Andromeda slid into the docking port at Beagle Space Station. Dylan turned around in the pilot’s chair, "Everyone ready?"

"Yeah." Harper murmured. Tyr just gave a short nod. Trance chirp a ‘yes’ and Beka headed for the door.

"Captain, I detect a number of people waiting in the docking bay, in front of the ship."

"Of course you do Rommie. Beagle station is named after the ship Darwin used to get to the islands. Beagle has always been Gryphon territory, and every Gryphon knows that the Ancestor Dylan is captain of the Andromeda Ascendant. They know what he looks like. Often modified High Guard uniforms come into fashion. Which is why I had everyone dress in ship leathers. It’s a sign that we are his crew and they won’t mess with us. If they saw us in our own clothes, they would wonder if Dylan was too weak to enforce the rules. So be careful, never let them think that Dylan doesn’t enforce High Guard rules. Rev, since you are a member of the Way, that’s religious. So you don’t need to wear the leathers as long as you wear the patch of the Andromeda. Harper, first thing you do, before you get lost chatting with other techs, is get a trim. It’s not necessary to cut your hair off but a trim would be nice and it’ll keep your ends healthy." Raa twitched a smile. "Sorry. I had to. Dylan you go first and then we come out and fan behind you. Rommie you go out last and shut the door behind us. Then come up to stand next Dylan."

"Man this is like some kind of play or something." Harper complained.

"Yes, very much so, Harper. We have to play specific parts so that Onnika sees what we wish her to see rather than what is. In this way and only this way will we make it out of her alive. Onnika is up to something. Something big. We have to find out what it is and how to turn it to our advantage before she kills us. She will kill us. We pose way too much threat to any plan for power. If Dylan dies, all the Gryphons will look to Beka or Rommie or whosoever Rommie acknowledges as her Captain. Dylan has more power than Onnika. If decides not to back her, she loses the Pride. Everyone smile, action." Raa pasted a smile on his face and pressed the open for the hatch.

* * *

Onnika stood silently with her advisors. Behind them thronged most of the Gryphons that lived on Beagle station. Finally the Ancestor has come to Beagle station. Rhade has done his job, luring Dylan into my hands. Now let’s see if he’s managed to wear down the Ancestor’s vaunted nobility. Pulling Dylan’s dark honey blond hair back from her face. This dark blue eyes stared out from Rhade’s face. Stepping forward she smiled at the man who could destroy her.

* * *

Tyr placed his hand on his mate’s back. A feeling of joy welled up as his Seamus leans back into his hand. Eyes moving constantly, he checks for those in the crowd who may have a more than glancing interest in his mate. My Seamus. Yes, I won the greatest prize. Gently he nudged Harper forward as Dylan moved off.

* * *

A young boy stood in awe as the glance of the Ancestor fell on him. Taking a deep breath and pushing his chest out, he returned the stare with one of his one, one of welcome. The Ancestor seems sad. Innocent as he is, he didn’t understand that Dylan knew an intra-pride war was on the brink and that some would die. The boy also didn’t know that he would one of those who would die.

* * *

Beka smiled and waved to the crowd below. Most of the women she noticed, looked at her with veiled eyes. Remembering that Raa told them that she ranked them all except Onnika and was in fact equal to Onnika made her smile wider. If I have to play stupid then I’m going to play it all the way. Let them think I don’t know what I’m doing. Take it in the teeth girls. I’m in town to have some fun. Following Dylan, she strutted across the boat bay towards the main group. Taking a closer look at the group she realized that the one who stood about half a step out in front of the rest had Raa’s feature but Dylan’s hair. Onnika.

* * *

Famira’s eyes took in the people heading towards her mistress. It was hard being the head advisor to the Matriarch of the Gryphon Pride but it carried such status with it. Enough to make sure the men all competed for her. Now, it was time to see if she could snag the highest male of them all. The Ancestor. Any child directly descendant of the Ancestor had more rank than Onnika and the genes... they were enough to make any female willing. As regent for the child, Famira could take over Gryphon. Spend your little remaining time wisely Onnika. You and your daughter will be prideless soon.

* * *

Whoa, look at all of them. I don’t think I can do this. Would now be a good time to tell Dylan and Tyr about the Nietzscheans that tortured me? Perhaps I should have told them before now? Oh god. So many Fucking Nietzs. Harper trembled and felt a hand on the small of his back. Tyr leaned closer, "What’s wrong, Seamus?"

Harper blinked at hearing his name. Smiling he spoke out the side of his mouth, "Did I ever tell you about the time I finally got off earth only to be sold by the captain of the ship to some Nietzscheans? Who yanked out the crummy data port I had installed and installed this nice new top of the line one? Did I ever tell you about them torturing me? About the electric whip or the knives? Those spikes are not that dull." Harper started to shiver.

"You are my mate, Seamus Zelazny Harper Anasazi. And that means they can never hurt you again. If they approach you, I’ll kill them. Now smile because you rank all of them." Tyr murmured into his ear.

Harper looked at them, some of their eyes flicked to the collar, eyes wide they stared at them. They know what this means. I outrank them. I have more power and I’m the Ancestor’s engineer and head of his science department. They can’t hurt me. Not without starting a war. Dylan would do that for me. If Tyr fights them, that will start a war too, but I know they would fight anyway. I’m important. To Dylan and Tyr. Tilting his head up a bit, he lets his eyes roll to watch as Tyr glares at everyone. I am Important to Tyr. He... loves me.

* * *

Dzuris stared at one of the men walking with the Gryphon’s Ancestor. Moving forward he saw the young man clearer. Tall but thin. Light blond hair falling spiked up. Sharp blue eyes. As the young man turned slightly to talk to a tall dark Nietzschean, a dara port gleamed in the light. Seamus or as he was called on Hangfire, Chrome. Well well, I travel all the way here only to find a runaway slave. I wonder how much they would pay for him and if his ‘Captain’ knows. If he doesn’t now, he soon will. "Very soon, Chrome... Harper."

* * *

Ma’ctor smoothed down his short light blue fur as he followed behind Tyr, his ears flicked forward at the word ‘tortured’. Listening carefully he came to realize what Raa meant about playing a part. All these people are enemies. They would sell out anyone to further their goals, their status. They honor us because we are the Ancestor’s crew. Even I lowest of the crew am still higher in status than anyone save the advisors. Ma’ctor’s fox-like ears swiveled towards a Nietzschean male. He was staring at Harper, he called him Chrome. Our first enemy. You will never touch Harper again.

* * *

Cold eyes glared at the Magog in group exiting the Andromeda. How dared they bring a Magog onto the Beagle? Do they have no respect. For all that Nietzscheans are called butchers, they were never responsible for such a crime as Brandenburg Tor. A low rumble sounded through the ranks as the Magog marched behind the Ancestor.

* * *

So much hate. If only they were to deliver their pain up onto the divine. Perhaps while I am here, we can make peace about what has happened. Rev followed slowly, his red robe wrapped about him. Around each arm a red leather circle, stitched with the Andromeda’s emblem. As Dylan stopped in front of a middle aged woman, Rev bowed and saluted her.

* * *

A young man watched as Famira stared at Dylan. This can not be, he is merely human though he is our Ancestor. I will not allow him to take Famira. If anyone should win her, it will be me. He watched Dylan as he moved closer. Strong but I will defeat him.

* * *

Trance twisted in the leather. It wasn’t odd for her to wear it but so much of it. She kept her tail wrapped around her waist, since she didn’t know what the Nietzscheans would do. Sure Tyr already accepted her but he’s been around her for awhile. So many of them. Gently she flexed her mind, opening petal by petal. So many emotions. Anger. Joy. Hatred from no few. Simple delight in seeing the Ancestor. Desire. Envy. Ownership. She looked up at that one. A pale Nietzschean was focused on Harper. This might be trouble.

* * *

Kaeg watched as the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant walked across to meet the Gryphons. Carefully he analyzed what he observed about the group. Purple would want to know more about this group, they had after all defeated Jaeger. Switching systems, the cyborg catalogued the physical specs of each of them. He was going to be smarter that Jaeger. He was going to talk to Purple before going after them. Silently he stood scanning with his aural sensors, a tinny sound reached him. It came from the ship. Turning to focus his eyes on them, he quickly flipped his visual sensors until he found the correct frequency. There was a barrier embedded into the skin of the ship. It would make it harder for him to pass through the wall. Apparently they learned something from their encounter with Jaeger. It wouldn’t stop him from getting the evidence.

* * *

Rommie stood beside Dylan, she held out her hand to Onnika. Rommie clasped her forearm and, with a look that betrayed shock on her face, she greeted Rommie with the clasp. "Sister. Did you think that after having Rhade on board for almost three years, that I did not pick up on some of the Nietzscheans traditions? Rhade was perhaps one of the best first officers that I ever had. I was disappointed that in the end, Dylan had to kill him to survive but as Rhade said when he was dying, he was proud that Dylan finally learned to survive. It was a tragedy but he died well and we miss greatly even now.

"I can honestly say that since I was built in 9772 and in the 17 years of my operation once you subtract the 303 years that we were stuck in the black hole, I have never respected an officer, save Dylan, more than Rhade."

* * *

Caeilla stood at her mother’s side. Large brown eyes looked up from a minute of Rhade’s face, brushing her pale blond hair out of her eyes, she focused all her 10 year old gaze on her Ancestor. So this is the Ancestor. He looks like Mother. I don’t want mother to hurt him but she will. He has more power than her. I don’t think I should like him this much but he is the Ancestor. Do I owe more allegiance to him or Mother?

* * *

Raa stared at Onnika, trying to make his eyes communicate what he so desperately needed her to believe. Yes, Onnika, I caught him. He’s practically wrapped around my finger but he’s so dense, he doesn’t guide well. His overwhelming nobility and stubborness get’s in my way. I will not betray you. Help me blind him. Help me rule him. He will have a softness for you since you are his granddaughter, what I could not do alone mayhaps we can do together.

* * *

So many people out there. Dylan scanned the crowd. So many of the faces had some characteristic that he could connect with Gaheris or himself. Dark honey hair. Gaheris’ chin. Eyes flickering, he noticed one woman, she wasn’t young but she wasn’t past middle aged either. Her hair was perhaps a shade lighter than Dylan’s, her eyes were darker almost a purple, but her face. Her face was Rhade’s. A little softer on the cheeks perhaps but it was Rhade’s face. He watched as Rommie greeted her and placed Onnika in Rommie’s debt. Perhaps we can pull this off and get out of here alive. Taking a deep breath, he smiled at her. Stepping closer, he stopped in front of her, "Onnika?"

"Yes, Ancestor Dylan. I am Onnika Hunt-Rhade, your granddaughter.

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