Author's Note - This story is the sequel to my other Andromeda story "Fateful Reunion" so if you don't get what I'm talking about, then you should probably read that first.
"Whaddaya mean?" Reese scrunched up her nose.
"Having no friends as a child, never truly feeling wanted or like you belonged. And then losing your mother at such a young age. No child should have to go through that."
"Oh. Well, um," Reese struggled to find the right words. "Yeah, I guess it was, but I never really gave it much thought, y'know? If I learned anything from Wayists, it's that everything that happens, happens for a reason. So, I guess I just decided there was no point bitching about things that are supposedly working for something better."
"Interesting theory."
"Isn't it though?" Reese grinned. "And as fascinating as 'It's My Life' has been so far, I regret to inform you that we are nearing our destination."
"Alright, alright, you brat," Dylan smirked. "Take us down outside of the town."
*
The long grass was a brilliant shade of green as it swayed gently in the cool breeze. The sun's golden rays shone down and sparkled in the reflections in the early morning dewdrops. The enormous, ancient trees seemed completely at peace as their emerald leaves flapped against the branches, which shaded the two travelers from the already intense heat.
"Almost like paradise," Dylan commented, leaning against one of the great trees.
"Don't be fooled," Reese replied.
Dylan turned to her with a quizzical look. "What really happened, Reese? Why do you hate this place so much?"
"I can't explain it, Dylan, I'm sorry," Reese shook her head. "I just really never wanted to come back here. That's all I can say. And I know it was twelve years ago, and I know things have changed, but, I dunno. What will everyone think of me just coming back after all these years? And I'm so not looking forward to seeing Tiama and Arun. They'll think I couldn't deny my inner Wayist or something."
"Um, that reminds me, Reese," Dylan cringed at the mention of Tiama's name. "There's something I have to tell you about what's happened in your village since you've been gone."
Dylan proceeded to explain to her in detail the happenings of his and Rev's visit to the Hajira colony of Serendipity not quite a year earlier. He revealed their troubles with the slavers and that Brother Thaddeus Blake had been killed, and what Tiama had done in hopes of chasing them away.
Reese blinked a couple of times, letting the words sink in. "M-Magog eggs?" she stammered, and a wave of nausea hit as she suddenly had an incredible need to see Harper right then. Dylan realized it.
"I know what you're thinking," he put his hands on her shoulders. "And it's going to be okay. Tiama's case is completely different from Harper's. We will find a cure for him."
"I know, I know, it's just a little too much of a coincidence, y'know? I mean, she's the second person I've known that's become infested sometime after I left them. And it's just...way too close to home." She stared longingly back into the clearing where the Eureka Maru stood.
"He'll be alright. You'll see him again in a few days."
Reese stared into his reassuring eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Okay."
"Tell me," Dylan began anew, deciding that he needed to get her mind off of the subject. "What happened to you after you left? How did you adapt to the artificial gravity?"
Reese smiled appreciatively. "Oh yeah, that was interesting."
* * *
Rafe was sitting in the pilot's seat on the dimly-lit Deck of the Eureka Maru. Everything was quiet, save for the hum of the ship's engines, and Rafe was alone with his thoughts - thoughts that dwelled mainly upon the fact that in two years, he would be eighteen. He would have to decide on whether to stay on as part of his father's crew, or to go his own way.
"Rafe?"
The boy smiled at the sound of the nine-year-old's voice. "That's odd," he said aloud without turning around. "I don't remember bringing a cow on board, but I swear I just heard a 'moo'."
"You suck."
"That a fact?" She nodded. "Then apparently we are in need of a new nickname for you. What do your friends call you, Miss Valentine?"
"What friends?"
"Scratch that. Oh well, we'll think of something. We Valentines are revered for our brilliant minds," he winked at her, and she grinned. "So, how come you're not asleep?"
"My head hurts."
"Yeah, artificial gravity will do that do you," he sympathized. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it in a couple days." She frowned at the thought of having headaches for a further two or three nights. "Hey," Rafe grinned. "I know a way to get your mind off of it: I can teach you to fly this sucker."
"You'd let me fly the Maru?" Reese's jaw dropped.
"If you wanna learn, I'll teach you," he nodded. "So, whaddaya say...Peanut? Think you can handle it?"
"Hell yeah."
*
Beka watched her brother showing her cousin the steering controls from her spot in the entrance to the Deck. Her eyes narrowed in envy before she caught herself, and mentally smacked herself upside the head. What is your malfunction? she demanded. Why are you so worked up over people paying attention to the kid? We can't just ignore her, afterall. And having a little sister might be kinda cool. Unfortunately, the little self-pep-talk wasn't enough to shake the feeling of jealousy in her stomach.
She turned to go back to her room, and banged her bare baby toe against one of the many pipes that jutted out into the narrow corridors. The soft ping was enough to catch Rafe's attention, and he looked up from the cockpit. Making sure that Reese would be fine alone for a minute, he hurried over to his sister.
"What is this, everyone's pulling an all-nighter now?" he joked.
"No, I was just going back to bed," Beka shook her head.
Rafe studied his sister, who hid her face behind her long red hair. "Beck, what's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing."
Rafe saw through that in about half a light-second. After throwing a look back to make sure Reese wasn't listening, he put his arm around Beka. "You will always be my sister, and dad's only daughter. You know that, right?"
Beka smiled. He always had a knack for knowing what to say to make her feel better. She could never help believing every word he said. "I know."
"We just have to welcome Reese. We're the only family she's got, now."
"I know," Beka repeated. "Thanks, Rafe."
"No problem."
*
The next day, Rafe carefully maneuvered the Maru into the Diphda Five docking station, as Reese watched his every movement carefully, learning the procedure. Ignatius clapped his son on the shoulder and then moved to the hatch, entering the airlock.
As the bay doors opened, a man came into view. He was balding on top, and a little overweight, just enough to be considered jolly looking. His small round eyes twinkled in recognition as the four Valentines approached, Beka running up to him for a hug.
"Rebecca, sweetheart!" the man exclaimed, embracing the thirteen-year-old joyously. "You're getting so tall! Looking more and more like your beautiful mother every day."
Beka blushed. "Aw, Uncle Sid," she rolled her eyes, relishing the attention but trying not to show it.
Sid turned his gaze to the dark-haired boy. "Rafe, good to see you son," he extended his hand, and the boy shook it. Sid pretended to wince at Rafe's grip, and the boy grinned.
Ignatius smiled as his niece approached Sid without any hesitation. "Sid, I'd like you to meet-"
"Ah, Ignatius, don't tell me," Sid winked, and squatted down to Reese's eye level. "This must be the charming Reese I've already heard so much about."
"That's me," she grinned.
"Your uncle sent me a message - told me you were coming," he said. "Hey, I've got a trick for you...and..." he reached behind the girl's ear and pulled a coin out, holding it in front of her nose. "How d'ya like that, huh?"
"You had it in your hand the whole time," Reese replied. "I saw you pull it out of your pocket."
"The girl's a keeper," Sid laughed. "A good eye and a keen spirit. She's definitely related to you, Ignatius."
* * *
"And so you met Uncle Sid Barry," Dylan nodded.
"Yup. Now let us never speak his name again," Reese replied hastily.
Dylan was quiet. Beka had told him what had happened on Aakresia between Reese and Sid in the dungeons (or at least everything she gathered as to what happened, because Reese refused to speak of it), and that the girl had not taken it very well to be sacrificed for a company. Dylan scrunched up his nose in the awkward silence, debating whether to give her words of comfort or to keep shut entirely. The former won out.
"Reese, I-"
"Hey, look at that," Reese cut him off, pointing to the clearing ahead of them. "We're here." She cast a look into his blue eyes - one that mirrored the deep scars she kept bottled tightly inside - and then stepped out of the forest. He followed.
The small community was arranged simply: a town square with dirt paths branching off in many directions. Three spaced, uneven rows of thatched huts encircled the square, each with its own little garden in the yard. In the centre of the square was a old stone well with a pulley attached to it. Where it was not dirt paths, the grass was green and luscious, giving a wholesome touch to the scene.
As they approached the village, several people - adult and child - emerged from their small houses and gazed eagerly with friendly faces at the newcomers. Reese subtly slowed her pace to drop behind Dylan, hiding her presence.
A white-robed figure came into view from behind a row of houses, and smiled in recognition. Dylan called out to him.
"Brother Arun, it's good to see you."
"Same to you, Captain Hunt," the young Wayist replied, and clasped the Highguard's hand.
"Dylan, please."
Arun smiled. "We were so excited when we received your message that you were coming here. We have much to speak to you about, though I do not see friend Rev Bem with you? Is he not here?"
"I'm afraid not, Arun. Rev Bem is going through some personal issues, and regretfully decided to stay aboard the Andromeda. But I've brought someone else with me," Dylan reached behind him, and pulled Reese into view. The girl forced a teeth-clenched smile while pinching Dylan's ribs, who responded by squeezing her shoulders against his side until she coughed. "An old friend returned home." Arun squinted at her. "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean."
"Oh, come on, Arun, I haven't even grown that much," Reese rolled her eyes. "Or have you been attacked by a pre-mature case of senility?"
A look of recognition swept across the young man's face. "Reese Valentine? Is it really you?"
"In the flesh," she confirmed, sarcastically displaying her hands in front of her as if to let him make sure she spoke the truth.
"I never thought I would ever live to witness your return," he marveled. "Believe it or not, we have kept your home the way you left it. Nobody has lived there since that day, in hopes that you would one day come home again."
"Yeah? Well, don't get too excited. I'm not staying."
"But," Dylan squeezed her again - a hint to stop talking before she became too offensive, "we certainly appreciate these people for their consideration, don't we?"
Reese got it. "Oh, you betcha. Real nice of you guys, Arun."
"Come," Arun smiled. "Let me help you both get comfortable before we speak of business."
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To Be Continued...
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