EXOCRAFT

Moya – Hanger Bay:

Rygel entered the Hanger bay to find D'Argo, John and Aeryn hanging out. Krett's Exocraft was on the central workbench, which D'Argo admired at a distance. Aeryn was more hands on and inspective, fiddling and puzzling over it. They group were in agreement of the items dynamic beauty, regardless of the fact that it housed the Glax fortune.

John was leaning against the wall holding his stomach in silence, though made the effort to scowl at Rygel in contempt of his cooking.

'Don't give me that look, John Crichton. How was I supposed to know it was one part Oootta Paste to six parts Nyuum-Nyumm.'

'I don't think I've eradicated waste that foul in an age!' D'Argo interrupted, still feeling a bit queasy too.

'Well if it pleases you to know, I have been feeling a little peaked myself.' Rygel retorted.

'Will you weaklings cut it out. I've had enough already.' Aeryn snapped inoffensively.

'Get your filthy mitts off my Exocraft, Peacekeeper.' Rygel barked.

'You can pay me later, Aeryn.' D'Argo said dryly to Aeryn, who grinned. The Luxon and Sebacean clearly had some private agreement.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Rygel asked and shuffled over to the Exocraft.

'You're one fat wager, waiting to happen, Rygel.' D'Argo began, 'The moment you laid eyes on this fantastic piece of equipment you were either going to steal it or swindle it off the prisoner.' D'Argo's words were simple and he did not take his eyes off the craft.

'I was doing no such thing. Rygel protested. 'I was speaking with my good friend Krett, who might I add recognises me as his, Dominar, well, his Master at least. He gave me this piece of kit as a gift.' Rygel said with a smirk and rubbed his hands together with glee at the incredible machine.

'Not another mindless Heinerian worshipper.' D'Argo sighed, referring to Rygel's bizarre ability to get complete strangers to worship him.

'Less about the thing in the cell. This Exocraft and the Glax are the priority.' Rygel said excitedly, 'Besides, I introduced Chiana to Krett.'

D'Argo scowled at the mentioned of the visitor and Chiana.

Rygel nudged Aeryn aside as she was fiddling with the Exosuit. 'What do you think you're doing?'

Aeryn went to slap Rygel but he backed of instinctively on his hover throne.

'Surviving death will be your priority if that slippery hand of yours touches me again, slug!' Aeryn hissed.

'Don't touch what you don't own and can't afford, Peacekeeper.' Rygel hissed back and waved her off.

'Where is Chiana, I've got a few words to have with that… spry, Nebari?' D'Argo cut into the bickering with a oddly caring manner.

'She's probably at it with Krett as we speak.' Rygel sniggered.

Only two days ago D'Argo and Chiana had broken up their relationship after a heated and violent row concerning somewhat unconscious problems. They'd been getting on really well for over half a cycle now. She loved combing her fingers through his red hair and hugging his big softness, and he liked her petite hairlessness and fiery rebelliousness. But D'Argo's sizeable genitalia hadn't hung comfortably since the row with her, and he still wasn't sure what he'd done wrong.

'So… what is it, what is the visitor?' D'Argo asked, clearly jealous of the time Chiana was spending with the prisoner and not with him.

'He is some kind of lost robot soul or something.' Rygel began in a mocking tone, 'Whose parents gave him everything but can't remember where he put it. He was sent on a journey by a bright green light called, Ailoom.'

'A mission from god?' D'Argo laughed, trying to eliminate the image of Chiana frelling a robot.

'Either that or he's completely crazy.' Rygel peeled a scab of targma from the central fin of the Exocraft.

'Well you've got to have some mental problem or be frelling desperate to have Rygel for a Master.' Aeryn said under her breath as she continued to explore the Exocraft's form, picking targma scabs from the silvery object.

Rygel flicked a scab of targma down the crack of Aeryn's pants as she bent forward, which amused him and D'Argo both, as she was completely unaware.

John grimaced at the puerile behaviour.

'Just remember, peasant, that I own this masterpiece and thus the Glax contained within it and thus I am the even wealthier one.' Rygel stated coldly.

'Rygel!' Zhaan said as she entered the hanger bay. Rygel leaned on the Exocraft like he'd just conquered a world as he turned to face Zhaan. 'What nonsense have you been telling Krett?'

'A few polite words is all.'

'He's unwell, and you take advantage of him.' Zhaan explained.

'Have you lot forgotten about the Glax fortune.' Rygel stroked the Exocraft shape, 'Remember that this shiny baby holds enough to make us filthy rich.'

'Us is it now?' D'Argo grunted.

'But it's not ours!' Zhaan snapped as she pointed at the object that Aeryn was still examining.

'Indeed. It's mine.' Rygel smiled cruelly.

'What do we know about this visitor?' John cut into the bickering, gesturing with his hands for calm. 'He doesn't know anything about himself or his situation, farts Glax gas, follows a light called Ailoom, snacks on our security energy shield and spits gold.'

'And wants a piece of Nebari arse.' Rygel chuckled.

'Shut it worm!' D'Argo growled. 'He's trouble.' D'Argo insisted, dubious about the whole situation, regardless of the potential Glax fortune.

Aeryn was still too rapt with the Exocraft to comment.

'Could it be amnesia?' John asked.

'Yes, he is showing classic signs.' Zhaan commented. 'With a few more tests I could find out more with which to help both parties. Chiana and he seem to be friends already, so she could explain the situation to him. Or maybe Master Rygel can ask him to oblige?' Zhaan eyeballed Rygel, who tried to stare her down. Admirable, yet futile.

D'Argo laughed, 'My point exactly. This Krett must be a complete madman to worship this slug.'

'Mayhap I set him on you as my Retainer.' Rygel spat at D'Argo.

'I haven't had a good fight in ages.' D'Argo dared Rygel. 'It would do me well to release some of this pent up aggression. Especially on that false warrior.'

'I might just tell him that.' Rygel sneered.

'BOYS!' Zhaan cut in sternly, grabbing them both by the ears and making them screech.

'Yes mother?' Rygel said sarcastically.

'You are not Krett's Master and he is definitely not a Claytonian.' Zhaan explained her findings to the naughty boys.

'Need I remind you? I am a Dominar of the second largest military in …'

'Correction,' D'Argo interrupted, 'You were.'

'I was betrayed.' Rygel flapped at Zhaan's wrist.

John was happily observing the whole spat and new revelations and subtleties of the crews relationships.

'Betrayed by your own reflection no doubt, Your Eminence.' D'Argo said, and everyone else found it amusing, even John.

'Krett is guided by the voices of an emerald light called Ailoom.' Zhaan explained. 'I think Rygel's voice is coincidentally similar to one of the three voices Krett hears in his head, his dreams.'

'So, this Krett is deranged?' Aeryn said to John privately as she delved into her pants for something that was irritating her – a lump in her trouser bottom – a piece of targma put there by Rygel.

'I didn't trick him. Krett called me Master Rygel before I had even uttered a word!' Rygel assured them.

'No! Krett called the bold masculine voice, the Master. Undoubtedly, you insisted he called you Master Rygel.' Zhaan exposed.

'I didn't!' Rygel said as honestly as a good liar could. Just a pity the crew of Moya had come to learn his cunning methods like D'Argo's bad breath.

'The moment Krett was irresolute, you maintained the rouse with lie upon lie.' Zhaan stated brutally.

'Krett boy has complete control of his own fate and must take responsibility for his own actions.' Rygel stamped his foot on the craft were he stood, 'He gave this Exocraft to me for being so helpful and comforting.'

'Ha!' D'Argo grunted sharply, 'You couldn't comfort a Glooglefluff.' D'Argo referred to the cute and soft fuzz balls creatures with two legs and a mouth and nothing else. They were good for making rugs.

'Your nights will be Nebari-free and very lonely as of this moment, D'Argo.' Rygel's tone was deadly serious.

'Pilot, be so kind as to replay the DRD cell footage please.' Zhaan asked.

Pilot appeared on the monitor with a smaller image showing. Rygel's jaw dropped as he watched himself on the screen conning and manipulating Krett. After ten seconds of footage and audio, Rygel's deceit was revealed clearly. None of the others were surprised at Rygel's despicable lies, because his morals had changed as little as John's decidedly human bogey picking habit.

'No harm in trying!' Rygel grinned and tapped his fingers on the Exocraft nervously.

'We need a decision about releasing Krett, not this bickering.' John proposed and drew the attention of the group.

'Well you two brought it aboard, what do you think?' D'Argo accused Aeryn and Zhaan.

'He hasn't committed any crimes, just woke up with a sore head.' John continued Krett's defence. 'Now he's calmed down and according to Zhaan he is apparently a nice chap, we should release him under supervision of DRD's and under the condition that Zhaan examines him.' John said gesturing for the agreement of the others.

'Crichton's idea makes sense.' Aeryn's voice echoed out from the shapes of the Exocraft as she examined it.

'Agreed.' Zhaan asked for all their votes of which D'Argo was the only one to rebuke. 'This is a democracy, so Krett shall be freed.'

'Don't get me wrong guys. Stay sharp. He's quick. That includes you, Pilot.' John announced.

'Understood.' Pilot answered and disappeared form the monitor.

'Chiana will be happy to learn of Krett's newfound freedom.' Rygel taunted D'Argo.

'The odds are getting better for a broken earbrow, worm.' D'Argo hissed back.