TITLE: "A WISH THE HEART MAKES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: JOHN/CRAIS

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

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

"A WISH THE HEART MAKES"
A "Farscape" slash story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL

Seldom had the peaceful Rekalas faced such fury. They listened patiently, watching the play of strong emotions on the Sebacean woman's face. As the tirade wound down, Xen Tsi gave a slight incline of her head. Her Carridian silks swishing delicately as she moved. "You are upset."

Aeryn stared at her for a microt at the vast understatement. ""This is a cruel game you are playing."

"Game?" Said Xen Jow. Her voice crackled like old leaves crushed beneath a closing fist. "This is no game, Aeryn Sun."

She frowned. "How do you know my name? Did Zhana tell you?"

"No. You did."

Anger flared in Aeryn's eyes. "I said no such thing! Do not think your games will work on me!"

Xen Jow sighed. "You do not underestand. You have no patience therefore little understanding. Wisdom cannot grow in shallow soil."

"That creature... the diagnosan... demands Unity with Zhaan as part of the price of healing Crichton."

"And the Royal Dominar?" Asked Xen Dar.

Reluctantly Aeryn nodded. She had forgotten about Rygel. "Yes. Rygel too."

"What is it that troubles you about this? You have bartered before." Said Xen Tsi.

"Yes, but this is obscene."

"Why?" Asked Xen Dar.

Aeryn glared at her then frowned. Was that curiosity? "You did not see Zhaan's face. She does not want to do this yet cannot refuse to do anything within her power to help Crichton and Rygel."

"What about you?" Asked Xen Tsi.

"Me?"

Even in Aeryn's own ears her voice sounded hollow. Surprise? Fear? Or both?

"What would you do to help them?"

She thought about the question and her anger abated. What would she do? "I would do whatever I could." She answered slowly, suddenly understanding.

The three sisters wore expressions that seemed to say they knew she now understood. "Rygel has great faith in you and the human would do anything to make you happy."

She said nothing for a few microts. How did they know that? They were silent, waiting patiently. Aeryn raised her eyes and realised only the truth had any meaning here. If she lied they would know even before the frelling words left her mouth. "I wanted to be with John Crichton. Naturally I care what happens to Rygel but my real reason for coming is to find a way to help
John."

"You love him?" Xen Jow asked.

"Yes."

"The human will not die." Said Xen Dar softly, her words jarring Aeryn out of her reverie.

"Will he recover?"

"Physically yes."

Aeryn frowned. "What do you mean?"

Xen Tsi spoke carefully. "The mind is not as robust as the body, Aeryn Sun. It needs other things."

Her voice began to trail from her mouth with a strange reluctance. "Other things?"

"Yes." Said Xen Dar with something like compassion. "Something only you can give."

Aeryn was startled. Her face became a pale moon hovering uncertainly before them. "What the frell do I have to give?"

All three Rekalas spoke the single word together. Quietly. Voices hushed yet pitched to carry. The word rang out in her head with a strange echo of doom. As if it was something she had been running away from all her life. "Hope!"

* * * * *

Zhaan watched Venig work. She was tired but could not rest and found it hard to attain the calm necessary to meditate properly. So keyed up all she could do was watch. Rygel had come out of surgery almost an arn ago. The diagnosan had stated that he would sleep many arns and taken weekens to heal fully but he would heal. They had been able to remove the shard, repair the damage and thanks to the Hynerian's unique manner of replacing bodily fluids his recovery would be quicker than that of most species. Species like the human for example. Having satisfied herself that Rygel would be alright, Zhaan returned to worrying about Crichton. It was becoming a regular occupation and that troubled her. This gentle, intelligent alien had already
been through so much. Adapted so many of his non violent ways to accommodate an often suicidal universe that was not even his own. She had seen his intelligence from the outset, something the others had intially denied. Seen how that refusal to accept that he had something to give, to contribute, hurt him. Yet still he gave. Unstintingly. His generous caring nature gently
and surely breaking down the walls of resistance until suddenly he became one of them. He had more than earned his place among them and they were tenacious in their efforts not to lose him now. Zhaan was pleased he was valued so highly but sorrowed that it had taken so long and cost the human so much. She doubted that anyone, with the possible exception of the Hynerian
Dominar, realised how much.

At last the diagnosan and his team finished with Crichton. Zhaan was anxious. "Was it successful, Venig?"

"Yes."

"Will he recover?"

"Yes."

"And the neural chip?"

"That is too deeply imbedded but there may be a way to cushion its' effect. Give him some relief."

"Cushion its' effect?"

"We cannot remove it. We cannot destroy it. But perhaps we can neutralise it by distracting it."

Zhaan was lost. "Explain."

"You promised to enter Unity with me as part of the price."

She nodded and waited.

"I think we should extend that to include the human."

Alarm shot through her. "That is not acceptable!"

He tilted his head in mild rebuke. She could almost sense his thoughts and realised something she had fogotten. Venig was telepathic. He was also an empath. Both traits making him ideally suited in his role as diagnosan. Yet Zhaan was not just Crichton's friend. She was also his
protector. If she truly wanted to help him could she deny him this?

"I know that you have already shared Unity with him." Said Venig. "That will help."

"How?"

"It will enable me to help him without causing him distress."

Zhaan thought about what he said. Prayed to the Goddess that the decision she was making now would be the right one. "Very well, Venig, I will trust you. Not for my sake, but for John's."

Venig nodded. They took up a seat on either side of Crichton's bed. When Zhaan had composed herself, she and Venig placed a hand against each other's faces, the other hand on Crichton.

He was dreaming, he had to be. Or was he dead? Crichton did not know, could not tell. But he was out of pain and that was definitely a good thing. Right? A beautiful slow rush of emotions suddenly flooded him, an incoming tide that fired off all his erogenous zones at the same time with such intensity that his unsconscious body shuddered at the intimacy. That. Was. Just. So. Intense. When he recovered the ability to think he reached out with his mind. Zhaan? Is that you? He felt her love, so other wordly and yet reassuring. He was so happy to feel her presence, so surprised that she would invoke Unity while he was in this weird imbetween state, but hey this was Zhaan. She would never do anything to hurt him. He opened his heart wide in welcome to her. No defences. At that moment instead of feeling Zhaan's beautiful calming and loving presence engrace him, another darker energy stirred and flowed into him. Touching all the deep places of his heart and mind and triggering deeper sensual responses that made him
shiver then recoil with panic. <What was that, Zhaan?>

<It's okay, John. He's a diagnosan. His name is Venig>

<Venig?> A pause in thought.

More probing by the uninvited guest causing tremors to rock Crichton. This was really starting to freek him out. <What the hell are you doing, Venig? Who invited you to this party?>

<You nearly died>

<Yeah well if you've come for the wake you're a little early>

<I came to help>

<What? By tagging on to Unity? What is it with you aliens? Is there anybody in the Uncharted Territories who does *not* want to frell with me 'cause I would sure love to meet him>

<John> That was Zhaan. <Calm down. Venig thinks he may have a way to neutralise the neural clone>

<Neutralise it?>

<Yes>

<How?>

<By distracting it>

<Let me guess. He gets to mind frell me into hezmana?>

<No> Said Venig. His darker energy touching Crichton's mind and making him flinch inwardly. The touch became an hynotic caress, blurring the human's ability to think straight, to block him out of his mind. He felt the neural clone stirring deep inside. A sick black hole opening up in the pit of his stomach as he suspected that Zhaan had unwittingly let the wolf in to protect the sheep.

He felt Zhaan's thought. <What is a wolf?>

<Um, a bad guy Zhaan>

<What is a sheep?>

<The innocent going to slaughter>

He felt her distress and panic and quickly lightened his mood. <Hey, hey, I'm not saying anything here Zhaan. Just walking along the knife edge of panic. Nothing to worry about. You know me. Irrational is what I do best>

<I will stay with you>

<Thanks, that means a lot>

Then suddenly his world exploded into a fragmented universe that blazed with unholy light.

* * * * *

Moya shook then lurched violently. Crais was checking the console. "Damage report!"

Pilot's voice sounded surprised. "Moya reports superficial damage only."

"And Talyn?"

"He is very frightened but otherwise unhurt."

D'Argo was frowning. "I do not understand. How could both ships miss?"

"They did not miss, Ka D'Argo." Said Pilot.

Crais frowned. "Explain."

"The leviathan gunship did not fire at us but intercepted the fire from the Command Carrier."

"Are you saying," Said Crais slowly. "That the leviathan gunship is trying to protect Moya?"

"And Talyn. Aylsa does not want to hurt Moya *or* Talyn. She is being forced into this situation by the Scarrans."

For a microt, Bialar Crais was completely stuck for words.

* * * * *

Scorpius was furious. He opened a channel to the leviathan gunship. "What do you think you are doing, Raknor?"

The Scarran Commander glowered back at him. "It was not my doing. This leviathan does not want to attack one of its' own kind."

"You must think me either very stupid or very niave to believe that. You have just made your last mistake!"

As his image faded from Aylsa's screen, a volley of gunfire opened up from the Command Carrier ripping into the side of the leviathan gunship. Fury blazing in the Scarran, he turned the gunship away from Moya and ordered them to open fire on the Peace Keeper Command Carrier. Mirkot had no problem instructing Aylsa to do just that. Scorpius moved into clear space away from Moya, not wanting to chance blowing the leviathan up in the crossfire before he had a chance to retrieve Crichton. He would teach the Scarrans to think they could stand in his way. He ordered Lt Braca to fire at will. They were not to stop until the leviathan gunship was completely destroyed. That it would also take the Scarrans aboard it straight to hezmana was simply a bonus.

* * * * *

Aeryn felt stunned. She had gone to the Rekalas to accuse them of playing games with Zhaan only to come away feeling that Zhaan had been right to trust them after all. They had told her she held the key to helping Crichton. Not Zhaan. Not the medical technicians. But her. Aeryn Sun. She was the only one who could give him hope. Hope. All she wanted was for Crichton to be alright. To live. Recover. It was the only dream she had and if this gift of hope could buy it for her she would pay the price. If a dream was a wish the heart makes what was hope? Could hope be the dream? She did not know. Was confused about almost everything concerning the human except for one thing. She would do anything to keep him safe. As would all the crew of Moya.

With more determination in her step, Aeryn went to the medical facility. The news about Rygel was very comforting. He even looked better though how she could qualify that from his unconscious form she could not have said. It was more a feeling. She half smiled to herself. Crichton was rubbing off on all of them. Feeling more confident she went to check on Crichton.
He was lying on a bed with Zhaan one side of him and the diagnosan on the other. Both looked to be in something like a trance-like state, both had a hand to one side of Crichton's face, the other to each other. Her heart missed a beat. Unity. There was nothing else it could be. But why would Zhaan agree to share Unity with the diagnosan? Surely it was an intimate merging? She
noticed Zhaan looked less than serene, distressed almost. She could tell nothing from looking at the diagnosan. She gazed down at Crichton's face, he was perspiring but did not stir. She recalled what the Rekalas had told her.

"How will I recognise hope when I see it?"

They had handed her a small vial. She opened it now and instinctively knew it was the right thing to do. Flipping her head back she tipped the contents into her mouth and swallowed it. As soon as she had done so she noticed a dark exotic fire clinging to the diagnosan. Without thinking she
drew her pulse rifle and shot him. Seven bright spurts of pulse fire, not stopping until the dark energy faltered and the diagnosan fell to the floor dead. Zhaan collapsed. Aeryn ran forward and checked on her. She was still breathing but unconscious. She went to Crichton, a hand gently cradling the side of his face. Impossibly, his eyes fluttered open. He seemed to take
his time getting his vision in focus but when he did a big weary smile slid over his face. "Hey, Aeryn. Where were you at the gunfight at the O. K. coral?"

She had no idea what he was talking about. She was just so relieved to hear his voice. To see him conscious if only for a microt. Hot tears fell on his face as she bent to kiss him gently. As she straightened he passed out. She heard a groan from the floor. Zhaan was beginning to come
round. Aeryn looked up. Uh oh. It looked as if killing their diagnosan was not going to make her any new friends.

* * * * *
END