"Changer" Time: Sometime during Season Three, after Self-Inflicted Wounds II: Wait For The Wheel, before Eat Me.

Disclaimer: I didn't create Farscape, didn't create the characters and don't make a plug nickel off of it.

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Part Two: Seeing Is Believing

Dari looked around the cell as John closed the door behind her. "Is this really necessary? I'm no threat to you or your friends."

John stared through the bars and nodded. "I'm sure you're not. The problem is, you've got some small-minded, not to mention nasty sounding cops coming after you. We're just covering our asses. Not that it'll help. It never does."

Rygel rounded a corner and approached the cell slowly. He stared at Dari and frowned. "So this is a changer? Turn into something. A Hynerian, perhaps."

Dari crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "I don't perform tricks for audiences, Hynerian. At any rate, I couldn't become a Hynerian, even if I wanted to."

"Why not?"

"I may be able to change shape at will, but I can't change my body's mass. There's an upper and lower limit to the form I can assume. I could probably mimic the Nebari girl, but not much smaller."

Rygel stared for a microt. "Your loss," he said.

John patted Rygel on the head and began to push him away from the door. "Thank you for contributing to the discussion, Sparky. Why don't you go find a mirror and practice being pretentious and condescending? Might come in handy when Sunshine and the boys get here." He watched Rygel turn the corner then glanced back at the cell. "Pilot, can you send a few DRDs down here to keep an eye on our guest?"

"Do you think that's necessary, Commander?"

"We've already annoyed the Shralasen by letting Dari out. I don't want to throw gas on the fire by letting her escape."

"Understood. I'll send four DRDs to the cell."

Dari watched him walk back to the cell. "Where do you come from, Commander?"

"A little blue planet in the middle of nowhere. Maybe one of these days, after God's through using me for comic relief, I'll be able to go back. And my name's John."

"I will pray to Li'jha, goddess of the Eternal Water, that you'll succeed."

"Thanks, but right now, I'll be happy to live through the next few arns."

As John started walking away, Dari looked grim. "You probably won't make it, John."

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The Shralasen ship that was centered in the viewscreen looked to John like nothing more than a large brick in space, its dark gray color making it hard to see. He could see no markings on the ship's hull.

"Wow," John said. "Now that's an impressive design." He looked at Aeryn, D'Argo and Rygel and sighed. "Well, let's get this over with. Pilot, get them on the horn."

On the screen appeared the image of a squat being. The face was smooth and nearly featureless. It was hard to see the Shralasen; the gray color of the wall behind him was the same as his skin tone.

"There is an unknown alien among you," he said.

John glanced at Aeryn and D'Argo. "Hi! How y'doin'? We're fine, thanks."

"You're Sunistas," Aeryn asked.

"Yes. Our sensors do not indicate the changer, but we are indicating an unknown life form. Where is it?"

"The changer is in the form of a Sebacean," D'Argo said.

"What about the unknown life form?"

"Unknown life form? There aren't any unknown life forms." D'Argo waved a hand at John and Aeryn. "There are two Sebaceans, a Nebari, a Hynerian and an Interon. We also travel with a Banik, but he's off Moya right now. Perhaps you're picking up Pilot."

Sunistas looked off to one side. "No. We have filtered out the pilot's life signs, along with the Leviathan's biologics. There is a life form that is unknown to us. There will be grave consequences if you do not reveal it to us."

John held up he hands and took a step forward. "Look, dude, we don't want any trouble. We're just passing through on our way to somewhere else."

"Then give us the alien."

"Look, we're all aliens until we get to know each other. Why don't you." Sunistas growled, cutting John off. As the image of the Shralasen constable disappeared from the screen, John shrugged. "Okay, it sounded better when Koenig said it to Maya. Now what?"

On the clamshell, Pilot looked concerned. "There's an energy build up on the Shralasen ship."

"Are they charging weapons?" Aeryn felt herself tense as she began to anticipate action.

"No, Officer Sun. The energy seems to be coming from the center of their ship. It would appear.wait. The changer is returning to her natural form!"

As he ran from Command, with John and Aeryn close behind, D'Argo yelled, "Track her!"

"I can't, D'Argo! Her natural form doesn't register on Moya's internal sensors!"

"Wonderful," John muttered. "No good deed goes unpunished. Okay, based on what she told me, Dari can't mimic Rygel."

"Well, at least she has some sense," Aeryn said quietly.

"He's too small. She can turn into the rest of us. Buckwheat, stay in Command. Try to get Sunshine back on the horn. Don't tell him Dari's escaped."

Chiana's voice sounded concerned over the comm. "What the frell's going on up there?"

"Negotiations broke down and Dari's gone over the wall."

"So we're frelled."

"Basically. Look, you and Jool start checking the lower tiers, we'll get up here."

"That'll take forever, Crichton," Jool said, her voice an annoying whine.

"The less time you spend bitching about it, the faster it'll get done."

As they rounded a corner, Aeryn said, "Pilot, what's the status of the Shralasen ship?"

"The energy readings are returning to normal, Officer Sun. However, there are now no life signs onboard the ship."

The three of them stopped in the middle of an intersection and looked around. "How could there be no life signs," D'Argo said. "Could they be shielded?"

"I don't think so. It's almost as if they.where did you come from?"

"Pilot?"

"There's a Shralasen here!"

"A Shralasen? How.?"

"One just appeared in Command," Rygel called out.

"Where the frell are they coming from?"

Aeryn drew her pulse pistol and swept the corridor. "Doesn't matter where they're coming from. We're being invaded!"

John drew his own pistol. "Yeah, Aeryn, but it looks like they've hooked up with Scotty and gotten a hold of a transporter."

"Meaning?"

The voice came from behind them. "Meaning we have seen through your deception."

John, Aeryn and D'Argo turned slowly. Not far down the corridor stood Sunistas and three other Shralasen. All had weapons drawn and aimed. "Lower your weapons and you will not be harmed."

"What's the problem, Sunshine? We didn't give you the answer you wanted?" John kept his voice calm and level, hoping to defuse the situation before it got any worse.

"You are the problem. You appear to be Sebacean, but your life signs are unknown to us." Sunistas walked up to John and looked him over. "The external appearance is a close match, but there are internal differences that must be investigated."

John swallowed. "Investigated how?"

"Usually through dissection."

"Oh great. Any other bits of happiness you'd like to give us, Doctor Mengele?"

"There must be punishment for harboring both an unknown alien and the changer criminal."

D'Argo's eyes narrowed. "What kind of punishment?"

Sunistas considered. "Both crimes carry the death penalty. The sentence will be carried out once we have found the changer."

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Rygel's voice was full of anger. "Once again we've gotten into a bad situation because of you. Crichton, you are a curse!"

"Rygel, shut up!" D'Argo looked around Command. The five of them stood in front of the viewscreen. "You know, if you kill us, you won't out live us."

"Yes, I'm sure you have allies who will not react well to your death." Sunistas began to pace around Command. "That is of no concern to me. This is our sovereign space; we will do what we must to protect our people."

"We did nothing to threaten your people," Aeryn said, anger clear in her voice. "All we did was respond to a distress signal."

"From someone we thought was Sebacean." John looked from one Shralasen to the next. "What did you want us to do? Ignore it and possibly let someone die?"

Sunistas looked around Command and shook his head. "The affairs of other races don't concern us. We are trying to protect our people and maintain the purity of our race. You, Sebacean, should understand that."

"I understand it," Aeryn said. "That doesn't mean I approve of it."

Two Shralasen, both carrying what looked like long tubes, walked into Command. "Associate Constable, the cell they say the changer was in is empty. Shall we begin to search?"

John took a step forward. "Look, maybe we can make a deal."

Sunistas's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "A deal?"

"Yeah. We know Moya a lot better than you do. If we search, it'll go a lot faster."

The Shralasen constable stepped closer to John. "And what do you expect in return?"

"We just want to be left to go on our way."

"That does present a problem. You are still an unknown life form. What will be done about that?"

"Something that doesn't include me being sliced up like sushi would be a good start."

Sunistas's jaw jutted out and his head tilted to one side. "I will consider it. Until I come to a decision, you will be kept in a cell. As for searching, I suggest you do it quickly."

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From a small vent in the ceiling of Command, Dari watched the exchange. A wave of sadness past through her gelatinous form; because of her, these people were in danger of losing their lives. They may very well die because they were willing to answer a distress signal.

She watched them file out of Command then checked the small vial, syringe and the small device she carried within herself. It had taken her a few microts to get back to the medical bay and a few more to find the correct vial. The microts it had taken her to return to her ship and get the unit had seemed like an eternity. It was a desperate ruse she had come up with, but she saw no other way of dealing with the Shralasen.

Time to act, Dari thought as she slid down the channel.

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Chiana rounded a corner and listened to Aeryn and D'Argo.

"Where would you go to conceal your life signs," D'Argo asked.

"The neurocluster," Aeryn answered. "We'll start there and work out. Chiana, where are you?"

"I'm going to check on Pilot, make sure he's all right, then I'll start down."

"Jool?"

"I'm on tier seven."

"Rygel?"

"Tier eighteen."

"All right. D'Argo, I'll start on tier thirteen."

"Which leaves me with the lower tiers. Thank you very much, Aeryn."

As she entered Pilot's den, Chiana asked, "Are we really going to turn her in?"

"The Shralasen aren't going to give us much choice, Pip." John sounded thoroughly disgusted. "The good of the many, the needs of the few and all that crap."

"Even though she really hasn't done anything to us?"

"I hate it, too, but it ain't like we got a helluva lot of choice. Just make sure you find her pretty damn pronto."

"Don't worry. We're on it." Chiana climbed onto Pilot's console. "Everything all right, Pilot?"

"Moya is concerned about this turn of events, as am I. It seems that every time we attempt to be compassionate, we end up in danger."

"Well, it's like John said before, no good deed goes unpunished. We'll get through this, somehow. Maybe."

Aeryn's voice cut her off. "I think I may have found something. I don't think I'm alone here."

"Are you still on tier thirteen?" From the sound of his voice, D'Argo was starting to run.

"Yes, but stay where you are. If I see one of you here, I might think it's the changer. Wait.what the frell." There was a click and the comm went dead.

"Aeryn? Aeryn!" John sounded near panic. "Is anyone near Aeryn?"

Chiana jumped from Pilot's console and started running. "I'm on my way!"

"Jool! Rygel! One of you get to tier thirteen!"

The comm chirped again and Chiana heard pulse fire. "I'm all right," Aeryn called out. "Dari turned into some kind of animal and jumped me! She's heading out of the neurocluster!"

D'Argo called out, "Pilot, seal the access shafts and put DRDs on all the air circulator vents. If we can keep her on tier thirteen."

Sunistas's angry voice cut D'Argo off. "You fools! You should have done that first! Return to Command! We will conduct the search!"

"Frell you, fek-face," Chiana muttered.

"What did you say, Nebari?"

"Nothing. Talking to myself." Chiana sighed in frustration and continued down the corridor.

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At the sound of footsteps, John looked up. He sighed in relief when he saw Aeryn step in front of the cell door.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm going to have some bruises on my back where she hit me, and maybe a headache from my head hitting the deck, but otherwise, I'm fine. You?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy." John looked around then lowered his voice. "You know that the only one you can trust is Rygel."

"Because he's the only one Dari can't mimic. That doesn't fill me with optimism, but you're right. She could even be one of the Shralasen."

"Or she could be hiding most anywhere." John waved a hand at the air vent along the back wall of the cell. "Vents like that are just barely big enough for a DRD, but in her natural form, she'd probably be able to slip through them like Drano through a clogged drain."

Their comms clicked. "Sebacean, where are you?"

"I stopped to check on John."

"Bring him to Command. And be quick! My patience is nearly exhausted."

Aeryn glanced upward and shook her head. "I hope you have some ideas," she said as she opened the cell door.

"We'll come up with something. Remember, inspiration's my specialty." John tried to ignore the uncertain look on Aeryn's face. "Hey, if worse comes to worse, we can always go out in a blaze of glory."

"Let's not let it get to that point."

"Works for me."

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"I have dispatched two of my men to tier thirteen to search for the changer." Sunistas paced around Command, his eyes drifting from John to Aeryn and back again. "They are using specialized scanning equipment that will detect the changer."

"Why didn't you use this equipment before," D'Argo growled.

"I did not feel it necessary. I believed you would not be foolish enough to try and aid the changer."

"We aren't helping anyone, you welnitz," Rygel grumbled. "We responded to a distress signal. And this only proves that I was once again right. We should have never brought her onboard Moya!"

Jool shook her head as Chiana slapped Rygel in the back of his head. "Must you carry on at a time like this? You're worse than a child!"

Chiana turned a surprised look toward Jool. "You're one to talk. You haven't stopped whining since you were thawed out."

"Enough, Chiana." Aeryn watched D'Argo pace then turned to Sunistas. "What exactly did this changer do to earn a death sentence?"

"She is a dangerous alien. Her shape changing abilities would make it easy for her to gain access to any military or government facility."

"Do you have any evidence that she did this?"

"She would have. Better to remove the threat than deal with the consequences."

John shook his head. "So, if you knew a baby was going to grow up to be a ruthless dictator who'd kill millions, you'd be all for killing the baby?"

Sunistas frowned and considered. "If it would ensure the continued survival and prosperity of the Shralasen people, then yes, we most likely would."

D'Argo stopped pacing and turned to the Shralasen. "Did you ever consider that she wasn't going to do anything?"

"She is a changer. She is by nature deceitful, a born criminal." Sunistas turned as two Shralasen walked into Command. "Report, Deputy."

One of the two handed a compact scanner to Sunistas. "We found these traces on tier thirteen, Associate Constable."

Sunistas touched a control on the side of the scanner and watched information stream across the display. "Fascinating." He handed the scanner back to the deputy and took a step toward Aeryn. "You were on tier thirteen, Sebacean. Correct?"

Aeryn exchanged a look with John. "Yes. I was searching through the neurocluster."

"How were you injured?"

"Dari came out of her hiding place, turned into some kind of creature and jumped me. I got cut when I hit the deck. What did you find?"

"A trace of Sebacean blood combined with traces of a protein gel similar to that left by the changer." Sunistas took another step. "What happened in the neurocluster?"

Now Aeryn took a step forward, her voice matching the defiant look on her face. "I told you. She changed into."

"What kind of creature did she turn into?"

"I don't know. She hit me from behind. Al I saw was a large moving."

Sunistas took another step forward and nodded. The other two Shralasen raised their weapons. "End this charade, changer, and I will make sure your death is quick."

A look of disbelief crossed Aeryn's face. "You're frelled, you know that, don't you?"

Before anyone could react, Sunistas reached out and grabbed Aeryn's shirt. With almost no effort at all, he lifted her from the deck and easily threw her across Command.

As Aeryn landed hard on the deck and rolled to the wall, Sunistas growled, "Enough of this! The truth! Now!"

John started forward, suddenly overcome by dread. "Now, wait a microt, Sunshine."

Aeryn pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and stared at the deck for a microt. The look she turned toward the Shralasen was one of barely controlled rage. With an angry growl, she reached for her pulse pistol.

"Aeryn! No, don't.!"

Aeryn squeezed off one shot, which slammed into the deck at Sunistas's feet. Before she could shoot again, the two Shralasen deputies opened fire.

"No! Aeryn!"

D'Argo drew his Qualta Blade and rushed the deputies as John ran for Aeryn. "Weapons down! Now! Jool! See to Aeryn!"

John dropped to his knees and cradled Aeryn's head on his lap. "Aeryn! Oh God.why did you." He could feel tears begin to run down his face, and he choked back the emotions that were boiling inside him.

Aeryn's eyes drifted to him, but John had no sense that she could see him. ".tactical.mis.calculation.p'rhaps."

Jool knelt across from John and began to examine Aeryn. "I can't see any sign of injury. What do you feel?"

"Numb.can't see." Aeryn's voice was becoming more of a whisper every microt.

"We have to get her down to the med bay."

".no.'s all right.'m fine."

John brushed hair away from Aeryn's face. "Aeryn."

She reached up and brushed fingertips against John's cheek. ".it could've.been magic."

John took her hand and gently kissed it. "It was, Aeryn. Every minute." When she didn't respond, John leaned forward. "Aeryn?" He released her hand, and her arm fell to the deck. "Oh God." He was barely aware of Jool's gasp and Sunistas's footsteps behind him.

"In a microt, the changer will return to its natural form. In fact, its internal structure should be returning to its gelatinous state." Sunistas held out a hand. One of the deputies handed him the scanner then returned his attention to D'Argo.

Sunistas switched on the scanner. "Now we will see.wait.this can't be."

"The hell it can't, you son of a." John hissed. He stood slowly and turned. There was barely controlled rage in his eyes.

"You son of a bitch.you killed Aeryn."

TO BE CONCLUDED