Prologue

Date:CY 10086 - AD Oct 5163
Location: In Transit

Trance wrapped her robe about her body, and opened the door that led from the berthing compartment into the common room. She rummaged around the galley until she had a cup of hot chocolate then sat down at the table cup in hand. As she was sipping her cocoa, the door on the opposite side of the common room opened and Beka stepped in. Like Trance she was wearing a robe over her sleepwear.

“Hello, Trance, “ said Beka. “I thought I heard someone moving around in here. Harper having nightmares again?”

“They were pretty bad ones tonight, Beka. I finally ended up crawling into his bunk with him and holding him until he fell asleep.” She gave the older woman a wry smile “ And now that he's asleep I can't get back to sleep.”

“I know the feeling. I used to have to do that for him when he first came aboard. You’ve done wonders for him, Trance. His nightmares are coming far less often than they did when he first joined the crew.”

“They must have been pretty bad then. Beka, how did Harper become part of the Maru?” asked Trance. “He’s never told me.”

“I’m not surprised. He doesn’t like to talk much about his past. Tell you what, get me a cup of cocoa, and I’ll tell you the story of how Harper came to the Maru.”