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"I don't believe it. I just don't believe it!" Crichton ranted. "After three years, my direct route to Earth opens NOW?!"
"It would appear that the universe enjoys making things difficult," Crais said between shouted orders to Talyn.
The Leviathan-warship hybrid was still beating off Prowlers from their most recent skirmish with Scorpius' forces. The surrounding area was littered with wrecked Prowlers still drifting on their residual momentum, unimpeded by the frictionless vaccuum.
"You're telling me," Crichton muttered. Out loud, he called, "Aeryn, have you established contact with Moya yet?"
"Yes. They've tracked our position. D'Argo is coming to back us up."
"Any excuse to try out his new ship." Crichton suddenly noticed something that set off his internal alerts. "Some of the Prowlers are drawing back. And the ones strafing us are going the same direction. They're trying to draw us away from the wormhole!"
"Scorpius is coming," Aeryn voiced John's epiphany.
"We can't let him get through. Earth stands no chance against him!"
"He's not going anywhere," Crais growled, the warrior-king glint back in his eyes. There were many unfinished hatreds between Crais and Scoripus that he would be more than happy to resolve.
Crichton looked at the glowing cyclone, longingly. Home lay on the other end, but he couldn't run away; he could never abandon his friends in battle. His heart tore.
"Go."
"What?" He wasn't sure he had heard her correctly.
"You have a sure chance to get home. Take it. It may never come again." Aeryn's eyes were serious and assuring. "The second module is in Docking Bay 1. You should hurry."
John shook his head. "No. I can't just leave. I can't abandon you."
"Scorpius is going to get through someday. Beat him there. Use your knowledge to advance your people so when he comes, you're ready for him."
"Scorpy'll follow me through," he reminded her.
"Not if I blow him up first!" Crais snarled as Talyn squeezed off another shot.
"And not if you blow up the wormhole behind you. The warheads, from when w- the other John and I tethered Talyn in the Budong, are in the Armory."
Crichton considered. "You know I won't be able to come back then."
"You've got the module and you've got everything you need up here." She pointed to her head. "And when you create a wormhole from Earth on purpose, I'll be here."
Crichton hesitated once again.
"A Marauder just appeared on scanners," Crais announced. "ETA, 800 microts."
That made up John's mind. "Crais, keep him off my back. I'm gonna make a run for it."
"You can count on us, Commander."
He clapped Crais on the shoulder, then approached Aeryn. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, unsure what to do, then embraced.
"Come with me."
"I'm needed here."
"I'll miss you."
"Just hurry back. And bring your family."
"You sure about this?"
"Don't make me get my gun."
They separated, and he left. He felt her eyes on him, but didn't look back for fear of losing his constitution.
Aeryn was right, as usual. Within moments, the Farscape 2 was prepped and armed. He launched from Talyn's Docking Bay and established a commline with his companions.
"You guys doing alright?"
"We're fine, John! But Scorpius is coming fast. You'd better go while you can."
Crichton paused the module for a minute, taking a last look at Talyn and all that had become so familiar to him in the past three years. Even with home on the other end, he hated leaving his new world.
But it would be nice to eat real food and hear good music and just watch television. No more Scorpy, no more Scarrens, no more living in fear. Until he came back.
"Say goodbye, John," Harvey said from the passenger seat.
"Oh yeah. I do get to take a souvenir home. Would'a prefered a snow globe, but, hey." He clicked the comm again.
"I'm going in. Tell the others where I went and that I'll miss them. And be careful! I want you in one piece when I come back."
"Good luck, Commander. I assure you everyone is is good hands."
"Take care, John," Aeryn said softly.
He smiled. "You too, babe."
At last, he turned toward the wormhole. He powered up the engine, hummed "Homeward Bound," and, like a patient in a near-death experience, left the land he knew to enter the tunnel of light.
He was tossed about for a few moments, feeling like he was in the luge with Harvey as his partner, until it finally spit him out.
The wonderfully familiar orb of Earth hung in front of him. Then he noticed the ship in orbit. Several smaller ships were going to-and-fro as well.
"What the-" he muttered. "That isn't the ISS and that insignia sure as hell ain't an American flag or IASA emblem!"
"Quite right, John. That ship isn't a Human design at all."
"Hold up, Harvey. You're trying to tell me..."
"That you are no longer the bearer of breaking news. I suppose you never encountered one of these..."
"Spit it out, Harv!"
"That is a Hynerian Imperial warship. And I would be willing to bet it's not the only one nearby. It would appear that Rygel's cousin has been quite the busy boy."
John looked in horror at the alien ships calmly coming and going from his home planet.
"Oh, frell."
