Chapter Four
Morgan sat at Crais' desk, her eyes gritty from staring at the clamshell. She leaned back and rubbed them, pinching the bridge of her nose where a headache was setting in. Every time she thought she had managed to break into the Scarren's network, another barrier repelled her. She leaned forward, tapping the console, her eyes scanning the information before her. Morgan was sure she was just missing something simple.
Crais walked in and stopped, staring at her. He shook his head, stepping up behind her. "You have been at this for two solar days. Stop for a few arns," he commanded, laying his hands on her shoulders. She was tense, her muscles like taut strings beneath his fingers.
She had Talyn move to a different system, the clamshell changing before her. "I can't stop. We are running out of time," she answered, reaching up to lay one hand over his, her eyes still scanning the screen.
Crais sighed. "If you do not rest, it will not make a difference. You'll be too tired to do any of us good...and you are aware that it will take all of us to destroy the dreadnaught," he replied in an authoritative tone.
Morgan leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes. "I know," she conceded. "It's just frustrating." She stood up, stretching, arching her back like a cat.
He smiled at her, turning her to face him. "Yes, it is." Crais leaned down and kissed her hungrily, pulling her up against him, making sure she was aware of his needs. "The Scarrens...have not made any moves. I would say they are...still collecting data. A few arms will not matter," he whispered against her lips.
Morgan felt her resolve fading with each of his kisses, all thoughts of Scarrens gone from her mind. She still had not talked with Kira since the argument and the way things were going, she wasn't going to talk to her tonight either. Morgan closed her eyes, letting her head fall back as Crais trailed his mouth down her neck, his hands like brands against the small of her back.
The Captain had been slowly pushing Morgan towards the bed, the fingers of his right hand deftly unbuttoning the denim shirt she was wearing. "And...I need a few arns with you." He pushed the shirt back off her shoulders, letting his fingers trail the soft fabric down her arms. "I do not like having the share you all of the time," he remarked.
Morgan smiled, pulling the black tank top she was wearing under the shirt over her head. "Poor baby," she whispered, reaching out to tug at the cord that held Crais' hair, letting it slip from her fingers as she pulled his lips to hers, their eyes locked in hungry need. Morgan thread her fingers through his hair, holding tightly to him as their kisses grew more passionate. "You won't have to share me for much longer," she gasped.
Crais lowered her to the bed. "On the contrary. I will have to share you as long as Crichton is aboard Talyn," he commented, trailing his lips down her stomach, gently nipping at her. "And...I intend to find some place quiet for...us to disappear to once the dreadnaught is destroyed and Crichton and Officer Sun are...back aboard Moya," he finished, his brown eyes meeting hers. "Some place where not even Scorpius could find us if he wanted too."
Morgan suddenly sat up, causing Crais to lose his balance and land on the floor. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "That's it! You're a genius!" She grabbed the closest shirt, Crais', which was still warm from his body, and tugged it over her head as she moved towards the door. "That's it!" she giggled.
"Morgan! Where are you going?" Crais demanded, jumping to his feet and following her, bare-chested, hair flying like a madman.
"I'll be right back," she called over her shoulder, moving quickly towards John and Aeryn's quarters.
"Morgan!" Crais yelled as she took off into a jog, rounding the turn out of his sight. In a momentary fit, Crais rammed his fist in the bulkhead. Fuming, he continued after her.
Morgan slid to a halt outside Crichton's quarters. "John! Hey John!" She banged on the door.
Crichton released the lock and stared at her, wearing nothing but his shorts and a sleepy look. "You crack it?" he simply asked, blinking.
"No. I need you to chat with Harvey. I need to know how to bypass their firewalls," she said excitedly.
Crichton stared at her, his brain still fuzzy from sleep. All he wanted to do was crawl back in bed and he glanced at Aeryn's sleeping form over his shoulder. "What?"
"I need you to ask the clone..."
He turned back to her. "I got that part. What makes you think he knows?" He heard an animalistic growl from up the corridor and looked, seeing an extremely annoyed Crais approaching them, a scowl on his face. Crichton looked back at his cousin, noticing she had on the Captain's shirt. He briefly scrubbed his face with one hand. "Morgan, it looks like you picked a hell of time think of this."
Morgan bounced on the balls of her feet in front of him. "Harvey may not know, but maybe he does," she replied. "C'mon John. I need all the help I can get," she pleaded.
Crichton looked back and forth between his cousin and Crais, who had stopped a few feet away from them. He noticed Crais clenching and unclenching his fists and the narrowed eyes boring invisible holes into Morgan. "Right now?"
"In the morning will be fine, Crichton," Crais answered through clenched teeth.
"No!" Morgan moved towards her cousin. "The Scarrens could try something and..."
"And Talyn will alert us if they do," Crais interjected loudly in frustration.
Crichton reached out and patted Morgan's cheek. "Night, night," he simply said, ducking back into his quarters, leaving her on her own.
"John!" She banged on the door. "JOHN! Ugh!" Morgan peered at Crais and turned away from the door, backing away from her lover as he moved towards her. "Uh-oh," she said softly, smiling. "Now, Bialar," she warned pointing at him, trying not to laugh at the enraged Captain, knowing she was in trouble.
Crais never said a word to her as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms and forcefully backing her up against the bulkhead, his lips coming down on hers in a bone-crushing kiss that left them both gasping. "Now," he whispered huskily. "I am taking you back to our quarters and anyone who disturbs us will be shot!" He gazed down at her, his eyes tracing the line of her swollen lips. "Do...I...make...myself...clear?" he questioned through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes sir," Morgan answered breathlessly. She knew Crais was right. It could wait until the morning.
"And I forbid you to even think about the Scarren problem until the morning," he ordered, taking her hand and tugging her back to their quarters. "Understood?" he asked, backing her against the door of their quarters as soon as it had closed.
She heard the lock slide home behind her and grinned. "Yes sir."
"Good." Crais kissed her, his body pinning her up against the door as he quickly disrobed his lover, relentlessly making sure Morgan thought about nothing but him.
Crichton didn't have to go looking for the clone in his mind. Scorpius came to him. The human was in the middle of breakfast when it happened the next morning, the kitchen of Talyn shifting suddenly to the Roswell greasy spoon. Crichton dropped his fork, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Scorpius gazed at the plate of bacon and eggs in front of Crichton, wrinkling his nose. "That does not look very appealing, John," he said, pointing to the plate.
Crichton bit into a piece of bacon, chewing slowly and savoring the flavor. "How would you know?" He swallowed. "Since you're here, what do you know about the Scarren's computer system?"
Scorpius folded his arms on the table, leaning towards Crichton, an amused look on his face. "Morgan having a bit of trouble is she?"
Crichton nodded. "You could say that."
Scorpius smiled. "But I thought you said she could break into any computer system."
"She can," Crichton replied, pointing at Scorpius with another piece of bacon. "On Earth," he amended. He pushed his plate away, leaning forward towards the clone, speaking conspiratorially. "She's not exactly trying to hack a PC, Harvey."
"I'd say not." Scorpius leaned back, pointing to Crichton. "Her problem is that she is thinking like a human."
Crichton rolled his eyes and dropped his head to the table. "Why me?" he whispered. He lifted his head slightly. "How else is she supposed to think?"
"Like a Scarren."
Crichton sat up, taking a sip of his coffee and pointing at Scorpius with his spoon. "That's your department, Scorpy." He wiped his face with the napkin, looking around for something else to eat. "Can you help or not?"
Scorpius folded his arms. "Langtree needs my help and even you have said she can hack into anything." He tapped the tip of his finger against his lips, contemplating. What were the odds the human woman could break into the Scarren computer? She did fix your thermal system, a small voice in the back of his mind piped up. "I'll help her for a price."
Crichton laughed. "A price?" He shook his head, looking at the neural clone in disbelief. "You want me to make a deal with you without Morgan knowing about it? Huh! I'd rather take my chances in your Aurora chair again then have to deal with my cousin and her unbalanced lover when they find out I cut a deal with you for the information."
Scorpius shrugged and stood up. "Have it your way, John." He turned and started to walk up the aisle of the greasy spoon.
Crichton leaned back against the padded booth, his fists clenched to his eyes. He moaned in frustration and followed Scorpius, running to catch up with the neural clone. "Wait!" He knew they didn't have a chance in hell to break into that system without Scorpius' help. Morgan would've done it by now if she could. He grabbed the clone's arm. "What exactly do you want?"
Scorpius turned and looked at him. "I haven't quite decided yet. You know, John, there is just an endless amount of things I could ask for, such as the worm hole formula, a gunship, all the Scarrens dead..."
Crichton slapped his forehead. "Scorpius!"
The clone stopped his rambling and smiled, wrapping his arm around Crichton's shoulders as if they were the best of friends. "This is what she needs to do..."
Morgan stared at Crichton in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me. That's what he said?" Her nose wrinkled as she said it.
Crichton nodded. He leaned against the bulkhead wondering just how he was going to tell her about the "deal" he made with Scorpius' clone. Maybe he wouldn't. "Yup. That's what he said."
Morgan folded her arms, her mouth hung open. She quickly shut it. "John, that's the oldest trick in the book. I'd like to think the Scarrens are a bit smarter than that."
"It is obviously...the only option you have not tried," Crais commented.
Morgan tilted her head and glared at her lover. "Because it's stupid."
"And we know just how trustworthy Scorpius is," Aeryn said sarcastically. She sat down at the table, her breakfast before her.
"I can understand Morgan not trying it. It's not the first thing I would've tried," DK piped up from next to Crichton.
The cousin's stared at DK, incredulous looks on their faces. "DK, backdating a computer and initiating a system reboot is the first thing you would've done," Crichton contradicted.
Morgan rolled her eyes, looking up to the ceiling, shaking her head. She reached out and snatched an apple off the table, biting into it, pointing at Crichton. "Did his royal scar face clue you in as to how far we need to backdate the system?"
Crichton slipped next to Aeryn at the table, poking at his now cold and gelled breakfast. He sighed. "You need to take it back to the day we followed them through the wormhole." He looked up at Morgan, noticing the expression that darkened Crais' face. "What? You don't think Morgan can do it!" he accused.
Crais stared at him, stroking his goatee. "I am positive Morgan and Talyn can break into the system. That is not my concern." He began to pace. "My concern is..." He looked at Morgan, then to Crichton and Aeryn. "...how we are going to destroy the dreadnaught once we lure it back to the Uncharted Territories."
Jack and Kira chose that moment to walk in. The elder Crichton gazed at his son. "I think we might have the answer to that question, Captain Crais," Jack replied. Six pairs of eyes turned to look at Jack. "You remember the explosion field tests you were working on?" he asked Morgan.
"Yeah. Why?"
Jack smiled as Kira sat across from Crichton at the table. "Once you bring down the Scarren's system, you can reprogram it, causing the energy generators to implode. You've done it before."
"What?" Crichton looked at Morgan for explanation.
Morgan scratched the back of her neck. "I briefly worked on a project that would allow astronauts to self-destruct a satellite before it could reenter Earth's atmosphere. It was supposed to be a simple cybernetic exercise, but I lost the funding before we could actually test it."
"Does it work?" Aeryn asked, shifting in her seat.
"In theory. It worked in the simulator tests." She shrugged. "I can't guarantee that it will work in real life."
Kira looked at her friend. They had barely said more than two words to each other since the argument. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," she said quietly. "What have you got to lose, Morgan?"
Talyn had been listening to the exchange and finally piped up, chirping excitedly. "I concur Talyn. We would have to starburst to safety as soon as the code has been entered." Crais peered at her. "Which ...leads me to another problem. Once we create the wormhole and return home, how do we keep the formula from falling into Scorpius' hands?" Crais' eyes locked with Morgan's. "He will come after us," his voice echoed softly in her mind. "And I refuse to let him get you and force you into..."
Morgan's face grew grim and she shook her head, turning on one foot and walking out.
Crichton whirled around in his seat and looked at Crais. "What the frell did you say to her?" he snapped, standing and grabbing the Captain's arm as he started to follow Morgan.
Crais looked at him. "Nothing she has not already thought of," he answered softly.
Crichton found Morgan in Talyn's maintenance bay, running through an exercise routine he had seen Aeryn perform hundreds of times since arriving in the Uncharted Territories. He leaned against the bulkhead, silently watching her, trying to imagine Crais teaching her the moves. He sighed, pushing the mental image away. "You do realize it's going to take both of us to pull this off," he casually commented, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he approached her.
Morgan turned on the ball of her foot, never losing her rhythm. "Yup. I didn't want to ask you."
He sat on the edge of the mat, drawing up one knee and leaning his arm on it. "Morgan, we have to destroy the formula once we use it."
She sighed, plopping down on the mat next to him. She could see the worry on his face. "I know. I've been thinking about it and Talyn actually came up with a workable idea, but it is kind of risky."
Crichton looked at her. "How risky?" She just looked at him. "Okay, what's the idea?"
Morgan pulled the ponytail holder from her hair, shaking her head and letting her hair fan around her face. "He suggested that Crais engages the privacy mode on his transponder when we bring the formula in so that only Talyn and I are exposed to it. Once the dreadnaught is destroyed, I can wipe it from Talyn's memory banks."
"Yeah, but you'll still have it in..." Crichton gazed at his cousin and realized what she was implying. "You're not...don't you think...isn't that a bit a dangerous?" he finally sputtered.
Morgan shrugged, clasping her wrists around her propped up knee. "I'd rather lose a day or two of memories than play with Scorpius' Aurora chair." She stared at Crichton. "I don't scare easily, John, but..." Morgan involuntarily shuddered. "Especially after the stories you and Bialar have told me."
Crichton ran his fingers through his hair, looking away, gazing around the maintenance bay. "Not me, Morgan. I'd rather have the memories. Especially the other Cricht..." He realized what he had said and wondered how much further he could stick his foot in his mouth.
Morgan twisted a piece of hair around her finger, trying not to smile. "Did you honestly think you could keep your `twin' a secret?" she asked gently. She shook her head. "I mean, the last time I checked I was a bright, intelligent woman who was always very good at doing puzzles. And I can see where some pieces simply don't fit."
Crichton laughed at the look on her face and fell backwards, arms sprawled on the mat. He closed his eyes. "I should've told you."
Morgan shrugged, stretching out next to him on her belly, swinging her feet behind her like a little kid. "It would've been nice."
He lifted his head, his eyes hard. "Captain Crunch told you, didn't he?"
Morgan shook her head, reaching out to push him. "No, silly. Captain Crunch did not tell me." She leaned her chin back on her hand. "Talyn told me." Crichton looked at her, eyebrows raised in question. "You didn't make him promise not to tell."
He sighed and rolled onto his side, propping his head up on one arm. "When are we going to do this?"
"Talyn and I are going to try again tonight. Once we get the formula, 48 arns and we're heading out."
Crichton looked down, pushing a piece of lint he'd discovered on the mat with his finger. "I figured you'd want to spend time with Kira."
Morgan gazed at the wall and then stood up. "I do, but there's too much to get done." She held her hand out to her cousin. "And we are running out of time."
Crais stepped quietly into their quarters and stopped, surprised to find Morgan already there. He had left her alone after she had walked out of the Talyn's dining area, knowing exactly where she was headed. As a matter of fact, he was the one who told Crichton where to find her. He laid his jacket on the back of the desk chair, glancing at her. She stood by the viewport, her hair pulled up in a simple clip, her head slightly cocked to one side as she watched Earth slowly turn before her. He smiled to himself at her stance, her arms folded, feet planted firmly apart. Crais was beginning to think he was rubbing off on her. He stepped up behind her, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. "Are you...sure this is what you want?" he asked quietly.
Morgan reached up and took his hands in hers, leaning back against him. "Stop asking me that, Bialar. The answer is not going to change." She tilted her head slightly, letting his goatee rub against her cheek. "I wouldn't trade a life on Earth for what I have here with you."
Crais nodded, gazing over her shoulder at the blue and white orb below. "It is...beautiful," he admitted.
Morgan nodded. "But vulnerable."
Crais turned her in his arms. "Yes...but it has...a protector," he replied, pulling the clip from her hair, entwining his fingers in it. With a firm tug, he tilted her head back, kissing her deeply.
"Mmm," she answered as Crais' lips drifted down her neck. "It has more then me." The Captain looked up at her. "It also has my cousin and two Ex-Peacekeepers." Morgan smiled and reached out, grasping Crais' chin in her hand, drawing his lips back to hers. She didn't know when they'd get another chance to find some quiet time together.
The Scarren Captain glared at his communications officer. "Double check it. I want nothing to interfere with this mission." He looked back to the viewport watching as the strange planet the human's called Neptune rotated before his dreadnaught. He tapped his clawed hand on the command chair, an annoying gnawing at his gut. Something was not right. They had been there seven solar days and had seven left to go before recreating the wormhole to return home.
"It did it again."
The Captain walked over to look at the display, gazing at the static that seemed to come and go for no apparent reason. "Isolate the signal," he responded. "And neutralize it."
Morgan was sweating, her tank top ringing wet from the exertion it took to keep Talyn focused as she and Crichton hacked into the Scarren system. She weaved her way around the wires and conduits, circuit boards and memory chips of the dreadnaught until she had found what she wanted and began the download. The gunship chirped as the last of the data filtered in.
"Got it!" Crichton called, the light on the system panel going from red to white. The data had flowed by on the clamshell so fast that he couldn't even begin to comprehend what he was seeing. But the look on Morgan's face was enough to tell him that she knew how to do it. His cousin knew how to create a stable wormhole. "Are you okay?" he asked as she staggered away from the console and dropped to her knees. He laid his hand on her back as he crouched next to her.
Morgan rested her forehead on the cool deck, letting her mind relax. She nodded at Crichton's question. "Yeah, but we need to go." They were the only two on the bridge.
He looked at her, leaning to the side to gaze at her face as he pushed a wet strand of hair from her cheek. "Morgan? What's the matter?"
She sat up and leaned back on her heels, wiping the sweat away from her eyes. "The Scarren's know something is wrong. They almost found my signal." Blue eyes met blue. "We're going to have do this tomorrow. We can't wait another day."
Crichton rubbed his chin. "What about ditching the formula? You haven't tested the theory yet. There's no guarantee that Talyn can wipe it from your mind." He shook his head, dropping his arm across his knee. "And how are we going to implode the dreadnaught?"
Morgan exhaled, shivering slightly as she stood up. "We'll have to do it on the fly, I guess." She looked at him and shrugged. "Not that that's anything new to us."
"No kidding," he replied. Crichton wrapped his arm around her shoulder, hugging her. "We better say our goodbyes."
Crais looked at Aeryn, popping the transponder from its cradle and sliding it into the pocket of his uniform jacket as he slid it on, quickly fastening it. "She will never forgive me for this...but it had to be done."
Aeryn folded her arms, staring at her former superior. "Are you sure Morgan has no idea that you didn't engage the privacy mode?"
Crais looked at Aeryn, his eyes flashing. "I am positive. Only Talyn knows." He approached her, stopping merely inches away. "And you, Officer Sun. Not even Crichton will be informed. Understood?"
Aeryn drew herself up to her full height. "Yes sir," she snapped. She watched as Crais turned and stalked from his quarters and followed him, quickly catching up with him. The smell of food drifted through the corridor. "Crais?"
Crais turned and stopped at her voice. "Yes Aeryn?"
She stopped and stared at him, hands propped on her hips. "Are you sure Talyn will be able to clear the information from Morgan's mind?"
He contemplated her, knowing that Aeryn was just as concerned over the whole matter as he and the others. The only one that didn't seem worried about it was Morgan. "I do not know. But...I will not allow Morgan to be the only one vulnerable if...Talyn cannot erase the formula."
"Then you did it for her," Aeryn softly challenged.
"Yes." His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "And I will sit in the Aurora chair in her place if need be." He turned on one foot and marched up the corridor.
Aeryn stared after him, leaning against the bulkhead. "I'm sure you would," she whispered to herself. She heard footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder. "Well, is it done?"
"Yup." Crichton leaned his hand against the bulkhead next to her. "But, we'll have to create it in the morning."
"Why?" Aeryn looked up at him, her eyes questioning and concerned.
Crichton sighed. "The Scarren's almost found Morgan's signal. They don't know what it's from, but I can bet they know they're not the only ones here." He leaned down and kissed her, stroking her chin with his finger.
"Where's Morgan?"
"Resting." Crichton noticed the strange expression on Aeryn's face. He cocked his head to the side. "What's the matter?"
Aeryn looked up the corridor and then turned back to Crichton, smiling. "Nothing. Let's go eat. I'm hungry."
Crichton draped his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the dining area. His stomach growled and he chuckled. "Yeah, that makes two of us."
Copyright 2002, Beth A. Carpenter
Morgan sat at Crais' desk, her eyes gritty from staring at the clamshell. She leaned back and rubbed them, pinching the bridge of her nose where a headache was setting in. Every time she thought she had managed to break into the Scarren's network, another barrier repelled her. She leaned forward, tapping the console, her eyes scanning the information before her. Morgan was sure she was just missing something simple.
Crais walked in and stopped, staring at her. He shook his head, stepping up behind her. "You have been at this for two solar days. Stop for a few arns," he commanded, laying his hands on her shoulders. She was tense, her muscles like taut strings beneath his fingers.
She had Talyn move to a different system, the clamshell changing before her. "I can't stop. We are running out of time," she answered, reaching up to lay one hand over his, her eyes still scanning the screen.
Crais sighed. "If you do not rest, it will not make a difference. You'll be too tired to do any of us good...and you are aware that it will take all of us to destroy the dreadnaught," he replied in an authoritative tone.
Morgan leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes. "I know," she conceded. "It's just frustrating." She stood up, stretching, arching her back like a cat.
He smiled at her, turning her to face him. "Yes, it is." Crais leaned down and kissed her hungrily, pulling her up against him, making sure she was aware of his needs. "The Scarrens...have not made any moves. I would say they are...still collecting data. A few arms will not matter," he whispered against her lips.
Morgan felt her resolve fading with each of his kisses, all thoughts of Scarrens gone from her mind. She still had not talked with Kira since the argument and the way things were going, she wasn't going to talk to her tonight either. Morgan closed her eyes, letting her head fall back as Crais trailed his mouth down her neck, his hands like brands against the small of her back.
The Captain had been slowly pushing Morgan towards the bed, the fingers of his right hand deftly unbuttoning the denim shirt she was wearing. "And...I need a few arns with you." He pushed the shirt back off her shoulders, letting his fingers trail the soft fabric down her arms. "I do not like having the share you all of the time," he remarked.
Morgan smiled, pulling the black tank top she was wearing under the shirt over her head. "Poor baby," she whispered, reaching out to tug at the cord that held Crais' hair, letting it slip from her fingers as she pulled his lips to hers, their eyes locked in hungry need. Morgan thread her fingers through his hair, holding tightly to him as their kisses grew more passionate. "You won't have to share me for much longer," she gasped.
Crais lowered her to the bed. "On the contrary. I will have to share you as long as Crichton is aboard Talyn," he commented, trailing his lips down her stomach, gently nipping at her. "And...I intend to find some place quiet for...us to disappear to once the dreadnaught is destroyed and Crichton and Officer Sun are...back aboard Moya," he finished, his brown eyes meeting hers. "Some place where not even Scorpius could find us if he wanted too."
Morgan suddenly sat up, causing Crais to lose his balance and land on the floor. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "That's it! You're a genius!" She grabbed the closest shirt, Crais', which was still warm from his body, and tugged it over her head as she moved towards the door. "That's it!" she giggled.
"Morgan! Where are you going?" Crais demanded, jumping to his feet and following her, bare-chested, hair flying like a madman.
"I'll be right back," she called over her shoulder, moving quickly towards John and Aeryn's quarters.
"Morgan!" Crais yelled as she took off into a jog, rounding the turn out of his sight. In a momentary fit, Crais rammed his fist in the bulkhead. Fuming, he continued after her.
Morgan slid to a halt outside Crichton's quarters. "John! Hey John!" She banged on the door.
Crichton released the lock and stared at her, wearing nothing but his shorts and a sleepy look. "You crack it?" he simply asked, blinking.
"No. I need you to chat with Harvey. I need to know how to bypass their firewalls," she said excitedly.
Crichton stared at her, his brain still fuzzy from sleep. All he wanted to do was crawl back in bed and he glanced at Aeryn's sleeping form over his shoulder. "What?"
"I need you to ask the clone..."
He turned back to her. "I got that part. What makes you think he knows?" He heard an animalistic growl from up the corridor and looked, seeing an extremely annoyed Crais approaching them, a scowl on his face. Crichton looked back at his cousin, noticing she had on the Captain's shirt. He briefly scrubbed his face with one hand. "Morgan, it looks like you picked a hell of time think of this."
Morgan bounced on the balls of her feet in front of him. "Harvey may not know, but maybe he does," she replied. "C'mon John. I need all the help I can get," she pleaded.
Crichton looked back and forth between his cousin and Crais, who had stopped a few feet away from them. He noticed Crais clenching and unclenching his fists and the narrowed eyes boring invisible holes into Morgan. "Right now?"
"In the morning will be fine, Crichton," Crais answered through clenched teeth.
"No!" Morgan moved towards her cousin. "The Scarrens could try something and..."
"And Talyn will alert us if they do," Crais interjected loudly in frustration.
Crichton reached out and patted Morgan's cheek. "Night, night," he simply said, ducking back into his quarters, leaving her on her own.
"John!" She banged on the door. "JOHN! Ugh!" Morgan peered at Crais and turned away from the door, backing away from her lover as he moved towards her. "Uh-oh," she said softly, smiling. "Now, Bialar," she warned pointing at him, trying not to laugh at the enraged Captain, knowing she was in trouble.
Crais never said a word to her as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms and forcefully backing her up against the bulkhead, his lips coming down on hers in a bone-crushing kiss that left them both gasping. "Now," he whispered huskily. "I am taking you back to our quarters and anyone who disturbs us will be shot!" He gazed down at her, his eyes tracing the line of her swollen lips. "Do...I...make...myself...clear?" he questioned through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes sir," Morgan answered breathlessly. She knew Crais was right. It could wait until the morning.
"And I forbid you to even think about the Scarren problem until the morning," he ordered, taking her hand and tugging her back to their quarters. "Understood?" he asked, backing her against the door of their quarters as soon as it had closed.
She heard the lock slide home behind her and grinned. "Yes sir."
"Good." Crais kissed her, his body pinning her up against the door as he quickly disrobed his lover, relentlessly making sure Morgan thought about nothing but him.
Crichton didn't have to go looking for the clone in his mind. Scorpius came to him. The human was in the middle of breakfast when it happened the next morning, the kitchen of Talyn shifting suddenly to the Roswell greasy spoon. Crichton dropped his fork, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Scorpius gazed at the plate of bacon and eggs in front of Crichton, wrinkling his nose. "That does not look very appealing, John," he said, pointing to the plate.
Crichton bit into a piece of bacon, chewing slowly and savoring the flavor. "How would you know?" He swallowed. "Since you're here, what do you know about the Scarren's computer system?"
Scorpius folded his arms on the table, leaning towards Crichton, an amused look on his face. "Morgan having a bit of trouble is she?"
Crichton nodded. "You could say that."
Scorpius smiled. "But I thought you said she could break into any computer system."
"She can," Crichton replied, pointing at Scorpius with another piece of bacon. "On Earth," he amended. He pushed his plate away, leaning forward towards the clone, speaking conspiratorially. "She's not exactly trying to hack a PC, Harvey."
"I'd say not." Scorpius leaned back, pointing to Crichton. "Her problem is that she is thinking like a human."
Crichton rolled his eyes and dropped his head to the table. "Why me?" he whispered. He lifted his head slightly. "How else is she supposed to think?"
"Like a Scarren."
Crichton sat up, taking a sip of his coffee and pointing at Scorpius with his spoon. "That's your department, Scorpy." He wiped his face with the napkin, looking around for something else to eat. "Can you help or not?"
Scorpius folded his arms. "Langtree needs my help and even you have said she can hack into anything." He tapped the tip of his finger against his lips, contemplating. What were the odds the human woman could break into the Scarren computer? She did fix your thermal system, a small voice in the back of his mind piped up. "I'll help her for a price."
Crichton laughed. "A price?" He shook his head, looking at the neural clone in disbelief. "You want me to make a deal with you without Morgan knowing about it? Huh! I'd rather take my chances in your Aurora chair again then have to deal with my cousin and her unbalanced lover when they find out I cut a deal with you for the information."
Scorpius shrugged and stood up. "Have it your way, John." He turned and started to walk up the aisle of the greasy spoon.
Crichton leaned back against the padded booth, his fists clenched to his eyes. He moaned in frustration and followed Scorpius, running to catch up with the neural clone. "Wait!" He knew they didn't have a chance in hell to break into that system without Scorpius' help. Morgan would've done it by now if she could. He grabbed the clone's arm. "What exactly do you want?"
Scorpius turned and looked at him. "I haven't quite decided yet. You know, John, there is just an endless amount of things I could ask for, such as the worm hole formula, a gunship, all the Scarrens dead..."
Crichton slapped his forehead. "Scorpius!"
The clone stopped his rambling and smiled, wrapping his arm around Crichton's shoulders as if they were the best of friends. "This is what she needs to do..."
Morgan stared at Crichton in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me. That's what he said?" Her nose wrinkled as she said it.
Crichton nodded. He leaned against the bulkhead wondering just how he was going to tell her about the "deal" he made with Scorpius' clone. Maybe he wouldn't. "Yup. That's what he said."
Morgan folded her arms, her mouth hung open. She quickly shut it. "John, that's the oldest trick in the book. I'd like to think the Scarrens are a bit smarter than that."
"It is obviously...the only option you have not tried," Crais commented.
Morgan tilted her head and glared at her lover. "Because it's stupid."
"And we know just how trustworthy Scorpius is," Aeryn said sarcastically. She sat down at the table, her breakfast before her.
"I can understand Morgan not trying it. It's not the first thing I would've tried," DK piped up from next to Crichton.
The cousin's stared at DK, incredulous looks on their faces. "DK, backdating a computer and initiating a system reboot is the first thing you would've done," Crichton contradicted.
Morgan rolled her eyes, looking up to the ceiling, shaking her head. She reached out and snatched an apple off the table, biting into it, pointing at Crichton. "Did his royal scar face clue you in as to how far we need to backdate the system?"
Crichton slipped next to Aeryn at the table, poking at his now cold and gelled breakfast. He sighed. "You need to take it back to the day we followed them through the wormhole." He looked up at Morgan, noticing the expression that darkened Crais' face. "What? You don't think Morgan can do it!" he accused.
Crais stared at him, stroking his goatee. "I am positive Morgan and Talyn can break into the system. That is not my concern." He began to pace. "My concern is..." He looked at Morgan, then to Crichton and Aeryn. "...how we are going to destroy the dreadnaught once we lure it back to the Uncharted Territories."
Jack and Kira chose that moment to walk in. The elder Crichton gazed at his son. "I think we might have the answer to that question, Captain Crais," Jack replied. Six pairs of eyes turned to look at Jack. "You remember the explosion field tests you were working on?" he asked Morgan.
"Yeah. Why?"
Jack smiled as Kira sat across from Crichton at the table. "Once you bring down the Scarren's system, you can reprogram it, causing the energy generators to implode. You've done it before."
"What?" Crichton looked at Morgan for explanation.
Morgan scratched the back of her neck. "I briefly worked on a project that would allow astronauts to self-destruct a satellite before it could reenter Earth's atmosphere. It was supposed to be a simple cybernetic exercise, but I lost the funding before we could actually test it."
"Does it work?" Aeryn asked, shifting in her seat.
"In theory. It worked in the simulator tests." She shrugged. "I can't guarantee that it will work in real life."
Kira looked at her friend. They had barely said more than two words to each other since the argument. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," she said quietly. "What have you got to lose, Morgan?"
Talyn had been listening to the exchange and finally piped up, chirping excitedly. "I concur Talyn. We would have to starburst to safety as soon as the code has been entered." Crais peered at her. "Which ...leads me to another problem. Once we create the wormhole and return home, how do we keep the formula from falling into Scorpius' hands?" Crais' eyes locked with Morgan's. "He will come after us," his voice echoed softly in her mind. "And I refuse to let him get you and force you into..."
Morgan's face grew grim and she shook her head, turning on one foot and walking out.
Crichton whirled around in his seat and looked at Crais. "What the frell did you say to her?" he snapped, standing and grabbing the Captain's arm as he started to follow Morgan.
Crais looked at him. "Nothing she has not already thought of," he answered softly.
Crichton found Morgan in Talyn's maintenance bay, running through an exercise routine he had seen Aeryn perform hundreds of times since arriving in the Uncharted Territories. He leaned against the bulkhead, silently watching her, trying to imagine Crais teaching her the moves. He sighed, pushing the mental image away. "You do realize it's going to take both of us to pull this off," he casually commented, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he approached her.
Morgan turned on the ball of her foot, never losing her rhythm. "Yup. I didn't want to ask you."
He sat on the edge of the mat, drawing up one knee and leaning his arm on it. "Morgan, we have to destroy the formula once we use it."
She sighed, plopping down on the mat next to him. She could see the worry on his face. "I know. I've been thinking about it and Talyn actually came up with a workable idea, but it is kind of risky."
Crichton looked at her. "How risky?" She just looked at him. "Okay, what's the idea?"
Morgan pulled the ponytail holder from her hair, shaking her head and letting her hair fan around her face. "He suggested that Crais engages the privacy mode on his transponder when we bring the formula in so that only Talyn and I are exposed to it. Once the dreadnaught is destroyed, I can wipe it from Talyn's memory banks."
"Yeah, but you'll still have it in..." Crichton gazed at his cousin and realized what she was implying. "You're not...don't you think...isn't that a bit a dangerous?" he finally sputtered.
Morgan shrugged, clasping her wrists around her propped up knee. "I'd rather lose a day or two of memories than play with Scorpius' Aurora chair." She stared at Crichton. "I don't scare easily, John, but..." Morgan involuntarily shuddered. "Especially after the stories you and Bialar have told me."
Crichton ran his fingers through his hair, looking away, gazing around the maintenance bay. "Not me, Morgan. I'd rather have the memories. Especially the other Cricht..." He realized what he had said and wondered how much further he could stick his foot in his mouth.
Morgan twisted a piece of hair around her finger, trying not to smile. "Did you honestly think you could keep your `twin' a secret?" she asked gently. She shook her head. "I mean, the last time I checked I was a bright, intelligent woman who was always very good at doing puzzles. And I can see where some pieces simply don't fit."
Crichton laughed at the look on her face and fell backwards, arms sprawled on the mat. He closed his eyes. "I should've told you."
Morgan shrugged, stretching out next to him on her belly, swinging her feet behind her like a little kid. "It would've been nice."
He lifted his head, his eyes hard. "Captain Crunch told you, didn't he?"
Morgan shook her head, reaching out to push him. "No, silly. Captain Crunch did not tell me." She leaned her chin back on her hand. "Talyn told me." Crichton looked at her, eyebrows raised in question. "You didn't make him promise not to tell."
He sighed and rolled onto his side, propping his head up on one arm. "When are we going to do this?"
"Talyn and I are going to try again tonight. Once we get the formula, 48 arns and we're heading out."
Crichton looked down, pushing a piece of lint he'd discovered on the mat with his finger. "I figured you'd want to spend time with Kira."
Morgan gazed at the wall and then stood up. "I do, but there's too much to get done." She held her hand out to her cousin. "And we are running out of time."
Crais stepped quietly into their quarters and stopped, surprised to find Morgan already there. He had left her alone after she had walked out of the Talyn's dining area, knowing exactly where she was headed. As a matter of fact, he was the one who told Crichton where to find her. He laid his jacket on the back of the desk chair, glancing at her. She stood by the viewport, her hair pulled up in a simple clip, her head slightly cocked to one side as she watched Earth slowly turn before her. He smiled to himself at her stance, her arms folded, feet planted firmly apart. Crais was beginning to think he was rubbing off on her. He stepped up behind her, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. "Are you...sure this is what you want?" he asked quietly.
Morgan reached up and took his hands in hers, leaning back against him. "Stop asking me that, Bialar. The answer is not going to change." She tilted her head slightly, letting his goatee rub against her cheek. "I wouldn't trade a life on Earth for what I have here with you."
Crais nodded, gazing over her shoulder at the blue and white orb below. "It is...beautiful," he admitted.
Morgan nodded. "But vulnerable."
Crais turned her in his arms. "Yes...but it has...a protector," he replied, pulling the clip from her hair, entwining his fingers in it. With a firm tug, he tilted her head back, kissing her deeply.
"Mmm," she answered as Crais' lips drifted down her neck. "It has more then me." The Captain looked up at her. "It also has my cousin and two Ex-Peacekeepers." Morgan smiled and reached out, grasping Crais' chin in her hand, drawing his lips back to hers. She didn't know when they'd get another chance to find some quiet time together.
The Scarren Captain glared at his communications officer. "Double check it. I want nothing to interfere with this mission." He looked back to the viewport watching as the strange planet the human's called Neptune rotated before his dreadnaught. He tapped his clawed hand on the command chair, an annoying gnawing at his gut. Something was not right. They had been there seven solar days and had seven left to go before recreating the wormhole to return home.
"It did it again."
The Captain walked over to look at the display, gazing at the static that seemed to come and go for no apparent reason. "Isolate the signal," he responded. "And neutralize it."
Morgan was sweating, her tank top ringing wet from the exertion it took to keep Talyn focused as she and Crichton hacked into the Scarren system. She weaved her way around the wires and conduits, circuit boards and memory chips of the dreadnaught until she had found what she wanted and began the download. The gunship chirped as the last of the data filtered in.
"Got it!" Crichton called, the light on the system panel going from red to white. The data had flowed by on the clamshell so fast that he couldn't even begin to comprehend what he was seeing. But the look on Morgan's face was enough to tell him that she knew how to do it. His cousin knew how to create a stable wormhole. "Are you okay?" he asked as she staggered away from the console and dropped to her knees. He laid his hand on her back as he crouched next to her.
Morgan rested her forehead on the cool deck, letting her mind relax. She nodded at Crichton's question. "Yeah, but we need to go." They were the only two on the bridge.
He looked at her, leaning to the side to gaze at her face as he pushed a wet strand of hair from her cheek. "Morgan? What's the matter?"
She sat up and leaned back on her heels, wiping the sweat away from her eyes. "The Scarren's know something is wrong. They almost found my signal." Blue eyes met blue. "We're going to have do this tomorrow. We can't wait another day."
Crichton rubbed his chin. "What about ditching the formula? You haven't tested the theory yet. There's no guarantee that Talyn can wipe it from your mind." He shook his head, dropping his arm across his knee. "And how are we going to implode the dreadnaught?"
Morgan exhaled, shivering slightly as she stood up. "We'll have to do it on the fly, I guess." She looked at him and shrugged. "Not that that's anything new to us."
"No kidding," he replied. Crichton wrapped his arm around her shoulder, hugging her. "We better say our goodbyes."
Crais looked at Aeryn, popping the transponder from its cradle and sliding it into the pocket of his uniform jacket as he slid it on, quickly fastening it. "She will never forgive me for this...but it had to be done."
Aeryn folded her arms, staring at her former superior. "Are you sure Morgan has no idea that you didn't engage the privacy mode?"
Crais looked at Aeryn, his eyes flashing. "I am positive. Only Talyn knows." He approached her, stopping merely inches away. "And you, Officer Sun. Not even Crichton will be informed. Understood?"
Aeryn drew herself up to her full height. "Yes sir," she snapped. She watched as Crais turned and stalked from his quarters and followed him, quickly catching up with him. The smell of food drifted through the corridor. "Crais?"
Crais turned and stopped at her voice. "Yes Aeryn?"
She stopped and stared at him, hands propped on her hips. "Are you sure Talyn will be able to clear the information from Morgan's mind?"
He contemplated her, knowing that Aeryn was just as concerned over the whole matter as he and the others. The only one that didn't seem worried about it was Morgan. "I do not know. But...I will not allow Morgan to be the only one vulnerable if...Talyn cannot erase the formula."
"Then you did it for her," Aeryn softly challenged.
"Yes." His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "And I will sit in the Aurora chair in her place if need be." He turned on one foot and marched up the corridor.
Aeryn stared after him, leaning against the bulkhead. "I'm sure you would," she whispered to herself. She heard footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder. "Well, is it done?"
"Yup." Crichton leaned his hand against the bulkhead next to her. "But, we'll have to create it in the morning."
"Why?" Aeryn looked up at him, her eyes questioning and concerned.
Crichton sighed. "The Scarren's almost found Morgan's signal. They don't know what it's from, but I can bet they know they're not the only ones here." He leaned down and kissed her, stroking her chin with his finger.
"Where's Morgan?"
"Resting." Crichton noticed the strange expression on Aeryn's face. He cocked his head to the side. "What's the matter?"
Aeryn looked up the corridor and then turned back to Crichton, smiling. "Nothing. Let's go eat. I'm hungry."
Crichton draped his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the dining area. His stomach growled and he chuckled. "Yeah, that makes two of us."
Copyright 2002, Beth A. Carpenter