TITLE: "FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: JOHN/CRAIS

RATING: NC-17. M/M. *SLASH*

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

The usual disclaimers apply. No infringement of copyright is intended.

"FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES"
A "Farscape" slash story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
* * * * *

Everybody was now back aboard Moya. They talked around the subject of Crichton, conversations going back and forth like parts of a recipe, none of them coming together to make a whole meal. It was no wonder that Jothee found it all so confusing. The bit that got him most was why they were all so determined to go after him. To risk hezmana knew what for the sake of
that pathetic puny human. What was it about the alien that he was missing? Or was he the only one seeing straight? Chiana caught his eye but said nothing. He looked away. Not daring to go there. Not again. His father had said nothing about his affair with Chiana. All his thoughts and
energies focussed on finding Crichton. He should be glad that he was diverted, not about to confront him about issues Jothee would spend a lifetime trying to dodge the blame for. Yet he was not. On some level he was intensely jealous of the human. Jealous of the concern he roused in others, even by his frelling absence. Who would worry about *him* if their positions were
reversed? The hard fact hit him, hardly anyone. His father certainly, Chiana maybe. The rest would no doubt sigh with relief. Especially that puffed up self-important Dominar, Rygel. How he would love to pull his ear tuffs until he drained all the razpah or dren out of him.

The group started to break up. D'Argo looking for Jothee and finding him before he could slink away. D'Argo gave him a smile, tired but somewhat calmed by sharing his concerns with his friends. "I'm sorry, Jothee. I've been neglecting you."

His concern stung Jothee's conscience. "It's okay. I know how worried you are about your friend."

"*Our* friend, Jothee." D'Argo corrected.

Jothee nodded, not able to actually get himself to say the words. Jothee tried to hide the frown forming on his face. "I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"Why everybody's so worried about Crichton. I know he's your friend and I respect that. I know what he did and that he's the reason I'm free..."

D'Argo shook his head slowly. "I do not understand your confusion."

Jothee looked at him and realised a man like D'Argo would never know the insecurities that shook the foundations of his world. They might be father and son but in many ways they were entire planetary systems apart. He bit back a sigh and forced himself to smile. "I'm sure I'll work it out."

His father clapped his hand on Jothee's shoulder, his face clearing with a happy smile. "You will. And when we get John back and you get to know him better you'll be glad we did this."

Aeryn exchanged a few words with Zhaan and followed Crais out of the canteen. "Where are you going?"

He paused just enough so that Aeryn could fall into step with him. "I must get back to Talyn."

She nodded. "May I come with you?"

He looked surprised, then cautiously pleased. "Talyn would like that."

"And you?"

He stopped in his tracks. "What are you asking?"

"A simple question Crais. Would you like me to come aboard Talyn?"

"Yes. I would like that very much."

She nodded, brisk again. This time he had to lengthen a couple of his strides to get into step with her. She liked that. They did not speak again until they were aboard the young leviathan. Aeryn smiled as she entered, unable to resist running a hand over the surface of his skin. "Hello, Talyn.
I wanted to see you again."

Talyn washed his colours through the complex membrane of his hull, the changing pastels delighted Aeryn because she knew it was a sign of pleasure. He was thanking her. "No Talyn, it is I who should thank you."

Crais tore his eyes away from her and busied himself making calculations. Aeryn followed him a few microts later, curious as to what he was doing. "Anything I can help you with?"

"No, this won't take a microt."

She sensed a tautness in him. An unease that seemed to grow not diminish. "Crais, what is wrong?"

He looked up from the console. "Who says anything is wrong?"

"I know you so let's drop the dren. What's wrong?"

He frowned darkly at her. "Apart from getting captured and losing John Crichton you mean?"

His anger surprised her but not as much as his concern. She had not realised that he had actually come to value Crichton in his own right. The revelation made her warm towards him. "We will find him, Crais. I promise you."

There was a strange sad and haunted look in his eyes that Aeryn could not fathom. It vanished quickly and he nodded. "I know. It is what Scorpius will do to him in the meantime that worries me."

She nodded. It was what she feared too. "Where do you think he took him?"

Crais shook his head. "I do not know. Back to Peace Keeper territory I should think."

"It would be the most logical place to go..." She mused. "But then, when has Scorpius ever opted for logic?"

He sighed and said nothing. Not daring to share his thoughts with her. His fear so close to the surface that he thought everyone in the Uncharted Territories would be able to look at his face and read him like a book. One look at Aeryn's face told him, not everyone. He was about to turn
from his console when something caught the corner of his eye. It was the little droid that one of the Peace Keepers had kicked out of operation. The one that had followed Crichton on to his ship. Crais stared at it. Aeryn followed his eyes to see what he was looking at. She recognised the DRD by the blue tape wrapped around one light stalk. Carefully she picked it up, turned it over
in her hands then looked at Crais. "What happened?"

"When we were boarded the DRD tried to protect John. I've never seen a droid do that before. The Peace Keeper kicked it against the bulkhead so hard he broke it. It's useless now."

Aeryn felt sad. A strange sympathy for the DRD. "You could fix it."

"Why would I want to do that? It's only a droid, Aeryn."

Oddly enough she smiled, remembering. "That's what I said to John but he wouldn't have it. Said I had to learn to open my eyes and accept what was there not what I expected to be there."

Crais frowned. "What did he mean?"

She looked at the droid in her hands, a finger gently tracing the crack in his casing, the dents to his body. He had been decomissioned for trying to defend Crichton. That one act seemed to justify all the faith the human had put into the biomechanoid helpers. The way everything that passed through his hands was treated with care, a respect that went beyond the individual. It was part of his humanity. Confusing, senseless at times, but oddly endearing. He always saw more than the rest of them put together. And because Crichton had cared about the DRD, so did Aeryn.

"If you don't want to fix him, Crais, I'll take him back to Moya."

He looked at her for a microt and nodded slowly. "No need, I'll have Talyn's DRDs fix it ... I mean, him ... up."

Aeryn smiled, her reaction pleasing Crais. After she had gone he looked down at the DRD and shook his head gently. "What am I going to do with you?"

* * * * *

Scorpius flashed the images again. Crichton shaking so hard in the chair, his phlegm was dribbling down his chin and flying from his open mouth as he shook. His agonised screams rebounding off the walls of his torture chamber while Scorpius digged deeper and deeper, slicing the images from his mind with increasing cruelty. Only when the phlegm turned to blood did he turn the machine off and let Crichton sag limp and unconscious in his restraints. The blood told him there was some internal damage but he did not care. Just so long as the brain was still intact.

The Scarran half-breed was furious. Beside himself with anger. He had not extracted the vital piece of information he needed most. The information that would enable him to build a wormhole. He glared at the human as if he was personally defying him, thwarting him in his efforts. The human was weak. Yet no species had been able to withstand the chair this long or at such a high intensity except the Banik slave. How did he manage to endure this? It baffled him and was the clearest indication that he had misjudged the human. Overloooked something about this species that defied his ability to quantify and analyse it. The pain alone would have liquified the brains of most species by now. Yet the human hung on. Clung to life with a tenacity that was quite remarkable. Scorpius had brought Crichton as close to dying as he dared. He did not want to lose him. Not when he was this close.

He called for him to be removed and ordered him to be stripped down and thrown naked into his cell. A look passed between his guards but Scorpius did not care to explain. He wanted the human to suffer. The chair would obviously kill him before it would break him, therefore he had to find
another way. He left Crichton lying shivering and cold for several arns before going to visit him. It annoyed him that he could break his body but not his spirit. There had to be a way and he was determined to find it. When he got to his cell, he stood and looked down at his prisoner. Walked
around him as he lay curled in a foetal position. Trembling non-stop with the cold. The guard waited inside the cell, his eye sliding occasionally to the wretched creature on the floor. Any sympathy he might have had for the human's plight hidden from view where not even the Aurora Chair could find it.

"Wake him!"

The guard hesitated but did as he was ordered. At first shaking Crichton by the shoulder, then when that had no effect, kicking him. Scorpius raised a hand. "Stop! I just wanted to be sure he was not feigning loss of consciousness." He paused then looked at the guard. "Give him a blanket and leave him water but no food. He can eat when decides to co-operate."

The guard nodded. Scorpius knelt down next to his head, a look of barely disguised frustration on his face. "All you have to do is give me what I want and all this will stop."

There was no response. He had not expected there would be. Scorpius rose to his feet and decided to leave him for a couple of days. When he was sufficiently recovered they would begin again. The guard saw him out then returned with a blanket. He paused then threw the blanket over him, kneeling briefly to make sure he was properly covered. Carefully averting his eye
from the camera so that they would not see the look of concern on his face. The distaste that twisted his gut made his hands tremble a little. He straightened and left quickly.

* * * * *

Chiana looked everywhere for Jothee. After they had all discussed what to do everyone had broken up, drifting away to their cells or just wanting to find a quiet moment alone. She had noticed how uncomfortable Jothee was, how he would not meet her eyes. It probably was not smart to seek him out but she had to speak to him. She had to know. She found him in the
cargo bay. "Hey, why did you disappear?"

He frowned, annoyed. "I didn't disappear."

"You left in a hurry."

He shrugged. His demeanour said *so what*.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Nothing to talk about. We made love in my father's bed, he saw us, now no one will talk about it."

Chiana hit him on the shoulder. He flinched. "What was that for?"

"Just for once can you stop thinking about yourself?"

"If you're going to start telling me how I should be worrying about how we're gonna save Crichton, forget it!"

Hurt and genuinely puzzled, she tilted her head at him. "You don't like him do you?"

"I don't know him."

She nodded. "No, you don't."

"And I'm sick of hearing everybody go on about how we have to go and rescue him."

"Why wouldn't we want to rescue him? He's our friend and he wouldn't hesitate to come after us."

Jothee scowled. "Even Rygel?"

She raised a surprised eyebrow then smirked. "Yeah, even the toad." Seeing Jothee's sour look of disbelief she bridled a little. "Hey, he has his good points."

"Name one?"

"Well," She hesitated, wracking her brain. "He can pick almost any lock I can and he's pretty devious."

"He's also greedy, lazy, ungrateful and I hate him!"

She blinked. More shocked than surprised at his outburst. "Wow, what brought this on?"

He became sullen. "Nothing."

Chiana tilted her head at him. "Did Rygel say something to upset you?"

"I just can't stand him. Acting all superior and looking down at people."

"You mean looking down at you?"

He did not say anything. "Jothee, we need to be clear about our relationship."

"What relationship?"

"I don't want to hurt D'Argo."

"But you don't mind hurting me, is that it?"

"Jothee, it's not like that." She paused, twisted her fingers together. Jothee suddenly realised that she was nervous. "I'm sorry Jothee, I was using you and yes, I do want to be with you only we can't."

He shook his head, confused. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I really like D'Argo, I care for him you know? But he has this whole wanting to be forever thing and it just scares the dren out of me."

He nodded in a sudden flash of insight. Little things clicking into place. "You wanted him to catch us."

She looked at him, misery in her eyes.

"You hoped if he saw us together he'd back off and you wouldn't have to tell him how you really felt."

Tears ran silently down the white chalk surface of her face like a broken Pierrot doll. "I never wanted to hurt anybody, Jothee. Never wanted to hurt you."

He sighed, wanting to be mad at her but unable to. She was so utterly miserable and that was an emotion he had more than a nodding acquaintence with. He put his arms around her and just held her. "It's alright, Chiana."

"You forgive me?"

He gave her a dry smile. "I don't know about forgiveness. Let's just settle for me not killing you."

Her laugh was broken, ragged, but the pain in her eyes had lessened. He kissed her forehead and just held her. For once allowing himself to luxuriate in the fact that someone at least needed him.

* * * * *

Crichton lay on his back in the cold cell. The blanket was half on and half off him but he was completely out of it. The guard had brought him a second blanket so that now he was lying on one blanket with the other one partly draped over him. It was a small comfort but more than anyone else had done for him in this godforsaken hell hole. Something rattled a little behind his head. An access panel slid open on the wall where the camera was sighted. In the one place the camera could not see. At first nothing happened, then there was a quiet whirring sound and a scraping sound and two DRDs rolled carefully into the cell. They hugged the wall, then one began to climb straight up the wall from the opening towards the camera. The second droid did not move, made no sound, but monitored the room and in particular the condition of the single human occupant. The first DRD reached the camera and carefully extended one of his work arms to manipulate under the casing and switch the cam setting to show a still picture. Once sure it had been set correctly, the little DRD climbed back down. They lost no time in rolling over to where Crichton lay.

When they could not rouse him, the two DRDs seemed to pause to confer. Worried little beeps punctuating the quiet whir of their motors, lightstalks swaying with concern.

Back on board Talyn, Crais fixed Moya's little droid himself. The inactivity was killing him and it at least kept his hands occupied if not his mind. Once he had finished he asked Talyn to have Blue checked over by the other DRDs. To make sure he had not missed anything. Three of Talyn's DRDs rolled into command and waited while Crais put Blue carefully on the floor. It was almost touching watching the way the others fussed over him. Crais shook his head and went to see if Aeryn had any news. Once he had left the ship the other DRDs told Blue what was happening and patched him in to the two that had hidden aboard Scorpius's Command Carrier. Alarmed at what he heard and saw, Blue rattled off a series of instructions then asked Talyn to patch him through to Moya.

* * * * *

Zhaan was in the apothecary when something made her look down. She was surprised to see a DRD. Smiling she crouched down. "What are you doing here?"

The DRD waved its' lightstalks at her then rolled slowly backwards. It looked for all the world as if the DRD wanted her to follow him. She shook her head in amusement. "I'm sorry, I can't. I have to finish these preparations."

The DRD responded with a spurt of electronic chatter which ended with a squelching sound which oddly enough conveyed the little droid's unhappiness at her reply. Zhaan frowned. It was unusual for a DRD to seek any of the them out let alone ask for anything. Perhaps she should listen? She gave a serene nod and put down the phial she had been working on. "Very well, you
lead and I will follow."

To her surprise the DRD led her to Pilot's chamber. She was astounded to see the rest of the crew there, most of them roused from their sleep cycle. Her eyes widened further when Crais joined them, his expression dark and thundery until he stepped into the room and realised everybody was there. He glanced around at the dozens of little DRDs looking expectantly at him. What in hezmana was going on? Had the universe gone completely fahrbot? Rygel typically spoke first. "Will someone tell me just what the yotz is going on?"

Zhaan looked around, part of her stunned and amused by what she saw. Another part of her anxious. "Pilot?"

Pilot took a microt to answer, obviously in conversation with Moya. When he turned to face them there was a stunned look on his face. He looked at Crais. "It would appear that two of Talyn's DRDs have somehow smuggled themselves aboard Scorpius's Command Carrier."

Aeryn's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"DRDs?" Crais looked around him, something clicking into place. His eyes met Aeryn's. They were both thinking the same thing. "Where's Blue?"

"Blue?" Said Jothee.

"The little DRD that John fixed." Explained Chiana. "You can't miss miss him, he has blue tape around one of his lightstalks. Guess that's how he got his name."

Jothee shook his head. "You are all completely fahrbot."

Aeryn spotted Blue and pointed him out. "There he is!"

The little DRD made his way towards Pilot. Aeryn picked him up and looked at Pilot. "What does he want?"

"He is asking for Moya to show the recording Talyn's DRDs took aboard the Command Carrier."

At once all levity disappeared. "Moya will do that but you will all have to go to command to see it. I have no screen here."

Quickly they made their way to command, none of the DRDs following them. Preferring to stay with Pilot who could at least make sense of what they were saying. Once in command D'Argo told Pilot to go ahead. The film was a bit grainy but they could clearly see the inside of the Peace Keeper cell. Several of them gasped when they saw Crichton. Chiana had tears in her eyes.
He looked dreadful. Crais had gone white, rage pouring through him. "We *have* to get him out of there!"

D'Argo yelled at Pilot. "Pilot, what are the co-ordinates of that Command Carrier?"

"Moya is already preparing to starburst. So is Talyn."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Asked Crais.

"Ten arns."

Aeryn said nothing. She was looking closely at the state of Crichton. She bit her lip and prayed. Prayed that he still had ten arns of life left in him...

* * * * *
END