Title: A Small Change.

Author:  Phil              Email: phil_fic@yahoo.co.uk

Archiving:  Yeah, great, do it, pls send me a URL as I’m still finding my way around.

Rating:  About an R I guess. (I’m not sure exactly how the US system works, put it this way – it’s not for kids)

Category:  Bit PWP, Romance and Alternative.

Spoilers:  Anything up to and including LATP part 1 is fair game.

Notes:  This is a story from John's POV, based just after the first few scenes from LATP pt. 1.  In a slight change of history, John managed to keep himself and Rygel out of sight when the others were talking to Tyno.  Hence they didn't receive permission to land, and all the events that transpired afterwards, never did (I hated the John/Disrupter Bint "love" scene anyway – was there a point to it?).  Instead, Moya left the System as requested and they have resumed their journey through the uncharted territories. 

This is my first fic (although I don’t think they’ll be many), thanks to all the great writers out there who helped inspire me, especially Susan Christ and Jigs.  And BBC – hurry up and show the rest of season 2!

Beta Reading: Big thanks + kudos to Quilt Lady for all her help.

Disclaimers:  all the usual, Farscape characters/events etc all belong to their respective owners Sci-fi Channel, Network 9, Hallmark, Henson etc.

Feedback:  Interested to hear any comments, praise, constructive criticism -  especially praise J

Now that we've put some distance between ourselves and those strange breakaway Sebacean colonies, I can finally gather my thoughts about another strange Sebacean who's been causing me some headaches.  Human women have always been something of a mystery to me, but Aeryn really takes the proverbial biscuit.  She can turn from a beautiful, passionate women, into a cold, heartless machine in a fraction of a microt.  One wrong action, expression or word, the defences go up and the temperature in the room falls like an avalanche.  That’s if you're lucky enough to catch her in a good mood in the first place.

I continue my slow walk towards the maintenance bay, I'm not really in the mood to do very much work on Farscape One, but I've got to take my mind off what happened two days ago…

Aeryn had approached me with an offer to give me further training on my combat piloting skills.  I'd gladly accepted both the training and the chance to spend some time with her, one on one.

Aeryn hadn't shown up for breakfast on the appointed morning, and Chiana had followed me despite my best efforts to get rid of her.  I don’t really get what her deal is; she seems to be trying to chase every man (and I use the term loosely when it comes to Rygel) on board and takes delight in making me uncomfortable in front of Aeryn. 

Anyway, there I was trying to avoid Chiana's attentions, when Aeryn walks in. From my staring I’d noticed that she'd obviously just got out of the shower, and was wearing that lovely dark hair down, just the way I like it.  Sensing that everything wasn’t quite right, my now resident rattlers had started in my chest.  Aeryn was as nonchalant as usual though, and wanted to begin.

I climbed into Farscape One behind her, with my nerves still a little on edge.  Aeryn started talking me through some evasive manoeuvres to pull when you have someone on your tail.   There was a faint smell in the cockpit that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, kind of like perfume.  Aeryn kept talking, but I was getting quite distracted, I applied some self-control and focused on what she was saying:

"You pull into the roll, it's counter-intuitive at first, but radically increases your distance from the enemy."

"Aeryn, my module is a research craft, it's not built for hairpin manoeuvres,” I answered.

"Would you like" she paused and put my hand on the right side controls along with hers "to learn how to do this, or are you happy to continually display your ineptitude" she retorted.

"My ineptitude?" I answered as she turned to look at me "You mean my improvisation, that kind of bails your sorry...I'm sorry, I'm sorry" I stuttered as I got an extra strong dose of that exotic scent.  "What is that smell" I uttered, as I buried my face in her hair.

"What?"

"It's your hair, it smells..." I answered as I went back for more.

"Zhann gave me something"

"Alright, it smells good, I like it"

"Well it's not for you to like" as she turned back to face me, but I noticed that the usual defences weren't up.

I decided to push further: "So, what’s it for?"

"For me to like," she almost teased.

Gazing into her eyes, her pupils were large from the relative darkness: "You don't like, that I like?"

Our faces were barely inches apart now, but she regained some of her composure: "Personal indulgences can fracture a small crew" she quoted, as if from a peacekeeper field manual.

"Then, I would never tell them, that you scented your hair" I replied in a throaty whisper.

We both paused for a moment, and looked at each other.  My heart seemed to stop, and time felt like it slowed down as she inched closer to my face, closing her eyes and opening her mouth.  I felt her lips touch my own briefly, then I opened my eyes, as she pulled back, blinked and came back in.  This time there was no disguising her passion; she pressed herself hard against me, wrapping her arm round me as I tried to grasp her to me.  She meant the kiss too, immediately opening her mouth, and when I reciprocated I felt her tongue diving into me.  It was if the past cycle and a half of pent up sexual tension between us was released in that moment, and I completely lost myself in her.  For what seemed like a lifetime, and a fraction of a microt, both at the same time, it felt like everything was right with the universe.  Our situation, Scorpius, Crais, all faded into obscurity.  There was only Aeryn and I.

Then, it happened. "NO....no" she exclaimed as she pulled away from me, jolting me back to reality.  She hit the emergency release and the top of the module flew off and hit the ceiling.  In frustration I said "Aeryn, Aeryn No", she ignored me and climbed out:

"No, NO...I will NOT be a SLAVE to YOUR hormones,” she said angrily as she strode towards the exit.  This time I'd had enough, if she had deliberately set out to hurt me, she couldn't have done a better job. 

"HEY, I was lips YOU were tongue" I shouted as I followed her.  This really set her off and she tried to hit me with a wild swing, I saw it coming and blocked it, grabbing her roughly and shoving her against the wall.  She looked shocked and hurt, I didn't care at that moment:

"Why did you do your hair? Huh?" I growled at her.

She sounded submissive: "To see if you'd notice".

I took my hands off her shoulders and leaned against the wall, trapping her in.  "Standing at attention,” I replied.

An angry look on her face, she stared right into my eyes: "I'll tell Zhann you find her oils pleasing". 

This really cut deep, but I wasn't to be denied: "It's you I find pleasing".

At this, she ducked under my arm and stormed off down the corridor.  My last ditch gambit had failed and my anger faded into hurt.  Chiana took this opportunity: 

"If you want my advice..."

"Not particularly"

"That makes me want to give it to you even more" she teased.

I wasn't in the mood to listen to her and walked over to the Farscape Module.

"There's too much pressure, she's scared of the future."

This made sense, but I ignored her and started tinkering with the controls on Farscape.

"So why not just live in the moment,” she continued.

"You come up with that yourself?" I retorted sarcastically.

Grabbing my waist from behind, she ground her hips into my back: "Fast with the body, slow with the soul...maybe you should find someone like that"

The thought had lingered in my head for a moment; it would serve Aeryn right if I did do something like that.  I felt too angry and upset to do anything at that moment though.  Luckily Pilot interrupted:

"Commander Crichton, Chiana, please join the others in Command at once."

Some remote satellites from a nearby Sebacean colony had targeted us.  Luckily, I'd managed to keep Sparky quiet long enough for us to talk our way out of trouble.

I had spent the rest of the day re-attaching the top to the module, and lost in my own thoughts.  The now familiar routine of Aeryn avoiding me after any kind of intimate conversation or contact was back and stronger than ever.  I've been going over and over the whole thing again in my mind since then, trying to make some sense of it.

I enter the maintenance bay, and its familiar smell, kind of like a Mechanic's Garage back on Earth.   I start gathering up some tools, rather unenthusiastically I must admit.  What was the deal with her anyway?  It had occurred to me that her military training had shown through, it was like she'd planned to ambush me, a trap, with her as bait. Yeah, she'd arranged the lesson, not eaten breakfast so she'd have time to prepare herself, and the scent.  Yes the scent, it smelled like perfume, and she'd got it from Zhann.  Zhann...I dropped the calibrator I was half-heartedly using and almost ran out of the bay.

"Pilot, where's Zhann?"

"Zhann is currently in the pharmacy Commander Crichton."

Ah fantastic, at the scene of the crime too.  I run most of the way there, but slow down to a walk in time to arrive without appearing breathless. 

"Hey Blue. What’s up?" I ask as I enter the pharmacy.

"Oh, hello John" Zhann answers with her typical friendliness as she flashes me a smile.  "What can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing much really, just thought I'd stop by.  What are you working on there?" I ask as casually as possible.

Stirring some mushy looking green goo in a bowl, she answers: "Just a gentle balm to help with one of Rygel's bodily complaints"

"Oh right, have you been working on anything else interesting recently?"

"Well Chiana had me make up some mild aphrodisiacs yesterday, I didn't dare ask what they were for."

"There been a run on aphrodisiacs lately?"  Again I attempted to sound casual.

"Well yes..." she began, before pausing and examining my face "...anything, or *anyone* in particular John?" she added suggestively.

"Ok, Ok" I admit, before asking directly: "What did you make for Aeryn?"

"It had the desired effect then?" she answered with a question.

"Well I wouldn’t say that exactly"

"John, you must talk to her, you two obviously..." she said before I cut her off:

"I know, I know, but she's the Ice Maiden whenever I try"

Ignoring yet another Crichtonism, she said "John, just try, go and try now" she gently insisted.

She was right; I smiled at her, turned and left. 

After looking on the terrace, and in command, I decided to try her quarters.  I approached with some trepidation, my rattlers kicking in once again.  "Hey Aeryn, you there?" I shouted through the door, trying to sound cheery. 

"What is it Crichton?" she replied with a mixture of irritation and curiosity.

"Can I come in?"

The doors slid open as she pressed the button from the other side.  I walked in cautiously: "So what you up to Aeryn?” it sounded lame as soon as I said it. 

"Well I was cleaning my quarters before I was interrupted by you" she replied bluntly. 

"I'm sorry, Aeryn," I replied, trying to catch her eye: "I think I need to talk though".

"Well that would usual for you, talk, talk, talk." she said as she picked up a few loose clothes from the floor, avoiding my gaze.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her round to face me, "You don’t need to say anything Aeryn, just hear me out."

I had her attention now.  "Well I thought I better try to clarify my view of the situation here.  If you hadn't realised it yet, I'm very.... attracted to you"

She started to interrupt, but I continued:  "Now I can put down what happened in the Flax, and on the False Earth to some physical attraction and the intensity of the situations, but what happened the other day, you planned it."

I was about to continue when she interrupted, "PLANNED IT!?!  I've never heard anything more frelling stupid in my life!" she shouted.  "Just because YOU couldn't control your MALE urges and felt the need to SLOBBER all over my face..." she continued.

"Fine" I say calmly, "You know where I am if you want me."

I turn to leave as she looks away at the wall.  I take a few steps towards the door and feel her gaze on my back, but I keep walking and resist the urge to look back.

Things were pretty quiet after that, Zhann picked up that it hadn't all gone as planned and gave me some space.  I made my excuses at dinner and went to bed early.  As I lay there in my quarters I let my mind wander, trying to path all the things that had happened since I'd arrived in this god-forsaken side of the universe.  Maybe I've been wrong about Aeryn, I might be trying to apply human motives and feelings to her, but she is after all, an alien, no matter how similar we are in physiology.  I had been so sure too, after all that had happened. 

I tried to stop thinking and go to sleep, I could get really depressed if I thought of Aeryn's rejection on top of all the other dren that is my life out here.  I turned over again to face the wall, digging my head into my pillow in an attempt to settle down.  It wasn't working.

Suddenly I hear the noise of the doors sliding open behind me.  I groggily turn to face it, only to feel suddenly more awake.  Aeryn is standing there in one of those full-length black leather PK issue coats, all zipped up.  "Where are you going?" I ask her.  She doesn't answer, looking intently at me, I notice she looks a little nervous and apprehensive, not emotions I usually associate with her.  My eyes widen as she slides the zip down, and drop the coat onto the floor.  She's wearing nothing but a set of small, black underwear, which I'm pretty sure aren't standard PK issue (well, not if they want to keep the birth rate down). I lie there and swallow, realising I haven't breathed for several seconds.  She advances towards me slowly, looking intently into my eyes, cold fire in hers; I look her up and down and the space in my calvins decreases rapidly.

Still looking slightly nervous, she pulls back the covers and joins me in my bed.  I lie, still dumbstruck, as she advances to lay on top of me, with her legs either side of mine.  I'm cautious, the deeply ingrained memory of the night on the False Earth makes it hard to suppress my excitement, but I know I have to let her take control, feel in control, or she'll run.  Still wordless, she leans down and gently kisses me on the lips.  I try to return the kiss just enough to make her know I wanted it.  Reassured, she continues, again kissing me softly.

Every fibre of masculinity in me is telling me to roll her over and ignite the passion that’s starting to smoulder within me, but I have to let her feel comfortable with this.  Luckily, over the next few minutes she begins to raise the stakes, kissing me more deeply and allowing her hands to roam about my upper body.  I gladly reciprocate, stroking her soft, well-defined legs and kissing with more passion. 

She breaks off, and for a moment my mind screams as I wait for that word...no...I close my eyes and wait for the inevitable, only to feel the wetness of her tongue on my chest, gently working her way around.  I signal my relief out loud, she takes it as a sign of pleasure and continues, and it does feel good.  I draw her back up to me and start kissing her neck, working small circlets around her more sensitive spots.  She sighs her approval and reaches behind herself to undo her bra, releasing her firm breasts onto my chest.  By mutual agreement we start kissing on the lips again, this time opening up to allow full access to each other.  She rubs her breasts on my chest as she grinds her hips into me, only two thin layers of material between us.  

I can't contain myself anymore and roll her over close to the wall, putting myself on top.  She seemed far too intent on making a mental map of my body to mind and I allowed myself to start releasing some of the growing urges I had within me.  Taking her breasts in my hands, I savoured them, remembering our night on "Earth" when I had held her before.  I moved my head down to them, teasing each of her nipples in turn with my mouth.  She seems to approve and I got a few heavy breaths from her full, red lips.  Moving back up to her mouth, I noticed her beautiful dark hair spread on the golden pillow.  Our hands are everywhere now, as we start reaching into each other's underwear.

I get lost in the sweet scent of her and the passion between us.  My mind comes down from the stars again as I notice her become rougher with me.  Obviously Sebacean women begin to get turned a little quicker than Human women, or maybe its just Aeryn.  Maybe feeling frustrated, she's practically trying to rip my calvins off, and since they're my only remaining pair, I figure I better take them off, no other reason of course.  She stops kissing me again for a second, and my heart skips a beat, but she just looks up at me, the coldness gone, the fire remaining.  Her underwear swiftly joins mine on the floor by the bed, and she spreads her legs beneath me, inviting me in.

Those hormones of mine that she claims she dislikes so much now come to her aid, as I gently enter her, looking her straight in the eyes.  Soon we're moving in tandem, and I quickly find myself having difficulty staying in control.  She's moving beneath me, breathing deeply and letting the occasional gasp of pleasure escape.  I try to re-establish my self-control; I'm determined to burn the memory of this night into her, like she burned that night on "Earth" into me.

I'm fighting a losing battle though, and soon enough, I can't hold back anymore, her internal muscles squeezing against my length tightly.  I release as she saps any remaining control I had, I can’t hold back:

"Oh god Aeryn" I moan.

"Oh god yes!”

I put in a few last thrusts as the pleasure overwhelms me, just when I think I might have failed, she shudders underneath me.  I force myself to put in a few final hip movements as she squirms in pleasure, finally giving in:

"Oh John....John.......oh John!" she groans between heavy, laboured breaths.

I finally collapse onto her, completely spent.  After a few microts we begin to recover, and gently kiss.  I withdraw and roll off to the side of her, putting my arm on her waist as I do so.  She looks relaxed and content, and I pull her close to me.  She leans her head on mine as we lie there in harmony. 

I can feel sleep pulling at me, but I don't want this to end, don't want another difficult wake up.  She moves to get up, I'm surprised and ask her in a whisper: "Where are you going?"

"Back to my quarters" she whispers back.

I'm very disappointed and it must have shown in my eyes.

"What’s wrong?" she asks.

"Why are you going?"

"In the peace keepers I never stayed the whole night, what’s the point being cramped when males can't have sex again for twenty-four hours?"

"Didn't you ever just want to lie with them, sleep in their arms?" I ask.

"Well maybe sometimes" she answered honestly.

"Stay with me Aeryn" I say with heartfelt emotion.

"Ok John, if it's what you want.  Though this is an unusual request for a male,” she sounded a little confused.

I gladly welcomed her back into my bed, taking her in my arms.

"Where I come from, you stay the whole night if you mean it." I whispered reassuringly.

"So you meant it?" She asked trying to sound casual.

"Yeah....I meant it Aeryn."

With that she held me closer, and closed her eyes contentedly. 

My voice barely a mischievous whisper: "Oh and Aeryn, Human males don't follow that twenty-four hour thang." 

I saw her smile, her eyes still closed, I settled down as well, watching her now peaceful face.

Thirty microts passed, it seemed like more, she whispered: "I'll hold you to that in the morning then..." and giggled softly.

I kissed her on the forehead, as I held her in my arms. 

Maybe this part of the universe wasn't so bad......

FIN.