Farscape: Next Generation

Chapter 7: Recall

Aeryn dropped from the shaft in the ceiling taking out one of the Scarran guards on the way down. The other remaining Scarran was alerted and advanced toward her but was soon taken out by her pulse pistol.

"Mom!"

Aeryn moved over to D'Argo and removed her son from the straps that tied him to the table. He gave her a tight hug, not wanting to let go. She stroked his head not wanting to let go of him either, but they needed to get off this base and back on Moya.

"D'Argo," she let go of him, "we have to get out of here."

She boosted D'Argo up into the shaft and followed behind him.
______________________________________

"C'mon c'mon..." John muttered anxiously to himself under his breath as he waited to reunite with Aeryn and their son.

John ducked down a bit farther as a Scarran passed by him.

"Dad," a tiny voice whispered from the ceiling.

"Hey Little D," John whispered back. He smiled in relief as he laid eyes on his son. John helped D'Argo down from the shaft in the ceiling and then his wife.

"You okay?" John asked giving Aeryn a quick look over again.

"Yeah," she answered out of breath. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Commander Crichton," Braca reappeared causing John to slightly jump.

"JEEsus you have got to stop sneaking up on people like that."

"Scorpius' marauder is ready to take you and your family back to Moya. There's just one slight problem."

Of course, there's always something. John should have known it wasn't that easy. He pulled out his pulse pistol and licked the underside of the cartridge. "Alright, let's get this over with," he said as he reloaded the cartridge into his pulse pistol.

"Wait," Aeryn grabbed John's arm. "As much as I want to kill every one of them, I think it would be in our best interest to escape quietly. Once Staleek notices D'Argo is gone, he will lock down the base and we'll never be able get off."

Motherhood definitely changed Aeryn, for the better John would say. Again, he knew she was right.

"Okay, we'll do it your way," John said as he put away Winona.

"On the contrary, John, we will do it Scorpius' way." Braca said.

"Yeah sure, fine, that's fine," John really didn't care at this point how they got off, he just wanted to be back on Moya with Aeryn and D'Argo.
______________________________________

"I fail to see the importance of your point Scorpius," Emperor Staleek sneered.

"It's simple, you give me full ruling authority over the Scarran nation and in return I will give you John Crichton and his son, which, as you know, comes with wormhole knowledge," Scorpius proposed.

Staleek pushed Scorpius into the wall lifting him off the ground by his neck. "I will do no such thing! You give me John Crichton and I will not kill you. How is that for a proposal?" Staleek growled. He loosened his grip on Scorpius and added, "besides, you could never rule the Scarrans. You're not even a full-blooded Scarran, how pathetic."

"There's a first time for everything, Emperor."

A red light flashed, and an alarm sounded throughout the ship.

"Secure Crichton's offspring. Ensure that no one touches him," Staleek ordered to the surrounding Scarran guards.
______________________________________

"Damn," John said under his breath as he and Aeryn pulled out their pulse pistols. "Looks like we got a change of plans, baby."

They ran into three Scarran guards in the hallway. D'Argo had never seen his parents in action like this. He was in awe of their synchronization as they cleared the hall of any remaining scarrans.

"C'mon, this way," John directed.

D'Argo did his best to keep up with his parents, but his short legs couldn't hold out.

"Dad," D'Argo cried out as he fell farther behind.

Without hesitation John lifted up D'Argo onto his back to carry him. It wasn't the best place to protect from attacks and made them both more vulnerable, but it was the best he could do at the time.

"John," Aeryn whispered, signaling that there was someone about to turn the corner of the hall.

He tucked himself up against the wall as a way to shield him and D'Argo. Aeryn turned the corner and shot the Scarran, clearing the hallway once more for them to proceed.

They eventually found their way to a space craft for escape. John boosted Aeryn in, then handed D'Argo to her. She held her hand out for him to grab, but this time he hesitated.

"John!" Aeryn exclaimed.

"I can't leave Scorpius here, not with what he knows about D'Argo."

"John..." Aeryn's tone was uneasy.

"Aer-," He began to say her name but cut it off breathily.

"Please. John, please." She begged, her eyes filling with tears because she knew he had already made up his mind.

"I love you," he said as his eyes did the same.

"John!" She tried one more time as he shut the door to the craft. Aeryn watched as he disappeared back through the entrance from where they came. "Frell...," she whispered under her breath in defeat.
______________________________________

Aeryn waited anxiously on Moya for John's voice to come over the comms to say he was okay and ready to dock. She wanted to hear his voice. She needed to hear his voice.

"Aeryn," it was staticky, but it was him.

A tear rolled down her face in relief.

"Aeryn," his voice came in again.

"John? I'm here John." She tried to pull herself together, but her voice was still a bit shaky.

"Listen, we gotta starburst as soon as I'm in the docking bay." He didn't have time to explain much of what had happened after he left her.

"You heard him Pilot," Aeryn relayed.

"Preparing for Starburst." Pilot said, waiting on John to enter the docking bay.