As I've said, this fic follows the sci-fi schedule for Farscape. 22 episodes to a season. Now that we've reached the season finale, I have a decision to make. Should there be a season 2? Two important factors will go into my decision. 1)is there enough material to continue this? Do I even have the energy for it? (so tired) and 2)Public demand for one. Would you readers be interested in a future for the elephant? If so, please let me know (support is always appreciated)

The Elephant Ep22: It Comes Undone

John watched her step into the brown ship with a look of determination on her face. Aeryn had been acting strangely ever since it had arrived. It didn't take much thought to figure out what was bothering her. He walked from his vantage point and entered after her. She sat down at the computer and tapped the keyboard. The image that D'Argo had seen earlier popped up on the screen. John had to fight to keep from gasping all over again. It was Earth. This ship knew how to get him home. "Come here John." Aeryn turned and looked right at him. He tried to mask his surprise and obeyed.

"You can go home now." She turned her head towards him as he sat beside her. John met her gaze and they stayed that way for a moment. Aeryn leaned in a little closer to him as he answered. "It's not that simple. You know that." She felt his breath on her skin and shuddered slightly. It was still terrifying for her to be this close to him. Especially when they were alone. "Aeryn." Her head snapped up to meet his gaze. "We're coming back. This isn't a one-way trip." The look of reassurance in his eyes did little to comfort her. "If you say-." John bent forward and kissed her before she could continue. Aeryn kissed back and forgot what she was going to say. "Prove me wrong then." She backed out of the embrace and stood to leave.

<<<<>>>>

Meryl sat up with alarm as the body shifted slightly inside the container. She shook her head angrily. "Don't talk like he's already gone." He was not just a body. But Tom was moving. Ever since they had left the planet, he had been fidgeting from side to side. Zhaan had said it was normal. Not an indication that he was waking up. "You're going home soon. Wait for it." The idea of letting him without her had been terrifying at first. Meryl had insisted on going with John. But the human had a valid point. Their chances of saving Tom lessened if an incident occurred. Better to stay here. "Frell that." They hadn't given her much of a choice. What bothered her most now was the look on Aeryn Sun's face when John said he was going alone.

Tom opened his eyes and looked straight up at the ceiling above. Through the ice covered glass of the cryo-tube, he could see Meryl keeping watch over him. "Hey! Open up." He tried to raise his hands to tap against the glass but they wouldn't move. Suddenly the view changed. The container had disappeared along with the familiar world outside it. Tom was standing on Moya. He looked out at the stars and for a moment thought that he was on the terrace. But that was impossible. "Confused?" The voice snapped him out of the trance. Bob stood in front of him with a smile on his face. "Is this heaven?" The Nyid shook his head. "Is this hell?" Bob laughed and grabbed Tom's shoulder. "Not just yet my friend."

<<<<>>>>

D'Argo sat quietly in his cell with the qualta blade sitting harmlessly in his lap. "What the frell have I done." He told himself that the plan was for Tom's sake. That was a noble enough cause. Surely it was the right thing to do. But right and wrong wasn't what was bothering him tonight. More selfish thoughts had begun to intrude upon his mind. The look on Aeryn's face specifically. The way she had acted when John was so quick to agree with him. "I'll go to Earth with Tom. Get him to a hospital and then come right back." The validity of that statement was in question now. Both these humans, John especially, had longed for a chance to return to their home. Would they come back from that? To this?

Chiana passed by the Luxan's closed quarters and let her boots smack loudly against the floor. Careful to make sure that anyone inside would hear them. She waited for a moment but got no response. Her comm went off without warning. "Chiana, where are you?" It was Rygel again. He had been staying close to her lately. "Leave me alone." She pulled the device off her clothes and stuffed it into a pocket. There was a slight shuffling from inside the cell. Maybe D'Argo was ready after all. "Just stay calm Chi. You can deal with this." She knocked on the door.

<<<<>>>>

Zhaan stroked his head gently with her hand and smiled. Pilot returned the smile and sighed softly as his arms tapped at the console. "You know something don't you?" His question caught her off guard. She was not used to having him take particular interest in her spiritual side. "Yes, something is wrong Pilot." He furrowed his brow but said nothing. Perhaps waiting for her to enlighten him. "There will be time for that later." Zhaan leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Now, I must got to John." She slipped off the console and headed for the door. "Moya and I will be brave when the time comes." She turned at his words and nodded. "We all must be."

John took in the warmth that Aeryn's kiss had filled him with. "Prove me wrong." He repeated her words and felt a pang of nervousness inside. She obviously saw doubt in him. Why else would he feel like this now. "Oh hell." He rubbed his eyes wearily and then looked back at the computer. With a keystroke, John sent the image away and replaced it with black. "John? Are you in here?" Zhaan passed through the doorway and looked over at him. "Good. There is something I wish to discuss with you." The Delvian sat down beside him and put a friendly arm around his shoulder. An act John was not used to receiving from her. "What's up Z?"

<<<<>>>>

"What do you mean not yet?" Tom didn't like where this was going. Questions of belief did not bother him now. Any peace that needed to be made had been. Right before he commited suicide. Then again, he wasn't dead was he? Bob seemed to understand his thoughts and continued to smile. "Your friends are keeping you alive Tom. Risking more than they know to save you." The words made Tom feel slightly better. "What could they do?" The Nyid brushed the question off. "That's not important right now." Bob walked over to the edge of Moya's hull. "What is important is that you took the ship." Tom shook his head angrily. "I didn't. John wouldn't listen to me." Bob nodded solemnly. "It makes no difference."

Aeryn walked into the lab and found Meryl still sitting beside Tom. The ex-captain barely acknowledged her presence. She looked up only to nod. Aeryn felt obligated to say something. Anything that might bring some peace of mind to her new friend. That was what they were now. Friends. "If someone had told me back in the academy that I would be here right now, I would have laughed in their face." The words hung clumsily in the air. Meryl made no attempt to answer the remark. A different tactic would have to be employed. Aeryn walked up beside the container and looked in on its occupant. Somehow, more words came to her. "He's braver than we give him credit for you know." This got Meryl's attention. "For this? It was an act of lunacy. Foolish." Aeryn shook her head. "No, for expecting a you to love him back." The vacant stare returned to Meryl's eyes. "You think he loved me?"

<<<<>>>>

The doors slid open in front of the Nebari and allowed her entrance. She found D'Argo sitting on the floor with the sword in his hands. "What is it Chiana?" She gulped and slowly pulled the letter out from beneath her coat. It floated slowly to the ground and landed in between his legs. "I, um, found this." Anger flared momentarily in his eyes before the calm took over again. D'Argo picked up the piece of paper and carefully read through his converted words. It made him think of Tom. His thoughts were quickly diverted back to the present situation. Chiana wasn't going to leave. "Sit down." She obeyed.

<<<<>>>>

Rygel floated out onto the terrace hoping to find someone to talk to. There always seemed to be somebody out here looking at the stars. He was surprised to find the place empty. "Very well." He navigated his throne down to the ground and carefully stepped out of it. Hobbling over to the edge, he gazed out into the darkness. Something caught his eye immediately. Tom was standing outside. Another man, the Nyid, was standing beside him and apparently saying something important. They appeared to be arguing. Rygel tapped his comm frantically. "Pilot! Do you see that?" The answer came back immediately. "See what Rygel?" The confused Hynerion looked back and found the area empty again. "Never mind."

<<<<>>>>

Zhaan stared intently in the human's sad eyes and tried to word what she wanted to say just right. "Every choice has its consequence John." He half-smiled and nodded in agreement. "You don't have to tell me Blue." She cursed herself for being so ignorant. This was John Crichton she was talking too. "Something has happened John. I cannot tell you what. It's been kept hidden from me." John frowned and waited for her to continue. "You mean something I did?" The Delvian shushed him. "I have been meditating, trying to gain some sense of what this all means. Unfortunately, that is still unclear." Her tone grew even more serious. "Be careful John. I fear that this mission holds more consequences than you imagine." Zhaan stood up abruptly and left the room. John watched her go in a state of shock and confusion. "What the frell?"

<<<<>>>>

Tom glared at the Nyid as he walked in circles around the area. "Is there a point to this? Or are you just having fun with me now?" Bob grinned and shook his head. "This God that inhabits your thoughts now. You believe in him?" The human found his question rather odd but answered it anyway. What else did he have to do. "Most of the time. It's comforting to believe in something. You know what I mean?" The Nyid looked up at the stars. "Yes, I do." His tone became serious as their eyes met again. "Your belief has allowed us another chance. A chance for me to explain something to you." Tom wasn't feeling too comfortable at this point. "Explain what?"

<<<<>>>>

John and Meryl wheeled the cry-pod into the Regulator ship with some difficulty. Once it was inside, the computers seemed to pick up on the body very quickly. "Welcome Tom." Every screen in the room flickered before returning to normal. John looked at his companion warily. "You saw that right?" She shrugged and then went back to checking the freezer systems. He left her like that and walked back into the hanger. "Almost time to go." There was no one to hear him but somehow it felt better to talk. "What ever happened to protecting your home?" The voice surprised him at first. The emotion turned to anger quickly. "What?" Harvey stepped out of the shadows dressed in full astronaut gear. "I thought you wanted to keep all us nasty aliens away from Earth." John tried to ignore him. Easier said than done.

"What's your point?" They sat together against the wall as Harvey fought to get his point across. "You really don't see it." He shook his head with shame. "And I thought we were really getting somewhere." He pointed to the Regulator ship. "That thing is going to lead all of us straight to Earth." John sighed. The clone was making sense, which was a frightening proposition on its own. "It'll be a short trip. Not long enough for global disaster to strike." Harvey grinned, exposing his yellow teeth. "You would really take that chance? For Tom, a man you barely know." John had heard enough. He stood and wiped the vision away from his mind. "Damn straight."

<<<<>>>>

Aeryn looked the bag that John had packed and those same feelings came back to haunt her. He had packed all of his things. "Stop it." She cursed herself and stood up to leave. There was no point in torturing herself any further. What was done was done. "Stop what?" John entered into the room and walked up to her. He put his hands on her waste and together they backed up against the wall. He was leaning in close again. Aeryn did not try to fight him off. "This isn't over yet." She saw a sparkle in his eye. One that had been missing too often recently.

John kissed her lightly and then a bit stronger. "Is that right? What makes you think I'll wait?" He shook his head. Aeryn was playing games with him again. "I love you. I'm coming back for you." She froze and let the words wash over her. "I love you too." He waited for her to add something. A stern warning about keeping their feelings in check. Aeryn allowed herself to forget that part of training. "How much time before you leave?" John thought about it for a moment. "Enough time." She smiled, destroying every last bit of soldier that was etched eternally in her face.

<<<<>>>>

It was almost time now. Most of the goodbyes had been said, the warnings given. Two couples, one slightly impaired, remained on the Regulator ship. Aeryn and Meryl would have to get off soon. It was their job to take care of Moya now. Its two resident humans were off to find home again. John Crichton sat at the computer controls and brought up the picture of Earth. He allowed himself to marvel in the sight for a moment before returning his attention to the present situation. D'Argo stepped inside and walked over to the cryo-pod. The others, taking cue from his strange look, backed off and gave the Luxan his space. He knelt over Tom's quiet form and whispered.

"You're going to want to hear this." Bob leaned forward and patted Tom gently on the shoulder. Without another word, he vanished before the human's eyes and left him alone. Tom blinked a few times and then watched the scenery change dramatically. D'Argo was leaning over the cold glass container that kept him in place. Through it, he could just make out what the Luxan was saying. "I wanted to thank you before you left. This might be the last chance I get." The older man seemed to shift uncomfortably as he said the words. "You saved my life. You didn't need to, but you did it anyway. Let me return the favor one day." D'Argo grunted and stood up. John was watching him from the doorway. "He knows."

D'Argo stepped forward and hugged the confused human. "Find what you're looking for John. Then come back and say hello." Crichton squeezed the big creature tighter and nodded. "Take care of things around here while I'm gone." They disconnected and the Luxan walked out the door. John smiled to himself and knocked lightly on the glass cover. "We're going to be missed." Aeryn stepped into the room and went directly for him. Her companion followed and knelt over the cryo-pod to say one last goodbye.

Aeryn looked him in the eyes and ran her fingers over his chest. She fastened the buttons of his coat in a rare showing of almost motherly concern. "You come back to me." They smiled at each other until he couldn't hold back any longer. John rushed forwards and swept her off her feet. She laughed and for a moment things didn't seem as bad as they were. "Just be here when I get back." He put her down and glanced over at the other two.

Meryl slid her hand over the glass cover and felt its coldness pass through her glove. She wasn't quite sure what to say now. The man she had come to love was leaving her. She pressed her face as close as it would come to his. "You were right about me." Through the mist-filled compartment, she thought for a moment that he had winked at her. Meryl shook it off. She backed away from the pod and followed Aeryn out the door. The two of them watched in silence as the ship rose off the ground and blasted out into space. The familiar glow of a wormhole formed in the darkness and swallowed up the brown vessel. Within seconds, the tiny dot against the blue background disappeared altogether.

Aeryn looked over at Meryl and saw that familiar vacant stare again. It had frequented the woman's face ever since they had escaped peacekeeper custody. Feeling her own strong emotions rising to the surface, she finally thought to ask the question. "Meryl, what did they do to you on the command carrier?" The ex-captain moved her lips but Aeryn couldn't tell if it was a smile or a frown. "They told me I was pregnant."

Neuroscpr
what kind of farscape season finale would this be without a shocking ending (if you thought it was shocking)