Presence of the Being pt 2
Author: Ciotach
Email: Ciotach
Archive: Email me first. Ciotach
Rating: Pg-13
Category: Romance Action Adventure
Summary: While trying to come to terms with the events after Mind the Baby, John takes a joyride to a Earthlike planet and attracts the wrong kind of attention.
Disclaimer: Farscape is the property of NINE NETWORKS AUSTRALIA, SCIFI.COM, HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT, AND THE JIM HENSON COMPANY. All Farscape characters etc, belong to them. This story and its content and original characters I create belong to me.
Author’s Note: Episode Spoiler: "Nerve", "Hidden Memory", and "Mind the Baby"
Presence Of The Being: Continued
Dakar threw his adversary a repugnant look. "As well, I see you have profited from these strangers. If not for the Thelrians, the Buran would still be living in the caves. We saved your trivial society."
"It is apparent to all, the Being does not favor the alien Thelrian!" Esen challenged. The Enforcer crowd moved, blustering, incensed at this remark.
"Alien!" Dakar roared. "Our fathers settled this city, before yours. Our kindred have guarded the Being for three hundred cycles."
"Yes, guarded the Being against what? Only the strangers your race have invited here!" This comment initiated another surge in the argument.
"Be you born here or not, the Thelrian are not of the Being." This was the last straw according to the heave between the two crowds. At an abrupt movement from O'Lyne's bodyguard, John turned toward him.
He watched the big Enforcer drop deftly to one knee, swing one of the silver spears and sling it across his forearm in a practiced controlled action. Aiming the pike above the fray, he suddenly dropped his free hand flat onto the sand.
The spear spit out a blinding white stream of pure energy into the far wall, effectively ending the brawl.
John started in shock at the reverberation, "What the hell was that?" he turned to Aeryn, finding her in shocked fascination.
"Frell!"
Ghel strolled calmly between the two leaders.
"This is not the time to stir old embers." He glared at the leaders. "Our present concern effects all in this city. The Being has chosen neither Buran nor Thelrian."
"It would seem the only one to answer this will be The Being." Dakar stated.
All eyes turned to O'Lyne.
She had also recovered by now. Her large tawny eyes surveyed the group, weighing their request quietly, then she looked toward the sand arena. John watched her features frown in consideration, feeling sympathetic to her dilemma. After his "talk" with the Being, the last place he would go was onto that sand.
At their insisted looks Ghel walked across the sand to O'Lyne. "O'Lyne you must stop this discord. Speak for the Being." He gently took her by the elbow and urged her towards the sand. In response the sand stirred and shifted moving in waves towards it's interpreter.
"No!" O'Lyne declared throwing off his hold. She threw the shocked group a defiant look.
"O'Lyne, you can not refused to speak for the Being." Ghel rebuked her. "All of our lives and wellbeing depend on your duty to the Being."
"My duty!" O'Lyne exploded, glaring at her First Reliance. "All my life has been in the service of the Being. And this is how she repays my obedience?" she spat. "She would have me defiled in front of the Leagues in her lust!" O'Lyne flushed and dropped her eyes.
"Ghel, how could the Being have me treated so?" she implored him, and the tawny eyes shimmered.
As if sensing her refusal the sands surged violently, turning upon itself to form a small whirlwind in the center of the arena. John steeled himself. The very essence of the its movement screamed. O'Lyne plainly ignored the display. "This assembly is finished"
"Finished!" Dakar moved forward. "How can you dare to defy the Being?" he glared at O'Lyne's closed look, then he turned to Ghel. "Ghel, This will not be tolerated. We have no answer."
"This assembly is finished!" O'Lyne stood her ground. The enforcer scrutinized her silently, and John could tell he was weighing his options.
Resolved, Enforcer and company turned towards the entryway. Esen and his group followed in silent acknowledgement.
"Hey, wait," John broke in and the departing crowd stopped and turned towards him. "I'll solve all your problems right now." He nodded to Dakar, and Esen. "Cause, I'm leaving right now."
"No, John Crichton, I can not allow you to leave," said Ghel. "O'Lyne will not speak for the Being, and until she does, you must be detained."
"You can not ALLOW me to leave?" laughed John. "Buddy, hide and watch." John started through the crowd Aeryn and Zhaan following. Dakar stopped them at the entryway. "Human," he grinned, "there are four of my guards just outside this portal. Ghel is correct, we cannot ALLOW you to leave."
"There were four guards," stated Aeryn. At John's questioning look she shrugged. "Their defense was pathetic!"
"Aeryn, you didn't kill them?" whispered Zhaan.
"No, at least I don't think I did." She added at John's dismayed look. She had been moving so fast, she hadn't stop to determine if they were breathing or not.
Dakar's stunned look was priceless. John almost felt proud of her. Four! She hadn't lost that PK edge.
"Alright." John threw up his hands. This crowd was too riled to reason with. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few more hours here. Being detained. He moved back towards the arena and O'Lyne.
"Aeryn, I need you to go back to Moya and speak to Pilot. The Being said something about talking to her earlier. Find out what that means, okay? Zhaan you better go too, no use all of us being "detained" down here. Until O'Lyne becomes the Being again and gives them some answers, I'm stuck here. Maybe I can talk some sense into her?"
"No, I will not leave you." Aeryn gave him a resolved look.
"Hey, I don't think I'm in any real danger here." He told her. "What? 'Fraid she'll jump me again." He frowned at Aeryn's pained look.
"John, do you really think it is wise to allow yourself to be drawn into the affairs of this planet." Zhaan questioned.
"Blue," he gave a harsh laugh. "This sounds really conceited but, right now, it looks like I am the affair of this planet."
John was relieved to find their idea of detainment was nothing like what he had pictured. Instead of a cold cell in some dank dungeon, John was seen to a comfortable room, then another, then another. At the first two selections, Aeryn had stalked in, then out, declaring both rooms "Not Acceptable."
What exactly was acceptable, John wasn't quite sure, but let her take the lead. Neither the guards accompanying them nor Ghel, seemed bold enough to ask her either.
He had persuaded Zhaan to return to Moya. She had relented and accepted the escort Ghel offered to the landing area.
Finally, they settled in a room deemed acceptable, somewhere deep into the palace's tunnels. The guards departed leaving the crewmates to wait.
John had no doubt the guards had stayed just on the other side of the door. He waited only a moment before reaching over and activating Aeryn's communication badge.
"Pilot."
"Crichton." Pilot's voice immediately emitted from the unit. "I am relieved to finally hear from you. Are you all right? Did Officer Sun locate you? I am having a difficult time restraining D'Argo from going down to the planet with his weapon."
"Yeah, Pilot, we're all accounted for, Aeryn's here with me. Tell D'Argo to cool it, we're fine."
"Good, you are departing then?"
"Well, no…not quite yet." John started. "We kinda got a little problem here. We're…well I'm…being detained."
"Detained by whom? Should I allow D'Argo to join you?"
"No, Pilot. Remember the rules here, no weapons. And I'm just guessing on this one, but no raging Luxan warriors allowed either." John assured him. "No, we don't seem to be in any danger, just being kept on ice for awhile."
"Kept on ice, Commander?" Pilot's voice sounded alarmed.
"We just can't leave right now, Pilot, everything's fine. In fact, Zhaan is on her way up, and Aeryn is free to go."
He looked up at Aeryn. One dark eyebrow quirked up, clearly this subject was closed. "Pilot, I am also staying on the planet." Aeryn added.
"Very well, I will inform the others."
"Wait, Pilot. There's something else. There is this thing or person, or spirit, I not really sure, here in charge of this city…Called the Being. Does that mean anything to you or Moya?" "No."
"This Being, she said she had communicated with Moya about me. Pilot, has Moya had any communication with someone here on this planet."
"Moya has communicated with the planet, yes. But I do not know the subject of their communication."
"With whom was she communicating, Pilot," asked Aeryn. "Not with whom, Officer Sun. Moya was communicating with the planet.
This planet is a living planet."
"What?"
"You mean, Moya was communicating with this planet." Aeryn questioned. "As she would communicated with another Leviathan?"
"This planet is a Leviathan?" asked John.
"No, Commander, she is similar to Moya, in that she is a Biomechanoid. A stationary planetoid buoyed by this star. She lacks propulsion capabilities, but she can independently provide an environment to sustain a populace if she chooses to."
"If the Being chooses to." John looked up at Aeryn. "So, this planet controls everything that goes on here, on its surface? Right?" "Yes, she controls all life support, all growth on her surface. She would also be able to provide life support in one area and not in another."
"She is in complete control of these people's lives." Aeryn concluded.
"Okay, how would she even know to connect Moya with me?"
"When a substance is on a Leviathan for a substantial amount of time, it begins to absorb the emanation unique to that Leviathan. This essence would easily be detected by another Leviathan or a planet such as this one."
He smiled at this thought. "You mean, we smell like Moya." For some reason that wasn't as distasteful as it sounded. "That's cool. And I hear she emits very strong emotions regarding my existence." He quoted the Being, smiling at Aeryn's confused frown.
"Yes, Moya is very fond of each of you." Pilot sounded surprised at their sudden understanding of the Leviathan's attachment. "With the possible exception of the Dominar. It appears there is an airlock readied for your convenience at all times."
"I bet. Pilot, could there be way for us to communicate with the planet?"
"Simply by being in direct contact with the planets surface, you could rely your request, but a conductor of some sort would be need to receive her reply."
"She communicates through The Presence, like Moya communicates through Pilot." determined John. "Thanks, Pilot. Tell the crew we'll be up as soon as we can." He deactivated the unit.
"Okay, we're stuck on this planet and it knows it. Look, I'm just going get my feet off the ground. This is freaky, I'm walking on a living planet."
Aeryn grinned at this comment. "You've lived on Moya for over a cycle and you have never felt this?"
"I don't know…Moya surrounds us, like a blanket. This is a whole planet." He implored. "Man, how did I get her attention? I mean, I don't remember taking my shoes off or anything…Wait. Oh man, something just clicked here." John dropped his head in his hand. "I think I have the answer."
"Crichton! What is it?" urged Aeryn. He looked at her hesitantly. "I just remembered in that glade, the one by the road. After Zhaan and I had a talk, I was messing around, and I kissed the ground."
"You kissed the ground?" Aeryn questioned him. "Why would you do such a bizarre thing?" She stopped giving John an impatient look. Well, he was Crichton.
"Aeryn, it was just a joke." John scrubbed his hand over his face. "It's an Earth joke, okay. Sailors would kiss the ground where they landed, after they had been at sea a long time. Look!" He held up his hands at Aeryn's testy look. "It was just a joke."
"And this planet is alive. The Being can feel everything that happens on her surface." Aeryn ventured.
"Looks that way, in fact She said she was returning my kiss in the Audience chamber."
"Wonderful, Crichton, you are on this planet one microt and you have literally the whole planet infatuated with you. How are you going to explain your joke?"
The door opened to show one of the guards. He gave the shipmates a quick look before standing aside to admit a young Buran woman carrying a tray of food.
At the site of the food, John mouth watered. The only food he could remember eating was the "strawberry" in the market place; there was a plate of them on the food tray.
"I'll just tell them the truth. They have the wrong guy." He smiled at the woman, and moved out of her way as she placed the tray on a low table beside the chairs. She barely had time to remove her hands before John was picking up one of the "strawberries."
"Crichton! NO!" Aeryn rushed forward slapping the "strawberry" out of his hand, and knocking the tray from the table. The young woman retreated back against the wall with a shocked cry.
"Aeryn!" John jumped in a stunned reaction to her sudden violence. He quickly snagged her by the wrist, uncertain of her next move. "What are you doing?" he growled low, pulling her taut body against him. Her eyes were wild, but she allowed his grip. "John, you must not eat any food they offer you," she implored.
"Aeryn, I had some of these in the market today. They are okay." She was shaking.
They both started as the door opened and the same guard entered the room, his silver spear lowered. He stared at them in silence; the young woman sobbed and ran behind him and out of the room. With the woman safely out of harms way, the guard was content and backed slowly out of the room, closing the door.
Aeryn's heart was thumping, and she shook herself mentally. Frell, what was the matter with her. She had faced a dozen battles with better nerves, but had totally lost her composure when she saw the threat to John. And he didn't even see it. She faced him with a controlled stare.
"Think, John. The Thelrians and the Buran are both against this "choice". How best to be rid of you then to poison the food." He paled in understanding, releasing her wrist. She pulled back from him, angry with herself and him. "Think, John." She spat. He threw her a narrowed look. "Sorry, I'm not up on my political backstabbing."
He looked around the room. For the first time he surveyed it as Aeryn had before. No windows, little furniture, no drapes, and only one way in or out. It was acceptable all right, for a defensive stand. He had done it again. This was his fault; his problem and he had dragged Aeryn right into it.
John lay on the small bed, his arm across his eyes, trying to ignore the rumblings in his stomach, his nerves on edge.
It seemed late to him, but he had long since realized that living aboard Moya, with a controlled day and night, he was unable to judge time planetside. The planet's noon could be Moya's midnight. The last few hours' events were catching up with him, and John didn't think he could keep his eyes open much longer.
When he had voiced this conclusion to Aeryn, she took a quick look at the small bed occupying the room and began rearranging. She was finally satisfied with the bed wedged in the far corner of the room. John threw up his hand at this defensive maneuver. Let her be the soldier if it made her feel better, he thought. Hell, she would probably be the one to keep them both alive. She had been born a soldier and tactical stratagem was second nature to her. Aeryn plopped down next to him on the bed, her back to him, facing the door. Guarding. Silent
"Was it like you thought it would be?"
The question caught him by surprise, although he had known she was not asleep. Aeryn would never doze off while on guard. "What?"
"This planet." She rose up on one arm, looking down at John; her forehead held a slight frown. "You had said it reminded you of Earth. When you got down here, did it still?"
"Yeah, it does remind me of parts of Earth. It feels good down here." He signed. "Too bad we've gotten into this mess, I'd show you around."
She was still frowning as she leaned closer, her hair brushing his arm.
John felt a small shiver of cold pleasure at the contact. For a second he was bothered that some of the erotic stimulant from his "talk" with the Being may still have a hold of him, but quickly dismissed the idea. This was pure Aeryn, and it happened every time she got this close.
He had decided his feeling for this woman a long time ago. The distance between them was her own doing, not his, and he made the resolution it was also her stretch to cross. When she was ready to cross it, he would be on the other side. This was one thing that had never changed for John.
He captured one dark lock and held it between his fingers, enjoying the genuine sensation.
"Crichton, would you stay here?" John looked up at this, his eyes locking with Aeryn's. He let himself be pulled into the questioning gray gaze.
Would he stay? The thought had never occurred to him. Why hadn't it?
It would be the perfect solution to all their problems. With him gone, Scorpius would no longer be hunting the Leviathan. They would still be fugitives, but their main threat would be neutralized.
But he knew the answer before the question, why he hadn't jumped ship before now. He couldn't live without his shipmates. At first, it had been a simple matter of survival, and in a way it still was.
"Trying to get rid of me, Aeryn?"
"No, John." Aeryn leaned forward, placing a timid hand against his cheek. "I fear, I will never be rid of you." John held his breath as she leaned closer towards him, her lips above his.
She sincerely was picking one hell of a day to make that jump. Aeryn had not thought to initiate anything with John. The scene she had interrupted before in the Audience room had left her unsettled. She was unsure of her reaction should John decide to stay on this planet with the Being, with O'Lyne. What if he did decide to accept this "Offer", she would lose him. The thought panicked her.
She reached out to him in desperation slanting her lips across his, willing him to feel what she could not put into words. His hesitant hand on the back of her neck was reassuring; she warmed to the feeling of solace, and familiarity.
As suddenly as her mouth was on his, she pulled away, leaving John bewildered and disappointed. He rose up at her movement to stop her from leaving him, but halted immediately on seeing Aeryn's next action.
She stopped abruptly before the wall a few feet beside the chairs. Recognizing her defensive stance, John quickly moved to her side. A panel appeared with a soft scrape in the wall, and at a nod from Aeryn, John flattened against the wall to the right of its appearance, while Aeryn slid to the left of it.
Slowly, the panel swung open with a whisper. If he hadn't been looking right at her, John would never have seen Aeryn move. Reaching into the opening, Aeryn grabbed the intruder, and the next moment John was staring down at O'Lyne's bodyguard as the big enforcer lay: gasping for wind, Aeryn's boot firmly planted on his throat.
A startled cry came from the tunnel, and John swung towards the sound in time to see O'Lyne's shocked pale face in the shadows of the hidden passage. She flew past John to face Aeryn.
"Please, do not harm him?" she pleaded in a whisper, her eyes taking in the wheezing bodyguard at Aeryn's feet. "We mean you no harm, if you do not release him , the guards will hear him." She reasoned.
Aeryn relented, and the bodyguard rolled to his knees puffing as quietly as he could. With a low growl he glanced up at Aeryn before struggling to his feet.
Aeryn stood her ground, quietly quirking a brow at the big guy. John lifted his hands in question at O'Lyne.
She gestured towards the tunnel and crawled back inside, motioning John to follow. He followed her, looking back to make sure Aeryn and the bodyguard were behind him. He found them both at the entrance in a silent stare down. Sighing he moved back, and gave Aeryn a questioning look. Neither warrior was budging, each unwilling to allow the other take the back.
O'Lyne broke their stalemate with an annoyed look, reaching out to grab her bodyguard and pull him behind her and in front of the strangers.
The tunnel twisted and turned, finally ending in another panel that opened into a large well appointed chamber. It was O'Lyne's private apartment.
For the first time since their "talk" in the Audience Chamber, John and O'Lyne faced each other.
John could remember how his nerves had hummed from the encounter, and by the embarrassed look O'Lyne gave him, she was thinking of it also. John had to admit being this close to her once again was slightly uncomfortable. He didn't even know her from Eve, but he could remember the feel of her soft lips against his. She had changed from her stately robes and now wore what appeared to be the everyday attire of the Buran; her pale hair was loose to curl about her heart shaped face.
Okay, let's get some answers here. John shook himself mentally. Aeryn appeared by his side and John cleared his throat uneasy at the feeling that somehow he had been unfaithful.
"I do not wish you for a mate," O'Lyne blurred out.
"Same here, little girl," responded John. "So let's get you into the Being and tell her."
"No, I will not speak with the Being." O'Lyne shook her head.
"All you have to do is explain…."
"NO!" O'Lyne turned from them. "No, I will not speak with the Being again. I am afraid she can not be pressed in this matter. You do not understand at all John Crichton, it is only because our communication was interrupted that the Leagues are in confusion." O'Lyne explained. "If I allow the Being to speak, she will confirm her choice of you, and the Leagues will force you and me to comply."
"Does the Being always pick your partners for you, don't you have any say at all?" implored John.
"To keep the Presence's content in her service, The Being allows each Presence to marry and produce offspring, if the Presence desires it and as long as the mate is agreeable to The Being. If The Being and the mate of The Presence are in harmony, the region The Presence resides in will be exceptionally fruitful." She turned to John, her eyes shimmering. "I do not wish you as a mate, John Crichton, but as Presence of the Being, I should put this city's prosperity before my own actions. This city will not survive without my service to the Being."
"Damn, this is a nightmare." John rubbed his hands over his face.
"O'Lyne, you're not going to like this, but I know why the Being is so fixed on me." John winced at her questioning look. "First, you got to believe me, I didn't know this planet was living, hell I didn't even know there were things like this planet. Anyway, when I first arrived here I was playing around and I kissed the ground."
He hesitated at her shocked look. "It's a joke where I come from."
"A Joke?"
"Yeah, a joke, a gag. I was messing around."
"Messing around?"
"He was pulling a prank," Aeryn added.
O'Lyne's features grew hard as the meaning hit her and she threw John a blaming look.
"It would seem that your joke has not only taken our destinies out of our control, and disrupted an already volatile political atmosphere," she chastised him. "But you may have well destroyed us all. My servants have informed me that Ghel and The Leagues have sent for Bheregine, the First Presence of the Grand City."
"Look, maybe if I just explained to the Being," John ventured. "Hell, what about my two cents on this? What if I already have a mate and a dozen kids?"
"Do you?" O'Lyne questioned turning towards Aeryn. She had not failed to notice how closely this woman stayed by the human's side.
"No, I don't have a mate." John glanced at the dark haired woman at his side. Aeryn's expression was guarded, avoiding eye contact. "But I'm working on someone," he added smugly.
O'Lyne frowned at this turn of phase but caught the gist of it and nodded "Then we have another thing in common, I too am working on someone."
"Great, then bring him before the Being, maybe she will like him, we all live happily ever after."
O'Lyne flushed and turned a longing glaze on her bodyguard standing rigid beside her. John suddenly understood.
"Great, I am in the middle of freaking Romeo and Juliet. Come on, O'Lyne don't you know any nice Buran boys?" implored John.
"I have loved Teecate, since I was a child." Appealed O'Lyne.
"Fine, this could still work, Dakar, that Enforcer, he seems pretty keen on a Thelrian."
"Yes, but Teecate is one of a growing number of people on Bura, his mother was Buran, but his father was Thelrian." Sighed O'Lyne. "I am afraid such unions are frowned upon. The offspring are not accepted by the Thelrian."
"Yeah." John laughed harshly. "There's a lot of that pure blood crap around. And the Being doesn't favor the Thelrians, so she may not favor your boy."
"Why doesn't the Being favor the Thelrian, why are they considered alien," questioned Aeryn.
"Would you prefer the legend or the truth." O'Lyne smiled sadly. " The legend is that the Being called to the great stars to send a race to guide our people into an enlightened era." O'Lyne lifted her arms in mock theatrics. "And the stars sent the Thelrian. The truth is, the Thelrian were fugitives fleeing their planet after the Peacekeepers had conquered it. They arrived aboard a dying leviathan. At the dying ship's request, the Being allowed the Thelrian haven. But the Thelrian wearied of our primitive ways and demanded that passing ships be allowed to land and trade. They negotiated with The Being and made a covenant. She would allow trade, in return the Buran are to be protected from any harm."
"So, she never has really warmed to them," presumed John. "They are still only a race to tolerate, serving the Being's desire for the Buran to prosper. But, more and more of the Thelrian are mating with the Buran and their offspring follow the Being." She stopped to judge their attention. "I have a proposal. Part of my refusal in my service to the Being is to shield my thoughts from her, if she knows my plan, we are doomed. I propose that you be gone before Bheregine arrives. With you gone and not a option, I will present Teecate as my choice as mate."
"And if she doesn't accept him?" asked John.
"Then, in her rage, The Being could destroy this city and all who inhabit it."
In the darkness of the Buran night John matched his stride with Aeryn's. He pulled the cloak closer to his face.
O'Lyne had managed to get them into a group of servants leaving the palace for the night and with the cloaks of muted colors they successfully fooled the guards. Leaving the city, they were on their way to the landing area and Moya.
The whole situation sickened John. His feelings of shame and guilt ate at his gut. Here he was, sneaking off with his tail between his legs, leaving a young girl to face the consequences of his actions. No one challenged the strangers approaching the landing area; Aeryn's prowler was within sight.
John reached out and grabbed Aeryn arm. "I can't do this, Aeryn, I can't leave O'Lyne."
"John, no, she has made her choice." Aeryn paled at his words. Pulling her close, John caught her chin. "Aeryn, I can't leave her, I can't let her deal with my problems. Stay with me. We will come up with something."
"What John, do I share you with O'Lyne and the Being?" Aeryn spat and pulled away.
John steeled his grip and caught her other hand entwining their fingers. "Quit it, Aeryn. You won't leave me, Aeryn, and I am going back."
His statement of fact enraged her, and Aeryn shoved against him realizing too late that she had unbalanced him.
John hit hard against the bare landing area. He knew what would happen before he felt it.
The ground rumbled and shook, as the Being grasped his awareness, pulling his thoughts.
Behind them the silver lances began their deadly hum, and the enforcers swung into action.
John scrambled to his feet as Aeryn rushed past him, heading for the cache of confiscated weapons held at the guard post. He watched in horror as both the guards and Aeryn swung up their weapons. He made a desperate dash towards her as one of the guards dropped to his knee; the silver lance aimed at the ex-Peacekeeper.
John reached her as the guard's palm hit against the ground. Aeryn gasped as John's back hit against her, and she saw the brilliant white flash over his shoulder.
Damn, who'd thought it? Being killed by lightning was the one thing he never thought of. The approaching light blinded him and he shut his eyes, throwing up his hands against its bright glare.
Slowly he realized that he was alive. He couldn't breathe but he was alive. His legs felt like jelly but he wasn't falling. He caught at the tight band around his chest, and encountered Aeryn's arm wrapped in a death grip across his middle.
Before them stood Teecate. In his grip a silver spear vibrated with the searing energy. John watched in amazement as the bodyguard heaved the spear into the night sky, deflecting the bolt of energy into the atmosphere.
The spear arched into the sky and plunged downward to embed in the ground with a vibrating thud, radiating with spent energy. Teecate stood, wary, as his fellow enforcers encircled him and the strangers.
Suddenly, the dust began to churn around them, and John braced for another fit from the Being.
A lour roar heralded the approach of a landing transportation craft. A set of uniformed enforcers filed in as the portal hissed open. A group of Thelrian and Buran males exited the craft, turning to wait among the remaining passengers.
As soon as she moved out of the portal of the transportation craft John knew who she was, Bheregine, the First Presence of the Grand City. She moved with a stately grace, her splendid gown measured against her slender form, the high collar framing a pale perfection. One male in her entourage spotted the apprehended party, and quickly moved to Bheregine's side to whisper in her ear.
She listened attentively and moved towards the group, the crowd of enforcers quickly parted to reveal John, still in Aeryn's panicked hold.
She took the sight in with imposing regard. "YOU are the choice of the Being?"
The three occupants of the antechamber were silent, listening to the sporadic blasts of angry discussion coming from the Audience chamber beyond the closed double doors.
The words were indistinct, but the tone was obvious. John looked beside him as Teecate tensed at the sound of O'Lyne's voice raising in a provoking high note.
Aeryn sat in guarded silence on his other side, chewing her thumbnail.
"John!" D'Argo's voice broke from Aeryn's communication badge causing her to jump, before she quickly palmed it.
"Yes, D'Argo, it's Aeryn, what?"
"Is John with you, Aeryn?"
"Yeah, I'm here." John leaned over to speak into the com. "O'Lyne is having it out with another Presence and we're waiting our turn. This place is Peyton Place."
"John, Pilot has informed us that there is a Peacekeeper Scout Vessel in the area."
"Crap!" John glanced at the guards beside the entryway to the antechamber. Aeryn shot up, and John grabbed at the back of her vest as she moved towards the guards. "Have they seen you?" he demanded. Teecate regarded them with an inquiring look, puzzled by their sudden agitated motions. He had heard the voice on the badge, but did not find the words alarming. His fellow enforcers took up a defensive stand at the dark woman's unexpected advancement.
"No, The planet is blocking their scan."
"Get out of here, now!" John demanded. "Forget us for now, just move."
"John, We could not leave even had we wanted to. Moya refuses to move from this orbit."
"What? Is she okay?"
"According to Pilot, Moya will not leave without Aeryn or you. Pilot says Moya feels Aeryn is significant to the return of Talyn. I am afraid I can not understand this reasoning. You and Aeryn must return to Moya immediately."
The double doors to the Audience chamber swung open and a red faced Ghel appeared. He motioned to John and Teecate.
"Okay, D'Argo, its show time. Tell Moya if she wants Aeryn, she's going to have to ask for her."
"John…Why?"
The guards moved towards him. "Just tell her!"
The tension in the Audience chamber hummed as they were brought into the room.
Dakar and Esen were present without their gangs, as were Ghel and Bheregine's entourage.
Beside Bheregine, O'Lyne waited, her face blotched and her eyes shimmering.
Bheregine surveyed the approaching group, her expression discreet. Dakar stepped forward to confront the big bodyguard.
"This is how you repay my generosity."
He sneered low, and Teecate flushed. "You disgrace your family and my son's memory." He turned towards the First Presence. "Bheregine, this is the instigator of O'Lyne's foolish ideas." He gripped Teecate's arm and pushed him forward. "Although, he is my son's get, I will have it known, my family has no knowledge of this."
This just keeps getting better and better, thought John.
O'Lyne surged forward at this statement. "Teecate is not to blame. I will not let your family destroy him because you disapprove of his birth. I will have Teecate as mate." She threatened the enforcer.
"Silence!"
"Bheregine, surely you can see that this is even more absurd, than the human."
Bheregine turned a level eye towards the enforcer. "Dakar, you will not lecture me on your race's inhibited slant." She cautioned. "I have no patience for it." She gave Ghel and Esen disapproving look.
"Look at you. O'Lyne is young and can be forgiven, but you are her advisors, and quibble like widows, it is no wonder you can not control this willful child." She motioned John forward. "So, you would not be a mate of O'Lyne, You really don't understand the position you find yourself in, do you? If you accepted this offer of the Beings, you would want for nothing. Your every wish would be fulfilled. You would hold office of the greatest honor."
"I'd make a bad match. I'm not mate material. See I'm a wanted man. I have a maniac after my head. Literally," John tried. "Besides, if you do not let me leave here real soon, you're going to have more problems then me. This maniac that's after me, is a Peacekeeper." He stopped and let this sink in.
Dakar had already got it, his face paled. "Peacekeeper! From the legends?"
"Yeah, these guys are legends all right, and they will come to this planet and destroy it so fast your heads will spin."
"I cannot believe you, John Crichton." Bheregine's eyes narrowed judging this information. "The Peacekeepers have never come this far. I know they exist, but here, they are mere threats for misbehaving children."
"They will be your worse nightmare, Bheregine." Aeryn ventured. "They will control your city and this city and every city and Presence on this planet. And they will control the Being, the Buran, and the Thelrian." She waited as the room buzzed with panic. Bheregine still remained calm, although O'Lyne now stood wide-eyed at her side. "Our ship is a Leviathan." The buzz heightened. "And she has told us that the Peacekeepers are here."
John stepped closer to Bheregine, but she stood her ground. "I'm the one they are hunting for, Bheregine, if I'm gone, they leave. They are probably not even interested in this planet, but they will tear it apart looking for me." He locked eyes with her. Bheregine didn't even blink, and John found a new appreciation for her poise. This was true dignity.
The crowd drew back from the sand arena as the ground heaved, and started its reckless dance in the center of the arena. Bheregine held John's eyes. "The Being is waiting. O'Lyne is too frighten to speak with her, she fears for Teecate's life." They both looked toward the young Presence standing bewildered beside them. "As well she should."
"Then you speak with her, cause pretty soon, it won't matter what she or anyone here wants."
Bheregine gathered her gown about her, and stepped down onto the sand.
John watched the amazing transformation as the Being engulfed Bheregine, not in the slow matter as before, but in a rush of swirling sand, and dust.
John stepped in front of her as the golden eyes opened and regarded him.
"Okay, let's keep our hands to ourselves, right? We have to talk." He implored the Being, trying to put Bheregine's existence out of his mind, and talk to this creature. "The Peacekeepers are here." He gathered his courage and went on, "I am sorry, but I didn't mean to treat you with disrespect when I kissed…well, you. I mean, I didn't understand that you are alive and could feel…"
"Emotions? There is no need, I understand, John Crichton." The velvet voice confirmed. She regarded O'Lyne sadly. "I have caused this Presence distress, and have done so unintentionally." She acknowledged. "Her devotion to my service does not warrant her unhappiness. It is her gracious nature that I value, and I seek to sustain this " The Being turned back to John "The Leviathan, Moya has demanded the return of her crew, and I must comply. Your proximity to my populace is perilous to their existence."
"Great, consider us returning." John hesitated. "First, I'd like to introduce you to someone who is going make your Presence real happy." John jumped from the arena and snagged Teecate by the arm pulling the stunned bodyguard down onto the sand beside him. "Teecate meet the Being, Being meet your future son-in-law."
The sand beneath the Being stirred and shifted moving around the bodyguard, and the Being sighed. "Yes, this existence is acceptable to me, as it is very precious to the Presence I seek to reward."
O'Lyne gave a cry of relief, stepping down to pull Teecate to her, burying her face in his chest.
The Being turned towards John and Aeryn. "I will keep my populace shielded from this menace, this will also allow Moya not to be detected, as they are a threat to her populace also. Return now." The populace of Moya didn't need to be told twice.
John jumped down from the Prowler's cockpit and followed Aeryn as she raced for the hanger wall. She turned as he approached her, and caught him against her, before sliding down the wall to await the backlash of Moya starburst; John grasped tightly against her side.
"Pilot, we are in," she called towards the vision in the viewer. John smiled and leaned into her, sniffing her. He grinned as she threw him a testy look.
"You smell like a Leviathan." He laughed as the undulation of the starburst distorted his vision, feeling Aeryn draw him closer.
"You smell like home."
FIN