Chiana hit the ignition switch for what seemed like the hundredth time and still nothing happened.
"Frell!" she cursed and than opened the canopy to climb out of Aeryn's Prowler. Once outside the ship she leaned back in to peer under the control panel to see if she could discover what was wrong. She knew how to fly the attack ship but diagnosing systems failures was a little beyond her. Still, it couldn't hurt to take a look and see if maybe she could discover what the problem was by sheer chance. Maybe she'd luck out and it would be something obvious like a loose or disconnected wire under the panel.
She was probing under the panel with her legs dangling half out of the cockpit when the cool voice outside the Prowler startled her and made her bump her head.
"Planning on going somewhere, Chiana?"
"Ouch!" cried the Nebari as she struck her head and half fell from the Prowler only to discover Aeryn standing there in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.
"Aeryn!" exclaimed Chiana as she scrambled back to her feet, "I was... I was..." she stuttered trying to think up an excuse to explain why she appeared to be attempting to steal the ex-Peacekeeper's gunship.
"Let me guess," Aeryn broke in before she could think up a plausible lie. "You were giving my Prowler a good cleaning?"
"Well, I..." began the Nebari once again.
"I know what you were doing, Chiana," Aeryn cut her off with a meaningful glance downward toward the packed bag at the Nebari's feet. Chiana sighed and threw up her shoulders in defeat knowing she was caught. "You weren't going anywhere without this," continued Aeryn as she held up circuit rod. "This is the ignition control module for my Prowler and unfortunately there are no other spare control modules aboard Moya at this time."
Chiana darted a glance over at Malika's Prowler, which Aeryn caught.
"I have also removed the same component from the other Prowler and Pilot has locked down all the Pods. As a further precaution, John and Sean have also disabled their ships by removing similar parts."
Chiana looked off to one side in despair for a microt and than back at the Sebacean woman with a plea in her eyes.
"Aeryn, please. You have to let me go after him," she said.
"Chiana... no, I do not," Aeryn told her.
"He might need me!" the Nebari girl exclaimed. "Its my life, my choice. What do you care if I go or not?"
Aeryn looked momentarily hurt that her shipmate would ask that question after all this time together.
"When I was a Peacekeeper," she began, "I watched people I grew-up with, trained with, lived with everyday, die in the course of duty. And I didn't care because that was just how it was meant to be. So you could imagine if I could let my own kind die without a second thought back then, how much the life of one Nebari girl wouldn't have mattered to me."
Chiana tilted her head to one side wondering what this had to do with Aeryn preventing her from going after Berret.
"I'm not that same Peacekeeper anymore, Chiana," said Aeryn. "Believe it or not, I am your friend... and I cannot stand by and let you do something that will probably get you killed. I've lost enough people I cared about in my life... I don't want to lose you too."
The Nebari woman paused, never believing she'd ever hear Aeryn admit to feeling that way about her. Still she felt she had to push on with her desire to go after the ex-assassin who'd become part of her own life... and who she didn't want to lose.
"What about Berret? Isn't he your friend too?" she asked the Sebacean.
Aeryn slowly nodded. "Yes... he is my friend also," she admitted. "But it's too late for me to do anything to stop him. The only thing I can do for him is hope he either succeeds and kills all his enemies or that he decides conditions aren't right and aborts his mission and returns."
"There's little hope of that," Chiana said with a shake of her head. "I know him enough to know that he'll go through with it even if he knows he'll die trying."
"All the more reason to keep you from following him," Aeryn replied. "I'm sure if he knew it would lead to that, that he wouldn't want you there with him."
Chiana took a step forward and grabbed the ex-Peacekeeper by the arm. An act, which Aeryn knew because of her training, that Chiana wouldn't have done lightly due to the possibility of the ex-soldier reacting instinctively and maybe injuring her accidentally. The only one who touched her without thinking was John, but she had gotten use to the human's ways and had trained herself not to respond to his contact with force unless he needed a lesson taught to him... which was becoming rare lately.
"Don't you see!" cried Chiana, "That's exactly why I have to go. If I'm there with him..." she lowered her voice and the intensity of her look increased, "...he might give up on the idea and come home before anything happens."
Aeryn could see Chiana's reasoning, but she also knew something about the emotions in play there. They weren't the gentler emotions John had been trying to awaken in her and prove she possessed. They were darker base emotions... the only emotions as a Peacekeeper she had officially been encouraged to develop.
"I'm afraid not, Chiana," she finally said. "Revenge is a strong driving force. You being there probably will not change Berret's mind about what he's going to do."
"Be he..." Chiana started to debate.
"Face it, Chiana!" Aeryn barked hard. "He left! He left Moya... he left us... and he left you. You running after him will not change anything. He's already made his decision... and he chose vengeance."
Aeryn's tone softened as she saw the girl visibly deflate. "The only thing we can do for him now is wait and see what happens. Maybe he will come to his senses and come back before it's too late." She reached out and took the other woman by her shoulders gently and with compassion. "Maybe the bond you have with him will be strong enough to make him change his mind... but I... we, can't let you go after him no matter what. It would be suicide for you."
After a few microts Chiana silently nodded to the other woman. Aeryn tried to give her a reassuring smile but it came out as strained as she felt. The ex-Peacekeeper still wasn't comfortable with letting her guard down and letting others see how she truly felt about them. She padded the Nebari's shoulder one last time and turned to leave the hanger bay, secure in the knowledge that Chiana wouldn't be able to steal any of the ships there to leave Moya in pursuit of the Shrike. Chiana watched Aeryn leave.
"But what if its that same bond between us that's driving Berret to do what he's done?" she murmured to the woman's departing back. They didn't know him as well as she did. She knew what he blamed himself for and she knew that he punished himself for it by denying himself the closeness she was sure they could have. By not going after him, she was sure it would be the same thing as if she were giving credence to his belief... and she'd be damned to hezmana if she'd ever do that willingly.
An arn later, Aeryn quietly closed the storage locker door and cat-footed around a row of stacked crates in the storage bay... only to run smack into John cat-footing from the opposite direction of the massive room.
Both crewmates were so startled by the other's sudden appearance that they cried out the same wordless exclamation of surprise and dropped the items they were carrying.
"Aeryn!"
"Crichton! Frell!"
"Jesus, Aeryn... you scared me half to death!" John exclaimed. "What are you doing creeping around in here?"
"Me?" asked the ex-Peacekeeper. "What are YOU doing slinking around in the storage bay?"
"Me?" echoed Crichton. "I'm - I'm just looking for a... a replacement light filament for my quarters. I had one burn out. What about you?"
"Really?" answered Aeryn in a tone of disbelief as she started picking through some of the things he'd dropped. "A light filament?" she continued as she held up an object. "And what? You were going to use a Ion grenade to replace it with?"
Crichton harrumphed and pick up an item that fell from her armload.
"And I suppose you were going to use this plasma charge as a door stop?" he retorted.
Aeryn frowned deeply knowing they had caught each other.
"Let's cut the dren, John. We both know what the other was doing," she said.
Crichton nodded. "Going after Berret," he admitted. "I know we all agreed that he was on his own... but I decided I couldn't let it go like that. Why are you here?"
"Same reason," Aeryn said. "Seeing we've both decided to break our word to the others we might as well join up and go together."
John nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me. I hate to admit it but I wasn't looking forward to going all alone and I'd feel better knowing you have my back."
Aeryn began to scoop up the dropped equipment. "Well, now that that's settled, I think we need a plan before..." She cut herself off suddenly and cocked her head to one side. "Listen. Did you hear that?"
John indicated that he hadn't heard anything. "I thought I heard a voice... over there."
Aeryn led the human deeper into the isles of crates toward the opposite doorway of Moya's huge bay.
"I caught Chiana trying to steal my Prowler about an arn ago," she whispered to John. "I wonder if she's up to something else?"
A few microts later and Crichton could hear the voices. They approached a crate and ducked down behind it before cautiously peering around one edge. On the other side were Andar and Malika engaged in a heated discussion.
"I don't know why I let myself be talked into this hair-brained scheme," hissed the Delvian irately.
"You can stay here if you want," replied the Sebacean.
"I am NOT going to let you go off without me," Malika said. "Goddess, you need someone with some intelligence making sure you don't get yourself killed right away with this stupid plan of yours."
Andar gave her a one-sided frown. "I appreciate your confidence in me," he said sarcastically.
"I still don't understand why we have to go after Berret... he made his decision," the girl muttered to herself out loud. "No, not that one!" she continued to Andar. "I said sulfite, not chlorite."
Andar replaced the chemical container he held in his hand and selected the correct one the Delvian wanted from the rack.
"We're going because he would go if it were one of us," the ex-teacher responded as he handed over the metal storage container. The Delvian placed it carefully in a shoulder bag. The urn clicked metallically against a number of others already in Malika's bag.
"How can you be so sure?" Malika asked. "You have no idea what you're risking."
Andar gave her a look of infinite patience. "Have a little faith, Malika," he said.
"I have faith... that we're going to die with that lame-brained Shrike this time."
Aeryn had heard enough. "Bloody hezmana!" she swore, "Isn't anyone aboard this ship going to follow orders?" she muttered to Crichton. Before John could stop her, she rose up from their hiding place and confronted the other couple. With nothing else he could do, Crichton followed her out.
"Just what the dren do you two think you're doing?" she demanded.
Both the Delvian and Sebacean jumped at Aeryn's sudden appearance.
"Aeryn! John... hi," started Andar, "Um? What are you two doing here?"
Malika just looked from Aeryn to John to Andar... and then back to Aeryn again not knowing what to say.
"Never mind what we're doing here," Aeryn told him stubbornly, "I want to know what the two of you are doing?"
"Well... you see..." started the Sebacean man.
"HEY, GUYS!"
The sudden shout interrupted whatever Andar was going to say as Sean materialized from between an isle of stacked storage containers.
"I found the primer cord..." Sean began to Andar and Malika and then noticed Aeryn and John's arrival, "But I didn't find that... chess set I made and put away in here somewhere," he tried to make the save. "I'll be damned if I can remember what I did with it. I guess I'll have to teach you guys to play some other time." He gave his relative and the Sebacean female his best disarming smile. "Hi, John... Aeryn. What brings you guys down here?"
Aeryn gave him a look that said she couldn't believe he thought she'd ever buy his act while John shook his head. "It figures," the elder Crichton muttered.
The smile dropped from Sean's face, but ever the optimist... he asked innocently,
"What?"
"Pilot!" shouted D'argo, "I demand that you release this Transport Pod from lock-down... immediately!"
Pilot sighed heavily and shook his head so rapidly that his holo image blurred as it tried to keep up with his sudden movements.
"For the final time, Ka'D'Argo," replied the Leviathan's helmsman, "Moya and I refuse to let any of you do anything foolish on your own unless the rest of the crew agrees that such action is the only option left. We regret having to take these measures but we believe cooler heads should prevail in this case."
The Luxan growled and swore roughly at the hologram. Zhaan, dressed in her traveling robes and headscarf held up one hand to keep the warrior from blowing up further at Pilot.
"Pilot, please be reasonable," the Priestess asked. "D'argo and I are the logical choices to attempt to retrieve Berret. Surely you see that?"
Pilot tilted his head and his big eyes grew momentarily larger in the image.
"No, Zhaan. Neither Moya nor I see it that way."
"Pilot..." the Delvian began only to see Pilot frown deeply as he obviously was regarding something off screen at his station in the Den. "You must let us leave," continue Zhaan despite Pilot being distracted by something else. "We have to leave quickly before the others find out what D'argo and I have planned and want to accompany us. It would be too dangerous for all of us to go after Berret, this way the risk to the group will be minimal. Pilot? Pilot? Are you listening to me?"
"Ah-rummmmmm..." Pilot muttered in annoyance as he turned to look back at Zhaan in the holo-comm. "Of course I am listening to you, Zhaan," he said. "As for the others finding out about what you and D'argo are up to... I believe you both should start heading to the Center Chamber to meet the rest of the crew. It appears that you are not the only ones who had the same idea. Both Crichtons and the rest seem to be having a heated discussion that originated in one of Moya's storage bays and has now moved to the Center Chamber."
"That's just great, Pilot," spat D'argo. "Just what we need to do... sit around and argue among ourselves some more. Now is the time for action, not words. You should have released the Pod and let Zhaan and I go."
Pilot appeared unruffled by the Luxan's ire.
"Should you and the rest agree upon a course of action that Moya and I also agree with," responded Pilot, "We will release the Pods and the hanger bay doors."
"And if you and Moya don't agree with any plan we come up with?" asked the warrior.
Pilot pursed his lips before he answered.
"As long as the rest of the crew is in agreement to make the attempt to find Berret, Moya and I will support whatever decisions you make as a group," Pilot told him. "We will not however, allow any small groups or individuals to head out on their own without the entire group's knowledge."
Zhaan slightly bowed her head in acknowledgement. "As always, you are correct in this matter, Pilot. Correct... and perhaps, more wise in this instants."
"Thank you, Zhaan," replied the hologram. "As I said before... Moya and I regret having to interfere but after observing other incidents in the past... we believe that it would be in everyone's best interest if the crew pulled together as a crew in this situation and worked together."
"Of course," answered the Delvian. "D'argo and I will now go and meet with the rest to discuss our options."
Pilot nodded his head. "Chiana is still in her quarters. I will inform her to meet you all in the Center Chamber then."
"Thank you, Pilot," said Zhaan as they turned and left the hanger bay.
Chiana sluggishly got off her bed after Pilot's summons to the Center Chamber to meet the rest of the group. "Big deal, more talk," she thought to herself. Everyone will "discuss" what to do about Berret but in the end, they'll all decided to sit here and do nothing. She almost decided to ignore the call to the meeting and remain locked in her quarters, but then she thought she might as well attend in case there was a slim chance of swaying any of them to her way of thinking.
Putting on her boots, she started for the door of her room when something on her clothes chest caught her eye. Going to the chest she found a slip of folded paper that she didn't remember placing on the piece of furniture. It stuck her odd that it would be there, as she rarely needed to write anything down for any reason. Living on the run taught you to keep all the important stuff in your head where you couldn't leave it behind, lose it, or have it fall into the wrong hands. She unfolded the sheet and gasped as she realized it was from Berret. Her eyes quickly scanned the paper and then reread it slower a second time.
Chiana,
By the time you find this, you will have realized where I have
gone. I left this note in your quarters with the hope that you
will have had time to be less angry with me for what I did to
you in my quarters. I am sorry, I never meant to hurt or betray
you, but it was necessary. I knew you would either try and stop
me or accompany me. I could have neither as you know... where
I am going, you cannot follow.
I regret the loss of your company for the last few weeks and for
not having the chance to say goodbye. I hope you will find
some way to forgive me. I thank you for returning my life
to me and allowing me to know freedom one last time.
Please understand that I must do this... that I must settle
the debts I owe for this life and Arckatius must be stopped
no matter what the cost. Please give the others my apologizes
and my thanks. Tell Zhaan that I hope to leave her Goddess'
worlds a better place at my passing. I hope she's right and its
possible to earn a place in her afterlife and to atone for the
misdeeds of this life. I will do my best to make a proper account
of myself.
I can think of nothing else to say. I wish you the happiness you
search for, a safe place far from harm's reach, and all the love
you tried to teach me. I know I wasn't a good student, but I
hope I learned enough to have made this choice for the right
reasons.
Again, live long, stay safe... and maybe think of me occasionally
in good thoughts as I shall hold you in mine,
Berret
Chiana looked at the note and then crumpled it up in her hands without thinking.
"Oh... you frelling... idiot," she moaned.
"Frell!" she cursed and than opened the canopy to climb out of Aeryn's Prowler. Once outside the ship she leaned back in to peer under the control panel to see if she could discover what was wrong. She knew how to fly the attack ship but diagnosing systems failures was a little beyond her. Still, it couldn't hurt to take a look and see if maybe she could discover what the problem was by sheer chance. Maybe she'd luck out and it would be something obvious like a loose or disconnected wire under the panel.
She was probing under the panel with her legs dangling half out of the cockpit when the cool voice outside the Prowler startled her and made her bump her head.
"Planning on going somewhere, Chiana?"
"Ouch!" cried the Nebari as she struck her head and half fell from the Prowler only to discover Aeryn standing there in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.
"Aeryn!" exclaimed Chiana as she scrambled back to her feet, "I was... I was..." she stuttered trying to think up an excuse to explain why she appeared to be attempting to steal the ex-Peacekeeper's gunship.
"Let me guess," Aeryn broke in before she could think up a plausible lie. "You were giving my Prowler a good cleaning?"
"Well, I..." began the Nebari once again.
"I know what you were doing, Chiana," Aeryn cut her off with a meaningful glance downward toward the packed bag at the Nebari's feet. Chiana sighed and threw up her shoulders in defeat knowing she was caught. "You weren't going anywhere without this," continued Aeryn as she held up circuit rod. "This is the ignition control module for my Prowler and unfortunately there are no other spare control modules aboard Moya at this time."
Chiana darted a glance over at Malika's Prowler, which Aeryn caught.
"I have also removed the same component from the other Prowler and Pilot has locked down all the Pods. As a further precaution, John and Sean have also disabled their ships by removing similar parts."
Chiana looked off to one side in despair for a microt and than back at the Sebacean woman with a plea in her eyes.
"Aeryn, please. You have to let me go after him," she said.
"Chiana... no, I do not," Aeryn told her.
"He might need me!" the Nebari girl exclaimed. "Its my life, my choice. What do you care if I go or not?"
Aeryn looked momentarily hurt that her shipmate would ask that question after all this time together.
"When I was a Peacekeeper," she began, "I watched people I grew-up with, trained with, lived with everyday, die in the course of duty. And I didn't care because that was just how it was meant to be. So you could imagine if I could let my own kind die without a second thought back then, how much the life of one Nebari girl wouldn't have mattered to me."
Chiana tilted her head to one side wondering what this had to do with Aeryn preventing her from going after Berret.
"I'm not that same Peacekeeper anymore, Chiana," said Aeryn. "Believe it or not, I am your friend... and I cannot stand by and let you do something that will probably get you killed. I've lost enough people I cared about in my life... I don't want to lose you too."
The Nebari woman paused, never believing she'd ever hear Aeryn admit to feeling that way about her. Still she felt she had to push on with her desire to go after the ex-assassin who'd become part of her own life... and who she didn't want to lose.
"What about Berret? Isn't he your friend too?" she asked the Sebacean.
Aeryn slowly nodded. "Yes... he is my friend also," she admitted. "But it's too late for me to do anything to stop him. The only thing I can do for him is hope he either succeeds and kills all his enemies or that he decides conditions aren't right and aborts his mission and returns."
"There's little hope of that," Chiana said with a shake of her head. "I know him enough to know that he'll go through with it even if he knows he'll die trying."
"All the more reason to keep you from following him," Aeryn replied. "I'm sure if he knew it would lead to that, that he wouldn't want you there with him."
Chiana took a step forward and grabbed the ex-Peacekeeper by the arm. An act, which Aeryn knew because of her training, that Chiana wouldn't have done lightly due to the possibility of the ex-soldier reacting instinctively and maybe injuring her accidentally. The only one who touched her without thinking was John, but she had gotten use to the human's ways and had trained herself not to respond to his contact with force unless he needed a lesson taught to him... which was becoming rare lately.
"Don't you see!" cried Chiana, "That's exactly why I have to go. If I'm there with him..." she lowered her voice and the intensity of her look increased, "...he might give up on the idea and come home before anything happens."
Aeryn could see Chiana's reasoning, but she also knew something about the emotions in play there. They weren't the gentler emotions John had been trying to awaken in her and prove she possessed. They were darker base emotions... the only emotions as a Peacekeeper she had officially been encouraged to develop.
"I'm afraid not, Chiana," she finally said. "Revenge is a strong driving force. You being there probably will not change Berret's mind about what he's going to do."
"Be he..." Chiana started to debate.
"Face it, Chiana!" Aeryn barked hard. "He left! He left Moya... he left us... and he left you. You running after him will not change anything. He's already made his decision... and he chose vengeance."
Aeryn's tone softened as she saw the girl visibly deflate. "The only thing we can do for him now is wait and see what happens. Maybe he will come to his senses and come back before it's too late." She reached out and took the other woman by her shoulders gently and with compassion. "Maybe the bond you have with him will be strong enough to make him change his mind... but I... we, can't let you go after him no matter what. It would be suicide for you."
After a few microts Chiana silently nodded to the other woman. Aeryn tried to give her a reassuring smile but it came out as strained as she felt. The ex-Peacekeeper still wasn't comfortable with letting her guard down and letting others see how she truly felt about them. She padded the Nebari's shoulder one last time and turned to leave the hanger bay, secure in the knowledge that Chiana wouldn't be able to steal any of the ships there to leave Moya in pursuit of the Shrike. Chiana watched Aeryn leave.
"But what if its that same bond between us that's driving Berret to do what he's done?" she murmured to the woman's departing back. They didn't know him as well as she did. She knew what he blamed himself for and she knew that he punished himself for it by denying himself the closeness she was sure they could have. By not going after him, she was sure it would be the same thing as if she were giving credence to his belief... and she'd be damned to hezmana if she'd ever do that willingly.
An arn later, Aeryn quietly closed the storage locker door and cat-footed around a row of stacked crates in the storage bay... only to run smack into John cat-footing from the opposite direction of the massive room.
Both crewmates were so startled by the other's sudden appearance that they cried out the same wordless exclamation of surprise and dropped the items they were carrying.
"Aeryn!"
"Crichton! Frell!"
"Jesus, Aeryn... you scared me half to death!" John exclaimed. "What are you doing creeping around in here?"
"Me?" asked the ex-Peacekeeper. "What are YOU doing slinking around in the storage bay?"
"Me?" echoed Crichton. "I'm - I'm just looking for a... a replacement light filament for my quarters. I had one burn out. What about you?"
"Really?" answered Aeryn in a tone of disbelief as she started picking through some of the things he'd dropped. "A light filament?" she continued as she held up an object. "And what? You were going to use a Ion grenade to replace it with?"
Crichton harrumphed and pick up an item that fell from her armload.
"And I suppose you were going to use this plasma charge as a door stop?" he retorted.
Aeryn frowned deeply knowing they had caught each other.
"Let's cut the dren, John. We both know what the other was doing," she said.
Crichton nodded. "Going after Berret," he admitted. "I know we all agreed that he was on his own... but I decided I couldn't let it go like that. Why are you here?"
"Same reason," Aeryn said. "Seeing we've both decided to break our word to the others we might as well join up and go together."
John nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me. I hate to admit it but I wasn't looking forward to going all alone and I'd feel better knowing you have my back."
Aeryn began to scoop up the dropped equipment. "Well, now that that's settled, I think we need a plan before..." She cut herself off suddenly and cocked her head to one side. "Listen. Did you hear that?"
John indicated that he hadn't heard anything. "I thought I heard a voice... over there."
Aeryn led the human deeper into the isles of crates toward the opposite doorway of Moya's huge bay.
"I caught Chiana trying to steal my Prowler about an arn ago," she whispered to John. "I wonder if she's up to something else?"
A few microts later and Crichton could hear the voices. They approached a crate and ducked down behind it before cautiously peering around one edge. On the other side were Andar and Malika engaged in a heated discussion.
"I don't know why I let myself be talked into this hair-brained scheme," hissed the Delvian irately.
"You can stay here if you want," replied the Sebacean.
"I am NOT going to let you go off without me," Malika said. "Goddess, you need someone with some intelligence making sure you don't get yourself killed right away with this stupid plan of yours."
Andar gave her a one-sided frown. "I appreciate your confidence in me," he said sarcastically.
"I still don't understand why we have to go after Berret... he made his decision," the girl muttered to herself out loud. "No, not that one!" she continued to Andar. "I said sulfite, not chlorite."
Andar replaced the chemical container he held in his hand and selected the correct one the Delvian wanted from the rack.
"We're going because he would go if it were one of us," the ex-teacher responded as he handed over the metal storage container. The Delvian placed it carefully in a shoulder bag. The urn clicked metallically against a number of others already in Malika's bag.
"How can you be so sure?" Malika asked. "You have no idea what you're risking."
Andar gave her a look of infinite patience. "Have a little faith, Malika," he said.
"I have faith... that we're going to die with that lame-brained Shrike this time."
Aeryn had heard enough. "Bloody hezmana!" she swore, "Isn't anyone aboard this ship going to follow orders?" she muttered to Crichton. Before John could stop her, she rose up from their hiding place and confronted the other couple. With nothing else he could do, Crichton followed her out.
"Just what the dren do you two think you're doing?" she demanded.
Both the Delvian and Sebacean jumped at Aeryn's sudden appearance.
"Aeryn! John... hi," started Andar, "Um? What are you two doing here?"
Malika just looked from Aeryn to John to Andar... and then back to Aeryn again not knowing what to say.
"Never mind what we're doing here," Aeryn told him stubbornly, "I want to know what the two of you are doing?"
"Well... you see..." started the Sebacean man.
"HEY, GUYS!"
The sudden shout interrupted whatever Andar was going to say as Sean materialized from between an isle of stacked storage containers.
"I found the primer cord..." Sean began to Andar and Malika and then noticed Aeryn and John's arrival, "But I didn't find that... chess set I made and put away in here somewhere," he tried to make the save. "I'll be damned if I can remember what I did with it. I guess I'll have to teach you guys to play some other time." He gave his relative and the Sebacean female his best disarming smile. "Hi, John... Aeryn. What brings you guys down here?"
Aeryn gave him a look that said she couldn't believe he thought she'd ever buy his act while John shook his head. "It figures," the elder Crichton muttered.
The smile dropped from Sean's face, but ever the optimist... he asked innocently,
"What?"
"Pilot!" shouted D'argo, "I demand that you release this Transport Pod from lock-down... immediately!"
Pilot sighed heavily and shook his head so rapidly that his holo image blurred as it tried to keep up with his sudden movements.
"For the final time, Ka'D'Argo," replied the Leviathan's helmsman, "Moya and I refuse to let any of you do anything foolish on your own unless the rest of the crew agrees that such action is the only option left. We regret having to take these measures but we believe cooler heads should prevail in this case."
The Luxan growled and swore roughly at the hologram. Zhaan, dressed in her traveling robes and headscarf held up one hand to keep the warrior from blowing up further at Pilot.
"Pilot, please be reasonable," the Priestess asked. "D'argo and I are the logical choices to attempt to retrieve Berret. Surely you see that?"
Pilot tilted his head and his big eyes grew momentarily larger in the image.
"No, Zhaan. Neither Moya nor I see it that way."
"Pilot..." the Delvian began only to see Pilot frown deeply as he obviously was regarding something off screen at his station in the Den. "You must let us leave," continue Zhaan despite Pilot being distracted by something else. "We have to leave quickly before the others find out what D'argo and I have planned and want to accompany us. It would be too dangerous for all of us to go after Berret, this way the risk to the group will be minimal. Pilot? Pilot? Are you listening to me?"
"Ah-rummmmmm..." Pilot muttered in annoyance as he turned to look back at Zhaan in the holo-comm. "Of course I am listening to you, Zhaan," he said. "As for the others finding out about what you and D'argo are up to... I believe you both should start heading to the Center Chamber to meet the rest of the crew. It appears that you are not the only ones who had the same idea. Both Crichtons and the rest seem to be having a heated discussion that originated in one of Moya's storage bays and has now moved to the Center Chamber."
"That's just great, Pilot," spat D'argo. "Just what we need to do... sit around and argue among ourselves some more. Now is the time for action, not words. You should have released the Pod and let Zhaan and I go."
Pilot appeared unruffled by the Luxan's ire.
"Should you and the rest agree upon a course of action that Moya and I also agree with," responded Pilot, "We will release the Pods and the hanger bay doors."
"And if you and Moya don't agree with any plan we come up with?" asked the warrior.
Pilot pursed his lips before he answered.
"As long as the rest of the crew is in agreement to make the attempt to find Berret, Moya and I will support whatever decisions you make as a group," Pilot told him. "We will not however, allow any small groups or individuals to head out on their own without the entire group's knowledge."
Zhaan slightly bowed her head in acknowledgement. "As always, you are correct in this matter, Pilot. Correct... and perhaps, more wise in this instants."
"Thank you, Zhaan," replied the hologram. "As I said before... Moya and I regret having to interfere but after observing other incidents in the past... we believe that it would be in everyone's best interest if the crew pulled together as a crew in this situation and worked together."
"Of course," answered the Delvian. "D'argo and I will now go and meet with the rest to discuss our options."
Pilot nodded his head. "Chiana is still in her quarters. I will inform her to meet you all in the Center Chamber then."
"Thank you, Pilot," said Zhaan as they turned and left the hanger bay.
Chiana sluggishly got off her bed after Pilot's summons to the Center Chamber to meet the rest of the group. "Big deal, more talk," she thought to herself. Everyone will "discuss" what to do about Berret but in the end, they'll all decided to sit here and do nothing. She almost decided to ignore the call to the meeting and remain locked in her quarters, but then she thought she might as well attend in case there was a slim chance of swaying any of them to her way of thinking.
Putting on her boots, she started for the door of her room when something on her clothes chest caught her eye. Going to the chest she found a slip of folded paper that she didn't remember placing on the piece of furniture. It stuck her odd that it would be there, as she rarely needed to write anything down for any reason. Living on the run taught you to keep all the important stuff in your head where you couldn't leave it behind, lose it, or have it fall into the wrong hands. She unfolded the sheet and gasped as she realized it was from Berret. Her eyes quickly scanned the paper and then reread it slower a second time.
Chiana,
By the time you find this, you will have realized where I have
gone. I left this note in your quarters with the hope that you
will have had time to be less angry with me for what I did to
you in my quarters. I am sorry, I never meant to hurt or betray
you, but it was necessary. I knew you would either try and stop
me or accompany me. I could have neither as you know... where
I am going, you cannot follow.
I regret the loss of your company for the last few weeks and for
not having the chance to say goodbye. I hope you will find
some way to forgive me. I thank you for returning my life
to me and allowing me to know freedom one last time.
Please understand that I must do this... that I must settle
the debts I owe for this life and Arckatius must be stopped
no matter what the cost. Please give the others my apologizes
and my thanks. Tell Zhaan that I hope to leave her Goddess'
worlds a better place at my passing. I hope she's right and its
possible to earn a place in her afterlife and to atone for the
misdeeds of this life. I will do my best to make a proper account
of myself.
I can think of nothing else to say. I wish you the happiness you
search for, a safe place far from harm's reach, and all the love
you tried to teach me. I know I wasn't a good student, but I
hope I learned enough to have made this choice for the right
reasons.
Again, live long, stay safe... and maybe think of me occasionally
in good thoughts as I shall hold you in mine,
Berret
Chiana looked at the note and then crumpled it up in her hands without thinking.
"Oh... you frelling... idiot," she moaned.
