Antaeus: 2
By ISIS
Disclaimer and Notes: See part 1.
Aeryn stood by, jealously guarding her ailing shipmate as the Gayan physicians laid her down in a coffin-like bed and proceeded to cover her with rich black soil. Soon the Delvian was buried up to her neck in the planet's nutrient-rich loam. Zhaan closed her eyes and let herself sink deep into a healing trance, feeling her weakened body start to draw needed sustenance from the healing earth.
"And you're sure this will restore her?" Aeryn demanded for the umpteenth time.
"Yes. A few days in this bed and your friend will be as good as new," Putoros replied with a gentle smile.
Aeryn returned his smile without taking her eyes off Zhaan. "Well, I must thank you again. Are you sure there's nothing we can do to repay you?"
Putoros looked over at the other alien who chattered happily to Atarbeis. "Actually, there is." Aeryn looked at the Gayan expectantly. "Our fertility ceremony is just beginning. At the first rite, seven females are presented as a possible Zapheos, Chosen One, for Gaya. Gaya has indicated that she would like you to present yourself."
"Gaya has asked?" Aeryn questioned, looking around. "And who is Gaya?"
Putoros smiled at the alien's incomprehension. "Gaya is our world. Our planet. Our mother. She is everywhere."
Aeryn stared at the counselor in confusion. "And why me?"
Putoros moved closer. "You are young, strong and fertile."
Aeryn looked embarrassed at the Gayan's last statement. "How do you know I am fertile?" she whispered, casting an anxious glance at Chiana.
"You have borne a child, have you not?"
Aeryn stared at the Gayan and all the colour drained from her face. "How could you know that? I've told know one ..."
"Gaya knows," he stated simply.
"And if I refuse?" Aeryn demanded looking at the Gayan defiantly.
"Your friend's healing cannot be completed without the full Exupnixo ritual. And Gaya will not allow the ritual to proceed without all her chosen candidates present." Putoros met Aeryn's stare straight on.
The Sebacean stared at him for a few microts, then let her gaze slide over to Zhaan. "All right, I agree. Tell me what to do."
***************
Aeryn stared down at herself in dismay. She had been persuaded to trade her comfortable and customary black leather garments for a long pale green robe that left her feet bare. The female Gayan attendants had marvelled over her long black hair as they washed it in scented water while Aeryn bathed. Finally, after much giggling and fussing that Aeryn had just barely endured, she was dressed and led from the bath chambers to a small anteroom on the lowest level of the temple complex. Six other Gayan females all dressed as she was stood waiting. A couple of them glanced at her contemptuously, but most simply looked nervous.
The Sebacean paced back and forth, regretting her decision for what was certainly not the first time. When she had explained to Chiana that she was going with Putoros for some ceremony to help heal Zhaan and that the Nebari should stay with their Delvian friend, Chiana had naturally put up an argument. Thinking to offer assistance, Putoros had nearly blurted out Aeryn's secret, but she had managed to interrupt him before he could explain why Aeryn was going and not Chiana.
Aeryn's heart wrenched at the thought of the child she had been forced to breed in the PeaceKeepers. It was a secret that literally tore her apart. She had shared so much with John. But this last secret was too painful to speak of, even to John, even after she had admitted her love for him; to him and to herself. While a PeaceKeeper, she had managed to push aside all hopes of ever seeing her child, conceding to the oblivion of that harsh, emotionless existence. But now, away from the regimen of her former life, and constantly reminded of children lost by D'Argo's search for Jothee and John's experience on the Royal Planet, the aching loss was constantly with her. The fact that this planet's deity somehow knew of her child had been part of the reason she had complied with Putoros' request. *Perhaps Gaya knows where my child is; whether he or she is healthy and safe?* Her heart wrenched again and cried out against the injustice of a system that did not even allow a mother to know whether her child was male or female.
The door into the anteroom opened finally, and Putoros entered with Zaymenos and Atarbeis. Without a glance at the faces of the females, he began to pray over the supplicants. Awkwardly following suit with the others, Aeryn bowed her head respectfully. When the prayer was over, the females fell into pairs, leaving Aeryn alone to bring up the rear. Then they moved slowly out into the large chamber beyond.
The room had a vast grassy floor with tall tiered seating on two sides. Those seats were filled with green robed Gayans. A ripple of astonishment went through the crowd at the appearance of an alien in the group of females being presented to Gaya, but the murmuring soon died down as the group moved to the centre of the floor. As soon as Aeryn had stepped onto the grass, she started to feel once more the sparking charge of a great build-up of energy. Her bare feet and legs started to tingle so much that she stumbled. The other females turned to her and their faces registered a strange combination of disappointment and relief. Putoros swiftly led them away, leaving Aeryn standing alone in the middle of the floor.
Before she could ask what was going on, she felt the tingling start up again, this time more overpowering than ever. Aeryn felt a spark of fear as her body was engulfed in a crackling halo of energy. Suddenly, a mind joined with her own, the experience reminding Aeryn of the Unity she had shared not so long ago with Zhaan.
*Good, you have experienced Unity with another before. That will make the melding easier,* the second intelligence said, its voice ringing in Aeryn's mind with the resonance of vast magnitude and extreme age.
*Who are you?* Aeryn asked internally.
*I am Gaya, the living essence of this planet. Like your ship, I am a living organism, but unlike Moya, I am wholly organic.*
*What do you want with me?* Aeryn persisted.
*I want you to be my avatar, my manifestation for the Exupnixo, the Awakening ceremony. Every cycle, I must choose a female with whom I form a bond. As my Zapheos, that female is given all she desires for the duration of the ceremony.* Gaya paused. *And at sunset on the last day, she is sacrificed and her blood drained into my soil to renew my energy and ensure my continued existence.*
Aeryn was frozen with dread at the being's words. *You want to sacrifice me? Putoros never said anything about that! No, of course I refuse!*
*Then why did you allow yourself to participate in the first place?*
Aeryn sighed in her thoughts, *For Zhaan.*
Aeryn felt the presence smile in her mind. *Ah yes, the Delvian. The one with whom you shared Unity.* There was a pause as Gaya probed her memories. *Strange that the subject of sacrifice has come up. Isn't that what she did for you?*
Aeryn's guilt overwhelmed her.*I didn't ask her to sacrifice herself! In fact, I tried to stop her!*
*But still she did it, consciously and deliberately, out of love for you and for the one called John Crichton.* Gaya paused. *But now you refuse to return the gift!*
*What do you mean?*
*I have chosen you, Aeryn. I shall not choose another this cycle. That means the Exupnixo will not take place. There will be no more renewal of my energies this cycle. And no healing. Your friend Zhaan will die.*
*NO! You can't punish her for my refusal!*
Gaya sighed dramatically. *It's not punishment, Aeryn Sun. It's just what will be.*
Aeryn felt tears running unchecked down her cheeks as she struggled with her decision. *But what about the others?*
*They will mourn you, as they did before, but they will go on.*
Aeryn hesitated. *And John?*
*Ah, the one you love. Why do you deny him?*
*It's too dangerous for me to act on my feelings. I put us all at risk if I become distracted.* Aeryn repeated as if from a training manual.
*That's just an excuse and you know it. You refuse to let yourself go. You're afraid to really let yourself feel. As my avatar, I can help you. I will grant you all that you desire -- Zhaan's life, John's love.* Gaya's voice grew persuasive. *Surrender yourself to me!*
Aeryn felt her resolve wavering. Gaya probed deeper, seeking her innermost desires.*There is something further you request?*
*My child,* the ex-PeaceKeeper asked weakly.*Can you tell me about my child?*
*Sadly, no. I can only grant what is within my orbit.* Gaya sighed. *I'm sorry. I know how painful the loss of a child can be. That is why I need you. Too many of my children, the living creatures of this world, will suffer and die without your sacrifice. Will you do it?*
Aeryn felt her mind become overwhelmed with images of dead and dying trees and animals. *Yes! Yes! Please stop it!* she sobbed, falling to her knees on the grass. *I will do it!*
The green halo that engulfed her tightened until it was absorbed into her very being. *Done!*
Around Aeryn's trembling form, the Gayans rose and cheered.
"Hail, the new Zapheos!" Putoros cried.
***************
"What do you mean, you can't reach them?" D'Argo cried impatiently.
"I mean just that, D'Argo. There is no answer to my comms -- not from Zhaan, or Chiana or Aeryn. It's like the signal is just not getting through to them," Pilot replied anxiously.
"Well, try and reach someone on the planet then -- the creature you spoke to originally."
John Crichton bounded into the room, overhearing the last of D'Argo's conversation. "What's the matter, bro?" he asked facetiously.
D'Argo merely ignored him, watching the clamshell as Pilot's arms moved over his console. Then the massive symbiont raised his expressive eyes apologetically to the infuriated Luxan. "I'm sorry, D'Argo. Still nothing."
D'Argo snarled in frustration and slammed the main console. John turned a questioning glance on the clamshell image. "Pilot? What the hezmana is going on?"
"We have not been able to contact our crewmembers down on Gaya and D'Argo is getting nervous," Pilot replied. "Frankly, so am I ...," Pilot began, then his attention returned suddenly to his console. "Wait a microt. I'm getting a signal, but it's not coming over one of the comms."
"Patch it through to Command," Crichton ordered.
The image on the massive screen shifted and Aeryn's smiling face appeared. Her eyes went immediately to John. "Is everything all right up there?" she asked.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," D'Argo growled. "Why haven't you commed us or answered our hails?"
Aeryn grinned at the angry Luxan. "Relax, D'Argo. Our comms don't work down here. Electrical storms knocked out the planet's communication and our comms. It happens fairly commonly this time of the cycle."
No one heard Stark enter, but he spoke up immediately. "Is Zhaan all right? When will you return to Moya?"
Aeryn gazed at the Stakiri with uncharacteristic compassion. "She is doing well, Stark. The treatments will take at least five solar days to complete." John thought he saw a flash of regret cross Aeryn's face, but it was gone so quickly, he convinced himself that he was imagining it.
"How's the festival?" he asked. "Having a good time?"
Aeryn smiled broadly, "Yes. In fact, I convinced the council to let you come down and join us, John. Will you come?"
John looked around at his fellow shipmates, "Just me?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. Stark's energy would be dangerous down here at this time and someone needs to stay aboard Moya to defend her."
John grinned ruefully, "So you automatically assumed it should be D'Argo. Thanks, Aeryn." He laughed when he saw her chagrin. "Relax, Aeryn. I'm not offended." John turned to D'Argo. "Do you mind if I go down?"
"No, by all means. I'm not really in the mood for celebrating right now anyway."
John felt a twinge of guilt, thinking he should stay and try to play Dr. Ruth to the heartsick Luxan, but Aeryn's invitation was too tempting. "Okay, Aeryn. I'll see you in a few arns." She smiled again, a radiant smile, and signed off.
John headed out of the Command, unable to hide the bounce in his step. D'Argo's sad eyes followed his Human shipmate's exit. "Enjoy it while you can, Human," he muttered pessimistically.
***************
John stepped into the sumptuous suite to which he had been escorted and whistled appreciatively. "Wow, Aeryn! This is amazing. What did you do to rate such luxury?"
"I'll be ready in a microt," Aeryn called out from an alcove.
"Take your time!" He wandered around the room in fascination. Under his bare feet, the cool floor was tiled with a natural marble-like stone with a light greenish tinge to it, broken here and there with veins of glittering gold. The walls were covered in a rich velvet tapestry. When John reached out to touch it, he was astonished to find that it was moss, growing right on the walls. In the far corner of the room, water bubbled from a fountain into a deep pool. Obviously meant for bathing, the bath was cordoned off by a bamboo screen. John touched it and again marvelled to find that the screen was made of living reeds. He whistled again.
The feature of the room that caught and held his attention, however, was the massive four poster bed that dominated the suite. It was big enough for the whole of Moya's crew to sleep in. John walked over to it, examining it closely. Not surprisingly, the four posters were also living trees, growing right up out of the floor. Given that the suite was in the very top if the temple, John surmised that the trees must be somewhere in the neighbourhood of two hundred feet tall. Their branches had grown together to form the box spring of the bed. On top of that lay a soft thick mattress of lichens. John could not resist trying the mattress out. He flopped on the bed and groaned with pleasure as the mattress molded to his form, soft yet firm. The bedsheets were made of natural materials as well -- gossamer webs of fine moss, opaque, with a faint green tinge. The same material tented over the posts of the bed like mosquito netting, forming a canopy of privacy. "Man, I could sleep for a week here," he sighed.
When he heard Aeryn step into the room, John did not immediately look at her. Rolling reluctantly from the bed, he started to say something about how lucky she was to sleep in such a beautiful bed, when he caught sight of her and all thoughts of sleeping fled. Aeryn was dressed as John had never seen her dressed before. She wore an emerald green silk gown and looked absolutely stunning. The dress had a halter bodice that left her back and shoulders bare. The neckline plunged to a deep vee in the front, giving John a tantalising glimpse of cleavage. The floor-length skirt was slit to her hips on both sides, showing Aeryn's shapely legs as she moved. Her long dark hair was loose about her shoulders and surprisingly, her feet were also bare. John felt his mouth go dry and his heart begin to race at the sight of her.
His Sebacean shipmate smiled at him, the most seductive smile he had ever seen. She was obviously pleased at his reaction. She started towards him, and John groaned inwardly as an enticing perfume wafted across to him, an alluring blend of floral and woodsy scents. "Do you like my dress?" she asked in a low, flirtatious voice. Her eyes glittered as she saw John swallow nervously.
"Yeah," he croaked, and her smile widened even more.
"Good, because I picked it out just for you." John stood transfixed, like a deer caught in headlights as Aeryn swayed over to stand in front of him. "I wanted to apologise for my behaviour the other night, John. You were right." Aeryn slid her slender arms up to wrap around John's neck. "Acting on our feelings will not weaken us. It will strengthen us." She gazed up into his eyes, her own sapphire gaze dark with desire.
John stared down at her, slowly starting to comprehend what she was saying. He felt her fingers comb through his hair and he began to grin. The Human wrapped his arms around her slim form and pulled her closer to him. "Are you sure about this, Aeryn?" he asked, suddenly afraid of her answer, but needing her consent to accept what she was offering.
"Yes, John," she whispered microts before she drew his mouth down to hers.
John held back for a moment, then crushed her to him, devouring her as monens of denial and restraint, of wanting her and needing her, of loving her, overwhelmed him like a raging flood. His tongue plunged into her mouth and his hands moved wildly over her bare back, desperate to touch every inch of her. Aeryn sighed and pressed herself closer to her lover's increasingly aroused body. John revelled in the taste of her, the scent of her, the feel of her; her touch, her body, everything. And Aeryn responded in kind. Her own hands roamed over his back, her hips pressed into him, her tongue dueled with his. She pushed his leather vest from his shoulders, then slid his t-shirt up. John tore his mouth from hers only long enough to drag his shirt over his head, then he grabbed her to him again. Needing to feel her skin against his, John swiftly untied the halter, groaning as he felt the silken fabric fall away and her naked breasts press into his chest, the tips already pebble hard. He trailed his mouth hotly down her throat, and his hands moved lower. John moaned with desire when his questing hands slid under her dress to find that she was naked beneath the garment. He quickly undid the side clasp and the silk drifted to the floor. He wrapped one arm around her waist and leaned her back to capture first one nipple then the other in his warm mouth. His other hand slipped down between her thighs. He cupped her hot, moist centre before plunging his fingers into her, excitedly stroking her to quivering climax. Aeryn's head tipped back weakly on her neck, her hair trailing over his arm. She clung to him for support as her legs gave way before his sensual assault. "John! Ahhh, yes! John!" she sobbed. Before her body could calm, John lifted her up into his arms, intent on carrying her to the sumptuous bed.
As soon as her feet left the floor, John felt her suddenly shudder. He stared down into her eyes and was surprised to see confusion swiftly replacing her passion. "John?" she whispered. She instinctively tightened her clasp around his neck as he carried her across the room. "What are you doing?"
Nonplussed by her question, John grinned down at her. "I'm going to make love to you, Aeryn," he replied. He bent to cover her mouth with his as he laid her on the bed. When she made contact with the bed, she shuddered again, and the wide-eyed confusion was again replaced by desire.
"Good," she whispered. When John pulled away to remove his clothes, she refused to let him go. "No, John. Hurry!" Her fingers frantically unfastened his pants and she pushed the garments down over his hips, freeing his heavy erection.
John moaned with relief as he was released from the restricting leather, only to groan as Aeryn stroked him to even greater readiness. "Oh God, baby, I can't hold back!" he cried in delicious agony.
"Don't, John! Now! Please! Love me now!" Aeryn begged, guiding him to her.
John settled between her silken thighs and pressed into her tight warmth. With a sigh of pleasure, Aeryn lifted her hips to take him deeper into her body. Eagerly, she arched against him, gasping as she climaxed immediately. John fought to keep control of his traitorous body, desperate to prolong her pleasure, and his, but the pull of her pulsating orgasm overwhelmed him. He thrust into her once, twice, and again, before losing control inside her like a callow youth. His hips jerked against her as he ejaculated, his hot seed searing her innermost core. Her hidden muscles milked him of all he had to give and he collapsed heavily on her, spent.
The two lovers lay panting for air, a little frightened by the intensity of their furious lovemaking. Then John rolled away from her with a groan. "I'm sorry, Aeryn," he sighed. "I wanted it to be so perfect for you. Instead I ..." He covered his eyes with his arm and groaned again.
Aeryn turned onto her side and gazed at him, her heart swelling with love for him. She moved closer to him, pressing herself against his side. Reaching over, she lifted his arm from his face and cupped his cheek, turning him to face her. John saw the love shining in her eyes and his heart raced. "It was perfect, John. Because I love you." Aeryn dipped her head and kissed him tenderly.
Her lips were warm and soft on his. John growled and slipped his hand into her hair, holding her mouth to his. The soft kiss gradually increased in intensity as their passion flamed again. John tore his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes. "God, I love you, Aeryn. I don't want to do anything but make love to you."
Aeryn smiled with satisfaction. "Good, because we have all night." She let her hand trail erotically down to where his pants were open. John felt the stirrings of his desire tighten in his groin. "Why don't you get more comfortable?" Aeryn whispered compellingly.
John stared at her in astonishment, amazed at her transformation from self-denying stoic to passionate lover. Then he kissed her quickly and stood up, stripping off the last of his clothes. He paused to lower the draperies around the bed, before returning to lie at her side, wrapped in her loving embrace.