SCORPIE'S PAD-Blood Lust

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4-6 Part 7 to epilogue Bloodlust Part 1 Scorpius was packing up equipment in the laboratory at the villa. The initial shock he'd felt at Sareel's flight had settled into a grim determination to find her. His physical needs were starting to intrude into his consciousness and although he'd paid some of his old female friends recent visits, none of them gave him the deep down feeling of contentment he'd had with Sareel. "That little Vaudrian's a witch, a spinner of enchantment." That remark had come from Leothe, on his last visit to her. The chemistry which had formerly existed between the Gaoudi and himself, had evaporated completely. She'd done her best but had only succeeded in increasing the feeling of restlessness which often seemed to haunt him now. He had very little interest in finding the secret of wormholes or power brokerage in the universe. On his visits back to his new base, he was showing less of his renowned patience and once he'd even shouted at his technician. It had never been heard of before for him to raise his voice for any reason. The Peacekeepers on the base were keeping out of his way even more than usual and the word was that he was more unpredictable than ever. He'd even lost interest in the crew of Moya although he had a slight feeling that one of them might know where Sareel might have gone. He sighed. What was this malaise which had overtaken him? Suddenly he stiffened. This wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all. He must put memories of her to the back of his mind only to be accessed in private at suitable times. Her memory was eating him like a maggot and his longing for her, destroying him. No, the thing to do was to immerse himself in his work, to be meticulous to a fault in his interrogations and to regain his patience. A part of his brain supplied the addendum, "And spare no effort to find Sareel." ************** When I'd fled from Pilach, I'd very little idea about what I was going to do once I'd made my first planet fall. There was one thing about my prowler that was only known to me. During the time I'd spent on Moya, I'd studied the mechanics of the Leviathan starburst. This had enabled me to construct a module which enabled my tiny craft to also make a hyperspace leap. Once clear of the magnetosphere of Pilach, I set the co-ordinates and powered the unit for the first time. There was the usual visual distortion you get when moving through hyperspace and the feeling of being stretched and then I was in a totally different part of the galaxy. To be precise at the planet Chiana had told me about. From out in space it looked to have two main continents and a lot of water. I chose to make my landing on the southern of the two land masses, which was also the greener of the two. As I got closer I began to make out the tell tale traces of habitation. Landing by a small town I prepared to see what my reception would be. Also in the locker at the back of the prowler where I kept the tools, were the robes of the Vaudrian Shallak sect, the one my parents belonged to. I'd found these on one of our many food buying excursions. From the welcome I received in the small settlement, it was obvious, as Chiana had said, that travellers were few and far between in this part of the galaxy. The native inhabitants had no space travel technology of their own, being content to live a quiet, peaceful and prosperous life on their well endowed planet. I found it easy to find a citizen willing to rent me a small but pleasant dwelling on the outskirts of the town, with a large building attached, which I was informed had originally been for food storage. It was admirably suited to my requirements. I needed a laboratory workshop in which I could construct what I hoped would prove a tool to ensure my continuing freedom from not only Scorpius, but any other life forms who couldn't contribute towards my total security. I was prepared to become a recluse if necessary. Currency I could get by proxy holdings from my account. If I went about it correctly, there would be no trace of my real whereabouts. There was still the small problem of my feelings for Scorpius but I found that it was really quite easy to control them as I focused on the plan ahead. All in all things seemed to be looking up. ************ Aeryn and Crichton were playing a form of volleyball on the landing pad. Scorpius had gone back to his base and Zhaan and Stark were currently staying in City Muven studying and undergoing a retreat. There was always a feeling of relief in Aeryn's mind when Stark was absent. Something about the stykera worried her and not being able to pinpoint what it was made her feel uneasy. The ball they were playing with was made of auroch hide and inflated with an auroch gut bladder. Crichton had had great difficulty in explaining to the local tailor exactly what he wanted, consequently the ball they were now using was about the fourth attempt the beleaguered being had made to replicate a useable item. They'd been playing for about half an ahn when Aeryn finally flopped down on the grass by the side of pad. "That's good exercise. I've been neglecting my fitness during the time we've been here." Crichton pulled the petals off a flower growing through the grass. "I've really appreciated this quiet time here with you. Getting to know more about you, finding out what you like and what you hate." Aeryn moved closer and sat by him their foreheads touching. "It's been so good John." "But you still won't move in with me?" "That's a commitment I can't make...yet. Just give me more time and maybe eventually I'll feel differently." He held her face in his hands. "That one time's always a long time away. I need you now. Frell , Aeryn it's difficult for me to say. Here goes,Aeryn Sun, I love you!" There were tears in her eyes. She replied in a low voice, "That's the trouble John. I'm not sure exactly what love is and once I do know, dare I take the risk it entails? I've not long found out that my own relations didn't want me and I just haven't got any trust. I don't want to be hurt again." The self reliance which had been instilled in her with her military training had been shattered, firstly by Scorpius and then by the revelation from Crais about her parents and her relations. She'd seemed to be the same strong confident person she'd always been, but deep inside there was a struggle going on to construct a new Aeryn. She often felt vulnerable and open both to joy and pain, something that was completely new to her. She just hoped Crichton would have the patience to wait until she was ready to give herself completely to him. If she ever felt she could! Crichton was looking over at the lake. Scorpius's villa was fronted by one of the most beautiful lakes on Pilach, a planet renowned for it's beautiful scenery. It was the galactic vacationer's paradise and Scorpius had large holdings all over the planet, but he always rated the villa on the lake as the jewel in his not inconsiderable portfolio. It was easy to see why and understandable how Sareel had usually found peace there, until the last time. Aeryn spoke first. "I wonder where Sareel is now." "A long way from here if she's any sense. Scorpie seems very subdued. I think he really does miss her." "Scorpius missing someone? That would be a first. The only person he's got any regard for is himself. You do realise that we can't stay here for ever and once we leave the planet, he'll be after you again for his research?" "Maybe, but we can always sneak back here." "John Crichton you're just not on the same wavelength. Do you really think he'll let us return once we've left?" "He said Pilach was always a safe haven. Sure he'll be watching out for us but with a little help from his brother in my head I think we'll always be able to throw him a curver." Aeryn shook her head. Ever since Sareel had repalced most of his memories she'd been once again baffled by some of his expressions. ************* Rygel was in his element. The dimiutive Hynerian had used the rest of the credits that Sareel had given him to use at the Pleasuredome to join a game of Droolak at a drinking place in City Muven. By using his not inconsiderable skill at cheating and hints given to him by Chiana who had accompanied him, he'd made a quite substantial return on his investment. He judiciously lost just enough hands to make it appear that he was just lucky. Chiana was a great distraction to the other players, who made suggestions she dealt with in her normal cheeky manner. Finally he declared that he was calling it a day and was even invited back by his fellow players. "Can't believe how trusting they are. Did you see that Sheyang? He couldn't take his eyes off your cleavage." They were making their way back to the caravanserie where they had booked rooms for the night. "Which is exactly what you're ogling now little green one. Come on eyes up." Rygel made a grumpy hmmph and adjusted the height of his hover dais. "You should be flattered that I even take an interest in you. I could have had my pick of luscious females." "That was then and this is now. Keep dreaming Dominar." They reached their lodgings. Chiana paused before entering her room. "To tell the truth I'm getting bored. It's all well and good not being hounded by Scorpius, but the quiet life's beginning to pall. I want a bit of excitement, a fresh bit of the galaxy to explore" "Got most of what I want here, but it would be nice to get back on Moya for a bit. Might even get home this time." Chiana patted him on the head. "Sleep well, see you in the morning." **** Moya had been making modifications and improvements from the instructions Sareel had given to Pilot. The Vaudrian's scientific skills were far in advance of any of the crew members and she'd spent her days on board profitably. Moya's starburst would be more accurate and smoother with the adjustments for interstellar mass made to her computations and she now had reliable shielding. ***** D'Argo and Jothee had taken the time on Pilach to get to know one another. Many of the misconceptions Jothee had had about his father had been dispelled and the two were on a comfortable footing. "I'd like to get my teeth into something worthwhile. I'm starting to vegetate with all this in activity." "There's talk of rich deposits of Xanadium in the Fragal Asteroids. We could be rich. We've got enough credits for the initial investment." They also had the credits Sareel had given them. Ploughed into the mining company they stood to multiply their investment a hundredfold. "Let's suggest it to the others. I've got the feeling that being safe is also getting boring." ****** Zhaan flew the transport back to the estate after collecting Rygel and Chiana. She'd had a disagreement with Stark who'd elected to stay at the temple. Her self control had unravelled geatly and she reckoned that her quest had been put back not aided by her time at the retreat. "What Strark wants is madness. Sheer madness." She was talking mostly to herself. "Zhaan just what does he want? If you tell us you may feel better." "Oh he only wants us to storm Scorpius's new base and kill him. I can't understand what drives him. I thought he'd accepted that the loss of his people wasn't the fault of Scorpius." Chiana frowned. There was something she'd learned about Stark that he'd been trying to hide even from himself. "I think Scorpius was trying to use him as a spy on board Moya. He implanted a chip like he did with Crichton, but Stark mamaged to disable it with part of his energy body. He's mad that he wasn't able to block Scorpius in the first place." "How on earth did you discover that?" Chiana looked distinctly uncomfortable. "He... well he..." "Oh spit it out or we'll die from the suspense." She glared at Rygel. "He talks in his sleep." "I'm not even going to inquire how you know that." Chiana looked relieved. "I think he's more angry with himself than with Scorpius." "Well he certainly has no right to involve the rest of us in a crackpot scheme like that." "I agree. That's why I left." The transport landed on the pad. Aeryn and Crichton were packing up the volleyball net at one side. They waved at Chiana and Rygel and looked surprised to see Zhaan. They all walked back to the houses together. "John I think we all need to talk. Let's have a meal this evening at my place. I think we've got plans to make. ****** That evening as the sun was setting over the lake they were all congregated in Zhaan's living area. There was a small feast laid out on the side table. "Take what you want. Thank the Goddess, at least at the moment we're not short of food." The meal proceeded with the usual small talk and sounds of chewing, interspersed with Rygel belching loudly. "I do wish you wouldn't do that. It's quite revolting!" "If your digestive system was designed like mine Aeryn Sun, you'd also find it totally necessary." After a leisurely meal they were all sitting feeling replete and very mellow, due to the Pilachian red wine. Zhaan put her glass down on the table. "I can sense that some of you are getting restless with the life here." There were nods all round. "I know at the present time there's nothing I'd like better than to leave Pilach" John and Aeryn were sitting together on one of the divans. He whispered in her ear. "What's caused Zhaan's sudden disillusionment with Pilach?" "I think she's had a big disagreement with Stark." "I'm not surprised. Always thought he was one card short of a full house." "I don't understand." He pointed to his head, "Not quite all there, you know a bit deranged." "I don't know why you didn't say that in the first place." "Shuush. Listen to Zhaan." "Has anyone got any suggestion as to what we could do if we left the planet." "Apart from avoiding Scorpius you mean?" Laughter all round. "Take that as read." "Well father and I thought it might be a good idea to invest in the new Xanadium mine on the Fragal Asteroids." Chiana chipped in on that one. "There's a lot of talk in City Muven about that. Seems it's a very good investment and they need transport for the ore." Crichton looked at her. "Well there's plenty of room on Moya. We could do that for a while. Get some credits together." "The Asteroids are a bit close to a Peacekeeper outpost." "But they can't do anything in the Uncharted Territories." Aeryn replied crisply to that. "John Crichton, since when have the Peacekeepr's ever shown any respect for boundaries? No warning, they just move in. How else do you think they got most of the territory they administer?" He was silent for a microt. "Guess it's a bit of a risk, then." "The main question is, is it an acceptable risk?" "Moya doesn't exactly fade into the background. And anyone thought she mightn't want to take the risk?" "Do we want to take the risk?" "Speaking for myself." "You usually do Sparky." "May I be permitted to finish. Speaking for myself, the more credits we can get the wider our choices after." "Do you still want to go home." "Much as I'd like to take my rightful place now, I feel I may be better occupied leading an uprising from one of my loyal satellite planets in the Sugon System. And that would take a quite considerable amount of credits to fund." This was the first time Rygel had actually made a sensible non blustering statement regarding his position. It seemed that he'd acquired a large dose of reality during his stay on Pilach. "At least are we agreed that it's time to move on?" There was a general agreement with Zhaan's statement. "D'Argo, do you think the mine is a solid undertaking. Not some fly by night con job?" "If you mean is it profitably and responsibly run, the answer is yes." "So we all start a new career as ore carriers?" "Seems like a good bet to me Chiana." Aeryn laughed. "I can't believe it. We're going to be solid upstanding galactic citizens for once. Gainfully employed." "Depends if Moya and Pilot'll play ball." "Then I suggest you ask them. Oh and if they agree get Moya to contact Talyn. I think Crais might welcome some credits and Talyn can guard Moya from pirates." ******* My workshop was littered with a variety of bits and pieces that I'd purchased on the planet and from several visits I'd made to trading stations light years away. The end product of my endeavours was sitting innocuously on the bench. Such a small machine to create such a huge effect. I'd checked every parameter that I could and just had to trust now to my skill and the accuracy of the information in my head. My departure for pastures new was imminent and as far as I was concerned, not one moment too soon. A new problem had reared its head and the only solution I could see would have been extremely noticeable on this peaceful planet with its gentle people. Something Crichton had said during the time I was replacing his memories had stuck in my mind and had determined my next move. There was a place where my new problem would be acceptable and the means of my satisfaction easily at hand. I packed up my personal belongings and put them, the tools, my magical little machine, food and water in my prowler and left the planet. Well off the usually travelled starways, I set the co-ordinates on small screen, uttered a quick prayer to the Shallack deity and pulled down the small lever. *********** "Do you have to bring that too? We won't have room on Moya to play games when the holds are full of ore." "You know we can use the docking bay. There's plenty of room there." Crichton had the volleyball gear in his arms and was loading it onto the transport. Aeryn had sorted out of her belongings and was surprised to see exactly how much she accumulated during her quarter cycle stay on Pilach. Crichton had come into the room as she and Chiana were getting rid of unnecessary articles. He fingered a pale blue robe that she'd occasionally worn round the settlement. It was the only time he'd seen her out of trousers. "You're not leaving that behind?" She'd put her hands on her hips and retorted, "Can you reallly see me helping out on Moya with her holds full of ore, wearing that. Show some sense Crichton." She was angry. He could always tell when she was angry with him. She dropped the familar 'John' and called him Crichton. He gave up the struggle. Aeryn in that mood inevitably won any argument. They'd made several trips already mainly with Zhaan's lab gear. Chiana had been put in charge of provisions and had taken delivery of a large consignment of food from local farmers. One of the new things Sareel had installed on board Moya had been a long term food storage locker where the food was kept at minus fifteen Kelvin. Crichton had said that on Earth they were called freezers. Aeryn had shivered at the word. She still had the odd nightmare about icy waters and being frozen. Eventually every thing had been loaded and they were on the final approach to Moya. Aeryn slid the transport into the docking bay. As soon as life support was initiated they got out of the small craft. They were each carrying a bag containing their small personal goods. "You kow it feels good to be back on Moya. Frell I believe I've actually missed the feel of the deck under my feet." He imitated a prowler in flight. "Yeee Hah. Watch out universe. Here we come!" "Won't you ever grow up John Crichton. You behave just like a small boy with a new toy." He dropped his bag and grabbed her by the arms and whirled her round. "Loosen up, let your mind freak out. We're boldly going where no alien has been before." His boyish enthusiam was infectious and much against her will she found herself laughing. They just looked at each and they just couldn't stop laughing. Tears rolled down their faces and if it hadn't been for Pilot's voice they would have carried on the hilarity. They'd slid to the floor by this time. "Crichton, Talyn has made his rendezvous with us and I believe we're going to take a short cut. Could you come up to command and show Moya the course on the star chart?" "Coming Pilot." The course was set to cut across a little known and unncharted part of the galaxy. Moya and Talyn would starburst when they were twenty thousand kliks from Pilach. They watched as the planet receed from view. *********** Scorpius was interrogating a Mindaran whom the Peacekeepers had suspected of working for the Gouralt Dominion. The current relationship between the two powerful goups at this current time was, to say the least, difficult and he felt that peace was balanced on a knife edge. He'd gained nothing up to that time of any relevance from his 'client' and had decided to take a short break to allow the Mindaran time to contemplate his predicament. He'd just got back to his quarters when there was a knock on his door. "Enter." The door slid open and a short, swarthy lieutenant came in. "Sir you asked to be informed if the Leviathan left orbit round Pilach." Scorpius's attention was immediately focused. He'd been right in assuming that they would soon tire of the quiet life. Not long now perhaps before he would have John Crichton's company to help him in his new endeavours. How excellently things had finally turned out. "Sir what do you wsh us to do. Track or intercept?" "Most decidedly track. And keep me informed if there are any changes in its course." "Very good Sir." The officer left and the door slid to behind him. Scorpius sat down and in a few microts found his mind wandering. He tried as he did regularly to access Sareel's mind. Up to that point he'd had no success. She seemed to have disappeared totally from the galaxy, though he realised that it probably meant that she was completely out of range of his probe. That also puzzled him. Her prowler hadn't the power or range for extended galactic travels unless...... Unless she'd found a new way of travelling. He grudgingly had to admit that in many respects her technical prowess was almost equal to his. A grimace crossed his features, a stab of pain almost like a clearance burst from Sareel's neuro transmitter flicked across his brain. Krask, it was the transmitter. He concentrated. Only fleeting impressions were there but superimposed over all of them was the craving which was now driving her. "She must be found before she causes mayhem." He'd had the fear that part of a particular gene he'd transferred to her as part of the set for the facial restructuring, may have lost its inhibitor. That fear had been reinforced when he saw her teeth while he was examining her during her labour. He himself had no problems with the masked gene other than an occasional craving which was easily overcome, but he doubted that Sareel would be able to withstand the intense feelings the gene unshielded, could bring. He looked at his options and decided reluctantly that he may have to declare a further truce and ask Moya's crew to help him find her. It was no longer a personal affair, it was a matter of galactic security if mass hysteria wasn't to take over in places she visited. If the very worst scenario came to pass he would have no choice but to kill her. He felt unbelievable sadness at that thought and vowed that he'd do everything in his power to find her and then to effect a cure. ******** Life back on Moya soon settled back into the accustomed routine. The Leviathan was using photon power to get to her planned jump off place and that would be reached in just under the half ahn. Chiana was putting her prize possessions on the table in her chamber. She'd got more now that she'd ever had before in her life. Some credits, jewellery, clothes. The only thing she hadn't got was a partner, but judging from they way Crichton and Aeryn reacted in each other's presence, that could bring mixed blessings. Perhaps that was something that could wait. She'd rather liked the young Nebari who was fighting in the resistance with her brother, but she doubted very much that she'd ever see him again. "I wonder what excitement we'll have on this trip?" The first unexpected event was about to happen. John, Aeryn, Rygel and Zhaan were in command with Pilot. "Moya reports that we're at departure point." "Then let's get them waggons rolling, Pilot." "I'm sorry Crichton, I don't understand." Zhaan moved over to Pilot. "I believe he means tell Moya to starburst when she's ready." The familiar shudder went through the huge ship and the Leviathan entered hyperspace. But the shuddering got worse. "Pilot. What the hell's gone wrong?" "I don't know Crichton. Moya and I have never experienced anything like this before." Crichton switched to the external monitor. "Oh no it can't be. We're in a frelling wormhole!"
Part 2 I had found my place among a people who found the solution to my craving as normal behaviour for a goddess, for that was how they viewed me. They had given me a small temple on the edge of the settlement for my dwelling. There was a stone altar there which was proving to be very useful. These folk were just starting the transition from being farmers to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the region. The climate was pleasant. On the higher land there was adequate rainfall for the crops which sustained the communities. However they were developing skills in stone cutting, sculpting and carving as well as making fine pottery. The community which had made me their own had time to make items for trade with other towns. I had volunteers to serve me and while I used them, I always made sure they were sedated and knew nothing of what I'd done to them. Some guilt was always there. I could no more stop what I was doing than stop breathing, but I tried to put a little good back into the community. The stonemasons had only the most primitive tools to carry out their work. I modified one of my spare photon generators to enable them to cut easily and accurately through the stone and I showed them how to calculate the dimensions for keying the blocks together. Moving the cut stones was effected by using an negative gravity hover sled, somewhat similar to Rygel's dais but much bigger. I showed them how to construct cisterns to store water for the dry season and how to channel water from the small lake in the hills for their crops. They called me 'The Old Woman Goddess", for that was what I most resembled in their eyes. There was no R sound in their language, I was called Sa-i-el, the sprinkler of blood. The sprinkling of blood on the ground was carried out to ensure the fertility of the land and the succession of the seasons. It wasn't the ideal solution to my predicament, but it was the best I could manage at short notice and gave me a respite to try and plan what to do. I thought I knew what had caused the problem. The gene replacement nanomoles had frelled one of my donor genes from Scorpius when they'd tried to construct a trisomic being of my poor, doomed daughter. Probably Scorpius could do something to ease my craving but I'd really had enough of being used. Moya's crew, Scorpius, as far as I was concerned they could all rot in a Mindaran Slime Pit. I'd left the wormhole in position, automatically activated, in case I needed to make a hasty exit from this planet. There had been a couple of times I gone to the nearest trading post to its entrance, to buy parts for machines for my people. It was well off the beaten track and I saw no danger in leaving it there. There was a big festival imminent and the priests had been up to my temple to see what I needed for the ritual. They explained what was the usual practice. "But that means someone must die!" I'd exclaimed. "Yes Goddess. It is an honour to give one's life for the fertility of the land. The young people fight for the right." I felt a mixture of sadness and anticipation. Sadness at the primitive beliefs and lack of science of these people. They'd eagerly assimilated the calendar I shown them, how to predict the movement of the stars in the heavens, so they had the intelligence to go farther. The anticipation came from the act I was expected to perform for the ritual. There would be the total satisfaction of my craving. For a while at least. I lay down on my bed. My hunger was starting to rear its head once again. It would soon be time for a new acolyte to be initiated. ***************** Moya emerged out of the wormhole and stopped dead in her tracks. The huge ship had never experienced anything like that before and she was disorientated. The crew were also shocked. "Pilot, did Talyn follow us?" "Mmm, Moya thinks so, but she's confused." Aeryn switched on the external monitor. Talyn was just sliding to a halt beside his mother. "Better see how Crais is." She changed over to the ship to ship hailer and Bialar Crais appeared on the screen. Crichton moved over to face the module. "Any damage over there, Crais?" "None at all fortunately. Talyn was a little shook up but he's settling down now. What was that?" "John can tell you. He's the only one of us who's ever been through one before." "That Crais was.. is a wormhole." "Then that's how you came here. You didn't lie." Zhaan and the others came up to the external screen. D'Argo looked at the planet beneath them and pointed it out to Chiana. "Crais." "Chiana?" "I don't think here's here anymore, if you know what I mean. I think we're lost. It's no place I recognise. Anyone know where we are?" "No idea", from Rygel. Zhaan shook her head. Crichton looked and looked again at the portion of land which was moving slowly away from view and at the moon which was just rising. "We're not lost, but everything's wrong. No cities, no satellites, no pollution." "Well where the frell are we?" Rygel was getting impatient. "Earth, but I think Earth long before my time." "But I thought wormholes are supposed to give almost instantaneous travel?" "They should do Crais. But someone who has the knowledge to create this one appears also to be able to modify it." "If Scorpius knew who, he have them in the chair." "There's only one person we know other than John who's had contact with the Ancients." John stared at Zhaan transfixed. "Sareel", he breathed. He looked again at the peninsula which was still moving away from view. "She's there. I know she's there." "Where John?" "That's the Yucatan Peninsula. One of the memories we went through was a paper I did at High School on the transition of the Olmec culture into the Mayan. That's why she's manipulated the time factor." He thought for a moment. "Pilot, can Moya and Talyn get into a geosynchronous orbit over that large peninsula?" "Of course Crichton. Easily." "Then ask them if they'll do it for us, Pilot." Their answer was the big ship's curve away towards Earth and settling over Yucatan like a hovering bird. Talyn was tucked in at the rear. "Anyone for shore leave?" "Speak in language we can under stand." "Aeryn Sun. Is there nowhere in Peacekeeper territory where ships sail on the sea?" "Yes.. but." "Then don't the sailors have shore leave?" "No need . The ships are all automated. No sailors." Crichton looked nonplussed. "Shall we just go down on the planet?" "Good idea. What're the people like down there?" "Primitive, if I've got the time right, but just starting to blossom with creativity and new skills. They'll think we're Gods from heaven." "What's the food like?" "Fine Sparky. If you like jalapinos." "What the frell are jalapinos?" "You'll find out. You going to join us Crais?" "Wouldn't miss this one." "See you on the surface just follow us down." The crew all made for the docking bay and got into the transport. "Do mind what you're doing with your bust. You almost knocked me off my seat." "Well your lowness, you should be higher. You're always trying to peer down there. I'm starting to worry about you. Think you've got a fixation on my boobs." Rygel gave a lascivious grin. "No, but I soon could have." "Just get on board Rygel." Zhaan had taken her usual place as organiser. Crichton was piloting the small craft. As they got lower, they could see small settlements, some half hidden by forest, some on open land near low hills. Crichton pointed to a settlement nestling under the hills. "That's where she'll be. That's the site I studied in detail, Balakbal." He found a fairly flat piece of ground near the settlement and put the transport down on it. **************** "What do you mean Braca, the Leviathans just disappeared?" "Exactly that Sir. They'd just come out of starburst. They were on the screen one minute and the next they were gone." "Leviathans don't just....disappear. Something makes them disappear. Have my command carrier made ready. We leave within the ahn." "Very good Sir." "And Braca.." "Sir!" "Do try to sweat less in my presence. I find it disagreeable." The guard leader gulped, saluted and beat a hasty retreat out of Scorpius's quarters. The inquisitor watched his departure. He enjoyed the discomforture of the leader of his guard. Bracca was useful, amusing and totally expendable. He studied the scans of the area where the two ships had disappeared. There was no obvious reason for their vanishing so completely. He checked the radiation readings and the residual photon traces. There was a definite cut off point, as if a knife had sliced through the tracks left by the photon jets. In his mind a suspicion was starting to form. He know of only two things which could cut off light so completely. He'd have to carry out tests nearer the actual point. ******** It took over seventy two ahns to reach the actual spot in space. Times like these he wished he'd put some of his very substantial skills into researching how to give ordinary vessels starburst. Still maybe in the future. He began to take readings on various instruments he'd brought with him. It wasn't what he'd first feared, a black hole. There was no massive gravitational presence. Actually there wasn't much of anything, just a pattern of super string harmonics. He wouldn't have given them a second glance except........ This was a repeating pattern. "How clever and how very elegant. Why did I not think of that solution?" He moved over to the main command panel. "Braca. I'm taking my prowler. I may be away some time. You are to remain in this position until my return." "But Sir wouldn't it be wise to take some troopers with you", he added lamely, "Just in case." "I really don't think that being accompanied by a group of uniformed, armed and trigger happy soldiers would be a good idea at this juncture. I've no intention of putting myself in jeopardy. If I see the need for reinforcements, be assured I will return and collect them." He made his way down to the prowler dock and slid into the seat of his sleek and upgraded vessel. Sareel had made the improvements. He sighed. Everywhere he turned there was evidence of her work. He just couldn't get away from it. Time upon time he wished he'd never laid eyes on the enthralling Vaud. "I must find more time to fly. I'm getting out of practice." Thus saying he took the prowler out of the dock into the emptiness of space, except that straight ahead it was decidedly less empty. He felt a small shiver of trepidation course through his body as he pointed his small vessel straight into the eye of the harmonic strings. At the very perimeter suddenly there was a flicker of light which grew and started rotating. He felt disorientated, the lights were not only all around him but flowing through him and through the ship. Just as he felt he was going to be torn apart positron by positron, quark by quark, he emerged back into normal space. His engines were still running and he could see the planet ahead. The scanner told him that the two Leviathans were in orbit around it. "So that's why you disappeared. You hit the wormhole." He looked behind him. There was no visible trace of it, but the string harmonics were still there. "A stable auto generating wormhole. And the maker is somewhere on the planet below. Finally the culmination of my search. I shall remove them back to base and find out the secret. Then I can embark on my plan." His brow furrowed slightly. "Moya's crew, I wonder will they stand in my way? I may have to return for reinforcements. But first to reconnoitre!" He sped down towards the large piece of land which jutted into the sea. As he got closer a small instrument which he' strapped to his wrist started bleeping. "Ah John I see you're still functioning well." He carried onward, homing in on the signal but was surprised when a second tone made its presence known. "Sareel. You're here too. Good! I can take you back with me and make sure you don't cause trouble until I can find a solution to your problem." The land below was resolving into jungle, clearings, rivers and settlements. The signals were both coming from one group of dwellings. He'd not really stopped before to put two and two together and the realisation made him almost stall his craft. "You've got the wormhole knowledge. All this time its been under my nose and I never suspected. So well hidden, Sareel, but now it will become mine. You and I my dear, will climb to heights unknown and explore the unexplored. Our names will be written in the annals of all the races of this universe and perhaps of others yet undiscovered. We are on our way to immortality!" "What's he saying? Has anybody's translator microbes caught up with the language yet?" Head shakes all round. It would take a while before the new speech patterns were sorted out by the minute translators. The priest rose and pointed to the sky. Crichton pointed to him self and indicated the others and also pointed upwards. "Well I think they understand we came from the sky. Can you make out anything else Crichton?" Rygel was being viewed by a group of small children on the edge of the main group. One little girl with jet black hair and huge dark eyes gave him a tentative smile. "Oh I think they like me." The Hynerean gave them his equivalent of a smile, but unfortunately farted at the same time. The small band of children burst into laughter. Rygel at first felt a bit annoyed but it soon turned to pleasure when he realised that the children thought that the huge expulsion of gas had been for their amusement. He joined in their laughter and the tense faces of the people lightened. The priest was not amused he shouted at the people and they became silent. Zhaan and d'Argo were wearing deep hooded robes, so no one in the assembled crowd had yet seen their faces. Crichton took a step back to Aeryn. "Think they need to see their gods?" "At this moment in time I'd say that was a good idea. That priest certainly isn't our friend yet and Rygel doesn't seem to rate with him at all. A threat to his control." Chiana went and whispered to the two robed crew members. They threw back their hoods together. There was the sound of a mass indrawn breath as the crowd viewed blue Zhaan and tentacled d'Argo. Then as if they were a single entity they fell to the ground repeating the same thing over and over again. The priest joined them. "How much longer before the frelling microbes get organised." "I'm getting a few words. Seems like ' More gods and goddesses join our beloved one'." "Keep listening Chiana, it must be something to do with the bacteria in your hair." "There's really no need. I'll translate for now." They turned round and were confronted by Sareel dressed in a scarlet pleated skirt an ephod of tooled gold plates covering her breasts. Her head was covered by a red scarf and surmounted by a gold circlet. She murmured something to the priest who walked away from her backwards, bowing all the time. "I told him you were friends of mine. A necessary lie. If I'd have told him my true feelings towards you then you would all have been facing a lingering death." An evil smile spread accross her face "Which actually might have suited me, but Chiana's done me no harm so why should she suffer with the rest of you?" Crichton looked round at the others. Jothee and Chiana were standing close to d'Argo and Zhaan, Crais and Rygel were apart from them. None of them looked very happy. Sareel motioned them to follow her. "There's a house on the edge of the town which is vacant. You can stay there until you go back." They followed her, Aeryn and Crighton bringing up the rear. They were able to talk very quietly. "I don't like this one little bit. Did you see that look on her face when she thought of us dead?" "Never thought she was the type to bear a grudge. Thought Scorpie'd instilled logical reason into her mind." "Oh come off it Crichton..." "Something makes me think you're angry with me again." "Frell you! Can't you be serious. This is very serious, Sareel's female and take it from me we do not like to be slighted or used. If you look back on how we treated her have you any wonder that you doesn't exactly regard us as her best friends?" "Hell, she'd have done the same in our shoes." "No she wouldn't. That's just what I attempting to ram home into that thick male skull of yours. Sareel's spent her life living with being used or rejected, neither of which are pleasant and she would never have treated us as we treated her. She doesn't like to hurt people or she didn't. If she's changed we've only ourselves to blame." There was a short silence. "So how do you suggest we make our peace?" "I don't know. You'll just have to play it by ear." By this time they'd reached the edge of the small township and Sareel had led them into a beehive shaped dwelling of cut, woven branches mounted on a stone circle. The door was a curtain of leather, which was hooked back to the wall. Sareel was standing in the centre of the single room and she looked furious. "Just why did you follow me?" "We didn't . We were taking a short cut to the the Fragal Asteroids, just come out of starburst and guess what? We just happened to trigger a wormhole someone had carelessly left lying around. Believe me sister, we didn't ask to come here. There's a fat ore carrying contract waiting for us." "You haven't changed John Crichton. Still as touchy and flaky as ever." "Just give us a couple of days, Sareel and we'll be on our way. Pilot wants some time for the DRD's to check Moya out." "Ah the efficient Captain Sun. Tell me have you enjoyed John's pleasures yet? I know you're dying to." "Why you wrinkled little bitch. How dare you sully our relationship with your nasty speculation." "Oh it's more than speculation. You see just after Scorpius revived you, he kept you sedated for a few days and you had one or two sessions in the Aurora Chair. Surprising what you can fnd in a totally relaxed mind. I know because I've got the downloads. Normally I wouldn't have mentioned it but I feel like having a home truths session." Aeryn stood there speechless going through all stages from pink to furious red. Sareel threw a pitcher of water over her. "Time to cool down Aeryn. Don't want you to over heat do we?" Crais moved forward and made to put his hand on her arm. She pulled away. "Bialar Crais, so you'd like the skeletons in your life airing too? Remember I know everything about you." "Why are you acting this way? Our blundering here on your refuge was pure accident." "Yes an accident that will probably have alerted Scorpius to the wormhole entrance." "Why don't you just collapse it and remake it when you think it's safe?" "Because a problem I have may mean that I need to make a fast get away. I don't know how long my position with these people can be sustained. And it takes at least a couple of ahns to construct the skeleton and co-ordinates." Zhann was eyeing Sareel with ever more loathing on her blue face. "I can't believe what you've become. How can you do it?" "Actually it becomes easier the more you do it. I don't kill them. I just take what I need. If I don't do it I'll die. Is that what you'd like to happen to me?" She suddenly pointed at Zhaan. and almost snarled the words, "I remember that you and Stark were planning to remove me. Oh by the way where is dear Stark?" Zhann looked a little uncomfortable. "We had a slight disagreement. He's still on Pilach." "I wondered how long it would be before your arrogance drove him away. You really are hypocritical Pau Zotah Zhaan. You say you abhor what I've become, but you are no better. Do you remember when you killed? Do you remember the tingle of excitement as you contemplated the act? The thrill when it was done? You may say you're trying to renounce all the bad things in your life, but what you're really trying to do is hide the fact that you got pleasure from taking his life." "Stop it. I won't listen to you anymore." "The truth hurts doesn't it Zhaan. Just like I was hurt when I found out that my so called friends would abandon me for a truce with Scorpius. You'll never know just how devastated I felt. My world crumbled yet again. But believe me no one's going to get the chance repeat the act." "Sareel I did nothing to you." "Chiana I know you didn't. But you never stood up for me either." "Hey you know nobody ever takes any notice of me." "I suppose that's true. Have supper with me tonight. I need some light relief. I'll show you where I live. And the rest of you can make plans for leaving tomorrow. Just frelling get out of my life." She left with Chiana at her side prattling away like a little bird. They heard Sareel laugh. ***************** Having Chiana with me was like the first rains after the drought. Her inconsequential chatter and her chirpy wit made me feel almost normal. We had a leisurely meal. "Sareel why did you say all those things back in the town?" "Because I was angry. And because they are true. Not one of them gives a frell about me. They're far too wrapped up in themselves. Even your d'Argo. He's so frightened he may forget to be all that Luxans expect from a warrior. Can't they all see!" "I don't know. See what Sareel?" "See that none of them are ever going back to their old lives. They've got to make new ones for themselves just like I have." "You're not happy Sareel, I can see that," "Happy,... happy. How the frell can I be happy when I've got a possessive half Scarran trying to cage me and to cap it all, thanks to him and his genetic meddling I've become an abomination. I hate what I've become but I'm helpless to do anything about it." "You keep saying 'what you've become', but you never say what you've become. Can't you tell me?" "And risk losing the only person who's never hurt me. Not under any circumstance." She looked a bit crestfallen. "Oh I'm sorry Chiana. It's just that I'm so very angry. If I were you I'd stay away from tonight's ritual, and keep the other's away too." "It's that bad?" "It's worse." ****************** I should have known that Crichton's curiosity, which inevitably led him into trouble, would lead him to stand at the edge of the crowd, who had gathered to witness the main annual ritual to ensure fertitlity and good crops. There was an air of festivity in the square in front of the small temple where I resided. The crowd was packed tightly right to the bottom of the stone steps leading to the temple. There was a stone altar on the wide path which ran round the top of the stone pyramid which supported the temple. It was cooler now. The cool of the evening was scented with the flowers which present their perfume in the dusk. Dressed in my finery I moved out and stood by the altar. The hunger within me was strong and I found the scent of the flowers strewn down the steps cloying. Raising my voice I uttered the traditional welcome and invocation for the chosen. Two young people, one male, one female ascended the steps. Their bearing was proud and they showed no fear. I felt so much regret at was I was about to do, but it was as necessary to me as to these simple but fine people. When they reached the top of the steps they broke apart and went to either end of the altar. I offered them the ritual sticks. Whoever drew the short one was the candidate for the public ritual, the other would wait for me later. The young man drew the short stick. I lifted up the chalice which was on the altar and gave it to each in turn. It contained a sleeping draught which I'd concocted from local plants. Prior to my coming the participants had always been fully conscious. I wasn't about to add wanton cruelty to my ever growing list of sins. I led the girl back into the temple and told her to lie down on the altar which was at the back. The young man had laid down on the altar outside and was already drowsy. I began the prayer to the Great Old One, Quetzacotl and the crowd took up the intonation. My mind was drifting as the hunger within me increased. From pictures which existed from times long gone, I'd got a sneaking feeling that Quetzacotl had been a Scarran. How had a Scarran got this far in the galaxy and so long ago? I had no answer. The crowd finished intoning the prayer and I went to check the sacrifice. He was heavily sedated by this time totally unaware of anything. I could still see John Crichton at the edge of the crowd and was surprised when he was joined by the others. The time had come. I picked up the gold shafted knife with the black obsidian blade and slit the skin of the victim. Prising apart the thin layer of muscle and the ribs, I ripped out the still beating heart and held it up for the crowd to see. I threw back my head and let a few token drops of the blood drip into my mouth. My craving wanted more, but I must wait. I palpated the rest of the blood out of the heart into a gold bowl and descended the steps. The crowd parted to allow me to walk round the base of the temple scattering the blood and reciting the invocation of fertility. When I'd again reached the foot of the steps, the bowl was empty and I raised it, inverted above my head to show that it was indeed empty. A great cheer went up from the crowd and they made for the main plaza where a feast had been prepared. As I was walking back up the steps something made me turn. Crichton was just standing there transfixed. I looked at him for a minute and he raised his eyes to mine and just said the one word. "Why?" I turned on my heel and carried on up the stairs to my anticipated satiation.
Part 3 Once I was safely hidden from public view I checked the young woman on my altar. She was still heavily sedated and I knew I could proceed. I removed my regalia and slipped into my body suit and the attached belt with its pouches. I eased my feet into my boots. It was far easier to clean the suit and it was fine to be shod again. After walking barefoot, my feet hurt. They hadn't yet acquired the hard soles the townsfolk had. I took the obsidian knife and punctured the vein in the side of the woman's neck and lapped the blood which oozed out. Then greedily I sucked the vein and massaged the flesh below to stimulate the flow of blood. My saliva now contained an anticoagulant which prevented clotting at the puncture site. Normally I just took sufficient blood to assuage my need and then the donor would awaken, tired and drained but alive. But today I had the luxury of total satiation. A kill! There was a feeling at the back of my mind that I was being watched. However I was so immersed in what I was doing, I no longer cared. Holding the knife delicately, I slit the skin down the woman's chest and bent to lick away the blood. Pushing hard, I cut through the muscle to expose the rib cage. Then I cut between the ribs through the tissue, exposing the still beating heart. There was no need for the bestial ripping out of the heart as required by the people's custom. I gently cut out and reverently removed the vessel of life. Life from donor to recipient. I gave thanks for it. Tilting back my head, I let the blood from the still pulsating heart drip into my mouth. When the organ had ceased beating I began methodically to devour it. "I think you'd better come back with me. I can ease your pain." A dark figure leaning on the door post, a quiet voice. Scorpius. I swallowed what was in my mouth but kept hold of the bloody remains. Fury exploded at the sight of him. "How dare you come and think you can make everything right. If it hadn't have been for your meddling with my genes none of this would have happened. By rights I should kill you too. I've been used, abused and generally taken for a fool, so what have I got to lose?" "Everything Sareel. If you kill me you'll lose your only chance of a cure." I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh yes I believe I have an answer to your predicament. I feel deeply for you. I don't wish you to suffer." I almost gave in, but I had a quick look round his thoughts. What he'd said was indeed true. He did believe he had the answer, but what he'd omitted was his desire to avoid a galactic conflagration, if I went on the rampage. He wasn't just concerned for me. More concerned for his own position if trouble broke out. I was suddenly filled with a cold rage and a loathing for him and all sentient beings. Taking another bite from the heart I chewed it into a pulp. He took a couple of steps towards me. "Let me take away your pain, Sareel." Taking out a hypo tube from his pouch he started to move towards me. He just reached out his hand to take hold of me and I let him get that close. Just stood there. When he went to inject me with the hypotube, I forcefully spit the contents of my mouth into his face and ran for my prowler. ************* Crais and Moya's crew were siting on the floor in the hut. Chiana had been crying. Her eyes were still swollen. D'Argo looked visibly upset and his voice shook as he spoke. "You mean she's mutated to become one of those?" "Say it d'Argo. Sareel's a vampire. Teeth and all. Shades of Dracula." Zhaan was quiet but shaking. "Scorpius has a lot to answer for." "Actually that particular problem was caused by John." They all turned round to face the door. Scorpius walked in still removing the bloody remains from his face and clothing. "What happened to you Scorpie? Or shouldn't I ask?" "I think you can guess. I went to retrieve Sareel before she causes more trouble and she didn't want to accompany me." "I wonder why." "Quite Captain Sun. Just what I was thinking. Why should she refuse an offer of help?" Crais stood up. "It might just be because it was from you." "That though had crossed my mind. But all I've ever done was for her benefit." "Including changing her face?" "I admit to a brief moment of vanity there. But she has far more now than she ever had before. Raised from being a technician to my confidante, charged with my business details, given my trust." Strangely his voice broke, but his face stayed implacable. He gave a small cough. Crichton went to join Crais and asked the question. "Why did you say I caused Sareel's problem?" "Because if you hadn't copulated with her, there would only have been my genes and hers in her body. The introduction of yours confused the replicant nanomoles and they damaged the masked genes. Those genes carried undesireable information." "Hey you both caused her trouble. What you gonna do about it?" Scorpius eyed Chiana shrewdly. "I am trying to put things right." "I can't undo what I did. Wish I could." Scorpius by this time had cleaned his face of most of the blood and tissue. "Actually my main reason for coming here, was to warn you" "Why would you want to warn us of anything Scorpius?" "Yes what's in it for you?" "Well Dominar if you want to spend the rest of your days here, I wouldn't wish to stop you." "Say what you mean Scorpius." "Certainly Pau Zotah Zhaan. Sareel's fled in her prowler. How long do you think the wormhole's going to stay intact now she's left?" "Copy. We should get out of here right now." "I thought you'd understand. John." He went to the door and turned. "I'll see you again John. Quite soon I'm sure." "Not if I see you first Scorpie." "Oh by the way how are you getting on with my relation?" "Harvey? Oh he and I are bosom buddies Scorpie. He knows such a lot about you." "Does he indeed? Our next meeting may be sooner than you'd anticipate. I'll just say 'Ciao John'." And he swept out the door. Jothee, d'Argo and Chiana, gathered up the remains of the food and stuffed it in a bag. "It'll keep Rygel from the freezer." "He can't get in it. Sareel put a coded lock on it and I'm the one with the code." The Hynerean glared at Chiana. "And to think I thought you were a friend." "We're wasting precious time." They all made swiftly for the transport and piled aboard. Scorpius's prowler could be seen gaining height. They closed the hatch and took off They were almost out of the atmosphere when there was an impassioned call from Pilot. "Crichton, Captain Sun. Sareel's taken Talyn" Criais made his way to the screen. "How did she do that? She's not got a control circlet." "Moya says Sareel can talk directly to him and he just won't listen to Moya any more. She's afraid for him. Says he and Sareel are sick. They're going to wage attrition in the Uncharted Territories. She said Sareel's got Blood Lust." "Thank Pilot. Tell Moya to be ready to go back through the wormhole the minute we're on board." The screen faded. A microt later Scorpius's face appeared. "This is even more serious. Do I need to tell you what havoc the two of them can wreak between them?" "Sorry Scorpie. Not our problem. We've got an ore moving contract to fulfil on our return. We're just good ol' workin' folk." "I'll be in touch again, John, never fear!" The screen closed as they slid the transport into Moya's docking bay. There was a mass exodus and they all ran up to command just as she hit the wormhole entrance. The strange feelings were repeated and suddenly they were back in the portion of space they'd started from. "Just look at that. We weren't a moment too soon." The place where the wormhole entrance had been suddenly glowed brightly and a globe of light swelled up before everything went dark. "The energy she'd trapped. Whoee. Phenomenal!" "Surprisingly it doesn't seem to be Scorpius's prime concern. He's spent so long searching for that knowledge and yet it seems not to matter now it's in his grasp." "Gotta be a first for everything Aeryn. Why's he so concerned about Sareel having a blood fest round the planets?" "I thought you two were supposed to have the brains? How come I can see why and you can't?" Chiana was in the unusual position of realising partially why Sareel was a danger to the galaxy. "Well go on. Why". "What happens when something horrific and some folk may think not natural, starts preying on communities? Committing what some see as atrocities?" Aeryn's brow furrowed and she answered, "I suppose you get panic." "Yes, yes, but what happens after that?" "I get it. People start blaming other people for the happenings. Reason goes out the door. One race will start blaming another and suddenly there's either anarchy or repression. It's a field day for the military one way or another." Crichton looked at the two women. "But for the life of me I can't see why Scorpie should care about that. The Peacekeepers would probably take over another planet or two and the same for the Gouralt Dominion and the Nebari." He shook his head. "Perhaps you should ask your version of Scorpius, what do you call him? Harvey. If he's got any idea why Scorpius would be bothered by a little mayhem?" "I doubt he'll have any idea, but I'll try. Scorpius only gave him his moral code and a brief to find out about the wormhole technology. He was sparing with any thing else, just a bit of how he's likely to react in a given set of circumstances and some Peacekeeper necessities like codes. Not much more. That's why he feels cut off and abandoned." "What's it like sharing your head with someone else?" "Scary at times Chiana, other times comforting. If you really want to know about that and you ever see Sareel again, ask her. I don't know how she manages four personalities!" ******** The rest of the trip to the Fragal asteroids was a peaceful journey. Most of the time was spent sorting out the holds and moving equipment that had been left there by Moya's Peacekeeper tenants. "What do you suppose they did with this?" Chiana held up some female clothing that no Peackeeper had ever worn. A black bustier, some shiny leggings and a pair of leather trousers with a criss-cross pattern of slashes. Rygel moved over and inspected them. "Looks like something one of my girl's from Ael'sa Rot wore. Mind you, she spent more time out of it. Very accomodating, girls from Ael'sa Rot." "I don't really think we want to know that Sparky." "Brings back pleasant memories. Balmy nights and willing women!" The Hynearean was living again a fantasy day dream he'd been getting more and more over recent days. It must be getting near one of his Qa'alltagort periods. Very difficult to control. The bi-cyclic rut of his people. He'd always managed to hide it until this time. This time he was going to have to find a populated planet or trading post for a couple of weekens. One with plenty of females. Or perhaps he could persuade Chiana to spend a little time with him. "Hey your greeness. We've not got time to waste. If you want to eat help me move that roll of cloth over to the docking bay." The mention of food aroused Rygel's brain to his other great passion. Maybe the girls could wait a while longer! Finally the holds were clear and ther DRD's had made a final inspection of walls and floors. The huge Leviathan slowed as she neared the myriad of fragments which composed the asteroid belt. They announced their arrival to the cargo manager. "I'd almost given you up. Still better late than never." "We hit a problem on the way." "Now you're here can you still take the full amount?" "That and more if you have it." "There's no problem there. Not many with your capacity." "We're going to leave our agent with you if that's all right?" "Good idea. Always better with a representative on site." At that Jothee picked up his bag containing his personal belongings and went with d'Argo to the docking bay. Jothee had with him the credits they'd decided to invest in the mining operation. The young half breed had decided that he'd like the chance to prove himself in business and his father had readily agreed. Though he was pleased to be reunited with the young man, it had become obvious that there was a yawning chasm between what he wanted for Jothee and what Jothee hinself wanted. So let him test his wings and do a useful job for them at the same time. As the transport receeded toward the main part of the mining colony, Zhaan watched with mixed feelings. She was still filled with the emotions Sareel's outburst had brought to the surface. The Vaud had been clinically accurate in describing how she'd felt before she'd killed. It wasn't so much the killing that she'd been trying to expunge from her mind, as the feelings that had gone with it. Old feelings which had once been part and parcel of the Delvian inheritance. They'd originally had to kill for survival when they'd been persecuted in the dim, dark time of myth. In most Delvians the gene was masked, just like the one Scorpius had given Sareel, but very occasionally there was a regression and the unmasked gene reared its ugly and unwanted head. Pau Zotah Zhaan was one of the afflicted. Only her priestly training had enabled her to keep it under control until that fateful day. Ever after she'd had an increasingly hard struggle to deny the pleasure of a kill. She'd got a great deal of sympathy for Sareel. "Just how's it going to end for us?", she wondered. Scorpius walked wearily from the holoimager. Though he needed little rest, he'd not had respite for over sixty ahns. He sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. So it had begun! From various parts of the Uncharted Territories and also within Peacekeeper jurisdiction, tales of bloodless victims, mutilated corpses. Popular panic, turning in some places into rioting. Insurrection against the rulers, mobs demanding action. All put down with force. Far too much force. He sighed. He should have seen the possibility, the probability when he did it. But how was he to guess that Crichton's desire for revenge would have taken the path it did? Or that the genetic nanomoles wouldn't die when they were supposed to? Or the Sareel wasn't an ordinary Vaud? Too many imponderables, too much to be absorbed in any equation. It was as if there were some cosmic joker laughing at the frailty of the beings in creation, himself in particular. He laughed. A hollow sound. "So sure of yourself Ed'th Ra Scorpius. Well you've got the knowledge for your wormholes within your grasp. If you can catch her." He could hear the voice of the principal at the Academy saying the words. Echoes of his youth, his miserable tortured, rejected youth. All he'd had was his genius and his confidence in his abilities. He'd brushed aside the comments of the Sebbacians in his group. "Here comes the Scarran mongrel." How those words had hurt initially. It had taken all his control and patience to ignore the taunts, when his main desire had been to crush the perpetrators to a pulp, something he could have easily done with his part-Scarran strength. Every time he excelled in his studies and he was always top of his group, it had gotten worse. The bad times had led to the formation of his redoubtable patience. He abhorred killing just for killing's sake and he'd often been revolted in his early years by the casual way the Peacekeepers had slaughtered vast numbers. He'd found the methods they used to extract information, barbaric to say the least. That was what had led him to research and eventually perfect the Aurora Chair. He believed that would lead to sure, but non painful extraction of information. Even there he had been proven wrong. Some prisoners resisted and the severity of the extraction process need to win the information caused severe pain, occasionally in some species, fatal pain. Finally when he'd decided to focus on what had been his main aim after he left the academy, along had come Sareel and awakened something he thought he didn't possess. The ability to care for someone other than himself. It was his desire to keep her entirely within his aegis and protection that had made him carry out the gene substitution. "I really wish I left well alone and made her care for me by my actions towards her." But it was too late for regret. All he could do was try and rectify the mistake that he'd made before a galactic war broke out. And then to try and regain Sareel's trust. He didn't know why, but that had come to mean a great deal to him. Regaining her trust. In public he was still the hard inquisitor, the dedicated scientist, no crack in the fa�ade allowable there. But in private with his own thoughts. That was a different matter. The chamber felt so empty without her. He had to admit that went for his life too. There was an empty part in his mind. Nothing he'd so far achieved seemed to matter if she wasn't there to share it with him. He felt aeons old even though he was a mere youngster by the criteria of his life span. "I shall just have to declare a truce to the crew of Moya once again. They're the only chance I have of catching her." He'd no faith in the Peacekeepers. They had taken little notice of his advice once the panic had set in. Their commanders weren't renowned for their brain power and up to now Sareel had run rings round them and Talyn had destroyed two command carriers and their crew. Neither could he ask for help from the Gouralt Dominion or the Nebari because to let them even sense he had a weakness would have been suicide. And he still valued his life. No it would have to be Crichton and the others. At least Crais had a good military brain and Aeryn Sun was a good strategist. The others would follow. And perhaps Crichton's little brain infiltrator could give him enough advice to keep him on the straight and narrow path of discipline for once. "A little advice, but not too much. I really will have to sort John's brain friend out. It could become an embarrassment if it remembers some of the information it was given." That was something else. He'd had to hurry so much in making the implant that he'd included large areas of information which if he'd had more time he would have omitted. It was highly unlikely that this information would be triggered, but the risk was always there. He put the heat up, locked his door, stripped off his body suit and gratefully lay down on his sleeping couch. Sleep claimed him almost instantaneously. ************* Moya was in orbit round Sebbeus and was been attended by a small fleet of cargo tenders, taking off her cargo of ore for transport to the planet's surface. D' Argo was checking that all the holds had been cleared before the DRDs went in to clean up. The idea of leaving Jothee as their agent had paid dividends. The young man had proved to have a good business head on his shoulders. Not only was there a regular ore shipment to ferry to various planets, but the money he'd put into the mining operation itself, had been increased sevenfold. Moya's crew were now quite wealthy and he and Jothee need have no more worries about finances. Crichton slipped into the hold. "When did Jothee say the next shipment's to be collected?" "In a weeken." "Gives us time for a rest. I wonder if we dare give Sebbeus a visit?" "If you do John Crichton you're out of your skull." Aeryn walked up to d'Argo and gave him the receipt she'd got from the ferry manager. "That makes over eighty thousand credits we've got up to now." "And Scorpie's left us alone. I can hardly believe it. Harvey says he's got more pressing matters with Sareel on the loose." "Oh and just how is your little brain friend. Still giving you good advice?" "Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice Aeryn Sun?" "I think she's worried because the advice he gives you tends to make you think more like Scorpius." "Hasn't been bad up to now. Kept me alive." Aeryn raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Goddess preserve us when he's in one of these moods." "I'm not in a mood." "No?" "No. Scorpie's brother has a good head on his shoulders and quite a bit of his knowledge." "Thought you said his knowledge was limited?" "Thought it was, but he seems to have triggered some things he didn't know he had." " Scorpius won't like that." "Bet your bottom dollar he won't. Seems Harvey's got some of Scorpie's business knowledge, but it keeps slipping away from him. He's getting quite frustrated." "All the more reason not to go to Sebbeaus." D'Argo called Pilot on the internal comm. "All finished here. Ready for the DRD's." "Thank you d'Argo. And you've got a visitor in the lounge." The screen went dark. They looked at each other. "In the lounge?" "Only one person with the aplomb to make himself at home without being invited." The corridors echoed with the sound of their feet as they rushed back up to the living quarters. There was Scorpius sitting relaxed on one of the chairs with a glass in his hand. "Ah the workers return! Do sit down. Excellent wine you've got." "Er, Scorpie just a small point, but this is our ship." "So it is. Which brings me to the reason for my visit. By the way where are the others?" "We're here Scorpius. Just what is the reason for this intrusion?" Zhaan entered looking far from pleased. Rygel, Crais and Chiana were close behind. "No reason for you to get flustered. I've a business proposition to make." "Why don't I trust you Scorpie?" "I can think of no reason at all why you shouldn't, unless you're getting bad advice." Zhaan sat down on the edge of the table facing Scorpius. "Exactly what is this business proposition?" He took a sip of his wine. "A most excellent vintage. Ah my proposition. It's really quite simple. A truce if you'll catch Sareel for me." "For how long?" "Oh for one weeken after you deliver her to me. Then... well the status quo." Crichton laughed, a hard sarcastic laugh. "And you really think she'll let us get near her? After what we did to her?" "I think you stand a great deal more chance than the Peacekeepers I've sent out." He stood up and inserted a holostick in the imager. "Perhaps a demonstration of the havoc she and Talyn are causing may persuade you that she must be stopped." The picture which came up on the screen showed screaming people running in panic through the streets, a devastated town, Peacekeeper troopers trying to get control and finally the destruction of the two command carriers, Talyn was just visible on the edge of the image. There was a shocked silence in the lounge. "And Sareel's the cause of all that?" Chiana spoke in a shocked whisper. Scorpius glanced at her. "The little Nebari. Yes and that's only in Peacekeeper territory. She's doing exactly the same in the Gouralt Dominion and Nebari controlled space. So my spies tell me." Crichton and Aeryn exchanged glances and Crichton shook his head. "I don't know what to suggest. The only one she'll talk to at the moment's Chiana and it wouldn't be fair to expect her to lead Sareel into a trap. Anyway how the frell can we catch her? As far as I can make out the moment anyone gets with in a snalkit's whisker of her, she just slips into her energy body." "I've perfected a way for you to immobilise her if you get close and a way of holding her after." "And just what do you plan to do with her after you get her back?" D'Argo moved menacingly over to where the inquisitor was sitting. Scorpius never flinched, just cocked his head in the Luxan's direction. "Well repair the damage of course. What else did you think I'd do?" "Seems to me you've done enough already", muttered the big Luxan. Crais who had been standing at the back came and stood by Crichton and Aeryn. He looked genuinely worried. "I tried extremely hard to instil Talyn with some sense of restraint. I can't work out how she was able so completely to override that sense I thought I'd managed to get into his brain." "From what I can make out from your Pilot, Sareel's able to understand a great deal of what Moya says to him, sometimes before he gets the message. Seems that she can communicate with Talyn without control circlet, being to being and that he almost worships her." "I knew he liked her, it was obvious the first time I took her on board, but this type of bonding from him?" Chiana pushed past Rygels's dais. The Hynerean had been silent but in his mind he could hear the sound of money dropping into his hand getting fainter by the minute. "Silly fools are going to sucumb to his suggestion", he thought to himself. Chiana went upto Scorpius and peered right into his face. "You can really help Sareel?" "I'm over ninty percent of the way to being able to remove the cause of her affliction." "You won't hurt her again?" "That was the last thing I ever intended." "Oh Scorpie, I never though I'd hear you admit to that." "I may be hard for you to grasp John, but all I've ever wanted for Sareel was the best. It was just unfortunate that she's no ordinary Vaud. Can you even begin to imagine the pain and fear she's going through? No, I don't think you have the slightest idea of the intensity of her suffering." "I'll help you get Sareel. She's like my big sister. I can't let her be like this." Aeryn put her hand on Chiana's shoulder. "Are you sure?" She nodded. Rygel hovered in front of Scorpius. "And just what are you going to pay for this....favour? We'll be breaking a very lucrative contract." He didn't mention the fact that Jothee would probably manage to subcontract a large part of the ore. "Of course I don't expect you to undertake this work for nothing." He pulled a credit disc out of his pouch. "I think this will reimburse you for any loss." Rygel took it and gasped at the amount which showed up on the window. "Yes, yes indeed. When do you want us to start?" Zhaan looked troubled. "I need Stark back. He's the only one who's got any chance when she's in her energy body and I have the distinct feeling that she's more even more powerful than him." "I'll arrange for Stark to join you here. Oh and there're just some things you'll need. I brought them with me in case you agreed." Inside he felt a great relief. What he would have done if they'd have refused to help him was beyond even his imagination. He finished his wine and went to supervise the off loading of the equipment he'd brought.
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Part 2 Part 3 Part 4-6 Part 7 to epilogue Bloodlust Part 1 Scorpius was packing up equipment in the laboratory at the villa. The initial shock he'd felt at Sareel's flight had settled into a grim determination to find her. His physical needs were starting to intrude into his consciousness and although he'd paid some of his old female friends recent visits, none of them gave him the deep down feeling of contentment he'd had with Sareel. "That little Vaudrian's a witch, a spinner of enchantment." That remark had come from Leothe, on his last visit to her. The chemistry which had formerly existed between the Gaoudi and himself, had evaporated completely. She'd done her best but had only succeeded in increasing the feeling of restlessness which often seemed to haunt him now. He had very little interest in finding the secret of wormholes or power brokerage in the universe. On his visits back to his new base, he was showing less of his renowned patience and once he'd even shouted at his technician. It had never been heard of before for him to raise his voice for any reason. The Peacekeepers on the base were keeping out of his way even more than usual and the word was that he was more unpredictable than ever. He'd even lost interest in the crew of Moya although he had a slight feeling that one of them might know where Sareel might have gone. He sighed. What was this malaise which had overtaken him? Suddenly he stiffened. This wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all. He must put memories of her to the back of his mind only to be accessed in private at suitable times. Her memory was eating him like a maggot and his longing for her, destroying him. No, the thing to do was to immerse himself in his work, to be meticulous to a fault in his interrogations and to regain his patience. A part of his brain supplied the addendum, "And spare no effort to find Sareel." ************** When I'd fled from Pilach, I'd very little idea about what I was going to do once I'd made my first planet fall. There was one thing about my prowler that was only known to me. During the time I'd spent on Moya, I'd studied the mechanics of the Leviathan starburst. This had enabled me to construct a module which enabled my tiny craft to also make a hyperspace leap. Once clear of the magnetosphere of Pilach, I set the co-ordinates and powered the unit for the first time. There was the usual visual distortion you get when moving through hyperspace and the feeling of being stretched and then I was in a totally different part of the galaxy. To be precise at the planet Chiana had told me about. From out in space it looked to have two main continents and a lot of water. I chose to make my landing on the southern of the two land masses, which was also the greener of the two. As I got closer I began to make out the tell tale traces of habitation. Landing by a small town I prepared to see what my reception would be. Also in the locker at the back of the prowler where I kept the tools, were the robes of the Vaudrian Shallak sect, the one my parents belonged to. I'd found these on one of our many food buying excursions. From the welcome I received in the small settlement, it was obvious, as Chiana had said, that travellers were few and far between in this part of the galaxy. The native inhabitants had no space travel technology of their own, being content to live a quiet, peaceful and prosperous life on their well endowed planet. I found it easy to find a citizen willing to rent me a small but pleasant dwelling on the outskirts of the town, with a large building attached, which I was informed had originally been for food storage. It was admirably suited to my requirements. I needed a laboratory workshop in which I could construct what I hoped would prove a tool to ensure my continuing freedom from not only Scorpius, but any other life forms who couldn't contribute towards my total security. I was prepared to become a recluse if necessary. Currency I could get by proxy holdings from my account. If I went about it correctly, there would be no trace of my real whereabouts. There was still the small problem of my feelings for Scorpius but I found that it was really quite easy to control them as I focused on the plan ahead. All in all things seemed to be looking up. ************ Aeryn and Crichton were playing a form of volleyball on the landing pad. Scorpius had gone back to his base and Zhaan and Stark were currently staying in City Muven studying and undergoing a retreat. There was always a feeling of relief in Aeryn's mind when Stark was absent. Something about the stykera worried her and not being able to pinpoint what it was made her feel uneasy. The ball they were playing with was made of auroch hide and inflated with an auroch gut bladder. Crichton had had great difficulty in explaining to the local tailor exactly what he wanted, consequently the ball they were now using was about the fourth attempt the beleaguered being had made to replicate a useable item. They'd been playing for about half an ahn when Aeryn finally flopped down on the grass by the side of pad. "That's good exercise. I've been neglecting my fitness during the time we've been here." Crichton pulled the petals off a flower growing through the grass. "I've really appreciated this quiet time here with you. Getting to know more about you, finding out what you like and what you hate." Aeryn moved closer and sat by him their foreheads touching. "It's been so good John." "But you still won't move in with me?" "That's a commitment I can't make...yet. Just give me more time and maybe eventually I'll feel differently." He held her face in his hands. "That one time's always a long time away. I need you now. Frell , Aeryn it's difficult for me to say. Here goes,Aeryn Sun, I love you!" There were tears in her eyes. She replied in a low voice, "That's the trouble John. I'm not sure exactly what love is and once I do know, dare I take the risk it entails? I've not long found out that my own relations didn't want me and I just haven't got any trust. I don't want to be hurt again." The self reliance which had been instilled in her with her military training had been shattered, firstly by Scorpius and then by the revelation from Crais about her parents and her relations. She'd seemed to be the same strong confident person she'd always been, but deep inside there was a struggle going on to construct a new Aeryn. She often felt vulnerable and open both to joy and pain, something that was completely new to her. She just hoped Crichton would have the patience to wait until she was ready to give herself completely to him. If she ever felt she could! Crichton was looking over at the lake. Scorpius's villa was fronted by one of the most beautiful lakes on Pilach, a planet renowned for it's beautiful scenery. It was the galactic vacationer's paradise and Scorpius had large holdings all over the planet, but he always rated the villa on the lake as the jewel in his not inconsiderable portfolio. It was easy to see why and understandable how Sareel had usually found peace there, until the last time. Aeryn spoke first. "I wonder where Sareel is now." "A long way from here if she's any sense. Scorpie seems very subdued. I think he really does miss her." "Scorpius missing someone? That would be a first. The only person he's got any regard for is himself. You do realise that we can't stay here for ever and once we leave the planet, he'll be after you again for his research?" "Maybe, but we can always sneak back here." "John Crichton you're just not on the same wavelength. Do you really think he'll let us return once we've left?" "He said Pilach was always a safe haven. Sure he'll be watching out for us but with a little help from his brother in my head I think we'll always be able to throw him a curver." Aeryn shook her head. Ever since Sareel had repalced most of his memories she'd been once again baffled by some of his expressions. ************* Rygel was in his element. The dimiutive Hynerian had used the rest of the credits that Sareel had given him to use at the Pleasuredome to join a game of Droolak at a drinking place in City Muven. By using his not inconsiderable skill at cheating and hints given to him by Chiana who had accompanied him, he'd made a quite substantial return on his investment. He judiciously lost just enough hands to make it appear that he was just lucky. Chiana was a great distraction to the other players, who made suggestions she dealt with in her normal cheeky manner. Finally he declared that he was calling it a day and was even invited back by his fellow players. "Can't believe how trusting they are. Did you see that Sheyang? He couldn't take his eyes off your cleavage." They were making their way back to the caravanserie where they had booked rooms for the night. "Which is exactly what you're ogling now little green one. Come on eyes up." Rygel made a grumpy hmmph and adjusted the height of his hover dais. "You should be flattered that I even take an interest in you. I could have had my pick of luscious females." "That was then and this is now. Keep dreaming Dominar." They reached their lodgings. Chiana paused before entering her room. "To tell the truth I'm getting bored. It's all well and good not being hounded by Scorpius, but the quiet life's beginning to pall. I want a bit of excitement, a fresh bit of the galaxy to explore" "Got most of what I want here, but it would be nice to get back on Moya for a bit. Might even get home this time." Chiana patted him on the head. "Sleep well, see you in the morning." **** Moya had been making modifications and improvements from the instructions Sareel had given to Pilot. The Vaudrian's scientific skills were far in advance of any of the crew members and she'd spent her days on board profitably. Moya's starburst would be more accurate and smoother with the adjustments for interstellar mass made to her computations and she now had reliable shielding. ***** D'Argo and Jothee had taken the time on Pilach to get to know one another. Many of the misconceptions Jothee had had about his father had been dispelled and the two were on a comfortable footing. "I'd like to get my teeth into something worthwhile. I'm starting to vegetate with all this in activity." "There's talk of rich deposits of Xanadium in the Fragal Asteroids. We could be rich. We've got enough credits for the initial investment." They also had the credits Sareel had given them. Ploughed into the mining company they stood to multiply their investment a hundredfold. "Let's suggest it to the others. I've got the feeling that being safe is also getting boring." ****** Zhaan flew the transport back to the estate after collecting Rygel and Chiana. She'd had a disagreement with Stark who'd elected to stay at the temple. Her self control had unravelled geatly and she reckoned that her quest had been put back not aided by her time at the retreat. "What Strark wants is madness. Sheer madness." She was talking mostly to herself. "Zhaan just what does he want? If you tell us you may feel better." "Oh he only wants us to storm Scorpius's new base and kill him. I can't understand what drives him. I thought he'd accepted that the loss of his people wasn't the fault of Scorpius." Chiana frowned. There was something she'd learned about Stark that he'd been trying to hide even from himself. "I think Scorpius was trying to use him as a spy on board Moya. He implanted a chip like he did with Crichton, but Stark mamaged to disable it with part of his energy body. He's mad that he wasn't able to block Scorpius in the first place." "How on earth did you discover that?" Chiana looked distinctly uncomfortable. "He... well he..." "Oh spit it out or we'll die from the suspense." She glared at Rygel. "He talks in his sleep." "I'm not even going to inquire how you know that." Chiana looked relieved. "I think he's more angry with himself than with Scorpius." "Well he certainly has no right to involve the rest of us in a crackpot scheme like that." "I agree. That's why I left." The transport landed on the pad. Aeryn and Crichton were packing up the volleyball net at one side. They waved at Chiana and Rygel and looked surprised to see Zhaan. They all walked back to the houses together. "John I think we all need to talk. Let's have a meal this evening at my place. I think we've got plans to make. ****** That evening as the sun was setting over the lake they were all congregated in Zhaan's living area. There was a small feast laid out on the side table. "Take what you want. Thank the Goddess, at least at the moment we're not short of food." The meal proceeded with the usual small talk and sounds of chewing, interspersed with Rygel belching loudly. "I do wish you wouldn't do that. It's quite revolting!" "If your digestive system was designed like mine Aeryn Sun, you'd also find it totally necessary." After a leisurely meal they were all sitting feeling replete and very mellow, due to the Pilachian red wine. Zhaan put her glass down on the table. "I can sense that some of you are getting restless with the life here." There were nods all round. "I know at the present time there's nothing I'd like better than to leave Pilach" John and Aeryn were sitting together on one of the divans. He whispered in her ear. "What's caused Zhaan's sudden disillusionment with Pilach?" "I think she's had a big disagreement with Stark." "I'm not surprised. Always thought he was one card short of a full house." "I don't understand." He pointed to his head, "Not quite all there, you know a bit deranged." "I don't know why you didn't say that in the first place." "Shuush. Listen to Zhaan." "Has anyone got any suggestion as to what we could do if we left the planet." "Apart from avoiding Scorpius you mean?" Laughter all round. "Take that as read." "Well father and I thought it might be a good idea to invest in the new Xanadium mine on the Fragal Asteroids." Chiana chipped in on that one. "There's a lot of talk in City Muven about that. Seems it's a very good investment and they need transport for the ore." Crichton looked at her. "Well there's plenty of room on Moya. We could do that for a while. Get some credits together." "The Asteroids are a bit close to a Peacekeeper outpost." "But they can't do anything in the Uncharted Territories." Aeryn replied crisply to that. "John Crichton, since when have the Peacekeepr's ever shown any respect for boundaries? No warning, they just move in. How else do you think they got most of the territory they administer?" He was silent for a microt. "Guess it's a bit of a risk, then." "The main question is, is it an acceptable risk?" "Moya doesn't exactly fade into the background. And anyone thought she mightn't want to take the risk?" "Do we want to take the risk?" "Speaking for myself." "You usually do Sparky." "May I be permitted to finish. Speaking for myself, the more credits we can get the wider our choices after." "Do you still want to go home." "Much as I'd like to take my rightful place now, I feel I may be better occupied leading an uprising from one of my loyal satellite planets in the Sugon System. And that would take a quite considerable amount of credits to fund." This was the first time Rygel had actually made a sensible non blustering statement regarding his position. It seemed that he'd acquired a large dose of reality during his stay on Pilach. "At least are we agreed that it's time to move on?" There was a general agreement with Zhaan's statement. "D'Argo, do you think the mine is a solid undertaking. Not some fly by night con job?" "If you mean is it profitably and responsibly run, the answer is yes." "So we all start a new career as ore carriers?" "Seems like a good bet to me Chiana." Aeryn laughed. "I can't believe it. We're going to be solid upstanding galactic citizens for once. Gainfully employed." "Depends if Moya and Pilot'll play ball." "Then I suggest you ask them. Oh and if they agree get Moya to contact Talyn. I think Crais might welcome some credits and Talyn can guard Moya from pirates." ******* My workshop was littered with a variety of bits and pieces that I'd purchased on the planet and from several visits I'd made to trading stations light years away. The end product of my endeavours was sitting innocuously on the bench. Such a small machine to create such a huge effect. I'd checked every parameter that I could and just had to trust now to my skill and the accuracy of the information in my head. My departure for pastures new was imminent and as far as I was concerned, not one moment too soon. A new problem had reared its head and the only solution I could see would have been extremely noticeable on this peaceful planet with its gentle people. Something Crichton had said during the time I was replacing his memories had stuck in my mind and had determined my next move. There was a place where my new problem would be acceptable and the means of my satisfaction easily at hand. I packed up my personal belongings and put them, the tools, my magical little machine, food and water in my prowler and left the planet. Well off the usually travelled starways, I set the co-ordinates on small screen, uttered a quick prayer to the Shallack deity and pulled down the small lever. *********** "Do you have to bring that too? We won't have room on Moya to play games when the holds are full of ore." "You know we can use the docking bay. There's plenty of room there." Crichton had the volleyball gear in his arms and was loading it onto the transport. Aeryn had sorted out of her belongings and was surprised to see exactly how much she accumulated during her quarter cycle stay on Pilach. Crichton had come into the room as she and Chiana were getting rid of unnecessary articles. He fingered a pale blue robe that she'd occasionally worn round the settlement. It was the only time he'd seen her out of trousers. "You're not leaving that behind?" She'd put her hands on her hips and retorted, "Can you reallly see me helping out on Moya with her holds full of ore, wearing that. Show some sense Crichton." She was angry. He could always tell when she was angry with him. She dropped the familar 'John' and called him Crichton. He gave up the struggle. Aeryn in that mood inevitably won any argument. They'd made several trips already mainly with Zhaan's lab gear. Chiana had been put in charge of provisions and had taken delivery of a large consignment of food from local farmers. One of the new things Sareel had installed on board Moya had been a long term food storage locker where the food was kept at minus fifteen Kelvin. Crichton had said that on Earth they were called freezers. Aeryn had shivered at the word. She still had the odd nightmare about icy waters and being frozen. Eventually every thing had been loaded and they were on the final approach to Moya. Aeryn slid the transport into the docking bay. As soon as life support was initiated they got out of the small craft. They were each carrying a bag containing their small personal goods. "You kow it feels good to be back on Moya. Frell I believe I've actually missed the feel of the deck under my feet." He imitated a prowler in flight. "Yeee Hah. Watch out universe. Here we come!" "Won't you ever grow up John Crichton. You behave just like a small boy with a new toy." He dropped his bag and grabbed her by the arms and whirled her round. "Loosen up, let your mind freak out. We're boldly going where no alien has been before." His boyish enthusiam was infectious and much against her will she found herself laughing. They just looked at each and they just couldn't stop laughing. Tears rolled down their faces and if it hadn't been for Pilot's voice they would have carried on the hilarity. They'd slid to the floor by this time. "Crichton, Talyn has made his rendezvous with us and I believe we're going to take a short cut. Could you come up to command and show Moya the course on the star chart?" "Coming Pilot." The course was set to cut across a little known and unncharted part of the galaxy. Moya and Talyn would starburst when they were twenty thousand kliks from Pilach. They watched as the planet receed from view. *********** Scorpius was interrogating a Mindaran whom the Peacekeepers had suspected of working for the Gouralt Dominion. The current relationship between the two powerful goups at this current time was, to say the least, difficult and he felt that peace was balanced on a knife edge. He'd gained nothing up to that time of any relevance from his 'client' and had decided to take a short break to allow the Mindaran time to contemplate his predicament. He'd just got back to his quarters when there was a knock on his door. "Enter." The door slid open and a short, swarthy lieutenant came in. "Sir you asked to be informed if the Leviathan left orbit round Pilach." Scorpius's attention was immediately focused. He'd been right in assuming that they would soon tire of the quiet life. Not long now perhaps before he would have John Crichton's company to help him in his new endeavours. How excellently things had finally turned out. "Sir what do you wsh us to do. Track or intercept?" "Most decidedly track. And keep me informed if there are any changes in its course." "Very good Sir." The officer left and the door slid to behind him. Scorpius sat down and in a few microts found his mind wandering. He tried as he did regularly to access Sareel's mind. Up to that point he'd had no success. She seemed to have disappeared totally from the galaxy, though he realised that it probably meant that she was completely out of range of his probe. That also puzzled him. Her prowler hadn't the power or range for extended galactic travels unless...... Unless she'd found a new way of travelling. He grudgingly had to admit that in many respects her technical prowess was almost equal to his. A grimace crossed his features, a stab of pain almost like a clearance burst from Sareel's neuro transmitter flicked across his brain. Krask, it was the transmitter. He concentrated. Only fleeting impressions were there but superimposed over all of them was the craving which was now driving her. "She must be found before she causes mayhem." He'd had the fear that part of a particular gene he'd transferred to her as part of the set for the facial restructuring, may have lost its inhibitor. That fear had been reinforced when he saw her teeth while he was examining her during her labour. He himself had no problems with the masked gene other than an occasional craving which was easily overcome, but he doubted that Sareel would be able to withstand the intense feelings the gene unshielded, could bring. He looked at his options and decided reluctantly that he may have to declare a further truce and ask Moya's crew to help him find her. It was no longer a personal affair, it was a matter of galactic security if mass hysteria wasn't to take over in places she visited. If the very worst scenario came to pass he would have no choice but to kill her. He felt unbelievable sadness at that thought and vowed that he'd do everything in his power to find her and then to effect a cure. ******** Life back on Moya soon settled back into the accustomed routine. The Leviathan was using photon power to get to her planned jump off place and that would be reached in just under the half ahn. Chiana was putting her prize possessions on the table in her chamber. She'd got more now that she'd ever had before in her life. Some credits, jewellery, clothes. The only thing she hadn't got was a partner, but judging from they way Crichton and Aeryn reacted in each other's presence, that could bring mixed blessings. Perhaps that was something that could wait. She'd rather liked the young Nebari who was fighting in the resistance with her brother, but she doubted very much that she'd ever see him again. "I wonder what excitement we'll have on this trip?" The first unexpected event was about to happen. John, Aeryn, Rygel and Zhaan were in command with Pilot. "Moya reports that we're at departure point." "Then let's get them waggons rolling, Pilot." "I'm sorry Crichton, I don't understand." Zhaan moved over to Pilot. "I believe he means tell Moya to starburst when she's ready." The familiar shudder went through the huge ship and the Leviathan entered hyperspace. But the shuddering got worse. "Pilot. What the hell's gone wrong?" "I don't know Crichton. Moya and I have never experienced anything like this before." Crichton switched to the external monitor. "Oh no it can't be. We're in a frelling wormhole!"
Part 2 I had found my place among a people who found the solution to my craving as normal behaviour for a goddess, for that was how they viewed me. They had given me a small temple on the edge of the settlement for my dwelling. There was a stone altar there which was proving to be very useful. These folk were just starting the transition from being farmers to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the region. The climate was pleasant. On the higher land there was adequate rainfall for the crops which sustained the communities. However they were developing skills in stone cutting, sculpting and carving as well as making fine pottery. The community which had made me their own had time to make items for trade with other towns. I had volunteers to serve me and while I used them, I always made sure they were sedated and knew nothing of what I'd done to them. Some guilt was always there. I could no more stop what I was doing than stop breathing, but I tried to put a little good back into the community. The stonemasons had only the most primitive tools to carry out their work. I modified one of my spare photon generators to enable them to cut easily and accurately through the stone and I showed them how to calculate the dimensions for keying the blocks together. Moving the cut stones was effected by using an negative gravity hover sled, somewhat similar to Rygel's dais but much bigger. I showed them how to construct cisterns to store water for the dry season and how to channel water from the small lake in the hills for their crops. They called me 'The Old Woman Goddess", for that was what I most resembled in their eyes. There was no R sound in their language, I was called Sa-i-el, the sprinkler of blood. The sprinkling of blood on the ground was carried out to ensure the fertility of the land and the succession of the seasons. It wasn't the ideal solution to my predicament, but it was the best I could manage at short notice and gave me a respite to try and plan what to do. I thought I knew what had caused the problem. The gene replacement nanomoles had frelled one of my donor genes from Scorpius when they'd tried to construct a trisomic being of my poor, doomed daughter. Probably Scorpius could do something to ease my craving but I'd really had enough of being used. Moya's crew, Scorpius, as far as I was concerned they could all rot in a Mindaran Slime Pit. I'd left the wormhole in position, automatically activated, in case I needed to make a hasty exit from this planet. There had been a couple of times I gone to the nearest trading post to its entrance, to buy parts for machines for my people. It was well off the beaten track and I saw no danger in leaving it there. There was a big festival imminent and the priests had been up to my temple to see what I needed for the ritual. They explained what was the usual practice. "But that means someone must die!" I'd exclaimed. "Yes Goddess. It is an honour to give one's life for the fertility of the land. The young people fight for the right." I felt a mixture of sadness and anticipation. Sadness at the primitive beliefs and lack of science of these people. They'd eagerly assimilated the calendar I shown them, how to predict the movement of the stars in the heavens, so they had the intelligence to go farther. The anticipation came from the act I was expected to perform for the ritual. There would be the total satisfaction of my craving. For a while at least. I lay down on my bed. My hunger was starting to rear its head once again. It would soon be time for a new acolyte to be initiated. ***************** Moya emerged out of the wormhole and stopped dead in her tracks. The huge ship had never experienced anything like that before and she was disorientated. The crew were also shocked. "Pilot, did Talyn follow us?" "Mmm, Moya thinks so, but she's confused." Aeryn switched on the external monitor. Talyn was just sliding to a halt beside his mother. "Better see how Crais is." She changed over to the ship to ship hailer and Bialar Crais appeared on the screen. Crichton moved over to face the module. "Any damage over there, Crais?" "None at all fortunately. Talyn was a little shook up but he's settling down now. What was that?" "John can tell you. He's the only one of us who's ever been through one before." "That Crais was.. is a wormhole." "Then that's how you came here. You didn't lie." Zhaan and the others came up to the external screen. D'Argo looked at the planet beneath them and pointed it out to Chiana. "Crais." "Chiana?" "I don't think here's here anymore, if you know what I mean. I think we're lost. It's no place I recognise. Anyone know where we are?" "No idea", from Rygel. Zhaan shook her head. Crichton looked and looked again at the portion of land which was moving slowly away from view and at the moon which was just rising. "We're not lost, but everything's wrong. No cities, no satellites, no pollution." "Well where the frell are we?" Rygel was getting impatient. "Earth, but I think Earth long before my time." "But I thought wormholes are supposed to give almost instantaneous travel?" "They should do Crais. But someone who has the knowledge to create this one appears also to be able to modify it." "If Scorpius knew who, he have them in the chair." "There's only one person we know other than John who's had contact with the Ancients." John stared at Zhaan transfixed. "Sareel", he breathed. He looked again at the peninsula which was still moving away from view. "She's there. I know she's there." "Where John?" "That's the Yucatan Peninsula. One of the memories we went through was a paper I did at High School on the transition of the Olmec culture into the Mayan. That's why she's manipulated the time factor." He thought for a moment. "Pilot, can Moya and Talyn get into a geosynchronous orbit over that large peninsula?" "Of course Crichton. Easily." "Then ask them if they'll do it for us, Pilot." Their answer was the big ship's curve away towards Earth and settling over Yucatan like a hovering bird. Talyn was tucked in at the rear. "Anyone for shore leave?" "Speak in language we can under stand." "Aeryn Sun. Is there nowhere in Peacekeeper territory where ships sail on the sea?" "Yes.. but." "Then don't the sailors have shore leave?" "No need . The ships are all automated. No sailors." Crichton looked nonplussed. "Shall we just go down on the planet?" "Good idea. What're the people like down there?" "Primitive, if I've got the time right, but just starting to blossom with creativity and new skills. They'll think we're Gods from heaven." "What's the food like?" "Fine Sparky. If you like jalapinos." "What the frell are jalapinos?" "You'll find out. You going to join us Crais?" "Wouldn't miss this one." "See you on the surface just follow us down." The crew all made for the docking bay and got into the transport. "Do mind what you're doing with your bust. You almost knocked me off my seat." "Well your lowness, you should be higher. You're always trying to peer down there. I'm starting to worry about you. Think you've got a fixation on my boobs." Rygel gave a lascivious grin. "No, but I soon could have." "Just get on board Rygel." Zhaan had taken her usual place as organiser. Crichton was piloting the small craft. As they got lower, they could see small settlements, some half hidden by forest, some on open land near low hills. Crichton pointed to a settlement nestling under the hills. "That's where she'll be. That's the site I studied in detail, Balakbal." He found a fairly flat piece of ground near the settlement and put the transport down on it. **************** "What do you mean Braca, the Leviathans just disappeared?" "Exactly that Sir. They'd just come out of starburst. They were on the screen one minute and the next they were gone." "Leviathans don't just....disappear. Something makes them disappear. Have my command carrier made ready. We leave within the ahn." "Very good Sir." "And Braca.." "Sir!" "Do try to sweat less in my presence. I find it disagreeable." The guard leader gulped, saluted and beat a hasty retreat out of Scorpius's quarters. The inquisitor watched his departure. He enjoyed the discomforture of the leader of his guard. Bracca was useful, amusing and totally expendable. He studied the scans of the area where the two ships had disappeared. There was no obvious reason for their vanishing so completely. He checked the radiation readings and the residual photon traces. There was a definite cut off point, as if a knife had sliced through the tracks left by the photon jets. In his mind a suspicion was starting to form. He know of only two things which could cut off light so completely. He'd have to carry out tests nearer the actual point. ******** It took over seventy two ahns to reach the actual spot in space. Times like these he wished he'd put some of his very substantial skills into researching how to give ordinary vessels starburst. Still maybe in the future. He began to take readings on various instruments he'd brought with him. It wasn't what he'd first feared, a black hole. There was no massive gravitational presence. Actually there wasn't much of anything, just a pattern of super string harmonics. He wouldn't have given them a second glance except........ This was a repeating pattern. "How clever and how very elegant. Why did I not think of that solution?" He moved over to the main command panel. "Braca. I'm taking my prowler. I may be away some time. You are to remain in this position until my return." "But Sir wouldn't it be wise to take some troopers with you", he added lamely, "Just in case." "I really don't think that being accompanied by a group of uniformed, armed and trigger happy soldiers would be a good idea at this juncture. I've no intention of putting myself in jeopardy. If I see the need for reinforcements, be assured I will return and collect them." He made his way down to the prowler dock and slid into the seat of his sleek and upgraded vessel. Sareel had made the improvements. He sighed. Everywhere he turned there was evidence of her work. He just couldn't get away from it. Time upon time he wished he'd never laid eyes on the enthralling Vaud. "I must find more time to fly. I'm getting out of practice." Thus saying he took the prowler out of the dock into the emptiness of space, except that straight ahead it was decidedly less empty. He felt a small shiver of trepidation course through his body as he pointed his small vessel straight into the eye of the harmonic strings. At the very perimeter suddenly there was a flicker of light which grew and started rotating. He felt disorientated, the lights were not only all around him but flowing through him and through the ship. Just as he felt he was going to be torn apart positron by positron, quark by quark, he emerged back into normal space. His engines were still running and he could see the planet ahead. The scanner told him that the two Leviathans were in orbit around it. "So that's why you disappeared. You hit the wormhole." He looked behind him. There was no visible trace of it, but the string harmonics were still there. "A stable auto generating wormhole. And the maker is somewhere on the planet below. Finally the culmination of my search. I shall remove them back to base and find out the secret. Then I can embark on my plan." His brow furrowed slightly. "Moya's crew, I wonder will they stand in my way? I may have to return for reinforcements. But first to reconnoitre!" He sped down towards the large piece of land which jutted into the sea. As he got closer a small instrument which he' strapped to his wrist started bleeping. "Ah John I see you're still functioning well." He carried onward, homing in on the signal but was surprised when a second tone made its presence known. "Sareel. You're here too. Good! I can take you back with me and make sure you don't cause trouble until I can find a solution to your problem." The land below was resolving into jungle, clearings, rivers and settlements. The signals were both coming from one group of dwellings. He'd not really stopped before to put two and two together and the realisation made him almost stall his craft. "You've got the wormhole knowledge. All this time its been under my nose and I never suspected. So well hidden, Sareel, but now it will become mine. You and I my dear, will climb to heights unknown and explore the unexplored. Our names will be written in the annals of all the races of this universe and perhaps of others yet undiscovered. We are on our way to immortality!" "What's he saying? Has anybody's translator microbes caught up with the language yet?" Head shakes all round. It would take a while before the new speech patterns were sorted out by the minute translators. The priest rose and pointed to the sky. Crichton pointed to him self and indicated the others and also pointed upwards. "Well I think they understand we came from the sky. Can you make out anything else Crichton?" Rygel was being viewed by a group of small children on the edge of the main group. One little girl with jet black hair and huge dark eyes gave him a tentative smile. "Oh I think they like me." The Hynerean gave them his equivalent of a smile, but unfortunately farted at the same time. The small band of children burst into laughter. Rygel at first felt a bit annoyed but it soon turned to pleasure when he realised that the children thought that the huge expulsion of gas had been for their amusement. He joined in their laughter and the tense faces of the people lightened. The priest was not amused he shouted at the people and they became silent. Zhaan and d'Argo were wearing deep hooded robes, so no one in the assembled crowd had yet seen their faces. Crichton took a step back to Aeryn. "Think they need to see their gods?" "At this moment in time I'd say that was a good idea. That priest certainly isn't our friend yet and Rygel doesn't seem to rate with him at all. A threat to his control." Chiana went and whispered to the two robed crew members. They threw back their hoods together. There was the sound of a mass indrawn breath as the crowd viewed blue Zhaan and tentacled d'Argo. Then as if they were a single entity they fell to the ground repeating the same thing over and over again. The priest joined them. "How much longer before the frelling microbes get organised." "I'm getting a few words. Seems like ' More gods and goddesses join our beloved one'." "Keep listening Chiana, it must be something to do with the bacteria in your hair." "There's really no need. I'll translate for now." They turned round and were confronted by Sareel dressed in a scarlet pleated skirt an ephod of tooled gold plates covering her breasts. Her head was covered by a red scarf and surmounted by a gold circlet. She murmured something to the priest who walked away from her backwards, bowing all the time. "I told him you were friends of mine. A necessary lie. If I'd have told him my true feelings towards you then you would all have been facing a lingering death." An evil smile spread accross her face "Which actually might have suited me, but Chiana's done me no harm so why should she suffer with the rest of you?" Crichton looked round at the others. Jothee and Chiana were standing close to d'Argo and Zhaan, Crais and Rygel were apart from them. None of them looked very happy. Sareel motioned them to follow her. "There's a house on the edge of the town which is vacant. You can stay there until you go back." They followed her, Aeryn and Crighton bringing up the rear. They were able to talk very quietly. "I don't like this one little bit. Did you see that look on her face when she thought of us dead?" "Never thought she was the type to bear a grudge. Thought Scorpie'd instilled logical reason into her mind." "Oh come off it Crichton..." "Something makes me think you're angry with me again." "Frell you! Can't you be serious. This is very serious, Sareel's female and take it from me we do not like to be slighted or used. If you look back on how we treated her have you any wonder that you doesn't exactly regard us as her best friends?" "Hell, she'd have done the same in our shoes." "No she wouldn't. That's just what I attempting to ram home into that thick male skull of yours. Sareel's spent her life living with being used or rejected, neither of which are pleasant and she would never have treated us as we treated her. She doesn't like to hurt people or she didn't. If she's changed we've only ourselves to blame." There was a short silence. "So how do you suggest we make our peace?" "I don't know. You'll just have to play it by ear." By this time they'd reached the edge of the small township and Sareel had led them into a beehive shaped dwelling of cut, woven branches mounted on a stone circle. The door was a curtain of leather, which was hooked back to the wall. Sareel was standing in the centre of the single room and she looked furious. "Just why did you follow me?" "We didn't . We were taking a short cut to the the Fragal Asteroids, just come out of starburst and guess what? We just happened to trigger a wormhole someone had carelessly left lying around. Believe me sister, we didn't ask to come here. There's a fat ore carrying contract waiting for us." "You haven't changed John Crichton. Still as touchy and flaky as ever." "Just give us a couple of days, Sareel and we'll be on our way. Pilot wants some time for the DRD's to check Moya out." "Ah the efficient Captain Sun. Tell me have you enjoyed John's pleasures yet? I know you're dying to." "Why you wrinkled little bitch. How dare you sully our relationship with your nasty speculation." "Oh it's more than speculation. You see just after Scorpius revived you, he kept you sedated for a few days and you had one or two sessions in the Aurora Chair. Surprising what you can fnd in a totally relaxed mind. I know because I've got the downloads. Normally I wouldn't have mentioned it but I feel like having a home truths session." Aeryn stood there speechless going through all stages from pink to furious red. Sareel threw a pitcher of water over her. "Time to cool down Aeryn. Don't want you to over heat do we?" Crais moved forward and made to put his hand on her arm. She pulled away. "Bialar Crais, so you'd like the skeletons in your life airing too? Remember I know everything about you." "Why are you acting this way? Our blundering here on your refuge was pure accident." "Yes an accident that will probably have alerted Scorpius to the wormhole entrance." "Why don't you just collapse it and remake it when you think it's safe?" "Because a problem I have may mean that I need to make a fast get away. I don't know how long my position with these people can be sustained. And it takes at least a couple of ahns to construct the skeleton and co-ordinates." Zhann was eyeing Sareel with ever more loathing on her blue face. "I can't believe what you've become. How can you do it?" "Actually it becomes easier the more you do it. I don't kill them. I just take what I need. If I don't do it I'll die. Is that what you'd like to happen to me?" She suddenly pointed at Zhaan. and almost snarled the words, "I remember that you and Stark were planning to remove me. Oh by the way where is dear Stark?" Zhann looked a little uncomfortable. "We had a slight disagreement. He's still on Pilach." "I wondered how long it would be before your arrogance drove him away. You really are hypocritical Pau Zotah Zhaan. You say you abhor what I've become, but you are no better. Do you remember when you killed? Do you remember the tingle of excitement as you contemplated the act? The thrill when it was done? You may say you're trying to renounce all the bad things in your life, but what you're really trying to do is hide the fact that you got pleasure from taking his life." "Stop it. I won't listen to you anymore." "The truth hurts doesn't it Zhaan. Just like I was hurt when I found out that my so called friends would abandon me for a truce with Scorpius. You'll never know just how devastated I felt. My world crumbled yet again. But believe me no one's going to get the chance repeat the act." "Sareel I did nothing to you." "Chiana I know you didn't. But you never stood up for me either." "Hey you know nobody ever takes any notice of me." "I suppose that's true. Have supper with me tonight. I need some light relief. I'll show you where I live. And the rest of you can make plans for leaving tomorrow. Just frelling get out of my life." She left with Chiana at her side prattling away like a little bird. They heard Sareel laugh. ***************** Having Chiana with me was like the first rains after the drought. Her inconsequential chatter and her chirpy wit made me feel almost normal. We had a leisurely meal. "Sareel why did you say all those things back in the town?" "Because I was angry. And because they are true. Not one of them gives a frell about me. They're far too wrapped up in themselves. Even your d'Argo. He's so frightened he may forget to be all that Luxans expect from a warrior. Can't they all see!" "I don't know. See what Sareel?" "See that none of them are ever going back to their old lives. They've got to make new ones for themselves just like I have." "You're not happy Sareel, I can see that," "Happy,... happy. How the frell can I be happy when I've got a possessive half Scarran trying to cage me and to cap it all, thanks to him and his genetic meddling I've become an abomination. I hate what I've become but I'm helpless to do anything about it." "You keep saying 'what you've become', but you never say what you've become. Can't you tell me?" "And risk losing the only person who's never hurt me. Not under any circumstance." She looked a bit crestfallen. "Oh I'm sorry Chiana. It's just that I'm so very angry. If I were you I'd stay away from tonight's ritual, and keep the other's away too." "It's that bad?" "It's worse." ****************** I should have known that Crichton's curiosity, which inevitably led him into trouble, would lead him to stand at the edge of the crowd, who had gathered to witness the main annual ritual to ensure fertitlity and good crops. There was an air of festivity in the square in front of the small temple where I resided. The crowd was packed tightly right to the bottom of the stone steps leading to the temple. There was a stone altar on the wide path which ran round the top of the stone pyramid which supported the temple. It was cooler now. The cool of the evening was scented with the flowers which present their perfume in the dusk. Dressed in my finery I moved out and stood by the altar. The hunger within me was strong and I found the scent of the flowers strewn down the steps cloying. Raising my voice I uttered the traditional welcome and invocation for the chosen. Two young people, one male, one female ascended the steps. Their bearing was proud and they showed no fear. I felt so much regret at was I was about to do, but it was as necessary to me as to these simple but fine people. When they reached the top of the steps they broke apart and went to either end of the altar. I offered them the ritual sticks. Whoever drew the short one was the candidate for the public ritual, the other would wait for me later. The young man drew the short stick. I lifted up the chalice which was on the altar and gave it to each in turn. It contained a sleeping draught which I'd concocted from local plants. Prior to my coming the participants had always been fully conscious. I wasn't about to add wanton cruelty to my ever growing list of sins. I led the girl back into the temple and told her to lie down on the altar which was at the back. The young man had laid down on the altar outside and was already drowsy. I began the prayer to the Great Old One, Quetzacotl and the crowd took up the intonation. My mind was drifting as the hunger within me increased. From pictures which existed from times long gone, I'd got a sneaking feeling that Quetzacotl had been a Scarran. How had a Scarran got this far in the galaxy and so long ago? I had no answer. The crowd finished intoning the prayer and I went to check the sacrifice. He was heavily sedated by this time totally unaware of anything. I could still see John Crichton at the edge of the crowd and was surprised when he was joined by the others. The time had come. I picked up the gold shafted knife with the black obsidian blade and slit the skin of the victim. Prising apart the thin layer of muscle and the ribs, I ripped out the still beating heart and held it up for the crowd to see. I threw back my head and let a few token drops of the blood drip into my mouth. My craving wanted more, but I must wait. I palpated the rest of the blood out of the heart into a gold bowl and descended the steps. The crowd parted to allow me to walk round the base of the temple scattering the blood and reciting the invocation of fertility. When I'd again reached the foot of the steps, the bowl was empty and I raised it, inverted above my head to show that it was indeed empty. A great cheer went up from the crowd and they made for the main plaza where a feast had been prepared. As I was walking back up the steps something made me turn. Crichton was just standing there transfixed. I looked at him for a minute and he raised his eyes to mine and just said the one word. "Why?" I turned on my heel and carried on up the stairs to my anticipated satiation.
Part 3 Once I was safely hidden from public view I checked the young woman on my altar. She was still heavily sedated and I knew I could proceed. I removed my regalia and slipped into my body suit and the attached belt with its pouches. I eased my feet into my boots. It was far easier to clean the suit and it was fine to be shod again. After walking barefoot, my feet hurt. They hadn't yet acquired the hard soles the townsfolk had. I took the obsidian knife and punctured the vein in the side of the woman's neck and lapped the blood which oozed out. Then greedily I sucked the vein and massaged the flesh below to stimulate the flow of blood. My saliva now contained an anticoagulant which prevented clotting at the puncture site. Normally I just took sufficient blood to assuage my need and then the donor would awaken, tired and drained but alive. But today I had the luxury of total satiation. A kill! There was a feeling at the back of my mind that I was being watched. However I was so immersed in what I was doing, I no longer cared. Holding the knife delicately, I slit the skin down the woman's chest and bent to lick away the blood. Pushing hard, I cut through the muscle to expose the rib cage. Then I cut between the ribs through the tissue, exposing the still beating heart. There was no need for the bestial ripping out of the heart as required by the people's custom. I gently cut out and reverently removed the vessel of life. Life from donor to recipient. I gave thanks for it. Tilting back my head, I let the blood from the still pulsating heart drip into my mouth. When the organ had ceased beating I began methodically to devour it. "I think you'd better come back with me. I can ease your pain." A dark figure leaning on the door post, a quiet voice. Scorpius. I swallowed what was in my mouth but kept hold of the bloody remains. Fury exploded at the sight of him. "How dare you come and think you can make everything right. If it hadn't have been for your meddling with my genes none of this would have happened. By rights I should kill you too. I've been used, abused and generally taken for a fool, so what have I got to lose?" "Everything Sareel. If you kill me you'll lose your only chance of a cure." I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh yes I believe I have an answer to your predicament. I feel deeply for you. I don't wish you to suffer." I almost gave in, but I had a quick look round his thoughts. What he'd said was indeed true. He did believe he had the answer, but what he'd omitted was his desire to avoid a galactic conflagration, if I went on the rampage. He wasn't just concerned for me. More concerned for his own position if trouble broke out. I was suddenly filled with a cold rage and a loathing for him and all sentient beings. Taking another bite from the heart I chewed it into a pulp. He took a couple of steps towards me. "Let me take away your pain, Sareel." Taking out a hypo tube from his pouch he started to move towards me. He just reached out his hand to take hold of me and I let him get that close. Just stood there. When he went to inject me with the hypotube, I forcefully spit the contents of my mouth into his face and ran for my prowler. ************* Crais and Moya's crew were siting on the floor in the hut. Chiana had been crying. Her eyes were still swollen. D'Argo looked visibly upset and his voice shook as he spoke. "You mean she's mutated to become one of those?" "Say it d'Argo. Sareel's a vampire. Teeth and all. Shades of Dracula." Zhaan was quiet but shaking. "Scorpius has a lot to answer for." "Actually that particular problem was caused by John." They all turned round to face the door. Scorpius walked in still removing the bloody remains from his face and clothing. "What happened to you Scorpie? Or shouldn't I ask?" "I think you can guess. I went to retrieve Sareel before she causes more trouble and she didn't want to accompany me." "I wonder why." "Quite Captain Sun. Just what I was thinking. Why should she refuse an offer of help?" Crais stood up. "It might just be because it was from you." "That though had crossed my mind. But all I've ever done was for her benefit." "Including changing her face?" "I admit to a brief moment of vanity there. But she has far more now than she ever had before. Raised from being a technician to my confidante, charged with my business details, given my trust." Strangely his voice broke, but his face stayed implacable. He gave a small cough. Crichton went to join Crais and asked the question. "Why did you say I caused Sareel's problem?" "Because if you hadn't copulated with her, there would only have been my genes and hers in her body. The introduction of yours confused the replicant nanomoles and they damaged the masked genes. Those genes carried undesireable information." "Hey you both caused her trouble. What you gonna do about it?" Scorpius eyed Chiana shrewdly. "I am trying to put things right." "I can't undo what I did. Wish I could." Scorpius by this time had cleaned his face of most of the blood and tissue. "Actually my main reason for coming here, was to warn you" "Why would you want to warn us of anything Scorpius?" "Yes what's in it for you?" "Well Dominar if you want to spend the rest of your days here, I wouldn't wish to stop you." "Say what you mean Scorpius." "Certainly Pau Zotah Zhaan. Sareel's fled in her prowler. How long do you think the wormhole's going to stay intact now she's left?" "Copy. We should get out of here right now." "I thought you'd understand. John." He went to the door and turned. "I'll see you again John. Quite soon I'm sure." "Not if I see you first Scorpie." "Oh by the way how are you getting on with my relation?" "Harvey? Oh he and I are bosom buddies Scorpie. He knows such a lot about you." "Does he indeed? Our next meeting may be sooner than you'd anticipate. I'll just say 'Ciao John'." And he swept out the door. Jothee, d'Argo and Chiana, gathered up the remains of the food and stuffed it in a bag. "It'll keep Rygel from the freezer." "He can't get in it. Sareel put a coded lock on it and I'm the one with the code." The Hynerean glared at Chiana. "And to think I thought you were a friend." "We're wasting precious time." They all made swiftly for the transport and piled aboard. Scorpius's prowler could be seen gaining height. They closed the hatch and took off They were almost out of the atmosphere when there was an impassioned call from Pilot. "Crichton, Captain Sun. Sareel's taken Talyn" Criais made his way to the screen. "How did she do that? She's not got a control circlet." "Moya says Sareel can talk directly to him and he just won't listen to Moya any more. She's afraid for him. Says he and Sareel are sick. They're going to wage attrition in the Uncharted Territories. She said Sareel's got Blood Lust." "Thank Pilot. Tell Moya to be ready to go back through the wormhole the minute we're on board." The screen faded. A microt later Scorpius's face appeared. "This is even more serious. Do I need to tell you what havoc the two of them can wreak between them?" "Sorry Scorpie. Not our problem. We've got an ore moving contract to fulfil on our return. We're just good ol' workin' folk." "I'll be in touch again, John, never fear!" The screen closed as they slid the transport into Moya's docking bay. There was a mass exodus and they all ran up to command just as she hit the wormhole entrance. The strange feelings were repeated and suddenly they were back in the portion of space they'd started from. "Just look at that. We weren't a moment too soon." The place where the wormhole entrance had been suddenly glowed brightly and a globe of light swelled up before everything went dark. "The energy she'd trapped. Whoee. Phenomenal!" "Surprisingly it doesn't seem to be Scorpius's prime concern. He's spent so long searching for that knowledge and yet it seems not to matter now it's in his grasp." "Gotta be a first for everything Aeryn. Why's he so concerned about Sareel having a blood fest round the planets?" "I thought you two were supposed to have the brains? How come I can see why and you can't?" Chiana was in the unusual position of realising partially why Sareel was a danger to the galaxy. "Well go on. Why". "What happens when something horrific and some folk may think not natural, starts preying on communities? Committing what some see as atrocities?" Aeryn's brow furrowed and she answered, "I suppose you get panic." "Yes, yes, but what happens after that?" "I get it. People start blaming other people for the happenings. Reason goes out the door. One race will start blaming another and suddenly there's either anarchy or repression. It's a field day for the military one way or another." Crichton looked at the two women. "But for the life of me I can't see why Scorpie should care about that. The Peacekeepers would probably take over another planet or two and the same for the Gouralt Dominion and the Nebari." He shook his head. "Perhaps you should ask your version of Scorpius, what do you call him? Harvey. If he's got any idea why Scorpius would be bothered by a little mayhem?" "I doubt he'll have any idea, but I'll try. Scorpius only gave him his moral code and a brief to find out about the wormhole technology. He was sparing with any thing else, just a bit of how he's likely to react in a given set of circumstances and some Peacekeeper necessities like codes. Not much more. That's why he feels cut off and abandoned." "What's it like sharing your head with someone else?" "Scary at times Chiana, other times comforting. If you really want to know about that and you ever see Sareel again, ask her. I don't know how she manages four personalities!" ******** The rest of the trip to the Fragal asteroids was a peaceful journey. Most of the time was spent sorting out the holds and moving equipment that had been left there by Moya's Peacekeeper tenants. "What do you suppose they did with this?" Chiana held up some female clothing that no Peackeeper had ever worn. A black bustier, some shiny leggings and a pair of leather trousers with a criss-cross pattern of slashes. Rygel moved over and inspected them. "Looks like something one of my girl's from Ael'sa Rot wore. Mind you, she spent more time out of it. Very accomodating, girls from Ael'sa Rot." "I don't really think we want to know that Sparky." "Brings back pleasant memories. Balmy nights and willing women!" The Hynearean was living again a fantasy day dream he'd been getting more and more over recent days. It must be getting near one of his Qa'alltagort periods. Very difficult to control. The bi-cyclic rut of his people. He'd always managed to hide it until this time. This time he was going to have to find a populated planet or trading post for a couple of weekens. One with plenty of females. Or perhaps he could persuade Chiana to spend a little time with him. "Hey your greeness. We've not got time to waste. If you want to eat help me move that roll of cloth over to the docking bay." The mention of food aroused Rygel's brain to his other great passion. Maybe the girls could wait a while longer! Finally the holds were clear and ther DRD's had made a final inspection of walls and floors. The huge Leviathan slowed as she neared the myriad of fragments which composed the asteroid belt. They announced their arrival to the cargo manager. "I'd almost given you up. Still better late than never." "We hit a problem on the way." "Now you're here can you still take the full amount?" "That and more if you have it." "There's no problem there. Not many with your capacity." "We're going to leave our agent with you if that's all right?" "Good idea. Always better with a representative on site." At that Jothee picked up his bag containing his personal belongings and went with d'Argo to the docking bay. Jothee had with him the credits they'd decided to invest in the mining operation. The young half breed had decided that he'd like the chance to prove himself in business and his father had readily agreed. Though he was pleased to be reunited with the young man, it had become obvious that there was a yawning chasm between what he wanted for Jothee and what Jothee hinself wanted. So let him test his wings and do a useful job for them at the same time. As the transport receeded toward the main part of the mining colony, Zhaan watched with mixed feelings. She was still filled with the emotions Sareel's outburst had brought to the surface. The Vaud had been clinically accurate in describing how she'd felt before she'd killed. It wasn't so much the killing that she'd been trying to expunge from her mind, as the feelings that had gone with it. Old feelings which had once been part and parcel of the Delvian inheritance. They'd originally had to kill for survival when they'd been persecuted in the dim, dark time of myth. In most Delvians the gene was masked, just like the one Scorpius had given Sareel, but very occasionally there was a regression and the unmasked gene reared its ugly and unwanted head. Pau Zotah Zhaan was one of the afflicted. Only her priestly training had enabled her to keep it under control until that fateful day. Ever after she'd had an increasingly hard struggle to deny the pleasure of a kill. She'd got a great deal of sympathy for Sareel. "Just how's it going to end for us?", she wondered. Scorpius walked wearily from the holoimager. Though he needed little rest, he'd not had respite for over sixty ahns. He sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. So it had begun! From various parts of the Uncharted Territories and also within Peacekeeper jurisdiction, tales of bloodless victims, mutilated corpses. Popular panic, turning in some places into rioting. Insurrection against the rulers, mobs demanding action. All put down with force. Far too much force. He sighed. He should have seen the possibility, the probability when he did it. But how was he to guess that Crichton's desire for revenge would have taken the path it did? Or that the genetic nanomoles wouldn't die when they were supposed to? Or the Sareel wasn't an ordinary Vaud? Too many imponderables, too much to be absorbed in any equation. It was as if there were some cosmic joker laughing at the frailty of the beings in creation, himself in particular. He laughed. A hollow sound. "So sure of yourself Ed'th Ra Scorpius. Well you've got the knowledge for your wormholes within your grasp. If you can catch her." He could hear the voice of the principal at the Academy saying the words. Echoes of his youth, his miserable tortured, rejected youth. All he'd had was his genius and his confidence in his abilities. He'd brushed aside the comments of the Sebbacians in his group. "Here comes the Scarran mongrel." How those words had hurt initially. It had taken all his control and patience to ignore the taunts, when his main desire had been to crush the perpetrators to a pulp, something he could have easily done with his part-Scarran strength. Every time he excelled in his studies and he was always top of his group, it had gotten worse. The bad times had led to the formation of his redoubtable patience. He abhorred killing just for killing's sake and he'd often been revolted in his early years by the casual way the Peacekeepers had slaughtered vast numbers. He'd found the methods they used to extract information, barbaric to say the least. That was what had led him to research and eventually perfect the Aurora Chair. He believed that would lead to sure, but non painful extraction of information. Even there he had been proven wrong. Some prisoners resisted and the severity of the extraction process need to win the information caused severe pain, occasionally in some species, fatal pain. Finally when he'd decided to focus on what had been his main aim after he left the academy, along had come Sareel and awakened something he thought he didn't possess. The ability to care for someone other than himself. It was his desire to keep her entirely within his aegis and protection that had made him carry out the gene substitution. "I really wish I left well alone and made her care for me by my actions towards her." But it was too late for regret. All he could do was try and rectify the mistake that he'd made before a galactic war broke out. And then to try and regain Sareel's trust. He didn't know why, but that had come to mean a great deal to him. Regaining her trust. In public he was still the hard inquisitor, the dedicated scientist, no crack in the fa�ade allowable there. But in private with his own thoughts. That was a different matter. The chamber felt so empty without her. He had to admit that went for his life too. There was an empty part in his mind. Nothing he'd so far achieved seemed to matter if she wasn't there to share it with him. He felt aeons old even though he was a mere youngster by the criteria of his life span. "I shall just have to declare a truce to the crew of Moya once again. They're the only chance I have of catching her." He'd no faith in the Peacekeepers. They had taken little notice of his advice once the panic had set in. Their commanders weren't renowned for their brain power and up to now Sareel had run rings round them and Talyn had destroyed two command carriers and their crew. Neither could he ask for help from the Gouralt Dominion or the Nebari because to let them even sense he had a weakness would have been suicide. And he still valued his life. No it would have to be Crichton and the others. At least Crais had a good military brain and Aeryn Sun was a good strategist. The others would follow. And perhaps Crichton's little brain infiltrator could give him enough advice to keep him on the straight and narrow path of discipline for once. "A little advice, but not too much. I really will have to sort John's brain friend out. It could become an embarrassment if it remembers some of the information it was given." That was something else. He'd had to hurry so much in making the implant that he'd included large areas of information which if he'd had more time he would have omitted. It was highly unlikely that this information would be triggered, but the risk was always there. He put the heat up, locked his door, stripped off his body suit and gratefully lay down on his sleeping couch. Sleep claimed him almost instantaneously. ************* Moya was in orbit round Sebbeus and was been attended by a small fleet of cargo tenders, taking off her cargo of ore for transport to the planet's surface. D' Argo was checking that all the holds had been cleared before the DRDs went in to clean up. The idea of leaving Jothee as their agent had paid dividends. The young man had proved to have a good business head on his shoulders. Not only was there a regular ore shipment to ferry to various planets, but the money he'd put into the mining operation itself, had been increased sevenfold. Moya's crew were now quite wealthy and he and Jothee need have no more worries about finances. Crichton slipped into the hold. "When did Jothee say the next shipment's to be collected?" "In a weeken." "Gives us time for a rest. I wonder if we dare give Sebbeus a visit?" "If you do John Crichton you're out of your skull." Aeryn walked up to d'Argo and gave him the receipt she'd got from the ferry manager. "That makes over eighty thousand credits we've got up to now." "And Scorpie's left us alone. I can hardly believe it. Harvey says he's got more pressing matters with Sareel on the loose." "Oh and just how is your little brain friend. Still giving you good advice?" "Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice Aeryn Sun?" "I think she's worried because the advice he gives you tends to make you think more like Scorpius." "Hasn't been bad up to now. Kept me alive." Aeryn raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Goddess preserve us when he's in one of these moods." "I'm not in a mood." "No?" "No. Scorpie's brother has a good head on his shoulders and quite a bit of his knowledge." "Thought you said his knowledge was limited?" "Thought it was, but he seems to have triggered some things he didn't know he had." " Scorpius won't like that." "Bet your bottom dollar he won't. Seems Harvey's got some of Scorpie's business knowledge, but it keeps slipping away from him. He's getting quite frustrated." "All the more reason not to go to Sebbeaus." D'Argo called Pilot on the internal comm. "All finished here. Ready for the DRD's." "Thank you d'Argo. And you've got a visitor in the lounge." The screen went dark. They looked at each other. "In the lounge?" "Only one person with the aplomb to make himself at home without being invited." The corridors echoed with the sound of their feet as they rushed back up to the living quarters. There was Scorpius sitting relaxed on one of the chairs with a glass in his hand. "Ah the workers return! Do sit down. Excellent wine you've got." "Er, Scorpie just a small point, but this is our ship." "So it is. Which brings me to the reason for my visit. By the way where are the others?" "We're here Scorpius. Just what is the reason for this intrusion?" Zhaan entered looking far from pleased. Rygel, Crais and Chiana were close behind. "No reason for you to get flustered. I've a business proposition to make." "Why don't I trust you Scorpie?" "I can think of no reason at all why you shouldn't, unless you're getting bad advice." Zhaan sat down on the edge of the table facing Scorpius. "Exactly what is this business proposition?" He took a sip of his wine. "A most excellent vintage. Ah my proposition. It's really quite simple. A truce if you'll catch Sareel for me." "For how long?" "Oh for one weeken after you deliver her to me. Then... well the status quo." Crichton laughed, a hard sarcastic laugh. "And you really think she'll let us get near her? After what we did to her?" "I think you stand a great deal more chance than the Peacekeepers I've sent out." He stood up and inserted a holostick in the imager. "Perhaps a demonstration of the havoc she and Talyn are causing may persuade you that she must be stopped." The picture which came up on the screen showed screaming people running in panic through the streets, a devastated town, Peacekeeper troopers trying to get control and finally the destruction of the two command carriers, Talyn was just visible on the edge of the image. There was a shocked silence in the lounge. "And Sareel's the cause of all that?" Chiana spoke in a shocked whisper. Scorpius glanced at her. "The little Nebari. Yes and that's only in Peacekeeper territory. She's doing exactly the same in the Gouralt Dominion and Nebari controlled space. So my spies tell me." Crichton and Aeryn exchanged glances and Crichton shook his head. "I don't know what to suggest. The only one she'll talk to at the moment's Chiana and it wouldn't be fair to expect her to lead Sareel into a trap. Anyway how the frell can we catch her? As far as I can make out the moment anyone gets with in a snalkit's whisker of her, she just slips into her energy body." "I've perfected a way for you to immobilise her if you get close and a way of holding her after." "And just what do you plan to do with her after you get her back?" D'Argo moved menacingly over to where the inquisitor was sitting. Scorpius never flinched, just cocked his head in the Luxan's direction. "Well repair the damage of course. What else did you think I'd do?" "Seems to me you've done enough already", muttered the big Luxan. Crais who had been standing at the back came and stood by Crichton and Aeryn. He looked genuinely worried. "I tried extremely hard to instil Talyn with some sense of restraint. I can't work out how she was able so completely to override that sense I thought I'd managed to get into his brain." "From what I can make out from your Pilot, Sareel's able to understand a great deal of what Moya says to him, sometimes before he gets the message. Seems that she can communicate with Talyn without control circlet, being to being and that he almost worships her." "I knew he liked her, it was obvious the first time I took her on board, but this type of bonding from him?" Chiana pushed past Rygels's dais. The Hynerean had been silent but in his mind he could hear the sound of money dropping into his hand getting fainter by the minute. "Silly fools are going to sucumb to his suggestion", he thought to himself. Chiana went upto Scorpius and peered right into his face. "You can really help Sareel?" "I'm over ninty percent of the way to being able to remove the cause of her affliction." "You won't hurt her again?" "That was the last thing I ever intended." "Oh Scorpie, I never though I'd hear you admit to that." "I may be hard for you to grasp John, but all I've ever wanted for Sareel was the best. It was just unfortunate that she's no ordinary Vaud. Can you even begin to imagine the pain and fear she's going through? No, I don't think you have the slightest idea of the intensity of her suffering." "I'll help you get Sareel. She's like my big sister. I can't let her be like this." Aeryn put her hand on Chiana's shoulder. "Are you sure?" She nodded. Rygel hovered in front of Scorpius. "And just what are you going to pay for this....favour? We'll be breaking a very lucrative contract." He didn't mention the fact that Jothee would probably manage to subcontract a large part of the ore. "Of course I don't expect you to undertake this work for nothing." He pulled a credit disc out of his pouch. "I think this will reimburse you for any loss." Rygel took it and gasped at the amount which showed up on the window. "Yes, yes indeed. When do you want us to start?" Zhaan looked troubled. "I need Stark back. He's the only one who's got any chance when she's in her energy body and I have the distinct feeling that she's more even more powerful than him." "I'll arrange for Stark to join you here. Oh and there're just some things you'll need. I brought them with me in case you agreed." Inside he felt a great relief. What he would have done if they'd have refused to help him was beyond even his imagination. He finished his wine and went to supervise the off loading of the equipment he'd brought.
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Part 2

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