Title: The Journey Home

Chapter 10: The Plan

Rated: R

***

{day after Q & A}

"Dr. Kanzaki, Dr. Kirkland, Col. Crichton, and Ms. Crichton, let me introduce you
to the people you will be going up with," Secretary of Defense Thomas Clark said as
the five walked to the launch pad where five people stood waiting for them.

Thomas Clark stopped in front of the five strangers. "Commander William Knapp and
Lt. Matthew Reed will be your two man flight crew." The two men nodded at them.
"Dr. Lindsey Smith is a biologist and medical researcher; she'll be going up to find
out what type of medicines the aliens use." A skinny blond woman smiled at them. "I
believe you know Dr. Richard Price, an astrophysicist." A middle-aged black man
flashed DK and Umi a happy smile, and they laughed. DK had been worried that they
would send someone who was xenophobic. Dr. Price, however, was as alien happy as they
come. "Lastly, Dr. Dustin Mayfield, another physicist." A tall, well-built,
middle-aged, black-haired man nodded slightly. "We are skipping most of the pre-flight
checks, so each of you needs to report immediately to the examination area. Flight
time is in two hours."

***

"Is there anything you need us to send up with them?" Thomas Clark asked.

"Pizza," Cassandra replied instantly.

"Beer," John added.

"Peanut Butter."

"Chocolate," they sighed together.

Thomas Clark grinned at the antics of the two astronauts. "We'll send up some food
stuff."

"Ice cream!"

"Strawberries!"

***

"You going to fly over and pick them up?"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to get out, and I'm not going to open the door to the front
of the pod," John replied. "So they won't even know it's me flying."

"Is that such a good idea?" Cassandra asked.

"What do you mean?" John asked crawling out from underneath the ship he was working on.

"I don't know, I'd just feel better if someone other than one of us was flying."

John frowned. "Hand me that, will you." He ducked back under and held out a hand.
Cassandra placed the requested tool in it. "Thanks." Only the sounds of John's tinkering
under the ship could be heard for awhile. Cassandra shifted her weight in unease. The
sounds stopped. "How do you want to do it then?" John finally asked.

"I figured we could ask Crais to fly over in one of Talyn's transport pods. Since there
are guns in them, no one would try to take it over and capture the pilot. Then Crais could
bring them over here, drop them off, and go back to Talyn. No one would ever see the pilot,
and we wouldn't have to worry about one of us getting captured or hurt."

"Have you talked about this with Crais?"

"No, I figured I should talk to you first."

"I think we should do it."

Cassandra turned around and saw Aeryn leaning up against the ship behind her. John climbed
out from under the ship he was working on. "Why?" he asked her.

"Because I think it's a better idea than yours. How were you planning on getting around
them and over to us, if one of them turned out to be hostile?"

"I think you are both being paranoid," John replied. "But, I suppose I don't have a choice
in the matter?"

"No," Aeryn replied. She walked over to him, taking hold of his face with her hands, forcing
him to look at her. "Please, don't be mad."

John sighed and rested his forehead on hers. "I'm not mad."

Cassandra smiled slightly at them. "I'll go talk to Crais." She left them standing in the
bay, still leaning on each other.

***

"This is the song that doesn't end! Yes, it goes on and on my friend!"

"Zhaan! Do something!" Jool yelled.

"Some people started singing it!"

"I can't do anything!" she shouted covering her ears.

"Not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because!"

"HELP!" Jool screamed.

"This is the song that doesn't end!"

"Will you all shut-up!" D'Argo roared.

Xhalax laughed and started skipping around D'Argo while she sang. Stark sat at the table
singing while he waited for Chiana to finish. They had been gathering for the mid-day meal,
when Xhalax decided to teach Stark a song that Cassandra had taught her. Now the two were
shouting it at the top of their lungs. Chiana was cooking and humming along with them.

"I'm going to kill Cassandra," D'Argo said darkly.

"Not if I get there first," Zhaan replied.

"SOME PEOPLE STARTED SINGING IT!" Xhalax yelled especially loud.

John and Aeryn walked in unnoticed in all the noise. "HEY, HEY, HEY!" John shouted, bringing the
noise level down to silence. "What is going on in here?"

Xhalax looked up at her parents innocently. "Nothing. I just taught Uncle Stark a new song."

"Where did you learn it?" John asked. "No wait, what am I saying. Cassandra is the Queen
of Annoying Songs."

"Where is Jack?" Aeryn asked worried when she didn't spot her child.

"Rygel took him out of here when the singing first began," Zhaan said tiredly and sat beside
Stark who she shot a glare at. She tapped her com. "Rygel, it's safe to come back now."

"The frelling noise has stopped?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," she replied.

"We'll be right there." His com clicked off.

A few microts later, Rygel came in with Jack on his lap. The baby was cooing happily, he
had quite enjoyed the ride. Aeryn picked him up and shot a reproachful look at Xhalax, who
suddenly realized she wouldn't be getting out of this one.

"I'm sorry," Xhalax said softly.

John sighed, and Xhalax eyes lit, perhaps there was hope after all. "You are forbidden to
sing that song around people who might be offended," Aeryn said before John could forgive
their precocious daughter. Xhalax scowled; Mom just had to ruin it.

Cassandra walked in at that point. She was greeted with a number of yells, "YOU!"

"Whoa, hold up! What did I do?"

***

By the time the crew had finished the mid-day meal, the yelling had completed and it was
discovered that not only had Cassandra taught Xhalax 'the Song That Doesn't End,' she had
also taught her 'the Eeiner Meiner Miner Moe song' and 'the Skinamerinky Dinky Dink song.'
(a/n: I have no clue how to spell the titles of these songs, I just know how to sing 'em
and that they're annoying, lol) After the final recriminations had past, the topic of
discussion instantly became the soon-to-be-visitors.

"How will you tell them about Xhalax and Jack?" Zhaan asked.

"Tell who about me?" Xhalax asked.

Cassandra put a finger over her lips and winked at Xhalax. This was the signal for 'secret.'
Xhalax immediately quieted and listened intently to the conversation.

"I want to tell Dad and DK first. Depending on how they react..." John said and pushed his
cleared plate away from him so he could rest his elbows on the table.

"Until then, we don't want anyone to know anything about the relationships aboard ship. As
far as they are concerned, we are all friends and no one knows what a baby is," Cassandra
added. D'Argo looked at her with the 'you have to be kidding me' expression. "That was
a joke," she clarified.

"Even our marriage?" Jool asked gesturing between herself and D'Argo.

"Yep, for the time being, anyway," Cassandra said.

"We just want to make sure that no one gets hurt," John emphasized.

"There is a craft leaving the surface," Pilot's voice broke into the discussion.

"That would be our guests," John said.

"Tell Crais to get ready. As soon as we get the signal from them, he'll need to go pick
them up," Cassandra added.

"Done," Pilot replied after a microt.

***

TBC

WELL... what do ya think? Please review or send me an e-mail!

~Artemis Luna Diana~