Caeilla strode down the hallway towards the ship, pulling Raa along behind her. Ahead Raa saw Dylan and he set his feet down.

"Caeilla, I know that you want to see the ship!" Raa laughed, tousling her hair. "Dylan! Hold on, Caeilla. Dylan, she wants to see the ship. We’ll be back in an hour." Raa reached over and brought Dylan closer, kissing him gently. Whispering as he squeezed Dylan’s hip, "She has to move fast, get everyone onto the ship now! And any allies they have."

Dylan pulled back, "Ok, love. I’ll get the rest and they’ll give tours, we’ll get this over with all at once."

* * *

Dylan turned towards the engineering lab. Knocking once, he opened the door. Watching as Harper directed about ten Nietzscheans about. The young man’s spike had fallen, causing his hair to fall in its natural pattern, into his eyes. Reaching one pale, slim, long fingered hand to this hair, he brushed it back.

"Bossman. What’s up?"

"Nothing much, Harper, just wondering if you wanted to take your group on the special tour you asked me about? I figured I’d get everyone. You can spend two hours talking to your section, then trade with someone else. We can get this done."

"Sure thing, Bossman." Harper jumped up onto a table and stomped his foot four times. "Hey! Everyone who’s going to tour Andromeda’s inner secrets come with me." Harper jumped down, pushed open the door, and stepped out. As he went out, he slapped Dylan’s chest. "Thanks to the Bossman."

Dylan raised his hand to the place where Harper slapped him, covering Harper’s hand as Harper slipped away. Dylan rubbed his chest and waited for the Nietzscheans to follow Harper out. Once they were gone, he pulled the slip of paper Harper had slipped him.

The three wearing black know nothing about engineering. They are likely Onnika’s plants. I need someone to remove them.

Frowning, he started to look for Beka. Please be by yourself.

* * *

Harper led the silent group to the docking bay. Turning around and walking backwards he spoke to his group, "What? You guys always this silent on an outing? Ask questions? Make statements? Hell annoy each other even. This is just too creepy... I feel like I’m walking a bunch of androids."

"Why are you annoying these men, Harper?"

Harper spun around, "Tyr! Dylan is playing open house. Everyone who wants a turn can do it today. I know that you want to show off all your big... guns. So why don’t you get your group? After I’m finished talking about the care and maintenance of the best Galaxy Class High Guard Ship of the line. We can talk about how certain weapons use affect the power supply and gear and such."

"That’s actually a good idea. Dylan thought of it." Tyr smiled and walked off.

"Hey!"

Tyr turned back. "Yes Harper?"

"I love you too!"

* * *

Tyr shook his head as he walked away from his Seamus and looked for an open com portal. Locating one, he contacted the five people he trusted most and told them to meet him at the docking bay so he could show them the weapon systems. All of them agreed and started off towards the bay. They would meet in ten minutes. Now he had to go find Trance and get her to grasp the simple fact that the revolution is happening now. This is the most fun I’ve had since my clan was killed.

Tyr turned right and headed down the hall towards the hydroponics section. Hope the moisture won’t get to my shirt. Frowning, he entered the garden. Eyes flickering left and right, he located a flash of bright lavender. Striding over to the flash, he reached out and gently tugged the purple girl’s barbed tail.

"OWWWWWWW! Tyr! Why did you do that?"

"Dylan has invited us to invite our associates to the ship."

"Ok," Trance turned back to the young men and women and started to talk about the virtues of an Acathla tree. Tyr sighed and pulled her tail again. "OWWW! Tyr!"

"Now, Trance. Dylan is not going to let people roam all over his ship day and night. He’s given us permission for now, so now is the best time." Tyr stated.

"All right!" Trance sighed and started into the mysteries of the Acathla. Only to have her tail yanked again. "OWWWWW! What now?!" Trance clutched her tail closer to her.

"If you want to talk about the Acathla tree then why don’t you show them the two that we have on board?" Tyr glared at her, hoping that she would finally get it. "Be careful when you take them to see it, allow only those you trust to touch those trees.

Trance opened her mouth to reply and the meaning finally hit her. "Oh ok, Tyr. Everyone, let’s go to the Andromeda. Tyr?" Trance turned to ask him something but he was gone.

* * *

Trance bounced down the hall seemingly oblivious to the strange looks she got from the people walking by. Tail waving, she flowed down the corridor. A flash of blue caught her eye, "Everyone keep going to the bay. Be right back."

She ran after the blue that caught her eye and found Ma’ctor and Beka talking as they walked. Running up she called out for them.

"Trance? What’s up?" Beka asked with a smile.

"Beka, Ma’ctor, Dylan said that we can bring whomever we want aboard right now. Tyr insists." Trance nodded and smiled. Winking she turned around and headed back to her group.

* * *

"So it begins Beka. We will win. Gryphon will grow strong. The Commonwealth will be restored." Ma’ctor stated.

"Great. What do we have to pay though?" Beka asked, leaning against the wall, biting her nail.

"Not us. Dylan. He’s going to lose a daughter." Ma’ctor’s voice was distant.

"Onnika? Caeilla?" Beka’s eyes flicked up and stared at him.

"Both." Ma’ctor wavered.

"Ma’c... are you all right?" Beka reached out to hold him steady

"Yes. I must call my people and have them meet me at the boat bay." Ma’ctor walked off.

* * *

Dylan grabbed Beka as she walked past. Whirling she crouched into a defensive position.

"Whoa there. Beka, I just..."

"I know. Trance told me. I already got my people to come. Thanks for letting us take them on a tour."

Reaching the boat bay, Dylan smiled at the line of men and women going in. So caught up, he didn’t notice Famira approach him. Her smooth silk voice came from behind him. "Ancestor. It seems like you are having quite a few visitors."

"Famira, yes," Dylan turned towards her. "Well, for a while my crew has asked me to allows their... protégés... to go on a tour of the ship. Since today was a washout with Onnika and it was still early, I thought why not. Let them spend a couple hours touring different sections, then they can hand their group off to another crew member so we can get some cross training in."

"I see. Well, as rude as this sound, I would appreciate you letting me know before you take a large number of people into your ship. We wouldn’t know where they were if we needed them."

"I see. I should have thought of that." Dylan replied. "I apologize... it was a spur of the moment thing."

"I see. Well, I’m actually surprised that you trust... so many of our people on board your ship. I know... after Rhade..."

"Well Rommie won’t let them in anywhere they shouldn’t go."

"Very good." Famira turned to head back down the corridor.

"Famira?"

"Yes, Ancestor?"

"Why don’t you come with us? I have some stuff I’d like to show you. About your other Ancestor."

"I would be delighted, Ancestor."

* * *

In his rented room at Blue Nineteen, Dzuris Mamba sat staring at the message delivered to him. In Cobra battle language, it read:

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