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Hostage; Scorpius; Origins;
Disclaimer: See Part I
Spoilers - Season 3 (but we only see one John Crichton)
Timeline - Season 3
Summary - A collection of 12 ficlets that concludes Jack Crichton's quest to find his son.
Things were finally going well for everyone on Moya. D’Argo was beginning to forgive Chiana, Jool was quieter and more helpful, Stark was more at peace, or more to the point, less freaked out, John and Aeryn were more open with each other, John was not stepping in so much dren, and Rygel was, well, Rygel. They were bored. They had money. They went shopping.
After shopping for a couple of arns, John and Aeryn decided to go to a street side café to have some refreshments and look at some of the things they bought. Once seated, they talked about nothing in particular when John became aware of some music, ‘... You are too beautiful for one man alone ….’ “Aeryn! Do you hear that?”
“What?”
“Listen.” ‘… When there are other men with eyes of their own to see with …” That’s from Earth, I’m sure!” John looks directly into Aeryn’s eyes and sings with the background music, “You are too beautiful, and I am a fool for beauty.” John took Aeryn’s hands in his and said, “I have that album. Can’t you hear, he’s singing in English. I’d know John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman anywhere. I’ve got to find who has the album.” John caught the proprietor’s attention and inquired about the music.
“What is your name?” The proprietor asked.
“John Crichton, where did you get the music? Where can I get a copy?”
“Come with me.” The proprietor walked to the back of the café with John and Aeryn following. They found themselves in a small office.
“We got this from some Sebaceans from Ormaan, that we’ve done business with. There is someone they know on Ormaan who is looking for his son. Let’s see, his name is ..”
“Jack Crichton!” John didn’t give the proprietor time to finish the sentence. “My god, my Dad’s here! Do you have the coordinates for Ormaan? And can I get a copy of the music?”
“Where the hezmana does John want to go?” D’Argo was stomping around. It looked like a prelude to a hyper-rage. “He’s not searching for wormholes again, is he?”
“D’Argo, John thinks his father is here, or at least on Ormaan. He heard Earth music, and it was left for John to find.” Aeryn said.
“How do we know this isn’t a trap, how do we know it isn’t Scorpius after John again?” D’Argo asked.
“We have to go D’Argo. How many times has he put his life on the line for us? You didn’t see his reaction, I did. It means so much to him. I won’t let you or Moya be in danger, we can get close and I’ll go with him in the prowler.” Aeryn said.
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“John, how do you think your father got here? This could be a trap. Maybe it’s Scorpius, not your father.” Aeryn said.
“I’ve thought of that. But to me the music is too complete and too true for Scorpius to produce it, even if he did get it from the neural chip.” And I’m recognizing voices that I doubt he could reproduce. I don’t think he could copy Louis Armstrong, or Ella Fitzgerald, or Billy Holiday this accurately. It looks like my Dad, or whomever he’s with, distributed my entire collection. I’ll be careful. As to how he got here, I can’t answer that.” John shrugged as he said the last.
“We’ll be careful.” Aeryn said.
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“Commander Crichton, we are at Ormaan and we are being contacted.” Pilot signaled John over the com.
“I’m in command now, put me through, Pilot.”
“This is John Crichton. I was told I can find Jack Crichton here.” John spoke to the image Pilot projected in Command. He saw a confused look cross the controller’s face and added, “Are we at Ormaan? These are the coordinates we were given.”
The controller turned aside before responding, “You are at Ormaan. Please land here in one of your transport pods. I’m sorry for the confusion.”
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“You are not going alone. I will go with you. Something’s not right, but I don’t know what it is.” Aeryn said as they walked to the pod.
“It doesn’t look like they are Peace Keepers, wouldn’t they be in uniform?” John asked.
“Yes, but don’t get too far from the Pod, I’ll cover your back, as you say.”
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John exited the pod as a man and a woman walked into the area. They were unarmed, but his father wasn’t there. “Where is my Dad, Jack Crichton?”
Andrea stepped forward and spoke, “I have news for you, which I think might be bad. Three weeks ago, two people showed up claiming to be working with you and that you asked them to bring your father back to you. It is obvious to me that they lied, but why?”
“What were their names?” John was dreading the answer.
Velorek spoke for the first time, “Lt. Braca and Scorpius”.
On hearing this, John staggered back as Aeryn came out of the pod. She pointed a pulse rifle at Andrea, and then Velorek. As she focused on Velorek and he on her, they simultaneously said, “Velorek” “Aeryn” Aeryn lowered the rifle and said in a barely audible voice, “I-I thought you were dead.”
John looked at Aeryn, confusion and pain showing in his face. “Aeryn, w-wha…”
Before John could finish or Aeryn answer, Velorek put his hand on John’s shoulder and said, “We should go inside and talk. You are with friends. Andrea came here with your father; she is from Earth.” Andrea nodded as Velorek spoke.
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“How could you let him go with them? You said you knew Braca, know what he is.” John still could not accept the turn of events.
“I did try to stop him, caution him. But he wouldn’t listen. All he could think about was finding you. We will do what we can to help you get your father back. Because of him and Andrea we have access to wormholes and we are able to communicate with Earth. Before we do anything else, there are some letters Jack brought for you and some messages you should listen to.” Velorek said
With one exception, John wanted to believe everything Velorek and Andrea had said, but he had to make sure he wasn’t being duped once again. “Andrea, tell me something I don’t know. Tell me who won the Super Bowl.”
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Aeryn found John staring at the letters his father brought, tears were in his eyes. “John, what do you want to do? I want to help you anyway I can.”
“I don’t know. Scorpius wants me again. His wormhole project must be failing. He must have found my father the same way we found Velorek. I’m afraid to go to Scorpius, and I’m very afraid for my Dad. I don’t think he can survive the chair even if he doesn’t hold back.”
“Do you think he’s dead already? I don’t mean to be cruel, but why put your life in danger if it’s too late?” Aeryn’s words were a knife through John’s heart.
“Because you don’t kill hostages, you keep them alive until you get what you want.” John said this more to convince himself than Aeryn.
“I don’t understand why you stopped using the Aurora Chair on Jack Crichton. He must have the wormhole technology to have gotten here.” Braca was beginning to think he should disengage himself from Scorpius. Problem was, he had made a lot of enemies within his own ranks, and alliances were difficult to build.
Scorpius didn’t bother explaining himself to Braca; the man was an idiot. It should have been as obvious to him as everyone else that Colonel Crichton wasn’t holding anything back, he simply didn’t know, and any further use of the chair would kill him. He barely survived it the first and only time. Scorpius needed Crichton’s son, and he needed Jack alive. Still, Braca was right about the project. Time was running out and Peace Keeper command would soon stop the project, ending his quest for power. “Braca, prepare the scout ship, you are going to Ormaan.”
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All his training had not prepared Jack for the Aurora Chair, or Scorpius. He realized how fortunate it was for him, Andrea, and Earth they were found by Velorek and not the Peace Keepers. He now despaired for John. Scorpius knew him which could only mean he received the same or worse treatment. *But John had to be alive! Was he well? John, please don’t come here to find me. Why didn’t he listen to Velorek? What’s done; is done. I can’t let John find me here!* Jack’s thoughts were interrupted by a guard entering his cell. “Come with me, NOW.” When Jack struggled to stand, the guard grabbed him roughly by the elbow and shoved him forward causing him to stumble and fall. Jack managed to get to his feet before the guard could punish him more. He was led down a maze of corridors to Scorpius, but not the chair. He braced himself for whatever Scorpius was about to deal him, but wondered if he’d be able to withstand anything.
Scorpius dismissed the guard and turned to Jack, “Tell me Colonel Crichton, how widely did Velorek’s troops distribute the Earth music? That was really quite a clever thing to do.”
“Not so clever, you found me.”
“Answer me!” Scorpius was now threatening Jack, his voice a growl.
“I-I really don’t know, I suppose it could be a lot considering I’ve been here three months, um monens, and Velorek helped me from the beginning.” Jack didn’t like divulging any information, but he couldn’t see how this would make any difference.
“Good, because I want John to find you. Stand here and tell your son you are alive and with me. Start when I give the signal.” Scorpius stood next to Jack and nodded to an unseen assistant. “Speak now, Colonel Crichton.”
“John, you see I am with Scorpius, and obviously alive as I’m speaking to you now. Do not try to save me. It is enough for me that you are …” Scorpius cut Jack off and spoke, “Johnny, we are at my new Gammak Base. I will let your father go unharmed, and you can take him back if you come for him. There are some technicalities I need to review with you. Know this, if you do not come within one monen, your father’s safety will not be assured. This recording will have my coordinates.” After Scorpius signaled the assistant he turned to Jack, “That was stupid and I don’t think you are a stupid man. Do not try anything like that again if you want you and your son to come out of this alive.”
“John, do you even know where to go?” Aeryn tried to reason with John. She knew he had to find his father, but they didn’t know where he was. Scorpius didn’t divulge the location of the Gammak base. He couldn’t risk a second destruction, even with Talyn incapacitated. They suspected Scorpius was behind Talyn’s injuries, but they didn’t have evidence.
“He’ll come for me. I have to be ready.” John looked grim when he spoke. He didn’t want to ever see Scorpius again, but now he had no choice.
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Andrea wanted to talk to someone about the Leviathan. She just returned from Moya, and was very excited about what she had seen. Ordinarily, she would talk to Jack. Not only was he her commanding officer, he had become a second father to her. Their relationship felt special, and even though he was reserved, she was sure he felt more for her than her superior. She decided to find John, in spite of what had just occurred. She met Aeryn in the hallway. “Oh, hi, I was going to talk to John. I want to talk to him about Moya. I’d like it if you were there too.” Andrea could see the strong bond between John and Aeryn, but she also wanted Aeryn there for another reason.
“He’s in there,” Aeryn said pointing to a doorway, “but I don’t think he wants to talk. And I was going to ….”
Andrea put he hand on Aeryn’s arm, interrupting her, “I think it’s important. And I think you should be present.”
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Andrea presented the research she and Quonn had done when she first arrived. “There were too many similarities between Humans and Sebaceans for it to be coincidence. After you left Earth, we completed mapping the Human genome and I brought the data with me. The map shows conclusively Humans are closely linked to all living things on Earth. We share 50% of our genes with a banana! (John explains banana to Aeryn). Quonn and I compared the Human genome to the Sebacean genome and found them to be 99.4% compatible. Quonn then told me that their scientists have never been able to link Sebaceans to any other species on any planet, not even their home planet. We theorized Sebaceans and Humans have the same origin on Earth, thousands of years, um cycles, ago. We’re not sure, but it could be as much as twenty thousand. But there are some holes in this theory. Why do we diverge as much as point six percent when all humans diverge only point one percent from each other. And how could Sebaceans get here without technology?”
John stood up, interrupting Andrea, “My god! Moya!”
Andrea continued, “Yes. Aeryn there is an Earth legend about someone being swallowed by a whale and surviving to tell about it. On Earth, Leviathan and whale are interchangeable. We are completely guessing here, only after seeing Moya, I think it’s more than guessing. We think an ancient culture came to Earth through a wormhole on a Leviathan and captured several hundred humans. Humans were rather primitive then, and the only way they could handle it psychologically, was to describe someone being swallowed by a whale. The ancients took the humans and genetically engineered them to what we know now as Sebaceans. Unlike Humans, Sebaceans can have offspring with other species. Humans can’t mate with our closest relative, the Chimpanzee. Sebaceans can and do have offspring with unlike species such as Luxan’s. We will probably never know what the Ancient’s motivation was for doing this. But Aeryn, it looks like you and every other Sebacean is mostly Human.”
The Other Side [1-8]
The Other Side [9-15]