One For The Road Part 8: Me, Myself and That Other Guy
"The carrier is failing Empress." The Scarran informed Ahkna.
"I'm aware of that." Her icy reply was a warning of her mood. She didn't need to be told of the carrier's failing. The fact that the entire ship was slanted and the lights above her had been flickering were clear enough signs that whatever had happened would not be fixed. She was tired of being on this carrier. And she was tired of Scorpius and his arrogance. The fact that the ship she was on had experienced an attack of some kind had pushed her limit.
"We are not sure where the attack originated."
"It wasn't Scorpius. He would not destroy his own carrier especially considering he is still upon it. Have you found Crichton?"
"No."
"If he gets off this ship Captain, I will have your head."
"The bay will be guarded until he is found."
"How long do we have until this carrier loses all function?"
"We are not sure, but it will be within the arn."
"Have my transport ready. Once I find Crichton I will be heading back to the flagship. Until then patrol the tiers. I want this ship decimated."
"I knew that was a bad idea." John pulled himself off the wall and tried to stand up straight.
"No it was a good idea that went bad. There's a difference." Draforn tried to steady herself as well.
"Not when the end result is destroying the carrier we are currently on."
"Hey, you want off? That's about the biggest diversion I could make. So take it and quit complaining."
"Fine, whatever floats your boat."
"We need to get you to the prowler. All hands will be called to help with repairs, so it should be empty by the time we get there."
They pushed themselves through the masses of Peacekeepers that littered the tiers. Each one going a different way and not taking notice of anyone else. They were all too preoccupied with whatever they were doing. Peacekeepers kept bumping in to him as they pushed through everyone. The thought occured to him that they were probably all going to die. Did it matter? To him it did. They didn't belong to his reality, but they were real to themselves. Too many had died because of his actions. This was just another blotched plan to go on his list of blotched plans.
"John you gotta keep up."
He looked up to find Draforn was ahead of him. She had almost gotten them to the end of the tier. They weren't far away from the prowlers. He would be off this carrier, out of this reality and on his way to Aeryn. Aeryn. He didn't really have time to wonder about where she was. He just hoped she was safe.
Aeryn had no problem getting on the command carrier. There was no one even in the bay when she stepped out of her prowler. She wasn't complaining, she had enough to do at the moment. First being, finding John. She thought it would have been easy to sight the one person that didn't belong here, but what she was hearing told her otherwise. She could hear pistols going off not far from where she was. She had no idea what was going on, but she knew it couldn't be good and it wasn't going to make finding John easy. She pulled her own pistol out of its holster as she rounded the corner into the next tier. It was mostly empty. Not a good sign. She ran to the end of this tier and peered into the next. This one was covered in Scarrans. Peacekeeper bodies lined the floor around them. What were Scarrans doing on a Peacekeeper command carrier? She was starting to get that feeling. This was bad. She needed to find John and fast, but she wasn't going to be able to take all of the Scarrans by herself. She took a quick look around her and spotted an air vent. Perfect.
"Braca." Scorpius announced himself as he entered command.
Braca didn't turn from what he was doing as he answered. "Scarrans are attacking. They've taken control of the bay and the lower tiers."
"Then our secret is out."
"I would say so, Sir."
"Do we know where Commander Crichton is?"
Braca touched some controls on the console. "He's making his way down tier 14."
"And what about our Empress?"
"Tier 7."
"How long do we have left?"
"We've bought us some time with energy reserves, but not long."
"Notify me if anything changes."
"What do you plan to do?"
"Find Crichton, before Ahkna does."
Draforn had finally gotten them out of the crowded tiers and into more empty ones. Well, they were almost empty, except for the bodies that covered the floor. For every one Scarran that lay on the ground there were three Peacekeepers. John moved as quickly as possible while trying to step over them.
"We have to get you off the ship." Draforn told him as she made her way through the carnage.
"Thank you for the observation."
"I really am sorry about this John."
"Yeah, well you can send me flowers later." He almost ran into her when she stopped suddenly in the middle of the tier.
"What?" he asked as he raised his pistol.
"Listen." It was silent except for a faint scraping coming from the wall. Both raised their pistols and pointed at the air vent in front of them. Something crashed against the covering as it dented. It was hit again and the cover came off.
John lowered his pistol as Aeryn climbed out of the vent.
"Hey gorgeous." He smiled at her.
They had finally found each other. After every frelling thing that had happened to them today, they had found each other. John took a step forward and took her into his arms. She did the same as he kissed her deeply. He didn't want to let go, but also knew this was not the place to act out their full reunion. They would save that for Moya.
"Are you all right?" He asked as he stood back enough to look into her face. His hands cupped around her cheeks.
She nodded her answer. "You?"
He didn't give a verbal answer either as he bent his face forward and kissed her again.
"I hate to interrupt, but we really have to go." They both turned to Draforn who was edging forward trying to get them to follow. The two separated and followed, pistols aimed.
"Did you have fun at work today?" He asked turning to the tier that opened on his side. It was empty like the others.
"It's a long story. Ask me about it later." She had so much to tell him. Some things she wanted to talk to him about and some things she didn't. But it would all have to wait.
"How exactly did you find us?"
"Einstein."
"I figured he had intervened. Let me guess he's not a happy camper."
"I think we've really gotten ourselves in trouble this time."
"Baby, when are we not in trouble?"
"Einstein said to tell you that for every agreeable event in one reality there must be a trade-off of an unagreeable event. He said you would understand."
John didn't answer as he checked another tier.
"John?"
"It means I am not going to like how this ends."
She started to say something else, when Draforn stopped at the end of the tier.
"We've got a problem."
John and Aeryn peeked around to see what she was talking about. Scarrans were blocking the tier that led to the bay.
"They've got all the tiers leading to the bay blocked." Aeryn informed them, remembering the reason she had been in that vent in the first place.
"That's why I said we had a problem."
"To quote you Draforn, it's only a problem if you make it a problem." John reloaded his pistols and walked out into the tier firing.
Aeryn and Draforn followed behind him. They ran behind the supports of the walls as the Scarrans returned fire. Each one of them waited until they were clear to stick out their heads and shoot again. They had two down and three to go. Aeryn kicked the body below her out of her way and noticed what was beside it. She pulled off the pulse rifle that lay around the Peacekeeper's neck and held it tightly to her shoulder as she shot at the Scarran closest to her. She had aimed for his head and that was all it took as he fell to his knees.
"Yeah, why don't you just do that." Draforn yelled staying behind the support to protect herself. Aeryn fired at the only Scarran left that John wasn't firing on. She did the same as she aimed for the head and watched him fall as John's did as well. They still had their weapons aimed as they stepped from behind the supports and made their way into the bay.
"Alright I'm going to open the hanger door." Draforn called over her shoulder as she went to the console.
"I missed you." He whispered as he leaned his back against Aeryn's, his pistol still aimed and pointed at the tier to his left. She was looking to the tier on the right.
"It wasn't that long ago, John."
"Yeah, well I'm tired of losing you. Even if it is only for a couple of arns. I would like to be able to spend some part of our engagement when we aren't being kidnapped and fighting our way out of whatever mess we find ourselves in."
"Well, get me off this carrier and I'll see what I can do." Her playful answer was all he needed.
"You need to move a little faster there, Draforn." He yelled at the Peacekeeper. "First thing we do back on Moya is lock ourselves in our quarters for as long as I can keep you in there." He kept his pistol pointed at the tier, but turned to face Aeryn. She turned her head sideways, still guarding her own tier.
"You have me for the rest of your life John." He smoothed back her hair with his free hand before kissing her. This one was short and sweet and when it ended they kept their faces very close, breathing each other in.
"Wouldn't you know it!" Draforn yelled as she kicked the console.
This brought John and Aeryn over to where she was.
"Don't tell me another problem?" John didn't need an answer. Nothing was ever easy in his life.
"Some of the conduits are out and I can't access the hanger from here."
"So where do we need to go?" John asked.
"Command." Aeryn answered.
"Oh, hell no."
"There is another way. I can try to turn the conduit back on manually long enough for someone to open the door."
"Fine, you go."
"Actually I have the two person job. Aeryn needs to come with me and you stay here."
"Why Aeryn?"
"Were you ever a Peacekeeper, John?"
"Yeah and I was never a tech." Aeryn chimed in.
"No, but you'll know more than he does. Look we are running out of time. Pay attention. When this light comes back on, push these two down at the same time." She pointed out to him what she wanted him to do.
"Got it."
He turned to Aeryn. "See? I'm always losing you." He gave a quick kiss before he watched her walk away.
"Empress."
"Do not bother me now." Ahkna replied through her comm. as she made her way to the docking bay. She shot a Peacekeeper that ran into the tier and walked past him as he fell to his knees. She had given up on Crichton. The carrier had become a mess of Peacekeepers and Scarrans and getting through to some tiers were impossible at this time. If Crichton survived this, which she doubted, she would find him later.
"Aeryn Sun is aboard the carrier." The Scarran reported.
Ahkna stopped walking. "Where is she?"
"In a lower tunnel. She and another headed into it on Tier 6. I am standing guard until they come back."
"No, go to the transport and await my arrival. I will take care of Aeryn Sun."
"I was surprised you got yourself here." Draforn broke the silence the two women had wielded between them.
Aeryn was following Draforn through the narrow tunnel that led to the service area they needed. She didn't answer. Aeryn didn't like this woman. If she had left John alone they wouldn't be in this mess.
"I'm trying to fill the silence, Aeryn."
"I do not feel we need to fill anything between us." Aeryn's reply was cold, she wanted the Peacekeeper to know of her disdain.
"I apologized to John."
"And do you think that means anything?"
"And do you think I really care if it doesn't? Like I said, I have nothing against you, he was just my ticket home." She was trying to be mutual, not that she needed to be.
"Well I think we are all going to find out just what that ticket cost."
"Don't be all high and mighty with me, Aeryn. You were once a Peacekeeper. You played the bad girl and you liked it."
"Once being the operative word."
"Tell me you don't miss this."
"I don't"
"You lie." Draforn stopped in the tunnel and opened a small latch to get to the circuits behind it.
"I don't need to explain anything to you."
"No, but ask yourself, why are you down here with me and not up there with him?"
"You said you needed me."
"Say what you like. Hold this." Draforn handed Aeryn some wires she had cut.
"Look Draforn, I don't expect you to understand, but there is life beyond being a Peacekeeper. There is more than missions and ranks. I am sorry that this life…this unimportant job we were made to think was better than everything else is all you have. Because let me tell you it's not better. What I have is better than anything you will ever experience as a Peacekeeper. I am happy with who I am. When was the last time you felt like that?"
Draforn didn't answer as she connected the wires she had in her hand with the ones in Aeryn's. She didn't meet her eyes either.
John stared at the console. Nothing. The girls needed to hurry. He didn't know how long they had before the Scarrans realized the bay was unguarded. He just wanted off this ship. He wanted back to his own reality. He wanted to be on Moya. He missed Moya. He hadn't realized the last time he had been on the Leviathan, he hadn't known the baby was his and Aeryn hadn't said she would marry him yet. They would have a lot to talk about on their return. And maybe…just maybe he could have his future wife all to himself for five minutes with no wormholes, no Peacekeepers and no Scarrans.
He was brought out of his thoughts as the console light came on. "Here we go." He started to compress the channels Draforn had pointed out.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar voice called out.
John slowly turned around to look at himself.
"I thought we should meet. We being the same person and all." Peackeeper him had a pulse rifle pointed at him. "So you're what Draforn brought back."
"And you're the horn-dog big bad Peacekeeper."
"When in Rome John. Have you seen the females on this ship?"
"I prefer non-Peacekeepers."
"Oh no, let me tell you Peacekeeper girls are just kinky."
"I thought Peacekeepers didn't have long relationships. I hear you are a one gal guy when she's around."
"Yes, the delicious Aeryn Sun. Now there's a ride. How can you walk away from her? Come on John, I'm still human first. And Aeryn…well you really wouldn't understand Aeryn."
"Actually I think I would. See we have the same background they tell me. I just got the better end of the deal because Aeryn and I got back to Moya and away from Crais."
"Well isn't this just one big coincidence? We both being thrown into space and ending up with the same girl. It's kinda sweet."
"We are very different people."
"Does your Aeryn favor the bed? I tell ya, mine will drop her pants anywhere. And she does this thing with her tongue." He ignored John's last comment. He was just seeing how far he could push him.
"Don't go there buddy." John's fists were tightening. This guy, this possibility of him was nothing like himself.
"Alright, don't want to kiss and tell anyway. So let's see. Where's Draforn? Your only half of what I need." Peacekeeper John slowly started taking steps closer toward the other him. The rifle was still pointed at John.
John glanced down at the console. The light was off, which meant the girls were making their way back. "She's around here somewhere."
"Well we'll just wait for her then. She's my reward, so I'm not taking you anywhere until she shows up."
"Don't you get her for free?"
"Oh no, I don't want her that way. That's just mutual fun. She won't like what I have planned for her. There's this chair. The Aurora chair and I'm gonna take her on a long extended ride on it."
"What the hell happened to you?"
"It's all about nature John. What I really am. What you really are."
"You're sadistic."
"I'm only what can be made of me John. You know anything about wormholes and other realities? Other than that you came through a wormhole and this is another reality."
"I would have to answer yes."
"Well, see wormholes are a little hobby of mine. I know all there is to know about them."
"I doubt that."
"You see you are a possibility of me. A way I could have gone, but didn't. So we can reverse it for you."
"I won't believe that."
"Remember being a teenager? Remember how angry you were? Where did that anger go, John? Away? No, suppressed. I just happened to find a life where…I guess you would say I utilize that suppressed anger to better the world."
"What Peacekeepers do doesn't qualify as making anything better."
"That's a difference of opinion."
"So what? Scorpius takes you under his wing and suddenly all this suppressed anger comes up? Bull."
"What has Draforn been telling you? Tsk. I'm going to have to teach her a lesson. When Scorpius took me under his wing, as you call it, he put me in The Aurora Chair for hours everyday. Do you know what that feels like?"
"Yep. Been on the ride myself."
"Do you know what it feels like to be put in that chair for hours everyday for five years?"
John was silent this time.
"That's what I thought. See Scorpius knew what he was doing. After a year he knew what memories to bring up that hurt me the most."
"What do you want pity?"
"No no. I'm happy John. I am a Commander over thousands, I always have a girl to keep my bed warm and I get almost everything I ever ask for. Suffering John. Suffering usually brings great joy in the end."
"How touching." John's sarcastic reply hit a nerve with the Peacekeeper, who quickly hit him with the side of his rifle. John fell to his knees from the force and wiped his hand across his nose to find blood.
"Scorpius wants you for himself, but I think I might change some plans." He turned his neck as far as it would go and cracked it before returning to his attention to his prisoner. He kicked him as hard as he could in the gut and John doubled over, holding himself.
"Because hey, this carrier is going to fail and we are all gonna die anyway." He kneeled down and pulled John up by his collar. "So why don't I just have my fun why I still can."
Draforn pulled herself out of the tunnel and back into the tier. Aeryn followed soon after. Neither had said a word to each other on the way back.
"Let's get back to John." Draforn started down the tier with Aeryn in tow when two shots were fired. Draforn slowly turned around right before she fell to her knees. She had been shot in the back. She glanced up at Aeryn before falling face forward onto the ground. Aeryn didn't notice. She was holding her hand against her own wound on her side and staring at her attacker who still had a weapon pointed at her.
"Officer Sun, I've been waiting to see you again for a very long time." Empress Ahkna announced as she let off another shot.
TBC
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