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Category - Drama
Spoilers – Every episode is fair game
Timeline – Approximately 22 cycles after 4.22
Keywords -
Summary: Further adventures in the life of Brennik
Authors note: It’s not essential to read “Finding Herself” first, but it is the prequel to this and might help you to understand my original characters better. Thank you to scrubschick for doing an awesome beta job. She kept me in line.
Death and Resurrection
Life and Death - Prologue
She was held securely in one of daddy’s arms, warmly squished between him and mommy as they hugged. They were kissing, too. She could feel the strong, erratic beating of daddy’s heart against her chest and the softness of mommy’s breasts pressing into her back.
“Don’t be too long,” she heard daddy say.
Mommy laughed in that low way of hers. “Didn’t you get enough last night?”
“For last night, sure. But that’s not what I’m talking about. We promised each other quality family time.”
Mommy sighed. “I’ll only be on Moya for an arn or so. Then we’ll ‘do the tourist thing’ like you wanted.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Daddy sighed heavily. “All right. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She felt mommy pull away and kiss her on the cheek. “You be good for daddy.”
Resting her head on daddy’s strong chest, she felt him caress her back and together they watched mommy enter her prowler and begin to lift off.
“Hey, darlin’,” daddy began. “You want to…” his words were drowned by the largest bang she’d ever heard. A giant fireball fell from the sky as daddy screamed the most terrifying sound. She screamed, too, because daddy was sobbing into her hair and holding her so tight she could barely breathe.
And then, strong daddy fell to his knees.
Brennik awoke abruptly, the haunting sound of their combined screams still echoing in her ear. She’d been having the same nightmare every night for two weekens, reliving that terrible moment of her mother’s death a hundred times over. The long repressed memory had been resurrected by her father’s simple statement “She died in a prowler accident.”
She had intended to confront him later for the details, but learned she had no need to. She remembered it all.
Gasping for air, she was trying to control her shaking when she heard a noise in the corridor. Chiana stood in the doorway holding a large box.
“I came to tell you we leave for the surface in about an arn.”
“Thank you.”
Chiana coughed and entered the room with her usual cat-like grace. “And, uh, I came to give you this.” She dropped the box at the foot of Brennik’s bed and began to back out. “When, when your mother died John just…well, he fell apart so I… I stored all her things. Partly to keep him from sitting and staring at them, partly to keep Rygel from snurching them. But, I thought you might…might want them.” She smiled and tenderness softened her world weary eyes. “We all loved her very much. It’s good to have you home where you belong.” Chiana turned and left the room.
Nervously, she began sorting through the box. Her first impression was that her mother had an obsession for leather. Maybe that was why dad never wore anything else these days. After setting aside the clothes and a well used gun belt containing a battle scarred pulse pistol, there were only three items left. One was a vial of scented oil. Another small vial contained a clear, odorless liquid. The final item took her breath away.
It was an exquisite gold necklace with a heart shaped pendent. On the back were the words “To the mother of my daughter. I love you.” Beneath that was a date she recognized as her birthday. With tears in her eyes, she gently slipped the chain over her head. Lovingly, she caressed the symbol of her parents love as it nestled against her chest before she began to dress for her first venture to a foreign planet.
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Everything around her was new and amazing. She’d never seen so many species of life mingling in one place before. Her eyes were everywhere trying to see everything at once. D’Argo smiled indulgently, remember another Crichton who used to be the same way. His patience had grown over the cycles, though. He waited patiently as she stopped at nearly every stall, trying to absorb the various smells, sights and alien artifacts.
She felt secure with the big Luxan following her. When she’d heard him promise her father he would take care of her she’d been frustrated. She was an adult after all, and they were treating her as if she were a child. But after exiting the transport pod she reluctantly admitted she was out of her league. Besides, he was an amusing companion, always ready to tell her the not so glorified version of some of their adventures.
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Life and Death 1
It was a hot morning. Mom shouldn’t be out in this heat. If he hurried, he could finish her outside chores before she completed the housework. It would put him behind schedule, but at least the beating would be his instead of hers. He’d sworn two monens ago that she’d covered for him one too many times, and so far he’d been able to subvert the worst of her punishments. He was becoming strong. He was becoming a man, and soon he would be big enough to take them both away from Him.
It needed to be soon. Her headaches were becoming worse as time progressed and He refused to let her see a healer. That was the first thing he would do when they were free. Mom would be free of the constant pain and she would be responsible for nothing but her tapestry she loved to create. He envisioned her happily working at her loom, humming the silly songs he loved as a child.
“Three blind mice, three blind mice,” he sang merrily. “See how they run, see how they run. They all ran after the farmer’s wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife…” He paused a moment feeling sorry for the mice. He’d always been on their side against the tyrannical woman, even if he had no idea what mice were. When he’d asked his mother, she hadn’t known either. “Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind…”
“Stop that noise this instant!” His matron screeched from the porch. She was large and a very dark purple, even for Furrbals. He stifled a grin at his own nickname for them. No matter how many times they would punish him, he still had his own thoughts.
“Yes, ma’am.” He bowed his head, respectively not making eye contact.
“Why are you feeding the animals, when it’s your lazy mother’s job. You should be mending the north fence.”
“She doesn’t know ma’am. She expressly told me not to do it and I disobeyed. The heat affects her badly.”
The woman harrumphed. “If the fence isn’t mended by nightfall it’ll be ten lashes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And since you find extra work so pleasurable, before you start on the fence I want you to go to market and purchase a Gialshoo for roasting. Tell Aethus to put it on my bill.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Off with you now!”
He immediately began the metra long run to the market, dismayed he’d been unable to finish the feeding. Matron had sent him away purposely. His resolve hardened and he swore to himself that no matter what he needed to do, what deal he needed to make, he and his mother would soon be away.
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It was him. He knew it. There before him, across the street was the mythical creature of his youth, one of the heroes in the endless tales his mother put him to sleep with every night. Maybe he was grasping at straws in desperation, but he felt in his heart that this was his answer. He had to talk to the Luxan. He had to hurry, time was running out. It looked as if he and his female companion were about to move on. He couldn’t tell if the female was the one in the stories as well, she was shrouded in the traditional veil of the locals. Only her eyes could be seen through the long layers of cloth. Not many off worlders wore the costume and he spared a moment to wonder why this woman had chosen to.
But, that was irrelevant and he set his mind to figure a way to speak to the giant. His mind was blank and he was desperate. Taking a fortifying breath, he decided to plunge in feet first and make it up as he went along. “Excuse me, sir.”
The Luxan, ever watchful, acknowledged the greeting cheerfully enough. “Hello boy. What can I do for you?”
“Sir, I need to talk with you privately.”
Instantly the large man was alert. “I don’t do private conferences.”
At that moment, the grey woman of the stories approached from behind the Luxan, her mouth slightly open. She stared unashamedly at him. He was embarrassed, unused to beautiful and exotic women of any sort paying attention to him.
“D’Argo,” the woman hissed. “We need to hear this boy out.”
“Chiana, this is probably a trap.”
“Do you remember visiting John’s past?”
“What does this have to do with anything? You’re not making sense.”
“You didn’t see him like I did D’Argo. This boy could be him. Maybe a little younger, but it’s him.”
“Are you trying to tell me that young John jumped into the future and is visiting us on a planet light years away from his home world? You are fahrbot.”
“Weirder things have happened to us D’Argo. It’s just one kid. Let’s at least hear him out.”
“Fine. Follow me,” D’Argo growled. He led them away from the crowd into a side alley. Chiana scanned the perimeter and after she gave a ‘clear’ signal the three turned their attention to him.
“I don’t have much time, so I’ll make this quick. My name is Aeric. My mother and I are slaves on a farm not far from here. She has terrible headaches accompanied by visions of other places and people. She has described you to me in detail. Both of you. When I saw you I felt sure it was a sign. She is getting worse every day and if something isn’t done soon I’m afraid she’ll either die from the headaches, or from the beatings she gets for not completing her tasks. I try to take up the slack, but it isn’t enough. Please. If you take us away from here and help me find her a healer, I’ll give myself to you for the rest of my lifetime.”
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do. We can’t get involved with local problems. We can’t free everyone.”
“D’Argo, you can’t be so calloused!” The grey woman exclaimed.
“Chiana, try to remember the last time we assisted a slave out of mercy. This is probably a set-up.”
“No.” The shrouded woman spoke for the first time. Her voice hung in the air, forceful and sure. “He’s not lying. We need to help him. And his mother.”
“I’m here to protect you, Brennik, not go on a quest.”
The shrouded woman stared in to his pleading eyes. “If you’re going to protect me, D’Argo, then you’ll come along. I’m going to help him.”
“You’re father is going to kill me.” D’Argo muttered as he followed the two women and the youth out of the alley and down the road to the farmhouse.
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Aeric never dreamed it could be so easy. He had never said a word as the group climbed the steps to the farmhouse and pounded on the door. D’Argo and Chiana, without one word of rehearsal spun one the most eloquent story he’d ever heard about the trouble the boy had caused them and their transport, and since he boy was the property of these good farmers, said farmers owed them a great deal of money. His head spun at the sum they’d named and Mrs. Furrbal sputtered saying they were humble farmers and where were they supposed to get such a sum. The indignant Chiana and D’Argo insisted they would take the matter up with the local debt mongers and the harried purple woman offered the boy as payment. Such a scrawny boy was not worth half the amount and the woman offered the boy’s mother as well.
Still offended, and assuring the woman they were being cheated, they bound both the slaves and headed out. They had left them shackled until they reached their transport pod and left the planet. Mrs. Furrbal congratulated herself on her extraordinary negotiating capabilities.
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His mother sat silently, nearly lost under her shroud. He could tell she was having another headache and tried to ease her pain by sitting behind her and rubbing her temples. “It’s ok, mother. There’s nothing left to worry about.”
“Aeric, I have been sold or bartered eight times. Never count on the next one being easier or better.”
“This time is different, mom. You’ll see.”
Chiana came over and knelt before the woman, gently taking her hand. “You should be very proud of your son. He is very devoted to you.”
His mother nodded but remained silent. Chiana tried again. “He says you have headaches. Maybe it would help if we took some of this heavy material off. Can I help you?”
His mother nodded once again and the two pulled and tugged at the voluminous cloth, Chiana from the outside, his mother from the inside. At one point a piece caught on her chin and he heard her giggle as they tried to unbind her. Finally, the material was free and his beautiful mother looked up into the eyes of the Nebari woman.
“By the goddess!” Chiana whispered, her pale grey skin turning white. “Aeryn.”
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Part Two
“I’m sorry,” her mirror replied, lowering her eyes respectfully. “You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Sundance, unless you are renaming me.”
She couldn’t breath, couldn’t talk. He’d said if she ever wanted to know what her mother looked like, to check in a mirror. Paralyzed, she inspected every nuance of the woman before her. With the exception of two white streaks making her hair appear even darker, everything was the same. Oh, dear God, how was dad going to handle this? A hundred questions hung unasked. The guilt and tension were palpable. If she had the strength to raise her arm, she thought she might touch the agony of everyone on board.
The young boy holding his mother so protectively couldn’t be older than twelve or thirteen cycles. How was dad going to handle another man’s child? Where was she this whole time? A vision of the burning prowler crashing to the ground filled her eyes.
Not another word was spoken the entire trip back to Moya.
The ship finally docked, but no one made a move to leave until a cheerful voice broke over the comms, shattering the silence. “Yo, D. You guys are back early, what’s taking you so long? Everything ok in there?”
D’Argo turned to Sundance and Aeric. “Wait here. Chiana, you stay with them.”
For once Chiana didn’t argue, merely nodded and closed her eyes expelling a long breath. “What are you going to tell him?”
“I… don’t know yet.”
Brennik followed D’Argo as he exited the ship. Her father was waiting anxiously in the hanger, a large smile greeting her.
“So, Bren, how did you like it? Pretty awesome isn’t it? Let’s get something to eat and you can tell me all about it.” When neither she nor D’Argo made a move his smile faded slightly. He turned to D’Argo for the first time and saw the grim expression on his friend. “What happened? Brennik, are you all right?”
“I’m fine dad.”
“John, we need to talk.”
He was getting impatient. Gritting his teeth he asked point blank, “What the hell happened down there?”
“We have two vis… we brought back…” D’Argo lowered his head in frustration at his inability to find the right words. He let out a heavy sigh. “John, don’t do anything hasty.”
“Will you just tell me what the hell you’re talking about? Who is with you? What did you bring back?”
“Chiana!” D’Argo bellowed and a couple of microts later Chiana appeared with the woman hovering behind her.
“John, don’t do anything rash. She’s been a slave and she’s sick, she needs our help. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
Slowly, Chiana stepped aside giving Crichton a good view of the woman for the first time. Brennik didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t the complete and total lack of any reaction. For long microts he simply stared, not breathing, not blinking, not moving. Sundance stood still, recognizing that her place on this ship was dependant on this man, this statue. Her eyes were lowered to her toes, as was customary for her station.
“Look at me.” His voice was a mere hoarse whisper, but it carried a command that was not to be disobeyed. She raised her eyes and their gazes connected, locking, binding them together. “Don’t ever look away again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And don’t call me sir. The name is John.”
What the hezema was her father doing? Why didn’t he sweep her into his arms? He should be dancing for joy, asking questions, showing her mother how much he loves and missed her. But he just stood there staring.
“What is your name?”
“Sundance,” the woman paused. “Forgive me for asking, but am I to be yours?”
A strangled cry was quickly swallowed by the tormented man. Brennik could almost see her father’s heart being ripped out of his chest as he spoke. “You belong to no one. You are free to come and go as you wish. But if you choose to stay with us, we will move heaven and earth to help you.”
The woman looked cautiously hopeful. “And what of my son?”
Aeric stepped into view and Crichton’s eyes finally looked away from the scared woman to the young man. “I belong to the Luxan. It was the deal I made for your release mother, and it is a debt of honor.”
“Oh, for the love of… I did not require him to indenture himself to me.”
“Of coarse you didn’t D’Argo. Boy, what’s your name?”
“Aeric.”
“How old are you?”
“I’ll be thirteen cycles in one monen. But I’m strong for my age. I learn quickly and I can work for you…”
“You don’t have to worry. We’re not kicking you off the boat.” He turned to Sundance. “The boy’s father, do we need to go find him too?”
She shook her had no. “He is my miracle baby.”
Her father nodded slightly. “Chiana, why don’t you take our guests to their quarters to rest.”
He waited until the three left the hanger before he collapsed onto a large crate, burying his face in his hands. D’Argo awkwardly placed a hand on his shoulder. “We will discover the truth,” the Luxan assured.
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Part Three
Aeric slowly followed the two women through the corridors lost in his thoughts. They seemed to know her, but how? His mother had been having visions of them for years now. He’d always thought they were mythical creatures, made up by his mother to put him to sleep at night. But here they were, flesh and blood. He could tell his mother was scared, but she was doing a good job of hiding it. He shouldn’t be surprised, she always did a good job of hiding her true feelings.
Except from that Sebacean man. She was an open book as she stood to be interrogated by that bastard. He was going to have to keep an eye on the one they called John. He didn’t like the way he looked at his mother. He had said they had their freedom, but his eyes said they belonged to him. His mother had seen it too.
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“How the frell did she live through that?!” Her father had gotten over his initial shock and paced through the Central Chamber as he shouted, forgetting for the moment she was there. D’Argo sat silently watching him pace. “I saw her get into her prowler, the prowler lifted and then BOOM! How the FRELL did she survive?!”
“There was no way for you to know, John.” Brennik was amazed at D’Argos’ perception. In one simple sentence he had flushed out the real reason behind her fathers’ distress. Guilt. No wonder her father considered him a brother.
“I should have D. I should have searched longer, made sure.”
“There was nothing to search. ALL of the wreckage was in ashes. Someone must have taken her from the prowler before it…”
“Exploded. Say it D’Argo! For years, all of us have tip-toed around her name, around her death. Her name was Aeryn and she exploded into a thousand tiny pieces as I fell apart on the landing strip. If I’d kept my head out of my ass, maybe I would have been able to tell that her remains weren’t fused to her control panel, and maybe she wouldn’t have spent the last twenty cycles living as a slave, raising MY son by herself!”
“You’re emotional…”
“You’re damn right I’m emotional! I knew she was pregnant D. She hadn’t told me, but when I looked into her eyes that day, I could tell. I don’t know if she even knew yet.”
Her father was losing his mind again. That boy was nowhere near nineteen cycles. If her mother had been pregnant, that would make her sibling two cycles younger than her. She debated mentioning this fact to her father, but decided that it was not the appropriate moment. Maybe later.
“Focus, John. This isn’t helping. We need to concentrate on what we’re going to do now. What do we tell her? Do we tell her the truth, or do we wait to see what the healer will say first?”
Brennik spoke for the first time. “Well, we’re going to have to tell her something. Eventually she’s going to see me, and then what? ‘Oh, don’t worry about the fact that I LOOK JUST LIKE YOU!’”
The two men stared at her for a microt and in unison turned to each other.
“Frell.” Their two voices harmonized.
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“We need to talk.” That Sebacean man was standing outside their cell. The door was open, but he didn’t enter.
“Yes, sir.” Sundance met the mans’ eyes, just as requested.
“The name is John. John Crichton.”
“Yes, Mr. Crichton.” Kudos to his mother for not giving in to informality. He waited for the man to lose his patience, but he was surprised to find a small grin appear.
“Can we talk alone?”
“I’m not leaving my mother, so you can forget it.” Hezema, but this man wasted no time. Aeric’s young mind conjured several sordid scenarios and he planted himself more firmly in his seat.
“Fine. But we have some things we need to discuss.”
“Come in,” she offered stiffly.
Mr. Crichton entered the room and found a seat near the entrance, as far away from Sundance as possible. His eyes were not as courteous. “How are you feeling? How’s your head?”
“I will be all right.”
“That’s not what I asked. Does your head hurt?”
“Yes.”
“The nearest diagnosian is twelve arns away. Meanwhile our resident witch doctor is brewing you up a potion. But just a friendly warning, take anything she gives you with caution and as sparingly as possible.”
“We cannot afford a diagnosian.”
“It’s covered.”
“If I am free, I do not wish to be in anyone’s debt.”
John stifled a sigh and rubbed his hand through his hair. “Damn it woman, you are as difficult as ever.” Who did Crichton think he was, presuming to know what his mother was like? “You are going to that diagnosian if I have to drag you there myself.”
“So, I’m NOT free.”
“Not in this you aren’t. Aeric says your headaches are getting worse. He’s afraid for your life. If for nothing else, do it for him.”
Reluctantly she nodded. Aeric let out a small breath. Maybe this man was overbearing, but he seemed to know how to deal with his mother.
“Is that all?”
“No.” Crichton paused. “He said you had visions of certain people on board when you had these headaches.”
His mother shot Aeric a “we’ll discuss this later” look but answered the man.
“Silly girlhood fantasies to take me away from reality. I’m afraid he wanted to see in your friends the similarities.”
“What if I were to tell you they weren’t visions or fantasies, but reality?”
“I would say you need the diagnosian.” Aeric’s jaw dropped. Never had he heard his mother speak to anyone else but him in such a manner. Who was this man that could affect her so deeply and make her act in such abandon? Aeric waited for retribution, but the man only smiled. It wasn’t the acid smile of so many masters before, but one of humor.
“I figured as much.” There was pregnant pause before John dropped his next bomb. “How much of your past is missing?”
This guy was fahrbot. He waited for his mother to tell the idiot to leave them in peace. He kept waiting. “Mom, what is he talking about?”
She stood tall, chin out, proud. “My name is Sundance. I am…was a slave. I was born that way, it was my breeding from birth.”
Slowly John stood, purposely stepping nearer. He looked her directly in the eyes, a hairs breath away, nearly nose to nose and whispered. “No. You are more. And you know it. You need to try to remember.”
A lone tear formed in her eye, the only indication of the stress she was holding back. “If I remember,” Sundance swallowed, “It will kill me. That’s what the headaches are. To make sure I don’t remember.”
A horrified look of understanding descended on Crichton’s face. “My being here, in here, with you is hurting you, isn’t it?”
She nodded and a drop of red blood dripped from her nose. Aeric could never once remember his mother talking about a Sebacean man, but evidently his mother had neglected to tell him several things. His hurt at feeling left out combined with panic at seeing her bleed. She’d never done that before!
“Baby we’re going to fix this.” Aeric watched as Crichton raised a hand to his mothers’ face and gently caress her cheek with his thumb. Then, almost against his will he slowly leaned over and just as gently placed a feather soft kiss where his caress had been. That bastard! He nearly jumped at the man, but the look of peace on his mothers’ face stopped him cold. “Take care of your mother and then meet me in the center chamber. I’m going to need your help if you want her to get better.”
Aeric nodded, resenting the command but seeing the wisdom in it. He watched as John left room, the strange man wiping a tear away when he thought he wasn’t watched.
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Part Four
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She felt its formation directly behind her eyes, then the slight irritating tickle as it slowly trickled through her sinuses, down her nasal cavity and then perch on the tip of her nose, only to be released when she nodded an acknowledgement to his question.
You didn’t see it, she told herself. You didn’t feel it. No weaknesses. Your head is not exploding and this room IS NOT spinning. She’d been hiding it for cycles now, what was twelve more arns? How do you tell your son that his presence is your pain? You don’t, even though the more he matures the worse the pain is.
She learned long ago not to delve into the oblivion of her past. To even think of trying to remember those missing years was torture. Being on this ship was torture. That in itself told her countless things she desperately tried not to think about. This was her past. HE was her past. His face was unfamiliar, but his touch was a thousand unremembered memories. The volume of pain let her know; she’d found her way home.
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Aeric was lost. He’d denied it for as long as he could, but now he had to face facts. After making sure his mother was comfortable he’d set out to find the center chamber as instructed, promising his mother to return with food. He’d wandered for a while thinking it wouldn’t be too hard to locate, but quickly learned of his mistake in not asking for help. In frustration he violently kicked the wall.
“Moya probably doesn’t appreciate being mishandled that way.”
Aeric spun around to face the woman behind him. “Mom? You should be in bed resting.” The woman stepped closer and he realized his mistake. “Who are you?”
“My name is Brennik. I believe I may be your mother’s daughter.”
“I don’t know if anything will surprise me anymore. You look just like her.”
The woman smiled and dropped her head in embarrassment. “That’s what everyone has told me.” Brennik motioned for Aeric to follow her and they began the trip to the Center Chamber. “If your mother is who we think she is, she lived aboard this ship, with these people for about six cycles. That was over twenty cycles ago. One day her prowler exploded and everyone thought she was dead.”
“Until today.”
“Yes, until today.” Brennik paused briefly, searching for the right words. “When we get to this meeting, please be patient with everyone. They all loved her very much. Some more than others, but all very deeply. This group can come across… heavy, sometimes a little fahrbot - but always with the best of intentions.”
“How can my mother be their friend, if their friend was in the prowler when it exploded?”
“We’re not sure yet. There are some theories being tossed around. Chiana is rambling on about gelatinous crystal and dad keeps mumbling something about ‘Scotty of the Uncharted Territories’, whoever that is. But it seems the running theory is that she was kidnapped out of her prowler microts before it exploded, which, depending on the technology, could explain the explosion in the first place.”
Aeric’s mind was spinning and he was sure he was on a ship with half delusional people. But they had reached the end of the passage and Brennik palmed the door open to reveal D’Argo and Chiana sitting at a table in a heated discussion while John Crichton paced the floor behind them.
Brennik led him to the table and sat him next to Chiana, then placed a tray of green cubes in front of him. He was shy sitting next to the exotic beauty, but tried his best to hide it. And really, really hoped that wasn’t his face turning pink. Maybe they’d think it was warm in the room. “What’s this?” He asked staring dubiously at the little green boxes.
“Nutrition,” the Luxan answered gruffly, but with kindness.
Crichton patted his shoulder from behind, ignoring how the boy flinched at his touch. “Tastes like cardboard, but it fills the void.”
He waited quietly for someone to say something, anything, as he munched on the tasteless cubes. Finally, Crichton sat across from him, scooting D’Argo over in the process. Aeric would have found the sight of the Sebacean and Luxan squished on one bench humorous if he wasn’t so confused, bewildered. Not scared though. He refused to be scared. “Aeric,” Crichton began. ”We are going to try and help… Sundance, but we’re going to need your cooperation. Can you work with us?”
Aeric had absentmindedly started gnawing on the pad of his thumb. Heck it tasted better than those frelling cubes. “Yes. No. Maybe. I dunno. What do you need from me?”
Chiana gasped, but Crichton ignored her and continued. “You were there when your mother told me that thinking of her past is what triggers her headaches, right? The stronger the memory, the worse the pain.” Aeric nodded. “First, we want your mom to stay put. The more she walks around, the longer the trip down memory lane.”
“I can understand that.”
“This is the part you’re not going to like. We want you to stay away from her area.”
“What?!” Aeric jumped to his feet, nearly sending Chiana tumbling backwards as his legs pushed their shared bench violently backward with his haste. “No, you just want to keep us apart. I won’t let you!”
“Sit down and listen!” The order from D’Argo sounded ominous.
Aeric collected a measure of composure and sat down. “This better be good.” He mumbled under his breath.
“You said her headaches have been getting increasingly worse.” Aeric nodded. “As you mature you are looking more and more like your father- probably acting like him too.”
“Probably? Hmph.” Chiana interrupted. Crichton shot her a warning glance and continued. “The more you remind her of your father…”
“The more memories she has to fight.” Aeric finished the thought, devastated. “So,“ he swallowed. “It’s been my fault.”
“No, none of this is your fault. Blame your father for passing on his genes.”
Aeric half chuckled to himself, lost in his own thoughts. “Mother truly thinks I’m a miracle baby. She always was proud that she was blessed with a baby, even though she hadn’t been with anyone.”
“Dad, that doesn’t make sense. Do the math. Her memories start twenty cycles ago. Aeric is only twelve.”
“I’ll be thirteen next monen.”
Brennik rolled her eyes. “Close enough. The point is, she should be able to remember the father and Aeric looking like him should have no effect on her. Unless her memory degrades as she ages.”
“No,” Aeric said. “She can tell me stories from my early childhood and has told me stories of some of her homes before I was born. It’s not getting worse.”
Chiana spoke for the first time, interrupting the two. “Aer… uh, Sundance was a peacekeeper born on a command carrier.” Brennik flashed her a ‘so what’ look so Chiana continued. “Female peacekeepers are genetically altered. If they get pregnant the fetus is held in stasis until the fetus is surgically released. Or until seven cycles have passed. Whichever comes first. She wouldn’t remember the father because miracle boy here was conceived shortly before she was… well… taken. Seven cycles pass and WHAM! If you don’t know you’re genetically altered, you’re miraculously pregnant. And while we’re on the subject, we finally have the REAL reason you guys kept us waiting dinner for an arn that night…” she continued on, but was ignored by everyone in the room.
Brennik was speechless. Aeric was her full brother.
Aeric was staring at John, who was staring at Aeric. “You?”, was the silent question.
Crichton’s nod was barely perceptible. “We can get a DNA test if you’d like.”
Aeric nodded, but knew in his heart they weren’t lying to him. His world was falling apart around him and he was helpless to stop it. All his life he’d looked after his mother, tried to take care of her, protect her. They were a team who always managed to pull through and stay together. But in a few short arns this stranger had stepped in and taken over.
Control was slipping through his fingers. He was panicking. He resented it. He hated this man for taking on Aerics’ responsibility, but mostly he hated himself for being grateful.
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Brennik hovered in the doorway, a tray of food in her hands. Sundance looked so peaceful sleeping, she hated to disturb her. But Aeric said it had been a while since they’d eaten and the poor woman needed the nourishment. Quietly she entered and placed the tray on a counter.
“I’m not asleep. Come. Tell what Mr. Crichton said.”
“He said to rest. And to forget him for a little while.”
Her mother’s eyes flew open in astonishment, then in bewilderment. Raising herself to sit and accepting the plate of food she approached the conundrum logically. “Who are you?”
“For right now? I’m a fellow traveler who happens to look remarkably similar to you. Answers can come later.”
They stared at each other for a long moment before Sundance nodded. “For right now.”
“How’s your head?”
“Much better. I don’t know what that witch gave me, but it seems to have worked wonders. It also seems to put me to sleep.”
“You’ve been out four arns already. Only eight more to go. I am here to keep you company.”
“I do not need a minder. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself.”
“I know. But I was bored, and lonely and thought I’d like to get to know you better.”
“Why?”
Brennik shrugged. “Lack of anything better to do. Besides, you’re not planning on bugging out the microt you’re healed are you? If we’re going to be shipmates for a little while…”
“Bugging out?”
“Sorry, it’s a term my father uses to say ‘leaving abruptly and without notice’.”
“That does not make sense.”
“A lot of things he says doesn’t. Enough about my father. You’ll meet him later.”
Sundance finished eating and lay back on the bed, closing her eyes in exhaustion. She was softly humming a simply melody but then stopped abruptly. “What are mice?”
“Questions later. Right now we’re thinking about the present and the future. Tell me about yourself. I mean, other than the whole slave thing. Unless you want to talk about the whole slave thing. Then feel free.” Realizing she was babbling, she closed her mouth hoping to keep from saying anything else idiotic.
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, for starters, what do you like to do for fun?”
“Fun?”
“You know, what brings you joy?”
Sundance thought for a moment and a slow smile spread over her face, lighting it with radiance. No wonder her father was so captivated. “First, Aeric. Second, my tapestry. When Aeric was little I worked for a weaver who taught me how to make beautiful tapestry and for hours I would sing to Aeric and weave. I loved how it felt to create with my own hands. I had joy in watching the beauty form beneath my fingers. And when it was finished it was if I was looking at a piece of myself re-created. But then, that master died and I was sold to pay some debts. The looms were his, so I had to leave them behind.”
“We’ll have to get you a new one, all yours, so that you could weave whenever you want to.”
Sundance sighed wistfully. “That part of my life is over now. What about you? What brings you joy?”
Brennik paused, unsure how much to say. “Flying. I love the adrenaline rush as I glide through the air, the feeling of power as I control the lives of everyone on board. But mostly, I love the communion I feel between myself and the machine. Especially the bio-mechanoids. It’s as if they are talking to me alone and I can translate their wishes into flight patterns and maneuvers.” Brennik paused. “Probably silly, I know.”
“I don’t think so.” Sundance groggily replied. “I think it sounds exciting, especially for someone your age.” Her last words were a whisper as her body relaxed into slumber.
Brennik watched her mother sleep with a thousand thoughts chasing each other through her mind. Aeryn had always been described as a warrior. If you give her a pulse pistol she could field strip it in eight microts flat. She was a sure shot and a lethal hand–to-hand combatant, with little or no patience for things such as weaving.
Her mother had changed since she was last aboard Moya. Brennik was aching to know her mother as she currently was, but worried about her father. Could he overcome whatever differences there were?
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Part Five
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“Commander Crichton.” Aeric woke to Pilot’s voice drifting across they hallway.
“What is it pilot?” The man’s voice sounded weary and unburdened by sleep.
“Captain D’Argo is requesting your assistance on command.”
Aeric could hear the sounds of someone hastily getting out of bed and getting dressed. “What’s going on?”
“A disabled ship has appeared on Moya’s sensors. Their environmentals are at dangerous levels and there are signs of life. But they are not transmitting an emergency signal.”
“Then they must have their problem under control. Why are we stopping?” Crichton’s voice faded slightly as he hurried down the hall. Aeric scrambled to follow. There was no way he was going to miss this. He stumbled into Command just in time to see Chiana staring the view-screen and hear Crichton arguing with D’Argo. “Every time we pick up hitchhikers it turns out badly.”
“So you feel we should abandon them to die?”
“No. I’m just saying, let’s be careful. We’ve only got two more arns to reach the diagnosian. We need to get there as soon as possible.”
“I haven’t forgotten our goal John, nor the urgency of it. But it was you who taught me about compassion. We will bring them aboard and keep a close eye on them. Agreed? Pilot, bring them aboard.”
The three friends unholstered their weapons as they left the room, all held at high ready. “Aeric,” Crichton called over his shoulder. “Go wait in your chamber.”
Frell that! He was going with them.
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Brennik caught up with them just as the group was entering the hanger. “Brennik,” her father called. “Take Aeric back to his quarters.”
She obeyed as well as Aeric had, but she did grab his arm and guide him to an inconspicuous corner. D’Argo stood in front, Qualta Blade ready and was flanked by John on his right side with Winona and Chiana on his left with a pulse rifle. They were as ready as they were going to get.
The ship that landed was badly damaged and it was surprising the crew had lasted as long as they had in such heap. A gangplank descended and two Sebacean men emerged from inside, “We’re unarmed.”
Brennik could only stare. He was beautiful! His honey blond hair was long and pulled back into a braid. His eyes were the same blue as her fathers, creased with laugh lines. And that smile stopped her heart. Or maybe it was the leather. Suddenly she understood her mother’s preference a lot better, because if her mom thought the same things she did seeing that rear-end encased like that… no wonder she’d fallen for dad. The man caught her eye and winked, seemingly knowing what she was thinking. She cursed herself for going pink and she cursed her father for keeping her so sheltered.
Vaguely, she heard D’Argo instruct Chiana to search the two men and became aware of the other man that had arrived. He was slightly taller than his companion, with thick dark hair cut raggedly, as if it had been hastily hacked off by a knife. His eyes were dark brown, the left adorned by a thin scar than descended the length of his cheek and tapered off at his ear. He looked as if he didn’t know how to smile. He was dressed in the same fashion as his brother and if she were to admit it to herself, he was just as impressively built.
The dark one seemed to be in charge and addressed D’Argo. “My name is Sethya and this is my brother Tean. We run a cargo ship and were attacked by a band of raiders. We managed to escape, but as you can see, we are badly damaged. If we could have transport to the nearest commerce planet, we will gladly reimburse you for your time and inconvenience.”
“Unfortunately,” D’Argo answered “we cannot take you directly to your destination for several solar days – the time is indeterminate. We have other pressing matters we are attending to that take precedence.”
“We will endeavor to be of any assistance for as long as it takes.”
“What is your cargo?” Her father spoke for the first time.
“We no longer have any.”
“Don’t mind if I check it out, do you? I’ve been told I have trust issues.”
“I would expect it. Tean, show him anything he wishes.”
John jumped up on the gangplank. “All right, Val Kilmer, give me the grand tour.” Tean raised an eyebrow, but led the way inside the ship.
“Chiana, escort Sethya to the Center Chamber for refreshment.”
“Aye, Aye captain!” She remarked sarcastically before sending a sexy grin to Sethya. Her weapon remained ready, but she was flirtatious enough as she led him away. “So, it must be interesting running a cargo ship. You probably see all kinds of new people and things.”
Brennik wanted desperately to find an excuse to join her father and Tean, but now was not the time. She needed to return to Sundance. Maybe she could ask Chiana for a few tips later. The Nebari always seemed to get along well with men. She cursed her father one more time for raising her so in such a secluded place, and left to join her mother. She had time. They wouldn’t be leaving for several solar days.
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“I need to administer a sedative,” Brennik told her mother apprehensively.
“Why?” She asked nervously.
“We are at the planet and transporting you could be dangerous.”
“Very well,” she agreed reluctantly.
Brennik waited until her mother fell asleep and then called out to her father. “It’s all right. You can come in now.”
Instantly Crichton was in the room. Without wasting time he gently lifted the sleeping woman into his arms and headed for the hanger. “Aeric, we’re on our way. Are you ready?”
“Everything is set for takeoff,” he answered over his newly acquired comms.
True to his word, when Crichton and Brennik arrived, the transport pod was ready with Aeric and the two new arrivals. Sethya and Tean weren’t given a choice whether or not they wanted to go. No one trusted them enough yet to leave them aboard with just Noranti and no one was willing to stay behind to guard them. Brennik was thrilled at the opportunity to show off her skill in front of Tean, and as she led the transport away from Moya, D’Argo followed with Chiana in Lo’Laan.
The thrill lasted only for several microts before her face drained of all color. “D’Argo, I’m getting three large ships on my sensors, locked on my position and ready to fire.”
“I see them. Prepare for evasive maneuvers. I will attempt to intercept.”
‘Evasive maneuvers’? What the frell kind of ‘evasive maneuvers’ was she suppose to implement in a TRANSPORT POD?!
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Part Six
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Crichton held Sundance in his lap trying to shield her from the worst of the turbulence as Brennik danced with the transport through volleys of fire- trying to edge closer to their destination.
“Aren’t you glad you chose to follow me Brennik?” her father asked. “You never would have gotten this kind of flying experience in that fancy school of yours.”
“Yeah, dad. Terrific.”
An explosion was felt on their Hammond side and a ball of flame slowly ate through the remaining oxygen of the raider’s ship. “Good shot Uncle D, only two more to go.”
“Hey Aeric,” John asked casually, apparently oblivious to the tension around him. “You ever heard of a game called baseball?” Aeric, wide eyed and trying to hide his panic simply shook his head. “It’s a fun game. Whatdya say D? When this is all over are you up to a game of ball?” The transport lunged to the left throwing everyone in the opposite direction.
“Sure, John. But the teams will be small. It will not be a proper game.”
“That’s the fun, though.”
Two shots found their mark and the transport was thrown violently forward. John managed to keep his hold on Sundance, but Aeric flew into Sethya. A second explosion outside marked the end of a second raider’s ship. A fire erupted on the wall behind them and together Tean and Sethya began to extinguish it.
“You know,” John sounded as cheerful as ever. “Every road trip needs singing. How ‘bout it Aeric, you know any good songs?”
Aeric shook his head, not trusting his voice. “Oh, come on, I’m sure you know something. Anything. We’re game – aren’t we Brennik?”
“Sure dad,” she said not hearing as she sent the transport into a long nosedive before pulling up.
“Don’t be shy.”
The look on Aeric’s face plainly showed he felt John was insane, but timidly he began. “Three blind mice…”
“Oooo, that’s a good one. Three blind mice, see how they run…” John joined in, hitching Sundance farther onto his lap. John was still enthusiastic as they completed the first verse. “Did you know you could sing that in a round? This is how…”
“I’m losing power,” Brennik interrupted.
“Re-routing power from environmentals,” Tean hurried to a panel and began the needed repairs as Sethya continued to extinguish random spot fires.
“Everybody knows the words by now. Let’s all get in on this! Three blind mice, three blind mice…” Surprisingly, Sethya joined in loud and strong, which seemed to encourage Tean to add his voice, if somewhat reluctantly, each continuing with their self appointed tasks.
When they had all reached the end of their verses, Crichton cheerfully suggested the next one. “How about row, row, row, your boat? Now that song brings back good memories.” The transport lurched to the right. “Did I tell you I proposed to your mother on a rowboat?”
“No you didn’t, dad.” Brennik responded before spinning the ship.
“It was at the same time she told me you’d been released from stasis. One of the happiest moments of my life. Of course, we were crystallized and kidnapped shortly after that, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. Ahhh, good times. Good times.”
They entered the planet’s atmosphere and the ride became even bumpier. Crichton managed to hold Sundance in his lap with one arm and draw Aeric firmly to his side, holding him with the other.
“Prepare for impact,” Brennik warned microts before the pod crashed through a canopy of large trees which managed to brake their descent. They landed wedged against a monstrous purple tree with drooping blue palms.
There was a moment of absolute stillness. No one moved, no one spoke, until finally, Brennik let out a long cleansing breath. And everyone began to stir. “Great landing,” Sethya mumbled, picking himself off the floor and dusting himself off.
Aeric threw off Crichton’s arm and stormed to the other side of the transport pod.
“Hey, we’re all alive aren’t we? Back off,” Brennik responded gruffly.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tean assured her. “He was being sincere.”
Brennik raised one eyebrow doubtfully, but her wrath instantly faded with one look at Tean’s brilliant smile, just for her.
Awkwardly, the group exited the transport to find themselves in a massive jungle. “Right,” Crichton said, breathing deeply, still cradling Sundance in his arms. “We’re told it’s over that ridge. You managed to land us fairly close, Brennik. Good job.” He started
to head out when Brennik stopped him.
“’Good job’?! ‘Good job’?! I nearly killed us! What were you thinking? I have no combat training. I shouldn’t have flown!”
He smiled brilliantly at her. “You’re your mother’s daughter when it comes to flying, sweetheart. I had every confidence in you.” Humming, he started down a thin winding path, holding his wife securely in his arms, close to his heart.
Sethya spoke over Brennik’s shoulder as she watched her father disappearing into the bushes. “Don’t be so hard on the old man He saved all our lives.”
“The ‘old man’ isn’t all there,” she retorted angrily.
“When you first knew those ships had locked on to us, were you scared?”
“Of course,” she answered honestly.
“After your father started his show, were you scared then?”
“No,” she admitted reluctantly, “just irritated.”
“So, you were able to look at the situation from a clear viewpoint and base your reactions on instinct and skill instead of fear?”
“I’m not trained.” She insisted.
“You know, Princess,” he said stepping around her, “your father seems to have an incredible amount of faith in you. Maybe you should too.” Without a backward glance he motioned to Aeric and the two followed the path, leaving Tean and Brennik scrambling to catch up.
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Her dad had made the comment that all waiting rooms in the universe were the same, but Brennik only knew that she hated it. The pictures were tacky, the chairs uncomfortable and the tinny music playing through the small speaker in the corner was exponentially annoying.
All of the preliminary work was completed. The DNA tests gave scientific proof that Brennik and Aeric were the product of Sundance and John. She was relieved for both herself and her father, but Aeric looked decidedly unsettled.
Now was the waiting game. How long had it been? An arn? Two? Five? The words of the diagnosian’s translator still rung in her ears.
A neural plate had been inserted into her mother’s brain, blocking her mental connection access from certain areas. Namely, her past. A back-up system had been installed to cause pain if her mother should try to access the denied areas. The diagnosian felt that due to the hormonal imbalance during her pregnancy, the plate had been damaged, causing her visions and slight insights- thus her headaches. He was at this moment attempting to remove the plate, but had warned there was probably permanent damage. There was no way of knowing how much, if any, of her memory would return, or even how long it would take.
So the mismatched family waited. D’Argo and Chiana sat together in one corner, silently holding hands. Aeric and John alternately paced the length of the room. Brennik could only sit and stare into nothing, trying not to think.
The brothers, feeling as if they were intruding on a private family moment, had offered to try and repair the transport and had disappeared long ago. Occasionally she heard one of their voices over the comms asking D’Argo of any news, but they stayed away.
Finally, the translator entered the waiting area. Everyone stood, holding their breath. “The surgery is complete. The plate has been successfully removed, but we do not yet know the extent of the damage. She is awake and you may visit her one at a time. Briefly.”
A collective sigh was heard throughout the room. Chiana through herself on D’Argo and they both had tears streaming down their faces. Brennik heard a hiccup and realized it was herself and that she was sobbing. She sniffed and wiped her tears away. Her father was shaking so badly, she wondered how he continued to hold himself upright. John motioned for Aeric to go in first and Brennik saw respect and gratitude through the tears in the young boy’s eyes.
“Brennik, you in next and then wait for me.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded, so when a subdued Aeric returned shortly after, she took her turn through the white door to the recovery room
Her mother was in bed, covered in blankets. She smiled wearily at Brennik and patted the mattress at her side. The young woman obediently sat in the requested place.
“So,” Aeryn asked hoarsely “who are you?”
“I am your daughter.”
The weary woman’s smile brightened just a bit and a lone tear appeared in the corner of one eye. “Good.” Brennik tentatively reached for her mother’s hand, only to have hers grasped, fingers entwined. “I always wanted a daughter.”
For now there was nothing left to say and together they enjoyed the moment of perfect communion.
Her father entered the room and motioned for Brennik to stay. She melted into a corner, trying to disappear.
“Hello, Mr. Crichton.”
“Hello, Sundance.”
“You have made quite an impression on my son.”
John smiled self depreciatingly. “As of right now, he can’t stand the sight of me.”
She shook her head, but neither wanted to argue. John knelt beside her bed, his hands resting on the frame. Slowly, she reached out and gently trailed her long fingers through his silver-grey hair, then let her hand rest on his cheek. He involuntarily nuzzled his face into her palm. Brennik could almost see the invisible cord stretching between her father and mother, binding them irrevocably together.
“I don’t know your face. I don’t know our past. But I desperately want to.”
“Then that’s what we’ll build on.”
He didn’t reach for her, but let her touch him until her eyes closed and her hand fell away. Only then did he lean over and tenderly kiss her lips with a promise of tomorrow.
