Crais was already waiting for his family. The pod was powering down when the others arrived in the Hangar Bay. The hatch opened.
The first to come out were the twins. If the others had any doubts that Crais had sired the children, looking at the twins refuted it. They were the spitting image of Crais, doubled and grinning.
When they saw their father they ran to him and hugged his waist, "Father, you're safe!"
"Of course," Crais smiled at them while they hugged him.
Crais turned to the Moya crew, his hands rested on the shoulders of the boys. He looked at the boy to his left, "This is Tauvo" and did likewise with the boy to his right, "and this is Tyrek."
The boys scrambled down and looked seriously at the group in front of them. They gave the group a small bow. "Pleased to meet you," they said in unison.
Crais had walked over to the pod as his mate emerged. He took her right hand into his left hand and walked her over to the waiting group, "This is Lyane, my mate."
Crichton's mouth fell open in disbelief. Lyane was perfect. Quite easily the most beautiful Sebacean he had ever met, or human female for that matter. She was only slightly smaller than Crais, slender with curves centrefolds on Earth would kill for, long legged with a well-defined muscle tone.
The face reminded him of fairy tale queens. Her nose as straight as Crais' but thinner and a little smaller, her lips had an amused curve in the corner, her eyes were soft as dark velvet. Her curly mane of raven black hair fell halfway down her back. Her movements were gracious like a sleek black panther.
Aeryn was well aware that Crichton was staring at Lyane. Even Ka D'Argo was silent.
Aeryn nudged Crichton who stepped forward and greeted Lyane awkwardly, "Pleased to meet you ma'am, Lyane. Welcome on board Moya."
Crais released her hand and she stepped up to Crichton. Her voice was soft as velvet, husky, melodious. Crais smiled, amused at the males' reaction.
She accepted Crichton's suggestion of a grand tour and they turned towards the corridors. The twin ran ahead, totally at ease among the strangers.
Aeryn dropped behind to talk to Crais, "You look good Crais."
"Thank you Aeryn."
She looked at him, "You haven't changed much."
"Only a little older."
"Hardly noticeable. You still work out, I see."
"And fight," replied Crais.
Aeryn lifted an eyebrow but Crais did not continue, "Where did you find Lyane?"
"At the other end of the Uncharted Territories."
Aeryn grew impatient, "You haven't changed your habit of withholding information Crais."
Crais smiled, "It is a rather long story Aeryn."
"Well, unless you have an urgent need to be somewhere else we have the time."
They had reached the galley and could hear the happy chatter of the two boys and the others further down the corridor.
"Shall we sit down until the others come back," asked Crais while he entered the galley. Aeryn followed after him, giving the group one last look.
Crais took two flagons and filled them with Raslak. He placed one in front of Aeryn and sat down opposite her.
She observed him closely. He had not changed much physically in the twelve cycles. Only another Sebacean would have noticed his aging, a few white hairs in the black beard, some very fine lines near the corners of his eyes. He did seem to be more at ease, almost relaxed. A single small faded scar on his left temple marred his features. She raised her hand to touch the scar but he flinched and pulled away, "What's wrong Crais?"
"Painful memories."
She dropped her hand, "So, how did you meet Lyane?"
Crais looked at his Raslak, "I wish I could say it had been romantic or highly passionate but it wasn't. I saved her and she in turn saved me. There had been riots on the planet Kh'a'terek while I was on the planet to get supplies. You will most likely not hear of that planet for a long time. It is on the other side of the Uncharted Territories. I was caught unawares when the riots started. You can't get more caught without warning than I was..."
The first to come out were the twins. If the others had any doubts that Crais had sired the children, looking at the twins refuted it. They were the spitting image of Crais, doubled and grinning.
When they saw their father they ran to him and hugged his waist, "Father, you're safe!"
"Of course," Crais smiled at them while they hugged him.
Crais turned to the Moya crew, his hands rested on the shoulders of the boys. He looked at the boy to his left, "This is Tauvo" and did likewise with the boy to his right, "and this is Tyrek."
The boys scrambled down and looked seriously at the group in front of them. They gave the group a small bow. "Pleased to meet you," they said in unison.
Crais had walked over to the pod as his mate emerged. He took her right hand into his left hand and walked her over to the waiting group, "This is Lyane, my mate."
Crichton's mouth fell open in disbelief. Lyane was perfect. Quite easily the most beautiful Sebacean he had ever met, or human female for that matter. She was only slightly smaller than Crais, slender with curves centrefolds on Earth would kill for, long legged with a well-defined muscle tone.
The face reminded him of fairy tale queens. Her nose as straight as Crais' but thinner and a little smaller, her lips had an amused curve in the corner, her eyes were soft as dark velvet. Her curly mane of raven black hair fell halfway down her back. Her movements were gracious like a sleek black panther.
Aeryn was well aware that Crichton was staring at Lyane. Even Ka D'Argo was silent.
Aeryn nudged Crichton who stepped forward and greeted Lyane awkwardly, "Pleased to meet you ma'am, Lyane. Welcome on board Moya."
Crais released her hand and she stepped up to Crichton. Her voice was soft as velvet, husky, melodious. Crais smiled, amused at the males' reaction.
She accepted Crichton's suggestion of a grand tour and they turned towards the corridors. The twin ran ahead, totally at ease among the strangers.
Aeryn dropped behind to talk to Crais, "You look good Crais."
"Thank you Aeryn."
She looked at him, "You haven't changed much."
"Only a little older."
"Hardly noticeable. You still work out, I see."
"And fight," replied Crais.
Aeryn lifted an eyebrow but Crais did not continue, "Where did you find Lyane?"
"At the other end of the Uncharted Territories."
Aeryn grew impatient, "You haven't changed your habit of withholding information Crais."
Crais smiled, "It is a rather long story Aeryn."
"Well, unless you have an urgent need to be somewhere else we have the time."
They had reached the galley and could hear the happy chatter of the two boys and the others further down the corridor.
"Shall we sit down until the others come back," asked Crais while he entered the galley. Aeryn followed after him, giving the group one last look.
Crais took two flagons and filled them with Raslak. He placed one in front of Aeryn and sat down opposite her.
She observed him closely. He had not changed much physically in the twelve cycles. Only another Sebacean would have noticed his aging, a few white hairs in the black beard, some very fine lines near the corners of his eyes. He did seem to be more at ease, almost relaxed. A single small faded scar on his left temple marred his features. She raised her hand to touch the scar but he flinched and pulled away, "What's wrong Crais?"
"Painful memories."
She dropped her hand, "So, how did you meet Lyane?"
Crais looked at his Raslak, "I wish I could say it had been romantic or highly passionate but it wasn't. I saved her and she in turn saved me. There had been riots on the planet Kh'a'terek while I was on the planet to get supplies. You will most likely not hear of that planet for a long time. It is on the other side of the Uncharted Territories. I was caught unawares when the riots started. You can't get more caught without warning than I was..."