Phillip pulls a clean uniform from his locker and dresses. He sets the old one at the door to be cleaned. He walks the empty cooridors. It's late into the rest cycle. He goes to the PKOL and sees that the barkeep is still cleaning up. He steps up to him.

"Did the Officer I left with come back here?" Phillip asks him.

"Sorry, Sir. I didn't see you leave with an officer. Perhaps that was Nocker who served you. He went off duty 2 arns ago." The keep answers.

Phillip walks to Base Command and calls up the duty records searching for Officer Leiter. No officer by that name is registered for duty. He takes his prowler to the Command Carrier and checks the records there. He doesn't see her listed. He turns to the deck officer.

"Do we have an Officer Leiter serving on board the Carrier?" Phillip asks.

"Not that I'm aware of, Sir." The deck officer answers.

Phillip walks to his quarters collapses onto his bed. He is tired but lies awake in the dark. He cries quietly for nearly an arn then gets up and washes his face. He goes to the prowler bay and powers up his stealth prowler.

Phillip hits the launch sequencer and blasts out of the bay. He glides by Crichton's estate. A few lights illuminate the courtyard. He makes a few passes then blasts back out into space.

Phillip shuts down and just orbits for a few arns, looking down at the planet then powers up and blasts to find Mokan's vessel. He finds it and lands in her bay expecting her to come out with her Qualta and blast him. She doesn't. He leaves his prowler and enters command.

Mokan is napping with her feet up on the command panel. She startles and draws her Qualta, facing him. "Stay where you are! What the frell do you want Shelan!"

Phillip looks at the Qualta. He swallows and stares at her steely gaze. "Tell me what I can do for the resistance."

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

It's early evening. John sits in his Prowler with Jake on his lap. Jake points to each switch and button asking John what they do.

"This is?" Jake asks.

"The power switch." John answers.

"And this is?"

"The launch sequencer."

"What's that?"

"The display monitor. It displays the sensor readings."

"Oh! Can we switch it on Daddy?"

"Well, there probably isn't much to pick up. I have to adjust the proximity alert off, since we're on the ground."

"Can I switch it on Daddy?"

"OK, Jake. Go ahead."

Jake reaches out to the Prowler Control Panel and presses the sensor array on. The display pops up.

"Ooh!" Jake says looking at the pretty colors. He moves his hand through it playing with the light on his hand.

Suddenly they hear a beeping and a dot streaks across the display.

"Daddy! What's that?" Jake says excitedly.

"It's another ship." John checks the readout. "It's another Prowler." He says guardedly.

"Captain Shelan maybe?" Jake asks.

John swallows. "Setig said he might be coming by." John watches anxiously as the Prowler makes a turn back toward them. He reaches and turns on power to the shield.

"Which switch is that Daddy?"

"The shield." John answers.

For the first time Jake is aware of his Dad's defense. He doesn't ask but instinctively knows that the other Prowler may hold an enemy. He carefully watches the display as the Prowler circles to make another pass. He holds his breath and releases it when the Prowler passes off the display. Jake turns around and hugs his Dad.

John embraces Jake and gives a sigh of relief. He reaches and turns off the shield and the display.

"I think that is enough of a lesson for tonight." John climbs out of the Prowler and puts Jake on his shoulders. "Tomorrow? We fly!" He tells Jake.

Jake answers with a grin and a gasp.

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

ChianaGray
1/12/01
Lessons
IC:

"Given time," Mokan stated as she narrowed her eyes on him. Shelan looked like he had been through hell. She could imagine what the hazmat was like but she could only wonder what he'd been through that Setig didn't tell her.

She didn't like keeping quiet about his experiences with it. He wouldn't be aware of what was reality and what was not. She had no intention of interfearing though. She had her hezmana with the PeaceKeepers, now he could have his with the Scarrens. Her eyes widend slightly on him as she set her jaw. She was relieved by the small report she was given by Setig. Shelan could be loyal even if he did still smell like a PeaceKeeper. The uniform wasn't helping her predjudice.

"What you're looking for goes through me, Shelan." She stated quietly as she raised her head to him. "I'm the keeper. What I think about you, is how deep you get in. I don't like you. I don't think you can take being under me. You're too used to being your own captain. I only recruit those I can trust, who will take orders from me. My position is too dangerous to play around with a PeaceKeeper."

Shelan sat down heavily, grabbing his face and wiping it several times. She waited without expression as he tried to retain his composure, the fustration and agony amunant in his eyes.

"So you need some work," She smiled wryly as she narrowed her eyes. She leaned to him, planting her foot between his legs and rested her qualta on his shoulder. She drew it across his neck slightly, just enough to scratch as she glared into his eyes with her own piercing copper. "Like using me to be near Chiana. I'm not in your way Shelan, but be real about your intentions to join the resistance."

"I - I need..."

"Uh huh," Mokan nodded slightly as she droped her qualta from his shoulder. "I can count on your loyalty, Captain."

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

Nhfearme
1/12/01
Lessons
IC:

John takes Jake in and tucks him in bed and gives him a kiss. He turns out the light and goes in to the master bedroom to Chiana. John lies down beside her, thinking of Shelan's little fly by.

Chiana hugs him. She can see that he is troubled.

"What's the matter?" She asks him.

"Captain Shelan paid us a little visit tonight."

"Did you throw him off again?" She asks tongue in cheek.

"No." John answers. "He didn't land. He did however circle a few times."

"Huh." Chiana says, thinking.

"Nothing I can do about it. It was Pagar's decision to let him go. He says that he can be trusted." John says.

"Hmm." Chiana says, fondling John's chest. She is no longer listening to him. She works her hand down under the sheet.

John gasps. "Ooh!" He looks at her. "What are you doing to me?" He smiles.

"Just a little something I've been thinking about." She smiles and playfully bites his shoulder.

John closes his eyes and gives a little moan.

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

Captain Shelan is weak from the Scarran interrogation. He has not eaten or slept. As he stands talking to Mokan, he suddenly feels dizzy.

"You don't look so good." Mokan says with some slyness.

"I don't feel well. Maybe I should" He begins to fall. He catches himself on one knee.

"Maybe you should lie down." Mokan says. "Here, come this way."

Mokan is hesitant to help him but leads him to her quarters. Phillip looks inside and sees where he is.

"No! No." He shakes his head and swallows. "Take me to a cell, I'll be alright there."

Mokan shrugs and walks him to the cells that he had shared with Chiana.

Phillip lies down on the cell cot and looks across at Chiana's cell, remembering the night they spent there. The night Chiana saved his life. The night she cried over Crichton. It was to be her first night with him.

Phillip was so jealous of Crichton. Now his shame covers everything. He begins to cry quietly.

Mokan can see he is really hurting. She enjoys his torment as retribution for her own torture at Peacekeeper hands. She walks from the cell.

Phillip continues to cry, sometimes letting out a gasp. She hears him and turns back.

Mokan cannot understand Shelan's pain, but she feels some concern that a Peacekeeper Captain would be reduced to this. She begins to feel some twinge of remorse. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a bag of food cubes.

"Here." She shoves them at him. "Maybe a little food will help."

"Thank you Mokan." Phillip sits up and takes the bag.

Phillip lies back down and puts the bag of food cubes next to him on the cot.

Mokan walks into Command. "I'll have to ask Setig what the Frell happened to him in there!" She says to herself. She hits Comms.

"Setig, you there?" She asks. It is several Microts when

"Setig here."

"What the Frell did you do to him?" She says, upset.

"I cannot share that information with you. It is highly confidential. What happened, he did to himself. Be content that he is pliable." Setig says, irked.

"Pliable?" she says. "He can no longer function! What use is he?"

"He will recover given time." Setig tells her.

"Time." She says and closes Comms.

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

ChianaGray
1/13/01
Lessons
IC:

Mokan raised her thin eyebrow as she leaned back, crossing her arms.

"Time," she muttered with a snort. "Pliable!"

The man was broken. She cut her eyes towards the doorway. It wasn't entirely fair to just leave him that way. She sighed heavily and lightly kicked her chair as she heard the distant echoes of his crying ... just like her own cell. She rose, pursing her lips as she returned to his cell and stared at him as she grasped the bars of the door. He hadn't eaten the food cubes yet.

"It feels strange when I have a Sebacean on the other end of these bars," she muttered and tilted her head to one side as she winced her eyes. "If it hadn't been for Chiana I'd still be in one. I was captured on my first flight battle with the Luxan betalion Akresh. I was tortured for information, for a while. The captain decided he'd just keep me because I amused him. I learned how to become very good at trade even behind his back. I had to be useful to keep alive and I felt I would never be a warrior again, unless I could black market my own self from him. The trade of a life time."

She narrowed her eyes softly as he looked to her and sat on her heels at the bars.

"Chiana helped me do that. He got nothing, I got freedom."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, his dark eyes shadowed with misery as he winced his face as if it hurt to look at her. She shrugged as she looked away from him.

"Because I had allot of reasons to get out of a cell like this," she muttered as she looked over his "quarters" mildly. "Maybe you should find one."

She smiled slightly as she stood. "I liked the Shelan that would look me in the eye. I could get used to him."

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

Nhfearme
1/14/01
Lessons
IC:

Phillip sits on the cell cot. He supports himself against the wall. "How do you know you can trust me Mokan?" He says, deeply troubled. "Maybe I belong in here."

"You've been proven a man of your word." Mokan tells him. "Maybe that means I can trust you."

"Trust." Phillip laughs. "You would trust me?"

"Yes." Mokan turns to leave him. "When you are ready to release yourself, you may go."

"How can I when I don't even trust myself?"

Mokan turns back and looks at him curiously. "Do you want to talk to me about it?" She cannot believe she said that to him. For her, to help a Peacekeeper is the deepest sacrilege.

"I am sworn not to speak of it!" He yells. "It is locked in here!" He hits his fist on his chest. Phillip stands up and holds tightly to the bars. "The deepest of secrets." He looks at her, unable to look into her eyes. "I became obsessed with her, Mokan. I feel that I cannot live another Microt without her! But she is with Crichton!" He cries. He collapses, holding onto the bars. "She belongs with Crichton."

Suddenly Mokan has a sense that this is not merely a troubled soldier but a man suffering the deepest grief. She tells herself she must help him for the cause. He cannot help the resistance in this condition.

"Shelan." She says to him kindly. "I know of a healer on the planet. I think you can find help there." She pulls open the cell door and helps him to walk to her transport.

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

Mokan helps Phillip into her transport and leaves for the planet. She lands on the outskirts of the Commerce district. She helps Shelan out of the transport and into a small building by the cliff.

As they enter Mokan can feel a sense of mysticism. A tree appears to have grown through the floor and beyond the roof. Stones are scattered around the room. There are no coverings on the windows. The table is no more than a polished stump with boulders instead of chairs.

"Hello! We need help!" She shouts.

"I am here." A voice seems to come from inside the walls.

Mokan looks and sees no one.

"You have brought this one for me to heal?" The voice asks.

"I have heard of you. You have helped many soldiers after the wars. And people who have lost loved ones."

"But you have brought me neither."

The wall moves and Mokan sees a person emerge. She is a short Sebacean looking woman with Volkarian clothing. She has one blue eye and one brown eye. She walks forward and lays her right hand on Phillip's back. She feels him with her eyes closed.

"Can you help him?" Mokan asks.

"Leave him." The woman tells her. "He has begun a journey that he must complete, or die."

Mokan gasps. "Then I should stay with him." She says planting her feet.

"This journey, he must take alone. Or he will lose what he seeks." The old woman tells her.

"Will you help me find her?" Phillip says, almost in a dream. "No one can help me find her." He cries quietly. "You are lying to us."

"Then leave!" She shouts. "You may die without my help. And your love?" She walks back to the wall she came from and dissolves into it.

Phillip and Mokan watch as the old woman dissolves into the wall. Mokan goes to the wall and feels it. It is solid. She shrugs to him.

Mokan looks at Phillip like she is out of ideas. "Do you want to go back with me, Shelan?"

Phillip looks at her, trying to decide. He shakes his head. "If this is the only place that I can get help, I will stay with her." He goes to a boulder and sits, waiting.

Mokan looks at him. "Alright. I will return for you." She turns, wondering if she's made a mistake and walks back to her transport.

Phillip can hear her transport power up and blast off.

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

Phillip sits waiting on the boulder. He hears singing. He gets up and follows the sound of her voice. He hears a fresher in another room and looks in. Then he sees her. Chiana! She is in the fresher, singing. He draws near, unbelieving.

"I will give you what you seek." A voice comes from behind.

Phillip looks behind at the old woman and back to the fresher. Chiana is gone.

"You can't." Phillip sighs looking at the empty fresher. "She belongs to another."

"There will come a time when she needs you. Without you, she may die on her own quest. Prepare yourself and you will both live."

"Gibberish." Phillip mumbles under his breath, he wanders back to the main room and sits on a boulder.

The old woman scowls at him. "Then why didn't you go with your friend back to her ship?"

"She isn't my friend. Who are you anyway?" He asks. "You're not Sebacean, nor Volcarian."

"She is your friend."

"What can you possibly do for me?"

"The luminous being in the fresher. She is the one you have chosen."

Phillip stands and pivots. He looks at her with surprise. It seems she is not as old. Her hair is no longer gray. Phillip is taken aback.

"How did you know?"

"From the moment you left on this quest, I have dreamt about you." She tells him. "I can help you leave the nightmare that has become your life. I can teach you how to be the one."

"No." Phillip swallows. His tears begin again. His pain is great as he speaks the words. "She loves Crichton."

"It will not always be so." She answers.

Phillip looks at her. He cannot believe her. At the same time a small spark of hope forms. The edge of his pain diminishes.

"But what I did. She can never forgive me. I can never forgive myself."

The woman takes a step toward him and raises her hand to his lips to stop his speech. "You have already been forgiven. More than that; She does not even remember."

"How?" He shakes his head.

"There are forces at work on your life than only one other has experienced." She waits for his realization. "Your rival."

"Crichton."

"Yes."

"How. How is this happening to me? What is going on?" Phillip is upset.

"There will come a time that she will seek your help. Will you be ready? Or will you revert to your Peacekeeper ways and destroy her?"

Phillip sits down and swallows. "You know what I did to her? I have no secrets from you."

"Your secret remains with me. Be more concerned that it will happen again. This time with so much force it will destroy her!" She waits for his answer. "Will you be there for her? Or let your jealousy rule you to destroy Crichton."

"I I am so desperate for her that I can no longer trust myself. I have to regain control."

"Ha!" She laughs. "It is not control that you need but to exorcise the evil of your Peacekeeper heritage. That part of you who would destroy with your envy, such beauty!"

"I am who I am." Phillip tells her. "I wouldn't know how to change."

"This nightmare began as a sweet dream, with her willingly in your arms. It is your evil that turned it to Dren!" She stands close to him and looks down on him.

Phillip looks up at her. She has become younger. Her jet-black hair frames her beautiful face. He looks puzzled at her.

"You have had a glimpse at what you are capable of Captain." She hits her hand on the stump table. "Either you are willing to put your evil down or let your jealousy kill, not only your rival but Chiana as well!"

Phillip hears her name and remembers what he did. He suddenly feels there is no hope to change his direction. "I don't know how to stop! I don't know where to begin." He breaks down sobbing. "I only know that I love her." He hides his face in his hands.

"I am sorry. I can only show you the way." She pats his shoulder. "I cannot remove your evil." She sighs.

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

"Wait." Setig motioned to Jeriana as she approached John and Chiana's bedroom.
"Why are you bringing this beverage?" He said, indicating the glass pitcher filled
with chilled quisonberry juice.

Bowing her head, Jeriana responded, but barely hid her amusement. "The Lady Chiana
has requested it every morning since her return."

"I see. You may pass." Setig knew of the medicinal application for the beverage, but
was stunned to learn of Chiana's need for it. This news increased his struggle as he
debated over the decision of whether to tell Crichton of Shelan's dreadful plans for
his master and the Lady Chiana.

His lips curling into a snarl, he retreated into the communications room,
ready to inform Mokan of Shelan's evil intent.

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

Nhfearme
1/14/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Smoke swirls up from the burning herb as the healer rubs scented oils on Phillip's back. The room is oppressively hot as the woman's fire burns in the rock pit. His sweat soaks the pad that lay on the wood floor.

"If I fall unconscious" He begins.

"I will open the window and vent the heat." She completes his sentence."

She strips her clothes and straddles his oiled body. Her delicate fingers are strong. She works them along his muscular back. He finds his mind drifting away from his heartache as he relaxes under her sensuous touch.

Then she begins pressing on each muscle's center. The pain surprises him. It is intolerable, but he allows it. Sometimes he cries out in pain. Sometimes a memory of pain comes pouring out.

He remembers the time he was taken from his parents; being separated from his sister. He cannot remember their faces. He remembers their tears.

The brutality he has seen. Each memory carries with it a pain from his soul. Then she hits it. A muscle containing his betrayal of Crichton. He sobs remembering Crichton's swollen face.

"Stop!" He cries. "I can't stand it!" He tries to rise and push her off his back but the heat has sapped his strength.

"You want your healing to stop?" She asks.

"The pain." He gasps through his tears. "Please stop." He begs her.

She leans over him. He can feel her breasts brush against his oiled back. She kisses his tears. "Forgive me." She says simply. She gets up and lays a sheet over his naked body.

"I will leave you now to meet your spirit animal." She walks from him.

Phillip looks up at her. "The heat." He turns over. "You can't leave me in here with this heat."

She pulls a heavy stone lid over the fire pit. "I would never harm you Phillip." She picks up her clothes and turns to leave.

Phillip watches her as she leaves. It seems she is a young woman. Her voice has changed so. She sounds like someone else, like

Suddenly movement catches Phillip's eye from the corner of the room. It is a man looking creature covered with hair. It snarls as it looks at him. It moves threateningly closer to him.

"Stay away!" Phillip yells, intimidated without his weapons.

He stands wrapping the sheet over himself. He backs against the wall. "Help!" He yells, looking toward the door.

Phillip would never make it and still avoid the creatures 8 dench claws. He swallows. "Help me woman!" He wishes he knew her name to scream as he flees the creature.

Phillip makes it to the door. The creature slashes him across his ribs tearing the sheet and leaving a gash. Phillip falls. He screams.

"Help me please!"

The beast stops his attack and lumbers over him staring at him. "Why would anyone want to help you Peacekeeper?" The beast utters in a deep growl. "You have murdered and raped your way across these territories in the name of your duty!" The creature rebukes. "You are of less value than the dust!"

"What the Frell are you?" Phillip asks angrily. "You attacked me!"

"I am Kedva." The animal snarls. "I have the power to kill you at any microt. This is the way you live your life! This wound is no more than what you have given yourself!"

"I would never" Phillip says forcefully, his voice fades. He stops. He remembers holding his Pulse Pistol in his quarters. When he had considered using it on himself.

"Yes, you have lead a life of violence. Now you wish to love a woman. Give her children." Kedva's musky odor is oppressive, it drools and breathes with its powerful breath on him.

Phillip turns his head.

"Do I offend you?" Kedva asks him. "Well!" Kedva reaches out and strikes Phillip with the back of its gnarled paw, knocking him into the door. "You offend me!" it snarls. "Now dress yourself!"

Phillip looks around the room. "My clothes are not here. I will have to go get them."

"No." Kedva says and throws something that looks more like rags at him. "Put on these!"

"These are a slaves tunic!" Phillip says with disdain.

"And that is all that you are." Kedva threatens.

"No." Phillip says trying to move away from Kedva.

"I am not a slave!" Phillip tries to stand.

"You are what I say you are! Slave!" Kedva strikes him again, knocking him to the floor.

Phillip reaches out and tries to strike Kedva. Kedva strikes against Phillip with his claws, gashing him on the other side of his ribs. Phillip's blood soaks the sheet. The pain causes him to double over. He looks up at Kedva.

Kedva is ready to strike. "Put them on or die!"

Phillip swallows. He stands slowly and reaches for the woman's healing oils. He spreads some on his wounds and puts on the slave's tunic. He wraps it around his body and ties its belt on his slim waist. He stands before Kedva.

Kedva turns to the window and opens it. It opens out over the cliff. "Come slave." Kedva says and leaves by the window.

Phillip closes and locks the window. He laughs and yells. "No!"

Kedva breaks the shutter open and reaches in. It picks up Phillip in his claws and hurls him over the cliff.

"Aaaaa!" Phillip screams and grabs onto a small root growing out of the precipice.

"Help! Help me!" He screams. The oil on his hands causes him to slip. He quickly reaches and mixes his palm in the dirt then switches hands. "Please woman! Help me!" Phillip's cries echo in the canyon. Rocks, dirt and pebbles fall from his thrashing. He looks up at Kedva. "Frell! You're going to kill me!"

"Climb the cliff, slave." Kedva says and begins to climb down the rocky precipice toward the gorge. Kedva lithely passes Phillip.

Phillip clutches with his life at root. He looks down at the long drop and realizes it is ether climb down or fall. His grip will not last. His strength is already gone. He is unable to pull up onto the cliffs rocky ledge. He finally lowers himself down, placing his bare foot in a crevice, carefully following Kedva.

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

DeSaintPhalle
1/15/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

As Setig reached the comm panel, he was reminded of Pagar's ultimate plan
for Shelan and thought better of informing on him. Besides, Mokan's possible
vengeful wrath upon learning of the despicable lust that lurked in Shelan's mind,
would render him useless for further use as a PK informant.

In addition, who was he to assume why Chiana needed the quisonberry juice?
It was well known throughout this sector, that the beverage could heal any
number of digestive ailments.

He cautioned himself. "Yes...that must be it, the Nebari is just sensitive to
Scarran gastronomy." He turned away form the comm room, and headed
toward the pantry, and to Jeriana. "The exclusion of some spices in their
food should have the desired effect."

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

ChianaGray
1/15/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

"Oh look, you got juice on you," Crichton smiled as he began to kiss Chianas neck.

She giggled, grabbing his hips as he squeezed more of the half fruit on her chest.

"Looks like you got some too," She cooed teasingly as she brought her lips just barely close enough to his ear to touch and slid a half fruit up his inner thy.

"I think," Crichton licked his lips as he laid back with her and lipped the lobe of her ear. "I'm ready for desert."

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

Nhfearme
1/16/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Phillip carefully lowers himself, crevice by crevice, stone by stone, following Kedva. All the times he used the sonic net in combat he never feared such a great height. He looks down. It seems Kedva has finished the climb down. Then he smells its musky odor.

"Finish the climb slave!" Kedva orders him.

"Please, I'm going as fast as I can. I've never done this before." Phillip says nervously. "I have no rigging, no sonic net. It will take me time to reach the bottom."

"I said finish the climb!" Kedva shouts.

Phillip can feel his hot breath on him. He begins to get dizzy.

"Stop, I'll fall." Phillip swallows.

"You ask for mercy?" Kedva asks. "Did you ever give mercy to those you murdered? Those you took into slavery?" Kedva growls. "You will finish the climb!"

Kedva grabs Phillip's tunic and pulls him from the cliff.

"AAAaaaa!" Phillip screams, grasping for the cliff. "No! No! Don't!" His tunic begins to rip.

"I will show you the mercy you have shown others, Peacekeeper!" Kedva snarls and throws Phillip down.

Phillip screams again and again on the long fall. His heart feels as though it will break through his chest. His eyes hurt from the force of the wind. His tunic begins to blow off his body. He lands suddenly, violently in the water. The force of it makes him numb. For a Microt he is stunned. He tries to swim up. He is a long way from the surface. His lungs feel as though they will burst if he cannot take a breath.

As he breaks the surface he gasps his first tortured breath.

"Swim the lake." Kedva orders him. "I will meet you on the other side."

"Please Kedva. I am so weak." Phillip begs.

"Then drown here. Let yourself die before making the trip. Save your strength."

Phillip looks at the lakebed. They are surrounded by cliff accept for a small area that is across the water. Phillip sees he is trapped in the lake. Swim or die. He sighs and begins to swim to reach the bank.

Kedva laughs and takes his long strokes quickly leaving Phillip as though he is treading. Soon Kedva stands on the bank waiting.

Phillip crawls out of the water at Kedva's feet. He lies there breathing. He looks up and sees Kedva walking away around the great hillside toward the woman's cottage.

Phillip trudges across the desert following Kedva. The sand burns his bare feet. He has neither eaten nor slept in two days. His soul aches for Chiana. She would be waiting for him, the woman said. She would seek him, the woman said. She has forgiven him, the woman said.

Mokan lands her transport next to the woman's cottage and goes in. She finds the young woman inside waiting on a boulder.

"Where is the old woman?" Mokan asks.

"He will be back." The woman says.

"Where is he?" Mokan asks.

"He has gone walking in the desert." The woman answers.

"The desert?" Mokan's mouth drops. "He is in no condition to go into the desert!"

"He needs this." The woman says.

"Who are you?" Mokan asks.

"I am the woman who waits for him to return. You left him in my care. Now go." The woman tells her.

Mokan looks at her, puzzled. This is a young woman. She left Shelan with an old one. "He went for a walk." She looks out of the door as though she is looking for Captain Shelan. "Out there?"

"Yes. He will return. You may come for him tomorrow. He will be ready. Or not."

"Good. I have a few things to discuss with Captain Shelan." Mokan says acidly. She looks again at the woman and boards her transport and leaves for her vessel.

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

Some hours pass. Night falls. Phillip crawls to the woman's door. He collapses in her doorway. He has been beaten by his exposure to the elements. His slave's tunic is in rags. He shivers with the cold. His thirst has driven him to near madness.

The woman kneels and gives him a pungent drink. It burns his throat to drink it. He nearly chokes on it. But for his need of it, he would spit it out. He finishes the drink with gusto, as though it were the finest Portella. As she takes the drink from his mouth, he falls asleep in her arms.

Phillip wakes on a soft bed, surrounded by burning candles. He smells her sweet fragrance as she approaches him. She stands naked before him and softly lies next to him. She embraces him.

He feels in a dream. She touches his chest. Kisses his neck and massages his thigh with her hand. She positions herself on him and strokes him slowly.

Phillip closes his eyes and enjoys her lovemaking. He begins to desire her. He turns her over onto her back and holds her arms firmly.

**************************************************
WARNING: This segment deals with the personal thoughts of a rapist during the act. Do not read if such material offends you. Seduction of a Rapist:
**************************************************

"Tell me how you felt the first time you took her." The woman says.

"She was lying on the cot in the abandoned warehouse. I had just left Crichton under arrest at the Planetary Base. I felt certain that Hep had deserted him. I was sure Hep would not attempt to rescue Crichton from security 3 containment."

"She lay there, so fair. The drink I gave her had a powerful sedative. I couldn't resist her beauty. I stripped her clothes and made love to her as she slept." Phillip tells the woman with great enjoyment. "I told her all the things I felt. That I love her, need her to be my wife. I begged her to leave Crichton in custody, forget about him and be mine forever." He moves with her as he moved with Chiana, desiring her.

"Now tell me how it felt the second time." The woman inquires.

"She was mine. She left Crichton for me. I gave her all of my love, and she loved me." He says with some pain at his loss.

"Now tell me of the third time." The woman demands.

"I had just returned from seeing Crichton in the Command Carrier Detention. I had been denied my interrogation of him." Phillip makes angry love to the woman as he tells his story. "I should have been there at his arrest. I wanted to be the one to beat him into submission." Phillip growls in anger. "I wanted to draw my dagger! Stab him on his mansion steps and watch him die slowly."

"That was stolen from me. The delight of killing him!" He thrusts into her as with all of his rage. "I returned to Chiana. Crichton was still alive!" He gasps. "She was still his! I had to claim her! I had to take her from him!"

"I knew as long as Crichton was alive she could go back to him." He begins to cry. "I would rather see her dead than go back to him." He collapses on the woman. He gasps.

Phillip throws himself off her. "What are you doing to me?" He yells breathless. "How can you do this to me?" He is angry and confused.

"Quiet your mind. You did not kill your own child." She tells him.

Phillip curls up into himself on the floor and cries. "How do you know that? You can't know!" He sobs. "I did and I'll be damned!"

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

DeSaintPhalle
1/16/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Phillip carefully lowers himself, crevice by crevice, stone by stone, following Kedva. All the times he used the sonic net in combat he never feared such a great height. He looks down. It seems Kedva has finished the climb down. Then he smells its musky odor.

"Finish the climb slave!" Kedva orders him.

"Please, I'm going as fast as I can. I've never done this before." Phillip says nervously. "I have no rigging, no sonic net. It will take me time to reach the bottom."

"I said finish the climb!" Kedva shouts.

Phillip can feel his hot breath on him. He begins to get dizzy.

"Stop, I'll fall." Phillip swallows.

"You ask for mercy?" Kedva asks. "Did you ever give mercy to those you murdered? Those you took into slavery?" Kedva growls. "You will finish the climb!"

Kedva grabs Phillip's tunic and pulls him from the cliff.

"AAAaaaa!" Phillip screams, grasping for the cliff. "No! No! Don't!" His tunic begins to rip.

"I will show you the mercy you have shown others, Peacekeeper!" Kedva snarls and throws Phillip down.

Phillip screams again and again on the long fall. His heart feels as though it will break through his chest. His eyes hurt from the force of the wind. His tunic begins to blow off his body. He lands suddenly, violently in the water. The force of it makes him numb. For a Microt he is stunned. He tries to swim up. He is a long way from the surface. His lungs feel as though they will burst if he cannot take a breath.

As he breaks the surface he gasps his first tortured breath.

"Swim the lake." Kedva orders him. "I will meet you on the other side."

"Please Kedva. I am so weak." Phillip begs.

"Then drown here. Let yourself die before making the trip. Save your strength."

Phillip looks at the lakebed. They are surrounded by cliff accept for a small area that is across the water. Phillip sees he is trapped in the lake. Swim or die. He sighs and begins to swim to reach the bank.

Kedva laughs and takes his long strokes quickly leaving Phillip as though he is treading. Soon Kedva stands on the bank waiting.

Phillip crawls out of the water at Kedva's feet. He lies there breathing. He looks up and sees Kedva walking away around the great hillside toward the woman's cottage.

Phillip trudges across the desert following Kedva. The sand burns his bare feet. He has neither eaten nor slept in two days. His soul aches for Chiana. She would be waiting for him, the woman said. She would seek him, the woman said. She has forgiven him, the woman said.

Mokan lands her transport next to the woman's cottage and goes in. She finds the young woman inside waiting on a boulder.

"Where is the old woman?" Mokan asks.

"He will be back." The woman says.

"Where is he?" Mokan asks.

"He has gone walking in the desert." The woman answers.

"The desert?" Mokan's mouth drops. "He is in no condition to go into the desert!"

"He needs this." The woman says.

"Who are you?" Mokan asks.

"I am the woman who waits for him to return. You left him in my care. Now go." The woman tells her.

Mokan looks at her, puzzled. This is a young woman. She left Shelan with an old one. "He went for a walk." She looks out of the door as though she is looking for Captain Shelan. "Out there?"

"Yes. He will return. You may come for him tomorrow. He will be ready. Or not."

"Good. I have a few things to discuss with Captain Shelan." Mokan says acidly. She looks again at the woman and boards her transport and leaves for her vessel.

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

The woman kneels and gives him a pungent drink. It burns his throat to drink it. He nearly chokes on it. But for his need of it, he would spit it out. He finishes the drink with gusto, as though it were the finest Portella. As she takes the drink from his mouth, he falls asleep in her arms.

Phillip wakes on a soft bed, surrounded by burning candles. He smells her sweet fragrance as she approaches him. She stands naked before him and softly lies next to him. She embraces him.

He feels in a dream. She touches his chest. Kisses his neck and massages his thigh with her hand. She positions herself on him and strokes him slowly.

Phillip closes his eyes and enjoys her lovemaking. He begins to desire her. He turns her over onto her back and holds her arms firmly.

**************************************************
WARNING: This segment deals with the personal thoughts of a rapist during the act. Do not read if such material offends you. Seduction of a Rapist:
**************************************************

"Tell me how you felt the first time you took her." The woman says.

"She was lying on the cot in the abandoned warehouse. I had just left Crichton under arrest at the Planetary Base. I felt certain that Hep had deserted him. I was sure Hep would not attempt to rescue Crichton from security 3 containment."

"She lay there, so fair. The drink I gave her had a powerful sedative. I couldn't resist her beauty. I stripped her clothes and made love to her as she slept." Phillip tells the woman with great enjoyment. "I told her all the things I felt. That I love her, need her to be my wife. I begged her to leave Crichton in custody, forget about him and be mine forever." He moves with her as he moved with Chiana, desiring her.

"Now tell me how it felt the second time." The woman inquires.

"She was mine. She left Crichton for me. I gave her all of my love, and she loved me." He says with some pain at his loss.

"Now tell me of the third time." The woman demands.

"I had just returned from seeing Crichton in the Command Carrier Detention. I had been denied my interrogation of him." Phillip makes angry love to the woman as he tells his story. "I should have been there at his arrest. I wanted to be the one to beat him into submission." Phillip growls in anger. "I wanted to draw my dagger! Stab him on his mansion steps and watch him die slowly."

"That was stolen from me. The delight of killing him!" He thrusts into her as with all of his rage. "I returned to Chiana. Crichton was still alive!" He gasps. "She was still his! I had to claim her! I had to take her from him!"

"I knew as long as Crichton was alive she could go back to him." He begins to cry. "I would rather see her dead than go back to him." He collapses on the woman. He gasps.

Phillip throws himself off her. "What are you doing to me?" He yells breathless. "How can you do this to me?" He is angry and confused.

"Quiet your mind. You did not kill your own child." She tells him.

Phillip curls up into himself on the floor and cries. "How do you know that? You can't know!" He sobs. "I did and I'll be damned!"

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

"And you let him go?!" John spun on his heel, screaming toward
the sky. "S-H-E-L-A-N!" The sound of his name screeched and tore
at the delicate fabric of tranquility built by John and Chiana upon
the foundation of their marriage vows.

Furious, Crichton turned again to Setig and continued.
"I don't frelling believe this. You mean to tell me, that you knew
he was capable of hurting her, and you weren't going to tell me?!"

Setig held John's eyes as he revealed the rest of the sordid tale.

Chiana watched the scene unfolding in the courtyard, from the bedroom
terrace. Her mouth hung open, as she began to remember scattered
bits of her imprisonment by Shelan. The hurt went so deep that she'd
buried the details far into her subconscious. Now, only as John repeated
Shelan's name in a thunderous tone, did her mind begin to unlock the
depravity she'd suffered at his hands.

Trembling, she stumbled back into the bedroom. Looking at the rumpled
sheets, a sickness rumbled into her belly. She ran for the facility to
empty her stomach of their breakfast. Coughing, she absently wiped
her mouth as her biggest fear began to come true.

Unable to turn toward him, Chiana could feel John's murderous eyes
boring into her backside. She turned toward him and knew the anger
wasn't toward her.

"Chiana." John spoke as tears softly trailed down his face. He knelt and
picked her up from the floor.

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

Nhfearme
1/16/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

John holds Chiana and cries. How much of what Setig told him could he repeat to her now? He feels numb, angry, afraid. His hands turn cold in the light of what has happened, what could have happened.

As Chiana remembers she cries to John's touch. No longer feeling she has a right to call herself 'wife'.

John can feel her tremble to his touch and wonders what happened. Would she remember? Would she hold him accountable, being a man. He feels such rage that anyone would harm her. Take his wife from him by force. He begins to sob, feeling the same helplessness he felt when Aeryn died. They were attacked! The damage is done.

"Please God help us." He whispers as he holds her tighter, not willing to let her go. But he knows, things have changed between them. The child that grows in her womb will test their relationship more than anything that has come before. He cries, quietly holding her.

"Chiana." He says to her softly. "Setig says that Shelan switched vials on us. We may be compatible."

Chiana takes his hand. "Help me up John." She stands and washes her face. Then walks slowly to the bed. She falls on it and cries freely into the covers. "Why are you asking me John? Do you know something John?" She cries.

"Setig thinks you may be pregnant." John says to her. "Please. Take the test with me."

Chiana sits up on the edge of the bed and wipes her face on her robe sleeve. "No John. I don't think I could take another failure." She sighs with a ragged breath. "I couldn't take it if, if we're not." She begins to cry again.

"Do you want the child?" John can hardly say it. He turns from her, afraid.

"Do you?" Chiana feels her heart is breaking at the thought of losing it, losing John. She fears she will lose them both! She holds up her hand begging him to hold her.

With his back to her, he cannot see. He swallows and turns. Suddenly they know what they must do. John falls to his knees and holds her tightly as they cry to eachother. Accept the child as their own. Neither can face the other choice.

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

ChianaGray
1/16/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Chiana wiped her face as they sat on the bed together. She stared down at the floor, pursing her lips as she tried to remember where she had been for Shelan to get near her. She could remember being sick at the street square shopping with Mokan, her capture by the PeaceKeepers. But, nothing after. She thought she could see him over her, his voice running through her mind, his hands pulling at her cloaths as she lay on a cot. Remembering her own moan shocked her mind like a photo flash.

"I need to know," she muttered as she twisted her head around as if she were looking for escape and stood.

"I'll call Setig."

"No," Chiana clenched her fists, fear drowning in her eyes as she remembered, or thought she did. "I want you to find Shelan and put him back in the hezmat."

He stared at her, stunned at the vemunance in her voice. He stood, taking her shoulders but she pulled away from him and began to search over the room franticly.

"What are you doing?"

"A comm, I need a frelling comm! I'll just use the one in the prowler."

She turned to leave. He took her wrist, gazing into her eyes. She looked back, tears welling in her eyes at the look on his face.

"Chiana, don't run from me again."

"I'm going to have Mokan bring the frelling bastard back here so I can have him mind frelled until I see the - the..."

"Chiana, it was in hezmat. Maybe..." he wraped his arms around her as she shook her head.

"No," she muttered solemnly as she hit the ball of her fist into his arm and buried her forehead into his chest. "No John - I know he did. I want to know what he frelling did to me."

"Alright, just - just," he sighed as the plea for her to calm down faltered in his voice. It seemed so unlike her to want to torture someone, even for this. "I'll get everyone to find him."

"I'll comm Mokan myself," she grimanced as she pulled away from him reluctantly. "I don't want her to kill him."

"Why not?"

She felt herself beggining to trembil, watching in dim horror as his brows creased. A defense was shifting very subtly in him but she could see his tension, the fears that raced through his mind he wasn't saying. The anger. Accusation.

"Because of the resistance," she swallowed hard, her tormented expression near to sobbs as she tilted her head to one side. "I saved his frelling life so the bastard could frell me over? John, let me see what he DID!"

"Okay," he nodded gently as he took her shoulders and then placed his hand to the side of her face, gazing saddly into her eyes. "Get her on the horn then. Just - just don't leave the grounds right now okay? I'll get Setig to gather some men."

She nodded as she tried to sniff back her tears.

"Yeah, okay."

************************************
OOC: (Nh's suggestion of Mokans location)

IC:

Mokan sighed heavily, uneasy as she sat down on a boulder and gazed over the inside of the mystic womans house. It was well past time Shelan should have been back by now. She had scanned everywhere over the desert and hadn't seen him. She decided to wait just a little longer for him before giving up all together. She shifted the qualta at her shoulders and closed her eyes as she crossed her arms, lowering her head slightly as she drifted into a meditation. Back on her prowler her secured line for Chiana went off again and again without answer.

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

Nhfearme
1/16/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

Phillip grieves for his lost child, his lost love. As he cries the woman wraps him I a blanket and places a pillow for his head. She lies next to him on the floor and comforts him. After many long arns he begins to calm.

"You are so kind." He says to her. "What may I call you?"

"You do not remember me?" She sounds a little hurt. "I waited for you to come back."

Phillip thinks for a Microt. "Leah."

She smiles and holds him. "I have enjoyed my time with you Phillip." She looks into his eyes. "Very soon they will come looking for you. To kill you." She holds him tightly.

"Crichton." Phillip says.

"Yes." She sounds very concerned. She fondles his chest with her slender fingers. "Your love also seeks your life. She has begun to remember the abandoned warehouse."

"My sins will condemn me." Phillip says solemnly. His tears have washed his face. His sins have wearied his soul. "Perhaps it is better that she kills me." He says almost gratefully. "I will prepare myself." He says getting up.

Leah fights her heart to stop him. She stands watching as he slowly pulls on his peacekeeper pants and fastens them. He pulls on his shirt, then his boots. Finally his jacket and his weapons. His pulse pistol snaps in and then his dagger.

"If it is my fate to die. I can wish for no better fate, than to be given to her hands." Phillip embraces Leah. "I prayed for my pain to stop. For my sins to be forgiven." He looks deeply into her eyes. "It is not to be so." Phillip kisses her passionately then looks at her trying to remember every detail of how she looks. "Thank you Leah." He says and leaves to meet Mokan who has fallen asleep waiting.

"Mokan." Phillip softly wakes her. "I am ready."

She wakes with a start. "It's about Frelling time!" She looks at him. "Are you sure you're alright?" She says thinking that he looks the same as when she brought him.

"It doesn't matter anymore Mokan. Take me to her."

"The frell I will!" Mokan says leading him to her transport. "Chiana is off limits for you mister!" As Mokan enters her shuttle she sees the Comms flashing she hits it.

"Mokan! Do you know where Phillip is!" Chiana nearly yells at her.

"Yeah. He's right here. Why?" Mokan asks.

"Bring him to the estate immediately!" Chiana demands.

Mokan is taken aback. She looks at Phillip. "You're getting your wish. Go strap in." Mokan says as she powers up and hits the launch sequencer. "Right away your ladyship." Mokan says sarcastically and closes Comms.

The trip takes nearly a quarter arn. Phillip prepares himself for death. He can think of nothing else but to see her face again and ask forgiveness.

Phillip expects it will be Crichton who does the killing. A saber slash to his neck or a pulse blast to his chest. It matters little to him any longer.

His hopes of loving Chiana are never to be. His Peacekeeper heritage is too well intrenched. He will never marry, never have children with her. His only hope is that she perhaps carries his child. Leah said he did not kill his child in her. He closes his eyes and sighs that it is true.

He can feel the shuttle slow as it descends to the estate. They exit and aproach the back of the mansion. Crichton greets him with his pulse pistol drawn.

"Disarm yourself Shelan!"

Mokan looks at Captain Shelan and stands back a bit not wanting to be shot by mistake.

Phillip raises his arms. Crichton descends the steps and takes his dagger first then his pulse pistol, shoving them into his belt. Chiana watches from the shadows inside the doorway.

Phillip watches Crichton. He swallows expecting the fatal shot. "What are you waiting for Crichton?" Phillip finally asks.

Crichton looks at him in surprise.

"I am here at your mercy. What are you waiting for?" He asks again.

"Your right, I should kill you right now." John says holding his pulse pistol to Phillip's head. "What did you do to my wife?" John prepares to fire.

"I had no right. I tried to destroy you. I took her for myself. I can only submit myself to your judgement. Perhaps in my death I will finally obtain forgiveness."

Chiana descends the steps and looks guardedly at him. Then she runs and hits him. John steps back.

"You Frelling bastard!" Chiana hits him as hard as she can with her fists. "What did you do to me when you took me from the base?" She screams. She hits him in his face, his chest and his stomach repeatedly. "Tell me what you did!" She slaps him.

Phillip just stands and takes it. He doesn't try to block her punches.

Chiana becomes more and more angry at his silence. Then she reaches and pulls out Jena. Phillip starts to cry. He readies himself. Chiana raises her dagger and strikes him in the chest.

John clenches his jaw and watches.

"Uh." Phillip collapses with almost a sigh on his lips.

"You bastard!" Chiana screams, kicking Phillip when he falls.

Setig descends the stairs and picks up Captain Shelan. Chiana stands with Jena in her hand watching. Setig takes Phillip into the cell. He rubs some repairant on the wound and locks him in.

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

ChianaGray
1/17/01
Shelan's Redemption
IC:

"Did you know?" Chiana asked, swaying her head as she looked into Mokans eyes, her own filled with pain.

"I had my suspicion," Mokan stated quietly as she looked from her to Crichton inside the hezmat room. "It just didn't seem right when you were missing for so long. I didn't think he went that far."

Chiana cut her head away from her, gazing down at the console bringing to view everything Shelan was doing in the hezmat. Her lips slowly parted as she saw Shelans images of her laying sick on the cot. He had taken her in lust, his greed oblivious to her worsening condition and how out of it she was. She shook her head in denial, unsure of if this was some fantasy of his or not as her image tried to move away from him constantly only to be pulled back. He came to her several times, laying with her like she was his prize to smother. He forced on her to try to get her body to react, enjoying her groans, her climaxes mixed in the pain and pleasure he was rendering until she had no strength left to move at all.

She brought her hand to her mouth, the shame overwhelming her as Crichton stepped away and left the room. She wanted to be faithful to John and Shelan had taken that from her.

"He was going to take my place," Chiana cried. "I was going to leave my position to him and stay with Crichton."

Mokan gazed over the next scenes as Shelan took his journey with the mystic woman.

"I was ready to bring him in," she muttered as she looked to Chiana solemnly. "I can get rid of him. His Pk knowledge isn't enough to spare him this, no matter how loyal he would be."

Chiana said nothing as she watched the screen and the torment Shelan was going through. She gazed up to where he lay next to Setigs board with a haunted stare.

"Take him in," her voice trembled. "Get him out of here."

"You can't be serious," Mokan shook her head as she slammed her eyes shut. "Tell me you're not serious, tell me to put him in slavery if you can't kill him."

Chiana gaped down at the screen, her breath comming unevenly at the tightness in her chest. She felt like an invader of his mind, the feeling was beggining to make her sick. The way he was reliving his guilt and surrender tore at her for what she was doing to him now.

"We free slaves," she muttered as she turned her eyes to her. "We don't make them. He's - been through enough. I wish I had known he had been down here the first time. Take him, tell him I forgave him and get him out of here."

"You forgave?" Mokan gaped at her. "What are you the frelling Rashai at the sacred tempil?"

"Mokan," Chiana wrenched her face at the thought of what Crichton was thinking now after he had seen her climaxing in Shelans mind. She held her hand to her burning face as she cried. "Just go..."

"You could have died," Mokan narrowed her eyes into a sharp coldness as she touched Chianas shoulder before moving to Shelan. "But I'll do as you ask."