Part 5: Together
"I hear that things didn't go too well."
Crais was sitting at the top of Sunset peak, looking at the sight it had been named after. The knarled log underneath him was not the most comfortable seat he had ever sat on, but he'd been here for an arn anyway. A matter of denches in front of him, the hillside cascaded away into the huge valley below. He could see for metras.
"What brings you here?" he asked, in a resigned tone.
Laynie settled herself down next to him, her cheeks flushed from the climb. Crais himself had charged up the steep path in a fury, finding it strangely therapeutic. He'd only found it by accident and he'd rather hoped that he wouldn't be disturbed.
"It's a beautiful sight," Laynie said, not answering him as her gaze swept over the valley below them. "I never get tired of it. The land where I came from was very flat. I would have imagined that this hill was a mountain before I left to go to the city."
"I recall a similar place to this where I was raised," Crais answered, returning his gaze to the horizon. "My father often took me there."
"No doubt when he needed to calm you," Laynie answered, following Crais' gaze.
Crais grunted. "Do you have a purpose here, or not?" he asked.
"I always have a purpose, even if it is only to enjoy myself," Laynie said, looking sideways at him.
Crais looked sideways back at her. "And what is it now?" he asked, wondering why he wasn't getting irritated at her skirting around.
"I came to see if you were all right," Laynie said.
Of all the responses she could have given, that was the one Crais found hardest to respond to.
"Why?" he asked finally, having rejected all other possible answers.
"I don't know," Laynie said mildly. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."
"I am fine," Crais told her. If he hadn't been before, he was now. It was most strange.
"Good," Laynie said.
She returned to staring out into the valley. Crais caught himself wondering what would happen if he were to turn her face to his and kiss her. But he couldn't risk finding out.
"It happens, don't dwell on it," Laynie said suddenly. "I've there's one lesson I've learned, it's that. Forget yesterday and begin afresh today. This isn't the Peacekeepers, no one will execute you for an error beyond your control."
"There are worse things than being executed," Crais responded immediately.
"Indeed there are," Laynie said. "Such as giving up."
"I mentioned nothing about giving up," Crais shot back.
"Of course not," Laynie said. "I never said you did."
"I will not let one failure deter me," Crais said passionately.
"I never imagined you would," Laynie said composedly.
Crais stared at her, standing up and pacing over to the tree that topped the peak. A few microts ago he'd been depressed and now he was charged with determination. Had she done that, or had he?
"What is your relationship with Marvio?" he demanded.
It couldn't honestly be called a question from thin air, since it had taken up permanent residence at the divide between Crais' conscious and sub-conscious. Even so, he'd expected her to seem more surprised.
"Doctor and Captain, and friends," was her answer.
"And more?" Crais asked, knowing he had no right to expect a response.
"No," Laynie said, no trace of hesitation or awkwardness.
"Were you?" Crais asked, even more bluntly, half wondering how long she would allow the interrogation to continue.
That made Laynie hesitate, very briefly. "It depends on your definition of more," she said slowly. "He does not, and has never, loved me as anything other than a friend and I share those feelings. But if your question is whether or not we have ever recreated, the answer is yes."
Crais felt a sudden, primordial urge to kill his former mentor.
"Not recently," Laynie continued. "But when we first arrived here, for a time. We both agreed to end that."
"Why?" Crais asked, needing to know even though he didn't want to hear.
"Because Marvio knew that I wanted ultimately to raise a family, and we both knew that I didn't want to do that with him." Laynie stopped looking at Crais and stared out over the valley again. "He's not the one I want to share my life with."
Who is? Crais wanted to ask, but that question stuck in his throat.
"One thing to be said for life in the Peacekeepers," Laynie said, looking at him again and smiling. "Outlawing relationships makes things a lot less complicated. Not that I don't think the complications are worth it - for the right person."
"Complications can be the difference between life and death," Crais said, avoiding her eyes as he ran his fingers over the bark of the tree.
"A raindrop can be the difference between life and death," Laynie said bluntly. "You can't avoid death by not living."
"You do not really believe that a person only lives if they live with someone else?"
"No," Laynie said. "I think a person who wants to live with someone else, only lives if they live with someone else."
"Perhaps I do not wish to," Crais said, leaning back against the tree and folding his arms.
"I never said you did," Laynie replied. "I believe we were talking about me. And some other hypothetical people."
Crais went to answer, or at least try to, and found himself sneezing violently instead. Laynie looked surprised. "It's been less than a weeken since I examined you, it doesn't speak much for my skills that you are ill already," she said.
"I am not..." was all Crais managed before he sneezed again. He pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose.
"You were saying?" Laynie said, looking amused.
"I am not ill," Crais said firmly, replacing it. "I do not need medical attention for a few sneezes."
"Nevertheless," Laynie said, standing up and approaching him. "I'd like to..."
"No!" Crais said, a little more forcefully than he'd intended. He mellowed his voice. "I thank for your concern, but I am in perfect health. If that changes, I will report to you."
Laynie gave what sounded like a cough, although Crais was sure it had started life as a snort. "It's almost dark," she said, looking around. "We should head back. It's hard to find your way down in the dark. There's always the risk we'll get lost if we stay here much longer."
Crais couldn't have put it better himself.
"Very well," he said slowly, moving to join her. "We will go together."
**
"Why is it," Crichton asked, as he and Crais strode along the corridor towards Marvio's office, "that Kinsella tries to demote me every time I make a raslak-ring on the console top, but turns a blind eye to a total screw up like this?"
Crais ignored him.
"It just plain isn't fair," Crichton moaned.
"Life is not fair," Crais said succinctly, as they came to a halt outside the door. He knocked and they entered at Marvio's command.
"A slight alteration to the plan," Marvio said, without preamble, as Crais and Crichton came to stand before him. "I have received a transmission from Lt. Loth'Lorian. It seems that Captain Braca contacted her, advising her of it, but we did not receive the communication in time. Unfortunate, but not disastrous. And we have alternative co-ordinates."
"Same as before?" Crichton asked, looking more confident without Kinsella breathing down his neck.
"Not precisely," Marvio answered, sifting through a case of info-chips. "Lt. Loth'Lorian will accompany you this time. The mission requires you to infiltrate a highly-populated station, which will take high-level covert operations skills - the kind the Lieutenant excels at."
"Red star training can be invaluable," Crais grudgingly admitted.
"Indeed," Marvio answered, locating the chip he was looking for and handing it to Crais. "Lt. Loth'Lorian will be arriving within the next arn. I am also sending Lt. Essan with you. Her combat skills are second to none. As for the final member of your team, I am being forced to break with established protocol, because this mission requires more than strategic thinking."
"Who?" Crichton asked, just as Crais realised he knew instinctively who Marvio meant.
**
"Grayza's heppel gland won't continue to function on its own," Laynie said, pacing in front of the group as she took care of her part of the briefing. "It's not designed for Sebaceans to use. In order for it to produce the hormones she relies on, it must be stimulated by a substance called Kerelin. That is not naturally occurring in Sebaceans either. Grayza has an artificial implant in the back of her neck which releases Kerelin, but it must be replaced every cycle. She is due for a check-up." Laynie smiled wickedly, making Crais clear his throat and shift in his seat. "And my oath as a doctor will not allow me to subject her to inferior care."
"So you're going to pull it?" Crichton asked, his arm draped over his up-pulled leg. "Bye bye birdy?"
Laynie shook her head. "That is not the plan," she said.
"It should be," Eowyn said, unfolding her long legs from the lotus position she was sitting in and standing. "Kill the root and the plant dies."
"I have my orders, there will be nothing so direct" Laynie said, as Eowyn came to stand beside her. They made a striking pair. Objectively, Eowyn was by far the more beautiful, but Crais was quickly discovering how much beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
"I remember a time," Eowyn said, putting an arm around Laynie's shoulders, "when you didn't always follow orders."
Laynie looked sideways at her. "I can't remember a time when you ever did. At least not when you could get away without it."
"So what is the plan?" Lt. Essan asked.
"A slight modification to the implant," Laynie replied, leaning against the console behind her as Eowyn restlessly wandered round command. "We cannot remove it, because that could be detected. We cannot stop production, because that would be detected. What I intend to do is alter the enzymes being released so that they cannot perform the function they are designed to. The heppel gland will no longer be stimulated and production of the hormones will stop."
"Which gets us where, precisely?" Crichton asked. "Immunity from her charms won't fix up the Scarran problem."
"Her body is dependent upon the hormones," Crais answered, before he realised he knew. "Remove them and it will slowly cease to function. This will, indirectly, kill her."
Laynie gave Crais a warm smile. He cleared his throat again.
"This is an assassination squad now?" Crichton asked.
"The resistance is one big assassination squad," Eowyn said, turning from the viewscreen where she had stopped her pacing. "The greater good often requires the lesser bad to be done. And that is your job now. To do what others will not."
"News flash," Crichton said. "That's been my life for the last three cycles. This is no big step up - or down."
"I can make the alteration, with Eowyn and Lt. Essan to back me up," Laynie said.
She was nervous, Crais realised. A conscript member of the medical corps - likely she hadn't left ship duty in all her time as a Peacekeeper.
"Crichton and I should accompany you," he said.
Laynie shook her head, as Eowyn rolled her eyes. "First rule of surveillance," Eowyn said, as if they were still cadets. "Don't attempt to fool someone who knows you. At least not with your pathetic training."
Crais opened his mouth to retort, when he saw Laynie shake her head at him. Automatically, he shut it again.
"We're in the back seat this time, huh?" Crichton said, glancing at Crais. "I guess we're on probation."
"No officer is ever off probation," Lt. Essan remarked. She didn't seem to consider Crichton a superior.
"Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine," Crichton muttered.
"Our meeting will be at the Teranis medical centre in fifteen arns," Crais said, confirming what his team already knew. "In the meantime, I suggest you all get some rest."
Lt. Essan nodded smartly, said 'yes, sir' and departed, back straight, reminding Crais strongly of Captain Braca. Crichton loafed out, Eowyn following closely behind. Crais saw Crichton jump as Eowyn pinched his backside and fought hard to suppress a smile.
"Aren't you going to rest too?" Laynie asked, moving over to stand beside him.
"One of us should remain on watch," Crais replied.
"Not the Captain."
"My part here is the least essential."
"No part here is unessential," Laynie said softly. "But I won't debate that with you. I just want you to do one thing for me, before I turn in."
"And what might that be?" Crais asked, trying to keep his imagination from roaming.
Laynie produced a small device from her pocket and placed it under his nose. "Breathe in through your nose," she said.
It wasn't exactly what Crais had expected. "Why?" he asked.
"Just do it," Laynie said, smiling. "It's nothing bad, I promise."
Warily, Crais did as she asked. And sneezed violently.
"Thought so," Laynie said, pocketing the device again. "It's a simple allergy."
"To what?" Crais asked, producing a tissue and blowing his nose resentfully.
"Pollen," Laynie said. "You have hayfever. I suppose it didn't show up when you were younger and you probably didn't notice it on board ship. Nothing serious, I'll put you on injections when we get back."
Crais tugged at his collar. "That will not be necessary," he said.
Laynie sat down next to Crais. Their thighs were touching. He tried and failed not to notice.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of needles?" she said.
"Certainly not," Crais said, immediately. "I merely prefer...that is..."
Laynie laughed and gave Crais a look of pure affection. The kind he'd been starved of most of his life. To his surprise - and perhaps her own - she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Crais turned and stared at her, not knowing what to do.
"I'm sure I can find another solution," she said, getting up and heading out of command.
Crais watched her leave, longing to follow. He was beginning to suspect that complications were far more difficult to avoid than he'd imagined.
**
Crais was pacing up and down in command enough to make Crichton wish he'd packed Farscape 1 with dramamine tablets. Why he was so nervous, Crichton couldn't fathom. It was a simple away mission, Crais must have commander stacks of them. Eowyn, Laynie and Essan all had last names and none of them were wearing red. They were perfectly safe.
"It was foolish to allow her to go with so little security," Crichton heard Crais mutter. "I should be there."
"Who?" Crichton asked, curiously.
"What?" Crais said, looking round distractedly, like he hadn't realised Crichton was still there.
"You said it was foolish to allow her to go with so little security," Crichton said, leaning forward as his brain latched onto the idea. "Who?"
"I meant them," Crais said. Crichton could've sworn he was blushing.
Crichton folded his arms across as his chest as he regarded Crais, no longer bored with waiting. "Really?" he asked.
"It was a simple mistake," Crais snapped, resuming his pacing. "Why must you jump to conclusions?"
Crichton held up his hands in surrender. Methinks the Captain doth protest too much, he thought delightedly. It was obvious really, he couldn't believe he hadn't realised it sooner.
Crais totally had a thing for Eowyn.
**
Laynie Taan set the implant in Grayza's neck carefully and straightened up. Mission accomplished. She glanced at Lt. Essan, who looked all wrong dressed as one of the station's med-techs, and nodded.
"A complete success," she announced. "Nurse, if you would take our patient to the recovery room?"
Lt. Essan played her role admirably, revealing acting talent Laynie hadn't expected her to have. Laynie retired to the clean room and changed out of her scrubs and into the uniform of the medical staff, trying to relax the muscles of her stomach. The operation had been the easy part. Eowyn considered vid-editing child's play and the door controls were jammed utterly unless you knew her newly-programmed combination. Now they just had to melt into the background and escape.
She unlocked the door as Lt. Essan returned and the two of them headed down the corridor, having to walk slower than Laynie would have liked to keep up appearances. They passed through corridor after corridor, relying on their mental maps and nothing else. At the third intersection, Eowyn joined them.
"Go by corridor six, section two," she muttered, before disappearing down another corridor, as if she didn't know them.
Laynie knew not to ask why. She and Essan carried on until they reached that location and had almost turned the corner when they both froze.
"Standard security search, Captain. You understand," came a voice from around it.
In a flash, Essan yanked off a wall panel and she and Laynie practically dived inside. They were unregistered visitors in a place where everyone was scanned on arrival. If they were caught, the whole mission would be in jeopardy.
They started crawling down the tunnel until they could drop into another corridor. Laynie searched her memory, focusing hard on the plan she'd memorised and realised they were in corridor four, section three.
"Third on the right," she said quietly to Essan. "It only adds a few hundred microts to the journey."
Essan nodded and they carried on together.
Laynie's stomach muscles clenched tighter and tighter. If Eowyn gave an order, there was good reason for it. And if they didn't make it back... She was beginning to question her own bravery.
Her pace quickened as they walked and she had to fight the temptation to break into a run. Something was going to happen, she could feel it. Something was going to...
The conduit blew open as she passed it, a cloud of blue smoke enveloped her and the world crumbled into ashes.
**
Crais stared out of the viewscreen, resolutely avoiding Crichton's gaze. One little word, that had absolutely meant nothing, and now he would probably never hear the last of it. Of course he had meant 'them'. He had no reason to care for one above the others.
A sudden beep came from one of the consoles, telling Crais and Crichton that the others had returned. A moment later, Eowyn's voice came through the comms. "Go now!" she panted. "Five hundred microts to detonation."
"Detonation?!" Crichton exclaimed.
Crais' brain was fortunately well enough trained not to pause for that thought. He broke the docking connections immediately and had them at a safe distance in half that time.
"What frelling deto...?" Crichton started to ask.
Teranis station imploded in a microt, leaving nothing but a small field of floating debris.
"...nation," Crichton finished.
Crais stared at the viewscreen. This had not been part of the plan. At least, not to his knowledge.
"Lt. Loth'Lorian," he said tightly, slapping his comms. "Report to command and explain."
"Later. We're in medical."
Crais' insides turned to ice.
"Laynie's hurt."
**
"She needs serious help. Head-quarters is too far. The closest place is..."
"The Charis system," Crais said.
Eowyn glanced at him. "What use are a bunch of holograms?" she said. "She has radiation poisoning. She needs medical help."
"You were the one who blew up Teranis station!" Crais snapped. "There is a medical program built into the systems at Charis. Those holograms can help her. We do not have time to travel anywhere else!"
"Save the debriefing for later," Eowyn snapped back. She hit her comms. "Charis system, as fast as we can go."
Crais looked at Laynie, unconscious on the medi-bed and tried not to think about the possibility of her dying. "What effect will this have on her?" he asked, trying to keep his tone professional.
"Worst, death," Eowyn said flatly. "If we can't reverse the damage soon. Even if we get her help, this dose will cause permanent damage. Sterility, for one thing."
"She wishes to raise a family," Crais said, not even considering how odd a comment that was for him to make.
Eowyn raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, well, she'll be frelling lucky if she can do that now." Her eyes narrowed. "No matter who she's recreating with."
Crais ignored that comment, afraid of giving himself away.
"What can you do for her in the mean time?" he asked.
"Field treatments. Won't be enough. Keep her alive for a few arns, but nothing else."
Crais knew he was capable of administering those himself. He could offer to be the one who stayed with her. But what reason could he give for doing so?
"I will be in command," he said instead. And made himself walk out.
**
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the hologramatic doctor said, as soon as Crais activated the subroutine to bring him on line.
"Radiation poisoning," Eowyn said, without missing a beat. Crais had to admit that he couldn't fault her reactions. "Fix it."
The doctor managed to look disdainfully at her and immediately spring into action, as Crichton carried Laynie to the medi-bed and laid her down on it.
"Out," he said, without preamble. "I must have freedom from interruption."
Crais, Crichton and Eowyn reluctantly complied. At the door, Eowyn turned back. "You don't fix her, and I scramble your program so bad you'll never scowl again," she declared, before Crichton pulled her out of the door.
Crais was having to work so hard to stop himself looking worried that the muscles in his face were aching with the strain. "I have business to take care of," he lied. "Return to the ship and help Lt. Essan finish the log entries."
"I'm staying," Eowyn declared. "I'm a mercenary, not one of your lap dogs."
Crais wanted to punch her. Now was not the time. "Very well, go where you will," he said, not in the mood to argue about respect for rank.
Crichton gave him an understanding, amused look, which Crais couldn't comprehend. He waved it off though, he had too much on his mind already.
"Contact me the microt he has finished," he ordered and immediately marched off down the corridor, not bothering to see what the others did.
He walked until his shins began to cramp and then he allowed himself to stop, walking through one of the doors into a terrain reconstruction. Why they had bothered to create one here was beyond him. No one lived here.
"Hello."
Correction, one person did.
Crais looked up, recognising the voice, but not believing his ears. "Cymma?" he asked, looking around.
"Who else?"
Cymma was sitting above him, on a tree branch. She should have fallen through it. There were no living plants here.
"I did not know anyone lived here," Crais said, understanding the situation even as he said it.
"I don't need food, or water. I can live here. I grew up here. I was even here when it was you in medical, a dench from death. A pivotal moment in your life, though you didn't realise it. Having your life saved by Marvio when every other commanding officer would have left you to die."
Cymma didn't jump down. She disappeared and reappeared on the ground beside him.
"And now it's another pivotal moment. Though it'll probably take you another ten cycles to realise it. Someone else who matters to you is in trouble."
"Will she recover?" Crais asked, the words almost catching in his throat.
Cymma shrugged. "Who knows? I don't see the future, I just closely observe the present."
"You have seen Eowyn, then?" Crais asked, wanting to have his mind off Laynie if he could.
"I have."
"And can you explain the situation to me?"
"I can."
"Will you?" Crais said.
Cymma moved back towards the tree and leant casually against its trunk. "She is my sister," she said. "We are twins, as you no doubt surmised."
"But how?"
"My species aid leviathans in distress. The leviathan in question was a prison ship, like Moya. My father was a guard on that ship. My mother posed as a Sebacean technician to gain access to it. They...recreated."
Crais' eyes followed Cymma as she prowled around the tree trunk, running her hand down it.
"We do not produce offspring as Sebaceans do. The mixing of energies produces a new life-form almost immediately. My parents brought forth both of us. Lacking understanding of Peacekeeper practices, my mother took me and left Eowyn to my father to raise. She thought it was the fairest solution."
Cymma's expression darkened.
"Of course, Eowyn was raised as a Peacekeeper. Only her Sebacean half will show on scanners and I doubt she has any idea she can change her state. Eventually we learned of her fate. I chose to alter my rest-state, so I did not appear Sebacean anymore."
In a blink of an eye, Cymma's green feathers turned into golden locks.
"Like this," she said. "No one could tell the difference."
She moved closer to Crais, slipping her arms around his broad chest. "Not even you," she whispered.
Crais kissed her hungrily. Truthfully, he felt no need or even desire for recreation, but he did feel the need to forget. Forget everything that had brought him here.
**
Crichton turned away from his high vantage point, laughing to himself. He was glad he'd followed Crais now. Eowyn Loth'Lorian and Bialar Crais, who would've thought it?
**
Crais, feeling no better now the initial release of tension was over, strode along the corridor. Cymma, now with feathers re-installed, was by his side. It had been an arn and he could wait no longer.
"Doctor!" he demanded, as he walked into the medi-lab. "What is...?"
He went pale as he saw the doctor's expression.
"I have done all I can," the doctor responded. "But I do not know if it will be enough. I do not have the equipment to repair the damage. It requires too much energy."
"That I can provide," Cymma said, as if she'd expected this all along. Before Crais or the doctor could comment, she had marched to Laynie, placed her hand on her chest and vanished.
The doctor studied his monitors intensely. "This is incredible!" he said excitedly. "She is stabilising!"
Crais knees threatened to collapse with relief.
Then Cymma reappeared. "Frell!" she swore.
"What is it?" Crais demanded, his muscles tensing up again in an instant.
"I can't complete it! I'm not enough."
"Will she live?" Crais asked, not realising he was holding his breath.
"Live, yes," Cymma said, glancing at the doctor, who was still surveying his monitors gleefully. "But there's major damage, Crais."
"If we take her back to head-quarters..." Crais began.
"They will be able to do nothing," Cymma finished. "It's too deep. If I had more energy, I could repair it, but..."
Crais' eyes met hers as they turned to look at each other. Crais hit his comms. "Eowyn," he said. "Please report to medical."
**
"I'm here, what do you...?" Eowyn said. Then she saw Cymma.
It took a lot to shock a Red Star.
"What the...? How...?" Eowyn tried to say.
Cymma walked over to her, placed one hand on her chest and they both vanished. A microt later, they reappeared.
"What do we do?" Eowyn asked, no longer uncertain. Crais couldn't even begin to guess what they had just shared.
Cymma led Eowyn to the medi-bed. They placed their hands one on top of the other on Laynie's chest and vanished again.
"Incredible," the doctor said, eyes still on his monitor.
Crais stood, waiting. It was pure torture. Microts felt like arns.
And then Laynie suddenly stirred, opening her eyes and blinking at the bright lights of the medi-bay. Crais was by her side almost instantly.
"Whashappened?" she mumbled. "Where am I?"
"Charis station," Crais said, hands folded safely behind his back. "You had a large dose of radiation."
"Oh," Laynie said. "That's what they meant."
"Who?" Crais asked.
"The angels," Laynie said, sounding like she was a little light-headed. "My mother always told me they were real. Must apologise for doubting her. First thing tomorrow."
"There were no angels," Crais said. "Eowyn...and another doctor...healed you."
"No," Laynie murmured. "Angels."
Crais gave into temptation and stroked her hair gently, wondering how he could possibly manage to stay away from this woman. Laynie snuggled closer, nuzzling his hand. "You're an angel too," she whispered. "My angel. You're the one I want to share my life with."
Crais couldn't have spoken if his life had depended on it.
It took him a few microts to realise that Laynie had drifted off to sleep. He very carefully extracted his hand and moved away. Fortunately, the doctor didn't appear to have heard anything, he was still staring rapturously at his monitor.
"Amazing," he said. "The energy transfer. One hundred percent efficiency. Nothing wasted."
"What?" Crais asked, not understanding him.
"A complete transfer of life energy," the doctor said, glancing up briefly. "I've never seen it performed so successfully."
"Transfer?" Crais said sharply. "You mean...?"
"They have sacrificed their lives to save your wife."
Crais didn't know which part of that to respond to first. "You cannot mean that... And she is not..." He looked down at Laynie, sleeping peacefully. "She is not my wife," he said, swallowing hard. "And how can they have done this?"
"I'm a doctor, not a psychic."
Crichton strode through the door. "What's going on?" he asked. "Is she okay?"
Crais turned to the doctor. "Can Dr. Taan travel?" he asked.
"Certainly," the doctor replied.
"Then we are done here," Crais said, bending to pick up Laynie, trying not to notice the way she snuggled against his chest. "We should depart."
"Whoa," Crichton said, holding up his hands. "Where's Eowyn?"
Everything was too jumbled up in Crais' head to attempt an explanation. "It is a long story," he said. "Suffice to say, she will not be returning with us."
He walked out, past Crichton, who looked round confusedly for a few microts, as if he expected Eowyn to materialise in front of him, then shrugged and deactivated the medical program. The doctor vanished. No signs of life left.
**
"Are you feeling better?" Crais asked, as Laynie slipped into the seat beside him in command, not questioning how he knew it was her.
"Much," Laynie replied quietly. "I just want to understand how this all happened."
Crais explained as best he could, given that he didn't really understand it himself.
"I can't believe she was willing to do this," Laynie said quietly. "And...Cymma. She didn't even know me."
"She obviously believed that you were worth saving," Crais replied.
"I guess she did," Laynie said.
There was silence, while Crais tried to work out how to begin.
"What...you said in the medi-lab..." he began.
"What did I say?" Laynie asked.
Crais turned to her. Her brow was furrowed and she looked genuinely confused. She didn't remember.
"Nothing of consequence," he said, turning away again.
He could feel Laynie looking at him, but he didn't turn back.
"Okay," she said finally. "If it wasn't anything important."
There was silence again.
"I guess I'll go then," she said.
Crais wanted to stop her and hurry her at the same time. He said nothing.
Crichton came in as Laynie went out, so he got no peace even then.
"Crais..." Crichton said, slowly, sounding strange. "I just wanted to see...how you were doing."
"I am fine," Crais replied, at a loss as to why Crichton was asking.
"I figured you'd say that," Crichton said, approaching him. "But I just...I just thought I'd let you know that I understand and I'm here. You know, if you need to talk to someone.
Crais blinked several times. "About what?" he asked, thoroughly confused.
"I know, Crais," Crichton said.
Crais' stomach clenched. His feelings for Laynie could surely not be so obvious.
"You and Eowyn," Crichton said, running his fingers through his hair. "I never would've thought it, but then I don't pretend to know your taste. But that's not important, what matters is that I know what it's like to lose someone you care about."
Crais was struck dumb. Then he started to smile and soon was laughing properly. The sound reverberated off the walls.
"You...thought that Eowyn and I were involved?" he choked out, remembering her suggestion of a group effort and laughing even harder.
"C'mon, Crais, I figured it out! And you're getting hysterical."
Crais laughed still harder. All the tension he'd built up since joining the resistance seemed to explode. He knew he was hysterical, but he couldn't possibly stop laughing.
"We...are...not..." he tried again.
"I won't tell anyone," Crichton assured him. "Okay, I have to do this."
Next thing Crais knew, Crichton's fist connected with his jaw. It did subdue his laughter very effectively. "I may court martial you for that," he said, moving his jaw from side to side gingerly. He felt too relaxed to get worked up again.
"It's okay," Crichton said again. "Your secret's safe with me. I mean, that's what you meant, isn't it? When you said she shouldn't go with so little security?"
Crais opened his mouth to deny it and stopped. At the very least, this kept Crichton's suspicion from falling elsewhere. He said nothing instead.
Crichton clapped his hand down on Crais' shoulder. "I'm here for you, man," he said.
They stared at each other, Crais suddenly very curious to find out what would happen next.
"Well," Crichton said awkwardly, removing his hand. "You know where I am."
"I do," Crais replied.
"So," Crichton said, starting to move away. "I'm just going to...go."
"Very well," Crais said.
"Cool," Crichton said, and left.
Crais got about ten microts of entertainment from that.
And then he went back to thinking about Laynie.
**
Crichton walked to the quarters he was sharing with Crais later that evening and found Laynie hovering around outside them.
"Looking for me?" he asked.
Laynie jumped and flushed. Weird.
"I was just going to...discuss something with Captain Crais," she said. "Medical."
"I'd leave it until tomorrow," Crichton said, stopping outside the door. "I doubt he's in the mood for it now. Hurting, you know, though he won't admit it."
"Hurting?" Laynie asked, her expression confused.
"Yeah," Crichton said, lowering his voice confidentially. "He and Eowyn had this thing going."
Laynie looked thunderstruck.
"I know," Crichton said. "Not an obvious couple."
Laynie shook her head as she leant against the wall weakly. "No," she said. "Not...obvious."
"I mean, he had this little fling with Cymma, but that was Talyn's mating hormones. Eowyn - can't explain that. Guess he likes women who order him about. Not what I would have expected from him." Crichton shook his head. "Oh well, there's nowt as queer as folk."
"I think you're right," Laynie said, suddenly. "I think I'll leave this until later."
She headed off down the corridor, raking her fingers through her hair. She looked even more stunned than Crichton felt.
But then, Crais and Eowyn, who wouldn't be?
**
"The mission was to alter Grayza's implant, not to destroy a medical centre full of innocent civilians," Crais snapped. "And it is hardly in keeping with our low profile. How long until every Peacekeeper ship knows we are here?"
"May I assume that you consider this a significant tactical error?" Kinsella said, nostrils flaring.
"Is there any other conclusion?" Crais shot back.
"There were several key personnel on board that station, as well as Grayza," Kinsella answered. "It was a chance that could not be missed."
"You ordered this?" Crais asked, disbelieving.
"Captain Kinsella does not have the authority to do that," Marvio answered, sitting calmly in his chair.
Crais turned to him. "But you do," he stated quietly.
"I felt it was for the best," Marvio replied. "Though the loss of life was unfortunate."
"Why was I not informed of this?" Crais asked, his fingernails digging into his flesh as he clenched his fists behind his back.
"Lt. Loth'Lorian..." Kinsella began.
"Does not outrank me!" Crais exclaimed.
"...has some traits that you lack," Kinsella finished.
Crais turned to her, furious. "What I lack is an understanding of how you expect me to command a mission when I am mis-informed about what that mission is!"
Marvio chuckled dryly, folding his hands over his stomach. "Welcome to the resistance," he said.
"Forgive me, Captain," Crais said, looking his former mentor straight in the eye, "if I do not consider that sufficient reason."
"Oh, I am quite happy to forgive you, Bialar," Marvio remarked. "But it will have very little impact on anything."
"So, I am expected to accept that secrets will be kept from me, even though I am second in command here?" Crais demanded.
"I am afraid so," Marvio replied. Kinsella nodded maliciously beside him.
Crais bristled. "When I am Captain here," he said tightly, unable to resist the insubordination. "Nothing will go on behind my back!"
Marvio and Kinsella exchanged looks of barely-hidden amusement. "Believe that," Marvio said, "if it suits you. But you are quite wrong."
Crais tried not to glower too much.
**
They had been back at Head Quarters for a weeken. It was early evening when Crais reached sunset peak once again. He'd needed to escape.
Crichton's ecstatic face when he'd sought Crais out to announce that Aeryn had apparently taken leave of her senses and agreed to be bonded to him, had set Crais to thinking. Life outside the Peacekeepers seemed to involve a great deal of thinking. And the more he thought, the less he was sure of. It was horribly unsettling.
There were so many conflicting things in his mind. His new position, his future position - the time indefinite, which made it worse - as Commander-In-Chief, Laynie, Crichton and Aeryn, Laynie, Cymma and Eowyn, Laynie, life in the resistance, Laynie. As a Peacekeeper, all he'd wanted was to command his own ship and protect his brother. Now, frankly, he had no idea what he wanted.
"We have to stop meeting like this."
It was fitting that she would be the one to find him. He was thinking about her so much that it was as if she had already been there.
Crais stood to greet her. "Doctor," he said.
"Captain," Laynie replied.
Crais could see endless cycles stretching out in front of them, full of uncertainty about what they should do next.
"I...wanted to see how you were," Laynie said.
"I should ask you the same question," Crais replied.
"I'm fine," Laynie said, rubbing her stomach self-consciously. "It looks like I'll still be able to have children. Which is...good."
Crais nodded, trying not to remember her words on Charis.
"Listen," Laynie said. "Eowyn was my friend for a long time, so I'm hurting. But I can't imagine how you must feel right now."
It took Crais a few microts to understand what she could possibly mean by that.
"Laynie," he said. "I mean...Doctor. There was nothing between Eowyn and myself. Crichton...has become delusional."
"Oh," Laynie said, looking embarrassed. "Oh, right. Of course not. I didn't really think she was your type."
"She is not," Crais confirmed.
"Right," Laynie said again. "So, I'm sure you're fine then. So, I'll just go."
She turned to leave, then stopped. "Oh, I found another solution to your allergies," she said, turning back. "I've fixed up an implant for you. It'll be like having a transponder, only less invasive obviously. No more sneezing."
"Thank you," Crais answered.
"I guess that's all there is to say," Laynie said, looking at Crais.
"Yes," Crais replied. "For now, at least."
Then he wondered why he had added that last part.
"I believe I will come back with you," he found himself saying.
"Going to brave Commander Crichton's party?" Laynie said, smiling again.
Crais snorted as he came to join her. "He does have a talent for over-reaction."
"They're getting married," Laynie said. "He's entitled to over-react."
"I would never behave so ridiculously," Crais said, before he thought.
Laynie made a sound that Crais refused to accept as a sigh, as they started to walk down together.
"No," she said. "Perhaps you won't."
"I hear that things didn't go too well."
Crais was sitting at the top of Sunset peak, looking at the sight it had been named after. The knarled log underneath him was not the most comfortable seat he had ever sat on, but he'd been here for an arn anyway. A matter of denches in front of him, the hillside cascaded away into the huge valley below. He could see for metras.
"What brings you here?" he asked, in a resigned tone.
Laynie settled herself down next to him, her cheeks flushed from the climb. Crais himself had charged up the steep path in a fury, finding it strangely therapeutic. He'd only found it by accident and he'd rather hoped that he wouldn't be disturbed.
"It's a beautiful sight," Laynie said, not answering him as her gaze swept over the valley below them. "I never get tired of it. The land where I came from was very flat. I would have imagined that this hill was a mountain before I left to go to the city."
"I recall a similar place to this where I was raised," Crais answered, returning his gaze to the horizon. "My father often took me there."
"No doubt when he needed to calm you," Laynie answered, following Crais' gaze.
Crais grunted. "Do you have a purpose here, or not?" he asked.
"I always have a purpose, even if it is only to enjoy myself," Laynie said, looking sideways at him.
Crais looked sideways back at her. "And what is it now?" he asked, wondering why he wasn't getting irritated at her skirting around.
"I came to see if you were all right," Laynie said.
Of all the responses she could have given, that was the one Crais found hardest to respond to.
"Why?" he asked finally, having rejected all other possible answers.
"I don't know," Laynie said mildly. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."
"I am fine," Crais told her. If he hadn't been before, he was now. It was most strange.
"Good," Laynie said.
She returned to staring out into the valley. Crais caught himself wondering what would happen if he were to turn her face to his and kiss her. But he couldn't risk finding out.
"It happens, don't dwell on it," Laynie said suddenly. "I've there's one lesson I've learned, it's that. Forget yesterday and begin afresh today. This isn't the Peacekeepers, no one will execute you for an error beyond your control."
"There are worse things than being executed," Crais responded immediately.
"Indeed there are," Laynie said. "Such as giving up."
"I mentioned nothing about giving up," Crais shot back.
"Of course not," Laynie said. "I never said you did."
"I will not let one failure deter me," Crais said passionately.
"I never imagined you would," Laynie said composedly.
Crais stared at her, standing up and pacing over to the tree that topped the peak. A few microts ago he'd been depressed and now he was charged with determination. Had she done that, or had he?
"What is your relationship with Marvio?" he demanded.
It couldn't honestly be called a question from thin air, since it had taken up permanent residence at the divide between Crais' conscious and sub-conscious. Even so, he'd expected her to seem more surprised.
"Doctor and Captain, and friends," was her answer.
"And more?" Crais asked, knowing he had no right to expect a response.
"No," Laynie said, no trace of hesitation or awkwardness.
"Were you?" Crais asked, even more bluntly, half wondering how long she would allow the interrogation to continue.
That made Laynie hesitate, very briefly. "It depends on your definition of more," she said slowly. "He does not, and has never, loved me as anything other than a friend and I share those feelings. But if your question is whether or not we have ever recreated, the answer is yes."
Crais felt a sudden, primordial urge to kill his former mentor.
"Not recently," Laynie continued. "But when we first arrived here, for a time. We both agreed to end that."
"Why?" Crais asked, needing to know even though he didn't want to hear.
"Because Marvio knew that I wanted ultimately to raise a family, and we both knew that I didn't want to do that with him." Laynie stopped looking at Crais and stared out over the valley again. "He's not the one I want to share my life with."
Who is? Crais wanted to ask, but that question stuck in his throat.
"One thing to be said for life in the Peacekeepers," Laynie said, looking at him again and smiling. "Outlawing relationships makes things a lot less complicated. Not that I don't think the complications are worth it - for the right person."
"Complications can be the difference between life and death," Crais said, avoiding her eyes as he ran his fingers over the bark of the tree.
"A raindrop can be the difference between life and death," Laynie said bluntly. "You can't avoid death by not living."
"You do not really believe that a person only lives if they live with someone else?"
"No," Laynie said. "I think a person who wants to live with someone else, only lives if they live with someone else."
"Perhaps I do not wish to," Crais said, leaning back against the tree and folding his arms.
"I never said you did," Laynie replied. "I believe we were talking about me. And some other hypothetical people."
Crais went to answer, or at least try to, and found himself sneezing violently instead. Laynie looked surprised. "It's been less than a weeken since I examined you, it doesn't speak much for my skills that you are ill already," she said.
"I am not..." was all Crais managed before he sneezed again. He pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose.
"You were saying?" Laynie said, looking amused.
"I am not ill," Crais said firmly, replacing it. "I do not need medical attention for a few sneezes."
"Nevertheless," Laynie said, standing up and approaching him. "I'd like to..."
"No!" Crais said, a little more forcefully than he'd intended. He mellowed his voice. "I thank for your concern, but I am in perfect health. If that changes, I will report to you."
Laynie gave what sounded like a cough, although Crais was sure it had started life as a snort. "It's almost dark," she said, looking around. "We should head back. It's hard to find your way down in the dark. There's always the risk we'll get lost if we stay here much longer."
Crais couldn't have put it better himself.
"Very well," he said slowly, moving to join her. "We will go together."
**
"Why is it," Crichton asked, as he and Crais strode along the corridor towards Marvio's office, "that Kinsella tries to demote me every time I make a raslak-ring on the console top, but turns a blind eye to a total screw up like this?"
Crais ignored him.
"It just plain isn't fair," Crichton moaned.
"Life is not fair," Crais said succinctly, as they came to a halt outside the door. He knocked and they entered at Marvio's command.
"A slight alteration to the plan," Marvio said, without preamble, as Crais and Crichton came to stand before him. "I have received a transmission from Lt. Loth'Lorian. It seems that Captain Braca contacted her, advising her of it, but we did not receive the communication in time. Unfortunate, but not disastrous. And we have alternative co-ordinates."
"Same as before?" Crichton asked, looking more confident without Kinsella breathing down his neck.
"Not precisely," Marvio answered, sifting through a case of info-chips. "Lt. Loth'Lorian will accompany you this time. The mission requires you to infiltrate a highly-populated station, which will take high-level covert operations skills - the kind the Lieutenant excels at."
"Red star training can be invaluable," Crais grudgingly admitted.
"Indeed," Marvio answered, locating the chip he was looking for and handing it to Crais. "Lt. Loth'Lorian will be arriving within the next arn. I am also sending Lt. Essan with you. Her combat skills are second to none. As for the final member of your team, I am being forced to break with established protocol, because this mission requires more than strategic thinking."
"Who?" Crichton asked, just as Crais realised he knew instinctively who Marvio meant.
**
"Grayza's heppel gland won't continue to function on its own," Laynie said, pacing in front of the group as she took care of her part of the briefing. "It's not designed for Sebaceans to use. In order for it to produce the hormones she relies on, it must be stimulated by a substance called Kerelin. That is not naturally occurring in Sebaceans either. Grayza has an artificial implant in the back of her neck which releases Kerelin, but it must be replaced every cycle. She is due for a check-up." Laynie smiled wickedly, making Crais clear his throat and shift in his seat. "And my oath as a doctor will not allow me to subject her to inferior care."
"So you're going to pull it?" Crichton asked, his arm draped over his up-pulled leg. "Bye bye birdy?"
Laynie shook her head. "That is not the plan," she said.
"It should be," Eowyn said, unfolding her long legs from the lotus position she was sitting in and standing. "Kill the root and the plant dies."
"I have my orders, there will be nothing so direct" Laynie said, as Eowyn came to stand beside her. They made a striking pair. Objectively, Eowyn was by far the more beautiful, but Crais was quickly discovering how much beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
"I remember a time," Eowyn said, putting an arm around Laynie's shoulders, "when you didn't always follow orders."
Laynie looked sideways at her. "I can't remember a time when you ever did. At least not when you could get away without it."
"So what is the plan?" Lt. Essan asked.
"A slight modification to the implant," Laynie replied, leaning against the console behind her as Eowyn restlessly wandered round command. "We cannot remove it, because that could be detected. We cannot stop production, because that would be detected. What I intend to do is alter the enzymes being released so that they cannot perform the function they are designed to. The heppel gland will no longer be stimulated and production of the hormones will stop."
"Which gets us where, precisely?" Crichton asked. "Immunity from her charms won't fix up the Scarran problem."
"Her body is dependent upon the hormones," Crais answered, before he realised he knew. "Remove them and it will slowly cease to function. This will, indirectly, kill her."
Laynie gave Crais a warm smile. He cleared his throat again.
"This is an assassination squad now?" Crichton asked.
"The resistance is one big assassination squad," Eowyn said, turning from the viewscreen where she had stopped her pacing. "The greater good often requires the lesser bad to be done. And that is your job now. To do what others will not."
"News flash," Crichton said. "That's been my life for the last three cycles. This is no big step up - or down."
"I can make the alteration, with Eowyn and Lt. Essan to back me up," Laynie said.
She was nervous, Crais realised. A conscript member of the medical corps - likely she hadn't left ship duty in all her time as a Peacekeeper.
"Crichton and I should accompany you," he said.
Laynie shook her head, as Eowyn rolled her eyes. "First rule of surveillance," Eowyn said, as if they were still cadets. "Don't attempt to fool someone who knows you. At least not with your pathetic training."
Crais opened his mouth to retort, when he saw Laynie shake her head at him. Automatically, he shut it again.
"We're in the back seat this time, huh?" Crichton said, glancing at Crais. "I guess we're on probation."
"No officer is ever off probation," Lt. Essan remarked. She didn't seem to consider Crichton a superior.
"Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine," Crichton muttered.
"Our meeting will be at the Teranis medical centre in fifteen arns," Crais said, confirming what his team already knew. "In the meantime, I suggest you all get some rest."
Lt. Essan nodded smartly, said 'yes, sir' and departed, back straight, reminding Crais strongly of Captain Braca. Crichton loafed out, Eowyn following closely behind. Crais saw Crichton jump as Eowyn pinched his backside and fought hard to suppress a smile.
"Aren't you going to rest too?" Laynie asked, moving over to stand beside him.
"One of us should remain on watch," Crais replied.
"Not the Captain."
"My part here is the least essential."
"No part here is unessential," Laynie said softly. "But I won't debate that with you. I just want you to do one thing for me, before I turn in."
"And what might that be?" Crais asked, trying to keep his imagination from roaming.
Laynie produced a small device from her pocket and placed it under his nose. "Breathe in through your nose," she said.
It wasn't exactly what Crais had expected. "Why?" he asked.
"Just do it," Laynie said, smiling. "It's nothing bad, I promise."
Warily, Crais did as she asked. And sneezed violently.
"Thought so," Laynie said, pocketing the device again. "It's a simple allergy."
"To what?" Crais asked, producing a tissue and blowing his nose resentfully.
"Pollen," Laynie said. "You have hayfever. I suppose it didn't show up when you were younger and you probably didn't notice it on board ship. Nothing serious, I'll put you on injections when we get back."
Crais tugged at his collar. "That will not be necessary," he said.
Laynie sat down next to Crais. Their thighs were touching. He tried and failed not to notice.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of needles?" she said.
"Certainly not," Crais said, immediately. "I merely prefer...that is..."
Laynie laughed and gave Crais a look of pure affection. The kind he'd been starved of most of his life. To his surprise - and perhaps her own - she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Crais turned and stared at her, not knowing what to do.
"I'm sure I can find another solution," she said, getting up and heading out of command.
Crais watched her leave, longing to follow. He was beginning to suspect that complications were far more difficult to avoid than he'd imagined.
**
Crais was pacing up and down in command enough to make Crichton wish he'd packed Farscape 1 with dramamine tablets. Why he was so nervous, Crichton couldn't fathom. It was a simple away mission, Crais must have commander stacks of them. Eowyn, Laynie and Essan all had last names and none of them were wearing red. They were perfectly safe.
"It was foolish to allow her to go with so little security," Crichton heard Crais mutter. "I should be there."
"Who?" Crichton asked, curiously.
"What?" Crais said, looking round distractedly, like he hadn't realised Crichton was still there.
"You said it was foolish to allow her to go with so little security," Crichton said, leaning forward as his brain latched onto the idea. "Who?"
"I meant them," Crais said. Crichton could've sworn he was blushing.
Crichton folded his arms across as his chest as he regarded Crais, no longer bored with waiting. "Really?" he asked.
"It was a simple mistake," Crais snapped, resuming his pacing. "Why must you jump to conclusions?"
Crichton held up his hands in surrender. Methinks the Captain doth protest too much, he thought delightedly. It was obvious really, he couldn't believe he hadn't realised it sooner.
Crais totally had a thing for Eowyn.
**
Laynie Taan set the implant in Grayza's neck carefully and straightened up. Mission accomplished. She glanced at Lt. Essan, who looked all wrong dressed as one of the station's med-techs, and nodded.
"A complete success," she announced. "Nurse, if you would take our patient to the recovery room?"
Lt. Essan played her role admirably, revealing acting talent Laynie hadn't expected her to have. Laynie retired to the clean room and changed out of her scrubs and into the uniform of the medical staff, trying to relax the muscles of her stomach. The operation had been the easy part. Eowyn considered vid-editing child's play and the door controls were jammed utterly unless you knew her newly-programmed combination. Now they just had to melt into the background and escape.
She unlocked the door as Lt. Essan returned and the two of them headed down the corridor, having to walk slower than Laynie would have liked to keep up appearances. They passed through corridor after corridor, relying on their mental maps and nothing else. At the third intersection, Eowyn joined them.
"Go by corridor six, section two," she muttered, before disappearing down another corridor, as if she didn't know them.
Laynie knew not to ask why. She and Essan carried on until they reached that location and had almost turned the corner when they both froze.
"Standard security search, Captain. You understand," came a voice from around it.
In a flash, Essan yanked off a wall panel and she and Laynie practically dived inside. They were unregistered visitors in a place where everyone was scanned on arrival. If they were caught, the whole mission would be in jeopardy.
They started crawling down the tunnel until they could drop into another corridor. Laynie searched her memory, focusing hard on the plan she'd memorised and realised they were in corridor four, section three.
"Third on the right," she said quietly to Essan. "It only adds a few hundred microts to the journey."
Essan nodded and they carried on together.
Laynie's stomach muscles clenched tighter and tighter. If Eowyn gave an order, there was good reason for it. And if they didn't make it back... She was beginning to question her own bravery.
Her pace quickened as they walked and she had to fight the temptation to break into a run. Something was going to happen, she could feel it. Something was going to...
The conduit blew open as she passed it, a cloud of blue smoke enveloped her and the world crumbled into ashes.
**
Crais stared out of the viewscreen, resolutely avoiding Crichton's gaze. One little word, that had absolutely meant nothing, and now he would probably never hear the last of it. Of course he had meant 'them'. He had no reason to care for one above the others.
A sudden beep came from one of the consoles, telling Crais and Crichton that the others had returned. A moment later, Eowyn's voice came through the comms. "Go now!" she panted. "Five hundred microts to detonation."
"Detonation?!" Crichton exclaimed.
Crais' brain was fortunately well enough trained not to pause for that thought. He broke the docking connections immediately and had them at a safe distance in half that time.
"What frelling deto...?" Crichton started to ask.
Teranis station imploded in a microt, leaving nothing but a small field of floating debris.
"...nation," Crichton finished.
Crais stared at the viewscreen. This had not been part of the plan. At least, not to his knowledge.
"Lt. Loth'Lorian," he said tightly, slapping his comms. "Report to command and explain."
"Later. We're in medical."
Crais' insides turned to ice.
"Laynie's hurt."
**
"She needs serious help. Head-quarters is too far. The closest place is..."
"The Charis system," Crais said.
Eowyn glanced at him. "What use are a bunch of holograms?" she said. "She has radiation poisoning. She needs medical help."
"You were the one who blew up Teranis station!" Crais snapped. "There is a medical program built into the systems at Charis. Those holograms can help her. We do not have time to travel anywhere else!"
"Save the debriefing for later," Eowyn snapped back. She hit her comms. "Charis system, as fast as we can go."
Crais looked at Laynie, unconscious on the medi-bed and tried not to think about the possibility of her dying. "What effect will this have on her?" he asked, trying to keep his tone professional.
"Worst, death," Eowyn said flatly. "If we can't reverse the damage soon. Even if we get her help, this dose will cause permanent damage. Sterility, for one thing."
"She wishes to raise a family," Crais said, not even considering how odd a comment that was for him to make.
Eowyn raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, well, she'll be frelling lucky if she can do that now." Her eyes narrowed. "No matter who she's recreating with."
Crais ignored that comment, afraid of giving himself away.
"What can you do for her in the mean time?" he asked.
"Field treatments. Won't be enough. Keep her alive for a few arns, but nothing else."
Crais knew he was capable of administering those himself. He could offer to be the one who stayed with her. But what reason could he give for doing so?
"I will be in command," he said instead. And made himself walk out.
**
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the hologramatic doctor said, as soon as Crais activated the subroutine to bring him on line.
"Radiation poisoning," Eowyn said, without missing a beat. Crais had to admit that he couldn't fault her reactions. "Fix it."
The doctor managed to look disdainfully at her and immediately spring into action, as Crichton carried Laynie to the medi-bed and laid her down on it.
"Out," he said, without preamble. "I must have freedom from interruption."
Crais, Crichton and Eowyn reluctantly complied. At the door, Eowyn turned back. "You don't fix her, and I scramble your program so bad you'll never scowl again," she declared, before Crichton pulled her out of the door.
Crais was having to work so hard to stop himself looking worried that the muscles in his face were aching with the strain. "I have business to take care of," he lied. "Return to the ship and help Lt. Essan finish the log entries."
"I'm staying," Eowyn declared. "I'm a mercenary, not one of your lap dogs."
Crais wanted to punch her. Now was not the time. "Very well, go where you will," he said, not in the mood to argue about respect for rank.
Crichton gave him an understanding, amused look, which Crais couldn't comprehend. He waved it off though, he had too much on his mind already.
"Contact me the microt he has finished," he ordered and immediately marched off down the corridor, not bothering to see what the others did.
He walked until his shins began to cramp and then he allowed himself to stop, walking through one of the doors into a terrain reconstruction. Why they had bothered to create one here was beyond him. No one lived here.
"Hello."
Correction, one person did.
Crais looked up, recognising the voice, but not believing his ears. "Cymma?" he asked, looking around.
"Who else?"
Cymma was sitting above him, on a tree branch. She should have fallen through it. There were no living plants here.
"I did not know anyone lived here," Crais said, understanding the situation even as he said it.
"I don't need food, or water. I can live here. I grew up here. I was even here when it was you in medical, a dench from death. A pivotal moment in your life, though you didn't realise it. Having your life saved by Marvio when every other commanding officer would have left you to die."
Cymma didn't jump down. She disappeared and reappeared on the ground beside him.
"And now it's another pivotal moment. Though it'll probably take you another ten cycles to realise it. Someone else who matters to you is in trouble."
"Will she recover?" Crais asked, the words almost catching in his throat.
Cymma shrugged. "Who knows? I don't see the future, I just closely observe the present."
"You have seen Eowyn, then?" Crais asked, wanting to have his mind off Laynie if he could.
"I have."
"And can you explain the situation to me?"
"I can."
"Will you?" Crais said.
Cymma moved back towards the tree and leant casually against its trunk. "She is my sister," she said. "We are twins, as you no doubt surmised."
"But how?"
"My species aid leviathans in distress. The leviathan in question was a prison ship, like Moya. My father was a guard on that ship. My mother posed as a Sebacean technician to gain access to it. They...recreated."
Crais' eyes followed Cymma as she prowled around the tree trunk, running her hand down it.
"We do not produce offspring as Sebaceans do. The mixing of energies produces a new life-form almost immediately. My parents brought forth both of us. Lacking understanding of Peacekeeper practices, my mother took me and left Eowyn to my father to raise. She thought it was the fairest solution."
Cymma's expression darkened.
"Of course, Eowyn was raised as a Peacekeeper. Only her Sebacean half will show on scanners and I doubt she has any idea she can change her state. Eventually we learned of her fate. I chose to alter my rest-state, so I did not appear Sebacean anymore."
In a blink of an eye, Cymma's green feathers turned into golden locks.
"Like this," she said. "No one could tell the difference."
She moved closer to Crais, slipping her arms around his broad chest. "Not even you," she whispered.
Crais kissed her hungrily. Truthfully, he felt no need or even desire for recreation, but he did feel the need to forget. Forget everything that had brought him here.
**
Crichton turned away from his high vantage point, laughing to himself. He was glad he'd followed Crais now. Eowyn Loth'Lorian and Bialar Crais, who would've thought it?
**
Crais, feeling no better now the initial release of tension was over, strode along the corridor. Cymma, now with feathers re-installed, was by his side. It had been an arn and he could wait no longer.
"Doctor!" he demanded, as he walked into the medi-lab. "What is...?"
He went pale as he saw the doctor's expression.
"I have done all I can," the doctor responded. "But I do not know if it will be enough. I do not have the equipment to repair the damage. It requires too much energy."
"That I can provide," Cymma said, as if she'd expected this all along. Before Crais or the doctor could comment, she had marched to Laynie, placed her hand on her chest and vanished.
The doctor studied his monitors intensely. "This is incredible!" he said excitedly. "She is stabilising!"
Crais knees threatened to collapse with relief.
Then Cymma reappeared. "Frell!" she swore.
"What is it?" Crais demanded, his muscles tensing up again in an instant.
"I can't complete it! I'm not enough."
"Will she live?" Crais asked, not realising he was holding his breath.
"Live, yes," Cymma said, glancing at the doctor, who was still surveying his monitors gleefully. "But there's major damage, Crais."
"If we take her back to head-quarters..." Crais began.
"They will be able to do nothing," Cymma finished. "It's too deep. If I had more energy, I could repair it, but..."
Crais' eyes met hers as they turned to look at each other. Crais hit his comms. "Eowyn," he said. "Please report to medical."
**
"I'm here, what do you...?" Eowyn said. Then she saw Cymma.
It took a lot to shock a Red Star.
"What the...? How...?" Eowyn tried to say.
Cymma walked over to her, placed one hand on her chest and they both vanished. A microt later, they reappeared.
"What do we do?" Eowyn asked, no longer uncertain. Crais couldn't even begin to guess what they had just shared.
Cymma led Eowyn to the medi-bed. They placed their hands one on top of the other on Laynie's chest and vanished again.
"Incredible," the doctor said, eyes still on his monitor.
Crais stood, waiting. It was pure torture. Microts felt like arns.
And then Laynie suddenly stirred, opening her eyes and blinking at the bright lights of the medi-bay. Crais was by her side almost instantly.
"Whashappened?" she mumbled. "Where am I?"
"Charis station," Crais said, hands folded safely behind his back. "You had a large dose of radiation."
"Oh," Laynie said. "That's what they meant."
"Who?" Crais asked.
"The angels," Laynie said, sounding like she was a little light-headed. "My mother always told me they were real. Must apologise for doubting her. First thing tomorrow."
"There were no angels," Crais said. "Eowyn...and another doctor...healed you."
"No," Laynie murmured. "Angels."
Crais gave into temptation and stroked her hair gently, wondering how he could possibly manage to stay away from this woman. Laynie snuggled closer, nuzzling his hand. "You're an angel too," she whispered. "My angel. You're the one I want to share my life with."
Crais couldn't have spoken if his life had depended on it.
It took him a few microts to realise that Laynie had drifted off to sleep. He very carefully extracted his hand and moved away. Fortunately, the doctor didn't appear to have heard anything, he was still staring rapturously at his monitor.
"Amazing," he said. "The energy transfer. One hundred percent efficiency. Nothing wasted."
"What?" Crais asked, not understanding him.
"A complete transfer of life energy," the doctor said, glancing up briefly. "I've never seen it performed so successfully."
"Transfer?" Crais said sharply. "You mean...?"
"They have sacrificed their lives to save your wife."
Crais didn't know which part of that to respond to first. "You cannot mean that... And she is not..." He looked down at Laynie, sleeping peacefully. "She is not my wife," he said, swallowing hard. "And how can they have done this?"
"I'm a doctor, not a psychic."
Crichton strode through the door. "What's going on?" he asked. "Is she okay?"
Crais turned to the doctor. "Can Dr. Taan travel?" he asked.
"Certainly," the doctor replied.
"Then we are done here," Crais said, bending to pick up Laynie, trying not to notice the way she snuggled against his chest. "We should depart."
"Whoa," Crichton said, holding up his hands. "Where's Eowyn?"
Everything was too jumbled up in Crais' head to attempt an explanation. "It is a long story," he said. "Suffice to say, she will not be returning with us."
He walked out, past Crichton, who looked round confusedly for a few microts, as if he expected Eowyn to materialise in front of him, then shrugged and deactivated the medical program. The doctor vanished. No signs of life left.
**
"Are you feeling better?" Crais asked, as Laynie slipped into the seat beside him in command, not questioning how he knew it was her.
"Much," Laynie replied quietly. "I just want to understand how this all happened."
Crais explained as best he could, given that he didn't really understand it himself.
"I can't believe she was willing to do this," Laynie said quietly. "And...Cymma. She didn't even know me."
"She obviously believed that you were worth saving," Crais replied.
"I guess she did," Laynie said.
There was silence, while Crais tried to work out how to begin.
"What...you said in the medi-lab..." he began.
"What did I say?" Laynie asked.
Crais turned to her. Her brow was furrowed and she looked genuinely confused. She didn't remember.
"Nothing of consequence," he said, turning away again.
He could feel Laynie looking at him, but he didn't turn back.
"Okay," she said finally. "If it wasn't anything important."
There was silence again.
"I guess I'll go then," she said.
Crais wanted to stop her and hurry her at the same time. He said nothing.
Crichton came in as Laynie went out, so he got no peace even then.
"Crais..." Crichton said, slowly, sounding strange. "I just wanted to see...how you were doing."
"I am fine," Crais replied, at a loss as to why Crichton was asking.
"I figured you'd say that," Crichton said, approaching him. "But I just...I just thought I'd let you know that I understand and I'm here. You know, if you need to talk to someone.
Crais blinked several times. "About what?" he asked, thoroughly confused.
"I know, Crais," Crichton said.
Crais' stomach clenched. His feelings for Laynie could surely not be so obvious.
"You and Eowyn," Crichton said, running his fingers through his hair. "I never would've thought it, but then I don't pretend to know your taste. But that's not important, what matters is that I know what it's like to lose someone you care about."
Crais was struck dumb. Then he started to smile and soon was laughing properly. The sound reverberated off the walls.
"You...thought that Eowyn and I were involved?" he choked out, remembering her suggestion of a group effort and laughing even harder.
"C'mon, Crais, I figured it out! And you're getting hysterical."
Crais laughed still harder. All the tension he'd built up since joining the resistance seemed to explode. He knew he was hysterical, but he couldn't possibly stop laughing.
"We...are...not..." he tried again.
"I won't tell anyone," Crichton assured him. "Okay, I have to do this."
Next thing Crais knew, Crichton's fist connected with his jaw. It did subdue his laughter very effectively. "I may court martial you for that," he said, moving his jaw from side to side gingerly. He felt too relaxed to get worked up again.
"It's okay," Crichton said again. "Your secret's safe with me. I mean, that's what you meant, isn't it? When you said she shouldn't go with so little security?"
Crais opened his mouth to deny it and stopped. At the very least, this kept Crichton's suspicion from falling elsewhere. He said nothing instead.
Crichton clapped his hand down on Crais' shoulder. "I'm here for you, man," he said.
They stared at each other, Crais suddenly very curious to find out what would happen next.
"Well," Crichton said awkwardly, removing his hand. "You know where I am."
"I do," Crais replied.
"So," Crichton said, starting to move away. "I'm just going to...go."
"Very well," Crais said.
"Cool," Crichton said, and left.
Crais got about ten microts of entertainment from that.
And then he went back to thinking about Laynie.
**
Crichton walked to the quarters he was sharing with Crais later that evening and found Laynie hovering around outside them.
"Looking for me?" he asked.
Laynie jumped and flushed. Weird.
"I was just going to...discuss something with Captain Crais," she said. "Medical."
"I'd leave it until tomorrow," Crichton said, stopping outside the door. "I doubt he's in the mood for it now. Hurting, you know, though he won't admit it."
"Hurting?" Laynie asked, her expression confused.
"Yeah," Crichton said, lowering his voice confidentially. "He and Eowyn had this thing going."
Laynie looked thunderstruck.
"I know," Crichton said. "Not an obvious couple."
Laynie shook her head as she leant against the wall weakly. "No," she said. "Not...obvious."
"I mean, he had this little fling with Cymma, but that was Talyn's mating hormones. Eowyn - can't explain that. Guess he likes women who order him about. Not what I would have expected from him." Crichton shook his head. "Oh well, there's nowt as queer as folk."
"I think you're right," Laynie said, suddenly. "I think I'll leave this until later."
She headed off down the corridor, raking her fingers through her hair. She looked even more stunned than Crichton felt.
But then, Crais and Eowyn, who wouldn't be?
**
"The mission was to alter Grayza's implant, not to destroy a medical centre full of innocent civilians," Crais snapped. "And it is hardly in keeping with our low profile. How long until every Peacekeeper ship knows we are here?"
"May I assume that you consider this a significant tactical error?" Kinsella said, nostrils flaring.
"Is there any other conclusion?" Crais shot back.
"There were several key personnel on board that station, as well as Grayza," Kinsella answered. "It was a chance that could not be missed."
"You ordered this?" Crais asked, disbelieving.
"Captain Kinsella does not have the authority to do that," Marvio answered, sitting calmly in his chair.
Crais turned to him. "But you do," he stated quietly.
"I felt it was for the best," Marvio replied. "Though the loss of life was unfortunate."
"Why was I not informed of this?" Crais asked, his fingernails digging into his flesh as he clenched his fists behind his back.
"Lt. Loth'Lorian..." Kinsella began.
"Does not outrank me!" Crais exclaimed.
"...has some traits that you lack," Kinsella finished.
Crais turned to her, furious. "What I lack is an understanding of how you expect me to command a mission when I am mis-informed about what that mission is!"
Marvio chuckled dryly, folding his hands over his stomach. "Welcome to the resistance," he said.
"Forgive me, Captain," Crais said, looking his former mentor straight in the eye, "if I do not consider that sufficient reason."
"Oh, I am quite happy to forgive you, Bialar," Marvio remarked. "But it will have very little impact on anything."
"So, I am expected to accept that secrets will be kept from me, even though I am second in command here?" Crais demanded.
"I am afraid so," Marvio replied. Kinsella nodded maliciously beside him.
Crais bristled. "When I am Captain here," he said tightly, unable to resist the insubordination. "Nothing will go on behind my back!"
Marvio and Kinsella exchanged looks of barely-hidden amusement. "Believe that," Marvio said, "if it suits you. But you are quite wrong."
Crais tried not to glower too much.
**
They had been back at Head Quarters for a weeken. It was early evening when Crais reached sunset peak once again. He'd needed to escape.
Crichton's ecstatic face when he'd sought Crais out to announce that Aeryn had apparently taken leave of her senses and agreed to be bonded to him, had set Crais to thinking. Life outside the Peacekeepers seemed to involve a great deal of thinking. And the more he thought, the less he was sure of. It was horribly unsettling.
There were so many conflicting things in his mind. His new position, his future position - the time indefinite, which made it worse - as Commander-In-Chief, Laynie, Crichton and Aeryn, Laynie, Cymma and Eowyn, Laynie, life in the resistance, Laynie. As a Peacekeeper, all he'd wanted was to command his own ship and protect his brother. Now, frankly, he had no idea what he wanted.
"We have to stop meeting like this."
It was fitting that she would be the one to find him. He was thinking about her so much that it was as if she had already been there.
Crais stood to greet her. "Doctor," he said.
"Captain," Laynie replied.
Crais could see endless cycles stretching out in front of them, full of uncertainty about what they should do next.
"I...wanted to see how you were," Laynie said.
"I should ask you the same question," Crais replied.
"I'm fine," Laynie said, rubbing her stomach self-consciously. "It looks like I'll still be able to have children. Which is...good."
Crais nodded, trying not to remember her words on Charis.
"Listen," Laynie said. "Eowyn was my friend for a long time, so I'm hurting. But I can't imagine how you must feel right now."
It took Crais a few microts to understand what she could possibly mean by that.
"Laynie," he said. "I mean...Doctor. There was nothing between Eowyn and myself. Crichton...has become delusional."
"Oh," Laynie said, looking embarrassed. "Oh, right. Of course not. I didn't really think she was your type."
"She is not," Crais confirmed.
"Right," Laynie said again. "So, I'm sure you're fine then. So, I'll just go."
She turned to leave, then stopped. "Oh, I found another solution to your allergies," she said, turning back. "I've fixed up an implant for you. It'll be like having a transponder, only less invasive obviously. No more sneezing."
"Thank you," Crais answered.
"I guess that's all there is to say," Laynie said, looking at Crais.
"Yes," Crais replied. "For now, at least."
Then he wondered why he had added that last part.
"I believe I will come back with you," he found himself saying.
"Going to brave Commander Crichton's party?" Laynie said, smiling again.
Crais snorted as he came to join her. "He does have a talent for over-reaction."
"They're getting married," Laynie said. "He's entitled to over-react."
"I would never behave so ridiculously," Crais said, before he thought.
Laynie made a sound that Crais refused to accept as a sigh, as they started to walk down together.
"No," she said. "Perhaps you won't."
