Ethereal Chorus

By ChianaGray

Pairing: none in particular

Archive: Yes

Summary: The mystery begins in where they are exactly.

Notes: feed back please, plus your questions and or comments are helping me write this one.

NC-17

Warnings: No biggie in part one. What do you think about Chiana and Zhaan? I was thinking thier link could be an almost sexual experience considering the circumstances they come to be in but I'd like to have some opinions to ground on. I have an ending in mind where it would be more consistant but im squinchen my eye at it.

Warnings: IF you are as sensitive about the FS chars as I am you may find something provoking, graphic, scary as hezmana or sexual? I dunno, but it's gettin hairy.

by Chiana Gray
------------------------

She stood poised, gazing down at the dark rocks far below. It was a drop of death, a small pebbel falling to the canyon below as if to emphasize the danger of what she was doing only moments after the boy had failed and fallen to his death. If she didn't emit just the right tone, the sound net would not activate to catch her. She raised her arms and turned, allowing herself to free fall as she saw the stalagtites above. The sensation of the fall swept over her. The cool cavern air around her as the edge she droped from raced farther and farther away. She eased out her call gently, a sense of calm in her near trance concintration as she plummeted down.

"Ooooooooeeeeeeeee........."

Chiana opend her eyes, waking up from her dreams with the sound of her tone still drifting through her as she sat up. She felt as if something were urging her but she couldn't place her finger on it as she dressed. She wondered absently if it was just something in her dream she missed, something about herself in those moments she had taken the stone.

She made her way to central command, gazing out over the stars in the portal screen as she pondered. The sense was still there as she began to wake up more, like she was missing something or maybe it was trying to reach her. She felt as if the sound was still there as she gazed out at a massive constellation of gases traced with silvers and flaring gold reds. Suns beamed with brilliance within the swirls and wash where spreads like ocean waves in fosforecent particles exploded in wings like a rose bloom only to dissapate and dwindle. Streaks like lightning stormed through the galaxy like constillation.

"Pilot," she awed as she drew closer to the screen. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Pilot blinked up from the clamshell.

Chiana turned, her lips gently parting as she looked to Crichton standing at the command helm.

"I didn't realize you came in," she narrowed her eyes, comming around him when he didn't answer her. She looked to the passage way as Zhaan stepped in, a surreal sensation comming over her, as if she were still dreaming.

"Zhaan?"

Zhaan paused before the portal screen, gazing up as if she were hearing something that seemed strange to her as Aeryn and D'argo stepped into the chamber. Chiana's eyes widend on D'argo as he looked around himself like a lost cub. He looked almost transparent. Crichton and Aeryn looked only slightly more tangible than he did.

"What's going on?"

She reached out to D'argo, her gloved hand slipping right through him. She jerked around, looking to Aeryn as she stepped right past her, through her hip.

"Hey!"

"It's in space," Crichtons voice came around her as if he were walkin in a circle around her as he spoak though his form stood at the helm, turning to Aeryn. "So there has to be something about it that we can understand. Maybe it's a planet being formed or just some kind of freak storm."

"Look at me John," Aeryns voice came as if she were close enogh to Chianas ear that she grasped it. "I'm a prowler pilot. I've skimmed past dwarf stars that didn't frighten me as badly as this thing does."

"Woe, Aeryn. Afraid, doesn't sound good comming from you."

"Then take me more seriously and try to get us to pull away from this thing."

"I can't," Crichton shook his head. "The others..."

"Crichton," Chiana eased to the helm and tried to gain his eyes. "Crichton! Hey, can't you hear me?"

Crichtons brows creased, his crystal blue eyes turning to her unseeing as he slowly eased out his hand as if he were at least trying to touch her. She tried to take it, clenching her fist when her hand went straight through his.

"Frell!" She cried out in fustration, swinging her fists as she twirled away. "Can any of you hear me? Aeryn, Dargo?!"

"Chiana?" Zhaan gaped as she looked around herself almost blindly. "Chiana, I can hear you - you've got to-"

Chiana felt a brilliant flash of light as if it were surrounding her from within her own mind. She felt as if she were racing through it like a StarBurst and screamed out her fright. She jolted, finding herself in her room as her out cry seemed to literaly circle around her and then rise into Moyas cieling as if someone were moving in that direction before it dissapated. She ploped down on her bed, looking over her room aprehensivley before she laid back with the strange sensation she was laying back into her own body. She felt near to sleep when someone grasped her ankles.

"Hey!" She shouted as she slipped out of bed from thier pull and grasped her sheets to try to hang on. The sheets came with her as she was dragged into the hall and down the corridor by unseen hands. She planted her hands on the floor, the dragging stopped as her feet were released and ploped down. She blinked slowly, looking up as Crichton stepped into the hall. He frowned down at her as he scratched at his eyebrow.

"Problems?"

"You want to tell me what the frell is going on?" She asked as she came to her knees and tilted her head at him. "Or am I having some realy strange dream?"

"Well you're laying in the middle of the cooridor, is that strange?"

"It is if you just got pulled out of bed by nothing that was there," she spoak quietly as she looked around herself. "I - I thought Moya was in trouble with that energy mass in space."

"I - right," He nodded slightly as he snapped his fingers and then smacked the ball of his fist into his palm.

"Are," she cut her eyes to him, beggining to have a strange feeling. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Never better, Pip." He spoak with amusement as he pointed his finger to her chest and then flicked her nose when she looked down. "Gotta get some things done. Maybe you should try laying back down or something."

"Right," she nodded as she backed away. "Whatever. Just ah - pretend I wasn't even here."

She shook her head to herself as she came into central command to gaze once again into the portal screen. The mass was still there. It seemed closer now, brilliant with light and movement as what looked like silver sheets of flame twisted out, leaving behind where it had disapeared a sillouette of shimmering light. She turned her head to her shoulder as she pressed her comm.

"Zhaan. Are you seeing this?"

A brilliant light flashed. Chiana twirled away from it on instinct and came into a crouched stance, finding herself staring at Zhaan in the tier. Zhaan sat cross legged in front of the brilliance of the constellation. It seemed as if it were all around them, sounds like thunder rumbeling through Moyas hull as she quietly chanted to herself.

"Zhaan..."

Zhaan turned her head slightly, her eyes searching worridley as her brows creased with the unsureness that lined her intricate features.

"Zhaan," Chiana knelt in front of her, tilting her head as she dared to reach out to her in curiosity and touched her shoulder. Zhaans hands came to the sides of Chianas head. She held her gently but firmly as she touched foreheads with her.

"We're on different plains," Zhaans thoughts drifted through her mind. "Chiana, you've got to reach the right one and convince Moya to StarBurst. She wants to go into the field."

Chiana gaped as she grasped her wrists.

"Me? Why, Why not you?"

"You are the only one who is jumping the plains we are in and I can't reach it. She must not go into the field!"

******************************

Chiana gasped, feeling as if something snatched her by her stomach. Zhaan pulled away from her and looked deeply into her eyes beneath her brows. A silver light seemed to surround her, illuminating her blue and gold speckled flesh.

"Chiana, hold tightly to me!" Zhaan cried out as the light consumed her, spilling around Chiana though she did not feel blinded by it.

She grasped for Zhaan, feeling the same sensation of being raced through the light like a starburst. She moved her hands down, searcing for solid ground to plant them on. It seemed like an eternity for her hands to reach down in front of her in the brilliant silver. She began to feel cool flooring slip past her fingers, sliding down smooth, cracked stone as the light began to swirl away from her. Her knees came down, the light still brilliant within her mind behind her eyes as she closed them. She felt almost sea sick in the wild images that raced through her mind and behind her eye lids. She saw with the perfect realness as if she were looking apon it in true life, a lake surrounded by mountains. There was mist rising over the water. Clouds brilliant with boiling fire and artic lights filled the sky over it like a horrible storm. She swallowed hard as the vision swept over jagged peaks of crystals reflecting the lights in the storm and down to the waters edge where stood a single tree, massive and ancient apon a mound of roots that had rises and depths it could have taken her days to explore. In them were cave entrances, shadowed by the massive limbs that streatched out as far as the quarter of a mile. The naked, leafless tree was as huge if not larger than Moya. The only sign of life apon it were thousands of tiny purple buds, no larger than a pinky nail. She refused to move from the solidness of the stone floor, her body trembeling until hands came to her and urged her to rise.

She looked up with careful ease, a sense of awe washing through her fear as her eyes met what looked almost like the same tree beyond. It was in the darkness where the stone edge dropped into the nothingness. The tree seemed to follow it down forever, not in any true sense of form but as a powerful, artisticly designed gathering of lights, fires, electrical currents and masses of energy.

Zhaan let go of her and dropped to her knees. She crossed her hands in front of her breasts, lowering her head as she began to chant near into a point of sobbing as tears raced down her slender cheek bones. A small particle of light came towards them emmitting a high pitched tone. It expanded into a wide band of waves, its tone drawing deeper the wider it got. It curved itself around Zhaan, repeating her chant in her own voice. Her chant then seemed to whisper from every where as various tones, vibrations and sounds came from small particles of light that gathered around them, drifting from the tree.

Chiana spread out her arms, awing at the brilliance around her as many of the particles collected together and began to sing perfect tones within the others in Zhaans voice.

"What is going on?" Chiana barely breathed as small sparkles surrounded her, several of them repeating what she said in perfect voice. She whirled her head to the sound of a distant scream of horror. It began to draw closer, rising out of the depths below like the scream of a woman in terror and rage at the same time. Chiana grasped her ears at the piercing pain that stabbed into them, her eyes shooting up to the huge shaded mass of a reddish wing of light as it raced high above them in a mass of screams and then twisted like a flame into the tree where it seemed to explode into a wash of fire. It was followed by a wash of small particles that sounded near to chimes and the shattering of glass as they came swirling through the depths and then scattered out among the other particles. She jerked away as a light exploded in front of her making a deep vibration like a tuning fork and then shot away. In thier place sat Rygel with his stubby hands over his eyes, screaming. Chiana knelt to him, taking his small hands and tilted her head to her shoulder as she gazed into his eyes.

"Take it easy Froggy you're alright now," she stated as she glanced to Zhaan who sat poised, tranced in her feverent chanting. "Zhaan said Moyas got to pull away from this thing."

"Are you farbot!" Rygel nearly squealed as his brows lifted high like sharded antennas. "If you haven't noticed we're not on Moya. If she leaves now we'll be stuck here!"

"Do you have any suggestions on how to get back?"

"Not a clue," he muttered, his brows faltering as he looked down. "If we don't do something, Aeryn has convinced Crichton they should leave. I have tried everything, I even tried biting thier frelling hands off and they can't hear or see me!"

"Great," Chiana muttered as several particles gathered around her and began to chuckle and sing in tones of her own voice, interluded by a flaring red that swooped past Rygel in his own scream. "It's like were stuck in some kind of recorder or something."

"Don't look at me," he waved his fingers at his sides with a solemn look into her eyes. "It's frelling confusing. Ask Zhaan, this should be right up her alley."

"Yeah," Chiana smiled lightly though her eyes were filled with solemn fear as she looked to Zhaan. "But I don't think she's exactly present at the moment."

"The sounds are associated to colors," Zhaan muttered as she slowly swept her hands over her head and lifted her eyes to the tree distantly. "You must find the right tone that causes the light that brought us here."

"What did you say?" Chiana nearly chuckled as she raised an eyebrow as she half stood. "Since when did light travel the same speed as sound?"

She didn't answer, returning to her chants as Chiana eased closer to the edge and gazed down into the dark depth the tree spindled down into.

"I'm willing to try anything," Rygel muttered saddly. "If we stay here we shall starve!"

"Well, we can't just be stuck here." Chiana glanced at him and then turned her attention to trying to see what was far below. She looked up but the limbs of the tree forested away any ceiling, consuming what ever was above into a realm of color and life until it was as if she were looking into the brillance of cut stones. She let out a gentle hum, her eyes brightening with curiosity as many of the particles began to collect around her and emit the same tone, gathering together into a larger spectrum when they began to match. When she stopped the spectrum shot away.

She turned her head to her shoulder, staring off into the bolts of lightning that shot down the trunk of the massive form as she shifted her feet and let her arms rise away from her. She thought of the stone, the way the pebble had fallen, the jarring of the sound net. She could remember the way she had felt believing Nerri was dead, the wrath that had lurked within her with no great villans to lash it out on. There was nothing to go to, no one had even listened. Part of her had not believed his death but the emptiness she felt for him had seemed to of just expanded like a dark dred. She had felt her heart twinge and pull at that place within it were he was held, not finding some whisper of him there to tug back from the fine strand. It was like someone had lashed her open like she had to take out the blue chip and then shot her with thier pulse rifel in cold blood. Taking the stone had been like that shot, oddly enough though it also felt like it had revitalized her own life. She wanted to live, she always had but she wanted to face the fringes of that reaper who seemed to take people away from her and then leave her behind with the open wounds where they had rooted and flowered so deeply in her own spirit. She wanted to close the wound, maybe even, catch a touch of Nerri in that fine border line between living in life and living with death as the final result of it. So everybody dies, she wanted to do something more than just survive when they did. Somehow, defy the figment bastard that took Nerri away... show him how she felt about the depth of the loss in her life... retaliate and maybe even challenge the unseen with a gentle streatch of her finger tips to touch whatever places he must have gone. Maybe death would take her too, she had to know.

"What are you doing!" Rygel cried out as Chiana streatched out her arms further and stepped closer to the edge. She turned, gazing up at the spectrum above as she began to fall back.

"Ooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

***************************************

She thought of Moya, how much she had come to care for that ship and the others. She could almost smell the light, distinct scent of her corridors even to the dringy mechanic smells in the docking bays. She pretended to see Pilots face as he concintrated over his helm, his arms darting up and down over his various panels, crystals and controls. She could feel as much as see the lights that began to collect and swirl around her. It was a strange sensation. A drop into the abyss without blind faith or even hope, only the great urges of must and home, she felt only a sense of gentle, calm will to be there with Pilot. Images flashed through her like a strobe light. She closed her eyes as the fall carried her beyond her breath and sucked it in to try again. She didn't feel the light like it was in her mind, this time it felt like it was expanding through her chest. She was jarred, hitting flat surface with the feeling someone had just nocked the hezmana out of her. The last of her breath flew out of her lungs and she opend her eyes, grasping for its return as her lungs squeezed together. She saw Aeryn come over her, her breath comming in heaves as she helped her sit up.

Chiana bent over where she sat and struggled for the air as Crichton bent down to her and grasped her shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked with alarm. "Where in the hell have you been? Chiana?"

She nodded, grasping Aeryns shoulders as she helped her stand. She looked to Pilot as her breath began to steady, her lungs accepting the air finaly though it was painful to breath.

"You - you gotta turn Moya around," she looked desperatley to Crichton. "We have to go - go back for Zhaan and Rygel. D'argo, where's D'argo?"

"Wait, wait," Chrichton shook his head as Chiana struggled away from them and ran to the door way, grasping it as her body screamed with pain at her movements. "Chiana, what are you talking about? Go back where?"

"The frelling constellation we passed," she grimanced as she stammered into the hallway and tried to struggle out of Crichtons arms as he grasped her. "The lights, those - those lights took us to something in there. They're on a planet -"

"Look, Chiana, just take it easy okay, there is no planet out there."

"I saw it!" Chiana shouted. "We've got to go back!"

"Chiana just - " Crichton raised his hand to her face, searching her eyes until she stopped struggeling with him. "Just let me show you something, alright?"

She nodded, taking in several deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart as Crichton lead her into the central command with Aeryn. He glanced at Chiana as he pointed out at the constellation mass they edged. Above the great storm and not far from them was a leviathen. Crichton grasped her shoulder as she moved to speak, bringing his finger to his lips.

"Wait a second, okay?" He asked as he searched her eyes again. "Look, you guys weren't here when Aeryn and I woke up and we found that when we tried to scan the mass for any signs of you. There was nothing even remotely resembeling an inhabitable planet out there."

"You thought we were on the other leviathen?" She asked as she gazed out at it with them.

"At first," Aeryn nodded. "Only, that leviathen isn't real. It's Moyas own reflection. Moya was attracted to this place because she thought she was picking up on another levaithen."

"That thing out there," Chiana nodded slightly as she glanced at both of them. "It's been portaling us around. That's how I got here from the planet. The tones, they - somehow the lights are sound and when you have the right sound you can travel through it."

"Chiana," Crichton sighed as he wiped his face.

"Then where are they!" Chiana demanded as she turned away from them. "Where was I, how the frell did I get here if I'm making this up?"

"I didn't say you were making it up," Crichton turned to her slowly. "Maybe you dreamed that part."

"Dreamed it?" She balked at him, her eyes lighting wide as she jerked her head forward and began to laugh.

"Chiana," Crichton blinked. "Since when does sound travel as fast as light?"

"Don't try to rationalize this with me," she narrowed her eyes at him with a slow curve of her head until she nearly had an ear facing the floor. "Maybe there isn't something right about you or this Moya. I could be on the wrong frelling ship."

"Oh," Aeryn blinked as she glanced at Crichton from her shoulder. "Then what would we be Chiana, your imagination?"

"Or something like that," Chiana tilted her head to the other side as she raised it with her lips parting, eyeing them suspiciously. "What are you going to do about finding the others?"

"We've already tried everything we can," Aeryn spoke quietly. "We can't stay here forever Chiana, face it. If we do we should starve."

Chiana turned and dashed away from them into the cooridors. She ran like a wild fire into the nearest docking bay, heading straight for a transport pod. The other two were fast behind her, Aeryn catching up with her first and tackeling her to the ground. Chiana oofed as she planted her palms flat in front of her. She twisted out of Aeryns grasp as she tried to stand with her, sucking in her breath with a horrorfied sensation as Aeryns arm seeped into her stomach as she pulled free, her arm comming out of her back. It was as if she were just a little more consistant than completely transparent. She threw herself to the transport, struggeling to get the door to open as Crichton came up behind her and swung up with his pulse pistol, whacking her across the side of her head.

"Ungh!" Chiana swung away, standing for a moment. She blinked at the floor as it began to blacken around the edges of her sight and then close in.

************************************

Chiana opend her eyes, her head pounding painfully like a hammer as she drew to her knees and stared at the containment cell door.

"There is no planet, Chiana!" Crichton shouted right into her ear. She grasped it, whirling her head to him but he wasn't there.

"You can't leave now," Aeryn spoak to her other side. It was as if she was standing not far away from her shoulder but the cell was empty. "I told you we should starburst the frell out of here."

"You got to give them a chance to come back," Crichton spoke gently. "They couldn't just disapear."

"It's going to rip this ship apart!" Aeryn spoak more heatedly. "Starburst now damnit!"

"Oh my frelling god," Crichton retorted in beat with the pounding that hammered at Chianas tempils as she eased up to the cell door and jimmied its lock. She was out in only a few microts, running towards the docking bays again. "Oh my frelling god, Chiana! Since when is sound as fast as light!"

Chiana came to the transport, sliding the pods door open with a harsh grimmance as Crichton repeated himself over and over in the hammering beat. She hopped into the pilot seat and powered the transport into life, shooting out of the bay and towards the other leviathen. She sighed deeply when his voice and the pounding seemed to fade away, her eyes wild with curiosity and fear as she eased the pod into the dock of the mirror leviathen. It was pitch dark inside except for the deep blue glow of emergency reserve lights.

She stepped out, raising her finger tips to her comm but somewhere along the lines it had fallen off. She looked over the dark patches of black shaded in deep midnight blues, unable to see much of anything as her foot steps echoed. She paused as she saw the bright antennae lights of Drds trafficing around, wondering at first if they were the sparks of light again. She jerked her head up to the sound of foot steps, slipping away into the dark cautiously. D'argo entered the bay and she watched him with a tilt of her head. He stood glaring out blindly with narrowed eyes, his nostrils flared as he held his qualta in its rifel from.

"Who is there," he demanded with a tilt of his head, growling deep within his throat.

"Is - is that realy you?" Chiana asked lightly.

"Chiana?" He asked as he lowered his qualta and tried to find her with his eyes. "I thought I told you to stay out of the areas without power."

She crept up to him, her heart feeling as if it might pound out of her as she dared to plant her gloved hand on his chest. She turned her head into him and held him tightly, closing her eyes at the feel of his warm strength as his hand came to her back and he seemed to growl his smile. His heart beat was solid and steady, all the fears and unknown seeming to melt away as she held on to him.

"What are you doing?" He asked softly. "I told you it isn't safe to wander around."

"We've got to get out of here," she spoak quietly as she looked up into his eyes. "Have I been on board all this time?"

"Yes," he smiled as he gently placed his hand to her cheek. "But I still haven't found a way into either one of the other Moyas."

"The other Moyas?"

"Have you been sleeping?" He let out an amused breath through his nostrils as he gazed affectionatley into her eyes. "There are two Moyas on the starboard side. You and I have been thinking we are stuck in demensions from starburst again because no one else is here, not even Pilot."

"Yeah," Chiana swallowed as she glanced around herself. "Well, I went to one of the other Moyas with a transport pod and it was the same thing."

"What?"

"I - I want you to come with me D'argo. We are on the wrong Moya. Will you do that?"

He nodded as he placed his hand on her shoulder and held it there with a gentle firmness.

"We'll go to both Moyas and see."

"The - the farthest one first," She muttered as she took his hand and pulled him along, hoping she could get him into the transport before she saw this other self of her he had been stranded with. "I've got this feeling - I mean, I think these aren't realy Moya. They're mirrors. I saw Crichton and Aeryn but it wasn't realy them - but they said Moya had come into this because she thought there was a leviathen here. But, it was herself."

"Then we'll just have to find out which one is the real Moya," D'argo stated as he clambored into the pilot seat of the pod. Chiana sat in the seat next to him, sighing with the relief that melted through her as the pod powered back out into space.

******************************

"I just can't believe this," D'argo muttered.

Chiana gaped out at the five Moyas they began to pilot past in row of each other. As far as they moved more Moyas came into thier view. They remained silent as D'argo continued along almost a dozen more. It seemed like some were missing along the line, yet others looked like they were beggining to fade and disapear.

"That must be why we ended up on the planet," Chiana awed as she glanced from them to D'argo. "They're starting to deteriorate."

"Maybe the variation was unstable," D'argo suggested with a nudge of his head to a Moya alive with light in a starburst that was not comming. "It looks like the ones that try to starburst are falling apart."

The last Moya they finaly came to was directly over the constellation mass where what looked like a whirlpool of burning clouds was directly under it.

"She's stuck," Chiana noted with a blink as she leaned forward with the exitement she felt. "Can you get us in?"

"I can try," he grimanced as he brought the pod up high and then dove down towards Moya into a docking bay.

Chiana barely waited for them to land when she had the hatch open. She stepped out into a bright dock. Everything looked fairly normal. She turned at her shoulders to look to D'argo as he stepped out and pressed on his comm.

"Pilot, is anyone else here?"

"D'argo," Pilots voice came back and Chiana twirled around D'argo, laughing as she grasped his forearm. "Chiana, I am very suprised to hear you."

"We're here," D'argo breathed through his flaring nostrils with a seething smile as he walked with Chiana towards central command. "Who else is on board?"

"Crichton and Aeryn. Are you alright? We have been searching for you as well as Zhaan and Rygel. They are still missing."

"Yes we're fine. Have Crichton and Aeryn meet us in the central command."

"They are already there."

**************************************

"Yeah we been watching these leviathens explode into nothing when they starburst," Crichton snorted as he wrapped his big arms around the hug Chiana gave him. "And there is a planet."

He turned to the control helm and drew his fingers into it, eyeing the portal screen as the whirl pool like raging fires for clouds came on screen.

"Down there," He nudged his head to it. "I'm not sure about what you were told by that imaginary me, Chiana. Moya did think there was another leviathen here but we've been able to figure out that what ever it is she was attracted to it's down there, through that and that's where we think the others are."

"I checked a few of these miraged Moyas," Aeryn spoak up as she sat down and droped a food cube into her mouth as she looked to them with raised brows. "But I got frelling tired of meeting myself."

"Yeah," Crichton snorted. "These light entities or what ever they are have had a little fun with us too."

"So are we going in?" Chiana asked as she drew closer to the portal to try to catch a glimpse of the dark brown and swirling red planet through the eye. "I - I know where to look. There was a lake with a giant tree, I don't think you could miss it even if this planet was as big as Rygels ego."

"I think it's just a little smaller than mars," Crichton muttered as he looked to her. "The problem with this hole is that it is holding Moya in position and starbursting out may not be such a great idea with the gasses this thing has clouded in it. I'm not so sure once we got down to the planet we could get back out either."

Aeryn flinched, grasping the table as Moya was suddenly consumed by light that sent a thundering bellow through the hull like an explosion. Crichton held tightly to the helm, looking to D'argo and Chiana as they were thrown to their hands and knees.

"And I don't think we have a very long time to try to get to them."

"That is the unstable gasses?" D'argo stated more than asked as he helped Chiana rise with him.

"It's another Moya trying to starburst," Aeryn said as she stuck another food cube into her mouth and chewed on it with her eyes blinking, glancing around herself in frightened irritation.

"Every time they starburst, we get a little jolt of it." Crichton finished as he ran his hand through his hair.

"I can do it," Chiana spoke quietly as she stepped closer to the portal again, gazing out at the planet in wonder of it. "I can get them out..."

"Chiana," D'argo sighed.

"I got out didn't I?" She asked as she looked to him though the fear in her eyes was clear and sparkeling. "I should go... to Zhaan."

"To Zhaan?" Crichton eyed her. "You mean, to one of the Zhaans on the other ships."

"That's exactly what I mean," Chiana stated as she turned to leave. D'argo stopped her, taking her upper arm gently but firmly as he looked into her eyes.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"Not likely," Aeryn muttered as she tossed a pulse pistol up into the air and Chiana caught it. Aeryn seemed to smile as she stood. "I'll take you to the third leviathen down. I saw Zhaan there. You have to be careful, some of the ones that look like us aren't very niece."

"Are you sure you want to come?"

"Or stay here and wait for when one of these ships pop and Moya explodes?" Aeryn stated cooly as she walked passed them. "It's frelling nerve racking."

************************************

"Maybe you're just thrown into the moment, Chiana." Aeryn spoak softly as they came out of the pod. She looked to Chiana with worry lining the edges of her sharp eyes. "I mean, think about it. You believe that these things have been transporting you every time a ship tries to starburst. When Zhaan linked with you, you were both carried into the same place possibly for the very same reason. What makes you think this Zhaan could link you to the real one and carry her and Rygel back here?"

"Because I know how I'm supposed to get there," Chiana said as she moved passed D'argo towards a cargo bay in the leviathan they had come to. "And if Zhaan could carry me, then she could help me get there and then carry me and Rygel back."

"Are you sure they are even stuck there?" D'argo asked. "Maybe they are already on yet another Moya."

"I don't think so," Chiana muttered more quietly, pausing as she heard something shuffeling in the bay and Aeryn raised her pistol to it. "I don't realy know what to think but when I was there, I felt like that tree was alive. Maybe it was calling Moya, in her own tones or something."

"Sure," D'argo nodded slightly as he came beside her. "But calling Moya intentionaly? Why would it do that? You're suggesting this thing is sentient. How would it know which one is the right Moya?"

"Beats me," she shrugged. "For all we know we could be on the wrong side."

"What," D'argo creased his brows as he followed the sounds of the shuffeling until they stopped behind several crates and unsheathed his qualta. "Of the vortex? Are you now suggesting we starburst into that?"

"What if it's a wormhole?" Chiana asked as she gave him a side glance.

"If it were a wormhole it has completely vomited on itself," Aeryn retorted as she shifted her positon to the same area D'argo was looking. "I cannot see how anything could actualy exist here."

"So maybe the wormhole is stuck in demensions," D'argo sneered a smile. "Then it wouldn't matter which side of it we were on."

Aeryn winced her eyes, shaking her head before she looked to him. "What?"

"No," Chiana shook her head as she glanced between them. "If it was like that then the monster would be trying to destroy this to get it out of the demension it's in right?"

"Look," Aeryn sighed. "The problem isn't what it is or why but how to get the frell out of here with everyone on board. I still think my first suggestion should have been followed, that we starburst away and see if everyone just returns as easily as they dissapeared. We could always starburst back to this same location if it didn't work."

"It would seem more than one of yourself keeps trying." D'argo commented as he shifted his qualta to rifel and aimed it at the crates.

"I'm not the only one," she muttered. "Zhaan too. How would this work exactly if we couldn't be sure if any one of you were the real one? You could still be just the image of D'argo. The farther these mirrored Moyas drift apart it seems like the more solid they get but none of us or Moya are exactly the same, some of them aren't even like us at all. I seriously doubt we have to rejoin with every last one of the Moyas because they seem unable to exist when they get too far away from this - thing."

"She wouldn't have to rejoin with all of the other Moyas," D'argo stated. "Not if we aren't the ones who are stuck."

"Unless it's like quick sand in space," Chiana suggested with a small smile.

"Oh!" Aeryn gasped with exasperation as she slammed her eyes shut. "Just - stop talking to me. There is no way we can get out of this by what, pulling this frelling mass of dren into a right demension because that's what you think it is. Let's just grabb the others and get the frell out of here."

She moved ahead, stepping backwards into the cooridor, her eyes unstraying from the crates the noises had been comming from as D'argo and Chiana followed her. Chiana cut her eyes to her as she raised her pistol to her shoulder.

"Just how bad are the others on this Moya?"

Chiana flinched as the crates came crashing down and someone came leaping over them. It was herself but the Nebaries eyes were crazed, a strange look on her face as she landed crouched in front of them. She stood, leaning back from her shoulders with her legs wide apart, an arm thrown out behind her as she raised a pulse pistol with a tilt of her head and pointed it at Chiana.

"Suprise!" She laughed in a rasping voice and fired.

Chiana ducked, rolling into a tumble down the hall and jerked her head up from her hands and knees. Aeryn fired back and hit the crazed Chiana square in the chest. The Nebari became consumed by veigns of light as they raced over her like growning roots. Her form faded inside of them until the strands swirled together and then vanished.

"You shot me!" Chiana gawked as Aeryn picked her up by her upper arm and urged her down the hall.

"You'll be back," Aeryn narrowed her eyes as Chiana glanced back and fourth in grunts of protest from the hall to D'argo following behind.

"But - but if they're kinkoid why are we going to this Zhaan?"

"Next one could be worse," Aeryn stated as she let her go. "Would you like to search all these ships to find one to your liking?"

Chiana paused, bowing out her arms as she tilted her head at Aeryn, her eyes wild.

"Frell yeah! I'm not going to this Zhaan, no frelling way!"

"Suit yourself," Aeryn grunted as she continued down the hall. "I'll just shoot her first and then we can go find you a niece, safe, passive little Zhaan."

"You're going to shoot Zhaan?"

"Trust me. I owe this one."

"Oh you just want me to change my mind," Chiana smiled as she crept up to her again and tilted her head nearly into Aeryns shoulder. "Is that it?"

"I think the key words were niece and safe being associated to Zhaan." D'argo smirked. "I doubt you would find one even if she were a thousand Delvians."

*******************************************

Aeryn opened the door into Zhaans medical quarter, peering in cautiously as a sound buzzed out of the room like an angry wasp. Everything was in the glow of a deep, off orange almost like an old photo negative. She stepped in, scanning the room slowly with her pulse pistol following her eye movement as D'argo came up beside her and then Chiana directly behind them.

"I - I don't like this room," Chiana barely whispered. "Let's get out of here."

"I had locked her in here," Aeryn spoke quietly. "I'm sure of it."

"Something's pulling at me," Chiana said more loudly as she moved, feeling as if she were trying to move through a thick molassis. "I don't like the feel of this."

Chiana backed up closer to the door, grasping it to get ready to swing it shut when the other two followed. She glanced up at something sparking in a far corner like a live wire. It was nearly as big as herself, bright and buzzing louder when its shape spread out like a spider web and then calliopied into a head sized vortex. Something like the sound of a passing jet escaped from its dark center, becomming louder and increasing until it closed in on itself and became the angry buzzing again.

"I bet that's a way to the planet," Aeryn stated as she looked to Chiana.

Chiana shook her head rigorously, clutching tightly to the door as she let a grunt escape through her nostrils.

"I'm scared."

"Close the door or you will let it escape," a voice rose up from behind a table of Zhaans herbals. A figure stood. It was Zhaan, as naked as the day she was born. This Zhaan however had eyes almost glowing in a deep, rich, crimson red.

They stared at her, gaping as she twisted her head in a gaysha fashion and began to aproach, glaring beneath her brows at them with an exotic danger to her small smile.

"Close the door," she repeated plainly as they ushered out to avoid her as she followed them out.

Chiana began to push at the door, trying to will it shut as Aeryn and D'argo leaned into it. It felt as if they were trying to push a sheet of lead before it finaly closed. When they looked up Zhaan was gone.

"Mabye finding another Zhaan isn't such a bad idea," D'argo squinched his eyes at Aeryn.

"There isn't a better one," Aeryn sighed as she turned to the hall. "She'll have gone to the tier, let's get moving."

***********************************

Aeryn stepped into the teir with D'argo and sighed to herself before reaching out into the hall and pulling Chiana in. She stumbled in, gaping at Zhaan who sat over looking the constilation in a silken robe, chanting quietly to herself. Chiana shook her head as she turned back around. Aeryn grasped her shoulder and turned her head to her.

"Chiana."

"I think this is a bad idea," Chiana tilted her head to one side as she looked into Aeryns eyes. "Why don't we try yours and starburst away first? We can come back right?"

"Zhaan," D'argo spoak up as he steped towards her as close as he would dare. "Can you link yourself with the real Zhaan somewhere on the planet below us?"

"You want me to link with myself?" Zhaan asked as she tilted her eyes up to him. "Possibly. For what purpose?"

"Chiana believes the link could carry her and Rygel back here to this ship."

Zhaan smiled as she let out a hum of amusement and drew her hands along the smooth floor. She cut her eyes back up at D'argo as she flexed the long fingers.

"I can do better than that Kha'Dargo. Convince her to link with me."

"We - uh," D'argo glanced back at Aeryn and Chiana. "We can't communicate with the true Zhaan."

"Of course," she smiled again with a slow bat of her dark red eyes and sat up straight. "Then I will convince her."

"This is a realy bad idea," Chiana shook her head as she lowered her chin.

***********************************

Zhaan meditated on the massive collection, trying to weave through the vast sweeping of essance and sensation. She felt as if she were in an ocean of it just at the breakers of a great storm, rushing in and pulling out through her at the same time like the ebb and flow of a wave crashing tide. She was in silent ponder, feeling as if in link with the tree, but being in link with it, it didn't feel like most trees did, deep and grounding. This felt more like - like the whales on Enara, perhaps even an entire pride of them. It was confusing to her, she thought she could feel Moya and the others within it as music played. It was almost like the sounds of a night forest, all the different things running in rythim with each other, horrible sounds intermixed with good and high pitched tones seeming to coil and sweep into lows and motion. It seemed like an entire eco-system of sound, thought and presence was in, out and through her, some very aware of her and some not. She searched, looking for her own tone that could perhaps guide her through like it had for Chiana.

She felt something deep within her move, like a stalking pantheress. Her head tilted slightly, her chin rising up towards her shoulder as she became aware of the sublte shift and waited. A slow heat rose up within her and she gasped lightly, her feathered eyes lifting up as she straightend more, the almost peakock like weave of her gold and blue flesh glimmering around her sharp eyes as she winced them with fear.

"No!"

"What?" Rygel raise his brows at her in alert, fidgeting nervously. "What is it?"

"Someone's trying to link with me." She searched the cieling, whirling at her shoulder to look behind her as a small streak like lightning fingered down in the corner and then exploded open like an eye. A brilliant light of red shot out of it. Zhaan leaped before it could get to her, falling into the trunk of the tree and vanished. The light shot after her.

"Wait!" Rygel screached as he dared near the edge and let out a small, frightened whine. "What about me?"

***********************************

Zhaans red eyes seemed to deepen as she stood, lifting her long fingers to her chest as a small vortex of light apeared before her just like the one that was in her chambers. Without a word she threw herself into it and was gone.

"Well stop her!" Chiana shouted as she ran to D'argo. Her held tilted from one side to the other as she awed at the vortex. It began to close in on itself but remained hanging in the air like a spark of light. "I can't believe she went through that."

"At least we have a better idea of how you have been getting around," Aeryn offered. "I think we should see where the one in Zhaans chamber goes."

"What about this one?" Chiana asked.

"Do you want to follow that Zhaan?" D'argo muttered as he looked to her.

"I don't want to follow anything," Chiana snorted. "But why even go through either one of them?"

"Because I think we should send one of Zhaans plants through and see if it survives," Aeryn stated as she holstered her pulse pistol. "I want to know what's past these portals but I don't relish the idea of loosing my head for it."

D'argo sighed as he looked to Chiana again with an almost accusing look in his eyes.

"Hey," she spoke breathlessly as she tilted her head, giving him a warning glare beneath her ashen white bangs. "I didn't say tell her to - to link with Zhaan and disapear did I?"

"What were you thinking?" He asked with a commanding tone deepening his voice. "You wanted to link with Zhaan and then you didn't. I can partialy understand you doing what you want when you want to but at least you could follow through on your desicions."

"Oh yeah, like you really wanted to get anywhere near - THAT one yourself," Chiana grumbled as she looked back at the shard of light. "I think I had the right - right idea at least... but why did you tell her to link with Zhaan? She's got the Delvian madness, True God, did you go kinkoid? She could be in danger now."

"Let's worry about all of this later," Aeryn spoke gently as she motioned to them. "We'll just have to try something else."

***********************************

In a swirling world of light Zhaan cried out as the red light seemed to consume her and then absorb within. She slammed her eyes shut, her face twisting in torment as she struggled within. She felt her will weakening as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Goddess," She whispered. "Not again! I can't bear it, please!"

An intense pain shot up her spine, her eyes opening brightly as they seemed to pool into a deep red color. She began to grow taller her form almost eight feet as she streatched her arms out. She pursed her lips as her eyes narrowed. Her hand reached out in front of her, taking up a small glow that seemed to intensify in her hand. It began to reviel an image of Crichton over the central command helm of Moya.

Something like the scream of a jaguar escaped her as she portaled through. She stood before him, towering as lights swirled around her form like ghosts. She was enwraped in black like a dark cobweb sprinkled in small sparkles of light.

Crichton looked up, his ice blue eyes widening as he backed away with aprehension.

"Zhaan?"

"No," she narrowed her dark red eyes on him as sounds whispered and shrieked around her. "I want you to tell Pilot to starburst now, Crichton. Or I'll do it for you."

"I - we can't starburst without the others-"

"I'm loosing my patience!" She snatched him by the sides of his head and shrank into her normal size as she touched fore-heads with him. Her eyes glared into his. "We starburst, NOW."

"What - what are you doing?"

"Have you know," she grimanced. "I'm going to rip your little mind apart. I - have - to...stop me...Crichton."

Her eyes shifted in fear as her fingers flexed more gently over his tempils. Her voice becoming more gentle. "Crichton, you must stop me!"

"How?" He grasped her shoulders tightly as he swallowed, glaring into her eyes. "Tell me what's going on Zhaan! What the frell is this!"

"I'm going to MAKE Moya starburst!" Zhaan grimanced as her fingers dug into his tempils. Crichton twisted his face at her, beggining to scream as he grasped the sides of her head. "Let me go damn you!"

"Ungh! I - think not." He struggled to speak as his knees gave out from under him and he brought her to her own knees. "You - can't make Moya starburst."

"Watch." Zhaans eyes flared as Crichton screamed, feeling as if she were piercing a bright blade into his mind. He suddenly saw each of his other selves on the different Moyas. They all were raising thier head in unsion, moaning together as they out-streatched their arms. There must have been more than two dozens of them. He sucked in his breath, struggeling to twist Zhaans fore-head off of him as they began to move into him, each one hitting him like a battering ram.

"What the frell is this!" He cried out as he let out a harsh grunt. "What the frell is going on!"

Zhaan began to eminated a deep vibration as she seemed to grow. Crichton felt as if they both were growing but it didn't seem possible. He felt as if he had become at least twenty feet tall and dared to look down. He was still on his knees to his normal height but he still felt streatched beyond Moyas cieling.

"What's the matter Zhaan, need someone your own size to pick on?"

"You need the strength," Zhaan gasped as her eyes filled with pain. "I - I don't know how much longer I can..."

Crichton screamed.

**************************************

Aeryn drew the small plant back out of the vortex. Rays of light glowed over it for long moments as the vortex closed in on itself but otherwise it seemed fine.

D'argo stuck his hand into the vortex when it came open again, wincing his eyes as the roaring sound muffled and he began to glow, surrounded in light until he was swallowed in by the vortex.

"I guess that will work," Aeryn muttered as she followed in after him.

Chiana heaved in her breath and let it out slowly on a wift of her hair at her bangs and leaped at it. She felt herself surrounded by light again, feeling as if she were racing to it and then abruptly halted. She looked up cautiously, finding herself in a dim, dark place. Roots hung everywhere.

"Look at this," Aeryn called.

Chiana came to D'argoes side as they came to her, thier mouths dropping at the same time.

Entwined in nests of the roots was the whole crew, including Pilot. Chiana narrowed her eyes as she tried to look over her surroundings as D'argo came to Aeryn, staring at a thick twisting of roots where Zhaan and Crichton were interfolded, hands touching the sides of thier heads with thier foreheads against each other.

"This is Pilots chamber," Chiana said in curiosity as she moved around Zhaan and Crichton, turning her head sharply to the form of herself. She seemed entangled, her eyes closed and half hanging out as if she were trying to escape the hanging, twisting roots. One arm was free and most of her leg but it looked like the roots were slowly trying to wrap around them and pull her back in again.

D'argo growled deeply as he came up on top of Pilots helm and began to chop him free of the roots with his qualta.

"What are you doing?" Aeryn called to him. "This is just more dren! Another frelling illusion."

"Well I don't think so," D'argo grumbled as he whacked Pilots head free and went to free his arms.

"Then what is it?" Chiana awed at her form as she dared enough to reach up to the hand twisted in roots above her hanging head and pulled at it. The roots seemed to grasp her more tightly and her face winced with pain, a groan escaping her form. Chiana blinked slowly as a flash of white light filled her mind as quick as a photo flash. "Woe."

"What if we're all asleep?" D'argo asked as he glanced at Aeryn. "Then someone should frelling wake up."

"D'argo you are way off based here," Aeryn shook her head as she turned her attention to Chiana. "Do you believe that for one microt?"

"I'm dreaming myself?" Chiana wondered as she gazed into the solemn, gentle Nebari face hanging in the roots. "And this is me?"

"D'oh!" Aeryn jerked her head down as she cut her hands up along side her ears. "I'm talking to myself aren't I? Can't you see something or someone is frelling with us? There is nothing here! If Rygel and Zhaan can't get back on thier own then they're never getting out."

"At this point I will try anything," D'argo stated as he worked the last of Pilots pinchers free and slapped on his face to try to wake him. "Pilot! Pilot answer me!"

He growled as he turned from him and raised his qualta, swinging it with a harsh shout just above Crichton and Zhaans head. Chiana awed at him for a moment, her head comming back in a wondering gape to her self as she began to try to untwine her out of the roots.

"How is that supposed to help you?" Aeryn challenged with irritation as she shot her hand out at D'argo.

"We sent Zhaan to find Zhaan, remember?" D'argo eyed her. "So why is this one mind linking with Crichton? What I see is all of us imprisoned. Do what you want Aeryn, but I refuse to leave this chamber until someone wakes up and answers me!"

Chiana worked her hand free and her body fell forward. She felt a wild confusion as the free Chiana opened her eyes and raised her head back. A terrofied look began to cross her face as she felt herself in the awkward position, a flood gate entering her mind like the crash of a tidal wave. Zhaan suddenly lunged, grasping her and drawing her into her nestle of roots, holding on to her and Crichton by thier shoulders, her head lowering as her eyes closed again and the roots began to snake around them, thicker and stronger.

"Did you see it?" D'argo gaped as his eyes widend.

"I don't know what I saw," Aeryn spoak quietly as she narrowed her eyes and swept the room over with them. "Where did Chiana go?"

"In there," D'argo nudged his head at Zhaan.

"No I mean the Chiana we were with."

"In there," D'argo insisted as his eyes widend wildly and he began to hack at the roots, growling deep within his throaght. "Zhaan! Zhaan! I'll kill you if you harm them! I swear my oath to it! Da'JoKha!"

***********************************

Crichton felt Zhaan pulling away and rocked his head back with a deep groan as a flash came over him. He saw Scorpius snareling his vicious face like a caged animal, his teeth bared as he sat up from a dark red throne. His body jerked involuntarily as he tried to see. It felt like the kelvars being shocked into him again as he saw with no sense of orientation the images of Zhaan, Chiana and Scorpius. The other two he could understand, but Chiana? He reached for her, trying to take her arm to pull her to him but Zhaan was holding tightly to her shoulders. Chianas arms were spread out, her eyes closed with her head slightly raised in an expression of pain.

"Zhaaaan!" Crichton felt as if his voice were comming from miles away, long and slow. "Let her go."

A sound raised out, becomming stronger and more higher pitched until Crichton recognized it as Pilot screaming. He slammed his eyes shut and opend them again, trying to shake the way he felt. Zhaan snatched his throaght as she half slung Chiana to one side and glared into his eyes. Her own were not as dark anymore, a reddish blue.

"I need Pilot," she muttered. "Starburst... take me to him."

"Why do you want to make Moya starburst so bad?"

"Impertinant fool!" She hoisted him up into the air with her thumb and index finger digging into the tender muscles and glands of his throaght just beneath the edges of his jaw. "Because it doesn't want her to! Happy here Crichton, are you? Murderous mamal, infection! You're all becoming pests I should rip out like a frelling neusance."

"Just tell me -" Crichton struggled to speak as he grasped her arm, trying to pull his head out of her grip. "If I'm talking to Zhaan at all, cause I don't think you are."

"I'm becoming more than that, John." She stated as her eyes shifted, searching his in fear. "Don't let this win over me, we'll all be lost."

"Sure," he rolled his eyes back and kicked. Zhaan cried out but didn't loose her grip as she sent him crashing back to his feet. He felt as if she were stabing into his mind with a cold blade. The flash of Scorpies image came to him again. He could see him standing Zhaan off as if he were trying to keep her from something.

He screamed again as he felt as if his entire mind were being ripped apart and then was suddenly overwhelmed with a washing sensation of relief as Zhaan cried.

"What have you done to me," she weeped. "I can't fight this!"

"Fight what-ever, Zhaan." Crichton grimanced in a low voice as he glared up at her. "Because I'm going to kick your sweet Delvian ass if you don't."

*************************************

Pilots eyes opened slowly.

"Moya?" He worked his pinchers over the controls but Moya lay asleep. Nothing would respond to him, not even the Drds. He looked up, blinking at a jungle of roots. "D'argo, Aeryn!"

He shook his head as he saw them, struggeling his remaining pincher out of the entanglement as they rushed to him.

"Do you know what the frell is going on?" Aeryn asked.

"I haven't the slightest actualy," Pilot blinked again as he shook his head. "Moya is asleep! I can't seem to wake her."

"Zhaan is amunant we starburst," Aeryn spoke more gently as she came over the helm with him. "We're in a very strange mix up of demensions or something. Have you any idea how we could wake her?"

"I'm afraid not," Pilot spoke saddly as he gazed up, his eyes widening as he watched Zhaan rise out of the vines and roots.

Zhaan raised her hands, crying out as she became more entangled with them. She turned her head, looking apon them desperatley.

"For Goddess sake, Pilot. Let them entwine you once more. It is all I can do!"

Pilot gasped, struggeling as the vines began to snake around him again. D'argo raised his qualta to cut them, the vines lashing around him, capturing him as Aeryn tried to struggle away.

"Zhaan!" Pilot shouted as he began to loose consiousness.

*********************************

Chiana screamed, crouching in a world of brilliant white light that brought her intense pain. She forced out her hands as her palms seemed to set on fire. Her eyes were slammed shut as she felt as if her strength were exploding like a dragon within her.

"I need help!" Zhaan cried out. "Mercy! I cannot bear this!"

"Don't give up now," Crichton shouted. "Dammnit Zhaan! Tell me what to frelling do!"

"Where the FRELL am I!" Aeryns voice roared as Chiana felt hands grasp at her cruely.

Chiana cried out in the pain, tears comming to her eyes as she stood. She brought her breath in, deep into her chest and turned. She saw Zhaan and aproached her, sobbing quietly as she took the sides of Zhaans head with her hands and placed her forehead against hers.

"No-no," Zhaan shook her head as she grabbed Chianas wrists. "Please don't..."

"Yeah," Chiana nodded with a gentle smile as her tears patted on Zhaans blue arms. "It's alright, let me share the tone with you."

"I could kill you," Zhaan glared into her with her red eyes. "Foolish child!"

She snatched the sides of Chianas head angrily, her lips pursed with rage as Chiana began to cry. She shut her eyes against the pain like knives slicing into her mind, holding Zhaans head gently but firmly as she tried to draw beyond it. She thought of taking the stone, her memories feeling like they were locked inside a cold iron box Zhaan was keeping her from.

Zhaan gasped, crying out as Chiana slowly opened her eyes with a deep melencoly into her own and began to call. She bent with Zhaan, almost seeming to dance with her as she slowly rose again. It was as if she were coaxing Zhaan to move with her. Zhaan closed her eyes, ashamed of her cruelness to Chiana as she openly sobbed in deep gasps. Chiana swayed with her, unstraying her eyes as she moved her thumbs up over her tempils and tilted her head to one side against her forehead...

"Oooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeee..."

Zhaan's shoulders raised as she took the sides of Chiana's head more gently and stood with her, calling out in a mystical tone that rose up from deeper within her from Chiana.

**************************************

Zhaan weeped quietly, feeling all, touching everything until she could feel her union to the crew, to Pilot. She embraced him affectionatley, carrying herself into a great expanse throughout Moya. She touched the leviathan, gasping at the vast essance that overwhelmed her. She could see the universe beyond her, as if she were Moya herself. She was in some kind of thick haze, surrounded by something.

"Forgive me..."

Zhaan cried as she raised her hands to her lips and touched them as she closed her fingers together. She shut her eyes as she brought intense pain into her being and allowed it to explode around her. A scream was heard and she could feel Moya ache, afraid like a child as something screeeched beyond any comprehension.

Zhaan screamed with it in rage, lashing out as she felt it throwing itself away from Moya. A lightness to the freedom came as Zhaan felt herself falling away. She closed her eyes again as she allowed herself to fall back into some void, drawing into unconsiousness as her tears escaped the corners of her eyes.

*****************************************

Zhaan opened her eyes slowly and rose, finding herself in her quarters. She gasped as she reached for her comm, her gentle face twisted with desperation as she stood with it and ran into the cooridor.

"Pilot! Is everything alright, Moya!"

"Yes," Pilots voice came solemnly. "Zhaan. We're alright. The others apear to be sleeping. Shall I wake them?"

"I - I don't know," She shook her head as she walked down the hall to his chamber. She stepped to him, embracing him. "Do you remember?"

"Yes," he looked apon her with a small smile as his massive head tilted. "Moya wishes to express how greatful she is to you. Something caught us, we were nearly consumed by it I would gather. Do you think the others will think they dreamed it?"

"Let them," Zhaan spoke gently as she crouched next to him and rested her head on his body as her tears fell. "Let them..."

end