Broken Dishes
Introduction and Chapter One

Authors introduction

New years come, old years go and nothing ever changes. Well that's the theory and so far it holds. I still have too many ideas and too little time to explore them all. I will try to get back to some of my older stories this year (my tenth writing fan fiction!) and try to finish them, but first here's another idea that has spawned from my twisted little mind…

Disclaimer at the end of this chapter

Chapter One

Aeryn Sun, former flight officer and now renegade Peacekeeper looked at the forward portal. It was yet another day in the uncharted territories. She'd been stuck on this ship of escaped prisoner's, vagrant trelks and clueless earp-men for nearly two cycles.

She wanted to say all she'd got from it was a headache and a thickened skin. Truth was this unlikely group of misfits and criminals had become the closest thing she'd ever had to a family and it was on the rare days like these that she could reflect on that.

They were heading to what was rumoured to be a trading outpost for much needed supplies and while things could be better for the first time in a long time it was quiet.

'Officer Sun.' The clamshell monitor flashed into life as Pilot called her.

'Yes Pilot, what is it?'

'Moya has detected a large object, very close to our current course. It looks to be a ship of some sort.'

Aeryn frowned, Moya should have been able to see a ship metra's away. 'Bring it up on the forward portal and call the others to command.'

'At once Officer Sun.' The blue hologram flickered and vanished before the main portal showed the view outside. It was a large, copper coloured ship. No obvious method of propulsion but there were large sections missing from it. Huge dents and deep scars covered the hull. The best description she could give was that it had been flat and circular.

'What the Hezmana is that?' Rygel asked as he floated in on his hover throne

Chiana was the next on the command level 'It looks like a ship. A ship that had the Dren blasted out of it.'

'Pilot, are there any life signs onboard?' That was D'Argo, Striding into the room like he owned the ship. Again the clamshell switched on.

'No life signs of any kind.' he announced. 'No signals period. The ship in question is completely dead.'

'It could be a trap.' D'Argo pointed out and Aeryn turned to him.

'From who? No one knows were out here, and if Scorpius or the Peacekeeper's did they wouldn't bother with a broken piece of scrap metal.'

'She's right Dee' John, the most irritating member of her new family was the last in, just behind Zhaan. John confused more than any of the others. On moment efficient, resourceful and swift acting, the next and far more often, bumbling and totally useless.

Recently he'd been even more erratic. Easily distracted and down right insane. Different species reacted to space travel differently and despite a great deal of physical similarities he wasn't Sebacean. Despite her better judgement Aeryn was actually concerned for him. 'If it was a trap we'd be surrounded by command carriers by now.'

What's all the fuss?' I say we just move on by and get to the outpost.' The former Dominar waved his stubby arms.

'Not so fast buckwheat,' John got closer to the main portal. 'Hey Pilot, you're saying there's no signals coming from that thing, right?'

'That is correct, Commander.'

'So chances are no one's been over there since it got all bashed to hell?'

'What are you thinking John?' D'Argo asked.

But Aeryn could guess. 'You what to go over there and see if there's anything we can salvage?'

'Were going to need something to trade with.' He shrugged. Even Rygel seemed interested.

'I suggest caution.' Zhaan interrupted. 'I'm sensing something… something foreboding coming from that ship. Malice. Evil.' she visibly shuddered. 'We should go.'

'No, John's right. There might be something valuable on that ship.' D'Argo insisted. 'I was looking thought the hold and unless there is a someone on that trading station that wants stale food cubes we're in trouble.'

'But what about…'

'Unless there are some items you wish to donate your royal lowness…' The Luxan hissed and Rygel hovered backwards.

'You coming Aeryn?' John asked as he followed D'Argo.

Looking once again at the ship she tried to imagine what sort of weapons could do that damage and how tough the ships hull would have to be to survive. 'On my way.'

Ka D'Argo swung the transport pod around and made for the open hanger. 'This might take a while.' John muttered as he got a look at the size of the thing. Nearly as long as Moya the ship looked Frelled to hell.

'Energy scorching, some of that looks like plasma damage.' D'Argo suggested, looking at some of the damage. 'It doesn't look like an overload was responsible.'

'Looks more like it was used for target practice.'

'John's right.' Aeryn agreed pulling out her pulse rifle and checking it's charge. 'That's a warship, I'd bet my Prowler on it.'

'Enough.' D'Argo snapped at them. 'I don't like it anymore than you do, but we need something to barter with. If either of you have any better ideas…'

'We don't.' John told him. 'but we keep close. No splitting up.'

Aeryn reloaded her pulse rifle. 'Agreed.'

'Agreed.' D'Argo growled as they landed. 'Atmospherics?' he asked.

'Err… flashing board says…' John said hesitantly.

'There's air, but high amount of smoke and pollutants.' Aeryn sighed. We'll need the suits. Grabbing a breather D'Argo when first while the they struggled with their helmets.

Jumping out of the pod's doors and onto the hanger's floor he Drew his Qualta Blade. 'Frell me.' he whispered. He'd seen some damage in his time, even done a fair bit of it himself, but this was a disaster. The large bay was empty, and cluttered at the same time. While there weren't any support ships the floor was littered with rubble and wreckage.

'Come in Dee, what do you see?' John asked over the comms.

He bent down and picked up a fallen piece of bulkhead. It was burnt and obviously debris from a ruptured conduit, but D'Argo couldn't tell which on. 'If we are the first people to find this lump of dren I hate to see what did this.'

'Bad?' Aeryn asked.

'Frelled beyond hope.' D'Argo admitted. They climbed down the stairway and joined him.

'Well this place is Fubar.' Aeryn agreed, using one of John's phrases and for once D'Argo thought it was the perfect description.

'I don't know if we're going to find anything useful, but lets stay close. I've seen better looking scrapyards.' John suggested and again D'Argo agreed. Pulling out a light he shone it down the corridor. Aeryn and John followed, turning over anything they came across.

The deeper they got into the ship the worse things were. Most of the scrap was just that. 'Anything.'

'I could make a kick ass wind chime, but other than that…'

'I don't recognise this alloy.' Aeryn voiced D'Argo's more immediate concern. 'It's still warm, but not brittle. Shouldering her pulse rifle she tried to flex the longish piece she'd picked up. 'Light metal, but strong. Stronger than anything I've ever seen before.'

John seemed to shrug before pulling out his pulse pistol and shooing the wall. The blast hit, but instead of a scorch mark it left a dull glow that quickly faded. D'Argo moved over and gingerly touched the spot. It was already cool.

Stepping back he swung his Qualta Blade around and so did Aeryn with her Rifle. All three of them fired again at the same spot. There was another glow that faded just as quickly as the first.

'So we might not have any cool toys, but last time I checked we should have blown a hole in that wall.' John let out a loud whistle. 'Aeryn, what's wrong.'

'The is an internal wall, there's no reason for it to be reinforced. If this is the inside, what's the external armour like?'

'And what could do this sort of damage?' John finished the thought. Before D'Argo could reply the whole ship seemed to come to life. Somewhere in the distance a slow pulsing sound came and went. The light flared and then died. 'Err, what was that?'

They looked around and back to each other before everything pulsed again. This time the sound was louder, stronger. 'This ship's waking up!'

Another pulse. 'Back to the transport pod. Now.' Aeryn snapped. D'Argo wasn't going to argue, but as they turned they were stopped by three glowing blue lights. They were at about a meter off the deck and just hovering there. Then the lights came up and D'Argo almost laughed.

He was face to face with what looked like three oversized DRD's. Their overall colour was copper, with bronze and gold highlights. A tapered lower body covered in baubles lead to about it's mid-rift where there was a plate that held a short silver stick and a longer manipulator arm with a suction cup at the end of it. Slats over a grating lead to their dome like top. Another stick, this one with a black ball on the end, had the eye piece. Either side of the dome was two caged lights.

'DO NOT MOVE!' the middle one screeched. It's loud high pitched screeching voice anything but comical. 'DO NOT MOVE!' 'DO. NOT. MOVE!' the other two echoed, shaking slightly. The lights on top of there domes flashing as they talked.

'We come in peace, we're hear to help.' John tried to smooth things over as he holstered Winona.

'PEEEACCCEEE!' Bellowed the middle one. Then it drifted backwards and off to one side. In it's place a fourth thing replaced it. It had black baubles and a black dome but the rest was dull copper.

'WE ARE THE DALEKS. WE ARE DAM-AGED, BUT WE SUR-VIVE!' What D'Argo guessed was their leader screamed in a voice that sounded like it's mivonks were trapped in a vice. It came forward. 'WE REQUIRE YOUR… HEL-P.'

End Chapter One

Disclaimer

I do not own Farscape or The Daleks. They belong to Jim Henson/Disney and the Estate of Terry Nation respectively