Chapter 3

Zhaan appeared in the medical bay. She had a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She handed Crichton his jacket. "D'Argo has informed me that Pilot has turned the temperature down. I suggest you put this on so you don't get cold."

"Thanks, Zhaan."

Zhaan and John suddenly looked down at Aeryn as she started to awake more, groaning as she tried to open her eyes. She opened them slightly but shut them quickly at the brightness of the lights. John stoked her hair.

"Its okay, I'm here. Everything will be ok."

At hearing John's voice Aeryn eyes began to flicker open again. She scanned the room and returned confused.

"Where am I?" she asked weakly.

"You're in Zhaan's medical bay" replied Crichton smiling at her.

"You've been unconscious for over an arn" added Zhaan.

"Really?!" said Aeryn surprised as she couldn't remember what happened "All I remember is waking up here."

Zhaan studied Aeryn for a moment before speaking.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like dren!" Aeryn replied groaning slightly.

"Could you put that into more detail, my translator thingamabobs aren't working." asked John.

Aeryn sighed "I feel dizzy and a bit hot too"

"Pilot has turned down the temperature in Moya so you should feel a lot cooler and I have also put your broken wrist in a sling too."

"Look I'll be fine. I can deal with it." she admitted. Aeryn pushed herself up from her lying position and suddenly flinched in pain as a tingly sensation started in her right arm. It soon turned into a searing pain and was starting to creep to her body especially her stomach. She wanted to grab her arm but found that her other arm was no use in a sling.

"Aeryn, Honey, what's wrong?" asked John, suddenly becoming worried.

Aeryn closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She wanted to be strong, all Peacekeeper shouldn't show a sign of weakness. She gritted her teeth to stop her self from screaming or worse passing out again.

"Aeryn, what's wrong? I can see you're in pain so stop saying you can deal with it. Look, tell Zhaan where the pain is."

Aeryn opened her eyes and spoke slowly, her breathing deep.

"My right arm….hurts….the pain. The pain is everywhere!"

"John pass me that magnifying glass over there. I need to examine Aeryn's arm."

John complied quickly and found the magnifying glass and handed it to Zhaan.

She pulled back Aeryn t-shirt sleeve and looked through the magnifier. She was surprised at what she saw. John could see the expression on her face.

"What is it? What can you see?" he asked trying to take a look.

Aeryn carried on breathing deeply, her eyes closed again.

"There seems to be tiny holes in her arm. Some sort of bite marks." she peered closer. "And there also appears to be spikes in the holes."

"So you think she's been bitten by a big ugly bug?" questioned Crichton.

"It looks like bite marks to me. John can you remember what happened?"

Crichton thought back to what they had experienced down on the planet and retold the story.

"I remember we were chased by Scarrens. They had crashed landed and blamed us for the damage of their ship. We killed them all. The last scarren had disappeared so Aeryn and I split up. I found the scarren freaked out and I killed him. When I found Aeryn there were creatures. Yeah I remember seeing some big ugly bug things around her. We fled and then she collapsed in the transport pod."

"That's a good start, John. Aeryn you don't remember anything?" she asked.

"No" replied Aeryn simply, but slowly.

"John I need you to remember anything about these bugs, colour, characteristics, anything. Aeryn I will give you something for the pain, okay?"

Aeryn nodded and Zhaan went to her medical table and started to find some 'fellip urine,' an anaesthetic for wounds. She thought it might help with the pain in Aeryn's arm. After she had poured some of the medicine into a cup she handed it to Aeryn. She clasped her hand around it and Crichton helped her hold it whilst she drank. She ignored the horrible taste it left in her mouth. Once she had drank it all she suddenly felt nauseous and retched, spewing the content all over Crichton who was in front of her.

"Jeez, thanks Aeryn!" he said sarcastically even though he didn't mean it. "Next time we should get you a bib."

"Crichton, I think you better change" ordered Zhaan and he agreed heading for the doorway. He turned smiling when her heard Aeryn say " Frell!, I'm sorry"

Zhaan passed Aeryn a bowl in case she felt sick again and helped her lay back down.

"Why do I feel so weak?" questioned Aeryn.

"I think you have been poisoned by a bug of some kind. I hope John can remember what the bug looked like."

"Me to" added Aeryn "I feel like total dren!"

+++++++++

Crichton headed back towards his quarters to change when he was stopped by Chiana moving in the corridor.

"Hey Critchon. Frell what happened to you?!"

"Err…Aeryn she puked all over me"

"Aeryn? She…she's awake?" Asked Chiana excitingly.

"Yes. I suggest you leave her alone, she'll probably throw up on you" replied John. Chiana looked down his t-shirt and thought maybe it was best to see Aeryn when she was feeling a little better.

"So do you know what's wrong with her?" questioned Chiana.

"Zhaan thinks Aeryn been bitten by a bug. I'm trying to remember what the bug looked like. When they came after us I had hardly any time to look. I just grabbed Aeryn and ran"

"I'm, I'm sure she'll be okay. Aeryn, she's strong you know." said Chiana.

"I know, thanks Pip." Chiana and Crichton gave brief smiles before departing.

"How is Aeryn Sun doing?" John heard Pilot say as he entered Zhaan's medical bay again.

Zhaan spoke "I have stabilised her with painkillers and she's sleeping now. I know you feel concerned Pilot and I am doing everything to make her as comfortable as possible"

"I gather you have found out what is wrong with her?" he asked.

"I have found out that she has been bitten by some bugs and John is trying to remember what they look like."

"Okay, thank you Zhaan."

D'Argo was sitting next to Aeryn stroking her hand back and forth with his thumb. He looked up at Crichton and prepared to move.

"Hey, Heavy D, stay where you are. Aeryn needs us right now."

"She'll pull through this. I know she will," replied D'Argo looking down at her.

"Let's hope so. Larraq's stabbing didn't kill her so nor will this.

Just then Zhaan came into the room

"John do you remember what the bugs looked like?"

"Yes. I remember a big bug. It was blue and had orange stripes on its back. I only saw it for a brief moment."

"Good, I'll start looking through my books."

Zhaan walked over to her cupboard and fumbled around until she found a book. She began turning the pages until, her eyes lit up.

"What is it?" asked D'Argo turning around.

"Is this the bug Aeryn got poisoned by, John?"

Crichton wandered over, he could see fear developing on Zhaan's beautiful blue face.

He gulped and peered over the page. He took a deep breath. There was a photograph of a bug with spikes and orange stripes over its back. The other parts of the bug were coloured blue. John could sense something bad was happening. He looked at Zhaan as tears started to form in his eyes.

"That's the damn bug!" cursed John.

"John, this bug, this creature is deadly. Without the cure, in five solar days Aeryn will be dead."

That's when Crichton's tears broke their barrier and sailed down his face.

AN:/ So Scapers, what did you think of chapter 3? Good/bad points? Any improvements? I'll try and get the next chapter out soon. Hope you all have a Happy Christmas and New Year!