Summary: Scorpius goes back to his former cell where someone waits for him. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Farscape.

Rating: M

Pairing: Sikozu/Scorpius

INFECTION:

48 SOLAR DAYS AGO:

Sikozu stood next to a prowler fighting the urge to run her fingers through her newly shortened hair. She had undergone genetic modifications to fit in with the Peacekeepers, but even amongst them she was still an outsider to all except Scorpius. He was across the hanger deck giving Braca orders for a mission he was under taking. The clothes she could handle, they were the softest leather and allowed her ease of movement, more so than she would have thought. But the hair… it was starting to bother her. As she watched him, he glanced at her and it made her heart skip in beat. Then he motioned her over. Sikozu went to him willingly; as she knew she always would. Scorpius placed his hand on her shoulder as Braca boarded the Marauder to embark on his mission.

"I have a job for you as well." Scorpius whispered causing Sikozu to look at him. He wanted her to act as a spy for the Scarran Empire. It made him sick on the inside. But this had to be done and Sikozu was the best one for this mission. Of course broaching the subject with Sikozu would be tricky given her feelings, his feelings; their feelings for the Scarran Empire. Scorpius had definitely boxed himself into a corner with this scheme.

"Anything for you, you know that." Sikozu replied, though, she sensed she should not have said that. There was some thing lurking in his eyes that made her want to take a few steps back, not out of fear but out of wariness. Whatever he had to ask her she knew she would not like it. Until he broached the subject she would let him set the stage to make his request. It was about control and Scorpius needed to stay on top.

"Then shall we retire to my more comfortable quarters?" For what he was about to tell her, he wanted some semblance of privacy incase she felt the need to rage at him. Sikozu was capable of great anger kept strictly controlled. Scorpius would hate to be on the end of her searing rage. Sikozu nodded and allowed him to guide her off the hanger deck and back towards his quarters.

MOYA:

PRESENT DAY

John strode of command in nearly into his wife and infant son. "Aeryn? What's going on?" He asked looking at his son, D'Argo.

"I've been trying to reach you on comms, D'Argo is…" Aeryn was at a loss for words. She had just come from D'Argo's quarters where he was sleeping and Chiana was watching him like rabid animal ready to pounce on the first sign of movement. Even Jothee was in there as still as a statue. They had all thought he was dead.

"In his quarters, weak, but alive and healing," John finished, "Yeah, I know. Sikozu's here too. She saved him. Wonderful day in the neighborhood ain't it!" He exclaimed and then sighed letting his shoulders droop. "Sorry, just Scorpius is in there with Sikozu and she doesn't look well."

"Sikozu?" Aeryn walked around John and peered in command. Just as her husband had said, the Kalish was there with Scorpius. A few seconds later Scorpius was lifting her into his arms. Sikozu had passed out.

Scorpius lifted Sikozu in his arms mere microts before she passed out. Resting his exposed cheek against her forehead he felt heat coming from her skin. He looked to Officer Sun, "She's burning up." What was happening to her? "She feels the way you did when you were suffering Heat Delirium."

"She can't get Heat Delirium." Aeryn felt confused and she was not accustomed to the confusion. "What do you need?"

"A secure comm. to Braca aboard the Command Carrier," Scorpius answered holding Sikozu closer willing some of the coldness from his suit to leech into her and cool her down. In front of him, Officer Sun tapped her comm. holding it out to him. "Braca?"

"Sir, where are you?"

"I'm aboard the Leviathan, secure a Marauder and bring over a medic." Scorpius tried to keep his tone as even as he could. He tried to make it sound as if hew as ordering a full sensor sweep instead of critical care for his woman. This was the one way he knew of to maintain control. If he lost it now there would be no telling what his Scarran half would do to make Sikozu better.

"Are you ill sir?"

"Just get over here Braca." Scorpius ordered nodding to Officer Sun that he was finished with her comm.

"You should take her to her quarters." Aeryn said. She didn't know if she would vote for them to stay, but for right now Sikozu and Scorpius would have to stay until Sikozu was better.

Scorpius said nothing as he strode by Officer Sun. she was right, of course he knew that, but he was having a hard enough time controlling his Scarran side with Sikozu unconscious in his arms. The last time he had felt like this the Wolaxian Arachnid had been aboard Moya. Then, his Scarran side had been the bait they needed to kill the spider. Even then he was aware enough to make a promise to her to kill her attacker. Now she was under attack again and he could do nothing.

Scorpius walked through the open door of Sikozu's old quarters aboard Moya where he gently set her on the bed. In an uncharacteristic move he set about making her comfortable. He removed her boots, peeled down the leggings, and slipped her top off once more in an attempt to cool her down. Scorpius took the copper colored sheet to drape over her torso and waist. "Pilot?" He called out hoping for an answer.

"Yes, Scorpius." Pilot replied.

Scorpius let out the breath he had been holding, "Could you lower the ambient temperature in Sikozu's quarters please?" he asked as graciously as he could making sure to keep a tight reign on his emotions. Whenever Sikozu was hurt his vicious Scarran half roared out in the back of his mind.

"Of course. How low would you like the temperature dropped?" Pilot asked.

"As low are you can make it without harming Moya in this section," Scorpius answered looking back at Sikozu, her head lolled to the side. There was a light flush to her skin. It was the fever that had come upon her without warning. What was making her sick? Had Scorpius set wheels in motions for her to fall victim to a virus? He hoped not. Affectionately he reached out and brushed his gloved hand over her short shock of golden red hair.

"Is everything alright?" Pilot asked over the comm.

"No, Pilot, Sikozu is ill." Scorpius answered drawing his fingers over her forehead where he could feel the heat of her skin pouring into him. Tracing the delicate golden markings of her race at her temple, Scorpius dipped his fingers lower to run over her shoulder. That's when he saw it; barely visible green lines. Taking her in his arms once again he took a closer look at the wound he had inflicted upon her to remove the Scarran comms device. Around the wound was a spider web pattern of green lines. "Scarran's…" Scorpius hissed.

The doors opened; Braca and a med tech came in followed by Noranti, the old cook and healer. "Sir?" Braca nodded towards Sikozu coming towards them. He had never seen her sick before. Bruised and battered yes, but never sick.

Scorpius set Sikozu back against the bed, moving away from her so the med tech could scan her. He motioned Braca out into the corridor letting the doors close. Through the open slats Scorpius could see every move the old healer and the med tech made in an attempt to find the cause of the illness ravaging Sikozu. It was Scarran in origin; that much he knew for sure. "Braca, I must ask you to do something for me should the time come."

"Anything sir." Braca declared. His loyalty to Scorpius was unquestioned. There was nothing that he wouldn't or couldn't accomplish for his commander.

"When the time comes I will need you to take the Marauder and a team to go in search of a Diagnosian." Scorpius said keeping his eyes on the two assessing Sikozu. He couldn't step too far away for fear of losing sight of her. "I don't care what you do to find one, to bring one here, just don't come back without one."

"Yes sir." Braca nodded sharply sensing the desperate need within his commander to stay in control of his emotions. Scorpius was trying to distance himself, to give him time to shore of his emotional walls until Sikozu was better. The Kalish had done one thing he would have thought impossible; Scorpius felt deeply for another living human being.

In the room Sikozu felt as if she was lost in a sea of fog. Her mind was muddled, her eyes were heavy, and she hurt. The pain in her shoulder had spiraled out to encompass her whole body. "Scorpius…" Sikozu slurred trying to open her eyes. Her body felt like it was on fire. She was burning from the inside out.

"Sikozu, it's Chaya, can you open your eyes?" The med tech needed to see the sea green eyes of her patient. If she failed to make a diagnosis of her patient; she wasn't sure what Scorpius would do to her. Everyone knew of the odd relationship between their commander and his consort, but she hadn't realized how much of a bond they shared.

"Scorpius…" Sikozu called out, her voice was no more than a strained whimper. She wanted him to hold her.

"No, he's not here." Chaya tried again. "Sikozu open your eyes."

Sikozu fought to open her eyes. Her body hurt, her mind was hazy, but she fought to see. Slowly, painfully she opened her eyes where the light seared her sight. A shriek of pain escaped her. Despite the pain she rolled over quickly hiding her eyes in the pillow. As she waited for the burning to subside, hands, gloved hands, touched her bare back.

Scorpius came back in the room when he heard the shriek Sikozu had made. The med tech moved back from the bed. He immediately went to Sikozu's side. "What happened?" Scorpius snarled placing his cold hands on her back. Heat bled through. She was too hot to the touch.

"I tried to get her to open her eyes," Chaya answered. "But when she did the light must have caused her pain due to the virus."

"Do you know what is causing this?" Scorpius asked not even bothering to look at the Med Tech. He brought her in against him letting his proximity calm her. Right now he was acting out of norm. His only concern was Sikozu.

"She has a telegenic virus sir." Chaya bowed her head. "It can't be stopped and it can't be cured except by the person who initiated it." Taking out a pressure syringe Chaya handed it to Scorpius. "This will help with the fever, but she…" She stopped talking when Scorpius turned a murderous glare on her. He would follow through on any threat he made next.

"Then you will find a way to stop it. You and Captain Braca are going to find a Diagnosian and you will bring one back to help Sikozu." Scorpius snarled. The med tech jumped and hurried out of the room.

48 SOLAR DAYS AGO:

COMMAND CARRIER

Sikozu sat on the end of the bed she had come to share with Scorpius as she watched her lover pace. That was something he had rarely done except when he was planning strategy. This was something else. He was almost debating making a request of her. So, Sikozu sat and waited. She tried not to turn, to see the manacles attached the headboard of the bed. They had made use of them just that early morning. The more they were together the more Sikozu found she like the way Scorpius dominated her. Idly her fingers traced over the newly adorned tattoo's to her abdomen. They were Sebacean symbols that she had gotten to please Scorpius. Yet, she found they flattered her. "Perhaps you should simply say what you are trying so hard not to." She finally spoke.

Scorpius stopped, turned, and gazed at Sikozu as she sat on the end of their bed. He couldn't call it his bed anymore, not when Sikozu spent so much time in it with him. What he was about to ask her to do made him sick to even think about it. It was no secret that Sikozu carried a deep seeded hatred for the Scarran's. They had enslaved her people. She was currently fighting with the Kalish resistance to break free of the Scarran domination. Taking two steps Scorpius sat down next to her, angling his body to face her. "I don't ask you to do this lightly."

"I will do anything for you, you know that." Sikozu replied. It was true. She had never met a man like Scorpius until she had been mixed up with Crichton and the crew of Moya. For once she actually thanked the universe for bringing her to Moya. If she hadn't she never would have met Scorpius. He continued to show her new ways to enjoy life, to feel all the pleasures of the body.

"Let me explain before you blindly agree." Scorpius looked away settling his gaze on the console. There on the gleaming surface rested the Scarran comm. device that he had taken out of an actual Sebacean spy working for the Scarran Empire. A few days later the soldier had died. Now, he was thinking of putting Sikozu in the same position.

"What do you require of me?" Sikozu tracked her gaze to where he was looking. There was a small device resting on the console. She knew what it was. She knew there was a chance se knew what he was about to ask of her. Sikozu tried to keep calm, to keep her anger in check until he explained.

"I don't ask this lightly, I want you to know that." Scorpius got up again and strode over to the console to pick of the Scarran comm device. "But I need a spy; someone who could navigate around the Scarran's and feed them information when the time comes." Scorpius turned his back on her avoiding the look of hate he envisioned lurking in her eyes. One of the reasons he cared for her so much was her hatred and loathing for the Scarran Empire. Now, he relied on her nature of duplicity.

Sikozu felt the ground under her shift at what Scorpius asked her to do. He wanted her to spy for the Scarran's. How could he ask her to do this? He above everyone else should know better than to ask this of her. "What?" She asked trying to remain calm. Sikozu really would have thought that Scorpius would have known better than to ask this of her.

"I know what it is I ask you to do." Scorpius kept his back to her balling his hands into fists. Every minute he had spied for the Scarran's had made him hate himself, until Sikozu. Now he was asking her to do what he had done and risk her hating herself in turn.

"Do you really?" Sikozu bounded off the bed. She had the strong urge to shove him. "I will never spy for the Scarran's." He voice was cold, harsh.

"Sikozu, it will not be for the Scarran's. It will be for me." Scorpius explained. "Crichton is gone, but not for long. When the time comes I will need you in play to maneuver him the way we want." His arms shot out, hands grasping her upper arms. Sikozu jumped but not out of fear.

"And how do we want him?" Sikozu asked, some of the anger leaving her voice. She knew Scorpius could plan several moves in advance, set contingency plans in place to ensure the outcome he wanted. But she could not see the benefit of her acting like a complacent spy for the enemy she loathed. If her people caught wind of what she was doing there would be a serious price to pay that not even Scorpius could protect her from.

"We want him to have no choice but to construct the wormhole weapon." Reacting to her anger Scorpius shoved her back against the bed. She pivoted at the last second to put her hands out to catch her falling body so she stood bent over. Scorpius moved to her, molding to her back, gripping her wrists with his hands, and putting his lips close to her ear. "I need you to do this." Sikozu fought against him for a mew microts. Scorpius knew how to hold her firmly. She twisted and bucked trying to get him off of her. It was her anger more than anything making her act like this. If he held on a few more minutes then she would calm own and let him explain further. Scorpius would just have to wait.

MOYA:

PRESENT DAY

Scorpius sat on the darkened terrace floor with Sikozu in his arms and the sheet from her bed still wrapped around her. She was still, too still for his liking. He had given her the medicine to calm her raging fever. For now it was working and he had brought her out here just to be alone with her as he watched the stars, letting their celestial light calm his mind. There was too much happening at one time, too many variables to account for. Scorpius couldn't make a move that would bring him to an out come that he liked. He could plan for everything but he couldn't have planned for her. Up until the time he had met Sikozu, Scorpius had been able to anticipate everything that happened in his world. Then Sikozu happened. He was happy she had come into his life.

"How is she doing Scorpius?" Noranti asked coming out on to the terrace. Sikozu was still unconscious, cradled in the arms of Scorpius.

"She's sick old woman, possibly dying." He answered trying not to snap at her. A small part of Scorpius enjoyed the presence of the older woman. She was interesting to some degree.

"Have faith, all is not lost." Noranti chimed leaving them alone.

"She's wrong." Sikozu coughed trying to find the strength to continue talking. She knew whose arms she was in. Scorpius held her so close and so light. To the others he was cold, remote. He was closed off. To Sikozu he was gentle when he wanted. Now, he chose to comfort her.

"Sikozu…" Scorpius cupped the side of her face tilting her head back to look him in the eyes. But she still had her lovely golden lids closed tightly. "What do you mean?" Though, he had the sneaking suspicion he already knew.

"I am going to die." She coughed again. "This is punishment from my people, the resistance." Sikozu shifted against him but her whole body felt like dead weight. Everything hurt, but she would endure any amount of pain just to have Scorpius keep holding her.

"I will not let you die." Scorpius growled careful not to tighten his hold on her.