Crichton sighed heavily as he swung the door open and chased after her.

"Chiana," he stopped her, trying to look into her eyes as she shifted her head away left and right to try to avoid meeting his. "Chiana don't you understand?"

He grasped her shoulders, his eyes pleading, drowning in saddness, the very things she had not wanted to see. She wanted to stay angry with him. Her own heart felt torn, constantly competing with someone who wasn't even there.

"God, Chiana." He rolled his eyes back, raising his head as several tears shot down his reddened face. "I - I don't know how to explain this to you. Part of me feels like this - this deep pit I can't get out of. It's - It's something I have to fight alone. It's some where - some where you can't come with me this time. Please, don't doubt how much I love you. Chiana, please, I need you in my life. I love you - maybe, it's different from the way I loved Aeryn. How can I get over the loss if you walk out of my life? With - with our child?"

"I -" Chiana searched his eyes, her own filled with pain as she traced her fingers over his wrists and grabbed them. "I just want to - I just want to be enough... I want to be enough ... to complete you like Aeryn did. I want to be enough - to be completed by you like Aeryn was."

She burst into tears, accepting his warmth as he embraced her. His heart pounding like a mad man as he choked.

"My God, Chiana." He cried into her hair. "Can't you see that you are?"

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

Nhfearme
1/30/01
Dark Quest
IC:

It is late. John and Chiana go back to bed. They hold eachother into the night. John drifts off to sleep. His dreams are a mixture of the love he shared with Aeryn bleeding into his life with Chiana. He remembers the day she died so clearly. He is reliving it again.

Peacekeepers in the sky fire at them, destroying their life. He stands watching himself grieve. The flames of the house leaping into the night sky. The prowlers thundering overhead as he holds her one last time.

He sees death. Death lowers his hood to show his face. Captain Shelan! He sees Shelan so clearly! He sees the Peacekeeper is in his marriage bed raping his wife!

John wakes with a start. He gasps. Chiana still sleeps peacefully, resting on him. He embraces her tightly, knowing she is not safe. She would die as long as she was near him. Death follows him in the form of the Peacekeeper.

John gets up quietly and goes to his prowler. As the prowler powers up John looks back at the house. He doesn't dare return to her until he can be certain he can protect her. Her protection comes at a cost. The price? The life of Captain Phillip Shelan.

John hits the launch sequencer. It wakes Chiana. She is suddenly afraid. She runs to Comms. "John." Her voice echoes through the house in the quiet of midnight. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing Honey." He says calmly. "I just have to take care of something."

She has a feeling. "Please." She swallows.

"It will be alright." John says trying to calm her.

She knows he goes on a dark quest. "Please don't do this." She gasps.

"Everything will be just fine." John assures her. "I'll be back as soon as I'm finished."

"John please come back." She pleads.

There is no answer.

"Please, John." She knows his path is set. She rocks herself and sits by the Comms waiting to hear his voice again.

John lands his prowler at the back of the estate and walks in and down to the dungeon. Captain Shelan still sleeps in the darkness. John lights a torch and places it in the wall. He stands staring through the bars at Phillip.

Phillip wakes and sits up, watching him. John removes his pulse pistol and holster and puts it down. He pulls at the fingers of his glove and removes it. He makes a fist.

John suddenly looks up at him. "If I kill you, will another one follow? Or are you the only one who is chasing me?"

"Scorpius left orders that you are to be captured." Shelan says curtly.

"No." John shakes his head. "This has nothing to do with Scorpius." John chuckles. "Or you would have rescued him by now." He bites his lower lip then grins. "I think you are the only one who gives a damn!" He accuses, pointing at him. "I think if I kill you the hurting will finally stop." He strikes his new fist against his hand with a hard 'Whap!' to test it. Then he slowly opens the bars.

Phillip stands and takes a defensive posture. John swings and meets with a block. Phillip swings, John blocks. John hits Phillip in the jaw and then his stomach with a one-two combination. Phillip doubles over with a groan.

"I'm feeling better already." John says. He waits for Phillip to stand and swings again hitting his already blackened eye, knocking him over. "Come on Shelan!" John taunts. "I thought you would want to thrash me for sleeping with Chiana. You consider her yours. Am I right?"

Phillip stands and throws a swing at John. John blocks it and hits him hard in the stomach. Phillip doubles over, the wind knocked out of him.

John walks out of the cell and puts on his pulse pistol. Phillip watches him. John reenters the cell. Phillip is still recovering from the last hit. John kicks him in the face. Phillip falls unconscious.

John stands over his body. "Come on. We're going for a little ride."

John picks Phillip up and carries him to the prowler. He secures Shelan in the copilot chair and powers up. He hits the launch sequencer and flies quickly to the interrogation facility. He lands and carries Phillip into the building.

"Lord Crichton!"

"Sorry to come unannounced. Lapsik? Is it? I just couldn't wait to get started." John says with some delight.

"Lappik, Lord." The Scarran corrects him. "The chair is ready. It is running at full power."

John places Shelan in the Chair. "Time to" John slaps Phillip. "Wake up!" He shouts.

Phillip wakes groggily. John goes to the console.

"This must be a mistake." Phillip says, waking up. "I am Captain Phillip Shelan. Peacekeeper Special forces. I command this base." He says disoriented.

"I know one of these switches activates it." John says gleefully searching the many buttons and knobs on the console. "Eenie, Meenie, Mineie, Moe." He says and chooses a button turning it on briefly.

Phillip jumps, in pain. Then gasps.

"Again!" John says with delight and turns on the button again.

Another blast shoots through Phillips brain as he groans. John turns it off again and climbs the scaffolding to watch the screen. Lappik takes the controls.

"Now, let's see what's in the mind of a Career Peacekeeper officer in Special Forces!" John slaps his hands together and nods to Lappik.

The first memory is a jumble of hand to hand combat. Phillip wears his body armor as a soldier and kills. John watches. "So, I'm not your first?" He clicks his tongue. "This is boring Lappik. Let's get on to something else more exciting." John taps on Phillips head. "Are there any codes rattling around in there?"

The screen shows Phillip battling the Scarran on John and Chiana's wedding day.

"Now here's something! I know what happens next!" John tells Lappik.
"It's a rerun."

As the Scarran slices through Phillips ribs he screams. "AAAaaaaa!"

"Ow!" John kibitzes. "That must hurt!"

As he lies in his bed off the great hall, Phillip speaks into his personal Comms. "Chiana has left the estate. If she is in the commerce district, you may be able to pick her up. Hold her in a cell until my arrival."

"Oh, you were plotting that soon in our relationship?" John looks closely at Phillip.

Phillip's mind is screaming with each image. He gasps to catch his breath. The memory of finding Chiana in the chair presents itself. Phillip cries from the memory. "I gave orders!" he yells. "She was not to be harmed!" he asserts.

"That's not what I see, Shelan." John says darkly. "She didn't mention you had tortured her. What else have you done to her, I wonder."

"Please stop." Phillip cries. "I never meant to hurt her!"

"It doesn't look that way to me." John looks at the screen.

It is difficult for him to watch her in pain. John winces at the image; he fights the urge to cover his ears from her screams.

"You like to torture women?" John asks him.

"No!" Phillip answers.

John begins to cry. "You tortured my wife!" He looks away.

Suddenly her cries are silent. John looks at the screen. Shelan is offering her something to drink in the warehouse. Soon she is asleep. John watches in horror as Shelan undresses her and mounts her.

"That's enough!" He yells.

John reaches and pulls Phillip out of the chair. He hits him with his fists again and again. Phillip groans and falls unconscious on the floor of the Aurora Chair.

"It wasn't Hezmat! It was real!" John stands over him, crying. "You bastard!" He gasps. "You deserve to die!" His eyes narrow. He swallows.

John slowly unclips his pulse pistol. He pulls it from its holster and aims it. It seems time stops as john squeezes the trigger. Phillip lies still.

"Stand down Lt. Crichton!" A voice comes from behind him.

"What the?" John spins around. An armed detachment stands with weapons drawn on him. He turns back and stands frozen with his pistol still trained on Shelan.

Quickly one of the detachment climbs the steps to the chair and disarms him. Another guard climbs the stairs from the other side and cuffs him. They lead him down the stairs and out of the building.

Their commanding officer goes to Shelan. "Sir. Sir are you alright."

Shelan doesn't respond. They lift and carry him out after John. The men have also released Scorpius. Scorpius walks with some assistance. They board the waiting Marauder. The Marauder powers up and lifts off toward the command carrier.

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

Chiana lies awake in bed. She can't shake the feeling that John is in terrible danger. She hits Comms. "Setig!" She says anxiously.

"Yes, Lady Chiana." Setig answers.

"Have you heard anything from John?" she asks.

"He is to meet me later, Lady Chiana." Setig answers.

"Meeting you. That's good. He'll be with you then, right?" She asks.

"Why, has he left you?"

"Some arns ago. I can't shake this feeling that something is wrong."

"I will begin a search for him if you think he may be in danger."

"Shelan is in custody, right? Maybe he went to question him."

"I will go there immediately, Lady. I will let you know when I find him."

"Thank you Setig." Chiana says with some relief and closes Comms.

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

ChianaGray
1/30/01
Dark Quest
IC:

Chiana paced, trying to go over the events that lead to this as her head gently curved into her shoulder at her ear. She stared at the comm, tempted to try Mokan or Pilot. She shook her head to herself.

"No," she whispered. "This - has to be his turn."

She turned her dark eyes towards the bed from beneath her fold of bangs, her breath comming unevenly as she slightly trembled. Something felt sick in her stomach, like it had in the market place. It wasn't just greasy food or pregnancy ... something was very wrong.

Restless, she stepped out to try to shake her feelings in the garden.

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

"Shouldn't you tell her?" Stark asked as he knelt with Zhaan in thier quarters.

"No," Zhaan shook her head, her gentle face creased with the sorrow she felt. "It would destroy them right now. We will simply be here for them."

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

Nhfearme
1/31/01
Crichton's Arrest
IC:

Scorpius' nurse sees to him. She changes his long spent coolant rod and injects him with nutrients. Scorpius is weak; his breathing labored from extended exposure to the Hezmat beam. He is still disoriented. He sees Crichton in cuffs under guard and Captain Shelan on a stretcher. He turns to the Lt.

"What has happened here?" Scorpius asks the Lt.

"I don't know how much you remember sir." The Lt. begins. "Scarran forces captured you after the Lady Chiana subdued you."

Scorpius gives him a curious look. "The Lady?" he says with some amusement.

"Lord Crichton's wife, sir." The Lt. continues. "She attacked you in the trader's hanger after your challenge."

"Hmmm. I see." Scorpius scrutinizes, watching Crichton. "What else has occurred Lt.? Please do continue this fairy tale."

"It's no fairy tale, sir. You fought Lord Crichton in honorable combat and arrested him. The lady Chiana then attacked you and Pagar captured you. You have been in interrogation for nearly 11 solar days!"

"Impossible!" Scorpius says incredulously, though still weak. "The heat would have killed me within a few arns!"

The Lt. lowers his voice and speaks only to Scorpius. "Crichton has evidently worked with the Scarrans on their technical problems, sir."

Scorpius is surprised at this revelation. "I had no idea!" he says. "This opens up new possibilities in our relationship."

"Sir?"

"How did you finally secure my release, Lt.?" Scorpius asks.

"Captain Shelan tried to capture Crichton directly, sir." The Lt. tells him. "He knew if he failed that Crichton would probably bring him to the interrogation facility. He secured a tracer and a personal Comms on his person so that we could track his movements and hear any activity."

Scorpius observes Shelan's condition. "Crichton's work?"

"Yes, Sir. It took time for us to track and locate Captain Shelan to his new location." The Lt. says apologetically. "We stopped Crichton from executing him, sir."

Scorpius smiles at the delicious irony of hunter succumbing to his prey. "A great number of things must have happened during my absence." Scorpius waves away his hovering nurse. "Please, continue the brief Lieutenant.! I want to hear everything that has occurred."

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

ChianaGray
1/31/01
Crichton's Arrest
IC:

"Lady Chiana."

Chiana flinched awake at the sound of Setigs voice, pulling her feet off of the dining table as she sat up straighter. She rose to him, looking around him for Crichton. Mokan came instead.

"Crichton has been captured by PeaceKeepers." Setig spoke with deep regret in his voice. "Scorpius has escaped us."

"No," Chiana gaped. "Do you have his location?"

"I am sorry," Setig lowered his head. "We are not sure where they have taken him."

"We can find him," Mokan stated as she stepped into the room. "Geyo is still running the system checks of all the PK activity since our air strike. So far three command carriers have responded to distress signals and there are indications of two underground bases not belonging to the Scarrens."

"Land bases are too low level in security," Chiana spoke numbly as she looked to her. "It will have to be one of the command carriers. Can Geyo make sure? Can he find Crichton there?"

"Pilot can," Mokan spoke more quietly as she crossed her arms. "But attack is no longer possible, especialy with three full armadas on the Scarrens hands. They haven't exactly convinced the PK yet that we were an anti-slavery geurilla strike. The Scarren generals are having screaming fits and the only resistance network left since Shelans attack are Scarren allies. Even Nerri is hearing about this and catching heat."

"Maybe, you shouldn't have attacked the base," Chiana wondered as she tilted her head to one side at her.

"And let him try again?" Mokan asked as she raised her brows. "His crack down cost us everything in this sector ... and he nearly blew you to bits trying to get to Crichton. It wasn't my desicion, it was an order."

Chiana looked away, swallowing hard as she drifted through her thoughts.

"Take me to Heps hanger." She muttered quietly. "Tell Geyo to meet us there, have him try to find Nova. Setig, I'll ask you to stand by? Perhaps, I have caused your people enough trouble already."

"I will aid in any way that I can to free my master," Setig stated with a slight bow of his head. "Do not worry about my people. We have long known about the Nebari resistance we harbor. It is far better you, than to be conformed into the Nebari greater good in our opinions."

"I will withdraw us," Chiana said to him weightedly, unable to meet his eyes with the heaviness of the emotions that slammed through her. "So the Scarrens can recover from this. Once I have gotten Cricthon back we'll - draw Shelan and Scorpiuses attention away from the planet..."

"If you will pardon my saying so," Setig stated as he raised his chest and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I have not heard, in my life time, any other being concirn themselves with the welfare of my kind. We Scarrens are not generaly liked. Perhaps you are just a little strange ... Lady Chiana, stay on my world. You are welcome here."

"We'll see what happens," she muttered as she pulled away from him. "We're trying to prevent wars Setig, not make them."

"You'll never get that," Mokan stated wide eyed as she followed Chiana out towards the landing bay. "What did you think the resistance was, don't shoot me please and thank you most very kind?"

"If I can't, maybe at least the Scarrens can," Chiana cut her eyes to her. "They don't diserve this."

"Oh, the whole world is your fault." Mokan grumbled, narrowing her eyes on the ground as she chewed her thumb. "Maybe we should infiltrate the command carrier with a low level reconisance. Security is the most laxed in the cargo areas but getting past the cargo bay is another story."

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

Chiana stepped out into the hanger, looking up at Hep as he leaned on the railing of the steps to his quarters. She remembered this place all too well as she gazed down. She could see stains of Scorpiuses blood still on the stone flooring. Her lips parted as she tried not to think about it, turning her attention to the ships that began to dock. A Scarren ship and a prowler nosed into each other. Chiana smiled slightly, lowering her head as Nova got out of the Scarren ship, crawling over the top of it to bang on the prowlers hatch.

"Get out of the way!" Topik shouted as he threw the hatch top open.

"Why didn't you just land on the pad above the building?" Melak asked as he walked in between the ships with Geyo.

"Get back in that c-ock pit Topik," Nova warned as she planted the muzzle of her pulse pistol into his tempil as he started to scramble out. "And park. I'll go to the landing pad."

"Fine." He growled as he sat back down and eyed her.

"Chiana," Melak smiled in his eyes as he came to her. "I have long desired to inform you I was re-positioned to command. It was not long after Hep and I had a rather interesting conversation about where you have been."

"So I guess you're out of special ops," she stated quietly, seeming distant as she watched Geyo help Nova push her ship away from Topiks.

"On the contrary," he said as he followed her eyes to see what was gaining her attention. "And I will have Crichtons location for you in the matter of an arn. Pilot has already sent me his life readings pattern. We have - assistance, but you understand they cannot aid us any further than that."

"Yeah," Chiana swallowed.

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

OreoFic
2/1/01
Crichton's Arrest
IC:

John Crichton stands in the Command Carrier's Medical Bay receiving treatment for his bloody knuckles. He is still cuffed. His guard detail stands waiting behind him. John patiently receives treatment. He winces at the movement. A Med Tech runs a scanner over his left hand.

"You have broken your hand Lt." The Tech says.

"Good." John says as he stares at Captain Shelan on a nearby cot. "I'm glad I got full use of it."

"Well, sir. You won't be able to use your hand again for some time. I am unsure of your healing capabilities. But I believe this glove will stimulate faster healing." The tech gently pulls the glove over his hand.

"Great." John says. "Now I can rock 'n' roll."

"Sir?" The tech looks at him.

"What are the damages?" John asks nodding to Shelan. "Did I break anything?"

"Yes sir, you did. Three broken ribs, a cut over his eye and a concussion." The Tech says gravely. "He would have died if an emergency Med Tech hadn't been aboard the Marauder."

"Hmmm." John says thoughtfully. "Guess I don't know my own strength. I thought you Sebaceans were tougher than that."

"He will heal quickly though Lt. He is already logged for duty late shift tomorrow."

"Too bad." John says.

The tech signals to the guard and the guards take John away.

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

Phillip Shelan lies on a cot in the Command Carrier Med Bay. He can hear Crichton talking. He can't make out what he's saying. Phillip thinks he may still be in the chair. He has no recollection of the beating he has taken. He can feel he is being moved. Trapped in night where he cannot see, he strains to hear what Crichton is saying.

The chair has shown what he had done. He suddenly realizes he can die for doing something that is so normal to Peacekeeper life. A part of him latches onto Leah's words. "Don't return there. The evil will take you."

He wishes he had never been in Peacekeeper service. He feels he is dying again. He can feel the darkness closing in. The Med Tech give Captain Shelan a stim shot.

Suddenly Phillip can see light. It blinds him. He grabs for support. "Crichton!" He gasps. "I never meant to harm her. Please, believe me!" He raves.

"Doctor!" The tech calls, trying to pry Captain Shelan's fingers from his arm.

"You're alright Captain Shelan." The Doctor assures him. "Please, calm yourself."

"Crichton!" Phillip shouts.

"Lt. Crichton has been arrested, Captain." The doctor tells him. "The guard has just taken him back to his cell."

"Arrested?" Phillip asks. He lets go of the Med Tech's arm and slips back into his coma.

"We have not regenerated enough tissue to return him to consciousness. Do not attempt to wake him again Tech!" The Doctor snaps. "In this type of injury, he must wake himself."

"Yes Sir." The Med tech says trembling.

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

ChianaGray
2/1/01
Crichton's Arrest
IC:

Mokan landed in the cargo bay of the command carrier, stepping out of a small vessel. She had taken all of four steps when a second ship came streaming into the bay and slid sideways, crashing into her ship. The ships slammed against the wall, a billow of smoke rising out of Mokans as shouts and several small explosions followed. PeaceKeepers raced through the bay to put out several fires.

"You son of a Scarren!" Mokan snareld as she rushed to the other ship as Topik was comming out of it and tackled him.

"You should pay attention to where you dock!" Topik shouted as he rolled her off of him, blocking several of her punches.

"You should lay off the raslak!" Mokan charged, kicking at him as the PK guards began to pull them apart. "I demand to be compensated!"

"Ha!" Topik snorted as he struggled with the guards. "Next time get out of my way you half pint Sub-Luxan!"

"A Zenietan wouldn't pay for you, you arrogant Sebacean boot licker!" Mokan scowled.

"Enough!" A guard shouted as he began to haul Mokan away.

"You can't arrest me!" She shouted back as she twisted her wrists out of thier cuffs and snareld into thier faces. "Let go of me before I have you thrown under the prison for being contaminated with my alien germs! I'll contaminate every last one of you!"

She threw her mouth open as she turned her head into one of the guards faces and hissed like a cobra at him, waggeling her hands at his ears. "Hhhhhoaa!"

The guards snatched her arms and legs, hoisting her up into the air and hauled her back towards her vessel, dropping her in front of her open cargo hatch.

"You can't make me leave!" She protested as she grabbed the sides of the opening and pushed one of the guards to the ground by planting her foot in his chest. "Nghaa! Are you frelling blind! My ship is damaged and I haven't unloaded my shipment yet!"

"Then unload the frelling cargo and get out!" The guard raged back as he unholstered his pulse pistol.

"Oh so why me?" She exasperated, wide eyed. "Go point that pistol at him, he's the one who rammed into me! Pick on him! I refuse to unload this ship without compensation!"

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

"Mokan is still screaming in my ear," she whispered. "C'mon, let's just get there before I pry this thing out with my fingernails."

"Perhaps next time, we get out before the crash." Geyo muttered with a shake of his sharp, lizard-like head and raced down the conduit with great ease. Chiana followed as swiftly as she dared until they were peering into the main sector of engineering.

Geyo blinked as he raised a small black devise in his hand and pressed it. A loud, sharp bang snapped through engineering. Shouts followed as Geyo and Chiana eased open the grate and followed in behind several PeaceKeepers as they ran past them.

Geyo cut to his right and she followed, grasping his shoulders as he knelt to keep from toppeling over him. He tilted his head up at her, blinking again almost bird like.

"Uh, this is it."

She knelt with him and set down a case, nodding to him. He scrambled into a long tunnel of networks and wiring, pushing the case ahead of him. Chiana followed, wincing as Mokan let out a turrent of Luxan curses into her ear.

"This one," Geyo chirped exitedly as they came to a large board. He began to play with the switches, plugging his headset into its system. "We're ready!"

"Chiana touched the plug in her ear, nodding when Mokans shouting switched to over to static.

"Captain Anith." She called out. "Captain, this is Lieutenant - Pip..."

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

Hep sucked in his breath, looking to Nova with a slow nodd as they stepped out of thier ship with Jothee between them in cuffs. They began to walk across the officers bay slowly as Hep raised his comm.

"Lieutenant," He stated sharply. "I thought I told you not to comm me while I am on duty!"

"You were schedualed to meet me for re-creation over four arns ago," Chiana retorted back as Hep paused a few feet in front of the entrance guards. He half turned from them as Nova handed them thier orders.

"This is not the time, nor the place to discuss this," Hep commanded sharply.

"I cooked for you," Chiana returned smoothly. "I made your favorite methrin platter with shesarian hot sauce. I even got the sedin ointments to rubb down those hard, tired muscles after such a long shift."

"Lieutenant, return to your duties at once!" Hep orderd into his comm, running his hand through his hair as his face flushed unpretending. "That is an order!"

"Sounds like you're out of her schedual," the guard closest to him smiled broadly. "Shame, maybe you could give me her duty roster?"

"I'll do better," Hep smiled slowly. "Let me take this prisoner to a cell myself and you can meet her for me tonight. We owe this Luxan a 'personal' interrogation."

"Concider him all yours," the guard smiled again as he handed him thier orders back.

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

Chiana smiled, nodding to Geyo as she gazed over the board above with her fingers still at her ear. She chuckled a sharp laugh as she hitched her shoulders.

"They're in."

"Excellent!" Geyo seemed to smile as he snaked his tail. "Now, you have to meet them in cell area C2y at the same time incase we need the switch to Jothee being a cargo bay injury."

"What about medicals exam? We can't afford a ligitimate wound."

Geyo waved at her as he began to rewire several components.

"The clearance itself should be enough. I'm recieving a medical report for Crichton, broken hand, he will be walking down the hall before any of you reached the vecility. I am clearing our escape routes now, you'll have to hurry before someone might notice all these anomolies in the system and try to repair behind me."

"You're the best, Geyo." She smiled softly as she began to back out.

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

Nhfearme
2/1/01
Risk
IC:

Hep and Jothie boldly walk into the bowels of the Command Carrier. Hep reaches to loosen Jothie's cuffs as they walk.

Down the dark passageways, down the metal gratings. They hear the distinctive groan of a cell door as it closes. The 'Clank!' resonates through the metal plating. Jothie freezes on the stairs.

Hep swallows. He hits his fist against his hand and nudges Jothie. "Keep moving you!" He says in a loud voice.

"Uh." Jothie says at his prompting.

Hep draws his pulse pistol, holding it at Jothie's back. Three guards leave Crichton's cell and pass them up the stairs. Hep and Jothie walk slowly, waiting as they leave.

As Hep and Jothie enter the lower passageway, they see Crichton's guard. Only one guard is left to guard him.

Hep parades Jothie past the guard. Jothie turns and strikes the guard with his tongue, hitting him on the neck.

"Uuuuh." The guard groans as he falls, grasping for Hep. He falls unconscious, clutching Hep's ankles.

Jothie takes the guards pulse rifle. Hep takes the guards keys and opens the cell. John sits on the cot. He sees Hep and quickly gets up.

"Hurry!" Hep says to John. "We don't have much time. The guard's uniform!"

"I may need a little help." John says. "My hand."

Hep helps John fasten the uniform and place the helmet.

Jothie begins walking. Hep runs to get ahead. Hep leads the way up the dark staircase. "Come on! Hurry."

"Right behind you!" John says and runs behind Jothie.

Into the main passageway back to the loader and cargo bay, they hurry. Hep sees the guard returning from looking for officer 'pip.' The officer stops him as John walks past, guarding Jothie.

"She wasn't there Lt.," The guard says angrily. "In fact there was no sign that anyone was there."

John stands guarding as Jothie enters Mokan's ship. He sees Chiana. He signals the others to leave then goes back to Hep.

"May I assist you Lt.?" John says to him.

"That's alright officer." Hep answers looking steely eyed at the guard. "There appears to have been a misunderstanding." Hep turns and walks away with John following.

Hep and John board the prowler and all three ships power up. The guard closes the inner bay door. The prowler leaves. Mokan's and Topik's ships pull out after.

Mokan's ship travels out into space. Topik returns to his hangar and Hep takes John back to his and Nova's hideout.

"I guess you will be in a hurry to see Chiana again!" Hep says to John.

"Yes, I have a lot to talk to her about." John says solemnly. He has seen the hell she has been through at the hands of Captain Shelan. He knows now the torment to her spirit. He waits anxiously for her return.

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

John waits pensively with Hep and Nova. He paces waiting for Chiana. The Comms are silent except for Peacekeeper chatter about his escape. Occasionally they hear a prowler patrol pass overhead searching for him. He knows that returning to his estate will invite their attack.

The last conversation he had with Chiana, he said he needed time. Was she giving it to him? He wondered. He can think of nothing but her. To hold her, tell her all the things in his heart. She believes he loves only Aeryn. Her ghost anyway. He wishes he could block out Aeryn's memory and go on without her. Chiana is his future. She nearly left him over it. He has to see her. Talk to her.

"Do you know Mokan's position?" John finally says to Hep.

"Yeah. If she went to her last coordinates." Hep says somewhat sure. "You're not thinking of searching space for her?"

"Sorry, I can't use the Comms they'd find us." John rests his hand on the Comms. "I'll be back if I can't find her." He turns and looks at Nova.

"Thank you two for all you've done. Thanks Hep for rescuing me a second time. I owe you." John says as he turns and walks toward his docked prowler.

"No problem." Hep answers. He shakes his head and turns to Nova. "He sure is crazy for her. He'll get himself caught again if he's not careful."

John climbs aboard his prowler. He powers up and pulls out of the hangar. He hits the launch sequencer. The prowler blasts off into the sky. As he leaves the atmosphere, he hits Comms. "You there?" He waits.

The answer comes back. "John!" Chiana's voice is trembling.

Mokan sits up straight and looks at her. "What's he doing up here? He was supposed to wait for you!"

Chiana does not answer her but closes Comms and runs to the docking bay. She stands outside of the closed bay doors pacing. The things they said to eachother. Why did he run off suddenly into the night? What happened to him?

The trap Shelan laid for him had worked. They had to be more careful now. The last time she saw him in the Command Carrier cargo bay. She could not see him under the Peacekeeper armor. How did he break his hand? Is he all right? It seems forever waiting as the bay doors slowly open. She sees him walking toward her.

She leaps to meet him crying to the air! "Eeee!"

John catches her with his one arm and holds her tightly. "I missed you."

"You shouldn't have come. They are still searching for Mokan's ship!" She strokes his hair as she cries looking into his eyes. "Oh, John. I thought I lost you!" She cries hugging his neck.

John smiles and hugs her back. He carefully lifts her and carries her.

"What are you doing?" she says surprised. "Your hand!"

He looks at her knowingly and keeps walking. "Do you think we can finally have three Microts alone?"

"Hmmm." She sighs and nuzzles his chest. "I don't think she will mind."

"Good." John says and smiles.

John continues walking to Mokan's quarters and puts Chiana on the bed. He lies next to her, embracing her. He breathes in her scent and smiles. "You are the most important thing in my life Chiana." He caresses her cheek with his hand. "I need you." He looks into her eyes, his lips part. "I love you Chiana."

Chiana studies his face and cries at his words. They cut into her heart at what she was thinking. That he did not love her because of his great love for Aeryn.

"I meant my vow to you." John holds Chiana's hands. He holds her in his eyes. "I pledge my troth, to love you, forsaking all others."

"Thank you John." She cries and answers him. "I accept your ring, John Crichton." She begins to sob. "I pledge my faith to you forever." She hides her face to his chest, gripping his shirt tightly.

John holds her to him and cries into her hair. He caresses her face with his hand and lifts her face to him. They kiss through their tears and embrace.

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

Scorpius continues his recovery in his command quarters. He fights to remember and separate what is real from what is not. He decides to rely on the records and not his own recollection of events. As he studies the records, he finds many anomalies in Captain Shelan's behavior.

The length of time it took Captain Shelan to find and rescue him. The Officer's decision to launch a search for Captain Shelan and the breach of their codes, signals that Shelan was certainly interrogated by the Scarrans. Shelan's logic to use that fact to finally free him... still, it took several solar days for him to get to it.

Scorpius skips back to the day of his capture and listens with great interest Crichton's challenge from his record. Chiana's voice and the subsequent battle between them surprise him. He had forgotten her part in his capture. He seethes that the little tralk had her way! So much time has passed, waiting for his vengeance on her, on Crichton. Intense anger begins to creep into his mind for Captain Shelan and his negligence in this.

He looks at Captain Shelan's efforts and is surprised to find that during his challenge with Crichton and Chiana's attack on his person, that the Captain had been arrested and held on the Base! His own orders! He ponders this lapse in sound judgement on his part. He feels his intense anger diminish and continues his search.

Captain Shelan returned after his capture and release from the Scarran interrogation to the Command Carrier to do research. He ordered the deck officer to continue that research.

Scorpius raises his hand and presses his Comms. "Officer Bradie?" He speaks to the deck officer. "I understand that Captain Shelan has you doing research for him. Could you please tell me what that is?"

"Yes, sir. He has me doing research to find any woman approximately 30 cycles old who has born a son named Jeffery or Jake and any woman who has a male child who is 5." The officer reports.

Scorpius smiles. "And have you had any luck finding her Officer Bradie?"

"No, Sir." Bradie answers. "There are many Sebacean women who fit the criteria of having 5 year old sons but none of them fit her bio."

"You mean Officer Aeryn Sun?" Scorpius asks.

"Yes! But sir! How did you know?" Brady blurts out before he realizes. "I'm sorry sir. Do you wish me to keep you apprized?"

"No Officer Bradie. You can discontinue your search. You will not find Officer Sun, I assure you." Scorpius says more than a bit amused. "And thank you Officer Bradie."

Scorpius closes Comms and finds himself chuckling to himself. Then he realizes. "Captain Shelan must have become quite intimate with Crichton to know of Officer Sun's significance, her importance to him." He ponders.

He skips to Captain Shelan's personal logs. "Hmmm." Scorpius reads with interest. "He switched nectar for the compatibility portion of their wedding ceremony. Special Ops Disrupter Lt. Jeriana Homsby is placed in the household. He supplies her with pheromones specifically tailored to attract Crichton." His eyebrows rise with delight. "All done on their wedding day!" He grins.

Solar days pass where Captain Shelan reports nothing, then. "He captured Chiana!" Scorpius rises from his chair in surprise. "She was questioned in the Aurora Chair!" He can hardly believe the good luck.

"He held her in captivity for 4 solar days when she required medical treatment for an illness." He continues reading. "Crichton found them and took her!" He growls. He removes the record and hurls it across the floor.

He reaches to his head and presses Comms. "How is Captain Shelan, doctor?"

The doctor looks over at Captain Shelan. "Captain Shelan is still in a coma, Sir."

"Doctor, let me know the microt Captain Shelan is cognizant. I wish to speak with him." Scorpius hisses.

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

Scorpius continues to study the records. His interest peeks on Chiana's interrogation in the Planetary Base's Aurora Chair. "Officer Bradie." He says over Comms. "Please supply me with the data records from the Base Aurora Chair."

"I'm sorry sir." Bradie answers, nervously. "All records were destroyed with Base Command when it was attacked."

"What?" Scorpius growls involuntarily. He tries to compose himself. "Please, then Officer Bradie, did the base supply you with a transcript of the interrogations?"

Officer Bradie checks the data stores quickly. He signals his second to search as well. "I'm looking sir. I'll bring it to you as soon as I find it sir!" He says as he searches anxiously for the file.

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

ChianaGray
2/2/01
Risk
IC:

Scorpius raised his brows as he sat down at his desk. He leaned back in his chair as he read the report. Apparently Chiana had been very buisy in just the small amount of information the chiar had withdrawn from her.

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

Aurora chair report:
Subject: Chiana
Intelligence: Nebari female, wanted by Nebari Prime for criminal actions and incarceration escape. Suspect in criminal behaviors by PeaceKeeper command, wanted for questioning. Wanted for suspect sabotage by Scarren Security Forces.

Report:
Subject assists in a blackmailing and deception of identified: Captain Arden Zareth
for the freedom of war prisoner
identified: Kha'Nai Mokan

Report:
Subject inacts the theft of PeaceKeeper intel transactioned to unknown sources. Subject includes unknown intel reports to her data base sources. Unknown location is suspected to be an unidentified vessel.

Report:
Subject inacts several accounts of the freedom of slave shipments, destruction to shipments from PeaceKeeper outposts to Nebari Prime and two accounts of escape from Nebari Prime assistance to base sabotage.

Report:
Subject assasinates two PeaceKeeper Generals and three Captains
identified: General Khor Vershain and General Bardin Jas
identified: Captain Terin Sirdon and Captain Ra'keyw
unidentified: Captain in suspect of undercover Special Ops.
Reasons are undeterminable. Subject then inacts recreation with various PeaceKeeper officers for the purpose of gaining information and conducts several intel transactions between PeaceKeeper and Scarren officers. Subject then returns to her personal data bases with information chips.

Report:
Subject is confirmed recieving data reports of Scorpiuses personal data bases, movements and coded messages. Subject then recieves diagrams of what apears to be a prowler.

Report:
Subject recieves intel from unknown source to assasinate
identified: Captain Phillip Shelan
for the prevention of his investigation of
identified: Ambassador Veshrai
Subject positivley identifies Captain Shelan as a Special Operative for Scorpius with admission Captain Shelan has been an unknown rival of supposed infiltration of Scorpiuses ranks prior to her intel.

Chair session ceased.

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

Scorpius leaned forward, his eyes brightening at the brief and cut off report as he read it again.

"Now this is interesting," he smiled darkly as he tapped his finger on the sheet. "What would Nebari Prime be doing with shipments from us? You little tralk, just how long have you been trying to infiltrate my ranks? I can gather you've been hiding right under my nose all this time..."

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

Nhfearme
2/3/01
Risk
IC:

Scorpius sits in his command quarters. He inserts a data crystal into his Command panel. The popup display shows the Aurora chair screen. Captain Shelan's memories present themselves as they did for Crichton. Scorpius watches unimpressed by what Shelan remembers. Suddenly he hears Chiana's screams. He sits up, amazed at what he sees.

He watches the display with delight. Suddenly her screams are silent. Scorpius lips part. His hand goes to his face in mock shock. "Yes, Captain." He purrs. "I see now why Crichton reacted as he did. I am surprised that you survived his wrath."

He raises his hand to his head and presses Comms. "Yes doctor?" He listens. "And his condition?" Scorpius smiles. "Good! No doctor, I will send a detail to collect him."

Scorpius Comms Command "Lt. Bradie. Please dispatch a detail to arrest Captain Phillip Shelan. I believe you will find him in the Med Bay." Scorpius directs him. "Bring him to the Hall of the Aurora Chair. It appears that he may have been compromised."

Scorpius closes Comms. He stands and walks to the Hall of the Aurora Chair. Captain Shelan is brought before Scorpius, cuffed. The guards move to place Captain Shelan in the Aurora Chair.

Phillip struggles. "Why are you doing this Scorpius? I am a loyal Peacekeeper!"

The guards force him into the chair. The technician activates it. The chair turns.

"I know that Captain." Scorpius climbs the stairs to the chair. "However, your brain contains a memory I must have." He stands and looks at Phillip coldly. "Also, your recent encounters with the Scarrans make you a risk. We must be certain, Captain; Which memories are real and which ones were induced by the Scarran Hezmat. Wouldn't you agree?" He allows his eyes to meet with his prey.

Scorpius raises his hand. The technician turns on the chair. The chair fires. Phillip screams. Scorpius smiles, pleased with his discovery.