penny3

Penny for Your Thoughts, Part 3
Author: Karolyn Gray <kmgray3@aol.com>
ScifiBB/Chat Handle: Gray3
Rating: PG
Synopsis: none yet.
Type: Story
Spoilers: Minor reference to Won't Get Fooled Again
Disclaimers: All Farscape names, characters and other related indicia are the
property of Jim Henson Productions, Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Networks,
the Scifi Channel and all associated parties. No copyright infringement is
intended.

Part 3

"There is no need for violence." Scorpius spoke calmly. He raised his hands
in surrender but the twisted smile on his face made a mockery of the gesture.
"I am unarmed."
"Scorpius." Aeryn hissed in disgust.
The hybrid smiled at that, lowering his hands. "And you must be Aeryn Sun."
"Don't you mean the 'defector' Aeryn Sun?" Aeryn spat back, keeping her
pistol trained on the Peacekeeper.
"I can hardly be held responsible for Crais declaring you irreversibly
contaminated. Though one does wonder why you chose to stay with your current
companions rather than face tribunal." Scorpius replied.
After a few microts consideration, Aeryn re-holstered her pistol. "I made my
choice. I regret nothing."
"So you did. However, I suspect there are more than a few regrets." Scorpius
agreed.
"What do you want, Scorpius?" Aeryn snapped in irritation.
"John Crichton, of course." He replied easily, brushing past her to have a
better look through the observation window.
"Of course." Aeryn muttered, shaking her head in annoyance. Turning back to
the window she glanced out of the corner of her eye noting what appeared to
be concern on Scorpius' face for what he saw.
"What did they do to him?" The Peacekeeper scientist asked after several
microts of silent observation.
"We're not exactly sure. His attendant says that he was treated for a mental
illness that caused his crime." Aeryn replied carefully choosing what she
told the hybrid.
"His crime was murder. Correct?" Scorpius asked.
"He didn't do it." Aeryn countered.
"Or so you wish to believe." Scorpius added. He cast a glance to Aeryn
smiling conspiratorially. "I am in agreement with you on that assessment. My
study of the human indicates such activities are not within his nature."
Aeryn snorted softly in disdain, but otherwise remained silent as she watched
the human. Part of her desperately was looking for the man she had known
while another part marveled at how innocent and childlike he had become. He
would be completely at the mercy of those around him now, unable or unwilling
to harm others even when defending himself. Such a person would not survive
long in the Uncharteds alone.
"You know I won't give him over to you. Not after what you and that frelling
Chair did to him." Aeryn stated matter-of-factly.
"I didn't think that you would. Not without something to justify your actions
in any case." Scorpius replied.
"I'm not interested in rejoining the Peacekeepers." Aeryn turned to look at
the hybrid noting him nod his head at her words.
"You understand that even knowing your answer I had to at least make the
offer?" He asked. He chuckled at that. "I would have given the same answer."
Aeryn shook her head in disbelief. "I'm sure." She replied caustically.
"That is why I am here to offer you and your compliment a deal." Scorpius
continued, as if not hearing her remark.
"What are you offering? We hand him over, you put him in the Chair and then
return whatever's left of him to us when you're through? I don't think so."
Aeryn asked sarcastically, dimly aware of Crichton like her words had sounded
to her, down to his sometimes uneven cadence and strange accent.
"Partly, but with two added provisions. Your freedom and the freedom of the
escaped prisoners and the return of John Crichton to you as he was before he
was placed in the Aurora Chair. I'll even allow your Leviathan to remain free
from Peacekeeper control as a show of good faith." Scorpius offered, turning
to meet Aeryn's skeptical gaze.
"Consider this, Aeryn Sun. You and your comrades would no longer need fear
Peacekeeper pursuit. You would be free to do as you wish and travel wherever
you would. I could perhaps even arrange for you to be 'retired' as far as
First Command is concerned. Certainly that in and of itself is worth the
short amount of duress Crichton would be under."
Aeryn's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at Scorpius' words. "I don't believe
you."
The Scarran hybrid shrugged slightly at her response. "Given the betrayal by
your former Captain, I do not expect you to believe me but the offer is
genuine." Scorpius replied. "Do not judge me based on the actions of others,
but of my own."
"That's why I don't believe you." Aeryn said, turning her gaze back to
Crichton. "I will not accept your offer."
Scorpius sighed. "Very well. Then at least tell your shipmates of my offer.
If they refuse then you obviously leave me little recourse."
"They won't accept it." Aeryn noted.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Scorpius gestured noncommittally, before bowing his
head. "Good health to you, Officer Sun." With that the hybrid departed in
silence.
Aeryn ignored Scorpius' parting barb, keeping her eyes locked on Crichton.
For a microt she reconsidered the offer before dismissing it. While much of
Scorpius said was true, it left out the details. Details such as the
incarceration and torture of Stark came to mind.
To interrogate a possible spy as Scorpius had done to John she could accept,
but to place a being into a device such as the Aurora Chair repeatedly over
two cycles time just to see what would happen was abhorrent to her. As a
Peace Keeper she had done her fair share of interrogations and torture. Once
her goal had been achieved and the information obtained the prisoner was
dealt with by others. But Scorpius....
"Frell." Aeryn muttered, shaking her head in disgust at herself, Scorpius,
Crais, the Peace Keepers. Everything. She hadn't lied to Scorpius when she
said she had no interest in being a Peace Keeper any more. She'd seen too
much of what life outside of the restrictive Peace Keeper atmosphere was
like. She could never go back now.
She smiled slightly when John looked up at her from his seat at the table,
her dark thoughts strangely dissipated by just a glance from him.
"Aeryn, could you please join us in the administration building. There seems
to be a problem." Zhaan's voice carried over her comm.
"I'll be right there." Aeryn replied, casting a final glance over her
shoulder at the human before departing.
****
Zhaan smiled in relief at the sight of Aeryn entering the drab looking
office. "Aeryn, there's a problem."
"Scorpius is here. On the surface." Aeryn stated flatly, earning a surprised
look from her gathered shipmates.
"How..." Zhaan started to ask with a perplexed expression but was cut off
before she could finish her question.
"I just spoke with him outside the detention center holding Crichton." Aeryn
answered, shaking her head in frustration.
"What does he want?" D'Argo asked.
Aeryn sighed as if the answer should have been obvious to her Luxan shipmate.
"Crichton."
D'Argo growled at that. "Crichton should have killed Scorpius when he had the
chance. I should have known better than to leave before making sure the job
was done."
Aeryn nodded tiredly. "Yes. Well, be that as it may, what's the problem?"
"Avakis has informed us that our permission to leave with Crichton had been
suspended pending the outcome of their inquiry." Zhaan said.
"What inquiry? We filled out all that frelling bureaucratic nonsense days
ago." Aeryn asked in irritation.
"An inquiry into whether we are the most suitable to be assigned John's
protectorship." Zhaan paused; looking for the first time rather annoyed
herself. "It appears someone had petitioned the Justicars for guardianship
status of John."
"Scorpius. I should have known better." Aeryn hissed angrily. "What about
Rygel and Chiana?"
"They're back aboard Moya. Pilot had moved them to the new orbit designated
by the port authorities. The Command Carrier's sensors cannot locate them
now." D'Argo supplied. "Not that it really matters now that Scorpius knows we
are here."
"Where is Avakis Por? We need to get this settled as quickly as possible."
Aeryn said.
"She told us to wait here while she gathered together the necessary permits.
That was some two hundred microts ago." Zhaan answered, looking towards a
door that Aeryn assumed the Justicar had departed through.
"Great. More bureaucratic nonsense." Sighing, Aeryn quickly sat down on one
of the room's uncomfortable bench-like chairs.
*****
He smiled to himself as he watched the bird dip its head, feeding small
portions of the insect it carried in its mouth to three small chirping
hatchlings contained in the nest. Remaining perfectly still he admired the
ruffle of the bird's bright red feathers and their ever-shifting shades of
colors at the tips of its four wings.
The rustling of the leaves by the wind caused the bird to freeze and its
young instantly silenced. Small black eyes stared at him but he remained
motionless except for the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and the
occasional blink of the eye. He could feel the limb of the tree he was
balanced on move gently, but not enough so to concern him.
Seemingly satisfied that all was safe the bird returned to feeding its young
their meal. John was simply content to watch the spectacle, enjoying the
light cool breeze on his skin and the warmth of the sun on his body. He
wanted to chuckle at his own happiness, but remained silent having no desire
to scare the strange creature away.
A dark shadowy figure below them startled the bird. It let loose a
high-pitched screech and flew off, leaving its once more silent young behind.
John sighed in disappointment.
"Ah, there you are, John Crichton." Scorpius gestured up to the branch John
sat on.
"You chased it away." John said, earning a puzzled expression from the
hybrid. Seeing the look John shook his head and shifted himself on the branch
to allow his legs to swing free.
"The bird."
"Ah. I am sorry." Scorpius replied a bit non-plussed by the human's reaction.
"But I have been looking for you for quite some time now."
"I've been here for the last quarter arn." John replied. He cocked his head
to the side; giving Scorpius the same intense scrutiny the hybrid had noticed
him giving the bird's nest. "I know you. You're Scorpius."
"I'm pleased that you remember." Scorpius said. "I was told you were having
trouble with your memory."
"It's just part of the treatment." John shrugged easily. His non-challant
attitude was starting to actually become a concern for Scorpius. "You put me
in that Aurora Chair of yours. Hurt me."
Scorpius was stunned at the almost child like tone to Crichton's voice but
the human continued on.
"But that's ok. I mean, I was impersonating a Peacekeeper and trying to sneak
around your base without being caught. What else were you supposed to think?"
John said. Shrugging he smiled slightly. "I guess I'm just trying to say I'm
sorry and I forgive you."
"How...magnanimous of you." Scorpius replied after a moment's consideration.
A slow smile came to his face as he strode over to stand nearby Crichton's
dangling feet. "Had circumstances been different I believe we could have been
colleagues."
"Well, I guess we'll never know. I mean with you chasing my friends and all
that." John replied watching the Peacekeeper scientist without any sign of
distrust or hate on his expression.
"That could all change, John." Scorpius said. "You and your friends could be
free of the Peace Keepers."
John cocked his head to the side with a skeptical look. "How?"
"If you could help me obtain the..."
"Wormhole technology in my head." John finished. He shrugged. "I don't even
remember how *I* created a wormhole. I just remember I came through one."
John said in obvious frustration.
"Perhaps we could help each other, then." Scorpius replied with an oily
smile. "If you are interested."
******
"I believe that is the last of the required forms." Avakis said, shuffling
the small stack of transparencies into order
"When will the inquiry be held?" Zhaan asked.
"They are deliberating as we speak. However, a final decisions shall not be
handed down until midday tomorrow." Avakis replied with a small smile. "I
would not be concerned. I doubt the Committee will rule in favor of the
Peacekeeper. After all, John Crichton arrived on this world as part of your
compliment. We prefer to maintain the status quo in instances such as this."
"We are relieved to hear this." Zhaan replied, a relieved smile coming to her
face.
Avakis rose from her seat. "Quite understandable. This Scorpius seems a
rather disagreeable sort."
Aeryn chuckled ruefully at that, the first sound she had made in the half arn
since she'd come at Zhaan's call. D'Argo smiled in amusement as well,
standing to stretch his muscles.
"Fortunately you need not be concerned about John's safety while he and
Scorpius speak." Avakis said.
Aeryn was instantly on her feet. "Scorpius is with John?"
"Yes. His ship filed the proper permit shortly before you arrived." Avakis
replied. "Is there something wrong?"
"Why were we not informed?" Aeryn demanded, sprinting before the door before
the surprised alien could even reply.
Looking somewhat perplexed, Avakis turned her gaze upon Zhaan and D'Argo. "I
do not understand. John is perfectly safe amongst us."
D'Argo shook his head in disbelief. "If you truly believe that, then you do
not understand how truly dangerous Scorpius is."

******
"I don't know." John said doubtfully, picking at his gray trouser nervously.
"You'll be helping your friends, John." Scorpius reminded the human.
"You'll leave them alone? Stop hunting them?" John asked.
"Yes." Scorpius said with a reassuring smile, which was anything but.
John nodded his head. "Can I think about it?"
"Of course." Scorpius agreed amicably, noting with some amusement that Aeryn
Sun was now hurrying towards them. "I see your friend Aeryn is coming to
visit with you. I think I should now leave and let you think over my
proposal."
"OK. I will." John agreed.
"Good day to you, John Crichton. I hope our next encounter is as
productive." With that Scorpius departed, casting a mocking smile to Aeryn as
he left.
"John, are you all right?" Aeryn asked her brow furrowed in concern as she
watched the retreating form of Scorpius.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" John asked curiously.
Aeryn blinked once in surprise. "We're talking about Scorpius, John. The man
who's been hunting us for over a quarter cycle. The Aurora Chair. Wanted
beacons. Peacekeeper patrols. Bounty hunters."
"I know." John replied, casually swinging his legs back and forth from his
perch upon the tree branch. "He's kind of creepy, don't you think?"
"Creepy is not the word I would use." Aeryn murmured, he gaze drifting off to
track the Peacekeeper scientists movements.
Long after he had disappeared from view her gaze remained distant, a look of
deep concentration on her face.
"Penny for you thoughts."
Startled, Aeryn blinked several time as if to clear her head before looking
over at John. "What?"
He smiled gently. "You looked like you were thinking real hard about
something. I was wondering what it was."
Aeryn sighed. "Nothing you can help me with, I'm afraid."
"Oh." John replied looking a bit dejected before shifting round in the tree
to lean closer to her. "You're Aeryn. Right?"
Aeryn simply nodded, not allowing herself the hope that he was starting to
remember her and the others. He half arn discussion with the Justicars had
convinced her that they were too skilled in the procedure to allow such a
thing to happen.
John chewed on his lower lip for a moment, watching her intently before
smiling nervously. "On the ship, on Moya, were we...friends?"
She nodded. "I'd like to think we were. Why?"
"I...I don't really remember you. Just flashes. Sometimes you're smiling.
Sometimes you're uh...hurting people." He shrugged sheepishly, looking away
again with an almost shy look that just seem to enhance the childlike look in
his eyes.
"Sometimes I've had to...hurt people. So have you." Aeryn replied, gesturing
as if asking permission to join him on the tree branch.
"Yeah. I know." He nodded, scooting over a little as she quickly climbed up
at sat next to him.
Deciding that she didn't like the sad tone to his voice Aeryn looked around
at the tree with only mild interest, noting it wasn't much different than any
other tree she'd seen. Perhaps this was the best way to reacquaint herself
with the human and regain his trust in her and the others. "So what are you
doing up here?"
"I was watching a birds nest." John replied. "Scorpy chased the parent away."
"Can't blame the bird. Can you?" Aeryn joked, earning a chuckle of amusement
from the human.
"No. I guess not." John agreed. "I was hoping it would come back and finish
feeding the hatchlings, but it hasn't. Too many people around I guess. It's
not good for them to be alone."
"I'm sure it will be back. They won't be alone." Aeryn said. She rested her
hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. "And neither are you." She added
softly.
He looked a way for a moment before returning his gaze to her with a grateful
look. He chuckled softly. "Is it that obvious?"
"A little." She admitted.
"It's just...um..." John sighed.
"Frustrating?" Aeryn supplied.
"Frightening." John admitted. "I mean I look at you and the others and It's
like...it's like looking at old pictures of relatives. You know who they are,
but..."
"There's something missing." Aeryn finished.
"Yeah. I mean I..feel something but there's nothing there. It's
like...like..."
"You don't need to explain it, John. I understand. So do the others." Aeryn
interrupted. "All that matters now is getting you out of here so we can go
home."
John visibly relaxed in relief. "Thank you."
Aeryn nodded and glanced over to the nearby nest. "So how did you get the
bird to stay with you so nearby."
John smiled happily. "I'll show you. But you've got to be quiet. OK?"
"I think I can manage that." Aeryn replied, listening carefully as he started
to explain what he had been doing. She couldn't but smile as she recognized
the scientist in him coming back to the fore. That gave her hope that the
John Crichton she knew and cared for was still in there, somewhere.

TBC