Fibbers, Pistols and Cash Parts 7
by CeRell
Part 7 ReUnion
Aeryn was in a daze as Jenovia gave her the ident chips and pass codes she
would be soon needing."I'll be seeing you later." Jenovia paused at Aeryn's doorway. "I'll be joining John on Moya."
Aeryn looked up as her stomach lurched.
"Scorpious wants someone to oversee what they are doing."
"What does he have planned for them?"
Jenovia smiled mysteriously and silently left the doorway.
Aeryn was left staring at the doorway feeling like she had made the worst mistake of her life, knowing it was too late to turn back.
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Jenovia found John at the command console aboard Moya several solar days later. "You are looking normal again.""Feeling normal too." He answered her stonily.
"We aren't enemies, John."
"Really? Could have fooled me."
"We're on the same side." She reassured him.
"You chose to be a special operative. I was blackmailed into it. Huge frelling difference." He growled watching the view screen.
She rubbed his shoulder. "We can be friends and more."
He rudely yanked his shoulder away. "No. We can't and we won't Jena. How much plainer shall I tell you?"
"Your attitude is so unnecessary, John. I didn’t blackmail you. I’m simply following orders. Aeryn made it clear she doesn't want you. I do."
"Get the frell out of here and leave me in peace, will you?"
"Sorry, can't do that John. My mission is to oversee yours. To find Neri and assist in the sabotage of the Nebari movement."
"Then leave it business. I've made it as clear as I can. I don't want you physically. I sure as hell don't need you. I don't want you here. Do you need to me clarify that further?"
She smiled knowingly and patiently stood separate from him as she watched his view screen with him.
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Aeryn paced behind the console of her marauder. Her crew were monitoring the electronic sweep results. Thus far her quarry was evading her. Her anger was unsettling her crew."Captain Sun! I've found them." He nervously moved aside as Aeryn pushed to the console.
"About time." She snarled.
"Captain Sun."
"What?" she harshly inquired.
"It appears to be the young Leviathan."
"Appears? Can't you tell? Can't you read the data?"
"Yes Sir! The data does show a craft of it's supposed size Sir!"
"Prepare for assault."
Her crew leapt to their feet and hurried to their suits and munitions rack.
As her crew prepared Aeryn observed Talyn. He'd grown far larger and wore the peacekeeper control collar. As reported, no Nebari ships were guarding him. She would need back up, much more than she currently had to rescue him. Crais’s rescue she likely could manage.
Taking a last look at Talyn orbiting peacefully, she slipped the marauder through the congested traffic to the planet’s surface. Her crew quickly disembarked and proceeded into the building that contained the Nebari prisoners. Thus far her information had been accurate.
Aeryn motioned half her crew to her right and the remainder to her left as they crept their way into the facility. It was a to- the- death mission. They all understood that. None were to take the chance to undergo the Nebari mind cleansing. Thus far her first mission had been successful. Investigate and find if the spy’s reports of the Nebari capturing Talyn were true. If so, recapture Crais and Talyn in that order. A large craft would have been easily disabled, but her little crew and specially camouflaged marauder easily slipped in amongst the commerce traffic. Aeryn expected to die. Part of her wanted to die. To atone for leaving John. She briefly felt surprise that the sharp stab of pain at the thought of the loss of John was as harsh and shattering as the moment she walked out of his life. She knew what she'd done to him was inexcusable. She knew he would be suffering far worse. What she had done to herself, immeasurable. She shook her head. Such thoughts were not conductive to her mission. Such thoughts shouldn't exist.
She detected a sound. A scrape of leather on the hard flooring just ahead around the corner. She signaled her crew to halt. Signaled the two to her right to step forward and engage the guards. Laser fire erupted as the
Nebari guards were shot dead in their tracks. They drug the guards into a small room, hiding the evidence. Several more posts were extinguished until they arrived at Crais's holding cell.Lieutenant Bracca melted the lock mechanism and Crais gratefully joined them in the hallway. The bulky control collar quickly was removed and the group began their stealthy exit.
Aeryn heard the soldiers advance before she could see them. Laser fire flashed around them as they had to back their way out of the corridors to the docked marauder. One by one her crew her were felled. Just as she and Crais reached the foot of the marauder's port, Crais was shot. She managed to hold off the remaining enemy as she pulled Crais's heavy body into the craft. As she reached for the door, she was shot. Despite her great pain and the bleeding, she managed to get the door shut, the craft airborne and ducked into the commercial traffic making her clean escape.
When she reached the safety of distant space she signaled the command carrier. "Captain Aeryn Sun reporting. I have lost my crew, but have freed Bilar Crais. I require support to rescue the Leviathan. Awaiting orders."
As she waited for the reply she tended to their wounds. Crais was still unconscious, the bleeding minimal. Her pain was great from her wound. She checked it. She realized she was injured badly wondering briefly why she was still conscious. She gave herself an enhancer shot.
"Captain Sun." Came the reply she was waiting for. "The Leviathan, Moya, is on an intersect course. Here are the coordinates. Rendezvous and wait further instructions."
She fell hard to the floor stunned. Soon she would see John. Would he welcome her with open arms or a pulse rifle aimed at her? She realized he was the most forgiving being she knew, but everyone had their limits and she had surely pushed him beyond them. Definitely she had fractured everything they had come to have between them. She felt a worse emotional pain than she had ever felt before. She would get through it. She could handle whatever the future had to offer. She could. She would. She didn’t believe it for a microt.
************
"Pilot. This is Aeryn Sun and Crais. We are alone. May we come aboard?""What do you want?" Pilot's voice was uncharacteristically rude.
"We have important information. Can't say any more now."
"It's Ok. Come aboard." John's voice came over her comm. Despite her resolve her heart leapt even though his voice was cold and distant.
As she popped the hatch to the Marauder, she saw John and D'Argo standing with guns pointed at her. She carefully climbed out, helping a very weak Crais and walked over to them. With two fingers she pulled her pistol out of its holster and handed it butt first to John. Her other hand was supporting Crais as he leaned into her.
"We've come in peace. We have news of Talyn."
"Out with it." His voice was carefully low, but curt and harsh. His face a gaunt granite mask. She noted he had lost weight. He looked pale and weak but at least he looked like himself again.
"He's been captured by Nebari."
"We know that." He stated flatly.
"What you don't know is the strength of the Nebari defenses or where he is now. You don't know of our plan to free him."
"Your plan."
"Scorpious’s plan."
"And we fit in just how? You need to trade us to the Nebari or is Scorpy not finished with me yet?"
He was sorry for his quip as soon as the words left his mouth. Aeryn's face paled and her forehead scrunched tighter.
"I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."
"He's not after you anymore. He has the chip. He has what he was looking for."
"And did it make any sense to him?" He had to ask.
"I don't believe so."
Crais stumbled against her. "Zhaan." Aeryn acknowledged her old crewmate finally. "He was injured during his escape. Can you help him?"
D'Argo and Zhaan helped Crais out of the hanger to the apothecary for treatment.
John and Aeryn stood frozen.
"So how have you been? You look like crap." John finally spoke.
"I hope I look better than you." She said softly.
"Well, desertion will do that to you."
"John...I..." she faltered and took a hesitant step towards him. "I had to try my old life again."
"And?"
"I found I don't want any life without you." She spoke without thinking surprising herself and realized it was true. Now that she was in his presence she didn’t want to leave. Ever.
"I'm supposed to believe that? I'm supposed to forgive and forget. I'm supposed to TRUST you again."
"I really wish you would. I don't care what has happened in the past. I want to be with you." She looked into his tired blue eyes. "If I don't touch you soon I'm going to splinter into a million pieces." Aeryn's voice was choked from the tears springing from her eyes.
"I want to believe you. But I don't know how I feel about you now. I know I'm still hurting like hell."
"I'm sorry for putting you through what I did. But I had to do it. I had to give my old life another try."
"And you are what? Giving it up?"
"I..." She started to sway. The enhancer was wearing off.
"Aeryn!" John leapt for her and enveloped her in his arms.
As he hugged her he felt her knees give out. He carefully laid her down in doing so he noted blood under her vest. He unzipped it to find a deep wound.
"Aeryn! You're hurt!"
"It was a difficult escape." She whispered and fainted in his arms.
******