PERSPECTIVE
By Darkman
Rating: PG for language
Category: Short Story
Time/Spoilers: Some spoilers from Season 3.
Summary: An unwanted rescue occurs
Disclaimer: I don't own them, didn't create them, and certainly don't
profit from them. Wish I did or had. I promise that I'll put them back where I
found them. Henson & Co., Sci-Fi,
Channel 9 Australia, etc own the rights to Farscape and its characters. Any others are all mine. Many thanks to my patient and kind beta
readers, Banshae and Janeway!
John came awake slowly and the pain hit him like a freight train. His head felt like someone had used it for kicking practice. For a moment, he thought he was paralyzed, but then he felt his arms trembling. There wasn't a place on his body that didn't hurt. His head was the worst, but his wrists and arms screamed for attention.
He turned his head as slowly as he could, but even that slight motion set off fireworks behind his eyes. He realized he was chained to a wall with shackles, hanging by his wrists. He moaned with the effort to get his feet under him to take the pressure off his arms. After a few slips, which sent shooting pains through him, he managed to stand and lean against the wall easing his arms slightly. Broken memories came seeping back and he saw faces hovering before him, some familiar, some not.
He surveyed his pain mentally and figured he had a concussion, some cracked ribs, and a varied assortment of bruises and abrasions. There didn't seem to be any part of him that didn't hurt. He also felt woozy and attributed that to some type of drug. All in all, his position at the moment sucked big time.
Harvey appeared at the edge of his vision. He was pacing and muttering, deep in the throes of concentration as if trying to solve a problem just out of intellectual reach.
"Yes, John, it is about time you joined me. I've been waiting a long time."
"Hey, Harv, what the hell is going on?"
"You are chained to a wall, John. You don't need me to tell you that."
"I thought you might be a little more informative. Like telling me who, what, where! You know, the reason I keep you around is for times just like this."
"The who should be obvious, note the colors and the insignia on the opposite wall."
"Peacekeepers," John spat. "That leaves where and how."
"Commerce planet, drugged fellip nectar! Does any of that strike a familiar chord? Or are you too far gone to remember? Snap out of it, John. We need to get out of here before they come back to continue their questioning."
"Like I need you to tell me that. Any bright ideas or am I on my own?"
"At the moment, I have no recommendations, but I will be back shortly."
The sound of the door opening brought him back to the situation at hand. He stared in surprise at the figure before him. It took a second before he shut his mouth and his jaw clenched tightly.
"What are you doing here?" He snarled.
"Saving your eema. What does it look like?"
"Who asked you?"
The comment caused her to take a step back, confusion written on her face. She shook her head, began to study his shackles and murmured, "Am I to understand by that remark that you do not wish to be rescued?"
"No, not at all. I just don't want to be rescued by you."
Now she was completely confused and studied him closely. She thought she was too late and he had suffered mental damage, but his expression was clear, lucid, and quite cold.
"Have you lost your mind, Crichton? Your situation is quite grave. These people will tear you apart to get their answers. It looks like they have made a good start already."
"Yeah, I know, but I just can't have you waltzing in and out of my life, Ms. Sun. I'll wait for D'Argo or Chiana. Hell, I'll even wait for Scorpius, just not you."
Aeryn snorted. "John, a Luxan or Nebari could not get within a metra of your cell without being discovered. I can and I have, so quit arguing." She pointedly ignored the Scorpius comment.
"Not this time. You have been in and out of my life too many times. I told you I couldn't handle the time in between and I can't. At the moment I'd rather stay here and take my chances. If I die, then I die, but I will not be beholden to you again. You left and you took my heart and child with you. I just want you to leave me alone. And don't call me John!"
If his comment about the child caused her consternation, it didn't show. She crossed her arms and frowned. "As you wish, but this is not the time to bare our souls, Crichton. We have taken a great risk to get here and we're not leaving without you. I will not see you die again. If you do not wish to be rescued by me then perhaps you would prefer being rescued by my associate."
She stepped aside slightly so John could see her companion. For the second time in two minutes, he was speechless. Before he could utter a word, her pantak jab stopped all conversation.
The next time he regained consciousness, he was in bed in a chamber which screamed Peacekeeper. However, he was more concerned with his condition than with his position. It beat being chained to a wall. Bandages covered him and he felt like a mummy, but at least the pain seemed to have subsided. His eyes still had problems focusing and he was seeing a halo around things. "All in all, not too bad," he thought.
"How do you feel," a familiar voice questioned.
"Well, I'm alive and so are you it seems. How did you manage this one, Bialar? Everyone thought you and Talyn were facing certain death."
"The odds against us were very long, I will admit. Starburst in an enclosed space is certain death for a Leviathan."
"Yes, but Talyn isn't just any Leviathan, is he? His shielding was genetically engineered for battle. Damn you, Crais, you led us down the primrose path again, didn't you?" John's voice was full of loathing.
Crais responded angrily, "If by that you mean I misled you, rest assured I did not. The odds of success were almost nonexistent. I was shocked beyond comprehension to find myself and Talyn floating free in space. Of course, this was after we regained consciousness. I estimate we were drifting for at least four solar days."
"What exactly was it that we jettisoned in the Leviathan Sacred Space?"
"The remnants of Talyn's starburst assembly. The damage he suffered was monumental, Crichton."
"Are you saying …."
"Yes. I had to put him out of his misery. Too many of his systems were damaged beyond repair and his pain was indescribable. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I miss him terribly."
John noted the glistening in Crais' eyes and looked away. After several moments of silence, Crais regained his composure and continued.
"Officer Sun and I crossed paths on an out-of-the-way commerce planet after I managed to pilot an escape pod there. We have been searching for all of you since we saw the wanted beacons. We heard you had been taken by Grayza's minions, commandeered this Marauder and got to you as soon as we could. She insisted."
John's head snapped up, causing him to stifle a moan. "What do you mean, 'she insisted'? I'm nothing to her. She's shown that over and over since we decided to go piss on Scorpy's toys. I believe her words to Jool were something about not being my mate or tied to me in any way. How does she go from that to insisting on saving my ass? I'm just the copy," he sneered.
"I really do not know. Why don't you ask her?"
"I think there's too much distance between us for me to ask her anything. She's already demonstrated that she doesn't want anything to do with me and that's fine if it makes her happy. All I really want is for her to be happy and I'm really tired of wishing for something that I can never have. I just want to get on with my life."
"All the same, you two need to talk because neither of you can go on this way."
"What's with you, Bialar? Have you become the matchmaker of the Uncharted Territories or do you have some other agenda that I'm not seeing?"
"Still don't trust me do you, Crichton?"
"You have any reason why I should?"
Crais rose to leave, but turned back. After some thought, he replied, "Think what you want, but I swore to your twin that I would take care of all of you and I will. If you distrust my reasons, so be it." With that, he left John alone with his thoughts.
John slept fitfully. His injuries caused him to drift in and out of consciousness. He felt cool compresses applied to his head and salve spread on his injuries by gentle hands, but he wouldn't open his eyes. He knew she was there, but he wasn't going to look at her or talk with her. He just wanted her to go away.
Finally, hunger made his decision for him. He was starved and there was only one person to help. He studied her through slitted eyes. She looked leaner, but fit. "Assassination must agree with her," he thought.
"I'm hungry," he announced without prelude.
"Have some food cubes." She placed a tray within reach. She knew him well enough to know when he was conscious and what he would need when he awoke. She didn't mention his feigned stupor, but he knew full well he hadn't fooled her for a moment.
"Thanks," he muttered and began to eat. Being human, he finally had to break the silence that hung between them like a dense curtain.
"Why did you insist on saving me?"
She paused and studied him carefully before speaking. "I said I would not watch you die again and I won't."
"Might I remind you that you haven't been watching me do anything for almost a cycle."
When there was no response, he noticed that her head was bowed. She wasn't crying and he figured her time away had put her back in touch with her Peacekeeper training. He decided to try a different tack.
"You started this, you know."
Her head snapped up and her eyes bore into his. "I started this? What exactly are you talking about?"
"Who was it that told me she found me interesting on the Zelbinion? When a male hears that, his ears go to point, at least I assume Sebacean males are similar to humans in that regard."
Her eyes smoldered, but she said nothing.
John continued, "And who was it that was 'cold' in the pod when we were trapped in the Flax. You knew I'd put my arm around you and things would probably progress from there, didn't you?"
He could see her anger building, but he was determined to speak his mind. "I could go on and on. You have controlled this 'relationship' from the beginning. The night we spent together on the false Earth. The time you scented your hair and showed me military maneuvers in my module, not to mention the compatibility test. I was the only Sebacean-looking male on Moya and your choices were limited."
Finally her temper snapped and she began yelling, "Crichton, you are full of dren and you know it. I am not some scheming tralk, weaving you into my web like a spider. You arrogant drannit!"
John decided to back off slightly and sighed, "Actually, I'm miserable and pathetic. I'm sure your travels have afforded you many opportunities to find other more 'compatible' partners. Just answer one question and I'll shut up."
"That's not likely. I have never known you to be silent unless you were unconscious. However, ask your question and let us see if a miracle happens."
"Do you still feel the same about John Crichton?"
The question caused her to pause and sigh deeply. "Yes," she whispered. "That feeling hasn't gone away as much as I tried to deny it and ignore it. As for other partners, I have done what I needed to do."
John looked down and blinked a few times, but his eyes were dry. He looked at her dispassionately as she admitted, "I came to a decision while I was away."
"What would that be?"
His eyes were cold and his tone harsh, but she took a deep breath and continued, "I want to spend my days with John Crichton, come what may. I want us to start over."
"All well and good, but what if John Crichton doesn't wish to be led around by his mivonks anymore? What if John Crichton is tired of being thought of as a second-rate copy? What if John Crichton just tells you to go to Hell?" John raged.
She blinked several times at his outburst and then responded in a quiet voice. "I think I like it when you take control, but if you decide that John Crichton and Aeryn Sun will no longer have a romantic relationship, I can understand. However, I said I wished to spend my days with you and I shall. You will have a shadow who watches your back and keeps you from harm."
Now it was his turn to blink, but he still saw the ironic humor of the situation. "Still the same Aeryn," he said with a slightly sardonic grin.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Her tone was slightly irritated, but she was also curious.
He fell back on the bed, suddenly spent. "Only that you always do what you want and the devil take the hindmost. One thing, Aeryn."
She cocked a quizzical eyebrow and waited, holding her breath.
"No more leaving without me," he declared firmly.
She smiled and nodded, "You have a deal."
With that he fell into a deep sleep and she sat by him, determined never to leave him again. There would be time to rebuild a relationship later if he wanted. For now, staying close to him was all she wished to do.
FIN