IC:

Mokan sat on top of the ship, gazing up at the night sky with her arms wrapped around her legs as she sung without words. It was a trill like sound, her ratteling sound mixed into the sweeping tones as she allowed her tears to fall from the corners of her copper eyes. Krestan came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he nestled his head into her shoulders. She closed her eyes, swallowing as she paused in her mournful cries.


She tilted her head up once again, her tears pouring freely as she parted her lips and let out a long, mournful tone that rose and fell like the sound of a wolf. She rocked herself in Krestan's arms, her sobbs pausing her before she cried out again in singing, her mournful words drawn out in mystical tones. Krestan pursed his lips as he turned his face into her tendons, tracing the fingers of one hand down them as his own tears shined on his dark face.

He could not stay...

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

Chiana bit her lip as she paused in the hallway. The temptation to see Pilot had risen in her but she wasn't on the right ship. She tilted her head at the strange sensation. She felt - as if she were on Moya. She sighed as she turned to the wall, sliding down it to sit with her elbows on her knees and her hands grasping her head. What the FRELL did she think she was doing? How was she going to find John? There had to be a way into that carrier and none of the old tricks were going to work without the right resources...

She could still smell Mallan on her and sighed, darting her eyes down the cooridor hoping for a few moments of peace to just sit here. She couldn't believe she had actualy fainted... like some school girl on her first crush. She still felt dizzy and weakend ... her jouice... She sighed heavily again as she struggled to sit up and made for the refrigeration units. She could kick herself right in the eema for being so attracted to him and right in the middle of this! She could beat the hezmana out of him with the urgency she felt to get to John. Then throw him out the nearest airlock for being so errotic and attractive to her. She couldn't just torture the guy - had she forgotten she was married too?

She gaped at her glass as she poured her jouice into it, blinking as it over filled and spilled over.

"Frell."

*****************************
Nhfearme
4/7/01
Of Spies and Lies
IC:

Captain Shelan grieves for Leah these three days. His grief for her loss is mixed with his love for his son. He held Tyven, looked into his eyes. He smiles at the thought of his own son strengthening Peacekeeper ranks. Fear creeps into his mind for Chiana, her child, his child.

Its been four solar days. Phillip still hasnt heard anything from resistance forces. He begins to think Mallan may have captured Chiana. Once a loyal Med tech, Mallan may now kill her in the attempt! Did Chiana get his message? Did the Med tech even send it? Was he captured, killed or did he too turn to serve Scorpius?

Phillip is running short of supplies. He will use this excuse to find her "No! I cant come out of hiding yet." He stops himself. The command carrier may still be here. Scorpius may find him, wondering as he eats his last few food cubes if he is willing to take the risk just to learn to know if she lives.

He remembers holding Leahs hand as she grew cold. Feeling her life force slip from his grasp. Chiana is in the same danger! He has to at least try! The merchants would know if the Carrier has left. The troops withdrawn, their sales would plummet. Prime for a bribe.

Phillip climbs in his stealth prowler and lands outside the Commerce district. He reconnoiters the area. Things seem quiet. Then he sees some soldiers from the base. He ducks behind a venders stand to hide from them pulling his pulse pistol his muscles tense to fire.

"Are you going to buy something? Or just using my skirts to hide behind?" The purple alien female gruffly complains. "Is there a bounty on you?" she eyes him.

"No." Phillip tells her. "No bounty. I just want to avoid trouble." He sees the soldiers turn the corner and reholsters his pistol. "Excuse me. You mentioned bounty hunters. Would that mean that you have a transmitter?"

"And what if I did?" She grumbles. "Whats it to you?"

"Its just that I need to get in touch with a friend of mine. I need to get a message to them." Phillip tells her still watching the street for his ex-comrades.

"I know someone, I suppose. If the price is right. I could get a message to your friend." She says cautiously keeping her voice low.

Phillip pulls out a piece of currency large enough to buy her booth. She gasps and grabs for it. Quickly Phillip puts it back in his pocket leaving her with the look of disappointment on her face.

She squints at him with her great furrowed wrinkles, her whiskers flashing. "Wait a Microt!" she says. "Why would you offer me that much for a mere communication with a friend of yours?"

"I must have pulled out the wrong one." He corrects himself pulling out a smaller denomination. "Sorry about that."

She smiles. "This way." And she leads the way from her booth to a nearby building. She pulls a dusty tarp from the table showing an antique transmission device.

"Whats this?" Phillip says, nearly disgusted he steps back trying to avoid the flying dirt. "I doubt if it will even transmit to your stand!"

"Then go to another vender!" she says put out and begins to cover it.

"Wait." Phillip says pushing her hand away from covering it. "This is the smallest denomination of currency I have. If it works? You can keep it." He looks at her. "Agreed."

She looks at him disappointed. Then nods her head, throwing the tarp on a nearby chair. She turns it on to warm it up. Phillip reaches to adjust the frequency and clicks it on.

"Chiana?" he says and waits. "Chiana, Mokan?" He waits again. He begins to get nervous.

"What do you want?" the brusque voice of Setig vibrates over the Comms.

"Did you get my message? Is she safe?" Phillip waits anxiously for the answer, knowing he must leave before he is caught.

"Mallan is here Captain. He is as much a threat as you were. I cannot protect her."

"Setig! You have to kill him. Kill him now!" Phillip says in an official tone, trying to hide his emotion from his voice. He waits. There is no answer. "Setig!" he feels his panic building. "Setig! Answer me!" he hears a sound outside. He quickly slaps closed the Comms and pulls his pulse pistol. "Is there a back door?" he asks the vendor woman.

"A, a, yes!" she points to the back.

Phillip runs to it and turns. He tosses the currency to her. She catches it.

"Thanks." He says and runs out the door.

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

Mallan stands in the hatchway. He hears Captain Shelans warning. He is defenseless. Setig raises his hand sending a heat pulse. Mallan sees and runs from the hatchway. Setig misses with his pulse. He drops his arm and hurriedly follows the Peacekeeper.

Mallan enters the landing bay and quickly signals the hangers inner doors to close. They shut tightly just as Setig reaches them. Mallan climbs aboard the prowler and blasts out of the bay to escape the vengeful Scarran.

******************************
ChianaGray
4/7/01
Of Spies and Lies
IC:

"What the frell?" Mokan veered her ship in just enough time, Mallans escaping ship gliding past her own aproaching by mere denches. The belly of his ship grated against hers, causing her ship to spin off. She corrected, nosing up over the landing bay before she went barreling into it too fast not to crash. She slammed her hand on her comms with an impatient snarel.

"What the frell!"

"Mokan!" Setig commed. "Stop him! Mallan! You must kill him!"

"Chiana," Mokan glared out as she turned her ship around in pursuit. "I'll take that order from no Scarren!"

"Let him go." Chiana's voice came over her comms softly.

Mokan blinked slowly as she veered around again towards the docking bay and into the docking net.

Mokan looked up with out expression as she pressed comms again. "I'll take a short breifing when I land. I'm in no mood..."

*******************************
Nhfearme
4/8/01
Of Spies and Lies
IC:

Mallan flies, circling the planet. He lands at the base. He goes to the armament for a pulse pistol and dagger. He gets back into the stolen prowler and flies, searching for something below. He lands some distance away and climbs down the side of the prowler. He walks past the other prowler that serves as the indicator of his prey.

Mallan approaches the building cautiously and pulls his pulse pistol. He quickly opens the hangar door and shoots rapidly inside. A man dives behind packing crates for cover. Captain Shelan returns fire. Mallan slips behind the hangar doors for cover.

"Traitor!" Mallan shouts into the hangar. "I am here to carry out your sentence Captain!" He yells angrily. "The sentence of death!"

"You would have killed her!" Shelan answers. He gets up from his position and stealthily slips along the side of the wall toward Mallans position.

"She would not have died, Captain!" Mallan defends. "Scorpius only wants her as leverage. So that Crichton will follow his orders." He reaches his pulse pistol through the doors, firing at Captain Shelans last position.

Shelan hits Mallans arm knocking the pistol out of his hand. He holds his pulse pistol to Mallans neck. "You are the traitor Mallan." Phillips breath is as hot as his anger. "Is it your job to execute the innocent?"

"Chiana is anything but innocent. You know that." Mallan snickers.

"And her unborn child?" Phillip presses the pistol.

"Do I hear a hint of pride in your voice Captain?" Mallan swallows glancing at the fire in Shelans eyes. "Why? Its a half-breed? Youd see another horror like Scorpius?"

"Shut up!" Phillip readies to fire.

"Youd really kill me for your tralk, Captain?" Mallan smiles.

Phillip gasps as Mallan's dagger passes between his ribs. Phillips pistol fires. Mallan falls. Phillip drops his pistol. He collapses to his knees, holding his wound.

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

ChianaGray
4/8/01

Of Spies and Lies
IC:

Mokan blinked slowly as she sat to the broken table with her glass and plate. She cut her eyes lightly to Chiana as she motioned with her glass to the corner nearly resting on the floor.

"Did my table offend you in some way your highness?"

Chiana let out a sharp breath as she glanced away and leaned against the counter of the dining areas makeshift excuse for a bar. "I got into a scruff with Mallan."

"Oh," Mokan creased her bows as she toed another chair closer to her and set her glass on it, eating from her plate in hand. "Krestan is going back. We have become too different to bond."

"You didn't finish your tatoo," Chiana muttered with a light swallow as she gazed at her folded hands.

Mokan shrugged, closing her eyes as she drank. "We're matriarchal. I choose who I wish."

"Yeah," Chiana narrowed her eyes on Mokans back mildly. "But you waited for him."

"Kind of," Mokan smirked with a slight tilt of her head as she ate. "He still gained allot more experience than I did. I will miss Krestan being next to me. I could kill him for leaving me this way! Jak'ai Pha!"

"Well someone was satisfied at least," Chiana laughed uneasily as she returned her attention to the counter. "I - I have information from Mallan. I'm just not sure if I trust it."

"Uh-hu," Mokan slowly turned her head to her, peering at her from the corners of her eyes. "That was a dangerous man you wouldn't let me kill. You're just going to have to want to trust it."

Chiana lifted her eyes to her, her lips parting as Mokan looked away again.

"Why did you leave Krestan?" She asked with a sudden anger rising like a dull heat deep in her chest. "You could have had what you wanted. You could have gone home."

"I am home," Mokan stated through a mouth full as she pointed to the floor of her ship. "Why did you stay faithful to Crichton?"

Chiana sighed heavily as Mokan stood and set her empty plate and glass on the counter, gazing into Chiana's eyes gently.

"Outcast," Mokan muttered.

Chiana lifted her head to her, her head tilting as she narrowed her eyes on her.

"Tralk," she stated quietly.

Mokan barely smiled as she leaned to her, gazing into her eyes from beneath her brows. Chiana looked away, tears welling into her eyes as Mokan wrapped her arms around her. She hugged back, closing her eyes as she rested her head into her chest.

**********************************
Nhfearme
4/9/01
Of Spies and Lies
IC:

Captain Shelan tries to stand. He stumbles to his prowler for the Med kit. He climbs in the prowler and lands roughly in the pilot chair. He struggles to open the packet. His hands are covered with his own blood. Finally, he rips it open and presses it into the wound. He looks trying to see if it pierced his peraferal nerve. He wont show symptoms for a solar day.

With Mallan's betrayal Phillip can no longer trust his own men, his own unit. Hes on his own. He powers up the prowler and hits the launch sequencer. He cannot chance... if Mallan had confederates. Others know of this place. The Peacekeepers will hunt him now. He pilots his craft.

So much pain! He breathes in gasps. Any movement makes his chest scream! He feels lightheaded, weak. He understands. Mallan's knife attack punctured his lung.

Phillip sets his prowler down then realizes he forgot to engage stealth. He turns on the stealth systems and lifts off again trying to hide his position. He lands some distance away, in the Sebacean quarter.

He searches the kit for a bandage. His breath is short. He finds the bandage and compresses it tightly, bonding it to his wound. The last thing Phillip sees is a squad of prowlers overhead as he passes out.

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

The green Tankar, Geyo stands in Mokan's Command. He slips the blood-incrusted chip from Officer Mallan into a device and adjusts it. He connects the device to Mokans Comms unit. It springs to life. Geyo reads the readouts and presses a button. His eyes get big, not that they werent already big. He jumps up from the command chair and steps back and gasps.

"Were downloading the most recent arrest record from the command carrier!" He says in near shock. "This little thing has powerful codes! I wonder what else is in here."

"Dont get distracted Geyo." Chiana prompts. "Just find out where John is. What level. What security and the location of the carrier!" She boxes his ears.

"Hey!" he ducks. "Im trying to help you here! Just let me do my job." He sits back down at command and searches the arrest record. "Funny." He says as he reads.

"What? Did they transfer him? Where is he?" Chiana says anxiously.

"Well he was arrested initially, but only incarcerated for a few arns, released, rearrested, released." Geyo trails off.

"Well which is it?" Chiana yells. "Is he in a cell or not?"

"Oh." He says. "Heres the reason. He was released after Jakes arrest."

"Jake?" Chiana gasps.

"He has been missing from Pagars forces for 4 solar days." Setig interjects. He growls low at the thought.

"Where are they Geyo?" Chiana pesters, reaching for the device.

"Stop that!" Geyo says nervously. "We dont know anything about this chip. You could destroy it, poking it like that."

"I wasnt poking it. I want to see where they have him." Chiana says angrily.

"And what level and the security. Yes, I know all that." Geyo complains. "Im finding it!"

"He is on the duty roster!" Geyo says in surprise. "Hmmm. Thats not the only roster hes on." He mumbles.

"Where is he?" Chiana asks in exasperation.

"He is serving Command duty in the prowler bay. Limited access." Geyo makes an adjustment. "Military tech." He looks at Chiana in shock.

"Prowler bay?" Chiana asks. "Hes making that weapon again." Chiana softly focuses her eyes at the display. She swallows. "Phillip said he served Scorpius."

"You mean Captain Shelan?" Geyo asks. "Funny you should mention him. He was in the commerce section this morning. He made a transmission. The Peacekeepers quickly descended on him. Pakarine was nearly arrested for helping him!"

"That must have been the transmission I received from him." Setig says.

"You mean the one where he told you to kill Mallan?" Mokan asks.

"Yessss." Setig hisses. "Though I did not need his urging."

"Have you found the location of the Command Carrier yet?" Chiana presses.

"I need to warn you Chiana." Geyo says guardedly. "These codes could just trigger distorted data designed to fool us into stumbling into a trap." He warns her. "The best data is directly from a consol or from a spy."

"Weve lost all of our connections Geyo! Scorpius hit us hard!" Chiana tells him. "We have no choice."

"Here it is! The Command Carriers position." Geyo hits a switch and downloads the data into a data pad. "Crichton is guarded by a squad, day and night. Jake is under guard as well."

Chiana gasps and takes the data pad. She looks at it as Geyo hands it to her then looks at him. "Thank you Geyo." She forces a little smile.

"You must find someone to confirm the data before acting on it." Geyo warns her. "Thats my opinion anyway." Then he smiles. "So whos going on this mission anyway?"

"You want to volunteer?" Mokan bumps his shoulder to get his attention.

"Uh, now wait a Microt!" He says excitedly. "I was captured, tortured! There is no way I am going into the lepters den again!" Geyos tongue lashes out nervously over his bug eye. "I am out of this one! Scorpius would kill me for sure this time!" He is now visibly shaking.

"Mallan is the only one I could have asked to interpret this." Chiana says softly glancing at Setig. "Now I will have to seek... Captain Shelan."

"Hes trouble Chiana. The peacekeepers are actively looking for him." Geyo warns. "Theres been chatter all morning."

"Then Id better hurry." Chiana breathes and turns leaving command.

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

Chiana seeks Captain Shelan. She follows the beacon Hep placed in his stealth prowler. It leads her to the Sebacean quarter. She searches the Raslak bars hoping to find him. Finally she sees him.

Phillip stands at the bar. His peacekeeper past is evident. He still wears his black leather officers pants, his pulse pistol and custom knife. He wears a leather coat, not his captain's jacket.

Chiana still has feelings for Phillip. It is hard to think of using him to find John. She has no choice. She walks toward him.

Suddenly he turns. It is as though he can sense her. Her breathing brings him to attention. He watches her as she approaches. Phillip has such joy that she still lives. She is still free. His lips part.

Chiana feels as though this may be a very bad idea, but she pushes herself toward him. He is her only hope of confirming the data, finding John and rescuing him from Scorpius.

Phillip waits to hear her speak her first words since she saved his life. Saved him from Crichtons tortures, from Setigs deadly heat pulse. Her first words since he stepped out of her life, into this one. The knife wound from his battle with Officer Mallan is still fresh. He hopes he has the strength to convince her, beg her to open her eyes to Crichtons deceit.

"Captain Shelan." She says, nearly afraid to speak. "I need your help."

Phillip lets her speak, savoring every word as some sweet nectar dripping from her mouth.

"John has been captured by Scorpius. Please help me find him." She swallows. "Rescue him." She knows she has no right to ask. She begins to turn away at his silence.

Phillip reaches and takes her hand.

Chiana feels something from him. His love for her translates into this powerful feeling from his touch. She cries. He pulls her to him and embraces her. He closes his eyes and sighs.

"Please, don't cry." He wants to add, "I love you." But he swallows his pride in this moment, the moment she has returned to him.

Chiana soothes the pain that has wounded his heart since she accepted Crichton's marriage vow, since she wore his ring. She still wears it on her hand. He touches it's rare stone and remembers her sighs echoing through the great hall. The morning he cried in fear for her.

She pulls away from Phillip and glances at his eyes then away, afraid of what she may find there. Afraid of what she may feel. "I have Intel from Mallan's chip. The codes gave us access to the Command Carriers data. Is it accurate? I need to know."

"I am cut off from my resources Chiana. I am a fugitive." It was to be his cover, now he speaks it as true. If he returns to the Peacekeepers he is dead. "The chip is probably genuine." He adds, against his better judgment.

Chiana stands silently. She knows she must ask one more thing. She fears his answer. She stares at the floor. Then she looks at Shelan, crying. "I need your help to rescue him."

Shelan thinks a moment. "You're people got him out before. What has happened?"

"Like you. Scorpius presence, his spies, all but destroyed my organization."

Phillip studies her for a moment. He sees the desperation in her eyes. "Youre not thinking of going after him? By yourself?" He is afraid for her but it comes out an angry growl. "It's suicide Chiana! You can't!"

Chiana breathes in. She turns from him. He can see she is quietly crying.

Phillip bears up against her tears. "No! I won't help you!" He turns her to him. He grabs her by the shoulders and looks into her face. He lowers his voice seeing that they are starting to attract attention. "I won't let you destroy yourself over Crichton. Chiana, he lied to you."

"No! Don't say that! You're wrong!" She yells.

Phillip can see her mind is made up. There will be no convincing her otherwise. "You cant go by yourself. Its too dangerous."

"I should know I couldn't trust you." She cries. "You helped put him there! You'll never help me!"

"No, Chiana." Shelan tries to grab her arm. Chiana runs outside. He follows her, the pain in his side; his labored breath slows him down. She sprints ahead leaving him standing outside the bar.

She reaches Mokans stealth prowler and powers up. She hits the launch sequencer. She doesn't know where she's going, but she ends up in space. She can no longer see the controls from her grief. She alone can infiltrate the command carrier. She alone can use the data to save John. She trembles to her bones with fear at what is ahead of her. She remembers jumping the stone cliff in the catacombs of the royal cemetery planet. John stood by her. This time she will be alone.

Chiana opens Comms. "How soon can Pagar be ready?" she asks.

"Perhaps an arn." Setig responds.

"Good. I will be with you in that time." She closes Comms and lands at the estate. She goes straight in. She runs to the master bedroom. When she emerges she looks Sebacean. She wears a guard's uniform.

It's the dead of night. Phillip sits in the dark. He Comms Mokans trades ship.

"What is it Shelan?" Setig answers.

"Tell Chiana," He takes a breath. "Good luck on her quest." He closes Comms. He shuts his eyes, wishing she wasnt so headstrong. He fears she is going to her death. He prays to Lord Crichtons God that she survives this attempt.

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

Nearly a solar day passes. Mokans trade vessel pulls closer to the Command Carrier. Geyo activates the chip. "I shouldnt have come. I shouldnt have come. I shouldnt have come." He repeats nervously as he turns on the unit. "There is a squad returning from patrol in 1500 Microts. They will open the prowler bay doors for you then."

"Good." Chiana coos, pleased with the arrangement. She stands holding her armored helmet. "And Crichton will be where then?" she asks Geyo.

"He will be taking sustenance of which I have tasted my last with this foolishness!" Geyo says panicking. "One against thousands!"

"Where?" Chiana presses.

"Where?" Geyo swallows.

"His lunch break. Where does he take it?" Chiana asks.

"How should I know? I am a lowly, soon to be dead Geyo! In the Peacekeeper Officers Lounge? In his quarters? Perhaps recreating with his?"

Setig puts a clawed hand over Geyos mouth. "She asked for information to help her on her mission. The rest should remain unspoken." He lifts Geyo from the command chair and sits in his place. He presses the device with his claw tip. "He usually takes food in his quarters mistress." He says lowering his head to her.

"Thank you Setig." Chiana smiles, letting out a breath of exhilaration. "I will go now. 1200 Microts is not long to wait." She smiles and leaves for the landing bay.

"Shouldnt have come." Geyo says and cowers in the corner.