Chapter Text
The 'Evolution Series'
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
AlisonMDobell@aol.com
http://www.carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html
Part 1: Guy
In many ways Kaccara was the quintessential commerce planet. If Crichton closed his eyes he could almost predict what he would find on each and every market stall. Almost. And in that one single word lay a whole world of possibilities. It was the possibilities that excited him. That stirred the blood every time they went somewhere new. The child in him bursting to get out. To run, to play, to laugh, to make new friends. To do all the stuff he was constrained from doing on board Moya because he was grown up and childhood was a luxury he should not be indulging in. But hey. It was the kid in you that kept you young, right?
Aeryn pretended not to notice the insane grin that slopped across the human's face. Happiness bursting out of him in every move he made. His walk had that boyish bounce to each step, his eyes glittered and danced with excitement and joyful expectation. She glanced across at D'Argo and they exchanged a look that needed no interpretation. A look that questioned who would be tasked with keeping the human out of trouble this time. Zhaan's smile was serene. She found herself drawn to Crichton's happy and eager face, such love for him. He smiled at her and for a microt no one else existed. She understood him. Had touched souls with him. And for them that was enough. Chiana and Rygel were a couple of metra ahead of them bickering, their light insults sailing back and forth. Aeryn was irritated, Crichton amused. Seeing Aeryn getting ready to barge in and bang heads he quickened his step and walked between them. "Hey kids, quit with the quarrelling."
"We are *not* quarrelling," Said Rygel in a stuffy tone.
"No, we're *discussing* what we're going to do." Chiana tilted her head abruptly. "Yeah, that's what we're doing."
He smiled, his obvious happiness shutting them both up for a microt. Crichton fascinated Chiana, he was so unlike any other species she had ever met. Even among her own people it was rare to find an individual capable of so much feeling and being so unconcerned about letting those emotions show. To share whatever he had with whoever he was with. Whoever needed him most. It was one of the many things she liked about him. Rygel put it another way.
"What is *wrong* with you? You are grinning like a laztartan grat with spilkers in his craw."
Crichton laughed. "A what? With what in his craw?" He wondered if craw meant the same thing in Hynerian as it did in his language.
Rygel opened his mouth to explain. Still laughing Crichton waved his hands in front of his face. "No, no, on second thoughts Rygel I don't want to know. That is one image I think I can do without."
"Wise man." Muttered Chiana just loud enough for the human to hear. His chuckle her reward.
They started to drift off. Chiana and Rygel wandering off together, Zhaan spotting a stall with crystals and a variety of herbs. Aeryn went off to look for parts for her prowler before Crichton had a chance to ask her if she wanted to look around with him. He hid the sigh that swept through him and looked up at the stern visage of Ka D'Argo. "That just leaves me and you, big guy."
"Do *not* get into trouble."
"Hey, I'm not in trouble. I just want to look around."
D'Argo's eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted a drink. Something strong and rasping to clear the dust from his throat. He saw a dim bar, one side opened up to the market place and glanced at Crichton. The human was looking keenly at all the stalls, pausing to pick things up then hastily putting them back at a glare from the stall holders. "John?"
He looked up. "Yeah, D?"
"I am going to get a drink." He nodded to the bar. "Stay out of trouble until I get back."
He gave his friend a disarming smile, intending to put his mind at ease. "Sure thing, D'Argo."
D'Argo's eyes narrowed but his throat scratched him again and he decided it was worth the risk. Aeryn had checked the planet in Moya's data base. It was a peaceful world and so far out of the usual trade routes that the Peace Keepers had no interest or use for it. Which meant the rest of Uncharted space got to relax and live like normal beings for a while. All of which was a relief to the Luxan. They had been running almost non stop for the last two cycles. The reason for most of their worries stood right in front of him, looking back at him with an innocent and open look on his face. D'Argo did not want to be Crichton's keeper. Did not like playing the heavy handed Luxan to keep the human in line but neither did he want his friend to be caught, tortured and killed by his enemies. For John Crichton's enemies were his. He could not recall when the human had turned from being an annoyingly irritating pathetic little alien to valued friend and ally. A man he would go to the ends of the Uncharted Territories to protect. He shook his head slightly. The human had the oddest effect on him. Touched emotions in him that normally lay sleeping. Opened up a side of him that war had all but obliterated. It was but one of the humans many gifts.
Crichton watched D'Argo go into the bar and stood there for a few microts. He memorised the place so he could find it again, waited another couple of microts just to make sure his friend was not walking into a fight or any other unpleasantness. But it stayed calm. He saw D'Argo get his drink and raise a glass it would have taken him two hands to lift. He smiled, nodded, then went back to perusing the stalls. He was almost at the back of the market when he came to the exotic beasts stall. He had no other word for it. His mouth dropped open in disbelief. One or two of the creatures he had seen before like the two headed bird that could grow a third head if it chose. He made his way slowly from one amazing creature to another, his eyes getting bigger and rounder as he went. The stall holder was watching him. His face expressionless but his eyes taking in the human's fascination. Crichton was about to say something to him when he heard a noise that sounded vaguely familiar. He turned and scanned the stall for the source. That was when he saw the cage sitting on the floor off to one side. Something dark was in it. It seemed to be rocking from side to side in a familiar pattern.
He walked over to the cage and stopped dead. All the air puffed out of his lungs. He could not believe it. His heart all but stopped beating in shock. The owner of the stall smiled at him. At least he thought it was a smile. With that many teeth he could have been mistaking Crichton for lunch. "You like? You buy? Delicious."
Crichton shook his head. "What did you say?"
Another grin of a thousand knives. "You like? You buy? Delicious."
Crichton managed to take his eyes off the creature and look at the stall owner. "Are you telling me you're selling him to *eat*?"
The stall holder nodded not recognising the look on Crichton's face was one of horror. He turned back to the cage and hunkered down, tears glistening in his eyes as he looked into eyes wiser even than his own. "Oh man, what in hezmana are you doing here?" He asked softly. He stayed like that for microts, the stall holder left him to serve other customers but kept a wary eye. Wanting to make sure Crichton did not try to make off with any of his merchandise without paying. Crichton put his hands on the bars and just stared, his voice pitched gentle and low and filled with sorrow. As if he had been the perpetrator of this crime not some alien hunter. The ape looked back at him then placed its' hands over Crichton's. A look of such sadness and pleading in its' eyes that Crichton could not bear it. What in hezmana was a baby Mountain Gorilla doing here in the ass end of a universe that didn't give a shit about anybody or anything? What had happened to mama and papa Gorilla? Had they been the main course in some obscene banquet?
He choked back tears. "It's okay," He whispered soothingly. "I'm gonna get you outta here."
The gorilla did not take its' eyes off Crichton. He stood reluctantly and looked for the owner. He finished serving a customer and flashed his knives at the human. "You like? You buy?"
"Yeah, yeah, I like. I buy." He paused. "How much?"
The stall holder named a sum that stunned Crichton. "You have got to be kidding me? For that I could buy this whole damn planet!"
His raised voice brought Chiana and Rygel. Oblivious to them he tried to haggle with the stall owner. "No, that's way too much. Look, I can give you..."
The owner made a dismissive gesture as if he had been insulted. Crichton looked down at what passed for currency in his hands. It was all he had. Chiana was curious. "John? What are you trying to buy?"
He looked up. She was alarmed to see tears in his eyes. "I have to save him."
"Save who?" Said Rygel.
Crichton turned and looked at the cage sitting on the floor behind him. Rygel raised his thronesled higher, alarmed at what he saw. "You want to save THAT? You are completely fahrbot."
"No, Rygel, you don't understand."
Chaina crouched in front of the cage and tilted her head with interest. She smiled at the Gorilla, noticed it was young. Frightened. It was the size of a very small child. She saw what Rygel had missed, the spark of intelligence in its' eyes. "Hey, who are you?" She said quietly. The gorilla looked back but made no noise. She looked up at Crichton, "What is it? It looks intelligent."
The human smiled and hunkered down next to her. Pleased that she was at least trying to understand. He put his hands up to the bars and Chiana was amazed to see the gorilla gently place its hands over Crichton's. She held her breath. Crichton was looking into the gorilla's eyes. They seemed to be mesmerised by each other. "This is a creature called a Mountain Gorilla, Pip. It comes from my home world. From Earth."
Her mouth dropped open at the bombshell. Undertanding now why he was reacting the way he was. A dozen questions raced around inside her head. She hardly knew which to ask first. Before she could say anything Crichton was speaking. A quiet calm steel in his voice that she had learnt to recognise. "I am not leaving this planet without him, Pip."
She understood his feelings but what Crichton wanted to do might not be possible. "Um, how you gonna do that? You heard the man. We'd have to sell half of Moya just to pay for him."
"I'll com the others, I'm sure they'll understand when I explain it to them."
Rygel growled in the back of his throat. His beady eyes uncompromising. "Well, I'm not giving any of my funds to buy it so don't even ask!"
"Don't worry Sparky, I wouldn't expect you to understand anyway."
The Dominar's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I'll figure something out but I'm not leaving without the gorilla."
* * * * *
Ka D'Argo could not believe it. He strode angrily over to where Crichton was standing. An argument was going on with Aeryn yelling at the human, Rygel telling him he was the most bartantic greebol it had ever been his misfortune to meet, Chiana trying unsuccessfully to reason with him and Zhaan watching with a helpless expression on her face. She sighed when she saw the Luxan. This *discussion* was not going well.
"John!" He boomed, trying to rein in his anger long enough to force the words out between his teeth. "I told you to stay out of trouble."
"I'm not in trouble."
For a microt D'Argo paused. Aeryn quickly explained what was happening. "D'Argo, John has seen this creature he wants to buy. He says it looks like something from his homeworld..."
"It doesn't *look* like something from my homeworld, Aeryn, it is a..."
She ignored him and kept talking. "Something he calls a rilla."
"Gorilla, Aeryn. It's a gorilla."
"Whatever. The stall keeper wants an impossible sum for it and John says he won't leave Kaccara without it."
"Then that's easy," Said Rygel with a smooth disingenuous smile on his face. I vote we just leave Crichton here. Perhaps the stall owner can find a cage in *his* size."
Zhaan gave him a mild look of admonition. "That is not helping, Rygel."
D'Argo glanced around. "Where is this creature?"
"He's back at the stall, D. I didn't want him to have to witness this."
D'Argo looked into the human's eyes. "Him?"
"Yeah. He's a young male Mountain Gorilla. A sentient being, D'Argo."
"How do you know he comes from Erp?"
"Earth. Trust me, I know. If I don't save him D, they're gonna sell him for food and something that is beyond price will be lost forever. I can't allow that to happen."
"You may not be able to stop it, John." Said the Luxan quietly.
Crichton was breathing heavily. Clearly upset. Aeryn's temper had died down and she found herself growing increasingly curious. "John, why is this so important to you? You know we made an agreement not to bring any more creatures aboard Moya."
"I don't know how much of what I'm saying is gonna make sense to you but on my world we have this theory, it's called the Origin of Species. A guy named Darwin believed that all life evolved on Earth in a kind of chain. Life starting in the oceans, some becoming fish and mammals and so on. Some came from the sea and adapted to live on the land. Among our early ancestors were the primates. Chimpanzees, Apes..."
Rygel's eyes widened. Unlike Aeryn and D'Argo, he had already seen the creature in question. "Are you saying you come from that thing back there?"
"He's not a thing Rygel, I told you. He's a gorilla and he's intelligent. A sentient being."
"I want to see this creature." Said D'Argo.
Crichton nodded and took them back to the stall. By now the owner was wary. Not so many flashing teeth. When they got to the cage D'Argo stared for several microts at the gorilla before straightening up and looking hard at Crichton. "John. You cannot save every species that reminds you of home."
He began to redden. "You don't understand..."
D'Argo put a hand on his shoulder. "I *do* understand but this creature's fate is not in your hands. It is not up to you to do anything."
"No D'Argo, that's where you're wrong. If I didn't know the gorilla was here it would be different but I do. I can't suddenly act as if I don't know, that means it is down to me to do the right thing."
Aeryn had a horrible feeling stirring in her stomach. "The right thing?"
"Yeah. I gotta stop anyone turning Guy into the next main course."
"Guy?" Said Zhaan baffled.
"Yeah. Back on Earth we had this really famous Gorilla called Guy. People came from miles and miles away just to see him."
Rygel shook his head and muttered to himself. "As I said, you are completely fahrbot, Crichton."
Everyone ignored the Dominar and silence fell. Zhaan looked from the Gorilla to Crichton. "How much is he asking for Guy?"
"Zhaan..." Said D'Argo in a warning tone.
Crichton named the asking price and the Delvian P'au looked shocked. "John, even if we wanted to help you we would not have that much if we put all our funds together. And we still need to purchase supplies."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I know Zhaan, but there must be something we can use for trade."
Aeryn was watching him curiously. "What would *you* give, John?"
"Whatever I had to, Aeryn. Why?"
Her voice became a whisper, her eyes intent upon his. "Would you give up the module?"
Shock registered in his eyes. She knew how much the module meant to him. His mouth dropped open, then he looked at the Gorilla and his eyes glistened. She realised at that microt what his answer would be. "Yes, Aeryn. If that's what it takes I'll give up the module."
No one spoke. The owner was getting nervous with the strangers hanging around his stall and not buying anything. They looked so rough it was driving customers away. He was about to move them on when Zhaan came to a decision. "Very well, John. Though it goes against my good sense and judgement we will see if we can barter for this creature's freedom..."
Crichton shook his head and stepped up to her. "No, Zhaan you don't understand. We can't leave him *here*. On this planet."
Her eyes searched his. "Why?"
"This isn't his home." He said gently. "His home is nothing like this, he wouldn't survive. Some other hunter would just capture him and I don't want that to happen."
"You're suggesting it comes with *us*? On Moya?" Said Rygel in surprise.
Even Chiana was startled but when she looked again through the bars at Guy she felt something in her heart shift further in Crichton's favour.
"It's the only solution." Said Crichton firmly. "And like I said, I am *not* leaving this planet without him."
* * * * *
In the end it was Pilot who came up with the solution. He suggested they offer the trader one of Moya's transport pods. She could always grow another in time. The deal made there was just one other little problem to overcome.
"No, no, NO! You are *not* listening."
A dangerous deep growl rumbled in D'Argo's chest. "You have what you wanted John, now let's load up the transport and go."
"No! Guy is *not* travelling in that damn cage."
Zhaan placed a hand on Crichton's arm in an attempt to calm him. "Be sensible, John, it is just a precaution - nothing more."
"No, Zhaan, don't you see? It's a prison. If we take him in that thing he'll equate us with his enemies."
"Enemies?" Said Rygel. He could feel his heart sinking and all three stomachs turning over.
"Then what do you propose to do?" Asked Aeryn.
Crichton knelt down and started to undo the cage. "Guy's coming with me. I'll carry him."
Before they could think of anything to say he had the cage door open and was talking quietly to the baby Gorilla huddled inside. "Come on fella, it's okay."
The Gorilla ambled slowly out of the cage, looked around then fixed its' knowing gaze on Crichton. He smiled. "Come on, Guy, it's time to blow this joint."
Then as if understanding every word the human had said, the Gorilla scrambled up into Crichton's arms and wrapped his arms around his neck. Crichton stood up carefully, a hand rubbing gently back and forth across the little Gorilla's back, his voice soothing. "That's good, everything's gonna be okay now Guy."
The others just watched in stunned silence. Only when Crichton had climbed aboard the transport did the spell break sufficiently for the others to move and follow him. As the transport pod took off, Rygel looked at the way the human and the gorilla were interacting and shook his head slowly. "I have a feeling we are all going to regret this." He said quietly.
Chiana leaned in to the little Dominar. "Yeah, well, at least it's never dull Ryge."
The Dominar looked bleakly at her. "Right now I rather like the sound of dull."
Chiana's little chuckles did not penetrate Crichton's ears. He was transfixed by their latest acquisition. The gorilla looking at him with complete trust. Aeryn nudged his shoulder. He spoke to her without looking away from Guy. "Yeah, Aeryn?"
"You say your species evolved from him?"
That made him look at her. "Yeah why?"
She smiled slowly back at him. "Nothing, it's just that now you mention it," Her lips quirked. "I can see the resemblance."
END PART 1