"She's right you know," said Rommie.

"About what?" Dylan questioned. He was sitting down at a communication's console and the comm signal from the Maru had just faded from the screen.

Rommie gave her captain a concerned frown. "I've never seen you give up so easily either, Dylan."

"I'm not giving up," Dylan objected. He was wearing his black uniform and it somewhat reflected his frame of mind. He looked off into space and sighed. "But maybe I'm waking up to reality."

"Reality?" inquired Rommie. She didn't think she liked the sound of that word.

"Of this whole mission, Rommie. To restore the Commonwealth. To bring order back to the entire universe. I can't seem to keep my own crew in order from one moment to the next. How can I expect to do this? It almost seems impossible."

Rommie's frown deepened. "But Dylan, we knew that from the beginning."

"Knew it, maybe. But didn't believe it."

"Do you believe it?" asked Rommie. Her tone was the questing one of a pupil to teacher. "Do you believe it now? Dylan?"

"The Commonwealth has always been a dream," Dylan said.

"Dreams don't die," Rommie echoed Dylan's own words from the past.

Dylan broke from his reverie and looked at Rommie. "Do you always remember everything I say? It's true. Dreams don't die," Dylan repeated, firmly. He rose from his seat, slapping his hand on the console and shaking off his morose mood in the same motion. "No, they don't. Not unless we let them. Not unless we forget. So, no Rommie, I can't believe it's an impossible dream. We won't allow setbacks to prevent us from trying. Call the Office of the Administrator."

"Administrator Elva doesn't appear to be answering our hails." Rommie frowned.

"I hate to invade privacy, but this is urgent. Rommie, you have access to all the public records. Patch a communication through on her personal comm frequency. Tell her everything we need her to know."

"Including Beka's demands?" wondered Rommie.

"Especially Beka's demands," Dylan ordered.

Like the Greek myth of Pandora's box, Beka's box had become the start of many troubles. Beka had never thought so much would be set in motion by what had started out as a simple business transaction. Beni had obviously had no idea what he had in his possession, she'd heard of his acquistion through her own private channels, and contacted him with an offer to buy it. She'd topped the offer Beni claimed to have received from another prospective buyer and the box became hers. When she'd asked Harper to pick it up for her, she'd never imagined her crew would be arrested, her ship seized and put on trial, nor had she ever intended to thwart Dylan's plans for Monarchea to join the Commonwealth.

And as little as she had thought of the Monarcheans in the beginning, during the past days of staying upon the planet and interacting with its people, the culture had begun to grow upon her. To a certain extent, Beka now understood why Trance was so delighted staying planetside, why the Purple Girl would snatch a moment to speak with Administrator Elva when there was a break in the official's schedule to exchange gardening secrets, why she would spend every free moment she had exploring the planetary sites. Beka now understood Dylan's interest in this place and its people as well. Monarchea was a pretty place and the people, saving their animosity towards the Maru, were peaceful. It would be a pity indeed if the Yil Yimurs overran this planet, infecting it with their ugly business practices. If nothing else, joining the Commonwealth would help protect this unique culture from being destroyed.

Beka stood at the bottom rung of a ladder watching as Tyr scaled it. Much of her earlier dizziness had diminished, but she didn't quite trust herself to the heights. "You know what's funny? If Dylan had told me to forget these people and take the Maru half an hour ago, I would have done it. But not now," Beka grinned and shook her head. "I had it all along and I didn't know it. Now that, Tyr, is irony!"

Tyr looked down at her. His voice echoed off the walls as he spoke. "Ironically, I have no inkling in the least as to what you mean. You haven't told me your plan. How much farther do I climb?"

"Not far. Alright, stop right there. Look for a knob that's sticking out. It'll be to your right. Of course, I have a plan! Harper should be getting here soon and then I'll tell you about it."

"Harper will be getting here if the Monarcheans agree to your demands," Tyr corrected.

There was a moment's silence, then Beka said, "Tyr, there's something I'm wondering."

Tyr located the knob. "What?"

"I watched the recording Harper made. Of your trip on Platea to Beni's shop."

"And?"

"Why didn't you tell him someone was following you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Tyr.

"Don't give me that innocent look, Tyr. I know you have a great sense of direction, but--that recording." She snapped her fingers. "Several times you took sudden turns or made detours, in spite of Harper's directions to the contrary. Then," Beka grinned at her discovery. "I got to thinking. Why would you take such a twisted route to Beni's shop? You wouldn't. Unless you thought someone was following you."

"An accurate observation," Tyr admitted. "But the Little Professor has a tendency to panic and I didn't wish to disturb him when there was obviously nothing he could do. I've found the knob, I assume I should turn it?"

"Yes. Three times. But counterclockwise. Otherwise, it won't work. So, who was it?" Beka prodded. "Who was following you?".

Tyr turned his attention to the knob. It was shaped like a metal ring, not unlike the ring of Dylan's basketball hoop, but three times smaller. It was attached benignly to the wall and Tyr wouldn't have given it a second glance in passing had Beka not pointed it out. "You hid it in the Engine Room, this close to a reactor?" he commented, not answering the question and placing his right hand on the knob.

Beka replied, "Better to hide things places people don't want to go. Don't change the subject."

Tyr turned the knob. "He remained too far away to identify and I managed to shake the surveillance before I reached the shop."

Beka nodded. "You're right. I did catch a glimpse of someone on the recording, but I couldn't quite make it out. It was a he?"

"I believe so, yes." Tyr gave it a second turn.

"Could you recognize him if you saw him again?"

"If I saw him, I'm not certain. His face was partially hidden by a red hood. But his stench would be unmistakable." Tyr realized that Beka's questions must be leading somewhere. "Why do you ask?"

"Its a theory of mine," Beka replied, enigmatically. "Call it a hunch."

"Would you care to enlighten me?"

"Yes. There's been something strange about this whole thing. Ever since the night of the ball."

"I couldn't agree more," Tyr replied. "But how do you intend to discover what it is?" The final turn of the knob was completed and a panel in the wall opened, revealing the compartment where Beka had hidden the box.

A thought leapt into Beka's eyes. "Where there's a will, there's a way. And I think I might just have our way."

"Thank you for meeting with me in person, Administrator," said Dylan.

"You were very persistent. Am I given to understand, Captain Hunt, that after your first officer set off an explosive in the plaza and defied the off-limits order for the ship, that she now wishes to have an audience with all of the administrators in the Hall of Music?" questioned Administrator Elva.

"Yes." Dylan nodded. "That is pretty much the case."

A curious frown appeared on Elva's face. "What an outlandish request! Did she say why it has to be in the Hall of Music?"

"No, but knowing my first officer, I'm sure she has a good reason."

"What does she expect to gain by this?" asked Administrator Elva.

"All she asks is that you hear her out. If you do decide to agree, a protective escort would be appreciated."

Administrator Elva sat in silent contemplation for a moment and then replied, "As irregular a request as this is, I admit I am intrigued by it. And while we do not condone her actions, we are reasonable people. I shall consult with the other members, Captain Hunt and we shall see."

Andromeda was running a routine diagnostic, monitoring data streams for relevant updates, and a dozen other daily chores when she became aware of an incoming uplink.

"Beka? Tyr? What are you doing in here?" asked Andromeda's AI recognizing them as their images appeared next to her own manifestation in the virtual landscape of her mind via the Eureka Maru's virtual net.

Beka answered, "Rommie, someone mentioned to me that you'd been given all the security records from the night of the ball?"

Motions and sounds were distorted by VR and when people spoke their voices sounded as if they were underwater.

"Yes, they are still stored in my memory," replied Andromeda.

"We need to get a picture of whatever happened the night of the ball. I thought we'd get a better view of it in here than if you'd just sent the info to the Maru," Beka explained.

Andromeda nodded. "I'll do whatever I can to help."

Tyr asked, "Can you also call up the security measure schematics and the blueprints you showed me before?"

"And add to that any data your sensors picked up," suggested Beka. " We want to get as complete a picture as possible."

"I understand. Accessing requested records and related files. Creating a visual extrapolation. Displaying."

The undulating patterns of computer codes, images, and colors of the mindscape swirled around them and then were replaced by a surreal replica of Administrator's Elva's ballroom. In the air in front of Beka and Tyr appeared a schematic overview of Elva's residence with green dots once again representing the locations of the security guards. That evening's events could now be viewed simultaneously in both of these ways.

Beka, Tyr and Andromeda watched as the ball unfolded in fast motion. Once more Administrator Elva greeted her honored guests and led them to her table to dine. Once more dancers reeled on the dance floor and the band played their lilting music. Once more Beka left the table to discuss diplomacy with Administrator Reha.

"What exactly are you looking for?" questioned Andromeda.

"Anything out of the ordinary," Beka replied.

"Unusual. Suspicious," said Tyr.

"Something that we've missed," said Beka and even as she spoke something red flashed in the corner of her eye. "Hold it. What was that? Back up."

"The guards moved," Tyr noted with disapprobation. "They've left a gap in their defenses."

Interested in this information, Beka eyed the schematics and realized some of the green dots had moved from their original posts. "No," she said, "that's not what I meant. Andromeda, can you center us on Reha? Play that last bit again."

"Adjusting visual," said Andromeda. "Zooming in. Displaying." The view of the ballroom shifted and they could now see Administrator Reha directly in front of them.

The last scene began to play over again. Sure enough, Beka caught the red flash once again, only this time she could see it clearly. It was a red hood disappearing behind a curtain directly behind Reha. "Back it up a little more," said Beka with surpressed excitement. "To just before I went to speak with Reha."

Once again, the crew dined at the table. The dancers reeled on the dance floor. But Andromeda focused on Administrator Reha.

The three viewers watched as a small, portly figure approached Reha. The main features of his face were obscured by a red hood. The small figure tugged at Reha's robe to get his attention, spoke briefly in his ear, and then subtly pointed out someone on the dance floor.

With one accord, the trio turned to see for themselves exactly who the red-hooded figure was pointing out. It took them a moment to distinguish the single face from the group of dancers on the floor and when they did, a collective gasp issued from their throats.

It was Harper!

There was the familiar rush and jolt as Beka disengaged from VR. She pulled her VR glasses off and set them down. A hundred questions danced in her mind. She looked at Tyr. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I believe so." Tyr set his glasses aside. "It would appear Administrator Reha is up to more than would first meet the eye."

The crowd gathered outside the Maru had grown hoarse and only a few frail voices could be heard as the early morning hours drew towards dawn. The advent of the guards was a welcome sight to those who still lingered in the plaza. They could now step back, feeling they had done their job as good Monarchean citizens. The guards fanned out through the area, reestablishing the sentries that had been formerly posted to guard the ship, gently parting the crowd, and creating a clear path to the Maru's airlock.

The doors to the Eureka Maru had barely parted when Harper found himself yanked into its interior and facing the ship's captain.

"Harper, I'm glad you're here. Whose guards are those?"

"Whose are they? You did ask for an escort, didn't you?" He wondered why Beka felt the need to ask such a question.

"Whose are they?" Beka repeated, earnestly.

"I don't know." Since the answer seemed important, Harper scratched his head and thought hard. "Elva's? I think one of them mentioned they're her personal guards."

"Good." Beka sounded relieved. Just as long as they weren't Reha's! "That's good. What are they doing?"

"Their job." Harper followed her as she turned and walked farther into the ship. "Waiting outside. Keeping things quiet," he replied. "They said they're ready to go whenever we are. But, first things first," said Harper, opening his portable tool kit and holding up an injector. He smiled. "First-aid nanobots, courtesy of Dr. Trance."

When Harper and Beka entered the cockpit, Tyr was standing over the notorious box. He looked up and asked, "Have you told him yet?"

"Told me what?" asked Harper. There was definitely something in the air that he didn't know.

Beka lowered the boom. "You weren't so paranoid, after all. Someone did follow you. Kept following you. I'm pretty sure now this whole rigmarole that we've been through was a setup and now I think I know why."

"The question is," said Tyr. "How do we prove the administrator is guilty?"

"With the box!" said Beka.

"How?" Tyr wasn't convinced. "You do know who made the box? Plu Valtari, who has been dead and gone for centuries. How can it help you now?"

Harper was inclined to agree. "Doesn't this change whatever plan you had before, Beka?"

"No," said Beka. "It makes it better." She knelt down and opened the box, displaying the item inside to Harper. "Look at that. I know what it's supposed to do but I can't figure out why it doesn't work! That's why I required an engineer's expertise."

Harper warmed to the idea. "Okay, boss. But it isn't like the squad outside's gonna wait forever. Don't think I've seen anything quite like this before. When did you expect me to get this done?"

Beka looked at him confidently. "There's no time like the present."

Harper shook his head. He was already pulling tools and equipment from his kit. "Always did love a challenge," he mumbled and set to work.

Beka knew what, Tyr knew who, and Harper soon knew why, and so, between the three, they figured out how.

How am I gonna pull this off? This is my last chance. This will either make it or break it. These thoughts and others like it, spun in her mind as Beka Valentine stood at the side entrance of the museum. News had wings in Monarchea and the rare opening of the Hall of Music had spread, bringing with it the need for caution. When Beka, Harper and Tyr had first exited the Maru, the crowd outside had behaved themselves. But there had been a different crowd gathered outside the museum, awaiting the arrival of the culprit who had vandalized the plaza, and the mood in the air wasn't exactly welcoming.

Better not break it.

So she awaited an all-clear signal from the leader of the guard and, while she waited, took stock of her surroundings. Ahead of her was the arched doorway of the side entrance. Harper stood a little behind her, holding the box to his chest as if his life depended on it. Tyr was absent. He had taken the first opportunity to elude both the guards and the crowds and, effectively, vanished.

But that was according to plan.

The guards flanked Harper and Beka, also awaiting the signal. Some opened their wings to screen the two off-worlders from the direct view of any curious passersby. The guards had displayed a system of mute communication that impressed her. Through a simple gesture or look, the individuals seemed to understand one another and act as one body.

There was a motion from the doorway and the leader of the guards appeared in the entrance, then vanished back inside the building.

The signal.

The time had gone for doubts or second thoughts. Beka took a deep breath and followed.

"I wasn't aware this was a public meeting," Beka said. She realized, listening to her own reverberating echoes, that the design of the Hall of Music seemed to act the same as an amphitheater, catching her words and broadcasting them to anyone concerned.

The hall was huge! The ceiling was a dome which stretched out many feet above her head and ended in a single skylight which showed a blue circle of the sky. The walls also seemed rounded and numerous seats were carved out of stone and positioned stadium style. Not only were there seats, but there was an audience sitting. Where the seats ended lit glass cases began filled with an assortment of all shapes, sizes, colors of various instruments and music makers and the collection seemed to stretch almost as high as the ceiling. Standing on ground level, at the focal point of it all, Beka felt dwarfed in comparison.

Even a Yil Yimur would feel small here.

A rich, sanguine voice floated down to her and expanded outwards into space until its echoes seemed to fill the hall. "Normally, it would not be. You requested a meeting with the Administrators. But you wished to hold this conference in the Hall of Music which belongs to all of the people."

Beka turned her head to follow the voice and in front of her rose a balcony wherein rested three throne-like chairs. Sitting in the middle chair was Administrator Grotos, white wings and whiskers, with his dark eyes staring down at her. There was a flash of silver sitting on his right and a glint of gold on his left, the faces of Elva and Reha.

Administrator Elva was the first to break the silence. "Captain Valentine, we have assembled today in order to hear the purpose of your most recent actions. You have permission to speak."

"Alright." Beka clapped her hands, clasping them together, and brought them up to her chin. Her heart pounded and her thoughts were racing. "Here's how I see it," Beka said, gesturing as she spoke. "You all took my ship away because of a complaint filed by a Yil Yimur who claimed some sort of grievance yadda, yadda, yadda about something that happened back on Platea. And since, Platea happens to be your ally, you decided to do the honorable thing and try the case here under Monarchean law. Right?"

"Correct but what does this have to with--" Reha started to say.

"I'll get to that," Beka cut him off. She grinned. If only you knew what I have in store for you, Reha. She continued, pacing slowly, clasping her hands behind her back. "Then, after conducting your own investigation, you decided that my crew weren't the problem, but charged my ship as the source of your problem. And I have to tell you the truth, I thought it was the craziest most ludicrous thing I've ever heard!" Beka moved closer to the balcony seats, stopping below each administrator as she spoke about them. "Who would do that? Who would decide to detain my ship? Would it be you, Elva? No, I don't think so. How 'bout you, Grotos? No, I think not. Or could it be the one who makes the big decisions about all legal matters on Monarchea? Administrator Reha?" asked Beka, feigning shock. "Ladies and gentleman, I think we have a winner."

Administrator Reha shifted uneasily in his seat. "This is becoming tedious," he protested, but no one paid heed to his objection.

"I asked myself, why? Why would Reha want to detain my ship? But you see, Reha." Beka grinned. "You really weren't interested in the ship, you were only interested in what it carried. You wanted to keep everyone away from it, until you had a chance to find it for yourself!"

Reha's pale eyes glared daggers. "Are you are going to listen to these ridiculous accusations?"

"Grotos is popular with the public. Elva knows how to mix in society. But you're the legal guy. You needed something too boost your reputation. Only I got it first. So you resorted to trickery and stealing!"

"That is enough," cried Reha, rising from his seat. "I have no interest whatsoever in your box!"

Beka grinned in triumph. "What box?" She swept some strands of hair away from her face and looked towards a wall where Harper was standing. "Harper, did I ever mention a box?"

Harper came into the central part of the room, shaking his head. "No, I don't believe I ever heard you mention a box to him, but now that the subject's come up, could this be it?" The blanket fell away, exposing the box he carried for all to see.

A murmur from the audience swept the room.

"That means nothing," said Reha. "I demand my rights! They're trying to accuse me of something I haven't done! They have absolutely no proof."

"This is true," Grotos agreed. "I fear you cannot continue in this way unless you can offer solid proof. Have you any witnesses to Reha's alleged actions?"

"You want proof," Tyr's deeply melodic voice boomed across the room. "Here's your proof!" A man toppled out from behind a pillar sprawling onto the floor and sliding from the momentum. When he came to a stop and raised his head, a red hood slipped back, revealing his face.

"Beni!" said Beka. She grinned openly. Tyr had come through with his part in her plan.

Tyr stalked out of the shadows. "He is your proof!"

Beni clambered to his feet and pointed at Reha. "The Yil Yimurs made me do it!" he whimpered. "I didn't sell the box to them when they wanted it. So they made me do it for him!"

"There is nothing that links me with that man," protested Reha.

"Beeeep! Wrong again," said Beka. She pulled out a flexi which contained images of Reha and the red-hooded Beni at the ball and presented it to the Administrators. "This is taken from your own security files. You can double check it if you want."

Reha glowered at her but kept silent.

"All of this because of that box?" Administrator Elva beckoned to the engineer. "Step forward. Let us see it."

Harper walked forward and set the box on floor. He hesitated, then looked over at Beka.

Beka nodded at Harper.

The time had come.

He bent down and opened the box.

Harper opened the box and carefully pulled out something unusual. It was shaped like a large hourglass but appeared to be made of stone. Strange carvings had been etched into its surface of diagonal lines which crisscrossed into an arresting diamond-like pattern. Obviously, its design was ancient. At the top of the artifact was a circular hole.

He carefully set it on the floor and next pulled from the box what looked like a small golden ball. He held the ball over the hole for the moment, then his fingers released and the ball dropped down inside.

Instantly, a loud whistle arose to a shrill pitch.

But in the next instant, such a beautiful sound arose that everyone in the room could only listen with awe entranced by its beauty. The notes seemed to sing and dance and a peaceful sense of serenity pervaded the hall as their tones echoed through the air. The artifact glowed electric blue and then the color of the glow changed to green and back again.

When the last echo died as the music faded away and the changing glow of the light had ceased, no one doubted that Administrator Reha would have severely wanted that box. It was no wonder! An item like that would be of great value to any Monarchean.

Administrator Elva and Administrator Grotos looked at Reha, who seemed to have shrunk in his seat. Several guards now surrounded his chair and others moved forward to take Beni into custody for questioning.

"You have performed us a service, Captain Valentine," said Elva. "What favor can we offer you in return?"

The words were on her tongue, but Beka paused before she spoke, remembering the tone of hopelessness in Dylan's words as he told her the Monarcheans had rejected the idea of joining the Commonwealth after the action she had taken in the plaza.

He wants to give these people better lives, she had told Tyr.

As noble an aspiration as that was, Beka's chief concern was to find a way to save her ship. But wait--Hey, who was she kidding? Ship or no ship, she wouldn't wish a Yil Yimur on anybody. She had seen the pleasure on the people's faces, listening to the ancient music played, and gained a new respect for them. Somewhere along the way, since joining in this crazy adventure, this dream to restore the Commonwealth, her motives had changed. This mission had become something bigger than herself, something better that made her glad to be alive. It was something she did not want to be responsible for depriving the Monarcheans of now.

"Maybe you don't think I have any right to say this, but I really think you should listen to what Dylan Hunt has to say about the Commonwealth. You have a really lovely planet and you need to protect it. The Commonwealth would help you. If you don't join, it would a stupid mis--" Beka checked her tongue, remembering diplomacy in time, and amended her speech. "Stupendous loss."

The Administrators minus Reha returned from their deliberations after they had reached a decision. "In light of this important information and, if you are willing, to donate this marvelous musical artifact to our Hall of Music, the Administrative Board finds it fit to grant your request and to add to it. We will consider impartially what Captain Hunt has to say about the Commonwealth. And, you, Captain Valentine, are pardoned for the actions you took in the plaza. You are free to go."

"Oh." Beka said, stunned. "Yes. Thank you." And then, feeling that this none-too-enthusiastic response might be thought insufficient, she added, "I'm grateful. Really. Truly. Grateful." She took a step back, tipped her head, and plastered a smile on her face.

Beka felt as heavy as a rock. She had gone through all of this! All this, for that! To receive a pardon for herself, but not for her ship! Incredible! She opened her mouth, but there weren't any words. And as hard as she racked her brain, there was nothing more she could do or say to save it. The strain of the past several days finally caught up with her and she felt exhausted.

She'd had the opportunity to ask for her ship and she hadn't taken it. Maybe Rafe was right! Maybe he was Valentine Smarter.

In the midst of her buzzing thoughts, she heard a voice that seemed faraway. It was Dylan's voice and she had no idea where he had come from, but she assumed the captain, and possibly the rest of the crew had been observing the entire scene with the audience.

It took her moment to realize Dylan was speaking. It took even a longer moment to realize he was talking about her.

"...through quite the ordeal."

"Yes, we do understand. And would gladly offer our own med facilities, but they are not well-suited to humans. We will excuse Captain Valentine and allow her to return to Andromeda to receive care and rest."

"Why don't all of you go?" Dylan suggested. "Rommie and I will stay and take care of negotiations."

Negotiations, which sometimes lasted several days, had always been Dylan and Rommie's forte so the rest of the crew departed for Andromeda.

Tyr poked his head in the door of the Machine Shop and spotted Harper. "Little Man, you are supposed to be helping me reset the secondary relays in the environmental regulators."

"Oh yeah," Harper said. "Got sidetracked. Sorry. I'll be there in a minute."

Tyr moved into the room. "What are you doing?"

"Research. You see, when I was looking at the artifact in Valtari's box, there was something that I thought was chicken scratch on the underside of the box's lid. But it seemed too complex, so I scanned a photo of it to analyze later. I cross checked it with Rommie's database. It turned out to be code. There hasn't been a code yet that I couldn't eventually crack."

Holo-Rommie flickered into the room with her arms crossed. "With my help," she said.

Harper held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, I didn't say I didn't have help."

"Hmph," said the hologram and flickered away.

He turned back to Tyr. "My point is that according to the message I deciphered, Valtari went around from place to place, gathering detailed knowledge about different prides, as well as DNA. You get it, don't you? Strands of power? DNA. Hidden in the wind? The music. That artifact could be the musical code key. The way to finding where there could be oodles of Nietzschean genetic material stored somewhere, waiting to be restored, unfrozen, whatever! That means that prides like the Tres Rios and the Bandy-whatcha whosits and the--"

"The Kodiak," Tyr finished for him, partly to avoid hearing Harper slaughter any more pride names, partly because this discovery had caught his full attention.

"Yeah." Harper nodded in agreement. "Even the Kodiak. You might not be so nearly extinct after all."

It was these words of Harper's that Tyr was contemplating when Beka stumbled upon him in the Obs deck. A trip to Med deck had taken care of Beka's injuries, but there were wounds on the inside that had yet to heal. She stared out at the stars, thinking about her ship.

They both looked out at the sphere of the planet below them in silence for a moment.

"There are other ships," said Tyr.

"None like the Maru."

"That is certain. Still there are the things that are already here and the things that are to come."

"What?" asked Beka, tearing her gaze away from the view to look at him.

"The answer to the question you asked back on the Maru. At the risk of sounding like the Purple Girl, life hold infinite possibilities that make striving for survival worth it."

"Maybe so," said Beka. "But it can be painful. The things we leave behind in order to move forward."

"At times," Tyr agreed.

"What would you know about it? Has there ever been anything in your life that you loved so much it felt like you would die without it?"

Tyr didn't answer. Instead, he told her, briefly, what Harper had told him about Valtari's box and then asked, "Did you know?"

The question flew at her like an arrow shot from the dark.

"We'll talk about it later," Beka said. She didn't want to broach the subject today, especially since having lost the artifact of the box made her reasons for wanting it null and void.

"But all I asked--"

"Later," Beka insisted. She clenched her teeth.

Tyr noted the distress in her eyes. "Later," he agreed.

Beka nodded and escaped into the corridors. She wanted to be alone but where would she go? The Maru had always been her refuge. It was comforting to have it nearby whenever she needed it. Like a friend, always there. But now, it was lost to her. Always had changed to never.

It was almost time to leave orbit. Beka was striding towards the Command Deck but when a voice shouted to her from down the corridor, she slowed her pace.

"Beka, glad I caught up with you," Dylan said. They hadn't spoken since Beka had left the Hall of Music to return to the Andromeda. "I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done. The Monarcheans signed the charter. Reha is going to be looking for a new job though. It's just like you said, the Yil Yimurs had agreed to give him the box in return for his favorable vote on their station. What I don't get is how were you able to figure all of this out?" asked Dylan.

"Well, I did figure some of it out," Beka replied. "But not everything. Wherever I drew a blank I simply threw in a little rule of Valentine-ology."

"Valentine-ology?" Dylan repeated, well remembering another conversation he had with her about this very subject. "How does that apply?"

"What you don't know, guess."

Dylan looked perplexed. He said, "There's only one other thing I don't exactly get, Beka."

"What's that?"

"I told you about the Monarcheans. You could have asked them for anything. Any favor whatsoever and they would have granted it. Why didn't you ask for your ship?"

Why didn't you ask them for my ship, Dylan? She didn't voice this thought. Instead, Beka attempted to smile, although the loss of her ship was still a sore point for her. As soon as she had learned that Dylan and Rommie were back from Monarchea, she had asked Andromeda about the Maru's status. Rommie's words still rang in her ears. "I'm sorry, Beka. There's nothing I can tell you." It felt like the ache of the Maru's loss was going to haunt her for the rest of her days. She was still surprised when she thought back on the decision she had made and yet, if she had it to do all over again, Beka knew she would make the exact same choice.

Beka sighed. "Would you believe me if I told you, 'For the good of the Commonwealth?'"

They finished the rest of the walk to the Command Deck in silence and when they arrived, the rest of the crew had already taken their stations.

Beka slid into the pilot's seat. "Where to next?" she asked the captain.

Dylan smiled. "Well, we're going to Enkindu and Schoeppenaur next, but you'll have to wait until later."

"Until later?" asked Beka. She glanced at her crewmates and a strange air of secrecy seemed to hang about them. Even Rommie was hiding a smile. "Why? What am I doing now?"

"Yes. Harper can pilot the slipstream for now," Dylan replied with a twinkle in his eye. He nodded at Beka. "There's an old friend waiting for you in the hangar."

The words were barely out his mouth before the meaning struck her and Beka made a joyful shout, leapt from her seat, and bolted from Command.

It would be hard to describe the string of emotions and thoughts that flashed through Beka's mind as she rushed through Andromeda's decks and corridors but suffice it to say, she was beaming when she entered the Hangar Deck.

Yes. It was here!

The Eureka Maru stood on the deck with it gaunt angles, its weathered paint, and its numerous battle scores, a drab heap of metal to the uninformed eye, and to Beka, it looked absolutely beautiful.

It belonged to her.

AUTHOR'S END NOTES:

(Yes, it's the end unless I get caught up in a sequel. Well, this was my first full-length Andromeda fic, what did you think? Write me a review and many thanks to those readers who have:))

I gratefully acknowledge the resources used in order to inspire and produce this story. The Andromeda episodes closely studied in order to produce this work are: "DMZ, TTB, H2.0, AONGO, MOADD, TMOT, FALITMW, IMALL, and THO. And given a brief nod (so briefly you might not have caught it) were the Season 2 eps, PATS & AHFFF. Helpful, too, was the All Systems University.

This work is dedicated to the memory of Sabel, my beloved feline friend, who did not live to see, with her own trademark fascination, the final pages come out of the printer.

January 13, 2002