Epilogue

Aeryn and Morgan slipped onto Talyn's bridge silently, listening as human and Sebacean argued. The two women shook their heads. They were beginning to think that Crichton and Crais were not happy unless they were bickering. Morgan leaned against one side of the bridge doors, Aeryn against the other, both wearing pulse pistols and amused looks, looking like a pair of matched bookends.

"Crais, this is not going to work. Talyn will blow the circuits the first time he starbursts." Crichton crawled out from under the weapons array panel. "I hate to tell you this, man, but his electrical system sucks."

Crais stopped his pacing to glare at Crichton who was still sitting on Talyn's deck. He resumed, one hand behind his back, using the other to emphasize his words. "A design flaw and not something that can be easily replaced or fixed."

Crichton stood up. "Yeah, well, the next time you mastermind one of these, put in a better system."

Crais glared at Crichton. A small bruise on his cheekbone was all that remained to remind him of his capture by the Scarrens. "Do you have any idea what goes into planning a hybrid?" He began pacing again, ticking items off on his fingers. "You must account for control systems, guidance systems."

Morgan rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms. She had had this conversation with Crais more times over the last two weeks than she cared for. "Weapons, size and amount of living space, compatibility with the added components, whether the Leviathan pod will even accept the packets, so on, et cetera, blah, blah, blah!" Morgan butted in.

Both men turned and looked at her. Aeryn didn't try to hide her smile at the sheepish looks Crais and Crichton wore. "Somehow I don't think there will be another gunship like Talyn." Morgan approached Crais. "While you and my cousin were kvetching at each other, Talyn picked up another Leviathan signal."

"Moya?" Crichton asked.

"He thinks so." Aeryn noticed the unusual look that passed over Crais' face as Morgan slipped by him, his eyes the only thing not hardening back into the usual Peacekeeper expression he wore. "I believe that's what Morgan and Talyn are currently trying to determine."

"Yes, well." Crais commented awkwardly. He stepped up behind Morgan. "Anything yet?"

She peered at him over her shoulder. "You tell me." She chuckled. "You'll know the same time I will."



The Leviathan signal was Moya, mother and son reuniting over a small commerce planet. Crichton walked off the transport pod, having taken the Farscape back to Moya earlier. He ran his fingers through his hair as he gazed at Morgan. She leaned against one of the remaining containers, ankles crossed, her hands on the edge of the box. "Well, that's the last of it." He paused. "Morgan, are you sure you want to do this?"

Morgan smiled and nodded. "Yeah John. My place is here." She pointed to the back of her neck, shrugging as she walked up to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

"I still don't trust him," Crichton whispered. He held Morgan tight. "Just be careful."

"I will." They parted as Crais and Aeryn walked in. "So, in six months, we'll meet on Terantic?"

Crichton nodded, wrapping his arm around Aeryn. The two women had said their goodbyes earlier. "Yeah." He looked at Crais. "You better take care of her."

Crais smiled softly. "I will. Good health to both of you." He followed Morgan back to Talyn's bridge, watching as the transport pod carrying Crichton and Aeryn made its way back to Moya. He laid his hands on her shoulders. "Where do you want go?" he asked quietly as Moya starburst.

Morgan bit her lower lip, knowing that her life had changed forever. She leaned back against Crais. "Surprise me," she answered.



Crichton stood in Moya's kitchen, looking out the viewport at the stars, a cup of coffee in his hand. He leaned his arm on his knee, wondering where Morgan and Crais had gone to.

"John?" D'Argo stepped up behind him, the Luxan warrior waiting.

"He better take care of her, D'Argo. If he doesn't." He didn't finish the comment, sipping his coffee instead.

"Aeryn told me what Morgan did." He leaned against the bulkhead. "I am sure she will be fine."

Crichton looked up at D'Argo. "If they don't manage to kill each other."

The Luxan laughed. "Why do I have the feeling Morgan would win that fight?"



Talyn wasn't long behind his mother in starbursting, setting off for a planet two sectors away. The Scarren dreadnaught appeared from behind the commerce planet. "Did you get their destination?" the Scarren captain asked.

"Yes." The second-in-command looked at him. "Do you wish us to follow?"

The Scarren held a data chip in its hand, turning it, smiling as the lights of the dreadnaught's bridge glinted off the chip. "Yes. The information transmitted to us that was obtained from Crais is incomplete."

The dreadnaught moved further from the planet, following the hybrid gunship, it's crew taking care not be discovered until it was too late..

(And the adventure continues...)

Copyright 2001 Beth A. Carpenter