Title: The Journey Home
Chapter 3: A History Lesson
Rated: R
***
After Jool administered the shot, the group had stayed in the central chamber to talk. "So,
how is the new Pilot and Talyn getting along?" Cassandra asked Crais.
Talyn was now fully grown and nearly twice the size of Moya, which was a combination of the
genetic tempering the Peacekeepers did and the fact that male leviathans are bigger than
females. They had all decided that the best thing for Talyn would be to have a Pilot instead
of Captain, until then Crais would remain his Captain. Two monens ago, Talyn had finally reached
maturity, and Crais had taken him to the Pilots' home-world. It took the Pilots over a monen to
chose a suitable Pilot for the gunship, and this was the first time the crew of Moya had seen them
since the Pilot had joined with Talyn.
"They seem to like each other, though Talyn was slightly distrustful at first," Crais replied.
"Hopefully, the Pilot's presence will calm him down," D'Argo remarked.
"Is it a female or male Pilot?" Jool asked.
"Female."
"Are you going to come with us?" Chiana asked changing the subject. Crais and Cassandra could
talk forever about Talyn, and if Aeryn joined in, they could talk for an eternity.
"Come with you?" he asked puzzled.
"I hadn't had the chance to tell him," Cassandra said shooting daggers at Chiana.
"Where are you going?"
"John and Cassandra figured out the wormhole technology," Jool explained.
Crais turned guarded eyes to Cassandra, "You are going home."
"Only for a visit, I'm not going to stay," she assured him, and he relaxed visibly.
"Then, yes," Crais said replying to Chiana's question. "Talyn and I will be coming. Besides,
Talyn wishes to speak with Moya more about Pilots."
"Moya gets to play Mommy, that should make her happy," Cassandra remarked with a grin.
"How are you adjusting to the absence of the transponder?" Jool asked.
"It's not completely gone, Talyn was adamant that until he was bonded completely to the new Pilot
that I still be linked to him. So I have a smaller version that allows me to keep in contact with
Talyn. I don't have control over any of his systems, it's just a conscious link," he explained.
They talked for another arn or so, until Jool stood saying she wanted to check on Jack, and D'Argo
left with her. Chiana stayed though, and the conversation turned to Earth.
"How many cycles have you been gone now?" Chiana asked.
"Me? I've been gone about six cycles; John's been gone about eight, though."
"You and John always talk about your Dad and DK, is there anyone else you miss?" Chiana asked.
"In rare moments I find myself missing my sister," she said grinning.
"You have a sister?" Chiana asked. "Neither one of you ever mention her."
"That's cause we have a mutual hate-hate relationship with her." At Chiana's confused expression,
Cassandra began explaining. "See, John's the oldest. Laura, or Laurie as we call her, is two cycles
younger than John, and she's three cycles older than me; I'm the baby," she grinned. "Laurie can be
a real bitch. She thinks that John and I wasted ourselves by following in Dad's footsteps. She and
Dad don't get along to well either. She doesn't have a lot of patience for anything that deals with
space... or science for that matter."
"So she's not a tech," Crais prompted.
"She's not an anything. She married this rich real estate guy and sits on her but all day. He's a
real idiot, too. I hope they didn't breed, it'd contaminate the gene pool," Cassandra said only-half
joking. "They didn't have any kids when I left, but who knows now."
"Why do you miss her then?" Chiana asked.
"I don't know. Despite everything mean she says and does to us, John and I can't hate her." She
scowled, "Though I've tried." She brightened. "I wish I could see her face when she finds out where
we've been, what we've been doing," she looked at Crais and leered, "and who we've been doing it with."
Chiana laughed; Cassandra and Crais had a very unique relationship, only Aeryn and John's had been
slightly weirder. 'Maybe it's just Humans,' she thought. She knew that Cassandra and Crais cared very
much for each other though neither had ever mentioned the word love. She knew they had a few, what
Cassandra called, "make-out sessions" but they hadn't frelled. Which was probably because of what happened
to Cassandra when she was with the K'lar'in, as well as the fact that giving into their desires would
mean another step in their relationship. Cassandra had tried explaining the whole complicated mess to
her, but it had just confused her. Her reply had been simple. "Frell him, already!"
"I want to see my nephew," Cassandra announced standing. "Wanna come?"
Crais and Chiana stood and the three walked to John and Aeryn's quarters, Cassandra keeping a steady
stream of conversation going. Chiana often found herself amazed at the way things had turned out.
Crais had begun as an enemy, and now was considered a friend and someone who could be trusted. With
John and Cassandra's influence, Crais had softened, revealing the caring boy who had been ripped from
his home by the Peacekeepers. The only link to his home had been Tauvo, which is why he had gone
slightly farbot when John and Tauvo crashed. If you watched him around Cassandra, you could see hints
of the man he would have become without the influence of the Peacekeepers, a great man.
***
John watched Aeryn sleep. D'Argo and Jool had been by to see Jack, but had left when they saw Aeryn
was still asleep, taking Xhalax with them. Jack slept beside his mom, basking in the love his parents
felt for him. Aeryn woke instantly when he shifted. Little Jack was waking up because he was hungry.
Aeryn looked at the smile on John's face and then back at their son. Jack quieted when Aeryn brought
him to her breast.
"Where is Xhalax?" Aeryn asked, noticing her daughter had disappeared from John's lap.
"D'Argo and Jool stopped by. Xhalax left with them," he smiled, "I guess I wasn't providing much
entertainment."
They stared at each other in silence, their eyes conveying the deep love they felt for each other more
than words ever could. John felt his chest tighten with his love for her and their children. Aeryn
made a beautiful mother. It had been hard for her at first, learning how to care for a baby, but
D'Argo's experience helped. Zhaan and Cassandra were both at ease around Xhalax and able to help.
Jool and Chiana were eager to learn how to help. Even Rygel and Stark and been sucked into the need
to care for her. Aeryn was a very lucky first mother to have so much help, and Xhalax was
becoming a very well-rounded child.
Xhalax was the splitting image of Aeryn with one exception; she had John's eyes. Xhalax was a
highly intelligent child, even more so than the above-average Human or Sebacean. Jool believed
this was because of the traces of Pilot DNA in her genes. She was physically almost four cycles
old, Aeryn's pregnancy had lasted a monen longer than the average Sebacean pregnancy. However,
her physical appearance disguised the unbelievable intelligence she had. John figured that she
knew more than the average ten-year-old Human child, even if she acted like the average
four-year-old. She already helped care for Moya and was trying to con John or Aeryn into teaching
her to fly.
"I love you," John said softly.
"Come here," Aeryn said and held out her free hand. John stood and walked over to the bed. He sat
down beside her, and she immediately curled towards him. She rested her head on his shoulder and he
wrapped his arms around her and Jack, who had fallen asleep at his mother's breast. She looked up at
him and their eyes met. Aeryn leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I like it better
when you hold me and say you love me."
John smiled, "I love you." He kissed her again.
"I love you, too."
Their kiss was broken by the sounds of laughter coming down the corridor. The three 'C's were coming
for a visit. John laughed softly at the thought. Cassandra had called them that one time they had
been on a Commerce Planet and the three had gotten everyone in trouble. Cassandra had taken to calling
them the three 'C's or the 'Three Caballeros' or similar sayings ever since.
"Yoo-ho! Anyone home?" Cassandra asked in a soft sing-song voice, just in case Aeryn and Jack were
asleep.
John grinned at Aeryn and called out, "Go away!"
Cassandra bust out laughing, "Come on, peps, John is trying to get some!"
The three walked away but not before John and Aeryn heard Chiana ask, "Get some what?"
"What *are* you trying to get?" Aeryn asked smiling. John leaned close and kissed her softly. The
kiss soon began to heat.
"Three days," John groaned and broke the kiss. He got up from the bed and began to pace trying to
cool his blood. Aeryn couldn't help smiling, he looked so adorable.
***
TBC
WELL... what do ya think? Please review or send me an e-mail!
~Artemis Luna Diana~
Chapter 3: A History Lesson
Rated: R
***
After Jool administered the shot, the group had stayed in the central chamber to talk. "So,
how is the new Pilot and Talyn getting along?" Cassandra asked Crais.
Talyn was now fully grown and nearly twice the size of Moya, which was a combination of the
genetic tempering the Peacekeepers did and the fact that male leviathans are bigger than
females. They had all decided that the best thing for Talyn would be to have a Pilot instead
of Captain, until then Crais would remain his Captain. Two monens ago, Talyn had finally reached
maturity, and Crais had taken him to the Pilots' home-world. It took the Pilots over a monen to
chose a suitable Pilot for the gunship, and this was the first time the crew of Moya had seen them
since the Pilot had joined with Talyn.
"They seem to like each other, though Talyn was slightly distrustful at first," Crais replied.
"Hopefully, the Pilot's presence will calm him down," D'Argo remarked.
"Is it a female or male Pilot?" Jool asked.
"Female."
"Are you going to come with us?" Chiana asked changing the subject. Crais and Cassandra could
talk forever about Talyn, and if Aeryn joined in, they could talk for an eternity.
"Come with you?" he asked puzzled.
"I hadn't had the chance to tell him," Cassandra said shooting daggers at Chiana.
"Where are you going?"
"John and Cassandra figured out the wormhole technology," Jool explained.
Crais turned guarded eyes to Cassandra, "You are going home."
"Only for a visit, I'm not going to stay," she assured him, and he relaxed visibly.
"Then, yes," Crais said replying to Chiana's question. "Talyn and I will be coming. Besides,
Talyn wishes to speak with Moya more about Pilots."
"Moya gets to play Mommy, that should make her happy," Cassandra remarked with a grin.
"How are you adjusting to the absence of the transponder?" Jool asked.
"It's not completely gone, Talyn was adamant that until he was bonded completely to the new Pilot
that I still be linked to him. So I have a smaller version that allows me to keep in contact with
Talyn. I don't have control over any of his systems, it's just a conscious link," he explained.
They talked for another arn or so, until Jool stood saying she wanted to check on Jack, and D'Argo
left with her. Chiana stayed though, and the conversation turned to Earth.
"How many cycles have you been gone now?" Chiana asked.
"Me? I've been gone about six cycles; John's been gone about eight, though."
"You and John always talk about your Dad and DK, is there anyone else you miss?" Chiana asked.
"In rare moments I find myself missing my sister," she said grinning.
"You have a sister?" Chiana asked. "Neither one of you ever mention her."
"That's cause we have a mutual hate-hate relationship with her." At Chiana's confused expression,
Cassandra began explaining. "See, John's the oldest. Laura, or Laurie as we call her, is two cycles
younger than John, and she's three cycles older than me; I'm the baby," she grinned. "Laurie can be
a real bitch. She thinks that John and I wasted ourselves by following in Dad's footsteps. She and
Dad don't get along to well either. She doesn't have a lot of patience for anything that deals with
space... or science for that matter."
"So she's not a tech," Crais prompted.
"She's not an anything. She married this rich real estate guy and sits on her but all day. He's a
real idiot, too. I hope they didn't breed, it'd contaminate the gene pool," Cassandra said only-half
joking. "They didn't have any kids when I left, but who knows now."
"Why do you miss her then?" Chiana asked.
"I don't know. Despite everything mean she says and does to us, John and I can't hate her." She
scowled, "Though I've tried." She brightened. "I wish I could see her face when she finds out where
we've been, what we've been doing," she looked at Crais and leered, "and who we've been doing it with."
Chiana laughed; Cassandra and Crais had a very unique relationship, only Aeryn and John's had been
slightly weirder. 'Maybe it's just Humans,' she thought. She knew that Cassandra and Crais cared very
much for each other though neither had ever mentioned the word love. She knew they had a few, what
Cassandra called, "make-out sessions" but they hadn't frelled. Which was probably because of what happened
to Cassandra when she was with the K'lar'in, as well as the fact that giving into their desires would
mean another step in their relationship. Cassandra had tried explaining the whole complicated mess to
her, but it had just confused her. Her reply had been simple. "Frell him, already!"
"I want to see my nephew," Cassandra announced standing. "Wanna come?"
Crais and Chiana stood and the three walked to John and Aeryn's quarters, Cassandra keeping a steady
stream of conversation going. Chiana often found herself amazed at the way things had turned out.
Crais had begun as an enemy, and now was considered a friend and someone who could be trusted. With
John and Cassandra's influence, Crais had softened, revealing the caring boy who had been ripped from
his home by the Peacekeepers. The only link to his home had been Tauvo, which is why he had gone
slightly farbot when John and Tauvo crashed. If you watched him around Cassandra, you could see hints
of the man he would have become without the influence of the Peacekeepers, a great man.
***
John watched Aeryn sleep. D'Argo and Jool had been by to see Jack, but had left when they saw Aeryn
was still asleep, taking Xhalax with them. Jack slept beside his mom, basking in the love his parents
felt for him. Aeryn woke instantly when he shifted. Little Jack was waking up because he was hungry.
Aeryn looked at the smile on John's face and then back at their son. Jack quieted when Aeryn brought
him to her breast.
"Where is Xhalax?" Aeryn asked, noticing her daughter had disappeared from John's lap.
"D'Argo and Jool stopped by. Xhalax left with them," he smiled, "I guess I wasn't providing much
entertainment."
They stared at each other in silence, their eyes conveying the deep love they felt for each other more
than words ever could. John felt his chest tighten with his love for her and their children. Aeryn
made a beautiful mother. It had been hard for her at first, learning how to care for a baby, but
D'Argo's experience helped. Zhaan and Cassandra were both at ease around Xhalax and able to help.
Jool and Chiana were eager to learn how to help. Even Rygel and Stark and been sucked into the need
to care for her. Aeryn was a very lucky first mother to have so much help, and Xhalax was
becoming a very well-rounded child.
Xhalax was the splitting image of Aeryn with one exception; she had John's eyes. Xhalax was a
highly intelligent child, even more so than the above-average Human or Sebacean. Jool believed
this was because of the traces of Pilot DNA in her genes. She was physically almost four cycles
old, Aeryn's pregnancy had lasted a monen longer than the average Sebacean pregnancy. However,
her physical appearance disguised the unbelievable intelligence she had. John figured that she
knew more than the average ten-year-old Human child, even if she acted like the average
four-year-old. She already helped care for Moya and was trying to con John or Aeryn into teaching
her to fly.
"I love you," John said softly.
"Come here," Aeryn said and held out her free hand. John stood and walked over to the bed. He sat
down beside her, and she immediately curled towards him. She rested her head on his shoulder and he
wrapped his arms around her and Jack, who had fallen asleep at his mother's breast. She looked up at
him and their eyes met. Aeryn leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I like it better
when you hold me and say you love me."
John smiled, "I love you." He kissed her again.
"I love you, too."
Their kiss was broken by the sounds of laughter coming down the corridor. The three 'C's were coming
for a visit. John laughed softly at the thought. Cassandra had called them that one time they had
been on a Commerce Planet and the three had gotten everyone in trouble. Cassandra had taken to calling
them the three 'C's or the 'Three Caballeros' or similar sayings ever since.
"Yoo-ho! Anyone home?" Cassandra asked in a soft sing-song voice, just in case Aeryn and Jack were
asleep.
John grinned at Aeryn and called out, "Go away!"
Cassandra bust out laughing, "Come on, peps, John is trying to get some!"
The three walked away but not before John and Aeryn heard Chiana ask, "Get some what?"
"What *are* you trying to get?" Aeryn asked smiling. John leaned close and kissed her softly. The
kiss soon began to heat.
"Three days," John groaned and broke the kiss. He got up from the bed and began to pace trying to
cool his blood. Aeryn couldn't help smiling, he looked so adorable.
***
TBC
WELL... what do ya think? Please review or send me an e-mail!
~Artemis Luna Diana~
