"I'd like to thank you," Stark smiled as he searched her eyes in wonder of her. "I have seen so much of death it brings me a great deal of joy to see a new life challenge existance."

"Is that how you see it?" She asked, her awed expression unchanging as she tilted her head at the two galaxies before them swept with blues and reds.

"As a challenge?" He wondered himself as he settled his gaze gently on Dora. "Yes. The dangers often make me wonder why we should even bring birth into such nightmares our lives so easily contend with."

Chiana said nothing as she swayed slightly, humming quietly to herself. Stark tried to pretend he wasn't there, feeling like an invader of something very private as he set Dora to the floor. He smiled with her as he played with her tiny toes, letting out a helpless chuckle that caused Chiana to smile. She gazed down as she upturned her ear towards his laughter and silly noises without looking to him. The pain of him not being John ran deep into her. Her smile slowly began to fade as she worried, her thoughts seeming to summon those nightmares Stark mentioned.

"I left him there," she muttered to the floor, gaping at it in a dazed expression. "I told him to divorce me."

"You survive," Stark spoke gently as he looked to her, studying her almost in fear. "No more chair for me Chiana, ever. No chair for you."

"I've been in the chair," Chiana snorted as she tocked her head. "I've been all over this frelling territory. I looked for him Stark. I don't mean I didn't do something with myself, do you get it? I looked for him. I - I comforted him when he thought Aeryn was dead ..."

She shook her head, burying her forehead into her palm as she leaned over. "Frell."

"Perhaps you should take time to think all of this over," Stark suggested softly as he cradled Dora and rocked her as she gave out a loud cry as if to hear herself speak, shooting her fist to her mouth in avid fascination. "You have Scarren estates, you could get away from everything there for a while."

"Right," she grumbled as she looked to Dora. "I don't feel welcome there anymore. Crichton's mistress tralk ..."

Stark gaped at her, his dark eye searching hers franticly. "Chiana, you - you can't mean that."

"It - doesn't feel like mine, anymore." She sighed as she patted her palm against her forehead. "I don't know what I mean."

"I should leave you to think," he placed his hand on her shoulder as he came to his knees with Dora. "I'll watch Dora for you. Amber wants to see her."

Chiana sighed as she placed her hand over his, tears streaming from her eyes as she closed them. "Yeah. Sure."

************
 
nhfearme 
(5/8/01 6:50 pm)
 Scorpy's Apology
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 OOC: CG & nh collaboration. Scorpys speech to Chiana.

Scorpius sits in his command quarters. Nurse fusses over him. He opens Comms. Scorpius to Moya. I wish to speak to Chiana. He says as he waves away his nurse from hovering.

Chiana! Pilot says over Comms excitedly. There is another communication coming in its from Scorpius! He wants to talk to you.

Chiana stood, sucking in her breath as she turned out of the terrace and into the cooridors. She paused as Mokan met her. Mokan's eyes flared wildly as Chiana moved ahead of her towards command and followed.

Chiana and Mokan walk briskly to the command. I was hoping for John, Chiana muttered softly to Mokan as they enter command, her eyes widening at the sight of Scorpius amplified ugly on Moyas huge portal screen. She grasps Mokan's arm, squeezing it tight as Mokan begins a low rattle like growl deep within her throat. Chiana's heart pounds hard in her chest as if she may explode, she sucks in her breath. Her head tilts in a slight twitch as she raises her eyes to meet with his.

I hereby offer my offer my official apology to you Chiana," Scorpius speaks almost casually. "What I did is unpardonable. Still, I ask for your forgiveness.

"Mine," She nods slightly and laughs uneasily as she cuts her eyes away from him. "I can't believe this ..."

"You've got some Frelling mivonks!" Mokan shouts viciously as her eyes flare at Scorpius. "We're not Frelling stupid! You ekanra nachegan go frek!"

Chiana slips in front of her, pushing her back some as she turns her head studying Scorpius. "Maybe Mokan will if you offer her your mivonks..."

Scorpius opens his mouth with a slight smile, taking in his breath, averting his eyes from them. I still wear the scars from your attack on me in the hangar Chiana. The Scarrans held me in Hezmat for 11 days.

Oh, you wear scars Scorpy?" She blinks at him wide eyed, her heart pounds, fear races wildly down her chest. A chuckle of disbelief escapes her throat as she twitches and tocks her head, trying to keep her breath even. "So Frelling what?"

Perhaps my actions reflect. He sighs. I desire only peace Chiana.

Chiana swallowed, watching his face as she stepped uneasily in a slight sway. The temptation to ask about John rested on her lips but she didn't dare. He would only lie anyway. She couldn't chance risking thier lives, his, Jakes ... Aeryn's ..."

I confess Your daughter, I intended to raise her as my own. Scorpius countenance changes. One may even believe he has a soul, a heart. I believe that I learned to love her as my own during the time she was here.

Chiana gasps, afraid that Scorpius knows she has Dora as Mokan shifts around uneasily behind her, growling deep and low within her throat. She feels the hairs rise on her neck from the sheer rage that emanates from the Jaboan. She turns her head to her, somewhat caught between trying to keep Mokan from killing the portal screen and keeping her feelings away from Scorpius' detection. She clenches her fists, searching the floor as she tries to breathe.

Scorpius looks kindly at her. I have disastrous news. With a heavy heart, Chiana I must tell you. The Scarran attack caused an explosion onboard the carrier. The explosion killed your baby daughter and her two nurses. My honest and sincerest sympathies Chiana for your loss. I will deeply miss her... Dora Lee. he whispers as he lowers his head.

Chiana gapes at the floor, swallowing hard as tears stream down her cheeks. She turns to Scorpius, her eyes narrowing on him as her voice chokes. "You had no right to take her."

Chiana, please accept my deepest apologies for her death. And for the pain I caused you. Scorpius takes a heavy breath and looks again at her. Please also accept my offer of help from the base.

Chiana awes at his unbelievable nerve! Shaking her head she narrows her eyes at him. He is such a Frelling mud crawler she can't believe he can't see or even care! She can see straight through his pathetic apology. "No Frelling way."

Scorpius sucks in a breath and turns his head as though peering at her through a keyhole. You will see Chiana. My promise of help is true. Contact the base for troops and resources available to you and your cause.

"FRELL YOU! She roars in rage, slamming the ball of her fist into the consol as she glares into him beneath her bangs, trembling with the wrath that burns so deeply.

This can be a time of cooperative history between our peoples. Scorpius diplomatic tones try to win her favor, overlooking her outburst.

You help in the resistance?" Chiana shouts and then laughs with a twist of her head. "I'd rather Frelling die Scorpy boy!"

"I can see you need time!" Scorpy pipes rather cheerfully as he raises his head, narrowing his eyes on her in a sudden cold look that sends a dark chill down her back. "Please, do consider..."

"Get out of my face," she speaks quietly as she narrows her eyes back, closing the frequency.

**********
 
ChianaGray
(5/9/01 1:22 pm)
Scorpy's Apology
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Chiana ran down the cooridors, Mokan fast behind her as she slid into a corner and turned down it sobbing. She whirled to a halt in Zhaan's medical bay, her arms throwing out as she searched, oblivious to the others there until she saw Dora in Zhaan's arms where she sat on a pallet. Chiana knelt to them, taking Dora into her arms as she cried, holding her to her as she rocked her. Zhaan gaped at her, turning her confused gaze to Mokan.

Mokan's copper eyes softened as she looked down, unable to meet Zhaan's eyes. "Scorpius thinks Dora is dead."

"Dear sweet Goddesss!" Zhaan gasped as she wrapped her arms around Chiana, turning her gaze desperatley to Stark as the Nebari trembled in her hold. The baby began to whail.

"She's sympathetic to her mother," Stark commented gently as he came to them and rested his hand on Chiana's head. "She's alright Chiana. More than alright."

"She has - has a pair of lungs doesn't she," Chiana laughed as she rested against Zhaan, closing her eyes as she pursed her lips against the Delvians shoulder. She winced at the hypo-shot Stark gave her, crying deeply.

**********
 
nhfearme 
(5/11/01 5:43 am)
 Shelan's Nightmare
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Captain Phillip Shelan is living his greatest nightmare. He is afraid to think. The reconditioning process selectively targets only certain memories and extracts them. Every thought he has now will be missing segments. A person, a place, even an event will be gone from his mind forever.

Weary, he moves to drink from the water pipe then sprawls out on his mat. As he closes his eyes he hears the guards talking. He catches only a few words Captain Mallan and Chiana. Neither make any sense. Mallan is, was under him, not an equal. And who or what is Chiana? He is afraid to think what it means. If he survives the process his mind will no longer be his.

**********
 
ChianaGray
(5/12/01 12:47 am)
 Shelan's Nightmare
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Chiana stepped into Moya's dining area, pausing as she turned her gaze to Mokan at the table with Dora, bouncing her in her arms and singing to her with a smile on her face as Dora kicked and drooled, staring up at Mokan with bright fascination. Her little hand clutched tightly to one of the Jaboans tankas. Chiana smiled with her eyes as she turned to the refrigeration unit and dug into it, grabbing a bowl of small fruits.

"Your voogoo gets stronger and stronger," Mokan commented without looking to her. Chiana eyed her as she sat down with the bowl. "You'll go planet side soon. Have you decided where?"

"That grove John was telling me about," Chiana muttered as she ate. "What about my voogoo?"

"Uh," Mokan lifted her eyes to her wide eyed. "I see a Chiana who has short tankas like my earlier people before we came so much closer to the Luxans. But, your tankas are colored. It looks like you have leaves in your hair and you are talking to singing rocks. It scares me Chiana, I see you fall down this cave to your death and re-live."

"I took the stone," Chiana winced her eyes with a small smile at the table.

"You'll take it again," Mokan shrugged.

"Yeah," she smiled as she gazed over Mokan's tatoos. "You told me about a ceremony once you had to go through. You called it the Eyes of Amona."

"It's a Jaboan way of meeting Amona," Mokan nodded slightly and then shook her head. "But you're not going. It's very dangerous. Amona will hunt you, if you go in a bad way she'll strike!"

"You wouldn't perform that then?"

Mokan rested her eyes on Chiana solemnly. "You need an Orican, not a warrior. What difference is it really with having a Pa'u?"

"Because you see my voogoo from when I took the stone," Chiana sighed as she rested the side of her head into her hand and chewed, staring off distantly. "I want to see what my Amona looks like."

"Maybe," Mokan muttered. "I'm sure it would scare you as bad as it did me. That's the last thing you need."

"Moe," Chiana narrowed her eyes on her, studying Mokan's solemn expression as she looked up. "I'm asking you for help."

"I know," she stated quietly as she returned her gaze to Dora, smiling as the baby tugged at her tanka. "It's not up to me."

"Then who?"

"Amona," Mokan shrugged reluctantly. "There is always a time, a place. They have to be the right moments."

Chiana's lips parted, gazing at Mokan with wonder. "I can never return to Nebari, Mokan. My people, they - they gave me the contagen so they could pass along the Greater Good, rid the univers of hostile, violent life. I don't want to - to be something I'm not. You won't go home because you feel like you shouldn't have survived, your traditions ask you to act like an exhile until you face an Orican. It's like - like you're afraid to touch what you are. So what do we do? Wait for someone else to solve things for us? Outcasts until someone else decides we're not? What if I don't feel like I'm the one who's wrong?"

"You're right and everyone else is wrong?" Mokan chuckled, cutting her eyes to the smile that drifted across Chiana's face. "Then, I think we both may take this stone your voogoo is so bent on. If you insist ..."

"Yeah," Chiana breathed as Mokan brought Dora into her arms. She admired her childs eyes, smiling as she took her tiny hand into her own.

**********
 
ChianaGray
(5/12/01 5:22 am)
The Long Road 2of3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Metalica: Nothing Else Matters

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
No nothing else matters

**********

ChianaGray
(5/12/01 9:02 am)
 The Long Road 2of3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 It's like you're afraid to touch what you are.

Mokan thought over Chiana's words as she stepped into Moya's terrace with a wooden case and bundel, gazing out at the two galaxies of blues and reds they still lingered by while Moya visited with Talyn. Her friends words haunted her. Often her words did. Her honesty was still so child like, her wonder so pure. The pain she was going through hurt Mokan deeply. Her friend. Of all the people Chiana could have ever choosen to trust so completely, she choose a prisoner of war, a slave, an outcast, a woman who held no purpose anymore but the cause. Her own son was lost to her. Her own sense of shame kept her from going with Krestan back to the clans. She couldn't go back though, she couldn't bear the pain of loosing so many. She died with them. She wasn't the same, Krestan had seen that.

So what do we do? Wait for someone else to solve things for us?

Mokan sighed heavily as she crouched, setting her things on the floor. She opened the bundel, starrring down at a royal blue version of a Luxan warriors tunic. The shoulder still stained with her blood. She put on the head dress, adjusting the leather straps around her tankas as the blue diamond that dangled from it rested in the center of her forehead. She wanted to help, but she couldn't bear the thought of Chiana going through something like the Eyes of Amona. Not with her. What if she frelled it up? What if the univers did not aproove?

Outcasts until someone else decides we're not?

Mokan sat up, tying a long sash to her waist of many gliphs, bearing gold tassel ends. She looked out at the stars beyond with several tears falling down her face as she clasped on a pair of armletes that were lavish with firey reds, blues, emerald greens and golds of some type of dragon. It was an unusual mixture of shimmering metals that seemed to dance like fire in the dim light. She felt afraid, her breath comming uneasily as she remembered the woman she once was, eager in battle, proud and undaunting. Before her capture she had been an arrogant Jaboan woman trying to proove her honors to her house in the festivals and battles. That was the one who died though. She didn't want Chiana to go through the same ... some part of her become swallowed away ...

What if I don't feel like I'm the one who's wrong?

Mokan opened the box and settled her eyes on what looked like a rib bone of about two feet long. It was wraped in leathers on both ends, feathers and bits of metal and shell dangeling from the leathers fringes that streaked along one edge to the center. She stood, moving to the center of the terrace and began to spin on one foot, humming deep within herself as she shook the rib like a rattle. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she twisted one foot in front of her and held out her arms, spinning until the visions would come.

Mokan moaned deeply, a horrible pain comming over her as the sound of Shelan's voice screamed through the comming visions in agony. Someone else she had failed. A slow anger rose into her over Mallan ... revenge for Shelan wild in the panther that growled deep and low within her. She felt the panther leap and gasped as she began her hunt ... seeking out the strength she was looking for. She began to sing softly to herself as her panther stalked around Mallan, studying him with the taste for revenge in her throaght for the friend she lost to him, pausing from her strike for the life he returned to Chiana.

The panther screamed at Mallan in a horrendous yowl as thier jet black ears laid back. Gold eyes creased with rage at his own sense of vengance he exacted on Shelan. The Mallan she saw did not seem to see or hear.

Mokan fell to the floor, the univers around her continuing to spin as her panther leaped, landing in a dark place. She smelled unusual things - things that were familiar. The panther turned their gaze, an ear twitching as they saw Chiana curled into a tight ball on a cot - familiar things ... but without names. The panther raised herself, resting her large black forepaws on the cot as she tentively sniffed Chiana over, flattening her ears as Chiana seemed to no longer be there. "I know how to hide. I know how to disapear."

"Do you have a hearing problem, Chiana? ... You could end up, with your throaght cut."

"I'm not used to trusting anybody ..."

"Enough," Mokan pleaded as she gasped for her breath, sweat pouring from her. "Enough..."

*********
 
ChianaGray
(5/12/01 6:50 pm)
 Planet Side
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The sheen of blue came over Moya, her streaks powering through in the brilliant light as the ring of blue fire raced over her form. She starbursted, comming out near the moon of the planet Rashari. Pilot checked systems, responding and relaying data between Drd's as he helped Moya power down and begin her re-charging for next starburst. He gazed up, only mildly distracted as Chiana came into his chamber with Dora in her arms.

"Chiana," he smiled with his eyes as she came to sit on his console. "We have returned to Rashari. Shall I notify the estate your intentions to return?"

"No," she shook her head as she brought Dora to her breast, rocking her as she fed with a sleepy droop of her crystal blue eyes. "The transmission could be detected. I don't want anyone to know anything."

Pilot gaped, his massive head tilting as he slowly blinked over what he was seeing. "Is this how all mamalic forms of life sustain thier offspring?"

"It's what breasts are for Pilot," Chiana breathed her laughter as she turned her eyes to him. "The others are comming. Something about getting Amber a nature break."

"I don't believe Jasmin has ever been on a planet," Pilot commented as he returned his attention to his panels and crystals. "From what I can assess she has not much experience with her independance from her ship and an aparent collective."

"Jasmin?" Chiana wondered. "Where is she?"

"Tier three, in the Drd access routes." He lifted his eyes to her. "Might you take her with you?"

"Is she that bad?" Chiana tilted her head as she chuckled.

"I've been observing her movements," he stated. "She mainly wanders Moya alone ... tinkering with everything. She doesn't seem like - any usual type of crew member. I suspect her soul purpose on her ship was for service."

"I guess so," Chiana sighed lightly as she scrambled in closer and leaned against the wall, adjusting Dora's blanket. "I missed you Pilot..."

Chiana cut her eyes away, swallowing lightly as she avoided his gaze when he turned to her. He looked down, his pinchers flowing over the various controls as a saddness filled his eyes. "I've missed you too Chiana. We are here now."

"Yeah," Chiana sighed as she let her head fall back against the wall. "I should have stayed."

"D'argo had indeed become quiet impossible," Pilot commented lightly. "Perhaps your descision was more correct than you realize at this time. Chiana, your leaving was a very humbeling experience on all of us. How much you give to this crew was not realized until you were not there. Moya and I are very pleased to assist you and the others. Your leaving was more than understandable, and you may of course, come and go as you please."

"Thank you," she whispered as she met his gaze solemnly.

Pilot seemed to smile as he softened his eyes on her. "You are more than welcome. The transport pods are fueld and ready."

**********
 
 Topik stepped out of the two story house, clamping his long stemmed pipe into his mouth as he blinked his eyes. The lizard-like man scanned over his new guests comming down the trail from the groves landing pad.

"Topik?" Chiana smiled as she stepped ahead of the others and looked him over, awing at him as her lips parted.

"Lady Chiana," he half bowed his head in a distinguished manner.

"What gives?" She eyed him suspiciously as she laughed. "Don't tell me you've given up the black market for this old place."

"It's a long story," he smiled as he glanced to one of the Scarrens that wandered out to help and cleared his throaght. "I apreciate you asking me to be your keeper of this estate. It has been very pleasant looking after things for Lord Crichton."

"Right," Chiana nodded and chuckled as she tocked her head. "Sure. So ah - you gonna let us in?"

"It's all yours," he smiled as he puffed on his pipe.

**********

Chiana stepped into a very large living area. It was a cozy enough room, a country home though it was a very big one. A console took her interest to one side of the room. She moved to it, gazing over the controls that were in Scarren. Her nostrils flared as she opened a frequency and began to scramble it.

"Bet you don't remember this one," she muttered to herself as she leaned over the curving board, resting her palms on its edges.

"Who is using this code!" D'argoes voice came back demandingly. "Identify yourself now!"

"It's me," Chiana smiled softly. "You said if I ever needed it..."

"Cycles ago," D'argoes voice came back more gently.

"I need to know what's going on," Chiana sighed as she glanced for the others. "I'm not so sure this frequency won't be detected."

"It looks clear," D'argo stated. "We are - still in negotiations Chiana..."

"Is - is he there?" She blinked slowly as she patted her palm against the consol.

"Chiana," D'argo sighed, pausing for a long moment. "I swear on my blood oath I will not betray you."

"I know that."

"Then trust I will do whatever is nessisary and do not comm this carrier again."

Chiana shook her head as she swallowed lightly. "He wants to stay, doesn't he..."

"Chiana," D'argo spoke soothingly. "What happened here?"

"I want you to come back," Chiana nearly groaned as she began to trembil.

"I will, I promise." He sighed into the comm. "I cannot just walk away. Chiana, at least tell me how badly wounded you are."

"I want you to come back..."

"I have every intention," he stated softly. "Now stop worrying about what I must do and tend to your own."

Chiana let out her breath haggardly as he closed the frequency. She tried to settle herself again, tocking her head with a light sniff as she opened another frequency.

"Melak."

"This is," Melak's voice soon returned with a mild curiosity in his tone.

"Do you have it?"

"Ahhh," Melak seemed to beam cheerfully. "More than safe I assure. Meet me in three days at a hanger ... you are familiar with this one."

"Yes," she nodded slightly as she picked up the cooridance he was sending. "Why not just go straight to the base?"

"You were compromised," he explained. "We need to scan you for internal location devices before you come to the base. I have quiet a few very interesting things to show you. We have - unexpected advantages we need to talk about."

"Any contact with the Resistance?"

"Unfortunatley not," he sighed. "But we may soon remedy that. Three solar days."

"Okay," she closed the frequency, gazing at the console distantly as she became lost within her thoughts.

**********

Chiana gazed over from where they landed the land cruiser at the foot of the mountains. She straddled a rounding boulder, glancing from it far below to the curving lake just the other side of her where a waterfall could be heard but not seen.

"It's beautiful here," Mokan sighed. "These trails seem to go everywhere..."

"Yeah," Chiana muttered, distracted as she moved over the rocks and headed towards the sound of the fall. The water below was crystal clear. She could see all the way to the bottom and down into blues where the depths were too great to see anything. There were fish like betas, flaming in different colors and elaborate fins.

She sat crouched, tilting her head as she watched Mokan eventualy come along walking the banks below. The Jaboan looked up to her, smiling as she rested her fists into her chest. "This is where we will look for your Amona."

Chiana's lips slowly parted as she looked in awe to the water fall, gaping at the small rainbow near to its falling point, down into the deepest part of the coved pool where blues were so deep they shaded into black. Rieds and ferns were everywhere amidst small wild flowers of every color.

She blinked slowly, returning to awareness at the sound of a splash, smiling as she saw Mokan beneath the water surface swimming in her birthday suit. She laughed as she moved along the edge to the waterfall and began to undress. She smiled brightly up at the sky, laughing as she spread out her arms and allowed herself to fall, her body crashing into the point the waterfall met the pool. It's force drove her down and then scooped her away. She swam, eyes open, enjoying the cool, rushing water around her naked form as the brightly colored fish darted out of her way. She came up for air with a barking laugh, shaking the water from her hair as Mokan began to chuckle.

"Want to go back now?"

"Frell that," Chiana eyed her as she began to swim for the bank. "I'm going for another dive, you comming?"

"No no," Mokan shook her head, smiling as she splashed water at Chiana as she came up on the bank. "I like being nice and planted on solid ground thank you."

"Suit yourself!" Chiana chuckled as she began to look for the way back up. "You couldn't do a flip or anything anyway."

"Yes I could," Mokan raised an eyebrow and then pursed her lips at her.

"That's okay," Chiana breathed as she began to climb and chuckled. "I'll take your word for it."

"Frell you will!" Mokan barked as she took to the bank. "I'll show you what a double air flip really is!"

*********

As the night came Mokan sat inside the cave mouth that raced across the bank of the pool. She hummed deeply to herself, making a painting with fine sands from various bags in her wooden box. In the very center of the elaborate circle she was making sat Chiana in a purple robe. Not far from her in the near corner sat Zhaan, chanting in meditation. Their fire along the bank flickered light into the cave, shadows dancing along the walls from where Stark silently tended the fire with his daughter Amber cradeling Dora Lee as if she were her own.

Mokan gazed up, her copper eyes gazing to Chiana wildly from a broad streak straight across them in a turqoise blue.

"Amona is my Goddess of the Jaboan people," Mokan spoke in a deep voice, cutting her eyes sharply to Zhaan as she chanted louder, shaking Mokan's rattle made of a rib. The blue diamond on Mokan's head dress seemed to almost spark in the light as she slowly turned her eyes back to Chiana, seeming fascinated with her as her Nebari friend cupped her hands above her head and muttered quietly to herself. "She was once only one being but there came a day that Amona was divided into 13 aspects of herself and these Amona's were scattered over galaxies through the univers. This was long ago, before we Jaboan's lost our world to invaders and became the nomads. Only one Amona remained to us, this was the Panther Amona, the huntress, the warrioress. She sought out each other aspect to re-embrace them but each one she found were living long, full lives and when she re-embraced she knew all that they had. Each was always a trial for Amona and her last was the most difficult, causing the greatest of all battles in Jaboan history, astrology and ceremony. But when she was whole again, Amona returned to all and everyone she had ever touched in her lives to teach them and be with them. She was the Sha-woman and when we ask, she returns still and enters our lives to aid us. She is a great shapeshifter, the woman in everything and we woman warriors of Jaboa are keepers of the Panther Amona, the huntress. Who Amona is inside you Chiana, to see her eyes, will be what you would look like, as whole Amona. Few attain such things, when they do among our kind, we call them the Mystics. We could not live long enough for you to search and embrace all of your own 13 selves but Zhaan is asking favor that I hunt well for the healing you seek. The rest is yours alone."

Mokan moved around the circle, stepping carefully along it when she came up behind Chiana. She hummed deeply, her voice almost like a vibration in the deep ratteling sound she emmited as she squatted behind Chiana and reached out from her sides, pressing her fingers to her thumb. She suddenly let out a sharp, intense shout, striking Chiana in her upper sides. Chiana screamed, tensing as her arms threw out. Mokan held her down, her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her hands seemed to be inside Chiana up to thier wrists.

Chiana forced her breath, trembeling as she opened her eyes and saw a galaxy in front of her along the caves dancing darkness. The galaxy was deeply cast in sweeping blues and reds amidst stars of different colors and streaking strands of silver. A dark bird walked out, pausing just at the foot of Mokan's painting to peer at them from his shining eyes.

"K'wra," Mokan muttered softly. "Don't mind, that is the animal spirit of your son."

"My son," Chiana gasped as the crow took wing and flew out into the night. "No..."

"It's alright," Mokan spoke gently. "These are visions, the only real danger is your fear."

"Mine?" Chiana spoke uneasily as she tried to turn her head to her but could see only pitch black behind her. "What about yours?"

"If this were truely apropriate Chiana I would be an Orican and this would be a Shooka, not here."

"What's a Shooka," Chiana breathed as she returned her gaze dreamily to the galaxy sparkeling and streaming before her.

"A very big box, or a very small tempil," Mokan spoke so calmingly Chiana felt as if she were hearing her voice like ocean waves crashing around her. "Not that the cave minds, just my preference. You ready?"

"Ready?" Chiana shook her head. "For what?"

"A little trip," Mokan seemed amused, a growl escaping her as a brilliant night blue star seemed to come around the wash of silvers and reds. It began to brighten in front of them and come closer until it seemed like it was right in front of them inside the cave. Mokan let out a growl as she suddenly leaped with Chiana into the star.

**********

"This isn't exactly what I thought it would be," Chiana snorted, shaking her head as she turned in the massive arched hallway she and Mokan stood in. She looked to Mokan, her brows raising as she then stepped back cautiously from the black panther.

Mokan seemed to stand up from the panther, the animal form drifting around and then away from her like shadows as she unsheathed her qualta and looked around.

"Would you prefer something you couldn't understand?" Mokan asked with a small smile as a gray lynx came to her feet.

Chiana gaped at the lynx, squatting to them as she tilted her head. "This is..."

"Your animal spirit," Mokan nodded slightly. "But you have another one. This is your survival, I ... uh, well sense, someone you hide well."

"And who are they supposed to be?" Chiana smiled up at her as she petted the large Lynx and then nuzzled them as they ran thier cheek along hers in a deep purr.

"Do you have any idea just how much surrounds you?" Mokan shook her head. "And you should feel fortunate! These spirits, they like to play tricks on me."

Mokan eyed their surroundings cautiously as she knelt to her. "You won't always see me. You'll be on your own, but not unobserved. You'll go through that way, and your fears will know you well."

Mokan pointed to a turn in the hall, awing at it as she held the hilt of her blade close to her chest. Chiana looked into her eyes, tilting her head slightly.

"I can't - I can't do this by myself..."

Mokan smiled, cutting her eyes to her almost mischieviously. "You never are by yourself Little Bit. You can't do any of this, if you don't face that one now."

Chiana eyed the turn in the hall, standing as her lynx leaped and began to bound into that direction. She followed cautiously, half running until she came to a sliding stop and peered down. The hall seemed endless. She heard a growl behind her and whirled to it sharply, taking in her breath.

A few yards from her was a gray and rusty red creature that didn't look so far off from a Timber Wolf. The wolf growled deep in its throaght, its eyes flashed with rage as it snareld. Chiana stepped back as they came toward her stiff legged, every rust tipped hair raised, thier ears laid back from their sharply muzzled head.

"Hey," Chiana smiled nervously as she swayed her head, planting her back against the wall as she began to slide herself down it. "Good uh, good dog ... nice fella ... don't bite me..."

"Bite you!"

Chiana jerked her head around, gaping at Aeryn who stood farther away behind her with her arms crossed, a look of contempt on her face. Chiana awed at her as the wolf came to her side.

"Oh," Chiana let out an uneasy sigh, smiling as she began to try to slide down the other way. "Aeryn ... listen ..."

"Whatever," Aeryn shook her head as she blinked her eyes. "Just hurry it up alright? We don't have a whole cycle to wait around for you."

Chiana swallowed, watching Aeryn carefully as she stepped ahead and into a dark doorway. The wolf following her with a wag of thier tail.

"Oh. Sure." Chiana twisted her head around as she half swung herself from the wall and moved to the door. "Aeryn has a half sized Keeva and I get a mouse chaser..." She tilted her head with a slight smile at the dark door way. "This ought to be interesting..."

**********

 "Aeryn?" Chiana called out into the darkness, afraid as she touched her hand along a wall, letting it guide her until she could just see the dark blue outlines of some kind of station. "Aeryn I don't understand, the last time I saw you - you hit me ... the things you did ... what you said to me."

"Well you're used to that aren't you?" Aeryn asked, her figure becomming more clear as Chiana moved into the blues and shades of light, trying to discern what the station was. Aeryn eyed her beneath her brows in the path of a hall, her hand resting on her pulse pistol. "What's the matter Chiana? You act like something's wrong."

"It is wrong," Chiana narrowed her eyes as she wiped her tears. "They - they frelling mind cleansed you..."

"Into a perfectly obediant Peace Keeper," Aeryn stated gently as she stepped to her, crouching as Chiana slid down the wall in fear of her. "How could I have been mind cleansed if my agressions were more than well in place?"

"I don't know," Chiana shook her head, her solemn eyes unstraying as she cried. "Don't you think I can tell when - when you're not the same anymore?"

"What's the matter Chiana," Aeryn furrowed her brows, tilting her head as she unholstered her pulse pistol and rested its barrel into the side of Chiana's head. "You act like you're afraid I'll just turn right around and blow your frelling head off. Are you that guilty of taking Crichton from me? Admit to it, the microt I was gone you just took Crichton for yourself. Were you raising my son to steal and lie as well?"

"No," Chiana let out a helpless laugh as she closed her eyes from the pulse pistol pressing her head against the wall. "I think he does it well enough by himself..."

She opened her eyes reluctantly on the wolf that came up to her, thier ears laid back as they made a low growl. Aeryn patted the wolfs hip as she shifted in her crouched position to get a clearer look of Chiana's eyes. She narrowed her own. "So if I weren't reconditioned Chiana, would I have thanked you for looking after them? Would I have been greatful to some tralk for doing what you did? Taking Crichton from Scorpius, being a mother to my son. What should I think?"

Chiana pursed her lips as she shook her head, moaning to herself. "I don't know."

"Do you ever trust anything?" Aeryn grumbled as the wolf growled, planting its paw on Chiana's knee. "Yourself?"

"I trust things when I feel safe," Chiana barely spoke as she slammed her eyes shut, waiting for the shot as Aeryn pressed the pistol harder against her tempil.

"What a bunch of dren!" Aeryn shouted angrily. "How frelling dare you! What I should do - I should just frelling shoot you is what. I'm going to kill you for sleeping with Cricthon while I was dead you tralk!"

Chiana opened her eyes slowly, her heart pounding as she dared to try to look at her. "Wha - wha - what, what did you say?"

"Oh you just bring it on," Aeryn threaghtend darkly as her wolf bared its fangs at Chiana. She moved her pistol back, shaking the barrel at Chiana's head. "I'm going to kick your Nebari eema and spin you around in Scorpies chair because I like to Chiana. Oh yeah that's me alright! You know what I like best about reconditioning is that they forgot a little detail ... something I never forgot. Pilot found out I was one of the soldiers who killed Moya's last Pilot."

"Yeah, so?" Chiana spoke shakily, sniffing as she dared her hand to her face.

Aeryn pointed the pistol into her own tempil as she eyed Chiana from beneath her brows. "So I was picking flowers while all the other Peace Keepers were doing the bad things. Lights out."

"No!" Chiana lunged, grasping the pulse pistol from her as she fell to the floor with her. She gasped, planting the barrel of the pistol into Aeryns chest as she threw her other arm out behind her, sitting on Aeryn's stomach.

"Oh doh!" Aeryn suddenly burst into laughter as she looked down at the pistol. "We're making progress!"

Chiana giggled as warm tears streamed down her face. "This isn't real..."

"Exactly," Aeryn smiled up at her wryly as she sat up on her elbows. "Can we move along now?"

"To where?" Chiana asked as she turned her head at the same time as Aeryn to the wolf.

The wolf flicked their ears forward, licking his chops as he tilted his head at them in curiosity. Aeryn motioned to them and the whirled around playfully, wagging thier tail as they trotted down the hall.

"Seems like a good enough direction," Aeryn gruffed as she planted her hand into Chiana's shoulder and pushed her off of her so she could stand on her knees. "Thank you, really. Whatever you may think later..."

Chiana shook her head, gaping at her as Aeryn slowly let out her breath, looking on her solemnly. She winced her eyes as she grasped Chiana's shoulder. "And, I'm sorry."

Chiana sobbed as she grasped Aeryn into an embrace, hugging her tightly as she cried into her shoulder. "What if - if I have to shoot you if I ever see you again?"

"Then do what I would want you to," Aeryn muttered as she stood with her and holstered her pistol to Chiana's side, looking intensly into her eyes. "Don't hesitate."

**********
 
ChianaGray and Nhfearme collaboration
(5/24/01 5:13 pm)
Going to The Mountains3
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IC:
Aeryn and the wolf follow a rushing river, leading Chiana to the mouth of a gorge. Water runs furiously through a hollow formation opening in awe before them.

Glancing from the dizzying height Chiana feels a force drawing her down the natural duct to follow the rushing waters. The wolf cautiously approaches the mouth of the duct as Aeryn leads the lynx away.

Chiana sways her head slowly listening to her surroundings in the dim light that pours from a single bright beam illuminating the opening. Hesitantly she watches the wolf. He brushes against her leg. Their eyes look fixed down into the gorge that lies beyond.

A low growl escapes the wolf's throat, the hair on his back rising. He takes a cautious, almost cat like step forward, his head low as he continues growling without statement, low and monotone. He suddenly dips back on his haunches and lunges forward in a powerful bound, stopping immediately in place, not moving, one fore paw raised as if ready to jump again or whirl back beside her at any given microt.

Wolf's nose low to the ground, he sniffs. Suddenly his head rises sharply, ears flying forward, he drops his paw. He lets out a deep, low "Hoof" almost like a sneeze as his head twitches. He startles. His ears flicker as his paws flex with a tiny bounce/jerk.

Chiana sees his surprise as she moves cautiously behind him. Unholstering her pistol she tries to see, listening so intently she can hear the swish of the wolf's tail as he wags. The wolf eases closer to the duct opening, then sneezes excitedly, making his body bounce upward. He lands, his legs slightly sprawled.

Chiana lets out her breath as she twists her brows and eases along his side, grasping the top of the duct for balance; she glances at him with a peculiar smile.

"What the Frell are you doing?"

The wolf gazes down to where the duct dips into a shaft going farther down in a sliding slope. He looks, intense interest centered at the bottom he approaches cautiously not to get swept away. His head tocks toward it. He looks very interested in going, but not too keen on getting there.

"Hey," Chiana breathes as she curves her ear towards
him. "Some fearless warrior you are."

The wolf glances back at her, shifting his paws in over-exaggerated readiness to leap.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Chiana chuckles with a tock of her head. "You don't want to go down there anymore than I
do. Let's find another way."

The wolf turns without hesitation, Chiana moves to follow when the wolf suddenly whirls around with a smile, his ears laid back, paws tucked into a powerful low bound, he leaps like he is mad into the duct.

Chiana darts after him, peering after him into the duct,into the shaft, her lips part. He is gone! She snorts then cautiously scrambles after him with her pulse pistol in hand. "Yayayayaaa!" is her battle cry as the duct quickly dumps her in the roaring waters of the shaft.

The white water dumps Chiana out of the end of the shaft. She lands roughly into the workings of an enormous machine. The works around her move at an alarming rate, pistons in their shafts and hammers lifting, shoot out and slam down. She dare not move! Turning her head slowly she looks to find her way to escape the violent obstacles.

She slips to one side and gasps as several rods shoot towards her at an alarming speed. She ducks, turning in her step into the path of a metal arm as it swings out. She leaps over tucking into a roll, nearly touching it and lands, freezing in her stance. She looks around herself to try to discern where she is in the machine. She catches a glimpse of something and she looks gaping at the form of a young boy curled into a fetal position on the floor amidst the chaos, with his hands over his ears. Chiana move to him cautiously, cat like, grasping his shoulder she glances back to the hammering devices then turns her gaze to him and holsters her pistol. She shakes him but he refuses to move. She looks up. Above him is a tunnel with ladder, only just too high up for the youth to reach. Smiling slightly to it she jumps, catching the end of the ladder easily enough ... But the boy...! She lets go, gruffing as she lands and turns to him, shaking him. She studies his features, his face. Sebacean perhaps Dressed in rags, his gray hair thrashed wildly about his head, he finally opens his eyes, gray as his hair and wide with fear. She helps him up, pursing her lips she hefts him to the ladder. He grasps the end of it desperately, giving no hesitation as he scrambles up as fast as his body can carry him. Chiana follows quickly to escape the pounding of the monsterous machine.