A Crichton Story Part 4
by Lt Commander Lewis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------John cautiously walked onto the terrace.
Zhaan was already waiting for him; "John, there are several things you need to know about your past and your parents pasts. The last memory you described to me sounds as though it is from the day your father had been recaptured by the Peacekeepers, before you were born."
He began to try to ask something but Zhaan stopped him when she raised her hand; "I will explain John. Your father was wanted by a Scarren/Sebacean Peacekeeper named Scorpius. Your father had important information on a phenomena known as a ‘wormhole’. Scorpius wanted that information. He used a device called an Aurora chair to extract the information."
John involuntarily shuddered when Zhaan said ‘Aurora chair’.
"Now, your father was shot and captured. That is the last I knew of him. Your mother was onboard Moya for about a monen after your father had been taken. During that time she found out that she was going to have you. She didn’t want her and John’s child to not know him…and Aeryn had an idea as to where the Peacekeepers had taken him…"
John sighed, "She went on a rescue mission."
Zhaan nodded her head, "Yes. She did. That was the last time we had seen her."
John gave her a puzzled look, "Then how…"
"I am getting there John, be patient. After several cycles we had a lead on you and your Aeryn. We already knew what she was going to name you because you were a male. When we reached the coordinates, we only found you. It turned out that you had been living with a Sebacean family for about one cycles. The only reason we found you was because of your name."
"Do you know what happened during those three years?"
Zhaan shook her head sadly, "I am afraid not John, but whatever happened then may have something to do with these memory flashes you are having."
John’s brow creased, "Zhaan, how do you even know if they are my parents?"
Zhaan led the sixteen cycle old over to a table and sat him down; "We ran a gen scan as soon as we found you. Your genetic makeup is that of Aeryn and John’s son. You are definitely Human/Sebacean."
John shook his head as he tried to clear his mind of the jumble of thoughts and questions.
"How are we going to make these go away Zhaan? The flashes I mean."
The Delvian placed her hand on the young mans shoulder; "I do not know John…we may never be able to make them go away. As I said, these could be the result of something from your past…something that happened in those two years after you were born and before that Sebacean family took care of you."
John rubbed his forehead…this was all too much to deal with.
"I need some…space." He said as he got up and almost ran out of the terrace.
Zhaan looked out at the starscape; "By the goddess please help him learn to deal with this."
She then left to go speak with the rest of the crew.
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John didn’t even bother going to his quarters or even Pilot’s chamber.
He couldn’t really go anywhere except for one place; FarScape One.
It was falling apart, and in the more recent years, John had been trying to fix and replace the archaic tech on it.
Now he found it the only comforting place to go.
There he could be near the father…and even mother he never knew.
It was one of his few links to his family.
Inside the module were his dad’s collection of tapes…his mother had even recorded a few messages on them.
Many cycles ago the power source had died, so John had to find a new way to run the tiny machine.
It had worked, and now he was able to listen to his fathers voice.
Zhaan had withheld many of the tapes from him until just that day…the tapes’ that might reveal too much of his father's past to the young man.
John climbed into the module and locked himself in it.
He dug through the pile of tapes’ and put one in the player.
John Robert Crichton Jr.’s voice sounded in the tiny cockpit: ‘Well dad…today was interesting. Who would have ever thought your son would fall hopelessly in love with an alien…yeah, how weird is that? I’d say very, but you know what…Aeryn is wonderful in every way. She still has a long way to go, but to just think about what she has already done…what she has become. Right now, are we are keeping our relationship hidden from the other’s as much as possible. I’m not to sure of what they would say…I’m sure they would congratulate us, but Aeryn just isn’t ready for them to know…to tell you the truth I don’t know if I am either…’
There was a pause in the tape and then Aeryn’s voice came through the tiny speaker: ‘Hello Jack. We have never met and you probably won’t understand a thing I say because you don’t have any microbes, but John insisted I say something to you.’
There was chuckling in the background before Aeryn continued: ‘I just wanted to tell you that you have a wonderful son. He is the kindest and most caring man I have ever met…not to mention the most stubborn. I love him very much and will watch over him for you. Goodbye Jack, I hope to meet you someday.’
John smiled and turned off the player.
That tape always made him smile.
Suddenly there was a bright, blinding, painful flash in John’s vision.
Another memory flash…
To Be Continued…