The Elephant Ep2.4: Strange Attractions

Chiana dropped the radio and stood up slowly. She looked down at Carle, who refused to meet her solemn gaze. "Come one." He grumbled something and shook his head. The Nebari considered pushing the matter but quickly decided against it. If it wasn't D'Argo out there, she'd probably do the same thing. "Take this. I don't need it anymore." She dropped the pulse rifle into his lap and walked out the door. Carle stared at it with confused eyes. "What are you going to do then?" Chiana shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead." She disappeared around the corner leaving him there, alone in the dark.

Meryl gritted her teeth but stayed put as the Acrenian stood over D'Argo. Her hand was just centimeters away from the pulse pistol and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her fingers from extending. "It won't work." Denion looked up at her and smiled arrogantly. He raised is pulse rifle and pointed at her stomach. "Pregnant Sebaceans don't make for good soldiers." She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. "Not going to stoop to my level eh?" He nodded and glanced back towards his men. "Anything yet?" The two gunmen on the outside of the crowd shook their heads. On the floor, D'Argo's breath started to sound worse.

Chiana stepped out into the hallway and was immediately met by one of the Acrenians. He smacked her across the face, creating a gash over her right eye. She refused to fall and just kept walking. The gunman pulled out his radio. "Sir, she's coming towards you. Should I shoot her?" She found the answer surprising. "No, let her come." He pushed her forward and kept his gun planted against her spine. "I'm watching you little girl." Chiana scowled at him. Up ahead, the lobby lights allowed her to see the frightened crowd. D'Argo was in there somewhere.

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Aeryn had kept her eyes on the front entrance ever since the shot rang out. If she could hear it, then the victim must have been close to the doors. Right where D'Argo and Meryl were. Blevins glanced over at her. "If you're worried-." His voice was drowned out by a large roar from up above. The two of them looked up into the sky and saw the giant vessel move into orbit above. "They're early." Aeryn frowned. "That's not a command carrier." Blevins nodded and picked up his radio. "Peacekeeper vessel, this is Chief Blevins of military authority." There was no response. A laser light shot out from the Artanis and scanned the building.

Captain Grisham looked down at the scene with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He turned to his Lt. with eyes that said, "Tell me what to do?" Ness stared right back at his superior but made no attempt to give advice. "I will go down and assess the situation. Then we will decide what to do." Grisham hoped the other man understood what we meant. Lt. Ness agreed and glanced out through the glass windows. "What the frell is that?" Grisham and just about every tek in the room followed his gaze. Something they had not seen on approach came into view. "A leviathan?"

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Denion watched the Nebari enter slowly into the lobby and left the wounded Luxan. He walked over towards her with a satisfied look on his face. Suddenly, the gunman leading her cried out in pain and hit the floor. Chiana closed her eyes and waited for the kill shot. It did not come. Denion jumped out of the way as pulse blasts flew all around him. Carle, staying within range of his hiding place fired wildly into the room. Civilians and shoppers dove to the ground as shot flew over their heads. "Someone shoot that yotz." Seeing her opportunity, Chiana went for the small red box she had been holding in her pocket and raised it above her head. "Everyone freeze or I blow this place." Of course, she had no idea what the thing actually did.

Meryl shook her head in astonishment as the girl put on her show and then glanced back down at D'Argo. All the guards were busy with the crisis up in front and had left them alone. Checking each side of her carefully, she let herself tip over sideways and fall to the ground. D'Argo roared with pain as her body crashed down over his wound. "Again!" She nodded and stood back up, keeping her eye on the guards. Meryl jumped up as far as she could go and sent the full force of her weight crashing down on him. "Ahhhhh!"

Denion heard the shouts from behind him but didn't bother to turn around. There were more important things to worry about. The red box was not a bomb as the Nebari claimed. But for him and his men, it could be just as bad. "Give it to me and you can go." Chiana felt Carle sneak up behind her and crouch down out of range. "Thanks for the backup." He shrugged and pointed the pulse rifle at the nearest gunman. "Let everyone go and I'll consider it." The Acrenian snarled. "I'm not sure you understand the severity of-." A shot rang out. Carle screamed and rapidly fired his own gun. Chiana pressed the button.

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The marauder landed in the empty parking lot and four soldiers marched out. Leading the pack, Grisham walked up to the small command center where Aeryn and Blevins stood. "Who's in command here?" She pointed at the chief and he pointed at her. "You, you're a peacekeeper." The captain ignored Blevins and focused on her. Putting on his tough, authoritative mask, he tried not to let his mind wander. As his eyes ran over the female, a saddening thought came to mind. In his youth, he probably would have described her as beautiful. Now, the only word that came to mind was capable. "What is your name soldier?" Aeryn froze. She couldn't give him her real name. "Officer, um, Crichton." Grisham nodded.

A loud mechanical whirring sound erupted from above them. All eyes shot up at the source as something odd happened. The area right outside the front entrance began to distort and finally collapsed. A large Acrenian fighter ship floated in place outside the doors. "Artanis, fire!" Aeryn tried to interject but it was too late. Multiple blasts from the science vessel soared down towards the ship and made contact. "Get down!" She wasn't sure who spoke. Every one of them dove to the ground as the ship exploded.

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Meryl stood to administer the heavy blow again when a loud booming sound stopped her in her tracks. Thousands of glass particles shot past her. "D'Argo!" Before he could answer her, she was lifted off her feet and thrown across the room. A fireball smashed through whatever was left of the doorway and sent bodies flying everywhere. Lying dazed on the ground, the Luxan could only watch in silence as everything around him heaved. Meryl hit something hard and fell to the ground. Her back hit first sending a shockwave upwards. "Meryl!" She turned her head slightly and found Chiana by her side. "You're bleeding." The Nebari touched her forehead and shrugged. "I'm more worried about you."

Carle stood alone amongst the chaos as hostages ignored their captors and ran for cover. Up ahead, he saw the leader fighting to make it through the crowd. Suddenly they were face to face. He looked into the angry eyes glaring at him and dropped his gun. Denion grabbed him by the throat but stopped short of strangling him. "What are you wearing?" Before the Acrenian could get an answer, a pulse blast ripped through his chest. Chiana held her pregnant friend's pistol in hand. "You're welcome." Carle fell down.

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"Zhaan, we have a problem." The Delvian opened her eyes and nodded towards the screen. "What's wrong?" The table in the center of command lit up as a holographic diagram came on. A marauder was speeding towards them. "I have received a request to open the hanger doors. What should I do?" She considered their options for a moment and realized that they had none. Rygel entered the room but froze when he saw the projection. "Pilot! Starburst!" Zhaan covered up his mouth angrily. "You will do no such thing Pilot." The creature acknowledged her answer. "Open the doors and let them in."

The marauder landed in the hanger and four soldiers exited. Lt. Ness stepped out last with a pulse rifle in hand. "The scan showed only two on board." His men nodded and headed out into the labyrinth of hallways and cells. Ness ran his hand over the warm metal of the leviathan's inner walls. "Pilot, answer me." He had been on many ships like this one. They were extraordinary. "Is there something you want?" He laughed at the creature's attempt at ignorance. "You know as I do that this is a stolen ship Pilot. I've come to collect it."

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Aeryn left Blevins and Grisham standing at the command center and charged towards the burning building. In mid-run, she pulled out her pulse pistol. Pushing a smashed door out of the way, she entered the building and found a scene of mass hysteria. Several bodies, most of them Acrenian, lay on the floor. The hostages seemed to have retreated into the inner hallways. "Chiana!" Something grabbed her leg. "Aeryn, is that you?" D'Argo covered his face as she thrust her gun down at the sound. "Sorry about that." She helped him up.

Chiana heard her name called and stood to find the source. Out of the smoking front entrance, two figures made their way towards her. "Carle, keep your finger off that trigger." He nodded and dropped the gun. "Aeryn?" The ex-peacekeeper appeared in front of her with a wheezing Luxan in tow. Aeryn let him slide to the ground as she approached the Nebari. Chiana jumped forwards and threw her arms around her. "I'm glad to see you too." They smiled at each other. "Someone get me the frell out of here." Meryl waved an arm around from her position on the floor.

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Ness walked up to his men and gaze a quizzical look to them. "What's the problem?" He glanced down at the Hynerion and shook his head. "You won't get away with this! I have connections." The Lt. ignored his ranting and pointed at the closed cell in front of him. "Where's the other one?" One of the men nodded towards the door. "A Delvian sir. She's not coming out." Ness sighed and stepped forward. "It was good that you waited for me." He opened the doors and entered. Zhaan sat quietly at her bed and watched the peacekeeper walk in with no signs of fear. "Hello, can I help you?"

The guards outside snickered as the Lt. stepped inside. "What do you suppose he'll do to her?" The other one laughed out loud. "These plants are all funny religious types. Lt's a big atheist. I heard he once blew up an entire convoy of nuns cause they wouldn't admit he was right." Rygel watched the two of them with growing alarm. He knew how calm Zhaan could be. But he also knew how maddening that was for others. The doors closed, leaving the three of them to wonder.

"Are you a priestess?" Zhaan found the question odd but answered it anyway. "Yes, a tenth level pa'u. Ness sat down across from her and began rubbing his hands together. "You believe in a goddess, caretaker of all things?" She found his knowledge of her ways surprising. "Something like that, yes." The Lt. shook his head and almost laughed. He pulled the pulse pistol from his belt and placed it between them. "And if I shot you right now. What does that say about your goddess." Zhaan would not be steered into a debate. "If it is her will." This made Ness angry. "If I stepped outside and shot your friends, destroyed this ship." There was something strange about this man. She could sense it slightly but the feeling was confusing. "Is your goddess in the room right now?" Zhaan nodded. "I don't see her." She smiled. "Then perhaps you will let me show her to you."

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Chiana helped Aeryn load their two injured friends into the transport pod and then turned to face the merchant dressed in minister's clothing. "Thank you Chiana." Carle reached his hand out to her and she took it. "No problem. This stuff, it happens to me all the time." He laughed slightly and then pulled something from his pocket. "I found this in one of the Acrenian's bags. You should have it." Chiana looked at the tablet that she had seen earlier and smiled. "Great, thanks." The leviathan in the picture looked just like Moya. She would show it to Pilot later.

"Sure you don't want to come with us?" The thought of another crew member on Moya was disturbing but it felt like the right thing to say. Carle shook his head. "No thanks. I've got new planets to see." They shook hands one more time before he headed off in the opposite direction. Chiana watched him go and thought of something. "Hey! Someday you'll tell me that long story!" Carle waved back and then disappeared into the crowd. "Let's go Chiana." Aeryn called to her from inside. "We have to leave before the peacekeepers realize who we are." She nodded and jumped inside.

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"We're leaving right now." Ness walked out the doors and met three pairs of suspicious eyes. "Sir, you've been in there for half an arn." The Lt. ignored him and walked back towards the hanger. The soldiers followed him with Rygel still chained up. "Let him go. This is the wrong ship." They didn't understand. "Do it!" One of them undid the latch and Rygel hit the ground hard but free. "Don't even think about trying that again!" His tiny shouts did not faze the three peacekeepers as they headed back to the marauder.

Zhaan stepped out of the cell and went over to the confused Hynerion. He looked up at her as she finished buttoning up the robe. "What the frell did you do to him?" She blushed and stumbled with her words. "Forgive me, I um, lost control." Rygel watched her suspiciously as the Delvian rushed off down the corridor. He shook his head. "Oh my."

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Dr. Gutierrez stepped out of the patient's room and saw a flash of leather pass by him. Making sure no one was coming in, he chased after the strange man. John Crichton turned around as footsteps started following him and caught Mike in the act. "Wait, I need to ask you something!" He stopped and waited for the man to catch up. "What is it?" Mike looked around and noticed all the nurses staring at him. "Perhaps somewhere more private." John motioned for him to lead the way.

They stood outside Tom's room in the ICU and glanced in through the windows. The young man had been in a state of coma for the past two and a half weeks. "I've seen you here everyday. You never leave the hospital and no one ever comes to visit him. John nodded but said nothing. "What's going on?" Neither one of them was willing to back down from their stances. Mike pointed at the sleeping patient. "We saved his life you know." John sighed and looked up at the man. "I'm grateful for that." The doctor shook his head angrily. "No, I want answers. The surgeon told me that something strange came up on the MRI. Something they couldn't explain."

John considered pulling his pulse pistol out right there and shooting the nosy doctor. "I have no idea what you're talking about. He needed a transfusion, I brought him here." Gutierrez grinned. "To Palm Springs Medical? Cause we're the leading blood transfusion center in the country right?" The sarcastic tone was not lost on John. He glanced back at his friend again before opening his mouth. "Have you talked to anyone else about this?" The doctor looked hurt. "Of course I have." The look of alarm on John's face unsettled him. "What, is this some sort of big alien conspiracy thing?"

Tom opened his eyes slowly and glanced around the room. It wasn't familiar to him and for a minute he thought that it was a dream. A small machine to his left started beeping. "Shut up." He smacked it several times but the damn thing wouldn't stop. Suddenly the door burst open and a nurse rushed to his side. "How are you feeling?" Tom smiled weakly. "Like I got stabbed by a million pieces of shattered metal." She did not understand. "Doctor! We have a situation here." Mike and John turned simultaneously at her words. The doctor made it in first but John had already spoken. "Tom, can you walk?" Despite the nurse's attempts to stop him, Tom threw himself out of bed and stood on wobbly legs. "Looks like it." Mike started to say something but he was hushed. John had pulled his pulse pistol out. "We're checking out now doctor."

The lights were off and he could feel the nurse's frantic hands pulling at the cords around their wrists. "Stop fidgeting. I almost have it." She obeyed and he pushed hard. A snapping sound told him the maneuver had worked. Mike stood up and stretched out his arms. The two of them had been gone for a while now. "Get up, they're not here anymore." The nurse stood and ran for the door. He called out to her but she ignored his warnings. Following, he grabbed the door before it closed and stepped out into the hall. A man wearing a suit sat in a chair across from him. "Are you Dr. Gutierrez?" Mike nodded and shook his head angrily as he replayed the scene in his head. "My name is Sam. I work for the government."