Chapter Three
Crichton stared at the Peacekeeper displayed on Moya's clamshell. The uniform collar itched and he clenched his fists behind his back to keep from scratching his neck. He listened quietly, his face impassive, his fury at the situation growing with every minute.
"Captain Torsin has given them 48 arns to produce Captain Crais," the woman before him said. "He is hoping the Leviathan hybrid is somewhere on the planet. Do you wish for me to contact him, sir?"
"No. Not yet, Lieutenant. We will do some preliminary scans of the planet. As soon as our Leviathan is sedated, we will join the Captain in his search."
"Very good sir. Your assistance is appreciated. The other two carriers in our group have been occupied with keeping the Scarrens from the sector until Captain Crais is found." She tilted her head slightly. "I take it the new Leviathan project is proceeding well by your presence this far out in the Uncharted Territories."
"It is proceeding better than expected," Crichton replied, smiling slightly.
"Very good. I will await for your signal sir." The clamshell went blank.
Crichton turned and scratched his neck, opening the collar of the Peacekeeper uniform he was wearing. "I told you they were in trouble. It's a good thing you picked up that Peacekeeper signal, Zhaan."
Zhaan and D'Argo slipped out from their hiding places, a look of concern etched on the priestesses face. "How do you propose to help them, John?"
"First we need to locate Talyn," Aeryn commented, unzipping and removing her own uniform jacket. "I suspect that's where Crais is."
Crichton chewed his thumb in contemplation, leaning against the console. "Which means Morgan is covering for him." He shook his head, leaning the other hand on the console. "Damn her. Why do I always seem to have to go and get her out of trouble?" he mumbled.
D'Argo gazed down at the human. "You mean this is common?"
Crichton turned blue eyes up to look at the towering Luxan. "Lately." He shrugged looking at the others. "Although growing up, she was always getting me out of trouble."
"Well, at least we found them," Zhaan said, moving to the scanner console. "Pilot, has Moya located Talyn yet?"
Pilot's image appeared on the clamshell. "Moya can detect no sign of Talyn. But there is a rock formation approximately a metra from the settlement that is large enough to hide a Leviathan of his size."
Crichton turned and looked at the display of the rock formation as Aeryn stepped up beside him. "Pilot, what does the formation consist of?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in thought.
Pilot's arms moved around him and he looked up, his eyes blinking. "It is made up of iridium crystals and another complex substance neither Moya nor I can identify."
Crichton leaned towards the clamshell. "Pilot, what's the basic element making up the substance? The simplest compound."
Pilot looked down. "I believe you call it carbon, Crichton."
Crichton's eyes lit up as he gazed at the mathematical formula Pilot displayed for the rock. He laughed. "That mountain is made of coal! Compressed carbon is coal!" He looked back at Pilot. "Can you get any life form readings at all from it?"
Pilot blinked. "No. The combination of iridium and…coal is keeping any signal from traveling in or out of the caves within that formation."
"Pilot, have Moya try a thin, narrow band transmission and see if we get anything back," Crichton said. He smiled at Aeryn.
Stark hurried onto the bridge, mumbling to himself as he rushed to Zhaan's side. "Not good. No, not good at all."
The others looked at him. "What's wrong Stark?" the Delvian asked.
Stark looked at her and then the others, his eye fixing on Crichton. "Moya has confirmed that Morgan is on the planet and in the settlement. Based on transmissions she has picked up from the Peacekeeper ship, Captain Torsin has her in custody."
Pilot turned his gaze towards Stark. "According to Moya's scans, she is currently being held in the settlement's square.
Crichton's face grew dark. "The Lieutenant failed to mention that little fact," he commented.
Aeryn looked at him. "That shouldn't surprise you."
"It doesn't," he answered, stalking off the bridge.
The intruder alert klaxon abruptly began to sound. Crais and Shantar both whirled to face the bridge doors, pulse pistols raised and aimed. "Talyn, identify the intruder," Crais commanded. The gunship chirped and he lowered his pistol as a boy from the settlement ran onto the bridge, out of breath.
The boy looked up at the two men. "Shantar, you must come. They have captured Captain Langtree."
Shantar holstered the pistol, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hold on. Calm down and start over," he said, kneeling in front of the boy.
"Who has Captain Langtree?" Crais demanded, staring down at the panicked youngster.
The boy turned and looked at Crais. "The Peacekeepers. She was on her way here when Torsin stopped her. He tried to force himself on her and when she fought back, he discovered the…the…" The boy looked at Shantar and shrugged, not able to find the words he wanted.
Crais turned and pulled his unbound hair to the side. "This?" he asked, his voice unusually calm.
Shantar looked up at Crais, noticing the lethal fury that he was barely containing. He looked back to the boy. "Torsin discovered her transponder?"
The boy nodded. "Yes, sir." He leaned forward, shyly saying, "He called Captain Langtree a few words mother told me never to repeat and insulted Captain Crais' manhood as well."
Crais glared at Shantar and stormed off of Talyn's bridge, checking the charge in his pulse pistol as he headed towards the access hatch. He had had enough of this. Jealousy clenched at his heart and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around Torsin's neck at the thought of the Peacekeeper's hands on Morgan.
"Crais! Wait! You can't go charging in there like a madman." Shantar caught his breath, leaning against the bulkhead. The boy slipped past them both, heading back to the village. "Torsin will kill her and all the others."
"Torsin will kill them anyway. I am not going to sit by and…Coming from where?" He concentrated on Talyn, turning back to the bridge, Shantar behind him. "Are you sure?"
Shantar looked at Crais. "What is it?"
Crais canted his head as he stood in the middle of the gunship's bridge. "Talyn has picked up a low beam transmission filtering through the rocks." Crais paused, listening to the message, a plan forming in his mind as a calculating smile crossed his face. "There is only one person I know who could figure out how to get through to us."
"And who would that be?" Shantar asked.
Crais turned and looked at Shantar. "John Crichton."
Crichton stepped out of Aeryn's Prowler and sauntered up to a group of laughing Peacekeepers. He gazed down at them, looking them over and then turned his attention to the square where Morgan was bound to a tree. Her hair curtained her face as she hung her head, whether unconscious or asleep, he couldn't tell.
"Attention!" Aeryn called from behind him.
The Peacekeepers snapped to attention. "Where is Torsin?" Crichton demanded, his voice carrying enough authority and attitude to be believable. This was not the first time he had impersonated a Peacekeeper and, Crichton thought to himself, it probably wouldn't be the last.
One of the Peacekeeper's stepped forward. "With the prisoner sir."
"Very good." Crichton and Aeryn marched past them, heading towards the square where he could now see Torsin and Morgan clearly. His stomach tightened at the sight his cousin, bruised and bloody. "Captain Torsin!" he yelled, stopping the Peacekeeper from slapping Morgan again.
Torsin turned and snapped immediately to attention. He had studied the information his second had sent him on Crichton and deferred to false impression that Crichton was his superior. "Sir. I was not expecting you for another arn."
Crichton stepped up to him, his eyes hard. "The Leviathan was sedated sooner than we expected. Have you found Captain Crais yet?"
"No sir. I was interrogating the prisoner as to his whereabouts," Torsin responded.
Crichton turned to Morgan, slowly approaching her. He roughly took her chin in his hand, studying the bruises that peppered her face. She was also hot, feverish. His brow furrowed in consideration. "So this is the human we have heard so much about," he remarked. Their eyes met. "Doesn't seem to be very special to me." Morgan's eyes narrowed and she spat on him, taking him right in the face. Good, he thought, you've still got your spark.
"You tralk!" Torsin grabbed Morgan's hair, snapping her head back.
Crichton wiped the spit from his face casually. "Release her, Torsin. She will pay for that in time." He turned to Aeryn. "Return to your Prowler and contact the ship. Let them know a positive identification has been made." He gazed back at Torsin. "I am sure Scorpius will reward you handsomely for her capture." Only Aeryn saw the crossed fingers behind Crichton's back.
"Scorpius, sir?" Torsin repeated in surprise.
Crichton nodded. "Yes. She is wanted by him for certain information she possesses." He smiled evilly. "I would not advise 'interrogating' her any further."
Torsin cringed inwardly. "Yes sir."
Crichton drew himself up to his full height, gazing around the Peacekeeper camp. "Now, some food and drink would be most appreciated."
Morgan watched as they walked away, leaning her head back and closing her eyes, sighing in relief.
Crais frowned as the transmission faded in and out, the clamshell holding D'Argo and Zhaan's image full of static. "And just how do you propose to get down here Luxan?"
D'Argo growled. "Crichton has made arrangements with Torsin to…" The clamshell blanked momentarily. "…bring down fresh supplies to his men from Moya. We will bring the transport pod down, hiding on it until nightfall."
Zhaan leaned forward, laying a soothing hand on D'Argo's arm. "Crais, Crichton will try and get Morgan released and brought to Moya," she added.
Crais shook his head. "No. I want her here, on Talyn, with me," he demanded.
Even through the garbled transmissions, Zhaan could see the anguish on the ex-Peacekeeper's face. "Crais, she is hurt. Aeryn claims Torsin has beaten her badly. Let John bring her here."
Crais' face grew darker, his eyes growing hard. He didn't trust them not to starburst, taking Morgan from him. "Then I will bring her to you myself." He cut the shaky transmission, leaning his hands on the console, hanging his head, eyes closed. "Talyn, remain on standby."
Shantar looked at Crais. "Are you sure this will work?" he asked quietly.
Crais looked up and out the dark viewport. "I am counting on it."
Aeryn stepped up to Morgan on the pretense of checking the bindings holding her to the tree. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Peachy. Just frelling wonderful." She glanced to where her cousin sat with Torsin. She inhaled slowly, her ribs hurting from Torsin's beating. She never told him where Crais was. "What are you doing here?"
Aeryn slipped something in Morgan's hand, walking around the tree to face her. "Crichton suspected something had happened when you didn't show up at Terantic. Zhaan caught the echo of a Peacekeeper signal and when Moya analyzed it, we found the command group and followed it." She paused, a smile tugging at her lips. "Followed it based on one of John's hunches." She gazed over at her lover. "We may make a Peacekeeper of him yet."
"There's a thought. Funny, Crais keeps saying the same about me." She sighed, noticing Torsin looking at her. "Why don't you just frelling back off?" she screamed at Aeryn. "I'm not telling you a thing!"
Aeryn picked up on the cue, slamming her fist into Morgan's stomach. "Be thankful Scorpius wants you returned to him alive."
"Trouble Officer?" Crichton asked, immediately stepping up beside Aeryn, Torsin behind him.
Aeryn snapped to attention. "No sir. Just teaching this inferior human some manners."
Crichton looked at where Morgan hung bent over vomiting from Aeryn's punch. "Good. Come. The Captain has some fine raslak he is willing to share with us." He spun on one heel, engaging Torsin in conversation, leading him back to the camp.
"Thanks," Morgan moaned quietly.
"No problem," Aeryn answered. She followed Crichton, her own dinner having made its way to the back of her throat at what she had just done to Morgan. She took a bottle of raslak, taking a deep drink to wash the bile back down.
Morgan let out a breath, slowly pulling herself up. Her eyes met Bian's across the square and she shook her head. She didn't want the settler's in any worse trouble than they were already in. She turned the knife in her hand, working it under the bindings, slowly moving it back and forth. Morgan smiled, leaning her head against the tree. Crais had taught her more than just what he preferred in bed over the last six months and Morgan swiftly put that knowledge to good use.
D'Argo and Stark slipped through the dark caves, stopping every so often to guarantee no one was following them. The Luxan held his Qualta blade ready, following Stark as they made their way to Talyn.
"He has grown," Stark whispered in awe, slipping through the access hatch.
Crais met them in the corridor. "Where are Crichton and Morgan?"
"Still in the settlement. Crichton and Aeryn are trying to keep Torsin from her," D'Argo answered, sheathing the blade.
"Should that reassure me?" Crais snapped.
D'Argo stared down at him growling. Stark slipped between them, laying a hand on the Luxan's chest. "Aeryn has slipped her a blade. You must be ready."
Crais glared at the slave. "Talyn's repairs are almost complete. Your help here would be most useful." He turned, marching back to the bridge, not even waiting to see if they followed.
Stark looked at Crais curiously. "He has found the better part of himself," he said to himself, forgetting that D'Argo was standing right beside him.
The Luxan simply snorted.
Crichton handed Morgan a pulse pistol and a flagon. "Drink?"
She looked at Crichton, a small smile on her face. "Screwdriver. 7 & 7. Margarita," she quipped, tossing the flagon back and gulping down the cold water. She held it to her head.
Bian stood next to Morgan, watching, her pulse pistol perched on her hip, her finger on the trigger. "They won't stay out for long. What's the next move?"
Crichton looked at her. "How long will it take for them to sleep it off?"
Bian shook her head. "Maybe a few arns. Not long enough to get Talyn out of here."
Morgan weakly handed the flagon back to Crichton. "Some of Talyn's systems are still down." She pushed herself away from the tree, staggering forward. "I need to…" Morgan reached out, grabbing for Crichton.
Aeryn was the first to notice the paleness of her face. "What's the matter?" she asked, helping Crichton support the smaller woman.
"Just a bit dizzy." She gave Crichton a lopsided smile. "Not used to getting beat up anymore." She pushed herself away from him, moving towards the path that led to the caves. "I need to get to Talyn. I have to help Crais finish…" Morgan stumbled, dropping to her knees as pain shot up her healing leg. "Aw frell," she sighed, not even having enough strength to curse.
Crichton wrapped his arm around her waist. "You need to get to Moya."
Morgan shook her head, allowing Crichton to help her stand. "No. I won't leave Crais," she insisted. She took one step forward, her legs crumbling beneath her as she passed out.
"Aeryn get her back to Moya." He picked up his cousin's limp body and carried it to the Prowler, taking care not to wake any of the drunk Peacekeepers.
"What about you?" she asked, grabbing Crichton's arm as he climbed down from the cockpit. Their eyes met, locking.
Crichton pulled Aeryn into his arms. "I'll get Crais and the others. We'll return to Moya on the transport pod. Talyn can follow."
Aeryn kissed Crichton, then climbed into the Prowler. Morgan moaned softly behind her. "What about the command carrier?" she asked as an afterthought.
Crichton shrugged, backing away. "Beat's me. I'm making this up as I go along."
Aeryn sighed as the canopy closed over her and Morgan. "Oh, wonderful."
Crais surveyed the path back to the settlement, signaling to Shantar. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon and he looked through the trees at the slowly awakening settlement. The older man stepped up to him and he pointed. "It appears Commander Crichton has managed to get them passed out drunk," Crais observed.
Shantar surveyed the too quiet Peacekeeper camp. "We don't have much time."
They continued on, pulse pistols at the ready. Both men had almost reached the square when Crais stepped on a twig, the wood snapping loudly beneath his boots. He froze.
"Who goes there?" Bian called softly, scanning the woods. She didn't see them in the half-light of dawn.
"It is Crais."
The Sebacean woman lowered her pulse rifle, rushing forward to meet them. She enfolded Shantar in her arms, kissing him.
"Where is Morgan?" Crais asked. "Where is Crichton?"
Bian pulled away from Shantar. "You must go. Morgan is ill, Bialar."
Crichton turned at Crais' voice. He moved quickly away from the Peacekeeper camp, grabbing Crais' arm and dragging him along towards the fields at the edge of the settlement. "Come on. Shantar's people have a Prowler hidden. You need to get on Moya and star burst out of here." He stopped and looked at the Captain. "This is twice I've saved your ass. Everything set on Talyn?"
Crais nodded. "Yes. Talyn has assured me that you will have no problem from him." He opened his hand, revealing a small round device that looked to Crichton like a transponder. "This is a tracking device that Morgan developed approximately two monens ago. I will have the other half with me on Moya." He smiled fondly at the thought of Morgan, handing the device to Crichton. "She said it was for emergencies."
Crichton took the tracker. "Yeah, well, leave it to Morgan to think of it." He shook Crais' hand. "Go. Get out of here. We'll bring Talyn." He grabbed an end of the camouflage that covered the Prowler, helping Crais and Shantar pull it free.
Crais climbed up the side, popping the canopy and leaning in to fire up the systems. It had been a long time since he had flown a Prowler. He looked down at Crichton. "You mean Talyn will bring you," he corrected.
"The gunship will not be going anywhere, Captain Crais," Torsin called as he and a few of his men approached. "And neither will you."
Crais stood up, gazing down at the man. "I should have killed you instead of Lt. Teeg," he hissed, jumping to the ground. He approached Torsin, shrugging off his jacket, tossing it Crichton as he walked past. "What did High Command offer you? A full pardon? A promotion? Retirement on some pleasure planet?" Crais held his arms open in invitation.
Torsin waved his officers back. They had awoken to discover Morgan gone, and immediately began to search the settlement. He removed his own uniform jacket and began to stalk Crais. "You ruined my career as well as your own. You had potential Crais and you threw it away over some weak, pathetic human." Torsin lunged at Crais.
By now a group of settlers had encircled Torsin and Crais as well as the remaining Peacekeepers who were starting to awake. As Torsin lunged forward, Crais grabbed his hand and jerked him to the side, bending his arm backwards, driving the wiry man to his knees. "You do realize that you have spent enough time in Captain Langtree's company to deemed irreversibly contaminated."
Torsin reached back and down, wrapping his fingers around Crais' leg. He applied enough pressure to the veins in the back of Crais' knee to numb it, pouncing on the Captain as he fell. Torsin wrapped his hands around Crais' neck, strangling his former superior. "I have been given special permission to pursue you and the human. As long as I return her alive and the gunship collared, I can still get my reward for your stinking corpse."
Crais' chest began to tighten as the flow of oxygen was cut off. He let go of one of Torsin's wrists, reaching down to his waist and retrieving one of his knives. Torsin was so intent in choking him that he didn't even realize Crais had released him until the former Peacekeeper drove the blade into his leg, burying it to the hilt. Torsin screamed in pain, releasing him and rolling onto the ground. Crais gasped, his breath coming fast and hard. He rolled up onto his knees, grabbing Torsin by the hair, wrapping one arm around his neck, placing his other hand on his chin. "The only corpse High Command will get will be yours. And…" Crais lowered his voice so that the only ones who could hear him were Crichton and Shantar. His breath was warm on Torsin's ear as he hissed, "These weak, pathetic humans are my friends, my family now, and they are no match for you. Especially Morgan Langtree, MY lover, MY woman," he emphasized. Crais leaned back. "You could never please her anyway, as demanding as she is." Crichton's mouth dropped open at Crais' words. With a quick jerk of his hand, Crais snapped Torsin's neck. He stood up, pulling his knife from Torsin's leg and wiping it off as he dropped the dead Peacekeeper.
Shantar and his men surrounded the Peacekeepers that had accompanied Torsin as Crais strode back to the Prowler. He took his jacket from Crichton without a word and climbed up into the ship.
Crichton and the others moved away as the small ship began to lift into the air. The ship turned and banked, the settlers moving away from the main thoroughfare as Crais opened fire on the retreating Peacekeepers and their makeshift camp.
Crichton watched in shock. "Crais! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled to the Prowler as it climbed through the atmosphere.
Shantar grabbed Crichton's jacket, slamming him back against a low wall. "This had to be done and you know it as well as I. And you still have a job to do." He pointed to the retreating Prowler. "Be thankful to whatever gods you worship Crais still had the backbone to do it!"
Crichton looked at the carnage before him. He knew Shantar was right. He knew they had to be silenced. He just didn't have to agree with it. He tapped his comm. "Aeryn, Crais is on his way."
"Its' about frelling time. Morgan refuses to let Zhaan near her and she has already threatened to kill Chiana and Rygel."
Crichton sighed. "As soon as Crais gets on board, get out of here."
"What about you?"
"D'Argo, Stark and I will follow on Talyn."
"And the command carrier?"
Crichton was already following Shantar and Bian to the building that housed the settlements communication equipment. "I'm handling that as we speak. He stopped, rubbing his eyes. "Aeryn, I love you. Take care of Morgan."
"We will." She paused. "I love you. Hurry."
Copyright 2002, Beth A. Carpenter
Crichton stared at the Peacekeeper displayed on Moya's clamshell. The uniform collar itched and he clenched his fists behind his back to keep from scratching his neck. He listened quietly, his face impassive, his fury at the situation growing with every minute.
"Captain Torsin has given them 48 arns to produce Captain Crais," the woman before him said. "He is hoping the Leviathan hybrid is somewhere on the planet. Do you wish for me to contact him, sir?"
"No. Not yet, Lieutenant. We will do some preliminary scans of the planet. As soon as our Leviathan is sedated, we will join the Captain in his search."
"Very good sir. Your assistance is appreciated. The other two carriers in our group have been occupied with keeping the Scarrens from the sector until Captain Crais is found." She tilted her head slightly. "I take it the new Leviathan project is proceeding well by your presence this far out in the Uncharted Territories."
"It is proceeding better than expected," Crichton replied, smiling slightly.
"Very good. I will await for your signal sir." The clamshell went blank.
Crichton turned and scratched his neck, opening the collar of the Peacekeeper uniform he was wearing. "I told you they were in trouble. It's a good thing you picked up that Peacekeeper signal, Zhaan."
Zhaan and D'Argo slipped out from their hiding places, a look of concern etched on the priestesses face. "How do you propose to help them, John?"
"First we need to locate Talyn," Aeryn commented, unzipping and removing her own uniform jacket. "I suspect that's where Crais is."
Crichton chewed his thumb in contemplation, leaning against the console. "Which means Morgan is covering for him." He shook his head, leaning the other hand on the console. "Damn her. Why do I always seem to have to go and get her out of trouble?" he mumbled.
D'Argo gazed down at the human. "You mean this is common?"
Crichton turned blue eyes up to look at the towering Luxan. "Lately." He shrugged looking at the others. "Although growing up, she was always getting me out of trouble."
"Well, at least we found them," Zhaan said, moving to the scanner console. "Pilot, has Moya located Talyn yet?"
Pilot's image appeared on the clamshell. "Moya can detect no sign of Talyn. But there is a rock formation approximately a metra from the settlement that is large enough to hide a Leviathan of his size."
Crichton turned and looked at the display of the rock formation as Aeryn stepped up beside him. "Pilot, what does the formation consist of?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in thought.
Pilot's arms moved around him and he looked up, his eyes blinking. "It is made up of iridium crystals and another complex substance neither Moya nor I can identify."
Crichton leaned towards the clamshell. "Pilot, what's the basic element making up the substance? The simplest compound."
Pilot looked down. "I believe you call it carbon, Crichton."
Crichton's eyes lit up as he gazed at the mathematical formula Pilot displayed for the rock. He laughed. "That mountain is made of coal! Compressed carbon is coal!" He looked back at Pilot. "Can you get any life form readings at all from it?"
Pilot blinked. "No. The combination of iridium and…coal is keeping any signal from traveling in or out of the caves within that formation."
"Pilot, have Moya try a thin, narrow band transmission and see if we get anything back," Crichton said. He smiled at Aeryn.
Stark hurried onto the bridge, mumbling to himself as he rushed to Zhaan's side. "Not good. No, not good at all."
The others looked at him. "What's wrong Stark?" the Delvian asked.
Stark looked at her and then the others, his eye fixing on Crichton. "Moya has confirmed that Morgan is on the planet and in the settlement. Based on transmissions she has picked up from the Peacekeeper ship, Captain Torsin has her in custody."
Pilot turned his gaze towards Stark. "According to Moya's scans, she is currently being held in the settlement's square.
Crichton's face grew dark. "The Lieutenant failed to mention that little fact," he commented.
Aeryn looked at him. "That shouldn't surprise you."
"It doesn't," he answered, stalking off the bridge.
The intruder alert klaxon abruptly began to sound. Crais and Shantar both whirled to face the bridge doors, pulse pistols raised and aimed. "Talyn, identify the intruder," Crais commanded. The gunship chirped and he lowered his pistol as a boy from the settlement ran onto the bridge, out of breath.
The boy looked up at the two men. "Shantar, you must come. They have captured Captain Langtree."
Shantar holstered the pistol, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hold on. Calm down and start over," he said, kneeling in front of the boy.
"Who has Captain Langtree?" Crais demanded, staring down at the panicked youngster.
The boy turned and looked at Crais. "The Peacekeepers. She was on her way here when Torsin stopped her. He tried to force himself on her and when she fought back, he discovered the…the…" The boy looked at Shantar and shrugged, not able to find the words he wanted.
Crais turned and pulled his unbound hair to the side. "This?" he asked, his voice unusually calm.
Shantar looked up at Crais, noticing the lethal fury that he was barely containing. He looked back to the boy. "Torsin discovered her transponder?"
The boy nodded. "Yes, sir." He leaned forward, shyly saying, "He called Captain Langtree a few words mother told me never to repeat and insulted Captain Crais' manhood as well."
Crais glared at Shantar and stormed off of Talyn's bridge, checking the charge in his pulse pistol as he headed towards the access hatch. He had had enough of this. Jealousy clenched at his heart and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around Torsin's neck at the thought of the Peacekeeper's hands on Morgan.
"Crais! Wait! You can't go charging in there like a madman." Shantar caught his breath, leaning against the bulkhead. The boy slipped past them both, heading back to the village. "Torsin will kill her and all the others."
"Torsin will kill them anyway. I am not going to sit by and…Coming from where?" He concentrated on Talyn, turning back to the bridge, Shantar behind him. "Are you sure?"
Shantar looked at Crais. "What is it?"
Crais canted his head as he stood in the middle of the gunship's bridge. "Talyn has picked up a low beam transmission filtering through the rocks." Crais paused, listening to the message, a plan forming in his mind as a calculating smile crossed his face. "There is only one person I know who could figure out how to get through to us."
"And who would that be?" Shantar asked.
Crais turned and looked at Shantar. "John Crichton."
Crichton stepped out of Aeryn's Prowler and sauntered up to a group of laughing Peacekeepers. He gazed down at them, looking them over and then turned his attention to the square where Morgan was bound to a tree. Her hair curtained her face as she hung her head, whether unconscious or asleep, he couldn't tell.
"Attention!" Aeryn called from behind him.
The Peacekeepers snapped to attention. "Where is Torsin?" Crichton demanded, his voice carrying enough authority and attitude to be believable. This was not the first time he had impersonated a Peacekeeper and, Crichton thought to himself, it probably wouldn't be the last.
One of the Peacekeeper's stepped forward. "With the prisoner sir."
"Very good." Crichton and Aeryn marched past them, heading towards the square where he could now see Torsin and Morgan clearly. His stomach tightened at the sight his cousin, bruised and bloody. "Captain Torsin!" he yelled, stopping the Peacekeeper from slapping Morgan again.
Torsin turned and snapped immediately to attention. He had studied the information his second had sent him on Crichton and deferred to false impression that Crichton was his superior. "Sir. I was not expecting you for another arn."
Crichton stepped up to him, his eyes hard. "The Leviathan was sedated sooner than we expected. Have you found Captain Crais yet?"
"No sir. I was interrogating the prisoner as to his whereabouts," Torsin responded.
Crichton turned to Morgan, slowly approaching her. He roughly took her chin in his hand, studying the bruises that peppered her face. She was also hot, feverish. His brow furrowed in consideration. "So this is the human we have heard so much about," he remarked. Their eyes met. "Doesn't seem to be very special to me." Morgan's eyes narrowed and she spat on him, taking him right in the face. Good, he thought, you've still got your spark.
"You tralk!" Torsin grabbed Morgan's hair, snapping her head back.
Crichton wiped the spit from his face casually. "Release her, Torsin. She will pay for that in time." He turned to Aeryn. "Return to your Prowler and contact the ship. Let them know a positive identification has been made." He gazed back at Torsin. "I am sure Scorpius will reward you handsomely for her capture." Only Aeryn saw the crossed fingers behind Crichton's back.
"Scorpius, sir?" Torsin repeated in surprise.
Crichton nodded. "Yes. She is wanted by him for certain information she possesses." He smiled evilly. "I would not advise 'interrogating' her any further."
Torsin cringed inwardly. "Yes sir."
Crichton drew himself up to his full height, gazing around the Peacekeeper camp. "Now, some food and drink would be most appreciated."
Morgan watched as they walked away, leaning her head back and closing her eyes, sighing in relief.
Crais frowned as the transmission faded in and out, the clamshell holding D'Argo and Zhaan's image full of static. "And just how do you propose to get down here Luxan?"
D'Argo growled. "Crichton has made arrangements with Torsin to…" The clamshell blanked momentarily. "…bring down fresh supplies to his men from Moya. We will bring the transport pod down, hiding on it until nightfall."
Zhaan leaned forward, laying a soothing hand on D'Argo's arm. "Crais, Crichton will try and get Morgan released and brought to Moya," she added.
Crais shook his head. "No. I want her here, on Talyn, with me," he demanded.
Even through the garbled transmissions, Zhaan could see the anguish on the ex-Peacekeeper's face. "Crais, she is hurt. Aeryn claims Torsin has beaten her badly. Let John bring her here."
Crais' face grew darker, his eyes growing hard. He didn't trust them not to starburst, taking Morgan from him. "Then I will bring her to you myself." He cut the shaky transmission, leaning his hands on the console, hanging his head, eyes closed. "Talyn, remain on standby."
Shantar looked at Crais. "Are you sure this will work?" he asked quietly.
Crais looked up and out the dark viewport. "I am counting on it."
Aeryn stepped up to Morgan on the pretense of checking the bindings holding her to the tree. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Peachy. Just frelling wonderful." She glanced to where her cousin sat with Torsin. She inhaled slowly, her ribs hurting from Torsin's beating. She never told him where Crais was. "What are you doing here?"
Aeryn slipped something in Morgan's hand, walking around the tree to face her. "Crichton suspected something had happened when you didn't show up at Terantic. Zhaan caught the echo of a Peacekeeper signal and when Moya analyzed it, we found the command group and followed it." She paused, a smile tugging at her lips. "Followed it based on one of John's hunches." She gazed over at her lover. "We may make a Peacekeeper of him yet."
"There's a thought. Funny, Crais keeps saying the same about me." She sighed, noticing Torsin looking at her. "Why don't you just frelling back off?" she screamed at Aeryn. "I'm not telling you a thing!"
Aeryn picked up on the cue, slamming her fist into Morgan's stomach. "Be thankful Scorpius wants you returned to him alive."
"Trouble Officer?" Crichton asked, immediately stepping up beside Aeryn, Torsin behind him.
Aeryn snapped to attention. "No sir. Just teaching this inferior human some manners."
Crichton looked at where Morgan hung bent over vomiting from Aeryn's punch. "Good. Come. The Captain has some fine raslak he is willing to share with us." He spun on one heel, engaging Torsin in conversation, leading him back to the camp.
"Thanks," Morgan moaned quietly.
"No problem," Aeryn answered. She followed Crichton, her own dinner having made its way to the back of her throat at what she had just done to Morgan. She took a bottle of raslak, taking a deep drink to wash the bile back down.
Morgan let out a breath, slowly pulling herself up. Her eyes met Bian's across the square and she shook her head. She didn't want the settler's in any worse trouble than they were already in. She turned the knife in her hand, working it under the bindings, slowly moving it back and forth. Morgan smiled, leaning her head against the tree. Crais had taught her more than just what he preferred in bed over the last six months and Morgan swiftly put that knowledge to good use.
D'Argo and Stark slipped through the dark caves, stopping every so often to guarantee no one was following them. The Luxan held his Qualta blade ready, following Stark as they made their way to Talyn.
"He has grown," Stark whispered in awe, slipping through the access hatch.
Crais met them in the corridor. "Where are Crichton and Morgan?"
"Still in the settlement. Crichton and Aeryn are trying to keep Torsin from her," D'Argo answered, sheathing the blade.
"Should that reassure me?" Crais snapped.
D'Argo stared down at him growling. Stark slipped between them, laying a hand on the Luxan's chest. "Aeryn has slipped her a blade. You must be ready."
Crais glared at the slave. "Talyn's repairs are almost complete. Your help here would be most useful." He turned, marching back to the bridge, not even waiting to see if they followed.
Stark looked at Crais curiously. "He has found the better part of himself," he said to himself, forgetting that D'Argo was standing right beside him.
The Luxan simply snorted.
Crichton handed Morgan a pulse pistol and a flagon. "Drink?"
She looked at Crichton, a small smile on her face. "Screwdriver. 7 & 7. Margarita," she quipped, tossing the flagon back and gulping down the cold water. She held it to her head.
Bian stood next to Morgan, watching, her pulse pistol perched on her hip, her finger on the trigger. "They won't stay out for long. What's the next move?"
Crichton looked at her. "How long will it take for them to sleep it off?"
Bian shook her head. "Maybe a few arns. Not long enough to get Talyn out of here."
Morgan weakly handed the flagon back to Crichton. "Some of Talyn's systems are still down." She pushed herself away from the tree, staggering forward. "I need to…" Morgan reached out, grabbing for Crichton.
Aeryn was the first to notice the paleness of her face. "What's the matter?" she asked, helping Crichton support the smaller woman.
"Just a bit dizzy." She gave Crichton a lopsided smile. "Not used to getting beat up anymore." She pushed herself away from him, moving towards the path that led to the caves. "I need to get to Talyn. I have to help Crais finish…" Morgan stumbled, dropping to her knees as pain shot up her healing leg. "Aw frell," she sighed, not even having enough strength to curse.
Crichton wrapped his arm around her waist. "You need to get to Moya."
Morgan shook her head, allowing Crichton to help her stand. "No. I won't leave Crais," she insisted. She took one step forward, her legs crumbling beneath her as she passed out.
"Aeryn get her back to Moya." He picked up his cousin's limp body and carried it to the Prowler, taking care not to wake any of the drunk Peacekeepers.
"What about you?" she asked, grabbing Crichton's arm as he climbed down from the cockpit. Their eyes met, locking.
Crichton pulled Aeryn into his arms. "I'll get Crais and the others. We'll return to Moya on the transport pod. Talyn can follow."
Aeryn kissed Crichton, then climbed into the Prowler. Morgan moaned softly behind her. "What about the command carrier?" she asked as an afterthought.
Crichton shrugged, backing away. "Beat's me. I'm making this up as I go along."
Aeryn sighed as the canopy closed over her and Morgan. "Oh, wonderful."
Crais surveyed the path back to the settlement, signaling to Shantar. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon and he looked through the trees at the slowly awakening settlement. The older man stepped up to him and he pointed. "It appears Commander Crichton has managed to get them passed out drunk," Crais observed.
Shantar surveyed the too quiet Peacekeeper camp. "We don't have much time."
They continued on, pulse pistols at the ready. Both men had almost reached the square when Crais stepped on a twig, the wood snapping loudly beneath his boots. He froze.
"Who goes there?" Bian called softly, scanning the woods. She didn't see them in the half-light of dawn.
"It is Crais."
The Sebacean woman lowered her pulse rifle, rushing forward to meet them. She enfolded Shantar in her arms, kissing him.
"Where is Morgan?" Crais asked. "Where is Crichton?"
Bian pulled away from Shantar. "You must go. Morgan is ill, Bialar."
Crichton turned at Crais' voice. He moved quickly away from the Peacekeeper camp, grabbing Crais' arm and dragging him along towards the fields at the edge of the settlement. "Come on. Shantar's people have a Prowler hidden. You need to get on Moya and star burst out of here." He stopped and looked at the Captain. "This is twice I've saved your ass. Everything set on Talyn?"
Crais nodded. "Yes. Talyn has assured me that you will have no problem from him." He opened his hand, revealing a small round device that looked to Crichton like a transponder. "This is a tracking device that Morgan developed approximately two monens ago. I will have the other half with me on Moya." He smiled fondly at the thought of Morgan, handing the device to Crichton. "She said it was for emergencies."
Crichton took the tracker. "Yeah, well, leave it to Morgan to think of it." He shook Crais' hand. "Go. Get out of here. We'll bring Talyn." He grabbed an end of the camouflage that covered the Prowler, helping Crais and Shantar pull it free.
Crais climbed up the side, popping the canopy and leaning in to fire up the systems. It had been a long time since he had flown a Prowler. He looked down at Crichton. "You mean Talyn will bring you," he corrected.
"The gunship will not be going anywhere, Captain Crais," Torsin called as he and a few of his men approached. "And neither will you."
Crais stood up, gazing down at the man. "I should have killed you instead of Lt. Teeg," he hissed, jumping to the ground. He approached Torsin, shrugging off his jacket, tossing it Crichton as he walked past. "What did High Command offer you? A full pardon? A promotion? Retirement on some pleasure planet?" Crais held his arms open in invitation.
Torsin waved his officers back. They had awoken to discover Morgan gone, and immediately began to search the settlement. He removed his own uniform jacket and began to stalk Crais. "You ruined my career as well as your own. You had potential Crais and you threw it away over some weak, pathetic human." Torsin lunged at Crais.
By now a group of settlers had encircled Torsin and Crais as well as the remaining Peacekeepers who were starting to awake. As Torsin lunged forward, Crais grabbed his hand and jerked him to the side, bending his arm backwards, driving the wiry man to his knees. "You do realize that you have spent enough time in Captain Langtree's company to deemed irreversibly contaminated."
Torsin reached back and down, wrapping his fingers around Crais' leg. He applied enough pressure to the veins in the back of Crais' knee to numb it, pouncing on the Captain as he fell. Torsin wrapped his hands around Crais' neck, strangling his former superior. "I have been given special permission to pursue you and the human. As long as I return her alive and the gunship collared, I can still get my reward for your stinking corpse."
Crais' chest began to tighten as the flow of oxygen was cut off. He let go of one of Torsin's wrists, reaching down to his waist and retrieving one of his knives. Torsin was so intent in choking him that he didn't even realize Crais had released him until the former Peacekeeper drove the blade into his leg, burying it to the hilt. Torsin screamed in pain, releasing him and rolling onto the ground. Crais gasped, his breath coming fast and hard. He rolled up onto his knees, grabbing Torsin by the hair, wrapping one arm around his neck, placing his other hand on his chin. "The only corpse High Command will get will be yours. And…" Crais lowered his voice so that the only ones who could hear him were Crichton and Shantar. His breath was warm on Torsin's ear as he hissed, "These weak, pathetic humans are my friends, my family now, and they are no match for you. Especially Morgan Langtree, MY lover, MY woman," he emphasized. Crais leaned back. "You could never please her anyway, as demanding as she is." Crichton's mouth dropped open at Crais' words. With a quick jerk of his hand, Crais snapped Torsin's neck. He stood up, pulling his knife from Torsin's leg and wiping it off as he dropped the dead Peacekeeper.
Shantar and his men surrounded the Peacekeepers that had accompanied Torsin as Crais strode back to the Prowler. He took his jacket from Crichton without a word and climbed up into the ship.
Crichton and the others moved away as the small ship began to lift into the air. The ship turned and banked, the settlers moving away from the main thoroughfare as Crais opened fire on the retreating Peacekeepers and their makeshift camp.
Crichton watched in shock. "Crais! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled to the Prowler as it climbed through the atmosphere.
Shantar grabbed Crichton's jacket, slamming him back against a low wall. "This had to be done and you know it as well as I. And you still have a job to do." He pointed to the retreating Prowler. "Be thankful to whatever gods you worship Crais still had the backbone to do it!"
Crichton looked at the carnage before him. He knew Shantar was right. He knew they had to be silenced. He just didn't have to agree with it. He tapped his comm. "Aeryn, Crais is on his way."
"Its' about frelling time. Morgan refuses to let Zhaan near her and she has already threatened to kill Chiana and Rygel."
Crichton sighed. "As soon as Crais gets on board, get out of here."
"What about you?"
"D'Argo, Stark and I will follow on Talyn."
"And the command carrier?"
Crichton was already following Shantar and Bian to the building that housed the settlements communication equipment. "I'm handling that as we speak. He stopped, rubbing his eyes. "Aeryn, I love you. Take care of Morgan."
"We will." She paused. "I love you. Hurry."
Copyright 2002, Beth A. Carpenter
