Part 10: Stranger Things Have Happened
Aeryn joined Orin and the other rebels at the strategy table. "You wish to see me?" She asked.
Without a word a holo-image of a man and woman came up. Orin glanced over at Aeryn. "Do you recognize them?"
Aeryn's face was totally blank as she stared at her worst nightmare. How was it that this universe was getting smaller? She answered in a flat voice. "Yes, the female. I met her over a cycle ago."
One of the other rebels asked sharply. "Do you know her real name? Where do you know her from?"
Before Aeryn could answer, John's voice carried from across the room. "I'll be damn that woman is one nosey broad."
A shared smile came on Aeryn and Sky'leen's faces as they stared at each other. John walked up to stand behind Aeryn. The other three just stared at him like he was a madman.
He smiled at them with a knowing smirk. "That is Jenavian Chatto. She's a disruptor elite of class 101. First met on the Royal Planet as in."
"Breakaway Colonies." Sky'leen finished for him. Auel Narc had been staring at the human not knowing why the peacekeepers were spending so much energy on searching for him. "Why would the operative and her group be interested in you? What do you have to do with the Royal Planet?"
Aeryn shifted. "That's not important now. The question being, how are we going to get away from the Peacekeepers?"
"I have another question." Everyone looked at John as he studied them. "Where is the other disruptor?"
***************************************
Commandant Grayza was furious. Her superiors were not happy with her performance thus far. She was to wait for the arrival of another command carrier. It was disturbing to learn that a General from High Command was coming to collect his prey. She had spent time with the female disruptor. It took some swaying, but the disruptor decided to tell what she knew. Crichton was one busy man. The disruptor had orders to find Aeryn Sun, which could lead her to John Crichton. Capture one you will have the other, or so they believed. John Crichton was to be taken alive. It was reported that another disruptor was amongst the rebels, and they could not say why. Of all the senseless waste of time, it was beyond her understanding.
As Grayza walked into the hostel she barked. "Report, Captain?"
Braca motioned toward the table and said, "Ma'am. I think you need to take a look at this." Stepping aside Grayza looked at the vid screen. A thoughtful look came over Grayza's face as she watched.
"So it would seem we have traitors in higher places then I thought. Have you found this man?"
"No. My people are searching."
"Join them, Captain.
**************************
A lone figure moved with confidence through the Citadel. He was safe here. The officials were happy with the large tribute paid to the planetary funds. The man looked around before sliding into a shadowed room. He stopped as the door closed silently behind him.
A voice came out of the deepest shadow. "Report."
"Sun has joined with Crichton and the rebels. They are safe for the moment. The Lieutenant has discovered who the other disruptor is. That female disruptor is now with the peacekeepers. Lieutenant Orin has moved her party to an undisclosed location."
"But you know where this location is don't you?"
The disruptor looked uncomfortable. "I believe so. It has to be one of two locations."
"I see." The voice paused. "Do you think they have found out about you?"
Nodding, he answered. "Yes, I believe so. I know that Captain Emot had three of his people watching all the new recruits for the past six monens."
The figure moved about in the shadows. "I have a report from the Commandant's Carrier. It would seem the General is coming here to escort Orin back himself. Stay in the Citadel out of sight. I'll have another mission for you later."
"Sir."
Another man walked out of the shadows after the disruptor left. "More peacekeepers are coming, how is this going to help us liberate John or Aeryn?"
"Patience. Everything is working out as I know it would." The other voice said.
"That is to make me feel better? You had better be right, or I will take great pleasure making you pay if it gets frelled up."
************************
John sat eating, all the while never taking his eyes off of Aeryn. She moved about working. Sky'leen came over, and sat down with him. "I see you have come to a decision concerning Aeryn."
Laughing softly. "Yeah, you could say that." The smile left his face. "Why did you send Tresoc into our room? You know he has a problem with Aeryn and me.'
Putting her drink down she picked up her food cube. Looking over at him, she confessed, "I've tried to get him to understand about Aeryn. He just couldn't let go. I knew that if things had progressed between you two he might get the idea and leave you both alone."
"Well. I sure in hell wished you had warned us. We could have been a little more prepared." He groused.
"Sorry. How was I to know you and she would be so .occupied? But hey it worked. '' Thoughtfully she added, "We are going to have to move soon. The only thing is you are going to have to stay here and wait."
John frowned. He started to protest when she cut him off. "They have your genetics' programmed into their scanners. It will be able to trace you. It will not be so easy with us."
"How is that? I thought they had all your DNA records."
Trisoc came over dropping a shoulder pouch down beside the Lieutenant. "You are the only one with the unique genetics." He turned to his commanding officer. "The report has come in. We have procured a marauder."
Dropping her food cube back onto her plate she smiled up at him. "Good. I want you to join them. Get it hidden. Then I want you to execute Deka Roma."
"Ma'am." Josef glared at Crichton as he left. John met his glare. That man needs to be neutered.
Sky'leen watched the interplay. "I can't allow you to do that right now. We need all the help we can get."
Astonishment crossed John's face. Then he laughed. Just as Aeryn walked over, Sky'leen motioned for some of her other officers to join them. Sobering she reported. "I have received word that another command carrier will be arriving here very soon with a General from High Command."
Elal Markza asked. "Excuse me for asking, but how do you know this?"
Sky'leen looked at all the faces around her. "The General's name is Astor Orin- my father. I betrayed my family's house. I worked for High Command. Do I need to go into any more details?"
John had been watching her. "No. I just want to know what plan you have to get the frell out before that ship gets here."
"Oh, but we need that Command Carrier. That is our key of escape."
Everyone looked at each other in nonplussed.
Aeryn joined Orin and the other rebels at the strategy table. "You wish to see me?" She asked.
Without a word a holo-image of a man and woman came up. Orin glanced over at Aeryn. "Do you recognize them?"
Aeryn's face was totally blank as she stared at her worst nightmare. How was it that this universe was getting smaller? She answered in a flat voice. "Yes, the female. I met her over a cycle ago."
One of the other rebels asked sharply. "Do you know her real name? Where do you know her from?"
Before Aeryn could answer, John's voice carried from across the room. "I'll be damn that woman is one nosey broad."
A shared smile came on Aeryn and Sky'leen's faces as they stared at each other. John walked up to stand behind Aeryn. The other three just stared at him like he was a madman.
He smiled at them with a knowing smirk. "That is Jenavian Chatto. She's a disruptor elite of class 101. First met on the Royal Planet as in."
"Breakaway Colonies." Sky'leen finished for him. Auel Narc had been staring at the human not knowing why the peacekeepers were spending so much energy on searching for him. "Why would the operative and her group be interested in you? What do you have to do with the Royal Planet?"
Aeryn shifted. "That's not important now. The question being, how are we going to get away from the Peacekeepers?"
"I have another question." Everyone looked at John as he studied them. "Where is the other disruptor?"
***************************************
Commandant Grayza was furious. Her superiors were not happy with her performance thus far. She was to wait for the arrival of another command carrier. It was disturbing to learn that a General from High Command was coming to collect his prey. She had spent time with the female disruptor. It took some swaying, but the disruptor decided to tell what she knew. Crichton was one busy man. The disruptor had orders to find Aeryn Sun, which could lead her to John Crichton. Capture one you will have the other, or so they believed. John Crichton was to be taken alive. It was reported that another disruptor was amongst the rebels, and they could not say why. Of all the senseless waste of time, it was beyond her understanding.
As Grayza walked into the hostel she barked. "Report, Captain?"
Braca motioned toward the table and said, "Ma'am. I think you need to take a look at this." Stepping aside Grayza looked at the vid screen. A thoughtful look came over Grayza's face as she watched.
"So it would seem we have traitors in higher places then I thought. Have you found this man?"
"No. My people are searching."
"Join them, Captain.
**************************
A lone figure moved with confidence through the Citadel. He was safe here. The officials were happy with the large tribute paid to the planetary funds. The man looked around before sliding into a shadowed room. He stopped as the door closed silently behind him.
A voice came out of the deepest shadow. "Report."
"Sun has joined with Crichton and the rebels. They are safe for the moment. The Lieutenant has discovered who the other disruptor is. That female disruptor is now with the peacekeepers. Lieutenant Orin has moved her party to an undisclosed location."
"But you know where this location is don't you?"
The disruptor looked uncomfortable. "I believe so. It has to be one of two locations."
"I see." The voice paused. "Do you think they have found out about you?"
Nodding, he answered. "Yes, I believe so. I know that Captain Emot had three of his people watching all the new recruits for the past six monens."
The figure moved about in the shadows. "I have a report from the Commandant's Carrier. It would seem the General is coming here to escort Orin back himself. Stay in the Citadel out of sight. I'll have another mission for you later."
"Sir."
Another man walked out of the shadows after the disruptor left. "More peacekeepers are coming, how is this going to help us liberate John or Aeryn?"
"Patience. Everything is working out as I know it would." The other voice said.
"That is to make me feel better? You had better be right, or I will take great pleasure making you pay if it gets frelled up."
************************
John sat eating, all the while never taking his eyes off of Aeryn. She moved about working. Sky'leen came over, and sat down with him. "I see you have come to a decision concerning Aeryn."
Laughing softly. "Yeah, you could say that." The smile left his face. "Why did you send Tresoc into our room? You know he has a problem with Aeryn and me.'
Putting her drink down she picked up her food cube. Looking over at him, she confessed, "I've tried to get him to understand about Aeryn. He just couldn't let go. I knew that if things had progressed between you two he might get the idea and leave you both alone."
"Well. I sure in hell wished you had warned us. We could have been a little more prepared." He groused.
"Sorry. How was I to know you and she would be so .occupied? But hey it worked. '' Thoughtfully she added, "We are going to have to move soon. The only thing is you are going to have to stay here and wait."
John frowned. He started to protest when she cut him off. "They have your genetics' programmed into their scanners. It will be able to trace you. It will not be so easy with us."
"How is that? I thought they had all your DNA records."
Trisoc came over dropping a shoulder pouch down beside the Lieutenant. "You are the only one with the unique genetics." He turned to his commanding officer. "The report has come in. We have procured a marauder."
Dropping her food cube back onto her plate she smiled up at him. "Good. I want you to join them. Get it hidden. Then I want you to execute Deka Roma."
"Ma'am." Josef glared at Crichton as he left. John met his glare. That man needs to be neutered.
Sky'leen watched the interplay. "I can't allow you to do that right now. We need all the help we can get."
Astonishment crossed John's face. Then he laughed. Just as Aeryn walked over, Sky'leen motioned for some of her other officers to join them. Sobering she reported. "I have received word that another command carrier will be arriving here very soon with a General from High Command."
Elal Markza asked. "Excuse me for asking, but how do you know this?"
Sky'leen looked at all the faces around her. "The General's name is Astor Orin- my father. I betrayed my family's house. I worked for High Command. Do I need to go into any more details?"
John had been watching her. "No. I just want to know what plan you have to get the frell out before that ship gets here."
"Oh, but we need that Command Carrier. That is our key of escape."
Everyone looked at each other in nonplussed.