Part 3 - B

"Oh it's six long weeks or better
Since Johnny left the shore
He's crossing the wild ocean
Where the foam and the billows roar.

He's crossing the wild ocean
For honour and for fame.
But this I've heard, the ship was wrecked
All on the coast of Spain."

Oh it's when she heard this dreadful news
She flew into dispair.
By the wringing of her milk white hands
And the tearing of her hair.

Saying "If Johnny he be drowned
No man on earth I'll take."

"Banks of Claudy." by Loreena McKennitt.

The shuttle bay was silent as the first group of Nebari was ushered out of the transport shuttle. Men and women watched shock as they started to flip them off while being hustled down the ramp towards the awaiting troop transport. Their armed guards hitting them with the butts of their riffles as they started to get rowdy.

Jack Crichton watched in amused awe as a smaller white haired one, obviously female by the way flashed her breast as she moved, cussed out one of the guards. Of all the things for the first Aliens to ever see Earth to learn of their language, this was not the so called xenobiologists wanted to hear.

Still, it was refreshing to learn that Humans weren't the only species with riffraff. Even with the way they moved and continued to be defiant, he was almost sure they were merely disgruntled Human youths. They would learn more from the physicals they gave them, 'probably that even aliens know how to kick a pervert in the nuts.'

His laugh made the other men in the room look at him in concern. Shaking his head at them, Jack pointed towards the girl. "She reminds me of my youngest. Spit and hell fire at that age. All better beware when she came around, because trouble followed." He shook his head after a another thought. "She was not the only one, John had his fair share as well."

A few throats cleared in the uncomfortable silence the followed. They were still painfully aware of the loss, and the setback in the program it caused. After a few more moments of the awkwardness, Jack turned around, still composed.

"Why exactly have you brought me here, gentlemen?" Hands folded behind his back, he gripped them tight in the leather gloves. "Unless there is something I am uniquely qualified for, which I have no idea about, then what is the summons for?"

A young major in gold trimmed dark blue air force uniform stood up and scratched his chin. "Uh, sir, with all due respect to your condition..."

"It is not just my condition, seventy-nine percent of the planet is suffering from the effects of the unknown plague. Besides, I don't give a damn about my condition, I'm not dead, and I sure in hell am not contagious." Absentmindly he ran a hand along his red cheek. "We all know what it is, who is to blame, and how much they suffered because of it. Now just get on to why I am here."

"Yes, sir." He started towards jack, a folder in his hands. "As you know, the aliens were picked up and placed in quarantine nineteen days ago. What you don't know is that we had some of their belongings sent down for study. Among the things sent was this." He pulled out a plastic baggie from the folder, a metal puzzle necklace inside on a chain. "This was found in the pocket of an old IASA flight suit worn by one of the Aliens."

Jack stared at the necklace in horror and shock. Slowly, he reached out a hand to take the packet. He didn't respond as the Major let the baggie fall into his gloved hand, while jerking his own back in fear. Tears welled up in his green eyes as he looked down at the puzzle. "Where did he get this?"

"I am sorry, sir, but we know nothing about the alien. He has been in a coma the entire stay of quarantine, it is believed he will not survive much past the journey to the planet." The Major discreetly hid his revulsion as Jack gripped his arm.

"I want to see him, now!"

"That is not possible, Jack, we are having them transferred to a facility in Groom Lake to keep them away from those infected with contagion. Who knows what effect it would have on their immune system. That is why they are being unloaded in the air tight landing bay of the Bertha and Gladys."

Jack glared at the general. "Aeral, you have to let me see him. It could be..."

"No, it isn't. Look now, they are bringing him out."

As Aeral pointed, Jack turned around to face the cargo hold of the new shuttle. His hopes plummeted when he saw the male alien being carried out on a stretcher, as he watched, his ire rose. "What in hell is going on? Where are the doctors, I thought we were supposed to be Human beings!"

"They have done all they can, he is just too alien. We have no idea what has happened to him, all we can do is hope that what ever is killing him, didn't spread to the rest."

"What do you mean?" Jack faced him, anger cause his eyes to glow slightly.

"We made an error in judgment. They were all placed in the same transport bay to be sent down in the same shuttle. Unfortunately no one remembered to place him in an iso container and now they are all infected if it is indeed a virus." Aeral rubbed a hand over his thinning hair. "In fact, the entire crew of both station, transports, shuttles, and ground facility are in quarantine as well."

"What in hell has this program been doing? I thought we gave up training chimps and putting them in space back in the sixties!"

"Now hold on, Jack, they are the best we got..."

"Hardly! Most of them have lived in isolations rooms since before the plague hit. Uninfected does not mean intelligent!" He let his eyes fall on the squirming major. "Get that rat out of my presence. As of now, I am taking over this project. I am sick of this incompetence!"

"Now wait just a minute..."

Jack turned burning bright green irises on the young major. "Get out!"

When the Major looked at him, Aeral nodded. "That is another reason why we brought him here. You can go squirm under another rock, Herak." He looked haggard as he plopped back in his leather chair. "I am sorry about that, the Omega Gens are always the hardest to deal with."

"So it is true?" Jack watched his old friend carefully nod his head.

"Yes, all sterile." From beneath heavy brows, he looked at Jack. "Yours are the future of our species, I'm afraid. When it becomes public knowledge there won't be a safe person on this planet, and one of our two peoples will die."

The green glow died from Jack's eyes as he too slumped in a chair. "I'm sorry. What about your grand daughter?"

"She's a Martian."

Jack frowned at the term. "You want me to take over this project, why?"

"As I stated, we are dying." He pulled out a cigarette and lit up. "Doesn't matter what we do now. Ours is the last generation of Humans with the smarts behind all our tech. You were right about them being chimps up there. Or at least about them being as smart as one. Their isolation has preserved them from the plague, but it is only a matter of time. We need you to control the project. What is left of the norms won't trust anyone but you when we are gone.

"They will believe it a trick by the Martians if anyone but you takes control. We have been singing your praises like a bird house at the Zoo, so the isolationists will think you are the second coming. What we need now is to brief you on all that has been going on because you, my old friend, are going to be the new leader of the world in less than six months."

"What in hell are you going on about?"

Aeral sighed deeply. "What part of we are dying don't you understand?" He gestured towards the other five men at the table, each in the middle of smoking or drinking. "Our wives are already dead or are Martians. The docs gave us six months before we die too. All of us who were not exposed to the first wave of germs but the later ones had no immunity. Who ever created this damn thing, and let it loose was thinking of killing all our political and financial leaders. Anyone rich enough, or important enough to be in their isoshelters at the time the plague hit will be dead in a matter of months."

Taking a hit, and blowing out the smoke, he sighed. "With your recent status in the Scientific fields, and being the father of America's tragic sweet heart, you are the most influential Martian on Earth. Our planet's future will be looking for a new leader, and you are perfect for the position. But you will need experience, and the President has decreed that this project be just that. You see, once he dies, all presidential files are to be made public, and this is one of those briefs to be stuck out on the line to be aired out."

He laughed aloud. "He wants Earth to be ready for Aliens, and who better to usher in the era of tolerance than the man who not only looks like one, but has previous experience? And don't think that we aren't ready, that we will never be, if this plague has taught us anything, it is not to judge a book by its cover. With a good eighty percent of our planet all now the same race, and the originals dying out, prejudice will evaporate pretty quickly. Now if you handle this right, xenophobia won't take its place."

When Jack seemed still unconvinced, he sighed. "This is a golden opportunity. We won't get another chance to deal with this. These people know about other species, if nothing else, get the Intel and terminate the whole fuckin lot of them. In ten years their tech will be incorporated in our own, and we can defend our planet from possible invasion. Or you can follow Dr. Kings advice, and live in peace and brotherhood in a utopian society. Just say you will take the project."

Jack stood up and turned to watch as the last group of aliens were escorted from the shuttle, a man with them in an IASA uniform. "What is goin on with that man. I've known him all his life."

Aeral stood and looked out the window to see who he was talking about. "He was infected with some sort of alien injection. Claims he can talk with the grays, and understand them. His partner Mark Slonough agreed with him and told me that he interacted with the sick alien before he slipped into the coma. Incidentally, Slonough died three days ago of the plague. It seems the current generation of Bacterium is deadlier.

"And Slonough, having been in isolation for the past twelve months since the first strain was released, had no immunity. So when he broke quarantine to confess his partner's abilities, he sentenced himself to a painful and slow death. Before he died, he was raving about tiny alien robots, shaped like floor buffers with eye stalks. When we asked Jim about them, he refused to acknowledge us. He is now considered Alien, he is to be bunked with the rest of them. Get him to act as translator and be on the look out for these remote controlled floor buffers."

Jack almost laughed except he noticed the deadly serious look in Aeral's eyes. "Fine, I accept it, all of it. Now that I know what is at stake, I won't subject my family to it if I can."

"How are your daughters and their children?"

"Fine, all Martians, too."

"That's good to hear." Aeral slapped him on the shoulder. "I want you to know that it was nothing personal, but we had to make sure you take the whole deal when you found out about John. It was too important to just let you get your answers and walk away. And the only way we could see how to do it was by making you mad enough to enforce your authority and take over."

"The same old Aeral, manipulating the public to the very end."

Aeral inhaled from his cigarette and blew out the smoke through his nose. Holding the butt between his thumb and fore fingers, he sat back. "As you say, Agent Mulder, trust no one."

****

Only one watched as the tiny ship landed in the middle of the night. On the dark side of the third moon, Empress Novia awaited. She did not have to be there long. Braking thrusters fired and the ship landed scattering the dust on the landing pad. She struck a regal pose to cover her impatience as the engines hissed off.

In the center of the ship's belly, a platform lowered a lone figure standing on it. As the platform touched the ground, she turned to face the Empress. Bowing to the Royal as custom demanded before she started off the platform, Sikozu spread her arms. "I am unarmed."

"You are with-out artificial weapons, but you are never unarmed." Novia turned from the Kalish, and started for her own ship. "Come, you have not come all this way for nothing."

"As always, my Empress, you are most astute." Sikozu limped as she followed the Sebacean. "There is a matter of grave importance I must discuss with you."

Novia gestured towards the entrance of her transport as she awaited Sikozu to catch up. "What could be so important to risk the exposure of your people. Our agreement was to resettle the refugees on one of our agricultural worlds. Was this not enough?"

"It was more than we could have asked for. After all, there was over fifty thousand of us."

"Was?"

"The Peace Keepers."

"Damn them all to Hezmana!"

"That is not all, they have launched a strike force large enough to wipe out a Scarran armada. It is heading this way. Expect them in four days."

Novia scoffed at the Kalish's reply. "They are hardly a threat with the other races breathing down their necks."

"That is why they are so desperate for your resources." They walked down a short hall to a chamber lined with cushions. "What's more the supreme council is no longer in control of the fleets. Their attention has been divided to individual commands or have been eliminated all together."

This time she did not hide her shock. Staring with wide eyes at Sikozu, Novia grasped for words. "Who..."

"Commandant Mele-on Grayza. She has been building for a take over for a hundred cycles. The Zelbenion's loss was what drove her to this decision. She knew the Nebari were coming, it was only a matter of time. For all her cycles she has believed them the greater threat, and so far she is not wrong."

"What do you mean? The Scarrans are the worst of the three."

"Not by half. They are merely the brutalest. The Nebari and this new race are close in threat, but their Standard Host Vessels are turning out to be deadlier by far. One solar day ago this was recorded on the farthest of the old Nebari controlled systems, before they began their campaign of order." She pulled a data chip from the pocket of her red leather suit. After handing it to the Empress, she sat back and sighed with pain.

Novia ignored the distress of the Kalish as she removed a cushioned arm rest from her chair. Under it was a console which she inserted the data crystal. The chamber darkened as scene from space came into view.

Obviously a satellite in orbit of a planet, the recording device picked up the event horizon of a large ship exiting starburst. The squid shape of the Standard Host Vessel blocked the stars as it sailed between them and the satellite. Two microts later six spheres shimmered into being. One moment there was nothing there, and the next they appeared.

Watching with rapt fascination, Novia knew what was happening next. The Nebari vessel would fire on the alien ships and it would pass right through them as if they weren't there. She had seen it on the Scarran recordings as they were destroyed by the same vessels they couldn't hit. All six Sphere Ships turned as one and fired on the Nebari ship. What stunned her was when their weapons had no effect.

However she stopped breathing when the Standard Host Vessel primed the sail towers and fired a single blue beam like a cutting torch and sliced the alien Spheres Ships through their the centers. Novia covered her ears as a soul searing screech filled the chamber. She realized it was the death screams of the collective ships as it silenced when they exploded. The beam cannons of the Standard Host Vessel fired from their positions on the ring around the center shaft.

The constant bombardment from the energy cannons hit something. After fifteen hits it appeared in normal space, a Planet Killer. It had charged the weapons and was rotating, aimed at the Standard Host Vessel.

"Singularity cannons, they were using them to bring it out of the dimensional shifting it uses to hide its presence."

"Yes, Empress, but watch." After silencing her, Sikozu gestured to the Standard Host Vessel.

It was swinging around with astonishing speed. They were attempting to train their main cannon on the Planet Killer, but they would be too late. Already it was firing. The white singular beam locked on to the Standard Host Vessel and was followed by three pulses in rapid succession.

The Nebari ship didn't even rock from its trajectory with the impact.

Their ring lit up in bright blue as the central shaft glowed of the same color. Sail towers blazing a darker blue, their energy fled towards the center as the shaft fired a single pulse of continuous energy at the Planet Killer.

The Planet Killer was highlighted in the blast wave, and disintegrated in the energy stream. Once again a soul shearing scream erupted as the alien ship died. This time she did not cover her ears at the death wail.

Only one thought was in Novia's head as she watched the debris from the alien ships float toward and burn up in the planet's atmosphere. She stared in cold shock as the Nebari Standard Host Vessel went into Starburst. A moment more, then the blast field caught up the satellite and the hollow ended. "There is no hope for victory, only limiting the damage of our defeat."

*****

Finishing the zip on her new fly suit, she tugged at the shoulders to straiten it. The previous owner was a little bigger than her, but she could work around that. It wasn't like this was the first time she had worn someone else's clothes. In fact she was still wearing the boxers she took from John their last night together. That was also the last night they had spent on the dying Leviathan. She figured it was about time she started snurching from him, after all, had to keep in the habit and they had just slept together.

Things were still hectic even after eighty percent of the room's occupants had already fled down the lift to the fighter bay. Her own wing, and their support crews were all that was left in the barracks. Helie was waiting for her to join them in their briefing, so she decided it was now or never. Mounting all the charm she had learned, not much, she sauntered over to the group of four males, a female, and Helie, all Nebari. "Hey, how's it goin?"

"You're late, Chiana."

"Well excuse me, I'm not used to having to get dressed under such short notice. Now the opposite is another thing all together." Chiana smirked at the snorts, but wisely remained quiet at Helie's glare.

"Cute, keep it to yourself next time. We got a battle to fight." Helie drew herself up to her full height, a few microdench taller than Chiana. "Now listen up, we have are about to go out, untested and unprepared. There is a fleet of fifteen highly trained Peace Keeper Command Carriers and their entire regiments. A grand total of almost a million Peace Keepers."

The group shifted nervously as she continued.

"We have never faced a group this large, most of you have never faced anything worse than a cold seat for your ema. I honestly don't expect a single fighter to survive these odds. That is why we are going to go out there and prove Nebari superiority. From this moment on, your lives are for the cause, you live and you die for the safety of this ship. Remember all cowards go to the Halls of Manon, so don't fail!

"And why you may ask, is this ship so important? Well, this ship contains information and key members of the resistance, both vital to the future of our movement. At all costs, this ship must not be destroyed. If you have to, your ship's power cores, when detonated on full yield, will be strong enough to cripple the hetch drive of a Command Carrier.

"There will be six attack wings per squadron and twenty-five squads on this ship. Ours is the first attack wing of Ishtah squadron, also known as the Gray Shadow of Death. Stick close, and follow your wing commander's lead. I am your wing commander, so my word is law. Do not brake formation unless I say so. You are not experienced enough to take them in fighter to prowler attack. We will be given detailed instructions through our communications systems from flight and navigation control listen to them if you get lost, or are the last member of this wing."

Helie was silent for a moment. "If there are any questions, keep them to yourselves. I am God, my word is law. Brake any of my laws or disobey me, and I will smite you! If you happen to survive the battle, rejoin with the ship, if the ship has been lost or you get left behind, there is a trader's colony two arns from here. Good luck and may Kahleen rest your souls."

They broke apart in stunned silence as Helie led the to the lift. None of them spoke as they traveled to the fighter bay. A nervous tension spread among them as the doors opened to a nearly empty bay.

Chiana watched as they scrambled to their ships, she to her modified module. The controls were clearly marked in Standard Nebari, she noted as she strapped herself in the black craft. All John's thrusters, original and Leviathan enhanced, were gone. Replaced by blue glowing oval thrusters she associated with a Nebari Star Runner, one on top, and one under each wing.

She put on her helmet as the hatch came down and sealed her in the cockpit. Gentle blue lights came on, as the controls glowed white. A standard Nebari coloring. One of there colors, shades of gray, blue, white, or black, nothing else would do for the most paranoid species in the galaxy. She couldn't help wondering if the resistance was as mentally frelled as the Establishment in their own way. John had a saying, he had many, but this one only now made sense, unlike the multitude of other completely farbhot ones.

"When you look into the Abyss, it looks back, and once you have, you are never completely the same again, for it is now a part of you." Or some trat like that. Now it wasn't trat, but a warning. A warning that might be too late.

But she had no more time to think on it as Helie's voice came on over her cockpit speakers. "Wake up, Chiana, we are ready to launch."

"Ready when you are."

"Seal your helmet, if your ship gets a breech, it will be the only thing to save your life in the sudden depressurization."

"Right." She screwed on the constricting device, cursing mentally about it. When she was completely sealed in the suit, she activated navigation, and took hold of the helm control. The inside of the helmet fed her information about the space around the module as the bay depressurized

"Ready..." Helie's voice cracked over the comms. "And launch!" Seven ships shot out of the fighter bay into space, Helie's large bird shaped fighter in the lead. Chiana was next on her starboard side, two others behind her, and the remaining three lined up on Helie's port side, each in their own various fighters.

There first sight of the battle group brought home how close they were to leaving this plain of existence. Four of the fifteen battle ships had turned from the main group and were engaging the fighter squads. Prowlers fanned out as they acted as a vanguard to the carriers. All fired at the Nebari ships. Two were destroyed during the first salvo, but the shields of the Nebari fighters held. Then they were in range to fire.

Unlike when the prowler's fired, the Nebari weapons only took one hit to destroy a ship. The cannons on their ships fired rapid pulses that pounded the Prowlers and exploded on contact. Chiana could hear as flight command on the carrier relayed instructions on their positions. Entire wings shifted positions weaving in and out of enemy ranks in precision movements. They would fly in, out maneuver, avoid getting hit, return fire, then weave out as the Prowlers exploded.

The longer she watched them, the more confusing the patterns became. It was like watching Crichton's shell game. Find the fighter, under which turn is the fighter, fire at the fighter. Ooops, you lose, oh, and check behind you. That's right, kiss your ema good bye because while you tried to lock on one of the many targets that flitted across your screen, another group snuck up behind you.

After she started to make out the patterns, her wing got their orders from command. They were to take out the Marauders and their Prowler escort on their way to board the carrier. With a battle cry, she gripped the controls and dipped the wing of her fighter to adjust course.

"Charge weapons and shields." Helie's voice came over the comm. a moment before the Prowlers opened fire. "Rush them, all cannons blazing!"

"Yeeeehhaaaaaaaaa, yea yea yea yea yie!" Chiana surged forward in her seat. The module launched forward. Roll right, to avoid the bright red energy. Prowler in sight, lock weapons. Bright flashes lit up the horizons as weapons' fire surged around her spiraling ship. Computer beeped, enemy was in range. Chiana gripped the weapons control on the fighter steering column. Blue energy spheres shot from the tips of her wings, sixty a second. Prowlers exploded under the chaotic bursts.

"Yes!"

"Wing one, turn back, and come around, regroup and attack the Marauders."

Chiana leaned into the roll as the gravity drives surged with energy. She squealed with delight as the engines roared against the module. Blood pumping, felt like there was nothing she couldn't do. A moment to look for, and head to her wing, then they were attacking again. This time it was the Marauders themselves, the Prowlers already gone.

She squeezed the triggers again, blue pulses rapidly shot from the cannons. Watching in awe, she couldn't help but admire the destructive force of the weapons. It was kinda beautiful the way the blue hit the black ships, then the following red explosion of the atmosphere burning when the engines went. All this just before it winked out forever because of the vacuum of space. Like jugglers, she watched as the Peace Keepers tried to avoid the knife blade which could cut their hands off. All too soon, they were gone, the Command Carriers retreating.

It was then she realized, there was no avoiding it. They were going to die, all of them. There could be no mercy, if one survived, they would only go and get more. With a grim note of satisfaction, she knew she could do it. Had done it. They were the enemy, their intent to harm, it could not be allowed to happen. She had to stop them, that fleet was bound for somewhere, to harm others. This could not be allowed to continue!

Charging her weapons to full, she activated her comms. "Chiana to command."

"Command here."

"We can't let them retreat."

"We had no intention of letting them go. A Battle Fleet has been summoned and is on its way."

"Request permission to join in to pursue and destroy targets."

"Request granted. Fall back to grid nine nine five, Decca salva lenarta. Regroup with your wing. You will be joined by the battle fleet when they arrive in one arn." The controller's voice held an edge that made Chiana shiver. "We lost Squadrons Five, Eight, Thirteen, and Twenty-two. Six more have taken heavy casualties. Make the Peace Keepers pay for this!"

"I will," she whispered, "for John, I will."

"I wish you to know the joys of my people, Jim." Resoh stood close as they were being escorted to their new home. They walked through the dark corridors of the Human military base. Many armed personnel walked about them ready to fire at a moment's notice. "We have so much to offer your species."

"Yeah, I'm sure you do." Jim glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "What exactly can you offer us?"

"For starters, I would be willing to teach your people about the proper way to treat their guests." Resoh glared at the guard that shoved one of his people who was limping. "Is there nothing that you can do to at least allow us the freedom of unrestricted movement?"

"Nothing, as you can see, I am similarly bound." He held up his hands in front of him. When he did, one of the guards butted him with the rifle to the gut.

"Get moving, traitor."

"Fuck you, jar head!" This earned him another butt.

Resoh picked the offending guard up by the throat. "This man is under my protection. You harm him again, and I will remove your Mivonks, and shove them down your mardash!" He released the man with a quick kick to the nuts.

The guards froze at the words. "Did that alien just speak to us?"

"Go to hell!"

Laughing, the guards picked up there fellow and jostled the prisoners along again. "They have been listening to too many of them space rangers! Got mouths on them like whores." More laughter as they stopped at a security door. The leader moved forward, pulled out a key card, slid it down the slot, and stood back as the doors cycled open.

The large steel doors pulled back to reveal an even larger chamber beyond. A glass dome laced with steel girders and mesh capped the crater shaped chamber. At the bottom was a jungle of plants and water gardens. At the far side were a dozen doors.

"Get moving, this is probably the last place you will ever see, so you will have plenty of time to explore later." The guard captain pushed them through the double doors down a catwalk to the garden below. "Those doors lead to the living and eaten quarters. This is the common room, you will meet here, there are enough chairs in here for all you aliens and a few dozen scientists. So get comfy."

All the guards walked out the way they had come leaving the Nebari and Jim to settle in.

"Well, that was fun. They didn't even release us!" As he yelled, an electric hum erupted from above and their restraints opened. "Thanks for nothing ass holes!" Sitting down on one of the couches, Jim threw the electronic cuffs at the far end of the crater. "Damn it all to hell!"

Resoh sat beside him smiling. "I do not believe such language is necessary."

"It is and I will keep on using it as long as I want."

Gripping the Human's leg just before the knee, Resoh smiled. "You will not."

As he cried out in pain, Jim nodded. "Jeese, can't a guy get to be angry."

"Only as long as it serves the greater good."

"How nice for you, to be so goal oriented in your life." Jim cried out again as Resoh gripped him.

"That will also be unnecessary for our good." Resoh held up a hand, and all his people found places around them to sit.

"Oh, but they are trained well. Raise a hand and they come to heel." Resoh gripped him again. "God damn you, stop doing that! Ow! Son of a bitch!"

*****

"What is the meaning of this?" All went silent on the bridge of the Command Carrier as the cultured voice echoed across the expanse. "Who authorized this attack?"

A Sebacean female faced him in anger. "I was handling the situation, Commander."

"There was no situation until your unprovoked attack on the Nebari Transport."

"Sir, we are at war with the Nebari. High Command has given orders that all Nebari ships, civilian or other wise are to be boarded and searched. If they refuse, they are to be destroyed." Feeling quite smug with herself being in the right, she gave him a look that dared him to say she was wrong.

"That may be so, but it is an ignorant action when we are on a classified mission." Scorpius narrowed his eyes as she seemed ready to explode. "Especially this close to Nebari controlled space."

"I know what I am doing. After all, I have earned the rank of Full Captain, Commander." She pointed to the insignia on her collar. "I am the veteran of thirty missions Special Directorate...."

"How wonderful for you." Scorpius stalked up to her arrogant posture. "Since you are so qualified, you can command the secondary fleet that holds off the Nebari while the main fleet continues on with our mission. You will have one Command Carrier, thirty battle fighters, and an entire fleet of Prowlers. I suggest you leave now, we do not have much time." He turned to leave dismissing her with-out another word.

"What?"

Scorpius paused in his stride. "Do you have a problem with your hearing?" He looked back at her. "Or is the usual Special Directorate inferior training and mindset prevalent in you?"

The captain marched up to him. "Listen, half breed, Special Directorate is..."

"Has been abolished! Its members either exiled to the furthest reaches of our Empire or terminated for their lack of useful skills." His triumphant look made her back up a step. "The Supreme Council has sanctioned these actions, or what is left of them. It seems certain members also defied a powerful Nebari and met with a painful end for it. No ordinary Nebari Transport would be carrying that many fighters with-out a special reason. If my theory holds out, there is a battle fleet already amassing at the location of your unfortunate decision."

She paled at his words. "It can't be possible. There has to be some sort of mistake."

"There was no mistake except on your part. Now if you survive, I might consider requesting that your judges be lenient." He nodded to the guards on the bridge. "Escort her to her ship. Lieutenant Matross, you now have command. I want the entire fleet placed on battle status. All non essential personnel are to be restricted to quarters and readiness positions. I will be in special projects section." Scorpius walked off the command deck as the Peace Keepers scrabbled to comply with his orders.

Walking down the corridors he growled out his anger. Even after all this time he was still treated as the outsider. Shaking off his anger, he continued on. This was something he wanted to personally inform the Commandant of. Even if only to see her reaction to the ignorance of the person she picked to command this ship.

His feet brought him to a large doorway near the heart of the ship. On the other side were the secrets to the future of the Peace Keepers. Raising his hand, he pressed a series of large indentations on the hatch. They lit from the inside and the door began to whine as it slid open. It stopped moving with loud thud, and he walked in, the door closing behind him.

"Did you handle it?"

Scorpius heaved a sigh as his plans for pleasure were lost yet again. "She is going to hold them off until we are clear from their range."

Mele-on's only response was a slight nod of her head. Her attention was held on a replay of the battle. The dark chamber they stood in was lit only by the holographic replay of the battle.

"Did you anticipate she would be so careless with her command?"

"It was a calculated risk. She has proven her worth and value enough to have earned her rank. I am afraid that this only proves that your suspicions of Special Directorate were correct. They will all have to be terminated and their blood lines cleansed from our society. Such a waste, it was not anticipated, but all effort must be made to preserve the greater good."

"I agree, but do you not think that at least the blood lines should be saved if not the members?"

"You raise a valid point, they are a specialized branch of the species, and their blood may prove useful in the future." She waved a hand at the recording and the battle restarted. "Very well, kill off the elders, and half their younger members. Limit breeding to six a cycle."

"It will be done. Is there anything else you wish?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I believe there may be something we have missed." Another hand signal, and the setting froze in mid fight. Her hand pointed to an attack wing that decimated a group of ten marauders, their numbers not taking a single hit. "They are members of the resistance."

"How can you tell?"

"Their ships do not match up. The Establishment believes in order, and uniformity is a part of that. These ships, though armed with Nebari weapons, are not of the same classifications. Tell me," she pointed at one ship among the fleet, "what does this remind you of?"

Scorpius walked closer to the image narrowing his eyes in concentration. "I have never seen this craft before."

"Look again, remove the drives, and the weapons." The image shimmered and altered, the shape of the Module became clear in the light from the energy cannons. "Commander..."

"I will have it retrieved immediately."

"Use whatever force you deem necessary." She smiled as he nodded. "When you have the pilot in custody, kill the rest. We can not allow them to survive if there is even a chance that John Crichton might have given them worm hole knowledge."

"It shall be done as you instruct." He stared back for the entrance as the door opened for him. Pausing just in the hatchway, he cocked his head at her. "What made you decide to come all this way? When I left I was under the impression that I would be in control of this mission."

"You are, Scorpius, and shall remain that way. My presence is not to be made known to any outside yourself. I had made this clear upon my arrival."

"Yes, but you did not say why you came."

"Good bye, Commander. Remember to bring me the pilot of that ship unharmed."

Scorpius growled out in reply, but walked out.

"Who is really in that module, old woman?" Mele-on spoke when the door had sealed. "What am I risking my life for?"

"That is not important." Noranti came out from the shadows, her robe shifting in the lights of the holograms. "All I can tell you is that she must not continue with the Nebari."

Mele-on narrowed her eyes. "I can hold you and force you to talk."

"No, you won't." Noranti dissolved in a flash of light. "You can't hold what was not really there." Her disembodied voice echoed in the chamber. "You never did pay attention to what I was teaching you, selfish child. Do this one thing right, for once in your life."

"I am doing the right thing. Always have." But there was only silence, it seemed not even the universe would listen to her.

***

The light in the chamber glowed a warm orange-yellow as Jool slowly walked toward the center. It was round and nearly the size of Moya's neural nexus. At the heart there was a glowing cylinder of the light. Sitting around it were six figures in meditation on backless benches. One she recognized vaguely from her first moments after awakening on board Moya. Another she hardly had time to know before he left Moya, but he looked different. Others she did not.

As she drew near, he opened his eyes and stood. Jool paused as he turned and looked at her. "Stark?"

"It is I, Joolushka." His face was serene, voice calm.

"What is going on here? What is this place? I was following the symbols on this scroll, and it lead me here. How did I get here?" Feelings of hysteria started to overwhelm her. "What is here? Where am I?" She pointed at the blue figure. "Isn't she Zhaan? I thought she was dead. She was supposed to be dead? She is dead, why isn't she dead?" Whispering her next fears, she tried to bite back the sobs. "Am I dead? Did you help cross me over?"

Stark watched her with a patient smile. "It is all right, you have finally come. She said you would."

"Stark, what is going on here, please?"

Walking towards her, he held out his hand. "Come now, no more talking. Rest, we have time. Not much, but there is time. She said it would happen. We had almost given up hope that you would come, it has been so long."

"So long? How long have I been gone?"

"Gone?" He looked at her startled, the madness partially returning to his mind. "No, no, no, not gone, just not here. You were not here, we have been waiting, but you did not show. We need your help, but it can wait. Now that you are here, we have time."

"Damn it, Stark, you are still as mentally frelled as I last saw you." She sighed as he dragged her reluctant body around the pillar of energy to an empty bench. When she sat, her mind felt suddenly clouded with contentment.

"You must ignore that. Do not get caught up in the oneness."

Jool giggled as she slumped in her seat. A quiet lethargy filled her body and she longed to give into sleep. There was something there, a feeling of belonging. Others, there were many others, so many others. Closing her eyes, she saw it all. How everything came together, how it all fit. "An endless cycle," with alarm, her eyes shot open, "they wanted to brake the cycle!"

"Yes, they must be stopped before they do. Events set in motion long ago must play out or all is lost."

"We must stop them!"

"It is already being done. One has already been sent." Gently he laid her down on the bench as she fought to stay awake.

"Stark, what is happening to me?"

"Shh, Joolushka, rest, all will be well. When you wake up, all will be made known. So the Goddess says, so it shall be."

Jool fought to stay awake. "I don't wanna sleep. Wanna answers..." Then the lethargy became too much. She closed her eyes and gave in to sleep. In her dreams, a figure watched, and smiled.

***

He blinked back tears as the smiling face leaned over his own. "M'Lan. I... I..."

"Are you just going to lay here all day?" The Nebari shifted position and was now laying next to John, there face's almost touching. "I really don't blame you, it is such a favorable position. In fact, many the hour we spent our time like this." Tracing a hand down John's chest, he smiled. "You still feel the same, but this coloring thing is different. Did you get species envy?"

Laughing hard enough that he started to cough, John relaxed against the floor. "God, I have missed you."

"Why is that, it's not like I have been gone..." M'Lan stopped moving his hand. "Oops, sorry, forgot. Then again why am I apologizing. It's not like I died on purpose. Those things happen. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." John looked back to the ceiling, enjoying the sensation of being able to just sit there and do nothing. This was a peaceful respite from the last things he could remember, all of which were almost too painful for memory. "How long do we have?"

"Here is not a matter of time, but of readiness. When you are, you die. You are not, my Human... eh, Nebari." Still tracing circles on John's abdomen, M'Lan sighed. "Tell me about this. How did you get to be something you weren't the last time I saw you."

"Times go on, people change."

"That is not an answer." His voice took on a tone of scolding.

John took a deep breath, and puffed up his chest in thought. Releasing it, he sat up. "What do you know about the plans of the Establishment?"

"Nothing, they want order, I didn't, they said okay, then let us go."

"There is more to it than just that. A lot more." John tried hard not to remember everything, but it was impossible. Forcing his mind to focus on the clear picture, he thought back to all he knew. "They gave you a physical before they let you go."

"Yeah, just routine examinations for the exit permits, no one would let us enter their space or on their ships if we didn't have it." M'Lan sat up next to him, his arms around his knees.

For the first time, John saw how old M'Lan really looked. He was barely older than Chiana. Another memory arose in his mind, the image of a glaring female. "Did you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, one, her name was Rhana, but she died when I was six cycles old. It is pretty much routine to have two children. The Establishment likes having nice neat uniform families, two children, one of each sex. When Rhana died, my family went rouge because the Establishment wanted them to have another girl child. My mother was pregnant with a boy, and the doctor forced her to abort it. He was mind cleansed by the Establishment, but my parents had already decided we were leaving. What does this have to do with the physical examinations?"

"Nothing, it was just another thought. You remind me of someone I saw."

"If it was back on the planet where... you know.... happened, then it was probably my cousin, M'Lila." He smiled embarrassedly. "If she knew what we were doing, we would both be de... Trat!"

"Yeah, I think she found out." He refused to look at M'Lan as he continued. "I think my friend D'Argo killed you when he found us together. He gets this insane thing goin on when I am in pain around strange aliens. I awoke to have him carrying me over his shoulder and see her holding your body while glaring daggers my way."

M'Lan gave a non plussed look. "Frell me. Bastard son of Hezmot!"

"Yeah, kinda some of the things I called him." John sighed as he stretched out again, but remained upright. "But any how, that isn't what I was meaning. That physical they gave you actually infected you with a virus. My friend Chiana and her brother escaped Nebari Prime when they were young, but they had been infect as well. Only they got a cure for it from some guy high up in the Establishment. A head honcho who controls the resistance. Few cycles back her people, our people, caught up with us and told us all this crap. Seems they wanna control the galaxy, and this virus is better than a mind cleansing."

"Damn!" The younger male raised his eyebrows in shock.

"Yeah, talk about big time shit." John shook his head. "This virus was present in you, and you gave it to me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don' worry about it, old news. But that isn't the main part of it." He paused as he held up his gray skinned hand and almost black nails. "It seems I had some immunity, and the virus didn't like it. Didn't like my original DNA either. They mixed, had a brawl, did a West Side Story bit, I sang I feel pretty, witty, and gay. The next thing I know, I am waken up in a hospital on some freakin medical planet as a knocked up Nebari with a kid who has a dead beat dad, literally."

"I knew it!" M'Lan crowed in triumph as John looked at him confused. "Your symptoms were the first stages of a Nebari pregnancy. Solid black eyes, pale skin, abdominal cramps. It usually takes monens for them to show, and only then because something in the body has triggered the start of the pregnancy. I never paid much attention to what caused it, just the symptoms cause my cousin." He grabbed John up in a tight, breathless embrace. "What does he look like? Does he have a name? Does he have your eyes or mine?"

"Whoa, hold on a minute," John gasped out as he slowly pried himself free. "She was beautiful. Had my eyes, and her mother's cheek bones."

"Mother? Was?" Confusion was clear in his tone as he searched John's face. "What do you mean, was?"

"She is gone." He looked away, unable to meet M'Lan's gaze. "There was nothing I could do. I shouldn't have even been able to give birth the way I did. If it wasn't for some strange organs, M'Lila would never have even been conceived."

"M'Lila..." the heart broken whisper came as M'Lan looked up at John from a lowered face.

"Yeah, she was beautiful. I remembered you like the name."

"The first night." M'Lan nodded. "I too remember. You were explaining to me why you wanted a child and what you would name him or her. I am sorry that this Aeryn Sun did not love you enough to give you that child. But you saw ours before... at least."

"Yours, she had none of my DNA, that is where Chiana came in. The child had the DNA of three Nebari, you, Chiana, and a guy named Meelak." John tried to scoot away, but M'Lan cupped his chin, forcing him to look at the Nebari.

"She is, was yours. No matter, even if it was for a short time. You loved her, you helped give her life. Did you want to be there for her as she grew?"

"I guess."

"Then she was yours. DNA does not mean ownership."

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter any more." John grabbed his hand, and pulled it off his face. "She's gone, so are you, and I am about to be. Why can't I just die like anyone else? What is so damn special about me that I have to go through all this... Shit! Why me?" Standing up, he screamed the last at the top of his lungs

"That is what we all ask ourselves at one time or another, Julon." M'Lan stood and walked over to his side. "You are just the lucky ema that happened to be shot through a worm hole."

John froze, then turned back to look at M'Lan. "Who are you?"

"I am the same person I have always been."

"Who are you, Mauldis? I never told M'Lan about being from a worm hole." He backed away as M'Lan's face grew angry. "Who the fuck are you?"

"The same person I was the day you saw me die. Only now I know a little more than I did then." He put his hand on his hips, and stared at John. "You are special, Julon. More so than you realize. They have been planning for your arrival a long time. You know this."

"Who is they?"

"The Ancients and their allies, who else."

John slammed his fist in to the nearest wall. "God damn them!" Kicking at the same wall, he tried to brake through the marble. "I fucking knew it. They lied to me, again!"

"What? You were expecting them to be honest about their plans with and for you?" M'Lan's voice dripped with sarcasm as he walked closer to the angry Crichton. "You are too valuable a tool to just cast aside. Think about it, they gave you the keys to the universe and the means to keep them. And they did all this out of the goodness of their hearts?"

John whirled on him, rushing him against a far wall. "What else do you know about there plans?"

M'Lan struggled in the vice grip as John bodily locked him against the wall. "Frell off! I don't have to tell you trat!"

"You will tell me!" John gripped the younger man by the face with both hands, and forced him to look him in the eyes. "Don't lie to me. What else do you know?" When M'Lan only glared at him defiantly, John lowered his head to the other man's shoulder. "Please, I am sick of these games."

M'Lan sagged in the embrace weakly as John pulled him close. "I don't know. They said you knew it all already."

"How did you meet them," he whispered in to the curve of M'Lan's neck, nuzzling at his throat.

"They offered me a chance to live again. As I was hit from the pulse blaster, the world suddenly died around me. Darkness was all that surrounded the bed, and the pain was gone. I dunno how they did it, they just did. A warm golden-yellow light spoke to me. Offered me the chance to live again. All I had to do was say yes."

John ran his nose up the side of M'Lan's neck to his ear. "What did they want you to say yes to?"

M'Lan moved his head away from John, tears stinging his eyes. "I can't..."

John squeezed him tighter. "Tell me."

"Please..."

"Tell me!"

"It doesn't matter because I told them to frell off!" The world around them started to get dark. "I told them to frell off," he repeated defeated. "I have to go, Julon." He pulled back from John's slack embrace, drawing a warm hand down John's face. "I'm dying too, this was just a last chance to say good bye before we both left this world." He sniffed as tears ran down his cheeks. "I am going to miss you so much. In the time of my life when no one else cared, or was willing to be there, you were. No one has made me feel the way you do."

The darkness started to grow nearer as John gave a muffled grunt. "Please, don't go. I don't want to be alone again."

M'Lan pulled his face up so they could look at one another again. "You will go on, be strong, they still need you. Remember that, they need you, not the other way around."

John wrapped him in his arms. "But I need you."

Shaking his head no, M'Lan pulled back from the embrace. "You have all you need." The tears continued as he started to turn from John. "Know one thing, I think I loved you." Then he was jerked around, John behind him. They were both laying on the bed, and M'Lan was shielding him with his body. Someone was in the room with them, they were back in the inn on the commerce planet. "It will pass."

The figure in black moved near him, pulse blaster raised. "Get away from him!"

"No," M'Lan said, "he must be allowed to complete..." He didn't have time to finish as the door busted open in the same instant the pulse blaster in the hand of the dark figure fired.

The Luxan in the door opened his qualta blade to fire but the figure in black hit the floor, rolling under the bed. "Nooo.." Others were coming, John could make out as M'Lan's body settled cooling next to him in the bed. Lifeless eyes stared back at him as D'Argo's hand settled on his shoulder. "No, oh no. Please, no."

Then all faded to black.

A hand on his shoulder made John realize he was still laying on the ground of the room on Nebari Prime. He looked up to Guide Zhaan looking at him in sympathy. "Why?"

"It was his last wish."

"It's time, I'm ready." John spoke to her as he sat up slowly. "I have to apologize to D'Argo, I thought he..."

"Enough of this, John, he knows. He has forgiven you as you now forgive him." She watched as he stood, extending her arm. "Give your hand."

"Why?"

"It is time, as you said. They are now ready, and so are you. Time for you to decide. Time for you to take my hand and die, John Crichton."

John reluctantly put his out. "Zhaan, I don't want to die. I wanna live, I wanna see my family. Have kids, grow old with somebody." He stopped, looked around the room, then back at her face. "I want to be able to love again. Please, just one more mome..."

Zhaan took his hand.

****

In the practice arena, Aeryn Sun fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. She felt the loss of something, and so did the babies. It was like a loud noise as had just suddenly stopped, or a part of her cut off. She felt empty, like... "Oh Cholock, no." Her scream rocked the supports of the practice arena. The medical teams came rushing in to find her rolled up in a ball, clutching her protruding belly, tears in her eyes.

Scorpius rushed into the room at her side as they placed her on the stretcher. "What is wrong?" His alarm making the Scarran undertones in his voice scare the medical crews.

One of the techs was at his side in an instant. "We can find nothing physically wrong with her, sir. She just collapsed and started to scream."

"Then find out where her doctor is, if there is something wrong, he will be able to know!"

The Tech bowed and backed away. "Right away, sir."

Ignoring the frantic medics' concerns, he pushed them aside to get at Aeryn. She was almost completely hysterical as they tried to calm her. He threw a persistent med tech out of his way, and kneeled beside her stretcher. Grabbing her hand, he acted as a base for her. "What is wrong, Officer Sun?"

"He's gone."

"The baby?"

"No, John, he's gone."

Scorpius let her hand go as they moved the stretcher. Sitting there stunned, he replayed the image of her wide tear filled eyes. 'John's gone,' he thought. 'John is gone... John Crichton.' He fell back to sit on his feet from the shock. "John Crichton is gone." The supports once again shook as his Scarran growls filled the arena.

****

Jack stood over the comatose body of the gray alien. He watched in sorrow as the alien's heart monitor continued the slow almost non existent beeping. There was nothing his people could do to bring it back to life, and the other aliens had told the translator, Jim, that there was nothing they could do for him either. It was only a matter of when before he died.

Curing silently, he hit the wall above the heart monitor. He looked at his red skin, and for the millionth time wondered if John would recognize him as he was now. There were days when he didn't even recognize his own face. Sighing he sat down in a chair next to the hospital bed.

He ran his sore hand down his face in exhaustion. "Where are you, my son? Are you happy?" All was silent in the room as he waited for an answer. "I don't suppose you can tell me if he is?" Jack looked at the alien again. "No, didn't think so."

Pulling out the necklace he, stared at the puzzle on the end of it. "How did you come about this? Did you know my son?" Still nothing. "Was he happy when you last saw him? The day he disappeared, there were things left unresolved between us. I just want a chance to put things right."

"You know, there are something's I consider to be every father's dream. Like their child to follow in their footsteps. All I ever wanted for John was him to follow in my steps, and be successful at it. That isn't too much to ask for a father, is it?" Jack looked at the Nebari. "Do you have any children?"

"If you do, you will know what I am talking about. I just want the best for mine. I have seen my two daughters grow and have children of their own. Their children are grown and have children of their own. One of my great grand children has even had two children of her own. I wonder how many John has. You know he would be the age I was when he left, by now. Fifty eight years old, can you believe it? No, I don't either."

Jack took a closer examination of the Nebari male. "If you were at all Human, I would swear you might be his son. Are you? Is he any relation to you? Hell, for all we know about these aliens, you could be his tenth generation grand son. You may not even be aware of what your lineage is."

Laughing at the absurdity of it, Jack sat back again. "Shall I tell you a story? You are not too old for a story, at least not one like this. I think I like the idea of you being related to my son. That would mean you were related to me. No matter how many generations removed you might be. So on with the story, I guess."

He cleared his throat. Looking down to the floor, he focused on his memories. "Let's see here. Once upon a time, Oh about thirty and some odd years ago, there was an astronaut, who was the son of another astronaut, a very famous astronaut. The son Astronaut felt he had something to prove, that it was fine to be his father's son, but being the son of a Famous Astronaut was not what he wanted. He had to prove to the world he was just as good as his father, even better in fact. Or may be it was too himself, or his father.

"Well that doesn't matter, what matters is he was greater than his father. To prove it, he came up with a theory, and came up with a way to prove that theory. Something his father never even dared try. You see his theory was to prove that if they used the Earth's gravity to sling shot a ship out, it would revolutionize travel among the planets and we could begin a possible colonization. Well what they didn't account for was the solar storms that were occurring, and the ship activated a massive gravity distortion and sucked him in it.

"For three days every scientist on the planet searched the heavens for anything that might resemble the same gravity distortion, or a possible ship. Nothing ever came of it. Not exactly nothing, many new technologies were created to scan the solar system, and new designs created to make sure it never happened again. In fact there is an entire new weather bureau to account for special variations that might cause unexpected results. Or undesirable, depending on what you might think.

"Now after three days, the president of this great nation, the birth nation of the Astronaut declared the son lost to our world and for all intents and purposes dead. This hit the family of the astronaut son hard, and they almost didn't make it. If not for the support of family friend, the father wouldn't have. But the father astronaut had her, and he swore never to give up the search for his son. He even went as far as to develop a scanning system that traced many possible trajectories of this gravity distortion..."

"Worm hole."

"Worm hole, yes, that's it.... Did you say something?" Jack sat forward staring at the Nebari with hope. When nothing came, he sat back with a sigh. "I guess my old age must be catching up to me. Now where was I, oh yeah, the worm hole scanning tech. The father created it to search for this worm hole and where it might have taken his son. Nothing was ever found, but he never gave up hope.

"The years past, tensions between the other nations erupted and a war broke out. The father astronaut was very upset when his youngest daughter was taken from him by this war. He did not see why she had to leave, but she said it was her duty, and civic pride demanded that she serve her country. So what was he to do, he supported her, but reluctantly. As the wars went on, resources became scarce, and the governments wanted all the tech they could get to fight one another.

"It was a bloody mess, and it took the lives of many good people. The wars finally ended ten years after their start, but not before one nation was placed in a permanent embargo. This was a grave mistake, and one the father astronaut tried to warn them about. No one would listen to him in the governments, but the public began to. But it was too late, by the time they listened to him, that nation had decided they had nothing left to lose and released a plague upon the Earth. The likes of which none have seen for almost a thousand years.

"That was thirteen months ago. Now those who would not listen are either dead or will soon be. What this plague does is kill off those who isolated themselves from the rest of the world. To show that isolation kills the Human spirit. They taught the world a valuable lesson. But they also paid a heavy price. You see those who were infected with the first strain in order to carry it from one place to another, died horrible and slow deaths. Six hundred thousand dead because of the arrogance of a smaller group of people. Now more than four billion will die because they thought to avoid the plague all together.

"Through all this, the father kept hoping, and praying that if their was a god, he would send him a sign that he was all right. He also kept thanking that god for keeping his son from being exposed to all this. For had it not been for that worm hole, his son would be here and probably dead because he was in isolation. His family along with him. You see it was out of protest for the leaders of this nation that they refused the isolation offered by the government when the plague was discovered. Had he been here, they would never have hated a government that would give one of their best up for dead, had had reason to doubt the leaders assurances that the isolation was for the best, and would have died because of that misplaced trust.

"Now picture it, four weeks ago, that ancient scanning net created to scan for worm holes picks one up. This worm hole deposits two ships containing the first aliens ever seen on this world. Ten hours later it picks up another energy disturbance that turns out to be a third ship. On that ship is the last hope of an old man to ever find out what happened to his son. There is only one problem, the people in charge can't let him have access to the alien if he doesn't take over a project for the people he has despised for over thirty years.

"What is he to do but except their offer. Only it is an offer with the devil. He is to become the new leader of the most powerful nation on this world. In effect, he is to become the new leader of the world. His job is to make these people, these changed people, like these aliens. Okay it seems I left out something important. These people who created the plague, also gave it a side effect, the longer it mutated, so did the host being. Now you have almost an entire planet of people who are Red skinned, green eyed, and purple haired. I seem to be able to move about like I haven't done in almost forty years, so may be we live longer too. They gave us a second chance on life, it seems. I guess we really can survive anything if we stick together."

Jack went silent for a time. He seemed to contemplate the floor for a while as the monitors continued their slow steady beeping. "Now what am I to do? It seems I have a chance to make this world the place we had hoped to live in when we were younger. A place for our children to grow up happy, healthy, and prejudice free. I also have a chance to find out what happened to my first son, but you won't wake up. I can have everything I have wanted for the past thirty years, but only if you please wake up."

Sitting forward in his chair, he grabbed the alien's hand. "Please, Julon, if you can understand me, wake up. At least tell me my son is all right. That if he is dead, that he died for a good cause. Anything!"

The Nebari's eyes shot open, freezing Jack with their startling clear blue. Their eyes met, and Jack felt his heart constrict. "John?"

"Esceru..." was the whisper, then the eyes lost focus, and the monitors squealed.

Jack was pushed out of the room in shock as the doctors and nurses rushed in trying to save the strange alien. He could only watch as they tried again and again to revive the alien, all to no avail. Stiffly, he walked down the corridor to the comment room where the aliens and Jim met daily. They would be in there now, they could tell him. They were.

Numbly, he pressed the palm control that let him in. The two groups stopped their bickering as he entered. In shock the Nebari watched as he walked in. Several of the rougher looking group started to chatter at him, probably asking what species he was or to go to hell. That was one of their more favorite phrases for the anthropologists. He took a seat usually occupied by the leader of the runners.

She cursed at him, but he was in no mood to deal with her. Jack signaled Jim over, whom came with the leader of the Seekers. When they sat down, he put his head in his hands.

"Are you okay, sir?"

"No, Jim, I am not. I just lost the only link I had with my son in over thirty years."

Jim paled as he watched the older man. "You mean Julon..."

"Is dead. Yeah, just now. He woke up, looked me in the eyes, said something in alien, and then seemed to cease. There is no other way to describe it. It was like there was a living being there one moment, and then a sack of flesh the next."

Jim put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "I'm sorry, sir. I knew how much it meant to you."

"Geishe val wearede, Jim?"

Jack looked up at Resoh, but spoke to Jim. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to know what Julon said, sir."

"Esceru, that was the last thing he said. Does he know what it means?"

Jim asked Resoh, who seemed to think on it a minute before he responded. "You must know something. Come on, this is possibly for my... for John."

"Jeana wei. Yvo jhanish cleito."

Turning back to Jack, Jim shook his head. "I am sorry, sir. He says it is only a partial word, but one that has many meanings. He would need more than just the one word. It has to have an inflection and a prefix to it before he can understand the meaning." Resoh snapped a sound at Jim, and he looked chagrined. "Sorry, a suffix, sir. There has to be a tail end to the word itself before he can tell you what he meant. Perhaps if we knew what you had asked him?"

"I was asking if he knew where John was."

"Kleagowh."

Jim shook his head. "Sorry, sir, there is no Esceru as part of a location, it is more of an acknowledgement or denial answer but with an explanation."

"What about Esceru in response to if John died for a good cause?" Jack was desperate, enough to reveal anything and everything he had told Julon.

Resoh pierced Jack with obsidian eyes, and nodded. "Juento esceru Ta."

Jack looked to Jim with pleading eyes, but felt his heart sink at the paleness of the other man. "What does it mean?"

Swallowing, Jim tried to find the words. "He said, it means no," he stopped, but Resoh poked him in the ribs. "It means fully, no, for it was not his choice. He was murdered by circumstances, and the decisions of others. I am sorry, sir."

"Thank you, both of you." Jack walked out the same way he came in, the numb taking over again. He put on a calm mask as he walked to his office. There were some calls he had to make, a funeral to arrange, and an autopsy to schedule.

He picked up the phone and dialed a three digit pen code, waited two minutes for clearance, then dialed a ten digit number. On the second ring, someone picked up. "Hello Katie, is grand mother there? Good, can I speak to her? Yeah, it's Great Grand Pa Jack. Okay, let me talk to Grand Ma please." There was a pause as he bit back a half sob. He cleared his throat a second later. "Yeah, Kate, it's me. I found him. Get the others together, I can't talk now. Why not? Well I have other things to arrange, the least of which is an autopsy followed by a funeral!"

Jack let go of the receiver as Kate cried out on the other side. When her cries had toned down to sobs, he placed the receiver back to his ear. "Now listen to me, Kate, Katie, Katherine Mulheim Crichton Schlouzki! You have to be strong for now, you can brake down later. Remember how I taught you better of that the first time he was lost to us. You have a larger family now, and they will need you. I will be here when you come. For now I have to call the others. I love you, my little girl. Good bye."

Setting the receiver down on the dock, he opened the bottom drawer on his desk and pulled out a silver bottle with red ribbons wrapped around it. 'Welcome Home, John,' was on the card. He took the cap off and offered it up in salute before drinking it.

Chiana sighed as she awaited the fleet. They were late, then again what did she expect from a group that uses inexperienced pilots in a battle formation? Even if they did win the first altercation, they took too many losses, and now they were planning to go after the Peace Keepers. The Transport should have left already, but the wanted to wait for the battle fleet first.

What the frell was taking them so long?

She decided to recheck over the systems. Her reserves were still at full, and the primary weapons were at maximum in all fields. The drive system was still operational, as was the star jump drive. It was something her people had developed that mimicked natural defensive maneuver of a Leviathan.

Her people, the technogeeks of the galaxy as Crichton had called them. They like finding weapons, both defensive and offensive. They also like having their test subjects close at hand, thus the control collars. Chiana ran a hand around her neck where the collar used to be, twice. It was a bad memory, one that did not need reliving.

She growled out her frustration as she switched on her comm. "Where in the frell is that battle fleet?"

"They have been detained. Apparently someone has over ridden our command authorization.... Oh Hezmana, the Peace Keeper fleet is returning, this time in full force. All ships, return to Transport, and prepare for immediate star jump!"

"Frell! I am personally going to kill whom ever recalled the fleet!" She aimed her small module for the transport and saw the mess of ships limping back to the docking bay. There was no way they would all get there in time for the star jump before the Peace Keepers arrived. She swallowed hard, someone was going to have to hold them back. Hitting her comm. again, she tried to smile. "Control, this is Chiana of wing one."

"Control here, get your ema to the docking bays."

"No time, there are too many who are wounded and need to get there first. I am going to try and hold the Peace Keepers off long enough for them to get back and use my own star jump drive."

"Have you gone completely bartanic? We need all the best pilots..."

"To beat the Peace Keepers!" Chiana smiled at the new voice. "This is Wing Commander Helie of The Gray Shadow of Death. We are all in perfect fighting condition, didn't sustain a single hit. Our people are fully prepared to do what is necessary to fight off them frelling Peace Keepers long enough for you to escape. We will get along with-out you, and if possible regroup and join you later."

There came a sigh over the comms. "Then you do know we can not give you our jump coordinates, so you can not follow us."

"We know this and are still prepared to fight."

"Then may Kahleen watch over all of you, and blessed be the divine in his ways." Then a bleep as the comms were cut off from the main fleet.

Helie's laugh came over their comms. "Reunionists, always preaching about the Divine, and his mysterious people. Wing, set course at half speed for the command carriers. Arm shields and weapons. Our jump coordinates will be Rela Colony, I am relaying them to you as I speak. As that relnic said, may the Goddess and Divine One watch over us all, cause we are going to need all the help we can get."

This piqued Chiana's interest as she followed orders. "Hey Helie, what is this Divine One?"

Helie's laugh once again erupted. "Oh that, he is supposedly a bright being of light and energy that guides our destiny among the stars. Loves all, and watches over those who die. They believe that one day he will rise up among his people again after his flesh has burned away by the love our Goddess. This will make him immortal again, and restore the balance that was long ago upset. If we supposedly follow his path, we too can join them in the people of light. You have to go through so many stages before you can join with him, each stage is major change in the body and spirit."

Chiana smiled as they formed their attack wing. "Sounds like a lofty ideal."

"Yeah, well it is supposedly the oldest religion on our home world."

"Nebari Prime had a religion?"

"Two actually, the Love of the Goddess, and the Light of the Divine One. The Reunionists are the merging of both those orders, but keep the two religions separate. Bunch of fanatics, once you get one started about their gods, they never shut up. That is how I know so much about them. If you had spent a day on the Transport, you would have probably been tempted to kill one of them by now." Raxious laughter filled the comms as the other pilots agreed with her.

"It might not be as bad as we think, to believe there is a better place for us all. Then again, who knows." Chiana shrugged in her flight suit.

"Hold on to your ears, boys, I think we got ourselves a Reunionist."

"Stuff it! I was saying be open minded or else you will end up like the Establishment." They were silenced immediately. "Helie, where were we bound for with that load of fighters?"

"Our attack squads were bound for Terra Novina, the Royal Sebacean Colony where we have a training course. We, you, me, all of us were being recruited to fight for the resistance. I thought you knew this already."

"No. Like I said, I was there with my brother, Nerri. They just suddenly started to strip my ship to dress it in battle armor and weapons."

"Frell. Sorry, it said on your registry that you brought your own ship. They assumed you were joining as a pilot. Your fighter was listed as in active service."

"Nerri! When I get my hands on that grebhol!" Chiana growled in anger as she hit the handles on the steering column.

"Hold on, Chiana. Why would you bring a fighter if not for active service?"

"It belonged to a friend of mine. My... lover."

"Hate to brake it to you, but this is a war effort, and no cargo is to be carried for sentimental reasons unless it can fit on your back. This was probably the only way he could get it to come along."

Chiana thought on this for a moment. "I'm still going to kill him, even if you're probably right."

"I know I am. So keep the killing of resistance leaders to yourself and look mean. There are Peace Keepers dead ahead. Emphasis on the dead!" Her fighter shot forward from the attack V. "Chiana, Grelene, take my wings, the rest of you slags take a position above or below them at wing's length from their far side. Looking good, now lets show these damned Sebaceans the superiority of the Nebari!"

They were spread across three vanguards wide. In the lead were three large Command Carriers. Following closely behind were two more, and some metra's back there were eight more fleets of the remaining command carriers with their support ships. Prowlers, Marauders, Battle Fighters, and a vast array of attack ships spread out like a nebulous entity around them.

Off her starboard side, Chiana saw several more attack groups of Resistance fighters. "Helie, who are they?"

"That is the rest of the Grey Shadow of Death, Ishtah Squadron. I am detecting thirty-five fighters. We are all here, our Squadron made it through!" Helie's excitement was infectious and had the others shouting their joy. "Soren, our Squad Commander, commends us on our first victory, and warns us not to get cocky. Keep formation for the first attack, then split up in our wings to confuse the enemy. Maintain visual sight of all your wing members at all time. Good luck! Attack!"

As one they opened fire on the Peace Keeper fleet. Entire Prowler groups literally disappeared under their touch. "Keep firing, right up to you have to brake formation," came an unknown commanding male voice over their comms.

Chiana's squad breeched the wall of Prowlers and Marauders to hit a Command Carrier before they were even in firing range of the Peace Keeper fleet. Helie's voice threw orders out as they entered the breech. "Stick close to the Command Carrier, go for the cannons, drives, any weakness you can find."

They weaved through the prowler lines. Their ships faster and more maneuverable. Chiana fired on the command carrier when she was close enough, crowing as small flares whipped out signifying a direct hit. She had to shoot forward and roll to avoid the close range fire of one of the wing cannons on the carrier. Aiming directly at it, she sent the drives to full thrust, her wing following, an attack squad on their tales.

"Brake!"

At Helie's order, they shot off in different directions. The prowlers, not fast enough, were caught up in the force of their own drives and slammed into the cannons. Chiana brought her module around and started firing at the gaping hole in the side of the Command Carrier.

"Chiana! What are you doing?"

"Want to win an unfair fight, fight dirty!" She continued firing, weapons at full power. The carrier shuddered as smaller explosions lit the inside of the ship. "Well are you going to sit there staring, or help me blow a hole through this frelling thing?"

"Right, Reson, Heries, and Goldan, keep our backs. The rest of you help us." Her fighter added to Chiana's. The Peace Keeper vessel rocked from the explosions. "Make it bigger! We have to make that hole bigger!"

"Why?"

"We have to have an exit, this way is blocked by the prowlers." Helie's voice took on a sardonic tone. "Besides, I got a little surprise for them!"

Chiana laughed darkly as she complied. Her fighter blasting a hole through, she started moving closer to the breech. The brilliant pulses of blue energy came so fast that any back blast was sent in to the ship. She moved faster as the three members holding their backs told them more prowlers were on their way. Then suddenly the blast stopped, and she was able to see stars from the wrong direction. "I'm through!"

"Then what are you waiting for, go!" Six fighters dropped from their positions of attack and shot in to the Command Carrier. "Don't worry about firing on them, what I got will deal with them!" Helie's fighter was the last to enter.

The journey through the ship was far faster than Chiana would have guess, it also didn't help that she was on full burn. They shot out on the other side amidst little resistance. The Peace Keeper ships were on the other side of the carrier attempting to stop them from blasting their way through. 'Too little too late,' she thought.

Helie's ship shot out of the carrier like a bat out of hell. "Let's get the hezmana out here, now! This is going to be big!"

Their ships spun around each other like in a whirl wind, mimicking the pattern of their fellow fighters as they regrouped beyond the reaches of the fleet. "Is it done," came the same commanding voice from earlier.

"Confirmed, war head planted. Detonate at your leisure." Helie's voice held a note of pride.

"Detonation." As the voice spoke, Chiana watched the Command Carrier. An explosion ripped through the entire carrier, in a matter of microts the entire ship was wrapped in a brilliant flash of blue-white energy. She blinked when the other two of the first fleet went up as well. Her comms were over loaded with shouts of triumph and curses sounding faintly like peace that!

The shock waves from the blasts took out most of the support ships and remaining attack vessels. "That's what ya get for messing with the Gray Shadow!" Their shouts over the comms were blanketed out as their victory was short lived. Everything seemed to slow down as Chiana's Module drifted to see the Nebari Transport. A Command Carrier was upon them and their weapons aimed. It did slow down. "Nooooo...." Then it stopped.

All she heard was a whisper of the wind. The world around her was all white. Chiana felt a presence, something touching her cheek. Something warm, like a hand. It caressed her cheek as tears rolled down it. "Old man?"

"Love you," whispered the wind.

Then his touch was gone, and the world was speeding back to normal. She couldn't speak. Before her eyes it ended again. The Command Carrier fired, and the transport exploded. Chiana felt it as if a physical blow. "Nerri," she whispered. Powering the module to overload, she gunned the drives, and flew directly at the heart of the ship. She ignored the comms as they flooded with people calling her name. All she knew was that carrier and its crew had to die. "You. Will. Never. Hurt. Me. A-gain!" With eyes set in pure hatred, she rammed the carrier head on.

****

Someone was humming, or at least it felt like they were. It didn't make sense, how could she feel humming, it was a sound. It would have to be more than screaming in order for her to feel it. This was a sensation of contentment. Almost as if...

Jool's eyes opened as she sat up. There was no one in the chamber now. Wait, there was movement on the other side of the now solid pillar, the golden light-energy was gone. Deep inside she felt a sadness, as if someone she knew was gone.

"Are you going to lay there all day?"

That warm voice, she knew it from somewhere. It was the one that had been humming a moment ago. "Who are you?"

The woman laughed slow and at ease with herself. "It is not important who I am, but what."

"I asked you a question."

"Then I shall answer. After all, that is why you are here."

Jool walked over to her slowly. The woman had gilded orange hair, her eyes a bright blue. Her skin resembled that of any one of her own race. "Who are you? You look Sebacean, but different."

"We once looked this way, but that was a very long time ago. Then again, we were never this solid. That is until most of my people were bound to this form through a mask." She saw enlightenment dawn in Jool's eyes. "Yes, as you now know, I am a member of the same race as Stark, Banics. We took this shape as a pleasing form of amusement. To interact with other species who rightfully believed us their deities. We learned long ago that not only could we feel new sensations as corporeal beings, we could also reproduce." She laughed long at this, a merriment that made Jool's skin tingle with warmth. "In answer to your question, my name is Kahleen, the last of the Banic race."

"But you still seek answers, to questions you have not asked. Very well, I shall endeavor to explain to the best of my ability." She held out a hand to Jool, which she accepted and took a seat beside the Banic female. "There were once millions of my people, always in either corporeal or energy form. Until we took corporeal form longer than the time it was necessary to deal with another race, we had no idea what reproducing was. At first we thought we were dying, those who became pregnant were stuck in corporeal form. Then when the first child was born a miracle to us. Can you imagine what it was like for a species where no new beings had been since the dawn of their race?

"When we realized what it was, there was much celebration. Many of us wanted to experience this new life. That was when our enemies came, they took those of us pregnant or with children and bound us to a mask. Very few of us had never had a child, there fore, very few us escaped. Of those that escaped, a mere handful, only I survived the loneliness of isolation from my people. I traveled the stars from planet to planet in this form, searching for people like my own. There was only one race I ever met that was like mine, the Ancients."

Kahleen held up her hands in display of the chamber. "This is the place they built for me. A place where I could summon those that I needed to call my people home. It has been countless ages, and yet only one has returned. That one came because of his love for people who learned of me from old interactions before this chamber was built. He tells me that there are very few of our people left, and of those, almost none, if any, of them, Strykira."

Jool's eyes started to tear up as she felt the emotions of the ancient being. "I am sorry."

Kahleen put a hand on her wrist. "It isn't your fault, dear one. Time and the stress it brings are to blame for most. Others, like my beloved Stark, suffered so badly from the years of slavery they have simply surrendered to the call of death. Here in my chamber, I was separated from that, for we are all sensitive to the ebb and flow of life. Now he is here and I can finally rest and rejoice."

Jool smiled at the pleasure. "I hate to sound as if your pain doesn't matter, but what does this all mean for me?"

There was a moment of silence as Kahleen sat looking off into nothing. "I explained only what I was, and wanted. But there is more to it than that. You see, with the Ancients, you never get anything for free. They wanted something, something only a Strykira and a Banic could give them. They wanted me to ease a being's suffering, but not allow him to die. To make him something more. For that I needed a physical link beyond this chamber, a corporeal version of my people. Also this link needed to be bound to his soul, and have intimate knowledge of him.

"Stark was all this, and more. In the time he disappeared from your crew, he took with him knowledge from the duplicate Crichton. Following the siren's call of his lost beloved, he was given the task to gain more knowledge of Crichton. He met up with and scanned the memories of other beings, those who held emotional ties to Crichton. Finally, with the help of the Ancients, he was given knowledge of a lover. All was necessary for the plans of the Ancients."

She gripped Jool's hand. "My people weren't the only ones who were dying. There were other great races that had gone beyond the threshold, and were staring death in the face. Three of these came together and decided to create a future. Many steps were necessary to create those that could successfully breed and hopefully repopulate their dying races. If not, to at least be their legacy." Standing, Kahleen let go of Jool's hand, and walked over to lean against the pillar.

"Their first attempts were wildly unsuccessful. Creating a race like the Scarrans was almost the exact opposite of what they wanted. But they could no more kill their creations, than themselves. So they started again. This time, they used DNA similar to that of my own. Sebaceans were created on six worlds, each a different laboratory if you will. Crichton's people have a saying about chicken's eggs and baskets."

"His people have many sayings. Yet, I know this, it is a wise philosophy for such a primitive people."

"Yes, well the Ancients learned this from the Scarrans when one of the native plants caused a serious mutation in their DNA spoiling the entire crop. This also made them learn it would take more than one species to achieve their goals. You see when they attempted to combine all these traits necessary for their new mates, it ended rather badly. Mainly the Sebaceans destroyed one another in a war that claimed their original home worlds, and the base DNA strands from which they were created. So all new improvements on their DNA would come from outside the species. In order to allow this hybridization to occur smoothly, blood lines were established and breeding programs began.

"Another species was created, one they sought to make the companions of the Sebaceans. In them they hoped to create what the Sebaceans lacked, a mental stability that would provide higher brain functions. That which allows greater capacity to learn. They have to be able to exist in this dimension and the one your people inhabit. Unfortunately, this proved also an unstable factor and the species which resulted now is attempting to instill order through out the galaxy, the Nebari. It was then decided that yet another race was required to maintain a balance long enough that these races could mature to the point in which a merging would be possible."

"A policing force? Why would such a thing be necessary at that early in their development?"

"It was not so much a policing force that was necessary, but a guiding hand." Kahleen gave her a compassionate smile. "This task fell to the Priests of Arnesk, the second race of the Ancient's alliance. They alone had the ability to do this. The other two races had kept low profiles since the beginning, one because they could not stay long outside their own dimension, the other because their appearance sparked too much of a fanatical following."

"As you know, there are many races that have been interfered with by older, more powerful ones. The Arnesk Priests had taken this to a level of what might be considered spiritualism. In essence, they believed it was their solemn duty to raise the enlightenment of other races to their standards and beyond. To that effect, it was the Arnesk priests that armed the Aylantian Peace Keepers."

Jool gasped at the name.

"I am not surprised you know the name. Most races would, or a version of it. They have been to almost every known world in the galaxy. An instrument of order, they were deadly in their enforcement. That is what made them so good at it. Other races learned that they were not afraid to use their power and were given to frequent demonstrations of it on races that over stepped their bounds. For five hundred generations they kept the peace through aggressive tactics. Then disaster struck, and they were locked in a dimensional loop.

"In the time before this happened, two more races were created from the same genetic stock as the Nebari. These races were created for the same purpose with mildly different results. One was created for the mental stability that which the Nebari lacked. They were monitored by the priests and their enforcers. Your race was that. Because of this, your people lacked one thing which would create would allow the perfect species to be created. The lack of adaptability which inspires creativity. Whether it was your active monitoring or some genetic flaw, it didn't matter, you became only another part in a greater puzzle. Everything your people are is based upon something you have saw or learned from another race. Basically you are the universe's greatest imitators.

"So that is where the Humans come in. So much creativity and adaptability that they seem to be able to survive even death itself. They are literally the glue for all species. Adaptability is written in their genetics, any time you mix their DNA with that of another, it creates an almost pure copy of that alien. Allowing only those traits which are wanted to be bred into the next generation.

"This is where I was useful. John's part is not over just yet. He has still one more role to play, and I was to prepare him for it. The role of Julon Crion. Even as we speak, the pieces are being set in place for the grand finale. The merging of all these species into that one perfect race. The strength of the Scarrans, the agility of the Sebaceans, Nebari mental and physical complexity, Interion mental stability and memory, finally the Human adaptability." Kahleen smiled wistfully.

"It is a wonderful plan, pure genius. They had been waiting for a sign, something that had been over a million years in the making. Time has no meaning for those that can control worm holes. This was the sign, one who could create a worm hole, and replicate that success. When John came, it was confirmation of their plans success. They knew it was only a matter of time before it was needed, so they implanted that knowledge which he would know how to access. Then they dangled him like a lour for all those that could get them what they wanted. All they had to do was wait.

"Unfortunately, this was easier said then done. In the time those who enforced the peace were locked away, and three of their more powerful creations had made their own designs on the universe. The Sebaceans had taken the name of the enforcers for the fear it instilled in other races. The Scarrans had started a campaign to stomp out all weaker species and assimilate the stronger into their own to make themselves even more so. And finally the Nebari had begun experiments into technology that would make the Ancients run screaming.

"If the Humans were ever going to have a chance at surviving, they would have to start while they were still relatively unknown. The first step in doing this was to free the priests of Arnesk. So events were manipulated, you were brought into play. You had to act as their guide for the time they had been away. As you were, they sent someone else to Earth, those that could prepare it for what lies ahead. You were to discover the path of enlightenment while the other rose from his own ashes. Now he has."

When she stopped speaking this time, Jool knew she was finished. "I have done my part, and it has led me here. So now what am I supposed to do?"

"Now you have a choice."

"What choice?"

"You have learned everything you have ever sought. Now, the question is, what do you do?" Kahleen walked over to her. "What do you do? Do you grow old and die content in the knowledge that your life once made a difference? Or do you continue on in the service of the greater good?"

Jool looked away from the Banic and blinked. She had never considered what she would do if she ever learned it all. In fact, she had never thought of what it would be like. It wasn't what she expected. "I have no idea. Did you give this choice to Crichton?"

Kahleen looked away as she walked back to the pillar. "Uh, no actually, John Crichton is dead. His death was given meaning for he died for the cause. I crossed him over with the help of a few friends while you were resting."

"What?" Jool shot to her feet. "John Crichton is dead? But you said he still had a part to play."

"And he played it. He was given a choice, and he chose."

"What were his choices," she asked in anger. "Whether he would die slowly or painfully?"

"Close, his choices were to be left to die in peace where every part of him would simply cease to exist, or to continue on in another form for the service of the greater good. Wisely he chose to serve the greater good."

"But you just said he was dead."

"And he is."

"But he is alive."

"In a manner of speaking." Kahleen smiled as Jool watched her in confusion. "We all live in on some form or another. John was given the choice to live on in this form, or to die all together. His death, if he had chosen the latter, would have taken with it the lives of four unborn children, their mothers, and the life of a little baby girl. If he had chosen to stop existing, they would have died, because all were endanger of being killed. But his decision to let them live enabled the Ancients to act, and spare their existence. It was his decision, not ours. After all, he earned the right to make it."

Jool nodded. "Sounds like the Crichton I know. What does this decision mean for him personally?"

"It means he will live on, never to know the rest of true death, ever again." Jool was about to comment, but Kahleen spoke first. "Do not say it, for that is something you do not know. For some, death is the only peace they will ever know. And for John Crichton, death was only the next level of his hell. So choose, little Interion, will you serve, or will you simply wait to die?"

"How would I serve the greater good?"

"There will come a time when the Interion people will need a leader. One who knows what is going on beyond their own sheltered world. Will you be that one? Will you prepare your people for their destiny? Make no mistake, the future is coming, and they will be apart of it. If you take this offer, they will be ready, and when it comes, they can take their place in it."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched in confusion. She nodded once, and Kahleen touched her forehead. Jool fell to her knees, and was dead before she hit the ground.

Kahleen turned her hand over, palm up. Above it floated warm golden energy in the shape of a ball. "The builders will distribute your energy among your people, as they have done with countless others since the beginning. It was their knowledge of Genetics that allowed all this to be possible, my little Interion. With you to act as their guide, that perfect race can happen." Kahleen closed her eyes and the ball of energy disappeared in a white flash.

When she opened her eyes, the six figures were in their places among the benches. Just as Jool had first seen them. "She did not see you, as you wished, she is gone. Now keep your part of our deal, and set me free."

Kahaynu nodded his ascent. As did the Priest and solid white Sebaceanoid Aylantian. Jack stood up, his face flashing in anger at the other three, but kept his opinion private. "Very well, you have kept your part of the bargain. Now on to our part. What is left of your people are on the world of Daltron four. It is a slaver's colony, there are six Strykira there, but no more. We shall not free them, if you wish that, you must do it on your own. Leave in your corporeal form, your Banic state will not allow travel from this place." He looked from Stark to Zhaan. "I thank you for your services, but I can not let Zhaan leave."

Stark stood, anger flashing in his one visible eye. "Why not? We have done as you asked."

"Please settle yourself, gentle Stark." Zhaan stood and faced him, placing a calming hand to his face. "It is not because they don't want to, but because they can't. My body no longer exists outside this place so I have no way to leave."

"But I need you."

"And you shall have me, but not in the way we both wish, I fear." She traced a path from his free eye to his lips with her fingers. "I will always be here when you have need of me."

"It's not fair!"

Jack laid a hand on Stark's shoulder. "Life isn't fair. I am but a child in my people's standards, but I can no longer leave this place either. Once, I was free to travel from world to world as long as I was in John's mind, but he is no longer, and so I am stuck here. You may come back as much as you wish, for as long as you want. As was our agreement."

Kahleen took Stark's free hand in her own and pulled gently. "Come, young one, I need you to guide me, then you can return to your beloved."

"But I don't want to go. I lost you once and I can't do it again." He held on Zhaan's hand. "Please, don't leave me."

"I shall not. You are needed once more, so go, and I will be here waiting for your return. To me it will be only but an instant till when next we meet." She released his face, and smiled. "Now go, the sooner you release the Goddess from her bonds, the sooner we can be reunited."

"I'll miss you..." Stark closed his eye as the tears stung. When he opened it, he placed back on his mask. "May the Goddess watch over you and guide you to your rest, gentle Joolushka." Gently he stroked Jool's face and eased her body to the floor of the chamber. Standing up, he looked around at the priests.

Dozens of Priests had gathered around as he released Jool's soul. "Look, his madness has abated."

"Then our work is done," said another.

"What has happened? Where is my Zhaan?"

One of the priests came forward, laying a hand on Stark's shoulder. "She is gone, as is the Goddess."

"But how.... I was just there, in the room!"

"You saw what you needed to see. You have said good bye, and allowed the Goddess to free herself." Said the Priest with his hand on Stark's shoulder. "We summoned you five days ago, your madness had been too severe for even our healers. Only the Goddess could set you free. She has, by letting you see what was left of your Zhaan."

"I don't understand, why do this to me?" Stark stood in anger, his eye flashing violently.

"It was necessary. Come with me and I will explain, they who are here will deal with that which remains." He started for the exit of the chamber, the same chamber Jool had started her jumps through. "Monens ago you went insane from your need of Zhaan. It was that event which allowed the Goddess to reach you. From her position in the other realm, that place where the ancients themselves dwell, the Goddess was able to cross Zhaan over. She would not have been able if she had died outside the worm hole. For a worm hole is an unstable event in space and time, that is how the Ancients and the Banics of before were able to take form in our Universe."

He waved a hand towards the walls of the corridors. "This place acts as a door way to that dimension, but it is only the beginning, there are several relays, or jumping points, before one can reach the other side. Your madness allowed you to actively reach out with that side of your being that is still Banic. You did not need a gate way, for you were a gate way." When they reached another level, he looked over to make sure Stark was understanding him. "Good, at least I have not confused you yet."

"Now on with why you are here. Kahleen needed to be set free, long ago she had come to the Ancients from her loneliness and desperation. They created a place for her in their dimension, but she could not leave it once there. She had forgotten how to appear in Corporeal form, and only one of her people could show her that. Over the endless time she was there, many have come and gone seeking wisdom on that plain of existence, most notably, the Delvians.

"When you traversed through the madness, you lit up like a homing beacon, and she lured you with your true heart's desire. Please forgive her for this, but our goddess and we were desperate. Joolushka had come, and her time was short. She had a destiny that she is now fulfilling thanks in no small part to you. Five days ago we summoned you to our world so that you may physically complete that which would free both ladies from their prisons. Thanks to your efforts, the Banic race, your race, will once again live free of the masks. You should be proud of yourself, we are." He finished looking quite pleased with himself.

Stark grabbed the Priest and forced him to look him in the eye. "What of my deal with the Ancients? I did as they asked, I gathered the information from Crais, Aeryn, and the dead Nebari. I aided in the freeing of John's mind from his body! Where is my reward, where is my Zhaan," he screamed his question at the Priest.

"I am sorry, but you made no deal with the Ancients. It was all an illusion necessary for your and her benefits, only the exchange of words from the time Jool arrived were real. The Goddess had to be set free, it was our debt to her, but we owe you nothing. Yes, you gathered the information, and you helped free three very important beings, but you made no deal with anyone to do it." In the next instant the Priest screamed in pain, his body dissolving in the orange glow from Stark's energy.

"I will not be toyed with. You will not use my heart to achieve your means! We are not illusions to be played in your games!" When he had killed the Priest, he turned on the others that had come from hearing the dead one's death cries. "I want what is owed me!" His energy grew from where he removed the mask. "Return my love to me, or you will all die!"

"Stark."

"Zhaan!" He looked around wildly for the source of the voice. "Where are you, Zhaan?"

"Stark," came the soft whisper again.

"I am coming, my love." Not seeing the priests, he put back on his mask and walked out.

They scattered as he dazedly walked out of the temple, back to his ship. One of the Priests spoke as he watched the ship leave. "You were warned not to mettle with forces you could not control. Why do you think they locked Kahleen away from the start? It was only the Delvians that restored her sanity by giving their own in return."

An older priest walked to the younger one's side, the only distinguishing in their features the paler colors that marked advanced age. "I thought he was sane enough for us to control."

"He was never insane, just too focused on his own grief."

"I have learned my lesson."

The first priest turned with a sad look. "Yes, but at the cost of your successor. There are few enough of us as it is, why must you take stupid risks?"

"It was worth it, we could not have completed this step with-out his help. Because Joolushka's knowledge of our plan, the Interions will now be able to take their place as the memories of our new species. Their children will be our future."

"It has been so long since I have seen a child." The first Priest had a wistful smile, when he turned back to the second, the old priest had disappeared.

******

"How does Officer Sun fare?" Commandant Mele-on Grayza walked into the room demanding a reply. Her presence sent the already skittish med techs into shivers. She gave them a look, and they rushed to their duties. Grabbing one of the techs, she lifted him up by the scruff of his uniform. "Where is someone who can give me an answer?"

"I...in there, ma'am." He pointed to a large metal door on the opposite side of the room. "We are preparing for the offspring now."

She dropped him with a warm smile. "Excellent. I want to see them immediately after the birth. Make sure that I am informed when it happens."

"Yes, ma'am." He scuttled away bowing as he tried to run.

Mele-on ignored the rest of the Med Techs as she walked straight to the door. There were people of actual importance that she had need to talk with. Opening the door, she came face to face with and irate Scorpius. "Commander?"

"Commandant! Ah, just the person I wished to see. There is a little matter of the healers. It seems that they believe I prove too much of a distraction in the delivery room. I wish you to set them right." He started to show her where the doctors and med techs were overseeing the birth, but she placed a hand on his.

"I know where they are, Commander. In this I think I will trust the decision of the healers on this. You do not seem quite yourself this day."

Scorpius paused in his tracks. "What is that to mean?"

Mele-on sighed as she faced him. "It means that you are being emotional in a place where they should not be. You gave into my authority to easily, requesting too politely. If I did not know, I would think you the one with child."

"You..."

Holding up a hand, she silenced his protests. "Leave it, or just leave. I have not the time or patience to deal with any distractions at the moment." Ignoring his dumb founded look, she went back to her search for one of the Healers in charge. After a few microts, she found the Avarian spouting orders faster than the techs could handle. "Avarian, how goes her condition."

"Not good, it seems the recent emotional upset has caused her to go into early labor. I have had to sedate her in order to prevent the pregnancy pains from killing her. Keep those samples separate or I will space you by my own hands," he yelled at a med tech. Turning back to Mele-on, he grimaced. "I had no other choice in the matter. Things were moving too fast for her body to cope, it is a miracle that she has lasted this long. All we can do is ease the pain and hope that she can survive what is going to be a normally fatal birth."

"Very good, Healer. Make sure that she does, and I will see that you are given everything you can think of. Now if you will excuse me, I have another patient I must look in on." She nodded at him to continue on with his work and head off back the way she came.

On her way towards the exit, she met up with a now angry Scorpius. "Do not even attempt it, Scorpius. I have not the time, but I will make room for your execution if you insist." When he said nothing and let her pass unmolested, she smirked. "Thank you, please continue with your work."

On the other side of the door, she heard the metal grunt under the pressure of being hit. Sometimes manipulating him was too easy. Then again seeing your lessers squirm was always a good thing. She continued on her fast paced march through the ship to the other side of Special Projects. Here would be that which she sought.

Just through the bulkheads was the package the old woman had made sure she was sent to retrieve. Why it was not to fall in to Nebari hands was something she had every intent in finding out. Even if it meant killing that same package. With a small suppressed thrill, she pressed the door to open. All of her life's work had culminated to this moment. Now she would find out what in hezmana those blasted Ancients had been doing.

The door slid open.

Mele-on bit down on the small voice of disappointment in the back her head as she noted it was only a girl. Hardly even a threat to anyone but herself. With no one here to help her, and John Crichton dead, there would be no trouble from her. This young Nebari was what the Ancients had been so secretive about?

Grayza walked in to stared down at the unconscious form of the Nebari. "Wake up!" She nudged her in the gut with her foot. "I said get up!"

"No, you said wake up," came the spat out reply.

"So you are alive." Mele-on began a slow circling as the Nebari sat up. "You have courage, I will give you that. But what did you think you would achieve with that stunt?"

"Get frelled!"

"I have neither the wish, or the inclination to do any such thing with you." She made to leave the cell, but stopped just at the door. "I would prepare to answer all my questions, it will make your stay here more pleasant. How you answer them will also determine what I will do with you when I am through. You see, there are none of the others left to come to your rescue. You are quite alone this time, Chiana." Tilting her head to the side, she smiled. "Have a good rest, we shall begin when I get back. Remember one thing child, all is forgiven in the service of the Greater Good." The door shut behind her silencing the screams of denial as she walked away.

***

"I do not understand these black bands around the arms of these Terrans in uniforms." Guide Resoh watched as two guards completed their rounds and exited the common room. They were sitting on a couch in the center of the large chamber with a domed ceiling made of glass. "What is the meaning, my friend?"

Jim looked at where the left. "It means they mourning someone, usually one of their own, but I have noticed that also a few politicals have worn the band as well. I think someone important is dead. You should ask the next time we see Jack."

"You mean in what little I can speak of your language?" Resoh spoke with a slight depreciating smile.

"You speak it better than most people I know. You've been here two months already, and you have learned more English than I knew existed." Jim shook his head in mirth. "No, you want to know, you ask. Personally I would just as soon not know, death is not something I like to think about."

Sitting up on the couch, Resoh tossed some bread chunks into the small pool in front of him. "Why, it is a perfectly natural function of life. We all must eventually face it. Some merely sooner than others." He tossed another hand full in the pool as the fish swam the surface lazily eating it.

"That may be, but people don't like dying, no matter how hard their life. I believe that is the reason many people believe in an after life, so that when they have to go, it won't be so bad." Jim shuddered in his seat. "I hate to think that their might not be something after death. I mean what is the point of life then?"

"Religion is for the weak minded. It is good to have a belief, but make it something useful. We Nebari, those of the Establishment, believe that life has a purpose. That once you no longer serve it, you may rest." Not looking at Jim, Resoh settled back with a sigh. When his friend did not comment, he went on. "It is a common occurrence among my people, they die all the time, I assume it is the same for your race." This time he looked to Jim for a response. "Then think of it this way. Once you are dead, you no longer exist. You won't care one way or another what happens because you won't be around."

Jim shook his head slightly. "That is hard to imagine."

"Then don't, just accept it."

"What, on faith?"

"As I said, even we have our believes. Not a religion, but a certain truth we all succumb to. Like dying, it is an inevitable that we accept to be truth. You would learn a lot about the world around you if you stopped worrying about trivial things you can neither control or know about."

Laughing, Jim clapped Resoh on the shoulder. "That is the same thing the old preacher told me when I was a boy. Said leave things that matter to god in his hands, and not to worry but for my own welfare."

"That is not what I meant. I simply stated that you stop worrying if their is a life after your death. It serves no purpose. In that respect this Preacher was correct. However, your welfare is not determined by you alone, so it is in your best interest to worry about the world around you as well.
This is another of our beliefs. The greater good of all is the concern of all. Every person in our society is in some small way responsible for every other person. It is the only way to survive the chaos."

"Yeah, but you give up so much of your freedoms in that."

"What are freedoms but means to a selfish end? The self is the whole, you are not if we are not. What you so ignorantly call freedom is just the chaos of the unknown. It is in that unknown that potential destruction breeds. All aspects of a society, if it is to function efficiently and in a way that proves non self-destructive, must be monitored. Our monitoring is to the barest minimal necessary to maintain that society. It prevents corruption on all levels that leads to destruction of the whole."

Jim whistled as Resoh finished. "I was right, you are a fancy speaker. And a lot of what you say makes sense, but it is human nature to distrust something that limits our chaos."

"Only because you have not grown into a society such as that which I came from. You see the limiting of your chaos as an attempt to control your people, but yet you wish to maintain the order through laws."

"But you don't understand, those laws are there to protect the people from those who would do harm."

"Yes, and those who can do harm also take advantage of those same laws. Your society is too... loose when it comes to enforcement and laws. The Police force I have seen is a joke of an excuse for control. They must learn to use more strength in their enforcement."

"So you would condone brutality of the innocent..."

"There is no such thing as an innocent, Jim." Resoh stopped him from responding with a hand held high. "In the Establishment, when a crime is committed, all those around are locked down. A Guide and a squad of Seekers are brought into investigate. A judgment is rendered from the evidence, and those responsible dealt with according to the laws. Those attempting to flee are considered guilty of a crime and stunned. They are then taken to a holding area where they are interrogated. No brutality, our technology is more than enough to get us the answers we seek. Those not guilty will be released on a restricted movement's contract, for fleeing a crime seen is an offense in itself."

"Quite efficient, what do you do if there is no evidence or witnesses?"

"There are always witnesses. Perjury, no matter how honorable the cause, is punished by a most painful death. We do not like to inflict pain, but when it concerns the greater good, no price is too high." His expression to Jim brokered no room for argument. After a moment of silence, he smiled disarmingly. "It is rare the punishment has been given out, but when it is, we make it public. Lead by example, we find it works best."

"I am sure. So let me get this straight, you put liars to death?"

"In its most basic principals, yes."

Jim started to laugh as he slapped Resoh on the shoulder. "Damn, Humans would be extinct because we lie almost on a daily basis."

Resoh seemed alarmed at this. "You have been lying to me?"

"No, I mean not that I know of. It is just that people make small lies all the time for the comfort of others. Like when you tell somebody you like their clothes when the sight of them makes you glad you aren't straight."

"This is most disturbing." He said this in such a grave tone, Jim started to cough from laughing too hard. "We teach our children from the beginning it is better not to lie. Honesty is best when dealing with others. It leaves no room for misunderstandings in the future."

"Have you lied to me?"

"No, but I have not told you everything I know, either. Another thing is that we believe no one can know another completely."

Jim took a long look at Resoh as the Nebari watched him in return. "What else is there that is important that you haven't been telling me?"

"Nothing of important, just a curiosity."

"And what is that?"

"Your people seem to have almost no problem excepting my race, why is that? The history of your species suggests that we would be more likely to be slaughtered." There was something about the way he said it that made the other man feel uncomfortable.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You are lying to me!"

"I... Yes, I lied. It is just so hard to accept that which is different."

"But we are."

"No, you are just.... you. The others are so much like us, it is hard to believe that you are anything but human." Jim shrugged as he looked down at the fish. "I mean, I have seen you naked, all of you. Have you people no sense of modesty? You walk around looking like you do, and expect me to see a difference. There is nothing I haven't seen or been around with you that I haven't experienced with the military or college."

This made Resoh smiled. "They why is it so hard for you to accept these so called 'Martians'? They are no more different than any of my people. In fact they are more human than mine own. For starters my penis turns dark blue when...."

"Way too much info, Resoh!"

"I would think not, I have noted your curious observations of mine and the other's bodies. Have you noted a difference than your own?" The Nebari's clinical stating of such matters seemed to be subconscious.

Coloring bright red, Jim coughed to cover up his discomfort. "There are a few. But then again, any normal red blooded American male would look. I mean you are... you're a freakin alien!"

"It is nice that you have noticed the scientific applications. It was beginning to seem like you were only interested in a purely sexual nature."

Jim choked as he was taking in air. Gasping for breath, he started to turn purple. When Resoh hit him on the back to help him breathe, he flew into the fish pool. As he came up sputtering, he wiped the hair out of his face. "Where in the hell," he took a deep breath, "did that come from?"

Resoh raised an eyebrow cocking his head. "Are you denying this?"

"Well no, but..."

"I have also observed your body. Our physical resemblance is a subject of great interest to my people. It makes us wonder if we are genetically compatible. What do you think?"

"I think... Oh lookie there, its Jack. Jack!" Jim climbed out of the pool and nearly to reach Jack Crichton. When the other man had stopped to wait for him, Jim did run. "Resoh has been curious about the black arm bands, who died?"

Jack sighed as he saw the Nebari guide following closely behind at a leisurely walk. "My son, the president has announced to the public that new evidence has been found that John is dead. He won't say what evidence, but that it was personal enough for me to identify it. The public funeral is later on today."

"How, I mean why? I thought the funeral your family held was a month ago."

"It was, but the boys in the board have been debating over the body of Julon, and only yesterday was it released to be autopsied. That is bureaucracy for you."

"You mean you have not yet dealt with the Hybrid?"

Jack stared in open mouthed shock at the clear English spoken by Resoh. "How did you... You can speak?"

"Since I was two cycles old." Resoh smiled politely as he tried to ease the shock. "I know it is unfamiliar, but please be patient I am still learning your language."

Finally shaking it off, Jack nodded. "I'll do my best. I mean I heard rumors, but nothing concrete."

"Thank you. Now if you will permit me, I have a request."

"It depends on what you want, but I will see what I can do."

"I thank you for this as well. My request is that I be present at this autopsied you have suggested must take place. Nebari Hybrids are rare, and I wish to understand what made it. Since we can not ask him, we may be able to understand by his body."

Thinking on this, he shook his head in affirmation. "I don't see why this would be a problem. You may be able to offer us insight as to what is what in the organs, and how he came about. Answer me something first."

"If I can."

"You said that Nebari Hybrids are rare, that means there have been others in the past. How rare are they?"

"As far as the Establishment knows, there has only been one other. It is something we do not care to discuss." Resoh watched Jack's reaction and added, "we were betrayed by what we thought would be a loyal citizen. At the time of her conception, the Establishment was very much like your military, only a small part of our society. Had we been in control, such an occurrence would never have happened. Since then, it has been our policy to keep strictly with-in our own species where breeding is concerned."

"And you are curious as to who's been dipping their toes in someone else's genepool?"

"As always, Jim, crude but accurate."

"All right, consider it a sign of good faith. You answer our biology and social questions, and we will let you have access to the autopsy, and genetic material. Do we have a deal?" Jack held out his hand to Resoh, which the Nebari accepted.

"We do, Colonel Crichton."

"It is Jack, I retired my commission decades ago."

"Retired or not, you still retain the rank which you have earned." Resoh moved walked away leaving Jim and Jack to watch him.

"The ban is still in place, Captain. You even lay a finger on them in anything other than a respectable fashion and you will be separated. Now that we know they can speak our language, your position as interpreter is no longer secure."

Jim nodded. "Yes, sir, but it is so damn hard."

"I don't give damn about your physical condition."

"That is not what I meant! It is... you have no idea what they are like. They are a bunch of Hedonists. In their own words: The only reason they pair off is to reproduce and raise the offspring. When the child has matured into adulthood, he or she is sent for training at whatever profession would interest them. When all children have matured enough for the training, they
are no longer married and may do as they please. It is strictly forbidden for one of a mated couple with unmeasured or expecting offspring, to have a sexual relation outside the marriage. It could cause disruption in a family if a child was conceived from that union."

Jim made a cutting motion around his lower regions. "Infidelity is punished by the removal of reproductive organs. These people are really centered for a nuclear family. Other than that, they couldn't give too shits who you sleep with. And nudity! Behind the privacy screens you put up to separate the common and the living quarters, they have no problem with walking around naked as the day they were born. Hell, the Runners are a bunch of Conservatives compared to the Seekers. And that," He pointed at Resoh as he bent forward to feed the fish again, "is the biggest slut there ever was. They believe if you become bonded to your leader through physical contact, you are more likely to remain loyal, and trust him or her more."

Looking back to Jack, he clenched his fists at his side. "And god help us, I think it actually works. His people trust him implicitly, and there is no favoritism because they all get a piece of him. And because they all do each other, there is no sexual tension or harassment. They keep no secrets from each other, and they don't lie! All you have to do is ask them the right questions, and they will tell you what you wish to know. Just be careful how you word it, Resoh seems hell bent on removing me of all my inhibitions. It doesn't help that all his people are the same way. When I say the same way, I mean all of them have propositioned me. Heaven help me, I am thinking of converting. But only if the U.S. government says it is okay."

That actually had Jack laughing. "I know what you mean, we have been monitoring them, but I have also been in a similar situation. Just don't let your hormones get the better of you. We don't know anything about their biology, for all we know, they could be hosting enough STD's to wipe out our entire population."

"I'll keep my pants on, you can trust me. I won't be a Typhoid Mary for any new Israel Bacteria." Jim's cheeks colored as he looked away. "I'm sorry, sir, didn't mean you or any other Martian was bad. I just don't want to be responsible for the deaths of what is left of the Omega Gens."

"Don't worry about it, son. I'll tell your mother, she has been worried about you."

Jim looked away from Jack. "Please, don't call me that. It is still a sore subject."

"Ignoring who you are, won't change it."

"Yeah, but it sure in hell won't cause me as much grief as acknowledging it." Jim glared at him, his stance defiant. "What, would you have me tell them the truth? That even after you found out my mother was pregnant with your child, you still refused to marry her."

"It had nothing to do with who you were. It had everything to do with politics. She had a career ahead of her, and being associated with me at that time would have been career suicide."

Getting in the older man's face, he narrowed his eyes. "She would have gladly have paid the price."

"But I wouldn't! Damn it, Jim, you are still too young to understand why it had to be the way it was." When Jim tried to turn away, he grabbed his arm. "No matter what, I still care for her."

"Not enough to acknowledge your own!" He took a heaving breath as he fought to control his anger. "I earned my name, dad! I deserve the right to be called a Crichton! Is that why John went away? Because he had to earn the name as well?"

"Now you listen to me, you know nothing of that! He didn't leave because of me, I made peace with his decision to prove his name a long time ago. It was the only way he saw to out run what he thought was my shadow, to prove himself worthy. That was not my fault, I tried, god damn it, I tried! Now if you feel the name is worth the pain, then by all means, have it changed, I will acknowledge you as my youngest. But it won't change anything for you, in fact it will only look better for me, that I have lost my first son, but have another who may yet be. That will gain me plenty of public sympathy."

"Is that what I am to you, a means to gain public support?"

"No! You are a stubborn as John, and twice as hard of hearing. I am saying that it will only be used as a public and media spectacle. Especially now that John is dead. Think of all the ways your being named would look, especially seems how I will be the one in office when the president dies. They will think I was forming my own monarchy, lining up the heirs.Especially if I announce that my only remaining son is an Omega Gen. Talk about currying favor from all involved."

"Oh, nice, I love how you have managed to turn this all around to be about you, again." Glaring at the older man, he started to leave. "Just go, sir, before you say something that actually might resemble caring." As he walked, Jim ignored his father's plea to be heard.

After a few tries, Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat and left.

Jim threw himself on the couch, beside Resoh. "So now you know."

"What is that?"

"Don't pretend you didn't hear, I know how good your ears are."

"What he did to you and your mother is shameful. He would have been given the clamotte on my world."

"I know, but this aint your world, and I have to live with the shame that I will never have a father."

Resoh slid closer to Jim as the Human's hand sought out his own. "You have one, just not one that you are proud of."

"Where does he get off saying that it was about me, when he keeps on spouting how it would look for him? From the very beginning it was about his image, and how it would look if they knew he had gotten a girl knocked up at his age. I mean it wasn't like people didn't do it all the time." Jim leaned back against Resoh when the Nebari offered his shoulder.

"Do you not love your father?"

"That isn't the point, it is that I don't think he loves me. I could never be the son he wanted, never John. Always the replacement son, I had to do everything perfect. In the end, none of it mattered. It took me becoming an astronaut before he would even look at me, then it was to tell me he didn't want me to be one. I told him to go to hell. My mother was one, her father was one, my father was one, my brother was too, it only seemed natural I would be one. It was a family legacy, something I wanted more than anything. He told me no. Since then I have stopped trying to get his attention, and only talked when necessary."

"That is something that would never happen in our society."

Jim sat forward, taking Resoh's hand with him. "Tell me more about your society." He stood up, and looked down at the Nebari with a light hearted smile. "Where would I fit in your society?" With a gentle tug, he pulled the Guide to his feet.

"You would probably be in my squad. You seem to have skills that are necessary for a retrieval team."

"Seem to?"

"I would have to test your loyalty first. Then we would test your skills to see where you would best serve the greater good."

Giving the guide a sly smile, Jim lead him back towards the living area. "I have away we can do both."

"I do not believe that wise."

"Who cares about being wise? As far as this planet cares, I am on borrowed time. There isn't a thing they can do that isn't already being done now."

"If you were under my command, you would have to be disciplined for these thoughts and actions." They continued walking as the door to the living area opened and closed behind them.

Jim pulled him close and whispered in his ear. "Then what is stopping you?"

****

The man checked over his clip board and sighed. These things should have been have been changed into personal displays along time ago, but the Military budget was controlled by monkeys. Spending three thousand dollars to ship a toilet from the gulf coast to Kennedy Center was beyond ignorant. Somebody was embezzling. Tossing the ancient writing implement back in the wrack on the aging door, he opened it, and pulled out the tray.

"Well, looks like they weren't kidden, we got ourselves a real life alien." He cracked a smile at the body. "A real live dead one. Come on fella, gotta get you to the lab, those coats aint any more patient then the Marzies." About to lift the body on to the gurney for transport, he was stopped by a crashing sound. "What the fuck?"

He walked over to the other side of the room. Scattered across the floor were trays of autopsy tools. "All right, who is in here? Come out ya little bastard!"

The whirring of tiny motors echoed in the large empty morgue.

"Who is here? I'm warning you, I'm armed." He unholstered his Billy club and spun around fast. Freezing in confusion, the orderly watched as the small floor buffer shot across the floor ducking behind a trash can. When it was no longer in sight, he walked over slowly. It was no longer behind the trash can. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movements in the shadows of the coroner's office. "I got you now!" He stormed over to the office door.

In the door way he stopped once more. On the walls, ceiling, and floor, little lights blinked at him. One near his foot started to screech at him as it stung him. "What the fuck?" A chorus of screeches greeted his words.

"I do believe you have upset their feelings."

"What the hell?" The orderly spun around, bringing up his club to hit the person behind him.

"Now, that isn't very nice." The Nebari gripped his hand crunching the bones as it released the club. "Now be a good Sebacean and there will be less pain."

"Fuck you," the orderly screamed at the him.

"Why must they always resort to violent behavior?" Twisting the hand, the Nebari brought it up behind the orderly's back. "Where is your commander?"

"Fuc... ahhh!"

"Do not fight me, you are no match. This can go smoothly if you would only cooperate. Now, please, tell me where the person in charge resides."

"On the other side of that door is a hall, man. Take it to the left, the people there will take care of you!" In the next instant, the alien broke his neck.

"Thank you, now was that so hard?" Looking down on the now screeching DRD's, Julon smiled. "I assume you know what I am looking for." They clicked in unison. "Please lead the way." As he stepped over the body of the orderly he muttered, "weak species!"

****

The door cycled open as she came aware of the world again. Her throat was still sore from her last attempt at screaming for help. It was abundantly clear there would be no escape, just as Mele-on had said. There were no techs, Peace Keepers, or any others come into at least check her condition. Food and water arrived from a hole in the wall. Packets slid out the tiny portal which sealed immediately after they did.

She had walked the confines of her cell more times than she cared to remember. It was the same length every time. Six strides one way, six the other. All was uniformly done, even the placement of the air vents. She would expect nothing less from the Peace Keeper Bitch!

Twice now she had come, and twice she had gone. The first was to confirm her fears about John and any hope of a rescue, the second had been to tell her someone had betrayed her location to the Peace Keepers. Who, she would not say. But it could be any one of the resistance, they didn't have an actual secure membership. However the way she had said it made her thinks she would
know who it was.

For two solar days she had scanned her memory, and come up with nothing. Who did Mele-on and she know. There were only a handful of people, and only two of those would betray her. Braca was dead, she knew him from a few encounters. John was dead, they had been together intimately. D'Argo was Hezmana knew where. Sparky wouldn't deal with the Peace Keepers if his life depended on it. Sikozu... had her own agenda, but hated Peace Keepers since Scorpius' betrayal, a woman scorned as John would say. And Wrinkles was dead, good riddance!

That left no one she knew.

Frell!

The main question was what did Grayza know about the Nebari? What was the relationship between her, and the Nebari. Clearly the woman hated them, but for what purpose? She had declared open war on them, out right genocide on all members of the Establishment. There were some serious personal issues with that Sebacean. 'You know, if she had white hair... Frell me!'

Sebacean females have black hair!

Hybrid Nebari have blue eyes, and those violets Mele-on supported were pretty frelling close. No one had seen a hybrid before, yet everyone knew that they had blue eyes. How had she not seen it before? All Nebari naturally have black eyes, the blue in the hybrids is because their bodies lack a certain neural transmitter that allows them to see in energy patterns. "That frelling bitch is one of us!"

"How very clever." Mele-on's voice carried out into the cell as she stood in the now closing door way. "I suppose it has taken you long enough."

Chiana cocked her head as she moved closer to the Peace Keeper. "Yeah well, they always did say I was kind of slow. Then again, I never really thought about it before." Chiana circled the smiling Commandant. "The next question is how."

"It matters not..."

"Why not tell her?" The mocking voice rang out before Noranti shimmered into existence. "Personally, I find your history rather boring, but it was enough to make the Nebari forbid breeding with other races."

"Old woman?"

"Traskin Bitch!" Mele-on's question was overshadowed by Chiana's scream. "Where is my child? So help me, if you've harmed one hair on her!"

"Silence insolent child. Your threats have no effect on me, then or now. The same goes for you, Grayza, I am beyond either of your reaches."

Chiana walked up to the old woman and stared her in the face. "If I have to tear this universe apart, I will. Even if I have to go to the furthest reaches of Hezmana, you will pay for what you have done." She backed away, head cocked with smile. "Just thought I'd let you know."

"Think of me what you will, but I will do what I must. I live only to serve the divine one, and his will is the only one I answer to." Both she and Chiana turned to the clapping Mele-on. "What are you going on about?"

"It is not many that will continue on using the same worn excuses for almost six hundred cycles."

"It is not an excuse, and I have been in his service a lot longer than the paltry six hundred cycles since your birth. Abomination they called you, and only I when no one else was there, took care of you."

"Yes, and a fine job of it, you did." Mele-on stalked over to the other two women. "Go on, then, tell her all about my heritage. About the years of service to the greater good that supposedly a Divine One had set us upon. I find it amusing now that I was so naive then. It is almost hard to believe that I was anything other than a Peace Keeper."

"The Abomination you are still. It is a shame I didn't kill you while I had the chance."

"Threaten me all you like, old woman, it makes no difference, as you are dead and your words but whispers in the wind." She laughed at the angry look from the old Traskin. "Did I tell you it was her that betrayed you? She still thinks somewhere inside me is young impressionable Nebari hybrid she can manipulate. What exactly she wanted you away from the Nebari for, I have no idea. It was a costly gambit, thanks to your little fighter squad I lost six carriers before it was over."

Chiana turned burning hatred on Noranti. "Why? You have done this to me twice. Haven't you caused enough suffering?"

"Yes, tell her, Noranti. Why did you practically give her to me?"

Noranti looked at her pleadingly. "It is not yet time for you to be reunited with the Nebari. Certain things must happen first. If you would but trust me..."

"Trust you! You killed my little girl!" Screaming in frustration, Chiana turned away. After another muted cry, she lowered her head to hide the tears.

"Ah, so the little healer was telling the truth." Grayza reached out a hand and cupped Chiana's face. "Don't think you are alone in this."

"Yeah, well what would you know," Chiana asked with more than a little resentful spite.

"More than you." She quickly removed her pale white hand from Chiana's face. Turning around, she walked to the edge of the room next to the bed. "Did you think you were the first one to have her life destroyed by this Trelkot? You are only her second Nebari victim. She has made a lifetime of interfering and destroy the lives of others. The moment I stopped believing her lies was the moment she took my own child away from me. In that moment I vowed to uncover her plots, and destroy everything she was working for. So far I have uncovered a great deal. Do you wish to hear them?" Her face never brake the amused tranquility as she spoke.

"Sure, why not?" With a twist of her body, she gestured for her to sit and tell.

Nodding once, she complied. "All my life, up to that point, I had believed I was a freak, something that had happened by accident. She did nothing to discourage this belief. My mother was born Zyloma Grayza of Dorelz Company, U-star Regiment. At that time, they were a on a recon mission to meet with a new species. One that might prove to be a valuable ally if only for their technology. Not much more was known about them." A faint smile curved her lips as she observed Chiana's rapt fascination.

"The Nebari at the time were closed borders empire, bent on discovering technology that would allow them to restore the balance of the universe. They believed that most races were a chaos that might infect their delicate sensibility if they exposed too much of themselves. When an entire Peace Keeper Command Carrier with the full Vanguard appeared, they took it to be an act of aggression. The entire fleet was destroyed by a Standard Host Vessel. However there were a few Peace Keepers that survived, as slaves.

"A Nebari Captain at that time had certain privileges. My mother was a pleasure slave that he claimed for his victory. She ended up falling in love with him because unlike the others, he was gentle with her. He kept her like one does a favored pet, and she enjoyed the treatment and lavish affection. Two cycles later she bore me, and he was transferred back to the home world, we went with him. Seems they had never heard of a hybrid child born. Nebari are genetically notorious for being incompatible."

Snorting, Chiana rolled her eyes. "Seems nothing changes with them."

"In that, I believe you are correct." Mele-on shifted her weight as she assumed a more comfortable position. "I was studied from the first monen of my life until I was sixteen cycles old. Then I was rescued by what I thought was a kindly old woman. She had taken me from my rooms one night as the entire complex had been put to sleep. Eager as I was to learn, she was willing to teach. She taught me everything about what I really was, about the Peace Keepers, and how to survive in the universe.

"You can imagine I was very grateful for her help. In fact I allowed her to talk me into seducing a young Sebacean Peace Keeper. We spent one night together, and I left the following morning. Five monens later the first symptoms of Nebari pregnancy struck. Another twelve monens after that, my daughter was born. Then she was snatched from my arms by that Frelling Bitch!"

Chiana jumped at the venom in the normally reserved voice.

Mele-on waited until she was sure her feelings were made clear before continuing. Though she had not changed her expression once, her voice now carried an under current of soul born hatred. "She left me on that freighter bound for the middle of Scarran space. I would spend the next six cycles drifting from one place after another like you did, my dear.

"In all this time, Zyloma had gone so far in her defection as to adopt a Nebari name, Kilna. She was accorded the respect and position that went along with being the mate of a high ranking Nebari. It didn't matter they had given up their child to be studied by a group of monsters. All she cared for was her new life. It would be the last thing she knew.

"When I found the Peace Keepers, they had no idea what had happened to the U-star." As she told this part, her voice returned to the normal air of someone who expects others to pay attention. "I informed them, and they were most grateful, even sent me along with a Command Carrier of my very own. My sire had taken his mate with him on a rare scouting expedition beyond Nebari space. Their fleet was destroyed, he was vivisected while still alive, and she I dealt with personally. Being a recently created Regiment, I had the honor of giving them the name of what should have been my regiment.

"U-Tech was my creation, our first endeavor was the dissection of one of their ships. A lot of our present tech is based upon that design. This ingratiated me with the Supreme Council and I quickly earned the multifaceted rank of Commandant. One of their most favorite new tech was the control collar. You see, I was the one that adapted the collar for Leviathans that we may harness them. Having spent sixteen cycles wearing one, I grew intimate with the technology."

Grayza smirked at the hateful glare from both of the other women. "You are wondering why I would do such a thing. Three hundred cycles ago a lover of mine detected a Traskin on a passing Leviathan. It seems she has been using them for her base of operations for generations. And they don't mind, in fact they go out of their way to protect her. In retaliation for a particularly violent rebuttal against our efforts to locate her, I instituted the declaration that all Leviathans in Peace Keeper territory were to be collared."

"How could I ever think you were worth saving? You are an even greater monster than the Scarrans." Noranti looked her up and down in horror. "What did I let loose?"

Continuing on as if the old Traskin had not spoken, Mele-on had eyes only for the past. "Following this, I discovered on many Leviathans there was a secret compartment in which either she or her agents would ride. They sometimes left copies of their work in these compartments which the Leviathans would then ferry around the Galaxy like giant couriers. This had to be stopped and their cause discovered. After a great many Leviathans had been collared, the chambers stopped appearing. It seems their builders noticed I was on to them. No great matter, I had enough evidence to discover something about the Peace Keepers and their blood lines."

"No! You must not!" This time Mele-on did stop when Noranti called out to her.

"I will do as I please, you can not stop me."

"I won't have to." Noranti's image dissipated as the ship rocked. All around them the cell started to shake. Lights in the ceiling grew so bright they exploded from the power surge. The food hole kept opening and closing shooting out food packets.

Chiana looked at them and smiled. "So it was all automated!"

Mele-on had scrambled to her feet and made her way along the shaking wall to Chiana. "Take no chances, I have learned from out mistakes."

Chiana release a high pitched giggle. "Well it looks like all your technology is going to get frelled all to Hezmana."

"Not before we finish and I get what I want!" Mele-on grabbed Chiana and forced her to look at her. "What I discovered is their blood lines were being manipulated, not by them, but another race. I never found out who, but to what ends I have only recently discovered. They are making them susceptible to Hybridization. The Sebaceans are only one part of this. There are other races, when I studied Crichton's DNA, he was also a part of it. When combined with Sebacean, it has an unusual side effect." She smiled when Chiana looked at her with wide eyes. "Yes, did you think I would not study what they were doing?"

"You are a monster!"

"No! I am only figuring out what the real monsters were up to. I didn't create the Humans, or the Sebaceans. This is something that has been there since the beginning." The room shook again throwing them against the far wall violently. "Two solar days ago Officer Sun gave birth two twins. One pure Sebacean a combination of Scorpius' DNA and that of Officer Sun's, no trace of John's DNA was found but in one place. The child had the ability to regulate heat! Officer Sun was also given this ability. Something else happened, the twin, it was pure Scarran. At first we thought it was completely Scarran, but we discovered after the birth that most of the DNA it has is John's and Aeryn's. Their DNA mixed and formed a base pattern for that of the Scarran child.

"It seems they each have the same Genetic pattern as the Scarrans, plus that which them uniquely Human and Sebacean. But that which would make them a Scarran instead of Human or Sebacean is dormant."

Chiana looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you telling me that John had the DNA to be a Sebacean or Scarran?"

"A primordial one, but yes. He has the base DNA, but not the genetic structure needed to produce the body forms."

"What does that mean," Chiana screamed at her as the entire room rolled.

"It means that we were created from the same base DNA. That which makes us unique is from the planets of our Evolution, but that which created us is not!" The room had stopped spinning as the Gravity centered around the ceiling. Crawling to Chiana, she forced the younger woman to look at her. "Now you know! What in the frell are you hiding that Noranti is willing to kill two thousand Nebari and half a million Peace Keepers to keep from them?"

"I don't know!"

"Then why are you with them?" Grayza's face contorted in disbelief.

"I'm not telling you..." Grayza gripped her face, forced her to look her in the eyes.

"Who was your last mate?"

"Get frelled..."

"Who did you last frell?" Mele-on lifted her from the floor by her neck. "Don't make me ask you again."

Tears stung her eyes as she shook her head no.

"It was Crichton, wasn't it." When Chiana froze, Mele-on dark smile returned. "Well it seems I got what I wanted after all. You have just given me the last piece I needed. Thank you, Chiana." Throwing the girl against the wall, she walked out of the cell as the door cycled open.

When it didn't close, Chiana shook off the pain in her body and stumbled towards it. Just before she reached it, a figure stood there to be haloed by the lighting. She tried to raise herself off the floor, but the cramps hurt in her abdomen crippled all attempts. "No..." The figure was joined by
others. "No!"

"It's her!" Suddenly they piled into the room.

Chiana was about to protest when they picked her up, but she noted their outfits. "Helie..."

"Is waiting with our ships, your module has been prepped for launch is waiting for us. Can you walk."

Chiana shook her head slowly. "I think I can manage with help."

One of the males lifted her face. "Open your eyes." He gasped when she complied. Then suddenly he was smiling and clapping her on the back. "Congratulations. We can celebrate when we reunite with the rest of our Squad."

"Wha... what's happening?"

He smiled as he helped her limp to the docking bay. "You don't know?"

"I wouldn't be asking, you grebhol."

"Suit her up, she can find out for herself." He ran off to his own fighter as they entered the docking bay. Most of the bay was a smoldering ash from their weapons.

Chiana looked in undisguised wonder as the rest of her wing plus members of other wings jumped in their fighters. Three wing members stripped her of the prisoner's rags she wore, and put her back in her flight suit. When they put her helmet over her head, she started to react to their actions. "I can handle this part."

"Good, then get in your damn Module, this place is going to go up fast!" The wing member let her go and rushed to her fighter.

Chiana didn't stop to watch anything else as she climbed in the Module and sealed the hatch. It was completely intact, no damage. Memory returned, she had been about to ram when her module died. They had hit it with a singularity beam. The wing members had repaired the damage to the systems, she could tell by the few bare wires sticking out of some consoles. "Yeeeeehaaaaaa! Yai yai yai yai yai YEA!" She screamed again as the others repeated it over the comms.

Her module activated under her hands, and she locked control to manual. "Helie, systems active."

"Follow my lead, full burn once we clear the ship's hull. Let's go!" The fighters lined up their formations as they followed Helie out of the cargo bay.

"Why?"

"Why, Chiana? We don't leave our people behind, we aren't the Peace Keepers or Establishment! When we saw your ship attack the Command Carrier and they used an up to now Nebari weapon to disable you, we knew they couldn't be allowed to live. We had to get you back, it was the last order from our leader, Soren."

"Soren is gone?"

"Yes, he risked his own life to disable the Carrier's weapons so the rest of us could get in and get you. The rest of our Squad is still intact and I am now in command. We need you."

Chiana thought on it a moment. "As long as you need me, I'll be here."

"Thank you. I know you lost more than most of us when the Transport blew."

She didn't respond.

Helie's voice crackled over the comms again, this time playfully reprimanding. "What is this I hear about celebrating?"

"Chiana's got little nipper in the works," came the playful sing song of the male Nebari from earlier.

"Goldan! Is this true, Chiana."

"I.. I dunno."

"It is, she has the first signs, her eyes were black, skin pale, and the cramps started." Goldan was laughing with the others of her wing. Many congratulations came over the comms.

"Yeah, thanks." Chiana remembered what Mele-on had said and shuddered. What would this mean for her child? It would also explain how Crichton suddenly became a Nebari, and that M'Lila was also part his. Tears came to her eyes as she followed the fighters. Behind them the Carrier exploded, but Chiana barely registered the fact or the cheers that followed.

***

Jim smiled as he rolled off of Resoh's back. "That is a shiatsu massage. Now if you can do that, I'll be yours forever."

Resoh looked up at him, head cocked. "You already are."

Quirking a smile, Jim laid back against the headboard, arms over his head. "Be that as it may, I am still not satisfied with your handling."

"This is a problem that must be resolved at the earliest convince." He pulled Jim back to him by his legs. "You have yet to fully submit to my command."

"I told you only when you can guarantee me freedom from this world."

Letting him go, Resoh sat up on the edge of the bed. "Are you that impatient to be shown the horrors of this chaotic universe?"

"You can't show me things I haven't already seen. People augmented by machines to be better soldiers, genetic plagues that control entire populations, fanatics that kill whole species out of the name of some god. The Human race is more creative than you give us credit for." Jim scooted to his side, resting his head on Resoh's pale bare shoulder. "Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if you told me that the Humans were a long lost colony of these Sebaceans."

"Be careful what you say. The Universe has a tendency to do the things we least want it to do." Resoh brought him around to straddle his lap.

"Always have to prove you are the stronger one?" Jim scooted around till he found a comfortable spot on the Nebari's lap. Looking Resoh in the eyes, he smiled. "Yes."

"Then remove these restrictive garments." He let Jim stand up.

Turning his back to the Nebari, Jim hid a smile. "No peeking!" He bent forward and lowered his boxer to his thighs. "Make it quick." Jim hissed when he felt the stink. When it was over, he stood up and glared at the slightly smirking Nebari. Rubbing the sore spot on his ass, he pulled up his boxers carefully. "Bastard, you enjoyed that."

Resoh stood up and picked Jim up in his arms. "You are now a member of my team, that brand is a symbol of that. You are now mine, and everything you say will to me from now on will be only respectful."

"Not on your life, you son of Hezmot!"

Resoh looked at the owner of the voice, and narrowed his eyes. "So you finally wish to confront the inevitable."

M'Lila stormed up to them and threw Jim from Resoh's arms. "You will die now, Establishment Relc sucker!" She slashed out across his middle with a piece of jagged edged metal.

Resoh backed out of the way, barely missing the blade. "You might as well give up, you will not win. Why fight that which you know is the right way? We are all Nebari, come home, and all will be forgiven."

"Forgiven! You are the ones who have done the harm, not us! For all that you have done, you will die!" With that, she made another swing of the blade.

Clapping from the door distracted them from their fight. In full Nebari Blacks, leather from neck to shoes, Julon stood in the door way. He stopped when they stared at him in shock. "Oh my, have I interrupted your little game? I apologize for the distraction. Please, continue, it is most amusing."

"Who the Frell are you?"

"That kind of language is not necessary. We are civil beings, are we not?"

"Is this some kind of joke?" Jim was up and supporting a hurt shoulder. "I thought you were supposed to be dead."

"Oh, there is your misconception. I am quite alive, it was the previous host of this body that has vacated for me."

Jim gasped as the startling blues locked on his own identical ones. "It can't be."

"I assure you, it is. John Crichton is no more, I am all that is left. His memories, and all those emotions are still here, but he is not." Stepping into the room, he surveyed the mess. "I thought you would be more organized than this, Guide Resoh."

"I knew it!" M'Lila stared at them all with hate-filled eyes. "I knew John was working with the Establishment!" She charged Julon.

"I am afraid not, my dear." He caught her by the neck. "You killed him for nothing." At her startled look, he gripped her throat tight. "I was there, I saw what happened." The next instant, he grimaced as her neck separated under his vise grip. "Dreadfully sorry, forgot my hybrid strength. Oh well, she was a Nebari killer, and we can't allow that to go unpunished."

"Quite right," Resoh agreed.

Jim looked at the Nebari before him and grimaced. "John?"

"Julon actually." He smiled at Jim and Resoh. "Best be dressed and ready to go, we have but a few microts before..." The room shook as the lights went out. "Sorry, miscalculated. Get ready, the ship will be here soon." He looked only at Resoh. "I am afraid I did not have time to restrain her, by the time I had planted the diversionary bomb, and ordered the ship to come, her people had already put their plans in motion. You have lost but one crew member, and her people three. It is best that we leave all of them here, your ship is damaged and we will need all the resources to make the jump."

Resoh scrambled to put his uniform on. "Our Jump engine was damaged when we were sucked into that gravity distortion."

"Who said anything about using a jump engine?" Julon left the room at a quick pace as the other two put on their clothes.

Jim looked at Resoh and sighed. "Do you have any idea what he is talking about?"

"I have a thought, but I do not like the implications."

"What?"

Resoh zipped his jacket. "Wait, I do not wish to disturb you."

"Like that puts me at ease." Pulling on his second boot, Jim followed Resoh out hopping. Once in the common room, he sighed as the other Nebari seekers entered. "Looks like we are all here. What now."

"Duck."

Jim gave Julon a scrunched look. "What?"

Julon smiled as he kneeled. The complex shook as the others quickly followed suit. "As I said, duck." The Star Runner came screaming to a halt above the building, the glass roof shattering. "Man, I'll never get tired of that. Cowboy diplomacy is the only way to go. We have a few microts before they figure out what the hell I have done, now get your emas on that ship!"

Jim watched in fascination as the Runner activated a light from the center that made a silver shaft to the floor in front of them. One by one the Seekers ran to that spot and floated up into the ship. Resoh smiled at him, grabbed his hand, and jerked him to the light. Jim felt a weightlessness as he floated up to the Star Runner. Once inside he was pushed out of the way as six more Nebari floated up.

Julon walked over to the light as several armed Humans ran in. He turned and smiled as Jack followed them. Cocking his head to the side, he waved at the older man.

Jack held up the necklace. "Did you leave this for me?"

"You'll need it more than me. Every man gets to be his own kind of hero, Jack, time to be mine. Still no rattlers, dad." He backed up into the light, and was sucked up into the ship. When he disappeared inside, the light turned off and the ship took off shaking the complex once again.

Jack watched with tears in his eyes. "So it wasn't over." Clutching the puzzle necklace, he turned and stormed out of what was left of the common room.

In the Star Runner, Julon saw a crowd at the command entrance. "Won't let you in?"

Resoh nodded once.

"Good, they still follow orders. DRD's, they sometimes have a mind of their own." His words were greeted with outraged clicks and squeals. "Okay, sorry guys. Time to let me have control of navigation." John slid into the pilot's seat and strapped himself in. "Oh, Resoh, you might want to tell your people to buckle up."

"Why, what are you doing?"

Julon laughed at the apprehension in Resoh's voice. "We are going to open a worm hole. So please lock your tray tables in the upright position and hold on to your emas, cause this is going to be a bumpy ride!" As they cleared the atmosphere, Julon smiled. "Time to go." He dove back towards the atmosphere accelerating their speed. Spinning towards the planet, he gunned the engines to full power.

"Stop, you are going to kill us all!"

Julon only laughed as the craft shook. He fired the main weapons at a point directly ahead. The ship shot into the energy backlash and disappeared.

****

Novia stood at the edge of the landing field, Sikozu at her side. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes, Empress. I believe we have a can work together." Sikozu straightened up as the large bulk of the Peace Keeper tech landed in front of them. Several fighters and attack ships baring the royal crest landed beside it, guards climbed out. "Prepare yourself, Empress, this will not be pleasant."

"I know, but there is really no way around it."

"Unless you wish to disregard my advice and blow them to Hezmana."

Novia laughed at Sikozu's antics, but silence when the Peace Keeper ship opened. The circular door rolled open with a whine. Six guards came out, weapons at the ready. "Lower them if you wish to live!" Her strict order met with no resistance as they dropped the pulse riffles. "Such mindless obedience, I would expect nothing less from our Peace Keeper cousins."

"Ah, Empress Novia, I had hoped we would meet again." The smooth cultured voice floated out from the hatch before Scorpius appeared. "And the Kalish trader, Sikozu, how wonderful it is to see you doing well."

"Can it, Scorpius. I have had enough of your sweet tongued lies." Sikozu smirked at his growl. "Where is she?"

"I believe you are referring to the Commandant. I am afraid she has been detained inside. It seems she has had a recent brake through and wishes to check her findings first."

"There is no need to make excuses for me, Commander Scorpius. I have completed that. This is something I would willing put aside my work to deal with." Mele-on came out of the hatch extending a hand to Scorpius to help her down from craft. "Thank you, Commander. Now as I was saying, thank you for allowing us to land on your moon, Empress."

"Shall we dispense with the pleasantries, I grow tired of games." Novia waited for Mele-on to nod. "Good, now I let you on my moon for one reason, you can give me something I want. I, in return, can do the same for you."

"It seems we are to be allies."

"Yes, but I want something more permanent." She walked to the Commandant with a confident stride. "We both know the Peace Keepers are doomed. The Sebacean forces are to fall under my control, and you will answer only to me. In return, you will have access to all our technology and genetic research."

"I am impressed by your generous offer. But what makes you think I would have the power to hand over the Peace Keepers? And if I could, why would I?"

"Because, Commandant," Novia gave her a feral grin, "if you don't, there is a band of Nebari Resistance members in orbit that are celebrating their victory over your entire fleet. I would be more than happy to turn you over to them. They have put a bounty on your head, and the tech they offer in return is more than little tempting. Especially with the threat of the Nebari hanging over our heads. So what will it be, Commandant, me," she turned and pointed to the flashes of light in the sky, "or them. Choose, Commandant. Know that either way, my family will have the Peace Keepers once more under our control."

"Bravo, I do believe she has us in quite a bind. Whatever will you do, my Commandant?" In the next instant, Scorpius found himself on the ground, a smiling Commandant standing on his neck.

"I believe we have a deal, Empress."

Taking Mele-on's arm in her own, Empress Novia walked towards her transport. "It wasn't like you had a choice this time, Mele-on."

"I tried," Grayza offered.

"Yes, but I once again have beaten your forces." Novia looked smug in her triumph. "You were always so focused on your wants, that you lost sight of your goals."

"That is what I came here for, though now it seems I shall not have it the way I intended." Her voice continued on in the faintly amused tone. "Since you will need to know, I believe it best to tell you I have made some shocking discoveries about our species."

Novia nodded. "I suspected as much."

Sikozu watched in shock as the two women disappeared in the Transport.


To be concluded in part 4, Julon Crion: Forever.