"Apparitions"
Time: Twenty-five cycles after Fractures
Disclaimer: I didn't create Farscape, didn't create the characters and don't make a plug nickel off of it.
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Part Seven: A Bright Symmetry
I was running as fast as I could for the hanger. I had to get to the Prowler; Rygel would be taking off soon, and if I weren't there to cover him, he wouldn't have a chance.
Rygel's voice sounded angry over my comm. "Vanessa, where the hezmana are you? These blotching pirates."
"I know, Ryg! I'll be taking off in a microt! Look, take off, but stay low! Maybe they won't pay attention to you! We'll get you back up here in one piece!" We had come to this commerce planet to pick up some supplies and take a little vacation. How were we supposed to know this particular commerce planet was in the sights of a wandering pack of pirates? What is it about Leviathans that draws so much trouble and attention to them?
I reached the Prowler a microt later. As I climbed in, I was overwhelmed by a sense of.what did Dad call it? Déjà vu? That feeling that I'd done this before. I shook it off, pulled on the oculars and slapped the controls in rapid sequence. I skipped the preflight checks, brought the engines and weapons online and took off.
I took a microt to orient myself then dove for the atmosphere. "Rygel, where are you?"
"I'm heading north, away from the city! Now get your skinny half-breed ass down here! They're heading my way!"
I checked the tracking screens but couldn't get a clear reading, adjusted my heading and tried to coax more speed out of the engines. The images projected by the oculars shifted to show the terrain below me. An adjustment highlighted Rygel's transport pod. It also showed the four fighters that were closing on him.
"Vanessa, you must hurry." Pilot sounded concerned. "If you don't get down there."
"I know, Pilot! I know!" I leaned forward in the ejection seat, as if that would make the Prowler go faster.
Though it was only a matter of microts, it seemed like weekens before I finally had the pod in sight. Rygel seemed to be doing a good job evading the fighters, but there were signs of damage on the pod's hull. And their fire was getting more accurate.
I didn't bother with issuing ultimatums; the pilots wouldn't have listened to them anyway. Instead, I just targeted the lead fighter and fired. As the fighter came apart, two of the others pulled up and came after me. The last one stayed with the transport pod.
The dogfight didn't last very long. I may not have had formal training, but the two best pilots in both the Uncharted Territories and Tormented Space taught me. These guys were talented amateurs. But they did keep me away from the pod.
I was closing with the fighter when he opened fire. The first shots struck the pod's engines. With control gone, it began to tumble. Two more shots blew the pod - and Rygel - apart.
I screamed in failure. Even shooting down the remaining fighter didn't make me feel better. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to bury the overwhelming sense of failure.
When I opened my eyes again, I found the Prowler gone. The ejection seat now sat on one side of the medical bay. For a moment, I was confused, then realized that I had just relived the day Rygel was killed. But how did the seat get in the medical bay.unless this was one of those out-of-body experiences Dad once told me about.
Once I saw my body lying on the table, I knew I was right.
I stood and walked to the table. Lhatan was talking to Mattis, who had a look on his face that bordered on both psychotic rage and depression. I couldn't hear what they were saying, though.
"Mattis, what's going on? Can Lhatan do anything about the poison?" Neither of them reacted, which made sense in a perverse sort of way. I walked up to Mattis, leaned close and waved a hand in front of his eyes. He didn't blink, didn't react at all. I got the same response from Lhatan.
I guess being on the verge of death doesn't allow for two-way communication. I watched them, watched the look on Mattis's face become darker then left the medical bay.
I wandered through the corridors, watching the DRDs carrying out their tasks. After a few microts, I came to the Central Chamber. Inside, I could see Chiana crying, being comforted by Stark. Further wandering brought me to the cells. Jack and Tashina were talking to Furlow. Well, Jack was talking. Tashina was talking her frustrations out on Furlow.
I wanted to tell Tashina that she won't be able to get information from a dead body, but I suspected she already knew that.
I watched them for a few microts then walked away. "I'm going to miss them all. Too bad I can't say goodbye to anyone." I stopped and looked back. A DRD was coming up behind me. It was almost as if he could see me.
The sound of running feet made me stop and turn. A young boy of about five cycles was running toward me. I knew I'd never seen him before, but he looked very familiar. He stopped in front of me, looked up and smiled.
"Hello," he said.
"You can see me? No one else seems to be able to. Where did you come from?"
"Oh, I'm not really here. You're just dreaming."
I nodded slowly. Perfectly clear. "Who are you? We don't have any young kids onboard Moya."
The boy smiled. "I'm another child of John and Aeryn."
Huh? "Another.? I'm sorry, but that can't be right. I'm John and Aeryn's daughter, and I don't have a brother."
His smile grew. "If you say so." I blinked and he was gone.
I sighed. "Maybe Mom and Dad are still alive. Too bad I didn't live long enough to find them."
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Pilot was alone in his den when I walked in. He was still working, touched and tapping controls, maintaining and monitoring Moya's systems. In twenty- three cycles, I don't recall him ever just sitting still, not doing anything.
I could tell by the look on his face that he was depressed. I guess it must be worse for him, since he not only had his own emotions to deal with, but he was also experiencing Moya's emotions.
I stared at him then took a step closer to the console. "Pilot, I'm sorry. I said that I'd protect you and Moya after Mom and Dad disappeared. I tried, I really tried. But I failed you. All I wanted was to keep us all safe. But I failed you, just like I failed Rygel."
Pilot turned suddenly and looked right at me. For a microt, it seemed like he was able to see me. But he stared for a brief instant, shook his head and returned to his work."
Shaking my head, I turned back to the door.and found a wormhole on the other side.
I inhaled deeply and walked up to the threshold. "So, is this where I pass beyond? Somehow, I knew it would look like a wormhole."
I was about to take a step through the door when I heard the voice.
"Vanessa."
It was a woman's voice, calm and peaceful. I turned slowly and looked around the den. There was no one else there.
"Vanessa."
"Hello?" The voice didn't belong to Chiana or Tashina. After a microt, my eyes went wide as I realized who was talking to me.
I looked up at the distant ceiling of the den. "Moya? Is that you? You can see me?"
"Vanessa.live. Please.live. For me, please.live."
I looked away from the door and went to the wall. I gently pressed my hands against the cool metal. "I don't want to die, Moya, but why should I go on? I'll only fail you all again."
"The only way to fail is not to try, Vanessa." That was Jack.
Turning, I saw Jack standing patiently by the door. "You can see me, too?"
"I was able to use some of my capabilities to reach into your mind. You can't die."
The laugh that boiled up was not at all funny. "I can't die. Who the frell are you to tell me I can't die? Why can't I? Because the Ancients don't want me to? You only want me to stay alive so you can have someone to do your dirty work for you."
"Say what you will, Vanessa, and I'm sorry you feel that way. If there were any other way to do this, I would certainly pursue it. But there isn't. Once this is over, you'll be able to rest."
"You gonna guarantee that, Jack?" He started to speak but stopped and looked grim. "Yeah, that's what I thought." I looked back at the door. The wormhole had been replaced by the corridor. I looked at Jack again and left the den.
As I walked, I noticed the lights were starting to dim. It seemed that no matter how much I tried to walk faster, my movements slowed down. Once the corridor was completely dark, the deck beneath my feet disappeared. I began to feel like I was falling.
In the distance, I heard Mattis's voice. ".if the worst happens, I'll protect them."
I frowned. "Protect who from what?" I never got an answer. I lost all sense of everything except for an overwhelming feeling of joy.
Maybe it won't be so bad after all.
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TO BE CONTINUED
Disclaimer: I didn't create Farscape, didn't create the characters and don't make a plug nickel off of it.
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Part Seven: A Bright Symmetry
I was running as fast as I could for the hanger. I had to get to the Prowler; Rygel would be taking off soon, and if I weren't there to cover him, he wouldn't have a chance.
Rygel's voice sounded angry over my comm. "Vanessa, where the hezmana are you? These blotching pirates."
"I know, Ryg! I'll be taking off in a microt! Look, take off, but stay low! Maybe they won't pay attention to you! We'll get you back up here in one piece!" We had come to this commerce planet to pick up some supplies and take a little vacation. How were we supposed to know this particular commerce planet was in the sights of a wandering pack of pirates? What is it about Leviathans that draws so much trouble and attention to them?
I reached the Prowler a microt later. As I climbed in, I was overwhelmed by a sense of.what did Dad call it? Déjà vu? That feeling that I'd done this before. I shook it off, pulled on the oculars and slapped the controls in rapid sequence. I skipped the preflight checks, brought the engines and weapons online and took off.
I took a microt to orient myself then dove for the atmosphere. "Rygel, where are you?"
"I'm heading north, away from the city! Now get your skinny half-breed ass down here! They're heading my way!"
I checked the tracking screens but couldn't get a clear reading, adjusted my heading and tried to coax more speed out of the engines. The images projected by the oculars shifted to show the terrain below me. An adjustment highlighted Rygel's transport pod. It also showed the four fighters that were closing on him.
"Vanessa, you must hurry." Pilot sounded concerned. "If you don't get down there."
"I know, Pilot! I know!" I leaned forward in the ejection seat, as if that would make the Prowler go faster.
Though it was only a matter of microts, it seemed like weekens before I finally had the pod in sight. Rygel seemed to be doing a good job evading the fighters, but there were signs of damage on the pod's hull. And their fire was getting more accurate.
I didn't bother with issuing ultimatums; the pilots wouldn't have listened to them anyway. Instead, I just targeted the lead fighter and fired. As the fighter came apart, two of the others pulled up and came after me. The last one stayed with the transport pod.
The dogfight didn't last very long. I may not have had formal training, but the two best pilots in both the Uncharted Territories and Tormented Space taught me. These guys were talented amateurs. But they did keep me away from the pod.
I was closing with the fighter when he opened fire. The first shots struck the pod's engines. With control gone, it began to tumble. Two more shots blew the pod - and Rygel - apart.
I screamed in failure. Even shooting down the remaining fighter didn't make me feel better. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to bury the overwhelming sense of failure.
When I opened my eyes again, I found the Prowler gone. The ejection seat now sat on one side of the medical bay. For a moment, I was confused, then realized that I had just relived the day Rygel was killed. But how did the seat get in the medical bay.unless this was one of those out-of-body experiences Dad once told me about.
Once I saw my body lying on the table, I knew I was right.
I stood and walked to the table. Lhatan was talking to Mattis, who had a look on his face that bordered on both psychotic rage and depression. I couldn't hear what they were saying, though.
"Mattis, what's going on? Can Lhatan do anything about the poison?" Neither of them reacted, which made sense in a perverse sort of way. I walked up to Mattis, leaned close and waved a hand in front of his eyes. He didn't blink, didn't react at all. I got the same response from Lhatan.
I guess being on the verge of death doesn't allow for two-way communication. I watched them, watched the look on Mattis's face become darker then left the medical bay.
I wandered through the corridors, watching the DRDs carrying out their tasks. After a few microts, I came to the Central Chamber. Inside, I could see Chiana crying, being comforted by Stark. Further wandering brought me to the cells. Jack and Tashina were talking to Furlow. Well, Jack was talking. Tashina was talking her frustrations out on Furlow.
I wanted to tell Tashina that she won't be able to get information from a dead body, but I suspected she already knew that.
I watched them for a few microts then walked away. "I'm going to miss them all. Too bad I can't say goodbye to anyone." I stopped and looked back. A DRD was coming up behind me. It was almost as if he could see me.
The sound of running feet made me stop and turn. A young boy of about five cycles was running toward me. I knew I'd never seen him before, but he looked very familiar. He stopped in front of me, looked up and smiled.
"Hello," he said.
"You can see me? No one else seems to be able to. Where did you come from?"
"Oh, I'm not really here. You're just dreaming."
I nodded slowly. Perfectly clear. "Who are you? We don't have any young kids onboard Moya."
The boy smiled. "I'm another child of John and Aeryn."
Huh? "Another.? I'm sorry, but that can't be right. I'm John and Aeryn's daughter, and I don't have a brother."
His smile grew. "If you say so." I blinked and he was gone.
I sighed. "Maybe Mom and Dad are still alive. Too bad I didn't live long enough to find them."
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Pilot was alone in his den when I walked in. He was still working, touched and tapping controls, maintaining and monitoring Moya's systems. In twenty- three cycles, I don't recall him ever just sitting still, not doing anything.
I could tell by the look on his face that he was depressed. I guess it must be worse for him, since he not only had his own emotions to deal with, but he was also experiencing Moya's emotions.
I stared at him then took a step closer to the console. "Pilot, I'm sorry. I said that I'd protect you and Moya after Mom and Dad disappeared. I tried, I really tried. But I failed you. All I wanted was to keep us all safe. But I failed you, just like I failed Rygel."
Pilot turned suddenly and looked right at me. For a microt, it seemed like he was able to see me. But he stared for a brief instant, shook his head and returned to his work."
Shaking my head, I turned back to the door.and found a wormhole on the other side.
I inhaled deeply and walked up to the threshold. "So, is this where I pass beyond? Somehow, I knew it would look like a wormhole."
I was about to take a step through the door when I heard the voice.
"Vanessa."
It was a woman's voice, calm and peaceful. I turned slowly and looked around the den. There was no one else there.
"Vanessa."
"Hello?" The voice didn't belong to Chiana or Tashina. After a microt, my eyes went wide as I realized who was talking to me.
I looked up at the distant ceiling of the den. "Moya? Is that you? You can see me?"
"Vanessa.live. Please.live. For me, please.live."
I looked away from the door and went to the wall. I gently pressed my hands against the cool metal. "I don't want to die, Moya, but why should I go on? I'll only fail you all again."
"The only way to fail is not to try, Vanessa." That was Jack.
Turning, I saw Jack standing patiently by the door. "You can see me, too?"
"I was able to use some of my capabilities to reach into your mind. You can't die."
The laugh that boiled up was not at all funny. "I can't die. Who the frell are you to tell me I can't die? Why can't I? Because the Ancients don't want me to? You only want me to stay alive so you can have someone to do your dirty work for you."
"Say what you will, Vanessa, and I'm sorry you feel that way. If there were any other way to do this, I would certainly pursue it. But there isn't. Once this is over, you'll be able to rest."
"You gonna guarantee that, Jack?" He started to speak but stopped and looked grim. "Yeah, that's what I thought." I looked back at the door. The wormhole had been replaced by the corridor. I looked at Jack again and left the den.
As I walked, I noticed the lights were starting to dim. It seemed that no matter how much I tried to walk faster, my movements slowed down. Once the corridor was completely dark, the deck beneath my feet disappeared. I began to feel like I was falling.
In the distance, I heard Mattis's voice. ".if the worst happens, I'll protect them."
I frowned. "Protect who from what?" I never got an answer. I lost all sense of everything except for an overwhelming feeling of joy.
Maybe it won't be so bad after all.
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TO BE CONTINUED
