Category: Action/Adventure

Rating: PG/PG-13 (violence)

Super Beta: Imloco2

Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever, own/owned Farscape. But I like the people who do (Henson, et. al.). I'm sure they like me because I don't plan to, nor will I ever, make any money from this story.

Spoilers: This takes place post-Fractures so, expect plenty of spoilers to that point.

Summary: It's one scenario of how I thought John could "go to the command carrier and stop Scorpius."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

John leaned against the doorway and said quietly, "May I come in?"

"Please...enter."

Looking up from the command carrier schematics he brought from Talyn's libraries, Crais still registered slight shock at seeing Crichton at all. Normally, he wouldn't even consider dealing with Crichton as anything other than the cause of his brother's death, the end of his career, and so much of Aeryn's pain. But he knew better than that now. He knew Crichton would face death for his beliefs and his comrades. Still, to see him standing there...alive...

"Look," John said. "I've had this idea kickin' around in my head, and I need to know some things. I would ask Aeryn, but...she...I can't." John looked off in the distance and grimaced.

"Right. Go ahead," Crais waited.

"What did you do with my...with the other John's body?"

Crais moved away from the console, putting the film down. He was slightly taken aback.

"He is in a cryo pod aboard Talyn at the moment. Aeryn wasn't willing to give you...him...a Peacekeeper burial. We weren't sure of your customs so we..."

"Deep freeze."

"Yes."

John walked past Crais, nodding slowly to himself. With his back to him, John said, "Good. I think we're going to need him."

At first, Crais thought that Crichton had gone completely insane. "We cannot bring him back from the dead...you are aware of that?"

"What?! No! That's the last thing I want to do. Way too Stephen King for me..." John ran his hand through his hair trying to keep down the shiver that was climbing up his neck.

"What do you want him for then?"

John turned to face Crais.

"Well...here's the thing...Scorpius doesn't know I was twinned. Right? He doesn't know there is only one of me left. If we can convince him that I am out of his reach for good, then we have an edge on him, yes?"

Crais, pacing--hands behind his back, was silent for a moment. They needed whatever advantage they could gain against a fully armed, fully manned Peacekeeper Command Carrier. "Go on."

"Once we find the carrier, we send him the body as proof that I am dead. He thinks that we are no longer a threat of any kind. And we aren't an asset either. We're nothing. Nada."

"Yes, yes, I see your point. He would not expect trouble from us later on. His guard would be down, so to speak."

"Bingo. I knew you would understand." John gave a quick nod then glanced at Crais. "I need something else from you." John looked Crais in the eyes hoping that his next idea would be as accepted.

"What is it?"

"I need you to talk to Aeryn about it. She has to be OK with this. I won't hurt her anymore than I already have...or do. I know that if it were me in the Frigidaire...well, hell, it IS me in there...I would want to know that I didn't die for nothing and that the people I love were safe...always."

At that moment, Crais would rather he had asked for anything else...his brother's life, his career, even Talyn. He just couldn't bear the thought of being a party to more pain for Aeryn.

"I know, I know," John said. "What if she kills the messenger, right? I would talk to her myself about it, but she would think I'm being...heartless...disrespectful. And these days, she barely makes eye contact or small talk. But you, Crais," John put his hand on Crais' shoulder, "you know what she is going through and I think she knows you don't want to hurt her. But you saw what that wormhole knowledge is capable of doing and you understand the situation we are in. You can convince her this is right and that it is what he would have wanted. It's what I would want."

Crais simply nodded. What else could he do? Every other plan was foolhardy at best, sacrificial at the worst. This one at least had a glimmer of hope. He would do it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"No, no, NO! I won't allow it."

"Aeryn. You must be reasonable about this. We have little advantage as it is."

"Reasonable? You call sending John's body to his enemy reasonable? Is this some sort of crazy human ritual I'm unaware of?"

Crais could see the fire in Aeryn's eyes as he tried to explain to her the merits, few though they were, of this plan. She stood there, arms crossed, frown firmly in place, waiting for his answer.

"At first, no, I did not think it reasonable. But you must listen. Scorpius will think that John is dead. He may even believe that Talyn and I are dead, too, if Xhalax kept her promise. This gives us the ability to go undetected, unnoticed."

Aeryn remained unmoved, suspicious. "To do what?"

Crais, snapped to attention and began walking around Aeryn as if inspecting her. "Officer Sun, need I remind you that to wage a successful campaign, you need reconnaissance? We can use the proof of John's death as a means to infiltrate and find out how much Scorpius knows and where he keeps the data."

Aeryn's arms dropped to her sides and she closed her eyes, letting out a brief sigh. Frelling Peacekeeper tactics. She knew it was right, knew HE was right. Straightening up again, she ran her hand over her hair and down her braid. She adjusted her pulse pistol in its holster. "Fine. We will send John's body to Scorpius."

"Thank you."

Crais turned and left Aeryn alone in her quarters where she sunk down to the floor and contemplated losing John yet again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Come on, Pip, wait!" John was half trotting behind her as she headed towards the galley.

"Give it a rest, Crichton."

John caught up with Chiana, grabbing her elbow and turning her towards him just as she reached the doorway to the galley--she could see D'Argo following behind him. "Look, Chiana, it's not like we're asking you to go hang out at the mall all day with Jool. This is really important."

"Humph. Like I would want to spend an extra microt with that tralk..." Jool huffed as she stood up quickly, rattling her dishes. "And I would thank you not to talk about me like I'm not here."

John closed his eyes and tapped his fist on his forehead. "Sorry...Jool...I didn't mean it that way...Jool?"

She brushed past them, strands of curly red hair floating on the air in her wake.

"Way to go, Crichton." Chiana rolled her eyes and pulled away from his grasp. D'Argo entered the room with John and sat down across from Chiana who had gathered a small dish of food cubes. It had been a while since they hit a commerce planet with anything other than military supplies.

"Chiana," D'Argo said using his most persuasive tone. "You are the only person who can do this successfully. Scorpius has no reason to keep you, and you know how to sneak around better than anyone. And you will be there for one solar day--no more. We have no other option without your help."

Chiana popped a food cube in her mouth and looked at them blandly.

"When are you going to see that we all have to help if we are to succeed?" D'Argo asked, his patience already thinning.

"I thought this was John's path." Chiana retorted.

John's head dropped, his hands covered his face. "Yeah, Chiana, it is. And I wouldn't ask you to do anything that would put you in any real danger."

"Right. Going on a Peacekeeper Command Carrier to spy isn't the least bit dangerous. What are you frelling fahrbot?"

Chiana looked from John to D'Argo and back at John again. She could tell D'Argo was trying very hard not to lean over the table and throttle her. His knuckles were white and his eyes narrowed with frustration. John just looked tired. The dark circles under his eyes and the stubble on his face made him seem older than she had ever noticed. She didn't really want to deny him help, but she also didn't want to see him end up like the other John either.

John leaned forward, searching her face and said, "Chiana, do you know what the Peacekeepers will do with the information once they figure out how to use it? They are going to frell everyone that gets in their way. That includes the Nebari."

Chiana snorted and tossed the foodcube she was about to bite into back on the plate. "I don't give a frell about the Nebari."

"No?" John questioned. "Do you think they are going to distinguish between the Stepford Wives and the James Deans? Do you honestly believe that they'll ask for Nerri to leave first so they can do their dirty work?"

"Nerri..." Chiana blanched and the fear of losing her brother overtook her again.

D'Argo reached across the table and covered Chiana's trembling hand with his. Chiana slowly pulled it away, and said, somewhat defeated, "You win, old man. I'm in. What's your plan?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

She hadn't been down there since before he died in her arms. Aeryn had watched helplessly as Stark and Crais had carried John's body away, still covered in the red blanket they shared. They had taken him to the med bay to initiate the cryogenic process to keep him until they found Moya again, and then they placed him in the cryo pod stored at the back of the cargo bay. It was hard not to think of him back there alone in the dark--it was even harder to think of jettisoning his body into cold space. But now, she would have preferred he was floating millions of metras away than used as a decoy to fool Scorpius, whom she secretly doubted could be deceived at all.

"Lights, please, Talyn"

As Aeryn walked through the doors of the cargo bay, soft lights diffusing the metallic sterility of the room preceded her. Empty provision crates and replacement parts for Talyn's weaponry lined the walls, but the room was basically empty. Talyn rarely hauled any cargo. She took a deep breath and another hesitant step toward her destination.

Reaching out slowly, she touched the slick gray hydrohonium chamber, and ran her hands across the top, feeling the coldness in her soul. Green lights flickered along the regulator panel letting her know John was still safely in his frozen state. Aeryn leaned over and touched her forehead to where John's head was underneath all those layers of steel and insulate.

This is not what I wanted for you...for us, she thought. But I suppose you had other plans as well.

Aeryn took another deep breath. I won't let that bastard keep you, John. I will make sure of that myself, she vowed silently. Touching the purely mechanical vessel, she found it hard to believe that her flesh-and-blood John could be in there.

She moved along the length of the cryo pod, never taking her hand from it. I will see to it you are buried according to your custom. I cannot take you back to Earth, but when this mission is over, I will take you to the Royal planet and bury you so you can at least be near your daughter. She may never know, but I'll know.

Despite the emptiness around her, Aeryn could still feel John's presence, and took comfort that she hadn't forgotten what it felt like to just be near him. It was as if she was picking up on an unfinished conversation about the things they would accomplish together. You...well, the other you, has a plan. He's probably going to get us all frelling killed. Aeryn smiled to herself and raised an eyebrow. But I would expect nothing less.

Silence surrounded her, but Aeryn felt the heaviness of her heart lighten for the first time in weekens. "I do miss you, John Crichton," she admitted aloud, listening to the words echo in the empty bay. "I will always love you." And one of these days I will find you again, she added quietly to herself.

She didn't have much time left. D'Argo would be here within the arn to bring John's body to Moya's transport pod. She didn't want them to know she had been there. If she didn't leave now, she doubted she could let them go through with this plan.

Closing her eyes to hold back the tears beginning to fall, Aeryn pressed her lips against the door then straightened up. Before she turned to leave, with one last caress, she tried to say good-bye, but something inside her rejected that idea completely. We've never said good-bye before, and I won't say it now. Fate will bring us back together like always.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Sir, you are needed in command." Scorpius looked up from his work analyzing the incomplete equations upon hearing the request.

"Is there a problem, Braca?"

"I really think you should see this yourself, sir."

Braca was not one to waste his time with trivialities. "Very well."

When he reached command, he did not need explanation for his summons. He waved off Braca who had begun to brief him of the situation.

"Ah...Ka D'Argo...this IS a surprise."

The Luxan's grim image filled the view screen. Surely, he looked imposing to some species, Scorpius observed. D'Argo wasted no time getting to his point for communicating with Scorpius.

"Crichton is dead. His last request was to make it known to you, so, as he said, you would leave us all the frell alone. It is my pleasure to oblige."

"Dead you say?" Scorpius responded, the skepticism evident with each word.

"I do not lie. Especially not about something as serious as this. He knew you wouldn't believe it on word alone, so he requested we send you his body for one solar day as proof."

"How... may I ask...did Crichton die?"

"Moya's radiation filters malfunctioned and his human physiology was unable to withstand it."

"Very unfortunate."

Under his fa