She stared at the food in front of her, then glanced up at Nathaniel, who was looking triumphant, though he was obviously trying not to. Whistling to himself as he walked around the room, he threw a glance at her now and then, seeming to almost revel in her desperation. He hated her now, didn’t he? He’d asked her, no, told her to sleep with him, and when she had refused, he’d sworn to make her life hell.
“Not that it can get much worse,” she thought miserably as she looked down at the huge plate of food. She could swear there was more there than there had been before she’d made her deal with Nathaniel. Was this her punishment, and if so, how long would it go on for? She suddenly felt a hand softly caressing her hair and hot breathing in her ear.
“You know you can stop this whenever you want,” he whispered in her ear as his hand snaked it’s way down her back to caress her waist and up…She twitched away from him and shook her head. He quickly let go of her and backed away. “Suit yourself,” he snarled and suddenly Beka found another heap of food had been dropped on her plate, making it literally enormous, an amount she doubted anyone could eat. She gave a little gasp and she felt him leaning down by her ear again. “And you’d better finish it.”
She sat there for a few moments until she tasted something salty and realised she was crying. Pulling her knees up, she hugged them and hid her face. He didn’t even seem to care, and she tried to stop herself from sobbing, but failed. She heard someone entering the room and felt a hand on her head, stroking her hair over her neck.
“Oh dear, Beka whas’ wrong with you then?” She heard a small gasp coming from Liz. “Nate, why ‘ave ya given the girlie these masses of food, she ain’t gonna eat it. Hell, ya know, I probably couldn’t eat all that.”
“Well, she’d better,” he mumbled. Beka looked up, surprised. She’d have thought he’d only treat her badly when no one else was around. Liz seemed to be of the same opinion. She looked over at Nathaniel angrily.
“Who got yer’ knickers in a twist, eh?” He swept his arm in Beka’s direction.
“Have you not seen she’s lost weight since she got here? What are we running here, a dieting club?” Liz walked over to Beka and pulled her up from her chair, taking a closer look.
“Geez, Nate, I think yer’ right, ya’ know. ‘ Aven’t ya been feedin’ ‘ er?”
“Of course I have,” he said, indignified, “why do you think I work here for? She must have found some way of getting rid of it.”
“What, bein’ sick? Dun’ be silly Nate, we ain’t got the toilets open afte’ meals.”
“She might have found a way. I mean, how else would she…”
“I didn’t,” Beka cried, “I didn’t do that.” She wasn’t sure why Liz would believe her, but she felt she had to say it. Liz gave her a doubtful look.
“Ye’ certainly ‘ ave lost weight though, luv,” she commented. “I’ma put ya in fer an exam, they’ll check yer weight, innit, and see how ya ‘ ave been doin’.”
“And…” Beka’s voice shivered, “what happens if I had been…doing…not well?” Liz looked miserable for a minute, then pulled herself together again.
“Well, we’ll see when we come to it, won’ we luv?” She scraped a bit off Beka’s food. “Jest eat yer food now and…well good luck.” Beka slumped down miserably, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest.
****
Her exam was at three o’clock. It was currently one thirty, and Beka was desperately trying to think of how to get through it. She was sitting in her room, having been given a special allowance by Liz, considering she was so nervous about her exam. Liz had seemed…sad somehow, which just convinced her more. She wouldn’t pass it, and then Divine knows what would happen. She tried to calm down her breathing but found herself hyperventilating without being able to stop it.
She glanced at the window. This was a high security establishment but…she could beat that, couldn’t she? She’d broken into, and out of, a lot of places before she encountered the Andromeda. She could do it.
****
“Trance! Rommie! I need to speak to you!” The two women turned around with raised eyebrows as Harper came up to them.
“Yes Harper?” Rommie inquired.
“Can I…can I talk to you both? In private?” They looked at each other, then back at Harper and nodded. They walked into a room, which happened to be a former crewmember’s empty quarters. Trance turned to Harper.
“What’s wrong?” Her tone was concerned.
“Well,” Harper started, “I went to see Beka yesterday.”
“Right.”
“And…well, I think I know why she wouldn’t speak to me…and why things went so horribly wrong, when they were going so well.” Now they were really interested, sitting down on the sofa and looking at him intently. “She thinks…she think’s I’m dating you, Rommie. And that I’m refusing to tell her. She’s upset because she thinks I’m lying to her.”
“She thinks…what?!?” Rommie cried. Harper shrugged.
“She overheard me and Trance talking.” He looked at Trance. “Remember when I told you…er, well, how I feel about Beka? Well, she overheard what I was saying about her, and thought I was talking about you,” he looked back at Rommie. And now…I don’t know what to do, she seems really, really upset that I’d be lying to her and I…”
“Harper,” Rommie interrupted. “I think…” She exchanged a glance with Trance. “She has been…uncharacteristically upset over this, now that we know what it is. Are you sure it was after that…?” Harper nodded.
“What are you saying?”
“That…maybe it’s not just because she thinks you lied to her. Maybe…well, she could be jealous.”
“That makes sense,” Trance agreed.
“You mean,” Harper interrupted, “you mean you think…you think she loves me back, but won’t say so? And that we’ve gone through all of this for…oh crap!” He turned on his heel and went to leave.
“Harper, where are you going?”
“To tell her. I’m not wasting another second, Rommie, and I don’t care if you try to stop me because…”
“I’m not going to Harper, just take it easy!” Suddenly, the holographic form of Andromeda popped up in front of Harper with a sad expression.
“You might want to wait with that thought Harper,” she said sadly. He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide with worry.
“What…what’s happened?”
“We just had a call from the hospital. It’s Beka, she…she’s gone.”
