Part 1a Part 2 Part 2a Part 3 Part 3a Part 4 Part 4a

Part 5 - 8a

Part 9 - 12a

Dogs of War

Part 1

There were rumours upon rumour in the Peacekeeper bases. Some said there would be war, some said negotiations were taking place. The whole scene was one of total confusion. Scorpius had moved with Sareel to his Lamit Gammak Base, being the one furthest away from the Gouralt Dominion.

"I certainly see no reason for us to be in danger when there's no need", he'd remarked to her. That was his overt reason for the move, covertly he wished to ensure the Vaud was near the Fragal Asteroids, should he need to once more enlist Moya's crew for help. Ever since the recurring vision had finally showed itself and its meaning to the scientist, he'd been at pains to sift every piece of information that came his way, for any clue to Scarran movements, for he feared the main threat to Sareel would come from that quarter. It was as if they had completely disappeared from the galaxy. And that was disquieting. They preferred working singly or in ones and twos, for them to be organised sufficiently to all go to ground at once, signalled a widespread and complex network and organisation.

The Peacekeepers were getting paranoid, well it didn't take much to get them that way and he'd not had as many prisoners to interrogate for a long time. Sareel had made a small portable helm which she used in conjunction with her own powers and she was grumbling at the sheer numbers.

"I wouldn't mind if there was anything useful in their minds. The military seem to be hauling people in if they just spit in the street."

"I did mention paranoia was rearing its none too lovely head in the High Command.

"Can't you do anything?

"My dear don't you think I would have if it were possible. They don't want to hear reason only the sounds of war. "

"Then my assassination of the bellicose old general made no difference at all."

"Fortunately they don't associate you with that, now that you are back to yourself."

That had been several days back. He'd just finished a period of frustrating interrogation of an Delvian priest. It had been distasteful for him to have to subject the man to the Aurora Chair and he'd only touched on the fringes of his subconscious. It appeared that he had little to hide. Sareel had walked in looked at the screen and at once slapped the man hard across his blue face.

"It's bad enough you impersonate a cleric, without all your other lies."

She'd been having a hard time too with a Mindaran merchant and her finely tuned mind was at it's peak, seeking out untruth. He'd upped the chair's extraction rate and found out that the Delvian was in the pay of the Nebari and they'd laid a false identity in his mind. He was getting careless through fatigue. Sareel who was now adept at managing three personalities and the Ancients knowledge, had spotted it immediately. It hadn't been one of his better days. He ate from the food on the hover tray and poured himself a glass of his favourite Argolian brandy. Frowning he noted the time. Sareel was late. Unlike her to be late for a meal. Totally on cue the door hissed open and she marched in and flopped down on her chair.

"I gather you too have have a bad day?"

"Execrable would just about cover it."

She was silent for a microt or two.

"Do you know what those pieces ofdrenwho call thenselves military planners wanted me to do?"

A sudden chill ran through Scorpius's body.

"No", he said untruthfully, "What did they ask you to do?"

"They had the audacity to suggest I use thedarmirsk to help them fight their enemies."

> She snorted and chuckled softly.

"They'll never know how close they were to being on the receiving end."

"I do see that it would have been tempting."

"I'd like to know how they found out about it in the first place."

"I never divulged its existence, but it's a difficult thing to keep under wraps, especially when you skilfully remove important people in two different camps."

"I suppose I was a bit obvious."

"Just a trifle."

She'd calmed down a bit by the time she'd told him this and started on her food. Scorpius found several thoughts fluttering round his brain in a totally unscientific manner. Rather emotional in fact. How long would it be before they pressed her again and perhaps used a command collar on her?  Would she be able to evade them?  In normal times he had sufficient power to protect her from most things, but times were far from normal and the declaration of martial law in Peacekeeper Territories was imminent. Under that the military chiefs of staff could force Sareel's compliance and there would be nothing he could do about it. It would almost certainly mean her death because she'd resist to her last breath. Unless she could slip into thedarmirskwhile wearing a command collar. Now there was an interesting thought! But he wasn't prepared to take the risk.

He had some time off due to him and considering the work load he'd been expected to shoulder in the last quarter cycle, they could hardly deny it to him. Would probably be the last relief he'd get for some time once hostilities began. He hated the fact that a large number of military had been inserted in his Gammak bases. Ostensibly for protection, but probably to spy on him. Where he'd had a large amount of trust from them previously, the fear of war was whittling it away. the old dislike of hybrids was rearing its nasty head again. He made a mental note to check his investments and deposits in the shadow banks. There was every reason to believe he might soon need to leave the Peacekeeper's jurisdiction. The shadow banks also held copies of the blueprints of every piece of technology he developed. But sadly not the wormhole machine. That was locked securely in Sareel's head, another good reason for getting her away. He sighed and she looked over at him.

"Scorpie, what's the matter?"

She looked concerned.

"Is anything wrong?"

"I think it would be prudent my dear girl, if we were absent from the bases for a while."

"The news is so bad?"

"That and what you just told me. Perhaps if you were to go on a cartographic expedition in the Uncharted Territories, I could possibly stay with Natira for a while."

"I'm sure she'd love that", replied the little Vaud tartly. He got up and sat on the arm of her chair and started stroking the back of her neck.

"Natira my dear, is a friend of long standing and a good one. The fact that she occasionally likes to play games of a sexual nature is immaterial. She sent a letter while you were ill saying how pleased she was that I'd got you back. She thought I should settle down."

Sareel looked at him, incredulity on her face, then she burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, Scorpius, it's just I don't see you as a family man with a long term partner and children. I'm perfectly sure one day you'll tire of me. I'll be glad for what I had of you, but I shan't bear grudges, I care for you too much for that."

A little stab of pain shot through him, at first he thought it was his neurotube but then he realised it was the thought of being without her.

"Oh Sareel ", he thought," how wrong you are."

He bent over and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I have to make sure you're safe. I'll get in touch with Moya's Pilot and see if I can persuade Crichton and the others to do a bit of paid exploration for me."

"Ouch, not a good idea. I really don't think they're going to want me on board again."

"Oh I think with what I'm going to offer, that Hynerean they've got will win them over."

"Rygel is a bit mercenary."

"Anyway look what you have to offer, excellent technical skills, built in protection. The facility to take a short cut to anywhere. By the by what is the wormhole machine masquerading as this weeken?"

"A garbage disposal unit. It even works." He chuckled.

"You really do find all the more unpleasant things for it to be."

"It's far less likely to be discovered. If something functional doesn't work, your average Peacekeeper will kick it, swear and look for the next one. By which time I've removed it."

"You agree though that it would be sensible if we took a trip."

She looked at him her face slightly distraught. "Yes, but couldn't you come on the trip too?"

He stood up, threw his hands in the air and burst out laughing, something she was now used to him doing in private.

"Now that my dear, is priceless. Can you really see John Crichton and Stark letting me stay on board Moya one microt longer than it takes me to pay them their fee?"

"Perhaps you could work on Aeryn?"

"She'll side with Crichton."

"Oh well at least I should be able to remove Harvey from John's brain. I'm sure he'll be glad to be free of it."

"He always refused my help."

"Well you didn't exactly endear yourself to him when you put him in the chair and implanted that chip."

"I suppose It would be slightly disconcerting."

"You can't see how sinister you appear most of the time."

"You don't see me that way."

"From all the meddling and interfering you've done to my brain and body I should feel like Crichton."

"But you don't?"

"Count yourself lucky, I'm not an agressive male."

He buried his face in her hair.

"That's delightfully obvious. I suggest that we make a pleasurable finish to what has been a dreadful day."

< "Tisane perhaps?"

"Of course", he replied with a scheming smile, "What else?

" ****************

The tidings of uncertainty had also reached Moya's crew. The ore carrying contract was due for renewal and everyone was gathered in the lounge to discuss this.

"I think we made the right decision leaving Jothee to manage things at the mines. He's turned out better at business than I'd dared hope."

"I'll agree with that d'Argo. He seems to have found his niche."

There was a brief hiatus. No one was willing to broach the main reason for their meeting.

"Well do we renew the contract or not. Personally I would. It's the best business deal we're likely to find in a long while."

"Just hold it Sparky. I think your feelings on the matter were a foregone conclusion. Anybody else a point to put?"

"How's all this rumour of war going to affect us?"

"Yes, where would we stand if war was declared?"

"D'Argo, Aeryn, Crais, you've all had experience of Peacekeepers in these situations. What would you suggest?"

Aeryn and Crais looked at each other. Crais spoke.

"Ore carrying would be of stragteic importance. They need it for the communication technologies."

"It would put us right in the line of attack from the Dominion and others."

"As a warrior I have to agree."

"Talyn couldn't provide an adequate defence for Moya against a squadron of marauders."

Chiana looked at d'Argo and then at Crichton.

"If anyone's interested I'd rather be out of the way.  Frell the credits, I like living!"

"I agree Chiana."

>Everyone turned to look at Stark. He shook his head and said extremely calmly for him, "I should stay to help people through the Gate, but I just couldn't face it. Not at the moment, I just couldn't cope."

Sout nodded his head in agreement.

"I sense from you all that there's been too much suffering and pain in the recent past. A war is not what you need."

"Can I say something?"

They all rounded on Rygel.

"No!"

"Pilot what do you think?"

"Moya and I do not wish to be in another war. We were caught on the edges of the last one. It was...painful. Moya was hurt and now she wishes also to keep Talyn safe. We feel we should travel to somewhere of greater safety."

"Then we don't renew our contract!"

"I will have my say"

"Yes Rygel."

"Why don't we subcontract it, that way we take a percentage and incur no risk to ourselves."

The Hynerean looked round at them all, a smug smile on his face.

"I suppose Jothee could do that. He did while we were looking for Sareel."

"Just as long as we are well away from hostilities", muttered Stark.

"Then that's what we'll do. Settled."

Part 1a

"I don't believe it. The frelling thing's packed in again."

"The Nexus fluid isn't recycling and the agitator's broken down. Pilot!"

"Yes Captain Sun?"

"Can Moya do anything about the laundry?"

"I'm afraid it's one of the units the Peacekeepers neglected, not part of a Leviathan's regular systems."

"Thank you. We'll have to do the best we can."

Chiana fished in the cloudy liquid and brought up something which resembled a fishing net.

"Oh look what it's done to my top and I've only got a couple."

"I'm reduced to wearing Crichton's vests. They're so big they're almost indecent."

Chiana peered at her.

"See what you mean. They're a bit wide in the armholes. You can almost see.."

"I know exactly what you can almost see. You know what we're going to have to do. Again!"

"Off with the shoes, roll up the trousers and into the tub."

"Crichton said that was how they extracted the juice from grapes on earth."

"Don't think I'd want to drink their wine."

"I shouldn't think we'll ever see Earth again now that Sareel's gone and taken the wormhole machine."

"Would you want to?"

"It seemed pleasant, though the part we were on was a little warm side for me."

Chiana trudged around in the tub.

"Crichton said they'd never seen an alien on Earth and their military would want to do experiments on us."

"He daren't go back either. The same would happen to him."

"Sounds worse than Scorpius."

"I'd say far worse. They sound quite barbaric."

"And the Peacekeepers aren't?"

"Scorpius seems now to be quite civilised compared to Earth interrogation methods.Frell it I've just stubbed my toe."

"Sareel could have fixed it."

"I know. She could mend almost anything and improve it to boot."

"I wonder how she's getting on?"

"I don't know. Scorpius seems to have gone quiet now he's got her back and as far as I'm concerned it can stay that way."

They got out of the tub, drained the fluid and refilled it with water to rinse the garments or what was left of them. Chiana thought to herself, "Come back Sareel. All is forgiven.

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

 Crichton and d'Argo were in the main docking bay. They'd set up the improvised volley ball net in there and Crichton had been attempting to explain to the Luxan, exactly how it was played.

"I don't see any training purpose in this John."

Crichton batted the ball back over the net.

"That's because there isn't one. But it's a good way to keep fit."

D'Argo flopped breathlessly to the floor.

"Luxan's are always fit. It's bred in them."

"That's why you're pooped then?"

The big Luxan blinked and tried to understand what the Human meant.

"Oh! You mean I'm tired, well I've been moving ore skips for two ahns. You'd be tired too."

"This may seem totally stupid but why, d'Argo, have you been moving the skips?"

"Chiana thought she saw a conduit rat run in between them. Said if there was one there'd be others. You know how they breed."

"And did you find any?"

"No but there were droppings"

Crichton threw his hands in the air in a gesture of desperation.

"That's about all I need. I've been thrown throw a wormhole, twice, chased by a paranoid Peackeeper, and had my mind frelled with in Scorpie's little joy seat, had a chip stuck in my grey matter and nearly lost my speech. And to top it all we could face a swarm of hungry rodents. Great!"

"It's not a problem John. Pilot's instructed the DRD's to do a pest control sweep. He assures me that they're very effective."

"I suppose that's why this one's spraying my foot with something that smells like.... Hell it's worse than a cornered skunk."

D'Argo had got up and was moving away from Crichton who was trying to walk away from the small robot, who was in turn, busily following him and spraying his shoes.

"Aeryn's going to wonder what you've been up to."

"Well at least she can't accuse me of messing things up."

The Luxan kicked out at a DRD which had by this time got him cornered.

"Get away you animated metal menace. Thank the goddess they don't have these planetside."

"I don't think they have them anywhere but on Leviathans. Shall we make a run for the shower?"

"Definately. I've smelt some foul odours but this has to be the worst."

They flew out of the bay, along the corridors to the living quarters. Chiana was about to say something to d'Argo when the odour of eau de DRD hit her.

"Hey you two. Where've you been? In the dren pit?"

"It wouldn't smell as bad. Beware DRD's with little sprays."

They flew into their individual chambers. Chiana shrugged her shoulders and went on to command.

"Pilot ?"

"Yes Chiana. May I help you?"

"I don't suppose Sareel left any instructions for the laundry when she fixed it last time?"

"I'm afraid not. It was all in her head. She made a number of repairs to Moya's systems and those are stored in Moya's databanks, but not the laundry."

There were the muted sounds that meant Moya was communicating with Pilot.

"Moya says that she remembers Sareel saying we did need some new parts for it. That her repairs wouldn't last for very long."

Chiana grimaced.

"I suppose we were lucky then that they lasted as long as they did.
Thanks Pilot."

"Chiana."

"Yes?"

"Moya would like Sareel back again too."

"How did she know?"

"Sometimes she can sense a little of how you feel."

"I didn't know."

She went back to the living space and into d'Argo's chamber. He was putting on some fresh clothes.

"Well don't expect the others to be cleaned. The laundry's packed in again."

"How inhezmanaare we going to clean our clothes?"

"I don't remember you ever doing the washing."

"Not a warrior's task."

She stood with her hands on her hips and said aggressively, "Frell it d'Argo. That's the worst excuse I've ever heard. Until we can get the laundry fixed, you men can all take your turn at getting your feet wet. Aeryn and I are sick of being the only ones to suffer."

She charged out of the room nearly knocking over Stark and Sout.

"What's got into her?"

"The laundry's broken down."

"What's so bad about that?"

"That grin will be wiped off your face Stark when you're upto your knees in Nexus fluid."

"The women have gone on strike."

"Correct Sout."

The Morgul smiled into his sleeve. He was thinking just as Chiana had, "Where's Sareel?

Part 2

Scorpius had been making quiet, unobtrusive arrangements for our departure. The Peacekeeper High Command had been reluctant to release him, but he had pointed out in his usual quiet way that neither he nor I would be of any use to them if we didn't get some respite from our work. They had grudgingly said we could take a four weeken vacation. That at least told us that they didn't see any hostilities starting before the end of that time.

I had by this time modified his marauder. It too could now starburst. Its molecular structure had been reinforced like my prowler, to withstand the strain. He'd come down to our private bay, while I was carrying out the work. Leaning over the pilot's seat, curious to see what I was doing.

"It never ceases to amaze me how you can coax a piece of machinery to do things for which it was never intended."

"Doesn't compare to your grasp of theoretical astrophysics, genes and the other things you mastered."

"But you have all that knowledge the Ancients gave you to work with."

"When you had John Crichton in the Aurora Chair, did you see the Ancients?"

"Mmm....yes. Crichton compared them to insects, intellegent insects, whatever they are."

"We call them sokot."

"Ah, now I begin to see the resemblance. But you were, I believe, making a point."

"Only that much of the knowledge they put in my head only has relevance to them and their form and culture."

"They were as far as I remember, also experts at creating illusions from memories, as are the Scarrans."

"Crichton managed to tell me something about the world they created for him, when I replaced his memories. I copied them into my long term data bank. Seemed sensible to reinforce what I had."

"So is there anything else that I might find interesting?"

"They had a little thing about time, but I can't make a great deal of sense of it. It's something I can work on in more settled times."

He gave me an appraising look and I wondered why.

"Well that's done. You key in the jump exit, press that button and about three microts later you starburst."

 All our arrangements were made and the smoke screen laid. Ostensively we were going to Muoth, a neutral planet with a natural isoelectric field in the atmosphere, so there was no chance they could check up to find out if we were there. Communications were just wiped out. Indeed the indigenous inhabitants were all telepaths and hadn't needed to find a way round the problem.

That done he used his secure comm channel to get in touch with Moya and her occupants. D'Argo's face appeared on the screen.

"Ah Ka d'Argo. Would it be possible to get all your crew together. I have a proposal to put before them."

"Why should we want to listen to anymore of your proposals Scorpius?"

"It could be in everyone's interest. I feel sure they'd wish to be well clear of any war."

He looked a little taken aback.

"Well, yes we have discussed that. I'll call the others."

The screen went blank and I knew that he'd put out a shipwide comm call. When it came back on the whole crew were gathered round the unit.

"What now Scorpie?"

"John. Now it struck me that none of you would wish to be in a war zone."

He paused.

"Agreed."

"So there's something which would be beneficial to all travellers in the Far Sector and it never been undertaken before."

"I don't like that sound of this."

"Shush, Rygel, let him finish."

"Thank you Aeryn my dear."

Crichton was peering at the screen.

"Is that Sareel behind you?"

"Yes, I'd quite forgotten you hadn't seen her recently. Restoring her own face removed the offending gene. She's quite recovered now."

I moved to his side.

"Crichton, Aeryn, Chiana. How are you keeping?"

There was a babble as they all tried to talk at once. Chiana finally got a word in.

"The laundry's broken down again."

"Well I did say it needed spares parts. Do I gather nobody got them."

She nodded.

"Anyway if we had nobody knew how to fit them."

There was a discreet cough from by my side.

"Fascinating as Moya's sanitary arrangments may be, there is a more pressing matter. I'd like you to undertake a cartographic expedition to the Far Quarter. I find I need reliable charts for that region."

Rygel pushed his way to the front.

"Means giving up the ore contract."

Scorpius turned up the palms of his hands, "Why not subcontract it as you did before?"

Crichton looked stunned.

"How did you know that?"

"My operatives work in many areas John. And the mines are a hotbed of information. But this does pay a fee. A substantial one and a working fund. Can't have you representing me in poverty. Wouldn't look good."

They looked at each other. Stark looked distinctly relieved.

"That suit you all?"

There was general agreement.

"So Scorpie, what's the catch?"

"There's no catch just a small favour."

"Which is?"

"Take Sareel with you."

There was a unanimous "YES!" from Chiana and Aeryn.

"Don't we get a say? And what about Crais?"

"He'll suit himself anyway."

Scorpius interrupted with, "I was going to add that it ould also be prudent if Crais took the gunship away for a while."

Aeryn moved to the screen. 
"When do you propose coming Sareel?"

I looked at Scorpius, who signalled that I should tell them.

"In about forty eight ahn. Scorpius will come with me and give you everything you need, then he's going on."

They arranged a rendezvous, I wasn't really listening, just thinking that it would be quite pleasant to be back on Moya.

"Sareel"

"Yes Chiana."

"You will bring those spare parts with you?"

I laughed.

"How could I not do so, after your enthusiastic endorsement. See you soon."

Part 2

Scorpius made the arrangements for our departure, he was taking his enhanced marauder, I'd got the prowler and had loaded the wormhole machine in the back together with the spare parts for the laundry on Moya and my usual survival pack.  Never went without it after my previous problems.1

"I got some peculiar looks when I requisitioned these", I said to Scorpius as I was loading them. "I just said we needed them for trade, as there was a shortage where we were going."

"Well that's more or less the truth. From their attitude when they learnt of your imminent arrival,  I'd say your parts will be extremely welcome."

"How long do you think you'll stay with Natira?"

"Now that, my dear, depends entirely on her.  Not always the most welcoming of hosts, she can get a little moody at times."

"She's never wanted one of your eyes?"

He chuckled.

"We have a slightly different relationship.  I've never been one of her full time suitors.  I prefer Natira in small doses.  She can be a little, well tiring."

I placed a kiss on the tip of his nose."

"Oh, I can imagine.   Tell me, does she have to polish that carapace?"

"Sareel you ask the strangest questions.  How would I know?"

"Oh I though you might have enjoyed doing it for her."

"You, my girl, are venturing extremely close to the edge of my indulgence", he replied sternly, but I could see the twinkle in his eye.  I packed my personal belongings, clothes and computer.  I'd downloaded the complete Peacekeeper data base onto it and I also had Scorpius's in my own long term storage banks.

He come into the room as I'd been downloading the Peacekeeper one.

"They'll have you for treason if you're discovered with that.  Be careful."

"I prefer to have complete intelligence, just in case we meet them on our travels. 
Makes it easier to think up ways to avoid contact."

"You could use your remit to do that."

"If there's a war, what makes you think they'd respect that."

He looked at me keenly.

"A very valid point.  Just try to keep everyone out of trouble." He sighed. "I know with Crichton that may prove difficult, especially as he still has the clone.  He was less than reliable before, now he seems to be much worse."

"I've no desire to get into trouble.  I've had enough of that to last a lifetime."

"Now have you got the codes for the shadow repositories?"

"Yes.  It was good of you to give me access."

"You may well need more than the working fund I'm giving them.  I believe in catering for uncertainty."

I stared at him.

"I've never heard you take that into consideration before.  You always believed all possibilities could be catered for.  Scientific method you said."

"In the light of certain happenings, I've had to revise my thinking slightly."

"Are you going to tell me what happenings?"

He kissed my forehead.

"No, Sareel I'm not."

And with that I had to be satisfied. The rest of the time period was spent making sure that our department would run smoothly in our absence, well for the time we were supposed to be away.  After that what would happen was anybody's guess.  Finally we were ready to leave.  Scorpius got into his vessel and switched on the ship to ship communications.  That was really just to allay Peackeeper suspicions if there were any.  Our main communication would be by thought, through my neurotube and a small addition to his, recently added.  I followed him out of the bay. 

"All clear.  Set course."

"Course locked in."

And we set off quite genteely on our way.  As soon as we were out of immediate scanner range,  well that was quite another matter. After about an ahn and a half, Scorpius came through in my head.

"I do think we can now starburst.  You do have the co-ordinates?"

"Considering I worked them out in the first place it would be difficult for me not to have."

A little chuckle tickled my neural pathways.

"I was just,  er..m, checking."

I flicked my hidden switch and there was the familiar shudder as my ship entered hyperspace.  It was not one of my favourite experiences.  Definitely worse in a small vessel than travelling through a wormhole.  Not too bad in Moya or Talyn, though they sometimes were less than smooth in the transition.  I re-entered normal space and saw Scorpius was beside me.

"That my dear, was not one of life's more pleasant experiences."

"I'd forgotten you'd never done it before."

"I'd say another half ahn should see us at our rendezvous point."

"It's a planet in the system ahead, a rather unpleasant one.  All desert and lava flows."

"I'm surprised that Crichton suggested there at all."

"Why?"

"You don't know?
"
"Scorpius, would I be asking if I did?"

"Then it's reasonable to suppose that Crichton doesn't know either."

"Are you going to put me out of my suspense  or do I have to wait indefinitely for enlightenment."

His thoughts became suddenly serious.

"That's Pharas.  You can just see it on the screen.  Your data banks should tell you the rest."

I swallowed, there was a taste of bile in my mouth..  It was not good news.

"The Scarran home planet."

"Exactly."

"Are they likely to do anything?"

"I shouldn't think there are any in residence at the moment.  Even by Scarran standards, it's not particularly inviting."

"It must have been better at one time."

"Oh undoubtably, but there is scant evidence on why it deteriorated, a sort of historical blackout."

There was silence for a microt or two.

"The troubling thing is that they all seem to have disappeared.  Every Scarran I could track down seems to have vanished without trace from the face of the universe.  It's extremely worrying."

"Do you think they're collecting somewhere for an attack?"

"That is one posibility.  The other is more worrying.  They may also have wormhole technology."

"Is that likely?  I mean you've been looking for aeons."

"And so have they.  One tends to forget they too have long life spans."

We were both quiet for a while. My thoughts were prying round the Ancients knowledge.  I could find no trace of any reference to Scarran like races in their references tomes, or humanoid for that matter.  They had been truly egocentric, not invasive, but protective of their own culture.

The planet had by this time become visible to the naked eye and was rapidly growing in size.

"Moya and Talyn are on the scanner."

"I believe there's a transport pod leaving Talyn."

"Oh they must have been talking with Crais."

"If he has any sense at all he'll stay with them.  Experienced he may be, but he's no match for a battalion of Peacekeeper ships."

"He can always starburst."

"You know as well as I do that there has to be a certain time between starbursts of a Leviathan.  Due to their unique structure.  He could be caught when his ship was incapable of making the jump."

"Perhaps I could make a few modifications."

"I absolutely forbid it.  It's bad enough that Talyn exists, that's totally Crais's doing, but I don't wish the ship to be more attractive to our employers and enemies than it already is."

"It was only a suggestion.   What the frell?  Scorpius,  the controls have gone haywire.  I'm going to manual control."

"Mine also.  It's..extremely..difficult  to keep control manually too."

"I know.  It's like an ion storm."

"I've never been in an ion storm quite like this."

Outside the fabric of space was waving, folding, shimmering.  The sensation was like riding waves in the very being of space. It was all I could do to head towards Moya.  Finally even that became impossible.

"Scorpius.  I'm going to have to land on the planet. No choice, I can't control her any longer."

"I'll follow you down.  I'm making no headway at all."

The two vessels bucked and dipped and slewed all the way down into the atmosphere and I couldn't really get my prowler into the correct glide path down.  The ground came up with alarming speed, but I managed to skid along until we stopped.  The molecular strengthening used for starburst, protected the fabric of the ship.  I could see that Scorpius had made a similar sort of landing.  I got out and went over to his marauder. He raised the canopy.

"I can truthfully say, Sareel, that was one of the worst moments of my life so far."

He climbed out and stood by my side. I looked around.

"Are you sure this is Pharas?  It's supposed to be totally barren."

There was vegetation in the hollow where we'd both finished up. Even moisture on some of the leaves.

"It was most definitely Pharas when we hit that..that anomoly or what ever it was.  I've no reason to believe anything othere than that.  But there is a paradox here.  I agree, Pharas is barren or so it always seemed."

"Do you think the Scarrans have been cloaking the planet?"

"It's quite possible.  They are capable of creating illusions."

Dusk was falling and stars were starting to show.  I gazed in surprise at what I
saw. there was something I needed to check and I went back to the prowler for my computer.  Sitting on the ground I quickly found the data file I wanted.  Scorpius crouched down on the ground beside me.

"What is it Sareel?  What's wrong?"

I got a star chart up on the screen.

"Look at that and look in the sky and tell me what you see."

He stood up, the computer in his hands, looking from the screen to the sky."

"The constellations are in different places.  We're not on Pharas then?"

"Oh we're on Pharas all right.  The computer shows the position of the constellations now."

I took the computer off him and he watched as I keyed in a computation.  The image on the screen changed and it matched the sky pattern we could see.  It was identical.

"This is the position." I looked at the legend below the chart, "Eight hundred cycles ago."

"Impossible."

"Seems not.  Look as if someone has found out how to create a time slip."

Taking the computer back again, he  keyed in some calculations of his own. His face usually so calm looked slightly agitated.

"I have to agree, Sareel.  We must find a solution to this."

"Perhaps there is no solution.  Perhaps we're stuck on Pharas."

"Be scientific, Sareel.  We entered a time chasm, we went in one way therefore the procedure's reversible and we can make an exit.  The problem we have to solve is how."

He was totally business like now. There was a challenge and as usual he rose to answer it.  He strode away to the small hillock at the far end, deep in thought.  I looked over at my prowler and noticed there was a small flashing light on the control panel. I had thought I'd shut all the systems down completely, so I went over to check.  Anyway it was almost dark by this time and I had a small fusion generator which I could use for power, stashed away in the back. When I got there I could see that the flashing light was the call frequency of a distress beacon.  Checking I found that it was not far away, approximately  five hundred metrons.  Further investigation showed it to be the distress signal of the first of Moya's transports.  I got some light pads and made my way over to the small opening between the hillock and the trees.  Scorpius saw me and came over immediately.

"Where are you going?  It's not safe for you to be wandering off alone."

He seemed genuinely worried on my behalf.

"Moya's transport's down too.  The distress beacon's been activated.  I was off to check."

He took two of the light pads  and then took the medical bag from me.

 "Then we'll investigate together.  So much safer, my dear, so much safer."
And he led the way down the track.
1See Shades of Evil. Part 2

Part 2a

It was a scene of devastation which greeted us, when we finally found the transport. It had cut a wide swathe in the undergrowth as it had landed and as it hadn't got the advantage of molecular strengthening, panels had been ripped out of the bottom. It had stopped at a crazy angle against a treeform.

"It doesn't look good Scorpius!"

"Don't jump to conclusions. It may look worse than it actually is."

We made our way to the hatch. The automatic release didn't work and Scorpius had to use his strength to work the manual catch. Inside all was still, there was a smell of burned out connectors and there was still a faint pall of smoke. I began to fear the worst. Shining our light pads round showed that the occupants were all still strapped in their seats, either unconscious or dead. Scorpius took a medical scan unit out of my bag and began to check them all. I looked round and realised that something else was wrong.

"Scorpius , Crichton's missing. I can't believe he wasn't aboard."

He looked up momentarily.

"Perhaps he stayed on Talyn."

"What and miss a chance of sparring with you. That's not the John Chrichton I know."

"I do agree it seems unlikely, but where is he?"

He stood up.

"They're all alive and they've no major injuries except for the Nebari. She's broken her arm."

"We've got the enhanced medical field cast in the bottom of the bag."

"I'd be surprised if we hadn't, as it's standard first aid issue. I'll be able to get the bones aligned as she'd unconscious. It should heal in the correct position. As for the others I think they are best left in their seats to recover consciousness in their own time."

"They could have concussion."

"They could indeed. But we won't know until they come round."

He set about the task of putting Chiana's arm in the cast. I climbed out of the hatch and dropped down to the ground.

"I wondered how long you were going to waste on them."

A voice from the dark. I shone the light pads round. Crichton was sitting on a rock, twiddling the instrument he called an harmonica in his fingers.

"Crichton. How did you get out of the transport?"

"Through the tear in the floor. And my dear Sareel, Crichton is banished...to the far recesses of this rather inferior brain. I have full control. I've got a body at last."

"Harvey!" I said grimly. This was the last thing I wanted to happen. Coping with Crichton would have been bad enough, Harvey was a largely unknown quantity. Scorpius mingled with Crichton, a veritable powder keg. A persona with a grudge, not what we needed at that particular moment in time. Scorpius dropped down to the ground and came to my side.

"Her arm should heal correctly. Have to watch out for infection though, the bone was through the skin in one place."

"What drugs can we use on a Nebari. I haven't got the slightest idea."


"Well that's no surprise from a mere technician!"

"Who's that."

"That you be pleased to know Scorpius, is Harvey. He's taken John over completely."

"Ah Scorpius. Perhaps I can get a little intellegent conversation at last."

I put out a thought to Scorpius.

"He's going to be what the real John would have called a 'pain in the butt'!"

"If that's what I imagine it to be, I must say I agree completely."

Harvey came round behind us and put one arm on each of our shoulders.

"I do like happy families. Well John did. Can I share Sareel Scorpius?"

Scorpius removed the arm as if it had been contaminated.

"For you......Harvey, Sareel is totally off limits."

I slipped from under the other arm.

"Thank the Goddess for that!"

"You don't care for me Sareel? I've got far more to offer you than old Scorpie there."

"I don't think so."

I walked away followed by Scorpius.

"We need to assess our situation, Sareel."

"How about dire and getting worse by the microt and he", I pointed to the figure leaning nonchalantly against the rockwall, "Is not going to improve matters."

"Oh I agree about that, but not with your first statement. We know where we are and we know when we are. All we need to know now is what caused the time fold."

"Simple when you say it like that. You're forgetting something else."

"Am I?"

"Yes why?"

"Ah! Now that's a moot point. It's most likely of Scarran origin, but..."

"Go on, but what?"

"Why hasn't this technology shown up in our time?"

I pondered the question. "

That's a good point. Why not indeed!"

Further conversation was stopped by the exit, one by one from the transport of a collection of extremely groggy beings. D'Argo helped Chiana out last of all. I went over to them. Scorpius stayed in the shadows.

"Sareel. How long have we been out?"

"For about an ahn Aeryn."

"Feels like week."

Chiana came over and threw her good arm round my neck and gave me a sisterly kiss.

"Hey I just want to thank you for setting my arm."

"Thank Scorpius. He did it. he's got more medical training than me."

"He's here?"

Stark sounded his usual antagonistic self. I hoped we weren't going to have to go through all his angst again. Sout was the only one who seemed totally unaffected by the affair. He'd retrieved Rygel's dais and had settled the diminutive Dominar back on his seat. Aeryn suddenly said," Where's Crichton?"

I swallowed.

"I don't like to be the bearer of bad tidings, but.."

"He's dead." Her voice shook.

"No not anything like that. Harvey's taken over his body. Pushed John into the far recesses of the brain they've been sharing."

She slumped to the ground.

"That's a living death!"

"Not to Harvey. He's pleased beyond belief."

"Poor John." Her face turned up hopefully to look at me. "You can get him back can't you Sareel?"

"Well not here and I might need to use the Aurora chair although the helm might work."

"The helm?"

"A portable version of extraction unit."

"Scorpius has been busy again."

"Actually you can blame me for this . I took his ideas and refined them, just like a good technician. Anyway the crux of the matter is we're all stuck with Harvey until we can get away from here."

Scorpius came up to join us. Stark's face was once again filled with loathing. Scorpius noticed and just said mildly,"I think we need to put aside all animosity, at least until we're out of this place."

D'Argo asked the question I'd been waiting for.

"Where exactly are we?"

Scorpius answered.

"I regret to say Ka d'Argo, this is Pharas."

The Luxan looked around.

"But Pharas is supposed to be virtually barren. There are trees, bushes. How can it be Pharas?"

"Do you wish to tell them Sareel. I think it might be better coming from you." And he faded back into the shadows.

"Well that disturbance we all hit was a folding of time. We're on Pharas, but Pharas of eight hundred cycles ago."

There was a stunned silence. "

"My it doesn't take much to put you all down does it?"

Aeryn rounded on him.

"If you haven't got anything more constructive to say.....Harvey, just don't say anything."

"And to think John was quite fond of you Captain Sun. But then his taste always was suspect."

"Ignore him Aeryn, otherwise he's going to drive us all crazy."

"I have a feeling Sareel, that that's not going to be easy."

She paused.

"Out of curiosity, just how do you manage all your, well personalities?"

"They're well compartmentalised. One doesn't intrude on the other and the Ancients part is really only a glorified database."

"So are Moya and Talyn up in orbit?"

"We'll know at daylight. I don't think your communications will be working, but ours should be."

"You landed near here?"

"About five hundred kliks away, but we have molecular reinforcement, we got down in one piece."

Chiana came over, d'Argo hovering protectively behind her.

"Can we go back through the time fold?"

"I don't know. We need to take readings and make observations. And they would be best done from Talyn and Moya if they're up there."

Her face crumpled, tears weren't far away .

"You mean we may have to stay her in this time?"

"It would be difficult, because you might meet your ancestors and change things. It should only happen in an alternative universe."

"Couldn't you use the wormhole machine and get us back?"

"It isn't that simple. This anomoly can't be allowed to exist and whoever created it has to be found. It's an extremely dangerous state of affairs. We have to find out how it was made before we can reverse it."

"So we could be here some time", said Sout.

"We could be."

They all looked thoroughly disheartened.

"There is one good thing."

"What's that?"

"I've got the replacement parts for the laundry."

"Somehow doesn't seem so important."

"I don't suppose it does Rygel."

The Hynearean make a face.

"Nothing seems as important as survival."

The others agreed. I suggested that they all try to get some rest so that we could start the next day relatively restored.

"You'd be safer in the transport."

"Why are there wild animals?"

"I don't know what's here at this time, but it's always wisest to take precautions."

Harvey clapped his hands.

"There speaks the Scorpius trained technician. Had her mind tweaked, her body frelled with and almost killed twice and she still runs back to him. That's what I call conditioning!"

"I'm going to do something I might regret if I stay here. Scorpius is over by the large tree. I'll join him."

"You won't be cold, need the protection a ship can give?"

I stroked the smooth material of my body suit.

"These keep us at a comfortable temperature in most environments and Scorpius can sleep standing up if it were necessary."

I went back to where he was waiting for me. He'd collected some dried foliage and long grass.

"What's this?"

He laughed a low brittle laugh.

"I did do my basic survival training and it's much kinder to our bones to have something to sleep on."

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep Scorpie."

We were lying down by this time and he folded me into his arms.

"Just talk to me then. We can discuss how we're going to go about getting out of this."

"Are we going to get out of it?"

"There's never a question that can't be answered."

"Look how long it took you to find the wormhole technology."

"Look how long it took me to find you, you mean Sareel."

He chuckled.

"It was under my nose for years and I never suspected."

Something bothered me. Something about the time problem.

"Scorpius."

"Yes."

"Is there something you haven't told me? Something that you know that I don't?"

"Why my dear girl?"

"I've got the strangest feeling that this is a scenario I've played before. I should know about time, but it's elusive it keps slipping away."

"Perhaps it's something in the knowledge the Ancients left you."

"Maybe. There's such a lot of that just doesn't seem relevant to us and our times and culture. But I feel that they must have left it for a reason."

"Is there nothing which seems to fit the situation?"

I though hard, went through some of the more accessable material.

"Not on the surface. It would take some time to go through it thoroughly."

"You may have to if we don't find an easy solution."

I was starting to feel drowsy and he could sense it through our connection. He just pulled me close to him and I went to sleep in his arms.

Part 3

Dawn the next morning found me waking stiff and alone. Yawning, I looked around for Scorpius. He wasn't to be seen, so I stretched and got up. There was no sign of the others and so I retraced my steps to where our two ships were lying. There was Scorpius and he'd got a fire going. A real primitive fire.

"How did you do that?"

"Collected some dried wood and a quick pulse from my pistol and you have fire."

"How many other useful things do you know?"

"Enough I hope to get us out of here."

I found some metal cups and plates in the emergency food pack and also a pan. There was water in the container so I measured out two cup and put it in the pan. Fishing in my personal bag unearthed a pack of our favourite tisane. I'd planned to take it with me to Moya.

"What is there to eat?"

"I hope you like food cubes."

I made a face.

"There's got to be something edible on this planet."

"I should certainly think so, but if we can get to the Leviathans then there won't be a food problem."

The water boiled and I made the drink. We sat on a boulder. I wrapped my hands round the cup, they were cold. Scorpius was always scolding me for nor wearing the gloves to my bodysuit, but I found them cumbersome and I couldn't work in them. It always surprised me that he could. A skill emenating from long useage he told me.

"Persevere Sareel."

That was always the answer.

"I'll check and see if the comm unit's working when I've finished this."

"Was there any sign of life at the other site?"

"If you mean were they up, the answer's no. But they were never early risers."

"Not even Aeryn Sun?"

"Not even Aeryn."

"I'd have thought her training would have stayed with her."

"Face it Scorpius, they have no need to rise at a specific time on Moya."

He looked contemplatively at the bands on his boots.

"I don't need much sleep. I always think better in the early hours of the watch."

I yawned.

"Can you rinse out the cups while I start on the comm unit?"

I fully expected him to say that it wasn't his job to to that or that it was too menial, but to my surprise he took the cups and did just that. I got the tool kit out and got in my prowler. The first switch gave me a hum on the speakers. All well and good. At least we had power. I switched on the main unit and put in Moya's code. Goddess be praised, Pilot's gentle face appeared.

"Sareel?" What's happened? Moya's scared."

"It's a long story Pilot, but tell her for the moment everything is stable. Can you send the spare transport down. The other one is a write off."

"Are they all well?"

"Chiana has a broken arm, but Scorpius has set it and she appears to be fine."

"Scorpius is there with you?"

"Yes, why?"

"Crais was inquiring whether or not the two of you had made it."

"Are all Moya's systems intact?"

"Neither she or Talyn suffered any actual damage. I'll send the transport to the co-ordinates you sent.."

"Thank you. We'll see you soon."

Scorpius was packing away the utensils.

"I gather we have communications."

"Pilot's sending the spare transport down here. I've give him to co-ordinates for the top of the valley."

"What state is the scientific apparatus on Moya?"

"Zhaan left a reasonable amount of equipment, add that to what we have with us and it'll give us a workable laboratory."

He gave me a sidways glance.
"What exactly did happen to Pau Zotah Zhaan? I never heard the full story."

"I'm surprised you heard anything at all. Chiana said she had an inherited gene defect which tended to make her violent. She stayed at Sargos with thekurtzins. She hopes they can cure her."

"Mmm."

"And just what does that cryptic remark signify?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

That microt, the comparative peace was broken by the sound of music, discordant music, and Harvey strode into the clearing. He was playing the instrument he called an harmonica, very badly.

"Ah Scorpius. I thought we might investigate this time phenomenon together."

He totally ignored me.

"Oh that really won't be necessary. I have Sareel to help me and I'm sure you must have work of your own. But if you have any ideas later on about it please inform us."

"You're not being very friendly. After all you and I do have a lot in common."

I could see Scorpius was gritting his teeth a sure sign that he was irritated. The clone may have started out pure Scorpius, but it had assimilated a great deal of John Crichton during the stay in his head and that made for a strange combination. I wondered how long Scorpius could tolerate Harvey. He had phenomenal patience, but surely there would come a time when even that would wear thin. I had a feeling that there would be trouble sooner or later.

We were spared from further ruminations from Harvey, by the arrival of d'Argo and the others.

"Have you eaten?"

"Had some food cubes. Thoroughly boring."

Rygel's opinion on food cubes was well known, and I agreed with him. Designed to provide full nutrition for the soldier on the move, they didn't cater for the taste buds. They didn't actually taste of anything you could describe and had the texture of reconstituted auroch hide.

Chiana came over.

"How's your arm?"

"It tingles a bit but Stark says it's the cast stimulating the cells."

I wondered where Stark had obtained his information on field casts. Not in his visible profession that was for sure.

Scorpius came over. He always moved with an easy, confident grace and didn't seem to notice the wary looks he was receiving.

"Moya's Pilot's sending the spare shuttle down for you. We'll retrench when we're back on the Leviathan."

He was taking control with his usual calm efficiency. I wondered how the crew would take it, but with Crichton effectively out of commission, that only left Aeryn Sun to resist his authority. Stark seemed to have settled into a pattern of sullen acceptance.

"I really think we should stay on the surface. After all we need to learn about out environment."

"Goddess save us from know-it-all clones", I muttered under my breath. Aeryn glanced at me.

"I'm going to hit him sooner or later, I just know I am."

"I think you'll have to stand in line Sareel. He's nearly driven us all insane and we're only a few ahns into the day."

Scorpius turned his back on his creation. He'd evidently decided that the best way to deal with it was to ignore it totally. Well I wished him luck, but personally I couldn't see it working for long. I wondered how much sedative we had in the medical kit, there might come a time when we'd need it to save our sanity.

Fortunately salvation came in the form of Moya's second transport, They'd already brought everything that was salvageable with them, even Harvey had got the emergency generator though one got the feeling that he thought carrying it was beneath him. It seemed strange seeing Crichton and remembering how he used to be, and then hearing the same voice using completly different speech patterns and language. Anyway in about half an ahn they were on their way back to Moya. Scorpius and I followed.

It felt good to be back on the big ship. Our small craft were lined up next to the transport and I opened the canopy and slid out and onto the floor. Scorpius was way ahead of me. He'd got his rod case and a box of scientific equipment down from the maurauder.

"What's that you're taking."

"Quark scanner and the temporal signature converter."

"I thought that had never worked."

"Intermittantly up to now. I was taking it with me to work on."

This piece of equipment was designed to see fluctuations in the fabric of space within a wormhole, essential if you didn't want to end up some place rather bizarre at the wrong time. It might well prove useful. If we could get it to work reliably. I hopped up onto the stubby wing and brought out my rods, personal things, small lifeform scanner and energy reader.

"I see you too were coming prepared for work."

"I thought it might get rather boring, after a while."

He took the things off me and helped me down. Picking up my belongings, I took the lifeform scanner in the other hand. I looked at the energy reader on the floor.

"I'll come back for that."

"No need."

He picked it up and tucked it under his arm.

"I presume we're going to the living area."

"We'll have to use Zhaan's quarters. All her personal things have been packed away for safety, Chiana said. There's just the lab stuff out. Stark will have to find somewhere else to occupy."

"I see that he's still wrongly blaming me for the loss of his Bannik slaves."

"What exactly did happen to them? He swears they were all pushed out into space and killed."

"Somewhat unstable Stark. I think you'll find that scenario exists only in his imagination. Natira and the carrier commander made a good profit on their resale. The reason I kept him so long was because his memories fluctuated from session to session. I really began to wonder exactly what answer I'd get to my questions each time I put them to him. I started to write a thesis on the faulty perception of thought and false memory. Crichton's advent put an end to that."

We'd reached the large chamber Zhaan had used. Stark was standing there a manic look in his eye.

"I won't let you desecrate her place. You use here over my dead body."

I glanced at Scorpius who merely raised his brow.

"Stark believe me if you persist in getting in our way, that can be arranged. Only we won't be pushing you into space. I do a neat line in personal bisection as Scorpius will attest to. My score so far is one general and a Litigare. Would you like to be number three?"

He looked at me and looked at Scorpius.

"You may have your own face back Sareel, but I can see he's suffused you with his evil."
"We really haven't got time for all this. Find some other quarters. That is unless you want to remain in this time frame for the rest of your life. Zhaan would have been the first to have helped."

He started to remove his mask.

"Oh really, do stop being childish. Remove that and I'll absorb you completely. It would be a solution but I don't feel like having a mad stykera personality at large with the others."

He looked at me aghast. Scorpius who had remained silent, merely allowed a shadow of a smile to cross his lips.

"You could do that?"

"Probably I always could, but your kind coaching showed me how much power I had. A bit like Maldis, but I don't wish to feed on souls, he does. Now are you leaving?"

He picked up a small bag and left the room a look of horror on his face.

I put my things down on the large couch at the back.

"A masterly performance, my dear ."

He laid his rod case next to mine.

"Just one thing Sareel? Would you really have disposed of him?"

I laughed.

"I'd only have had to shatter something with the plasma beam and you wouldn't have seen him for dust."

"There's something about him that puzzles me, it's an uncomfortable feeling and I can't really put a finger on what it is."

"You do know he can reassemble a corporeal form after he's been dispersed, just like Maldis?"

He looked extremely serious.

"Now that's something I didn't know. I find that rather sinister."

He paused a microt and glanced my way.

"I'd give a great deal to know exactly what he is."

I laughed.

"Now I know what your next project after the wormhole is going to be."

"I suggest we sort out this place and see exactly what equipment we do have and what we can do with it."

 

 

Part 3a

It took forty eight ahns to put together an acceptable working laboratory and Scorpius was disillusioned by the end of that period.

"I thought there would have been more that was serviceable."

Sareel looked up from the lifeform scanner which she was calibrating.

"Oh I don't know Scorpius. We can search for energy fluctuations, lifeforms and seismic anomalies. I hope you can get the temporal signature converter working, then we can look for differences in the temporal field."

She went back to the calibration. Scorpius wandered out into the main living area. Rygel was at the food cabinet. He looked round as he heard the footstep.

"Oh! It's you."

The scientist ignored the little Hynerean and went through and up to the area where Pilot resided.

"Pilot. Perhaps you can tell me whether Leviathans can sense disturbances in space. I've never found it necessary to know before now."

There was the usual twittering interchange between the big animal and the ship.

"Moya says that she can detect irregularities if they are large and would seem to present a hazard. But however she thinks that Talyn is more sensitive to them. To do with his weapons programme."

Pilot blinked as Scorpius turned away. He never really forgot the restrictions the Peacekeepers had put on him and Moya and Scorpius seemed to be the embodiment of their jurisdiction. But even he could sense that the half Scarran was perturbed at the situation they found themselves in.

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

D'Argo and Chiana were playing holcheckers and the Nebari was winning hands down.

"That's ten credits you owe me!"

"Sure you didn't cheat?"

"What! Would I do a thing like that?"

"If it benefited you, yes."

"Trouble is Ka d'Argo you know me too well!"

"Well not as much as I'd like to have known you" he said with a rueful smile.

"Wouldn't have worked permanently. We'd have both started longing to wander again."

"And here we are wandering again. Together."

He looked moodily into his glass of Radivian ale.

"Do you think we're going to get out of this one Chiana?"

The Nebari tucked her winnings down her cleavage.

"Gotta come a time when luck runs out."

And with that enigmatic statement she left the chamber.

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

Aeryn was cleaning her pulse rifle. She had a distinct feeling that she might soon be needing it. She reviewed the things that had happened to them in the past and this rated with the worst. If Scorpius was powerless to do anything, and he was acknowledged to be the best scientist the Peacekeepers had, what chance had they. She had a healthy dislike and mistrust for him even though he had revived her. A man with an obsession, driven by it, only to find that his dream had been made concrete by another. How much that must have rankled with him. Or would it? He had Sareel and the machine, but hadn't made its presence public. Indeed he appeared to be taking great pains to hide its very existence from them. Hardly the action of a person totally dedicated to the Peacekeeper cause. And his holdings in various shadow depositories, again the action of someone who was running his own agenda, a hedge against the time he might need to make a hasty retreat. Mmmm, the more she thought about it the more she realised that Scorpius was not at all what he appeared to be on the surface. Cold, calculating, ruthless and totally without compassion. She smiled ruefully to herself. Compassion went against the Peacekeeper creed. She remembered her instructor saying quite vehemently, "Never take prisoners unless there's a strategic reason. They cost credits to feed!"

So many times she'd dispatched her adversaries without a second thought. She could still do that but only if they threatened one of the group. And then there was Sareel. So nice to see her with her own face again. The hair was short, but she liked it that way. The Vaud had come right out of her shell now the inhibitions compounded by years of working in a culture where technicians were thought of as  dren, had been removed by Scorpius's patronage and care. Strange really, Crichton couldn't understand why technicians were despised. On Earth they were much valued he'd said.

And what was to become of Crichton? Would he ever regain control of his mind and body? She brushed away a tear. No matter how she felt about it, there was a time and a place for such feelings and now was not the time. She clipped the rifle together again. If it had been in its original state it would now have been useless because there was no more chakan oil left on the ship, but again, because of Sareel, they power source was now contained in a tiny capsule in the oil reservoir. It seldom needed replacing. She wondered what the Peacekeepers would have done if they'd realised the remarkable ability of their one time employee. How far they'd all come since that first meeting. She shook her head and started stripping down the rest of the arms on the deck.

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

Harvey was feeling extraordinarily pleased with himself. Not only had he gained a body, inferior though it might be and the total use of a brain, again not of the best, but as luck would have it Scorpius was actually there.

"Oh bad luck John Crichton. Such a shame about the memories. Still they weren't much to write home about, Now how did I get that expression. One of John's I believe."

He shook his head.

"Brrrr. Pity about the contamination, could prove distracting. Now how to work on Scorpius."

Harvey's one goal in life was to share in Scorpius's experiments and savour the delights of discovery. However Scorpius was being less than friendly, so he wondered what the possibility was of absorbing Scorpius's personality in some way, moving over into his body, making him share his awareness.

"Where there's a will there's a way. Mmm very apt. In the last resort I can dispose of Scorpius and take over his work. I wonder who'd miss him other than Sareel? I wonder would he leave her to me? Strange female that one. There's something deeper than her multiple personalities, and I think he knows something about her he hasn't told even her. I wonder what?"

He took the harmonica out of his pocket and began a rendition of 'Home on the Range', a tune he'd dredged not too successfully out of the sleeping Crichton's brain. So nice to be in control.

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

Sareel wandered into the lounge. Rygel was eating noisily from a small container.

"If...." munch munch, "You're looking for Scorpius", loud belch, "he went up to Pilot's place."

"Did he?"

The Vaud seemed little interested and went to the food cabinet. There wasn't much left of what had initially been prepared. She should have come earlier, but like Scorpius she'd been preoccupied with the equipment in the lab..

"The pwashisi's good. I can vouch for it."

"Thanks Rygel. I think I'll just have some cereal and vegetables."

Taking her platter and a glass of water she went over to the couch and sat down. When she'd finished she took up her computer and placed it on her knee. Rygel drew his dais up behind her. She was frowning at a group of figures.

"Not good?"

"Perplexing!"

She pointed at the bottom row of figures.

"This is the data taken from the in-flight computer on my prowler. If I didn't know it to be impossible, I'd say someone on the planet was causing the time effect."

"But if it's impossible?"

"Scorpius hasn't got anything like it in his databanks and I can't find any kind of reference to an anomaly like it in the Peacekeeper ones."

Rygel coughed.

"Just how many databanks can you access?"

She looked at him amusement on her face.

"Why?"

"Well it's just that.... I say", the thought suddenly struck him, "Do the Peacekeepers know?"

"I sincerely hope not. But back to our time problem. Scorpius and I aren't the only scientists in this part of the galaxy. We don't have access to everything."

"So it might just be possible someone's found out how to frell with time?"

"Yes."

"Sareel, I get the impression this is not a good place to be."

"Well if you like Scarrans and you don't mind being in the middle of a civil war it's a great place to be. Otherwise, no."

"Civil war, a civil war! Nobody mentioned a civil war." The Hynerean was blustering, the though of civil war sent him into a panic.

"About the only thing we know for certain about this time of history on Pharas is that there were two factions and they were engaged in a civil war.."

"What happened?"

"Nobody seems to know. It's as if there were a complete blackout on records of the time."

"Don't like it!"

Scorpius entered the lounge and Rygel moved to confront him.

"You never said anything about a civil war."

"You never asked. Now do be a good Dominar and don't spread more gloom amongst the others. There seems to be enough already."

He peered at Sareel's glum face.

"Not much hope written there either. Have you had no luck?"

"Luck? I thought you didn't believe in luck. Scientific method you are always telling me. Scientific method pays dividends."

"I may have not allowed for that first flash of inspiration that hits one between the eyes. That certainly can't be called scientific method."

He put his finger to his lips and seemed to be thinking.

Sareel tentatively began, "I have a theory. It may seem extremely far fetched, even fantastic."

"Do go on."

"From our in-flight navigation computer readings I'd say that the anomaly was initiated from the planet."

"Now that is interesting."

He rubbed his lips with his gloved finger and suddenly seemed to perk up.

"There seems some likelihood that Talyn can detect the start of these, er aberrations. I was just on my way to check."

And with that he walked jauntily off towards the docking bays.

"I wonder what brought about that change in attitude?"

"Haven't a clue Rygel."

She yawned.

"I'm off to get some sleep. Didn't get much last night. We were talking for too long."

As he watched her departing back Rygel gave a chuckle, an extremely lewd chuckle.

"That's a new name for it. I shall have to remember that one."

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

Chiana was sat on the couch reading when an extremely disgruntled Crais stomped into the room. Chiana put down the inscribe pad.

"Someone tread on your toes?"

"Someone named Scorpius. He wanders into command as if he owns it and asks for a control circlet."

"What did you do?"

"Gave him the spare one. Thought I could listen into the conversation, when he and Talyn start off on a technical exchange. I hadn't got a clue what they were on about. I decided to leave them to it and come over here."

"Are you sure you're not jealous?"

He scratched his nose and thought for a microt.

"I'm hurt that Talyn would exclude me."

"From what you say, it was your lack of knowledge on the matter that cut you out."

"I suppose so, but it hurts when you realise your boy has outgrown you and it feels like that with Talyn."

She put her hand on his arm.

"You are jealous Bialar Crais."

He smiled ruefully.

"I suppose that I am."

He looked at the Nebari and realised that he'd never really seen her before. Oh she'd been on the edge of his perception, but he'd never really looked at her. Her grey face was quite appealing, her eyes bright and intelligent. He felt stirrings deep inside him that he thought only Aeryn Sun could cause. Interesting. Chiana gave him a tentative smile. A thought struck him. Now that Crichton wasn't, well wasn't Crichton, would Aeryn come to him for comfort? On reflection he had been too engrossed with Talyn. Time to cultivate some social links. He smiled back at Chiana and took her hand. She didn't remove it and looked into his face with that inquiring look that was uniquely hers.

"Tell me Chiana. Have you heard any more about your brother and his group?"

Part 4

Sout was sharing his quarters with Stark and he was feeling extremely disturbed. The more he was in contact with the so called stykera the more sure he was that Stark wasn't a Bannik. True he exhibited all the phenomena of a stykera but there was something more that the Morgul coudn't quite put a finger on. His normal empathetic senses seemed to hit a thick brick wall whenever he tried to access him.

He'd met other stykera and and been able to make an instant link to them, to feel how they were feeling, but not with Stark. It was all rather bewildering. There were other chambers free, all they needed was tidying out and cleaning. He made his mind up to find one. Staying in close proximity to the oft times manic being, was out of the question. It was as if he were being drained mentally and strong though he was there was a limit to what he could stand.

He wondered if Sareel could sense anything. After all she'd taken trips in thedarmirskwith him, surely she must have sensed something about him. He'd have to ask her at a later time when she wasn't tied up with their problem.

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

The next two days saw Scorpius ferrying equipment to Talyn and Crais grumpily bedding down on Moya.

"I don't know what thefrellhe's up to but I feel in the way!"

Rygel came over to him.

"Always been the same with Scorpius from what I can see. He takes control without as much as a by your leave."

"Trouble is he seems to know what he's doing and Talyn's getting excited."

"Talyn's getting excited by what?"

"Aeryn!"

"Yes I do believe that's my name. I repeat, Talyn's getting excited by what?"

"I honestly don't know but he and Scorpius are going through technical specifications in the guidance system and Scorpius is hooking equipment into his neural fibres."

He glanced at her. Her face was like thunder. Their situation seemed to be getting them all down.

"Care to tell us what's the matter or are you going to keep it to yourself?"

She sat down heavily on a chair.

"It's Crichton, well not exactly.Frellhow do we get Crichton back? Harvey's going to drive me crazy before much longer. He actually tried to kiss me!"

Crais and Rygel exchanged glances.

"Hrrump. Sorry to say this but I think there are more important things than getting Crichton back."

"Rygel how can you say that? He's always taken care of you."

"Has he? I hadn't noticed. I do remember being called a slug, which I presume is one of Earth's less savory inhabitants, Sparky and several other names. As Harvey ignores me completely I'll vote for Harvey any day."

She glared at him.

"I might have known that'd be your attitude. Selfish to the core."

"That's me! And proud of it. Look after number one and let the rest take care of themselves."

Crais smothered a laugh. He could see that the Hynerean was winding Aeryn up and she couldn't see it. One of Aeryn Sun's faults was that she took things too seriously. Still Peackeeper training did tend to do that. The lighter side of life was supressed. He was still struggling with the same thing himself although he had had a pleasant exchange the other night with Chiana. She'd offered to cook him dinner on Talyn when he went back and he'd accepted.

Rygel moved off majestically, his snout in the air, every inch the Dominar. Aeryn put her legs on the chair and grasped herself round the knees. She rested her chin on them.

"I wonder what Sareel's doing."

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

Chiana and I had decided to try to put worry behind us for a short period. We were having a social evening in d'Argo's quarters. He'd brought out a stock of Redivian ale and Argolian brandy. We were all slightly merry.

"I'm totallyfrelledwith calibrating instruments and I need a secondiry cower poupler to set up the wormhole machine as a semporal thift defector."

"I don't think that's right."

"Don't you d'Argo? I may be slightly inibiated but I'm in full control of my fic.. foc.. senses."

"Your senses maybe but your speech is allfrelledup."

Chiana ticked his nose with the trimming on her sleeve.

"Be a good boy and fill up our glasses."

She sat down on his knee.

"I feel as if I'm walking on clouds. Hic! Ooops pardon."

"I think you've both had enough for this evening. Sareel I thought you'd be able to take a drink."

I waved my hand in the air. It didn't seem to belong to me any more.

"Scorpie has banned me from the brandy. Mingy thing!"

My glass was suddenly snatched out of my hand and I looked up through none too clear eyes to see "Scorpie!"

"Ka d'Argo I'm surprised to see you letting these two near the alcohol."

"They wanted a party Scorpius and I needed some relief."

I saw Scorpius pick up the decanter and smell it.

"Argolian brandy! No wonder. Sareel was banned from that after her last encounter with mine."

I tried to get to my feet, but somehow my legs flatly refuse to obey me. Scorpius looked at me sternly and picked me up. I waved to the others as I was carried unceremoniously out the door. Once back in our quarters I was dumped on the bed. I didn't feel very well and looking at my hands I could see they were starting to glow.

"Look at me Scorpie! I'm all lit up!"

He looked round from mixing something on the side bench an immediately picked up a small unit from the bench and pointed it at me. Immediately I fell back on the bed as if I been kicked. The glow had disappeared.

"I should have thought you'd got more sense after the last time. You must never drink alcohol no matter how much you want to. You lose control of your persona and I really don't think my dear girl, we want them all loose at once, now do we?"

"No Scorpius. Can I be sick?"

He picked me up and deposited me in our small sanitary room.

"Take your time. I've got something for you when you come out!"

I emerged about half an ahn later.

"Oh my! Do you feel how you look?"

"Worse."

"Well I can only say you thoroughly deserve it. Here drink this, you'll feel better in a while."

He handed me a glass of a cloudy looking fluid. I took a sip.

"Goodess preserve us! What's in that? It's ghastly."

"You aren't supposed to sip it. Drink it in one go and drink this glass of water after."

I did as I was bid. I could still taste it. The contents of the dren pit couldn't have been worse. I collapsed back on the bed.

"You'll be pleased to know I've got Talyn rigged out as an early warning system."

"Oh how interesting."

"I can see I won't get any sense out of you till the morning. Go to sleep Sareel."

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

Next morning the Hammers of Zale were pounding in my head. I had onehezmanaof a hangover. Scorpius had considerately fastened me to the bed and had a tube in my arm.

"Oh.hh. I never want to see another glass. Tell me what did I do and why thefrellam I trussed up like this."

"You did nothing in particular, except make yourself ill. And you are tied to the bed because you kept falling out of it. The tube is putting fluids back in your system. Can't waste time just because you've taken a liking to abusing yourself."

I recollected why I'd wanted a party. Frustration at not having a part I needed.

"I need a secondary power coupler and we haven't got one."

"There are none on Talyn and I was trying unsuccessfully to tell you last night that I've got the small Leviathan set up as a temporal early warning system. He can sense minute fluctutations, that then triggers the temporal signature converter and we get a fix in the source."
"You think there are going to be more then?"

"I have a feeling that the one that caught us wasn't the last."

He disconnected the tube.

"There you are back in balance again."

Tapped me hard on the nose with a gloved finger, "No more alcohol, not now, not ever. If you lose control I shudder to think what would happen. Having you with bloodlust was bad enough."

"Yes Scorpius", I replied meekly.

"What no arguments?"

"Don't feel like arguing. I found a possible source for my coupler. While you were amusing youself on Talyn, some of us were doing some serious work."
"You've acquired a bad case of acid on the tongue Sareel, careful you don't get burnt!"

I ignored his comment. There was a slight smile on his face.

"I found several areas with collections of lifeforms. Also north of where we landed there seems to be a battle going on. Electromagnetic disruptors and pulse weapons. I can avoid that area, but I've found an area which seems to be warehousing and stores. It a reasonable assumption I'll find what I need there."

"I suppose they were in use eight hundred cycles ago."

"Something similar. I can modify it."

"Pity Crichton's out of service, as it were. Just suit him. He seems to thrive on going into the un-enterable and purloining and destroying all before him."

"You've not forgiven him for your first Gammak base have you?"

"It was a bitter pill to swallow, losing it and all that was in it. Still the new ones are far better."

"I can't see Harvey leading a foray can you?"

"That is one thing we can agree on my dear. He seems to have absorbed all the wrong bits of John, not the useful parts."

"So that leaves Crais and Aeryn."

"Oh I think we might need both, plus, I think Ka d'Argo and that little Nebari."

"Chiana?"

"Can you think of a better diversion? She could winkle her way in almost anywhere and probably has."

"I don't want to put her in any danger."

"Sareel every microt we're round this particular planet at this time, we're in danger."

I wrinkled my brow.

"But they didn't have space scanning technology at this period."

"Something strange has happened here and we cannot assume that!"

"I suppose so."

"I suggest if you feel up to it that we organise a meeting."

I slid off the bed, my legs still felt like someone elses but my head had settled along with my stomach.

"I think I'll manage."

"I'll put an internal call through to the others."

He sent out a general call to meet in the lounge.

"Has Crais gone back to Talyn?"

"I talked to him earlier. He's waiting for us."

"I don't think he's very pleased with you. Chiana said he felt shut out."

"That's what happens if you're a military man rather than a technical one. I think he sees the sense in what I've done. Still I hold too much over him to hear many complaints."

"But he's not in the Peacekeepers now."

"There's still the small matter of the premature ending of Lieutenant Teeg's life. The juridisdiction carries over to civilians."

"Poor Crais."

"Oh I don't think so. He always planned on taking his creation Talyn at some time. His loyalty was suspect. Until he transgressed too far I was content to leave him be. I don't exactly always do what my employers wish myself."

"Ah but they don't know about your little transactions do they?"

"I have always been discreet and one day you may thank me for it."

He stood up and put a hand under my elbow as if I still need support.

"And now we should make our way to the lounge."

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

"I don't like it! It's too risky."

"As far as I can remember not one's asking you to go." Said Aeryn acerbically as Stark made his usual protest. They would have wondered what was wrong if he hadn't.

Crais summed it up.

"We go as dusk is settling, skirt the lower settlement and avoid the area where there is fighting and make for the northern settlement and the warehouseing. Once there we have to find a manifest, get into the right warehouse and remove a power coupler. Anyone will do as Sareel can modify them. What's hard about that?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"Well er... there's something I haven't told you."

All eyes swivelled to look at me. D'Argo spoke.

"And what exactly is that?"

"To go round the battle area you have to ermm.. cross a lava field."

"Oh absolutely magnificent. The only way round get's you toasted."

Aeryn's lack of enthusiasm was understandable. Crossing the run off to an active volcano can be dangerous in daylight, at night the hazard is much greater. You can't see where there's a stable foot hold One false move and as Aeryn had pointed out, you become toast.. On top of that there was the problem of fumes but Pilot had said there were some old Peacekeeper breathing modules and it was possible for us to upgrade them. Moya kept yielding little treasures like that.

"We could go round the other side but it would take a long time, more than the night. It's very hilly."

Crais deliberated.

"Which in your estimation is the greater risk. Crossing the lava field or being out in daylight?"

"I do like to see who I'm firing at, I prefer being out in the daylight."

D'Argo was precise in his opinion.

"My seismic event predictions are accurate. I've observed every eruption to be within five microts of the time of my prediction, which means I've got an accurate model of that particular field. There also appears to be a corridor through it. We can follow that route and minimise the risk. The volcano has built up a wall on one side from dropped debris and that's keeping the lava flow away from that area. There's one bit that might be a rather warm but the rest should be quite tolerable."

"Do you really need this part?"

"Rygel if I didn't need it, would I go to all this trouble to get it?"

"Suppose not."

"You do want to get back to our own time don't you?"

"Doesn't make a lot of difference. None of us can pick our lives up and go on as we were before our capture."

**********

Scorpius stretched in his chair. He was enjoying the interchange immensely. They'd all missed the main problem. Too intent on small irrelevancies.

"Have you all thought what you'll do if you meet any Scarrans?"

You could have heard a pin drop.

Part 4a

Everyone had forgotten that Pharas was the Scarran home planet. A sombre silence descended on the lounge.

"Well have you? From the lack of response I presume not."

He waved his hand towards d'Argo who was about to say something.

"And before you say 'Kill them', Ka d'Argo, may I remind you that Scarrans are extremely hard to kill."

"So are half Scarrans", muttered Aeryn.

"I'm sorry Captain Sun. I didn't quite catch that."

"It was nothing important."

Scorpius smiled . He'd heard accurately what she'd said. Still the old prejudices, howbeit in modified form.

"You have to hit a Scarran in one particular spot on the head, to kill it. Not easy in a moving target I think."

Harvey who'd been standing by the entrance ambled lazily into the room.

"I don't suppose you'll be interested, but how about chemically fired projectiles. Scarrans as I seem to recall from the part of my memory left by my mentor", he glared at Scorpius who was sitting relaxed in his chair, his right hand index finger and thumb round his chin.

Scorpius waved his hand.

"Do go on!"

"Scarrans are resistant to pulse weapons but what about a more primitive one?"

"It might be worth taking one or two. I really don't know how much damage they would inflict. Can you make them?"

"Simple ones yes. A rifle to take two bullets. Really needs a lathe, but it's possible without."

"I've got a laser cutter in the lab. You can use that. It's extremely accurate."

Scorpius glared at Sareel. The lab was the last place he wanted Harvey.

"If you don't need it Sareel, why don't you let Harvey take it into one of the cargo bays. He can set up a practice range there too."

"I'll need it when I get my part, not before, so yes, you can do that Harvey."

Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief. Problem diverted.

Sout sat down on the couch next to Aeryn.

"I think you may need me."

Aeryn looked at him.

"It won't be the place for an empath."

"I'm fully trained in the art of SuranDa."

D'Argo whistled.

"I've never met one before. What grade are you Sout?"

"Sixteenth moitan."

D'Argo looked startled. That was the highest grade of that school of unarmed combat.

"You're a Inganian Master?

Sout bowed his head.

"It's not something I often reveal. Can get misinterpreted."

"Do the Peackeepers know?"

The Morgul looked at Sareel.

"They never asked. I saw no reason to inform them."

Aeryn burst out laughing.

"That's got me wondering just how much they haven't been told by various people."

Scorpius smiled wryly.

"Oh quite a lot I should think. They do have such an unfortunate way of misusing information. They knew nothing about Sareel's darmirsk initially, but somehow they've found out about it. I admit I'm slightly puzzled how. But enough of that. How long do you estimate preparations will take?"

A general consensus was three days and they parted, each to their separate tasks.

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

As Aeryn and Crais were Sebbacian, it was important to shield them from the extrme temperatures they would encounter near the lava field. I had a spare bodysuit, but Aeryn's taller than me. But as they have some amount of give in them, most of her was covered. She couldn't however, get into my spare boots.

"Frell, Sareel. You've got such tiny feet."

"Sorry! There's nothing I can do about it. I'll have to heat proof a pair of yours."

"Can you do that?"

"You'll know soon enough."

"Doesn't inspire me with confidence."

"Never had to do it before."

Crais was less of a problem. Scorpius's spare suit, fit him quite well, but as he's shorter than Scorpius, I had to take up the slack with a belt. The boots were too big but I stuffed them with shredded material the DRD's provided. Chiana brought out a pair of boots with tremendously thick soles and d'Argo's normal footwear seemed suitable. Sout assured me he was making his own preparations, so I didn't worry about him. Those without bodysuits were wearing robes of lamac wool. Good at keeping heat in or out and fire resistant.

Next thing I had to do was brief Rygel and Pilot. Pilot was not in a good mood and seemed irritated by Rygel hovering near him.

"Sareel ask the Dominar to move away."

"Ask him yourself Pilot."

"We've had a difference of opinion."

"Rygel, the last thing we need at the moment is for people to bicker."

"Why blame me?"

I struggled not to laugh. They both had this expression of injured rightousness on their faces.

"What caused this...er disagreement?"

"The Dominar insinuated that Moya and I were always getting lost."

"Well that used to be the case but it's obviously not true now. Moya starbursts much more accurately now she makes the correct mass compensation."

"Still never end up where we expect."

"Oh come on Rygel, you're just feeling a bit scared because we can't easily get back this time."

The Hynerean puffed himself up.

"Me, scared? I'll have you know I faced a charging ranticoot and never flinched before I delivered the death blow."

"In your imagination", muttered Pilot.

"What? Didn't hear what you said."

"Look both of you. We're all scared. It's not a nice place to be and we've got a difficult problem to solve."

Pilot looked at me inquiringly.

"Even Scorpius."

"For a brief while even Scorpius."

That was true. I picked up fear when he realised exactly what had happned. It was short lived and the moment he'd delineated the challenge it had gone.

"Then I agree Sareel. We are not ourselves. Moya is frightened and I feel as she does. The Dominar often speaks without thinking first."

"I do not!"

I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing.

"Rygel that's the truest word anyone has said about you in a long while!"

He looked extremely miffed and moved away from Pilot.

"Just not appreciated," he mumbled.

Pilot had recovered most of his normal aplomb.

"I gather you want the Dominar and me to monitor for communications signals, in the normal manner."

"Yes and no."

I brought out a piece of equipment I'd managed to put together from some of the memories I filed away when I'd restored Crichton's memories.

"The communications could be quite primitive. This is a radio receiver. Works on electromagnetic waves."

Rygel took an immediate interest in it.

"Mmm. I believe I've heard of something similar used on one of my dominions. Now let me see."

I left him pressing buttons and turning knobs. The tension had been defused. I went back to our quarters. Scorpius wasn't there which didn't surprise me. He was still fine tuning the equipment on board Talyn. I got a cup of tisane and stretched out on the couch. The only thing I had still to do was check how Harvey was doing and I had to admit I would have liked to have bypassed that.

**********

Harvey was no where to be seen on the cargo bay. However the fruits of his labours were. I examined the primitive weapons. With the laser cutter he'd pieced together a credible facsimile of a Earth weapon. I just hoped they'd work. There was no sign of the projectiles for them so I presumed he was working on them somewhere else. There was no further reason to linger in the bay and I was just about to leave when a finger stroked the side of my chhek and my arms were imprisoned from behind.

"Harvey let me go!"

"Ah, why my dear Sareel should I? I'd like to see why Scorpius values you so much."

I tried a different tack just hoping some remnants of Crichton were lingering in the Harvey mix.

"Crichton remember what happened last time!"

"Nice try, but John, the pathetic human, is in total eclipse."

I wriggled but to little avail. I'm not very tall and the Crichton body was, and surprisingly strong. Try something else.

"Could you show me how you make the er... bullets for the guns?"

He was nibbling my ear.

"That will keep for later."

That was it. I'd exhausted the options and I hated having to do it, because it took lot out of me. Harvey suddenly found he was holding thin air and my glowing self was on the other side of the bay, where I rematerialised.

"Sorry Harvey. That sort of thing is totally out of the question."

He was looking a little bemused. Pointing at me where I now stood, by the exit.

"Just how do you do that?"

"I haven't got the slightest idea. I just can. And while we're on the subject watch this and remember the general and thelitigare."

I cut an empty box into neat pieces with melted edges.

Harvey whistled through his teeth. Some of John he'd evidently absorbed.

"You don't want to end up like that do you?"

"You would never do that to me. After all you need my expertise."

"To quote John, 'Do ya wanna bet?' Remember I've got a lot of his useful memories stored. I actually think you're dispensible!"

A sly look came over his face.

"But if you killed me then you'd never get your precious Crichton back!"

"I think the only person who finds him precious is Aeryn. The rest of us could manage very nicely without him." I thought, 'Forgive me Crichton, I had to bluff'.

He looked impassive.

"You really don't like me do you Sareel?"

"In a word, 'No'. You're a usurper and a frelling nuisance. Neither one thing nor the other."

He sniffed, "And the one person I thought would have been delighted to have seen me is avoiding me."

"Quite honestly, Harvey, you're an embarrassment to him. You were never meant to linger on after the chip was removed."

"Do you really think I would opt for oblivion after experiencing the delights of creative thought, after having a quest, even in this inferior brain. Oh no! The challenge was there. Survival!"

"Just get those bullets made and perhaps I won't tell Scorpius what you've been up to."

"He's disappointed me. Always believed he was a strong, self sufficient individual, then he sucumbs to you."

I laughed.

"I don't think it was from choice. I think his body chemistry finally came into the picture."

I left smiling, he'd been right over that point. I though it highly unlikely Scorpius would have actively sought a permanent companion, his technicians sufficed, as had been his first intent with me. Somewhere along the line a subtle change had infiltrated the relationship.

The lounge was deserted when I got back so I went up to command and was just in time to see Stark furtively leaving. There was more and more. a feeling of unease when I came into contact with him. A feeling that his presence tainted the surroundings. Brushing that to one side I raised Crais on Talyn.

"How are your preparations going?"

"Talyn's been explaining how Scorpius's little box of tricks works. Quite impressive!"

"You're feeling better then?"

"If only they'd bothered to explain I wouldn't have felt left out."

"They probably were too focussed on the problem to even realise you were there. It's happened to me. I ignored Scorpius for a week once when I'd got my teeth into a problem. Only he understood."

"Are we ready for tomorrow night?"

"As far as I can tell, everything is proceeding to plan."

"That in itself worries me. Things previously have seldom gone to plan."

"But you never had Scorpius doing the planning before."

"True. Crichton seemed to have the unfortunate knack of misreading situations."

He looked serious.

"Will we ever get Crichton back?"

"If we get out of this ...well, shall I say problem, then my first priority is to go to the body library and find Harvey a suitable host. Then I hope I can restore Crichton."

"Is there nothing Scorpius can do?"

"He hasn't got the link I have with Crichton. Remember, I've helped to put him back together once before."

"All we've got to do is get back to our own time then. Oh why am I getting the feeling Sareel, that that's a tall order?"
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