Part 4

Crichton quickly moved to place a workbench between him and Crais, "Crais, you promised you wouldn't hurt me."

Crais leaned against the workbench and growled, "That was before I knew you were *stupid* enough to let Scorpius on Moya."

Crichton sounded desperate. He was afraid of Crais in his current state of mind. Crichton knew how dangerous an unrestrained Crais could be. "You've gotta let me explain. I didn't want to. Aeryn made me."

Crais moved quickly, lunging over the table, and was able to grab the front of Crichton's shirt before the human could react. He pulled Crichton close, "Aeryn made you?"

Crichton was grabbing at Crais' hand. "If you put me down I will explain." Crais released the human. Crichton moved back and decided to keep the workbench between the two of them. He related the facts of Aeryn's heat delirium and Scorpius coming to her rescue. He had to admit that he didn't know anything more about the renegade Peacekeepers. Aeryn hadn't been willing to discuss them with anyone.

Crais had regained some of his self-control, "You realize the only reason he saved Aeryn was to get to you."

"I know."

Crais began pacing. "He's up to something. I do not believe that he has fallen entirely out of favor with High Command."

"I dunno, he seemed pretty sincere about it and he has helped us on more than one occasion," Crichton pondered.

The raised Crais' ire, "You can't seriously be considering trusting him!"

Crichton yelled back, "I trust you!" Crais found he had no response to this. "Before you board Moya I need you to agree to not hurt Scorpius." Crichton could see Crais' jaw clenching. "Crais, I'm serious. Aeryn promised and I intend to honor her promise."

Crais responded tersely, "Fine."

"There's one more thing." Crais looked at Crichton expectantly wondering what news could possibly be worse than Scorpius on Moya. "Aeryn's pregnant."

Shock swept Crais' face, "Pregnant? Who is the father?"

"She says she doesn't know, but that the fetus is in stasis. She claims it could be anyone within the last seven cycles."

Crais' mind was reeling. He knew that even though Sebaceans could hold a fetus for seven cycles, Peacekeepers planned reproduction very carefully. For that reason Peacekeepers were given birth control drugs. It was more likely that she had become pregnant since she left the Peacekeepers. "When did you find out?"

"I found out a couple weekens after the command carrier was destroyed. Aeryn didn't confirm it until we joined back up with Moya about two monens ago." Crichton was beginning to wonder why Crais was so curious. He decided he really didn't want to know. "Let's finish unloading so we can get out of here."

They worked in silence to get everything unloaded. After the supplies were stowed they went to command. Crichton stared out the window at Earth, wondering when he would return. "The first thing we need to do is find a wormhole."

"We can't use the one that brought you here?"

"No, it's gone right now. I don't think it will be back for a while," Crichton's voice was distant. He pointed in a seeming arbitrary direction, "We need to go that way."

"Talyn, set a course, maximum speed. How long will it take for us to find a wormhole?"

"Not sure. I'll let you know when we get close." Crichton walked out of command, seemingly in a daze. Crais stared after him and wondered what had happened to the human. He had changed a lot in the last six monens.

Four solar days had passed without a sign of a wormhole. It was the middle of the sleep cycle and for once Crais was sleeping peacefully. ~Crais, get your butt up here!~ came a rather excited Crichton over comms. Crais checked with Talyn as he was dressing and didn't detect anything out of the ordinary. When he arrived in command Crichton glanced over his shoulder, "Took you long enough. We're here."

Crais looked out at the desolate area of space they were in. It seemed like many other inter-stellar areas of space. "There are wormholes here?"

"Just one, but that's all we need. In 100 microts we'll be on our way home. The one thing I'll need is Talyn's cooperation. I'll need him to follow my directions."

Talyn chirped nervously. Crais reassured him, "Talyn, it will be all right. Crichton is trying to help us. You will do as he says." Talyn chirped again.

"Is he going to be all right?" Crichton sounded concerned.

"Since his experience following the command carrier, he is.apprehensive of wormholes. He will do as you ask. I will help him remain calm." Crais understated the level of Talyn's fear. The hybrid was terrified. A part of Crais wondered if Talyn would ever starburst again.

They waited a few microts in silence. Then, right on cue, the wormhole appeared. Crichton ordered Talyn into the wormhole. Talyn was hesitant at first, but finally entered the wormhole. Crais and Crichton were forced to hold onto consoles to retain their balance. Crais' eyes were closed as he concentrated all his energy on helping Talyn remain calm.

It had been a solar day since the wormhole had closed, with Crichton still on the inside. Pilot and Moya had detected no sign of the wormhole or the human. Everyone but Noranti was assembled in command trying to decide what to do next. Aeryn didn't want to leave the area in case Crichton came back. D'Argo addressed her, "Aeryn, I do not want to abandon him, but we are running low on supplies. We have to leave soon. We can return after we have resupplied."

Aeryn sighed. She knew D'Argo was right. Chiana put her hand on Aeryn's, "I don't want to leave him either, but we're no good to him if we starve."

"I know. We go resupply quickly and then come back and wait. Agreed?"

Chiana and D'Argo answered in unison, "Agreed."

Sikozu finally spoke up, "I think you are wasting your time. He's gone."

D'Argo was about to tell her to be quite, but Pilot interrupted, his image popping up on the clamshell, "Moya has detected a disturbance in front of us."

Five sets of eyes turned to the window. The signature blue of a wormhole formed in front of them. Out of the wormhole came a unique red Leviathan. "What is that?" asked Sikozu.

Aeryn whispered, "Talyn."

"It-it can't be," said Chiana.

Pilot spoke up, "Moya confirms that it is Talyn. Captain Crais is preparing to come over."

D'Argo took command again, "Pilot, do not open the bay doors until I tell you." He unsheathed his qualta blade and headed toward the door.

"D'Argo, guns are not necessary," said Aeryn. D'Argo hissed at her as he was leaving. "Fine, guns it is." She, Chiana and Rygel followed after him. Sikozu was still mesmerized by the sight out the window. This Talyn was Leviathan and not Leviathan. She wanted to know more. The others had been gone for several microts before she realized it. She hurried down to the maintenance bay.

When she got there D'Argo, Chiana and Aeryn were standing in a row guns pointed at the door. Rygel was hovering behind them. D'Argo ordered, "Pilot, open the door."

Crais ambled in, his gaze sweeping those present. He took in the shocked look on everyone's face, especially Aeryn's. He smiled as he spoke, "Officer Sun, how good to see you again. How good to see all of you again." Crais held his hands out to his side to show he was not a threat. In truth, this motley group was the only family he had other than Talyn. They would probably never realize it, but it was true.

D'Argo asked, "How is it that you are alive? I thought that blast was supposed to kill you."

"It should have. Talyn's armor was able to provide just enough protection to allow us to survive. Our trajectory took us through a wormhole," Crais explained.

"And how is it you ended up coming through a wormhole straight to us?"

"Quite simple. I had assistance." Crais moved aside allowing Crichton to come forward.

Crichton was inundated with hugs and warm wishes. Crais noticed Aeryn hung back a little. They went to the center chamber and discussed what had happened since each of them left. The others were still surprised to see Crais alive. Crais saw Aeryn leave and he followed her. No one noticed when Sikozu also left. It didn't take Crais long to catch up with Aeryn. "Aeryn, we need to talk."

She stopped, but didn't turn to look at him, "About what?"

He moved until he was right behind her and could whisper into her ear, "Crichton told me about the pregnancy."

She still couldn't force herself to look at him. She closed her eyes. Her voice was barely audible, "What about it?"

"He told me you didn't know who the father is. Is that true?"

"Yes. It could be anyone I've been with over the last seven cycles." She tried to walk away. She didn't want to talk about it.

He held her arm preventing her from leaving. He continued gently, "It could have been, but you and I both know the Peacekeeper mandates requiring the use of birth control. Was it really anyone within the last seven cycles?"

It was all she could do to hold back the tears, "Don't make me answer that."

Crais could hear the emotion in her voice and released her. She moved quickly down the passageway. He stared after her, wondering why she was reluctant to talk about it. He was positive Crichton didn't know.

Sikozu had been watching from around the corner. She had only wanted to talk to Crais about Talyn. Instead she had witnessed something that could provide her important leverage. She knew the crew didn't trust her. She wondered what kind of relationship Aeryn and Crais had had. She approached Crais and touched him gently on the arm. Crais spun around and pinned her against the wall. She tried to sound confident, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sikozu Svala Shanti Sugaysi Shanu. I am a Leviathan expert and I have never seen anything like Talyn before."

"He is unique in the universe." He released her when he realized she was not a threat to him.

"What is he?"

Crais knew that she would find out one way or the other so he might as well tell her, "He is a hybrid of Peacekeeper and Leviathan technology."

She began running her finger down his chest, "Do you think you might find time to give me a tour."

He grabbed her hand to stop her, "I do not know you."

"I could change that," she purred seductively.

He began moving away from her, "Perhaps later." He moved off towards his usual quarters.

Crichton was waiting for him there. "I see you've met Sikozu."

"Are you spying on me now?"

"No, I was leaving the cenetr chamber and saw the two of you talking. Well, not exactly talking, she was hitting on you." Crais gave him a look that encouraged Crichton to get to the point. "Anyway, I came to warn you to be careful with her. She's a bit of an opportunist. She also has an unhealthy fascination with Scorpius."

"Thank you for your warning, Crichton, but I am always careful about who I associate with."

"Right," Crichton left the former Peacekeeper alone. Crais used these few moments of solitude to check on Talyn. The youngster was glad to back with his mother. She was helping him deal with his fears of starburst. She had something Crais didn't; she was a Leviathan. Crais took the transponder out and placed on the shelf. He would allow the two Leviathans to be alone. Besides, he wanted to think about things it was best Talyn didn't know about. One of the things he debated was whether or not he should go see Scorpius. There was no logical reason. He would only be going to gloat. He also feared seeing Scorpius would cause him to lose control. He did not want to break the promise he had made to Aeryn, even if she hadn't heard it. Crais eventually decided to go down to the cargo bay and work out some of his frustration.

When he arrived he saw Aeryn in the cargo bay, working on the punching bag. She saw him out of the corner of her eye and addressed him, "Are you following me now?"

"No. I only wished to avail myself of the facilities." He paused a few microts before continuing. "I thought you would like to know how Talyn is doing."

"I would." They sat down on the workout mat as Crais related in detail everything he and Talyn had gone through. Aeryn was relieved that Talyn was recovering. "Will he starburst again?"

"He is not physically capable of starburst. His stabilizer has not yet regained full strength. In another few weekens he should be capable of starburst. I do not know if he will want to starburst again." Crais looked over her shoulder. "I was able to repair some of his personality defects, but I am not sure I have gotten them all. Even if I did, the experience on the command carrier has scarred him in ways that I can only imagine." He paused again. "He is speaking with Moya even now. He was terrified to enter the wormhole to return. It was all I could do to help him remain calm. I cannot say whether or not he will starburst again," he was now staring at the mat.

"Do you think I can visit him?"

Crais gave her a sad smile, "I think he would like to see you again. You have always been such a positive influence in his life. I'd like to give him a few arns to spend with Moya first."

"Of course." They spoke no more of Talyn. They rose and began going through Peacekeeper hand-to-hand combat exercises.

Sikozu couldn't understand why Crais had so abruptly rejected her. She had so much to offer him. Perhaps she could uncover the source of Talyn's illness and cure him. She knew the others wouldn't talk to her about Crais. She thought that perhaps since Scorpius had been a Peacekeeper as well he might have some information about Crais. She went down to visit the half- breed. He rose and approached the door as he saw her, "Sikozu, how good to see you. What have the decided about John?"

Sikozu sounded distracted, lost in thought, "They didn't have to. He came back. What can you tell me about Bialar Crais?"

Scorpius spat, "That fool destroyed himself and his hybrid Leviathan destroying my command carrier and my research."

"Apparently not."

Scorpius was eager for more news, "What do you mean?"

"It was the two of them that returned John."

"Crais is here?" The wheels in Scorpius' mind began to turn. He had already earned a very small measure of trust from the others, but he knew that Crais would never trust him. He also wasn't sure if Crais would honor Aeryn's pledge of asylum. Crais was prone to bouts of irrationality.

"Yes. It seems Talyn is still suffering from injuries sustained during the starburst that destroyed your ship. What do you know about Talyn?"

"The hybrid Leviathan project was Crais' idea. Talyn is the single success of that project, though apparently it wasn't completely successful. It suffers from a personality instability. Crais was working to repair it onboard the carrier. Supposedly all of the hybrid's higher functions were disabled before it was brought onboard. Apparently Crais had misinformed me about that. I know little else about the project."

Sikozu mumbled to herself, "I need to learn more." She then turned and left. Normally she would have spent a few arns with Scorpius. Scorpius was left alone to wonder what do about Crais. He would have to be especially vigilant while the renegade was onboard.