"John Crichton. I have waited a long time to kill you."
Aeryn sprang to her feet in one fluid motion. She still felt as weak as a starved kitten in the searing heat and the motion made her have to concentrate on keeping the contents of her stomach down. None of that showed as she levelled her pulse rifle on Staleeks head.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Scarran elite guard emerging from the shadows. Aeryn swore to herself.
"Harm him and you die." she warned. Her rifle remained rock steady even though its weight seemed to have quadrupled in the last few moments.
Staleek simply snarled in response. Crichton gurgled something made incoherent through asphyxiation. That was probably fortunate as knowing him, it was likely some glib comment that would have served only to enrage the Scarran further.
"Staleek!" Scorpius gasped. Staleek glared at Scorpius who seemed to wilt under the heat of his glare.
"Scorpius." he said, "The humans death shall be quick. Rest assured that I will grant yo no such leniency." He turned back to Crichton who was still helplessly struggling in his grip. Aeryn prepared to squeeze her finger on the trigger.
"Emperor Staleek." Sikosus voice was calm and dignified as she stepped forwards, seemingly oblivions to the lethal weapons that were suddenly being aimed at her by the guards as she approached their emperor.
"Please consider, we came here of our own free will, we sought an audience with yourself at not inconsiderate risk to ourselves. You have us at your mercy. If you wish to kill us you can do so any time. But I would suggest that prudence dictates that you listen to what we have to say first."
The pause seemed to go on too long. Then abruptly Staleek released Crichton, who collapsed to the ground, wheezing painfully.
Staleek rounded on Sikosu. Aeryn was impressed to see that she flinched but held her ground.
"Very well." said Staleek, "I am listening."
At a gesture from their emperor the guards lowered their arms. Aeryn gratefully followed suite.
Crichton dragged himself to his feet, rubbing at his throat. "Hey T-Rex," he rasped, "We're here to save your scaly ass. Try showing some gratitude."
Aeryn winced.
"We have information," Sikosu said quickly, "concerning a plot within your own government to conspire with outside forces to overthrow you."
Staleek regarded her suspiciously.
"How do you come by such information, and why come to me with it?"
"Because its not just you she plans to screw over." Chiana said.
"She? Who is -"
"Several members of the hierarchy are involved." said Scorpius. He seemed to have recovered from the heat to the point that he no longer showed any external signs of discomfort. "But I believe the primary participant to be minister Akhna."
Staleek looked at the half-breed with unconcealed hostility. Scorpius smirked back.
"Ridiculous!" Staleek snapped, "She would not dare. She has neither the backing nor the resources for such a coup."
"True enough. But as I said, she has outside support." said Sikosu.
"From whom?"
"From the Nebari." said Crichton, "The Nebari want the galaxy and Akhna wants a slice."
Staleek made an uncertain sound. It sounded strange comeing from his throat for some reason.
"Follow me," he said.
They made their way through more winding corridors. The Scarrans seemed to be a great fan of mazes.
"It is necessary for this meeting to remain in strictest confidence." Staleek told them as they walked, "If my political enemies were to know that I was meeting with alien fugitives it would be perceived as a sign of weakness on my part. I am taking you to an abandoned section of the outer fortress. We shall not be disturbed while we discuss matters."
And no-one will ever know if you decide to have us all summarily executed, Aeryn surmised.
They wound their way through further corridors. As far as Aeryn could tell they were going back down deeper again. From what she could remember, most of the Scarran home world was like this. Too hot, too searing and too barren for even Scarrans to inhabit, most of the surface was desolate, with only a couple of cities located at the cooler poles. Instead the vast majority of their civilisation was built far beneath the surface, huge sprawling cities cut from the rock itself. At lease as they got deeper, the temperature became more bearable again.
As they made their way along and it became apparent that the Scarrans had no intention of killing them at this particular moment, Aeryn allowed her attention to wander a little. She examined the architecture. The corridors were broad and high, although they slanted in slightly towards the ceiling. Along the walls were set hundreds of thousands of coloured stones. When viewed as a whole they formed hauntingly beautiful murals. They shimmered in the light and seemed to twist and change as she stared at them.
The pictures seemed to be telling a story as they walked by. The landscape to begin with was snowy and was predominated by hulking shaggy ape like creatures. They clutched spears in their paws and had leering, twisted faces. As the walls went by, lizard creatures appeared, always cowering and being menaced of slaughtered by the ape figures.
Then, they reached a huge lizard, breathing fire and with rivers of molten lava pooling around its feet. The landscape began to change, turning red and fiery. The lizard creatures rose up and slew the ape thigns so that their blood ran and mingled with the flowing lava.
Aeryn heard Chiana mutter something to Sikosu and listened to her hushed reply.
"It tells the story of Salesask, the first Scarran emperor and their god-king. Salasesk bought fire to the world and drove back the ice. He rallied the Scarrans to rise up against the snow-people -" she gestured towards one of the apes, the artist had really vividly captured the image of its spilled entrails steaming in the snow. "- who of course had enslaved the Scarrans. Once he had slaughtered them all he formed the first Scarran empire which he ruled for a thousand years until he was murdered by the gods, who were envious of his power." Sikosu sniffed, "A primitive myth for a barbaric people."
The image they were passing was of the giant lizard being torn apart by ethereal, shapeless figures.
"I kind of liked it," Chiana said, "Except for the ending."
"The Scarrans believe that they prosper not by the grace of their gods, but in spite of them. They believe that one day they will have the power to take revenge upon the gods and destroy they."
"Nothing like having goals." Crichton remarked.
"It is said that it is Salesasks fire that burns in all our blood, that gives us strength and holds back the cold." Staleek said.
They entered another room through a side door. This room was basically furnished but had not been so ruthlessly stripped as the others they had passed. A thick layer of dust covered the floor but had been disturbed by footprints. There were benches set around a substantial looking metal table and a row of cracked and blank computer screens in an alcove.
"Please," Staleek gestured, "sit." It wasn't quite an order. They sat.
"What do you have to tell me of minister Akhna?"
"The bitch queen is up to her old tricks. She's made a pact with the Nebari. They help her ascent back up the ranks till she gets your job. In exchange she gives them military assistance backed up by Scarran muscle. In the end they plan to split the galaxy between them. The grey dudes get the uncharted territories, the Hynerian empire and the Peacekeeper worlds, Akhna gets the Luxan territories and your empire." said Crichton.
"It is doubtful that either party would abide by the terms of such a treaty for long," Scorpius leaned forwards, "But it would matter little to the rest of the galaxy at that point."
"You have proof of this?" Staleek said.
Sikosu held up a small crystal in her hand. "All here, we recovered this data from a Nebari outpost."
"Because this alliance dies with Akhna," Aeryn said, "You're the only one with the power to kill her."
"And there is another reason." Staleek mused. He smiled when he saw their expressions. "Primitive and barbaric we may be," he shot a glance at Sikosu, "but we are not stupid. You want something more from me."
There was a pause.
"We want protection. The Nebari know what we know and they're tearing the galaxy apart to find us and kill us." Crichton said quietly, "Crazy it may be, but this might just be the only place were we're safe from them. For a few more days at least."
Staleek frowned, "What do you mean?"
"We are referring to the rest of the data crystal," Sikosu said, "It contains details of a joint Nebari and Scarran fleet hidden in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant in your solar system. They mean to strike in two days time, during the commemoration of your ascension. They will seize control of the Scarran home world."
"And kill you, and declare war on the rest of the galaxy." Chiana fidgeted.
"In two days time, what information we posses will be immaterial and our capture will no longer be a priority." said Scorpius.
Staleek stood urgently, "If this is true..." he took the crystal from the table, "I will have this analysed, and minister Akhna will be... questioned."
Scorpius stood as well. "I wonder if I might be permitted to be present during her interrogation?" he said.
Aeryn glanced at Scorpius sharply. Of course, Akhna had had him tortured once, and she had also tortured Sikosu, the only person she had known Scorpius to show concern for that was not a part of his agenda. But it seemed unlike him to make such a request without some deeper reason that simple payback.
"Why?" said Staleek.
"I believe that my presence may help facilitate matters," said Scorpius, "Akhna is well versed in Scarran interrogation techniques and time is short. During my travels I have discovered many alternative techniques that may prove effective."
Staleek narrowed his eyes, his doubts obviously mirroring Aeryns. However he nodded his head.
"Very well, come with me." he turned to address the rest of them. "If what you tell me is the truth, all prior grievances will be forgotten. You shall be honoured guests and shall receive my full protection. You shall be richly rewarded for your service to my people."
He smiled a slow, predatory smile.
"If however this is a deception, you will find that when death finally comes, it will be as a too long awaited mercy."
With that he swept out, drawing Scorpius and his guards behind him into his wake. The thick, heavy door slammed shut and after a moment there was a dull thud as the bolts fell into place.
"Gotta love Scarran hospitality." Chiana said.