Keep Them Burning Ch. 3-5

"Beka." He continued to shake his head. He couldn't find the words to describe how he had felt to wake, alone, find the doors secured, and then finally get back on his ship in time to ask Andromeda to trace Beka. He hadn't wanted Andromeda to confirm what he suspected when he couldn't find her on the Maru. "You're choosing him and the Isolationists." He finally managed.

"No Gaheris, I'm choosing what's right and when you look back on this you will realise that." She stood her ground, a small part of her wanting to crumble under his look, but she knew she had to see this through now, she had made her decision. "This isn't about Rhade or Terazed, its about doing what's right and the fact that a month from now you wont be able to live with yourself because the foundations of your new Commonwealth are built on the betrayal of an innocent man... what kind of Commonwealth will that be?!"

Gaheris shook his head, he didn't want to hear it, because she was wrong, what mattered now was setting things right and if a Rhade had to take the fall then so be it. Before he had a chance to make any comment Rakel's guards emerged from the hangar, weapons drawn, followed quickly by Rakel herself.

"Captain, I see you are yet to apprehend Rhade... is there a problem." Gaheris looked at her, he could smell her fear beneath that air of confidence and knew that she was waiting to find out which of them was going to be taken down. He looked to Beka fleetingly before settling his gaze on Telemachus.

"Admiral Rhade you're under arrest."

Telemachus shook his head slightly with a smile, having already resigned himself to this outcome. Quickly he raised his lance and shot down one of Rakel's guards, using the distraction to move across to Beka and grab her in front of him. Gaheris' reaction was so predictable, quickly moving in front of the triumvir so that no stray shots would get her as Telemachus backed away from them down the corridor with Beka held close.

At the nearest turn off Telemachus pulled Beka out of the line of fire and let her go, he was just about to make a run for it when she placed a hand on his arm and shook her head, indicating the other direction.

"Follow me, I'll get you to an escape pod." With another raised eyebrow but no questions Telemachus nodded and followed her lead.

***

Gaheris stood watching, his anger visible, as Telemachus dragged Beka out of sight.

"Captain what do you propose we..." Rakel stopped short as he turned his gaze to her before marching over and stopping into front of her.

"I propose Triumvir at this point you remain silent... we wouldn't want the truth getting out would we." The muscles in his jaw flexed as turned back to look down the corridor. "Andromeda, track Beka."

Andromeda's hologram appeared almost instantly next to Gaheris.

"Beka and the Admiral are heading to the escape pods on this level, Tyr is the closest to intercept, would you like me to alert him?" Gaheris thought for a moment, he begrudged ever having to involve Tyr in anything.

"Yes, do it." He grumbled. Rommie nodded and vanished once again before Gaheris turned back to look at a very pale Rakel. He had no words, instead he did the only thing he could, signalling for her guards to follow him he broke into a trot down the corridor.

***

Beka was relieved when they got to the escape pods, and a little surprised that no one had caught up with them yet. She opened the hatch and Telemachus quickly got in before turning back to her.

"Are you coming?" He asked, holding out a hand. Beka gave a half smile and shook her head.

"I belong here... for now. Don't worry he'll get over it." She was pretty sure that Gaheris wouldn't be able to hold this against her for long. Telemachus nodded.

"I won't forget this Captain Valentine...and, if it means anything, I would have made the same choice as Gaheris, it was the sensible choice to make" He smiled and gave one last curt nod and she began to close the hatch. As the hatch came down a hand grasped Beka's arm firmly, turning Beka looked straight into the grinning face of Tyr Anasazi.

"What an interesting situation." He commented, the grin not changing in anyway. "And what would your lover say?"

"Fuck off Tyr." Beka spat the words at him as she shoved the hatch down as hard as she could. She saw Telemachus reaching to get back out as Tyr tightened his grip on her arm but she shook her head quickly and pushed the emergency release, within seconds the escape pod and Telemachus Rhade were gone. "Now would you look at that!" She grinned. "What do you think my lover would say if he could see you had the chance to stop Telemachus Rhade, the man that tried to seize control from the Triumvir, and used me as a hostage to escape? But you were too busy roughing me up!"

Tyr's lip twitched as he let out a low growl, squeezing his fingers into the flesh of Beka's arm before throwing her across to the other wall. As he took a step towards her the sound of a shot rang out down the corridor and a small explosion near his head made him turn to look and see Gaheris at the other end of the corridor with his forcelance pointed at him, Rakel's guards jogging up behind him.

"Will it be today Tyr?" Gaheris asked menacingly. Tyr clenched his teeth together, almost biting back words, knowing it would be stupid to throw away everything he was working towards. He looked back down at Beka before reaching a hand out to her and helping her up off the floor. As Gaheris approached, lance still raised, Tyr turned and walked back up the other way.

***

Gaheris sat silently watching in the med-deck as Trance treated the welting bruises on Beka's arm. Beka would steal a glance at him every now and then and Trance remained totally silent. When Trance finally left Gaheris moved over to the side of the bed. Part of him wanted to ask why she had done it, but he didn't need to, he already knew. In the end it was she who spoke first.

"So what happens now... with Terazed I mean." She didn't look at him, turning her attentions instead to studying her arm. Gaheris took a breath and sat on the edge of the bed.

"The coup died out, Rakel is back in control... thanks to Rhade's actions.." he found those words difficult to say to her, with her knowing as well as he did that 'Rhade's actions' were a mixture of manipulation and fabrication. "Thanks to that the Isolationists have been discredited Rakel has called for another referendum in light of the 'emergency' situation and in all likelihood the votes will be heavily in favour of the new Commonwealth."

Beka nodded. "Win-win then. And what about Admiral Rhade?" Beka finally looked at Gaheris, wondering if the mixture of anger, hurt and disappointment was visible to him. Gaheris cleared his throat a little.

"A warrant has been issued but he is still at large, in all probability he will shortly be captured by the reformed Commonwealth authorities and brought back for a treason trial on Terazed." Beka nodded at his words and slid silently to the edge of the bed before slipping off the end and heading for the door.

***

Gaheris stood alone in Command watching Terazed rotate below them. Rommie's holo fizzled into being next to him, standing silently by.

"Andromeda... did I do the right thing?" In his head he had meant to say 'make the right decision' but knew that ultimately it would boil down to what was right not what was best.

"You mean by letting Rakel Ben-Tzion get away with her crime and assisting in the framing of Telemachus Rhade..." She looked over at him and then back out once more at the stars. "I try not to dwell on what's right and what's wrong. It slows my processors. Still, one innocent man convicted, one guilty woman set free - in exchange for a fleet, a crew, the ability to protect Terazed and a thousand other worlds from a genuine horror." Her tone betrayed nothing of feeling and Gaheris still wasn't sure where her opinion lay.

"One act of betrayal to save the universe." He mused soberly. "The price could have been higher." He muttered aloud. Rommie turned back to him for a moment.

"What makes you think it wasn't?" She asked before fizzling out once more. Gaheris drew in a deep breath, knowing she was right, the price was still being calculated, all he could do for now was watch and wait.

*