Chapter 29
Aeryn
"Crichton!" yelled out Aeryn, as she jumped to her feet and swayed for a microt. She was glad to see John, fearing he had been injured, or worse in the crash. In spite of a part of her brain resisting the gesture, she found herself smiling at him.
Crichton was any number of things. He was frustrating, confusing, and a non-linear thinker, but at the same time intriguing. Given that she had given up her Peacekeeper rank, position, and a coveted posting because of him she should be permanently furious at him for frelling up her life. But his eternal hope and ways of seeking solutions had a strange way of getting under her skin and lifting her spirits all at the same time.
She had been in her Prowler, shadowing the Leviathan that had been breaking away from the convoy for reports said the prisoners aboard had escaped and killed their guards. The ship was jinking and rolling evasively and she was almost ready to slip into the docking bay, when an alert sounded on her scanner. To her amazement and horror the control collar on the beast was blasted away and in a few microts the whole world went blue-white as the Leviathan went starburst.
When she had become aware of her surroundings she found they had disarmed her and thrown her into a cell, which was oh so ironic for less than a half an arn before they had occupied these very prison cells! She perched on a bench at the rear of the cell with the wall to her back; no one could attack from that direction. So she waited for developments. Save your strength and your anger, she recited to herself at that moment. They dropped another Peacekeeper in with her; one that was semi-conscious. It was a tall brown-haired man and he was naked. A DRD had unceremoniously dumped his clothing in with him; strange clothing unlike the common red or black of a soldier.
The figure rolled over and started yelling. "HEY! WHY DID YOU TAKE OFF MY CLOTHES?"
"We examined you." A Hynerian outside the cell on a floating chair addressed the man as he scrambled into his outfit. "And we can no more trust you than we can trust that!" the Hynerian chortled.
Aeryn loosened the neck ring clamp and pulled her helmet free. She shook her head freeing her braid from the coil at the back of her head.
The man settled his clothes, stood up, and came towards her. "Hi. Uh - my name's John -" he said, holding a hand out. He was smiling and that was odd.
Aeryn grabbed him and flipped him against the wall. When he tried to rise she kicked his legs from under him, stomped over to him and dropped onto his chest, thighs clamped around his ears and with one hand on his throat. "What is your rank and regiment? And why are you out of uniform? Rank and regiment now!" she screamed at her fellow prisoner.
She let him go in disgust when he didn't answer and dashed to the cell door. "Let me out of here you Hynerian slug!" she shouted at someone she later knew as Rygel, while pushing hard at the barred doors.
Rygel told her, "Your efforts are wasted Peacekeeper. You of all people should know that!" The way he said Peacekeeperit was a curse to him. The little Hynerian gleefully taunted her from outside the cell.
The man she'd just decked rose up, rubbing at his throat. "Peacekeeper? You're one of those out there attacking the ship?" He rolled his eyes. "They think I'm one of you?"
Aeryn turned to the man. "Officer Aeryn Sun, Special Peacekeeper Commando, Icarion Company, Pleisar Regiment. Identify yourself."
"My rank… is Commander. I'm not military. At least not any military you know. I'm a damn scientist," John answered, obviously disorganized.
Yes, she had sighed to herself; he was a damned scientist. That explained a lot about Crichton. And he was NO peacekeeper, not even a Sebacean. But he looked so similar… so much like all she knew.
Crichton claimed he had studied many subjects and was an expert in some; but not all. He didn't know how to shoot a pulse pistol, and had admitted that he was no soldier; no soldier for certain considering he'd almost shot himself when they took out Crais' guards on the commerce planet. So he had saved her from execution when they escaped from that place. Her military training and conditioning almost made her stay – to her doom. But Crichton made the Luxan drag her back to their transport. The Luxan had to almost sit on her to keep from bolting out the hatch as it closed – closed on her former life.
And now… she scanned the stone walls and ceiling about her… once more she was locked in a room with John. John Crichton – damn scientist – astronaut – Commander… But he was still interesting to her. Such a peaceful outlook he had, so unlike her people. Her vision wavered then and balance started to fail. She tottered and would have fallen, but for John who leaped over the heads of creatures to steady her.
"Steady there. You took a hell of a knock on the head a couple arns ago. And Aeryn, its chill out."
"What?" She said, grateful for his steadying hand, almost wishing his hand would linger…
"You said chill off. It's chill out."
She brushed his hand away and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Now - who's this Leia person?" she asked crossly.
"Never mind."
She looked at him in irritation. "We'll discuss her later." He had the most annoying habit of speaking in riddles. Who was Leia? Another almost-love, like that tralk Gilina, or someone from Urp? Another of the great mysteries of John Crichton, she mused.
"Who are you?" demanded Overseer Adnon, breaking into her thoughts. "Where have you come from?"
John vaguely waved at the tunnel he had emerged from. "Back there." He looked down at Aeryn. "How are you feeling?" He took her elbows and forced her to sit down.
Aeryn felt herself being set back on the rocky floor. "I seem to have been knocked unconscious." Having Crichton nearby felt – nice – in an odd way, but she was not used to having people take care of her. She flashed on the one time they recreated. The next morning Crichton, as always, wanted to talk.
"Aeryn… um… about last night..." he had started to say from the snarled sheets of the bed they had shared.
She really wanted to jump on him again and almost did, but her self-control reasserted itself. "Yes it's fine John. It's just not top priority now," she had said testily. But sitting on a jagged rock that hurt her backside with his arm across her back that feeling came back to her. Why had she worried so about Crichton? She knew why and it was frelling sure she knew why. She lifted a hand to touch his, the one by her leg, just as he jerked it away and stood.
John was now the one that was thinking hard, his eyes flicking around the room, sizing up these creatures. Furry though they may be, their feral snarls when startled and long fingers and toes suggested to him that for their size they were very strong. He peered down at their captors. "What's the big idea? Why have you assumed we are your enemies?"
"Perhaps you are," said Adnon. He waved a furry paw to the one who had been sniffing both Aeryn and D'Argo. "This one says that Aeryn Sun, you were not conscious, apparently from a fall or a blow. Your large and angry friend we had to, ahem, tranquilize."
D'Argo roared his displeasure. "I thought so! That was why I was so frelling… dreamy…" He sagged. "Zhaan and Rygel will be looking for us, I am sure."
Adnon twittered something and three of the creatures sped off. "There are more of you?"
Aeryn caught the wary look in Crichton's eyes. "Nooo… we are… alone," she said cautiously. John nodded his head so she added, "You can probably tell we're not from around here."
Adnon sat back on his haunches and as he did, the once threatening D'Argo relaxed. "We thought you were off-worlders. Seems we were correct. So why have you come here?"
"More important," said John, "why did you drag all three of us underground?"
"You were near the Shrine when we found you. Whatever were you doing blasting holes in our cliffs?" Adnon leaned forward as he said this. "Not very neighborly," he huffed.
"The desert is quite hot, and if we had not sought shelter, we might have died," said Aeryn. "So we fled underground. It was cooler. We had to make an opening… if we disturbed your sacred Shrine we…"
"I see," said Adnon, cutting her off. "But you?" he pointed at Crichton. "How came you to be below?"
John bent down and looked right at Adnon. "I was outside the cave and came looking for my friends. They were gone, along with all our supplies," he answered. "Someone must have knocked me out, for next thing I knew, I was being dragged along a tunnel." He squinted at the creatures. "And I don't think he was one of you."
Adnon stroked his nose then scratched at his shoulder. "We are the Lackos people. We have lived on Morlamm for many lifetimes. Describe this person."
"He was about your size, I think. But larger and bulkier and I don't think his language skills were very good. Or the translator microbes were having a bad day."
Adnon and several others looked quite concerned.
"What?" asked Crichton. "What's wrong?"
"The, uhm, one who brought you down…" Adnon turned aside and said something and his listeners made a barking noise.
"That does not sound good," muttered Aeryn.
Adnon rose to his feet. "I think the Council and I must discuss this." He turned to leave.
"What about us?" asked D'Argo.
Adnon stopped and whispered instructions. "Release the D'Argo, but stay well back. Do not let them leave."
D'Argo stayed still as they released his bonds then stretched his arms and legs, while the Lackos hopped about finally settling down with picks and shovels held at the ready.
John sighed. "Well, I suppose that could have gone worse," he muttered.
Aeryn rubbed her head. "While we wait, John, how about explaining who Ewoks are? And about Leia?"
John hung his head and sighed. "Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…"
Notes:
Chill off = Inspired by a former co-worker for whom English was a second language. His actual statement was confusing, but amusing. :)
Tralk = A female-type person with loose morals or none at all.
Urp = Aeryn Sun and others often called Earth Urp.
