Title: Future Scape Author: Stowaway Disclaimer: I have no intention of doing anything illegal with this
story. It was written strictly for fun.
"Crichton." Aeryn stepped onto Moya, the ship that had now been her
home and friend for the last twelve cycles or years. Depending on were
she was.
"Yes Crichton." John grinned turning around to see his wife of five
years.
"Actually I've decided to go with Sun hyphen Crichton." She grinned
back.
"You've been talking to the women on earth again, haven't you?" He
raised and eyebrow and smiled.
It had been seven years since John Crichton had a established a worm
hole between earth and their world. In that time they along with earth,
had established a colony on a nearby planet for anyone seeking refuge from
the peacekeepers. John had been placed in charge as the ambassador and
Moya was considered neutral ground. John had often called it the space
house, as opposed to the white house. A beautiful home of the leader of
his world Aeryn had discovered. "Occasionally." She smiled.
"Aeryn you give new meaning to feminism." He said as he took her in
his arms. Not only had she become well respected here and on earth, she
now played his personal bodyguard, whenever he left Moya, and when they
were on Moya she was the perfect wife.
"You'll give no meaning to being late, the joint councils are deciding
today if former peacekeepers should be allowed into the colony." She said
as she kissed him softly. Taking the kiss softly in return, he said, his
lips still pressed against hers. "Yea and I get the deciding vote." He
pulled back, looking at her, hoping she would have an answer.
"You're thinking because I'm a former peacekeeper, how can you say
no." She said as she stepped back.
"Hey, I was just looking for you opinion, I don't give a damn about
you're past." He pulled her back.
"But the join council does." She supplied, aware that the council was
made up of alien races that ad encountered peacekeepers.
"D'argo says we should take them out back and beat the hess out of
them." John smiled.
"He's really picking up earth tango." Aeryn said, still unsure.
"That's lingo." He smiled. "The tango is the dance we did, the other
night."
"Oh." Aeryn said. "We have to do that again." She smiled, remembering
where the dance had lead them later.
"We've got a couple of hours before we have to leave." He said as he
pulled her closer, letting his arms slid down to her lower back.
"Unfortunately." She said with a laugh as his lips had found her throat.
"I have to make sure security is set up for you're arrival."
"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are, when you're kicking butt."
He raised his eyebrows up and down mischievously.
"I know you never said it when I was kicking you're butt." She returned
his look.
"We're never going to bring that up, right." Referring to the time
she had almost said at a press conference, of course he meant entirely
in a joking manner, almost.
"Depends on whether or not, you forget about watching that game on
visual entertainment." She said referring to television.
"Actually I won't be watching it and you'll be working." He said holding
a smile, even though he was pretty sure she was about to get really pissed
off.
"You and D'argo got tickets." She said knowing him better then anyone.
"What can I say when your an ambassador you get great connections."
He joked.
"You're going to make a great connection in the next microt." She said
shaking her head in frustration, being a wife sometimes seemed harder to
her, then being a peacekeeper.
"Just this once, then I'm yours' for the rest of the year."
"Oh joy." She said as she walked towards Moya's corridor. "Hurry up
and get ready."
"I love you." He called after her.
"Yea right." She said.
"You're still going to watch my back?" He joked, but she had not answered,
he moved towards the corridor to look for her.
Hiding behind one of Moya's walls she pulled him in by surprised, almost
getting knocked out by his flying fist. "I'm sorry I forgot." He was still
easily brought to a defensive posture, just like the herself.
"It's ok." He offered, it was still hard not to jump at shadows and
with the peacekeepers out there it was even harder. "So are you going to
watch my back."
Smiling she put her arms around his neck. "Don't worry John, if anyone's
going to shoot you, it will be me." She said pulling him by his shirt collar
to kiss him.
"Hey, what about me?" A voice said from behind them.
John turned around to see a very small person in a small black space
suit, with a helmet that was way to big and he smiled. "You've been playing
space girl again." He said removing the helmet, to reveal long black cascading
hair and eyes that matched his.
"Yes, and I got the peacekeepers." Arianna Crichton smiled, like her
mother.
"You think you could wait a couple of years, before you go chasing
peacekeepers." John said and with any luck, she would never have to.
"Watch this." She backed up and kicked out her leg, yelling. "Ya."
Unfortunately she hadn't backed up far enough, she caught John full in
the chest, knocking him backwards to the floor.
"Like mother, like daughter." John mumbled rubbing his chest.
"You ok?" Aeryn asked as she bent to see if he was all right.
"You've been teaching her to fight?" John asked, already knowing the
answer.
"Of course." Aeryn said simply with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Of course." He repeated, getting up.
"I'm sorry Daddy." Arianna apologized.
"No problem, I'm used to it." He looked over at Aeryn. "You got some
kick for a five year old." He turned back to his daughter.
"Are you ready to leave yet?" Aeryn asked, looking down at her daughter,
knowing that she was still in her sleep wear under the suit.
"I'm going right now." She turned and ran to get ready.
"Like father, like daughter." Aeryn smiled, neither one of them was
ever on time.
"I'm going." John said as he followed his daughter to get ready.
"There's Taylon." Arianna shouted from inside the transport pod. "Hurry,
I want to see D'argo."
"She gets impatience from you, you know that." John said looking over
at Aeryn.
"Come here." Aeryn pulled her daughter on to her lap. "Now you can
see him better." She smiled, "And you're father, gave you stubbornness."
Aeryn grinned resting her head on her daughters.
Taylon had been stationed in front of the worm hole to protect it and
now with his size almost doubling Moya's there was nothing that would get
past him. D'argo saw the transport heading towards them and prepared Taylon
for docking.
Arianna was the first one on running straight towards D'argo. "How's
Taylon?" She asked looking around the ship.
"What about me?" D'argo growled playfully, since he hadn't found his
son yet, this small one had become very important to him.
"I missed you to." She jumped in and hug him. Taylon's command began
beeping and flashing red lights. "Hi Taylon." Arianna said as she turned
to and ran to the center of the floor. She began to grab at the red lights
as Taylon would flash them all around.
D'argo watched and thought of the son he had long to find. He smiled
as she laughed and giggled trying to catch the lights. He wondered if his
own son would have been like that.
"Big guy you ready?" John said as he now walked onto Taylon's command.
He saw the D'argo's face as he watched Arianna. Walking over to him and
placing a hand on is shoulder. "We're never going to stop looking."
"Never." D'argo replied softly.
"Daddy it looks like earth." Arianna said, as they walked along the
planet that was now the beginning of a new colony. Arianna had made two
trips through the worm hole, to see her grandfather. But this was the first
time she had seen the planet.
"Earth seems to be influencing a lot of people." He said as he caught
sight of a familiar face heading towards them.
"The baby-sitter is here." Chianna said, dressed in black leather and
black sunglasses.
"Chianna." Arianna broke form Aeryn's hand. "You look cool."
"Thanks squirt." Chianna grinned.
"Pip, that is you under all that?" John asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"Earth women are cool." Chianna said repeating Arianna's words.
"Just make sure my earth girl stays out of leather." Aeryn said looking
at her daughter.
"Oh it's fake leather, I don't believe in hurting those cute little
creatures."
"Wow." Arianna said when she spotted a small fury creature crawling
out of Chianna's pocket.
"You like him, squirt, they call it a kitten." Chianna said as she
pulled him out handing him to Arianna.
"Well now that I know you three will be ok, we can get to the council
meeting." John said as he looked at Arianna playing with the kitten. "Remember
Chianna, no leather." He said.
"You listen to Chianna." Aeryn said bending down to her daughter.
"Yes mommy, can I get one of these." She said not really paying attention
to Aeryn.
"Ask you're father later." Aeryn smiled and kissed her cheek. "No leather."
She to said to Chianna.
"I got it." After they left, Chianna bent down to Arianna. "They didn't
say anything about the sunglasses." She smiled wickedly.
"You do realize black leather is ok for you." John whispered into Aeryn's
ear as they walked towards the building, where the council would meet.
"Of course." She smiled.
"John, Aeryn, D'argo." Zhaan said as she walked towards them to greet
them.
Looking as regal as ever John thought. "You ready for this." Zhaan
had become a member of the council representing her people.
"I must admit, I haven't decided yet John, even with prays to the Goddess."
She replied as doubtful as John was.
"I say we just don't let them in. They caused nothing but pain to everyone,
they are peacekeepers." D'argo stated.
"I guess you've got you mind made up." John said, aware that D'argo
was also a member for his people.
"I suppose you have decided that it would be ok, to allow former peacekeepers
in." D'argo said looking from John to Aeryn.
"Big guy, don't go there." John warned.
"No, D'argo's right, he has every reason not to trust the peacekeepers."
Aeryn said, she had become more aware of the trauma, he must have suffered,
she had a child now herself.
"I do trust you." D'argo said to Aeryn and he meant it.
"I know." She replied. "There's only one way to decide this." Aeryn
said looking at the building in front of them.
"Where's Arianna?" Zhaan asked Aeryn as they walked to the place that
would decide a lot of their futures. "I have a gift for her."
"She's with Chianna."
"You're mission is simple, my friend." The figure in black spoke to
the peacekeeper. "Get the child and bring her here."
"What if we are caught?" The peacekeeper asked.
"Then you will die." The figure said in soft tones.
"I will bring her here." The peacekeeper said and left.
The figure watched, soon everything would be easily obtained and those
who had wronged him would be punished.
"How do I look?" Arianna asked, showing off her new sunglasses, that
Chianna had got in a luxan owned shop.
"I love them. You look cool squirt."
"I wonder what Rygel and Zhaan will think." The little girl smiled,
imitating one of Chianna's smiles.
"You stay here for a minute, I'll be right back." Chianna had spotted
a shop that she wanted to go in and by the look it was no place for a little
girl. She looked back at Arianna, who was completely fascinated by how
the planet looked through her sunglasses, she stepped into the shop quickly.
"Love shopping." Chianna said as she came out of the shop a few minutes
later. She looked over to where Arianna had been standing. "Ok, squirt
where are you hiding." She laughed.
"Arianna." She said a little louder. After a few seconds had gone by
and there was no answer, she began running around looking and calling for
her.
"Well, aren't you pretty." The figure bent down to her. Arianna backed
up. "There's no need to be afraid."
"Who are you mister." Arianna said taking on her mother's tough tone.
"I'm an old friend of you're father's." He laughed.
"I think it's absolutely insane." Rygel said from his place at the
large table that encompassed the almost the whole room. "To allow those
frelling peacekeepers here."
John, who was used to Rygel's ranting, was so close to tell him to
shut-up, but he needed to maintain a sense of dignity. However when the
meeting was over, there was nothing stopping him from ringing the hynerian's
neck. "Rygel, decorum, lets maintain some."
"What are you talking about, you're married to one." Rygel said in
a regal huff.
"Ok Sparky, you want to go outside."
"Enough." Zhaan spoke up. "Please they were shipmates for a long time,
this is usual for them." She said to the other stunned faces around them,
there were many different alien species unacquainted with the family they
had become.
"We're the best of friends." John smiled through clenched teeth.
"What the yutz..." Rygel didn't finish, D'argo kicked him from beneath
the table.
"The best of friends." The hynerian agreed.
"Please, we must attend to the business at hand, we must come to an
agreement as to the peacekeepers." Zhaan said.
"How do we know that they will not bring harm to us again." Father
a member of the race they had come to know as the protectors asked.
"They are no longer peacekeepers, they have relinquished all ties to
them." John supplied, not that it was a complete guarantee. There were
no guarantees, he himself had learned that the hard way, when he went through
a worm hole.
The chatting between began and John sat back, this was turning into
another all night session, that once again he was sure, was going to get
them no where. The fact that this was on the table today for discussion
was really inconsequential, this had been a thought in all their heads
for months. He looked over at D'argo, who patted his shirt. Aware that
D'argo was holding their game tickets John smiled, if he didn't he was
positive he would lose his mind.
Aeryn approached the luxan Varr, he had been assisting her with security.
"Has all open access to the building been secured?" She asked.
"Yes, the perimeters are covered." The luxan replied with respect,
he had been a friend of D'argo's and as long as he trusted the female before
him, Varr would to.
"Thank you." Aeryn said with a nod of her head. She turned back to
the front doors of the building.
"Aeryn." She turned as she heard voice being called. It was Chianna
and she was without Arianna, Aeryn's heart skipped a beat. "Chianna, where's
Arianna." She grabbed Chianna's arm.
"I'm sorry, I..." Chianna was trying to catch her breath and quell
her fears.
"Sorry for what." Aeryn all but yanked her arm out. "Where is my child."
"I came out of the store and she was gone." Chianna said, feeling the
guilt and the worry hit her like a tidal wave.
"You left her alone." Aeryn shouted. "No." Aeryn took off past Chianna.
"Wait, what should..." Chianna watched as Aeryn ran towards where they
had come from. "I've got to tell John." She said to herself and headed
for the building.
"You very good at this." The figure said to Arianna.
Arianna looked up from the cards she had in front of her. She had kept
the old maid cards her grandfather gave her with her all the time. She
had agreed to teach the game to the man only so that she could beat him.
"You'll always be the old maid." She said pulling down her sunglasses in
effort to be as cool as Chianna.
"You remind me very much of you're father. Quite stubborn."
Arianna smiled inside, that was exactly what her mother said. "You
ain't seen nothing yet." This time she trying to sound like her father.
John watched as the voices went back and forth. Agrees and disagrees.
Arguing and peace making. Now would be a really good time to be sucked
up by a worm hole he thought, then looked up. "Just kidding God." He said
softly as he did he saw Chianna running towards him.
"John, Arianna is gone." She said breathless when she reached him.
"What!" He shouted, catching everyone's attention. "Where's Aeryn?"
He said as he took off for the doors, followed by Zhaan and D'argo.
"She went to look." Chianna explained trying to keep up.
"What 's going on?" D'argo asked following his friend without thought.
"Arianna is missing."
D'argo's mind wielded to Jothee. "How did you let this happen?" He
said Chianna.
"I'm so sorry." Chianna said almost in tears.
"We will find her." Zhaan said putting a comforting arm around Chianna
and following John's fast pace.
Aeryn held the pulse rifle in one hand and the note in the other. Shock
that is what she must be in she thought, she couldn't move. It was if everything
was going on around her in slow motion. She could here the voices, even
see the people. But nothing her body simply would not move.
"Aeryn." She heard her husband's voice, but still could not move. "Aeryn?"
He kneeled down beside her and handed him the note.
"What is it John?" Zhaan asked.
"Scorpuis has Arianna." He said looking at the note, feeling a terror
he had never felt before...
"Does it say anything else?" D'argo asked John, who was staring at
the note as if it would somehow bring his daughter here.
"It has the coordinates for a meet." He said simply.
"With who John?" Zhaan was the one to ask this time.
Aeryn was the one to answer. "Scorpuis."
"I'll kill the bastard." John said handing D'argo the note, then he
bent down towards Aeryn. "We'll get her back."
Aeryn looked up from the pulse rifle she had been staring at. "With
you as the sacrifice."
"What ever it takes, Aeryn." He said pulling her up from her kneeling
position.
"What ever it takes, but not with you as the sacrifice." She said sternly.
"I won't go with out either of you."
"Then we come up with a plan to rescue Arianna and give nothing to
Scorpuis, but a shot from a pulse rifle." D'argo swore.
"See you're the old maid again." Arianna Crichton smiled triumphal.
"A very interesting game." Scorpuis said smoothly. "Where did you get?"
He asked with a devious intent.
"From my grandfather and he'll kick your butt to, but mommy will do
it the best." She spoke with confidence and pride.
"Did you know that your mommy was one of us?"
"I know she was a peacekeeper, but she's not anymore." Arianna said
chin determined. "We're family and nothing else matters." She repeated
what her father had told.
The child was as quick smart and annoying as her father Scorpuis thought.
All the more reason for him to believe that with in a few arns he would
have Crichton and worm hole technology. "Yes family is very important."
"I am sorry." Rygel said as John and the others prepared the transport
pod.
"Thanks sparky, and remember no council meetings till we get back."
He grinned weakly.
"Not until you return with your child." Rygel added.
"Giving up selfishness, works on you." Crichton patted his shoulder.
"I need to go to." Chianna said as she helped Aeryn with the transport
pod.
"Then you'll need this." Aeryn said handing her a pulse riffle.
"Thank you." Chianna spoke softly.
"You're welcome." Aeryn said, but did not waver in her stern appearance,
she had gone onto peacekeeper mode and she wasn't coming out of it until
Arianna was safe.
"Ok, if this doesn't work, Arianna is the only one that counts." John
said once they were on the transport pod.
"They won't find us hidden in here." D'argo offered. "After you get
to Scorpuis, we'll be there."
"We will." Varr who had agreed to help them said.
"Thank you." John said and then turned to Aeryn. "In the end Aeryn,
she's the only one that counts. Remember." He kissed her softly.
Aeryn took the kiss and returned it. "I won't be alone." She said simply.
Rygel watched from the ground as the pod broke through the atmosphere.
"Frelling peacekeepers." He said to himself.
John held his breath as the doors slid open, there he was cloaked in
black, but there was no mistaken it, it was Scorpuis. "Scorpy long time
no see." He said walking through. "Where's my daughter, you son of bitch."
"What commander Crichton, no warm greetings for an old friend."
"Where is she." He stated moving closer.
"She is quiet fine, she is being brought to us as we speak." Scorpuis
said as he took a seat behind the large black table on the command carrier.
"Did you think I was dead, along with the peacekeepers." He smiled.
"Yea, it's a habit you get, you hope scum is dead." John said as he
moved closer to the table, but turned when he heard Arianna.
"Daddy." She shouted and ran towards him, jumping into his arms. "Is
mommy gona kick his butt now?" She asked looking over at Scorpuis.
"There's nothing she'd like more." Aeryn said walking in, pulse rifle
in hand.
"Ah and were are the rest?" Scorpuis asked.
"Worried Scorpy?" John asked Arianna still in his arms.
"On the contrary Crichton, you should be worried, right now there a
several command carriers, heading for you're wormhole." He smiled defiantly.
"You twisted, sick, Aeryn now!" Diving to the floor with Arianna beneath
him, he heard for a split second Aeryn tossing the small bomb into the
room.
The room was lit up by the blast and then by pulse rifle blasts. From
the corner of his eye John could see Aeryn firing at Scorpuis as he entered
a secret panel behind the black desk.
John sat up pulling Arianna up and looking her over. "Are you ok?"
He asked examining her for injuries.
"That was cool, can we do it again?" She smiled as Aeryn reached them.
"Not in this lifetime." Aeryn said bending down to pick up her daughter.
"You look ok." Aeryn said looking her over as well.
"Oh that guy was a big wuss." Arianna shrugged it off.
"Where does she get this stuff." John said as he got up.
"From you're side of the family." Aeryn replied.
D'argo shot the peacekeeper dead on as he made his way down the corridor
to the command, where John and Aeryn where, He could heard pulse blasts
from behind, he turned to see Zhaan and Varr not far behind returning fire
on peacekeepers.
Chianna set the charges carefully, this thing was going to go up, but
not with her on it. She kept her eyes open and alert for any peacekeeper
movement.
"Is she safe?" D'argo asked once he reached them.
For an answer Arianna ran up to him. "My hero." She laughed, D'argo
swooped her into his arms.
"You scared the hess out of me little one." He moaned.
"We have to go." Zhaan said as she Varr reached them.
"Varr take her to the pod." D'argo said handing Arianna over to him.
"Varr, sounds like bear." Arianna said as she grabbed onto his shoulders.
"Thank you." The luxan said confused, what was a bear?
"Aeryn lets go." John shouted.
"He went through here." Aeryn said at the wall examining it.
John ran towards her. "We haven't got time. This things going to blow."
He said quickly.
"I won't let him go." She insisted.
"Aeryn peacekeep later. Move!" He said pulling her.
"What took so long?" Chianna asked as they all entered the transport
pod.
"Chianna I still got my glasses." Arianna said putting them on.
"That's great squirt." Chianna pulled her into a hug.
"Here we go." John said as the pod left the docking bay of the command
carrier.
Aeryn turned to watch the command carrier explode, lighting up space
behind them. She knew Scorpuis had escaped and she knew her family would
never be safe until he was dead. She turned back to John.
"What about the command carriers heading for the wormhole?" She asked.
"Taylon has to destroy the wormhole." He said and for a moment he let
the thought linger, before he clicked on the communicator. "Taylon, it's
John, this is a direct order, destroy the wormhole and evacuate the colony,
then starburst the hess out of there."
"I'll contact Moya and Pilot, tell them to help." Aeryn said as she
reached for the communicator.
Taylon's sensors instantly recognized John's voice and he began to
do what he was ordered. Turning around from his position and flying a few
feet away, he fired a continuously into the wormhole, until it collapsed
in the darkness of space.
"How we doing on find homes for our colonists?" John asked Aeryn as
she walked onto Moya's command.
"We've found a few inhabitable planets, and with any luck the peacekeepers
won't find them." She said as she walked over to her husband.
"Like the luck I'll have in finding earth again." John said sarcastically.
"Daddy, I forgot to give you this." Arianna came flying into the command.
"It was suppose to be from grandpa for your birthday, but I forgot." She
handed him a box wrapped up.
John unwrapped it slowly, he opened the box to reveal a framed photo
of, Himself, Aeryn,Arianna and his father. They were all standing on the
front lawn of his father's home.
"Are we ever going to see grandpa again?" Arianna asked quietly.
"You bet" John said smiling down at her and he wouldn't give up, until
they were all free of the peacekeepers.
The End, for now.
Go On To The Sequel: Sister Shadow