DISCLAIMER: Farscape belongs to Rockne S. O'Bannon, David Kemper, Hallmark Ent, Nine Network, Jim Henson Productions and Sci-Fi Channel. This is a non-monetary, independent fan work by a fan of the show not meant to infringe on the rights of these owners.
A/N: This is an old fic of mine, originally meant to be an epic prequel which explained why Aeryn reacted so much to John when he said, "You can be more." Alas, it never went beyond this one-shot.
THE YOUNG AERYN SUN
By Leah
It was the only life she had ever known. The life that she loved. The life of the Peacekeeper.
Her earliest memories were hazy, dim recollections. One day running into the next. She learned concepts. Duty. Honor. Loyalty. Obedience. She learned that her highest aspiration was to become the best of what her background demanded.
To live the life of the Peacekeeper.
The first part of Aeryn Sun's life was spent aboard ship. This was home. Her bunkmates were the only impression she ever had of friends and family for, like most young Sebaceans in Peacekeeper training, she had been "recruited" and placed into training barracks without the benefit of an upbringing from her parents. This seemed logical to the minds of the Peacekeepers for indeed some didn't even have parents, but were rather planned genetic inserts to fill the ranks. Upbringing was left to the trainers and schools which Peacekeeper High Command had assigned to overlook this important task.
It was in these schools that the Pits (Peacekeeper-in-Training-Students) learned about their privileged society. That they, as superior beings, were above all lower life forms. That these lower life forms depended solely and entirely upon the Peacekeepers (whether these lower life forms were aware of it or not). Other cultures hired their services to keep order. Thus, Peacekeepers were responsible for the harmony of the universe.
An orator would give a speech designed to teach them of these cultures and they learned information like:
The Luxan was a brutal race. Uncivilized. Indiscriminant in their deployment of violence.
Hynerions were absolutely never to be trusted but could be used by the Peacekeepers because they controlled vast amounts of people, six hundred billion was the latest estimation.
The plant-like people of Delvia were known to possess great powers, some were known to go insane from them, and thus it was good to keep a certain level of control upon them.
The Sheyangs were life forms very low in the intelligence department but could cause a great amount of damage due to their fire breathing capabilities. They were a scavenger race who attacked the weak and the strong superior forces of the Peacekeepers rarely encountered them. However because of their troublesome nature, if captured a Sheyang was kept for certain experiments designed to tap into the assets of those fire capabilities.
A disruption during such discourses was rare but one day...
"Why? Why are we superior beings?" asked a young boy. His blond hair was tied into a standard tail behind his head and his eyes were a pale grey. He was about thirteen cycles old.
The whole class fell silent as the orator of today, General Marlow Talse, turned to him in surprise. The retired general had many years experience under his belt and it showed in the many wrinkles spread over his face and his dark brown eyes that were sunken in. His drooping moustache was grey and he wore a black and red uniform cap upon his head. The long black tunic he wore was heavily decorated. He approached the youth and barked at him. "You. Identify yourself."
Slowly rising to stand at attention, the student answered, "Clay sir. Mavlick Clay."
"Why are we superior beings?" General Talse frowned at the whole class in general.
The room was silent. None dared to speak without being granted permission.
"You," the general picked out one of the class who seemed especially attentive.
The raven-haired, blue-eyed girl stood up at attention and said, "Yes sir."
"Identify yourself."
"Sun. Aeryn Sun, sir," she answered, promptly. Her dark hair was pulled back and braided into the standard Peacekeeper tail as well. She looked to be about thirteen cycles old.
The general nodded. "Answer his question."
With one short nod, Aeryn pressed back nerves that arose from the feeling that all eyes were upon her. She kept her expression neutral, gazing straight ahead and answered quickly, "We are Peacekeepers. Without us, other cultures would bicker among themselves to a fruitless and useless end."
The general's eyes went back to Mavlick Clay's. "Learn from that," he ordered.
"Sir?" Aeryn Sun spoke up unexpectedly. Quite fearlessly, in fact.
General Talse turned back to stare at her in surprise. Speaking out of turn to superiors was something rarely tolerated among Peacekeepers. If he wished to, he could merely order her to sit back down. But she had asked respectfully and answered the earlier question, preposterous as it was, to his satisfaction saving him from having to come up with an answer himself. He chose to acknowledge the young girl.
Aeryn chose her words carefully. "Allow me to apologize for his ignorance, sir. I do hope this will not reflect badly on the rest of the class." It was not uncommon in Peacekeeper society for all to be punished for what one had done. This one-for-all policy helped greatly to keep mutiny at a minimum.
General Talse studied her for a moment, trying to decide if she was being impertinent or was simply offering an apology. He decided on the latter. "It won't. Return your seats." The day continued but the event clung in the general's mind. It was unlike a Peacekeeper to apologize for something she had not done but it showed a extraordinary sense of team spirit for one to do so. Whether she knew it or not, Aeryn Sun had made an impression that day.
It was this impression that served her well a cycle later. The acceptance paperwork crossed the general's desk and Aeryn Sun was accepted into scrubrunner school being a mere fourteen cycles. She was on her way to specialized training, training that would make her a pilot.
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