It took him a while to learn quite how to work with Harper. You have to listen and sift through what he says, working out what's important and what's important only to Harper. It's pretty much exactly the opposite of what he'd have expected from his High Guard crew, and anyone who'd answered a question like Harper does would have been reined in fairly quickly.

That doesn't work with Harper.

So instead, Dylan leans, apparently nonchalant, against the bar. But his senses are alert, and his eyes aren't always resting on Harper.

Nor are the fingers on his free hand all that far from his lance.

"Harper. She hasn't been purple for ..."

But wait.

Wait.

"You're saying you came here when the Magog eggs were about to hatch?"

He shakes his head. "Harper, that was weeks ago. Trance hasn't been purple for weeks, she changed that day."

He holds out his hand to Harper. "Okay then."

But after a moment, he frowns.

"You've been on board the Andromeda this whole time. How long have you been here?"