They came around the corner to find John kneeling at the feet of the woman Aeryn had only seen in Olivia's photo album. She had a gleeful expression on her face as she applied some unknown device to his forehead. John was shaking and twitching.
Aeryn didn't hesitate; she fired her pulse pistol, hitting the woman in the chest. She fell hard to the ground, dead before she hit it. Her sightless eyes glowed once and went blank.
Suddenly released from the force holding him up, John fell to the floor. He quickly tried to push up, fighting to remain conscious and get moving. He heard his friends arrive, but couldn't really see them yet.
"Aeryn?"
"I've got you John. But I need you on your feet."
"Yes, Ma'am." His vision started to clear and he looked up to see D'Argo and himself? Had these creatures duplicated him? "Um… Aeryn who is…?"
"Really Johnny? How could you forget me?"
"Cam? What are you doing here?"
"Long story. We better move before any reinforcements arrive. We don't know who Alex might be working with. Let's go." He led the way back out to the gate. Somehow they got lucky and made it back to the car without incident.
They never noticed the shadowy figure sneaking into the building. Ba'al made his way back to the dead woman. He got there just in time to save the symbiote. "You underestimated your enemy, Athena. Don't worry, I still have need of you."
John awoke aboard Moya. He didn't know how he had got home, but he was so glad to see those yellow ribs. Movement at the door brought his eyes up. Aeryn was standing there, looking at him. He rolled onto his side and said, "This is real, right? Home?"
Aeryn nodded. "Yes."
"How did you find me?"
A voice in the hall asked, "Is sleeping beauty awake yet?"
"Yeah, I'm awake." He shook his head to clear it. "Cam? How did you get here? I was told that you're serving in the Middle East?"
"I'm supposed to be, but you just had to get yourself into trouble. You managed to piss off some powerful people."
"Yeah. I guess."
"I got pulled off a front line assignment to come here and assist your security detail. I was told you wanted me to step in for you when you went out in public. Something about threats being made against you."
"Obviously they wanted you to cover for me so they could interrogate me."
Aeryn walked over to where Caroline was frantically trying to silence Bobby. "Don't stop - I'm interested in the answer."
Offensively, Caroline answered, "Wanna tell me why you want to know?" She had always been good friends with John and while she knew he would never be the one for her, she didn't want to see him hurt. Although she had spent very little time with him, she had noticed changes in his personality. And this woman was responsible.
"That's fair. John and I were in a relationship."
"What kinda relationship?" she asked as she stood up, encouraging Aeryn to walk with her.
"It was complicated."
"Yeah - I can imagine," she responded without thinking. She quickly corrected herself, "Well actually no - I can't imagine. John and I had a much simpler one. No strings, no plans... Just - good casual times. Well at least, that's how it was before."
"And now?" Aeryn asked tentatively.
"Aah-," she hesitated. "Now he doesn't even want that much." At least, she didn't think so after her brief time with him. While he would always be special to her, he wasn't hers. No, his heart belonged to this alien.
"But he's been spending time with you."
Since she hadn't really spent anytime with John, she chose her answer carefully. "I think he's been testing himself. Working out what he really wants. It's not me."
"I'm sorry."
"No you're not. You still want him - don't you?" Caroline asked, hoping the answer was yes. This woman was the key to her friend's happy ending and from what she could see, he had earned one.
"Yes. But it doesn't matter. He doesn't want me either," Aeryn replied fatalistically.
"I think he does. When I asked him about you, he said - there was nothing going on... He said that several times." That is, he said that several times during the one conversation she had had with him. The rest of the time he'd supposedly been spending with her, it was actually Cameron she was with.
"That's bad."
"You have a lot to understand about humans. Sometimes when we repeat a lie - it means that we're trying to convince ourselves of the truth. And that is - that he still loves you. Very much." Caroline stared at this woman who was trying so hard to conform to the human world. Caroline knew she was the key to John's heart. Now if they could just get their acts together.
Mitchell walked out onto the landing pad. John's shipmates were loading their cargo onto the transport pod. He figured this would probably be his last chance to talk to them. After the party tonight, he doubted he would ever see any of them again. The latest Intel they had estimated Anubis would be in orbit within hours.
"Hey, I wish I could stay and help sort this out, but I just received orders to return to my regular duty station in Colorado. You have your job to do, and I have mine. Man, it's moments like this when I wish I could be in two places at one time."
Everyone went still and silent. "What? What did I say?"
As everyone continued to stare, D'Argo broke the silence. "My friend, I would not wish such a fate on anyone."
"Nor would I," Aeryn whispered with feeling.
"Don't worry about us," Chiana added. "We've gotten this far."
Rygel entered the conversation, "This job you do, it's dangerous?"
Mitchell nodded, "You could say that. But it's a job that needs doing. In fact- as much as I don't want you guys to go- you need to get out of here before the real space monsters show up."
D'Argo blinked, remembering John saying something similar; but John knew about Peacekeepers and Scarrans, Mitchell didn't. And that was a heartfelt statement. "Peacekeepers or Scarrans?"
The Major gave them a strange look. "Neither, Earth has its own set of enemies; we can't handle anymore right now. They will be here at the gate soon enough. Moya needs to be gone before they do. They will shoot first and ask questions later. We don't yet have the capabilities to protect your ship, too."
"This invasion, Earth is prepared for that?" Aeryn asked quietly.
"We hope to be. We have a plan, and I'm needed with my squad."
"Oh great! The humans have a plan," Chiana snickered.
"I hope your plans work out better than Crichton's," Rygel scoffed.
Aeryn stepped forward and looked into Mitchell's eyes. They were so like John's but without the pain. The resolve in them, also like John's, indicated just how dangerous his job was going to be. Again the resemblance struck her. John was no soldier, but if he was, he would be this man in front of her. One was so emotionally erratic, the other carefully contained. "You fly safe."
"I will. And you take care of my cousin." He leaned forward and whispered in Aeryn's ear.
"We will," Aeryn answered forcefully as she stepped back.
Mitchell stepped back and saluted. John's friends would take care of him. Shaking off the moment, he turned back to the hangar.
Daniel held out the child's tile. "Commander Crichton, it was a pleasure to meet you."
"You too, Dr. Jackson. Keep the tile. You're the one person on this planet who can appreciate it. And maybe one day you'll figure out what its connection to Earth is."
"So you're not staying then?" he stated, more than asked.
"No," John said without hesitation. "I know this is impossible to understand, but I'm still needed up there."
Jackson nodded, "I'm probably the one person who does understand. And for what it's worth, you're making the right choice. Earth is nothing without the one you love," he said with the weight of experience in his voice.
John nodded and turned away. It was time to make an appearance at a Christmas Party in his honor. He made his way down to the hangar where all the VIPs were getting together. Chiana and D'Argo were meeting him for this one.
As a pensive John entered the room, Cameron pushed himself off the wall and walked over to him.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Mitchell asked.
John looked at him and then away. "They'd be overpriced at that fee."
"Come on, Johnny, talk to me."
"I just don't know where to begin."
"How about you start by admitting you're leaving Earth and you don't know when, if ever, you'll be home again?"
John looked at him incredulously. "How did you—"
Mitchell raised his eyebrow. "Carter looked over your equations and figured it out. Besides, I've met Officer Sun, remember? You would be a fool to give her up. Girls like her; they are one in a galaxy."
"She is amazing, isn't she?" John responded with a secretive smile and so much feeling.
"And right now, she wouldn't be happy here." Cameron chose his next words carefully. "John, you know what I do for a living is classified, right?" John nodded. "You need to take your friends and leave for now. The planet won't be unprepared if your enemies get here. Trust me to take care of our home. We aren't as disorganized as you fear, we just need time."
The irony didn't escape John. "There's never enough time, is there?"
"No, there isn't. For now your place is on Moya, with Aeryn. Your job is to protect your crewmates. And watch you six. You don't want to be taking any of my space monsters back through the wormhole with you. You really should fill your dad in before you leave. It may be the last chance you ever get."
Jackson and Carter quietly beamed into Colonel O'Neil's house. From there they headed back to base for an important meeting with Dr. Weir.
"So as IASAs project director for extraterrestrial studies, I hereby invite all nations to participate in the ongoing Farscape mission."
The crowd was clapping with enthusiasm as Holt backed away from everyone. No one noticed his eyes flash.
Mitchell met with Hammond at the Pentagon for debriefing. To say the General was angry about Holt's subterfuge was an understatement. Nothing could be done about it now.
Bre'tac had just come with news that Anubis would arrive within days. Strategy meetings were being held. Mitchell was stuck in Washington for the moment, awaiting the return of the Prometheus.
John's father said with desperation. "Stay. Look - we'll guard the wormhole. We'll... We'll set up a defense shield. Nothing'll get through."
"No, I have a job to do," he said, ironically. "It's your words again."
"I don't want to lose you son. I can't shake... this feelin that you're not comin' back."
"I'll be back. That's a promise. You take care of my home," John said as he hugged his father.
"It's a promise. Take care of yourself."
Quickly, before he could change his mind or get talked out of his decision, he turned and made his way to the transport pod.
In the Oval Office, President Hayes' latest confrontation with Vice President Kinsey ended badly. Kinsey stormed out, leaving silence behind. Hayes looked at the officers still in the room. "You're all welcome to join him."
The first officer responded, "I think you know we're staying here with you, sir."
Nodding, the President looked at Hammond. "God knows George, you deserve the right to go."
The General responded calmly, "No, sir, I think I'll stay as well.
"Good. Well if you'll accept it, I've got another job for you."
As Moya flew through the wormhole, it closed behind her. Her sensors never picked up the multiple ships headed toward Earth.
Hammond and Mitchell materialized in the transport room on the Prometheus. The General turned to the pilot and said, "This will all be over in a few hours. Remember we have support from MacMurdo if we need it. Good luck, Major. I'll see you when you get back."
"Good luck, sir," with a salute Major Mitchell turned on his heel and strolled off to his squad. He was already going over pre-flight checks in his head. He hoped the mechanics had his bird ready. There was no time to check it himself.
Hammond watched him go with a sad look on his face. In the face of the enemy, he knew many of the soldiers under his command would die today. He counted one more he would know personally. Shaking off the dark thoughts, the General turned toward the command deck.
He strode on to the bridge and announced, "Col. Kirkland, we have orders. Let's get this bird in the air."
Mitchell sauntered into the F-302 bay stepping toward his fellow pilots. He announced, "All right, boys and girls, listen up. We've got a change in plans. New orders from General Hammond. We are no longer going after Anubis's mother ship. SG-1 is on its way to Antarctica in a cargo ship."
Adam Banks, his RIO, asked, "SG-1?"
"They think they may have found the Lost City of the Ancients."
His wingman, Redmond, asked incredulously, "In Antarctica?"
Mitchell responded, "It doesn't matter where they are or what it is they're doing. It's SG-1 and we're going to cover their asses. ETA is nine minutes. Expect the enemy to throw everything they have at us. All right, saddle up, folks."
Taking a deep breath, he headed over to his bird. Superstitiously, he ran his hand over his name stenciled on the side of the plane. He had the eerie feeling that he would never see it again.
