From the Past Part 2
by Aeryn Slayer
Summary: What's Aeryn hiding?
Spoilers: This is set towards the end of 'A Hidden Memory'. I changed the ending and added how I think it could have ended. Some spoilers for both seasons.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I could never be good enough to own any of Farscape, although Crichton would be nice!! They all belong to Rockne, Jim Henson Company, the writers, you all know that.
Note: Thanks to all those who made this story possible, Shales, Lt Viper. Thanks for everything.
“We have to stop them!” Crichton yelled angrily as they boarded Moya’s command area. They were getting nowhere. Moya couldn’t control her child, which was speeding faster and faster towards Crais’ Command Carrier, with Aeryn trapped on board.
“I don’t know what we can do, John.” Zhaan started calmly, trying to settle the tension in the room. “Moya can’t do a lot to help in her condition. It will take several more arns before she is capable of starburst, let alone go into battle with Crais’ ship.”
Chiana cut in “Even if we could, wouldn’t the baby fire on us? We don’t exactly have a huge display of weapons, and he seems to know which team he’s on.” Everyone gave her a menacing look because they all knew she was right.
“First things first. We have to get Aeryn off that ship. There’s no telling what Crais may do to her.” Zhaan wasn’t too surprised to find that it was D’Argo and not John who was giving the order. She had noted a change in the relationship between the two of them while Aeryn had been sick. D’Argo had shown how much he had come to respect Aeryn and their friendship.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Pilot started, “but Moya’s sensors indicate that the baby has made contact with the carrier and is docking.”
Crichton got straight into action. “D’Argo. You get the prowler ready. We’re going after Aeryn. Zhaan, Stark, Chiana, Sparky. You do everything you can to get all Moya’s systems back on line. Work with Pilot. We may need to get out of here in a hurry.
Suddenly, Crichton looked around. “Where’s Sparky?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, they all turned to see one of Moya’s pods heading towards Crais’ ship.
“What in Hezmana does he think he’s doing? Pilot, how did Rygel get off board?” D’Argo yelled, furiously.
“With most of Moya’s primary systems malfunctioning, he must have used the manual release.”
“What do you think he’ll do?” Chiana asked nervously.
“I never thought he was on our side. Every chance he gets he’s…” D’Argo started.
“We don’t have time for that big guy. We have to get Aeryn out of there…And kill Sparky!”
Zhaan couldn’t tell how much of that he meant, but he did look serious about killing Rygel.
With that, Crichton and D’Argo headed to the prowler. The others all went straight to Pilot’s pod to help with Moya.
*****************Back at Crais’ Carrier, Aeryn awoke to find herself restrained into a chair. After a microt to assess her surroundings, Aeryn realised she was in the Aurora Chair. She looked around for Crais and found him talking to a bizarre looking man, with quaint little smiles on both their faces. She recognised the man as the same one who shot her. ‘He must be Scorpius’ she thought a little worriedly.
“Aeryn Sun. So nice of you to join us. I don’t believe you’ve been introduced to my ‘associate’, Scorpius.”
Scorpius paid more attention to Aeryn. He looked her up and down.
“Well, actually…” Aeryn started.
“I saw you.” Scorpius began. “During the fire fight on the surface of my Gammak Base.” He smiled as he relived those moments in his head.
“And in Crichton’s mind. He had many memories of you. Sadly, I can’t say I was paying enough attention, at the time, to remember any that would help in hurting you. However, if you were in his memories, then he is in yours.”
He looked at Crais with the same horrible smirks they had had before. They had a plan; Aeryn could see that. Unfortunately, she could also see that that plan would involve her in a way she didn’t want to be used.
With that he waved a hand to the woman Aeryn recognised from the Gammak Base. She started turning knobs as the chair started to move and hum with power.
Suddenly, Aeryn let out a shriek as sharp pains went through her head as flashes of her memories started appearing on the view screen ahead of her.
She could scarcely make out images of fighting and people, most of which she faintly recognised. She knew she had to stop any images relating to Moya and especially the location where Moya was hidden. Aeryn didn’t quite know why, but she thought it best to try and block most of her connections with Crichton out of her mind. In fact, she tried to block every thought from her mind. She didn’t want Scorpius or Crais getting any information out of her, not that she thought she had anything valuable for them to find out anyway.
Aeryn struggled with all of her will to fight the pain in her head.
“She is blocking out most of her memories.” Reported the woman at the controls.
******************************Meanwhile, Rygel had managed to get close enough to Crais’ ship to make contact with him.
“Crais. I am willing to make you a deal.” He stated a little nervously.
“Well if it isn’t the little Hynerian that I want to recapture.” Crais said happily.
”Looks like I’m getting everything I always wanted today.”
“I want to…” he started, but Crais interrupted him.
“Let me guess. You want to trade your worthless little life for the others on board the Leviathan?”
“Well, yes.” Rygel replied, a little surprised that Crais knew him that well.
“I have Officer Sun aboard already. Why shouldn’t I just get the information I want out of her instead of wasting time on you? I have her in the Aurora Chair now. Anyway, don’t I want you dead as well?” Crais asked evilly.
“We both know how strong she is. She’s probably putting up blocks in that chair of yours, isn’t she? I can give you all the information you want with almost no conditions.” He bargained in his usual manner.
“Why don’t you come aboard, and we’ll discuss your ‘deal’. Set down in Loading Bay 1. I’ll have some of my men escort you to the guest quarters and you can relax while I deal with some other business.”
“Very well then.”
*****************“Captain Crais. Sensors indicate a rapidly approaching vessel.” An Officer announced.
“Is the ship responding to hails?” Crais asked suspiciously.
“It could be Crichton, coming to save his beloved shipmate.” Scorpius added, practically with glee. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to put Crichton in the chair again. ‘Except maybe having this shipmate of his in the chair in front of him’ he thought to himself with delight.
“The vessel is communicating with us. The pilot wants to talk to you, Captain.”
“Very well. Put him through to this room.” Crais said as a plan started to form of how to get Crichton back into his hands.
“Crais. We have some unfinished business.” Crichton started.
“Yes we do.” Crais cut in as he moved aside so that Crichton could see behind him.
“Hello, Crichton. We also have a lot of work to do in getting though those blocks that you were putting up. Unfortunately I’m a rather impatient person, so I thought I would just start on the first person I could find. I believe you know Officer Sun very well.” As he moved to allow Crichton to see Aeryn in the chair he added, “Let’s see how much defence she can put up, and how long she can survive in a single session. I’m sure a few arns in the chair won’t do too much irreversible damage. Won’t you join us to find out?” he grinned evilly, his voice dripping with sarcasm, at the mortified expression on Crichton’s face.
“Aeryn…” he managed to whimper, unable to hide the immense fear he was feeling from getting caught in his throat. All he could do was watch the horrifying situation shown to him. It ripped at his heart to think about what Scorpius was planning. Aeryn was in no state to go more than a microt in the chair, not even that. She was still a little weak from her paraphoral graft, since she hadn’t waited to let it heal her completely before rushing off to help him. Thinking about that made Crichton feel even guiltier. This was all his fault. And he just had to go and blame Aeryn for everything over and over, when it was him that was the guilty party. He should have tried harder to apologise, before he had attempted to take things too far in their relationship.
Only to ruin them.
*********************Crichton walked slowly towards Aeryn’s quarters.
He had spent most of the night thinking about what he had said earlier that day about Gilina’s death being all Aeryn’s fault.
‘Why did she have to ask me if I wanted to be with Aeryn? I had to tell her the truth. She would have known I was lying. Maybe I just shouldn’t have answered at all. She knew. She just needed me to confirm it for her. If she hadn’t have died before we got her back to Moya, if I had a chance to tell her I was wrong…I couldn’t even lie to let her die with a little piece of happiness.’ He asked himself so many questions that he knew he wished he could change the answers to, but every time he tried to think of something he could have done differently, it wouldn’t do any good. And knowing that made it harder for him. Because of him, Gilina was dead. Not because of Aeryn. Crichton just hoped that Aeryn would accept his apology.
As carefully as he could, he opened the door and sauntered across to Aeryn bed. He crouched down by her side and gently pushed a wisp of her hair behind her ear so that he could see her face clearly. She stirred faintly at his touch. “Crichton.”
Had he heard right? Was Aeryn dreaming about him? She had a slight smile on her face. ‘She can’t be dreaming about me then. Unless she’s killing me in her dream.’ He thought nervously. Maybe it had just been his imagination combined with his tiredness and the pressure he had put on himself the last couple of arns about why he was here.
Ignoring what he heard, or might have heard, he tenderly glided his hand over Aeryn’s shoulder and called out her name, to rouse her as harmlessly as he could.
She awoke as if she had woken naturally, but then she noticed a dark figure couched beside her. Since her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness, all she saw was a possible danger. Her natural instincts kicked in and she swung as hard as she could. She made solid connection.
As the unexpected blow hit him, Crichton quietly yelled out in shock, being careful to remember that everyone else would still be asleep. He fell backwards and spilled out on the floor from the intensity of the blow.
“Whoa. Hey. Aeryn. It’s only me.” Crichton started to explain.
“Crichton?” Aeryn asked in surprise.
“Yeah, it’s only me.” He replied as he got back up onto his knees and leaned against the bed.
“What are you doing in here, Crichton?” she asked suspiciously, quite aware that it was still late at night. If not early morning.
Before Crichton could answer, Aeryn’s eyes adjusted to their still dark surroundings.
“Oh, Crichton. I’m sorry.” She said guiltily. A cut had opened up just below Crichton’s left eye. The skin had split open and it had started bleeding.
“What…” Crichton began again, but before he could continue, he hissed out in pain as Aeryn touched the cut on his cheek.
“Don’t move.” She warned as she pulled her cover over and started to dab the corner onto the cut.
“Sorry. I didn’t realise it was you. Could you please tell me what you’re doing in here in the middle of the night?” she asked as she carefully tried to stop the cut bleeding. It was seeping out fast and didn’t look like it was going to stop. “We really should get Zhaan to take a look at this cut, Crichton. I don’t think I can stop it from bleeding.”
“Can you let me finish a sentence to explain?” Once he was sure that Aeryn was quite, he started. “I came in here to apologise. About what I said before. I was wrong. I had no right to blame you.”
“Then, Crichton, why did you?” Aeryn asked seriously.
“I don’t suppose you’ll accept ‘because’?” Crichton could see that he was skating on thin ice. “Okay. I don’t really know why I blamed you,” he lied. “I guess you were right. It must have been some stupid Human thing.” He only hoped she would accept anything and move on. Luckily for Crichton, Aeryn seemed to be a little more worried about the probably permanent scar on his cheek. This only slightly concerned him because she may not have even heard his apology.
“Fine. But I do think we should get Zhaan to take a look at this. It does look pretty bad.” She mentioned a little guiltily.
“Aeryn, I’m fine. Aren’t you even going to accept my apology?” When Aeryn only gave him a resentful look, his heart sank. He felt so miserable he decided pleading was his last option. “Aeryn,” he started as he held her shoulders and turned her towards him so that they were facing eye to eye. “I’m sorry I got so angry with you.” ‘Why am I still lying?’ he thought angrily. “Please forgive me for blaming you.” He finished, sounding very sincere.
They sat and looked at each other for what seemed like an arn.
“Crichton.” Aeryn sighed softly. “If I can forgive you for everything you have done to me so far, this should be nothing.” She said, rather upset. “But it’s not. I don’t know what exactly was going on between the two of you, or even if I want to. But from what I do know, you’re blaming me for the death of someone you loved” Before Crichton could interrupt her, she continued. “And because I consider you a good friend and allie, that made it so hard to not blame myself. Especially since you seemed pretty damned adamant that it was my fault.” Aeryn didn’t realise it, but what she said hit Crichton hard. She also didn’t realise that she was starting to babble incoherently.
Crichton called her name to sidetrack her out of her babble, but she just kept on going. He started getting frustrated because he wanted to let her know how sorry he was and how wrong she was.
Without any warning, Crichton cradled her face in both his hands as he turned her gaze to him and planted a passionate kiss square on her mouth.
It certainly shut her up.
Aeryn just sat there, stunned and shocked. At first.
Crichton got a little lost in the heat of the moment as he pulled Aeryn closer to him.
Aeryn found herself kissing him back. She knew she wanted to. She wanted to lose herself in his arms. Then she remembered what he was doing there.
She pulled away, with much difficulty.
Crichton wouldn’t let go.
“Crichton.” Aeryn breathed angrily as she managed to get his lips away from hers. When she did, she also noticed that they were both lying on their sides, on her bed! She used all of her energy, which was still quite depleted, to pull herself out from under half of his body.
“Crichton.” She repeated, rather frustrated. “I think you should get out of here. Now.”
Aeryn noted the disappointment on his face, and the pleading in his eyes as he tried to speak.
“Now!”
With that, Crichton got up and left.
*************************“Now Crichton,” Crais’ voice interrupted into Crichton’s reverie. “You know that I’m a reasonable man. I want to make you an offer I don’t think you can refuse.” He said with his most treacherous smile.
“He won’t make a fair deal, Crichton. He’ll kill all of us.” D’Argo warned, reminding Crichton that he was in the prowler.
“What do you want, Crais?” Crichton asked, as if he didn’t already know.
“You. Of coarse.” Crais answered happily, knowing that he was more than likely going to get what he wanted.
“Crichton!” Aeryn yelled from behind Crais. “Get away from here! Go back…”
Was all Aeryn was capable of getting out before Scorpius turned the chair on and up high.
Aeryn screamed out as the pain struck her again. She didn’t know how much more she was going to be able to take. She was using so much energy keeping all her thoughts blocked. But, she couldn’t risk the others getting caught because of her.
‘Stop!’ Crichton was screaming in his head. Crais had made sure that he could see the pain on Aeryn’s face as the machine did its work. She couldn’t handle much more of this.
“All right, Crais. You let Aeryn go now.” He said as he looked past Crais to Aeryn. “And I’ll come aboard.”
“It’s not going to go that straightforwardly, Crichton.” Crais laughed maliciously. “You don’t really expect me to be fooled that easily, do you?”
They looked at each other with such contempt, D’Argo thought the view screens would break.
“The deal goes like this, Crichton. You will come aboard. Then, I’ll let Officer Sun go.” He smiled. “That is the only chance she has of getting off this ship with the slightest possibility of being alive.” He had more anger towards Aeryn than Crichton had realised. ‘I’ll have to ask her about that later’ Crichton thought worriedly to himself.
“Have we got a deal, Crichton?” Crais asked cruelly.
“You know this is just a trap, Crichton. You’ll be lucky to get Aeryn off there at all, let alone alive. And you…” D’Argo started to protest.
“No, D’Argo. You’ll be getting Aeryn out of here. I’ll find some way to get her off that ship, and then you can get her back to Moya and you can all work out a way to get as far away from here as possible.” Before D’Argo could argue, Crichton yelled. “Got it, D’Argo?!”
After a microt, D’Argo realised there was no arguing with Crichton in his state.
“You get her out of there, alive.” D’Argo ordered, letting his real feelings for Aeryn come though in his voice. He didn’t mind that Crichton heard it. He didn’t know if he would see either of them again.
“You got a deal, Crais.” Crichton said, defeated. He saw the grief on Aeryn’s face as she heard him give in.
“You may board at Loading Bay 5. I will meet you there.” Crais beamed triumphantly.To be continued....
(OK I know what it's like to wait for a long time for the next part, so I'm not going to put you'll in too much suspense)