1 Hide and Go Seek
John was standing in command when he noticed something show up on Moya's scanners. Moya was standing in the orbit of a commerce planet. Rygel, Aeryn, and Jool had gone down to the surface to do some trading for medical supplies and food.
John: "Pilot, are you picking up these readings?"
Pilot: "Yes, Commander. I am trying to….Commander, we have a problem."
John could hear the urgency in his voice.
John: "What is it Pilot?"
Pilot: "It is two marauders approaching the planet's surface."
John: "What?! Is Moya picking up a Command Carrier?"
Pilot: "If there is one, it is not close enough to reach Moya's sensors."
John: "D'Argo, I need you in command. Pilot, try to contact Aeryn and let her know about the marauders. Tell her to get back up here."
Pilot: "I have been trying to contact her Commander. I am getting no response. There appears to be some kind of electrical disturbances on the surface. It could be interfering with communication."
D'Argo and Chiana came rushing into command.
D'Argo: "John, what is going on?"
Pilot: "Marauders approaching the planet and we can't reach Aeryn."
Chiana was looking at the sensors.
Chiana: "I think we have a bigger problem. It looks like Moya is about to…."
She was cut off abruptly by D'Argo.
D'Argo: "Moya is preparing for starburst."
John: "Pilot stop here!"
Pilot: "I am trying Commander. She is picking up a distress call from Talyn. I can't stop her."
Before they could do anything Moya starburst away from the planet leaving Aeryn, Rygel, and Jool at the mercy of the peacekeepers approaching the surface.
*****
Aeryn returned to the marketplace from loading the supplies on the transport pod. She had been trying to reach Crichton and D'Argo but was getting no answer. She had noticed the electrical clouds when they were coming into the planet but didn't think that it would interfere with their coms. She went to gather up Rygel and Jool so they could leave. She heard a commotion in the street just ahead of her. She moved through the crowd gathering and spotted two peacekeeper commandos shackling a fugitive. She ducked behind one of the booths. She watched them taking the fugitive away. She slipped behind the booths trying to make her way to Rygel and Jool at the apothecary.
*****
Rygel was haggling with the shopkeeper when Aeryn ran up.
Aeryn: "Rygel, we have to go."
Rygel: "Don't interfere I am in the middle of…"
She clapped his lips closed with her hand.
Aeryn: "Where is Jool? We have peacekeeper company and I can't get a hold of anyone on Moya. We have to get out of the city."
She held Rygel's mouth. He pointed at the small-tented booth across the street. She got behind his throne sled and pushed it.
Aeryn: "Come on."
They hurried across the way to locate Jool. Jool was picking up some scented water. Aeryn came up beside her.
Aeryn: "Jool, we have to get out of here."
Jool: "What do you think of this smell? Too overpowering?"
She stuck the bottle under Aeryn's nose. Aeryn coughed and covered her nose.
Aeryn: "We don't have time for this."
Aeryn was pulling them both out of shop when she saw two more commandos coming down the street. They moved back inside.
Aeryn: "We can't go out there. Rygel and I will surely be recognized."
Jool looked around the shop. She smiled at them.
Jool: "I have an idea."
*****
When Aeryn, Rygel and Jool emerged on the street, the commandos were standing two booths away. Jool had dressed herself and Aeryn like the local women in veils and silky short garments. Aeryn wore a cloak to cover the pulse pistol strapped to her thigh. Jool put make up and a dress on Rygel as well. She made him look like a female Hynerian. He was protesting but once he actually saw the commandos his complaints were silent. The three of them were making their way past the commandos when one of them stood on top of a wall in the center of the marketplace.
Commando: "By the order of the peacekeeper high command, no ships will be allowed to take off from the planet until further notice. We are searching for a fugitive who landed on this planet two solar days ago. We have captured one of the fugitive but the other is still free. His name is Landar Durch. He is wanted for murder. He escaped from a prison transport. Do not try to approach him or capture him yourselves."
Aeryn lifted her head. She spoke in a whisper.
Aeryn: "Landar?"
Jool looked at her. She was scared and starting to get loud.
Jool: "What are we going to do? They are not going to let us leave."
Rygel spoke in his best female voice.
Rygel: "Shut up Jool."
Aeryn pulled Jool into the nearest bar. Rygel followed. Aeryn held her by her arm. They sat at a table. Aeryn looked at Jool.
Aeryn: "Rygel is right. You have to calm down. We can't afford to draw any attention to ourselves. "
Jool: "What are we going to do? Can't we call Crichton?"
Aeryn: "The coms are not working."
Rygel: "How are we going to get off this planet?"
Aeryn: "Listen to me both of you, chances are Moya spotted the marauders and moved out of orbit encase these marauders are with a command carrier. We are on our own until we can't get off this planet. We have to get a room and try to stay off the streets."
Jool: "We are in disguise. We should be fine."
Aeryn: "I know Hynerians are ugly creatures but have you ever seen a Hynerian female as ugly as this one."
She pointed to Rygel. Rygel's brow lifted when he looked at Aeryn. Jool looked at him.
Jool: "You are right. They are not going to believe he is female if they take a good look at him."
Rygel: "I saw a sleazy hotel at the end of the marketplace while you were loading the pod."
Aeryn: "You and Jool go there and get a room."
Rygel: "What are you going to be doing?"
Aeryn: "I am going to see what I can find out about the fugitive they are looking for."
Rygel: "Why? Don't we have enough trouble of our own without you inviting more?"
Jool: "Rygel is right, Aeryn."
Aeryn: "Go to the hotel, I will be there soon. Keep trying to reach Moya."
Aeryn slipped out of the bar. She made sure the veil was covering her face as she moved through the streets.
*****
Jool and Rygel got a room. When they walked in Jool made a face.
Jool: "This is disgusting. I hope she doesn't expect us to sleep here."
Rygel: "Aeryn is obviously doing her own thing. I say we get to the pod and get the hezzmana off of this planet and try to find Moya."
Jool: "We can't leave her behind Rygel."
Rygel: "Why not?"
Jool: "Because she wouldn't leave us besides neither of us knows how to fly the pod."
Rygel: "Yotz!"
Jool kept trying to reach Pilot and Moya while they waited for Aeryn to come.
*****
Aeryn made her way to the bar where the commandos where holding up. She kept out of sight but close enough to hear what was going on. She was sipping her intoxicant when a hooded man came up and sat beside her.
Stranger: "Can I buy you another?"
Aeryn: "Frell off!"
She was straining to hear what the commandos were saying about the command carrier.
Stranger: "You always did have a way with the opposite sex."
She turned.
Aeryn: "Landar?"
Stranger: "Meet me behind the bar in 30 microts."
He sipped from her glass and slipped out of the bar. Aeryn waited and then headed out. She slipped around the bar with her hand lying on her pulse pistol. She and Landar hadn't seen each other in several cycles. They were in commando training together. She had no idea what to expect. As she came around the corner an arm slipped around her neck and a hand grabbed her shooting hand.
Landar: "You were always vulnerable from sneak attack."
Aeryn moved her hip, hooked his arm and tossed him to the ground. She sat on him with her pulse pistol pointing at his forehead.
Aeryn: "And you were always easily distracted by your own ego."
He smiled up at her.
Landar: "I always appreciated your fighting style."
She stood up and kept her pistol pointed at him as he rose to his feet.
Landar: "Nice outfit. Peacekeeper issue?"
Aeryn: "I am no longer a peacekeeper. I am a fugitive just like you."
Landar: "I heard stories about you and Crais deserting but I didn't believe it. Not you and especially not Captain Crais."
She looked at him and lowered her pistol slowly.
Aeryn: "What about your crime? True?"
Landar looked in her eyes.
Landar: "Yes."
Aeryn: "What happened?"
Landar: "As much as I would like to fill you in on my life since the academy, this is not the place or the time. Do you have a transport?"
Aeryn: "Of course but with high command issuing that order, we can't take off."
Landar: "We?"
Aeryn: "I am here with a couple of my shipmates. We were gathering supplies when your little party interrupted us."
Landar: "We have to get off this street, Aeryn. We can talk then."
She looked into his smoking dark eyes.
Aeryn: "My comrades are hold up at a dive at the end of the marketplace. We can go there."
She holstered her pistol. She covered it up with the long cloak. He smiled at her.
Landar: "Always like your style, Officer Sun."
Aeryn: "Lets go. Put your arm around me and act like we are going to recreate."
Landar smiled.
Landar: "That won't be a problem."
He put his arm around her. They acted like an intoxicated couple coming out of the alley hugging and laughing. They walked down the street unnoticed like the other patrons leaving the bar.
John was standing in command when he noticed something show up on Moya's scanners. Moya was standing in the orbit of a commerce planet. Rygel, Aeryn, and Jool had gone down to the surface to do some trading for medical supplies and food.
John: "Pilot, are you picking up these readings?"
Pilot: "Yes, Commander. I am trying to….Commander, we have a problem."
John could hear the urgency in his voice.
John: "What is it Pilot?"
Pilot: "It is two marauders approaching the planet's surface."
John: "What?! Is Moya picking up a Command Carrier?"
Pilot: "If there is one, it is not close enough to reach Moya's sensors."
John: "D'Argo, I need you in command. Pilot, try to contact Aeryn and let her know about the marauders. Tell her to get back up here."
Pilot: "I have been trying to contact her Commander. I am getting no response. There appears to be some kind of electrical disturbances on the surface. It could be interfering with communication."
D'Argo and Chiana came rushing into command.
D'Argo: "John, what is going on?"
Pilot: "Marauders approaching the planet and we can't reach Aeryn."
Chiana was looking at the sensors.
Chiana: "I think we have a bigger problem. It looks like Moya is about to…."
She was cut off abruptly by D'Argo.
D'Argo: "Moya is preparing for starburst."
John: "Pilot stop here!"
Pilot: "I am trying Commander. She is picking up a distress call from Talyn. I can't stop her."
Before they could do anything Moya starburst away from the planet leaving Aeryn, Rygel, and Jool at the mercy of the peacekeepers approaching the surface.
*****
Aeryn returned to the marketplace from loading the supplies on the transport pod. She had been trying to reach Crichton and D'Argo but was getting no answer. She had noticed the electrical clouds when they were coming into the planet but didn't think that it would interfere with their coms. She went to gather up Rygel and Jool so they could leave. She heard a commotion in the street just ahead of her. She moved through the crowd gathering and spotted two peacekeeper commandos shackling a fugitive. She ducked behind one of the booths. She watched them taking the fugitive away. She slipped behind the booths trying to make her way to Rygel and Jool at the apothecary.
*****
Rygel was haggling with the shopkeeper when Aeryn ran up.
Aeryn: "Rygel, we have to go."
Rygel: "Don't interfere I am in the middle of…"
She clapped his lips closed with her hand.
Aeryn: "Where is Jool? We have peacekeeper company and I can't get a hold of anyone on Moya. We have to get out of the city."
She held Rygel's mouth. He pointed at the small-tented booth across the street. She got behind his throne sled and pushed it.
Aeryn: "Come on."
They hurried across the way to locate Jool. Jool was picking up some scented water. Aeryn came up beside her.
Aeryn: "Jool, we have to get out of here."
Jool: "What do you think of this smell? Too overpowering?"
She stuck the bottle under Aeryn's nose. Aeryn coughed and covered her nose.
Aeryn: "We don't have time for this."
Aeryn was pulling them both out of shop when she saw two more commandos coming down the street. They moved back inside.
Aeryn: "We can't go out there. Rygel and I will surely be recognized."
Jool looked around the shop. She smiled at them.
Jool: "I have an idea."
*****
When Aeryn, Rygel and Jool emerged on the street, the commandos were standing two booths away. Jool had dressed herself and Aeryn like the local women in veils and silky short garments. Aeryn wore a cloak to cover the pulse pistol strapped to her thigh. Jool put make up and a dress on Rygel as well. She made him look like a female Hynerian. He was protesting but once he actually saw the commandos his complaints were silent. The three of them were making their way past the commandos when one of them stood on top of a wall in the center of the marketplace.
Commando: "By the order of the peacekeeper high command, no ships will be allowed to take off from the planet until further notice. We are searching for a fugitive who landed on this planet two solar days ago. We have captured one of the fugitive but the other is still free. His name is Landar Durch. He is wanted for murder. He escaped from a prison transport. Do not try to approach him or capture him yourselves."
Aeryn lifted her head. She spoke in a whisper.
Aeryn: "Landar?"
Jool looked at her. She was scared and starting to get loud.
Jool: "What are we going to do? They are not going to let us leave."
Rygel spoke in his best female voice.
Rygel: "Shut up Jool."
Aeryn pulled Jool into the nearest bar. Rygel followed. Aeryn held her by her arm. They sat at a table. Aeryn looked at Jool.
Aeryn: "Rygel is right. You have to calm down. We can't afford to draw any attention to ourselves. "
Jool: "What are we going to do? Can't we call Crichton?"
Aeryn: "The coms are not working."
Rygel: "How are we going to get off this planet?"
Aeryn: "Listen to me both of you, chances are Moya spotted the marauders and moved out of orbit encase these marauders are with a command carrier. We are on our own until we can't get off this planet. We have to get a room and try to stay off the streets."
Jool: "We are in disguise. We should be fine."
Aeryn: "I know Hynerians are ugly creatures but have you ever seen a Hynerian female as ugly as this one."
She pointed to Rygel. Rygel's brow lifted when he looked at Aeryn. Jool looked at him.
Jool: "You are right. They are not going to believe he is female if they take a good look at him."
Rygel: "I saw a sleazy hotel at the end of the marketplace while you were loading the pod."
Aeryn: "You and Jool go there and get a room."
Rygel: "What are you going to be doing?"
Aeryn: "I am going to see what I can find out about the fugitive they are looking for."
Rygel: "Why? Don't we have enough trouble of our own without you inviting more?"
Jool: "Rygel is right, Aeryn."
Aeryn: "Go to the hotel, I will be there soon. Keep trying to reach Moya."
Aeryn slipped out of the bar. She made sure the veil was covering her face as she moved through the streets.
*****
Jool and Rygel got a room. When they walked in Jool made a face.
Jool: "This is disgusting. I hope she doesn't expect us to sleep here."
Rygel: "Aeryn is obviously doing her own thing. I say we get to the pod and get the hezzmana off of this planet and try to find Moya."
Jool: "We can't leave her behind Rygel."
Rygel: "Why not?"
Jool: "Because she wouldn't leave us besides neither of us knows how to fly the pod."
Rygel: "Yotz!"
Jool kept trying to reach Pilot and Moya while they waited for Aeryn to come.
*****
Aeryn made her way to the bar where the commandos where holding up. She kept out of sight but close enough to hear what was going on. She was sipping her intoxicant when a hooded man came up and sat beside her.
Stranger: "Can I buy you another?"
Aeryn: "Frell off!"
She was straining to hear what the commandos were saying about the command carrier.
Stranger: "You always did have a way with the opposite sex."
She turned.
Aeryn: "Landar?"
Stranger: "Meet me behind the bar in 30 microts."
He sipped from her glass and slipped out of the bar. Aeryn waited and then headed out. She slipped around the bar with her hand lying on her pulse pistol. She and Landar hadn't seen each other in several cycles. They were in commando training together. She had no idea what to expect. As she came around the corner an arm slipped around her neck and a hand grabbed her shooting hand.
Landar: "You were always vulnerable from sneak attack."
Aeryn moved her hip, hooked his arm and tossed him to the ground. She sat on him with her pulse pistol pointing at his forehead.
Aeryn: "And you were always easily distracted by your own ego."
He smiled up at her.
Landar: "I always appreciated your fighting style."
She stood up and kept her pistol pointed at him as he rose to his feet.
Landar: "Nice outfit. Peacekeeper issue?"
Aeryn: "I am no longer a peacekeeper. I am a fugitive just like you."
Landar: "I heard stories about you and Crais deserting but I didn't believe it. Not you and especially not Captain Crais."
She looked at him and lowered her pistol slowly.
Aeryn: "What about your crime? True?"
Landar looked in her eyes.
Landar: "Yes."
Aeryn: "What happened?"
Landar: "As much as I would like to fill you in on my life since the academy, this is not the place or the time. Do you have a transport?"
Aeryn: "Of course but with high command issuing that order, we can't take off."
Landar: "We?"
Aeryn: "I am here with a couple of my shipmates. We were gathering supplies when your little party interrupted us."
Landar: "We have to get off this street, Aeryn. We can talk then."
She looked into his smoking dark eyes.
Aeryn: "My comrades are hold up at a dive at the end of the marketplace. We can go there."
She holstered her pistol. She covered it up with the long cloak. He smiled at her.
Landar: "Always like your style, Officer Sun."
Aeryn: "Lets go. Put your arm around me and act like we are going to recreate."
Landar smiled.
Landar: "That won't be a problem."
He put his arm around her. They acted like an intoxicated couple coming out of the alley hugging and laughing. They walked down the street unnoticed like the other patrons leaving the bar.