Scorpius sat quietly in his captain’s chair, stroking its armrests with his gloved hands. He purred softly as Braca finished putting in the new coolant rod. Normally, this job was reserved for one of the nurses, but the hybrid was growing more and more wary of outside assistance. “Is that to your liking sir?” Braca looked hopefully at his master. Scorpius nodded. ‘What a good little boy you are indeed.’ The lieutenant appeared to be trying to guess what he was thinking. “Well done, Lt. Now why don’t you go fetch the latest news.” Nodding forcefully, Braca turned and left the room.

Once he was alone again, Scorpius pressed a button on the console next to him. A small video monitor protruded from the wall and turned on. He growled angrily. It showed a squadron of marauders that had been en route to rendezvous with his command carrier. They had all been destroyed. “Crichton, why do I sense you are the cause of this?” It wasn’t a rational feeling. That he knew for sure. John Crichton was resourceful, but he would need outside assistance for something like this. “The Scarrens?” Scorpius shook the thought off. It couldn’t be.

Something suddenly popped into his head. It was amazing how far his own mind could take him. The leviathan hybrid! That seemed to be the most likely possibility. Scorpius had already faced that problem once at the shadow depository, nearly costing him his life. “Crais would certainly want me dead.” He moved over to the comm station. “Lt. Braca, I require your immediate presence.

Braca came rushing into the room moments later. He held a organizing computer in one hand and a pulse pistol in the other. “What is it sir? Is there a problem?” Scorpius was slightly reassured at his subordinate’s eagerness. He walked over to the Sebacean until they were both facing each other. “Don’t be so hasty with a weapon lieutenant, it could get you killed.” Braca looked ashamed as he holstered the gun. The hybrid smiled. “I want you to put out a wide-range transmission to all ships in our general area. Make sure Bialar Crais gets it.”

<<<<>>>>

“There is no reason why we should trust this message!” Aeryn’s voice rose as her patience was extinguished. She glared angrily at Crais with a look that greatly disturbed the ex-peacekeeper captain. “I understand your caution Officer Sun. I share it.” For a microt he didn’t think that she was listening to him. Then Aeryn averted her eyes and nodded. “Scorpius would not seek a meeting unless there was some ulterior motive.” At her words, the entire ship began shaking violently. Talyn was worried as well.

“Your anger is only making things worse Aeryn.” Crais raised a hand to quiet her before she could retort. “Talyn is a warrior and has agreed to this mission. But do not forget that he is still a child.” Aeryn shook her head as if she didn’t understand. “Your telling me to be careful around Talyn!” Her voice was rising again. “You’re the one who put him in danger in the first place!” Crais nodded his head slowly in defeat. He wasn’t going to win this argument no matter what was said. “Pertaining to the matter at hand-.”

The doors to command opened before Crais could finish whatever he was about to say. John Crichton walked into the room with a less than serious look on his face. “What the hell is going on in here? Talyn’s got the shakes or something?” Aeryn and Crais both turned towards him. Each appeared to have a lot to say. “John-.” “Crichton-.” They had both started at the same time. John slid a finger across his throat. “Ok, cut. One at a time please.” The two Sebaceans stood there speechless.

John sighed. “Ok Aeryn, you go first.” It seemed like the logical decision to make. If there was any gratitude, Aeryn didn’t let it show. “I don’t need your permission John.” She shook her head angrily. “Talyn has received a message from Scorpius. He wants to meet with Crais.” The human’s amicable face disappeared. Bialar sighed and turned back to the ship’s controls. It was pointless to best Aeryn’s judgement with Crichton.

“And he wants to go through with it?” John didn’t really need an answer. Aeryn shot Crais a triumphant glance before nodding. Rubbing his head softly, Crichton appeared to be considering something. “Crais is right.” Neither of the ex-peacekeepers expected that one.

Aeryn’s glare turned to a look of disbelief. “You think Crais is right? You’re the one who doesn’t trust him!” She looked about ready to explode. John tried to cover the smile that was forming on his lips. “Trust isn’t a luxury we can afford right now. I have to figure that Bialar here wouldn’t do it unless he was sure.” Crais nodded his head and stepped over to Crichton’s side. “I have as much to lose as you do Aeryn.” They didn’t get her support right away. “Un-frelling-believable!”

<<<<>>>>

The crowded commerce planet seemed like the best place for a meeting between enemies. Either that or the perfect place for an ambush. Crais surveyed the busy market in front him and wondered if Scorpius would have any problem killing innocent civilians. He didn’t like the answer that came to mind. “Are you Crais?” The ex-peacekeeper was surprised to find a small girl standing next to him. She was dressed in a simple white dress with similar-looking streamers in her hair. A sharp contrast to black and bulky man. “I am. Who wants to know?” He fingered his pulse rifle.

“That’s a mean thing to do.” The little girl frowned as she noticed him touching the gun. Crais smiled in a crooked fashion. She took a step back. “Even little girls can be dangerous.” The child hissed at him and pointed towards a cantina that stood on the far side of the street. “The monster said you should go there.” Without another word, she ran off and vanished into the crowd of shoppers. “You have no idea.” Crais pulled out the gun and walked on.

Scorpius had decided to take a seat outside of the bar. It made him look like he had nothing to hide. That fact was debatable. Not a single other costumer had decided to join him in the fresh air. “Braca, how are things on your end?” A voice came through the small transmitter that was hidden under his leather head cover. “No sign of them yet sir.” He turned it off and tried to get a better view of the crowd. As if from thin air, Crais appeared in his field of vision. The ex-captain was holding a gun. “Good to see you again Bialar.” Crais did not share his easy-going manner.

<<<<>>>>

“Remind me why the frell I’m sitting at this table.” Aeryn squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and shot a glance over at her companion. They had been there for almost an arn now and she was getting impatient. John, seated at the opposite end from her, sighed and started playing with the utensils again. “Look, we can see outside. The people out there can’t see in.” Aeryn reverted to her icy disposition for a moment before continuing the argument. “So you expect a peacekeeper to pass by this very window, in this part of the market, where we just happen to be looking?” Crichton’s patience ran out.

“Ok, Aeryn. I’m used to having you tear my plans to shreds. Hell, sometimes you’re right. But it sounds like you’re just looking for an excuse.” He had spoken every word in as calm a voice as possible. John hadn’t raised his voice more than a little. The shocked expression on Aeryn’s face told him that the tactic wasn’t successful. “Excuse for what? So now I’m picking fights am I?” She slammed her fist down on the table. John flinched. He was used to her getting angry, but not like this.

“I do not want to talk anymore. Least of all with you. So continue your looking and leave me alone.” Aeryn twisted in her seat so that she wasn’t pointed in his direction. Sliding a hand into her pocket, she retrieved the folded pieces of paper. “I’m sorry.” John’s attempt to fix things went unanswered. He wondered if maybe the silent treatment had been preferable. No, that was much worse. “The hell with this.” John didn’t really mean it. Even as he stood, a small part of him hoped she would say something.

Aeryn watched him move towards the other end of the restaurant out of the corner of her eye. She had wanted to say something. To make up for all the anger that had spilled out. But that was the problem, she couldn’t help being mad. But it was getting harder to stay angry at him. “I missed you.” Aeryn unfolded the paper and looked over the wrinkled star formations. A reminder of the time when they had stopped arguing about stupid things. It had been her decision then. It was her decision now.

John was about to order a drink from the barkeep when something caught his attention. He thought he had seen something through one of the large windows that lined the restaurant. “Bad plan my ass.” The human dropped below the bar as a peacekeeper passed by outside. John motioned to Aeryn but she was looking at something else. The man he had just seen matched an image in his head. “Braca!” Sliding across the dirty floor, he made his way back to the table. John went for Aeryn’s boot but got a pulse pistol in the face instead. “You again? What now?”

<<<<>>>>

“This meeting was your idea. I have nothing to say to you.” Crais sat back in his chair and continued to point the gun in Scorpius’s direction. The hybrid narrowed his eyes but remained otherwise unfazed. “Crichton is planning some sort of attack against me.” Crais feigned ignorance. He didn’t know about Scorpius’s keen ability to spot a lie. “No need for pretense captain.” Scorpius had been careful to use the term. “I have enough evidence to suggest that course of action. What part you play in this is what interests me.”

Crais finished playing coy and leaned forward. There was an underlying threat beneath all of the creature’s banter. Talyn would suffer if he didn’t pull out of his mission. “Talyn and I won’t be swayed by idle threats Scorpius. But we are always willing to explore possibilities.” Scorpius nodded innocently. Crais’s weaknesses were beginning to show. A man who plays both sides is likely to get crushed. “I want Crichton. Pure and simple. Give him to me and you are free to go.” Crais shook his head. “You’ve said that before.” The hybrid nodded again. “And I’ve meant it.”

The wheels inside Crais’s head were turning. The simple solution was to turn Crichton over. If ever there was a time when Aeryn would allow it, this was it. But there was something nagging at him. What the dead Crichton had said. “Is something wrong captain?” Scorpius watched as a bead of sweat slid down the ex-peacekeeper’s forehead. Crais pushed his seat back and stood up to leave. “The time for double-crossing has passed. I’m stuck where I am for the moment.” He turned and walked into the crowd.

Scorpius’s transmitter burst to life. “Should I take him down sir?” He looked up and to his left, spotting the red tracer beam. “No, this is too interesting to let go of just yet.”

<<<<>>>>

“What the frell are you doing down there?” Aeryn looked down at John with a look both of confusion and scorn. The human didn’t have time to explain. He pulled her down and whispered a single word. “Braca.” She seemed to understand and pointed towards the back door. John nodded and followed her across the floor. Annoyed patrons watched them go put didn’t seem particularly alarmed by the situation. Aeryn noticed it and answered the question before it was asked. “They see this type of dren all the time.”

The last part of the journey was blocked. They would have to stand to get through the door. John reached the end of the line first and turned around. Aeryn nodded as she realized what he was going to do. John counted to three with his fingers. “Go!” They both sprang up at the same time and slammed into the waiting door. It pushed open easily and the two of them went sprawling to the ground. A gunshot went off overhead. “Crichton!” The voice was Braca’s.

Aeryn stood up inside the small storage room and pulled John up alongside her. “Ok, that plan was bad.” John’s attempt at humor fell flat. The ex-peacekeeper turned to look at him. “It was less than graceful.” There was actually a smile on her face as she spoke. Before either of them could say anything else, the door smashed open. Braca stepped through with a pulse rifle in his hands. It was charged and aimed right at them.

Braca stood there frozen with the gun in his hand. He had been trained for just this sort of situation and had faced it many times already. Crichton and Officer Sun stood before him now. They weren’t going for their guns and made no attempt to flee. This is where he was at a loss. Scorpius had said to capture Crichton if possible and bring him back. But he’d also said to incapacitate the human. What the frell did that mean? Braca looked over at John. Perhaps just something to knock him out. “Officer Sun! Duck!”

Neither Braca or Aeryn understood exactly what happened at that moment. The lieutenant could easily have fired at her first, yet she still looked like one of them. More surprising than this though, was the ex-peacekeeper’s reaction. Aeryn, perhaps by reflex, obeyed the order and dropped to the ground just as a shot rang out. “Oh hell!” That was all that John managed to say before the blast hit him in the shoulder. It was more of a grazing but he couldn’t really tell the difference.

Aeryn suddenly broke from her evasive maneuver and watched Crichton hit the ground. She pulled out her gun and fired at Braca. The confused soldier jumped back behind the door and hid from the fire. “John, are you allright?” She tried to touch his shoulder but the human moved back. Aeryn gave him a questioning look. “You let him shoot me!” It wasn’t the half-serious accusations she was used to. John was angry. “I did not. He just got you before you could duck.” Maybe her eyes betrayed her. Crichton wasn’t buying it. The look on his face was painful.

“You know I would never do that.” Aeryn tried to move closer but he kept backing away. “Yeah, not to John Crichton.” She froze in place and tried to make sense of the words. “How can you be sure? Maybe I’m just a frelling copy!” John stood up slowly and clutched the pulse wound with his right hand. Aeryn could only stare as he hobbled over to the door. She didn’t think that was what she had done. “I-I’m sorry.” The words were barely audible. John didn’t answer her.

Aeryn felt her throat choke up. She had felt shame before but nothing like this. John finally said something but she couldn’t hear him. The sound of pulse weapons charging escaped her attention as well. “Aeryn!” Her eyes went wide. “What?” There was no need for an answer. Braca had come back. About fifteen of his friends had come with him. “I’m sorry.” She repeated the words over and over as they were led away.

*****

if you thought that ending was depressing, read NO More Dying. It sort of resolves things for this fic