Title: Home and the Second Wave
Author: Meridian
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say I own these characters (hell, as much as I'd like to just own Ben Browder and Sebastian Spence), I don't. They belong, I suppose, to the Sci-Fi Channel or whoever sells them the episodes. Whatever, they sure as hell don't belong to me, nor do I have express written or oral permission to use them. Um, not suing me would be greatly appreciated, as I am not making any money from this story, nor do I have much to begin with…thanks so much. And ps…some stuff is made up entirely, as people who actually live in Salem, Mass. will attest. Just let it slide? Please?
Spoilers: Oh boy, spoilers! Well, none really for the First Wave portion of this story, just you have to know the basic characters there…Farscape Spoilers? Let's see…Nerve, The Hidden Memory, and Bone to Be Wild…that should cover most of it, save for vague and infrequent references to past eps…Oh and one more thing? These events occurred in a reality separate from the Farscape world that ended with Family Ties (I began before the episode altered reality a bit, so please, just through Bone to Be Wild, thanks)
Note: This is a crossover, so knowing both shows would greatly aid in your understanding of events. It's not necessary, but it helps. Thanks to my story consultant Michelle (what would I do without her?) who proved that you don't have to watch either show to follow and yes, even like the story.
Formatting Notes:
[[…..]] Indicate memory
Italics…thoughts
********* Indicate change of scene
------------- Same setting, only separate from the action taking place previously
HOME AND THE SECOND WAVE
Part 10
Massachusetts Base
"Why haven't they come for us?" Tatiana whimpered. The blond man's screaming had rudely awakened her. In fact, Lita and Sylvia each stirred at his shout of frustration and desperation. It had been an hour since the loudspeaker had erupted with the cruel greeting, but nothing had come for them. Zhaan had moved to sit next to John, but Crichton had not needed her help as such. She was greatly impressed by his improved physical condition, but no amount of bravery on his part could disguise the deeper scarring.
"John, you must rest more, we may need your help later." Crichton grunted but consented, allowing his friend to fret as she would and followed her orders to stay lying down until such time as it was absolutely necessary for him to move.
"I doubt you can be of much help anyway, Crichton," Cade Foster paced around the room, searching for something he could use to escape. The feeling of being a prisoner again did not sit well with the alien hunter. Zhaan watched his frantic movements, reading all signs of a former prisoner in his nervous dislike for their current captivity. A prisoner herself, Zhaan understood this reaction, but she disguised it better. Her life was not in the jeopardy that this human believed his was.
"How do you know of the Gua, Cade Foster?" She called to him, momentarily arresting his pacing.
"They tried to kill me." John leaned up on his elbows to stare at the other human.
"They what? You don't look like a deep space traveler to me, so how did they…"
"They're here, on Earth." John blinked, staring at Cade without understanding.
"They are WHAT?" Cade shook his head.
"I've got news for you, flyboy. Aliens have been on our planet for years now. They're scouting the Earth for domination." John's eyebrow raised slightly, but there was no other reaction to this news.
"If I hadn't actually met several aliens, I'd say you were crazy."
"That's what you're supposed to think," Cade growled. "They did everything they could to make sure no one will believe anything I have to say, and that's excluding the fact it sounds ridiculous to everyone I tell it to." John nodded, easing himself back to the floor. As he stared at the ceiling, one question came to mind.
"What does Mrs. Whacko have to say about this?" Cade did not answer. "I saw the ring, so I assumed…"
"They killed Hannah." John did not have to ask who Hannah was. Great, real slick, John. Why didn't you just go over there and rip his heart out of his chest yourself? Might save these Gua the trouble.
"They killed your mate?" That was Zhaan, sounding sympathetic and angry at the same time. Cade nodded. "By the goddess, they are mad. They are no better than the Peacekeepers. It is as Aeryn said. They are worse. They hide themselves like cowards while they reach into this world and suck the life from it."
"Parasites," John added. Zhaan readily agreed.
"They are destroying your world, Crichton, you know that, don't you?"
"It's not just mine, Zhaan. And I can't stay here, not even if we weren't in custody, you know that."
"Excuse me?" All three of the actively conversing beings turned to look at Tatiana. "But what are you talking about?"
*****************************
"Name and rank, Peacekeeper." Joshua sat behind the desk while the other acolyte interrogated the Sebacean female. He admired her strength and resistance, but he could see that Acolyte Grady did not.
"Officer Aeryn Sun, Icarion Company, Pleisar Regiment."
"What is your duty on this planet?"
"We came to seek human medical aid for John."
"How did you meet the human, Crichton?"
"His ship appeared in the middle of a battle, and he was taken aboard Moya, our leviathan."
"A Peacekeeper leviathan?"
"No, it broke free from its restraining collar."
"Then how did you capture it?" Aeryn smiled.
"I didn't."
"Explain yourself."
"My Prowler was carried through starburst and I was taken captive until I agreed to help the escaped prisoners."
"Prisoners?" Aeryn sighed. If they had been Peacekeeper forces, she would never have needed this much explanation. Then again, if they had been Peacekeepers, she would be dead, as would Zhaan, Chiana, and Crichton.
"The ship was transporting prisoners to a lifers' colony. They broke out and freed the ship."
"Why did you help them?"
"I am irreversibly contaminated do to prolonged contact with them. John saved my life and brought me back to the leviathan."
"The human saved you? A Peacekeeper?" Joshua spoke up, not a little amazed.
"Yes, it was his conviction that I needed to live."
"Why?"
"Because," Aeryn snapped. She had little to no idea why John had done it. His motives at the time, as ever, seemed only to be an ardent desire to help any he felt he could save. It made him an admirable, if too highly principled, being.
"Then you are not with the Peacekeeper forces." Joshua nearly killed Grady for this slip. Aeryn noticed this mistake and ran with it.
"You? Cooperate with Peacekeepers?" Aeryn laughed, egging on the one who had been questioning her. He was more likely to slip up and reveal himself than the silent one still sitting calmly behind the desk.
"For mutual benefit, you understand." Aeryn nodded and quickly tried to think what these aliens could possibly offer the Peacekeepers that would be worth the alliance. Even temporary aid with aliens was offensive. What could they want?
Not what…who.
"You plan to give us over to them."
"Very astute, but not you, Officer Sun." Aeryn blinked, smiling to conceal her chagrin. If not all of them, then who? A gnawing sense of dread started to nibble away at her confidence.
"John." Joshua raised an eyebrow at her, a faint hint of amusement on his lips. Aeryn fell into full Peacekeeper seriousness, or what John would call 'kick-ass mode.' "You can't give him to them."
"And why not, Peacekeeper?" Joshua's baritone rumbled across the distance. Aeryn cast a violent glare at him.
"They intend to abuse him to extract information from him. That is not permissible."
"Because you do not wish for them to do so?"
"It's wrong."
"We plan to examine him first, of course, just to make sure there is nothing that can harm our people in any way." Aeryn's face drained of color. In Peacekeeper training camps, stories of Sebaceans who had been tortured by Gua were nightmares meant to instill the no-hostage policy. If these Gua intended to extract information from John that way, it would kill him. To Aeryn, that was unacceptable. Without thinking, she lunged at the nearest Gua, tackling him to the ground. Not expecting this move from an already wounded Peacekeeper, Acolyte Grady toppled. Aeryn broke his neck with a vicious snap before Joshua had even trained his weapon on her. Aeryn stumbled as the body vaporized beneath her.
"I expected no less from a Peacekeeper, but his death was unnecessary. It will not change the human's fate." Sensing that this Gua would be more reasonable, Aeryn kept her distance and tried to talk him out of this plan.
"You can't do that to him. The Aurora Chair nearly killed him, and his mind is still in tatters. If you try to interrogate him in any way, John Crichton will die."
"We have methods to see that he won't." Aeryn shook her head.
"You don't understand. Crichton won't let you. He won't take torture. He'd sooner kill himself. I would sooner kill him than let you touch him." Joshua listened to this with a reserved demeanor, absorbing all that her voice and stance could tell him.
"Your attachment to this human is not usual for your species." It was a test, a gauge by which to judge the reaction. Aeryn held her shoulders squared and tense, a position of defiance.
"I am contaminated. It happens."
"Do you feel contaminated?" Aeryn's grin was malevolent.
"No, I am free. And I can tell you are not. The Gua are not unlike the Peacekeepers. If they sense insubordination, they will kill you." Joshua's mood turned ugly. He disliked the Sebacean analyzing him while he attempted to do the same to her.
"I am an Acolyte. How can you assume…"
"Because I broke free. I know what insubordination looks like and where it breeds. You are powerful, I can sense that too. If you wanted to, this planet could have been yours. But you hesitate." Joshua hit the red button and two Gua guards appeared to take Aeryn away. Aeryn flashed a feral grin as she walked out.
"I was right."
*****************************
"Aeryn!" John jumped to his feet when he saw, from his previously horizontal position on the floor, Aeryn enter their cell. They wrapped one another in a fierce hug, John being careful not to knock Aeryn's wounded arm, Aeryn avoiding squeezing John too tight period. Zhaan smiled and stood to embrace her friends. Cade sat by himself, and the three women only watched.
"Where were you?" Zhaan's comforting tones were only too welcome now. The thought of the violence these Gua intended to bring on the whole group was fresh in Aeryn's mind. There were no details given, but she knew it would never be a pleasant experience.
"They were suspicious about me. They've apparently made a deal with the Peacekeepers, and they thought I was violating that." Both Zhaan and Crichton stopped breathing for a moment.
"Peacekeepers…then they mean to…" Zhaan covered her mouth with her hand rather than voice the fear in all their hearts. John's jaw tightened, his eyes hardened as he looked at Aeryn and finished Zhaan's sentence.
"They're going to send me back." Aeryn nodded, reaching out a hand to squeeze Crichton's. He gripped hers firmly, nearly crushing it. From behind, Cade watched all the bravado sink out of Crichton's shoulders. A certain sadness seeped to creep into the other man's back, and his shoulders dropped, sagging under the weight of fear and anxiety. A sudden wave of guilt breezed over him; he had no idea what Crichton was afraid of, but he was sure it was just as bad as whatever awaited him in the Gua's hands.
"There is hope," he muttered. Aeryn, John, Zhaan, Lita, Sylvia, and Tatiana all turned to him. The voice of desperation was speaking of salvation, which was enough to capture their attention. "Eddie. He's got to be around. And Chiana, she's still there." Aeryn swept the room with her eyes. The Nebari was not there.
"Where is she?"
"She ran, I told her to when I realized it was a trap. If she can find Eddie…"
"He won't be able to understand her," Lita piped in. The general mood took a dive.
"Not if she can lead him to the DRD she brought with her," Zhaan added hopefully. John tried to smile to show his appreciation for her upbeat attitude, but it came off as little more than an alleviation of his frown.
"We all need to rest. They'll probably try and interrogate us separately, so we each need to be in perfect form," Aeryn drilled. "You three," she waved at Lita, Sylvia, and Tatiana, "You will take first watch with me. Cade, Zhaan, Crichton, you three get some rest." There were attempts at protest, but the solid refusal written into Aeryn's stance let all know these orders were not to be disobeyed. Zhaan settled herself near Cade, and the two talked quietly until both were bored enough to fall asleep. Aeryn allowed Crichton to lay his head in her lap.
"Too bad we're not on Moya. I might've taken advantage of this situation." Aeryn smiled, teasing his hair.
"Go to sleep, John."
"I've been asleep for the past two weekens. If that hasn't fixed me yet, nothing will."
"Do I have to pull rank on you?" Aeryn held her mouth in a tight line, fighting the urge to laugh. John was too good at doing that, at undermining her authority by making her laugh. This time, he seemed to agree and turned to make himself more comfortable.
"Watch my back, Sunshine." Aeryn let herself smile once he was asleep.
Always.
*****************************
Salem Center Hospital
The fugitive watched the nurse from her hiding spot. The pink-clad female was turning down the beds in room 312. All over the other wards she had visited, Chiana had only seen the white ones clean the sheets. She understood why this one would make an exception.
She is enemy. Chiana smiled as she watched the nurse's nervous movements. If she were the enemy, then she would be Gua. That would be very helpful, especially as a method to communicate with other humans. Cade and the others had been her only hope to talk, and now she was alone. Chiana ducked around the corner as the nurse scurried out, the sheets dragging on the floor let her know when the coast was clear. She crept along to reach the room and snuck inside.
There had to be something she could use in that room. The men had left rather hastily; secretly transporting away four unconscious people, not to mention drugging the other two waiting in the lobby, was no easy task. They would be sloppy, miss things, and never know it. They would have to thank their higher beings for remembering as much as they had. But they might still have missed something…
Cade's projectile weapon. Chiana bent to retrieve it from where it had been flung during the struggle. Not sure what to do with it, but sure that the weapon would threaten the Gua, Chiana hid it in her sleeve. She peered out into the hall, checking to be sure the nurse had not returned. Alone and safe, Chiana tried to walk as normally as she could back toward the nurses' station.
"Oh, you're back!" Jessica swallowed her panic. This one had arrived with 117, she was sure. Another alien? Joshua had not been more specific when she had inquired, but she knew the silent sentry had been a Sebacean. Then who was this one? Jessica scanned her features and realized that the woman was wearing a lot of makeup. As if sensing that she was being dissected, Chiana smiled.
"I know you can understand me, that's why I need your help." Jessica stepped back, recognizing an inhuman lilt to the woman's accent.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." Chiana glared at the Gua.
"You did hear what I said, Gua. I have a weapon. I will kill you if you don't come with me." Jessica felt a surge of anger and pride.
"I can have security here before you even get a chance…"
"You'll be dead by then." Chiana's voice held no room for refusal. Jessica saw the tip of the sidearm sticking out of the sleeve. Noticing this, Chiana nodded. "I need your help, and you don't want to die. We can help each other." Jessica did not move, and Chiana took that as a sign of acquiescence.
"Come around the desk, and come with me." Jessica did as ordered; Chiana directed her to the elevators.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To a trailer."
"A what?"
"A friend. You will translate, and then I will let you go."
"You'll shoot me," Jessica tried for a whimper to gain sympathy. Chiana would have none of it.
"I won't unless I have to." Chiana started when the elevator landed on the first floor. She nudged Jessica forward. They entered the lobby, and Jessica tried for a getaway. Chiana seized her about the wrist, pulling her close so she could whisper, "I wouldn't. These aren't my people, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot one or two of them to kill you." Jessica followed Chiana; rather Chiana tugged her along with her free hand.
Who would 'Eddie' be? Cade had not described him in detail, and Chiana was at a loss to figure out who…
"It's Crichton? John Crichton? Room 312? Look, if you'll just call the third floor desk, I'm sure they'll…"
"I'm sorry, sir, no one is answering. You cannot go to the ward without the nurse's permission, I'm sorry." Chiana headed to the desk. She whispered to Jessica what she should say to the man they were approaching. He was neither as tall, nor as fit as Cade, but he had the same aura of goodness. Chiana pushed Jessica in front of her.
"Excuse me, are you Eddie?" Jessica asked, as prompted. Eddie turned to look at the moderately attractive nurse who had just approached, but his eyes were soon drawn to the slightly shorter woman behind her. He casually noticed the death grip the woman in back had on the nurse.
"Do I know you?" Jessica looked over her shoulder. Eddie watched as the other woman nodded and nudged the nurse once more.
"No, but my friend here would like to talk to you." Eddie peered over Jessica's shoulder to look at Chiana.
"Hi there. You have something to say to me?" Chiana nodded. "What?"
"Can we go somewhere private? She said to tell you that your friend told her that you have a trailer. She'd feel more comfortable talking there." Chiana nodded vigorously in approval.
"My friend?"
"117…Cade Foster." Eddie's eyes went wild. This woman knew the Gua's number for Cade? Chiana, recognizing his sudden fear, spoke quickly to Jessica.
"Gah-fahrlen fro-t'houty, Cade serah libenfeh!" The hissing was not a pleasing or settling sound to Eddie, but the alien speech stopped his nervous twitch cold. Jessica, rolling her eyes, translated.
"She says she is his friend, but I am not."
"And?"
"I have to translate for her or she'll shoot me." Eddie looked down at Chiana's other hand, and the Nebari obligingly let him see the tip of her weapon. Eddie froze once more.
"Fahrlen. Fahrlen ogt Cade."
"She says she's a friend, friend of Cade."
"Awanqua fedut crah teloguo."
"It's his weapon." Eddie leaned over and pulled up Chiana's sleeve. To his surprise, she let him. The make and model were the same as the one Cade had, which fit the woman's story.
"Who are you?"
"Chiana."
"What do you want?"
"Vahbegri." Eddie looked at Jessica. Chiana shook her arm violently, and the nurse sighed, replying,
"Help."
End of Part 10