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Part 29 of Aftermath
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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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2020-11-04
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Bait

Summary:

Scorpius springs his trap. D'Argo faces up to some painful home truths. It is time to pay the piper.

Work Text:

Aftermath 29: Bait
A "Farscape" slash story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
* * * * *


Zarok was patient, using the time they had to check the collar. Add a few little refinements to the one they had prepared for Chiana. They were close now, very close. He looked at Orla and gave a slight incline of his head. Nothing could be allowed to interfere this time. Not the leviathan, not her crew, not even Scorpius. They would bide their time and then they would take back what was theirs. Zarok watched Scorpius, was vaguely curious about his single minded determination to capture the human but was grateful also for the distraction. While he trusted Scorpius to keep his word and give him the leviathan he did not want anything to go wrong this time.

* * * * *

Aeryn kept up with him easily but nothing she said stopped Crichton's mad dash. She was getting frustrated with him. "Will you slow down a microt, John?"

He slowed enough to look back at her, his face anxious. "Whoever is out there in that pod may not have a microt, Aeryn."

She stopped, surprising him into stopping as well. "Then there's no hurry, is there?"

He gave her an incredulous look. Neither noticed that the DRD had followed them. "Aeryn, this is neither the time nor the place..."

"Yes, yes it is the time and the place. Don't you see? That pod came from Moya."

"I know, Aeryn..."

She closed up to him, eyes searching his, willing him to listen to her just this once. "John. This is a trap."

"You don't know that Aeryn. Besides, there's nothing else out here - you heard Pilot."

"Yes, and I also heard him saying he could not understand what one of Moya's lifepods was doing out here or why it should be broadcasting a distress signal on an Erp frequency."

He did not correct her pronunciation. "Maybe Moya's wrong, maybe it just *looks* like one of her pods..."

Aeryn was shaking her head. "John, listen to yourself. Moya is biomechanoid. The pods are part of her. It would be like you losing an arm then not recognising it again."

He looked at her for a moment then looked down as the little droid bumped his shoe. "Not now Artoo."

Aeryn frowned and noticed the DRD. "Artoo?"

"Yeah, you suggested I give him a name so I named him after the little guy in Star Wars. The *real* hero." He waved the reference away and started to carry on walking briskly in the direction of his module. "We're wasting time, I'll go check - you keep a close monitor..."

Aeryn shook her head and broke into a run to catch him up, matching his pace. When it came to being stubborn Sebacceans could easily give Humans a run for their money. "If I can't talk any sense into you I'm coming with you."

They skidded to another halt. He looked exasperated. "Aeryn, the module will only take one."

She grinned insincerely. "That's why we're taking the transport pod."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard, now are you going to get suited up or do I do this myself?"

He looked at her in disbelief then saw that she was absolutely serious. He watched her grab a EVA suit and quickly climb into it.

"Aeryn, what are you doing?"

"Coming with you."

"It's not necessary for us both to go out there..."

She looked at him a moment, helmet in hand. "But you still want to go out there, don't you?" She said quietly.

"Yeah. I have to know."

She nodded, her voice suddenly curt. "Then suit up, we don't have much time and neither does whoever is inside that pod."

Quickly he grabbed a suit and hurried to catch up with her as she stode off to the transport the little DRD at his heels. He climbed in behind her and started to get into his suit as Aeryn went through a rapid preflight check. "You know," He mumbled. "I'm surprised you didn't want to take your prowler."

Aeryn did not look at him as she replied. "Don't think it didn't cross my mind but the prowler's only big enough for two. If this works we'll be bringing someone else back with us."

That silenced him. He nodded at her logic and put his helmet on. *If this works*. Crichton said a prayer to whatever Gods watched over this part of uncharted space that whoever was in that pod was still alive. Hang on whoever you are. The cavalry's on its' way

* * * * *

Jothee had plenty of time to think inside the pod. It was hot, cramped and he had to fight to keep back the growing sense of panic. Panic that he would run out of oxygen before anyone found him. Panic that he would not and would have to face the shame and fury of his father. Panic that Scorpius would not keep his word. His whole world had reduced to this one single microt. This one little pathetic capsule. One word. Panic. He had plenty of time after the pod was jettisoned and the Command Carrier left him to think about what he had done. He was not proud of himself but then none of this was his fault. He had not asked to be rescued the first time. He had not asked for anything that had happened since. Why should he feel any allegiance towards Crichton? The man meant nothing to him and it galled him that he meant so much to his father. His father. Pah. He turned his head and tried to pretend that he had no feelings on that score as well but he was wrong. Who was he kidding? Whatever he might say to Ka D'Argo's face, he loved his father. He just could not understand him. Resented being expected to be like him. He was not him. Would never be him. He was a half-breed, neither Luxan nor Sebaccean.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. He missed his mother, Lolaan. Though his memories of her were distant they were all the love he had ever known. He thought he would find solace in Chiana's arms but found he was simply being used. It was all anyone ever wanted of him. A bargaining chip. Bait so they could use him to get something they *wanted*. He was not wanted, not even by his father. His father was driven by guilt not love. Even this human, Crichton, had not traded himself to free Jothee out of love or any regard for him personally. How could he? He did not even know him. No. Crichton had done so for his own selfish reasons. That Jothee did not know what those reasons could be was not the point. Everyone he had ever met acted out of no more than their own self interests. Why should Crichton be any different? Yet the human was strange, not like any species he had ever met before. He shook his head, unable to crack the conundrum and unwilling to spend any more time or energy on trying. He just wanted to be left alone. Free. Unmolested. Why was that so much to ask?

* * * * *

D'Argo was unhappy, anxious. He could not stop pacing up and down command. His impatience was irritating Rygel. "Will you stop that?"

The Luxan paused to snarl at the Dominar. "I will pace if I wish to pace." He swung his head round and glared at the others. "What is taking John and Aeryn so frelling long?"

Zhaan tried to calm him. "They are approaching the pod with caution, D'Argo, just in case it is not what it seems."

"Not what it seems? Pilot and Moya have identified it as one of her escape pods, what else could it be?"

"D'Argo, I think what Zhaan is trying to say is not that the pod isn't a pod.....we can all see that....but what's INSIDE the pod? You know?"

Rygel cleared his throat. "I don't like it. I say we blow it up and get the yotz out of here."

D'Argo glared at him, his voice dark. "No one's asking for your opinion."

"No, but I'm giving it just the same. We are making a mistake." He paused. "When will you people ever learn? This pod should *not* be here. Which means someone put it here. If that someone was not any of us then it was someone else. Someone who *wants* us to find it."

The Luxan looked at him for a moment. All of them had fallen silent, thinking about the Hynerian's words. Zhaan inclined her head towards him. "We thank you for your caution, Rygel."

"Yes," He said gruffly. "But you don't intend to listen, do you?"

"Yeah, well John's already checking it out..." Said Chiana.

"That's what's worrying me." Grumbled Rygel softly.

"You? Worried about John?" Sneered D'Argo.

Rygel narrowed his eyes. "Yes. I don't like this and I don't like the fact that the transmission is aimed at him. Whoever did this has targeted the human, and as annoying and frustrating as he may be I do not wish to see him come to harm."

Everybody fell silent.

"Pilot?"

The figure in the clamshell looked up from his controls at the tiny Dominar. "Yes, Rygel?"

"Is Moya missing anything else besides an escape pod?"

"What are you suggesting?" Said D'Argo.

Rygel spun his throne sled round to face the Luxan. For once his tone was not confrontational. "I am not suggesting anything. Just being cautious."

Pilot's face took on a look of concern. Zhaan leaned forward, worried. "What is it Pilot?"

"Yes something or rather someone *is* missing. How did you know?"

Chiana tilted her head back and forth between Pilot and Rygel. "Know? Know what?"

"Jothee is missing..."

A look of total anguish and disbelief came over D'Argo's face. "Oh no, not Jothee!"

Rygel did not look surprised. Chiana was watching him closely. "You knew, didn't you? You knew but you weren't going to tell."

"I did not *know*." Rygel sighed. "I suspected."

D'Argo gave him an incredulous look, tears in his eyes. "You *suspected*?"

The Hynerian Dominar looked uncomfortable. Sad. "You have not seen it, D'Argo. The look on Jothee's face."

"What look? What the hezmana are you talking about?"

Zhaan seemed to pick up the words as yet unspoken. "That doesn't matter now, what matters is getting Jothee back."

D'Argo ignored her. He was looking at Rygel. "I want to know what the Hynerian meant."

"Jothee does not like John, he hates him."

"Untrue!" Yelled D'Argo fiercely. "He had every reason to be in his debt."

"Yes," Hissed Rygel. "In his *debt*." He paused to let the words sink in. "How do you think he felt when he was returned to you and all you could talk about was how much you owed John? Not how much you loved your son."

"He knows I love him."

"Hrrmph. All Jothee knows is that you left him and he was tortured, taken into slavery."

"Rygel, I think that's enough.." Said Zhaan gently.

"No," Said D'Argo quietly. "Let him continue. Perhaps it is time I listened to him."

Rygel's eyebrow ridge dipped with sorrow. "It gives me no pleasure Luxan to tell you this. Your son is not like his father. How could he be? Who was there to teach him his father's warrior code? To love and protect him when he was growing up?"

"I did the best I could. For him and Lolaan..."

"I am not criticizing you." Said Rygel gently. "We all want our children to make us proud. To be like *us*."

"You could be wrong," Whispered D'Argo.

"I hope I am wrong D'Argo, not for his sake - but for yours."

* * * * *

Aeryn brought the transport pod as close as she dared. She looked at Crichton. "One of us needs to go outside to hook up a line so we can bring it into the pod."

"I'll go."

Aeryn put a hand on his arm. For a moment they just looked at each other. "Be careful."

He nodded. "You too."

Then he put his helmet on and nodded for Aeryn to put hers' on. Carefully he exited the transport and clipped his line to the handhold nearest the door, the cable for the escape pod wrapped around his chest. "Try to get a little closer, can you Aeryn?"

Aeryn manouevred within twenty metras of the pod. "That's as close as I dare go."

"Okay," He yelled into his helmet mike. "That's good Aeryn."

He tried to work out the solar drift, paying out his line before launching himself in the direction of the pod. Aeryn was holding her breath inside the transport, watching anxiously through the window. He was drifting too wide. "Aeryn...."

"I see you, hang on, I'm going to manouevre the transport a little to swing you in closer. You ready?"

"Yeah, go for it."

Carefully she swung round a little, the movement swinging Crichton in closer to the pod. Crichton had his arms stretched out reaching for the pod. It took them three goes then Crichton managed to grip the edge of the pod. He whooped with joy. "The eagle has landed!"

Aeryn smiled at his exhuberance and shook her head, she had no idea what he had just said but the sentiment carried over in his voice. "Just hook it up John and let's get you back inside the transport."

"Whatever you say, Houston."

Crichton hung on to the lip and felt for something more substantial. As he worked his way round the pod he found the hatch and the hand grip that ran right round the hatch. "Perfect." Hanging on with one hand, he unclipped his own line and clipped it to the hatch ring to make sure they did not lose the pod. Carefully he started to inch off the cable so he could hook it to the pod then he would unclip his hook and link himself back up again. Simple. As he started to unwind the cable a movement caught his eye. He paused, looked up and found himself staring through the single portal in the pod hatch. What he saw surprised him. A face was looking back at him, as unexpected as it was distracting. It was D'Argo's son, Jothee. The boy was banging on the glass shouting something at him. Crichton stopped paying out the line, trying to work out what Jothee was trying to tell him.

Aeryn's voice sang in his ears. "What the frell are you doing, John? Get the pod hooked up and get back here - now!"

"Uh yeah, I'm doing that Aeryn it's just..."

"Just what?"

"Um, it's Jothee, Aeryn."

A stunned pause. "Jothee? What in hezmana would Jothee be doing out here?"

Just then several things happened at once. Something bright hit them and a shock wave spun the escape pod breaking Crichton's grip on it. Aeryn yelled, screaming for Crichton to get back to the transport only he could not hear her. The cable in his hands was torn from him and whipped out of his reach, the light blinding him as he spun out of reach of the transport. Aeryn was screaming, yelling for Moya to do something, the transmission was breaking up, she could not hear Crichton, had difficulty seeing him, the light was burning, her instruments were not responding. No one heard Jothee crying. No one saw the look of horror on his face, flattened up against the pod window and watching as the Command Carrier appeared almost on top of them, a focused beam tractoring on to the figure spinning end over end into space, farther and farther away from them. Once caught in the beam, Aeryn watched helplessly as Crichton was drawn into the Command Carrier. Then another beam shot out and focussed on the escape pod, dragging the tiny pod towards the great maw of the ship, the line going taut and starting to pull the transport pod with it. Aeryn felt a sense of panic. The transport and escape pods were connected by the line Crichton had used. If she did not do something she would be taken prisoner by default. Aeryn found the control to release the cable but hesitated. Tears in her eyes. Heart breaking. Then steeling her resolve she punched the switch and the cable detached. She watched the doors of the Command Carrier seal on their prize then the vessel shot off at speed ignoring the transport pod and the leviathan. Scorpius had what he wanted. Stunned with grief, Aeryn watched the darkness of space return to echo the emptiness that filled her heart and mocked her vision. Tears ran down her face, a slow bitter anger rising as she looked off in the direction the Carrier had taken Crichton and Jothee.

Inside the pod, Jothee could not stop crying. He had seen the human's face, realised he had made perhaps the single greatest error in his life. Tried in vain to warn him it was a trap. Then tried to tell him the Carrier was behind him, to leave him be and try to save himself. Of course it was no use. He was too late. He doubted the human would have left him even if he could have. Miserable and distraught, Jothee curled himself up into a ball and gave in to the pain of dispair. Knowing that Scorpius had come for him and would keep his bargain to take him to a world where he could start again did little to assuage his conscience. The half-Scarran had what he wanted and Jothee had given it to him.


end

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