John looked out his window at the ringed planet below. It wasn't much to look at but with his fuel so low it would have to do. He banked in to the atmosphere and came in to a rough landing on the outskirts of a large city.
For a while he just sat in his module. This is where he would live if he couldn't get any fuel. For the rest of his life this chunk of rock would be what he called home, what a daunting prospect. John had never felt so isolated and alone in his entire life. He wanted nothing more then to go in search of his friends, and the ship he had come to view as home. But with out the means it really was an unrealistic goal.
This planets sky was an interesting light purple color and the blue rings were visible from the surface, streaking across the sky. It was far to alien for him ever to be happy here.
With a heavy hand he hit the canopy controls and climbed out on to the wing. From there he surveyed the nearby city. It was large, its silver buildings scraping the sky. It could have been worse, he supposed, they could be brown. He sighed as he reached in and grabbed the travel bag he had taken to packing before each flight. Inside he had a few essentials and the majority of his currency.
He was a wealthy man, but without the means to store the fuel he would need for a long journey, it did him no good.
He jumped down from the wing; the ground was soft like a freshly tilled field. For all he knew that's just what it was. He had a good mile hike before he reached the true cities edge.
Here there were beings everywhere. They milled about like one breathing unit. Crowds packed some streets to the point it looked like New Orleans during Madi Gra. It was not a sensation he enjoyed.
Up ahead through the masses and the smells and the shouts, he saw an advertisement for refreshments and made his way to it. Inside the huge `bar' there were just as many people jostling for an empty table anywhere. John instead made his way carefully to the bar.
The bartender, if you could call it that, looked not unlike a sea urchin. John had no idea where it was talking from when it rudely asked him what he wanted. Oh a whim he ordered fellip nectar. At this point he just needed something familiar to cling to.
After the fifth person bumped in to him or rubbed against him, John decided to take his drink elsewhere. This place was not conducive to thought. He looked around for someone he could ask about finding a place to stay.
Many of the alien species he had not seem before, but it was like that on all the commerce planets. He saw a Delvian by the back of the bar, but he seemed intent on the creature sitting next to him. He saw Scarren in the back by himself, and that's probably where he should remain. Other then that there was really no one.
John got up to leave when someone knocked the nectar out of his hand. He looked up in to the eyes of a Luxan. He had tattoos very similar to D'argo's even. John was instantly homesick.
"Watch it Peacekeeper." The Luxan said in way of apology.
Before he turned to leave, John figured this might be the last familiar face he saw, so taking his life in his hands he tapped the giant on the shoulder.
"Excuse me General, but do you know of a place where I could rent a room." The Luxan turned and looked John right in the eyes. John figured this was not the time to be macho, so he lowered his eyes humbly. "I thought of anyone here you would be the most knowledgeable." Good John suck up, he told himself.
The Luxan grunted once.
John prepared for a blow to the head, instead the giant proceeded to give him very precise directions to a place called Gal Moran's boarding. Without waiting for acknowledgment, when the directions were conveyed the Luxan simple disappeared into the crowd.
"It would appear you have learned things in your travels." John heard a familiar voice behind him state.
"Go away Harvey." He said simply under his breath as he exited on to the busy street again.
With little trouble John stumbled on to the right place quickly purchased a room for the weeken and fell on to the bed of his temporary home. With in minute he was in a restless sleep.
John woke the next morning to the sounds of a busy city. This was not as conducive to sleep as the gentle humming of Moya. This time of day was going to be the hardest, he could already tell.
Not wanting to spend anymore time alone then he had to, he set out as quickly as possible to see about getting his needs taken care of. He needed food and fuel, or maybe a transport. He had to see what he could find.
He found shopping alone wasn't nearly as fun, and it only took him two hours to find that. With a sigh he entered what had to be the twentieth shop he had been to that morning. It was a place called Hoganian's Spares. He figured they might just have something he needed; he was past the point of being particular. He had discovered, that though pretty, the city had little of practicality to offer.
The shop inside was strewn with bits and pieces of this and that, none of it bigger then John's hand. It seemed to be and odds and ends shop.
There were very few people inside too, which seemed odd compared to the crowds that gathered elsewhere through out the city. It was a nice break from the earsplitting jostle of the outside street. John decided to stay in for a while even if there was nothing of interest to buy.
Making his way to the front counter, he thought to talk to the proprietor, find out if there was a place to buy fuel on this rock.
"Maybe that's why there are so many people here, no one can leave." John tried to ignore his leather-clad companion but the thought sent chills up his spine.
"Lets hope not." He said under his breath.
At the front of the store he saw a desk, much like a checkout counter back home. There was even a little bell with a hole drilled through the metal surface beside it.
He was about to ring the bell when the front doors to the store burst open and three angry aliens, the likes of which he had not seen before, stormed in.
The leader of the three, one slightly larger then the other two with a bright orange frill down his back, made his way swiftly to John.
"Do you own this piece of dren shop?" it asked. John felt bad for who ever answered them affirmatively.
"Nope, just browsing." He said calmly. "Have yet to see the owner." John noticed behind the three that the rest of the would be customers were fleeing the scene. That was never a good sign.
"Get out of our way." The shortest one growled. Even he was taller then John with a dull gray frill not quite as large as the orange one's.
"Gladly." He muttered about to make his way to the back of the store.
"Don't leave." John stopped. It had been whispered from inside the metal desk. "Please don't leave me." The whisper came again. This time it almost sounded like it was coming from inside his own head.
"We're not alone in here anymore." Harvey said as he came into view leaning on the desk.
John took a deep breath. Great just what he needed, another invitation to die. He sighed out, at this point, really what did he have to lose?
"May I ask what business you gentlemen have here?"
Ok that got a reaction. If it wasn't so deadly a situation he would have laughed at how cliché their synchronous growls were. All they needed were head ridges and he'd be calling them Klang.
"It is no business of yours Peacekeeper." The short one spoke again.
"See I hate it when people say that, I mean really, how do you know what my business is, do you know me?"
"Good one John, always better to die with a threat on your lips." Harvey sneered on the sidelines.
The three each went for their weapons. On instinct born of being hunted for the past four cycles, John had his out first. With quick precise shots he had disarmed them all, separating the short one from his fingers as well.
"You will not live to see this night!" the leader screamed as he and his lackeys backed toward the door.
"Your blood is mine!" chimed in the short one, cradling his damaged hand.
"Heard that one before, get in line." John said to the closing door as he re-holstered Winonna.
He cleared his throat then loudly. "Ok who is back there?" he asked.
To his surprise the person didn't crawl out from behind the desk, but instead crawled out of the hole next to the bell. The little blue, furry thing couldn't have been taller then five inches at full height. It had a stub nose almost like a pug dog and large eyes that took up the majority of its face. Its hands were tiny and clawed, though the claws were small and in proportion, like fingernails. Its ears were pointed and at the side of is head not on top.
"You saved my life." It said, again in that whisper like voice.
"Don't mention it." John was still taking it in. it had to be the smallest sentient being he had ever seen.
It cocked its head at him. "Why are their two of you?"
John didn't know what to make of that question.
"Sorry, don't follow you there."
"You are not the only one in your mind. Why is someone else in there." Ok that was just creepy, he thought.
"How do you know that?" He asked, not realizing he had backed up.
The creature held up its tiny hand as thought to keep him there. "Wait, I'm sorry. You don't know what I am. I'm sorry."
"So what are you?" John had stopped retreating, but he still wasn't ready to approach again.
"I'm a Klink, we know minds. And you are John Crichton. You saved my life."
"Woe, woe, what do you mean you know minds, like your telepathic?" this was not something he needed.
"But you do need me. I can help you. My life is yours now, don't you see John."
"All I see is that you're creeping me out." John said. But he still didn't leave.
"Please, take me with you, if they come back they will kill me." It bagged him with the sweetest sincerity.
"Why do they want to kill you?"
It smiled. "I creeped them out."
John couldn't help but smile back. "So you got a name?" he asked against his better judgment and Harvey who was vehemently shaking his head.
"Rigs" it answered as it extended its hand for a handshake.
John just looked at it.
"Fine if you don't want to shake my hand you don't have to." John came out of his stooper and walked forward gently taking the tiny digits into his own and barely moving it up and down. "John." He said in way of introduction out of habit.
"I know." Rigs answered with a smile.
"So you need a life out of here huh?"
"Please." It paused looking at him intently. "I know a place to buy fuel." It said.
John didn't need to think long; he hated wading blindly through these crowds.
"You got yourself a deal." Before the words were out of his mouth Rigs was climbing up his hand and on to his shoulder. When it noticed his trepidation it merely said "better view up here, for navigational purposes."
John chucked and shook his head.
"Well they say it takes all kinds."
"Indeed it does." Rigs said, patting John on the head. "Now turn left out the door."
John smiled to himself as he followed Rigs directions; at least he wasn't alone anymore.
"Nope now you got me."
"Ok stop doing that it's wigging me out here."
He heard the tiny peals of laughter near his ear.
For a while he just sat in his module. This is where he would live if he couldn't get any fuel. For the rest of his life this chunk of rock would be what he called home, what a daunting prospect. John had never felt so isolated and alone in his entire life. He wanted nothing more then to go in search of his friends, and the ship he had come to view as home. But with out the means it really was an unrealistic goal.
This planets sky was an interesting light purple color and the blue rings were visible from the surface, streaking across the sky. It was far to alien for him ever to be happy here.
With a heavy hand he hit the canopy controls and climbed out on to the wing. From there he surveyed the nearby city. It was large, its silver buildings scraping the sky. It could have been worse, he supposed, they could be brown. He sighed as he reached in and grabbed the travel bag he had taken to packing before each flight. Inside he had a few essentials and the majority of his currency.
He was a wealthy man, but without the means to store the fuel he would need for a long journey, it did him no good.
He jumped down from the wing; the ground was soft like a freshly tilled field. For all he knew that's just what it was. He had a good mile hike before he reached the true cities edge.
Here there were beings everywhere. They milled about like one breathing unit. Crowds packed some streets to the point it looked like New Orleans during Madi Gra. It was not a sensation he enjoyed.
Up ahead through the masses and the smells and the shouts, he saw an advertisement for refreshments and made his way to it. Inside the huge `bar' there were just as many people jostling for an empty table anywhere. John instead made his way carefully to the bar.
The bartender, if you could call it that, looked not unlike a sea urchin. John had no idea where it was talking from when it rudely asked him what he wanted. Oh a whim he ordered fellip nectar. At this point he just needed something familiar to cling to.
After the fifth person bumped in to him or rubbed against him, John decided to take his drink elsewhere. This place was not conducive to thought. He looked around for someone he could ask about finding a place to stay.
Many of the alien species he had not seem before, but it was like that on all the commerce planets. He saw a Delvian by the back of the bar, but he seemed intent on the creature sitting next to him. He saw Scarren in the back by himself, and that's probably where he should remain. Other then that there was really no one.
John got up to leave when someone knocked the nectar out of his hand. He looked up in to the eyes of a Luxan. He had tattoos very similar to D'argo's even. John was instantly homesick.
"Watch it Peacekeeper." The Luxan said in way of apology.
Before he turned to leave, John figured this might be the last familiar face he saw, so taking his life in his hands he tapped the giant on the shoulder.
"Excuse me General, but do you know of a place where I could rent a room." The Luxan turned and looked John right in the eyes. John figured this was not the time to be macho, so he lowered his eyes humbly. "I thought of anyone here you would be the most knowledgeable." Good John suck up, he told himself.
The Luxan grunted once.
John prepared for a blow to the head, instead the giant proceeded to give him very precise directions to a place called Gal Moran's boarding. Without waiting for acknowledgment, when the directions were conveyed the Luxan simple disappeared into the crowd.
"It would appear you have learned things in your travels." John heard a familiar voice behind him state.
"Go away Harvey." He said simply under his breath as he exited on to the busy street again.
With little trouble John stumbled on to the right place quickly purchased a room for the weeken and fell on to the bed of his temporary home. With in minute he was in a restless sleep.
John woke the next morning to the sounds of a busy city. This was not as conducive to sleep as the gentle humming of Moya. This time of day was going to be the hardest, he could already tell.
Not wanting to spend anymore time alone then he had to, he set out as quickly as possible to see about getting his needs taken care of. He needed food and fuel, or maybe a transport. He had to see what he could find.
He found shopping alone wasn't nearly as fun, and it only took him two hours to find that. With a sigh he entered what had to be the twentieth shop he had been to that morning. It was a place called Hoganian's Spares. He figured they might just have something he needed; he was past the point of being particular. He had discovered, that though pretty, the city had little of practicality to offer.
The shop inside was strewn with bits and pieces of this and that, none of it bigger then John's hand. It seemed to be and odds and ends shop.
There were very few people inside too, which seemed odd compared to the crowds that gathered elsewhere through out the city. It was a nice break from the earsplitting jostle of the outside street. John decided to stay in for a while even if there was nothing of interest to buy.
Making his way to the front counter, he thought to talk to the proprietor, find out if there was a place to buy fuel on this rock.
"Maybe that's why there are so many people here, no one can leave." John tried to ignore his leather-clad companion but the thought sent chills up his spine.
"Lets hope not." He said under his breath.
At the front of the store he saw a desk, much like a checkout counter back home. There was even a little bell with a hole drilled through the metal surface beside it.
He was about to ring the bell when the front doors to the store burst open and three angry aliens, the likes of which he had not seen before, stormed in.
The leader of the three, one slightly larger then the other two with a bright orange frill down his back, made his way swiftly to John.
"Do you own this piece of dren shop?" it asked. John felt bad for who ever answered them affirmatively.
"Nope, just browsing." He said calmly. "Have yet to see the owner." John noticed behind the three that the rest of the would be customers were fleeing the scene. That was never a good sign.
"Get out of our way." The shortest one growled. Even he was taller then John with a dull gray frill not quite as large as the orange one's.
"Gladly." He muttered about to make his way to the back of the store.
"Don't leave." John stopped. It had been whispered from inside the metal desk. "Please don't leave me." The whisper came again. This time it almost sounded like it was coming from inside his own head.
"We're not alone in here anymore." Harvey said as he came into view leaning on the desk.
John took a deep breath. Great just what he needed, another invitation to die. He sighed out, at this point, really what did he have to lose?
"May I ask what business you gentlemen have here?"
Ok that got a reaction. If it wasn't so deadly a situation he would have laughed at how cliché their synchronous growls were. All they needed were head ridges and he'd be calling them Klang.
"It is no business of yours Peacekeeper." The short one spoke again.
"See I hate it when people say that, I mean really, how do you know what my business is, do you know me?"
"Good one John, always better to die with a threat on your lips." Harvey sneered on the sidelines.
The three each went for their weapons. On instinct born of being hunted for the past four cycles, John had his out first. With quick precise shots he had disarmed them all, separating the short one from his fingers as well.
"You will not live to see this night!" the leader screamed as he and his lackeys backed toward the door.
"Your blood is mine!" chimed in the short one, cradling his damaged hand.
"Heard that one before, get in line." John said to the closing door as he re-holstered Winonna.
He cleared his throat then loudly. "Ok who is back there?" he asked.
To his surprise the person didn't crawl out from behind the desk, but instead crawled out of the hole next to the bell. The little blue, furry thing couldn't have been taller then five inches at full height. It had a stub nose almost like a pug dog and large eyes that took up the majority of its face. Its hands were tiny and clawed, though the claws were small and in proportion, like fingernails. Its ears were pointed and at the side of is head not on top.
"You saved my life." It said, again in that whisper like voice.
"Don't mention it." John was still taking it in. it had to be the smallest sentient being he had ever seen.
It cocked its head at him. "Why are their two of you?"
John didn't know what to make of that question.
"Sorry, don't follow you there."
"You are not the only one in your mind. Why is someone else in there." Ok that was just creepy, he thought.
"How do you know that?" He asked, not realizing he had backed up.
The creature held up its tiny hand as thought to keep him there. "Wait, I'm sorry. You don't know what I am. I'm sorry."
"So what are you?" John had stopped retreating, but he still wasn't ready to approach again.
"I'm a Klink, we know minds. And you are John Crichton. You saved my life."
"Woe, woe, what do you mean you know minds, like your telepathic?" this was not something he needed.
"But you do need me. I can help you. My life is yours now, don't you see John."
"All I see is that you're creeping me out." John said. But he still didn't leave.
"Please, take me with you, if they come back they will kill me." It bagged him with the sweetest sincerity.
"Why do they want to kill you?"
It smiled. "I creeped them out."
John couldn't help but smile back. "So you got a name?" he asked against his better judgment and Harvey who was vehemently shaking his head.
"Rigs" it answered as it extended its hand for a handshake.
John just looked at it.
"Fine if you don't want to shake my hand you don't have to." John came out of his stooper and walked forward gently taking the tiny digits into his own and barely moving it up and down. "John." He said in way of introduction out of habit.
"I know." Rigs answered with a smile.
"So you need a life out of here huh?"
"Please." It paused looking at him intently. "I know a place to buy fuel." It said.
John didn't need to think long; he hated wading blindly through these crowds.
"You got yourself a deal." Before the words were out of his mouth Rigs was climbing up his hand and on to his shoulder. When it noticed his trepidation it merely said "better view up here, for navigational purposes."
John chucked and shook his head.
"Well they say it takes all kinds."
"Indeed it does." Rigs said, patting John on the head. "Now turn left out the door."
John smiled to himself as he followed Rigs directions; at least he wasn't alone anymore.
"Nope now you got me."
"Ok stop doing that it's wigging me out here."
He heard the tiny peals of laughter near his ear.