The crew of Moya sat talking during breakfast at their usual seats in the mess hall. The spot next to Aeryn were Crichton usually sat was empty. So was Chiana’s. They all had serious looks on their faces. They were headed to the Dead Sea anomaly, which was 3 days away.

“I say we go to Casparan one, Jothee said that there is a small sea there called the Sea of Eden” said D’argo. “You believe Tailex or whoever he is, is lying?” asked Aeryn popping a food cube. “An old explorer I meet back in Terminia said that the Dead Sea was also called The Sea of Eden”, said Rygel, trying to prove his usefulness. “Who would you believe, an old space dog or my son?” asked D’argo. “Do you really want to know?” asked Rygel.

Before he could respond, Tailex walked in. Actually, it was Crichton in Tailex’s body. He still wore the black combat suit that he had come aboard with. They all stopped talking and followed him with their eyes. This angered Tailex greatly. He threw some food cubes on a metal pan, and grabbed a tin cup of water. He did not attempt to sit in his old spot next to Aeryn. He walked to the small, 2-person table behind them.

He dropped his metal pan on the table, and slammed his drink down. This pissed him off. Zhaan had refused to try the unity test because they knew little about Tyreen physiology. Aeryn and D’argo weren’t sure about him. Rygel was always suspicious, but was more interested on stealing Crichton’s things.

A stern look from D’argo snapped him. They were expecting a reaction; he would give them one. He grabbed the small table and threw it over to the ground. “I’ve had it with this crap, why the frell don’t you trust me!” he yelled. “I saved Aeryn for god’s sake!” he added.

D’argo and Aeryn both pointed their weapons at him. “Zhaan, we need to do they unity check”, said Tailex walking towards them. Their weapons became active. “Give me a little time to meditate, meet me in my quarters in an arn”, said Zhaan. “Only if I’m there”, said D’argo. He was starting to think that Crichton had gone mad in Tailex’s body. “Fine, just let her do it”, said Tailex leaving.

He hadn’t eaten, but he really didn’t have to. Crichton had noticed that Tailex’s body didn’t require much sleep or food. But he also noticed that his senses of touch, taste, and smell were much weaker. He reached into a utility pouch on his combat uniform. He pulled out a small black lighter and a small plastic container. He looked at one of the cigarette like objects inside the plastic. He didn’t know what they were, and he didn’t have time to try them. He had to try them sometime.

Tailex in Crichton’s body looked around the small, dark, bridge. His solid black eyes scanned the room. He thought that he had heard a voice. It almost sounded like… it couldn’t be. Suddenly, a figure appeared to his left. He spun around in his chair, his right hand overturned.

Scorpious starred at him. “You can’t be real, I killed you!” exclaimed Crichton. He fired the wrist weapon, which severed Scorpious’ head and implanted into the wall behind him. There was no blood, and the decapitated body dissapered.

He almost instantly reappeared behind Crichton. “You can’t get rid of me John”, said Scorpious. “Or, whoever you are”, he added as he faded away. “What the hell is wrong with this body?” asked Crichton to nothingness.

Tailex walked through the winding halls of Moya. He came to the center chamber. Rygel was there, holding the ring Crichton had found a few weeks before. “What the hell are you doing?” asked Tailex. Rygel tried to run, but Tailex ran the hover sled down from behind. “Give it back frogger!” exclaimed Tailex. “It’s not yours, it’s Crichton’s”, argued Rygel. “I am Crichton!” exclaimed Tailex slamming the little royal on the bulkhead.

Tailex bucked back as D’argo kicked him in the kidney. Rygel flew off. “The bastard was going to kill me”, called Rygel from the hall. “Don’t ever touch me again”, said Tailex. “You assault a member of this crew again, I’ll kill you”, said D’argo. “Is that right?” said Tailex.

He struck D’argo under the chin with a rising palm strike, knocking him backwards. “Common Luxan, you wanted a piece of me since I got onboard 2 cycles ago”, said Tailex. “I’ve kicked your ass once, I can do it again”, said Tailex backing into a fighting stance. He had been taught by Aeryn, and he learned extremely fast, using it to keep himself sane. D’argo let loose a tongue lash at Tailex’s neck. Tailex examined his neck, and turned back to D’argo. “Uh-oh, looks like I’m immune”, said Tailex delivering a kick to D’argo’s face. “Look like you will have to KO me the old fashioned way”, he added

D’argo drew his sword. “Yield or die!” said D’argo. “Not a chance in hell medusa”, said Tailex reaching behind him. He pulled out a blade in each hand. They looked similar to an axe head, with a handle behind the blade. “Why would you kill me over Rygel?” asked Tailex. “Because you’re a psychopath with no qualms about killing”, said D’argo. “True, but I would never sell anyone on this ship out”, said Tailex.

D’argo swung at Tailex, who caught the sword in his crossed blades. Tailex fell back from D’argo’s blow. He threw his blades away. “Fight me hand to hand or kill me” said Tailex. D’argo threw down his sword. A DRD was watching them.

“Officer Sun, Tailex and D’argo are fighting in the center chamber”, said Pilot of the clamshell. Aeryn quickly ran from the room.

Tailex and D’argo both faced each other, blood. Tailex tried a kick combo. The first kick landed at D’argo’s knee, the second his chest, and when he tried to kick him in the head, D’argo caught his leg. Tailex punched him in the head twice, his leg being held at D’argo’s side. D’argo blocked a third punch and picked Tailex off the ground. “Ah crap!” exclaimed Tailex. D’argo tossed him into the bulkhead. Tailex almost went limp. D’argo turned his back, thinking Tailex was defeated.

Tailex’s body felt little pain, and he stood up. He charged D’argo. When D’argo turned, Tailex landed a hop kick in his chest. D’argo fell to the ground. He almost immediately retaliated with a punch to Tailex’s solar plexus. He grabbed Tailex while kneeling and threw him onto the table. Tailex threw a kick while braced against the table, which D’argo caught. Tailex griped the table and kicked D’argo in the side of the head, then log rolled, hitting D’argo in the head once more with each foot. As they both charged each other, a pulse blast hit the ceiling. They both stopped. “Break it up, D’argo get out of here!” she yelled. D’argo snarled and picked up his weapon, leaving.

“What was that Crichton?” asked Aeryn as Tailex retrieved his blades. “I don’t know”, replied Tailex. “I was defending myself,” said Tailex. “I though we agreed on no weapons”, said Aeryn. “No, you said no guns”, replied Tailex. “And if I hadn’t been carrying them, I would be dead now”, he said. “Who started it?” she asked. “I don’t know”, he said turning his back. “You aren’t helping your case by fighting D’argo”, said Aeryn. He turned to her. “You’re my only ally now”, said Tailex.

Although Aeryn believed that he was Crichton, she still kept her distance. It seemed like there was an invisible barrier between them. He always kept at 5 feet. He stepped towards her and she recoiled a step. He was hurting too much to press the issue. “I am going to clean up, then I will see Zhaan”, said Tailex leaving.

Zhaan and Tailex stood with their hands on each other’s heads. Blue energy flow from her fingers. Aeryn stood guard for the absent D’argo. She could feel Crichton inside of Tailex. They unembarrassed and looked at each other. She turned to Aeryn. “He is John, I can feel him”, said Zhaan. Crichton looked back to see Aeryn’s reaction. He half expected a hug. She just smiled.

“There’s something I haven’t seen in a while”, said Tailex. “What?” asked Aeryn. “Your smile, I missed it”, said Tailex.

3 days later, Tailex sat across from Rygel at the cress like game board. Several pieces from both sides lay on the table. Rygel moved and Tailex carefully made a countermove. Rygel looked up. “Real son-of-a-bitch about your body Crichton”, said Rygel. “I don’t think I could live like that”, said Rygel. “Your move”, said the depressed Tailex.

“If I was you, I would go to the highest place on this ship that I could find and jump off”, said Rygel. “Your move”, said Tailex with a little more emotion. “I mean not being perfect, living in a body that all my friends hate”, said Rygel. “Move Rygel!” said Tailex getting angrier. “I would have Zhaan cook up a potion, but we don’t know what will kill Tyreen, food cubes could even kill you for all we know”, said Rygel.

“Your move”, said Tailex. “And I thought your old body was ugly, this one is hideous”, said Rygel. “Move!” screamed Tailex. “All right, I’m going”, said Rygel leaving. Aeryn passed him in the hall. “John, we need to get to command”, she said.

The entire crew stood on the bridge. They were paired off in their traditional groups, with Rygel alone. A large, blue, glass-like object floated infant of them. Gray dotted the blue land -scape. It was an almost flat world, like an anvil head. The ends curved downward. It sent a chill down Tailex’s spine. It was the Sea of Eden.

Michael McManus as Crichton in Tailex’s body