Antaeus: 4
By ISIS
Disclaimer and Notes: See part 1.
*Are you ready?* Gaya asked her avatar.
Aeryn turned from the window of the ceremonial chamber on the lowest level of the complex where she had watched the first sun set and addressed the spirit in her mind. "Yes," she said out loud. She plucked nervously at the long white robe she wore. The green grass beneath her feet seemed to ripple with energy as the hungry planet prepared to drink her lifeblood. Behind her, Putoros stood waiting silently, flanked by Zaymenos and Atarbeis. Aeryn faced them fearlessly and let them lead her to the altar set up in the middle of the chamber. Around her, the gathered priests and Gayan officials began to chant softly, their voices lulling her into a sort of trance.
Aeryn resisted only once, hesitating when she saw the blood-stained font beside the altar. For microt, her eyes searched the crowd, looking a beloved and familiar face. "Good-bye, my love," she whispered to the absent John. Then she reached up to unlace the neckline of her robe. She let Zaymenos and Atarbeis lift her up and lay her on the altar. Putoros brushed the robe further aside, exposing her heart. He raised the curved obsidian ceremonial knife and turned to watch the second sun set in a glory of pink and gold. The chanting grew louder and more urgent as the sun disappeared slowly below the horizon. Suddenly a gong sounded outside the complex and the chanting stopped. Putoros turned back to face Aeryn. She tensed and closed her eyes.
A massive explosion rocked the room, causing all to cry out in shock. Putoros lowered the knife in surprise, then ducked in fright as a second explosion burst, closer to him. Aeryn tried to sit up, but Zaymenos and Atarbeis held her down even as they crouched for cover behind the altar. When a third explosion detonated, the crowd of onlookers began to flee, trampling over each other in their rampage.
"Let her go!" John demanded, standing in the rubble of the anteroom leading into the temple.
"John, no!" Aeryn whispered, this time freeing herself from the Gayans' restraining hands and sitting up. She saw John racing across the grass towards her, guns drawn. Behind, defending the door, D'Argo had his Qualta Blade primed and ready.
John ran up and levelled his pistol at Putoros. "She must be sacrificed! She is the Zapheos. She agreed!" the couselor declared stubbornly. The Gayan turned back towards Aeryn, raising the knife once more.
John raised his pistol higher. "I wouldn't if I were you, pal. Drop the knife!"
"John, please. I must do this. For Zhaan. I made a bargain!" Aeryn pleaded.
"Well, it was a bad bargain. Zhaan has already left the planet with Chiana. And you're coming with me." When Putoros made a last attempt to fulfill his duty, John turned and dropped him, butting him with the handle of his rifle. Then he turned and scooped Aeryn up in his arms, lifting her up and away from the altar. As before, he felt her shudder as contact with the planet was broken. She blinked up at him in confusion. "John?"
John swung her around and ran across the lawn towards D'Argo. "It's okay, Aeryn. We're getting you out of here!" They fled the chamber and raced through the corridors towards the waiting transport pod. But their progress was hampered by the bombardment of the temple guards. Several times they had to take cover as the Gayans began firing at them, blocking their line of retreat.
Seeing that John was handicapped by carrying her, Aeryn began to struggle. "Put me down. Give me a pistol."
John looked down into her determined face. "No, Aeryn. I can't. You can't touch the ground."
"What kind of nonsense is that? I can walk just fine! Put me ..."
"Aeryn, please! Just trust me on this, will ya?" John bellowed, tightening his hold on the unruly Sebacean. "D'Argo, is there another way out?"
"You tell me. You're the one who's been living down here for four days!" D'Argo yelled, firing at another trio of guards.
John looked around, getting his bearings. "This way!"
The three of them turned and fled down another passageway, going deeper into the depths of the complex. Suddenly the ground under their feet began to quake and roll. John and D'Argo struggled to stay on their feet, their progress slowed as the very planet beneath their feet tried to prevent the removal of its avatar. John finally spied the exit he sought and they came out at the grassy plaza opposite the spaceport. For once the way appeared to be clear. John and D'Argo exchanged worried glances. They would be without cover as they crossed the plaza, but there was no other way. Behind them, they heard the pounding feet of the Gayans.
"Run!" John cried and headed out of the temple, with Aeryn in his arms.
They had made it halfway across the plaza when the ground rocked and heaved again even more violently than before. Behind them, the Gayans themselves were thrown to the ground. John stumbled and he and Aeryn tumbled to the grass in a tangle of arms and legs.
As soon as she made contact with the ground, Aeryn's demeanour changed radically. "Let me go, John!" she screamed, kicking out at the Human and fighting to break away from him.
John grabbed her leg and kept her from crawling away from him. "D'Argo, help me!"
Aeryn managed to get to her feet and dropped into a defensive stance facing her two friends. "John, D'Argo! I must do this! I must die! I shouldn't be here. I should be dead back on the ice planet. Zhaan must not suffer for my life!" The tears streamed down her face as she pleaded with her shipmates.
"No! Aeryn! Zhaan did the right thing! Everything will be all right," John said, fighting to remain calm. "Come back to Moya with us. We need you. I need you, my love!"
Aeryn stared at him, wild-eyed. He could see the battle raging inside her. Suddenly, another intelligence shone out from behind her eyes. "No! Aeryn Sun made a bargain with me. She must fulfill her end of it. She is my avatar. I need her lifeblood to sustain me, to renew me." Gaya took control of her Zapheos and made her turn and flee back to the temple.
Momentarily stunned, John raced after her. Aeryn was fast, but John was not hampered by the robes she wore and finally gained on her. Just as he launched himself into his best football tackle, one of the Gayan guards dragged himself to his feet and fired at John. Aeryn saw him and swerved, taking the shot herself. She dropped to the ground just as John landed on top of her. John groaned and swiftly rolled off her, dismayed to find himself covered in blood, Aeryn's blood. He watched in horror as the grass drank up the red stream as it flowed freely from the wound in her chest. He got to his feet and lifted Aeryn up from the ground, before turning and running back across the plaza. This time he passed his precious burden over to D'Argo and together they managed to make it to the transport pod. The planet's skies darkened ominously and lightning flashed around them, tossing the transport helplessly, but John maintained control and soon they were free to the living planet and caught in Moya's docking web.
Only then did John turn to see how Aeryn was doing. She lay in D'Argo's arms, very pale. The Luxan had managed to stem the flow of blood from her wound, but he raised worried eyes to his Human companion. "She's lost a lot of blood, John."
When the transport docked, John lifted Aeryn into his arms and carried her to the infirmary. A weak Zhaan met them without a word and she and Stark worked together to save the Sebacean's life once more. Through it all, John hovered worriedly, feeling the helpless rage and despair wash over him again. "Don't die on me, Aeryn. Not again! I won't lose you again! I can't!"
Finally, Zhaan turned away from the bed on which Aeryn lay, terribly still and gave John a weary smile. "She'll be all right, John." The Delvian leaned against Stark helplessly. John went over to press a kiss to her cheek, then told her to get some rest. Zhaan let Stark lead her away without protest. Then John turned to settle in for his vigil over Aeryn.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Chiana came in to check on them both, She found John slumped over in the chair beside Aeryn's bed. The Sebacean looked dreadfully pale, even for her, but her breathing was steady. Chiana checked the bandages, pleased to find them clean and dry. She gazed down at her private and complex shipmate, her mind and heart in turmoil over the information she had stumbled upon. She was so lost in her internal struggle that she did not hear John rise and come over to stand beside her until he spoke.
"She's going to be okay, Pip," he whispered. "Thanks for your help down there on the planet." He took the Nebari's gloved hand in his and raised it to his lips.
Chiana smiled up at him. "Any time, old man." John grinned tiredly at her nickname for him. Then he bent to tenderly caress Aeryn's cheek.
"Will everything be all right? I mean ... between you two? It wasn't just the avatar ... that let you ... you and she ...?" Chiana stammered.
John gazed down at Aeryn sadly. "No, it was Aeryn all right. I think Gaya just let her lower her guard." He bent and kissed Aeryn's lips. Then he straightened and ruffled Chiana's white hair. "We'll be okay. Don't worry."
Chiana grinned at him and batted his hand away playfully. "Who's Antaeus?"
Caught off-guard, John stared at Chiana. "Huh?"
"Back on the planet, when Zhaan said to break Aeryn's contact with the planet, you called her Antaeus."
"Oh, that. It's just an Earth reference," John explained. "In the mythology of one of our ancient civilizations, there was a hero called Hercules. He had to wrestle with a being whose mother was the Earth. In order to defeat him, he had to break the giant's contact with his mother, to sap his strength." John paused, looking perplexed. "I don't even remember what they were fighting over."
"Did Hercules win?" Chiana asked eagerly.
"Yeah, he won." John reached over and tenderly caressed Aeryn's cheek.
"You have such great stories on Earth, Crichton," Chiana commented wistfully.
"Don't Nebari have stories?"
"No, they're considered frivolous and misleading." Chiana laid her cheek on John's shoulder. "You'll have to tell me more stories some time."
"Anytime, Pip," John promised. He turned his face towards hers and they smiled at each other.
Then Chiana's face clouded. "Uhh, John. Did Aeryn ever say anything to you about ... about, uh ... well..."
"Hey, Pip, spit it out!" John grinned.
Chiana reached over and took John's hand. "I found out something, down there on the planet. Something about Aeryn. And I don't know if I should tell you."
John turned to face the Nebari, growing worried at her indecision. "Is it important, Chi? Will it hurt Aeryn? Or anyone aboard Moya?"
"It might hurt Aeryn."
"Then I think you should tell me," John said.
Chiana raised her troubled dark eyes to John's. "I found out the reason they chose Aeryn over me, John. To participate in the ceremony. It's because she's proven to be fertile. And I haven't. Yet."
John stared at the young thief, at first not understanding. "Proven to be fertile? What do you ...?" Then his eyes widened in shock and he turned to stare at Aeryn's unconscious face. "You mean ...?"
"Aeryn's had a child, John. It's what she meant by 'fitting the criteria'."
John reached over and lifted Aeryn's cold limp hand into his, raising it to his cheek. His mind went back over every conversation they had had about children, and her life before in the PeaceKeepers. "She never said anything."
Chiana bowed her head. "Maybe I shouldn't have either. It's just ... well, there's so much we don't know about her."
"We all have secrets, Chi," John said sadly.
"Yeah," Chiana agreed distractedly. She took a deep breath and looked at John. "So, will you ask her about it? When she's well?"
"I don't know. Maybe I should just let her tell me on her own, when she's ready." John turned and caressed Chiana's cheek. "Thanks for sharing it with me, Chiana. You did the right thing."
Chiana reached up and kissed John's cheek. "Will you be all right here? I could take over, let you get some sleep."
"Nah, I want to be here when she wakes up. Thanks, Chi." John watched the Nebari move out into the sleep-darkened corridor. Then he turned back to the beautiful woman lying on the bed. He bent over her once more, caressing the soft skin of her cheek. "When you wake up, my love, we're going to have to have a serious talk," he vowed.
As if she heard him, Aeryn stirred and smiled in her sleep. "John," she murmured.
"Yeah, baby, I'm right here. I'll never leave you," John promised, before settling down to sleep.
***************
John was worried but not in the least surprised to find Aeryn at her exercises mere days after she had very nearly bled to death. Following a tip from Pilot, the Human had tracked his Sebacean shipmate to her converted cargo bay gym. He stood in the doorway, supposedly unseen, watching her go through the fluid yet deady movements of her regular routine. John had to admire her skill, undiminished by her most recent brush with death. But as he watched, he began to notice with satisfaction that she had modified her routine to allow for her healing body. He stood back, admiring her body and her ability equally before grinning at her when she finally ceased.
"Before you say anything, Crichton, I'm perfectly okay," Aeryn began, mopping her brow with a towel she had scooped up from the floor of the cargo bay.
"I wasn't going to say anything, Aeryn," John replied, grinning wider as she cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at his statement. He stepped forward, offering Aeryn a bottle of water which she took from him gratefully and with a hint of surprise. "I just came to tell you that Zhaan is much better after her treatment down on Gaya." He instantly regretted his words as a dark cloud passed over Aeryn's face.
"Better, but not healed."
John sighed. "No, the weakness is still there. And some of the sores have returned." He watched Aeryn toss the towel aside in frustration. She stood in the middle of the cargo bay for a microt, her chest heaving as she fought to control her turbulent emotions. Then she bent and picked up the towel, preparing to leave the bay.
John caught her arm before she could get away. "Aeryn, please, talk to me!"
"What about?" she snapped. "I failed again. Isn't that obvious?!" Aeryn tried to pull her arm from John's grasp but he refused to let go. Instead he pulled her down on the floor beside him. For a microt, his mind registered a sense of deja vu as he sat cross-legged on the PeaceKeeper design, painted on the cargo bay floor.
For several microts, Aeryn sat in silence across from John, unwilling (or unable) to even look at him. Finally she raised tear-drenched eyes to his. "John, it's all my fault. Zhaan would not be stricken with this disease if she hadn't tried to bring me back to life. I don't deserve such self-sacrifice. Zhaan is a priestess, a servant of life and the living. I am just a soldier and a former servant of the PeaceKeepers and their violent ways. Why do I live and Zhaan dies?"
John's heart broke at the anguish of the woman he loved so dearly, an anguish he shared with her. He reached out and cupped Aeryn's head in his hand. At first she resisted, but soon was unable to deny herself the comfort of his embrace. Encouraged, John slid closer to the mourning Sebacean he loved. He slipped around her and held her cradled in his arms as she surrendered to her sorrow in soft quiet tears, not like the deep wrenching sobs that had plagued her the last time he had held her in this room. Aeryn let him hold her, stroke her arms and hair, brush his lips against her temple before she finally turned her face to his and pressed her lips on his mouth. John groaned as she twisted in his arms, pressing herself fully against him, kissing him with incredible passion and longing.The kiss, flavoured with the salt of Aeryn's tears, went on for a long time before Aeryn pulled back slowly.
John stroked a strand of her dark hair back from her cheek and smiled at her. "I meant what I said down on Gaya, Aeryn. I want to share quarters with you. I want to go to sleep every night with you in my arms and wake up the same way every morning." He kissed her gently. "What do you think?"
He could see the longing in Aeryn's eyes but she lowered her lashes and shook her head. "I want it too, John, but I don't think it would be a good idea -- not yet," she added encouragingly. She turned back to her original position, loving the feel and strength of John's arms around her. "But Gaya let me see the foolishness of my beliefs that acting on what we feel for each other,..."
"Love," John whispered softly, grinning. He kissed her softly on the neck eliciting a sigh of pleasure.
"John!" Aeryn sputtered, "Don't distract me!"
"Sorry," he murmured from where he had buried his face in her throat. "Go on."
She wriggled back onto his chest, delving deeper into his warrnth. John felt a familiar rush of desire for her and groaned, unable to see Aeryn's triumphant glow. "I was saying that acting on our -- love -- for each other will not weaken us, it will strengthen us. Gaya showed me that and I will be forever grateful." She twisted again in John's arms and smiled at him, her love radiating from her. This time the passion of her kiss did not wane, but washed over them both as Aeryn pushed John down onto the matted floor of the cargo bay.
Afterwards, they lay together, arms and legs entwined. John stroked Aeryn's hair where her head lay on his shoulder. Though her breathing was low and gentle, she was not asleep. *Ask her,* John's curiosity pressed him. *Ask her about her child.* He bent his head to rub his cheek against the silky blackness of her hair. He could feel Aeryn's lips stretch into a contented smile against his naked chest and her arms tightened around him. *No, now is not the time,* John told himself. *As in all things, she will tell me in time. I must trust her to do that.* He kissed the top of her head, his heart swelling as she raised eyes glowing with love to smile at him. "Wonderful as this is, Aeryn, I think perhaps we had better get dressed. I wouldn't want to offend Rygel's delicate sensibilities with our despicable body breeder habits."
Aeryn snorted disdainfully. "I don't care about upsetting Rygel, but you're right. Besides, I'm getting a little cold."
"Cold? You?" John smirked as he pulled on his pants and reached for his shirt.
"Strangely enough, ever since the ... uh ... accident, I haven't been able to get truly warm."
John reached out and pulled her to him. "I'll make you warm, Aeryn," he leered. He felt her relax into his embrace almost immediately.
"You know, I think I'll take you up on that shared quarters thing," Aeryn replied, reaching up to caress John's cheek. The Human's breath caught in astonishment and hope. "At least for tonight, if the offer's still open?"
John bent down and kissed her hard. "My door is always open for you, Aeryn. Just like my heart." He kissed her again, then turned and led her from the cargo bay before their passion could overwhelm them again.
FIN