Commonscape By: Griffin Copyright notice: All characters belong to their respective owners, all original characters and plot elements belong to me.

Note: Most of the Andromeda crew is current as far as about a month ago. Farscape crew is a bit older.

Summary: While the High Council of the Alleghany deliberate over an Alliance with the Restored Commonwealth, Harper and his technicians help Moya and Talyn enhance their starburst to true Slipstream quality.

Portal to a New World

Chancellor Ariana Lordis sat before the High Council of the Alleghany and shook her head as two of her Council Member argued over the concept of an alliance with these newcomers.

"They saved our system from being overrun by the Peacekeepers," Council Member Tala Siran argued from her position to the left of the dais.

"No! The Luxons saved us from the Peacekeepers. It is they that we must ally ourselves with!" Council Member Dimas Kalsi retorted from the right.

"The Luxons have already signed a pact with this 'Commonwealth.' If we were to sign a pact with the Luxons we would be drawn into the conflict anyways," Tala returned.

"ENOUGH!" Ariana shouted and the small chamber fell silent. "I did not want to have to do this. But if you cannot at least come to a vote in a civil manner, then I will be forced to invoke my powers as the Chancellor of this Government. I will retire from this meeting now, but I will expect a decision within three solar days!"

With that Ariana stormed out of the Chamber and the arguing returned.

* * * * * *

Harper watched the technician as he worked at retrofitting the Commonwealth exotic matter lens into the extremely primitive counterpart within the bowels of the Leviathan known as Talyn.

He shook his head slightly as the tech finally made the appropriate connections and the lens began pulsing with energy.

"This is Harper, your resident genius and engineer extraordinaire reporting success in the installation on one Advance Exotic Matter Lens. We still need to run our power checks and control run analysis, but I think this half of the work is done. Now all we'll need to do is install a control station."

"Good job, Harper," Dylan said over the com. "Keep up the good work."

* * * * * *

"Once Harper finishes installing the exotic matter lenses and the control stations, we'll begin training you on how to pilot through the slipstream. I'm sure it will be strange for your ships not to be controlling the path of the ship but we don't think that they would be quite ready for a full- fledged slip-jump without first observing how to do it."

Dylan poured drinks for the seven other people seated at the table a drink.

Tyr Anasazi, Beka Valentine, John Crichton, Aeryn Sun, Bilar Crais, D'Argo and General Li'Taran were all seated.

"And what of my fleet? When will you be able to employ this technology in a Luxon battle group?" Li'Taran asked.

"I have my AI reviewing your schematics and the possibility of slipstream conversion. It has always been difficult to incorporate slipstream technology where none existed previously but it has been done. And we can also begin drafting new ship designs that will have slipstream technology from the start," Dylan noted as he set the drinks down.

"For example," the holo-graphic image of the ship's AI interjected. "The data General Li'Taran has provided regarding the Luxon shipyards has allowed me to draw up plans for a quick set up for slip-drive construction and installation. And when you combine the vast Luxon shipyards with the growing Restored Commonwealth's current yards, you have quite a shipbuilding capacity. And with the advances in pulse weaponry and solid fragmentation that the Luxon data files have provided everyone will benefit from each other technological improvements."

"Good. Good," the General said as he took a drink from the glass set before him. "Another question raised by my technicians is in regard to your computer technology. Will be allowed to have samples or training in your AI technology and computer design?"

"I have consulted my files and have determined that I have enough information in my matrix to begin construction of a rudimentary AI core that could be used as a base for multiple copies. These copies could be installed in a ship's computer core. They would be limited in function at first, but as Harper and the scientist throughout the Restored Commonwealth rebuild AI technology, we could update your AI cores," Rommie said matter- of-factly.

"Exactly how limited are we talking?" John asked.

"Well, the first copies would have to be acclimated to your systems so they would be nothing more than advanced data-processors and automated system administrators. They would be able to control point-defense systems, doors, climate and other mundane functions. Once we map out your computer systems, however, we would be able to adapt your AI cores to a point where they would be able to pilot the ship by themselves outside of slipstream, do tasks usually assigned to a human like enhancing sensor data and the like. It would still be wise to keep your ships well staffed but it would greatly reduce your work load."

"That would be good," Li'Taran noted. "Our people are well trained in our technology but it is limited compared to others."

"One thing that we wish to learn about," Tyr said as he stepped away from the wall he seemed intent on holding up, "was this defense screen technology that we have seen exhibited on the Peacekeeper vessels. It would be a great help to our fleet if we were able to employ this technology on our vessels."

"The defense screen technology is extremely complex. Moya has a somewhat functional model that we wouldn't mind turning over to you for review. Perhaps with the help of some of the techs from the Alleghany, you would be able to build more compact models."

"Indeed," Tyr said as he took a shot of the glass that sat in front of his seat." * * * * * *

Council Member Tala Siran walked down the dimly lit street in Alleghany's capitol city toward her home on the east side.

She walked alone, as was her custom, through the town. She wore street clothes, unlike Council members from wealthier districts.

She didn't have her own security team nor did she have her own air-pod that would take her back to her residence.

She had walked these streets for many cycles before this, she had nothing to fear.

Or at least, she didn't think that she did.

As she passed a darkened alley, Tala suddenly found herself not so alone on the street. If it had been earlier in the day she wouldn't have been so worried. But for someone to be out this late, and to suddenly appear from a darkened passage, was not normal.

She increased her pace ever so slightly, not wanting to alert the person behind her that she had discovered that she was being followed.

And even as she increased her pace she rested her hand in her pocket and grasped the handle of the small pulse pistol she kept for things like this.

As she passed one of the few and far between street lights she turned and raised the gun.

When she looked at her follower she was, at first, confused.

Before her stood one of the various 'women of the night' showing her body for what it was.

But that wasn't what confused Tala.

What had caused the confusion was what the woman was carrying. Two cleanly severed heads, eyes and mouths hanging wide open.

"You were going to be ambushed," the woman said simply. "And my boss wouldn't like that."

"Who are you?"

"I'm no one special. But what you are trying to do will help this planet and our people. And the person that I work for wants that very much." The woman threw Tala a data-chip. "This holds the information that they were carrying and the conversation they carried on before I found them. You'll know what to do with it."

Tala studied the chip for a moment and when she looked up to thank the woman, all that was left were the two heads. * * * * * *

Chief Security Officer Dimal Lasas reviewed the data that Council Member Tala Siran had brought to him on a data-chip. With the information he found, he had more than enough to have a team of agents sent to Council Member Dimas Kalsi's residence on the north border of town for an arrest.

"Where did you get this information?" Dimal asked the Council Woman.

"That's not important," she replied quickly. "What's important is that Kalsi was going to have me kidnapped and blame it on the Restored Commonwealth and the Luxons.

"I'm going to the Chancellor with this first thing in the morning." * * * * * *

Dylan Hunt, Captain of Andromeda Ascendant, was awakened by the chime of an incoming communication from the bridge.

"Hunt," he said wearily into the voice-only transmission.

"Dylan, there is quite a stir down on the planet. It seems one of the anti- alliance Council Members tried to have the leading pro-alliance Council Woman kidnapped in order to blame it on us. The entire anti-alliance movement has collapsed and Chancellor Lordis is requesting permission to send up a diplomatic envoy for the purpose of negotiating an Alliance between the Restored Commonwealth, the Luxon Empire and the Alleghany Republic," Andromeda announced.

"Send confirmation immediately and set up a conference for thirteen hundred. Notify General Li'Taran and Crichton. I'm sure he'll want to be in on the negotiations."

"It's as good as done."

* * * * * *

"So you see Captain Hunt, General Li'Taran, an alliance with the Alleghany Republic will not only afford you a safe haven and a sizeable fleet base, but connections with every other independent star and star group this side of the Peacekeeper home world," the leading diplomat for the Alleghany announced.

"But what of the possible weakness that an alliance stretched so thin would create?" Tyr, the only uninvited, and yet unchallenged, guest asked. "Our fleet is still in a state of growth and an alliance with the various independent worlds would create obligations that we would be hard pressed to fulfill right now, especially since the Drago-Katsov empire has been making moves against our allies in our region of space."

"I think that the construction rate of our shipyards would surprise you. With the people to man our ships and the heavy gunnery support even one of your cruisers would provide most of the independent worlds would be able to hold off anything but a full invasion fleet."

"I think that the addition of more stars to our list of allies and the increased diversity in crew and experience would more than offset our possible vulnerabilities. Especially after we are able to get a courier back to the Commonwealth to summon some of our allies"

"Then we are in agreement?" The diplomat asked hopefully.

"I'll have my AI write up a document of alliance immediately," Dylan said as he extended his hand, the diplomat shaking it vigorously. * * * * * *

"This is Eureka Maru to Talyn. Prepare to begin slipstream run Alpha," Captain Beka Valentine announced over the com-line.

"This is Talyn," Bilar Crais replied. "We are ready, Maru."

"This is Moya," Aeryn chimed in. "We're ready."

Aeryn, Crais, John and D'Argo had all spent the last two weeks in heavy immersion slip-stream pilot training, and all had passed with flying colors.

Pilot had also been given the training, as he had insisted on having a slip- stream control station added to his console. It was unlikely that he would use it but it would help in case of an emergency.

The Eureka Maru edged toward the edge of the slip-stream portal and as the strands of the stream grabbed her, Talyn and Moya quickly followed.

The three ships were running their first life flights with the new slipstream technology and were only jumping one system.

"All indicators are green," the technician aboard Talyn announced as the slipstream drive went to full power.

"We're reading green here also," the tech on Moya chimed in.

"This is the Maru, prepare for translation out of slipstream," Beka announced and the three ships made a smooth translation back to normal space.

"What a rush," John said from his place at the command console on Moya.

"Indeed," Aeryn said with a nod. "I think I'm going to like this..." * * * * * *

Near the edge of the system, unnoticed by anyone, a lonely Peacekeeper frigate slipped away toward the nearest outpost.

This alliance between the Luxons, the Independents and these newcomers was going to have a dangerous effect on the balance of power in this region of space and the sooner High Command knew about it, the sooner it could be crushed.