Title: Rystal
Author: DOKChairman
Time/Spoilers: I really have no idea when this takes place, but if I had to say, it takes place before John was twinned, but after Zhaan dies. Everything before that is fair game.
Summary: After a disastrous fight with Aeryn, John is abandoned on a strange planet. He soon discovers an ancient and mysterious prophecy that leads to open warfare with the Peacekeepers, and maybe a way home.
Disclaimer: "Farscape", its characters, and its situations don't belong to me - they are the propertyof The Jim Henson Company, Rockne S. O'Bannon, the Sci-Fi Channel, Hallmark Entertainment, and Nine Network Australia. The only thing that belongs to me is the original story and characters.
First Author's Note: Where to begin? Well, I think I'll start with the most important. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. You're reviews gave me the motivation to finish this story. This story was a labor of love, taking me months to finish, but it was worth it because my fans liked it. Thank you all.
Second Author's Note: Let's see. I have reached a decision. I have decided to continue this story into its second part: Mr. Crichton Goes to Washington. Look for it to come out in a few months. I don't know when specifically because I am writing a different story for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom, and I don't know when I'll start on the new part. I will continue though.
Third Author's Note: The second part of my story will take place on Earth. Because of its location, it will be mostly about exploring each character's personality and back-story. Juli's defection from the Peacekeepers will be explained, the Rystal mythology will be explored in more detail, as well as John's relation to the Ancients. John will have to make big decision about the war and Earth's place in it. Look forward to action, assassination attempts, romance, death, football, pizza, and of course more comedy. And oh yeah, how could I forget? Look for Scorpious to finally make an appearance. I know everyone has been wondering about him.
Fourth Author's Note: I know I promised to tie up more loose ends, but I decided not too. You will have to wait to part two to find out what happens next.
"Perhaps you can. You have every incentive. The welfare of Earth hangs on your doing so and, as you have told me, your own career."
"What good is incentive? If you ordered me to fly by flapping my arms and told me further that if I failed, I would be promptly killed by slow torture and that Earth would be blown up and all its population destroyed, I would have enormous incentive to flap my wings and fly-and yet still be unable to do so."
-Isaac Asimov, The Robots of Dawn
Epilogue: The Weight of the Universe
Takes place simultaneously with the end of Necessary Evil-
John had never been on the bridge of a command carrier, and it showed. He couldn't stop staring at one thing or another, always moving from one console or display and asking questions about what each thing did. John was acting like a kid in a candy store. For a few microts, John allowed himself to forget about everything, and let his scientific mind take over for a little while. It had been so long since he had.
John's guards were spread sporadically around the bridge, just standing in place. John had wanted them to go do their own thing, especially Vorel and Graf who had served on the Kraylor and almost certainly had people they wanted to see, but Juli had insisted that they accompany John everywhere. They didn't seem to mind though, and so John hadn't argued for very long.
Meanwhile, Aeryn, Lorana, and Juli were standing off to the side, talking. Lorana asked Aeryn, "Is he like this all the time?"
Aeryn smiled and said affectionately, "Yes. You get used to it though. To be honest, I missed seeing him act like the wide eyed human who was amazed and curious about everything he saw."
Juli nodded her head, "I understand. I haven't seen him look so eager or smile so much since I've met him. This was a good idea for him to come here."
Lorana added, "Well I'm just happy I could help him out. I've seen how much leading this war has burdened him, and its great that I coul…"
Lorana was cut off as a blinding white light filled the bridge of carrier. The light slowly faded, and everyone looked out the viewscreen of the bridge to see what was going on. All anyone saw was the dying light off in the distance.
John in his typical manner yelled out, "Holy hell! What was that?"
Lorana instantly sprung into Peacekeeper mode. "Sensors, report!"
The sensor officer was quiet for a few microts as she studied her console. "Unknown, ma'am. Whatever it was, it originated from more than two light years away, on the other side of the border."
Lorana deflated at hearing that, she knew what had just happened, and from the look on John's face, he did too. Lorana was stopped from responding by the Comm officer, "Ma'am we are receiving a signal on an open comm frequency. It's broadcasting to everyone in the sector."
Lorana ordered, "Let me hear it, lieutenant."
The comm officer nodded his head and pressed a few buttons on his console. The carrier's comm system came to life and everyone on the bridge could hear the transmission. "This is Captain Nas of the Peacekeeper command carrier Byta to any Peacekeeper vessel. We are under attack by a Scarren fleet and are in need of immediate assistance. Please, can anyone help us?"
Everyone could hear explosions over the comm. and there was static. Suddenly the captain's voice came back on. "Admiral Bach is dead and we are the only command carrier still intact. Send immediate reinforc…"
The captain never finished his sentence as a large explosion could be heard and then there was static. This time the captain never came back on.
Everyone on the bridge froze when they heard that Bach was dead. They were all stunned. They had all known that he would die, but it never hit them until now. He had been there commanding officer for most of their military careers, and in some ways he was like the father they never had. The news hit the crew hard.
Lorana, though, was quick to get everything back under control. To her, her father was already dead. She had felt a brief feeling of grief and despair, but she quickly squashed it. She had already done her mourning and now she needed to be strong for the crew while they did theirs.
In a commanding voice she ordered, "Comm, turn that off."
The comm officer, still in a daze, slowly turned off the communication transmission and leaned back in his chair.
John had moved over to Lorana during the message and was prepared to comfort her as best he could. Tentatively, he turned her around. "Are you all right?"
Lorana smiled weakly, "Yes, John, I'm fine. I mourned for my father arns ago. It is the crew we must worry about. My father was a very important person in their life and even though they are professionals, it will take them a while to accept that their admiral is dead."
"I understand. Are you sure you're going to be all right? Be honest. I don't want to find out later that you were only faking it." John said sternly.
Lorana sighed, "Yes John, I'm sure. Now if you'll excuse me, I must talk to my crew and get them back under control."
Lorana turned around and then stopped. She moved her hand down to a pocket and pulled something out. She turned back around and said, "I almost forgot. My father wanted you to watch this. He said it was very important." Lorana then handed John a vidchip.
John stared at the chip and then asked, "You got anywhere where I can watch this?"
Lorana nodded, "Yes. Have Vorel take you to my father's quarters. He has a vid display that you can use there in total privacy."
John patted Lorana on the shoulder and then moved over to where Vorel was standing. Aeryn and Juli were right behind him every step of the way.
John relaxed in the admiral's plush chair and pressed the button on the console to activate the vidchip. Admiral Bach's smiling face appeared on the display. "Hello, John. If you're watching this, then it means that I've already left for the Peacekeeper fleet and will soon be dead. Don't feel sorry for me. I'm a Peacekeeper and a Peacekeeper deserves to die in battle."
The admiral paused and then continued, "You are a good man, John Crichton. A little strange, but a good man nonetheless. I could not hope of finding a better man than you for what I'm about to ask of you. I ask that you take care of my daughter. She is still young, and while she is an excellent soldier and leader, she is still not ready to be on her own. Teach her and guide her to reach her full potential. Help her like you helped Officer Sun. If anyone can make sure that Lorana does not become another mindless Peacekeeper it is you."
The admiral paused again and looked off to the side, away from the recorder. When he turned back to face the recorder again, he looked sad. "Now I must do something I do not want to do. At the end of this message is a list. Contained in this list are the names of every Peacekeeper admiral, general, commandant, and Special Directorate operative that is sympathetic to your cause. Or I should say, my cause. They, like me, wish to remake the Peacekeepers into what it was. I ask that you contact them and ask them for their support in your fight against the Peacekeepers.
"I know that you had hoped when the Peacekeepers were gone from Rotar, that you would be free from your responsibilities, but we both know that's not possible. As soon as I attack that Scarren fleet, everything is this universe will change. Neither side will care about who started it, or what started this war; all they will care about is making sure that they win. Unfortunately, I do not think that the Peacekeepers can win, at least not as we are. I think that the only way that the Peacekeepers will have a chance at winning is if new blood is injected into them. You are that new blood John. You can change everything. You have the power, the gift, and with the support of the Peacekeepers on that list, you can change the Peacekeepers for forever.
"Tell these Peacekeepers that you had my support and that if I was willing to follow you, they should as well. I ask you to fight the Peacekeepers and make my dream come true. I know you'll do as I ask, because you know that it's the right thing to do. And because the only way you will have any hope of defeating the Scarrens is if you join forces with the Peacekeepers. I will try to damage the Scarren fleet as much as possible, but it will only be a matter of time before the Scarrens set their sights on Rotar.
"I am sorry to do this to you John. I wish that I could be there, but this is something I must do. Good luck. May the gods of war smile on you and grant you victory over your enemies." At least that's what Bach said, John heard only Sebacean.
Bach's face disappeared from the display screen, and just as he promised, a list of names appeared. When John saw the list he sat up a little straighter. He was amazed at the number of names. John could see that there were at least thirty names, all of them very high-ranking members of the Peacekeepers. The admiral hadn't been kidding when he said that there were admirals and generals on the list. Over half of the names were fleet commanders.
However, it was the name at the bottom of the list that made John go as stiff as a board and dry his mouth out. At the bottom of the list, in bold type, was a name that he knew all too well. Down at the bottom of the list was the name of the man that had haunted his nightmares for over a cycle. At the bottom of the list was the name Scorpious.
The End
To be continued in part two of the Rystal Trilogy: Mr. Crichton Goes to Washington.