Archive of Our Own ^beta

Title: May You Live in Interesting Times
Request Details: http://www.livejournal.com/community/fic_on_demand/159402.html

Disclaimer: Andromeda is the property of Tribune Entertainment, Fireworks Productions as are the characters of Tyr Anazazi and Seamus Harper, and do not belong to me.

"May You Live in Interesting Times" by Karrenia

Harper waited in the infirmary, the penny whistle, as he had come to think of it his medicine dispenser, dangling from the chain around his neck. He hated being reminded of why he needed the damn thing because it brought back too many bad memories of being held prisoner by the Magog. He especially hated the unpleasant reminders they had left in his gut. His breath came in short gasps, and in a remote back corner of his mind Harper realized that he was hyperventilating, but he simply could not stop.

"There must be a better way, surely a genius such as myself can come up with a better solution than having to be dependent on this stupid medicine.' If he can take apart a broken fuselage, or a slipstream drive, patch it up and put it back together in a day or so, surely he can solve this problem. Right?

Harper also realized that the metal cylinder he grasped in his fist is not the medicine dispenser, he's dropped that on the floor and he now holds a knife to his stomach, and this time there's no Rommie to come take it away from him. Harper let the knife drop from his numb fingers and it listens as it made a spectacular clatter on the metal floor.

He stood up and began to pace around the circumference of the infirmary, racking his brain for all the available alternatives. Instantly, the one that sprang to mind is the most success of attempting to shift time and space and Tyr's rather irate appearance in mid-shift demanding that he not be used as one of Harper's experiments. "That was fun." Harper's grin is wide, crooked at the edges and the mischievous twinkle is back in his eye; his earlier despair forgotten.

Tyr entered the infirmary, his dreadlocks combed and wet from a recent shower. He took a moment to regard the short blond human for a moment, considering whether or not to proceed with the task at hand. His plan is coming along nicely and time is of the essence if he wishes to slip away and off the Andromeda, without notice he had best leave now, but somehow Tyr felt he cannot leave this particular task undone. It is one better done in person rather than the pre-recorded holographic message he left for his captain, Dylan Hunt, and for Captain Beka Valentine. They will learn of those messages when he is ready for them to do so.

"You have been in here long enough," Tyr says, by way of announcing his presence.

"I like it in here, it's quiet," Harper replied, looking for where the medicine dispenser landed when he threw it away in frustration, trying to ignore the big Nietzchean, it's difficult to do so, for Tyr's size and presence make him very hard to ignore. "What do you want?"

"I want many things, some attainable and some not. "If you came here to trade philosophies, and discuss why some people's reach exceeds their grasp, Tyr," Harper shrugged, "I'm sorry, but I'm really not in the mood."

"You may not wish to hear this, Tyr shrugged, "but that has never stopped me before and I do not see it happening in this instance."

"First time for everything."

"Harper, be quiet and listen for I will only say this once. Tyr came over and stood near the edge of the examining table. "During our brief acquaintance if there is one lesson that I wish to leave with you."

"As long as I've known you've wanted to pound things into my noggin, Harper shrugged, "Don't see how this time will be any different."

"You are an annoying, brilliant little man, Tyr replied. "I am taking my leave of the Andromeda and before I do I want to give you a message. "May you live in interesting times. Do not give up. Do you hear me? If I have taught you nothing during our brief acquaintance, it is to survive."

Harper started at the note of both sincerity and menace in Tyr's voice. Harper recognized the quote. It came from old Earth, and specifically from the Chinese culture about life being both a curse and a blessing. Tyr slips a sealed white envelope out of one of the pockets of his leather pants and hands it to Harper.

Tyr left the same way he came in without once looking back leaving Harper holding the sealed envelope.

"He cares. He really does care."