A New Era

A/N: Thanks for all the people who gave me some feedback for the previous chapters. Just a few more chapters to go, I promise!

A New Era, Part 5
Copyright 2000/2001

It was dark and cold in Aeryns room.

Trying to fall asleep, she shivered underneath a thick blanket. Saran had been right when she said that it would get cold once the sun had switched places with the moon. Giving up on the attempt to get warm and to at least find some sleep, she got out of the small cot and left the room, her blanket wrapped tightly around her. She made her way to where John was sleeping, only to be stopped a few metra from her destination. She looked at the obstacle and sighed when she identified the soldier... Merc.

"Where are you going, woman?" He asked as he roughly pushed her into the nearest wall. She winced as she felt as one of the stitches the med-tech had placed earlier that evening broke.

"You know, I told you it would get cold at night, but you wouldn't listen." He said moving closer to her.

Aeryn felt one of his hands slowly making his way up on her leg. She desperately wanted to pantac-jab him, but she knew that the rebels most likely would execute her for that sort of action, or they'd simply hand them over to the Peacekeepers. They might have Sarans protection and trust, but not even she could control all of the rebels, and it was clear to Aeryn that, if she were to assault one of them, they'd treat her like they would a Peacekeeper.

"Sergeant! What are you doing here at this hour?" A loud voice suddenly sounded from behind them. Merc moved away when he heard the questioning, but commanding voice. Aeryn recognized the soldier as Marras, the lieutenant she and John had met earlier. Behind him, she could make out Saran, wrapped in a few blankets.

"N-nothing sir, I was asking the Sebacean a question." She heard Merc reply, stuttering a little.

"If I heard correctly, she wasn't interested in what you had to ask or to offer." This time, it was Saran who spoke. The tone of her voice indicated that she knew what they had interrupted. "Lieutenant, it would be wise for you to return to your quarters."

When Merc made no move to do as ordered, Marras turned to two soldiers waiting behind him. "Officers, escort the Lieutenant to his quarters." He ordered.

The two officers nodded and grabbing Merc's arms, they escorted him away.

"Thank you." Aeryn spoke from where she was standing. She looked at Merc's retreating back, before turning back to Saran and Marras.

The large Peacekeeper smiled and shook his head. "Thank Saran, she woke me when she saw you passing our quarters. She told me to watch over you, knowing Merc's reaction to women." He said, gesturing behind him to the waiting Sebacean behind him. Aeryn nodded to her. Then, Marras turned and walked back to his quarters, followed closely by Saran, from time to time looking back at Aeryn.

Aeryn waited a few microts until the two were out of sight, before continuing towards her destination.

While the tunnel where Merc had stopped her was dark, the tunnel she was walking through now was lit by a number of torches, which were giving of only little warmth.

Reaching her destination, she glanced in the pitch-black chamber where, after a few microts of adjusting to the darkness, her eyes could make out the sleeping form of John Crichton.

Quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping human, Aeryn entered the room, her nearly silent footsteps softly echoing between the stone walls. Approaching the small cot, John suddenly moved, raising the end of his blanket with one arm, silently inviting her to come closer.

Stepping up to him, she let go of the blanket wrapped around her and lay down on her side, her back to his naked chest; letting his body heat slowly warm her body. Without saying a word, John drew both their blankets around them and holding Aeryn close to him, he listened to her breathing, before falling into a deep sleep.

********

The next morning, before the sun had risen above the trees and the rain was still beating down on the green and various shades of blue leaves below, John woke to the commotion in the corridor outside his room. Looking down at Aeryn, who was still sleeping at his side, he smiled. He thought he had been dreaming last night, but seeing the living proof lying beside him, using his shoulder as pillow, he couldn't doing anything but smile. It felt like a dream come true.

Someone coughing discretely brought him out of his reverie. It was Saran, standing in the open doorway to his room, fully dressed for the combat later in the day.

"I came to tell you we'll be leaving for the Peacekeeper base in half an arn." She said when she had John's attention. "I've brought the two of you some food in case you were feeling hungry." She gestured to the plate filled with food placed in the corner where Saran was standing.

Crichton nodded. "Thanks. We'll be ready in a quarter arn and will meet you in the mess hall."

After Saran had left, John went to wake Aeryn, but to his surprise, he found her already awake.

"Hey, good morning." He said, not knowing what else to say at this point. For a moment, Aeryn looked ready to flee, before the expression on her face changed to one John was unfamiliar with.

"Look, Aeryn, about last night..." he stammered, "I promise I won't tell any of the others on Moya about it." He said, backing up a few steps. 'Guess we won't take our crazy form of relationship to the next level.' He thought to himself. John had wished for something to happen that would bring the two of them closer, had wished for it for such a long time, but everytime that something would happen, one of them got scared and backed out.

"... Later."

John looked up at Aeryn, who was now standing a few steps away from him, one of the shared blankets wrapped around her.

"What?" He asked, bringing his concentration back to the situation at hand. "What did you say?" He repeated.

"I said: 'We'll talk about this later'." Aeryn repeated, walking over to the plate left by Saran and studying the food upon it. "When we're back on Moya and away from this planet, we'll talk about it. Not now..." She spoke, her back to him. "Right now, we need to concentrate on the mission at hand." She chewed slowly on a piece of salty bread and drank some of the cold water. Then, she turned to face John. "I'm going back to get the rest of my clothes." She said, gesturing to the blanket wrapped around her. She headed towards the now empty corridor, only to be stopped by John before she could leave the room. She looked at him questioningly.

"Hold on, I'll throw on some clothes and I'll walk you back to your room." He said and grabbed the black T-shirt he had thrown on the stone table the night before. Then, after he had pulled his boots on, he led Aeryn back to her room.

*********

While the rebels were busily preparing for the assault on the Peacekeeper base, the crew of Moya, minus two, were slowly being surrounded by Command carriers.

"Two more are arriving at the spaceport!" exclaimed Pilot from his den.

During the night, the number of Peacekeeper Command carriers had risen to three on one side and four, with the new arrivals included, at the spaceport.

"Pilot, have the Peacekeepers scanned us yet?" asked D'Argo, who had begun pacing impatiently half an arn ago.

"Yes, they have also launched a Marauder," said Pilot. "It's definitely headed our way." He added.

"Take us to Starburst then!" Yelled D'Argo, landing one of his fists on a nearby console.

"We can't leave Aeryn and Crichton behind!" argued Chiana, who felt guilty for leaving them behind in the first place.

"We'll search for them after we've brought ourselves into safety." Replied D'Argo. "Pilot! Why haven't we entered Starburst yet?" He asked, pounding on the nearest console for emphasis.

Pilot's image re-appeared in the viewer. "Moya is unable to Starburst at this time. The minerals in the moon are the problem; they are affecting the scanners of the Peacekeepers and ours to some degree. It is also interrupting with the Starburst process. We could explode if we were to try a full Starburst!" He explained.

"We understand, Pilot. Tell Moya that it is not her fault." Said Zhaan, her expression calm, a complete opposite of D'Argo's anger.

"I have told her, Moya thanks you for understanding." Pilot answered. "The Marauder has reached us and is preparing to board." He announced.

Quickly, Zhaan, D'Argo and Chiana (Rygel had gone to eat a few arns ago) rushed towards the docking bay, retrieving a few pulse rifles underway. As they reached the closed doors leading to the docking bay, they took up defensive positions and waited until, finally, the door began to slide open and they could hear the sound of rushing footsteps coming closer.

********

Unbeknownst of the events happening onboard Moya, John and Aeryn sauntered over to the center of the large cavern with the rest of a large group of rebels forming the secondary attack squad, which was mostly filled with Prowler Pilots. The rest would stay behind and keep watch of the caves.

Saran stood already waiting for them and handed them their weapons: one pulse pistol and a pulse rifle each. She also handed them a few cartridges of chakran oil. In the meantime, another officer, unknown to John and Aeryn, had started a briefing, highlighting the various entrances to the compound and their points of attack.

"When the attack begins, stay near me. I'll lead you to your Prowler." Said Saran when the briefing had ended and the group was starting to scatter towards tunnels. They followed Saran, who led them towards the tunnel leading to the outside, where the group was now starting to gather, waiting for the signal to march. Once a small group that had been following john and Aeryn had left the tunnel, they set out towards the Prowler base, lying near the city they had escaped from yesterday.

John looked up towards the sky, which was surprisingly clear.

"It's a good day to fight." Saran spoke up. "The fact that it isn't raining anymore and the skies are clear again are positive signs." She explained. "It is one of the remains of the history of this planet, adapted to fit the needs of the soldiers. Personally, it has never held much meaning to me." Saran said.

By now, they had entered the part of the woods where they had need for torches and several were lit, casting a reddish glow over and around them.

"Where's Marras?" John asked, breaking the silence between the three of them after Sarans explanation. He had not seen the tall man during the briefing and from what Aeryn had told him, while they were tending to her injury, he would've expected Marras to join Saran today.

"He left in the group before us. He isn't a Prowler pilot like most of us, but one of the Commandos. His entire team joined the rebels and they've helped with numerous prison breaks to free captured friends. We met when I was recruited to hunt the rebels in the very beginning, now nearly two and a halve cycles ago. In that time, the lower ranks hadn't heard about the rebels yet, now, they all know about them." She halted her story here, looking straight ahead, remembering. "I was angry at them for pulling me off of Prowler detail and Marras and I talked one night in a bar, somewhere in Casack, a large city in the west. When he made me see how badly the Peacekeepers treated other Sebaceans, I began to notice other things. Eventually, Marras helped me to join the rebel cause." She spoke, still staring ahead, before smiling. "He always was very protective of me, until he saw me beat Merc with my bare hands." Saran spoke, looking at Aeryn now. "The problem is, Merc likes strong, independent women. That I could beat him easily only made things worse. That is one of the reasons Marras shares his bed with me: Merc knows not to bother me or Marras could easily kill him." She said.

"Will Merc bother me again?" Aeryn asked, looking at John. If Merc had known where she was going to last night, he might threaten John.

"I don't think so. If he knows you belong with John now and John would make the impression that he could kill Merc, since Merc doesn't know about your history," she spoke, looking at John this time, "He would leave you alone. Also, since you're under Marras' protection too, we can be sure that Merc won't come near you." Saran explained. "I don't think we have anything to worry about, in a few arns, the two of you will be back on your ship."

After Saran had spoken, the conversation died out between them and the only sounds that could be heard, were the sounds of their breathing, their heavy footsteps and the murmur of voices coming from the tail of the group.

*******

After they had walked for nearly an arn, the group of rebels could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance. Above them, they could see the smoke from the fires where the roof of leaves was thin enough to see through.

"We're getting near the city. The first teams are already engaging the Peacekeepers." Saran said, "The Prowler base is west of the city, near the landing strips and the cargo bays." She explained.

Soon, the group had cleared the forest and they could clearly see where the fights were taking place. Already, the sky was beginning to cloud with the smoke from fires lit in and around the city and somewhere to the left of them, a large hole was blasted in the old city walls, leading directly to the Prowler base.

"Remember what I told you. Stay near me and don't try to be heroic. The mission is to get as many Prowlers as we can and to get them in the air as soon as possible. The commandos are moving the fight towards the eastern part of the city, but stay alert." Saran spoke, looking at the two of them, who were nodding in acknowledgement. "Good. Once we're in space, be careful of enemy Prowlers. The last thing we heard was that the Peacekeepers have at least three Command Carriers docked at the spaceport." She said before moving with the rest of the team towards the opening in the wall.

********

While the rebels were fighting the Peacekeepers on the surface, the crew of Moya was defending the ship against the Peacekeeper intruders in one of Moya's corridors. Their resistance was having little effect on them, because slowly they were pushed back and the Peacekeepers were sending in more Marauders to take over the ship.

Chiana waited until Zhaan and D'Argo had moved around the corner, before she took a few steps backwards, all the while shooting at the advancing soldiers, but not injuring one of them. As she turned the corner, expecting either Zhaan or D'Argo waiting behind her to cover her in case the Peacekeepers would chase her too quickly. She was surprised when she turned and came face-to-face with an angry-looking Peacekeeper commando. As she looked behind him, she saw three more of them, holding Zhaan and D'Argo under gunpoint.

"What have we here?" asked the commando, lifting a pulse pistol. "Where are they?"

"Wh-where are who?" Chiana asked in return.

"The Peacekeepers! Where are they hiding?" the commando said sneering, "Where are those cowards?"

"There are no Peacekeepers hiding on this Leviathan." Zhaan spoke from behind him, causing the Commando to turn and face her.

"Well, we'll see after my men have completed their search." He spoke, pushing the butt of his pulse rifle under Chiana's chin, tilting her head. He was about to speak again, when a commando coming from another corridor, interrupted him.

"Sir!" he said when he was standing in front of his commanding officer. He took in a few gulps of air before continuing. "We've found no other Peacekeepers onboard this Leviathan, except for one Prowler. We did, however, found an Hynerian hiding in a ventilation shaft. He claims to be Dominar Rygel the sixteenth." The commando finished while he pulled Rygels Throne sled, with Rygel perched atop, in to view.

The commando in charge took several seconds to study Rygel, before he brought his attention back to the waiting commando. "One Prowler, you said?"

The commando nodded.

"There were no other signs of any Peacekeepers? Signs of their presence on this ship for the last few monens?" He asked.

The commando shook his head. "No sir, we haven't found any other signs."

His superior nodded. "Than, this Leviathan isn't part of one of those new experiments about controlling a Leviathan without a collar." He concluded.

"Sir, if I may," the soldier started, "I think I know which ship this is. About a one and a half cycle ago, one Leviathan carrying a Luxan, a Delvian and an Hynerian escaped Peacekeeper custody. I don't know anything about a Nebari, but I think this is the same ship."

"I think you may be right." His commanding officer said, looking from Rygel to D'Argo and Zhaan. "Is he right?" He asked them, pushing his pulse rifle up, resulting in tilting Chiana's head further back.

"Yes, he is right. We did escape the Peacekeepers nearly one and a halve cycle ago, you yotz." Rygel spoke with venom in his voice. "And we're not planning to be ever taken captive again."

The Commando let loose a thundering laugh. "In case you haven't noticed, your Highness, we've already taken you captive again." The rest of the commandos started laughing as well, until their leader silenced them. "However, it wasn't escaped prisoners we were hunting, but those wretched Peacekeeper zanits. Hiding behind civilians when they're met with a greater force than their own." He said with a forlorn look on his face. Lost in his memories, he was silent for a few microts, before looking at the escaped prisoners again.

"Let them go." He said to the commandos still holding their weapons aimed at Rygel and the others. He himself holstered his pulse pistol and let Chiana loose. Then, he turned and started to walk back towards the docking bay, where the Marauders were standing by. He stopped as suddenly as he had started to walk. "A piece of advice: leave before the arn has passed, before all hezmana will break loose."

"Are you going to attack the Peacekeepers on the planet?" Zhaan asked, still not sure as to what this was about.

"Although it is classified information to civilians; yes, we are attacking the planet in an arn." The commando said, his back turned to them.

"Two of our friends are trapped on the planet, with no way of returning to Moya." This time, D'Argo spoke, stepping forward. "They are dressed as Peacekeepers."

"Then, they might already be dead or imprisoned by the Peacekeepers themselves, as they trust no one at this time. Their only rescue would be the rebels living planet-side." The officer replied.

"What can we do to help them?" D'Argo continued.

"I will allow one, two at the most, of you to join us on the Command carrier, where you can ask the captain for help." He said. "After that, the rest of you should leave the shadow of the moon as fast as you can and seek cover behind us. There is an asteroid field a few thousand metras away; you could wait for our return there. There are a few Prowlers waiting there, as well as a few troop transports." The commando spoke.

"I will go." D'Argo said, taking a few steps, until he was standing next to the commando. Almost immediately, Chiana sprung forward.

"Me too." She said, coming to stand next to D'Argo, ignoring the look he sent her way.

"No. You will stay with Zhaan on Moya." D'Argo said, ready to push her back to Zhaan.

"Ha! I hope you weren't thinking that I would set a foot onboard that Peacekeeper vessel." Rygel spoke up from his throne sled, which was slowly backing out of the corridor.

"I wasn't. I'll handle this alone." D'Argo replied, his hand on Chiana's shoulder, trying to push her towards Zhaan.

Chiana shook D'Argo's hand off. "No, I won't stay behind with Zhaan and Rygel, when it is my fault they are stuck down there. I'm not a coward anymore; a lot has changed this past cycle, D'Argo." She said.

"I know you aren't, Chiana, but I would feel better knowing you are safe on Moya." D'Argo replied, reaching for her again. "In case the real Peacekeepers board Moya while I am away, we can count on you to help protect the ship." He explained and this time he was successful in pushing her back to Zhaan.

Chiana nodded. "I can do that. Just make sure John and Aeryn come back alive."

"It is time to go, the command carriers will start the assault in a quarter arn and we still have to get back to the ship." The commando spoke, already heading towards the waiting Marauder. D'Argo took one last look at Zhaan and Chiana, before turning and following the commando to the Marauder.

TBC