fibbers6

Fibbers, Pistols and Cash Parts 6
by CeRell

Part 6 Realization
*******
"I smell a trap." John said as the pod neared the empty base.
"Of course you do." Aeryn said a trifle sourly, a tone John hadn't heard from her since the prior cycle. Her tone that inferred he was an idiot. "It's a tactic of the peacekeepers, Crichton. An unknown sebacean walks up to us and informs us that Chiana and Jothee have been caught by peacekeepers? Just happens to know who we are and where they are being kept? Delivers the information and conveniently disappears? It's textbook. Simple, precise and to the point."
"As long as we both know." John smiled, not offended by her tone; just pleased she was talking to him. Perhaps even more than her company, he had missed her voice. Missed their normal day to day interactions.
"A trap hopefully we can slip through." She added wistfully as she maneuvered the pod onto the suspiciously empty base. She carefully landed the pod in a hidden hollow. Gathering their munitions Zhaan and Rygel had thoughtfully prepared, they exited the pod. Each carrying a sack of grenades and sorted explosives.
"Here we go again Sundance." John whispered as they slunk around the walls. His heart leapt when Aeryn gave him a large smile. She was starting to forgive. More, she was forgiving herself. He smiled content for the moment to watch her.
Aeryn noticed him watching her and growled, "Pay attention-just watch our rear, Butch." She pointed her gun towards a door. "That looks like the most likely entrance. D’Argo and I'll watch the front."
She carefully led the way as they stalked their way through the empty corridors. All was quiet and peaceful until at the same moment they all felt gun muzzles press painfully to their heads. "Drop your weapons." Peacekeeper
troops held the rifles solidly at arms length. There was no escape. No chance to bring up their many weapons. The trap had sprung and they were caught: neatly, quickly and without fuss. ‘A perfect takedown’ Aeryn thought as she handed over her pulse rifle.
As they complied they found themselves surrounded. They were stripped of their weapons quickly, handcuffed and drug into the room with Chiana and Jothee.
John was slightly surprised to see a look admiration in Jothee's normally cold, hostile eyes.
"Chiana. Looks like you were right after all. Don't we feel loved." Jothee's usual sour attitude quickly returned.
"Hey Pip!" John said brightly, warmly, as he saw her when she stepped out from behind Jothee. Her eyes filled instantly with tears. "Hey don't cry on me now."
"You shouldn't have followed. I didn't want you to come to this."
He shrugged. "Sooner or later dren happens."
He stood beside her. "You all right? I was worried about you."
She stated with surprise. "You forgive me?"
"Well, I do owe you one, but I decided I drove you to it. So, yea, I guess I do forgive you." He smiled and touched her with his shoulder, slanting his head towards her.
Chiana smiled her tears trickling down her face. "That's good to hear. That's so very good to hear." She chuckled.
She laid her head on his shoulder, taking little what comfort she could. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Aeryn. Half afraid to be vaporized from Aeryn’s harsh stare.
She needn’t have worried. Aeryn was ignoring her. Her eyes were focused on their situation, constantly looking for a way out. Her peacekeeper persona in full alert.
Scorpious walked in. A large sincere smile on his weathered, pale face. The black leather he wore creaking as he walked. The long leather tail flapping on his calves.
"Scorpy!" John greeted him with effected pleasure. "Is it really you? In the flesh?"
"Yes, John, in the flesh. You'll never know how pleased I am to see you again. So good of you to arrive right on schedule. And looking so refreshed."
What the frell have you done to me?"
"Ah. You see I implanted a micro mental chip in your brain when the Aurora chair couldn't extract the wormhole knowledge. When that knowledge was completely accessed it released my DNA effectively creating the changes you've experienced."
"Bastard. I'm no damned test monkey."
"Yes, well. Apparently you are, John. It's always gratifying to see such excellent results. Come. I find I simply can't wait any longer. Bring him."
Aeryn felt a stab of fear that surprised her. The walls she had built around her emotions over the prior solar days shattered as she watched John being drug away.
He was strapped into a plain chair.
"At least it's not the Aurora Chair this time, Scorpy. I guess you don't have that piece of crap anymore." He grinned. "Really sorry about that Gammack Base by the way. So how ya been? Not dying of anything yet?" He asked hopefully.
He smiled. "I'm perfectly healthy. As are you I am pleased to see. Although somewhat altered." His smile widened. "Rather a more interesting appearance, don't you think?"
John's answer was a scowl.
He signaled to the tech. "This will hurt John." He smiled.
John screamed as the tech probed the back of his neck. Dripping blood from the probe, she pulled away from him dropping a metal disk into a dish and handed it to Scorpious.
"Now John, shall we find out what you've had hidden?" He picked the disk up and looked at it intently. "Oh, you'll find you will slowly revert back to your normal state." He gave John on last smile. "Take him back to the others."
The tech slapped a bandage on his neck and walked him back to the other room.
Aeryn walked over to him. "What did they do?"
"Seems I've had some type of metal chip in my neck."
Her eyebrow raised. "Scorpious's visits explained."
"And my transformation."
She laid a hand on his arm. "Are you all right, John?" she asked with real concern.
"I will be." He laid his hand on her cheek. He smiled at her tenderly. "If you aren’t mad at me anymore, I’ll be just fine."
Her eyes were gentle. "John, I’m sorr….." Her attention was distracted by the brisk entrance of the tall beauty.
"Hello John." Jenovia breezed into the room. She walked to him. "I don't know whether to slap you or kiss you. But I am pleased to see you. Even in this state. Maybe I'll wait on the kiss until you revert back to your normal self." She ran a finger over the gray wrinkles."
"I would prefer the kiss given the choice." He replied cheekily.
She smiled.
Aeryn looked to her suspiciously. "Jenovia."
"Yes, Aeryn. This is Jenovia, Special Directorate-Disrupter" John introduced her. "I take it your mission on the Royal Planet is finished."
"Yes" She sighed. "I did have instructions to get close to you, infiltrate the Moya crew, report back to Scorpious but….you turned me down. That is too bad. That is a mission I would have enjoyed especially after that night we spent."
"You like the missions you spend flat on your back?"
"Depends on who it's with. I was rather surprised you merely used me then. I didn't think you had it in you."
"Sorry. Must not be just a peacekeeper thing. So now you are back with Scorpious? The people you had to protect was Scorpious."
She nodded her head.
"What does he have planned for us this time? Another trip in another Aurora Chair? Or simple death by firing squad."
"The chair you destroyed was the only chair we had. It was a prototype. It didn't work as well as we'd hoped on you. That's why Scorpious inserted the chip. If it can work it will have. And apparently it did work judging by how you look."
Scorpious walked back into the room. He stopped in front of Aeryn. "I can
use someone with your skills, Aeryn Sun."
She tore her furious, hurt eyes from Johns'; feeling betrayed by the apparent fling he was alluding to having had with Jenovia. "For what?" she answered warily.
"I've read over your file. Crais was always incompetent, unable to recognize superior individuals. I am willing to offer you amnesty. A complete return back to your peacekeeper life."
"Is this another way to say radiation induced heat delirium?" John asked derisively.
"Not at all. I can hardly utilize your considerable talents in such a state. No, I was referring to a Captaincy as Special Forces Commando. In charge of your own special Marauder. The specifics we'll go into later. Are you interested?"
"Yes." She studiously avoided John's eyes as she kept hers on Scorpious. She quickly thought over her feelings, her walls, the changes she’d been through in the last two cycles. The hurt of the last monen. Her eyes finally flicked to Jenovia and John. Jenovia’s eye’s mocking, John’s begging.
"I'll let you think it over."
"I don't need to. I would be pleased to accept." Instantly deciding to give herself over to the sterile, unemotional, mechanical life as a peacekeeper away from the emotional roller coaster she’d been on.
"Good then, follow Jenovia, she will outfit you. I'll outline your mission later."
John grabbed her arm stopping her dead in her tracks. "Don't do it. Don't throw what we have away." He whispered. "No Aeryn."
"I have to do this. It's what I've always wanted. My whole life." She turned her tortured eyes away from his and proceeded towards the door.
"How can you do this to him?" Chiana's quiet but intense remark caused her firm steps to falter, but she continued onwards biting back her bitter retort. She could feel John's eyes burning holes in her back. She walked off to the peacekeeper quarters without looking back using every ounce of strength she had and every microt of self control training she’d gone through.
As John watched Aeryn walk out of his life forever, he felt as if the fraying rope he was hanging from split and he fell into the bottomless chasm he'd been dangling over for so long. A large piece of his heart tore out and went with her. Chiana grabbed his arm and D'Argo laid a comforting hand on his shoulder giving him their much needed support.
Scorpious turned to Lt. Bracca. "Follow her. Keep an eye on her."
John watched Lt. Bracca leave the room. "And what about us?" John asked.
"I could use your help in the Nebari rebellion. We wish to assist the resistance in their efforts."
"And what do we get out of it?"
"You help prevent the expansion of the Nebari domination. Chiana reunites with her brother."
"And how is stopping the Nebari any worse than the peacekeepers?"
"We don't dominate, John. We are the peacekeeper forces. We are hired by others. The Nebari don't use our services. They choose to utilize mind cleansing."
"And if we don't agree?"
"I will commandeer the Leviathan and return the escaped prisoners to their cells. You will be jailed and put to death for the Gammack base incident."
"So it's blackmail."
"I prefer to think of it as a new opportunity."
"So how do you plan to keep us under your thumb, what prevents us from starbursting to freedom again?"
"You forget, I have Aeryn Sun."
His heart skipped several beats. John felt his hatred for Scorpious intensify. "I'll never forget. You leave Aeryn alone." He growled at him taking several steps towards him.
"John, all I've done is give her everything she's ever wanted."
"You can't give her everything." John under his breath.
"You've got us between a rock and a hard place, Scorpy. We don't have much choice do we."
"No, you don't. Take off their handcuffs." Scorpious ordered and walked away then halted at the doorway.
"Oh, Jenovia will be joining your group. To assist you in working with us." He smiled one last self-satisfied smile and left the room triumphant.
****************
Aboard the pod Chiana threw her arms around John. He returned her hug. "It is good to see you Little Girl."
"Are you all right, John?"
"I'll survive, Pip. So how did you two end up in that bastards clutches?"
"We were looking for peacekeepers to help us. The first we found turned us immediately over to him." She paused. "Why did you follow us? I can’t believe you don’t hate me."
He smiled sadly at her. "Call me a stupid human. I care for you Chiana. You are like family."
"Foster sister."
He tilted his head in rue agreement.
"I’m glad." She hugged him again. "So what now? Are we going back to Moya?"
"We came to rescue you, and to join the resistance. Looks like we’ll definitely be doing that now. Don’t have much choice." His eyes darkened as he noted Jenovia walking towards the pod.
D'Argo looked to John. "She might still have her comm badge with her."
"You try it, I don't have the heart. She's got her old life back. We aren't a part of it anymore." He sadly sighed as he sat down heavily at the console and started the pre flight preparations.
He over heard D'Argo's lack of success in getting Aeryn on the comms as Jenovia entered the pod. As the pod lifted off, John watched the ground grow further and further away and felt as if he'd left his entire heart behind. He wondered how he was going to find the strength to continue. Alex he had loved and would have been happy with. But Aeryn had become so much a part of him. The hurt was such he felt like he’d been ripped apart.