They spotted each other in the crowded hall. The two men in black walked quietly towards their usual table. The sound of a thousand different conversations going on at once filled the room. Lt. Sargas reached the table first and looked his old comrade over. A friendly rivalry had built up through the years between these two. Competition was encouraged among peacekeeper recruits to keep them on their toes. True friendship was condemned as a weakness. "Its been a long time Bracca." The other eyed him cautiously. After assignments had separated them, neither had instigated a meeting. Until now.

"Yes it has. I did not expect to hear from you. My superior was not pleased at my asking for a leave of absence now." Sargas frowned. Bracca had been serving under Captain Bialar Crais the last time that they had spoken. "The half-breed Scorpius?" Bracca nodded. "I would advise you not to use that term. Sometimes I fear that he can hear what I say even when we are separated." Both men chuckled at the thought. "He has much to do, and not much time to do it in." An attractive young sebacean waitress walked up to the table. "Anything to drink gentlemen?" She didn't even bother to look up at them. Both waved their hands. "Not now." Sargas' tone had turned serious. "Speaking of superior officers, how is your Captain Raynor?" Sargas stiffened in his seat. "What? Has the cold bitch got you on a short leash?" Bracca's smile disappeared when he saw the troubled look on his colleague's face. "That's the problem. She has been acting rather strangely lately. Ever since we brought the human on board." It was Bracca's turn to gain interest. "Human?" Sargas nodded. The friendly meeting was over.

<<<<>>>>

0377 looked down with pride at the comm badge attached to his sweatshirt. Crichton had given it to him only a few minutes ago. His expression of gratitude had not been understood by Aeryn or John. They did not see what he did. As the sparse amount of light that entered the room reflected on the small device, a feeling of comfort fell over him. He might be in the middle of nowhere, but at least he had found friends. This led him to think of the others. 0377 had still not said more than two words to the other four members of the crew. They had not embraced his presence like John had. Somewhere in this giant ship they waited.

"That frelling merchant lied to us!" Aeryn's shout broke John's concentration and he dropped the small prowler part he had been working on. "What happened?" She grunted something to herself and tossed a large black box to him. "That is the acceleration drive container." He did not understand. "And?" Aeryn shook her head in frustration. "There's no acceleration drive in it!" She pounded her fist on the table. "The ship won't fly without it." John stood up. "Hey Pilot! How far is that commerce planet we passed?"

<<<<>>>>

The marauder approached quickly towards the open hanger doors. It came surrounded by a dozen prowlers. Each flown by the most capable pilots in the fleet. The whispers had been going on for days. "Scorpius is coming." She had heard the rumors, not wanting to believe them. The half-breed's alleged discovery of wormhole technology had been heavily reported throughout the peacekeeper sphere of influence. He was an important man now. If you could call him a man.

Meryl Raynor hid her fear well as the small convey docked. It's passengers disembarked quickly and entered the confines of the massive carrier. "Captain Raynor. So wonderful to finally meet you." Scorpius strolled casually up to her. Both knew full well the underlying seriousness of this meeting. "Correct me if I am mistaken, but commandeering a command carrier from a renegade peacekeeper does not make you a captain." He frowned at her cold reception. "As a superior officer, I will be shown the proper respect that comes with that title." Scorpius smiled briefly. "Of course captain." He straightened up and saluted her.

She turned and began walking in the opposite direction. "What is the nature of your visit here?" He had to catch up quickly to hear what she was saying. "It has come to my attention that a human prisoner was captured by this ship." She nodded but continued to walk with increased speed. "Captain, it was my hope that we could work together." She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "This ship and it's crew are at your disposal Scorpius." She waved her ident chip at the wall. The door to her private chamber slip open quietly and she stepped inside. "I was hoping to discuss the details of-." The door slammed shut in his face. "Thank you Captain." He turned and left.

Lt. Bracca appeared silently by his master's side. "Lt., does the captain usually wear her hair down?" The younger man did not understand the question. "I could not say." Scorpius turned away from him. "Find out."

Sargas watched with growing alarm as the two parted ways. True, he did fear for the integrity of this ship. A compromised captain could get them all killed or at lease demoted. But the feelings of betrayal churned within him. She was his captain. It was her command that had pulled him from desk duty at a derelict outpost and placed him among the stars. Now it was his actions that had brought that monster on board. Scorpius' reputation was well known. He did not follow the same rules that most peacekeepers did. His secret experiments gave him great leverage with the council. And now Scorpius was here. Lt. Sargas wondered how much longer he would serve under Captain Meryl Raynor.

She hit the ground hard as the door slammed shut. The feeling of claustrophobia was building fast. Meryl ripped the collar from her neck and breathed a deep sigh of relief. She could still feel his terrible eyes watching her. Scorpius was on her ship. He wanted to know about 0377. The one thing that she could not talk about. Moving to her private computer, she typed in Scorpius' name. A sebacean/scarren hybrid, his past assignments were classified above her rank. There was one thing of interest that she could see. The profile held a link for a wanted beacon. Curious, she played the message. A man's face appeared on the screen. She had never seen it before. "Reward for the capture of John Crichton, a human. Reward for the capture of John Crichton..." She shut it off. "A human?"

His black boots smacked loudly against the metal floor as he walked. Scorpius found what he was looking for. A large room full of electronic gadgets and roaming teks appeared in front of him. The control center for the entire ship was held within these walls. Over the backs of the eager young workers, he could see thousands of files being reviewed and stored. Finally, he came upon the screen he was after. A short female tek was running through the prison video system. "My dear, may I have a look?" She turned to him and was shocked by his horrendous features. Struggling to maintain her composure, she nodded. "Thank you very much."

Bracca peered at the holographic image before him. It held the female captain in full view. Her hard expression denied any indication of feeling or warmth. Her hair was tightly knotted behind her and every inch of her uniform was impeccably maintained. He studied her face. She was beautiful, but she hid it well. The officer that had shown him the file entered the room. "I wouldn't get any ideas sir." Bracca frowned at the man. "Does she always look like this?" The officer was confused. "Of course. How else would she look?" "Her hair, is it always up like that?" The man nodded his head. "Never seen her any other way." Terminating the image, Bracca turned and left the room.

<<<<>>>>

"What do you think of him?" The question was met with silence. Finally Aeryn turned to John. "What do you mean?" He could see the slight hesitation on her part. The transport pod moved quickly through space on its journey back to the commerce planet. "Can't this thing go any faster. At this rate, we'll be there in five days." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm getting readings from some unidentified objects nearby. I don't want us to stumble onto a peacekeeper vessel." He nodded in agreement. "Just speed up a little."

As the transport made it's way around a planet, a large ship came into view. "You see! That's what I get for listening to you." The massive grey command carrier seemed to be drifting aimlessly in space. "Aeryn, look." The entire left side of the ship was blown away leaving an immense gash. "There are no readings coming from it. No radar detection. Its dead." The carrier was moving down towards the planet. Its bottom edges were beginning to glow as they penetrated the atmosphere. Aeryn guided the transport along the destroyed ship's hull. Debris floated around them. "We should get out of here before the raiders start showing up. There's nothing left in there." He nodded quickly. "Let's just get back to the commerce planet."

The market place was busier than usual. As John and Aeryn made their way through the crowded streets, buyers hid their purchases and cast glances at them. "We're being watched." They motioned silently to each other with hands placed firmly against their holsters. John tried to keep calm. "We don't want any trouble. Let's just stay cool." She moved her hand from the gun and nodded. "Cool." A strange pattern began making itself clear. Everywhere they looked, store shelves were packed with peacekeeper merchandise. John could see everything from pulse rifles to towels with military insignias on them. Aeryn paused to inspect a large black chair. "This is a captain's seat." They realized what was going on. "The derelict ship?" "They've stripped it." A loud argument caught their attention. Two red aliens with purple tentacles were yelling angrily at a small creature. His name was Krik.

"How wonderful to see you again my friends!" That was as far as he got before Aeryn grabbed him by the neck. She slammed the hollow box down on the table. "You cheated us Krik. Now give us back our frelling money!" The tiny being wriggled and moaned in her grasp. Finally, she dropped him. "My apologies, but I have no idea what you are talking about." She reached for the gun again but Crichton stopped her. "We can't just blast him Aeryn." She turned her attention to the human. "Do you have a better idea?" The merchant's face still did not flinch. He wasn't going to give back the money. John leaned forward and whispered into his ear. Krik's eyes widened as John reminded him that he was dealing with an ex-peacekeeper. "I cannot pay you back in cash, but." Aeryn advanced towards him. "There is a wreck out on Roton 9. I have been assured that many valuable items have not yet been taken. You might find what you are looking for there." She looked at Crichton with an unsatisfied stare. He put his arm around her. "Let's go check it out. If there's nothing left, we can come back and you can go a few rounds with him."

<<<<>>>>

Sargas struggled to pull himself into the small crawlspace. Wires and blinking lights surrounded him on all sides. Through the large oval screens he could see hundreds of prisoners tossing and turning in their cells. Finally, he reached the room that he had been looking for. The human's cell had been restricted until further notice by Scorpius. Sargas knew why. What had transpired between Captain Raynor and the human could be written off as an attempt to gain information. But in light of current events, he doubted that it would be seen that way. He remembered precious little from his days of tek training. It was a basic requirement at the academy. Yet it was also easily forgotten. The small recording device stood silently in place. It had to be removed.

Scorpius sat frustrated at the console. He was tempted to have the woman continue the search but stopped himself. He needed to see firsthand what had happened in that cell. Unfortunately, there were over a thousand compartments in the prison chamber and millions of arns of data. Bringing up a search for recently deleted files, he found what he was looking for. A recording device had in fact been on during the events. Opening it, Scorpius found himself looking at a blank screen. "Aaahhhrr!" The primal roar escaped his lips and he pounded furiously on the table. The terrified tek moved quickly back as he stood from the console. "Get back to work." As he rushed angrily from the room, he felt the temperature on the coolant rod begin to rise.

John Crichton's file was even shorter than Scorpius'. Her fingers flew quickly over the keyboard as the small bits of information scrolled by. "A human of unknown origins. Home world unknown. Last Known Location: Leviathan: Moya; Uncharted Territories. Accessories: Officer Aeryn Sun, Captain Bialar Crais." The message ended and repeated again. Meryl felt her knees grow limp. Crais had taken 0377. Was it possible that he was with this Crichton? She pulled her jacket back on and ran to the door. If she could find John Crichton, then maybe she could find 0377. And the only way to find Crichton was through Scorpius. The door slammed shut tightly as she left the room.

Bracca stopped and breathed deeply as the heat worked its harm on his body. The tek crawlspace was hotter than a desert. Sweat dripped down his face in waves. Reaching the right screen, he tugged at his comm. "I've found the cell sir." There was no reply. He grumbled to himself. "Your welcome sir." Pulling at the thin metal cover, Bracca found the machine slot empty. "Frelling.." He stopped himself as a small snap caught his attention. Pressing a button on the wall, the entire corridor lit up. Up ahead of him, a shadowy object was scurrying in the opposite direction. "Freeze." He shouted the warning only once before pulling out his gun.

The warning shot missed Lt. Sargas' head by mere inches. If not for the confined environment he knew, it would not have been a warning shot. He pushed himself faster and forward. A second shot landed nearby. The wall sizzled and sparked as buttons exploded outward. The lights flickered once before going out completely. Now he had a chance. Throwing himself against a thin panel, Sargas fell out of the humid space and into a main walkway. He blinked his eyes rapidly to adjust to the bright lights. A large pair of black boots stood directly in front of him. Looking up, he saw Scorpius' ugly face smiling back at him.

"You what?" Her face turned bright red as the hybrid attempted to explain. "Where is my lieutenant Scorpius?" They stared coldly at each other. Neither breaking the gaze or giving up ground. "He was attempting to withhold evidence captain. The logical step was to imprison him." Meryl stepped forward, pushing him against the wall. "You are not to make that decision without informing me!" His confident grin disappeared. She gripped the coolant system's cover and twisted it sharply. Scorpius howled in pain. "You cannot treat me like this captain. I am a guest on this ship and will be treated with the proper respect." His tone never grew angry or loud. She wondered what infuriated her more. His overstepping of authority or that damn smirk. She turned to the nearest officer. "Tell the warden to put Sargas in my chamber." Turning her attention back to Scorpius, she said "I want to be informed of your actions. Is that clear?" His eyes narrowed and he turned his head slightly to the side. "Perfectly captain."

Meryl watched him head back towards the prison. What was he up to now? She racked her brain for any more clues that led to 0377. The recording device had not been found with Sargas. Perhaps Scorpius would search for it in the tek corridor. Turning back for one more look, she found the abomination staring right back at her. For the second time since she had left the human on Talyn, Meryl Raynor feared for his life and her own.

Scorpius looked back at the woman with deepening interest. He could see the coldness in her eyes and yet there was something else behind them. The smell of it had awakened his senses. It had excited his usually calm thoughts. For all her bullying talk and serious threats, Meryl Raynor feared him and he liked it.

<<<<>>>>

The transport pod landed softly on the dried ground. Aeryn had picked a spot safely away from the prying hands of merchants and raiders. They exited the ship quickly with guns drawn. "Do you think there's actually something left?" Crichton's question went unanswered as Aeryn moved past him. A rise in the terrain up ahead gave them a good vantage point over the area. Heading towards it, she pulled out binoculars. "I can see someone-." Her words were cut short as a prowler flew by overhead. Both of them dropped to the ground as the menacing craft passed above them. "I guess there is." John had answered his own question. "Come on." She wasn't going to slow down now. With a head start over him, Aeryn ran forward towards the downed carrier.

He watched the pair with increased interest. Scanning the woman first, he quickly learned that she was sebacean. Yet the male was not. The energy signature was distinctly different. After searching his thoughts for a similar sign, he found it. The one called 0377! Bob stood and walked covertly towards the transport vehicle. Feeling it's strange skin, he ran his hands over the door. This was a leviathan transport. He stepped inside and looked around. The chamber was practically empty. Nothing of value except for the pod itself. Reluctantly he sat down at the controls and started the engines. The ship floated up quickly and he guided it easily away from the planet's surface.

"What the hell!" John ran as fast as he could towards the departing transport. Reaching the landing spot, he watched in frustration as it disappeared in the sunlight. Aeryn came up behind him. She raised her pulse rifle up to fire. "No wait. If you knock it down then we still won't have a ride." She nodded and turned back towards the command carrier. "I suppose now we have no choice but to find a prowler."

<<<<>>>>

The prisoners listened in terror as the ghostly form of the man in black passed by their cells. He had been there for quite a while now, watching over them. Scorpius eyed the frightened people eagerly. Some of them, he knew, had been captured from the Auriga. It was possible that he would find answers here. The warden, a large named Draxler, walked up next to him. "What can I do for you sir?" The scarren/sebacean hybrid turned slowly towards the man. "Where are the captured soldiers?" Draxler shuffled his feet and said nothing. Seeing the warden's reluctance, Scorpius reached his arm out and put it around the man's shoulders. "Warden, I understand that your captain may have given you questionable orders. I must see those prisoners." Draxler kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to disobey the captain but Scorpius was right. There was no reason that he could think of to deny access. Scorpius smiled. "I won't tell a soul."

Meryl watched angrily from the control room as the infuriating serpent headed towards the cells. She would have that frelling warden's head. "Notify me if he removes anyone." The young tek at the console nodded his head. "Yes captain." She walked back to her chambers. Once inside, she pulled her jacket off. It seemed to be getting hotter these days. "Captain, I-." She turned in surprise to find Sargas standing in the middle of the room. Both of his legs were chained tightly to the floor. "You had me put in here." She frowned with increased dissatisfaction. "What were you doing in there lieutenant?" Her eyes met his briefly. There was fear on both sides. "I was only doing what was best for my captain." Meryl walked quickly to face him. She was now mere inches from his face. "Let me be the judge of what is best." She raised her hand towards him and he closed his eyes. Clenching his teeth, he waited patiently for the blow. Instead, Sargas heard the chains being unlocked. He opened his eyes and saw her looking at him. "Next time, don't get caught." She whispered the words almost playfully before turning and leaving the room. Sargas did not know whether he felt relief or apprehension.

The cell door squeaked and moaned as it was pulled open. The sudden light pierced through the darkness and burned their eyes. Twelve soldiers, ranking from ensign to officer, had been waiting in total blackness for days. In a peacekeeper prison, the only thing to look forward to is death. As their eyes met with the hideous creature at the door, they knew the time had come. Scorpius slithered slowly into the cell. He stepped around the famished bodies and whistled quietly to himself as he searched for the right victim. An older looking man, with the uniform of a major, sat solemnly against the back wall. His face held a look of infinite sadness. Scorpius raised his finger towards him. "That one." With those words he turned and left the room. Two armed guards entered and dragged the man out.

The interrogation room on the Hyperion was like any other in the peacekeeper fleet. Inside its walls, it held some of the most painful machinery known in the universe. I you knew something that interested them, you wouldn't leave this room before spilling everything. Major Majel knew this. The two guards strapped him into the metal chair that he himself had used many times before. Hundreds of electrodes ran from the chair to a large black device that stood attached to the wall. When activated, the machine sent small shots of electricity running through the body. Once inside the skin, the force attached itself to internal organs. This allowed for them to be shut on and off by the simple click of a button. Majel's thoughts were interrupted when the one called Scorpius entered the room. He was not alone.

"I hope you weren't planning on going forward without me." Meryl moved out of the shadows and into Scorpius' line of sight. "Captain Raynor, I was just about to call you." She shook her head. "Just get on with it." Grinning, he began preparing the chair for the interrogation. Turning back towards Raynor, he was suddenly struck with an idea. "Captain, would you mind terribly running the electrode device?" She looked down at the large black box. "I am not a tek." Seeing that he had no intention of giving in, she moved towards it suspiciously. "Very well." Scorpius turned back to the prisoner. "Let's begin."

Meryl turned the nozzle nervously as the major yelped in pain. He was very strong for a man of his age. She thought of her own father for a moment. Wherever he was. "Captain, more please." She increased the power. "Alright, alright. I knew about him." Scorpius raised his hand. She turned the machine off. "What did you know about him?" The major panted and groaned. "I was in charge of modifying new pilots for battle. My team worked on his eyes." A bead of sweat trickled down her face. This man could lead Scorpius to something important. She saw the look in Major Majel's eyes. He was defeated. He could hold nothing back now. Meryl's attention focused on the nozzle in her hand. All she had to do was turn it. "Where did you find him?" Scorpius hissed the words as he circled around the prisoner. "Where?" This time the major had no answer. "I don't know. They brought him in off a probe but that's all I know." She turned the nozzle.

"Aaaahhhh!" Majel screamed and shuddered in his seat. Scorpius looked back at Meryl. Her face was frozen in a look of shock. She did not stop the electrical flow. Her eyes blinked rapidly. "That is enough captain." Scorpius' soft toned voice snapped her back into the situation. "Yes." She turned down the power. But it was too late for major Majel. He was dead. Scorpius grabbed the man's head and felt for a pulse. With that, he let the limp body fall. He stood and left the room. One of the guards waiting outside entered. "Should I dispose of the body captain?" Meryl nodded. She felt numb all over. Leaving the guard to stare in confusion, she ran out of the room and past Scorpius. "Shall we bring in another one sir?" Bracca appeared from nowhere as usual. "No. I believe it's time to investigate the source."

She practically tore the shower door off its hinges. Stepping inside, she turned the water on and let it run down her face. A nauseating feeling had settled inside her stomach. Meryl ripped the uniform from her body and let it fall soaking wet to the floor. She dropped alongside it. Before she could realize what was happening, tears poured out of her eyes and mixed in with the water. Thinking back to those hours in the cell with him, one word stuck strongly in her memory. "Remorse."