The cavern was huge, crystals chasiming the light from every direction. I have never seen anything like it, purple amethysts are sparking rays like the rainbow at the fall. I crawl out of the manhole, gaping in awe of the surroundings as I scoot myself to the boy. When I look to him a white crevase catches my eye, I raise my head to it. A sharded streak of white light. It is unharming to my eyes but I wonder what it's doing here, or myself anyway. I almost expected this to be the streets of Nebari by now in this - this where ever I am. I - I'm dreaming? Wasn't I? Am I dreaming now?

I look into the boys face, wondering who he is. I feel like I know him from some where. He is looking into my eyes, he seems sad to me. I smile, sure that he probably feels just as afraid as I do as I wince my eyes. I turn to look into the cavern again, awe sweeping through me in chills at the spectrum of purples. I rest my hand to my hip and look down, the feel of the dagger at my side ... I didn't realize it was there before ... it isn't my old dagger I got from Phillip, it's longer, the hilt looks like a dragon with red saffires for eyes, claws for the crossguard grasp two blue diamonds. In the chest of the dragon is a Negeltic crystal. It reminds me of Altana...

"No more girl, I'm leaving 'cause I did hit it big ... You better shut it before something you don't like flies in."

I close my mouth, looking towards the sound ... footsteps, I can't tell which direction though. The sound echoes, the cavern is like a massive sound resonator. I raise up on my knees as I see some form come through the dark farther off. My heart leaps, a drowning sensation smashing its way through my body as I see it's Scorpius! He stops a few hundred denches from me, that stupid smile on his frelling face I have come to distrust the most about him. He swings out a saber, I recognize it from the battle with John in the hanger so long ago.

I turn to run, my eyes met with the boys. My heart pounds, I can feel my breath catching. I can't just leave him but he's got to run! I heard the snarl, the same growl he would make when he forced himself on me so badly ... it was the pain I could remember the most. The fear of those moments came over me like I was there again. I gasp as I swing myself back around. We're cornered! I shake my head, unsure of how I could escape. My hand came to the dagger, I had almost forgotten it was even there.

I suck in my breath as Scorpius comes at me with the saber, his face filled with the vicious beast I knew was in him better than he knew himself. I scream out my fear, lunging at him before he can draw his swing around, slicing into his stomach with the dagger. He screams, doubeling over as I kick him in his head. His weakness ... I got him once when I was his prisoner ... I could kick the dren out of his head until his rod exhausted again!

He grabbs my foot, his dark eyes glare into me as he pushes me back. I hit the ground roughly, the fear I feel as his hand clenches my throat ... not again, please ... I shout as I lunge the dagger for his crotch, looking into his eyes as I feel his other hand grasp my wrist, stopping my strike. He starts to come over me, his hand squeezes my jaw as a moan escapes me. I can hear the trembel in my voice but I've got to stop this, it hurts, I'm scared ... not again!

"Get - your frelling hands off of me," I force my voice as I bring my leg back and kick him in his side for everything I'm worth. He falls back, holding tight to my wrist, pulling me with him. I think it's a mistake as I narrow my eyes, anger starting to grow inside me. I am sick of this! I'm sick of his face! I'm sick of being scared! "FRELL YOU!"

I wrung my wrist out of his grasp, stabbing the dagger into his chest with all of my body weight as I scream out, tears hot in my eyes. I swing away from him, punching him as hard as I can with the hilt of the blade as he comes for me. I can't stand this anymore. I don't want to look at him anymore and he's in my face again! "Frelling son of a hezmat!"

Wrath surges through me as I hit him again across his face, sending him to his knees. I feel my lip curl as I snatch his head and slam his nose into my knee. Frelling bastard! "You frelling bastard!"

I catch his arm between mine and my side and twist. I hear him cry out as his shoulder dislocates. I swing my other hand into him, smashing my hand into his larynex. He falls limply to the floor. I can't stand his face, everything I despise flashes like he's every bit of it, like he's every reason for it. The wrath, disgust and torment I feel I scream as I come to my knees and slam my fists into him, clenching them tightly where they land in his side. "Stop! Frell you stop!"

"Chiana..."

I'm crying so deeply, my tears blind me but I try to see who is calling my name. I hurt so much! I wipe my eyes, tocking my head as I breath, trying to find the source of the voice. I see only the boy though, his knees into his chest, his fists covering his mouth. He just stares off at nothing with this miserable look on his face. I cough in my struggle with my tears as I draw up the dagger and rest my forehead on the hilt, pressing the tip on Scorpiuses shoulder. I feel like it is all my fault. If I had just left things alone ... thought of myself... I miss him so much. Did he ever realize how much he did for me? No one ever came running after me like he did when I took the stone. Nobody cared, they only cared when Nerri and I no longer had the contageon. Nobody ever bothered - to ask me what I thought. But John.

I feel hands come to my shoulders, I don't care who it is as I cry. The sense of loss and pain is so deep I can feel it drawing for something far past me, down into the ground. Some one is just holding me, thier hand runs through my hair, I can feel thier body against mine. It feels warm, comforting. I don't want to know who it is, I don't want them to go away...

**********

I must have fallen asleep. I sat up, gasping as I look over the place, whirling at my shoulder. It's still the cavern. Scorpius is gone, the boy is still sitting, sleeping in his own arms with his head laying on his knees. I move to him swiftly and take his hands, carefull not to pull at him or startle him as I tilt my head, nodding to him with a smile. "Hey, let's get out of here okay?"

His eyes blink sleepily as he lets me help him up. I begin to look for the way out when I see him walk straight to the shaft of light. He passes right through. I follow, the brilliance of the light surrounding me until I find myself on the terrace of Moya. I stop, wondering at the boy, shifting my head as he looks out to the galaxy ahead of us. I'm cautious to aproach.

"Do you know what I saw?" He asks in a voice so low I can barely hear. "About your Amona?"

"No," I felt curious as I step to him and gaze out at the galaxy. I tilt my head, my shoulders shifting as I waited ... maybe to see my Amona out there in those stars and gasses.

"But that is all Chiana, do you wish more?"

"What, the galaxy?" I turn to him brightly, my lips part as the boy lowers his head and begins to grow. I step back, my heart races as he forms himself into Stark.

Stark touches his mask, looking at his other hand as if he is suprised with who he is now. My breath comes out in a long sigh as I step to him, looking him over in wonder.

"I'm sorry," he says gently. "I dissapoint you."

"You don't dissapoint me," I narrow my eyes as I touch his mask. "I - I don't think I understand..."

He gapes at me, his eye solemn as he tentivley touches my chin with his fingertips. "You should have been expecting a great warrior, like John. You - you're often as fearless as such a man."

I turn my head away with a wry smile, letting out a sharp breath. "Yeah well, I don't feel fearless." I laugh in my breath.

"You're very brave," his eye searches my face as he touches my cheek. I close my eyes, resting my head into his hand. How do I tell him I don't even know where I am? I mean, maybe I'm not where I should be? Instead of ... between two realms? I look into his eye but the words can't come to me. I've never belonged anywhere before - except to those stars out there. I could never...

I close my eyes as his tender kiss brushes across my lips. Sensations of pleasure wash through me in feelings of exstacy as his hand slides across my ear, his other gently reaching for my buttox. A gold cast shines into my face from a small line through his mask. I gasp, moaning deeply as thrills of exstacy spread through my entire being. I feel completely expanded, my arms streatching out. I open my eyes to it, dimmly aware I am in a cave watching the morning sun shine into the pool.

The fire is out, smoke tendrils from the ashes were Stark sits with my daughter in his hands, his own daughter Amber sound asleep beside him. I sit up, closing my eyes up to the cieling as the sensations of exstacy wash through me again. I feel my body begin to jerk, fighting for the consiousness I have gained, like I'm having some kind of ceasure. I can feel it pulsing at my tempil. I feel so thick, so far away. Am I dying? Hands grasp me, it's Mokan. She crams something into my mouth, smiling into my face though her eyes are gripped with worry. I try to swallow but what ever it is it tastes like dren and I start to gag. What the frell? I sit over, trying to spit the stuff out, choking and laughing at the same time.

"I think Rygel has tasted better."

"Oh I don't want to know about it," Mokan shakes her head rigourously as she helps me up. I feel drained and wobbely as she helps me to the water. I'm laughing though, the relief I feel sending chills all over me.

**********

nhfearme 
(5/30/01 6:20 pm)
D'Argo Returns
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The morning sun over their left shoulder, Chiana, Mokan, Stark, Amber and Dora Lee return to the house in the grove. Picking fruit for their breakfast as they approach the house, Dora Lee is the only one who gets a ride. Stark holds her gently while the others eat the grove's delicious fruit.

They enter the yard. Chiana and Mokan begin to climb the steps into the mansion when they hear Scarran attack craft landing. They stand watching it land to see who will emerge. It is D'Argo. He walks toward them with something in his hand. As he nears them Chiana can recognize Johns saber. She glances to see if John walks behind him, but D'Argo is alone. She descends the staircase to him.

D'Argo stands before Chiana and holds the saber and scabbard up to her.

What what happened to John? Is he dead?

No. But he is the same as. He went back to Aeryn.

Chiana can feel a knife in her heart. She was too afraid to tell Crichton; too afraid to call him home. Now she knows. As much as he hates Scorpius, the peacekeepers, being a slave to a great evil, it comes down to this. Crichtons love for Aeryn is greater.

********
 
ChianaGray
(6/1/01 11:23 am)
D'Argo Returns
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Chiana takes the saber and gazes down at it without expression. She swallows as D'argo touches her shoulder. He moves to speak, his eyes wince.

"We can try to get them later," he speaks gently. "I don't care if their minds are frelled. This is John and Aeryn we're talking about ..."

"I wasn't talking," Chiana gazes up at him wide eyed as her lips part. "Give it up D'argo. They're gone! We're not..."

"I just can't believe Crichton would ever try to betray us," D'argo shakes his head as Chiana takes his hand from her shoulder. She slides the scabberd into her belt next to her satual, taking his hand into both of hers. She stares solemnly into his long fingers, caressing his calluses with her thumbs.

"Yeah," She swallows again as D'argo runs his other hand along the scars on her wrist. He glares at them, his nostrils flaring as tears well into his eyes.

"The least you could do is be angry," D'argo's voice trembles slightly.

Chiana pulls her hands away from his touch, her heart races, her head tilts as she shifts into a stance. She winces her eyes as she meets his own, as if it is painful to look at him. "What do you think it's been like huh? You - you think the Peace Keepers are bad...?"

"He was your Manen," D'argo sighs as he tilts his head as if following her motions. "Chiana, this isn't like the past when you were surviving on your own. Crichton was my friend, we all stuck together and that was something he thought was important. We survived so much better that way didn't we? What do you want me to do, walk away now? Let them be slaves to the Peace Keepers?"

"So go after him," Chiana narrowed her eyes as she swayed slightly, her voice in tears. "It won't be me D'argo ... This time ... I'm jumping ship. So be anywhere you like, I'm going into my frelling Scarren adobe."

She turns away, ignoring everyone as she takes her daughter into her arms and makes her way inside and up the stairs to be alone.

D'argo turned his gaze carefuly to Mokan, his face worked into a fierce snarel as a small growl escaped him. "You will brief me now Mokan."

*********
 
nhfearme 
(6/3/01 2:08 am)
Shelan's Rescue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Captain Shelan falls into a deep unnatural sleep. Repeated reconditioning treatments have him near comatose. He finds himself near death. The guards enter to bring him for more treatments and find him unresponsive. They take it as a personal insult and begin to beat him, though already unconscious.

Its no use beating a dead man. Their lieutenant yells at them from the hatchway. Leave him for cleanup.

The soldiers lay in their last punches. Their torture toy is broken. They leave the cell, the hatch stands open waiting for the cleanup crew that amounts to one guy with a body bag. The next inhabitant will find Shelans blood still covers the cell floor.

Shelan travels the long dark corridor down to hell. His savior is no longer on his tongue. Removed by the reconditioning process, he no longer knows the name to call to free him from the curse of hells wrath. He stands naked, bleeding in the foyer, waiting for direction of his everlasting torture.

Phillip hears a voice calling him. He looks and only sees the statues that line the cavern. Still the voice calls him. He looks up. There seems a column of light just beyond his reach. The voice echoes from its light. Remember Phillip! His name! Remember his name!

Life limits to the mind, blood and bone. After life holds no restrictions. The deaf hear, the lame walk. Those without arms can reach out and the blind see. Though Shelan has no memories, his soul does. He looks up to the light and sees Leah. She seems ethereal, a spiritual being. He does not recognize, but that she is familiar, friendly beckoning to him. Phillip opens his mouth and calls for help. Only one word emits from his soul Jesus!

He feels the cool of the column of air as it lifts his body from the pit. The voice still calling him, he wakes in his own vomit, wretched and naked he sees a light from the corridor. The hatchway hangs open to freedom. A soft hand lifts him to his feet and helps him out of his cell.

*********

nhfearme 
(6/3/01 12:57 pm)
Shelan's Rescue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 OOC: This contribution is from deSaintphalle. No edit. I love it Niki! --nh

Niki's comments:

The title comes from the sublimely angst ridden Dave Matthews Band song of the same name. However the song lyrics come from a Smoky Robinson song, "Cruisin." If some of the characters are not currently in the same location, forgive me for not paying close attention. I just moved them to where they needed to be for this piece.
________

IC:

Chiana listens to Geyo report the latest intel with a less than enthusiastic attitude. "Please, let us dispense with this business for now."

"But Lady Crichton, I must insist, we have much to..." Geyo stumbled about the briefing room, his tail threatening to knock over chairs as he hurried to keep up with the quickly retreating Chiana.

"No, Geyo. The morning comes soon, my daughter needs me now." Hesitating in the rotunda of the grove house Crichton loved so dearly, Chiana felt his presence wash over her like the memory of a beloved deceased relative. "I...I can't think on it any longer. The morning, I'm sure will bring clarity."
___________

Dora Lee suckled her mama greedily, her lurid blue eyes bright with energy and affection. Her daughters' eyes, the eyes of Crichton, were pleasing yet haunting to Chiana. The child's tiny hand reached out to clutch her mother's silvery hair. The gesture, so sweet and innocent, threatened to open a well of tears within Chiana. That this kind of open display of affection was more typical of Dora Lee's father, had not escaped Chiana's attention.

Chiana rose carefully from the black velvet recamier, as Dora gurgled with satisfaction. "Shh...little one, time for your sleep cycle." She placed the tiny bundle into the basket suspended near the foot of her bed, before climbing into bed.

"Is she doing well?" The familiar male voice made her spine tingle. His strong hands softly grasped her shoulders, as he peered into the basket.

The warmth of his breath caressed her needy neck, as she responded groggily. "As well as can be expected, and under the circumstances." Chiana turned in his arms, clutching his t-shirt, her thumbs stroked his nipples until they firmly poked through the material.

She could smell him on the sheets, no, in the very fibers of the bedding. He was everywhere. Chiana lay naked to the thought of him.

~*~
Baby tonight belongs to us
Anything's right
Do what you must
~*~

Pinned to the bed by his strong spirit, Chiana writhed as her talented hands wound down beneath the sheets, and between her legs in search of the secret place discovered by him in this very bed, on the very day their daughter was conceived. Her pleasure was forced to live behind clenched teeth, and swollen lips, instead of being screamed into the night air. Silent rapture followed parenthood. A hard lesson to learn for someone so full of out loud life.

~*~
We're going to fly away
Glad you're going my way
I love you when we're cruisin together
~*~

"John!" Chiana softly cried, as she recovered from her self inflicted passion. Her eyes tightly clenched, as tears spilled from the corners of her lids. She froze as a warm hand stroked her back. "No...it can't be..."
Turning, her hopes were quickly dashed as Mallan came clearly into view.

**********
 
ChianaGray
(6/5/01 8:21 pm)
Encounter III: The Dark Wound
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Chiana sits on the cliff edge over looking the ocean below. D'argo sits quietly with her beside the glider he brought her here. She holds Dora Lee, nursing her, humming quietly as Dora feeds from her breast in a sleepy contentment.

D'argo only sits, joining in her silence, unable to say what he knows about Scorpius taking her child ... unable to ask her what she went through ... his lips part as he stares at the waters.

Chiana swallows as she glances back to the cruiser as if she's never seen it before, her head turns to her ear as she gapes down at the same waves crashing into the rocks. The tears won't stop.

"Follow me Pip!"

"And Pip's supposed to mean?"

"My favorite traveling companion, let's go..."

The dark stab of pain deep inside her seems like flashes from Scorpius to Crichton. She suddenly fears falling apart. Her body shakes like a trembling leaf. The knife runs deep in her chest, dark and cold like a memory of extreme vicious hatred. She remembers falling from the med. table in Zhaan's medical on Moya, Mokan grasping her as she tried to run. Chiana grasps her chest, swallowing again slowly as her tears flow hot and unrelenting, some coursing down her neck as she blinks and tries not to sob too loudly as some of her tears land on Dora. She wipes them from her as D'argo quietly takes the baby from her arms.

"You're pregnant with another child."

"Noooo! You bastard! You frelling bastard!"

She rested her head into D'argoes lap, wrapping her arms around his waist as she sobbed deeply into his stomach.

**********

 Next morning:

Chiana sits with her daughter feeding her on the balcony of her bedroom. She wipes her eyes, wondering what had gotten into her as she gazes on her daughters drooping eyes and contented face. Her lips began to part as music suddenly fills the house, sweet, melodic and entrancing ... loud.

She turned wondering where it was comming from as it seemed to vibrate out of the walls, the tunes very familiar as she stood and carried her daughter to the stairs. At the foot of the stairs inside the house D'argo sits, playing a shiliquin. Chiana sat on the stairs to listen, swallowing as she rocked her daughter.

After what seemed almost like half an arn D'argo stopped and turned his gaze to her. She smiled as she tilted her head to him.

"Are you going to court Mokan with that?"

"Actualy," He smiled as he winced his eyes, setting the shiliquin aside. "I thought things were too quiet. This helps me think sometimes."

"Yeah," Chiana muttered distantly as she turned her gaze to Dora.

"Chiana," D'argo sighed heavily as he came and sat next to her, his eyes smiling on the baby in her arms. "You didn't have to come back so early, we were watching her just fine."

Chiana shook her head as she rested her shoulder into him, laying her head against his chest. He rested his hand to the side of her head, holding her to him as she tried to close her eyes to the tears that wanted to fall again.

"Get out of the house," he spoke gently into her hair. "That's an order."

Chiana snorted her laugh as she turned into his embrace. "I guess I -"

"Ah - ah - ah!" He shook his head as he raised his hand in front of them. "I don't even want to know where you're going. Just, come back late."

"You can't be serious," she twisted her brows as she cut her eyes up to him.

"Of course I'm serious," he smiled as he took her chin with his thumb and gazed into her eyes. "Chiana, go do something of your own like the woman I have always known. You remember the one who never takes dren off of anybody? Go kick somebodies eema or buy a whole frelling market shop."

"The whole shop, D'argo," she tocked her head at him as she eyed him beneath her brows. "Are you taint?"

"Chiana," D'argo blinked slowly as he raised his head, taking in his breath. Her smell enticed him, raising an old ache in his heart for her. "Lady Crichton. It's time you decided if that is a title you want to keep. Moya won't stay here forever, basicly, you have right now every opportunity to go anywhere you want to. It's time to decide if you want to continue to lead the Resistance in this sector ... or move on."

"I can think about that here just fine."

"You can," he spoke gently as he moved back to his shiliquin. "But I'm going to play this until you leave."

She narrowed her eyes on his back as he began to warm up the shiliquin again, a slow smile crossing her face as her head turned slightly. "You're serious..."

"Oh yes," he smirked deviantly as he began to play the instrument to its full volume.

**********

 Chiana wandered down the market streets of the citadel, recognizing some of the places from her past ventures here when she was living in the larger estate. She couldn't bring herself to go there, all her memories of Crichton and Jake filled those walls, the day of her marriage - everything. She crossed an alley into the next street where land cruisers and gliders competed with bystanders for travel. It wasn't extremely crowded, much cleaner than her memories of running the streets on Nebari Prime.

She looked into the windows and displays of different shops, trying to get things out of her mind though the thoughts of D'argoes comfort seemed to consume her. She wanted so much to be with him ... If only ...

She looked on into a display of cloaths and silks with the question in her eyes, her lips parting as she touched the glass. She felt almost divided between herself and everything that had happened since she found Crichton like she had been ripped open with a pulse rifle shot.

He just wanted to comfort you. Why didn't you try to take it further? What are you scared of huh? ... but he's gone too isn't he ...

She sighed as she lightly hit the glass with the ball of her fist and turned back into the street, drowning into the crowds until she came up to an open stand of different leathers from satuals and wear to hand made crafts. She liked the smell of the leather, attracted to the richness of the hand made items as she went through them. Her head turned sharply to the sound of shattering glass. Her eyes widened as she swiveled to one side, prepared to run as two Sebaceans came dashing through the crowd towards her. They nearly threw several people into to her as they charged past like hezmana itself was after them.

"God damnit!" The man shouted as he came out of his shop throwing his hand to the top of his short black hair. The crowed around him cleared as he pursed his lips down at the broken pieces of glass with a pulse pistol in his hand. He didn't bother to search the crowd for his fleeing vandilizers, his eyes rolling as he turned back around. Chiana watched him as he came back out with a pan and sweep to pick up the thick shards of different colored glass. He was a Sebacean though it wasn't always easy to tell the difference between them and a Banik.

Chiana smiled lightly to herself as she approached, watching him for long moments as he picked up the pieces. His gentle features were strained with agrivation, thin, sharp brows worked into a frown as his black eyes sparked brightly at what he was doing. His dress was a little odd, he wore a thick leather apron over a dark brown suit that had plastics like armour plates and various black tubes leading everywhere. He looked nearly more like a pilot suited up for a long flight in his prowler.

She squatted down to him, smiling as she picked up a large chunk of broken glass and held it out to him. Her eyes danced as she caught his gaze, searching his eyes gently as she watched them turn from black to a dark brown in his startlement. His smile was charming, like an embarrassed boy as he took the glass from her hand.

"You get that often?" Chiana asked.

"What?" He blinked, shifting nervously as he glanced around and smiled again. "Some people don't like the idea of a Sebacean not being a Peace Keeper. Young militants, they naturally assume I must be excommunicated."

"Are you?"

"No," he smiled as he turned his eyes to her again brightly. "I'm a colonist, unfortunately I'm missing a few records so I've become spontaneously contaminated PK material. I have planetary amnesty though."

"Planetary amnesty," she raised her head slightly with interest. "So the Peace Keepers that are still here can't arrest you, can they?"

"Not unless I walk onto a Peace Keeper base and moon the general," he smiled softly as he closed the lid to the pan and stood, his eyes following her as she stood with him. "It's part of the treaties of the ruling council native to this world. They keep themselves from being dominated by any side by their governing rules and trade goods value. My amnesty on this planet is reinforced by the Scarrens, who have the most investment in the doctorates and merchandising of the goods here. You really should look into this worlds history, it would be an asteroid belt or a slave planet by now between the PK and Scarrens if the Councilates weren't so clever about their natural resources. It's one of the better commerce planets I've seen."

"Maybe you could tell me about it," Chiana smiled tenderly as she tilted her head into him and touched his chest. "I could help you - bring this inside."

His features seemed to soften, his smile coming into his eyes as he slowly held out his sweeper to her. "I'm Shane."

"Want to show me around?" Chiana asked cheerfully as she whirled around into his shop, pausing in awe as she entered a large room filled with shelves, displays and rows of different blown glass works and cut stones.

"Please," Shane winced his eyes as he followed in behind her. "Don't break anything. I'd feel better if we talked in my adobe. I live upstairs."

"Oh," Chiana raised her brows as she swiftly half turned to him, admiring his tall, sinew muscled form as he began to walk into the back. She followed, stepping into a very large work area of bins of different colored glass and three stalls containing kilns. The roof was drawn back from the white sod walls.

She followed him up a flight of stairs from the work area to the upstairs. Inside was almost the same thing, his glass works were everywhere, his living quarters basically a living room with a bar dividing the kitchenry. His bedroom was apparently a loft or ledge above the kitchen. She turned, her lips parting as he began to take off his suit, stripping down to a pair of shorts. He began to slip on a T-shirt and pants, pausing as his dark brown eyes lifted to her in mid pant leg.

"Uh," he gaped, searching for his words as she leaned against his bar and tilted her head at him with a wry smile. "I'm - not used to having company. I'm Sebacean, the suit gets hot if I don't have the coolants on. I need it to be able to work the glass in the extreme temperatures of my kilns."

"What got you into this?" Chiana asked, turning to him as he came around his bar and began to make them drinks. She chuckled as she narrowed her eyes. I'm getting scared and he's having company. "The glass I mean."

"I was the apprentice of the former master," he nodded slightly as he passed her a crystal glass of raslak. "It's an art that has always interested me but I had to work diligently to meet his standards without prior apprenticeship background and I had to be damn good to be worth the trouble of suiting up to endure the heat. It's a whole guild, not just me. I have to excel in more than just meeting the standards of the guild because our glass is among the luxury commodities the Scarrens and PK value. The higher the quality, the more valuable we are to trade."

"And then the more power the ruling council has in keeping their native planet neutral." Chiana stated as she drank, gazing down at the sparkling crystal in wonder. "So how did they keep the Scarrens or the Peace Keepers from just gaining control of the trades to service as their rulers?"

"By preservation of know how," Shane spoke with amusement as he sat beside her. "And then a few strikes afterwards. Passive, but extremely effective."

Chiana smiled as she admired his features. She leaned to him, gazing up into his eyes as she brushed her thumb along his cheek. "What else do you do in here, all by yourself?"

"Wait for lonely women to show up on my doorstep," he spoke gently as his fingertips came to the side of her face. His eyes seemed solemn as he smiled softly.

Chiana sighed deeply, her heart racing as she tentatively touched his lips with her own. She licked her lips as she drew back, her eyes half closed as she waited for some nightmare to creep up on her. She kissed him more deeply, longing deep within her stirring in warmth's being near Mallan had kindled again. She longed for John's touches, the warmth of his breath and heart beat she had become so much part of as his wife. A small whimper escaped her as she clutched Shane's hips and drew her head down. Desire filled through her, unleashing this time, fear trailed through it like a hot blade at the sudden open memories of Scorpius' torture. Shane wrapped his arms around her as he breathed into her neck. His hands reached inside her thighs. She moaned at his touch, trembling as he brought his hands up and released her breasts from her bodice.

"No," she breathed heavily as she looked into his eyes with her own half closed, grasping his wrists as he came to his knees in front of her. She tried to speak again but the longing to be with Crichton ached deep within her, the need for his touch, the way he would make love to her, comfort her, every little thing they had known about their desires together ...

Shane said nothing as he gently kissed her abdomen and began to pull her pants down. She gasped as her back arched, her arms drawing out as sensations of sweet pleasure washed through her entire body at his touches. She moaned in near scream, tender ecstasy waiting behind every wave of spasms that feathered through her body.

He drew her down on top of him, thrusting into her suddenly. Washes of ecstasy exploded through her. She screamed as it thrived through her so completely, expanding beyond her in waves and tingles throughout her entire being. She cried out again as he grasped her hips, his own moans drowned in pleasure as he thrusted, his thumbs sliding down the sides of her thighs. Chiana gasped, her hair flying around her eyes as he thrust into her again with a sudden force, ecstasy racing through her body in hot tendrils as he climaxed. His hardness throbbed inside her madly. She touched his chest, running her fingers down to his stomach as her desires ached deeply in longing even as she was satisfied. He moaned, his head falling back as sweat poured from him, his orgasm continuing to throb inside her. She rested her head on his chest, content to fall asleep in his comforting warmth as she listened to his heart pounding.

"I - I hope some huge Scarren boyfriend doesn't come looking for you just now," Shane he breathed into her hair.

"There's no one," she spoke softly as she closed her eyes. "Not anymore."

"Tell me your name," he muttered as he wrapped his arms around her. "Anything."

She pursed her lips in her smile as she caressed the sides of his chest. "Chiana."

**********
 
nhfearme 
(6/9/01 2:37 am)
um, hrm... Nc ~ 17
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Captain Phillip Shelan lies naked on a bed surrounded by candles. He remembers the place. An angel ministers to him. As his mind clears he remembers. Leah. His throat is dry, his lips sore from the beatings he took day after day. Though his tortures are not remembered; the chair removed his memories of them. Time will tell what remains of Captain Phillip Shelan.

Rest, my love. Leah leans and kisses him softly on his brow, the only part of him not bruised or bleeding. She dips a sponge in her healing oil and applies it tenderly to his wounds.

How how did I get here? Shelan tries to remember. The base is here, perhaps I have escaped from there. They will be looking for me. You arent safe he warns her.

Leah softly smiles. He worries for me. Perhaps, finally the evil is gone from him. Phillip, my Phillip, time will tell if your Peacekeeper heritage will command you still. Rest, my love. If they come, they come. I will stay by you.

Phillip reaches and holds her hand, looking deeply into her eyes to find his past. He gasps through his tortured throat for relief of his pain. Leah takes her hand from him and reaches to lift his head.

Drink this. She lifts a goblet to his lips.

He drinks, remembering the flavor of the life giving strong drink poured from her hand, the night he survived the test of the Kedva, his first day she tended him his friend brought him here to recover. A great hole in my heart; a great pain in my soul drove me to take drugs to stop my grief of loss of my love for He gasps at the taste of the strong drink yet savoring, in truth from Leahs nourishing hands. He surrenders to her.

**********
 
ChianaGray
(6/10/01 2:56 pm)
um, hrm... Nc ~ 17
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Chiana dressed in Shane's tiny bathroom and stepped out, drying her hair as she rested her eyes on where he slept. He was wrapped in the blankets, a leg and half of his round butt showing, his hand was spread into his wildly straying short hair. His olive skin looked even more tan, almost goldish in the morning light streaking boldly from the roof window over the loft and into the living room. She smiled softly to herself as she stalked over to him and crouched, watching him with a gentle expression, an openness in her eyes as she ran the back of her gloved knuckles across his cheek. He didn't stir, sleeping like a rock.

She climbed down, helping herself to a quick breakfast in his kitchenry before leaving. When she hit the street she headed out towards the more familiar areas, coming up on the hanger where she had first brought Crichton, tortured and wounded, mourning the life he had held with Aeryn. In allot of ways it felt good to return. When she stepped inside it all looked the same, but so old, like a dusty memory, almost ... smaller, than she remembered. It couldn't have been that long really, though, it felt like it had been cycles ago.

She paused, looking down where a stain still remained of Scorpius' blood though it was very faded, most of it chopped up in a long trail to just large splotches. She could remember it very clearly but so often her memories could be so clear she could actually capture an essence of them like a smell and envision when they had been her present like photos of light or a tunnel into an unusually bright dream. In very very ancient times the Nebari had been telepath's, or so the myths told. Still, she sometimes wondered if her people didn't sometimes carry over some dying gene of when their founders before the Establishment were supposed to have been such great minds who utilized their technologies to enhance and expand those abilities ... never realizing they would loose the ancient civilization to a more twisted version of the high ideal.

She lifted her head, her eyes catching Melak as he stepped out onto the balcony above from the stairs. He smiled lightly as he rested his hands on the rail and narrowed his eyes with interest from his spidery strands of hair in his scarred face. She was a little late in the picture to the things Melak valued that made him part of the resistance. He was a strong believer in their darker secrets of the ancient time, living in a silence he never dared to brush pass his own lips though Chiana could recognize now those secrets the Resistance was stirring by the way he carried himself. Theirs was a foreboding future to the Greater Good they defied and provoked, like a dark seed silently twining within Nebari Prime as a weed, a revolution shadowing the darker persecution, spreading deeper and more wild beyond the spark that set the fire. Nerri, like him she had become a revolutionary symbol. She knew all too well just how bad she screwed up with the Resistance but her vital importance to them was a little more than she was willing to accept, forever to hide. She was a little tired of hiding and she questioned what those like Melak wouldn't tell her that made her so frelling vital apart from having the knowledge of the antibody to the contagion, her own blood able to be used to cure someone else. In the cycles building a silent network for the Resistance in Sebacean territory she had come to learn there were things the Resistance was doing they wouldn't tell even her, quiet things that gave her an odd feeling, like the shadow of a hawks wings gliding across the grove.

"May I assume you have returned?" Melak asked as he folded his hands together.

"Yes," she nodded as she swallowed. "Do we have contact?"

"We do," he smiled with a slight bow of his head and began to walk down the steps to her. "First, I am supposed to ask you if you are willing to carry out certain orders without protest, no matter what their conditions may entail."

"No," she narrowed her eyes, turning to follow him with her eyes as he came to sit on a capsule next to a prowler in the hanger. "I - I have a plan ... for us."

Melak let out his breath slowly as he stared at the floor wide eyed, parting his lips with the words he was searching for. "Yes. What is being asked for is that you stand down from special ops."

"Yeah well that's no suprise," Chiana twisted her brows as she curved her head to him, shifting her shoulders as she stepped closer to him. "So am I going to the ground base you found?"

Melak sighed as he stood and began to scan her over with a small device. "At least you're clear - I hope you have a very good plan Chiana. Otherwise, you will no longer be recognized as a lead."

"Lead what?" Chiana blinked as she scowled at him. "You got Peace Keeper and Scarren sympathizers willing to save their ass from the contagion out of this. The way I see it, I'm on my own out here, so you can go back to Nebari Prime or ..."

Melak smiled softly as he held out a small calculator like pad to her. "This is your inventory, including potential alliances and possible resources we may obtain and the names of devoted undergrounders in this sector. You may want to look it over on our way."

*********

 "Abru'jey," Mokan muttered as she came to her knees at the scene before her. She wrapped more cloaths around Setig's bloody stump. D'argo tried to help, spitting black blood from his teeth as he shook his head. Setig continued to growl in a high pitched racking sound for a scream of pain, his eyes rolled back.

Mokan lashed out her tounge, striking the Scarren in the neck with a growl of her own. She eyed D'argo as he pressed on his comms.

"Base Nisra -"

Mokan grasped his arm before he could finish, shaking her head. "He's a Scarren warlord, they'll kill him for his weakness and then the Crichton estates will be in danger of another Scarren challenge despite Pagar because Chiana is female."

D'argo flared his nostrils, his eyes blazing into her though his voice remained calm, "nor can we afford for him not to recieve medical from someone who knows anything about Scarren's."

"Comm Geyo," she nodded firmly as she stood and unsheathed her qualta from her back.

"Where the frell are you going?"

"To restore Setigs honor before it is lost," Mokan stated calmly as she rested her gold eyes on him.

"Fine," D'argo nudged his head to Topic and began to help him lift the Scarren to take him inside. "Take my prowler."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Mokan shook her head as she turned and began to run.

D'argo sighed at Topik's questioning look. "Don't even ask me, Luxan's used to bring Jaboan's with them in battle for luck and now they're frelling running every where."

Topik snorted, eyeing him as if unsure that was some kind of pun.

Mokan ran through the grove up to the foot hills along the mountain side. She came to a stop on a hllside, looking over at the two Scarren's escaping from their challenge of Setig and D'argo for the Crichton grove. She narrowed her eyes as she set her qualta on rifel and fired. The first Scarren fell dead. The second turned to him, shocked by his death upon one single shot.

Mokan nodded to herself as she aimed again. "Yeah, that's no pulse fire."

She fired, the second falling over the body of the other Scarren.

*********

 Melak walked through the rectangular shaft that lead beneath the mountain side. Chiana followed cautiously, her apprehensions stirred by the familiarity. Melak smiled as she came ahead of him into a huge oval shaped chamber. Capsules lined the walls all the way around by a few yards apart though several places had seemed to have collapsed. To her left a large part of the wall was a boulder of rock with a large gape showing the floor below. In the center of the room was a circular helm around a shaft that went all the way to the ceiling. It looked something nearly like an insect or the unfinished larvae of one. It seemed fairly intact but large broken pieces lay on the floor around it. More to the middle of the room circled eight foot tall monoliths of a jet black.

"Do you know what this is?" Melak asked as he walked with her. Chiana shook her head as she turned her attention to the passageways between the capsules along the walls.

"No," she muttered as she stared at the three Nebari who came from one of the passages, two men and a woman. She didn't recognize them. The hairs rose on the end of her neck as she caught her breath, unsure suddenly if she should run for her life or be glad to see ... them?

"It's a base for scientific study," Melak smiled as the three approached them. "Perhaps, I should just show you instead of explain..."

"How long will this take?" One of the men who approached asked as he eyed Chiana over. "No offense Chiana, but you do not strike me as scientifically inclined from the reports I have of you."

"Oh," Chiana cooed as she turned her eyes up to him with a wry smile. "Then, maybe you'd like to hold my hand while you show me this stuff?"

"Chiana has been involved in some of Nebaries science field studies, if you will remember the Intel on Rakinas One," Melak cleared his throat as he turned to Chiana. "This is an engineering specialist, Ganis, and his operatives, Rashai and Essra. They are here to secure our discovery."

"Which is?" Chiana raised her brows as she turned her attention to the circular helm. "What is this place?"

"Nothing Nebari Prime would care about now," Melak stated as he began to walk to the helm. "But it's not like we have anything like it for the purpose of the Resistance. This base is actually a generator utilizing the planetary energies for whatever it was that was on Resharies moon."

"We think," Ganis continued quietly. "That it was experiments in creating a deflection shield around the entire moon, maybe to protect from attack, or generate an artificial ozone for inhabitance. But, it could be anything without knowing what was there, a weapon perhaps. This so called base is generations old, back to the era of Kauth."

"More importantly is what we can do with it now," Melak sighed as he came to the helm that dimly light with life in only a few areas. "If this were restored it could produce enough energy to supply this planet and its citadels for centuries to come. Our thoughts are the Resistance could actually utilize the control of an entire planet for our purposes ..." he turned to gaze into Chiana's eyes, his own sparkling as he smiled with a sharp snort of his breath. "Produce antibody in massive proportions, supply technology, armory ... refuge our own kind in a permanently based safety zone ... begin the prosseses of our theories on reversing mind cleansing..."

Chiana stared down at the helm as if dazed, running her fingers along several dimly light shapes and glyphs. "I - I don't think I can believe you Melak."

"It's right here Chiana," Melak spoke gently, reminding her of Nerri so much she jerked her head up to him in awe. "All we need is to get it running, and plan and prepare with the utmost care. It's so small and pathetic compared to the things we've always known, out of date tech no one even remembers was here, but what Nebari Prime would never realize is just how adverse we can be. We can resist Chiana, that's what makes us try. At least, this base gives us incentive to look for more like it."

"What are we going to do with this thing?"

"Get it running," Essra smiled as she crossed her arms and gazed up at the shaft. "The sooner the better."

Chiana gaped at her in the overwhelming sense of a full faced rebellion what they were proposing provoked in her. Her eyes saddened as she drew distant and swallowed, imagining what a civil war might be like stretching across Nebari territory all the way through the uncharteds and other zones. It seemed like even with the delays they managed to bring on the activation of the contagion there was going to be internal war one way or the other universally wide - across sectors she herself had yet to hear of ... With wormhole technology to take it even farther. It was a scale for war she could scarcely fathom, one that frightened her even more than the threaght of her own mind cleansing or being used to get to Nerri.

"I want to talk to Nerri," she breathed as she stepped away from the helm. "I want to see my brother. Now!"

***********

 The doctor came out of medical into his waiting center, stopping short as he shook his head. "Oh no."

"What's your problem?" Mokan narrowed her eyes on him as she approached.

"I know who you're with," he raised his hand as he stepped back. "Whatever it is now I haven't seen you people for days, weeks!"

"Why are you making it sound like I have a reputation?" Mokan creased her brows, mocking a perplexed look as she looked around herself. "Usually that means it's time to go."

"Yes," he nodded as he widened his eyes. "Go, please. As far away from my facility as possible. If it's anything to do with Chiana I'm not here. Infact, I don't even exist."

"Uh-hu," Mokan nodded slightly as she planted her hand on his shoulder. "I'm asking help for a Scarren."

"Even worse."

"It won't be so bad," Mokan smiled sympathetically as she patted his back and nudged her head to Geyo. "I brought you assistance."

Geyo stood from his seat. He blinked, turning his sharp head to the doctor with a mild curiosity. "I think we should bring that other one on this Mokan. What is her name, the one who repaired the stealth prowler."

"Jasmin?"

"I've asked Jothee to arrive to work on her ship," Geyo nodded.

"I'm not getting into this," the doctor shook his head, glaring them down as he crossed his arms. "You are asked to leave my facility or I will call the Peace Keeper authorities and have you arrested."

"That's why we'll do it this way," Mokan smiled as she crossed her own arms and raised her head to him. "Damn PK, they just can't keep their hands to themselves. Sounds like you'll let your authorities have any patient they please from you doc."

She lashed her tongue into the doctors neck, following him with her eyes as he collapsed.

"We can't get anywhere with him like that," Geyo grumbled as he scratched his temple. "What do we do now?"

"Kidnap him," Mokan mused as she put her foot into his hip and pushed him over onto his stomach. "I'd like to hear a little more about his 'facility' anyway."

**********

 Setig screamed as his stump was submerged into a black liquid. Jothee stepped back, gaping at Jasmin as she hovered some kind of scan over the small bat. Mokan and the doctor tried to hold onto Setig as the liquid began to swirl, long threading strands of it crawling up his shoulder, spreading across half his chest like a fine web.

"You forced me to be here for this?" The doctor narrowed his eyes on Mokan as Setig suddenly snatched her by her throat and hoisted her up into the air.

"Ghak! You know about Scarren's," Mokan choked as she grabbed Setig's wrist and shot her thumb into the back of his elbow. Setig growled as his hand sprang open, shaking his head as she turned out of him and slapped him across his face with her open hand. "You Scarren tralk! Get your frelling act together!"

"This dren is crawling on me!" Setig snarled. "You stick your frelling stump in here you useless excuse for a female!"

"Shut up!" Jothee grumbled as he helped Jasmine move the large scanner aside.

Setig seemed to smile as he narrowed his eyes on the thickened black substance. "I can feel something."

He growled as he moved out his new arm, a growl that suddenly turned to a scream. His arm was like an armour of a dull reddish color with a clawed hand where the armlet of it shovel shaped over the top of his palm. On the inside of the fore arm were sharply nailed fingers folded together like insectal legs that suddenly spread open like a centipede and flexed. Setig's eyes widened, sparkling with terror as he screamed. "Get it off of me! Get it off! Hezmana!"

"It's your arm!" Mokan gawked at him. "You take it off!"

"Its a thing!" Setig howled as he suddenly whirled in his step and slammed the side of the arm against a capsule. The capsule smashed, falling heavily to the ground with a dented crack in it. Mokan lashed her tongue into the Scarren's neck. He slowly turned his gaze to her baring his sharp teeth. She unsheathed her qualta blade, wide eyed as she stepped back.

"Setig just calm down," She growled low in her voice as she glared at him beneath her brows. "It's your frelling arm."

"It's a creature," Setig snarled viciously as he slung his arm into the wall, sending a deep hollow boom through the laboratory center. "Get this animal off of me! Nhhhhrrrraaaaa!"

He staggered back, shaking his head as he fell to his knees. The doctor moved in swiftly, hypoing him the back of his neck. Setig groaned as he fell unconscious to the ground.

Jothee sighed as he crossed his arms, glaring down at Setig. "I take it your big ugly Scarren is afraid of bugs."

"What the frell is that?" Mokan nearly laughed as she turned wide eyed to Jothee. "You gave him a bug?"

"Why are you asking me?" He creased his brows at her as he motioned out to Jasmin. "Ask her!"

"It's simulated regeneration gene patterns," Jasmin spoke quietly without looking to them as she closed the small bat of black liquid and began to drain it into a large capsule. "But ... he's alien."

"May I go now?" The doctor asked uneasily as he sighed.

**********

 Chiana awed at the holographic screen Melak brought her to. She tilted her head, wondering at the image of Nerri that apeared above the plate in the floor. He smiled, letting out a sharp breath as he nudged his head.

"It's old tech little sister," he smiled brightly as she drew out her arms and stepped closer. "It's me, this channel is more than clear."

"You can see me?" She smiled gently as she narrowed her eyes.

"Well," he blinked with a slight twitch of his head. "Half of you. Chiana, I want to you to back down from being a special operative. It's not safe for you in that sector anymore. Too many people know where you are."

"I'm not leaving, Nerri..."

"I - I know, I know," he blinked as he raised his palm up to her and waved his hand. "Listen you've got to lay low now."

"This generator," she winced her eyes as she tilted her head to him. "Nerri ..."

"It'll work Chiana," he snorted, rolling his eyes with a doubtful smirk that caused her smile to broaden. "Give it a chance? We want this base."

"Sure," she nodded. "Listen, I can get the council of this planet to allie us if we do get this generator to work. If we have something worth a valuable trade ... they'll give us a planetary amnesty ..."

"Yeah I've kind of been keeping tabs," he half smirked, smiling as she suddenly chuckled and toggled her head, her eyes beaming at him. "Well, after you destroyed an entire gammak base really. Shock waves are still running from your exposure Chiana. I - actualy, I'm glad you found who you were looking for. I was getting very worried about your special operations. I was told you two had a child?"

"Yeah," she smiled as she gazed over his face with a slight sway of her head. "What about you?"

"I dunno," he blinked, pursing his lips as he shook his head, half turning it away. "Kids, eh. Too dangerous..."

"You want me to take care of the diplomats?" She smirked as she cut her eyes to him. "If these scientists here cooprate with me a little?"

"I knew you'd do that or would be on it already," he half shrugged as he shifted his chin lightly with an almost timid look. "But, Ganis and his team are more interested in the generator than anything else. I think you'd better gather the amnesty yourself and then Melak and I will straighten them out for you. I have to go little sister. We will talk again, I promise."

"Hey," she nudged her head to him as she smiled again. "Hug yourself for me or something."

"I miss you too," he smiled softly as he reached out and the hologram disapeared.