Crichton walked back into the galley, "Seems that the crisis has passed. Tauvo is resting and Crais is watching over him." He turned to Lyane, "Has Tauvo ever eaten chocolate before?"
Lyane shook her head, "But he has heard his father telling the story. You see, Tauvo has inherited his father's intolerance to Therin seeds and he had an allergic reaction to it some cycles back. Tauvo was very frightened when that happened. That is why Bialar told him the story, to put him at ease. He must have known that the dark cake was tsg'klt-cake."
"He did," came the calm reply from the doorway.
All heads turned and saw Crais leaning against the doorjamb, his hair still hanging damp around his face. He was very pale.
Tyrek walked up to him and Crais placed his hand protectively on the boy's shoulder. He looked down at Tyrek, "Tauvo will be all right, you can see him if you'd like."
The boy's face lit up and after Crais had given him directions to the room, the boy took off.
Crais entered the galley and sat down. For a moment he looked at his hands resting on the table. When he looked up, they saw the sadness in his eyes. Lyane thought that the last time she had seen that look on his face had been over ten cycles ago.
Crais spoke calmly, "Tauvo is out of danger. The quick administration of the counter-agent and bringing his temperature down so quickly has resulted in a lesser reaction than could have otherwise been expected, "
Crais frowned and looked at his tightly clenched hands, his voice had grown soft and reflective, "My anger nearly cost me my son's life. Tauvo told me that he took a piece of tsg'klt deliberately to get me to come back to Moya. I can guess why."
Crais paused briefly, "He was right to assume I would not return for anything less than an emergency."
Crais looked at Crichton, "There was something you wanted to discuss with me?"
Crichton looked uncomfortable, "We had been discussing the point of getting you over here and that nothing short of an emergency would do that."
The deep rumble of Crais' annoyance was audible but he refrained from saying anything, yet. His eyes rested with practised calm on Crichton.
"Your son is very clever Crais."
"They both are."
"Yes, well... I mean... He should not have eaten the cake!"
"No, he shouldn't, but he did."
Crichton looked away from Crais. He had known the man long enough to recognise that under the ulterior calm, well-controlled rage was seething. Little signs. Clenched jaw-muscles, straight shoulders, clenched hands. When Crichton looked up and saw Lyane's worried face it confirmed this. Yet, the rest of Crais' face was stoically calm.
"Crais, I was a jerk, "Crichton said quickly, forcefully, in response to the quiet.
"Jerk?" There was confusion on Crais' face.
"An idiot, a frellnik..."
"Ah," understanding dawned.
"Instead of thanking you for our rescue I drove you away from Moya. Instead of being happy that you were still alive, I mistrusted you. Instead of congratulating you about your new family, I envied you. Can we start again? (-Crais raised an eyebrow-) I mean, can we try to be friends or at least allies?"
For a moment Crais didn't say a word, "Are you apologising Crichton?" There was a hint of amusement in Crais' eyes.
"Yes. I apologise. I'm sorry. I..."
"Accepted," Crais interrupted.
Crichton breathed a sigh of relief.
Crais continued, "Although I can not understand why you would harbour some of those feelings. I know you have never trusted me, even though I proved to have everyone's best interest at heart. Talyn and I nearly died for it. I can't understand your envy for my family. You have Aeryn and soon you will be a parent too."
"Did Aeryn tell you..."
"No. Talyn did. Why the envy Crichton?"
Crichton shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe because you already have a family. Maybe because you are happy."
Crais canted his head, "I have also lived longer than you have Crichton."
Crichton lifted the corner of his mouth into a wry grin, "And still looking as young as the last time I saw you."
"I have aged, Crichton. Only last weeken I saw a few white hairs in my beard..."
"Oh no," said Crichton in mock horror, "I have only grown a cycle older and I can already count many."
"Sebaceans age..."
"...slower. Yes, I know."
Crais hated Crichton's habit of finishing a sentence for him, "Then why..."
Crichton pushed away from the table and stood up, "I don't know, Crais, but you just have this effect on me. It is irrational, I know, and the shrinks probably have a name for this condition but that's just how the cookie crumbles."
Crichton's words were confusing. Shrinks? Cookies? Crais had no idea what it had to do with the current situation. His air of calm and erudition disappeared with Crichton's apparent ranting.
Crichton looked up and saw Crais' confused face. The pent up tension made Crichton want to giggle and when he saw Crais cock his head and arch his eyebrow it sent him into a fit of laughter.
As usual Crais found nothing amusing about what made the human laugh. Lyane's thoughts interrupted him before he voiced this thought out loud. She "sounded" amused, ~Oh Bialar! You can be so aggravating and amusing at the same time when you let yourself become too serious. That eyebrow of yours can almost act as a loaded weapon. Someone will die of an act of laughter one of these days~
~I thought there was nothing amusing about being serious~ Crais thought back.
~Well, sometimes it is, and this is one of those occasions~
Crichton had stopped laughing and looked at Crais. Crais thought about Lyane's words and looked very calmly at Crichton, fixed his stare and slowly raised his eyebrow again. This time it wasn't only Crichton who laughed, the others joined in too. In his driest tone of voice Crais asked, "Is there anything amusing?"
Another round of laughter erupted, this time Crais smiled as well.
When the merriment had died down, Crichton turned to Lyane, "Did you teach him humour?"
"No, Crichton," Lyane said with a smile, "It has always been there. It is just that not many went to look for it."
Crichton looked back at Crais, "Does this mean that you will let me try again?"
"I will overlook your recent behaviour," replied Crais, "For now."
Crichton smiled at him and offered him his outstretched hand.
Crais looked at it in curiosity, "I do not understand..."
"It is a form of a truce," explained Crichton, "Comrades, friends. You place your hand in mine and it means you agree with the truce, friendship whatever."
Crais stood up and placed an extended hand in Crichton's, copying the human's gesture.
"And then you squeeze," said Crichton... and sank to his knees when Crais did. "Gently," Crichton said through gritted teeth.
Crais let go of Crichton's hand, "This is not a test of strength then?"
"No," Crichton said painfully while cradling his hand.
"I see."
Crichton wasn't quite sure if Crais did see or if he had done this deliberately, for the sake of the newfound truce he did not press the issue.
Soon everyone was seated around the table again.
Lyane brought Crais a plate with food, since he hadn't eaten yet and he ate it meticulously (at least that hadn't changed) before speaking again, "We have been separated for a... while, one way or the other and we have all changed, in one form or another. Whatever the feelings and the circumstances which brought us together and made us all survivors, I propose we let the past rest and look forward. Start anew, as friends, not just as allies. It is an opportunity which we didn't have when we set out, when we first met. Now we are many cycles removed from that time. We have the chance to look at this friendship afresh." He looked around the table until his eyes rested on Crichton.
For a moment there was silence, then tentative smiles started to form on everyone's faces. Crichton was smiling too and stood up. He walked over to Crais, who stood up too and extended his hand, "Well said Cap'n... Crais, Friends it will be."
Crais recognised the gesture now and squeezed Crichton's hand gently, "Friends."
+++++
When Lyane and Crais were back on board Talyn and the children were in bed, she snuggled closer to Crais, trailing his beard with her fingers. She saw him smile. He always liked it when she trailed his fingers through his goatee. She looked lovingly in her mate's eyes, "That was a great thing to do, Sha'lee. I know it wasn't easy for you. I love you."
Crais held her close to him, taking comfort from her head on his shoulder, "It wasn't that difficult, really. It was needed. I couldn't deprive us all of our mutual friendship because of one man. Crichton will change. I couldn't deprive Talyn of his contact with his mother, not after so many cycles thinking that she was lost to him. I cannot deprive you and the children of contact with others."
"And you Sha'lee?"
He smiled and drew her closer, "I have my family with me, you, the boys and Talyn. It is all I need. I am happy."
The End
Lyane shook her head, "But he has heard his father telling the story. You see, Tauvo has inherited his father's intolerance to Therin seeds and he had an allergic reaction to it some cycles back. Tauvo was very frightened when that happened. That is why Bialar told him the story, to put him at ease. He must have known that the dark cake was tsg'klt-cake."
"He did," came the calm reply from the doorway.
All heads turned and saw Crais leaning against the doorjamb, his hair still hanging damp around his face. He was very pale.
Tyrek walked up to him and Crais placed his hand protectively on the boy's shoulder. He looked down at Tyrek, "Tauvo will be all right, you can see him if you'd like."
The boy's face lit up and after Crais had given him directions to the room, the boy took off.
Crais entered the galley and sat down. For a moment he looked at his hands resting on the table. When he looked up, they saw the sadness in his eyes. Lyane thought that the last time she had seen that look on his face had been over ten cycles ago.
Crais spoke calmly, "Tauvo is out of danger. The quick administration of the counter-agent and bringing his temperature down so quickly has resulted in a lesser reaction than could have otherwise been expected, "
Crais frowned and looked at his tightly clenched hands, his voice had grown soft and reflective, "My anger nearly cost me my son's life. Tauvo told me that he took a piece of tsg'klt deliberately to get me to come back to Moya. I can guess why."
Crais paused briefly, "He was right to assume I would not return for anything less than an emergency."
Crais looked at Crichton, "There was something you wanted to discuss with me?"
Crichton looked uncomfortable, "We had been discussing the point of getting you over here and that nothing short of an emergency would do that."
The deep rumble of Crais' annoyance was audible but he refrained from saying anything, yet. His eyes rested with practised calm on Crichton.
"Your son is very clever Crais."
"They both are."
"Yes, well... I mean... He should not have eaten the cake!"
"No, he shouldn't, but he did."
Crichton looked away from Crais. He had known the man long enough to recognise that under the ulterior calm, well-controlled rage was seething. Little signs. Clenched jaw-muscles, straight shoulders, clenched hands. When Crichton looked up and saw Lyane's worried face it confirmed this. Yet, the rest of Crais' face was stoically calm.
"Crais, I was a jerk, "Crichton said quickly, forcefully, in response to the quiet.
"Jerk?" There was confusion on Crais' face.
"An idiot, a frellnik..."
"Ah," understanding dawned.
"Instead of thanking you for our rescue I drove you away from Moya. Instead of being happy that you were still alive, I mistrusted you. Instead of congratulating you about your new family, I envied you. Can we start again? (-Crais raised an eyebrow-) I mean, can we try to be friends or at least allies?"
For a moment Crais didn't say a word, "Are you apologising Crichton?" There was a hint of amusement in Crais' eyes.
"Yes. I apologise. I'm sorry. I..."
"Accepted," Crais interrupted.
Crichton breathed a sigh of relief.
Crais continued, "Although I can not understand why you would harbour some of those feelings. I know you have never trusted me, even though I proved to have everyone's best interest at heart. Talyn and I nearly died for it. I can't understand your envy for my family. You have Aeryn and soon you will be a parent too."
"Did Aeryn tell you..."
"No. Talyn did. Why the envy Crichton?"
Crichton shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe because you already have a family. Maybe because you are happy."
Crais canted his head, "I have also lived longer than you have Crichton."
Crichton lifted the corner of his mouth into a wry grin, "And still looking as young as the last time I saw you."
"I have aged, Crichton. Only last weeken I saw a few white hairs in my beard..."
"Oh no," said Crichton in mock horror, "I have only grown a cycle older and I can already count many."
"Sebaceans age..."
"...slower. Yes, I know."
Crais hated Crichton's habit of finishing a sentence for him, "Then why..."
Crichton pushed away from the table and stood up, "I don't know, Crais, but you just have this effect on me. It is irrational, I know, and the shrinks probably have a name for this condition but that's just how the cookie crumbles."
Crichton's words were confusing. Shrinks? Cookies? Crais had no idea what it had to do with the current situation. His air of calm and erudition disappeared with Crichton's apparent ranting.
Crichton looked up and saw Crais' confused face. The pent up tension made Crichton want to giggle and when he saw Crais cock his head and arch his eyebrow it sent him into a fit of laughter.
As usual Crais found nothing amusing about what made the human laugh. Lyane's thoughts interrupted him before he voiced this thought out loud. She "sounded" amused, ~Oh Bialar! You can be so aggravating and amusing at the same time when you let yourself become too serious. That eyebrow of yours can almost act as a loaded weapon. Someone will die of an act of laughter one of these days~
~I thought there was nothing amusing about being serious~ Crais thought back.
~Well, sometimes it is, and this is one of those occasions~
Crichton had stopped laughing and looked at Crais. Crais thought about Lyane's words and looked very calmly at Crichton, fixed his stare and slowly raised his eyebrow again. This time it wasn't only Crichton who laughed, the others joined in too. In his driest tone of voice Crais asked, "Is there anything amusing?"
Another round of laughter erupted, this time Crais smiled as well.
When the merriment had died down, Crichton turned to Lyane, "Did you teach him humour?"
"No, Crichton," Lyane said with a smile, "It has always been there. It is just that not many went to look for it."
Crichton looked back at Crais, "Does this mean that you will let me try again?"
"I will overlook your recent behaviour," replied Crais, "For now."
Crichton smiled at him and offered him his outstretched hand.
Crais looked at it in curiosity, "I do not understand..."
"It is a form of a truce," explained Crichton, "Comrades, friends. You place your hand in mine and it means you agree with the truce, friendship whatever."
Crais stood up and placed an extended hand in Crichton's, copying the human's gesture.
"And then you squeeze," said Crichton... and sank to his knees when Crais did. "Gently," Crichton said through gritted teeth.
Crais let go of Crichton's hand, "This is not a test of strength then?"
"No," Crichton said painfully while cradling his hand.
"I see."
Crichton wasn't quite sure if Crais did see or if he had done this deliberately, for the sake of the newfound truce he did not press the issue.
Soon everyone was seated around the table again.
Lyane brought Crais a plate with food, since he hadn't eaten yet and he ate it meticulously (at least that hadn't changed) before speaking again, "We have been separated for a... while, one way or the other and we have all changed, in one form or another. Whatever the feelings and the circumstances which brought us together and made us all survivors, I propose we let the past rest and look forward. Start anew, as friends, not just as allies. It is an opportunity which we didn't have when we set out, when we first met. Now we are many cycles removed from that time. We have the chance to look at this friendship afresh." He looked around the table until his eyes rested on Crichton.
For a moment there was silence, then tentative smiles started to form on everyone's faces. Crichton was smiling too and stood up. He walked over to Crais, who stood up too and extended his hand, "Well said Cap'n... Crais, Friends it will be."
Crais recognised the gesture now and squeezed Crichton's hand gently, "Friends."
+++++
When Lyane and Crais were back on board Talyn and the children were in bed, she snuggled closer to Crais, trailing his beard with her fingers. She saw him smile. He always liked it when she trailed his fingers through his goatee. She looked lovingly in her mate's eyes, "That was a great thing to do, Sha'lee. I know it wasn't easy for you. I love you."
Crais held her close to him, taking comfort from her head on his shoulder, "It wasn't that difficult, really. It was needed. I couldn't deprive us all of our mutual friendship because of one man. Crichton will change. I couldn't deprive Talyn of his contact with his mother, not after so many cycles thinking that she was lost to him. I cannot deprive you and the children of contact with others."
"And you Sha'lee?"
He smiled and drew her closer, "I have my family with me, you, the boys and Talyn. It is all I need. I am happy."
The End