Nothing's Quite The Same
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
Pt 23 by: Neuroscpr
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 unknown territory
The long winding corridors, the endless number of empty cells, all sat in darkness as the giant leviathan made its way through unknown territory. An uncharacteristic silence had settled over the living ship. Most of her crew, save two, had left her.
In the den, Pilot sat with his head swung slightly forward. His mouth hung open a bit and a trickle of what might've been saliva poured down on the lifeless control console. It had been quite some time since he'd moved at all.
On the ground below him, Jool lay with her face buried in a pillow of her own red hair. It was tangled in knots around her head and appeared to be of normal color. Her breaths came in short gasps that caused her whole body to tremble.
Then the lights came back on.
She opened her eyes slowly and saw muddled shapes that she could not identify. The Interon lifted her head gingerly off the ground.
"What? Where am I?" she whispered.
The answer was a resounding silence.
"Pilot?" she said, her voice growing a bit more agitated.
"Is someone there?! Please someone be there!" Jool shouted and managed to sit up. She looked around and her vision began to clear. "Pilot?"
He opened his eyes with the same deliberate slowness and took in the surroundings. His mouth still hanging open, Pilot gasped.
"Jool? What happened? Moya and I, we can't…"
"I can't either," Jool answered.
She stood and hobbled over to him, cursing whoever had done this to them with each step. Reaching the console, Jool raised a hand and touched it lightly to Pilot's head.
"Is Moya alright Pilot?" she asked. "Are you?"
Pilot looked at her and tried to appear reassuring. "We appear to be fine, Jool. Thank you for your concern," he said.
"Where's that insane old woman? How long have we been asleep?" Jool asked.
Pilot's face suddenly looked tired. "Please Jool, Moya and I are still very confused," he said. His hand moved over the console.
"Hmm," he said. "I do not detect the old woman onboard. But there are other life-signs that I cannot identify."
Pilot looked up at Jool, who couldn't remember being quite this disconcerted before.
"Why do I have to be the one to do this?" Jool said to no one in particular as she tiptoed down the empty corridor. Her eyes danced across every inch of open space, searching for monsters or whatever other nasty things were about.
"You're the only person onboard that's mobile," Pilot said over the comm.
Jool cradled the pulse rifle in her hands as if it were an infant. "But I don't know how to use a weapon," she whined. "What if I'm killed? If I'm dead, you and Moya will be alone. And I'll be dead!"
"Please Jool," Pilot answered. "I do not detect any weaponry aboard besides the rifle you are holding."
Jool shot an annoyed look up in the direction of Pilot's den. "Why couldn't you just send a DRD?"
"I have not yet been able to restore them to active use," Pilot said. "I told you that already."
Jool shook her head and suddenly realized she was standing in front of the door. Behind it was the first of the life-signs Pilot had detected. All that was left was for her to open it and see what it was.
"Ok, I'm opening it," she said shakily.
She touched the controls and the door swung open. To Jool's amazement, there was someone standing in the middle of the room. Someone familiar.
Chiana was standing there, her eyes focused on something the Interon could not see.
"Chi! How did you - I mean, what are you doing here?" Jool shouted.
The Nebari, who appeared to be placing something invisible on the bed, ignored her outburst and continued to move about in the same manner.
"Chiana! Answer me," Jool said in rising hysteria.
"What are you doing Chiana?" another voice said. "Why did you leave the party?"
Jool turned and aimed her rifle with little enthusiasm at the sound. "Who are you?"
It was another Nebari. He walked in the same as Jool had and moved to where Chiana stood. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Nerri. I was going to tell you," Chiana said.
"Tell me what?" Nerri asked.
Chiana dropped whatever she was holding and shook her head. "The resistance, it's your life not mine. There's no place for me here."
Nerri seemed outraged. "Of course there is!" he said forcefully. "I know it takes some adjusting, but this is where you belong. With me."
As Jool looked on in shocked silence, Chiana lifted her hand to Nerri's cheek and smiled. "But this isn't just about us. You're my brother, I love you. I've wanted to be with you for so long and it frelling hurts." She turned away from him. "But this isn't my home."
Nerri frowned and his face took on a serious expression. "Where else could you possibly belong but here? This is about us, about our people," he said.
"It's not my fight," Chiana whispered. "At least not right now."
"Then what is?" Nerri asked.
Chiana turned and looked up at something that Jool couldn't even imagine. "I have to find Moya," she said. "I can't let her die because I decided to stay here with you."
Jool saw the tears beginning to form in Chiana's eyes and felt some in her own as well. She watched as Nerri closed the space between him and his sister. The two Nebaris embraced each other tightly and disappeared.
"What the frell?" Jool said. Her mouth hung open in confusion. "Where'd they go? Chiana!"
Her comm burst to life. "I no longer read them on my scanners," Pilot said.
"You saw them too?!" Jool asked excitedly.
Back in his den, Pilot held a similar expression. "Yes Jool, I did."
The Interon poked her head out the door and looked around. As odd as that little encounter had been, she was not quite at the point of Crichton-like madness.
"Pilot, is there anyone else here?" she asked.
She waited.
"Jool! There is something coming towards you!" Pilot shouted just before the comm went dead.
The Interon waved her gun around in all directions and searched frantically for what Pilot had said. Jool hoped it was as safe as what she had just seen. History told her otherwise.
From down the corridor, a strange rumbling sound reached her ears. She looked in that direction and something. A section of the lighted hallway had just been plunged into darkness. As Jool watched, the dark spot moved closer to her. With each approach, the rumbling grew louder.
"Who's there!" she shouted.
No answer.
"Aw frell!" Jool turned on her heels and ran in the opposite direction. More out of fear than anger, her hair switched to bright orange and swayed about as she moved. Reaching the nearest cell, she threw herself inside and shut the door.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" a voice asked.
Jool almost jumped out of her skin. She looked around and caught sight of the speaker. "Oh, why is this happening to me?"
John Crichton sat on the edge of the bed, drinking from an invisible glass. His face looked somewhat battered and his clothes ripped. He lifted whatever he was holding and nodded towards someone else.
"Seeing if they've got anything stronger than raslak," D'Argo answered. He was kneeling by the wall, though Jool could see no alcohol.
"So what happened man? I wanna hear some details," John said.
"As do I," Jool said to no one in particular.
D'Argo looked up from what he was doing. "What are you talking about John?"
"You said Macton was on Grayza's ship," John said. "What happened? I know you wouldn't leave if he was there."
The Luxan's face became grim. "I don't want to talk about it," he whispered.
"He's dead then?" John asked.
"Listen Crichton! I said I don't want to talk about it. I don't need any lectures from you about what the right thing to do is!" D'Argo shouted.
John stood up. "Hey man, I wasn't-
Suddenly the horrible roaring that Jool had heard rose up outside. The visages of D'Argo and Crichton disappeared. Jool backed up against the wall and started shaking violently.
"Oh, I'm going to die. I know I'm going to die!" she shouted.
The cell's door opened and a man dressed rather oddly stepped into the room. He was old with white hair and wore some sort of striped shirt. Cupping his hand over the Interon's mouth, he pulled her in close to him.
"Stop shouting. You're in danger," he said.
They stood there like that for several microts. Jool squirming against the man's grip while he held his eyes closed in silence.
After a little while, the rumbling from outside stopped and the man lessened his grip. He lifted his hand gingerly off Jool's mouth and stepped away.
"Please don't scream," he said.
Jool slid backwards and lifted her pulse rifle. With shaky hands, she aimed it at him.
"Who are you?" she shouted. "How did you get aboard this ship?"
He nodded in understanding. "We haven't met. But the others call me Jack," he said.
The Interon suddenly remembered what she had been told about an alien named Jack who took the form of Crichton's father. This man seemed to fit the description. She lowered the weapon slowly.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Jack stepped back outside and frowned. He seemed to be able to see something that Jool couldn't. In any case, he was freaking her out.
"We don't have time for this now," Jack said. "Please just come with me."
Reluctantly, Jool agreed. With Jack leading the way, they hurried down the corridor and soon found themselves in the dining hall.
"Oh no," he said.
Jool looked past him and saw Rygel with another Hynerion. They appeared to be discussing something, which did not altogether surprise her.
"I don't understand, sir. Why are we here with these people?" the Hynerion asked.
Rygel looked impatient. "These people, despite being lower life-forms, are my friends. And right now they are our only chance of defeating the peacekeepers."
The soldier nodded. "Will they help us?" he said.
The old Dominar shook his head. "No, I don't imagine they will. At least not without some incentives," Rygel said. "They can be very disagreeable at times."
"Incentives, sir? Did you have something in mind?" the soldier asked.
Rygel smiled.
Before the Dominar could answer, Jack stepped forward into the room. He waved a hand at Rygel's body and it passed straight through.
"What the frell is that?" Jool asked. "What's going on?"
Jack looked up at her and his face darkened even more. "It's getting closer," he said and headed back out into the corridor. Jool could do nothing but follow.
As they stepped out into the hallway, both were cut short by the sudden appearance of John Crichton. The human came running down the corridor with a look of steely resolve that she hadn't recognized when he last appeared.
"Come on," Jack said. "Follow him."
Not bothering to ask, Jool kept her mouth shut and followed the two men down towards a cell at the end of the hall. Realizing where she was, the Interon also began to understand where they were going.
Crichton stayed up ahead of them as he ran. Once he got within view of the cell he was looking for, he shouted, "Aeryn!"
Jack and Jool stopped short and looked at each other. He motioned for her to keep quiet and pointed towards the human.
"Aeryn!" John shouted. He pounded on the door with his fists and then backed up to wait for an answer. It came quickly.
"I can't talk to you," the voice of Aeryn Sun said. It was muffled but all three outside the door could make it out.
John shook his head and turned away. For the first time, he seemed to notice that the other two were standing there. In fact, he was looking right at Jool.
"Crichton, can you see me?" Jool asked.
"Shut up Harvey," John answered. "Scram."
Jool looked at Jack, who shook his head.
Then, quite surprisingly, the door to Aeryn's cell opened. She sat on the bed with a sour expression on her face. Her eyes were on the ground.
John walked into the room. "I can't do this anymore, Aeryn," he said. "I can't just sit around on my hands while you decide what it is you want!"
Aeryn looked up at him and wiped what appeared to be moisture from her eye. She shook her head. "Is that what you came to tell me," she asked. "Your turn to say goodbye now?"
The human clenched his fists in anger but was clearly trying to control himself. "No, it's about Moya."
Aeryn stood up to attention. Her eyes bore into John's with an almost animal ferocity. "What about her?" she said.
"She's gone, with Pilot and Jool," he said. "We don't know where she is."
The ex-peacekeeper took a step forward. "What do you mean you don't know?" she asked angrily.
John nodded his head, the pain obvious in his face. "A wormhole. When I was out in my module, a wormhole opened up and took her," he whispered.
Aeryn looked like she'd just been hit hard in the gut. She turned away and put a hand on the wall to support herself. Staying like that for several microts, she barely found the words to speak.
"Why do you keep doing this to me!" she shouted. "Why is it that no matter how far I go, I always end up right back where I started? With you!" By now she had moved to face him again.
Crichton stood silent for a microt, unsure as to what direction the conversation had suddenly taken.
"Say something for frell's sake!" The volume of Aeryn's voice made Jool, who had already moved closer to Jack, take a step back.
"What do you want from me?!" John shouted back. "Am I just supposed to shrug off the fact that you can't bear to look at my face?! Guess what Aeryn; you're not the only one that's hurting. But I'm not going to run away from us."
He let the words settle for a moment and then continued. "I can't tell you what to do here Aeryn," he said. "You know where I stand, what I want."
He watched as she came closer to him. His face, with a great deal of inner strength, remained passive. "Ball's in your court now."
Aeryn looked into his eyes and saw everything his face was working so hard to hide. She sighed deeply and headed for the door.
"You're leaving!" John shouted.
She stopped, mere inches from where Jack and Jool were standing.
"I am not leaving!" Aeryn retorted.
John took a step towards her. "Then what are you doing Aeryn? Huh? If this is the end, then say it!" He was breathing hard now. "I won't let you go without saying it."
"I can't," she managed.
"You have to!" he said angrily. "I won't let you do this to me again."
Aeryn nodded slightly and turned away. "We're going to find Moya," she said. "That's what you said, that's what we're going to do."
"What about us," John asked.
Aeryn looked at him, her own face far from passive. "Different this time," she said, nodding as she walked past the two silent onlookers.
John managed a weak smile as he watched her go. Then, as if remembering something from long ago, he ran after her.
"Hey Aeryn," he shouted. "Are you pregnant?"
All four people suddenly froze in place. Aeryn, not surprisingly, was the first to recover. She gave Crichton an almost pained expression. "What did you say?"
With those words, Crichton and Aeryn disappeared into thin air and left no trace of the conversation that had just taken place.
Jool glanced over at Jack. "Did you hear that?" she asked
Jack nodded but didn't seem to be too hung up on it. He looked down the corridor and closed his eyes. As if on cue, a deep rumbling sound hit their ears.
Pilot looked up as the door to his den flew open. He'd been trying to bring the comm systems back online for quite some time with no results. It was a relief to see that Jool was alive.
"Jool, are you all right," he asked.
"I'm fine Pilot," Jool said as she entered.
Behind her, Jack came in and made his way quickly to the console.
"Who are you?" Pilot asked.
Jack looked around the den as if he were scanning it for something. Finally, he turned to the confused creature.
"You know who I am," he said.
At his words, Moya began to shake in recognition. Not only from her experiences, but also from those that Talyn had described.
Pilot nodded slightly as the realization washed over him. "You are Jack?" he said. "Though Talyn told us that you were dead."
Jack ignored the question and moved up to check the console. "Pilot, those life-signs you've been detecting. How many are there now?"
Checking his scanners, Pilot frowned. "My scanners are not able to detect a number," he said. "But data suggests that they are on every tier, including this one."
A loud pounding sound grabbed their attention. Something was pushing against the den's door with incredible strength.
Jool screamed which caused Pilot to respond with his own shouts of pain. In between them, Jack seemed not to notice.
"You two should be safe in here," Jack said. "Do not open that door under any circumstances."
Jool ran up behind him. "What are you talking about?" she asked hysterically. "Where the frell are you going to be?"
Jack stepped away from her. "I have to go now," he said and disappeared as all the others had so far that day.
The pounding on the door grew louder.
"Moya and I are very frightened," said Pilot.
"I know Pilot," Jool said. "So am I."
Her head bounced lightly against the metal and brought her slowly out of the deep sleep. Trying to rest on the floor of a starship was not the easiest thing to do. Chiana opened her eyes and saw the ceiling above her.
"You're awake?" a voice said.
She turned to the side and the voice's owner came into view. Jack, the Ancient that Crichton had talked about, stood above her with a stern look on his face.
"Yeah, what about the others?" she asked.
Jack motioned for her to sit up, which she did. From the new vantage point, Chiana could see her friends together again. D'Argo and Crichton sat in the cockpit, discussing something she could not make out. Behind them, Aeryn slept. Her hand curled around the handle of her pulse rifle. Sitting in a corner, Rygel was eating some leftovers from the feast Nerri had prepared for them.
"Where are we?" she said.
Jack offered her his hand and lifted Chiana onto her feet. Following his instructions, she walked to the nearest porthole and looked out into space.
Except it wasn't the space she was used to seeing. There were no stars or planets to look at. Only a vast wave of shimmering blue. A wormhole.
The Ancient stepped up beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You can't see what happens next," he said. 'Not yet."
Chiana closed her eyes. There was nothing there. Only a low rumbling sound from somewhere off in the darkness.
Story by: Neuroscpr and Can
Pt 23 by: Neuroscpr
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 unknown territory
The long winding corridors, the endless number of empty cells, all sat in darkness as the giant leviathan made its way through unknown territory. An uncharacteristic silence had settled over the living ship. Most of her crew, save two, had left her.
In the den, Pilot sat with his head swung slightly forward. His mouth hung open a bit and a trickle of what might've been saliva poured down on the lifeless control console. It had been quite some time since he'd moved at all.
On the ground below him, Jool lay with her face buried in a pillow of her own red hair. It was tangled in knots around her head and appeared to be of normal color. Her breaths came in short gasps that caused her whole body to tremble.
Then the lights came back on.
She opened her eyes slowly and saw muddled shapes that she could not identify. The Interon lifted her head gingerly off the ground.
"What? Where am I?" she whispered.
The answer was a resounding silence.
"Pilot?" she said, her voice growing a bit more agitated.
"Is someone there?! Please someone be there!" Jool shouted and managed to sit up. She looked around and her vision began to clear. "Pilot?"
He opened his eyes with the same deliberate slowness and took in the surroundings. His mouth still hanging open, Pilot gasped.
"Jool? What happened? Moya and I, we can't…"
"I can't either," Jool answered.
She stood and hobbled over to him, cursing whoever had done this to them with each step. Reaching the console, Jool raised a hand and touched it lightly to Pilot's head.
"Is Moya alright Pilot?" she asked. "Are you?"
Pilot looked at her and tried to appear reassuring. "We appear to be fine, Jool. Thank you for your concern," he said.
"Where's that insane old woman? How long have we been asleep?" Jool asked.
Pilot's face suddenly looked tired. "Please Jool, Moya and I are still very confused," he said. His hand moved over the console.
"Hmm," he said. "I do not detect the old woman onboard. But there are other life-signs that I cannot identify."
Pilot looked up at Jool, who couldn't remember being quite this disconcerted before.
"Why do I have to be the one to do this?" Jool said to no one in particular as she tiptoed down the empty corridor. Her eyes danced across every inch of open space, searching for monsters or whatever other nasty things were about.
"You're the only person onboard that's mobile," Pilot said over the comm.
Jool cradled the pulse rifle in her hands as if it were an infant. "But I don't know how to use a weapon," she whined. "What if I'm killed? If I'm dead, you and Moya will be alone. And I'll be dead!"
"Please Jool," Pilot answered. "I do not detect any weaponry aboard besides the rifle you are holding."
Jool shot an annoyed look up in the direction of Pilot's den. "Why couldn't you just send a DRD?"
"I have not yet been able to restore them to active use," Pilot said. "I told you that already."
Jool shook her head and suddenly realized she was standing in front of the door. Behind it was the first of the life-signs Pilot had detected. All that was left was for her to open it and see what it was.
"Ok, I'm opening it," she said shakily.
She touched the controls and the door swung open. To Jool's amazement, there was someone standing in the middle of the room. Someone familiar.
Chiana was standing there, her eyes focused on something the Interon could not see.
"Chi! How did you - I mean, what are you doing here?" Jool shouted.
The Nebari, who appeared to be placing something invisible on the bed, ignored her outburst and continued to move about in the same manner.
"Chiana! Answer me," Jool said in rising hysteria.
"What are you doing Chiana?" another voice said. "Why did you leave the party?"
Jool turned and aimed her rifle with little enthusiasm at the sound. "Who are you?"
It was another Nebari. He walked in the same as Jool had and moved to where Chiana stood. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Nerri. I was going to tell you," Chiana said.
"Tell me what?" Nerri asked.
Chiana dropped whatever she was holding and shook her head. "The resistance, it's your life not mine. There's no place for me here."
Nerri seemed outraged. "Of course there is!" he said forcefully. "I know it takes some adjusting, but this is where you belong. With me."
As Jool looked on in shocked silence, Chiana lifted her hand to Nerri's cheek and smiled. "But this isn't just about us. You're my brother, I love you. I've wanted to be with you for so long and it frelling hurts." She turned away from him. "But this isn't my home."
Nerri frowned and his face took on a serious expression. "Where else could you possibly belong but here? This is about us, about our people," he said.
"It's not my fight," Chiana whispered. "At least not right now."
"Then what is?" Nerri asked.
Chiana turned and looked up at something that Jool couldn't even imagine. "I have to find Moya," she said. "I can't let her die because I decided to stay here with you."
Jool saw the tears beginning to form in Chiana's eyes and felt some in her own as well. She watched as Nerri closed the space between him and his sister. The two Nebaris embraced each other tightly and disappeared.
"What the frell?" Jool said. Her mouth hung open in confusion. "Where'd they go? Chiana!"
Her comm burst to life. "I no longer read them on my scanners," Pilot said.
"You saw them too?!" Jool asked excitedly.
Back in his den, Pilot held a similar expression. "Yes Jool, I did."
The Interon poked her head out the door and looked around. As odd as that little encounter had been, she was not quite at the point of Crichton-like madness.
"Pilot, is there anyone else here?" she asked.
She waited.
"Jool! There is something coming towards you!" Pilot shouted just before the comm went dead.
The Interon waved her gun around in all directions and searched frantically for what Pilot had said. Jool hoped it was as safe as what she had just seen. History told her otherwise.
From down the corridor, a strange rumbling sound reached her ears. She looked in that direction and something. A section of the lighted hallway had just been plunged into darkness. As Jool watched, the dark spot moved closer to her. With each approach, the rumbling grew louder.
"Who's there!" she shouted.
No answer.
"Aw frell!" Jool turned on her heels and ran in the opposite direction. More out of fear than anger, her hair switched to bright orange and swayed about as she moved. Reaching the nearest cell, she threw herself inside and shut the door.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" a voice asked.
Jool almost jumped out of her skin. She looked around and caught sight of the speaker. "Oh, why is this happening to me?"
John Crichton sat on the edge of the bed, drinking from an invisible glass. His face looked somewhat battered and his clothes ripped. He lifted whatever he was holding and nodded towards someone else.
"Seeing if they've got anything stronger than raslak," D'Argo answered. He was kneeling by the wall, though Jool could see no alcohol.
"So what happened man? I wanna hear some details," John said.
"As do I," Jool said to no one in particular.
D'Argo looked up from what he was doing. "What are you talking about John?"
"You said Macton was on Grayza's ship," John said. "What happened? I know you wouldn't leave if he was there."
The Luxan's face became grim. "I don't want to talk about it," he whispered.
"He's dead then?" John asked.
"Listen Crichton! I said I don't want to talk about it. I don't need any lectures from you about what the right thing to do is!" D'Argo shouted.
John stood up. "Hey man, I wasn't-
Suddenly the horrible roaring that Jool had heard rose up outside. The visages of D'Argo and Crichton disappeared. Jool backed up against the wall and started shaking violently.
"Oh, I'm going to die. I know I'm going to die!" she shouted.
The cell's door opened and a man dressed rather oddly stepped into the room. He was old with white hair and wore some sort of striped shirt. Cupping his hand over the Interon's mouth, he pulled her in close to him.
"Stop shouting. You're in danger," he said.
They stood there like that for several microts. Jool squirming against the man's grip while he held his eyes closed in silence.
After a little while, the rumbling from outside stopped and the man lessened his grip. He lifted his hand gingerly off Jool's mouth and stepped away.
"Please don't scream," he said.
Jool slid backwards and lifted her pulse rifle. With shaky hands, she aimed it at him.
"Who are you?" she shouted. "How did you get aboard this ship?"
He nodded in understanding. "We haven't met. But the others call me Jack," he said.
The Interon suddenly remembered what she had been told about an alien named Jack who took the form of Crichton's father. This man seemed to fit the description. She lowered the weapon slowly.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Jack stepped back outside and frowned. He seemed to be able to see something that Jool couldn't. In any case, he was freaking her out.
"We don't have time for this now," Jack said. "Please just come with me."
Reluctantly, Jool agreed. With Jack leading the way, they hurried down the corridor and soon found themselves in the dining hall.
"Oh no," he said.
Jool looked past him and saw Rygel with another Hynerion. They appeared to be discussing something, which did not altogether surprise her.
"I don't understand, sir. Why are we here with these people?" the Hynerion asked.
Rygel looked impatient. "These people, despite being lower life-forms, are my friends. And right now they are our only chance of defeating the peacekeepers."
The soldier nodded. "Will they help us?" he said.
The old Dominar shook his head. "No, I don't imagine they will. At least not without some incentives," Rygel said. "They can be very disagreeable at times."
"Incentives, sir? Did you have something in mind?" the soldier asked.
Rygel smiled.
Before the Dominar could answer, Jack stepped forward into the room. He waved a hand at Rygel's body and it passed straight through.
"What the frell is that?" Jool asked. "What's going on?"
Jack looked up at her and his face darkened even more. "It's getting closer," he said and headed back out into the corridor. Jool could do nothing but follow.
As they stepped out into the hallway, both were cut short by the sudden appearance of John Crichton. The human came running down the corridor with a look of steely resolve that she hadn't recognized when he last appeared.
"Come on," Jack said. "Follow him."
Not bothering to ask, Jool kept her mouth shut and followed the two men down towards a cell at the end of the hall. Realizing where she was, the Interon also began to understand where they were going.
Crichton stayed up ahead of them as he ran. Once he got within view of the cell he was looking for, he shouted, "Aeryn!"
Jack and Jool stopped short and looked at each other. He motioned for her to keep quiet and pointed towards the human.
"Aeryn!" John shouted. He pounded on the door with his fists and then backed up to wait for an answer. It came quickly.
"I can't talk to you," the voice of Aeryn Sun said. It was muffled but all three outside the door could make it out.
John shook his head and turned away. For the first time, he seemed to notice that the other two were standing there. In fact, he was looking right at Jool.
"Crichton, can you see me?" Jool asked.
"Shut up Harvey," John answered. "Scram."
Jool looked at Jack, who shook his head.
Then, quite surprisingly, the door to Aeryn's cell opened. She sat on the bed with a sour expression on her face. Her eyes were on the ground.
John walked into the room. "I can't do this anymore, Aeryn," he said. "I can't just sit around on my hands while you decide what it is you want!"
Aeryn looked up at him and wiped what appeared to be moisture from her eye. She shook her head. "Is that what you came to tell me," she asked. "Your turn to say goodbye now?"
The human clenched his fists in anger but was clearly trying to control himself. "No, it's about Moya."
Aeryn stood up to attention. Her eyes bore into John's with an almost animal ferocity. "What about her?" she said.
"She's gone, with Pilot and Jool," he said. "We don't know where she is."
The ex-peacekeeper took a step forward. "What do you mean you don't know?" she asked angrily.
John nodded his head, the pain obvious in his face. "A wormhole. When I was out in my module, a wormhole opened up and took her," he whispered.
Aeryn looked like she'd just been hit hard in the gut. She turned away and put a hand on the wall to support herself. Staying like that for several microts, she barely found the words to speak.
"Why do you keep doing this to me!" she shouted. "Why is it that no matter how far I go, I always end up right back where I started? With you!" By now she had moved to face him again.
Crichton stood silent for a microt, unsure as to what direction the conversation had suddenly taken.
"Say something for frell's sake!" The volume of Aeryn's voice made Jool, who had already moved closer to Jack, take a step back.
"What do you want from me?!" John shouted back. "Am I just supposed to shrug off the fact that you can't bear to look at my face?! Guess what Aeryn; you're not the only one that's hurting. But I'm not going to run away from us."
He let the words settle for a moment and then continued. "I can't tell you what to do here Aeryn," he said. "You know where I stand, what I want."
He watched as she came closer to him. His face, with a great deal of inner strength, remained passive. "Ball's in your court now."
Aeryn looked into his eyes and saw everything his face was working so hard to hide. She sighed deeply and headed for the door.
"You're leaving!" John shouted.
She stopped, mere inches from where Jack and Jool were standing.
"I am not leaving!" Aeryn retorted.
John took a step towards her. "Then what are you doing Aeryn? Huh? If this is the end, then say it!" He was breathing hard now. "I won't let you go without saying it."
"I can't," she managed.
"You have to!" he said angrily. "I won't let you do this to me again."
Aeryn nodded slightly and turned away. "We're going to find Moya," she said. "That's what you said, that's what we're going to do."
"What about us," John asked.
Aeryn looked at him, her own face far from passive. "Different this time," she said, nodding as she walked past the two silent onlookers.
John managed a weak smile as he watched her go. Then, as if remembering something from long ago, he ran after her.
"Hey Aeryn," he shouted. "Are you pregnant?"
All four people suddenly froze in place. Aeryn, not surprisingly, was the first to recover. She gave Crichton an almost pained expression. "What did you say?"
With those words, Crichton and Aeryn disappeared into thin air and left no trace of the conversation that had just taken place.
Jool glanced over at Jack. "Did you hear that?" she asked
Jack nodded but didn't seem to be too hung up on it. He looked down the corridor and closed his eyes. As if on cue, a deep rumbling sound hit their ears.
Pilot looked up as the door to his den flew open. He'd been trying to bring the comm systems back online for quite some time with no results. It was a relief to see that Jool was alive.
"Jool, are you all right," he asked.
"I'm fine Pilot," Jool said as she entered.
Behind her, Jack came in and made his way quickly to the console.
"Who are you?" Pilot asked.
Jack looked around the den as if he were scanning it for something. Finally, he turned to the confused creature.
"You know who I am," he said.
At his words, Moya began to shake in recognition. Not only from her experiences, but also from those that Talyn had described.
Pilot nodded slightly as the realization washed over him. "You are Jack?" he said. "Though Talyn told us that you were dead."
Jack ignored the question and moved up to check the console. "Pilot, those life-signs you've been detecting. How many are there now?"
Checking his scanners, Pilot frowned. "My scanners are not able to detect a number," he said. "But data suggests that they are on every tier, including this one."
A loud pounding sound grabbed their attention. Something was pushing against the den's door with incredible strength.
Jool screamed which caused Pilot to respond with his own shouts of pain. In between them, Jack seemed not to notice.
"You two should be safe in here," Jack said. "Do not open that door under any circumstances."
Jool ran up behind him. "What are you talking about?" she asked hysterically. "Where the frell are you going to be?"
Jack stepped away from her. "I have to go now," he said and disappeared as all the others had so far that day.
The pounding on the door grew louder.
"Moya and I are very frightened," said Pilot.
"I know Pilot," Jool said. "So am I."
Her head bounced lightly against the metal and brought her slowly out of the deep sleep. Trying to rest on the floor of a starship was not the easiest thing to do. Chiana opened her eyes and saw the ceiling above her.
"You're awake?" a voice said.
She turned to the side and the voice's owner came into view. Jack, the Ancient that Crichton had talked about, stood above her with a stern look on his face.
"Yeah, what about the others?" she asked.
Jack motioned for her to sit up, which she did. From the new vantage point, Chiana could see her friends together again. D'Argo and Crichton sat in the cockpit, discussing something she could not make out. Behind them, Aeryn slept. Her hand curled around the handle of her pulse rifle. Sitting in a corner, Rygel was eating some leftovers from the feast Nerri had prepared for them.
"Where are we?" she said.
Jack offered her his hand and lifted Chiana onto her feet. Following his instructions, she walked to the nearest porthole and looked out into space.
Except it wasn't the space she was used to seeing. There were no stars or planets to look at. Only a vast wave of shimmering blue. A wormhole.
The Ancient stepped up beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You can't see what happens next," he said. 'Not yet."
Chiana closed her eyes. There was nothing there. Only a low rumbling sound from somewhere off in the darkness.
