Wormhole Destinations: True Reality!
By: Phi Phi "Le Trelk"
Disclaimer: All characters are property of The Henson Company.
Rating: NC-13
Feedback: You guys know me by now; I'll take all I can get!!!!
Spoilers: Unrealized Realities
Synopsis: Just when Crichton believes he's figured out wormholes, a monkey wrench is thrown into the works!
Also just wanted to let you guys know that I am taking a bit of creative license and reworking and challenging a few points from Unrealized Realities. It's a bit Wild!
**************************************************************************** ****
"Damn, I'll never get used to that!" Crichton shook his body trying to unsuccessfully raise his body temperature. Wormhole travel was getting a bit easier with every try, but it was still damn uncomfortably! As easy as the travel was getting, he still hadn't found his way back to the original Moya, though he was beginning to recognize the space time signatures. The signature for this portal, he was not familiar with at all. As a matter of fact, he didn't remember cataloging any signatures familiar to this path.
"Good, you've finally made it! The surgeon has finished comparing the DNA and she's ready to discuss the findings with you both."
Crichton turned to confront the voice. He stared ahead for a second before realizing that the voice was coming from ground level. He stared down at a tiny birdlike creature. The little thing couldn't have been more than three feet tall and it was dressed in medical blues. 'What a cute little critter'. John knew he needed to respond; the little critter was staring at him, waiting. "Uhhh...yeah...right. Hey wait, both?"
"Yes, Aeryn is waiting with the surgeon. Please follow me!"
"Sure...ummm...what's your name again?" John followed behind the speedy little thing.
"Baswik, I am called Baswik, Commander. Here we are." Baswik opened the door and gestured for Crichton to enter.
John, what took you so long?" Aeryn walked towards him, from her post at the window. The other occupant, whom John guessed was the surgeon stood behind a large desk. The surgeon seemed to be Sebacean, but a closer look confirmed that she was an offshoot. John returned his attention to Aeryn, his smile one of bemusement. Aeryn wore a very soft looking white floor length dress, white sandals and even a white head band to hold a her hair in place. He'd never seen her look so feminine or so pregnant! "You look fetching."
Aeryn grimaced. "Stop it! What took you so long?" She was still the same Aeryn.
John answered in his usual style, still grinning. "Traffic." It was so good to see Aeryn again, without the usual chaos.
Aeryn's frown was quickly replaced by a smile. "Dr Narshu has the baby's DNA results."
"Yeah...right!" John held his hand out for Aeryn to join him. After helping her to her seat he chose the chair next to her. "Okay Doc, lay it on us."
Narshu stared for a moment, before answering. "Yes well, we have samples from the five possibilities..."
"Five?" John stared at Aeryn.
"Well, she asked for all the possible candidates and there was you, Talyn John, Velorek, Treha...."
"Okay...okay, I get the picture." John didn't really care to know the names of other men Aeryn had been with.
The surgeon continued. "Well we've labeled all samples numerically." The wall behind her suddenly became a digital diagram.
"Cool, a flat screen!" John joked, but sobered quickly at Aeryn's frown. "Sorry."
Narshu shook her head and pointed at the screen. "As you can see this strand sample belongs to the child. These are the possible targets. Strands one, five and four are incompatible. Strands two and three are perfect matches. They belong to John."
Aeryn nodded her understanding. "We figured that, that's why we gave you the background on both John and Talyn John. What we need to know is which strand contributed the most."
The doctor stared at both Aeryn and John. "Both, they are identical."
Crichton sighed heavily. "No...look, we know they are identical. He was there; I was here. When did she conceive?"
Baswik spoke up. "It's not that simple. You see, the deceased you was just that, another you from a different dimension of time, or path."
"What?" John and Aeryn spoke in unison.
Baswik climbed up onto a corner of the surgeon's desk. "Every living creature has a specific energy signature, which travels harmoniously within space-time. Your signature and that of the deceased John are identical, which means that the deceased John was not a separate being. He was you, or part of you the dominant."
John shook his head. "Okay ya know what? I took this class..."
"You need to understand John Crichton. I would listen, were I you. We know of your talk with the Lun'haris.
"Excuse me, the who?"
"I believe you refer to them as The Ancients. In our space we call them the Lun'haris. We are aware of the guidance they have given you. However they did not inform you of all you need to know. That is why we guided you here."
"Wait...what do you mean guided me here?"
Baswik's quirky little face Lit with excitement. "We sent you the signature for this portal."
"Okay, so you sent me a little help. Based on what the Lun'haris told me, which of course conflicts with what you just told me. They said that there was only one me with millions of possible realit...what?" John watched Baswik shake his little head. "What?"
"The Lun'haris are understandably the masters of wormhole creation and space time within these wormhole anomalies. However, they do not quite grasp the meaning of life and it's existence with in the realm of time, outside of the wormholes." Baswik puffed with importance, reminding Crichton of a little peacock. 'Would the little thing strut next?'
John simply stared. "So?"
"So, There are no possible realities. They are actual realities and for each of these realities there is an energy signature."
"Man! I'm so lost, I can't find myself. So now it's not just one me with millions of possible realities. It's millions of me with millions of realities?"
Baswik beamed, nodding wildly. "You are somewhat correct, John Crichton, it's one you with millions of signature you, with millions of realities!"
"So if this is just another reality, where is the me that was here?"
"It was a weaker signature and it is now you."
John stared again frowning. Just once he'd like to understand something at face value, just once! "What? Look, I'm still lost. How is that possible?"
Baswik growled impatiently. Just when he thought the human understood, he didn't. "Raise your arm up, crooked at the elbow with your hand pointed skyward, please." Baswik grabbed John's elbow and began to demonstrate. "We will start with your birth." Shaking John's elbow. "This is you or rather your dominant energy signature at birth. At the time of your birth, your energy signature immediately splinters off into millions of other time dimensional paths." He traced John's elbow up to the tip of each finger. "With the dominant or strongest most pure signature remaining within the dimension of your birth. Your dominant signature will remain in this time dimension unless you choose wormhole travel later."
John finally understood. "You're saying I exist in other realities, or dimensions of time."
Baswik again smiled and nodded. "Yes John Crichton, that's it. Now you understand, yes?"
"Yeah...kinda, but tell me this? If anything happens to one of these weaker signatures, what happens to the rest of us?"
Aeryn surprised John by answering. "Nothing, really. However if the dominant signature dies, you all die."
"Correct Aeryn Sun!" Baswik paused as if in thought. "But..."
John shook his head and glanced at Aeryn. "There's always a but." He turned back to Baswik. "What do you mean but?"
"If one of the weaker signatures cease to exist, all of its primary experiences will be transferred directly to the dominant signature over a period of time through memories and dreams."
"Okay, so since I'm the dominant signature I will obtain the memories of any Crichton that dies, whether I participated or not?"
Yes John, but you see you did participate. Your thinking is still one- dimensional. You are experiencing everything the weaker signatures are. The closeness of these signatures within the realm of time designates their placement within your subconscious mind. So you see at this moment you are actually participating in millions of activities. The closest signature's experiences other then your dominant one may seem like...I believe you have a saying...Déjà vu."
"Wow...." John was simply stunned by this. He finally shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Wow...okay so back to the baby. You're saying that both of us are the father?"
Dr. Narshu spoke for the first time since Baswik began his explanation. "No John, not both, again your thinking is one-dimensional. You are the child's father. Whether it was dominant or weaker signature, it was still you. There is only John with millions of signatures that are John or are minor parts of you. For instance, do you not remember your time on Talyn? It was not a primary experience for the dominant signature, but it was still an experience for John Crichton."
John frowned, he did remember! He remembered every moment of John and Aeryn's existence aboard Talyn. He could remember the smells and feel of Talyn. He remembered every chaotic mission the crew of five had completed. He remembered every nuance of his relationship with Aeryn, the flashes! Yes he remembered! "Yes, I remember."
"Good!"
"No...no not good! This dren is just utterly confusing!"
"John calm down." Aeryn rubbed his shoulder and arm, trying to sooth him. She addressed the doctor. "So you've told us the DNA result, John is the father. But what else, you seem worried."
Dr. Narshu nodded. "There is a problem."
John didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean there is a problem? With what...With who?"
"With Aeryn and the child." Narshu answered.
"What? What's wrong with them?"
"You'll remember that all living creatures have a dominant energy signature, which splinters off into millions of weaker dimensional signatures."
"Yeah?"
"Each signature is designed to reside harmoniously within a specific dimensional path."
"Doc, all this is real fascinating but can you please just get to the Aeryn and baby part!" John's patience was beginning to wear quite thin.
"John." Aeryn spoke softly. "We came here for answers. Now let them give us those answers, please."
"Fine Aeryn, fine." He turned to Narshu and Baswik. "You two stop beating around the bush and talk!"
"Your signature, John Crichton, flows smoothly within this dimension. Aeryn's and the child's do not." Narshu stared worriedly at Aeryn. "In fact their signatures are quite erratic."
"So what does that mean?" John demanded.
Baswik answered. "It means that somehow each of their signatures were removed or allowed to be removed from their correct path."
"How?"
"The individual signature may have slipped through a vortex in time." Baswik stopped Crichton from interrupting. "A rift in the time continuum, usually caused by a sudden death, birth or unknowledgeable wormhole travel."
Aeryn didn't understand much of this and the more they explained the more confused she became. "Which is it in my case?"
The answer was quick and precise. "Death." The doctor shook her head. Slowly. "You should not be here Aeryn Sun. Your signature for this particular dimension ceased over three cycles ago. You...this signature of Aeryn Sun should not be on this path."
"Then why am I here? How did I get here?" Great now it was her turn for class.
"When the original signature for this path ceased, another signature was removed from its own home dimension and placed on this time line. This caused an interruption in your line. Because of this corruption, your line is steadily loosing its elasticity within the realm of time."
"But if the dominant signature ceases to live then all secondary signatures should cease as well. If I died three cycles ago then how can any signature remain in any time dimension?"
"Simple, the signature that died was not the dominant energy signature."
"What do you mean? I was born here, a Peacekeeper."
"Your time line began elsewhere. Your life as a Peacekeeper was just another path, but not the original." Baswik jumped down from Narshu's desk and began to pace.
John stared at Aeryn, caressed her cheek and turned to the other two occupants. "Okay, so I am the dominant signature and I do belong on this path at the moment right?" at Baswik and Narshu's nod he continued. "And this Aeryn is not the dominant signature and in fact she shouldn't be on this path at all. So how did she get here? Can you trace that?"
"She arrived, by the call of a Mystic. Only the mystics of the highest level are able to replace signatures, through death." Narshu glanced from John to Aeryn. "Do you know a mystic?"
"Knew, we knew Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan." Aeryn spoke softly, remembering her friend.
"Ahh! A Delvian...yes...yes a ninth...tenth level Pa'u would be able to transcend time on all levels."
Aeryn glanced at John then back to Baswik. "You said this John should be here, what happens if another John were to travel through a wormhole and exit here? Wouldn't that cause a paradox?"
"Normally if both signatures are secondary this would cause a paradox, ending both lines suddenly and without warning. Which is why rules to time travel must be followed closely and the portals monitored constantly. However if the dominant signature were to exit the wormhole on the path were a secondary signature resides, the dominant signature will simply become the primary of that line. Meaning that when this Crichton arrived through the wormhole, the secondary Crichton simply became part of him." When Aeryn nodded her understanding, Baswik moved on. "If a weaker signature were to arrive, it would again simply become part of the dominant adding his essence to the dominant."
"And once the dominant moves on?"
"Once the dominant leaves the path, the true signature for that path will once again exist as it did before. But as I said earlier if that signature dies, that line will cease to exist, leaving the others to carry on."
"So if Aeryn doesn't belong here, where does she belong? Where is her dominant signature and what affect does all this have on our baby?" Aeryn shot John a surprised glance. Did he realize what he'd just said?
"Where this signature for Aeryn belongs, I do not know. The dominant Aeryn resides in her original dimension, she has not traveled out of it. The affect on the child is the same as it is on Aeryn. It should not be here, in this time or inside of this Aeryn. The child's signature grows quite faint. It must be helped"
"I'm heading back down 'Confusion Boulevard' here folks." John shot. "What do we do?"
"Simple John Crichton, you and this Aeryn Sun must correct the time lines." Narshu instructed. She moved to sit on the corner edge of her desk.
Aeryn and John spoke in unison. "How?"
Baswik took over, coming to stand next to Narshu's leg. "One, you must go back and correct the very first mistake."
"Which is?"
"You must keep Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan from bringing this Aeryn Sun through the vortex. The Aeryn Sun of this time line must remain dead."
John frowned shaking his head. "No...nope, 'The Ancients' said that I couldn't go back prior to the time I left."
"True, you can't travel back on you're dominant path, but the path you will be traveling on will be Aeryn's."
"How? We will still be traveling back against a time line."
"No, you will not. Aeryn Sun no longer exist in this dimension of time. Remember this Aeryn does not belong here. Therefore you can travel on her line without impediment."
"Okay fine, we can travel back on her line but how? She would have to..."
Baswik stared expectantly. "Yes?"
"She would have to initiate the wormhole." John finished. "She doesn't know how."
"Yes she does. All intelligent beings carry the knowledge. It lies dormant until needed or discovered. This Aeryn must simply tap into her energy signal and access the knowledge of that signature which has already ventured through the wormhole."
"Okay once we get to the appropriate time and place, what do we do?" John's heart was pounding a metra a micron, what the hell was he getting into?
"You must travel back to the precise event of Aeryn's death. This Aeryn will then reside in her own dimension. Since you cannot physically interfere with the Pa'u; you must work around her. At the exact moment that she opens the vortex to bring this signature through, you must open a wormhole and immediately draw Aeryn into it. This must be done quickly, before she actually has the chance to effectively change the outcome. She cannot be allowed to touch, say or do anything!"
"And if I miss, or she does manage to effect time?"
"You can't afford to miss! But in the event that you do, just come back here and start again. This Aeryn will be waiting, unless she was allowed to effect a drastic change. If so then your puzzle becomes a bit more difficult."
"Great! It's like Monopoly, don't pass go, and don't collect two hundred dollars." John muttered. "How can I come back here?"
"Not to this particular moment, just this Dimension. We will not be allowed to have this conversation again. I would suggest that you be sure of your destination." "Okay, so once I grab this Aeryn away from Zhaan, what next?"
"Once you have corrected that time line, you must then find the time line that she belongs to. Once there, you must then find and correct the problems that allowed this Aeryn to be pulled through the vortex."
"Wait...how will we know what the problems are?" John asked.
"The problems will manifest themselves in the form of inconsistencies, oddities and abnormalities. But be careful, different path, different routines, everything that seems abnormal or odd may not be wrong." Baswik cautioned. "Once that is completed, you must move on to your next step."
"And that is?" Aeryn asked.
Baswik smiled. "You must find the child's correct path."
Again, John and Aeryn spoke in unison. "What?"
"While you may have millions of realities, they may not all mirror each other. This child does not exist in all of your or Aeryn's realities, therefore concentrating on the child's energy signature, you must find its correct time line. Once there you must again correct the mistakes that allowed the child's signature to leave its original path. Since correcting this Aeryn's path may erase the child's signature from it, you must memorize every signature for Aeryn and the child you come into contact with. There will be times when you will need to rely solely on your memory, John Crichton. When that is done, your next stop will be home."
"There's got to be a catch." John sighed. ""There's always a catch."
"This must all be accomplished before Aeryn's dominant signature gives birth."
"But you just said that the realities don't necessarily mirror each other." Aeryn's annoyance was starting to show.
"This is true. However, in the case of birth, the rules change slightly. Birth is the beginning of a new dominant energy signature. It can only begin within a dominant host and this Aeryn is not the dominant host, nor is this child's signature the dominant one. Which means it belongs to a secondary path. If the corrupted time lines are not corrected, then the dimensional ripples will move to eradicate the problem, by simply destroying both Aeryn Sun's entire line and the child's along with her." Narshu stood. "I can not stress enough that you must memorize signatures John Crichton and be careful in your rectification process. One wrong turn and you both may be stuck in the wrong path, permanently or until another problem causes a rift, which could be detrimental to all lines that cross yours."
John stood helping Aeryn to her feet. "You said that my signature belongs here. Why?"
Baswik stopped on his way to the door. ''Your dominant signature traveled here to correct Aeryn Sun's line and yours."
"So even though you guided me here, I was trying to get here anyway?" John asked.
"Hmm...a dominant energy signature has a way of knowing when its time line is endangered. Your path and hers are connected. If hers is not correct, it will ultimately upset yours. Your dominant signature realized this cycles ago and at the first chance traveled through the time portal or what you call wormhole to find and correct the problems. Your quest, however, has been slightly interrupted over the past four cycles."
""Yeah, you're telling me. How do I correct the rift left when I went through the first wormhole in Earth's orbit. How will I explain my absence?" John asked Baswik; he stared down at him waiting for an answer he was sure of.
"Your dominant signature is here with us, but to your friends and family you have always been on earth. There is a weaker signature there that traveled through the wormhole at the exact moment you did. It will return through the portal to it's own time line when you return to yours."
"Okay, I think I got it." John paused on his way out. "Can you please tell me one more thing?"
"If I can."
"Does the dominant signature for Aeryn exist within my dimension or do they simply cross mine somewhere?" John and Aeryn both held their breath waiting for the answer.
"I do not know, John Crichton, I'm sorry. You two should go and rest, you will want to leave soon." Baswik answered softly, almost sadly.
Aeryn and John turned to leave; Dr. Narshu's words stopped them. "John, Aeryn? Good luck and remain safe."
Aeryn smiled slightly. "Thank you for all your help." John nodded and followed Aeryn out of the office, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Dr. Narshu addressed Baswik once the two were alone. "Why did you lie?"
Baswik turned to face Narshu. "Tell me, if you were from Earth and found yourself here with the ability to get home anytime you wanted and I told you that the one person you love above all else was back on Earth dying, what would be your first move?"
"I would go to Earth, straight away."
"Exactly! If I had told them that the dominant signature for Aeryn was on Earth dying because of the time line corruption, they would be planning to journey to Earth. If they do that, Aeryn and the child will die and no amount of time manipulation would bring them back. Crichton will find out soon enough that his mate awaits him on Earth. He must correct the dimensional corruptions in her line, before she exists no more. It is the reason he journeyed here."
***********************
"John I'm scared. What if something goes wrong? What happens when we correct the baby's path? Does that mean I won't have a baby, do I ceased to be pregnant?" Aeryn allowed John to pull her into his embrace and comfort her.
"Shh...I know baby, I'm scared too, but we have to correct your time line and the baby's. I don't want to loose you. As long as your line is viable, there's a chance we will be together, maybe not here in this time but in another." John walked her over to the bed in their quarters. "Aeryn, I want you to try and get a little rest, while I work out a few equations. I'm going to try and guide you through the wormhole, so that we exit on your path."
Aeryn nodded. "Alright...John?"
"Yeah baby?"
"I love you."
John kissed her softly on the lips and caressed her distended belly. "I love you too." John knew that he couldn't make one mistake. Two very important lives depended on him. He'd be damned if he would frell it up! The Ancients wanted him to manipulate wormholes, then manipulate he would, but for his, Aeryn's and the baby's sake. Frell the rest!
Disclaimer: All characters are property of The Henson Company.
Rating: NC-13
Feedback: You guys know me by now; I'll take all I can get!!!!
Spoilers: Unrealized Realities
Synopsis: Just when Crichton believes he's figured out wormholes, a monkey wrench is thrown into the works!
Also just wanted to let you guys know that I am taking a bit of creative license and reworking and challenging a few points from Unrealized Realities. It's a bit Wild!
**************************************************************************** ****
"Damn, I'll never get used to that!" Crichton shook his body trying to unsuccessfully raise his body temperature. Wormhole travel was getting a bit easier with every try, but it was still damn uncomfortably! As easy as the travel was getting, he still hadn't found his way back to the original Moya, though he was beginning to recognize the space time signatures. The signature for this portal, he was not familiar with at all. As a matter of fact, he didn't remember cataloging any signatures familiar to this path.
"Good, you've finally made it! The surgeon has finished comparing the DNA and she's ready to discuss the findings with you both."
Crichton turned to confront the voice. He stared ahead for a second before realizing that the voice was coming from ground level. He stared down at a tiny birdlike creature. The little thing couldn't have been more than three feet tall and it was dressed in medical blues. 'What a cute little critter'. John knew he needed to respond; the little critter was staring at him, waiting. "Uhhh...yeah...right. Hey wait, both?"
"Yes, Aeryn is waiting with the surgeon. Please follow me!"
"Sure...ummm...what's your name again?" John followed behind the speedy little thing.
"Baswik, I am called Baswik, Commander. Here we are." Baswik opened the door and gestured for Crichton to enter.
John, what took you so long?" Aeryn walked towards him, from her post at the window. The other occupant, whom John guessed was the surgeon stood behind a large desk. The surgeon seemed to be Sebacean, but a closer look confirmed that she was an offshoot. John returned his attention to Aeryn, his smile one of bemusement. Aeryn wore a very soft looking white floor length dress, white sandals and even a white head band to hold a her hair in place. He'd never seen her look so feminine or so pregnant! "You look fetching."
Aeryn grimaced. "Stop it! What took you so long?" She was still the same Aeryn.
John answered in his usual style, still grinning. "Traffic." It was so good to see Aeryn again, without the usual chaos.
Aeryn's frown was quickly replaced by a smile. "Dr Narshu has the baby's DNA results."
"Yeah...right!" John held his hand out for Aeryn to join him. After helping her to her seat he chose the chair next to her. "Okay Doc, lay it on us."
Narshu stared for a moment, before answering. "Yes well, we have samples from the five possibilities..."
"Five?" John stared at Aeryn.
"Well, she asked for all the possible candidates and there was you, Talyn John, Velorek, Treha...."
"Okay...okay, I get the picture." John didn't really care to know the names of other men Aeryn had been with.
The surgeon continued. "Well we've labeled all samples numerically." The wall behind her suddenly became a digital diagram.
"Cool, a flat screen!" John joked, but sobered quickly at Aeryn's frown. "Sorry."
Narshu shook her head and pointed at the screen. "As you can see this strand sample belongs to the child. These are the possible targets. Strands one, five and four are incompatible. Strands two and three are perfect matches. They belong to John."
Aeryn nodded her understanding. "We figured that, that's why we gave you the background on both John and Talyn John. What we need to know is which strand contributed the most."
The doctor stared at both Aeryn and John. "Both, they are identical."
Crichton sighed heavily. "No...look, we know they are identical. He was there; I was here. When did she conceive?"
Baswik spoke up. "It's not that simple. You see, the deceased you was just that, another you from a different dimension of time, or path."
"What?" John and Aeryn spoke in unison.
Baswik climbed up onto a corner of the surgeon's desk. "Every living creature has a specific energy signature, which travels harmoniously within space-time. Your signature and that of the deceased John are identical, which means that the deceased John was not a separate being. He was you, or part of you the dominant."
John shook his head. "Okay ya know what? I took this class..."
"You need to understand John Crichton. I would listen, were I you. We know of your talk with the Lun'haris.
"Excuse me, the who?"
"I believe you refer to them as The Ancients. In our space we call them the Lun'haris. We are aware of the guidance they have given you. However they did not inform you of all you need to know. That is why we guided you here."
"Wait...what do you mean guided me here?"
Baswik's quirky little face Lit with excitement. "We sent you the signature for this portal."
"Okay, so you sent me a little help. Based on what the Lun'haris told me, which of course conflicts with what you just told me. They said that there was only one me with millions of possible realit...what?" John watched Baswik shake his little head. "What?"
"The Lun'haris are understandably the masters of wormhole creation and space time within these wormhole anomalies. However, they do not quite grasp the meaning of life and it's existence with in the realm of time, outside of the wormholes." Baswik puffed with importance, reminding Crichton of a little peacock. 'Would the little thing strut next?'
John simply stared. "So?"
"So, There are no possible realities. They are actual realities and for each of these realities there is an energy signature."
"Man! I'm so lost, I can't find myself. So now it's not just one me with millions of possible realities. It's millions of me with millions of realities?"
Baswik beamed, nodding wildly. "You are somewhat correct, John Crichton, it's one you with millions of signature you, with millions of realities!"
"So if this is just another reality, where is the me that was here?"
"It was a weaker signature and it is now you."
John stared again frowning. Just once he'd like to understand something at face value, just once! "What? Look, I'm still lost. How is that possible?"
Baswik growled impatiently. Just when he thought the human understood, he didn't. "Raise your arm up, crooked at the elbow with your hand pointed skyward, please." Baswik grabbed John's elbow and began to demonstrate. "We will start with your birth." Shaking John's elbow. "This is you or rather your dominant energy signature at birth. At the time of your birth, your energy signature immediately splinters off into millions of other time dimensional paths." He traced John's elbow up to the tip of each finger. "With the dominant or strongest most pure signature remaining within the dimension of your birth. Your dominant signature will remain in this time dimension unless you choose wormhole travel later."
John finally understood. "You're saying I exist in other realities, or dimensions of time."
Baswik again smiled and nodded. "Yes John Crichton, that's it. Now you understand, yes?"
"Yeah...kinda, but tell me this? If anything happens to one of these weaker signatures, what happens to the rest of us?"
Aeryn surprised John by answering. "Nothing, really. However if the dominant signature dies, you all die."
"Correct Aeryn Sun!" Baswik paused as if in thought. "But..."
John shook his head and glanced at Aeryn. "There's always a but." He turned back to Baswik. "What do you mean but?"
"If one of the weaker signatures cease to exist, all of its primary experiences will be transferred directly to the dominant signature over a period of time through memories and dreams."
"Okay, so since I'm the dominant signature I will obtain the memories of any Crichton that dies, whether I participated or not?"
Yes John, but you see you did participate. Your thinking is still one- dimensional. You are experiencing everything the weaker signatures are. The closeness of these signatures within the realm of time designates their placement within your subconscious mind. So you see at this moment you are actually participating in millions of activities. The closest signature's experiences other then your dominant one may seem like...I believe you have a saying...Déjà vu."
"Wow...." John was simply stunned by this. He finally shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Wow...okay so back to the baby. You're saying that both of us are the father?"
Dr. Narshu spoke for the first time since Baswik began his explanation. "No John, not both, again your thinking is one-dimensional. You are the child's father. Whether it was dominant or weaker signature, it was still you. There is only John with millions of signatures that are John or are minor parts of you. For instance, do you not remember your time on Talyn? It was not a primary experience for the dominant signature, but it was still an experience for John Crichton."
John frowned, he did remember! He remembered every moment of John and Aeryn's existence aboard Talyn. He could remember the smells and feel of Talyn. He remembered every chaotic mission the crew of five had completed. He remembered every nuance of his relationship with Aeryn, the flashes! Yes he remembered! "Yes, I remember."
"Good!"
"No...no not good! This dren is just utterly confusing!"
"John calm down." Aeryn rubbed his shoulder and arm, trying to sooth him. She addressed the doctor. "So you've told us the DNA result, John is the father. But what else, you seem worried."
Dr. Narshu nodded. "There is a problem."
John didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean there is a problem? With what...With who?"
"With Aeryn and the child." Narshu answered.
"What? What's wrong with them?"
"You'll remember that all living creatures have a dominant energy signature, which splinters off into millions of weaker dimensional signatures."
"Yeah?"
"Each signature is designed to reside harmoniously within a specific dimensional path."
"Doc, all this is real fascinating but can you please just get to the Aeryn and baby part!" John's patience was beginning to wear quite thin.
"John." Aeryn spoke softly. "We came here for answers. Now let them give us those answers, please."
"Fine Aeryn, fine." He turned to Narshu and Baswik. "You two stop beating around the bush and talk!"
"Your signature, John Crichton, flows smoothly within this dimension. Aeryn's and the child's do not." Narshu stared worriedly at Aeryn. "In fact their signatures are quite erratic."
"So what does that mean?" John demanded.
Baswik answered. "It means that somehow each of their signatures were removed or allowed to be removed from their correct path."
"How?"
"The individual signature may have slipped through a vortex in time." Baswik stopped Crichton from interrupting. "A rift in the time continuum, usually caused by a sudden death, birth or unknowledgeable wormhole travel."
Aeryn didn't understand much of this and the more they explained the more confused she became. "Which is it in my case?"
The answer was quick and precise. "Death." The doctor shook her head. Slowly. "You should not be here Aeryn Sun. Your signature for this particular dimension ceased over three cycles ago. You...this signature of Aeryn Sun should not be on this path."
"Then why am I here? How did I get here?" Great now it was her turn for class.
"When the original signature for this path ceased, another signature was removed from its own home dimension and placed on this time line. This caused an interruption in your line. Because of this corruption, your line is steadily loosing its elasticity within the realm of time."
"But if the dominant signature ceases to live then all secondary signatures should cease as well. If I died three cycles ago then how can any signature remain in any time dimension?"
"Simple, the signature that died was not the dominant energy signature."
"What do you mean? I was born here, a Peacekeeper."
"Your time line began elsewhere. Your life as a Peacekeeper was just another path, but not the original." Baswik jumped down from Narshu's desk and began to pace.
John stared at Aeryn, caressed her cheek and turned to the other two occupants. "Okay, so I am the dominant signature and I do belong on this path at the moment right?" at Baswik and Narshu's nod he continued. "And this Aeryn is not the dominant signature and in fact she shouldn't be on this path at all. So how did she get here? Can you trace that?"
"She arrived, by the call of a Mystic. Only the mystics of the highest level are able to replace signatures, through death." Narshu glanced from John to Aeryn. "Do you know a mystic?"
"Knew, we knew Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan." Aeryn spoke softly, remembering her friend.
"Ahh! A Delvian...yes...yes a ninth...tenth level Pa'u would be able to transcend time on all levels."
Aeryn glanced at John then back to Baswik. "You said this John should be here, what happens if another John were to travel through a wormhole and exit here? Wouldn't that cause a paradox?"
"Normally if both signatures are secondary this would cause a paradox, ending both lines suddenly and without warning. Which is why rules to time travel must be followed closely and the portals monitored constantly. However if the dominant signature were to exit the wormhole on the path were a secondary signature resides, the dominant signature will simply become the primary of that line. Meaning that when this Crichton arrived through the wormhole, the secondary Crichton simply became part of him." When Aeryn nodded her understanding, Baswik moved on. "If a weaker signature were to arrive, it would again simply become part of the dominant adding his essence to the dominant."
"And once the dominant moves on?"
"Once the dominant leaves the path, the true signature for that path will once again exist as it did before. But as I said earlier if that signature dies, that line will cease to exist, leaving the others to carry on."
"So if Aeryn doesn't belong here, where does she belong? Where is her dominant signature and what affect does all this have on our baby?" Aeryn shot John a surprised glance. Did he realize what he'd just said?
"Where this signature for Aeryn belongs, I do not know. The dominant Aeryn resides in her original dimension, she has not traveled out of it. The affect on the child is the same as it is on Aeryn. It should not be here, in this time or inside of this Aeryn. The child's signature grows quite faint. It must be helped"
"I'm heading back down 'Confusion Boulevard' here folks." John shot. "What do we do?"
"Simple John Crichton, you and this Aeryn Sun must correct the time lines." Narshu instructed. She moved to sit on the corner edge of her desk.
Aeryn and John spoke in unison. "How?"
Baswik took over, coming to stand next to Narshu's leg. "One, you must go back and correct the very first mistake."
"Which is?"
"You must keep Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan from bringing this Aeryn Sun through the vortex. The Aeryn Sun of this time line must remain dead."
John frowned shaking his head. "No...nope, 'The Ancients' said that I couldn't go back prior to the time I left."
"True, you can't travel back on you're dominant path, but the path you will be traveling on will be Aeryn's."
"How? We will still be traveling back against a time line."
"No, you will not. Aeryn Sun no longer exist in this dimension of time. Remember this Aeryn does not belong here. Therefore you can travel on her line without impediment."
"Okay fine, we can travel back on her line but how? She would have to..."
Baswik stared expectantly. "Yes?"
"She would have to initiate the wormhole." John finished. "She doesn't know how."
"Yes she does. All intelligent beings carry the knowledge. It lies dormant until needed or discovered. This Aeryn must simply tap into her energy signal and access the knowledge of that signature which has already ventured through the wormhole."
"Okay once we get to the appropriate time and place, what do we do?" John's heart was pounding a metra a micron, what the hell was he getting into?
"You must travel back to the precise event of Aeryn's death. This Aeryn will then reside in her own dimension. Since you cannot physically interfere with the Pa'u; you must work around her. At the exact moment that she opens the vortex to bring this signature through, you must open a wormhole and immediately draw Aeryn into it. This must be done quickly, before she actually has the chance to effectively change the outcome. She cannot be allowed to touch, say or do anything!"
"And if I miss, or she does manage to effect time?"
"You can't afford to miss! But in the event that you do, just come back here and start again. This Aeryn will be waiting, unless she was allowed to effect a drastic change. If so then your puzzle becomes a bit more difficult."
"Great! It's like Monopoly, don't pass go, and don't collect two hundred dollars." John muttered. "How can I come back here?"
"Not to this particular moment, just this Dimension. We will not be allowed to have this conversation again. I would suggest that you be sure of your destination." "Okay, so once I grab this Aeryn away from Zhaan, what next?"
"Once you have corrected that time line, you must then find the time line that she belongs to. Once there, you must then find and correct the problems that allowed this Aeryn to be pulled through the vortex."
"Wait...how will we know what the problems are?" John asked.
"The problems will manifest themselves in the form of inconsistencies, oddities and abnormalities. But be careful, different path, different routines, everything that seems abnormal or odd may not be wrong." Baswik cautioned. "Once that is completed, you must move on to your next step."
"And that is?" Aeryn asked.
Baswik smiled. "You must find the child's correct path."
Again, John and Aeryn spoke in unison. "What?"
"While you may have millions of realities, they may not all mirror each other. This child does not exist in all of your or Aeryn's realities, therefore concentrating on the child's energy signature, you must find its correct time line. Once there you must again correct the mistakes that allowed the child's signature to leave its original path. Since correcting this Aeryn's path may erase the child's signature from it, you must memorize every signature for Aeryn and the child you come into contact with. There will be times when you will need to rely solely on your memory, John Crichton. When that is done, your next stop will be home."
"There's got to be a catch." John sighed. ""There's always a catch."
"This must all be accomplished before Aeryn's dominant signature gives birth."
"But you just said that the realities don't necessarily mirror each other." Aeryn's annoyance was starting to show.
"This is true. However, in the case of birth, the rules change slightly. Birth is the beginning of a new dominant energy signature. It can only begin within a dominant host and this Aeryn is not the dominant host, nor is this child's signature the dominant one. Which means it belongs to a secondary path. If the corrupted time lines are not corrected, then the dimensional ripples will move to eradicate the problem, by simply destroying both Aeryn Sun's entire line and the child's along with her." Narshu stood. "I can not stress enough that you must memorize signatures John Crichton and be careful in your rectification process. One wrong turn and you both may be stuck in the wrong path, permanently or until another problem causes a rift, which could be detrimental to all lines that cross yours."
John stood helping Aeryn to her feet. "You said that my signature belongs here. Why?"
Baswik stopped on his way to the door. ''Your dominant signature traveled here to correct Aeryn Sun's line and yours."
"So even though you guided me here, I was trying to get here anyway?" John asked.
"Hmm...a dominant energy signature has a way of knowing when its time line is endangered. Your path and hers are connected. If hers is not correct, it will ultimately upset yours. Your dominant signature realized this cycles ago and at the first chance traveled through the time portal or what you call wormhole to find and correct the problems. Your quest, however, has been slightly interrupted over the past four cycles."
""Yeah, you're telling me. How do I correct the rift left when I went through the first wormhole in Earth's orbit. How will I explain my absence?" John asked Baswik; he stared down at him waiting for an answer he was sure of.
"Your dominant signature is here with us, but to your friends and family you have always been on earth. There is a weaker signature there that traveled through the wormhole at the exact moment you did. It will return through the portal to it's own time line when you return to yours."
"Okay, I think I got it." John paused on his way out. "Can you please tell me one more thing?"
"If I can."
"Does the dominant signature for Aeryn exist within my dimension or do they simply cross mine somewhere?" John and Aeryn both held their breath waiting for the answer.
"I do not know, John Crichton, I'm sorry. You two should go and rest, you will want to leave soon." Baswik answered softly, almost sadly.
Aeryn and John turned to leave; Dr. Narshu's words stopped them. "John, Aeryn? Good luck and remain safe."
Aeryn smiled slightly. "Thank you for all your help." John nodded and followed Aeryn out of the office, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Dr. Narshu addressed Baswik once the two were alone. "Why did you lie?"
Baswik turned to face Narshu. "Tell me, if you were from Earth and found yourself here with the ability to get home anytime you wanted and I told you that the one person you love above all else was back on Earth dying, what would be your first move?"
"I would go to Earth, straight away."
"Exactly! If I had told them that the dominant signature for Aeryn was on Earth dying because of the time line corruption, they would be planning to journey to Earth. If they do that, Aeryn and the child will die and no amount of time manipulation would bring them back. Crichton will find out soon enough that his mate awaits him on Earth. He must correct the dimensional corruptions in her line, before she exists no more. It is the reason he journeyed here."
***********************
"John I'm scared. What if something goes wrong? What happens when we correct the baby's path? Does that mean I won't have a baby, do I ceased to be pregnant?" Aeryn allowed John to pull her into his embrace and comfort her.
"Shh...I know baby, I'm scared too, but we have to correct your time line and the baby's. I don't want to loose you. As long as your line is viable, there's a chance we will be together, maybe not here in this time but in another." John walked her over to the bed in their quarters. "Aeryn, I want you to try and get a little rest, while I work out a few equations. I'm going to try and guide you through the wormhole, so that we exit on your path."
Aeryn nodded. "Alright...John?"
"Yeah baby?"
"I love you."
John kissed her softly on the lips and caressed her distended belly. "I love you too." John knew that he couldn't make one mistake. Two very important lives depended on him. He'd be damned if he would frell it up! The Ancients wanted him to manipulate wormholes, then manipulate he would, but for his, Aeryn's and the baby's sake. Frell the rest!