Part 7: Plans
~~~
Aeryn watched Zhaan from where she sat perched on the bed in the infirmary. Her hair was still wet from her shower, and it felt good to be back in her old clothing again. "So?"
"There appears to be no harm. I don't fully understand why Scorpius and his techs were able to revive you, however. I suspect that the Pilot DNA Namtar injected into you may have played a part in it."
"Yes, I suppose I owe Pilot a debt of gratitude," Aeryn mused. "Zhaan… when I was gone… how…"
"How was John?" Zhaan asked, turning to face Aeryn.
"Yes," Aeryn nodded.
"He was doing badly. John had lost nearly all hope when we first told you that Scorpius had abducted you. For the past two monens, I believe that the only thing that has sustained him was the idea of vengeance," Zhaan said.
Aeryn closed her eyes. "Is that all?"
"No. Crichton still blames himself for your death. I spoke with him. He says he knows that he wasn't in control of himself when it happened, but he cannot accept what he's done."
Aeryn sighed. "Typical Crichton. Always trying to take everything on his shoulders."
"Indeed," Zhaan agreed. "And what about you?"
"I know it wasn't him. For a time, I was angry. I think I was angry with myself as well, for allowing my guard down when that chip had control of John's brain. Crais warned me not to trust him, but I didn't listen."
Zhaan took Aeryn's hand and squeezed it. "Crais has been helpful. I believe that his change is genuine."
"Right. Can we go eat? I'm hungry; I haven't eaten yet today," Aeryn said, changing the subject.
~~~
When Aeryn and Zhaan entered the central chamber, they found everyone else awaiting them. Chiana had prepared a meal from their supplies to welcome Aeryn back. As they ate, Aeryn told them of what had happened in the monens of her captivity. Then, the crew related their search for her.
"So, we got the message. Crichton insisted on trading his life for yours," Stark finished.
"And now he's in Scorpius' hands again," Aeryn said, pushing her plate away. "We must get him back."
"Aeryn, do you know why Scorpius needs Crichton again?" Crais asked.
"I believe that Scorpius was unable to decipher the information on the neurochip that he implanted in Crichton's brain. Scorpius had me in his frelling Aurora Chair because he thought I might be able to explain what he didn't understand." Aeryn couldn't help but notice that both Stark and Crais winced reflexively when she mentioned the Chair.
"So how are we gonna get Crichton back?" Chiana asked.
"I may have a plan," Aeryn said. "It's risky, and probably suicidal."
Chiana grinned. "Sounds perfect."
~~~
Aeryn made her way down the familiar corridors of Moya, running her hand absently along the wall. She had missed the hum of the living ship more than she'd realized. She wandered aimlessly for a while, but then stopped. A sound, behind her, soft and stealthy. Aeryn continued walking, listening carefully. The sound came again.
"All right, who's there?" she called.
Jothee stepped out from behind one of the walls. "It's just me," he said.
"Why were you following me?"
Jothee looked at her carefully. "You're a former Peacekeeper. How did you end up here? You're not like the other Peacekeepers I've met."
"I was declared irreversibly contaminated, years ago," Aeryn said. "I was taken prisoner aboard Moya when your father, Zhaan and Rygel were escaping."
"They aren't unclassified species," Jothee said.
"No, but Crichton – the Human species – was. I defended him against Crais. This was my reward for telling the truth." Aeryn spoke the words plainly, with no sense of bitterness. She had gotten over the last of the pain monens ago.
"My father speaks highly of him," Jothee said, leaning against the wall.
"He has reason to, we all do. John has saved us all many times. Sometimes, from each other," Aeryn said. "Ka D'Argo is an honorable man, Jothee. No matter what was told to you, never forget that he loves you."
An expression darkened Jothee's face for a microt, then faded before Aeryn could discern its meaning. "Yes, I suppose so," he said. "Good luck on your mission."
She watched as the young Luxan headed down the corridor in the opposite direction. As much as she was happy that D'Argo had once again found his son, she couldn't suppress a sense of foreboding. That one may be trouble, she thought.
~~~
"You realize this idea frelling insane," D'Argo said dryly.
"I'm well aware of that," Aeryn said. She looked out the viewscreen again, at the rocks that slowly drifted around them. "But unless you can come up with a better plan, we're using mine." A memory occurred to her suddenly: Crichton, on the Cemetery Planet speaking – You're the pin-up girl of frontal assault… She hadn't understood the words, but she'd grasped the meaning behind what he'd said.
Some things don't change, she thought grimly to herself.
"Crais, is Talyn prepared?" Aeryn called over her comm.
"Yes. He fears, however, that he alone will not be sufficient to distract the full attention of a command carrier," Crais responded.
"Tell him to use that frelling cannon of his," Rygel said. "It's certainly large enough."
"I only need the attention diverted long enough for the module to get in to the hangar safely. After that, you can retreat until I give you the signal," Aeryn reminded him again. She knew that Talyn was nervous about his first battle with a command carrier, and hoped that her reassurances would help soothe him.
"We are ready to attack on your command."
"Thank you, Crais," Aeryn said. She turned and left command, heading towards the bay where Crichton's module was stored.
When she arrived, she found Zhaan and Stark at work. "Will it work?" Aeryn asked.
"I cannot believe that we still have T'raltixx's disappearing device on board, Aeryn," Zhaan said. They had found it buried in a heap of spare parts and scrap metal.
"Yes, now, will it work?"
"It appears so," Stark said. "There was some damage done to it at some point, but I have been able to repair most of it. However, there is a slight problem."
"What?"
"There is a danger that leaving it turned on for more than half an arn could cause it to short out. You'll have to move quickly and keep track of how long it's engaged. Do you think you can make it aboard the carrier and find him in that amount of time?"
Aeryn blinked. "Half an arn? When we first tested it, it barely ran for ten microts."
"Yes, so Zhaan has told me. If I had more time, I would have been able to perhaps ensure at least an arn of time," Stark explained.
"Stark, you've done more than we had hoped for as it is," Aeryn said. "Thank you."
"I know what Crichton is going through, and no living being should have to suffer such torture," Stark said.
"He won't," Aeryn said resolutely. She looked at the Peacekeeper uniform she was wearing. "Do you think this will work?"
"As long as no one recognizes you, yes," Zhaan said. "But do not waste time. Good luck, Aeryn."
"Thank you," Aeryn said. She turned to the module, where Stark was finishing the final tests on the disappearing device.
"She's ready," he said.
~~~
"Crais, do you read me?"
"Yes, Aeryn. I can hear you well," Crais responded. "Talyn is ready to leave the asteroid field. Is your ship in order?"
"Yes. Let's go."
Microts later, Talyn emerged from the field, sweeping gracefully through space towards the command carrier. Aeryn watched with a sense of pride as Talyn began firing on the larger ship. Sure enough, a few microts later, several prowlers appeared from a hangar and began to retaliate.
Aeryn waited impatiently for her opening to appear. She spotted a gap, and flicked the switch to engage the disappearing device. "Crais, I'm going in now. Keep them busy for at least ninety more microts!"
She departed the field, counting the time as she maneuvered around the prowlers that moved with speed and grace. Suddenly, she ached deeply for the loss of her own ship. She knew that they had money now, since they had not needed to pay the Diagnosan, but even buying a new prowler would not be quite the same.
In microts, she was in the half-empty hangar, engaging the landing gear. Aeryn was instantly grateful that there was no one in the immediate area who could hear her engine. She braced herself, then popped the hatch and slipped out, remembering to take note of where she had landed.
"Here goes nothing," she murmured, unaware that she'd mirrored another one of Crichton's Earth sayings.
~~~
She found her ways down the corridor of the large ship swiftly, only slightly surprised to find that she still remembered the details of the layout. Aeryn was dressed in a leftenant uniform, similar to the one she'd worn over a cycle ago, during the incident that had started this whole mess. She was immensely relieved to realize that no one seemed to recognize her.
Soon, she found her way to the high security containment area of the ship. She concealed herself in a side passage, waiting for a guard to pass, alone. She didn't have long to wait. Microts later, a guard strolled by, and she reached out, grabbing him and pulling him into the passage. A moment later, he was out cold from her Pantak jab.
Aeryn stepped out of the passage, now dressed in the guard's pilfered uniform. She checked the rifle he had been carrying quickly. Talyn's attack had been successful in distracting the crew of the ship – those who were not flying prowlers were probably busy tending to any wounded and assessing the damage.
She mentally checked the time. Still more than enough, if she found him quickly. She started down the hall, glancing in the tiny window set into the cell doors. Aeryn noticed that further down the hallway, a guard had been posted beside one door in particular. She acted on instinct.
"I've been sent to relieve you," she said in what she hoped sounded like a bored, unsuspicious voice.
"About time. You're overdue by nearly a quarter arn!" the guard complained. "I've been stuck on this ridiculous duty for six arns!"
"What are you guarding?" she asked, being careful to not sound to interested.
"Some creature Scorpius wants. He looks like a Sebacean
but he's not," the guard said impatiently.
"Human."
"What's that?" he asked.
"It's a Human," Aeryn repeated. She lifted her rifle, jamming the butt into the guard's chest. He was caught off guard and landed against the wall heavily. In moments, Aeryn had taken him out.
~~~
John sat on the cot, a dull throb in his head. He couldn't remember the past few days. He remembered the marauder, seeing Aeryn. And being injected with something before the marauder had even returned to the carrier. He'd awoken in this cell, alone. He knew it was a matter of time before Scorpius came for him to gather the information.
Without any announcement, the door swung open widely. A guard stood in the doorway, rifle pointed at him. John stared, then stood, suddenly angry. "Frell off! You can tell Scorpy that he can go to hell!" he shouted.
He froze solid.
"You can talk," a voice said from the helmet, sounding just as surprised as he felt. A familiar voice. Aeryn pulled off the helmet, her hair slightly disheveled.
"I can talk?" he repeated, numbly. "Aeryn? What the frell..? Scorpius. Of course. He must've fixed me, so he could interrogate me. He can't access my thoughts through the chip anymore, so he had to…" Suddenly, realization struck him. "How the frell did you get here? You shouldn't be here, Aeryn! You've got to get off before Scorpy gets you, too!"
Aeryn cocked an eyebrow at him. "Happy to see you too, Crichton. And getting out of here was exactly what I had in mind. Only you're coming with me this time." She indicated the body of the guard slumped by the door.
~~~