He awoke to darkness. His head hurt. There was a stabbing pain at his temples and everywhere else just throbbed. For a microt he thought he was going to throw up but he somehow controlled it.
And nearly lost that control as memory returned.
Mind frelled by Scorpius' machine. Everything he'd done torn from his mind for all to see. And damning him irrevocably.
Crais turned onto his side and groaned at the pain in his head. Dead. He was a dead man. Just as soon as Scorpius showed High Command the vid because he did things by the letter of regulation. Which gave him approximately a solar day to do something - anything - to assure his continued survival.
He sat up slowly, thinking. He'd already seen how... loyal his staff were. No one was going to stand for him. Peacekeepers were only loyal to those in power. Any sign of weakness. He blew air out from between pursed lips and rolled his eyes. And promptly wished he hadn't.
So, he thought doggedly against the tide of nausea. My own quarters. So Scorpius wasn't so sure of the crew that he was prepared to publicly humiliate their captain. Which at least meant he still had some power.
It was about appearances. He struggled to his feet and managed to stand. Half an arn later and he has showered and changed. Looking at his appearance in the mirror he didn't see how he was going to fool anyone. Appearance and attitude, he corrected himself and stood that little straighter.
As he walked to the mess he felt eyes on him. He wondered how far the news of his incipient downfall had spread. From the way everyone found anything else interesting when he met their eyes, he suspected it was already widespread. His meagre appetite fled but he refused to leave, to make it seem like he was affected in any way. He forced himself to eat something. Only once he;d done this did he rise and go to Command.
"We have a guest," Scorpius said by way of greeting.
Crais paused, watching the crew glance at him and then at the half-breed. "Indeed?" he said coolly. If Scorpious wanted to pretend nothing untoward had happened, then two could play that game.
"Yes. Dominar Rygel has left the Leviathan, requesting an audience."
"Why?" Crais asked, immediately suspicious.
"I do not know. However, I have agreed to allow him on board. He may have information pertinent to our cause."
Our cause. Crais clenched his jaw and bit back a bitter retort. He considered the situation. He hated Hynerians with a passion but maybe this could work in his favour...
Crais paced his office. Scorpius waited more patiently. Finally the door slid open and Braca walked in, performing a perfect salute.
"Sirs," Braca said. "This Hynerian royal was alone aboard the Leviathan transport."
He stepped to one side and the Hynerian came in on his hover throne.
"You want the Leviathan," he said, a statement and not a question. "The Leviathan gunship offspring. The other escaped prisoners. The defector Aeryn Sun. And especially, you want the one called Crichton. Well, I want my freedom. Interested?"
Crais held his tongue and watched Scorpius' reaction. As usual the half-breed was hard to read but Crais knew how interested in Crichton he was. Well in the technology the human held in his head. His own interest went as far as fulfilling the oath he'd given Aeryn. Or maybe he could... persuade her to help him this time...
"I am willing to listen," Scorpius said to Rygel.
"Hm. Thought you might be." He sniffed. "However I'm not willing to tell you anything on an empty stomach."
Scorpius looked at Braca, still stood at attention by the door. "Lieutenant, kindly facilitate out negotiations and supply the good Dominar with sustenance."
"Should I bring it here Sir?" Braca asked, his gaze flicking from Scorpius to Crais and back again. At least one person hadn't forgotten whose Carrier this was.
"Yes, Lieutenant. Here will suffice." Scorpius turned to Crais. "Will it not, Captain?"
"Of course," he replied stiffly.
Braca nodded and saluted again before stepping into the corridor. Rygel sat and stared at Crais, radiating smugness. Crais let out a slow breath and went to sit and wait.
It seemed as if Rygel thought he was at an eatery rather than on a Peacekeeper Carrier and sat happily chewing away. Crais sat stiffly in his chair, watching the scene of Scorpius pacing while Rygel ate unmoved by the tension in the room.
The Hynerian dragged another plate of food to in front of him. "That's your third helping," he pointed out impatiently. He did not believe Rygel intended to give them anything, rather that this was some plot of Crichton's. He had chased the human for over a cycle and he knew the kind of crazy ideas he could come up with.
"Mm. That's for my third stomach." Rygel seemed perfectly at ease, and shoved food into his mouth. Crais didn't bother to hide his disgust. "That's what happens, you see. By the time it's full, first one's empty again."
This seemed to push even Scorpius' patience. "Dominar Rygel," he said in the cool tone of one trying to maintain calm. "My Gammak Base is but a short distance away. Once seated in my Aurora Chair, your hunger pangs will be the least of your discomforts."
Rygel didn't even blink. He did, however, belch. "With all due respect: wrong," he said dismissively. "You won't get anything out of me that way. Ask him." He indicated Crais with a wave of his fork. "My physiology won't tolerate it."
Scorpius turned to face Crais.
"He would be dead almost instantly," he reported duly.
"Oh, no need to travel to accommodate that," Scorpius said, turning back to Rygel.
Who looked at him steadily. "Look, if I were afraid, I wouldn't have come, would I? Pass the terleum mollosks, please."
"I believe your offer was the capture of John Crichton in exchange for your own freedom?" Scorpius continued.
Crais felt himself tense. "And the Leviathan, and the others-"
"Insignificant, Captain," the half-breed interrupted, his attention on Rygel. Crais stared at his back in disbelief. "A simple deal," Scorpius said to Rygel, "to which I agree."
"Hardly simple," Rygel said immediately. "I also require a ship, a qualified crew, negotiable currency, a map to my homeworld, and a full pardon."
Crais wanted to ask if that was it but Scorpius had been pacing and he stopped now and eyed the Hynerian with a half smile.
"You're lying."
"All right," Rygel said easily. "I could forgo the cash."
Scorpius lent his hands on the tabletop. "You're lying about why you're here."
"No, I'm not."
"You're wasting our time." Scorpius looked at Crais. "Imprison him. We will capture the others in due course."
Not even that ruffled Rygel. "I don't think so. Look, I know him." He looked up at Scorpius. "John Crichton will not be taken alive.
"Now he's telling the truth." Scorpius tilted his head. "But are you willing to help me capture the human, Crichton?"
"What exactly did you have in mind?" Rygel purred.
"Do you believe him?" Crais asked Scorpius later. They were on the bridge as Scorpius had the crew continue to scan for Moya and her offspring even as he made a pact with Rygel.
"I believe he will do anything to secure his own future." Scorpius looked up at Crais. "Therefore I believe I can use him."
Crais watched the half-breed turn away, his attention going back to the scan sweeps. He couldn't help but wonder if Scorpius was doing to very same thing with himself. The next microt he knew that was exactly what was going on. He walked off the bridge, heading back to his quarters. He stopped before he got there.
Sidestepping a patrol he changed direction and went to Scorpius' rooms. He over-rode the lock, still Captain of this ship even if most of his power was gone. He walked over to the desk. It took him microts to find what he wanted.
He picked up the data chip with a grim smile. He knew what it was. Leverage. His passage off this Carrier and away from the court martial and death that awaited him.
Scorpius was involved in trying to track the Leviathan by other means. Leaving him a window of opportunity. Crais was never one to pass up an opportunity.
He walked into his quarters without announcing his arrival. Rygel was bathing and blinked at the intrusion.
"Excuse me!" the Hynerian spluttered. "Do you mind?"
Crais looked at him in disgust. "You have eaten. You have bathed. What next? A nap?"
The sarcasm was lost on Rygel. "Hm. As a matter of fact, um-"
"We must talk about your future," Crais announced, sitting on the edge of the bath.
"Tcha!" Rygel scoffed. "You're clearly not the one to decide my future, Crais."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you've lost control here, haven't you? Not that it troubles me, but this Scorpius fellow - he's obviously the one in power now."
Crais smiled tightly "Be that as it may, allow me to make a case for my value in these negotiations, your Highness," he said evenly. Rygel looked at him curiously. Crais reached out and shoved the Hynerian's head under the water and held the struggling creature there for several microts.
He let Rygel up and pressed the data chip into his hand.
"You mad man!" Rygel spluttered with he'd recovered enough breath.
"Do you know what this is?" Crais asked in a low voice.
"You mad man!"
He ignored the ranting. "This is your death certificate. Proof you expired."
Rygel recovered himself. "You're early. Come back tomorrow."
"I am not your reaper," Crais stated calmly. "Scorpius is. Did you really think you could strike an honest bargain with a Scarran half-breed like him? The moment Crichton is in custody, he's ordered your execution to show everyone what he thinks of traitors." He watched realisation dawn on the Hynerian's face. "Slow death."
Rygel thought this over. "Why tell me?"
Crais took a deep breath; all too aware of what he was about to do. Talking of traitors... "Because ironically, we find ourselves in similar situations," he said quietly. "No matter what I do, I have no life beyond court martial. Incarceration. Execution."
Rygel nodded slowly. He looked up at Crais. "So what do you want?"
"To survive. As you do."
"And just how do we do that?" Rygel asked. It was a very pertinent question.
"I am dead if I stay aboard this Carrier. Therefore I choose to accompany you back to Moya."
Rygel laughed. "You seek refuge with those you have pursued. D'Argo will have your mivonks."
"I am aware of the risks," Crais said. "And of Ka D'Argo's enmity towards me. Still I believe my chances of survival are much improved if I do. Do you agree to this?"
"Why not? It'll be worth it just to see their reactions."
Crais stood up. "Get out of there," he ordered Rygel. "We have little time."
"I will do just as soon as you leave."
"Just get out. I have things I need to take and I'm not waiting for you to make yourself decent. I haven't got long enough for that."
Rygel huffed but did as he was told. Crais didn't pay him any attention, too busy sorting through his personal effects. He knew they were against time. He glanced up to check Rygel was doing as he'd asked and was mollified to see he had.
"Come on Crais, Rygel said. "If Scorpius is planning on something, I want to be out of here now."
"Yes. Yes." He looked over the room and sighed. "Yes," he said firmly.
Nobody questioned why the Captain had a Hynerian in custody; his hatred of the species was well-known. That he was headed to the transporter bay didn't seen overly strange either.
Rygel opened the hatch of the Leviathan's transporter and flew the hover throne in. Crais paused, uncertain suddenly. He glanced over his shoulder. His Carrier. His life. And Scorpius' interference had taken it from him.
He squared his shoulders and turned his back on it all.