Chapter 5

Over a dinner of baked chicken, roasted new potatoes and green beans, Crichton realized that he could communicate rather well with Aeryn Sun, as long as he stuck with yes or no questions. She had devoured her meal with a relish that suggested that she hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. After a third glass of wine, he hoped that she was relaxed enough to permit him to ask more personal questions.
So, tell me, you have spent the last four years taking care of my daughter, right?
She nodded and smiled which he took to mean that she was rather fond of Kate.
Did she ever tell you about me?
Yescht. Kate loscht; warum hone. Dod Science.
Yes, I am a scientist. But what has been happening to her for the last four years, has she been in some sort of trouble?
The look of anguish that crossed her face led Crichton to the belief that maybe Kate hadn't told him nearly enough about Aeryn Sun. Kate-my daughner.
Kate is your-- did you try to say daughter? When she nodded, Crichton found that he was more confused than before. You think of Kate as a daughter. Clearly the two women had been through difficult times that had tested their relationship. It was only natural that Kate would look up to the older woman as a mother figure considering Crichton had never been great in the Mom department.
Are you married? When she blushed, he knew that the wine had affected her.
Nole.
Have you ever been married?
Yescht. He saw her brow furrow just before she turned away and knew that he'd touched on a sore subject.
I was married too. My wife died. Did Kate tell you all of this?
Yescht.
It's just Yes, not Yescht.
She stood and went to the window, peering out into the darkness. He rubbed his fingers over his mouth, unconsciously wondering what it would be like to kiss her. She turned as if she had been privy to his thoughts and he saw that she had tears in her eyes.
Look, I don't know much about the plan here, but Kate told me that I wasn't supposed to go back to the hospital. Am I supposed to leave with you?
Yes. Hair. She handed him another square of cloth written in Kate's strange ink, and wiped her eyes as she turned away from him.
I didn't mean to open up a can of worms. Are you okay? She nodded but he didn't quite believe her. Says here that you have a ship, a Prowler, and we're supposed to depart tomorrow afternoon and Kate will follow with D'Argo. He shook his head and watched her smooth her hair back.
Don't take this the wrong way, but-- He thought he saw the softness fade from her eyes as he carefully chose his words. I'm sure that looks pretty cool on a résumé. And I understand the desire to role play, I mean, once I dressed up for the Star Wars convention. I was a Wookie for a weekend--but I'm not entirely sure that what you're telling me is---true. That worm hole could have deposited Kate over Latvia. How do I know that my little girl hasn't signed up for the fruit of the month club?
Nole Erp. She wiped her cheeks and picked up her dinner plate. Crichton put his hand on her arm.
No, I'll take care of that. You're my guest. She handed him the plate but continued to stare up at him.
If you're in some sort of immigration trouble, maybe we could talk to the State Department. When she didn't respond, he feared that he had again offended the woman. Look, this is all new to me. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing in all of this. I don't know what my role is. You and Kate, you have all the cards and the deck is stacked against me. I'm sorry if my questions have offended you in any way. Maybe it would be best if I just-- She silenced him by pressing her lips to his and placing her right hand on his cheek.
Nole Erp. She pulled one of her weapons from its holster and handed it to him.
He held the weighty instrument in his hand, noting how the nose was too slender for a bullet larger than a bb. There were odd markings on the side of the weapon, where numbers or letters should appear. Crichton turned it over in his hand and sniffed it for gunpowder.
This could be a toy, albeit a rather substantial toy...or it could be Russian. I have heard that they are working on more advanced weapons lately.
Aeryn tore her weapon from his hand and reholstered it. Clearly she was irritated by him, but he didn't know what to say. The idea that he had just had dinner with, and shared a brief kiss with a being from outer space was no less than the stuff of acid trips.
She took his arm, pulled him out the back door, and into the near total darkness.
Seriously? Out there. Come on, I really don't, Oh Hell.
Aeryn Sun nearly dragged him through the rough brush, and he had to keep his hand up to avoid the recoil of branches that she had shoved out of the way. Fifteen minutes into the woods, she pointed to a black shadow in a clearing.

He laughed out loud and she shoved him onto the ground.
What? You just told me to shit. I know you meant ship, but give a guy a break. It's not everyday someone tells you to shit in the woods. He stood and brushed the pine needles from his pants. You really should work on your sense of humor. Now where's this ship?
She took his head in her hands and turned him to the right slightly. He enjoyed the way her cool fingers slid across his face; her palms calloused from labor, but soft. She tilted her head to the left slightly, and indicated an area over her left shoulder. He stepped to his right and peered into the darkness.
I'm sorry, I have terrible night vision. You wouldn't happen to have a flashlight would you?
She sighed loudly and he knew that she was blowing the errant wisp from her eyes again. He wanted so badly to smooth it back for her that he felt himself reaching for it. He thought better of it when he saw her arm ready to deflect his advance.
You know, you really ought to do something about that wisp if you don't want people trying to---
Aeryn flicked her wrist and a cone of light spread before them for several feet.
What in the Hell is that? His jaw dropped, and he took a step backward. The large black ant like vehicle loomed before him as the light from her flashlight outlined its hull.

I just did.


They sat in silence in the fire lit great room as Aeryn unbraided her hair and let it cascade over her shoulders. Crichton found himself entranced by her, and stared into the fire to avoid her unyielding gaze. He had a world of things to think about. This woman, this alien woman, had blown all of his notions of the higher order of things. He felt as if his very existence was threatened. His work, so influential on Earth, was meaningless to this being who had crossed galaxies. He had discovered, through a series of yes and no questions, that the subject of his doctoral dissertation was taught to Sebacean five year olds who were groomed for military service from birth. How absolutely backward I must seem to her, he thought. He had been worried that she would have tentacles; he hadn't counted on her viewing him as a talking chimp. She lay her head down, and he briefly wondered if he should wake her and suggest that she take the bed upstairs.



Kate was asking him to give up the only world he knew for the one she had carved for herself in outer space. If he was going to do this, there was no turning back; no stop the shit I want to get off, this was the real deal. He thought of all that he was giving up for a giant unknown; Music, Art, Literature, Science. Aeryn lay on the floor across from him. He watched her slow, even breathing. The firelight cast a warm glow over half of her face, and he took the opportunity to study it. She had full lips that held a slight pout in sleep. Her lashes rested on the tops of smooth cheeks that hollowed just under the prominent bones in her face. Her brow furrowed briefly, as if she was fretting something in her sleep and he slid his thumb over it. She lifted her head slightly to meet his hand and he continued stroking her face, sliding his thumb over her lips. She looked so vulnerable, so different from the confidence that she exuded in her waking hours, that he felt a pang in his heart. He could stay on Earth, return to his cottage, grade papers; surely he could make a decent life for himself knowing that Kate was safe with this woman who had adopted her. Or he could let it all go, trusting fate for once to come down on his side. Could I really un-see? Could I make love to a woman without thinking of Aeryn Sun, a creature who showed me a universe filled with infinite possibility? Crichton leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. When she yielded and returned his kiss, he took her into his arms and held her.
Fuck it, I never liked the Beatles anyway.





More to come.......