"This is Scorpius."

The last time Shelan heard his voice, he was saving his life. This time, taking it.

"I have Intel on Crichton's whereabouts, Sir!"

"Where, Captain." Scorpius hisses as though losing patience.

"A privately owned hangar near the outskirts of the Sebacean sector. Not far from the Banquet hall." Shelan reports. "I believe it is owned by a trader named Topik."

"Well done!" Suddenly Scorpius sounds very pleased. "What is his strength, Captain."

"He is by himself sir. Or, that is the report."

"Unlikely. But well." Scorpius says.

"I will scramble my squad sir."

"Not necessary Captain. I believe he wants to face me... alone."

"Alone, Sir?" Shelan wonders aloud.

"I heard a report earlier of him making a challenge. A Scarran Challenge Captain. Do you know what that means?"

"The Way of Honor, Sir?"

"If Crichton is still alive? He is lying wounded or he has been taken as a slave." Scorpius ponders. "No matter. I will recover him, in either case. Thank you for your report Captain. Scorpius out."

Shelan sits in his prowler wondering what it all means. He quickly gets out to report what he has heard to Crichton. He had to hurry, Scorpius would upon them soon.

"Where ya' goin'?" Comes a familiar voice from behind him. He turns.

"Chiana!" He says surprised. "What are you doing here? You have to get out. Scorpius is on his way! I just Commed him!"

"I'm staying to fight with Crichton." She says seriously. "He needs me."

"Well you're going to need this then." He says and pulls out the dagger he has been holding for her. "I was able to recover this on my last trip to the base."

"Jena!"

"Jena?" Shelan asks.

"Yeah, so? I named her." She tocks her head to the side. "It's kinda' a private joke." She gives him a twisted smile.

Shelan leans over and kisses her. She is taken aback. A smile slowly creeps over her face.

"What was that for?" She asks him.

"Good luck in the fight Chiana. I may never see you again. I wanted you to know that..." It seems he may be blushing.

She just stands smiling at Shelan as he fights to finish what he has to say.

"How I feel about you." His eyes are on the ground. "I know that you and Crichton are..." He sighs and looks into her eyes. "Well I want you to know if you ever need anything. I'll be there for you."

"Sure, Thanks. I will remember you." She says, not really knowing what to answer. His flood of emotion comes at the wrong time. When she has finally found her true love.

"Goodbye." He says, suddenly turning toward the hangar. He goes to speak to Crichton.

Crichton practices his moves. Slashing the air, his perrys, his thrusts. His breathing is deep from the practice, he has begun to drip with sweat from the exercise. He pushes himself, getting ready to fight the ultimate evil. The evil of his nemesis, Scorpius.

Captain Shelan enters. He is in the presence of the only person he respects outside of the Peacekeepers. The man who has subdued the Scarrans now prepares to face Scorpius in hand to hand combat. He swallows as he enters the hangar.

Crichton wears his Peacekeeper uniform pants. His shirt is off. Shelan can see his wounds have begun to heal. Still he should have died from them.

"Crichton." He speaks with a lump in his throat. This is the man who loves his Chiana. The one who holds her heart.

"Yes, Shelan. Is he coming?" Crichton knew it was a redundant question. Of course Scorpy would come. He hoped, right into his blade.

"I think you should know. Scorpius already knows of your challenge. Though, he is uncertain of the outcome. He hopes you are wounded, Sir." Shelan feels an honor on his shoulders being in Crichton's presence. "I suspect that he already knew of your location. He was just waiting for my report."

John stops his practice and walks to the stairs, placing his sword into the scabbard waiting there. He walks to Captain Shelan.

"Thanks for all of your help." John extends his hand one more time.

Shelan takes his rival's hand. "Good luck in your fight." He wishes he was taking the chance. To win Chiana's heart in this battle was impossible. Only Crichton could do it. Only Crichton could love Chiana. He feels a failure.

"You'd better go now. He probably has his Prowler standing by." He lets go of Shelan's hand.

Shelan turns and begins to go then turns back. "Take care of her, Crichton."

John looks up from picking up his Officers Jacket. He suddenly realizes Shelan's involvement in all of this. "I will Captain." He stands looking at Shelan. "I promise."

Shelan leaves the hanger and boards his Prowler. He looks around wishing for one last glimpse of Chiana. But she is gone.

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

ChianaGray
12/17/00
Long Kiss Goodbye
IC:

Chiana eased into the shadows, taking great care that Crichton wouldn't see her. No one would though, if one thing, she could hide and slinked easily enough without detection into an advantage point over the hanger. There was a ventelation duct just large enough to crouch in high to the wall and she took it. Her heart beat slowed, her breath eavening out as she waited as quietly as the panther for the lunge, watching. She let her senses spread out, aware of every little sound. She would watch over him, just be sure the fight was to his advantage but it was a difficult desicion to let him have his moment with Scorpius at all. She wanted the half Scarren in the worst of ways.

She set aside her emotions, giving in to the patient stalk.
She had found Crichton. There was only one goal left now and she couldn't afford to greed for the moment of her strike if it was to come at all. She failed Scorpies death once, she couldn't afford to see him slip by again. It may well be the last chance with his suspicions of her already in place and any more escape could ruin all she had gained in her seven years if he could expose her. She was going to have to be far more cautious than she ever had been.

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

Nhfearme
12/17/00
Long Kiss Goodbye
IC:

Chiana watches Crichton from the shadows as he goes back to practice. His body glistens in the afternoon sun. She has longed to see him, touch him.

"Soon." She tells herself. "After I free him from Scorpius."

Shelan pilots back to base. He goes straight to the bar to drown himself in raslak. There is a knot in his stomach. He has lost his only love. Left a noble creature to fight a monster. It feels wrong. All of it! Very wrong.

Pagar holds his forces in synchronous orbit above the hangar, watching the scans and sensors for when Scorpius arrives.

"The peacekeeper has left." He growls with pleasure. "Soon Scorpius. Soon."

Some time passes. It seems odd that Scorpius would make John wait. He expected a lightning strike. Swift and deadly from Scorpius. He wonders what could be happening to delay him.

"Hep?" Crichton calls over Hep's personal transport still parked under a tarp in the hangar. "I may need that help after all. He is... late."

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

Captain Shelan has finally begun to feel less pain as his 7th raslak takes hold. He sighs at the thought of Chiana's luminous skin, wet from the fresher, waiting in his quarters. He longed to return and find her there. But he is alone. No one is waiting there for him.

"Captain Shelan?" An authoritative voice comes from behind him.

Shelan has no time to respond. He is taken by the arms and forcibly removed from the bar.

"What are you doing corporal?"

"I would think that was obvious Captain." The corporal says with disdain. "You're being arrested for espionage."

Unable to walk from so much raslak, the guards drag him and throw him in the brig.

"Espionage?"

"Scorpius will deal with you upon his return."

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

"Four Peacekeeper squads approaching fast, Pagar." Setig reports.

In space, silent lights explode around Pagar's craft.

"Shields up!" Commands Pagar. "We have been discovered! Scorpius has no honor."

"Crichton will die, Pagar." Setig turns to him. "We must break free!"

"This was Scorpius plan. To prevent us from helping Crichton. If we turn we will be destroyed." Pagar knows all of their honor is at stake. "We must fight the battle and win!"

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

Hep goes to Crichton's Prowler amid Nova's protests.

"I should go with you. I am the only one who knows how to kill Scorpius!"

"You have to stay and protect Jake." Hep says with her clinging to him. "I have to go Nova." He turns and looks at her eyes. "Don't worry, I know how to take care of myself."

Hep takes Nova in his arms and gives her a long passionate kiss. "I will come back to you Nova."

"Yeah." She gasps. "Sure." She seems a little dizzy. She backs up and lets Hep board the Prowler.

Hep isn't airborne long when a squad of prowlers begins firing on him.

"What the Frell?" Hep flicks on the shield and does evasive maneuvers, shooting off into space.

Nova sees and runs to get Jake. Jake is taking a nap. She wakes him.

"Jake. We're in trouble. We have to find a place to hide. Hurry, honey." She picks him up and kisses him.

Jake rubs his eyes and hugs her neck as she runs to safety.

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

John puts on his shirt. He straps his sword to his side and ceremoniously pulls on his Officer's Jacket. He waits pensively.

"Crichton! You were right! I'm under attack!" Hep reports over Comms.

John hits the Comms on the transport. "Jake? Nova? Did they get them?"

"I don't know! I'm above the planet!" Percussion can be heard on Hep's hull as he speaks.

"Find Pagar!" Crichton yells. Comms is lost. Crichton swallows, he turns.

Scorpius stands in the hangar doorway. He casts a shadow the length of the hangar floor in the last rays' sun.

"I had to be sure we wouldn't be disturbed, John. I'm sure you understand. We wouldn't want any... interference now. Would we?" Scorpius says as he paces in. He wears a sword at his side. He rests his hand on the scabbard.

John walks to the middle of the floor to face him.

"I received a report that Captain Shelan left the battle. I took the precaution of placing a Voice Sensitive Broadcast Beacon aboard his vessel." Scorpius says confidently. "Everything said within an 8th of a metra was immediately transmitted to me. I knew of your location, your plans, your challenge; I even know ofwell we'll discuss that later."

"I asked you for our freedom. Now I'll fight you for it." John rests his hand on the hilt.

"I was puzzled, at first, to know you had this skill. Then I remembered the Scarran interrogation. Somehow you escaped." Scorpius taps the back of his head. "I commend you, learning how to use it. I remind you though, of the Royal planet. Its failsafe is still in place." He growls.

"We'll see about that Scorpy." John draws his sword and holds it in defense.

Scorpius draws his sword and bends his knees as if ready to spring. Crichton and Scorpius circle eachother.

John, in his mind is plying his chip with questions. "You want to save my life? Now's the time! What are his weaknesses? Where do I strike to take him out?"

Harvey stands beside them as they circle. "He is as the Scarrans. Vulnerable to slashing. The suit however...protects him from most of that. And I am much faster than a Scarran. Be ready for me to pounce. I think, John, it is unlikely that I will... kill you."

"Thanks a lot Harvey! You've told me exactly nothing!" John thinks to him.

"What I say is true. The failsafe is still in place. However, if you disable the suit or part of it's mechanism, then you aren't killing me."

"How do I do that?" John asks in his mind.

"The lights on the side of my head, John. Strike the mechanism and the heat could build to dangerous levels in my brain. It won't kill me immediately. But it will incapacitate me, after a while."

"How long, exactly is a while, Harvey?" John has lost patience looking into the face of death.

"It will take perhaps an arn." Harvey answers.

Scorpius strikes first, swinging his blade overhand, backhand at Crichton's sword arm. John meets Scorpius' blade with his in the air.

"You're right Harvey. He's trying to injure me not kill me." John thinks.

Scorpius presses blade against blade. "I am superior in strength, remember John." He baits him. "You cannot win this battle on strength." He presses close to John.

John can smell his hideous breath on him, he turns his face away. He jumps back, using the press from the sword to repel him away. Scorpius lunges repeatedly at him. John repels each attack.

"You're right Scorpy." John leaps in the air and strikes quickly against Scorpius' head.

"Aaaaa!" Scorpius screams, thinking at first that he is injured. Then he realizes it is only the mechanism. "This is an odd tactic, Crichton." He says holding the broken mechanism. "You thought perhaps I would Comm my forces?"

John watches him, wondering how long his stamina will hold out before he collapses. An hour is a long time to fight. He has to defeat this evil now or forever be under his power. John prepares to strike again, not knowing where.

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

John attacks, slashing Scorpius' suit, trying to find some weakness. He is surprised that Scorpius allows it. His counterpart would never!

"Perhaps it is because he has faith in his suit." Harvey volunteers. "It is obviously constructed specifically for this combat."

John is distracted briefly and Scorpius chooses that moment to attack with a series of thrusts.

John's deflection forces one of the thrusts into his Officer's Jacket, slicing through the lower portion nearly cutting into his side.

"Shut up!" John yells at Harvey.

"What's the matter John. Have you lost your concentration?" Scorpius humors.

"All I have to do is keep him here." John says to himself. "He will fall from the heat!"

"You're not making a very good showing for yourself Commander Crichton." Scorpius tries to look for another opening in Crichton's defense. He throws another backhanded slash at John's saber arm.

John blocks it again. Scorpius presses him, nearing the wall. John slips away from him as Scorpius' mind seems to be on something else.

John takes the opportunity to strike him from behind, hacking at his neck, his torso, his arm. All seem impervious to his strokes.

John didn't expect the contest to last this long. His 6-hour interrogation, the Scarran Challenge, his wounds have left him weakened. He can feel his strength draining from him as he tries to defeat his enemy.

"Weakening already, John?" Scorpius observes. "Too bad. I had been looking forward to fighting an equal!"

Scorpius continues attacking. Thrust! Slash! Thrust! "You are right Crichton! You are only a weak, frail, human! Such a disappointment."

"I think he doth protest too much." John says with a twisted grin.

Scorpius looks at him oddly. "You mean to say something to me John?"

"I said you are the one who is weak and frail." John circles him. "Where is your mastery of the art?"

Scorpius growls. He attacks striking almost wildly at John forcing him toward the stairs.

John does all that he can to block and perry the strikes away. He stands at the base of the stairs and rests his hand on the banister for a second to steady himself.

Scorpius quickly strikes against John's saber, pinning it to the banister. Then reaching with his other hand he throws a pair of cuffs against John's sword wrist and banister! Crichton is cuffed securely to the banister by his sword arm!

Scorpius laughs heartily at the sight. He holds his sword firmly against John's chest, cutting his shirt down to the skin. John winces.

Scorpius then reaches with his left hand and simply takes the saber from John.

John sits on the stairs in disbelief of what has happened. He freezes his eyes on Scorpius. Deep fear creeps into his soul as he is again caught by this great evil.

"Oh!" Scorpius can't contain himself from his laughter. "You didn't really expect me to fight in The Way of Honor? Did you John!"

Scorpius then rights himself and takes a deep breath, smiling. Proud of his prize. He studies John, his face, his neck his torso. Scorpius suddenly gets a look on his face of deadly seriousness.

John is at his mercy. He swallows as though he knows what to expect from this villain.

Scorpius raises his blade slowly and turns it sideways. He then thrusts it between John's ribs on his left side, narrowly missing his heart.

With shock written on his face John collapses. Tears form in his eyes. He is unable to breathe or groan from the intense pain of being pierced.

"How dare you attack me, Crichton! I could have destroyed you at any Microt!"

Scorpius looks on him, enjoying his submission, his pain. Finally, slowly Scorpius draws out his blade.

John lifts his shirt with his left hand to apply pressure to his pierced lung. He struggles through the pain to lift his arm and place his hand.

"I knew you had been injured Crichton!" Scorpius gloats, seeing John's wounds exposed. "I am pleased to see them so near to mine!"

John gasps, finally able to take a breath through the pain. Tears stream down his face.

In an instant Scorpius is on the floor. Chiana has dropped from the ceiling on top of him!

"Well hello you old Bastard! Good to see you again!" She holds her dagger to his throat. "Time to finish my task!"

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

ChianaGray
12/18/00
Swords and Knives
IC:

Chiana yanked the blade free across his neck, Scorpius raised up at the same time, his fingers flying to his neck as he nocked her free from him. His face wretched into a snarel as he grabbed his deeply sliced hand and looked for where she landed. She stood in a crouched stance from beside the stairs as he stumbled down and turned the blade of her dagger inside her wrist.

She waited long enough for him to draw away from Crichton and stepped in to meet him when he swung for her. She ducked under his arm, comming past his side in a wide step, her back leg streatched out as she swivled at her hips and planted her palm into the fist holding the dagger and rammed it just under his ribbs. It didn't pierce as deeply as she had expected but he went sprawling forward and fell to his stomach. She shouted, stepping into the small of his back with the dagger in both hands to her forehead and shoved the rest of her body weight down on the leg as she bent at the knee. The knife shoved into his back just at her toes and he screamed, rolling over as she leaped from him. She smashed the heel of her foot into his neck and he gagged, twirling himself away from her with greater swiftness.

His hand reached for the hilt of his sword on the stairs and Crichton kicked him in the face, sending him back to Chiana. He swung the blade to catch her across the knees and she hopped back switching the blade to her left hand and swinging it behind her as she waved her right hand in a sweeping motion in front of her chest, stepping forward again as her knee rose and a kick coiled from her into his groin. He blocked with a side movement and swung for her but her block was already in motion before the blow and his arm swung away, baring his chest as her left hand automaticly came up. She stepped into it, her dagger end pointing at his neck as her elbow shot past his ear and she stabbed. She sprang away from him, taking a crouched stance as she watched him stagger, grabbing his throaght as the sword clattered to the ground and he came to his knees.

She eased around him as he slumped to the ground and came to her knee again, streatching out far enough to place her fingers to his neck to check a pulse without being too near.

"Chiana."

She looked up at Crichton without expression and then snatched Scorpiuses keys out of his pocket and rushed to him. She undid the cuffs as Crichtons hand came to her shoulder.

"I didn't know you could fight like that," he muttered weakly. "Where did you learn that stuff?"

She didn't answer him as she looked over his wound and applied pressure to it. Her eyes drifted up to him beneath her ash white bangs as his breathing wheezed.

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

Chiana holds John as he cries in pain. Soon he will be dead from a collapsed lung. Instinctively Chiana knows she must get help! She rises from the stairs to go to Hep's personal transport.

"Chiana! Look out." Crichton can barely speak.

Chiana whips around to see Scorpius coming toward her with his sword in his hand. He stands, threatening her.

"You! You think you've defeated me!" Scorpius gasps, growling. "Why you're nothing but Crichton's tralk!" He seathes. "I know the real truth!" He grins.

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

ChianaGray
12/18/00
Swords and Knives
IC:

Chiana whirled to him, her mouth dropping, more afraid of what truth he may know than the fact he was still alive. She began to trembil, backing away as he swung the blade for her. He snatched her in a suprise move, punching her hard across the face with the hilt of the blade and bared his teeth as he kneed her square in the chest, pulling her shoulders down and then sent her crashing against the wall. She hit it with a breathless gasp, falling to her hands and knees.

"You son of a- !" Crichton growled, throwing into a fit of coughing as he tried to move.

Scorpius swung the blade down for her neck. She moved her shoulders into him, raising her left hand and snatched the wrist, sending him through his move as she came to a knee. Her right arm streatched out and sweeped into his back to move him along as she rose slightly. He steped out of stumbeling and turned on her, shoving her and then kicking her. She went flying back and tumbled to her feet in a low crouch. She leaped into him as he came for her, her head butt catching him under the chin and he stumbled back. She kicked him in the knee, sending him to them and boxed his ears with a harsh cry, clenching them as she sent his head into her knee. He punched her in the stomach and she doubled over, gasping for breath as he pinned her head to the floor and raised his sword.

Fear filled her eyes as he laid the blade across her neck with a seething smile, narrowing his eyes.

"Perhaps I should spare you long enough to enjoy the look on your face," he spoak barely out of breath. "You are still quiet valuable Chiana. Imagine you at my side, the great prize."

"Wrong again Scorpy," Chiana narrowed her eyes as her dagger sunk into the inside of his thy. His leathered uniform protected him too well, but the jabb was effective enough to send him jerking away from her with a snarel of rage and pain. She regained her feet, un-aware of the slash to her shoulder as his sword drew across it in her own turn to get away at the same time.

Scorpius blinked, seeming to become dizzy as he slashed his blade to strike her and then thrust for her abdomen. She batted the blade to one side as she turned away from it, ending up back to back with him. She whirled at her shoulders, jabbing with her dagger for his armpit when he turned on her, slicing up with the blade against his side and gashed her along the rib cage. She followed his motions, sending her dagger deep into his neck high at the shoulder. He screamed as he toppled over to his hands and knees.

Chiana picked up the sword and kicked him in the side of his head where his capsule was crushed and leaking a liquid that was steadily seeping from blue to red. She stabbed the sword into it with all her weight and pulled back from him.

"Get out of that one." She retorted as she brought her dagger to her hand and waited.

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

Nhfearme
12/19/00
Swords and Knives
IC:

Chiana goes to Crichton. He is losing consciousness. He can no longer hold his hand over his wound.

"Come on! She says trying to get him up." She realizes that he may die there. He is unable to ride the single transport now.

Chiana begins to cry. She tries again to wake him. "Please John! We have to get you to help!"

She goes to the transport and pulls it around to him, hoping she can put him across. She tries to lift him. He is too heavy for her. She sits on the stairs by him, holding him, crying.

"No, please, don't die John." She cries to him. She feels it is already too late.

Suddenly she hears a noise. Her dagger falls from Scorpius' hand to the hard hangar floor.

Chiana is beside herself with grief. "You killed him you Bastard! Frell you!" She cries. "I'll kill you!"

She stands by Crichton and looks at the two swords and the dagger. Scorpius stands as though he is waiting for her. A challenge!

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

ChianaGray
12/19/00
Swords and Knives
IC:

Chiana shifted her foot under the hilt of the sword and kicked it up. She caught it, turning her low glare into Scorpius cooly as she cooed her words in a teasing tone.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own sizzze."

"Why don't you give in?" Scorpius asked with a dark smile as he picked up his sword. "You've already lost Chiana. Just imagine your whole life being nothing but a waist."

"You don't know anything about me," she muttered as she circled around him.

"And you intend to keep it that way, yes." Scorpius stated as he straightened with obvious pain and took stance. "Very well, die with him."

He swung his blade and she blocked, keeping in pace with him between the strike and defense. His drained strength was begging to show, allowing her allot more avenues for her own strikes. He fell several times but she rendered very few fatal strikes that seemed to come to no avail anyway. She decided to pick him into exhaustion instead, fustrated with his almost immortal capasity to take her blows. She kicked him in the chest when he made himself open to it and he fell back, this time he laid there and she stood guard over him, unwilling to turn her back to him again.

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

Nhfearme
12/19/00
Swords and Knives
IC:

"Stop!" Pagar's voice echoes from the doorway. "We need him alive for interrogation!" He paces to her and stands over Scorpius. "So you have subdued him."

Scorpius' face has frozen into a snarl. His arm is over him in protection of her next thrust. Two Scarran guards enter and pick him up by the arms.

Scorpius faces her. "You have not defeated me Chiana, my dear. I have killed your precious Crichton." He looks, gloating, at John's lifeless body. His eyes cut back to Chiana to see her expression. "Look at me and tell me that you are victorious!" He hisses.

Chiana stares at him with all of her hate frozen in her eyes.

The guards drag Scorpius from the hangar as he chuckles devilishly.

"Master!" Setig runs to Crichton. He kneels and gently lifts him from the stairs. He turns, carrying him to the craft.

Chiana swallows, watching John. He is limp in Setig's arms. She gasps and begins to cry.

"What has happened here?" Pagar asks authoritatively. He looks around the hangar at the evidence. "Was it a challenge?"

"No!" Chiana is in near shock. Her hands tremble. She throws down the sword. It lands with a hollow clatter.

"John did Challenge him. But the Bastard cuffed Crichton to the stairs. Then stabbed him with that!"

Chiana looks at the sword. Tears stream down her face as she tells the story. "There was no Way of Honor!" She says angrily. "Scorpius has broken your code!"

"I know of Scorpius' treachery." Pagar says with bitterness. He then turns and gives her his full attention. "You stood in the field with Crichton. Now, you have beaten Scorpius." Pagar stands proudly in her presence. "May I have the honor of knowing the name?"

"Chiana." She breathes.

"I am Pagar. Please, come with me."

Pagar and Chiana walk to the Scarran craft. It is a short distance, but to Chiana, it is a long death march to see John. She had been with him when he stopped breathing. She saw Setig carry his lifeless body from the hangar. She knows John is dead. Soon she will see him again and have to face life without him.

They enter the small Med Bay. John lies still. His shirt and jacket are off. His many wounds can be seen.

Chiana walks to him and takes his hand. Still warm! She sees his chest rise. She gasps.

Setig places what looks like a piece of wet plastic, as a bandage over John's near fatal wound.

Chiana looks at Setig, questioning. "How?" She cries with joy.

"Our warriors frequently get this injury it is a simple task to reverse it." Setig says. "The damage is not severe. My master will recover."

Pagar smiles at Chiana. "This is Crichton's slave, Setig. You may remember him?"

"Yes. Thank you Setig. You did well, very well." She smiles at John and combs her fingers through his hair.

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

Captain Shelan wakes in his cell. He knows that after interrogation and torture his fate is the living death. It doesn't help that the ras'lak has worn off leaving him a killer headache.

Shelan crawls to the water, turns it on and splashes his face, trying to clear his head. Now he remembers. Chiana; he would do anything for her. He doesn't even know if she is alive. She and her John Crichton. He abandoned them for this. This cell. This future. He wipes his face with his palm.

"Captain Shelan." The voice hurts his ears, his head.

"Yes." He looks up from the cell floor to see who speaks to him.

"Lieutenant Claymore, Station Security Master." He says. "Sir, you were arrested on Scorpius' orders. Now he himself seems to have disappeared. Do you know anything about it." The Lt. stands eyeing Shelan through the bars. "Sir?"

"Scorpius sent me on a special mission. I was to locate John Crichton." He sticks his mouth over the water pipe and drinks then stands, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I found Crichton and reported to Scorpius that we should scramble my squad to subdue him. Scorpius belayed it and said he would face Crichton in the Scarran challenge called 'The Way of Honor'. So I returned to base." Shelan stands and walks slowly to the bars. "That's when I was arrested."

"Your communiqué to Scorpius bears out what you say, Captain." Claymore says. "We have held you overnight without Scorpius filing his charge against you. And since his disappearance, you are the only one who can help us locate him." He continues. "Will you do your duty, Captain?"

Shelan blinks and rubs his eyes, his head and takes a deep breath. "You mean to find Scorpius?" He asks.

"Yes, Sir." Claymore answers.

"Sure." Shelan says as Claymore opens the cell door to release him.

"I suspect, Sir." The Lt. offers. "If Scorpius was serious in this Scarran challenge; He may have placed you here to prevent interference."

"Let me get cleaned up first, Lt. We can discuss it after that." Shelan says, turning and walking toward officer's quarters.

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

Jake wakes. He is snuggled and warm in Nova's arms. He touches her face and kisses her. She wakes.

"Good morning, Miss Nova." Jake says smiling his palm still on her cheek.

She nuzzles his face and smiles. "We need to find your father today." She rises and turns from him. She thinks to herself. "If he's still alive."

Nova remembers the tracking device Hep gave her. She also knows that he has probably been captured. "I have a plan Jake. Don't worry, we'll find him."

"And the others?" Jake asks rubbing his eyes.

"I don't know Jake. We'll try." She swallows, activating the tracker.

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

John wakes. He is in strange surroundings. It seems like a dream. The morning sun streams in a window near the bed. He can smell food cooking, wafting in on a breeze.

"Good morning John." Chiana sits on the bed. She takes his hand.

John looks up. It seems he is in a palace.

"What, where am I? Scorpius, Jake! Where is he?" John is near panic.

"We're still looking." Chiana has trouble looking him in his eyes. "We think Nova took him into hiding with her when Hep was attacked." She stops herself from saying the rest. "Or else the Peacekeepers have them."

She doesn't have to say it, though. John can see it in her expression.

"Shelan. What happened to him?" John asks. "Hep? Pagar and Setig; Did any survive?"

"We haven't heard from Shelan. Pagar arrested Scorpius. Setig brought you back from being dead. And Hep is out in the courtyard selling your Prowler." She smiles, laughing.

"Dead?" John takes a breath.

"The wound Scorpius gave you." Her hand goes to his bandage. "You died from it." Chiana swallows. "Setig knew what to do." She takes John's hand and holds it to her face. Sighing she closes her eyes.

John looks at her, watching her, then says. "Help me up."

Chiana stands and pulls on his arm, helping him up. John sits on the edge of the bed. He holds her hand and pulls her back down into his lap. He embraces her and nuzzles his face into her breast. He looks into her eyes, smiling at her.

"Marry me." He says.

Chiana gasps and smiles with delight. She fondles his hair with her fingers.

John watches her. He places his hand softly at the nape of her neck and gives her a kiss that is long, deep and passionate, then looks into her eyes, waiting.

"Is that a yes?" He asks.

Chiana can't speak. Her eyes are wide. She gasps and shakes her head 'yes!' Finally she eeks out an, "Uh, huh." She blinks. She smiles and tocks her head to his.

"Thank you." John smiles and kisses her again, embracing her.

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

John and Chiana sit at the corner of the dining table. John holds her hand. Setig brings them food.

"Setig, this place. Where are we?"

"This is my estate, Master." He answers.

"Please, Setig, call me John." John tells him.

"As you wish, Master." Setig bows to him and leaves the room.

John eats. Chiana watches him.

"Mmm. This is good!" John notices that she isn't eating. "Come on honey. Aren't you hungry?" John asks her.

"Honey?" She smiles at him, delighted.

"Yes." He smiles and places his hand on her thigh. He looks into her eyes. "You are my honey." He says.

Chiana places her hand on top of his and smiles at him. "I can't eat John. I'm way too excited." She licks her lip. "Uh, what is honey?"

"It is a very sweet natural sugar made by bees on earth." He smiles.

She doesn't seem to be listening to him. She just watches him.

"K." He leans over and kisses her. "As soon as we're through eating we'll go look for Jake and Nova." His smile finally fades when he says it.

Setig returns with drink for them. "I am sorry, Master. My supply only yields this poor substitute for Ramna nectar. I will resupply immediately." He bows.

John stands. "Please Setig. Don't call me 'Master' my name is John. And I don't know about owning you either. I never wanted to own you. Only free Jake." He is a little frustrated.

"Please then allow me to at least call you 'Lord?'" Setig asks. "That is the title we call our superior officers. I do not wish to dishonor you or my clan."

John sighs and looks at Chiana. Chiana smirks and looks away trying to suppress the chuckle that is building.

"Can't you at least try to call me that?" John asks him.

"My people know you as Crichton. I may be permitted to call you that." Setig says finally. "But in the presence of my kind? I will call you Lord!" Setig says sounding offended, he abruptly turns and leaves.

"I think you upset him, John." Chiana says finally tasting the food. "Mmmm. This is good!" She says and begins eating the rest of it.

"I can't help it." John sits back down. "I won't have him calling me 'Master' or 'Lord' or God! I can't own him either!" John says staring at his plate. "Now, I'm the one who's not hungry." He gets up and walks from the table.

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

In the courtyard, Hep paces. He wears a headset. He talks quickly, making the deal of a lifetime. "No, Rater! I've already been offered that for the Prowler." He pivots.

"I won't take less than a million currency for it or at least its value in the form of Hetch ten cargo vessel fully supplied." Hep scowls. "Because that's what I plan or spending the million on when I get it!" He smiles. "Good. You see what you can come up with on your end"

Suddenly, while he is speaking, a hand reaches and removes the headset from Hep's head.

"What the Frell!" He says and turns. "Crichton!"

"It's my ship, Hep. Don't sell it." John says.

"Sell it?" Hep is indignant. "For saving you and Jake. I'm in business! I need some kind of compensation for the time I've lost, Crichton."

"Hmmm. Chiana and Captain Shelan saved me. And Jake? He saved himself. So unless we have other business? I would say goodbye would be in order." John turns to go back inside.

"Wait!" Hep yells to him as he walks away. "Wait!" He walks up to John. "It's the emergency beacon I gave Nova." He stands showing the indicator to Crichton. "She may still have Jake!"

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

Captain Shelan enters the fresher. The sound reminds him of Chiana. He can still remember how she looked with her damp hair clinging to her face. He tries to clear his mind. All he can do is think of her when he should be saving his own life!

The fresher completes its cycle and shuts off. He grabs the towel and dries. As he puts on his uniform.

He thinks. "It's a lie! I can't remain a Peacekeeper, because I love Chiana. I have to leave here before Scorpius returns. Or find a way to discredit him." He shakes his head. "Little chance of that."

He takes the long walk down to his stealth prowler and examines it, searching for a Voice Sensitive Broadcast Beacon. "It's the only way." He thinks. "Scorpius knew about Crichton's challenge, his wounds. He had to have heard it."

Shelan walks along the hull, the wing. He searches the coekpit. He finds it under the instrument panel. He removes it and deactivates it. He sits in the Pilot's seat.

He reaches and flicks on Comms to 973.3. "Hep." He says, hoping she's still alive and he knows where she is.