Nothing's Quite The Same
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
P11: by Neuroscpr
Setting: After DWTB, spoilers up until that ep
Rating: R
Summary: John and the other displaced members of the crew embark on their own missions as Moya heads into unknown territory.
The operating table glistened as streams of light reflected off the various medical utensils in the room. John Crichton lay with his eyes aimed towards the heavens. He stared at the ceiling with the type of scorn that was usually reserved for scaly-faced villains.
"He didn't give me enough anesthetic," he whispered.
Complaints fell on deaf ears in the room. He'd been left alone to his own devices after the doctor had finished his work. The human tried to pay as little attention as possible to the black box thing that covered his shoulder.
Harvey peeked his head out from beneath the table. A wry smile adorned his face, which annoyed John considering the situation.
"Just try not to move."
John lifted his head up slightly and scowled at the neural clone. "I've got this frelling thing strapped to me, doing God knows what. And you want me to sit still?"
"That is the general idea."
He sighed and laid back down on the bed. John wasn't quite sure but he almost thought he could feel the box doing its work. It felt like someone was dripping salt water over the wound.
In other words it hurt like hell.
"Are you aware of how childish you sound?" Harvey whispered back. Despite the fact that the entire conversation was taking place in Crichton's mind, he kept his voice low.
"Hey, I'm the one who got shot. If I want to be childish then I'll be childish," John spat back.
"Very well. But do not summon me when you do," the clone said and then paused. "Unless there is another reason I'm here?"
John narrowed his eyes at him but said nothing at first. Talking to Harvey while someone else was in the room, someone who didn't know was making him feel weird.
"Still clinging to the illusion of sanity, John?"
"Shut up. Go away."
Harvey grinned horrendously. "But you don't want me to. You want reassurance."
John sat up again. "D'Argo wouldn't leave! Not like this."
The clone shrugged. "He left you in this hospital. Hasn't been back since. Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions. Or are you perfectly safe? Because, as always, the bad guys want you alive."
John shook his head violently. "Alive doesn't mean safe. And D'Argo would not leave me here."
"Did you say something?" the doctor asked. Oblivious to the conversation taking place.
Crichton flinched. "No, nothing."
The door shut with a loud whoosh as Grayza stepped into her quarters. It was dark inside but she knew it well enough to avoid the walking hazards. The commandant sighed when she saw the one light shining in through the gloom.
A red light blinked incessantly beside the video screen on the far wall. She ignored it for the moment and walked over to the clothing rack.
"Frelling human," she said between gritted teeth. Her uniform was covered in a thick layer of mud. Grayza reached behind her head and unzipped.
Setting the dirty outfit aside, she reached for her formal garment. The revealing neckline caught her attention a microt before the feeling of eyes on her bareback.
"I disengaged the privacy mode. Hope you don't mind."
Grayza turned abruptly and found herself staring at a familiar face on the wall screen. Covering herself quickly, she allowed a frown to cross her face.
"Of course not, admiral," she said.
The man nodded, thoughts of apologizing never once crossing his mind. He pressed a button and the screen flickered. The admiral's face was replaced by John Crichton's.
"I understand you do not have the human in custody," he said with a hint of annoyance.
Grayza felt herself go tense. She was angry enough without the extra attention from High Command. "Perhaps if you would allow me to do this my way, admiral. It might expedite the process."
He smiled. "Yes, I imagine you must want to kill him very much. However, your orders are to bring him in alive."
"As Scorpius intended," Grayza broke in. "You might ask yourself where he is now."
The admiral shook his head. "Scorpius lost his head and his ship. I trust you will not make the same mistakes, commandant."
"Bring him to us alive, unless the situation deems it impossible," he said and the screen went black.
Grayza slipped the clean uniform over her shoulders and suddenly realized she had never gotten around to turning on the lights. Shrugging, she headed for the door. The words, "Unless the situation deems it impossible," staying in her mind.
"Vague in my favor," she said and exited.
The windswept plains surrounding his palace on Hyneria were the last visions Rygel saw as his short slumber came to an end. Sleeping in the beds of peasants was not his idea of ideal accommodations but he had to take what was given to him. The shelling didn't help either.
A loud roar hit his ears moments before the left side of the room disappeared. Rygel found himself airborne and landing hard on the dirt floor. "What the frell is wrong now?" he cried as debris rained down on his little green form.
Cries and screaming could be heard from just outside the door. Crawling timidly towards it, he imagined all the horrible things that awaited him.
The actual sight was far beyond his imagination.
In the skies above his hideaway, the Hynerion navy had positioned itself to carpet the entire encampment with long-range flame bombs.
"My Dominar! You are alive!"
Rygel caught sight of the man he'd spoken with earlier and ran to him. All thought of his throne sled had disappeared. Survival was the chief concern.
"I demand an explanation," he yelled over the sounds of destruction. "What the frell did you idiots do?"
The man seemed slightly confused by the question but shrugged it off. He grabbed onto Rygel's flimsy hand and dragged him towards a nearby structure.
Once inside, the nameless Hynerion spoke. "We intercepted a message between separate squadrons of navy ships," he said. "Unencrypted so that we could hear."
"What did it say!" shouted Rygel. His patience grew thinner by the microt.
The Hynerion's face turned grim. "That we must turn you in or die."
Rygel's face went blank as he processed the information. His left ear twitched and the right eye seemed to sink into its socket. Finally, he nodded.
"Then do it."
The shocked look on the other's face did not go away. He simply continued to stare at the one he called Dominar. A loud burst of gunfire from outside knocked his senses back into place.
"That is out of the question," he said without conviction. "Hynerions do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not risk your life for anything!"
Rygel actually managed to smile. He had fond memories of being so generously adored but fresh ones were always better. He leaned forward and patted his subject on the shoulder.
"Your bravery is honorable, my son. But I cannot allow you to make that sacrifice." The Dominar spoke with an air of kingliness that until now would have been met with scorn. He wasn't on Moya anymore.
Both of them turned as the shelter's door was kicked in. The hum of multiple throne sleds filled the air as mounted police invaded the room. All in the name of Dominar Bishan.
"You're under arrest," one spat at Rygel.
The old Hynerion lifted his arms weakly above his head, except they didn't reach far enough. He said nothing in reply.
"I told you, no visitors."
The doctor raised his hands in protest as the Luxan stepped through the door. He backed away quickly but maintained his stance.
D'Argo turned to look at him momentarily. "I have to speak to my friend," he said.
"But-."
D'Argo growled at him, which seemed to do the trick. The doctor nodded weakly and turned to walk out the other way.
John stirred on the operating table and opened his eyes. They lit up when he was who had come to pay a visit. The human tried to stand.
"Hey, don't do that," D'Argo said forcefully.
"Yeah, I know. Lie still."
D'Argo glanced over at the medical readouts. After a microt of trying to analyze them, he realized it was useless and focused on the patient.
"You have to stop doing this Crichton," he said.
John managed a thin smile and nodded. "Not gonna have you around to save me anymore, am I?"
The Luxan's face darkened. "Once we're free of this mess, I'm going to leave. Only until then."
"When are we ever free?"
D'Argo refused to meet John's eyes as he answered. "It was luck that I found you this time John. I didn't come back and I'm not going to stay."
Crichton stared at side of his friend's face and tried to keep from saying the word that hung on the tip of his tongue. He failed.
"But Moya," he said.
D'Argo nodded. "It was smart to separate," he said. "You did right to keep her safe." He then saw the horrified look on John's face. "What?"
"I didn't leave Moya. She was, um, swallowed by a wormhole."
The two of them sat there in awkward silence as the words sank in. D'Argo seemed to want to speak several times but came up short at each one. Finally he gave up and smashed his fist into the wall.
"Frell!"
Rygel sat uncharacteristically silent as the shuttlecraft rose up into the heavens. Far below, he could see the devastation that his former navy had wrought on its own people. The old thirst for revenge that had consumed him for so long was replaced by something else. Dominar Rygel 16th felt sorrow.
"Is it true what the peasants were saying?"
He turned to see one of the naval officers staring at him from the other side of the compartment. The officer was young, though being Hynerion it was hard to tell.
"I don't know. What are they saying?" he asked.
"That you came to reclaim your throne."
Rygel felt a smile form on his green face again. He nodded slightly but kept his eyes on the ground below. "Yes, I did."
"The peacekeepers came, said you were a traitor."
"Frell them all. Peacekeepers don't belong here," Rygel said.
The officer had no discernable reaction to the words. He just kept talking. "My father was there when Bishan dethroned you. Told me about it when I was younger."
"What did he tell you," Rygel asked and sighed.
"That you weren't a traitor."
Before either of them could speak further, a loud roar filled the air. Upon closer inspection, Rygel saw that they had reached another ship. This one much larger and better protected than the shuttle they were currently on.
Once they docked, he was chained again and carried out the door. Rygel paid little attention as he was dragged down a rather unspectacular hallway. However, he did notice the large steel doors at the end. Unheard of on navy ships.
"What is this?" he asked the nearest guard. The Dominar got no response.
Microts later the doors swung open. What Rygel saw on the other side of them made his internal organs expand and fill the air with helium.
John flexed his shoulder and grinned like an idiot. A few hours with that damn box on him and everything was right as rain. He made a mental note remember where the planet was located.
"Is it satisfactory?"
The doctor asked the question without looking up from his instrument panel. He seemed too preoccupied with other matters.
"Yeah, thanks. Just like that huh?" John said in amazement.
"You get what you pay for."
John thanked him again and went rushing out the door. His leather coat swung wildly behind him as he went. It was too bad the black box didn't fix outfits too. There was still a tattered hole where the shot had gone in.
Once outside, he caught sight of D'Argo. The Luxan was standing beside his ship with a grim expression adorning his face.
"Hey D! Wait up!" John shouted.
D'Argo turned towards him and continued to look displeased. His Qualta blade lay against the ship's exterior. There were scratch marks on the ground.
"You let Moya get sucked in by a wormhole?!" he shouted.
"I didn't let her do anything," John retorted. "It was kinda out of my hands."
"Why weren't you aboard?"
John paused a moment and then said, "Aeryn."
"Aeryn?"
"Aeryn," John repeated.
The name itself seemed to quiet D'Argo's anger. He leaned against the ship and dug his fist into the luminous metal.
"I woke up in the module. Frell, could've been days after it happened. I couldn't go after her alone," John said.
D'Argo nodded but did not answer. A curious noise had reached his ears at that very moment and he was trying to figure out what it was.
"What's wrong?" John asked
D'Argo looked up into the sky expecting to see the fleet of peacekeeper ships floating above them again. He was more than a little surprised to see something quite different.
Crichton followed the Luxan's gaze and caught sight of the same thing. A lone marauder flew up above them and seemed to be making sweeps of the surrounding area. "What do you think it's doing?"
The question was answered moments later. As it slowed, the marauder's bottom hatch opened and a large black object fell out into the air.
"Bomb?" John asked.
"Bomb," D'Argo mimicked.
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
P11: by Neuroscpr
Setting: After DWTB, spoilers up until that ep
Rating: R
Summary: John and the other displaced members of the crew embark on their own missions as Moya heads into unknown territory.
The operating table glistened as streams of light reflected off the various medical utensils in the room. John Crichton lay with his eyes aimed towards the heavens. He stared at the ceiling with the type of scorn that was usually reserved for scaly-faced villains.
"He didn't give me enough anesthetic," he whispered.
Complaints fell on deaf ears in the room. He'd been left alone to his own devices after the doctor had finished his work. The human tried to pay as little attention as possible to the black box thing that covered his shoulder.
Harvey peeked his head out from beneath the table. A wry smile adorned his face, which annoyed John considering the situation.
"Just try not to move."
John lifted his head up slightly and scowled at the neural clone. "I've got this frelling thing strapped to me, doing God knows what. And you want me to sit still?"
"That is the general idea."
He sighed and laid back down on the bed. John wasn't quite sure but he almost thought he could feel the box doing its work. It felt like someone was dripping salt water over the wound.
In other words it hurt like hell.
"Are you aware of how childish you sound?" Harvey whispered back. Despite the fact that the entire conversation was taking place in Crichton's mind, he kept his voice low.
"Hey, I'm the one who got shot. If I want to be childish then I'll be childish," John spat back.
"Very well. But do not summon me when you do," the clone said and then paused. "Unless there is another reason I'm here?"
John narrowed his eyes at him but said nothing at first. Talking to Harvey while someone else was in the room, someone who didn't know was making him feel weird.
"Still clinging to the illusion of sanity, John?"
"Shut up. Go away."
Harvey grinned horrendously. "But you don't want me to. You want reassurance."
John sat up again. "D'Argo wouldn't leave! Not like this."
The clone shrugged. "He left you in this hospital. Hasn't been back since. Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions. Or are you perfectly safe? Because, as always, the bad guys want you alive."
John shook his head violently. "Alive doesn't mean safe. And D'Argo would not leave me here."
"Did you say something?" the doctor asked. Oblivious to the conversation taking place.
Crichton flinched. "No, nothing."
The door shut with a loud whoosh as Grayza stepped into her quarters. It was dark inside but she knew it well enough to avoid the walking hazards. The commandant sighed when she saw the one light shining in through the gloom.
A red light blinked incessantly beside the video screen on the far wall. She ignored it for the moment and walked over to the clothing rack.
"Frelling human," she said between gritted teeth. Her uniform was covered in a thick layer of mud. Grayza reached behind her head and unzipped.
Setting the dirty outfit aside, she reached for her formal garment. The revealing neckline caught her attention a microt before the feeling of eyes on her bareback.
"I disengaged the privacy mode. Hope you don't mind."
Grayza turned abruptly and found herself staring at a familiar face on the wall screen. Covering herself quickly, she allowed a frown to cross her face.
"Of course not, admiral," she said.
The man nodded, thoughts of apologizing never once crossing his mind. He pressed a button and the screen flickered. The admiral's face was replaced by John Crichton's.
"I understand you do not have the human in custody," he said with a hint of annoyance.
Grayza felt herself go tense. She was angry enough without the extra attention from High Command. "Perhaps if you would allow me to do this my way, admiral. It might expedite the process."
He smiled. "Yes, I imagine you must want to kill him very much. However, your orders are to bring him in alive."
"As Scorpius intended," Grayza broke in. "You might ask yourself where he is now."
The admiral shook his head. "Scorpius lost his head and his ship. I trust you will not make the same mistakes, commandant."
"Bring him to us alive, unless the situation deems it impossible," he said and the screen went black.
Grayza slipped the clean uniform over her shoulders and suddenly realized she had never gotten around to turning on the lights. Shrugging, she headed for the door. The words, "Unless the situation deems it impossible," staying in her mind.
"Vague in my favor," she said and exited.
The windswept plains surrounding his palace on Hyneria were the last visions Rygel saw as his short slumber came to an end. Sleeping in the beds of peasants was not his idea of ideal accommodations but he had to take what was given to him. The shelling didn't help either.
A loud roar hit his ears moments before the left side of the room disappeared. Rygel found himself airborne and landing hard on the dirt floor. "What the frell is wrong now?" he cried as debris rained down on his little green form.
Cries and screaming could be heard from just outside the door. Crawling timidly towards it, he imagined all the horrible things that awaited him.
The actual sight was far beyond his imagination.
In the skies above his hideaway, the Hynerion navy had positioned itself to carpet the entire encampment with long-range flame bombs.
"My Dominar! You are alive!"
Rygel caught sight of the man he'd spoken with earlier and ran to him. All thought of his throne sled had disappeared. Survival was the chief concern.
"I demand an explanation," he yelled over the sounds of destruction. "What the frell did you idiots do?"
The man seemed slightly confused by the question but shrugged it off. He grabbed onto Rygel's flimsy hand and dragged him towards a nearby structure.
Once inside, the nameless Hynerion spoke. "We intercepted a message between separate squadrons of navy ships," he said. "Unencrypted so that we could hear."
"What did it say!" shouted Rygel. His patience grew thinner by the microt.
The Hynerion's face turned grim. "That we must turn you in or die."
Rygel's face went blank as he processed the information. His left ear twitched and the right eye seemed to sink into its socket. Finally, he nodded.
"Then do it."
The shocked look on the other's face did not go away. He simply continued to stare at the one he called Dominar. A loud burst of gunfire from outside knocked his senses back into place.
"That is out of the question," he said without conviction. "Hynerions do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not risk your life for anything!"
Rygel actually managed to smile. He had fond memories of being so generously adored but fresh ones were always better. He leaned forward and patted his subject on the shoulder.
"Your bravery is honorable, my son. But I cannot allow you to make that sacrifice." The Dominar spoke with an air of kingliness that until now would have been met with scorn. He wasn't on Moya anymore.
Both of them turned as the shelter's door was kicked in. The hum of multiple throne sleds filled the air as mounted police invaded the room. All in the name of Dominar Bishan.
"You're under arrest," one spat at Rygel.
The old Hynerion lifted his arms weakly above his head, except they didn't reach far enough. He said nothing in reply.
"I told you, no visitors."
The doctor raised his hands in protest as the Luxan stepped through the door. He backed away quickly but maintained his stance.
D'Argo turned to look at him momentarily. "I have to speak to my friend," he said.
"But-."
D'Argo growled at him, which seemed to do the trick. The doctor nodded weakly and turned to walk out the other way.
John stirred on the operating table and opened his eyes. They lit up when he was who had come to pay a visit. The human tried to stand.
"Hey, don't do that," D'Argo said forcefully.
"Yeah, I know. Lie still."
D'Argo glanced over at the medical readouts. After a microt of trying to analyze them, he realized it was useless and focused on the patient.
"You have to stop doing this Crichton," he said.
John managed a thin smile and nodded. "Not gonna have you around to save me anymore, am I?"
The Luxan's face darkened. "Once we're free of this mess, I'm going to leave. Only until then."
"When are we ever free?"
D'Argo refused to meet John's eyes as he answered. "It was luck that I found you this time John. I didn't come back and I'm not going to stay."
Crichton stared at side of his friend's face and tried to keep from saying the word that hung on the tip of his tongue. He failed.
"But Moya," he said.
D'Argo nodded. "It was smart to separate," he said. "You did right to keep her safe." He then saw the horrified look on John's face. "What?"
"I didn't leave Moya. She was, um, swallowed by a wormhole."
The two of them sat there in awkward silence as the words sank in. D'Argo seemed to want to speak several times but came up short at each one. Finally he gave up and smashed his fist into the wall.
"Frell!"
Rygel sat uncharacteristically silent as the shuttlecraft rose up into the heavens. Far below, he could see the devastation that his former navy had wrought on its own people. The old thirst for revenge that had consumed him for so long was replaced by something else. Dominar Rygel 16th felt sorrow.
"Is it true what the peasants were saying?"
He turned to see one of the naval officers staring at him from the other side of the compartment. The officer was young, though being Hynerion it was hard to tell.
"I don't know. What are they saying?" he asked.
"That you came to reclaim your throne."
Rygel felt a smile form on his green face again. He nodded slightly but kept his eyes on the ground below. "Yes, I did."
"The peacekeepers came, said you were a traitor."
"Frell them all. Peacekeepers don't belong here," Rygel said.
The officer had no discernable reaction to the words. He just kept talking. "My father was there when Bishan dethroned you. Told me about it when I was younger."
"What did he tell you," Rygel asked and sighed.
"That you weren't a traitor."
Before either of them could speak further, a loud roar filled the air. Upon closer inspection, Rygel saw that they had reached another ship. This one much larger and better protected than the shuttle they were currently on.
Once they docked, he was chained again and carried out the door. Rygel paid little attention as he was dragged down a rather unspectacular hallway. However, he did notice the large steel doors at the end. Unheard of on navy ships.
"What is this?" he asked the nearest guard. The Dominar got no response.
Microts later the doors swung open. What Rygel saw on the other side of them made his internal organs expand and fill the air with helium.
John flexed his shoulder and grinned like an idiot. A few hours with that damn box on him and everything was right as rain. He made a mental note remember where the planet was located.
"Is it satisfactory?"
The doctor asked the question without looking up from his instrument panel. He seemed too preoccupied with other matters.
"Yeah, thanks. Just like that huh?" John said in amazement.
"You get what you pay for."
John thanked him again and went rushing out the door. His leather coat swung wildly behind him as he went. It was too bad the black box didn't fix outfits too. There was still a tattered hole where the shot had gone in.
Once outside, he caught sight of D'Argo. The Luxan was standing beside his ship with a grim expression adorning his face.
"Hey D! Wait up!" John shouted.
D'Argo turned towards him and continued to look displeased. His Qualta blade lay against the ship's exterior. There were scratch marks on the ground.
"You let Moya get sucked in by a wormhole?!" he shouted.
"I didn't let her do anything," John retorted. "It was kinda out of my hands."
"Why weren't you aboard?"
John paused a moment and then said, "Aeryn."
"Aeryn?"
"Aeryn," John repeated.
The name itself seemed to quiet D'Argo's anger. He leaned against the ship and dug his fist into the luminous metal.
"I woke up in the module. Frell, could've been days after it happened. I couldn't go after her alone," John said.
D'Argo nodded but did not answer. A curious noise had reached his ears at that very moment and he was trying to figure out what it was.
"What's wrong?" John asked
D'Argo looked up into the sky expecting to see the fleet of peacekeeper ships floating above them again. He was more than a little surprised to see something quite different.
Crichton followed the Luxan's gaze and caught sight of the same thing. A lone marauder flew up above them and seemed to be making sweeps of the surrounding area. "What do you think it's doing?"
The question was answered moments later. As it slowed, the marauder's bottom hatch opened and a large black object fell out into the air.
"Bomb?" John asked.
"Bomb," D'Argo mimicked.
