Tauvo knew that his brother was very dangerous like this. "Bialar, listen to me. You gave them your word. You are an honorable man. I worked hard to convince John of that. He has never really trusted you. What do you think he will do if you betray that trust? Do you really think that he will continue to give you access to the wormholes? Think, Bialar. He is not a Peacekeeper, he doesn't think like one."
Bialar stood up and loomed over his insubordinate brother. "How dare you speak to me that way? You are in your position because of me. Do not let the fact that you are my brother cloud your judgment."
Tauvo stood to meet his brother eye to eye, "Listen to yourself. You are letting glory cloud your judgment. You dealt a great blow to the Scarrans. We can exploit that through other means." Tauvo stood straight and softened his voice, "My brother is an honorable man and would not go back on his word. If you will not send them back, Churat will need a new captain." He turned away and walked for the door.
"Tauvo, wait," said a chastised Bialar. "You are right. I am letting myself be blinded by glory. After all these long cycles, I can see an end to the war."
Tauvo returned to the desk. "I see it, too, but remember, the Scarrans do not need to know that we can no longer travel the wormholes."
"Assuming Grayza is the only traitor," added Bialar.
"Yes, assuming that. But we have proof that she was passing information to the Scarrans. If she had anyone else under her control, that control will be broken with her imprisonment and execution."
Bialar sat back in his chair. "I don't have a choice, do I?"
"I'm afraid not. You know that he will cease to be cooperative if he is imprisoned."
Bialar rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Set a course for the wormhole, inform Teeg to make the changes in Talyn's logs, let Crichton and Sun know when they are to leave, and send them to me."
Tauvo bowed his head slightly before taking his leave.
John was pacing Tauvo's quarters.
"John, will you please calm down," Aeryn said.
"I can't. You know Crais. I know how he feels about glory. We both saw him in the debriefing. I just know he's not going to let us go."
They both spun around to face the door when it opened. Neither one took any comfort in Tauvo's expression.
"Well?" John asked.
"After seeing what could be accomplished by using the wormholes, he was not pleased with the prospect of not being able to repeat that accomplishment."
"See? I told you," interrupted John.
"If you will let me finish?" retorted Tauvo. "I was able to convince him that keeping you would not necessarily ensure your cooperation. That you would in all likelihood be resentful and uncooperative."
"Damn straight I would."
"He ultimately decided that he could not go back on his word. We will be at the wormhole that you arrived through in six arns. You will then be free to go."
"What about First Command? Won't they question why you can no longer navigate wormholes?" asked Aeryn.
"The logs are being altered to show that John perished in the fighting. Bialar will be able to convince them that without you there is no way to navigate wormholes. I'm sure research will continue in your absence, but it will not be any more successful than it already was."
"What about the knowledge Talyn has? He doesn't have everything, but there's some stuff in there that could be useful," said John.
"It's up to you. Of course, it would be useful to us and might speed up our research and we would prefer to have it, but if you want it destroyed, I will make sure it happens."
"Let me think about that." He wasn't sure he wanted to give that kind of information to the Peacekeepers, but if the Scarrans had their research somewhere in addition to Katratzi, he didn't want the Scarrans to have the advantage.
"One last thing, Bialar wanted to see you before you left."
"Did he say why?" asked John suspiciously.
Tauvo shook his head. "No, he didn't say. I'll see the two of you before you leave." He walked over and placed his hand on John's shoulder. "I have enjoyed your friendship and wish you didn't have to go."
"Thanks, Tauvo. I wish I'd gotten to know you in my reality." So much would have been different if they had met under these circumstances. "But, we don't really belong here."
"No. I suppose not." He turned to Aeryn, wondering if his other self had known her. "Aeryn, you are very much like the woman I knew. John is a very lucky man."
"Thank you, Tauvo. You make a fine Captain."
He chuckled softly, "Not really, but thank you anyway." With that, he walked out of his quarters.
John looked at Aeryn. "So, should we go see how big brother is going to try to talk us out of leaving?"
Aeryn rolled her eyes as she preceded him out of the room.
John was on the defensive from the moment he entered Bialar's quarters. "Tauvo says you wanted to see us."
"Yes. Have a seat," Bialar replied.
"And so it begins," muttered John.
"What was that?" asked Crais.
"Nothing. What was it you wanted to see us about?" He looked at Aeryn and could tell that his behavior was annoying her.
"As I'm sure my brother told you, we are returning to the wormhole so that you can return to your reality."
"Yeah, he told us," John replied.
"I wanted to thank you for your assistance in destroying Katratzi."
"What? Did Bialar Crais just thank someone?" asked John facetiously.
"John, behave," chided Aeryn. She could tell that Bialar was not in the mood to play games.
"Is it possible for you to behave normally for even the shortest period of time?" Bialar asked.
"Hate to break it to you, Bialar, but this is normal for me." John said as he leaned back in he chair and laced his fingers behind his head.
Bialar decided to continue talking and do his best to ignore John. "As I was saying, your help was invaluable. We have delivered a tremendous blow against the Scarrans. With your help, we could ensure that they would no longer pose a threat."
"I knew it was coming. Bialar, it's not gonna happen. We only came here because there was a very real danger the Scarrans would develop the technology to harness wormholes. We couldn't let that happen. That research has been destroyed. I'm not going to give someone else the power of wormholes. We don't belong here. As much as I don't like the Scarrans, these are your Scarrans. We have our own problems to deal with. So, thanks, but no thanks."
"I assumed that's what you would say. I had to ask to be sure that you couldn't be persuaded to stay. I have heard reports of your existence in your reality and thought perhaps you would prefer the more stable and protected life I could offer you here. As I'm sure you have been told, the logs are being altered to show that you perished in the attack. There will be questions, but they will be explainable."
"What are you going to do about Grayza?" Aeryn asked.
"We have a medical report that shows she has the heppel gland. Our communications logs show that she sent a coded transmission. While we have not decoded it, the fact that the Scarran attack force was waiting for us is rather incriminating. She will be exposed for the traitor she is."
"That's good to know," John replied. "Do you have anything else?"
Bialar got up from his desk and extended his hand towards John. "You are a good man. I only wish we had had the opportunity to get to know each other better. I think under better circumstances we could have been good friends."
"Uh, thanks." This was the lasts thing John was expecting Bialar to say.
Aeryn added. "I'm sure you would have." She had seen their Crais on Talyn and how he had matured. "Captain, it's been an honor serving with you again."
"Thank you, Aeryn. A safe journey home to you both. A transport will be departing for Talyn in an arn. That will give an arn to collect any belongings you might have on Talyn before we arrive at the wormhole."
Aeryn was dreading her return to Talyn. She hoped to be able to avoid any further confrontation with Velorek, but thought that it was unlikely. He hadn't gotten the hint yet. She wanted to stick close to John.
"Hey, babe, why don't you go get the last of our things together while I check on Talyn's memory banks."
"Yeah, okay," she replied reluctantly.
"You alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
"You sure?" He didn't really find her answer convincing.
She smiled and nodded. "I'm sure."
"Okay. I'll meet you at the module in a little while." He sauntered down the passageway.
Aeryn packed quickly, first in her quarters and then in the quarters John had been given. He really hadn't left much of a mark on the room.
"So, you're really leaving," came a voice from the doorway.
She looked up and saw Velorek leaning against the doorframe. "We are. Very soon actually."
"Were you planning on saying goodbye?" He moved slowly into the room.
"I don't really know who you are, so, no, I wasn't planning on it. You only think you know who I am. Now, if you will excuse me, John is expecting me in the hangar."
He took hold of her arm and stopped her. "Kiss me."
She looked at him like he had grown a second head. "What?"
"Kiss me. If you can tell me you feel nothing, I'll let you go in peace. If you do feel something, stay. From what I understand, you would be safe in this reality as your self here does not exist."
She tried to shake her arm free. "I can't."
"Please. Just this once. Let me say a proper goodbye. I never got to do that before. I promise, I will walk out this door after just one kiss."
She put down the bag and waited for him to kiss her. He kissed her tenderly and deeply. She did nothing to return his kiss. "Goodbye, Velorek," she said. Picking up the bag, she walked out of the room without looking back at him. Through that kiss, she knew how much he still loved her and how much it had to hurt him to have her leave his life again. She could feel a tear trickling down her cheek.
John saw Aeryn pacing in front of the module. "I take it you're ready to go?"
"Yes," she replied shortly.
He made a mental not to talk to her about it when they got back. "Good. I, uh, talked to Crais and we're just about there."
"That's great." She climbed into the module.
John shook his head realizing his dad was right. You just couldn't understand women.
Shortly after he took his seat and finished the systems check he received clearance from Crais to depart. "Farscape One is clear," John reported as they cleared the hangar.
"Good fortune and thank you for your assistance," Crais replied.
"You're, uh, welcome. Catch you on the flip side," John said before aiming the module into the mouth of the wormhole.
Everyone was waiting for them in the Maintenance Bay. "Welcome back," said D'Argo.
"Yeah, glad to see the two of you still alive," added Chiana.
Stark looked shocked to see them. "You are alive?"
"Yeah, Astro, it's us," replied John. "Good to be back."
"So, you stopped the Scarrans?" Chiana asked.
"Yeah, we stopped them. At least for now." He looked around for Aeryn and saw her walking out of the Maintenance Bay. He wondered where she was going. "Excuse me, guys."
John finally tracked Aeryn down at the Terrace. She was sitting on the deck staring at the stars. "Can I join you?" he asked as he sat next to her.
She glanced at him briefly. "Yeah."
They sat in silence for a few moments. "Did something happen on Talyn?"
She leaned against him. "Hold me," she cried.
"Aeryn?" he asked.
"I'm so glad it's over."
He just held her, waiting for her to say anything else.
She thought about what she could have had with Velorek on Talyn. It had seemed so nice. But then she started to think about what she had here. She had John. She was carrying his baby. She had fantastic friends, no, a fantastic family here on Moya. This was where she belonged. This was where she would be happy. "I love you," she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too."
A/N: I hope that you enjoyed this story. It was fun for me to write, though it was kind of hard to let Crais go and admit that he really is gone in John's reality. :)