Chapter 4 I Cannot do That John
Large red haired Sebacian pulled me into the shuttle and shoved into the pilot's seat. Inside I could see the rest of the crew were turned quite successfully into Sebacian versions of themselves.
"Your whore has beaten up Stark and holed herself up into the command centre. Now she's turned off the life support system on Moya," said the Sebacian in D'Argo's voice. "I need you to talk her down now!"
The comm system was on I could hear everything.
"Open the doors now Sikozu," ordered John's voice.
"I'm sorry. I cannot do that John," I heard you say in a far too calm voice.
"If you don't turn on the life support you'll die as well," reasoned Aeryn as calmly as she could.
"You murdered the only reason I have for living. That's not a good line of argument," your voice was dead.
Stark gibbered in the background. "He's not dead. It was just a joke. Pilot wouldn't let us kill him."
D'Argo shoved me to speak, " He's right, Sikzou. I'm not dead."
"Grasshopper! I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice," said John.
"Have no further use for me eh? Now get off the line I want to speak with my mate, alone! Sikzou turn on the life support again."
"How do I know this isn't another trick?" you asked quietly.
"Sikzou scan the transmission triangulation. See it? I'm at base where Aeryn was abducted." The comm was silent. "Still need some convincing, all right how about some personal information. When we first met on the Command Carrier I said your hairdo looked ridiculous. Your favourite music group is the Screaming Poets, not unique but you must be the only person who actually listens to the lyrics. Please turn on the life support system, you're the only thing that makes my stay on Moya bearable."
It could hear the hum as the life support equipment turned on. I'm sorry I couldn't have reached while I was on my journey but we had to maintain radio silence.
Two solar cycles later we received our first transmission from Meserat 12.
"This is Peacekeeper central traffic systems, state the nature of your business," droned the Sebacian on the other side.
"This is Commander Bratac, transporting a Scarren prisoner and my passengers to a top secret base," replied D'Argo.
"Transmit your flight plan now," ordered the voice.
"My flight plan is top secret, am transmitting key code now," replied D'Argo.
Peacekeepers are an extremely secretive group of people. It is common practice for ships like ours to skulk through the reaches of space on missions unknown. A key code is quite often used to let a ship pass unmolested.
Suddenly it seemed like I was drowning in green light. This time every cell in my body felt like it had been turned inside out. I could hear the others crying out as the long distance bioscan did its work.
After transmitting the appropriate identity codes the traffic controller permitted us to pass. As we travelled the rest of the way I noticed a shimmering shape followed us. It was a prowler in the latest stealth mode. The key code allowed us to pass unmolested but not unwatched.
A few arns later we were in sight of a small station carved out of a large asteroid. Meserat 12 seemed coincidentally near my old Gammak base. As we approached the station we were scanned again. Chiana chose that time to tighten my bonds.
"I realize the necessity of restraining me now but why did I have to wear them for the last two solar cycles?" I complained.
"Realism," said Rygel. He still looked very much the dog.
We landed unhindered into the large docking bay. A single officer stood to greet us. It was a small balding man who seemed somehow familiar. When we stepped out, over a dozen elite Peacekeeper soldiers surrounded us. Another batch swarmed into the shuttle to search it.
"Commander Bratac you had two non Sebacian life forms in your shuttle you will explain now," said the balding man.
I could hear the Peacekeepers click off the safety of their large rifles. They pointed the muzzles of their pulse rifles even closer to us. It was a very tense situation.
If any of the others especially D'Argo had shown any fear it would have been all over. D'Argo simply stepped forward and handed a data crystal to the officer for scanning. The Luxan spoke as calmly as if he were ordering foodstuffs, "The Scarren, Wendigo Wentrax, is a prisoner to be used in a breeding program to produce heat resistant Peacekeepers and Fluffy here is a companion of Officer Norlan."
The officer sneered at Noranti, "Becoming weak and sentimental in your old age are we? No self respecting Peacekeeper would be seen with a useless creature like this." He aimed a kick at Rygel.
Noranti looked the closest thing to a sweet old lady the Peacekeepers ever had. She smiled gently at the officer, "Don't be fooled by appearances, Fluffy here has more skill sets than most solders."
"And what brings you here?"
"I'm here to test out a new training program on the cadets in order to increase their learning capabilities," she said. It was a feasible lie. On the rare occasion that a Peacekeeper actually reaches old age he is retired from active duty and assigned to a crèche. The logic behind this is that any Peacekeeper that survives to retirement must be extremely tough and cunning.
Then the officer turned to Chiana eying her up and down contemptuously, "And what is your mission here, Officer Chibi?"
The best way to describe how Chiana looked is PK Trelk girl. She still had greyish skin but then so does Commandant Graza. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I'm here to assist in the breeding program."
The officer burst out in laughter, " It figures, well your documentation is all in order. Why didn't you transmit your mission to us beforehand?"
D'Argo had an extremely good answer, "Sir, due the controversial nature of our mission, it was deemed best to maintain complete secrecy. Most of the Peacekeeper ranks wouldn't understand the need for genetic enhancement."
"Understood I'll have quarters set up for all of you in about half an arn. In the meantime we'll put the Scarren in a holding cell and you can enjoy our guest lounge."
Chiana whispered something and the officer made a face. He signalled to one of the guards and I felt a pulse rifle jab me in to back. The other walked away to some place in doubt much more pleasant then I was going to as the guards herded me away. They led me into a small clean room.
It was more like the quarters of senior cadet then a cell. It had a small cot and a side table with a lamp. I tried to move towards the bed but one of the soldiers slammed me face first into a wall.
"That bed's not for you Scarren filth," he said as turned me to face him. They then chained me to the wall. As they left they turned out the lights and locked me in.
I struggled against the chains. As you know I do not like being tied up at all. The room was almost completely dark. The only thing I could see was the faint green light of the infrared as they watched me. I was alone in the dark for about an arn. It seemed to be far longer than that.
Large red haired Sebacian pulled me into the shuttle and shoved into the pilot's seat. Inside I could see the rest of the crew were turned quite successfully into Sebacian versions of themselves.
"Your whore has beaten up Stark and holed herself up into the command centre. Now she's turned off the life support system on Moya," said the Sebacian in D'Argo's voice. "I need you to talk her down now!"
The comm system was on I could hear everything.
"Open the doors now Sikozu," ordered John's voice.
"I'm sorry. I cannot do that John," I heard you say in a far too calm voice.
"If you don't turn on the life support you'll die as well," reasoned Aeryn as calmly as she could.
"You murdered the only reason I have for living. That's not a good line of argument," your voice was dead.
Stark gibbered in the background. "He's not dead. It was just a joke. Pilot wouldn't let us kill him."
D'Argo shoved me to speak, " He's right, Sikzou. I'm not dead."
"Grasshopper! I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice," said John.
"Have no further use for me eh? Now get off the line I want to speak with my mate, alone! Sikzou turn on the life support again."
"How do I know this isn't another trick?" you asked quietly.
"Sikzou scan the transmission triangulation. See it? I'm at base where Aeryn was abducted." The comm was silent. "Still need some convincing, all right how about some personal information. When we first met on the Command Carrier I said your hairdo looked ridiculous. Your favourite music group is the Screaming Poets, not unique but you must be the only person who actually listens to the lyrics. Please turn on the life support system, you're the only thing that makes my stay on Moya bearable."
It could hear the hum as the life support equipment turned on. I'm sorry I couldn't have reached while I was on my journey but we had to maintain radio silence.
Two solar cycles later we received our first transmission from Meserat 12.
"This is Peacekeeper central traffic systems, state the nature of your business," droned the Sebacian on the other side.
"This is Commander Bratac, transporting a Scarren prisoner and my passengers to a top secret base," replied D'Argo.
"Transmit your flight plan now," ordered the voice.
"My flight plan is top secret, am transmitting key code now," replied D'Argo.
Peacekeepers are an extremely secretive group of people. It is common practice for ships like ours to skulk through the reaches of space on missions unknown. A key code is quite often used to let a ship pass unmolested.
Suddenly it seemed like I was drowning in green light. This time every cell in my body felt like it had been turned inside out. I could hear the others crying out as the long distance bioscan did its work.
After transmitting the appropriate identity codes the traffic controller permitted us to pass. As we travelled the rest of the way I noticed a shimmering shape followed us. It was a prowler in the latest stealth mode. The key code allowed us to pass unmolested but not unwatched.
A few arns later we were in sight of a small station carved out of a large asteroid. Meserat 12 seemed coincidentally near my old Gammak base. As we approached the station we were scanned again. Chiana chose that time to tighten my bonds.
"I realize the necessity of restraining me now but why did I have to wear them for the last two solar cycles?" I complained.
"Realism," said Rygel. He still looked very much the dog.
We landed unhindered into the large docking bay. A single officer stood to greet us. It was a small balding man who seemed somehow familiar. When we stepped out, over a dozen elite Peacekeeper soldiers surrounded us. Another batch swarmed into the shuttle to search it.
"Commander Bratac you had two non Sebacian life forms in your shuttle you will explain now," said the balding man.
I could hear the Peacekeepers click off the safety of their large rifles. They pointed the muzzles of their pulse rifles even closer to us. It was a very tense situation.
If any of the others especially D'Argo had shown any fear it would have been all over. D'Argo simply stepped forward and handed a data crystal to the officer for scanning. The Luxan spoke as calmly as if he were ordering foodstuffs, "The Scarren, Wendigo Wentrax, is a prisoner to be used in a breeding program to produce heat resistant Peacekeepers and Fluffy here is a companion of Officer Norlan."
The officer sneered at Noranti, "Becoming weak and sentimental in your old age are we? No self respecting Peacekeeper would be seen with a useless creature like this." He aimed a kick at Rygel.
Noranti looked the closest thing to a sweet old lady the Peacekeepers ever had. She smiled gently at the officer, "Don't be fooled by appearances, Fluffy here has more skill sets than most solders."
"And what brings you here?"
"I'm here to test out a new training program on the cadets in order to increase their learning capabilities," she said. It was a feasible lie. On the rare occasion that a Peacekeeper actually reaches old age he is retired from active duty and assigned to a crèche. The logic behind this is that any Peacekeeper that survives to retirement must be extremely tough and cunning.
Then the officer turned to Chiana eying her up and down contemptuously, "And what is your mission here, Officer Chibi?"
The best way to describe how Chiana looked is PK Trelk girl. She still had greyish skin but then so does Commandant Graza. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I'm here to assist in the breeding program."
The officer burst out in laughter, " It figures, well your documentation is all in order. Why didn't you transmit your mission to us beforehand?"
D'Argo had an extremely good answer, "Sir, due the controversial nature of our mission, it was deemed best to maintain complete secrecy. Most of the Peacekeeper ranks wouldn't understand the need for genetic enhancement."
"Understood I'll have quarters set up for all of you in about half an arn. In the meantime we'll put the Scarren in a holding cell and you can enjoy our guest lounge."
Chiana whispered something and the officer made a face. He signalled to one of the guards and I felt a pulse rifle jab me in to back. The other walked away to some place in doubt much more pleasant then I was going to as the guards herded me away. They led me into a small clean room.
It was more like the quarters of senior cadet then a cell. It had a small cot and a side table with a lamp. I tried to move towards the bed but one of the soldiers slammed me face first into a wall.
"That bed's not for you Scarren filth," he said as turned me to face him. They then chained me to the wall. As they left they turned out the lights and locked me in.
I struggled against the chains. As you know I do not like being tied up at all. The room was almost completely dark. The only thing I could see was the faint green light of the infrared as they watched me. I was alone in the dark for about an arn. It seemed to be far longer than that.
