John is nearly finished working on the prowler. He finds himself getting more and more angry thinking what Jeriana must have told Chiana. As he tightens the last bolt he finally feels strong enough to talk to her. He walks through the house then outside. He finds her in the rear gardens. He stands and faces her.

"You told her something happened between us. Didn't you?" John says. "Didn't you?"

"I only reminded her of my service." Jeriana tells him.

John paces. "That's why she's upset. I already told you NO!" John's hand goes to his mouth. He chews on his thumb then points at her. "When she comes back you're going to tell her, NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN US!"

John can't stand looking at her any more. Afraid he'll hit her he walks back into the house. He finds Setig.

"Setig. Help me out on this." John asks.

John stands waiting in the hall while Setig brings her. She suddenly stops outside of her quarters.

"Setig, if I can only have my medallion. I will feel safer." She tells him.

"Get it child." Setig says watching her.

Jeriana runs into her quarters and gets her medallion. She places it around her neck and smiles. Then rejoins Setig in the hall.

They walk to join John and the three of them walk toward the great hall. As they walk John's expression changes. He is no longer angry at Jeriana. He glances forgivingly over to her. His lips part his breathing begins to come more rapidly and his heart begins to pound.

As the three enter the grand hall, John stands very close to Jeriana. John reaches and takes Jeriana's hands.

He looks into her eyes and swallows. "There can never be anything between us Jeriana." He licks his lips as though in anticipation. "Never." He says.

Jeriana speaks. "However, if we are compatible I am willing to bear your children."

Setig's head nearly whips off when he turns to look at her.

Suddenly one of the servants runs in. "There is a long range communication for you Lord Crichton. They say it is urgent!"

John stands holding Jeriana's hands. "I have to go now." He says sweetly to her, touching her face.

John walks to Communications and takes the Comm.

"John! Chiana is in danger!"

"Zhaan?" John is surprised.

"I know you can't answer me. We are still to far from you but I know Chiana is in pain. She may be dying! You have to help her!" Zhaan continues.

John closes Comms. "Setig! If you hear anything from Chiana you let me know."

John runs to the bedroom. He grabs his pulse pistol and his sword. He runs down the front steps and gets in his prowler. He powers up and hits the launch sequencer. The prowler climbs quickly taking him on his search.

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

ChianaGray
1/25/01
Jeriana's Proposal
IC:

Crichtons prowler beam pierced the graying light of morning. Chiana blinked slowly, staring at the feet that came around the light. She felt the lynx leap from her back and dash over her and cried out at the sudden pain the loss of thier pressure rendered. She heard a shot. She saw the lynx leap, twisting into the air with a yowl and lie still.
She screamed as she felt as if a hand had reached into her chest and ripped her heart out.

"Chiana!" Crichton shouted as he came to her, holstering his pistol. "Chiana!"

"No!" Chiana whimpered, staring at the lifeless lynx and its fine, exotic coat as Crichton brought her into his arms as carefuly as he could.

"Hold on babe."

"No," she muttered as tears moistened her eyes, limp in his arms as he carried her to the prowler. She managed to grasp weakly onto his shirt as she gazed up at the gray/blue sky still filled with a few stars. "You - you..."

"Shhh," he spoke gently as he lifted her down into the co-pilot seat. "Just hold on."

She turned her eyes out of the window, gazing on the lynx as Crichton ran around the prowler and piled in. She cried, moving with pain in the seat as she touched the window.

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

Nhfearme
1/25/01
Return to Eden
IC:

John hits the Comms as he rockets toward home. "Setig! Chiana is injured! Have a doctor ready for her! We're headed home."

It is all he can do to pilot the craft. He knows she is bad. Her breathing ragged as he pushes the envelope. His sonic boom shakes the buildings below him as he goes faster than is safe in the atmosphere. He climbs into the ionosphere then begins his descent toward home.

As the prowler lands Setig meets them John carefully pulls Chiana from the prowler and gently carries her up the stairs.

"She was attacked by an animal." John sighs deeply fighting back his tears.

John enters the house, into the bedroom and places Chiana gingerly on the bed. He steps back to let the doctor examine her. His hand goes to his mouth as he watches.

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

ChianaGray
1/25/01
Return to Eden
IC:

Setig held Chianas head up, helping her drink. She choked as the dark grape looking juice spilled out of the sides of her mouth.

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Fine, for a Nebari, m'lord," Setig nodded as he laid her head back down. "It is pre-mature contractions. She will be well in the matter of an arn. The child is difficult to carry. I would recommend she rest."

"She's having complications?"

"Your compatability is in a great deal of question." Setig stated with a slight shake of his rat like head. "She will be fine if we keep her on this nikrath."

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

"Chiana is going to be fine," Mokan reported as she stepped into Zhaans quarters. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Zhaan sighed lightly as she reached out of her meditation. "The pain is gone."

"We will go to them as soon as we orbit." Mokan spoke quietly. "I'll hail them as soon as we do and ask if we may come see her."

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

Chiana opened her eyes, the pain dull within her but subsiding as she stared at her doorway. It lay half open, Crichton just stepping out of it calling down the hall for food.

She swallowed as she brought her hand to her stomach and looked down. Her and Crichtons child was moving, she could feel them. She twisted a smile to herself as she trembled. Jerian poped into her mind as she gazed at the door from beneath her bangs. Her lip curled.

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

Nhfearme
1/25/01
Return to Eden
IC:

John sits by Chiana's side holding her hand. Jeriana enters. John sees her. "Hold on a minute." He whispers to Chiana and gets up.

John crosses floor to Jeriana to ask her quietly to leave. "Jeriana, this isn't the time." He starts. She stands closer to him and takes his hand.

John stands, holding her hand. He is suddenly unable to make her leave. He swallows, looking into her eyes.

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

"Please, Jeriana." John's impulse is to kiss her. He struggles to speak the words. "Go now." He says softly.

Chiana watches them with fire in her eyes. She stands.

Jeriana touches the medallion and places her hand on his cheek. "I just want to apologize, Lord." Jeriana says to him.

John turns to Chiana. "Jeriana has something to say to you." Jeriana continues to stand uncomfortably close to John; holding his hand.

Jeriana steps forward. "John wants me to tell you, M'Lady, that we have done nothing."

Chiana stands tapping her foot staring at Jeriana and John. "Oh, that sounds convincing!" Chiana steams.

"Jeriana." John looks into her eyes. "I really think you should go now." He swallows, feeling the softness of her hand. He cannot stop looking at her.

"She's not going anywhere!" Chiana says steely eyed at them. "I have something to say to her."

John looks at Jeriana. He knows something is terribly wrong. His heart is in his throat. He can barely speak; he breathes in short gasps. All he wants is Jeriana although he knows he loves Chiana. It is very difficult, but he lets go of her hand and walks away from her.

"It doesn't sound as if you have a very clear picture of things, Jerian." Chiana takes a step toward her.

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

Phillip gets up from the mat and walks to the window. He looks into the chasm where he and Kedva climbed down the cliff and swam the lake. He sighs. The terror he felt has melted, replaced by a strength. He had done a great thing that day, to know Leah and her Kedva. Phillip picks up his pants and pulls them on, then his boots.

Leah wakes. "Where are you going Peacekeeper?" She asks.

"I have to go back to the base." Phillip says a-matter-of-factly.

"The evil there has marred you. And you would return?" She asks, concerned.

"The last time I went missing, my officers sent out Marauders to search for me." Phillip leans over to Leah and kisses her. "Do you want a Marauder landing at your front door looking for me?"

"You must stay the day with me." She says, upset. "You are not ready to return there. The evil will take you again." she lowers her head. "I will lose you again."

"What evil? It is just a job. I have to go and do my job Leah." Phillip picks up his shirt and pulls it on." He combs his fingers through his hair.

"You nearly killed Crichton and Chiana. Is that doing your job?" she asks.

"I was out of my mind or something. It will not happen again. I could care less about Crichton and his lady. Except that I have to capture him alive for Scorpius." Phillip straps on his holster. He pulls his dagger out and toys with it. "I would thank you for my pistol now, Leah."

She reaches under the blanket and stretches her arm to reach it to him. "You kept it next to you all night."

Phillip takes it and turns it, pointing it at her. "I'll also thank you to tell me where Scorpius is." He says tartly.

Leah shakes her head. "I told you that you could have the information for spending the day with me." She sighs.

"I can't waste another microt here. I must get back." Phillip insists still holding the pistol on her.

"How can it be?" She says amazed. "That you could go through death and still not understand?"

"I told you Leah." Phillip says severely. "I am a Peacekeeper. I know nothing else." He reasserts the pistol in her direction. "Now give me his location or I'll have to kill you."

Leah lets her head drop to the side in disbelief at his tactic. "You know that won't kill me." She says simply.

Phillip begins to get angry and starts to pull the trigger. Suddenly the pistol turns to water and falls through his fingers. It makes a 'Splat!' on the floor, splashing on his boots and leaving a large wet mark.

"Fine!" he says and quickly throws his dagger.

"Aaaa!" She yells and lifts the blanket as though it will protect her from the dagger.

The dagger turns to water and hits the blanket with a loud 'Splat!'

Leah lowers the blanket from her face and spits at him. "You will have more to discuss with death this time Phillip! Because you will be staying longer!"

Leah stands and wraps herself in the blanket. She begins to cry. "Am I so ugly, so horrible that you would rather kill me than spend one day with me?"

"I have enjoyed your company Leah, but I have to go now. I have my duty to perform." Phillip says sternly.

"You feel you owe me nothing then?" She turns from him. "I mean nothing to you."

"We recreated, Leah, that's all. If you want more from me? You may visit me at the base." He sets his jaw and begins to walk from the room. He grabs his officer's jacket and opens the door. "Goodbye, Leah." He says curtly and leaves.

Leah places her face against the mat. She can still smell his sweet fragrance there. She cries to his god. "Please let him return to me unharmed!"

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

DeSaintPhalle
1/26/01
Return to Eden
IC:

Chiana reaches out to Crichton, quickly scratching
his forearm with her short black nails, marking him as hers. He snaps out his trance. "Aaagh! What the...? Honey, why are you out of bed." Crichton pleads with Chiana to save her strength.

"No John, I'm alright now." She touches her abdomen,
then speaks with steely resolve. "We're all just fine."

Her eyes burning with fire, and some newly acquired
strength, Chiana turns to face Jeriana. Raising
her hand, her fingers arch as if to put a hex on Jeriana. Chiana begins to speak, tilting her head, sniffing
the interloper. "Why must *everyone* underestimate
me?"

Stealthly, she moves with the grace of the lynx
that attacked her. Some of it's vital energy must have
transferred to Chiana when it drew her blood. Suddenly
Chiana is behind Jeriana, whispering into her ear with barely concealed menace. "Hello Jeriana, I don't think I've ever properly introduced myself...." The words and Chiana's breath licked at Jeriana's neck like a forked tongue.

"But, I know who you are m'lady." Jeriana felt squeamish
from Chiana's constant circling of her. Nervously, she fingered the medallion around her neck, hoping it would ward off any possible attack. "Please...Lord Crichton, help me?"

Snatching the medallion from her neck, Chiana simultaneously knocks the girl onto the floor, placing
her foot into the crevice of her neck. "Little girl...you are playing a very dangerous game."

Chiana's foot pressed harder into Jeriana's windpipe. Squirming and grasping onto Chiana's leg, she tried to remove it from her throat.

"You see, it would be quite easy for me to kill you. In
fact, I don't think anyone would mourn your loss."

"Chiana!" Crichton was stunned by her threatening
words. He had seen Chiana go into this type of rage with only one other...Scorpius.

Jeriana begins to whimper, hoping it would affect Crichton's sympathy to her. It doesn't work.

Chiana continues unaffected. "Listen closely now, I will
only say this once. The next time, you will wish you were dead." She ground her foot into Jeriana's neck for emphasis.

"John is mine. What we have is unbreakable by you or
any other. You. Will. Leave. Now!"

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

Nhfearme
1/26/01
Return to Duty
IC:

Captain Phillip Shelan climbs into the pilot seat and sees the Comms light flashing. He powers up the prowler and hits the launch sequencer as he blasts over the Leah's small house he thinks for a Microt how easy it would be to just blast it. He sighs.

"Stick to the mission." He reminds himself and pulls skyward toward the base.

Phillip hits the Comms. "This is Lt. Jeriana Homsby Special Ops disrupter for team gamma. Scramble Velca. Report. John Crichton has escaped your Marauder patrol over his estate. I have managed to delay him long enough I believe they will manage to find us where we have set down."

"The boy is with us. I had the opportunity to use the medallion on Crichton by contriving that I was lonely and just wanted to be held. When he did, he was no longer to able to leave me and spent the night, as it were, holding me."

"The morning proved also to be profitable in that he sought me out when I left him. In close proximity, he nearly kissed me that second day. He then refused to come out of the prowler claiming to be watching for patrols."

"He did lift me and hold me, maintaining close contact, during one of these supposed patrols. End of report. Officer Lt. Jeriana Homsby out."

Phillip pulls out a food cube from a canister near the control panel and pops it in his mouth. The Comms is still flashing when the record stops. He hits it again.

"Scramble Velca report to Officer Phillip Shelan. Officer Dolan Clickit reporting. No Officer Aeryn Sun has been positively identified. Search has begun for any women baring a son named Jeffery or Jake; and any women baring a son who is 5 cycles old. Officer Dolan Clickit out."

"The Comms is still flashing. Phillip hits it again. "Lt. Jeriana Homsby Special Ops disrupter for team gamma. Scramble Velca. Report. John Crichton has been hiding in his bedroom from me since we have returned from the jungle."

"Chiana left and I approached him in his room. I cornered him as he lay there. I maintained close proximity to him for over 1200 Microts and got close enough to him to kiss him. I made certain to rub the medallion against his skin as I lie there."

"I heard his hand on the door after I left. A great success, Sir. I waited wanting to be caught by Chiana but she returned after."

Phillip pulls his prowler into the base prowler bay. The light on Comms is still flashing. He thinks a microt and hits it.

"Lt. Jeriana Homsby Special Ops disrupter for team gamma. Scramble Velca. Report. I used the medallion on Chiana. It reacted as you predicted. She was incensed. She had an argument with Crichton and left. This gave me the opportunity to be alone with Crichton. He caught me without the medallion. I thought he was going to strike me!"

"I was able to get the medallion before the conversation continued. He quickly forgot his anger. I was making progress toward making his fall from Chiana's graces when there was a Comm. There has been a turn of events Captain. Something about Chiana being injured. Crichton has left the estate to retrieve her. Out."

Phillip's eyes widen. He quickly power's up and hits the launch sequencer. He roars out of the prowler bay and quickly goes to stealth mode. He glides over Lord Crichton's estate and sees his prowler there. He breathes a sigh of relief that he has returned.

He continues to observe. He tries to scan for her life signs, but has difficulty ascertaining the readings from beyond the stone structure.

Phillip presses Comms. "Security scramble velca. This is Captain Phillip Shelan. Officer Jeriana Homsby, report!"

Phillip hovers, waiting. Finally, he sees activity. It is Setig with a man dressed as a Med Tech. He watches as the Med Tech leaves. Phillip follows him to the Commerce district and makes note of the building. He lands nearby and runs to the building.

Breathless he shouts when he enters. "Doctor!" He searches the building. "Doctor!"

Phillip hears activity in a room off the main hall he pulls his pulse pistol. He runs and breaks down the door.

The doctor is inside. He startles and throws his hands in front to protect himself. Phillip holsters his pistol and puts up his hand to show he will not attack.

"The Lady Chiana. Is she alright?" Phillip asks.

"She's alright." The doctor trembles. "She just needs to rest and take it easy."

"Why?" Phillip demands. "What's wrong with her? What happened to her?" He moves toward the doctor.

"Don't hurt me Captain!" The doctor pleads. "Here! Here are her records. Take it!" He says and hands Phillip a data pad.

Phillip takes the pad and walks out of the room and down the hall reading. He scans.

Phillip gasps. "Chiana." He says and begins to cry. "No." He sits down in the doctor's waiting area and tries to finish reading the data pad.

His tears splash onto his boots as he reads. "God." He swallows and puts down the pad. He holds his head in his hands and sobs.

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

Setig takes her arm and takes the medallion. "If I may question her Lady Chiana?" He then shows Crichton a vial.

"What is that Setig?" John asks him.

"We won't be certain until it is analyzed. But it appears to be some type of drug, judging from the receptacle she keeps it in." Setig remarks.

"A drug?" Chiana's eyes burrow into Jeriana.

"Yes Lady Chiana." Setig says. He gives a slight bow and leaves, holding tightly to Jeriana.

Setig has just closed the door when they hear a scream and a thump. chiana opens the door and they see Jeriana unconscious on the grand hall floor. A dagger is in her hand.

Setig is bleeding from his side. "Peacekeeper." He huffs and lifts Jeriana, carrying her toward the dungeon.

John sits at the grand table on a chair with his knee raised hugging it to his chest. "She was going to drug me?" John asks. "I wonder what she was waiting for?"

Chiana looks at him, worried about him.

"I should be there for the questioning." John gets up and goes after Setig. "I have to know."

"I'll go with you." Chiana reaches out her hand to him.

John lowers his face and looks up at her. He slowly takes her hand and they walk together downstairs.

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

ChianaGray
1/26/01
Return to Eden
IC:

Mokan sighed with relief as she came to her trades ship with D'argo, glad to find it was still in the scrap yard without harm. They docked, D'argo flaring his nostrils as he stepped out with her in her bay.

"You must move faster," he insisted. "I am anxious to visit this estate of thiers."

"I'll bring the ship up by Moya," Mokan stated as she moved for her command helm. "First, I want to catch up with Shelans movements."

D'argo growled deep in his throaght, making an almost ratteling sound as he spread his arms over her second helm and rested his hands on the sides of it.

"I should kill this coward myself! You knew this man should have died and yet you neglected your duties to the resistance by allowing Chiana to continue to spare him."

"Bag'a naku'Ta," Mokan curled her lip into a snarel as she let out her own clattering growl that sounded almost like she was tisking her toung in the low grumble like a rattler. "Would you like to join and take my place?"

"Yessss." He sneered at her.

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

Nhfearme
1/26/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Phillip cries from his soul for his child in her, he prays. "God of Lord Crichton, God of Earp, God of the humans, God who traveled here to save me from death, please also save our child!"

Phillip again puts out his hand. He cries waiting, thinking that this sin is his end. "God will not come again, I have lost him." He thinks.

Phillip pleads with his new god. "Please save my child. Forgive me my arrogance, that I could do this to her!"

Phillip sorrows a great sigh from his soul. Suddenly he feels a hand slip into his, warm and comforting, taking away his sorrow, giving him hope that his child lives.

He feels such deep remorse at what he has done. His desire to make it right overshadows his duty or his rank. He gets up and walks slowly to his prowler. He gets into the pilot seat, adjusts the frequency to 973.3 and hits the Comms.

"Anyone on this frequency. There is a spy in Lord Crichton's household." He confesses. "Jeriana is a Peacekeeper. She is a directorate disrupter." There is increasing panic in his voice that no one will believe him. "Anyone on this frequency, please, respond!"

"We have discovered the spy." It is Setig.

"Chiana." Phillip gasps. "How is she?" He cries.

Phillip holds his breath, hoping to hear. Even Setig's breathing may tell him. A sigh, she is dead. A growl, she lives! Phillip swallows believing that his life or death weighs in what Setig will do next. The waiting is agonizing.

"Has she lost..." Phillip swallows. He tries to ask the question that he must. "Her child?" His heart is breaking. His soul screams in pain. His heart feels it may burst with the thought of her death. There is a great silence.

"She lives. The child is well." Setig finally answers.

"Why do you torture them Peacekeeper?" Setig gives a angry growl. "Your death will be the more agonizing than any I have inflicted upon one of your kind!" He snarls. "Pain will fill many solar days! Perhaps death will never come to you Peacekeeper."

"Thank you." Is all Phillip can say to him. He lives again because she lives. "Thank you." He says and closes the Comms.

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

Setig descends the dark staircase.

"Well?" asks John.

"Shelan." Setig shakes his head. "He still cares for her."

John swallows, "I know."

John and Setig walk together to the dungeon. Chiana stands staring into the cage at Jeriana.

"Ok, Hon, we're ready." John slips his arm around Chiana.

She turns and holds him. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"That's Ok, I'll take you back upstairs." John holds her.

Chiana swallows. "No, I'll stay. You need to find out, John." She closes her eyes. "I need to find out."

John turns to Setig and gives him a nod. Setig raises his hand to Jeriana.

"No!" Jeriana jumps away from the pulse. "You're not questioning me! Not like that!"

Setig raises his hand again.

"AAAAaaaa!" Jeriana screams and jumps away. "No! Please! I'll tell you everything! Anything you want to know!"

John puts out his hand to Setig. "Let's try questioning her." John faces the bars, his arm still around Chiana. "Will you tell us?"

Jeriana is visibly shaking in the corner of the cell. "Yes." She stands slowly and sits on the cot.

"Why did you do this to us?" John asks holding back his anger.

Jeriana's voice trembles. "I am under orders to seduce you in front of Chiana." Her eyes soft focus to the dirt floor of the cell. "If not, I am to make her think that you are unfaithful."

"I'm sorry, John." Chiana whispers to him. She holds him. She is numb, unable to understand how this could happen to him. She wants to ask the question. Scream the question! But she knows it will only hurt him. She holds him tightly trying to give her support, her faith.

"What is this for?" John holds up the vial. "Is it a drug? A poison to use on me if you failed, what?"

"That." Jeriana points to the medallion. "Is to replenish the coating on the medallion."

John asks again, losing patience. "What is it?"

"It is powerful Pheromone, produced specifically for you Crichton. To make me irresistible to you." She says in a haughty tone.

"Well it did that alright." John says with a laugh.

Chiana gives John a dirty look, then looks at the medallion. She tocks her head in curiosity. "There's a drug for that?" She walks to Setig and takes it.

John looks at Jeriana, deadly serious. "Now, tell my wife the truth, Jeriana. Tell her what happened."

Jeriana looks away and sets her jaw. Then suddenly looks angrily at Chiana. "He." She begins. "Did nothing but remind me he was married. I was only able to kiss him one time, then he told me to go."

"Well, I should kill you then, you little tralk!" She says almost playfully.

John knows better. "And who do you report to?" He asks her, already knowing the answer.

"Captain Shelan." She answers.

John turns from the cell to walk away.

"Will you let me go now?" Jeriana pleads with him as he walks away. "Call my captain. I have done nothing to you! Please let me go!"

Chiana looks at Jeriana.

"So you just put some of this?" She indicates the vial. "Onto this?" She indicates the medallion. "This has possibilities." She grins.

"Come on, quit foolin' around." John reaches back and pulls Chiana away from the bars.

"Thanks!" Chiana says to Jeriana.

John pulls Chiana along behind him. As they climb the stairs, she tries to take the lid off the vial.

"Come on. You don't need that." John says trying to take the vial from her.

"How do you know?" She says pulling her arm away. "I saw what it did to you! I want some o' that!" She smiles and playfully tocks her head to him.

"No, now give me that!" John grabs for the vial again.

"No!" Chiana yells as she pulls away. "Gotta' catch me first!" She runs for the bedroom.

John runs after her and into the bedroom. He shuts the door. Their voices can be heard in the great hall.

"Your gonna get it now John! I got the top off!"

"Gimme some sugar, baby!"

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

ChianaGray
1/26/01
Jeriana's Poison
IC:

Mokan gazed up as the base on the planet came into her view.
She let a small wry smile cross her lips as she opened her comms.

"Captain Phillip Shelan," She commed.

"This is Shelan."

"Captain," she raised her sharp gold eyebrow as she circled the base. "Are you in central command?"

"Not at the present moment," he stated in an official tone. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Good," Mokan smiled as she played her hands over her helm. "I'd hate to see you miss this one."

"Mokan." His voice came with sudden realization. "Mokan what are you doing?"

"Showing my apreciation," she stated with a twist of her head and opened fire on the base.

The center command exploded, a tall black cloud of fire and smoke twirling out of the shattered dome as she pulled her trades ship away and punched into its maximum speed into the horizon.

"You've lost your frelling mind," D'argo grumbled at her quietly as he narrowed his eyes on her.

"Maybe," Mokan grumbled back as she brought her ship into space and scanned for chasing prowlers. "I just wanted to see if my cloaking still works after I've had Shelan on board snooping around. Looks like they do."

"You could have persuaded him to be in that central command."

"Could have," she nodded as she cut her eyes to him. "But didn't. His healer advises me he could still be usefull to spare. Now you have someone besides Chiana to curse me for not killing the love sick dink."