Chapter 7 –
The Swim
"So tell me again how far apart these air pockets are?"
"Hailen says roughly every 150 metras and there's a current
which will help speed us along."
Crichton said, tying a cord around her waist, then stepping back to
measure out some slack before cutting the cord and tying the cut end around his
own waist. "Relax, Aeryn. I won't let
you go. All you have to do is hold your
breath and kick your feet."
"Yes, so you've said."
Aeryn watched as D'Argo, Jothee and Chiana approached the
pool. Most of Hailen's people had
already gone, leaving just a few people in the underground chamber. Crichton didn't want them to go last, just
in case something went wrong so they were to go after D'Argo. Rygel, for once
completely unconcerned as befits an aquatic species, would go after them and
Hailen and Damor would bring up the rear.
D'Argo turned to look at his friends. "We are ready, John."
"Yeah, we'll see you at the other side." He smiled, thumping D'Argo lightly on the
back as he knelt down beside him. Aeryn
hung as far back as the rope would allow.
D'Argo took a quick look at her then shot a concerned look at Crichton.
"Perhaps I should help you bring her through." He said quietly.
Crichton shook his head.
"Thanks Big Guy, but we're good here.
She's already embarrassed that she is going through tied to me. Besides you have Jothee to worry
about."
D'Argo nodded. "Good
luck, John." He took a deep breath and
slipped into the water, closely followed by Jothee.
"See ya, old man."
"Get goin', little girl."
He smiled at Chiana fondly. She
slipped into the water and he watched until she disappeared from view.
"Crichton!"
He turned to see Rygel coming towards him wearing the plain
white robe that he usually slept in. "Guido!
Hey, nice swimsuit. Where's your
kaftan?"
"Never mind that, will you tell these idiots that someone
must take my throne sled with them. I
insist!"
Crichton shrugged at Damor.
"Man needs his throne sled."
While Rygel continued to argue with Damor about who should carry his
things, Crichton looked up at Aeryn. "Ready?"
She raised her chin jerkily in what he assumed was meant to be a
nod. She looked terrified. "C'mere."
She walked over to him and sat down at the pool's edge. "This is gonna be a piece of cake,
Aeryn. Deep breath, kick your legs,
stay close to me and give the rope a tug if you are in trouble. OK?"
She nodded.
"I'll keep watch on you from behind. Nothing will go wrong." Rygel said sincerely.
"Thanks Rygel."
Crichton gave the Hynerian a small smile to show his gratitude, and
watched as he turned back to Damor who was packing away his throne sled.
"Nothing will go wrong, Aeryn." He said checking the ropes once more. He slung the backpack with their stuff in it
over his shoulders. "OK, deep breath…"
Just as he was about to go she stopped him. "I love you."
"No! This is not
going to be like the last time, Aeryn!
Don't you dare say goodbye to me!"
He said fiercely. "Now, take a
deep breath." He watched her comply
then grabbed her hand and pulled her in with him.
Immediately she was underwater, Aeryn's first reaction was
to try and claw her way back to the surface of the pool, but something kept
dragging her downwards. She looked
around desperately and saw Crichton tugging hard on the rope about her
middle. She shook her head and her
hands started to try and undo the rope.
Crichton reached out to her to try and calm her down, but quickly saw it
was useless. He led them to the pool's
surface. Aeryn grabbed the rocky side
immediately and began to climb out, but Crichton grabbed her vest and kept her
in the water.
"Come on, baby. You
can do this. You can. Just hold your breath and kick." He smoothed her hair back from her face as
he spoke.
She shook her head. "No.
It was horrible, John. I kept
struggling, although I knew that it would make no difference. I held my breath for as long as I could, but
my body was fighting against me." Her
voice broke.
Crichton suddenly realised that she wasn't talking about her
experience in this pool. He moved
closer to her, cupping her cheek in his palm, until they were nose-to-nose,
eye-to-eye. "Tell me." He said softly.
Her face twisted in anguish as she relived her death. "I knew it would kill me, but my body first
made me breathe out and then made me take a deep breath in. I couldn't do anything about it. My mind was screaming "No!" but my body
wouldn't listen. I hadn't breathed in
very much when my body began to reject the water. But it was too late. The
more it tried to expel it, the more water I swallowed. I kept clawing at the straps on the chair,
but I couldn't get free. I could see
the surface above me get darker and darker.
And I was so cold. I died scared
and completely alone." She wiped at the
hot tears running down her face. " I am not afraid to die, but I will not die
like that again."
Crichton pulled her into a hug. This was not going to work.
He felt her shiver and pulled back to lift her until she was sitting on
the edge of the pool. He sat himself
down beside her and watched as she immediately began untying the cord around
her waist with shaking hands. This was definitely
not going to work.
Crichton pinched the bridge of his nose. "The rest of you better get going." He said to Rygel, Hailen and Damor.
"But, what are you going to do?" Hailen said.
He got to his feet.
"Aeryn and I are staying."
Aeryn looked up at him quickly. "There is no sense in us both staying, John."
"Yeah. Well. Maybe not.
But I'm not leaving you. "
Hailen rushed to his side.
"No, she's right. There is no
sense in you staying. She has made her
choice and eventually she will die here.
That will not change whether you stay or go."
"This is not open for debate, Hailen." Crichton said firmly.
She whirled around to face Aeryn. "See what your cowardice has done! He will die because of you!" She snapped at the ex
Peacekeeper. Before she could say
anything else, a hand grasped the top of her arm and pulled her away.
"Just, back off!"
Crichton said angrily. " You don't know anything about her, or what's
going on here, so you can keep your two cents and keep your mouth shut!" He
took a deep breath to calm him down.
"Maybe we can go another way…" He looked at Damor. "We could try building a raft, we could get
lucky, like the last time."
Damor shook his head slowly. "You saw how many there
were. It must have been your paddling
that first attracted them. To try and
cross the water would mean almost certain death."
"You could create a diversion for us from the other
island. Draw them away from our path."
"There are too many for that." Hailen said.
"We could wait until they disappear."
"We have lived here all out lives. We know what we are talking about. They never go away. That
you came across without getting killed is a miracle. I have never heard of anyone being able to do so. You will not make it back. You will be drowned or eaten."
"OK, what about Sparky's throne sled. We could hang onto it and float across."
"It won't hold both you and Aeryn." Rygel said glumly. "I doubt it would even hold one of you high enough or long enough
to get across that water without attracting unwanted attention." He lowered his voice. "This is the only
way. We need to get her through that
tunnel."
"Well, I'm open to ideas, Rygel." Crichton snapped back.
"STOP IT!!" Aeryn
shouted. "Stop talking about me as if I
wasn't here." She rose to her feet. "Crichton.
It's madness for you to stay.
Just go. Please."
"No." He looked at her "You stay, I stay."
"John, I don't want to be responsible for you throwing away
your life like…" Aeryn stopped abruptly, but they both knew how that sentence
was going to end.
"Then we need to go now, Aeryn." Sensing a chink in her resolve he went over to
her. "This is the only way I can see us both getting out of this. Please try again. I'm beggin' you, baby, just one more try. Just one more."
"John…" she started, then she saw the look on his face. "Fine."
She sighed. "I'll try."
Crichton reached out and brought the side of her head to his
lips, kissing her hair before enveloping her in a hug. He could feel the fear coming of her in
waves. He reached for the rope again. "Rygel, this time you lead her and I'll go
alongside her." He looked at her. "OK?"
"Yes, yes. Let's go
before I change my mind." She said
impatiently.
Crichton gave the rope to Rygel. "Remember to stop at every air pocket, Ryg." The Hynerian nodded. Crichton took Aeryn's hand. "OK, try not to
panic. I'll be with you the whole
time. Just kick your feet, keep your
eyes on Rygel's little Hynerian ass and you'll get through this fine. Easy as pie."
"Will you stop babbling on about pies and cakes and logs and
tell me something useful!" She
snapped. "Tell me I'm not going to
drown!"
Ah, there was his girl! He couldn't help flashing her a cocky grin. "You are not gonna to drown,
darlin', I swear." He told her, raising
her hand to his lips and kissing her palm. "I swear I won't let it
happen." He said more seriously, he
held her gaze for a moment, then " Ready Ryg?"
Rygel entered the pool and waited for them.
Aeryn opened her mouth to say something but Crichton cut her
off. " Tell me at the other side." They took a deep breath and then jumped into
the water.
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To be continued.