Chapter 3
The trip to the planet actually turned out to be rather pleasant. As with many of the planets they had visited in this far-flung area of the Uncharted Territories, the population was a mixture of many species. They had either migrated from other parts of the universe or were fleeing whatever tyranny or crime their particular problem was, with no questions asked. As such, no one seemed to bother them, no one seemed to care that they looked and dressed like Peacekeepers. They had got all they needed in terms of supplies and retired to one of the open-air cafes in the main square of the city for refreshment. Crichton sat basking in the rays of the twin suns letting them warm his face, whilst Aeryn sat under the shade to keep cool. This was the most content they had been in each other's company for what seemed like days, but maybe that was because they weren't talking, just enjoying the chance to relax. John reached for Aeryn's hand and was happy that she let him hold it in his. He had been about to ask her what was wrong but decided that he best let sleeping dogs lie and just enjoy her company.

For the first time in days Aeryn was not thinking about her current predicament and relished the comforting feeling of John's thumb rubbing up and down the back of her hand. She knew she was being unfair to John and treating him badly, but she couldn't help herself. She knew that in her current emotional state, she would just break down if she didn't walk away when an argument was brewing and she was not ready for that to happen just yet.

Whilst the couple were both silently thinking through these problems, an alien with the grey scaly skin of the predominant natural species of the planet came to sit at the next table with his back to them.

"Are you John Crichton?" he asked, not turning round to face them. "Uh ooh, here we go," thought John

"Who wants to know?" he said nonchalantly as if to Aeryn. She had imperceptibly sat up and her hand slipped from his to rest on her pulse pistol.

"I am a friend. My name is Pralesh. I have come to warn you that our masters know that you are here, but also to ask for your help"

"Your masters? What do they look like? Don't tell me, dressed all in black scaly leather from head to toe with a nasty grin"

"No, of course not, our masters are the Scarrens"

"Scarrens! This planet belongs to the Scarrens? Why does nobody tell me these things? And what are they doing this far into the Uncharteds?"

"It doesn't belong to the Scarrens. Our people have an expertise in radiation and heat technology. Until recently we had just used it for peaceful purposes, but now the Scarrens are forcing us to develop a weapon to use against the Peacekeepers. They wish us to make a weapon that will induce sebacean heat delirium in large numbers of Peacekeepers without damaging the ships they are in."

"They're forcing you to do this? How come?"

"We had contracts with a number of planets in this system for our technology. The Scarrens have bought up all the contracts and so our commerce is paralysed without their patronage. Did you not wonder why your Scarren currency was accepted without question here?"

"Why are you warning us. Won't you be in danger?"

"It is worth it. When I heard the masters talking about John Crichton I knew that you could help us. It is providence that a warrior of your greatness has been sent to free us from this tyranny" Aeryn just gave him a look that said "great warrior, who is he kidding!" He chose to ignore it.

"I'm sorry pal, I'm all out of tyranny termination at the moment. Do you know why the Scarrens are looking for me?"

"They have heard of your exploits against the Peacekeepers, as have we. They also think you may have been responsible for the destruction of one of their dreadnoughts by a wormhole some time ago. They wish to interrogate you"

"Doesn't everybody! Been there, done that and would rather avoid it again if at all possible. Hey, thanks for the warning buddy, we really owe you" he replied. "Aeryn, lets get out of here as quickly and quietly as possible"

"You are not leaving, John Crichton?" Pralesh almost turned round to look at Crichton in his anxiety.

"Look man, I can appreciate being under the thumb of the Scarrens is no bed of roses, but I'm not the Messiah, I'm not your saviour."

"No John, I think we should help" Aeryn, who had been silently listening throughout the exchange spoke up and took the wind out of his sails.

"You don't think we should go straight back to the pod and blast out of here?"

"I suggest that we go somewhere where we can talk privately and think about this. How about that hotel over the street?" she started off in the direction of the hotel while John paid their bill before following. Whereas before they had noticed nothing amiss suddenly everywhere they looked people seemed to be watching them. Whether it was real or just paranoia, neither could tell.

"John, we have to do something about this weapon technology" were Aeryn's first words when they got to their hastily rented hotel room.

"Hey, Aeryn, you know that the Peacekeeper-Scarren war is gonna get going very soon and it's going to be real bloody. We've done out best to keep wormhole technology away from both sides, but I bet your bottom dollar they're both working on some other way of blowing each other to hell and back and we're not going to be able to stop everything"

"I agree John, but we do have an opportunity to stop this one. If the Scarrens obtain a means of inducing the living death on a mass scale, imagine how they might use that. Not just against the military; they could wipe out whole colonies of sebacean peoples. For instance, what if they turned it against the breakaway colonies and the Royal planet?" Damn, she knew how to press his buttons! John thought about Princess Katralla, still a statue and carrying his child. He wouldn't want either of them to suffer the living death.

"The sensible thing would be to get the hell out of Dodge asap"

"When have we ever done the sensible thing?"

"Well, there's a first time for everything but I guess it's not gonna be today. You got any ideas how we destroy their research? I know destroying people's weapon research is one of our specialities but I'm all out of plans right at the moment"

"I'm sure our friend will be able to help." As if on queue there was a quiet knock at the door and Pralesh entered the room.

"Well Pralesh, my better half thinks we should help you out," John said with a grimace

"I am very grateful. You must be Aeryn Sun. I have heard many great things of you also." Aeryn acknowledged his words with a slight nod.

"Is it just you who wants the research destroyed or are there others? Where is the weapon held and how advanced is it? How many Scarrens are here?" Aeryn's military past took over as she fired questions at the wide- eyed Pralesh. John just sat back and watched the performance of an officer born to command.

"No, it is not just me. There is a rebel movement of which I am part. I am the main intelligence gatherer because I am the administrative assistant to the Scarren commander. The research facility is in a deep bunker under the main power plant. They have so far built a small prototype device and there are only five Scarrens here; the commander and four guards. They rule by fear rather than numbers" he took a deep steadying breath and looked at Crichton and Aeryn expectantly.

"Thank you, Pralesh. You should leave now so that your master doesn't become suspicious. Meet us behind the hotel when darkness falls. I presume that darkness does fall here?

"Yes it does, Aeryn Sun, in about three arns" with that he left, as quietly as he had arrived.

"Alright John, I have a plan"

"Oh hell, I know this is going to involve huge amounts of shooting and generally behaving like Arnold Schwarzeneggar on a terminator bad day"

"You know it's fun to shoot things, John" she replied with a ghost of a smile. "And who is this Arnold Schwarz-a-thing?"

"Oh, you'd love him, but now is not the time to explain!"