Please see part one for disclaimer and author's notes. Otherwise, I hope you all enjoy. :)
In The Hands of Fate
Part Five
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
"So, what? They just disappeared?" Chiana's dark eyes widened in surprise as she scanned John's face for any sign of amusement.
"Yeah, Pip, poof, gone in a flash of light, all that fun stuff." John sighed, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet up on the table. "So, me 'n Aeryn are gathering up the cavalry and leading a posse into whatever Disney World Universe Moya's been dragged through."
"Right." Chiana nodded slowly, frowning as she attempted to process John's dialogue. "And which part do you expect me to play in this rescue attempt?"
John shrugged. "Whatever you want, Chi. I'm not gonna force you into coming with us. Just saying, I'm sure Moya and Pilot would appreciate your help. I know I would." When Chiana looked down, her need to leave showing plainly in her expressive dark eyes, John sighed. "Listen, Pip, if you don't want to come with, it's okay. Nobody's gonna hold it against you. Trust me."
"I love Pilot and Moya, Crichton, you know that, but I need to find Nerri. I have to. Besides, you have Aeryn, you don't need me in the way."
The door slammed open, causing both John and Chiana to jump in surprise as a slue of curse words John was thankful his microbes couldn't translate filled the air between them. "Idiot frelling males! They think I'd actually be willing to let *my* prowler sell for less than I could get for your frelling mod... Chiana." Aeryn gaped in surprise for a microt before smiling uncertainly.
"Aeryn." Chiana's smile matched Aeryn's for hesitation. The women had never been friends, but each cared for the other in their own way. "Did I hear right, you're actually willingly selling your prowler? What universe folded in on itself?"
"Pip..." John's voice was warning, searching Aeryn's face in anticipation of the cutting remark that rested on her lips. Instead, she half smiled and shook her head.
"No, John, it's all right. Chiana's not wrong, and yes, you heard correctly. The prowler isn't going to be able to get us to where we need to go, unfortunately. I've accepted that. If we're going to help Moya, sacrifices must be made ungrudgingly."
Chiana lifted an eyebrow in surprise at Aeryn's calm acceptance of the situation. Instead of her usual wisecracks, her eyes took on a thoughtful expression. "Um, I have an idea, maybe." John and Aeryn turned their gazes on her expectantly as Chiana struggled to choose her words carefully. "Maybe you don't have to sell the prowler. Maybe you could trade it. To me. For the transport pod."
"Chiana, don't be ridiculous. The transport pod's not going to pay for all the supplies John and I will need for this venture. We need the revenue generated by the sale of the prowler." Aeryn scoffed at the younger woman lightly, softening her original statement with a more gentle explanation.
"But..."
"Actually, Aeryn, it's not a bad plan. The transport pod'll give us the space we need to store everything, and it'll tow the module without too much strain on the structure."
"Yeah, and..."
"John, that still doesn't answer the question as to how we will be able to afford the "everything" that you plan to store."
"See, I..."
"I'm sure we can find something to trade somewhere. I mean, we'll pull apart the module if we have to for spare parts. And the transport pod's got loads of junk on it we can offload."
"Actually..."
"Right, and what happens if when we find Moya, where ever she is, we find that we need something we traded absently? You need to learn to plan ahead."
"If you'd..."
"I am planning ahead, you're just not seeing it. Whatever we trade now, we can replace later. Everything we need is on Moya, we just gotta get to her."
"Hello?"
"And what if we don't "get to her"? What if we search for weekans and never find her? We have no guarantee that the wormhole is still active, John. You cannot just assume that because it opened once, it will open again. You can't just go on believing that everything will turn out the way you expect it to."
"Hello?!"
"Right, Aeryn. If I ever did actually think like that, I certainly don't now. Neural clones, brain surgeries, multiple personalities, aliens pretending to be my father, leather clad nazi's nipping at my ass, clonings and everything else in this godforsaken part of the universe taught me that cycles ago."
"Hello!!"
"Fine. I'd thought you'd long since gotten over your self-pitying stage; obviously I was mistaken. When you're prepared to carry on a conversation like an adult rather than the petulant child you've become, please, do inform me."
"Oh, for frell's sake, would you two shut up for ten frelling microts so I can say something?!!" Chiana's voice echoed off the walls of the small room, finally gaining the attention of her companions. When silence fell upon the room at last, the small gray woman sighed in relief. "Thank you. Now, like I was saying, I've been here for a few solar days snur... uh, procuring supplies. The transport pod is stocked with food. If you're going to trade me for the prowler, I can't keep it all. So, let me take what I want, and the rest you can have for yourselves."
John and Aeryn looked at her incredulously, surprise shocking them into silence.
"What? I do come up with good ideas, you know, just none of you ever listened."
John was the first to shake off his surprise, laughing out loud as he climbed to his feet and hugged the small woman. "Believe me, Pip, after this, it'll never happen again."
"Yeah, right. I'll live to see that day."
Aeryn grudgingly agreed that Chiana's plan had merit, and although she remained somewhat tense for the remainder of the evening, when Chiana finally rose to leave, her goodbyes were made quietly and heartfelt.
Alone again, John and Aeryn silently cleaned away the remains of their dinner, before preparing for bed. Aeryn remained in the small bathroom long after John had settled into the bed, but when she finally reappeared, his gaze met hers instantly.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Aeryn sighed, slipping beneath the sheets, turning to study John's face in quiet reflection as the tension eased from her frame. "What is it you'd like me to talk about this time?"
"I dunno, the fact we just exploded on each other with no apparent reason."
She smiled softly, shrugging. "Name a single solar day that has passed where we haven't fought about something, John."
He made a show out of thinking hard on the subject, frowning in concentration until Aeryn's hand shot out to strike his shoulder playfully. He grinned then, reaching out to smooth a stray lock of hair away from her face. "I guess it's just been a while; I'm an old man, I forget these things." He paused. "But we're really okay?"
The insecurities that shone through his soulful blue eyes brought a sigh to Aeryn's lips. Leaning forward she brushed her lips across his in a gentle caress. "We are really all right, John."
More aware than ever of the drastic changes in their relationship, when a simple battle of words, mild compared to those they'd shared in the past, could cause John to doubt Aeryn's love for him once again, spurred Aeryn into moving closer that night. She'd kept her distance from him in the previous nights, not for herself, but for him, allowing him to adjust to the fact that when he was ready, she'd be there. That night, she pulled his arms around her, turning so that her body curled into his. When he finally relaxed, pulling her closer still, his breath tickling the back of her neck as he breathed in her scent deeply, Aeryn's lips curved into a small smile against her pillow. It was all so familiar and not, but for the first time in the weekans that had stretched into an eternity, Aeryn drifted off to sleep instantly, her body and mind at ease when wrapped in John's strong embrace.
End Part Five.
In The Hands of Fate
Part Five
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
"So, what? They just disappeared?" Chiana's dark eyes widened in surprise as she scanned John's face for any sign of amusement.
"Yeah, Pip, poof, gone in a flash of light, all that fun stuff." John sighed, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet up on the table. "So, me 'n Aeryn are gathering up the cavalry and leading a posse into whatever Disney World Universe Moya's been dragged through."
"Right." Chiana nodded slowly, frowning as she attempted to process John's dialogue. "And which part do you expect me to play in this rescue attempt?"
John shrugged. "Whatever you want, Chi. I'm not gonna force you into coming with us. Just saying, I'm sure Moya and Pilot would appreciate your help. I know I would." When Chiana looked down, her need to leave showing plainly in her expressive dark eyes, John sighed. "Listen, Pip, if you don't want to come with, it's okay. Nobody's gonna hold it against you. Trust me."
"I love Pilot and Moya, Crichton, you know that, but I need to find Nerri. I have to. Besides, you have Aeryn, you don't need me in the way."
The door slammed open, causing both John and Chiana to jump in surprise as a slue of curse words John was thankful his microbes couldn't translate filled the air between them. "Idiot frelling males! They think I'd actually be willing to let *my* prowler sell for less than I could get for your frelling mod... Chiana." Aeryn gaped in surprise for a microt before smiling uncertainly.
"Aeryn." Chiana's smile matched Aeryn's for hesitation. The women had never been friends, but each cared for the other in their own way. "Did I hear right, you're actually willingly selling your prowler? What universe folded in on itself?"
"Pip..." John's voice was warning, searching Aeryn's face in anticipation of the cutting remark that rested on her lips. Instead, she half smiled and shook her head.
"No, John, it's all right. Chiana's not wrong, and yes, you heard correctly. The prowler isn't going to be able to get us to where we need to go, unfortunately. I've accepted that. If we're going to help Moya, sacrifices must be made ungrudgingly."
Chiana lifted an eyebrow in surprise at Aeryn's calm acceptance of the situation. Instead of her usual wisecracks, her eyes took on a thoughtful expression. "Um, I have an idea, maybe." John and Aeryn turned their gazes on her expectantly as Chiana struggled to choose her words carefully. "Maybe you don't have to sell the prowler. Maybe you could trade it. To me. For the transport pod."
"Chiana, don't be ridiculous. The transport pod's not going to pay for all the supplies John and I will need for this venture. We need the revenue generated by the sale of the prowler." Aeryn scoffed at the younger woman lightly, softening her original statement with a more gentle explanation.
"But..."
"Actually, Aeryn, it's not a bad plan. The transport pod'll give us the space we need to store everything, and it'll tow the module without too much strain on the structure."
"Yeah, and..."
"John, that still doesn't answer the question as to how we will be able to afford the "everything" that you plan to store."
"See, I..."
"I'm sure we can find something to trade somewhere. I mean, we'll pull apart the module if we have to for spare parts. And the transport pod's got loads of junk on it we can offload."
"Actually..."
"Right, and what happens if when we find Moya, where ever she is, we find that we need something we traded absently? You need to learn to plan ahead."
"If you'd..."
"I am planning ahead, you're just not seeing it. Whatever we trade now, we can replace later. Everything we need is on Moya, we just gotta get to her."
"Hello?"
"And what if we don't "get to her"? What if we search for weekans and never find her? We have no guarantee that the wormhole is still active, John. You cannot just assume that because it opened once, it will open again. You can't just go on believing that everything will turn out the way you expect it to."
"Hello?!"
"Right, Aeryn. If I ever did actually think like that, I certainly don't now. Neural clones, brain surgeries, multiple personalities, aliens pretending to be my father, leather clad nazi's nipping at my ass, clonings and everything else in this godforsaken part of the universe taught me that cycles ago."
"Hello!!"
"Fine. I'd thought you'd long since gotten over your self-pitying stage; obviously I was mistaken. When you're prepared to carry on a conversation like an adult rather than the petulant child you've become, please, do inform me."
"Oh, for frell's sake, would you two shut up for ten frelling microts so I can say something?!!" Chiana's voice echoed off the walls of the small room, finally gaining the attention of her companions. When silence fell upon the room at last, the small gray woman sighed in relief. "Thank you. Now, like I was saying, I've been here for a few solar days snur... uh, procuring supplies. The transport pod is stocked with food. If you're going to trade me for the prowler, I can't keep it all. So, let me take what I want, and the rest you can have for yourselves."
John and Aeryn looked at her incredulously, surprise shocking them into silence.
"What? I do come up with good ideas, you know, just none of you ever listened."
John was the first to shake off his surprise, laughing out loud as he climbed to his feet and hugged the small woman. "Believe me, Pip, after this, it'll never happen again."
"Yeah, right. I'll live to see that day."
Aeryn grudgingly agreed that Chiana's plan had merit, and although she remained somewhat tense for the remainder of the evening, when Chiana finally rose to leave, her goodbyes were made quietly and heartfelt.
Alone again, John and Aeryn silently cleaned away the remains of their dinner, before preparing for bed. Aeryn remained in the small bathroom long after John had settled into the bed, but when she finally reappeared, his gaze met hers instantly.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Aeryn sighed, slipping beneath the sheets, turning to study John's face in quiet reflection as the tension eased from her frame. "What is it you'd like me to talk about this time?"
"I dunno, the fact we just exploded on each other with no apparent reason."
She smiled softly, shrugging. "Name a single solar day that has passed where we haven't fought about something, John."
He made a show out of thinking hard on the subject, frowning in concentration until Aeryn's hand shot out to strike his shoulder playfully. He grinned then, reaching out to smooth a stray lock of hair away from her face. "I guess it's just been a while; I'm an old man, I forget these things." He paused. "But we're really okay?"
The insecurities that shone through his soulful blue eyes brought a sigh to Aeryn's lips. Leaning forward she brushed her lips across his in a gentle caress. "We are really all right, John."
More aware than ever of the drastic changes in their relationship, when a simple battle of words, mild compared to those they'd shared in the past, could cause John to doubt Aeryn's love for him once again, spurred Aeryn into moving closer that night. She'd kept her distance from him in the previous nights, not for herself, but for him, allowing him to adjust to the fact that when he was ready, she'd be there. That night, she pulled his arms around her, turning so that her body curled into his. When he finally relaxed, pulling her closer still, his breath tickling the back of her neck as he breathed in her scent deeply, Aeryn's lips curved into a small smile against her pillow. It was all so familiar and not, but for the first time in the weekans that had stretched into an eternity, Aeryn drifted off to sleep instantly, her body and mind at ease when wrapped in John's strong embrace.
End Part Five.