When You Least Expect It Part 3
Disclaimer: I don't own them
Thanks to Neuroscpr for reading
John wandered through the town watching the locals while keeping an eye out for the local bar. He stopped at a tent to ask directions from the merchant.
The merchant eyed him suspiciously as John approached his tent.
"Hey, I'm looking for a place to get a drink, could you help me out here?" John asked the merchant.
The merchant hesitated and then mumbled under his breath, "Peacekeeper."
"What was that?" John asked.
"I said. the bar is across to your left," the merchant answered and turned away.
John looked at the merchant wondering what he did to piss him off. 'Friendly group here' John thought to himself turning in the direction of the bar.
"Ah, just what I need. The bar. Well John let's go drown out your sorrows," he said to himself walking into the bar.
John never noticed the merchant eyeing him all the way to the bar.
After John entered the bar the merchant notified the other merchants that a peacekeeper was amongst them.
It took John sometime to adjust his eyes to the darkness in the bar. He looked around and noticed the bar was crowded and all eyes were upon him.
"Something wrong?" John asked suddenly feeling uneasy in his surroundings. His hand rested on his pulse pistol strapped to his leg.
"Easy everybody. I just want to have a drink in peace." John eased up to the bar slowly, his eyes never leaving the others. He sat down and this seemed to ease the tension in the room as the others suddenly went about their business. John let out a heavy sigh, feeling like he had been holding his breath for arns.
John slowly relaxed now, as the bartender approached him and asked him what he would like.
"Something stronger than Fellip Nectar," John replied. "I have a few problems I want to forget for awhile. Also a place to stay for the night."
The bartender looked at him in surprise. "Sir you plan on staying here for awhile?" the bartender asked concerned.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" John asked, his voice reflecting confusion. "Maybe you can explain the reaction I'm getting from everyone here."
"Well sir, no disrespect intended, Peacekeepers are really not welcome here," the bartender said hesitantly handing John a drink with red hues in it. "We are a friendly planet, and we find that Peacekeepers usually bring trouble."
John chuckled. "Well my friend, let me put you at ease. I'm not a frelling Peacekeeper. I'm just a man who wants some peace for a couple of days." John said patting the bartender on his shoulder.
"Name is John. And I hate Peacekeepers as much as you do." John said taking a sip of his drink. He immediately started coughing as the liquid went down.
"Whew, what's in this? Never mind, probably just what I need." John said taking another drink from the glass.
The drink was already starting to get to John. His thoughts went to Aeryn and how much he already missed her. He loved her, and knew that was too much to ask of her now, but could she ever just get to the point of treating him like a person again.
The bartender heard the commotion outside his bar and knew what was happening. John was gazing into his drink when the bartender interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, er, I mean John, you need to get out of here. The merchants are coming for you."
"Coming for me, I don't know what you mean," John said slurring his words, face flushed. "How about getting me another one."
"No sir, you don't understand. They think you are a Peacekeeper. They can't afford to have their wares destroyed. The last time a Peacekeeper was here, there was fighting. The merchants lost almost everything. They have taken a vow this would not happen again. You must leave now!"
"Hell, no problem. Relax buddy. I'll just tell them who I am." John got up and stumbled. He grabbed the bar stool before he fell over. 'Steady there John.'
He straightened as best he could to face the merchants, holding onto the bar to keep himself steady.
The merchants approached him with their primitive weapons. John's hand went to rest on Winona.
"Peacekeeper, we want you to leave now," said the one John met first. "We are peaceful people but we will protect our town if forced to. You bring us nothing but trouble." The others noisily agreed.
John was really getting lightheaded from the drink and was slurring his words, "I'.I'm not a P.Peacekeeper. I'm J..John who just w.wa.nt's a dr..ink. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open now. Everything was getting fuzzy now; he was shaking his head trying to think clearly.
He looked to the bartender accusingly "Hell y..ou p..put something in my drink. Didn't yuh?" The bartender dropped his head nodding.
"I thought."
"Damn you!" John said lunging for the bartender.
The merchants were on him before he could get his hands on the man. John felt himself being thrown to the floor. He was brought to his feet and punched in the face. He fell to his knees and was kicked to the floor. John had no idea how many were beating him. He felt a searing pain in his head and he blacked out.
The merchants stepped away when he stopped moving.
The bartender looked at all the men. "You should have waited longer! He would have passed out and we could have just put him back in his ship. Now look what we've done!
Put him in the backroom and tie him up until we decide what to do with him!"
The men did as they were told.
'Perhaps you aren't a Peacekeeper' the bartender thought to himself as he watched the men carry the injured man to the back room in the bar.
xxxxx
Jool's words were going through Aeryn's head. 'Maybe she is right. Maybe I don't deserve him' Aeryn thought to herself sitting in her quarters. 'I know I can't go back, and he can never be to me what the other was, but do I have to treat him as if he is less than Human?' She smiled at this thought, Earth sayings again. Perhaps we can work something out when he comes back. Aeryn lay back on her bed satisfied things would be better, and fell asleep.
Chiana walked into Jool's lab where she was still working.
"Hey Jool." Jool turned towards Chiana.
"And may I ask what has brought you here," Jool eyeing her suspiciously.
"I want to tell you how proud I am of you for saying what we all wanted to say but were afraid to. You know that took a lot of guts to speak your peace to Aeryn," Chiana said nervously.
"No thanks needed. It was only the truth. You know Chiana, Aeryn just doesn't realize what she has in John. I wish I was that lucky."
Chiana put her arm around Jool and said, "I know, me too."
"Jool, you know you really surprise me sometimes," Chiana smiled.
Jool smiled back as Chiana left the room.
"Pilot do you have any signal on John?" D'Argo asked.
"No D'Argo, that is why I'm worried. He either has his comm off or he is not wearing it."
"Pilot, if we don't hear from John soon, I'm going down to the planet. It's been 24 arns now."
"I agree D'Argo. I will keep trying to locate his signal."
"Thank you Pilot."
D'Argo went back to command thinking about his friend, and what Jool had said earlier that evening. ' We are all lucky to have such a friend. Perhaps we do treat him as a lesser being. Well that will change!'
D'Argo was still deep in thought when Aeryn interrupted his thoughts. "D'Argo any word from John?"
D'Argo was surprised to see Aeryn in command. He was more surprised by what brought her here.
"No Aeryn, nothing," he said sadly glancing at her then dropping his head to the console.
"Why do you ask?"
Aeryn felt as if someone had slapped her. She took a deep breath and replied, the hurt in her voice, "I guess I deserved that."
Aeryn approached D'Argo, "Look, I've thought a lot about what Jool said and some of it is true. Because I hurt I wanted him to hurt. That's not fair to him, and I'm sorry for it. I can't take back what has happened."
"Can you treat him as an equal and not just a crewmate?" D"Argo asked sarcastically.
Aeryn winced. "D'Argo are you going to bring up everything I said and did, because if you are then our conversation is over," Aeryn said angrily.
"Sorry Aeryn, I just know it hurt John."
"I'm well aware of that now D'Argo," Aeryn said quietly almost to herself.
"We need to find John and bring him home, D'Argo."
"Pilot's working on it. If he has nothing soon I'm going down to the planet and find him myself."
"No you're not. I'm going with you," Aeryn said.
D'Argo looked at Aeryn and grinned, "I will welcome you."
"I will be in the maintenance bay getting the transport pod ready. Let me know if Pilot picks up his signal."
"Aeryn," said D'Argo quietly. "You told me once to leave it alone, but can you accept John as he is? He is my friend and I don't want to see him hurt anymore."
Aeryn stopped and thought for a moment before replying, "D'Argo, I don't know if we can ever go back, but I do know we can go forward."
"Fair enough Aeryn."
Disclaimer: I don't own them
Thanks to Neuroscpr for reading
John wandered through the town watching the locals while keeping an eye out for the local bar. He stopped at a tent to ask directions from the merchant.
The merchant eyed him suspiciously as John approached his tent.
"Hey, I'm looking for a place to get a drink, could you help me out here?" John asked the merchant.
The merchant hesitated and then mumbled under his breath, "Peacekeeper."
"What was that?" John asked.
"I said. the bar is across to your left," the merchant answered and turned away.
John looked at the merchant wondering what he did to piss him off. 'Friendly group here' John thought to himself turning in the direction of the bar.
"Ah, just what I need. The bar. Well John let's go drown out your sorrows," he said to himself walking into the bar.
John never noticed the merchant eyeing him all the way to the bar.
After John entered the bar the merchant notified the other merchants that a peacekeeper was amongst them.
It took John sometime to adjust his eyes to the darkness in the bar. He looked around and noticed the bar was crowded and all eyes were upon him.
"Something wrong?" John asked suddenly feeling uneasy in his surroundings. His hand rested on his pulse pistol strapped to his leg.
"Easy everybody. I just want to have a drink in peace." John eased up to the bar slowly, his eyes never leaving the others. He sat down and this seemed to ease the tension in the room as the others suddenly went about their business. John let out a heavy sigh, feeling like he had been holding his breath for arns.
John slowly relaxed now, as the bartender approached him and asked him what he would like.
"Something stronger than Fellip Nectar," John replied. "I have a few problems I want to forget for awhile. Also a place to stay for the night."
The bartender looked at him in surprise. "Sir you plan on staying here for awhile?" the bartender asked concerned.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" John asked, his voice reflecting confusion. "Maybe you can explain the reaction I'm getting from everyone here."
"Well sir, no disrespect intended, Peacekeepers are really not welcome here," the bartender said hesitantly handing John a drink with red hues in it. "We are a friendly planet, and we find that Peacekeepers usually bring trouble."
John chuckled. "Well my friend, let me put you at ease. I'm not a frelling Peacekeeper. I'm just a man who wants some peace for a couple of days." John said patting the bartender on his shoulder.
"Name is John. And I hate Peacekeepers as much as you do." John said taking a sip of his drink. He immediately started coughing as the liquid went down.
"Whew, what's in this? Never mind, probably just what I need." John said taking another drink from the glass.
The drink was already starting to get to John. His thoughts went to Aeryn and how much he already missed her. He loved her, and knew that was too much to ask of her now, but could she ever just get to the point of treating him like a person again.
The bartender heard the commotion outside his bar and knew what was happening. John was gazing into his drink when the bartender interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, er, I mean John, you need to get out of here. The merchants are coming for you."
"Coming for me, I don't know what you mean," John said slurring his words, face flushed. "How about getting me another one."
"No sir, you don't understand. They think you are a Peacekeeper. They can't afford to have their wares destroyed. The last time a Peacekeeper was here, there was fighting. The merchants lost almost everything. They have taken a vow this would not happen again. You must leave now!"
"Hell, no problem. Relax buddy. I'll just tell them who I am." John got up and stumbled. He grabbed the bar stool before he fell over. 'Steady there John.'
He straightened as best he could to face the merchants, holding onto the bar to keep himself steady.
The merchants approached him with their primitive weapons. John's hand went to rest on Winona.
"Peacekeeper, we want you to leave now," said the one John met first. "We are peaceful people but we will protect our town if forced to. You bring us nothing but trouble." The others noisily agreed.
John was really getting lightheaded from the drink and was slurring his words, "I'.I'm not a P.Peacekeeper. I'm J..John who just w.wa.nt's a dr..ink. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open now. Everything was getting fuzzy now; he was shaking his head trying to think clearly.
He looked to the bartender accusingly "Hell y..ou p..put something in my drink. Didn't yuh?" The bartender dropped his head nodding.
"I thought."
"Damn you!" John said lunging for the bartender.
The merchants were on him before he could get his hands on the man. John felt himself being thrown to the floor. He was brought to his feet and punched in the face. He fell to his knees and was kicked to the floor. John had no idea how many were beating him. He felt a searing pain in his head and he blacked out.
The merchants stepped away when he stopped moving.
The bartender looked at all the men. "You should have waited longer! He would have passed out and we could have just put him back in his ship. Now look what we've done!
Put him in the backroom and tie him up until we decide what to do with him!"
The men did as they were told.
'Perhaps you aren't a Peacekeeper' the bartender thought to himself as he watched the men carry the injured man to the back room in the bar.
xxxxx
Jool's words were going through Aeryn's head. 'Maybe she is right. Maybe I don't deserve him' Aeryn thought to herself sitting in her quarters. 'I know I can't go back, and he can never be to me what the other was, but do I have to treat him as if he is less than Human?' She smiled at this thought, Earth sayings again. Perhaps we can work something out when he comes back. Aeryn lay back on her bed satisfied things would be better, and fell asleep.
Chiana walked into Jool's lab where she was still working.
"Hey Jool." Jool turned towards Chiana.
"And may I ask what has brought you here," Jool eyeing her suspiciously.
"I want to tell you how proud I am of you for saying what we all wanted to say but were afraid to. You know that took a lot of guts to speak your peace to Aeryn," Chiana said nervously.
"No thanks needed. It was only the truth. You know Chiana, Aeryn just doesn't realize what she has in John. I wish I was that lucky."
Chiana put her arm around Jool and said, "I know, me too."
"Jool, you know you really surprise me sometimes," Chiana smiled.
Jool smiled back as Chiana left the room.
"Pilot do you have any signal on John?" D'Argo asked.
"No D'Argo, that is why I'm worried. He either has his comm off or he is not wearing it."
"Pilot, if we don't hear from John soon, I'm going down to the planet. It's been 24 arns now."
"I agree D'Argo. I will keep trying to locate his signal."
"Thank you Pilot."
D'Argo went back to command thinking about his friend, and what Jool had said earlier that evening. ' We are all lucky to have such a friend. Perhaps we do treat him as a lesser being. Well that will change!'
D'Argo was still deep in thought when Aeryn interrupted his thoughts. "D'Argo any word from John?"
D'Argo was surprised to see Aeryn in command. He was more surprised by what brought her here.
"No Aeryn, nothing," he said sadly glancing at her then dropping his head to the console.
"Why do you ask?"
Aeryn felt as if someone had slapped her. She took a deep breath and replied, the hurt in her voice, "I guess I deserved that."
Aeryn approached D'Argo, "Look, I've thought a lot about what Jool said and some of it is true. Because I hurt I wanted him to hurt. That's not fair to him, and I'm sorry for it. I can't take back what has happened."
"Can you treat him as an equal and not just a crewmate?" D"Argo asked sarcastically.
Aeryn winced. "D'Argo are you going to bring up everything I said and did, because if you are then our conversation is over," Aeryn said angrily.
"Sorry Aeryn, I just know it hurt John."
"I'm well aware of that now D'Argo," Aeryn said quietly almost to herself.
"We need to find John and bring him home, D'Argo."
"Pilot's working on it. If he has nothing soon I'm going down to the planet and find him myself."
"No you're not. I'm going with you," Aeryn said.
D'Argo looked at Aeryn and grinned, "I will welcome you."
"I will be in the maintenance bay getting the transport pod ready. Let me know if Pilot picks up his signal."
"Aeryn," said D'Argo quietly. "You told me once to leave it alone, but can you accept John as he is? He is my friend and I don't want to see him hurt anymore."
Aeryn stopped and thought for a moment before replying, "D'Argo, I don't know if we can ever go back, but I do know we can go forward."
"Fair enough Aeryn."
