chanceencounters2

CHANCE ENCOUNTERS (Part two)
by Tekking

Chiana ran down the corridor, jumping over Drd’s and
grinning from ear to ear with excitement.
Aeryn folded her arms and waited at the end of the
corridor until she arrived.
Chiana grasped Aeryn by the arms and spun around with her.
“ Chiana... What is it?” Aeryn said restraining the urge to
pantak jab her.
“ I have the coordinates of the base where Crichton is...
Aeryn we can go there and get him!” Chiana said enthused.
“ We have a little problem yet...” Aeryn Said seriously.
“ What? The day after tomorrow we will be free to go anywhere we want... we drop off...
You’re not going to drop off the prisoners are you?” Chiana’s voice changed to serious.
“ No. You know what kind of dren these Legionaries are, are you going to allow them to kill your countryman?
Chiana...” Aeryn began saying.
Chiana was trying to back up shaking her head.
“ I knew it... You don’t want to save Crichton... Just another shoot out with trained killers. A real blood bath.” Chiana said.
“ How can you turn your back on those poor people?
Hasn’t John ever shown you anything?” Aeryn said defiantly. Chiana was about to speak when she noticed Zhaan and D’Argo approaching.
“ I mixed up some sleeping mist... my most potent combination. If we get it into the room... they all will be knocked out.” Zhaan said displaying her work.
“ Great Zhaan... this will help.” Aeryn said.
Chiana looked surprised and her mouth dropped open.
“ Zhaan... D’Argo, you are going to help?” Chiana said.
D’Argo looked at Chiana for an instant and tossed his head back in a sign of agreement.
“ We both realize that we allowed ourselves to be used by
the Peacekeepers... and so... helped them hurt our friend.
Please forgive me. I have lived over eight hundred cycles and yet I must re-learn a very old lesson. True freedom must be earned by the receiver to give peace and usefulness.” Zhaan said her face thoughtful.
Chiana blinked back a swelling tear and swallowed.
“ Oh Zhaan... I am so glad,” She said as she drew near and hugged her like Crichton used to.
“ All right... enough of this!” D’Argo said.
“ Yes... This is what I think we should do...” Aeryn said.
* * *
It was an hour before the next duty shift.
Squad alpha was asleep.
Squad Beta was at its most weary... and looking forward to relief.
“ Grot Yort... respond,” Sergeant Arrat said.
“ Yes,” Yort said into his COM.
“ All units respond,” Arrat said from his seat in the galley.
“ Keener, Sergeant... all clear.”
“ Haule, all clear.”
Silence.
“ Boksite... you had better not gone to sleep on watch,” Arrat said.
The big sergeant got up and grabbed his rifle.
As he exited the galley door D’Argo’s Qualta blade met his throat at full swing... the head hit the deck before his body had a chance to.
Pulse rifle firing could be heard coming over D’Argo’s COM.
“ Aeryn what the hezmana is going on,” The huge Luxan
said as he ran down the corridor to where the prisoners
were kept.
The first two guards had been hit with Zhaan’s sleep mist
and were easily handled. But the guard on cell three had become suspicious and gone into the cell.
He was firing out and three mist balloons
(as Crichton named them) had no effect on the firing coming from the cell.
The guard was wearing a breather and able to fight the pain caused by the mist to his eyes.
The other cells were free and the Luxans were looking for weapons to help.
Aeryn fired into the cell.
“ Give up Peacekeeper!” D’Argo yelled.
“ Your leader is dead, your both squads captured... how long could you last in there anyway?” D’Argo said.
Aeryn looked at him hard and shook her head.
Just then two shot rang out from the cell.
Then all was quiet.
“ Well D’Argo... you convince him...” Aeryn said.
They entered the room. The prisoner... the Luxan officer with a broken leg was dead. Shot through with a pulse rifle.
Beside him was the guard dead with a shot to the head.
“ Legionaries don’t surrender D’Argo. If he did... the next officer he met would of executed him on sight...no trial needed.” Aeryn said with distain.
“ D’Argo...Aeryn! Help!” Chiana said over her COM.
The two soldiers turned and ran toward the sleeping cell where the rest of the Legionnaires were .
When Aeryn rounded the corridor and came into the
cell the three young male Luxans had fallen upon their tormentors and had killed them all.
OOC:
(Let us just say that it was the result of three very angry Luxans in hyper-rage... not very pretty; believe me you wouldn’t want to read about it. Unless you are real sick.)
“ What honor is in this kind of victory?” D’Argo said loudly.
The oldest male... a private first class, (translator microbes close), stood up before D’Argo.
“ It was an honor less death for an honor less foe!”
The Luxans all looked at each other and began laughing.
D’Argo couldn’t tell one legionnaire from the other.
“ Dispose of these carcasses out the airlock,” D’Argo said.
“ Yes Sir, My General, Sir,” the Luxans said in unity.
D’Argo had forgotten about the Tattoo on his tongue pouch.
“ Your other officer is dead. I will see to the others.
Once you are finished here... you will be treated by our
ship’s medical personnel. Then get some peaceful sleep.”
D’Argo said then turned away with Aeryn.
“ Good work... General.” Aeryn said with a little smile.
* * *
Rigel stopped his chair in command the next morning.
D’Argo, Aeryn and Chiana were standing at the control
console inputting the map fibers from the Marauder.
“ Well... I can see we have made a few changes.” Rigel said easing around.
“ We are going to free Crichton,” Chiana said.
“ Oh, we are, are we? How do you propose we will be able
to do anything in Lothorian space... now that we have violated the contract?” Rigel said.
D’Argo whirled and confronted the Hynerian on the thrown sled.
“ What concern is it to you, Rigel?” The Luxan said as much as snarled.
“ Look I want you to believe that I didn’t know what the cargo was... if I had...” Rigel began.
“ Why would we care!” Chiana said angrily. “ Schemes, and half hearted failures is all you do Rigel. All you were thinking about is the profit line... which reminds me...”
Rigel’s brows stood up as if offended.
“ We needed to raise enough capital to get us all home! I suggested we sell Moya...but Aeryn...” Rigel said, more to
change the subject quickly.
“ Shut up Rigel,” Aeryn said as she collected up the weapons and equipment.
“ Are you going to help us free Crichton or not?” Zhaan said folding her arms in a gesture of tolerance.
Rigel sat blinking. He grasped the sled controls and looked as if he was going to be angry... instead he relaxed back into his chair.
“ Of course I am. I don’t want to see John murdered... or left as a frozen experiment. Heavens knows, I know what that feels like.
How ever you know my abilities are in arrangements not actions.”
“ In other words you aren’t going to do anything,” D’Argo said.
“ On the contrary... I happen to remember the ambassador’s access codes and I have already looked at the charts. I think I can get us through the Lothorian Peacekeeper blockade and to the supply station. How you get on board and find him is up to you, I’m sure you can work the details out.” Rigel said smugly.
Zhaan looked at D’Argo.
Then the blue skinned woman unfolded her arms and looked at Rigel.
“ All right. I will give you a chance. Help us find John, and we will
not dispose of you at the nearest commerce planet.”
Rigel nodded in agreement and turned his sled to go.
Reaching down into his pocket he fingered the Credit plate.
A broad smile began to stretch across his face.
* * *

“My name is Renni,” the Nabari male said as he sat up.
Aeryn and Chiana had entered the cell.
“ Zhaan?” Aeryn said over the COM.
“ Yes Aeryn?”
“ One of the prisoners is going to need some medical attention.
In fact... All of the prisoners need medical attention.” Aeryn said.
Chiana could tell that Renni was a young man still in a student’s
clothes... what was left of them.
“ What discipline are you under?” Chiana said.
The swollen eyes strained to see past the slits that was all
he could do to see the source of the feminine voice.
“ You are Nabari? I greet you.” Renni said trying to see her.
“ Yes. I am Chiana of the Outside. I’m free now. I am no longer of the people.” Chiana said with mixed pride and regret.
“ Oh? I am a student of the ministry of culture and exchange.
I was sent out to observe and to experience the Luxan culture.”
Chiana smiled.
“ I’ve experienced some ‘Luxan culture’ myself,” Chiana said thinking of D’Argo and the times they spent together.
“ The planet I was on was a farming planet. I was staying in a small town near a landing port. It doubled as a base for a few dozen crewmen to the Luxan Imperial navy.
“ How badly did the Legionaires hurt Quiet’I?” Renni said.
“ Who? Oh you mean the Luxan female? I don’t know... our medical person is looking to their needs now.” Chiana said.
A noise was heard in the closet.
Aeryn aimed her rifle at it and closed the gap quickly to
a protected position.
“ Whoever you are come out with your hands where I can see them!” Aeryn said.
Two hands appeared at the door. Soon a brown sleeve appeared and one of the teks eased out of the closet.
“ Don’t shoot... please!” the tek said.
Aeryn looked around him seeing him unarmed.
“ Are you alone?” Aeryn ordered.
“ I am. The other tek is in the marauder.”
“ D’Argo! Go to the Marauder and secure the other tek.” Aeryn said into the Com badge.
“ I’m on my way.” D’Argo responded.
* * *
The two teks sat on the floor looking up at the armed Luxans.
Zhaan had repaired the broken legs and arms with the med-tek bag’s equipment and assistance.
Aeryn returned from the storage room and walked up to the teks.
“ Alright. Identify yourselves... you first.” Aeryn said the dark haired male who she had captured in the closet.
“ Tek first class Marus Lans. Medical support regiment. Provost company, temporary assigned to the Prisoner transport duty.
Looking at the shorter, blond haired male.
“Who are you?” Aeryn said forcfully.
“ Tek second class, Derius Plu. Maintaince support regiment. Provost company, temporary assigned to Marauder 7110b.”
“ Alright teks, what do you think I am going to do to you?” D’Argo said with no indication of anything.
The two men lowered their heads expecting no mercy.
“ We are going to treat you better than your old masters,” Chiana said to them. D’Argo released their hands from behind their backs.
Aeryn smiled and handed them food cube rations and pointed toward the galley.
“ You’ll find everything you’ll need in there. Food , drink. If you are tired find a vacant cell and make yourself comfortable. We are not your masters or your enemy... unless you prove yourselves to be enemies.” Aeryn said with all the ‘Crichton diplomacy’ she could force out of
herself.
The two surprised men looked at each other for an instant.
Lans looked at Aeryn as he stood up.
“ May we ask you who you people really are... and whats going on here?” Lans said.
“ Yes you may ask, but that doesn’t mean we trust you enough to tell you the correct answer,” Aeryn said as she shouldered her pulse rifle and looked at them both.
“ I know who you are.” Derius said. “ I used to be your prowler tek in the Pleisar regiment.
Aeryn looked closely at the short man.
“ I don’t remember you.” Aeryn said.
“ No, of course not... I made sure you didn’t have any reason to remember me... Officer Sun, Icarion company, Pleisar regiment.”
Plu said as he stood up and faced her.
“ All right. So you know my identity... what else do you know.” Aeryn said her curiosity raising.
“ I remember that your unit was the best one on Crais’s Carrier.
Officer Karanda and your bunkmates were all held in contempt for standing up for you. Most were all relieved of their posts and reduced to grots. Most of them are dead now.”
Aeryn swallowed and the regret swept her face for an instant.
“ So how did you come onto a legionare mission?” Aeryn said.
The two teks looked at each other for an instant.
Then red faced, Lans spoke up.
“We were reduced to Legion service for fighting off duty.” Lans said sheepishly.
“ Teks... fighting?” Aeryn said surprised.“ Over what?”
“ Over whom... accually,” Plu said his face becoming red as well.
“ You mean to tell me that you were sentenced to Legion duty over a woman’s affections?” Aeryn said with holding her laughter.
D’Argo began snickering.
Chiana also began to break into a giggle.
“Well yes... but I really cared for...” Lans began.
“ The Hez you did! If you would of kept your nose out of
Trish’s life she would of..” Plu began.
“ Silence!” Aeryn said. “ What ever it was... its -over- now. You two teks understand irreversible contamination?
Well you have been among non-Sabacean life forms over twenty aurns un-supervised by a legal officer of the council. Do you know what that means for any Peacekeeper... much less a legionnaire... worse yet for a tek?” Aeryn was stone cold serious in face and manner.
“ Yes sir.” Lans said more automatic than of respect.
Plu nodded as the heat of the moment passed.
“ It means death.” Plu finally said at little distantly.
“ Look you know that my ‘friends’ have killed your other squad members. They probably wouldn’t hesitate a microt to rip you two to shreds if I were to let them. I want you to know I will not accept any betrayal of our ‘trust’, do you understand?” D’Argo said looking at his qualta blade and turning it so the light shimmered off its bright blade.
“ What do you want from us?” Lans said.
“ Our friend ‘Crichton’ is on a station. We want him free and with us.” Chiana said.
“ Crichton... oh yes I remember him.” Plu said.
“ He was suspended on the supply station. It’s a heavily defended station with crack warriors guarding it.” Lans said.
“ Look... you two are as good as dead to the Peacekeepers, but with you helping us, you can gain friends to help you.
We will take you to a Sabacean colony world where the Peacekeepers will never bother you. Your skills will be of
value there and you should be able to have a life,” Aeryn said.
Lin looked up and looked hard at Aeryn.
“ Why would you care so much for a ‘alien’ like Crichton?
What would motivate such a diverse group of aliens to
want to help him... does he have some power over you all?” Lin said.
D’Argo squared up before the Tek.
“ He is our close friend. We are loyal to our friends...” D’Argo said.
Chiana looked around the large Luxan.
“ We our offering you two that kind of friendship,” Chiana said as she eased around D’Argo.
“ Yes. So enjoy yourselves for the next few days. Think about it,” Aeryn said.
* * *
[Three solar days later]
Aeryn could feel the adrenalin rush.
Rigel had negotiated a passage through the border and out into Peacekeeper patrol area near the battle zone.
The pressure on the crew of Moya increased as the time
passed. They had Moya move from asteroid belt to a gas
giant star, through several debris fields in order to hide
their presence. Finally they found the station and hid
in a asteroid field that the Peacekeepers themselves were
using to prevent easy detection.
Aeryn put on the uniform of a Commander of the Ustar
regiment. The two teks wore grot uniforms, and Chiana
dressed in her tek disguise with a coloration make up on her face.
D’Argo had trained his ‘contingent’ of Luxans to obey him as their new ‘general’. The three males readily accepted him and trained to strengthen themselves for battle.
“ D’Argo we have covered this before. You and your ‘troops’ are to stay here with Moya.
We will infiltrate the base and rescue John, then escape
back to Moya. Simple.” Aeryn said at the hanger door.
Queit’I walked up to D’Argo.
Her healed tocas seemed like braids to Aeryn.
Not large and pulled up and braced like , the Luxan holy woman.
The Luxan female was smaller, almost demure and nowhere near aggressive as the males.
Even after her abuse from Peacekeepers she had treated
Aeryn with respect due to a Leader.
“ Please Lord General. Stay here and be prepared to rescue the brave Captain and her warriors.” Quiet’I said
in a respectful but firm voice.
D’Argo looked at her and relented in his demands.
The other warriors looked at their general awaiting orders.
“ We will be ready to invade at the first sign of trouble.” D’Argo said placing his hands on his hips.
“ You have our Com frequency. The Peacekeepers usual detection devices don’t scan that low, we should be all right,” Aeryn said placing her hand on D’Argo’s sleeve.
Zhaan had come from her room after praying. Rigel was watching the view screen.
“ The Peacekeepers are keeping a low profile themselves.
Perhaps there is a Luxan fleet nearby?” Rigel said.
The Luxan guard’s faces revealed nothing. They would merely look at the General’s hand, or wait for his voice
to command them they would do whatever he demanded of them.
“ No doubt. If I could only find them... we could all go to our proper places,” D’Argo caught himself before he revealed anything.
Chiana put on the smoke-glazed helmet and gloves.
The two teks finished their checks and gathered up the weapons to complete their costumes.
“ We’re ready,” Chiana said climbing up into the marauder.
“We’ll be back soon,” Aeryn said to Zhaan and the others.

***
The marauder approached the base and the teks input the protocol for landing.
“ Your approach is approved Commander Sol. The station commander requests that you report upon arrival.” The controller said into Aeryn’s headphones.
“ Received. We are approaching now.” Aeryn said flying the bulky ship as easily as if it were her prowler.
***
The Captain over the Station was a Peacekeeper officer, but most of his command was made up of Legionnaires.
Aeryn entered his office and came to attention.
“ I see you have passed you Ident chip clearances...
Commander Sol. What might I do to assist the directorate?” Captain Haig said standing up.
“ I believe you are aware of some research project Administrator Scorpius was involved with here on the
station some time ago?” Aeryn began.
“ Oh yes... let me look that up for you.” Haig said keying some protocols up on his board.
“Yes... Science branch was interested in a subject for Intell. Expended a lot of needed resource for... Ah, here it is... An alien sub-specie of the Sabacean race, called Cry-tan.
Tube 1147 on ‘C’ deck. That’s a security three vekka area. I’m sure you can pass the genetic scan Commander Sol in order to gain access. May I ask what you intend to do with this subject?” Haig said getting closer and friendlier by the microt.
“ My orders are to take the subject back to Peacekeeper
Territories and turn him over to my commanding officer,
Council Admiral Galic on Sabacia Prime.”
The mention of such a powerful Admiral made Haig’s eyes
blink for an instant. Galic had executed an entire regiment for failure in the Hynerian wars.
A minor Station Captain wouldn’t be an effort at all.
“ When are you scheduled for departure, Commander?” Haig said trying to seem at ease.
Aeryn could tell her ruse was working.
“ This ‘Alien’ has vital technology information that First
Command demands immediately. My orders are to come here, pick him up and meet a returning Carrier waiting for me... now.” Aeryn emphasized the -Now- to leave no doubt
she had no time for the Captain.
“ Well, I see. Perhaps some of my teks could assist you?”
Haig offered.
“ Thank you for your offer Captain Haig. I will remember your efforts to my commander. However, the fewer eyes
that knows what we are doing the better. My tek has been trained to handle this.” Aeryn said.
“ Shall I contact First Command... or the Carrier?” Haig offered.
“ And inform our enemies of our plans or your station’s location? I think not Captain.” Aeryn was starting to enjoy this.
“ Of course, of course, I’ll let you get to your important duties. It has been such a pleasure to deal with a Peacekeeper officer again. Good health Commander Sol.” Haig said suddenly wishing she would leave.
Aeryn came to a salute.
“ Good health to you Captain Haig.”
* * *
The realigned Ident chips easily gained them entrance to
deck ‘C’, and the teks overrode the genetic scan from a
circuit room.
The vast storage deck was lined with thousands of different size containment tubes.
Delvians, Sabaceans, Luxans, Hynerians, Scovians, Scarrens, Zenetians, Deneans, Sheyangs, Saurians, and
other human like people such as Auqearians, Sykarians.
Aeryn looked at the container numbers and turned to the
Two teks.
“ Lans... Where is tube 1147?” Aeryn said.
“ Oh good you obtained the number... hmmm lets see.
All right... over here...” Lans said walking over to a collection of tube in a file.
“ He should be at this rank, and down this file.” Lans said operating a rotating control which began moving the various tubes around a rank pillar as if they were huge
bullets on a belt. The tubes began passing by.
1130,31,......44,45,46,... finally 47.
The kneeling figure was opaque blue inside a cylinder of frosted over glass-like material.
Chiana wiped away the frost to see a shadow like form within the frozen liquid.
“ Stand aside,” Lans said as a mechanical three fingered
hand came down and lifted the tube out of the rack.
Lans set the tube on a raised platform and then released the lift device and stored it.
The controls for the Cryo-unit were near the station and Lans quickly began operating it.
Plu fed the energy connections to the tube device and a
base seemed to latch onto the tubes lower third and a
device lowered from above to shoot a crimson red thin beam into the ice. The ice seemed to remain undisturbed by the light until a few microts later when it turned to
liquid and began to fluctuate within the tube.
John’s image cleared and his blue figure with ice sickle hair and dull white frost upon the skin.
Aeryn looked hard but she could not recognize John.
The liquid began to be rotated by special jets in the tube that began to circulate faster and faster until the bluish
figure began to change color. Slowly and gradually the skin began to change to John’s pinkish white color.
The hair freed up and began to move in the mini vortex.
Stimulants were injected at precise times and pulses in the fluid became pulses in the body. At a certain time
Lin started Crichton’s heart and blood flow and pressure
readings appeared on the control screen.
John’s body lost the rigid pose and slumped against the tube wall. At that time fluid was drained through the lower connection and straps connected to his legs and arms revealed themselves as stimulators. John’s body lifted and jerked as pulses maintained heart rate and fluid
expelled from his lungs and stomach. Then the tube was lifted and John’s cold, naked body sprawled out on the floor.
“ This is a critical time. I must reestablish higher brain functions within a few microts. Plu, watch those reading
tell me what they are when I ask.” Lin said leaving the
control station to turn John over.
Aeryn could see the bruises and damage. The black and blue face, the broken legs, ribs and fingers.
Her feelings of concern and mixed rage were tempered by the mind of a commando on mission.
“ There, he is coming around now.” Lans said happily.
Aeryn moved forward and knelt beside him.
“ John? We are here to take you away.” Aeryn said.
“ I c.... see. b.ind?” John murmured.
“ No. The eyes are the last to become functional.
They suffer the outer exposure.
The blindness is temporary. You will see soon.” Lans reassured John’s confused mind.
“ John do you know me?” Aeryn found herself saying.
John breathed two time and tried to move before
laying back and letting a hard earned smile appear.
“ Aeryn Sunshine... Warm... me up?”
‘ Sunshine! How I missed that name from his lips,’ Aeryn thought, smiling to herself.
“ I’m c c c old,” John said shivering.
“ Normal.. actually, that is good, it means your body is recovering very well.” Lans continued.
Chiana removed the extra brown cover-alls they had brought with them and the teks fought John’s body into the clothing. With shoes on John’s sockless feet and a blanket around him the Two teks lifted John and carried him. John’s knees were draped over a rifle carried by both
teks. John grasped both teks around the neck and John
sat on top of the other rifle.
Aeryn ordered the departure and John was carried.
As the group made it to the elevator the station
shuttered and groaned. The lights flickered, went out...
and then emergency red lights came on.
“The station is under attack!” Plu said with alarm in his voice.
“ All crew battle posts... battle posts!” Haig’s voice said over the station wide Com.
“ Aw frell!” Chiana said.
“ All right... nothing changes. We get John on the marauder and we leave.” Aeryn said calmly.
“ Sorry Sir,” Plu said. “ Have you forgotten?...all hatches are sealed during an attack to prevent entrance.”
Aeryn blew out a sigh of frustration.
It was true. The station had no fighters to launch the
hanger bays would be sealed and guards posted to ensure
they stayed that way.
“All right, I will go and see what it is I -can- do, to get us out of this mess. We will go to the farthermost service
stairwell and get back to the main deck. Get as close to the hanger bay as possible and hide. I will get clearances
from Haig and meet you in the stairwell.” Aeryn said.
She looked at John’s helpless figure, The cold was all he
had to keep from crying out in agony... she estimated twenty mircrots before he was in agony.
Chiana wanted to protest about splitting up, but she had
come to know Aeryn enough not to question her tactics.
Chiana moved the teks with John being carried, to the service stairwell. They all struggled to bring John up the stairs. After the first level they stopped to rest.
“ Wait... I remember a few monens back. I broke my leg.
I think I remember that Zhaan used a bone bonding gell to overcome the broken bone,” Chiana said as she leaned
against the stairwell wall.
“ That’s right... if I could get into the medical bay. I could have this guy in a COMRU. That is a machine that can analize, diagnois, and perform micro-surgery, and then
stabilize him, while repairing the broken skeleton and internal organs.” Lans said after setting Crichton down.
Plu lifted the faceshield and wiped his face of the sweat.
“ Its a very efficient machine,” Plu said to Chiana.
“ Then we should put John in it and heal these wounds.”
Chiana said reasserting herself on her two feet.
“ Aeryn said to stay near the hanger bay...” Plu began.
“ Frell her... John needs medical help that he can get here and not on Moya... wait, ok I have an idea. You two take him to this COM thingy and I will wait for Aeryn. She can
yell at me. You two just get him patched up and back to the stairwell.” Chiana said with one of her smiles.
“ Well, he would be better off if he were put back in shape. He would certainly be better off...” Lans said
“ I don’t know...” Plu said shaking his head.
“ Quit wasting time and DO IT!” Chiana said focusing on Plu’s face with her jet black eyes.
The two teks re-lifted the still unconscious Crichton and exited out to the corridor on the second level.
Chiana easily went up to the main level and peered out
into the corridor. The Hanger bay was a rush of soldiers and teks scurrying about setting up blockades and barricades to prevent a enemy borders entrance.
She could hear the stations frag cannons being fired and
the stations shield absorbing the energy of multiple impacts against the station.
‘Come on guys... I really don’t want to face Aeryn.” Chiana thought as she receded into the shadows in the
stairwell.
* * *
Aeryn tried to get to Haig’s office but was found herself
instead in a corridor going in the opposite direction.
“ Commander!” a young female corporal said.
Five grots followed her as she approached Aeryn.
“ Sir, a Luxan boarding party is on deck four and I can’t
find my squad leader. Can you take command of our section and helps us?” The corporal pleaded.
“ Where is the rest of your squad?” Aeryn said gruffly.
“ Our officer split us up to guard the stairwell, but we just
heard that the Luxans are killing people on four.”
Aeryn knew her disguise would fail if she didn’t go along.
“ Right then follow me,” Commander Aeryn said.
The grots fell in behind Aeryn and they were soon on deck
four following the pulse rifle shots.
‘ What if D’Argo and his kill happy troops invaded?’ Aeryn thought. She advance ahead to finally see that the Luxan’s uniforms were black and draped with a strange plaid blue cloth. They were armed with Qualta-rifles and
slashing, and shooting their way through pistol armed
guards and teks.
A feeling of relief came over her, it wasn’t D’Argo’s troops.
“ Form here about these storage bins to form a crossfire...
move!” Aeryn said and a familiar feeling of control came back to her when ‘her’ grots obeyed without question.
As the Luxans appeared, Aeryn raised a fist for her grots
to hold fire until the majority came into range.
Several Peacekeepers died before their eyes, but they held fire. Then Aeryn opened up and killed two before the
others joined in. The Luxans began dropping at the pulse
rifle blasts, but the several Luxans left charged into the trap,blades raised and yelling a battle cry.
They survived about ten microts.
“ Secure the area!” Aeryn ordered.
The green troops were flushed with pride in saving the deck from the ‘enemy’ and were eager to please their
‘Commander’.
Aeryn wanted to get to Haig.
The red lights lifted back to normal station lighting.
The just fought battle’s results took on a more grisly scene as the bodies and damage seemed to appear from
the former shadows.
Aeryn was soon met by another officer who reported that the deck was secure and thanked her for finding her lost
grots.
“ An proper officer should know where their troops are
sent. I will forget this incident but don’t let it happen again... Do you read me?” Aeryn played to the hilt.
“ Yes Sir!” The officer came to attention and saluted.
Aeryn turned nodded to the corporal.
The squad came to attention and gave a honor salute.
Aeryn acted as if she barely noticed but inside she was beaming until she came to the main deck.
Haig was standing before a group of fleet officers who were particularly nervous for some reason.
Their attention adverted toward Aeryn, Haig turned to
smile and act strangely friendly again.
“ Ah Commander Sol. I am so glad you were able to join us. May I introduce you to the Admiral’s staff...” Haig began.
“ I am sub-admiral Alton.” A short stocky man with a scar
across his left cheek said ignoring Haig.
“ Commander...?” Alton implied to ask her identity.
“ I am Commander Sol. Ustar regiment. Special ops.”
“ Special Ops...good, good. Seems you were fortunate to have a veteran on board. Nasty business... Luxans that is.” Alton said.
“ Yes. Deck four is secure Captain Haig. The boarding party killed.”
“ Oh... yes, its on record... very good work. Much better than that foul up on deck one. All those experiments...
destroyed,” One of the other officers said.
A chill swept down Aeryn’s back. She could only hope Chiana got John and the teks to the stairwell. She mentally kicked herself for not taking him herself.
A knot began to form in her stomach... another new feeling caused by John Crichton.
She found herself thanking the officers and turning to
face Haig.
“ I still have a rendezvous to meet. Permission to carry on.” Aeryn said.
“ Please Commander. The Admiral wants a officer call. He
would very much like to personally thank you for your heroics. I’m sure I can have your Carrier warned to wait now that the fleet has returned.” Haig said in a political
maneuver.
“ I thought I just met Admiral Alton,” Aeryn said smiling.
“ Oh no, no Commander Sol. I am Fleet Admiral Sun’s personal logistic officer. He will be aboard shortly.”
Aeryn ears seemed top sting.
“ Admiral Sun... Admiral Talyn Sun?” Aeryn said the knot growing in her stomach.
“ Ah yes, of course you have heard of him.
He is this parsec’s chief officer.” Alton continued.
TBC