Crais found he was spending most of his time on Talyn. He was either there
with Aeryn or Sikozu. He was amazed at how quickly Sikozu could absorb
knowledge. In two days time she was presenting him with ideas that she
thought could help Talyn. The first three he rejected outright. He had
already unsuccessfully tried them. She put all her effort into finding a
solution. Apparently she had a hard time being wrong. The only problem was
that, along with not eating as frequently as most other species, the Kalish
also did not sleep as frequently. She contacted Crais all hours of the day.
After the third time she disturbed him that first night he put a stop to
it. She seemed truly disappointed that he had placed sleep above the
pursuit of knowledge.
Crais had almost forgotten that Scorpius was onboard Moya. The scientist's cell was in the depths of Moya's environmental systems and was not an area frequented by most passengers. He found that he had some free time the third day he was onboard Moya. Aeryn had asked to go visit Talyn alone and Sikozu was diligently working on her next plan. She had made it clear that if she needed Crais' help she would ask. He found himself aimlessly wandering Moya's passages. He didn't socialize with the other members of the crew. He knew they only tolerated his presence because Moya wished it. He found himself near Scorpius' cell. He paused before continuing. He quickly checked on Talyn and was about to place the transponder in 'privacy mode' before thinking better about it.
Scorpius heard the footsteps of someone approaching his cell. He moved closer to the door so he could see who it was. "Ah, Crais. I was wondering when you would come pay me a visit."
"This is not a.social call, Scorpius," he spat the last word.
"Of course not. I suppose you have come to finish your revenge against me?"
Crais pulled on his captain's airs and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "No. Aeryn has given you asylum and I will respect her pledge."
"How magnanimous of you. I was quite surprised to hear that you and the hybrid had survived. I would be quite interested in learning how."
"I'm sure that if you ask Sikozu she will tell you."
"I could if I had seen her. She seems to be engrossed in helping Talyn. It seems you weren't entirely successful in your repairs," Scorpius chided.
Crais decided to change the subject, "Why are you here?"
"As I'm sure the others have told you, I am here to protect John."
"That must be very difficult to do from your cell. You are still after wormhole technology, why?"
"I only wish to keep it from the Scarrens. They cannot be allowed to have it."
"Instead, you would give it to the Peacekeepers. That knowledge would go a long way in facilitating your return to power. Do you honestly believe the Peacekeepers will use it any more wisely than the Scarrens?"
"I am through with the Peacekeepers, much as you are."
"Do not compare yourself to me!" Crais shouted.
"I only meant that there is no longer a place for either of us within the Peacekeepers. Besides, High Command believes both of us have perished. I believe that works to our advantage," Scorpius' voice insinuated there might be an offer of partnership.
Crais growled at Scorpius, ensuring he remained out of reach, "Know this, Scorpius, I will never work with you. The only thing that keeps you alive is Aeryn's pledge of amnesty." Crais stormed away. He knew that Scorpius was still after wormhole technology. He was not entirely sure that the scientist was through with the Peacekeepers. He knew mastery of wormhole technology would assure a warm welcome for Scorpius back at High Command. Before he destroyed the command carrier his knowledge about hybrid Leviathans would have provided him a place in High Command. He would never again have been in a position to command a ship, but he would have been placed in charge of the hybrid project. That was not possible now. The sooner he could be away from Moya and Scorpius the better.
Aeryn had asked to spend time alone with Talyn because it made her feel happy. He expected nothing from her other than for her to be there. In part because she shared Pilot's DNA and in part because she had been bonded with Talyn, the two of them could communicate in a rudimentary fashion. She had noticed that John had become more distant since she had returned to Moya with Scorpius. He was unable to accept the fact that she had secrets she wasn't ready to tell. She hadn't thought it possible, but John had become even more distant since his latest adventure through a wormhole. It seemed the more he learned about wormholes the more of him was lost to her. She truly had lost her John on DamBaDa. She thought back to the aftermath. Her journey to Valldon had provided her with some closure. She knew that man and the nearly half cycle they had spent together were gone. She had hoped to someday be able to have that same type of relationship with this John; she just needed time.
Now time was no longer in her favor. She had never had close interpersonal relationships while she was with the Peacekeepers, but there had always been a sense of camaraderie. She had found that on Moya. At first she thought this would be impossible. They were alien and obviously inferior. Over time she had lost her Peacekeeper views about aliens. Now she could see the camaraderie slipping away. Scorpius was dividing the crew. Crais was dividing the crew. Pilot's request for a captain was logical, but had also further served to divide the crew. They were all tired of being chased and having to constantly run for their lives. Each of them desired a safe and secure life. She wanted one for her child. The environment they lived in was not the one under which a child should be raised.
Talyn had listened to her express her fears and desires. Before she began he had promised it would be their secret. He provided her with no advice. He was there to listen. As she talked she began to feel better. She could see the choices that lay ahead of her. She knew the time was coming when she would have to make a decision. She still wasn't sure what that decision would be. Talyn chirped at her to remind her they were nearing the planet and that she should return. "Thank you, Talyn." She ran her hands along his overhead one last time before leaving. He purred under her touch.
Crichton hadn't seen much of Aeryn the last couple of solar days. She had been spending a lot of time on Talyn. They had more or less avoided each other since they reunited on Moya. He hadn't wanted to get close to her until she was ready to commit. Now he could see her drifting farther and farther from him. He had thought about what Crais had said. Perhaps he was pushing Aeryn away. All of his exposure to wormholes had changed him. There was no way the knowledge left by the Ancients couldn't change him. He possessed the power to destroy worlds, to change history. He didn't know if he was ready to carry that burden, but he knew he must. The only other solution was his death. He wasn't ready for that.
He found a part of him was jealous of the time she and Crais spent together. There was something about it that bothered him. He still held by the belief that a relationship must be built on trust. Right now Aeryn didn't trust him enough to tell him what had happened. He didn't know if she would ever trust him that much. Once again he found himself wondering who the father was. Maybe this planet would posses the medical facilities to answer that question.
As the two Leviathan's approached the planet everyone save Scorpius assembled in command. Noranti had even decided to join them. She came in and stood next to Crais while staring out at the planet. Crais wrinkled his nose and moved away from her. Pilot informed them the planet appeared hospitable to trade. He had identified the main spaceport and displayed the coordinates for all to see.
D'Argo looked around, "John and I will head down to the planet for supplies. The rest of you will remain here until we determine it is safe."
Chiana whined, "Come on, D'Argo. I want to get off the ship. I need to get out."
"You can get off once we have determined it is safe." He still didn't trust Chiana to behave within the local customs as far as recreation was concerned. She had gotten them into trouble on more than one occasion since they had entered Tormented Space. Chiana slapped the table and left command. Rygel was already scanning through the commerce information trying to find out if there was anywhere to gamble. He was always looking for a way to increase his wealth.
Shortly after Crichton and D'Argo had left, Crais went down to the hangar bay and prepared his transport pod for launch. He would go down on his own and replenish his supplies onboard Talyn. He still had plenty of dry and frozen goods, but he had quickly learned how scarce planets were in this area of space. If he decided to leave Moya, he wanted to be prepared. Aeryn entered the hangar as he was making final preparations. "You shouldn't go down there by yourself. Let me come with you."
He agreed. There was safety in numbers and he knew she was both capable and reliable. As Crais approached the land complex he made sure his pod was on the far side of the complex from the Crichton and D'Argo's. He was looking forward to some time away from everyone on Moya. They were both quiet on the trip down. Right after they landed Aeryn asked, "What kind of supplies are we looking for?"
"Food for the most part. Talyn's systems are in good repair."
"Has Sikozu been of any assistance?"
"She is working hard, but as of yet has devised no solution. I believe that given enough time she will solve the problem. Of course, that will not affect his fear of starburst. Only time can heal that wound." His voice was filled with sadness as he finished. After their run in with Xhalax, Aeryn had seen a glimpse of how Crais felt about Talyn. Over the last couple of days she had come to see the depth of his love for Talyn.
They meandered through the market area. Crais made purchases at a few stalls and arranged for the supplies to be delivered to the spaceport. As evening approached they began looking for someplace to eat. Both of them wanted someplace quiet. They knew the Moya crew would want to find somewhere to party.
After D'Argo and Crichton had been on the surface for a couple of arns, they decided it was reasonably safe for the others to come down. D'Argo called up to Moya, "Pilot, let the others know they can come down to the surface."
~Yes, Captain,~ responded Pilot.
D'Argo and Crichton then left to go to the spaceport to wait for their friends. They knew Rygel would want to go to the casino. It had seemed a decent enough place to hang out and they would probably start off there. When the transport pod arrived, Crichton counted only three people disembarking. Aeryn, Crais and Sikozu were missing. He wondered if they were still working with Talyn. "Hey, Pip, are the others working with Talyn?"
"Sikozu is. Aeryn and Crais left before we did. I don't know where they went."
Crichton began to scan around the spaceport to see if he could see another pod. He was pretty sure he spotted one parked on the far side of the landing area, tucked behind a much larger ship. He wondered how long they had been there. He knew he could search for arns and never find them. The city was rather large. He could try to comm them, but they would probably ignore him. Worse, he could catch them in the middle of something. That thought made him shudder.
D'Argo saw Crichton's shudder, "Are you ill?"
Crichton shook his head, "No, D. I'm fine. Let's go." He let all thoughts of Aeryn slip from his mind. It was obvious she still didn't trust him.
Sikozu was hard at work on trying to develop a solution to the deep-rooted instability in Talyn's personality matrix. It was difficult because it was entwined so closely with the parts that made him who he was. Crais had made it clear to her that he wanted to preserve his essence of being. This task was proving extremely difficult, if not nearly impossible. Talyn was even more complex than a normal Leviathan. She assumed the added complexity was related to the fact he didn't require a Pilot. She thought she might finally be on the right track. Another solar day and she should finally have a viable solution.
Aeryn and Crais were enjoying a quiet dinner in a small, secluded bistro. The food was excellent and there was soft music playing in the background. While they were waiting for the bill Crais asked, "Would you like to see if the medical facilities on this planet are capable of performing the needed tests?"
"I think I would," she replied nervously.
"Nervous?"
She looked down at the table, "A little." She looked back up at him, "Actually, a lot. This will set the course of my life."
Crais reached into his jacket and slid a list across the table, "I had Talyn research medical facilities that might be able to fulfill your requirements. We can take care of that in the morning."
When they left the bistro they found hotel to stay at and checked into suite. They each took separate rooms.
Crichton's group followed Rygel to the casino. It didn't take the Hynerian long to find a gaming table to his liking. Crichton watched a little while, but he couldn't grasp all the nuances of the game. He decided to join D'Argo and Chiana in the club area. He had lost track of Noranti, but she had a way of finding him. The club area was very similar to the club on LoMo. As long as this one ended up better than that fiasco, he would be happy. The three of them had pledged to look out for each other this time. Of course, it hadn't worked last time. They drank and partied until late into the night. They were able to put the peril of Tormented Space behind them for the night. Somehow they managed to find their way to a hotel. It turns out that Noranti had been their guardian angel that night.
The following morning Crais and Aeryn quickly prepared for the day. They were silent each of them knowing what needed to be done. Aeryn asked directions at the front desk. When they arrived at the medical facility, Aeryn paused outside. Crais placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Everything will be fine."
She mustered a brave face, smiled and nodded her head. Once they entered Aeryn walked over to the reception desk and related her needs. The technician at the desk assured her they could meet her needs. She was given a form to fill out and told that a doctor would be with her shortly. The two of them went over to the waiting area. It didn't take Aeryn long to fill out here form and return it to technician. They waited for about half an arn before her name was called. She was incredibly nervous. Crais, giving her full support, escorted her into the exam room.
The doctor was reviewing her form. He didn't look up as the two of them entered. He gestured at the exam table, "Have a seat. It's not very often we get Sebaceans around here. Your case is highly unusual. I can run a genetic test on the fetus. Obviously I can only identify the father if I have a genetic sample for comparison. If you would like I could release the fetus as well."
"I think the genetic test will be sufficient," Aeryn replied.
"Very well. I will need you to lie back."
Crais looked at Aeryn and asked softly, "Do you want me to leave?"
She reached for his hand, "No, stay, please."
It didn't take long for the doctor to perform his analysis. He then took a blood sample from Crais. "Now, do you have any other genetic samples you would like me to compare this with?"
She sat up and reached for her jacket. She pulled a data chip out of her pocket and handed it to the doctor. Crais gave her an inquisitive look. "I trust you will be able to get the information off of this."
The doctor looked at it, "I don't see a problem with that. It will take about three arns for the analysis. If you will be planetside for five I can let you know how long the fetus has been in stasis."
Aeryn looked at Crais. He just nodded his head. "We'll see you in five arns," she replied.
They left to finish procuring supplies for Talyn. That only took a couple arns, they still had three to kill. They walked around for little while, just admiring the beauty of the city. They then found a café situated in a park. They ate a light lunch and then sat and drank tea, talking about absolutely nothing. Neither one of them was prepared to discuss the future. Aeryn knew the results of the test would go a long way in determine hers. They didn't want to talk about the past either. Their lives as Peacekeepers were something they would rather keep behind them. Finally, time was up and they walked back to the clinic.
This time they only had to wait a quarter arn. When Aeryn's name was called Crais decided to wait in the lobby. He wanted Aeryn to be able to determine who would find out. She was with the doctor about a quarter arn. She had pretty much composed herself by the time she emerged. They returned to the transport pod and loaded up the last of their supplies. They then headed up to Talyn to offload the supplies. Crais hadn't said anything to her about the genetic test.
Aeryn asked, "Don't you want to know the result of the test?"
"Only if you want to tell me. Whose information was on the datachip?"
"Crichton's, Velorek's, and some of the others I have served with. I was able to get some of itfrom the command carrier, some of it Talyn gave me." She paused before continuing quietly, "I'm not ready yet."
It was nearly midday before Crichton and the others began moving. Crichton wasn't sure how late they had been out last night, but he was pretty sure it had been a lot closer to sunrise than sunset. His head hurt something fierce and he could smell something strange. He opened his eyes. He was in some sort of a loft. He could see that D'Argo and Chiana were passed out on other pieces of furniture. He checked to make sure he was clothed before he got up. He was. He then decided to look for the source of the smell. He was trying to determine if it was a bad smell or not.
He stumbled into the kitchen area and saw Noranti simmering something in a pot, "Ah, morning, morning. I have something for you." She handed him a cup of whatever it was from the pot.
He took the cup and took a whiff of the contents. "Whoa," he exclaimed as he shook his head and scrunched up his face. "What *is* this?"
"Drink. It will make you feel better."
"Yeah, sure. Why does this kind of stuff always have to taste bad?"
"Taste? Taste? Taste doesn't matter. Drink it will help."
By now D'Argo and Chiana were awake and moving. D'Argo walked over to the kitchen, "What is that smell?" His tone of voice suggested that he found it offensive.
Crichton handed each of them a mug, "Grandma says it's going to help us feel better."
Chiana took her mug and prepared to take a sip, "Well, she hasn't killed us yet."
Afterwards the three of them felt a little better. They got cleaned up and headed out to finish gathering supplies. Noranti went off on her own to gather herbs and other things. None of the others paid too much attention to her. If she disappeared no one would really lament her loss. They decided to check the casino for Rygel before they began. He was at a different gaming table. D'Argo left Crichton and Chiana at the door while he went to go check on Rygel. When he returned he announced, "Rygel has agreed to meet us at the pod in three arns."
Surprisingly Rygel was there at the end of the three arns. Chiana and Noranti had already returned to Moya. When the second pod landed on Moya, Crichton and D'Argo began offloading the rest of the supplies. As Crichton was taking the first load into the maintenance bay he saw Aeryn working on her Prowler. "Did you want to go down to the planet?"
She didn't look up from her work, "I've been already."
"Okay. What did you do down there?"
"Picked up some supplies for Talyn."
"Crais leaving soon?" he asked hopefully. He was eager for everything to return to the way it was. Well, the way it was before the twinning. He didn't know if that would happen. So much had happened since then. Right now he would settle for Aeryn being honest with him. He wished she trusted him. He was beginning to wonder how much Crais knew. Had she shown more trust in her former captain?
"I don't know. It depends on Talyn."
"Right. Where is he?"
"On Talyn with Sikozu. She thinks she might have discovered a way to help Talyn."
"That's good. I need to finish unloading."
After Crichton walked away, Aeryn stopped what she was doing and pulled a data chip out of her pocket. On it was the possible answer to who the father of her child was. She still hadn't looked at. She climbed into the cockpit of her Prowler and turned the chip over in her hands a few times before inserting it into the dataport. It was time.
Crais had almost forgotten that Scorpius was onboard Moya. The scientist's cell was in the depths of Moya's environmental systems and was not an area frequented by most passengers. He found that he had some free time the third day he was onboard Moya. Aeryn had asked to go visit Talyn alone and Sikozu was diligently working on her next plan. She had made it clear that if she needed Crais' help she would ask. He found himself aimlessly wandering Moya's passages. He didn't socialize with the other members of the crew. He knew they only tolerated his presence because Moya wished it. He found himself near Scorpius' cell. He paused before continuing. He quickly checked on Talyn and was about to place the transponder in 'privacy mode' before thinking better about it.
Scorpius heard the footsteps of someone approaching his cell. He moved closer to the door so he could see who it was. "Ah, Crais. I was wondering when you would come pay me a visit."
"This is not a.social call, Scorpius," he spat the last word.
"Of course not. I suppose you have come to finish your revenge against me?"
Crais pulled on his captain's airs and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "No. Aeryn has given you asylum and I will respect her pledge."
"How magnanimous of you. I was quite surprised to hear that you and the hybrid had survived. I would be quite interested in learning how."
"I'm sure that if you ask Sikozu she will tell you."
"I could if I had seen her. She seems to be engrossed in helping Talyn. It seems you weren't entirely successful in your repairs," Scorpius chided.
Crais decided to change the subject, "Why are you here?"
"As I'm sure the others have told you, I am here to protect John."
"That must be very difficult to do from your cell. You are still after wormhole technology, why?"
"I only wish to keep it from the Scarrens. They cannot be allowed to have it."
"Instead, you would give it to the Peacekeepers. That knowledge would go a long way in facilitating your return to power. Do you honestly believe the Peacekeepers will use it any more wisely than the Scarrens?"
"I am through with the Peacekeepers, much as you are."
"Do not compare yourself to me!" Crais shouted.
"I only meant that there is no longer a place for either of us within the Peacekeepers. Besides, High Command believes both of us have perished. I believe that works to our advantage," Scorpius' voice insinuated there might be an offer of partnership.
Crais growled at Scorpius, ensuring he remained out of reach, "Know this, Scorpius, I will never work with you. The only thing that keeps you alive is Aeryn's pledge of amnesty." Crais stormed away. He knew that Scorpius was still after wormhole technology. He was not entirely sure that the scientist was through with the Peacekeepers. He knew mastery of wormhole technology would assure a warm welcome for Scorpius back at High Command. Before he destroyed the command carrier his knowledge about hybrid Leviathans would have provided him a place in High Command. He would never again have been in a position to command a ship, but he would have been placed in charge of the hybrid project. That was not possible now. The sooner he could be away from Moya and Scorpius the better.
Aeryn had asked to spend time alone with Talyn because it made her feel happy. He expected nothing from her other than for her to be there. In part because she shared Pilot's DNA and in part because she had been bonded with Talyn, the two of them could communicate in a rudimentary fashion. She had noticed that John had become more distant since she had returned to Moya with Scorpius. He was unable to accept the fact that she had secrets she wasn't ready to tell. She hadn't thought it possible, but John had become even more distant since his latest adventure through a wormhole. It seemed the more he learned about wormholes the more of him was lost to her. She truly had lost her John on DamBaDa. She thought back to the aftermath. Her journey to Valldon had provided her with some closure. She knew that man and the nearly half cycle they had spent together were gone. She had hoped to someday be able to have that same type of relationship with this John; she just needed time.
Now time was no longer in her favor. She had never had close interpersonal relationships while she was with the Peacekeepers, but there had always been a sense of camaraderie. She had found that on Moya. At first she thought this would be impossible. They were alien and obviously inferior. Over time she had lost her Peacekeeper views about aliens. Now she could see the camaraderie slipping away. Scorpius was dividing the crew. Crais was dividing the crew. Pilot's request for a captain was logical, but had also further served to divide the crew. They were all tired of being chased and having to constantly run for their lives. Each of them desired a safe and secure life. She wanted one for her child. The environment they lived in was not the one under which a child should be raised.
Talyn had listened to her express her fears and desires. Before she began he had promised it would be their secret. He provided her with no advice. He was there to listen. As she talked she began to feel better. She could see the choices that lay ahead of her. She knew the time was coming when she would have to make a decision. She still wasn't sure what that decision would be. Talyn chirped at her to remind her they were nearing the planet and that she should return. "Thank you, Talyn." She ran her hands along his overhead one last time before leaving. He purred under her touch.
Crichton hadn't seen much of Aeryn the last couple of solar days. She had been spending a lot of time on Talyn. They had more or less avoided each other since they reunited on Moya. He hadn't wanted to get close to her until she was ready to commit. Now he could see her drifting farther and farther from him. He had thought about what Crais had said. Perhaps he was pushing Aeryn away. All of his exposure to wormholes had changed him. There was no way the knowledge left by the Ancients couldn't change him. He possessed the power to destroy worlds, to change history. He didn't know if he was ready to carry that burden, but he knew he must. The only other solution was his death. He wasn't ready for that.
He found a part of him was jealous of the time she and Crais spent together. There was something about it that bothered him. He still held by the belief that a relationship must be built on trust. Right now Aeryn didn't trust him enough to tell him what had happened. He didn't know if she would ever trust him that much. Once again he found himself wondering who the father was. Maybe this planet would posses the medical facilities to answer that question.
As the two Leviathan's approached the planet everyone save Scorpius assembled in command. Noranti had even decided to join them. She came in and stood next to Crais while staring out at the planet. Crais wrinkled his nose and moved away from her. Pilot informed them the planet appeared hospitable to trade. He had identified the main spaceport and displayed the coordinates for all to see.
D'Argo looked around, "John and I will head down to the planet for supplies. The rest of you will remain here until we determine it is safe."
Chiana whined, "Come on, D'Argo. I want to get off the ship. I need to get out."
"You can get off once we have determined it is safe." He still didn't trust Chiana to behave within the local customs as far as recreation was concerned. She had gotten them into trouble on more than one occasion since they had entered Tormented Space. Chiana slapped the table and left command. Rygel was already scanning through the commerce information trying to find out if there was anywhere to gamble. He was always looking for a way to increase his wealth.
Shortly after Crichton and D'Argo had left, Crais went down to the hangar bay and prepared his transport pod for launch. He would go down on his own and replenish his supplies onboard Talyn. He still had plenty of dry and frozen goods, but he had quickly learned how scarce planets were in this area of space. If he decided to leave Moya, he wanted to be prepared. Aeryn entered the hangar as he was making final preparations. "You shouldn't go down there by yourself. Let me come with you."
He agreed. There was safety in numbers and he knew she was both capable and reliable. As Crais approached the land complex he made sure his pod was on the far side of the complex from the Crichton and D'Argo's. He was looking forward to some time away from everyone on Moya. They were both quiet on the trip down. Right after they landed Aeryn asked, "What kind of supplies are we looking for?"
"Food for the most part. Talyn's systems are in good repair."
"Has Sikozu been of any assistance?"
"She is working hard, but as of yet has devised no solution. I believe that given enough time she will solve the problem. Of course, that will not affect his fear of starburst. Only time can heal that wound." His voice was filled with sadness as he finished. After their run in with Xhalax, Aeryn had seen a glimpse of how Crais felt about Talyn. Over the last couple of days she had come to see the depth of his love for Talyn.
They meandered through the market area. Crais made purchases at a few stalls and arranged for the supplies to be delivered to the spaceport. As evening approached they began looking for someplace to eat. Both of them wanted someplace quiet. They knew the Moya crew would want to find somewhere to party.
After D'Argo and Crichton had been on the surface for a couple of arns, they decided it was reasonably safe for the others to come down. D'Argo called up to Moya, "Pilot, let the others know they can come down to the surface."
~Yes, Captain,~ responded Pilot.
D'Argo and Crichton then left to go to the spaceport to wait for their friends. They knew Rygel would want to go to the casino. It had seemed a decent enough place to hang out and they would probably start off there. When the transport pod arrived, Crichton counted only three people disembarking. Aeryn, Crais and Sikozu were missing. He wondered if they were still working with Talyn. "Hey, Pip, are the others working with Talyn?"
"Sikozu is. Aeryn and Crais left before we did. I don't know where they went."
Crichton began to scan around the spaceport to see if he could see another pod. He was pretty sure he spotted one parked on the far side of the landing area, tucked behind a much larger ship. He wondered how long they had been there. He knew he could search for arns and never find them. The city was rather large. He could try to comm them, but they would probably ignore him. Worse, he could catch them in the middle of something. That thought made him shudder.
D'Argo saw Crichton's shudder, "Are you ill?"
Crichton shook his head, "No, D. I'm fine. Let's go." He let all thoughts of Aeryn slip from his mind. It was obvious she still didn't trust him.
Sikozu was hard at work on trying to develop a solution to the deep-rooted instability in Talyn's personality matrix. It was difficult because it was entwined so closely with the parts that made him who he was. Crais had made it clear to her that he wanted to preserve his essence of being. This task was proving extremely difficult, if not nearly impossible. Talyn was even more complex than a normal Leviathan. She assumed the added complexity was related to the fact he didn't require a Pilot. She thought she might finally be on the right track. Another solar day and she should finally have a viable solution.
Aeryn and Crais were enjoying a quiet dinner in a small, secluded bistro. The food was excellent and there was soft music playing in the background. While they were waiting for the bill Crais asked, "Would you like to see if the medical facilities on this planet are capable of performing the needed tests?"
"I think I would," she replied nervously.
"Nervous?"
She looked down at the table, "A little." She looked back up at him, "Actually, a lot. This will set the course of my life."
Crais reached into his jacket and slid a list across the table, "I had Talyn research medical facilities that might be able to fulfill your requirements. We can take care of that in the morning."
When they left the bistro they found hotel to stay at and checked into suite. They each took separate rooms.
Crichton's group followed Rygel to the casino. It didn't take the Hynerian long to find a gaming table to his liking. Crichton watched a little while, but he couldn't grasp all the nuances of the game. He decided to join D'Argo and Chiana in the club area. He had lost track of Noranti, but she had a way of finding him. The club area was very similar to the club on LoMo. As long as this one ended up better than that fiasco, he would be happy. The three of them had pledged to look out for each other this time. Of course, it hadn't worked last time. They drank and partied until late into the night. They were able to put the peril of Tormented Space behind them for the night. Somehow they managed to find their way to a hotel. It turns out that Noranti had been their guardian angel that night.
The following morning Crais and Aeryn quickly prepared for the day. They were silent each of them knowing what needed to be done. Aeryn asked directions at the front desk. When they arrived at the medical facility, Aeryn paused outside. Crais placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Everything will be fine."
She mustered a brave face, smiled and nodded her head. Once they entered Aeryn walked over to the reception desk and related her needs. The technician at the desk assured her they could meet her needs. She was given a form to fill out and told that a doctor would be with her shortly. The two of them went over to the waiting area. It didn't take Aeryn long to fill out here form and return it to technician. They waited for about half an arn before her name was called. She was incredibly nervous. Crais, giving her full support, escorted her into the exam room.
The doctor was reviewing her form. He didn't look up as the two of them entered. He gestured at the exam table, "Have a seat. It's not very often we get Sebaceans around here. Your case is highly unusual. I can run a genetic test on the fetus. Obviously I can only identify the father if I have a genetic sample for comparison. If you would like I could release the fetus as well."
"I think the genetic test will be sufficient," Aeryn replied.
"Very well. I will need you to lie back."
Crais looked at Aeryn and asked softly, "Do you want me to leave?"
She reached for his hand, "No, stay, please."
It didn't take long for the doctor to perform his analysis. He then took a blood sample from Crais. "Now, do you have any other genetic samples you would like me to compare this with?"
She sat up and reached for her jacket. She pulled a data chip out of her pocket and handed it to the doctor. Crais gave her an inquisitive look. "I trust you will be able to get the information off of this."
The doctor looked at it, "I don't see a problem with that. It will take about three arns for the analysis. If you will be planetside for five I can let you know how long the fetus has been in stasis."
Aeryn looked at Crais. He just nodded his head. "We'll see you in five arns," she replied.
They left to finish procuring supplies for Talyn. That only took a couple arns, they still had three to kill. They walked around for little while, just admiring the beauty of the city. They then found a café situated in a park. They ate a light lunch and then sat and drank tea, talking about absolutely nothing. Neither one of them was prepared to discuss the future. Aeryn knew the results of the test would go a long way in determine hers. They didn't want to talk about the past either. Their lives as Peacekeepers were something they would rather keep behind them. Finally, time was up and they walked back to the clinic.
This time they only had to wait a quarter arn. When Aeryn's name was called Crais decided to wait in the lobby. He wanted Aeryn to be able to determine who would find out. She was with the doctor about a quarter arn. She had pretty much composed herself by the time she emerged. They returned to the transport pod and loaded up the last of their supplies. They then headed up to Talyn to offload the supplies. Crais hadn't said anything to her about the genetic test.
Aeryn asked, "Don't you want to know the result of the test?"
"Only if you want to tell me. Whose information was on the datachip?"
"Crichton's, Velorek's, and some of the others I have served with. I was able to get some of itfrom the command carrier, some of it Talyn gave me." She paused before continuing quietly, "I'm not ready yet."
It was nearly midday before Crichton and the others began moving. Crichton wasn't sure how late they had been out last night, but he was pretty sure it had been a lot closer to sunrise than sunset. His head hurt something fierce and he could smell something strange. He opened his eyes. He was in some sort of a loft. He could see that D'Argo and Chiana were passed out on other pieces of furniture. He checked to make sure he was clothed before he got up. He was. He then decided to look for the source of the smell. He was trying to determine if it was a bad smell or not.
He stumbled into the kitchen area and saw Noranti simmering something in a pot, "Ah, morning, morning. I have something for you." She handed him a cup of whatever it was from the pot.
He took the cup and took a whiff of the contents. "Whoa," he exclaimed as he shook his head and scrunched up his face. "What *is* this?"
"Drink. It will make you feel better."
"Yeah, sure. Why does this kind of stuff always have to taste bad?"
"Taste? Taste? Taste doesn't matter. Drink it will help."
By now D'Argo and Chiana were awake and moving. D'Argo walked over to the kitchen, "What is that smell?" His tone of voice suggested that he found it offensive.
Crichton handed each of them a mug, "Grandma says it's going to help us feel better."
Chiana took her mug and prepared to take a sip, "Well, she hasn't killed us yet."
Afterwards the three of them felt a little better. They got cleaned up and headed out to finish gathering supplies. Noranti went off on her own to gather herbs and other things. None of the others paid too much attention to her. If she disappeared no one would really lament her loss. They decided to check the casino for Rygel before they began. He was at a different gaming table. D'Argo left Crichton and Chiana at the door while he went to go check on Rygel. When he returned he announced, "Rygel has agreed to meet us at the pod in three arns."
Surprisingly Rygel was there at the end of the three arns. Chiana and Noranti had already returned to Moya. When the second pod landed on Moya, Crichton and D'Argo began offloading the rest of the supplies. As Crichton was taking the first load into the maintenance bay he saw Aeryn working on her Prowler. "Did you want to go down to the planet?"
She didn't look up from her work, "I've been already."
"Okay. What did you do down there?"
"Picked up some supplies for Talyn."
"Crais leaving soon?" he asked hopefully. He was eager for everything to return to the way it was. Well, the way it was before the twinning. He didn't know if that would happen. So much had happened since then. Right now he would settle for Aeryn being honest with him. He wished she trusted him. He was beginning to wonder how much Crais knew. Had she shown more trust in her former captain?
"I don't know. It depends on Talyn."
"Right. Where is he?"
"On Talyn with Sikozu. She thinks she might have discovered a way to help Talyn."
"That's good. I need to finish unloading."
After Crichton walked away, Aeryn stopped what she was doing and pulled a data chip out of her pocket. On it was the possible answer to who the father of her child was. She still hadn't looked at. She climbed into the cockpit of her Prowler and turned the chip over in her hands a few times before inserting it into the dataport. It was time.