Farscape: The Surprise

Author: k9mak4

Rating: K

Humour

Warnings: None

Summary: Why is Rygel so depressed?

Rygel was bored. No one would pay any attention to him. That was not unusual. But this time they were not even telling him off.

He was in the galley in the early arns of morning on Moya. John Crichton walked in. He was not surprised to see Rygel there. Then he looked again. Rygel was not eating. "What's up, Sparky?" John asked the Hynerian.

"Nothing. I just don't feel like eating. That's all." Crichton grinned. He grabbed his comm and spoke into it.

"Zhaan. I think you should come to the galley. I think Rygel's sick."

"I will be there soon." Zhaan said.

A couple of minutes later Zhaan walked in, expecting the worst, thinking that Rygel had eaten so much he exploded. Of course, the others would think that would be great.

So she was surprised that Rygel seemed fine. "What's wrong with him?" Zhaan asked Crichton. "He looks fine."

"See. I told you." Rygel said.

"I came in and Fluffy wasn't eating." John explained. Now Zhaan looked concerned.

"Are you sure you're well, Rygel?" Zhaan asked. Just then, Chiana walked in to the room.

"What's going on?"

She asked. "John believes Rygel is ill." Zhaan explained.

"Why's that?" Chiana asked.

"Spanky ain't eat'n." John explained again. Chiana looked at Rygel.

"Rygel? Not eating? Who are you and what have you done with the real Rygel?" Chiana asked. She looked at Crichton to make sure she had got it right. "That's right, Pip."

"Oh, for frells sake! I'm fine! You hear me? I'm fine. Fine! Fine! Fine! Fine!" As an afterthought, Rygel added "Fine!" After that outburst, he found he felt much better. Actually, all that yelling had made him, what was it that Crichton called it? Ah, yes 'peckish'. He grabbed a box of food cubes. Then he left to go to his quarters. John, Zhaan and Chiana watched him go. Chiana giggled and said to the other two "I still don't believe he has no idea."

A few arns later and Rygel was sleeping. It was something to do. Anyway, he needed something to take his mind off…things. Aeryn walked into his room. She looked at him, snoring. Why did Crichton insist on doing this? She shook her head. She would never understand that Human. She crept over to Rygel, and grabbed him. He woke, startled. "What do you think you are do.." She shoved one of his dirty socks on his mouth. "Put a sock in it." She growled, using one of the Human's sayings. Rygel looked at her, surprised. That disappeared when she pulled out a small sack out of nowhere and put it over his head. Then they left the room.

In Command, Everyone was waiting for Aeryn to turn up. "What's taking her so long?" Crichton asked no one in particular.

Then Aeryn came in, with Rygel, who was trying to escape. Chiana and Zhaan were finding it difficult to keep from laughing. And D'Argo was having difficulty as well. "Are you ready?" Asked Pilot.

"Give us 10 microts." Said Zhaan. Everyone hid, except for Aeryn. Then Pilot turned the light off. Aeryn removed the sack from Rygel's head and slunk away from him. Rygel took the sock out of his mouth and turned on his comm. "Pilot! What the yotz is going on? I demand you turn the light on!"

"Very well."

Then there was light. Rygel looked around. Where was everyone? They were there a microt ago. He had heard them. Everyone jumped out of his or her hiding place. "SURPRISE!" Everyone yelled. Except for Aeryn, D'Argo and Pilot. "Happy hatch-day" Said Crichton. "Humph! You better have a good explanation for this." Then he saw the food on the table. He raced over to it. A large cake was in the middle. It had scribbles all over it. And fire. "You've gotta blow the candles out, Ryg." Chiana explained. "And make a wish. But you're not meant to tell anyone what it is." John added. "Why?" Rygel asked, intrigued. "Because it wont come true if you tell." D'Argo said. "What's with the scribbles?" Rygel challenged. "I'll have you know, that is writing." Chiana said. She had spent ages making that cake and the writing all said the same thing in Delvian, Luxan, Sebacean, Human, Hynerian and Nebari. It said 'Happy 1000th Hatch-day Rygel'