Listen up cause this is important. The direction I'm taking this season allows me to follow the sci-fi format. The last four episodes will be consist of a three parter followed by the season finale. Needless to say, those four eps will have a lot of important stuff. So the four eps that precede them are of the set-up variety. They won't be as action packed or whatever. You understand

The Elephant Ep2.16: Points Of View

Scorpius lifted his head slightly as the door opened. He half expected another beating from that vile tek. The girl had been conversing with Raynor for quite a while now. Leaving him to sit in anguish. "I thought you might want this." Sil dropped a black box on the table and waited for him to reply. The hybrid reached his hand out and knocked the container over. A blue rod fell out and rolled toward him. "Thank you." She did not respond. Scorpius activated the coolant system and removed the old capsule. Sliding the new one in, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh yes."

Helen watched the scene with an odd burst of curiosity. It always amazed her that this creature even existed. Given High Command's intense hatred of foreign contagions, the hybrid was a glaring exception. Her own political force had not been enough to get rid of him. Things were different now. She finally had her chance. "Madam High Counselor?" Helen turned to see General Lyle enter the room. The look on his face made her nervous. She didn't like being nervous. "What is it?" He pulled a disk from his pocket.

Sil looked up from her place in the interrogation room. Someone was with Helen Raynor now. She recognized the form and its voice. "Excuse me." Scorpius watched her leave the room with little interest. "Don't mind me." Outside, the other two stood over a computer console. The High Counselor's mouth hung open slightly. An expression that immediately alerted the young girl. "What's happened?" Lyle glanced up at her and beckoned with his hand. "We've found her."

The disk contained a recorded scene from one of the systems nearby. An escape attempt at a prison facility had been sent into the Velorion to be archived. It listed the prisoner's name and statistics. The spot under spiritual advisor had been left blank. "How does this concern her? I don't understand." Helen quieted her assistant and motioned for her to wait. A video file was also stored. Jed, the one due for execution, had been apprehended by a peacekeeper of unknown origins. Her face appeared on the screen. "Meryl Raynor?"

"What should they do with Scorpius?" Sil cringed when she saw the smile on Helen's face. Something was about to be said that she wasn't going to like. "You're staying with him. I can't risk losing that creature until just the right time." The High Counselor turned and walked out of the room. General Lyle followed close behind. "Prepare a marauder escort. I want to be there before she's finished." The man shook his head as he came alongside her. "May I suggest something, Madam?" Helen stopped and waited for him to continue. "A command carrier has just docked. You would be safer taking it." She nodded.

<<<<>>>>

The group of Scarren Destroyers moved silently through space with no opposition. This class of fighter vessel was rarely challenged by anything but peacekeepers. Most of those did not survive the encounter. Ahead of the others, the newest and most advanced ship flew ominously. General Quelnor sat in the captain's chair of his new command. The Kezia had come out of the factory only a week earlier. His crew was still working out some of the bugs in its system. He remembered seeing that name for the first time. "You lucky bastard." Those were the words that came to mind.

"Sir, we've got something on the radar. Looks like a marauder." His second in command pointed out the object and waited for his reply. Quelnor frowned as he watched it move across the screen. A ship that small didn't usually come this close to a destroyer. "Has it hailed us?" The man went to work on his console. Tapping sounds could be heard throughout the room. Fresh out of the box. "It's just started. I'm getting the message on the forward portal." The monitor flashed and a peacekeeper male appeared. He did not look happy.

"Identify your name and purpose or be destroyed." Quelnor stood in full view of the man and awaited a reply. His counterpart seemed to be very nervous. Finally, after wiping his brow many times, the Sebacean opened his mouth. "My name is General Hallin. I have a proposition for you." The entire room fell silent. No one dared say a word. This was definitely a first in Peacekeeper/Scarren history. "I see that you have me targeted. I'll be quick." Hallin lifted a small picture up in front of him. "This is Scorpius. Alive."

The Scarren general ripped open a drawer of his desk and removed the proof he had taken a great risk to attain. The dead hybrid in the pictures was in fact not Scorpius. Seeing it now, he cursed himself for not realizing sooner. "Scorpius would never ask my help. Shall I assume this is another plot to rid yourselves of him?" Quelnor got his response quickly. Hallin shook his head and leaned in closer. "Quite the opposite. I have no intention of giving him over to you. I offer a much bigger prize." The man was replaced by a startling image. A floating fortress called the Velorion.

<<<<>>>>

"I've never seen a ship like this." Nerri watched his little companion with interest as their vessel rose into the space above. The walls glistened with gold and warmth emanated from them. "This is a leviathan?" Kithara smiled and nodded back to the Nebari. "Not like the ones you're used to seeing. It serves a special purpose." He navigated away from the pulse fire outside and behind the damaged station. On their opposite side, large fighters tore at the departing ones. Nerri saw this with dismay. "My people. They're being murdered." The boy heard him but said nothing.

The surviving members of Nerri's crew bunched together to form a line against the invading force. Unfortunately, they were no match for the attackers. "We have to help them." Kithara narrowed his eyes as he saw bodies fly across his window. He considered his options. Was it feasible for him to do this and still make the timetable? It seemed so. "Very well. I'll do what I can." The mini-leviathan changed direction and headed for the bulge.

A bright blue light cut across the darkness and engulfed every ship that surrounded Kithara's vessel. Most of the larger ones backed off in fear of being sucked through. This was not a problem for Nerri's people. It was a means of escape. "Will it take them all?" The boy brushed past his guest and searched the screens in front of him. The strain was showing but not at a dangerous level yet. "If not, we'll never know." The portal opened up in front of them and the leviathan rushed forward. In an instant, the surrounding space was empty.

<<<<>>>>

"They will set up a chair for you. A needle is attached to the back. It will dig into your neck and-." Jed raised his hand to stop her. The woman's idea of comforting words still needed some work. Meryl sighed and leaned back against the wall. Her eyes passed by the clock above and noted the time. There wasn't much of it left for her cell-mate. The man fidgeted in his seat as he saw the same thing. "Not so long now. You're almost free." The ex-captain looked offended. "I told you I was sorry." Jed nodded and even forced a smile. She had helped him more than she knew.

The guard walked down the hall with a pulse rifle in his hand. The metal edge smacked against each passing cell door and made a ringing sound. A constant reminder of what was to come. Jed stood and looked out through the bars. "Get back or I'll shoot you right here." The man's face was twisted into an ugly scowl. "I think that would be preferable." He didn't seem to share Jed's sense of humor. Meryl watched the scene with growing anxiety. She had seen too many people die already. Ever since seeing her father on that vid, strange images floated into her thoughts. Most of which she'd rather forget.

The newest of these flashes disturbed her greatly. A large room with peacekeeper banners adorning its walls. Crowds of leather-clad soldiers with dead eyes locked on her. "You ok?" The image disappeared and was replaced by Jed's dirty features. He smiled through yellowish teeth and waved his arms. "I'm fine." Neither of them said anything after that. Once again she felt an obligation to say something. A nasty habit picked up since meeting Tom. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?" Jed nodded his head.

"You were saying earlier about peacekeeper beliefs. No afterlife. Do you believe that?" The question did not sit well with Meryl. Challenging her old ways had become a daily exercise. But she had never considered this. Aeryn said something once about a past experience. She didn't know the context though. "I'm not sure. I did before." The inmate took in her words and frowned. "Funny huh? You start thinking about these things when it's too late." Both of them sat in a state of contemplation and depression. Then a bell started ringing.

<<<<>>>>

They had left John behind without even noticing. The commander stood a ways behind in front of some food stalls. Tom looked at his mother and saw a familiar expression on her face. Every time he had gone home with bad news, the woman had known it. She was eerie like that. "You might as well tell me. I'm going to get it out of you eventually." He grinned sheepishly. Sharper than ever. "There's still so much you haven't told me. A year of your life that I know nothing about." Tom invited her to sit down at a bench.

"Meryl and I almost died that day. Things worked out though." Her mouth hanging open, Rachel stared at him with amazement. Not only had her son grown up out here, he had also lost his mind. "Tom Wells the hero. You frighten me sometimes." Tom shrugged and looked over at the prison building. "She was worth it. I knew it then and I know it now." Those were the most terrifying words she had ever heard. John walked up to them with a smile on his face. "What's going on?"

They were about to say something to the astronaut when an alarm sounded. A large bell atop the prison facility was ringing. It didn't take much thought to figure out what was happening. "They're going to kill him now?" Rachel looked from one man to the other. Both their faces were equally grim. If there was one thing she could hold onto, it was that. John and Tom were still human. "Looks like it. I hope she's alright." John's words were met with silence. No one felt like talking anymore.

<<<<>>>>

Helen ignored the captain's chair and moved forward toward the window. Her captain days were over. The level of authority she held now made that seat look minuscule. "Madam High Counselor?" She turned to see General Lyle enter the room. Seeing the empty chair, he went for it. "What is it?" He nodded and made sure no one was listening in. The command crew knew not to ease-drop on a conversation of this level. "Your assistant, the tek. Why didn't you bring her?" The question seemed foolish as it left his mouth. Lyle had never known Helen Raynor to make mistakes.

"Don't be naive general." She walked up beside him and ripped the ident chip off his uniform. Helen turned it over and over in her hands as she moved away. "You work with Hallin every day. Haven't you seen it?" Lyle was shocked by what he heard. Of course he knew who the man was. Political motivations were difficult to hide out here. But enough to suspect treason? "I don't understand Madam." Helen scowled at him and turned away. "If I had left the hybrid there alone, we might never have seen him again." She clenched her fists and growled.

<<<<>>>>

Both of them turned as the door slammed open. Metal hit metal with tremendous force and rocked the small room. Jed stood up and waited for them to come in. The judge in black stepped into the room and extended his hand. "It is time. You may have ten microts for final prayers." He then turned and left them there. Meryl watched her inmate turn pale. Jed walked up to her and sat down. Smiling, he put his arms on his lap. "It's been fun." She narrowed her eyes at him. "How can you act like this? You'll be dead soon." His smile went away. "Thanks for reminding me."

What he did next surprised her even more. Jed leaned in close and whispered into her ear. "Seriously now. Thank you." He moved in closer. Meryl's hand shot up and blocked his way. "What the frell do you think you're doing?" The inmate smiled again. "Don't worry. It's not that kind of kiss." She lowered her hand. Jed's lips brushed her cheek lightly. The guards entered the room and picked him up off the floor. "Time's up."

The procession moved solemnly down the hall toward the execution chamber. In a daze, Meryl followed close behind with hands in her pockets. Images of a girl she had known only briefly went through her head. The feeling of a needle stabbing into her neck. "Frell!" The words escaped her lips before she could regain control. Everyone in the group ahead turned to look at her. "Sorry." They continued on. She glanced out the row of windows that lined the walls. The sun illuminated everything outside. Three familiar faces looked back in.

Execution chambers consisted of a single chair in the middle of an empty room. There were no witnesses except for her and the operating guards. Meryl took her place beside the seat as Jed was locked in. His legs were bound to the metal bars below and his hands were tied together. "You must see a lot of these. Nothing new huh?" She glared at the guard with enough intensity to poke a hole in his skull. He kept quiet after that. The ex-captain looked down at the man she had spent the last few hours with. Jed was shaking. "It'll be over fast." He frowned. "I'm more worried about what comes after."

"We are good to go." From outside, the judge gave his permission. The exercise began just as she remembered it. The head guard stepped out and faced Jed. "For the crime of murder, you are hereby condemned to death. Have you any last words?" The inmate didn't seem to expect this. He nodded his head slowly. Meryl kept her eyes on him despite the terrible urge to look away. Jed settled on her. "I'll put a word in for you. Just in case." As the last word left his mouth, the needle plunged in.

Meryl gasped as his body shook violently in the chair. The restraints stopped him from falling out or grabbing anyone but it was still painful to watch. She focused on him as did the guards. They were trained not to care about such a lowly creature. Jed ended his fit and sank quietly into the chair. The judge was about to declare death when a shout tore through the room. Jed rose a final time from his resting place and moved in close to Meryl. His eyes were open wide with a glazed look. His lips moved. "Go somewhere, see many people." There was nothing after that.

<<<<>>>>

Tom was the first to see it. The black metal doors that marked entrance to the prison swung open to reveal Meryl Raynor. She stepped out slowly with her eyes directed at the ground. He ran forward and took her in his arms. That was good because she was close to collapsing. "Is that you Tom?" He nodded his head vigorously. Tears streamed down her face. She gripped his warm body tightly and began to shake. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't of let you go." Meryl pulled away from him. "No, I had a responsibility." They stood there for a very long time.

Rachel watched the two of them with mixed emotions. The bond there was obvious. She couldn't deny that. "What's wrong?" John sat down next to her and followed the gaze. He smiled after seeing the couple. Tom was a very lucky man. Thoughts of Aeryn floated into his head. "It's just so strange to see my son like this. They love each other." The astronaut laughed. "So? What's wrong with that?" She turned to look him in the eyes. "How can he be ready for this? He's only had one other girlfriend." John didn't know what to say to that. "Sometimes that's all it takes." Rachel shook her head. "He was six at the time."

<<<<>>>>

Pilot sat at his console without a care in the world. Ever since that last incident with the Regulators, everything had been still. He could not say the same about Moya. "Relax would you. There's nothing to worry about." She was not so easily swayed. The sound of footsteps ended their short conversation. Aeryn Sun walked into the room with an annoyed look on her face. "Heard anything from them yet?" The creature shook his head. Apparently, Officer Sun was not enjoying the lull any more than Moya.

Aeryn came up and sat on the edge of the console. The complex systems still fascinated her whenever she came up here. "Pilot, what's that?" He followed her gaze to the radar screen. A large dot had appeared on the edge. He shook his head. "I'm not sure. I'll start scanning." His giant claws went to work across the board with incredible efficiency. The ex-peacekeeper could only watch in awe. Her own experience with multi-tasking had been less than perfect. "Alright, I have it now." Pilot froze as the image came through.

"Get John and the others up here now!" Aeryn was already off the console and heading for the door. Her opportunity had come faster than Pilot would have liked. He took one last look at the screen before starting preparations. A command carrier had just entered Moya's sense horizon.