Ethereal Chorus Part5
by ChianaGray
Aeryn drew the small plant back out of the vortex. Rays of light glowed over it for long moments as the vortex closed in on itself but otherwise it seemed fine.
D'argo stuck his hand into the vortex when it came open again, wincing his eyes as the roaring sound muffled and he began to glow, surrounded in light until he was swallowed in by the vortex.
"I guess that will work," Aeryn muttered as she followed in after him.
Chiana heaved in her breath and let it out slowly on a wift of her hair at her bangs and leaped at it. She felt herself surrounded by light again, feeling as if she were racing to it and then abruptly halted. She looked up cautiously, finding herself in a dim, dark place. Roots hung everywhere.
"Look at this," Aeryn called.
Chiana came to D'argoes side as they came to her, thier mouths dropping at the same time.
Entwined in nests of the roots was the whole crew, including Pilot. Chiana narrowed her eyes as she tried to look over her surroundings as D'argo came to Aeryn, staring at a thick twisting of roots where Zhaan and Crichton were interfolded, hands touching the sides of thier heads with thier foreheads against each other.
"This is Pilots chamber," Chiana said in curiosity as she moved around Zhaan and Crichton, turning her head sharply to the form of herself. She seemed entangled, her eyes closed and half hanging out as if she were trying to escape the hanging, twisting roots. One arm was free and most of her leg but it looked like the roots were slowly trying to wrap around them and pull her back in again.
D'argo growled deeply as he came up on top of Pilots helm and began to chop him free of the roots with his qualta.
"What are you doing?" Aeryn called to him. "This is just more dren! Another frelling illusion."
"Well I don't think so," D'argo grumbled as he whacked Pilots head free and went to free his arms.
"Then what is it?" Chiana awed at her form as she dared enough to reach up to the hand twisted in roots above her hanging head and pulled at it. The roots seemed to grasp her more tightly and her face winced with pain, a groan escaping her form. Chiana blinked slowly as a flash of white light filled her mind as quick as a photo flash. "Woe."
"What if we're all asleep?" D'argo asked as he glanced at Aeryn. "Then someone should frelling wake up."
"D'argo you are way off based here," Aeryn shook her head as she turned her attention to Chiana. "Do you believe that for one microt?"
"I'm dreaming myself?" Chiana wondered as she gazed into the solemn, gentle Nebari face hanging in the roots. "And this is me?"
"D'oh!" Aeryn jerked her head down as she cut her hands up along side her ears. "I'm talking to myself aren't I? Can't you see something or someone is frelling with us? There is nothing here! If Rygel and Zhaan can't get back on thier own then they're never getting out."
"At this point I will try anything," D'argo stated as he worked the last of Pilots pinchers free and slapped on his face to try to wake him. "Pilot! Pilot answer me!"
He growled as he turned from him and raised his qualta, swinging it with a harsh shout just above Crichton and Zhaans head. Chiana awed at him for a moment, her head comming back in a wondering gape to her self as she began to try to untwine her out of the roots.
"How is that supposed to help you?" Aeryn challenged with irritation as she shot her hand out at D'argo.
"We sent Zhaan to find Zhaan, remember?" D'argo eyed her. "So why is this one mind linking with Crichton? What I see is all of us imprisoned. Do what you want Aeryn, but I refuse to leave this chamber until someone wakes up and answers me!"
Chiana worked her hand free and her body fell forward. She felt a wild confusion as the free Chiana opened her eyes and raised her head back. A terrofied look began to cross her face as she felt herself in the awkward position, a flood gate entering her mind like the crash of a tidal wave. Zhaan suddenly lunged, grasping her and drawing her into her nestle of roots, holding on to her and Crichton by thier shoulders, her head lowering as her eyes closed again and the roots began to snake around them, thicker and stronger.
"Did you see it?" D'argo gaped as his eyes widend.
"I don't know what I saw," Aeryn spoak quietly as she narrowed her eyes and swept the room over with them. "Where did Chiana go?"
"In there," D'argo nudged his head at Zhaan.
"No I mean the Chiana we were with."
"In there," D'argo insisted as his eyes widend wildly and he began to hack at the roots, growling deep within his throaght. "Zhaan! Zhaan! I'll kill you if you harm them! I swear my oath to it! Da'JoKha!"
Crichton felt Zhaan pulling away and rocked his head back with a deep groan as a flash came over him. He saw Scorpius snareling his vicious face like a caged animal, his teeth bared as he sat up from a dark red throne. His body jerked involuntarily as he tried to see. It felt like the kelvars being shocked into him again as he saw with no sense of orientation the images of Zhaan, Chiana and Scorpius. The other two he could understand, but Chiana? He reached for her, trying to take her arm to pull her to him but Zhaan was holding tightly to her shoulders. Chianas arms were spread out, her eyes closed with her head slightly raised in an expression of pain.
"Zhaaaan!" Crichton felt as if his voice were comming from miles away, long and slow. "Let her go."
A sound raised out, becomming stronger and more higher pitched until Crichton recognized it as Pilot screaming. He slammed his eyes shut and opend them again, trying to shake the way he felt. Zhaan snatched his throaght as she half slung Chiana to one side and glared into his eyes. Her own were not as dark anymore, a reddish blue.
"I need Pilot," she muttered. "Starburst... take me to him."
"Why do you want to make Moya starburst so bad?"
"Impertinant fool!" She hoisted him up into the air with her thumb and index finger digging into the tender muscles and glands of his throaght just beneath the edges of his jaw. "Because it doesn't want her to! Happy here Crichton, are you? Murderous mamal, infection! You're all becoming pests I should rip out like a frelling neusance."
"Just tell me -" Crichton struggled to speak as he grasped her arm, trying to pull his head out of her grip. "If I'm talking to Zhaan at all, cause I don't think you are."
"I'm becoming more than that, John." She stated as her eyes shifted, searching his in fear. "Don't let this win over me, we'll all be lost."
"Sure," he rolled his eyes back and kicked. Zhaan cried out but didn't loose her grip as she sent him crashing back to his feet. He felt as if she were stabing into his mind with a cold blade. The flash of Scorpies image came to him again. He could see him standing Zhaan off as if he were trying to keep her from something.
He screamed again as he felt as if his entire mind were being ripped apart and then was suddenly overwhelmed with a washing sensation of relief as Zhaan cried.
"What have you done to me," she weeped. "I can't fight this!"
"Fight what-ever, Zhaan." Crichton grimanced in a low voice as he glared up at her. "Because I'm going to kick your sweet Delvian ass if you don't."