Crichton had his arms behind his head as he looked at Aeryn, "What's the damage?"
She smiled as she ran the scanner over his body, "The rest seems to have done you good. Your leg is still healing from your fall and it might take another couple of days before you're on your feet again. But as far as I can tell, there won't be any permanent damage." She put the scanner away.
"Does that mean I don't have to stay in medical and can move to our quarters?"
"I will see if the room is ready."
"Why shouldn't it be?"
"First the techs stripped Talyn, and then the StarBurst knocked things about. Essential repairs have been Crais' first priority. Most of the rooms are still a mess."
"Apart from the Captain's quarters," said Crichton with a sneer.
"It passes, but even in his personal chamber, there was quite a sizable amount of damage."
"You've been in Crais' quarters?" There was a hint of jealousy in his voice.
"Yes."
"When?"
"When I found him four weekens ago."
"And you didn't tell me?" Crichton was suspicious, "You're sure it was four weekens ago? You were gone for nearly three weekens before you found me."
Aeryn sighed, "What was there to tell? You might find this hard to believe, John, but, yes, it was four weekens ago when I found Crais and Talyn. They had moved through the Wormhole when they StarBurst. But to them, only a day had passed."
"God, he's lucky," said Crichton with a wry smile, "You sure he didn't plan it?"
Aeryn sighed in exasperation, "John, Talyn and Crais did not believe they could survive this. They were most surprised when they found out they had."
"And you believe him?"
Aeryn glared at him, "I'm going to see if our quarters are ready." She stood up abruptly and left the room. Crichton scowled at the closed door.
.
Crais looked up in surprise as he saw Aeryn enter Command. His expression changed to an amused smile when he saw the thunder in her eyes, "Crichton?"
"He's impossible sometimes!" She fumed, but then a smile crept over her face as she registered the look on Crais' face, "Impossible, but I still love him, I guess. He's doing fine; a couple of days more rest and he should be up and about."
"I'll look forward to it," said Crais without enthusiasm, "What had happened to him?"
"He had asked the others to drop him off on the planet where I found him. Said that he needed some time on his own. Ka D'Argo deposited him on the planet's surface. He was supposed to return after a solar day but before the day was over, John received a garbled message, and then Moya disappeared for a second time."
"Second time?" Crais was confused.
"The first time was shortly after I left to look for you and you were Cholok knows where. She reappeared shortly after that but disappeared again in the weeken that I found you."
Crais sighed as Talyn said to him We were so close...if I hadn't been injured...
"We'll find her again Talyn, don't worry," Crais thought back.
Aeryn had seen his vacant look and waited until he was finished talking to Talyn. She resumed, "After two weekens on the planet, John grew bored with having nothing to do and decided to go on a climbing expedition. He... uhm... fell and was brought back to the village where they set the bone. He should be all right in a couple of days. I found him shortly after that fall."
Crais remembered what she had said on the planet, "You said he couldn't be moved."
"Well, he couldn't, not at that time." Aeryn pouted, "Regret picking us up?"
Crais shook his head. He didn't tell Aeryn that he and Talyn had expended considerable energy to reach them as quickly as possible.
She looked at him, noticing again how pale and tired he looked. He hadn't shaved for a couple of days and a stubbly shadow had started to fill in his cheeks. She suddenly understood why,"I'm sorry, Crais, I hadn't realized that you would push yourselves so hard to get here this fast."
"Didn't you, Aeryn?" Crais asked quietly.
She dropped her eyes, "Maybe I did."
Crais turned back to the Nav-console, "We will be leaving this sector soon and then we should find some relative safety."
"When was the last time you slept, Crais?"
"I will take my rest soon, Aeryn," Crais said without turning around.
"I could..."
"Look after Crichton."
She left Command and for a brief moment Crais closed his eyes wearily.
.
Two arns later, Crais walked into their quarters. He had asked Talyn first to do a quick scan to establish that they weren't otherwise engaged.
"Do you mind," said Crichton with annoyance. "I know this is your ship but can't you knock or something? We could have been... busy." He smiled suggestively.
"You weren't," replied Crais calmly.
"You're letting your boy spy on us? Putting together a night-time vid?"
Crais raised an eyebrow in mild annoyance. He handed Crichton two short metal rods.
Crichton took them and looked at them in confusion. The top end looked crooked and the straight end was almost as long as his forearm, "What's this?"
Crais smiled, "They're something Talyn made for you. Let me demonstrate."
He took one of the rods back. A quick tap at the crooked part and the top sported an almost half circle. Another quick flick of the wrist and the long end extended and settled into place with a sharp tap on the deck. A short support bar provided a rest to lean on. Seen in full, the device was clearly a lightweight crutch. Hold it at a certain angle and another tap on the deck again, and it reverted to its original shape.
Crais handed it back to Crichton, "We thought you might want to get about."
Crichton looked at the rods in amazement. They were surprisingly light. He looked back at Crais, "Gee, Crais, thanks! You too, Talyn."
The little gunship chirped happily.
Crais was about to turn around.
"Where are you going, Crais? You only just got here," Crichton fingered the rods lovingly.
Crais turned around, the veiled tiredness beginning to shine through on his face, "To my quarters, to rest. Aeryn can monitor our progress, while you rest or accustom yourself to using the crutches."
"Still eminently practical and ordering everyone else around, aren't you, Crais?"
Crais was too tired to argue with him. He turned and left the room.
Crichton turned to Aeryn, "I see he still hasn't lost his charm."
Aeryn glared at him, "I'm willing to bet he hasn't slept for days or, at least, very little, trying to get to us as quickly as he could. John, would you be that cheerful if you were that tired?" Without bothering to wait for his answer, Aeryn left too.
.
Luckily there were no other problems or obstacles or crises to make it necessary for Crais to be present in Command.
Crichton had tried out his crutches and found them light, comfortable and very supportive. He thanked Talyn again and was rewarded by cheerful chirps.
He made his way slowly to Command where he found Aeryn on her own.
"Crais still resting?"
"I assume so," she replied, glancing briefly his way. A smile played around her lips, "The crutches are comfortable?"
"Yeah. Talyn did a marvellous job. Hey, I noticed Crais was sporting a heavy limp, why didn't Talyn make him a pair too?"
She sighed, "I don't know. You'd have to ask him."
"What do you have to ask me?"
Crichton and Aeryn turned as one. They hadn't even heard the door slide open. The short rest had restored some of Crais' energy.
"Didn't hear you come in, Crais," Aeryn said with a smile.
"Someone left the door open. What should Crichton ask me?"
Crichton turned to him, "Talyn did a great job on the crutches, thanks. (-Crais gave him a small nod-) But why didn't he make a set for you?"
Crais flinched just slightly, "When I needed them, Talyn needed all his energy just to focus on his own healing. Now, I've gotten used to the balance."
Crichton lifted an eyebrow in imitation of Crais', "Sure you are, Crais, whatever you say. Have you eaten yet?"
Crais blinked his eyes, a small frown appeared briefly above the bridge of his nose, his voice showing his confusion with the sudden shift of topic, "Eaten? No. Why do you ask?" It was one thing about Crichton that Crais hadn't missed: his annoying habit of switching topics in mid-sentence.
"Then I guess I'm the cook today," said Crichton cheerfully. He started for the door.
Aeryn looked at Crais; she suppressed a smile when she saw his surprised face but then she also noted his pallor, "Isn't three arns a bit short, Crais?"
"It was sufficient," replied Crais.
Crichton stopped for a moment, "When was the last time you got any sleep, Crais?" He added, "Before you met up with us."
"About a solar day ago."
"Ah." Crichton half turned, but then turned back, "For how long?"
"Long enough," replied Crais.
"No... How long?"
Aeryn put a hand to her lips in a vain attempt to hide a smile. Crichton seemed to have finally found how to ask the right questions. Crais was quite skilled in avoiding giving direct answers, but nevertheless he was usually truthful.
"An arn," Crais answered tersely.
"That's not enough, Craisy-boy. Even with your penchant for being an apprentice vampire."
"Vampire?" Crais asked puzzled.
"Yeah, you know, blood sucking creature of the night."
"I do not suck blood, whatever you may think of me," replied Crais in an annoyed tone.
"But you hardly sleep, and now you even look like the undead," Crichton said with a grin.
The humour was lost on Crais. Rather than argue the point, he walked over to the main console and checked the readings. They were well away from their last position, and in just another four arns, Talyn would be able to StarBurst again, should the need arise.
Crichton looked at Aeryn, "Care to give me a hand in the galley while Captain Dracula takes the first watch?"
Two Sebacean pairs of eyes looked at him in confusion. Crichton smiled.
.
The meal was simple but made with the fresh products Aeryn had brought on board.
Crais appeared shortly after Crichton had commed him that the food was ready. He took a plate and ate slowly. He looked up and complimented Crichton on his cooking. Crichton was surprised that he did so.
Always the talkative person, Crichton asked Crais, "You and Talyn managed to survive then?"
Crais looked up with resigned annoyance, "As you can see."
"I thought you said that StarBurst within a confined space would mean certain death? What happened?"
Crais placed his utensils on the plate, "Talyn and I were resigned to death. It must have been Talyn's unique physiology that protected us, in combination with the opening of the Wormhole. Aeryn found us shortly after we awoke from StarBurst. To her, two weekens had passed, to us...less than a solar day. When we StarBurst we must have been dragged into the Wormhole, which you had opened up, as it was closing. Talyn lost a propulsion fin."
"Yes, we found that," replied Crichton, "We believed that it was all that was left of Talyn. One solar day, you say, in two weekens? You sure that Talyn's readings were right?"
"I had sustained an injury too, which was still bleeding when I regained consciousness. I would surely have bled to death had more than a solar day passed." Crais picked up his utensils and continued eating.
Crichton looked guiltily at Crais, "That serious, huh?
"That serious," said Crais, without looking up.
.
After their repast, Crais returned to Command to set the coordinates and guide Talyn through StarBurst. When Aeryn entered Command, she saw how tired Crais was and realized that the last StarBurst had done nothing to help him relax. At Aeryn's insistence, Crais took some much-needed rest while she took over his watch in Command.
Crichton had hobbled after her and was taking his rest on the recliner. He found it amazingly comfortable, "So, what do we do now? Stay with Crais?"
"At least for the moment."
"It is better than being stuck on some planet. Even so, it'll take getting some used to. Compared to Moya, Talyn looks cramped."
Talyn gave him an annoyed chirp.
"And, unlike Moya, he keeps his ears open to our conversations all the time."
Again Talyn chirped.
Aeryn smiled, "He is different from Moya, in many respects. He is...Talyn."
Talyn chirped happily.
"Besides," she continued, "If we want to find Moya, Talyn is our best option."
Crichton was silent for a moment. He was well aware that Aeryn had already stayed on Talyn for an extended period with the other John, gotten used to Talyn.
"What was it like? With the other John," he asked tentatively.
Aeryn glanced over briefly, "We got used to Talyn. John...the other John, and Crais reached an understanding in the end."
"Something he and I might never do."
"That's up to you both."
Crichton spoke softly, "And you and... the other?"
Aeryn didn't turn around, afraid to look in his eyes, "We loved each other."
"You don't love me?" he asked softly.
Aeryn was silent. Then she all but whispered, "I don't know, John. I know I should, but I really don't know at the moment. Crais says..."
"What does Crais know about love, relationships, or us?" asked Crichton irritably.
The little smile that had curled around Aeryn's mouth disappeared, "If it hadn't been for Crais' insistence, I wouldn't have returned. I would have stayed on Talyn."
"So, now I have to be grateful to Crais that you found me," said Crichton with a sneer.
"Yes, you should," answered Aeryn.
She smiled as she ran the scanner over his body, "The rest seems to have done you good. Your leg is still healing from your fall and it might take another couple of days before you're on your feet again. But as far as I can tell, there won't be any permanent damage." She put the scanner away.
"Does that mean I don't have to stay in medical and can move to our quarters?"
"I will see if the room is ready."
"Why shouldn't it be?"
"First the techs stripped Talyn, and then the StarBurst knocked things about. Essential repairs have been Crais' first priority. Most of the rooms are still a mess."
"Apart from the Captain's quarters," said Crichton with a sneer.
"It passes, but even in his personal chamber, there was quite a sizable amount of damage."
"You've been in Crais' quarters?" There was a hint of jealousy in his voice.
"Yes."
"When?"
"When I found him four weekens ago."
"And you didn't tell me?" Crichton was suspicious, "You're sure it was four weekens ago? You were gone for nearly three weekens before you found me."
Aeryn sighed, "What was there to tell? You might find this hard to believe, John, but, yes, it was four weekens ago when I found Crais and Talyn. They had moved through the Wormhole when they StarBurst. But to them, only a day had passed."
"God, he's lucky," said Crichton with a wry smile, "You sure he didn't plan it?"
Aeryn sighed in exasperation, "John, Talyn and Crais did not believe they could survive this. They were most surprised when they found out they had."
"And you believe him?"
Aeryn glared at him, "I'm going to see if our quarters are ready." She stood up abruptly and left the room. Crichton scowled at the closed door.
.
Crais looked up in surprise as he saw Aeryn enter Command. His expression changed to an amused smile when he saw the thunder in her eyes, "Crichton?"
"He's impossible sometimes!" She fumed, but then a smile crept over her face as she registered the look on Crais' face, "Impossible, but I still love him, I guess. He's doing fine; a couple of days more rest and he should be up and about."
"I'll look forward to it," said Crais without enthusiasm, "What had happened to him?"
"He had asked the others to drop him off on the planet where I found him. Said that he needed some time on his own. Ka D'Argo deposited him on the planet's surface. He was supposed to return after a solar day but before the day was over, John received a garbled message, and then Moya disappeared for a second time."
"Second time?" Crais was confused.
"The first time was shortly after I left to look for you and you were Cholok knows where. She reappeared shortly after that but disappeared again in the weeken that I found you."
Crais sighed as Talyn said to him We were so close...if I hadn't been injured...
"We'll find her again Talyn, don't worry," Crais thought back.
Aeryn had seen his vacant look and waited until he was finished talking to Talyn. She resumed, "After two weekens on the planet, John grew bored with having nothing to do and decided to go on a climbing expedition. He... uhm... fell and was brought back to the village where they set the bone. He should be all right in a couple of days. I found him shortly after that fall."
Crais remembered what she had said on the planet, "You said he couldn't be moved."
"Well, he couldn't, not at that time." Aeryn pouted, "Regret picking us up?"
Crais shook his head. He didn't tell Aeryn that he and Talyn had expended considerable energy to reach them as quickly as possible.
She looked at him, noticing again how pale and tired he looked. He hadn't shaved for a couple of days and a stubbly shadow had started to fill in his cheeks. She suddenly understood why,"I'm sorry, Crais, I hadn't realized that you would push yourselves so hard to get here this fast."
"Didn't you, Aeryn?" Crais asked quietly.
She dropped her eyes, "Maybe I did."
Crais turned back to the Nav-console, "We will be leaving this sector soon and then we should find some relative safety."
"When was the last time you slept, Crais?"
"I will take my rest soon, Aeryn," Crais said without turning around.
"I could..."
"Look after Crichton."
She left Command and for a brief moment Crais closed his eyes wearily.
.
Two arns later, Crais walked into their quarters. He had asked Talyn first to do a quick scan to establish that they weren't otherwise engaged.
"Do you mind," said Crichton with annoyance. "I know this is your ship but can't you knock or something? We could have been... busy." He smiled suggestively.
"You weren't," replied Crais calmly.
"You're letting your boy spy on us? Putting together a night-time vid?"
Crais raised an eyebrow in mild annoyance. He handed Crichton two short metal rods.
Crichton took them and looked at them in confusion. The top end looked crooked and the straight end was almost as long as his forearm, "What's this?"
Crais smiled, "They're something Talyn made for you. Let me demonstrate."
He took one of the rods back. A quick tap at the crooked part and the top sported an almost half circle. Another quick flick of the wrist and the long end extended and settled into place with a sharp tap on the deck. A short support bar provided a rest to lean on. Seen in full, the device was clearly a lightweight crutch. Hold it at a certain angle and another tap on the deck again, and it reverted to its original shape.
Crais handed it back to Crichton, "We thought you might want to get about."
Crichton looked at the rods in amazement. They were surprisingly light. He looked back at Crais, "Gee, Crais, thanks! You too, Talyn."
The little gunship chirped happily.
Crais was about to turn around.
"Where are you going, Crais? You only just got here," Crichton fingered the rods lovingly.
Crais turned around, the veiled tiredness beginning to shine through on his face, "To my quarters, to rest. Aeryn can monitor our progress, while you rest or accustom yourself to using the crutches."
"Still eminently practical and ordering everyone else around, aren't you, Crais?"
Crais was too tired to argue with him. He turned and left the room.
Crichton turned to Aeryn, "I see he still hasn't lost his charm."
Aeryn glared at him, "I'm willing to bet he hasn't slept for days or, at least, very little, trying to get to us as quickly as he could. John, would you be that cheerful if you were that tired?" Without bothering to wait for his answer, Aeryn left too.
.
Luckily there were no other problems or obstacles or crises to make it necessary for Crais to be present in Command.
Crichton had tried out his crutches and found them light, comfortable and very supportive. He thanked Talyn again and was rewarded by cheerful chirps.
He made his way slowly to Command where he found Aeryn on her own.
"Crais still resting?"
"I assume so," she replied, glancing briefly his way. A smile played around her lips, "The crutches are comfortable?"
"Yeah. Talyn did a marvellous job. Hey, I noticed Crais was sporting a heavy limp, why didn't Talyn make him a pair too?"
She sighed, "I don't know. You'd have to ask him."
"What do you have to ask me?"
Crichton and Aeryn turned as one. They hadn't even heard the door slide open. The short rest had restored some of Crais' energy.
"Didn't hear you come in, Crais," Aeryn said with a smile.
"Someone left the door open. What should Crichton ask me?"
Crichton turned to him, "Talyn did a great job on the crutches, thanks. (-Crais gave him a small nod-) But why didn't he make a set for you?"
Crais flinched just slightly, "When I needed them, Talyn needed all his energy just to focus on his own healing. Now, I've gotten used to the balance."
Crichton lifted an eyebrow in imitation of Crais', "Sure you are, Crais, whatever you say. Have you eaten yet?"
Crais blinked his eyes, a small frown appeared briefly above the bridge of his nose, his voice showing his confusion with the sudden shift of topic, "Eaten? No. Why do you ask?" It was one thing about Crichton that Crais hadn't missed: his annoying habit of switching topics in mid-sentence.
"Then I guess I'm the cook today," said Crichton cheerfully. He started for the door.
Aeryn looked at Crais; she suppressed a smile when she saw his surprised face but then she also noted his pallor, "Isn't three arns a bit short, Crais?"
"It was sufficient," replied Crais.
Crichton stopped for a moment, "When was the last time you got any sleep, Crais?" He added, "Before you met up with us."
"About a solar day ago."
"Ah." Crichton half turned, but then turned back, "For how long?"
"Long enough," replied Crais.
"No... How long?"
Aeryn put a hand to her lips in a vain attempt to hide a smile. Crichton seemed to have finally found how to ask the right questions. Crais was quite skilled in avoiding giving direct answers, but nevertheless he was usually truthful.
"An arn," Crais answered tersely.
"That's not enough, Craisy-boy. Even with your penchant for being an apprentice vampire."
"Vampire?" Crais asked puzzled.
"Yeah, you know, blood sucking creature of the night."
"I do not suck blood, whatever you may think of me," replied Crais in an annoyed tone.
"But you hardly sleep, and now you even look like the undead," Crichton said with a grin.
The humour was lost on Crais. Rather than argue the point, he walked over to the main console and checked the readings. They were well away from their last position, and in just another four arns, Talyn would be able to StarBurst again, should the need arise.
Crichton looked at Aeryn, "Care to give me a hand in the galley while Captain Dracula takes the first watch?"
Two Sebacean pairs of eyes looked at him in confusion. Crichton smiled.
.
The meal was simple but made with the fresh products Aeryn had brought on board.
Crais appeared shortly after Crichton had commed him that the food was ready. He took a plate and ate slowly. He looked up and complimented Crichton on his cooking. Crichton was surprised that he did so.
Always the talkative person, Crichton asked Crais, "You and Talyn managed to survive then?"
Crais looked up with resigned annoyance, "As you can see."
"I thought you said that StarBurst within a confined space would mean certain death? What happened?"
Crais placed his utensils on the plate, "Talyn and I were resigned to death. It must have been Talyn's unique physiology that protected us, in combination with the opening of the Wormhole. Aeryn found us shortly after we awoke from StarBurst. To her, two weekens had passed, to us...less than a solar day. When we StarBurst we must have been dragged into the Wormhole, which you had opened up, as it was closing. Talyn lost a propulsion fin."
"Yes, we found that," replied Crichton, "We believed that it was all that was left of Talyn. One solar day, you say, in two weekens? You sure that Talyn's readings were right?"
"I had sustained an injury too, which was still bleeding when I regained consciousness. I would surely have bled to death had more than a solar day passed." Crais picked up his utensils and continued eating.
Crichton looked guiltily at Crais, "That serious, huh?
"That serious," said Crais, without looking up.
.
After their repast, Crais returned to Command to set the coordinates and guide Talyn through StarBurst. When Aeryn entered Command, she saw how tired Crais was and realized that the last StarBurst had done nothing to help him relax. At Aeryn's insistence, Crais took some much-needed rest while she took over his watch in Command.
Crichton had hobbled after her and was taking his rest on the recliner. He found it amazingly comfortable, "So, what do we do now? Stay with Crais?"
"At least for the moment."
"It is better than being stuck on some planet. Even so, it'll take getting some used to. Compared to Moya, Talyn looks cramped."
Talyn gave him an annoyed chirp.
"And, unlike Moya, he keeps his ears open to our conversations all the time."
Again Talyn chirped.
Aeryn smiled, "He is different from Moya, in many respects. He is...Talyn."
Talyn chirped happily.
"Besides," she continued, "If we want to find Moya, Talyn is our best option."
Crichton was silent for a moment. He was well aware that Aeryn had already stayed on Talyn for an extended period with the other John, gotten used to Talyn.
"What was it like? With the other John," he asked tentatively.
Aeryn glanced over briefly, "We got used to Talyn. John...the other John, and Crais reached an understanding in the end."
"Something he and I might never do."
"That's up to you both."
Crichton spoke softly, "And you and... the other?"
Aeryn didn't turn around, afraid to look in his eyes, "We loved each other."
"You don't love me?" he asked softly.
Aeryn was silent. Then she all but whispered, "I don't know, John. I know I should, but I really don't know at the moment. Crais says..."
"What does Crais know about love, relationships, or us?" asked Crichton irritably.
The little smile that had curled around Aeryn's mouth disappeared, "If it hadn't been for Crais' insistence, I wouldn't have returned. I would have stayed on Talyn."
"So, now I have to be grateful to Crais that you found me," said Crichton with a sneer.
"Yes, you should," answered Aeryn.