Part 1

"I thought that Scorpie woulda been here to take control of this."

"So did I son, but he's been getting more withdrawn each day that passes."

Jack was assembling the unit which was to ensure the ultimate destruction of the asteroid.

"Pass the expander."

"Sareel's gone with Harvey."

"Probably that's for the best. At least he absorbed some of your better points and I think he's got a soft spot for her."

"You're joking?"

"No he looks at her with a great deal of affection. Prelians can be very affectionate so I'm told."

"Oh boy. Poor ol' Harvey. His first crush."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't more than that. Even a striped face and whiskers can't disguise that look."

John chuckled.

"At least there's a glimmer of something pleasant in the whole mess. Say Dad how much longer before we initiate this thing?"

"You should know."

"Well I seem not to be able to access the bit that tells me how close or how far."

"That beast's got to come at least a hundred thousand kilometres closer before the optimum range. Fancy a cup of coffee?"

"The canteen makes Mississippi mud. The Sebbacians can't seem to get the hang of brewing a good cup."

"Ever thought they may like it like that?"

Crichton shuddered.

"Heaven help us if they do."

Jack filled a glass beaker with water and fished out a blue disc from under the equipment . He pressed a button and it began to glow.

"Beats bunsens! The sugar's in the cupboard behind you, next to the polypeptides."

"What the hell do you use those for?"

"New neural interface for computers. Do you realise if we'd had half the computing power on this base we could have had an interplanetary ships years ago?"

"Didn't think you were interested in computers?"

Jack laughed.

"They grow on you. With these new interfaces almost literally."

John ran a finger along the bench.

"Tell me one thing, Dad. Is this gonna work?"

Jack shook his head.

"Can't be certain about anything. I've learnt that over the years, but this has a ninety per cent chance of success or so the computer prediction assures me.

"I'm not even gong to think about the ten per cent."

"Sensible, I don't. Stick the coffee in the mugs, the water's boiling."

The resulting brew smelled as good as instant coffee can.

"Dried milk and coffee whitener are in the same cupboard as the sugar."

"What happens when we run out?"

Jack clapped him on the back.

"Shouldn't happen for a year or two. They found a warehouse down below which was full of the crates of both. The real stuff's like gold up here, I gather there aren't too many dairy herd's just yet."

John screwed up a connector in between taking sips of his coffee.

"Wonder why the Scarrans haven't got a wormhole yet?"

Jack looked at him quizically.

"What makes you think that? They got here didn't they? What puzzles me is why they didn't use it again."

"Frell, that's a blow. Never really thought it out."

"Anyway there's a more pressing problem. Crais and Talyn have just returned with the severely damaged remnants of our second space batallion."

"I thought we had the drop on them with the wormhole."

"We all thought so, but they surprise us every time. Just appear from nowhere and uncloak."

"Hell you mean shades of Startrek?"

"Yeah, Klingons strike again only this time it's the Scarrans and we haven't got the technology or the detection equipment to counter it. Harvey's going through all the data we have but there's little joy as yet."

John scratched his head.

"You got a mole?"

Jack shook his head.

"No don't think so. No somehow they can detect when a wormhole is about to appear. Something alters in the fabric of space and the bastards can detect that or so we believe. But what it is we haven't a clue."
"So what happens now?"

"No more missions until further notice. Get the construction base on the Moon up and running, consolidate."

"What does Scorpie say?"

"He seemed not to be interested. Tell you son I think he's losing it completely."

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

I was a great deal improved, the blackouts becoming less frequent as time went on. Romde had proved invaluable an much to my surprise Saturnus had also provided support. The greatest surprise had been Harvey who turned out to be a real dear. Perhaps it was something about the immaculately groomed fur or the way he twirled his whiskers and tail when he was pleased. I was less inspired by his choice of clothes which I felt verged on the garish. He blamed this on Crichton's choice of leisurewear at least when he shared his head with him. Anyway, I was making my way through reams of wormhole data with his chief tech and a scientist. No longer under pressure from anyone. Even the rapidly growing erago which was making me eat as if it had gone out of fashion was no longer a problem. When that was due to emerge I had a meeting booked with the base's surgeon. I was curious about Scorpius, well we'd been close for quite a while and you do maintain a certain curiosity about how they're faring, and had been told that he was now virtually unapproachable. I couldn't say that I was surprised. There had been many times when we'd been together that he'd fallen into bouts of taciturn unapproachability. I'd rapidly learnt to leave him alone until he'd snapped out of them.

It was the end of the shift and I'd got a date playing kalink with Saturnus and Harvey. Romde had declined, saying that it was too intricate for her. I rang the tone on Harvey's door and the Prelian opened it. He held out his arms.

"Sareel. Do come in."

We hugged, something that I never experienced before. He assured me that it was natural for friends. Saturnus was already sitting by the table priming the game. He looked up as I came in and rotated his feelers, which was a greeting too.

"Hi Saturnus. Ready for a whipping?"

Harvey looked up to the ceiling in exasperation.

"You've been around Crichton too long."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. Have a seat and we'll begin."

We cast for start and I won. I played the fool's entry and sat back and waited.

"What's this I hear about Scorpius going into a decline?"

Harvey rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"Too much Crichton, Saturnus. Far too much."

"Now look you two, I was out of the game most of the time I was coming home on Moya."

"I rest my case."

Saturnus touched my arm.

"Your turn."

He'd moved a Pilachian gambit and my little piece was surrounded on three sides in the hologram. Harvey had sided with him. I studied the hologram for a microt or two before I made my move.

"That's not allowed."

I raised my brows.

"Since when?"

"The Antoforal rules state that move isn't allowed."

I murmured softly, "Tell me when we agreed on a rule set?"

He and Saturnus looked at one another before Saturnus shook his head.

"She's got us there my friend."

"Typically Scorpius, Sareel. How's that bit doing?"

"Extremely well thank you Harv."

"This really is like the old times with Crichton."

I glared at him.

"You still haven't told me about Scorpius."

Harvey spread his hands.

"What is there to tell? Only that he becomes more withdrawn day by day. Now what shall I do? If there are no rules, then I'll try this."

I chuckled.

"I shall call that the Scarran move."

"Meaning cloaked in secrecy."

"Not in good taste Sareel. We lost a lot of people in that last attack."

"I'm sorry, but that's hardly my fault is it?"

Saturnus twitched his feelers.

"Do you no longer feel any attachment for these people?"

"Would you be surprised I said not a lot?"

Harvey's look said that he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

"I was told Furlow was on Earth. Is that true."

Harvey nodded.

"Yes and five hundred cyborgs which I understand you have to prime before they are ready to use."

"Well there's nor much chance of being able to use them until we stop telling the Scarrans where we're going to emerge."

"We running through all the data we have as you know."

"I suggest you get her up here to help. It's surprising exactly what she does know."

Saturnus blinked his multifacted eyes.

"From what I have heard about this female she's not trustworthy. A security risk."

"The only thing about Furlow that you need to realise is that she's had a hard life and her first concern is her own welfare. Now how she does that has been in many ways, dubious, but I really don't feel too much blame rests on her for that."

Part 2

"Just another half hour and we can initiate the wormhole. I think you should do that Scorpius."

"Pardon? Were you speaking to me?"

"I thought you might like to initiate the wormhole."

The scientist looked rather vague.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was on another train of thought completely. No Jack, your sifting throught the data brought it about, it's only right that you should do it. Or perhaps John. He had an obsession with wormholes you know."

Jack grinned.

"I know that. Gave you the run around with all that data."

"It seems so irrelevant now that we're actually in the middle of the war. It's puzzling me."

John walked from the back of the main lab.

"What's puzzling you Scorpie?"

"Why the Scarrans only seemed to have used a wormhole once and that was against your planet."

"I'd say it was pure co-incidence. They found out about earth from the time they captured me. I've been a thorn in their side, they didn't fare any better at getting the wormhole tech from me than you did and they had their revenge."

"Sebbeus Prime would have been a far more sensible target."

"Look perhaps they weren't ready to start an all out offensive. Perhaps they were trying out their systems."

"Perhaps."

Braca came in and murmured something in his ear and he left the lab behind his aide.

Crichton put his arm round his dad's shoulder.

"Tell you what, he's never been as uninterested in things as he is at the moment. That's been the one thing I did admire about him. His single minded dedication to his dream. Just look what that woman's done to him."

Jack gave his son an old fashioned look.

"You sure it's due to Sareel?"

"Well he was OK until she did a runner."

"I think there's more to it than that. But you're right over one thing, he'd never admit it neither is he going to tell us what he's up to."

"Aw dad he's falling to pieces not scheming. I know the symptoms."

"Guess you do son. You wanna press that button?"

"You should, it was your work."

"We can't stand here arguing about it. You do it. I'll put out the warning through the comm system and inform d'Argo."

"I'm starting to miss the big guy."

"Well if this works you'll be down there with them tomorrow."

"If not?"

"If not, oblivion for earth."

"Tell me when to start the countdown."

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

Scorpius closed the door after he'd entered his quarters and engaged the privacy mode. Urana was sitting on his chair, her legs curled under her, with Rool in her arms.

"You have a message from Ak Ba, Fey?"

"Yes. Are you sure you want to hear it Scorpius?"

"Even disturbing news once evaluated has a place."

"Mmm. I'm not sure about that. Oh do sit down you look awkward standing there."

He sat down in what had been Sareel's chair.

"When are you going to get some more comfortable furniture?"

"Comfort has never be an essential to me."

"Not wonder Sareel left. Ugh this place gives me the creeps."

Irritation crossed his face briefly but he hid it. Urana noticed and smiled.

"Here have an ogroop. He wants to come to you."

"I'd rather not."

"Oh for Gletz sake Scorpius, he likes you. You should be honoured. They're very fussy about who they like."

The scaly headed animal jumped across to Scorpius's lap and curled up on it. Giving a contented growl it appeared to go to sleep.

"Urana, I'm being extremely restrained and I feel far from patient at the microt. Please get on with it."

"Well you know the matter you broached the other day."

"Yes. You have something for me?"

"That's what you're not going to like. The answer was it's happened before. The Elders searched the annals and it appears to happen every two or three thousand cycles."

"I take it we're in the window?"

He'd absently started scratching behind Rool's ear discs. The animal twitched slightly but slept on.

"Cycle two thousand and forty nine to be exact. Have a pecan."

She proffered a small box of nuts. Scorpius wondered where she kept all the things that she kept producing. They appeared to come from thin air. He shook his head.

"No thank you. And Ak Ba?"

"Well that's strange too. Seem that the Scarrans who went through the wormhole to Earth are becoming ill. Some sort of bone disorder."

Scorpius gave a wild laugh and the Fey looked shocked.

"Scorpius, for goodness sake, this is most unlike you."

"It's the irony. All the trouble, the barbs I endured from the Peacekeepers and I needn't have worried. That's why they didn't use the wormhole again."

"There's more. Seems that the Scarran birthrate's dropping alarmingly. They suspect some form of induced pathogen."

He looked serious.

"Then I presume..."

"That they've put a great deal of resources into hybrid research. "

"That's put an extremely disturbing face on things."

"They'll certainly want to get the war over as fast as possible, get as many species as possible under their control and try integraging resistant genetic material in to their own. Ak Ba says they seem to have no idea about the source."

"Oh that appears obvious. The Nebari. There was a lot of talk about them developing a species lethal virus and the Sebbacians thought it was aimed against them. They always have been a territorial species."

"Sareel had better look out!"

"Why do you mention her?"

"Oh come on Scorpius, you are dull today. She's the one person I can think of who's successfully carrying at least three set of genetics codes. Well parts of them at least. You were really successful at integrating them."

Her smooth brow furrowed.

"Oh dear. You've done something that they can't do. I hope they don't know about it."

There was silence.

"I'm not too sure that Sareel knows exactly what I did after the bloodlust episode."

"You really ought to tell her you know."

"I'm never likely to get the chance now."

"So what do you propose to do?"

"I shall do what I discussed with you the other day."

She wrinkled her nose.

"Good luck then. You'll need it."

He handed Rool back to her.

"I'll go and make preparations."

"You think you can make the link."

"Urana, technically I seldom make mistakes. Believe me it'll work, but will she take any notice."

"I should think that she will. I doubt that even she could refuse you this."

"Tsch. Females!"

Urana grinned wickedly.

"You should get an ogroop Scorpius. Great company."

He gave her a sideways glance and unlocked the door and left. She buried her face in the ogroop's harsh fur.

"Now little one what did you sense?"

There was a shrill warbling from the ogroop.

"He feels so much. That's good. We'll settle him down yet."

She yawned and showed her neat pointed teeth.

"I do hate unhappy people!"

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

Much to my surprise I was given a bear hug of an embrace by Furlow when she arrived up on Gammak 2.

"My girl, I never thought to see you again. You loked so bad back on Moya."

"Well I appear to be recovering. Harvey's been a great help."

"The stripey one?"

"That's my Harv."

"Did you know that you sounded like Johhny boy then?"

I winced.

"Not you too."

"What d'you mean?"

"Well Harvey reckons that I've been picking up mannerisms and voice patterns from Crichton. It's all silly really. I've hardly seen him since the blood lust time."

"Blood lust? That sounds er... interesting."

"You don't want to know and I don't want to remember."

She patted the ever expanding bulge that was the erago.

"Junior behaving himself?"

"Junior's almost due to erupt. Saturnus thinks another couple of days and then I can get back to eating normal meals. At the microt I'm having to eat every hour or so just to keep up with its growth."

"I found out something about that species that's interesting."

I looked at her with expectation of having some mundane piece of information given me.

"Do tell."

"Give me a sec. Now really there're a couple of things."

She grinned.

"Did you know you're mummy to a extra universe being?"

"Not from this universe?"

"Not originally. They appear to have adapted though."

"Well if they all have natures like the one I met I hope they rapidly unadapt."

She shook her head.

"That seems to have been the bad one outa the pack. They're benign but with great powers of mimicry and perception."

It began to dawn on me what she was driving at.

"My sounding like Crichton. It's due to the erago."

"Looks like it."

"Oh well I'll get back to normal after it's left. That's a relief. I was a bit worried because it was something I wasn't conscious of doing."

"Wouldn't bank on that Sareel. I think it'd healed you too, perhaps as thanks for giving it haven."

"Go on surprise me."

"It's bound to have found your rather impressive data storage capacity and I reckon it's left you the mimicry bit as a present."

I was stunned.

"You mean I'll be able to sound like anyone I choose?"

"Er well there's something else."

"Look Furlow over the last couple of cycles I've met Scorpius, had implants put in my skull, even had a system similar to Scorpius's in my head to keep me alive, got had bloodlust, had my brain removed by archaic Scarrans and finally shot into a wormhole with Crichton and Scorpius which was said to be the ultimate link point for many other universes. Now apart from being made whole again in it and having all my diverse bits under my own control again, there's nothing special as far as I can see about this erago's contribution to my totally frelled genotype!"

"Sit down."

"I prefer to stand."

"Don't get hoity with me Sareel girl. Sit down, I don't want to have to pick you up."

She patted my swollen body, "Be difficult anyway."

I sat down full of trepidation.

"Now we know what you can do with your power focussing gismo. By the way have you got that back yet."

I nodded.

"It's weak but gets stronger day by day."

She was silent for a microt or two.

"Junior's ancestors were shape shifters and Saturnus thinks that the ability might have been reawakened."

"Oh so his baby boy will be able to look like the members of his Phalanx."

"Er he won't have it, you will. There's never been a surviving female carrier before and the ability passes through the link to the mother."

She grinned.

"It'll sure aid business."

I just sat there. Too much had happened in the recent past as I'd just told her and the idea that I'd have yet another 'gift' didn't go down very well. I seemed to be a magnet attracting all the esoteric scraps from the galaxy. Either that or a living experiment. I felt extremely angry and was about to let loose at Furlow when I was hit by a huge wave of pain. She noticed and came over.

"Get Harvey and Saturnus. Junior's just decided it's time to emerge."

Part 3

I went over to Gammak one first thing the next solar day and marched straight into the corridor where Scorpius had his quarters, brushing aside a surprised Braca on my way. The door lock hadn't been changed and I entered the code. The door slid open and I went in.

Scorpius turned as I entered.

"Sareel! I thought it was usual to ask for admission."

"Well I never used to have to, so what's changed?"

He looked a little bemused.

"I was hoping that you could tell me that."

"I want to know what's going on. Everyone's telling me that you're retreating into a very large shell. So what gives?"

"You're starting to sound like Crichton."

"Again so everyone keeps telling me. Stop evading the issue Scorpius."

"You have changed my dear. So forceful."

I viewed him carefully and I knew."

"You're up to something. Care to tell me what?"

He sighed.

"I had a feeling that some of my powers had gone over with the clone. I'm glad you came over. It saves me having to make a pretext to see you."

I sat down in his big comfortable chair and swung my legs over the arm.

"Elucidate Scorpius. I may get feelings and hints but I'm no mindreader."

He sat down in the other chair and told me exactly what was on his mind. I grinned broadly.

"They'll never know what hit them, but it's risky."

"Most actions do carry some element of risk, however this one is acceptable. You'll do that for me?"

"It will be my pleasure. Are you sure it's still working?"

"Shut your eyes and listen."

I did and I blushed.

"You don't?"

"Why not Sareel? A pleasant way for old friends to reunite?"

He could see I was diffident and reached out and touched my cheek. The old magic was still there, I couldn't deny his magnetism.

"And you're really in no hurry to return to Gammak two are you?"

"Furlow's sifting yet more data and covering for me. No I'm not in any hurry."

"Excellent! Then where to begin? It's been so long."

"How did we used to begin?"

"Oh a little like this!"

And he licked my forehead.

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

Chiana and Rygel were on Talyn. Crais was tetchy and they'd got out of command rather more swiftly than they'd anticipated.

"Hrmp! Why is he always like that when thinks don't go well? come to think of it he's always like that. Extremely short fuse."

Chiana shrugged her shoulders and peered at the Hynerean.

"I only came over to see if I could help. Shoulda know better. Learnt from experience."

She touched the organometal walls of the corridor where the main drive relays were housed.

"He sure took a pounding. It'll take a while to get him right again. Moya's fussing like only a mother can.

Rygel snorted.

"Don't ever remember my mother making a fuss of me."

He drew himself up to his full height which still wasn't very tall.

"Still I was different."

He brushed his whiskers.

"Being groomed to be the next ruler. No time for softness, had to learn discipline."

There was a misty look in his eyes.

"I should have liked someone to have made a fuss of me."

Chiana patted him on the head.

"We all like you Ryg. When you're nice that is!"

"I'm always nice."

"Hey I don't think so Dominar."

"Usually nice?"

She shook her head.

"Sometimes nice?"

"That's more like it. Now Moya said to reconnect the damaged oozotic fibres by the nodes. Any idea where they are?"

"If I remember rightly on Moya they're in the corridor leading to starburst chamber. It's indelibly engraved on my mind. Why is it everyone assumes I like going down small holes?"

They turned and started in the general direction of the starburst chamber.

"Perhaps it's because you're small."

"Huh! There's a saying I heard on earth. 'Good things come in small packages!' They got it right this time even if their food leaves a great deal to be desired."

"What's wrong with the food? I like it."

"I always said the Nebari were a species of little cultural and gastronomic importance."

"The way the elite organise our society do you wonder? Innovation isn't actually encouraged."

"The brain washing seems to extend to what you eat."

"Required nutrional elements for a diad are....."

"Spare me the menu. I think we're here."

They'd reached a part of the passageway where fluid was leaking from the walls. Chiana touched it tentatively and smelt it.

"Drexen. Watch out Ryg, we may start behaving strangely."

"I'm used to you all behaving strangely. Tell me something new."

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

"You let her go to the base? She's only a child, she needs to have her schooling, needs discipline."

Crais was furious to learn of Urana's departure for the base. Sout sighed.

"I suppose you've got to know sooner or later. She's not a child, Crais. She belongs to a species called Fey. They assume different bodies from time to time and she was finding it amusing to be a child. I can assure you that she knows a great deal more about most things than you or I do."

"She's playing games with you, making it up."

Sout shook his head.

"No. For a start she's well over a thousand cycles old. Secondly she's got an extremely well developed sex drive and three she loves causing mischief in the very nicest way."

Crais sat down heavily on a packing case in the Earth base drill yard.

"She must think me a fool."

"I can assure you that she doesn't. She's very grateful for the way you've protected her. Thinking that it gave you pleasure to do so."

"It does...did. Ever since I lost Tauvo I've really had no one to care for. She fulfilled a need."

"Doesn't prevent you from looking out for her, or having her as a friend, you know."

"I suppose not, but it'll seem strange."

Sout decided to change the subject.

"How long before Talyn's fully restored?"

"About two Earth months. Not that there's any immediate hurry. The Scarrans have got us bottled up here."

"I'd like to bet they think we've all been anihilated by that asteroid. They won't be expecting anything more from this quarter."

"It would make sense to stay low for a while. Give ourselves time to find out how they know we're coming and how they cloak their ships."

"We need a spy in the camp."

Crais snorted.

"That's about as likely as Scorpius falling in love."

"That's a strange statement to make. Don't you think he's capable of that type of emotion?"

"From what I've seen and heard of the Scarrans they don't rate attachments greatly."

"But Scorpius is half Sebbacian. What about his Sebbacian half?"

"He's never shown a great amount of emotion. A few short flashes of anger and then he's back to his normal self possessed self."

"And how would you rate the arachnopod, Natira then?"

"A plaything, something to satisfy a biological need, his lust."

"And Sareel?"

"The same. Only she served a purpose. He needed her. She's got a good brain. By the way how is she?"

"Virtually recovered I believe. Haven't seen much of her since she went to Gammak two. She's rid of that creature she was harbouring and back working at the base."

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

Harvey was not a happy Prelian. Furlow had told him where Sareel had gone and he'd growled his displeasure.

"Ain't anyone owns her you know Harvey. The sooner you all realise that the better. I doubt she'll let herself be trapped again."

Which hadn't made him feel one iota better. He was sitting in his quarters viciously punching in numbers on the holoimager. A map of space showing where the Scarrans had last appeared from nowhere formed. He punched in some more figures and a series of joined lines appeared like contours on a map. The areas joined showed the averaged density of space at those points. Harvey wound the image on until the first indication of the Scarran ships de-cloaking appeared. He went back a couple of frames.

"Frell! Another idea come to nothing."

He'd hoped that there would be some disturbance in the iso-density lines as the ships emerged but they stayed disconcertingly constant. He snorted in disgust and switched the instrument off. Sitting down in his extremely comfortable chair brought from Earth, he poured a glass of wine and peered morosely into it. It was one of the private habits that he'd acquired from Scorpius. Not thought sufficiently important to be blocked when the clone was inserted in Crichton's brain. The clear red liquid was vibrating gently, due to the proximity of the maing life support system. Harvey had found a nice private piece of the base that no one wanted and made it his own.. The nearness of the machinery troubled him not at all, indeed her found something comforting about the slight humming noise.

"I'm lonely! Scorpius was never lonely. Must have come from John. Sareel would have been perfect and I could have enjoyed caring for her. But no she has to go back to Scorpius. Just what kind of attraction does he have? Puzzles me and evidently wasn't part of my make up."

He often talked to himself in private. It was easier to work things out if you did it vocally. The depths of the wine glass developed a fascination and in the redness a face seemed to appear. He shook his striped head, but when he opened his eyes it was still there.

"I've been over doing it. Hallucinating now."

But the face melted into liquid to be replaced by a Scarran dreadnought de-cloaking. As he watched it he saw something that he'd not noticed on all the recordings he'd played back. Just before it decloaked there was a shimmering, transient but there. then the image was gone.

"I wonder, I just wonder."

A glimmer of an idea had come into his head and he decided to pursue it the next work period. Scorpius no doubt would have followed it up immediately. The Prelian grinned.

"But I'm not Scorpius and it's waited so long for solution a few more hours won't make much difference."

He selected some Mozart, he developed a liking for Human classical music, and sat back a little more contented than he'd been a few microts previously.

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

Chiana was enjoying herself in a bar in the now thriving town near the base. Since her return from the undercover work she'd bee unoccupied and bored. The humans found her attractive and cute and she was enjoying flirting outrageously with them. One or two of the women took her eye as well. Many Nebari were bi-sexual and a few hermaphrodite, they changed sex at a certain time of their lives, depending on the available number of mates. This was usually in small colonies where the numbers could fluctuate. It was a built in safety feature of the species. Anyway Chiana was letting her hair down.

"What're you drinking?"

"Jack Daniels, little lady. Like some?"

The speaker was a big bluff man and Chiana seemed to be about the same age as his daughter. Liquor and other things were freely available now as a transport sytem had been set up to bring items from other parts of the country. Not to mention the fact that a few ol wells were functioning remotely courtesy of the Sebbacian and other species technology and a local refinery had been partly restored. Organic chemicals were first on the list but some olefins were also produced, so the internal combustion engine was running along side antigravity sleds. There wern't a great number of folk left only a couple of million in the whole country, but life was getting slowly back to some semblance of normality. Areas were governed on a state by state basis and up to that time it was working well.

Chiana smiled at him.

"I'll try it."

He gave her a small glass containing the clear amber liquid. She threw it back as she'd seen the men do, and nearly choked. Spluttering she slipped onto the floor. The big man picked her up and sat her down beside him.

"What the frell's in that stuff? It's like chakkan oil."

"Gather that you don't drink that."

"You use in in pulse rifles."

"Potent stuff then. You'd be better on beer."

He signalled the girl at the bar.

"Hey Mary. How about another bottle and a beer for the girl. Don't know your name"

"Chiana, but you can call me Pip if you want. Crichton does."

"You from the base then? I heard tell that name before. He's a big cheese there I hear tell. He and his Pa stopped that big lump of rock from hitting us."

She nodded.

"All the others are busy but they can't find anything useful for me to do. I'm bored."

"What line of trade you in?"

She whispered in his ear and a grin spread from ear to ear on the big man's face.

"Think you and I are made for each other gal. My names Bill Stanton and how do you fancy starting a gambling joint?"

Chiana wrapped her arms round his neck.

"I fancy it a lot and you too."

Bill was a rough man but such an unabashed declaration made him a shade uncomfortable. He unwrapped her arms from round him.

"That's all well and good Pip, but don't you think it better discussed in private. My place say?"

She nodded and they stood up. She tucked her arm through his and they left the bar to the whistles and winks of the mainly male clientele, feeling better than she had in ages. Thing were starting to look up!

Part 4

Crais had been persuaded much againt his better judgement to go fishing with Jack.

"That ship of yours will wait another day. None of us are going anywhere in a hurry. The Scarrans have seen to that."

So he found himself a little way inland sitting on a river bank shaded by large trees holding a strange implement called a rod. Jack had shown him how to bait it and how to cast.

"What do you do with it now?"

"Do nothing, just watch for a bite."

"You sit and do nothing."

Jack lay back on the bank. The rods were propped up on rests and small alarms would tell them if they had a bite.

"Do nothing? How do you do nothing?"

"Well for a start sit down, stretch out and lie back in the sun and enjoy life."

"I daren't get too hot."

"Oh I forgot. Heat stroke or something can kill you. Well lie in the shade and doze."

"We call it the 'Living Death'. I've never just done nothing."

He peered at the lines lying still in the water.

"I don't think there's anything in there. We're not going to catch anything."

"Well if we do we do, if we don't we don't. It's fishing that matters not the fish."

Crais didn't see the logic in that but bowed to the Human's idea. He sighed and lay down under a big old tree. Unexpectedly he drifted off to sleep.

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

Gammak one was in uproar. Techs were standing round looking bewildered and Braca was in the main control room shouting at the officer in charge.

"What do you mean he's not here?"

"Sir he's nowhere on the base and there's no record of his leaving."

I walked out of the eleriser and straight into a furore. Braca made straight for me.

"He's gone."

"Who's gone?"

"Scorpius. He's not on base and there's no record of him having left."

"Oh."

Sareel this is serious. The chief scientist and base head disappears and all you can say is 'Oh'!"

I put my hands on my hips.

"Well what am I supposed to say. I'm not surprised he's gone. He has I''ve been told been a little withdrawn over the past few weeken. I suppose he wanted a change of scenery."

"How the frell did he leave the base without anyone knowing? That's what I want to know."
"You should know by now that Scorpius is extremely resourceful. Anyway nothing's going to fall to pieces. Harvey's doing the ongoing research with Furlow and Jack has things tied up pretty well on Gammak one."

"With your help of course."

"I don't think so. I'm going fishing."

I left him standing there with his mouth open. As I reached the exit I turned.

"Braca do close your mouth you could swallow a fly."

He stood stiffly to attention and saluted. I went to the main lab. Jack was busy with the latest batch of interfaces for the advanced computer. He looked up as I entered.

"Hi Sareel. Scorpius has gone so I'm told."

I sat down on a stool.

"It's chaos up there. I don't think they realised how much they relied on him."

"What can I do for you? Change of orders perhaps?"

I shook my head.

"No things carry on as they are. Actually you remember you were going to teach me to fish?"

"Yes and you couldn't at that time."

"Well I've swotted up on how to do it. May I borrow your rod?"

"Of course, but a book won't be of much help. You need to know the best places."

"I thought I'd go to Jonas Creek."

That was a tributary about twenty miles from Norfolk. Urana had found out from Jimmie's father that it was considered on of the best fishing holes before the Scarran invasion. I had no reason to assume that anything would have changed because of them."

Jack went into a store room and came back with the rod in its case.

"Here you are. Are you OK for bait?"

"I've got that waiting at the base. Don't worry, I think I've thought of everything."

He stood behind me.

"Take care Sareel and tell Scorpius to be careful too."

"I don't know what you mean."

He turned me round.

"Oh I think you do. Scorpius is not the person to suffer a mental decline otherwise he'd have succumbed cycles ago. Whatever plan he's concocted with your help will I know carry more than a slight element of risk."

I opened my mouth to deny everything, but he put a finger on my lips.

"No. Say nothing. We need every bit of help we can get at this moment. I don't have to tell you that until we can solve the problem of the Scarrans cloaking their vessels, we can't go to the help of the rest of the fleet. Information is of the utmost necessity."

Unexpectedly he dropped a kiss on my forehead.

"Enjoy your 'fishing' and I hope you catch something."

Remembering what Harvey had said about friends hugging I did. He looked mildly surprised and handed me the rod.

"I gather you know nothing about Scorpius's 'disappearance'?"

"Not a thing."

"Nor do I then."

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

Jason's Creek was a loop in the small river where a deep pool had been eroded. Jimmie's father, a fount of fishing wisdom had told me that bream and small mouth bass were usally regular takers.

"Those suckers can come on like a swarm of bees!"

So I'd got a small box containing flies that I'd painstakingly made under his guidance, I'd never realised that something as deceptively simple as a fishing lure needed such skill in its fabrication. I must have made over a dozen and yet he pronounced only six useable.

"Look girl. You haven't got the lie of the feather right. Them smallmouth's not fools you know. They'd see that weren't no real fly right away."

He'd patted me on the head and added with a grin.

"Ain't bad for a first go though. Must be all that scientific whatsit you do up there."

I wasn't actually going to catch fish but it made a good cover and if I did actually hook one then it would make a good supper dish. Fish had become quite popular on the bases due to the efforts of a couple of brothers with an inshore fishing boat who saw it as their new livelihood. They'd previously been car mechanics. The water in the creek was dappled with sunlight filtering through the branches of the big old trees that shaded the banks. Ther was the hum of insect life and the occasional rustle as some snmall animal carried out its business. The plant and indigenous animal life had made a resurgence after the decimation of the Human population as the partially overgrown highways had shown as I flew my prowler over them. So I spread out my sleeping roll, cast a fly and left the rod perched on a stand with a bit alarm on it. I'd know if a fish actually took the lure. There was nothing else to do other than lie back and drowse and listen to the hypnotic sound of birds and insects.

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

"What do you mean, she's gone fishing?"

Jack swivelled round on his stool,

"Just that. Borrowed my rod and off she went."

"What's up with her. The chief scientist and nominal head of this unit disappears and she calmly goes fishing."

"Yeah Dad, big D's got a point. From what you say she's acting as if she doesn't care that he's disappeared."

"Son give it some thought. Maybe she doesn't."

Aeryn was sitting on another stool by the holoimager.

"And maybe she does. Maybe she knows exactly where he is and what he's doing. Scorpius has never done anything yet without good reason. Well from his point of view, I know you may not agree John."

"I really didn't appreciate him trying to make scrambled eggs with my brain, but you're right. He's planned this like a covert op. Fed us all a line and we believed it."

He clapped his hand to his head.

"Why didn't I think of it before?"

"What?"

"One two baffle the crew, three four knock on that door, five six, Urana's up to her tricks!"

"Exactly what did all that mean?"

Aeryn shook her head.

"About as much as it usually does. And why Urana?"

Jack answered her.

"She came to see Scorpius the other day. Complete with ogroop. After that he just seemed to get even more withdrawn."

D'Argo snorted.

"Then we get her to tell us what's going on."

Crichton started laughing wildly.

"Ask Urana for a straight answer? That's like asking the CIA for the truth. Oh boy you've got that one all wrong d'Argo."

Aeryn smiled.

"Try Sout. He seems to be her favourite. Perhaps he can find out."

"Great Aeryn. But would he tell? Suran Da and the big secret society scene. He doesn't exactly like me."

"How do you know that?"

"Feeling. Sorta prickly feeling in the back of my neck as if he's probing. And I feel he thinks I've made wrong decisions."

His father chuckled.

"And you haven't of course?"

"Always tried to do my best."

"From your point of view son. Which may not have been anyone elses. You always were a believer in black and white. Grey was a no no. I've learnt from experience that things aren't always what they seem to be. The lessons were sometimes painful but they stuck."

"Crichton's a slow learner Jack."

"Yeah well. I was right about how lethal wormholes can be. You've proved that yourself."

"So if the Scarrans can't use them why all the fuss from the guardian of the Eye of Infinity?"

Aeryn looked bemused. There was a couple of seconds silence before d'Argo rumbled, "There may be worse out there than the Scarrans. We've been so occupied with them that we may have overlooked others."

"Aw come on d'Argo. Who else have we met who was worse than the Scarrans?"

Realisation dawned on his face.

"We've met two creatures who can melt away and reform. Can they also be multidimensional?"

"It's possible John."

Crichton sat down heavily on a stool.

"Are there more of them do you think. Could the cookie jar be full of worms?"

"You're assuming if more exist that they're all bad."

"Well they're both mad."

"Granted."

"One feeds on misery and fear. The other is supposed to help the dying to what? Heaven or hell?"

Jack was at a loss in this conversation.

"Can anyone explain what the hell you're all talking about?"

Aeryn turned to face him.

"You can be thankful you never met them."

"Huh well Maldis at least. Stark had some good points."

"Well if he did John I never noticed them."

"Oh I forgot he had the hots for you."

"It was most unpleasant the way he rubbed up to me."

Crichton looked rueful.

"Lucky guy! You're still avoiding me like I'd got hickeys! Am I using the the wrong brand of shower gel or something?"

"Crichton! Just leave it."

"Hell I've been leaving it for monen and it's driving me crazy."

The others were a little embarrassed at John's outburst and Jack finally broke the icy silence.

"Son. A word with you in private."