Crossroads—Part VII
Aeryn, Chiana and Jool went down to the commerce planet with Rygel. John and D'Argo were left the care of Young Crichton. For the first couple of arns they managed to keep him busy. He started to get a little restless. John was sitting at the table in the food court holding Jack on his lap. Jack was nibbling on a food cube. D'Argo was sitting across from them. John had this look on his face. He was stroking Jack's soft hair.
D'Argo: "That doesn't look like the face of a man who just got everything he ever wanted."
John: "I do have everything I want. Aeryn is my mate and we have a beautiful son."
D'Argo: "Then what is that look about?"
John: "My dad is never going to know him. He is never going to see him or even know that he exists."
John got an idea. He looked up at D'Argo with a grin on his face.
D'Argo: "I know that look. Whatever you are thinking…"
John stood up and sat Jack on D'Argo's lap.
John: "I have a great plan. Watch Jack for a microt, I will be right back."
John rushed out. Jack looked up at D'Argo with his soft blue eyes. D'Argo shook his head.
D'Argo: "Whenever Crichton has a plan, we are usually in for trouble."
Jack had no idea what D'Argo said but he smiled at him. D'Argo smiled and touched the tip of his nose.
******
John came back a ¼ of an arn later. He was holding a fugitive beacon.
John: "I kept this from when we were on Dambada. I knew I would find a use for it."
D'Argo: "What is your idea?"
John: "Send a message to my dad using this beacon and a message boey to carry it."
D'Argo: "What?"
John: "This is a great plan. It will work with your help and Jack's."
John put the beacon down. He held his hands out to Jack. Jack held his arms out to his dad. John scooped him up. He held Jack up in the air over his head.
John: "We are going to make a video for grandpa."
John looked at D'Argo. Jack was laughing and kicking his legs in the air while John threw him in the air. D'Argo picked up the beacon.
D'Argo: "It might work."
John lowered Jack to the floor. He smiled at D'Argo.
John: "Come on, lets do it. Lets do it. Lets make a video!"
John and Jack were jumping around. D'Argo raised his hand at John.
D'Argo: "Do not make me tongue you again?!"
John picked up the beacon.
John: "Come on little man. We have worked to do."
He held his hand out to Jack. Jack took his hand. D'Argo followed behind the two of them.
******
Aeryn, Chiana, Jool and Rygel returned to Moya after being gone for six arns. John and Jack met the pod. Chiana and Jool came off the pod arguing. Aeryn stepped off the pod last.
Aeryn: "Would both of you give it a rest? If Rygel wasn't there to talk our way out of that mess, we all would be sitting in a confinement cell."
John: "Do I even want to know what happened?"
Chiana and Jool both started to tell their side at the same time. Rygel flew his sled passed them.
Rygel: "I have had quite enough of these two. They are enough to even drive a Dominar farbots!!"
He flew passed John and Jack. Aeryn walked away from the two of them.
Aeryn: "I give up."
She went over to Jack.
Aeryn: "How is my boy?"
She kneeled down and he hugged her. She looked up at John and smiled.
Aeryn: "Hey."
He smiled and leaned down and kissed her lips.
John: "Hey. I want to show you something."
Aeryn: "What about those two?"
John looked at them.
John: "If they haven't killed each other in an arn, we will pull them apart."
Aeryn: "Works for me."
Aeryn took Jack's hand. He was staring at Chiana and Jool. Aeryn pulled him a way. John grabbed his other hand and lead him out of the docking bay.
******
John led Aeryn to their chambers.
John: "I want you to look at something that D'Argo helped me put together."
Aeryn: "Sounds mysterious. What is it?"
John: "Just a plan I had."
She raised her eyes to the ceiling.
Aeryn: "You had a plan?"
John: "Very funny. Just go in and take a look at it before I shut it down."
Aeryn smiled at him. John kneeled down on the floor.
John: "Come on little man. Lets go break up Auntie Jool and Chiana before they kill each other."
Jack climbed on John's back and wrapped his little arms around his neck. John lifted him off the floor and hooked his hands under Jack's bottom to keep him supported encase he let go. John looked at Aeryn. He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. She smiled when he rubbed his nose against hers.
John: "I will be back shortly and we can talk about it."
He left her standing outside their chambers. Aeryn went inside and saw the beacon sitting on the bed.
******
John sat in the docking bay with Jool and Chiana listening to both sides of their story. Jack was sitting on the floor playing with a couple of DRDs that had come over to him.
Jool: "If Chiana wasn't doing her usual to get next to that guy to steal, we would have never been mistaken for those kind of women."
Chiana: "Look Princess, if you don't like what I do then you don't have to come with me anymore."
Jool: "You don't have to worry about that ever again."
Jool got up and stormed out.
John: "Chi?"
Chiana looked at him.
John: "Why do you keep doing this every time you are with Jool? You know how she gets."
Chiana smiled.
Chiana: "That is what makes it fun."
She got up and went over to Jack. She sat on the floor with him. John smiled and shook his head.
John: "Would you watch him for a few microts, I need to talk to Aeryn about something?"
Chiana: "Sure."
John walked toward the door. He looked back at Chiana.
John: "Chi, don't teach him anymore words. Frell is not a word he should be saying in mixed company."
She smiled. John grinned and walked out.
*******
Aeryn was sitting on the bed holding the beacon when John walked in. She looked up at him. He sat beside her.
John: "Well, what do you think?"
Aeryn: "I think you are an amazing man and Jack is lucky to have you as a son and a father."
He smiled. They hugged.
Aeryn: "Is the message boey ready?"
John: "Just about. I needed your help with a couple of things."
Aeryn: "Okay. Your pod or mine?"
John looked in her eyes. He smiled slightly.
John: "God, I love you."
They kissed.
*****
Jack Crichton was awakened out of a sound sleep by the sound of pounding on his front door. He hopped out of bed and grabbed his robe. It was DK with a military escort.
Jack: "DK, what the hell? Do you know what time it is?"
Jack saw the military police.
Jack: "What has happened? Is it John?"
DK: "You need to get dressed and come with me Jack."
Jack didn't hesitate. He went and got dressed.
Jack was taken to the base. While in the car DK explained about the alien object that had come through disturbance, more than likely a wormhole, earlier that morning. When the scientists tried to open it, an image of John appeared saying this message is for Jack Crichton. That is all it would say.
When Jack walked into IASA, all eyes turned to him. A Lt. Colonel came over and held out his hand.
Lt. Colonel: "Sorry to get you out of bed like this Jack but…"
Jack saw the image of John coming from the alien object. Jack walked toward the object. He reached his hand out and touched it. As he did another image of John appeared, Jack stepped back.
John: "Hello Dad. Sorry about the cloak and dagger stuff but I didn't want these big brains to tamper with this message before you had a chance to see it. I put some of my genetic material in the beacon so that it could only open up for another who shared my genetic make up. You needed only to touch it."
John smiled.
John: "Pretty cool, unh?"
Jack smiled. DK walked up and stood beside him.
John: "Eat your heart out DK."
DK laughed out loud.
John: "Well, I know you are probably surrounded by many white coats and military outfits so I won't get too emotional on you. I just wanted to let you know that I was okay and that I made it home."
Jack stared at the image of his son. His brain couldn't believe what he was looking at but his heart knew it was his boy.
John: "There was someone I wanted you to meet Dad."
John leaned down and held his hands out. He came back up holding a little boy. Jack stepped closer.
John: "Aeryn had a little surprise for me when I returned. This is Jack, Dad. He is your grandson."
DK was shocked as was everyone in the room.
John: "He is an amazing boy and I just wanted you to know that he exists."
Jack was sitting in John's lap playing with the ball. John was stroking his hair.
John: "I finally get it Dad. I finally get the meanings behind the weird way you use to look at me when you thought I wasn't looking. I watch him every day and every day he does something new and incredible. I finally get it all the things you told me both spoken and unspoken all my life."
John looked up. Jack stepped a little closer.
Jack: "John."
He looked at his grandson.
Jack: "My grandson."
John: "Well I have to go now. I love you Dad and I wanted you to know that I am all right. We all are."
John kissed Jack's head.
John: "Wave goodbye to Grandpa, Jack."
John waved. Jack waved too. Jack smiled.
John: "Till we meet again Dad either in the stars or on Earth."
Jack's eyes were filled with tears.
John: "I hate to get all Mission Impossible on you now but this beacon will self-destruct in 10 microts (seconds)."
The image disappeared. DK pulled Jack back. The beacon imploded. There was nothing left except a pile of ashes.
Jack and DK looked at each other. DK smiled.
DK: "John is a daddy. I can't believe it."
Jack: "He was happy. He looked calm for the first time since he had come back to Earth. I guess that place really is home for him."
DK laid his hand on Jack's shoulder.
DK: "Are you okay?"
Jack smiled slightly.
Jack: "Did you see my beautiful grandson?"
DK laughed softly.
Aeryn, Chiana and Jool went down to the commerce planet with Rygel. John and D'Argo were left the care of Young Crichton. For the first couple of arns they managed to keep him busy. He started to get a little restless. John was sitting at the table in the food court holding Jack on his lap. Jack was nibbling on a food cube. D'Argo was sitting across from them. John had this look on his face. He was stroking Jack's soft hair.
D'Argo: "That doesn't look like the face of a man who just got everything he ever wanted."
John: "I do have everything I want. Aeryn is my mate and we have a beautiful son."
D'Argo: "Then what is that look about?"
John: "My dad is never going to know him. He is never going to see him or even know that he exists."
John got an idea. He looked up at D'Argo with a grin on his face.
D'Argo: "I know that look. Whatever you are thinking…"
John stood up and sat Jack on D'Argo's lap.
John: "I have a great plan. Watch Jack for a microt, I will be right back."
John rushed out. Jack looked up at D'Argo with his soft blue eyes. D'Argo shook his head.
D'Argo: "Whenever Crichton has a plan, we are usually in for trouble."
Jack had no idea what D'Argo said but he smiled at him. D'Argo smiled and touched the tip of his nose.
******
John came back a ¼ of an arn later. He was holding a fugitive beacon.
John: "I kept this from when we were on Dambada. I knew I would find a use for it."
D'Argo: "What is your idea?"
John: "Send a message to my dad using this beacon and a message boey to carry it."
D'Argo: "What?"
John: "This is a great plan. It will work with your help and Jack's."
John put the beacon down. He held his hands out to Jack. Jack held his arms out to his dad. John scooped him up. He held Jack up in the air over his head.
John: "We are going to make a video for grandpa."
John looked at D'Argo. Jack was laughing and kicking his legs in the air while John threw him in the air. D'Argo picked up the beacon.
D'Argo: "It might work."
John lowered Jack to the floor. He smiled at D'Argo.
John: "Come on, lets do it. Lets do it. Lets make a video!"
John and Jack were jumping around. D'Argo raised his hand at John.
D'Argo: "Do not make me tongue you again?!"
John picked up the beacon.
John: "Come on little man. We have worked to do."
He held his hand out to Jack. Jack took his hand. D'Argo followed behind the two of them.
******
Aeryn, Chiana, Jool and Rygel returned to Moya after being gone for six arns. John and Jack met the pod. Chiana and Jool came off the pod arguing. Aeryn stepped off the pod last.
Aeryn: "Would both of you give it a rest? If Rygel wasn't there to talk our way out of that mess, we all would be sitting in a confinement cell."
John: "Do I even want to know what happened?"
Chiana and Jool both started to tell their side at the same time. Rygel flew his sled passed them.
Rygel: "I have had quite enough of these two. They are enough to even drive a Dominar farbots!!"
He flew passed John and Jack. Aeryn walked away from the two of them.
Aeryn: "I give up."
She went over to Jack.
Aeryn: "How is my boy?"
She kneeled down and he hugged her. She looked up at John and smiled.
Aeryn: "Hey."
He smiled and leaned down and kissed her lips.
John: "Hey. I want to show you something."
Aeryn: "What about those two?"
John looked at them.
John: "If they haven't killed each other in an arn, we will pull them apart."
Aeryn: "Works for me."
Aeryn took Jack's hand. He was staring at Chiana and Jool. Aeryn pulled him a way. John grabbed his other hand and lead him out of the docking bay.
******
John led Aeryn to their chambers.
John: "I want you to look at something that D'Argo helped me put together."
Aeryn: "Sounds mysterious. What is it?"
John: "Just a plan I had."
She raised her eyes to the ceiling.
Aeryn: "You had a plan?"
John: "Very funny. Just go in and take a look at it before I shut it down."
Aeryn smiled at him. John kneeled down on the floor.
John: "Come on little man. Lets go break up Auntie Jool and Chiana before they kill each other."
Jack climbed on John's back and wrapped his little arms around his neck. John lifted him off the floor and hooked his hands under Jack's bottom to keep him supported encase he let go. John looked at Aeryn. He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. She smiled when he rubbed his nose against hers.
John: "I will be back shortly and we can talk about it."
He left her standing outside their chambers. Aeryn went inside and saw the beacon sitting on the bed.
******
John sat in the docking bay with Jool and Chiana listening to both sides of their story. Jack was sitting on the floor playing with a couple of DRDs that had come over to him.
Jool: "If Chiana wasn't doing her usual to get next to that guy to steal, we would have never been mistaken for those kind of women."
Chiana: "Look Princess, if you don't like what I do then you don't have to come with me anymore."
Jool: "You don't have to worry about that ever again."
Jool got up and stormed out.
John: "Chi?"
Chiana looked at him.
John: "Why do you keep doing this every time you are with Jool? You know how she gets."
Chiana smiled.
Chiana: "That is what makes it fun."
She got up and went over to Jack. She sat on the floor with him. John smiled and shook his head.
John: "Would you watch him for a few microts, I need to talk to Aeryn about something?"
Chiana: "Sure."
John walked toward the door. He looked back at Chiana.
John: "Chi, don't teach him anymore words. Frell is not a word he should be saying in mixed company."
She smiled. John grinned and walked out.
*******
Aeryn was sitting on the bed holding the beacon when John walked in. She looked up at him. He sat beside her.
John: "Well, what do you think?"
Aeryn: "I think you are an amazing man and Jack is lucky to have you as a son and a father."
He smiled. They hugged.
Aeryn: "Is the message boey ready?"
John: "Just about. I needed your help with a couple of things."
Aeryn: "Okay. Your pod or mine?"
John looked in her eyes. He smiled slightly.
John: "God, I love you."
They kissed.
*****
Jack Crichton was awakened out of a sound sleep by the sound of pounding on his front door. He hopped out of bed and grabbed his robe. It was DK with a military escort.
Jack: "DK, what the hell? Do you know what time it is?"
Jack saw the military police.
Jack: "What has happened? Is it John?"
DK: "You need to get dressed and come with me Jack."
Jack didn't hesitate. He went and got dressed.
Jack was taken to the base. While in the car DK explained about the alien object that had come through disturbance, more than likely a wormhole, earlier that morning. When the scientists tried to open it, an image of John appeared saying this message is for Jack Crichton. That is all it would say.
When Jack walked into IASA, all eyes turned to him. A Lt. Colonel came over and held out his hand.
Lt. Colonel: "Sorry to get you out of bed like this Jack but…"
Jack saw the image of John coming from the alien object. Jack walked toward the object. He reached his hand out and touched it. As he did another image of John appeared, Jack stepped back.
John: "Hello Dad. Sorry about the cloak and dagger stuff but I didn't want these big brains to tamper with this message before you had a chance to see it. I put some of my genetic material in the beacon so that it could only open up for another who shared my genetic make up. You needed only to touch it."
John smiled.
John: "Pretty cool, unh?"
Jack smiled. DK walked up and stood beside him.
John: "Eat your heart out DK."
DK laughed out loud.
John: "Well, I know you are probably surrounded by many white coats and military outfits so I won't get too emotional on you. I just wanted to let you know that I was okay and that I made it home."
Jack stared at the image of his son. His brain couldn't believe what he was looking at but his heart knew it was his boy.
John: "There was someone I wanted you to meet Dad."
John leaned down and held his hands out. He came back up holding a little boy. Jack stepped closer.
John: "Aeryn had a little surprise for me when I returned. This is Jack, Dad. He is your grandson."
DK was shocked as was everyone in the room.
John: "He is an amazing boy and I just wanted you to know that he exists."
Jack was sitting in John's lap playing with the ball. John was stroking his hair.
John: "I finally get it Dad. I finally get the meanings behind the weird way you use to look at me when you thought I wasn't looking. I watch him every day and every day he does something new and incredible. I finally get it all the things you told me both spoken and unspoken all my life."
John looked up. Jack stepped a little closer.
Jack: "John."
He looked at his grandson.
Jack: "My grandson."
John: "Well I have to go now. I love you Dad and I wanted you to know that I am all right. We all are."
John kissed Jack's head.
John: "Wave goodbye to Grandpa, Jack."
John waved. Jack waved too. Jack smiled.
John: "Till we meet again Dad either in the stars or on Earth."
Jack's eyes were filled with tears.
John: "I hate to get all Mission Impossible on you now but this beacon will self-destruct in 10 microts (seconds)."
The image disappeared. DK pulled Jack back. The beacon imploded. There was nothing left except a pile of ashes.
Jack and DK looked at each other. DK smiled.
DK: "John is a daddy. I can't believe it."
Jack: "He was happy. He looked calm for the first time since he had come back to Earth. I guess that place really is home for him."
DK laid his hand on Jack's shoulder.
DK: "Are you okay?"
Jack smiled slightly.
Jack: "Did you see my beautiful grandson?"
DK laughed softly.