Chapter Sixteen: Getting Ready…



Pilot was unable to do anything with the aliens watching his every move, so it was all up to Moya. He remained quiet and co-operative and mentally directed the Leviathan in what to do. With the DRDs shut down, he had to limit her to operating one DRD. Neither he, nor Moya, had any idea as what to do. Other than simply freeing Crichton and the others, but the lone DRD soon spotted Chiana sneaking around in the hangar bay.

The Nebari had a plan to contact Talyn and get the young but heavily armed Leviathan back here. It was the best they could do. Communicating with him would be difficult without the aliens detecting the transmission, but the transport pod was still on the planet. If they could send a tight signal, and use the transport as a relay and amplifier, they could do it. The aliens wouldn't know that they're calling for help from the ship.

It had to work!

It was then a new figure entered Pilot's den. It was another alien but he was dressed in golden armor and held the air of supreme authority and arrogance about him. Three more aliens escorted closely behind him.

"Identify yourself creature." The alien in golden armor demanded.

Creature? Pilot didn't appreciate the comment but he politely answered. Perhaps he could get some useful information from him.

"I am Pilot, and you might be?"

"I am Apophis, your new master. This area appears to be the heart of the vessel. You will tell me all about it and your function here."

Pilot decided to tell him everything about himself and Moya...and to make it as long a story as possible, hoping that it would keep his attention here. All the while, he'll direct Moya and Chiana to aid them in trying to communicate with Talyn.

"You see, Apophis, Moya is a Leviathan, a living ship. And I'm called Pilot. Simply Pilot, that is my name. I help the ship to monitor her systems and maintain them. I'm bonded with her and we work together. We communicate with each other, each knowing what the other is feeling."

"What is this ship's purpose, is it a vessel of war?"

"No, the Leviathan is meant to be a peaceful beast of burden. Moya was used to transport prisoners." Pilot answered truthfully. "She has a defensive shield but that is all."

"How did this vessel escape from my fleet at the nebula?"

"Moya is capable of performing a starburst, allowing her to enter subspace."

"You will explain this starburst to us and your alliance to the Tau'ri." Apophis demanded.

"I'm afraid that I know little of the Tau'ri."

"You carry two Humans on this ship and another who resembles one, but is not. A ship built with Earth technology and markings rests inside this vessel's hangar. You will tell me about them."

Pilot hesitated for a second. "Tell me, are they safe?"

Apophis smiled, cruelly. He found the weakness in the creature. He cares.

"The Humans are safe, except one refused to answer my questions. I may have to eliminate her if she continues to resist my questioning. For the Human like woman, I was told that she has taken ill and may not survive. The Human male has yet to be tortu...," Apophis smiled thinly, "I mean questioned."

Pilot stared at Apophis and for a moment entertained the thought of reaching out and killing him with his tentacle like arms. He didn't doubt for a second that he could do it before the seven guards in the room could act, but such violence was not in his nature and his death would accomplish nothing. He had to focus on helping Moya and Chiana while waiting for the right moment to act.

"Officer Aeryn Sun... Lt. Sheba."

"What was that?" Apophis asked.

"Those are their names." Pilot said slowly. "The Human female you tortured is named Lt. Sheba and the woman that is dying is Officer Aeryn Sun... She is my friend."

"We have other prisoners captured on the planet," Apophis said. "Are they too your friends or should I start executing them one at the time right before you to gain your co-operation?"

"Will you help Officer Sun?" Pilot asked.

"Answer my questions and I will consider it." Apophis said, though he had no intention in honouring it the half-promise.

Pilot suddenly felt ill himself, Officer Sun was dying, and worse yet, Crichton and the others had apparently been captured. And he was helpless. He doubted that Apophis would do anything for Officer Aeryn Sun, but he had no choice other than to comply. He had to give Apophis what he wanted for now and hope that Chiana and Moya pull through in getting Talyn here. Pilot started explain the starburst to Apophis...the long way.

"Once Moya regenerates her strength she is capable of generating a subspace field called a starburst. Once generated its field warps space. Allows her to travel vast distances in short periods of times. Once, we became trapped in subspace and encountered aliens that exist in subspace. Commander Crichton made contact with them when he noticed..."

***

That was easier than I expected. Chiana beamed with pride as she crawled out of Aeryn's Prowler. Now, with a little luck the cavalry will be here shortly and...

Two powerful arms suddenly wrapped about Nebari's slender form and she was pulled off the ladder, before being tossed hard to the deck. Through the stars filling her vision, Chiana managed to see a towering Jaffa standing over her.

"Dren!" She gasped as she regained some of her senses. "Wherever you come from, they sure grow you guys big!"

Unamused, the Jaffa grabbed Chiana by the shoulder pulling her up, but the little Nebari wasn't about to surrender. As soon as she got to her feet, she kneed him square in the crouch. Unfortunately, it had little effect beyond surprise and angering the Jaffa warrior.

"Oh frell! This is gonna HURT!" Chiana groaned as the Jaffa let out an unintelligentable curse and slammed her into a wall like a rag doll.

Before Chiana could move, he grabbed her by the throat and started choking her. Chiana reached for Sheba's weapon drawing it but the Jaffa easily knocked the weapon from her grasp. Struggling desperately for breath now, the Nebari fought back, punching and kicking him with little success.

The Moya controlled DRD wheeled up behind the Jaffa and pressed a wielding torch against the calf of his leg. It burned through the protective armor rather quickly, causing the Jaffa to scream in pain. He turned on the little robot, kicking it away like a toy. Suddenly, he screamed again as Chiana broke loose from his hold and bit him on the hand drawing blood.

Enraged, the Jaffa drew his hand back and tried to punch her, but the nimble girl was too fast for him and ducked out of the way. His fist only collided with the heavy wall behind her head, breaking several bones in his hand.

While scurrying out of reach of the Jaffa, Chiana spotted what looked like a weapon on his belt. The sneak thief grabbed it and held it by what appeared to be the handle. Chiana pointed it at him as she backpeddled away.

How the frell do you work this thing? Chiana thought as she struggled to operate what she hoped was a weapon.

There were two buttons on the handle, one set above the other. She pulled them both at the same time, but nothing happened. Then she squeezed the bottom one, and again nothing happened. As the injured Jaffa turned and charged her with scream of rage, Chiana squeezed the top button...

The pistol like weapon suddenly came to life. Its coiled body extended upward, like a snake ready to strike. Smiling with confidence now, Chiana squeezed the lower button as the Jaffa's outstretched hands reached for her.

A blue bolt of lightning lashed out from the weapon like a whip, striking the Jaffa, causing him to drop to the deck, his face twisted in pain.

"That was to frelling cool!" The Nebari gleamed, studying the new weapon she just acquired.

After spending a second of appraising her new find, she moved to the still conscious Jaffa. She held the weapon on him, leaning in close.

"Okay, lover." Chiana demanded, cocking her head to one side. "Where are my friends?"

"You... Die!" The Jaffa growled back, struggling to move to attack her again

"Wrong answer." Chiana said squeezing the trigger again for the Goa'uld weapon. A second bolt shot out, engulfing the Jaffa, killing him.

Not wasting anymore time, she rounded up Sheba's blaster, as the now slightly damaged DRD moved back up next to her.

Chiana knelt down, saying to the little machine. "Moya, do you know where Crichton and the others are?"

The DRD beeped in acknowledgement.

"Lets go free them." Chiana said.

The DRD soon hurried out of the hangar with Chiana following closely behind.

***

After almost an arn, John started to see more improvement in Aeryn's condition. Her body temperature was warming, and the colour had completely returned to her skin. Through it all, he talked to her, encouraging her, and bombarding her with simple idle chatter. After a while, he checked her pulse again and it too was getting stronger, but Aeryn still wasn't coming around.

John continued to try to coax her out of unconsciousness. "Come on Aeryn, open your eyes. Wake up and tell me that I'm a pathetic Human, anything will do. Let me hear that lovely sarcasm in your voice and see that contempt in your bright eyes."

However, Aeryn remained unconscious and unresponsive to John pleas. He stared at her mournfully and gently brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

"Aeryn, please snap out of it."

Watching her, John began to babble again. "Life has been pretty cruel to us, hasn't it? We've been through so much in these last few cycles and I'm not sure who had it hardest, you or me. Although I came pretty close to loosing my mind, I think you had it worse. You had been conditioned against feeling anything like to love and to really care for someone was foreign to you. I tried to teach you those feelings, but I never explained what the cost could be, the pain you might encounter. You suffered because of it when you lost him and I'm so sorry."

Tears slowly welled up in his eyes. "But I need you to wake up, Aeryn. I need to know that you're alright. You can pretend that I don't exist for the rest of my days, but please just-wake-up."