"We are within range sir." The worn out tek looked up at her superior with satisfaction. She had been manning the console for days without reprieve. The planet came into view on her monitor within seconds. She felt his cold hand on her shoulder and tried not to shudder. "Thank you. Your service is no longer required." Scorpius watched the young woman nod quickly and scurry away back to her barracks. "Weakling." He looked at the planet below with nervous anticipation. It had been a very long time since he had been home. "Braca, prepare the marauder."

The immense command carrier settled into its orbit above the Sebacean home world. A lone marauder left its hanger on a vector towards the medical facility below. Scorpius noted with alarm that wisps of smoke were billowing out from openings all over the building. The glass shield that served as a roof was totally destroyed. As if something gigantic had torn through it. He didn't need more than one guess to figure out what that had been. The leviathan. He rubbed his fists together in a vain attempt to ease the anger boiling inside him. "Crichton."

The facility lay in ruins. The researchers had all fled or been killed in the crossfire. Soldier's corpses were strewn all over the floor and blinking computers awaited instructions. It was an eerie scene to behold. He stepped through the ravaged entrance and into the main lobby. His black boots smacked loudly against the hard floor. An unsettling quiet filled the room. Scorpius looked around with dismay. "An entire building wiped out by four escaped prisoners." The words left his lips softly and almost sadly. Braca walked up behind him, a grim look on his face. "Our scout team found the doctor." Scorpius turned around angrily. He was in no mood to wait. "Where?"

Kodetova's body lay grotesquely over the execution chair. His impeccably clean lab coat was stained with crimson blood. Scorpius lifted the head up gingerly. An unusual wave of sadness passed through him. In some twisted way, this man had been his father. He dropped the corpse back into its final resting place and checked the young girl beside him. "Was she connected?" Braca pulled open her uniform collar and checked the ident chip around her neck. "No sir. She was scheduled to die before they had arrived." Scorpius gazed at the other chair with curiosity. "Who else was meant to die here?" Braca flipped through the manifest until he found the information. "You'll find this interesting. It was Meryl Raynor." The half-breed was not amused.

They returned to the facility one last time before departing the abandoned planet. There was one article left for Scorpius to collect. He stepped into the lab marked cold storage with a bit of unease. It was never comfortable for him to see the tiny creatures. They reminded him too much of his own infancy. Finding the small switch, Scorpius pressed it and watched as the wall disappeared to reveal his treasure. The space was empty. His mind raced with possible reasons for what he was seeing. "Lose something?" He turned slowly. The voice was one he recognized only too well.

<<<<>>>>

Aeryn stood frozen in front of the door to Zhaan's lab. She had been standing there almost an arn now without moving. The earlier discussion with John had rattled her. She had to know for sure. Finally, gathering as much composure as she could muster, she tapped her comm. "Pilot, open the lab door." There was a moment of silence before he responded. "Crichton has asked me not to do so Officer Sun." There seemed to be amusement in his voice. This annoyed her even more. "Do I have to come up there?" Before she could say another word, the door slid open slightly.

She could hear the sound of breathing coming from the other end of the room. Aeryn found the two fast asleep on their cots. Fully clothed, she noticed. She shook her head angrily. "I'm going to kill you John." Tom stirred as she said the words. Seeing that the bandage had slipped off his head, she replaced it gingerly. It made Aeryn smile to see the two of them like this. She had not been as fortunate. At first, anyway. "You couldn't help yourself could you?" The voice startled her and she almost shouted. Luckily, it was D'Argo. The big Luxan smiled and stepped up next to her. He noted the content look on the sleeper's faces. "I envy them."

John woke up with a start inside his cell. He found himself alone. A humming sound had driven him from sleep and back to reality. The container sat not far from his bed. He would have kept it somewhere else if not for the prying hands of others. The little creature inside would probably be blown out an airlock. John watched it and lazily traced his hand over the glass. The words kept ringing in his head. "I have a proposition for you." He hadn't been able to get it out of his mind. A little voice inside beckoned him.

"You are a foolish creature John. But not that foolish." The Scorpius clone gazed lovingly at the tiny replica of itself. It was dressed in hospital scrubs, hovering over the container like a mother with her newborn baby. "If you go after him, he'll kill you this time." John pretended not to listen but the clone was right. The very idea was crazy. Not to mention that the others would never agree to it. "Can't blame me for trying." He stood up and waved the doors open. "Watch the baby. I'm going to go talk to the neighbors." It rolled its eyes and turned away as John left.

They were all assembled in command. John stood in the center with eight pairs of eyes watching him closely. Aeryn watched him with unease. Somehow she this had to do with what had happened to him in the facility. He had gone back for that disgusting creature and she still did not know why. "D'Argo, do you remember when they took me away for a while?" D'Argo nodded but said nothing. "Well, they wanted me to meet somebody. A peacekeeper called Chernov." Meryl stepped forward from her place in the back. "General Chernov?" She shook her head. "I've met him. He's a snake in a uniform." John saw the look on Aeryn's face. But he had to tell them.

"You're frelling insane!" Aeryn stared at him with eyes that shot daggers. "I know it sounds crazy but-." She shook her head angrily. "But what? It's worth it? I don't think so." She turned and stalked out of the room. John looked to the others but their faces revealed no support. He ran after her. "Aeryn wait!" He grabbed her arm and made her stop. "Get your hands off of me." She growled the words through gritted teeth. Before he could apologize, she grabbed his shirt and tossed him against the wall. "The John Crichton I know would never do this. He wouldn't be that stupid." She let him go. His eyes pleaded with her. She didn't understand. He needed to do this. "Don't." Her face was soft again. The look of disappointment hurt him. "Please." She stepped away from him and ran down the corridor.

<<<<>>>>

Scorpius slammed Bob against the wall with every bit of strength he had. "Where is it!" The Scarren growl he had always tried to hide rose from his throat. "Do you have any idea what I can do to you?" The Nyid only stared back. His face devoid of any fear or emotion. "No, but I do know something much more important." Scorpius wrapped his hand around the man's throat. He was in no mood for games. Bob leaned forward slowly. "I know half-breeds can't reproduce. I know you need that creature." The grip loosened and he fell to the floor coughing. A smile spread across Bob's face. "And you're going to need me if you want it back." Scorpius stepped back and frowned. "Talk."

Braca waited patiently outside the facility. He had been instructed by Scorpius not to enter. The marauder sat beside him with engines ready. He spotted someone walking out the front entrance and raised his pistol. "Stand fast." The other kept coming without slowing down at all. As the features came into view, Braca relaxed. It was the Nyid. "I told you to stop." Bob looked down at the gun and shook his head. "I'll see you again." Leaving the puzzled soldier, he jumped into the marauder and took off. Braca tried to stop him but was immediately cut off. "Let him go Lt." Scorpius came up behind him. "We will wait for another transport."

<<<<>>>>

"You're doing it wrong!" D'Argo groaned and grabbed the pen out of Tom's hand. "It goes the other way." Tom looked up at the angry Luxan with the same expression. "Well how am I supposed to learn with you stopping every five minutes to shout in my ear?" They stared at each other for several seconds without speaking. Finally, D'Argo pulled the paper they were bickering about away. He read through it. The slightest bit of admiration poked through. The human was actually picking up the language very well. "This is not what I said." He looked accusingly at the writer. "You're not exactly the most eloquent person D'Argo." Once again they glared angrily at each other. "We'll finish this later." D'Argo said the words and stormed out of the room.

Meryl heard the entire conversation from outside. She had first-hand experience with Luxan hyper-rage. The doors suddenly spread open. She backed away and watched as D'Argo ran past her. In one quick movement, Meryl grabbed his arm and spun him against the wall. Surprised, D'Argo tried to retaliate but the hold was too strong. "You would do well to mind your manners with him." He laughed. "What are you? His mother?" She released the grip and he turned to face her. "The boy needs to toughen up. His kind don't survive long on the run." He was right and she knew it. "Just don't press too hard."

John sat against the wall and stared at the bad he had packed. It contained everything from spare parts to gun cartridges. He had made his decision. Scorpius would die and his friends wouldn't have to live in fear any longer. Rygel had already been to see him earlier. Not surprisingly, the little Hynerion had approved of his plan. As long as his royal highness wasn't in any immediate danger. The sound passed very quickly and he almost missed it. Someone had entered his cell. Turning towards the door, he found Zhaan sitting on the bed. "So, you're off to kill yourself." He saw genuine concern in her eyes. "I have to do this blue." Her face took on a sad look. "Revenge is a powerful emotion John. You once helped me fight the darkness I held inside. I can't help but worry that you have succumbed to your own." John took her hand in his. "I'm worried too."

She had tried going a few rounds with the punching bag but it didn't help as much as it used to. Now she sat in his module. She could smell his scent and it only made things worse. Aeryn rubbed her eyes and checked to make sure no one was looking. She was losing him and it hurt more than she had ever thought it could. "Frell." Whispering the word made her feel good. Shouting it was even better. "You could disable it you know." She recognized the voice immediately. "Go away Chiana." The young Nebari leaned against the module and sighed. "Not this time."

"What could you possibly say to make me feel any better?" They stared at each with determination. Neither willing to give up any ground. Chiana sat down beside the module. "I've been where you are right now." Aeryn shook her head and laughed. "I highly doubt it." The younger woman was now angry. "My brother is out there right now fighting a war. He could be dead or alive, I don't know. He left me behind because I wasn't strong enough to stand with him in the beginning." Aeryn saw the sadness in her eyes. "He just wants to protect you Chiana." Chiana frowned. "Yeah, well I wanted to protect him too." When Aeryn didn't respond, she continued. "You have to let him do this Aeryn. No matter how crazy it sounds." She stood and walked towards the door. "Whatever choice you make, be sure about it. You don't need any more regret."

John and D'Argo walked into the hanger. The human had said his goodbyes to everyone except Aeryn. He hadn't been able to find her. The hanger was empty and his module sat alone in the corner. "Are you sure you won't take the prowler?" John shook his head. "You'll need defenses John." D'Argo's worry was obvious. John patted him on the back. "I'm taking the module. It deserves to be there when I kill him." The Luxan sighed heavily. John threw his bag into the back of the module and started checking the systems. "John, I...." They looked at each other for a moment without speaking. "I know you can't go with me. I understand." D'Argo nodded and stepped away. "I'll see you again John Crichton." John buckled himself in. He took one last look at his friend and said "That's a promise."

The doors to space opened slowly as the Farscape 1 module lifted off the ground. It glided smoothly through Moya's massive hanger and out into the darkness. John settled comfortably into his seat and flipped off the switches for takeoff. Something caught his attention as he looked out at the stars. A familiar scent lingered inside the cockpit. He inhaled deeply and searched his memory. It came to him quickly. The smell of Aeryn's hair. Turning back to get one last look at Moya, he noticed something lying on the floor. It was his tape recorder. Lifting it, he realized that the record button was still on. He rewound the cassette and pressed play. "John, I wanted you to know..." He listened to Aeryn's face and felt a lump form in his throat. He had left without saying goodbye.

<<<<>>>>

2 WEEKS LATER

It had been difficult finding this place. His Sebacean features had opened many doors and also shut a few. But he was finally here. The Gammak Base was much larger than the one he had escaped from. Security was very tight and he had only been able to bribe himself into the main lobby. John had been waiting there for hours, hoping to catch a single glimpse. The opportunity came finally as he was preparing to leave.

The area had been cleared off all personnel only moments before. John had managed to escape detection but things did not look good. The main entry doors opened and a small entourage of soldiers stepped out. Behind them walked Scorpius with his red headed nurse alongside. Just as the guards passed his position, he jumped out with guns blazing. In the confusion, two soldiers went down. John stopped and looked around. One of them had let loose a smoke grenade. As he waited for the mist to clear, loud footsteps could be heard. A black object broke through and knocked him down.

Rubbing blood from his nose, John stood and plowed through the smoke. There was no one there. He smashed his fists against the wall in confusion. "What the frell!" He heard a light tapping and turned towards the sound. A clear screen had come down across the main doors. He could now plainly see the hideous hybrid. Scorpius stood smiling behind his shield and waved. "Impenetrable John." Crichton ran up and slammed himself against it. The wall did not budge. Some of his blood had rubbed off. He cried out in frustration which only made the other laugh. Pressing his face against the screen, John spoke. "There will be a next time." Scorpius nodded. "There is always a next time John." Then the half-breed turned and walked away.

John lowered his gun and stepped away. He waited for the armed guards to arrive but none did. He realized that Scorpius was going to let him leave. Just as he was about to do so, another tapping sound caught his attention. Scorpius had stopped and turned around. In an almost genial tone, the monster shouted back to him. "Tell your leviathan that I will be seeing her very soon."