Rainne turned to look over her shoulder, the huge creature roared again.
It slashed out at her, barely missing her. She screamed as she ran through
a building she did not recognize. The creature roared again. She could
feel the creature's putrid breath against her neck; this time it slashed
out and caught her shoulder. Rainne could feel the blood running down her
arm. She stopped and faced the creature. It was massive, with an oily
sheen and a slightly humanoid look. The wound on her shoulder burned as if
acid had been poured on it. When the creature realized she had stopped, it
stopped also. Rainne reached out to touch it, suddenly no longer afraid,
she felt her fear and hatred leave her body like a flame and strike the
creature. The creature screamed and fell to the ground. Rainne closed her
eyes, when she opened them again; she was lying there dead in front of
herself.
~~~
Rainne screamed, Crais sat up, disoriented at first. He turned and noticed Rainne was tangled in the blanket and whimpering. Lovingly he reached out to pull the blanket from around her legs. She began mumbling.
"No, no, no." she kept repeating. Crais pulled up her next to him. He shook her gently to wake her. Rainne opened her eyes. Gazing into his smoldering eyes she realized it was only a dream and she was safe in her beloved's arms. Rainne buried her face on his shoulder, inhaling his masculine scent to reassure herself this was not a dream as well. Crais said nothing as he rubbed her back for a few moments. When her breathing had slowed he pushed her away slightly to look her in the eye.
"Rainne. Who was it this time?" he asked gently.
"Me." was all she said before she began sobbing.
Crais held her and let her cry. He did not know of any other way to console her. When she had stopped sobbing, he wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead. He reclined, still holding his hand on her back.
"Lie down, try to rest."
"I can't," she replied. "I am going for a walk." Rainne got out of the bed and pulled Crais' long jacket out of the closet. She put it on over her t-shirt and underpants, it would keep her warm and it smelled of Crais. "I am sorry I woke you."
"Would you like me to walk with you?"
"No." She turned and walked out of their quarters.
Crais stayed on the bed. He focused Talyn's internal cameras on Rainne as she walked. Rainne looked up at the camera.
"Bialar, I will be fine."
~~~
Rainne walked down the corridor. Talyn was quietly signaling to her.
"Yes Talyn." She said. The leviathan opened the door to command as she passed. Rainne walked in. Talyn was flashing the lights in the Neural Cluster, beckoning her. She was torn. She wanted to regain her memories but did not want Crais to see them so she had been avoiding the cluster, also Crais asked her to steer clear of going into the cluster unaccompanied. He was afraid if he was not there to pull her out she could get hurt.
"Talyn." she whispered, moving closer to the cluster. She could feel Talyn just barely touching her mind.
Rainne, Talyn whispered back. Rainne join with me. his voice was soft and hypnotic, he had copied Crais almost exactly.
"Bialar.asked me not to" she replied audibly
I will not hurt you. Talyn said.
Rainne removed the jacket she was wearing and stepped into the cluster in just her shirt and underpants. Her bare feet began to tingle. She could feel trembling beginning in her hands and feet. She felt Talyn enter her mind fully.
C'thha. Talyn said, sounding just like Crais.
Talyn, can you help me? She asked through their bond. I can feel the memories just below the surface.
I will try.
Rainne tried to stay upright, fighting the urge to close her eyes. She could feel Talyn searching her mind.
Rainne turned to look over her shoulder, the huge creature roared again. It slashed out at her, barely missing her. She screamed and ran through the lab. The creature roared again. She could feel the creature's putrid breath against her neck; this time it lashed out and caught her shoulder. Rainne could feel the blood running down her arm. She stopped and faced the creature. It was massive, with an oily sheen, and a slightly humanoid look. The wound on her shoulder burned as if acid had been poured on it. When it realized she had stopped, it stopped also. Rainne reached out to touch it, she felt her fear and hatred leave her body like a flame and strike the creature. The creature screamed and fell to the ground. Rainne closed her eyes, when she opened them again; Dorian was lying in front of her. She kneeled in front of her friend, sobbing. There was a huge scorch mark on his chest. "Dorian, Dorian, what have I done." She continued sobbing, Dorian stirred.
"Rainne, love, get out while you still can. Please." he said softly. "Go to the docking bay, take the transport." he voice began to fade. "You have seen it enough times; you can do it." he closed his eyes forever.
"Dorian, Dorian." she got up, and ran toward the docking bay. No one was there. She thought for sure that security must be looking for them, but none of them realized she had gotten into the computer and studied the transports and they had figured out how to use them. She and Dorian had been planning for an escape. She climbed into the closest transport and closed the hatch. She started the small craft up and headed for the doors. She could barely hear the alarms sound. She was able to get the ship out before the doors closed. She sped away in the small transport. All of a sudden, she saw a bright light behind her as the station exploded. The explosion fractured time and space and Rainne felt her small ship being catapulted through the void. When she collided with an asteroid on the other side of the fracture the force knocked her back into the rear of the cabin. She crawled to front and hit the distress signal before she passed out.
Crais awoke with a start. He was experiencing Rainne's dream. He touched the transponder on his neck. He could see that Rainne was in the Neural Cluster, something unseen was holding her up. Crais pulled on his pants and a sleeveless t-shirt. He ran to Command. The door was standing open. Rainne was suspended in a column of bluish light, her hands were shimmering and she was trembling. Crais could hear Talyn calling to her. He ran toward the cluster and reached out. As Crais' hand made contact with Rainne's shoulder a flash of blue light arced from Rainne's hands and straight into the center of the cluster. The force threw Crais against the doorframe knocking him unconscious, the pulse also overloaded Talyn's central nervous system triggering a near complete shutdown.
~~~
"Aeryn." Pilot called out. Moya had awakened Pilot when Talyn cried out in pain before succumbing to the blast from Rainne's hands.
"Yes Pilot," she replied groggily.
"Something is wrong with Talyn. Moya is concerned. He cried out in pain and now he is oddly silent."
"Did he say anything before he was gone."
"Yes, help."
"Wake D'Argo. John and I will be there shortly."
"Yes Aeryn."
~~~
Aeryn, John and D'Argo boarded the transport and were on Talyn in little less than an arn. When they arrived, they noticed the corridors were cooler than normal and the lighting was dim. It was strangely quiet. Even the DRD's were not moving. D'Argo took point, brandishing his Qualta blade, he was afraid something had happened to Rainne. However, when they arrived in Command things were very different. Crais was lying by the door unconscious, wearing only pants and a t-shirt. Rainne was in the center of the Neural Cluster, her whole body was glowing, she was suspended in a column of blue light, her arms outstretched, she seemed to be hovering just off the floor.
Aeryn entered just after D'Argo, she took a deep breath. D'Argo tossed the Qualta Blade to her and headed for Rainne.
"D'Argo." Aeryn exclaimed. The Luxan ignored her and reached for Rainne. The blast blew him across the room. He landed near Crais, unconscious as well. "They never listen." She said more to herself than any person in particular.
"Grandma Crichton always said the bigger they are..." Crichton said as he turned into command. It was then he noticed Rainne. "the harder they fall." his voice trailed off. He moved closer to Rainne. "Holy Momma. The ultimate Blue Light Special..."
"Crichton, keep an eye on them." Aeryn said, as she skirted the cluster to look at the operations console in front.
~~~
Rainne's memory was returning, it started coming through in bits and pieces. She remembered being in a laboratory. She remembered being strapped into a chair with electrodes on her forehead. The doctors were showing her pictures of frightening things. She remembered the medical exams and tests. Years of studying the art of war. She realized she had been trained to kill, and created to be used as a weapon. Another random thought popped into her mind. It was Dorian, they were sitting alone somewhere holding hands and Dorian had just kissed her. Rainne pushed him gently away whispering, "If we get caught we will be punished."
"We can escape, you have studied the schematics, as I have." Dorian pleaded.
"It is impossible." Rainne patted his hand. "We are on a moon."
"I am tired of living in a cage Rainne." He said. "We are as human as the next person, just because we have no parents doesn't mean we can't be free."
"If we are caught we will be terminated. I don't want to live in a cage either, but I don't want to be dead. At least we can be together."
"Only until they realize what is going on. We are smarter than all of them, they created us and don't even comprehend what we are, what we can and cannot do." They heard a noise behind them. Dorian motioned for her to be silent, they slid slowly off the crate they were sitting on, they began creeping toward the door. A security guard grabbed Rainne's shoulder, another grabbed Dorian by both arms.
"Where did you think you were going?" The huge guard asked, leering at her, digging his fingers into her collar bone.
"We were just walking." Rainne tried to lie. The way the guard was looking at her made her skin crawl.
"Well now you can walk back to the Lab." He snarled, "The doctor would like to speak with you."
"No, I think I will go to my room." Dorian replied, "I am tired."
"No, you will come with us, NOW." The guard yelled. The guards dragged Rainne and Dorian down the corridor back to the Lab. The Doctor was waiting for them.
"Children," the Doctor exclaimed sarcastically. "Out playing again? You really should stay with the group." He sneered. "How do you think it looks, when you two keep running off together?" He motioned for Dorian to be strapped in a chair. "Well, I guess we will have to initiate phase two, before you go ahead and do it on your own." He leered at Rainne. "You thought we were not paying attention to your affection for each other." Rainne tried to back away from him but the guard held her tight. "Really now Rainne, we would not let you breed with an inferior creature." He pulled her close, "we have something special planned for you." He pushed her into another room. One of the security guards was in the room, already partially disrobed. "You are our prized specimen, only missing one thing." He shoved her toward the guard. "Physical strength. However, your descendants will not have that imperfection." With that, he exited and closed the door, locking it behind him.
Rainne looked around terrified. The guard was leering at her, removing his remaining clothing as he moved toward her. She jumped back, she had been trained in martial arts. She was smaller and faster.
~~~
John saw Rainne tense up. "Aeryn, something's happening. She looks like she is having convulsions." Crichton walked toward the cluster. "Should we do something. Got a rope, a fire hose, a really big butterfly net."
"Crichton." Aeryn said. "Do not touch her."
Rainne could hear Dorian screaming her name outside the room. She turned to the sound; the guard grabbed her and threw her onto the crude mattress on the floor. Rainne screamed. She could feel her hatred and fear building as the guard tried to remove her clothing. Rainne squirmed but he was too heavy to push off. She heard her clothing ripping. She could feel him trying to pry her knees apart. She closed her eyes, trying to focus, she placed her hands on the guard's chest. She opened her eyes, and breathed one word "Die," as the fear and hatred left her body like a blast. The guard was thrown across the room, he hit the wall before his body slumped to the floor. Rainne turned when she heard roaring from the other side of the door. She yelled for Dorian. The creature tore through the door. It was wearing shreds of what might have been clothing. It lunged for the already dead guard. Rainne escaped the room, she shoved her way through the lab knocking over tables. The Doctor and the remaining guards were dead, some had been ripped apart. Rainne was screaming for Dorian, she looked around and did not see him. She heard the creature roar again. She kept running, heading for the cargo area, she knew of some hiding places there, she figured if Dorian had escaped, that was where he would go. She could hear the creature behind her, she ran into the cargo bay as the creature gained on her. She felt its claws pass near her head as it slashed out at her. It roared again, right behind her, she could feel its putrid breath on her neck. It slashed again, catching her shoulder. The pain ripped through her, she could feel her own blood running down her arm. Just then, a thought came to her, what if the creature was Dorian. She turned to look it in the face. The creature stopped. It had Dorian's eyes. It was looking at her pleadingly. She reached out and put her hands on the creature's chest, she felt the power growing in her again. "Freedom," she breathed. The energy threw the creature back, in the process knocking Rainne to the floor. When she recovered she crawled toward the creature, but instead it was Dorian lying there, with scorch marks in the shape of her hands on his chest.
"Dorian, Dorian, what have I done." She continued sobbing, Dorian stirred.
"Rainne, love.get out while you still can. Please." he said quietly, trying to reach up to stroke her face. Rainne took his hand and held it to her cheek. "Go to the docking bay, take the transport." he voice began to fade. "You have seen it enough times; you can do it." he closed his eyes forever.
She kissed him softly one last time. "I will never forget you."
Rainne's body continued to convulse, but the light was getting dimmer. Aeryn and John were unsure of what to do. Even Crichton was uncharacteristically quiet. Aeryn heard a noise behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder. Crais was conscious and trying to sit up. Aeryn walked over and put out her arm to help him stand. When he tried to go to Rainne, Aeryn grabbed his shoulder.
"Captain, don't." She said. For a moment Aeryn could see the fear in his eyes, the caring and the realization that he could lose Rainne.
Crais turned to glared at Aeryn, immediately shrouding his emotions from his face. Aeryn saw him clench his jaw and fists, but he did not move as the memory of the blast returned. Helplessly he watched her, unable to contact Talyn or Rainne, he kept his panic barely beneath the surface. He shrugged Aeryn away and began pacing.
~~~
Rainne stood up, and ran toward the docking bay. No one was there. She could hear the security alerts blaring. No one realized she had gotten into the computer and studied the transports and she and Dorian had figured out how to use them. They had been planning for an escape. She climbed into the closest transport and closed the hatch. She started the small craft up and headed for the doors. She could barely hear the alarms now. She was able to get the ship out before the doors closed. She sped away in the small transport. No one was following her. All of a sudden, she saw a bright light behind her as the station exploded. The explosion fractured time and space and Rainne felt her small ship being catapulted through the void. When she collided with an asteroid on the other side the fracture the force knocked her back into the rear of the cabin. She crawled to front and hit the distress signal before she passed out.
Rainne remembered waking up with a burning pain in her shoulder. She had no idea where she was. The controls were not working. She was adrift in space. She pulled the clothing away from her wound. It started bleeding again. She found some medical supplies and bandaged the wound the best she could. The wound was infected, the pain and fever were almost blinding. She managed to get out of her stained and torn clothing. She found a jumpsuit that would fit her and put it on. She went back to the front of the cabin and passed out in the chair.
~~~
As Aeryn, Crichton and Crais watched, Rainne finally dropped to the floor. The column of light dissipated. Rainne was breathing heavily and seemed to be unconscious. Crais walked into the center of the cluster and bent over her. He could see that her hands were burned. He wrapped her in his discarded jacket before he picked her up, still unsure whether he should touch her. Aeryn walked with him to his quarters. Crichton stayed with D'Argo who was just coming around.
~~~
"What happened?" Aeryn asked.
"She had a nightmare. I tried to console her but she said she wanted to walk."
"How did she end up in command?"
"Talyn must have let her in. I awoke to one of her nightmares in my own mind and realized she was in the Neural Cluster, that she was joined with Talyn."
"How is Talyn now?" Aeryn asked concerned, she and Talyn also shared a bond. A bond of camaraderie and friendship. Aeryn had been the one picked by Moya to name Talyn.
"He is just awakening." Crais said. He furrowed his brow. Talyn was in pain, and he was worried about Rainne as well. Crais engaged privacy mode. He wanted to be alone in his head for a moment. "He is in pain, but there is no real damage, he will heal."
"Should we have Stark look at Rainne? I can call him over."
"I believe that would be best."
~~~
Stark bandaged Rainne's hands, she was still unconscious. Crais walked out of his quarters, he wanted to check on Talyn, he knew he would get a stronger connection in Command as Talyn slowly powered himself up from the near full shutdown. Crais disengaged privacy mode. As he rounded the corner closer to Command, D'Argo charged him.
"What did the two of you do to her?" D'Argo growled. He still had strong feelings for Rainne and was having trouble with the fact that Rainne had chosen to be with Crais. D'Argo grabbed Crais by the collar. "Why would you force her in there?"
"I did not force her, she went in there freely." Crais snarled back pushing the Luxan back. "Against my express wishes."
"And you didn't stop her." D'Argo snapped, still angry over Rainne's choice of companion.
"I don't force her to do anything, that is more your style is it not?" Crais said with venom in his voice. "Part of the reason she came to Talyn with me." D'Argo moved toward Crais again. Talyn pointed one of the internal cannons at D'Argo. "I think it is best that you leave Ka D'Argo. You have 50 microts." Crais cracked his heels together and strolled away. Crais heard D'Argo storm down the corridor to the transport pod. He focused the camera in his quarters on Rainne. Talyn was also monitoring her vital signs. Talyn informed him when John and D'Argo left.
Crais could not stay in Command, he was terrified he would not be with Rainne when she woke or .he could not continue the thought. He calmed Talyn and gently reprimanded him for allowing Rainne in the cluster before returning to his chamber.
Crais stepped through the door. He pulled a chair up to the edge of the bed. Rainne was becoming restless. Aeryn and Stark sat at the table watching and waiting. Rainne opened her eyes and turned toward the small assembled group.
"Bialar." She whispered looking at him. She vaguely remembered the blast and seeing Crais thrown across the room.
"Rainne." He replied getting up to sit at the edge of the bed. "What happened? I instructed you not to go into the Neural Cluster."
Rainne looked away. "I wanted my memories back. I could feel them just beyond my reach. Talyn called to me. He said he would help me." She turned to face him, raising her hands to eye level. "They did this to me, they created me, I was just another experiment. A lab rat." She let her hands drop, "I killed Dorian to free him. I am sorry. I had to know. Talyn assures me all is well now. His pain is beginning to dissipate. He understands I did not mean to hurt him, or you." She said.
Talyn is now part of me as well, she said to Crais through their bond. She smiled at his look of alarm.
"How did you know about Talyn's pain?" Aeryn asked Rainne.
"She is telepathic. She understands Talyn." Crais said quietly. "I believe she needs her rest. Talyn and I can care for her." He stood up to walk them to the transport pod. "If Rainne is up to it we will come to Moya tomorrow and speak with everyone."
"Until tomorrow."
~~~
Crais walked back into the room, Rainne was sitting quietly on the bed with her eyes closed.
"C'thha" he said, kneeling next to her. He tried to embrace her. Rainne shrugged him away.
"Don't call me that." She whispered. "I don't deserve it." Rainne opened her eyes and raised her bandaged hands. "I killed Dorian. With my own hands." She stood up, Crais grabbed her arm. "Just drop me off on the next commerce planet and pretend you never met me. It will be better for all of us."
"I will not." He stood up and turned her to face him. "I saw the dream as well, you freed your friend." Rainne tried to look away. Crais raised her chin with his finger.
"I killed him, all he ever did was love me. We were so naïve. What if I had killed you or Talyn?"
"You didn't."
"I could have. I don't know what I can do."
"Talyn and I will help you." He kissed her forehead. "Talyn would never allow me to leave you on a commerce planet. He would never leave orbit."
Bialar speaks the truth...C'thha.we would never leave you.
~~~
Rainne screamed, Crais sat up, disoriented at first. He turned and noticed Rainne was tangled in the blanket and whimpering. Lovingly he reached out to pull the blanket from around her legs. She began mumbling.
"No, no, no." she kept repeating. Crais pulled up her next to him. He shook her gently to wake her. Rainne opened her eyes. Gazing into his smoldering eyes she realized it was only a dream and she was safe in her beloved's arms. Rainne buried her face on his shoulder, inhaling his masculine scent to reassure herself this was not a dream as well. Crais said nothing as he rubbed her back for a few moments. When her breathing had slowed he pushed her away slightly to look her in the eye.
"Rainne. Who was it this time?" he asked gently.
"Me." was all she said before she began sobbing.
Crais held her and let her cry. He did not know of any other way to console her. When she had stopped sobbing, he wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead. He reclined, still holding his hand on her back.
"Lie down, try to rest."
"I can't," she replied. "I am going for a walk." Rainne got out of the bed and pulled Crais' long jacket out of the closet. She put it on over her t-shirt and underpants, it would keep her warm and it smelled of Crais. "I am sorry I woke you."
"Would you like me to walk with you?"
"No." She turned and walked out of their quarters.
Crais stayed on the bed. He focused Talyn's internal cameras on Rainne as she walked. Rainne looked up at the camera.
"Bialar, I will be fine."
~~~
Rainne walked down the corridor. Talyn was quietly signaling to her.
"Yes Talyn." She said. The leviathan opened the door to command as she passed. Rainne walked in. Talyn was flashing the lights in the Neural Cluster, beckoning her. She was torn. She wanted to regain her memories but did not want Crais to see them so she had been avoiding the cluster, also Crais asked her to steer clear of going into the cluster unaccompanied. He was afraid if he was not there to pull her out she could get hurt.
"Talyn." she whispered, moving closer to the cluster. She could feel Talyn just barely touching her mind.
Rainne, Talyn whispered back. Rainne join with me. his voice was soft and hypnotic, he had copied Crais almost exactly.
"Bialar.asked me not to" she replied audibly
I will not hurt you. Talyn said.
Rainne removed the jacket she was wearing and stepped into the cluster in just her shirt and underpants. Her bare feet began to tingle. She could feel trembling beginning in her hands and feet. She felt Talyn enter her mind fully.
C'thha. Talyn said, sounding just like Crais.
Talyn, can you help me? She asked through their bond. I can feel the memories just below the surface.
I will try.
Rainne tried to stay upright, fighting the urge to close her eyes. She could feel Talyn searching her mind.
Rainne turned to look over her shoulder, the huge creature roared again. It slashed out at her, barely missing her. She screamed and ran through the lab. The creature roared again. She could feel the creature's putrid breath against her neck; this time it lashed out and caught her shoulder. Rainne could feel the blood running down her arm. She stopped and faced the creature. It was massive, with an oily sheen, and a slightly humanoid look. The wound on her shoulder burned as if acid had been poured on it. When it realized she had stopped, it stopped also. Rainne reached out to touch it, she felt her fear and hatred leave her body like a flame and strike the creature. The creature screamed and fell to the ground. Rainne closed her eyes, when she opened them again; Dorian was lying in front of her. She kneeled in front of her friend, sobbing. There was a huge scorch mark on his chest. "Dorian, Dorian, what have I done." She continued sobbing, Dorian stirred.
"Rainne, love, get out while you still can. Please." he said softly. "Go to the docking bay, take the transport." he voice began to fade. "You have seen it enough times; you can do it." he closed his eyes forever.
"Dorian, Dorian." she got up, and ran toward the docking bay. No one was there. She thought for sure that security must be looking for them, but none of them realized she had gotten into the computer and studied the transports and they had figured out how to use them. She and Dorian had been planning for an escape. She climbed into the closest transport and closed the hatch. She started the small craft up and headed for the doors. She could barely hear the alarms sound. She was able to get the ship out before the doors closed. She sped away in the small transport. All of a sudden, she saw a bright light behind her as the station exploded. The explosion fractured time and space and Rainne felt her small ship being catapulted through the void. When she collided with an asteroid on the other side of the fracture the force knocked her back into the rear of the cabin. She crawled to front and hit the distress signal before she passed out.
Crais awoke with a start. He was experiencing Rainne's dream. He touched the transponder on his neck. He could see that Rainne was in the Neural Cluster, something unseen was holding her up. Crais pulled on his pants and a sleeveless t-shirt. He ran to Command. The door was standing open. Rainne was suspended in a column of bluish light, her hands were shimmering and she was trembling. Crais could hear Talyn calling to her. He ran toward the cluster and reached out. As Crais' hand made contact with Rainne's shoulder a flash of blue light arced from Rainne's hands and straight into the center of the cluster. The force threw Crais against the doorframe knocking him unconscious, the pulse also overloaded Talyn's central nervous system triggering a near complete shutdown.
~~~
"Aeryn." Pilot called out. Moya had awakened Pilot when Talyn cried out in pain before succumbing to the blast from Rainne's hands.
"Yes Pilot," she replied groggily.
"Something is wrong with Talyn. Moya is concerned. He cried out in pain and now he is oddly silent."
"Did he say anything before he was gone."
"Yes, help."
"Wake D'Argo. John and I will be there shortly."
"Yes Aeryn."
~~~
Aeryn, John and D'Argo boarded the transport and were on Talyn in little less than an arn. When they arrived, they noticed the corridors were cooler than normal and the lighting was dim. It was strangely quiet. Even the DRD's were not moving. D'Argo took point, brandishing his Qualta blade, he was afraid something had happened to Rainne. However, when they arrived in Command things were very different. Crais was lying by the door unconscious, wearing only pants and a t-shirt. Rainne was in the center of the Neural Cluster, her whole body was glowing, she was suspended in a column of blue light, her arms outstretched, she seemed to be hovering just off the floor.
Aeryn entered just after D'Argo, she took a deep breath. D'Argo tossed the Qualta Blade to her and headed for Rainne.
"D'Argo." Aeryn exclaimed. The Luxan ignored her and reached for Rainne. The blast blew him across the room. He landed near Crais, unconscious as well. "They never listen." She said more to herself than any person in particular.
"Grandma Crichton always said the bigger they are..." Crichton said as he turned into command. It was then he noticed Rainne. "the harder they fall." his voice trailed off. He moved closer to Rainne. "Holy Momma. The ultimate Blue Light Special..."
"Crichton, keep an eye on them." Aeryn said, as she skirted the cluster to look at the operations console in front.
~~~
Rainne's memory was returning, it started coming through in bits and pieces. She remembered being in a laboratory. She remembered being strapped into a chair with electrodes on her forehead. The doctors were showing her pictures of frightening things. She remembered the medical exams and tests. Years of studying the art of war. She realized she had been trained to kill, and created to be used as a weapon. Another random thought popped into her mind. It was Dorian, they were sitting alone somewhere holding hands and Dorian had just kissed her. Rainne pushed him gently away whispering, "If we get caught we will be punished."
"We can escape, you have studied the schematics, as I have." Dorian pleaded.
"It is impossible." Rainne patted his hand. "We are on a moon."
"I am tired of living in a cage Rainne." He said. "We are as human as the next person, just because we have no parents doesn't mean we can't be free."
"If we are caught we will be terminated. I don't want to live in a cage either, but I don't want to be dead. At least we can be together."
"Only until they realize what is going on. We are smarter than all of them, they created us and don't even comprehend what we are, what we can and cannot do." They heard a noise behind them. Dorian motioned for her to be silent, they slid slowly off the crate they were sitting on, they began creeping toward the door. A security guard grabbed Rainne's shoulder, another grabbed Dorian by both arms.
"Where did you think you were going?" The huge guard asked, leering at her, digging his fingers into her collar bone.
"We were just walking." Rainne tried to lie. The way the guard was looking at her made her skin crawl.
"Well now you can walk back to the Lab." He snarled, "The doctor would like to speak with you."
"No, I think I will go to my room." Dorian replied, "I am tired."
"No, you will come with us, NOW." The guard yelled. The guards dragged Rainne and Dorian down the corridor back to the Lab. The Doctor was waiting for them.
"Children," the Doctor exclaimed sarcastically. "Out playing again? You really should stay with the group." He sneered. "How do you think it looks, when you two keep running off together?" He motioned for Dorian to be strapped in a chair. "Well, I guess we will have to initiate phase two, before you go ahead and do it on your own." He leered at Rainne. "You thought we were not paying attention to your affection for each other." Rainne tried to back away from him but the guard held her tight. "Really now Rainne, we would not let you breed with an inferior creature." He pulled her close, "we have something special planned for you." He pushed her into another room. One of the security guards was in the room, already partially disrobed. "You are our prized specimen, only missing one thing." He shoved her toward the guard. "Physical strength. However, your descendants will not have that imperfection." With that, he exited and closed the door, locking it behind him.
Rainne looked around terrified. The guard was leering at her, removing his remaining clothing as he moved toward her. She jumped back, she had been trained in martial arts. She was smaller and faster.
~~~
John saw Rainne tense up. "Aeryn, something's happening. She looks like she is having convulsions." Crichton walked toward the cluster. "Should we do something. Got a rope, a fire hose, a really big butterfly net."
"Crichton." Aeryn said. "Do not touch her."
Rainne could hear Dorian screaming her name outside the room. She turned to the sound; the guard grabbed her and threw her onto the crude mattress on the floor. Rainne screamed. She could feel her hatred and fear building as the guard tried to remove her clothing. Rainne squirmed but he was too heavy to push off. She heard her clothing ripping. She could feel him trying to pry her knees apart. She closed her eyes, trying to focus, she placed her hands on the guard's chest. She opened her eyes, and breathed one word "Die," as the fear and hatred left her body like a blast. The guard was thrown across the room, he hit the wall before his body slumped to the floor. Rainne turned when she heard roaring from the other side of the door. She yelled for Dorian. The creature tore through the door. It was wearing shreds of what might have been clothing. It lunged for the already dead guard. Rainne escaped the room, she shoved her way through the lab knocking over tables. The Doctor and the remaining guards were dead, some had been ripped apart. Rainne was screaming for Dorian, she looked around and did not see him. She heard the creature roar again. She kept running, heading for the cargo area, she knew of some hiding places there, she figured if Dorian had escaped, that was where he would go. She could hear the creature behind her, she ran into the cargo bay as the creature gained on her. She felt its claws pass near her head as it slashed out at her. It roared again, right behind her, she could feel its putrid breath on her neck. It slashed again, catching her shoulder. The pain ripped through her, she could feel her own blood running down her arm. Just then, a thought came to her, what if the creature was Dorian. She turned to look it in the face. The creature stopped. It had Dorian's eyes. It was looking at her pleadingly. She reached out and put her hands on the creature's chest, she felt the power growing in her again. "Freedom," she breathed. The energy threw the creature back, in the process knocking Rainne to the floor. When she recovered she crawled toward the creature, but instead it was Dorian lying there, with scorch marks in the shape of her hands on his chest.
"Dorian, Dorian, what have I done." She continued sobbing, Dorian stirred.
"Rainne, love.get out while you still can. Please." he said quietly, trying to reach up to stroke her face. Rainne took his hand and held it to her cheek. "Go to the docking bay, take the transport." he voice began to fade. "You have seen it enough times; you can do it." he closed his eyes forever.
She kissed him softly one last time. "I will never forget you."
Rainne's body continued to convulse, but the light was getting dimmer. Aeryn and John were unsure of what to do. Even Crichton was uncharacteristically quiet. Aeryn heard a noise behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder. Crais was conscious and trying to sit up. Aeryn walked over and put out her arm to help him stand. When he tried to go to Rainne, Aeryn grabbed his shoulder.
"Captain, don't." She said. For a moment Aeryn could see the fear in his eyes, the caring and the realization that he could lose Rainne.
Crais turned to glared at Aeryn, immediately shrouding his emotions from his face. Aeryn saw him clench his jaw and fists, but he did not move as the memory of the blast returned. Helplessly he watched her, unable to contact Talyn or Rainne, he kept his panic barely beneath the surface. He shrugged Aeryn away and began pacing.
~~~
Rainne stood up, and ran toward the docking bay. No one was there. She could hear the security alerts blaring. No one realized she had gotten into the computer and studied the transports and she and Dorian had figured out how to use them. They had been planning for an escape. She climbed into the closest transport and closed the hatch. She started the small craft up and headed for the doors. She could barely hear the alarms now. She was able to get the ship out before the doors closed. She sped away in the small transport. No one was following her. All of a sudden, she saw a bright light behind her as the station exploded. The explosion fractured time and space and Rainne felt her small ship being catapulted through the void. When she collided with an asteroid on the other side the fracture the force knocked her back into the rear of the cabin. She crawled to front and hit the distress signal before she passed out.
Rainne remembered waking up with a burning pain in her shoulder. She had no idea where she was. The controls were not working. She was adrift in space. She pulled the clothing away from her wound. It started bleeding again. She found some medical supplies and bandaged the wound the best she could. The wound was infected, the pain and fever were almost blinding. She managed to get out of her stained and torn clothing. She found a jumpsuit that would fit her and put it on. She went back to the front of the cabin and passed out in the chair.
~~~
As Aeryn, Crichton and Crais watched, Rainne finally dropped to the floor. The column of light dissipated. Rainne was breathing heavily and seemed to be unconscious. Crais walked into the center of the cluster and bent over her. He could see that her hands were burned. He wrapped her in his discarded jacket before he picked her up, still unsure whether he should touch her. Aeryn walked with him to his quarters. Crichton stayed with D'Argo who was just coming around.
~~~
"What happened?" Aeryn asked.
"She had a nightmare. I tried to console her but she said she wanted to walk."
"How did she end up in command?"
"Talyn must have let her in. I awoke to one of her nightmares in my own mind and realized she was in the Neural Cluster, that she was joined with Talyn."
"How is Talyn now?" Aeryn asked concerned, she and Talyn also shared a bond. A bond of camaraderie and friendship. Aeryn had been the one picked by Moya to name Talyn.
"He is just awakening." Crais said. He furrowed his brow. Talyn was in pain, and he was worried about Rainne as well. Crais engaged privacy mode. He wanted to be alone in his head for a moment. "He is in pain, but there is no real damage, he will heal."
"Should we have Stark look at Rainne? I can call him over."
"I believe that would be best."
~~~
Stark bandaged Rainne's hands, she was still unconscious. Crais walked out of his quarters, he wanted to check on Talyn, he knew he would get a stronger connection in Command as Talyn slowly powered himself up from the near full shutdown. Crais disengaged privacy mode. As he rounded the corner closer to Command, D'Argo charged him.
"What did the two of you do to her?" D'Argo growled. He still had strong feelings for Rainne and was having trouble with the fact that Rainne had chosen to be with Crais. D'Argo grabbed Crais by the collar. "Why would you force her in there?"
"I did not force her, she went in there freely." Crais snarled back pushing the Luxan back. "Against my express wishes."
"And you didn't stop her." D'Argo snapped, still angry over Rainne's choice of companion.
"I don't force her to do anything, that is more your style is it not?" Crais said with venom in his voice. "Part of the reason she came to Talyn with me." D'Argo moved toward Crais again. Talyn pointed one of the internal cannons at D'Argo. "I think it is best that you leave Ka D'Argo. You have 50 microts." Crais cracked his heels together and strolled away. Crais heard D'Argo storm down the corridor to the transport pod. He focused the camera in his quarters on Rainne. Talyn was also monitoring her vital signs. Talyn informed him when John and D'Argo left.
Crais could not stay in Command, he was terrified he would not be with Rainne when she woke or .he could not continue the thought. He calmed Talyn and gently reprimanded him for allowing Rainne in the cluster before returning to his chamber.
Crais stepped through the door. He pulled a chair up to the edge of the bed. Rainne was becoming restless. Aeryn and Stark sat at the table watching and waiting. Rainne opened her eyes and turned toward the small assembled group.
"Bialar." She whispered looking at him. She vaguely remembered the blast and seeing Crais thrown across the room.
"Rainne." He replied getting up to sit at the edge of the bed. "What happened? I instructed you not to go into the Neural Cluster."
Rainne looked away. "I wanted my memories back. I could feel them just beyond my reach. Talyn called to me. He said he would help me." She turned to face him, raising her hands to eye level. "They did this to me, they created me, I was just another experiment. A lab rat." She let her hands drop, "I killed Dorian to free him. I am sorry. I had to know. Talyn assures me all is well now. His pain is beginning to dissipate. He understands I did not mean to hurt him, or you." She said.
Talyn is now part of me as well, she said to Crais through their bond. She smiled at his look of alarm.
"How did you know about Talyn's pain?" Aeryn asked Rainne.
"She is telepathic. She understands Talyn." Crais said quietly. "I believe she needs her rest. Talyn and I can care for her." He stood up to walk them to the transport pod. "If Rainne is up to it we will come to Moya tomorrow and speak with everyone."
"Until tomorrow."
~~~
Crais walked back into the room, Rainne was sitting quietly on the bed with her eyes closed.
"C'thha" he said, kneeling next to her. He tried to embrace her. Rainne shrugged him away.
"Don't call me that." She whispered. "I don't deserve it." Rainne opened her eyes and raised her bandaged hands. "I killed Dorian. With my own hands." She stood up, Crais grabbed her arm. "Just drop me off on the next commerce planet and pretend you never met me. It will be better for all of us."
"I will not." He stood up and turned her to face him. "I saw the dream as well, you freed your friend." Rainne tried to look away. Crais raised her chin with his finger.
"I killed him, all he ever did was love me. We were so naïve. What if I had killed you or Talyn?"
"You didn't."
"I could have. I don't know what I can do."
"Talyn and I will help you." He kissed her forehead. "Talyn would never allow me to leave you on a commerce planet. He would never leave orbit."
Bialar speaks the truth...C'thha.we would never leave you.