"I'm sorry," her mirror replied, lowering her eyes respectfully. "You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Sundance, unless you are renaming me."
She couldn't breath, couldn't talk. He'd said if she ever wanted to know what her mother looked like, to check in a mirror. Paralyzed, she inspected every nuance of the woman before her. With the exception of two white streaks making her hair appear even darker, everything was the same. Oh, dear God, how was dad going to handle this? A hundred questions hung unasked. The guilt and tension were palpable. If she had the strength to raise her arm, she thought she might touch the agony of everyone on board.
The young boy holding his mother so protectively couldn't be older than twelve or thirteen cycles. How was dad going to handle another man's child? Where was she this whole time? A vision of the burning prowler crashing to the ground filled her eyes.
Not another word was spoken the entire trip back to Moya.
The ship finally docked, but no one made a move to leave until a cheerful voice broke over the comms, shattering the silence. "Yo, D. You guys are back early, what's taking you so long? Everything ok in there?"
D'Argo turned to Sundance and Aeric. "Wait here. Chiana, you stay with them."
For once Chiana didn't argue, merely nodded and closed her eyes expelling a long breath. "What are you going to tell him?"
"I... don't know yet."
Brennik followed D'Argo as he exited the ship. Her father was waiting anxiously in the hanger, a large smile greeting her.
"So, Bren, how did you like it? Pretty awesome isn't it? Let's get something to eat and you can tell me all about it." When neither she nor D'Argo made a move his smile faded slightly. He turned to D'Argo for the first time and saw the grim expression on his friend. "What happened? Brennik, are you all right?"
"I'm fine dad."
"John, we need to talk."
He was getting impatient. Gritting his teeth he asked point blank, "What the hell happened down there?"
"We have two vis... we brought back..." D'Argo lowered his head in frustration at his inability to find the right words. He let out a heavy sigh. "John, don't do anything hasty."
"Will you just tell me what the hell you're talking about? Who is with you? What did you bring back?"
"Chiana!" D'Argo bellowed and a couple of microts later Chiana appeared with the woman hovering behind her.
"John, don't do anything rash. She's been a slave and she's sick, she needs our help. Don't jump to conclusions."
Slowly, Chiana stepped aside giving Crichton a good view of the woman for the first time. Brennik didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't the complete and total lack of any reaction. For long microts he simply stared, not breathing, not blinking, not moving. Sundance stood still, recognizing that her place on this ship was dependant on this man, this statue. Her eyes were lowered to her toes, as was customary for her station.
"Look at me." His voice was a mere hoarse whisper, but it carried a command that was not to be disobeyed. She raised her eyes and their gazes connected, locking, binding them together. "Don't ever look away again."
"Yes, sir."
"And don't call me sir. The name is John."
What the hezema was her father doing? Why didn't he sweep her into his arms? He should be dancing for joy, asking questions, showing her mother how much he loves and missed her. But he just stood there staring.
"What is your name?"
"Sundance," the woman paused. "Forgive me for asking, but am I to be yours?"
A strangled cry was quickly swallowed by the tormented man. Brennik could almost see her father's heart being ripped out of his chest as he spoke. "You belong to no one. You are free to come and go as you wish. But if you choose to stay with us, we will move heaven and earth to help you."
The woman looked cautiously hopeful. "And what of my son?"
Aeric stepped into view and Crichton's eyes finally looked away from the scared woman to the young man. "I belong to the Luxan. It was the deal I made for your release mother, and it is a debt of honor."
"Oh, for the love of... I did not require him to indenture himself to me."
"Of coarse you didn't D'Argo. Boy, what's your name?"
"Aeric."
"How old are you?"
"I'll be thirteen cycles in one monen. But I'm strong for my age. I learn quickly and I can work for you..."
"You don't have to worry. We're not kicking you off the boat." He turned to Sundance. "The boy's father, do we need to go find him too?"
She shook her had no. "He is my miracle baby."
Her father nodded slightly. "Chiana, why don't you take our guests to their quarters to rest."
He waited until the three left the hanger before he collapsed onto a large crate, burying his face in his hands. D'Argo awkwardly placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will discover the truth," the Luxan assured.
"How am I going to do it D'Argo? How am I going to pull this one off?" His hands were shaking as he raked them through his hair. He looked forlornly through the door his love had disappeared through and buried his face in his hands once again.
She couldn't breath, couldn't talk. He'd said if she ever wanted to know what her mother looked like, to check in a mirror. Paralyzed, she inspected every nuance of the woman before her. With the exception of two white streaks making her hair appear even darker, everything was the same. Oh, dear God, how was dad going to handle this? A hundred questions hung unasked. The guilt and tension were palpable. If she had the strength to raise her arm, she thought she might touch the agony of everyone on board.
The young boy holding his mother so protectively couldn't be older than twelve or thirteen cycles. How was dad going to handle another man's child? Where was she this whole time? A vision of the burning prowler crashing to the ground filled her eyes.
Not another word was spoken the entire trip back to Moya.
The ship finally docked, but no one made a move to leave until a cheerful voice broke over the comms, shattering the silence. "Yo, D. You guys are back early, what's taking you so long? Everything ok in there?"
D'Argo turned to Sundance and Aeric. "Wait here. Chiana, you stay with them."
For once Chiana didn't argue, merely nodded and closed her eyes expelling a long breath. "What are you going to tell him?"
"I... don't know yet."
Brennik followed D'Argo as he exited the ship. Her father was waiting anxiously in the hanger, a large smile greeting her.
"So, Bren, how did you like it? Pretty awesome isn't it? Let's get something to eat and you can tell me all about it." When neither she nor D'Argo made a move his smile faded slightly. He turned to D'Argo for the first time and saw the grim expression on his friend. "What happened? Brennik, are you all right?"
"I'm fine dad."
"John, we need to talk."
He was getting impatient. Gritting his teeth he asked point blank, "What the hell happened down there?"
"We have two vis... we brought back..." D'Argo lowered his head in frustration at his inability to find the right words. He let out a heavy sigh. "John, don't do anything hasty."
"Will you just tell me what the hell you're talking about? Who is with you? What did you bring back?"
"Chiana!" D'Argo bellowed and a couple of microts later Chiana appeared with the woman hovering behind her.
"John, don't do anything rash. She's been a slave and she's sick, she needs our help. Don't jump to conclusions."
Slowly, Chiana stepped aside giving Crichton a good view of the woman for the first time. Brennik didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't the complete and total lack of any reaction. For long microts he simply stared, not breathing, not blinking, not moving. Sundance stood still, recognizing that her place on this ship was dependant on this man, this statue. Her eyes were lowered to her toes, as was customary for her station.
"Look at me." His voice was a mere hoarse whisper, but it carried a command that was not to be disobeyed. She raised her eyes and their gazes connected, locking, binding them together. "Don't ever look away again."
"Yes, sir."
"And don't call me sir. The name is John."
What the hezema was her father doing? Why didn't he sweep her into his arms? He should be dancing for joy, asking questions, showing her mother how much he loves and missed her. But he just stood there staring.
"What is your name?"
"Sundance," the woman paused. "Forgive me for asking, but am I to be yours?"
A strangled cry was quickly swallowed by the tormented man. Brennik could almost see her father's heart being ripped out of his chest as he spoke. "You belong to no one. You are free to come and go as you wish. But if you choose to stay with us, we will move heaven and earth to help you."
The woman looked cautiously hopeful. "And what of my son?"
Aeric stepped into view and Crichton's eyes finally looked away from the scared woman to the young man. "I belong to the Luxan. It was the deal I made for your release mother, and it is a debt of honor."
"Oh, for the love of... I did not require him to indenture himself to me."
"Of coarse you didn't D'Argo. Boy, what's your name?"
"Aeric."
"How old are you?"
"I'll be thirteen cycles in one monen. But I'm strong for my age. I learn quickly and I can work for you..."
"You don't have to worry. We're not kicking you off the boat." He turned to Sundance. "The boy's father, do we need to go find him too?"
She shook her had no. "He is my miracle baby."
Her father nodded slightly. "Chiana, why don't you take our guests to their quarters to rest."
He waited until the three left the hanger before he collapsed onto a large crate, burying his face in his hands. D'Argo awkwardly placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will discover the truth," the Luxan assured.
"How am I going to do it D'Argo? How am I going to pull this one off?" His hands were shaking as he raked them through his hair. He looked forlornly through the door his love had disappeared through and buried his face in his hands once again.