Part 2: Sleeping Beauty Awakes

Bialar Crais, quite reasonably really, expected to see the irritating green creature who had stolen his ship when he woke up and not Aeryn and Crichton. Crichton was holding out a blanket at arms length and had his eyes closed. Aeryn looked as if she could not understand why she chose to spend time with such an incomprehensible creature.

Crais took the blanket and wrapped himself in it, feeling rather wrong-footed at having to greet them like this.

"What, precisely, are you doing here?" he asked. The last thing he remembered was Cymma insulting his captaincy skills. Moreover, memories of what had occurred since he had last seen Crichton were flooding his not-quite-awake brain, which made Crais even less pleased to see him than normal. He'd hoped he would have a little more time to prepare for this encounter.

"Well, a few things actually," Crichton said, casually putting an arm around Crais' shoulders. That alone was enough for all of Crais' survival instincts to start screaming 'DANGER!'.

"Number one," Crichton said. "Some alien chick with feathers in her hair is frelling with Talyn's DNA. Number two, you've been locked in here for three monens and she's pulled your transponder."

Crais reached up to the back of his neck. It was only then that he realised he couldn't hear Talyn anymore. His mind felt too quiet.

"Number three, you went to Earth. Number four, you frelled my sister. Number five, you killed my other sister."

Crais eyed Crichton warily, trying to guess exactly what he was planning to do.

"I thought maybe later we could have a little heart-to-heart about that."

Crais waited. Nothing happened.

"I…that would be possible," he ventured, still expecting Crichton to attack.

"Good," Crichton said. He nodded, looking perfectly composed. "Now, down to business. We need to find you some clothes and hopefully, before Miss Green Eyes looks up from her work, you can fill us in on whatever you remember before she shut you in the fish tank."

***

"So, what happened?" Crichton asked, once Crais reappeared, now fully dressed and clean.

"After our return from…from Earth, she appeared almost immediately," Crais said, "and remained with us for approximately two weekens before…"

"Before she got fed up with you and put you away. We know. What did she tell you about her plans for Talyn?"

"We discussed treatment for his instability and an alteration to his DNA that will mean he develops a dampening net within the next cycle. Both of which I tentatively approved, although I wished to comprehend the process more fully before making a final decision."

"So she kicked you out of the way for asking too many questions?" Crichton said, getting up from Crais' bed and crossing his arms.

"Yes. And now I intend to reclaim command," Crais said resolutely, taking a step towards the door of his quarters.

"First things first. Did she mention anything to you about Talyn's mating cycle?"

"Talyn has not yet reached sexual maturity," Crais answered, stopping and turning back.

"Yeah, he has, or nearly, and Cymma seems to be determined to get something done before he does. Problem is, we don't know what."

"Then I suggest we find out," Crais said, taking another step.

"One other tiny thing," Crichton said, moving to catch up with him.

"What?" Crais said, stopping again.

"Talyn's hormones are sort of…leaking into the air supply. You'll probably notice that he smells a bit odd. Before long, you're going to want to screw everything that moves. Nothing serious, let's get going."

"What?!" Crais said, as Crichton made to join Aeryn, who he'd just about been able to convince to wait outside.

"Yeah, you heard right," Crichton said, stopping at the door and nearly causing Crais to walk into him. "And you come anywhere near Aeryn and I'll cut off any body part that touches her. Understand?"

"Perfectly."

"Good."

***

"I know you're here, I know what you've done and I know what you want to know, but I don't have time!" was Cymma's reaction when they walked into Talyn's reproductive chamber.

"This is important," Crichton said.

"This is far more important," Cymma said, looking harassed. "Far more is at stake here than your curiousity. How are you feeling?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"How are you feeling? This is part of the subject!"

Crichton shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Horny," he admitted.

"How horny?"

"Very, okay."

Cymma stared at Crais, raising an eyebrow. He cleared his throat. "I have…begun to notice the effects," he said.

"Then it cannot be much longer before Talyn…"

"What the hell is that sound?" Crichton interrupted.

Aeryn, Crais and Cymma exchanged glances. "Starburst," they said in unison.

"Shit!" Crichton said.

"I assumed Talyn would last longer than you because of his greater mass," Cymma said, standing quickly and putting one hand against the wall. "I forgot to factor in his age."

"You think?!"

"If you had not kept interrupting me, I would probably have finished my work by now. As it is, all any of us can do is pray to our dieties of preference. Talyn has already located a female leviathan and time has run out."

"And yet you still refuse to inform us exactly what is at stake," Crais snapped.

"It is irrelevant now," Cymma said, as they exited starburst.

"Nothing that goes on aboard Talyn is irrelevant to me. I am his Captain!"

Cymma looked utterly disgusted. "You were bad enough without your libido contributing to your foul mood." She turned to Crichton and Aeryn. "Did you have to wake him up?"

"It was her idea," Crichton said, pointing to Aeryn.

"He agreed," Aeryn said.

"And I did not give either of you permission to begin making decisions for me," Crais said angrily.

"Would you prefer we'd left you in the restorative chamber?" Aeryn asked, folding her arms.

"Will you listen to me?!" Cymma exclaimed. "We have a leviathan to supervise. I have to get to command, you have to stay out of the way."

"I have to get to command," Crais said, stressing the first word. "He is my ship."

"Are we still going to go hormone-crazed?" Crichton demanded.

"Yes and before much longer," Cymma answered.

"Then I want him," Crichton said, pointing to Crais, "as far away from Aeryn as possible. Take him to command, you can deal with him."

Cymma didn't bother to answer. She grabbed the front of Crais' jacket and they both disappeared.

"I really wish she wouldn't do that," Crichton muttered.

***

Crais nearly fell over when they appeared in command, his legs feeling slightly wobbily. That was the second time she'd subjected him to that and he hated it even more now.

"I have told you before. Do not do that," he said.

"Quickest way," Cymma said, moving immediately towards the consoles and starting to scan. "No Peacekeeper presence. Good choice, Talyn."

"I trust that he does not require further attention from us," Crais said. He suddenly seemed to be finding it very difficult to concentrate on what was happening outside. He'd never cared less about Talyn and he had a shrewd suspicion that it wasn't the result of losing the transponder.

The part of his brain still functioning properly pointed out that a few microts ago he'd wanted to throw her out of the nearest airlock. The rest of him didn't seem to consider that an impediment.

"I suppose…that you are not affected by this," he murmured, approaching her with the grace of a Liberion panther.

"I didn't say that," Cymma said, her eyes still on the viewscreen. "I am joined to Talyn, in a manner of speaking, but my species have no need of the same releases of tension as yours. The feelings will subside."

"But you are capable of experiencing it?" Crais asked, lifting her hair off her neck to kiss it.

Cymma closed her eyes involuntarily. "I…uh…this body is not…my permanent form. I am also capable of…existing as energy…which allows me to…move locations instantaneously, but it is…capable of…"

Crais had found his way around to her mouth, turning her so that he was trapping her against the console with his body. "You know so much about this leviathan," he murmured, teasing her lips with his own. "I think it's time you learned a little about his captain."

He claimed her mouth, kissing her passionately, lifting her onto the console and finding she wrapped her legs around his waist. Talyn turned abruptly and both fell backwards onto the floor, neither of them paying the slightest bit of attention to what was going on outside.

***

Some time later, Cymma suddenly sat bolt upright, a horrified expression on her face. "Talyn," she gasped. "I forgot all about Talyn!"

"I believe that leviathans revert to acting entirely on instinct on these occasions," Crais said, sitting up also as he began the long process of untangling his clothes from the pile on the floor. "And, judging by the fact that he appears to have entered a sleep-cycle, I assume that the mating is complete."

"Yes, but the female leviathan!" Cymma said, scrambling to her feet, apparently forgetting that she was stark naked. "Have you forgotten about her? She could have…"

She broke off, staring at the console screen in front of her. "She's gone," she said, starting to hyper-ventilate. "She's gone. What have I done? I let her get away. She could be anywhere. I can't believe I did this. They'll never forgive me. It took so much just to convince them to let me do this. Oh no. Oh…"

Crais rose quickly and pulled her hard against him as his lips met hers in another bone-crushing kiss. It worked, her panic attack subsiding.

"What," he said, when she seemed calm enough to speak again, "is going on?"

"We have to find her," Cymma insisted.

"Why?" Crais asked simply.

"You're not supposed to know," she said helplessly.

"If you tell me, I can assist you."

"If you choose to."

"Do you believe that I will not?"

"They weren't sure."

"Who are they?"

"The builders," Cymma said. "The leviathans' Gods." She took a deep breath. "I was sent here to prevent the conception of anymore gunships. While Talyn is unique, they tolerate his existence, but he must not be allowed to procreate. I was attempting…to prevent him passing on the genetic codes to produce weapons."

"You intend to render him sterile?" Crais said, releasing her from his grasp slowly, moving into the centre of command.

"Not sterile. He will be able to father offspring, but they will be normal leviathans. No weapons, no Peacekeepers functions. Harmless."

"If you can cure Talyn's instability, why can you not insure that his offspring do not suffer from it either?"

"You don't understand," Cymma said, moving over to stand in front of him. Their eyes were exactly level. "Leviathans are peaceful creatures, they are not meant for combat."

"They could be used against both the Peacekeepers and the Scarrans. They…"

"The builders have made their decision," Cymma said, interrupting him. "Now that Talyn has matured it cannot be put off any longer. There will be no more gunships. Either Talyn's sperm is modified…or his existence will be terminated."

"I will not allow…"

"You will not have any choice!" Cymma said. "In view of the fact that it is for the greater good, they would terminate your existence also. You are Talyn's creater. If you refuse to do what is right, they will deem that you are too great a threat and they will kill you."

"Or rather," Crais said, reaching up and gently trailing his fingers down her cheek. "You will kill me. And Talyn."

"I will."

"Are you certain?"

"What occurred here changes nothing."

Crais paused a moment. "I suggest we finish dressing," he said, turning abruptly back to his original task. "And then we will go in search of that leviathan."

The door to command swished open without warning and Crichton stepped through. "Hey Crais, what - oh God no!" he said, covering his eyes and fairly diving back into the corridor. "Oh my eyes! I did not need to see that!"

***

Crais and Cymma pulled on their clothes in silence. They were fully dressed by the time Crichton poked his head round the door again, one hand still covering his eyes.

"Is it safe?" he asked. "Can I come in now?"

"There's nothing to see," Cymma replied, sounding fed up. "What is it you find so disturbing about nudity?"

Crichton glanced at Crais and shuddered.

"Interesting," Cymma said, "that you should be so affected by the body of another male. Have you ever considered that you might be latently homo…"

"Do not," Crichton said, cutting her off, "go there. I am not having that conversation. The only fantasies I have had regarding Crais' naked body involve a winch and a tank full of hungry piranhas. End of discussion."

Cymma replied with a single raised eyebrow as she turned back to the console she had been looking at earlier. "Talyn should have a record of the female leviathan's bio-signature, even with his attention somewhat diverted, I can locate her from that. We can only hope that she has not travelled far, or into Peacekeeper space - although that is unlikely since most wild leviathans know to avoid it for fear of capture. But before we can do anything, we need to wake Talyn."

"He is likely to be out for several arns," Aeryn said, walking through the door.

Cymma looked thoughtful. "Do you happen to have any trellin oil on board?" she asked Crais.

"I…believe so," he answered, not entirely certain what she was proposing.

"Get it."

Crais glared at her. He had no intention of starting to follow her orders.

"Could you bring it to me, please?" Cymma said, looking up and seeing his expression.

Crais nodded sharply. "I will return shortly," he said and marched out.

Crichton turned to Cymma. "Isn't that an…"

"It's an aphrodisiac, John," Aeryn said.

"You're going to put us through that again?" Crichton asked in disbelief, then caught the look that Aeryn shot at him. "I mean, not that it wasn't great, but…I kind of like to feel like I'm myself when I do that and not sort of…possessed."

"It's not an aphrodisiac to leviathans," Cymma replied, turning back to her console. "It will merely act as a fairly mild stimulant, which should bring Talyn round. And you need not be concerned, I have no intention of allowing it to happen again. I will fix the leak before I leave, only time pressures prevented me making repairs before. Ah, I have the bio-signature. Now I just have to look for her."

She put one hand on Talyn's console and disappeared. Crichton turned to Aeryn and was just about to say 'I hate it when she does that' when:

"I've found her!" Cymma said, reappearing and making Crichton jump. "We're in luck, she hasn't gone far. I can take us there in a few microts."

She vanished again before either Crichton or Aeryn even had time to open their mouths to speak.

"What does she mean she can take us there in a few microts?" Crichton asked.

Aeryn, who had already glanced at the view screen, silently pointed to it. Crichton turned, saw and stared. The stars were rushing past them.

"It's like warp speed," he said. "It's got to be as good as starburst, except we actually know where we're going to end up."

They stopped as suddenly as they had begun to move, but without even a jolt. The female leviathan slid into view.

"Can we get her to come with us?" Crichton asked. "This is great!"

Cymma reappeared. "I have spoken with her," she said. "Hopefully we can convince her to allow us on board to see if she has conceived."

Crichton turned to Aeryn. "You wanna go baby-hunting?" he asked.

"Perhaps Cymma and Crais would prefer to see for themselves," Aeryn replied, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Aeryn please. We…uh…we need to try and get some things sorted out."

Aeryn paused. "Very well," she said finally.

"You know where to go?" Cymma asked.

"Yup. Done this before…when it was Talyn in Moya's tummy," Crichton said.

Crais came striding back into command, carrying a small green bottle. "I believe this will suffice," he said.

Cymma took the bottle and removed the cork, taking a sniff of the oil. She blinked several times. "Potent," she said.

Crais had already moved over to a corner of command and was opening a hatch. "I believe this is the most effective way to administer it to Talyn without it affecting us," he said, reaching into the alcove and pulling out a length of tubing that was clearly attached to Talyn's iridescent fluid system.

"That was approximately what I had in mind," Cymma agreed, moving over to him and handing the bottle back to him. Crais slowly poured roughly half the contents into the tube. It wasn't long before Talyn began to stir and wake up.

"Talyn, I need you to speak with your friend and convince her to let us come on board and see if she has conceived," Cymma said. "It's for her own safety."

Talyn gave a sleepy chirp in response.

"Can we tell this soon?" Crichton asked.

"Certainly. It takes very little time. Leviathan sperm can survive less than an arn once it is released," Cymma answered.

"I have one question," Aeryn said. "What if she has conceived?"

Cymma looked grim. "Then the fetus must be destroyed."

"Are you nuts?!" Crichton said. "We go over there and kill her baby and she'll space us! Not to mention how completely horrible unethical that is."

"Then I suggest you pray very hard that she has not conceived," Cymma replied. "Because it will have to be done."

***

Halfway through the entrance, Crichton forgot he was supposed to be ducking and tried to stand up straight, thumping his head as a result.

"Ow! Son of a…" he said.

"You should pay more attention," Aeryn said, moving to join him.

"It wouldn't kill you to offer a little sympathy," Crichton said, rubbing his head ruefully.

"It would waste valuable time," Aeryn said, turning to look at him.

"No more than this conversation already has," Crichton retorted.

Aeryn broke eye contact first and stepped cautiously further into the den. Crichton followed slowly.

"No DRDs," he said.

"No."

"That's a good thing, right? When Moya was knocked up she half-inched the lot."

Aeryn reached the back of the birth chamber and studied the conception sac carefully. "I do not believe she has conceived," she said, after a few microts.

Crichton caught up to her and looked. "I see no baby leviathan," he said, double-checking. "At least I won't have to add baby-killer to my resume."

Aeryn hit her comms. "She has not conceived," she reported, when Crais answered her hail.

"Acknowledged. We await your return."

Aeryn started to make her way back to the door. Crichton touched her arm. "Aeryn," he said. "We really need to talk."

"Here?" Aeryn asked, looking round at the glistening walls of the birthing chamber.

"We've both seen worse," Crichton said, moving his hand up to trail his fingers down her cheek. "Aeryn, I know what happened with you and…the other me…has got things a little messed up, but a lot's gone down since then and I think we should try to sort things out. Make some decisions. Hopefully ones I'll like."

Aeryn looked for a moment as if she would refuse, but then she turned back to him.

"Okay, John," she said simply.

***

"How long will it take to complete the alterations?" Crais asked, standing beside Cymma as she crouched on the floor in Talyn's reproductive chamber, her head tilted to the side as she squinted at the underside of a console.

"A few days."

"Talyn should not enter another mating cycle for several monens," Crais thought out loud. "So there is no hurry."

"I'll have to stay on board a while anyway," Cymma continued, as if she hadn't heard him. "I'll need to prepare."

"Prepare what, precisely?" Crais asked, awkwardly going down on one knee beside her.

"I cannot always change form when I want to. Bringing Talyn out here was a great strain and I need to recover," Cymma answered, her head still under the console.

"Obviously your species has a weak-spot after all," Crais observed.

"Not all, just me. I'm half-Sebacean."

Even Crais' carefully controlled features registered surprise. "Is that possible?" he said.

"What more proof do you need than that I'm here?" Cymma said, coming out from under the console and turning to meet his eyes. "I can transform my Sebacean half to energy too, that's how I can transport you, but it's not easy. It took me cycles to manage even to transform myself. I need to conserve a great deal of energy to be able to take you to your final destination."

"And where is that exactly?" Crais asked. "Talyn and I exited the wormhole too far away from this part of the galaxy to be able to return to it on our own. Do you intend to condemn us to return there?"

"I have somewhere else in mind," Cymma said, getting to her feet and returning to work at the console. "Somewhere I think you'll do well and where they need you. You might find it on your own, but my way is quicker. And since I can be sure that I'll never have another assignment, I may as well make the most of this one."

"Your assignment is a success, surely?" Crais said, following suit and standing.

"I'm half-Sebacean. Guess what my mother was ex-communicated for?"

Crais put a hand on her waist and she turned around to face him, crossing her arms across her chest. "I did not intend for my actions to have such serious consequences," he said.

"Mating hormones tend to override intentions," Cymma said. "And besides, it's not like you could overpower me. It was my decision and I'll live with it."

"Do you regret it?"

"Not entirely."

One of Crais' hands slowly began to work its way round to lie on the small of her back.

"Crais? What are you doing?" Cymma said, neither moving closer nor absolutely pulling back, but keeping her arms crossed.

"I suggest," Crais said slowly, beginning to draw her closer to him. "That when one is about to be executed for stealing, one might as well commit murder as well."

Cymma's stance was gradually softening, she uncrossed her arms and her hands went to his shoulders, where they stayed for a second, as if she was unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer. "I…can see a certain amount of…logic, in that," she said.

"My reasoning is perfectly sound," Crais murmured and settled the question by kissing her.

***

A few hours later, the door chimes to Crais' quarters rang. The door opened and Crichton stepped through. The door closed behind him.

"You remember that little talk I wanted to have?" he said. "Well, I think we should have it now."

Crais made to get up from his desk, but Crichton motioned for him to stay. He walked slowly across the room, picking up a chair en route, spinning it round when he reached the desk and settling himself backwards on it. He folded his arms across the back of it and looked at Crais. "Your move," he said.

"What?" Crais asked.

"Your move. I don't know where to start, so you can tell me. How did you wind up getting to my home before me?"

Crais paused a moment, cleared his throat and slowly began to tell the tale, gaining momentum as he went along. When he had finished, he waited in silence for Crichton's reaction. It took a while to come.

Crichton removed his hands from the chair, sitting back slightly as he placed them on the table, his fingers interlocking. "I can't understand it," he said finally, looking at Crais. "I…I can hear everything that you're telling me. I even saw most of it on the surveillance tapes. But I can't make myself really believe it. It's…like a dream. I suppose, if I go back to Earth one day, it'll be real then. But for now…it's not. For me, Earth is exactly as I left it. My Dad has never been on Talyn, DK's not married, Jessica has never even met you and…Jo's alive."

He paused, looking down at his hands.

"I want to keep it that way," he said. "I can't go back, not really. All this time I've been thinking I could slip back into my old life - plus Aeryn. But it's not true. It's over. I'm staying here for the rest of my life. Dad…knows I'm alive now and about Aeryn and everything. I'll just think about that and…forget the rest."

He got up slowly, Crais making no acknowledgment.

"Thanks," Crichton said awkwardly. "For at least trying to help."

He left, leaving Crais still sitting silently at his desk.

***

"So, until we meet again, in thunder, lightening or in rain," Crichton's head on the view screen said.

"Crichton," Cymma said, breaking her previous silence. "If you receive a distress call from Talyn in not very long, don't worry but answer it."

"Okay," Crichton answered uncertainly. "Why?"

"Just do," Cymma said. "You won't regret it."

"Enough of the cryptic clues," Crichton muttered, just before Cymma cut the transmission.

"So," she said, turning back to Crais. "Talyn is all fixed. No instability, no leaking hormones and no next-generation gunships. I'll just take you where you need to go and leave."

"To go where?" Crais asked, slowly moving closer to her.

"Wherever," Cymma said, shrugging.

"Are you not interested in coming to wherever it is you intend to take me?"

"That's not my destiny. Or yours, for that matter. My part is done."

"You know my destiny?" Crais asked, not quite sure still whether he believed in such things.

"No," Cymma said. "I just know it doesn't lie with me. Would you really want offspring who could learn to transport themselves anywhere in the universe?"

"I have not given the subject much thought," Crais said, caught a little off guard.

"It's a pretty obvious answer," Cymma said. "Anyway, to business. When I leave you there will be a ship within communication range. Answer their hail and be nice. The rest will take care of itself."

She laid her hand on the nearest console and vanished before Crais could respond. The stars on the view screen began to flash past again. Crais didn't have long to wait before they stopped. He knew instinctively that she was gone. Talyn's interior already seemed to be changing back to its usual colours. He moved over to the communications console and began scanning the area. There was a ship nearby, just as she'd said.

A microt later the comms crackled into life. "Leviathan gunship, please respond."

Crais straightened up. "This is Captain Bialar Crais of Talyn," he said. "Identify yourself."

"This is Lt. Metzant of the Peacekeeper resistance forces. Captain Crais, welcome. We've been expecting you."