TITLE: "LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: John/Aeryn

RATING: PG-13

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "BEYOND THE SPEED OF LIGHT"

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

"LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON"
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL


On board the leviathan Pilot's mouth dropped open in shock. Stunned he could only stare as Moya expressed her panic at the wave of darkness blotting out the stars. He felt her fear matching his own. His concern for Ka D'Argo and Crichton heightened by what they saw. Pilot activated the coms.

"John? D'Argo? Please respond. You *must* return to Moya immediately!"

There was no reply. Pilot had lost contact with them several arns ago. The strange anomaly appeared to be advancing on the planet below but with something that big it would take anything else within twelve hundred metras with it. That included Moya. Pilot tried to calm the leviathan. "We cannot leave John and D'Argo. They will be killed!"

He felt Moya's sorrow but also the certainty that they would have to Star Burst and hopefully come back for them. Pilot was upset. Moya was right but they had travelled so far with the Luxan and the Human. Leaving their friends to such a violent fate was almost more than he could bear. And then there was Aeryn. How could they leave now that Crichton had finally found his one true love? How could they leave them stranded on this doomed planet with no way off and no way home? He felt Moya's fear.

"I am frightened too." He answered. His voice sad. Defeated. He tried again to reach them but could get no reply. The time for hesitation was passed. They either left now or suffered the same fate as the planet. Pilot had tears in his eyes. "Star Burst Moya. Star Burst now!"

He felt Moya's sorrow as the leviathan initiated Star Burst. The act of escape a grief shared. For it came at too high a price. "Yes, Moya, we will come back for them." Said Pilot in a numb voice. But both he and the leviathan knew by then it would be too late to hope for any survivors.

* * * * *

Ka D'Argo managed by strength and sheer willpower alone to grab Aeryn and drag the pair of them out of the observation room. Once the door was shut behind them normal pressure equalised in the corridor and they were able to catch their breath. Tears ran down Aeryn's face, hysterical with grief she tried to get back to the room but D'Argo held her fast, his own face wet with tears. "No, Aeryn! You can't do anything for them."

"My son! Robert!"

"He's gone, Aeryn..."

Her sobs cut through him. His heart aching while hers was breaking. She turned her tear stained face to him. "And John?"

D'Argo swallowed. "I do not see how anyone could have survived..."

"But you don't know, D'Argo."

"No, I don't know but..."

Aeryn seemed to recover some of her control. She stopped crying and bit her bottom lip to steady herself. D'Argo marvelled at her strength. "Then we must find out."

"Aeryn..."

"No, D'Argo." She said solemnly, the clip of finality in her voice. A sound he knew so well. "This is something I *have* to do. You may come with me or go back to Moya but you will *not* stand in my way."

Their eyes met for a microt. Perfect understanding passed between them. The Luxan nodded. "Then I will come with you."

She did not waste time telling him not to. All she knew was that she could not leave them, not without exhausting every avenue. First she would locate the Squa'lik'na then make them take her to the Observatory Chamber. She did not care what the Council of Elders said or thought. How sacrosanct they regarded the place. She would not leave until either she had found or rescued them or had retrieved what was left of their bodies.

* * * * *

The shattering of the Observatory Chamber did not have an immediately acute effect on John Crichton. Linked up as he was to the Dar'ga'nel he was somewhat protected and the sheer vastness of the area diluted the initial effect. Alarms began to go off all around him, impinging on his concentration as he rapidly flicked through images. Yet he could not spare the time to wonder what in hezmana was going on. Instinctively he knew that if he stopped to find out it might as well be the End of Days in reality. Or at least the UT version of it. So he did not look around, did not see pieces of equipment being ripped up by cosmic tidal forces as the incoming wave rolled slowly towards him. He had his back to it anyway. What was another rip among many? Except this one was internal, the plexiglass division between the Observatory Chamber and the Observation Room. The debris was small, still in one piece, and tumbling slowly end over end as its' extremities reached for handholds where none existed. The mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He did not see it but the light beings who cared for him did. They urged Crichton to turn his head, to witness the horror and cry out mentally to his son.

Impossibly, Robert blinked, saw his father and smiled. Crichton tried to get out of the damn position he was in but his limbs were stiff from squatting for arns on end and the Squa'lik'na limb fastened to his head was holding him in place, the limb on his shoulder buried into his skin for grip. He mind screamed to the Dar'ga'nel to help him. To save his son. The pain in his shoulder increased enough to penetrate his senses then detached. To his surprise the limb extended suddenly and caught Robert as he was about to sail passed. Atmosphere was all relative now. Thin and bleeding thinner, breathing was becoming a luxury they could not afford. Pain filled his
lungs. How long until hypoxia? How long until the brain itself began to die?

But Crichton was reckoning without his army of helpers. The light beings flowed to his body surface. Rallied through his epidermal layers and those that reached his face formed a bubble of light over his mouth, nose, eyes and ears filling every pore with light to cut off the void of space. He really thought death was imminent. Not only was the atmosphere keeping him alive leaking out into frelling space, but the light beings were determined to suffocate him before he could die! How crazy was that? And they called him deficient! It was weird. Weirdest damn shit he had ever seen. Somehow the bubble of light trapped not only his body heat but also gave off something to compensate for the lack of oxygen. What it was he had no idea but it kept his systems ticking over though he was light headed, one huge hezmana of a headache hammering away at his back brain and making him dizzy but he was not about to pass out. He reached out to hold Robert, as his hands touched his now still and limp form, light bodies filtered from Crichton's hands and poured into his son. Their places on the surface of Crichton's body filled by the light bodies from the Dar'ga'nel. It was as if every single one of them moved to a single all important agenda. To keep the human and his son alive. The beautiful throbbing glow of their anxious light pulsing warmth and hope into the child. Tears ran down Crichton's face, words beyond him. It did not matter if he lived or died but Robert, Oh God Robert, *had* to live. His precious son must survive or all of life was in vain.

<John, we will not let him die>

He wept with relief, joy and a depth of gratitude that moved the light beings.

<You are welcome> A deeper tone of light spoke to his mind.

He shook his head as if the sound was an anomaly. <How come your voices are getting deeper, guys?>

<Not us>

Crichton did not care, he was hugging his son for all he was worth, willing him to open his eyes. To give him a sign that his little buddies had not come too late.

<He is safe>

<Then why won't he wake?>

<The aid we give to your lungs is only a poor compensation. Asleep he needs less help to keep him safe>

Crichton nodded. That made sense. Like dimming the lights could save electricity. <Thank you>

The light flushed through him like a caress. Gentle, full of care and concern for him.

<I'm okay but I need to go to the Dark. Confront the big bad guy and find out just what the hezmana his problem is>

Alarm flashed through him so acutely it actually hurt. He gasped, they relented, but the pulse of distress still lapped at his senses and warned him. <The Dark will consume you>

<Yeah, well I got a news flash for you guys, if we don't do something it will consume us all>

The light beings fell quiet. He had the feeling they were conferring. Robert began to stir in his arms. At first he did not find anything incongruous about that. All he felt was relief. <Robert? You okay?>

<Hey, dad, I'm fine> He paused and blinked, stunned to find something light and tingling clinging to his face. It seemed to be luminous. He was about to try to rub it off when his father gently took his hands in his.

<No, Robert. That film is a gift from the light beings. They are using it to keep us alive>

His eyes widened like saucers making Crichton chuckle. <No kidding dad? Hey. How come I can talk to you like this? Mind to mind?>

<The light beings are telepathic, Robert>

<Oh wow, wait till mom gets a load of this>

Crichton laughed and hugged him gently. Such love in his heart. He pulled back reluctantly. There was no more time. <I want you to do something for me, son>

<Anything>

<I want you to go back inside the main complex. Find Aeryn and D'Argo and get back to Moya>

<Nothing doing>

<Robert..>

<Forget it, dad. Where you go, I go>

There were tears in Crichton's eyes. Pain in his heart. Pride for a son that was not his but carried his genes and more importantly was born of Aeryn. <I need you to do this for me>

Robert put a hand to his father's cheek even though the film of light would not let him touch Crichton's tears the gesture meant the same. <I have to go with you>

<You'll die>

<What about you?>

<I'm expendable. You're not>

<Bullshit!>

<Robert...>

<No. No more talking, we don't have time, mom and D'Argo don't have time. I *know* what you're planning dad and I'm ready. I can help>

Crichton looked baffled. <Know? How could you know?> A thought came to him. <The light beings, they told you?>

<Got it in one, dad. Seems they don't want you to die either>

<Robert, this isn't a game. I'm serious, I can't be thinking of what I have to do if I'm worrying about you>

<Then don't dad. We'll do this thing together or not at all>

He paused, moved and full of sorrow at the same time. And so damned proud of his son. <Why did they wake you? So I wouldn't die alone?>

Now it was Robert who was crying. Crichton was immediately sorry for upsetting him. <No. They woke me because I can help>

<You're just a kid>

<And you're just a stubborn old man>

He was about to berate him when a terrific explosion broke off the top section of the Observation Chamber. Father and son looked up into a vision of space without any stars.

<Oh crap, I think we've just run out of time>

* * * * *

Yar'keth was distraught. His light not radiating at all but a dull murky brown. Anguish and panic were twin engines of destruction. Aeryn felt like shaking him but did not know which appendage to grip hold of.

"We have to find John, see what happened to Robert!"

"No, gone, all gone!"

D'Argo was tempted to batter the Squa'lik'na into a pulp but only refrained because they needed information and needed it fast. "Just tell us how to get into the Obseration Chamber. We will do the rest."

"Lost. Gone."

They gave him baffled looks.

"No atmosphere." The Squa'lik'na managed to squeeze out, so upset that normal functions were breaking down. Aeryn went white.

"You mean...?"

"Yes, Aeryn Sun, the Chamber has exploded. Much of it has vanished in the Dark."

"And the rest?" Ground out Ka D'Argo.

"The rest is following. Soon the rest of this place will be consumed. All will be gone. Lost. As before. Only this time no Squa'lik'na will escape to colonise a new world..."

* * * * *

Crichton became aware of a sudden pop inside his head. He closed his eyes and gasped. Alarmed, Robert clung to him, panic siezing him. <Dad? Father? Are you alright? What is it?>

He could not answer. Pain gripped him so tight the agony threatening to crush him. A deep voice reverberated in his brain. <You would oppose us?>

<Who the hezmana are you?>

<My questions, your answers! Death be my name>

<Oh God, you're the Dark aren't you? That destructive maw that wants to eat universes for breakfast>

<I can destroy you utterly>

<Why do you want to do that?>

<Want is not part of this, need is all>

<Need?>

The Dark fell silent. Robert shook his father but could get no reaction. His eyes were closed and he looked unconscious.

<You call yourself a name?>

<John Crichton>

<John Crichton? What name is that?>

<It's human. What do I call you? The Devil? The Ultimate Bad Guy? Saddam?>

<I am need. I am matter defined beyond energy. I am formless and insatiable>

<And I know, I am dead>

The Dark seemed to pause in his mind. Something touching him inside making the light beings quail and fall silent. <Why do you harbour light?>

<They're friends>

<Friends?>

<Yeah, you know *buddies*. They help me, I help them>

<They cannot help you now>

<Who helps you?>

<I do not need help>

<Well I know a million psychotherapists who might disagree with you on that score...>

<You are not like other beings>

<No kidding, Sherlock>

<Sher-lock?>

<Greatest detective who never lived>

<Why do you ally yourself with these creatures?>

<They want to live. So do I>

<That is not an answer, John Crichton>

<No, but it is a reason. A *need*>

The use of the word seemed to have meaning. He felt movement again inside his head. As if the Dark was curious about him. Wanted to know what manner of being he was before he consumed him. Or maybe he just did not want to get indigestion. Crichton trembled. The Dark was touching memories now. The light beings shut off from him there was no way he could keep it out or shield himself. He began to tremble.

<You fear me now, human?>

<Yeah, if it makes you happy you terrify the frelling dren out of me>

<Happy?>

Crichton fell silent. He did not feel so good. The Dark probed, raided his memories, sifted through emotions that were strange and surreal to it's comprehension. Shudders wracked the human. The Dark found his happiness and exteriorised it so it could adjust and contemplate. His manipulations hurt Crichton, bruised parts of him never exposed to the outside of his skeleton before. It was like being turned inside out, all his most delicate organs on the outside where there was no protection. His mind peeled like a grape. How much of what he felt was reality did not come into the equation. Fear this extreme knew no bounds.

<Shall I crush you or consume you, John Crichton?>

Asked the Dark curiously. His senses touching and examining the alien mind that was unlike anything else it had ever unravelled before. Crichton felt as if he were dangling in an abyss from his spinal chord, his fingers and toes twitching, his mind in pain as layers were peeled back slowly. The probing going deeper but subtle as if wanting to separate the different thoughts and emotions it encountered.

<Kill me or let me go, don't toy with me> Ground out Crichton, his mind spasming to the foul touch.

<You do not ask. I do not give>

Something like breath breathed ice on exposed grey matter. He shivered, shuddered and would have mentally cried out but somehow the Dark had found a way to mute his mind so that it could listen and feel but only talk when the Dark wanted to hear him. He did not like the way it had stolen complete control from him.

Robert was anxious. Could get no response from his father. Was not even sure if he still had a pulse. All his thoughts rebounded back to him unanswered so he spoke to the light beings. <What is happening?>

<John is in the grip of the Dark>

His heart quailed. <We have to get him out of there>

<No>

Robert thought he had misheard them. His father had called them friends. Spoke of the little beings with affection. <No?>

<He is where he needs to be>

Anger coursed through him. <Where he needs to be? It has my father! I have to help him>

<Yes, and you will but not by clinging to him>

<No?>

<No> The light beings became more gentle, flushing slowly through him with calming pulses. <You must let him go>

The boy was crying now. <All my life I wanted to meet my father, find him, be a family. I haven't found him to lose him now>

<You won't lose him, Robert>

<How can you say that when you ask me to desert him?>

<Not desert him just let him go>

<I don't understand>

<You must. You are his only hope and we are yours>

For several microts Robert was not sure what they were trying to tell him then something flared inside him. It took him almost twenty full microts to realise what the hezmana it was. Hope. Just a glimmer but it was slowly growing. Gathering his courage in both hands he kissed his father's cheek and let go. As he watched the fleshy pads of the Dar'ga'nel slid off his skull. Crichton was floating free, drifting away from him. Robert wanted to reach out and grab the body, drag him back, but the light beings soothed him and cautioned him to remain still. To let him go. Still he was anxious. <What will happen to him?>

<The Dark is distracted now>

<So we can kill it?>

<You cannot kill the Dark, Robert>

<Then why did you make me let dad go?>

<So that you could help us awaken the Dar'ga'nel>

<The Dar'ga'nel?>

<Yes. Some of his light beings are inside John. Some are inside you>

<That's you, right?>

<No. We are John's light beings>

<Now I'm confused>

<Help us awaken the Dar'ga'nel>

<What about my father?> Wailed Robert as he watched Crichton float out of the broken Observatory Chamber into the coldness of space and the waiting maw of the Dark.

<There is nothing you can do for him now>

<You tricked me> Cried Robert. Anger, anguish and utter desolation seeping through his mind, body and soul.

The light beings flowed gently, apologetically, through every layer of his mind. Trying to wash away his sorrow with understanding. <No. We saved you>

* * * * *
END