TITLE: "THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: JOHN/CRAIS series

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "A WISH THE HEART MAKES"

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

"THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR"
A "Farscape" slash story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL

Chiana was worried. Even though the gunship leviathan and the Peace Keeper Command Carrier were taking pot shots at each other, it would not take much for one of the shots to go wide and hit Moya or worse still, Talyn. She felt protective towards the young leviathan and did not want anything to add to the suffering he had already gone through. Moya rocked again, this time more violently. The exchange of fire was definitely getting closer. Breaking into a run she went straight to command. Crais did not turn his head, all his attention was on the two ships engaged in ostilities. D'Argo partly turned his head and paused at the expression on Chiana's face.

"D'Argo, that gunfire is getting too close."

D'Argo snorted, not impressed with Chiana for stating the obvious. "What do you suggest we do, Chiana?"

Not put off by his scathing sarcasm she moved closer and tilted her head abruptly. "I say we bring Talyn into the transport hangar. He's exposed and has no defence."

Crais spared her a look. "I agree."

"You seem to forget Crais, Talyn did not want to be shut up anywhere after being almost burned alive." said D'Argo.

He flinched. "I have not forgotten." He said darkly. He still bore the scars.

"I did not mean to cause offence. I was just stating a fact."

"Yeah, well, that's before other ships started taking shots at him, D'Argo."

He snorted at Chiana. "They are *not* firing at Talyn."

Her head tilted the other way. "Try telling that to a scared leviathan."

Crais looked at D'Argo. "Chiana is right. I will go and talk to Talyn."

Frustrated at what he saw as a waste of time D'Argo nodded to Crais. "Do so. *If* he will listen to you."

Once Crais had gone a deeper worry settled on Chiana's face. "Have you heard anything about how John and Rygel are doing?"

He shook his head gently. "No. Neither Zhaan or Aeryn have contacted us since they landed."

"Isn't that unusual?"

"Chiana, what do you want me to tell you? I cannot tell you that everything is alright. That both John and Rygel are going to make complete recoveries. That Aeryn and Zhaan are right now on their way back to Moya and I will not lie to you."

Chiana hung her head feeling totally miserable. The Luxan sighed and left his console to tilt her face up towards him, his voice gentle. "But I will tell you this. I have every faith in Zhaan to find someone who can heal them and Aeryn is one of the best warriors I have ever met."

She gave him a slight smile but the fear still leaked through. He could see it in her eyes. See the defeat in the slump of her shoulders. The way she held herself. "I don't want to lose them."

"Nor I."

Just then Crais's voice sailed over the com. "Talyn has agreed to come aboard Moya. I will stay with him to keep him calm."

"That is good news, Crais." Conceded D'Argo. He paused a microt. "Pilot?"

"Yes, Ka D'Argo?"

"Once Talyn is aboard will Moya be able to StarBurst?"

Pilot's voice sounded strained. "Moya will not abandon the others down on the planet surface..."

"No one is asking her to Pilot. I asked. Will she be able to StarBurst?"

A slight pause. "Yes."

D'Argo smiled. At last. Something was going their way. "Pilot ask Moya to stand by. The moment Aeryn, Zhaan, John and Rygel return Moya must be ready to StarBurst us the hezmana out of here!"

Pilot answered immediately. "Moya will be ready!"

* * * * *

Aeryn looked at the angry medtechs not sure what to do. She could kill them but had a strange reluctance to do so. They had after all operated on Rygel. Certainly saved his life. The diagnosan had done the same for Crichton until he attempted to take it a step further. She mentally shook
her head. How had she known that? What had been in that phial? Yet she trusted the Rekalas. Had seen the swirl of dark energy in Venig. What did it mean? What else was going on here?

The technicians were almost upon her and still she had not fired though her pulse rifle was in her hands and aimed at them. It was Zhaan who halted the advance as she spoke.

"We wish to thank you for helping us." She said smoothly, inclining her head gracefully.

Her calm nature made them hesitate. Confused. They paused and looked from Zhaan to Aeryn. "Why did you kill Venig?"

"How do you know he is dead?" Parried Aeryn, hoping to stall for time to think of a better way out of this. Since when did she *think* her way out of anything when she had a pulse rifle in her hands? This was weird. She was starting to think like Crichton. What else had been in that potion? She remembered what they had said to her. Hope. It was the one thing only she could give Crichton. The one thing he had always given her. Suddenly she knew that only truth would do. To speak anything else would damn them all. "You are right. He is dead."

Zhaan looked across at her. Startled by her honesty. Aeryn did not look at her. She was looking at the medtechs.

"I saw something in Venig that frightened me. A dark energy stirring. I had to defend my friend. He was helpless and I was his only hope."

The medical technicians exchanged looks. Something indefinable passed between them. The lead medtech, Karyl, spoke for them. "If what you say is true you must go now."

"Not without our friends." Said Zhaan.

"Take them. Go. We can help you no further."

Zhaan bowed. Aeryn nodded then turned back to Crichton. The bed was on wheels, she had an idea and turned back to them. "Can we take the trolleys? We do not want to undo your good work by carrying them."

The medtechs exchanged glances at the request. Karyl turned back to face her. "Yes, but leave them when you have reached your transport. You should go now. Security will be here soon."

Aeryn hesitated. The unaccustomed words rising in her throat but needing to be said. "Thank you."

Karyl inclined his head slightly and stood back as Aeryn wheeled Crichton out of the facility. Zhaan exchanged a bow with him then hesitated. "I promised to share unity with Venig as part of the price."

He realised what she was asking. Was tempted but Venig was dead. Let that be enough. If Aeryn had truly seen what she had seen the sooner she left with her friends the better for everyone. "I must decline, P'au, and you must hurry. Security will be here soon."

She nodded her thanks. He watched them go then slowly approached Venig's inert body. The others hung back, reluctant to get too close. He was wise enough not to touch the body but not enough to stay back. A dark energy he could not see rose up from the still corpse. Before he could save himself it entered through the pores of his skin and bound itself to him. Winding columns of dark energy wrapped itself deep inside him. A questing mind searched his for answers. It did not find what it was seeking and rent the air with a mute howl of horror filling with anger so intense that Karyl apprehended his danger a microt before the energy ignited in his brain setting his body alight with instant combustion. His sudden piercing scream was cut short by death. He fell not as a body but as ashes. The other medtechs scattered in horror and panic.

* * * * *

Aeryn urged Zhaan to hurry. No thought for anything else but reaching the transport as soon as they could. Zhaan did not question her. Wondered exactly what had happened. They heard the brief scream as they reached the outside of the facility. "Don't look back!" Snapped Aeryn.

It seemed to take forever to reach the transport but in reality it was less than a quarter of an arn. It felt longer to Aeryn. Her heart was pounding in her mouth. Once they reached the transport they used the trolleys to get Crichton and Rygel inside then pushed the trolleys out of the transport and took off immediately. Zhaan was about to com Moya. Aeryn shook her head. She could not explain it but they needed to maintain radio silence until they were clear of the planet. Why did she think that? Where was this knowledge coming from? Some instinct was guiding her that was not her own.

<You know> The thought sailed through her mind.

Confused but not doubting it, she took the transport up out of the bonosphere. Ignoring Zhaan's eyes on her and not letting anything distract her.

D'Argo, Crais and Chiana were startled when Pilot told them the transport was approaching. D'Argo told Pilot to let the transport land. Only when it was safetly aboard did Aeryn com them. The relief in D'Argo's voice made Aeryn smile at Zhaan.

"Aeryn! You frightened the hezmot out of us. What happened to your coms?"

"Nothing D'Argo. I just didn't want anyone else picking up our transmission until we were safetly aboard."

D'Argo glanced at Crais and Chiana but said nothing. As soon as the outer doors were sealed again the blast doors opened and they hurried over to the transport. D'Argo could not explain the feeling in his two hearts. At last they were all back together again. Chiana pressed passed him,
tears in her eyes as she looked first at Crichton's sleeping face then at Rygel. Zhaan smiled gently at her.

"Are they, are they...?"

"Yes, child. They are going to be alright."

Chiana closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her face. Zhaan put her arms around her and cradled the Nebari. Understanding the emotions that were overwhelming her. Sometimes she forgot that they had become a very close knit family on Moya. Crais looked at Aeryn and approached Crichton slowly, not trusting himself to speak. Aeryn put a hand on his shoulder and
he looked at her, his dark eyes taking in the joy she carried and daring to believe.

"Help us get them to their quarters, Crais."

"Surely you mean the apothecary?"

Aeryn shook her head. He looked at Zhaan. Zhaan was looking at him over Chiana's shoulder. She pulled away gently from Chiana and let the Luxan put his arm around her. "No, Crais. There is no more that I can do for either of them that cannot be better provided by several solar days of
sleep."

"Then," Said D'Argo cautiously. "They are healed?"

She seemed amused at his heistancy. "Yes, sweet D'Argo. The medical techs on this planet are the best I have ever seen. They remade Crais. Healed Talyn. Have given back Rygel and Crichton their lives. We have much to thank them for. The only thing they need now is time to finish healing."

Crais smiled for the first time in a long long time. His eyes shining suspiciously bright, a hand drifting down to touch Crichton's cheek. His heart so full just to have him back, to have him whole and know that he would be alright. So much had been risked and for what? So much almost lost because of his anger and impatience. How could he ever forgive himself for putting them through so much? For almost getting everyone killed? He loved Crichton so much. Could no longer imagine his life without the human in it. He felt something touch his cheek, looked up and saw Aeryn looking back at him. D'Argo, Zhaan and Chiana were already disappearing out of the transport bay with Rygel leaving them to follow with Crichton when they were ready. Aeryn gently brushed away Crais's tears then smiled as he kissed her. His lips said his thanks, gave her his love, spoke of a friendship too deep for words. She understood. She loved him too, loved Crichton. They took a moment then took Crichton to his quarters. Crais gently lifted him on to his
bed and made him comfortable. Aeryn knelt next to the bed, watched Crichon's face as he stirred slightly in his sleep.

"He really will recover fully?" Asked Crais quietly.

It was unlike him to seek reassurance even if he felt the need. It warmed her heart to him even more. Of them all, Crais had changed the most. He too had become *more*. "Yes, Crais. All he needs now is rest."

"He nearly died."

"Yes."

"Because of me."

She shook her head gently and took Crais's hands in hers, looked him in the eyes so he could feel the truth and take it to his heart. "No. He nearly died *for* you not because of you."

He seemed surprised. "Why the distinction, Aeryn?"

A little chuckle lightly vibrated the air against his eardrum. Her unexpected humour fascinated him. "Because you take entirely too much blame on yourself. Also, not enough blame."

He frowned. Her chuckle bubbled into a brief laugh. She teased his lips with a slow kiss. "Stay with John. He will explain when he wakes."

"But he will sleep for many arns. Solar days, Zhaan said."

She nodded, such calm in her depths that it filled him with wonder. "Stay. I will bring you food and if you need anything else just ask Pilot to let me know."

He watched her as she let his hands fall. Stunned as she turned to where Crichton lay, such love openly revealed upon her face that he fancied he was seeing Aeryn Sun for the first time. Released from a lifetime of guilt and repressed feelings. Emotions free to be given as well as welcomed into her heart. Who was this strange, exotic, beautiful siren? Aeryn kissed Crichton
gently then drew a finger slowly across his lips, watching the gentle light from Moya caress his sleeping face. She stood up and gave up her place for Crais. Behind her two DRDs quietly hummed into the room and took up their stations. One rolling as close as it could without drawing attention to its' presence. One lightstalk hanging at a jaunty angle, the blue electrical tape insufficient to match the broken lightstalk with the whole one. The second DRD stayed near the door, rolling back into the shadows as Aeryn turned to go. Crais only found his voice when she was about to step out into the corridor.

"Aeryn, I don't know how to thank you."

Aeryn paused, turned back to him and stroked Crais's cheek. "Just love him, Bialar. Hold him, protect him, look after him."

For a long microt neither spoke. "You have changed, Aeryn Sun."

She smiled. "John did that."

"Yes," Said Crais with a possessive pride tinging his voice. "Just as he has changed me also."

She nodded then was gone. For a microt Crais just looked at the place where she had stood. He took a microt then got up to close the door.

"Hey, a guy could freeze to death over here."

He turned and laughed with joy at Crichton. The human's eyes were open, he looked so frelling weary and so beautiful. Crais hurried to him, sat on the bed beside him. "Sssh, you're supposed to be sleeping. Regaining your strength."

Crichton smiled, wanting Crais to kiss him, to hold him, to tell him how much he loved him. Crais wanted all those things too but he was afraid to hurt him. Afraid his passion would get the better of him. He did not want to hurt his lover. Not now and not ever again. Crichton sighed in quiet frustration. "If you don't damn well kiss me Bialar I am gonna hand you over to Scorpy my frelling self!"

Crais chuckled, his voice dark and smooth as chocolate. The rumble going through Crichton as their lips touched. His tongue gently invading his mouth so sweetly that he could feel every cell burning with need for him. He had missed Crais so much. Crais broke off gently so he could look into those wonderful blue pools, his heart full to bursting for love of him. "I thought I had lost you." He whispered in agony.

"Not while there is breath left in my body, Crais. I love you."

The words rippled through Crais, made him shiver with a joy so intense he was flying. "I love you too, more than you will ever know."

"Then I guess," Murmured Crichton in a husky voice as his right hand slid up Crais's shoulder to cup the back of his head and draw him nearer. "You'll just have to show me..."

* * * * *
END