A
"I loathe you" complained Gideon over the comm.
Pilot had lost the location of the creature which he identified as a Woloxian Arachnid. A creature adept at hunting other sentient life forms and draining them of their most prominent emotions or traits for food, much to the dismay of the only two crewmembers and their prisoner. The She-Iguana as Crichton had nicked-named her had agreed them in getting rid of the said creature, mostly in order to survive and for Moya to transport her to a planet.
"Any specific reason?" he asked as the doors in front of him opened a DRD zoomed pass him
"Don't get me started" came the reply "Found anything?"
"Only dust and an occasional DRD" he checked the walls "You?"
"Nothing" Gideon replied
"Hey She-Iguana you found anything?" he asked over the comm.
Mostly due to the lack of a proper crew the Scaaran female had been given a pulse pistol, Gideon had voted against it, Pilot outvoted him saying that everybody should be able to defend him or herself no matter who or what the person was.
"The creature proves to be most elusive" came the response, a sinister slighter in her voice "However rest assured it will perish for its transgressions"
"Charming" he added
The comm went silent again. Although it would have been a far better idea to pair up in order to hunt down the being the lack of trust towards the Scaaran had led them to split up, with Pilot monitoring their moves. He checked command, it was empty. He continued walking down one Moya's many corridors.
Gideon walked up a wall his center of gravity moving with him allowing him to move unlike any other member of any species. A pulse pistol drawn he continued to walk down the corridor, he had checked several of Moya's cargo bays with no result.
She walked down one of many pathways of the Leviathan, she was fairly impressed. She had heard stories of the Leviathans but had never thought to actually walk the halls of one. Most of the Leviathans were either in Peacekeeper control or traveling freely. In a way it was almost odd how this specific Leviathan seemed familiar. She dismissed these thoughts, the only Leviathan ship she had studied would have been Crichton's ship, during the war some twenty cycles prior. A sudden scratching noise caught her attention.
"Sebacean and Kalish met me at the upper tier I have located the beast" came the voice of the Scaaran "…it seems to be dead"
Crichton came running, followed by Gideon who was still sticking to the ceiling. Both took a left turn and found themselves next to the Scaaran. Gideon dropped from the ceiling next to Crichton his gun still drawn.
"It seems to be dead" the Scaaran female repeated
The beast itself lay on the floor, its legs sprawled around its body, a greenish liquid seeping out of what seemed to be various injuries caused by weapons fire and a slashing instrument. In an odd way Crichton felt sympathy for the creature.
"Just a question what killed it?" Gideon asked
"Its injuries seemed to consistent with the weapons fire of our attackers" the Scaaran explained "…although I cannot say if it was that which caused its death"
"Wait by just how many things were you attacked?"
"The arachnid seemed to be on our ship for several solar days, several of the crew started reporting odd symptoms which correspond with those given by your Pilot" she continued to talk "…Several ahn's ago however we were assaulted by an unknown vessel which ravished us, in our weakened state we were hardly a match for it"
"Un momento She-iguana what unknown vessel?" this time Crichton asked
"An unknown one obviously" the Scaaran snapped back "I have held up my part of the bargain and helped you hunt down this thing, will you honor your word?"
"You're a Scaaran" Gideon interjected "What makes you think that we frelling care…"
"As long as you remain in the brig" Crichton interrupted causing Gideon to glare
The two stared at each other for a moment. Vicious red eyes against sky-blue. Crichton felt Gideon's gravity starting to shift him readying himself for an attack if necessary .The female snorted as she handed over her weapon.
"Your conditions are acceptable Sabecean" she replied
"Good and the name's D'Argo" he added
XXX
An ahn later
"Explain to me since when we have become an interstellar transport ship for Scaaran's?" Gideon inquired as the two sat in the command, Crichton helping himself to what his father referred to as unsalted crackers.
"We haven't" he answered between bits
"Okay then why haven't you told her your full name?"
Crichton shoot him a look "Yeah that would go over really well, Hi I'm D'Argo Sun-Crichton yes the son of John Crichton the guy who single handedly showed his foot up the Hierarchy's and Peacekeepers asses"
Gideon rolled his eyes, ignoring his friend's sarcasm "Ok you might have a point there"
"Ya think?"
"We have arrived at the commerce station docking procedures in place" Pilot's voice came over the comm.
"You go shopping" D'Argo added "I'll check up on She-Iguana"
"What you don't trust me?"
"Not to get in a fire fight with her?" he gestured with his arms upwards "Nope"
XXX
Command Carrier of the Peacekeeper Fleet: Ikaris
"Commanding officer on deck" one of the soldiers announced
Indeed as Gala Grayza entered almost all voices fell still. It was one of those moments she utterly enjoyed, the power and the respect that came with being a captain, she felt almost envious, then the attention was not because of her. True she was only eighteen cycles of age but she had been trained by the best and brightest her mother could locate and had reached the rank of Captain. Yet she was still commanded to the Command Carrier by the chancellor himself.
"Gala it is good to see you again" the Chancellor greeted her, a stubby man
"The honor is all mine Chancellor" she replied courteously
"Yes indeed, follow me my dear we have a lot to discuss"
"As you wish Chancellor"
XXX
Moya
D couldn't help but feel as if he was being watched. Once or twice he even turned around as he walked pass several doors. It was odd he never experienced things like this especially not on Moya. He cracked it up to his paranoia, if he was in any danger Pilot would have warned him.
"Hey She-Iguana" he said as he banged against the wall of the brig
"What do you want Sabecean?"
"You know the usual, money, friends etc"
"I do not have any money, nor the desire to be a friend to you, what etc represents I have no idea" She replied
D blinked twice. The he burst out laughing. Oddly enough he now new how his father felt when he made jokes with some reference to his home planet and everybody would just stare at him.
"I was not aware that you find me so humorous"
"Sorry" he said "What's your name? Or do you prefer She-iguana"
She looked at him for a moment as if she was judging him in some way "You hold me prisoner yet you wish to know my name? Why?"
"Call it common courtesy"
"If you insist I am upper-caste commander Lima"
"Commander?" he asked "What were you doing in Peacekeeper territory"
"None of your business"
XXX
"Yes put that down there" he gestured as one of the droids deployed some of the newly bought food, clothing, ammo and other supplies
At first Gideon couldn't make heads or tails of trading. Now however he had gotten the gist of it. He sighed as one of the droids let the crate fall. He walked over starting to yell at it. So as the Kalish engaged into useless banter with the android, which made odd blinking sounds at him, two figures snuck inside of the ship, hidden in cloaks and shadows.
"Are you sure old one?" the younger of the two figures asked whispering
"Yes, yes I'm quite certain" the other figure replied "But we need to hurry otherwise we might be seen"
XXX
His argument didn't help at all, Lima their Scaaran prisoner had proven most stubborn and didn't give any actual information on why she was actually here. A distant sound echoed through the hall. D'Argo stopped in mid step, focusing his hearing. For a moment nothing happened then the sound again, he turned around his pulse pistol drawn.
He took a step forward the sound came again, he looked up. At least half a dozen small Woloxian Arachnids looked down.
Tbc