TITLE: "NEIGHBOURS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: No specific pairing

RATING: PG-13

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "NO CHOICE AT ALL"

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

"NEIGHBOURS"
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL

The first thing he felt was panic. He tried to get up but multiple hands kept him pinned to the floor. The faces looked vaguely human but something in the eyes had gone feral. Or maybe had always been feral. He could hear Guy keening between roars on the other side of the bars. The voice of his friend the Dominar trying to soothe the gorilla. <Good, Sparky, that's good. Don't want Guy sharing this particular nightmare. Bad enough to be in this frelling zoo in the first place> He was prodded, poked, then dragged to his feet. Great, at least he was standing. They began to paw him, hard bruising fingers that grasped as if to rip the skin and flesh off his bones through his clothing. He yelped. They were hurting him and the look in their eyes said they knew and that it did not matter a damn.

"Hey! That hurts."

They carried on, now leaning in cautiously to sniff his scent. A couple of them paused as if something confused them, then there was a kind of barely articulate conversation and he felt hands ripping at his jacket.

"Back off people, that is ENOUGH!"

They were so startled by his sudden outburst that for a microt there was a deadly hush. Everyone froze. Crichton tried to inject calm into his voice, lowering it several decibels so as not to alarm his new captors. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I am *not* your enemy. My name is John Crichton..."

Rygel cut him off. "No John, look at yourself."

The Dominar's voice was quiet but clearly spoken.

"Whoever captured us captured *them*. They captured Guy and all of the rest of the creatures held in this gammak base. Now look at what you're wearing."

He looked down and realised the Hynerian was right. Suddenly he felt dirty. "Oh my gawd, they think I'm a Peace Keeper!" He paused just a microt. Six pairs of eyes watching him closely. Six pairs of hands ready to rip him to shreds. "Um Sparky, now would be a good time to have an idea."

"Take off the jacket."

"The jacket?" He nodded slightly to himself then mumbled, "Oh yeah, the God-damn PK jacket."

He started to take the jacket off. Something, perhaps suspicion, stirred in the deep deep brown eyes of his captors. As the jacket came off he felt hands on his vest. Knew it would rip unless he took it off. He batted their hands away and chided. Voice soft but firm. "Hey, back off, this is not an easy thing for me to do, 'kay? And I don't have that many vests left that I want you guys tearing this one to shreds."

His voice had the desired effect. Heads tilted, eyes questioned him but they stopped pulling at his vest and followed his every move. It felt surreal. He lifted his arms to pull the vest over the top of his head and felt the rough pads of their hands and fingers on his chest and back running over his bare skin, feeling the ripple of his muscles as he shuddered. It was creeping him out big time. "Are you sure this is such a good idea, Sparky?"

Rygel was not sure but one thing was certain. "You are still alive, John."

"Um, point taken."

He felt hands on his hips, everywhere in fact. Tugging at his trousers. Tugging not trying to rip them off this time. He realised they were waiting for him to take the rest of his clothes off. He shivered. "Look, it's cold in here and I really would appreciate not freezing to death."

They appeared not to understand. When he continued to hesitate they began to crowd him again, take up the air he should have been breathing. Their scent was much stronger than his and right now it filled his brain with a different kind of fear. Something else in their eyes that he hoped he was misreading. The tug on his pants got more insistent, the patience in their eyes beginning to evaporate. "Uh Rygel?"

The Dominar's eyebrow tuft twitched at the use of his proper name, knowing Crichton was really worried now. His voice sounding strained. He could not see what was happening because the creatures were taller than Crichton and he was now in the middle of them. "Yes?"

"Uh, have you any idea what gender Bigfoot is?"

"Bigfoot?"

One of them was examining his hair, pulling and tugging at the short strands while another was sticking a finger in his ear but not hard enough to hurt. Others touched and prodded his chest. They seemed to like the hair on his chest, though he had much less than they did it was fascinating to them for some reason. The hair foming a v down his chest and then narrowing into a line of hair from the point down the middle of his abdomen towards his stomach. Almost like an arrow pointing South. They grunted softly to each other as if discussing him. As if they were curious about what manner of beast he was. He was not sure if that was an improvement or not. "Yeah
Bigfoot. Sasquatch. The Abominable Snowman, if you get my dift."

He chuckeld lightly at his own stupid joke. Here he was possibly staring death in the face and he was making jokes. Dad would be so proud of him.

"I think they are female."

That alarmed him. "What? ALL of them?"

Despite the situation Rygel was amused. Guy was not. The gorilla had picked up on his friend's fear even though he tried to mask it. "Just don't make any sudden moves, John."

He tried to still the panic inside. "That is *not* very helpful, Sparky."

All six pairs of hands finally decided the pants had to come off. His efforts to convince them to let him keep his pants on failed. With a sigh and perspiring far too much for his own liking, he quickly unzipped and stripped down to his Calvins having to yank his boots off in the process. Crichton felt uncomfortable but too concerned about not riling them up to be embarrassed. He would have plenty of time for that if he survived this encounter. Why did these things keep happening to him? He tried to get out of the circle but it was like trying to step through a mountain. Without a tunnel. Yet he could not go round them either.

"Hey Sparky? Do you think the gaolers from hezmana had them injected with translator microbes?"

Rygel snorted. "No, I don't."

They were touching him more intimately now and he could feel his level of fear rising exponentially. He had to get out of this. Preferrably with his wedding tackle and all the other attached parts intact. Calm. He had to stay calm or he was a dead man. "Why do you say that?"

"Why bother? You can see how the Peace Keepers treat them. They are here for experimentation only, John. Once the Peace Keepers have what they want they will probably destroy them."

Crichton's heart quailed. Even though he was several steps passed terrified he did not want any of the beasts to be killed. Tortured. Part of any damn experiment. It made his blood boil. It was wrong. Hands began to tug at his boxers, squeezing and prodding as he tried to jump back with a
yelp only to find hairy hands sliding down the waistband and rubbing his ass cheeks. "Rygel!" He yelled, not bothering to hide his panic. "Get me the FRELL out of here!"

Guy roared and threw himself at the bars, his hair sizzling, his cries bouncing down the corridor and off the ceiling setting off several other captives. Rygel looked around for a way to distract the females. All they had were their empty metal food dishes. He grabbed the nearest one and carefully slid it sideways through the upright bars, intending to throw it at the nearest creature to get its' attention. But as he was almost through the bars the tin touched one. Rygel froze, closed his eyes and waited to be burnt to a crisp. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes slowly. Tapped the tin against the bars again. Nothing. A wide smile broke across his face then vanished as Crichton screamed. Quickly he threw the tin. It hit the nearest female on her shoulder. She spun round, lips peeled back to expose long bared teeth, ready to rip his throat out. That was when Rygel yelled at her, "Let him go!" And spat a great glob of muscous matter in her face.

The creature went mad. Scraping and rubbing at the foul sticky mass. The rest of the group momentarily forgot about Crichton to go to her aid. At that precise microt the bars on the side of their cage slid open and Crichton darted quickly back into his cage and watched with relief as the bars sid back into place. There was a slight sizzle and crackle which then settled back into a familiar hum. The power was back on. And the *laides* realised their prize had got away. They yowled and made noises which almost sounded as if they were in distress. Crichton had no idea what any of it meant but never had he been so relieved to rejoin his friends. Guy hugged him and
Rygel smiled. "Thanks, Sparky. You saved my life."

Rygel's smile widened. Watching the mournful reaction on the other side of the bars. "I don't think they were going to kill you, John."

He turned his head to look back at his former captors. If he did not know better he would have said they were leering at him. He shuddered. Realising he had just escaped a fate worse than death. Then another realisation hit him making him groan out loud alarming Rygel.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

He was covered in little cuts and bruises but nothing that would not mend. His pride was another matter entirely but that was not why he was looking suddenly so miserable and anxious. "No Sparky, it's not that."

"Then what the yotz is wrong with you?"

Crichton pointed. "They've got my clothes."

* * * * *

Aeryn tried to talk sense into D'Argo. "We cannot take a transport pod down to the gammak base, D'Argo. The entry code might work but a transport pod is STILL a transport pod and we will do John, Rygel and Guy no good whatsover if we simply give the Peace Keepers more prisoners."

D'Argo started pacing again. Angry and frustrated in equal measure. He could feel an insane fury building against Crais. "If Crais had stayed..."

"If Crais had stayed it would not have changed anything."

He stared at her. "How can you say that?"

"D'Argo, why do you think Crais didn't stay?"

"Because he's a frelling coward."

She shook her head. "He is not a coward, he is a tactician."

D'Argo frowned. She sounded almost respectful. "What do you mean?"

She stepped closer to him. They were the only ones in command, the others had gone to get something to eat to help them think. Planning a rescue was hungry work. Rygel would have been proud. "I mean Crais will not do anything unless there is at least a chance of success."

"Then the access code...?"

"Is useless."

For several microts he said nothing. "He betrayed us."

"No. He is letting us betray ourselves. It is actually very clever."

"I will crush him!"

"No, D'Argo, you will not. He is gone. Forget him. We have to worry about getting John and the others out of there. We cannot afford to be distracted by Crais."

* * * * *

Commandant Darikos had tears in his eyes. In all his cycles as a Peace Keeper he had never known such priceless entertainment. Watching the trials and peregrinations of John Crichton was the funniest thing he had ever witnessed. The way he had reacted when the female specimens had caught him, the way they had gone from wanting to rip him to pieces to mate with him was very funny. Hovar Kan rushed into his office thinking something was wrong and stood transfixed at the sight of his dour and stone faced Commandant wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. He had even been impressed with the tiny Dominar. For some reason he had not thought the Hynerian would lift a finger to help anyone but himself. Maybe he would not kill him just yet
after all.

"Is everything alright, sir?"

Darikos took a microt to compose himself but the smile kept sliding back on his face. "Yes, Kan. I have been watching the human. He is not like any species I have *ever* studied before."

Kan did not smile. "No sir, he is contaminated."

The word froze the smile on the Commandant's lips. He nodded slowly. "Quite so."

As his expression slid back into its' usual grim lines he saw a flicker of approval on Hovar Kan's face. He would have to be careful not to let his guard down in around his major domo again. He did not want Kan reporting his lapse to High Command. Not when they were close to achieving their highest objective.

* * * * *

"What the yotz do you think you're doing?"

Crichton was freezing. He was so cold he had goose bumps on his goose bumps. "I need my clothes, Sparky."

The Dominar shook his head and watched Crichton get as close to the intervening bars between the two cells as he dared. The neighbours were looking back at him, curious and wary. Several had got up and were standing the other side of the bars. Rygel thought Crichton was completely fahrbot. Not content with escaping from their clutches by the skin of his teeth, he wanted to flirt with sudden death again. Sudden *painful* death, he should add.

"Hey, it's really cold in here. Do you think I could have my clothes back?" He pointed to the side of their cage where his trousers, vest and jacket lay in a discarded dusty heap.

Eyes flicked to and fro. Rygel grunted. "They don't understand you. When will you get that through your thick human skull?"

Crichton's voice was soft, his eyes on the neighbours. "They understand Sparky, they just don't come from this side of town that's all."

"They are *never* going to give you back your clothes."

The human fell silent. Guy watched but made no sound or movement which pleased Crichton. The last thing he needed was for Guy to go into full protective mode right now. What he needed was for everybody to stay calm and maybe they could get somewhere. One of the females moved almost as close to her side of the bars as he was to his. She tilted her head slowly at him, having to look down to look him in the eye. He seemed to remember that she was one of the more gentle members of her clan. So did that make her bottom of her food chain or somewhere near the top? How did this group measure intelligence? What things did *they* value? He shivered again, harder this time. She watched him rub his arms briskly. He pointed again to his clothes. She looked him over slowly, then turned her head. The others were stirring more now. Paying more attention. <Uh oh, here comes the opposition>A slightly heavier female began shaking her head.

"Please." He urged softly. "I'm frelling freezing over here."

All heads turned to him then the female nearest to the bars said something to the others. Some heads shook, others seemed indecisive. There was an animated exchange. She moved away from the bars and grabbed the clothes. A short tussel with a couple of the others ensued.

"Hey! Careful. I can't wear 'em if you tear 'em."

That made them pause. Then his clothes were slung through the bars an item at a time. He gave them a huge grin and happily slipped on his pants, then his vest and finally his jacket. They watched his reaction with interest then seemed to get bored. Only the quiet one remained by the bars, watching him. Crichton smiled at her, genuinely grateful that at least one of them appeared to be on his side. "Thanks!"

He wished he knew her name. He would call her Sarah. Somehow feeling an important milestone had been reached. The beginnings of understanding. He looked longingly at his boots then decided perhaps he should not push his luck. He turned away from the bars and rejoined his friends. Guy put a hand around Crichton's neck and looked into his face, wanting to reassure himself the human was alright. "It's okay Guy."

The sound of his voice reassured the gorilla. He gave the human a gentle hug and glanced back at the other cage. The same female now sat where she had been formerly standing. Watching them silently. Rygel grunted quietly. Secretly amazed. "I think you've made a friend."

Crichton smiled. "Yeah. What d'you know? Good old Southern charm works every time."

"Hrumph! More likely you confused the hezmana out of them."

The human rocked his head from side to side and chuckled. He rubbed Guy's fur, the gorilla's eyes flicking from Crichton to the neighbour's. "Whatever works." Said Crichton softly. "Whatever works."

For once, the Dominar could not argue with him.

* * * * *

The mood aboard Moya was glum. They had been banking on Crais and Talyn to get Crichton, Rygel and Guy out of the gammak base. Now they had to come up with another plan but with the Uncharted Territories' most prolific plan maker trapped on the gammak base things did not look good. They were in Pilot's den. Aeryn sucked her bottom lip. I still have my prowler..."

"No!" Said D'Argo, Chiana and Zhaan together.

Aeryn lifted her head off her hands. "But..."

"Out of the question!" Retorted D'Argo firmly. "We will think of another way."

"Yeah well we haven't come up with anything so far and we don't know what those Peace Keepers have in store for them let alone what in hezmana they want with Guy."

"Experimentation." Said Zhaan softly.

Aeryn looked at her hard for a microt. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" Asked Chiana.

Aeryn ignored the Nebari and stared at the Delvian P'au.

"I do not know Aeryn, but it is the only thing that makes sense."

D'Argo frowned. "Makes sense how?"

Zhaan looked worried. "John is adamant that Guy comes from his home planet."

Aeryn nodded. "Erp."

"Earth." Correctly Zhaan quietly, almost without thinking. "The way Guy reacts to him seems to reinforce that assertion."

"What are you trying to say, Zhaan? That Guy IS from John's planet?"

"I do not see how there can be any doubt, sweet D'Argo."

"What is your point?" Asked Aeryn.

Zhaan looked at their faces, noticing that Pilot had stopped moving his limbs as if both he and Moya were listening with rapt attention. "When John arrived in the Uncharted Territories what did he tell us?"

"Before or after I knocked him out with my tongue?"

The P'au looked at the Luxan for a microt and said nothing. He shuffled his feet. "I am sorry. I should not have said that."

She continued as if he had not spoken. "John said that he was the first human to leave his planet and go into space. To go beyond the planet's Moon."

"Yeah but that was an accident, Zhaan." Said Chiana. "He somehow opened a wormhole and got thrown into another frelling galaxy. Ours."

"So he believes."

Aeryn narrowed her eyes slightly. "What do you mean? Are you saying John is lying?"

The Delvian shook her head. "No, Aeryn. I am saying that is what John believes happened."

"What do *you* believe happened, Zhaan?" Asked D'Argo carefully.

"I think his coming here might not have been an accident after all."

Chaos errupted. Everyone talking at once. Zhaan waited calmly until the voices died down. Once she had their attention again she tried to explain. "If Guy is from Earth then someone other than John has been there."

"Obviously." Scathed D'Argo lightly.

"And who is showing an uncommon amount of interest in Guy? Who has gone to extraordinary lengths to capture him?"

Aeryn's face paled. "The Peace Keepers!"

Zhaan nodded. D'Argo looked shocked. "Surely you are not saying the Peace Keepers have been to Earth?"

"It is the only explanation I can think of that makes sense."

Aeryn looked confused. "I don't understand what they could possibly want with Guy. If Peace Keepers *have* been to John's planet why didn't they take his people? Why take lesser life forms?"

"John does not think they are lesser." Pointed out Zhaan.

Aeryn did not say he was a deficient little human. That term no longer applied to him in her eyes but it did not change the fact of his oddness. His strange attachment to all forms of life, his almost reverent treatment of anyone weaker than himself. It had annoyed her, made her impatient with him at times, but slowly she had come to respect him for it. Even though deep down she would never truly understand the thing he called compassion.

* * * * *
END