Return to Bermudas Index
Aeryn had not spoken a word in arns. She was sick and tired of the questions that they kept asking. She had answered at first, but soon gave up. What was the point. They couldn’t understand her.
They had a good idea she could understand them, but the few words of English that John had taught her were being closely guarded. She wouldn’t let those words out until she found who she was looking for. Jack Crichton.
She heard the voices coming down the hall.
"Orders are to run some tests on the girl before she gets transferred to the Air Base. They want tighter security. They’re pretty sure she understands English, but she’s been cooperating so far so I don’t think there’ll be a problem. Just remember, orders are not to say anything in front of her."
A man in a white coat, obviously a med. tech., entered the room with two large burly men in uniform standing behind him. She couldn’t help thinking that these humans were awfully fond of the color white. Perhaps they had learned how to clean the blood out better than her own people.
The Med. Tech was pulling a rolling tray behind him with different instruments on it. She didn't like the looks of this.
As he began to take a syringe and fill it with something she began to rapidly calculate the best escape route she had seen so far. She hadn't been idle all this time. Every possibility for escape had been gone over and processed thoroughly. She’d be frelled if she just sat here and let them pump her full of their human drugs. She would not be experimented on. They’d have to kill her first.
She had thought perhaps John had been exaggerating during their time with the Ancients but she saw now he had not. She had tried it Johns way and it had paid off to a certain extent by the information she had gathered, but now it was time to do it her way.
The tech and guards were being careful, but since she had been docile and cooperative so far they were not expecting the attack when it came. She struck fast after she made up her mind. It couldn't be called a fight because Aeryn had them down and unconscious within a few microts. They never knew what hit them.
She grabbed one of the instruments off the cart, turned, and with great force threw it, taking out the camera that had been watching her incessantly. She looked down at the unconscious guards and grinned. She had a plan.
* * * * *
John's hand was shaking as he lowered it from the door. Maybe no one was home. He wasn't sure if he would be relieved or just go ahead and shoot himself if that were the case. He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Without warning the door opened and he was staring at the shadowed face of his father and the barrel of a gun.
Well, that figured, he thought, why should Earth be any different from the rest of the Universe? Here a gun, there a gun, everywhere a...... He shook his head to clear it and concentrated instead on his Dad. This was not the way he had pictured their reunion.
Jack face was grim as he asked "Who are you?"
"Dad?.... It's me. John." He said it softly, as if too loud a sound would make him disappear.
Jack didn’t move.
“Your son, remember? I really shouldn’t be outside like this. They might be watching the house.” He waited a second before asking "Can I come in?"
Jack hesitated before backing away from the door slightly and motioning John to come in, but the gun never wavered. Apparently, he wasn't taking any chances.
When Jack clicked on the kitchen light John blinked and looked around at the familiar kitchen. Everywhere he looked a memory assaulted him. He'd burned his hand on that stove and given his dog a bath in that sink. His Mom had stood right over there when she told him in no uncertain terms to get the dog out....that was one of the good memories.
Frell! He didn't have time for reminiscing. He tried to focus on the man with the gun. His Dad. He looked older than he remembered, the lines on his face carved deeper. Suspicion was clearly visible now, but pain and sadness lurked behind his eyes. While John had been gone, the pictures in his mind of his Dad had never changed. But they were a view from the past. This man was different.
"You look like him, but John Crichton died 3 years ago. Everyone knows that." His voice was wary and distrustful.
"Disappeared dad, not died. Disappeared. That was me, but I'm back. It's John." He stepped closer, but the gun was still trained on him and Jack made a motion for him to stop.
Even on the fake Earth with the Ancients and their worst case scenario, his dad had only been testing him, had been ready to believe that it was him. What had happened to him to put that cold expression on his face?
"Who sent you here?" Jack's voice was cold.
John made an exasperated sound. "Nobody sent me. What? You want proof?! Okay. Okay. How bout this... my 10th birthday when you came in late and you took me fishing? Does that memory work for you?” He might as well use what he could from the last time. “You wanna know what kind of fish it was? It was a trout, dad." This was like deja vu all over again, except this time he didn't see any change on his Dad's face.
"What? You still don't believe I’m your son?" The irony suddenly hit him. Aeryn didn't believe he was John Crichton either. Maybe they were right and 'he' was wrong.
The stress and lack of sleep was beginning to catch up with him and he gave a strangled laugh.
"You know, dad. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not John Crichton. Maybe I'm just an identical copy of the original and everybody knows it but me.” He swung his arms from side to side. “Am I live, or am I Memorex?” He stopped suddenly and looked down at the floor. Under his breath he mumbled “Why should you be any different."
He turned away, and gun or no gun, sat down at the kitchen table. He ran a hand through his close cropped hair and sighed. He was so tired.
"I know all this is hard to believe, but I don't have time to sit here all night and try and convince you. Ae... a friend of mine is here and I think she's in trouble. She came back through the wormhole before me and I've got to find her. I can’t do it without you dad. I need your help. Please...."
* * * * *
Jack stood looking down at the man who looked so much like his son, but at the same time nothing like him. What kind of trick was this? The features were the same, but instead of a IASA uniform or jeans he had on what looked like some black leather military uniform. This mans face was harder, his body leaner and his eyes housing a world of pain. Gone were the unlined face, the open expression and goofy grin. Could this really be his John?
As he had watched the mans outburst, something moved in him. John, if it was John, was talking crazy of course, but then he always did have a strange sense of humor. Except, there was nothing humorous about the pain and anguish in his voice. He looked like a man on the edge. And he needed help. He didn't remember John ever asking him for help before. He'd prided himself on doing everything on his own. If he was asking for help now, then he must be desperate.
Suddenly, like a great dam breaking, emotions he had been keeping in check welled up and Jack finally let himself believe that this was the son he'd given up for dead. The rush of weakness almost caused him to drop the gun but he hung on long enough to set it on the table. He knelt on the floor beside his son.
"I'm sorry son." He reached out to touch John's cheek, brush his hair. "I'd given up hope."
He couldn't take it in all at once. John had come home. Something he thought he'd lost began to stir in him. These last years, full of frustration and defeat, had brought him to the point of giving up. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
“I love you dad.”
Jack Crichton had always prided himself on his strength and coolness under fire, but those whispered words brought him close to losing it. He’d never thought he would hear those words again. Not from John.
Jack leaned over to put his arms around his son and noticed tears in his eyes. Not so different from his John after all.
"I love you too, son. Welcome back." His voice cracked and tears came for him as well. With his son in his arms he let all the pain of the last three years seep away.
* * * * *
Aeryn had been wandering the streets for too long. She really needed to hide. It couldn't be good being in plain sight like this. Surely, someone would notice she wasn't from around here.
Her clothes should be giving her away if nothing else. She had thrown away the uniform she had stolen from the guard as soon as she could and was in her regular clothes. She
had ‘borrowed' some kind of coat, to cover her arm. She thought she looked odd, but, so far, no one had given her a second glance.
Getting out of that place had been touch and go but her Peacekeeper training had come in handy once again. And she was profoundly grateful that the air shafts here on Earth were a lot cleaner than the ones on Pa’let. At least this time she hadn't thrown up. All in all it was easier than she had expected.
She was still disgusted with herself for not hearing that guard come up behind her. She’d taken him out easily, but she had taken a hit to her arm for her carelessness. The weaponry here might be primitive, but it still hurt like hezmana. Not to mention the mess it made.
She stopped and turned down an alley next to a building that seemed abandoned. She’d been walking for quite a while and needed a break. Rubbing the back of her neck, she
looked down to see if the bandage she had made was holding.
She had finally got the bleeding to stop, and even the pain was receding some. Of course that could be because of the, what had John called it?... Beer... that she had taken from that old man. She decided she quite liked beer. It was even better than felip nector.
She found herself grateful that technology here wasn't as advanced as what she was used to. She would never have gotten out of a Peacekeeper facility like that, even in a guards uniform. The translator microbes were worth their weight in Borinium right now. She had never been on a planet without TM’s and it was a strange and frightening thing not to be able to communicate with anyone. Hopefully, they would provide her with a way to find Jack Crichton.
She slid down the wall to sit and closed her eyes.
Here she was, alone on Earth. John had told her once she would fit in here. She didn’t know now if they could have made a life together here, but she wouldn’t have bet against it, if he had been with her. Extraordinary things happened when he was around. They had survived a lot, she and him. She smiled to herself before she remembered that he hadn't survived the last time. He was gone and she'd never see him again. Never touch him or.... The familiar pain stabbed at her and her mouth tightened once again. Surely the pain would go away one day. It had to.
Frell! She was beginning to feel the heat. The sun was overhead, beating down on her bare head. The coat had to stay on, but it was growing increasingly uncomfortable. She didn’t think it was hot enough to have any serious affect on her, but she couldn’t be sure. All the more reason to find John's father quickly. Now she just had to think of a way to reach him. She was sure he would know what to do and would help her.
She stood up and walked back to the street, watching the people passing by. So oblivious to what was really happening. Both, here on their own world and up there in hers.
So far John’s version of Earth had been a lot like the real one. She had liked the father that the Ancients had created. If the real Jack Crichton was anything like that one she might stand a chance here.
* * * * *
General Cooper was having a bad day. He wasn't used to being taken to task by anyone, much less the President of the United States. The fact that he had failed to hold on to the alien despite his best efforts didn't bode well for his future. He had to find her and the other one, and find them fast.
"Colonel Davis!" He bellowed. "Get in here!" The door opened quickly. The Colonel stopped in front of his desk and snapped to attention.
"Report." His voice was surly.
Colonel Davis wasn't looking forward to reporting their lack of success so far.
"Sir. All operatives have reported in and so far there is no sign of the missing... girl. The search for the other ship has also turned up negative, although satellite images do seem to be picking up some sort of reading in middle Florida. They can't pinpoint a location, but they are concentrating the search there.
"Colonel. You know who was just on the phone? The President of the United States that's who. And in a few hours he is expecting a progress report.” His voice raised an octave with each sentence. “A progress report implies some PROGRESS! Now, unless you want to spend the rest of your career pushing paper in Iceland at you’ll get out there and tell those yahoos that work for you to get off their asses and tell me where these aliens are!"
"Yes sir!"
He started to turn away when the General stopped him. "Colonel. Has anyone interrogated Jack Crichton?"
A surprised look came over the Colonel's face.
"Y..Yes sir. We sent a couple of investigators over to interview him yesterday. He has been out of the program for quite a while now so we didn't see a need for him to be brought in. They determined he knows nothing about what happened.” He shifted nervously. “You think they were wrong?"
"Colonel.” His tone dripped sarcasm. “His son was doing the experiment when the wormhole suddenly appeared. He's been trying to get it duplicated ever since. You don’t think that deserves a little more than sending a couple of people to his house for tea?!"
He shook his head at the sheer incompetence. "Get some men out there and pick him up. Now!"
With a parting salute Colonel Davis left rapidly, cursing the day his father had talked him into joining the military. Ok, if Jack Crichton was who the General wanted then that's who he'd get.
* * * * *
The light in the room was fading rapidly, as the sun sank with record speed. Or so it seemed to John. He had missed this. The Sun. Rising and setting, day in, day out, 365 days a year. And now that he was here he couldn’t even enjoy it.
He felt like he was going to explode. Every second counted, but he’d been cooped up here all day twiddling his thumbs, trying desperately to think of a plan to find Aeryn and get her back. He didn’t want to think about what they were doing to her but he couldn’t stop. One horror after another played out in his mind until he thought he’d scream. If they hurt her...... No! Stop. They’d want information first. They wouldn’t hurt her. Not yet.
He’d watched his dad try one source after another in an attempt to get information on where she might be held. He was hoping they would have brought her to the air base here, at least temporarily, because it was the closest to the landing site. He had no way of knowing though. No one could or would help and time was running out. Soon it would be too late. It was only a matter of time before they found his module and him.
John sighed and turned away from the window to look at the maps they had been studying.
They both heard the sound at the same time. A faint breaking of glass somewhere in the back of the house. Simultaneously they drew their weapons. Nodding at his father, John started to creep down the hall towards the door to the garage while Jack went outside to go around and try trap the intruder between them.
As John moved closer to the door he noticed shards of glass on the floor. Someone was definitely here. He kept Wynona up and ready while he looked around. As he walked down the hall, a movement at the far end caught his eye. Quietly as he could he inched forward. There was no light in this part of the house, but it didn’t matter. He knew it like the back of his hand. He had no difficulty in finding the light switch as he reached around the corner and flipped it.
The light came on with a snap and John's finger tightened on the trigger as his pistol came to bear on the intruder. He sucked in his breath as he came face to face with the Radiant Aeryn Sun.
