Ep2.1: Strangers In A Strange Land

The ship blasted down the wormhole's twisted blue coil at tremendous speeds. Its two passengers had no idea of the crushing forces that supported this creation. An extension across an entire universe. John Crichton could do nothing but stare at the controls. His rudimentary knowledge of alien technology came up much to short to understand what he was seeing. All around him, computers beeped and whirred as the ship did its work. "Target in sight." The words froze him in his seat. He tried to stand up but nothing worked. "Come on John, snap out of it. You're home." He rose gingerly from his seat and looked out the small porthole. Far off in front of him, a darkness at the end of the tunnel could be seen. "Hello again."

Tom watched the same situation unfold from a slightly different perspective. His guide in this time of uncertainty had returned. Bob stood beside him on the ship's roof and gazed with wonder at the planet that loomed ahead. "So that's Earth?" Tom looked over at the blue marvel and nodded slightly. "Aren't you excited?" The Nyid's face moved into an expression of confusion. "Am I going to live to see it?" The human scanned Bob's face for a reaction. There wasn't one. "Tom, there's no way that I can know that." Tom groaned and moved away from him. "I'm sitting outside a spaceship. My body lies frozen inside and yet I'm here with you. Forgive me if I don't have a frelling clue what's going on." His own words surprised him. He had said frell. A word he had heard many times but never picked up until now. "Disturbing, isn't it?" Bob smiled.

As the brown ship rocketed out of the wormhole's gaping mouth, the shimmering blue background turned into infinite darkness. Familiar constellations dotted the space in front of them. John couldn't help but smile as Earth appeared in front of him. Not an illusion, not a trick. "Hey Tom, welcome home." He looked down at the frozen pod. There was no movement. "I just wish you could see this." The shipped rocked slightly as they came to a stop still high above the planet. "Wow, who hit the brakes." The computer answered immediately. "Waiting for further commands. Primary objective complete." John stared from the monitor and back to the view. It was right. What the hell was he supposed to do now? "Hi honey, I'm home."

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IASA Headquarters, U.S.A. Division

Jack Crichton had once been a great astronaut. A hero to millions across the country that viewed his work as a giant leap for all humanity into space. Now, he was nothing more than an advisor. An old shoe kept around for public relations purposes. "Hey Jack, how are you doing over there?" He looked up from his chair at the back of flight control into the eyes of his current adversary. Doug Milton, director of IASA and a pain in the ass. This man had taken away the last bits of dignity that remained in Jack's face. He remembered the meeting well. The young new guy in charge wanted to change things around here. "We must look to the future." The prick had said something like that. Just before he gave Jack a new assignment. "You get to introduce the real astronauts at press conferences." Ok, so he hadn't actually said that. "Canaveral! Can you hear me? This is John Crichton."

John had no choice. He couldn't afford to land this thing out in the middle of nowhere. One tiny malfunction and both he and Tom would be stranded here forever. It seemed strange to see things that way. But nevertheless, the risk would have to be taken. "Canaveral, can you hear me?" The computer screen in front of him went black. "Computer, what are you doing?" The robotic voice answered immediately. "Searching for visual contact." John's eyes bulged as he realized what was happening. Static bursts filled the screen until finally a clear picture started peeking through. He would see what looked like the flight control room before it faded away again.

"John! It's me! We can hear you." Jack rushed forward and pushed his nemesis out of the way. The confused Milton hit the ground hard and watched as the old man tapped away at the controls. The giant main monitors used to control space station diagnostics went black and then brought up a strange image. John Crichton stared back at them from whatever ship he was in. Jack could hardly breathe as his son's image looked down on him. Their eyes met briefly and both men seemed to choke up simultaneously. "Dad, is that you?" John felt a tear roll down his face. Suddenly a crashing sound from behind him interrupted the reunion.

Tom's cryo-pod had come loose from its restraints. The heavy container slid across the room and smashed into the far wall. John forced himself away from the video screen and went to get it back. "Hold on dad, I'm coming." He was grabbing onto the front edge when something caught his eye. A circular slit cut into the brown wall. "Computer, what is this?" It responded. "Landing pod." John stared at the thing and then back to the screen. A choice he didn't want to make had presented itself. "John? Answer me!" With hands shaking, he shut down the link and turned back to Tom. "You better end up saving the world or something."

<<<<>>>>

Zelaya felt the forces of gravity begin to take hold on her. Ever so slowly, her escape chair began descending towards the planet below. She didn't recognize it but that was the last thing on her mind. A single thought kept ringing in her head. "Find Scorpius. Kill Scorpius." Holding on tightly to the restraints, she closed her eyes and awaited the fall. It didn't come. Zelaya realized fairly quickly that her direction had changed. Something was pulling her back up into the darkness. She glanced upward and saw something even more disturbing. The twinkling starlight that had previously dotted the horizon was now gone. An enormous ship was blocking her view. "Frell." A docking web slipped out and reached for her.

The whispers in her ear had started almost immediately after the retrieval. Zelaya found herself hanging from a wall inside the mammoth vessel. The strange brown creatures moving about in front of her paid no attention. The voice was getting stronger. Once she had allowed herself to acknowledge its presence, it seemed to be gaining confidence by the microt. "Zelaya, do you remember me?" The voice had a face. "Bob? You're dead." At her words, every creature in the room looked up and started moving faster. "Don't speak out loud. Use your thoughts." Despite the oddness of the situation, she complied. "They've chosen you Zelaya." The Ferrian frowned angrily and glared back at him. "Chosen me for what?"

<<<<>>>>

Caught up in the moment, Scorpius had allowed his marauder to drift across space. He watched the destroyed gammek base as it passed by his front windows. There was nothing left. The hybrid had allowed himself to forget that Regulator ships were still patrolling the area. This would be rectified quickly. Upon spotting his tiny vessel, one of the brown behemoths flipped its direction and headed straight for him. Panicking, Scorpius searched the console for something to fight back with. A shiny object on the floor caught his attention. The bits of light that flashed through the window reflected on its smooth surface. The woman had dropped it.

Scorpius picked the comm up and engaged it. The static-filled signal came through weakly but surely. "Yes, who is it? Zhaan? Rygel?" It was Ka D'Argo. The hybrid placed the device on the console and began tracking the faint voice. Moya was not very far away. "Survive this." He whispered the words of warning to himself and turned on the marauder's main engines. The small craft burst away from the Regulator ship and into the darkness.

<<<<>>>>

One of the creatures came forward with some sort of cutting device. Zelaya fought him but there was no use. He was much too strong for her. In a single slash, her long hair fell to the floor in a clump. "I'll kill you for that." Her threat was ignored. "He does not seem worried." She turned to face the Nyid with designs on his life as well. If he was even alive. "You still haven't told me what you want." Bob smiled that annoying smile of his and circled around her restraints. "I've come to give you something Zelaya. Something you will be needing very soon." She leaned as far forward as she could go and bared her teeth. "I don't like riddles. Just tell me what the frell you want." He did not back away. "Just a minute."

The pain was excruciating. She didn't even bother to hold the screams back. The creature watched her with no apparent emotion as it drilled into the side of her head. Zelaya rocked from side to side as hard as she could. It reached a hand out and held her still. Bob moved up close to her and tilted his head. "No, those frelling-." She screamed again. The Nyid had two identical round scars on the side of his head. "Unfortunately yes. You are my replacement." Zelaya didn't respond to him this time. Her face sat frozen in a forward stare. "I'll be right back." Bob disappeared.

<<<<>>>>

The pod detached smoothly from its larger brown base and dove down towards the planet. Inside, John and the cryo-tube made a tight fit. He felt himself being banged around as the small module met with the forces of Earth's atmosphere. It got hot for a moment and then things cooled down considerably. "Destination?" The computer had apparently come along for the ride. John thought about it for a moment. He remembered the sweatshirt that Tom had worn every day since they had met. "Los Angeles. California." The navigating control panel lit up and highlighted the state on a world map. "Target acquired." The pod sped up.

<<<<>>>>

Aeryn Sun stared out into the vast outer hanger as the words rang over and over in her head. Turning slightly, she glanced over at the other woman. "Can you repeat that?" Meryl didn't bother looking at her. "I'm pregnant." The ex-peacekeeper felt the room start to spin. "One more time." Meryl frowned. "They told me I was pregnant." Feeling her legs wobbling, Aeryn allowed herself to sink to the floor. Sitting on her knees, she shook her head slowly. "How are you doing with it?" Meryl's question floated in the quiet air for a moment before being answered. Aeryn opened her mouth a little. "I'm having a little trouble." The ex-captain knelt down beside her. The smile on her face thinly masked the anger underneath. "Well then how the frell do you think I feel!"

Zhaan watched the two of them act out their odd ritual while she stood silently in the background. A mystery had been solved for the troubled priestess. The presence of a new life was a child. Meryl's child. She smiled and stepped towards the women. "Congratulations." Meryl turned to face the Delvian with a horrified look on her face. "Thank you." The words came out much harsher than they were intended. Seeing her confusion, Zhaan stepped forward and took a little girl into her arms. Meryl tried to control herself but soon tears were streaming down her face. "I can't do this Zhaan. I couldn't even begin to-."

"Forgive me for interrupting ladies, but there is a ship approaching." Pilot's voice broke the emotional moment and allowed all three of them to forget the crushing development. If only for a little while. Aeryn stood up an took charge. "What is it Pilot?" His answer came back immediately. "It appears to be a marauder. But that is not what worries me." Meryl, in no mood for delays, cut in. "What worries you?" This time there was a slightly longer wait before the response. "Something big."

<<<<>>>>

Zelaya didn't understand what was happening. She still felt her thoughts booming inside but the rest of her mind was strangely empty. Almost like echoes across a barren canyon. Her eyes darted around the room searching for something to hold on to. Something with feeling. The brown creatures watched her carefully. Their looks of approval worried her more than anything else. Then he was back. She couldn't see Bob anymore but his presence was definitely there. His voice shook her with tremendous force. "It's time to give you your gift Zelaya." She blinked rapidly and without warning the stillness was gone. The familiar cascade of ideas and emotions rushed back in. "Free will."

<<<<>>>>

Scorpius spotted Moya as her familiar form contrasted with the darkness of space. He picked up the comm and tapped it frantically with his gloved hand. "Please, someone answer me." There was nothing but silence for several moments. Finally, the Pilot's shrill voice came through strongly. "Who's there?" The hybrid tried to disguise his voice as much as possible. "I need help. Please, allow me to board." The transmission cracked and burst as he waited. The Regulator ship behind him was closing fast. For some reason it had not fired yet. "Hurry up already!" His Scarren growl rose to the surface.

"Aeryn, the marauder is hailing us. Asking for assistance." She heard Pilot's question and looked to the others. Zhaan and Meryl stared back at her with blank expressions. "Your call." Aeryn tapped her comm. "Very well Pilot. Allow it to enter the hanger but seal all entrances to the rest of the ship." He acknowledged her word and sent it back to the marauder. Within seconds, it came tearing through the outer hanger and landed right where John's ship had been. She pulled out her pulse pistol and instructed Meryl to do the same. With guns aimed, they waited for the lone passenger to disembark.

Scorpius peeked his head out the door and saw Aeryn Sun staring back at him. The look on her face made him consider chancing it with the Regulators. "Put your hands up and walk out slowly." He complied and stepped out into the hanger. Zhaan and Captain Raynor stood behind her with similar expressions. "What the frell are you doing here?" Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that she was not going to just shoot him. "I will explain everything. For now, please just get us out of here." Aeryn narrowed her eyes and walked up to him. In one clean motion, she smashed his face with the butt of her pistol and sent him sprawling to the floor. "Pilot, starburst now."

Moya's exterior began to glow as shafts of blue and white light extended outwards into the darkness. The leviathan jumped forward into the waiting rift and disappeared. The following Regulator ship stopped short of the point of departure. It sat still in space for several moments before changing directions and speeding off. "Did it follow Pilot?" Aeryn stood over the hybrid's limp body with pistol ready. "No, it broke off its pursuit after Moya's starburst." Scorpius exhaled. "Don't get too comfortable." Looking into her eyes, he was suddenly very afraid.

<<<<>>>>

John watched the surface grow closer through the tiny porthole in front of him. The view was now more like looking out an airplane than a starship. "Just hang on a little longer Tom." There was no response from his companion. He shook his head at the silly thought. "Talking to yourself again John?" Harvey's voice poured out from his own mind. The clone floated around outside the window in a lazy dance that distracted him. He didn't hear the siren go off. "Collision alert." The computer said it once before they slammed into the piece of debris. The pod was thrown to the side and spun like a top. On this uncertain vector, it careened towards Earth.

The crash wasn't as bad as he would have thought. The engines managed to slow the pod before it hit ground. John felt only a small bump before hearing the computer's announcement. "We have arrived." The hatch blew open, letting in the dry desert air. John's eyes bulged as he looked around their landing site. No buildings, no Hollywood sign. All he saw for miles in every direction was desert. Then he spotted the golf course. "What the hell?" The cryo-tube slid out beside him. This was not Los Angeles.

<<<<>>>>

Doug Milton heard the knock on his door and stood up. "Thanks for coming Jack." The older man didn't answer him. Jack Crichton scowled at him and sat down in front of the large wooden desk. "I wanted to make sure you were clear about what happened." This got the old astronaut talking. "I know exactly what happened. My son is alive. He's somewhere in orbit and we have to get him down." Milton shook his head sadly. "You know that's not possible. It was a prank. Nothing more than a couple of hackers playing jokes." Jack stood, smashing the chair backward against the wall. "That's not true!" Doug smiled. "Who's to say what's true? We both have opinions Jack. Mine just happens to be official." Jack stormed out of the room in an violent rage.

"Is he going to be a problem?" Milton nearly jumped out of his skin as the man walked out of the shadows. His name was Sam and that was all that Doug knew. "I asked you a question Doug." Milton shook his head nervously. "No, of course not. Who's going to believe a story like that?" Sam grinned and slapped him on the back. "I do."

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Meryl had let Aeryn take the monster to a cell on one of the lower levels. Pilot had told them that maximum security cases were held down their in special rooms. She sat alone now in her own cell looking at her reflection in the mirror. Checking to make sure that no one was watching, she stood and walked over to it. Lifting her shirt just enough to reveal her stomach, she stared at the flat surface and imagined what it would look like in eight months. The idea was too terrifying to think about. A knock on the door tore her away. "Can I come in?" Chiana was standing at the door with a similar expression. "Did you hear?" Meryl gazed expectantly at her. The Nebari forced a smile. "Yeah. Great huh?"

Aeryn tossed him into the cell with a fresh pair of handcuffs around his wrists. She held her gun in his back the whole time. "Thank you for not killing me Aeryn Sun." The pathetic look on his face almost made her laugh. Despite the trouble that the Regulators had caused, at this moment she admired their work. "Don't get used to it." She waved the doors shut and locked them securely. Walking back up towards command, Aeryn took one last look at Scorpius. The sight of him made her ill. Yet there was something far more disturbing on her mind. It was her turn to come up with the frelling plans now.