Crais moved Visha aside, "Under different circumstances, this would have
been possible. I will do nothing to jeopardize my relationship with Aeryn."
His eyes grew cold and menacing, "If I find out that you are continuing to
encourage the belief that there is something between us, I will be very put
out. Is that clear?" She nodded her head, unable to find her voice. Crais
stormed out of his quarters. He decided to go to the center chamber and
make some soothing tea. When he arrived he saw Noranti and Calla sitting at
one of the tables talking. Calla watched him with a piercing gaze as he
made his tea. He could feel her eyes looking deep into his soul. It was a
very uncomfortable feeling.
"You are troubled," she said.
"My troubles are my own," he replied.
"I am a very good listener. Perhaps I could help?" she offered.
Crais chuckled at the fact she had used the same words Visha had. He was about to leave with his tea when it occurred to him that Calla had helped raise Visha and that the younger woman might listen to advice from her former nanny. "The only help I ask of you is that you tell Visha to leave me alone."
"Do you not desire her? I have seen the look in your eye as you watch her."
Crais proceeded carefully, "Visha is very attractive. But, I am not an animal that will give in to its lusts."
"I thought the Peacekeepers were taught to recreate when the desire arose. It helps reduce the tension of the fighting force. "
"I am no longer a Peacekeeper. I have forsaken many of their teachings."
"Why would you forsake one that is so pleasurable?"
"I have an obligation to Aeryn and our child. Visha is trying to sabotage my relationship with Aeryn. I have come to believe that a child should be raised by its parents. I will not leave Aeryn with that burden to bear alone."
Calla had to admire his dedication to Aeryn. "What has Visha done to upset you?"
Crais didn't know where to begin. "She is spreading the false impression amongst the others that there is something between the two of us. She continues to pursue me. In fact, I just came from my quarters where she was waiting for me to return. I might add she was wearing very little." Noranti laughed at this comment.
Calla considered Crais, "You do realize that she is only acting on signals that you have been giving. I believe it has been too long since you have been with a woman. You speak of your obligation towards Aeryn, but what are your feelings for her?"
"Unimportant. Just make sure she understands that I will not allow anything to happen between us." He took his tea and left, unsure where he was going to go. He didn't want to go back to his quarters and Talyn told him Scorpius was still in medbay. He was tired and needed rest. He headed for a distant part of Moya to get some rest. Talyn would inform him when Aeryn was alone.
Aeryn's emotions were in turmoil. She couldn't think clearly. What Scorpius said made sense. A part of her mind told her that she should not believe him, but it was such a small voice. It was being drowned out.
"Officer Sun, you must realize that the stress you are under is placing your life and that of your child at risk. The best way to remove that stress is to get rid of the source. You know Crais is the source of that stress. Perhaps you could convince Talyn that it would be best for the two of them to leave." His continued, his voice hypnotic, "I know that Talyn respects you. For the safety of your child, you must do this."
She was beginning to believe him. What he said made sense. Even if Crais didn't want to leave, if she could convince Talyn, he would force Crais to leave. There had been many times Talyn had gone against Crais' wishes.
Through the course of the evening Chiana, D'Argo and Crichton stopped by to visit Aeryn. Crais was lurking outside med bay, hoping to be allowed to enter. At the very least he hoped to learn how she was doing. D'Argo refused to tell him anything about Aeryn, "It is your fault she is ill. You never should have returned. I think you should leave before you do any more harm."
"Taking Scorpius' side is not like you."
"I am taking her side."
When he asked Chiana all he got was that she looked okay. Chiana was reluctant to speak with him. He got the distinct impression that Scorpius was working on turning the whole crew against him. Not that that was an overly difficult task. He decided to get some rest. As he lay down he seriously considered moving back to Talyn. At least there he could get some peace. Unfortunately that would take him further from Aeryn. He fell asleep trying to think of ways he could get Aeryn to listen to him.
Crichton came by to see Aeryn. She saw him enter and asked, "How's Chiana?"
"Good. I don't really want to talk about her. How are you feeling?"
"Better."
He began rubbing his lip with his thumb. "Why did you ask about Chiana? Are you hoping to get back together with me now that Crais has shown his true colors?"
"No, I just wanted to make sure you're happy."
"We're happy. I gave you a chance and chose not to take it."
"I know that." She looked away.
"What's wrong?" He had picked up on her apprehension.
"I'm scared to raise this child alone."
"As long as you're on Moya you won't be alone. We'll all be here for both of you. We may not be much of a family, but that's what we are."
"Thank you."
Talyn woke Crais. Scorpius had finally left the med bay. Crais silently moved into med bay and stood at Aeryn's side. He watched her sleep for several microts, admiring her beauty. He began gently stroking her hair. "Aeryn," he said softly. She woke and began to tell him to go away. "Shhh. I'm not here to argue. I've only come to see how you are doing. Scorpius wouldn't let me see you earlier."
She glared at him, "I would be doing better if you weren't here."
"Aeryn, I'm very concerned about you and the baby."
"I was serious, Crais."
She could see the pain in his eyes. "I ask you to please talk with Talyn and Visha before you make that decision. I think you will find the truth is not what it seems. I believe you are being manipulated and quite well at that. I only ask that you listen to all sides of the story first. I hope that you will find the truth." He turned to leave.
"Crais, wait." He paused, keeping his back to her. "Tell me your side." She listened patiently as Crais recounted events as he had seen them. He admitted that he was attracted to Visha, but that he had not acted on it. She listened, but still looked skeptical that this was the truth. "You claim that you did nothing with her?"
"Yes. You can ask her. She will tell you the truth."
"How do I know you haven't bullied her into telling me what you want me to hear?"
"You don't. I leave it to you to determine the truth. I just want you to know that I am here for you."
He left, leaving Aeryn full of doubt. He had not once attacked Scorpius. She had seen the pain in his eyes. She knew Crais was manipulative, but so was Scorpius. Crais had freely admitted Visha was in his quarters. She didn't think he was hiding anything from her.
When Crais left, he felt he had accomplished all he could. He was surprised he had gotten her to listen. Talyn felt confident she would have to side with him. Crais cautioned him that is the decision a rational Aeryn would make, but she had not been completely rational lately.
The following morning Scorpius released Aeryn with the reminder to remain calm. She decided that later in the day she would go over to Talyn. While on her way to her quarters Visha stopped her. "Aeryn, I think we need to talk."
"All right, let's talk."
"Not here. In private." They moved off to a secluded area of Moya. "It is because of you and your child that Bialar spurns me. If it wasn't for that he would be mine."
Aeryn noticed she held something in her hand. "What is that?"
Visha held it and spun it in her hand. "This is a little something that will solve my problems. This is a nice little chemical compound designed to end pregnancy." Aeryn protectively placed her hand on her stomach. "When I heard you had collapsed I had hoped that you would lose the baby. But since you didn't, I'm forced to take action."
"You're insane."
Visha began moving towards Aeryn. "It's the only way we can be together. He told me he would not abandon his child. He doesn't love you. He loves me. He just can't show it because of you."
Aeryn looked around the room. Visha was between her and the door. Aeryn didn't want to get close to Visha and risk being injected. "When he finds out what you've done he will never accept you."
"That's the beauty of this compound. It also destroys your short-term memory. You will not remember this meeting." She moved closer to Aeryn.
"You are troubled," she said.
"My troubles are my own," he replied.
"I am a very good listener. Perhaps I could help?" she offered.
Crais chuckled at the fact she had used the same words Visha had. He was about to leave with his tea when it occurred to him that Calla had helped raise Visha and that the younger woman might listen to advice from her former nanny. "The only help I ask of you is that you tell Visha to leave me alone."
"Do you not desire her? I have seen the look in your eye as you watch her."
Crais proceeded carefully, "Visha is very attractive. But, I am not an animal that will give in to its lusts."
"I thought the Peacekeepers were taught to recreate when the desire arose. It helps reduce the tension of the fighting force. "
"I am no longer a Peacekeeper. I have forsaken many of their teachings."
"Why would you forsake one that is so pleasurable?"
"I have an obligation to Aeryn and our child. Visha is trying to sabotage my relationship with Aeryn. I have come to believe that a child should be raised by its parents. I will not leave Aeryn with that burden to bear alone."
Calla had to admire his dedication to Aeryn. "What has Visha done to upset you?"
Crais didn't know where to begin. "She is spreading the false impression amongst the others that there is something between the two of us. She continues to pursue me. In fact, I just came from my quarters where she was waiting for me to return. I might add she was wearing very little." Noranti laughed at this comment.
Calla considered Crais, "You do realize that she is only acting on signals that you have been giving. I believe it has been too long since you have been with a woman. You speak of your obligation towards Aeryn, but what are your feelings for her?"
"Unimportant. Just make sure she understands that I will not allow anything to happen between us." He took his tea and left, unsure where he was going to go. He didn't want to go back to his quarters and Talyn told him Scorpius was still in medbay. He was tired and needed rest. He headed for a distant part of Moya to get some rest. Talyn would inform him when Aeryn was alone.
Aeryn's emotions were in turmoil. She couldn't think clearly. What Scorpius said made sense. A part of her mind told her that she should not believe him, but it was such a small voice. It was being drowned out.
"Officer Sun, you must realize that the stress you are under is placing your life and that of your child at risk. The best way to remove that stress is to get rid of the source. You know Crais is the source of that stress. Perhaps you could convince Talyn that it would be best for the two of them to leave." His continued, his voice hypnotic, "I know that Talyn respects you. For the safety of your child, you must do this."
She was beginning to believe him. What he said made sense. Even if Crais didn't want to leave, if she could convince Talyn, he would force Crais to leave. There had been many times Talyn had gone against Crais' wishes.
Through the course of the evening Chiana, D'Argo and Crichton stopped by to visit Aeryn. Crais was lurking outside med bay, hoping to be allowed to enter. At the very least he hoped to learn how she was doing. D'Argo refused to tell him anything about Aeryn, "It is your fault she is ill. You never should have returned. I think you should leave before you do any more harm."
"Taking Scorpius' side is not like you."
"I am taking her side."
When he asked Chiana all he got was that she looked okay. Chiana was reluctant to speak with him. He got the distinct impression that Scorpius was working on turning the whole crew against him. Not that that was an overly difficult task. He decided to get some rest. As he lay down he seriously considered moving back to Talyn. At least there he could get some peace. Unfortunately that would take him further from Aeryn. He fell asleep trying to think of ways he could get Aeryn to listen to him.
Crichton came by to see Aeryn. She saw him enter and asked, "How's Chiana?"
"Good. I don't really want to talk about her. How are you feeling?"
"Better."
He began rubbing his lip with his thumb. "Why did you ask about Chiana? Are you hoping to get back together with me now that Crais has shown his true colors?"
"No, I just wanted to make sure you're happy."
"We're happy. I gave you a chance and chose not to take it."
"I know that." She looked away.
"What's wrong?" He had picked up on her apprehension.
"I'm scared to raise this child alone."
"As long as you're on Moya you won't be alone. We'll all be here for both of you. We may not be much of a family, but that's what we are."
"Thank you."
Talyn woke Crais. Scorpius had finally left the med bay. Crais silently moved into med bay and stood at Aeryn's side. He watched her sleep for several microts, admiring her beauty. He began gently stroking her hair. "Aeryn," he said softly. She woke and began to tell him to go away. "Shhh. I'm not here to argue. I've only come to see how you are doing. Scorpius wouldn't let me see you earlier."
She glared at him, "I would be doing better if you weren't here."
"Aeryn, I'm very concerned about you and the baby."
"I was serious, Crais."
She could see the pain in his eyes. "I ask you to please talk with Talyn and Visha before you make that decision. I think you will find the truth is not what it seems. I believe you are being manipulated and quite well at that. I only ask that you listen to all sides of the story first. I hope that you will find the truth." He turned to leave.
"Crais, wait." He paused, keeping his back to her. "Tell me your side." She listened patiently as Crais recounted events as he had seen them. He admitted that he was attracted to Visha, but that he had not acted on it. She listened, but still looked skeptical that this was the truth. "You claim that you did nothing with her?"
"Yes. You can ask her. She will tell you the truth."
"How do I know you haven't bullied her into telling me what you want me to hear?"
"You don't. I leave it to you to determine the truth. I just want you to know that I am here for you."
He left, leaving Aeryn full of doubt. He had not once attacked Scorpius. She had seen the pain in his eyes. She knew Crais was manipulative, but so was Scorpius. Crais had freely admitted Visha was in his quarters. She didn't think he was hiding anything from her.
When Crais left, he felt he had accomplished all he could. He was surprised he had gotten her to listen. Talyn felt confident she would have to side with him. Crais cautioned him that is the decision a rational Aeryn would make, but she had not been completely rational lately.
The following morning Scorpius released Aeryn with the reminder to remain calm. She decided that later in the day she would go over to Talyn. While on her way to her quarters Visha stopped her. "Aeryn, I think we need to talk."
"All right, let's talk."
"Not here. In private." They moved off to a secluded area of Moya. "It is because of you and your child that Bialar spurns me. If it wasn't for that he would be mine."
Aeryn noticed she held something in her hand. "What is that?"
Visha held it and spun it in her hand. "This is a little something that will solve my problems. This is a nice little chemical compound designed to end pregnancy." Aeryn protectively placed her hand on her stomach. "When I heard you had collapsed I had hoped that you would lose the baby. But since you didn't, I'm forced to take action."
"You're insane."
Visha began moving towards Aeryn. "It's the only way we can be together. He told me he would not abandon his child. He doesn't love you. He loves me. He just can't show it because of you."
Aeryn looked around the room. Visha was between her and the door. Aeryn didn't want to get close to Visha and risk being injected. "When he finds out what you've done he will never accept you."
"That's the beauty of this compound. It also destroys your short-term memory. You will not remember this meeting." She moved closer to Aeryn.