Challenge: 9. Eavesdropping - whether accidentally or otherwise, your character overhears part of a conversation... Whatever it is that your character overhears... how will he react?
Author's Note: Spoilers for like a whole lot of the series, set directly after Promises, episode 4:05 and episode 4:06 only some biology facts about Nebari, John being able to predict wormholes, and D'argo as captain, the rest of that frelling episode does not exist. No matter what happens, this is not the last part in the series, there will be more.
Summary: In the wake of the most devestating events since the sacrifice of Talyn with his Captain, Bilar Crais, the remaining crew of Moya grieve for their lost friend and family. Believing the worst has happened, Chiana makes a decision on an offer Nerri has made. After this decision, the crew of Moya proceed with their plans toward Hynerian space. Peace Keeper territory; the Sebacean armies are preparing for war as the armadas of three other species line up on their borders. In the midst of all this chaos, a revelation is made that will rock the foundation of all that they have been lead to believe. On an alien world, a Nebari awakens. All events have a purpose, a meaning for being. All have been leading to a single moment in time, a second that will be remembered for mellinia, the death of John Crichton.
Key Words: Nebari, Slash, Hybrid, Royal Planet
Story Note: Each *** is in a different time. An example of this would be that what is happening with Crichton does not happen at the same time as with Chiana. They will not match up until the next part.
Bowing to her partner, Aeryn Sun never lowered her eyes. When the bow was complete, she swung around taking her anckle across his eyes, killing him instantly. Another twist of her body counter to the previous, and she brought her other foot up, taking his head clean off his shoulders. As the body started to fall to the side from the force of the decapetation, she jumped back, raising her left foot to kick out and strike the body. The body flew back with the sounds of bones braking landing on the mat with a wet plop.
Her anger spent, Aeryn assumed a ready position. The sounds of clapping brought her spinning around, raising a foot to attack the person. However, a leather clad hand grabbed her shin and twisted her leg down until she was face flat to the mat. She brought her other leg wide as she fell, attempting to sweep her handler off their feet, and only succeeded in getting it kicked back, dislocating the ankle.
The pain awoke her from the killing instinctual mindset, allowing her to realize her actions. "What the frell was that?"
"That, officer Sun, was a Scarran mental reaction to a percieved threat. All expecting Scarran mothers are primordially lethal during their pregnancy. It is a side effect of being such a terminally violent race."
Aeryn shook her leg free from Scorpius' grip with a growl of disgust. "I am not a Scarran..."
"No, you are not, but our child is."
"Our child is only part Scarran."
"Not, he is not. She is a full blooded Sebacean, he is a full Blooded Scarran. What amazes me, is that both of you are able to survive the extreme heats his tiny body is producing, quite a remarkable skill." He pulled her from the mat by the vest she wore, back to his chest. Trailing a hand down to her abdomen, he growled in pride. "Such a strong pair already. Do you know why there are never twins in a Scarran society?"
"I know the reason Sebeceans can't have twins. Our bodies are designed for efficient breeding cycles. Growth only occurs when the body is not producing the fight or flight chemicals. More than one child at a time could prove deadly to the mother. I assumed it is similar reasons for them."
Scorpius felt slightly alarmed that she had not touched on the subject that they were twins, or their genetic purity. "That is not the reason. Tell me, did you know you were pregnant with twins?"
Aeryn yanked from his grip and whirled on him. Cocking her head to the side, she eyed him appraisingly. "Qu-atta lyo eih."
"You must fight these instincts, Officer Sun. You are a Peace Keeper, not a Scarran."
"It is eso me! The children, they are fighting for Eschal!" Suddenly she snarled and launched herself at him. When he sidestepped her forward thrust, she spun around raising her left foot to strike at his face.
"I am sorry, but I must do what is best for the children." Raising his right hand, palm vertically flat, he hit her with a wave of heat energy that sent her flying back against a wall. His body shook from the exertion required for the use of the weak skill. Before he could recover, Aeryn was up and charging at him again.
Just as she was about to reach attack distance, two seperate energy blasts hit her from either side. Stopping, her body shook from the shock waves, but did little else. She bellowed a growl that had Scorpius reciprocating before he even realized it.
"What is taking so long, Commander? When I summoned you from your crew orientation to deal with her, I did not mean for you to be recreating your Scarran cortship."
All froze as the calm voice, echoed in the training room. Aeryn used their confusion to assecess the new opponent. A female, a possible rival for her territory. Her eyes narrowed as she charged forward, hands in the ready position.
"Commadant, look out, she has gone..." the guard's voice trailed off as Aeryn reached Mele-on and fell back from her attack unconscious as the Commadant's hand collided with the side of her head.
"As I said, what has been taking you this long to secure one pregnant female? She is not a Leviathan, and you are trained soldiers, Officer Sun should already be secured in the hybernation bunk. Now explain why this has not happened!" When the six occupants of the room continued to stare at her in shock, Mele-on narrowed her eyes in anger. "Or else, gentlemen."
Scorpius recovered enough to gasp out a reply. "It appears her Scarran instincts inherited from the embrionic cells of the fetus have made her stronger than even myself, and completely taken over her higher levels of reasoning. She is in a since, an Atavistic Pregnant Scarran. Even the alpha males of my fraternal species fear them."
"I don't see how this is any concern of mine, or how it would stop six trained, elite Peace Keeper commandos."
"You must forgive them and myself, we lack that which your own special parentage has granted you." He bowed slightly from his position in the center of the practice mat.
"Then you should have informed me that she was difficult, I would have never assigned those incapable of dealing with such a singular threat." Grayza surveyed the room and the remains of Aeryn's training partner. "Make sure that is cleaned up. Scorpius, seems how you are the only one capable of even remotely understanding her capabilities, you will secure her. Be quick about it, you have an invasion to command."
"Ah, Commadant, if I may have a word with you in private, there is something we need to discuss." When she had nodded and walked out, he followed her at a slightly faster pace to catch up after picking up Aeryn over his shoulder. They were at an equal pace before he started speaking. "She was aware of the twins."
"This was anticipated."
"She did not know that they were genetically pure, though."
"As is also to be expected. I fail to see what point you are attempting to make, but I suggest you get to it."
"She is losing control, this is not normal for either species." A dark smile crept over his features. "And her sudden tolerance for the heat the child produces is a mystery as well."
"As was stated by the Avarian in this morning's briefing, this was to be anticipated, even expected. Is there something new you wish, other than to waste my time?"
"Yes! Will any of this cause permanent damage to her?"
"That is of none of my concern. She is merely the host vessel for the embryos."
"But at what cost will you let this experiement continue?"
She stopped suddenly and violently turned to face him. "This is the only hope for our species, there is no price too high! I will go to Hezmana and kiss the feet of Cholock if it necissary to see the successful completion of this project! Do not stand in my way, Commander, or you will join our enemies in the halls of Manon!"
Instead of being intimidated by the Commadant, Scorpius' features assumed a faintly amused air. "So it is true, you are the daughter of the defector, Zyloma."
"And you are the bastard child of a Scarran rapist! We each have our own parental regrets. I made peace with my mother before I killed her, can you say the same?" His angered face made her smile. "I thought not, now continue on with your mission."
"Not before I have your assurances that you will use everything at your disposal to make sure Officer Sun is in relatively prepregnancy condition once she has bore the offspring."
Mele-on thought for a moment. "You know there is no way of telling what the Human infected DNA will do to her. It is already controlling her..."
"Your word, Commadant!"
"It has already been seen to, we are developing an antigeon for the control DNA based upon the Nebari virus, and the Human DNA. We need that tech the Royals colonies are in possesion of if we are to perfect it before it is too late to administer. So each moment you waste of my time here, the further from curing her we go. Now get out of my sight before I rip you to pieces myself, saving Officer Sun the trouble!" With her last words, she cuffed the awakening Aeryn, knocking her unconscious again.
"As you wish, Grayza, but we are not finished."
"You had better hope that I am never finished with you, Commander." Her normally reserved features contorted in anger before she disappeared behind a hidden door in the wall.
Scorpius shifted the groaning Aeryn on his shoulders. "It appears I have underestimated the Commadant, my mate. She has a stronger grip on our situation then I gave her credit for, surprising me like only one other being I have ever met. How amusing that they both now share a common bond."
Chiana sat in the middle of the central chamber, the silence of the room defening. She had a decision to make, and the others were not going to be able to help her. Their opinions would do nothing but influence her to their way of thinking and that was no longer good enough. In fact they all had other reasons for being. What was that saying John had for this?
Like rats on a sinking ship!
She had seen a drawing of one before, and it reminded her of something the Kroel serve with velon sauce, it was stringy but pretty tasty.
They were acting like those proverbial rats, and Moya was the ship. Soon Moya and Pilot would be all alone again. Well that wasn't true, D'Argo planned to stay on board and remain captain. For what it was worth, she wished him all the best. Things would never be the same with-out any of the others.
Another paing of guilt hit her, she was going to abandon him like the others. But she had to do this, it was for her, she needed to grow up. That is what the others had been telling her for a long time. This time she was going to stand on her own, be her own Nebari.
"Yeah! I am an adult now, no more time for anymore childish games!" Then another thought hit her. Who was here to care? A revelation of this kind didn't mean squat if there was no one around to acknowledge it.
Crichton would say it didn't matter what other's thought, that as long as she recognized the change, it was all that mattered. But he was wrong, with-out others to acknowledge it, what was the point? Change was necissary for life, but when there was no life, there was no need. She needed others to say she did good, that she was necissary.
Life was no longer here, all the brightness, love and hope that had been left, disappeared when John died.
"No, he isn't dead!" Who was she trying to convince? "I won't accept it, he isn't dead."
Silence answered her.
He couldn't be dead, so much in the universe was empty if it was true. Stars lost their shiny and worlds went dark in the face of such things. All hezmana was turned up on its ema if it were true!
The stars were dark, her world was no longer shiny, and John Crichton was dead.
She needed to get out of there. There were too many memories! That was the only answer.
Chiana stopped in her thinking. The circling was taking her back to the same place again and again.
"It seems, you have already made your decision, pip."
Chiana looked up at the place the voice came from, expecting something, but there was nothing. "Yeah, I guess so." Standing up from the chair, she started for the door. Just as she reached it, she turned to look back in the empty chamber and smiled at the memories. "Not all of them were bad."
"There ya go!"
"I'll see you around, old man." A slight smile, and she walked out.
"Do not deny that you are a murderer, John Crichton! I know better than most the true extent of your criminal history. In fact, my brother is not the first of your many victims! He is but the first since you arrived in this part of the Universe."
John started to stand and yell back at the figment of his imagination doing a pretty good imitation of pre-Talyn Crais, but the cool, calming touch of Zhaan's hand his stopped him.
"Please, remain calm, John. He is only stating what he believes to be the truth. This does not make it so."
"Well he doesn't have to be so..."
"Convincing," Craise prompted?
"Oh, now that does it, Jack, you said I couldn't interact with him!" He turned on the glaring alien with a snarl.
"I did, but I never said that he couldn't respond to what you told either Zhaan or me with-out our intermediation. You may continue, Captain Crais." Jack smirked as John sent him death glares.
Crais smoothed the lapells of his coat with a smile. "As I was saying, John Crichton, you are a disgusting piece of murdering dren. How you can live with yourself day after day is beyond the comprehension of any decent being."
Crichton smacked Jack upside the head, which made the alien glare at him. "You had better have a damn good reason for disrupting my services."
"Oh I got one all right. How come you aint defending me? I thought you were here to help incase I had a problem with one of these guys. Well I got a problem, doc!"
He narrowed his eyes at the Human, but nodded towards Crais. "Do you have any evidence to support this claim?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Officer Aeryn Sun of Ankarian Company, KlyCzar Regement! Another of your numerous victims!"
"You lying sack of crap! I did not kill her! It was Scorpius' neurel clone..." John was silenced as he suddenly was in a poorly lit room, strapped to a reclining platform, mask over his face, and his body restrained in a strait jacket. "What in the hell?"
Zhaan walked into his view dressed in a pant's suit and short brown hair curling under at the edges. "I am sorry, John, but it was necissary. You violated the rules. Crais can no longer speak to you as is part of the agreement."
"So now what, am I supposed to call you Clariece and make sucking motions with my mouth?"
She hid a smile behind a cough. "I do not think that would be appropriate in this situation, but it appears to be one of your character's trade marks."
"Go Zhaan, finally getting one right. Now what am I supposed to do?"
"We interview another person of your choice." Suddenly the room lit up on the edges via track lighting. In front of him was an interview table, three chairs, a cassette recorder, and a wall with a door and one way mirror. "Now is the time to choose."
John shook his head from side to side getting a feel for the restraints. "How in the hell should I know who to choose?"
"I can not tell you what you do not wish to know."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you already know what is coming next, but you are unwilling to face it for what you know it means." Jack said as he entered the door, holding a case file in his hands dressed in a black suit. "Quite the history you have, John. If we had known what kind of person you really were, I doubt we would have been so trusting with our knowledge."
"Yeah, well you were the fools that placed the wormhole crap in my brain, so don't go all high and mighty now that the feline has escaped the portable cloth sack."
"Cute, very cute. May be we should just skip this and go straight to the decision." He slammed the file down on the table. "You evidently seem to be capable of making the decision on your own."
"Fine, bring it on."
"Enough, both of you, this is getting us no where. Jack, you will not antagonize him any further. John, time for you to choose..."
"He has already chosen."
Jack turned from the file on the table to look at the newcomer. "Excuse me, but do I know you? Your face looks familiar."
"I should certainly hope so, you killed me." She tilted her head a bit at the stunned gasp. "Well not exactly killed me, but you helped. You and all you represent were what actually did it." With a sigh, she half waddled, have slid across the room in the house coat and slippers. A moment, some chair shuffling, and a big heave later, her pregnant bulk was sitting in the interogation chair infront of the window. "Now where shall we begin?"
Jack shook his head to clear it. "Uh, of course, please state your full name for the record."
"My name is Aeryn Sun, Sebacean, former Peace Keeper, and lover to one John Crichton."
Her shrill scream melted the metal lock off the door as she knew it would. When the last of it fell to a puddle on the floor, she wrapped her hand in a cloth bandage made from the robe she wore. A few moments and the blood would completely stop, but right now she had other things to look at.
Jool lifted the portable light to scan the walls. There were more markings in here than any other part of the temple. She knew she was close, but was not sure of what. Things were going to get harder if she had done the translation on the scroll acurately.
Why did these priests have to make things so hard?
Her answer was always hanging in the air as she had heard it enough times, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She knew that it was important for a species to learn on their own, else risk the destruction of their entire species by one or two not mentally mature enough to handle the responciblity that went with the advancement. But that could only come with experience with the new in order to desensetize them to it. Once the newness wore off, then they could begin to grasp what they had.
These arguements had been made on her world for many thousands of years. Many had questioned the wisdom of devoting their entire race to the pursuite of knowledge. They had even gone so far as to flee the home world in search of the true path. Their true path had lead them to the Scarrans and the ultimate destruction of their entire caste.
Everyone who had paid attention knew that the Scarrans belived not only in mental strength, but physical. When the Interion coloney fleets had met the Scarrans, there was no battle, it was a slaughter. Since then, they had spent a good deal of their resources on developing a planetary based weapons grid that would destroy any ship coming even near the solar system, let alone the home world.
No, Interia was safe from outside forces, it was the people like Instructor Vella that threatened the Utopia that was her home. They were not ready for the advancements many of her people had made. Not once did they stop to question why they searched for more information and discoveries. On a world where the more you knew, the higher your social status, many didn't care.
This stopped her. Why was she searching for the answer to this riddle? Was there really something so important for her to find out?
Then she remembered a blue eyed Sebaceanoid who had similar genetic traits to her own species. He was a pretty good reason to continue the search for why they were linked, but what about the rest? Did it really matter how the priests of Arnesk kept the peace? It was done and over with, they were all here, but there was no peace to be found.
Yes, it did matter. It all mattered. A war between the two empires would destroy all her people had been doing for the past twelve thousand cycles, since the gods had left her world. She knew they weren't gods now, but back then, they had been enlightened, powerful people who could control the world around them. Of course her people were going to believe the Priests gods, and try to emulate them.
So for thirteen thousand cycles, since the priests first came to her world, they had been trying to reach the mental discipline the gods considered normal. Now she was here, and the only thing stopping her from becoming the very gods she sought, was a dark chamber. Entering the chamber, she waved the flash light around.
The walls were completely bare.
A dead end!
This couldn't be! She had checked all the markings and rechecked them for translation errors. There was no mistake, this was the heart of the temple, and yet there was nothing there. Turning to head back the way she came, she mused on how the priests only resembled the gods in body shape not features. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the slight shimmer in the door way as she walked through into a different world.
The shuttle was almost hollow inside. Jim commented that they resembled large twinkies with wings. His alien audience was not impressed, but the guards shared a chuckle. After three more attempts at making small talk, he settled back in his seat next to the Guide of the Nebari. "What is so important that your people would resolve to arming a craft like yours with such weapons?"
"I do not understand your comment."
"Your ships, there are armed to the teeth. Is life really so terrible out there that you need such weapons?"
Resoh thought for a moment then nodded. "Yes, it is necissary. There are many dangers to order, out there. We must attempt to remain ever vigilant or the chaos of other races may corrupt our own people. Those we were in purisuit of were tainted by the ideas of those others. You have seen how pathetic and dangerous they can be. It is a great shame we have not done more to help them."
Jim nodded on this, not knowing what to think. He decided he had to have more details before making a judgement call. "What exactly did they do that is so bad?"
"They are constantly outside of order. For starters they are in complete anarchy. There is no leaders to inforce the laws that are necissary for any civilization to survive. Rape and murder are common place in their groups. No, it is much safer to have order, as I am sure your own people have found out."
Jim nodded, couldn't fault that, but there was also things that Resoh was not telling him. "What else happens in these groups?"
"They call themselves Runners, for all their many skills, intelligence is not one of them. An example of their lack in that area is their recent alliance with Peace Keepers. In the past two cycle we have started to ammass a fleet in preparation of a conflict we intend to win. Their ships are no match for our own, but even a minor irritation must be delt with."
His eyes went wide as Resoh's voice stopped. "You are that sure of your technowlogy?"
"The Establishment is not one for half attempts. We will do what is necissary to ensure order is restored to the galaxy. All is for the greater good, and the greater good is all."
"So your group are a bunch of fanatical perfectionists?"
"That is one way to put it." Resoh gave him a polite smile.
"Why tell me all this?"
"We are on a mission of peace and good will. This our first contact with your species, our prime edict dictates we be open and answer all questions truthfully. It is our hope that you will accept us as your equals as we are doing the same. Hiding things from your equals is not a wise decision. It leads to distrust and the eventual brake down of all order."
Laughing, Jim shook his head at the Nebari. "Damn, you're smooth. If I didn't know any better, I would swear you were a politicean."
"We are all politiceans, no matter our position."
"Yeah, I guess, you're right. Does that mean we are all going to end up on the front page in a sex scandle in the near future?"
Resoh looked sharply at the Human. After a moment of unnerving staring and contemplation, he smiled. "Perhaps, Mr. Jim Flaningin."
"Just call me, Jim."
"Very well and thank you, Jim."
He nodded at the Nebari as he eyed him wearily. Ultra polite, these Nebari were freaks, and he couldn't wait to see how they responded to crass American Military. As he thought about it, a signal came on over head, and the shuttle started to shake from atmospheric entry. Earth, they were almost home.
All hell broke loose when D'Argo and Rygel entered Pilot's den at the same time. Chiana had known he was angry, but to actually start firing on the Hynerian was a step too far. "D'Argo!"
"Stay out of this Chiana! This is between Rygel and me." D'Argo snarled as Rygel floated up towards a higher tier. "You can't hide from me, Rygel. I can still hit you from here."
"Not if you can't see, you frelling Luxan!" Then a green liquid showered down on D'Argo.
"You pissed on me?"
"You're right, my piss is too good for you!"
D'Argo fired at the hovering throne sled, missing again. "Hold still!"
"Missed again, some warrior you are!" When a shot went past his ear, singeing the hair, he gasped. "That does it, you Bartanic Greebhol!" Turning his throne around, he aimed directly for D'Argo and accellerated downwards. "Brace yourself, and kiss your ema good bye!" As he continued downward, he dodged the blasts from the qualta blade.
Before they collided, a figure jumped in the air, snagged Rygel, throne sled and all. All three rolled as Chiana held the squirming Hynerian.
"What the yotz are you doing? I almost had him!"
She slapped him across the back of the head. "Silence, your Royal Ema. And you, D'Argo, put the weapon away. I didn't call you here so that you could play Peace Keeper Pot Shot!"
"You called me here? What could possibly be important enough to place me in the same room as his Royal Flatulance?"
Before she could respond, Pilot cleared his throat. "If you are finished, there is a ship approaching!"
"What, Pilot, what kind?"
"It is a Nebari StarRunner..."
"Prepare for immeadiet Star Burst!"
"No!" Chiana tossed the raging Hynerian at D'Argo. "Pilot ignore him."
"Consider it done." Pilot watched her intently. "They are signaling, should I relay docking instructions?"
"Yeah, tell them, Nerri will be there to greet them, and I will be ready after I say good bye."
"As you wish. We will miss you greatly."
Chiana nodded as she wiped tears. "The same to you and Moya. Give her my reguards and love." Moving closer to his console, she held out her hand to his.
"She heard you and we both wish you all the best. You always have a home here if you want it." Holding her hand, he helped her closer in to a hug. "Be well, and go with grace. Moya says to let you know how much we admire your decision."
She laughed through the tears as she pulled back. "It is not a decision I made, it is the only way for me to be able to move on."
"You are stronger than you think, and a choice like this takes greater courage than most ever aspire to."
Laughing again, Chiana backed down off his console and turned face the stunned faces of her crew mates. After a pregnant pause, she shrugged. "So now you know."
"When were you going to tell us?" D'Argo's voice expressed barely contained rage. "Were you just going to sneak off like you always do?"
"Did you not hear a thing that was said, you frelling son of a Hezmot?" Rygel floated up to his eye level, having reclaimed his throne sled. "She called us here to tell us she was leaving." Turning to face Chiana, he offered a chagrined smile. "Am I to take it this was a recent decision?"
"Yeah, I made it two solar days ago." Wiping her cheek, she walked towards him. "We, that is Nerri and me, have been discussing what I was going to do, and he offered to take me with him. In fact that is why he chased me down. They need me, me, can you believe it? Here I thought the only thing I thought I was good at was frelling, and they say they need me."
"It makes sense, you are a very good Tralk." This earned Rygel a twisted ear. "Watch it!"
"Be have then!"
"You as well."
She smiled once, kissed his brow, and let him go as he floated towards the exit. When the whirring of his sled could no longer be heard, she turned to face D'Argo. His expression was calm, but she knew he was wrestling with emotions that were threating to boil over. "D'Argo?"
He abruptly turned and stormed out of the chamber.
Wilting a little, she hid her face. "Well, this looks like good bye, see ya Pilot."
"Good bye, my friend."
Silently, she walked from the chamber and through the pulsing ship towards the waiting transport. All the way, she kept her pace as slow as possible, waiting for something. Just as she reached the entrance to the transport hangar, Sikozu dropped from the cieling behind her. "What do you want?"
"Not everything is forever, and death does not claim all. Watch the stars for your hope, and let them guide you to your heart's salvation. We are always watching, never forgetting what was thought lost and fallen to shadows."
A brillliant flash, was followed by a warm touch against the back of her neck. When she turned around, Sikozu wasn't there. It took a moment for her to put the incident from her mind, then she pushed the hangar door open. A calm expression as she faced her future.
John eased off his attempts of escape, a smile on his face. "So, Jack, looks like the me that is in control has got your goat. Tell her to please continue, I find this line of thinking extremely fascinating."
Jack glared at the Human. "I warn you, John, things are not always what they appear, nor the way we want them. You may continue Aeryn Sun."
"What am I to say?" She looked from one to another expecting an answer.
"Whatever you want. You are here for a reason, that reason is known only to you and John." Walking toward's the table, Zhaan pulled out one of the remaining chairs, and sat down. "Tell us about yourself and John."
Aeryn gave a radiant smile as she look down, a deep redness coloring her cheeks. "Well there isn't much to say. Up until two monens ago, he and I were almost enemies. It took almost losing him for me to find out that I really did love him."
Zhaan gave a pleased smile as she squeezed Aeryn's hand. "Please, go on."
"Well, there isn't much to tell about this. I had been attracted to him for nearly three cycles, but that little mattered when you live a life like we did. Danger always a constant factor, what if he and I were to get involved and I lost him in an attack? What was I to do? I decided it was best left for others, that emotions made one weak.
"When you died after giving me life, all things changed. I decided that being as wreckless as him might not be so bad after all. So little by little I started to give in to those basic urges, and I began to love. It was a foolish decision, a stupid mistake that ended in him being dead and me following close behind."
"I don't understand, how is choosing to love a mistake?"
"Things are not as easy for a former Peace Keeper as they were a Delvian, Zhaan. We are trained to resist emotion, to do only for the good of the regiment. I followed these basic instructions in my new regiment, my.... family, on Moya. I did not think it was in the best intrests of our small group if Crichton and I were together, turns out I was correct in that assumption." Aeryn adjusted her position in the chair, holding on to the base as she slid around in the seat, trying to get comfortable.
"Is something bothering you?"
"No, it's just these frelling chairs and this pregnancy. I can't seem to get comfortable no matter what position I am in."
There was a moment of pause as Aeryn once again readjusted herself.
John watched as she arranged the crimson and black maternity dress to cover her body better. "Blue, ask her about the baby and who's it is."
"Of course, John." She smiled at him then turne back to the Sebacean. "Aeryn, will you please tell us about your child, how you came to be pregnant and who the father is?"
"Yes, it was just after I got back to Moya with Stark's mask and John's ashes. I took one look at Crichton, and knew it could never happen again. It was only a matter of time before I either killed myself or fled from this duplicate of the man I had loved. When he came up with the suicidal plan, it seemed like a dream come true. A way to prevent the Peace Keepers from aquiring worm hole technowlogy, and earn an honorable death to be with John for all eternity like he promised." She sighed as she shook her head. "Only things didn't work out the way I planned it."
"Crichton was too good at his job. We destroyed the Peace Keeper Command Carrier, but I did not get the death I wanted. Crais was the one who took it. When I found out what they had planned, I couldn't let all those people die, they had been my family for over twenty cycles. We planned to warn them, but I lost my chance to be with John. In my desperate moment of grief, I found the only solice I could.
"He came to me in the middle of the gardens. I had been watching the children play in the grasses, and in that moment wondered what it would be like to have one. Having observed me, he deduced what I wanted, and made me an offer. Said I could have the child I wanted, we wanted.
"At first I was absolutely against it. He said there were things I didn't understand, that if I gave him a moment and listened, I would see the truth. He was very persuasive. Even as he explained the reasons for him wanting a child, and not being able to find a suitable mate, I was still firmly against any such unions. Then he told me something that changed my whole out look on things. I was not the only one he wanted a child with."
There was shocked stillness as all eyes were on Aeryn.
"You see, his ideal mate was not of my species or any other he had been able to find. As a Hybrid, he was unable to mate with being outside of another hybrid such as he. That is until he met a certain being from a species, here to now, were completely unheard of. When Scorpius told this to me, I was aghast that he would even involve me in a plot to mix his DNA with my deceased lover's."
The muzzle tightened over John's mouth so that he couldn't speak but a muffled angry growl. Jack's grinning visage came in to view over his face. "Wouldn't want to interupt when it was just getting good, now would we?"
"Aeryn, please continue."
"As I was saying, I was appalled at Scorpius wanting to use me or Crichton in such a way. But he explained it was me he wanted, he had admired me from afar. Said I had more strength or courage than any other he had seen. I realized then and now that it was only cheap flattery, but when you were as desperately lonely as I was, it is the best thing in the world. It opened the door for the possibility.
"What he explained next was what he had been hinting at before. It was more than just John he wanted, it was his adaptability, his resourcefulness, his ability to regulate heat. John had been tested by the Royals and was able to achieve a universal reproductive status. Simply put, he was the DNA equivlant of translator Microbes. If he was able to mix these things from John's DNA with ours, the child we could create would be the future of our species, one that could breed with any other to achive the desired genetic traits. I knew this was not something of his divination, that such a plan and knoweledge of genetics was not his field of expertise. Turns out I was right.
"The Commandant had offered him and me this deal, as a back up plan if his worm hole project failed to give results. As a former Peace Keeper, it seemed like the ideal solution. I would get my commition back, my fugitive status would be revoked, there would be a purpose for being; a greater purpose, and I would have the child of my John. This was all offered to me, if I would just allow Scorpius to be the other father."
She gave a short bark of a laugh. "Of course I accepted, and this part of my existance ceased to be. He had offered me heaven on a silver platter, as John would say. So I made a deal with the Devil, and signed over my soul for a ruling position in hell. It turns out there are worse things, like having to face going back to a ship with my dead lover's double. Impregnation happened the night before we destroyed the Command Carrier. I left three solar days later when I confirmed I was with child.
"As was part of the deal, I returned to Peace Keeper controled territory in order to over see the first part of the pregnancy. Mele-on had no samples of the necissary DNA from Crichton, so I had to return to Moya. A story was concocted where I had played the part of an assasin for the half cycle I was to be away. But while I was off creating my cover story, I was infected with a biological agent, and Mele-on was playing with my lover's duplicate. Of course when I learned of this, I rushed immeadietly to Arnesk. He was in bad shape, and I wasn't much better off, so when we recieved word from Moya, it was just in time. In all this, I grew fond of the Scarran Hybrid, and the child he has given me, but I can feel nothing more. Thus, I am dead."
"And how did I do this?"
"You came to us, just when I was finally accepting my reality, you had to come and frell it all to Hezmana. Because you couldn't complete the device by yourself, you trusted that bitch of a delmac, Furlow, and got killed. That left my John to complete it, and ultimately die because of it. You just couldn't leave well enough alone. Given time, he and I could have worked things out if you had never put that worm hole knoweledge in his head."
Jack looked thoughtful, then nodded. "Granted, we know this now, but what was done is done, and can't be undone."
"That doesn't make you any less guilty!"
"We are not here to settle old scores, Ms. Sun."
"Oh but I am, this may be the only chance I got. If I can never be with my John, I will at least make you suffer as much as I have."
"I assure you," he looked over at John. "I have. More than you know."
Aeryn sat back, her arms crossed and settled on her stomach. "Oh, please enlighten me."
"For the past cycle and a half, I have been attached to the conscious of your lover's double. Every mind numbing microt of his petty needs and whiny thoughts, I have experienced. You have no idea how much that.... that... APE, fantasizes about sex! And the many perversions of phalic objects!"
"Sex is not necissarily a bad thing..."
"It is when your species find such thoughts and ways of reproduction abhorrent!"
Aeryn put her feet up on the interogation table, crossing her ankles as she smiled at him. "We actually find it quite pleasurable. It suits as a favorable punishment for you. What else goes on in that brain of his?"
"Endless thoughts, everything and nothing! His mind is total chaos, it is not that he is strong enough to resist mind torture, he is just too ignorant to be interogated!"
"That is quite enough!" Zhaan was standing between the two, her eyes red in anger. "You will desist in this behavior at once, or I will personally see that any hell you invisioned while in his mind, is a pleasurable paradise! Do I make myself clear?"
Glaring at his counter part, Jack nodded and turned away from the smug Aeryn.
"Now Aeryn, is there anything else of importance that you wish to tell us?"
"Only that what we shared, even for that little while, was real. I did love one John Crichton, but not two. When one died, all possibilities for happiness went with him."
The room suddenly went dark, and John was standing alone. A small light came on over head, illuminating Aeryn. John gave a shy smile as he reached out for her. When she backed away, he let his hand drop. "Was there ever a chance for us, that you could have loved me?"
"I'm sor..." Then she was gone, replaced by a statue of a Nebari female.
"Strike two, John."
John turned about, his face contorted in confusion. "Zhaan, what in hell is going on here?"
She was dressed as a Nebari Guide, white hair in perfect Chiana fashion. They were standing in the middle of a silver room, the floor and walls polished sterling, and characters carved in them. Moving closer to him, she pulled a familiar weapon out of her sash, and aimed it at him. "I am sorry, John, but you have broken the rules again. You must be punished in accordance with our laws, for the greater good."
As he started to back up, he ran into a wall that opened nearly letting him fall out. He turned to face a city of silver, bathed in blue light. "What the hell..." A hiss, and he fell to his knees from the energy blast. Twitching from the pain, he saw as Zhaan came in to view, he blue skin in contrast with her white hair and gray-black uniform.
"Welcome to Nebari Prime, John. The place of your final review. Due to your body's continued decline and Jack's recent bahavior, we have decided to let you handle this one on your own. I will be here if you need something." She pulled back, letting him get a look at his reflection in the ceiling.
"Ah hell!" His Nebari pigments stared back at him from the ceiling.
"Not actually. I prefer to call it, the Ghost of Nebari Prime Past. This is the way it looked before the Establishment took over." The awe in the voice made him seem breathless. "It was magnificent. I only saw it in the shared memories of others, a neat trick a Solusian taught us. With the right tech, you can share the memories of all linked to the system, and even store them on data crystals. Ah, but all that is gone now, no regrets and all that."
John couldn't believe it, this was impossible. When the shadow traveled over him as the person came closer, his eyes started to tear up.
"What is the matter, Julon?"
"M'Lan," John croaked out?
"What is it, have I sprouted Tinkas like a Luxan?" M'Lan looked up at the ceiling, and shook his head. "Nope, no Tinkas, and I don't feel the urge to kill something with my bare hands, so it can't be that." When John didn't laugh, he looked back at the man laying on the floor. "Well are you just going to stay there all day while I do the talking? Now that is just plain rude, and some how, so typical."
John could only nod, still too weak to do much more from the energy blast.
The Avarian sat on his stool with a sigh. Things were going too fast for him to accept them to be natural. Aeryn's pregnancy was excellerated to the point that he was considering cryonic storage if things got any worse. A normal Sebacean pregnancy was six monens of growth, while a Scarran pregnancy was up to fifteen. Her growth periods, if allowd to progress normally, would only add up to two monens. That could very well kill all three of them.
To make matters worse, the Commandant had decided that because of the excelleration, both him and Aeryn would accompany Scorpius on the raid of the Royal Planet. This was very distressing, he was not a fighter or a field medic. He was a doctor, he had a normal practice back on the medical planet, or he had until those aliens had destroyed it. Then those pain in the ema Peace Keepers had abducted him. Now they were forcing him into a battle situation. Most very distressing!
Running his fingers against each other in a contemplative manner, he sighed. Somethings just couldn't be helped. He needed to figure out a way to stay alive. People on this project had a bad tendency to develop a case of sudden and mysterious death. As long as he continued to keep the Sebacean woman alive, then the Commandant wouldn't kill him, but that was no protection against those other aliens.
He stopped thinking and figiting. You never knew what an unknown alien could do, so he had to be careful to guard his thoughts, just in case. Had to start thinking about something else.
Officer Sun.
Yes, the Peace Keeper female was something of an enigma physically. Her body was a Sebacean, yet she could tolerate the heat the child inside her body produced. This was not as surprising as it was mysterious. Scorpius' mother had survived his pregnancy, but not the birth. From what he had learned from the Scarran Hybrid, she barely did that. The data on the pregnancy was very thorough, he would expect nothing less from the Scarrans. Officer Sun did not match any of the criteria in the warnings signs that she might die or miscarry.
In fact, she was in perfect health, as if her species did this sort of thing all the time.
Then a thought occured to him. Sebeceans, for all their Peace Keeper blood lines, had the highest hybrid rates in the known galaxy. They had been breeding for a certain goal for thousands of cycles, and no one knew why. May be this was what they have been attempting to accomplish. It would be a truly monumental effort if it were so.
That asked more questions. What exactly had they been attempting to create? What was the planned, and what was the side effect? Who had started the project? Why do it in the first place? Was there more than one hoped for outcome?
These and more came to mind faster than he could explore the evidence to come up with an answer. There was only one thing he could do, he had to ask Mele-on if she knew. So much depended on the answers only she could give.
He began to wonder how best to approach her. If he did it wrong, she might kill him out of spite. Then again she might kill him for discovering the secret out in the first place.
What if that is why all those other specimens had been killed? Someone did not want the Sebacean secret to come out? Then that would mean Mele-on had no idea about it. So he was going to die either way! He had no choice but to ask her, at least that way he might have a chance of at least surviving the Peace Keepers. But that left the unknown aliens still.