Pain of Love and Memories
Chapter 9: Unreal Situations
The mist cleared and Scorpius found himself on a gassy hill, there was a red machine nearby, with seats inside. However, there were not just seats, Harvey sat there, his legs up on the steering wheel his eyes gazing towards a large screen. In the back was the still form of John Crichton, gently snoring away.
Scorpius stepped slowly in front of his clone's vision. Instantly the neural clone brought his feet swiftly off the steering wheel, reluctantly he climbed out of the convertible, he was still enjoying Return of the Jedi.
"Report."
Scorpius' clear voice cut through the emptiness.
"I believe he is in more danger than we anticipated."
"Explain."
"The Scarran's are after him now. They know we want him, so of course they are curious as to why."
Scorpius growled, a Scarran-like growl.
"What happened?"
"He was on a Commerce Planet, unfortunately, a Scarran captured him. He underwent the... usual interrogation."
Scorpius closed his eyes, he could not afford John's mind being damaged.
"Show me... show me the memories."
The gassy knoll evaporated around them, they were in a hospital room, on the pad in front lay an unconscious John Crichton. The two hybrid's watched him regain consciousness, and ultimately attack his father. His thrashing body was pinned down to the hospital bed, in the corner of his eye John saw Aeryn, he cried out to her for help. However, the image of Aeryn ignored his cries.
Walking down the corridor, John slammed into the ladies toilets.
"Won't get fooled again." He muttered to himself. The rather large woman behind the door was not happy to see a male burst in, deciding that he was obviously from another planet. To which John agreed wholeheartedly.
His mind was reeling, this wasn't like the Ancients, they didn't get the details right. Whoever was doing this was good. Really good.
========
After the conversation with his dad and DK, John was Dr. Kaminsky's room, the fan was turned up to maximum, but could not blow away the heat, it was suffocating.
He looked up.
"Zhaan."
"Zhaan... adjective or name?"
The conversation soon turned to Crichton's experiences on Moya, who was doing this too him.
"The Ancients? Nah, they picked my brain already. Maldis? Not Gothic enough. Hmm, Delvian's, Ockham's Razor, Tahleen and her wacky bunch! Come out, come out wherever you are, and see the young man who fell from the star."
After that the conversation with the doctor took a turn for the worst, she decided to cancel all of her day.
=========
Back in the car park, John watched in amazement as D'Argo drove up in a red convertible, or rather, Gary Ragel did. Beer immediately took top priority, as John and Gary rode out of there.
=========
In the bar, John was sweating again, but the beer was a welcome relief. He hadn't tasted beer for so long, the cool liquid fell down his throat, and tried to explain his predicament to the Gary, unfortunately this all ended when Bettina came up, and they insisted on suddenly making out in front of the bewildered Crichton.
The human got up and walked to the bar, there stood Scorpius. Ordering a pitcher of beer he struck up a conversation.
"Dig your style Ringo."
"John, we haven't got much time."
"Twins, pity your mother."
"Now you listen to me, he, he is not real."
"Oh, right, you are. So what's your name, who do you play in this funhouse?"
"You know my name, Scorpius."
"Scorpy. You don't fit the pattern, you got no Halloween costume, got no assumed name, you're not playing a role. That suggests something to me. It suggests, that, you are the one behind this!"
Crichton slammed the hybrid against the bar.
"In fact, I'm the only one that can help you."
"So what are you looking for this time? You looking for wormholes again, huh?"
"In fact, I have to leave now, John."
John jerked Scorpius from the bar, and spun around, with the hybrid still in his grip.
"Nuh-uh. You aren't going anywhere."
John felt his body spasm, the blood rushed through his veins, a choking sound erupted from his throat as he unwillingly let the hybrid leave. His arm muscles contracted and they went straight, his head was forced upwards, he felt like a puppet being choked to death, but before death came, everything came back. This was too much for him, his body collapsed. Hurling drinks in every direction as he fell on the table, his eyes focused on the one thing that he could see. Scorpius. The hypnotic movement of his head, made everything seem even more unreal.
=========
Crichton lay on Dr. Kaminsky's couch, he needed to talk desperately.
"It's probably Scorpius. It's gotta, gotta, gotta be Scorpius. I've been getting hotflashes of the bastard ever since he stuck me in the Aurora Chair."
Kaminsky stood there, puzzled, not sure what Crichton was talking about.
"What am I supposed to think? What is this? I never left Earth? Uh, uh, the whole Moya think is, is, is an illusion, it's a dream? Where does that get him? 'Cos the thing is, he didn't start out too badly, y'know? They didn't make the mistakes the last guys made."
John forced himself upwards and placed the cushion on the table.
"I wish I could help you Mr. Crichton."
John hugged the cushion in tight, as if it were the only thing that could protect him.
"It's strange, I miss Moya, a ship full of aliens becomes so normal."
The conversation soon came to an end, John's thoughts in a whirlwind, not knowing what version of reality to believe.
========
John swung backwards and forwards on the rails, retreating into the familiarities he had as a child. However, Jack's voice broke John out of his thoughts.
"Son. Got some news."
"Oh, yeah? What is it?
"IASA's brought in a new project administrator, a Douglas Logan."
DK's voice came up behind.
"You can't afford to piss this guy off, John, he's a tough bastard."
"So what?"
Jack and DK were confused by John's attitude, in an attempt to ignore his attitude, Jack continued,
"Listen, tough guy or not. Right now your future's in his hands."
John attempted to guess the identity of the new player in the game.
"Thin face? Pale skin? Bad set of choppers? Likes leather?"
DK stood there and looked at his friend, his expression was one of, 'what- the-hell-is-wrong-with-you?'. Jack looked equally perplexed.
"I've only talked to him on the phone, I don't know. Nasty piece of work though."
"Nasty? Excellent! Let's talk to him. C'mon!"
Jack and DK's gaze followed the unstable John Crichton, however, they turned to follow him.
========
The conversation started off badly, when Crichton exclaimed loudly.
"Guido! You're here!" He started patting Rygel, Douglas Logan on the back, and promptly took the cigar from his tiny hand. It went downhill from there, as Crichton sat in the chair, heaved his legs up onto Logan's desk and started flicking business cards at him, muttering underneath his breath.
"D. Logan."
However, he was soon broken out of his reverie when Logan mentioned the second attempt. The feet came off the desk and he stared at Logan.
"Second attempt?"
"Yes, the one I just authorised. Now, either you can fly it, or Gary Ragel can. I hate to reward failure, but it's better PR I you fly it. Public loves come from behind winds!"
DK and Jack, stood there, encouraging John to accept the chance he had just been given.
"So that's the play? The play. The play, the play is the thing. I re-enact my initial mission. I show you how I create the giant blue twister that sucks me down to Oz, aaaaaeeeeeeg. Forget about it, don't know how I did it."
"Crichton!"
John stood up, the cigar hanging out of his mouth.
"Hey, Scorp?! Are you out of your mind? You think, if I knew how I did it, I'd help you?! Get lost!"
"Who the hell are you talking to?!" Logan exclaimed.
"Oh, erm, not you. You're not real."
"What?!"
John wandered off muttering.
"Mr. D. Logan!"
Back in the car parking lot, Logan started chasing him, John was further deranged. He grabbed Logan, kissed him on the head and wrenched him out of the cart. Insisting that he should show the Hynerian how he crash landed the Farscape module. John stared over the edge, as he watched the small body fall to earth with a thud.
He turned around to see DK and Jack stare incredulously at him.
"What? It ain't real! They made you up out of my memories! It's just annoying, that you're acting the exactly way I thought you would. Look, look at you, you're crapping yourself because you think you're going to lose your job. And Dad, you're just pissed off 'cos I ain't playing the game your way. It is annoying. Go away. Go home, home, shoo."
=======
John stood in the middle of the bar, gazing up at the pretty lights of the disco ball, every now and then pouring some beer from a bottle down his throat. Gazing around he saw his friends, Bettina, Gary and a new one.
"John, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Jessica."
"Oh my god, everybody's finally here."
Chiana followed the contours of Crichton's face with her finger.
"You want to go for a drive?"
However, Scorpy's voice appeared from behind.
"No, John. We must speak."
"Uh, does anybody see the, freak in the next booth?"
"Ah, nope."
"No. Then let's go for a drive."
They all rushed out of the bar and into Gary's car. Their speed gradually increasing they raced along the road. Jessica, Gary and Bettina partying like there was no tomorrow. The party was interrupted by the leather-clad form of Scorpius crashing onto the windscreen.
"This is no time to be having fun, John."
"Get lost!" Crichton started up the wipers, pushing Scorpy's face from the windscreen.
Scorpy growled.
"You've got to focus. Fight this delusion."
"What? Like I'd believe anything you'd say? Get over it."
"John. John, listen to me!"
"It's time to bail, Scorpy!"
John swung the car round, heading straight for the truck that screamed towards him, he closed his eyes, praying for death.
========
"The truck won, I'm afraid."
John opened his eyes, Dr. Fairchild stood there, huge curlers in her hair. They talked about the crash as she examined his ear.
"Now, you have a visitor."
"Ooh! Who?" the doctor stuck a wooden pallet in John's mouth, forcing his tongue down. "Dad? DK?"
"No, someone new."
"A Sheyang? Captain Bialar Crais? Bring 'em on!"
Aeryn left the room, an older woman took her place, she had blonde hair, and a concerned look.
"Thank God you're ok. I came as soon as I could." She reached her hands up to his face.
"Don't." John took her hands away, "This is a pretty good trick, considering you're dead, Mom."
"I had to come." Her hand came up to John's face, this time he didn't pull it away. "Oh sweetheart."
"You're not real." He turned his head to on side, using all his strength to fight the delusion.
"You're sweating. Don't worry, don't worry. There, I'll make everything alright. There, my Johnny, there, there. That's it. Yes." She spoke softly to him, hugging him tightly.
"You've changed."
"People change to survive."
"But did you have to lose so much?" she pulled his head upwards, gazing at his face, "You were so innocent. So full of wonder. It's all gone. You've become callous. You've killed." John stared into his mother's eyes.
"You can't know that."
"It's true, isn't it? That's what bothers you. It's why you can't sleep at nights."
"I sleep fine."
John got off the bed and walked to the doorway.
"Where are you going?" she called out to him.
"Away from something that isn't my mother."
"Are you going to leave without saying goodbye?"
John left silently, his shadow tracing the back wall of the room, as his mother gazed at him as he left.
=======
John walked into the same bar, patting Scorpy on the shoulder, finally consenting to talk. Unfortunately Scorpy didn't want to, then John gazed at the waistcoat he was wearing.
"You're not the guy. You're not the guy, I need to talk to." Crichton laid his exhausted head on the bar. Ringo stared at the weak form of John and felt a wave of pity.
"Hey, Carl, Carl, get this man a drink."
"John? Help me." At the sound of the voice, John turned around to face his mother, her skin broken from chemotherapy, her hair dying.
"You're not real."
"I need you. I'm afraid." Crichton walked slowly up a step.
"You're, you're not real. They pulled you out of my mind. You died 5 years ago!"
John ran off the step, in his haste to get away from the dying woman he fell heavily onto a chair, knocking it and himself onto the floor, he turned around, looking at his mother.
Leslie started to cry, "I'm scared."
"I just want out of this." He turned his head away. Holding up his hand as a protection from the memory.
"Stay with me this time. Be with me when I go."
"No, please, this, please," John unwillingly turned to look at his dying mother, "Please, no, no, oh god, this is cruel, this is cruel. Please, please don't."
"I need you."
"Please don't. Don't do this to me! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"
John flung himself away, the tears pouring down his face. Leslie hunched herself into a ball and sat there crying. From the sidelines Ringo watched.
========
Crais hung by the patrol car. He watched Crichton walk past him,
"Got a problem pal?"
For a bit remarks about uniform were exchanged, until Crais identified him as John Crichton.
"I don't know. I don't know who I am anymore. Just leave me alone, please, just. Leave me alone. LEAVE ME ALONE!"
As Crais attempted to arrest him for having too much, Crichton angrily turned around and punched Crais in the face. The force of the blow sent him reeling onto the patrol car, Crichton leaped on to him, punching him ferociously, he took the gun from Crais' holder. The gun pointed unsteadily at the limp body, with a growl replicating Scorpy's he hurled himself off the unconscious officer and walked away, Crais' body slipped slowly to the floor.
=======
John walked into Logan's office, standing there was Logan, Kaminsky, DK, Bettina and Jack. They stood there staring at Crichton, Kaminsky still tried to analyse the weak Crichton.
"Scorpy can either let me loose, or watch me go berserk."
The act was dropped now, there voices became fast and furious, as they attempted to decide what to order out for lunch. Yelling, Crichton watched with a feeling of helplessness, he fired his gun at each of them in turn. Nothing had an effect.
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..."
=======
"...OOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"
Crichton lay on the bed in the hospital room, again. Crais stood there holding a small white dog, charging him.
"Assault on a police officer, theft of police property, illegal possession of a firearm, five counts of attempted murder. That comes to, $29.45. Cash, cheque or credit card?"
Crais held the bill out to Crichton, who reached up to take it but was prevented by the cuffs linking him to the bed.
"Toto." With a last comment, Crais walked out, turning off the lights.
"This thing has gone completely off the rails. Or maybe I have."
The form of Scorpius appeared, assuring him he was not yet insane, telling him who was doing this to him, a Scarran, this confused John even further, so far he hadn't made enemies with Scarran's.
"They're trying to break you. This is a deliberate attempt to drive you into insanity."
Their conversation continued about who was in Crichton's head first, until Scorpius told him about implementing a second strategy.
"You put something in my head."
Crichton, looked on in horror as Scorpius explained what was in his head.
"That's why I couldn't kill you on the Royal Planet."
"Of course, a simple failsafe, but my main function is to access the wormhole knowledge you have in your brain. No matter how long that takes."
"Hehehe, you're Harvey. Or is it Clarence? Guardian Angel, dismal rabbit?" Crichton sniffed "Harvey."
Scorpius encouraged him to keep a hold on reality, on his true memories of Earth, his friends on Moya, and no to confide in anyone else there. Harvey stood there, explaining why his pulse pistol could not hurt a Scarran. He was just about to say how to kill the Scarran when the heat started to rise.
"But to what? But to what? HARVEY! BUT TO WHAT?!!"
=======
Wisely Harvey decided to skip the sexual scene with John, Aeryn, Zhaan, Chiana and Rygel, and went straight onto Crichton wandering into the maternity ward. Looking horrified at DK, blood spraying everywhere after he cut his wrists. Blaming him for it.
Crichton fell backwards into a pram and lay there with his mum and dad arguing over how useless he was, Jack flipped the pram, causing John to fall from the building. He fell back onto the sidewalk where he first met Crais. This time, Crais drove up in the patrol car and immediately pointed a gun at John. Crichton stared incredulously at Crais' red stilettos. Yelling out his rights.
"Freeze! You're under arrest. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one tough noogies! You can make one phone call, I recommend Tracy, 976-555-LOVE. Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you? Well, do you, punk?!"
"No."
"Then I can't arrest you!"
Crais swung the door forward hitting Crichton in the face, knocking him flat on the floor.
========
"John. I really need to unburden myself on you."
"What?"
"Well, lately, I've been thinking about you in a very different way."
"Uhuh."
"Uh-huh."
Harvey decided to cut the memory short, deciding Scorpius did not need to hear about the Luxan Bonding Ritual, and Chiana.
=======
Once again, Harvey cut the memories to pieces, as they became more sexual, especially with Zhaan and his mother.
=======
John covered his face and pulled his hands away as the music blared in his ears. Everyone was dancing around, Ringo and Pilot fiercely played out the music. Crichton stood under the disco ball, crying out.
"Oh, no, no, no, I don't boogieeeeayyyy!!!!!!"
Aeryn's image cut through the throbbing lights, yelling out.
"Clear the floor! Clear the floor! Clear the floor!"
Aeryn shot the disco ball, everything fell into shattering pieces, Crichton lay on the floor, hunched up, looking at the PK boots standing by him. His hand reached out tentatively, Aeryn shook his hand off. Claiming she had searched half of this world for him.
When Crichton asked who did this, Aeryn immediately proclaimed it was Scorpius and that she had killed him. John's suspicions were aroused at that point, especially when she wanted to know why he had muttered that it was strange. Crichton realised that this Aeryn was no more real than Dr. Bettina Fairchild.
"No. No, you get nothing from me."
"Frell you then. Stay."
Aeryn's tongue curled in her mouth, looked at him fiercely and stalked off.
The music and images reappeared, the whirling mixtures of image and sound got faster and faster.
"Boogie or die!" cried D'Argo.
"Kiss my..."
Shot's of sharp sounds came through, Crichton was once again held in a position like a puppet. His veins bulging. The images came short and fast.
DK bleeding, "Some friend you are!"
D'Argo in the car, "Thinking about you..."
Crais in stilettos, "Then I can't arrest you!"
John's mother sitting there, pleading, "Be with me when I go."
=======
"After that I stopped his brain function for a few microts, it released him from the machine."
"What happened after that? How did he escape from the Scarran?"
"The Scarran's head was blown off by Crichton's pulse pistol's chamber overloading in the Scarran's mouth."
Scorpius nodded.
"Does he know about the chip?"
"No, I erased all memory of it."
"Good. The information I have provided your programme should activate soon, allowing you to take control of his body."
Harvey looked particularly pleased at this information.
"It would help he finding the wormhole information, if he thought he had escaped. His mind would relax. Let him escape the Command Carrier, I will then return him to you when I am finished."
Scorpius looked over at the waking Crichton.
"Very well. I fear this has taken too long, he is waking up. I must leave now."
Crichton's eyes flickered open and caught Scorpius disappear. He had a final look of confusion until he was wrenched back into reality.
++++++++++++++
Scorpius stood next to the human, holding the sensor pads.
"What, what did you do to me?" Crichton groaned.
"Merely discovering what the Scarran wanted with you."
Crichton moaned and attempted to turn over. Scorpius lay a leather-clad hand on Crichton's shoulder.
"And John, I am sorry about what the Scarran put you through," he lowered his voice, "Especially about your mother."
Scorpius picked up the device and walked out of the room.
Crichton lay there, his eyes dead, as the image of his dying mother filled his vision and cried out to him. Begging. Pleading.
+++++++++++++++
And so ends the ninth chapter! Well, this took longer than I thought, so there's going to be one extra chapter. Hope you like this one, it's pretty much WGFA written out, but, boy, was it hard. Constantly stopping and starting as I grabbed the quotes! Well, I think I know that episode off by heart now. *g*
Well, I better start the tenth chapter... so thank you so much, and I hope you like this one. Unless you don't like WGFA, then you most likely won't. But I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like WGFA.
Loves you all, *hugs*
Lots of hugs 'n' bugs, Jeni :-P (and the mysterious rubber chicken called Scorpius)
Chapter 9: Unreal Situations
The mist cleared and Scorpius found himself on a gassy hill, there was a red machine nearby, with seats inside. However, there were not just seats, Harvey sat there, his legs up on the steering wheel his eyes gazing towards a large screen. In the back was the still form of John Crichton, gently snoring away.
Scorpius stepped slowly in front of his clone's vision. Instantly the neural clone brought his feet swiftly off the steering wheel, reluctantly he climbed out of the convertible, he was still enjoying Return of the Jedi.
"Report."
Scorpius' clear voice cut through the emptiness.
"I believe he is in more danger than we anticipated."
"Explain."
"The Scarran's are after him now. They know we want him, so of course they are curious as to why."
Scorpius growled, a Scarran-like growl.
"What happened?"
"He was on a Commerce Planet, unfortunately, a Scarran captured him. He underwent the... usual interrogation."
Scorpius closed his eyes, he could not afford John's mind being damaged.
"Show me... show me the memories."
The gassy knoll evaporated around them, they were in a hospital room, on the pad in front lay an unconscious John Crichton. The two hybrid's watched him regain consciousness, and ultimately attack his father. His thrashing body was pinned down to the hospital bed, in the corner of his eye John saw Aeryn, he cried out to her for help. However, the image of Aeryn ignored his cries.
Walking down the corridor, John slammed into the ladies toilets.
"Won't get fooled again." He muttered to himself. The rather large woman behind the door was not happy to see a male burst in, deciding that he was obviously from another planet. To which John agreed wholeheartedly.
His mind was reeling, this wasn't like the Ancients, they didn't get the details right. Whoever was doing this was good. Really good.
========
After the conversation with his dad and DK, John was Dr. Kaminsky's room, the fan was turned up to maximum, but could not blow away the heat, it was suffocating.
He looked up.
"Zhaan."
"Zhaan... adjective or name?"
The conversation soon turned to Crichton's experiences on Moya, who was doing this too him.
"The Ancients? Nah, they picked my brain already. Maldis? Not Gothic enough. Hmm, Delvian's, Ockham's Razor, Tahleen and her wacky bunch! Come out, come out wherever you are, and see the young man who fell from the star."
After that the conversation with the doctor took a turn for the worst, she decided to cancel all of her day.
=========
Back in the car park, John watched in amazement as D'Argo drove up in a red convertible, or rather, Gary Ragel did. Beer immediately took top priority, as John and Gary rode out of there.
=========
In the bar, John was sweating again, but the beer was a welcome relief. He hadn't tasted beer for so long, the cool liquid fell down his throat, and tried to explain his predicament to the Gary, unfortunately this all ended when Bettina came up, and they insisted on suddenly making out in front of the bewildered Crichton.
The human got up and walked to the bar, there stood Scorpius. Ordering a pitcher of beer he struck up a conversation.
"Dig your style Ringo."
"John, we haven't got much time."
"Twins, pity your mother."
"Now you listen to me, he, he is not real."
"Oh, right, you are. So what's your name, who do you play in this funhouse?"
"You know my name, Scorpius."
"Scorpy. You don't fit the pattern, you got no Halloween costume, got no assumed name, you're not playing a role. That suggests something to me. It suggests, that, you are the one behind this!"
Crichton slammed the hybrid against the bar.
"In fact, I'm the only one that can help you."
"So what are you looking for this time? You looking for wormholes again, huh?"
"In fact, I have to leave now, John."
John jerked Scorpius from the bar, and spun around, with the hybrid still in his grip.
"Nuh-uh. You aren't going anywhere."
John felt his body spasm, the blood rushed through his veins, a choking sound erupted from his throat as he unwillingly let the hybrid leave. His arm muscles contracted and they went straight, his head was forced upwards, he felt like a puppet being choked to death, but before death came, everything came back. This was too much for him, his body collapsed. Hurling drinks in every direction as he fell on the table, his eyes focused on the one thing that he could see. Scorpius. The hypnotic movement of his head, made everything seem even more unreal.
=========
Crichton lay on Dr. Kaminsky's couch, he needed to talk desperately.
"It's probably Scorpius. It's gotta, gotta, gotta be Scorpius. I've been getting hotflashes of the bastard ever since he stuck me in the Aurora Chair."
Kaminsky stood there, puzzled, not sure what Crichton was talking about.
"What am I supposed to think? What is this? I never left Earth? Uh, uh, the whole Moya think is, is, is an illusion, it's a dream? Where does that get him? 'Cos the thing is, he didn't start out too badly, y'know? They didn't make the mistakes the last guys made."
John forced himself upwards and placed the cushion on the table.
"I wish I could help you Mr. Crichton."
John hugged the cushion in tight, as if it were the only thing that could protect him.
"It's strange, I miss Moya, a ship full of aliens becomes so normal."
The conversation soon came to an end, John's thoughts in a whirlwind, not knowing what version of reality to believe.
========
John swung backwards and forwards on the rails, retreating into the familiarities he had as a child. However, Jack's voice broke John out of his thoughts.
"Son. Got some news."
"Oh, yeah? What is it?
"IASA's brought in a new project administrator, a Douglas Logan."
DK's voice came up behind.
"You can't afford to piss this guy off, John, he's a tough bastard."
"So what?"
Jack and DK were confused by John's attitude, in an attempt to ignore his attitude, Jack continued,
"Listen, tough guy or not. Right now your future's in his hands."
John attempted to guess the identity of the new player in the game.
"Thin face? Pale skin? Bad set of choppers? Likes leather?"
DK stood there and looked at his friend, his expression was one of, 'what- the-hell-is-wrong-with-you?'. Jack looked equally perplexed.
"I've only talked to him on the phone, I don't know. Nasty piece of work though."
"Nasty? Excellent! Let's talk to him. C'mon!"
Jack and DK's gaze followed the unstable John Crichton, however, they turned to follow him.
========
The conversation started off badly, when Crichton exclaimed loudly.
"Guido! You're here!" He started patting Rygel, Douglas Logan on the back, and promptly took the cigar from his tiny hand. It went downhill from there, as Crichton sat in the chair, heaved his legs up onto Logan's desk and started flicking business cards at him, muttering underneath his breath.
"D. Logan."
However, he was soon broken out of his reverie when Logan mentioned the second attempt. The feet came off the desk and he stared at Logan.
"Second attempt?"
"Yes, the one I just authorised. Now, either you can fly it, or Gary Ragel can. I hate to reward failure, but it's better PR I you fly it. Public loves come from behind winds!"
DK and Jack, stood there, encouraging John to accept the chance he had just been given.
"So that's the play? The play. The play, the play is the thing. I re-enact my initial mission. I show you how I create the giant blue twister that sucks me down to Oz, aaaaaeeeeeeg. Forget about it, don't know how I did it."
"Crichton!"
John stood up, the cigar hanging out of his mouth.
"Hey, Scorp?! Are you out of your mind? You think, if I knew how I did it, I'd help you?! Get lost!"
"Who the hell are you talking to?!" Logan exclaimed.
"Oh, erm, not you. You're not real."
"What?!"
John wandered off muttering.
"Mr. D. Logan!"
Back in the car parking lot, Logan started chasing him, John was further deranged. He grabbed Logan, kissed him on the head and wrenched him out of the cart. Insisting that he should show the Hynerian how he crash landed the Farscape module. John stared over the edge, as he watched the small body fall to earth with a thud.
He turned around to see DK and Jack stare incredulously at him.
"What? It ain't real! They made you up out of my memories! It's just annoying, that you're acting the exactly way I thought you would. Look, look at you, you're crapping yourself because you think you're going to lose your job. And Dad, you're just pissed off 'cos I ain't playing the game your way. It is annoying. Go away. Go home, home, shoo."
=======
John stood in the middle of the bar, gazing up at the pretty lights of the disco ball, every now and then pouring some beer from a bottle down his throat. Gazing around he saw his friends, Bettina, Gary and a new one.
"John, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Jessica."
"Oh my god, everybody's finally here."
Chiana followed the contours of Crichton's face with her finger.
"You want to go for a drive?"
However, Scorpy's voice appeared from behind.
"No, John. We must speak."
"Uh, does anybody see the, freak in the next booth?"
"Ah, nope."
"No. Then let's go for a drive."
They all rushed out of the bar and into Gary's car. Their speed gradually increasing they raced along the road. Jessica, Gary and Bettina partying like there was no tomorrow. The party was interrupted by the leather-clad form of Scorpius crashing onto the windscreen.
"This is no time to be having fun, John."
"Get lost!" Crichton started up the wipers, pushing Scorpy's face from the windscreen.
Scorpy growled.
"You've got to focus. Fight this delusion."
"What? Like I'd believe anything you'd say? Get over it."
"John. John, listen to me!"
"It's time to bail, Scorpy!"
John swung the car round, heading straight for the truck that screamed towards him, he closed his eyes, praying for death.
========
"The truck won, I'm afraid."
John opened his eyes, Dr. Fairchild stood there, huge curlers in her hair. They talked about the crash as she examined his ear.
"Now, you have a visitor."
"Ooh! Who?" the doctor stuck a wooden pallet in John's mouth, forcing his tongue down. "Dad? DK?"
"No, someone new."
"A Sheyang? Captain Bialar Crais? Bring 'em on!"
Aeryn left the room, an older woman took her place, she had blonde hair, and a concerned look.
"Thank God you're ok. I came as soon as I could." She reached her hands up to his face.
"Don't." John took her hands away, "This is a pretty good trick, considering you're dead, Mom."
"I had to come." Her hand came up to John's face, this time he didn't pull it away. "Oh sweetheart."
"You're not real." He turned his head to on side, using all his strength to fight the delusion.
"You're sweating. Don't worry, don't worry. There, I'll make everything alright. There, my Johnny, there, there. That's it. Yes." She spoke softly to him, hugging him tightly.
"You've changed."
"People change to survive."
"But did you have to lose so much?" she pulled his head upwards, gazing at his face, "You were so innocent. So full of wonder. It's all gone. You've become callous. You've killed." John stared into his mother's eyes.
"You can't know that."
"It's true, isn't it? That's what bothers you. It's why you can't sleep at nights."
"I sleep fine."
John got off the bed and walked to the doorway.
"Where are you going?" she called out to him.
"Away from something that isn't my mother."
"Are you going to leave without saying goodbye?"
John left silently, his shadow tracing the back wall of the room, as his mother gazed at him as he left.
=======
John walked into the same bar, patting Scorpy on the shoulder, finally consenting to talk. Unfortunately Scorpy didn't want to, then John gazed at the waistcoat he was wearing.
"You're not the guy. You're not the guy, I need to talk to." Crichton laid his exhausted head on the bar. Ringo stared at the weak form of John and felt a wave of pity.
"Hey, Carl, Carl, get this man a drink."
"John? Help me." At the sound of the voice, John turned around to face his mother, her skin broken from chemotherapy, her hair dying.
"You're not real."
"I need you. I'm afraid." Crichton walked slowly up a step.
"You're, you're not real. They pulled you out of my mind. You died 5 years ago!"
John ran off the step, in his haste to get away from the dying woman he fell heavily onto a chair, knocking it and himself onto the floor, he turned around, looking at his mother.
Leslie started to cry, "I'm scared."
"I just want out of this." He turned his head away. Holding up his hand as a protection from the memory.
"Stay with me this time. Be with me when I go."
"No, please, this, please," John unwillingly turned to look at his dying mother, "Please, no, no, oh god, this is cruel, this is cruel. Please, please don't."
"I need you."
"Please don't. Don't do this to me! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"
John flung himself away, the tears pouring down his face. Leslie hunched herself into a ball and sat there crying. From the sidelines Ringo watched.
========
Crais hung by the patrol car. He watched Crichton walk past him,
"Got a problem pal?"
For a bit remarks about uniform were exchanged, until Crais identified him as John Crichton.
"I don't know. I don't know who I am anymore. Just leave me alone, please, just. Leave me alone. LEAVE ME ALONE!"
As Crais attempted to arrest him for having too much, Crichton angrily turned around and punched Crais in the face. The force of the blow sent him reeling onto the patrol car, Crichton leaped on to him, punching him ferociously, he took the gun from Crais' holder. The gun pointed unsteadily at the limp body, with a growl replicating Scorpy's he hurled himself off the unconscious officer and walked away, Crais' body slipped slowly to the floor.
=======
John walked into Logan's office, standing there was Logan, Kaminsky, DK, Bettina and Jack. They stood there staring at Crichton, Kaminsky still tried to analyse the weak Crichton.
"Scorpy can either let me loose, or watch me go berserk."
The act was dropped now, there voices became fast and furious, as they attempted to decide what to order out for lunch. Yelling, Crichton watched with a feeling of helplessness, he fired his gun at each of them in turn. Nothing had an effect.
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..."
=======
"...OOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"
Crichton lay on the bed in the hospital room, again. Crais stood there holding a small white dog, charging him.
"Assault on a police officer, theft of police property, illegal possession of a firearm, five counts of attempted murder. That comes to, $29.45. Cash, cheque or credit card?"
Crais held the bill out to Crichton, who reached up to take it but was prevented by the cuffs linking him to the bed.
"Toto." With a last comment, Crais walked out, turning off the lights.
"This thing has gone completely off the rails. Or maybe I have."
The form of Scorpius appeared, assuring him he was not yet insane, telling him who was doing this to him, a Scarran, this confused John even further, so far he hadn't made enemies with Scarran's.
"They're trying to break you. This is a deliberate attempt to drive you into insanity."
Their conversation continued about who was in Crichton's head first, until Scorpius told him about implementing a second strategy.
"You put something in my head."
Crichton, looked on in horror as Scorpius explained what was in his head.
"That's why I couldn't kill you on the Royal Planet."
"Of course, a simple failsafe, but my main function is to access the wormhole knowledge you have in your brain. No matter how long that takes."
"Hehehe, you're Harvey. Or is it Clarence? Guardian Angel, dismal rabbit?" Crichton sniffed "Harvey."
Scorpius encouraged him to keep a hold on reality, on his true memories of Earth, his friends on Moya, and no to confide in anyone else there. Harvey stood there, explaining why his pulse pistol could not hurt a Scarran. He was just about to say how to kill the Scarran when the heat started to rise.
"But to what? But to what? HARVEY! BUT TO WHAT?!!"
=======
Wisely Harvey decided to skip the sexual scene with John, Aeryn, Zhaan, Chiana and Rygel, and went straight onto Crichton wandering into the maternity ward. Looking horrified at DK, blood spraying everywhere after he cut his wrists. Blaming him for it.
Crichton fell backwards into a pram and lay there with his mum and dad arguing over how useless he was, Jack flipped the pram, causing John to fall from the building. He fell back onto the sidewalk where he first met Crais. This time, Crais drove up in the patrol car and immediately pointed a gun at John. Crichton stared incredulously at Crais' red stilettos. Yelling out his rights.
"Freeze! You're under arrest. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one tough noogies! You can make one phone call, I recommend Tracy, 976-555-LOVE. Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you? Well, do you, punk?!"
"No."
"Then I can't arrest you!"
Crais swung the door forward hitting Crichton in the face, knocking him flat on the floor.
========
"John. I really need to unburden myself on you."
"What?"
"Well, lately, I've been thinking about you in a very different way."
"Uhuh."
"Uh-huh."
Harvey decided to cut the memory short, deciding Scorpius did not need to hear about the Luxan Bonding Ritual, and Chiana.
=======
Once again, Harvey cut the memories to pieces, as they became more sexual, especially with Zhaan and his mother.
=======
John covered his face and pulled his hands away as the music blared in his ears. Everyone was dancing around, Ringo and Pilot fiercely played out the music. Crichton stood under the disco ball, crying out.
"Oh, no, no, no, I don't boogieeeeayyyy!!!!!!"
Aeryn's image cut through the throbbing lights, yelling out.
"Clear the floor! Clear the floor! Clear the floor!"
Aeryn shot the disco ball, everything fell into shattering pieces, Crichton lay on the floor, hunched up, looking at the PK boots standing by him. His hand reached out tentatively, Aeryn shook his hand off. Claiming she had searched half of this world for him.
When Crichton asked who did this, Aeryn immediately proclaimed it was Scorpius and that she had killed him. John's suspicions were aroused at that point, especially when she wanted to know why he had muttered that it was strange. Crichton realised that this Aeryn was no more real than Dr. Bettina Fairchild.
"No. No, you get nothing from me."
"Frell you then. Stay."
Aeryn's tongue curled in her mouth, looked at him fiercely and stalked off.
The music and images reappeared, the whirling mixtures of image and sound got faster and faster.
"Boogie or die!" cried D'Argo.
"Kiss my..."
Shot's of sharp sounds came through, Crichton was once again held in a position like a puppet. His veins bulging. The images came short and fast.
DK bleeding, "Some friend you are!"
D'Argo in the car, "Thinking about you..."
Crais in stilettos, "Then I can't arrest you!"
John's mother sitting there, pleading, "Be with me when I go."
=======
"After that I stopped his brain function for a few microts, it released him from the machine."
"What happened after that? How did he escape from the Scarran?"
"The Scarran's head was blown off by Crichton's pulse pistol's chamber overloading in the Scarran's mouth."
Scorpius nodded.
"Does he know about the chip?"
"No, I erased all memory of it."
"Good. The information I have provided your programme should activate soon, allowing you to take control of his body."
Harvey looked particularly pleased at this information.
"It would help he finding the wormhole information, if he thought he had escaped. His mind would relax. Let him escape the Command Carrier, I will then return him to you when I am finished."
Scorpius looked over at the waking Crichton.
"Very well. I fear this has taken too long, he is waking up. I must leave now."
Crichton's eyes flickered open and caught Scorpius disappear. He had a final look of confusion until he was wrenched back into reality.
++++++++++++++
Scorpius stood next to the human, holding the sensor pads.
"What, what did you do to me?" Crichton groaned.
"Merely discovering what the Scarran wanted with you."
Crichton moaned and attempted to turn over. Scorpius lay a leather-clad hand on Crichton's shoulder.
"And John, I am sorry about what the Scarran put you through," he lowered his voice, "Especially about your mother."
Scorpius picked up the device and walked out of the room.
Crichton lay there, his eyes dead, as the image of his dying mother filled his vision and cried out to him. Begging. Pleading.
+++++++++++++++
And so ends the ninth chapter! Well, this took longer than I thought, so there's going to be one extra chapter. Hope you like this one, it's pretty much WGFA written out, but, boy, was it hard. Constantly stopping and starting as I grabbed the quotes! Well, I think I know that episode off by heart now. *g*
Well, I better start the tenth chapter... so thank you so much, and I hope you like this one. Unless you don't like WGFA, then you most likely won't. But I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like WGFA.
Loves you all, *hugs*
Lots of hugs 'n' bugs, Jeni :-P (and the mysterious rubber chicken called Scorpius)