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Chiana and Jane stood their ground as they stared at Scorpius; he was sitting by himself, not making a move towards them. “Are you alone?” Chiana asked defiantly. “Yer sure look far from yer home turf.”
Scorpius didn’t respond. He continued to stare at Jane.
“Why are you staring at me?” Jane asked.
“Your name... what is your name?” Scorpius demanded.
“What’s it to you?” Chiana interjected. She tried to reconstruct the name he called Jane when he first spotted her. ‘Rylani, yeah that’s what he said.’ Chiana suddenly had a vision of a beautiful Sebacean woman, one who looked like Jane, begging for mercy. A Scarran leered over her.
Scorpius looked away.
Chiana walked around to face Scorpius and sat down. She looked in his eyes and saw pain. Chiana spoke in a much softer voice, “This is NOT Rylani, Scorpius. This is Jane.”
Chiana rose to get another table. Scorpius put his hand on her wrist to prevent her from leaving. “Is Crichton here?” Scorpius whispered. “I would like to speak with him.”
A kaleidoscope of emotions ran through Chiana. She remembered how awful it had been for John when Scorpius was after the wormhole data, and how much he had suffered because of Scorpius. But she sensed Scorpius was being truthful, and she felt, rather than knew that all was not right with him. Chiana erred on the side of caution, not yet trusting her instincts. “I... I can get a message to him.”
“Tell him I have come to partially agree with his assessment and that I am alone. There is no one else here with me.”
Chiana cocked her head.
“He will understand. Give him that message. I will be here for only two more arns.”
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John stared at Chiana, pausing before he asked, “Are you sure he is alone and he didn’t follow you, Chiana?” He was both fearful and curious how his nemesis should have ended up in the Unchartered Territories by himself and seemingly alone. He knew Chiana would not be able answer his question, but he asked anyway. “This isn’t a trap, is it?”
“I dunno. John, he kept staring at Jane. He called her Rylani.” Chiana looked down as she spoke. “I felt I read his mind. I saw a woman who looks like Jane who was being tortured by a Scarran... I felt Rylani means a great deal to him.”
Jane and John looked at each other. They knew what Scorpius thought he saw. “I’ll talk to him,” John said.
Jane walked up to John and spoke so no one else could hear her, “John, he thinks I’m his mother. What are you going to do?”
“We both know you look like Rylani. Enough so you’ve picked that for a middle name. The only thing that will prove you are not Rylani is to test your DNA against his. I’m not sure you’d want to do that. I s’pose this body could’ve been Rylani.” John said.
“That is not possible,” Jane said. “He would have known if they were lying to him.”
“Ah, but what if they didn’t know? The Peacekeepers reconstructed the evidence, they could’ve assumed she was dead.” John said
“So, the only way we will really know is if we test the DNA. Will he have to come on Moya?” Jane asked. She was worried. Now that Harvey was flesh and blood, she felt quite vulnerable in the bar, standing next to Scorpius. “I don’t know how well I can mask my persona, John.”
“We’ll see.” John turned toward D’Argo, “C’mon D’Argo, I think I’m gonna need you.”
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“Crichton! D’Argo, sit down.” Scorpius seemed pleased to see them, which immediately caused John to feel the warning rattlers.
“Okay Scorpy, I got the message. Just what do you agree with?” John asked, sitting down opposite of Scorpius. D’Argo remained standing in the background.
“I have had to reassess my opinion of Peacekeepers. I no longer think they will save us.” Scorpius said and paused before continuing. “Just the opposite, in fact. They too are a danger, and the Scarrans are still the threat I say they are.” Scorpius placed his hands on the table, palms down. ”Ka D’Argo, sit down. There is no one with me.”
Crichton nodded to D’Argo. He was going on pure gut, no Harvey available to advise him. “And why should I care?”
“Oh, I think you do. Or was that comment, ‘one evil at a time’ supposed to mean me? That is not what your energy was telling me.” Scorpius said.
“You’re right. It’s the Peacekeepers who are the real threat. But what can I do? I don’t have the facilities, and it looks like you don’t either, Scorpy.”
“What you do not know is I was imprisoned. Grayza destroyed all but the data I have here.” Scorpius said, tapping his head. “You hold the key to stopping the Scarrans.” Scorpius put his hands together forming an arrow pointed at John.
“Yeah, and like we can trust each other.” John said. “Hell, after what you’ve put me through, I don’t want to. Why should I?” John leaned forward emphasizing his words.
“I can not answer that, John. You are correct; I do not trust you. Consider that I am alone. I no longer am working under the aegis of the Peacekeepers. I am... an escaped prisoner.
“One more thing, John. It is of a personal nature. There is a woman with you whom the Nebari claims to be Jane. She appears to be someone from my past.” Scorpius said, wincing momentarily as he brought up a painful memory.
“In spite of her appearance, Scorpius, Jane is not Rylani. She has no recollection of having been in Scarran hands, nor having given birth to you. Do ya think she’d forget that? Besides, you told me your mother died giving birth to you.”
“I have always believed so until I saw Jane. The Peacekeepers could have made that assumption based on evidence they found. Less likely, although possible, they could have... lied to me.” Scorpius said. “If Jane is Rylani, I assume her memories were suppressed. I would like to have our DNA compared.”
“Only if Jane agrees. Where can we find you?” John said.
“I will wait here.”
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“John, what will the DNA test prove? Even if this body once was Rylani, I am not.” Jane was uncertain as to whether to go through with the test, but she could see the advantage of making sure Scorpius did not think she could possibly be his mother.
“How old did Jool say the body is?” John asked.
“Seventy, maybe eighty cycles” Jane said.
“Well, you’re old enough to be his mother, so it is possible. But it’s up to you, Jane.”
“Let’s do it. I don’t think it is possible for Rylani to have survived the birth. I think the Peacekeepers got it right.” Jane said. “John, as strange as it may sound to you. I also want to know. Although, it will be quite strange for him to be both my father and son.”
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“The results are fairly conclusive, Scorpius,” Jool said. She met John, D’Argo, Jane and Scorpius in the med area on Moya after completely the tests. “Jane is not your mother. However, there are slightly more matches than one would find by coincidence alone, so you may be distantly related. There is not quite enough evidence to go on either way.”
Jane reacted first; this was good, if not unexpected news. “Well, Scorpius, I hope you are satisfied that I am not your mother. Joolushko, did you say that we possibly are related?”
Scorpius interjected before Jool could answer, “What does it matter? That may explain why you look like her, but that is all. I am satisfied.”
John was waiting for them when Scorpius left the med area. “John, you were right, she is not my mother,” Scorpius said. “I would like to stay with you on Moya.”
“Why?”
“Is it not obvious? I am a wanted man as are you. We could benefit from each other.”
“Yeah, as if you’re not still interested in wormholes,” John said.
“Certainly that is a future consideration. As things stand now, I know you will not accept my assistance... will you John?”
“Ya got that right.” John said. “Okay, I’ll ask the rest. It’s not my decision alone and everyone has to agree, including Pilot and Moya. It has to be unanimous. I’ll stay out of it so ya might have a tiny chance.
