Part 6: Trade
~~~
He found his shipmate in the maintenance bay, examining his module. If John had heard him enter, he showed no sign, continuing to pull at wires in the cockpit.
"John, you will not do this," D'Argo said.
John looked up at his head, his jaw set. He nodded vigorously, and then went back to work.
"Crichton, do you realize what Scorpius will do to you if you go to him?"
John looked up again, his eyes on the distant wall of the large room. Suddenly, he grabbed a wrench and hurled it in anger. It clanged to the ground somewhere on the other end. He grabbed his pad and stylus and began to write. After a few microts of hasty scribbling, he tore off the page and shoved it into D'Argo's hand. John lifted himself out of his module and left the maintenance bay.
D'Argo looked at the note, feeling dismayed. "I know exactly what that bastard will do. Don't remind me. Don't try to stop me from going. He killed her once and I have a chance to save her again."
"Frell," D'Argo muttered. He crumpled the sheet, and tossed it to the floor.
~~~
Soon, they had reached the deserted planet Scorpius had designated. Pilot had taken advantage of a large asteroid field located in the system and had hidden Moya within the dense spread of rocks. John Crichton stood alone in the maintenance bay, doing one final check on the Farscape 1 before launch. He wore his jacket and two pistols tucked safely in their holsters.
Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, and he jumped. As he whirled around, he reached for one of his pistols and had it halfway out of its holster before he realized that it was only D'Argo who stood behind him.
"You're not doing this."
The look in Crichton's eyes clearly communicated otherwise.
"Look, John… this is not a good idea. I know you want Aeryn back. We all do."
John raised his eyebrows.
"I'm coming with you," D'Argo stated.
John shook his head no.
"Yes. How will you communicate with them? What if something goes wrong? And what if Aeryn is in no shape to fly your module back to Moya?"
John seemed to be considering these thoughts. Suddenly, his shoulders slumped and he began to write on his pad. "Fine. You can come with. But don't even think of trying something that might get her killed."
D'Argo read the note, then looked at him. "I promise you, never, not in a million cycles."
~~~
Aeryn sat balled up on the cot. Scorpius hadn't come back since her ordeal in the Aurora Chair. No one had come. The meals continued regularly, and Aeryn had nothing but time to worry about what he would do next. She had heard him say that he had another use for her. She dreaded the possibilities.
Suddenly, the heavy door to the cell swung open. Several guards swept in, quickly cuffing her and making sure she posed no threat. Then he entered.
"We are going on a trip, you and I," Scorpius said.
"Frell off," she hissed. It earned her a rifle butt to the stomach, and she grunted, but refused to fall.
Scorpius gave her another appraising look. "The Human is willing to trade his life for yours. It is intriguing that a traitor to her own kind could inspire such… loyalty."
Aeryn's mind raced. Trade? Then, it hit her. Scorpius was using her as bait. John was apparently alive and well, but Scorpius still needed him. Aeryn fervently hoped that Crichton would not take the bait, even though she knew that it would ultimately result in her death.
"You think you can get Crichton that easily, Scorpius?" She said, putting on a brave front. She smirked. "You continue to underestimate him, Scarran. You won't be the first to die as a result."
Scorpius stepped forward and backhanded her across the face. Aeryn tasted blood. "You are almost more trouble than it is worth, Sun. I shall be glad to be rid of you."
At a signal from him, the guards moved forward and grabbed her by the arms. They dragged her from her cell and towards the docking bay of the massive command carrier.
~~~
The planet was as barren as Pilot had said. For miles, nothing was visible – except for a large outcropping of rocks, the ground was so flat that John could see the actual curvature of the planet's surface.
He set the module down near the outcropping, which had been designated in the directions. Behind him, D'Argo fidgeted in the module. There was no sign of Scorpius or any Peacekeepers.
"It's too empty," D'Argo muttered. John nodded in agreement.
The exited the module, searching the sky for any sign of an incoming ship. John kept his right hand on the butt of his pistol, staying in the shadow of his module. The day was overcast, and he was glad for it. It fit his mood.
Suddenly, D'Argo spoke. "There!" He pointed at the sky, and John looked.
He couldn't find what D'Argo pointed at, and turned to look at him, his eyebrows raised.
"I have better eyes than you, remember? You should be able to see it within a few microts."
John continued to study the sky, and surely enough, a marauder appeared. He felt the rattlers going in his stomach as he watched it sweep towards him. They grew worse as it set down, and the hatch opened.
Half a dozen heavily armed Peacekeepers came out, quickly taking up positions around the marauder. They moved efficiently, keeping their weapons trained on the Human and Luxan standing beside the small white ship.
Then, Scorpius appeared.
"I believe I told you to come alone, John Crichton. Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill her right now."
John opened his mouth to answer, then turned to D'Argo.
"He can't speak, thanks to you. I am here to make sure you do not go back on your word," D'Argo called. A wind came up, whipping his clothing about his body.
"Ahh, so I trust you had… difficulties with the Diagnosan?" Scorpius called. The mocking tone in his voice was not lost over the distance. John nearly snarled with anger.
"Where is Aeryn Sun?" D'Argo asked.
Scorpius motioned to someone inside the marauder. Braca stepped forward from the interior, pushing Aeryn in front of him. His pulse pistol was planted firmly against Aeryn's temple.
John stared. Alive. She was alive. A short distance from him, the woman he had grieved for for over two monens stood. He couldn't stop himself from trying to speak her name. All that came out was a mishmash of nonsensical syllables.
"Send Crichton over, and we'll release Sun," Braca called.
Red Rover, Red Rover, send Johnny right over, John thought crazily. He pulled out his pad and wrote something, then handed it to D'Argo.
"We will meet you halfway between our ship and yours. There, we will exchange," D'Argo read.
"As you wish," Scorpius said lightly.
John frowned, and picked up his pen again. "Something's wrong. This is too easy. Scorpius has something up his sleeve."
"I agree. However, we have no other options."
They started forward, slowly, and Braca matched them step for step, his grip on Aeryn's arm so tight that his knuckles grew white. Aeryn looked around carefully, taking stock of the situation, her jaw tight. The wind picked up again, whipping her loose hair around her face.
It seemed like both an instant and a thousand cycles had passed before they reached the middle ground. D'Argo's blade rested in his hands, converted to rifle form. Crichton nervously fingered the butt of his rifle. Braca watched them carefully, his nervousness showing.
"I don't think so, Crichton," he said, seeming to sense the plan that was forming between the three shipmates. He made a brisk motion with the hand holding the pistol, and in an instant, the outcropping was dotted with Peacekeeper snipers who had been hidden. "You don't really think we'd leave such a thing to chance with your record, do you?" He grinned.
D'Argo hissed in anger. "How very Peacekeeper of you."
"Indeed. Remove your weapons and place them on the ground behind you now, Crichton," Braca commanded.
John pulled the pistols from their holders carefully, moving slowly. He bent, setting them on the hard ground behind his feet.
"Crichton, don't do this," Aeryn said, her voice tightly controlled. "This is madness, and you know it."
He stood back up, looking at her. Emotion after emotion played across his face – anger, guilt, sadness, joy, and finally love.
Braca released Aeryn's arm. "Come here, now. The snipers have been instructed to kill the Luxan and the traitor if you make one false move." He pushed Aeryn forward.
John stepped forward, and suddenly, Aeryn filled his arms. He pulled her close to him, breathing in her scent, his hands slipping through her dark hair. Aeryn's arms slid around his waist, pulling him close. "John, don't do this, please," she whispered.
He hushed her, and their lips met in a bittersweet kiss. It was desperate, filled with the things that neither could express with words. Behind them, Braca snorted in disgust. John pulled away, his hands sliding over Aeryn's face, as if to memorize its shape by touch.
Then Braca was grabbing him, pulling him away. "Let's go, Human."
Crichton turned; his shoulders slumped as he allowed Braca to push him towards the marauder. Aeryn made a move to pick up his pulse pistol and follow him, but D'Argo stopped her. "No," he said simply, shaking his head. "You'll only make things worse."
Moments later, the marauder was lifting off.
~~~
John sat with his hands cuffed behind him in the marauder, staring dejectedly at his feet. She was safe now, with D'Argo. He had to keep telling himself that. He knew that they would attempt to mount a rescue for him; if Aeryn did not insist on it, D'Argo would.
The marauder was crowded with Peacekeeper soldiers. The others still on the planet were to be picked up in another marauder. He could barely spot Scorpius through the bodies, watching him.
Braca leaned towards Scorpius. "Sir," he said in a low voice. "You do realize that his friends will most likely attempt to somehow rescue Crichton, right?"
"Of course, Lieutenant. I would expect no less," Scorpius replied. "I want Crichton prepped for surgery the moment we return to the command carrier. He is no of little use to me while he cannot speak."
"Sir," Braca nodded.
~~~
"Why wouldn't he talk to me?"
Aeryn and D'Argo were seated in the tiny module as it made its way back to the Leviathan. Aeryn drove automatically, her thoughts focused elsewhere.
"You do not know?" D'Argo asked.
"Know what?"
"Crichton can't talk. Scorpius did something to his brain. Then he killed the Diagnosan. Zhaan did her best to restore what she could, but she is no surgeon," D'Argo said.
Aeryn felt a sinking feeling. "Oh," was all she could manage in response.
Microts later, the module was touching down in the docking bay. From the window, Aeryn could see the forms of the crew waiting for her. They looked anxious. She popped the hatch as she powered down John's module. As she got out, she was nearly bowled over as they all rushed to greet her.
"By the Goddess, you are truly here," Zhaan smiled, reaching to embrace Aeryn.
Aeryn returned the embrace gratefully, and was surprised as Chiana reached for her next. "Hey," she said. "You smell like dren."
"I feel like it," Aeryn replied.
One by one, the crew greeted her and welcomed her back. "Crais," Aeryn said, surprised. "What are you still doing here?"
"I agreed to stay to help aid in the search for you, Officer Sun. Talyn, as well, wanted to stay with his mother while she healed," he said.
"And how is Moya? Pilot?" Aeryn turned her attention to the image in the clamshell.
"She is much better, Aeryn. We are both pleased to see you return," Pilot said.
"As am I pleased to be back. However, Scorpius has Crichton now."
"What do you propose we do, Aeryn?" Stark asked.
"I don't know. Not yet," she smiled sadly to herself. "Crazy plans were always Crichton's forte, not mine."
Chiana sighed. "Will you people please stop talking about him like he's dead? I mean, he's survived worse, right? We'll get him back. We have to."
"Chiana's right," Rygel said.
"'Course I am, Your Frogness," Chiana smirked.
"Right now, I need a nice shower and some food. As Chiana said, I smell like dren. I've been in a cell for… how long have I been gone?" Aeryn asked, suddenly.
"Over two monens," D'Argo answered.
"Two monens?" She shook her head. "It seemed longer. I need some time, alone, if you don't mind."
"Of course, Aeryn. As soon as you've bathed, I would like you to stop by the infirmary, though. I would like to examine you and see if Scorpius did any harm," Zhaan said.
"Of course, Zhaan."
~~~