Part 29

Sout and the others waited until nightfall on the planet before landing a little way from the dwelling. Aeryn put the transport down almost silently. She'd wanted to bring the prowler having sucessfully retrieved it fron the orb, but it steadfastly refused to lock onto full manual control. Evidently Sareel had reconnected some of the systems and she just hadn't time to check which. Which meant that she was with the others, armed to the teeth and ready to go.

D'Argo pointed through the rapidly encroaching darkness to the house, Crichton nodded and moved out left, Aeryn took right leaving Sout and D'Argo walking up the centre. On reaching the dwelling they all grouped together again, having encountered nothing on the way in. As they'd arranged d'Argo gave the door a hefty kick and it fell in. What they saw in front of them caused Crichton to gasp with surprise.

A totally domestic picture, Saturnus sitting on a chair smoking something that resembled the hookah from the caterpillar scene in Alice in Wonderland and Romde folding some material.

"Come in do. You'll be Sareel's friends I should think"

Sout nodded lamely, stuck for words. Crichton managed, "I thought there'd be resistance."

"I have no reason to resist you. "

Sout finally found his voice.

"Where's Sareel?"

Saturnus pointed to a door at the back of the room.

"Through there. Don't frighten her."

Aeryn felt a pang of fear.

"Why would we frighten Sareel? We're her friends and she knows us."

Saturnus merely nodded. D'Argo slid open the door. The room was softly lit.

"I don't see her."

Sout pointed to the far wall. Crichton shook his head.

"Oh no!"

Sareel was huddled in a small heap. She looked as they came in, her eyes wild and tried to become even smaller. Aeryn crouched down beside her and touched her shoulder. Sareel flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you. We've come to take you home. We need you Sareel."

"Home?"

A very tiny voice.

"Yes Moya's waiting. Moya and Pilot. You remember Pilot?"

A blank look. Saturnus had come to the door, Crichton joined him.

"What happened here?"

"Our beloved leader indulged his rather grotesque mating ritual to the extreme. The physical damage we could mend, the mental...."

He shrugged his narrow shoulders and his mandibles clattered as he shook his head too.

"He should be killed for what he's done."

Chrichton's voice was thick with emotion.

"Agreed, but the chaos that would ensue would be worse. Any way her suffering will not be for long."

Aeryn glanced up.

"Why's that?"

"When the infant is born, it will kill her."

Crichton grabbed Saturnus.

"You mean your rutting prodigy's got her pregnant?"

"I confess it was a surprise to us too. Has she by any chance had some genetic manipulation?"

"You could say so."

Crichton pointed to the pathetic bundle on the floor.

"Why, should having a child kill her?"

"The emerging erago eats its way through the body wall."

Crichton laughed.

"Hell that doesn't have to happen."

"It doesn't?"

"No. On our world babies are delivered all the time by Caeserian section. The surgeon slits open the skin and through to the uterus and delivers the baby that way."

"And the mother survives?"

"Nearly always. Say what's all this about?"

Saturnus took John by the hands and manipulated his two largest over the bewildered Human's face. Crichton tried to pull away but was held too tightly.

"Hope, hope! You bring hope. We need that child if ever there's to be a more, shall I say reasonable regime here."

"Hey pal you'd have had the baby anyway and lost Sareel."

Saturnus shook his head.

"You don't understand. It'll be a hybrid and we have no knowledge of raising them Also being able to show the Phalanx mother and child would lay old taboos to rest. Be the start of a new order. I will of course take the infant and raise it after taking your advice. It won't inconvenience you at all."

"You want to come with us, right?"

Saturnus spread his three fingered hands.

"I am not without resources. I will not be a burden."

Crichton glanced at Romde.

"Suppose she comes too?"

"You will find her invaluable at caring for Sareel."

"Hey guys what do you say?"

Aeryn looked at Sout. The Morgul seemed deep in thought.

"I can see no reason not to take them Aeryn. After all I suppose I am correct in supposing you'd find it difficult to care for Sareel on your own?"

"You assume rightly. Training never prepared you for an event like this."

Crichton touched her on the arm.

"Just curious, but what did you do with any shell shocked troops?"

"Shot them of course Crichton. Couldn't spare resources to look after them. Foolish to let them fall into enemy hands."

"What a humane bunch the Peacekeepers are! Hey big man what do you think?"

D'Argo had been hovering on the edge.

"I say we take them both."

He pointed to Saturnus.

"He may be useful and if he can get this Phalanx on our side, well an ally's far better than an enemy."

Sout looked at the tall creature.

"Can you do that?"

"I believe so. With the infant and a live mother."

"You wouldn't want Sareel to go with you?"

Crichton chuckled.

"I think Scorpie'd have something to say about that"

"Scorpie?"

"Oh yes Saturnus. He has a claim on her, she objects to him being proprietary and ran."

"Poor creature. Poor bewildered Sareel!"

D'Argo decided to be practical and picked up Sareel in his huge arms. She looked up at him with the wide eyes of a child before burying her face in his chest.

"You've won her trust buddy. You ready to move Saturnus?"

He nodded.

"Romde and I sensed the arrival. We've been packed for a few eros."

He picked up two quite substantial bags and followed Sout and the others out the door. Romde picked up her small bag with the stone and other medicants and giving a final glance round shut the door and locked it.

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

Scorpius was woken by Braca hammering on his door. He came to almost immediately and released the door lock. His aide almost fell in.

"What is it that's so urgent Braca!"

"Sir! They've found Sareel. They're bringing her back."

Scorpius chuckled.

"Any notion what she said when they found her, Braca?"

There was no response from the man. Scorpius's face darkened.

"What is it? What's happened?"

"She's...completely traumatised. Sout doesn't think she'll ever recover."

"Exactly what happened?"

"I'm not too sure but it seems she was used in some alien's mating ritual."

The scientist's face never changed, but his eyes became cold.

"Thank you Braca. I wish to be alone."

Braca saluted and left.. Scorpius relocked his door and sat down on the edge of his couch.

"What have I done? I drove her away. I drove her to this. What can I do to make it up?"

Jack's views had struck a chord in his emotions. He had slowly come to realise that he couldn't judge how someone else felt by his own reactions and feelings. It had been a slow dawning but it had finally come. Something strange happened to him. A drop of liquid fell into his gloved hand. Scorpius had shed his first tear.

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

"Can't see why that should be so important?"

Scorpius gritted his teeth and explained once again.

"We need to know the feeling in the elite of the Nebari. Will they side with the Scarrans or are they merely serving themselves by sweeping up crumbs from the Scarran's table?"

Chiana pouted.

"Hey don't get at me. I risked my life out there to get this imformation."

"Yes I am fully aware of that. You did well, but can you answer me that one question?"

"We didn't linger round the haunts of the elite, the off worlders said the general feeling was that the hierarcy are looking to expand their sphere of influence."

"Well they won't do very well if the Scarrans launch an all out offensive."

Chiana peered at him and shook her head.

"They'll just dive in all the places the Scarrans leave intact and take them over. Populate them with Nebari and other friendly species."

"That is your opinion?"

She shrugged.

"Hearsay in taverns, public places. Where we've been is out of the general mind frelled areas."

"Mmm. Not exactly what I expected."

Chiana perked up.

"Hey Scorpius, can I go now?"

"You were trying to tell me something else earlier. Have you forgotten?"

"Thought you weren't interested."

"Chiana, you should know by now that I'm interested in everything."

"Coulda fooled me."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well you weren't very interested in Sareel's feelings."

She glanced sidways at him waiting for the explosion. None came."

"Agreed. I was rather remiss where Sareel was concerned."

Chiana looked worried.

"You're speaking as if Sareel's a past item."

"Recent news on her is not good. I'm preparing for the worst."

"What do you mean?"

"Actually I'm not sure until I see her. But she may well be lost."

"Well that'll totally frell things up won't it."

Scorpius frowned.

"I don't understand."

"Remember when you all went through the Eye of Infinity."

"Only too well. Not the most pleasant of things."

"Didn't that guardian say Sareel was integral to the temp... Oh frell what's the word?"

"Temporal."

"Yeah that's it, temporal integrity of this universe."

"If I remember correctly, Crichton and myself were included though I still find it slightly baffling as to why. I can see no connection at all to three beings and the whole of the time space fabric."

Chiana looked slyly at him.

"What if you exist in more than one universe?"

"That is not thought possible."

She stamped her foot.

"Frell possibility. What if it could happen?"

"Then unless there were an infinite number of possibilities and and infinite number of alternate universes. what we do in this place would have a reciprocal effect on any other connected universes."

"And that could mess up time?"

"Well time's only relative to events moving through it, so it's possible."

He looked extremely serious.

"I think I know what could happen."

"You do?"

"There's a Scarran colony in a connected universe and if say Sareel dies in this universe her opposite in the other one dies also, can't exist with out her counterpart and evidently she's preventing the escape of matter and energy from the companion universe."

"Oh frell! It's all a bit above me really. I'll take your word for it."

She suddenly grinned.

"You mean there's another Crichton?"

"Possibly more than one."

"And you too?"

"This is tedious. Yes me too."

"And all of us?"

"Possibly not."

"Glad of that. I'd hate to meet another me."

Part 30

"Has she eaten?"

Sout caught Aeryn leaving Sareel's quarters.

"A little, but if anyone but d'Argo goes near her, she cringes and makes for the corner."

Crichton came up, Bobby at his heels.

"How's our girl?"

"Totally frelled. She's not going to be able to help us with the asteroid."

Bobby barked and pushed his way past Aeryn and in to the room. Aeryn went to catch him. Crichton placed a restraining hand on her arm and shook his head.

"No?"

"No. animals have been used on earth for years to make contact with disturbed people."

"Well she's extremely disturbed."

She peered round the door. Bobby was licking Sareel's face. As they watched she stretched out her hand and tentatively touched his head. Then she threw her arms round him and buried her face in his fur. Crichton gave a little chuckle.

"Good boy. Well so far so good. Just let time take it's course."

"Haven't got time John. We've got less than two weeken before that thing hits earth. And I really don't want to be looking for another suitable base planet."

She gave him a sharp look.

"Or had you forgotten?"

"It's my home you're talking about. Hell I sure don't want to see it destroyed any more than you do."

"She could snap out of it just like that!"

He snapped his fingers. They didn't crack and he tried again.

"Never could get the hang of it. Dad could do it all the time."

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

Dad was at that moment busily scanning the data Scorpius had provided. Suddenly he let out a whoop and Scorpius nearly jumped out of his skin at the unusual sound. He came up to the Human, concern written on his face.

"What is it Jack? Something wrong?"

"No, for a change Scorpius something right."

He pointed to a region in the close proximity of the moon.

"Look at the readings from this area. Look at the fluctuations."

Scorpius took in the readings.

"Where Crichton entered the wormhole?"

"Could well be. It's an area of spatial and temporal fluctutation."

"So we initiate a wormhole there when the asteroid is close enough."

Jack shook his head.

"Not just any old wormhole. One with a negative field. One to draw that roaming lump of rock straight down its maw."

Scorpius replied blandly, "Wormholes don't have an attraction for matter until you cross the event horizon."

"Crichton told me about one that did. Oh granted it was in a dream but I checked everything out and it all fits. The information's in his head and is starting to surface."

"I wish it had surfaced several monens ago."

"Pardon!"

"Oh I was just making a comment."

Jack turned back to the screen.

"Now the real beauty of this is that in six days there's predicted to be a big solar flare. Now we placed the exit of the wormhole."

"The special wormhole?"

"Yep. We place that in the solar flare and draw it onto the asteroid. It's far enough from Earth not to cause much disruption other than perhaps a communications blackout and an increase in cosmic rays, gamma radiation that sort of thing."

"That's acceptable?"

"There'll be a few more cancer cases but balanced against mass extinction I think it's acceptable."

"I would second that. The cellular malfunction can be put right."

"It can?"

"Our medics have been able to stop cellular degradation for several hundred cycles."

Jack shook his head.

"Of course. I keep forgetting how far ahead of us you are."

He sat down.

"Completely off the topic. When do you expect Moya to return?"

"The day after tomorrow. Then perhaps I can send Harvey back to Gammak two."

"Why did you have him here if he irritates you so?"

"Sareel did the practical lab work. I'm totally out of practice with it. Harvey does both theory and practical things on his base. Says he enjoys doing it. Really I can't relate to the stripes and tail."

"From what I've seen he's a chip off the old block."

Scorpius looked puzzled.

"Meaning?"

"You created him, he's got a lot of you in him."

"And some of Crichton. The amalgam is not one I would have chosen."

"From what I understand he wasn't meant to survive after the removal of the chip."

"Exactly. I really don't understand how it got it's own identity. It was just supposed to be a mirror, looking for the information it was told to."

Jack laughed.

"Well perhaps you shouldn't have used yourself as a model. Just look at your tenacity, what you've overcome and you wonder at your mental clone's ability to survive?"

Scorpius looked glum.

"The Prelian's developed a gourmet appitite and a love for beautiful antiquities. Plus an extreme interest in decor."

"You could do worse. How about giving your quarters a revamp for when Sareel return."

Scorpius looked hurt.

"My quarters are totally adequate. They have all we need."

"Man, they're stark, bare, cold and souless. If I was Sareel I'd want a bit more than utilitarian sparcity."

"Sareel has spent all her life working for Peacekeepers as a tech."

"Remind you of something Scorpius. The Peacekeepers have no clout here. We're Free Galactic Fighters. Remember?"

That was the title the joint committee of the several species present on Earth and on the bases had elected as their own. Jack totally approved. Not a hint of any racial or species bigotary.

Jack added belatedly.

"And she's female."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"They do tend to think differently."

"As I have found out to my cost."

"Gonna do anything about it?"

Scorpius folded his arms defensively.

"Myself I can't see what more she could want. I care for her, she has enough to eat and interesting work. What more could she want?"

"My oh my Scorpius. You really don't know do you?"

The scientist shook his head.

"But I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"Women need reassurance that they're wanted, need little presents. They don't have to be anything big. A plant, flowers, but they like small surprises. They like being told that they look good, that they're pleasing, that you wouldn't want to lose them."

Scorpius looked a bit stunned.

"Tell me have you ever done anything like that for Sareel."

"I did get her a flux particle generator that she was finding it nearly impossible to locate."

Jacke burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"You're deadly serious aren't you?"

"What's wrong?"

"You really think that's on a par to a bunch of flowers?"

"I would find it so."

"But as I'm trying to point out, probably unsuccessfully, you're not Sareel, you're not female and you haven't had much contact with females."

"Ther was Natira, Skalso, Wetka..."

"Whoa. Hold your horses. Were any of these long term relationships?"

"I saw quite a bit of Natira over an extended period of time."

"You lived with her?"

"Kratz no. What would I want to do that for? No one could survive long continued exposure to Natira."

He looked whimsical.

"She's delightful....in small doses and if you watch your back."

"So is Sareel like that."

"She left me."

"She did exactly what your behavior drove her to do."

"You're saying her absconding was my fault."

Jack shrugged.

"You were a contributory factor."

Scorpius was silent for a while.

"What am I going to do."

Jack put his arm round the hybrid's shoulder and they went into a huddle.

"Now as I see it, first thing is a plan of action....."

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

"Hey Pilot when do we hit the wormhole?"

"Commander, Moya estimates we initiate in in one ahn and twenty microts."

"Hell it'll be good to get back."

Pilot refrained from mentioning that the planet might not be there much longer.

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

Urana paused outside Sareel's chamber. Rool was on her shoulders. Bobby was lying on his back and Sareel was scratching his chest. Rool scanned the dog and found simple pleasure. The canine was in another world. The ogroop communicated this to the Fey.

"Mmm I know. You like that too."

She knocked on the side of the door.

"Can we come in?"

There was no answer, but Sareel looked up and then continued scratching Bobby. Urana walked in and sat down beside her on the floor. D'Argo had produced some big cushions so now the Vaud was quite comfortably settled on them. Rool climbed down from her shoulders and investigated Sareel's ear.

"Nice and cosy here."

Sareel gave her a shifty look. Urana stretched her slim legs out.

"You can talk to me you know. If you don't want to use your voice, use thoughts. I know you can."

A very tiny voice came from the now thin figure on the cushions.

"I messed up didn't I?"

"Not your fault. You weren't expecting to meet the Darconian."

"The purple slug?"

"That's the one. Saturnus is new though. I think he ate his last major domo."

Sareel was sick. Romde flew in, she seemed to have an inbuilt sense of when she was wanted and cleaned up Sareel and the floor. Urana grinned.

"Hello little mother. I wondered when you'd turn up again."

"Not one word Urana. This one need me."

"Nice disguise."

"It comfortable."

"You still got the Miserort Stone?"

"Yes and I not give it to the Fey.

Urana pouted.

"I don't want it. It doesn't agree with me. Makes me feel quite sick."

"Fey say it evil."

Urana grinned.

"Well I'm not exactly in the Qarn Council's good books at the moment. Too rebellious."

"It heals. Me no care how it can. It just can."

"I'll bet Maldis wasn't pleased when you took it."

Romde stiffened .

"How you know him?"

Urana stretched.

"I though everyone knew about Maldis. Crichton definitely does. A couple of encounters, most unpleasant."

"He not hurt me."

"No?"

"What father hurt his daughter?"

"Well don't let that be a comfort. Maldis is no respecter of family ties. By the way where's your mother?"

Romde smiled.

"She's in good place. With father."

"You know I suppose exactly what that means?"

"She lives with him."

"What a simple fool you are Romde. He absorbed her, took her life force, she lives in him as part of him, part of all his evil."

Romde sank to the floor, stricken.

Part 31

Scorpius was working alone in the lab. The techs had finished their works periods and were, he supposed relaxing in the lounge or the arboretum. This was a new addition to the base. He hated to admit it but Harvey's suggestion had proved extremely popular.

"It'll help stop sickness due to the confined atmosphere of the base. My people love it."

So plants in containers had been brough up from earth and beds built in an unused storage hold. There was even a fish pond and waterfall. He had to admit that in his more melancholy moments he found the place disturbingly attractive. He was having more and more of these periods and he was becoming worried by them.

"Activity is what I need . A new challenge, something worthwhile."

Since the virtual completion of the wormhole project there had been little to do other than refine the algorithms and other criteria. Sareel had left a wealth of notes and he'd spent the time interpreting them. Even the threat of the asteroid had assumed controllable proportions. It was now a matter of waiting until it was in the right place before it was destroyed completely. Even Jack's company failed to rouse him from his increasing torpor. They often played chess together and increasingly the Human had won due to his own lack of concentration.

"Look Scorpius, accept Sareel for what she is not what you'd like her to be."

He'd snorted and uncharacteristically for him, sworn. Jack had merely grinned.

"Check and mate!"

He'd knocked over his pieces in resignation.

"Come on you know that's what's the matter. You need to take a mate. It happens in every species that I've ever seen on Earth. Why should you be different?"

"It is incompatible with sensible thought and reason. Merely a biological urge that can be overcome."

"First I've heard of it. Oh I agree that there may be some individuals, monks and the like that, who have a dedication and can survive without but I don't think you really fit into that category."

"I'm totally dedicated."

"To what? You have your wormhole. What next?"

There had been silence. He'd been at a loss for words. Jack's words had struck home. There had been this craving, this feeling of wanting something and he hadn't been able to say exactly what. There had not been a day when he hadn't thought of Sareel and what might have been. He was brought out of his reverie by a knock on the door and before he could say enter, the door opened and a striped head peered round.

"You alone? Thought I'd tell you that Moya's docked."

There was a icy silence before he replied, "Thank you for the information."

Harvey came right in.

"I thought you might want to greet her. You know be friendly."

"Have them take her to my quarters. I'll meet them there."

The Prelian shook his head.

"No wonder she ran away. I think I'd have done the same. Thank the Goddess I absorbed some of Crichton's ideas.. Living with an unmodified you would have been hell."

"I am completely satisfied with how I am."

"Well you could have fooled me. Face it Scorpius you've always been a misery and since she left you've been a thousand times worse. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"It tells me that I'd like you back on your own base."

Harvey lifted up his hands in defeat.

"When it comes to stubborness, Crichton can't hold a candle to you. No wonder you were attracted to him. You know what they say, like attracts like."

He grinned as Scorpius scowled at him.

"Fine I'm off. Sure you wouldn't like to change your mind?"

He ducked out of the door as Scorpius started to advance purposefully towards him.

***********

"Might have known Scorpius wouldn't be here."

Aeryn was feeling extremely uncharitable toward the half Scarran. Crichton climbed down fron the transport and joined her.

"Oh I daresay he'll turn up. Bad pennies usually do."

"You really don't like him do you?"

"Say I know some of his ways thanks to sharing my head with Harvey for so long. He'll never admit he needs her you know. Sure as appples are apples!"

D'Argo climbed down, Sareel in his arms, followed by Romde and Saturnus. There was a squeal and a a grey figure launched herself at the group.

"Pip! Hey great to see you girl."

They hugged and Aeryn looked on impassively. Displays of emotion left her cold. Chiana moved over to d'Argo and punched his arm.

"Great to see you, big guy. How's our girl?"

Sareel peered down.

"Chi?"

"Hey great to see you! How's things?"

Sareel grimaced.

"Terrible. I frelled up real good. Again!"

Chiana touched her cheek affectionately.

"Take it easy. Get well as fast as you can."

Sareel attempted a smile but it didn't really come off. Harvey came from the control area.

"Whey hey, it's stripey!"

"Less of the cheek John."

He preened his whiskers.

"Personally I now find this body exceedingly pleasurable. I can do things in it that I couldn't do in yours."

He did a cat spring.

"Oh yeah. Just great. And what use is that?"

Harvey looked miffed.

"Use? Use! Does everything have to be of use? Really John you're getting as bad as my illustrious creator. He's completely hidebound when it comes to letting youself go. Me, I've learnt from you."

Aeryn gave the Prelian a rather twisted smile.

"Somehow I can't see Scorpius 'Letting himself go'."

"No nor can I Aeryn Sun. So sad isn't it. Anyway he wants you to take Sareel to his quarters."

He peered at Saturnus and Romde.

"He didn't mention the entourage."

"We didn't tell him. Sout and Urana are still on Moya sorting things out with Furlow."

Harvey looked sternly at the Human.

"I thought she was trouble."

"Yeah well, she has been, but just wait till you see what she and Sareel have been working on."

"Sareel seems to be recovering well."

Crichton looked gloomy.

"She could go right back into her shell just like that."

He snapped his fingers.

"She's been in and out all the way home. Hey where's Dad? I want to know what's happeneing on the asteroid front. Sareel can't do anything and the last message he sent suggested that he'd got another solution."

"Well he and Scorpius have been closeted together for the past three weeken. That's why I'm here to keep things running smoothly."

"Bet that went against the grain."

"Yes Scorpius has made it plain on several occasions that he'll be glad when I go back to my own base."

"It must be uncomfortable seeing and hearing another you."

"Tsch, I'm me John. An amalgam of the two of you but a completely separate person. I wish he'd see it that way."

"I suggest that you show d'Argo to Scorpie's pad. I'll show the others to the main canteen. We've been on dried rations for three days."

Harvey looked surprised.

"How come? You didn't have the Dominar on board."

"Wobbin weevils."

"Oh very nasty."

"Pilot fumigated but of course we lost the food."

"I can get someone to show you the way."

"I know where it is Harvey."

"I was forgetting that you knew your way around Aeryn. Bon appetit!"

He moved away with d'Argo and Crichton looked at Aeryn and Chiana. Chiana peered at him.

"What's up?"

"Just wondering what Scorpius's quarter's are like."

"You wouldn't like them John. Spartan and tidy."

"Forgot you saw them. Hey what do you mean? I'm tidy."

"When?"

The three of them moved off down the main corridor, Crichton still arguing.

*********

Scorpius was standing in the middle of his quarters, hands clasped firmly behind his back, wondering how he'd ever let himself care about the Vaud.

"Totally futile feeling, this thing they call love. A mere distraction. Yes that's what it is. Of course I shall make sure that she's cared for and when she's well I'll find her a pleasant research base on a friendly planet."

The realisation that they were at war suddenly hit him.

"Well when this conflict's resolved."

That the probable outcome was total Scarran domination he'd put to the back of his mind. Things had not been going well. Crais and Talyn had only escaped the last battle by the skin of their teeth and casualties had been high. There was a knock on his partially open door.

"Enter."

Harvey came in followed by d'Argo who stood on the threshold, uncertain what to do next.

"Thank you Ka d'Argo. Please put her in the chair and then you may join your friends."

The Luxan was about to say something about Scorpius's patronising tone and then looked down at Sareel and decided against it. He gently placed her in the chair. She looked at him wide eyed and he knew that she'd slipped back into her unresponsive mode. He touched her hair and sighed before leaving. Harvey remained.

Scorpius just stood looking at the frail figure curled up in the chair sucking her thumb.

"Why does she do that?"

Harvey moved to his side.

"Well it gives Human infants comfort, so why not Sareel."

"She's Vaud."

Harvey clapped his hands.

"Well done Scorpius. At least you've remembered something about her. Now what do you do next?"

The scientist looked puzzled.

"Please explain."

The Prelian sighed.

"I might have known that you'd be difficult. What are you going to do to comfort her?"

"Why should I do anything? Surely she'll recover best left to her own devices."

Harvey looked disgusted.

"How sterile. Poor Sareel. What a sad existence she must have had with you."

Scorpius snarled.

"How dare you!"

"Oh quite easily. Remember I know a great deal about you. Pleasant and otherwise. Now what you should do is this."

He walked gracefully across to the chair, scooped up Sareel sat down and placed her on his lap and held her close to him.She placed her arms round his neck and a new sound came from her buried face. Scorpius looked worried.

"What's the matter? What's that noise?"

"That my dear creator is the sound of deep, heartfelt sobbing. It'll do her the world of good. Don't tell me she never cried before."

"Probably from time to time. I never really took much notice after she'd calmed down. More important things."

"Scorpius there is never anything more important that the feelings of the female that you love."

"I don't love her. Merely care for her as a friend."

"I wouldn't treat a Raskin Bidong like you've treated Sareel."

The animal he mentioned was generally considered to be the most repulsive in the known galaxy."

"I've always treated her as an intellectual equal."

Harvey rolled his tawny eyes.

"Marvellous. And a great deal of good that did her. I have a suggestion."

Scorpius sighed. He felt defeated, tired and for once in his life beaten.

"Very well what is it."

"I'll take her back to Gammak two with me. I can look after her and her two minders. And my medical facilities are equally as good as yours. She can have the erago when the time comes in complete safety."

Scorpius looked confused.

"I don't understand."

"They didn't tell you that she was raped and is carrying this creature's infant, totally courtesty of your previous genetic meddling?"

Scopius shook his head. He felt physically sick and he knew his rod needed changing prematurely. Things had gone full circle again. His mother and now Sareel. Cold fury and a sort of hate towards Sareel for getting herself in yet another predicament and making him worry.

"Take her. Anything you want, just ask."

Harvey stood up, a still sobbing Sareel in his arms.

"No I don't think there's anything that you can supply that we can't. Especially TLC."

"TLC?"

"I got that from Crichton who at least has some idea of how to treat females. Tender Loving Care. Something that you're not capable of providing."

Scorpius bowed his head. He suddenly felt weary and sat down heavily in his chair. Harvey glanced his way before leaving the room and smiled.



Starting next week. Time and Emotion