"War Angel"
Time: Some time during Season 3, after Self-Inflicted Wounds II: Wait For
The Wheel
Disclaimer: I didn't create Farscape, didn't create the characters and I don't make a plug nickel off of it.
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"It's my duty, my breeding since birth, it's what I am." "You can be more."
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Part Three: Points Of Execution
"The cost of patience When there's no time before me Of hesitation All for this twisted glory"
"Mephistopheles' Return" from Beethoven's Last Night, Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Aeryn shut down the transport pod's engines and looked out through the forward windows. All she could see was the trees and brush that surrounded the clearing they hand landed in. While the Northern Hemisphere had been developed to support off-world trade, the Southern Hemisphere was more agrarian. Aeryn had spotted several small farms surrounding a fair sized town as they flew in.
She glanced at Jool, who sat next to her. "Are you ready?"
Jool sighed heavily. "Are you really going to do this?"
"Kill Tem'eal? If presented with no other options, yes, I will. But only if I have no choice."
"So you'd kill someone who's done nothing to you?"
"If you have a better idea, you should have said something while we were on Moya." Aeryn massaged her eyes. "John once told me something from his world: The good of the many outweigh the needs of the few. In this instance, we're the many. Think of it as enlightened self-interest."
"Murder is not enlightened."
"Then call it self-preservation! You know what's at stake where as well as I do. If I don't kill Tem'eal, John and the others will be killed. Very soon after that, you and I will be dead, and Pilot and Moya will be nothing more than orbiting debris. I will not allow that to happen. I thought Interons were supposed to be intelligent. Aren't you familiar with the concept of loyalty?"
Before Jool could respond, the two Sheritak stepped up behind them. "Is there difficulty, Shru'terak'va?"
"No, not at all." Aeryn let a hard expression cross her face and tried to reign in her growing anger. With all she had to keep track of, she didn't need Jool's questioning and criticism. "Are you sure Tem'eal will be here?"
"Scout ahead we will, Shru'terak'va. Confirm we will that the Southern leader is here." The two Sheritak turned to the hatch then stopped. "If you could let us out?"
"I'll get it." Jool stood and marched to the hatch. As the ramp lowered, she said, "I'll be outside."
Aeryn watched her then closed her eyes and let her head fall back. Why can't we ever do anything easily?
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John stared at the ceiling of the basement and tried to will himself to remain calm. "Y'know," he said quietly, "if I ever have a daughter, I think I'd like to name her Vanessa."
Next to him, D'Argo grumbled, "Maybe you should talk to Aeryn about that." He sighed loudly. "How long have we been here?"
"It's been almost three arns since Aeryn and Jool left," Stark said. He looked at the chains that bound his wrists and ankles then let his head fall back against the wall. "We should do something to get out of here."
"I'm open to suggestions," D'Argo muttered as he tried to keep his growing anger in check.
"Give me a microt," Chiana said as she continued to feel around the collar of her jacket. After a microt, she pulled out what looked like a length of heavy wire. "Now maybe we'll get somewhere."
"You can pick locks?"
"Did you think I got by with just my good looks and winning personality?" She examined the lock that secured her chains. "Now, let's see what we can do about this." Twisting around as much as she could, Chiana slipped the wire into the keyhole and began working on the lock.
Some microts later, she growled in frustration. "Okay, this may take longer than I thought." Chiana looked up quickly at the sound of the basement door being unlocked. She slipped the wire up her sleeve and sat back.
Three natives entered and walked down the ramp in measures steps. They stopped in front of the crew and the one that seemed to be the leader bowed.
"You are well, I trust," he said.
"I'd feel better if I weren't chained up," D'Argo growled.
"Would you wait patiently without restraint?"
"Are you saying I'm untrustworthy?" Rygel assumed an air of great insult. "I am Dominar Rygel XVI, ruler of."
"Why, then, are you not on your throne? Why do you travel on a Leviathan with this wildly diverse group?"
Rygel stared at the native then shrugged. "I've often asked myself that question."
The native nodded. "I see. Shru'terak'va has arrived in the area of Tem'eal, the Southern leader. Soon, she will end his worthless life and herald our world's new age."
"Are you sure about that?" John shook his head slowly. "Aeryn's not the PK Nazi she used to be."
A look of confusion crossed the native's face, but he simply shook his head. "It will be done. I have already seen it. My Sight has told me so."
"Your Sight? You saw this in a dream? Maybe you should lay off the pepperoni pizza before going to bed, dude."
Rygel glanced at Chiana then leaned forward. "You're planning on holding us until Aeryn does the deed?"
"Sadly, yes. It is the only way to guarantee that Shru'terak'va will carry out her duty."
D'Argo head tilted forward. "I thought you said you saw in a dream that Aeryn would do it."
"I did. But to guarantee her cooperation, there had to have been an incentive."
"Do you plan on feeding us," Rygel said in his most demanding voice. "If you plan on holding us any longer, you have to give us food and drink."
The native frowned and thought. "I must wait. If I do not hear from Shru'terak'va within an arn, then I will have food brought to you." The native turned and started from the basement. "Until later, Dominar."
As the door closed, John said, "Okay, Pip. We're on the clock."
Chiana slipped out her lock pick. "Then shut up and let me work." She slipped the wire into the keyhole and began to work.
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Aeryn's eyes swept over the forest that surrounded the transport pod and tried to remain calm. She was alone in the clearing; she had sent Jool after the two Sheritak, to watch over them as they searched the town. She was glad for the time alone; Aeryn had hoped to come up with a plan that didn't involve taking a life. In the time since Jool had left, Aeryn hadn't come up with a better plan.
She stared into the forest a microt longer then massaged her eyes and started pacing. I can do this, she thought. We came up with a plan, not a good one, but it's the best I could come up with. I would have felt better if I could get John or D'Argo's opinion on it.
Aeryn stopped pacing, leaned against the forward landing gear and massaged her eyes. If only I had John's ability to make things up as I go along. And I wish.I wish I had Zhaan's patience. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What did Zhaan call me? "Selfless Aeryn?" Perhaps one day I'll live up to that.
The hair on the back of her neck stood, and Aeryn suddenly felt like someone was standing behind her. She stepped away from the landing gear and turned quickly, drawing her pulse pistol and aiming in one smooth move. Aeryn's eyes swept the area below the pod. Seeing it empty, she holstered her pistol and sighed. Don't get jumpy, she chided herself.
Aeryn looked around again. Sebaceans don't believe in an afterlife, she thought, but if you're watching over us, Zhaan, I could use whatever help you can give me.
Her comm chirped. "Aeryn?" Jool sounded as if she were whispering.
"Yes. What have you found?"
"Our two guides seem to have found something. They're outside a large central building. One of them went in and the other is standing outside."
Aeryn frowned. There was something in Jool's voice, something about the way she spoke that raised Aeryn's suspicions. "Is everything all right?"
Jool hesitated, which made Aeryn even more suspicious. "Fine. I just can't believe you're going to do this."
"I'll entertain any other option you've come up with. Wait for me there. I'm on my way." Aeryn checked her pulse pistol, looked once more at the area under the transport pod and started into the forest.
It took Aeryn almost half an arn to reach the town. She invested another quarter arn to survey the perimeter. Finding nothing but simple huts that served as both shelters and storage buildings, Aeryn continued into the town.
As she walked to the center of the town, the number of non-Sheritak that mingled with the natives struck Aeryn. She counted representatives of at least a dozen races. Aeryn felt herself relax a little; the presence of off-worlders would make it easier for her and Jool to get away.
Aeryn looked around again and sighed. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get out of this without killing someone.
Rounding a corner, Aeryn spotted Jool pacing nervously in front of a large building that sat in the center of the town square. Aeryn scanned the area one last time then jogged across the square.
Jool watched Aeryn approach, her nervousness becoming more apparent. "Oh, Aeryn! You're here!"
"Right, where is he?"
"Well, yes. He's.that is."
Aeryn frowned and felt suddenly suspicious. "Where's our two guides?" Jool looked around, her eyes wide.
Aeryn growled in frustration. "What is the problem?"
As Jool stammered out an answer, Aeryn's instincts began to scream. She spun, drew her pulse pistol and aimed for the armed man that was walking up behind her.
As her eyes went to the pulse pistol the man aimed at her, Aeryn said, "Right, then. Who're you?"
The smile that crossed the man's face was cruel "Me? They call me Shru'terak'va, and I'm going to kill Si'teq'a. But first, I'm going to kill you."
TO BE CONTINUED
Disclaimer: I didn't create Farscape, didn't create the characters and I don't make a plug nickel off of it.
---------------------------------------
"It's my duty, my breeding since birth, it's what I am." "You can be more."
---------------------------------------
Part Three: Points Of Execution
"The cost of patience When there's no time before me Of hesitation All for this twisted glory"
"Mephistopheles' Return" from Beethoven's Last Night, Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Aeryn shut down the transport pod's engines and looked out through the forward windows. All she could see was the trees and brush that surrounded the clearing they hand landed in. While the Northern Hemisphere had been developed to support off-world trade, the Southern Hemisphere was more agrarian. Aeryn had spotted several small farms surrounding a fair sized town as they flew in.
She glanced at Jool, who sat next to her. "Are you ready?"
Jool sighed heavily. "Are you really going to do this?"
"Kill Tem'eal? If presented with no other options, yes, I will. But only if I have no choice."
"So you'd kill someone who's done nothing to you?"
"If you have a better idea, you should have said something while we were on Moya." Aeryn massaged her eyes. "John once told me something from his world: The good of the many outweigh the needs of the few. In this instance, we're the many. Think of it as enlightened self-interest."
"Murder is not enlightened."
"Then call it self-preservation! You know what's at stake where as well as I do. If I don't kill Tem'eal, John and the others will be killed. Very soon after that, you and I will be dead, and Pilot and Moya will be nothing more than orbiting debris. I will not allow that to happen. I thought Interons were supposed to be intelligent. Aren't you familiar with the concept of loyalty?"
Before Jool could respond, the two Sheritak stepped up behind them. "Is there difficulty, Shru'terak'va?"
"No, not at all." Aeryn let a hard expression cross her face and tried to reign in her growing anger. With all she had to keep track of, she didn't need Jool's questioning and criticism. "Are you sure Tem'eal will be here?"
"Scout ahead we will, Shru'terak'va. Confirm we will that the Southern leader is here." The two Sheritak turned to the hatch then stopped. "If you could let us out?"
"I'll get it." Jool stood and marched to the hatch. As the ramp lowered, she said, "I'll be outside."
Aeryn watched her then closed her eyes and let her head fall back. Why can't we ever do anything easily?
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John stared at the ceiling of the basement and tried to will himself to remain calm. "Y'know," he said quietly, "if I ever have a daughter, I think I'd like to name her Vanessa."
Next to him, D'Argo grumbled, "Maybe you should talk to Aeryn about that." He sighed loudly. "How long have we been here?"
"It's been almost three arns since Aeryn and Jool left," Stark said. He looked at the chains that bound his wrists and ankles then let his head fall back against the wall. "We should do something to get out of here."
"I'm open to suggestions," D'Argo muttered as he tried to keep his growing anger in check.
"Give me a microt," Chiana said as she continued to feel around the collar of her jacket. After a microt, she pulled out what looked like a length of heavy wire. "Now maybe we'll get somewhere."
"You can pick locks?"
"Did you think I got by with just my good looks and winning personality?" She examined the lock that secured her chains. "Now, let's see what we can do about this." Twisting around as much as she could, Chiana slipped the wire into the keyhole and began working on the lock.
Some microts later, she growled in frustration. "Okay, this may take longer than I thought." Chiana looked up quickly at the sound of the basement door being unlocked. She slipped the wire up her sleeve and sat back.
Three natives entered and walked down the ramp in measures steps. They stopped in front of the crew and the one that seemed to be the leader bowed.
"You are well, I trust," he said.
"I'd feel better if I weren't chained up," D'Argo growled.
"Would you wait patiently without restraint?"
"Are you saying I'm untrustworthy?" Rygel assumed an air of great insult. "I am Dominar Rygel XVI, ruler of."
"Why, then, are you not on your throne? Why do you travel on a Leviathan with this wildly diverse group?"
Rygel stared at the native then shrugged. "I've often asked myself that question."
The native nodded. "I see. Shru'terak'va has arrived in the area of Tem'eal, the Southern leader. Soon, she will end his worthless life and herald our world's new age."
"Are you sure about that?" John shook his head slowly. "Aeryn's not the PK Nazi she used to be."
A look of confusion crossed the native's face, but he simply shook his head. "It will be done. I have already seen it. My Sight has told me so."
"Your Sight? You saw this in a dream? Maybe you should lay off the pepperoni pizza before going to bed, dude."
Rygel glanced at Chiana then leaned forward. "You're planning on holding us until Aeryn does the deed?"
"Sadly, yes. It is the only way to guarantee that Shru'terak'va will carry out her duty."
D'Argo head tilted forward. "I thought you said you saw in a dream that Aeryn would do it."
"I did. But to guarantee her cooperation, there had to have been an incentive."
"Do you plan on feeding us," Rygel said in his most demanding voice. "If you plan on holding us any longer, you have to give us food and drink."
The native frowned and thought. "I must wait. If I do not hear from Shru'terak'va within an arn, then I will have food brought to you." The native turned and started from the basement. "Until later, Dominar."
As the door closed, John said, "Okay, Pip. We're on the clock."
Chiana slipped out her lock pick. "Then shut up and let me work." She slipped the wire into the keyhole and began to work.
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Aeryn's eyes swept over the forest that surrounded the transport pod and tried to remain calm. She was alone in the clearing; she had sent Jool after the two Sheritak, to watch over them as they searched the town. She was glad for the time alone; Aeryn had hoped to come up with a plan that didn't involve taking a life. In the time since Jool had left, Aeryn hadn't come up with a better plan.
She stared into the forest a microt longer then massaged her eyes and started pacing. I can do this, she thought. We came up with a plan, not a good one, but it's the best I could come up with. I would have felt better if I could get John or D'Argo's opinion on it.
Aeryn stopped pacing, leaned against the forward landing gear and massaged her eyes. If only I had John's ability to make things up as I go along. And I wish.I wish I had Zhaan's patience. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What did Zhaan call me? "Selfless Aeryn?" Perhaps one day I'll live up to that.
The hair on the back of her neck stood, and Aeryn suddenly felt like someone was standing behind her. She stepped away from the landing gear and turned quickly, drawing her pulse pistol and aiming in one smooth move. Aeryn's eyes swept the area below the pod. Seeing it empty, she holstered her pistol and sighed. Don't get jumpy, she chided herself.
Aeryn looked around again. Sebaceans don't believe in an afterlife, she thought, but if you're watching over us, Zhaan, I could use whatever help you can give me.
Her comm chirped. "Aeryn?" Jool sounded as if she were whispering.
"Yes. What have you found?"
"Our two guides seem to have found something. They're outside a large central building. One of them went in and the other is standing outside."
Aeryn frowned. There was something in Jool's voice, something about the way she spoke that raised Aeryn's suspicions. "Is everything all right?"
Jool hesitated, which made Aeryn even more suspicious. "Fine. I just can't believe you're going to do this."
"I'll entertain any other option you've come up with. Wait for me there. I'm on my way." Aeryn checked her pulse pistol, looked once more at the area under the transport pod and started into the forest.
It took Aeryn almost half an arn to reach the town. She invested another quarter arn to survey the perimeter. Finding nothing but simple huts that served as both shelters and storage buildings, Aeryn continued into the town.
As she walked to the center of the town, the number of non-Sheritak that mingled with the natives struck Aeryn. She counted representatives of at least a dozen races. Aeryn felt herself relax a little; the presence of off-worlders would make it easier for her and Jool to get away.
Aeryn looked around again and sighed. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get out of this without killing someone.
Rounding a corner, Aeryn spotted Jool pacing nervously in front of a large building that sat in the center of the town square. Aeryn scanned the area one last time then jogged across the square.
Jool watched Aeryn approach, her nervousness becoming more apparent. "Oh, Aeryn! You're here!"
"Right, where is he?"
"Well, yes. He's.that is."
Aeryn frowned and felt suddenly suspicious. "Where's our two guides?" Jool looked around, her eyes wide.
Aeryn growled in frustration. "What is the problem?"
As Jool stammered out an answer, Aeryn's instincts began to scream. She spun, drew her pulse pistol and aimed for the armed man that was walking up behind her.
As her eyes went to the pulse pistol the man aimed at her, Aeryn said, "Right, then. Who're you?"
The smile that crossed the man's face was cruel "Me? They call me Shru'terak'va, and I'm going to kill Si'teq'a. But first, I'm going to kill you."
TO BE CONTINUED