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English
Series:
Part 1 of Peace
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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-04
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1,556
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1/1
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10
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Peace

Summary:

Aeryn and Crichton quarrel. Again. Unable to shake off his bad mood Crichton searches for a suitable planet then decides to take the pod down alone. Out of curiosity Aeryn goes too.

Work Text:

PEACE
Written by Alison M. DOBELL


Aeryn Sun watched the actions of the human dumbfounded. He had told her it was not necessary for her to accompany him down to the planet. That there was nothing of interest down there. She would be bored. Aeryn had not believed him. She wanted to know why he wanted to go there. Why he had described the planet as perfect when Pilot had told him about it. They had been quarrelling again only this time a lot of things had been said that should not have been said. Words that could not be taken back by either of them. Aeryn had fumed and been an unbearable pain in the ass for several solar days and Crichton just needed to get away. Anywhere. He had descended into a dark fugue from which nothing and no one could shake him. Until they came across the planet. He was still barely speaking to her but Crichton being Crichton he could not bring himself to completely ignore her.

Aeryn gave him a belligerent look as he got ready to leave Moya. "I'm coming too. Don't try to stop me."

He did not look at her. Did not nod. "Fine."

It was all he said. D'Argo and Chiana watched them leave. "They will either kill each other or come back as if nothing has happened."

Chiana chuckled. "Who cares just so long as they come back?"

D'Argo made a face. "I care, Chiana. I cannot stand another arn of their bickering. If they haven't sorted themselves out by the time they come back to Moya I suggest we leave them there."

"Ah, you don't mean that D'Argo."

D'Argo snorted darkly at her and Chiana decided not to pursue the subject.

Aeryn and Crichton went down to the planet in silence. Aeryn was curious, Crichton making no comments or observations at all. She had rarely known him this quiet. When the pod landed she was shocked to find it just as Crichton had described it. A vast barren planet with nothing on it but rocks and boulders. Aeryn turned around slowly.

"There's nothing here."

Crichton was frowning, not looking at her. "Yes, there is." He pointed to the boulders. "Told you you'd be bored."

She did not respond. Wanted to see what in hezmana he was going to do in this wasteland. To her surprise he stripped off his jacket and vest and neatly folded them on the ground by the pod. She frowned wondering why he wanted to be bare chested. It was not cold but neither was it particularly warm. Certainly not warm enough to remove any clothing. She watched him as he walked away from her, his hands on his hips. He was looking slowly around him.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing Aeryn."

She could feel herself getting irritated. "You can do nothing back on Moya. Let's go back."

He half turned. "No, I'm staying here for a while. You go back. Take the transport, I'll call Moya when I'm ready to come back."

Call Moya, not her she noted. Her frown deepened. "There's nothing down here but rocks, Crichton."

He did not look back at her. "Yeah. It's perfect."

Aeryn shook her head, not undertanding what the yotz had gotten into him. Confused she decided to stay and watch him. Unwilling to return alone, to leave him on this inhospital planet. It might look empty, deserted and harmless but that did not mean it was. Crichton ignored her and went back to looking around, picking his way through the planetary rubble until he found what he was looking for. A clearing that was completely free of rocks and boulders. It was about two dozen metras across. He nodded to himself.

Aeryn watched in silence as Crichton walked over to a fairly large boulder and tried to lift it. What was he doing? He managed to pick it up and carried it slowly over to the clearing. Only when he got roughly to the middle of the clearing did he carefully set it down. To watch him you would have thought he was handling china not rock. He took a deep breath then walked back to the rocks and picked out another one. Aeryn watched stunned. He toiled arn after arn, keeping a steady pace and gradually building up a growing pyramid of rocks and stone. Sweat glistened off his chest, neck and face. The exertion tiring him but not stopping him. Aeryn frowned, wondering what the yotz he intended to do with them. Perhaps he was going to make something? But what? At last he stopped for a microt, bent over, hands on his knees as he breathed deeply. He looked very tired now but also something else. Something more illusive. The determination was still there but the frown had gone. He looked calmer. More relaxed. He actually gave her a small smile. The first sign of his returning good humour since their row.

Then Crichton's smile vanished and he went back to work, now moving the rocks and boulders one by one back to the places he had taken them from. Aeryn's mouth dropped open. Stunned. He was completely and utterly fahrbot. Tinked. For once she was too surprised to speak. She watched in silence and though he had to be getting more and more tired he did not slacken pace,
did not stop until the very last boulder was back in its' place. Sweat shone on his skin. Weariness clung to his every movement yet he carried it with a certain grace like a badge of honour. He looked strangely at peace and calm. For some reason he reminded her of Zhaan. Crichton caught her looking at him and smiled as he walked back to the pod. He paused and looked into her worried face, reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair gently behind her ear. She held her breath. He smiled gently. The angry, cross, enraged Crichton she had been fighting with had gone. The easy going, gentle sometime lover was back.

"I told you that you'd be bored, Aeryn."

"What was that all about?"

He paused. His expression so calm it was fascinating her because there was no trace of the strong emotions that had so recently sparked between them and threatened their relationship. "I lost my centre, Aeryn. Needed to get it back again."

She frowned. "And this pointless exercise did that for you?"

He nodded, amused that she could be angry at her own confusion. It was so Aeryn he chuckled soflty.

"What," Said Aeryn slowly. "Was the point?"

"That's what Milarepa said."

"Who?"

He shook his head gently. "Never mind. He was a Chinese man - a race from Earth. He asked the same question of his master. As confused as you about why his master should insist he toil at such a seemingly pointless task over and over again. Milarepa continued to toil until everything finally fell into place."

"Fell into place?"

Crichton reached out to touch her face. Her eyes glued to him, looking for clues, trying to understand this gentle but complex man. He leaned towards her and kissed her gently. His touch all too brief for her liking. "Come on, Sunshine. What do you say we go back to Moya?" He smiled his broadest smile yet. "There's nothing here but a pile of old rocks."

She laughed and shook her head. "That's what I told you."

He nodded and put his vest back on but carried his jacket. They walked towards the landing pod, their quarrel forgotten behind them.

"When we get back to Moya you can tell me all about Marparpa."

"Milerepa, Aeryn. His name is Milarepa. It means *O what a man*."

She stopped and looked at him to see if he was making fun of her.

"What? You think I picked the name out of a hat?"

She snorted. Crichton laughed.

"If you don't get the rocks, Aeryn, you sure as hell won't understand Milarepa. He became a respected Chinese sage. A wise man."

"You did this to find wisdom?"

"No." He shook his head gently. "No, Aeryn, to find peace."

Silent for a microt, Aeryn looked back at the planet. There was nothing. No birds. No animals. No trees. Not even a stream or pool. Just rocks. At last she thought she was beginning to understand. "You brought your anger here." She said softly, as if the thought surprised her.

He said nothing. He was watching her closely. Aeryn was still looking at the rocks and boulders. She turned to face him, her look challenging him to say she was wrong.

"Yes, Aeryn. I brought my anger here and," He pointed to the boulders he had spent all day moving. "I left it here. Behind me."

She nodded. Understood. It all fell into place. Mentally Aeryn decided to ask Pilot to quietly log this place in Moya's charts just in case. After all. She had her punch bag to let off steam. It was only fair to let Crichton have his rocks. She smiled back at him. It was worth it if it gave him peace....


END

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