A Path to happiness 4: Panic, Intimidation and reckless abandon
by janne
Summary: John and Aeryn are left in the path of danger, but do not know the seriousness of their situation. Meanwhile, Travis's loyalty is challenged and Zhaan, D'Argo and Chiana search for their fallen friends.
Spoilers: This is the fourth part in my A Path to Happiness series. Obviously, reading the first, second and third installments would help, but they're not necessary. There are also references to Scorpius theories from episodes like Won't Get Fooled Again and A Clockwork Nebari.
Disclaimer: The Farscape concept, theory, characters, and overall universe is not the property of me, but rather of Fox Studios Australia, Jim Henson Co, Sci-Fi Channel, and Nine Network Australia. This story is strictly for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. All characters (except for that of Travis Calloman of which, I made up myself) are the property of the above companies.
Author's Note: I'd love to hear what you think about it. Please e-mail me with any comments- good or bad- that you may have. Special thanks go to Travis, a friend who gave me the idea for this story (actually, he was the framework for Travis Calloman). I couldn't have done it without him!
Archiving: If you want it, I only request that you ask me first, then keep my name and e-mail address with it.
John and Aeryn were searching for a place to stay. They left the city in hopes of escaping the Peacekeepers. As they were walking, Aeryn noticed something in the trees to their left.
"What's the matter, Aeryn?" John asked, wondering why she wandered over near a patch of trees. She looked behind her at him and put a finger to her mouth to quiet him. She snuck up on whatever it was she saw or heard, and then stopped suddenly. John ignored her and slowly made his way up behind her. He did not even break a twig, so he startled her when he caught up with her.
"What do you see?" he whispered in her ear. She jumped slightly, but did not make a big deal out of him scaring her.
"I said to stay back!" she scolded, but left it at that. "There's a deer over there."
"So?" John inquired, not sure what a deer had to do with anything.
"Well, it got frightened and got on the defensive. Something made it scared, but it can't find whatever is out there."
"What of it?"
"The only predators I can think of that do that are not animals. They are Sebacean." His face fell as she said that.
"Peacekeepers?" he asked, sighing rather heavily.
"Yes," she said after a few microts. They looked at each other and retreated to the main path. The brush and ferns on the ground along the banks of the path covered their tracks back to the lane, and after a quick check to make sure it wasn't apparent that they had strayed from the trail, they set off.
"Where exactly are we going, Aeryn?" John asked after a few minutes of walking in silence. Aeryn looked around to make sure they were not being followed. She turned to look John in the eye.
"I really don't know." He slowed and looked at her. She noticed his change in pace and stopped, cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Well, Aeryn, you always know where we're going," he started.
"So I'm always supposed to know? Why can't you know for once?" she asked, impatiently, her face reddening with anger.
"Whoa, Aeryn. Calm down! I was just saying that it's a first. There's always a first for everything. Talk about mood swings," he said (the last part under his breath so as not to anger her further) trying to calm her. She stopped and breathed deeply.
"I'm sorry, John. I don't know what's the matter with me. Can we hurry up to wherever we're going?" she asked him. He looked worriedly at her and looked to his right.
"Well, there might be something over here a little. Let's have a look, ok?" He led her up the incline and through the trees. Suddenly, she sat down on a nearby rock and put a hand to her stomach.
"What's the matter Aeryn? C'mon, help me here. I don't know Sebacean physiology well- you gotta help me out!" he said to her, panicking.
"I don't know. I'm… dizzy. I feel a little faint and my stomach feels… strange. Hurry John!" she said, panicking a little herself. That scared John even more- Aeryn Sun never shows herself vulnerable. He squatted down so he was eye level with her.
"I'll go look for a place to stay really quick, ok?" he told her. He squeezed her hand in reassurance that everything was going to be all right, and started into the forest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Where would they be now, Calloman!" Scorpius roared. He was getting impatient and wanted to find the human as quickly as possible. He wanted that wormhole technology, and he wanted it soon.
"I really don't know. I knew that they would get a room for the night, but now that they know you are after them, it is impossible to know where they are now," he replied, not backing down. He knew Scorpius was all about intimidation and that as long as he kept up bravado, he wouldn't be harmed.
"Well, you'll have to do better than that," he said. He circled Lt. Calloman. Travis looked at his surroundings as Scorpius encircled him, and he got a pretty good idea of where he was. As far as he could tell, he was in a solidly built room. It was lined with some alloy, maybe titanium or nitrolite. He figured it was the holding cell, or maybe an alternate interrogation room. There were no windows and only the one door. There was a console in the corner to his right and he was in the middle of the room, seated at a long table with his hands bound behind him.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what more I can do," he said, letting a little fear escape in his voice, for performance's sake. Scorpius stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around and looked at his prisoner. He thought for a moment about Lt. Calloman's last comment, and then sat down opposite him.
"Ah, but I believe you do."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Is this good, Aeryn?" John asked, after helping her to the house he had found. It was simple- basically a log cabin, like the ones he and his father used to stay at when they went camping in Maine- but it would have to do. Plus, it was the only thing big enough for the two of them that was far enough away from the road. John suspected they would be there a while. Aeryn looked around and smiled.
"Yes John, this will do fine." She sat in a chair and John sat facing her on the bed.
"Good. Now, how do you feel?" he asked her, feeling her forehead with the back of his hand.
"I'm a little dizzy and feel a little faint, and then there's my stomach. It's nothing, really," she said and tried to get up. She fell back in her chair and put her hands to her head and stomach.
"Like hell you're fine, Aeryn. You are burning up, and since I know that Sebaceans do not deal well with heat, I suggest that I cool you down." He picked her up and set her on the bed.
"What you are thinking of will not cool me down John. Actually, the exact opposite will happen," she said, smiling broadly. He laughed and took her vest off.
"I wasn't going to do that, as much as I'd like to. I figured I'd take your clothes off and dry them- they are all sweaty. Besides, taking them off will make you cool down faster. She laughed and assisted him in removing her clothing. She got under just the sheet of the bed and fell asleep. John hung her clothes in front of the fire he had made, and came back over to sit on the chair next to the bed.
"You'll be all right, sweetheart, I promise. I love you, Aeryn," he whispered, then kissed her hand, laid back in his chair, and dozed off himself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Zhaan and D'Argo landed the transport at the transport pad and saw the confusion from the general store.
"What's going on out there?" Zhaan asked the owner as D'Argo paid for the supplies he had purchased.
"Out there? Oh, nothing to concern yourself with. A little friendly advice- stay away from them." Zhaan realized that was all she was going to get out of him and didn't press the subject any farther. D'Argo finished paying and they left.
"What do you think is going on?" he asked her on the way to the transport to put the crates of supplies down before they started looking for Aeryn and Crichton.
"I really don't know," she said, but as they were loading the transport, she could sense he had the same fear as she- that it had something to do with their lost shipmates.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Aeryn was sleeping, and John was sitting at the table. He yawned, and looked at her. God, you're beautiful. I'm the luckiest guy in the Uncharted Territories. What did I do to deserve you, Aeryn? He asked himself. She squirmed, and he could tell she was not asleep any longer. He had spent enough nights beside her simply staring at her, watching her sleep to know when she was faking. He played along and yawned once more, took off his boots, pants and shirt and climbed in next to her. He stroked her bare shoulders and caressed her hair. Ah, that raven-black hair. I love that hair. Her head was on its side and he kissed her forehead. He got under the covers. She opened her eyes when she realized he wasn't looking, and propped her head up ever so stealthily. He turned over and about fell out of bed, it startled him so.
"God Aeryn! Don't do that to me! You about scared me to death." She giggled.
"Sorry John. And I'm sorry about something else too."
"What?" he asked.
"I'm sick."
"Yeah. So?"
"I don't want to get you sick." He smiled slyly.
"I see. You want me to leave." She nodded, smiling.
"But, there's only one bed."
"Like I said, I'm sorry." Suddenly he flipped over and pinned her down, hands above her head on the pillow.
"What if I don't want to leave?" he asked with another sly smile.
"If I wanted you to leave, John, do you really think you could stop me?" He loosened his grip slightly, but not much.
"I suppose you're right." He started to back down, then all of a sudden went back to his original straddling position. Aeryn smiled. "What if I made you want to let me stay?" he said, smirking. Then, he lowered his head and kissed her. He kissed her tenderly, ever so lightly in an almost teasing motion. He kissed her lips, and then made his way up to her brow, then traced a pattern down her neck with his tongue. She became restless beneath him and pressed against him. Suddenly, he stopped.
"What are you doing John?"
"You wanted me to leave, so I suppose I should oblige. I mean, you are sick," he said, smirking as he had his face turned away and she couldn't see. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"If I want you to leave, I'll make you leave," she said and pulled him down for another kiss.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So you didn't see them, Zhaan?" Pilot asked.
"No, just a disturbance. But I am sure it had to do with them. It was near a hotel or something."
"Yes, I thought the same thing," D'Argo said.
"We should go find them then," Chiana said, getting a little impatient. She didn't understand why they were waiting to help their friends.
"We will Chiana, just be patient," D'Argo said, then, fulfilling his promise, he turned his attention to Zhaan and Pilot. "Can you find them anywhere Pilot?"
"There are many life signs, and many Sebaceans on the planet's surface. Perhaps if you were down there looking as well, it would be better," he said, sensing everyone's anxiousness to go down and look for their crewmates but also knowing that they wanted him to tell them to.
"Right Pilot. We'll go down to the surface and search, first in the organized town and then outwards on the main roads. We'll check back every arn Pilot?" Zhaan said, authoritatively taking over.
"The planet has many signals going through. It should not be dangerous for Moya. Just be sure you aren't seen by any Peacekeepers. I have heard that many of the people on this planet are working for Peacekeepers, informing them of any suspicious people. Please, be careful," Pilot said.
"We will have the utmost caution, Pilot," Zhaan said, and the three left.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The sunlight shone through the windows, revealing Aeryn and John sleeping. A noise triggered Aeryn's auto-response system, and she woke with a start. Her movement made John wake up.
"Obviously, this is not the Do-Not-Disturb Mattress," he said getting up. Aeryn gave him a strange look and he just waved it off.
"I thought I heard a noise," Aeryn said starting to get out of bed, but fell back from dizziness.
"Oh no you don't! You stay right here. Are you ok?" he asked, going to the window and cautiously peering out to see if he could see any Peacekeepers.
"Yeah, I think so," she said rubbing her forehead. He came back to her side.
"There's nothing out there. I think we can stay here a while. Hopefully, Zhaan and D'Argo and the others will come and look for us." He brushed some stray hair that was matted and stuck to her sweating face. "You don't look so good, Aeryn." He tried to mask his worry, but Aeryn saw right through it.
"I don't feel so well, either," she said, fear lacing her voice. He went and got a cloth, dipped it in some water he had gotten the night before and put it on her forehead.
"We need to cool you down. I know that Sebaceans aren't very tolerant of heat," he said, smiling slightly to lighten the moment. She formed a small smile, and then it faded away. "We'll get you better, Aeryn. Don't worry." He bent down and kissed her cheek, and when he lifted his head she was sound asleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Zhaan, D'Argo and Chiana made their way through the Town Square. They were looking everywhere for their lost comrades, and weren't having much luck. They asked all the people that looked decent and non-aggressive, but the number of those people was dreadfully small. They were beginning to lose hope, when they saw a small lane that had some rather fresh prints in it.
"Over here D'Argo," Zhaan said, bending over to examine the prints closer.
"Those look like Aeryn and Crichton's boots," D'Argo said, looking closer as well. When they noticed a small indentation that John had made in his boots for easier identification of the human's prints, it was confirmed.
"They went down this path," Chiana said.
"Yes. It looks as though they fled the safety of the city in reckless abandonment," Zhaan said. She looked around and saw a few PK soldiers. She grabbed her friends' arms and pulled them into the trees along the path. The soldiers passed by, staying in the town's limits.
"May the goddess be with them," Zhaan said, noticing something on the ground that severely depleted her hopes of them getting out safely without help.