Chapter 10

Crichton met D'Argo in the corridor as they both strode towards command to find out what was wrong

"Pilot? Pilot, what is happening?"

"Pilot's virtually unconscious, D'Argo," Aeryn's voice came over the comms "I can't get much sensible out of him, but I think it may have been an immobiliser pulse"

"What! Scorpius, what is Braca doing firing an immobiliser pulse at Moya?"

"It wasn't from the command carrier" Scorpius came up behind them as they entered command "it was from that" he indicated the sleek silvery-white vessel filling the view screen

"Wow, what is that?"

"It is the Peacekeeper's latest ship designed to replace the command carrier. This is currently the only one in existence and it happens to be under the command of Commissioner Listrac"

"She the one you were telling me about?"

Before Scorpius could do more than nod in assent a voice came over the comms.

"Crew of the leviathan this is Peacekeeper ship Swift One. Your vessel is now under our control. You will be boarded momentarily. If you do not resist no harm will come to your ship or it's pilot"

"Don't give us much of a choice do they?"

"Let me try and find out what all this is about, John"

"You had better." He turned to gaze at the ship, noting that it was strategically placed between Moya and the command carrier. Whoever had ordered this attack had obviously planned it thoroughly. "I don't like this, I don't like it at all"

"Neither do I John," replied D'Argo "but I don't think we have any choice at the moment but to comply. We can't starburst away and if we attempted to get away on Lo'la, I'm pretty sure that thing would blast us to pieces the microt we left Moya."

"What about concealing ourselves on Moya and taking them out one by one, you know the Die Hard way, like we did with the Coreeshi?"

"They'll just send more troops and pull Moya apart"

"Then we could go down on a swing like Butch and Sundance"

"You forget that I've seen that movie now and I know how it ends. Not a particularly attractive option at the moment! Let's just go along with it for the time being. Something is bound to come up to save us. It always does"

The commissioner obviously wasn't taking any chances; a full company of commandos came on board and rounded up the occupants of Moya. They were separated and all taken off in different directions. Scorpius went directly to the commissioner in her quarters.

"What is the meaning of this, Commissioner?"

"Are you questioning my strategy, Scorpius?"

"No, of course not" he said placatingly "but I thought we had agreed that I would attempt to gain Crichton's co-operation without the need to resort to any use of force"

"You had your chance, Scorpius, now it's mine"

"I hardly had a chance commissioner, another solar day…"

"Don't play games with me Scorpius; you'll find I'm too old a hand to fall for your machinations. Can you honestly tell me you weren't planning to have the leviathan starburst away to keep Crichton for yourself?" They stared at each other for several moments and it was Scorpius who looked away first. The moment was broken by a discreet knock on the door. At Listrac's "come" a soldier entered leading a handcuffed Aeryn.

"Officer Sun, welcome" Listrac smiled at the stony face regarding her. She looked up at Scorpius who turned from regarding Aeryn to stare at her consideringly.

"I believe we have finished Scorpius. If you wouldn't mind…" Aeryn had the fleeting enjoyment of watching the half-breed be so summarily dismissed, but her pleasure was short-lived

"Well, Officer Sun. How do you like our new ship?"

"What I've seen of it is certainly very impressive, but a little cramped in comparison with a carrier"

"Yes, but then of course this ship only requires a complement of 20,000 crew instead of 50,000"

Aeryn didn't feel particularly intimidated by this woman, even though she was the most senior Peacekeeper she had ever met in the flesh, but she was very aware that her life, that of her child and probably those of John and the others depended on this woman. She decided that straight talking was the best option.

"Look this catch up on the latest peacekeeper gossip is all very nice, but what do you want from me?"

"I have an offer for you Officer Sun. Your record as a Prowler pilot before you were deemed irreversibly contaminated was exemplary. From the information I have seen your performance since then has certainly been interesting from the point of view of an intelligence officer. You have shown good strategic awareness and a decisiveness that I like. I am prepared to offer you a commission as a lieutenant in the intelligence service. The irreversible contamination and subsequent crimes will be expunged from your record. I will ensure that it becomes known that you were working for intelligence all the time in order to infiltrate the escaped prison ship and track John Crichton."

"And in return?"

"I would have thought that was obvious Officer Sun"

"I have a pretty good idea, but I want to hear it from you"

"Very well. In return you will persuade John Crichton to help the Peacekeepers build a wormhole weapon"

"And my child?" Listrac paused for a moment

"If Crichton fully complies you will be allowed to continue with the pregnancy and give birth to the child"

"But he won't be able to stay with me though, right?"

"You would be an officer in the intelligence service. That is hardly a role compatible with motherhood. The child would be raised in Peacekeeper service as you were. We would of course conceal the fact that he is not fully sebacean"

"No I didn't imagine being a mother would fit into this offer," she said, bitterness in her voice. "And if I can't persuade Crichton to comply, I presume a swift execution will be the result?"

"By rights you should have been immediately executed on capture for high treason against your oaths as a Peacekeeper, but these are exceptional circumstances and I will stay that execution for 6 arns. Crichton will be brought to you shortly." Obviously believing their conversation was at an end Listrac nodded to the guard who dragged Aeryn out of the room.

Crichton found himself tied to a chair in the middle of an otherwise empty room. Looking around he saw nothing that could help in any escape attempt, plus the added disadvantage of a couple of surveillance devices blinking ominously. There was a scraping sound as the heavy door opened. John looked up as a tall, redheaded woman dressed in a severe black uniform entered the room. He judged her to be about forty in earth terms but he had given up trying to guess sebacean ages. She reminded him of Aeryn, as she was when he first knew her, in the upright stance and steely-grey gaze, but the air of command was much more pronounced in this older woman. She walked around him, taking in his appearance for a few moments before speaking.

"Well, well, well, John Crichton. This is indeed a pleasure. I have heard so much about you; my curiosity was quite piqued. I must say that you are much less impressive than I had hoped for"

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure. You would be?"

"I believe that you'd probably refer to me as your worst nightmare. Let's just say I work in Peacekeeper intelligence"

"Peacekeeper intelligence? Isn't that an oxymoron?"

"Dear me, we do think we're funny don't we." At John's surprised look she said "yes that did translate and I hope this does." She came nose to nose with Crichton "Now I don't like being dragged out here, Crichton, to clear up the mess that seems to have been made by some of my colleagues in the name of getting our hands on your wormhole knowledge. And I don't make deals unless I really have to; I find that swiftly dealt out justice is much less trouble. I'm here to sort this mess out once and for all and I intend to do it quickly. I'm not here for revenge, scientific advancement or to satisfy any baser sexual urges, I'm here to deal with an embarrassing situation for the Peacekeepers and I don't care how I achieve that. Am I clear?"

"Oh, as a bell"

"Good." She resumed her walk around the room. "That said, the fact remains that the ability to control wormholes remains a highly desirable target for the supreme council"

"Hey, put your bid in lady. Grayza was prepared to offer up full pardons for me and my friends, in fact Braca's probably still got them around somewhere so just find them I'll down load the equations and we're outta here"

"You believed those pardons were genuine and would be upheld? You're even more stupid than you look. Remember I said I don't make deals Crichton. I'm not going to make bargains with you for wormhole knowledge"

"Well I'm not about to hand it over out of the kindness of my heart"

"Of course not, I quite expect to have to torture it out of you" she said conversationally

"PK torture techniques; been there, done that"

"Yes, I understand that you have shown quite some resistance, but then I've always enjoyed torturing a prisoner who presents a challenge. I have been considering what might be the best technique with which to break you." She carried on in the same conversational tone. "Obviously physical torture is an option, but if you have managed to resist the aurora chair then that could be quite a lengthy process and I might have to inflict so much damage as to make it impossible for you to provide the necessary information. No, I think that psychological torture is probably the best in your case. Oh don't be concerned that I have any ah, accoutrements, like Commandant Grayza; I prefer much more traditional methods. Identify the subject's weakness and use it to your advantage. So, I have spent quite some considerable time studying all the information we have on you, Crichton. It is apparent that the most important things to you are your family, and in that I include your friends on Moya, and your home planet. Using your home planet as a method of psychological torture is impractical as we are nowhere near it, but then I don't need it." She leaned down to speak directly into John's ear "I have everything I need to torture your knowledge out of you right here on this ship. I hold the lives of Aeryn Sun and your unborn child in my power. They are the key to you John Crichton; so let's see how your vaunted resistance holds in the face of their danger. One word from me and Aeryn Sun will be executed. Your other friends are already dead, you cannot save them, but I will give you the chance to save Aeryn Sun and your child. Their lives are a fair exchange for wormhole technology don't you think?"

John swallowed convulsively. This is what he had feared would happen all along. It had taken this woman such a short time to find his weakness and exploit it. He needed to play for time to try and think of a way out for all of them.

"If I give you wormhole technology they'll be OK?"

"If you agree you will be taken to a research facility within Peacekeeper territory and given all the facilities possible to help you make a functional wormhole weapon. Officer Sun will return to the Peacekeepers"

"She'll be with me?"

"Of course not! I'm not stupid, Crichton. She will be kept separately as collateral. When you have delivered a successful weapon I will consider whether you can see her again. You're not really in a position to bargain here, Crichton. I suggest you take some time to think about your position. I will come back in three arns for your answer, and Crichton there will be no second chances. If you do not agree to provide the knowledge in three arns Officer Sun will be executed. You have my word on that." She motioned to the guards to take him away. "I want him placed in cell 3923"