Chapter 3


The flight to Hawaii was long and uneventful. Crichton used the time in the air to catch up on D. K.'s accomplishments. Most recently, he was nominated for a Nobel Prize in Physics, based on theories that he and Crichton had barely grasped decades before. D.K. kept to himself, giving Crichton his distance. But Crichton was morbidly preoccupied by him. D.K. felt his every success jab Crichton in his gut; and hearing that his two sons were teaching at Harvard and Princeton respectively, was the icing on the cake.

I never cut you loose. The decision was not up to me Crichton.
You did nothing to stop it. He twisted his napkin around his fist and felt his heart beginning to thud in his chest.
I did everything I could to stop them from letting you go. Your father thought it best that you focus on your family. He knew that it would kill you to see us living your dreams. Crichton, I never stopped being your friend, but I had to let you go for your own good.
You're saying that my old man had me sacked?
Crichton, it's not as bad as it sounds. He only wanted what was best for you and your family.
He threw back his scotch and soda and pulled headphones onto his ears. The flight attendant smiled and handed him a warm cloth. He found himself washing his face, but as the tears came, he sobbed quietly into the towel.


The next morning, Crichton found himself standing on the pier overlooking the ocean as the Farscape 5 module was lifted off the deck of the U.S.S. Harmon. The air scrubber panels on the outside of the module were broken open, and a crew outfitted in Haz-Mat suits sprayed the inside with a disinfectant. As the smoke cleared, a crew member stepped up onto the wing of the module and peered down into the seat. He waved his right hand to signal the crew that there was indeed a body. A Med-evac team rushed onto the platform, and the canopy was thrown open. The body of a young blonde woman was lifted onto a gurney and rushed into the back of a waiting military ambulance. Crichton was escorted to the base hospital, and given a hazardous materials suit to protect him from any extra-terrestrial bacteria that may be present on the girl's body. Crichton fumbled with the billowy suit, and the air hoses, not being able to dress fast enough. He had to know; had to know if his daughter was dead or alive. A young doctor took his arm, and he leaned on her for support.

John Crichton stepped into the surgical bay, and saw his daughter splayed out on a steel table. Nurses were attaching monitoring equipment to her, and Ringer's solution dripped into her arm. An IV for a live human being...
He took her pale hand in his and longed to take off his glove to determine whether the hand was cool or warm. He stared at her face, slightly older, but still beautiful. He brushed her hair away from her face and saw that she had a series of tattoos on her skin just beneath the hairline. He didn't recall her having a tattoo, but he couldn't know for sure. It could have been a hazing rite from her Astronaut training session.
C'mon Katie. Show your old dad those baby blues. He set her arm down gently, and faced the doctor.

She is in stable condition. She is well nourished, clean, and in good health. And according to her records from IASA, she has gained five pounds since the launch. We can't explain it. She hasn't regained consciousness, but we don't see any neurological reason why she wouldn't. It's possible that her body has gone into a sort of stasis to protect her from the lack of food, water and oxygen in the module.
The module wasn't designed for long-term occupation. At most, the module can recycle oxygen and water for three months. There was only enough food for three months. The chance of her needing it was remote but it was a precaution in the event that a catastrophic computer failure occurred. We figured she could get to the Space Station. He wanted to tear his helmet off and kiss her cheeks; the cheeks that had grown red with embarrassment when she admitted her crush on D.K. at six.
I understand your disbelief. We are all at a loss as to how she survived. We all watched her disappear on television. I'm grateful that she has been returned to your family. I expect that once the military has cleared her, IASA will have a million questions. Maybe you should stay upstairs, we have a cot, it's not much but-
Thank you. He stepped out into the hall and slid his helmet over his head. D.K. approached and offered his hand.
Congratulations, John, I heard the good news. I'm so glad that Kate is going to be all right.
It doesn't figure. It doesn't add up. She couldn't have survived for four and a half years on three months worth of supplies. Not to mention the oxygen scrubbers would have ceased to function a long ass time ago.
Maybe the doctor is right. Maybe she went into some sort of shock induced stasis. But we know our theory is correct. We're on our way to changing a Physical Law. I expect that you'll want to come back on board with the Farscape Project?
D.K., why wasn't her ship seen by the Space Station? Why wasn't she picked up on our radars? Our satellites never collided into her ship. She wasn't there. She wasn't there.
I know that. I understand what you must be feeling, but we won't know anything until she regains consciousness. Join me for some coffee.
I'm not up for coffee with you.
You don't want coffee, or you don't want coffee with me?
Can't leave it alone can you? Fine. Coffee with you. I'm just so happy to see my baby girl alive, I could dine with the devil right now. The two men are escorted to the hospital cafeteria, as Jack Crichton runs in.
John, I just heard. He throws his arms around his son and Crichton claps his father on the back.
She's alive, dad. My girl's alive. Just goes to show, you can't kill a Crichton.
Son, when I heard that our Kate was found, I, well, I didn't know what to say. D.K., can I see her?
I'll take you to her, but she's still unconscious.
I don't care, I just want to see her with my own eyes.


Crichton spends the afternoon holding Kate's hand. When the second shift nurse leaves the room, he slips his helmet and gloves off and presses his lips to her warm cheek.
I love you, peanut. We have lots to talk about, so come on back home baby girl.
Da-- Dad?
I'm right here. He feels the tears forming at the corners of his eyes, and instead of hiding them, he lets them fall onto her hands as he kisses her fingers.
I came back for you. We have to leave here as soon as possible.
What do you mean? You just got back, you have to be monitored, do you know what happened to you? Do you know how long--
Four and a half years. I know. I was about to correct for the next phase of the mission and a worm hole opened over top of me. I was spat out on the other side of the galaxy, where a ship picked me up. A bio-mechanical ship filled with the most amazing creatures. Dad, I have done so much research on worm holes, but I need your help, my friends need your help. I did all of this for you dad, the whole astronaut thing, so that you would be proud of me and so that you would have a way to finish your life's work.
Whoa, Kate, slow down. You're tired, you've had an-- odd journey, we can talk more tomorrow.
I won't be here tomorrow, dad. Moya, the ship I told you about, she is waiting to pick me up. I came to get you and leave. Dad, please believe me. There are so many wondrous and beautiful things that I have to show you.
Kate, you really believe this. I don't know what to say.
Say that you'll come with me, please Dad. I have missed you so much. She takes his hand in hers. I've always known that I was the reason that you never got to go into space. Please let me make this up to you. Let this be my gift to you, Dad.
As she echoed the words from his recurring dream, Crichton could feel his stomach turning over. Either his daughter was suffering from some sort of space dementia, or she was telling the truth; that extra-terrestrial beings had been taking care of her for the last four years.
If I were to say yes to this, how do you plan to get us back with your friends?
Ka D'Argo, a Luxan warrior who is my closest friend, has a ship that rode in along side of my module. We made a large radar imprint, but no one suspected. He can make his ship invisible. We plan to leave tomorrow at noon. We will rendezvous with Moya behind Europa
Oh Peanut, I'm sorry. He stands and shoves his fists into his pockets. This is too fantastic. A living ship is hiding behind one of Jupiter's moons, and you're waiting for your invisible friend with his invisible ship. Honey, I don't mean to patronize you--listen, I want you to get some sleep and we'll talk about this tomorrow. Okay?
Dad, no wait, I know how this must sound, but how could I be alive if I wasn't telling the truth? You know the capabilities of the module as well as I, I would never have made it this long. Dad, you must believe me. I do not have space dementia. There are people looking for us and I need your help. Please, I promised my friends that I would help them find a home, but it means that I can never come back here. I had the equations that we needed to navigate worm holes, but I was captured and tortured, and the information was stolen from me by a creature named Scorpius. Now, there's a war starting because of what I knew and it's my responsibility to put a stop to it. Dad, I know this is incredible, but please take a leap of faith for my sake. At least do this for yourself.
I want to believe you, Kate, God knows I do. It is so good to see you. I just knew that I was coming here to claim your body. I'm so glad that you're home.
Dad, you have to come with me. Space is my home now. My friends are my home. I have a new family, but I need you to be part of it. Say you'll come home with me. I'm leaving tomorrow either way.
You will do nothing of the kind, young lady. Jack enters the darkened room and steps into the light cast by the room's overhead lamp.
Grampa, It's so good to see you. A tear slides down her cheek and she leans into his kiss.
Dad, Kate was just telling me where she has been all this time.
Where have you been, Katie?
In stasis Gramp. I don't remember much of anything really. She looks down at her hands in Crichton's and then back up at her grandfather. I'd really like to be with my dad for a few more minutes, would you mind?
I'll just be outside. He pats Crichton on the shoulder and John nods.
Why didn't you tell Grampa where you've been?
Because he wouldn't believe me anymore than you, but he would try to get you to put me in a hospital and I know that you wouldn't want to, but he's your dad. Please don't give me that look. You've always said that Fate was your enemy. The reason all of your dreams had died.
But Fate also gave me the most wonderful daughter that a father could have, and I don't regret giving you life. I don't regret a moment of our time together.
This is your chance to live your dreams, Dad. There are the most beautiful creatures you can imagine. Of all shapes and sizes. I can prove what I'm saying is true. Will you do something for me without asking any questions?
Anything, Peanut.
Will you go to our cabin? There is a woman there. She looks human but she's not, she's Sebacean. Her name is Aeryn Sun. Please, go to her and tell her that I arrived safely. I sent her ahead of the module during the meteor shower. She will understand you, but you will not understand her so I wrote down some things for her to say. She has been learning English, but please be patient. She is my proof, Dad. She takes his hand in hers and looks up at him. If you trust me, I can show you the most wonderful things.
I'll do this for you Peanut because you believe it so strongly, but I--I'll be back in the morning.
No Dad, don't come back here, there isn't time. Don't let anyone follow you, don't tell anyone where you're going. In fact, would you send Grampa in so I know he won't follow you?
Why all the secrecy?
Because there are beings looking for us that look human, but they're not. I don't know who we can trust. I just wanted to come and get you so that we can settle down and stop running. D'Argo and I want to stop running so that we can start our family in peace.
I love you.
I know, Dad. I love you too. Hurry.
Crichton asks his father to sit with his daughter as he searches for the rental car that was provided for him by D.K.