Home

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the first (and, for now, the only) Farscape story I've written. Aeryn insisted that I write it shortly after "DNA Mad Scientist" aired, and it's my take on whether Aeryn would really go to Earth with John (at least at that point). As such, this qualifies as an AU story, since it presumes that Namtar or his assistant gave Moya's crew, even Crighton, the way home.

SUMMARY: After D'Argo, Zhan, and Rygel find their way home it's the moment of truth for John and Aeryn as Moya approaches earth. Rated G.

Home

"Well, there she is," Crighton said, moving to stand beside her. She heard the slight catch in his voice and was glad for him, glad that he had found his home at last.

Aeryn studied the blue and white globe hovering in the display before her. "There are six billion of you on that little planet?" she asked incredulously. When Crighton had described his home she'd imagined a large planet, one capable of sustaining an enormous civilization. "Hasn't your species ever heard of limiting reproduction? You must have an enormous source of raw materials nearby." There were several large planets in the system, each with a large number of moons, more than sufficient to provide materials for the small planet. Crighton had told her that the other planets in the system were uninhabited, there for the taking. Why they simply didn't colonize them and free up space on the homeworld was beyond her.

When she glanced over at Crighton she realized he hadn't heard a word she'd said. He was staring at the monitor, an expression of wonder on his face, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing was real.

"We should be in orbit shortly," Pilot announced.

That seemed to draw Crighton out of his reflective state. "Thanks, Pilot," he said, then turned to glance once more at the planet on the display before turning to Aeryn.

"So," he began. "We should get our things together."

Aeryn looked back at him, then shifted her gaze to look at Pilot's display just behind him. "Pilot, you never answered my question?"

"Wait a minute, what question?" Crighton demand, in that irritating way of his.

"I asked Pilot where he and Moya would go if you and I left."

"Oh," Crighton said, his voice suddenly small, and Aeryn realized that the question had never occurred to him.

"Do not concern yourself with me, Officer Sun," Pilot said. "Moya and I will find another crew in short order."

Aeryn didn't doubt that for a second. "So you'll go back to the Uncharted Territories?"

"That is correct. Moya and I will have fulfilled our duty to the current crew, and will go in search of a new one."

"What about the Peacekeepers?"

"I will make every effort to avoid The Peacekeepers. It should not be difficult as long as we stay in the Uncharted Territories."

"You could stay here, with Aeryn and me," Crighton said impulsively. Aeryn glanced quickly over at him. It was a generous gesture, she thought, even as a part of her was irritated over the fact that he simply assumed she would join him on this planet. "You could remain in orbit here. Aeryn and I could come visit. It'll be fun." There was that disarming smile, and Aeryn realized that Crighton absolutely felt this would work.

But she knew better. She knew Pilot better than anyone on Moya. He would not stay. He would not be complete without a crew to serve. And Leviathans belonged out among the stars, not stuck orbiting an obscure little planet on the fringe of the galaxy.

"That would not be possible, Crighton, but I thank you for the offer. Judging by the level of technology your planet possesses, our presence would almost certainly be detected sooner or later. There is no telling what your species would do with a Leviathan."

"Pilot's right, Crighton," Aeryn. "He can't stay here."

For a moment she thought Crighton was going to argue, but after a moment he nodded his head in defeat. "You're right. I just..." After another moment, he shrugged. "I'll get my things, then stop by to say good-bye before we leave. Come on Aeryn."

For a moment she almost didn't follow him, then she ran after him impulsively. "Crighton, wait! We need to talk. Crighton."

Finally catching up with him as he strode down the hallway, she grabbed his arm and pulled him back sharply. "John!"

"What?" he asked, irritated.

Aeryn had once professed to Crighton a deep fear of being left behind. He'd offered to take her with him to Earth, and though she had never said that she would go, neither had she given him the impression that she wouldn't. But now she knew with absolute certainly that if she went with him to Earth, then she *would* be left behind.

"I'm not going with you," she blurted out suddenly. It was for the best - she'd never been good with words. The direct approach was always better.

"What are you talking about? Aeryn, we agreed..."

"No, you agreed," she corrected. "You decided that I'd come with you."

"So what are you saying, that you don't want to come with me?

She was silent for a moment, then she nodded. "I don't want to go to Earth."

Crighton looked at her, and for a moment she imagined that he was looking through her, through the outer Aeryn Sun, into the real person she was underneath. "Then, what do you want?" he asked softly.

"I want to stay with Pilot."

"You want to stay with Pilot?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

Crighton looked over her shoulder, back at Pilot's display for a moment, then favored her with a sly smile. "Is there something going on I should know about?"

"It's not like that!" she said quickly. Why this man had to be so damned irritating was beyond her. If all humans were like him, then she was definitely making the right choice. "It's just...this is where I belong. I just didn't understand that until now." She knew that even if Crais were to find her, tell her that all had been forgotten, and she could resume her old life as a Peacekeeper that she would not go. She'd left that life behind.

Crighton surprised her by nodding understandingly. He moved a step closer, and lifted his hand to trace one finger down the side of her face. "I'm sure Pilot would enjoy the company."

She nodded. "I'd never fit in on Earth, John. We both know that."

"Would have been interesting, though," he said, with a smile. "I'll miss you, Aeryn. Most of all, I think."

"More than Rygel?" she asked, teasingly. That earned her a chuckle, and Crighton moved away from her, the mood broken.

"Give me a lift home?" he asked over his shoulder as he headed toward his quarters.

"Sure," she said. "I'll meet you in the docking bay."

Pilot looked up at her when she entered his chamber. "I will miss you, Officer Sun," he said, pausing from his constant monitoring of Moya to give her his full attention.

"It's Aeryn, Pilot. And how would you like some company back to the Uncharted Territories?"

"I don't understand."

"I'm going with you and Moya."

"But I thought you would be leaving with Crighton."

"He thought that too. So did I until a few minutes ago." She stepped further into the room and leaned against his console. Glancing down, she saw that he was double checking the effects of this system's solar radiation on the Leviathan. As expected, it was having barely any effect on the large ship. But she doubted anyone other than herself or Pilot would understand that by the information flashing rapidly across the information panel.

"I would be glad for your company, as always, Aeryn, but please do not feel you have to stay for me. Moya and I will be quite fine on our own."

"Well, Pilot, like it or not, I am staying for you. And for me. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life trapped on a planet full of Crightons, can you?"

"That is a rather frightening prospect."

"So, I'll take Crighton home, and be back shortly, all right?"

At the door she paused and looked back at Pilot. "You won't leave without me, will you?" she asked. She didn't think it was in Pilot's nature to abandon Moya's crew without a very good reason, but she was suddenly nervous that he might do something like that if he thought it was for her own good.

Pilot did not look up. "Moya and I will be here when you return."

"Promise?"

This time he did look up. "We promise Moya and I are glad you are staying, Aeryn," he said, before she could turn away.

"It's not too late, you know," Crighton said. They were in a wooded area that fringed a large open field. She'd set her ship down in a clearing a short distance away after assuring Crighton that their entry into Earth's atmosphere had gone undetected. In terms of technology Aeryn had noted that they weren't far from being able to detect her ship, but not today.

"You could call Pilot, tell him you changed your mind..." He sounded almost hopeful, and Aeryn had to admit Earth, at least this part of it, was very pleasant.

She shook her head. "He promised to wait for me."

"Where will you go?"

Aeryn shrugged. "I have no idea." Once, the prospect of traveling without purpose, of merely wandering would have been too disturbing to contemplate. Now she discovered she was looking forward to it. "I'll miss you, Crighton." The strange thing was she really meant it.

"Take care of yourself," he said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms tightly around her. "And take care of Pilot and Moya, too."

Self-consciously, she lifted her arms and returned the gesture. Crighton had referred to this as 'hugging' and it seemed to serve a number of purposes. It just made her uncomfortable.

After a moment, Crighton let her go, and picked up the bag he'd dropped to the ground. Slinging his flight jacket over his shoulder he nodded in the direction of her ship. "You'd better go," he said. "Good-bye's really suck."

Nodding, Aeryn turned, and slipped into the foliage without looking back.

"What is our destination, Aeryn?" Pilot asked her as soon as she stepped into the control room.

For a moment, Aeryn was at a loss, then a thought occurred to her. She smiled at Pilot. "Why don't we let Moya decide?"

Pilot was taken aback by the suggestion. "It is highly irregular," he said after a moment. "There's no telling where we might end up."

"That's the point, Pilot. That's the point."

Pilot considered her words for a few moments, then nodded. His features were as inscrutable as ever, but Aeryn was certain she detected the tiniest gleam in his eye.

"Then prepare for Starburst."

The End