Sequel to "Precious Memories"/Part 2 of 4 in the "I'm Still Frelling With Your Minds" Series

Author: LeatherGirl

Summary: Traces of John's past life resurface while the rest of the crew draws closer to the truth.

Rating: PG-13

Category: Drama/Action/Adventure

Disclaimer: I do not wish to make any profit off of Farscape or anyone associated with Farscape. Got it? Get it? Good.

Thanks to my beta-readers, JilaCosa and PKBarb once again!

*****

John Crichton was here.

Or at least, that's what the sign read.

With his hands upon his hips, Commander Crichton stared down at the flashing neon sign in disbelief.

That's when the huge pink animal marched past. The pounding of this floppy-eared giant was coinciding with the ache in Commander Crichton's head. He shook his head and blinked hard. When he reopened his eyes, the creature was hopping towards an oncoming fleet of Dreadnaughts and Scarran Piercers. They began to fire upon the grassy knoll he stood upon. Dirt exploded into the air all around, spraying down on the Commander like the pounding rain of a monsoon.

Running towards the empty horizon, Commander Crichton glanced back at the threat. The creature had been obliterated. Pink fluffy debris scattered everywhere.

The Dreadnaughts and Piercers drew closer, firing intensely. He ran harder. A cliff emerged from seemingly nowhere. He slipped.

Falling downward into a spiraling blue madness, the Commander grasped at anything solid around him only to find nothing. Just as he thought he would die, he landed softly on another blanket of green grass, stretching from horizon to horizon.

Commander Crichton rolled upwards and observed his surroundings cautiously. No pink creature. No Dreadnaught or Piercer. Not even a sign with his name on it. Nothing but silence.

"Hello." A quiet voice greeted him from behind. Startled out of his wits, Commander Crichton released a yelp and turned to defend himself.

Scorpius.

"What the frell is happening to me?"

"John, you must clear your mind of these frivolous matters. The Energizer Bunny is not going and going and going to restore your memory any faster." Scorpius shook Commander Crichton's shoulders as he spoke.

"Who...what...help me!" Commander Crichton stammered in frustration, backing away from this hideous being. He could feel his footing lose ground. He was about to fall again.

"You may call me Harvey." The clone responded with a smile.

Bewildered, Commander Crichton grabbed his head and screamed at the top of his lungs. He squeezed his eyes shut. It was all a very bad dream.

And then he opened them.

*****

The booth had been empty. No sign of John Crichton.

A wave of panic had enveloped the crowd of Junthrops in the service bar. Someone had mentioned seeing PeaceKeepers at the entrance and exit. Upon seeing Aeryn, one Junthrop nearby had drawn his weapon in the confusion. D'Argo and Aeryn both fired upon the Junthrop and an immediate standoff had begun.

Fortunately, the crowd relaxed a microt later as a single Junthrop came forth, recognizing these visitors as friends of Rykon and his people. D'Argo somehow managed to rid of the Junthrop, most likely threatening it with its life.

The crowd that had been blocking their view of Crichton had dissipated. Chiana observed an empty booth. Aeryn stood by silently staring with defeat parading within her glazed eyes.

Now the three headed back towards the commerce center. They hadn't been the only ones with vital information regarding Crichton. Rykon, Rygel, and Jool had found the location where Crichton had supposedly crashed.

Rygel was the first one they saw. He hovered near the front of a commerce tent filled with none other than food cube stock.

"It's about frelling time! What the hezmana took you so long?" Rygel growled, glaring at the three as they approached in defeat. The Hynerian instantly backed off, realizing their journey had not been successful.

"We saw him." Chiana informed him glumly.

Jool and Rykon then stepped forward from within the tent. They had just finished speaking with the tent's owner.

"Where? Is he all right?" Jool rushed up to them. She stopped short of Rygel, noticing the seriousness of the group before her.

"It was only an apparition." Aeryn stated in an annoyed voice. She pushed past Chiana and addressed Rykon. "Where is this wreckage?"

"We were trying to speak with the Junthrop manager of this tent. He was the one who personally witnessed the accident." Rykon informed them.

Aeryn marched past Rykon into the tent and pointed her weapon to a rather elderly-looking Junthrop kneeling upon the ground before a religious stone. The Junthrop looked up to her with pleading eyes. It did not fear her. It wanted death.

The crew gathered into the small tent behind Aeryn, unsure of what the ex-PeaceKeeper would do next.

"Where is this wreckage?"

"He couldn't give us exact coordinates...." Rygel began but the glare he received from Aeryn was enough to shut him up.

"Where?" Aeryn snarled at the Junthrop.

"This Junthrop is of no threat, Aeryn. Let him tell you what you need to know, without the force of that." Rykon motioned to Aeryn's pulse pistol.

Aeryn appeared to weigh her options momentarily. Surprising everyone, she lowered her pulse rifle and stepped to the back of the group, her face set firm.

Without warning, Chiana knelt down before the Junthrop and stared into his eyes. She stayed this way for several microns. Jool began to pace beside Rykon, biting at her nails. Rykon and D'Argo looked to each other, then to Aeryn, sharing the same thoughts. They both agreed anger and hurt was quickly consuming her soul and that made her a threat to them all.

Rygel stationed himself between the Junthrop and Chiana, looking from one to the other, sensing a tingle of energy tease his body hairs. At that moment, Chiana staggered backwards and the Junthrop collapsed onto the floor, unconscious. D'Argo and Rykon both grabbed a woozy Chiana, steadying her.

"What the yotz was that all about?" Rygel asked. He had sensed the answer; he just didn't want to acknowledge it.

"Krell! I saw through the Junthrops eyes. I know what he's seen. I can tell you...I can show you." Chiana came to a stand with D'Argo's help. Rykon released his hold on her to stare at her in disbelief. Jool stopped pacing. Even Aeryn appeared flustered by this notion.

"How? Never mind that...what happened and where is the wreckage?" D'Argo asked eagerly.

Chiana looked to each and every being before her and then to the unconscious Junthrop.

"The wreckage is a half metra from here. Three Prowlers were pursuing Crichton's module. They fired and...and he crashed." Chiana swallowed hard, tears forming in her solemn eyes as she stared on. "I saw him crawling away. He...he was injured...but not bad. Then, then there was something, no...somebody there. They took him."

"Prowlers? Then the PeaceKeepers must have him." Rygel concluded.

"And eventually Scorpius." Jool added.

Anxiety began to play into their already tested nerves.

"No." Chiana refused. The crew around her began to argue regardless.

"If there were Prowlers, there had to be PeaceKeepers." D'Argo said.

"What about the heat? Was it at night? PeaceKeepers cannot tolerate the heat, must I remind you?" Jool questioned. As if to prove her point, she glanced nervously in Aeryn's direction.

"Exactly how injured was he?" Aeryn managed to ask.

"We must go to this wreckage now...we'll find more evidence." Rykon urged.

"Quiet!" Chiana hollered.

They instantly obeyed. Chiana gained eye contact with each and every one of them.

"I don't know who! I just know it wasn't a frelling PeaceKeeper."

The crew remained quiet for a while longer. D'Argo raised his head, looking to the others.

"Do you think it was a Junthrop?"

They searched each other's faces for a sign of doubt. They found none. They then glanced to where the Junthrop had been lying to discover he had slithered away. D'Argo grunted in frustration. There was nothing they could do now but to trek to the wreckage site. The clues were only now beginning to reveal themselves. And they didn't make any sense.

*****

When Commander Crichton reentered the command center, Scorpius awaited him with the very same expression he had greeted him with on Xelia a solar day earlier. Irrefutable anger. Commander Crichton drew in a breath and approached Scorpius with the most innocent smile he could muster at the moment. He was, after all, on high security alert because of his "disruption of the wormhole project" as Lt. Braca had explained it.

Fortunately for Commander Crichton, things were beginning to connect. Thoughts and ideas. Suggestions and comments. Expressions and reactions. The human simply had to open his eyes to see what was already there.

"I deeply apologize, Scorpius. This will not happen again." Commander Crichton stated in an oddly familiar drawl. It felt right to talk this way even if it was highly detested by those around him.

"Do we have a problem, Commander?" Scorpius tilted his head with a forced smile. The boiling anger never left his eyes. If there was one thing the Commander could admire about this beast, it was his patience.

"As a matter of fact...." Commander Crichton glanced about the room before continuing. Several techs were observing them, along with Strappa, Lt. Braca, and a newly arrived Admiral. "I do have an issue to speak to you about in private. Of course, it would also be polite of you to introduce me to the Admiral here."

"Of course, forgive me." Scorpius stated and stepped forward. "This is Admiral Pius. He has been assisting us from High Command for the duration of the project. He will be observing our advancement of the research."

Commander Crichton smiled at the Admiral and held out his hand. Admiral Pius glanced to Scorpius, as if to agree with some unspoken suggestion, and then smiled to the Commander. Admiral Pius didn't, however, accept his handshake. Commander Crichton appeared not to be bothered by this. He only pondered why this Admiral didn't match up to the one in the vision he had experienced earlier.

Admiral Pius instead nodded to Commander Crichton. The Commander then searched the blank faces of all others witnessing the meeting. Their expressions were as important as the flux phase of a wormhole at this point.

Scorpius gestured to him then, signaling for him to follow. Commander Crichton did so, realizing now was his chance to speak face to face with Scorpius, without any interruptions.

The two traveled in silence to Scorpius' quarters. Once they arrived, the smile upon Scorpius' face vanished. He sneered to the Commander, who calmly stepped into the center of the room to view the fluxing wormhole out the central portal.

"Admiral Pius is not here to observe wormholes, is he?" Commander Crichton guessed. He peered at Scorpius through the corner of his eyes to witness the half-breed chuckle.

"He's here to do that and so much more, my friend. Admiral Pius is here to commemorate you. You'll be advancing three full ranks to take his brother's place beside him."

"What happened to his brother?"

"He killed him."

Silence settled between the two. Scorpius circled the Commander and came to a halt beside him, joining in staring at the magnificence before them.

"I've always dreamed of technology that would enable us to overpower those who scorn us." Scorpius admitted.

Commander Crichton didn't know whether to feel shock from this revelation or to laugh. He boldly decided to press on with the conversation, questioning Scorpius to further advance the game.

"When you came to Xelia...how did you know I was there? Why did you even come to retrieve me in person? Do I not have the freedom to travel about as I wish?" Commander Crichton asked. He tried to play anger into his voice but his curiosity was getting the best of him. He hoped Scorpius wouldn't notice.

"You question my concerns for your safety." Scorpius observed, as if reading the thought directly from Commander Crichton's mind.

"I only question why I am of such value to you. There are infinite others who could replace me." Commander Crichton pointed out.

Scorpius faced the portal and stepped forward to obtain a better view. He then turned to the Commander with a sinister expression. The anger appeared to have melted away.

"There is something I have not been truthful to you about, Commander. I feel it is time you know." Scorpius began to advance towards him.

"Know what?" Commander Crichton narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He had expected to gain some insight from this conversation...just not this soon.

"You were not bred as a PeaceKeeper." Scorpius said, reading the Commander's face as he came to a standstill before him. "You are not even a Sebacean."

The first time Commander Crichton had heard this, he had felt like someone had struck a blow to his stomach. This time, the shock was a sinking realization deep within. Hear it once, forget it; hear it twice, take notice.

Scorpius smiled, appearing to enjoy the Commander's newfound loss of words. He patted him on the shoulder and turned to face the portal once again. Commander Crichton processed the information slowly, along with other things he had observed. He wanted to pinch his arm, hoping he was dreaming and wouldn't feel a thing. Where had he learned that one anyway?

"What...." Commander Crichton's voice cracked. He cleared his throat. "What am I?"

"You are of a race known as human. Quite similar to Sebacean. You are the only one left of your species, I regretfully must inform you. As a child, you survived the massive wars that destroyed your home and your people. I rescued you and raised you into PeaceKeeper ranks. This is why you are special to this project, to me. This is why you are respected, known as the one man who has the potential to destroy an army of billions with the unforgiving wormhole technology which you alone possess."

It was almost too much to swallow.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?"

Scorpius turned, a legitimate look of sincerity upon his face. He gained eye contact with the Commander.

"Exactly the same way you trusted to see me and those around you as allies upon waking from an accident with no memory of your past."

"Trust." Commander Crichton uttered the word, looking into Scorpius' eyes for a sign of faltering. None whatsoever. The creature's dark eyes were as stable as Commander Crichton wished the wormhole beyond them could be.

He sensed something deep inside, even further past the clone, was telling him trust could not easily be won. Perhaps it was in his nature. Whatever that may be.

*****

A bead of perspiration rolled gently onto the tip of her nose. Aeryn blinked heavily. Was that her superior officer standing down the pathway? She shook her head to rid of the delusion. Xelia's night phase was suffocating her. Her arn was already up.

D'Argo and Rykon were stomping along the loose sand on the path ahead of Aeryn. Jool, Chiana, and Rygel took up the trail behind her. Just half an arn more. Aeryn was determined to search the wreckage for clues. How could she and Crais have not even discovered this site beforehand? It all seemed too easy.

Another bead of sweat rolled onto her nose. Aeryn wiped at her brow and sniffled. The air was getting thinner and thinner. Her feet seemed to dredge along, and her pulse rifle was beginning to slide onto her hip. The weight was incredible.

D'Argo stopped suddenly in front of her. Aeryn hadn't been paying close attention. She nearly collided with the Luxan, stumbling about the loose sand. Jool caught her arm and stared at her worriedly. The look sent fear throughout Aeryn and she wriggled herself free of Jool's grip. D'Argo had noticed the interaction and the entire group then came to a standstill. Fortunately for Aeryn, she avoided confrontation as they realized they had come to their destination.

The wreckage of the module was just beyond the ridge. They could already see the half-buried silhouette against the dim twilight. Rykon flipped on a flashlight and skimmed the beam of light across a minute side portion of the module. The nostalgic but battered American Flag symbol blazed in the light, speaking to all that this was something they had not prepared themselves to see.

John Crichton's primitive module lay in ruin. His pride and last connection to his Earth; discarded, half-burned, and swiftly sinking into a sea of red sand.

The reluctant discoverers stepped up the sand dune to view the wreckage closer. Rykon fired up a small flare that illuminated the immediate surrounding area. Another ship was scattered about completely destroyed and still smoldering. The identification of this ship was beyond recognizable.

The entire crew felt the loss of the human's module. It was salvageable, but would take monens, perhaps even a cycle to repair. Even then it would be questionable whether it would ever fly again. The demise of the module equaled a shredded ticket home.

The crew stood silent, observing the wreckage with thousands of thoughts passing through their minds. None of them were good.

Aeryn was beginning to feel light-headed. She leaned against the module's tail wing and inhaled deeply. This time, D'Argo did confront her.

"Aeryn, go back to Moya now. You're arn is up and you will be no good to us or yourself any longer if you stay." D'Argo ordered.

Aeryn glared at him with piercing coldness in her eyes. She didn't move a dench.

Jool stepped forward, a look of genuine concern spread across her face.

"You do understand that if you stay any longer, the heat delirium will set in with the living death to follow shortly thereafter."

Aeryn stole another difficult breath. She caught movement beyond the crew, towards a puffed wallow tree. She squinted her eyes. Her heart began to beat faster. Was it? Could it be? She weakly pushed away from the module, ignoring the others as they stepped forward to assist her.

Stumbling down the embankment, Aeryn picked up her pace to meet the figure at the tree. She relished in the relatively cooler desert breeze as she rushed forward. She could hear the others calling out to her. She focused on the figure instead. It was John. It had to be. She trudged the last few remaining steps to the tree and stopped.

It was him. Her John. The one who had died selflessly, leaving her unshielded to the universe. Even as the bitterness arose, Aeryn smiled and reached for his beautiful form. He was more handsome than ever: his sweet smile, his delicate wisps of hair, and his sparkling blue eyes.

A sharp sting resonated down the side of her neck. Aeryn barely had time to raise her hand to caress the painful strike when she felt the ground pulling her downwards. Gazing at the fading form of her lost lover, Aeryn passed out before she could even comprehend that D'Argo had tongued-lashed her.

D'Argo stood above the weakened PeaceKeeper and contacted Pilot.

"Jool and Rygel will be arriving shortly with Aeryn. She's suffering from heat delirium." D'Argo then turned to Jool and Rygel, who wore looks of disapproval. "When she awakens, do not let her out of your sight."

"I prefer to stay here." Rygel stated solemnly. He glanced back towards the wreckage. Surprising even himself, Rygel had become attached to the human. He wanted answers just as badly as the rest of them.

"Fine." D'Argo said softly. He turned his understanding gaze back to Jool. "We'll keep you updated if we discover anything more."

Rykon assisted Jool in carrying Aeryn the half-metra trek back to the transport pod. D'Argo, Chiana, and Rygel slowly combed through the wreckage, in hopes of a clue. Any clue.

*****

Scorpius twirled his metal sphere upon his fingers, admiring the irony of his situation. He had John Crichton, the key to the wormhole research he had devoted his life to. Yet, he was nowhere near solving the riddle than he was the human's incessant chattering.

Even at that very moment, the human was slipping back into his usual...rather, unusual behavior. This did not frighten Scorpius. He was still assured the human had no memory of his past.

He observed the human laughing with a young tech as they adjusted key components of the wormhole on a data screen. The tech must have sensed the half-breed's wary eye. He immediately grew quiet and walked away from the Commander. Commander Crichton glanced up in confusion. The confusion quickly melted away however, upon a glance towards Scorpius' direction. An undecipherable look passed upon his face and he turned back to his work.

Admiral Pius disrupted his thoughts at that moment.

"Scorpius. We must discuss this...Commander's advancement. I must know if his situation is permanent, irreversible in fact. If so, High Command is expecting the Commander to report immediately for war operations."

Scorpius hissed. He would not hide his dislike of this new development. He had devoted his life to this race that was half of his heritage. He struggled day in and day out to defeat the other half. Anything, especially this human, that stood in the way of this revenge would ultimately pay a deadly price. Admiral Pius appeared not to falter at the half-breed's disapproval.

"Impossible." Scorpius smiled. He masked his anger and tapped into his patience. Scorpius confronted the admiral with manipulation as his tool. "Return to your post, Admiral. You are not needed here."

"You do not order me, Scorpius. I answer only to High Command."

"Incorrect, Admiral." Scorpius stated. "The Commander shall stay with me. He does not trust your High Command nor does he wish to be a part of it. He already knows he is not a Sebacean. He will assist me and upon resolving the predicament of wormhole stability, you will be the first to know...or perhaps...."

Scorpius stepped up to the Admiral and glared evilly into his unfaltering eyes. "Experience it first hand."

Admiral Pius flinched. Scorpius relished in this show of emotion. He stood tall over the Admiral and smiled realizing he had won the argument. Unfortunately, he knew deep down that he couldn't elude High Command forever. There were more powerful forces than even he played himself out to be.

"Then he must know that he is not a part of this project willingly. His memories have not been accurately erased. If we had only been able to do the extraction ourselves...."

Scorpius cut the Admiral off immediately.

"I did not say he had remembered this fact. I told him he was a human. I manipulated the truth. That is all you need to know, Admiral Pius. Any more words on how the human came to his current situation and I will personally extract every memory from your mind using the most primitive methods I can gather."

Scorpius's voice rose upon each syllable, his anger besting his judgment. By the last few threatening words, the entire workforce within the command center had turned their attention to them. Admiral Pius's face was drained of color as Scorpius struggled to regain composure. The techs turned back to their work. The human did not.

How much of the conversation had he overheard? Scorpius stiffened. He summoned Lt. Braca, who was standing down in the bay near the Prowler. As he awaited the Lieutenant, he turned back to the human. He was still focusing attention towards them. He looked curious, nothing more, nothing less.

Lt. Braca arrived to escort the Admiral away.

"You are dismissed, Admiral. Return to High Command and let them know how much I appreciate their concern."

Admiral Pius glared at Scorpius, even amongst his fear. He had not risen to such a title without diligence.

"Be forewarned Scorpius. Once the Scarrans do decide to attack us...your life may not be spared."

The Admiral then walked towards the exit, glaring at Lt. Braca as he followed close behind. He then stopped before Commander Crichton, looking to him as if he were a pitiful being, barely worth a glance. Commander Crichton gave him a questioning gaze, then looked to the fuming Scorpius. Scorpius watched the men leave, allowing his gaze to float back to the Commander. Their gaze met. The Commander decided to take that moment to approach Scorpius.

"Scarrans? Those ugly guys with the impenetrable skin?" Commander Crichton referred to the data banks he had reviewed earlier to be refreshed on the ups and downs of PeaceKeeper ways.

"Yes, Commander. The Scarrans are the enemy. They outnumber us greatly. Is there anything more?" Scorpius spoke quickly with impatience creeping into his voice. He needn't bother hiding it any longer.

"Yeah. It's done. The wormhole is safer than a padded cell at the moment. You wanna send someone through it or should I do the test flight?"

Scorpius paused. He glanced at the human, searching for an answer that would not show itself. In his long journey to finding the answers to wormhole technology, he had learned nothing ever to be easy. If it was, there was always something to get in the way.

"No. I will test it myself."

Commander Crichton appeared shocked by this notion, as did the rest of the techs in the command center. They turned to stare at Scorpius with wondering silence. The human stole a step forward to address Scorpius.

"No, I cannot allow you to do that Scorpius. I will do it. Please."

The two stared into each other's souls at that moment. For a minute microt, time seemed to still around them. Was this trickery? What motive did each man possess? Which could be trusted?

"Scorpius, I have urgent matters to discuss with you alone." Strappa interrupted the staring match over the comms. Without blinking, Scorpius cocked his head at Commander Crichton and then left the command center. The human's mind swirled with information: wondering, thinking...connecting.

*****

The reddened horizon was the first telltale sign of dawn. More so were the intense temperatures that began to heat the sand of the great desert of Xelia. The drone of incoming ships headed for Uquari suddenly drowned the eeriness of the silent dawn out. D'Argo, Rygel, Chiana, and Rykon ducked low to the ground even in the darkness as the first fleet flew low overhead.

Slick, pointed outer shells concealed the deadly weapons that commonly decorated the exterior of the Scarran Piercers. No light or window into the Piercer revealed its pilot. Their sheer presence was enough to send chills crawling down one's spine.

With fear of discovery emulating throughout their bodies, the four missionaries scurried around to the tail end of the module for cover. Lining up, they glanced from one to another. The presence of Scarrans could mean only one thing: invasion.

As the last of the fleet disappeared towards the glowing city of Uquari, the group relaxed. They stood once again, staring at the city while the first rays of golden light spilled onto the horizon beyond.

"It's so beautiful." Chiana remarked in an awed voice. Her voice sounded hollow and small in comparison to the near dead silence of the desert surrounding them. D'Argo looked down at her smooth complexion and smiled to himself. Moments like this had to be treasured.

"Come on. Let's look for some answers before it gets too hot out here." Rykon suggested. He turned towards the charring wreckage behind them, his mind still on the thought of the Scarrans now landing in Uqauri.

"What about those Piercers? We're not safe here." Chiana exclaimed.

"I wouldn't worry. As I've mentioned before, they've increased patrols. Perhaps your run-in at the service bar required they order more security." Rykon reasoned, trying to calm the crew.

"Do you think the Scarrans know about the PeaceKeeper Base?" Rygel pondered. He scooped up a shard of metal casing from Crichton's module and dusted off the red sand before placing it within the confinements of his thronesled. He glanced around to see no one had noticed.

"We have to assume they do. Rykon, do you think they'd use your people on Ne'Bri to build an alliance?" D'Argo asked. He gave Rykon a look to remind him that this Luxan wouldn't take any dren.

"I sincerely hope not. My comrades can tolerate Scarrans no more than you and your crew." Rykon gained eye contact with D'Argo. He was dead serious. "Just the same, I'll contact Jaravio. He's my most trusted comrade."

Rykon proceeded to travel down the pathway leading to the transport pod. D'Argo sadly turned his attention back to the module wreckage. His heart panged for the human. As he stared on, Chiana and Rygel began to bicker.

"Get your frelling hands off that, Rygel!"

"I found it, it's mine!"

"I see a dark future for you Rygel!" Chiana tried to scare the Hynerian. She tugged on his throne sled as Rygel struggled to drive it away.

"If you're so clairvoyant then why can't you sense where Crichton is in the first place?"

Offended, Chiana let go of the throne sled. The extra force sent Rygel zooming backwards into the charred remains of the other ship. Rygel fell off with a thud and his throne sled became lodged in a nearby sand dune. D'Argo took a deep breath. Sometimes he wondered why he remained on Moya with these immature creatures.

As D'Argo approached Rygel, a glint caught his eye in the morning light. Chiana stilled, as did Rygel. D'Argo picked up the small metallic object and twirled it among his fingers in saddened silence. Observing his pained expression, Chiana and Rygel both believed Luxan Hyper Rage was about to ensue.

"Crichton's com badge." D'Argo stated in a low voice. He looked to Chiana then, his sweet eyes glistening with guilty tears. Chiana's own were beginning to moisten.

"I found it near the wreckage." Rygel explained. He scurried over to his throne sled and rightfully reinserted his eema into the soft cushion.

"What do you think it means?" Chiana asked. She stepped up to D'Argo, gently touching his shoulder. D'Argo handed the com to her.

"Crichton's situation just got worse. Someone deliberately tore this off. Possibly so we'd find it."

D'Argo then began to rummage through the wreckage of Crichton's module. Chiana stood, turning the com over and over in her hands, as if to help her mind reveal something.

Rygel came across a small piece of untainted shrapnel from the other ship. He carefully picked it up and carried it over to Chiana and D'Argo. At that moment, Rykon rejoined the group with a somewhat relieved expression.

"The Scarrans completely avoided Ne'Bri. Unfortunately, I've been told this is the first fleet of many. Not just one, but two Scarran Dreadnaughts are on their way here to the Stykar System."

"Frell." Chiana's voice quivered.

"Then you should probably have a look at this." Rygel handed them the piece of shrapnel. Rykon grabbed it and observed it with disgust.

"This was not an accident."

"Tell us something we don't know." Chiana responded sarcastically.

"This is a section of a pulse web generator. There are only three species in the entire universe that own such technology. PeaceKeepers, Charrids, and Junthrops."

"That narrows the suspects down. We might as well search for the artifact of Nuratifu." Rygel snorted.

"You don't understand. This pulse web generator was capable of tracking and precisely striking down an object. The inhabitant within would more than likely not be spared. The fact that your human's remains are yet to be found, means whoever struck him down had the intention that he stay alive for some purpose of their own."

This time it was D'Argo's turn to curse.

"Frell."

*****

As the Prowler was being prepared for flight, Scorpius and Commander Crichton stood side by side, admiring the beauty of the stable wormhole on the view screen before them. Years of pained research had finally paid off. The mission was complete. Now the wormhole simply needed to be tested.

"Any word from Admiral Pius?" Commander Crichton asked with a quick side-glance. Scorpius appeared to be caught off guard.

"High Command does not need to know of our success just yet, Commander. Should we not test the wormhole first? We would not want to contact them with false hope." Scorpius mentored him.

"You're absolutely right, Scorpius. But I was simply wondering if Admiral Pius had left the base alive after your argument."

At this notion, Scorpius turned to face Commander Crichton with suspicious eyes. This alone confirmed the answer.

"What was he doing here?" Commander Crichton pressed forth.

Alarms and red beacons began to flash around them. Strappa rushed to a console and madly punched controls. Scorpius' composure began to falter and he slammed his fist onto a nearby console. Commander Crichton glanced to the view screen to see the mouth of the wormhole spinning madly out of control. His stabilization theory had only worked temporarily. Commander Crichton gulped. He had already seen the evidence of Scorpius' anger and wished not to follow in Admiral Pius' footsteps.

Too late. Scorpius spun around and came face to face with the Commander, breathing heavily. Commander Crichton remained tall, staring back into the blackened eyes of the devil himself.

"Fix it!" Scorpius growled.

"I'm not the only one with knowledge here, Scorpius. I'm beginning to wonder if I am the only reason you have kept this base operating. You don't seem to know all there is about wormholes, do you?" Commander Crichton began to circle around Scorpius. He felt odd doing this but at the same time, experienced a feeling of retribution. Scorpius followed his trail with a glare.

"We combine our knowledge but it is you who possesses the key information." Scorpius spat.

"I see." Commander Crichton nodded and then smiled lightly. He stilled before Scorpius.

"Maybe there is something I can do. But you have to do something for me in return."

"What?" Scorpius could barely utter the word.

"You have to lift the high security alert on my name." Commander Crichton crossed his arms and waited. If it weren't for the supposed knowledge he possessed, death would have consumed him by now. He could only thank the stars that he was good at bluffing.

Scorpius fumed with anger but appeared to be weighing his options. Finally, he looked to Lt. Braca standing nearby and nodded his head. Commander Crichton then patted him on the shoulder and walked away. Outside, the wormhole had become once again unstable, just as their relationship.

*****

There he was again. Bright, sparkling blue eyes. Soft red lips. Gentle touch. Aeryn wanted to cry into his warm chest. But as she reached to caress his soul, she found only cold and darkness. Opening her eyes, Aeryn discovered herself to be within the med bay on Moya. She weakly shifted her head to view the entire room around her. She was alone. Finally.

A single tear trailed down her burning cheek. She no longer felt the need to hold the pain back. During the last couple monens traveling with this John, Aeryn had realized how badly she had been scarred. Every glance in this John's direction made her feel anger, resentment, even pity. She saw him as nothing more than a shadow of the man she had really known and loved. Nothing more than an inferior being. She cursed herself for feeling this way. Her John's death had scarred her beyond repair.

How she longed for her John again. He had died a little less than two monens ago. She had retreated to her old PeaceKeeper habits. Aeryn had become cold and disheartened but just as disciplined. Her daily exercises took up more of her routine than ever now. She felt a tingle of life still clinging onto a sense of contentment from the exercises. She felt she was drawing closer and closer to her older self. Before John Crichton. Aeryn cringed. She hated to think of everything as "After John Crichton".

Jool cleared her throat, announcing her presence at the entrance to the med bay. Aeryn quickly wiped her tears dry and sniffled. Jool smiled softly as she approached, hoping to show she was sympathetic.

"Feeling better?" Jool inquired.

"Not really." Aeryn replied in a rough voice. Jool sat down beside her and helped her sip from a cup of water.

"I'm not surprised. You've expended all of your energy. The heat delirium's effects were diluted somewhat by a serum concocted by Rykon's med staff, but you still have a fever."

"Dren."

"Yes." Jool agreed, staring off as she sat the cup down on a table beside them. She then looked to Aeryn with a hint of caution playing into her emerald eyes. "They found Crichton's com badge among the wreckage."

Aeryn swallowed hard.

"Anything else?"

"Nothing much, I guess." Jool cocked her head. "Do you even care about Crichton anymore? He did nothing to you. I know the death of the other one was difficult but you have to realize how much you're hurting this one."

Aeryn's eyes glazed over with a chilling coldness. Jool shrank back, already regretting what she had said.

"My lover, the person who made me who I am...was...died a hero. He gave his own life up to save everyone else. I cannot forget that. I will not. And if you think that I don't care about John Crichton, either the real one or the...other one...you are horribly mistaken. Unfortunately, lovers do not prevail nor do they possess any value to anything at all. I was bred as a PeaceKeeper, it is what I do, and there's nothing you can say that will change that!"

Her face reddened in anger, Aeryn gathered a deep breath, training her icy glare on a rather silent Jool. Thankfully, Pilot interrupted the two, bringing some rather unexpected news. His image appeared on the clamshell behind them.

"Moya has located Stark. He is arriving within thirty microts in docking bay three."

Still stiff and immobile from fear, Jool allowed her gaze to settle back onto Aeryn. Aeryn's eyelids were drooping. Her angered outburst had tired her more than she had wished. As the Sebacean drifted back into unsettled sleep, Jool tiptoed out of the med bay, anxious for the first time, to meet up with Stark.

*****

Commander Crichton had formulated his plan. He would deceive Scorpius. Make him believe the wormhole was safe, one hundred percent stable. Then, while all were anticipating results as a "test dummy" flew threw it, he'd escape down to Xelia. There was something there he needed to discover. He just didn't know what.

This was what he had planned since the last visit to Xelia. Find answers. Unfortunately, Scorpius had discovered him and urged him to return to the Gammak Base. Why he had complied and not put up a decent fight was beyond him. Then again, Scorpius was his superior officer and a PeaceKeeper must always respect...Commander Crichton had to pause a moment there. PeaceKeeper? He wasn't even Sebacean for frell's sake! He was human. Who knew what that was? It even sounded inferior. But he had to reason...his intelligence was highly sought after which was why he was in his present position. He had to be thankful for at least that.

As he stealthily traveled amongst the shadows of a passageway, Commander Crichton drew closer to the data banks sector. Before leaving this base, he would retrieve several holo-chips regarding these wormholes and perhaps a few on his own history...if any. He recalled from his last visit that there were few to none stored under his name. Once he had the information he thought he needed, he would escape to Xelia in a Marauder.

Leaning on the cold, metal wall behind him, Commander Crichton held his breath. Footsteps pounded madly down the hall towards his location. Did someone discover he was missing from his quarters?

Commander Crichton viewed Lt. Braca rushing past, heading towards the command center. The lieutenant never even saw him in the shadows. But the look of fear on his face was another matter. What was going on now?

Refocusing on his mission, the Commander stepped away from the shadows and released his breath. Glancing in both directions, he tiptoed into the hall leading to the data banks sector.

Another flurry of footsteps. His heart raced. His palms were sweaty. For the supposed cool-headed Commander that he was, this venture was disproving the legend quickly. Commander Crichton stifled a laugh. An officer he had been socializing with in the officer's lounge last evening had told him all about his famed status.

---

"Sure, you are notorious, sir! There was this one instance where Scorpius had nearly overheated himself with his intense anger. The prototype wormhole was about to collapse. We all wanted to leave before he lost it but you, no not you. You stood there, completely calm, concentrating on the mission at hand. You did not falter. You came up with the solution. The wormhole stabilized for the most part. Scorpius, well he was quite mystified. That was how you really proved your worth, you know."

Commander Crichton smiled and nodded, as if he were envisioning the incident along with the officer. However, as he took a rather long gulp of Raslac, he had to tell himself to swallow. To him, the sting of alcohol was more real than the memory the officer was describing.

"Scorpius' bark is worse than his bite, my friend." Commander Crichton chuckled. He patted the now perplexed officer on the back. Turning to leave, the Commander was assaulted with another memory.

Her cold eyes pierced his soul. They were standing face to face. It had been a long time since they had done this last. A long time. His heart begged for her to come closer. Her raven black hair accentuated her dark face. Staring back into those cold eyes, he could see the battles being waged within. His simple presence was killing her.

The Commander blinked several times. His heart nearly stopped beating as he found himself once again face to face with Scorpius. It was time to return to the command center.

---

The footsteps dissipated further down the hall. He was safe once again. Commander Crichton entered into the data banks sector. He was determined now more than ever to discover the conspiracy unraveling itself on this base.

A slight humming noise hinted to the holo-display being previously activated. Someone else had been in the sector...and not too long ago. Commander Crichton searched the area with his cautious gaze. He allowed his fingers to run along the smooth metal wall that encircled the holo-display. Millions of tiny little insets in this wall held holo-chips. Information at his fingertips.

He didn't need to be an amnesiac to understand how the data banks were organized. Mathematical order. The universal language. Commander Crichton found his files with ease.

Depressing the inset containing his holo-chip history, the Commander waited as a small sheen tray protruded, containing four holo-chips. Each chip was engraved with a unique etching and color-code. Commander Crichton ran an index finger across these four chips with concentration etched into his face. He finally picked up the third holo-chip and spun around to place it within the holo-display.

His eyes meandered to the images that began to display before him. A dark prison cell. A prototype chair. An Aurora chair, in fact. A neural chip. A blue skinned woman...not like the one before...for this one appeared much more menacing. Commander Crichton observed these elements being lined up in a row. A language of undecipherable symbols raced across this display. But what captivated his attention most was Scorpius' image next to a rather ominous one of his own. These images were great clues in the mystery of the void in his mind. From what this holo-chip suggested, Commander Crichton was once a prisoner of Scorpius. And perhaps on more than one occasion.

They had been enemies. Commander Crichton had been elusive. He focused once more on the neural chip, feeling an alarming association with it. His trust in Scorpius was dwindling even more now.

"This is pointless, John."

Commander Crichton jumped, his hand immediately reaching for his pulse pistol. As his heart struggled to calm, the Commander turned to stare at the clone. He wasn't in the mood for this now.

"Frell, Scorpius. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm Harvey, remember?" The neural clone stepped over to the holo-display and deactivated it. Commander Crichton faced the clone and snarled. "Ah, you've gathered more information, I see. Ignore it. You don't understand the context. You mustn't let it get in the way of the wormhole research."

"Wormhole...they're watching my every move like a hawk, Scorp...Harvey. How the frell do you expect me to work with Scorpius when I know something's not right. Memories or no memories, I trust my gut." Commander Crichton raised his hands and then lowered them.

"Memories? Hmmm." Harvey said thoughtfully. He folded his arms and walked around the holo-display to stand opposite the Commander. It was as if this apparition actually feared the man.

"What?" Commander Crichton leaned forward onto the holo-display, with a piercing gaze.

"Everything you've been 'remembering' has been courtesy of me, Commander. I'm trying to help you see." Harvey stopped suddenly, as if someone where restraining him from continuing.

"See what? Harvey?" Commander Crichton's patience had grown thin. He slammed a hand down on the holo-display in frustration. This action activated the holo-chip to repeat the display of images.

"You are a PeaceKeeper. Regardless. Do not allow Scorpius or any one else to dissuade you from your mission. You are to complete the wormhole."

Harvey dissipated as suddenly as he had appeared. Commander Crichton slammed his fist down on the holo-display once more. The images dissipated. His anger was getting the best of his judgment. Not only were the memories proving to be forced by this apparition, but also his only allies were turning out to be his enemies.

Commander Crichton straightened. He ejected the holo-chip and made sure to place it back exactly where he found it. He didn't want to know any more of this "history". The holo-chips were probably tainted anyway. The anger boiled into his soul. He was back at the beginning.

*****

As the more defined rays of dawn sprinkled light onto the wreckage, D'Argo and Rykon scooped the silky sand away from Crichton's module. Chiana and Rygel worked to uncover any more clues regarding Crichton's whereabouts. They had searched the perimeter for nearly an arn when they discovered a rather unsettling sight.

Rygel called for D'Argo and Rykon. Chiana stared at the saturated reddened pool of blood that had been drunk by the lighter shade of sand, her mind elsewhere.

As if in another zone, another time entirely, Chiana could see into a world that had existed not too long into the past. Everything streaked and blurred as she looked from right to left. Her own agitated breath became amplified in this new environment. As she stumbled along the sandy slope, Chiana leaned back to prevent herself from pitching forward. She grabbed onto a nearby weed for support and became stationary. Her mind and heart stilled. There, lying at the base of this slope was Crichton himself. A bundle of black leather amongst a rather large pool of his own blood. Fear tingled at the edges of her soul as Chiana swallowed hard. Tears threatened her eyes. She raced down the slope, luckily keeping her balance. As she neared Crichton's still form, she slid to her knees. Sand sprinkled into the heated air. Chiana rested a hand upon the back of Crichton's head. He was cool to the touch. Dead? Chiana wanted to turn him over. She wanted to believe she'd view his crystal blue eyes peering at her thankfully. Somewhere in the distance, the familiar drone of a Prowler drew close to their position. Chiana breathed hard. She turned to activate her comms. Widening her dark eyes in fear, she discovered they were not alone. A dark figure was approaching. He was coming for Crichton. Chiana screamed. Immediately, she was whisked back into the present.

Chiana shook her head and stood away from the new evidence. D'Argo and Rykon raced down the slope and rushed past her to observe the evidence with Rygel.

D'Argo was the one to finally notice her newfound silence. She continued to stare at the bloodstained sand even as he came to stand before her.

"Chiana, tell me. Do you see something? Do you know what this means?" D'Argo pressured an answer.

Rykon looked to her as well, though she took little notice. His gaze was a little more inquiring, a little more apprehensive. Rygel looked to the com badge he still had within his possession. He disliked this situation more and more.

In a chilled breath, despite the rising heat, Chiana stared deep into D'Argo's eyes. The fear projecting from them sparked something within D'Argo. He released his hold of her hand and stepped away. He didn't want to know what she knew. None of them did.

A blast disrupted their concentration. Red sand flurried across their vision; an unseen force sent them to the ground. D'Argo and Rykon immediately withdrew their weapons and fired upon two figures on a ridge to their left. Whoever was attacking them now had come from the path leading to the city.

The figures disappeared. Another blast, much closer this time, sent another spray of sand raining down upon them. Chiana and Rygel hovered close to D'Argo, fearing for their lives. They both regretted not bringing weapons with them this time.

A row of figures raced across another ridge, near the wreckage site. Each carried a flaming torch. D'Argo and Rykon glanced at one another, not needing an explanation. They jumped out into the open and fired. The figures dropped, one by one, the torches striking the sand and the fire quickly diminishing. Silence followed.

Rygel zoomed his throne sled up to hover beside D'Argo and Rykon. Chiana slowly followed suit. The forbidding desert was silent once more. Rykon exchanged glances with his three newfound friends.

"Someone badly wants this evidence to remain hidden." Rykon stated. He took a deep breath. He was beginning to realize that accompanying such infamous aliens could be hazardous to one's health.

"Let's find out who." D'Argo sneered and began to lead the group across the still smoldering wreckage to the five bodies strewn across the red sand. Dark blue blood was spilling onto the thirsty sand around each body, attesting to their demises.

Chiana gulped. Had one of these assailants been the one she would have seen in the vision?

D'Argo kicked over the body of one such assailant to reveal it's hooded face. Rygel spat. Rykon shook his head.

"Junthrops." D'Argo confirmed.

"Frell, Chiana, you could have at least warned us this time." Rygel muttered. Rykon glanced to Chiana, in a questioning gaze. Chiana felt like squeezing the life out of Rygel at that moment but chose to glare at him instead.

"I've got a bad feeling about this place. We should leave." Chiana suggested.

"But shouldn't we at least try to figure out what kind of ship this was?" Rykon pointed to the smoldering charred shrapnel. Rygel scooped up a few samples for all to see.

"There. We'll take the shrapnel back to Moya. I agree with Chiana, let's get the frell out of here."

D'Argo looked to Rykon, waiting to see if he would be satisfied with this. Rykon slowly nodded his head, glancing around at the scene as if he would find anything more.

"Even though I oppose to leaving without more information, I do agree with Chiana. We should leave."

"Good. Because you were going to go one way or another." D'Argo said, his anger still fuming. He observed the scene once more, allowing his sorrowful gaze to rest upon Crichton's module. "We'll take the module with us."

Without any further dispute, D'Argo turned to lead the group away. Each alien was feeling more unsettled than ever on this planet. Between the increased presence of Scarrans and the attack by the Junthrops, Xelia was becoming too hot to handle.

*****

The Banik slave did not appear well. The right portion of his face was a burned core. The left portion was pale. Stark himself did not appear to be bothered by his own appearance. He approached Jool in the docking bay and embraced her in a tight hug. The Interon struggled out of his grip and took a few steps back.

"Where have you been? You look like dren!" Jool exclaimed.

A sweet smile transformed Stark's grave face into that of a gentle soul.

"With Zhaan." It was a calm, soothing reply. Jool narrowed her eyes.

"So what are you doing here? Why not just stay with your lover?"

"I must warn Crichton and the others. I sense I'm already too late. I cannot stay long." Stark stated, his eyes glancing about the docking bay. "I cannot stay long."

Jool reluctantly held out a hand.

"Come, let's talk in the med bay. Aeryn's suffering from heat delirium. Maybe you can help."

Stark simply nodded. Jool took that as a yes and led the Banik to the med bay. Their excursion was a silent one. Jool would glance back every so often, to assure Stark was following. Stark would smile but then become serious. He was on a mission. Jool almost wondered if he were to disperse once his mission was carried out. There were species that did that sort of thing, after all.

Upon entering into the med bay, Stark rushed to Aeryn's side. She was in deep sleep, her forehead beaded with sweat. Stark caressed a few dampened strands of black hair resting upon her reddened cheek. Jool observed Stark, realizing he appeared genuinely concerned. She sensed something was wrong.

"What is it?" Jool begged an answer to all this mystery. "You do know Crichton is missing, don't you?"

Stark brushed away the strands of hair upon Aeryn's face, a dreamy look entering into his eye. He didn't appear to be paying any attention to Jool. He straightened, and then turned to face her.

"Crais will betray you all. He has been a secret operative for quite some time. His mission was to guide Talyn into the destructive ways of the PeaceKeepers. And ultimately hand the gunship over to High Command."

Jool gasped.

"Before you think horribly of him, you must know he has faltered in his mission. He has grown attached to all of you. But there is one thing that he cherishes over all that will direct him to complete this mission."

Jool allowed her gaze to fall onto Aeryn. She had done so subconsciously. Once she realized that Stark had followed her gaze, she turned her attention back to him.

"Surely, you're not telling me Aeryn will betray Talyn. Betray all of us. She wouldn't do that...would she?"

Something sparked within Stark at that moment. He became incoherent, mumbling and pacing. Jool took a step further from him.

"Must speak with Crichton. Help him remember. Must remember!" Stark rambled.

Jool opened her mouth. At that moment, Pilot disrupted them both, appearing on the clamshell nearby. He was extremely alert.

"Scarrans!"

Jool shrieked as a wave of panic swept throughout her body. Stark hollered and ducked behind a console. Aeryn moaned in her sleep.

"Pilot, where?" Jool demanded to know.

She peered out the view screen. Past Talyn in the distance, a fleet of Scarran Piercers was quickly approaching Xelia. Jool watched as the ships continued past Talyn and Moya and stilled as they entered towards the upper atmosphere of Xelia. Once in position, the Piercers became stationary.

"Pilot, do they see us?"

"Yes. However, Talyn believes the Scarran Piercers are solely dedicated to guarding the planet Xelia, rather than engage in a confrontation with us." Pilot was exasperated. He was growing ill of these constant conflicts with the enemy.

"What do we do?" Jool looked to Stark. He was pacing back and forth, mumbling something about Crichton remembering. Aeryn was in her own world of delirium. Jool glanced back to Pilot with an answer to her own question. "Pilot, alert the others down on Xelia."

"There's no need. They're already within Moya's docking web. They narrowly escaped direct confrontation by the Piercers."

Releasing a shaky breath, Jool glanced back out the view screen to spy the transport pod approaching. Her fingers were gripped tight to the console in front of her. She looked to Stark, who was pacing madly. Her gaze then fell back to Aeryn. There was one thing she could do.

*****

"Procrastination." Scorpius muttered, lying back on his reclining chair within his quarters. He smiled at Lt. Braca who had stationed himself nearby. "A crippling disease in the minds of those who exist below us, Lt. Braca. One must immediately work towards the goals one sets. Stop at nothing until the mission is complete. That is all we know, is it not?"

Lt. Braca uncomfortably shifted. These long, philosophical speeches by his superior were rather pointless and dull to him. He cared only to advance in his position, by any means necessary. Even if it meant nodding his head and agreeing with everything this vile creature had to say.

"You may be asking yourself what I'm suggesting." Like a cat preparing to pounce upon its prey, a menacing Scorpius had a watchful eye on his lieutenant.

"The human is defiant, sir?" Lt. Braca knew the answer already. He struggled not to show the annoyance creeping within.

Scorpius drew in a breath and straightened on the chair. He nodded his head.

"Even as a man with no past, he has found ways to elude me." Scorpius tapped a lone finger upon his lips, thinking. "Why do you think we haven't launched another test flight? He's playing games with us, lieutenant. Though I do not believe he has nor will ever regain his past, I do believe he has found basis for mistrust."

Lt. Braca's brow wrinkled in confusion. Scorpius abruptly stood and came face to face with him, nearly startling him out of his wits.

"It's in his eyes, his words...his energy signature. Earlier, Strappa informed me of a security breach in the data banks sector. Care to guess what holo-chip had been viewed?"

Lt. Braca gained eye contact with Scorpius, staring on in disbelief.

"The key wormhole knowledge that had been locked within his mind? How, sir?"

"The same thing that has kept the human alive until now...luck." Scorpius smiled and stepped away, pacing amongst the room. "Although I firmly believe in precaution, I do know that Crichton has no idea what he has stumbled upon."

Lt. Braca gulped. He hoped Scorpius was right.

"What do you suggest, sir?"

Scorpius stopped his pacing to face his lieutenant once more before exiting his quarters.

"Force."

*****

An insulting blow to his face blurred his vision. The foul taste of blood tainted his taste buds. Squinting his left eye, Commander Crichton straightened in shock. Scorpius was nonetheless irate.

The Commander had to stifle a laugh. Scorpius did not project himself to be the kind of creature to strike others directly.

He spit out blood and glared at his superior. Lt. Braca stood several steps beyond Scorpius, smiling smugly.

"That was uncalled for." Commander Crichton cocked his head. Under the surface, he was doing all that he could to keep himself from beating Scorpius into a bloody mess.

"Both your deception and procrastination have been noted, Commander. You are to complete the final stage of wormhole stabilization."

Commander Crichton grew serious. An ultimatum.

"And if I don't?" He asked with fury creeping into his veins.

"Death." Scorpius answered simply. Commander Crichton read his eyes with clarity. This creature knew no fear.

"Don't think High Command would agree with that one, Scorpius. Not gonna work." Commander Crichton shook his head with confidence. This action appeared to make Scorpius even angrier. Were the half-breed's threats no longer effective?

"You will finish the research." Scorpius snarled and instantly grabbed Commander Crichton by the neck, pinning him up against a nearby wall support. Lt. Braca stepped forward in alert. On one hand, he hoped Scorpius would kill the human but on the other, he had to ensure the human's life remained top priority.

Commander Crichton struggled for air, his face growing a shade of purple. Scorpius breathed heavily into his face, trying to control his anger. The Commander's eyes displayed a hint of fear, yet he remained confident. After all, he was the most valuable being on the base, next to Scorpius.

"Why should I?" Commander Crichton uttered the question with a harsh voice. He gasped for air as the half-breed applied more pressure. Fuzzy black dots were beginning to parade around the edges of his vision.

"Perhaps something even worse than death shall meet you if you don't." Scorpius stared into Commander Crichton's drooping eyes. He pushed hard against his throat once more before releasing his hold. The human crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. He held a hand to his throat, rubbing it sorely.

Scorpius stepped around so he could gain eye contact with him once more. Commander Crichton glared up at him.

"You cannot threaten me, Scorpius. I answer to High Command, remember?"

"As do I. Do you think High Command gives any regard to its scientists? We are but servants to their political means." Scorpius hissed.

"You can't keep me here." Commander Crichton pointed out.

"Yes, I can." Scorpius accentuated his power and looked to Lt. Braca. "Force by any means necessary. It is what I do best, Commander Crichton."

"Scorpius." Strappa contacted him over the comms, disrupting the confrontation. The half-breed growled in frustration.

"What is it, Strappa?"

"Scarrans. They've...they've seized Xelia. And the General, he wishes to speak to you."

"How did they acquire our stealth frequency? Have they sensed our position, Strappa?" Scorpius regained focus on the newest threat.

"No, sir. They've only compromised our frequencies. They are far from detecting the base. But they're getting closer, sir. Two dreadnaughts...."

Scorpius spun around and snarled at Lt. Braca.

"Go to the command center and monitor the situation. Deactivate the wormhole if you must. I will be there shortly."

Lt. Braca looked from Scorpius to the human struggling to regain air and then to Scorpius again. He hesitated no longer and raced down the passageway. Scorpius knelt down beside the Commander.

Commander Crichton glared at Scorpius, his face tilted. His breathing had once again become regular, but an ugly large bruise graced his neck.

"The Scarrans are our greatest enemy. No matter whom you decide to betray, they are not the ones to trust. Now if you wish to live...to perhaps discover your true past, I suggest you do as I say. Willingly. It is in your best interest. I do not think I need to demonstrate my point any further, Commander. You only need to open your eyes to see that I am the only one you can trust. We are both scientists. Curious minds. Do not allow that curiosity to cloud your judgment."

Commander Crichton remained silent, his ego bruised. Scorpius nodded, satisfied his point had been made, and straightened. He stared at the human a moment longer, as if waiting for something. He then walked down the passageway, leaving the human to his own thoughts.

Rubbing his throat, Commander Crichton stood. A wave of coolness and sparkling flashes invaded his head and vision. He stared down the passageway where Scorpius had left. Vengeance began to form onto his pained face.

He knew whom to trust now. Himself. Commander Crichton headed for the command center. If he was to play the game right, he needed to know every angle. That included what the Scarrans had to say to Scorpius.

*****

She stepped into the quarters she had shared with "her" John to find him there. Talyn shifted unexpectedly. They were nearing the planet once again. Aeryn peered at this John, watching his slouched back as he toyed with some kind of medallion in his hands. Stealing another step, Aeryn made her presence known.

"We're nearing Xelia. Perhaps this time we'll have less confrontation with the Junthrops. Maybe we'll even find some information regarding the base."

John only nodded. This silence was deafening for both her and Crais. The human had been this way since they had left Moya weekens ago.

"Not we, me." John responded finally. Confused, Aeryn shook her head and stepped closer. The human turned. She remembered her John standing this exact way in this very spot not too long ago. A chill tickled her spine and it took all her energy to remain strong.

"You guys can't handle the heat, literally." John explained, with a small smile cracking at the edge of his lips. Aeryn allowed her gaze to slide to the medallion within his fingers.

"What is that?"

"This?" John held it up for her to see. It was oddly familiar to her. John held onto it as if it were the last thing he had from his Earth. "It's the puzzle ring my dad gave to me."

Aeryn's brow crumpled in confusion. Hadn't the ring been lost? Her mind traveled for a moment to the events beginning on the first Gammak Base that spiraled down to the very moment they existed in. John had mentioned losing the ring sometime around the explosion of that Gammak Base.

"How did you....?" Aeryn's voice trailed off.

"It's a small universe after all." John chuckled, his eyes trained on the puzzle ring. Aeryn sensed a deep sadness in the chuckle. "I found it in the commerce center on Xelia. The dealer didn't like me too much, can't imagine why. I managed to barter away some supplies for a decent trade."

Aeryn shook her head.

"Decent trade? You call that a decent trade? It is nothing but a useless memento. You should have spared yourself the trouble."

Realizing she had offended John, even though it was what she initially set out to do, Aeryn turned and left him alone once more. But as harsh as she could be these days, she stole one last glance in his direction. Just to make sure he was okay.

---

D'Argo observed the restraints tightened to an unconscious Aeryn's wrists and ankles. Jool had explained her distrust in Aeryn and Crais' questionable motives to them once they had arrived back on Moya. Rygel hovered into the med bay, contently chewing on a Trusla stick. It had been some time since his last meal.

Through an optic enhancer, Jool studied the components of the charred shrapnel the others had brought back from the wreckage site. Frustratingly swinging her hair out of her face, Jool shook her head at what she was seeing.

"I just don't understand it." Jool threw up her arms in frustration. She stepped away from the optic enhancer and looked to D'Argo and Rygel.

"You can't even tell what metal base it contains?" D'Argo pressed for an answer.

"I'm not sure. Yet. I need better equipment. Kreckit! How do you people work under these conditions!" Jool shoved at some equipment on a nearby table in disgust.

"Moya was a prisoner transport. Not a research vessel." Rygel reminded her.

"Can you tell us what type of ship this was?" D'Argo's temper was growing thin.

"Not with this, no." Jool motioned to the equipment once more in exasperation.

"Frell!" D'Argo swung his head to face the clamshell on the wall. "Pilot."

Pilot's image appeared, looking quite startled.

"Yes, Ka' D'Argo?"

"Does Moya have any other research facility or equipment of that nature anywhere on board?" D'Argo shook a hand towards the equipment in the med bay.

Pilot lowered his head, observing the controls in front of him. He listened to Moya momentarily before responding.

"No."

"No?"

"In fact, most of the equipment aboard Moya is three cycles behind in new technological advancements." Pilot grew embarrassed.

"We are well aware of this Pilot, thank you." D'Argo answered in frustration. He turned away and Pilot's image dissipated.

"What about Crichton's module? Is there anything you can determine from what we've recovered?" D'Argo asked. Jool read into his eyes, realizing the Luxan was to the point of begging for answers. Sympathizing with him, she gave him a small smile of hope.

"I did find one thing. Come, I'll show you." Jool motioned. She then led Rygel and D'Argo to the docking bay where Crichton's module had been placed.

Rykon was currently observing the module with great interest while Stark was pacing nearby. His mantra regarding Crichton had not changed. Chiana stood silently by, as if intently listening to the world around her.

"Stark never changed." Rygel commented with a smirk.

Jool approached the module, waiting as Rykon took a step back. She then pointed towards a large black streak near the nose of the module. Several smaller black streaks had burned into the dirtied surface, spreading out in a radial pattern.

"See this?"

"Yes." D'Argo urged her to continue with the tone of his voice.

"His module was struck down by a pulse web generator."

"We already know this, what's your point?" Rygel replied.

"My point, is that from what we see here, the blast of the pulse web was small...not large enough to cause enough damage for the module to malfunction and crash. In fact, this pulse web was most likely engaged after the module crashed...and at another target nearby."

Chiana perked up at that moment.

"Isn't a pulse web blast fatal?" Chiana's voice almost quivered. Rykon shook his head.

"At low energy settings, no. But why anyone would use it on a being is redundant." Rykon pieced things together in his mind as he spoke. "I believe someone shot your human down, lured him out of his module, and seized him for prize."

"That's quite an allegation, Rykon." Jool titled her head at the Mastonal. His fins rattled down his spine and he turned to her. She stepped back in fright.

"Look at the evidence, see for yourself."

D'Argo stepped between the two, immediately breaking off the confrontation.

"All we know are more questions to answers we can't seem to find. Jool...keep looking for anything that may be a clue. I'm going to see Aeryn. If she's coherent, she may be able to help us."

With that, the crew split up. Several DRDs approached Crichton's scorched module to clean it. Rykon remained stationary as the others left, watching these DRDs. Then, when he was assured everyone had traveled out of earshot, he accessed his comms. He had to contact the Junthrops. That is, if the Scarrans hadn't already seized Uquari.

*****

"General Ka'ru." Scorpius greeted the Scarran presence upon the view screen with a hidden snarl.

"Scorpius." The general acknowledged.

Commander Crichton chose that moment to step out of the shadows of the entrance to the cleared command center. Only Scorpius and Lt. Braca had remained within. The Scarran's eyes met the human's in an instant.

Commander Crichton felt an odd sensation envelope his body. He shrugged it off.

"Have you two met?" Commander Crichton implied to their rather sour greetings.

"This does not concern you Commander." Scorpius glared at him with menacing eyes. The human felt little, if any, fear from him at the moment.

"I'm second in command on this base, am I not?"

Lt. Braca narrowed his eyes at the human, wishing Scorpius would order his removal. Scorpius remained stationary and looked to General Ka'ru.

"What do you want?" Scorpius asked.

"I have already seized Xelia and its city Uquari. It is only a matter of time before my army discovers the exact location of your base."

Scorpius glanced at Lt. Braca. He truly hoped the techs were scrambling the frequencies as they spoke. Any little leeway and the Scarrans would discover and overpower the base in an instant.

The General began to speak more in depth of his seizure of Xelia with Scorpius. As he did, Commander Crichton studied his face carefully. There was something calling to him...something that led him to believe he should contact this general at another time. Maybe even contact the Dreadnaught on which he was traveling. There was vital information he needed to discuss with this Scarran.

His palms grew sweaty. Was he a defector? Why was it so important he sought out the General to speak with him alone? Scarrans were the enemy after all, according to everyone around him. Commander Crichton stared at the General with intensity. Perhaps this Scarran was his ally.

"Are you telling me you wish to bargain?" Scorpius ridiculed.

"There is something in your possession...something both you and the Commander here have in common. Your secret base is the ultimate prize in this battle. Once we discover what it is you are researching, we will find and seize your base." General Ka'ru released a razor-sharp display of teeth in an attempt of a smile.

"And how, General, do you propose you will achieve such a feat?" Scorpius chortled. He was enjoying this conversation immensely. Commander Crichton had to wonder: who had the upper hand?

"We have our ways, Scorpius. Just as you have yours." General Ka'ru laughed and abruptly ended the transmission.

Scorpius remained still for a moment, as if processing the information from the General over and over in his mind. Lt. Braca gulped in fear. He knew the moods of the half-breed like he knew his daily duties.

Commander Crichton cringed, realizing he was under direct fire of Scorpius's rage. He began to exit the command center, hoping he would escape the wrath of his superior.

"Oh Commander." Scorpius called after him. His voice sounding unusually cool.

Spinning on his heel, the human turned to face Scorpius. His gaze locked with Lt. Braca's momentarily. Fear echoed between them. As he refocused his gaze to Scorpius, a look of steel coolness blanketed his face.

"Yes, Scorpius?" He disliked this PeaceKeeper gig more and more.

"Activate the wormhole immediately. We must test it...with a Scarran Dreadnaught."

Commander Crichton and Lt. Braca stilled at this statement. An impossible feat. One they knew not to question. The two immediately set out to their separate duties, knowing death would greet them if they refused the order. Even under such circumstances, Commander Crichton wasn't ready to give up without a fight.

*****

D'Argo stood within the door to the med bay, looking on as Aeryn feverishly thrashed about in her sleep. Sadness tore at his heart. After all the crew had been through together, the latest chain of events was too unbearable. D'Argo walked into the room and stood above Aeryn, thinking of how happy she had once been. That smile no longer graced her face. As D'Argo lowered his hand to caress her reddened cheek, Aeryn's eyes fluttered open. She was not startled by his presence.

"We have but traces of information regarding Crichton's whereabouts." D'Argo mustered as he sat down beside Aeryn. She pulled at her restraints but remained stationary. She knew just as well as anyone they were for her own good.

"What do we know?" Aeryn asked, immediately entering into business mode. That's all this was to her. Business.

D'Argo gazed at her with sincere eyes. She avoided his stare. The inner turmoil of living aboard a ship of memories and with a ghost of someone she once loved was almost too much to bear. PeaceKeeper monotonous life often silenced the turmoil. Aeryn allowed a cold expression to pass over her face.

"This is what we know."

**Somewhere in the outskirts of the Stykar System exists yet another secret Gammak Base. Scorpius obviously operates this base with stealth efficiency. No one knows of the exact location of this base. What's more, an operative from High Command is operating on this base with Scorpius. That operative is rumored to be peculiar in nature. This suggests John Crichton has been seen on the base and may be operating under secret agendas. We still believe however that he may have been captured by Scorpius.

Chiana's recent visions have included John in a PeaceKeeper uniform. She has even seen him in a bar upon Xelia with Junthrops nearby. When we actually saw him at such a bar, this vision became a premonition. We had even been informed of PeaceKeeper Marauders on the surface which may indicate how Crichton got there from the base. She has also seen him lying in a pool of his own blood, unconscious. An unknown figure was about to take him but she could not see who or what it was. Chiana had also witnessed the accident involving Crichton and his module through a Junthrop's eyes. She saw Prowlers and even where the wreckage was located.

We discovered Crichton's module half-burned and buried in the sand of the desert. There was a nearby ship charred beyond recognition. From the bare evidence we've found at that site, we uncovered Crichton's com badge and part of a pulse web generator. We can assume now that with all we know, the Junthrops are hiding something major that involves the PeaceKeepers. We've been lead to believe the Junthrops captured Crichton after his module was shot down by the PeaceKeepers. We do not know their reason as of yet. The Junthrops have exercised the fact that they wish the evidence to stay hidden. They attempted to kill us and destroy the evidence but failed.

We carried the module back to Moya and Jool analyzed what she could with what we gave her. She discovered that Crichton himself and some object near his module might have been fired upon by a pulse web blast. This evidence led Rykon to speculate that Crichton was shot down, lured out of his module in some way, and then seized for ransom with the pulse web.**

"Is that it?"

D'Argo looked at Aeryn in bewilderment. Though the traces of information pieced together appeared to be the whole picture, Aeryn could see through every crease. D'Argo shook his head.

"Yes!"

"We know Crichton is missing, and we know he must still be alive. What we don't know for sure is how he was involved in this accident and what happened afterwards. A lot of what you've told me is simple hearsay, D'Argo. Rumors and speculations." Aeryn spat.

"What about the evidence of the pulse web generator?" D'Argo struggled to control his impatience. He was not a detective after all. He was a warrior, acting upon orders with immediate results.

Aeryn shook her head.

"There are many races who use this technology. In fact, the Junthrops have several small defense systems outside the city installed with pulse web generators. Crichton's module could have crashed into it."

D'Argo became quiet, contemplating this information. Aeryn pulled at her restraints once more as she sat up to be eye to eye with him. D'Argo looked to her, his face filled with despair.

"Our only choice is to find that Gammak Base and finish Crichton's mission."

Aeryn's eyes were as steady as they had ever been as she breathed heavily into his face. D'Argo leaned back, staring at her in shock. She didn't care of Crichton's fate. She couldn't bear herself to. She only cared to finish his mission and end Scorpius' reign. Perhaps she found Scorpius to blame for her Crichton's death and everything thereafter. Either way, Aeryn was turning the mission into an act of revenge.

D'Argo stood up and Aeryn frustratingly threw herself back onto her bed. Even after the entire struggle to find Crichton, D'Argo still found the mission to be hopeless and ill fated.

"I cannot allow you to do that, Aeryn. There's too much at risk, especially now." D'Argo argued and made his way to the door. He paused before exiting and spoke once more. "We will find Crichton. And when we do, we will get as far away from here as possible."

D'Argo left. Aeryn huffed in the silence of the med bay. She felt the fever beginning to take its toll on her body. Weakness, delirium, exhaustion...the living death was creeping closer. The only thing keeping her lucid and her short-term memory accessible was the serum Jool had prepared for her.

"We will find Crichton." Aeryn repeated aloud, as if doing so would make it even more believable. "And then we'll destroy Scorpius and his wormholes."

*****

Talyn's flashing interior lighting illuminated Crais' frustrated expression. He raised his arms in an attempt to calm the gunship. Talyn was once again rebelling against him.

General Ka'ru's image on the view screen accentuated to the fact that Talyn wished to starburst immediately, with Moya close behind. The Scarran on the other hand, appeared mystified by the gunship, wishing to learn more of his unique stature.

"You will allow my research team to observe your gunship? And all you ask in return is immunity for both you and the Leviathan, Moya? Why should I trust a renegade PeaceKeeper such as yourself?"

Crais narrowed his eyes at the Scarran, momentarily succumbing to his emotions.

"That fact alone should grant a display of mercy on your behalf, General. I am no longer a PeaceKeeper but a mere...traveler."

General Ka'ru laughed. He could no more imagine the infamous Crais as an adventurer than he could imagine Scorpius surrendering himself to the Scarrans.

"I will give you complete access, General. I will even deactivate Talyn's interior security functions so you may move about freely." Crais smiled to the Scarran before him. Deep within, however, his stomach was churning from hatred of the beast.

The Scarran in turn narrowed his eyes, pondering on the reasoning behind this renegade's willingness to cooperate with him.

"What is it you really want, Crais?"

Talyn bleeped around him, arguing for their lives. He did not trust the Scarran. Crais glanced around command and then back to General Ka'ru. He stepped forward with a menacing expression.

"Immunity for myself and Talyn not only from you, but the PeaceKeepers as well. I want...protection. Talyn is not yet strong enough to take on a full PeaceKeeper fleet."

General Ka'ru began speaking before Crais could finish.

"You wish to guide the gunship to full maturity. Ready him for any battle. Clever. But not entirely. You will always be hunted by either your own race, mine, or some other that Talyn inflicts upon. That alone tells me you are not a risk worth taking."

Talyn bleeped more intensely this time but Crais continued to ignore him.

"Do you not take my offer seriously? May I remind you Talyn is a powerful ship of unique design? He has far superior weaponry than anything we know. He could easily overpower an entire fleet of Scarran Piercers on courage alone."

General Ka'ru chuckled at this statement. But as he realized how true it was, his chuckle turned into a snarl.

"A minute inconvenience to my war campaign, I assure you. Need I remind you there are two of my Dreadnaughts entering into the Stykar System as we speak?"

Crais swallowed hard. He hid the fact that this was shocking news and stole another step forward.

"I know that of which you seek from both Scorpius and the infamous John Crichton. I have much more bargaining power than you can imagine, General Ka'ru. Do not underestimate me or Talyn."

At the mention of these two names, the General stilled. Anger blazed upon his face. Crais smiled smugly.

"Ignore Talyn, Moya, and any correspondence between the two ships. I will allow your researchers aboard no longer than an arn."

General Ka'ru paused. The offer was the best he could hope for.

"And the human?"

"Missing; presumed dead. His whereabouts are as little known to them as is the knowledge he possesses is to you."

Growling, the General abruptly ended the transmission. Talyn flashed and bleeped horrendously, disapproving of Crais' agreement with the Scarran. Even so, he had to be thankful. The very reason he and Moya were still in existence was his captain's alliance with the General. The Scarran Piercers stationed above Xelia would have eliminated them otherwise.

*****

Meeting back in the med bay, the crew had become monotone, thinking in silence of what they now knew was fact and fiction. They had as little proof to act upon as they did from the beginning of this mess. Events counteracted one another and the suspects were still not clear. Crichton's disappearance was a mystery.

"Do you ever imagine what our lives would be like if he had never come aboard?" Chiana pondered in a distant voice. She lay on a bed adjacent to Aeryn's own with her head resting upon her upright arm. Her dark eyes sparkled in the dim light, watching D'Argo as he polished his Qualta Blade next to her.

"I only ponder how he has survived this long. He has suffered more than any being should ever have to. That includes one's greatest enemy."

"His misfortunes are quite legendary." Rykon commented. He stood beside the table where Jool was once again studying the shrapnel. "I do not know any other creature with such attraction to danger as he."

Chiana giggled, even though she felt sadness pulling at her heart. Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks.

"He never deserved any of it." Rygel muttered. He hovered in a darkened corner nearby, perhaps to hide the fact that tears were beginning to form in his eyes as well. "He deserves to go home. Be among his people."

"Where do you think he is now?" Chiana straightened.

The room was silent, save for the slow shallow breaths of an unconscious Aeryn. Jool turned away from her research to look at the others. No one had an easy answer. Nonetheless one they dared speak aloud. They all felt the human could be dead...or even worse...captured by Scorpius.

Stark entered into the med bay, muttering his usual mantra. The others took little notice towards him. Except for D'Argo. His patience had run dry. The Luxan grabbed Stark by the shoulders and shook him hard. The Banik blinked several times before coherently acknowledging D'Argo. He released a little giggle.

"D'Argo, I missed you."

"Frell the greetings Stark. What must Crichton remember?" D'Argo held Stark by his collar, staring down at him in growing anger.

"Everything." Stark motioned his hands outwards from each other in a mystical gaze. D'Argo shook his head and released the Banik.

"He is no more coherent than Aeryn at this point."

Moya suddenly shook rapidly. Pilot's frantic image materialized on the clamshell before them.

"The PeaceKeepers are attacking the Scarrans. Moya wishes to starburst, but Talyn will not follow. She will not leave without him." Pilot appeared desperate. If he could not negotiate with Moya, then how could the crew be of any help?

D'Argo grasped his Qualta Blade angrily and glanced to Rykon.

"Would your people condemn this act or would they finally realize they must fight for justice? You have a contract with the Junthrops. Form an alliance."

Rykon stood tall, withering the scales upon his spine. Rygel veered away, frightened by his menacing appearance. Moya shook once more, sending several samples of wreckage beside Jool clattering to the floor. Startled, she jumped off her stool to cower beside Aeryn's bed.

Chiana rose from her position as Moya settled. She rushed to D'Argo's side and placed a firm hand on his arm. Exhaling deeply, D'Argo gazed into her persuasive eyes.

"We should hide on Xelia. They will not fight in the desert. Their ships could disintegrate under the heat. That is what happened to the ship at the wreckage site. It was a Scarran Piercer."

The crew around her became very silent. How could Chiana proclaim such a fact? A rough, weak voice interrupted their thoughts. Aeryn had awoken.

"It's true. Both the Prowlers and the Piercers will not venture into the desert. Believe it or not, this conflict is centered upon a miscommunication."

Stark shook his head excitedly and rushed over to her to hug her. Aeryn pushed at him but her strength failed her. Rykon quickly shoved the Banik away. D'Argo stepped over to Aeryn and knelt beside her, his eyes softened.

"What are you talking about, Aeryn?"

Aeryn swallowed hard. Her throat was parched. Licking her dry lips, she blinked heavily and continued.

"The PeaceKeepers...they believed Xelia held an abundance of Chakan Oil. The Scarrans believed the PeaceKeepers were harboring secret weaponry instead. That is why they fight for control. There has never been real evidence. It was simply one word against another. Scarrans patrolled, PeaceKeepers invaded. They've always fought either within Uquari or above the planet. Never the desert. Too hot."

Aeryn lay back upon her bed, rubbing her forehead. The effects of the drug Jool had administered earlier were beginning to wear off. The heat delirium threatened to overcome her at any moment.

D'Argo looked to Rykon. The others followed suit.

"The first Scarran dreadnaught is within Moya's scans." Pilot announced. Fear edged his voice.

"I'll contact Jaravio. And the Junthrop Chancellor. Perhaps we can form this alliance you wish for." Rykon resided. Before he activated his communicator, he gave the crew a weary expression. "Though I do foresee reluctant cooperation from the Junthrops. We may have a contract with them, but we do not have their friendship."

With that said, Rykon activated his communicator and stepped into a corner to speak with his advisor.

A blaze from a large ship above Xelia suddenly illuminated the interior of the med bay. Moya shook abruptly. This time, the crew had to grab onto anything stable for support. Pilot's image began to disintegrate.

"Contact Talyn." Aeryn managed to whisper. She was fighting every microt to stay conscious. Jool took notice and worked hastily to create another serum to keep the Sebacean lucid.

"Crais, what is wrong with Talyn?" D'Argo barked as Pilot connected them with Talyn.

"Talyn wishes to hide on Xelia. He does not wish to starburst. It will attract attention."

"Attention of what?" Jool asked her brow crinkled in confusion.

"Of the secret Gammak Base."

"Where is it, Crais?" Rygel demanded to know. There was no response. The crew was not surprised.

Moya suddenly jerked forward, along with Talyn. They were headed directly into the line of fire between Prowlers and Piercers. Talyn took lead, using evasive maneuvers Moya mimicked.

"Talyn is leading the way to Xelia. We will conceal ourselves in the desert far from Uquari." Pilot announced.

Aeryn shook her head as Jool came to her with a serum.

"No! We cannot go there again. Talyn cannot survive the heat as well as Moya can."

"It's temporary, Aeryn. It'll be okay." Jool assured her with a shaking hand. She injected a small amount of serum into the side of Aeryn's neck. The Sebacean immediately relaxed and closed her eyes.

Moya and Talyn drove desperately through the fleet of Piercers guarding Xelia's atmosphere. Several blasts shook the ships. Debris from a nearby exploding Piercer spiked Moya's hull, near command. The faithful ship pressed on. Pilot's image dissipated from the clamshell.

The two ships miraculously made it into the atmosphere of Xelia and stealthily headed on a course to a minute location within the desert. Talyn had scouted the location from the earlier trips to Xelia a monen before. From what they could see of Uquari in the fading distance, the Scarrans had begun invading. The skies above them were illuminated with fire from the battle in space. The sun began to set upon the horizon, melting into a sea of red sand. The day was far from over.

*****

Crais circled about command, furious over the attacks. As Talyn and Moya settled within a deep trench among the ocean of red sand dunes, Crais focused his attention on the tasks at hand. He immediately contacted General Ka'ru. The general's image appeared on the view screen before him, basking in the glory of battle.

"Sweating, are we?" General Ka'ru laughed.

Crais glared at the general with intense anger.

"Our deal is off, general. I no longer trust your judgment."

The General's smile quickly faded from his face. He returned the glare.

"That does not change anything. I will find your ship, and I will seize it to use at my own discretion."

Crais lowered his brow and smiled devilishly. He activated a few controls on Talyn and the ship became instantly dark and quiet.

"If you find us."

*****

Walking amongst the shadows of the base, Commander Crichton watched every passing officer with a suspicious eye. He traveled down another passageway, further from any part of the base he had known as of yet. There was a special communications room known only to the highest-ranking officers. Scorpius and Lt. Braca, specifically. He didn't know how he knew of its existence, he only knew he should go there to contact the dreadnaught. The only secure frequency on the base could be sent from there.

Scorpius believed him to be working vigilantly on completing the wormhole stabilization process. Commander Crichton had sent Lt. Braca on a long errand. Strappa was sent to find some spare parts. The getaway was as simple as...well...some kind of food, he knew that much.

"You'll never escape, John."

Commander Crichton lolled his head from side to side in frustration. He stopped in his tracks to turn and face Harvey once again. This clone was really beginning to get on his nerves.

"Not now, Harvey." He muttered through clenched teeth.

"Contacting the Scarrans will be a death sentence to us all."

Commander Crichton continued on, checking around every corner he turned. Harvey bothered him no longer. A siren began to sound across the base, startling the Commander. He flattened himself against a darkened wall. His heart beat faster than ever and his breathing grew rapid. Searching the empty hall with his eyes, he found that there was no one to come running at the alarm. That's odd. But rather than dwell on the subject, the Commander pressed on.

He found the communications room with surprising ease. There was no security. Nothing. Without questioning, Commander Crichton opened the door and stepped in.

Before him glowed a magnificent panel of holo-displays, frequency scramblers, and mechanical devices never before known to his eyes. Stepping forward in the small room, Commander Crichton allowed his fingers to trail across a board of controls. The cool metal struck him as oddly familiar. Had he been here before? With no answer to guide him, the Commander sat down and immediately went to work. He knew how to use the holo-displays and even the frequency scramblers. Whoever he had been before was finally beginning to shine through.

With a concentrated expression, Commander Crichton activated the communications and sent a signal to the first dreadnaught now in the Stykar System. Several hundred microts of anticipated waiting passed. Commander Crichton was beginning to wonder if he was doing the right thing.

His mind was already beginning to relate things, connect them from one incident to another. At that very moment, it traveled back to his dream of the pink animal and the Scarran Piercers. What had it all meant?

His mind was reeling with new information by every passing microt in this new world of his. Whatever was of his past was sinking quickly away.

A diminutive scrambling code began to bleep on the console before him. Straightening, Commander Crichton placed oculars upon his head. An image of a Scarran General appeared before him.

"Commander Crichton."

There it was again, recognition from beings he had never even met before.

"General. I have something that will change your war drastically."

"And what would that be, Commander?" The general hid a smile. Commander Crichton kept his own expression steady as he stated the answer.

"Wormholes."

*****