Part VX: Truth and Consequences

It was a cold, misty night. The threat of winter lay heavy in the air. Low hanging clouds dribbled a fine mixture of rain and ice. The miserable night masked the passage of a hovercraft racing almost out of control. The driver, ominously large and clocked in black, hurled an oath under his breath at the night.

The whine of the engine echoed in the chilling night until it seemed to come from every direction as the hovercraft came to an abrupt stop. A lone figure stepped out, rushing to the low dwelling. The door opened to a blinding brightness, as the man stopped within.

"What is so important that I am forced to come out on a night as this?"

A woman moved in the room with a smile on her lips. "I have been in contact with the Peacekeepers. Only if we deliver John Crichton or Aeryn Sun alive will we receive the full bounty. Not if one of them is dead!"

Being a man to take advantage of all the opportunities presented he stated, "I understand about Crichton. Alive full bounty, dead nothing."

"And Aeryn Sun?"

"Equal bounty. If they have Crichton alive then we can do as we please, they have no interest in her."

The woman handed him a drink from the refreshment area. "This would be information from the Norse?"

"Yes," he said taking a drink.

"The question is who do we deal with, Scarran or Peacekeeper? I know they hate each other."

Setting the cup done hard, he snarled. "Either. They will be so busy to worry about taking revenge on each other to care about us. I just want what is due to me."

"Don't worry you will, then this backward planet can..." She ran her hand down the man's arm as she walked by him. "Now we must start planning Commander John Crichton and Aeryn Sun's capture."

John had taken his comm badge out turning it over in his hand. He was pondering about his friends on Moya, wondering if they were safe. Scorpius must really be annoyed. That thought brought a smile on his face. D'Argo might have spaced him by now.

He finished off his drink and paid the barkeep. Crichton headed out the door-acknowledging patron's that either spoke to him or nodded in greeting. Standing just outside the refreshment house, he turned his coat against the cold afternoon wind. Turning to the east he thought he would walk back home— the air might help clear his mind. Thinking his personal bodyguard was somewhere, hiding his presence, John headed off to join his family.

The sun had been playing hide and seek with the clouds all day. As the late afternoon grew towards night, the clouds now totally blocked the sun. As the wind picked up with the promise of a new storm, John thought this was not one of his brightest ideas walking home this late. He looked around wondering where his shadow had gone. The guardsmen were good about offering him rides when it started to get dark. He stopped and listened for the whine of the hovercraft. The only sound he heard was from the distance forest animals. A chill ran up his spine.

'Well John you've got yourself in another fine mess.' He decided to go back to the village and get a ride back home. He picked up his pace. Dread was starting to weigh him down.

His mind noted that the said of the animal clatter had stopped. Whipping out Wynona he turned and scanned all round as he made his way back. The whine of a weapon-echoing close by was heard as a flash missed his face by drenches. Crouching down he made for cover when another flash hit a tree as he ducked behind it. The electromagnetic pulse discharge danced all over the bark. "What the hell?" he mumbled.

It had to be a stasis weapon-they wanted him unconscious not wounded. Just frelling great! That could explain why the guardsman was not in attendance. John moved to his right staying low and behind whatever cover he could find. Several more shots came at him but never from the same place. Stooped behind a large tree trunk, John took a deep breath as he contemplated his next move.

He heard a twig snap to his left, whirling he felt a numbing situation radiate somewhere from his back. A minor explosion erupted beside him as another pulse blast just missed him. He fell face down hitting his side on a hidden log. His world went dark.

The man stood over the prostate figure with a smirk on his face. The woman joined him. She touched Crichton with the toe of her shoe. "You're right it works very well on him."

"Who is coming to claim him?" The man inquired as he bent down to secure John's hands. The woman didn't answer when they heard approaching people. Motioning with his head, they faded into the forest. Cursing.

Aeryn found John first. He was crumpled on the ground, resting on his side, and the only part of his face visible to her was covered with blood. In the microts it took for her to get to him, she was consumed with terror.

Chinook coming up behind, saw the blood on John's face. His roar of anguish echoed down the hills. Guardsmen came running, weapons drawn, ready. Chinook knelt down beside Aeryn, helping her gently turn John until he was resting on this back. He let out a soft groan.

The guardsmen gathered in a half circle around them, watching Aeryn slowly check John over. Chinook reached out but stopped himself.

"The medical techs are coming."

Aeryn nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak yet. The swelling on the side of John's temple drew her attention. When the med techs arrived, Chinook touched Aeryn on the shoulder drawing her attention. She stood up to allow the techs to attend to John, her eyes never leaving him.

It took every ounce of discipline Aeryn possessed not to let her rage take control. John came first. Retaliation could wait.

John opened his eyes, trying to remember where he was. Everything was spinning, making his stomach queasy and his head pound. He closed his eyes. He called out his voice croaking. "Aeryn?"

She knelt back down taking his hand into hers. "I'm here, John."

"Did you get the number of the truck that hit me?"

Aeryn gave a shaky smile. "Not yet. How are you feeling?"

Opening one eye he winced at the pale light and taking a deep breath, he tried to sit up. This only made the spinning worse. He grabbed hold of his wife's arm and held tight until his world came into focus.

John hurt everywhere. His back felt like it was on fire. One of the med techs quit trying to force him back down when John continued to complain. Aeryn pulled the back of his shirt up and was leaning over him, prodding at the bruise in the center of his back.

"Your back is fine," she said. "The skin wasn't cut."

Her fingers trailed a line down his spine. Aeryn smiled at the shivers her touch caused. She would have leaned over to kiss him when one of the med techs handed her an ointment to put on the bruise.

She rubbed in on gently. Chinook drew their attention towards him. "Did you see who fired on you?"

"No, they never revealed themselves."

"They?"

"Yeah, the first shot come from some kind of stasis gun," John explained. "The second was the same kind of weapon Aeryn had described."

John leaned back closing his eyes. "I'm getting to old for this. Man, my head hurts like hell."

Chinook stood up and motioned the medtech to take John back to the village. John started to protest when his head felt like it imploded. Aeryn had her hand on his arm. "For once except the help offered."

"No problemo," He murmured letting the techs help him.

John sat in the middle of their bed at the cottage. Aeryn handed him a container of water with a couple of odd colored tablets. "The med tech said they would help with the headache."

He handed the glass back to Aeryn. Lying back, he watched her get ready for bed. After they had arrived back at the village infirmary John was ready to scream with frustration. The general practitioner had treated his cuts and bruises, he had wanted to keep him in for observation, but John had protested strongly. He was released to go home with orders for him to rest.

Six guardsmen escorted them home. The guardsmen surrounded the house with orders-shot to kill. John wasn't too happy about that. The whole situation had gotten out of hand. His eyes roamed the room falling on Aeryanna's crib. From the day she had been born, he had liked to watch her sleep, so innocent. His heart ached at the thought someone wanted to kill them.

Aeryn crawled into bed beside him. John wrapped his arms around her. He needed and wanted her reassuring warmth. Laying his head on her shoulder, he felt secure for a moment. Aeryn's hand smoothed his hair. Neither spoke for several microts.

Clearing his throat, he finally asked. "How did you and Chinook know I was in trouble?"

"Another guardsman found your hovercraft and the body of your guardsman. They alerted Chinook. When they didn't find you, Chinook came to the cottage looking for you."

"I left my guardsman with the hovercraft. When I left I decided to walk home. I just a summed he would follow me," John said getting comfortable.

Aeryn remembered the coldness that had settled over her like a shroud. "I told Chinook I was going with him to look for you. I left Aeryanna with Naiad."

John's eyes were at half-mast, a ghost of a smile played across his lips. "I bet Chinook didn't dare to argue with you."

Aeryn pulled him closer. "Damn right." She quoted one of his Erp terms. The only answer she got back was his soft snoring. Aeryn knew they had to leave the microt they got the clearance they were waiting for. Hopefully that will be tomorrow.

Chinook was a reasonable man; one not to react hastily. This was beyond all reason. He was furious and perturbed that nothing had been discovered about the shooters. He paced the length of the council's assembly room. This last attack had the village on edge.

No offworlders where allowed to travel freely on the planet. Chinook knew it had to be one of their own, and that bothered him. No member of the clan would betray another, or so he had naively assumed. The captain of the guardsman came into the room. He held out a crystal, "The Premier says all is ready for their departure. This is everything they will need to go to Haven."

"Think you, Captain," Chinook said taking the crystal. After the Captain left, Chinook walked out towards his home. He had a strong need to be with his family to know they were safe.

When John opened his eyes the next morning, Aeryn's head was snuggled into the hollow of his shoulder, and her hand was curled around one of his. Her head rose and fell with his breath, one errant strand of black hair tickling him below his left ear.

Aeryn stirred, sighed, and slid her leg between his. John decided in that life was worth living as long as he had Aeryn beside him. He was on the verge of waking her up, and making love to her when a knock came on the front door.

"John?" Aeryn murmured as he pulled away.

"It's ok, babe," was all he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead as she opened her eyes. He was up and out of bed, much to his regretted. A glance at the window showed the sun was shining. He stumbled over to collect his pants. As he was struggling to get them on, Aeryanna started to cry.

Aeryn rolled across the bed and got up. As he headed down the stairs, John saw Aeryn standing in a long tee shirt, picking up the baby. He hurried to find out what was so important when all he wanted to get them away somewhere safe.

Aeryn saw that John was moving around well enough after yesterday's events. Setting on the bed, she let Aeryanna nurse. She heard more then one voice downstairs wishing to could join them.

Moments later John came back up to the room. As he finished dressing, he watched his two favorite women.

"How is your head this morning?" Aeryn asked.

"Good. Whatever those pills were they did the trick." He tied his last boot. "Chinook wants me to come to the council building. It would seem everything has been arranged for our departure."

"I'm going with you." Aeryn said getting up.

"No, honey, there are four guardsmen escorting me. Two others have come to stay with those remaining here. Why don't you get everything ready for our trip?"

"John...it's not going to happen." Aeryn was throwing cloths on after she had laid Aeryanna back into her bed.

"Aeryn, I'll be safe."

"I know because I'm going to be there." John knew when Aeryn used that tone of voice he might as well give up. He got Aeryanna ready to travel.