabin. "No, I don't know who he is - - a Wayist - - who cares as long as he can help us? I, for one..."

Beka interrupted, "Computer, next clip."

And another voice filled the air. "He was a Wayist, Jamal... a spiritual being ... here to help us get away from the Nietzscheans once and for all."

"Next!"

"... a monk ... a Wayist, I think. No matter his looks, he helped us and don't ever forget that."

"Next..."

"I don't really know what he was - - except that he was a holy man - - a Wayist, he said - - and that's good enough for me..."

"Next..."

"But how could he really be a Wayist? He was a monster!" "I don't think the monks care about looks - - only what's in their heart."

"Next! Damn it, next..." Beka rubbed at her forehead, trying to stave off the headache that was growing. The computer droned on in the background. "Damn, I'm going to have to talk to Dylan about this."

~*~*~

The door whooshed open, to sounds of pounding and harsh breathing. The pounding was interrupted by a soft whoosh and then began again. Beka stepped into the hydroponics garden, walking toward the noise.

Just as she thought, Dylan was playing basketball. What he saw in that game she would never understand... bouncing a ball and then tossing it up into the air to, hopefully, go through a little round hoop. And Dylan would play it for hours... saying it relaxed him. She leaned against the arched doorway and watched him as he ran toward where the hoop hung, bouncing the orange ball as he went and then he leaped up, dropping the ball into the hoop and making it look nearly effortless - unless you noticed the sweat rolling down his face and matting his hair to his head, or listened to his labored breathing.

She shook her head, bemused, just as he glanced her way. He grinned at her look and picked up the ball, tucking it snugly under his arm.

"What brings you here, Beka?" he asked as he picked up his towel and dried his face before slinging it over his shoulder and reaching for his bottle of water. He started walking, leaving it to her to fall in step beside him - or not.

It took her a minute to realize he'd walked away and she hustled to catch up. "Wait up, Dylan. I - - I really need to talk to you."

He turned at those hesitant words. Beka - - hesitant? It didn't fit her personality to be hesitant about anything and it made him wait for her.

She pushed her hands through her hair as she walked up to him and he noticed she didn't meet his eyes. Odd.

"What is it, Beka?"

She looked up at him then and he saw something unfathomable in her eyes. Then she bit the inside of her cheek and he thought he knew what that undefined emotion was - guilt. So just what had Beka been up to lately that she would feel guilty about? He smiled... suddenly sure of one thing and one thing alone. It had to be Rox. Just what had the two of them gotten mixed up in?

"Um ... I think ... I think I may have some information you need ... or want ..." She shuffled back and forth on her feet, reminding Dylan fleetingly of when she'd been addicted to Flash - - and he stole a quick look at her eyes, just to make sure, and was relieved to find them clear.

"Beka! Just tell me what it is you think I need to know."

The growing exasperation in his voice made her stop and look up at him. A light blush stained her cheeks as she looked away again. "Can we go someplace - - not in the corridor - - to talk about this? Please?"

He stared at her for a minute before nodding. "Follow me."

~*~*~

The door to his quarters whisked shut behind her as she stepped through, making her jump. Dylan noticed the flinch as he turned around.

"My, you sure are jumpy, Beka. What gives?" Dylan got a bottle of cold water out of a small refrigeration unit behind the wet bar in his quarters and sat down, watching Beka as he took a long drink from the bottle.

She shrugged eloquently, fidgeting at the edge of the room.

"C'mon, Beka. You didn't come here to watch me slake my thirst." He took another long pull on the bottle and then sighed. Gesturing toward the chair opposite his with the bottle, he said, "Sit. Spill."

She nodded once and sat. Sighing, she said, "I'm not sure where to start."

"How about at the beginning? It's always a good place to start." He watched her, carefully gauging her reaction.

"Now is not a time for jokes, Dylan." She bit the inside of her lip.

"Sorry, Beka. Just tell me what's wrong."

"Promise not to get mad?" She looked up from under lowered lashes.

He frowned, and then nodded sagely, knowing this was the only way to get any information from her. If he didn't promise she would likely bolt and he'd never get to the bottom of whatever this was. "I promise."

"Well - - you remember when I - - kinda - - disappeared for a few days back a couple of weeks ago?" She watched him warily.

He nodded. "When you went looking for the missing slaves and Rox showed up -- and we had to save your sorry excuse for a ship from Nietzschean fighters?"

She glared at him. "I suppose I deserve that - - but the Maru isn't - -"

Dylan held up his hand. "Kidding, Beka. Go on - - please."

A curt nod was her only answer for a moment while she took the time to gather her thoughts. "Yeah, well..." She fluffed her hair nervously before getting to her feet and beginning to pace around the room. "I - - foundoutthatRoxwassmugglingslavesandIhelpedher..."

Dylan held up his hands. "Whoa! Beka, slow down. What did you just say?"

She looked down at him and sat again. After taking a deep breath she began again. "I went to Midden - - and ran into Rox, who was having engine trouble with her ship. I helped her to fix it..."

"Rox was on Midden?"

"No - - actually, running away from it."

Dylan rubbed his forehead. "Beka, tell me what happened."

"I helped Rox to fix her ship - and figured out that she was the cause of the Nietzscheans losing their slaves. She was smuggling slaves off the planet, Dylan, and running them to Tarn Vedra where she was settling them near the Seefra refugees." She snuck a glance at Dylan who seemed to be engrossed with her little speech. "I decided to help her do that."

He was on his feet in an instant. "Smuggling slaves? Are you crazy, Beka? What if the Drago-Kazov saw you? What then? You endangered the entire Commonwealth with your little stunt!"

Yelling at Beka wasn't always the right way to handle her - - heck it was never really the right way to handle her - - but Dylan forgot that for a moment in his anger. By the time he'd finished his little rant Beka was seeing red.

She stood toe-to-toe with the Captain of the Andromeda Ascendant and stared up at him, seething as she tried to control her legendary temper. "Do you want to hear what it is I came here to tell you, Dylan - - or are you just going to treat me like some recalcitrant teenager? If that's the case, then I'll have to behave like one and stomp off to my room, slam my door and refuse to speak to you for a week."

As much as he tried, he just couldn't help it, and he started chuckling. "Okay, Beka. I'm sorry I lit into you - - but you had to have known it was a bad idea or you would have told me about it before now." He smiled at her chagrined look. "So what is so important that you would tell me the truth now - - after all these weeks of silence?"

Beka flushed and backed down. "Well, um... I - - aw hell, Dylan. I think I've found Rev."

Dylan stared, open-mouthed, at her before sitting heavily and looking up at her. "Rev? As in Reverend Behemial Far Traveller? Rev Bem?"

"The one and only." She sat opposite him again and waited.

Dylan had no words for what he was feeling at that moment. When Rev left the Andromeda, Dylan had lost far more than a crewmember. He'd lost a good friend and councillor. He could always count on Rev to see every aspect of a situation - - and to be completely honest with him, always. That alone made him worth his weight in latinum. It wasn't often that a Captain found such a confidant. His previous one had been Geharis Rhade, and look what had happened there!

His total lack of tangible response worried Beka immensely.

"Are you okay, Dylan?"

He looked up at her and shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure, Beka. I mean Rev - - Where? Where is he, Beka?"

"I'm not really sure."

He stared at her, incredulously. "You're not sure? I thought you said you'd found him!"

She fidgeted nervously. "Well, I said I thought I'd found him..."

"And that's different, how?" He sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair. "Talk to me, Beka. I need the whole story."

As Beka told her tale, Dylan became more and more sure that he'd find his friend again - - and that Rev needed to be found.

"So when I had the Maru's computers check the tapes for references to slaves disappearing, I came across a mention of a Wayist - - a strange looking Wayist, one who looked like a monster. I rescanned the tapes, looking for mentions of Magog, but there were none. My thought is that either these people didn't see him as a Magog or maybe it wasn't Rev at all."

Dylan frowned. There was nothing concrete to her tale at all, nothing to prove to him that this mysterious Wayist that was helping the slaves was Rev Bem. So why did his gut tell him to find this Wayist monk?

"There isn't anything in what you've told me that says this monk is Rev, Beka. Nothing at all. What makes you so sure of this?"

She sighed. "I know what you're thinking, Dylan, but I know it's him. I can feel it - - and I know you feel it too. Maybe it's the monster comment - - I don't know."

Dylan nodded wearily. "Yeah, I feel it too, Beka. So where do we start looking?"

Beka smiled. "Well, I know he was no longer on Midden. He'd gone by the time I showed up. But I figure that if he's helping slaves escape Nietzschean worlds, then all we have to do is look for any hint of missing slaves."

Dylan nodded. "Good idea, Beka. Get Rommie working on it. We have a Wayist to find."

~*~*~

Neither Beka nor Dylan slept well that night and both were feeling the effects of too little sleep when they wandered onto Command the next morning.

"Got anything for me, Rommie?"

Rommie turned at the sound of Dylan's voice, noting that he wasn't quite as 'polished' as usual. A slight frown crossed her face as she contemplated Dylan and then Beka, who walked in moments after him.

"Whoa, who burned the midnight oil?" Harper frowned at Dylan and Beka as he peeked out from under the science station, where he was busy repairing a malfunctioning circuit.

Trance nudged Harper with her foot.

"What did I say?" Harper peered up at the golden-skinned avatar standing over him.

Trance frowned down at him and shook her head. A quick wink from the engineer had her grinning again and she had to stifle a giggle against her hand, clearing her throat quickly to hide the sound.

"'Morning, Dylan," Rhade said as he passed by Dylan on his way to the science station, where he squatted down to talk to Harper.

Dylan rubbed his hand over his face, trying to banish any lingering cobwebs. Beka tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a large mug of coffee. He smiled his thanks and took a long sip before speaking again.

"Rommie?"

"Right, Dylan. I've been monitoring all known Nietzschean communication channels, Commonwealth communications and all news broadcasts for any mention of missing slaves." She hesitated, looking toward Dylan for an indication to continue.

"What did you find?" he asked around another sip of his coffee.

"Well, there are three planets that have recently reported slaves going missing: Midden 6, Antari, and Genex."

Beka smirked behind her mug, catching Dylan's eye with a wink. He frowned and bit the inside of his cheek to keep his own smirk hidden.

"Star charts, Rommie."

Rommie worked at the console and the view screen was split, one half showing the position in space and the other star charts of the three slaver planets known to have lost slaves in the recent past.

Dylan walked closer to the screen. "Well, Midden 6 is old news by now. Of the other two, which is fresher news, Rommie?"

Rommie consulted her console before looking up again. The news from Genex is hours old, Dylan - - Antari, a week."

Dylan nodded. "Genex it is then. Rhade, set a course for the Gentera System. We're going to pay a visit to Genex."

Rhade looked up quickly. "Genex, Dylan? Are you sure that's wise?"

Dylan smiled as he sipped his coffee. "That's where we're going, Rhade. Is there a problem?"

He frowned, considering his answer, before shrugging eloquently and moving to the pilot's station. "No problem at all, Dylan. I'm sure you know what you're doing by visiting a Nietzschean slave mining world."

"I'm sure I do, Rhade." He grinned at Rhade's worried look and took his position behind a command console for the trip.

~*~*~

Genex was a harsh planet, good only for the ores it produced in its myriad miles of mines beneath the surface: mines that were owned by the Nietzscheans and worked by their slaves. It wasn't an easy or long life for those slaves sent to live and work on the planet and it was usually reserved for slaves that had caused trouble someplace else.

Life on the surface was no better than in the tunnels. High winds brought fierce dust storms that could blind an unwary traveller. Temperature extremes could freeze a person to death after dark settled and bake a person at the sun's highest point during the day. In between those times wasn't much better. The vegetation was scarce, the soil was sandy and unsuitable for growing vegetables and the water was mostly polluted from the many years of mining run-off.

Oversight was slim, since no Nietzschean wanted to live there either. The overseers were highly paid, ruthless individuals with no concern for life except their own. Therefore, the planet was run more like a prison camp than a mining operation, with the overseers living in luxurious climate controlled housing and the slaves in dorm-style bunkhouses surrounded by chain link fencing.

The most severe punishment meted out was being shut outside the gates of the mining complex, for to be exposed to the elements without specialized survival gear meant certain death. At those times when a slave was banished from the compound for an offense, the other slaves were made to watch their progress on monitors, which were mounted in every shaft and every bunkhouse. Watching a fellow slave die in that fashion was the best deterrent to behavioral problems or mutiny.

By the time the Andromeda Ascendant reached Genex, Dylan and the crew had familiarized themselves with every known aspect of life on the planet. The problem was: if Genex was so inhospitable, just how were the slaves being smuggled off the planet? Someone had to be leading them away from the mining complexes, but how were they accomplishing that given the severity of the weather?

Dylan was stumped. He stood on the Obs Deck looking out on Genex as it spun in space, wondering just how and where the slaves were being taken off the planet. A voice from behind him made him turn.

"That planet looks as inhospitable as Seta 5."

Dylan smiled. "That it does. Although this planet could make Seta 5 look like paradise."

"Really? Interesting comparison, Captain Hunt." He walked up even with Dylan and looked out the window. "So what is our business on this planet?"

"Our business, Duran? Have you thrown your lot in with us then?"

The green alien smiled and then winced. "Ouch! Do not make me smile, Captain Hunt. The regrown tissues from my surgery are still quite tender when manipulated extensively."

"Ah, sorry about that then. I'll try to keep my joking to a minimum. ."

"Don't change on my account, Captain. And I wanted to thank you for taking me to Farus for my surgery - - and transporting me after." He bowed deeply in thanks.

"Any time, Duran. You saved our lives back there. We owe you." He looked at the Tharg again and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "So, have you decided where it is you're heading next?"

Duran nodded at the planet. "This looks to be as good a place as any."

"This place?" Dylan gaped. "Um, Duran? This is a Nietzschean slave planet. I don't think you want to stay here."

Duran nodded at Dylan's words and looked out the window again. "Nevertheless, Captain Hunt. I am being called to this place."

Dylan frowned. "Duran, please call me Dylan. Just because we are on board the Andromeda is no reason to go formal on me. It was Dylan on Seta 5 and it should be Dylan here also."

Duran bowed his head in acceptance. "Okay, Dylan it is. I did not want to overstep my bounds on board your fine vessel."

"So, talk to me about why you think you are being called to this place."

The Tharg just shrugged. "I do not know, Dylan. All I know is that I am needed here."

"Okay, pardon me, but that's a bit vague."

Duran smiled.

"Well, I'm on a bit of a fact finding mission myself, Duran. Maybe you can be of some assistance after all."

"Anything you need, Dylan. All you have to do is ask it of me."

"Thanks, Duran. I'll let you know." Dylan slapped him lightly on the back as he left the Obs Deck.

~*~*~

"Any sign of a ship in the vicinity, Andromeda?"

None on my scanners, Captain.

Dylan frowned. "What about surface activity?"

Surface scans are negative, save for in the immediate vicinity of the mining tunnels.

"Damn." Dylan paced on the Command Deck. "What else? What are we overlooking?"

No one seemed to be forthcoming with any ideas. Just then Duran walked onto Command.

"Captain? Excuse me... Dylan. Is this a bad time?" He bowed in Dylan's direction.

"Not at all. Come on in, Duran."

Duran walked down the ramp and over to where Dylan was standing, staring at Genex.

"Damn it! What are we missing here?" Dylan hit the console in front of him.

"What are we looking for?" The Tharg looked up at Dylan.

Dylan sighed in frustration. "The slaves! The missing slaves. Where could they be hiding?"

Duran studied the planet in front of them. "In the tunnels?"

Dylan blinked. "Excuse me?"

The green alien fidgeted. "Well, you said yourself that the surface of the planet was inhospitable. Where else is there to hide but the tunnels?"

Staring at the view screen, Dylan shook his head slowly. "The tunnels. Why didn't I think of that?"

"The tunnels, Boss?" Harper frowned in confusion.

"The tunnels, Mr. Harper." Dylan beamed. "Not all the tunnels are being mined all the time. Some have run dry. They provide the perfect escape route - - if you know where you're going."

"And do we know where we're going?"

"Not yet, but we will! Andromeda? Scan the subterranean tunnel system of the planet. I want a detailed map of the entire planet within four standard hours."

Aye, Captain.

~*~*~

They were seated around the table in the Conference Room. Harper and Trance were quietly talking at one end of the table, Beka and Rhade were arguing good-naturedly about piloting idiosyncrasies and just how long a "safe" jump was, and Rommie was studying the map currently being displayed on the screen on one wall of the room.

They all looked up when Dylan entered, followed by Duran. "So what have we got?" Dylan took his place at the head of the table, watching as Rommie turned from where she stood. Duran sat to Dylan's left, beside Harper.

Rommie looked around the table, waiting for the conversation to die down, before answering Dylan's question. Once it was quiet, she pointed to the map. "This is an exact rendering of the tunnel system on Genex. The area marked in red is being actively mined as we speak. The yellow areas are mined in rotation, depending on the size of the crews for the day and if any stubborn obstructions are met in the red areas. The blue areas are tunnels that are abandoned. They have not been mined for at least thirty standard days, some longer."

Duran frowned. "May I ask a question?"

Rommie looked to Dylan, who nodded. "Go ahead, Duran."

"Okay, how do you know which tunnels are being actively mined - - just from scanning the planet?"

"Rommie?" Dylan motioned to Rommie to explain the process to Duran.

She nodded. "The Nietzscheans typically utilize a thermal drilling apparatus in their mining operations. Thermal signatures are absorbed into rock. Once drilling ceases, heat is emitted at a steadily declining rate until it is exhausted. The red spots are 'hot', signifying that mining is currently being done in those areas. The yellow areas are showing hot spots - - or areas that are being intermittently mined, combined with areas that are warm, or have been mined recently. The blue tunnels are cold. They haven't been mined for a long enough period of time that the heat from the mining operation has completely dissipated. An analysis of the rock and ores suggests that it would take at least thirty standard days to go from the heat levels of the red areas to the complete lack of heat emission of the blue areas."

Duran sat back in his chair. "Impressive!"

"Thank you."

Thank you.

Dylan sat forward, leaning on his elbows on the table. "Andromeda, can you overlay the heat signatures of the life forms in the tunnels?"

Efforting... Heat signatures in place, Captain.

It took less than a minute for Andromeda to begin to place dots on the map in front of them.

After another minute, Dylan stood and approached the map. "So, Rommie. Analysis please."

Rommie pulled her shoulders back as she stared at the map. "There are five hot spots on the map; areas of concentrated thermal signatures. They are clustered centrally in the red area as well as one small cluster in the inner edge of the blue area where it borders the red zone. This small area is most likely a residential area - - Nietzschean, if I had to speculate, it is because the slaves are probably all currently at work in the tunnels. What is interesting are the two small areas of activity in the outer blue rim just north of the main mining operation."

The people around the table stared at the blinking lights on the map. Dylan turned back to the group with a grin. "I think we've found our missing slaves, people."

Beka snorted. "That could be anyone, Dylan, even a scouting party out looking for the missing slaves."

Dylan nodded. "Could be. But I don't think so."

"Why not?"

Rhade sat back, folding his arms across his chest. "Because the Nietzscheans wouldn't waste the manpower to search for missing slaves." At Dylan's nod he continued. "They would assume the slaves would be killed by the elements if they tried to run away - - and their thoughts are such that it would be a fitting punishment for the runaways."

"Exactly." Dylan looked around the room. "If my theory is correct, the slaves are getting help. They are heading here." He ran his finger along the tunnel the dots were moving along to where it exited in a large chamber, closer to the surface. "I think this is a staging area."

"Staging area?"

"Yes, Mr. Harper. I think the slaves are being aided in their escape."

"By who?" Harper sat back in his chair and frowned at the screen.

"Well, Mr. Harper... Trance ... I think our mysterious slave runner is none other than Rev Bem."

Trance sat up straighter, a wide-eyed expression on her face. Harper looked thunderstruck.

"Rev? Our Rev? How?"

Dylan smiled. "Let's just say that Beka got some intel that Rev may have something to do with the missing Nietzschean slaves."

"Wow, Dylan. Rev? You're sure?" Trance stood, pushing away from the table.

Dylan nodded. "As sure as I can be without going down there myself."

Trance nodded, seemed about to say something and then bit her lip, turned and walked out the door, leaving a room full of stunned people.

Dylan wrapped up the meeting a few minutes later, after making plans for he and Beka to take the Maru down to the planet to look for Rev.

Following the crew out of the room, Dylan looked over his shoulder. Noticing Duran still sitting at the table, he turned back. The green alien had an almost pensive look on his face.

"Duran? Everything okay?"

Duran looked up. "Huh? Oh - - Dylan. Yes, everything is fine. You go ahead. I need to think for a moment."

Dylan nodded and walked out of the room. Once the door had shut behind him, Duran got up from the table and walked over to the map. He stood before it for a long time, staring at the dots that were moving slowly along the tunnel leading to freedom.

~*~*~

"Trance?"

The golden being looked up as Dylan spoke. Not surprisingly, she was tending to her plants in the Hydroponics Garden. She smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Is everything okay? You seemed a bit - - upset when you found out that Rev might be the one helping the slaves."

Trance smiled sadly. "Not upset, Dylan - - really. Sit, please. Let me tell you why I reacted as I did."

Dylan sat at the edge of the bed Trance was digging in.

"You don't mind if I continue, do you? It helps me think."

Dylan smiled and shook his head. "No - - go ahead."

Trance nodded and began working again. "I've been having these - - not quite visions, exactly - - and I know that something is going to happen - - soon - - and I know Rev is involved somehow - - as are we. Just what this event is I don't know. And I also don't have any idea just how we are involved - - or how Rev is involved." She looked up and shrugged. "I'm sorry I don't know any more than this, Dylan. But hearing you say that Rev might be on that planet - - helping the slaves - - it just made me realize that the event I have been seeing just might be closer that I thought - - and I'm not entirely sure we're ready for it."

"Well, that's appropriately vague, Trance."

She shrugged again. "Sorry, Dylan."

Dylan reached out and patted her shoulder. "That's okay, Trance." He stood to go. "Trance?"

"Yes, Dylan?"

"When were you going to tell me about this?"

"When there was something to tell?" She smiled. "Really, Dylan - - what would you have said if I came to you and said, 'Dylan - - we're going to be involved in a big event sometime in the near future'?"

Dylan laughed. "Point taken, Trance. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being honest with me."

Trance just smiled and went back to her plants.

~*~*~

Beka was in the pilot's chair on the Maru and Dylan was seated at the science station as they prepared to launch. A chime alerted them to a person in the hangar deck. Beka hit a button on her communications panel to open a com link to the outside.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I need to see Captain Hunt, please."

Both Dylan and Beka looked up at the sound of Duran's voice.

"Duran? Beka, open the hatch."

She sighed and rolled her eyes as she punched the button to open the door for the green alien.

"Delays, Dylan!"

"Shh, Beka." He stood as Duran stumbled onto the deck of the Maru. "What can I do for you, Duran?"

"I need to go to Genex with you, Dylan."

Beka shook her head. "No way..."

"Beka!" Dylan turned to Duran. "Why do you want to join us?"

"The planet calls me, Dylan. I am needed on this mission - - and you know I can take care of myself."

Dylan nodded, smiling as he remembered Seta 5. "Yes - - yes, Duran, I think you can handle yourself very well." He sat back down at his console. "Beka - - why don't we get this mission started?"

She nodded, signaling the Andromeda to open the hangar bay doors. After a full system's check they headed toward Genex. Duran wandered into the back of the Maru, checking out the space.

"So - - you really think we're going to find him here, Dylan?"

Dylan got up and walked over to stand behind the pilot's chair. Leaning over the railing behind where Beka was sitting, he asked softly, "Don't you?"

She startled a bit, not aware of him coming up behind her. "I - - I guess I'm not as sure as I'd like to be, Dylan. I mean - - I want him to be here. I'm just not sure I didn't read more into those slaves words than was really said." She sighed. "Dylan - - what if it isn't Rev at all? What if ...?"

Dylan laid his hand on Beka's shoulder, stopping the flow of words. "Beka - - stop worrying. That's why we're going down - - to see if this person who is helping the slaves escape from the Nietzschean worlds is our Rev Bem. And if it isn't? Well, we'll have to see then, won't we?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I don't know why I stay with you, Dylan."

"It's my charm and good looks, Beka."

A low laugh sounded in the cockpit then. "Right, Prince Charming. That's got to be it."

~*~*~

They landed on the surface of Genex with no notice made of them, which was not unsurprising considering the savageness of the planet's surface. They had landed a little way away from what looked to be the most promising exit point for the slaves. After landing, Beka made a full sensor sweep of the area, pronouncing it free from any activity after just a couple of minutes.

"Can you get a reading into the tunnel, Beka?"

She frowned as she adjusted sensors and finally sighed in defeat. "I can't get a clear reading, Dylan, the ores are distorting my scans. There is no telling what's in those tunnels past the first few feet."

"Damn," he said softly.

"Yeah, damn."

A low sound behind them spun them around in their chairs. Duran grinned sheepishly. "I did not mean to startle you, but I think I may be of assistance."

Dylan lifted an eyebrow. "How so?"

And then there was a slight shimmer and Duran was gone. Another ripple in the air and he was back. "Thargs can be invisible when they need to be."

Beka and Dylan grinned.

"I forgot about that."

Duran bowed slightly. "I thought you might have. So - - may I be of assistance?"

"Sure thing, Duran, but not how you think." Dylan pointed out the tunnel in question. "This is the most likely place for the escaped slaves to be assembling. I need you to go in invisible - - Beka and I will be right there with you."

Duran nodded. "I am your insurance policy then. Very good plan."

"Why thank you, Duran."

~*~*~

Beka and Dylan shed their EVA suits as soon as they got inside the mouth of the tunnel. The suits were mainly to protect them from the heat as it was currently mid-day and they would have been baked alive without them. Duran shimmered out as Beka and Dylan headed deeper into the tunnel.

About a half a kilometer in, they began to hear sounds of quiet talking. They slowed down, keeping to the walls of the tunnel and inching forward.

"Light up ahead. Be careful, Beka," Dylan whispered.

"You too, Dylan. Let's see who's in here, shall we?"

They crept forward, keeping to the natural shadows of the tunnel and trusting Duran to keep watch behind them. What they didn't expect was a sudden ceasing of all noise just as they got to the tunnel opening.

They immediately hunkered down in the tunnel, pressing back against the rock wall.

"What the hell just happened, Dylan?" Beka hissed, the worry in her voice nearly palpable.

"I don't know." Dylan licked his lips as he thought. "Duran?"

There was no answer.

"Duran?" Dylan sighed. "This is just great. Where can he be?"

Beka looked at Dylan. "He wouldn't set us up, would he?"

Dylan shrugged. "You tell me. Until a minute ago I would have sworn he would stay at our backs no matter what."

"Damn."

Dylan took a deep breath and nodded at Beka once. "Let's bring it." With no other warning than that, he moved out, making his way to the mouth of the cavern that opened off the tunnel. Beka was close on his heels, looking back over her shoulder to be sure they weren't being followed or herded into a trap.

They stopped just shy of the opening, and then a voice rang out.

"Show yourselves. You will not be harmed."

Dylan and Beka looked at each other and Dylan began to smile.

"Dylan - - do not fear me. Beka, come say hi to an old friend."

Dylan stood and motioned for Beka to follow him as he holstered his force lance and stepped into the light.

The figure waiting for them was backlit by a glowing light, making it impossible to make out his features - - and then he stepped forward, holding out his arms in greeting.

"Rev! By the Divine, it is you!" Beka smiled broadly at her friend.

Rev embraced Beka gently, hugging her quickly and then stepping back. He turned to Dylan. "Dylan - - old friend." He frowned as Dylan made no move to approach him or to speak. "Dylan?" Rev looked to Beka who just shrugged. Rev bowed and then folded his hands into the long sleeves of his robe and waited.

A couple of minutes passed before Dylan moved. He took one step forward - - and then another. Reaching out a hand, which Rev grasped between his two, Dylan then pulled Rev in for a bone-crunching hug. "Damn, Rev! It's so good to see you."

"You too, Dylan - - you too. It has been too long, old friend." He stepped back and smiled. "So what brings you to this place?"

"You." At Rev's incredulous look, he held up a hand and grinned. "Beka ran across a tale of a Wayist monk helping slaves on Midden 6. We figured it might be you and so we came looking - - following any mention of slaves going missing from Nietzschean worlds."

"But - - why?" Rev was truly puzzled.

"Because we haven't seen you in far too long - - and because we want to help you."

Rev nodded and then lifted his face and sniffed. He whirled on Dylan. "What did you bring with you?" He crouched into a fighting stance, instantly on guard.

Dylan lifted both of his hands, "Wait, Rev. We're ..." He had been going to say they were alone - - but were they? Where was Duran - - and why was Rev reacting this way? He spun around, looking for any signs of the Tharg.

"Tharg!" Rev hissed angrily. "Working for the Nietzscheans, no doubt." He scanned the area for some sign of the being he could smell but not see. He whirled and pounced as Duran materialized behind him, dragging the much larger Tharg into his embrace, trying to immobilize the threat it represented. "Dylan! Help me!"

"Rev!" Dylan stepped forward, unsure just what had happened. Was Duran working for the Neitzscheans - - or was he what he professed to be?

"Wait!" Duran struggled in Rev's grasp and then stilled. Looking down at the smaller being, he said softly, "My Master - - do you not recognize your student?"

Rev released his grasp immediately and stumbled back. Looking up into the face of the Tharg, he gasped. "Duran? Is that really you?" At the small nod of the larger being, he stepped forward and reached out to touch his face where his tusks should have been. "What happened to you, my brother?"

Duran looked to Dylan and then smiled down at Rev. "Surgery - - so I could appear less frightening to the people I try to help."

Rev nodded knowingly. "And why are you sneaking up on your brother?"

Duran looked embarrassed. "Well, I had a suspicion that the Rev Bem Dylan spoke of was indeed Brother Behemial - - but I couldn't be sure. So I offered to protect their backs - - going invisible, until I knew that this was really you."

Rev looked from Duran to Dylan and back again. "You're with Dylan and Beka? How is that possible?"

Dylan stepped forward, laying his hand on Rev's shoulder. "It's a very long story, Rev. How about we discuss it further once we get back on board the Andromeda?"

Rev blinked up at him. "The Andromeda, Dylan?" He looked around at the empty cavern. "I - - um..."

"Rev, we're here to help. I know there are slaves hiding in these tunnels and, since we're here - - why don't we help you relocate them?"

Rev grinned. "I'd like that, Dylan. Especially since my other transport didn't arrive." He sighed eloquently. "I guess that's the price you pay when you use mercenaries."

"I guess... Let's get everyone rounded up and get out of here."

~*~*~

Beka ended up moving the Maru closer to the tunnels and they herded everyone aboard and took off from the planet without any fuss or bother from the Nietzscheans. Once on board the Andromeda they settled the runaway slaves into one of the cargo holds, gave them food and blankets and set a course for Tarn Vedra.

Dylan found Rev on the Obs Deck, staring out at the stars. "Rev?"

Rev turned and smiled at Dylan. "Dylan, how good it is to be back on board your ship." He sighed softly. "I had forgotten how much I missed being here."

"I can hear a 'but' in there."

Rev nodded slowly. "There are so many people out there, Dylan, people that need my help."

"Why, Rev? Why do they need your help?" Dylan knew he sounded whiney but, suddenly, he didn't care.

"Dylan," Rev put his hand on Dylan's arm. "This is what the Divine called me to do - - to help beings in need."

Dylan nodded, unable to say anything.

"I am happiest helping these people, Dylan." He held up his hands to forestall any interruptions. "Oh, I could stay here - - with you and the rest of the crew - - and I would be happy - - for a little while. And then, eventually, I would feel the call of the needy - - the Divine telling me that I have further work to do - - and I would have to go."

"I assume you're taking Duran with you then."

Rev smiled. "How did you guess?"

"It seemed that he was on a mission as well. I had the feeling he would ask to go with you."

Rev nodded again. "Yes, he did - - and I took him up on his offer." He looked up at Dylan, his eyes full of emotion. "There are so many souls to save out there, Dylan... and something tells me that we need to work quickly. Something big is brewing in the universe and we must be ready."

Dylan nodded, knowing he'd lost this battle before it even started. "So you're leaving."

Rev nodded solemnly. "I have to."

Dylan nodded again and took a deep breath. "Care for a drink while you're here then, old friend? And some conversation to pass the time?"

Rev smiled. "I would like that very much, old friend."

~*~*~

Dylan stood on command and looked down at Tarn Vedra. "Good-bye, my friend," he said softly under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at Beka, who was at the pilot's station. "Beka, you have the com. I'll be in my quarters if you need me."

"Dylan?"

He smiled sadly. "Just take care of things for a bit, Beka."

"Sure thing." She watched him walk off the command deck and then turned her puzzled gaze to Rommie.

"He just needs some time, Beka. He's fine. Why don't you pick our next destination? I could use a day of shopping - - if you're up to it." The android smiled mischievously.

"Shopping?" Trance bounced onto the command deck. "We're going shopping? I know just the place!"

~*~*~

Dylan sat at his desk. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the desk as he picked up a flexi and tapped it to bring up the writing. He smiled as he read the report. Setting it back on his desk, he laced his fingers behind his neck and stared up at the ceiling. "I'll be seeing you again, my friend."

~*~*~

The End...