Part III: Another Life

Morning. Warm sunlight on her cheek. A baby crying. Aeryn stirred and rolled over on her side. Maybe if she didn't wake up, John would see to the baby. He was good that way, always eager to help with the baby.

The baby kept crying. No, she was howling, poor thing. Aeryn's eyes opened slowly, squinted at the as a beam of sunlight stream across her face. Why hadn't John...

The place beside her was empty; reaching out her hand it was cold to the touch. Aeryn's consciousness catapulted her fully awake wondering where he had gotten. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Better see what Aeryanna wants," she mumbled before she moved over to the crib. She scooped up the sobbing child and tucked her close to her chest. "You're wet, "

Aeryanna rooted for a nipple against the front of her T-shirt, but she only grinned and said, "Sorry, honey, you'll have to wait." Then she proceeded to change her diaper, and skillfully, too, even though the baby was waving her fists and making every effort to wiggle off the table.

When Aeryn finished, she headed downstairs to see where John was and to get her daughter's morning meal. She found John sitting at the front window asleep. Knowing his old habits she was not surprise. Holding the baby close she gently shook his shoulder.

"John, time to wakeup."

Aeryn just had time to move out of the way when he sat-up suddenly. His instincts were still sharp, she was glad to see. John stared gritty-eyed at her. His hair was matted on one side, and his cheek bore the mark of a wrinkled shirtsleeve. His chin was scruffy with a day-old beard and he looked...well, he looked wonderful. His shoulders seemed very wide, and his height was imposing as he stood to stretch.

She handed over the baby to him heading for the kitchen. "I need to get her blanket." When she came back into the living area, John was situated on the couch with Aeryanna curved into the crook of his arm. He was smiling as his little girl opened her mouth letting him know she was hungry.

"Here, let me take over," Aeryn said as she sat beside him. Smiling over at her, he transferred the baby into her arms. Aeryn had pulled her t- shirt off and settled her daughter up to her breast, then she managed to spread the blanket over them just leaving Aeryanna face exposed.

John leaned over them both fully awake, feeling the warmth of love while watching their daughter nurse. "She's making a pig of herself all right. Got her mother's appetite," John leaned farther down kissing the back of his daughter's head before he reached up on kiss Aeryn fully on the lips. The kiss was fast turning into a hot passionate one. Slightly pulling back Aeryn tried to clear her throat.

"Yes, she is, "Aeryn, whispered, her voice deeping. As if to prove her point, the baby slurped and gave a kind of snort. "You see." Aeryn said, smiling indulgently.

"Yeah," he managed to get out. John decided that there might be no better time to retreat and regroup. "I'd better go and clean up some." Aeryn only grunted.

In the refreshing room, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair stood up on end and he looked as awful as he was feeling. The fears from the day before, and the past cycle came back to him. He had been doing well for sometime now, he hadn't been having nightmares for several monens. Life with Aeryn and the baby had been good. Maybe that was it. Life had been too good to long and now fate was just rearing its ugly head again.

He came back into the bedroom putting on clean clothes as the smell of breakfast permeated the air. Aeryn learned how to cook, take care of the baby, and make a home out of this cottage. Something she had never been taught to do as a peacekeeper. The woman has always amazed him, but now she totally blew him away with her determination to make a life for them.

Going downstairs he saw the baby lying on her blanket in front of the fireplace looking around. He stood in the doorway watching Aeryanna playing. Aeryn glanced up at him briefly. 'Why were you down here, John?"

"Had a dream. Couldn't go back to sleep. I was remembering about Vander Prime, "he said not looking at her.

"You are worried about the Hunters. Chinook will take care of them." Aeryn said as she walked over to him.

"I know but I have this gut feeling that these Hunters will not give up so easily." He took a plate from her, and moved to the table; close to the fire. It was getting colder and winter would be upon them soon.

After, Aeryn cuddled with John on the couch. It was a rainy, cold day, and neither had the desire to leave their warm home. Aeryanna had fallen asleep so John had put her down in a makeshift bed next to the couch. Neither had spoken for the past arn, each lost in thought...

Vander Prime was a beautiful place until the bounty hunters had appeared from everywhere. They could not escape without coming in the line of fire from a hunter. After the building behind them exploded, they heard a growl of anger, then weapons fire. Both had sat up, looked at each other, and returned to contemplating the fire...

Another pulse blast exploded over John's head. A voice called out to them from behind. Turning his body to face the new threat, he saw the largest, broadest man he had ever seen crunched down in the tiniest space. He was waving at them to follow him. Crichton hesitated until Aeryn said in his ear. "Go. They are trying to help us."

Nodding he followed the man with Aeryn close behind continuing to return fire. They moved past two others companions and entered a tunnel going downward. It took only a few microts to traverse it. It was a little eerie with the lighting getting brighter the deeper they went. They reached what seemed to be the end of the corridor, and stepped through some kind of airlock. It opened into a spacious passageway. Turning to the left they found themselves facing several long metal corridors; entering a metal door, going right, which cycled closed behind them. Their footsteps echoed off in the distance. None of them spoke as they moved more rapidly.

The corridor's ambient lights grew more subdued. John saw no side corridors making it easy to guess the direction their new friend was taking them. John traveled behind the leader with Aeryn walking at his shoulder, one pace behind, every sense alert, her weapon held in front of her. Two others kept watch behind them as they walked.

They came to a large corridor that crossed with another at this point they stopped, and listened. Motioning them to follow the group, crossed to large metal doors that slide open quietly. They crossed a bridge that spanned a dark abyss. Crichton picked up speed not liking what he couldn't see.

They came to a vast landing bay that was harshing illumined. Aeryn came to a halting stop seeing her prowler there; beside it was an odd and larger ship with more people waiting. A trap!? Alarmed, John and Aeryn held up their weapons standing back to back.

The man that had been leading them, held his arms out motioning the others to lower their weapons. "We mean you no harm. I am Kamble. We were sent here to rescue you."

"Why?" Crichton barked.

"Gimma, the Vander Prime head of security became aware of a Norse ship in orbit. That could only mean they were searching for bounty." Kamble explained. "I am a MoNodity we were sent to take you offworld to a place of sanctuary."

"I think not we will just go back to our ship." Aeryn said, not taking her eyes off the others.

"Your ship, Moya had to leave. The Norse ship has a stasis weapon to render the Leviathan inoperative. They were forced to flee."

Aeryn hit her comm badge calling to Pilot. Hearing nothing but static she looked at John. He didn't seem surprised. "What?" She asked softly.

"I told Pilot before we left that if anything went wrong, and Moya was in direct danger to leave. If possible we would meet up somewhere else safely."

"D'Argo and the others would not have left without us."

"I know. I am pretty sure that right now they are not happy campers." John turned to gaze to her. She nodded her head approvingly.

Kamble turned toward his ship the others followed him. He called over his shoulder. "Come your ship has been made ready. We will cover you with our ship. Another one waits to help shield you from the Norse."

"Why? Why do you risk helping us?" John had to ask, as he and Aeryn moved to the prowler.

"If we survive this. We will explain a great deal to you both."

Aeryn piloted the prowler. The MoNodity ship flew just under them blocking them from the planet. Another craft joined from above sandwiching the prowler between them.

John glanced out the side port and saw what most had been the Norse's ship within a thousand metras. The Norse's didn't react to their breaking orbit..

A loud knock broke the silence in the cottage causing both Aeryn and John to jump. Picking up his weapon, John went to the window looking out. Aeryn protected the baby's bed her pistol drawn. John saw that it was Chinook. Lowering his weapon, he opened the door and let him in.

Smiling he greeted his friend. "I take it they are gone?"

"Yes, word came that a group of Norse had been seen in the next two valleys over. The Hunters love to hunt the Norse, so they left."

Aeryn concerned ask. "Is it true about the Norse?"

Chinook smirk. "No, but who is it to say they hadn't."

John hit his friend on the back laughing. "Come in and warm yourself by the fire. It has been to long since you've visited us."

Chinook took a seat after glancing down at Aeryanna. "Yes, it has been to long."