"No, Sunshine. Earth may be my home world, but it’s not my home anymore. My place is with you. Wherever that may take us."

"You thought I was going to leave you? You thought I could leave you? Aeryn, Sunshine, you are my life. When we joined, I promised I’d never leave you. I promised to cherish you forever and I will never, NEVER, break that promise."

He pulled her face close to his and kissed her deeply.

The next morning, the entire crew of Moya was gathered in the mess hall. John and Aeryn sat on one side of the table; D’Argo, Rygel, Zhaan and Chiana on the other.

"Have you lost your mind, Crichton?" Rygel exploded. "Don’t you remember what happened when you went to the false Earth?"

"Of course I do. That’s why none of you are coming. No matter what. Aeryn’s agreed to take me down, drop me off and come get me when I call for her."

"You’re encouraging this insanity?" D’Argo raged at her.

"Calm down D’Argo. Crichton should go."

All eyes turned toward Chiana as she spoke. She rarely interfered when D’Argo and Crichton were arguing, knowing they would likely turn on her. That she had chosen this moment to speak up surprised them all.

"How many of us, given a similar opportunity wouldn’t jump at it, just as Crichton is?" she continued calmly.

They were alone in their quarters about an arn later. Aeryn stood near the view port watching John gather a few things – his recorder, a change of clothes and a holo-image of them from their Joining. Even though he said he wasn’t staying, she was frightened.

"Hey, Sunshine. Where were you?" John’s voice broke through her jumbled thoughts.

"John, I ..." she turned away from him to look out the viewport. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He crossed the room to where she stood. Standing close behind her, he gently put his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. She laid her arms over his and leaned into his embrace.

"What’s wrong? I thought we talked this all out last night."

She inhaled deeply and slowly let the breath out before saying, "I thought we did too. But..." She hesitated, fighting back the tears that had suddenly welled up in her eyes. She tried blinking them away, but that just caused them to spill over.

As she struggled to regain control, John turned her around to face him. Placing his hand gently under her chin, he tilted her face up toward his. When he saw her damp cheeks, he let his hand drift upward to brush her tears away. She looked up to meet his questioning gaze. His tenderness only fueled her emotions and her silent tears suddenly turned into deep sobs.

"Aeryn, Sunshine. what’s wrong?" He pulled her close and she buried her face in his chest. He could feel her tears soaking his t-shirt as her sobbing eased a little. "Shh ... shh ... shh ... It’s okay. Whatever it is, we can talk about it." he said, softly, comforting her as he would a little girl.

"That’s ... just ... it..." she choked out between sobs "... I ... don’t know ... what’s ... wrong." she struggled to control her sobs, inhaling deeply as John gently rubbed her back.

When at last she regained control, she pushed away from him slightly, lifting her head to look him in the eyes again, a slightly embarrassed grin on her face. "I’m sorry, John," she whispered, still unsure of her voice.

"It’s okay, Sunshine." he said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Seeing the twinkle in his eyes, she said, "Don’t you you dare laugh at me" and swatted playfully at his shoulder, a giggle starting to bubble up. With her emotions so raw, she knew if she started to laugh, she might lose control again. Instead she fought the laughter back, pulling John close and kissing him. He responded to her surprising passion with an equally passionate kiss.

An arn later, they lay intertwined, covered in the golden sheet John had hastily pulled from their bed. Considering their shipmates’ penchant for walking into their room without knocking, he’d felt discretion might be a good idea. Emotionally drained by all that had happened, Aeryn was sleeping in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. With his free arm, he reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She looked so at peace now, so different from just an arn earlier.

He looked down at her peaceful face again just as she stirred. As her eyes opened, a smile spread across her face. She reached up and kissed him gently on the cheek and whispered, "Thank you."

"So, you wanna tell me what that was all about?" John asked as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and started tucking it into his pants.

"I’m not sure." she replied quietly.

"You’re not sure you want to tell me?" he said, surprise in his voice.

"No. I’m not sure why it happened. I know we talked about you going to Earth to visit your father. But I have a bad feeling about this. Nothing I can point to, just a bad feeling."

"Do you want me to stay here?" he asked, turning to look her in the eye.

"I can’t ask you to do that."

Yes. You can. If you don’t want me to go, I won’t."

"John, I will not ask you to give up this chance. I’ll be okay. Maybe it’s just this bump on the head, knocked me a little farbot."

"Crichton, we have arrived at the optimal coordinates for your jaunt to Earth." D’Argo said as he strode into their quarters unannounced.

"D’Argo," John said, turning to face this big Luxan who had become his friend , "You have got to start knocking, man."

"I tried to contact you through the comms, but you did not respond so I came in person." As he spoke, he glanced toward Aeryn who was hastily pulling one of John’s t-shirts on. She blushed as understanding dawned in his eyes. Even though they’d been married for nearly three cycles, she was still a little embarrassed when one of the others caught them in an intimate moment. D’Argo ducked his head and turned back toward John who gave him a "did you learn your lesson?" look.

"I’ll, uh ... I’ll go prepare your Prowler." he said, his discomfort evident in his tone.

"No. I’ll go." Aeryn replied, now fully clothed, her Peacekeeper training engaging to cover the awkwardness of the moment. She hurried out the door toward the hangar, hoping that keeping herself busy with something as routine as pre-flighting her Prowler would keep her mind off her fears.

John retrieved the few things he was taking and headed out the door after her.

"Crichton. Wait." D’Argo called, then followed him into the corridor. "Give her some time to herself. She looks like she could use it."

"When did you get to be so perceptive?" John asked, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"I believe Zhaan’s influence is to be credited. And I was married once." he replied seriously. "John, you have become a friend and an ally. I count it a privilege to have known you."

"Whoa. Big guy, I’m comin’ back."

"Good." he smiled in reply, then turned and strode toward the hangar leaving John alone in the corridor.

Having realized his destiny lay back where they’d started, John turned and hurried to the hangar deck. When he arrived, the other members of Moya’s crew were all there, waiting to say goodbye. He shook hands with each of them, then joined Aeryn in the Prowler.

As she closed the canopy, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Let’s get this show on the road Sunshine." She looked over her shoulder and flashed him one of those radiant smiles that so often left him weak in the knees.

An arn later, Earth’s moon was quickly filling the horizon. "You’ve been awfully quiet John. What’s on your mind?"

"Just thinking. You have no idea how long I dreamed about travelling this sector of space. I never actually thought I’d be here."

"I’m glad I could make your dreams come true." she said, a smile playing across her features. She slowed the Prowler as they approached the moon. "Okay, we should be at Earth within a quarter arn. what’s your plan?"

"Go in fast and low to evade their radar."

A quarter arn later, the Prowler streaked through the night sky over the New Mexico desert. Aeryn set the ship down near what appeared to be a small community and raised the canopy. John leaned forward and kissed her lightly then jumped to the ground.

"This’ll have to be fast; those fighters we left in the dust will be here any minute. You’ll need to be on your way to back to Moya before they catch up. Keep your comms open. As soon as I talk to my dad, I’ll contact you and we can go home."

"Be careful John. Things may have changed a lot since you left."

"I will Sunshine. I love you." He pounded the side of the Prowler, "Now go." he said, as he backed away from the ship. She lowered the canopy and began lifting off just as the two jets that had been trailing them swooped in from above. She smiled at him, swung the Prowler around and streaked past the fighters. He could hear her laughing over his comms.

As he watched her disappear into the night sky, a feeling of loneliness swept over him. He shook it off and headed toward the lights ahead. They had picked this spot to land because it was isolated, but now he was beginning to regret that decision. He had a long hike ahead of him and he could only hope there was a place he could make a phone call. Of course, he’d have to find a way to get some cash to use a pay phone.

That, he realized, as he walked could be a problem. It wasn’t like he had much he could pawn – nothing actually – so that option was out. Well, he wasn’t above doing a little manual labor to earn a few bucks.

John reached the edge of town as the sun was rising. He paused to look around and get his bearings. It’d be so much easier if he were on a Commerce Planet, he thought. There was a small diner just ahead; maybe he could get some information there. He at least needed to know where he was.

As he pushed open the door to the diner, the aroma of fresh brewed coffee assaulted his nostrils. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed that smell until now. He’d have to find a way to bring some coffee back to Moya ... coffee and a beer or two. He could feel his mouth starting to water as he took a seat at the counter. Man, he’d have to get some money, and soon.

The lone waitress walked up casually, coffee pot in hand, "What can I getcha?"

"Just some information; I’m afraid I’m all tapped out." he explained apologetically.

"Hey, been there myself a time or two. Here," she said as she placed a cup in front of him and started pouring, "this one’s on me. Whadda ya wanna know?"

"Thanks." he replied, cradling the warm cup in his hands and inhaling its aroma deeply, "Any work around here I could get? I need a little cash."

"Been travelling a while, have ya?"

"Yeah, about five years. Any ideas about a job," he persisted, not wanting to reveal too much. "Doesn’t have to be much, just enough to get by for a few days."

She looked slightly disappointed that he didn’t seem to want to talk, but offered, "Well, one of the local growers is hiring some pickers. Cash only. Pays daily."

"Great. How do I find this grower."

She gave him the directions while he finished his coffee. As he stood to leave, she handed him a bag with a sandwich and a bottle of water. "You’ll need it later." she explained.

"I can’t pay you for this." he said, embarrassment flooding through him.

"Pass it on."

"Hunh?"

"Pass it on. When you see someone who needs help, pass it on."

He chucked to himself as he headed out the door. Boy did that sound familiar.

It was well after dark when he walked into town again. He headed straight for the phone booth he’d seen that morning. He stepped in, pushed the door closed and lifted the receiver. As he did, he noticed his hand was shaking. He was so close ... so very close to what he’d dreamed of these past five cycles ... years.

He dialed his dad’s phone number and waited for the connection to go through.

"Hello."

John’s knees buckled and he leaned against the glass wall of the phone booth.

"Hello, is someone there?"

"Dad, it’s me. It’s John."

"This is NOT funny. My son is dead." Jack replied coldly.

"No, wait." John said desperately, "Please don’t hang up. Please. Listen to me. I am John." He paused, listening to see if the connection had been broken. It was still there. He continued quickly, "I didn’t die when I hit that radiation wave. I was thrown through a wormhole. I’ve been living on a space ship on the other side of the universe. I know it sounds incredible, but it’s true."

He paused again, listening. Silence.

"Dad. Dad, are you there?"

"I’m here. But how can I be sure it’s really you."

"Okay. Ask me something only your son would know." John replied. He was starting to fear his father would never believe he really was his son.

"When John was twelve years old, he and I went on a trip ..."

"Yeah. Yeah. I remember." John interrupted, growing excited, "You were going into space again in a couple of weeks. Mom had died just a few months earlier and we took off. You didn’t tell anyone where we were going so you couldn’t be recalled. We spent a week deep sea fishing off the coast of the Bahamas. That was the best time we ever had together, at least I thought so."

"It is you." Jack replied, breathlessly. His son, his only son was alive! "When are you coming home."

"I can’t come home Dad. No one can know I’m here just yet."

"Why? Are you in trouble?"

"Not here. It’s a long story Dad. Can you come here? Soon?"

"Where are you?"

Second Chances
Chapter Two: It’s Deja vu All Over Again

As the sun was setting the next day, John leaned into the shadows across the road from the diner where his father had been waiting for the past half hour. He scanned the traffic – what there was of it – for any signs that the military had gotten wind that he was back on Earth.

I hate this. I hate that I’m hiding in the shadows while Dad is sitting over there waiting for me. He’s probably wondering if I’m even gonna show. I’ve been running from the Peacekeepers too long, I’ve started to mistrust everyone, even my own father.

What do I do if the suits show up? Do I just blend into the shadows, call Aeryn and go home? Could I do that? Could I be this close and not talk to him?

From his vantage point, John could see his father stand and toss some money on the table, then turn and head toward the door.

I bet he’s pissed. To come all this way and then I don’t show. Well, here goes ...

As Jack crossed the street to his rental car, John stepped out of the shadows. Both men stopped. After what seemed a lifetime, John let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and stepped even closer.

“Dad.” he said, emotion choking off any more words.

Jack walked around the front of the car and stopped just in front of his son. It was almost as if he didn’t know how to respond. A broad smile erupted on his face and he grabbed John in a bear hug.

“My God, it is good to see you. I was beginning to think I had dreamed the whole thing. How long have you been here?”

“About half an arn ... hour. I was watching to be sure you weren’t followed.”

“Why?” Jack asked, confused, “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Not really, I just don’t want anyone to know I’m alive and here right now.”

“I don’t understand John. Why?”

“Because I’m not gonna stay.”

“What? You’re not staying? Where are you going?”

“It’s a long story Dad. Come on,” he said, putting his arm around his shoulders, “let’s not stand out here. Let’s go back into the diner and talk there.”

An hour and two hamburgers later, John and Jack Crichton were still hunched over a table in the diner talking intently. John had told his father a lot of stories about life in the Uncharted Territories – intentionally leaving out some of the more unpleasant details, like the Aurora Chair.

“I still don’t understand why you want to go back there. Earth’s your home son.”

“I know it sounds insane, since I’m a hunted man, but I’ve built a life there that I want to get back to.” John paused, looking down at the table. He looked up into his father’s eyes and continued, “Dad, there’s someone pretty special who’s waiting for me and I don’t want to keep her waiting too long. Her name is Aeryn and we were married three years ago.”

“You’re married?” Jack’s eyes lit up. “After what happened with Alex, I never thought that would happen.”

“Aeryn is nothing like Alex.”He pulled out the holo-image of the two of them that he had brought along and activated it. Jack stared at it, surprised both at the technology and at Aeryn’s stunning beauty.

“So why don’t you have her come down so I can meet her.”

“Not a good idea.” He said, chewing his lip, “She’s not human Dad. If the suits find out she’ll be poked and prodded and tested for the rest of her life. I will not put Aeryn through that. Been there, done that. And it’s not gonna happen to her.”

“You really love her don’t you?” Jack asked, a peculiar, almost pained look spreading across his features.

“Yeah Dad, I do.”

Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let it out as a deep sigh. When he opened his eyes, John was staring at him, a questioning look in his eyes. He took another deep breath, then said, “John, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do after you called. I contacted the ‘suits’ as you call them. They gave me three hours, then they’re coming for you.

“Aw Dad, wha’d ya go and do that for?”

“I didn’t know what else to do. I mean, how could it possibly be you? I thought you died five years ago. The man who called me had to be an imposter, but I hoped I was wrong. That’s why they gave me the three hours.”

“Damn, I’ve gotta get outta here!” John said sharply, rising from his seat. Jack caught him by the arm and swung him around.

“I’m sorry John. I didn’t ... I didn’t know. Let me help you.”

“You’ve helped enough, Dad.” he said from between clenched teeth, pulling his arm away. He started toward the door again.

“They’re coming here. To this diner. I can help you get away from here. I can help you, son. Please let me!”

John stopped at the door. He chewed nervously on his thumb as he considered his father’s words

Why am I even considering this? Why am I listening to him? He betrayed me. He’s helping the authorities to take me in, to keep me from Aeryn. I have to get back to Aeryn. I won’t stay here. I can’t stay here. If he can help ...

“So ... why are you standing there? We’re running out of time, right?”

Minutes later, father and son were speeding toward the desert. John pulled his comms out of his pocket and activated it.

“Pilot, patch me through to Aeryn.”

“Go ahead, Commander. Officer Sun is on line.”

“Aeryn, how fast can you get here?”

“Just over an arn, is something wrong?”

“Long story Sunshine. The details can wait. Just get here as quick as you can.”

“Leaving now. Oh ... and I love you too.”

He smiled as he disengaged the comms and placed it back in his pocket. When he looked back at his father, he found him staring at him with a confused look on his face.

“You understood that gibberish?”

“Translator microbes. Everybody has ‘em. It’s how we communicate.”

“Incredible,” Jack exhaled, shaking his head. “Where to?”

John described the pick-up point he and Aeryn had settled on two days earlier. Fifteen minutes later, Jack pulled the car off the road, turned off the motor and lights. The two men got out and headed west on foot. After about 30 minutes, John stopped. He looked around quickly, noting a large rock formation about 20 feet away.

“This is it. Now we wait.”

I can’t believe this is happening. How can I say goodbye to him again? I’ll probably never see him again. He’ll never meet his grandkids – if Aeryn and I ever give him any.

How hard is this gonna be for him? He already thought he lost me once. This time it’ll be for good. How can I do this to him?

“Dad,” he began, then hesitated, “Dad, you should go. If things go bad, I don’t want you here.”

“I’m not leaving until I know you’re safe.”

“Dad, please.”

“No John, I’m not leaving.”

John reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his tape recorder and several tapes. “Here, take these,” he said and he handed them to Jack. “I’ve been recording these off and on since I went through the wormhole.”

“John, I ... What is that?” he asked as Aeryn set the Prowler down ten feet away.

“That,” John said, smiling as she raised the canopy and jumped to the ground, “is my beautiful wife.”

She hurried over, put an arm around John’s waist, pulled him close and kissed him. “I missed you.” she whispered as she pulled back.

“I may have to go away more often,” he said smiling. “Aeryn, this is my dad, Dad, this is Aeryn.”

They smiled awkwardly at each other. Jack extended his hand and Aeryn grasped it firmly. He pulled her into an embrace – much to her surprise and discomfort.

“We don’t have much time here guys. By now they know we ditched ‘em at the diner and Aeryn’s Prowler probably set off every radar from here to NORAD. We’re gonna have company any minute.”

Jack released Aeryn from his embrace and turned to his son. His eyes told the story – he was glad his son was alive, but sad to see him leaving again.

“Dad, I ...”

“Go John. You’re right. You don’t have much time.”

Aeryn, sensitive to their need for privacy, walked back to the Prowler. She watched as they embraced, then separated. Both men were reluctant to part.

They care a great deal about each other, that’s obvious. No wonder John is so
comfortable in who he is. He’s had a good role model. He’ll make a good father himself someday.

“Crichton,” she interrupted, “John, we should go. Now!”

“Take care son.” Jack said as John turned toward Aeryn. He watched as his son pulled himself to his full height, squared his shoulders and walked toward his wife.

Just as he reached he, though, the silence of the desert night was shattered by the distinctive sound of helicopters and bullets being driven into firing chambers. Intense spotlights switched on from several directions, turning the night into day.

“Stop where you are!” a voice commanded from behind the lights. John’s stomach lurched.

No! this can’t be happening. This has to be a joke. It cannot be real. Please let it all be a dream. A very sick, very twisted dream.

He took another step toward the Prowler only to hear weapons being raised to firing positions. He extended both arms to the side and raised them slightly as he turned his back to the ship. Glancing toward Aeryn, he saw she had done the same thing.

“Step away from the ship! Hands on your heads!” The voice commanded. “Down on your knees!” he continued when they had complied.

John glanced at Aeryn again. She was following his lead – so far.

A flash of movement caught his eye and he turned to see six soldiers moving toward them, weapons at the ready. While the others kept their weapons trained on them, one young man holstered his side arm and stepped behind John. He efficiently secured John’s hands behind his back, then turned to Aeryn.

John saw the look that said “If you touch me, I’ll break your arm.” It was one he’d seen often enough. “Aeryn, no. They won’t hesitate to use force.” he said just as the soldier grasped her right wrist and snapped the first cuff on it. She tensed, but complied with John’s request. When both of them were secured, the Voice strode into the light and stopped beside Jack who had watched it all in horror.

“You shouldn’t have left that diner Jack. We almost didn’t find you.”

“That was the idea.” he replied angrily. “Why are you doing this Carl? Why
couldn’t you have let it go when we weren’t there?”

“You know why. And remember, you called me.” He said. Turning to a soldier to his left he jerked his head at Jack and commanded, “Get him out of here.”

As the soldier dragged Jack out of the circle of light, General Carl Weatherby walked to where Aeryn and John knelt, surrounded by soldiers.

“So, Commander Crichton, if that’s who you really are, you’ve come home. And you’re not alone. This should be very interesting.” Turning to the leader of the squad guarding them, the General continued, “Get these two aboard the helicopter, then see to it this area is secured. I want that ship at White Sands before dawn. There should be no trace of anything unusual having happened here.”

The lieutenant saluted sharply then directed his men to do as the general had ordered. As the soldiers dragged them to their feet, their eyes met and John could see all the anger, confusion and humiliation Aeryn felt reflected there. And she could see the guilt he was feeling. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the sad smile she gave him made the words unnecessary.

One of the soldiers pushed John toward the waiting helicopter, its blades now still, while another got Aeryn started that direction. They moved in silence until Aeryn caught sight of the helicopter. As she looked at its unfamiliar design and open cockpit she stopped.

“I am not getting in that thing.” she declared flatly.

John’s head snapped around at the sound of her voice. The soldiers stared at her, confused. They hadn’t understood her words, but her actions were impossible to misinterpret. She was not going to obey them and get into the helicopter. It was their job to get her to comply so two of them raised their side arms. One put his gun to her head, the other to the small of her back.

“Move.” the first one growled, the pushed her forward.

“No. I will not get in that thing.” she replied, though she knew he couldn’t understand her.

The soldier’s finger tightened on the trigger. His hand was shaking ever so slightly. He didn’t want to hurt this woman, but she was starting to piss him off. Her refusal to speak in words he could comprehend was angering him.

“No!” John shouted, turning to face Aeryn. “Let me talk to her. I can get her to understand.” He took a step toward her only to be blocked by one of his guards. “Let me talk to her,” he pleaded, looking the guard in the eye.

The soldier nodded and stepped out of John’s way. As he approached, Aeryn’s guards eased their weapons down, though they were still poised to fire if necessary.

“Aeryn, Sunshine,” John said quietly, “Don’t push ‘em on this. They can’t understand you and it scares the hell out of ‘em.”

“John, I am not getting inside that thing. It doesn’t look safe.”

“But it is. And it’s called a helicopter. We’ll be okay. Please hon, just get in.”

“For you. I’ll do it for you.” she replied, locking eyes with him, then started walking quickly toward the helicopter. The others, John included, were surprised at her sudden compliance and hurried to catch up.

When they were seated in the back of the craft, the leader of their guard detail pulled out another set of shackles. This one, he attached to John’s left ankle and Aeryn’s right, threading it around the seat’s framework. Once he was satisfied they were secured, he returned to his squad outside of the chopper.

We must scare the hell out of them. If they only knew I’m as frightened as they are. Maybe more. How could I have been so foolish? How could I have put Aeryn at risk like this?

He looked over at his woman who had been his friend for five years and his wife for three of them. She looked totally calm, but John new deep inside she was frightened. He leaned toward her and rested his shoulder against hers. She was tense – almost rigid – yet she softened slightly at his touch.

“I’m sorry Aeryn.” he whispered.

“Do not apologize John. You could not have anticipated your father’s betrayal.” She bit her lip. Even as she spoke the words she regretted them. Her anger had caused her to strike out and she knew her words had cut him deeply. “John, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s okay. You’re scared and angry. I don’t blame you.”

She smiled wanly and asked, “What happens now?”

“You will be taken to White Sands where your identities will be determined.” General Weatherby said as he took a seat in the helicopter. He put on headphones and ordered the pilot to take off. As it lifted off, Aeryn paled and stiffened. John smiled, a chuckle threatening to escape but the look she gave him stifled his humor immediately.

After a short flight, they were escorted to a containment cell where their handcuffs were removed. The cell was small and contained a single bunk, two chairs and a table. One wall was dominated by a two-way mirror.

When the last of the soldiers left and they were locked in, John took Aeryn’s hand and pulled her close. He was surprised to find she was shaking. He eased her down to the bunk and held her until she stopped shaking.

“I don’t like admitting this John, but I’m scared.”

“So am I. But we can get through this.” he said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. “After all, I survived Scorpius’ Aurora Chair. How bad can this be?”

The next morning, John watched the clock on the wall flip to 5:00 am. He had tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Instead he’d paced the small room until Aeryn had threatened to break his legs if he didn’t sit still. He knew she was fully capable of following through on the threat so he’d sat down on the floor beside the bunk. Once she was asleep he’d started pacing again.

Why didn’t I listen to Sparky? He said I was insane to come here and he was right. Never thought I’d admit that.

“Are you still pacing?” she asked, raising up on the cot. He was so lost in thought he nearly jumped out of his skin. He inhaled deeply to calm himself then turned to face her just as she was swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“You’re gonna have to show me how you do that.” he said, smiling at her.

“Do what,” she asked as she stretched, he voice still thick with sleep.

“Sleep anywhere. I don’t know how you do it.”

“Peacekeeper training. A well rested soldier is a more efficient soldier. I guess some of the old Peacekeeper habits stuck better than others,” she laughed.

“You’re in a good mood this morning.”

“One of us better be.”

The door opened and a young soldier entered carrying a tray of food. He placed it on the table and left without saying a word.

“Why are they doing this?” Aeryn asked as she joined him at the table, “Feeding us?”

“They’ll be needing information from us,” John replied and snickered.

As he laughed, Aeryn cocked her head inquiringly.

“Doesn’t this remind you of anything?” he asked, smiling.

She hesitated, then smiled in return as she remembered, “When we first met.”

He nodded and she laughed, “Some things never change. Let’s just hope no one around here farts helium.”

In the observation room on the other side of the two-way mirror, General Weatherby and two captains watched as Aeryn and John interacted.

“Captain Bannon, based on what you have observed, what is your opinion on how to proceed?”

“Sir, it is obvious these two draw a great deal of strength from one another. Were it not for the language barrier, I would recommend separating them for questioning. But under the circumstances, until we find a way to communicate with her, we need to keep them together.

“Captain Marcus, do you concur?”

“Yes and no Sir. I agree they draw strength from one another, but I do not agree that we could extract more information by separating them. I believe if we tried that they would both become uncooperative.”

“I am inclined to agree with you Captain Marcus. I am putting you in charge of the medical testing and interrogation. The first order of business is to determine whether or not that is John Crichton. Then we need to know who the woman is and why she is so important to him.”

“Yes sir,” he said, saluted and turned to leave.

“Captain Bannon, you will continue to observe their behavior. I want you to look for anything we can use as leverage to get them to cooperate with us, anything that will motivate them to talk to us, to work with us. And I want you to get a linguist in here, try to decipher whatever language that is.”

A week later, John stood by the small window in the new cell they had been moved to three days earlier. He was alone in the cell as evening came. The medical technicians had discovered that Aeryn’s DNA wasn’t human, much to John’s chagrin and now they were putting her through round after round of tests. The very thing he had wanted to prevent he was powerless now to stop.

He stood, gazing up at the stars as they began to appear in the darkening sky.

I hope you guys are still up there somewhere. Please, please don’t be foolish enough to come down here looking for us.

This is so damned annoying. If I’d only considered the others’ feelings; taken their needs into account this wouldn’t be happening. If I hadn’t been so damned selfish, we’d all be aboard Moya right now instead of separated and lost. Yeah, lost. They’re lost aboard Moya – they have no idea where they are or how to get home. and Aeryn and I are lost down here. We don’t belong here. I don’t belong here.

This is way too much like the false Earth. Why didn’t I see it coming? At least on the false Earth I was able to save Aeryn from this hell.

God, what have I done?

As he continued staring at the stars, a single tear fell from eye and rolled unabated down his cheek. He heard the door behind him being opened. Not wanting to show any weakness to his jailers, he swallowed hard and brushed the tear away.

“Still have your head in the stars, John?”

He spun around at the sound of his father’s voice.

“What ... what are you doing here?”

“I finally convinced Carl to let me see you; talk to you.”

“Dad, you gotta get us outta here. I don’t know how. I don’t care how. I just know we’ve got to get out of here.”

“John,” he sighed, “there’s nothing I can do.”

“Don’t give me that crap!” he spat out, “You got us into this, you can damn well get us out!” With that, he turned his back on his father – something he never dreamed he’d do.

“John,” Jack pleaded, hoping his son would turn around. Hoping he’d forgive him for everything that had happened. When John refused to acknowledge him, Jack turned and knocked on the door. A few moments later, the door opened and closed and John stood alone, looking at at the stars.

Where the hell is Aeryn? What is taking them so long? I don’t know, maybe they’re trying to frell with my mind keeping us apart and sending Dad in here.

C’mon John. Take it easy. Calm down. You’ve got to start thinking straight. Panic isn’t going to do you any good here.

The room was in complete darkness now and still John stood at the window. In the neighboring observation room, Captain Bannon was frustrated. How was he supposed to study his subject when he couldn’t even see him. Just as he decided to quit for the day, the door opened and General Weatherby walked in.

“Captain, how is our little experiment working out?”

“Not well, Sir. He hasn’t moved from that window since the woman was taken from him. Even the brief encounter with his father yielded little.”

“You’re saying he’s been standing like that for hours.?”

“Yes, Sir. I’ve never seen such physical discipline. He’ll be a tough one to break Sir.”

“Have the woman returned to him. Let’s see what that yields.”

“John? How long have you been standing here in the dark?” Aeryn asked as her guards closed and lock the cell door behind her. “John? Are you okay?” she pressed when he didn’t respond.

Still no response. It was as if he hadn’t heard her. She fumbled for the small lamp on the table, turned it on then crossed the room to his side and gently laid her hand on his shoulder. He tensed slightly at her touch, aware, at last, of her presence.

“Aeryn?” he asked quietly, “Is it you?”

“Yes, John, it’s me. How long have you been standing here?”

“How long have you been gone?”

“Come, sit with me. You need to rest.” She said softly as she led him to bed and eased him onto it.

I’ve never seen him like this. It’s as if he’s shut down, emotionally and physically. Even after he was tortured by Scorpius he didn’t respond this way.

“John,” she whispered, squatting down in front of him and taking his hands in hers, “there’s something I need to talk with you about.” He continued to stare straight ahead, eyes locked on the full length mirror that made up one entire wall of the cell. As she searched his eyes for any sign that he was aware of her words she thought she saw a flicker of understanding. She reached up, cupped his cheek in her hand and ever so gently tilted his head until their eyes met.

Yes, he is in there. I haven’t lost him.

“John. Listen to me. The med-techs confirmed something I’ve suspected for a while.” She paused, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “We’re going to have a child.”

He blinked. She could see he was starting to become more aware of her so she repeated, “John, we’re going to have a child. I’m in the late first or early second trimester – whatever that means. John, did you hear me?”

“Yeah.” he replied simply, a broad smile spreading across his face. “Turn out the light Aeryn, let’s go to bed.”

A few minutes later, they lay in each others arms talking quietly.

In the observation room, Captain Bannon and General Weatherby looked at each other then back toward the darkened room. “Let’s close up shop for tonight Captain. We don’t need to document this.”

“We’re having a baby? How? When?” John whispered as he played with a stray lock of Aeryn’s hair.

“I’ve suspected it for a while, but I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure.”

“We have to get out of here Aeryn. Especially now. I do NOT want our child to be born here.”

“Don’t worry John, we’ll find a way to get out of here.”

“How? They have us under constant surveillance.”

“Trust me John. We’ll find a way.” she replied softly, but firmly, comforting him as she would a small child. She watched as he eyes closed sleepily. Soon she heard the deep, even breathing that told her he was finally asleep.

Oh John, what is happening to you? Is everything you’ve endured these past five cycles finally taking its toll on your sanity?

Rest my love. Rest and grow stronger. We will need your strength if we are to return home. Our baby needs her father.

Our baby. What a wonder. You and I are yielding a life. But what will this child be? Neither human nor sebacean, but both. Hopefully the best of both.

You once said I could be more than a Peacekeeper. Thanks to you John, I am.

Aeryn looked at her sleeping husband and smiled, then closed her eyes and drifted to sleep herself.

A few hours later she was jolted awake when John sat straight up screaming, “Noooooo!” He was bathed in sweat and gasping for air. She sat up beside him and pulled him close, turning his face to hers. Their eyes met and she saw shocked to see stark terror reflected in his eyes.

“John. John. Calm down. It’s okay. It’s okay.” she said insistently, trying to reassure him. She hadn’t seen him this terrified since his nightmares caused by his experience in the Aurora Chair. As she tried to calm him, she was so intent on her goal she didn’t notice the cell door opening until the overhead lights snapped on. The sudden brightness momentarily blinded her. Squinting in pain, she turned toward the soldier who stood just inside the door, weapon drawn, pointed at them.

Forgetting the language barrier, her first instinct was to protect John and she explained, “It’s alright. He had a nightmare. We’re okay. You can go back outside.”

The guard stared at her, confused. He’d heard her speak, but everything was garbled. He blinked and took a step closer. She started to explain again, but was interrupted as John gasped out “Okay ... had nightmare ... no reason for ... alarm. Go ... please.” hearing familiar words, the young soldier relaxed and lowered his weapon slightly. He backed out of the cell, locking the door when he was safely in the corridor again.

When John’s breathing returned to a more normal rate, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He sat elbows resting on his knees for a couple of minutes before
rising. He walked unsteadily to the tiny bathroom and splashed water on his face to calm himself and clear his head. When he came back into the main room, he glanced at Aeryn who looked at him questioningly. He avoided her eyes, but sat beside her on the edge of the bed.

She rested her hand lightly on his knee and asked, “Was it the same one?”

“Yes and no.” he hesitated, then continued, knowing she would press for details if he didn’t offer them freely, “It started out like that one, with me in the chair, but changed. It wasn’t Scorpius torturing me, it was my father. And then the scene shifted and everyone from Moya was locked in a cell like this one and I was forced to watch as each of you was taken and killed. There was nothing I could do to stop it!”

“John, it was just a dream. You do know that’s not real.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but it seemed too damned real. I felt so helpless; so guilty.”

“Guilty? Why?”

“It’s my fault we’re all in this mess. If I hadn’t been so selfish we’d all be aboard Moya right now.”

“Nonsense.”

“Is it? If I hadn’t opened that wormhole we’d still be in the Uncharted Territories where we belong. We’d be aboard Moya, safe.”

“That’s dren and you know it!” she interrupted. “If you hadn’t opened that wormhole, we’d have been taken by the Peacekeepers and we’d all either be prisoners or dead.”

“Okay, so we’re prisoners here instead. All of us.”

“The others are still free.”

“Free?” he snorted sarcastically, “They’re no more free than we are. They don’t know where they are and no one aboard Moya knows how to re-open that wormhole so they’re just as stuck here as we are. And it’s my fault.”

“You can’t blame yourself for everything that’s wrong with this situation John. We went along with you.”

“Did you, or did I force you all to go along because I was too stubborn to listen to reason?”

He got up and started pacing like the caged animal he felt himself to be. “I can’t stay here Aeryn. I won’t stay here.” he said raising his voice. He stopped and looked at the mirror – that damned mirror. They were watching him; watching them on the other side of that mirror. They didn’t even have the courage and honor to do it openly, they had to hide in another room.

With speed and strength that surprised Aeryn, he grabbed one of the chairs and threw it across the room at the mirror. It shattered, glass falling in sheets to the floor. He jumped through the opening and grabbed a stunned Captain Bannon by the throat.

Bannon who had been called to the observation room when John had awakened from his nightmare was no match for John’s size and strength. He tried to reach his sidearm which he had foolishly laid on the table when he’d entered the observation room. John saw him move toward the weapon and spun him around so that he stood between Bannon and the gun. He grabbed it and raised it to Bannon’s head just as the guards burst through the door.

John spun Bannon around, placing him between himself and the guards. Still holding the gun to his head he pushed Bannon through the opening in the wall into the containment cell. He moved him over so that he stood as a shield for Aeryn as well.

“Put the weapon down Commander Crichton. There’s no way you can get out of here!” The guard who had been in the cell earlier commanded as he and his squad advanced slowly.

“Stop right there!” John shouted and increased the pressure on Bannon’s throat. “Back it up guys! He shouted and pressed the barrel of the gun against Bannon’s temple as they continued to advance.

“Do what he says!” Bannon choked out.

The guards stopped their advance and John relaxed his grip slightly.

“What do you want Crichton?” the guard asked.

“Get Weatherby in here, now.” he demanded.

“No way Commander.”

“Get him in here now or explain why the Captain’s brains are sprayed all over the walls.” John said coldly. Aeryn, surprised at the edge in his voice, took a step closer and laid her hand on John’s shoulder. He ignored her; he couldn’t afford to be distracted now. “You heard me, “he growled, “get Weatherby down here, NOW!”

Bannon struggled as John tightened his hold. He croaked out “Do it, Sergeant. Call the General.”

“Smart move Captain,” John whispered in Bannon’s ear.

The Sergeant hesitated and Bannon commanded, “You heard me Sergeant. That was an order.”

The Sergeant turned and hurried down the corridor to a telephone. He reluctantly picked up the receiver and contacted the switchboard.

Half an hour passed before General Weatherby arrived. When he walked into the cell, he found the situation unchanged from what the Sergeant had described.

“Commander Crichton, I am here. You will release Captain Bannon now.”

“Call your goons off and we’ll talk.”

The General motioned to the guards who retreated into the corridor without a word.

“Commander Crichton. John. It’s time to let the Captain go.”

“Before I do, I want you word that your men will stay out and we’ll talk.”

“You’re not exactly in a position to bargain Crichton. I won’t say this again. Let him go.”

“Your word General.” He demanded again, lowering the gun slightly.

“We’ll talk.”

John inhaled deeply then handed the pistol to Captain Bannon as he released his grip on the man’s neck. Bannon staggered as the pressure on his neck was relieved. He then spun around and raised the pistol to John’s head. John focused on the barrel, then closed his eyes and slowly raised his hands. “Go ahead. I don’t care anymore.” he said, fatigue suddenly heavy in his voice.

“But I do care, John.” Aeryn said from behind him as two of the guards returned to the cell. She put both of her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her. “I care John. Please don’t give up on me. On us.”

He looked into her eyes and smiled sadly as one of the guards took his wrist and twisted it behind him. He was soon locked tightly into a pair of handcuffs. The guard turned him to face General Weatherby, then left the room. John and Aeryn were left facing the General and the very angry Captain Bannon.

“Okay, Commander Crichton. You wanted to talk. Talk.”

John closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He let the breath out slowly as he opened his eyes, gauging his words carefully.

“General Weatherby. Captain Bannon. I apologize for my actions.”

“Explain yourself Commander.”

“Sirs, I needed to get your attention. I needed you to talk to us face to face and this was the only way I could think of.”

“Go on Commander.” General Weatherby said, stepping forward. He pulled the remaining chair out from the table and sat down.

“General. Sir. you know I’m John Crichton. You know I’m the same John Crichton who left Earth five years ago. Aeryn and I have answered all of your questions and submitted to all of your tests for over a week now. And still you treat us like criminals. You’ve locked us away. You limit the people who have contact with us. You have us watched constantly. And I want it stopped.”

“You want it stopped?” Bannon snorted. “You are in no position to make any demands Crichton.”

“Captain Bannon, you’re dismissed.” the General said without taking his eyes off of John and Aeryn.

“Sir?”

“You heard me Captain. We will discuss your performance later.”

Bannon turned angrily and stormed out of the cell. As John watched him leave he knew he had made another enemy.

I’m getting way too good at making enemies. Gotta figure out what I’m doin’ wrong.

“Commander, ma’am, there is much we need to discuss.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and asked, “What are you really doing here Commander Crichton?”

“I’ve told you repeatedly, I came here to see my father. That is all.”

“Why after all of this time?”

“General Weatherby, no disrespect intended, but I’ve told you the whole story. It’s time to move on.”

“You know, you and your wife have a lot of people scared shitless. They want you terminated.”

“Why are they afraid of us?” Aeryn asked, looking to John for translation.

“Aeryn wants to know why they’re afraid of us.” John repeated, then added, “there’s no way we can do anything to anyone.”

“Your very existence frightens them ma’am. For years we’ve known we aren’t alone in the universe. We’ve had evidence of alien races and their visits to Earth. But we’ve always assumed they would be easy to identify because they wouldn’t look like us. We always believed we’d be able to defeat an invasion force. You two have single handedly destroyed every one of those beliefs. And that has left a lot of people all over this planet clamoring for your deaths.”

“Why are you telling us this? Why not just have us killed?”

“Because I’m not one of those who want you dead. I believe we need to learn from you. We need to prepare for an invasion but pray for peaceful contact.”

“So, what do you want from us?”

“I want to study your ship, your weapons. I want you to stay here and help us prepare for a possible invasion.”

“John?” Aeryn asked, turning to look at her husband. “I can’t do that. I won’t help another race develop Peacekeeper technology.”

“Is there something you’re not telling us? Has another ship appeared on your long range scanners? Has another ship come through the wormhole?” John asked, fearing Scorpius had somehow managed to open another wormhole or had gotten through the one he’d opened.

“Yes. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but we’ve picked up an anomaly near Saturn that may be a ship. It showed up shortly before your arrival. Whatever it is, it’s holding position in the debris field.”

“That’s your invasion force?” John said starting to laugh. He looked at Aeryn who also started laughing.

“You think this is funny? Commander, I want an explanation.”

“That ship you’re so worried about,” John explained, still chuckling, “is our ship. It’s waiting for us. It is not the precursor for an invasion.”

“That’s your ship? I thought your ship was in our hangar?”

“The ship you have in the hangar is a short-range craft. The one near Saturn is a more long-range vessel.”

“The distance from Saturn to Earth is considered short-range?” he asked incredulously.

“General Weatherby,” John began, impatience evident in his tone, “This is getting us nowhere. I want out of here. I want to take Aeryn home. I can’t stay locked up like this. I won’t stay locked up in here.”

“Commander Crichton. John. I can’t just let you go. My career – and possibly my life – would be over.”

“Do you think I care?”John laughed derisively. “I will not cooperate with you any longer.” He looked at Aeryn standing beside him and said, “We will not cooperate.”

Weatherby stood and walked to stand nose-to-nose with John. They stared into each others eyes for a few moments, each man measuring the other’s resolve. Weatherby handed Aeryn the key to the handcuffs, then turned and walked out of the cell. The door, which had stood open while he was inside slammed shut.

Aeryn looked down at the key in here hand, then looked at John’s wrists locked in the handcuffs. A wicked smile played across her features as she considered what to do.

“Well what are you waiting for?” John asked impatiently, turning his back toward her. “Get these things off of me.”

She walked slowly around to face him, playfully running her hand up his arm from the handcuffs to his shoulder then down his chest to his waist.

“Come on Aeryn, this isn’t funny.” he protested.

She smiled mischievously, leaned closer and whispered, “Oh, I don’t know. I kind of like you this way.” She put her hand in the middle of his chest and gently pushed him backward. He back peddled until he bumped into the side of the bed.

“Aeryn? What are you doing?” he asked, a smile starting to curl the corners of his mouth.

She leaned close and kissed him playfully. As she leaned in, he lost his balance and they both fell backwards onto the bed. She raised up on her knees, straddling his chest, smiling broadly.

“Okay Sunshine. Joke’s over. Get these things off of me now. Please!”

From the look in his eyes she could tell she had pushed him as far as she dared. She stepped back off of the bed and he stood up too. Before he had a chance to turn around she stepped in close and put her arms around him. He started to protest, but she silenced him with a kiss. He found himself surprised by Aeryn’s passion and felt himself yielding to it despite his position. As their kiss deepened, John realized that she had released the handcuffs. Reluctantly, he pulled himself away.

“Much as I’d like nothing more, this isn’t the time or the place. We need to get out of here and soon.” He said, reaching for the rest of his clothes.

“I was just having a little fun ...” she replied, blushing slightly. “Besides, I have an idea how we can get out of here.”

A short time later the door opened and guard entered with their breakfast. As he placed it on the table Aeryn approached from behind and with a single blow to the back of his neck incapacitated him. John lunged forward and caught him, easing him to the floor quietly.

Moments later, John was again in handcuffs as his guard escorted him from the cell. They walked quickly down the corridor to the stairwell that led down two floors to the outdoors. Aeryn cautiously pushed the door open, stepping out , weapon drawn. No was was around so she motioned for John to join her. They hurried across the compound to the research hangar which housed Aeryn’s Prowler. John crouched in the shadows while Aeryn looked for an open door.

She came around the corner behind John, staying in the shadows as much as
possible. Laying a hand lightly on his shoulder she jerked her head and he turned to follow her.

They stood inside the dimly lit hangar, the Prowler – and their freedom – just feet away. Aeryn quickly released John from the handcuffs. As they hurried toward the ship, the lights snapped on. They froze. They were exposed; too far from the Prowler to run for it and too far from the door to go that way.

Damn! We were so close. It seemed too easy, but I still hoped we’d make it. I will NOT be taken again. I will not go back into the cell.

“Took you long enough.” General Weatherby’s voice echoed in the cavernous hangar.

“I’m not going back into that cell!” John shouted as Aeryn moved between him and Weatherby, raising her weapon.

“There’s no need for the gun,” Weatherby responded, stepping into the light, “I’m not here to take you back.”

“Then why are you here?” John asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.

“I told you before, I can’t let you go.”

“But you just said you aren’t here to take us back. I don’t understand.”

“What’s to understand? I can’t let you go...”

“But we can escape.” John finished the sentence as Weatherby’s plan dawned on him. He smiled and reached out to push Aeryn’s gun down so it pointed to the floor.

“Hurry, you won’t have much time. The technicians will be coming on duty soon. Your equipment is on the toolbox by the ship.”

Aeryn handed John the gun and hurried to the Prowler. She found their equipment and quickly ran a pre-flight check on the ship.

“We’re good to go Crichton!” she called as she walked back to where the two men stood. She handed John his comms and he fastened it on his vest while she strapped on her Peacekeeper side arm.

“You need to go. Now.” Weatherby repeated.

“Thank you sir.” John said, extending his hand. Weatherby grasped it firmly and said, “You know what you have to do Commander.”

John pulled hard on Weatherby’s arm while he swung the butt of the gun he held into his chin. With this single blow he knocked the General out cold. He then rolled him over, pulled his arms behind him and locked them into the handcuffs he had worn himself not that long ago. He dropped the pistol beside Weatherby, then turned to Aeryn who stared at him questioningly.

“His idea, not mine. Let’s get out of here.”

She climbed into the Prowler and punched up the ignition protocols while John found the switch and engaged the door opener. Just as he reached the ship, he heard the sound of automatic rifles being locked in firing position. He looked out the ever widening door opening to see Captain Bannon flanked by at least twenty fully armed soldiers.

No! They are not going to take me again. I will NOT be taken alive!”

As he climbed into the Prowler someone fired. He felt a bullet tear into his thigh, but dove head first into the space behind Aeryn. “Get us out of here!” he groaned through clenched teeth.

She dropped the canopy into place, lifted off, hovered briefly, then punched the accelerator and sped over the heads of the soldiers.

Second Chances
Chapter Three: Out Of The Frying Pan

I must be alive. I hurt too much to be dead.

John tried to open his eyes but couldn’t quite summon the strength. He breathed in deeply, hoping to clear his head a little, only to start coughing. He felt a cool hand on his forehead and tried again to pry his eyes open. When he finally managed to get them open he looked up into Zhaan’s calm face. She smiled then disappeared to be replaced by Aeryn a few moments later. She brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and sat on the bed beside him.

She looks like dren. I’ve seen her look pretty bad, but never like this. She can’t have slept in days.

“Welcome back. You had us worried there for a while.”

“How long?” he asked, surprised at the hoarseness in his voice.

She helped him sit up and take a drink as she said, “You’ve been out for five days. How much do you remember?”

“We were on earth ... “ he paused, thinking back. He remembered ... “I was shot.”

“Yes. You made it into the Prowler, but you lost a lot of blood. There wasn’t much I could do.”

“You got us here, that counts for a lot.”

“Zhaan was able to stop the bleeding and remove the ...” she paused, unsure what to call it.

“Bullet.” he supplied.

“The wound is almost healed.”

“But there was infection” Zhaan interjected, “It was quite resistant to the remedies I have available. That is why you have been so ill for so long.”

“But you’ve gotten it under control, right?”

“Yes John. You need to rest a bit, but you’ll be fine.”

“Zhaan,” he began, unsure how to thank this woman who had become his friend and, on many occasions, his counselor. Sensing his intent, she nodded and excused herself.

When they were alone, John reached out and grasped Aeryn’s hand. He noticed his hand was shaking.

“You look like dren.” he said, trying to sound light hearted.

“You ought to see yourself.” she joked back.

I’ve missed his sense of humor. He always seems to be able to make me smile or at the very least feel better. What would I have done if he hadn’t ... No. He’s going to make it. I can’t think about “what ifs.”

“Aeryn, I ...” he started, but didn’t know quite how to continue. After all, how does someone apologize for being shot?

“If you ever come that close to dying again, I’ll kill you myself.” she said, a relieved smile on her face. “You need to rest John.”

“So do you. You have to take care of yourself,” he paused, then added, “and our child.”

“I will. I’ll stay here until you go back to sleep, then I’ll go back to our quarters and rest.”

“Promise me you’ll rest Aeryn.”

“I will John.”

“Promise me.” he persisted.

“Okay, okay. I promise, I will rest.”

Zhaan entered the medical lab an arn later to find Aeryn seated beside John as he slept. Her head was bowed and she still held his hand. Zhaan approached and gently laid her hand on Aeryn’s back. As she did so, Aeryn jumped, startled by the unexpected contact. Only then did Zhaan realize that she had finally been asleep.

“Aeryn, my dear, you must rest. Why don’t you go to your quarters and get some sleep. I will let you know if there is any change in John’s condition.”

Aeryn gently laid John’s hand back on his chest, then stood stiffly. She straightened to her full height and looked into Zhaan’s eyes. The genuine concern she saw there coupled with her lack of sleep broke through her natural reserve. She motioned to Zhaan who followed her across the chamber.

Speaking softly to avoid waking John, she began, “I’m afraid Zhaan.”

“He will recover my dear.”

“Yes, I know. But I’m still afraid. Until I let John in I didn’t need anyone, but its all different now. I used to be afraid to let him in; afraid of the feelings he evoked. Now I’m afraid to lose him; afraid of being alone.”

“Aeryn ... “ Zhaan began, then stopped as she realized there was no advice she could give that would ease her pain. “You must rest Aeryn. If not for yourself, for your child.”

Aeryn’s head snapped around to look at Zhaan. “How did you know?”

“It is written all over you. The way you move, the sound of your voice.” she paused, noting the panic on Aeryn’s face, “Do not worry, your secret is safe. Because of the Seek I am more attuned to the life around me. No one else knows.”

“It’s not really a secret, but I don’t want the others to know until John and I can tell them together.”

“I understand. Now go, get some rest. I’ll contact you if there is any change.”

Aeryn turned and walked toward the corridor. She stopped just inside the door and without turning, said, “Thank you Zhaan. You are truly a friend.” Then continued into the corridor.

A short time later, she walked into the quarters she shared with John. She slowly, tiredly removed her ever-present weapon, laid it on the table and walked to the bed. She sat down, removed her boots, lay down and was asleep almost before her eyes were closed.

The grass felt good between her toes. It was cool and still slightly damp. And the fragrance ... it was like nothing she had experienced. She didn’t know how to describe it, but the word “green” sprang to mind.

She was sitting on a blanket in large grassy field. In the distance she could hear the laughter of two children. She stood and walked toward the laughter. As she crested a small rise she saw them playing in the sand.

The older of the two, a girl, had long brown hair pulled into a pony tail. She was tall and slim. The younger, a boy, stood tall as well, his black hair, cropped short. It looked from where she stood, as if they were building something in the sand.

As she walked closer the boy looked up and saw her. His light blue eyes lit up and he called out, “Mommy!” as he started running toward her. When he reached her he jumped into her arms and she spun him around joining in his laughter. She put him down, but held his hand as they ran across the sand. The little girl jumped up and hugged her as they reached the mound of sand. Taking her free hand, the girl pulled her forward, giggling.

John’s head poked out of the mound of sand the children had been working on. When her shadow passed over his face, he opened his eyes, “Hey Sunshine.” he greeted her, smiling. He looked more relaxed than she had seen him in a long time.

She dropped to her knees on the sand beside him and leaned down to kiss him lightly. The children started digging the sand away from their father and she joined in the work and the laughter. This was happiness. This was the way life was supposed to be.

A shadow passed over her and she shivered as she turned to see what had caused it. Scorpius. She reached for her pistol, but it wasn’t there. He cackled and pointed his pulse rifle at the children. She sprang to her feet and moved between them and Scorpius. John, who was still trapped in the sand, struggled to free himself. Scorpius stepped closer and with his free hand pulled him out of the sand. He raised his gun to John’s chin, saying, “No Crichton, you’re not going with them.” as he pulled him backward.

“Nooooooo!” she screamed and sat straight up in bed. She shook her head to clear it, then inhaled deeply a few times to calm herself. She was shaking with fear.

Will we never be free of that monster? Will we never be truly free?

“Hey Sunshine. What’s wrong” John said, standing in the doorway. He leaned heavily on a piece of pipe that Zhaan had fashioned into a crutch.

Aeryn turned toward him. She was still shaking from the nightmare and there were tears in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked gruffly, brushing the tears away.

“I live here, remember.” he answered lightly as he crossed the room slowly.

“You know what I mean. Why aren’t you in the med-lab?”

“Zhaan kicked me out.” he paused, looking at her intently, “what’s wrong?”

“Nightmare.”

“Sounds familiar, but I’m the one who’s supposed to be havin’ ‘em. Tell me about it?” He pulled her close. She leaned into his embrace and began describing the dream. When she finished, they sat together, silently, drawing strength and comfort from one another.

“Two children?” John finally broke the silence, a broad grin on his face, “You saw two?”

“You’re missing the point. Scorpius took you away from us.” she said testily.

“You’re wrong. The children, our lives together, that’s what’s important. Not Scorpius.”

She looked at him, amazed. That he could focus on the positive after everything that had happened to them - to him - over the past five cycle still surprised her. She smiled at him and relaxed into his arms again, resting her head on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply and drifted to sleep.

The next morning, they walked into the center chamber to join the other members of Moya’s crew for breakfast. As soon as they entered, they could feel the tension in the room. John eased himself carefully onto a bench while Aeryn found them some food cubes. She joined him at the table and silently began eating.

“It is good to see you on your feet again Crichton.”

“Thanks big guy; it’s good to be on ‘em.”

They all fell silent again. Each one wanting to speak, to ask the questions burning in their minds, but not knowing how to begin. Instead, they stared at their plates and played with their food. Finally John couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Okay. Talk. What’s going on?”

“There’s something going on with you two and we want to know what.” D’Argo blurted out.

John and Aeyrn’s eyes met. Without saying a word, they made a decision. Aeryn began, “You’re right D’Argo. There is something going on with us, as you put it. And yes, it does affect all of you.”

“I knew it!” Rygel ranted, ‘They’ve made a deal to turn us in!”

“Be quiet Rygel!” Zhaan snapped. “Let them finish.”

“Thank you Zhaan.” Aeryn continued, “John and I. We’re ... we’re ...”

“We’re having a baby.” John finished for her, a broad smile on his face.

Stunned silence greeted their words. This was the last thing they had expected.

“Well, isn’t anyone gonna congratulate us?” John asked.

“Of course John,” Zhaan spoke, returning his smile, “We are happy for you.”

“Let me guess. There’s a but attached to that.”

“Yes John. We are unsure of where this leaves us.”

“We want to know if we’re going home.” Rygel demanded bluntly.

“Of course we are Sparky. I’ve already asked Pilot to return us to where we left the wormhole. He assured me we’ll be there within three or four arns. If I’m correct, the wormhole is still active and we should be able to return to the Uncharted Territories without delay.”

Aeryn stood suddenly, “Excuse me. I’m going to work on my Prowler.” She turned sharply and walked out of the room without looking back.

The others, surprised by her sudden departure, stared after her, then looked at John. “Don’t look at me. I don’t know.” He ate in silence for a couple of minutes, replaying the conversation – what little there had been – trying to figure out what had gotten under her skin. Suddenly it hit him and he went after her.

As he neared the hangar he could hear her pounding on something. He hesitated.

Ooh, she sounds pissed. Maybe I should wait; come back later ... Nah. That’d just make it worse.

She was hunched over the work table studying something and didn’t hear him come in. She was so lost in thought, she jumped when he asked,

“What’s wrong Aeryn?”

“Don’t sneak up on me that way!” She replied angrily without looking up, “And nothing’s wrong.”

“Talk to me. I know you’re angry about something.”

“There’s nothing wrong. Now leave me alone!”

“I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me.” he persisted. “You know how annoying I can be. I’m gonna stay here and pester you until you talk to me.” He grinned his most boyish grin, the one she’d made the mistake of telling him always got to her. She smiled, then looked back down at the table. She picked up a wrench and stared at it for several microts then suddenly threw it with all of her strength across the hangar. She turned to face John as it clattered against the wall.

“I can’t believe how selfish they are! We tell them the most fantastic news and all they can think about are themselves!”

“Does that really surprise you?” he asked calmly, then reached out and took her hand. He pulled her close and held her, surprised to feel her tears soaking through his t-shirt. They held the embrace for several minutes until Aeryn pulled away.

“Frell! I hate this! I hate losing control like this!”

“It’s okay Sunshine.” he said, kissing her on the forehead. He moved to kiss her again only to be interrupted by Pilot.

“Commander Crichton. Officer Sun. There is something Moya and I would like to discuss with you.”

John rolled his eyes, but responded, “Go ahead Pilot.”

“We would prefer to talk face to face.”

“On our way.”

“Okay Pilot, what’s so important?” Aeryn asked as they entered his den.

“Commander, Officer ...” Pilot hesitated, “Crichton ... John, Aeryn ... Moya and I would like to extend our congratulations on your pregnancy. We are pleased that you are choosing to yield this life.”

“Thank you Pilot,” Aeryn smiled broadly.

“We were concerned by the others’ reactions,” Pilot continued. “We are conscious of how much it hurts to have a pregnancy looked at as an inconvenience by those you care about most.”

Aeryn and John both blushed as they realized Pilot spoke of Moya’s own pregnancy several cycles earlier. They had been as insensitive toward her during her pregnancy as the others were being toward them now. Aeryn bowed her head, struck by her hypocrisy.

“I’m sorry Pilot,” she said softly, “please tell Moya how sorry and ashamed I am.”

“She is aware of your feelings and wants me to offer you any help we can provide during this time.”

“Thank you Pilot, Moya. Knowing that we have your support, means a great deal.”

“Commander,” Pilot began, turning toward John, “Moya and I are glad that you have chosen to remain with us instead of staying on your home world. You have become family to us and we would miss you.”

“Thank you Pilot. I feel the same about you and Moya.” They turned to leave, but John stopped and looked back at Pilot. “Would you mind if we stayed here for a while, Pilot?”

Two arns passed during which time several of Moya’s crew contacted Pilot trying to locate John and Aeryn. Each time, his answer was the same, “I am sorry, my DRDs cannot find them on any of Moya’s tiers.”

“Commander, I regret to interrupt you, but we have arrived at the coordinates of the wormhole.”

John closed his eyes and sighed. Back to the real world. “Thank you Pilot. And thank you for the last two arns. We’re on our way to Command. Please have the others join us there.”

They walked slowly through Moya’s corridors toward the Command deck. When they entered Command, their shipmates were assembled already. They were greeted with questioning looks, but they went to their positions without a word.

“Pilot, is the wormhole still active?” John asked, looking down at the read-outs on his console.

“It appears to be Commander.”

“Good. Take us in. And Pilot, be prepared for immediate starburst when we exit. I’ll wager Scorpius is waiting for us on the other side.”

“Understood Commander.”

John walked across Moya’s command deck to stand behind Aeryn who had stationed herself near the steering console. He put his arms around her as he said, “Hang onto something everyone. We’re going in.” She turned her head to look at him and he grinned back at her. As they entered the wormhole, Moya lurched and she grabbed the console in front of her.

A few short minutes later, they started to slow. The bright blue aura of the wormhole began to fade, replaced with the blackness of normal space. And Marauders. And Prowlers. And a massive Command Carrier.

“Pilot. Starburst now!” D’Argo shouted.

“I am sorry.” Pilot responded. “There isn’t enough room. If we attempt to starburst now, we will all die.”

“What do we do now?” Chiana asked, voicing the question in everyone’s minds.

“We give ‘em what they want.” John answered quietly.

All heads turned to look at him, shock and disbelief in their eyes.

“You can’t do this John.” Aeryn said softly. “I won’t let you.”

“Pilot, open a comm channel to that Carrier.”

John pulled Aeryn aside. He leaned close, resting his forehead against hers. He reached up, taking her head in his hands. “You know this is what has to be. I’m the one he wants. If I can trade myself for all of you ...”

“There has to be some other way.” she said desperately.

“Commander Crichton ... John.” Pilot interrupted, “I have a comm link with the Carrier.”

He pulled away from Aeryn and walked forward to stand alone in front of the view screen. The screen flickered then filled with the visage John had come to loathe ... Scorpius. His thin, skeletal mouth was curved up in a macabre, satisfied smile.

“Ahh. Crichton. So good of you to return.”

I have a proposition for you Scorpius.” John replied, refusing to be baited.

“You are in no position to bargain Crichton.”

“You want me,” he continued, “not the others. I will surrender myself if you let them go.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then you will have nothing. We will starburst, destroying ourselves and as many of you as possible.”

Behind him, the others looked at one another. They were stunned by his idea. Rygel began to move forward, ready to protest, but D’Argo silenced him with a look. If John was willing to sacrifice himself for them, the least they could do was support him.

“What do you propose?” Scorpius asked.

“I’ll leave Moya in my ship. When she has successfully completed starburst, I will bring it aboard your carrier.”

“You will allow us to probe your mind freely for the information we seek about wormholes?”

“You sound like a broken record, Scorpy.” he laughed, “But yes, I will allow you to access my memories.”

“Very well.”

“Pull your ships back to a distance of 60 metras. And I’ll need one arn to prepare my ship.”

“You may have half that.” Scorpius replied as the ships began to retreat.

As Pilot closed the comm channel, John turned to find Aeryn. She wasn’t on the Command deck. “Pilot?”

“She is on the Terrace.” he replied, understanding John’s unspoken request.

“You can’t be serious John.” she said quietly.

“I don’t know any other way out of this. Scorpius wants me. As long as I’m aboard Moya ...”

“There has to be another way.”

“We only have three options. If we try to starburst with the Peacekeepers this close we’ll all die. If we do nothing and wait, Scorpius will send a boarding party over. He’ll have all of you killed and take me anyway. If I do this, at least all of you will be alive.”

“But he’ll kill you.”

“I know. But I don’t see any other options.”

“John,” she began, but he put his hand to her lips as he shook his head.

“No, Aeryn. Don’t. This is hard enough. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be separated from you, but I also don’t want to be responsible for your deaths.” He sighed and pulled her to him, burying his face in her hair.

How can I do this? How can I leave her? How can I leave them?

“Tell our child about me; about us,” he whispered as he pulled away. He turned to leave. She started to follow him.

“No Aeryn. Stay here. I don’t know if I can go through with this if you’re there.” He took a couple more steps and stopped again. “I love you Sunshine. Don’t ever forget that.” His voice broke and he hurried away, leaving her standing, hands behind her back, eyes locked. The perfect Peacekeeper at attention, though tears streamed down her face.

John entered the hangar, ready to leave, hoping he could slip away without any fanfare. Unfortunately, D’Argo, Zhaan, Chiana and Rygel were all there. He looked at them, standing near his ship. These people had become his friends - no, his family - over the past five cycles.

How can I say goodbye to these people? They’ve come to mean so much to me. But how can I not do this? It’s their best chance for survival.

C’mon John. Keep it together. You can do this. You have to do this.

D’Argo stepped forward and extended his hand in the greeting John had taught him so long ago. “Crichton, there are no words for this occasion. Your sacrifice will be remembered.”

“Thanks big guy.” John said, trying to sound positive, though he suspected he
wasn’t pulling it off very well. He looked at his friends, assembled before him and continued, “Let’s not get all misty here guys. This is hard enough. Now get outta here and let me do this alone.”

He walked to the Farscape I and climbed in without looking back. He could only hope they had done as he asked.

Flip the ignition switch John. This was your idea. It’s their only chance and you’re running out of time. Now flip the damn switch!

“Crichton... John,” Pilot said softly, “I am sorry, but it is time. The Peacekeepers have contacted us again. They warn that they will close on us and open fire if you do not leave Moya within ninety microts.”

“Understood Pilot.” he said as calmly as possible. “Take care of her for me.”

“We will. Thank you John.”

Less than ninety microts later, the Farscape module left Moya and flew toward the Command Carrier. When he was forty-five metras from Moya, a squad of Prowlers surrounded him. He felt his stomach knot as the last one closed him in. There was no way out now. They held position as Moya began to glow, then disappeared in a blue flash. As the glow from Moya’s starburst faded, the Prowlers turned, forcing John to turn as well.

John brought Farscape I to a stop in the massive docking bay. He climbed out of the cockpit, lowering himself carefully to the deck, making sure he didn’t reveal his existing leg injury. No sense giving them any more leverage than they already have. As his feet hit the deck, six Peacekeeper commandos surrounded him, pulse rifles aimed at his head. He raised his hands, placing them on top of his head. From behind his helmet, one of the soldiers barked, “On your knees, human!”

John didn’t comply fast enough to suit them and one of the soldiers kicked him in the back of his right knee. He collapsed to the deck as intense pain shot through him. Wouldn’t ya know he finds the bad leg right off? Two of them grabbed him and twisted his arms behind him. One held him with the other locked him into handcuffs. They then dragged him to his feet. As he regained his balance, he looked up into Scorpius’ face.

“Scorpy! Did ya miss me?” John joked, trying to hide his fear.

“Take him to a containment cell. I’ll deal with him when we arrive at my new Gammak base.”

Two soldiers grabbed John by the arms and dragged him out of the docking bay. He tried to get his feet under him, but the residual weakness from the gunshot wound and the kick to the knee made it impossible.

They stopped in front of a heavy metal door. One of the guards inserted his ident chip, keyed in the appropriate code and opened the door. His companion roughly pushed John through the door. He stumbled, falling against the far wall. As he struggled to his feet, the door banged shut behind him.

Second Chances
Chapter Four: Into The Fire

As Moya slowed, coming out of starburst, D’Argo entered Pilot’s den, “Pilot, do you know where Aeryn is?”

“No, I have not seen her and my DRDs are not picking her up either,” he paused, checking the console in front of him, “Oh, no.”

“What is it Pilot? What’s wrong?”

“It appears that Aeryn’s Prowler is no longer aboard Moya.”

John was seated on the floor, leaning against the wall opposite the door. He had checked the cell for any weaknesses, any possible escape routes, but had found nothing. His leg was throbbing from where he’d been kicked and just from trying to walk as if everything was normal. Even though he was alone in the cell, he had kept up his pretense, thinking he might be under surveillance. Finally, when he couldn’t stand the pain any longer he’d eased himself to the floor where he was now.

Well, it’s better than most of the cells the Peacekeepers have thrown me into. At least this one’s clean.

How long have I been in here? Seems like forever, but I’m sure it’s only been a few arns. Scorpy’s probably just frelling with my mind, trying to make me jumpy.

It’s working.

He heard the door open and looked up. Scorpius and two “goons” stood in the doorway. Scorpius jerked his head at John and the two guards moved forward, grabbed his arms and dragged him to his feet.

“Crichton, I have a gift for you.” he said, walking to stand nose to nose with John. “As you know, we’ve used Control Collars on Leviathans for cycles. It occurred to me that the same concept would work on other prisoners. I’ve developed a prototype which you are going to help me test.”

He lifted a small electronic device, shaped like a semi-circle with lights blinking in the ends. John struggled to free himself from the grip of the soldiers. He had seen what the collar Chiana had worn when she first came aboard Moya was capable of and he did not want to experience the Peacekeeper version of it. The guards tightened their hold on him and turned him so his back was to Scorpius.

One of the guards pushed his head down, exposing the back of his neck. He tensed and waited. The cold metal contacted his skin and he shivered. It lay lightly on his neck, belying the power it held. The guards pulled him upright and removed his handcuffs as he heard the collar start to hum. When they released him, he turned to face Scorpius who smiled thinly.

Someday I will wipe that smile off your face you bag of bones.

“Allow me to demonstrate Crichton.” he said as he pushed a button on the keypad he held in his hand.

John screamed as pain such as he had never experienced – not even in the Aurora Chair – coursed through him. He felt as if his entire body was on fire. Every nerve ending, every muscle was aflame. He fell to his hands and knees and Scorpius released the button. His body was covered in sweat and he gasped for breath.

“This device is programmed to activate automatically if it moves outside of this cell without authorization. When you are being transferred from one location to another aboard this carrier, the guards will have a control device, which will deactivate that feature. They can, however, activate it if they feel you are not obeying their commands. You will not escape from me this time Crichton.” He turned to leave, then stopped, turned his head toward John and with a thin smile, added; “The device will also activate if it’s tampered with.”

John crawled to the corner and leaned into it as far as he could. His body was still in shock from Scorpius’ demonstration of the collar. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing and his mind.

I’ve never felt anything like that. Leave it to the Peacekeepers to come up with yet another way to torture someone.

Damn. What have I gotten myself into? First Scorpy invades my mind, stealing my memories, now he’s trying to destroy me physically. How am I ever gonna get out of here? Did I really think I’d get out of here? I guess maybe I did. Deep down I figured I’d get out of this somehow.

Screwed up John. You screwed up big time! Face it. You’re in over your head and Aeryn and D’Argo aren’t here to pull your ass out of it.

Think John. Are you just gonna roll over and let Scorpy win or are you gonna figure a way out of this without waiting for someone to come rescue you?

He pulled himself to his feet and started pacing. He examined the cell again, looking at every inch, hoping to find some way to get out. There had to be some way. At last he sat down again, exhaustion taking its toll. He’d been running on adrenaline for so long, he had no idea how tired he really was. When he sat down again, he realized he was totally drained and within minutes he was asleep.

Lt. Braca entered Scorpius’ office and waited while he finished reviewing a report. When he looked up, he said, “Sir, an unidentified Prowler has appeared in the docking bay.”

“Thank you Lieutenant.” Scorpius replied smoothly. “I expected as much. Have the ident number checked and find out if it’s the one that Aeryn Sun stole when she joined the human.”

Braca turned and hurried from the office. He had been under Scorpius’ command since the Scaran had taken over the Command Carrier from Captain Crais. At first he had thought things would be differnt – better – but little had changed. Crais had become a madman searching for the human Crichton and now the same quest had consumed Scorpius for nearly four cylces. He wondered if the madness would end now that Crichton was in custody.

The twin suns of the commerce planet were just setting. The sky was filled with the brilliant colors of twilight. This was the first time he’d ever seen a planet that had two suns. He’d always believed there might be worlds with multiple suns, but he’d never thought he’d see it for himself.

He settled back on the blanket and reached for a sandwich. While they were in the market, he’d managed to find a vendor who offered what could pass for deli and had convinced him to pack a picnic for two. It wasn’t exactly what he’d have liked – no pastrami on rye, no kosher pickles, no Heineken – but not bad for the Uncharted Territories where food cubes were the norm. Of course, Aeryn thought he’d lost his mind when he suggested a picnic. She’d never heard of such a thing and thought it a great waste of time. At least until he explained it would give them a chance to spend some time alone together without being interrupted by Pilot or anyone else aboard Moya. That had gotten her attention.

He handed the sandwich to Aeryn, then poured her a glass of Phelep Nectar. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was made from. Aeryn had tried to tell him once, but he really didn’t want to know. He lifted his own glass and held it out to her. She looked at him quizzically, unsure what he was doing. He reached out, took her hand and pulled it forward until the glasses touched. “Earth custom.” he explained.

They moved a little closer together, leaning their heads toward one another in an unconscious gesture of intimacy. For almost two cycles they’d been trying to figure out what their relationship was. Sometimes it seemed they were destined to be together while at others it seemed they’d never see eye to eye. But over the last few monens, things had changed. It hadn’t been easy to overcome their differences, but they’d done it – for the most part anyway.

John looked over at this intriguing woman beside him. Her intensely black hair seemed even darker set against her pale skin and midnight blue eyes. Striking was the only word he could use to describe her. He swallowed and said quietly, “On earth, sunsets are considered romantic.”

“Is that so?” she asked shyly, unsure where he was going with this.

“Uh huh.” he replied, unsure of where to go from there. He wondered why he’d started down this road. Would Aeryn think he’d lost his mind. Well, only one way to find out, he thought and plunged ahead. “Aeryn, I, uh ... I uh, wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Uh huh?” She settled closer to him, leaning her head back on his shoulder.

He looked down at her and said, “Aeryn, I’ve ... uh ... I’ve grown to care about you a great deal. I ... um ... I ...”

“You what?” she asked teasingly. She knew he was uncomfortable and was going to milk it for all it was worth.

“Damnit Aeryn, I love you.” he replied hotly.

She hesitated, startled by his declaration. It was what she’d wanted to hear, but was surprised he’d said it. None of the men she’d known before had ever said those words to her.

“I love you too John,” she whispered.

“Marry me.”

“Yes.”

She said yes? She said yes. She said YES!

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. A single tear had escaped from her eyes – eyes so dark, so deep he could see his future in them – and he liked what he saw. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

He jerked awake. He’d heard a voice. Her voice.

Damn. I must be losing it. First I dream about when I asked her to marry me and now I’m hearing her voice.

C’mon Crichton, pull it together. How’re you gonna fight Scorpius if you’re
losing your grip?”

He heard it again. In the corridor.

“He wants the prisoner transferred to the Gammak base and in the chair within the arn. Do you want to be the one to tell Scorpius that he isn’t there because you wouldn’t release him to me?”

“As I told you before Lt. Hassan, I don’t have any transfer orders. I cannot release him to you without any orders. You know that as well as I do.”

“Then contact Scorpius while I get him ready for transport.”

“Alright. That much can’t hurt. You sure you can handle him alone?”

“He’s got the Control Collar on doesn’t he? Not much chance he’s going to cause trouble.”

The lights came on in the cell as the door opened. John stood stiffly as a Peacekeeper soldier entered. The soldier was clad, head to toe in black, face covered by a helmet. It was definitely a woman, but that was all he could tell with any certainty.

It could be Aeryn. Size is about right, but how could she be here? How could she have gotten back here this fast after Starburst?

Wait, the guard called her Lt. Hassan. That name sounds familiar ... the Peacekeeper doctor I ... the virus in me ... killed over four cycles ago ... that was her name. Could it be a relative? Or is Aeryn using her ident chip?

“Turn around. Hands on your head.” she said.

He complied and she moved closer. She grabbed one wrist and twisted his arm behind him, locking it into the handcuffs. She leaned in close and whispered, “Don’t say anything. Don’t do anything. Understand?” It was definitely Aeryn. He’d know that voice anywhere. He nodded as she locked his other wrist into the cuffs and turned him to face the door.

She suddenly pushed him forward and he stumbled. He righted himself, then stopped. “You got this thing around my neck turned off? I’m not taking another step ‘til I know.”

“Don’t push it human or I’ll activate it just to see you squirm.” she replied coldly.

She pushed him again and he started moving. As he reached the cell door, he stopped. The guard she had been talking to blocked their path.

“Stop there.”

“What’s the problem?” she asked, raising her rifle slightly.

“I just want to check the collar; make sure it’s deactivated. You don’t want to be the one responsible for killing Scorpius’ favorite prisoner, do you?” He looked the collar over as well as the control device she held, then waved them on.

As they walked through the corridors, John remembered the first large Peacekeeper ship he had been aboard – the Zelbinion. This ship wasn’t as large, but, unlike the Zelbinion, it was alive. The corridors were filled with soldiers and techs, all of whom stopped to stare at the “human” who had so possessed Scorpius for all these cycles. John tried to keep his eyes straight ahead, avoiding the eyes of all those they passed, but his natural curiosity eventually got the better of him. As he turned his head to look at some of the technology he was passing, Aeryn nudged him roughly with her rifle and commanded him, “Eyes front!” He looked at her, amazed at how easily she fit back into this world.

At last they arrived at the docking bay and she escorted him to a Ranger class transport. This was a size ship he hadn’t seen before. It was about half the size of a Marauder and was generally used to transport techs from one duty station to another. This one had been converted for prisoner transport. The inside had been gutted of what little creature comforts it had once had and been replaced with four restraint stations. Each of these featured a metal seat with a short support behind it.

“Move over to the seat and turn around.” she ordered. He complied and she pushed him into the seat. Then she moved behind him and took his wrists, locking them into a groove in the support. When he was secured, she moved to the pilot’s seat and began her pre-flight checks.

Braca stood with Scorpius watching the Ranger leave the docking bay. “Sir, do you think it is wise to allow the traitor to take him to the base?”

“I am setting my trap Lieutenant. The woman must believe she is fooling us. She will follow orders, looking for an opportunity to free Crichton. She has become careless and trusting in her time away from the Peacekeepers. When she makes her move, we will be there. I will then be able to use her against him to get the information we require.”

What the frell is going on? Has Aeryn turned on me? Has she decided to go back to her old life? Is she really going to turn me over to Scorpius after all the time we’ve been running from him?

Stop it! You’ve trusted her with your life for years now. Don’t start doubting her now. She’s got a plan. She has to have a plan.

When they were out of the bay and on course for the Gammak base, she engaged the autopilot and came back by John. She took her helmet off, shook out her hair and knelt down in front of him, placing her hands on his knees.

“We can talk now. I’ve disengaged communications and surveillance.” she said, looking up into his eyes. She could see the fear and anger there and, in truth, she couldn’t blame him for wondering if she had turned on him.

“What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be aboard Moya.”

“Everyone’s eyes were on you. No one noticed my Prowler leaving Moya’s bay and slipping into formation with the other Prowlers around you.”

“Damn it Aeryn. Why couldn’t you leave it alone?”

“Do you want to die John? Is that what this is about?” she asked angrily. “If it is, just let me know and I’ll take you to Scorpius and leave you there.”

“No. I’m just worried about you.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can fit into this world. You need to worry about staying alive.” She paused, looking away from him. She’d always had trouble giving him difficult news. She took a deep breath, raised her eyes to his and continued, “John, I don’t know how long it will take me to free you. You may have to endure the Aurora Chair.”

“Why can’t we just leave in this ship, find a planet somewhere?”

“This Gammak base is too far away from anything for us to reach it in this ship.”

“You know I’d rather die in space than get in that chair again.”

“I know John, but they’d find us long before that happened.” She looked him in the eye and smiled sadly. “Can you endure this? Can you hide my presence when he puts you in the chair?”

“I have to.” he said simply. He tried to lean toward her, but the restraints stopped him. He growled, “I hate these damn restraints.”

She stood and placed her hands on his cheeks. She leaned closer and rested her forehead on his. “We’re almost to the Gammak base. You need to be strong. I know you can do it. We’ll get out of this.” She smiled, “We have a child to raise.”

Just as he started to respond, an alarm sounded from the cockpit. “We’re within three hundred microts of the base. I need to reestablish communications and bring us in.” She rose and returned to the Pilot’s seat leaving John to consider what lay ahead.

She pulled the ship to a smooth stop, disengaged the engines and came back by John. She unlocked the restraining support and pulled him roughly to his feet. He looked at her, questioningly. Then he realized she was back in Peacekeeper mode and that they could be under surveillance.

When they exited the ship, a contingent of black clad warriors met them. The leader, a lieutenant, stepped forward.

“We will take the prisoner from here. You are to return to the carrier. Scorpius has asked that you pilot this one’s ship to the base for study.”

“I have received no such orders.” Aeryn replied. She didn’t want to be separated from John for too long. “I was charged with delivering this prisoner to the Aurora Chair and I will fulfill that charge.”

“Scorpius anticipated your questions. Here are your new orders.” He said, handing her a transparency.

She took it and looked if over quickly. “These say I’ve been assigned directly to Scorpius. I am to report to him?” she said, some uncertainty in her voice.

“I’m just delivering the orders. I don’t know why you’ve attracted his attention, but apparently you have. We will take charge of your prisoner.”

She reluctantly handed the lieutenant the Control Collar keypad and returned to the Ranger. As she raised the debarkation platform she saw the soldiers escorting John from the hangar. A sick feeling welled up in her stomach as she taxied the Ranger toward the launch bay door.

Have I just doomed him to death at Scorpius’ hands? Maybe I should have listened to him and just flown as far from here as possible. We might have been able to find a planet or an asteroid to hide on. Anything would have been better than what Scorpius has planned for him.

And how did I catch Scorpius’ eye? Why does he want me assigned to his personal staff? Could it be that he knows who I am and he’s going to use me against John? I can’t think about that. I need to just do my job and find a way to get John – get us – out of this.

As Aeryn taxied the Ranger, the lieutenant pushed John toward the landing bay hatch. He had a sick feeling that he was in way over his head this time. They escorted him through corridor after corridor until he was unsure, given the chance, whether or not he could find his way out of the base on his own. Every one of the corridors looked the same – long, featureless gray concrete. Oppressive.

At last they stopped in front of one of the many identical doors. The lieutenant inserted his ident chip in the control pad and keyed in a code. The door opened and one of the soldiers behind John pushed him through it. The room was dark and cold and John tripped over the threshold and fell to his knees. The guards laughed as the door closed behind him.

He struggled to his feet which was harder than it sounded with the growing pain in his leg and his hands bound behind his back. When he stood and crept forward slowly, the lights came on. He was surprised to find he was in another containment cell. From what Aeryn had said, he thought he’d be taken directly to the Aurora Chair – not that he was complaining, he didn’t want to see that thing any sooner than necessary.

The cell was small and bare. No furnishings of any kind. Not even a window to let in natural light. He checked it out as much as he could without being able to use his hands. He also feared he might be being watched so he needed to be discreet. He paced nervously for a while, wondering when Scorpius would come for him. After a while, he eased himself to the floor, hoping to get some rest.

Aeryn brought the Ranger into the docking bay aboard Scorpius’ Command Carrier and lowered the debarkation platform. She hurried down it to the flight deck where she was greeted by Scorpius himself.

“Reporting as ordered sir.”

“Excellent. You are to pilot the human’s sip to the Gammak base where it will be examined.”

“May I ask, sir. Why me?”

“I saw how you handled Crichton when you took him to the base. You seemed to have a way with him. He seemed to obey your orders more quickly than he did anyone else’s. That may be valuable in the coming proceedings.”

“Thank you sir. I will familiarize myself with the human’s ship and have it at the base within the arn.” She moved toward the module as he boarded his shuttle.

I better make this good. It can’t look as if I’m familiar with John’s ship.

She climbed into the cockpit and began checking the controls as if she had never seen them before. A short time later she fired up the engine and began moving the module toward the bay doors. As she left the Command Carrier she felt a great weight lift off her shoulders.

The cell door opened and Scorpius entered followed by two black clad commandos. He nodded at John and they moved forward and pulled him to his feet. They pulled him toward the door where Scorpius blocked their path. He looked into John’s eyes.

“So Crichton. Are you prepared to honor your end of our agreement? Will you allow us probe your mind freely for information about wormholes?”

“Sheesh. You’re like a freakin’ recording ... I said I would, didn’t I?”

“Take him!” He said, moving out of the way. The soldiers dragged him into the corridor. Though he had agreed to this, he still found himself struggling against his guards. He’d once vowed he wouldn’t be taken alive, that he wouldn’t get back into that chair. Now, here he was, facing the damned thing again.

Try as he might, the guards were stronger than he was and they dragged him into a large room a short distance from his cell. As the entered the room, he felt panic well up as he saw it. The chair dominated the room. All of the lights were focused on it; on the seat he knew he would soon be locked into.

He was transported back to the last time he had endured this torture. It had been four cycles and he could remember it like it was yesterday. The pain – both physical and emotional – had been almost unbearable. Watching his own past being played out on that screen; seeing his father, D.K., Alex, even a quick glimpse of his mother, knowing he would never see them again had been excruciating.

The guards pulled him toward the chair. He fought against them, freeing himself from their grasp. He knew deep down that he had no where to run, but he wouldn’t – couldn’t – let them put him in that chair without a fight. He turned just as Scorpius entered the room. He activated the Control Collar and John fell to his knees as the pain coursed through him again. He couldn’t breathe.

“Make it stop.” he gasped between gritted teeth. “Please. Make it stop.”

Scorpius released the control and the pain eased. The guards moved forward and dragged him to the chair. He was so weakened from the effects of the Control Collar that he couldn’t fight them and soon found himself locked into the chair.

As it began to move, Scorpius’ assistant activated the probe and John screamed in pain. The monitor in front of him flickered and pictures – memories – from his past flashed in blazing speed across it. This was the hardest part of the process as they mapped his neural pathways. Once they had an idea of where to find what they wanted, the images became more focused and a bit easier to endure. Unless he fought them. Which he would do if they got too close to his memories of Aeryn and his shipmates.

Aeryn brought the Farscape module into the landing bay of the Gammak base and slowly came to a stop as the wings folded up. She raised the ship’s canopy and leaped to the floor. Almost before her feet hit the floor a group of techs surrounded the ship. She walked over to the bay master and presented her orders. He called the chief security officer who arrived a few microts later. He took one look at the orders and escorted her to her quarters without even checking her ident chip. Being assigned to Scorpius’ personal detail did seem to have its advantages after all. He turned to leave, but she stopped him.

“I should report to Scorpius. Where will I find him?”

“He has the prisoner in the Aurora Chair. I will take you there if you’d like.”

Despite the lump in her throat and the hollow feeling in her stomach, she said, “Yes. I would like to see that.”

He l