1 Nothing's Quite The Same
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
Pt 20 by: Can
Setting: After DWTB, spoilers up until that episode
Rating: R
Summary: John and the other displaced members of the crew embark on their own missions as Moya heads into the unknown territory
He was so tired. He was tired of all the mind frelling games he had endured. John didn't care whom the pursuers were anymore he just wanted them destroyed. "Looks like you have your hands full, Grayza, " John laughed, bordering on hysteria now.
"Keep him here and post two guards. I will be back," Grayza said, dismissing the human, heading to command. "Finally!"
The sight before her was unexpected. Following the ship were two prowlers firing upon it. She saw the peacekeeper vessel retaliate, destroying both prowlers. Grayza headed for the bay, intending to protect her precious cargo.
She reached the bay just as the ship was landing. "What was that all about, Sergeant?"
"We're not quite sure yet Commandant, but our ship is safely docked and the offenders destroyed. We will find out more as soon as the soldiers disembark."
Grayza was getting very impatient waiting for Macton to appear. "Order them out of the ship immediately!"
xxxxx
The tension on the peacekeeper vessel was mounting. The time was finally upon them. Jaron was worried about the plan, still not totally trusting Macton. He felt the Sebacean was arrogant and knew he would betray them when the chance arose.
"Are you sure about this Aeryn?" He asked, watching her strap the mechanism to Macton's chest.
Aeryn, still busy with the prisoner, never looked his way. "No I'm not, Jaron, but it's the only thing I could come up with."
Looking up at Macton now, Aeryn grabbed him by the collar, bringing him within an inch of her face. "One wrong word, just one and you're dead. Is that understood?"
Macton swallowed hard knowing it was a promise. He nodded as Aeryn pushed him away from her.
Aeryn took a deep breath as the soldiers made the rest ready. She could hear the orders being barked from the carriers bay. "It's time."
Grayza was pleased when she saw the emerging figures. "Sergeant, stand ready in case this is a trick."
"Done sir!"
The captain emerged first, with Macton and two other soldiers following. "Commandant Grayza, I am sorry we were delayed. We met up with rebels, but as you can see we defeated them." The Captain stood aside to allow Macton to pass. "Your cargo, Commandant."
"Thank you Captain. I will be sure to give High Command a report on your success." She turned to Macton, dismissing him.
"Commandant, one last thing, if I may. We have some casualties. I ask that you allow us to put them in the appropriate place."
Grayza studied the expression on the soldiers face. "Of course, Captain," she replied graciously. "After that, please make yourselves comfortable until further orders."
The Captain bowed. "Thank you madam."
The soldiers heaved the body bags out of the ship trying not to drop them. They were escorted to the morgue, where they deposited the bags in the space allotted them.
xxxxx
Chiana was still dismayed by all that had happened to her. She couldn't allow them to get the contagion. The Peacekeepers were no better than the Nebari who did it to her.
She could still hear all of Nerri's warnings in her head. She knew she would still make the same choice if she had it all to do over again. But here she had gone out to help her friends and ended up captured with them. 'Some use I was.'
Chiana suddenly heard the dreaded noise, the echo of footfalls in the corridor. She knew that meant they were coming back to do some more experiments. 'Not this time', she thought, feeling determined to fight them. 'If I'm going down it's going to be with a fight!'
She lay on the table feigning sleep as they walked into the room.
The doctor looked relieved at her state. "Good, she won't give us any trouble at least. She must be more sensitive to our drugs than I thought."
Motioning to the orderlies he said, " Well, lets get this over with and be done with her. She'll be High Commands problem after she's off this vessel."
Chiana felt the hands touch her body. She could feel two sets of hands, one set on each side of her body. They were being careful not to wake her, thus the soft touches.
Chiana took full advantage of this as she grabbed the one on her right and flung him across the table at the other. Both orderlies went crashing to the floor as Chiana jumped to her feet. She saw the doctor out of the corner of her eye retreating in horror into the corner of the room.
She'd take care of him later. Chiana saw one of the orderlies ready to launch an attack. Before she could react he came crashing down on her, knocking her back to the table, gripping her throat. Chiana fought the hands that choked her, but they were like a vise on her neck. Her instincts took over as she raised her knee hard into his groin knocking him breathless to the floor.
Chiana gasped and rubbed her hands over her neck before she kicked him in the head knocking him out. "Frell you!"
The other orderly stayed where he was, having watched the vicious fight between the two. He cowered as Chiana approached him, wishing no part of her. She looked at him contemplating, but in the end she did the same. "That's for all you did to me and my friends!"
Chiana was exhausted as she looked up ready to deal with the doctor now. It was fitting she'd saved him for last. To her surprise he was nowhere in sight.
"Frell!" Chiana exclaimed. "No matter, let me get the frell out of here before he brings reinforcements!"
As Chiana started running towards the door she ran directly into Schumka. The doctor stood behind him, ready to flee.
Chiana stepped back, frantically looking for another way out of the room. Schumka came deeper into the room as she put more and more distance between them.
Schumka smiled at her. "I see you are resourceful as well." With the simple statement he pointed the stun gun and shot her.
xxxxx
The peacekeeper soldiers retreated from the morgue. This was their least favorite part of the ship. Having led the new soldiers to their destination, they felt no reason to stick around.
Waiting for the silence that told them they were far away, the soldiers helped Aeryn, Jaron and the other rebels out of the bags.
Aeryn was the first to speak. "Well so far so good." She only hoped the rest of the mission went according to plan. Macton was still a source of worry, even though her soldiers knew what to do if he opened his mouth. Still that would jeopardize the whole mission, and there was no back up plan this time. The man who always had a plan was out of her life. It was times like this that a part of her wished he were still by her side.
"Aeryn… I think…Aeryn?"
Jaron snapped her out of her thoughts as she suddenly realized he was speaking to her. " I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"What I was trying to say was we should both get on with the plan." He had only seen her distant a few times, but never on a mission. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jaron. Really." She said trying to reassure him. "Your right, we need to proceed. So let's get on with it," Aeryn replied, getting to her feet.
Looking at Jaron she said, " You understand what you must do. Just be careful to stay out of their way. You must succeed or the whole mission could fail."
"Not to worry Aeryn. It will be done," Jaron replied. "You…be careful!"
Jaron headed out on his own, as the rebels followed Aeryn.
xxxxx
Grayza and Macton walked leisurely through the corridors of the carrier. Graza was very pleased with herself. Everything she wanted had come together.
Speaking with Macton she felt some reserve in him. "Weren't you surprised when I summoned you? I know you have wanted Ka D'Argo for many cycles. Well, the time is close at hand."
She stopped and looked at him. " I only have one request. He must be kept alive! I don't want to make an enemy of the Luxan Empire."
Macton conceded. "As you wish. I will not kill him, Commandant." He hoped he could hold true to that after seeing him. Of course he was more concerned over the device strapped to his chest at the moment.
As they rounded the next corridor, the one to the detention center, Grayza saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. "I don't believe this," she exclaims. "How did they get on this ship?"
Before any one could answer the pulse fire started. The two guards that had escorted Macton from the ship were immediately killed as they turned on Grayza and her men.
Aeryn and her men returned the fire taking out most of Grayza's men. But Grayza and Macton were retreating now, putting the soldiers in the direct line of fire.
She didn't want anymore to lose their lives. They were fighting for the wrong reason, only they didn't know it. She just wanted the soldiers to back off.
Aeryn opened her radio up, " Jaron, can you hear me?" Static was all she heard on the other end. "Jaron!"
Suddenly the channel opened and Jaron spoke. "Aeryn, I wasn't sure of the first transmission. Are you ready?"
In a frantic voice Aeryn replied, "Yes. Do it now!"
From his vantage point in the carrier, Jaron had access to the functions of the ship. He immediately shut off all the security locks on the ship, including the ones to space.
The carrier shook when all the locks opened, throwing everyone against the walls of the corridor. It was a struggle to become upright again, as the ship was unsteady now.
Aeryn and her crew were far removed from the immediate threat of open space, but the rest of the carrier was thrown in disarray as the doors opened in the landing bay, sucking out everything and anything in the bay.
Aeryn was relieved as she saw D'Argo come through the cell door. The soldiers had retreated, being called back for more important duties.
Aeryn shouted, "D'Argo, this way!"
D'Argo looked confused, searching for the familiar voice. He saw her and grabbed her in is arms as she met him.
D'Argo looked her over for several microts before replying, "I never thought I'd see you again Aeryn Sun." He could see that she had changed. Whatever life she had chosen had taken something away from her.
"Let's get the frell out of here D'Argo! We can talk later!"
xxxxx
The neural clone was quiet now, letting John mend his own mind. He could still feel his fingers around Grayza's neck. The thought sickened him now, even though he knew Harvey drove him. 'Still I let it happen. I wanted her to die.'
John felt the ship lurch. He found himself airborne, slammed against the far wall of the room.
All he could do was sit and try to get his breath back. As the air filled his lungs again, he slowly got to his feet, massaging his aching shoulder. "What the frell is happening now?"
He slammed on the door to get the guards attention. "Hey! What the…" John couldn't believe what he was seeing. The door was slowly opening on it's own. He carefully looked out in the corridor for any sign of the soldiers.
John smiled slightly at his luck. "Time to cut and run."
He raced aimlessly down the corridor, just intent on getting as far from that room as he could. As he went down several more corridors he stopped, leaned over and grabbed his knees. He was out of breath and the adrenalin rush was quickly receding.
Breathing heavily he looked around for a sign of any sort. He also felt something was wrong since he hadn't run into any soldiers. 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, John.'
John looked down the corridor he had just turned into. It was a dead end. He backtracked to the former one and looked carefully. He decided to take the one marked LAB.
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
Pt 20 by: Can
Setting: After DWTB, spoilers up until that episode
Rating: R
Summary: John and the other displaced members of the crew embark on their own missions as Moya heads into the unknown territory
He was so tired. He was tired of all the mind frelling games he had endured. John didn't care whom the pursuers were anymore he just wanted them destroyed. "Looks like you have your hands full, Grayza, " John laughed, bordering on hysteria now.
"Keep him here and post two guards. I will be back," Grayza said, dismissing the human, heading to command. "Finally!"
The sight before her was unexpected. Following the ship were two prowlers firing upon it. She saw the peacekeeper vessel retaliate, destroying both prowlers. Grayza headed for the bay, intending to protect her precious cargo.
She reached the bay just as the ship was landing. "What was that all about, Sergeant?"
"We're not quite sure yet Commandant, but our ship is safely docked and the offenders destroyed. We will find out more as soon as the soldiers disembark."
Grayza was getting very impatient waiting for Macton to appear. "Order them out of the ship immediately!"
xxxxx
The tension on the peacekeeper vessel was mounting. The time was finally upon them. Jaron was worried about the plan, still not totally trusting Macton. He felt the Sebacean was arrogant and knew he would betray them when the chance arose.
"Are you sure about this Aeryn?" He asked, watching her strap the mechanism to Macton's chest.
Aeryn, still busy with the prisoner, never looked his way. "No I'm not, Jaron, but it's the only thing I could come up with."
Looking up at Macton now, Aeryn grabbed him by the collar, bringing him within an inch of her face. "One wrong word, just one and you're dead. Is that understood?"
Macton swallowed hard knowing it was a promise. He nodded as Aeryn pushed him away from her.
Aeryn took a deep breath as the soldiers made the rest ready. She could hear the orders being barked from the carriers bay. "It's time."
Grayza was pleased when she saw the emerging figures. "Sergeant, stand ready in case this is a trick."
"Done sir!"
The captain emerged first, with Macton and two other soldiers following. "Commandant Grayza, I am sorry we were delayed. We met up with rebels, but as you can see we defeated them." The Captain stood aside to allow Macton to pass. "Your cargo, Commandant."
"Thank you Captain. I will be sure to give High Command a report on your success." She turned to Macton, dismissing him.
"Commandant, one last thing, if I may. We have some casualties. I ask that you allow us to put them in the appropriate place."
Grayza studied the expression on the soldiers face. "Of course, Captain," she replied graciously. "After that, please make yourselves comfortable until further orders."
The Captain bowed. "Thank you madam."
The soldiers heaved the body bags out of the ship trying not to drop them. They were escorted to the morgue, where they deposited the bags in the space allotted them.
xxxxx
Chiana was still dismayed by all that had happened to her. She couldn't allow them to get the contagion. The Peacekeepers were no better than the Nebari who did it to her.
She could still hear all of Nerri's warnings in her head. She knew she would still make the same choice if she had it all to do over again. But here she had gone out to help her friends and ended up captured with them. 'Some use I was.'
Chiana suddenly heard the dreaded noise, the echo of footfalls in the corridor. She knew that meant they were coming back to do some more experiments. 'Not this time', she thought, feeling determined to fight them. 'If I'm going down it's going to be with a fight!'
She lay on the table feigning sleep as they walked into the room.
The doctor looked relieved at her state. "Good, she won't give us any trouble at least. She must be more sensitive to our drugs than I thought."
Motioning to the orderlies he said, " Well, lets get this over with and be done with her. She'll be High Commands problem after she's off this vessel."
Chiana felt the hands touch her body. She could feel two sets of hands, one set on each side of her body. They were being careful not to wake her, thus the soft touches.
Chiana took full advantage of this as she grabbed the one on her right and flung him across the table at the other. Both orderlies went crashing to the floor as Chiana jumped to her feet. She saw the doctor out of the corner of her eye retreating in horror into the corner of the room.
She'd take care of him later. Chiana saw one of the orderlies ready to launch an attack. Before she could react he came crashing down on her, knocking her back to the table, gripping her throat. Chiana fought the hands that choked her, but they were like a vise on her neck. Her instincts took over as she raised her knee hard into his groin knocking him breathless to the floor.
Chiana gasped and rubbed her hands over her neck before she kicked him in the head knocking him out. "Frell you!"
The other orderly stayed where he was, having watched the vicious fight between the two. He cowered as Chiana approached him, wishing no part of her. She looked at him contemplating, but in the end she did the same. "That's for all you did to me and my friends!"
Chiana was exhausted as she looked up ready to deal with the doctor now. It was fitting she'd saved him for last. To her surprise he was nowhere in sight.
"Frell!" Chiana exclaimed. "No matter, let me get the frell out of here before he brings reinforcements!"
As Chiana started running towards the door she ran directly into Schumka. The doctor stood behind him, ready to flee.
Chiana stepped back, frantically looking for another way out of the room. Schumka came deeper into the room as she put more and more distance between them.
Schumka smiled at her. "I see you are resourceful as well." With the simple statement he pointed the stun gun and shot her.
xxxxx
The peacekeeper soldiers retreated from the morgue. This was their least favorite part of the ship. Having led the new soldiers to their destination, they felt no reason to stick around.
Waiting for the silence that told them they were far away, the soldiers helped Aeryn, Jaron and the other rebels out of the bags.
Aeryn was the first to speak. "Well so far so good." She only hoped the rest of the mission went according to plan. Macton was still a source of worry, even though her soldiers knew what to do if he opened his mouth. Still that would jeopardize the whole mission, and there was no back up plan this time. The man who always had a plan was out of her life. It was times like this that a part of her wished he were still by her side.
"Aeryn… I think…Aeryn?"
Jaron snapped her out of her thoughts as she suddenly realized he was speaking to her. " I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"What I was trying to say was we should both get on with the plan." He had only seen her distant a few times, but never on a mission. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jaron. Really." She said trying to reassure him. "Your right, we need to proceed. So let's get on with it," Aeryn replied, getting to her feet.
Looking at Jaron she said, " You understand what you must do. Just be careful to stay out of their way. You must succeed or the whole mission could fail."
"Not to worry Aeryn. It will be done," Jaron replied. "You…be careful!"
Jaron headed out on his own, as the rebels followed Aeryn.
xxxxx
Grayza and Macton walked leisurely through the corridors of the carrier. Graza was very pleased with herself. Everything she wanted had come together.
Speaking with Macton she felt some reserve in him. "Weren't you surprised when I summoned you? I know you have wanted Ka D'Argo for many cycles. Well, the time is close at hand."
She stopped and looked at him. " I only have one request. He must be kept alive! I don't want to make an enemy of the Luxan Empire."
Macton conceded. "As you wish. I will not kill him, Commandant." He hoped he could hold true to that after seeing him. Of course he was more concerned over the device strapped to his chest at the moment.
As they rounded the next corridor, the one to the detention center, Grayza saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. "I don't believe this," she exclaims. "How did they get on this ship?"
Before any one could answer the pulse fire started. The two guards that had escorted Macton from the ship were immediately killed as they turned on Grayza and her men.
Aeryn and her men returned the fire taking out most of Grayza's men. But Grayza and Macton were retreating now, putting the soldiers in the direct line of fire.
She didn't want anymore to lose their lives. They were fighting for the wrong reason, only they didn't know it. She just wanted the soldiers to back off.
Aeryn opened her radio up, " Jaron, can you hear me?" Static was all she heard on the other end. "Jaron!"
Suddenly the channel opened and Jaron spoke. "Aeryn, I wasn't sure of the first transmission. Are you ready?"
In a frantic voice Aeryn replied, "Yes. Do it now!"
From his vantage point in the carrier, Jaron had access to the functions of the ship. He immediately shut off all the security locks on the ship, including the ones to space.
The carrier shook when all the locks opened, throwing everyone against the walls of the corridor. It was a struggle to become upright again, as the ship was unsteady now.
Aeryn and her crew were far removed from the immediate threat of open space, but the rest of the carrier was thrown in disarray as the doors opened in the landing bay, sucking out everything and anything in the bay.
Aeryn was relieved as she saw D'Argo come through the cell door. The soldiers had retreated, being called back for more important duties.
Aeryn shouted, "D'Argo, this way!"
D'Argo looked confused, searching for the familiar voice. He saw her and grabbed her in is arms as she met him.
D'Argo looked her over for several microts before replying, "I never thought I'd see you again Aeryn Sun." He could see that she had changed. Whatever life she had chosen had taken something away from her.
"Let's get the frell out of here D'Argo! We can talk later!"
xxxxx
The neural clone was quiet now, letting John mend his own mind. He could still feel his fingers around Grayza's neck. The thought sickened him now, even though he knew Harvey drove him. 'Still I let it happen. I wanted her to die.'
John felt the ship lurch. He found himself airborne, slammed against the far wall of the room.
All he could do was sit and try to get his breath back. As the air filled his lungs again, he slowly got to his feet, massaging his aching shoulder. "What the frell is happening now?"
He slammed on the door to get the guards attention. "Hey! What the…" John couldn't believe what he was seeing. The door was slowly opening on it's own. He carefully looked out in the corridor for any sign of the soldiers.
John smiled slightly at his luck. "Time to cut and run."
He raced aimlessly down the corridor, just intent on getting as far from that room as he could. As he went down several more corridors he stopped, leaned over and grabbed his knees. He was out of breath and the adrenalin rush was quickly receding.
Breathing heavily he looked around for a sign of any sort. He also felt something was wrong since he hadn't run into any soldiers. 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, John.'
John looked down the corridor he had just turned into. It was a dead end. He backtracked to the former one and looked carefully. He decided to take the one marked LAB.
