Chiana tried to slip through the crowds as best she could. Being sneaky was one thing...but being sneaky with hundreds of people around was another. For one thing, she could barely take a step without a male of some species approaching her.

"Guess these guys have never seen a Nebari before." She muttered as she spotted another suitor coming her way. She found an unlocked door and entered, not really caring where it led, as long as she got away from the lonely ambassadors.

Chiana sighed and turned around. She groaned when she saw another group of people chatting happily.

"If it weren't for the free drinks..." She groaned and put on a smile for the other guests as Shelan cast her a small smile from the corner of the room. She sighed and went to mingle. Shelan took a sip from his own drink and left the room.

Chiana watched him leave and focused her dark eyes back at the ambassador trying to catch her attention.

***************************************

ChianaGray
11/11/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Shelan wiped the sweat from his brow. How she had looked! He couldn't believe himself. She was a Nebari, even the most remote suspicion could get him into allot of trouble over contaminating himself with a non-Sebacean. He couldn't allow himself to grow too fond of her... but her creamy white skin had all but melted him when he had seen her. Unblemished, pure as the marble statues on Agrin5. The dress only seemed to match her independant character and the way her eyes rolled and darted trying to avoid ambassadors and diplomats had tickled him. She was so misplaced it seemed more like she would draw out to dance rather than mingle. He didn't doubt she would stop the room if she did.

He turned back to the door, daring himself to go back in just to be sure she didn't slap one of the suitors that began to shadow her and perhaps put a glitch into his ability to ask questions without deriving any suspicions towards his investigation. He could see her now in that gown, the way her head would turn, unsure of the crowds. He felt so compelled to go to her just to watch her and the way she smiled. He sighed to himself as he turned back around. Foolishness!!

**************************************

Agent Sun
11/11/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

"Excuse me,I couldn't help but look." A yellowish brown face smiled, showing a row of blinding white teeth. Chiana's mind went back to a time when Crichton--dear Crichton--said something about humans having something called "bleach" that made things incredibly white. Chiana stifled a laugh as she thought of the emperor bleaching his teeth.

She masked her sadness and grinned at the bleached pair of teeth. "Mother always said I was the life of a party." She smiled when he offered her a drink.

Shelan walked quietly through the room, his dark eyes scanning it for any sign of the whitish gray hair of a certain Nebari. When he saw her talking to--was that the Hapnari emperor she was with? Shelan frowned a bit. He took a sip and walked towards the Hapnari.

Chiana's eyes flitted to Shelan approaching them.

"Would you like to see my kingdom?" The teeth shone again, almost catching the light. If it did, Chiana would be sure the emperor wouldn't be interested in courting a blind Nebari.

The emperor was clearly delusional also.

"S-Sorry." Chiana said quickly. "I'll be right back." She smiled quickly and put her drink down.

She scooted away from the befuddled emperor.

Shelan caught up with her just as she left the room.

"Be careful." He said, grim. Chiana couldn't help but think that he was smiling in amusement under the stern exterior.

Chiana couldn't help but notice...'Shelan's teeth are nowhere as bright as the emperor' then again, who could ever get as blinding as the emperor?

"I can take care of myself." She said.

"That was the Hapnari Emperor T'valk. If you didn't know, Peacekeepers and Hapnari aren't the best of friends. So your best luck is to keep away from any situations that might result in a lot of dren." Shelan whispered with the sterness that Chiana had heard in all peacekeepers.

"A lot of dren." Chiana grinned. "Isn't that what you were preparing me for?"

Shelan stood in the corridor, dumbfounded as Chiana slipped away from him and re-entered the main chamber. Before the door closed, he saw her melt into the crowd.

****************************************

NhFearme
11/11/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Officers Veccar and Stoddard bear down on the enemy craft, firing. They are able to take out two more.

The Scarrens pay no attention whatsoever to the attacking Peacekeepers. They stay on Crichton.

Nhyler sees a new set of blips on her scanner. Seven more on approach!

"A new set of signals coming our way Lt. Commander! You must attempt to reach the Relief Squad, Sir!"

"How far are we from the Rac'tarajin Officer Shard?"

"At least 3000 microts. They will attempt to intercept us! There is a Relief Squad on our heading in 1500 microts, Sir!"

Crichton can see that the Scarrens only want him. "For the sake of the Squad, Officer."

Shard orders. "Kilvant! Spisler! Stay with Crichton! Draw the Scarren's fire!"

Crichton leads the Scarrens away from the Squad.

Then, Nhyler orders, "Veccar! Stoddard! You're with me!" She leads the remainder of her Squad, firing.

*****************************************

Finally, she saw him. She had been told on Deyett, to look for a Sebacean man with a patch over one eye. He would know where Crichton was.

There he stood. His clothes hung from his more than perfect form. Tight leather pants, pulse pistol holster and scabbard. His weapons, of course, had to be checked with the Concierge.

He walked, almost swaggering through the crowd. Oddly, he paid her no attention. He approaches the bar and is served a container of raslak. He drinks directly from the bottle.

Chiana approached cautiously. Trying not to attract too much attention. She leans on the bar.

He finally glances over to her. He has a puzzled look. "What are you doing here with all these old fogies?"

"I'm a guest." She said smiling then pursing her lips.

"Would you like a drink or a dance?"

"I don't know you."

"You could. I'm Hep. I'm new to this world. I'm just looking for a friendly face."

"You think you've found one?"

Hep held out his hand to Chi. "Yes."

Chiana took his hand. He led her to the dance pad and took her firmly in his arms. She was taken aback by his forward nature. After all, he looks like a Peacekeeper. Shelan wasn't like this at all!

They move together to the seductive music. She finds herself getting to like this guy. Then she remembers. She has to find out what he knows.

"There's a lot of people who look like Sebaceans here. Ever wonder if they are?"

Hep nearly stopped dancing. He looks at her questioning. "You're not what I expected."

"I never am." Chi said moistening her upper lip.

********************************************

Agent Sun
11/12/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Shelan had grown accostomed to leaving Chiana alone. She was right, she could take care of herself. He just wanted to make sure that she didn't put him in a position where he would have to take care of himself. He was bored. There was nothing for him to do. He recognized some of the royals and dignitaries milling around, but there was nothing worthy of conversation.

"So why look for a friendly face here?" She asked, gazing at the room around her, lavishly decorated.

"Perhaps it is the most unlikely of places that one can find the most trustworthy companion." Hep said.

Chiana laughed a little. "Are you a philosopher now?"

"Not all of us are as stony as you might think." Hep said. They were now back at the bar. Chiana sipped the raslak he had given her and she took the time to notice his features.

She wondered where he had acquired the patch. Was it a battle scar of some kind?

Shelan walked around. He suddenly realized that because he had Chiana around, there was nothing for him to do, but to mentally register the sebaceans. He hoped none of them recognized him. And he hoped that none of them knew who Chiana was. It was slim, but who knew where this Nebari had been? Traipsing around the galaxies, who knew who she had encountered or talked to? Peacekeepers were everywhere. And wherever they weren't at, they had ears and eyes to look out for them.

********************************************

ChianaGray
11/12/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Chiana brought her hip into Hep and streatched out her arms. Her head rolled slowly with her motions as she let the music take her, dancing like a gypsie. He stood on the dance floor gaping, watching. She never moved too far away from him, her moves subtle enough not to draw attention beyond those immediately around them.

She swayed as he placed his hands on her hips and drew his face into hers. His one eye narrowing on her.

"Who did you say you were again?"

***************************************

NhFearme
11/12/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Hep smiles, hands on his hips, watching, as Chiana moves. "I thought this was business."

"No reason we can't have a little fun." She tilts her head as though she is studying him.

Hep takes the step forward that separates them. He embraces her firmly and kisses her deeply, passionately. It takes her breath a away. She gasps, her jaw drops.

"There, are we having fun now?" He smiles.

Chiana hugs his shoulders and places her face on his chest. "Yeah, sure."

They dance silently to the end of the song. Finally she looks into his face. "How did you get that?" Indicating the patch. The scar.

"My captain and I had a disagreement." Hep says. "He won." Hep reaches to touch it. "Here. If it bothers you." He pulls it off and looks down at her.

Chiana can see now. Hep's eyes are ice blue. They pierce right through her. "So much like John's." She thinks.

"Was that with the Peacekeepers?" She asks.

"Yeah." He glances at her with a guarded
expression. "I'm free of them now." He swallows then smiles down at her. "But I still have my connections."

Chiana looks at Hep in anticipation. Did he really know where Crichton was? "So." She asks. "Where is he?"

"Somewhere you'll never be able to reach him."

Chiana swallows. "Just tell me."

"He's on Scorpius' Command Carrier."

*************************

Captain Shelan stands at the bar. His canister of raslak sits untouched. He sees them together.

"This Peacekeeper!" He says to himself. "He's touching her." Shelan looks away. The piece of his heart that should be quiet was screaming at him. "I would touch her, but for contamination. Doesn't he know what he's doing?" Shelan swallows. He cannot stand to watch any more. His heart draws him to her.

Captain Shelan does not remember walking the distance to the dancepad. He cannot remember how long he stood there before he reached out and gripped his hand on Hep's shoulder.

"She's with me." Shelan says firmly. Not to be reckoned with.

Hep doesn't turn, but gives his attention to Chiana. Chiana shrugs and glances at Shelan. Hep leans over and whispers in her ear. "It was a pleasure, you're an excellent dancer." Then kisses her again, passionately.

Chiana's knees begin to give out. Hep has to hold her to keep her from falling.

"Enough!" Shelan shouts. Not realizing the company of the entire banquet was now staring at them.

Hep steadies Chiana after the kiss. Chiana blinks, gasps and holds out her hand to him. Hep kisses it and leaves her with Shelan, giving him a nod.

Shelan grabs and holds Chiana as though he is going to arrest her. Then he embraces her, dancing.

*******************************************

Agent Sun
11/12/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

"Is that always how you get a girl's attention?" Chiana asked, partly amused and partly angered. But as always, her amusement won.

"Not always, but I find that it offers an air of refreshment." Shelan said, and smiled.

Contamination was still an issue, Shelan knew. If anyone here recignized who he was....

They danced and they conversed. And because the rest of the room had a collected attention span of less than 5 microts, Shelan's little outburst had been all but erased from all memory. The room danced and mingled as if nothing at all had happened.

Hep stood off to the side, not really watching Chiana and the peacekeeper. He wasn't doing much at all. One hand gripped a raslak and the other was rested patiently on a beautiful bluish yellow sculpture. What it was, he couldn't say. But the depth of the color was strong enough to seduce any buyer.

"And speaking of seducing..." Hep grinned as his eyes caught the motion of one very drunk Hapnari emperor.

Chiana gasped as T'valk stumbled past her.

It looked like he was heading for a side exit, but then he stopped. He opened his mouth, the room saw his teeth, and he shouted:

"Weren't you that girl who stole from--"

And before Chiana could muster a protest (something to the effect of "i'm not a thief!"), T'valk was being escorted out of the main chamber by two of his guards.

They took him out while the crowd stood with their drinks, dances interrupted, music not daring to make a decent sound.

But as usual, in approximately 5 microts, the entire room cascaded back into chatter and the music started up again, filling the room.

"Having fun?" Shelan asked Chiana. She grinned.

Shelan looked past her then and noticed someone standing in a corner, hidden by the shadow of an immense curtain.

"By the way, I didn't know you had friends in high places." Shelan said. Chiana gave him a confused look. He subtly pointed behind her.

Chiana gave a almost choked sob.

She tilted her head and blinked a few times, as if it was all a dream. She couldn't believe her eyes. He was there, his dark eyes leaping around the room, casting a glance to each of the dignitaries.

She managed a whisper, barely audible. As if she was saying it mentally.

"Malek?"

************************************

ChianaGray
11/12/00
When Scarrens Attack
IC:

Chiana cut her eyes around herself, realizing things were getting a little hairy.

"I hope you realize that outburst just cost me," Shelan eyed her. "I'm trying to catch a thief and you would seem to have a bit of past catching up with you."

"Relax," she rolled her eyes as she brushed his hand off her shoulder. "I don't even know who that was."

"It's like I told you before, Chiana." He sighed lightly with a small smile. "Your position depends on our success here."

She tilted her head, close enough to him to almost touch as she glanced towards Malek.

"Just let me worry about myself, Captain. I think I'm tired of dancing now."

She moved away, loosing herself into the crowds again. She remained well hidden within them for quiet some time before she came easing up behind Malek. Her head turned to her shoulder as she watched him in wonder.

*******************************************

Malek was minding his own business, standing in the corner. He didn't really fit in, why Nerri sent him instead of one of the more elegant agents, he didn't know. But he was there. And countless arns of thinking had prepared him for the simple fact that as long as you were somebody, no one cared why you were there. Everyone had something to hide, it wasn't a shock to anyone anymore.

Chiana thought she would never see him again. Their first encounter, back when Crichton--Chiana wiped away a tear. If this kept happening whenever her mind drifted back into the past, she'd have to stop thinking all together! When she saw him board Moya, undercover, helping Varla in her attempts to bring Chiana back....

It was fate that had brought them both to the same point in the entire galaxy, she knew.

Chiana took her advantage. He hadn't noticed her yet.

She slipped out the side exit and found herself in a dimly lit corridor. Random dignitaries drifted past her way, not even registering her presence. She occasionally stopped to admire a piece of jewlry or adornment someone had drunkenly left behind, but stopped when she noticed a familiar face walk through the door. She quickly pushed through a door and shut it behind her. Her heart was pounding. She didn't know whether Malek saw her or not.

Malek frowned. He blinked a few times and looked down at his drink. He set it down next to a pin of some kind and shook his head.

"Time to stop drinking on the job." He muttered. He thought he had seen a Nebari. What a concept.

******************************************

NhFearme
11/13/00
Night Ride
IC:

John looks at his scanner for tactical. He sees his wingmen. They are being persued by the remainding Scarren attack craft. Shard and her wingmen are bearing down on them. The new set of signals is approaching off the starboard. They are still 1200 microts from the rescue Squad. He increases to attack speed. Suddenly there is a bright flash.

*****************************

John awakes next to Aeryn
On the bed he had hewn from local wood
On the sheets she had woven from the first year's flax harvest.

The morning sun's beams dance red tips upon her raven hair.
His mind would not yet understand.

She smiles.
John looks into her deep blue eyes.
They pull his heart into her.

"I will not withhold myself from you, wife."

He reaches to touch her.
His hand feels along the contour of her body.
Her hand finds the hollow of his back and draws him to her.
He holds her to himself in longing embrace.

He kisses her with the passion of 1000 days of Yearning.

She is as he remembers.
Soft and warm.
Kisses like nectar.

Her breasts rise to him, craving his touch.
He seeks to please her.
He kisses, bringing pleasure to his lossed love.

Her warmth; soft sighs, bring fulfillment to his heart as he enacts their delight again.
Her sighs bring healing to his soul.
Her sighs orchestrate the complete vow of his soul to heal.

Within his spirit, she is.

The love they held is his again,
filling him, bringing him to ecstasy.
All the love that was always theirs [is] contained within.

In his heart, she is.
Now within her is his hope of love;
Love of soul to bring to her his all.

They breathe life again into eachother.

The urgency of his thrusts carry his hope for his child in her.
He shivers with 1000 days of longing to complete the act.

He looks upon her countenance of delight as she swoons under his stroke.

Oh! To continue forever if he could! To remain in her, within this moment eons into the future, is his sincerest wish!

He groans in completion and collapses on her.
In finishing, feeling complete in her.

It is only moments and he realizes what he has done.
His heart aches with 1000 days of pining.
His face bathed in his own tears, he breathes the scent of her hair.

*********************************

Chiana stands behind Malak. She wants so much to call his attention to her. Her brother, how is he? Can she join him in the cause? Her feelings for her brother fight against her feelings for Crichton. She still must find John.

Crichton is on Scorpius' Command Carrier, out of her reach. Anyway, Shelan has threatened that he couldn't use her if she couldn't 'perform' her duty for him.

Chiana has to get some information for Shelan, find and rescue Crichton and somehow see her brother. All of this is happening at once.

Chiana sees Hep from the corner of her eye. He's found a buyer for that trinket of his. That ancient, something-or-other that is supposed to be so valuable.

"That seems to be the end of the evening for Hep." Chi thinks. Hep settles in, nursing another raslak. Chiana's attentions return to Malak and his company.

Suddenly Chiana sees someone at the checkpoint. This young Scarren, not up to par with the guests here, is allowed to pass only after currency is exchanged. He enters, nearly running past the other guests to get to Hep.

Chiana watches with great interest as Hep suddenly puts down his raslak and his calm demenor to leave quickly behind the Scarren. Chiana follows. The Scarren has dissappeared. Hep mounts his waiting personal transport.

"Hey!" Chi shouts after him. "You'd leave a girl after giving her a kiss like that!"

"If you want another?" He answers with a sly smile. "You'll have to come with me."

This is the answer Chi was hoping for. She hikes up her long silky skirt and straddles the single man transport. She snuggles in behind and holds tightly to Hep. He takes off. First he glides down the street and then slowly rises the single transport above the city.

Chiana looks down nervously upon the rooftops, holding even tighter to Hep as he searches for something.

Hep smiles at the forced embrace from Chiana. The closeness he craved from her since the beginning, he is finally getting. Spy or girl, he doesn't care. It is just good to have her along.

Finally Hep flys down among some buildings in the Scarren section of town. The buildings are all barely lit, Scarren eyes requiring little light. Hep pulls his transport up to a hanger on the outskirts of town.

Hep stands by his transport and pulls off his long coat, his jacket and his vest, stuffing them into the transport's saddlebags. Chiana stands watching.

"I hope you don't mind the heat." Hep says to her, looking again at her perfect form and skin. He smiles. "This is it."

They enter the hangar together. Hep stands and eyes a single prowler that stands among a group of Scarren attack craft.

"It doesn't look very special does it?" Hep asks Chiana.

"No." She looks at him inquiring. "Should it?"

"It's supposed to be able to produce and fly through wormholes." Hep says wiping his brow.

Chiana's lips part. She tilts her head to Hep. She nearly gasps audibly as she breathes. Her eyes dart to the Prowler and around the hangar.

The heat is already beginning to effect Hep. "Would you do me a favor?"

Chiana looks at him expectantly.

"Check to see if it is what they say it is." Hep looks at her with a half scowl. "You can, can't you?"

"Yeah." Chiana isn't so sure, but anxious to check any lead on Crichton. "Sure." She nods her head.

"OK." Hep says leaving her. "I'll go make the deal."

Chiana scrambles aboard the Prowler as Hep saunters away. Once onboard she looks first for any sign of Crichton. It does seem as though he has been there. Like she can sense him.

Chi sits in the coekpit and just breathes, thinking she can smell his scent. Then, finally she turns on the computer, the sensors. She sees the new sensor array, the Vortex Generator. She knows, Crichton designed this Peacekeeper weapon!

"No!" She says involuntarily. Not believing it of him. "No! He would rather die than help the Peacekeepers!"

Then she thinks of her own situation. Helping captain Shelan so she can gain access to sensitive information to find John. She is suddenly ashamed.

Chiana is locked in thought when she hears something moving in the back. She jumps. She reaches for her dagger strapped to her thigh. She turns to the copilot seat. It is a Sebacean child, sleeping.

"Odd." Chi thinks as she looks at the sleeping boy. "It is hot in here, but he isn't sweating." Then her jaw falls. She gasps. She realizes, "This is Crichton's prowler. He was trying to escape. This is his... son."

Chiana quickly unstraps the boy from the copilot chair and picks him up, carrying him outside to Hep's personal transport.

Hep comes out of the hangar. He is dripping in sweat and somewhat dizzy. He sees the child. "What the Hezemana have you got there?"

"He belongs to a friend of mine..." Chiana thinks fast. "I promised to take care of him."

Hep shrugs. It doesn't matter. He just needs her help now.

"Follow me." He tells her. "I'm moving the Prowler to another location." Then he looks at her with that same half scowl. "Is it what they said?"

"It has the program." Chiana says unable to look Hep in the eyes.

"Great!" He says pleased with himself. "They weren't sure." Then he looks at the boy. "You want I should take him with me?"

"No." Chiana says gripping Jake tightly. "I'll take care of him." She slips her leg over the transport. Then realizing she has no way to hold on to Jake says. "Thinking again." She hands Jake to him.

"What's his name?" Hep asks. "For that matter, what is your's?" He smiles.

"Mine is Chiana. And him?" Chi swallows. She has a lump in her throat. She takes a wild guess. "For now, call him John." She smiles, but a tear trickles down her cheek.

Chiana looks away from Hep and wipes the tear away. "Did they say what happened to the pilot?"

Hep gives her a strange look. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious, I guess." She says avoiding his stare.

"They just said he is an unclassified alien, spy. He was caught trying to steal the Prowler." Hep looks concerned at Chiana, noticing her strong reaction to the news. "They took him to another location for interrogation."

"Thanks." Chiana trys to hide her emotion.

"What do you know about this, Chiana?"

"I think I know the Pilot." She looks up at Hep with tears in her eyes.

"Not much can be done for him now." Hep says. "Sorry, I'm sorry, Chiana."

Hep reaches out with his free hand and places it on her cheek, wiping away the tears.

"I'll be alright." Chi said trying to compose herself.

"Think you can keep up?" Hep smiles.

"Just watch me!" Chiana says kicking on the power.

Hep nods, turns and walks to the Prowler. He climbs onboard and straps Jake in the Prowler copilot seat. He straps into the pilot seat. Hep powers up and guides the Prowler out of the hanger. He hits the launch sequencer and takes off.

Chiana raises the shield on the Hep's single transport to travel at high speeds and follows the Prowler.

They arrive at a well lit hanger, nearer the location of the Banquet. Chi lands near the Prowler and waits for Hep to emerge with Jake.

A tall yellowish lizard looking alien (Turker) approaches Hep. He looks like he was going to pick a fight.

Chiana goes quickly to Hep and takes Jake.

Chiana walks into the shadows, holding Jake. "Poor, little guy. Still asleep after all this." She watches the Turker carefully as he approaches Hep.

"What is this piece of dren doing in my place!" He says accusingly to Hep.

"A mutual friend of ours, Jammin', said you could be reliable." Hep said looking at him dead on.

"Jammin?" The alien squinted at Hep. "Sent you?" The Turker doesn't seem convinced.

"Look." Hep says matter of factly. "I just got to park the Prowler here until I find a buyer for it. That shouldn't take too long."

"Hmmm. I may be interested in buying it myself." The alien calls his bluff. "How much are you asking?"

"I have a lead on a high roller that may want it." Hep says unimpressed. "I need enough to buy a ship off this rock."

The Turker looks dissappointed.

"If I can't sell it by the end of this evenings event?" Hep says. "I'll give you a fair price."

Chiana is listening to every word, trying to glean what she can to help Crichton. Jake begins to move in her arms. "Daddy?" He says in a sleepy tone rubbing his eyes.

"Hi. Little Guy!" Chi says to him softly. "Your Daddy had to go somewhere. I'll take care of you until he comes back. Ok?"

Jake scowls at her. He's only known Sebaceans before this. He reaches and touches her skin with great interest. Her hair.

"Oh, I'm sure your Daddy told you about other species?"

Jake's expression relaxes when he sees her skin feels the same. "Speee - sees?" He asks her.

"Yeah!" There are Sheeyangs, and Sebaceans, and Humans, like yourself and Scarrens." Her expression changes. She swallows. "Like Scorpius."

"Yes, I know Scorpius." Jake says, nodding slightly. "Do you know my Daddy?"

"He took you for a ride in the Prowler?"

"Yes!" Jake says excitedly. "I'm gonna' fly just like him when I'm a Pilot!"

Just then Hep walks to them. "It's time we got going." Hep looks at Jake and smiles. "Hello, John."

"Jake." Jake corrects him.

Hep looks curiously at Chiana. "OK, Jake." He says. "Topik says we can leave Jake here until the end of the Banquet, if you still want to go back."

"Who will be taking care of him?" chiana asks suspiciously looking at Topik.

"Oh." Hep says taking Jake. "Someone that he has helping out. We can trust her." Hep points to an upper window in the hangar.

Chiana sees the figure of a girl about her age, a species that she doesn't recognize. The girl walks out from behind the window and leans over the railing to look at them.

Chiana leans over and kisses Jake on the cheek. Jake looks at her and smiles. "Thank, you." He leans over and hugs her.

Hep smiles, then takes Jake and walks up the metal stairs to the alien girl. He hands her Jake, shakes Jakes hand and says goodbye. Chiana watches them carefully. Hep leaves Jake and walks down to the single transport. Chiana climbs on behind Hep.

Hep powers up the transport and takes off out of the hanger. Chiana holds on tightly again. Hep enjoys the attention. He goes back to the Banquet with this girl, Chiana, someone he'd like to get to know better.

***************************************

NovaJM
11/15/00
Night Ride
IC:

Nova takes Jake from Hep as he and her watched Hep and Chiana take off. Jake turns back to her looking at the strange features that she carried.

"What?" Nova asked, her voice light but strong.

"You don't look like Papa." Jake answered.

Nova laughed as she took Jakes hand and lead him into the the room above the hanger.

Jake sat in the corner watching the female. He didn't understand why her body seemed to shimer a bronze with bronze streaks flowing through her hair.

Nova turned around back towards Jake and brought forth a drink. "Here this should settle that hunger." she smiled sweetly. "I am Nova, an aquaintence of Hep." she answered his questioning look. "Don't worry they will be back for you."

****************************************

NhFearme
11/15/00
Night Ride
IC:

John works in the garden by their cottage. The sun is going down. Jake chases the birds in the waning sunlight.

Scorpius stands next to John as he works. "You can't stay here John. It isn't real."

"I don't care. You've taken all I have to give you Scorpy!"

"Doesn't it matter to you that Officer Shard and the others gave their lives to save you?"

"To capture me and bring me back to slavery, you mean." John says clenching his teeth.

"No, John." Scorpius lifts his face and looks at Jake. "You lived as you wanted. With your son. Your real son. This is only a shadowy copy of him."

John stops working.

"You must escape this Scarren interrogation and save your son."

John closes his eyes as though he is trying to stop Scorpius' voice inside his head. He goes back to working.

"My son was your property. Now, he might be free."

"You don't know that John. You must break the Scarren hold on you and escape!"

Just then Aeryn walks up behind John. She places her hand on his shoulder. She presses her cheek to his ear and kisses him. John closes his eyes. Pain shows on his face.

"She isn't real John. She's dead."

John's breathing becomes rapid. He turns to Aeryn and embraces her tenderly. He kisses her passionately.

Scorpius watches uncomfortably.

Crichton kisses Aeryn with deep longing for nearly 100 microts.

When he finishes the kiss, John looks deeply into Aeryn's eyes. "I love you." He gently pushes the hair from her face and smiles. "Now, take Jake back to the house. I'll be in in a minute."

"All right John. Don't be long." She answers and runs after Jake to catch him. Laughing, she takes Jake into the house.

John turns to Scorpius. "Get out of my face Scorpy!" He yells. "You took everything I had! Let me have this!"

"I can't John." Scorpius recounts to him. "You will remember your real family. I will make sure of it!"

"Just leave me the hell alone!" John suddenly walks away, leaving his nemesis.