SquidgeWorld Archive

The Empress Novia was not one given to over excitement or to outward displays of emotion at all. Yet she felt a certain smug satisfaction at the way things were working out. Soon she would be rid of the human and the death of her son would be avenged. The price was a small thing compared to what she had lost. She walked through the Royal Palace and approached the statues of her daughter Katralla and her husband, Tyno. She knew they could hear her even though they could not move. Could do nothing but listen and bear witness to whatever she chose to tell them.

She took the earpiece off her retainer then dismissed her. "I want to be alone with my daughter."

The retainer bowed respectfully and immediately withdrew. The Empress glanced around to make sure she was alone then looked for a moment at Katralla's statue. She slipped on the earpiece. "I have news for you about the human." She waited, heard her daughter's startled intake of breath.

"You have seen John?"

The Empress smiled to herself, cold glints in her eyes. Her voice smooth and neutral. "Yes."

There was a pause before the Princess spoke again, as if she had expected her mother to say more. "He is well?"

A smile lingered on the Empress's lips as she savoured this moment. "For the time being."

"The time being?" A note of worry. "What has happened?"

"Do not distress yourself. He is only human."

"Mother, if something has happened you must tell me. I owe him so much. *We* owe him so much."

Pain and anger distorted the Empress's lips. "You forget what he has done!"

Calmer, more thoughtful now. "What has he done?"

"Prince Clavor is dead."

"That was not John's fault, mother, and you know it. The Scarran ambassador killed him."

"No, the human did!"

An awkward silence fell between them. "Mother. What have you done?"

"*I* have done nothing." She replied in a voice bordering on smug.

Tyno's voice came as a surprise. As happened so often the Empress had forgotten all about him. That he was now her daughter's life partner did not sit well with her. "You have done something. I can tell."

Her voice spat pure venom. How dare he presume to be part of this conversation. "You can *tell* nothing!"

Katralla's voice sounded distressed. "Mother, please, don't hurt him."

"I have no intention of laying a hand on him, child."

"But you don't mind if someone does?" Put in Tyno softly.

Anger flared. "I was not talking to you, commoner!"

"Tyno is no commoner, mother. He is my husband!"

"Yes, but by subterfuge. What would the people think if they knew?"

Silence fell. The Empress nodded to herself. "Exactly!"

For several microts no one spoke then Katralla risked a question. "Why did you come here?"

"To bring you news."

But Katralla by now knew the truth. The Empress had come to gloat.

"You want John to die, don't you?"

When the Empress did not answer, Katralla knew she was right. Quietly she wept even though she could shed no tears. It was several microts before she realised the Empress was no longer there. Tyno said nothing, his mind racing but unable to think of a single way to help. As jealous as he had been of the human, John Crichton, his generosity of spirit had won him over in the end. That the human might pay for helping them with his death seemed poor reward. If he could have helped him he would have. Then Tyno had a thought. "Katralla?"

"Yes, beloved?"

"I know we can do nothing, you and I, but your courtiers. They are still loyal to you?"

"Of course."

"What about your mother?"

"My mother?"

"Would they act in defiance of the Empress if you commanded it?"

There was a long silence. Tyno wondered if he had asked too much of her. Whether hints of treasonable conduct would be something unforgiven. At long last the Princess spoke, her words careful and guarded as if she feared they were being monitored. On reflection Tyno believed she was probably right. "I will not do anything to harm my mother, Tyno."

"I would not ask it nor wish it."

"You have an idea?"

He paused. "Yes, but it does involve some risk..."

* * * * *

The pain was excruciating but he bore it. Not because he was stronger than they but because those he loved were with him. In spirit if not actuality. He could feel Zhaan's presence, so real he wanted to touch her but could not. Rion was so strong, so gentle, such a revelation. The child with the soul of an ancient. Or so it seemed to him. He felt the baby smile with love, a warm basking glow that soothed his pain, eased the lesions that the Scarrans were adding layer by layer to his tortured body. Yet they could not get what they wanted. The wormhole technology was as far from their grasp as it had ever been. Anger too was part of the spoils of war.

He was alone again. The blessed stillness, the raw aching silence, was a relief. A cold balm to a mind fried and fragmented by a species to whom anything of a subtle nature was an art beyond their imagination. They chilled him with the nature of their evil. Yet he felt a certain strength in being able to deny them the one thing he had to give.

*You must not let them have the technology, John. You know that*

Get the hell out of my mind, Scorpy. I have no time for you

*Oh but John, you have all the time in the universe*

He tried to block his mind but it was so tender and every thought made it ache more. Trying not to think took more effort than thinking. In the end he gave it up as a bad job. He felt the half-Scarran leer at him, could see him whether his eyes were open or shut. It had once unnerved him, frightened him with the thought that he was going mad. It now did neither. Go away, Scorpy. Go haunt some other fairground

*I can help you*

If he could have laughed he would have. He closed his eyes instead. Feeling himself start to drift. Something dark slid into his fractured mind, touched his thoughts and made him recoil with the contact. His eyes flew open in a microt. Get the hell out of my mind!

*You haven't heard why I'm here*

I know why you're here. You want the wormhole technology

*They are going to kill you John and I can't allow that*

Why? Nobody else allowed to pull the wings off this particular butterfly?

*Listen to me*

Go away!

*You don't have much time, John*

Then let me spend it in peace

*There is an assassin coming*

Shock rippled through him. An assassin? Why the hell would anyone bother? Weren't the Scarrans going fast enough for them?

He tried to reach Zhaan but the link was being blocked. He felt the presence of Rion, imagined he could sense Zhaan on the periphery but they could not get through. Panic began to slide into his heart like an icicle melting.

What have you done, Scorpy?

*Call it, self preservation*

I need to speak to Zhaan!

*No* Said Scorpy quietly but firmly. *You need to listen to me*

* * * * *

D'Argo was pacing. Every couple of microts he would pause and glare at Pilot's image on the clamshell monitor. "Can't we go any faster, Pilot?"

"I assure you, Moya is going as fast as she can."

D'Argo commed Chiana who was in the apothecary with Zhaan, Aeryn and Rion. "Any change, Chiana?"

"No. I can't get any reaction from Zhaan, it's as if she's in some deep coma and the baby isn't responding either."

The Luxan threw back his head and roared a stream of expletives in his native tongue. Pilot looked at him with mild admonishment. "Moya is doing the best she can, Ka D'Argo."

"Something is wrong, Pilot. I am going to the apothecary."

Before Pilot could acknowledge him, he barked into his com for Rygel to go to command then left before the Dominar got there. Patience was never a Luxan quality. When he got to the apothecary, he paused. Aeryn was holding Zhaan's hand and Chiana was cradling a hand around the baby as he lay in the Delvian P'au's arms. He did not like the air of despondency but did not know what to do about it.

"I *knew* this was a bad idea."

Aeryn did not look up, did not take her eyes off Zhaan's face. "If you think that why come here?"

He ignored Aeryn but the words had hit their mark. He sighed and sat next to Chiana, she tilted her chalk white face towards him and he touched her cheek gently with his massive hand. "Can you feel anything from the baby?" He asked softly.

She shook her head, dislodging a tear. He leaned his head against hers and looked down at their son. So precious to them and now in some kind of limbo. He had never felt more helpless. He was about to say *This is Crichton's fault* but then his eye caught Aeryn's and he bit back the thought. He knew it was not true anyway but he had so often used the human as an outlet for his anger and frustration that it was comforting to have someone to blame. Even the innocent. It was no comfort now.

It was Pilot's voice that roused them all. "D'Argo! We have the Scarran vessel on Moya's sensors. Crais is asking for you to come to command."

D'Argo's eyes flashed. At last there was something he could do. He kissed Chiana and got up, pausing to rest a hand a microt on Aeryn's shoulder, his eyes telling her what his heart could not. Then he was striding away, eager and confident that he could do in battle what he could not do any other way. Once in command the Dominar half turned so he could see D'Argo and not lose sight of the viewscreen showing the Scarran Dreadnought. "The Scarran vessel is huge, D'Argo. it is also very heavily armed."

"Tell me something I don't know, Rygel."

"They are hailing us."

Shock registered on the Luxan's face. "Hailing us?"

"Yes. Crais has already been contacted but refuses to give them a response until he has spoken with you."

D'Argo nodded. Only another warrior would understand how that desire for solidarity and singleness of purpose made him feel. His blood was stirring ready to rise to the occasion. He opened a com to Crais. "Crais, what did the Scarrans have to say to you?"

"What else? They asked for my surrender within sixty microts."

"Suggestions?"

Crais made no comment about the rarity of having the Luxan ask *him* for advice. They were up against a rock and a hard place and they both knew it. Pooled resources were the only ones that counted now.

* * * * *

The Palace was quiet in the cold hush of early dawn. No one stirred. Madella Ran was cautious. Used a spare earpiece to converse with the Princess. Listened intently and nodded once or twice.

"Can you do that?" Whispered Katralla nervously.

"Yes."

The Princess did not ask her how but trusted Ran. Her family had been in service to Katralla's for many hundreds of cycles.

"I must go now."

"The Gods be with you. Good luck and be careful."

"Yes, majesty."

Then she was gone, a whisper of cloth against stone. She quickly drifted down marble and stone corridors into the less ornate parts of the Palace then out through a side entrance to an outer courtyard and beyond. Only when she was out of the confines of the Palace grounds did she make a long circuitous route to the outer quarters where her people lived. There she made use of some contacts she had not spoken with for cycles. She had little use for Intelligence but her mistress was anxious, so much rested on gaining support in the right quarters. She could not get Jena straight away. Was told there would be some delay and she must wait. She fretted, anxious that in waiting she would somehow fail in her duty to the Princess. In the event the wait was not as long as she feared. Just under an arn. Jena's voice was crisp, firm. "What has happened?"

Ran took a deep breath and told her. Not knowing how a dozen little pieces were falling into place like the pieces on a chess board lining up for battle. When she finished, Jena instructed her to tell no one what the Princess had confided and to keep her eyes open for any sign of communication between the Queen and the Scarrans. She was not to speak directly with the Princess again, it would be too risky and involve her mistress in far more danger than she could imagine. Trembling, Ran listened and committed to memory every word. Vowing in her heart to serve her mistress faithfully, no matter what it cost her. Hearing Jena tell her in part what the Queen intended made her heart quail but it also strengthened her resolve. With her mistress trapped in stone it was up to her and others like her to be the eyes and ears and witnesses of all that was to come. She trembled as the connection ended. Fear making her heart go cold but determined to do all she could to help. Not just because her loyalty demanded it but because she knew without question that it was the right thing to do.

* * * * *

Get lost, Scorpy!

*I cannot do that, John*

Just go, let me link with Zhaan, the baby. Anything, but go

*I can't let you do that*

Why not?

*I need you to be awake, to have access to your conscious mind. If I allow you to link with their thoughts I can't do that*

Exactly!

*You don't understand, John. The next few minutes are critical*

Critical for who?

*You. Me*

You're not making any sense but hey, why should you? You're not even real

*I'm real enough to drive you insane but I digress. Listen to me, we don't have much time*

Just then he heard someone approach the door of his cell.

Uh oh, Scorpy. All out of time

The door swung open and a man darted in. Sebacean. He was alone but not empty handed. A small case in one hand he quickly dropped to Crichton's side and noticed his eyes were half open. The fuzzy blue orbs trying to focus, to place the face but he did not know this man. There was no recognition in them. "Who....who are you?"

The figure hissed at him, alarmed that he was speaking out loud as if afraid any sound would draw the guards. "Ssssh, I'm here to help you."

Crichton laughed softly, as if in pain. "You're here to kill me."

The Sebacean froze, the box opened to reveal the kill shot. The syringe that would end his pathetic excuse for existence. It might be pathetic but it was his and he did not want to die. "How do you know that?"

He tried to nod but it was beyond him. "I've seen one of those kits before. Peace Keeper tech."

The man frowned and nodded, no use lying when the human was obviously more well informed than he had imagined. "Yes, but this is the only way to help you."

"By killing me?"

"I wish there were some other way, Commander Crichton, but we can't let the wormhole technology fall into Scarran hands. If you knew all the lives this was going to save you would thank me."

He was about to disagree when he felt the syringe against the side of his neck. Cold, metallic, the kiss of a dead lover.

"Don't do this."

It hissed briefly. At first all he felt was an icy chill. It was not so bad. Then he shuddered hard, rocked into a spasm of pain that radiated throughout his body as the poison was efficiently pumped right through him and into the walls of his still beating heart. The tech stayed only long enough to make sure it had worked then left. Shutting the door behind him and entombing the dying human without a backward glance.